Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Hebrew
"hairy"
A once neglected Biblical name, not seen in the US popularity charts since 1902, Esau has been seeing renewed interest in recent years. Appealing perhaps to those looking for alternatives to Elias,…
Invented name
Tuff, a corruption of "tough," has been given to approximately 50 baby boys each year for the past few years. Tough, on the other hand, has never charted as a baby name.
English word name
"cowboy; person who disputes"
Rugged, rustic Wrangler evokes cowboy charm, bootcut denim, and SUVs.
Word name
One of the new crop of boys' names that manage to be unconventional and macho at the same time — though Blade verges on the threatening.
Word name and surname
"wild, untamed, uncontrolled"
The name Wilder is still used more than 90 percent of the time for boys, but it's being used quietly for girls too. with 50 receiving the name in a recent year. Along with the rest of the Wild and…
Greek
"thorny; or, innocent, not evil"
Acacius is a Latinized form of the Ancient Greek Akakios and can be interpreted to relate to the same root as the name Acacia, for the thorn bush, or Akakios which means "not evil." With the modern…
English
"inhospitable place"
Huxley is an increasingly popular surname-name for baby boys in the US and now is beginning to be used for girls as well. The -ley suffix, usually denoting a place, is common in names for both…
"independent, uncontrolled"
Now that names like Cannon and Gunner, fit for comic book heroes, are rising up, Rogue may fit right in.
Starbaby name that might prove too supercharged for real life, but if like director Robert Rodriguez you're interested only in boys' names starting with R , you may need to add Rocket (and Rebel and…
"all gifted"
Pandora has occasionally been used by the British gentry (for girls with brothers who might be called Peregrine) and is now starting to be heard in the US too: It was given to 34 baby girls last…
German
"to burn"
Brenner is an occupational surname for both a charcoal burner and a distiller of spirits. One of the least used of occupational surnames, it has that 'er' ending that definitely adds to its…
Latin
"light-bearer"
Lucifer is the name of the archangel cast into hell and while theologians disagree on whether he and Satan are separate beings, it long been on the list of forbidden names for religious and…
"bold"
A new, rising word name for boys that has the advantage of sharing sounds with more common names like Bryson and Braydon. And the disadvantage of getting confused with them.
Greek variation of Judah
"praised"
Though there were two apostles named Judas, everyone remembers the one who betrayed Jesus, and the name has been permanently shunned.
"borne in pain"
Jabez has a rare combo of three appealing elements: a Biblical heritage, a captivating Southern accent, and a jazzy feel. It was popular with the Pilgrims and on into the nineteenth century (there…
Variation of Chaos, English word name
"disorder and confusion"
Khaos debuted in 2008, two years after Chaos appeared on the charts. These days, it tends to be more popular than the original.
Short form of Huxley, English
As Huxley and Huck become more popular and accepted, so does Hux, either as a full name or a diminutive.
Arabic or Sanskrit
"one who hopes or unattainable; hard work"
Hope is one meaning of the name Amil, which sounds similar to the German Emil; it can also mean unattainable in the sense of being so exalted as in royalty as to be out of reach. While Amil may not…
Welsh
"noisy one"
"Help Me, Rhonda. sang the Beach Boys -- help me convince my parents not to give me this sixties name.
English surname
"son of Job"
Used as a first name for a handful of girls every year, Joplin could be seen as a distant cousin of other -lin names, like Caitlin, Brooklyn and Braelynn. We think it works even better as a musical…
