Historic and Vintage Names · Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 4 pages
of 4
Hebrew
"messenger from God, angel"
Bell-like and original.
Hindi, Persian, Greek
"friend; earth mother"
Deriving from the Sanskrit Mithra , Mitra is the Hindu god of the sun and of friendship. This transcription is unisex in Hindi, while in Persian, it is the feminine form. Notable bearers of Mitra…
Arabic
"spring"
Thought to be one of the ten angels who accompanies the sun on its daily course: a lovely image redolent of mythology. If you're looking for names that mean new beginnings , this makes an unusual and…
Hebrew, feminine variation of Raphael
"God has healed"
A euphonious and lovely name with a dark-eyed, long-flowing-haired image, Raphaela is, like Gabriella and Isabella, beginning to be drawn into the American mainstream.
Maori
"angel"
This feminine name — simply "angel" imported into Māori phonology — is fresher than Angela and less Hollywood than Angelina.
Spanish form of Ramiel, Hebrew
"thunder of God"
Remiel is a form of Ramiel, an archangel of thunder and divine visions named in the bible. Remiel is actually more popular in the US than the original, perhaps because of its connection to stylish…
"command of God"
Also known as Zerachiel, Zachariel, Zakhariel, or Saraqael, this is name of one of the seven archangels who guide souls to the afterlife. He appears in The Book of Enoch , an ancient Jewish…
German
"angel-raven"
An undiscovered surname possibility with upscale overtones, could be enlivened with nickname Ingo.
Dutch diminutive of Angelique et al
The popular Dutch name Lieke is one of those diminutives, like Lena, that can be short for a range of names ending in its sound -- which, by the way, is the two-syllable LEE-ka. Despite its…
Literary name, Greek
If you want to move beyond Maya, you might consider this distinctive last name of poet Maya Angelou. Born Marguerite Annie Johnson, Angelou was given the nickname Maya by her brother and adopted…
Italian
"angelic"
The great pre-Renaissance painter known as Fra Angelico was actually born Guido di Pietro, but his nom d'art might work for your little angel.
"bright angel"
One of the rarest Bert names, Engelbert has been used at least since the time of Charlemagne and is the name of several saints. But mostly, it's impossible not to associate it with Engelbert…
Variation of Muriel, Irish
"of the bright sea"
This pleasant modernization of a dated original is still rare but has real modern possibilities. Alternate versions include Merial and Meryl. Meriel was given to fewer than five baby girls in the US…
French variation of Muriel, Irish
Murielle emerged as a distinctively French elaboration, adding the feminine '-elle' suffix to create a more melodious version of the classic name. Though less common in English-speaking countries,…
Irish
"sprite, changeling"
A relatively modern (18th C) Irish Gaelic name, Siofra or, more properly, Síofra with the fada has its roots in superstition. In the past, when babies were born in Ireland their families feared that…
Portuguese and Spanish diminutive of Evangelina
"bringer of good news"
Vanina is a name that is, at first glance, miles apart from its origin. But once you say it aloud and look for it, you can see the direct line from Evangelina to Vanina. Vanina could also be a good…
Greek
"high-ranking angel"
Arcangela is a heavenly possibility if Angel or Angela isn't elevated enough for you.
Thai
"Angel"
Like the Maori name, Anahera, Atchara is a good option for parents looking for the perfect name for their little angel, but wanting to avoid Angela and Angelina.
Turkish
"angel that heralds the heaven"
Cree
Heavenly name from the Cree language.
