Names That Mean First
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- Kiara
Origin:
English variation of Chiara, Italian, Ciara, Irish, or Aboriginal Australian, KoreanMeaning:
"light, clear; little dark one; cockatoo; first ray of sun"Description:
Kiara can be considered a variation of both the Italian name Chiara and the Irish name Ciara. Chiara is the Italian form of Clara, meaning "bright" or "clear," while Ciara is the feminine form of male given name Ciar, derived from the old Irish cíar, meaning "dark."
- Primrose
Origin:
English flower nameMeaning:
"first rose"Description:
A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen in the Hunger Games series. In the Top 300 girl names in England and Wales and on Nameberry, Primrose remains rare in the US, but is made more accessible by a raft of sweet nickname options, including Rosie and Posy.
- Hendrix
Origin:
Dutch and German, from first name HendrikMeaning:
"estate ruler"Description:
Hendrix is one of those hip rock and roll names, like Lennon, Jagger and Presley, that have been used by fellow celebs and others, to honor the seminal guitarist/singer/songwriter Jimi. And this one has the trendy 'x' ending, as well, helping to propel it up the charts and into the spotlight.
- Antonella
Origin:
Diminutive of Antonia, Spanish, Italian, LatinMeaning:
"from Antium"Description:
Antonella is an elaborate feminine form of Anthony growing in popularity throughout Latin America as well as in the US. It first entered the US charts back in 2017 and has since shot into the Top 300, given to around 1330 girls in a recent year.
- Elif
Origin:
Turkish and ArabicMeaning:
"first letter in the alphabet; slender"Description:
Elif is the Turkish form of Alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. Actor Natalie Portman gave another spelling to her son, Aleph.
- Kensa
Origin:
CornishMeaning:
"first"Description:
This Cornish word name would make an excellent choice for a first-born daughter.
- Aarush
Origin:
HindiMeaning:
"first ray of sun"Description:
A fiery Indian name used enough in the US to make it onto the Top 1000 list in 2010 and 2015.
- Proteus
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"first"Description:
The name of an early Greek god of the sea, after whom a moon of Neptune is named.
- Primus
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"first"Description:
The revival of long-dormant Roman names would put this back in the lexicon if it wasn't so connected to a telecommunications network.
- Hendrix
Origin:
Dutch and German, from first name HendrikMeaning:
"estate ruler"Description:
Hendrix is a trendy first name, complete with cool letter X and the familiar sounds of Henry. Likely inspired by guitar great, Jimi Hendrix, the name is predominantly used for boys, with 1130 receiving the name in 2024. In contrast, 52 girls were called Hendrix, meaning the name is split 4:96.
- Prima
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"first"Description:
Will assure your daughter she's numero uno.
- Primula
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"first rose"Description:
Primula is related to Primrose, the name and the flower, and would make a quirky yet charming (or is it charming yet quirky?) botanical name for a first daughter.
- Sabik
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"one who comes in first"Description:
Sabik, a star in Ophiuchus, makes for a rather harsh-sounding name. If you're looking skyward for a baby name, you'd do better with Orion or Jupiter. But if you are searching for names that mean new beginnings, this is one unusual choice.
- Primo
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"first"Description:
Primo is number one among the Latin birth-order names--Octavius et al--and the one most likely to be used in these days of smaller families. It has that jaunty 'o' ending and Italian flavor that many modern parents like so much. And what little boy wouldn't appreciate being prime?
- Alula
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"first leap"Description:
Alula, the palindromic name of the first double star to be identified as physically related to its twin, would make the perfect name for a first-born twin. Ideas (we're only half joking) for the second born: Aviva, Aziza, Otto. Alula is reminiscent of the unusual name chosen by Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen for their second daughter: Elula, a month name from the Hebrew calendar.
- Kady
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"first"Description:
Kady, though it has an authentic Irish meaning, may also be a variation of Katy short form of Kadence, or combination of initials K. and D. Though Kady is more distinctive, everyone will just hear it as Katy.
- Agrippa
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"born feet first"Description:
A Roman forename, and later family name, used for both sexes in ancient times (but more commonly men).
- Alpha
Origin:
Greek, first letter of the alphabetDescription:
The first letter of the Greek alphabet ande the brightest star in every constellation, this would make an interesting choice for a first daughter, though it does give off some spectral sci-fi reverberations--and references to the term "alpha male.".
- Shanaya
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"First ray of the sun"Description:
A beautiful Indian name that fits in well with popular names like Amaya and Aniyah, and with a beautiful meaning — perfect for a first born daughter.
- Kazuo
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"first son; harmonious man"Description:
A familiar choice in Japan, Kazuo is known more globally due to award winning writer, Kazuo Ishiguro, whose works include Never Let Me Go, The Remains of the Day, and Klara and the Sun. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017.
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