Names That Mean People

A much more dynamic nickname than Nicky for any of the Nic-names. Nico was chosen by Thandiwe Newton for her daughter.

Nicola may be more familiar as a female name in English-speaking countries, but it's a popular classic choice for Italian baby boys – currently just outside the Top 50 there. A historic bearer is Nicola Pisano, a renowned and influential thirteenth century sculptor.

Sekani was the fastest-rising boy name of 2019, inspired by the character Sekani Carter in the 2018 movie The Hate U Give.

Pronounced TEE-bow, this version, which is also a very common surname in France, has a lot more charm than the name it derives from — Theobald. A variant spelling is Thibaut.

Nicolo is a more lively variation of Nicholas and one of the most attractive Italian names for boys. A name with a long, distinguished Italian history of its own, it also boasts the charming nickname Nico.

This Slavic classic name might begin to make its mark with American parents, what with the growing popularity of the short form Mila. Borne by a tenth century saint who had been a princess from Bohemia, Ludmila is widely used in Russia, Ukraine and Bulgaria.

Seneca was both a Roman philosopher-statesman and is a Native American Iroquois tribe. Occasionally used for both girls and boys, Seneca is now a Hunger Games character.

This name's popularity peaked in the 1930s in the mid 600s - but we think it is time for a reconsideration. Arvin feels more modern than similar names like Marvin and Alvin. It also boasts a beautiful meaning and defies easy shortening (which is an asset to many parents who choose a name because they want it to be used!).

Amiel is a biblical name with lots of connections to those with a creative spirit, including director Jon Amiel, French pop singer Thierry Amiel, and medieval troubadour Gaubert Amiel. Ami (which means friend in French) is an obvious (and beautiful) nickname option.

While the most famous Channing is the very male Channing Tatum, the name is now given about a third of the time for girls. It makes an attractive surname-name for either gender.

Nikola is generally masculine in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Macedonia, while in Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia and the Czech Republic it is usually feminine.

A slightly more approachable take on Nicodemus that boasts the very-cool nickname Niko.

Once the teenaged babysitter, now more likely to be the mom who hires her. The names many variations include Nickee, Nickie, Nickey, Nicky, Niki, Nikkee, Nikkey, Nikki, Nikkie, Nikky, and Niky.

Milla originated as a diminutive of names like Camilla and Ludmilla, but has since become well established as a name in its own right in several European countries. Milla Jovovich is a Ukrainian-born actress and supermodel, while Milla is also used for a character in the novel and musical adaptation, Wicked.

This rare French name was made a little more familar via French soccer player Ludivine Diguelman, golfer Ludivine Krautz and actress Ludivine Sagnier.

Sad tinge to the name of the beautiful German city firebombed during World War II. Its name derives from Sorbian drezga, meaning "forest".

This is a great American name that deserves more attention from parents looking for a name that balances a soft sound with a more traditionally masculine cowboy image.

This form of Theodoric, familiar via Marlene, is a possible German import. It is an Anglicized ancestor of Derek and all its variations. A noted bearer was acclaimed classical German baritone and conductor Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and there have been Dietrichs in Henry James's The Princess Casamassima,/em and more recently on the TV show Psych.

Related to the Russian name Nikolai, this is a fresh and worldly form of a popular favorite.

Similar in sound to the French "Thibault", which is far more popular, Tybalt is best known as the bloodlustful and brawling cousin of Juliet in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Perhaps this connotation has kept parents from using Tybalt. However, given the recent fad for all things Theo, Tybalt might offer a familiar yet unusual option for parents who like the meaning but want to swim against the current. Cute nicknames Ty and Tibby might also appeal.