International Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 29 pages
of 29
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…
Hungarian, from French
"supplanter"
The Hungarian version of Jacqueline, inspired by the French pronunciation of the name.
Diminutive of Mieczysław, Polish
"glory of the sword"
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.
Combination of Marie and Lou or Louise
Milou and her near-identical twin Malou are adorable names popular throughout Europe; they're contractions of Marie or Mary and Lou or Louise. The Malou spelling will probably be easier for English…
Greek
"silk"
A rare Greek name with a distinctly sharp sound, originating from the word metaxi , meaning silk.
Finnish
"mint"
The Finnish word for "mint" is a popular name in Finland, comparable to the Danish Mynte.
Serbian
"tender, cute + dear, beloved"
While the name has a harsher sound, its meaning is especially soft and sweet. This South Slavic name is used predominantly in Serbia and Montenegro, with many football-related namesakes. Abroad, it…
Scottish form of Marcella
"warlike"
Although it is sometimes cited as the Gaelic equivalent of English Margery or Marjorie ("pearl"), Marsaili in fact derives from the name of the Roman god of war, Mars, via the related name Marcella.…
Slovene, from Greek
"pearl"
A lively form of Margaret used in Slovenia.
Scottish, poetic place-name
"the big gap"
In the Ossianic poems written by James Macpherson in the 1760s, Morven is the name of the Fingal's kingdom, Fingal being the hero, likely inspired by Fionn mac Cumhaill of early Gaelic legend. It…
"burner of ships"
The modern Greek form of Nausicaa — the name of a character in Homer's Odyssey — avoids any unfortunate associations with nausea and offers a sleek, stylish sound.
Hungarian, Scandinavian
"bold voyager"
Interesting and energetic international form of Ferdinand.
Scandinavian version of Marie or Mary, Hebrew or Egyptian
"drop of the sea; bitter; beloved; love"
Majken, which is related to Maiken and Maike, is a popular name in Sweden whose variations are used throughout Scandinavia as cooler forms of Mary. Majken is virtually unknown in the U.S. and…
"from Magdala"
Originally a short form of Magdalena — the Slovene variant of Magdalene — but commonly used on its own in Slovenia. Majda has a cute, bouncy sound and could either be a unique alternative to Maya, or…
Italian and Portuguese variation of Matilda
Mafalda is nearly unknown in the English-speaking world, despite an appearance in Harry Potter. Indeed, it does have a witchy feel. Matilda itself is preferable, or her French form Mathilde, Spanish…
Dutch
"daisy"
Madelief is an uncommon name but not unheard of in the Netherlands, where 123 girls were called Madelief in one recent year. With its soft sounds and similarities to all those "Madeleine" type names…
Welsh
"loveable"
Mabli is the sweet Welsh variant of Mabel, first used at the beginning of the 20th-century making it a relatively modern choice. Cute but energetic with the appeal of other Welsh names like Cadi and…
Armenian
"moon"
A popular pick in its native Armenia where it's been in and out of the Top 50 in recent years, this pretty moon name would make for a sophisticated alternative to mega-popular Luna. Also written as…
Italian, feminine variation of Ludovic
"famous in war"
This Olde World name with a large measure of European style makes an offbeat possibility for the bold baby namer in search of interesting Italian names for girls . Currently very popular in its…
