International Baby Names
525+ European Names for Girls and Boys
Across 29 pages
of 29
Maurice
English and French from Latin
"dark-skinned"
In the USA, Maurice was in the Top 200 for most of the 20th century; since 1990, however, it has been on a slow and steady decline. This name has the potential for some old-school cute nicknames such…
Maxence
French form of Latin Maximus
"greatest"
A cute and fresh way to get to Max, this was the name of a sixth century saint. Maxence is a Top 100 boys' name in France, but largely unknown in the US where it is given to only a handful of baby…
Maxim
French variation of Maximus
"greatest"
Although often connected to the men's magazine title, Maxim is a chic and powerful name for a little boy. It's proving moderately popular too, having been in the Top 1000 in the US since the year…
Meabh
Irish
"she who intoxicates"
Meabh, the native Irish spelling of Maeve, is in the Top 100 in Ireland and becoming more popular here in its Anglicized form. Outside of Ireland, life will be easier with the Maeve spelling of this…
Merle
French
"blackbird"
A sleek, smooth, understated name off the grid in the US but among the Top 100 girl names in Germany. In the US, it is a unisex name, while in Germany and the Netherlands, it is predominantly…
Metaxia
Greek
"silk"
A rare Greek name with a distinctly sharp sound, originating from the word metaxi , meaning silk.
Mieke
Dutch variation of Marie
"bitter"
A Dutch version of Marie - this is a cute name that has potential.
Mieszko
Diminutive of Mieczysław, Polish
"glory of the sword"
Mika
Finnish short form of Mikael
"who is like God"
This short form of Mikael, a variation of Michael, may originate in Finland but it's most popular in Germany and The Netherlands. Mika can make a cute and original way to honor a Michael in the…
Milou
Combination of Marie and Lou or Louise
Milou and her near-identical twin Malou are adorable names popular throughout Europe; they're contractions of Marie or Mary and Lou or Louise. The Malou spelling will probably be easier for English…
Minka
Polish diminutive of Mina, short form of Wilhelmina, German
"resolute protection"
In the contemporary US, Minka attracted notice via actress Minka Kelly, who played the gorgeous Lyla on Friday Night Lights . This cute and lively nickname name can (and does) certainly stand on its…
Minna
Diminutive of Wilhelmina, German
"resolute protection; love"
One of those pan-European nickname names much more familiar in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe than in the US, though related name Mina is making a comeback here. Light and bright, it could be an…
Minttu
Finnish
"mint"
The Finnish word for "mint" is a popular name in Finland, comparable to the Danish Mynte.
Miodrag
Serbian
"tender, cute + dear, beloved"
While the name has a harsher sound, its meaning is especially soft and sweet. This South Slavic name is used predominantly in Serbia and Montenegro, with many football-related namesakes. Abroad, it…
Miran
Slovene, Persian, Kurdish, Hebrew
"peace, world; prince; to sing + light"
Just as internationally appealing as its feminine form, Mira, Miran is a name with multiple origins that is popular in Turkey, Azerbaijan, The Netherlands, and the UK. As a Slovene and Croatian name,…
Mirko
Slavic
"peace, world"
Mirko is a diminutive version of Miroslav but is now given as a full name.
Monte
Diminutive of Montgomery, Norman, Spanish
"man power; mountain"
Monte, pronounced with two syllables as brother Monty, is an old-fashioned nickname-name that's reclaiming a certain amount of dash and charm. It was recently chosen by actor Guy Pearce--which may…
Moritz
German form of Maurice
"dark-skinned"
The unusual-to-the-English-ear Moritz is a Top 25 name in Austria and a form of Maurice or Morris, which are modern variations of the ancient Roman Maurus. There were several early saints named…
Morven
Scottish, poetic place-name
"the big gap"
In the Ossianic poems written by James Macpherson in the 1760s, Morven is the name of the Fingal's kingdom, Fingal being the hero, likely inspired by Fionn mac Cumhaill of early Gaelic legend. It…
Nafsika
Greek
"burner of ships"
The modern Greek form of Nausicaa — the name of a character in Homer's Odyssey — avoids any unfortunate associations with nausea and offers a sleek, stylish sound.