Names with "mother" in Meaning

CANDACE f English, 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).

DAR f & m Hebrew
Means "mother-of-pearl, nacre" in Hebrew.

DEMETER (1) f Greek Mythology
Possibly means "earth mother", derived from Greek δα (da) meaning "earth" and μητηρ (meter) meaning "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.

EMESE f Hungarian
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.

MAIA (1) f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Portuguese, Georgian
From Greek μαια (maia) meaning "good mother, dame, foster mother", perhaps in origin a nursery form of μητηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, the group of seven stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.

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

MAYLIS f French
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.

METRODORA f Ancient 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.

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

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

MUTHONI f Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means "mother-in-law" in Kikuyu.

NNEKA f Western African, Igbo
Means "my mother is supreme" in Igbo.

NNENNA f Western 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.

NNENNE f Western 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.

SADAF f Arabic
Means "seashell, mother-of-pearl" in Arabic.

YEJIDE f Western African, Yoruba
Means "image of the mother" in Yoruba.

YETUNDE f Western African, Yoruba
Means "mother has returned" in Yoruba.

YEWANDE f Western African, Yoruba
Means "mother has returned" in Yoruba.

ZARAMAMA f Incan Mythology
Means "grain mother" in Quechua. This was the name of the Inca goddess of grain.