Updated November 2023
Across 10 pages
of 10
Hebrew
"my gift"
Derived from the Hebrew words shai , meaning "gift," and li , "mine." The Shaily variation is more common in Israel and the US.
Amharic, Ethiopian
"gift of God; fine linen; sweet"
Melat is a lovely girl name that is frequently used in Ethiopia. Several meanings of Melat are possible, including "gift of God", and "sweet". Melat also refers to the fine linen or silk woven in the…
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.
Feminine variation of Matej, Slovak, Slovene, and Croatian
"gift of God"
Slovak cognate of Mattea.
Greek
"gift from Artemis"
Derived from Artemis, the name of the Greek mythological goddess of the moon and hunting, Artemesia has a couple of notable associations, among them a fourth century Queen of Caria who was…
French
"gift"
Cadeau puts a decidedly French-ified twist on the word name trend, but don't be surprised if you encounter ponies and poodles with the same moniker.
West African
Diarra has a nice meaning, but we could see it leading to possible teasing re association with a certain digestive problem.
English and German diminutive of Dorothy and Dorothea
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.
"bountiful gift"
Cinderella stepsister type Victorian-valentine name.
Ukrainian; Russian, from Greek
Feodora is an interesting choice for the intrepid name-giver, especially with the dynamic nickname Feo.
Slavic variation of Theodora
"God's gift"
More commonly spelled FEODORA, a charming choice for the intrepid baby namer, especially with its dynamic nickname FEO (pronounced FAY-o).
English
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.
"supreme gift"
A bit pharmaceutical, not to mention hatlike.
Etruscan
This intriguing name of an ancient Etruscan queen renowned for her prophetic powers was long associated with the prima ballerina Tanaquil LeClerq.
"gift of Artemis, goddess of the hunt"
This name has a nice mythological, historical, Three Musketeers-ish ring.
Benevolent name found in Israel in several forms, including Doran and Doroni.
Diminutive of Matthew, Hebrew
Mattie ranked among the Top 1000 for boys a century ago, in the heyday of the nickname-name. Today, few parents would dream of putting it on the birth certificate, preferring it as a short form for…
Italian variation of Thaddeus
A particularly charming spin on the original, as is the Spanish name Tadeo. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016.
Slavic
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.
One of the most unusual of the "iah" names, it comes with the appealing and usable nickname Zev.