International Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 29 pages
of 29
Hungarian, from Latin
"wood, forest"
The Hungarian form of Sylvester, pronounced by emphasising the first syllable. Namesakes include the physician Szilveszter E. Vizi and the gymnast Szilveszter Csollány. In Hungary, Szilveszter is…
Slovene
"gift of God"
This charming feminine form of Thaddeus is based on the Slovene variant Tadej. Its melodic sound and stylish nickname Teja make it an attractive possibility, even outside of its native country.
Polish variation of Thaddeus
The Polish form of Thaddeus, it is associated with Adam Mickiewicz's 1834 poem Pan Tadeusz , the national epic poem of Poland and compulsory reading in schools. The poem is set in the early 19th…
Breton and French
"light"
This beautiful Breton saint's name peaked at #127 in France in 2006. It's still in the Top 500 there today, but remains almost unknown outside of France.
French, from the Latin Eligius
"the chosen"
While the Eloi spelling has traditionally been more common, Éloi has recently made appearances in the French Top 500. Its stylish El- beginning and softer sound make it an attractive choice for a…
Slovene, Croatian, from Spanish
"to harvest"
The -ia ending of this South Slavic variant of Teresa gives it a fresher sound and feel.
Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene
"of Tibur (Tivoli)"
Commonly heard in Hungary and some Slavic countries, Tibor has a large measure of continental dash. The name derives from the Roman town of Tibur, now called Tivoli. It is a Top 100 pick for baby…
Czech from Hebrew, pet form of Elisheva
"pledged to God"
Eliška is warm and friendly, in the Misha, Sasha mode.
Italian variation of Electra, from Greek
"amber, shining, bright"
Less electric and more serene than Electra which comes with a lot of tragic and psychoanalytical baggage, Elettra is the Italian form that ranks in the Top 200 in the Italian charts. Nicknames Etta,…
French from German
"courageous people"
Pronounced TEE-bow, this version, which is also a very common surname in France, has a lot more charm than the name it derives from — Theobald. A variant spelling is Thibaut. Trivia tidbit:…
Blend of Timéo and Maël, French
"to honor the chief; honored prince"
A modern French name that's been appearing in the Top 500 in its native country in recent years, the exact origins of Timaël are unknown, though it's possibly a blend of Timéo (or Timothée) and Maël.…
Norwegian
"fortunate victor, island of victory"
A variant of Øyvind with a slightly different pronunciation — eye-vin instead of ay-vin. Both names originate from the Old Norse Eyvindr, but Eivind is the fresher choice within Norway, having last…
Portuguese variation of Edward, English
"wealthy guardian"
Incredibly handsome and super smooth, Duarte sounds like it came straight out of a romance novel. You almost wouldn’t believe it’s derived from Edward.
Italian from Greek
"honor"
Timeo is a Top 100 name in France but is virtually unknown in the English-speaking world. Appearing briefly in the New Testament and related to Timon, a Shakespearean name, Timeo is a valid…
French (Occitan, Gascon)
A newly-coined diminutive of Titou, which is itself a Gascon diminutive of Antoine. It entered the French Top 500 in 1990 and peaked at #54 in 2009.
Finnish, Estonian
"hope"
This name was on the U.S. Top 1000 in the early 20th century, when recent immigrants frequently chose native names that have since died out for American babies. But if you're of Finnish or Estonian…
Danish, Icelandic
"thunder wolf, twelve"
Diminutive form of Tholf, itself derived from the Old Norse Þórulfr which gives you the cool meaning "thunder wolf". It coincides with the Icelandic word for "twelve".
Cornelis is the Dutch form of the Latin name Cornelius, which originated from the Roman clan name Cornelii. This masculine name carries a sense of heritage and strength, derived from the Latin word…
French, Breton
"tempest, hurricane"
Corentin is an intriguing saint's name fashionable in France but virtually unknown here-- which you may consider a big plus. St. Corentin possessed a magical fish that regenerated itself each night,…
Swedish and Norwegian variation of Tove
"beautiful"
Tove is a modern variation of an Old Norse name, related to Thor. Tuva is a form of the name popular in modern Scandinavia.
