165 Cute 3 Letter Names: That Pack a Punch (2024)

You don’t need to exhaust the alphabet when choosing a name for your baby, as these 3 letter names are all as cute and sweet as can be! They may be short, but these three letter names ooze charisma, pep, and vibrancy, giving your new little lad or lady all the space to shine on their own.

Read on as we uncover the best 3 letter names from around the world, listing all their unique origins, meanings, namesakes, and more. Is three your lucky number? If so, read on!

59 Adorable 3 Letter Girl Names

These sweet and petite, three letter names for girls sparkle like tiny gemstones.

1. Ada – meaning “adornment,” this Hebrew girl’s name would be great for a baby mathematician.
2. Amy – a very commonly heard given and middle name meaning “beloved,” of French origin.
3. Ana – a cute variation of Ann, with the pronunciation options of “A-na” or “AH-nah.”
4. Ani – another cute variant of Ann and a shorter spelling of Annie.
5. Ann – meaning “grace, favor,” this vintage name is truly a classic.
6. Åsa – a powerful name for a Viking warrior female, meaning “goddess.”
7. Ava – one of the most popular 3 letter girl names, beautifully meaning “life” or “bird” in Latin.
8. Aya – meaning “design, colorful, beautiful,” this Japanese girl’s name perfectly complements a creative mind.
9. Bạc – you little one could sparkle and shine with this Vietnamese female name meaning “silver.”
10. Bảo – this adorable Sino-Vietnamese pick means “treasure.”
11. Bay – a romantic choice meaning “berry,” or perhaps inspired by the evergreen shrub.
12. Bea – meaning “bringer of happiness,” Bea is a gorgeously affectionate name to bestow upon a beloved daughter.
13. Bee – a fuzzy, buzzy, animal-inspired choice among 3 letter girl names.
14. Cae – one of the girliest among 3 letter baby names, meaning “feminine” in Vietnamese.
15. Cat – or Kat, both sweet, animal-inspired names, often short for Catherine.
16. Cel – a dazzling name inspired by an Etruscan goddess of the earth.
17. Cúc – a cute floral “pick,” meaning “chrysanthemum” in Vietnamese.
18. Dot – a cutesy and petite-sounding name, used as a short form of Dorothy.
19. Ema – a three-lettered way of spelling the popular name Emma, meaning “whole, universal.”
20. Eos – a dreamy, standout name inspired by the Greek goddess of dawn.
21. Eva – is a dainty form of Eve and a cute alternative to Ava.
22. Eve – meaning “life” in Hebrew, an especially spectacular biblical name for a first-born daughter.
23. Fay – a magical choice for a dainty daughter, meaning “fairy.”
24. Gem – gemstone names are always popular, so encompass them all with this pretty moniker.
25. Gia – meaning “excellent” in Vietnamese, Gia is also a recognizable nickname for many “G” names.
26. Hel – a somewhat chaotic name after the Norse goddess of death, with the shady meaning of “hidden.”
27. Ida – an admirable name rooted in Germanic and Greek, meaning “hardworking one.”
28. Íde – this Gaelic girl’s name beautifully represents a thirst for the holiness of wisdom.
29. Ila – a cute French choice for a girl “from this island,” makes a fun, three letter alternative to Isla.
30. Imi – an adorably gentle and delicate name for a girl, perhaps as a diminutive of Imogen.
31. Ivy – a beautiful botanical name for a little woman who’s crept into your heart like a vine.
32. Joy – a vibrant and powerful virtue name for a baby girl full of smiles.
33. Ker – creepily meaning “doom,” taken from the Greek goddesses of violent death!
34. Kun – a wholesome Chinese female name element meaning “earth.”
35. Lan – a romantic name meaning “orchid,” with Sino-Vietnamese and Chinese roots.
36. Lea – means “meadow” in English, also “weary and delicate” as a spelling variation of Leah.
37. Liv – is short for Olivia but also offers “protection and shelter” as a Norwegian girl’s name.
38. Mae – an elegant spelling variant of May.
39. Mai – a sweet, springtime Vietnamese alternative to May or Mei, meaning “plum flower, cherry blossom.”
40. May – an especially lovely, albeit a tad retro, name for a girl born in the fifth month.
41. Meg – a pretty short form of the English name Megan, holding the elegant meaning of “pearl.”
42. Mei – used in many different cultures and countries, Mei is one of the sweetest 3 letter girl names.
43. Mia – meaning “mine” in Spanish, we can see why this cute choice is so popular!
44. Mya – a pretty alternative to Mia, meaning “mother” or “great.”
45. Nan – meaning “grace,” this affectionate name makes us think of loving grandmas.
46. Nia – another great name for a “bright” little princess.
47. Non – an empty-sounding Welsh name with the devoted meaning of “nun.”
48. Oni – this cute Sanskrit name offers your daughter all the “protection of God.”
49. Pia – a cute Mia alternative, meaning “pious” in Latin.
50. Pua – another Hawaiian entry among three letter names for girls, meaning “flower.”
51. Ria – a variant of the watery “river” name Rio and a cute diminutive of the gorgeous Maria.
52. Sif – after a Norse earth goddess, this vibrant name sounds enchanting.
53. Sun – a radiant name for a baby born in the light of shimmering sunshine.
54. Téa – spelled like the beverage, but pronounced with two syllables, meaning “gift of God.”
55. Tia – another cute Mia / Lia / Sia alternative, meaning “aunt” in Spanish.
56. Uma – a spectacular Hindu name with meanings in Sanskrit, including “light, tranquility, and splendor.”
57. Una – a shorter, 3 letter alternative to the Irish Oonagh, meaning “lamb.”
58. Zia – you’ll need sunglasses to read this name and its dazzling meanings of “light, splendor, radiance.”
59. Zoe – a vibrant Greek girl’s name meaning “life” – full of adventure and possibility.

62 Charming 3 Letter Boy Names

These 3 letter names for boys may be small, but they sure are mighty!

1. Abe – a presidential short form of Abraham, meaning “father of a nation, high father.”
2. Abu – meaning “father,” this is a hilariously ironic name for a son.
3. Åke – this Swedish male name beautifully honors family, meaning “ancestry.”
4. Alf – a magical choice from Nordic folklore, meaning “elf.”
5. Ali – one of the most popular first names, middle names, and surnames, meaning “high, exalted” in Arabic.
6. Anh – a dreamy Vietnamese name with meanings including “brave,” “hero,” and “flower.”
7. Ant – like the strong, hardworking critters, or perhaps a short form of Anthony.
8. Art – a cool and creative name for a feisty little lad.
9. Ben – a fun and familiar nickname from Benjamin or Benedict, sounding short yet mighty.
10. Cub – a cuddly name for a new baby bear in the family.
11. Dom – short for Dominic, this holy name means “belonging to the Lord.”
12. Don – a powerful name for a man, meaning “world ruler, ruler, chief.”
13. Efe – a name for siblings to look up to, meaning “brave” and “older brother” in Turkish.
14. Fox – shady and cunning; this animal name is also commonly heard as a last name.
15. Geb – a unique yet epic choice inspired by an ancient Egyptian god of the earth.
16. Ged – meaning “a strong spear,” you could say this name is on point!
17. Geo – meaning “earth,” this name holds so much wonder and greatness.
18. Gus – a cute nickname from the “great, majestic” Latin name Augustus.
19. Han – a form of John, Han means “God is gracious” and makes an epic Star Wars-inspired name.
20. Huy – one of the most vibrant 3 letter boy names, meaning “brightness, shining” in Vietnamese.
21. Ian – a typically Scottish form of John, meaning “God is gracious.”
22. Ivo – with European roots, this earthy name means “archer” and relates to the “yew tree.”
23. Jac – or Jak, both cool ways of spelling the popular English name Jack, meaning “God is gracious.”
24. Jaq – a rare yet exceptionally stylish way of spelling Jack.
25. Jax – a modern name from the same stem as the surname Jackson, meaning “Jack’s son.”
26. Jet – a badass, speedy-sounding pick from Latin, after the pitch-dark shade of black.
27. Joe – everyone knows someone named Joe, a nickname meaning “God will increase.”
28. Kek – inspired by the ancient Egyptian god of darkness, this name sounds deliciously shadowy.
29. Ken – a “handsome” name that makes us think of Barbie dolls!
30. Kip – an unusual name from Old English, with the weird meaning of “pointed hill.”
31. Kit – this upper-class nickname is also used for baby animals, including raccoons, rabbits, and squirrels.
32. Koa – meaning “brave, bold” in Hawaiian, Koa is one of the more fiery 3 letter baby names.
33. Lee – meaning “meadow,” this boy’s name is also a popular middle name among parents.
34. Len – short for Leonard, Len is mighty and full of “lion strength.”
35. Leo – meaning “lion,” this Latin name would be great to bestow upon your “mane” man!
36. Les – a great English name, often interpreted to mean “holly garden.”
37. Lev – a Russian take on Leo, also meaning “lion.”
38. Luc – an exotic way to spell Luke – a handsome biblical name meaning “light.”
39. Mac – this Scottish surname prefix meaning “son of” would make a cool choice for your new namesake.
40. Max – meaning “greatest;” it doesn’t get better than this Latin boy’s name!
41. Neo – Matrix fans will find this “new” name incredibly cool.
42. Nye – like the celebrity Science Guy, this Welsh male name means “honor.”
43. Obi – yet another Star Wars name, also meaning “heart” from Nigerian (Igbo) roots.
44. Oli – a great short form of Oliver – is a consistently popular pick among parents.
45. Oro – the Spanish word for “gold” makes a glittering choice for a blonde baby.
46. Pim – actually a Dutch diminutive of the popular and much longer name William.
47. Pio – a male alternative to Pia, meaning “pious” in Latin.
48. Poe – a cool Star Wars name, also meaning “peaco*ck” as a Norse-rooted pick.
49. Rex – royally meaning “king,” this Latin name sounds like a dino-lover’s dream.
50. Roy – meaning “king” in French, or “red” in Scottish, for a fiery ruler, perhaps?
51. Rua – a sexy name meaning “lake” in Maori and “red” in Irish.
52. Ryu – this Japanese male name meaning “dragon” carries all the cool points!
53. Seb – a nickname for Sebastian and an Egyptian earth god.
54. Son – let’s not play games; this is the most literal choice to bestow upon your male offspring!
55. Tam – a Scots form of Thomas, meaning “twin.”
56. Ted – a nickname from Theodore or Edward, also making us think of cuddly bears.
57. Thu – any fans of fall festivities will love this Sino-Vietnamese name, meaning “autumn.”
58. Tom – one of the most common nicknames for Thomas, cutely meaning “twin.”
59. Uri – a glowing Hebrew boy’s name meaning “my light” or the devout “God is my light.”
60. Wes – as Wesley means “western meadow,” Wes probably just means “west.”
61. Yas – few 3 letter boy names are as wintery as Yas, which means “snow” in Navajo.
62. Zak – or Zac, both short forms of the dreamy Zacariah, meaning “God has remembered.”

44 Cool, Gender-Neutral 3 Letter Names for Baby

These unisex 3 letter names may be unusually short, but they are unforgettable!

1. Ace – any superstar celebrities are sure to shine with this high-achieving name.
2. Aio – an awesome, vowel-only pick among uncommon 3 letter names, of various origins and meanings.
3. Ari – like a mythical griffin, Ari means “lion” in Hebrew and “eagle” in Old Norse.
4. Asa – a name with various meanings, including “healer” in Hebrew, “morning” in Japanese, and more.
5. Ash – as peaceful as the tree, this is a popular pick among nature-inspired baby names.
6. Aza – an honorable name that brings “power, bravery, and triumph” to those who bear it.
7. Blu – dropping the “e” at the end makes this vivid color name all the more trendy in our eyes!
8. Bow – tied up neatly, this petite-sounding name sure sounds sweet.
9. Cam – short for the Gaelic unisex name Cameron, which means “crooked nose.”
10. Eli – this biblical Hebrew name needs to be “elevated” among the rest, meaning “high, ascent.”
11. Hào – this Sino-Vietnamese name meaning “good, heroic, brave” sounds like high praise indeed.
12. Ira – a soft Sanskrit name meaning “watchful,” perhaps for a baby born with striking eyes.
13. Isa – a strong yet handsome name of various origins, meaning “devoted to God” or “strong-willed.”
14. Jay – a common initial nickname inspired by the type of bird.
15. Jem – a pretty gem of a name that sparkles like a precious stone.
16. Jin – a shimmering Asian name with prosperous meanings including “bright” and “gold.”
17. Kai – has many meanings, including “sea” in Hawaiian and “king” in African.
18. Kaj – a Danish name meaning “earth,” sounds fit for explorers.
19. Kay – another initial option among gender-neutral 3 letter names.
20. Kim – hugely popular internationally – as an Asian name element or a nickname from Kimberley.
21. Lei – like the Hawaiian floral garland, this name is pretty and tropical.
22. Lou – from the Louis stem, this short nickname still carries the elevated meaning of “renowned warrior.”
23. Lux – a trendy, modern-sounding Latin option meaning “light.”
24. Mǐn – meaning “clever, quick,” this Chinese name element signifies cunning and wit.
25. Noa – a dreamy Hebrew name meaning “motion, movement,” perhaps for budding athletes.
26. Nyx – this short name is rich in Greek mythology, with the intriguing meaning of “nighttime.”
27. Oak – a unique choice among 3 letter names inspired by a beautiful tree.
28. Ola – offers Slavic, Scandinavian, and even Arabic roots behind this multi-meaning name.
29. Pax – a Latin name meaning “peace,” also held by a Roman goddess.
30. Pea – many parents use this affectionate veggie nickname for their unborn baby… why not let it stick?
31. Ray – means “wise protector” from Raymond and shines like sunlight over those who bear it.
32. Rei – a biblical Hebrew name and alternative to Ray, meaning “friend, companion.”
33. Rey – a Star Wars-y spelling of Ray, also meaning “king” in Spanish.
34. Rio – means “river” in Spanish, for a baby who dances on the sand.
35. Rue – we hope you won’t think twice after choosing this name, as it means “regret.”
36. Sal – short for Sally and Salvatore, this unisex name carries some cool swagger.
37. Sam – a classic pick among names with three letters starting with S, meaning “God has heard.”
38. Sia – like the wigged singer, also the Egyptian deification of perception and wisdom.
39. Sky – a dreamy choice for a child whose head is always in the clouds.
40. Tai – rooted in Chinese, this name holds a “vast, great, extreme” presence.
41. Tal – popular in Israel, this gentle name has the morning-time meaning of “dew.”
42. Van – this Dutch preposition may also be a short form for names such as Vanessa or Vance.
43. Wei – this smart Chinese boy’s name element has great possible meanings, including “power.”
44. Wyn – from Welsh, this rustic name means “pure, fair.”

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About the Author

Madeleine Lily Webb

Madeleine is a writer from somewhere near Manchester, England. Madeleine's background in languages and linguistics has led to baby names becoming one of her favorite topics to write about. When she's not fallen down a rabbit hole of stories behind unique names, Madeleine can be found hanging out with her cat, taking photos of flowers, or dancing.