Names That Mean Mother

  1. Amaya
    • Origin:

      Spanish version of Amaia or Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "mother city; the end; night rain"
    • Description:

      The Spanish form of Amaya is both a given name and a surname, originating from the Spanish mountain and village of Amaya. In this context it means "mother city" or "the capital." Amaya can also be considered a derivation of Amaia, a Basque name meaning "the end." In Japan, Amaya is a surname.
  2. Maia
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "mother"
    • Description:

      Maia was derived from the Greek word maia, meaning "mother." In Greek legend, she was the fair-haired daughter of Atlas who mothered Zeus's favorite illegitimate son, Hermes. To the Romans, Maia was the incarnation of the earth mother and goddess of spring, after whom they named the month of May. Maya is the more common spelling.
  3. Gaia
    • Origin:

      Greek and Latin
    • Meaning:

      "earth mother; rejoicing"
    • Description:

      Floral, bright, and subtly powerful, Gaia is a name with two separate origins. In Greek mythology, it is the name of the earth goddess and the universal mother, who takes her epithet from the Ancient Greek word for land or ground. It was this ecological element that led actress Emma Thompson to choose it for her daughter back in 1999, and it could hold similar appeal to green minded parents today.
  4. Atla
    • Origin:

      Norse
    • Meaning:

      "little mother"
    • Description:

      A Norse goddess who was one of the nine mothers of Heimdall. Atli, the masculine form, is related to the popular Hungarian name Attila.
  5. Demeter
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "earth mother"
    • Description:

      Demeter, the Greek goddess of grain, agriculture, and the harvest, growth and nourishment, was Zeus's sister and Persephone's mother. Variation Demetria is the full name of actress Demi Moore. Though familiar, Demeter is not one of the Greek goddess namesthat's finding widespread modern favor.
  6. Neith
    • Origin:

      Egyptian
    • Meaning:

      "divine mother"
    • Description:

      One of the more unusual mythology names for girls, Neith is the name of the Egyptian goddess of home and femininity.
  7. Cybele
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "the mother of all gods"
    • Description:

      The Anatolian mother goddess Cybele had a place in Greek, Roman, Trojan, and Anatolian mythology. Today, she has special meaning as a symbol of gender nonconformity.
  8. Moa
    • Origin:

      Swedish
    • Meaning:

      "mother"
    • Description:

      Moa was among the Top 100 Swedish baby names throughout the 2000s and 2010s, though it has since declined in use. Pronounced as MOO-ah in Sweden, it is virtually unknown in the US.
  9. Emzara
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "mother of Sarai"
    • Description:

      The name of Noah's wife, a daughter of Rake'el (his father's brother), according to Jubilees 4:33 of the Old Testament Apocrypha. It may mean "mother of Sarai".
  10. Amma
    • Origin:

      Tamil, Akan
    • Meaning:

      "mother, or born on a Saturday"
    • Description:

      An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning.
  11. Ece
    • Origin:

      Turkish
    • Meaning:

      "queen, mother"
    • Description:

      Ece is another name for Umay, the Turkish goddess of the Earth and fertility. It is derived from the Old Turkic word eçe, meaning "mother."
  12. Mariamman
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "mother of rain"
    • Description:

      Mariamman is a Hindu goddess worshipped as the bringer of rain and prosperity. Her name is often abbreviated to Amman, and her festivals are held during the late summer and early autumn seasons.
  13. Lillemor
    • Origin:

      Scandinavia
    • Meaning:

      "little mother"
    • Description:

      Lillemor is a relatively recent coinage in Scandinavia, where it was most popular in the 1930s and '40s, especially in Sweden. As such, it is considered rather dated in Scandinavia, but it would certainly make a fresh choice for lovers of "Lily" names abroad — although the "Lil" in this case actually comes from lille "little".
  14. Ci
    • Origin:

      Tupian
    • Meaning:

      "mother"
    • Description:

      In the Tupi culture indigenous to Brazil, Ci is a primeval mother goddess.
  15. Janaina
    • Origin:

      Form of Yemoja, Yoruba
    • Meaning:

      "mother of fish"
    • Description:

      Janaina is a name used by Brazilians and Caribbean people to refer to a Yoruba goddess of pregnancy and motherhood but also the Virgin Mary.
  16. Madrona
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "mother"
    • Description:

      A bit grown-up for a tiny baby.
  17. Iyabo
    • Origin:

      African, Yoruba
    • Meaning:

      "mother has returned"
    • Description:

      A lively name often used to honor a deceased grandmother in Yoruba culture.
  18. Bayarma
    • Origin:

      Mongolian
    • Meaning:

      "mother of joy"
    • Description:

      A warm and joyful Mongolian name.
  19. Iemanja
    • Origin:

      Portuguese from Yoruba
    • Meaning:

      "mother of fish children"
    • Description:

      In Brazil, Iemanjá is the Portuguese variation of the Yoruba (Nigerian) water goddess Yemọja. She is the mother of humanity and is depicted as a mermaid. There is also a species of fish named Iemanja after the deity.
  20. Jarita
    • Origin:

      Hindi-Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "mother or legendary bird"
    • Description:

      Delicate and lacy, with less emphasis on the jar syllable.