Names That Are Variations

The further you move away from the original Briana, the feminine form of Brian first used by Edmund Spenser in The Faerie Queen, the more invented and less authentic you get. But many parents want the distance from Brian as Breanna -- or Breana or Breeanna or any of the other variations -- feels more like its own name.

Isabetta is a charming spin on both the Elizabeth and Isabella families and a new way to go if you love the originals but want something more, well, original. Isabetta Rose is the name chosen by Amber and Rob Mariano for their daughter. If you're searching for Italian names for girls that make an easy transition to the English-speaking world, this should be high on your list.

Variant of Kathleen

Once considered too sacred to give to children in Ireland, it is now among the most common names there, along with variants including Pauric and Padraic. Basketball great Patrick Ewing used it for his son.

This Cornish variant of Isolde is rare even in the UK - but that's part of its charm. Like Isolde, Eseld is generally thought to mean "ice battle", a meaning sure to be pleasing to a little girl in this age of all things "Frozen".

Less popular than Camden by a lot and Kamdyn by a little. The prominent trend of substituting other vowels with a y continues to propel new spellings of names up the popularity list, which was the case when Camdyn made its first appearance on the US Top 1000 in 2010.

Bright and pretty, resembling Aaliyah, Delilah, Amaya and Sarah, Sariyah is a celestial and stylish choice,

Variation of Gorou.

Usher put this spin on an attractive and popular Iranian name when he chose it for his son.

Oceania is one of the most elaborate of the trending Ocean-related names. Oceania also refers to the area of the world including Australia and neighboring islands.

A Gaelic form of Jane which shares its simple, sleek look – but is much rarer. The Anglicized form Sheena peaked at #80 in the US in 1984, inspired by singer Sheena Easton.

Lyrica has a nice, melodious sound — which is exactly what Pfizer thought when coming up with their trade name for the drug Pregabalin.

Mottel, also spelled Motl or Motel, was once a common Yiddish name in Ashkenazi Jewish communities. It's never been recorded on the US charts, but the feminine variation, Mattel, is beginning to rise in religious families.

That extra a adds a world of grace to this name.

Isabel and Isabella are everywhere - but here is a variation that is both unusual and familiar.

Dashing and highly unusual variation does the feminine original one better by sounding both more modern and more usable. Or you can spell it Monaco and call it a place name.

Variant form of Khalil common in Turkey.