Baby Name Meanings
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 3 pages
of 3
Welsh
"bear prince"
This Welsh name, also used in France, is the name of a 6th century saint who went to Brittany and established abbeys. Armel has a pleasant and familiar sound, making it easily used outside of Wales…
Diminutive of Arthur, Celtic
"bear"
Artie is a cute short form rarely given on its own, unlike the more grownup Art. But for a young Arthur, it's adorable.
German
Benno is a cool name in its own right -- there was a tenth century Saint Benno -- though it is also used as a lively nickname for Benjamin. Saint Benno of Meissen is the patron saint of anglers and…
English
"divine bear; divine warrior"
A surname style choice that could get you nicknames Bear and Ozzy, which is pretty cool. It comes from the Old English variant of the Old Norse Ásbjǫrn, which was introduced to England after the…
Hindi, Hebrew, and Choctaw
"friendly, to plant, and bear"
One of those slender names, like Lena or Etta, that's used in several cultures and carries a range of meanings. But by being so many things, it doesn't feel decidedly like anything.
"brave as a bear"
As dated as the old Pat Boone song.
English from German
"noble, bearlike"
With the growing popularity for girls of such names as Aubrey and Audrey, Auberon feels like a fresh and viable option.
Spanish and Portuguese
This evocative Spanish surname would make an unusual but lively choice for a girl.
English, French, German
"elf ruler, bright elf; noble bear"
Rarely heard in the US, Auberon has a gentle autumnal feel rare in a male name. A Shakespeare-adjacent choice, Auberon started out as as a pet form of Auberi, the French form of German Alberich.…
Italian variation of Ursula
"little female bear"
The advantage of Orsa over the arguably-more-attractive Ursula is that it breaks the tie to the hideous she-witch of The Little Mermaid. Orsa definitely feels more ready for modern life now that…
Italian variation of Orson
"bearlike"
Orson is being rediscovered and Orsino is every bit as attractive.
Orsola is chic in Italy in a way that Ursula is not in the U.S. And English speakers will inevitably hear this chic, sleek name as Ursula, condemned to purgatory as the name of the hideous sea-witch…
Celtic
Unusual multicultural choice that may appeal to the artistically inclined. The bear meaning gives it a new trendy edge as an animal name.
Corsican
Corsican form of Ursus
Feminine form of Arthur, Celtic
If you're looking for a girl's name that honors an ancestral Arthur, try Artis.
Dutch variation of Arthur
Once a diminutive for Arthur, now used in its own right. Tuur is a Top 100 name in Belgium and a Top 300 name in the Netherlands.
Italian from Latin
Cool bearlike option, though Orson might be easier to embrace.
Greek from German
"courage of the bear"
Rhythmic and powerful, if you don't mind the nickname Vern.
