Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Amharic, Ethiopian
"gift of God; fine linen; sweet"
Melat is a lovely girl name that is frequently used in Ethiopia. Several meanings of Melat are possible, including "gift of God", and "sweet". Melat also refers to the fine linen or silk woven in the…
French, from Hebrew
"gift of God"
A rare feminisation of Mahé, a French form of Matthew originating from the Breton language. The most well-known bearer of this name is the Québécoise actress Mahée Paiement.
English diminutive of Dorothy
"gift of god"
Sweet old-fashioned nickname name that could make a comeback in the wake of Sadie, Edie et al. Famous bearers include author Dodie Smith, who wrote The Hundred and One Dalmatians and I Capture the…
English and German diminutive of Dorothy and Dorothea
Some parents might like this energetic diminutive for Dorothy used in the Bush family, though the traditional Dottie and Dot seem to be coming back.
Hungarian variation of Dorothy, Greek
Ukrainian; Russian, from Greek
Feodora is an interesting choice for the intrepid name-giver, especially with the dynamic nickname Feo.
Tamil, possibly "gift of God"
An appealing Hindi name borne by Mindy Kahling's architect father Avu Chokalingam. She bestowed it on her son Spencer as a middle name in 2020.
English, diminutive of Dorothy
An old-fashioned Dorothy short form — today we prefer Dolly, Dot, or Dottie.
Diminutive of Dorottya, Hungarian
Too much teasing potential for an English speaker.
Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, and Macedonian variation of Dorothea, Greek
The common translation of Dorothea in Central Europe.
Yoruba, Nigerian
Classic choice in Nigeria that has been used in the US since 1999.
Polish variation of Matthew, Hebrew
The pronunciation barrier looms large, but Maciej has such a pleasant sound, we think it deserves a second look. Maciej was previously a Top 10 name in its native Poland but has been gradually…
French/Breton form of Matthew
This gallicized spelling of Mazhe, itself a Breton version of Matthew, is currently popular for baby boys in France, where it ranks in the Top 100. But this is one European name that probably will…
Slovak, Slovene, and Croatian variation of Matthew
Central European form of Matthew.
Slovene variation of Matthew, Hebrew
A classic Slovene choice.
Slovene variation of Matthias, Aramaic
Former Top 5 choice in Slovenia that now sits below the Top 20.
Maori
Maori form of Matthew
A gallicized spelling of Mazhe, itself a Breton version of Matthew, which is currently popular for baby boys in France. In the English-speaking world, where the é accent is not always recognized,…
Hungarian variation of Matthew, Hebrew
Feminine variation of Matej, Slovak, Slovene, and Croatian
Slovak cognate of Mattea.
