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Short Baby Names

Short baby names are some of the most stylish around. They’re versatile, friendly, and many are rising in popularity. The top short name for girls is Ava, one of the defining names of the past decade, while the most common short name for boys is Leo — more popular than it may seem, as it is often used as a nickname for longer names such as Leonardo and Leonidas.

Along with Ava and Leo, other short names for babies in the US Top 150 include Mia, Zoe, Eli, Eva, Ian, Ivy, Kai, and Max. Some of the rarest short names are those with two letters, but choices such as Io, Oz, Cy, and Lu may be substantial enough for your son or daughter.

Sometimes — when your last name is long and elaborate, when you simply believe in simplicity — what you want most from baby names is that they be short. Sweet, maybe; mono-syllabic, possibly. But the most important quality: short. Here are some baby names that fit the bill.

Tal

Meaning: rain, dew

Origin:Hebrew
4902
Ala

Meaning: nobility

Origin:Igbo, Polish, diminutive of Alicja
2386
Origin:Diminutive of Joanna, Josephine, etc
2163
Tau

Meaning: dusk, twilight; lion

Origin:Indigenous Australian or Tswana, Sotho
4283
Nev

Meaning: he will prosper; new town; holy

Origin:Diminutive of Yaniv, Hebrew; Neville, English; or Nevin, Irish
5705
Anu

Meaning: grace; causing success; mercy

Origin:Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Anna, Sanskrit diminutive of Anuradha, Yoruba, Celtic
9580
Eli

Meaning: ascended, uplifted, high

Origin:Hebrew
236
Isa

Meaning: strong-willed

Origin:German
1190
Nik The name Nik is primarily used as a boy's na...
Origin:English
10736
Origin:Diminutive of Joanna, Josephine, etc
2163
Per The name Per is derived from Peter, a name o...
Origin:Scandinavian variation of Peter
6052
Ala

Meaning: nobility

Origin:Igbo, Polish, diminutive of Alicja
2386
Anu

Meaning: grace; causing success; mercy

Origin:Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Anna, Sanskrit diminutive of Anuradha, Yoruba, Celtic
9580
Mia

Meaning: mine or bitter

Origin:Italian word name or Scandinavian short form of Maria
94
Max

Meaning: greatest

Origin:English and German diminutive of Maximilian or Maxwell
105
Ava

Meaning: life; bird; water, island

Origin:Hebrew, Latin or Germanic
22
Eva

Meaning: life

Origin:Latin form of Eve, Hebrew
97
Ben

Meaning: son of

Origin:Hebrew
653
Jas The given name Jas is more frequently used f...
Origin:Abbreviation of James or short form of Jasper
5407
Ala

Meaning: nobility

Origin:Igbo, Polish, diminutive of Alicja
2386