3-Letter Baby Names

Three-letter names punch above their weight. Mae, Eli, Ava, Kai, Leo, Ivy. They're done before you blink — which makes them easy to say, easy to spell, and surprisingly hard to forget. A three-letter name with a long last name is one of the best pairings you can make.

1,434 names — click any name for full meaning, origin, and safety analysis

Can't decide? Let a tournament narrow it down.

#5

Mia

Girl

mine, beloved

Italian
#9

Ava

Girl

birdlike, resembling a bird

English
#24

Leo

Boy

lion-hearted, brave

English
#29

Zoe

Girl

life

Greek
#36

Ivy

Girl

fidelity, eternity, resilience

English
#75

Ian

Boy

Yahweh has shown favor

Scottish
#76

Kai

Boy

rejoice, keeper of the keys

Hawaiian
#92

Eli

Boy

ascended, high

Hebrew
#120

Eva

Girl

life, living one

English
#165

Ace

Boy

excellent; unbeatable

American
#175

Max

Boy

greatest

English
#188

Lia

Girl

bringer of good news

Italian
#193

Ada

Girl

island

English
#204

Ana

Girl

prayer

Spanish
#228

Amy

Girl

beloved, much loved

English
#253

Noa

Girl

movement, to shake

Hebrew
#268

Gia

Girl

short form of Giovanna or Gianna

Italian
#292

Koa

Boy

warrior, brave one

Hawaiian
#315

Jax

Boy American
#324

Ali

Boy

elevated, supreme

Arabic
#366

Mya

Girl

bitter, beloved

English
#397

Jay

Boy

to rejoice, joyful

American
#400

Ari

Boy

best

Hebrew
#442

Joy

Girl

happiness, delight, rejoicing

English
#475

Asa

Boy

healer, physician

Hebrew

Rio

Boy

river

Spanish

Mae

Girl

pearl

English

Ari

Girl

lion, lion of God

Jewish

Roy

Boy

red (hair color)

Scottish

Eve

Girl

life, living

English

Tru

Boy

trustworthy, loyal

American

Aya

Girl

colorful, beautiful silk design

Japanese

Dax

Boy

water, thermal waters (place name)

English

Sam

Boy

name of God

English

Cal

Boy

wholehearted (short for Caleb from Hebrew)

American

Nia

Girl

brightness, lustrous

Welsh

Ila

Girl

earth, speech, flow

Indian

Mac

Boy

son of

Scottish

Lee

Boy

plum tree (unrelated homophone)

English

Wes

Boy

short form of Wesley or Weston

English

Luz

Girl

light

Spanish

Teo

Boy

honoring God

Spanish

Noe

Boy

rest, comfort, peace

Spanish

Ray

Boy

wise protector

English

Rex

Boy

ruler, sovereign

English

Ben

Boy

short form of Benedict: blessed

English

Sol

Girl

sun goddess

Spanish

Rey

Boy

king

Spanish

Sky

Girl

the sky, cloud

English

Lea

Girl

weary

French

Avi

Boy

father figure, patriarch

Hebrew

Liv

Girl

life

Scandinavian

Joe

Boy

God shall add (another son)

English

Tru

Girl

genuine, authentic, faithful, loyal

American

Jon

Boy

God is gracious

American

Zev

Boy

wolf

Jewish

Van

Boy

of, from (Dutch)

Dutch

Zen

Boy

enlightenment, calm clarity

Japanese

Neo

Boy

new

American

Ira

Boy

city of God (alternate interpretation)

Jewish

Noa

Boy

rest, comfort (when used as variant of Noah)

Hebrew

Emi

Girl

beautiful picture, painted beauty

Japanese

Isa

Boy

God is salvation

Muslim

Axl

Boy

divine reward (alternate interpretation)

American

Lev

Boy

heart

Hebrew

Kya

Girl

diamond in the sky, place of rest

African-American

Fox

Boy

the fox, cunning animal

English

Kai

Girl

keeper of keys

Hawaiian

Sol

Boy

sun

Spanish

Ida

Girl

youthful goddess, keeper of immortality

German

Ann

Girl

God has favored me

English

Ren

Boy

lotus, water lily

Japanese

Ash

Boy

ash tree

English

Kit

Boy

pure (short for Catherine)

English

Gio

Boy

farmer, earth-worker

Italian

Zia

Girl

glow, brightness

Arabic

Kye

Boy

sea

Scottish

Gus

Boy

one strength

English

Lux

Boy

illuminance unit

English

Rya

Girl

little stream, flowing water

Scandinavian

Kit

Girl

bearer of Christ (from Christopher)

English

Rue

Girl

herb of grace, regret

English

Rae

Girl

beam of light (modern association)

English

Sia

Girl

moon

Scandinavian

Ved

Boy

to know, understanding

Indian

Jai

Boy

victory, triumph

Indian

Dua

Girl

supplication to God

Muslim

Liz

Girl

my God is abundance

English

May

Girl

beloved (short form of Mary)

English

Jad

Boy

generous, good fortune

Arabic

Jet

Boy

black gemstone (fossilized wood)

English

Ean

Boy

God is gracious

Scottish

Dev

Boy

divine, god

Indian

Dov

Boy

bear

Israeli

Pia

Girl

pious, devout

Italian

Cru

Boy

cross, crossroads

Welsh

Cam

Boy

winding river

Scottish

Ira

Girl

watchful, alert

Hebrew

Ryu

Boy

flow, current, stream

Japanese

Taj

Boy

crown

Arabic

Kip

Boy

chicken (separate Dutch usage)

English

Koe

Boy

light, happiness (Ko in Japanese)

American

Coy

Boy

modest, shy

American

Guy

Boy

guide, leader

English

Koa

Girl

native Hawaiian acacia tree

Hawaiian

Ori

Boy

light of God

Hebrew

Ema

Girl

painting horse (votive plaque)

Spanish

Zya

Girl

creative variant of Zia

American

Sky

Boy

sky, heavens

English

Ela

Girl

oak tree, terebinth

Turkish

Tia

Girl

princess, queen

Spanish

Iam

Boy

resolute protector (if variant of Liam)

American

Don

Boy

world ruler

English

Rio

Girl

flowing water, stream

Spanish

Jia

Girl

auspicious, praiseworthy

Chinese

Kru

Boy

crew, team, group

African American

Cai

Boy

talent, colorful

Welsh

Dan

Boy

he judged, he governed

English

Mei

Girl

plum blossom

Chinese

Sir

Boy

lord, master

American

Isa

Girl

Jesus, the prophet

German

Pax

Boy

peace

English

Jed

Boy

friend of Yahweh

English

Lua

Girl

moon goddess

Portuguese

Jru

Boy

modern invented spelling

American

Von

Boy

short form of Lavon or Yvon

German

Nya

Girl

mother, mother of the river

African American

Fia

Girl

flame, light

Italian

Rip

Boy

ripe, free

American

Lou

Boy

famous warrior

French

Ram

Boy

divine, pleasing

Jewish

Bea

Girl

female traveler, voyager

English

Sai

Boy

divine, sacred

Indian

Iva

Girl

God is gracious

Czech

Jan

Boy

God is gracious

Dutch

Lex

Boy

protector, helper of mankind

English

Ren

Girl

join, connect

Japanese

Rui

Boy

lapis lazuli, flowing water

Portuguese

Job

Boy

one who returns, repentant

Hebrew

Ryo

Boy

dragon

Japanese

Ani

Girl

grace, favor

Hebrew

Kal

Boy

eternal, relating to time (Kala)

Indian

Yug

Boy

cosmic era, age, epoch

Indian

Dru

Boy

wise one, seer

American

Tai

Boy

gift of God (via Welsh David)

Chinese

Asa

Girl

god, divine spirit

American

Abe

Boy

exalted father

American

Rye

Boy

rye grain

English

Oak

Boy

strength, endurance

English

Ria

Girl

river mouth, coastal inlet

Spanish

Tyr

Boy

sky god, shining deity

Norse/Scandinavian

Tim

Boy

honoring God

English

Lou

Girl

renowned in battle

French

Ali

Girl

noble, exalted, high

Arabic

Joi

Girl

joy, happiness

American

Jin

Boy

truth, genuine

Chinese

Aja

Girl

unborn, eternal soul

Indian

Tre

Boy

three (numeric)

American

Ina

Girl

pure, holy (Latin diminutive suffix used as name)

Scandinavian

Emy

Girl

rival, industrious

American

Koi

Boy

love, romantic feeling

Japanese

Nyx

Girl

primordial goddess of night

Greek

Geo

Boy

earthworker (as short for George)

American

Uma

Girl

nation, community

Indian

Lux

Girl

illumination, radiance

Latin

Tom

Boy

twin

English

Zay

Boy

letter Z sound

Arabic

Tye

Boy

short form of Tyler or Tyson

American

Lio

Boy

lion

Portuguese

Yan

Boy

flame, bright

Chinese

Era

Girl

age, period of time

English

Lya

Girl

bearer of good news

Italian

Ted

Boy

wealthy guardian

English

Ami

Girl

friend

Hebrew

Esa

Boy

God is salvation

Finnish

Una

Girl

one, unity

Irish

Jun

Boy

king, lord

Chinese

Ike

Boy

short form of Isaac

English

Mar

Girl

sea

Spanish

Kam

Boy

crooked, winding

American

Koi

Girl

carp fish; symbol of perseverance and good luck

Japanese

Uri

Boy

fire, light of God

Israeli

Ely

Boy

ascent, high

American

Ara

Girl

altar, sacred hearth

Armenian

Alp

Boy

champion, heroic man

Turkish

Mai

Girl

month of May, spring goddess

Vietnamese

Eri

Girl

blessed prize

Japanese

Ken

Boy

handsome, born of fire

English

Adi

Boy

first, primordial

Israeli

Kaz

Boy

peace-keeper, destroyer of enemies' glory

Polish

Ily

Girl

sun, bright light (from Iliana)

American

Kol

Boy

victory of the people (as short form of Nicholas)

American

Fay

Girl

faith

English

Zac

Boy

remembered by Yahweh

English

Dru

Girl

from the oak, wise one

English

Luc

Boy

man from Lucania

French

Ora

Girl

light

Jewish

Koy

Boy

carp fish (symbolic)

Dutch

Nuh

Boy

repose, peace

Arabic

Hal

Boy

army ruler (from Harold/Harald)

English

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