Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Gift
Across 5 pages
of 5
Maciej
Polish variation of Matthew, Hebrew
"gift of God"
The pronunciation barrier looms large, but Maciej has such a pleasant sound, we think it deserves a second look. Maciej was previously a Top 10 name in its native Poland but has been gradually…
Makana
Hawaiian
"gift"
A nice meaning -- congruent with the recent vogue for names like Blessing -- helps offset this Hawaiian name's proximity to overused Makayla and McKenzie.
Matan
Hebrew
"gift"
Spelling variation of Mattan.
Mathis
French and German form of Matthias or Matthew
"gift of God"
Very popular in France and Belgium, this name -- pronounced mat-tees, like the surname of the painter Matisse -- might make an appealing new way to say Matthew here.
Mattea
Italian, from Hebrew
"gift of God"
This pretty, international feminization of Matthew was chosen by Mira Sorvino for her daughter, Mattea Angel. As the Spanish Mateo and the Italian Matteo become more popular for baby boys throughout…
Medora
Greek
"mother's gift"
Medora is a Greek name much less common here than, say, Melanie or Melissa. It has some literary references, including as the beautiful and passionate heroine of Lord Byron's poem The Corsair, and in…
Mercedes
Spanish
"gracious gifts, benefits"
Mercedes is one of the few names attached to luxury living that we can wholeheartedly recommend, it being a legitimate Spanish appellation stemming from one of the epithets given to the Virgin…
Natania
Hebrew
"gift of God"
This female form of Nathan can be pronounced with three syllables or four, and could make an interesting alternative to Natalia.
Ohanna
Hebrew and Armenian
"God is gracious"
A joyous, celebratory-sounding name.
Pandora
Greek
"all gifted"
Pandora has occasionally been used by the British gentry (for girls with brothers who might be called Peregrine) and is now starting to be heard in the US too: It was given to 34 baby girls last…
Phedora
Greek
"supreme gift"
A bit pharmaceutical, not to mention hatlike.
Shai
Hebrew
"gift"
Shai, pronounced like shy, might morph to rhyme with may among native English speakers. This simple and attractive name is sometimes confused with or anglicized as Shay or even the Irish Shea.
Shia
Entered the vernacular with the rising star of Shia LeBeouf. The meaning and origin of the name are disputed, though the actor has been quoted as saying he's embarrassed by its meaning in French:…
Sunniva
Scandinavian
"sun gift"
Sunniva was an Irish-born saint who fled to Norway, where she hid in an island cave with her followers and eventually died. After miracles were reported on the island, the cave was excavated and…
Synnøve
Norwegian
"sun gift"
The Norwegian form of Sunniva used to be very popular in its native country, making the Top 100 every year from 1945 to 1966. It shares Sunniva's beautiful, sunny meaning and has a lovely sound,…
Taddeo
Italian variation of Thaddeus
"gift of God"
A particularly charming spin on the original, as is the Spanish name Tadeo. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016.
Tadej
Slovene, variation of Thaddeus
"gift of God"
Another one of the lively, vowel-ending twists on Thaddeus — à la Tadeo and Taddeo — this time from Slovenia.
Tadeja
Slovene
"gift of God"
This charming feminine form of Thaddeus is based on the Slovene variant Tadej. Its melodic sound and stylish nickname Teja make it an attractive possibility, even outside of its native country.
Tadeusz
Polish variation of Thaddeus
"gift of God"
The Polish form of Thaddeus, it is associated with Adam Mickiewicz's 1834 poem Pan Tadeusz , the national epic poem of Poland and compulsory reading in schools. The poem is set in the early 19th…
Tanaquil
Etruscan
"gift of God"
This intriguing name of an ancient Etruscan queen renowned for her prophetic powers was long associated with the prima ballerina Tanaquil LeClerq.