Agape

Greek names like Penelope, Calliope, and Xanthe are in vogue, as are spiritual names like Heaven and Halo. Agape combines both elements, and offers an unusual route to clunky-cute nickname Aggie. Given to a handful of babies each year in the US, it is very quietly on parent's radar.

From its Greek origins, this distinctive word name is associated with a form of love, involving selflessness, charity, and deep affection. In its Christian context, its definition was expanded to include the unconditional love between God and humans and the love and goodwill humans should have for each other, beyond self, romantic, and erotic love.

The drawback of Agape, of course, is that it coincides with the English word agape (uh-gayp), associated with being open-mouthed, bewildered, and confounded, and with gaping, as in, gaping holes and gaping wounds.

Agape is also given to boys, where it ranks #12052 in the US.

Pronounced AG-uh-pay.

As of October 2026, Agape ranked #12052 for boys in US births in 2025 and #15288 for girls in US births in 2024 SSA, peaked at #8910 for boys in 2019 and #8412 for girls in 2020.