Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
Updated September 2026
Across 13 pages
of 13
Diminutive of Kenneth; Japanese
"born of fire or handsome; healthy and strong"
In many minds this one belongs to Barbie, but with such positive meanings and international connections, can Ken make the transition to usability again?
French
"man from Lucania"
Luc is the sleeker Gallic cousin of Luke, and if you want to know the difference between their pronunciations, just watch Kevin Kline's hilarious description in the film French Kiss. Peter Gabriel…
Place-name, nickname for state of Texas resident
Despite its rakish western charm, still remains a cowboy costume without a real persona inside.
Diminutive of Dominic, Latin
"belonging to the Lord"
A bit slight to put directly on the birth certificate, but Dom is a pleasant nickname for a boy or a girl.
Zay is a concise masculine name with multiple potential origins. It may function as a shortened form of longer names such as Isaiah, Zachariah, Xavier, or Zayn. In Arabic, 'Zay' is the name of a…
Spelling variation of Faye, English
"fairy"
Now that Faye is back on the Top 1000 after a decades-long absence, its spelling variations are being revived as well. Fae was given to nearly as many baby girls last year as Fay and may be…
English
Fay, also spelled Faye, who had been napping quietly since the 1930's, has, like cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae, sat up and started rubbing her eyes, ready for a mini-comeback, especially as a middle…
English, diminutive of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
Kay, a cigarette-smoking, nightclubbing name of the 1930's, could be ready for a comeback along with cousins May/Mae and Ray/Rae. Kay has been out of sight since the mid-eighties, but was in the…
English word name
A boy with this name is certain to be bombarded with "What's up, doc?" every day of his life. Even Doctor would be preferable.
English diminutive of Kimberly; Vietnamese; Scandinavian diminutive of Joachima; Soviet name
Kim was the coolest name... of the 1960s. Kim was popularized by actress Kim Novak, and its energy is still maintained by rapper Lil' Kim, but it holds lil' or no appeal for new babies. Parents who…
Arabic
"light"
Short form of Ronald, Norse
"ruler's counselor"
Ron is a masculine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a shortened form of longer names like Ronald, Aaron, or Byron. Ronald, its most common source, derives from the Old Norse…
Invented name
A modern invention in the style of Kai. Long I is the hottest vowel sound right now, so Zai is destined for wider use.
Irish
"thirst"
The name of one of the most famous medieval Irish saints, who was known as "the foster-mother of the saints," and founded a nunnery in the county of Limerick. Might be of interest to someone looking…
Han is a name with diverse origins spanning multiple cultures. In Chinese, it refers to the Han dynasty and the majority ethnic group in China, representing strength and cultural heritage. It also…
Spanish
"king"
Rey, a Ray-soundalike that has ranked on the boys' side for the past 15 years, is about to get more popular for girls too, now that it's the name of the new heroine of the latest Star Wars movie.…
Hebrew
"brilliance"
Also a synonym for the Hebrew month of Iyar, which usuually falls in May, would work and play well with others like Zev and Lev.
Lithuanian variation of Anna, Catalan diminutive of Mariona
"grace; wave; bitter, beloved"
A short, sweet name with plenty of substance, Ona is a multicultural choice, familiar in Spain, Lithuania, Egypt, and historically, in the US. Recent years have seen it reach the Catalonian Top 10…