Names That Mean Mother
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About this list
The names
Amaya
Spanish version of Amaia or Japanese
"mother city; the end; night rain"
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…
Maia
Greek
"mother"
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…
Amma
Tamil, Akan
"mother, or born on a Saturday"
An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning. Amma is also a Ghanaian name. The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born…
Iyabo
African, Yoruba
"mother has returned"
A lively name often used to honor a deceased grandmother in Yoruba culture.
Jarita
Hindi-Sanskrit
"mother or legendary bird"
Delicate and lacy, with less emphasis on the jar syllable.
Madrona
Spanish
"mother"
A bit grown-up for a tiny baby.
Neith
Egyptian
"divine mother"
One of the more unusual mythology names for girls , Neith is the name of the Egyptian goddess of home and femininity.
Emese
Hungarian
"mother"
A Hungarian name rarely heard outside its native culture, Emese appears as the legendary grandmother of Árpád, the founder of the Hungarian state. It featured in the Hungarian Top 100 from when the…
Moa
Swedish
"mother"
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. Could Moa make an…
Amba
Sanskrit
"mother"
No - not a creative spelling of Amber. Amba is an Indian name. Due to its meaning, Amba is a name often related with the Hindu goddess Parvati, who is a fertility deity.
Lillemor
Scandinavia
"little mother"
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…
Astarte
Phonecian
"mother goddess"
Astarte is the ancient goddess of sexuality, fertility, and war, associated with Ishtar as well as Venus.
Yetunde
Yoruba
"mother returned"
West African name best known as that of Yetunde Price, half-sister of Venus and Serena Williams who was tragically murdered in 2003.
Janaina
Form of Yemoja, Yoruba
"mother of fish"
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.
Saramama
Inca, Quechua
"maize mother"
In Inca mythology, Saramama was the goddess of maize.
Mitrofan
Slavic and Russian variation of Metrophanes, Greek
"mother appearing, shining mother"
Mitrofan comes from the obscure Greek name Metrophanes. It is primarily used as a first name but is also seen as a surname in countries such as Romania.
Cybele
Greek
"the mother of all gods"
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. In ancient Rome, Cybele's cult…
Mariamman
Sanskrit
"mother of rain"
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.
Akna
Inuit
"mother"
In Inuit mythology, Akna is the goddess of fertility and childbirth.
Ci
Tupian
"mother"
In the Tupi culture indigenous to Brazil, Ci is a primeval mother goddess.
