Multicultural Names

A rarely heard name that was the title of a hugely popular Big Band song in the forties. Amapola, with the emphasis on the third syllable, is one flower name that has not been widely discovered.

Related to Amir and Amira, an antiquated name that holds some modern appeal.

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

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.

Variant spelling of Camila, common in Eastern Europe. Kamila and Kamilah are also feminine forms of the Arabic name Kamil, meaning "perfect".

Strong cross-cultural name that could be a feminine spin on the Zachary family.

Vasia is both a Muslim girl's name from the Indo-Iranian language Urdu meaning 'female leader", as well as a diminutive of the Greek name Vasiliki meaning "royal".

Sami is cute if overused in its more familiar Sammy form.

Although the mythological name Eos originates with a female figure, the Greek Titan of the Dawn, it is occasionally used for males.

A multicultural choice, Aleyna entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2023. It is also a familiar name in Turkey, and notably in France where it's on the rise.

Panya is a multicultural possibility with a sound that's pleasing to the English-speaking ear, though the Swahili translation, which might also be "rat," makes it less than savory as an African name.

Alda's brother name Aldo has been a mainstay of the U.S. popularity chart for decades now, and the related Alden is soaring up as well. This version has never really caught on. (Maybe it's the association with Alan Alda: great actor, unlikely namesake for a little girl.) However, there is possible hope now that Alba and Alma are on the rise. Aida and Arden are more familiar alternatives.

Both a spiky variant of Agatha, predominantly used in Poland, Atka is also an Inuit name with a spiritual meaning.

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.

From Hebrew, Oria is a variation of Oriya, created by combining Ori meaning "light" with yah indicating God. From Italian, it is a variation of the Latin Aurea, a golden Saint name, once popular in Spain.

This unusual (to the American ear) unisex name is used throughout Scandinavia and Germany. It can be a Frisian and German variation of Ivo, derived from the elementiwa element, meaning "yew". It is also related to the Danish word ibenholt which means "ebony".

Gently appealing, a floral choice in Japanese.

This variation of the international name Lena is currently a rising star in France where it has nearly doubled in use over the last decade. In this case, it could be used as a short form of Aleyna, an Arabic name meaning "delicate, soft" or "to us" which is also popular in France.

The name was used by musician Billy Joel in his 1980 song, "All for Leyna".

A simple, easily-translated Maori name that coincides with a stormy Meskwaki name (also spelled Taimah) used as a country and city name in the US.