Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Hope
Across 11 pages
of 11
Abner
Hebrew
"father of light."
This once neglected Biblical name is back on the scene, ready to shake off both its association with the long running satirical comic strip, L'il Abner and its historical Puritan image. The name…
Megan
Welsh diminutive of Margaret
"pearl"
Megan originally evolved from Meg, which itself derived as a nickname for Margaret. Margaret ultimately comes from the Greek word margarites , meaning "pearl." Megan is no longer a common nickname…
Eliora
Hebrew
"the Lord is my light"
A pretty and melodic name of Hebrew origin that combines the elements el referring to God, li meaning "for me", and or meaning "light". The name entered the UK Top 1000 for the first time in 2023,…
Ashlyn
Variation of Aislinn, Irish
"dream"
Though it relates to the Irish original, Ashlyn and its next most popular form, Ashlynn, owe more of their popularity as baby names in the US to the megastar Ashley, though all three have been…
Star
Word name
Most parents today would prefer the softer-sell Stella. But Star has symbolic power related to Christmas, so this could make one of the perfect names for December babies .
Spring
Word name
Spring doesn't sound half as contemporary as Winter, which has become the cool season name.
Toivo
Finnish, Estonian
"hope"
This name was on the U.S. Top 1000 in the early 20th century, when recent immigrants frequently chose native names that have since died out for American babies. But if you're of Finnish or Estonian…
Butterfly
English word name
Fluttery and flighty. But there are a couple of names that mean butterfly you might consider, such as Yara and Farasha.
Von
Norse
"hope"
One of those midcentury shortenings that are starting to sound cool again, though we prefer Van.
Tikvah
Hebrew
"hope"
Appreciated by religious Jews for its connection to "Hatikva," the Israeli national anthem.
Rainbow
English
"rainbow"
Colorful, yes, but also probably among the hippiest of hippie names. Holly Madison recently chose it for her little girl.
Taraji
Swahili
"hope"
This name gained widespread attention via the actress Taraji P. Henson, who was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button . A…
Taraja
African, Kiswahili
"hope"
The raja sequence of sounds gives it a regal feel.
Esperanza
Spanish
"hope, expectation"
Esperanza is a Spanish classic that's found its way onto the national popularity list in recent years. It came into the spotlight not long ago when jazz singer Esperanza Spalding "stole" the Best New…
Newlyn
Welsh
"new pond"
Male name that seems feminine enough to switch genders, if you're looking for a new lyn spin.
Maayan
Hebrew
"spring of water"
Many Americans will misunderstand it as Maya, but Maayan (also stylized as Ma'ayan) is a popular Israeli name used for both sexes.
Raja
Arabic or Sanskrit
"hope; ruler"
A relatively popular Arabic and Sanskrit name, which has a great positive meaning no matter which origin you claim.
Nadine
French variation of Nadia, Russian
"hope"
Part of the vogue for French-sounding names in the 1920s and 30s, Nadine has been replaced by the Russian sound of Nadia and Natasha.
Asha
Sanskrit; Swahili
"hope; life"
Asha is an Indian name that comes from the Sanskrit word for hope or desire, but it is also a Swahili name derived from Aisha, meaning life. Since the ascendance of Ashley through the 1980s and 90s,…
Speranza
Judeo-Italian
"hope"
The 19th-century Irish poet Jane Wilde (mother of Oscar Wilde) adopted Speranza as her nom de plume. The name also appears in Spenser’s The Faerie Queene , as one of the three virtues: Fidelia…