Agata is an Agatha form widely used throughout Europe.  And the hard t may be more appealing to your ear than the th sound.

Agata

Akira is a popular Japanese name for both sexes that's migrated to the West because of its appearance in manga and video games.  Akiro is a related name popular for boys.

Akira

Amal is an attractive name with a wonderful meaning that has long been used in many Middle Eastern countries, especially Lebanon (and migrant communities). It is of course getting a lot more coverage now since the fame of international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who's singlehandedly made this one of the best-known <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/485/arabic-names-for-girls">Arabic names for girls</a>.

Amal

Strong, attractive, and stylish, Amara is a true multicultural choice enjoying some popularity in both the US and the UK. In the US Top 1000 since the turn of this century, Amara has been holding steady in the rankings between overly popular and obscure.
 
Amara is the Italian word for bitter, from the same root as Mary and Miriam. It has separate roots in West Africa as a name that means "grace" in the Igbo language. These two meanings are the best-known, but Amara is also a Sanskrit name meaning "immortal", an Arabic word meaning "tribe" and a Mongolian name meaning "peaceful".

Amara

Andoni is the Basque version of Anthony, no longer a common choice in Spain.

Andoni

Angelov

Anouk, made famous by French actress Anouk Aimée, is a singular name with a lovely sound and a Bohemian feel. Anouk Aimée was born as Francoise, but adopted the first name of the character she played in her debut film.
 Anouk, which is quite popular in The Netherlands, was the name of the young daughter in the French film Chocolat. (some other interesting character names in that movie are Vianne, Roux and Dedou.) The Belgian supermodel spells her name Anouck Lepére.
 Anouk is one of the most appealing of the An-starting names.

Anouk

There's something particularly attractive about names with an interior "j" and Arjan is a prime example. The Punjabi version is pronounced with a conventional j as in jar; the Dutch Arjan, which is a variation of Adrien, pronounces the 'j' like a 'y', while the Albanian pronunciation has three syllables and is a variant of Arian. A multicultural choice, Arjan is in the Top 1000 in England and Wales.

Arjan

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, all baby names Ash-related have been used in the U.S. for both girls and boys, from Ashlyn to Ashby, Ashton to Asher. Despite its separate roots, Asha is part of this group.
 
Asha is finding new life through its Game of Thrones connections. Disney has announced an upcoming film titled Wish, which will feature a heroine named Asha who may likely be the next Disney Princess.
 
Read more about Asha and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Asha

Similar to the Turkish name Bilge (Bil-jeh), which has the same meaning.

Belig

Bodhi is a Sanskrit name translated as "enlightenment" or "awakening" which relates to a Buddhist concept, wherein Bodhi is synonymous with the state of nirvana, being freed from hate, greed and ego. The Bodhi tree is a large fig tree under which the founder of Buddhism received enlightenment. Spelling variations include Bodie and Bode.
 
Bodhi has recently been appearing as a baby name in the American celebrisphere, first heard via Bodhi Elfman, husband of Jenna. Since then it has been used by four celebrity couples as the first name for their sons, and celebrity chef Tom Colicchio as the middle name for his boy, Luka. Carly Simon and James Taylor have a grandson named Bodhi. And who remembers that it was the name of the Patrick Swayze character in the 1991 film "Point Break"?
 
As opposed to some other religious and <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/254/spiritual-baby-names">spiritual names</a>, Bodhi has an upbeat, friendly feel, similar to that of Brody and Cody.
 
A Top 300 name in the US, it ranks in the Top 100 in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Bodhi

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 famous by Irish-born Dracula creator Bram (nee Abraham) Stoker. Bram is currently Number 16 in the Netherlands; Bram Howard was a character on The West Wing.
 Another route to Bram is Bramwell, as in early actor Bramwell Fletcher, who &mdash; speaking of horror movies &mdash; was noted for his mad scenes in the 1932 film The Mummy.

Bram

Dhani is a haunting <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/540/hindi-names-for-boys">Hindi name for boys</a> that's a million miles away from the similar-sounding Danny or Donny. One notable namesake is musician Dhani Harrison, look-alike son of Beatle George. He is named after the sixth and seventh notes of the Indian music scale, 'dha' and 'ni'. 'Dhani' is also a raga in north Indian classical music. Another noted bearer is longtime NFL linebacker Dhani Jones.

Dhani

Edvin

A rare name even among Basque speakers (fewer than 20 women in Spain are called Elixane), this beautiful name has drawn some attention via Elixane Lechemia, the French pro-tennis player. With its trendy "El" beginning, its connections to the perennial Elizabeth, and wonderfully soft "Sha" sound, Elixane is a name that could have potential in English-speaking countries once the X=sh pronunciation issue was overcome.

Elixane

With the new trend of boys' names rising on the heels of their popular sisters, the unusual-yet-familiar-feeling Emilian might become better known thanks to its relationship to Emily and Emilia/Amelia.  Rather than being two branches of the same tree, Emilian and Emily are actually one tree while Emmett and Emma hang on a whole separate tree.  But all have a lot of modern appeal, and Emilian may be a more attractive and intriguing male form than Emil.  There was a St. Emilian.

Emilian

This Turkish name meaning "friend" should be very useable outside Turkey, given that it is pronounced just as it is spelled. Famous men named Emre include Emre Can, a chess grandmaster, and Emre Sahin, the director.

Emre

Esmeralda came into use as an applied use of the Spanish word for emerald, esmeralda. In the 1831 Victor Hugo novel Notre-Dame de Paris, also known as The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, the heroine was born Agnes, but called La Esmeralda in reference to the jewel she wears around her neck. The name Esmeralda got increased visibility via the Disney version of the story.
 
This Portuguese and Spanish version of the jewel-like Emerald has long been popular with Hispanic parents. Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling named their first daughter Esmeralda, inspired by the Victor Hugo novel. Read more about Esmeralda and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Esmeralda

The Turkish girls' name Evrim is virtually unknown in the English-speaking world, but can translate easily....and be shortened to the familiar Evie (with a short initial e as in eh-vee) if you want or need.

Evrim

Farah is a soft and lovely Arabic name, best known here in this original spelling via the last Empress of Iran, Farah Palavi. It's currently a Top 250 name in both France and the Netherlands, which both have a large Arabic-speaking population, and appears in at least two video games.
 
The variant spelling Farrah had a brief moment of popularity when Farrah Fawcett burst onto the scene in Charlie's Angels in 1976: her name shot up to Number 177 the following year, and after many years off the charts, it's back at Number 780 thanks to a Teen Mom named Farrah. Farrah Fawcett claimed that her mother made up the name because she thought it went well with their surname.

Farah

Farouk

Captivating and gorgeous, powerful but with gentle sounds, Fatima is a popular name of Arabic origin. In the Quran, she is one of the Prophet Muhammad's daughters, and the wife of Ali, the forth ruler of the Muslim world. Fatima is regarded as the ideal example of a Muslim women, which makes it a favorite among Muslim parents. 

Fatima is an alternative translation of the Arabic Fatimah, and the Urdu and Bosnian form of the name too. Used throughout the Muslim world, in various iterations, the name translates to "one who abstains". 

Popular globally, from The Netherlands, to Bosnia, to Azerbaijan, Fatima was also one of the new entries into the UK Top 100 in 2022. In the US, Fatima ranks in the Top 400, and with its international usage, it feels very versatile, familiar but still compelling. 
 
Fatima is also a popular name in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries and communities, as it is associated with the town of Fátima in Portugal, the site of a famous apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1917. Known as the Miracle of the Sun, a crowd of up to 40,000 people are said to have witnessed the sun spinning and zigzagging in the sky.
 
This has led to the name gaining popularity particularly among Catholics, and Fatima has ranked in the Top 100 in Mexico and Spain.
 

Notable namesakes include: Fatima Muhammad Al, a founder of one the world's oldest universities; Fatima Surayya Bajia, a Pakistani writer; Fatima Whitbread, a British javelin thrower; Fatima Jibrell, a Somali-American environmental activist; Fatima Bio, the First Lady of Sierra Leone; Fatima Sana Shaikh, an Indian actress, and Fatima Ibrahim, a climate activist - just to name a few.
 
There are plenty of variations of the name too, including Albanian Fatime, Turkish Fadime, Spanish Fátima, and Fatou, Fatimata and Fatimatou, used in Western African countries.

Fatima

Florin is one of the legion of names derived from the root word for flower, most of them like Flora and Florence used for girls. But the boys' form Florin is among the popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/498/french-names-for-boys">French names for boys</a>, along with sister name Fleur for girls. There was a ninth century Swiss St. Florin. The related Florian was the name of a second century Roman saint.

 The florin was an old coin which now survives in videogames.

Florin

This Dutch favorite was the name of five Counts of Holland and many notable Renaissance artists, including still life painter Floris van Dijck. It is a variation of Florence, which was historically a unisex name.
 
If you think Floris sounds, well, floral, you’d be right. But who says boys can’t have botanical names, too?

Floris

Freyda

The long history and solid usage of Henry has infiltrated other cultures, where a number of variations experience the same degree of popularity. In the US, Henrik first entered the Top 1000 in 2014. In Norway, Henrik is a mega popular choice.
 Henrik Ibsen was a Norwegian playwright, perhaps best known for his 1879 play A Doll's House.

Henrik

Simple African name all-but-unknown in the U.S. and Europe, which is exactly why it might make a perfect choice.  Similarity to such popular names as Ava and Eva (and the Irish Aoife) makes it more familiar, but potentially more confusing.

Another strong Arabic name, related to Iman. Imani one is popular throughout the Muslim world but especially East Africa. It was chosen for her daughter by actress Jasmine Guy. 

Imani

A striking and feminine possibility associated with a modern hero — longtime Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi. 

Indira

Jovan, the name of the supreme Roman deity, seems more extraterrestrial now -- and it's also firmly attached to a perfume label.  Some parents may see it as a variation of Giovanni, the Italian for John.  It is in fact the Slavic variation of John and may be an original way to honor an ancestral John.

Jovan

Jozefa

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 the English June.

Juni

Kali is a number of different things: a playful, contemporary twist on the name Callie; the Hindu goddess of destruction; an alternative spelling for Kaylee; a short form of the Arablic Kalila, the Greek Kalista, or the African American Kaliyah; a masculine name in India; and a trendy form of Kali(fornia). 
 
It is also in the US Top 1000 and while it has seen a slight decline in recent years, it is still given to nearly 1100 babies every year. Ranking behind Callie but ahead of Kallie and Cali, it's short, punchy spelling might appeal to lovers of Nova, Maya, Zuri, and Heidi.

Kali

Kalindi is a lovely, rhythmic name refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India. 

Kalindi

Katerina and its near-identical twin Katarina have a pleasingly lilting European sound, though for some Americans they may be uncomfortably close to Katrina, which will be linked for a long time to the hurricane that devastated New Orleans.

Katerina

German, Slavic and Scandinavian form of Clara, which is a Top 100 girl name in multiple European countries, including Austria, Croatia, Iceland and Poland.

Klara

The whimsical quality of the work of Swiss artist Paul Klee is somehow reflected in his name, although many would mispronounce it to rhyme with key. Say it like clay.

Klee

Soft, gentle, and non-Germanic, but the final s almost makes it sound plural. 

Klemens

Often heard in India, this is the name of the Hindu goddess of abundance, beauty, and prosperity, the embodiment of grace and charm --lucky omens indeed. The goddess Lakshmi is worshiped daily in Hindu homes, and has festivals held in her honor.
 Lakshmi Singh is an NPR newscaster. Surnamed Padma Lakshmi is a Top Chef host.

Lakshmi

Lolita without the naughty implications. 

Lalita

Levon, an unusual alternative to Levi. has two musical associations: it's the title of an Elton John song, inspired by late, great drummer for The Band, Levon Helm--whose birth name was Mark.  Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke chose Levon for their son.

Levon

Linnea is an attractive <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/173/scandinavian-names">Scandinavian name</a> that derives from the renowned 18th century Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, who developed the Linnean system of classifying plants and animals.
 Linnea is megapopular in Sweden and Norway, ranking in the Top 8--it was the Number 1 name in Norway in a recent year, and actually appeared in the U.S. Top 1000 in 1903, reaching as high as 744 in 1945.
 There is a charming children's book called Linnea in Monet's Garden in which the protagonist visits the Giverny gardens that inspired the great Impressionist painter.
 All in all, Linnea is a lovely, lilting name that could make an interesting namesake for an Aunt Lynn or Linda.

Linnea

The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world.

That's an astonishing success story for a name that was virtually unknown a generation ago. Only 13 baby boys were named Luca in the US in 1980, and by 1990 it was still only 32. But by the turn of the century, Luca took off and has now surpassed his more familiar brother Luke in the US.

Boy names ending in vowel sounds may have felt too feminine to early generations who lived by more conventional gender rules. And that old school he-man America also may have rejected names like Luca for being too "foreign". But in this era of Noah and Mateo, Elijah and Ezra, Luca has finally found widespread acceptance.
Along with its popularity in the US, Luca ranks highly in a range of countries that speak English, Spanish, French, and German, among others. While Luca is technically related to Luke and Lucas and so takes their ancient Roman habitational meaning, you might also see it as a relative of Lucius or Lucian, meaning light.
 Colin Firth and his Italian wife chose Luca for one of their sons, as did Hilary Duff, Vincent d'Onofrio, Rebecca Minkoff, and Jacinda Barrett and Gabriel Macht.

Luca

Highly popular in Germany, Norway, Lithuania, and Austria, Lukas is a spelling variation of the also extremely popular Lucas. The "K" spelling gives it extra kick and a more international, globe-trotter feel.
 
Derived from the Greek name "Loukas", meaning "from Lucanus", Lukas is associated with the Biblical Luke, a doctor and author in the New Testament. Possibly helped along by the 1977 release of Star Wars, Lukas now feels like a solid, safe option for boys.
 
Actor Lukas Haas helped popularize this spelling, while other notable namesakes include actor Lukas Gage, footballer Lukas Podolski, and choreographer Lukas Mcfarlane. 
Used occasionally in the US before the 90s, Lukas moved up the charts during the 2010s and is now given to around 1500 boys each year. While this means it is significantly less popular than Lucas, in terms of <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/2023-playground-analysis">playground analysis</a>, it becomes the 6th most popular name across the US. Taking into account all the babies called Luka and Luca too, and Lukas and co. feel more popular than Oliver. 
 
Such popularity shouldn't put you off if you love the name - it's a tried-and-tested, safe but substantial option after all - however, if you did want something that stands out in the US at least, Magnus, Erik, Aksel, or Henrik might appeal.

Lukas

Lumi may be a rare <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' name</a> in the USA and England, but it comes in the Top 50 in Finland, where it means snow. Given the popularity of Winter, Holly, Ivy and many other wintery-christmassy names, we think that short and spunky Lumi definitely has potential for greater usage outside its home country as one of the more unusual <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/412/christmas-baby-names">names for Christmas babies</a>.

Lumi

Madelief is an <a href="https://nameberry.com/lists/category/unusual-names">uncommon name</a> but not unheard of in the Netherlands, where 123 girls were called Madelief in one recent year. With its soft sounds and similarities to all those "Madeleine" type names as well as names ending in "eef/eev" sounds (Aoife, Eve, Genevieve), Madelief has potential in English-speaking countries to be a fresh and pleasant change from Daisy, Margaret and Madeleine.

Madelief

As a highly popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ name</a> in all Spanish-speaking countries, this saintly Latin variation of Mary retains a timeless beauty. Through the centuries, Maria remains one of the most widely-used <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/m">girl names starting with M</a>.
 This widespread name understandably has produced notable namesakes in almost every field – opera's Maria Callas (born Sophia Cecelia), tennis's Sharapova, education's Montessori, ad infinitum. And she's been celebrated in song as well, from Ave Maria to the eponymous song in West Side Story to "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" in The Sound of Music. 
While the usual English pronunciation these days is the same as it is in non-English-speaking countries – mah-REE-ah – the British used to pronounce it mah-RYE-ah, like Mariah Carey.

 Maria ultimately dervies from the Hebrew name Maryam/Mariam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Maria

Popular among parents with Arab roots. Also found as Maryam.

 Mary was ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Mariam. The original meaning of Mariam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Mariam

In Japan, color names symbolize human qualities (in this case, fame); name of gifted violist Midori, but also a Japanese melon liqueur. 

Midori

The French version of this name, Natalie, is most popular in the U.S., but all variations are appealing and this one is a fresh twist.  Pronunciation is like Natalia.

Natalija

Naveed

One of the more unusual <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/325/mythological-baby-names-for-girls">mythology names for girls</a>, Neith is the name of the Egyptian goddess of home and femininity.

Neith

Russian forms, like Russian supermodels, are hot these days. This is a strong, worldly way to make Nicholas new; it was chosen for his son by Barry Bonds, Jr.

Nikolai also comes with several attractive nickname options, including approachable Nik, spunky Niko, or even hip Kai. A traditional nickname for Nikolai in Russia is Kolya. 

Nikolai

Niloufar is a gorgeous Persian name used in Iran, Turkey (as Nilüfer), and Azerbaijan. It has many alternate spellings including Nilofar, which is used by Urdu speakers.

Niloufar

An interesting name associated with the elegant American-born Queen Noor of Jordan. Noor is very popular among modern Muslim parents around the world and is beginning to cross over, perhaps because of its simplicity and its resemblance to the stylish Western Nora. It appeared in the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2015.

Noor

Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the nickname Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use for their daughter North.
 
As a Japanese name, it means "ceremonial rites", "doctrine", or "seaweed". depending on which kanji elements are used. As a name of Arabic origin, it could be a variation or nickname of Nor, Noor, or Nuri, meaning "light". As an English name, it likely emerged as a nickname, from Eleanor, Honora, or similar. 
 
Nori entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, following the trend of "traveling lite" names, or simple, 2-syllable names ending in i such as Zuri, Ezri, and Leni that are quickly gaining popularity.

Nori

A name rich in Hindu tradition as the alternate name for the Goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of beauty and charm; currently borne, appropriately, by model-actress-writer Padma Lakshmi. 

Padma

Funny how one letter can turn a name from ordinary to special.  Parisa is so much more distinctive than either Marisa or Paris.

Parisa

This Hindu goddess name is very popular in India. The goddess of love, fertility and devotion, representing female force, Parvati is the wife of Shiva and the mother of Ganesh. There is a Harry Potter character named Parvati Patil, a twin sister of Padma..

Parvati

A title of the Hindu sun god, made cross-culturally famous by sitar player Ravi Shankar. 

Ravi

The Dutch are fond of short nickname names, and this one is tied to influential and provocative architect Koolhaas, born Remment. Could also be short for Remington or Remy.

A very popular unisex name in Japan, Ren is a concise and versatile choice that could work across multiple languages. A rising star in England and Wales where it ranks in the Top 1000, it is also on the rise in the US where it was give to nearly 90 girls and 200 boys in a recent year.
 
From its Japanese roots, the meaning of Ren varies depending on which kanji element is used, but possibilities include "lotus", "move forward", and "water lily". 
 Beyond its Japanese origins, it may be seen as a diminutive of any of the Renatus family, including French René or Spanish Renato, all of which mean "reborn". Alternatively, it might be used as a short form of Lawrence, Lorenzo, or Laurent, giving it the meaning "from Laurentum or bay laurel"
 
 The word name Wren, the Game of Thrones character Renly Baratheon, and the Star Wars character, Kylo Ren may be other sources for the name. 
 
Notable pop cultural associations include the cartoon series, Ren and Stimpy and the hero of both the original and updated versions of Footloose.

Rio is a reductive ranchero place-name with an attractive Tex-Mex lilt. No Doubt's Tom Dumont has a son named Rio Atticus. 
 Also a South American place name, and associated with the Rio Grande, it's been used as a swaggering cowboy name in films spanning from a William S. Hart character in 1915 to Marlon Brando's in One-Eyed Jacks. Adding to its international credibility, Rio is also a Japanese name meaning "place of the cherry blossoms".
 Rio is gender neutral, given to about 500 baby boys versus 100 baby girls. It's noted as a girl's name in the catchy Duran Duran song.

Despite their similarities, Romi and Romy are not related etymologically. Romy is a diminutive of Rosemary, while Romi is an independent Hebrew name. It is a popular baby girl name in Israel.

Romi

Lovely Japanese name that would certainly be appreciated in Europe and the U.S. It was rarely used in Japan until the 1990s, and draws its current popularity from the fact that it is deeply connected to Japanese traditional culture without sounding frumpy and old-fashioned.

Sakura

Mexican-born actress Salma Hayek lends a large dollop of glamour to this name that would otherwise resemble the middle-aged Selma.

Salma

Samir has a pleasing sound and lovely meaning. One of those distinctive names that can also fit right in—and you could always call him Sam.

Samir

Shiny cousin of Samara with an intriguing meaning. Increasingly associated with the charming Samira Wiley, a perennial scene-stealer on "Orange is the New Black" and "The Handmaid's Tale."

Samira

Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin is a master namer, and this unusual choice from India is beginning to be heard in nurseries as well as on television. Sansa was perhaps slower to catch on than other names such as Arya and Khaleesi as Sansa Stark was in the first seasons of the show a weak and compromised character. 

But she's developed a good measure of backbone and integrity, which makes her lovely name a more attractive possibility. In 2023, 20 baby girls in the US were named Sansa, the same number as received the name in 2015.

Sansa

Sari is a cute spin on Sarah, though some may hear it as "sorry," and it is also an item of clothing worn in India. These days many people will also confuse Sari with Suri, the lovely and unsual name of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' much-publicized young daughter.

Sari

This name, more recognized as a short form of Sebastian, is perfectly usable a cool full name, and, in fact, ranks on the UK popularity list. Seb is getting lot of attention as the nickname name of the Ryan Gosling character in the hit film La La Land.

The name of Armenia's largest lake is popular for boys in France -- Sevan is in the boys' Top 500 -- but can also be used for girls.

Sevan

This Hindi word which is used in prayer is one of the prime <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/411/baby-names-that-mean-peace">names that mean peace</a>, always a nice message to impart to a child. Nick Nolte used it for his daughter.

Shanti

Shivani

Sohvi is the Finnish translation of Sophia, although Sofia ranks as the most popular variation in Finland.

Sohvi

Early European import, well known in the 1940s via Norwegian skating movie star Sonja Henie, that has sailed back across the Atlantic, despite the rising popularity of other Russian names. 

Sonia

This gentle Scandinavian name, soft and sensitive, is being discovered in a major way by parents in the US. It's most closely identified with the nineteenth century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, but there have been modern fictional Sorens as well, in The Matrix Reloaded and the book series Guardians of Ga'Hoole, Charlie and Lola, and Underworld.

 In Scandinavia this name would be spelled as Sören or Søren, leading to it being pronounced "Sur-en". But with a plain old English "O", "Sorr-en" would actually be the correct (and more English-speaker friendly) pronunciation.

Soren

Teodora is an extremely attractive and international choice, with several equally attractive, user-friendly nicknames. Appealing short forms might include Tea, Dora, or Dory for English speakers, however, classic diminutives include the Spanish, Italian, Serbian and Portuguese Dora, the Bulgarian Todorka, and the Swedish Thea.

Teodora

How do you spell Teresa? Teresa, the simpler phonetic form of this name, was the most popular variation for its early life, when it was used exclusively in Spain and Portugal. Other spellings of Teresa include Theresa, the usual English form, and the French Therese.
 
Teresa and all its variations are far off their mid-20th-century peak now, though the name has many worthy namesakes including Saint Teresa and Mother Teresa. Short forms Tess and Tessa are now more fashionable.

Teresa

This short form of Antonio has long been used as an independent name, and would make a strong international choice. 

Tonio

Tulsi is more than a simple nature name: The holy basil plant is sacred in the Hindu religion, used to honor the god Vishnu and representative of his consort, the goddess Tulsi. The Tulsi plant is often planted in Hindu houses and is used for medicinal as well as ritualistic purposes.

Tulsi Gabbard is a surfing Hindu combat veteran congresswoman from Hawaii.

Tulsi

Valentim

Vanina is a name that is, at first glance, miles apart from its origin. But once you say it aloud and look for it, you can see the direct line from Evangelina to Vanina. Vanina could also be a good alternative for people who like the sound of Vanille or Vanilla, but can't bring themselves to use a flavor as a name.

Vanina

Vincien

Vladimir is a cultured and deep-rooted Slavic name associated in this country with cultural figures including piano virtuoso Vladimir Horowitz and the author of Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov.

 The name Vladimir is rich in history, notably borne by Vladimir the Great, the 10th-11th century ruler of Kievan Rus' who brought Christianity to his nation and is now venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Among the name's other famous – or infamous – bearers are several Russian political figures past and present, including Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin and current Russian president Putin. 

 Volodymyr is the Ukrainian form of the name, recently made internationally famous by Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the Russian invasion of his country. Other variations of this name in other European countries include Valdemar and Waldemar. All derive from Slavic roots vladěti, meaning "to rule," plus meru "great" or miru, "peace" or "world." Common Slavic diminutive forms include Volodya, Vova, Vladan and Vlatko.

 Long a common name throughout the Slavic world, Vladimir is featured in novels by Turgenev and Pushkin. Vladimir also has vampirish connections: Dracula is based on Vlad III, three-time ruler of Wallachia in the 15th century, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler. A more modern literary character is Vladimir, one of the two main figures in Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot.

Vladimir

Xochitl is a Nahuatl or Aztec floral name used in southern Mexico and pronounced SO-chee-tl or SHO-chee-tl, although sometimes the "tl" at the end is not pronounced. Internet entrepreneur Xochi Birch is probably the best-known bearer in the US – except for the Xochitl brand tortilla chips. Definitely among the most intriguing international flower names and a beautiful choice for those looking to honor Nahuatl heritage.

Xochitl

An attractive, widely appealing, multicultural option, Yuna has its roots in Japanese, Breton, Korean, Chinese. KPOP singer Yuna may be attracting some attention to her name, as might influencer Yunabugs who shares her life with her eight dachshunds on Instagram. Also used in the game franchise Final Fantasy, it is a popular choice in France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. 
 
From its Japanese origins, it may mean "superiority" or "citrus fruit", while as a Breton name, it is a form of the Irish Una. In Korean, its meaning varies depending on which kanji combination you use, but some options are "willow", "to reach for abundance", and "happy". As a Chinese name, it is linked to the gemstone, jade, while as a Dutch name (and Nordic name more widely), it may be an alternative spelling of Juna or Junia. 
 
Given to nearly 200 girls in the US in a recent year, it is a familiar but not overly popular choice.

Yuna

Remember Zuzu, the adorable little girl you watch every Christmas in "It's a Wonderful Life"?  Here's a direct path to that nickname, a lot more zesty than the more familiar Susannah.

Zuzanna

meliseu3's list "pretty names from around the world" of 89 great name ideas: Agata - Zuzanna!