Names That Mean God

While Dennis may be more familiar to English speakers, Denis, or sometimes Denys, were the original medieval French forms of the name. Ultimately derived from Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and debauchery, it is a saint's name, popular in France during the Middle Ages, and during the 60s.
 
Denis is memorably borne by Saint Denis, a 3rd century saint whose rather gory end is credited with converting the Gauls to Christianity. Having been decapitated, he is said to have picked up his head, and begun walking and preaching. Legend or not, he is the patron saint of France.
 
While the Dennis spelling has largely been more popular in English speaking countries (and beyond), Denis currently ranks just slightly higher in England and Wales, with its concise spelling appealing perhaps, alongside shorter favorites like Luca, Leo, and Rory. 
 
An important point to note is the different pronunciations of this spelling. In French, it would be DU-NEE, while in English it would said as DEHN-is. The German and Czech pronunciation, DEH-nis, is slightly different again, while in Russia, it would be di-NEES.

Denis

Isa is a name unto itself as both a Persian name meaning "strong-willed" and as Germanic one derived from the element is meaning "ice". It can also be a short form of Isabel, Isabella, Isadora, Louisa, and similar. Currently popular in Brazil and The Netherlands, it has seen some increased use in the US in recent years, perhaps owing to the popularity of other short names like Ava, Mia, and Isla.
 
Also used as a masculine name, it is an Arabic form of Jesus.

Ramses was the name of several kings in Ancient Egypt, including the long-reigning Ramses II, known as Ramses the Great.  Unfortuntely, some may associate it with the condom brand name.

Ramses

Distinctive, elegant, and luxurious, Adalia can be a variation of Adele, or a Hebrew name with a Biblical background. Although it is given exclusively to girls in the US, in the Bible it is masculine. The similar Adlai might be easier to wear for boys in English speaking countries, while Adalia fits in with Adeline, Amelia, and Dahlia. 

Adalia

Zuriel

Short, sweet, and sharp, this multicultural choice is currently popular in Croatia, Czechia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. While not in the charts elsewhere, it is familiar in English speaking countries, and in the Netherlands. 
 
The name has a number of different meanings depending on which root you follow. It can be a Czech or English feminine form of the names Ivo and Ives, which derive from the Germanic iwa meaning "yew tree". Alternatively, it could also be a feminine form of the Scottish and English name Ivor, originating from the Old Norse Ívarr meaning "bow warrior", although sometimes interpreted as also meaning "yew". 
 
From its Bulgarian, Croatian, and Serbian roots, Iva can mean "willow tree", though it might also be a Slovak and Slovene short form of Ivana, a feminine form of Ivan, ultimately a form of John, meaning "god is gracious". 
 
Iva packs a lot into its three letters, and in the US, it could make a familiar-but-underused alternative to Eva and Ivy.

This newly invented name is most likely a combination of Jane and Vanessa. Though it may not have as long of a history as more traditional names, Janessa has been a staple on the bottom half of the US Top 1000 since the mid-1980s. Perhaps surprisingly, it peaked at Number 524 in 2004.

Janessa

Jovan, the name of the supreme Roman deity, seems more extraterrestrial now -- and it's also firmly attached to a perfume label.  Some parents may see it as a variation of Giovanni, the Italian for John.  It is in fact the Slavic variation of John and may be an original way to honor an ancestral John.

Jovan

Akin to Ada, Adeline, and Adele, Adalie is one of many names to derive from the Old German element adal. Musical and lively, and less popular than its many of its sisters, Adalie was given to around 160 girls in a recent year. An obscure choice until the 2000s, Adalie saw increased usage in the US in 2012, around the time as other Ad- names were beginning to really trend. 
 
While the German origin is more obvious, there is the possibility that Adalie has Hebrew roots too. Adalia is used as a masculine name in the Bible and is the origin of Adlai. Meaning "God is just", this could add another layer of meaning to the name for some.
 
A less expected way to nickname Addie — or even to Dollie — Adalie might occasionally confused with its counterpart, the popular Adeline, Adelyn and co.

Adalie

Arizbeth is a compound name particularly popular in Mexico and among Hispanic parents in the US. Created by blending Ariel or Ariana with classic Elizabeth, it is one of the hottest unique names currently around. 
 
While the alternative spelling Arisbeth is more popular with its friendly but poetic feel, the fresh and zippy Arizbeth isn't far behind. Given to around 160 girls in a recent year, it has grown significantly in the early 2020s.
 
When you combine the number of Arisbeths and Arizbeths together, the name is received by more than 320 babies each year, making it feel like a Top 1000 choice, similar in popularity to Kallie, Tiffany, and Elia.

Arizbeth

Sweet and cosy with a touch of sass, this nickname-y choice was a familiar option up until the sixties in the US. Then, for a while, it was a bit of a one-person name, associated with singer Dolly Parton, but more recently, it's been singing a fashionable note again along with sisters Dottie and Millie. 
 Typically short for Dorothy or its sister, Dorothea, Dolly has been used on its own since the seventeenth century, so common then that it became a generic term for a favored girl. In the US, it was a Top 300 name around the turn of the last 20th century.
 The fourth First Lady of the United States spelled her name variously as Dolly and Dolley Madison. And of course Dolly Levi is the name of the central character in the iconic musical bearing her name. Then, there's Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be cloned, and the British writer and journalist, Dolly Alderton, who likely helped bring this name back into the England and Wales Top 1000 back in 2008.
 
While some may read it as just a touch too cutesy, Dolly does fit right in with Birdie, Scottie, Maisie, Etta, Goldie, and so on, and was a Top 400 choice in the UK in a recent year. Its return to the stage in the US has been quieter, but 127 girls were called Dolly in the latest count: more than double the number who were given the name in 2020. 
 
Love Dolly but want a full name besides Dorothy and Dorothea? You could try Dahlia, Gwendolyn, Theodora, Delphine, Odilia, or Dolores.

Dolly

Dorothea is a romantic Victorian-sounding name that blends elegance, gravitas and a hint of clunkiness too. Popular in the early decades of the twentieth century, it has been off the charts since 1970, however it's definitely on the brink of a revival! In fact, it has already been making its way back into the UK Top 1000, and a recent year saw it given to 90 girls in the US — three times the number it was given to a decade prior. 
 
A relative of Dorothy, Theodore, and Theodora, Dorothea is comprised of the same Greek elements, doron and theos, meaning "gift" and "god". It has has a long literary history, including as a clever and beautiful character in Don Quixote and the intelligent and generous heroine of George Eliot's Middlemarch.
 Worthy namesakes include Dorothea Dix, nineteenth century activist for the mentally ill and Civil War nurse, and the influential documentary photographer Dorothea Lange, known for her moving portraits taken during the Great Depression. It is also a saint name, borne by Dorothea of Alexandria, Dorothea of Caesarea (the patron saint of florists), and Dorothea of Montau (saint and visionary). 
 Appealing nickname possibilities include Dorrie, Dolly, Doro, Dodie, Dot, Dottie and Thea, while international variants include the Spanish Dorotea, the Czech and Polish Dorota, and the Hungarian Dorina.
 
In English, the name would likely be pronounced as dawr-uh-THEE-uh, while in German, it is said as do-ro-TEH-a

Dorothea

Jia might be considered a spelling variation of Gia, an Italian feminine form of John as a shortening of Gianna or Giovanna. Jia might also be the anglicized form of many Chinese names, which have different meanings including home or family.

If you're looking for <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/j">girl names starting with J</a> that sound unusual yet familiar, this might be one possibility, though many Americans will think it's spelled Gia.

Iconic folk singer Joni Mitchell lends this vintage nickname a cool, bohemian feel, while the streamlined spelling feels more contemporary and confident than the sweeter, cosier Joanie. While it may have disappeared from the US charts back in the 1980s, over in the nicknaming-loving UK, Joni has ranked in the Top 500 in recent years. 
 
Used as a nickname for Joan (the feminine form of John, meaning "God is gracious"), Joni could also work as a diminutive for Joanna or Josephine. Given to 106 babies in the US in a recent year, it has serious potential to rise along with other cute and spunky retro nicknames like Sadie and Edie, Billie and Birdie.

Joni

Devansh

Azaire was the highest breakout name for boys of 2021 thanks to a fashionable sound and pop culture connection. Azaire is the title of a hip hop album released by M. Pire the Sire, who named it after his son. His previous album is called Zariyah, after his daughter. In 2022 Azaire continued to climb steeply, rising to 42 boys from 25 in 2021.

Azaire

Mary was such a common name for so long that it sprouted a whole family of chimeric name splices: Maryann, Marybeth, Mary-Lousie, ad infinitum. Spiderman's Mary Jane Watson, the closed toe shoe with a strap, and the common nickname for marijuana have helped keep this one especially familiar to the American ear.

 Smooshing these two names into one gives it several possible meanings, including: "beloved God is gracious"; "drop of the sea of God's grace"; "God is beloved and gracious"; "God is forgiving towards bitterness"; or some other interpretation or blending of the two meanings.

Maryjane

The traditional German spelling of this name, used by Goethe, Bach and many other luminaries. Familiar in the US, but retains an Olde World feel, for better and worse.

Johann

Short for Samuel or long for Sam, Sammy is a sweet midcentury nickname name that we can see coming back.

Sammy

Names ending in -iel or -ael are very much in for boys, with Azrael, Aziel, Gabriel, Rafael, and Jasiel in the US charts. Adael is another to add into the mix. An option for those who like Adam but want something with more of a twist, this name is derived from Adiel or Adaiah, meaning "ornament or adornment of God".
 
Rarely used until 2023, this name saw a brief spike in popularity when it was given to around 150 boys, more than seven times the number born in the year prior. In a more recent count, however, the number of babies called Adael had halved.

Adael

Names that mean God are plentiful, as God and all things related to a supreme power are at the root of the creation of many names.

Isabella, a variation of Elizabeth, is the top girl name meaning God. Along with Isabella, 

girl names in the US Top 1000 meaning God

 include Elizabeth, Danielle, Gabrielle, Samantha, Michaela, and Jane.



Elizabeth and Jane have dozens of popular variations that also mean God, including Elsie, Eliza, Elise, Janet, Jean, and Joan.



Elijah is the most popular boy name that means God. Along with Elijah, other 

 include Daniel, Matthew, Jack, Jeremy, Nathaniel, Caleb, Samuel, Oscar, and Shane.



John and Michael, two of the most widely-used male names of the last several centuries in the Western World, have God in their meanings.



Here is our full roster of names that mean God, ordered by current popularity on Nameberry.

Baby names for girls and boys that mean god or names that have meanings related to God, with meanings, origins, and popularity. (Page 13)

873+ Names That Mean God