Multicultural Names

With its sweet, familiar sound, Nuna is a multicultural name with a variety of different origins and meanings, making it a versatile yet rare choice.

Lilting and pretty, but with plenty of substance, Amila is a name that works easily in different cultures. Similar in sound to international favorites, Amelia and Mila, it feels familiar but with a twist.

Soundalike cousin of Sammy, cute but slight on its own.

A thirteenth-century Tuscan saint, patron of homemakers, Zita is the kind of name that sounded really creative in an earlier era.

Zero has been documented as a given name before, but it's largely familiar as a stage name (such as Zero Mostel, born Samuel Joel Mostel) and comic book and anime characters.

This chic Ukrainian form of Helen is relatively unknown outside of its native country, but it definitely has international appeal. Olia or Olenka are the usual Ukrainian diminutives, but tomboyish Oli or Leni could work too.

Avia is one of those multi-cultural, vowel-heavy girls' names so popular today, along with such choices as Ayla and Aya.

Dania is a fun, offbeat name with international flair that would be a wonderful choice to honor a Danielle, Daniel, or a Dana. It is both an Italian diminutive of Daniela and a spelling variation of the Arabic Daniya.

A funkier version of Coco that may be more appealing if you have Japanese or Native American heritage. Koko comes from the Blackfoot tribe, native to what is now Montana and Alberta, Canada.

Katana is a male name in Old Persian and a well-used word in Japanese, but as a girls' name is these days found more often as Kitana, the name of a princess in the video game Mortal Kombat II.

Though the Greek meaning sounds ominous, the mythological god Thanatos was actually a jolly winged creature living in the underworld, so it shouldn't deter you.

A bright and bouncy micro name, far rarer than Mia or Gia.

An Arabic name with a strong, regal meaning, Ahil and its alternative spelling Aahil come from the Arabic word for "emperor" or "great leader" and is generally used to refer to someone who rules over a number of nations. It was a fast rising choice in England and Wales in 2023.

Short, sweet, and perhaps misleadingly simple, Sina is in fact a multicultural choice with a wide range of origins. In Samoan mythology, Sina is used for a number of figures, and notably appears in the creation story of the coconut tree, Sina and the Eel. In this case, the name means "white or gray haired" and appears in the Disney movie Moana.

Kanan is multicultural name with a number of different origins, making it a versatile choice that travels well. A Top 50 choice in Azerbaijan, Kanan also made a brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in 2022. Given to around 200 boys each year, it feels familiar and rare at the same time.

Tau, rhyming with cow, is a simple straightforward name with roots in two languages and cultures, the Kaurna language spoken by indigenous Australian people or the African Tswana language, a Bantu language spoken by five million people.

Multicultural name often heard in the Near East. Also spelled Neema.

A name known in several cultures, also through animated book character Tiger Aki. Finnish author Aki Ollikainen is another notable bearer.

Predominantly seen as a surname among Ashkenazi Jewish families, but sometimes given as a first name too, Kleid was originally an occupational name for a tailor, derived from the Old German word for "clothing, garment, or dress".

Yesenia is a Latinx favorite popularized by a character on a Spanish-language soap opera. Jessenia is another variation. The name is drawn from the name of a palm tree in South America, but Yesenia is also an Arabic name meaning flower, making it an excellent cross-cultural choice.