Behind the Name: Names with "mother" in Meaning

BOLORMAAfMongolian
Means "crystal mother" in Mongolian.

CANDACEfEnglish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the hereditary title of the queens of Ethiopia, as mentioned in Acts in the New Testament. It is apparently derived from Cushitic kdke meaning "queen mother". In some versions of the Bible it is spelled Kandake, reflecting the Greek spelling Κανδακη. It was used as a given name by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 20th century by a character in the movie 'Meet the Stewarts' (1942).

DARf & mHebrew
Means "mother-of-pearl, nacre" in Hebrew.

DEMETER (1)fGreek Mythology
Possibly means "earth mother", derived from Greek δα (da) "earth" and μητηρ (meter) "mother". In Greek mythology Demeter was the goddess of agriculture, the daughter of Cronus, the sister of Zeus, and the mother of Persephone. She was an important figure in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites performed at Eleusis near Athens.

EMESEfHungarian
Possibly derived from Finno-Ugric eme meaning "mother". In Hungarian legend this was the name of the grandmother of Árpád, founder of the Hungarian state.

MARI (3)fMythology
Possibly from Basque emari "donation" or amari "mother". This was the name of a goddess of the weather and fertility in Basque mythology.

MAYLISfFrench
From the name of a town in southern France, possibly derived from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of MARIE and lys.

METRODORAfAncient Greek
Derived from Greek μητηρ (meter) "mother" (genitive μητρος) and δωρον (doron) "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr who was killed with her sisters Menodora and Nymphodora.

METROPHANESmAncient Greek
Derived from Greek μητηρ (meter) "mother" (genitive μητρος) and φανης (phanes) "appearing". Saint Metrophanes was the first bishop of Byzantium (4th century).

MOAfSwedish
Possibly derived from Swedish moder meaning "mother". This was the pen name of the Swedish author Moa Martinson (real name Helga Maria Martinson).

MUTHONIfEastern African, Kikuyu
Means "mother-in-law" in Kikuyu.

NNEKAfWestern African, Igbo
Means "my mother is supreme" in Igbo.

NNENNAfWestern African, Igbo
Means "father's mother" in Igbo. This name is sometimes given to a child when it is believed that she is a reincarnation of her paternal grandmother.

NNENNEfWestern African, Igbo
Means "mother's mother" in Igbo. This name is sometimes given to a child when it is believed that she is a reincarnation of her maternal grandmother.

SADAFfArabic
Means "seashell, mother-of-pearl" in Arabic.

YEJIDEfWestern African, Yoruba
Means "image of the mother" in Yoruba.

YETUNDEfWestern African, Yoruba
Means "mother has returned" in Yoruba.

YEWANDEfWestern African, Yoruba
Means "mother has returned" in Yoruba.

ZARAMAMAfIncan Mythology
Means "grain mother" in Quechua. This was the name of the Inca goddess of grain.

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