Baby Name Meanings
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Hebrew
"my father is a gift"
The name of one of King David's heroes in the Old Testament. A variant form is Avishai.
Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovene and Serbian form of Theodora
"gift of God"
Teodora is an extremely attractive and international choice, with several equally attractive, user-friendly nicknames. Appealing short forms might include Tea, Dora, or Dory for English speakers,…
Arabic, Turkish
"gift, ancestor"
Although it's a traditional male name in the Middle East, Ata has a more feminine read in the US.
Russian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovene, and Slavic; or English variation of Dairine, Irish
"gift; fruitful"
Darina comes from the Slavic element "dar" which means gift; the name is found in Czech, Bulgarian, and Slovak cultures and translates easily for English speakers. Darina may also be an Anglicization…
"my father's gift"
Modern Hebrew form of the Old Testament name Abishai.
Greek
"gift of the sun"
Elidi is intriguing but potentially confusing. Try the French Elodie instead.
This female form of Nathan can be pronounced with three syllables or four, and could make an interesting alternative to Natalia.
Russian variation of Theodore
"God's gift"
This variation of Theodore is familiar here mostly via the great Russian novelist Dostoyevsky. It was also the name of three early tsars of Russia.
Turkish
"favor, charity, kindness; dark ruler; ruler of the land"
Predominantly used for boys but occasionally given to girls too, Kayra is a Turkish name that relates to either mythology or to a similar Arabic name. A Top 100 name in its native country, it may be…
Hebrew and Armenian
"God is gracious"
A joyous, celebratory-sounding name.
Slovene, variation of Thaddeus
Another one of the lively, vowel-ending twists on Thaddeus — à la Tadeo and Taddeo — this time from Slovenia.
French
A Dorothy nickname name with a measure of nostalgic charm. Kids will associate it with the funny fish character voiced by Ellen DeGeneres in the Pixar animated instant classic Finding Nemo .
"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…
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.
Polish variation of Matthew, Hebrew
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…
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…
Arabic
Also transliterated as Ehab, this Arabic name has the sweet meaning of "gift". A notable namesake is Egyptian-born American author Ihab Hassan, credited for popularising the concept of postmodernism…
Perfect for a long-awaited child or rainbow baby.
Somali
Somali and East African form of Hiba.
"supreme gift"
A bit pharmaceutical, not to mention hatlike.
