Names That Mean God

Mattis was most popular in Scandinavia in the 2000s and 2010s, and is now seeing success in Germany. In the US, it's most familiar as a surname.

Mattis

A lively Russian form of Matthew with a unique and attractive ending sound.

Matvey

Matvii

A distinctive and declarative name, Munachimso is a spiritual choice, celebrating a personal connection with faith and God. It is used as a unisex name, and recently entered the UK Top 1000 for boys. 

Munachimso

Teodora is an extremely attractive and international choice, with several equally attractive, user-friendly nicknames. Appealing short forms might include Tea, Dora, or Dory for English speakers, however, classic diminutives include the Spanish, Italian, Serbian and Portuguese Dora, the Bulgarian Todorka, and the Swedish Thea.

Teodora

Typically spelled as Amaël, this name can be a variation of the popular Breton name, Maël, which ranks in the Top 10 in France. Amaël itself entered the French Top 500 in 2021, and ranked at #337 in a recent year. Meaning "chieftain" or "prince", Amaël (or Amael) would typically be pronounced as A-MA-EHL
 
Alternatively, Amael may be related to Anael, an archangel in Jewish lore, who is also known as Hanael and Aniel. Anael is associated with the planet Venus, grace, favor, and charm. As such, it would be pronounced ah-mee-ehl or ah-mah-ehl

Amael

Eliot is the sleekest spelling of the original, very occasionally used for girls, perhaps to honor novelist George Eliot.

Eliot

Rarely used in the last two centuries, but might be worth dusting off and holding up to the light. 

Elihu

Kanaloa, usually depicted as a squid or octopus, is the name of an Ancient Hawaiian god, associated with the sea and navigation. One of the four major Polynesian gods, Kanaloa would help to guide seafarers across the ocean and provide relief from illness and injury. Other legends, however, suggest he was a spirit, who was thrown in the Underworld for leading a rebellion against the gods. 
 
Used very occasionally as a given name, Kanaloa can mean "security, firmness" and " unconquerable" but is also the name of a small fish and the alternative name for the Kahoʻolawe Island. In 2024, 19 boys received the name, which is the highest recorded number since the stats began.

Kanaloa

A common unisex name in Nigeria. Kerry Washington used it as the middle name for her son Caleb.

Kelechi

Zuri is one of the trendiest names in recent years, so it is no wonder that this elaborated form is seeing more use as well. Zurielle may be a feminization of the male Biblical name Zuriel, or an elaboration of the African name Zuri.

Zurielle

A softer, more feminine variation of Abijah.

Aviya

Beautiful West African name that could appeal across cultures.

Chioma

Not quite Dora or Daria, this name is often dismissed in favor of its more familiar counterpart, but it has versatile appeal, given that it has a number of different origins. It can be considered a feminine form of Dorian, a variation of Dorothy, an elaboration of Dora, or a variation of the Hebrew name Dor, meaning "generation". A notable bearer is Doria Loyce Ragland, the mother of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. 

Doria

Blending classic sounds and a modern feel, Elianne could be considered a variation of the sunny Eliane and Aeliana or a form of the spiritual Hebrew name, Eliana. Alternatively, it may be a compound name, blending Ellie and Anne, giving the combined meaning of "bright, shining grace".

Elianne

Derived from Ysroel or Issur, the Yiddish variations of Israel, Sruly is a diminutive name that has been quietly on the rise in the US in recent years. Given to 21 babies in 2024, the name can also be spelled as Sruli, while other forms are Srul and Srulik. 

Sruly

Raffaella is the Italian form of the lovely name Raphaela, the female version of the angel's name Raphael, gorgeous in any spelling or international variation. Raffaella is one of the most appealing <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/166/italian-names">Italian baby names</a> for girls.

Raffaella

Short, sweet, and perhaps misleadingly simple, Sina is in fact a multicultural choice with a wide range of origins. In Samoan mythology, Sina is used for a number of figures, and notably appears in the creation story of the coconut tree, Sina and the Eel. In this case, the name means "white or gray haired" and appears in the Disney movie Moana.
 
As an English name, Sina might be an anglicization of the Irish Síne, itself a variation of Jeanne or Jane. It is usually spelled Sheena in English, however, Sina might reflect a mispronunciation based on the look of the name.
 
As a German name, Sina is a short form of Thomasina, Rosina or similar, in which case, it is a diminutive name. In Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish, it might be a variation of Signe, meaning "new victory".

Sina

A word associated with want, wishes, and passion, Desire has been used (occasionally) since the 16th-century, introduced by the Puritans who likely associated it with "desiring the Lord". More familiar in the form of Desiree (for girls), it could also be a short form of the Latin Desiderius.
 
Pronounced duh-ZYER in English, it is more commonly used in French speaking regions, spelled as Désiré, and said as DEH-ZEE-REH. A notable bearer is footballer Désiré Doué.

Desire

Widely used in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, has an air of generosity and could easily be adopted here. 

Donato

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 27)

873+ Names That Mean God