Names That Mean Child

  1. Evelyn
    • Origin:

      English from French and German
    • Meaning:

      "desired; or water, island"
    • Description:

      After decades of disuse, soft and feminine Evelyn has returned to the baby name stage in a huge way. It reached the Top 10 for the first time in 2017. Evelyn has now surpassed its former heights, joining a legion of contemporary little Evas, Avas, Eves, Evies, and Evelines.
  2. Miriam
    • Origin:

      Hebrew or Egyptian
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
    • Description:

      The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament names post-Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Hannah, and Leah. Miriam is currently the Number 1 girls' name in Israel.
  3. Maria
    • Origin:

      Hebrew or Egyptian
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
    • Description:

      As a highly popular girls' name in all Spanish-speaking countries, this saintly Latin variation of Mary retains a timeless beauty. Through the centuries, Maria remains one of the most widely-used girl names starting with M.
  4. Dion
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Dionysius, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "child of heaven and earth; of Zeus"
    • Description:

      A variation of Greek Dionysius, itself derived from the name of the god of wine, revelry, and dance, Dion gives a nod to mythology while also having historical ties to a student of Plato, to a Greek mathematician and to 1st century writer and historian.

      As a contemporary name, it came into popular use in the late 1950s and remained in the Top 1000 until 2006. It has dipped in and out of the charts since then, and is still given to a not insignificant 200 boys each year.
  5. Aiko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "beloved child"
    • Description:

      Aiko is a very common Japanese name with a lovely meaning that is rarely heard outside the Asian community.
  6. Ona
    • Origin:

      Lithuanian variation of Anna, Catalan diminutive of Mariona
    • Meaning:

      "grace; wave; bitter; wished-for child"
    • Description:

      One of those names with a wide array of meanings across different cultures; it's the Lithuanian form of Anna, for instance, and William Blake used it as the name of one of his mysterious, godlike characters. But it's found major popularity in Spain, where it's just outside the Top 50. It makes the Top 10 in Catalonia, being both a diminutive of Mariona and the word for "wave".
  7. Kiko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "hope child"
    • Description:

      As a feminine name, Kiko is Japanese in origin. One possible meaning is "hope child," but different kanji combinations will yield alternate meanings.
  8. My
    • Origin:

      Swedish diminutive of Maria
    • Meaning:

      "bitter; wished-for child"
    • Description:

      Although the sound is pretty, "my" is too common of an English word for My to be usable as a baby name in Anglophone countries.
  9. Khadija
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "premature child"
    • Description:

      The Prophet Muhammad's first wife and the first convert to Islam, and a very popular name in the Muslim community. It ranks in the Top 200 girls' names in France, Italy and England & Wales (alongside variant Khadijah just below the Top 200).
  10. Aiko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "beloved child"
    • Description:

      Common Japanese name rising for both sexes in the US.
  11. Haruki
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "spring child"
    • Description:

      Japanese writer Haruki Murakami, well known in the U. S. , might inspire some namesakes.
  12. Reiko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "pretty child"
    • Description:

      Dainty and doll-like.
  13. Nezuko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "red bean child"
    • Description:

      This demon name from the anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, was one of the highest debuts of 2021, when it was given to 20 baby girls. It rose to 29 girls in 2022.
  14. Keiko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "happy child"
    • Description:

      Japanese classic with optimistic meaning.
  15. Rai
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "next child"
    • Description:

      Distinctive and intriguing relative of Rae.
  16. Alannah
    • Origin:

      Gaelic
    • Meaning:

      "child"
    • Description:

      This form of Alannah was derived directly from the Gaelic term a leanbh, meaning "child." Though not as popular as the more traditional Alana spelling, it has consistently charted in the US since 2007. Alannah Myles is popularizing this spelling of Alana.
  17. Akiko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "bright child"
    • Description:

      This popular Japanese name has many various meanings (bright, clear, autumn), depending on the combination of kanji used to spell it. The final element is the character ko, meaning "child", which features in many Japanese feminine names. Akiko is one of the best unique names for autumn babies.
  18. Kamaka
    • Origin:

      Maori, Hawaiian
    • Meaning:

      "rock; beloved child"
    • Description:

      Popular in Hawaii in the first decades of the 20th century, this name also means "rock" in Māori.
  19. Emiko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "smiling child; beautiful child"
    • Description:

      A fresh and pretty Japanese name which would be an unusual route to the popular Emmy/Emi nickname. In Japanese, this name can be formed from a variety of different kanji combinations with different meanings, but "laughing child" and "beautiful child" are two appealing possibilities.
  20. Sachi
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "child of joy"
    • Description:

      Sachi, often short for Sachiko, was given to 25 girls in the US in a recent year. While it is technically Japanese, this short form has an unidentifiably international feel and might be a relative of the stylish Sacha.