Names That Mean Holy

This pet form of such names as Winifred and Edwina and Gwendolyn has loads of vintage charm, a la Millie and Maisie, with a decidedly winning vibe. And it just got celebrity cred as the baby daughter of Jimmy Fallon.

This name of the Cretan goddess of fertility is most popular now as the more melodic Ariana, but Ariadne has possibilities of its own. It first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. The renewed interest in the name falls in line with the revival of other mythological names like Apollo and Athena. The trendy nickname Ari doesn't hurt either.

The smooth, attractive Ariana is on the rise along with the fame of pop princess Ariana Grande. Also famous is twin spelling Arianna, which is associated with Greek-born online presence Arianna Huffington. Both Ariana and Arianna are widely used names and are equally acceptable spellings.

This Slavic form of the Norse name Helga is a classic in many Slavic countries, including Russia and Poland, where it currently ranks within the Top 100 girl names. It has historically ranked among the most popular names in countries including Ukraine, Latvia, Spain, France, Serbia, Greece, the US, and many more. Olga is a common name even in Scandinavian countries, such as Sweden and Norway, despite Helga being a more traditional choice. Olha is the uniquely Ukrainian variation.

Beguiling and lovely, Laila is one of the lilting variations of Leila and Layla. It's the name of the former-boxer daughter of Muhammad Ali and of actor Shawn Wayans. In Finland, the Sami people use this in place of the Scandinavian name Helga.

Tanwen is a far more singular and colorful alternative to Bronwen.

A smooth, attractive choice, Arianna's on the rise with both single and double 'r's and 'n's. Single 'r' double 'n' Arianna — the second most popular version of the name — is these days associated with Greek-born blog queen Arianna Huffington.

A fun and confident choice, Holiday is a celebratory name, particularly associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and New Year, and with rest, leisure, and vacations more generally. Fitting for a winter baby, but totally sunny too, it comes from the Old English hāligdæg meaning "holy day" as it was originally used to mark religious festivals and celebrations.

Romantic and elegant but tough and sparky at the same time, Ariadna is a variation of the Greek Ariadne, predominantly used among Spanish speakers. In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos of Crete who oversaw the labyrinth, where she later helped Theseus defeat the Minotaur.

Short and strong multicultural option for a son. Nev Schulman (born Yaniv) is the creator of the MTV series Catfish.

Eren ranks among the Top 50 boys' names in Turkey, among the Top 1000 in England and Wales, and is virtually unknown in the US. With a sound that's similar to Aaron or Erin, it may be mistaken for one of those more familiar choices but does make an easily-translated and attractive name. Eren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, with parents potential inspired by the character Eren Yeager in the popular Japanese manga series Attack on Titan.

Nolwenn is popular in Wales but would be a very adventurous choice in the US. Though with the increased visibility of names like Arwen, thanks to Lord of the Rings, it may not feel as odd going forward as it might have a generation ago. Other, similar ideas: Olwen, Anwen, Bronwen, Rowena.

The Spanish and Portuguese variation of the all-saints name. Santos is a name that has appeared in the US Top 1000 every year except for two: 1913 and 1915.

Soft and delicate French name rarely heard here.

A highly unusual Biblical girls' name whose popularity in Latin America is beginning to spill over into the U.S.. Azeneth is one of those unique baby names we'll be hearing a lot more of.

Sai is a name used in India to honor Shirdi Sai Baba, a spiritual master revered by both Hindus and Muslims.

Possible Gaelic alternative to Kevin and Devon.

While Meron looks like a variation of Maren or Marion, her origins are in Ethiopia: Meron is the name of the holy oil used for christenings in the Ethiopian Orthodox church.

This common Russian name has a somewhat effete pencil-thin-moustached image here.

A little-known Callie name, belonging to a naiad in Greek mythology – a daughter of the god of the Nile. She was one of the wives of Aegyptus.