Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
By Emma Waterhouse · Updated September 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Japanese
"beautiful, or, cherry"
Mio is a lovely Japanese name for girls that has migrated beyond its native country. One Berry reports several young girls named Mio in Australia, and the name has potential in the rest of the…
Finnish variation of Eric
"eternal ruler"
Creative gem perfect for an architect's son, in tribute to modern Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen.
Basque, medieval Spanish variation of Ignatius
"fiery"
Inigo, almost unknown in the U.S., is an intriguing choice, with its strong beat, creative and evocative sound, and associations with the great early British architect and stage designer Inigo Jones.…
Spanish from Latin
"she who brings consolation"
Consuelo is a chic, highly sophisticated Spanish name that works well with Anglo surnames. It was regularly on the U.S. popularity list through 1983, reaching as high as Number 339 in 1930. The name…
Latin form of Rolf
"wolf"
Rollo is a livelier, roly-poly, o-ending version of Roland. Although it sounds modern, Rollo actually was seen regularly on Latin documents in the Middle Ages, though not heard in everyday speech.…
Variation of Otho
"wealth, fortune"
Possibly created as an elaboration of Otho or Otto, Othello is almost exclusively associated with Shakespeare's 1603 tragedy of the same name. Borne by a Moorish General who is tricked and…
German
"bear"
Benno is a cool name in its own right -- there was a tenth century Saint Benno -- though it is also used as a lively nickname for Benjamin. Saint Benno of Meissen is the patron saint of anglers and…
Spanish
"from Navarre"
Dashing surname for the Basque kingdom.
Spanish and Portuguese
"succour, help, relief"
Socorro is a Spanish and Portuguese word name taken from a title of the Virgin Mary, "Mary of Perpetual Succour." Its religious meaning makes it somewhat old-fashioned and not among the Spanish names…
"refuge, shelter"
Amparo is a medieval name related to the Virgin Mary most closely associated with the city of Valencia, in Spain. Although it does not appear at all on the most recent US name roster, meaning it was…
English variation of Latin Horatius
"hour, time"
Like Horace, Horatio is a variation on the Latin Horatius, but its Shakespearean and optimistic Horatio Alger pedigree makes it an attractive up-and-comer, especially with its cool final o. A modern…
Greek
"loving"
Could Philo be the next Milo? We love the o-ending and sweet meaning of this dynamic and distinctive Greek name, often used in literature, but never particularly popular. The ancient Philo (aka Philo…
Norwegian, Finnish, German, and Dutch variation of Timothy
"honoring God"
Popular in its own right in Germany and definitely makes a more intriguing and grownup short form of the classic Timothy than Timmy or even Tim.
Botanical name, English
"rough stream"
Highly unusual as a baby name for either gender, Yarrow is an herb that grows wild and has long been used for its medicinal property. It's named for the mythical Achilles, who was said to carry…
Latin
"chickpea"
Roman statesman's name with a cool and quirky sound. Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman scholar, orator and lawyer who had an immense impact on the Latin language.
"true"
The o ending and the positive meaning in many languages makes this a winner, and with the feminine Vera making a surprise return, and the new love for the letter 'V', this becomes a name that has…
French variation of Isabel
"pledged to God"
With Isabel getting so popular, parents are searching for new varieties of the name, and Isabeau is one that makes a lovely French twist. Isabeau of Bavaria was the wife of King Charles VI of…
"demi-god"
Despite the possibility of gender confusion, the Hero in Greek myth was a woman. Myleene Klass got that when she chose Hero for her daughter, and Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson used it as their…
Greek mythology name
Io may be one of the slightest names in the book, but there aren't many two-letter names with as much substance as this Greek mythological example. Io, a name used for the largest moon of Jupiter,…
Italian form of Tatianus or Tatiano, Latin, meaning unknown
A zippy Italian choice, derived from a Sabine-Latin family name whose meaning is unknown, Tazio is a relation of Tatiano and Tatiana. Other sources suggest it might also be used as a short form of…
