Meaning of Names: What It Is and How To Use It

What are your favorite names, and what do they mean? Do you go by your real name or a nickname? This article covers the meaning of names.

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Do you have a list of favorite baby names that you plan to name your child someday? Do you prefer unique names that have never been heard before or simple names that are more popular? This article will cover different naming conventions, translations of the word names, and several meanings of different names.

What Do Names Mean?

According to the New York Public Library, names are a crucial aspect of our identity. There are many ways that a person might choose to name their child. 

A baby’s name is one of the most common questions asked during pregnancy. Depending on the gender of the new bundle of joy, there are different names for baby boys, baby girls, and unisex names.

The naming process is different for every parent who is having a new child. Some people love family names or naming children variations of family members’ names. Other people avoid a common name at its peak popularity, while others choose popular baby names from lists online. People might also choose a name based on name origin, physical characteristics, names from the Bible, names from celebrities or popular culture, and more. 

It is important to take pronunciation into consideration. While some names like James are easy to pronounce, if you give your child a name that is difficult to pronounce, it could make things difficult for them socially. Of course, “easy” to pronounce is relative — a name that is simple in the United States or the United Kingdom might seem complex to someone from a different country.

What About Last Names?

A first name is called a given name, and a last name is called a surname. These two names put together are called full names. 

Just like with first names, last names can come from different countries of origin. Someone might have a German name, a Hebrew name, a name from South Africa, and more. While people choose their children’s own names, in Western culture, the last name is inherited from the father.

What Are Translations of the Word Names?

Names are used all around the world as an identifier. By studying these translations of names from Nice Translator, you can learn how to ask someone for their name in another language so that you know how to identify them. 

  • Finnish: nimi
  • Indonesian: nama
  • Hebrew: שֵׁם
  • Ukrainian: назва
  • Filipino: pangalan
  • Gujarati: નામ
  • Danish: navn
  • Serbian: назив
  • Welsh: henwaist
  • Kannada: ಹೆಸರು
  • Tamil: பெயர்
  • Arabic: اسم
  • Italian: nome
  • Telugu: పేరు
  • Slovenian: Ime
  • Norwegian: Navn
  • Dutch: naam
  • Russian: имя
  • Bengali: নামকরণ
  • Portuguese (Brazil): nome
  • Malayalam: പേര്
  • Chinese (Taiwan): 姓名
  • Malay: nama
  • Estonian: nimetus
  • Basque: izen
  • Hungarian: név
  • Polish: imię
  • Czech: název
  • Korean: 이름
  • Swedish: namn
  • Latvian: vārds
  • Lithuanian: vardas
  • Chinese (PRC): 姓名
  • Icelandic: nafn
  • Marathi: नाव
  • French: Nom
  • Japanese: 名前
  • Spanish: nombre
  • Greek: όνομα
  • Croatian: Ime
  • Hindi: नाम
  • Portuguese (Portugal): nome
  • Vietnamese: Tên
  • Slovak: názov
  • Bulgarian: Име
  • German: Name
  • Urdu: نام
  • Amharic: ስም
  • Turkish: isim
  • Thai: ชื่อ
  • Romanian: Nume
  • Swahili: Jina.
  • Catalan: nom

Name Meanings

Many names have a deeper meaning than their surface-level appearance. People often choose to name their child something because they like the meaning of the name. Take a look at these potential name meanings from Fatherly and see which ones you gravitate toward!

Baby Girl Names

  • Cheryl: beloved, dear one
  • Sophie: wise
  • Solange: yearly, solemn
  • Bryn: honorable
  • Karen: pure, unsullied
  • Hillary: bringer of joy
  • Beatrice: one who brings happiness
  • Cadence: rhythm, flow
  • Bonnie: beautiful, good
  • Alice: noble, kind
  • Ida: labor, industrious one
  • Adele: graceful and noble
  • Donna: lady
  • Alexis: defender, helper
  • Zola: earth, quiet, tranquil
  • Yasmine: jasmine flower
  • Cecilia: blind
  • Haley: heroine
  • Cara: friend, she who is dear
  • Anaïs: graceful, full of grace
  • Hella: the sun
  • Lala: cheerful
  • Anne: full of grace
  • Aziza: beloved
  • Rachael: purity
  • Elizabeth: God is an abundance
  • Brittany: strong
  • Vera: Latin word for truth
  • Tamara: palm tree
  • Alessa: protector of humanity
  • Amy: beloved
  • Hera: protector
  • Blair: plain, battle
  • Nina: gracious
  • Abigail: source of father’s joy
  • Francesca: the free one
  • Venus: love and desire
  • Ada: prosperous, nobility
  • Davina: cherished, beloved
  • Kyra: sun
  • Acacia: honored one
  • Renee: reborn
  • Zoe: life
  • Basmati: to be finished
  • Daria: prosperous
  • Idalia: industrious
  • Sarah: princess

Baby Boy Names

  • Charles: full-grown, a royal name
  • Paul: Latin word for small
  • Hugo: intelligent
  • Earl: promise
  • Kirby: from the church by the meadow
  • Oliver: Olive tree
  • Leroy: king
  • David: beloved
  • Emery: industrious, hardworking ruler
  • Cain: acquired
  • Henry: ruler of the house
  • Marlow: from the hill by the lake
  • Grant: grant
  • Ralph: advisor to all
  • Lamar: famous
  • Jamal: a handsome man
  • Blythe: cheerful
  • Kai: the willow tree
  • Abbot: Hebrew word for “father”
  • Dale: living in a valley
  • Ace: one
  • Robson: son of Robert
  • Cortez: courteous
  • Sander: defensive
  • Marion: sea
  • Emre: brother
  • Clark: learned scholar
  • Oren: pale, pine tree
  • Guy: guide from the forest
  • Jeffery: man of peace
  • Kalani: heaven, chief
  • Ira: watchful stallion
  • Rafi: musical, friend
  • Otis: wealthy
  • Louis: famous war
  • Ahmed: praiseworthy,
  • Luke: bringer of light
  • Jaime: he who supplants
  • Vincent: conqueror
  • Micah: who is like the Lord
  • Hedwig: fighter
  • Justin: righteous, just
  • Jared: descending
  • Jaylan: calm
  • Dalton: from the town in the valley
  • Kingsley: from the king’s meadow
  • Levi: joined
  • Adler: he who is brave
  • Leo: lion man

Conclusion

Names are a crucial part of our identity. Whether you like your name or not, it is often one of the first things people know about you and how they identify you. What do you plan to name your child?

Sources:

  1. Names | Nice Translator 
  2. Names Have Meaning: A Research Guide for Baby Names and Family Names | The New York Public Library
  3. 400 Surprising, Inspiring, and Super Cool Baby Name Meanings | Fatherly