International Baby Names · Classic Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Slavic
"one who carries Christ"
This unusual name, which is jauntier than Chris when used as a diminutive of Christopher, is associated with the Bulgarian installation artist of that name, responsible for wrapping many public…
Medieval French form of Catherine
"pure"
Italian variation of Thomas
"twin"
Nearly every name takes on a more sensual, worldly quality in its Italian version.
Slovene, from Aramaic
The zippy Slovene take on the classic Thomas, pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable.
Croatian, Serbian variation of Vanya, Russian
"God is gracious"
Goodbye Uncle Vanya and hello...It Girl baby name? It's true — style icon Chloë Sevigny chose the name Vanja for her son, born in 2020. The name honors Vanja's paternal heritage — Chloë's partner is…
Croatian, Slovene, from Latin
"conquering"
This sparky form of Vincent is used in Croatia and Slovenia, and it switches the stately feel of the original for something more playful with its fun -o ending sound.
Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Very popular in Wales, this perfectly nice name's only problem is its similarity to the dated Beth Ann. But if you're looking to honor an ancestral Elizabeth with a distinctive rare choice, Bethan…
Finnish, from Celtic
"bear"
This cute form of Arthur has something distinctly cool about it — from the unique "ooh" ending sound, to the harsher double T in the middle. In Finland, Arttu was a Top 10 name in the 2000s and…
Variation of Ximen, Basque
"son"
Ximeno is sometimes falsely credited as the Basque variation of Simon. It actually comes from Semen, a medieval Basque name that is completely unusable today, for obvious reasons. All the more reason…
Dutch and French variation of Anna
"grace"
Anouk, made famous by French actress Anouk Aimée, is a singular name with a lovely sound and a Bohemian feel. Anouk Aimée was born as Francoise, but adopted the first name of the character she played…
Croatian, Serbian, from Greek
"strong and manly"
The Croatian and Serbian form of Andrew. Namesakes include the influential Croatian geophysicist Andrija Mohorovičić and Serbian footballer Andrija Živković.
Serbian, from Greek
A Serbian form of Andrew. Typically a feminine name in the nearby Slovenia and Croatia, but masculine in Serbia, similar to the Italian Andrea.
Croatian, Scottish, and Georgian variation of Andrew
A cool, international form of Andrew with its origins in both Croatia and Medieval Scotland. Also used as diminutive in Georgia, The Netherlands, Sweden, and Estonia, it could make a fresh feeling…
Norwegian and Danish form of Joshua, Hebrew
"the Lord is my salvation"
A concise, international variation of the Biblical Joshua, Josva is predominantly used in Denmark and Norway. It is notably borne by up and coming Danish music artist, JOSVA.
Malayalam and South Indian form of Stephen, Greek
"garland, ground"
Esthappen, also spelled Esthappan, is an Indian variation of Stephen, specifically used in the state of Kerala. It notably appears in the novel The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy, though the…
Irish form of Philip, Greek
"lover of horses"
Rare but occasionally used in Ireland, Pilib is a variation of the classic Phillip. It has appeared throughout Irish history and was notably borne by a 14th century king of the (historical) Kingdom…
Russian
"from Laurentium"
The Russian form of Laurence, Lavrentiy may also be transliterated as Lavrenti or Lavrenty. Lavrentiy Beria was a significant Soviet politician during the Stalin era.
Venetian form of Louis, French, German
"renowned warrior"
An international form of Louis from the Venetian region of Italy, Alvise has is a name with plenty of flair and a note of creativity and artiness about it. Familiar in Italy, it has appeared in the…
Armenian, from Latin
The Armenian form of Laurence, influenced by the similar-sounding Russian form of the name, Lavrentiy.
Short form of Charlotta or Carlotta, forms of Charlotte, French
"free man"
This nickname-name is very popular in Germany, though Lottie is still the preferred version in the US. The problem, of course, is that you'll have to put up with a lotta jokes. See?
