Names That Mean Spirit

This Celtic goddess and Arthurian name may sound terminally old-ladyish to many ears--but so did names like Ella and Etta not so long ago. So Enid is yet another forgotten four-letter E-possibility: she's has been M.I.A since 1954.

Spirit that protects babies from illness...and surname of designer Naomi.

A charming addition to the ever-growing crop of virtue names.

A simple but unusual name with roots in disparate cultures, Neri appears in the Bible as a male name and is still sometimes used for boys as well as girls. The appeal of Neri are its deep roots combined with its simple, upbeat, modern feel, ala Peri and Rory.

In ancient Greece, Aither was one of the primordial deities. Aither is the personification of the upper air. He embodies the pure upper air that the gods breathe, as opposed to the normal air breathed by mortals. His name may be the origin of the word ether. He was said to be the source of the Gods' power.

Brought into the spotlight by actor Mykelti Williamson, who was given it by his half-Blackfoot Indian grandfather

A charming addition to the ever-growing crop of virtue names, currently rising for both sexes.

A truly international name with an arty feel, Zina has many origins. It is used as a short form of Zinaida, Rozina, and Zenobia in Russia, Hungary, and Poland and as an alternative form of Xena, Xenia, and Zena in various European countries. It is also an Arabic name meaning "adornment", an Nsenga name referring to a child's spirit name, a Galician form of Gina, and an Amharic name that could mean "felicity, happiness".

Greek nature goddess name that has a pleasing femininity. Damia is one of the more unusual goddess names newly fashionable for contemporary baby girls.

Has a rather heavy surname feel.

You know what — Lucifer would actually be the better choice here.

Pretty Slavic name, with some obvious pronunciation challenges.

A unisex name used in Nahuatl culture in Mexico and Central America.

A unisex name used in Nahuatl culture in Mexico and Central America. Yolotli is a variant that is used predominantly for girls.

A female given name in the Nahuatl culture in Mexico and Central America — a variation of the unisex name Yolotl.

Spiritual word names a la Saint and Serenity are white hot right now. Spiritual is a literal take on the trend.