525+ European Names for Girls and Boys

Also seen as Alyenor and Eleonore, this is an old French name dating back to the Arthurian romances and still heard today.

An extremely popular choice in its native Hungary (at #3 for the past decade), Levente is an ancient Hungarian royal name, in use since at least the 10th century. This name sounds the same but has a different derivation to the Turkish name Levent.

A punchy alternative to Pearl as it gains popularity.

This intriguing name is a rapid riser in the Italian name rankings, having entered the top 100 in 2011 and climbed to #61 in 2015. Its meaning and derivation are unknown, but it may be related to the name of the Germanic Suebi tribe. The form Sueva is also found.

This sleek form of Constantine is traditional in many European countries, and most popular in German-speaking nations and Russia.

Pavel may be widespread in the former Soviet Union, but it has a somewhat impoverished image here.

A Portuguese classic, typically spelled with a tilde over the A. Many members of the Portuguese royal family were named João, and today it’s associated with a number of Portuguese and Brazilian footballers.

The Basque form of Julian is pared down and may appeal to parents looking for a less-syllabic option. It’s not typically used outside of Spain, but it would make an easy import.

Fans of the classic French film actor Jean Gabin might want to consider this one. Gabin is also a harmonica-playing character in the manga and anime series "Mirmo!"

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

Esme and by extension Esmee have gotten more popular in the US in recent years, but that extra e can confuse an already-confusing pronunciation, especially if you start adding accents.

While Sixtine is a name with ancient roots that's popular in modern-day France, it's hard to imagine it gaining hold in English-speaking lands, given its similarity to the number sixteen and its even-more-problematic similarity to the word "sexting." You wouldn't do that to your daughter.

Interesting and energetic international form of Ferdinand.

Strong and attractive form of Cyril.

Radek is both a last name and a first name with an uplifting meaning. The -ek suffix makes is a diminutive of Rad, which means happy.

This form got noticed as the first name of long-reigning Russian president Brezhnev; other bearers include playwright and short-story writer Andreyev, Leonid the Magnificent,a Russian performance artist on America's Got Talent, and Leonid McGill, the protagonist of a Walter Mosley private eye series. All in all, though, Leonid is not the most likely to join the pride of lion-related names here.