Short Baby Names
Short baby names are some of the most stylish around. They’re versatile, friendly, and many are rising in popularity.
The top short name for girls is Ava, one of the defining names of the past decade, while the most common short name for boys is Leo — more popular than it may seem, as it is often used as a nickname for longer names such as Leonardo and Leonidas.
Along with Ava and Leo, other short names for babies in the US Top 150 include Mia, Zoe, Eli, Eva, Ian, Ivy, Kai, and Max. Some of the rarest short names are those with two letters, but choices such as Io, Oz, Cy, and Lu may be substantial enough for your son or daughter.
Sometimes — when your last name is long and elaborate, when you simply believe in simplicity — what you want most from baby names is that they be short. Sweet, maybe; mono-syllabic, possibly. But the most important quality: short.
Here are some short baby names that fit the bill, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
RELATED:
- Abe
Origin:
Diminutive of Abraham
- Ace
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"one, unity"
- Ada
Origin:
German or TurkishMeaning:
"noble, nobility, or island"
- Aja
Origin:
Spelling variation of Aya or HindiMeaning:
"goat"
- Al
- Ala
Origin:
Igbo, Polish, diminutive of AlicjaMeaning:
"nobility"
- Ali
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"supreme, exalted"
- Amy
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"beloved"
- Ann
Origin:
English variation of Hebrew HannahMeaning:
"grace"
- Anu
Origin:
Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Anna, Sanskrit diminutive of Anuradha, Yoruba, CelticMeaning:
"grace; causing success; mercy"
- Ara
Origin:
ArmenianMeaning:
"king"
- Ari
Origin:
Diminutive of Ariel, HebrewMeaning:
"lion of God"
- Art
Origin:
Diminutive of ArthurMeaning:
"noble one; bear man"
- Asa
Origin:
Hebrew; JapaneseMeaning:
"healer; born in the morning"
- Ash
Origin:
Diminutive of Asher, EnglishMeaning:
"ash tree"
- Ava
Origin:
Hebrew, Latin or GermanicMeaning:
"life; bird; water, island"
- Avi
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"father"
- Axl
Origin:
Variation of Axel, Scandinavian version of AbsalomMeaning:
"father of peace"
- Aya
Origin:
Japanese, Hebrew, ArabicMeaning:
"colorful, bird, sign"
- Ayo
Origin:
Yoruba, NigerianMeaning:
"joy"
- Bas
Origin:
Dutch, diminutive of Bastiaan and SebastianMeaning:
"person from the city of Sebastia"
- Bay
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"berry"
- Bea
Origin:
Diminutive of BeatriceMeaning:
"she who brings happiness"
- Bee
Origin:
Animal name or diminutive of BeatriceMeaning:
"she who brings happiness"
- Ben
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"son of"
- Bix
Origin:
Modern nickname
- Bo
Origin:
Norse nicknameMeaning:
"to live"
- Bob
Origin:
English, diminutive of RobertMeaning:
"bright fame"
- Cal
Origin:
Diminutive of Calvin
- Cam
Origin:
Diminutive of Cameron or Camilla
- Cas
Origin:
Short form of Casper, PersianMeaning:
"Imperial"
- Cat
Origin:
Diminutive of CatherineMeaning:
"pure"
- Cia
Origin:
Diminutive of Cynthia
- Cy
Origin:
Diminutive of Cyrus, PersianMeaning:
"sun"
- Dan
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is my judge"
- Dax
Origin:
French place-name
- Deb
Origin:
Short form of Deborah, HebrewMeaning:
"bee"
- Dee
Origin:
Nickname for any girl name that starts with D
- Di
Origin:
Short form of Diana, LatinMeaning:
"divine"
- Doe
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"a female deer"
- Dom
Origin:
Diminutive of Dominic, LatinMeaning:
"belonging to the Lord"
- Dot
Origin:
English, diminutive of Dorothy
- Dov
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"bear"
- Dru
Origin:
Diminutive of Drucilla
- Ed
Origin:
Diminutive of Edward et alMeaning:
"wealthy"
- Eli
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"ascended, uplifted, high"
- Eva
Origin:
Latin form of Eve, HebrewMeaning:
"life"
- Eve
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"life"
- Fay
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"fairy"
- Fee
Origin:
Diminutive of Fiona
- Fia
Origin:
Irish or Portuguese or ItalianMeaning:
"wild or weaver"
- Flo
Origin:
Diminutive of Florence, LatinMeaning:
"flourishing, prosperous"
- Fox
Origin:
Animal name
- Gal
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"wave"
- Gia
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"God's gracious gift"
- Gil
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"happiness"
- Gus
Origin:
Diminutive of Augustus, Angus, Gustave, Augustin, Augusten, Augustine, August
- Guy
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"wood"
- Hal
Origin:
Diminutive of Harold and Henry
- Ham
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"hot, warm"
- Ian
Origin:
Scottish version of JohnMeaning:
"the Lord is gracious"
- Ida
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"industrious one"
- Ike
Origin:
Diminutive of Isaac
- Io
Origin:
Greek mythology name
- Ira
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"watchful one"
- Irv
- Isa
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"strong-willed"
- Ivo
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"yew wood, archer"
- Ivy
Origin:
Botanical name
- Jad
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"serious"
- Jan
Origin:
Feminine variation of John
- Jas
Origin:
Abbreviation of James or short form of Jasper
- Jax
Origin:
Modern invented name
- Jay
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"jaybird"
- Jeb
Origin:
Diminutive of Jebediah, HebrewMeaning:
"beloved friend"
- Jed
Origin:
Diminutive of Jedidiah
- Jen
- Jet
Origin:
Mineral and word name
- Jo
Origin:
Diminutive of Joanna, Josephine, etc
- Jon
Origin:
Variation of John or JonathanMeaning:
"God is gracious; or gift of Jehovah"
- Joy
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"joy"
- Kai
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"sea"
- Kat
Origin:
Diminutive for Katherine, GreekMeaning:
"pure"
- Kay
Origin:
English, diminutive of Katherine
- Ken
Origin:
Diminutive of Kenneth; JapaneseMeaning:
"born of fire or handsome; healthy and strong"
- Kia
Origin:
AfricanMeaning:
"season's beginning"
- Kim
Origin:
English diminutive of Kimberly; Vietnamese; Scandinavian diminutive of Joachima; Soviet name
- Kip
Origin:
American diminution of Christopher
- Kit
Origin:
English, diminutive of ChristopherMeaning:
"bearer of Christ"
- Koa
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"warrior"
- Lee
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"pasture, meadow"
- Leo
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"lion"
- Lev
Origin:
Hebrew, RussianMeaning:
"heart; lion"
- Lex
Origin:
Diminutive of Alexis and AlexandraMeaning:
"man's defender"
- Lia
Origin:
Diminutive of names ending in -lia or Italian variation of LeahMeaning:
"weary"
- Lin
- Liv
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"life"
- Liz
Origin:
Diminutive of Elizabeth
- Lou
Origin:
Short form of LouiseMeaning:
"renowned warrior"
- Lua
Origin:
PortugueseMeaning:
"moon"
- Lux
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"light"
- Luz
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"light"
- Mac
Origin:
Scottish or IrishMeaning:
"son of"
- Mae
Origin:
Diminutive of Mary or MargaretMeaning:
"bitter or pearl"
- Max
Origin:
English and German diminutive of Maximilian or MaxwellMeaning:
"greatest"
- May
Origin:
Diminutive of Margaret and Mary; month name
- Meg
Origin:
Diminutive of MargaretMeaning:
"pearl"
- Mel
Origin:
Diminutive of MelanieMeaning:
"black, dark"
- Mia
Origin:
Italian word name or Scandinavian short form of MariaMeaning:
"mine or bitter"
- Min
Origin:
ChineseMeaning:
"quick"
- Moe
Origin:
English, diminutive of MosesMeaning:
"delivered"
- Nat
Origin:
English, diminutive of Nathan or Nathaniel
- Ned
Origin:
English, diminutive of EdwardMeaning:
"wealthy guardian"
- Neo
Origin:
Latin or TswanaMeaning:
"new or gift"
- Nev
Origin:
Diminutive of Yaniv, Hebrew; Neville, English; or Nevin, IrishMeaning:
"he will prosper; new town; holy"
- Nia
Origin:
Swahili; Welsh form of the Irish Niamh,"resolve; brilliance"Meaning:
"resolve; brilliance"
- Nik
- Noa
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"motion"
- Noe
Origin:
Greek and Latin variation of Noah
- Nur
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"light"
- Oak
Origin:
English tree nameMeaning:
"tree from the genus Quercus"
- Oma
- Oz
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"strength, powerful, courageous"
- Pam
Origin:
Diminutive of Pamela, EnglishMeaning:
"all honey"
- Pat
Origin:
Diminutive of PatrickMeaning:
"noble, patrician"
- Pax
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"peaceful"
- Per
Origin:
Scandinavian variation of Peter
- Pia
Origin:
Latin or diminutive of OlympiaMeaning:
"pious; from Mount Olympus"
- Pim
Origin:
Dutch diminutive of Willem or WilliamMeaning:
"resolute protection"
- Po
Origin:
Italian river name
- Poe
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"peacock"
- Rae
Origin:
English, diminutive of RachelMeaning:
"ewe"
- Ray
Origin:
Diminutive of RaymondMeaning:
"wise protector"
- Ren
Origin:
Diminutive of Rene or JapaneseMeaning:
"water lily; lotus"
- Rex
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"king"
- Rio
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"river"
- Rob
Origin:
English, diminutive of RobertMeaning:
"bright fame"
- Roy
Origin:
French or CelticMeaning:
"king or red-haired"
- Rue
Origin:
Botanical names or word nameMeaning:
"herb; regret"
- Rye
Origin:
English, diminutive of Ryder,; word name; British surnameMeaning:
"cavalryman, messenger"
- Sam
Origin:
English, diminutive of SamuelMeaning:
"told by God"
- Sea
Origin:
English word name
- Seb
Origin:
EgyptianMeaning:
"God of the earth"
- Sid
Origin:
Short form of Sidney, FrenchMeaning:
"Saint-Denis"
- Sim
Origin:
Scottish diminutive of SimonMeaning:
"the listener"
- Sky
Origin:
Nature name
- Sol
Origin:
Spanish, Portuguese, NorseMeaning:
"sun"
- Tai
Origin:
ChineseMeaning:
"great extreme"
- Tal
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"rain, dew"
- Tau
Origin:
Indigenous Australian or Tswana, SothoMeaning:
"dusk, twilight; lion"
- Tea
Origin:
Short form of Dorotea or MatteaMeaning:
"gift of God"
- Ted
Origin:
Diminutive of Theodore or EdwardMeaning:
"gift of god; rich guard"
- Teo
Origin:
Diminutive of Teodoro or Mateo, SpanishMeaning:
"gift of God"
- Tim
Origin:
Greek, diminutive of Timothy
- Tor
Origin:
Variation of Thor, also Hebrew for "Turtledove"Meaning:
"Turtledove"
- Ty
Origin:
Diminutive of various Ty-beginning names
- Ula
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"gem of the sea"
- Uma
Origin:
Sanskrit, HebrewMeaning:
"light, peace, nation"
- Una
Origin:
Latin, Irish, or Old NorseMeaning:
"one; lamb; happy"
- Uzi
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"Jehovah is my strength"
- Van
Origin:
DutchMeaning:
"of"
- Via
Origin:
Nickname name
- Vic
Origin:
Diminutive of Victor, LatinMeaning:
"conqueror"
- Vin
Origin:
Diminutive of Vincent, LatinMeaning:
"conquering"
- Viv
- Wes
- Wyn
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"fair, blessed"
- Zak
Origin:
Diminutive of ZacharyMeaning:
"the Lord has remembered"
- Zan
Origin:
Diminutive of Alexander, GreekMeaning:
"defending men"
- Zeb
Origin:
Diminutive of Zebediah or Zebulon
- Zen
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"meditation"
- Zev
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"wolf"
- Zoe
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"life"
- Zvi
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"deer"