Names That Mean Born

A name from Welsh mythology. In the Mabinogion, Gwydion was a powerful magician who made his nephew a wife from flowers (Blodeuwedd, meaning "face of flowers").

The name of several popes and saints, Sixtus is certainly unusual but would have trouble making it in the modern world outside the Vatican. Even worse is its brother Sextus. Try making it through seventh grade with that name.

Strong name from the Esan language of Nigeria, with a satisfyingly specific meaning for a child's place in the family.

Akosua means "born on a Sunday," which relates the name to the sun and thus to fire.

Commonly heard in Hispanic cultures, a rhythmic possibility here.

An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning.

Tied to country singer/sitcom star Reba McEntire.

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday). Kwasi is the name for boys born on a Sunday. (The name for girls born on a Sunday is Akosua).

Junius is one of those names that's growing on us, along with many of its Roman countrymen such as Julius and Atticus. We once thought it was a combination of the least attractive elements of Junior and Julius but now we think...well, we think it's okay. Not great, but okay.

A traditional possibility for a Japanese or Japanese-American child born in April or May.

Just think about those inescapable "sexy" nicknames. The related Sixtus is not a huge improvement.

The Ashantis of Ghana traditionally use this animated name for boys born on Monday. The girls' equivalent is Adwoa, pronounced ahj-wa.

Pleasant Irish last name that could be a more masculine alternative to the overused Cassidy. Early kings of Leinster bore the name, which relates to the first name Caomhan or Kevin and can also be spelled Kavanagh, Cavanagh, Cavenagh, and Kavanaugh.

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).

Traditional Swahili choice for the eldest child.

Otieno is more commonly seen as a surname among the Luo people of Kenya and Eastern Africa. The surname was derived from the given name — Atieno is the feminine version.

This variant of the more-difficult Afua, from the Akan language of what is now Ghana in West Africa, is a traditional "day name" that can make a perfectly pretty modern choice.

The people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).

Though often Anglicized as Phoebe, Phebe has separate roots. It originated as a variation of Afua, an Akan day name, and commonly used among enslaved people in America.

A pretty Roman name, but unfortunately also the English vocabulary word mania. Spelling it Manya would avoid the issue.