Names That Are Variations

Variation of the very trendy Addison, perhaps lending itself more obviously to the nickname Addy.

Tuomas is a variation of the classic Thomas that is used in Finland.

Rae is one of the coolest middle name choices: why not leave it at that?

These early versions of Eleanor are still sometimes found today.

The traditional Old Norse form of Odin, still used today in Iceland as Óðinn.

We suggest sticking to George or Jorge, due to the unfortunate definition of gorge: to eat greedily.

Sheenan updates the longtime Irish favorite Shannon, which ranked in the US Top 100 through much of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Shanon fell off the Top 1000 about ten years ago, but Sheenan is a worthy substitute. You might also consider it a form of Sheena, itself a form of Jane or John, with the meaning "God is gracious".

Josephe is much less well-known in the English-speaking world than Josephine or Joanna.

Singer Alanis Morisette may have made the one-n version of this name more famous, but like the other Alan feminization Alana or Alanna, the spelling can go either way.

Although Thaddeus has long been used in this country, Thaddea is almost unknown and, with its air of mystery, could make a distinctive choice.

With Harmony on the rise, this spelling variation is getting some attention as well. It was a newcomer to the US Top 1000 in 2015.

Countless variations of Elizabeth have been used around the world for centuries, from Elspeth to Isabella to Betty. Elsabet is a version that is popular in Ethiopia, often with the sweet and stylish nicknames Elsa or Elsi.

Graca, typically written in Portuguese as Graça, is a stylish virtue name that has never made the charts in the US. The pronunciation rhymes with the Spanish word "casa."

William is a stylish classic right now, and while translating many classic names into Italian makes them instantly cooler and more attractive, this is one exception: Guglielmo presents pronunciation problems for the English speaker, suggesting the less-than-cool word "googley" followed by the even-less-cool-than-that Elmo.

Zoya meets Toyah in this slightly elaborated spelling.

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

As a variant of Adeline, Adilynn fits into a popular family of names with many alternate spellings—Adalyn, Adalynn, Adaline, Addilynn—all of which are higher on the popularity charts than this one. While the name will sound familiar to most, it will undoubtedly bring about spelling confusion at some point.

Jansen is an intriguing way to honor an ancestral John; Jantzen is a brand of swimwear.