Names That Mean Gift
- Sunniva
Origin:
ScandinavianMeaning:
"sun gift"Description:
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 Sunniva's intact body was found. Sunniva is the patron saint of Western Norway. Her name would make a fascinating and unusual choice for a modern baby girl, and if her story is a bit grim, you can take refuge in the upbeat nickname Sunny or Sunni.
- Shai
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift"Description:
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.
- Dottie
Origin:
English, diminutive of DorothyMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Dottie and Dot are old Dorothy nicknames that some cutting-edge Brits are bringing back to fashion. It's been half a century since Dottie ranked on its own in this country, one of those nickname names that flourished in the 1890's.
- Doris
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"gift of the ocean"Description:
Doris had long been on our so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out-for-babies list, and seemed to be written there in indelible ink. But there are signs of a sea change, that Doris could profit from the revivals of Dorothy and Dorothea.
- Jonty
Origin:
Diminutive of JonathanMeaning:
"gift of Jehovah"Description:
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 African cricketer Jonty Rhodes (Jonathon).
- Eudora
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"generous gift"Description:
Eudora is the name of five minor goddesses of Greek mythology and a major goddess (in the person of Pulitzer Prize-winning Eudora Welty) of modern American literature. Eudora is pleasant and euphoneous and a possibility for rejuvenation.
- Mercedes
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"gracious gifts, benefits"Description:
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 Mary--Santa Maria de las Mercedes, or Our Lady of the Mercies. The car, by the way was named after the eleven-year-old daughter of the Daimler company's French distributor in 1901.
- Dora
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"gift"Description:
Dora is poised for a comeback, right behind Laura, Nora, Cora, and Flora. First-time parents who haven't watched cartoons in a couple of decades should be aware of the Dora the Explorer connection, which has its pluses and minuses.
- Yanis
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
One of the relatives on the widely-branching family of John names, Yanis is in the French Top 50.
- Artemas
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"gift of Artemis, goddess of the hunt"Description:
This name has a nice mythological, historical, Three Musketeers-ish ring.
- Mathis
Origin:
French and German form of Matthias or MatthewMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
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.
- Zebediah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift of Jehovah"Description:
Biblical names are expanding (literally) as some parents move from Isaiah and Elijah to more elaborate choices with simple short forms, like Jedidiah and Zebediah.
- Elidi
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"gift of the sun"Description:
Elidi is intriguing but potentially confusing. Try the French Elodie instead.
- Maciej
Origin:
Polish variation of Matthew, HebrewMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
The pronunciation barrier looms large, but Maciej has such a pleasant sound, we think it deserves a second look.
- Anjali
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"gift"Description:
This Indian name meaning gift or offering feels familiar via sound-alikes Angela or Angelina, and made a brief appearance on the U.S. Top 1000. Anjali is a pretty route to a name that's at once easy to understand and uncommon.
- Kayra
Origin:
TurkishMeaning:
"gift (of God), grace (of God)"Description:
In Turkish mythology, Kayra is the deity of creation. The ancient Turks did not assign a gender to Kayra, who took the form of a goose. According to legend, Kayra planted the tree of life after creating the universe, from which emerged the nine clans.
- Mattea
Origin:
Italian, from HebrewMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
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 Europe, the English-speaking world, and the Americas, Mattea is sure to get wider recognition. And as Theo and Thea have become fashionable names, Teo and Tea are rising too.
- Teodora
Origin:
Italian, Spanish, Swedish, PolishMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Teodora is an extremely attractive and international choice, with several equally attractive, user-friendly nicknames and a little more edge than the English form, Theodora. Appealing short forms might include Tea, Dora, or Dory.
- Fyodor
Origin:
Russian variation of TheodoreMeaning:
"God's gift"Description:
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.
- Medora
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"mother's gift"Description:
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 Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, there is a character named Marchioness Melora Manson.