Names That Are Variations

The saintly Italian form of the saintly Latin Benedicta.

It may surprise Americans to hear that Ulrik is a fashionable choice elsewhere in the world, as U is the least-used letter for given names in the US. In recent years, Ulrik has been one of the fastest-rising names in Norway.

Brother for Heaven or Nevaeh.

Russian Uncle Vanya becomes niece Vanja in Sweden: an intriguing switch.

This variation draws more from Eva than from Eve, which might lead to pause as to whether it should be said EHV-eh-lin or EEV-eh-lin. While the former is more popular in the US, both pronunciations are in use, so an Evalyn might need to explain.

Tatyana, an alternate spelling of the lovely Tatiana, definitely has its followers.

Strong and appealing Armenian choice, but could be confused with Owen.

Xaviera is one of the most intriguing and rarest female forms of a male name. Only a handful of baby girls are named Xaviera in the US each year, compared with nearly 3500 baby boys named Xavier.

Like its parent name Elijah and the related Elliot, this has potential for girls. It shares sounds with Eliza, Delilah, and Iris, along with established unisex choices, like Ellis, Emery, and Eden. Given to only a small handful of girls every year, it is not a popular choice just yet. If you do enjoy the idea, Lilias, Eirlys, Clovis, Micah, or Micaiah might appeal too.

Able takes this name in the direction of the word denoting someone capable and handle, and that is not a bad way to go.

Esfir is a warm and traditional Russian name that derives from Esther. It might appeal to parents with Russian ancestry or those looking for a rarer alternative to Esther.

A name from the East African Kikuyu language with a sweet meaning; and a simplified spelling of McKenna.

Much fresher Irish imports available for colleens now.

The Kodi spelling of Cody, a gender neutral name that was in the Top 25 for boys in the early 90s and also on the Top 1000 for girls, found new life recently via actor Kodi Smit-McPhee and also the newborn daughter of singer Kane Brown. While a new spelling does not exactly make Kodi a new name, it may get some fresh attention now.

This classic, handsome Arabic name — cognate of the Hebrew Ishmael — was chosen by Tan and Rob France for their son born in 2021. Ismail is the preferred spelling in England, Germany, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Turkey, while Ismael ranks higher in countries with native Spanish speakers, including the US.

In Swedish, Sölvi is a feminine name and variation of Solveig. The Icelandic masculine form evolved from Sǫlvi, an Old Norse name no longer in use.

Appealing Daniel diminutive, similar to other Russian names like Vanya and Ilya.

A venerable name closer to MELISSA than the original MILLICENT.

Unless you're Nordic, probably best to stick with Michael if you want to avoid a life of confusion and misspelling.

This is a Scottish pet form of John, the equivalent of Jack in England. Has long been used as a generic name for a Scotsman, here it's a generic name for a--well--jock.