150+ Names That Mean Gift from God

A romantic way to get to covetable nicknames Gia and Nina.

The Polish form of Thaddeus, it is associated with Adam Mickiewicz's 1834 poem Pan Tadeusz, the national epic poem of Poland and compulsory reading in schools. The poem is set in the early 19th century when Poland had been divided between Prussia, Russia, and Austria and tells the story of Tadeusz and Zosia, members of two feuding noble families.

Last moment of glory was in the Janis Joplin sixties.

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.

An old-fashioned Dorothy short form — today we prefer Dolly, Dot, or Dottie.

The Icelandic form of Theodore, currently ranking in the Top 50 over there.

With its upbeat Slavic/Scandinavian air, it has the most potential of all the Jan names.

If you're looking for a Euro-chic alternative to Max, Mats is a strong possibility. It's a fading classic in Norway, but is popular in the Netherlands and Belgium, where short names are the height of style.

The common translation of Dorothea in Central Europe.

More commonly spelled FEODORA, a charming choice for the intrepid baby namer, especially with its dynamic nickname FEO (pronounced FAY-o).

A classic Slovene choice.

A Top 50 choice in the Netherlands.

This Arabic name, which can be used for either boys or girls, can also mean "wide-eyed" in the sense of someone who is studious and perceptive. Ayaan is most familiar to people in the West from its connection to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali women's right activist.

Classic choice in Nigeria that has been used in the US since 1999.

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, there is great potential for confusion with the name Mae.

We like Matti in theory, but in practice it’s likely to get confused for the girlish Maddie.

Juana with an X factor.

Popular Irish name brought here by singer Sinead O'Connor, could make a striking choice for a child with deep Irish roots.

Slovak cognate of Mattea.

A Gaelic form of Jane which shares its simple, sleek look – but is much rarer. The Anglicized form Sheena peaked at #80 in the US in 1984, inspired by singer Sheena Easton.