Names That Mean Friend or Friendly

  1. Alcuin
    • Origin:

      Germanic
    • Meaning:

      "sanctuary friend"
    • Description:

      An Old French and English name thought to derive from the Germanic elements alah "sanctuary" and win "friend". Variant forms include Alcwin and Alawin.
  2. Tomoya
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "friend"
  3. Heber
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "partner, togetherness"
    • Description:

      Biblical name -- he was an ancestor of Abraham's -- rarely used today but registered on the U.S. popularity list at the end of the 19th century. With the rise of other obscure Old Testament names, just might have a shot at revival.
  4. Berwin
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "bright friend"
    • Description:

      One step up from Irwin, and that's not nearly enough.
  5. Amice
    • Origin:

      English from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "friend"
    • Description:

      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.
  6. Faunia
    • Origin:

      Latin feminine variation of Faunus
    • Meaning:

      "to befriend"
    • Description:

      Faunia is more often rendered as Fauna, who was a Roman goddess of fertility, women and healing. Faunia was the downtrodden yet loving heroine of Philip Roth's Human Stain. Faunia and Fauna have more gravitas than the doe-like Fawn.
  7. Lauge
    • Origin:

      Danish
    • Meaning:

      "fellow / partner"
    • Description:

      Lauge is unheard of in most English-speaking countries, but is in the Top 50 in many Nordic countries. Despite is lovely meaning, Lauge's pronunciation and spelling issues are unlikely to make it popular outside of Scandinavia.
  8. Sahir
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "friend"
    • Description:

      Appealing Indian and Arabic choice.
  9. Sadik
    • Origin:

      Swahili
    • Meaning:

      "friend"
    • Description:

      Frequently found in all three forms: Sadik, Sadiki, and Sadiq.
  10. Edin
    • Origin:

      Manx
    • Meaning:

      "rich friend"
    • Description:

      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..
  11. Boudewijn
    • Origin:

      Dutch
    • Meaning:

      "brave friend"
    • Description:

      Dutch form of Baldwin
  12. Herewini
    • Origin:

      Maori variation of Selwyn, English
    • Meaning:

      "manor friend"
    • Description:

      The Maori form of an Old English given name, notably borne by George Augustus Selwyn, the first Bishop of New Zealand. The Bishop gave his name to several places and a river in New Zealand and this Maori variation has since been used as a surname and occasionally as a given or middle name. New Zealand rugby player McFarlane "Mack" Herewini is a more recent bearer.
  13. Philophrosyne
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "friendly-minded"
    • Description:

      Philophrosyne was the spirit of welcome, friendliness, and kindness in Greek Mythology. She was one of the four younger Charites.
  14. Ethelwyn
    • Origin:

      Form of Æðelwine, Old English
    • Meaning:

      "noble friend"
    • Description:

      Ethelwyn is a form of Æðelwine, a masculine Anglo-Saxon saints' name that was revived in the 19th century, but for girls. An old example of gender-bending names, the switch likely occurred due to its obvious similarities to Ethel, which ultimately shares the same Old English root, æðele meaning "noble".
  15. Derwin
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "dear friend"
    • Description:

      A twist on Darwin with the same friendly meaning. Its lovable-nerd feel is given a cool edge by several football players with the name.
  16. Ames
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "friend"
    • Description:

      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 -- Ames can make a perfect update on Amy or Amanda.
  17. Herophile
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "friend of the heroes"
    • Description:

      In Greek Mythology, Herophile was Aphrodite and Poseidon's daughter and a sibyl who predicted the fall of Troy.
  18. Sameria
    • Origin:

      Variation of Samira
    • Meaning:

      "companion in evening conversation"
    • Description:

      This more elaborate version of the name is heard occasionally, but Samira or the related Samara is simpler and just as rhythmic.

The Nameberry App Is Live

Nameberry app screenshot
Find your perfect baby name together in our iPhone app, now available on the App Store.
  • Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
  • Names you match on are saved to your shared list
  • Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
  • Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
  • Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
Download on the App Store
Nameberry app screenshot