Names That Are Variations

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.

Jaap is a common if not exactly fashionable first name for boys' in The Netherlands. For more on Dutch names and their pronunciation, check out this specialty website: http://www.heardutchhere.net/names.html

A not as appealing variation on an attractive original.

This variant of Jocelyn adds an extra n but not much else. It's declining numbers over the past five years indicate it may be best to stick with the popular and traditional Jocelyn, which currently ranks at Number 133 in the US.

Gertha hasn't been seen since 1971, and it's unlikely to make a comeback.

The farther down the Top 1000 list you get, the more Cameron variations you see. This version has been declining lately and could drop off the charts altogether very soon.

Karitas -- with an accent over the i -- is among the Icelandic Top 100 names, a version of the Scandinavian Carita which is itself a spin on Charity. An intriguing and unique name with a beautiful meaning.

Rae is one of the coolest middle name choices: why not leave it at that?

A variation of a variation.

Kaitlynn seems to be trying too hard to make its pronunciation plain. At this point, everyone knows that the name however you spell it is pronounced like Kate plus Lynn, so why go all the way to Kaitlynn? This spelling has been stumbling down the charts since its peak in 1998 and may not be around much longer.

A common Muslim girl name in Turkey.

See COREY.

Wylei exists because Corey Parker decreed it so: He gave his newborn son this variation of the classic surname more conventionally spelled Wylie or Wiley. The problem with the Wylei spelling is that it makes you think the name may have a different pronunciation, with an ay versus an ee sound at the end. This is one of those creative inspirations that will make the child's life more difficult for years to come.

One of many "yooneek" spelling variants of the increasingly popular Kinsley.

A short and simple name used by Jewish Italian families.

Jacobine is a rare -- no baby girls received the name in the US last year -- feminine form of the popular Jacob. But Jacobine has a quirky appeal. The Jacobins were a radical political club formed during the French revolution as well as an order of Dominican friars.