Birthday Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Welsh, German
"ice ruler"
Sleek, sharp, and soulful, Isolde is the German form of Iseult, the fabled lover of Tristan in the Arthurian romances. First appearing in the 12th-century, the name was fairly popular in the form of…
Slavic
"gracious, dear, beloved"
Milos, typically spelled Miloš, derives from various names including the Slavic element, milŭ , such as Miloslav, Bogomil, or Milrad. Popular in the Czech Republic, the name is also used in Serbia,…
Diminutive of Jebediah, Hebrew
"beloved friend"
Both Jeb and Jed are very attractive Old Testament short forms with long and bright futures. Jeb's main current association is with the Bush brother and former governor of Florida, but the name was a…
French
"desired, beloved"
Didier is kind of a Desiree for boy--a lively, confident name that's widely used in France and has definite possibilities here. It's the name of an early French saint.
Persian
"sweetheart"
This sweet-sounding and sweet meaning name is popular across the Middle East and Central Asia. Notable bearers include actress Nazanin Boniadi and British-Iranian citizen Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe,…
Arabic
"fair, brilliant beauty"
Zuleika is a high-wire act of a name that might appeal to the intrepid baby namer, Like most 'Z'-starting girls' names, it projects a cool, strong aura, as exemplified by the character in Max…
Greek mythology name
"foam or born from the sea"
The name of the Greek goddess of love has rarely descended to mortal use, though the Roman equivalent Venus, thanks to tennis star Williams, now seems completely possible. But with the new fashion…
Finnish and Scandinavian variation of Erasmus
"beloved, desired"
A form of ancient name newly popular in Eastern Europe, Rasmus is rugged and distinctive - and on trend in Estonia and Finland. Virtually unknown in the U.S. but with its philosophical roots and…
Greek or variation of Carys, Welsh
"grace, kindness; love"
Caris is either a variation of the Carys, a modern Welsh name meaning "love", or a spin on the Greek Charis, meaning "grace, kindness", and used to describe the Three Graces collectively. It briefly…
"charming, sweet"
An attractive unisex choice heard in several countries, including Armenia. Can be pronounced sheer-IN or sheer-EEN.
"immaculate"
Anahita is the name of the water goddess who rules, among other things, fertility and wisdom. Associated with Venue, Anahita is a stylish Iranian name for girls. Anahita was derived from the Old…
"darling"
The kind of French word name that seemed daring and darling in the 50s and 60s when it was at its peak, Cherie had actually made debut in the US charts back in 1927 when it followed alternative and…
"lovely"
This Persian name with an Old Testament pedigree has a warm Sasha-like feel. The Biblical Vashti was a queen who refused her husband's orders to appear naked in front of his party guests and so was…
Hindi
"desire"
Pretty Asian option.
English word name
"romance; love story; a medieval story of chivalry"
Romance may initially strike you as too ardent of a name for a baby, but given that Love has been a fast-rising name in recent years — not to mention soundalikes Roman and Romy — Romance is…
Welsh
"blessed love"
A famous bearer is Carwyn Jones, leader of the Welsh Labour Party and First Minister of Wales since 2009. Feminine version is Carwen.
Latin, diminutive of Dulcibella
"sweet"
A sweet-meaning and sounding name dating back to the Roman Empire, and later found in the antebellum South, Dulcie has in the modern era been heard most often in Australia. In Agatha Christie's…
Irish
"love, friendship"
Connelly is an open, inviting, and rarely used Irish surname that can make a perfect alternative to the overused Connor or Colin for a boy.
Combination name, Ama + issa
"little lover"
Amarissa is kind of cobbled together from two traditional elements: Ama, which means "love" or "lover" and is found in such more established names as Amabel and Amariah, and -issa, which is a common…
