Popular in Catalonia Spain

Though the most famous Elia, screenwriter Kazan, was male, this name sounds like a spin on many popular girls' names, from Ella to Ellie to Isla and Leah. While the Italian pronunciation has the middle syllable as LEE, making it closer to the original Elijah would give the middle syllable a long I sound -- eh-LYE-ah.

From the saintly name Eligius, Eloi is popular in Catalonia but rarely used by English speakers. There's potential for confusion with Eli - and with the Aramaic word eloi, said to mean "my God", which appears in the bible.

An intriguing way to spin an old standard. Pronounced with a hard G: gee-yem.

Izan, pronounced with the same vowel sounds and emphasis as Ethan, ranks among the Top 20 boys' names in Spain, where it's been popular for two decades.

A standard form of John in Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, and Catalan. Properly pronounced yahn (in most of these languages), most Americans will still equate it with the Brady Bunchesque girls' name Jan.

A sweet name with many cross-cultural ties: it's an equivalent of Jane in languages including Czech, Slovak, Dutch, German, Slovene, Catalan, Estonian, and Latvian.

Jannat is derived from the Arabic word jannah, which refers to the final paradise for good souls in the afterlife. Jannat is primarily used among Indian and Pakistani Muslims. Cennet is the Turkish variation.

To the American ear, Jordi seems like a nickname for Jordan, which means this popular name from Catalonia could certainly cross cultures.

Gentle, pleasant, and succinct, Layan is a popular choice across the Arab world and related to other well-loved Arabic choices, such as Alina, Leen, and Lina. Familiar in The UK, the Netherlands, Spain, and Belgium too, it has been on the rise in the US since the early 2000s and now sits just outside the Top 1000. With Leila, Lila, and Aaliyah already well known among English speakers, Layan could translate well. In sound, it is a little like Leanne, while in appearance it is reminiscent of Lainey and Layla - all of which makes it a friendly, cross-cultural choice with a nice meaning.

Leyre is an important name in Navarre, Spain, as it is both the name of a mountain and an ancient monastery. It is derived from the Basque Leire, of uncertain origins. Both spellings currently rank among the Top 100 baby names in Spain.

Although Malak can be used for both sexes, it's much more widely-used for girls in the US and throughout Europe, where it ranks on several popularity lists.

The Spanish and Portuguese word for "sea" is a Top 100 name in Spain. In America, it's sometimes used as a nickname for names like Martina and Marina, but it could also plausibly stand on its own.

Designer (as in Marc Jacobs) form of Mark. An international classic, but long falling in popularity as a boys' name.

Multicultural option, equally intriguing as, but more unusual than, Maia.

Spanish spelling of the Hebrew classic that might prove confusing to non-Spanish speakers.