Relative Variations

While Arla has a literal meaning in Swedish, its roots as a name are probably more closely related to such names as Arlene or Orla. Arla is among the girls' Top 1000 names in the UK.

Quirky cool Arlo is now well and truly back. Last year it broke into the US Top 200 boy names and consistently ranks among the most popular boy names on Nameberry.

Upper-crusty nickname occasionally used in Britain, particularly in 1930s novels featuring significant garden party scenes, but eclipsed here by Carrie et al.

Elouisa is an elegant feminine name that represents an elaborate variant of Louisa or Eloise. Combining elements of both names, it has French and Germanic origins. The name derives from 'famous warrior' or 'renowned fighter,' from the Germanic elements 'fame' and 'battle.' Elouisa offers a more ornate alternative to its root names while maintaining their classic charm and sophisticated sound. Though relatively uncommon, Elouisa appeals to parents seeking a name with historical depth but distinctive character. The name carries a romantic, somewhat aristocratic quality reminiscent of 19th-century literature. With nickname possibilities including Ellie, Lou, or Lulu, Elouisa provides versatility while maintaining its refined full form. Its rarity ensures individuality while its roots provide historical grounding.

Mononymed English singer Elouise put this Eloise variant on the map; now Elouise is making it to the mainstream, having joined the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2023.

Grace, a simple and pure virtue name which originally referred to divine grace, is a fashionable classic. In the early 2000s, it seemed headed for the Top 10 but pulled back from the upward trajectory, which you may consider a very good thing.

A sweet name with many cross-cultural ties: it's an equivalent of Jane in languages including Czech, Slovak, Dutch, German, Slovene, Catalan, Estonian, and Latvian.

Johanna is the version of this name used in Holland, Germany, and Scandinavia. The extra h makes Johanna a slightly more dignified version of Joanna.

Seen in Nordic countries as a nickname for Karolina or Karl.

Kent is a no-nonsense, brief, brisk one-syllable name, almost as curt as Kurt.

A rare and delicate choice, Lelia is a modern variation of an ancient Roman family name. It came to Britain in the mid-nineteenth century, following the publication of George Sand's popular romantic novel titled Lelia in 1833.

Lou is usually a short form of Louise, Louisa, or Lucy in English-speaking countries, when Lou is used for girls at all. But in France and Germany, it's a fashionable choice all on its own, sure to gain even more widespread style credibility since Heidi Klum and Seal chose it for their daughter.

The quality of mercy makes this lovely Puritan virtue name a quiet favorite today. Although it was most popular in the late nineteenth century, Mercy is on its way to a comeback -- it rose 143 spots between 2012 and 2013, making it one of the year's fastest-rising names. Right now, it's still stylish and distinctive, a rare and wonderful combination.

The bright, playful Micah feels like the middle ground between the safe, solid qualities of Michael and the flair and energy of Luca. Both Biblical and stylish, Micah is proving popular among parents today.

While Micah is traditionally a boy name, it is now increasingly used for girls too, likely because it works as an alternative to Michaela, Maia, and McKenna. Still, Micaiah, the name from which Micah is derived, is a unisex name in the Bible, so it seems plausible that its contracted form might be used as such too.

Mila is a popular name that took a 125 year nap, ranking in the Top 1000 in 1881 and then not ranking again until 2006, after actress Mila Kunis appeared on That 70s Show.

Miles, which has a permanent veneer of cool thanks to jazz great Miles Davis, is a confident and polished boys' name that's an American classic. Always ranking in the US Top 1000, it's been drifting up the charts for the past half century and now ranks at its highest point ever, in the Top 50.

An appellation for the Virgin Mary, "Queen of the apostles." After three years off the US popularity charts, Reina rejoined the list in 2014, though it lags behind alternate spellings Raina, Rayna, and Reyna. It is also used in Yiddish and in Japanese.

This variation is actually more popular in the United States than the original Spanish Reina.