Cute Name, Interesting Origins
Baby names are hard. You want something original, but not over-the-top. Sometimes you can’t decide on a name until you actually see that screaming bundle of joy in your arms. Nevertheless, it’s important to look up baby name meanings; otherwise, your eight-year-old will come home one day and say, “Mom, did you know that my name means pig?” If you want to avoid that interaction, check out this list below.
1. Arlette
This pretty name has its origins in Norman-French, a dialect of Old French spoken by the Vikings. However, due to the Vikings’ roots in North Germany, the name Arlette actually comes from the Germanic word Herleva, meaning “eagle.”
2. Bowie
The name Bowie has its roots in the Irish and Scottish languages. While typically thought to mean “yellow” or “fair-haired,” there is also an idea that the name Bowie could have specifically Irish origins, and trace back to a definition that means “victorious.” We all certainly know a Bowie who had yellow hair and was victorious.
3. Cecilia
Aside from breaking Simon and Garfunkel's hearts, the name Cecila doesn’t have a very pretty definition. The name comes from the Latin word “Caecilius,” meaning “blind” or “dim-sighted.”
4. Emily
The name Emily is the feminine form of Aemilius, and wasn’t a commonly-used name until the 18th century. From an entomological standpoint, the name has Latin roots. The word itself means “rival” in Old Roman. Now you can say, “My Emily made a mean comment today,” and nobody will know what you’re talking about.
5. Giselle
When you think of the name Giselle, you likely think of the Disney film or the ballet, depending on where your interests lie. The name Giselle has French origins and has several weird meanings. Giselle means “mutual obligation” in German, but also means “hostage” or “pledge.”
6. Carter
Carter is an English word that essentially means “one who uses a cart.” It has its origins in the Middle Ages, a time in which people’s surnames referenced their careers. So if you were a Carter from the 5th to the 15th centuries, it's assumed you made carts or transported goods. You were an old-timey truck driver.
7. Darya
The name Darya has several definitions throughout history. In Persian, it means “the sea,” but in Greek and Russian, it has origins in the word “wealthy.” In Hebrew, the name means “nugget of wisdom.” All pretty wonderful definitions, so this name is a great option if you want to set your kid up for success.
8. Brennan
Brennan gets its roots from the Irish word Braonán, which comes from the Irish word braon, meaning “rain, moisture, or drop.” The name started gaining popularity in the United States around the 1960s and reached its height in the 2010s.
9. Shada
Shada is an alternative spelling of the name Shatha. The name has Arabic origins, meaning “scent,” "fragrance," or “aroma.” However, the Native American definition of this word also means “pelican.”
10. Ledger
Similarly to Carter, Ledger is an occupational surname for someone who is a mason or stonemason. It comes from the name Leodegar, meaning “to put, place, lay down,” but also has Germanic roots from the name Leutgar. This Old Germanic name meant “people-spear.”
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11. Phineas
The popular cartoon brother of Ferb, the name Phineas has disputed origins. It’s biblical in nature and was written by Phinehas in the Old Testament. The name Phinehas comes from the Egyptian name Panhsj, and likely means “Nubian” or “serpent’s mouth” in Hebrew.
12. Kennedy
The Kennedy comes from the the anglicized words of Ó Ceannéidigh or Mac Cinnèidigh, meaning "descendent of" or "son of." However, the Irish name Ceannéidigh means “ugly head” or “helmet head.”
13. Ramsey
This last name has English and Scottish roots. Its definition is “garlic island,” in Old English. If George R.R Martin knew this when he was writing A Song of Ice and Fire, maybe the Boltons would have a garlic head as their sigil, instead of the much more graphic flayed man.
14. Portia
A name we typically use when it comes to cars or Ellen DeGeneres’s wife, the name Portia has Roman roots from the name Porcius. Despite how pretty the name is today, the Latin translation of Portia is “pig.”
15. Aeron
An uncommon name found today, as most people use the spelling of Aaron (which has a completely different meaning), the name Aeron has Welsh roots. It’s likely derived from the Celtic goddess Agrona, which means “battle” or “slaughter.”
16. Tristan
If you don’t know French, this name probably comes as a surprise to you. Likely coming from the Celtic name Drustan, meaning “outcry” or “tumult,” the French spelling of the name comes from the word “triste,” meaning sad.
17. Cameron
The name Cameron is typically associated with English names, but actually has its roots as a Scottish surname. The definition of this name means “crooked nose,” and was actually used as a nickname for people who had that trait.
18. Rebecca
Rebecca, or Rebekah, is Hebrew in origin. It has its roots in the Old Testament, as the biblical figure Rebecca is the wife of Isaac, and the mother of Jacob and Esau. There are two definitions of this name: “Captivating beauty,” and “to tie” or “to bind.”
19. Bailey
Bailey is a common enough name, and gets its roots from the French word baili, meaning “bailiff.” The modern definition of the word bailiff directly translates to “manager” or “warrant officer.”
20. Chaska
This name is not commonly seen in the West today, but gets its roots from the Sioux people of the central United States and Canada. The name comes from the Lakota or Dakota name čhaské, meaning “firstborn son.”
