Names with Inspirational Meanings

Deriving from the Sanskrit Mithra, Mitra is the Hindu god of the sun and of friendship. This transcription is unisex in Hindi, while in Persian, it is the feminine form.

Pazel's abbreviated version, Paz, is far more modern and attractive.

A favorite Muslim name, Kareem first appeared on the US Top 1000 list in 1972 (jumping in at Number 405!), coinciding with the early career of basketball great turned writer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Lewis Alcindor). It has continued to chart every year since.

An anglicized spelling of Irish Ardghal, this name is most famously borne by Ardal O'Hanlon, an actor, author and stand-up comedian best known for his role as Dougal Maguire in the comedy series Father Ted.

Yinuo is a Chinese female name meaning "promise." It is part of an idiomatic expression "Yinuo Qianjin" (一诺千金), which means "one promise; one thousand gold" or "keep your word." This Chinese name has the advantage of being relatively easy to pronounce for non-Chinese speakers. People called Yinuo include Yinuo Mu, principle harpist in the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Yinuo Chen, a Chinese actress who starred in Empresses in the Palace.

A bit masculine in feel.

Alafia is a Yoruba name for peace and is used as a name for both men and women in Nigeria.

Parvaiz would certainly stand out in an American classroom.

Both rhythmic and serene, Serenella is one of the Italian names for girls virtually unknown in the US but definitely usable. An unusual route to Ella as a short form?

A strong, masculine name hardly heard outside the Hebrew-speaking community.

Supermodel Shalom Harlow glamorized this name, which is heard as a greeting every day in Israel.

Fedde, a Top 100 boys' name in The Netherlands, is a Frisian short form for names beginning with Frid, which means "peace." As with many names popular in contemporary Holland, this short form stands on its own.

Coolly attractive African name, with distinguished representatives in sports and literature. Jabari has been on the rise recently, returning to the US Top 1000 in 2023.

Gennady is derived from an early saint's name (Gennadius) and shares the same Greek root word as the English word generous. It is a familiar if still uncommon boys' name in Russia. If you're looking for unique boy names you might want to put this one on your list.

Shula is a short form often used on its own in Israel. Sula is another, related, option. As an Arabic name, it has a bright, fiery meaning.

Not related to Zack, Zacky, Zachary, or Zachariah – but many will assume it is.

One of the rarest Bert names, Engelbert has been used at least since the time of Charlemagne and is the name of several saints. But mostly, it's impossible not to associate it with Engelbert Humperdinck, both the German composer and the British pop singer (born Arnold Dorsey) who borrowed his name.

Rhythmic and unusual.

Name of a son of the Prophet Muhammad, with a particularly positive meaning.

Udo is the Igbo word for peace, and, in Nigeria, is a name usually reserved for men. Related names include Akudo, Udoka and Udo-Amaka.