Birthday Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Ghanaian, Akan, Twi
"Born on a Wednesday"
The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this…
English, Greek, Hawaiian, Japanese
"grace; God is gracious; spring, beauty; vegetable, greens"
To most English speakers, Nana is the dog in Peter Pan , the daughter played by Emma Stone in Crazy Stupid Love , and another name for Grandma, however, it is also a diminutive of Nancy and Anna…
Akan, Fante, Ghanaian
"born on Tuesday"
This name from the Akan language of Ghana in West Africa is traditionally given to baby girls born on a Tuesday. The male version is Kwabena or Kobena.
Latin
"born in June"
Junius is one of those names that's growing on us, along with many of its Roman countrymen such as Julius and Atticus. We once thought it was a combination of the least attractive elements of Junior…
Ghanaian, Akan
"born on Monday"
The Ashantis of Ghana traditionally use this animated name for boys born on Monday. The girls' equivalent is Adwoa, pronounced ahj-wa.
Sanskrit
"night"
Simple but sophisticated, Nisha is a pretty Sanskrit choice that hit the popularity charts in England in the late 1990s. The meaning "night" adds a slightly mystical element to name and it is a…
English word name
"holy day"
A fun and confident choice, Holiday is a celebratory name, particularly associated with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and New Year, and with rest, leisure, and vacations more generally. Fitting…
Tamil, Akan
"mother, or born on a Saturday"
An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning. Amma is also a Ghanaian name. The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born…
English from Latin
"when the sun stands still"
Solstice graduated from word to official first name when author Lionel Shriver used it for a character in her novel Big Brother . But of course, there were people named Solstice before: 16 baby girls…
Ewe, Ghanaian
"born on Wednesday"
The people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system…
English month name from Latin
"doorway"
Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name. The first was a character named January Wayne in a bestselling 1973 Jacqueline Susann…
French
"springlike"
Although it has a sweet meaning, this name feels dated nowadays, like a fifties poodle skirt. Lavender may be a fresher alternative.
"midday / pinnacle"
In geography, a meridian is a line drawn around the curve of the Earth between the North and South Poles. The term comes from Latin meridianus, meaning "pertaining to midday", and the association…
Finnish
"summer"
Light, zippy, and sunny, Suvi has a sparky yet sweet feel. Notably borne by Finnish supermodel Suvi Koponen, it is taken from the Finnish word for Summer, making it and interesting alternative to…
Akan
"Born on a Sunday"
Japanese, Native American
"stork; night"
A funkier version of Coco that may be more appealing if you have Japanese or Native American heritage. Koko comes from the Blackfoot tribe, native to what is now Montana and Alberta, Canada.
Arabic
"spring"
Thought to be one of the ten angels who accompanies the sun on its daily course: a lovely image redolent of mythology. If you're looking for names that mean new beginnings , this makes an unusual and…
"Born on a Thursday"
Akan, Ghanaian
Adwoa is a given name used for women born on Monday in Western Africa, particularly Ghana and some parts of Togo and Ivory Coast. The male equivalent is Kwadwo. The most famous people with this name…
Twi, Ewe, Ghanaian
"born on Sunday"
Akosua means "born on a Sunday," which relates the name to the sun and thus to fire. The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were…
