Names That Are Variations

A patriotic spin on Armie, with roughly the same meaning whether you consider it a variation or a totally separate word name.

Plausible name for parents with Slavic roots, known as the wife of Alexander the Great.

Iria is a diminutive version of Eirene / Irene and is therefore associated with the Greek goddess of peace.

So simple, yet so unique: a prime candidate for export. Pronunciation is like the English pair or pear.

Breccan may be the original saints' name, but in the modern U.S., the spelling Brecken is the most popular form, followed by Breckin. A winner by any spelling.

Aiden has spawned a legion of offshoots used mostly for boys but sometimes for girls too, and Kaidyn is one such name. Though it has been predominantly used on boys in recent years, it was given to girls almost equally in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

See SELENA.

Arleth has made the US Top 1000 twice — in 2005 and 2021 — thanks to telenovela star Arleth Terán.

Amori puts a feminine, nickname-y spin on the unisex Amory -- though the amiable name does not really need lightening up.

Has the two-syllable sound so popular for boys, though adding an apostrophe -- and turning it into D'Anton -- changes the name entirely.

Deriving from the names Sania, meaning "second" or Saniyya meaning "brilliant", it is the single Y spelling that has been preferred in the US, probably owing to its similarity to popular Aaliyah. The name entered the Top 1000 in 2004 but has been out of favor since 2019 when it disappeared from the charts. Still given to 150 girls each year however, it easily crosses cultures and gets you to the possible nickname Sunny.

Goodbye Uncle Vanya and hello...It Girl baby name? It's true — style icon Chloë Sevigny chose the name Vanja for her son, born in 2020. The name honors Vanja's paternal heritage — Chloë's partner is the Croatian-born gallerist Siniša Mačkovic.

The Turkish transcription of Furqan, another name for the Quran.

Josepha is less heard in this country than in other parts of the world, seen as a slightly awkward feminization a la Ricarda and Benjamina. In the U.S., Josephine or Joanna is the more usual feminine form of Joseph, though you might consider Josepha if you want to break rank.

Once a birth order name, now might work as a cool x-ending nickname. But be warned that it sounds very close to an unfortunate slang term.

This spelling variation of the Biblical place-name Sela is found on early American census roles, but Sela is more usual today. Cella is another early variation.

An attractive and rare alternative to Luke and Luca. Lucan is the Irish variation.

Amada is an unusual Spanish name that's becoming more famous thanks to Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes, who named their second daughter Amada Lee and their first Esmeralda Amada. Amada was also the name of two characters played by Mendes and, not coincidentally, her grandmother's name. In 2015, it was used for only 21 girls while brother name Amado was used for twice as many girls, but we predict the name will become more popular thanks to its new star power. Related names include the Latin saints' name Amatus, the musical Amadeo, and even Amy and Amanda.