Names That Mean Thankful or Gratitude

This bold musical word name is given to just a handful of baby girls per year in the US, but it has a very contemporary sound. Hallie and Lou/Lulu would make for more mainstream nicknames. Lovers of the music and lyrics of Leonard Cohen might also appreciate the link to one of his most successful hits.

Tehila may at first appeal as a distinctive choice. Danger: might tend to sound like a mispronunciation of tequila.

A strong choice for a Muslim child with Russian ancestry. The name is primarily heard in the Caucasus.

Shaquille O'Neal came almost as close as he could to a Junior when he selected this name for his son.

A Gothic name belonging to the wife of Theodemir, a 5th century king of the Ostrogoths, and the mother of Theodoric the Great. The name also belongs to a genus of moths.

May rise along with other spiritually inclined names, but Americans might find it too close to Osama.

Variation of Ejiroghene

Yoav is a variation of Joab, a name featured prominently in the Old Testament.

The "mahlet" is a chant that priests in the Ethiopian Orthodox church perform during the night to praise and give thanks to God. Pronounced with three syllables, Mahlet is also used as a first name for girls.

Gracious African choice.

A name from ancient legend: Amlodd (also spelled Amlawdd) Wledig is recorded as being an early British chieftain. Some sources name him as the father of Igraine, the mother of King Arthur. It has been co-opted as a suitable fantasy-sounding name into the online game Runescape.

Anglicized as Judah, this name of a biblical patriarch is given symbolically to boys born on Chanukah; a form of it was spotlighted by violin virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin.

Hillel the Great was a famous Talmudic scholar, the spiritual and ethical leader of his generation, and his name is greatly honored by parents in Israel and, to some extent, here.

Unisex name with a gracious meaning, most often used in Zimbabwe.

A popular Jewish girl name in Israel, derived from the name Hallel.

Polyhymnia was one of the nine Muses of Greek mythology, associated with hymns, poetry, and dance. It's a whole lotta name for one girl, but now that Persephone and Calliope are on the table, Polyhymnia feels like much more of a possibility.

Maori form of Aeneas, also used for girls as the Māori form of India.

Nigerian name with an honorable meaning.

In the Plymouth Colony of the seventeenth century, Thankful was the third most popular of the abstract word names. It disappeared after 1700 and has virtually no chance of returning.