International Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 29 pages
of 29
Latin, from ancient place name Lavinium
Lavinia is a charmingly prim and proper Victorian-sounding name which actually dates back to classical mythology, where it was the name of the wife of the Trojan hero Aeneas, who was considered the…
Latin
"lion"
Leonie is a chic French and German form of a name that exists in a range of variations from Leona to Leonia to Leon to Leo to Lionel, all newly fashionable after a couple of generations in style…
Slavic variation of Jana, feminine variation of John
"God is gracious"
A Slavic classic, as common as Jane or Joan here. If you live in an Anglophone culture and you want it pronounced with a Y sound at the beginning, use the Y spelling.
Dutch variation of Abraham, Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Bram has an unusual measure of character and charm for a one-syllable name; it started as a hipper-than-Abe diminutive of the biblical Abraham, but is also an independent Irish and Dutch name, made…
"evening star"
This Latin word used for evening spiritual services was introduced to baby namers by the Eva Greene character Vesper Lynd in the modern James Bond film Casino Royale in 2006, based on the Ian Fleming…
Russian and Slavic feminine form of Galina
Festive name of the wife of Salvador Dali. In Spanish, Gala comes from the Roman name Galla, a feminine form of Gallus meaning "rooster" or "a person from Gaul".
"flowering"
If Flora and Florence have returned full force, then Florian, with its strong Latinate ending and its botanical meaning in one to watch out for. Popular in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, and…
Scandinavian
"June"
Juni is the Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, and Finnish form of the month name June. While Juni feels cute and fresh, most Americans would assume it was a nickname or a Joni variation. We prefer Juna or…
Irish
"golden princess"
Orla is an Irish name closely associated with the high king Brian Boru, as it was the name of his sister, daughter and niece. It was very popular in the Middle Ages – the fourth most popular name in…
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…
Latin, from a Roman family name related to Mars, the god of war
Marius, frequently heard in Germany and France, is a slightly fusty yet accessible name that has (Les Mis) to Anne Rice. With the rise in interest in such Latin names as Maximus and Atticus, Marius…
French
"olive tree"
More and more frequently heard as the Gallic version of Oliver, Olivier could be seen as a tribute to the great British actor, Sir Laurence O.
Norse
"powerful army; wise warrior; counsel from the army"
An fearsome old Norse name with a long history in Scandinavia. It's gotten a boost in the States from popularity of the History Channel drama "Vikings," in which the protagonist is named Ragnar.…
Greek, French, from Hebrew
"gift of God"
One of the relatives on the widely-branching family of John names, Yanis is in the French Top 50 and was a fast rising choice in the UK in 2022, when it went from being outside the Top 1000 to within…
"Sabine"
Sabina is a sleek but neglected name with the same spirited, stylish feel of Sabrina, Serena, and Selena. It ranked towards the latter end of the US charts in the early 20th century while a more…
Turkish
"sea"
A super popular nature name in its native Turkey, currently Top 50 for both boys and girls there.
French or Breton
"chief or prince"
Another feminine form of the old saint's name Mael. Spelled Maëlys, it is a very popular name in France today.
Italian variation of James
"supplanter"
Giacomo is a primo member of the Giovanni-Gino-Giancarlo-Giacomo gruppo of Italian names that are beginning to be adopted by American parents. Singer/creative baby namer Sting chose it for his son.…
Portuguese diminutive of Rodrigo
"famous ruler"
This charming mini name began life as a nickname for Rodrigo but has since taken on a life of its own, ranking as an independent name in Portugal, it’s country of origin. If you’re looking to honor a…
Old Norse
"bold warrior"
With Norse (and pseudo-Norse) names such as Thor, Odin and Magnus growing in popularity, this one, which refers to warriors destined for Valhalla on account of their bravery, might have some appeal…
