Names That Are Variations

This version softens, feminizes, and glamorizes the long-time favorite. A fresh way to honor Grandma Betty. Elizabetta is a variation.

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.

Alita is a girls' name threatening to break into the Top 1000. There are many possible sources of this name, but the most plausible is that it's a short form for the popular Spanish name Adelita, a relative of Adele and Adeline.

This variation of Theodore is familiar here mostly via the great Russian novelist Dostoyevsky. It was also the name of three early tsars of Russia.

This phonetic spelling of Drew feels particularly distanced from the original classic Andrew. Jrue, along with other phonetic "Jr" names such as Jream, is on the rise in the US — even cracking the Top 1000 in 2022.

Parents of female Emerie's would argue the suffix -ie makes it more feminine. It may also add a feeling of French flair. Clearly, there are enough thinking this to popularize it—the name entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013.

Cool Finnish name ripe for import.

An ancient Roman name that has never made it into the modern world.

Part Jason, part Jayce, this name has been among the Top 500 names for boys near-consistently since the late 1960s. While it's a reasonable spelling especially if you're naming your son after someone named Jay or another name that starts with the letter J, it's one of those names that will eternally need to be spelled out for people. But then again, so are classics like Elisabeth and Sara and Jon.

See PHILOMENA.

Strongly associated with the mega-popular single-named singer, who was actually the fourth Usher Raymond in his family. He could start a fad.

Yoadan is the Amharic form of the biblical name Jehoaddan — a queen of Israel. Yoadan debuted on the charts in 2021, likely due to Ethiopian influencer Yoadan Ephrem.

The Welsh form of Tristan, and the name of a counselor to King Arthur.

Most male Emaris use their name as a variation of Amari, which is pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. It is a truly gender-neutral name, given to baby girls and boys in similar numbers. Names ending in -ari are also one of our top trends of 2021.

Chance feels like a mainstream pick for boys thanks to Chance the Rapper and several starbabies with the name. It hasn't caught on in the same way for girls, but it makes a strong alternative to the rather slight Lucky.

Strong and attractive form of Cyril.

Gauge is the dictionary spelling, but Gage is the far more popular choice, ranking at Number 281 in 2016.

Victoria's Secret model Devon Windsor welcomed a daughter named Enzo Elodie Barbara in 2021. It hasn't yet inspired many parents to use Enzo for their baby girls — there were only 6 in 2022 — but we could see this becoming as unisex as Ezra someday.

Not only stern and serious, but a little too severe.

Jentry is an upwardly-striving word name that's gaining ground for girls as a new spin on Jennifer or Jenna. If classy is what you're after, a name with a genuine pedigree would serve you better. Others spellings -- Jentri, Jentree, Jentreigh -- abound, presumably for parents who want to use the short form Jen or like Gentry but prefer girl names starting with J..