Names That Mean Love

This feminine version of the Welsh name Carwyn could be a good choice for parents looking for something fresher than Bronwen.

This name looks like a sister to the names Elsa and the Czech name for girls Eliška, a popular diminutive of Elizabeth — and sometimes it is (in German, for example). But it is also a word in Old Norse and some modern Nordic languages, meaning "love" or "to love".

Where as a serenade is an evening love song, an aubade is sung first thing in the morning.

Not nearly as popular as neighbors Trenton and Camden, but occasionally used for girls. Shirley Temple played a Philadelphia in the old western movie "Fort Apache."

This Latin word for love is not traditionally used as a name, but why not? It's got a pretty sound and some distinctive flair. Variants Amori or Amorie can also be thought of as different spellings of Amory, which has a very different meaning and roots. Only downside: Sounds almost exactly like "amorous," meaning in the mood for love, which could provoke some adolescent teasing.

Bestselling author Amor Towles, who wrote Rules of Civility and introduced this elegant and meaningful name to the lexicon. Names that mean love -- Amory, Amias, and Amoris are other similar choices -- always have a deep appeal.

Influencer Nabela Noor put Aveena on the map when she chose it for her daughter, sister to Amalia. Aveena and the related name Aveen are primarily used among Muslims with roots in Central or Southeast Asia.

This beautiful Māori name meaning love (cognate with Hawaiian aloha) is more wearable than the English word and softer Venus or Aphrodite. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern named her daughter Neve Te Aroha in 2018. Aroha / Te Aroha was the most popular Māori baby girl name in 2023-24.

A famous bearer is Carwyn Jones, leader of the Welsh Labour Party and First Minister of Wales since 2009. Feminine version is Carwen.

This phonetic version of the Welsh Cerys might be easier for Americans, certainly, to understand, but it does lose some poetry in translation.

A modern invented name, taken directly from the French phrase "J'adore", meaning "I love".

A modern invented name, taken directly from the French phrase "J'adore", meaning "I love".

Kerris is a much easier if less authentic phonetic spelling of the popular and pretty Welsh name Cerys.

In the Shona language of souther Africa, this simple and wearable boys' name means love.

In the Zulu and Xhosa languages of Southern Africa, Phila is a unisex name pronounced "PEE-la" and means "to live of life" It's also the feminine version of the ancient Greek name Philo, pronounced "FEE-la", meaning friend or lover and present in several contemporary names and words used throughout the Western World. The name Philip, for instance, means lover of horses, while the city name Philadelphia means "brotherly love" and philosophy means "love of wisdom".

This sweet little acronym, popularized in the age of texting, has established itself as a baby name. The similarity to Ivy, Isla and Riley/Miley has undoubtedly played a role.

A soft and lovely Hebrew name with an equally lovely meaning. Variations include Ahavah, Ahaba, Ahabah, Ahuva and Ahuvah.

Loving Italian choice with a built-in lullaby.

Lovejoy's use as a surname follows that as a nickname. In Medieval times, when many people shared names, nicknames were relied upon to distinguish individuals. Many of these nicknames later became surnames. Lovejoy, from the Middle English love(n) and joie, referred to someone who was affectionate and joyful — although the Oxford Dictionary of American Family Names notes that Lovejoy may have been bestowed ironically, at times.

Despite its attractive meaning, this name is very rare in the States: it has only appeared twice in the US charts, in 2006 and 2020. Akam is a genre of Classical Tamil poetry, and the ring name of WWE wrestler Sunny Dhinsa.