Mini Names

The average American name (based on 2010's top 1000) is 6 letters long. Boys' names are slightly more likely to be shorter (5.8 ± 1.3 characters); girls are slightly more likely to be longer (6.0 ± 1.3 characters). So, if you want a name that stands out, or you want to balance a long or complex last name, a short name is the way to go.

Boys:

• Áed (AID, Irish)--"fire", precursor to Aidan
• Alv (AHLV, Norwegian)--"elf"
• Anu (ah-nu, Sumerian)--Sumerian god of the heavens
• Ari (AH-ree, Hebrew, Scandinavian, Armenian)
• Asa (AY-sa, Hebrew)
• Avi (AH-vee, Hebrew)
• Cai/Kai (KYE, Welsh, Scandinavian, Hawaiian)
• Dai (DYE, Welsh)--"shine"
• Dax (DAKS, English)
• Dov (DOHV, Hebrew)--"bear"
• Ean (EE-an, Manx)--form of John
• Eli (EE-lye, Hebrew)
• Gil (GEEL, Hebrew)--"happiness"
• Ira (EYE-ra, Hebrew)
• Ivo (EE-voh, Germanic)
• Jay (JAY, Indian [Hindi])--"victory"
• Kir (KEER, Russian)--form of Cyrus
• Lir (LEER, Irish)--Irish god of the sea
• Paz (PAHZ, Hebrew)
• Sem (SEM, Dutch)
• Tyr (TIHR, Norse)--Norse god of justice & war
• Udo (OO-do, German)--form of Otto
• Uri (OO-ree, Hebrew)--"my light"
• Wyn (WIN, Welsh)--"blessed"

Girls:

• Adi (ah-DEE, Hebrew)--"jewel"
• Aki (ah-kee, Japanese)--"bright", "sparkle", or "autumn"
• Anu (AH-noo, Finnish)--form of Anna
• Aya (ah-ya, Japanese)--"design" or "color"
• Dua (doo-ah, Arabic)--"prayer"
• Eda (eyd-ah, Turkish)
• Eha (ay-ha, Estonian)--"dusk"
• Emi (em-ee, Japanese)--"blessing"
• Ena (EE-na, Irish)--traditionally spelled Eithne
• Eos (AY-ohs, Greek)--Greek goddess of the dawn
• Fay/Faye (FAY, English)--"fairy"
• Ida (EYE-da or EE-da, Germanic)
• Ila (ee-la, Indian [Hindi])
• Io (EYE-oh or EE-oh, Greek)
• Ivy (EYE-vee, English)
• Jaya (jah-yah, Indian [Hindi])--"victory"
• Liv (LEEV, Scandinavian)
• Mae/May (MAY, English)
• Mei (MAY, Chinese & Japanese)
• Mio (mee-oh, Japanese)
• Nia (NEE-ah, Welsh)--form of Niamh
• Noa (noh-ah, Biblical Hebrew, Japanese)
• Oda (OH-da, German)--feminine of Otto
• Rei (RAY, Japanese)--"bell" or "lovely"
• Rue (ROO, English)
• Una (OO-na, Irish & Scottish)
• Wynne (WIN, Welsh)--"blessed"

Usual Nickname, Unexpected Name: Annie

A good way to balance an unusual, rare, or heritage-name is with an easy, recognizable nickname. I plan on doing a series of these sorts of posts, and we'll start off with the sweet, timeless Annie. It's generally a nickname for the solid Anne or the Biblical Anna, but if you want something a little more spunky or eye-catching, here're some candidates.

• Anaïs (ah-nah-ees, French)
• Anandi (ah-nahn-dee, Indian [Hindi])--"happiness"
• Anastasia (ah-nah-STAY-see-ah, Russian & Greek)
• Anatolia (ah-nah-TOHL-ee-ah, Latin)--"sunrise"
• Anfisa (ahn-FEE-sah, Russian)--"flower"
• Aniela (ahn-YEL-ah, Polish)--form of Angela
• Anina (ah-NEE-nah, German)
• Anisa (ah-nee-sah, Arabic)--"friendly"
• Annelien (ah-nah-LEEN, Dutch)
• Annick (AHN-eek, Breton)
• Annora (an-NOR-a, English)--Medieval form of Honora
• Anouk (ah-NOOK, Dutch & French)
• Ansa (AHN-sa, Finnish)--"virtue"
• Anthea (an-THAY-ah, Greek)--"flower"
• Anwen (AN-wen, Welsh)
• Inanna (in-AHN-nah, Sumerian)
• Lisanne (lee-SAHN-neh, Dutch)
• Orianne (or-ee-an, French)--"golden"

More Subtle than Princess, Diamond, or Heaven

Your name reflects who you are, or what your parents wanted for you. Word names are funny things--some are seen as quirky, but acceptable. Others are scoffed at by a good portion of society. So, you want to name your daughter Queen, but want to make sure she won't legally change her name the nanosecond she turns 18? Here're some less overt choices:

• Adi (ah-DEE, Hebrew)--"jewel"
• Alina (ah-LEE-nah, Arabic)--"noble"
• Alya (AHL-ya, Arabic)--"heaven" or "sky"
• Anthea (an-THAY-ah, Greek)--"flower"
• Anwen (AHN-wen, Welsh)--"very beautiful"
• Astrid (AST-rid, Scandinavian)--"beautiful goddess"
• Bevin (BEY-vin, Irish)--"fair lady"
• Bijou (bee-zhoo, French)--"jewel"
• Calantha (cahl-AN-tha, Greek)--"beautiful flower"
• Despina (DEHS-pee-na, Greek)--"lady"
• Diantha (dye-AN-tha, Greek)--"heavenly flower"
• Dulcibella (dul-see-BELL-a, Latin)--"sweet and pretty"
• Donna (DAH-nah, Italian)--"lady"
• Eirian (eye-REE-an, Welsh)--"bright"
• Freya (FRAY-ah, Norse)--"lady", Norse goddess of love and beauty
• Gytha (GEETH-a, English)--"beautiful goddess"
• Inanna (in-AH-nah, Sumerian)--"lady of the sky", Sumerian goddess of love, earth, war, and fertility
• Ixchel (ee-SHEL, Mayan)--"rainbow lady", Mayan goddess of the moon, earth, and medicine
• Keeva (KEE-va, Irish)--"beautiful", traditionally spelled Caoimhe
• Líadan (LEE-ah-dahn, Irish)--"grey lady" 
• Mabel (MAY-bel, English)--"lovable"
• Malika (mah-lee-kah, Arabic)--"queen"
• Mio (mee-oh, Japanese)--"beautiful cherry blossom"
• Mona (MOH-na, Irish)--"little noble one"
• Naomi (nah-oh-mee, Japanese)--"honest and beautiful"
• Nerys (NEHR-iss, Welsh)--"lady"
• Neve (NEEV, Irish)--"bright", traditionally spelled Niamh
• Orla (OR-la, Irish)--"golden princess"
• Ourania (ou-RAN-ee-ah, Greek)--"heavenly", Greek muse of astronomy
• Peninnah (pen-IN-nah, Biblical Hebrew)--"precious stone"
• Rani (rah-nee, Indian [Hindi])--"queen"
• Regina (re-GEE-na, Latin)--"queen"
• Reina/Reyna (REY-na, Spanish)--"queen"
• Rhiannon (ree-AN-on, Welsh)--"great queen", Welsh goddess of the moon and fertility
• Ríona (ree-OH-nah, Irish)--"queen"
• Sarah (SAIR-a, Biblical Hebrew)--"princess"
• Talulla (tah-LOO-lah, Irish)--"princess of abundance"
• Theia (THAY-ah, Greek)--"goddess"
• Yakira (yah-KEER-ah, Hebrew)--"precious"
• Ziva (ZEE-va, Hebrew)--"radiant"