International Baby Names · Classic Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
French variation of Stephen
"garland, crown"
It's the French Steve yet feels oh so much more debonair. Well-used and still a popular classic in French-speaking lands, but one of the many French names for boys unfamiliar to most English…
Italian, variation of Peter
"rock"
Piero is elegant, melodic, appealing. Just picture the muted frescoes of Renaissance artist Piero della Francesca.
Low German and Nordic variation of Christian
This Nordic-sounding name is ripe for wider usage, especially as a fresh alternative to Christian or similar-sounding Carl.
Irish, shortened fom of Mairghread, variation of Margaret
"pearl"
Pronounced MAW-rayt or ma-RAYD, Mairead is close enough to Maureen to be accepted here. The name became popular in Ireland due to admiration for the saint of that name. Peig and Peigi are its…
Hebrew
"gift of Jehovah"
Short form of Yonatan heard throughout Israel.
Cornish variant of George, or diminutive of Jordan
A rarely-used name even in its native Cornwall, Jory nevertheless feels very wearable, thanks to its similarity to familiar picks like Rory, Corey and Joey. Jory Cassel is a minor character in the…
French form and German short form of Michael, Hebrew
"who is like God"
While the (male) French form is pronounced in English like the girls' name Michelle and the German form had a hard k-like sound in the middle, this variation of Michael is distinguished by being used…
Spanish variation of Isabel, variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Ysabel is the original spelling of this ever-more-popular name, though to English-speakers, the initial Y may confuse pronunciation. Only 14 baby girls were given the Ysabel spelling in the US last…
Russian; Macedonian; Bulgarian, variation of Catherine
"pure"
This international variation was publicized by Olympic skater Ekaterina Gordeeva.
Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovene and Serbian form of Theodora
"gift of God"
Teodora is an extremely attractive and international choice, with several equally attractive, user-friendly nicknames. Appealing short forms might include Tea, Dora, or Dory for English speakers,…
Italian and Spanish diminutive of Sara, Hebrew
"princess"
Sarita is a delicately pretty name all but unknown in the US, where it can make an original honor name for an ancestral Sara....or Rita. Rita is a midcentury favorite tiptoeing back into style among…
Catalan variant of Paul
"small; peace"
A very common name in Catalonia, in the northeast of Spain, in no small part because it translates as "peace" in the Catalan tongue. Alec and HIlaria Baldwin used it as one of the middle names for…
Italian variation of Julius
Giulio is a Top 50 name in Italy, and we think Giulio is a good candidate to follow, especially now that Giovanni and Gianni are in up in the US charts. It's an interesting alternative to popular…
Diminutive of Gavriel, Hebrew
"God is my strong man"
Usually derived from the Gavriel — the Hebrew form of Gabriel — Gavi is a cool, casual, and versatile nickname. Notably borne by Spanish footballer Gavi (Pablo Martín Páez Gavira), in this case it…
Slavic variation of Susannah
"lily"
Remember Zuzu, the adorable little girl you watch every Christmas in "It's a Wonderful Life"? Here's a direct path to that nickname, a lot more zesty than the more familiar Susannah.
Anushka is a feminine name of Indian origin, serving as a diminutive form of Anu, which means 'atomic' or 'small' in Sanskrit. The name carries warmth and affection through its diminutive suffix.…
Russian, diminutive of Pavel
"small, humble"
Similar in sound to Sasha, Pasha is a Russian diminutive of the name Pavel, itself a form of Paul. Also used as a title for a high ranking officer in the (now historical) Ottoman military, and as the…
Scottish variation of Elizabeth
Elspeth is one of those names that never quite made it out of the British Isles--particularly Scotland, but possesses a winningly childlike charm. Elspeth was used by Sir Walter Scott for several of…
"ewe, female sheep"
Rahel is an alternative spelling of Rachel, used mostly used in Germany, Estonia, and Switzerland, though it might also be considered an Assyrian and Turkish form and a Hindi form (also written as…
German, Aramaic
"grace; let my prayer be answered"
This pretty palindrome name is rarely heard in the US, but could make an interesting namesake for an aunt or grandma Ann. It's also a German diminutive form of Anna.
