Names That Are Variations

Justina was the pre-Justine feminization of Justin, now a possible alternative to Christina. Oddly, while Justine feels like a name unto itself, Justina feels like a pinned-together feminization in the mold of Richarda or Benjamina. Still, it may appeal as one of the unusual-yet-familiar girl names starting with J.

This Anglicized spelling adds a bit of a, well, sheen to the very popular Irish name Oisín.

Merve is derived from Marwa, a significant name in the Muslim community, as it the name of a mountain in Mecca.

This version of Tristan, known to English Lit students from the novel Tristram Shandy, is rarely used in this country, but, though its similarity to the popular Tristan could prove confusing, still makes an interesting literary choice.

All baby names can be made more "creative" by putting a Z at the beginning instead of what's conventionally there: B or C or H, for instance. Zaley is an adorable entry in this group, also spelled Zailey or Zayley or Zalee. The Zaley spelling attains a measure of authenticity when seen as a feminine form of Zale, a Greek name with an ocean-related meaning.

Ysai is a less-known variation of the popular Isaiah.

Both Kody and Cody — shining stars of the 90s — are in decline, although more people are choosing Cody than Kody.

See THOMAS.

Occasionally used as an alternative to Brandon or Brennan.

Shoshanna is a variation of one of the best-known original Hebrew baby names for girls , the original of Susanna. This is the spelling used by Shoshanna Lonstein, a designer who creates the Shoshanna clothing line and also the name of one of the four leading characters on the TV show Girls, Shoshanna Shapiro.

Previously Timothy's dusty and outdated sister, now actually feels fresher than its brother name. With Thea names right on trend at the moment, this could be a surprising and even more unusual alternative to Theodora or Dorothea for lovers of vintage names and that stylish Thea sound.

Davi is a Portuguese variant of David, meaning 'beloved'. It is especially popular in Brazil, where it ranks in the top 10 names for boys. In the U.S., Davi is also used for over 100 baby boys each year, offering a streamlined and modern twist on the classic David.

This name is unusual enough that the spelling variation won't be too much of a further complication. While the Biblical cognate Cain may be more classic, this removes the name from any negative associations.

Pronounced YAH-nosh, has a serious, violin-playing air. Perhaps that's why it has so many nicknames: JANCKZI, JANCSI, JANI, JANKIA, JANKO.

To some, may have the same warm feeling of Russian nicknames like Sasha and Misha.

This once-cool nickname-y name now belongs to the grandma generation.

Just one more name to fall victim to the K trend. This version of the name has appeared in the US Top 1000 since the mid-1980s, having peaked at Number 359 in 2001. It is now steadily declining year after year.

Jacinth is a gemstone of the Zircon variety. The name is related to the floral Hyacinth.

Deriving from "Lilian", as an elaborate form of the flower name, "Lily", Lilianna is a clean and polished spelling for those wanting the pronunciation Lily-Ann-uh.

This is a straightforward choice for parents looking to honor their Greek ancestry.