Baby Name Meanings · Nature, Place and Word Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 28 pages
of 28
Hebrew
"doe, gazelle"
This animal-themed name is among the most popular for girls in contemporary Israel. Parents who want to move beyond the mega-popular Aliyah and sisters might want to consider Ayala. The male form is…
Quechua
"snake"
Famously Tupac Shakur's middle name.
English
"stag"
Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but…
Arabic
"leopard, panther, cheetah"
An animal related name, associated with strength, Fahad is derived from the Arabic fahd which can refer to a variety of big cats. It may indicate someone who owns or trains panthers, leopards, or…
"rejuvenation, delight"
Edna is one of those names that, until what it seemed like a few minutes ago, felt so terminally frumpy that no one could imagine a parent choosing it for an innocent modern baby girl. But with the…
Irish, English, Norse
"free from envy; from the deer estate"
Once a common boy name in Ireland, the dynamic Darby now has a definite unisex feel. A bit like a mash up between Darcy and Ruby, it appeared in the US Top 1000 in the 90s, peaking in 1995 when it…
"ram's horn, ray of light"
Israeli-born singer Keren Ann introduced this traditional Hebrew name to the US, where it could well be mistaken for Karen. Nevertheless, 100 girls were given the name in a recent year.
Spelling variation of Raven, English bird name
Ravyn is a modern feminine variant of Raven, derived from the bird name. This alternative spelling with 'y' instead of 'e' adds a distinctive touch while maintaining the original's mystical…
"deer"
Gentle meaning and bona fide Hebrew history, but feels old-mannish, like Herman and Menashe.
English animal name
Sable is often associated with the Dynsaty soap opera, but it is actually a type of animal historically hunted for its fur. Sable is also used as a word for a warm, rich black color. Both…
"lion of god, or strength of god"
Othniel is mentioned in the Bible and Tanakh (in the Book of Judges) where he is the first of the biblical judges mentioned. Othniel was related to Caleb, which might make these two names a nice…
Irish, variation of Una
"lamb"
Oona is a name made famous by Eugene O'Neill's daughter, who became Charlie Chaplin's wife. One of the original Oona's granddaughters was named after her, and is now an actress famous in her own…
Greek, feminine variation of Philip
"lover of horses"
Philippa is a prime example of a boy's name adapted for girls that was common as crumpets in Cornwall, but rarely heard stateside. That was before the advent of royal sister-in-law Philippa…
"lion or strong"
This name has considerable meaning in the Islamic world, as Hamzah the brave was the uncle and protector of the Prophet of Islam. A more contemporary Hamzah is the eldest son of the late King Hussein…
Animal name
One of the fierce new animal names new to name lists, helped by its strong x-ending.
"twisted, coiled; in modern Hebrew - whale"
Leviathan was a name given to 76 boys in the USA in 2021. It makes a rather unusual Biblical choice, being the name not of a man or angel, but of a sea monster. In literature and popular culture, the…
Word name
Make that bird name, and while it does work for both genders, it's far more popular for girls, via Raven Symone.
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, Navajo
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"
Cross-cultural winner.
Japanese or Choctaw
"carp; panther"
The Koi is a variety of carp especially popular in ornamental gardens in Japan, where they are a symbol of good fortune. In Buddhist culture, the koi is associated with courage. Being one letter away…
English animal name, Hebrew
"lion; my strength"
Lion is a masculine name taken straight from the name of the animal, associating it with strength, courage, and nobility across many cultures. With Germanic, French, and English language roots, Lion…
