Showing posts with label Igbo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Igbo. Show all posts

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Vowel-Names for Boys

It occurred to me the other day that I do a lot of 'names by construction' posts for girls, but not really many for boys. So then I had to think of what I could do--besides the overplayed -aidens, and surname-y -sons & -tons, boys' names don't really have a lot of distinct patterns.
However, while vowel-y names for girls are in abundance, there aren't a lot for boys....

  • Abijah (ah-BYE-jah, [Biblical] Hebrew)
  • Adamo (ah-DAH-moh, Italian)--form of Adam. Other forms include Adão (ah-DOW, Portuguese) and Akamu (ah-kah-moo, Hawaiian)
  • Adino (ah-dee-noh, [Biblical] Hebrew)
  • Adlai (AD-lay, AD-lye, [Biblical] Hebrew)
  • Aimo (EYE-moh, Finnish)--"good, real"
  • Aldo (AHL-doh, English, Italian, Swedish)
  • Alejo (ah-LEH-hoh, Spanish)--form of Alexis. Other forms include Aleksey (Russian), Aleksi (Finnish), & Alessio (Italian)
  • Arlo (AR-loh, English)
  • Asa (AY-sah, [Biblical] Hebrew)
  • Elio (EL-yoh, Italian)--from Greek, "sun"
  • Eliseo (eh-lee-ZEH-oh, Italian; eh-lee-SEH-oh, Spanish)
  • Eloy (eh-LOY, Spanish)--from Latin, "chosen". French form is Éloi (AYL-wah). 
  • Ezio (ETS-yoh, Italian)--from Latin, "eagle"
  • Iago (ee-AH-goh, English, Portuguese; YAH-goh, Welsh)--form of Jacob. Spanish form is Yago
  • Ibai (ee-bye, Basque)--"river"
  • Ingo (EEN-goh, German)
  • Ithai (ith-EYE, [Biblical] Hebrew)--"with me". Also transliterated as Ittai or Itai.
  • Ivailo (ee-VYE-loh, Bulgarian)--prob. "wolf". Also transliterated as Ivaylo.
  • Obadiah (oh-bah-DYE-ah, [Biblical] Hebrew)
  • Obi (OH-bee, Igbo)--"heart"
  • Omri (AHM-ree, [Biblical] Hebrew)
  • Orsino (or-SEE-noh, Italian)--from Latin "bear". Another form is Orso.  
  • Otto (AH-toh, English, Danish, German, OH-toh, Swedish)--from Germanic, "wealth". Other forms include Ottone (Italian) & Udo (German). 
  • Yermolai (YEHR-moh-lye, Russian)--also transliterated as Ermolai.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Modern but Not (girls)

Girls' name-trends are more nickname-driven apparently, and shorten to Addy, Maddy, Emma, Bella, Ella, or Lily (mostly skipping these, as they're covered in other posts). Girls' names are also more likely to start with A, K, Z; contain H, K, X, Y, Z, ; and end in 'lee' [and to a lesser extent, 'ee' in general], 'aya', or 'ia'.


  • Abigaia (ah-bee-GYE-ah, Greek [Biblical])--form of Abigail
  • Acacia (ah-KAY-shah, English)
  • Adannaya (ah-dah-NAH-yah, Igbo)--"her father's daughter"
  • Alaia (ah-lah-yah, Basque)--"happy"
  • Antheia (an-THAY-ah, Greek)--original form of Anthea
  • Araceli (ah-rah-SEH-lee, Spanish)
  • Arlie (AR-lee, English)
  • Atalia (ah-TAHL-yah, Hebrew)
  • Aviya (ah-vee-YAH, Hebrew)
  • Aya (ah-yah, Japanese, Hebrew, Arabic)
  • Caelia (SAY-lee-ah, English; CHAY-lee-ah or KYE-lee-ah, Latin)--"heaven"
  • Clelia (CLEHL-yah, Italian)
  • Deòiridh (JOR-ee, Scottish)
  • Eilidh (AY-lee, Scottish)--form of Helen or Eleanor
  • Evelia (eh-VEH-lee-ah, Spanish)
  • Freya (FRAY-ah, English)--from Norse, "lady"
  • Gioia (JOY-ah, Italian)
  • Idriya (ee-dree-ah, Hebrew)
  • Iole (ee-OH-lee, EYE-ah-lee, Greek)--"violet"
  • Junia (JOO-nee-ah, Latin)
  • Kamaria (kah-mah-REE-ah, Swahili)--from Arabic, "moon"
  • Keziah (keh-ZYE-ah, English)--from Hebrew "cassia spice"
  • Kyveli (kih-VEL-ee, Greek)
  • Laelia (LAY-lee-ah, English; LYE-lee-ah, Latin)
  • Lígia (LEE-zhee-ah, Portuguese)
  • Magali (mah-gah-LEE, French)--form of Magdalene/Madeline. Also spelled Magalie.
  • Mahalia (mah-HAY-lee-ah, English)--from Hebrew, "lyre"
  • Marsaili (MAR-sah-lee, Scottish)
  • Melia (MEL-ee-ah, Greek)--"honey"
  • Micaiah (mee-kah-yah, Hebrew)
  • Minali (MEE-nah-lee, Hindi)
  • Mireia (mee-RAY-ah, Spanish)--also spelled Mireya.
  • Nephele (NEF-el-ee, Greek)
  • Noya (noh-yah, Hebrew)--"beauty"
  • Priya (PREE-ah, Hindi)--"beloved"
  • Rheia (RAY-ah, Greek)--original form of Rhea.
  • Riya (REE-ah, Hindi)--"singer"
  • Suraya (soo-RAH-yah, Arabic)
  • Tacey (TAY-see, English)--from Latin, "quiet"
  • Taisiya (tah-EE-see-ah, Russian)
  • Thulile (too-lee-leh, Zulu)--"quiet"
  • Velia (VEHL-yah, Italian)

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Usual Nickname, Unexpected Name: Addy

In bygone days, Addy was a nickname for the multicultural Adelaide. Today, she's much more likely to be short for the modern Addison. Addy-names are all rising in popularity, from the romantic Adelina to the modern creation Adalee to the "does it really need a nickname?" Adele. If you love the nickname, but want a more uncommon name to fall back on in a sea of Addys, here're some choices for you.

  • Adamina (a-dah-MEE-nah, English)
  • Adanna (ad-AN-ah, Nigerian [Igbo])
  • Adara (ah-DAR-ah, Hebrew)--"noble"
  • Adelais (ad-el-AH-ees, Germanic)
  • Adelia (ah-DEL-ee-ah, Spanish)
  • Adelita (ah-del-EE-tah, Spanish)
  • Adena/Adina (ah-DEE-nah, Hebrew)
  • Aderyn (ah-DER-in, Welsh)--"bird"
  • Adilet (ah-dih-let, Kyrgyz)--"justice"
  • Adrasteia (ah-dras-TAY-ah, Greek)--"doesn't run away"