Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Small, Little, or Tiny
Across 12 pages
of 12
Orna
Irish
"little pale green one"
This Irish saint's name sounds like a lopped-off Lorna.
Orsa
Italian variation of Ursula
"little female bear"
The advantage of Orsa over the arguably-more-attractive Ursula is that it breaks the tie to the hideous she-witch of The Little Mermaid. Orsa definitely feels more ready for modern life now that…
Orsola
Italian variation of Ursula
"little female bear"
Orsola is chic in Italy in a way that Ursula is not in the U.S. And English speakers will inevitably hear this chic, sleek name as Ursula, condemned to purgatory as the name of the hideous sea-witch…
Ossian
Old Irish
"little deer"
Ossian, or Osian, from the Old Irish name Oisin, was the son of Finn in Irish legend that was transformed into a Scottish hero in the Ossianic poems of James Macpherson in the eighteenth…
Ossin
Irish, variation of Ossian
"little dear"
This name relates to Oisin, a famous ancient Irish poet, the son of Finn MacCool.
Pamina
Italian
"little honey"
This operatic Italian name -- it appears in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" -- is a more unusual route to the nickname Pam/Pammy.
Panya
Short form of Pavel
"small"
Panya is a Russian diminutive that sounds a tad feminine to the Western sensibility.
Paolina
Italian and Portuguese, feminine variation of Paul
"small"
Turning Paul or Paol -- whether it's as Paolo, Paolina, or even Paola -- instantly makes it more romantic and appealing.
Paolo
Italian, variation of Paul
"small"
Paolo is an irresistibly lush Italian name for boys , worlds more romantic than its spare English equivalent. Among noted bearers of the name are Renaissance painters Uccello and Veronese, architect…
Parkin
English
"little Peter"
To honor an ancestral Peter.
Parnell
French
"little Peter"
Likable choice for history-minded parents who might want to honor Irish patriot Charles Parnell.
Pasha
Russian, diminutive of Pavel
"small, humble"
Similar in sound to Sasha, Pasha is a Russian diminutive of the name Pavel, itself a form of Paul. Also used as a title for a high ranking officer in the (now historical) Ottoman military, and as the…
Pau
Catalan variant of Paul
"small; peace"
A very common name in Catalonia, in the northeast of Spain, in no small part because it translates as "peace" in the Catalan tongue. Alec and HIlaria Baldwin used it as one of the middle names for…
Paulana
Feminine variation of Paul, Latin
"small"
Paulana is an unusual feminine form of Paul or may be considered a combination name, smooshing Paula and Ana. It sounds international without truly being attached to any particular culture. As Paul…
Paulette
French, feminine diminutive of Paul
"small"
It's interesting how names imported to the US from other countries and cultures have fashion cycles based on their culture of origin. Paulette along with cousins Annette and Claudette were the most…
Pauline
French, feminine variation of Paul
"small"
Pauline had its moment of glory a century ago, when movie audiences were thrilling to the silent serial The Perils of Pauline , released in 1914. A Top 50 name in the US between 1908 and 1930, it…
Pavel
Russian variation of Paul
"small"
Pavel may be widespread in the former Soviet Union, but it has a somewhat impoverished image here.
Pavle
Serbian, Croatian, Georgian
"small"
A distinct variant of the classic Paul, used commonly in many South Slavic countries as well as Georgia.
Perkin
English
"little Peter"
Perkin sounds a bit Hobbit-ish as a full name, but it might make a good honor name or nickname for a boy called Peter.
Perran
Cornish
"little dark one"
Also spelled as Piran, this Cornish saint's name is thought to have derived from the Irish Ciaran. Borne by a 5th-century monk who founded a monastery, it also appears as a place name in Cornwall, as…