Names That Are Variations

There will probably be lots of little namesakes after the fastest man in the world, Jamaican Olympic runner Usain Bolt--middle name St. Leo.

On the Latino Hit Parade, heard much more often than the English version.

While the Cailin spelling doesn't appear on popularity charts, other forms such as Kaylin and Kaylen do, along with several similar names, from Caitlin to Jalen to Kayla. The result: a name that feels more common than it actually is.

Birgit is pronounced with a hard 'g' and is one of the many international versions of the Irish Bridget. Birgit Nilsson was a celebrated Swedish operatic soprano.

With the current craze for ancient Roman names, variations of the Latin Augustus with its majestic meaning are becoming more popular in many cultures. Month name August, also drawn from the original Augustus, is the most popular form in the US, but Augusto may start showing up on international popularity lists.

Common transcription of Maria throughout Europe.

Central European form of Timothy, falling in popularity in Slovenia.

The way Wilhelm is pronounced anyway, so a pointless spelling variation.

Do you really want to name your baby after a car when there are so many other lex possibilities?

Kylah makes Kyla feel like an old biblical name, but it's only a reproduction, not a real antique.

Unusual Mary variety with literary underpinnings, most famously as a character in J.M. Synge's Riders to the Sea. You may have to do constant explaining of the spelling and pronunciation, but if you're looking for a distinctive and attractive form of Mary, you've found it.

Mendel is an Old World Jewish name that is also the surname of the founder of genetics.

This unusual form of Alexandra might be seen and pronounced as a combination of Alex and Anne.

Common in its native habitat, and worth consideration by parents in search of an authentic Irish name, though a pronunciation challenge.

A water nymph in Greek mythology, for which the Greek village of Lilaia is named.

With the still popular Allison ranking at Number 60 in the United States, and variant Alison sitting at Number 343—not to mention Allyson (Number 490 and Alyson (Number 835)—it makes sense that Alisson is still getting some attention from parents today, although it may unfortunately seem more like a spelling error than a legitimate name to some.

This international variation deserves its own listing for a winning combination of distinctiveness and simplicity.

Iskandar is one of the Arabic names for boysderived from a Western name.

This name of a renowned Apache leader and mystic would be a difficult choice, since it was used as a rallying cry in so many old westerns and by paratroopers jumping out of their planes in World War II.

A name sometimes used by Latino parents, perhaps relating to the popular Spanish TV mini-series of that name.