Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Swedish
"divine wisdom"
Baby-naming rule #487: it's probably best to avoid names whose only possible nickname is Gun.
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…
German
"bright, brilliant"
A li'l hell-raiser name in the Ryder-Rogue-Rebel vein.
French, diminutive of Hugh
Hugh plus.
Scottish surname, related to HUGH
"mind, intellect"
Hutchings, rarely heard as a first name, is a semi-patronymic denoting 'son of Hugh'. What it's got going for it is cute nickname Hutch, a cousin of Hitch and Huck.
Korean
"wisdom, intelligence"
One of the few Korean names to migrate to Western culture, via supermodel Hye Park.
Native American
"strong-minded"
Distinctive Native-American choice with forceful meaning.
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.
English, Irish
"bold, brave; battle"
Actor Mark Ruffalo honed this surname down to its basics when he chose it for his son. A more usable expansion might be the Irish surname Keenan/Keenen.
Irish
"son of Hugh"
Magee became one of the first gender-bending Irish surname names so popular today thanks to New York television newswoman Magee Hickey. In case you don't know, the g is hard, as in Maggie, but with…
Native American, Arapaho
"sage, wise"
Interesting Native-American choice that could be taken for Greek.
Navajo
"owl"
A Navajo nature name with a cool, fresh sound.
Egyptian
"divine mother"
One of the more unusual mythology names for girls , Neith is the name of the Egyptian goddess of home and femininity.
Latin
"to excite, to stir the mind"
A pretty, feminissima name, more distinctive than Cynthia. George Bernard Shaw used it for a character in his play The Apple Cart, about which it is said 'Orinthia is a name full of magic for me.'
English
"divinely brilliant"
Some cutting-edge parents might revive Osbert as a substitute for Oscar. We like the "divinely brilliant" meaning. Cool or terminally nerdy? Your call. Osbert Sitwell, born Francis Osbert Sacheverell…
"youth, young woman"
An overlooked name from Greek mythology, Pallas is both an epithet for the goddess of wisdom and a name in its own right, borne by a daughter of the sea god Triton who was raised alongside the…
"shining, brilliant"
One of the names of the sun god Apollo, this is better known in its feminine form, Phoebe. Rarely used as a given name, perhaps owing to the clunky end sound, it might work as a unique alternative to…
French
"clever, quick"
Truly offbeat, but just on the brink of outré.
Swahili Arabic
"friend, companion"
With spiky and energetic sounds and an earthy feel, Rafiki is a rhythmic Swahili name, related to the Arabic Rafiq. The name was spotlighted in Disney's The Lion King (1994), in which it is borne by…
Sanskrit
"sage"
Wise, with vivacity.
