What’s in a name? A lot of things! Parents-to-be might draw inspiration from their favorite actor or historical figure, or maybe it’s a treasured family name. They might have done some research into the traditional meanings behind these names. What if a mother picked a “peaceful” name, but little "Paxton" has never known a minute of quiet? These meaningful names might not influence personality, but it’s nice to know the history behind a moniker.
Kylie
"Kylie" means "boomerang" in Noongar, an aboriginal language of Australia. Some might think Kylie is the feminine version of the name Kyle, but the boomerang definition just keeps coming back.
Sophia
The Hagia Sophia is a massive, 1400-plus years-old temple in what is now Istanbul. The Ancient Greek word sophia meant clever, intelligent, and wise. The name "Sophia" has become an extremely popular modern girl’s name — quite a wise choice.
Aiden
If you know an Aiden with tons of energy, look to the meaning of the name. "Aiden" means "little fire," and it comes from the Irish names Aodhán or Áedán (both pronounced the same).
Emma
With a name that means whole or universal, "Emma" is all about balance and inclusion. It's one of the most common names in 21st century preschool classes, but the Germanic origin shows up as far back as the 11th century.
Beatrix
It's sometimes spelled Beatrice, but either spelling will make you happy. This old-fashioned name has Latin roots — beatus means blessed and happy.
Dara
What language is Dara speaking? In Persian, "Dara" is a male name meaning wealthy (Fun fact: Sara and Dara are Iranian toys, sold as an alternative to Barbie and Ken dolls). In Sanskrit it’s a gender-neutral name meaning star, and as an Irish name, it means oak. If you love names with varied meanings and lots of flexibility, you can’t get much better than Dara.
Naomi
"Noam" and "Naomi" come from Hebrew, meaning pleasantness. Many names derived from foreign languages have masculine and feminine forms with the same meaning — Joseph/Josephina (God will increase), Louis/Louisa (famous warrior), Steven/Stephanie (crown).
Jasper
Jasper takes on many meanings, but the most well-known is one of religious significance. It’s the name of one of the three Wise Men in the Bible, and the original Hebrew means treasurer. The jasper gemstone comes in a range of colors, from bright red to white with black spots.
Zoe
What better name to embody energy and happiness than Zoe? With a name that means life in Greek, anyone with this extremely popular modern name is sure to have some excitement.
Logan
This is a common last name, but you’ll also find this one near the top of the list of current popular baby names. Another gender-neutral name, it comes from a Scottish surname meaning little hollow.
What unique names do you know and love? Look up your name to find out what hidden meanings and character traits you’ve been missing.