Baby Name Meanings
Names That Mean Mother or Father
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About this list
Names that mean mother or father exist in many cultures and range from the familiar and popular to the unique and rare.
The top names meaning father are Abigail and Abraham and their many variations. Along with Abigail and Abraham, other names meaning father or mother in the US Top 1000 include Axl and Maia.
A name meaning mother or father can be a fresh way to honor a parent or other ancestor. Look to specific meanings for one that might work for you.
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The names
Abigail
Hebrew
"my father is joyful"
Abigail has been in for so long -- the name has ranked in the US Top 100 since the late 1980s -- it's amazing that it isn't more out by now. But Abigail's biblical and historic roots make it a…
Axel
Scandinavian variation of Absalom
"father of peace"
A classic in its native Scandinavia, Axel has a cool rock 'n' roll flavor in the US, thanks to Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose (born William). With its distinctive letter 'x', it has an effortlessly cool…
Abraham
Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Abraham is among the most classic baby names that's still widely-used today, popular for its references to both the Bible and American history. The Biblical Abraham was the first of the Old Testament…
Maia
Greek
"mother"
Maia was derived from the Greek word maia , meaning "mother." In Greek legend, she was the fair-haired daughter of Atlas who mothered Zeus's favorite illegitimate son, Hermes. To the Romans, Maia was…
Abby
Diminutive of Abigail, Hebrew
"my father is joyful"
Gently old-fashioned stand-alone nickname that owes its popularity to mega popular Abigail.
Abram
Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Abram was Abraham's original name in the Bible; it's more user-friendly but with a bit less gravitas. And it does offer that cool nickname Bram, as well as the friendly Abe. After some early American…
Avi
Hebrew
"father"
Avi, the short form of many Hebrew names, is often used on its own in Israel. It entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2015.
Abner
Hebrew
"father of light."
This once neglected Biblical name is back on the scene, ready to shake off both its association with the long running satirical comic strip, L'il Abner and its historical Puritan image. The name…
Abihail
Hebrew
"father of might"
There are two Abihails in the Old Testament, but her similarity to Abigail is probably responsible for its being so little known or used.
Abra
Feminine variation of Abraham, Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Abra is soft, sensitive feminine form of Abraham that was the name of a soft, sensitive character in the John Steinbeck book and movie, "East of Eden." In the bible, Abra was a favorite of King…
Abiela
Hebrew
"God is my father"
More than the sum of Abby and Ella.
Abriana
Italian feminine variation of Abraham
"father of multitudes"
This lovely name is all but unknown outside Italy but fits perfectly in with the fashions for vowel-starting names that are elaborately feminine. Might make a distinctive alternative to Angelina or…
Cleopatra
Greek
"glory of the father"
A royal name in ancient Egypt that's never quite made it to the modern world, though nickname Cleo is widely used. Other now-extinct Cleopatra diminutives, including Cleora and Cleola, achieved some…
Abbas
Hebrew
"lion, stern"
Not one of the five hundred names of Muhammad, but that of his uncle.
Abital
Hebrew
"my father is dew"
Abital is popular for boys as well as girls in Israel, but we rarely hear it here. In the Old Testament, Abital was one of King David's wives and the mother of his fifth son.
Abijah
Hebrew
"God is my father"
Abijah, which you might think of as Abigail with rhythm, is the name of both female and male personages in the Bible. A biblical Queen Abijah was the daughter, wife, and mother of kings. The name is…
Abiah
Hebrew
"God is my father"
Abiah is a Biblical name that appears for both female and male figures. It may be considered the same as the name Abijah in the Bible; one female Abijah was a queen and ancestor of Christ. Abiah may…
Abiah
Hebrew
"God is my father"
Abiah is a gentle, rarely used Old Testament name belonging to Samuel's second son. This makes a good choice for the parent who wants a traditional biblical name that is not overly familiar.
Abiel
Hebrew
"God is my father"
Abiel is a biblical name (he was the grandfather of Saul) that was used by Puritans, particularly in Massachusetts, so it has a long pedigree. Parents are increasingly looking for underused…
Abbigail
Spelling variation of Abigail, Hebrew
"my father is joyful"
A fast-rising variation of Abigail that was shooting up the popularity charts a few years ago, but whose star is now falling now that Abigail is not quite as hot as she once was.