Blythe

English

"cheerful"

Blythe Origin and Meaning

The name Blythe is a boy's name meaning "cheerful".

Blythe originated as a nickname for an upbeat person, coming from the Old English word bliðe, meaning "merry" or "cheerful." It was later adapted into a surname, and while it did see some use as a first name from the 16th century Puritans, it wasn't really until the 19th century when it shifted into a mostly feminine given name.

While Blythe feels like a well established choice, it has never been in the US Top 1000, and though its notable name sakes — actresses Blythe Danner, Drew Blythe Barrymore, and Blythe Duff, along with Olympic diver, Blythe Hartley — it has also been used occasionally as a masculine name since at least the early 20th century.

In fact, the variant Blyth was the masculine choice for the Puritans, whereas Blitha was preferred for girls. It also bears similarities to the likes of Blake, Blaine, Blaise, Brooks, Banks, Beau, Briar, Brett, and Blair, giving it unisex potential. Beyond that, there's also literary namesake Gilbert Blythe, the hero of Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series.