Names That Mean Gift

A classic variation of the name Isidore, both Isadore and Isidore were equally popular at their peak in the 1910s. They were historically used among Jewish families — Isidore and Isadore were often used as Americanizations of Jewish names such as Israel and Isaac.

Pronounced like Teddy, this gaelicized spelling is growing in popularity in Ireland.

The ultimate ethereal name for lovers of fairies, pixies, and sprites.

You’re most likely to find this Theodore cognate in Eastern Europe, where it ranks among the top names for boys in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, and Romania. The nickname Teo is a real winner.

Whether you think of the chocolates or the naked long-haired lady on the horse, Godiva is a name with baggage no child should have to carry.

We like Matti in theory, but in practice it’s likely to get confused for the girlish Maddie.

While Meron looks like a variation of Maren or Marion, her origins are in Ethiopia: Meron is the name of the holy oil used for christenings in the Ethiopian Orthodox church.

Form of Jasmine commonly used in Turkey.

Isidore and variants are remarkably underused and ripe for revival, a la Theodore and company.

Central European form of Matthew.

Darina comes from the Slavic element "dar" which means gift; the name is found in Czech, Bulgarian, and Slovak cultures and translates easily for English speakers. Darina may also be an Anglicization of the Irish Dairine, which means "fruitful."

Like many spelling variations of popular names, Jonathon's star rose and is now falling along with that of the original Jonathan. Jonathon occupied the very last spot on the boys' US Top 1000 in 2016, at Number 1000. Parents in search of an Old Testament boys’ name today tend to look for more original choices, from Ezra to Abraham to Moses.

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

A highly unusual Dora name that may be a spin on the Japanese name Midori, meaning "green," or a combination of Mia "my" plus Dora "gift."

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.

As Theo and Thea get more popular, so do Teo and Tea, short forms of the Latinate variations of Theodore and Matthew -- which include Dorotea and Mattea. But like Theo and Thea, Tea can stand perfectly well on its own and blends seamlessly into any Anglophone or European culture, if that is your aim. Some may argue that the Tea version is the prettiest and it's certainly the sleekest.

Benevolent name found in Israel in several forms, including Doran and Doroni.

Diarra has a nice meaning, but we could see it leading to possible teasing re association with a certain digestive problem.

A particularly charming spin on the original, as is theSpanish name Tadeo. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016.