Names That Are Variations

That i adds some extra spunk to mega popular Avery. It also adds some pronunciation confusion (as it could be pronounced AV-er-ee or AV-er-eye). We suggest sticking with the original Avery.

Mariska Hargitay honored her Hungarian heritage when she used Miklos as one of the middle names for her son August in 2006.

Like twins Helene and Elaine, a relic of the 1930s to 40s French Renaissance of names.

One of the few versions of Elizabeth that hasn't translated here.

Giovanni is Italian for John, and Giovani is a not-really-correct spelling variation. Regardless, it has charted in the US for 16 of the past 17 years, peaking at Number 500 in 2011.

See LOUISE.

Rarely used cerebral-sounding name that is actually the Yiddish form of Ezekiel.

Galene is a minor goddess of Greek mythology, representing the calm seas. She is also sometimes referred to as Galatea.

This distinctive variation was chosen for their third daughter by the Eddie Murphys.

Melker, a modern phonetic spelling of ancient Three Wise Men name Melchior, is in the Swedish Top 100 though not used in the US, where it would be heard as "milker." Nickname Mel is not exactly a fashionable choice at the moment either.

The attractive actress Vivica A. Fox has done a lot to add this version of the name into the mix.

This version of the name with only one n does not have nearly the popularity of its sister. Unless you have a particular aversion to the fourteenth letter of the alphabet, it may be best to stick with Annabelle.

Ewart has long been extinct as a first name, and the prominent placement of "ew" and "wart" probably has something to do with it. Ewart originated as a Norman form of Edward and an occupational surname name. The surname was related to the Middle English word ewehirde, from the Old English components meaning "ewe" and "herdsman."

Musician Ry Cooder brought this short form into the lexicon -- his full name is Ryland -- and it feels more familiar now that more Ry- beginning names such as Ryder and Riley are, ahem, riding up the ranks. The Rye spelling makes it more of a word or a nature name and less of a nickname.

Itta is a cute old-fashioned name that arose parallelly as a nickname for Yehudit, used among Ashkenazi Jews, and a variation of Ita, an Irish name.

Sounding both tomboyish and feminine at the same time, this name is mostly associated with actresses Joely Richardson and Joely Fisher.

Pervasive in all Spanish-speaking cultures, Juanita, like Juana, has not emigrated.

Le Pew. We don't think so, although it's a megacommon nickname name in Latino countries.

Feodora is an interesting choice for the intrepid name giver, especially with its dynamic nickname, Feo (pronounced FAY-oh).