Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
Updated September 2026
Across 13 pages
of 13
Jen is a short, crisp feminine name that originated primarily as a diminutive of Jennifer, though it can also be a nickname for names like Jenna, Jenny, or Genevieve. The root name Jennifer comes…
Norse
"bride"
Siv, or sometimes Sif, was the name of Thor's wife and is popular in modern Scandinavia. In Norse mythology, Siv was the goddess of fertility and agriculture.
Japanese
"spring"
Commonly used in Japan, and so much more distinguished than Jen.
Jil is a feminine name that typically serves as a simplified spelling variant of Jill, which originated as a diminutive of Gillian or Julian, ultimately derived from the Latin name Julius. This…
Slovene
"May"
The Slovene name for the month of May. It is used as a male name, which is unusual given that most translations are connected to the goddess Maia and considered to be feminine.
Slovene variation of Rocco, Italian
"rest"
Former Top 5 baby name in Slovenia, now on the decline.
English, German, Norse, Danish tree name
"red, brown"
Strong, straight, and leafy, one of the new tree names used mostly as middles.
Hebrew, short form of Raziah
"the Lord's secret"
Raz is one of the many modern Israeli unisex names. It's simple and sleek and translates easily to English.
Diminutive of Desmond
The cool clipped Des may be the part of the name wave of the future, with midcentury names like Des and Vic and Stan riding back into style on the heels of big brothers Max and Sam and Ray.
Fruit name
Fig was the unlikely name of a beautiful character in Curtis Sittenfeld's Man of My Dreams . It could make a playful middle name or a sparky nickname for the likes of Philippa, Fiona, Felicity, and…
Short form of Edward, English
"weathy guardian"
Edd is a shortened form of Edward, a classic English name derived from Old English elements meaning 'wealthy guardian' or 'prosperous protector.' While Edward has been borne by kings and remains…
Tav is a concise masculine name with multiple origins and meanings. In Hebrew, it represents the last letter of the alphabet (ת) and carries symbolic meaning of completion or perfection. The name may…
English
"elf counsel"
Short form of Alfred that had fallen out of favor, but could come back alongside Alfie and other clunky old-style nicknames like Gus and Ike.
Diminutive of Pamela, English
"all honey"
This mild-mannered short form was Queen of the Prom in the fifties and sixties, but today is mostly heard on TV's The Office (and of course as one of the founders of Nameberry). While about 100 baby…
Spanish
"gold"
Rare, with a gleaming, golden image.
Bev is primarily a feminine name that originated as a short form of Beverly, which was initially an English surname derived from a place name meaning 'beaver stream.' This concise, single-syllable…
English, diminutive of Roderick and Rodney
Macho-er than thou.
Norwegian and Swedish form of Olaf
"ancestor's relic"
Simple, friendly, distinctive name heard in several cultures. The a ending may feel more feminine in the US than Ole, though both variations are acceptable in Scandinavia.
English diminutive of any girl name that starts with D
Dee is a slight midcentury nickname that might be short for Deanna or Denise, but might be too slight for today's strong, independent female.
Irish, Ogoni, Vietnamese
"new, fresh; second daughter; woman, flower bud"
Borrowed from the Irish word for "new" and "modern", Nua could make a novel alternative to Nova or Neo, or to the similar sounding Noa and Nora. In Ireland, its pronunciation varies regionally, with…