Baby Name Meanings
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
French
"gift"
Cadeau puts a decidedly French-ified twist on the word name trend, but don't be surprised if you encounter ponies and poodles with the same moniker.
Greek
"gift of beauty"
An extremely rare name of Ancient Greek origin which could be a novel way to Callie. There is a minor Harry Potter character by the name: Callidora Black (later Longbottom).
West African
Diarra has a nice meaning, but we could see it leading to possible teasing re association with a certain digestive problem.
Hebrew
Benevolent name found in Israel in several forms, including Doran and Doroni.
"bountiful gift"
Cinderella stepsister type Victorian-valentine name.
English and German diminutive of Dorothy and Dorothea
"gift of God"
Some parents might like this energetic diminutive for Dorothy used in the Bush family, though the traditional Dottie and Dot seem to be coming back.
Ukrainian; Russian, from Greek
Feodora is an interesting choice for the intrepid name-giver, especially with the dynamic nickname Feo.
English
"God's gift"
Whether you think of the chocolates or the naked long-haired lady on the horse, Godiva is a name with baggage no child should have to carry.
Diminutive of Jonathan
"gift of Jehovah"
Jaunty, to say the least, Jonty might be an option if Johnny feels too old school. It has been noticed most often on the playing fields, as in U.K. rugby player Jonty Parkin (born Jonathan) and South…
"supreme gift"
A bit pharmaceutical, not to mention hatlike.
East African, Swahili
"talents, gifts"
Has a feminine feline feel.
Italian variation of Thaddeus
A particularly charming spin on the original, as is the Spanish name Tadeo. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016.
Etruscan
This intriguing name of an ancient Etruscan queen renowned for her prophetic powers was long associated with the prima ballerina Tanaquil LeClerq.
Dutch short form of Matthijs
Usually pronounced to rhyme with nice — though others may rhyme it with Jace — Thijs is a popular Dutch name short for that country's form of Matthew. Matt Lauer's half-Dutch son is called Thijs.
One of the most unusual of the "iah" names, it comes with the appealing and usable nickname Zev.
Southern African, English
"more blessings; given blessings by God"
While Blessing is familiar in the US and the UK, this compound, spiritual word name is predominantly used in Zimbabwe and Malawi. Moby is sometimes used as a short form.
Greenlandic variation of Benedict, Latin
"blessed"
A short-and-sweet name from Greenland, Piinti is a unisex variant of Benedict, inspired by the masculine Scandinavian variants Bend and Bendt, or the feminine Bente.
This cute form of Benedict is used in Greenland, inspired by the Scandinavian variants Bend, Bent and Bente.
Welsh
"blessed peace"
A feminine form of the poetic Heddwyn, this Welsh name combines the elements hedd and gwyn to form a name that means "blessed peace". The masculine variant was notably used by the Welsh-language…
"silver, white, fair, blessed"
Rarely heard outside of Wales, Arianwen combines the pretty Welsh element gwen with the silvery arian , giving it a metallic and shining meaning. The name is sometimes listed as one of the daughters…
