Names That Are Variations

Flailing attempt to switch up popular Tristan.

With the fast-rising Jonah having cracked the Top 200 and the more surname-esque Jonas not far behind, parents who love this Biblical classic may want a more unique alternative. Yonas is the variation used in Ethiopia, carrying the same sweet and gentle meaning "dove", along with the associations with the Old Testament prophet who was famously swallowed by a whale.

Yancy has begun to rise in usage among baby girls, perhaps in part due to the similarity to the classically feminine name Nancy.

Many unique baby namesare in fact respellings of much more popular baby names, and rarely improve on the original.

We don't recommend using a baby name in which "meth" is the first syllable. Try the original form, Meta, instead.

Virsaviya is the Russian form of the biblical name Bathsheba. It appeared on the US charts twice, in 2015 and 2016.

Although it's a variation of the masculine name Jubal, modern Israelis have taken to using Yuval for girls as well.

One fewer L makes this name much less popular than the more traditional spelling.

Carleigh, a fancier way of spelling Carly, reflects the trend toward trying to make an ordinary name more special by fiddling with the spelling. Yes, Leigh is a feminine way to spell Lee, so Carleigh is theoretically an acceptable way to spell Carly, but it doesn't really work that way. People will wonder: is it Car-lay? Car-lee-uh? And your child will forever have to spell her name. Stick with Carly....or better, Carla or Carlin, or better yet, Charlotte or Caroline.

A Roos by any other name smells as sweet.

See GABRIEL.

Kristofer and all his cousins (and kousins) is an ancient name that was hugely popular from the 1970s through the 1990s, spawning a wide number of variations. Americans will be familiar with this phonetic spelling with an exotic spin.

Esau is a rarely-used Old Testament name in the US, perhaps due to the character's biblical fate. Isav is one step removed, which may make it more palatable to parents.

Most distinctive of the Dominic-related girls' names.

In Norway, a Grandpa Name.

This form of the classic name Vincent is used throughout Russia.

With the woodsy, Shakespearean vibes of the original Lysander, but with the flair and familiarity of Alessandro, Lorenzo, and Orlando too, Lisandro might feel more wearable than the original Greek name.

This friendlier Celtic version of Edmund has an upbeat feel and a good chance of competing with Aidan and Damon sometime soon.

See RILEY.

This spunky variation of the placid Cecilia might be a winner for those looking for a rare international version of a traditional name.