Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 7 pages
of 7
Norse
"holy"
Older form of Helge, and a masculine form of Helga.
Jerrais
"cheerful"
Helier is the patron saint of the Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, and it is for him that St. Helier, Jersey's capital, is named. The name is related to Hilary, Ilario etc, and therefor shares…
Hebrew
"my delight is in her"
This is a streamlined spelling of the biblical Hephzibah. Hephzibah is an Old Testament name that came into use in the 17th century, but is not often used today. It does have less formal nicknames…
Finnish
"joy"
Latin
"gladness, happiness"
Laetitia adds a layer of ancient patina to the more prosaic LETITIA.
"joy, gladness"
Letitia is a delicate, once prim and proper sounding name whose staid image has been unbuttoned by numerous phonetic spellings. The original, often used in Spanish-speaking families, would still make…
English variation of Letitia
Lettice is still occasionally heard in upper-class British families, but we fear it would cause too much salad-green teasing to be considered in the U.S. Calling your little Lettice Lettie could help…
Cornish
Lowena is the Cornish word for "joy". As a given name, it is most commonly spelt Lowenna. Another variation is the more unisex Lowen.
Old English
"sublime delight"
This Anglo-Saxon gem was borne by a few medieval women including Saint Merewen, Abbess of Romsey Abbey. It has also been used in literature, for example in Kit Berry's Stonewylde series. Merewen has…
English, word name or combination of Mary and Lee, or Scottish place-name
Merilee and Merrilee were early respelled or word names, ahead of their time in some ways. Merrilee hit the Top 1000 for a couple of years in the 1940s, but last year no baby girls were given either…
African Nigerian
"she is our joy"
A bit masculine in feel.
"happiness, luck"
A popular Finnish name with an upbeat meaning, Onni is a popular choice in its native Finland where a recent year saw it rank at #6 — though it has ranked as high as #1 in the 2010s. Fairly intuitive…
Persian
"lucky, happy"
Parvaiz would certainly stand out in an American classroom.
Thai
"joyful"
This name has a sound that seems to match its meaning.
Arabic
"contented"
One of several similar names with a pleasant, intriguing sound.
"happiness, prosperity"
Sounds a bit like a shortening of Rafael or a condensation of Rafaela, but Rafa is a name in its own right. Whether you use it as a full name or a nickname, Rafa's casual coolness could allow it to…
Japanese
"child of joy"
Sachiko was one of the first Japanese names familiar to Americans when it was used in the 1950s by actress Shirley Maclaine for her daughter, called the adorable short form Sachi. While Sachiko does…
Greek
"delight in dancing"
The name of the Muse of dancing in Greek mythology. Arguably the least usable of the nine Muses' names, despite serious competition from Melpomene and Polyhymnia. Those two at least have obvious…
Hebrew; diminutive of Theresa, English
"delightful; harvest"
This rarely used Old Testament name will inevitably set off a connection to thirst. Thirza was historically used as both an independent name and as a nickname for Theresa.
"glory, fame, peace and happiness"
Derived from the Old English elements hroð and friþ , Rosfrith is a poetical yet rugged sounding choice, meaning "glory, fame, peace, and happiness". It has been used since at least the 7th century,…
