European Names for Girls and Boys

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 also the word for New Year's Eve.

Szilveszter

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.

Tadeja

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 century when Poland had been divided between Prussia, Russia, and Austria and tells the story of Tadeusz and Zosia, members of two feuding noble families. 
 
Tadeusz has ranked in the Polish Top 100 since 2011, though it is rare elsewhere.

Tadeusz

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.

Elouan

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 baby boy, and while the accent on the E may be troublesome in some countries, it helps to differentiate the name from the Catalan or Spanish Eloi.

Éloi

The -ia ending of this South Slavic variant of Teresa gives it a fresher sound and feel.

Terezija

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 boys in its native Hungary.

Tibor

Eliška is warm and friendly, in the Misha, Sasha mode.

Eliska

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, Lettie, and Elle make this doubly appealing. 
 
It was chosen by actress Isabella Rossellini for her now grown-up daughter, Elettra Rossellini Wiedemann.

Elettra

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 &mdash; Theobald. A variant spelling is Thibaut.

 Trivia tidbit: Thibault is the name of a minor character in Peanuts.

Thibault

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. It could then be interpreted to mean "honored chief", "honored lord", or "to honor the prince".


Timaël

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 made the Top 100 in 2011. For parents looking to honour their heritage, Eivind would be a handsome possibility. Just mind the pronunciation difficulties, like the silent D at the end.

Eivind

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.

Duarte

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 possibility for parents looking for an unusual name with cross-cultural cred.

Timeo

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.

Titouan

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 ancestry, you may want to consider reviving this one with a positive meaning.

Toivo

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".

Tolvar

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 'cornu' meaning 'horn'. Throughout Dutch history, Cornelis has been a consistently popular name, with many notable bearers including the Dutch Golden Age painter Cornelis Troost and explorer Cornelis de Houtman. While common in the Netherlands and other Dutch-speaking regions, the name is less frequently used internationally. Many Cornelis bearers use the nicknames Cor, Cees, or Kees. The name combines traditional dignity with historical significance.

Cornelis

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, feeding himself and his lucky visitors in perpetuity.


Corentin

Tove is a modern variation of an Old Norse name, related to Thor.  Tuva is a form of the name popular in modern Scandinavia.

Tuva

 names drawn from European languages and countries

, are among the most fashionable in the English-speaking world. Names with their origins in France and Spain, Germany and Italy, Greece and Scandinavia can all be considered European.

Even Latin names, with origins in ancient Rome, can be considered European names.

The full collection of European baby names, then, is massive – so many thousands of names that it would be meaningless to list each and every one of them.

Instead, what we define as European names here are 

baby names that are popular throughout Europe

 but are still uncommon among English speakers. European names are growing in popularity in the US and elsewhere as the world becomes more diverse and parents look to original sources for baby names.

 on this list include names from throughout European countries and cultures, from Spain to Sweden, Poland to Portugal.

[European Girl Names]( https://nameberry.com/list/746/european-baby-names)

European names for boys and girls with origins in the countries and cultures of Europe, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Scandinavia, with meanings, origins, and popularity. (Page 25)

525+ European Names for Girls and Boys