110+ Names That Mean Blessing

This name has a nice mythological, historical, Three Musketeers-ish ring.

Simple and pretty and user-friendly, the Welsh Sian was used by U2's Dave "the Edge" Evans for his daughter. In Welsh, it is also spelled Siân.

Streamlined version of the classic boys' names, sometimes a short form of Jonathan, which is in fact an entirely different name from John attached to a different Biblical personage. Jon feels more modern than the traditional John, but some may find it an overly slight variation on an already slim name. Jon Snow is a popular character on HBO's Game of Thrones.

Gianni, the Italian equivalent of Johnny, sounds more substantial and fresh. Like many names starting with "Gian", it is on a rising trend (for both boys and girls, though it leans more male). TV star Jill Hennessey's son is named Gianni Mastropietro.

Very popular in France and Belgium, this name -- pronounced mat-tees, like the surname of the painter Matisse -- might make an appealing new way to say Matthew here.

Dora is poised for a comeback, right behind Laura, Nora, Cora, and Flora. First-time parents who haven't watched cartoons in a couple of decades should be aware of the Dora the Explorer connection, which has its pluses and minuses.

Attractive translation of Beatrice, popular with Hispanic parents. Beatriz is currently a Top 10 girl name in Portugal.

To those unfamiliar with it, Makari might have the sound, feel, and look of a modern inventions, similar to Amari, Jakari, or Makai. It is however a Russian name, derived from the Greek Makarios. Borne by two 14th-century Orthodox Russian saints, Makari can also be transcribed as Makariy or Makary.

This semi-obscure historic name was recently chosen for their son by Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez.

This pretty, international feminization of Matthew was chosen by Mira Sorvino for her daughter, Mattea Angel. As the Spanish Mateo and the Italian Matteo become more popular for baby boys throughout Europe, the English-speaking world, and the Americas, Mattea is sure to get wider recognition. And as Theo and Thea have become fashionable names, Teo and Tea are rising too.

This Indian name meaning gift or offering feels familiar via sound-alikes Angela or Angelina, and made a brief appearance on the U.S. Top 1000. Anjali is a pretty route to a name that's at once easy to understand and uncommon.

Elidi is intriguing but potentially confusing. Try the French Elodie instead.

The name of the 44th president, which he inherited from his Kenyan father, is related to the Swahili word "baraka," meaning "blessing," derived from the Arabic "baracka." It is linked, through the Semitic root, to the Hebrew name Baruch. Barack is also sometimes an alternate spelling of the Hebrew name Barak, which stems from the Semitic word for "lightning." Barack Obama may have found it a difficult name to grow up with, but the same won't be true for the many babies starting to be given that name. Other parents are being inspired to use Obama, which is a common surname among the Luo people of East Africa meaning "to lean or bend."

Smoldering Spanish actor Benicio Del Toro made this version an American possibility. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016, when it was the third-fastest-rising boys' name.

Pronounced to rhyme with nice, Thijs is a popular Dutch name short for that country's form of Matthew. Matt Lauer's half-Dutch son is called Thijs.

For a minute or two this sounded more modern than Janet, now equally outmoded.

Teodora is an extremely attractive and international choice, with several equally attractive, user-friendly nicknames and a little more edge than the English form, Theodora. Appealing short forms might include Tea, Dora, or Dory.

This name directly translates to the way most parents feel about their sons. It's rising quickly in popularity, along with many other names from the Indian subcontinent.

This female form of Nathan can be pronounced with three syllables or four.

Shai is a name newly-used in the US for both boys and, slightly less often, girls. Though the correct pronunciation is "shy", many will say shay, which might be all right with you.