Day Names for Babies

  1. Otieno
    • Origin:

      Luo
    • Meaning:

      "born at night"
    • Description:

      Otieno is more commonly seen as a surname among the Luo people of Kenya and Eastern Africa. The surname was derived from the given name — Atieno is the feminine version.
  2. Akua
    • Origin:

      Ewe, Ghanaian
    • Meaning:

      "born on Wednesday"
    • Description:

      The people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).
  3. Meridian
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "midday / pinnacle"
    • Description:

      In geography, a meridian is a line drawn around the curve of the Earth between the North and South Poles. The term comes from Latin meridianus, meaning "pertaining to midday", and the association with midday has led to the word gaining an added figurative meaning of "pinnacle; culmination".
  4. Kwasi
    • Origin:

      Akan
    • Meaning:

      "Born on a Sunday"
    • Description:

      The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday). Kwasi is the name for boys born on a Sunday. (The name for girls born on a Sunday is Akosua).
  5. Kwabena
    • Origin:

      Ghanaian, Akan, Twi
    • Meaning:

      "Born on a Tuesday"
    • Description:

      The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).
  6. Afternoon
    • Origin:

      English, “afternoon”
    • Description:

      An early day name worthy of consideration today for someone seeking a truly unusual name.
  7. Janvier
    • Origin:

      French word name
    • Meaning:

      "January"
    • Description:

      Used in France as a male name, this would make an appealing and unusual choice, as would two other Gallic month names, Avril and Mai.
  8. Juba
    • Origin:

      African
    • Meaning:

      "born on Monday"
    • Description:

      Juba, a strong and resonant unisex name, belonged to an ancient African king, is a city and river name, and is traditionally given to Ashanti (of Ghana) girls born on Monday.
  9. Dag
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "daylight"
    • Description:

      Norse god who's the son of light plus historic diplomat Dag Hammarskjöld and author Dag Solstad combine to boost this Nordic name's appeal, but this could be difficult in English-speaking countries where the obvious tease will be "daggy Dag."
  10. Undomiel
    • Origin:

      Literary name
    • Meaning:

      "evening star"
    • Description:

      A title given to the elf Arwen in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, meaning "evening star" and usually rendered poetically as Evenstar. Like her revered ancestor Lúthien, Arwen chooses to become mortal in order to marry her human love, Aragorn.
  11. Yaw
    • Origin:

      Ghanaian, Akan, Twi
    • Meaning:

      "Born on a Thursday"
    • Description:

      The Akan people of Ghana and the Ivory Coast frequently name their children after the day of the week they were born and the order in which they were born. Most Ghanaians have a name using this system (think Kofi Annan, whose name means born on a Friday).
  12. Shirina
    • Origin:

      Hindi
    • Meaning:

      "night"
    • Description:

      Shirina is most commonly seen as a name among Hindi-speakers in India and Pakistan, but it could also be considered a variation of the Persian name Shirin, meaning "sweet."
  13. Easter
    • Origin:

      English, from German
    • Description:

      Easter has been used as a name for several hundred years, as part of the day-naming tradition; now, this rarely heard holiday celebration name would make a novel choice for a springtime baby. Background:The early Anglo-Saxon monk and scholar Bede took the name of a goddess--Eostre-- whose feast was celebrated at the vernal equinox and gave it to the Christian festival of the resurrection of Christ.
  14. Asahi
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "morning sun"
    • Description:

      Bright, just like its meaning.
  15. Abril
    • Origin:

      Spanish and Catalan variation of April
    • Description:

      This Spanish month name has been quietly used for several years now in the US.
  16. Gen
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "spring"
    • Description:

      Commonly used in Japan, and so much more distinguished than Jen.
  17. Mardi
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "Tuesday"
    • Description:

      Mardi is a foreign word name that sounds like a homegrown nickname. For what? We're not sure, but it's kinda cute, and preferable to Tuesday.
  18. Vesna
    • Origin:

      Slavic
    • Meaning:

      "spring"
    • Description:

      The literal word for "spring" in many Slavic languages and the name of an ancient Slavic springtime deity.
  19. Diaz
    • Origin:

      Spanish from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "days"
    • Description:

      Perfect example of a surname that would work well as a first.
  20. Adwoa
    • Origin:

      Akan, Ghanaian
    • Meaning:

      "born on Monday"
    • Description:

      Adwoa is a given name used for women born on Monday in Western Africa, particularly Ghana and some parts of Togo and Ivory Coast. The male equivalent is Kwadwo.