149 Names That Mean Love

  1. Arrow
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Words are not always easy to translate into baby names, but the implications of being straight and swift lend this one great potential as a name. It also has the popular o-sound ending, which brings it further into the realm of possibility. Rising rock star Aja Volkman pulled a gender switch when she named her daughter Arrow Eve.
  2. Philomena
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "lover of strength"
    • Description:

      Philomena is an earthy Greek name now used in various Latin countries. While it has felt simply clunky for many years, it's starting -- along with such sister names as Wilhelmina and Frederica -- to sound so clunky it's cool.
  3. Priya
    • Origin:

      Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      Priya originated in India as a name derived from the Sanskrit word for "beloved." In India, where names are often given based on one’s birthday and horoscope, Priya is traditionally given to girls born in August. Priya is used in Hindu mythology as the name of a daughter of King Daksha—known for fathering 146 daughters.
  4. Philippa
    • Origin:

      Greek, feminine variation of Philip
    • Meaning:

      "lover of horses"
    • Description:

      Philippa is a prime example of a boy's name adapted for girls that was common as crumpets in Cornwall, but rarely heard stateside. That was before the advent of royal sister-in-law Philippa Middleton, who goes by the lively nickname Pippa.
  5. Hart
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "stag"
    • Description:

      Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but it also has musical cred via Lorenz Hart, of the classic Rodgers & Hart songwriting duo and a literary tie to playwright Moss Hart.
  6. Milan
    • Origin:

      Italian place name, Slavic, Sanskrit "gracious, dear; union"
    • Meaning:

      "gracious, dear; union"
    • Description:

      As Mila rises for girls, so Milan is becoming a more popular option for boys, especially after singer Shakira chose it for her son. After a 55-year hiatus, it reentered the Top 1000 in 2013 and is heading dramatically upward.
  7. Milena
    • Origin:

      Czech
    • Meaning:

      "love, warmth, grace"
    • Description:

      This popular name in various Slavic countries and in Italy holds considerable Continental appeal. It is the full name of Ukranian-born actress Mila Kunis, most noted for her award-winning role in the film Black Swan. Another actress bearing the name is Milena Govitch, of Law & Order.
  8. Eros
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "desire"
    • Description:

      The name of the Greek winged god of sexual love may seem a lot to live up to, but like other deity names, it's on the rise. He appears in DC comics as an ally of Wonder Woman, and is the alias of Marvel's Starfox character. Eros is also the name of an asteroid in our solar system. The name is more popular in Italy, where it's been in the Top 200 in recent years,
  9. Erasmus
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "beloved, desired"
    • Description:

      Erasmus has long retained the image of the bearded and bespectacled Dutch philosopher, but could be one that the audacious baby namer just might dare to dust off.
  10. Eowyn
    • Origin:

      Literature
    • Meaning:

      "horse lover"
    • Description:

      A literary name created by J. R. R. Tolkien for a Lord of the Rings noblewoman of Rohan. Properly spelled with an accent over the first E – Éowyn – it would make an interesting choice for literature lovers or fans of names like Elowen and Evelyn.
  11. Carina
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "dear little one"
    • Description:

      Carina is a pretty feminissima name whose fall from popularity may be speeded by similarity to (hurricane name) Katrina.
  12. Love
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "love"
    • Description:

      Love makes an endearing middle name, as in Jennifer Love Hewitt. However, more parents are considering Love as a first name — enough for it to enter the charts for the first time in 2022 as one of the fastest-rising names of the year. Other love-related alternatives include Juliet, Valentina, and Amor.
  13. Carys
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "love"
    • Description:

      Common in Wales, this name was introduced to America when Welsh-born Catherine Zeta-Jones and husband Michael Douglas chose it for their daughter in 2003. It didn't come into use in Wales until the late nineteenth century. It's currently Number 367 in England and Wales.
  14. Aiko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "beloved child"
    • Description:

      Aiko is a very common Japanese name with a lovely meaning that is rarely heard outside the Asian community.
  15. Annabel
    • Origin:

      Scottish variation of Amabel
    • Meaning:

      "loving"
    • Description:

      Annabel is a spirited name that embodies quirky British gentility. Appearing in Scotland as early as the twelfth century, where it was a royal name, it also recalls the romantic Edgar Allan Poe poem Annabel Lee, written upon the death of his young wife, Virginia.
  16. Davina
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "little deer"
    • Description:

      A Scottish favorite that could make it here thanks to its similarity to the word divine. It's the most popular of several feminizations of David used in Scotland, including Davida, Davinia and Davidina, which have less of a chance in the U.S. It reentered the US Top 1000 for the first time in two decades in 2016.
  17. Liev
    • Origin:

      Yiddish variation of Lev
    • Meaning:

      "heart"
    • Description:

      Liev Schreiber's birth name is Isaac Liev, Liev after his mother's favorite Russia author, Leo Tolstoy. Though Liev is increasing in popularity in the secular world thanks to the actor, it originated as a Yiddish diminutive.
  18. Davis
    • Origin:

      Surname derived from David, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      Davis is a fresh way to say David. Some sources define it as "son of David," but we see it as a surname spin on the original. While David is an everyman name, Davis has some creative edge -- and still gets you to the classic guy nickname Dave.
  19. Desiree
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "desired, wished"
    • Description:

      One of the original French names chosen by midcentury parents for their sophistication and je ne sais quoi, Desiree has since become completely assimilated in the US. It ranked in the Top 1000 from 1954-2017, but has since dropped back out.
  20. Amabel
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "lovable"
    • Description:

      Amabel is an older name than Annabel and a lot more distinctive. Amabel was a very common name in the twelfth and thirteen centuries, then was revived during the nineteenth century British fad for medieval names.