Names That Mean Mother or Father

Guns 'n' Roses musician Axl (born William) Rose created this name by dropping a vowel, a la Barbra Streisand. The traditional Axel is more popular, though celebrity parents Fergie and Josh Duhamel deliberately chose the Axl spelling to honor her rock hero.

Appealing, upbeat name used mainly in Spanish-speaking countries.

Stun-gunned by the fifth-century Hun, though still well-used in contemporary Hungary and Turkey. Some sources also suggest Turkish origins for the name.

Absalom, because of its biblical and literary associations, just might appeal to the daring namegiver.

Variation of Aviela/Abiela, feminine forms of the Biblical Aviel/Abiel "God is my father". The modernized/anglicized double-l spellings are popular now in English-speaking countries.

The quirky nickname Tig is exceedingly rare, but historically has been used as a short form of Antigone. Today, many people are familiar with the name via comedian Tig Notaro. Notaro was born Mathilde — she was dubbed Tig by her brother Renaud when he had difficulty pronouncing her given name.

Lillemor is a relatively recent coinage in Scandinavia, where it was most popular in the 1930s and '40s, especially in Sweden. As such, it is considered rather dated in Scandinavia, but it would certainly make a fresh choice for lovers of "Lily" names abroad — although the "Lil" in this case actually comes from lille "little".

Astarte is the ancient goddess of sexuality, fertility, and war, associated with Ishtar as well as Venus.

Historically, Sire was a formal term for addressing male royalty, particularly a king. Sire can also mean "father" as both a noun and a verb.

Abiel is a biblical name (he was the grandfather of Saul) that was used by Puritans, particularly in Massachusetts, so it has a long pedigree. Parents are increasingly looking for underused traditional names, and this name, with the great nickname option of Abe, is ripe for more use!

Putting the emphasis on the "elle" softens a name that seems at once futuristic and medieval.

Ikenna's meaning makes it a subtle way to honor a father or grandfather. Ikenna is the name of a popular YouTube star.

An anagram of Mama, in tune with its Tamil meaning.

In the Igbo culture of Nigeria, the name Nnamdi is given to baby boys who are thought to be reincarnations of their grandfathers. The name is familiar via Nnamdi Asomugha, a former NFL player married to Kerry Washington.

Moa is among the Top 100 Swedish baby names but virtually unknown in the US. Might Moa be a substitute for Mia or Maya? An intriguing idea. There is a Swedish author named Moa Martinson.

Abiah is a Biblical name that appears for both female and male figures. It may be considered the same as the name Abijah in the Bible; one female Abijah was a queen and ancestor of Christ. Abiah may also be considered a relative of the Arabic name Abia. However you spell or pronounce it -- a - BY -a or a - BEE - a -- this name can be an original way to the nickname Abi.

Abbie is a gently old-fashioned nickname name that owes its rising popularity to Top 10 Abigail. Abby may be the more usual spelling today.

Abiah is a gentle, rarely used Old Testament name belonging to Samuel's second son. This makes a good choice for the parent who wants a traditional biblical name that is not overly familiar.

Double exposure: 1970s rock sensation (Mamma Mia) and scholar/diplomat name in Israel.

Sharing an etymology with Cleopatra, this masculine form of the name also has biblical ties. Cleopas was one of the men who encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus following his resurrection. As a child's name, it has been a rare sight. While it does have an interesting history, it's connection to Cleopatra and obvious nickname Cleo could make it seem too feminine for some.