Category: Meanings of Baby Names
With Valentine’s Day upon us, we turn to thoughts of love and romance. Today we look at some of the names that have love embedded in their meaning, bringing an extra measure of tender feeling to your own little lovebug, names that go beyond the more obvious Amy and Aimee, with some international flair.
Amanda — A longtime favorite that retains its delicacy and popularity, Amanda rocketed to stardom in the 80s and is still at #316. Her countless notable bearers include characters in Tennessee Williams and Noel Coward plays; her adorable French diminutive is Amandine.
Amias, Amyas — Another name beginning with the Latin prefix for love, this boy name is beginning to get some attention as a quasi-unique name with an attractive sound and feel.
Carys — Cara means dear, and several names embody that meaning, including this sweet Welsh example that became known in the US when Catherine Zeta–Jones and Michael Douglas chose it for their daughter in 2003.
Davina — All names related to the Hebrew David mean beloved, and this includes the feminine forms Davida and Davina, the latter having appeared on the US list from 1968 to 1984. It is currently heard on the TV show Transparent.
Davis — Another member of David’s family, the more distinctive Davis is a surname form for boys that is currently climbing in popularity—possibly as a David namesake. It now ranks at #474 nationally, and 222 on Nameberry.
Drury — This French surname name meaning dear one or sweetheart has an appealing sound, as well as an irresistible meaning. Drury Lane is a famous London street and theater.
Esme – This wonderful Salinger name gets its beloved meaning from a relation to the French Aimee. A Twilight saga vampire name, it’s a celebrity favorite, chosen by Michael J. Fox and others; Esmé ranks at a high #35 on Nameberry and 38 in England.
Kalila – A lovely, lilting Arabic name meaning beloved, Kalila is also the name of a range of mythical mountains. In 2015, 42 girls were given the name in the US.
Kerensa — This Cornish/Welsh name meaning love would make a nice, more exotic, update to Karen; it can also be spelled Kerenza.
Milena — Popular in Italy and several Slavic countries, and the birth name of actress Mila Kunis, Milena entered the US Top 1000 in 2012, and is now Number 760. Letters to Milena is a book of –yes—letters by Franz Kafka.
There’s a lot of Oscar buzz in the air. From the announcement of Academy Award nominees in mid January to the red-carpet ceremony in late February, we chatter about who will take home Tinseltown’s top trophies. But the name Oscar isn’t just the stuff of Hollywood legends, it turns out. Let’s have a closer look into this much celebrated, and much mythologized, name.
There are two main theories for the origin of the name Oscar. The first thinks Oscar comes from the Old English Osgar. This name literally means “god’s spear” or “divine spear,” conveying the sense of a “champion warrior.”
By Aimee Tafreshi
As a Pisces, I have always been drawn to the water. Throughout baby-naming history, parents have gleaned inspiration from elements of nature. Names like Hazel, Meadow and Juniper have moved from the outdoors into the baby nursery. And beyond the trees and herbs, there are lovely names floating on nature’s surface. For the parent who feels most at home on, in or near the water, consider one of these aquatic nature names for your future beach baby.
By Linda Rosenkrantz
We’re approaching the Lunar New Year, otherwise known as the Chinese New Year, the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar. Based on the ancient Chinese lunar calendar, it falls each year on the second new moon after winter solstice—this year that’s January 28th.
Thus begins the Year of the Rooster, which some may find appropriate, but since there aren’t many baby names associated with that particular male bird, let’s commemorate the lunar aspect instead.
When we consider names related to the moon our first thoughts would probably be Luna, or the Zappa-esque Moon, or one of the ancient goddesses of the moon—Phoebe, Artemis, Diana, or Selene.
But how about the names of actual moons, of some of the many satellites rotating around the planets? Many of their names were taken from ancient Greek mythological figures (several of them lovers of Zeus)–particularly those around Jupiter and Saturn–while the names of Uranus’s twenty-seven moons have a decidedly Shakespearean bent.
Here are some of the best:
The New Year brings hope, change, and, of course, celebration!
If you’re expecting a daughter on the December/January cusp this year, these upbeat girls’ names might make great choices. From names that suggest New Year soirees to those inviting joy and good cheer, there’s something here for every style of namer.
So pop the champagne – or the apple juice – and consider a girls’ name that glitters with all the excitement of 2017. By Abby Sandel