Names That Mean Lover

A classic Irish "top-o'-the-mornin' surname with a lot of rhythm and pizzazz.

Cute-as-a-button nickname traditionally derived from Philip or Philippa – but could work for Piper, Juniper or Penelope as well.

As classic as it comes in Italy — Filippo was once common during the Renaissance, and today remains in the Top 25.

Philippe, pronounced fill-EEP, is Philip with Gallic flair.

From the Irish Leannan, this, unfortunately, would be constantly mistaken for Lennon.

Streamlined spelling found all across Europe. The Spanish Filipo has extra zip.

Flip is a cute, attitude-filled nickname for the very proper Philip and variations. A perfect choice if you're looking for a buttoned-up proper name with an informal short form.

Amarissa is kind of cobbled together from two traditional elements: Ama, which means "love" or "lover" and is found in such more established names as Amabel and Amariah, and -issa, which is a common feminine suffix that functions as a diminutive. While Amarissa is pretty and frilly, it may frequently be misunderstood as Marissa, Melissa, and may ultimately be more trouble than it's worth.

Hebrew name not often heard in this country, but would have no trouble fitting in.

Philomela, the name of a mythological Athenian princess who was transformed into a nightingale, is rarely heard outside the Greek community. The mellifluous Philomela might make a more distinctive and prettier update for Pamela or Phyllis. Philomela may also be a good choice for a music-lover's daughter. Try Pippa or Millie for short.

You can just hear some sassy dame in a 1930s movie using this name. We prefer the original -- or even its original, Amabel.

The simpler Callahan spelling remains the most popular, but Callaghan is a rising pick for both boys and girls. Callie is an obvious nickname.

Philippine would be taken as an ethnic identification rather than a name in the U.S. Better try Philippa, though if you don't mind eternally correcting people, Philippine can make an interesting alternative. Pippa can be a short form of Philippine as well as Philippa.

Portuguese form of Philip

Feminine form of Amadeus popular now in Italy and ripe for export. Might also be spelled Amadea. The preferred pronunciation is AHM-a-DAY-a but it may also be pronounced ah-MED-ee-a.

Portuguese form of Philippa

Peppi ranked in the Finnish Top 50 from 2007-2012, where it was used for hundreds of baby girls each year. In Finland, Peppi is used as the translation for Pippi in the Pippi Longstocking books.

A literary name created by J. R. R. Tolkien for a Lord of the Rings noblewoman of Rohan. It would make an interesting choice for literature lovers or fans of names like Elowen and Evelyn.