Names That Mean Meaning

The first name of the influential pre-Renaissance Sienese painter (pronounced DOO-chee-o) is a simple but lively modern possibility.

Fast-rising boy name thanks to Indian actress Dia Mirza. Avyaan is related to Ganesha, the Hindu god of beginnings and good luck.

Masculine name in the Choctaw tradition.

A name that seems to be a combination of Isabel and Susannah, used in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries, most notably for a daughter of Paul Revere. Isannah was also a character in the 1943 Revolutionary War novel Johnny Tremain. An unusual old choice with modern possibilities.

A nickname-sounding surname associated with Russian sculptor and architect Naum Gabo. When model/actress Milla Jovovich gave her daughter the middle name Gabo, she explained that it was a combination of her parents' names--Galina and Bogie.

Ezana of Aksum was the ruler of an ancient kingdom that is now in Eritrea and Ethiopia. He was the first monarch of Aksum to convert to Christianity and is a saint in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

Unusual name associated with gorgeous Swedish-Norwegian single-named model.

A common Chinese surname that made the Top 1000 in 1881.

A masculine name in Choctaw culture.

British singer-songwriter Jacob Taio Cruz dropped his first name, and has put his unusual middle on the map.

Ovid is the English form of the Roman family name Ovidius, which possibly comes from the word for sheep. It is the usual English name for the first-century poet Publius Ovidius Naso.

We've been hearing a lot more of Silas and even of Cyrus, which means the obscure Tiras may have a shot at resurrection as a same-but-different name. And you can call him Ti. The Old Testament Tiras was a grandson of Noah.

Carries a different meaning in American English. You may also like Sootima.

Loke is a modern variant of Loki, the name of a Norse mythological figure. Loke is a Top 100 name in Sweden.

An elaborate way to get to Cleo, rooted in Greek mythology. Cleocharia was a water nymph married to King Lelex of Laconia.

An obscure medieval saint’s name which nevertheless sounds pretty on-trend right now: a softer alternative to Matilda, perhaps. If you're searching for Spanish names for girls, this can make an unusual but usable choice.

The exact meaning of Yrsa has been lost to history, but theorists have come up with two possible explanations. The first, more likely option, is that Yrsa is a younger variant of the name Ýrr, meaning "mad" or "furious" or "wild". The other theory is based on Yrsa's similarities to Ursa, Latin for "bear", and suggests Yrsa comes from an Old Norse word that means "she-bear".

In the Choctaw tribe of Mississippi and Oklahoma, Tassa was a traditional female name.

Surname-sounding unisex cousin of Peyton is gaining in popularity, especially for girls.

A rare name from Choctaw culture that is no longer in use.