International Baby Names
Multicultural Names
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About this list
Multicultural baby names are names that have roots in more than one language or culture. There are thousands of multicultural names; what's here are some of our favorites.
Multicultural names often appeal to parents looking to blend diverse origins. If one of you is Irish and the other Jewish, if one parent comes from a Spanish-speaking country and the other has an Indian background, a multicultural baby name can be a perfect way to represent your child's blended heritage.
Multicultural names might be popular and familiar. The Top 10 girls' name Ava is a multicultural name, for instance, with roots in Hebrew, Latin, and German languages. The super hot boys' name Kai derives from Hawaiian, Frisian, and Chinese cultures.
And then there are the many multicultural baby names that are rare in the English-speaking world, yet are easy to spell and pronounce. Examples include Eos, with is both Greek and Welsh; Alda, both German and Old Norse; and Bara, which is Hebrew and Japanese.
There's a whole group of names we call Traveling Lite, which merge a range of backgrounds in ways that transcend any individual language or ethnic identity. Examples include Ayla, Naja, and Asa.
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The names
Ava
Hebrew, Latin or Germanic
"life; bird; water, island"
Ava is one of the prime examples of a modern classic name, ranking in the Top 10 for 20 years, from 2005 through 2024, only falling out in 2025. In medieval times, Ava was a diminutive of Germanic…
Ailany
Variation of Ailani, Ailyn, Aileen, or Aylin, Hispanic, Hawaiian, Irish, Turkish
"high chief; shining light; of the moon"
Fun, bright, and melodic, Ailany is a modern Hispanic name with multicultural influences. It broke into the US top 1000 for the first time in 2023 and by 2024, it had risen over 750 places to sit…
Aria
Italian and Hebrew
"air; song or melody; lion"
Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones . There were about 6400…
Ella
German; English
"all, completely; fairy maiden"
Ella is a sweet, simple name that owes much of its current popularity to the popularity of other names, from Emma to Bella to Emily to Ellie. Ella is one of those names that has ranked in the US Top…
Riley
English, Irish
"rye clearing; courageous"
Riley—an upbeat, friendly surname name—is red hot for girls and still going strong for boys. If you haven't been spending much time around babies recently, you may be surprised to learn that Riley is…
Delilah
Hebrew or Arabic
"delicate"
Melodic and lively, Delilah has cut itself (mostly) free from its treacherous past to become a contemporary favorite. Though some people are naturally still put off by the deceptive Biblical figure,…
Maya
Sanskrit, English, Hebrew, Estonian
"illusion, magic; mother; water; beloved, bitter, drop of the sea"
Maya, which has an almost mystical image, has been steadily climbing in popularity in the US and the English-speaking world, along with a range of other countries, including France, Germany, Israel,…
Ayla
Hebrew or Turkish
"oak tree; halo, moonlight"
Bright, fresh, and sunny, Ayla is a fashionable and exciting international choice for girls. Reminiscent of other trending names such as Layla, Isla, and Ava, Ayla has recently found its place in the…
Kai
Hawaiian, Frisian, Chinese
"sea; warrior; triumph"
Kai is an internationally flexible name with many possible origins and meanings, growing in popularity in the US and a diverse range of European countries. In the US, the name Kai is most commonly…
Amir
Arabic or Hebrew
"prince, ruler; treetop"
Concise, familiar and multicultural, Amir enjoys widespread popularity around the world. A common name in the Middle East and across Africa, it has been on the rise in the US since the late 70s, and…