Day Names for Babies

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 (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).

Hespera is a variation of Hesperia, the feminine form of Hesperus. In Greek mythology, Hesperus is the Evening Star or the planet Venus. Hesperus is the son of the dawn goddess Eos or her Roman equivalent Aurora.

Used in France as a male name, this would make an appealing and unusual choice, as would two other Gallic month names, Avril and Mai.

Among the Ewe people of Ghana and Togo, Yao is the name for babies born on Thursday.

Perfect example of a surname that would work well as a first.

Strongly associated with the city of Tel Aviv. For girls, may be lengthened to Aviva; for boys, might be better abbreviated to Avi.

Short and sweet alternative to Mia, Mila, Maya, et al.

A word that's been used, very infrequently, as a name for hundreds of years. Interesting sound and meaning.

Bright, just like its meaning.

The Luhya people of Kenya have male and female names that denote the season the child was born in — Harvest, Planting, Rain, Weeding, Drought, or Hunger Season. Naliaka is the feminine name for weeding season, the male counterpart is Wanyonyi.

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 system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday). Kwasi is the name for boys born on a Sunday. (The name for girls born on a Sunday is Akosua).

November is one of a growing list of month names that can work for a baby boy, and is also one of the ideal names for November babies.

This modern Finnish word name is a fashionable choice in its home country, having entered into wide usage only since the turn of the 21st century.

Akosua means "born on a Sunday," which relates the name to the sun and thus to fire.

Pleasant-sounding word that could morph into a unique Sunday-picnic-type name.

Parents are beginning to turn away from springtime months like April and June and are moving toward the cooler and crisper three-syllable September, October, November, and December.

Otieno is more commonly seen as a surname among the Luo people of Kenya and Eastern Africa. The surname was derived from the given name — Atieno is the feminine version.

Saturday derives from Saturn, so with day names and mythological names both gaining wider acceptance, we may see some babies named for this relaxing day of the week.

This more elaborate version of the name is heard occasionally, but Samira or the related Samara is simpler and just as rhythmic.

Where as a serenade is an evening love song, an aubade is sung first thing in the morning.