Boy Names Lists
Boy Names That Mean Life
Across 4 pages
of 4
Selig
German
"blessed, happy in life"
Selig comes from the Yiddish vocabulary word meaning 'happy, fortunate, blessed.' Most of us are more familiar with its Woody Allen variation, Zelig.
Shaw
English
"dweller by the wood"
With the current taste for last names first, this sounds a lot cooler than Shawn; it also has creative connections to the great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, novelist Irwin Shaw, and Big…
Sonder
Invented name
"the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own"
A neologism coined for the 2012 Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows , which aims to come up with new terms for emotions that currently lack words
Spiro
Latin
"I breathe"
Grandparents are sure to link this to disgraced Nixon vice president Spiro Agnew.
Tarvo
Finnish
"wild aurochs; energy"
Tarvo has two potential origin stories. The first is that it derives from the Old Finnish word tarvas , meaning "wild aurochs," a wild species of cattle that is now extinct. The second possible…
Transito
Spanish
"goes on to another life"
Rarely used Spanish name, referring to shifting to another life beyond this one. Boy names that mean life are an elite group of which this is an unusual member.
Vance
English and Irish
"someone who lives near marshland"
Short and sharp with a nature related meaning, Vance was trending upwards in recent years thanks to the musicians Foy Vance and Vance Joy. 2024 saw it take a downwards dip however, likely due to its…
Vid
Slavic variation of Vitus, Latin
"life"
In Slavic cultures, Saint Vitus is called Sveti Vid, making this a saintly appellation.
Vidal
Spanish and Catalan from Latin
"life, vital"
A zippy, lively name that has never been popular, but has never completely disappeared. It is best known for writer and wit Gore Vidal, and hairdresser Vidal Sassoon and his many products.
Vigor
English from Latin
"force, strength, liveliness"
Vitaliy
Russian variation of Vitalis, Latin
"life"
Lively Russian choice born by several saints.
Vito
Latin
"alive, life"
Old World Italian name that might become fashionable in a so-far-out-it's-in way, like Enzo and Rocco. Main recommendation: It's among the rare boy names that mean life .
Vitus
Latin
"life"
No-no appelation of a child saint and martyr whose name is a term for the nervous condition known as Saint Vitus' Dance. Its one recommending feature is that it's among the elite group Boy names that…
Vivaan
Hindi
"full of life"
Vivaan is a life-related name from India that has made its way onto the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2014. While unusual, it has a familiar and appealing lively sound and feel. However, be aware…
Vivian
Latin
"life"
Deriving from the Roman cognomen Vivianus , Vivian was originally a masculine name, with Vivien being a feminine soundalike coined by Alfred Lord Tennyson for the Lady of the Lake in his famous…
Zenobios
Greek
"life of Zeus"
Zealous and noble, an unusual and strong choice -- and if the original is too much of a mouthful, you can always call him Zen.
Zhivago
Russian literary name
"life"
For lovers of Pasternak's great doctor, a lively middle name choice, one made by actress Nia Long.
Zidane
Arabic
"growth and progress"
Closely associated with French soccer star Zinedine Zidane, who became the manager of Real Madrid after retiring from play. One of the Arabic names for boys with modern rather than Quranic origins.
Zinovy
Russian variation of Zenobios, Greek
"life of Zeus"
An upbeat and unusual name featuring the fashionable V sound and striking initial Z.
Ziven
Slavic, Hebrew
"vigorous, lively; bright, radiant"
Ziven is a sleek choice with multicultural origins and a bright, energized feel to it. From its Slavic roots, it likely derives from the South Slavic word, živ meaning "alive, living", making it a…