Birthday Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 11 pages
of 11
French
"apple"
Une amie for Gwyneth's little girl.
Latin
This name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees is also associated with a suburban town in Southern California.
Swahili
"born on Thursday"
In many African cultures, it is traditional to name children based on the day of the week they were born. For the Swahili people of eastern Africa, Khamisi is used for boys born on Thursday.
Igbo
"thanks be to God"
A cool Igbo name with a wonderful meaning.
Word name
Forget Patience and Charity: Here's a Colonial name (and sentiment) that seems perfect for modern times.
Cherokee
"standing turkey"
The given name of Conocotocko II, or Standing Turkey, a Cherokee chief in the 18th century. He advised the tribe to go to war against the then-colonies of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.
English virtue name
"cautious"
Believe it or not, Prudence is on the rise for girls in both the US and UK. Could Prudent be next?
English word name
"pumpkin"
A common name for orange-colored cats. Fun fact: the word pumpkin is derived from the Greek pepōn , translating to "large melon."
Feminine variation of Joseph, Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
Josepha is less heard in this country than in other parts of the world, seen as a slightly awkward feminization a la Ricarda and Benjamina. In the U.S., Josephine or Joanna is the more usual feminine…
"applelike fruit"
'Q' names are hot, and this is an intriguing fruit name that could be used for a girl or boy. The quince often appears in Greek myth, in tales of Aphrodite, Paris and Atalanta. Can also be a nickname…
One Puritan virtue name unlikely to thrive in the 21st century.
German
"peaceful warrior"
Humphrey is an old name that might have faded completely were it not for that Bogie flair. A royal name in Britain, where it's used somewhat more frequently, Humphrey might just have some life beyond…
No one will ever forget it. But Remember as a name came over on the Mayflower, so it has deep history as well as modern potential.
Word Name
Best known as the name of a Pilgrim aboard the Mayflower.
Virtue names are making a comeback, but we don't foresee Humility coming into fashion. A baby named Humility Cooper was a passenger on the Mayflower.
Japanese
"expensive grain; tall grain; graceful protection"
Jerrais
"cheerful"
Helier is the patron saint of the Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, and it is for him that St. Helier, Jersey's capital, is named. The name is related to Hilary, Ilario etc, and therefor shares…
Italian variation of Grace
With Grace getting so popular, you may want to explore its international variations such as Grazia, or go all the way to Graziana or Graziella.
Irish
"red"
Also spelt Rua, Ruadh is a strong and simple Irish name with a fiery meaning. Ruadhan is a popular related name.
Variation of Grainne, Irish
"the loved one or grain of corn"
In addition to being the appellation of an ancient grain goddess, this name was also borne by two mythic Irish figures, one of whom was betrothed to legendary chieftain Finn MacCool, the other the…
