International Baby Names
Traveling Lite Baby Names
Across 34 pages
of 34
Rocco
Italian from German
"rest; rook, crow; roar"
Cool and edgy meets sunny and beachy with this charming Italian option that might be more timeless than you think. Borne by St. Rocco, the 14th-century patron of the sick, known for helping those…
Helen
Greek
"torch, shining light"
Helen is a name that has connoted beauty since ancient times – Helen of Troy was the the mythological "face that launched a thousand ships," over whom the ten-year Trojan War was fought. These days,…
Mack
Scottish or Irish
"son of"
Mack, when "formalized" with the final k, makes an engagingly amiable choice, a far more uncommon alternative to the ubiquitous Max and Jack, with a nice, every-guy feel. Mack entered the popularity…
Soren
Danish, Norwegian
"stern"
This gentle Scandinavian name, soft and sensitive, is being discovered in a major way by parents in the US. It's most closely identified with the nineteenth century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, but…
Noel
French
"Christmas"
Noel is British, fey, and sophisticated, connoting wit and creativity, much like namesake Noel Coward. Noel has also been a character on Felicity and Pretty Little Liars . Thanks to their association…
Ruben
Dutch; German; French; Italian, Polish; Swedish; Norwegian; Danish; Armenian, from Hebrew
"behold, a son"
The streamlined Ruben is much more popular than the original Biblical Hebrew version in the US. Ruben is definitely a simpler and more intuitive spelling of this rich attractive name. Ruben and Ruby…
Odin
Variation of Óðinn, Old Norse
"god of frenzy; poetic fury"
Odin is the name of the supreme Norse god of art, culture, wisdom, and law — who was handsome, charming, and eloquent into the bargain. The name projects a good measure of strength and power and has…
Yara
Arabic, Persian, Brazilian, Hebrew
"friend, helper; strength; water nymph; honeycomb"
The multicultural Yara is a sweet but substantial choice that could make a more unusual take on Sara and also work in multiple languages. Popular in Portugal, The Netherlands, and Switzerland,…
Hanna
Spelling variation of Hannah
This simplified version is not nearly as popular as the original (it also destroys a perfectly good palindrome), and has been on the decline in recent years.
Eve
Hebrew
"life"
Eve, the oldest name in the Book, is now coming back into style, having the virtues of simplicity and purity, yet with more strength and resonance than other single-syllable names like Ann. British…
Amber
Word name, English
Though perhaps not as currently stylish as Ruby, Jade, or Pearl, Amber has a colorful history (remember the notorious Forever Amber heroine?). Unfortunately, it does come with the "Amber Alert"…
Iyla
Hindi
"moonlight"
Iyla, now a Top 1000 girls' name in the US, resembles many other popular names, from the Top 100 Isla to the Turkish Ayla, with which it shares a moonlit meaning.
Roy
French or Celtic
"king or red-haired"
We've seen Ray regain his cool, but could this country/cowboy name epitomized by Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye), Acuff, and Clark, do the same? Roy came into use in the late nineteenth century,…
Rio
Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese
"river; place of the cherry blossoms"
Rio is a reductive ranchero place-name with an attractive Tex-Mex lilt. No Doubt's Tom Dumont has a son named Rio Atticus. Also a South American place name, and associated with the Rio Grande, it's…
Eden
Hebrew
"place of pleasure, delight"
This Biblical name was rising dramatically for boys, but has plateaued in recent years. Although it's more popular for girls in the US, it's a delightful unisex choice. Eden is one of the Top 100 Boy…
Erik
Spelling variation of Eric, Old Norse
"eternal ruler"
While substituting a C for a K is a modern trend, Erik is in fact the traditional spelling of the name, derived from the Old Norse Eiríkr and introduced to the English speaking world in the…
Emir
Turkish, Bosnian, Arabic
"prince, ruler"
Emir can be a title of honor in Arabic-speaking nations. In Turkey and the Balkan countries, Emir is one of the fairly popular Arabic names for boys .
Saul
Hebrew
"prayed for"
Jewish parents in particular may be drawn to this quiet, composed name of the first king of Israel and the name of Saint Paul before his conversion. In modern times, it has been associated with Nobel…
Margo
French, diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
Margo and Margot sound exactly the same, so why has the Margot spelling hopped back onto the Top 1000, outpacing Margo in numbers more than two to one? (Over 350 baby girls were named Margot in the…
Lina
Arabic; Latin diminutive
"tender"
This pretty, succinct Arabic name is also commonly used as a nickname for names like Carolina.