Names That Mean Gift
Across 10 pages
of 10
Jon
Variation of John or Jonathan
"God is gracious; or gift of Jehovah"
Streamlined version of the classic boys' names, sometimes a short form of Jonathan, which is in fact an entirely different name from John attached to a different Biblical personage. Jon feels more…
Dottie
English, diminutive of Dorothy
"gift of God"
Dottie and Dot are old Dorothy nicknames that some cutting-edge Brits are bringing back to fashion. It's been half a century since Dottie ranked on its own in this country, one of those nickname…
Dorothea
Greek
"gift of God"
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…
Diarra
West African
"gift"
Diarra has a nice meaning, but we could see it leading to possible teasing re association with a certain digestive problem.
Mattea
Italian, from Hebrew
"gift of God"
This pretty, international feminization of Matthew was chosen by Mira Sorvino for her daughter, Mattea Angel. As the Spanish Mateo and the Italian Matteo become more popular for baby boys throughout…
Ohanna
Hebrew and Armenian
"God is gracious"
A joyous, celebratory-sounding name.
Medora
Greek
"mother's gift"
Medora is a Greek name much less common here than, say, Melanie or Melissa. It has some literary references, including as the beautiful and passionate heroine of Lord Byron's poem The Corsair, and in…
Natania
Hebrew
"gift of God"
This female form of Nathan can be pronounced with three syllables or four, and could make an interesting alternative to Natalia.
Phedora
Greek
"supreme gift"
A bit pharmaceutical, not to mention hatlike.
Sian
Welsh variation of Jane
"God is gracious"
Simple and pretty and user-friendly, the Welsh Sian was used by U2's Dave "the Edge" Evans for his daughter. In Welsh, it is also spelled Siân.
Doris
Greek
"gift of the ocean"
Doris had long been on our so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out-for-babies list, and seemed to be written there in indelible ink. But there are signs of a sea change, that Doris could profit from the…
Jenica
Romanian variation of Jane
"God is gracious"
Jenica might work if you can't decide between Jennifer and Jessica. It's certainly a more distinctive option.
Dorinda
Greek
"bountiful gift"
Cinderella stepsister type Victorian-valentine name.
Darina
Russian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovene, and Slavic; or English variation of Dairine, Irish
"gift; fruitful"
Darina comes from the Slavic element "dar" which means gift; the name is found in Czech, Bulgarian, and Slovak cultures and translates easily for English speakers. Darina may also be an Anglicization…
Anjali
Sanskrit
"gift"
This Indian name meaning gift or offering feels familiar via sound-alikes Angela or Angelina, and made a brief appearance on the U.S. Top 1000. Anjali is a pretty route to a name that's at once easy…
Janice
Variation of Jane
"God is gracious"
For a minute or two this sounded more modern than Janet, now equally outmoded.
Janet
Diminutive of Jane
"God is gracious"
Janet started as a pet form of Jane but has long been used independently. Jane is a feminine form of John, which derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan. Janet can also be considered a variation of…
Doro
English and German diminutive of Dorothy and Dorothea
"gift of God"
Some parents might like this energetic diminutive for Dorothy used in the Bush family, though the traditional Dottie and Dot seem to be coming back.
Isadora
Greek
"gift of Isis"
For a long time, Isadora has been overlooked in favor of Isabella, owing perhaps to its association with the tragic modern dancer, Isadora Duncan, or because parents would rather their daughter be a…
Godiva
English
"God's gift"
Whether you think of the chocolates or the naked long-haired lady on the horse, Godiva is a name with baggage no child should have to carry.