Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
By Pamela Redmond · Updated October 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Nature name
Worthy sibling for Oak, Elm, Juniper, and Spruce.
English
"land near the port"
There are two lovely Portlands, in Maine and Oregon, but not many babies with their name.
Dutch diminutive of Willem or William
"resolute protection"
Short but spirited, Pim is in the Top 200 in The Netherlands, though it is little-known elsewhere. A diminutive of Willem (or William), it possibly emerged via its rhyme with alternative, more direct…
Greek variation of Phyllis
"green bough"
Phyllida, a "Masterpiece Theatre"-style appellation, seems far fresher and more unusual than Phyllis. It's green-related meaning makes it one of the prime names that mean new beginnings . It's a name…
Greek
"toad"
A name with a less conventional animal meaning, rescued by the reputation of the Greek courtesan Phryne (more beautiful than Aphrodite, one of the wealthiest women in classical Athens) and the…
Scandinavian, diminutive of Petronella, or Hebrew
"stone or marvel of God"
This rare name crosses cultures. With the popularity of Ella and Bella, perhaps we'll hear more of Pella one day soon?
Dutch
"love"
This Dutch name stems from the Greek root word "philos" meaning "love". It is relatively common in the Netherlands.
Tibetan
"lotus flower"
Variation of Pema.
Literary and surname name
This rare English surname's most famous bearers are Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie: the four siblings who are the protagonists of C. S. Lewis' Narnia books. It probably derives from Pevensey,…
French
"brave little one"
Common surname rarely used as a first.
"rock, stone"
Petronella, and its shorter sister Petra, are both feminizations of Peter. While Petronella is a name with deep history, it's extremely rare. It was given to no baby girls on record in the US last…
"overhanging settlement"
Pembroke's brother.
English from Greek
"leaf"
Petal is the soft and sweet-smelling name of a character in the novel and film, The Shipping News . With the rise of such flower names as Poppy and Posy, we believe Petal — down-to-earth yet romantic…
Sanskrit
"pleasure, joy"
A popular female name in India, Priti (or Preeti) is a sweet and pretty-sounding option.
"youth, young woman"
An overlooked name from Greek mythology, Pallas is both an epithet for the goddess of wisdom and a name in its own right, borne by a daughter of the sea god Triton who was raised alongside the…
Variation of Page, French
"page, attendant"
Padgett is an occupational surname name related to page, meaning not a page in a book but a page or attendant in the Senate or a royal court. It makes a cute uncommon alternative to all those more…
Cornish
"holy headland"
Penzance is a port town at the very tip of Cornwall. With its associations with operetta and pirates, Penzance packs quite a bit of zip for a name.
Arabic
"a green gemstone"
Peridot is the gem of the month of August, a vibrant green mineral, said to be good for helping people put the past behind them, and an interesting, undiscovered jewel name. It was regarded in…
Latin
"peaceful"
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress brought this name, which was inherited from an uncle, into the mix, adding to the category of names with peaceful meanings.
Literary name
Puck was Shakespeare's mischievous pixie who'a had a few television incarnations in more recent years. A popular name in The Netherlands but nowhere else, from what we can tell. We love Puck for its…
