Multicultural Names

A gender-neutral Chinese name that originated as a surname, An can be used for girls or boys and means peace or quiet. An may also be a Vietnamese name meaning safe and secure. Its equivalence to the English article an may make it feel slight in an English-dominant culture.

A truly international name with a multitude of origins.

A multicultural option, Avleen feels both unusual yet totally familiar. As a Punjabi name, it is derived from the elements av meaning "god" and leen meaning "merged, absorbed" and is interpreted to mean "blessed by God" or "at one with God". Alternatively, it may be considered an alternative form of Aveline, inspired by other variations Aileen and Evelyn and blended into one.

A spiky and vivid sounding name, Sonnika could be an elaboration of Sonya, itself a form of Sophia, or derived from the German word sonne "sun". Alternatively, it could be a variation on the Hindi names Soniya and Sonika meaning "golden, lovely, beloved".

Adapted from the German Senta, itself a short form of Crescentia or Kreszentia, Zenta is a zippy sounding Latvian and Hungarian name which was popular in the early 20th century.

A surname style name of Dutch and Anglo-Saxon origin, which could make an interesting alternative to Ben or Bennett.

Short and zippy, Zani is a multicultural choice that is currently only occasionally used for either sex. It has its origins in Hebrew, both as a name in its own right, meaning "gift from God", and as a variant of of John via the Venetian form, Zuana. Alternatively, it might come from the Arabic name Zaniah, meaning "corner", which is also the Medieval name of one of the star in the constellation Virgo. Another source however, is from the Albanian Zana, which could mean "voice" or "fairy" from Albanian, or "divine" if it's considered a form of Diana.

As a Japanese name, Keita could mean "great celebration", "big enlightenment", "great opening" or similar, depending on which kanji combinations are used. As an East African name, it can mean "worshipper" or "blessing", while a few sources link it to the Scottish name, Keith, thanks to its Celtic root, Kayto, meaning "wood".

A short, sweet name of Arabic origin, Nida derived from the inādā root, meaning "to call". In Islamic tradition, it is used in the Quran to refer to a prayer or plea to Allah. Writer and director of We Are Lady Parts, Nida Manzoor, and Indian women's rights activist Nida Khan are notable bearers.

A multi-cultural and unisex choice, Kami could be: a variation of Kameron, Kamden or similar; an Armenian name meaning "wind"; or a Japanese name meaning "divine".

Simple, succinct, and sweet, Seena is the anglicized form of the Scandinavian Signe or the Gaelic Síne.

Similar in style to Teddy, Frankie, Leni, and Murphy, Waldi is both a German and Dutch short form of names including the walt element. such as Waltraud or Walda, or an English diminutive of surname-style name, Walden. Predominantly used as a masculine name, it is a unisex name in Germany.

Similar in style to Walt and Wally, with a bit of Eli about it too, Waldi is both a German and Dutch short form of names including the walt element. such as Waldemar, Ewald, or Waldabert, and an English diminutive of surname-style name, Walden. Predominantly used as a masculine name, it is a unisex name in Germany.

Lone is a feminine short form of Abelone and Apollonia used in Germany, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. It relates back to the Greek Apollo, which has a variety of different meanings including "destroyer", "strength", or "father of light".

A name with a variety of possibly origins, Roselaine can be considered a variation Roseline, Rosalind, Roselène, or Rosaline or a compound name blending Rose and Helène, Rose and Elaine, or Rose and Madelaine. It was moderately well-known in Brazil from the mid-'50s through until the '90s.

Also spelled Luqman, Lukman is an Arabic name of unknown meaning. Currently popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is also used in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Familiar in France, Tunisia, and Algeria, Amel is a variation of the hopeful Amal. From its Albanian roots however, it is related to the word e ëmbël meaning "sweet".

SantiGold was a newly minted name in 2024, chosen by author and journalist Elaine Welteroth for her second son. She explained that she and her husband chose it for its multicultural roots, in that Santi means "peace" in Thai and "saint" in Spanish and Italian. The addition of 'Gold' makes it compound name, symbolic of success, prosperity, and prestige.

A multicultural nickname with a number of origins and multiple meanings, particular to the bearer. It can be a short form of Bozhidar, or any other name with the Slavic element "božĭjĭ", meaning "divine". It can come from the surname style Bosley, or the Biblical name Boaz. Ambrose and Boris could be alternative long forms.

Estel is unisex name with a number of origins, one being from the name Estelle, meaning "star". Used in the early 19th century in the US, it has since fallen out of style and last appeared in the US stats for boys back in the 80s.