International Baby Names
525+ European Names for Girls and Boys
Across 29 pages
of 29
Pio
Latin
"pious"
Though the variation Pius is too, well, popeish, Pio might work for an ordinary boy.
Piero
Italian, variation of Peter
"rock"
Piero is elegant, melodic, appealing. Just picture the muted frescoes of Renaissance artist Piero della Francesca.
Pihla
Finnish
"rowan tree"
The pronunciation may not be intuitive to English speakers, but this Finnish nature name is a top choice in its country of origin. Pihla derives from pihlaja , the Finnish word for the rowan tree.
Pilar
Spanish
"pillar"
The fact that this Spanish classic, which honors the Virgin Mary, does not end in the conventional letter 'a' gives it a special sense of strength, elegance, and style, making it a worthy choice. The…
Pim
Dutch diminutive of Willem or William
"resolute protection"
Short but spirited, Pim is in the Top 200 in The Netherlands, though it is little-known elsewhere. A diminutive of Willem (or William), it possibly emerged via its rhyme with alternative, more direct…
Pippa
English, diminutive of Philippa
"lover of horses"
Pippa, a peppy condensation of Philippa that turns it from serious to sprightly, has come into the public eye in a big way via the former Kate Middleton's sister. Pippa can and is given as a name in…
Pola
Short form of Amapola, Arabic
"poppy"
Pola is an international name that still bears the femme fatalish air of Polish-born silent screen vamp Pola Negri, whole birth name was Apolonia. Rarely used, she could join sisters Lola and Nola.
Polina
Russian and Basque, feminine variation of Paul
This version of the more familiar Paulina is occasionally used in the US, though some may see it as relating more to the word pole than to the classic Paul.
Puck
Literary name
Puck, the mischievous sprite of Shakespeare, is a unisex name given more often to girls in The Netherlands and is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, discovered in 1985 and named Puck for…
Queralt
Catalan
A top 200 name in Catalonia, Spain since 2004. There are several Catalan towns with the name, including Santa Coloma de Queralt and Rocafort de Queralt.
Quitterie
French
"the red one"
Quitterie is a quirky saint’s name which is considered très chic in France at the moment. St Quiteria was a 5th century virgin martyr who was killed after refusing to renounce her Christian faith in…
Radek
Czech and Polish
"happy, willing"
Radek is both a last name and a first name with an uplifting meaning. The -ek suffix makes is a diminutive of Rad, which means happy.
Rafal
Rafal is a masculine name of Polish origin, serving as the Polish equivalent of the Hebrew name Raphael, meaning 'God has healed.' Common throughout Poland and other Eastern European countries, Rafal…
Raffaele
Italian variation of Raphael, Hebrew
"God has healed"
A top choice in Italy.
Ragnar
Norse
"powerful army; wise warrior; counsel from the army"
An fearsome old Norse name with a long history in Scandinavia. It's gotten a boost in the States from popularity of the History Channel drama "Vikings," in which the protagonist is named Ragnar.…
Raivo
Diminutive of Raimond, Estonian
"wise-protector; fury"
A cool and accessible Estonian name that feels very fresh in the English-speaking world. Raivo is likely a short form of Raimond, the Estonian translation of Raymond, but some sources claim it…
Raminta
Lithuanian
"calm, peaceful"
A serene name with a lively sound, Raminta comes from the Lithuanian word ramus , meaning "calm". With nicknames like the cool Rami and retro Mindy, this is an especially sweet and versatile choice…
Rasmus
Finnish and Scandinavian variation of Erasmus
"beloved, desired"
A form of ancient name newly popular in Eastern Europe, Rasmus is rugged and distinctive - and on trend in Estonia and Finland. Virtually unknown in the U.S. but with its philosophical roots and…
Rene
French
"reborn"
Though it's used for boys, most non-French people would hear it as a girls’ name . Most would be surprised to learn that Rene has always charted in the US Top 1000 for boys.
Rezső
Hungarian, from German
"famous warrior"
The Hungarian form of Roger is a fun twist on the retro classic. The name is also related to Rudolf: The Hungarians affectionately referred to Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria as Prince Rezső.…