Names That Mean Love

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.

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".

Now that Kenji is rising up the ranks, it's only a matter of time before parents discover Renji. Renji Abarai is a character in the anime series Bleach, in which the kanji used for his name mean "second love" or "second romance."

Simple African name all-but-unknown in the U.S. and Europe, which is exactly why it might make a perfect choice. Similarity to such popular names as Ava and Eva (and the Irish Aoife) makes it more familiar, but potentially more confusing.

This Dutch name stems from the Greek root word "philos" meaning "love". It is relatively common in the Netherlands.

A variant spelling of Charis or Carys, relatively popular in the Netherlands.

The name of the Lithuanian love diety is a unique way to get to the nickname Millie. Milda has also been seen as a diminutive for names such as Matilda and Mildred. It appeared on the US Top 1000 in 1886 and 1887.

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

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.

An increasing number of parents are using the Italian word for love as a baby name in the US.

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.

Amora and co. have seen a rapid rise over the past few years. Amorah, with the additional H, is one of the simpler variations.

The Welsh word for "love" and a term of endearment turned modern word-name, Cariad is a sweet possibility that might work well as a name for a February or Valentines baby or a name for a Christmas baby. A famous bearer is British comedian Cariad Lloyd.

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

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

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."

A common unisex name used frequently in South Africa.

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.

The Latin word for love. Amor has strong potential for the middle name position.

An unusual spin on Mila and Milena.