Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Fame or Fortune
Across 8 pages
of 8
Chauncy
French
"gamble, fortune"
A popular American name in previous centuries in honor of famed Harvard President, Charles Chauncy. This name is burdened by an incredibly pompous sound and best left in the past.
Bronislaw
Polish
"weapon of glory"
Also spelled Bronisław, this Polish name has a strong, rugged meaning. It was briefly popular in France in the first half of the 20th century and has been notably borne by Polish anthropologist,…
Alda
Feminine variation of Aldo, German, or Old Norse
"old or wave"
Alda's brother name Aldo has been a mainstay of the U.S. popularity chart for decades now, and the related Alden is soaring up as well. This version has never really caught on. (Maybe it's the…
Edsel
English
"wealthy man's estate"
Besides having an unappealing sound, has long been identified with a much-mocked Ford car model; use of this name is now restricted to the Ford family.
Estes
English, Welsh, and Spanish surname
"of the East"
For some, a name that will evoke the beauty of the national park in the Colorado Rockies.
Faust
Latin
"fortunate one"
Because the legendary Faust sold his soul to the devil, few parents would choose this for a child, although Fausto is commonly heard in Italy and Spain.
Edric
English
"wealthy ruler"
Formerly in style limbo, Edric has recently started to see more use by parents. It could be because it sounds medieval yet accessible - which George R. R. Martin took advantage of for several…
Fayola
Yoruba, "lucky, good fortune, blessed"
"lucky, good fortune, blessed"
A beautiful Yoruban name associated with honor and good fortune. Both fy-o-la and fay-OH-luh are used as pronunciations. Instagrammer Fayola Leo and musician Sri Fayola are notable bearers.
Boniface
Latin
"fortunate, of good fate"
A name borne by nine popes and several saints, which carries strong Catholic connotations. British politician Jacob Rees-Mogg named his sixth child Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher in 2017.
Edmund
English
"fortunate protector"
The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. In fact, it's already a fairly…
Filmore
English
"very famous"
Named for Millard. Or the late great rock palace.
Bonaventure
Latin
"good fortune"
One for the truly adventurous baby namers, or perhaps an unexpected middle name to liven up a more traditional first. But on trend short form Bo does make it feel a little more accessible.
Floy
Floy is a masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may derive from the Welsh name Floyd (meaning 'grey-haired' or 'grey'), function as a shortened form of Florence, or have roots as a…
Fortunate
Fortunate is an uncommon virtue name for boys derived from the Latin 'fortunatus,' meaning 'blessed,' 'lucky,' or 'prosperous.' As an English word name, it directly expresses the parents' hopes for…
Alcide
French version of Heracles
"glory of Hera"
This is the French version of Alcides, birth name of the Greek mythological Heracles (Hercules). You're more likely to recognize it as the name of the hot True Blood werewolf, Alcide Herveaux.
Gadiel
Hebrew, Arabic
"God is my fortune"
A lesser-known archangel, but the name is probably best known today on comedian Gadiel Del Orte. Thanks to him, and the trend for biblical-sounding names, Gadiel has been rising in recent years.
Ganesha
Hindi
"fortunate"
The name of the Hindu elephant-headed god of success and wisdom, son of Shiva and Parvati.
Aintza
Basque
"glory"
This Basque name also has a variation: Aintzane.
Edie
English, diminutive of Edith
"prosperous in war"
Edie is part of the Evie-Ellie et al family of cute and friendly short forms that sometimes stand on its own. Briefly popular in the 1960s, it could well be due for rediscovery. It's already a…
Billion
English word name
The second most common numerical -illion name, after Million. Probably because of the outdated nickname Bill.