873+ Names That Mean God

Beautiful West African name that could appeal across cultures.

In Germany and Finland, a common short form of names beginning with El-, including Elizabeth, Elina, and Elisa.

Tobi is typically used as an alternate spelling of Toby, a common nickname for Tobias. In the anime series Naruto, the name Tobi is written in kanji giving it the meaning "ten tails."

Central European form of Matthew.

Mary was such a common name for so long that it sprouted a whole family of chimeric name splices: Maryann, Marybeth, Mary-Lousie, ad infinitum. Spiderman's Mary Jane Watson and the common nickname for marijuana have helped keep this one especially familiar to the American ear.

The name of five men and one woman in the Bible, this name has so far escaped much notice but its similarity to popular choices such as Michael and Michaela/Mikayla, along with the long-running penchant for Old Testament names, may propel it to prominence. Also spelled Micaiah.

In Islam, Iblīs is the personal name of the devil, possibly derived from the Greek diablos.

The Māori form of Michael has a strong, striking sound and Kye would make for a cool short form.

Arabic form of Joshua

Whether you spell it Lisette or Lizette, a somewhat dated diminutive that nevertheless retains some charm.

South African musician Unathi Msengana brings this unusual choice to a wider audience.

Pronounced YAH-nosh, has a serious, violin-playing air. Perhaps that's why it has so many nicknames: JANCKZI, JANCSI, JANI, JANKIA, JANKO.

High-profile First Daughter Trump bears a nickname for her mother's name, Ivana. But though quite common in Slavic countries, and despite its international appeal, Ivanka is likely to remain a Singe-Celebrity name in the US — the Oprah of the political world — for the foreseeable future. Ivanka's larger impact on names may be inspiring parents to name their daughters after their moms.

Together with the more common (in France) Jeannine spelling, this feminine form of Jean was most popular in the 1930s in its home country, and in the 1960s in the US. It's fallen off the Top 1000 list since, but perhaps cute retro nickname Jeannie could tempt some vintage-loving parents back.

More streamlined – and more authentic – than Shawna.

Jazara and Jahzara are fast-rising names following in the wake of Zara. Some sources say it's an authentic Amharic name, but Jazara is a modern American invention, combining the popular Ja- prefix with international favorite Zara.

Tuvia is the Hebrew cognate of Tobias or Tobiah, found in the Bible and used in this form in Israel. The film "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" included a character named Tuvia, who was female, pointing to the biggest downside of this name to the English-speaking ear: It sounds quite feminine.

Israel joins the club of traditionally male names that celebrity parents have adopted for their daughters. Singer Andy Grammer welcomed daughter Israel "Izzy" Blue in 2020.

Friendly and charming international variation of Matthew, common in Estonia.

A Dorothy nickname name with a measure of nostalgic charm. Kids will associate it with the funny fish character voiced by Ellen DeGeneres in the Pixar animated instant classic Finding Nemo.