Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Friend or Friendly
Across 5 pages
of 5
Boudewijn
Dutch
"brave friend"
Dutch form of Baldwin
Bly
English surname name
"friendly"
The surname of enterprising journalist Nellie Bly and poet Robert Bly makes a simple, modern, and upbeat sounding choice for either a boy or a girl.
Buddy
English, nickname name
Until recently it was rarely used as a proper name; Buddy Holly, for example, was christened Charles, and Salinger's Buddy Glass was born Webb. Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver did name his fourth child…
Cara
Latin, Italian, Irish, Spanish, and Portuguese
"dear; friend; face"
Cara is a simple, sweet, Italian endearment that enjoyed its greatest popularity from the 1970s through the 1990s, reaching a high of Number 189 in 1977. Despite the rising celebrity of English…
Connelly
Irish
"love, friendship"
Connelly is an open, inviting, and rarely used Irish surname that can make a perfect alternative to the overused Connor or Colin for a boy.
Connolly
Irish
"fierce as a hound"
Connolly, an alternate spelling of Connelly, could make a livelier and less common substitute for Connor.
Amice
English from Latin
"friend"
Amice is a name that was used in the Middle Ages but has fallen out of use now. It seems completely suited for modern life, though, with a pronunciation that's like Alice wth an m.
Emre
Turkish
"friend"
This Turkish name meaning "friend" should be very useable outside Turkey, given that it is pronounced just as it is spelled. Famous men named Emre include Emre Can, a chess grandmaster, and Emre…
Damica
French
"open-spirited, friendly"
Rarely heard but pleasing feminissima name for a baby girl.
Berwin
English
"bright friend"
One step up from Irwin, and that's not nearly enough.
Amica
Latin
"female friend"
Amica is a word meaning girlfriend that is not often used as a name in Italy, but it would sound pretty and name-like elsewhere.
Baldwin
German
"brave friend"
One "bald" name we can get behind, thanks to pioneering African-American author James Baldwin – though the name is now also associated with the Baldwin brothers, particularly Alec.
Elvin
English
"noble friend"
Elvin had his peak in the 1920s — which was when jazz musician Elvin Jones was born — but parents are still using it for over 100 boys a year. That's less than Kelvin, but more than Delvin.
Elden
English
"Ella's hill; old friend"
A name with old-fashioned charm, akin to Elton, Elwin, and Elwood, Elden is a variation of two Old English names, Eldon or Alden. Meaning "Ella's hill" or "old friend", it combines strength and…
Auden
English
"old friend"
The poetic, soft-spoken Auden has recently started to be considered as a first name option, used for both sexes, appreciated for its pleasing sound as well as its link to the distinguished modern…
Ames
Latin
"friend"
Ames is that jewel of a name that's simple and familiar while at the same time being unusual and rare. With gender neutral surname names ending in S trending today -- think Brooks, Wells, Oakes --…
Elvina
English
"elf friend"
Sounds elven in every sense of the word.
Emilien
French form of Emil
"friendly"
Might make a worthy masculine spin on either of the uber popular Emma or Emily.
Edwina
Feminine variation of Edwin, English
"wealthy friend"
Edwina may still be taking tea in the parlor, but we can see her joining friends like Matilda and Josephine for a comeback, especially if pronounced like Edwin rather than Edween. She had a very…
Edin
Manx
"rich friend"
Edin is a variant on the name Edwin from the Isle of Man. It may get confused as a misspelling of Eden in the US, but the pronunciation is different..