Names That Mean Mother
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- Amaya
Origin:
Spanish version of Amaia or JapaneseMeaning:
"mother city; the end; night rain"Description:
The Spanish form of Amaya is both a given name and a surname, originating from the Spanish mountain and village of Amaya. In this context it means "mother city" or "the capital." Amaya can also be considered a derivation of Amaia, a Basque name meaning "the end." In Japan, Amaya is a surname.
- Gaia
Origin:
Greek and LatinMeaning:
"earth mother; rejoicing"Description:
Floral, bright, and subtly powerful, Gaia is a name with two separate origins. In Greek mythology, it is the name of the earth goddess and the universal mother, who takes her epithet from the Ancient Greek word for land or ground. It was this ecological element that led actress Emma Thompson to choose it for her daughter back in 1999, and it could hold similar appeal to green minded parents today.
- Maia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"mother"Description:
Maia was derived from the Greek word maia, meaning "mother." In Greek legend, she was the fair-haired daughter of Atlas who mothered Zeus's favorite illegitimate son, Hermes. To the Romans, Maia was the incarnation of the earth mother and goddess of spring, after whom they named the month of May. Maya is the more common spelling.
- Cybele
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"the mother of all gods"Description:
The Anatolian mother goddess Cybele had a place in Greek, Roman, Trojan, and Anatolian mythology. Today, she has special meaning as a symbol of gender nonconformity.
- Demeter
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"earth mother"Description:
Demeter, the Greek goddess of grain, agriculture, and the harvest, growth and nourishment, was Zeus's sister and Persephone's mother. Variation Demetria is the full name of actress Demi Moore. Though familiar, Demeter is not one of the Greek goddess namesthat's finding widespread modern favor.
- Neith
Origin:
EgyptianMeaning:
"divine mother"Description:
One of the more unusual mythology names for girls, Neith is the name of the Egyptian goddess of home and femininity.
- Astarte
Origin:
PhonecianMeaning:
"mother goddess"Description:
Astarte is the ancient goddess of sexuality, fertility, and war, associated with Ishtar as well as Venus.
- Moa
Origin:
SwedishMeaning:
"mother"Description:
Moa is among the Top 100 Swedish baby names but virtually unknown in the US. Might Moa be a substitute for Mia or Maya? An intriguing idea. There is a Swedish author named Moa Martinson.
- Lillemor
Origin:
ScandinaviaMeaning:
"little mother"Description:
Lillemor is a relatively recent coinage in Scandinavia, where it was most popular in the 1930s and '40s, especially in Sweden. As such, it is considered rather dated in Scandinavia, but it would certainly make a fresh choice for lovers of "Lily" names abroad — although the "Lil" in this case actually comes from lille "little".
- Amma
Origin:
Tamil, AkanMeaning:
"mother, or born on a Saturday"Description:
An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning.
- Ece
Origin:
TurkishMeaning:
"queen, mother"Description:
Ece is another name for Umay, the Turkish goddess of the Earth and fertility. It is derived from the Old Turkic word eçe, meaning "mother."
- Atla
Origin:
NorseMeaning:
"little mother"Description:
A Norse goddess who was one of the nine mothers of Heimdall. Atli, the masculine form, is related to the popular Hungarian name Attila.
- Janaina
Origin:
Form of Yemoja, YorubaMeaning:
"mother of fish"Description:
Janaina is a name used by Brazilians and Caribbean people to refer to a Yoruba goddess of pregnancy and motherhood but also the Virgin Mary.
- Emese
Origin:
HungarianMeaning:
"mother"Description:
A Hungarian name rarely heard outside its native culture.
- Mariamman
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"mother of rain"Description:
Mariamman is a Hindu goddess worshipped as the bringer of rain and prosperity. Her name is often abbreviated to Amman, and her festivals are held during the late summer and early autumn seasons.
- Amba
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"mother"Description:
No - not a creative spelling of Amber. Amba is an Indian name. Due to its meaning, Amba is a name often related with the Hindu goddess Parvati, who is a fertility deity.
- Gaja
Origin:
Polish and Slovene variation of Gaia, GreekMeaning:
"earth mother"
- Emzara
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"mother of Sarai"Description:
The name of Noah's wife, a daughter of Rake'el (his father's brother), according to Jubilees 4:33 of the Old Testament Apocrypha. It may mean "mother of Sarai".
- Madrona
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"mother"Description:
A bit grown-up for a tiny baby.
- Iyabo
Origin:
African, YorubaMeaning:
"mother has returned"Description:
A lively name often used to honor a deceased grandmother in Yoruba culture.