Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
Gaelic variation of Catherine
"pure"
Both Caitriona and Catriona are commonly heard in Scotland and Ireland. The name was brought to Ireland by the Anglo-Normans, and is the source of nicknames Cait, Caitin, Caitlin and Triona. Actress…
Turkish variation of Batul, Arabic
"virgin"
A common Muslim girl name in Turkey.
Welsh
"white footprint"
Olwen is a Welsh favorite, the name of a legendary princess in what is believed to have been the earliest Arthurian romance, and in fact one of the first recorded examples of Welsh prose. In this…
"riverbank, shore; pure"
Glenys, like Glynis, is a Welsh name that has never caught on outside Wales.
Latin
The name of the Roman goddess of the household is not recommended for your little goddess. More on that deity: Vesta is primarily associated with the vestal virgins, her priestesses, who tended the…
Hebrew
"pure, clean"
Beruriah, also spelled Beruryah, is the only woman in Talmudic literature whose ideas were taken seriously by her male contemporaries. Living in the second century, she was noted for her high moral…
Arabic
"pure, chaste, honest"
A zippy Arabic name with a solid and serious meaning, Nazih has been notably borne by poet Nazih Abu Afach and footballer Amjhad Nazih.
English
"dweller at the white cliff"
Haitian-born rap superstar and humanitarian Wyclef ("Fugees") Jean has lent this name a powerful musical beat.
Diminutive of Virginia, Latin
"virginal, pure"
Virginia is a hundred years past its peak of the 1920s, but according to Nameberry's own Hundred Year Rule, that means it's due for a comeback. Indeed, Virginia's long downward slide leveled off and…
Irish and Scottish
"devoted to the Virgin Mary"
For better or worse, this name is still firmly attached to the TV series Gilmore Girls . It's one of a number of Scottish and Irish surname names beginning with Gil, meaning "servant". In this case,…
"pure light"
Lucasta was invented by seventeenth century poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems dedicated to a lover named Lucy, and is familiar through the Eugene O'Neill play and film Anna Lucasta .…
Hindi
Hindu goddess name whose meaning makes it one of the prime names for Virgo babies .
This Old Welsh name associated with blacksmiths has never caught on, but it has the right two-syllable occupational feel to qualify for revival. Gower Champion was a successful midcentury dancer,…
"harmless, innocent"
Innocent, the name of thirteen popes, is rarely heard in a secular setting, where its loaded meaning could open the door to ridicule.
Spanish
"innocence"
Inocencia is like Chastity or Immaculata. Few modern girls outside the Latino community -- or even in it -- would appreciate having to carry this name.
"innocent, honest"
Gentler and much less frequently heard than Tamar.
Czech
"green"
A Czech surname derived from the word for "green", which has a certain spark.
English, diminutive of Katherine
This endearing nickname name is one Katherine pet form that predates all the Kathys and Katies, having been fairly common in the eighteenth century. With the current mini-craze for animal-related…
Turkish
Turkish word name commonly seen in the doubled-barreled first name Ömer Halis.
"new pond"
Male name that seems feminine enough to switch genders, if you're looking for a new lyn spin.
