Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Slavic
"famously happy; happy world"
Radomir is derived from the Slavic elements rad , meaning "happy" or "joy," and mir , "world," "peace," or "fame."
Cherokee
"she brought happiness"
Upbeat Native American name with a wonderful meaning.
Variation of Hilary
"happy, cheerful"
Alair is a lighter, more unusual form of Hilary.
Yoruba
"joy"
This charming West African mini name fits in with the other similarly short names that are all the rage right now. Actress Ayo Edebiri is the star of TV's The Bear .
"joy has filled the home"
A beautiful meaning for a long-awaited child.
Turkish
"festival"
Though Bayram is not well known in the US, it's a name that easily crosses cultures because it sounds exactly like the English name Byram, a variation of Byron. Bayram is the Turkish word for…
African, Nigerian, Yoruba
"the crown meets joy"
Short form of Adebayo
Afrikaans version of Beate or Beata
"blessed"
Namibian supermodel Behati Prinsloo, who has walked the runway for every designer from Prada to Versace to Vera Wang, has introduced us to this Afrikaans version of Beata and relative of Beatrice.…
Latin, from the Roman family name Caius
"rejoice"
Cayo is a rare and rhythmic Spanish name, all but unknown in the English-speaking world, that would make a lively choice.
Greek
This name was used by Shakespeare (who got it from Plutarch) in Antony and Cleopatra for one of the attendants of the Egyptian queen. An interesting possibility, it is heard occasionally in the UK,…
Nigerian
"joy arrives"
Has an evocative African beat.
Tibetan
"great happiness"
A joyful meaning and an appealing international name.
Amharic
An Ethiopian name that means "joy."
Indigenous Australian
"joyful"
In the language of the Ngurelban people, 'Yera-o' is said to mean "joyful". This Anglicization is reminiscent of other feminine names like Eulalia and could work well for those looking for a less…
English
"happy, joyous"
Fane, used as a nickname in the Middle Ages for someone with a cheerful disposition, is one of the more offbeat members of the Zane-Kane family.
Spanish
"happiness"
Used exclusively in Latino families.
"happy, lucky"
The futuristic consonant x sets this apart -- for better and worse -- from all the other Felices, Felicias, and Felicitys.
Latin
"joyous, festive"
A name from the ancient world that may get a mixed reception today. On the one hand, festive! On the other hand, fester. In the Bible, Porcius Festus was a Roman official who rubbed up against St…
Yiddish
An old favorite in traditional Jewish families.
Italian
"the happy one"
variation of Gioconda
