Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Small, Little, or Tiny
Across 12 pages
of 12
Ciaran
Irish
"little black-haired one"
Extremely popular in Ireland, Ciaran is also well used in England and is beginning to be adopted by parents in the U.S., though usually via the more American-friendly Kieran spelling. The Irish…
Bercan
Gaelic
"little spear"
Somewhat reminiscent of the better known Beccan, this is an Irish saints' name – there were no fewer than five St. Bercans, as well as a noted manuscript artist called Bercanus. In Ireland, it is…
Attila
Hungarian
"little father"
English speaking countries may only associate this with the fifth-century Hun, but the name is still well-used in contemporary Hungary, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. Usually said to derive from the Gothic…
Adva
Hebrew
"small wave; ripple"
A possible addition to the Ava / Ada / Adah collection, with a Jewish twist.
Ciara
Irish
"little dark one"
Ciara is very popular in Ireland, more familiar here as the Anglicized Kiera or Keira. The uninitiated will tend to pronounce Ciara as the Italian Chiara, a form of Claire—kee-AHR-a or even…
Chiquita
Spanish
"little one"
As a term of endearment, maybe, but not as a proper name, where it would practically demand the refrain "Banana."
Chiqueta
Variation of Chiquita, Spanish
"little one"
This is an obscure spelling of the banana brand name.
Ciarán
Gaelic
"little black-haired one"
Long popular in Ireland and England, Ciarán is the name of Ireland's first-born saint and twenty-five other saints. While this is the authentic Irish spelling, it is more familiar in the US in the…
Cinderella
French
"little ash-girl"
One familiar name never used for real people, for obvious reasons. Read more about Cinderella and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.
Conan
Irish
"little wolf"
The fierce image of the Barbarian made a complete turnaround thanks to amiable talk show host O'Brien, making Conan one of the newly desirable Irish choices, a perfect alternative to Conor/Connor. In…
Corcan
Manx
"little heart"
A lovely Manx name with an even lovelier meaning.
Cosette
French literary nickname
"little thing"
Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables . In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some…
Dalziel
Scottish
"the small field"
If you want a truly unusual name with authentic roots, this one certainly fits on both counts. Pronunciation may prove a stumbling block, however.
Damita
Spanish
"little noblewoman"
Has a petite, dainty charm.
Darren
Irish
"little great one"
Once-popular boys' name works better now for girls, as a kind of Dara/Karen blend.
Darren
Irish
"little great one"
Darren and wife Sharon shop for fifties memorabilia on eBay. The Connecticut place-name Darien might offer an update.
Charty
English diminutive of Charlotte, French
"free man"
A Charlotte nickname heard much more often in Britain than here — American parents might prefer Charlie or Lottie.
Del
English, diminutive
"small valley"
The kind of name last found in northern Wisconsin in the 1950s, and even then it was probably a nickname for Delbert.
Devika
Hindi
"little goddess"
Nine little goddesses got this lovely name in the US in 2021, making it a usable yet unusual entry in the popular mythological category. Devika is a diminutive of Devi, the head goddess of Hindu…
Arizona
Place-name from Papago Indian
"little springs"
We usually think of place-names as a modern invention, but in fact Arizona ranked on the US Top 1000 from its inception in 1880 until 1911, when it vanished below the surface. It peaked at Number 510…