Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Japanese or Shona
"future or wait"
A modern Japanese name meaning "future", borne by figure skater Mirai Nagasu. The name is technically unisex, but more often given to girls. Mirai is also a Shona female given name, meaning "wait".
Sanskrit
"a lucky omen"
Often heard in India, this is the name of the Hindu goddess of abundance, beauty, and prosperity, the embodiment of grace and charm --lucky omens indeed. The goddess Lakshmi is worshiped daily in…
Diminutive of Bambina, Italian
"child; baby girl"
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…
Scandinavian variation of Annalie or Hannah
"grace"
Anneli is one of the hundreds of Anne variations with an intriguing spelling. This name has been popular throughout Scandinavia over time and would certainly translate easily to English-speaking…
Greek
"royal, kingly"
Alternative form of Basil that might suit the adventurous.
Hebrew
"my music, my praise"
This unusual and spunky biblical name was one of the Kings of Israel as well as one of Judah's grandsons and has a wonderful meaning. We'd like to see Zimri being used more, and we think it has…
French, Catalan and Spanish from the Latin Eligius
"the chosen"
From the saintly name Eligius, Eloi is popular in Catalonia but rarely used by English speakers. There's potential for confusion with Eli - and with the Aramaic word eloi, said to mean "my God",…
Tavi is a short masculine name with multiple possible origins. It can be a diminutive form of Octavius or Octavio, Latin names meaning 'eighth,' historically given to the eighth child in a family. In…
Arabic
"noble"
Sari is a cute spin on Sarah, though some may hear it as "sorry," and it is also an item of clothing worn in India. These days many people will also confuse Sari with Suri, the lovely and unsual name…
Persian
"lovely"
This Persian name with an Old Testament pedigree has a warm Sasha-like feel. The Biblical Vashti was a queen who refused her husband's orders to appear naked in front of his party guests and so was…
Egyptian
"the beautiful one has arrived"
This ancient Egyptian queen's name would be best saved for a cat.
Matvei is a masculine name of Russian origin, serving as the Russian form of Matthew, which derives from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning 'gift of God.' This name has been used in Russia and other…
Japanese
"generous"
Several artistic Hiroshis make this one of the more plausible Japanese imports.
Persian place name
Now deeply associated with the gemstone Lapis Lazuli, Lazuli is derived from one of the places where the stone was first mined. The word Lazuli is the root for words like azure. Lapis Lazuli is a…
"God is just"
Adlai is an Old Testament name long associated with 1950's liberal presidential candidate Stevenson, who was named after his grandfather, who was Grover Cleveland's vice president in the nineteenth…
Finnish
"summer"
Light, zippy, and sunny, Suvi has a sparky yet sweet feel. Notably borne by Finnish supermodel Suvi Koponen, it is taken from the Finnish word for Summer, making it and interesting alternative to…
Ghanaian
Ghanaian name meaning "God hears me", known to fans of "The Great British Bake Off" thanks to charismatic contestant Selasi Gbormittah.
Welsh
"warmth from the sun"
A sweet little name with one of the most poetic meanings around: it means "warmth from the sun" in Welsh. Though it's among the undiscovered Welsh names , it's one that deserves wider use.
"blessing"
An Asian name not widely known in the West.
Feminine form of Dhruv or Dhruva, Gujarati, Hindi, Sanskrit
"fixed, stable, unmovable"
In Hindu mythology, Dhruva was a devotee of Vishnu who became the North Star — also known as Polaris. Deriving from Sanskrit, it is a solid name, associated with unshakeable devotion, justice, and…
