Names That Mean Gift

Short form of Yonatan heard throughout Israel.

Former Top 5 choice in Slovenia that now sits below the Top 20.

Some people may prefer this spelling to clarify the name's connection to John, but it could be one h too many, exemplified by its steady decline over the past two decades.

Isidore and variants are remarkably underused and ripe for revival, a la Theodore and company.

Toros is a multicultural option, used in Armenia as a variation of classic Theodore, in Spanish to refer to bulls, or sometimes to bullfighting, and in Turkey, as a place name, given to a mountain complex in the south of the country, whose name is borrowed from the Latin "Taurus", again meaning bull.

Derived from the Tigrinya elements hiyab, meaning "gift," and el, "God."

Central European form of Matthew.

Diodorus derives from the Greek elements Dios, meaning "of Zeus," and doron, "gift." Diodorus Siculus, a Greek historian from the first century BC, is the most notable bearer.

The name of a nymph in Greek mythology, one of the prophetic Thriai, who divined the future by throwing pebbles. She was a lover of the sea god Poseidon.

Portuguese variation of Matthew.

Jonathan variation that is common among Jewish baby boys in Israel.

If you're a movie fan or a sports fan, you might be attracted to this name, via the film "Donnie Darko" or the Serbian-born basketball star Darko Milicic. It is kind of dark, though.

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.

Cross classic Eleanor with rising vintage star Theodora and you get Eleadora, a beautiful Greek name with a wonderful meaning.

Rare Russian name borne by an enemy of Rasputin.

Despite sounding feminine to English speakers, Shaya is a unisex name more common among baby boys — the male version also has roots in Arabic.

Neo, indeed--though it was a male character in "The Matrix."

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.

Somali and East African form of Hiba.

Izya is a unisex Russian nickname, used for Isaak and Isidore for boys, and for Isabel and Isidora for girls. Unlike other Russian nicknames (Sasha, Anya, Sonya), this has not caught on internationally yet.