International Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
Anglicized variation of Maire, Finnish, Irish variation of Mary"sweet; drop of the sea, bitter"
"sweet; drop of the sea, bitter"
Somber, almost mournful name that still has a lovely sound. Neither really in nor out, Maura has played around at the lower half of the Top 1000 since the late 1940s. It might make one of those…
English combination of Mary and Bel, or Spanish short form of María Isabel, "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + beautiful"
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + beautiful"
This modern name gathers some steam from the wildly popular Isabel. The meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter"…
Variation of Maris or a combination of Maria + Louisa
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + famous battle"
Pretty feminissima name that never became as overused as cousin Melissa. The more streamlined Maris is a more modern sounding option. Namesakes include Marissa Mayer, the former CEO of Yahoo!. The…
Dutch and French diminutive of Mary
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Popular in France in the 60s, Marielle is one of many international variations and diminutives of Mary. While actress and author Mariel Hemingway made us aware of the more abbreviated spelling —…
English and French diminutive of Marie
An underused classic that has proved surprisingly unisex over the last few decades, being given to roughly the same number of baby girls and boys in the US from the 1970s to the 2000s. For a girl,…
Irish, variation of Mary
"bitter; beloved; drop of the sea"
Well-established Irish and Scottish name that has never really caught on across the pond. Remembered by an older generation as the beautiful red-haired ballerina in the film The Red Shoes , Moira…
English variation of Molly, diminutive of Mary, Hebrew
"bitter"
An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid. Associated with Tom Sawyer's…
Spanish
"small river"
Short and feminine, Ria has a rhythmic flow.
Spanish, combination of Maria and Celia, Hebrew, Latin
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + heaven"
A pretty and little-known Spanish smoosh name, combining Maria with Celia. As such, it may have a number of meanings. On one hand, it could simply be interpreted as meaning "Maria of the Heavens",…
Maira is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. In Arabic, it relates to Mayra meaning 'exceptional woman' or 'beneficent.' In Scottish Gaelic, it derives from Màiri, a form of Mary. In…
Spanish diminutive of Maria
Used especially in Latin America, this would make a funky spin on Maria. The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea");…
Spanish, Conflation of Isabella and Maria
This is one elaboration of the ubiquitous Isobel that we think should be chosen more often and would work well in many languages.
Italian diminutive of Maria
Marietta would make for a classy and uncommon long form for cool nickname Etta. The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea");…
Hebrew or Egyptian
Russian, Ukrainian, and Bulgarian form of the classic Maria sure to cause a lifetime of spelling questions and pronunciation mistakes.
Irish variation of Mary, Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Almost as popular in the 1950s among the Irish in Boston as it was with those back in Bray, Maureen was once among the most prominent Irish names for girls in the US but has fallen from favor along…
Yiddish diminutive of Miriam, Romanian variant of Mireille
"beloved; bitter; drop of the sea; to admire"
Mirel is a sparky diminutive of Miriam, making it one of many international choices connected to the classic, Biblical Mary. Also spelled as Mirele, from this origin, it is notably used in Israel,…
Spanish and Italian form of Maria
An elaboration of Marisa, a combination of Maria and Louisa. The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from…
Italian and Spanish combination of Maria and Louisa
A name made famous by Marisas Berenson and Tomei, never became as saturated as its cousin Melissa, so still a feasible choice. Marisa is one of those Spanish and Italian names for girls that sounds…
German, diminutive of Maria
"beloved; drop of the sea, bitter"
Mitzi is a sparky German nickname name that might appeal to parents drawn to the genre of lively vintage girl names that proliferated in 1930's musicals. Actress and entertainer Mitzi Gaynor (born…
Diminutive of Mary or Margaret
Has a dotty, antic feel via dotty, antic Auntie Mame.
