User-created list
Short & Sweet Names
Across 11 pages
of 11
Zsa
Hungarian, diminutive of Susan
Though she's left the large and small screens, Zsa Zsa (born Sári) Gabor is not forgotten, and this name will forever be associated with her.
Mei
Chinese; Hawaiian
"beautiful; plum"
Homophonous with Mae and May, the beautiful (literally) Mei is poised to climb the charts. The hero of the 2022 Disney/Pixar film Turning Red is a Chinese-Canadian teen named Meilin "Mei" Lee, which…
Rana
Arabic
"queenly"
A favorite in Near Eastern cultures, with a charming meaning.
Mio
Japanese
"beautiful, or, cherry"
Mio is a lovely Japanese name for girls that has migrated beyond its native country. One Berry reports several young girls named Mio in Australia, and the name has potential in the rest of the…
Floi
Icelandic word that means "bay." Not a sanctioned Icelandic name.
Rani
Hindi, Hebrew
"queen; she is singing"
Rani, alternatively spelled Ranee, is the female equivalent of Raja in Hindi. In many Indo-Aryan languages it can mean "queen" or "lady". The Hebrew version is used for both genders in modern Israel.…
Uma
Sanskrit, Hebrew
"light, peace, nation"
Uma is a sweet, strong name for a Hindu goddess... and a Hollywood one. But as popular as Uma Thurman is, other parents have not yet picked up on her name, making it a rarity. Uma is one of the more…
Devi
Sanskrit
"divine"
This Hindu goddess name has a powerful heritage plus lively sound with a devilish edge. If you're enchanted by goddess names but want to set your little girl apart from all the Lunas and Athenas in…
Jena
Diminutive of Jennifer, variation of Gina, English, Arabic, "white wave; paradise"
"white wave; paradise"
Jena is a succinct name with a number of different roots, making it a versatile choice. On one hand, it might be used as a diminutive for the 70s favorite Jennifer, a name of Cornish origin that was…
Asha
Sanskrit; Swahili
"hope; life"
Asha is an Indian name that comes from the Sanskrit word for hope or desire, but it is also a Swahili name derived from Aisha, meaning life. Since the ascendance of Ashley through the 1980s and 90s,…
Eir
Norse
"peacefulness, mercy"
So airy, it's almost not there.
Inga
Norse
"guarded by Ing"
Ing was a powerful Norse god whose name inspired several modern variations -- though Inga has become a caricatured Scandinavian choice.
Eyre
Literary name and Old Norse
"gravel bank river"
This lovely name is best-known as the surname of eponymous Bronte heroine, Jane Eyre, and would make an appealing and distinctive middle name for the child of fans of that book. While the surname…
Siri
Norse, diminutive of Sigrid
"fair victory"
Siri is a charming and lively Scandinavian name that is no longer on the table given the ubiquity of Apple's digital Siri. Too bad, because Siri -- along with variations Syrie and Cyrie -- is unique,…
Vali
Norse mythology name
Although a bold male figure in Scandinavian legend, this is more appropriate for a girl.
Sina
Samoan, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
"gray or white haired; god is gracious; new victory"
Short, sweet, and perhaps misleadingly simple, Sina is in fact a multicultural choice with a wide range of origins. In Samoan mythology, Sina is used for a number of figures, and notably appears in…
Sile
Sile, pronounced 'SHEE-la,' is a traditional Irish feminine name derived from the Gaelic name Síle, which is the Irish form of Cecilia or Sheila. The name ultimately comes from Latin 'Caecilia,'…
Min
Chinese
"quick"
Puts the -min in diminutive.
Bao
Chinese
"treasure, jewel"
Name introduced here via Chinese cinema, has middle-place potential.
Zhen
Chinese
"a treasure"
A striking choice, but might possibly be taken for Jen.