Traveling Lite Baby Names

A symbolic name for boys born during a period between Passover and Shavuot.

Friendly and charming international variation of Matthew, common in Estonia.

In Germany and Finland, a common short form of names beginning with El-, including Elizabeth, Elina, and Elisa.

Although practically unheard of in the US, Lovi is a name you should consider borrowing from its native Sweden. It follows the on-trend formula of traveling lite names — four letters, ending in I — and could easily cross cultures. The visual similarity to the word "love" doesn't hurt either.

A girl named Liz on her birth certificate could feel deprived of her full identity. Call her Liz, but name her Elizabeth -- or at least Lizbeth or Eliza.

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.

Streamlined spelling found all across Europe. The Spanish Filipo has extra zip.

Top 100 choice in Puerto Rico.

An international possibility, heard from England and Israel to Poland, Latvia, and Albania.

Karin was a fairly popular spelling variation of Karen in the US but fell off the Top 1000 in the late 80s, as Karen's popularity wained. Today, the Karen meme interferes with the otherwise appealing sound of this name.

Davi is a Portuguese variant of David, meaning 'beloved'. It is especially popular in Brazil, where it ranks in the top 10 names for boys. In the U.S., Davi is also used for over 100 baby boys each year, offering a streamlined and modern twist on the classic David.

Ido is a multicultural name seldom heard in modern America but popular in the Middle East. As transliterations, Ido and its other form Iddo are equally correct.

Mauro, a Top 100 name in Spain and Puerto Rico, is etymologically unrelated to the girls' name Maura, but that won't stop many English speakers from drawing the comparison.

Adnan in the Muslim religion was an ancestor of Muhammad. More recently, the name was introduced to many Westerners via Adnan Syed, the young man at the center of the sensational Serial podcast.

This short form of classic Victor is popular in its own right in Belgium and the Netherlands.

This perky Spanish nickname deserves to be more popular. Singer Michael Bublé recently used it as one of the middle names for his daughter Cielo, which may give Yoli a boost.

Myron still has ways to go before sounding stylish again, but this Eastern European variation has a more contemporary look.

A multicultural mini name with roots in three continents.