Names That Mean Form

This undiscovered (by English speakers) Basque name would make a very attractive alternative to Madeleine. The Spanish canoeist Maialen Chourraut competed in the 2021 Olympic Games.

Minda is a simle, even familiar-sounding name that is nevertheless completely unknown. It might be a contraction of Melinda but it is a genuine Indian name with an appealing meaning.

Of all the names in the Magdalene/Madeleine family, this is the most sweetly simple.

A traditional, consistently common name in Iceland, where it is cognates with Stephen.

Thad is a tad too slight to stand alone as a name, though as a short form of the imposing Thaddeus it's as serviceable as Ted or Ed.

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

While Barthelemy does not garner much attention these days, it has a storied history in French-speaking countries. Notable bearers include geologist and explorer Barthélemy Faujas de Saint-Fond, philosopher Jules Barthélemy-Saint-Hilaire, and historian and writer Jean-Barthélemy Hauréau, to name a few.

An elaboration of Marisa, a combination of Maria and Louisa. The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).

Variant transcription of Andrei, as well as the South Slavic form.

Ossie is best-known as the name of actor Ossie Davis, whose full name did not start with Os: It was Raiford. But Ossie makes a cute contemporary short form for any name beginning with Os.

Novel way to honor Grandpa Henry.

If you were disappointed that Eithne is pronounced "Enya", you're in luck! The Welsh version really does sound as it looks.

As Oliver's fan base spreads throughout the English-speaking and Euro-centered worlds, other forms of the popular name are sure to gain attention.

Costas is a much better nickname than Connie for the somewhat-forbidding Constantine. Kostas is the Greek form.

A pretty halfway house between the modern name Ffion, which has been popular in Wales in recent decades, and the unrelated name Fiona.

Lenia is part Lena and part Leni, a full name that started life as a short form of most any name ending or beginning with a Len sound. While Lena was used for more than 1000 baby girls in the US last year and Leni was used for nearly 100, Lenia was given to fewer than five. But Lenia is one of the most popular baby girl names in Switzerland.

This saintly choice is an example of the Catalan trend for short, streamlined names.

The yoo sound at the beginning of a name has not typically been attractive to the modern ear. Probably the most appealing form of this ancient name has been the feminized Eugenie, thanks to the British princess.

Derived from Marie, the meaning of which is uncertain. Theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).