Gender: Masculine
Origin: Italian სანდრო, Сандро
The name is a contracted form of Alessandro and is used as an independent given name in Italy, Hungary, the Ukraine, Georgia, throughout South Eastern Europe, Spanish-speaking countries and in German-speaking countries, especially Switzerland.
The name was most notably borne by Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510).
Currently, Sandro is the 267th most popular male name in France (2009) and the 269th most popular male name in Germany, (2011).
Gender: Masculine
Origin: German/Scandinavian
Meaning: “little bear.”
(BYAHR-neh)
The name is derived from the Old Norse, Bjarni, which was a diminutive form of Bjørn.
Currently, Bjarne is the 264th most popular male name in Germany, (2011).
A Danish form is Bjarke.
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Greek Λεωνιδας
Meaning: “lion.”
Eng (lee-o-NYE-dus)
The name is derived from the Greek λεων (leon) meaning “lion.”
The name was borne by several famous leaders in Classical Greek history, one being King Leonidas I of Sparta, known for his heroic defense of the Thermopylae Pass from the Persians in the 5th-century B.C.E. His life has been the inspiration of Frank Miller’s 1988 comic 300, later adapted into a movie of the same name. He came to be deified in Sparta as a hero god. A Belgian Chocolate company is also named in his honour and he is the inspiration for their logo.
The name was also borne a teacher of Alexander the Great and by the father of Origen, St. Leonidas (3rd-century CE).
Leonidas seems to have enjoyed some popularity in 18th and 19th-century America and England. This may have been due to the epic eponymous poem based on the Spartan hero, written by Richard Glover (1737).
In more recent history, it was borne by Confederate general, Leonidas Polk (1806-1864) and the first modern Greek Olympic gold medalist, Leonidas Pyrgos (*1871).
Currently, Leonidas is the 282nd most popular male name in Germany, (2011) and the 922nd most popular in the United States, (2010).
Other forms of the name include:
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Danish
Eng (SORE-en); Germ (ZUU-ren); Dan (SUR-en); Nor (SIR-en); Swe (SUYR-en)
Søren, is the Danish form of Severin.
The name was popularized outside of Denmark by the 19th-century Danish philosopher, Søren Aabye Kierkegaard. It has enjoyed prevalent usage in the United States, particularly among Scandinavian-Americans.
Currently, Sören is the 280th most popular male name in Germany, (2011). His rankings in other countries are as follows:
Other forms include:
Gender: Masculine
Origin: German/Italian
The name was originally a short form of any name ending in -tino. It has been used as an independent given name in Italy and German-speaking countries since at least the turn of the 20th-century.
Currently, Tino is the 266th most popular male name in Germany, (2011) and the 500th most popular in France, (2009).
Gender: Masculine
Origin: Turkish
Meaning: “strong moon.”
(ber-KYE)
The name is composed of the Turkish elements, berk (strong) and ay (moon).
It is currently the 279th most popular male name in Germany, (2011).
Gender: Feminine
Origin: German
(AHN-neh-lee)
The name could either be from a Bavarian diminutive form of Anne or be a Swedish compound of Anne and Louise.
Currently, Annelie is the 270th most popular female name in Germany, (2011).
Other spellings include: Anelie (German); Anneli (Finnish/Scandinavian).
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Turkish
Meaning: “angel.”
(MEH-lek)
The name comes directly from the Turkish word for angel which is ultimately derived from an Arabic source, malak (angel).
The name was borne by the Circassian, Sultana Melek of Egypt (1868-1956)
Currently, Melek is the 255th most popular female name in Germany, (2011).
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Czech/German
(ah-LEH-nah)
The name has several possible derivations, the most popular being that it is a Czech contracted form of Magdalena or Helena. Other sources contend that it is derived from an archaic Russian diminutive form of Olga or Alexandra. It has even been suggested to be an earlier Czech feminine form of Alan.
It is possible that it is derived from the Norman female name, Alenn, again, a form of Magdalena.
In Belarus, the name used as a form of Helen.
Currently, it is 226th most popular female name in Germany, (2011).
Other forms of the name include:
In Czech and Slovak, Alenka is the diminutive form.
The name is borne by Czech supermodel Alena Šeredová Buffon (b.1978).
Gender: Feminine
Origin: Frisian
(MY-keh)
The name is from a diminutive Frisian form of Maria.
Currently, it is the 213th most popular female name in Germany, (2011).
Other forms include Meike and Maaike (Dutch).
The name is borne by Australian TV host, Maike Evers.