The French spin on the name of the great Homeric hero with the vulnerable heel seems somewhat more portable into the modern world.

Achille

Alba is quietly making a behind-the-scenes comeback, perhaps thanks to actress turned baby-product mogul Jessica Alba. Last on the Top 1000 a century ago, the name was given to nearly 200 baby girls in the US last year. Alba might be tomorrow's successor to Ava and Ella. In Spain, Alba ranks among the Top 20 <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' names</a>. Alba is the name of a character in The Time Traveler's Wife.
 
Alba is a popular patriotic girl name in Scotland, as the Scottish Gaelic term for the country is Alba.

Alba

This name leapt into the female column via vixen Alexis Carrington on 'Dynasty" in the 1980s. It's more popular for girls, but it's still a widely used boys' names and is one of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">popular unisex names</a> in the US today.

Alexis is an ancient (male) saints' name as well as the name of a third century BC comic poet. In the Alexius version, it was the name of several Byzantine emperors.

Alexis

A chic and sassy French choice, popular in France but likely to be confused with the more prosaic Alex in English-speaking countries. Although sometimes used in the US as a variant spelling of Alex, the French name Alix actually derives from a medieval French form of the name Alice or Adelaide. 

 Several members of European royal family have borne this name, including Alix of France; Alix, Duchess of Brittany; and Alix of Hesse, Empress consort of Russia. More recent are Alix d'Unienville, WWII spy; Alix Kilroy, one of the first British women to become a public servant; and engineer Alix Pryde.

Alix

Alma is a somewhat solemn, soulful name that had a burst of popularity a century ago, then faded into the flowered wallpaper, and is now finding its footing once more. 
 In addition to being familiar via the term alma mater, Alma has many cultural ties, such as Alma Mahler, a 19th Century composer and musician and the character Alma Del Mar played by Michelle Williams in the 2005 film Brokeback Mountain. Other characters named Alma have appeared in Deadwood, The Hunger Games, American Horror Story, and The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. In the Tennessee Williams play Summer and Smoke, a character named Alma explains that her name is "Spanish for soul."
 The name became fashionable in England following the Battle of Alma--named for the Russian river—during the Crimean War.
 Alma is one of those surprising names that's always been on the Top 1000, but after sinking to its lowest point ever in 2011, Alma is making a comeback. Like Ella and Ada, Alma is a name appreciated for its simplicity, integrity, and—yes—soul.

Alma

Amalia is a widely cross-cultural name, heard from Italy to Romania, Germany to Scandinavia. The current heir to the Dutch throne is Princess Catharina-Amalia of Orange. It can be pronounced ah-MAH-lee-a or ah-mah-LEE-a. 
</br.
Like Amelia and Emilia, this name is likely to continue to climb. Frequently in the US Top 1000 in the early twentieth century, it spent nearly eighty years off the list until rejoining in 2011.
 Amalia's popularity was spread in eighteenth century Europe due to the fame of Anna Amalia, a Duchess who was a great patron of the arts.
 Amalia would make a lovely and more distinctive alternative to Amelia. Another spelling variation is Amalya.

Amalia

In the US Amber is stuck in the '80s, while Ambre is a fresh choice in France.

Ambre

Anas is an Arabic name uncommon in the US -- it was given to 130 baby boys last year -- but popular in Spain, England and Wales, Italy, and especially France.

Anas

Andreas is a beautiful name, with the patina of an Old Master painting, one that could make a dashing namesake for an Uncle Andrew. 
 In Europe, Andreas is currently in the Top 20 in Norway and is also popular in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, and Austria.
Some other international variations of Andrew you might want to consider — Andre, Andrei, Andres, Andrea, and Anders.
 Notable namesakes include photographer Andreas Feininger. One not-so-pleasant association: the San Andreas fault line in California.

Andreas

The name of the Aster flower, named by the English, was derived from the Greek word for star. Like many floral names, Aster is much more popular among baby girls.

Aster

Aya, barely more than a breath, is an international favorite, with origins in several languages and cultures. Popular throughout Europe, It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2012.
 In the entertainment industry, Aya has two international bearers: Aya Korem, an Israeli singer-songwriter, and Aya Liu, a Taiwanese actress. And actress Hilary Swank named her twin daughter Aya (and her son Ohm).
 
Aya is also a Danish name (a creative spelling of Aja) and is a highly popular choice there.
 In Arabic, Aya meaning "sign, evidence" or "verse" and is a popular name in the Muslim community.

Ayaz

Ayoub

The name of a companion of the prophet Muhammad who became the first person to call Muslims to prayer. Bilal is well-used in the US.

Bilal

Capucine was a chic French actress half a century ago and has been one of the most fashionable girl names in France in recent decades, ranking in France's Top 100. Capucine is also popular in French-speaking Belgium.

To Americans and other English speakers, this name still feels fresh -- so fresh that last year, no baby girls were named Capucine in the US.

Capucine

This short-but-strong name is popular for boys in The Netherlands.  While Cass is usually a female name in the U.S., it feels just as right for boys.

Cataleya is the name of a genus of orchids that gained visibility as a baby name after it was used for the character played by Zoe Saldana in Colombiana. Part Caitlin, part Aaliyah, and part Leah, Cataleya is a trendy choice that just might transcend its momentary popularity. It is a spelling adaptation of Cattleya, named after the British horticulturalist William Cattley.

Cataleya

A popular name in Belgium, made famous by model Cilou Annys.

Cilou

This European version of Cyril (pronounced like French Cyrille) makes the Top 100 in Belgium.

Cyriel

The Dutch spelling of Emil, a European classic that awaits resurrection in the US. Emiel is a Top 100 name in Belgium.

Emiel

Emile

An operatic Italian option via South Pacific star Pinza, one of several Italian names currently hot in France. Ezio is the Italian form of the Greek name Aetius. 

 Zoe Saldana and Marco Perego Saldana gave the name as a middle to one of their twin sons, after his paternal grandfather.

Ezio

Flo is an antiquated nickname not often used these days, possibly because "Aunt Flo" is a euphemism for a period. 

Flor

Fons

Fans of the classic French film actor Jean Gabin might want to consider this one. Gabin is also a harmonica-playing character in the manga and anime series "Mirmo!"

Gabin

Jasper is an internationally-popular name that takes many forms, among them Casper, Gaspar, and the French version Gaspard. Virtually unknown in the US, Gaspard is one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names/france">Top 100 Boy Names in France</a>.

Gaspard

The Dutch answer to Gus. Pronounce it like the English word and you have a <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/643/names-that-mean-aire">name that means air</a>.

Gust

Hamza was the legendary uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, hero of The Hamzanama, the Story of Hamza. 

Hamza

This common Arabic name is related to Aaron, but feels far more distinctive in the US. Haroun Khalifa is the protagonist of Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories.

Haroun

Hidaya

Common Arabic version of Elijah. The Ilyes spelling is a Top 100 name in France.

Ilyas

A Quranic name especially popular in Muslim South Asia. 

Imran

Isra

Kaïs

The Prophet Muhammad's first wife and the first convert to Islam, and a very popular name in the Muslim community. It ranks in the Top 200 girls' names in France, Italy and England & Wales (alongside variant Khadijah just below the Top 200).

Khadija

Kamiel

Layan is popular enough in the US that it was given to nearly 175 baby girls in one recent years. It translates easily enough in an English-speaking culture and sounds like Lee-Anne and Leah, so it's a friendly cross-cultural choice -- though lay might not be the best association in a baby's name.

Layan

Liana is a pretty and graceful name — it's a flowering tropical vine — that may be making a quiet comeback. 

Liana

This short form of Elias is gaining traction in Sweden, it’s culture of origin. The trendy S-ending and similarity to Liam make Lias a gem of an international boy name.

Lias

Lino

The first name of Ethiopian supermodel Liya (pronounced like Leah) Kebede is also a Russian variation of Lia and Lily.  Rather than using Liya, English speakers will do better to call a child Leah or Lia.

Liya

Lore

Lotte is a short form of Charlotte and a name used in its own right in Scandinavia as well as Dutch- and German-speaking countries. It’s unlikely to catch on in the US, where even Lottie hasn’t reached its full potential. Unisex Charlie will remain Charlotte’s nickname of choice for the foreseeable future.
 
Lotta is the phonetic spelling, albeit one with more teasing potential.

Lotte

Loua

It originated as a nickname for Lodewijk, but now Lowie is more popular as-is, even ranking in the Top 100 in Belgium.

Lowie

This name, also spelled <a href="https://nameberry.com/babyname/loic">Loic</a>, is a classic in French-speaking areas but rarely heard elsewhere.

Loïc

Lyna

Marcel, despite distinguished namesakes including Proust and Duchamp, suffers from a terminal headwaiter image in this country. But along with its sister name Marcella and French variation (and Jolie-Pitt pick) Marcheline, Marcel may be on the brink of a style renaissance.
 French Oscar winner Marion Cotillard named her son Marcel in 2011.
 Fans of the sitcom Friends will remember Marcel as the name of Ross's pet monkey.

Marcel

Yes, it's pronounced with a long o sound at the end, just like Margo and Margot.  This spelling was popularized by supermodel, actress, and tragic Hemingway granddaughter Margaux, whose name spelling came courtesy of a bottle of French wine.  (The original spelling of her name was Margot; she changed it when she heard her parents were drinking a bottle of Chateau Margaux the night she was conceived.)

Margo itself is a diminutive of Margaret, which means "pearl" or, in its French version, "daisy."  Margaret or Marguerite would be more stylish variations now.

Margaux

Marilou

Marwa literally means "white stone," but is the name of a mountain in Mecca, making it an important name among Muslims. It's also another name for marjoram.

Marwa

As parents go searching for alternatives to the unstoppable Mateo/Matteo duo, Mattia stands out as a worthy option. Same handsome, alluring feel, for a fraction of the popularity. Buy now!

Mattia

In the USA, Maurice was in the Top 200 for most of the 20th century; since 1990, however, it has been on a slow and steady decline. This name has the potential for some old-school cute nicknames such as Mo as well as the more trendy Reece.

Maurice

Mauro, a Top 100 name in Spain and Puerto Rico, is etymologically unrelated to the girls' name Maura, but that won't stop many English speakers from drawing the comparison.

Mauro

Morris is as quiet and comfortable as a Morris chair, and has the same vintage feel. Once a Top 100 name in the early 1900s, Morris fell completely off the roster in 1995, probably due to lingering fallout from his identification with Morris the cat's ("the world's most finicky cat") 9 Lives cat food commercials.
 A more distingushed namesake is Morris (Mo) Udall, an influential congressman, and, from literature, Morris Townsend in the Henry James novel Washington Square, which was made into a movie titled "The Heiress," with Montgomery Clift playing the part.
The usual nicknames for Morris are Morrie/Maury or Moe; a more distinctive one would be Moss. Morrie Schwartz, subject of the bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie was born Morris.

Morris

Moussa

Old-school Italian names that shortens a wide range of longer names, making it feel much more popular than it is on its own.

Nino

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

Noor is the prevailing spelling of this beautiful Arabic name, while Nour is preferred in many European countries, including France and Spain.

Nour

Best known as the beautiful heroine to whom Cyrano de Bergerac says, "Your name is like a golden bell". 
 After peaking in 1954, the name dipped out of the Top 1000 in 2012. It returned at Number 986 for 2013. Activist writer Roxane Gay uses an alternate spelling.

Roxanne

Sasha in all its forms -- which include Sacha and Sascha -- is rising in popularity for both boys and girls. Its most prominent current bearer is Sacha Baron Cohen.

Sacha

Safiyah

This short form of classic Victor is popular in its own right in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Vince is not a short form that often stands alone on the birth certificate, the way Jack or even Joe does, but it has certain credibility as the name always used for football great Vince Lombardi.  And as a diminutive for Vincent, it's a far sight better than Vinnie or Vinny or even Vin.

Vince

As a form of Yochanan, Yahya is an Islamic name that honors the prophet John the Baptist. A new entry to the US Top 1000 in 2015, it's a widely used choice in Italy and in England and Wales.

Yahya

One of the relatives on the widely-branching family of John names, Yanis is in the French Top 50.

Yanis

The multicultural Yara is also the name of a beautiful green-skinned Brazilian goddess and might make a more unusual spin on Mara or Sara. Yara Greyjoy is the name of a strong female character in HBO's Game of Thrones, sister to the troubled Theon. In George R.R. Martin's books, this same character is named Asha; the show's producers changed it to avoid confusion with similar-sounding Osha.

Yara

Younes

In the US, Yousef is a less commonly used spelling.
 
In England and Wales, both variants are even more popular.

Yusuf

Zakaria

Zayd (or its most common variant Zaid), an old and still well used Arabic name, was a enslaved man whom Muhammad adopted as his son. 

Zayd

Zeynep is one of the most popular girls' names in Turkey, related to the also-popular Arabic Zaynab which is well-used throughout the Muslim world. But like many Turkish names, Zeynep is largely unknown in Europe and the US.

Zeynep

A cute, zippy French saint's name that's picking up in popularity there, and here in the US. Zélie originated as a short form of Azélie, thought to derive from Adelaide via the Occitan form Azalaïs. Saint Zélie was born Marie-Azélie.

Zélie

gabhart's list "Popular in Belgium" of 76 great name ideas: Achille - Zélie!