​
​
Advanced Search

Symmetrical Names

cmwillard
By cmwillard
Updated Tue May 23 2023
Names that are spelled the same way forwards as they are backwards as well.
  1. Ava

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Latin or Germanic

    • Meaning:

      "life; bird; water, island"

    • Description:

      Ava is one of the prime examples of a modern classic name, rising thought the course of a generation into the Top 10, where it has lingered for nearly 20 years.
  2. Otto

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "wealthy"

    • Description:

      Otto is cool again. Long a quintessential Old Man Name, Otto has been promoted to trending darling of adventurous baby namers.
  3. Ada

    • Origin:

      German or Turkish

    • Meaning:

      "noble, nobility, or island"

    • Description:

      Ada is one of the classic baby names for girls that is suddenly super stylish again. A favorite at the end of the nineteenth century, Ada is an alternative to the over-popular Ava. Ada is also part of the trend toward simple, old-fashioned names beginning with a vowel, like Ivy and Ella.
  4. Anna

    • Origin:

      Variation of Hannah, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "grace"

    • Description:

      Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne.
  5. Hannah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "grace"

    • Description:

      Hannah is one of the nation's top biblical girls' names — it surpassed Sarah in 1998, and ranks in the Top 100 along with Elizabeth, Abigail, Chloe, and Naomi. Hannah is a name with many sources of appeal: Old Testament roots, soft and gentle sound, and a homey yet aristocratic image.
  6. Asa

    • Origin:

      Hebrew; Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "healer; born in the morning"

    • Description:

      A short but strong biblical name with multicultural appeal, Asa is enjoying new visibility thanks to hot young actor Asa Butterfield of Hugo fame.
  7. Eve

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "life"

    • Description:

      Eve, the oldest name in the Book, is now coming back into style, having the virtues of simplicity and purity, yet with more strength and resonance than other single-syllable names like Ann. British actor Clive Owen chose Eve for his daughter, as did Jessica Capshaw.
  8. Elle

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "she"

    • Description:

      Combine the charming heroine of the movie Legally Blonde with supermodel Elle Macpherson and the trend toward all names beginning with "el"—Ellie, Ella, Eleanor—and you have one hit name.
  9. Aya

    • Origin:

      Japanese, Hebrew, Danish, Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "colorful, design; honey buzzard, bird; rock, lull, happiness; sign, verse"

    • Description:

      Aya, barely more than a breath, is an international favorite, with origins in several languages and cultures. Popular throughout Europe, It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2012.
  10. Aviva

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "springlike, fresh, dewy"

    • Description:

      Aviva is vivacious and memorable, a fresh spin on the Vivian and Vivienne names that have been getting more popular since Angelina and Brad chose one for their twin daughter. Another A-beginning palindrome name: Aziza.
  11. Pip

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Philip

    • Meaning:

      "lover of horses"

    • Description:

      The original Pip was the main character in Great Expectations (full name Philip Pirrip). Cute for a tike, maybe too cute for an adult.
  12. Ana

    • Origin:

      Variation of Hannah

    • Meaning:

      "grace"

    • Description:

      Confident and compact, Ana is a widely used variation of the Biblical Hannah. Favored in Spain, Slovenia, Bosnia, Portugal, and Croatia, this shorter spelling has the same substance and versatility of its longer counterparts.
  13. Issi

    • Origin:

      Choctaw, Native American, English

    • Meaning:

      "deer; pledged to God"

    • Description:

      As a Choctaw name, Issi is an animal inspired choice, in which the double S is pronounced with a pause between like in "dress suit."
  14. Bob

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Robert

    • Meaning:

      "bright fame"

    • Description:

      Kids love Bob the Builder, but do they want to be Bob the Builder? Bob and Bobby have been out of style since the 1960s, but as vintage nickname-names -- Fred, Archie -- come back into vogue, Bob may tag along. Charlie Sheen used it for one of his twin sons.
  15. Ara

    • Origin:

      Armenian

    • Meaning:

      "king"

    • Description:

      Simple and yet distinctive, Ara is a mythological name of a famously handsome king. Although it originated as a boys' name, in the contemporary US, it's now much more commonly used for girls.
  16. Aziza

    • Origin:

      Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "powerful and beloved"

    • Description:

      Aziza is a zippy palindromic choice that is the female variation of Aziz and is found in several Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures. All in all, an attractive and interesting option; a Turkish variation is Azize. In African mythology, the Azizi are a supernatural race of forest dwellers who give practical and spiritual advice.
  17. Asa

    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Japanese, or Scandinavian

    • Meaning:

      "healer; morning; of the gods"

    • Description:

      A male Biblical name meaning healer, Asa is also an international gem. In Japanese, it means "(born in the) morning". And in Scandinavia, where it's generally spelled Åsa or Ása and pronounced O-sa, it's a popular diminutive form of Old Norse names beginning with the element áss "god".
  18. Mim

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Miriam

    • Description:

      A hum of a name occasionally heard. Madame Mim was a villain in Disney's "The Sword in the Stone."
  19. Ara

    • Origin:

      Armenian

    • Meaning:

      "king"

    • Description:

      Ara is a unique boys' name that one of the most melodious in the Armenian name pool, familiarized by Notre Dame football coach Ara Parseghian. In Armenian mythology, Ara was a king so handsome that a rival queen went to war in order to make him her own. The name Ara is also known in the Arabic and Hebrew cultures.
  20. Olo

    • Description:

      Olo is a compact masculine name with diverse cultural connections. In Polynesian languages, particularly Hawaiian, it can relate to concepts of voice or sound. In some African traditions, the name may be connected to words for greatness or authority. The brevity of Olo gives it a distinctive, modern feel despite its ancient roots in various cultures. The repetition of the 'o' sound creates a melodic, balanced quality that makes it memorable and easy to pronounce across language boundaries. Extremely rare in the United States, Olo maintains an exotic appeal while being simple to spell and say. The name might particularly resonate with parents seeking a minimalist name with international connections or those looking to honor Polynesian or certain African cultural heritages in a subtle yet authentic way.