By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 255 pages
of 255
Serbo-Croatian
"freedom"
The story behind this name is positive: it was first used as a virtue name by the 19th-century liberal thinker Vladimir Jovanović (who also named his daughter Pravda, "justice"). However, it is now…
Welsh place name
"open plain or burial place"
The meaning of the place name Berian, in Pembrokeshire, is not known, but it may mean "plain" or "burial place". It would make an interesting -ian ending option for lovers of names like Julian and…
Welsh
"rejoice"
A Welsh saint, the son or grandson of a local king called Caw/Cai. It seems that Caian may be a derivative of that name, which is derived from Caius "rejoice". A church at Tregaian in Anglesey is…
Nyakyusa
"god is gracious"
Nyakyusa form of John.
Welsh or Hebrew
"steel, or generation of god"
As a Welsh name, Elidor is a modern form of Elidur, an ancient British king name. It was used by British author Alan Garner for the eponymous hero of his children's fantasy novel Elidor (1965). As a…
"steel"
Ancient British king's name with a cool sound.
African and Sotho
"given"
A cool and charismatic Sotho name with a great meaning.
West African
"populous, flourishing"
Form of Umar popular in West Africa.
Arabic
"smiling"
An unusual Arabic name with a joyful meaning.
Sanskrit
"of the springtime"
Madhava is given as a name among Hindu baby boys, as Madhava is an epithet for the god Krishna. Madhava of Sangamagrama was a 14th-century Indian mathematician and astronomer whose contributions…
Variation of Ximen, Basque
"son"
Ximeno is sometimes falsely credited as the Basque variation of Simon. It actually comes from Semen, a medieval Basque name that is completely unusable today, for obvious reasons. All the more reason…
Variation of Ximen, Basque "son"
You may be more familiar with Jimena, the feminization of this name. Jimeno is just as upbeat and attractive — we'd love to see more parents embrace this rarity. It was given to fewer than five baby…
Maori
"man, masculine"
Energetic Maori form of Andrew.
Greek
"silver"
A more modern form of Argyros.
An intriguing Greek name with an appealing meaning.
Latin and Dutch
"supplanter"
Form of Jacobus
"moon creature on high"
Modern Greek form of Arion
Dutch
"brave friend"
Dutch form of Baldwin
Tahitian
"crown of the ocean"
A combination of hei "crown" and moana "ocean".
Swahili
"fame, honor, splendor"
A lovely soft-yet-strong unisex Swahili name, with a great meaning to boot.
