Baby Name Meanings
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 10 pages
of 10
Greek
"evening, evening star"
Hesper is a feminine form of Hesperus, the name of the Greek mythological personification of the Evening Star. The Hesperides are daughters of nymphs of the evening. Hesper may be related to the name…
Hesperos or Hesperus is the personification of the evening star in Greek mythology; in Roman myth, that role is held by Venus. There's a Longfellow poem called "The Wreck of the Hesperus" about a…
Hawaiian
"night of the full moon"
Like a large proportion of traditional Hawaiian names, Hoku can be used for both girls and boys.
English
"from the island in the river"
Possible middle name for devotees of detective Sherlock...or the actress Katie.
Japanese
"star"
Short and catchy form of traditional Asian name.
Hindi
"moon"
Indu is truly unusual, but shares sounds with more popular choices like Indie and Indigo. Other moon names to consider: Luna, Serena, Io.
Latin
"doorway"
The meaning of this ancient Roman god's name relates to transitions, hence its connection to the name of the first month of the new year, a time of fresh beginnings. Janus is usually depicted as a…
Danish variation of Katherine or Karen
"pure"
Karin was a fairly popular spelling variation of Karen in the US but fell off the Top 1000 in the late 80s, as Karen's popularity wained. Today, the Karen meme interferes with the otherwise appealing…
Dutch
"cooper"
While this may be the Dutch version of Cooper, English-speaking parents are likely to choose this with reference to the Kuiper Belt, a band of small space rocks near Neptune thought to be where many…
"scales, balance"
Appropriate for a girl born between late September and late October, Libra suggests both balance and freedom.
Indonesian
This name, which may also be Bintang in Indonesia, would have a difficult time transitioning to the Western World.
Arabic
"the shining one"
Star in Orion that might make a fine name, except people will always assume it's Melissa, with a typo.
Word name
A beyond-bold shooting-star name choice, sure to raise some relatives' eyebrows.
Latin plant name
Adventurous parents are venturing deeper into the garden in search of fresh names, but remember that this also makes for an alcoholic brunch.
Miram appears to be a variant spelling of Miriam, a classic feminine name with ancient Hebrew origins. In Hebrew, Miriam means 'sea of bitterness,' 'rebelliousness,' or 'wished-for child.' This name…
Australian Aboriginal
"the sun"
This cute as a button name stems from the Goonayandi word for the sun and can be used as a unisex name.
Naiad originates from Greek mythology, where Naiads were a type of water nymph who presided over fountains, wells, springs, and other freshwater bodies. The name derives from the Greek word 'náein,'…
Ojibwa
"star dancer"
Fanciful image distinguishes this Native-American name.
Sinhalese
"full moon in August"
Nikini means full moon in the language of Sri Lanka. In a world of Lunas and Selenas, Nikini is a spunkier Eastern choice with a beautiful lunar meaning.
Turkish
"bright moon"
Nuray is one of the most popular girls' names in the Middle East though it's largely unknown and unused in the Western World. The meaning, related to the more familiar Noor, adds appeal.
