User-created list
By ruolan · Updated May 2023
Across 6 pages
of 6
Hawaiian, Greek, Basque
"dolphin; to flow; wave, sea foam"
A multicultural option that's equally intriguing but more unusual than Maia. Connected to water and the ocean, it is a Top 100 choice in Spain and Puerto Rico and has been rising up the charts in…
Basque
"handsome"
This is one Basque name that is very transferable to the American context — and it has a great meaning, too. The feminine version is Eider or Ederne.
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…
Welsh
"snow"
This Welsh nature name that can be pronounced exactly like the male Ira. Or, to avoid confusion, you could just name her Snow.
Latin, Hebrew
"bird; God is my father"
Avia is one of those multi-cultural, vowel-heavy girls' names so popular today, along with such choices as Ayla and Aya.
Spanish; Hindi
"the law; lion"
Leya is a simple, attractive multicultural choice, but with some teasing peril. The "Star Wars" princess spelled her name Leia.
European diminutive of Catherine, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Japanese
"pure; joy, singing; melted; white jasmine"
One of those short, punchy names with its roots in a variety of different cultures and languages, Rina is sister to names like Mina, Mira, Lina, and Nina. Retro in feel, but never overused in the US,…
Japanese place name or Celtic
"happy"
Soft, simple, and far more unusual than Tara or Farrah. As a Japanese place name, it's been used occasionally as a surname and is beginning to be used as a first. Nara is also the name of a Hindu…
Chinese
"great extreme"
Tai, which rhymes with Kai, is a unisex name with a range of international references. It means the equivalent of "too much" in Chinese but is also used as a Maori name meaning "the tide" and in…
Arabic
"master"
Malika is an attractive multi-cultural name--it is also a pet form of Amalia in Hungary. Malika Haqq is an actress who is one of Khloe Kardashian's BFFs on Keeping Up With the Kardashians .
Irish
"noble good"
Mona had more than a moment in the sun, peaking in 1950 at Number 230 but falling off the Top 1000 completely in the late 1980s. Its similarity to the word "moaner" undercuts the appeal of its…
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…
Norse, God of law and heroic victory
Tyr is a very early embodiment of a Norse god, typically thought to guide the law, justice, war and victory.
Latin, Irish, or Old Norse
"one; lamb; happy"
In an epic poem, the personification of truth, beauty, and unity; this ancient name is popular in several European countries but less common in the US. The Oona spelling is slightly more popular but…
Diminutive of Kenneth; Japanese
"born of fire or handsome; healthy and strong"
In many minds this one belongs to Barbie, but with such positive meanings and international connections, can Ken make the transition to usability again?
Sanskrit, Old English, "possessed of horses; ash friend"
"possessed of horses; ash friend"
A cultural crossover with multiple roots. Ashwin is an English surname from the Anglo-Saxon male name Æscwine, meaning "ash tree + friend". It's also a popular Hindi name: in Hindu mythology, the…
Arabic; Lithuaniian
"white antelope; to calm down, to quieten"
Nature girl played by Audrey Hepburn in "Green Mansions," it now has an old-style bohemian feel.
Finnish and Sami variation of Helga, diminutive of Aileen, Anglicization of Eilidh
"holy, blessed; bright and shining light"
An attractive Scandinavian take on Helga, or a potential Helen nickname.
Maori, Samoan
"deep ocean, sea"
This Maori name, often heard in New Zealand, is an attractive, evocative choice for lovers of the ocean made famous – perhaps too famous – by the Disney heroine. Moana was also an alternate name for…
Kazakh, Persian, and Hindi
"pomegranate flower"
Anara is a name that strikes a perfect balance between simple and unusual. It's easy to understand and pronounce for a Westerner, and yet it's highly distinctive, used for only 24 girls in the US in…
