Names That Mean White or Fair

  1. Kenya
    • Origin:

      Place name, Kikuyu
    • Meaning:

      "mountain of white"
    • Description:

      Kenya, a name borrowed from the East African nation and theoretically unisex, is now used mostly for girls. While it's had its ups and downs since entering the US Top 1000 in 1968, it currently ranks lower than spelling variant Kenia.
  2. Sini
    • Origin:

      Finnish or Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "blue; white, fair"
    • Description:

      A color name in two languages. As a Finnish word name, Sini is a fancy way to say "blue". In India, it means "white" or "fair".
  3. Fionnuala
    • Origin:

      Irish Gaelic
    • Meaning:

      "white shoulders"
    • Description:

      This lovely Gaelic name, very popular in the Emerald Isle, has inspired a whole host of diminutives (including Nuala and Nola) and variant spellings, from Finola to Finula to the Scottish and English Fenella. In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for 900 years.
  4. Albin
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "white"
    • Description:

      Albin is a modern form of the ancient Roman Albinus or Albus, meaning white or bright. There was a Saint Albinus who was also known as Aubin. In the contemporary world, Albin is popular in Sweden and ripe for export as a simple, unusual name with deep history.
  5. Nivea
    • Origin:

      Portuguese from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "snow-white"
    • Description:

      Nivea, or Nívea, is most commonly seen as a given name in Brazil, where it was derived from niveus, meaning "snow-white" in Latin. The German skincare brand NIVEA, founded in 1882, took its name from the same source.
  6. Keelan
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "slender and fair"
    • Description:

      Keelan is the Anglicized, phonetic form of the more traditionally-spelled Caelan, also in use. While this name is said by many sources to be unisex, in practice in modern Ireland it is only given to boys. An interesting, accessible choice largely unknown in the US.
  7. China
    • Origin:

      Place-name
    • Description:

      Long before the current place-name craze, a pair of the more daring pop singers of the Age of Aquarius picked this name for their daughters. Jefferson Airplane's Grace Slick used the conventional spelling, the Mamas and the Papas's Michelle Phillips went further afield with Chynna (of the group Wilson Phillips).
  8. Lynwen
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "fair image"
    • Description:

      A bit of a tongue-twister.
  9. Bela
    • Origin:

      Czech
    • Meaning:

      "white"
    • Description:

      Despite the light, pretty sound of Bella for a girl, the boys' name Bela has dark and mysterious undertones, thanks to Dracula actor Bela Lugosi. Béla is also the first name of composer Bartók.
  10. Wyclef
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "dweller at the white cliff"
    • Description:

      Haitian-born rap superstar and humanitarian Wyclef ("Fugees") Jean has lent this name a powerful musical beat.
  11. Bleuenn
    • Origin:

      Breton
    • Meaning:

      "white flower"
    • Description:

      Bleuenn is virtually unknown in the English-speaking world, while in France, it is a rare choice, given to a handful of girls. Bleuenn's origins are in Brittany, in the north of France, and it's likely related to the Welsh Blodwen or Blodeuyn meaning "white flowers".
  12. Livana
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "the moon, white"
    • Description:

      Pretty and unusual, Livana may find a lot more fans as parents look for alternatives to Number 1 Olivia. Livana was used for only seven baby girls in the US last year.
  13. Jenifry
    • Origin:

      Cornish variation of the Welsh name Gwenfrewi
    • Meaning:

      "white peace"
    • Description:

      This Celtic saint's name is the most offbeat Jen name of all.
  14. Blanchefleur
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "white flower"
    • Description:

      A widely used name in medieval Europe that's been almost completely forgotten. Blanche still reads as old lady-ish, and the frilly "-fleur" doesn't make it feel younger. But it could be a striking, not to say iconic, choice for a bold parent, especially if they had some sort of connection to white flowers or the Middle Ages.
  15. Kenyon
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "white haired or blond"
    • Description:

      Kenyon is a very engaging British surname name, the middle y giving it a kind of southwestern canyonesque undertone.
  16. Azucena
    • Origin:

      Spanish from Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "Madonna lily, white lily"
    • Description:

      Azucena is the Spanish name for the Madonna lily, or white lily, derived from the Arabic words ‘abyad, "white", and zanbaq, "lily". White lilies are symbols of the Virgin Mary, which gives the flower its alternate name, Madonna lily.
  17. Candida
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "white"
    • Description:

      Attractive ancient name borne by several saints but sullied by association with yeast infection.
  18. Whitten
    • Origin:

      Variation of Witten, German surname
    • Meaning:

      "son of the white-haired or pale one"
    • Description:

      Whitten is a stylish patronymic surname derived from Witt and Witte — German and Dutch nicknames-turned-surnames describing people with white-blonde hair or a pale complexion. Cool-guy nickname Whit only adds to the appeal.
  19. Alvar
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "elf warrior"
    • Description:

      This name woould be hard to picture in a contemporary kindergarten, though it does have some cultural cred via Finnish architect and furniture designer Alvar Aalto. Aalto would actually make a more interesting choice.
  20. Boyne
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "white cow"
    • Description:

      The famous Battle of the Boyne, in Ireland, vanquished the Catholic king.

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