Names That Mean Life

This feminine form of Abel is also a flower name and makes a distinctive alternative to the widely used Abigail.  There is a similar name, Adelia, that is beginning to be rediscovered thanks to the trend for all names Adel- related.

Abelia

A powerful and heartfelt word name of Tamil origin, Uyir means "life breath", "essence of life", "vitality", or "soul". The name was used by singer Gavanya Doraiswamy and her partner Felix Grimm for their daughter in 2026, and it appeared in the title of Malayalam movie  the same year. 
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It has been used occasionally in India as a unisex name. 

Uyir

This multi-cultural name has a pleasant, delicate sound.  Variations include Amali and Amalya,both of which mean industrious.

Amarli

Anima is a name that could work in so many languages, blessed as it is with easy spelling and pronunciation. It works equally well in the East and in the West, as its roots can either come from Latin, where it means "soul", or from Sanskrit, where it means "minute, tiny".


Anima

Aoibhe may be considered a form of either Aoife -- beauty in Irish -- or Eve, which means life.  Either way, this popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/804/irish-names-for-girls">Irish name for girls</a> is pronounced as Eva though outside of Ireland few would guess that.  Leave Aoibhe to the Gaelic speakers.

Aoibhe

Ardent

Best left on the old southern plantation, sipping his mint julep. 

Gaylord

Avita sounds like a drug name.  In fact, it is!  (It's an acne medication.)  While that may not be enough to stop you, you might want to consider Aviva, Vita, or Evita (which has issues of its own) instead.


Avita

Fuji

Beatha

Bethoc

Brio is a musical term with great verve and energy, with possibilities as a first name on the heels of such choices as Cadence, Allegra, and Rio. 

Brio

We all know that Chaka really means disco. 

Chaka

Darnel, the plant from which this name derives, is an intoxicating plant, which used to be grown to make medicines and poisons. 

Durnell

Dittany

Rarely heard but pleasing feminissima name for a baby girl. 

Damica

Pretty Slavic name, with some obvious pronunciation challenges. 

Dusana

Life is one of the most popular meanings for baby names today, symbolizing the beginning of the new life of the child. 

Names in this category might literally mean life but also can have life-related meanings such as breath, growth, or strength. We've also included here some habitational names that refer to a person who lives in a certain place, particular one who lives on a farm or near a field where crops are grown.

Several popular girl names mean life, including Ava, Zoe, and Vivian in all their forms and spellings. Brooks and the biblical Abel are two of the top baby names meaning life for boys.

If you want to browse all the names with life-related meanings, this list is for you.

Baby names meaning life for girls, boys, and unisex, including all life meanings of names (Page 8)