This Frenchified variation softens and prettifies the harsh original.

This Dutch name derives from the old Germanic name, Farahild. It is quite common in the Netherlands.

Swam into style and quickly out again, on Chad's fish- er, coat-tails.

Original and straightforward, but with little appeal.

An adolescent boy might have problems with the first syllable.

Cadell is a surname that is unlikely to win many supporters, except perhaps from parents looking for an alternative to Caden. But while Cadell is more distinctive, that L ending is weaker and less appealing than Caden's strong N.

Italian classic Luigi, though it lacks the modern style of Nico, Enzo, and Rocco, does have some notable namesakes, such as Nobel Prize winning author Luigi Pirandello and composer Cherubini..

Originally a personal name meaning "quarreler" or "wrangler," Ditiyahihi was adopted as the Cherokee title for a lawyer.

Prospective parents tend to respond more to the softer American pronunciation than the harsher German one, and even more to the Scandinavian version (see GUNNAR).

Pleasant surname connected to humorist James Thurber, with a sound as happy as a baby's gurgle.

Baby-naming rule #984: forget any name that contains the syllable wig.

Powerful name that could be a strong middle for a boy with Cherokee heritage.

An unknown (outside Indonesia) name with an attractive, gentle sound.

Wheezy short form of lovely name, featured in the movie "Steel Magnolias", spelled as Ouiser. Similar, literary Ouida is less breathy, while Lou, Lulu, Lula, Lissy or Whizz might appeal instead.

While Americans may be more familiar with the male form of this name, thanks to actor Viggo Mortensen, Vigga is a popular name in contemporary Denmark and prime for wider export. It's a name with a a lot of vigor.

Lova, a Louise relative virtually unknown in the US, is one of the top girl names in Sweden.

his engaging French saint's name, pronounced like tangy, with a hard 'g,' also has a creative connection to French surrealist painter Yves Tanguy.

To most Australians and New Zealanders, using the name Anzac might feel sacrilegious now, as the ANZAC story has become interwoven with national identity. But Anzac was used as a name for both boys and girls on both sides of the Tasman Sea in the aftermath of the First World War. It was often used in combination with other names associated with battles or military leaders - for example Dardanella Anzac and Verdun Anzac (both girls) and Winston Anzac and Anzac Kitchener (boys).

A definite improvement over the English Humbert, Umberto has nevertheless been rarely heard outside the Italian community.

Feeney is an Irish surname found mostly in northwest Ireland. It may rise in the US as a first name for girls along with such Irish surnames as Riley and Kennedy. Feeney might also be considered an out-of-the-box short form of Josephine.