Chinese
1. Ai (f)
Pronunciation: Eye
Short and sweet. The meaning of this name changes depending on the accent. When spelled ài, the name means “love, affection.” However, ǎi means “friendly.” All around, it’s a pleasant name no matter how you say it.
2. Tao (m)
Pronunciation: Tao
The Chinese don’t need too many syllables or characters for a name to make a huge splash. Brief, yet bold, Tao translates to “large waves.”

French
3. Apolline (f)
Pronunciation: App-oh-LEEN
Who says only boys can be named after the son of Zeus? Certainly not the French. They’ve taken the god of music’s name and given it a feminine and melodic twist. Move over Apollo. Girls rule.
4. Rapier (m)
Pronunciation: Rah-pee-AY
This name is about as badass as it gets. Rapier is the term used for slim, pointy swords. Ladies with “bad-boy” fever will be swooning for sure.

German
5. Leisl (f)
Pronunciation: LEE-sl
Liesl has been cool since the Von Trapps sang their way into America’s hearts all those years ago. It almost sounds like the name Lisa, but that extra “sl” sound at the end gives it a fun twist that we don’t get to hear often in names that have more Anglo-Saxon based origins.
6. Peppi (m)
Pronunciation: PEH-pee
When you say this out loud doesn’t it just make you want to skip? Or, dare I say, make you want to add some pep to your step?

читать дальшеGreek
7. Cathenna (f)
Pronunciation: Cath-EN-na
This strong, bold, beautiful name is a variant of the name Athena. If you’re unsure of who Athena is, she just so happens to be the strong, bold and beautiful goddess of wisdom and war in Greek mythology.
8. Hrisovalantis (m)
Pronunciation: Hri-soh-vuh-LAN-tis
I know exactly what you’re thinking. “Gosh, this name sounds a lot like the name Chris.” Well, you’re on the right track. That’s because, in English, that’s exactly what this name translates to. Upon first glance it looks impossible to pronounce, but it’s phonetic, so it’s a lot easier than it looks.

Hawaiian
9. Malia (f)
Pronunciation: Muh-LI-yuh
It should be of no surprise that Barack Obama gifted his daughter with a name from his home state. It’s a sweet variant of the name Mary.
10. Ahe (m)
Pronunciation: Ah-HEH
The only onomatopoeic name on the list. Ahe nearly sounds like what it means, which is “soft breeze.”

Hungarian

11. Katoka (f)
Pronunciation: Ka-TO-ka
Just as its meaning is “pure,” the name Katoka is also a pure delight to say. It easily rolls off the tongue, but also has a warrior princess feel to it.
12. Arpad (m)
Pronunciation: AHR-pad
Speaking of warriors, if someone were to tell me that an Arpad is leading a charge against my enemies, I’d feel like I were in safe hands. It’s just as well, Arpad is also the name of a 9th-century Hungarian war hero.

Indian
13. Bhavika (f)
Pronunciation: BAH-vih-kah
Indian names always have the coolest sound, and this one is no different. Who wouldn’t want to introduce her to every passerby just for the sheer pleasure of getting to say her name over and over again?
14. Dev (m)
Pronunciation: Daiv
Alternate Pronunciation: “swag.” Just kidding. Dev oozes cool. While we may typically think of Indian names as being longer, this one is short and hip. And if it looks familiar to you, that’s because it belongs to a popular actor of the same name. Ever heard of “Slumdog Millionaire”?

Irish
15. Radha (f)
Pronunciation: ROH-a
In the English language we’re all for the silent consonant. This is next level though. These letters don’t correspond to the sounds that we’re familiar with. All the fun in Irish names lies in getting the pronunciation down—which tends to be quite simple in the end.
16. Seamus (m)
Pronunciation: SHAY-mus
Did your hearts skip a beat, Harry Potter fans? You’re welcome. There will always be great affection for the beloved, Gryffindor, Seamus. So go ahead, flutter away hearts, flutter away.

Israeli
17. Elanie (f)
Pronunciation: Eh-LAN-ee
For a name that means oak tree, it’s one of the lighter sounding names on this list. Elanie is rooted (sorry, had to) in strength and fortitude. It’s an airy feminine name with the strength of a forest to back it up.

Italian
19. Marielia (f)
Pronunciation: Ma-ri-EL-ee-ah
Like the Italian language itself, this name is very melodic. It’s a combination of both a female and a male name: Maria and Elia (Mary and Elijah). What’s not to love?

Japanese
21. Chiyo (f)
Pronunciation: CHEE-oh
In Japanese it means “a thousand generations,” which is both haunting and beautiful. It also might ring a bell for many, as it’s the name of the protagonist in the popular book and movie “Memoirs of a Geisha.”
22. Fumio (m)
Pronunciation: FOO-mee-oh
Doesn’t it have a bit of an Italian ring to it? Did you just imagine pasta and wine? The name is actually quite Japanese. It belonged to several notable people in Japan such as writers, musicians, politicians, artists and athletes.

Middle Eastern (Arabic)
24. Driss (m)
Pronunciation: Driss
The name alone evokes the image of a dude on a motorcycle, wearing aviator sunglasses and smoking a cigarette. Ironically though, Driss comes from the Arabic verb darassa which means “to study.” But studying is cool too, right? Yeah, you know what, scratch the irony. Let’s go with studying is cool.

Nigerian
25. Uchenna (f)
Pronunciation: Oo-CHEN-a
This euphonic bit of Nigerian goodness is perfect for the modern monotheist. It means “god’s will.” She’s got some big shoes to fill, but at least she’s got a great name she can flaunt while filling them.

Scottish
27. Ailsa (f)
Pronunciation: ALE-sah
Ailsa Craig is a tiny island off the coast of Scotland. The name Ailsa means “Island of Alfisigr.” Alfsigr means “elf victory,” so really, the name is quite enchanted on all fronts.
28. Coinneach (m)
Pronunciation: CON-ak
With a name that means “handsome” and sounds like the name of a popular brandy, this Scottish moniker screams masculinity.

Spanish
29. Adelina (f)
Pronunciation: A-deh-LEE-nah
Spanish names tend to always have a melodic sound that rolls off the tongue. This one is no different. It’s both sweet and grandiose, two traits anyone would want in a name.
30. Lucero (m)
Pronunciation: Loo-SER-oh
Latinos love light. For example, in Spanish when you say “to give birth,” you say dar a luz which literally means “to give light.” Also, Luz is a very popular name for girls in Spanish-speaking countries. So, there was no way the boys were being left out of this light show. Lucero is sure to shine with a name meaning “bright light” or “bright star.”

Vietnamese
31. Tuyet-Hanh (f)
Pronunciation: DWIT-hahn
Here’s another combo name. Tuyet means “snow” or “snow white” and Hanh means “apricot tree” (lucky it’s not an apple tree!). Lame joke aside, you’ll find that this exotic name is quite fun to say, and you’ll be wishing that you had a friend named Tuyet-Hanh so you could shout her name incessantly, like I do with my own Tuyet.
32. Vinh (m)
Pronunciation: Vin
Who doesn’t love a Vinny? Anytime Americans hear the name Vin or Vinny, we’re thinking of the actor Vin Diesel or a slick-talking Brooklynite. It’s unlikely that they make the same associations in Vietnam, but that doesn’t make the name any less exquisite.