Names That Mean Form

For an American girl, the double "I" might be a problem as a child, but an attention-getting talking point as an adult.

Frederique, the soigne name of Dutch-born model Frederique Van der Wal, is a lot more sophisticated than the dated MONIQUE. Still, as feminine forms of the Fred names go, we prefer the Italian Federica or the distant Spanish cousin Fernanda.

Kind of a combination of scoot and fleet, brought into public domain by actor Skeet (born Brian) Ulrich. We would recommend looking into the unsavory slang meaning of this name before choosing it for your child.

Demetrio is an original way to a mythological name, and is further appealing as a boy's name inspired by a goddess, the earth mother Demeter.

The S may confuse English speakers, but it's a French classic.

This variation of Amadeus may not be as familiar in the United States, but it has potential for French speaker and those with a French lineage.

Cornelius is one of the Ancient Roman names that is not quite making a comeback, despite having been a Top 200 name in the US in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Blame Corny, a nickname that is just too joke-worthy.

Z names have been popular in recent years, and here's an obscure option for achieving the initial, though Zelina may be a little more successful in the US with its feminine -a ending.

Short form used in Israel; the v makes it more vivid and unusual.

Arzu was once a popular baby name in Turkey, ranking as high as Number 14 in 1980. Now, it's more of a Turkish mom name, although it remains a common choice for babies in Azerbaijan, where Arzu has been in the Top 100 since records began in 2015.

The Galician form of George; an extravagant option for lovers of the letter X.

This unusual Catalan name demonstrates just how short mini-names can get.

Santes Ffraid is the traditional Welsh name for St Bridget, the Irish national saint and legendary miracle worker. The connection becomes clearer through the Scottish form of the name, Bride. It's worth noting that it sounds like the English word "fried".

Walter is an old school boys' name that is gently on the rise again. Short forms include Walt (as in Disney) and Wally, but Wat was once commonly used in England as a diminutive of Walter.

Actress Kirstie Alley popularized this short form that's been off the popularity register for a decade.

Shalailah is a soft name made most familiar by journalist Shalailah Medhora. Given the popularity of Layla and all her variants, Shalailah has potential for parents looking for something off the beaten track.

Galsworthy used this for "The Forsyte Saga," but in modern real life Julian would work better.

Aniko has the feel and rhythm of a Japanese name but in fact it's an Eastern European spin on Anna.

There are almost the exact same number of female and male Sidneys born in the US these days, which makes Sid a perfect gender-neutral nickname. And cute for boys or girls.