Choosing a name for a son is a journey that blends personal aesthetic, ancestry, and timeless appeal. If you love the popular boys’ names but want something with a touch of international flair, exploring their global variations can open up a world of possibilities. From Alexander becoming Alejandro in Spanish to John transforming into Giovanni in Italian, these variations offer familiar roots with a fresh twist. In this post on international variations of popular boy names, we’ll explore how popular classics travel across languages and cultures—so you can find a name that feels both traditional and unique.
Adán
Origin: Spanish form of Adam
Meaning: "Red earth"
Alain
Origin: French form of Alan
Meaning: "Handsome, harmony"
Alano
Origin: Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese form of Alan
Meaning: "noble, handsome, or precious"
Alasdair
Origin: Scottish form of Alexander
Meaning: "Defender of man"
Alberto
Origin: Germanic form of Albert
Meaning: "noble and bright" or "illustrious"
Alexandre
Origin: French, Portuguese, and Catalan for of Alexander
Meaning: "defender of men"
Alessandro
Origin: Italian form og Alexander
Meaning: "defender of men"
André
Origin: French form of Andrew
Meaning: "Manly"
Andrés
Origin: Spanish form of Andrew
Meaning: "Manly, brave, warrior"
Antoine
Origin: French form of Anthony
Meaning: "Highly praiseworthy"
Anton
Origin: German form of Anthony
Meaning: "Priceless one"
Antonio
Origin: Italian and Spanish form of Anthony
Meaning: "Priceless one"
Arturo
Origin: Italian and Spanish form of Arthur
Meaning: "Bear"
Benoît
Origin: French form of Benedict
Meaning: "Blessed"
Carlo
Origin: Italian and Germanic form of Charles
Meaning: "free man"
Corrado
Origin: Italian form of Conrad
Meaning: "Bold counsel"
Cristóbal
Origin: Spanish form of Christopher
Meaning: "Christ-bearer"
Davi
Origin: Portuguese form of David
Meaning: "Beloved"
Diego
Origin: Spanish form of Jacob
Meaning: "Supplanter"
Domingo
Origin: Spanish form of Dominic
Meaning: "Sunday"
Eduardo
Origin: Spanish and Portuguese form of Edward
Meaning: "wealthy guardian"
Eoin
Origin: Irish form of John
Meaning: "God is gracious"
Enrico
Origin: Italian form of Henry
Meaning: "home ruler"
Enrique
Origin: Spanish and Portuguese form of Henry
Meaning: "home ruler"
Ernesto
Origin: Italian and Spanish form of Ernest
Meaning: "earnest"
Esteban
Origin: Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese form of Steven and Stephen
Meaning: "moon"
Étienne
Origin: French form of Steven and Stephen
Meaning: "Crown or garland"
Eugenio
Origin: Italian and Spanish form of Eugene
Meaning: "well-born," "noble"
Felipe
Origin: Spanish and Portuguese form of Philip
Meaning: "lover of horses"
Federico
Origin: Germanic form of Frederick
Meaning: "peaceful ruler"
François
Origin: French form of Frank
Meaning: "Frenchman" and "free man"
Francesco
Origin: Italian form of Frank
Meaning: "Frenchman or from France"
Francisco
Origin: Spanish form of Frank
Meaning: "free man" or "Frenchman"
Frédéric
Origin: Germanic form of Frederick
Meaning: "peaceful ruler"
Fyodor
Origin: Russian form of Theodore
Meaning: "God's gift"
Gaspard
Origin: French form of Jasper or Casper.
Meaning: "Treasure"
Giacomo
Origin: Italian form of James
Meaning: "Supplanter"
Giorgio
Origin: Italian form of George
Meaning: "farmer"
Giustino
Origin: Italian form of Justin
Meaning: "just"
Giuliano
Origin: Italian form of Julian
Meaning: "youthful" or "downy-haired"
Giuseppe
Origin: Italian form of Joseph
Meaning: "God will increase"
Guillaume
Origin: French form of William
Meaning: "Resolute protector"
Hamish
Origin: Scottish form of James
Meaning: "Supplanter"
Heinrich
Origin: German form of Henry
Meaning: "home ruler"
Hervé
Origin: French and Old Breton form of Harvey
Meaning: "battle worthy"
Iago
Origin: Welsh form of Jacob
Meaning: "Supplanter"
Ioan
Origin: Slavic form of John
Meaning: "God is gracious"
Ivan
Origin: Russian form of John
Meaning: "God is gracious"
Jacques
Origin: French form of James
Meaning: "Supplanter"
Jean
Origin: French and English form of John
Meaning: "God is gracious"
José
Origin: Spanish and Portuguese form of Joseph
Meaning: "God will increase"
Jovan
Origin: Slavic and Latin
Meaning: "God is gracious"
Juan
Origin: Spanish and Portuguese
Meaning: "God is gracious"
Kristof
Origin: Slavic form of Christopher
Meaning: "Bearer of Christ"
Laurent
Origin: French form of Laurence
Meaning: "From Laurentum"
Laurenz
Origin: Latin and German form of Laurence
Meaning: "from Laurentum" or "laurel"
Leone
Origin: Italian form of Leon
Meaning: "lion"
Leonardo
Origin: Italian form of Leonard
Meaning: "Strong as a lion"
Lorenzo
Origin: Italian form of Laurence
Meaning: "from Laurentum" or "laurel"
Luigi
Origin: Italian form of Louis
Meaning: "famous warrior"
Ludvig
Origin: Scandinavian form of Louis
Meaning: "famous warrior"
Marco
Origin: Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese form of Mark
Meaning: "warlike" or "dedicated to Mars"
Marek
Origin: Slavic and Latin form of Mark
Meaning: "warlike" or "dedicated to Mars"
Martino
Origin: Italian form of Martin
Meaning: "warlike" or "dedicated to Mars"
Massimo
Origin: Italian form of Maximus
Meaning: "greatest"
Mateo
Origin: Spanish form of Matthew
Meaning: "Gift of God"
Mateus
Origin: Portuguese and Brazilian form of Matthew
Meaning: "gift of God"
Mathias
Origin: Hebrew form of Matthew
Meaning: "gift of God"
Máximo
Origin: Spanish form of Maximus
Meaning: "the greatest"
Miguel
Origin: Spanish and Portuguese form of Michael
Meaning: "Who is like God?"
Natán
Origin: Hebrew form of Nathan
Meaning: "gift of God"
Noè
Origin: French form of Noah
Meaning: "Rest"
Oliverio
Origin: Latin, Spanish, and Italian form of Oliver
Meaning: "olive tree"
Oskar
Origin: German form of Oscar
Meaning: "God spear"
Paolo
Origin: Italian form of Paul
Meaning: "Small"
Pedro
Origin: Spanish and Portuguese form of Peter
Meaning: "rock" or "stone"
Pierre
Origin: French form of Peter
Meaning: "Rock or stone"
Pietro
Origin: Italian form of Peter
Meaning: "rock" or "stone"
Ramón
Origin: Spanish form of Raymond
Meaning: "counsel, protection"
Ricardo
Origin: Spanish and Portuguese form of Richard
Meaning: "powerful ruler"
Rikhard
Origin: Germanic form of Richard
Meaning: "powerful ruler"
Roberto
Origin: Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese form of Robert
Meaning: "bright fame"
Rupert
Origin: Germanic form of Robert
Meaning: "bright fame"
Sandro
Origin: Italian and Greek short form of Alessandro, equivalent of Alexander
Meaning: "defender of men"
Séamus
Origin: Irish form of James
Meaning: "Supplanter"
Simone
Origin: French form of Simon
Meaning: "Hearkening"
Stefano
Origin: Italian form of Stephen
Meaning: "crown," "wreath," or "garland"
Teodoro
Origin: Spanish and Italian form of Theodore
Meaning: "God's gift"
Thierry
Origin: French form of Theodoric
Meaning: "Ruler of the people"
Tiago
Origin: Portuguese form of James
Meaning: "Saint James, supplanter"
Tomás
Origin: Aramaic form of Thomas
Meaning: "twin"
Tommaso
Origin: Italian form of Thomas
Meaning: "twin"
Wilhelm
Origin: German form of William
Meaning: "Will-helmet"
Vincenzo
Origin: Italian form of Vincent
Meaning: "conqueror" or "victorious"
Vittorio
Origin: Italian and Latin form of Victor
Meaning: "victor"