short names

Short names are compact, easy to scan, and often useful for middle-name pairing.

Documented languageCountry of recorded useLanguage origin

Country filters use published naming records, currently mainly US data. Language origin is separate: a French-origin name can be recorded in many countries.

1,027 names · Page 1 of 18. Origin labels follow the cited name sense; earlier roots and uncertain meanings are explained on each name page.

Aake

From Old Norse Áki, probably via Old Swedish [Term?] or Old Danish [Term?]. It has also been used as a nickname for several names beginning with A, such as Aarne, Akseli,…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends E

Aamu

From aamu (“morning”). First used as a given name in 1899.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends U

Aava

From aava (“open sea”), occasionally recorded since early 20th century. Popularised in the 2000s decade partly through association with the fashionable English Ava.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Abaz

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish عباس (ʼabbas), from Arabic عَبَّاس (ʕabbās, literally “frowning; lion”). For the final /z/ compare abanoz. Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish عباس…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Z

Abby

Borrowed from English Abby in the 20th century. Borrowed from English Abby.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Y

Abed

From Arabic عَابِد (ʕābid, “servant, worshipper”)

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends D

Abel

English Abel From Middle English Abel, from Old English Ābel, from Latin Abel, from Ancient Greek Ἅβελ (Hábel), from Biblical Hebrew הֶבֶל (Héḇel, “Abel”), possibly from the…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L

Ábel

From Hebrew הבל (Hebel).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L

Ābhā

Borrowed from Sanskrit आभा (ābhā).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ā

Ābid

Borrowed from Classical Persian عابد ('ābid), itself from Arabic عَابِد (ʕābid).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends D

Acal

Borrowed from Sanskrit अचल (acala).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L

Ā̃cal

Inherited from Prakrit 𑀅𑀁𑀘𑀮 (aṃcala), from Sanskrit अञ्चल (añcala). Compare Awadhi आँचर (ā̃car), Braj आँचर (ā̃car). Doublet of अँचला (ãclā) and अंचल (añcal).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L

Aćim

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἰωακείμ (Iōakeím), from Biblical Hebrew יְהוֹיָקִים (Yəhōyāqīm).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends M

Aclā

Borrowed from Sanskrit अचला (acalā).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ā

Acme

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἀκμή (Akmḗ).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends E

Ada

Short form of Germanic names beginning with adal (“noble”), such as Adelaide. Also Latinized form of Hebrew Adah. The programming language takes its name from Ada Lovelace. a…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Adah

From Hebrew עָדָה (adá, “Adah”, literally “ornament, dawn”).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends H

Adam

Middle English Adam English Adam From Middle English Adam, from Old English Adam, from Latin Adam, Adamus, from Ancient Greek Ἀδάμ (Adám), Ἄδαμος (Ádamos), from Biblical Hebrew…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends M

Àdam

Borrowed from Hebrew אָדָם (adam, “earth, man, soil, light brown”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends M

Ādam

Borrowed from Classical Persian آدَم (ādam), borrowed from Arabic آدَم (ʔādam), borrowed from Biblical Hebrew אָדָם (āḏā́m), from Proto-Semitic *ʔadam-.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends M

Adan

Borrowed from Spanish Adán, ultimately from Hebrew אָדָם (adam, “earth, man, soil, light brown”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Adán

Borrowed from Hebrew אָדָם (adam, “earth, man, soil, light brown”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Adão

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese Adan, from Latin Ādām, Ādāmus, from Ancient Greek Ἀδάμ (Adám), Ἄδαμος (Ádamos), from Biblical Hebrew אָדָם (adam, “earth, man, soil,…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends O

Adda

a male given name from Hebrew אדום (“red”), equivalent to English Adam

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Adel

Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *aþalaz. The female name is a rare variant of Adele. The surname is borrowed from German Adel. Variant of Adil, from Arabic عَادِل (ʕādil).

Gender: mixed
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L

Adél

From French Adèle.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L

Adem

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish آدم (adem).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends M

Âdem

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish آدم (Âdem), from Arabic آدَم (ʔādam). Doublet of adam

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends M

Adəm

From Arabic آدَم (ʔādam).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends M

Adi

From Javanese Adi, from Sanskrit अधि (adhi).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Agus

From Malay Agus, from Classical Malay اݢوس (Agus), from bagus.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Ahab

From Middle English Achab, from Latin Achab, from Ancient Greek Ἀχαάβ (Akhaáb), from Hebrew אַחְאָב (ʼAḥʼāḇ, “uncle”); from אַח (ʼaḥ, “brother”) + אָב (ʼāḇ, “father”). Attested…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends B

Ahu

Borrowed from Classical Persian آهو (āhū).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends U

Ai

From Japanese あい (Ai).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends I

Aida

Borrowed from Italian Aida, made famous by Giuseppe Verdi's opera Aida, which premiered in 1871. From Italian Aida.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Aída

Borrowed from Italian Aida.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Aina

Popularized by Zachris Topelius's poem Ljungblommar (1845), as a name commonly used by Swedish-speaking Finns. Possibly coined from a dialectal variant of ainoa (“only”). Now…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Áine

A derivative of Old Irish án (“bright, brilliant; splendid, noble”).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends E

Aini

Variant of Aino, Aina.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Aino

From aino, a poetic variant of ainoa (“only, sole”), also in the sense “unique”. The name was coined by Finnish physician and philologist Elias Lönnrot, the editor of the…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends O

Airi

Invented at the end of the 19th century, either from airut (“herald”), or from place names like Airisto, Airikka (both also found as surnames), Airiselkä, at least some of them…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Ajax

From Latin Aiāx, from Ancient Greek Αἴᾱς (Aíās).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends X

Ajay

Transliteration of Hindi अजय (ajay), etc. Learned borrowing from Sanskrit अजय (ajaya, “victorious; undefeatable”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Y

Ajīt

Borrowed from Sanskrit अजीत (ajīta).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends T

Ājñā

Borrowed from Sanskrit आज्ञा (ājñā, “order, command, authority”).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ā

Ākāś

Borrowed from Sanskrit आकाश (ākāśa).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ś

Åke

From Old Norse Áki, diminutive of Proto-Norse *ᚨᚾᚢᛉ (*anuʀ, “ancestor”), from Proto-Germanic *anô (as in the first part of the name Olaf). By folk etymology sometimes…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends E

Áki

From Old Norse Áki, diminutive of Proto-Norse *ᚨᚾᚢᛉ (*anuʀ, “ancestor”) (as in the first part of the name Ólafur).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Akio

Borrowed from Japanese あきお (Akio). Borrowed from Japanese あきお (Akio).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends O

Alan

From Old Breton Alan, name of early Breton saints, of disputed origin and meaning; brought to England by Normans. It may have been the name of a Celtic deity, the brother of…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Alba

From Spanish Alba, ultimately from the same origin as Etymology 1 and 2.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Alco

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἄλκων (Álkōn).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends O

Aldo

Borrowed from Italian Aldo.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends O

Alex

Clipping of Alexander, from Ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος (Aléxandros) 'he who wards off men', i.e. protector, possibly of Hittite origin. Also from Alexius, from the same Ancient…

Gender: neutral
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends X

Ali

From Arabic عَلِيّ (ʕaliyy, literally “high, exalted”), from the Arabic root ع ل ي (ʕ l y). From Arabic عَلِيّ (ʕaliyy). From Arabic عَلِيّ (ʕaliyy) as a Muslim name. From…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Alī

Borrowed from Classical Persian عَلِی (alī), from Arabic عَلِيّ (ʕaliyy).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ī

Alif

Borrowed from Classical Persian الف (alif), from Arabic أَلِف (ʔalif).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends F

Aliz

a female given name from French, equivalent to English Alice

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Z

Alíz

a female given name from French, equivalent to English Alice

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Z

Alma

Usually explained as Latin alma (“nourishing, kind”). It has also been used as a short form of Germanic compound names beginning with the element Amal-, as in Amelia. From…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

short names

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