Unique Baby Names That End in I
There are plenty of unique names that end in i along with popular i-ending names such as Naomi and Levi. Along with Naomi and Levi, other baby names that end in I in the US Top 1000 include Ari, Bodhi, Giovanni, Kai, Kali, Lorelei, Remi, and Zuri. Unisex names ending in I are trendy right now, including Amari, Azari, Camari, and Sakari.
Today's unique baby names ending in the letter i are a far cry from the Teri and Lori generation of the ‘60s and ‘70s as well as from today's popular Naomi and Levi. Biblical and Hawaiian I-ending baby names now reign supreme, but the unique names ending in I come from a range of cultures.
There are literally hundreds of intriguing I-ending international names out there, just waiting to be discovered. From sweet Scandinavian Astri to handsome Hebrew Zimri, here's a selection of trending unique baby boy and girl names ending in the letter I, ordered by current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Lumi
Origin:
FinnishMeaning:
"snow"Description:
Lumi may be a rare girls' name in the USA and England, but it comes in the Top 50 in Finland, where it means snow. Given the popularity of Winter, Holly, Ivy and many other wintery-christmassy names, we think that short and spunky Lumi definitely has potential for greater usage outside its home country as one of the more unusual names for Christmas babies.
- Esti
Origin:
Short form of Esther or Estelle, Persian, BasqueMeaning:
"star; sweet honey"Description:
Esti is most commonly a short form of Esther and Estelle, both making the big move from old lady name to cool young name. It's also a popular short form of the Basque names Estitxu and Estibalitz, or a name in its own right, meaning "sweet honey". In French Canada, it's an untranslatable swear word.
- Mordecai
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"follower of Marduk"Description:
Mordecai, although it has a noble heritage, has never caught on in this country, because of its rather weighty image.
- Rumi
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"beauty, flow, lapis lazuli"Description:
Rumi is a Japanese girls' name that sounds like a couple of other choices more familiar in the West -- Rumer and Remi -- that is achieving notice because of its choice by two celebrities, including Beyonce and Jay-Z.
- Suki
Origin:
Japanese or EnglishMeaning:
"loved one; lily"Description:
As a Japanese name, Suki has the sweet meaning "loved one". It's also an English diminutive of Susanna, making it a creative and modern way to honor a Susan in your life.
- Capri
Origin:
Italian from Greek or LatinMeaning:
"wild boar; goats"Description:
Chosen by the late Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa for their youngest daughter, there is renewed interest in Italian isola name Capri.
- Sarai
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"princess"Description:
Sharp but sweet, ancient but with a contemporary sound, Sarai has been rising steadily up the US charts since the 90s and now sits comfortably in the Top 1000. In the Old Testament, God changed Sarai's name to Sara, so this would make a clever and legitimate honor name for an ancestral Sarah.
- Teleri
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"your mayfly"Description:
The name of a maiden of King Arthur's court in some accounts. It is a contraction of Welsh "ty" (thy) + Eleri.
- Nikolai
Origin:
Russian variation of NicholasMeaning:
"people of victory"Description:
Russian forms, like Russian supermodels, are hot these days. This is a strong, worldly way to make Nicholas new; it was chosen for his son by Barry Bonds, Jr. Nikolai also comes with several attractive nickname options, including approachable Nik, spunky Niko, or even hip Kai. A traditional nickname for Nikolai in Russia is Kolya.
- Benji
Origin:
Diminutive of BenjaminDescription:
Benji is undeniably cute, much in the way of a — yes, an adorable movie mutt. Ben is the handsome traditional short form of Benjamin, but Benji makes a more unexpected nickname
- Bambi
Origin:
Diminutive of Bambina, ItalianMeaning:
"child; baby girl"Description:
Although Disney's cute deer was a male, Bambi has always been used for girls. It first appeared on the charts in 1943, the year after the Disney movie was released. Bambi featured in the Top 1000 from 1954-1964 — a decade where girl names ending in I, like Lori and Teri, were big — and again from 1977-1982.
- Araceli
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"altar of the sky"Description:
Once-obscure Spanish name inching back up into the US Top 1000 girl names after a short break. Araceli Segarra is a noted mountain climber.
- Yaretzi
Origin:
Nahuatl, AztecMeaning:
"you will always be loved"Description:
This unusual name from the Nahuatl or Aztec language has one of the best meanings around. It sprang onto the US popularity list in 2006 and made a brief appearance in the Top 300 before sliding down a bit. It's popular in Mexico and with US Americans of Latino or Hispanic heritage, hitting on two big girl name trends in those communities: Ya- beginnings and -i endings.
- Nori
Origin:
Japanese, English short form or Eleanor, Leonora, Nora, Honora, or North, form of Nor or Nuri, Arabic, Turkish,"ceremonial rites, doctrine, seaweed; unknown, honor, north; my light"Meaning:
"ceremonial rites, doctrine, seaweed; unknown, honor, north; my light"Description:
Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the nickname Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use for their daughter North.
- Eleni
Origin:
Greek variation of HelenDescription:
A common choice in Greece, Eleni is starting to rise in the US thanks to its bouncy rhythm and trendy I ending.
- Kairi
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"sea"Description:
Kairi is the name of the main female character in the popular role-playing video game series, Kingdom Hearts. Voiced by Hayden Panettiere in the main series, Kairi is one of the seven Princesses of the Heart. Kairi entered the US Top 1000 in 2010 and was given to over 400 baby girls in one recent year.
- Loki
Origin:
Norse mythological nameMeaning:
"lock"Description:
Loki is the shape-shifting, gender-bending god of mischief in Norse mythology. Taking several animal forms, from a salmon to a seal to a fly, Loki is alternately friend and foe of the gods.
- Suvi
Origin:
FinnishMeaning:
"summer"Description:
To the non-Scandinavian ear, a cute and unusual nickname name, used by Finnish supermodel Suvi Koponen. It has a zippy, yet sunny feel to it, and could make an interesting alternative to Susie.
- Kenji
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"second son; healthy + second; wise + second; modest second"Description:
A international feeling name of Japanese origin that could be used to refer to a child's place in the family, Kenji has attracted notice in the US as the name of The Food Lab chef, James Kenji López-Alt, know simply as Kenji. It appeared in the latter end of the US Top 1000 in 2023.
- Enzi
Origin:
African, SwahiliMeaning:
"powerful"Description:
This short and strong Swahili name shares lots of sounds with trending Ezra and Enzo, and has a great meaning too.