Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Turkish and Arabic
"first letter in the alphabet; slender"
Elif is the Turkish form of Alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet. Actor Natalie Portman gave another spelling to her son, Aleph. In Turkey, Elif is unisex but especially popular…
Persian
"dawn; or, little star"
The name of the wife of Alexander the Great, more attractive than the better-known Roxanne. Roxana was first used in the English-speaking world in the 1600s and was popularized by Daniel Defoe's…
Greek
"to sparkle"
If you love both unique baby names and flower names for girls, Amaryllis might be a perfect choice for you. A showier flower name than Lily, but in the same botanical family, Amaryllis is not as…
Variation of Nova, Latin
"new"
This Nova-offshoot is hot in the Netherlands, where it was recently one of the fastest-rising names of the year. It could eventually see great success in the US as well, and was given to 46 American…
English flower name
"first rose"
A quaint and quirky flower name, until recently considered a bit too prim for most American classrooms but brought back to life in recent years by the attractive character of Primrose "Prim" Everdeen…
Sanskrit
"one thousand"
Sahasra is a rising Sanskrit name with a powerful sound and plenty of significance within Hindu tradition. Rarely used in the US before 2005, it has been given to at least 50 girls each year since…
Sioux Indian
"first-born daughter"
Spelling used by country singer Wynonna Judd, one of two celebrities (the other is Winona Ryder) who brought this unusual Native American name widespread notice.
Latin, Irish, or Old Norse
"one; lamb; happy"
In an epic poem, the personification of truth, beauty, and unity; this ancient name is popular in several European countries but less common in the US. The Oona spelling is slightly more popular but…
Hebrew
"springtime, freshness, youth"
Strongly associated with the city of Tel Aviv. For girls, may be lengthened to Aviva; for boys, might be better abbreviated to Avi.
Latin
"springtime"
Verna may mean "springtime," but May or Spring is fresher.
Arabic, Persian, Hebrew
"dawn, morning, awakening; crescent"
A soft, strong name, commonly heard in the Middle East, Sahar is an Arabic and Persian name, associated with dawn and beginnings, and a Hebrew name, meaning "crescent", in turn linking it to the…
"era, time"
Idan is a Hebrew unisex place-name rarely heard in this country.
Serbian
Tennis star Novak Djokovic introduced this new first name to the English-speaking world, though it had long been familiar as a surname. The celebrity Novak, one of the greatest tennis players of all…
English
"greenish blue color"
Cyan is a highly unusual blue-green color name, a classmate of Celadon and Cerulean. It does come with the homey nickname Cy.
Swahili, Arabic
"divine grace, blessing"
Ultimately from the Arabic ni'ma , this Swahili name celebrates the blessing of a baby. Also used as a masculine name, Neema is notably borne by film director Neema Barnette and activist Neema…
Slavic
"spring"
Diminutive for all the Slavic names that start with Jar-. If for family or cultural reasons you're seeking such a name, then this is a reasonable short form.
Hebrew, Irish, Scottish
"light, song, little green one"
A calm and gentle multicultural choice. Oran is popular in Ireland, where its Gaelic form is Odhrán, meaning "little green one". In Scottish Gaelic, the name means "song", and in Hebrew, it's a…
Sweet and sassy Novie is an, ahem, novel shortening of the Latin name Nova, both of which appropriately mean "new". Novi is typically the go-to spelling of this diminutive — thanks to the recent…
Basque
"the beginning"
This Basque name is quite popular in Spain, where it has long been in the Top 100 names. This is likely due to its pleasant meaning; the sound, dignified in Spanish and Basque, may not fare so well…
Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norse, "new day"
"new day"
If you're looking for a name with Scandinavian roots, Dagny makes a strong and appealing import. Derived from Old Norse, it means "new day", perfect for a girl born around New Year's or the change of…
