Names That Mean Gift

Teodor

Slavic variation of Theodore, English from Greek

"gift of God"

You’re most likely to find this Theodore cognate in Eastern Europe, where it ranks among the top names for boys in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, and Romania. The nickname Teo is a real winner.

Ted

Diminutive of Theodore or Edward, Greek or English

"gift of god; rich guard"

Like Ed, Eddie and Teddy, Ted is rarely used as an independent name – in the US, at least. In the UK, Eddie ranks just outside the Top 200, Teddy ranks just outside the Top 30, and Ted is a Top 200…

Mathis

French and German form of Matthias or Matthew

"gift of God"

Very popular in France and Belgium, this name -- pronounced mat-tees, like the surname of the painter Matisse -- might make an appealing new way to say Matthew here.

Bogdan

Russian, Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Romanian

"gift from God"

Popular in Poland, Moldova, Romania, and Russia, and familiar in the UK too, Bogdan is a rugged and strong sounding choice with a similar meaning to US favorite Theodore. Made up of the Slavic…

Isidore

Greek

"gift of Isis"

Isabel, Theodore, and Isadora are back: could it now be time for a more widespread revival of Isidore? Yet to see any big moves up the charts, Isidore was given to more than 30 boys in a recent…

Matt

Short form of Matthew

"gift of God"

Still one of the most appealing short forms, which goes a long way toward explaining the sustained popularity of Matthew. Matt is perennially the popular guy in high school, friendly, attractive,…

Mads

Danish variation of Matthew

"gift of God"

Mads is a perennial favorite in Germany, the Nordic countries, and the Netherlands, where it is usually to be found in the Top 50. Just remember the D is not pronounced. Famous bearers include…

Matan

Hebrew

"gift"

Spelling variation of Mattan.

Mattia

Italian variation of Matthew

"gift of God"

As parents go searching for alternatives to the unstoppable Mateo/Matteo duo, Mattia stands out as a worthy option. Same handsome, alluring feel, for a fraction of the popularity. Buy now!

Yoni

Hebrew

"gift of Jehovah"

Short form of Yonatan heard throughout Israel.

Jevon

Welsh, variation of Evan

"gift of God"

Yet another offshoot of the original John, also sometimes used as Jevan or Yevan.

Netanel

Variation of Nathaniel, Hebrew

"gift of God"

Makana

Hawaiian

"gift"

A unisex name in Hawaii, with great potential for cool nickname Ma(c)k.

Zebedee

English variation of Hebrew Zebediah

"gift of God"

Zebedee is an adorable and unusual New Testament name--which may sound like but is not a contradiction in terms. Unlike some of the longer biblical Z -names, Zebedee has a more lighthearted…