Traveling Lite Baby Names

Mexican-born actress Salma Hayek lends a large dollop of glamour to this name that would otherwise resemble the middle-aged Selma.

A venerable boys' name in Persian and South Asian cultures that is increasingly used for girls in most parts of the world, thanks largely to the popularity of Game of Thrones character Arya Stark. In the U.S., for instance, there were 1890 newborn girls named Arya in 2016 and just 54 boys in 2016. The related Aryan remains mostly male, however, so it would likely be a better choice for a little boy, if you don't mind the other meaning.

Often stands alone in Israel, but rarely here.

The rise of trendy Arianna has led to unisex Ari gaining speed for girls in recent years as well. Now as Avianna climbs the charts, it may be time to start considering Hebrew Avi for a girl as well.

This shortened variation of Aaron—it was Elvis's middle name—is now a widely used choice.

One of the few Lu- names that you've probably never heard of, Lulie could prove a good alternative for Luna, Lucy, and Lula.

Commonly heard in Hungary and some Slavic countries, Tibor has a large measure of continental dash. The name derives from the Roman town of Tibur, now called Tivoli. It is a Top 100 pick for baby boys in its native Hungary.

After cracking the US Top 200 in the early 2000s, fueled by Jacob's rise, this name has been losing steam in recent years. But Jakob is the top form of the name in many other countries, cultures, and languages, ranking highly in Germany, Norway, Austria, Iceland, and Slovenia. Jakub is the Polish variation.

Amar is a masculine name found across India and Pakistan. It is popular in expatriate and diaspora communities, especially in Great Britain.

Lior connects with several factors stylish for Israeli names: It's short, it's unisex, and it has an uplifting nature theme. Lior might make a more modern spin on Leah.

An intuitive and attractive Finnish choice.

The Italian form of Hilda is rarer but sweeter than its mother name, which still isn't ready for revival in the US.

Old-school Italian names that shortens a wide range of longer names, making it feel much more popular than it is on its own.

Dani sounds like Donny, looks like Danny, and feels like a girls' name.

Baby names that started off as diminutives -- Ena, Ita, Etta -- seem too insubstantial for a modern female.

Asya has dual origins: it is both the Turkish word for Asia (the continent), and a short form of Anastasia in Russian and Bulgarian. Beyond that, it is a beautiful example of a "travelling light" name, in the style of Aria: short, elegant, and usable across different cultures.