Names That Mean Mother
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- Amaya
Origin:
Spanish version of Amaia or JapaneseMeaning:
"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.
- Maia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"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.
- Gaia
Origin:
Greek and LatinMeaning:
"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.
- Cybele
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"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.
- Demeter
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"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.
- Lillemor
Origin:
ScandinaviaMeaning:
"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".
- Atla
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"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.
- Neith
Origin:
EgyptianMeaning:
"divine mother"Description:
One of the more unusual mythology names for girls, Neith is the name of the Egyptian goddess of home and femininity.
- Moa
Origin:
SwedishMeaning:
"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.
- Ece
Origin:
TurkishMeaning:
"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."
- Amma
Origin:
Tamil, AkanMeaning:
"mother, or born on a Saturday"Description:
An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning.
- Amba
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"mother"Description:
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.
- Gaja
Origin:
Polish and Slovene variation of Gaia, GreekMeaning:
"earth mother"
- Emese
Origin:
HungarianMeaning:
"mother"Description:
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 records began in the 2000s, right up until 2022.
- Kivela
Origin:
Russian variation of Cybele, GreekMeaning:
"the mother of all gods"Description:
Many traditional Russian names have ancient Greek origins, such as Kivela, which derives from Cybele. In Greek mythology, Cybele was the goddess of fertility, nature, and health.
- Mariamman
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"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.
- Jarita
Origin:
Hindi-SanskritMeaning:
"mother or legendary bird"Description:
Delicate and lacy, with less emphasis on the jar syllable.
- Metrophanes
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"mother appearing, shining mother"Description:
Metrophanes is derived from the elements meter, meaning "mother," and phanes, "appearing" or "shine." It was borne by several important bishops, most notably Metrophanes of Byzantium, who was later sanctified.
- Mitrofan
Origin:
Slavic and Russian variation of Metrophanes, GreekMeaning:
"mother appearing, shining mother"Description:
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.
- Iemanja
Origin:
Portuguese from YorubaMeaning:
"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.
