Birthday Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Hindi
"beloved"
An attractive and worldly name for a cherished baby son.
Greek
"loved by God"
Multisyllabic New Testament relic dimly recalled from the Thornton Wilder novel Theophilus North .
Slavic
"beloved of the people"
This Slavic classic name might begin to make its mark with American parents, what with the growing popularity of the short form Mila. Borne by a tenth century saint who had been a princess from…
"love, affection"
Agapi has a sweet meaning of love and affection, but though this name is used in modern Greece, it's one of the Greek names for girls that has not yet emigrated to the US along with so many of her…
Māori
"love"
This beautiful Māori name meaning love (cognate with Hawaiian aloha ) is more wearable than the English word and softer Venus or Aphrodite. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern named her…
Russian, Slavic, Yiddish, "love, lover, dear"
"love, lover, dear"
Its association with the word liebe gives this name an endearing, adored aura.
Cornish, English
"beloved day"
A loveday in medieval England was a day when people engaged in a dispute would come together and try to resolve their differences amicably. The name was sometimes given to babies, male or female, who…
Germanic
"beloved kingdom"
Derived from Old English leof "dear, beloved" + ric "power; reign; kingdom". A notable historical bearer is Leofric, Earl of Mercia: he was the husband of Lady Godiva, who (legend has it) promised…
Nigerian, Yoruban
"he fights for his desires"
Rhythmic name sometimes associated with calypso singer King Ajamu.
Irish
"sweetheart, lover"
From the Irish Leannan, this, unfortunately, would be constantly mistaken for Lennon.
Spelling variation of Kerris or Cerys
This phonetic version of the Welsh Cerys might be easier for Americans, certainly, to understand, but it does lose some poetry in translation.
Sanskrit
"she who controls the hearts of others"
In Hindu mythology, Urvashi is the name of a powerful and beautiful nymph. It's a popular name borne by both Indian actresses (Urvashi Rautela) and archivists (Urvashi Vaidi).
"sweet; goodly"
Sadbh is the modern Irish form of the more streamlined but equally confusing Sadb or Sadhbh: these names are pronounced to rhyme with five. In Irish mythology Sadb or Sadbh or Sadhbh, a goddess lover…
Latin
"desire"
The name of the Roman god of love, the son of Venus, considered so romantic as to be unfit for mere mortals. Yet now that Romeo and Venus herself are fair game for modern babies, why not Cupid?
Indonesian
"heart of hearts"
Tyas is an unusual Indonesian name that's simple and straightforward and could make an distinctive choice in the Western World.
Scottish
"sweet lady"
This unusual name found in Scottish poetry would make a distinctive Gaelic pick.
Welsh
"loveable"
Mabli is the sweet Welsh variant of Mabel, first used at the beginning of the 20th-century making it a relatively modern choice. Cute but energetic with the appeal of other Welsh names like Cadi and…
Diminutive of Mabel
"beautiful lover"
You can just hear some sassy dame in a 1930s movie using this name. We prefer the original -- or even its original, Amabel.
Korean
"beautiful and kind-hearted"
This fairly common Korean girls' name counts Korean actress Lee Mi-Yeon and American composer Serra Miyeun Hwang among notable bearers.
French form of Eulalia, Greek
"sweetly speaking"
Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia. "Eulalie" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the name…
