Names That Mean Variant

A pretty and unusual name with a multi-cultural feel--Hebrew, Greek, and a dash of Russian.

Basha bears a family resemblance to other newly popular Slavic names Sasha and Mischa, all of them hearty, warm and welcoming.

You occasionally see the German and Danish word for "summer" pop up as a first name -- 16 girls were given it in 2016 -- and that trend may continue, now that the original has risen to Number 202 on the American popularity list.

A common first and last name in France and, especially, Belgium, more often spelled Thibault.

One of the most unusual of the biblical iah-options, this was the name of a long-reigning king of Judea, and just might appeal to the parent looking for a quasi-unique Old Testament choice. And it avoids the negative Dickensian aura of the other New Testament U-name, Uriah.

Ellar Coltrane, the star of Richard Linklater's acclaimed 2014 movie "Boyhood," is an outlier, namewise. Most others with his first name are girls, and there aren't even many of them -- the last time the Social Security Administration registered the name at all was in 1956, when six girls were named Ellar. Still, with Gaelic names being trendy, and the "El-" sound on the rise, it has some potential.

Not as common as brother Sergio, but still quite frequently heard in the Hispanic community, as in Bolivian singer Sergia Llanos.

A rare name even among Basque speakers (fewer than 20 women in Spain are called Elixane), this beautiful name has drawn some attention via Elixane Lechemia, the French pro-tennis player.

Made most familiar by Miah Persson, a famous Swedish opera singer.

Very popular in Catalonia, in part because of its use by a number of pro athletes. English speakers, though, may interpret it as a "yoonek" spelling of Alex.

Variant of Marisa

A unisex name in Hawaii, where it can signify either Asher (for boys) or Adela (for girls), Akela was also the name of a character in Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book.

Latisha peaked in popularity in the US in 1979, reaching #221.

Variant of Maria

One of the many Hawaiian versions of biblical names to come out of King Kamehamaha IV's 1860 edict requiring his citizens to adopt Western-style names.

Another of the many -aiden names. Several spellings have charted in the US Top 1000 in recent years, but now most of the -aidens are fading. Braiden is no exception, dropping down the charts each year since its peak at Number 468 in 2010.

The Hawaiian version of ultra-classic Adam could make a cool choice for parents seeking something that feels fresh but still has roots in tradition. It also means "to blush" in Japanese.

When King Kamehamaha IV of Hawaii mandated that residents of the island nation take on Western-style names in 1860, they adapted many traditional English first names to the unique Hawaiian orthography; this is the local version of Susannah.

Although a variant of the operatic Zerlina, Zerline has her own theatrical tale. She is the star character of the opera Fra Diavolo by Daniel Auber. Zerline, daughter of the innkeeper of Terracina, is in love with an impoverished soldier, Lorenzo, but her father wants her to marry the rich old Francesco. Various tragedies and events occur. In the end, Zerline is free to marry her beloved Lorenzo.

Add this seldom-heard name to the vast array of international takes on Caroline.