Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Hope
Across 11 pages
of 11
Neoma
Greek or Hebrew
"new moon; pleasantness"
An obscure yet on-trend name with two wonderful meanings associated with it. Neoma is one of the freshest celestial girl names with moon-related meanings, rarer than Luna or Phoebe but with the same…
Newlyn
Welsh
"new pond"
Male name that seems feminine enough to switch genders, if you're looking for a new lyn spin.
Nova
Latin
"new"
Nova might be a much more commonly used a girls' name, but enough parents saw unisex appeal in it for it to debut on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2017. Nova is an astronomical term for a star that…
Signe
Scandinavian
"new victory"
Signe could make an offbeat, more unusual alternative to Sydney or Sigrid. In Norse mythology, Signe was the twin sister of Sigmund. Can also be spelled Signy.
Zelenka
Czech
"green"
A Czech surname derived from the word for "green", which has a certain spark.
Phyllida
Greek variation of Phyllis
"green bough"
Phyllida, a "Masterpiece Theatre"-style appellation, seems far fresher and more unusual than Phyllis. It's green-related meaning makes it one of the prime names that mean new beginnings . It's a name…
Viridios
Latin
"green"
Viridios was a pagan god of ancient Roman Britain. The name is thought to be Latin, most likely derived from viridis ("green"), and perhaps a translated name for the Green Man of British and European…
Rya
Arabic
"dream"
While many English sources say this name is a feminization of Ryan and give the pronunciation as Ryan without the final n, Rya is a genuine Arabic name for girls that rhymes with Mia and Leah. It is…
Imena
African, Arabic
"dream; faith"
A worthy update for Imani.
Amal
Arabic
"hope, inspiration"
Amal is an attractive name with a wonderful meaning that has long been used in many Middle Eastern countries, especially Lebanon (and migrant communities). It is of course getting a lot more coverage…
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,…
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…
Rainbow
English
"rainbow"
Colorful, yes, but also probably among the hippiest of hippie names. Holly Madison recently chose it for her little girl.
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.
Spring
Word name
Spring doesn't sound half as contemporary as Winter, which has become the cool season name.
May
Diminutive of Margaret and Mary; month name
May is a sweet old-fashioned name that hasn't been on the national charts in several decades, but is definitely sounding fresh and springlike. Parents are beginning to see it once more as one of the…
Feather
Word name
Feather, though it was used for a character in a Walter Mosley novel, seems too light and fluttery for a real-life girl.
Marguerite
French variation of Margaret; also a flower name
"pearl; daisy"
Marguerite is a classic French name with a remnant of old-fashioned Gallic charm; and is also a variety of daisy. Chic again in Paris, it's definitely ripe for revival here. Another reason you might…
Kazuki
Japanese
"hope of peace"
Kazuki is related to names like Kazuko, Kazuo and Kazumi
Nadezhda
Slavic
"hope"
Nadezhda is more familiar in the English-speaking world by its short forms, Nadia or Nadya. Well-used through the Slavic countries and Russia, Nadezhda was the name of Lenin's wife. Viewers of The…