Names That Mean Little Sister

Names that mean little sister include Sissy, Adelfia, Aduke, Behnoosh, Sorelle, Hongmei, Nana, Chika, Adik, Imouto, and Xiaomei. These come from Greek, Yoruba, Persian, French, Chinese, Japanese, and Malay origins, and most describe a younger sibling with warmth, affection, or endearment. Adelfia is the most direct Greek translation, while Xiaomei and Imouto are the literal Chinese and Japanese words for little sister.

Names built around little sister are rare compared to broader sister names, so many parents widen the search to include sister names in general, sibling names, and words for younger or beloved daughter. Below is a full breakdown covering direct meanings, sister names by language, and softer alternatives with a similar feeling.

Names That Directly Mean Little Sister

• Adelfia, Greek, meaning beloved sister, a variation of Adelpha
• Xiaomei, Chinese, the literal phrase for little sister
• Imouto, Japanese, meaning younger sister
• Behnoosh, Persian, meaning good sister or kind sister
• Aduke, Yoruba, meaning she who is petted or the darling little one
• Adik, Malay and Indonesian, meaning younger sibling
• Nana, Twi, sometimes used to mean little one within family terms
• Chika, Japanese, occasionally interpreted as a term of closeness among siblings
• Sisi, Southern African, meaning younger sister in some Nguni languages
• Dede, Turkish, used informally to mean little one, sometimes applied to younger sisters
• Kanya, Thai, meaning young girl, close to the idea of a little sister
• Meimei, Chinese, an affectionate way to say little sister, often used as a nickname

Names That Mean Sister

If a direct little sister name feels too narrow, plain sister names widen the options while keeping the same warmth.

• Adelpha, Greek, meaning sister
• Sororia, Latin, derived from soror, meaning of a sister or sisterly
• Sorella, Italian, meaning sister
• Sorelle, French, meaning sisters, often used as a singular name
• Ahoti, Hebrew, meaning my sister
• Sisko, Finnish, meaning sister
• Hermana, Spanish, the direct word for sister
• Kyodai, Japanese, used more broadly for siblings but tied closely to sisterhood
• Odaya, Hebrew rooted, associated with closeness between sisters
• Nkoyo, Nigerian origin, tied to meanings of togetherness among sisters
• Umama, Arabic rooted, linked to nurturing and sisterly care
• Achot, Hebrew, another direct form meaning sister

Names That Mean Younger Or Youngest

Many families searching for little sister names actually want something that reflects being the younger child, without translating sister directly.

• Neriah, Hebrew, tied to meanings of light and being the younger one in some interpretations
• Kata, Hungarian, occasionally used for the youngest daughter
• Odera, Igbo, meaning the last born or youngest child
• Bungsu, Malay, meaning the youngest child
• Kanoa, Hawaiian, loosely tied to being free and young
• Ultima, Latin, meaning the last, sometimes chosen for the youngest daughter
• Junior forms in many cultures, such as adding a diminutive suffix to an older sister’s name

Names That Mean Little One

Little sister overlaps closely with names simply meaning little one or small, which gives a much wider pool to choose from.

• Paulina, Latin, meaning small
• Zilla, Hebrew, meaning shadow, often softened to mean small and gentle
• Wren, English, a small bird used as a name meaning tiny
• Tiny, used directly in some English speaking families as an affectionate name
• Cataleya, Spanish rooted, tied to delicate and small flower imagery
• Minnie, English, historically a diminutive meaning small
• Pippa, Latin rooted, meaning lover of horses but widely used as a cute small sounding name
• Suzu, Japanese, meaning small bell

Names That Mean Little Sister In Different Languages

Language	Name Or Phrase	Meaning
Greek	Adelfia	Beloved sister
Chinese	Xiaomei, Meimei	Little sister
Japanese	Imouto	Younger sister
Persian	Behnoosh	Good sister
Yoruba	Aduke	Petted darling one
Malay	Adik	Younger sibling
Finnish	Sisko	Sister
Hebrew	Ahoti, Achot	My sister
Italian	Sorella	Sister
French	Sorelle	Sisters
Thai	Kanya	Young girl
Southern African	Sisi	Younger sister

Nicknames Families Use For A Little Sister

Beyond formal names, many families lean on affectionate nicknames rather than a legal first name to express the little sister idea day to day.

• Sissy
• Bean
• Peanut
• Bug
• Munchkin
• Dot
• Cricket
• Petal
• Sprout
• Pip

Mythological And Literary Sister Names

Some parents look to sister pairs in myth or literature for names that carry a built in sense of sisterhood.

• Selene and Eos, Greek sister deities of moon and dawn
• Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, the March sisters from Little Women
• Anna and Elsa, sister characters popularized through modern storytelling
• Rachel and Leah, biblical sisters
• Persephone and Demeter, Greek mother and daughter often grouped with sisterhood themes in extended myth

Why Parents Choose Little Sister Names

Parents usually reach for this theme when naming a second daughter, wanting the name to reflect her place in the family without sounding like a copy of her older sister’s name. These names also work well for parents who want to honor sisterhood itself as a value, rather than describing personality or nature. Because true little sister names are rare, many families blend a direct meaning with a softer sounding name from the same language for balance.

Things To Consider Before Choosing

Direct translations like Xiaomei or Imouto read clearly as descriptive phrases rather than standalone first names in English speaking countries, so they usually work better as middle names or nicknames. If you want the meaning to be less obvious day to day, sister names like Sorelle or Adelfia carry the same idea with more flexibility as a full first name. Pairing a meaningful little sister name with a family nickname often gives you the best of both worlds, formal on paper and personal at home.

FAQs

What name means little sister?

Adelfia in Greek and Xiaomei in Chinese are the most direct names meaning little sister, both carrying warmth and closeness in their meaning.

Is there an English name that means little sister?

English does not have a traditional name that translates directly to little sister, so many parents choose nicknames like Sissy or Bean instead.

What Japanese name means little sister?

Imouto is the Japanese word for younger sister, while Meimei is a Chinese affectionate nickname with a similar meaning.

What name means sister in Hebrew?

Ahoti and Achot both mean my sister or sister in Hebrew, used more as descriptive names than common first names.

What are cute nicknames for a little sister?

Sissy, Bean, Peanut, Bug, and Munchkin are common affectionate nicknames families use for a little sister.

Is there a name that means youngest child?

Bungsu in Malay and Odera in Igbo both mean the youngest child, useful if you want the meaning of being last born rather than sister specifically.