Traveling Lite Baby Names
- Mei
Origin:
Chinese, HawaiianMeaning:
"beautiful, plum"Description:
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 may boost the name ever further.
- Artem
Origin:
Ukrainian variation of ArtemisDescription:
Ukrainian Artem (ar-TEM) and Russian Artyom/Artiom (which can also be transcribed as Artem, though still pronounced ar-TYOM in Russian) are ultimately derived from the name of the Greek goddess Artemis: goddess of the moon and hunting. The meaning of her name is unknown, though it may be related to the Greek for "safe" or for "butcher".
- Jenny
Origin:
Diminutive of Janet, Jane, Jean, and JenniferDescription:
At the height of the Jennifer craze, many parents were cutting straight to the nickname and putting Jenny on the birth certificate. But now that Jennifer is the mom rather than the daughter, Jenny, which has been somewhat replaced by Jenna, has faded as well.
- Vida
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"life"Description:
Like Vita and Viva, one of several similar life-affirming names, this one was chosen by Matthew McConaughey and his Portuguese-born wife Camila. Vida may also be a diminutive of Davida. Australian suffragette and human rights campainer Vida Goldstein is an notable bearer of this name.
- Andre
Origin:
French and Portuguese variation of AndrewMeaning:
"strong and manly"Description:
Andre is one international form that's been familiar in the English-speaking world for decades yet still has not been Anglicized.
- Maud
Origin:
English and French diminutive of Matilda, GermanMeaning:
"battle-mighty"Description:
Maud, lacy and mauve-tinted, was wildly popular a hundred years ago but has been rarely heard in the past fifty. Some stylish parents are starting to choose Maud again, especially as a middle. Maude is another spelling, associated with actress Maude Apatow.
- Tai
Origin:
ChineseMeaning:
"great extreme"Description:
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 Romanian means "yours." While it's only ever ranked in the U.S. Top 1000 as a girls' name, during the height of the popularity of Olympic skater Tai Babilonia, Tai makes a simple intriguing modern choice for either gender.
- Roma
Origin:
Italian place-nameDescription:
Never as popular as Florence; today's parents might prefer Venezia, Verona, or Romy. It is also a Hindu name meaning "one with shiny hair" and is another name for the goddess Lakshmi.
- Maura
Origin:
Anglicized variation of MaireDescription:
Somber, almost mournful name that still has a lovely sound.
- Pablo
Origin:
Spanish variation of PaulMeaning:
"small"Description:
Pablo, the commonly used Spanish version of Paul, has the added bonus of some fantastic artistic bearers: painter Picasso, cellist Casals, and poet Neruda. Pablo has been consistently in the US charts since records began, and has been within the Top 500 since the mid 60s. However, Pablo has never cracked the Top 200, making it familiar but not overused or tired.
- Raia
Origin:
Spelling variation of RayaDescription:
The popularity of Maya clarifies the pronunciation of Raya, which makes that the better spelling of this name.
- Noa
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"rest, repose"Description:
Okay, this is going to be confusing...
- Emile
- Jana
Origin:
International feminine variation of JanDescription:
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.
- Lilly
Origin:
English flower nameMeaning:
"lily"Description:
Lilly may contain one L too many for some people, though this secondary spelling of a name that's become wildly popular is still a popular choice. And the Lilly spelling does feel a bit less wispy, a bit more like a name as opposed to a mere flower, than the slender and delicate Lily. Lilly suggests the long-form Lillian, but it doesn't need to be an abbreviation for anything; Lilly can stand on its own.
- Anja
Origin:
Russian variation of AnnaMeaning:
"grace"Description:
Anja is one of the most internatioanl of several versions of Ann/Anna now being imported, also including Anya and Annika.
- Ina
Origin:
Latin, feminine suffixDescription:
This suffix is used as an independent name, but doesn't your little girl deserve more?
- Mika
Origin:
Finnish short form of MikaelMeaning:
"who is like God"Description:
This short form of Mikael, a variation of Michael, may originate in Finland but it's most popular in Germany and The Netherlands. Mika can make a cute and original way to honor a Michael in the family, but be prepared for a lot of people pronouncing it with a long i as in Mike.
- Olga
Origin:
Slavic variation of Helga, NorseMeaning:
"holy"Description:
This Slavic form of the Norse name Helga is a classic in many Slavic countries, including Russia and Poland, where it currently ranks within the Top 100 girl names. It has historically ranked among the most popular names in countries including Ukraine, Latvia, Spain, France, Serbia, Greece, the US, and many more. Olga is a common name even in Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden and Norway, despite Helga being a more traditional choice. Olha is the uniquely Ukrainian variation.
- Este
Origin:
Diminutive of Esther, PersianMeaning:
"star"Description:
Este -- think Esme with a t -- comes to us via one of the rocking sisters in the musical group Haim. For long best known as the Esther diminutive used by cosmetics queen Estee Lauder, Este is a slimmed-down version that feels chicer for our star-struck times. While mother name Esther has Persian origins and impressive Biblical roots, it's a name used in a wide range of cultures.