Name Spellings, Initials and Sounds
By Emma Waterhouse · Updated September 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Cornish, diminutive of Christopher, Greek and Latin
"bearer of Christ"
Kitto updates Dad Name Christopher with a trendy o-ending short form. Use it as an honor name or an original nickname.
English word name
"a forceful energetic individual"
Dynamo is a newly-invented word name that's on trend in several different ways. It's got an o ending, an uplifting meaning, and it's gender-neutral. And what kid wouldn't want Dynamo as a middle name?
Diminutive of Johan, German variation of John
"God is gracious"
Nicknames ending in o are invariably cute, though this one is a boys' name in its own right. And not just any boy name, but a saint's name no less. Saint Hanno, aka Saint Anno, was an 10th century…
Hiberno-English
"mermaid"
In Irish mythology, the term merrow was synonymous with "mermaid." According to legend, the merrow wear caps called cohuleen druith so they can remain under the water. Merrow is Hiberno-English —…
Form of Hanno, diminutive of Johan, German variation of John
Anno is an extreme rarity: a simple, familiar-sounding name with deep history that is completely unknown in the US and rare in its native Germany. Anno is the name of a saint also known as Hanno, a…
Japanese
"sugar"
Sato is a Japanese girls' name meaning sugar as well as a common Japanese surname credited with a range of meanings, from village to wise to wisteria. The simple spelling and o ending give it…
Short form of Orlando or Roland, German
"famous throughout the land"
Orlo is a name nobody ever heard of until the surprise popularity of the unrelated but similar-sounding Arlo. If Arlo can be a hit, why not Orlo? Why not indeed. Some sources identify Orlo not as a…
Estonian, from a place name
This cute Estonian name is typically a short form of Endel, although it has a history of being used as a stand-alone. It originates in the feminine name Endla, originally the name of an Estonian…
Uzbek, from Arabic
"having blue, navy blue, or dark eyes"
The Uzbek form of Shahla, traditionally used for children whose eye colour matched the name's meaning. With an enchanting sound and charming -o ending, Shahlo is a well-used name in Uzbekistan.
Greek mythology name
"wife or hidden"
Leto is the titaness of motherhood (there's a title!) and, with Zeus, mother of the twin Olympians Artemis and Apollo. Simple, sleek, and unique, Leto is one mythological name for girls we might…
Short form of Natale, Italian variation of Natalia
"born on Christmas Day"
Natalino is the jaunty Italian male nickname for the gender-neutral Natale. And it has that fashionable o ending. Natalino might work as a nickname for Nathaniel too.
Short form of Bardolph or Aboriginal
"water"
Bardo has a poetic beginning and upbeat ending, with roots in several diverse cultures. It may be most familiar today via George Saunders' novel Lincoln in the Bardo , which refers to the Tibetan…
Scottish nickname
"my pet"
Mungo is one of the most classic Scottish names but perhaps also among the most difficult names to carry. There is a St. Mungo whose proper name was Kentigern; he is the patron saint of Glasgow. It…
"cotton cloth imported from India; a blotched or spotted animal"
A word name with fashionable o -ending that has associations with both the homespun fabric and the mottled cat. Alice Cooper named his daughter Calico decades ago, while it was selected more recently…
Pacifico is a masculine name of Latin and Italian origin meaning 'peaceful' or 'bringing peace.' Derived from the Latin 'pacificus,' it shares roots with words like 'pacific' and 'pacify.' This name…
Rufo is a masculine name with Latin and Spanish origins, derived from the Roman name Rufus, meaning "red-haired" or "red-headed." This ancient name was relatively common in the Roman Empire and later…
Welsh, meaning unknown
Especially if you have Welsh roots, this prominent saint's name could be an interesting and more masculine alternative to Taylor.
Welsh
Ianto is a lively and unique spin on John, possible familiar to American sci-fi fans via the popular character on Torchwood .
Cornish variation of Jacob or James
"supplanter"
A dashing alternative to the popular James and Jacob, Jago is the jaunty Cornish form of the Biblical names. Occasionally (or historically) appearing as Jagoe, Jego, and Jaego, it may have been…
German
"bald"
Contrary to popular belief, the name Kahlo has German origins, rather than Spanish. It derives from kahl , a German word meaning "bald." Mexican Artist Frida Kahlo was born to a German father,…
