International Baby Names
Traveling Lite Baby Names
Across 34 pages
of 34
Yanis
Greek, French, from Hebrew
"gift of God"
One of the relatives on the widely-branching family of John names, Yanis is in the French Top 50 and was a fast rising choice in the UK in 2022, when it went from being outside the Top 1000 to within…
Yoli
Diminutive of Yolanda, Spanish
"violet flower"
This perky Spanish nickname deserves to be more popular. Singer Michael Bublé recently used it as one of the middle names for his daughter Cielo, which may give Yoli a boost.
Yuki
Japanese
"snow; happiness"
Succinct and memorable, Yuki is a Japanese name, which may relate to winter or joy, depending on the kanji used. It is a unisex choice, notably borne by singer Yuki Kuramochi (stylized as YUKI).
Yuri
Japanese
"lily"
Most familiar to American ears as the Russian variation of George. Not recommended for a daughter.
Yuri
Russian variation of George
Common Russian name familiarized here via cosmonaut Yury Gagarin and a character in Dr. Zhivago , but we don't see it ever gaining permanent resident status.
Zala
Ethiopian or Slovene variation of Rozalija
"a people from southwest Ethiopia; rose"
Simple but sultry.
Zana
Polish, Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, Latvian, Albanian
"God is Gracious; lily; voice, fairy"
An international possibility, heard from England and Israel to Poland, Latvia, and Albania. It is a name with a vast range of possible meanings and origins, including: a Polish variation of Jane,…
Zita
Italian or Persian; Greek
"little girl; seeker"
A thirteenth-century Tuscan saint, patron of homemakers, Zita is the kind of name that sounded really creative in an earlier era.
Zohar
Hebrew
"light, brilliance"
A Top 100 name in Israel, where it is overwhelmingly feminine. Zohar is currently used equally between girls and boys in the US but is rising far more quickly for boys.
Zoya
Russian and Greek variation of Zoe, Greek
"life"
Now that Zoe is getting wildly popular in the U.S. and the U.K. -- one poll puts it at number one in Wales -- parents may start hunting down fresh twists like this.
Zuri
Kiswahili
"good, beautiful"
Singular, strong, and rare outside East Africa.
Tua
Samoan, Indonesian, Latin
"stand, rise; old, ripe; yours"
Succinct and deceptively simple, Tua is a multicultural, unisex choice with a variety of meanings. It is most notably borne by NFL player, Tua Tagovailoa. From its Samoan roots, it ultimately comes…
Nua
Irish, Ogoni, Vietnamese
"new, fresh; second daughter; woman, flower bud"
Borrowed from the Irish word for "new" and "modern", Nua could make a novel alternative to Nova or Neo, or to the similar sounding Noa and Nora. In Ireland, its pronunciation varies regionally, with…
Adem
Adem is a masculine name with rich historical and cultural significance. It is the Turkish, Albanian, and Bosnian form of Adam, which comes from Hebrew origins meaning 'man' or 'earth.' In Islamic…
Adi
Adi is a versatile unisex name with rich multicultural origins, though primarily used for girls in Western contexts. In Sanskrit, Adi means 'first' or 'beginning,' while in Hebrew it can mean…
Adi
Adi is a multicultural masculine name with diverse origins and meanings across several traditions. In Hebrew, it means 'jewel' or 'ornament,' while in Sanskrit it can mean 'first' or 'beginning.' The…
Adin
Adin is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins, appearing in Hebrew, Arabic, and Bosnian traditions. In Hebrew, it means 'delicate' or 'adorned,' while in Arabic it can mean 'religious' or…
Adna
Adna is a feminine name with ancient roots and cross-cultural significance. In Hebrew, it means 'pleasure' or 'delight,' while in Bosnian it's associated with 'paradise.' The name appears in the…
Adnan
Arabic
"settler"
Adnan in the Muslim religion was an ancestor of Muhammad. More recently, the name was introduced to many Westerners via Adnan Syed, the young man at the center of the sensational Serial podcast.
Afan
Welsh
The name of an early British saint (a cousin of St David), and a river in South Wales, presumably from afon , the word for river. Afan in modern Welsh means raspberries. It's unclear if this is…