Names That Mean Thankful or Gratitude
- Iyra
Origin:
Arabic, Urdu or SanskritMeaning:
"respectable, awe-inspiring; or a name for the goddess Saraswati"Description:
Variant of Ayra
- Sansa
Origin:
SanskritMeaning:
"praise, charm"Description:
Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin is a master namer, and this unusual choice from India is beginning to be heard in nurseries as well as on television. Sansa was perhaps slower to catch on than other names such as Arya and Khaleesi as Sansa Stark was in the first seasons of the show a weak and compromised character.
- Enea
Origin:
Italian variation of Aeneas, GreekMeaning:
"the praised one"Description:
Enea is derived from Aeneas, the name of a Roman mythological hero with strong ties to the city of Rome. It's no surprise then, that Italians have embraced Enea, a more modern variation of his name.
- Thana
Origin:
Arabic, GreekMeaning:
"praise; death"Description:
Though the Greek meaning sounds ominous, the mythological god Thanatos was actually a jolly winged creature living in the underworld, so it shouldn't deter you.
- Dunya
Origin:
RussianMeaning:
"well-regarded"Description:
Courageous sister of Raskolnikov in Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment.
- Blessing
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Blessing is among the Top 1000 girls' names in the UK and recently joined the ranks in the US as well. With modern spiritual names like Shiloh, Chosen, and Halo trending upwards, Blessing is likely to continue to rise in popularity.
- Lalisa
Origin:
ThaiMeaning:
"one who is praised"Description:
A pretty Thai name famously borne by Thai musical artist Lisa (full name: Lalisa Manoban), whose name was changed in childhood from Pranpriya to Lalisa after she had her fortune told.
- Mohammed
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"greatly praised"Description:
This variation of Muhammed is not as popular as some, but it still is a widely used choice.
- Samiya
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"high, exalted, praised"Description:
Samiya is a name used by parents of both Arabic and African ancestry. Spelling variations include Samiyah, Samiah, and Samia.
- Shakira
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"thankful, woman of grace"Description:
The mononymous Colombian-born singer inspired a popularity blip in the 90s and early 00s.
- Sanjiro
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"admired, praised"Description:
Interesting name with a cool, upbeat sound.
- Blessing
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"God's favor and protection"Description:
This spiritual word name is rising for girls and boys.
- Ahmed
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"greatly praised"Description:
This variation of Ahmad is one of the most popular Arabic names among Muslim families the world over and is now the most used spelling in the USA. It shares the same root as other popular Arabic names, including Muhammad and Hamid.
- Ahmet
Origin:
Turkish variation of AhmadMeaning:
"greatly praised"Description:
Ahmet is known outside its native land largely thanks to Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun. The original crazy celebrity baby namer Frank Zappa named one of his sons Ahmet, after the influential music executive. Ahmad is a variation of Muhammad.
- Kaena
Origin:
HawaiianMeaning:
"praised"Description:
Kaena is a pleasant sounding unisex Hawaiian place name, the westernmost point of the island of Oahu. In the computer-generated fantasy movie Kaena: The Prophecy, the character of Kaena is voiced by Kirsten Dunst.
- Itoro
Origin:
IbibioMeaning:
"praise, glory"
- Zan
Origin:
ChineseMeaning:
"support, comfort"Description:
This name can be used for either girls or boys and is a great international choice.
- Samiyah
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"high, exalted, praised"Description:
Samiyah hovers near the bottom of the US Top 1000, used expecially by Arab-American and African-American families. Variations include Samiya, Samiah, and Samia.
- Aenea
Origin:
Greek, female variation of AeneasMeaning:
"the praised one"Description:
This name found in the fantasy series Endymion/Rise of Endymion has a slightly physiological feel to it.
- Esmeree
Origin:
French; Literary nameDescription:
The name of a beautiful princess of Wales in Arthurian legend. She is rescued by "Le Bel Inconnu" — Gingalain, the son of Sir Gawain — and marries him. Esmerée likely derives from Old French esmer "to love; respect".