150+ Names That Mean Gift from God
Names that mean gift from God, gift of God, or God's gift center on a handful of classic names widely used throughout the Western World. The top baby names meaning gift from God are related to Dorothy, Theodore, Matthew, and John.
Girl names meaning gift from God often stem from the name Dorothy and variations, which include Dorothea, Theodora, and short forms such as Dottie and Thea.
Boy names meaning gift from God or God's gift are often connected to the traditional names Theodore or Matthew, including such short forms as the popular Theo and the friendly Matt. Nathaniel and Thaddeus are two Biblical boy names that mean gift from God.
Baby names for boys and girls that related to the classic name John also have meanings related to gift from God. John and its relatives mean God is gracious or graced by God.
John relatives meaning God is gracious include Jane, Joan, Jean, Jack, and Sean, along with many international variations and short forms for these names.
Names that mean gift from God or God is gracious honor the miracle that is a new baby. If you want your baby's name to mean God's gift, consider these choices.
- Theodore
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
As unlikely as it may seem, Theodore is a hot new hit name, vaulting into the Top 10 in 2021 for the first time ever. Friendly nickname Theo may be responsible for some of that, though there are plenty of baby boys given Theo as their full name too. Add their numbers together, and the two names jump to Number 6.
- Theo
Origin:
Diminutive of TheodoreMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Many modern parents use Theo as the short form for Theodore rather than the dated Ted--including some celebs, such as Dallas Bryce Howard-- but others bypass the Grandpa name Theodore entirely and skip right to the hip nickname Theo. Short and ultra-chic, Theo's a cool, contemporary baby name choice.
- Nathaniel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Nathaniel was derived from the Hebrew name Netan’el, meaning “gift of God,” composed of the elements natan, meaning “to give,” and ’el, in reference to God. The name is featured several times in the Old and New Testaments, typically spelled Nathanael. In the New Testament, Nathanael is also known by his other name, Bartholomew.
- Thea
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"goddess, godly"Description:
Thea is a diminutive of names ending in -thea, including Dorothea, Althea, and Anthea. It is also the Anglicized spelling of Theia, the Titan of sight, goddess of light, and mother of the moon. She was the consort of Hyperion, and mother of Helios, Selene, and Eos.
- Jane
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
No, we don't consider Jane too plain. In fact, for a venerable and short one-syllable name, we think it packs a surprising amount of punch, as compared to the related Jean and Joan.
- Mateo
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Mateo is a Latinate form of Matthew, which derived from the Hebrew name Mattiyahu, consisting of the elements mattan, meaning "gift" and yah, which references the Hebrew God. Mateo can also be spelled Matteo, which is the Italian variation. Matheo is an archaic Spanish spelling, although it is used in France as Mathéo.
- Zane
Origin:
Possible variation of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
Western novelist Zane (born Pearl!) Grey made this name famous. Now, it's in tune with the style of our times, retaining that appealing cowboy image.
- Matthew
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Matthew is the English derivative of Matthaios, the Greek form of the Hebrew Mattiyahu, composed of mattan, meaning "gift" and yah, in reference to God. The biblical Matthew was the apostle who wrote the first Gospel in the New Testament. Mateo, Matthias, Teo, Matek, and Mattia are among the many named derived from Matthew.
- Jack
Origin:
English, diminutive of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
Jack is a derivative of John that originated in medieval England. The name went from John to Johnkin to Jankin to Jackin to Jack. The name was so common in the Middle Ages that Jack became a generic term for a man.
- Thaddeus
Origin:
Aramaic, meaning unclear, possibly from TheodoreMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Thaddeus, a distinguished, long-neglected name, has several areas of appeal: a solid New Testament legacy, a nice antique feel, and the choice of several more modern nicknames and international variations.
- Jasmine
Origin:
Flower name, from PersianMeaning:
"gift from God"Description:
Jasmine was derived from the Persian word yasmin, referring to the jasmine flower. Scented oil was made from the plant, and it was used as a perfume throughout the Persian Empire. Variants include Jazmin, Yasmin, Yasmine, and Jessamine.
- Theodora
Origin:
Feminine variation of TheodoreMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Theodora is one of the most revival-worthy of the charmingly old-fashioned Victorian valentine names, softly evocative but still substantial, as is the reversed-syllable Dorothea. It was borne by several saints and by the beautiful ninth wife of the Emperor Justinian, who became the power behind his throne. A later royal was Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark, the older sister of the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
- Teddy
Origin:
Diminutive of Theodore or EdwardMeaning:
"gift of God or wealthy guardian"Description:
Teddy is in some ways one of those midcentury boys' nicknames -- like Jimmy or Bobby or Billy -- yet because it was never that popular, it feels timeless too. The preferred short form of Theodore these days may be Theo and of Edward may be....Edward, but Teddy can work adorably for either and grows up to Ted. And of course, let's not forget the inevitable teddy bear.
- Jonathan
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift of Jehovah"Description:
Jonathan was derived from the Hebrew name Yehonatan, eventually contracted to the modern Yonatan, meaning “gift of Jehovah.” It comes from the elements yeho, in reference to God, and natan, meaning “to give.” In the Old Testament, Jonathan was the valiant eldest son of King Saul, and it was his friendship with brother-in-law David that gave rise to the expression "Jonathan and David" to describe devoted, steadfast friends.
- Zebedee
Origin:
English variation of Hebrew ZebediahMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Zebedee is an adorable and unusual New Testament name--which may sound like but is not a contradiction in terms. Unlike some of the longer biblical Z-names, Zebedee has a more lighthearted usability, with its gleeful ee-ending. And Zeb makes a fabulous nickname.
- Matthias
Origin:
Aramaic variation of MatthewMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
With Matthew sounding somewhat exhausted, and ancient endings sounding new again, this New Testament apostolic name makes an appealing and recommended choice. Both Mathias and Matias are well used in the Hispanic community, and throughout Europe. Will Ferrell and his Swedish wife chose Matias for their second son.
- Dorothy
Origin:
English variation of Greek DorotheaMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
In the 1930s, Dorothy left Kansas and landed in the Land of Oz; by the '80s she had become a Golden Girl, living in Miami with roommates Blanche and Rose, giving her a decidedly older image. But parents today seeking a quiet classic are bringing Dorothy back—she reentered the Top 1000 in 2011 after almost completely disappearing.
- Gianna
Origin:
Italian, diminutive of GiovannaMeaning:
"the Lord is gracious"Description:
Gianna originated as a diminutive for Giovanna—a Latin feminization of John. The root name among these is the Hebrew name Yochanen, meaning "the Lord is gracious." Common nickname include Gia and Gigi, and the English form of Gianna is Joanna.
- John
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
John is an English derivative of the Hebrew name Yochanan via the Latin name Iohannes, itself coming from the Greek Ioannes. John was a key name in early Christianity, borne by John the Baptist, John the Apostle and John the Evangelist, plus 84 saints and 23 popes, as well as kings and countless other illustrious notables. Contrary to popular belief, the names John and Jonathan are unrelated, the latter being an elaboration of Nathan.
- Matteo
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
This attractively energetic Italian version of the classic Matthew is primed to move further and further into mainstream American nomenclature. Mateo is technically the Spanish version, but many parents in the US use the two spellings interchangeably.