Macho

Imre

Hungarian, from German

"strength"

Commonly heard in its native country, and might get a boost here too, now that Alanis Morrissette has used it for her son Ever's middle name.

Inigo

Basque, medieval Spanish variation of Ignatius

"fiery"

Inigo, almost unknown in the U.S., is an intriguing choice, with its strong beat, creative and evocative sound, and associations with the great early British architect and stage designer Inigo Jones.…

Italo

Italian

"from Italy"

You can't get more Italian than this name of the daddy of legendary twins Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome. A noted bearer is acclaimed Italian journalist and novel and short story writer Italo…

Lasse

Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, and Finnish form of Laurence, Latin

"from Laurentum; bay laurel"

Well used throughout The Netherlands, Germany, Norway, and Denmark, Lasse is a variation of Laurence, typically used as a nickname for the related Lars. While English speakers may be tempted to say…

Machi

Hebrew

"decrease"

Not ready to go all the way to Malachi? Then take this Biblical shortcut name, with the second syllable rhyming with eye.

Manoel

Manoel is a masculine name of Portuguese origin, representing a traditional variant of Manuel. Derived from the Hebrew name Emmanuel, meaning 'God is with us,' Manoel carries deep religious…

Mathis

French and German form of Matthias or Matthew

"gift of God"

Very popular in France and Belgium, this name -- pronounced mat-tees, like the surname of the painter Matisse -- might make an appealing new way to say Matthew here.

Mircea

Romanian

"peace"

This widely-used Romanian choice was the name of a medieval ruler who brought stability to the region of Wallachia.

Mousa

Mousa is an Arabic masculine name that serves as a variant of Moses (Musa in Arabic). The name carries deep historical and religious significance, as Moses is an important prophet in Islam,…

Nacio

Spanish diminutive of Ignacio

Nacio is attractive and energetic -- one of the most appealing Spanish nickname names. Songwriter Nacio (born Ignacio) Herb Brown wrote many American standards, including Singin' in the Rain.

Niclas

Swedish, Danish, Welsh, from Greek Nicholas

Oded

Hebrew

"to restore; encouragement"

A male Hebrew name with two upbeat meanings — "to encourage or lift up" or "to restore".

Oriol

Catalan

"golden"

Intriguing name that's a Top 100 choice in Spain and virtually unknown outside that country. But has definitely possibilities for the adventurous baby namer.

Piero

Italian, variation of Peter

"rock"

Piero is elegant, melodic, appealing. Just picture the muted frescoes of Renaissance artist Piero della Francesca.

Reo

Variation of Rio or Rhoeo, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese

"river; flow, stream; graceful + cherry blossom"

Short, snappy, and stylish, Reo may be viewed in a number of ways:. It could be an alternative spelling of Spanish Rio or the Greek Rhoeo, both associated with rivers and flowing water.…

Richie

Short form of Richard, English, German

"dominant ruler"

Richie was once a popular enough nickname for Richard that it made the Top 1000 all by itself, blending in with Ronnie, Reggie, Robbie, and Randy. In the US, it last appeared in the charts back in…