Popular in Belgium

This short form of Elias is gaining traction in Sweden, it’s culture of origin. The trendy S-ending and similarity to Liam make Lias a gem of an international boy name.

The first name of Ethiopian supermodel Liya (pronounced like Leah) Kebede is also a Russian variation of Lia and Lily. Rather than using Liya, English speakers will do better to call a child Leah or Lia.

Lotte is a short form of Charlotte and a name used in its own right in Scandinavia as well as Dutch- and German-speaking countries. It’s unlikely to catch on in the US, where even Lottie hasn’t reached its full potential. Unisex Charlie will remain Charlotte’s nickname of choice for the foreseeable future.

It originated as a nickname for Lodewijk, but now Lowie is more popular as-is, even ranking in the Top 100 in Belgium.

This name, also spelled Loic, is a classic in French-speaking areas but rarely heard elsewhere.

Marcel, despite distinguished namesakes including Proust and Duchamp, suffers from a terminal headwaiter image in this country. But along with its sister name Marcella and French variation (and Jolie-Pitt pick) Marcheline, Marcel may be on the brink of a style renaissance.

Yes, it's pronounced with a long o sound at the end, just like Margo and Margot. This spelling was popularized by supermodel, actress, and tragic Hemingway granddaughter Margaux, whose name spelling came courtesy of a bottle of French wine. (The original spelling of her name was Margot; she changed it when she heard her parents were drinking a bottle of Chateau Margaux the night she was conceived.) Margo itself is a diminutive of Margaret, which means "pearl" or, in its French version, "daisy." Margaret or Marguerite would be more stylish variations now.

A cheerful and bubbly compound name that is popular in France and Belgium. It might also be used in the Philippines as a combination of Maria and Lourdes.

Marwa literally means "white stone," but is the name of a mountain in Mecca, making it an important name among Muslims. It's also another name for marjoram.

As parents go searching for alternatives to the unstoppable Mateo/Matteo duo, Mattia stands out as a worthy option. Same handsome, alluring feel, for a fraction of the popularity. Buy now!

In the USA, Maurice was in the Top 200 for most of the 20th century; since 1990, however, it has been on a slow and steady decline. This name has the potential for some old-school cute nicknames such as Mo as well as the more trendy Reece.

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.

Morris is as quiet and comfortable as a Morris chair, and has the same vintage feel. Once a Top 100 name in the early 1900s, Morris fell completely off the roster in 1995, probably due to lingering fallout from his identification with Morris the cat's ("the world's most finicky cat") 9 Lives cat food commercials.

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