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 2 of 18. Origin labels follow the cited name sense; earlier roots and uncertain meanings are explained on each name page.

Ālok

Borrowed from Sanskrit आलोक (āloka).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends K

Alon

Two main origins: * Borrowed from Hebrew אַלּוֹן (alon, “oak tree”). * Borrowed from Tagalog Alon; this surname is predominantly found in Bangsamoro region.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Aly

A male given name from Arabic, a variant spelling of the Muslim Ali.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Y

Alya

A variation of Aliye.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Amar

Borrowed from Sanskrit अ॒म॒र (amará).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Ambā

Borrowed from Sanskrit अम्बा (ambā). Doublet of अम्मा (ammā).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ā

Amey

Variant spelling of Amy, from Old French or Latin.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Y

Amie

A female given name from Latin, a less common spelling of Amy.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends E

Amin

Borrowed from Arabic أَمِين (ʔamīn). Borrowed from Arabic أَمِين (ʔamīn).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Amir

From Arabic أَمِير (ʔamīr, “commander, prince”). Doublet of amir, emir, admiral, and amira.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Amit

Transliteration of Hindi अमित (amit), Marathi अमित (amit), Gujarati અમિત (amit), Bengali অমিত (omito), etc. Transliteration of Hebrew עָמִית ('amít). Borrowed from Sanskrit…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends T

Amos

From Biblical Hebrew עמוס (Amos, “to carry; a burden”). Possibly from Biblical Hebrew עמוס (Amos, “to carry; a burden”). a male given name from Hebrew עָמוֹס (“to carry a…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Amós

Borrowed from Latin Amos, from Hebrew עמוס.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends S

Amŕt

Borrowed from Sanskrit अमृत (amṛ́ta). Distantly related to English ambrosia.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends T

Amy

Anglicized form of Old French Amee (modern French Aimée), which was both a nickname and a form of the Latin name Amata (“beloved”).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Y

An

Sino-Vietnamese word from 安.

Gender: neutral
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends N

Ân

Sino-Vietnamese word from 恩.

Gender: neutral
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends N

Ấn

Sino-Vietnamese word from 印.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends N

Aná

a female given name from Ancient Greek [in turn from Biblical Hebrew], equivalent to English Anah.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Á

Anar

Borrowed from Arabic أَنَارَ (ʔanāra) or Classical Persian انار (anār). Thought to be popularized by Rəsul Rza.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends R

Ane

From English Anne and French Anne. Doublet of Ana and Hanna.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends E

Angi

From Greek; compare Angie.

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Anh

Sino-Vietnamese word from 英. As for the country name, contracted from Chinese 英國 /英国 (Anh quốc, “United Kingdom”), from Chinese 英 (Anh) (as in Mandarin 英吉利 (Yīngjílì, Anh Cát…

Gender: neutral
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends H

Ánh

Sino-Vietnamese word from 映.

Gender: neutral
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends H

Ania

a female given name from Russian Аня (Anja), equivalent to English Anya

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Anil

Borrowed from Hindi अनिल (anil), Marathi अनिल (anil), Kannada ಅನಿಲ್ (anil), Tamil அனில் (aṉil), Malayalam അനിൽ (anil), Bengali অনিল (onil), Nepali अनिल (anil), Urdu اَنِیل…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends L

Anīś

Learned borrowing from Classical Sanskrit अनीश (anīśa).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ś

Anja

From Russian А́ня (Ánja).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Ann

From Late Latin Anna chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate in reference to Anna the Prophetess, from Koine…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends N

Anna

From Late Latin Anna both directly and via numerous other languages, chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Anne

From French Anne (“Ann”), from Late Latin Anna chiefly in reference to St Anne the apocryphal mother of Mary mother of Jesus but appearing in the Vulgate in reference to Anna…

Gender: mixed
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends E

Añś

Borrowed from Sanskrit अंश (áṃśa).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends Ś

Añśu

Borrowed from Sanskrit अंशु (aṃśu).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends U

Anuj

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit अनुज (anuja).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends J

Anūp

Borrowed from Sanskrit अनूप (anūpa).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends P

Aodh

From Old Irish Áed, from áed (“fire”). From Old Irish Áed, from áed (“fire”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends H

Ara

Borrowed from Armenian Արա (Ara).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Ārav

Borrowed from Sanskrit आरव (ārava).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends V

Ares

From Ancient Greek Ἄρης (Árēs).

Gender: neutral
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends S

Ari

Of the first sense, derives directly from Hebrew: אֲרִי (arí, “lion”); compare Yiddish: לייב (leyb, “Leib”), English: Leo, Leon, French: Léo, Léon, Czech: Lev, Polish: Lew,…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Aria

As a 21st century English name from TV and fantasy fiction, explained as "a musical aria". Similar sounding names exist in many languages, e.g. Ariah and Arie from Hebrew, Arya…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 3 syllables
Ending: ends A

Arie

Borrowed from Hebrew אַרְיֵה (aryé, “lion”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends E

Arif

Borrowed from Arabic عَارِف (ʕārif, “knowing”), active participle of عَرَفَ (ʕarafa, “to know”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends F

Arja

Apparently invented by Eino Leino (who originally used it as a male name) or L. Onerva, for characters in early 20th century poems. Perhaps coined as a variant of Irja (also…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Arlo

From Italian.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends O

Armi

Shortened from Italian Armida (perhaps inspired by the Torquato Tasso poem Jerusalem Delivered), also associated with Armas (“beloved”). Not related to an older male given name…

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Arne

For the given name, a short form of Old Norse compound names beginning with arn- (“eagle”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends E

Arno

Variant of Aarno, or directly from German Arno and/or North Germanic languages (such as Swedish Arne).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends O

Aron

A male given name from Hebrew, a less common spelling of Aaron. a male given name from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן ('Ahărōn), equivalent to English Aaron

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Áron

a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Aaron

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Arsi

Karelian form of the Russian saints' name Арсений (Arsenij), ultimately from Ancient Greek Ἀρσένιος (Arsénios). Cognate with the English historical name Arsenius.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends I

Art

From Old Irish art (“bear”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 1 syllable
Ending: ends T

Arun

Borrowed from Sanskrit अरुण (aruṇa).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends N

Aruṇ

Borrowed from Sanskrit अरुण (aruṇa).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ṇ

Ary

A male given name from Hebrew, of Jewish usage, variant of Arieh.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Y

Arya

Borrowed from Javanese Arya, from Sanskrit आर्य (ā́rya, “noble; noble one”).

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Asa

Via Late Latin Asa from Koine Greek Ἀσά (Asá) from Biblical Hebrew אָסָא (ʾĀsāʾ), from Aramaic אָסְיָא (ʾāsyā, “physician, doctor, healer”), from Akkadian 𒀀𒍪 (A.ZU /⁠asû⁠/)…

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

Āśā

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit आशा (āśā). Doublet of आस (ās). Cognate with Bengali আশা (aśa), Assamese আশা (axa), Manipuri ꯑꯥꯁꯥ (ʼāsā), and Odia ଆଶା (āśā).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends Ā

Asaf

A variant of Asaph.

Gender: masculine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends F

Asha

Borrowed from Sanskrit आशा (āśā, “hope, wish”).

Gender: feminine
Syllables: 2 syllables
Ending: ends A

short names

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