150+ Names That Mean Gift from God

Shawn is one name that's become less unisex and more distinctly male over time in all its spellings, given to only 14 baby girls and over 500 boys in the US in the most recent year counted. But at its peak in the early 1970s, it was a Top 200 baby name for girls in the US, given to nearly 2000 baby girls... and 12,000 boys in this spelling alone.

Diminutive of the Italian Giovanna, or sometimes Vanessa or Ivanna.

A rarely used Slavic name until the Czech-born ex-Mrs. Trump took it over the top. Daughter's name Ivanka adds a dollop of charm.

Melat is a lovely girl name that is frequently used in Ethiopia. Several meanings of Melat are possible, including "gift of God", and "sweet". Melat also refers to the fine linen or silk woven in the Virgin Mary's dress.

An appealing Hindi name borne by Mindy Kahling's architect father Avu Chokalingam. She bestowed it on her son Spencer as a middle name in 2020.

Former Top 5 choice in Slovenia that now sits below the Top 20.

This variation of Theodore is familiar here mostly via the great Russian novelist Dostoyevsky. It was also the name of three early tsars of Russia.

A cute and easily accessible Finnish nickname, although not one that is likely to become popular in America now that Hannah and co are on the decline.

Nicknames ending in o are invariably cute, though this one is a boys' name in its own right. And not just any boy name, but a saint's name no less. Saint Hanno, aka Saint Anno, was an 10th century archbishop of Cologne, He is also known as, less attractively, Hanno of Worms, which is one of the oldest cities in Germany.

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.

Central European form of Matthew.

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.