100 Foreign Names for Boys and Girls with Meanings

In this ever-connected global world, the boundaries of traditions and beliefs have changed. For parents looking for foreign girl & boy names, the choices are more exciting than ever. Unlike earlier days, where tradition or culture dictated a person’s name, having an international baby name for your kid in this modern world can be considered to be a good option. For parents seeking unique and diverse options, foreign baby names from around the world offer a wonderful way to celebrate different cultures, traditions, and languages.

Whether you’re inspired by the melodic sounds of Italian, the charm of Scandinavian names, or the depth of names from Asian, African, and Middle Eastern origins, the list is endless. Today’s naming trends embrace creativity, global influences, and personal meaning, allowing families to choose names that truly resonate. Read on to find some attractive and beautiful foreign baby names for your kid.

Foreign Boy Names

Foreign boy names offer a variety of unique and interesting choices from different cultures around the world. Take a look at some unique foreign male names for your child:

1. Adrian

2. Aaron

Aaron is a name of Hebrew origin which refers to ‘lofty, high mountains’.

3. Alvaro

Alvaro is a Spanish name that means “guardian”, often associated with strength, responsibility, and leadership.

4. Antonio

Antonio is a baby boy name which has an Italian origin. The name is used to signify that someone is ‘beyond praise’.

5. Alexei

Alexi is a cool baby boy name that means ‘defender or warrior’. It has Russian roots.

6. Aziz

Aziz is an Arabic name meaning “beloved”, frequently used in Muslim cultures and signifying strength and affection.

7. Brayden

Brayden is a name of Irish origin, and it refers to ‘hillsides’.

8. Coinneach

This Scottish name is pronounced as ‘CON-ak’. It refers to the quality of being handsome.

9. Dmitri

10. Devin

This is a classy name that is used by the French for their boys. The name means ‘divine’ or ‘perfection’.

11. Diarmuid

Diarmuid is an Irish baby boy name that means ‘a free man’. 

12. Diego

Diego is an attractive name of Spanish origin, and it literally translates to ‘the famous bearer’. It is one of the most popular foreign baby names.

13. Dion

Dion is of Greek origin, meaning “child of heaven and Earth” or “follower of Dionysus,” the Greek god of wine and revelry.

14. Driss

This name originates from Middle Eastern Arabic regions. It means ‘to study’.

15. Elio

Elio is an Italian and Spanish name derived from the Greek word “Helios,” meaning “sun,” symbolising warmth and light.

16. Eoin

This is a popular Gaelic name that means ‘god is gracious’.

17. Ethan

This is a Hebrew name which means ‘strong’.

18. Fabien

This is a popular baby name of Roman origin which means ‘determined and independent’.

19. Fumio

Fumio is a Japanese name that doesn’t have a specific meaning and shifts meanings depending on the usage of logographic characters. A number of influential Japanese people have held this attractive name to themselves.

20. Giovanni

Giovanni is a popular Italian baby boy name that means ‘God is Gracious’

21. Hugo

Hugo is a simple name of Spanish origin. It basically means ‘intelligent’.

22. Ivo

Ivo is a name of Germanic origin, meaning “yew tree,” which is often associated with strength, endurance, and resilience.

23. Laszlo

Laszlo is a Hungarian name meaning “famous leader,” often representing power, leadership, and honour.

24. Laurent

Laurent is a baby boy name having French roots that mean ‘the bright one’.

25. Leif

Leif is of Scandinavian origin, meaning “heir”, and is linked to adventurous and pioneering figures in history.

26. Luciano

Luciano is an Italian and Spanish name that means “light” or “born of light,” symbolising brightness and clarity.

27. Marcello

Marcello means ‘little warrior’ and has Italian origin.

28. Marco

Marco is a name from German origin, which refers to ‘a brave and warring class of men’.

29. Moshe

This is an Israeli name that shares a relationship with the name ‘Moses’, the legendary Biblical figure.

30. Odin

Odin is a powerful Norse name, meaning “inspiration,” named after the chief god in Norse mythology known for wisdom and war.

31. Ronan

Ronan is an Irish name that means “little seal,” symbolising protection and often linked to Irish mythology and nature.

32. Soren

Soren is a Scandinavian name derived from Latin, meaning “severe,” and often linked to strength and seriousness.

33. Steffan

Steffan is a Welsh name that refers to ‘a crown’ or ‘a wreath’.

34. Syed

Syed is an Arabic name that means ‘sir master’. It also means ‘direct descendants of the prophet Mohammed.

35. Tadgh

Tagdh is a name having Irish as well as Persian roots and means ‘storyteller’.

36. Tao

This one-syllable Chinese name has an impactful meaning. It refers to ‘large waves of the ocean’.

37. Tariq

Tariq is of Arabic origin, meaning “morning star”, symbolising guidance and discovery.

38. Xavier

Xavier means ‘splendid’. It has both Basque, Spanish, and Arabic roots.

39. Zeno

Zeno is of Greek origin, meaning “gift of Zeus,” referencing the king of the gods in Greek mythology and symbolising divine favour.

Foreign Girl Names

Take a look at some foreign girl names for your child. These cute female foreign names often carry deep cultural significance, beautiful sounds, and distinctive meanings, making them a perfect choice for parents seeking something special for their little princess.

1. Adelina

This Spanish girl name means ‘sweet and noble’.

2. Ai

This is a short and sweet Chinese name pronounced as ‘Eye’. The name means ‘love, affection, and friendliness’.

3. Amara

This name is Greek in origin, and it means ‘unfading’.

4. Apolline

Apolline is a French name for girls which is a somewhat-tweaked version of the name Apollo (male), who was the God of healing, music, etc.

5. Ayami

Ayami is a beautiful Japanese baby name that means ‘beautiful colour’.

6. Bennu

Bennu is of Egyptian origin, symbolising rebirth and renewal, named after the mythological bird associated with the sun god Ra.

7. Beatriz

The Unique name Cathenna is a Greek name which is a bolder variant of the name Athena, which refers to the strong and beautiful Goddess of wisdom.

9. Celeste

This is a beautiful Italian and Latin name that means ‘heavenly’. 

10. Chiyo

This sweet Japanese name means ‘a thousand generations’.

11. Claudia

Claudia is a Latin name meaning “lame”, though in modern times, it has come to represent elegance and grace.

12. Dita

Dita is of Czech and German origin, meaning “warrior of the people,” signifying strength and protection.

13. Elanie

This Israeli name refers to ‘a serene oak tree’.

14. Elena

Elena is a beautiful female of Greek origin, which means ‘shining light’.

15. Elqenna

Elqenna is a unique name of Arabic origin, meaning “strong”, often associated with resilience and inner strength.

16. Faina

This exotic Russian name means ‘someone who shines’.

17. Francesca

Francesca is a beautiful Italian and French rooted name that means ‘free’.

18. Francoise

Francoise is a French name derived from “Francis,” meaning “free”, commonly linked to independence and freedom.

19. Gabriella

Gabriella is of Hebrew origin, meaning “God is my strength,” often symbolising faith, power, and protection.

20. Helen

Helen is a Greek name meaning “light” or “torch,” and it is famously associated with beauty and brightness from Greek mythology.

21. Ines

Ines is of Portuguese and Spanish origin, meaning “pure” or “holy,” representing innocence and spiritual clarity.

22. Julieta

Julieta is the Spanish and Portuguese version of Juliet, meaning “youthful”, often symbolising eternal beauty and love.

23. Kady

Kady is of Irish origin, meaning “pure” or “first,” representing innocence and new beginnings.

24. Keiko

Keiko is a popular baby name having Japanese origin that means ‘happy child’. 

25. Leilani

Leilani is a Hawaiian given name meaning “l’heavenly garland of flowers’ or ‘royal child’.

26. Lucia

This is a lovely baby girl name derived from the Latin word Lux that means ‘light’. It also has Spanish roots.

27. Malia

This is a Hawaiian name which is a variant of the names ‘Mary’ or ‘Maria’, referring to the holy Mother Mary.

28. Marielia

This Italian name has a melodic feel attached to it. The name is a combination of ‘Mary’ and ‘Elijah’.

29. Maya

Maya is a name of multiple origins, including Hebrew, Greek, and Sanskrit, meaning “water,” “illusion,” or “mother,” symbolising creativity and life.

30. Niamh

The baby girl’s name Niamh originates from Old Irish and means ‘bright’ and ‘radiant’.

31. Nur

Nur is of Arabic origin, meaning “light,” often associated with enlightenment, wisdom, and guidance in many cultures.

32. Odine

Odine is a French name meaning “melodious”, and is sometimes linked to water nymphs in mythology, symbolising grace.

33. Paloma

Paloma is a female name having Latin origin, which means ‘dove or peaceful’.

34. Penelope

Penelope is of Greek origin, meaning “weaver,” and is famously linked to the loyal wife of Odysseus in Greek mythology, symbolising faithfulness.

35. Katoka

This delightful Hungarian name is really unique as it easily rolls off one’s tongue. It refers to the quality of ‘purity’.

36. Shira

This Hebrew name means ‘tune’ and is simple yet attractive to use.

37. Thylane

This beautiful Vietnamese baby name means ‘wild orchid’.

38. Uchenna

This Nigerian name refers to ‘God’s will’.

39. Zahra

This middle Eastern name means ‘colour white’ in Arabic and ‘flower’ in the Egyptian language.

Gender-Neutral Foreign Baby Names With Meanings

Gender-neutral foreign baby names provide an option for parents looking to break away from traditional naming conventions. Take a look at some cool foreign Baby names for your child:

1. Alleyne

Alleyne name, often linked to Old French origins, means “handsome” or “fair-skinned,” making it a charming unisex choice.

2. Amari

The name Amari is of African and Hebrew origins, meaning “strength” in Yoruba and “eternal” or “immortal” in Hebrew.

3. Ashitaka

Ashitaka is a beautiful gender-neutral baby name that means ‘brighter tomorrow’.

4. Barinder

This Punjabi/Sikh-origin name signifies “lord of the ocean,” carrying a strong and spiritual vibe.

5. Cameron

Cameron is Scottish-rooted name means “crooked nose,” a surname-turned-given-name with modern appeal.

6. Dai

Dai is a gender-neutral name of Welsh origin that means ‘beloved’.

7. Darcy

This Irish and French heritage name means “dark one” or “from Arcy.”

8. Dylan

Dylan is gender neutral having Welsh origin, which means ‘son of the sea’.

9. Hiro

Hiro is a Japanese that means ‘abundant’.

10. Huan

The name Huan is of Chinese origin and means “happiness” or “joy.”

11. Jean

Jean is a French name is a version of “John,” meaning “God is gracious,” and works for both boys and girls.

12. Kalani

This Hawaiian-origin name means “the heavens” or “royalty.”

13. Kumi

Kumi is a gender-neutral Japanese-rooted name that means ‘beautiful’.

14. Luca

Luca is an Italian gender-neutral baby name that means ‘bringer of light’.

15. Micah

Micah is an old Hebrew origin name that means ‘someone is like God’. It’s also a popular biblical name.

16. Omari

Omari is African and Arabic-rooted name means “flourishing” or “prosperous.”

17. Romilly

This French and English name means “from the Roman settlement.”

18. Taika

Taika is Finnish and Maori-origin name means “magic” or “tiger.”

19. Vinh

This Vietnamese name means “glory” or “honor.”

20. Xinyi

Xinyi is Chinese-origin name means “joyful heart” or “happy mind.”

21. Yannick

This Breton and French name means “little John” or “God is gracious.”

22. Yuki

Yuki is a beautiful Japanese name to give to babies born in winter. It means a ‘reminder of happiness’.

Why to Choose Foreign Names for Your Baby?

Choosing a foreign name for your baby can add uniqueness and cultural depth to their identity. Here are some reasons why selecting a foreign name might be a great choice:

• Foreign names often carry rich histories, traditions, and meanings tied to different culture.
• Opting for a foreign name can help your child stand out, offering a unique name that’s less common in their home country.
• Many foreign names have beautiful pronunciations or meanings, making them aesthetically pleasing and meaningful.

FAQs

1. Are there any themes in the selection of these foreign baby names?

Yes, many foreign names are derived from mythology, religious beliefs, or natural elements like light, water, and animals, reflecting the values and traditions of different cultures.

2. Do foreign baby boy names carry specific symbols of significance?

Foreign baby boy names often carry symbols of strength, leadership, wisdom, and protection. For example, names like Odin (from Norse mythology) and Aziz (Arabic for “powerful”) represent qualities like power and resilience. Many names also symbolise important natural or spiritual elements, linking the child to cultural symbols of masculinity and virtue.

3. Are there any common misconceptions about using foreign baby names?

One common misconception is that foreign baby names might be too difficult to pronounce. However, as global diversity increases, many foreign names are becoming more accepted. Another misconception is that choosing foreign names may sound too artificial if they do not reflect some family’s roots. However, many parents use such names simply because they sound beautiful and meaningful.

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