Birthday Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
French; English
"of the Passover; Easter"
The French-accented Pascal was historically used for sons born at Easter, and can make an interesting choice for a boy with Gallic roots arriving around that holiday. Pascal has a number of notable…
English word name
"month name"
What is so rare as a month named June? October – and November and December – are a lot rarer. Brisk and substantial, they're so much more memorable and modern than April or May. October got its name…
Japanese
"born in the spring; clear weather"
A short and straightforward name for a springtime child.
English
"Woden's day"
Made famous by the iconic and macabre character Wednesday Addams, this name has the spooky and Halloween-inspired feel that some parents might be looking for. The character has appeared in various…
Mbama, Sanskrit, Latin, and Spanish
"love; lamp; heavenly; day"
A sweet and simple multicultural choice which has several different meanings and origins. Widely used in Africa, it means "love" in Lembaama. It's a variant spelling of Diya, an Arabic, Hindi and…
Finnish, Maori, Hawaiian, Sanskrit, Akan, Hebrew
"greatest; bird; wise; second born; God is with us"
An international name that, while short and simple, sounds strong and distinctive, stylish and sweet all at once. It may appeal to those who want a name that works in multiple languages, while also…
Slavic
"spring"
Diminutive for all the Slavic names that start with Jar-. If for family or cultural reasons you're seeking such a name, then this is a reasonable short form.
Italian
"January"
This name of the patron saint of Naples would make an apt choice for a New Year's baby, or one with Neapolitan roots.
African
"born on Friday"
This variant of the more-difficult Afua, from the Akan language of what is now Ghana in West Africa, is a traditional "day name" that can make a perfectly pretty modern choice.
Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norse, "new day"
"new day"
If you're looking for a name with Scandinavian roots, Dagny makes a strong and appealing import. Derived from Old Norse, it means "new day", perfect for a girl born around New Year's or the change of…
"spring tree"
Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, well known in the U. S. , might inspire some namesakes. Haruki is a popular Japanese name meaning spring tree or bright tree, a lovely nature meaning combined with…
Japanese; Finnish
"born in the autumn; ancestor"
A name known in several cultures, also through animated book character Tiger Aki. Finnish author Aki Ollikainen is another notable bearer.
"tenth month"
Cooler than April, May, or June, but also a tad icy. December gets its name from the number ten as the old Roman calendar only had ten months, and as now, December was the last.
Ghanaian, Akan, Twi
"Born on a Tuesday"
The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this…
Parents are beginning to turn away from springtime months like April and June and are moving toward the cooler and crisper three-syllable September, October, November, and December.
Female variation of Yvain or Scottish
"evening star"
A mix of Yvonne and Elaine, Yvaine was first noticed in the Neil Gaiman fantasy novel and then movie Stardust , in which Claire Danes played the 'fallen star' Yvaine. This In all its forms, one of…
Most things Jul-related – from the month of July to popular modern names Julia and Julian – originate with Roman emperor Julius Caesar, and the month name July is no exception. Fifteen girls and…
Word name
Spring doesn't sound half as contemporary as Winter, which has become the cool season name.
"Tiu's Day; Tiw's day"
When actress Susan Ker Weld changed her name to Tuesday, she opened up a whole calendar of possibilities. This was decades before the arrival of Sunday Rose Urban and years before Wednesday Addams…
"day-bright"
Problematic, even if not for Dilbert.
