Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
By Sophie Kihm · Updated October 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
Animal name
"fox"
The name of an adorably small, big-eared fox native to Africa would make an inspired choice for a little boy -- though confusion with Hunger Games name Finnick is all but certain. Given the rise of…
Scottish and Irish
"man of force"
In Celtic lore, Fergus was the ideal of manly courage, making it a charming, slightly quirky Scottish and Irish favorite. As a name, Fergus forms a link between Ireland and Scotland, as Gaelic…
German variation of Francis, Latin
"Frenchman or free man"
Franz is the German equivalent to Francis, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a Franz outside of countries with Germanic origins. In America the name is often associated with celebrated author Franz…
Scottish from French
"strawberry"
Though TV's "Frasier" made the name famous, and Frazier is a well-used variation, Fraser is the original, used mostly in Scotland.
Nature name
"a young deer"
The doe-eyed Fawn is as gentle and soft as the baby deer it represents. And much like that baby deer, it carries with it the potential of new life. Fawn was featured at the bottom of the Top 1000…
English
"freezing"
Long heard as a last name, as in venerable poet Robert, U.K. talk show host David, British actress Sadie and old Jack Frost, Frost has suddenly entered the scene as a possible first, along with other…
"marsh town"
Fenton is the kind of surname name that's starting to sound almost like a normal first name these days. While it made a brief appearance on the Top 1000 in the late 1800s, today it's distinctive but…
Irish
"descendant of the red-haired one"
A winning last-name-first Celtic choice, Flynn is still mostly used for boys, such as the son of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr. Though Flynn is definitely one of the Irish surname names, from Quinn…
"wetland, marsh"
A fen is an English marshland, and Fenn came into use as a habitational surname for a person who dwelt near one. Now, it's a rarely used first name too, a handsome alternative to Finn.
"dweller in open country"
An uncommon surname name with that energetic -er ending. Might appeal especially to baseball fans.
Latin
"golden, blond"
An ancient Roman clan name, Flavia is one choice that's unusual but historic. Now a Top 60 name in Italy, Flavia has been a rarity in the US, but with the upswing in F names for girls, this could…
Dutch and Frisian
"peace"
The vintage Fenna, an old lady name making a comeback in the Netherlands, originates in Friesland in the northern part of the country, where the Fries language is spoken. Rhyming with Jenna, it's…
French
"flower"
Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur…
Diminutive of Frances, English from Latin
"from France; free man"
Francie is one of the most neglected nicknames for Frances, despite having more style value than Franny and Fanny and being more unique than Frankie. We'd love to see it get more use, whether as a…
Bird name
There is a whole new species of bird names open to the baby namer, from the light and feminine Lark to the sleek and powerful Falcon.
Romanian, Latin
"flower; flourishing"
Florin is one of several names derived from the Latin root floris , making it a floral and prosperous choice for boys. A relative of Flora, Florence, and Florian, this form is most popularly heard in…
"dweller near the woods"
Woodsy names are fashionable for boys, as are surnames and occupational names, so Forester scores on all three. It can also be spelled Forrester.
Irish Gaelic
"white shoulders"
This lovely Gaelic name, very popular in the Emerald Isle, has inspired a whole host of diminutives (including Nuala and Nola) and variant spellings, from Finola to Finula to the Scottish and English…
"descendant of Flannghal"
Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending…
Italian
"little fiery one"
Fiammetta, from the Italian word for flame, has both femininity and fire. Fiammetta could make a good alternative to more conventional Italian girls' names like Giovanna. Fiammetta has some romantic,…
