International Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 29 pages
of 29
Greek
"yellow horse"
Famous as the long-suffering wife of the philosopher Socrates.
French form of Albinus, Ancient Roman
"white, blond, bright"
Aubin might be seen as a fresher and more decidedly masculine twist on Aubrey, though the two are not related. This stylish French choice derives from the Roman Albinus or Albus, meaning "white,…
Galician
"Yahweh is god"
Galician form of Joel, in the Top 25 in Galicia and Top 250 in Spain. As with Joel and Noel, pronunciation can sound like one syllable or two.
Athenais is a rare feminine name with classical Greek origins. It derives from Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law, strategic warfare, mathematics, strength,…
Basque
"era, time"
Part of a group of lovely A-starting names popular in Spain, along with Ainhoa and Aitana. Spanish actress Aroa Gimeno introduced this one.
Catalan variation of Arnold, English from German
"ruler, strong as an eagle"
A name sometimes used by Latino parents, perhaps relating to the popular Spanish TV mini-series of that name.
"quick water; virtue"
This name was invented by the Cretan writer Vikentios Kornaros for the love interest of his 17th-century romantic epic poem, Erotokritos . Considered one of the greatest — if not the greatest – works…
Feminine variation of Ulf, Scandinavian
"wolf"
Ylva may look like it belongs with the Eva family of names, but it actually derives from Ulf, a name meaning "wolf." It's not a very intuitive name to English-speakers, and likely won't get picked up…
Dutch and French variation of Anna
"grace"
Anouk, made famous by French actress Anouk Aimée, is a singular name with a lovely sound and a Bohemian feel. Anouk Aimée was born as Francoise, but adopted the first name of the character she played…
French
"nickname for Isabelle"
Actress and director Zabou Breitman is a notable bearer of this quirky French pet name.
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…
French variation of Amber, English word name
In the US Amber is stuck in the '80s, while Ambre is a fresh choice in France.
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…
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…
"lark"
Alouette is a sweet Gallic twist in the stylish bird name genre made familiar via the charming French children's song, Alouette, gentile alouette .
French, meaning unknown
Also seen as Alyenor and Eleonore, this is an old French name dating back to the Arthurian romances and still heard today.
Slovene, Silesian
"victory protector"
A cool Slavic short form of Sigmund, properly spelt Žiga in Slovene.
French form of Gerard, German
"spear strength"
Geraud, as with many French variations of familiar names, makes the somewhat old-fashioned Gerard sound fresh and dashing. It's pronounced as if it ended with o, another trendy factor, though many…
Slovene, Slovak, Croatian
"famous warrior"
A Slavic variant of Aloysius most often used in Slovenia and Slovakia, distinct for its Z ending.
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.
