Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
Diminutive of Earl, English, or word name
"nobleman, warrior; early"
Early is a word-turned-name, pleasantly suggesting the start of a bright new day. Of the new word and day names, Early is one of the best. Early James is the stage name of singer-songwriter Fredrick…
Greek
"amber, shining, bright"
Though the plays by Sophocles and Eugene O'Neill and via the "Electra Complex" proposed by psychoanalyst Carl Jung, this name has, unfortunately, become associated with incest and murder.…
"gold"
Cressida is a golden, mythological, and Shakespearean name, much better known in Britain than it is in the US. Given to just 11 American girls in a recent year — though still the highest number on…
English word name
"signal light"
A word name with an appealing and illuminating meaning.
Greek or Hebrew
"new moon; pleasantness"
An obscure yet on-trend name with two wonderful meanings associated with it. Neoma is one of the freshest celestial girl names with moon-related meanings, rarer than Luna or Phoebe but with the same…
Hebrew or Greek
"my candle; ocean spirit"
A simple but unusual name with roots in disparate cultures, Neri appears in the Bible as a male name and is still sometimes used for boys as well as girls. The appeal of Neri are its deep roots…
Slavic
"golden dawn"
Both a first and last name, Zorina has a pretty, ballerina-like quality.
Latin
"day"
A modern name likely inspired by the Latin phrase carpe diem meaning "seize the day", it appears in romantasy novel Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole.
Swahili
"light, born during the day"
Related to the better-known Arabic name Noor.
Hebrew
"day of God"
The undiscovered Biblical Jemuel -- he was a son of Simeon -- was used for just a handful of boys last year but could be prime for rediscovery now that Old Testament names like Noah and Ethan…
Arabic
"morning"
A popular Arabic name borne by a famed Lebanese actress and singer, could provide an intriguing alternative to Sarah.
Hindi, Urdu
"dawn, new morning"
A name of Hindi, Urdu, and Sanskrit origin, Savera is associated with new beginnings and the breaking dawn. It is a name that could work well across multiple languages too.
Irish
"bright, shining"
A popular Irish name virtually unknown here, but one that feels like it could follow in the footsteps of Siobhan and Saoirse. It's pronounced SOR-ka, but with a little hiccup between the ' r ' and…
"star"
Zorya is the name of the two star goddess in Slavic mythology, Zorya Utrennyaya and Zorya Vechernyaya, referring to the morning and evening stars, respectively. It's used as a name in Russia and…
Italian
"flower of the dawn"
A lush, romantic flower name for people who think Rose, Violet and Lily are 1000 times too popular.
Indonesian, Arabic
"dawn, daybreak"
A good choice for a baby born in a hopeful time of change and beginnings, Fajar is an Indonesian name, derived from the Arabic fajr , the name for morning prayer.
Greek; Welsh
"dawn; nightingale"
Eos -- that's pronounced with a short e like eros without the r -- is the Greek Titan of the dawn. Any ancient name with a sleek modern feel has definite revival possibilities. Eos could be an…
Spanish from Latin
"days"
If Cameron's first name could start a girl's name craze, why not her second.
English
"a planet visible in the east just before sunrise; (poetic) the sun"
French variation of Danica
"morning star"
This Danielle/Monique hybrid offers a new twist on an old favorite.
