Names That Mean Joy

Could Lowen be the next Owen? This Cornish name certainly has the right sounds to be an American hit, and is rising dramatically for both boys and girls.

Joy is from an older generation of word names, which also included Merry, Bliss, and Glory -- all of which exert a certain amount of personality pressure on a child. However, Joy, like Grace, Hope, and Rose, has crossed more into name-territory than other word choices, which lightens some of that pressure.

In English, Kailea is an unusual variant spelling of Kayley or Kaylee. In Hawaiian, Kaileʻa means "sea of joy".

Kailea is one of

Tayo, also written as Táyò in Yoruba, is a name that sounds as joyful as its meaning.

Though it still swims out of sight below the Top 1000, Lowen jumped more than a thousand places in rank for girls between 2022 and 2023, a mark of a name destined for far greater popularity. Nearly a hundred baby girls were named Lowen in the US last year.

Chara is the name of a star in a constellation that represents hunting dogs, recently named as one of the most likely to host extraterrestrial life. Also, Chara is a variation of both Sarah and Charlotte.

Short form of Adebayo

Prettier than Joy and just beginning to be used here.

Lowena is the Cornish word for "joy". As a given name, it is most commonly spelt as in this entry - Lowenna. Lowen is a lovely unisex option which is closely related: it means "joyful" or "glad".

Roni may sound like the Doowop-era Ronnie or Ronni, often named for her dad Ron, but it's actually a freestanding Hebrew name with an uplifting meaning.

Sachi, often short for Sachiko, was given to 25 girls in the US in a recent year. While it is technically Japanese, this short form has an unidentifiably international feel and might be a relative of the stylish Sacha.

A multicultural choice, used across India, Korea, Thailand, West Africa, and Mongolia, Saran is a solid sounding name with a variety of good meanings.

This name was used by Shakespeare (who got it from Plutarch) in Antony and Cleopatra for one of the attendants of the Egyptian queen. An interesting possibility, it is heard occasionally in the UK, even less frequently in the US.

Lovejoy's use as a surname follows that as a nickname. In Medieval times, when many people shared names, nicknames were relied upon to distinguish individuals. Many of these nicknames later became surnames. Lovejoy, from the Middle English love(n) and joie, referred to someone who was affectionate and joyful — although the Oxford Dictionary of American Family Names notes that Lovejoy may have been bestowed ironically, at times.

Alize feels like a blend of Alice and Eliza but it's not related to either of those names, rather to the more unusual (in the US, at least) Aleeza, a Hebrew name meaning joy, or Alizee, a French name meaning wind, or the related Alizeh, a Persian name that also means wind. The final e can take an accent, which might elucidate pronunciation, but English speakers are sure to be confused.

Too bad everyone in this country will tend to hear Ronnie.

Rhythmic and unusual.

A pretty and modern word name for a daughter, expressing great happiness.

A beautiful meaning for a long-awaited child.

This charming West African mini name fits in with the other similarly short names that are all the rage right now. Actress Ayo Edebiri is the star of TV's The Bear.