Short Names

Four letters or fewer, or one syllable. Short names pair well with long surnames and badly with short ones, which is the single most reliable thing anyone can tell you about choosing on sound.

Rankings for

361 names, most popular first in United States

Very Rare Rare Uncommon

Girls Boys Unisex

Liam Liam is a boy's name of Irish origin, a short form of Uilliam, the Irish version of William.
Boy Irish #1 in US
Noah Noah is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "rest" or "comfort," from Noach.
Boy Hebrew #2 in US
Emma Emma is a girl's name of Germanic origin meaning "whole" or "universal," from the element ermen, found in older names such as Ermintrude.
Girl Germanic #3 in US
Mia Mia is a girl's name that began as a short form of longer names such as Maria and Amelia before becoming an independent given name in its own right.
Girl uncertain (Scandinavian/Italian short form) #6 in US
Ava Ava is a girl's name with several proposed origins rather than one settled root.
Girl uncertain (Latin, Germanic, or Hebrew) #11 in US
Jack Jack is a boy's name of English origin that began as a pet form of John, by way of the medieval nickname Jankin.
Boy English #15 in US
Leo Leo is a boy's name of Latin origin meaning "lion."
Boy Latin #19 in US
Nora Nora is a girl's name that developed as a short form of longer names, chiefly Honora and Eleanor, and is now used independently.
Girl Latin #20 in US
Ellie Ellie is a girl's name that began as a short form of Eleanor, Ellen, and Elizabeth, and is now widely given as a name in its own right.
Girl English #24 in US
Ella Ella is a girl's name with two distinct origins. The Norman French line derives from the Germanic element ali, meaning other or foreign, while a Hebrew line gives Ella as a word for a terebinth tree.
Girl Germanic #29 in US
Lainey Lainey is a girl's name that developed as a pet form of Elaine, itself an Old French version of Helen.
Girl French #30 in US
Owen Owen is a boy's name of Welsh origin, the anglicized form of Owain.
Boy Welsh #31 in US
Zoe Zoe is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "life," taken directly from the Greek word zoe.
Girl Greek #31 in US
Luke Luke is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "man from Lucania," a region of southern Italy.
Boy Greek #33 in US
Mila Mila is a girl's name with two independent origins.
Girl Slavic #43 in US
Miles Miles is a boy's name of disputed origin, usually connected to the Latin miles, meaning soldier.
Boy Latin #44 in US
Nova Nova is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning "new," from novus.
Girl Latin #46 in US
Sadie Sadie is a girl's name that began as a pet form of Sarah, the Hebrew name meaning "princess" or "noblewoman."
Girl Hebrew #50 in US
Leah Leah is a girl's name of Hebrew origin whose meaning is disputed, most often given as "weary" but also linked to a word for wild cow.
Girl Hebrew #58 in US
Beau Beau is a boy's name from the French beau, meaning handsome or beautiful.
Boy French #60 in US
Maya Maya is a girl's name with several unrelated origins.
Girl Sanskrit #62 in US
Claire Claire is a girl's name of French origin meaning "clear" or "bright," from the Latin clarus.
Girl French #68 in US
Zoey Zoey is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "life," a phonetic English respelling of Zoe.
Girl Greek #69 in US
Enzo Enzo is a boy's name of Italian origin whose derivation is disputed.
Boy Italian #72 in US
Millie Millie is a girl's name that began as a pet form of longer names — chiefly Millicent, Mildred, Amelia and Camilla — and is now given in its own right.
Girl English #73 in US
Ayla Ayla is a girl's name with several unrelated origins.
Girl Turkish #77 in US
Lyla Lyla is a girl's name of disputed origin.
Girl Modern coinage #80 in US
Theo Theo is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "god," from theos.
Boy Greek #82 in US
Josie Josie is a girl's name that began as a pet form of Josephine, and so means "he will add," inherited from the Hebrew Yosef.
Girl Hebrew #82 in US
Ian Ian is a boy's name of Scottish origin meaning "Yahweh is gracious," the Scottish Gaelic form of John.
Boy Scottish #83 in US
Luka Luka is a boy's name of Latin origin, the Slavic and Balkan form of Luke.
Boy Latin #85 in US
Kai Kai is a name that exists independently in many unrelated languages.
Boy multiple unrelated #93 in US
Jade Jade is a girl's name from the gemstone, and its origin is unexpectedly medical: the Spanish called it piedra de la ijada, "stone of the flank," because it was believed to cure kidney and abdominal ailments.
Girl Spanish #95 in US
Myles Myles is a boy's name and a variant spelling of Miles, whose origin is disputed.
Boy Latin #100 in US
Eli Eli is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "ascent" or "my God," depending on which Hebrew name it represents.
Boy Hebrew #104 in US
Amir Amir is a boy's name of Arabic origin meaning "prince" or "commander," from amara, to command.
Boy Arabic #105 in US
Cora Cora is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning "maiden," from kore.
Girl Greek #113 in US
Jace Jace is a boy's name that began as a short form of Jason, and so carries the meaning "healer," from the Greek iasthai, to heal.
Boy Greek #114 in US
Milo Milo is a boy's name of disputed origin, arriving in England with the Normans alongside Miles.
Boy Latin #119 in US
Hallie Hallie is a girl's name with more than one line.
Girl English #120 in US
Dean Dean is a boy's name with two English origins.
Boy English #125 in US
Eva Eva is a girl's name of Hebrew origin meaning "life" or "living."
Girl Hebrew #134 in US
Bella Bella is a girl's name of Italian origin meaning "beautiful."
Girl Italian #136 in US
Leon Leon is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "lion."
Boy Greek #138 in US
June June is a girl's name of Latin origin taken from the month, which is named for the goddess Juno — the queen of the Roman gods and the protector of marriage and childbirth.
Girl Latin #150 in US
Jude Jude is a name of Hebrew origin meaning "praised" or "thanks."
Boy Hebrew #155 in US
Ace Ace is a boy's name of Latin origin meaning "one" or "unity."
Boy Latin #164 in US
Jayce Jayce is a boy's name of modern American coinage, a respelling of Jason or a stretched form of Jay.
Boy Modern coinage #167 in US

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