Names That Mean Good
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- Evangeline
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"bearer of good news"Description:
Evangeline is a romantic old name enjoying a major comeback, thanks to its religious overtones, Eva's popularity, and the star of the TV megahit Lost, Evangeline Lilly. Evangelia and Evangelina — two variants of Evangeline — are sure to tag along for the ride.
- Tobias
Origin:
Greek from HebrewMeaning:
"God is good"Description:
Tobias is one of a number of s-ending boys' names that are riding a wave of popularity. With its Old Testament-Dickensian feel, it's a name with a distinguished pedigree.
- Felicity
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"good fortune, happy"Description:
Felicity is as accessible a virtue name as Hope and Faith, but much more feminine -- and dare we say, happier. The hit TV show did a lot to soften and modernize the once buttoned-up image of Felicity, and it got further notice as the red-haired Colonial doll, Felicity Merriman, in the American Girl series. A current bearer is actress Felicity Huffman.
- Agatha
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"good woman"Description:
Agatha until recently summoned up visions of martyred saints, mauve silk dresses, and high lace collars, but now that some dauntless excavators have begun to resurrect it, we're sure more will follow their lead. Actor Thomas Gibson used it for his daughter in 2004.
- Mona
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"noble good"Description:
Mona had more than a moment in the sun, peaking in 1950 at Number 230 but falling off the Top 1000 completely in the late 1980s. Its similarity to the word "moaner" undercuts the appeal of its simplicity. In one recent year, fewer than 100 baby girls received the name, and we don't see it reviving any time soon.
- Lucky
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"having good fortune"Description:
Recently chosen by singer Elle King for her son. Lucky is a name that could see a considerable rise in the near future, as word names continue to heat up.
- Clayton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"place with good clay"Description:
Clayton is one of those names that feels like it could be recently popular but does in fact have a long history of use. It has made the US Top 400 every year since the records began, and though more recently it has been in decline, it is still given to more than 1000 babies every year
- Tobin
Origin:
English surname derived from TobiasMeaning:
"God is good"Description:
Tobias-related name that makes an attractive and modern-sounding form of the biblical original. It was recently chosen by Karolina Kurkova for her son.
- Eunice
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"good victory"Description:
Eunice is a New Testament name of the mother of Timothy, long associated with one of the Kennedy sisters, the founder of the Special Olympics. As high as Number 106 in the early 1900s, it lasted on the list until 1995. Eunice was the birth name of Nina Simone, which gives it a modicum of cool.
- Benvolio
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"good wisher; peacemaker, benevolent"Description:
A kindly, virtue-adjacent name, it appears in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, borne by the peacemaker friend who persuades Romeo to go to the party where he meets Juliet. Alas. A bold choice but with familiar nicknames Ben, Lio, and Bo.
- Euphrasie
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"good cheer"Description:
French form of Euphrasia. This was the real name of Cosette in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. It was popular in French up to and around the turn of the 20th century, but fell out of the French Top 500 in 1943, just over 80 years after the publication of the novel.
- Tovi
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"good"Description:
A variation of Tobit in Hebrew and a form of Tobias in Belarusian, Tovi ultimately comes from the Hebrew meaning "good".
- Serendipity
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"unexpected good fortune"Description:
A unique virtue name with a sound as happy and lively as its meaning.
- Boniface
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"fortunate, of good fate"Description:
A name borne by nine popes and several saints, which carries strong Catholic connotations. British politician Jacob Rees-Mogg named his sixth child Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher in 2017.
- Tobiah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is good"Description:
Tobiah is the original Hebrew form of the better-known Greek Tobias, to which it could make a distinctive alternative. With its ah ending, Tobiah fits in with other stylish Biblical names today, from Noah to Isaiah to Josiah and Zachariah. And of course, Toby is an adorable nickname.
- Kalman
Origin:
Latin, short for KalonymousMeaning:
"gracious, good reputation"Description:
This is a rarely heard multi-cultural name, related to a 14th century Jewish scholar named Kalonymous ben Kalonymous, who translated important texts from Arabic to Hebrew. It is also a Hungarian derivative of Colman, via the Latin Columba, meaning dove, and was the name of a 12th century king of Hungary. Its modern sound make it an interesting option.
- Calia
Origin:
Italian, nickname from Greek KaleasMeaning:
"good or beautiful person"Description:
A highly unusual Italian word-name that is nevertheless attractive and easy to pronounce and spell.
- Kota
Origin:
Japanese, Indian, Native AmericanMeaning:
"happiness; good fortune; fort; allies, friends"Description:
Concise and cool, Kota is a name with multiple origins, making it a versatile choice that travels well.
- Rashad
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"having good judgment"Description:
In the US, Rashad is one of the most popular and best-known Arabic names, through several sports and entertainment celebrities.
- Lykke
Origin:
Swedish and DanishMeaning:
"happiness, good fortune"Description:
Sweet Lykke, virtually unknown in English-speaking countries, is one of the top girl names in Sweden.
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