Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Wise, Intelligent, and Smart
Across 7 pages
of 7
Belig
Mongolian name meaning "clever, wise"
"clever, wise"
Similar to the Turkish name Bilge (Bil-jeh), which has the same meaning.
Aleem
Hindi
"knowledgeable"
Surname of a noted modern Urdu poet.
Ganya
Hebrew
"clever"
Tanya with a G.
Gyan
Sanskrit
"filled with knowledge"
Almost unknown in the western world, Gyan comes from a Sanskrit word for knowledge. It may appeal to parents looking for a name influenced by eastern philosophy, like Bodhi or Zen.
Hecate
Greek mythology name
"willpower or far-reaching"
In Greek mythology, Hecate is associated with witchcraft and magic. The name may mean "willpower" or "far-reaching". She was often associated with the moon and with storms, making this name a good…
Helios
Greek
"sun"
The name of the young Greek sun god, brother to the moon goddess Selene and the dawn goddess Eos, Helios is depicted as riding across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses. A…
Heller
German
"bright, brilliant"
A li'l hell-raiser name in the Ryder-Rogue-Rebel vein.
Hermes
Greek mythology name
"cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker"
These days, some may think of Hermes as an upscale brand name like Chanel and Porsche (spelled as Hermès), or a strange choice thanks to the parcel delivery company. However, with names from Greek…
Hewett
French, diminutive of Hugh
Hugh plus.
Hubert
German
"bright, shining intellect"
A name that sounds so old-fashioned some parents out there might conceivably find it quirky enough for a comeback, along with other one-time fuddie-duddies like Oscar and Homer. Along with other…
Ganesh
Sanskrit
"god of the multitude"
The name of the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom is rarely heard outside India.
Bahira
Arabic
"dazzling, brilliant"
A pretty Arabic possibility which would work well in many languages.
Hughes
English, Scottish, Irish surname
"mind, intellect; son of Aodh"
Part of the next generation of preppy H-beginning surnames. Once Harrison, Hudson, and Holden are no longer fresh, expect to hear more little boys being called Hughes, Hutch, and Henderson on the…
Frodi
Norse
"wise, learned"
The name of several legendary Danish kings, including one who declared universal peace.
Fitzhugh
English, from German
"son of intelligence"
All the Fitz names are hard to carry, but this one has a wonderful meaning and might be a good middle name choice to honor a brilliant lineage.
Hye
Korean
"wisdom, intelligence"
One of the few Korean names to migrate to Western culture, via supermodel Hye Park.
Aydin
Turkish
"intelligent"
While it looks like a creative respelling of the ubiquitous Aidan, Aydin has Turkish roots and means "intelligent." While there will most certainly be issues with spelling, those attracted to the…
Isis
Egyptian
"throne"
Isis has gone from magical, feminist name on the rise to the forbidden list because of the extremist terror group called ISIS, an acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Unsurprisingly, Isis was…
Ismene
Greek
"knowledgeable"
Sister of Antigone and daughter of Oedipus in Greek mythology, Ismene's name is unlikely to make it in modern times because of its teasability factor. Ismay or Esme would be better bets.
Aldrich
Germanic
"old, wise ruler"
In an era with so many created, modern names, Aldrich oozes history and substance. But it is also fit for modern times, given its surname-as-name status and the nickname potential (Al, Richie, etc).