Names That Mean Friend
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of 5
Lakotah
Native American tribal name
"friend to us"
Alternative spelling of Lakota, the name of one of the branches of the Great Sioux Nation. Has a very namelike sound, but is not used as a name by the Lakota people themselves, and could be seen as…
Reuel
Hebrew
"friend of God"
This soft-yet-sturdy Biblical name belonged to Moses’ father-in-law (also called Jethro) and was the second middle name of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Panfilo
Spanish
"friend of all"
Derived from the Greek name Pamphilos, this Spanish name has an amicable meaning.
Alvie
English
"noble friend; friend of the elves"
Archie, Albie, and Alfie are coming back into style, so naturally, we think Alvie could be next. Alternate spelling Alvy was used by Woody Allen for his character in Annie Hall .
Halil
Turkish and Albanian variation of Khalil, Arabic
"friend"
Variant form of Khalil common in Turkey.
Alvy
Diminutive of Alvin, English
"noble friend; friend of the elves"
Alvie is the spelling parents tend to prefer, and may rise along with Archie, Alfie, and Albie. The Alvy variation is strongly associated with Alvy Singer, Woody Allen's character in Annie Hall .
Reigha
Variation of Raya, Hebrew
"friend"
A less-simple spelling of Raya, inspired by the popularity of Reina and Reign.
Lewin
English
"dear friend"
Sounds like a Lewis variant, but in actual fact the surname-turned-first-name Lewin derives from the Old English name Leofwine, meaning "dear friend".
Elwyn
Welsh
"noble friend, elf friend"
A charming Welsh name with a great meaning, borne by E. B. White, author of Charlotte's Web .
Elwen
Welsh, Cornish, Breton
"noble friend"
The male name Elwyn is used regularly in Wales, but its feminine form Elwen (also spelled Aelwen) slightly less so. Elsewhere, this name is little-known but very appealing, with straightforward…
Ortwin
German
"point friend"
An unusual route to the winning nickname Win.
Taffy
Welsh
"beloved friend"
A diminutive of the (male) name Dafydd, the Welsh form of David. In the US, it's strongly associated with the candy.
Elwen
Welsh, Cornish, Breton
"noble friend"
St Elwen is venerated in Cornwall and Brittany, and lent his name to several regional place names. It is also found as a surname, especially in Norfolk, England. The ancient name Elwen likely derives…
Theophila
Greek
"friend of god"
Feminine form of Theophilus
Corwyn
Variation of Corwin, English
"heart's friend"
Gives Corwin a Welsh appearance.
Lakota
Native American tribal name
"friend to us"
The name of one of the branches of the Great Sioux Nation has a very namelike sound, but is not used as a name by the Lakota people themselves, and could be seen as appropriative.
Wendy
English, Celtic, Welsh
"friend or white"
It is popularly claimed that the name Wendy was invented by Sir James Barrie in 1904 for the big sister character in his play Peter Pan , which was followed by the classic novel in 1911. Barrie…
Row
Diminutive of Rowan or Rowena, Irish, Scottish, Welsh
"rowan tree, little redhead; white spear, famous friend"
Ro- names are on the rise — think Roman, Rory, and Rowan — but straightforward and streamlined Row (and Rowe, Roe, and Ro) takes this trend to the next level. The pared-down single syllable gives Row…
Selwyn
English
"manor friend"
An old aristocratic English name which also belongs to Cambridge college, named for George Augustus Selwyn, the first Bishop of New Zealand, subsequently Bishop of Lichfield.
Elendil
Quenya
"the elf friend"
The name of a character in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings legendarium. He was the father of Isildur and Anárion, last lord of Andúnië, and the first High King of Arnor and Gondor.