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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Kaizen
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"good change"Description:
Kai is one of the hottest names out there in recent years, climbing quickly into the Top 100. This combined with a surge of Japanese names gaining popularity in the US, like Kenji, Raiden, and Kenzo, and you've got a hit. Kaizen is of Japanese origin meaning "good change" — a term used for the Japanese business practice of continuous improvement in performance. It entered the US charts for the first time in 2022, and was among the fastest-rising names in 2023 as well.
- 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.
- 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.
- Merit
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"being good or worthy; deserving of recognition"Description:
Merritt is an English surname but spelled Merit it becomes a word name. Both variations are on the rise.
- 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.
- Tovi
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"good"Description:
Pleasant, in a Bon Jovi kind of way.
- 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.
- Avani
Origin:
HindiMeaning:
"the good earth"Description:
A name quite common in India, with a soft but spirited sound and an attractive meaning for lovers of nature.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serendipity
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"unexpected good fortune"Description:
A unique virtue name with a sound as happy and lively as its meaning.