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Four Letter Names

JulieLaing
By JulieLaing
Updated Mon May 22 2023
  1. Abel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "breath"

    • Description:

      Abel, the name of Adam and Eve's unfortunate younger son, compensates with positive connotations: capable, competent, ready and willing.
  2. Anah

    • Description:

      Anah is a feminine name with ancient Semitic origins, appearing in the Bible as both male and female characters. In Hebrew, it can mean 'answer' or 'response,' while some interpretations suggest meanings like 'to sing' or 'to give testimony.' This succinct, palindromic name carries a sense of symmetry and balance in both its meaning and form. Anah offers simplicity with substance—short yet meaningful, easy to pronounce across cultures yet distinctive. Though not widely used in modern times, it has seen modest increased interest among parents seeking names with biblical connections but less common than traditional favorites. The name's brevity and open vowel sounds give it a gentle, flowing quality that works well with many family names across different cultural traditions.
  3. Aria

    • Origin:

      Italian and Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "air; song or melody; lion"

    • Description:

      Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones. There were about 6400 baby girls named Aria in the US last year alog with 2400 named Arya, which counted together places the name in the Top 10.
  4. Cain

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "spear; possessed"

    • Description:

      Biblical name Cain was, until recently, seldom heard outside of the Old Testament and soap operas. Although Cain's murderous actions will always make this name difficult for some, Cain, Eve and Adam's firstborn, was a farmer - making this a good choice for those with farming connections. Long outshone by Abel, Cain is starting to find a broader audience, helped along by homophones Kane or Caine.
  5. Cara

    • Origin:

      Latin, Italian, Irish, Spanish, and Portuguese

    • Meaning:

      "dear; friend; face"

    • Description:

      Cara is a simple, sweet, Italian endearment that enjoyed its greatest popularity from the 1970s through the 1990s, reaching a high of Number 189 in 1977. Despite the rising celebrity of English model/actress Cara Delevingne, who played Enchantress in Suicide Squad, Cara dropped off the Top 1000 in the US in 2020, perhaps because it sounds too close to the dreaded Karen.
  6. Erin

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "from the island to the west"

    • Description:

      First-wave Irish name and place name—the poetic name for Ireland—now supplanted by newer alternatives such as Maeve and Delaney.
  7. Ezra

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "help"

    • Description:

      Ezra has a lot going for it: the strength of its heroic Biblical legacy, its quirky sound, and its fresh but familiar feel. Ezra is now at its highest point ever, but its intuitive streamlined spelling and deep roots could make it a worth successor to Elijah in the Top 10 -- or even to Liam or Noah at Number 1.
  8. Eron
    • Ford

      • Origin:

        English

      • Meaning:

        "dweller at the ford"

      • Description:

        The long association to the Ford Motor Company doesn't stand in the way of this being a strong, independent, single-syllable name.
    • Gaia

      • Origin:

        Greek and Latin

      • Meaning:

        "earth mother; rejoicing"

      • Description:

        Floral, bright, and subtly powerful, Gaia is a name with two separate origins. In Greek mythology, it is the name of the earth goddess and the universal mother, who takes her epithet from the Ancient Greek word for land or ground. It was this ecological element that led actress Emma Thompson to choose it for her daughter back in 1999, and it could hold similar appeal to green minded parents today.
    • Gray

      • Origin:

        Color name, also diminutive of Grayson

      • Description:

        The girls have Violet and Scarlet and Ruby and Rose, but for the boys there's a much more limited palette of color names. Gray (or Grey), is one exception, which could make for a soft and evocative--if slightly somber-- choice, especially in the middle. Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney recently named their son Leo Grey.
    • Hana

      • Origin:

        Hebrew, Hawaiian, Maori, Japanese

      • Meaning:

        "grace, work, glow, flower"

      • Description:

        Many things to many peoples: a flower name, also spelled Hanae, to the Japanese; a Czech and Polish short form of Johana; and an alternate form of the biblical name Hannah in the US. It also means "craft, work" in Hawaiian and "glow" in Maori.
    • Jace

      • Origin:

        Hebrew, diminutive of Jason

      • Meaning:

        "the Lord is salvation"

      • Description:

        Jace may sound like only half a name -- it's usually pronounced like the first half of Jason though some may consider it a spelling-out of the initials J. C. -- but it's a popular choice for baby boys. Jace has been heard on such TV shows as Teen Mom 2 and Duck Dynasty.
    • JIRO
      • Kaia

        • Origin:

          Latin, Scandinavian, or Hawaiian

        • Meaning:

          "to rejoice or sea"

        • Description:

          The new Maia, the next Kayla, Kaia has been on the charts since the year 2000. You might see it as a female form of the also-rising Kai, which means sea in Hawaiian and is sometimes used for girls as well, or as a Kardashianization of the ancient goddess name Caia.
      • Kiah

        • Description:

          Kiah is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins and meanings. In Aboriginal Australian languages, it means "from the beautiful place" or is connected to meanings like "shadow place." It also appears in Hebrew, where it may be a variant of Kia, meaning "God's grace." Some sources suggest Kiah could be derived from an African word meaning "season's beginning." The name has gained modest popularity in English-speaking countries since the 1990s, appreciated for its brevity, melodic sound, and cross-cultural appeal. Kiah offers a simple yet distinctive two-syllable structure that's easy to pronounce across cultures. The name carries spiritual undertones in multiple traditions while maintaining a contemporary feel, making it appealing to parents seeking a name that's both meaningful and modern.

      • Kian

        • Origin:

          Irish; Persian

        • Meaning:

          "ancient; king"

        • Description:

          A friendly Irish and Persian name chosen by Geena Davis for one of her twin boys, whose father is Iranian.
      • Kira

        • Origin:

          Russian feminine variation of Cyrus

        • Meaning:

          "throne"

        • Description:

          Though such cognates of Kira as Keira, Kyra, and Ciara are increasingly popular throughout Europe and in the U.S., this Cyrus relative has a different root. As with all the many variations of this appealing name, there is often confusion around spelling and pronunciation -- does the first syllable rhyme with ear or eye?
      • Knox

        • Origin:

          Scottish

        • Meaning:

          "round hill"

        • Description:

          Knox is an old Scottish surname that Brad Pitt (whose great-great-grandfather was named Hal Knox Hillhouse) and Angelina Jolie took out of the back cupboard, dusted off, and elevated to coolness--to the point where it entered the popular baby names list in 2009. Knox now ranks among the most influential celebrity baby names.
      • Kyla

        • Origin:

          Feminine variation of Kyle, Scottish

        • Meaning:

          "narrow spit of land"

        • Description:

          Kyle is stronger and sharper, though many parents will prefer the more distinctly feminine Kyla for their daughters. Kyla may owe much of its popularity to trendy cousin Kayla.