International Baby Names
525+ European Names for Girls and Boys
Across 29 pages
of 29
Yves
French
"yew wood"
On paper, with its stylish ties to fashion legend Yves Saint-Laurent (born Henri), Yves looks great, but the pronunciation--EVE-- could lead to gender confusion. German variation Ivo might be cooler…
Zabou
French
"nickname for Isabelle"
Actress and director Zabou Breitman is a notable bearer of this quirky French pet name.
Zadig
Armenian, French, Arabic, Hebrew
"Easter; righteous, truthful, loyal"
Zadig is the name of the hero and philosopher in Voltaire's 1747 novella, Zadig, ou la Destinée ("Zadig, or The Book of Fate"), though it may be better associated today with the fashion retailer…
Zala
Ethiopian or Slovene variation of Rozalija
"a people from southwest Ethiopia; rose"
Simple but sultry.
Zalan
Hungarian, meaning unknown
Zalán is a very trendy name for boys in Hungary, although its origins are unclear. Zalán's use as a name may be inspired by the Zala River or Zala region, both in Hungary. 19th century Hungarian poet…
Zazie
French
This jazzy French diminutive of Isabelle was first made famous by the title character of Raymond Queneau’s novel Zazie dans le métro , which was adapted into a film in 1960. It could also work as a…
Zelie
French
"noble"
A cute, zippy French saint's name that's picking up in popularity there, and starting to in the US as well. Zélie originated as a short form of Azélie, thought to derive from Adelaide via the Occitan…
Zeno
Anglicized form of Greek Zenon, related to Zeus, king of the gods
Zeno, the name of two ancient philosophers, has a muscular dynamism that's lightened by its cheerful final vowel, resulting in a kind of offbeat sci-fi feel. Zeno of Citium was the founder of the…
Ziga
Slovene, Silesian
"victory protector"
A cool Slavic short form of Sigmund, properly spelt Žiga in Slovene.
Zita
Italian or Persian; Greek
"little girl; seeker"
A thirteenth-century Tuscan saint, patron of homemakers, Zita is the kind of name that sounded really creative in an earlier era.
Zlata
Feminization of Zlatan
"gold"
Zoltan
Hungarian
"sultan"
Though a common name in Hungary, with the spelling Zoltán, the relatively rare Z sound is striking to English speakers. Penn Gillette used the Zolten spelling for his son; it was also the name of…
Zosia
Variant of Sophia, Greek
"wisdom"
This unusual and alluring choice was used by David Mamet for his daughter, who is now grown and an actress on the hit show Girls .
Zoya
Russian and Greek variation of Zoe, Greek
"life"
Now that Zoe is getting wildly popular in the U.S. and the U.K. -- one poll puts it at number one in Wales -- parents may start hunting down fresh twists like this.
Zsálya
Hungarian
"sage"
If Sage seems too mainstream nowadays, here's Zsálya: this modern word name comes directly from the Hungarian zsálya , meaning sage, and it's a rare choice even in its native country. It has an…
Zsaklin
Hungarian, from French
"supplanter"
The Hungarian version of Jacqueline, inspired by the French pronunciation of the name.
Achille
French variation of Achilles
"thin-lipped"
The French spin on the name of the great Homeric hero with the vulnerable heel seems somewhat more portable into the modern world.
Zsuzska
Hungarian, from Hebrew
"lily"
A cute and buzzy short form of Zsuzsanna, the Hungarian version of Susanna, which can be used as a nickname or independently.
Sissel
Norwegian
"blind"
Sissel is the Norwegian variation of Cecilia, a name that's becoming more popular in the U.S. and beyond. English speakers will hear this name as sizzle or at best, Cecil.
Alojz
Slovene, Slovak, Croatian
"famous warrior"
A Slavic variant of Aloysius most often used in Slovenia and Slovakia, distinct for its Z ending.