Easter Names

The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday). Kwasi is the name for boys born on a Sunday. (The name for girls born on a Sunday is Akosua).

Derived from Harutyun.

A handsome nature name – and an intriguing alternative to Willow – that is also found as a rare English surname.

A known but not overused female name in Dutch-speaking countries and regions, Vlinder ranked in the top 400 girls’ names in the Netherlands from 2009-2012.

Reminiscent of mid-century Pamela and contemporary Palmer, Palmina is a diminutive of Palma, an Italian, Spanish, and Croatian name meaning "palm", used more specifically to refer to Palm Sunday. Occasionally given to girls born the Sunday before Easter, Palmina is currently a rare choice, perhaps because it may be confused with Palomino, a word used to describe horses with golden coats and white manes.

Slavic possibility for a girl born during the Easter season.

This Italian word with a positive meaning makes a pretty, unusual girl's name

Tamari is a rare form of Tamar that used on girls and boys in the US. Beware that tamari is a gluten-free soy sauce-like condiment.

One of the few French words/names not attractive to the American ear. It's pronounced moo-gay, not a winner on either syllable. Alternatives: Liliane, Lily, Lilou, Manon.

This popular Muslim name would more easily translate to English-speaking cultures in its Bahar form.

Ebrel is the Cornish word for the month of April, recently adopted as a baby name. Ebrel is a charming and accessible update to the now-dated month name.

Occasionally used in the Latino community, another Easter-related name.

Eostre is the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring and dawn. In ancient times, the pagans had festivals and feasts celebrating Eostre, but this practice was eventually overtaken by the Christian Easter holiday. The connection between the traditions is evident today in cultures that speak English and Germanic languages, as the name Easter is derived from Eostre. Most other languages derive the name of the holiday from the Hebrew word Pesach, meaning "Passover."

A lovely international version of the dated Karen, also spelled Karoun.