Names That Mean White or Fair

Derived from the Scottish Gaelic bàn, meaning "white, fair". It's also a name in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Elvish language, in which it means "beautiful".

A bold and evocative African place name. The country of Kenya gets its name from Mount Kenya, referred to it as "Kirinyaga" or "Kerenyaga" by the local Kikuyu people, meaning "mountain of whiteness" due to its snow-capped peak.

Elvio is a barely-ever-used name that might just be a hidden gem. From the Latin family name Elvius, international bearers of the name include several footballers and the Paraguayan poet Elvio Romero. Parents today might see it as an alternative to more better-known Italianate names like Enzo and Elio.

Nature girl played by Audrey Hepburn in "Green Mansions," it now has an old-style bohemian feel.

Welsh heritage choice that's rare today even in its native land.

An Old Testament name used by the Puritans, less well known than female relatives Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah and as deserving of revival.

One of the rarer tree names, Birch evokes imagery of the beautiful paper-white bark tree.

Although a unisex name, the most notable people named Birch are men, such as Indiana senator Birch Evans Bayh Jr.

Birch trees are very symbolic in many cultures. In Russia, birch trees are emblematic of grace, beauty, and strength. In Celtic culture, birch trees represent growth, stability, and adaptability.

A color name in two languages. As a Finnish word name, Sini is a fancy way to say "blue". In India, it means "white" or "fair".

Kenya, a name borrowed from the East African nation and theoretically unisex, is now used mostly for girls. While it's had its ups and downs since entering the US Top 1000 in 1968, it currently ranks lower than spelling variant Kenia.

Commonly used in Japanese families.

Fresh choice, but with feminine lilt.

There aren't many Glendas under forty.

One of many Spanish elaborations of Rosa.

French actress and film director Maïwenn Le Besco uses only her striking given name professionally; it’s a contraction of Mari (the Breton form of Marie) and Gwenn ("white, fair, blessed"). The name has been moderately popular in France since the early 1990s, and currently ranks at around #200.

Riko is a hugely popular name for baby girls in contemporary Japan, and one that easily translates to the West.

Rym is one of those simple-yet-uncommon names that's extremely rare in the US , where no baby girls were given the name last year. But it certainly can travel anywhere.

An unusual but beautifully simple name, possibly a variation on Aelwen, that belongs to a river in north-east Wales. It may appeal if you like similar names like Arwen, Anwen and Olwen.

Gwenora teeters on the line between unique gem and modern invention. But it's not a smoosh name fashioned from Gwen and Nora but an old Cornish form of Guinevere, like its much more famous sister Jennifer.

A Welsh name for space fans, thanks to Tecwyn Roberts, a pioneering aerospace engineer at NASA.

Whitten is a stylish patronymic surname derived from Witt and Witte — German and Dutch nicknames-turned-surnames describing people with white-blonde hair or a pale complexion. Cool-guy nickname Whit only adds to the appeal.