Names Categorized "love"

This is a list of names in which the categories include love.
gender
usage
Adonis m Greek Mythology
From Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning "lord, master". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by Aphrodite, Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see Dumuzi).
Adoración f Spanish
Means "adoration" in Spanish. This name refers to the event that is known in Christian tradition as the Adoration of the Magi, which is when the three Magi presented gifts to the infant Jesus and worshipped him.
Afërdita f Albanian
Means "daybreak, morning" in Albanian, from afër "nearby, close" and ditë "day". It is also used as an Albanian form of Aphrodite.
Agape f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἀγάπη (agape) meaning "love". This name was borne by at least two early saints.
Agapetos m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Agapito.
Agapetus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Agapetos (see Agapito).
Agapi f Greek
Modern Greek form of Agape.
Agapios m Greek, Ancient Greek
Masculine form of Agape. This was the name of a saint from Caesarea who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.
Agapito m Spanish, Italian (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Agapitus or Agapetus, which was derived from the Greek name Ἀγαπητός (Agapetos) meaning "beloved". The name Agapetus was borne by two popes.
Agapitos m Greek
Modern Greek form of Agapito.
Ahava f Hebrew
Means "love" in Hebrew.
Ahuva f Hebrew
Means "beloved" in Hebrew.
Ai 1 f Japanese
From Japanese (ai) meaning "love, affection", (ai) meaning "indigo", or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Ai 2 f Chinese
From Chinese (ài) meaning "love, affection", (ǎi) meaning "friendly, lush", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Aiko f Japanese
From Japanese (ai) meaning "love, affection" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other character combinations.
Aimé m French
From Old French Amé, the masculine form of Amée (see Amy).
Aimée f French
French form of Amy.
Aimee f English
Variant of Amy, influenced by French Aimée.
Aimi f Japanese
From Japanese (ai) meaning "love, affection" and (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Aina 3 f Japanese
From Japanese (ai) meaning "love, affection" and (na) meaning "vegetables, greens", as well as other character combinations.
Airi 1 f Japanese
From Japanese (ai) meaning "love, affection" combined with (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or (ri) meaning "pear". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Amabilia f Late Roman
Feminine form of Amabilis.
Amabilis m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "lovable". Saint Amabilis was a 5th-century priest in Riom, central France.
Amada f Spanish
Feminine form of Amado.
Amadeus m Late Roman
Means "love of God", derived from Latin amare "to love" and Deus "God". A famous bearer was the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who was actually born Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart but preferred the Latin translation of his Greek middle name. This name was also assumed as a middle name by the German novelist E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), who took it in honour of Mozart.
Amado m Spanish
Spanish form of Amatus.
Amador m Spanish
Spanish form of Amator.
Amand m French
French form of Amandus.
Amanda f English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Latvian, Late Roman
In part this is a feminine form of Amandus. However, it was not used during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century it was recreated by authors and poets who based it directly on Latin amanda meaning "lovable, worthy of love". Notably, the playwright Colley Cibber used it for a character in his play Love's Last Shift (1696). It came into regular use during the 19th century.
Amandine f French
French diminutive of Amanda.
Amandus m Late Roman
Derived from Latin amanda meaning "lovable, worthy of love". Saint Amandus was a 5th-century bishop of Bordeaux. It was also borne by a 7th-century French saint who evangelized in Flanders.
Amantius m Late Roman
Means "loving" in Latin. This was the name of several early saints. It has sometimes been confused with the name Amandus.
Amata f Late Roman
Feminine form of Amatus.
Amato m Italian
Italian form of Amatus.
Amator m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "lover (of God)". Saint Amator was a 5th-century bishop of Auxerre.
Amatore m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Amator.
Amatus m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "beloved". The 7th-century Saint Amatus was the first abbot of Remiremont Abbey.
Amé m Medieval French
Old French form of Aimé.
Amedea f Italian
Italian feminine form of Amadeus.
Amée f Medieval French
Old French form of Aimée.
Ami 2 f English
Variant of Amy.
Amie f English
Variant of Amy.
Aminda f Esperanto
Means "lovable" in Esperanto.
Amor m & f Roman Mythology, Late Roman, Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Means "love" in Latin. This was another name for the Roman god Cupid. It also means "love" in Spanish and Portuguese, and as a feminine name it can be derived directly from this vocabulary word.
Amora f English (Modern)
Apparently a modern coinage based on Latin amor meaning "love".
Amore m & f Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Amor.
Amour m & f French (Rare)
French form of Amor.
Amoura f English (Modern)
Variant of Amora (perhaps based on French amour).
Amy f English
English form of the Old French name Amée meaning "beloved" (modern French aimée), a vernacular form of the Latin Amata. As an English name, it was in use in the Middle Ages (though not common) and was revived in the 19th century.
Anbu m Tamil
Means "love" in Tamil.
Angharad f Welsh, Old Welsh (Modernized), Welsh Mythology
From an Old Welsh name recorded in various forms such as Acgarat and Ancarat. It means "much loved", from the intensive prefix an- combined with a mutated form of caru "to love". In the medieval Welsh romance Peredur son of Efrawg, Angharad Golden-Hand is the lover of the knight Peredur.
Annabel f English, Dutch
Variant of Amabel, with the spelling altered as if it were a combination of Anna and French belle "beautiful". This name appears to have arisen in Scotland in the Middle Ages.
Aphrodite f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess Venus. She was the wife of Hephaestus and the mother of Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with ἀφρός (aphros) meaning "foam", resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
Armas m Finnish
Means "beloved" in Finnish (an archaic poetic word).
Aroha f & m Maori
Means "love" in Maori.
'Ashtart f Semitic Mythology
Phoenician form of Ashtoreth.
Ashtoreth f Biblical, Semitic Mythology
From עַשְׁתֹרֶת ('Ashtoret), the Hebrew form of the name of a Phoenician goddess of love, war and fertility. Her name is cognate to that of the East Semitic goddess Ishtar.
Asih f Indonesian
Variant of Kasih.
Ásta f Old Norse, Icelandic
Short form of Ástríðr. It nearly coincides with Icelandic ást meaning "love".
Astri f Norwegian
Variant of Astrid.
Astrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, English
Modern Scandinavian form of Ástríðr. This name was borne by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), the author of Pippi Longstocking. It was also borne by a Swedish princess (1905-1935) who became the queen of Belgium as the wife of Leopold III.
Astride f French
French variant of Astrid.
Ástríðr f Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Ástríður f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Ástríðr.
Astrophel m Literature
Probably intended to mean "star lover", from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star" and φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend". This name was first used by the 16th-century poet Sir Philip Sidney in his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella.
Atuf m Arabic
Means "loving" in Arabic.
Ayaulym f Kazakh
Means "beloved" in Kazakh.
Ayün f Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "love" in Mapuche.
'Aziz m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عزيز (see Aziz).
Aziz m Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Tajik
Means "powerful, respected, beloved", derived from Arabic عزّ ('azza) meaning "to be powerful" or "to be cherished". In Islamic tradition العزيز (al-'Aziz) is one of the 99 names of Allah. A notable bearer of the name was Al-'Aziz, a 10th-century Fatimid caliph.
Azize f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of Aziz.
Bogumił m Polish
Means "favoured by God" from the Slavic elements bogu "god" and milu "gracious, dear".
Bradamante f Literature
Used by Matteo Maria Boiardo for a female knight in his epic poem Orlando Innamorato (1483). He possibly intended it to derive from Italian brado "wild, untamed, natural" and amante "loving" or perhaps Latin amantis "lover, sweetheart, mistress", referring to her love for the Saracen Ruggiero. Bradamante also appears in Ludovico Ariosto's poem Orlando Furioso (1532) and Handel's opera Alcina (1735).
Buse f Turkish
Means "kiss" in Turkish, from Persian بوسه (buseh).
Canan f Turkish
Means "sweetheart, beloved" in Turkish.
Caoimhín m Irish
Irish form of Kevin.
Cara f English
From an Italian word meaning "beloved" or an Irish word meaning "friend". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, though it did not become popular until after the 1950s.
Caramia f Various
From the Italian phrase cara mia meaning "my beloved".
Caratācos m Brythonic (Hypothetical)
Possible Brythonic form of Caratacus.
Caridad f Spanish
Means "charity" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Caridad, meaning "Our Lady of Charity". This is the name of the patron saint of Cuba, with a shrine located in the town of El Cobre.
Carina 1 f English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from cara meaning "dear, beloved". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr. It is also the name of a constellation in the southern sky, though in this case it means "keel" in Latin, referring to a part of Jason's ship the Argo.
Carita f Swedish
Derived from Latin caritas meaning "dearness, esteem, love".
Caron f & m Welsh
From the name of places near the town of Tregaron in Ceredigion, Wales.
Carthach m Old Irish
Means "loving" in Irish. This was the name of two Irish saints, from the 6th and 7th centuries.
Carwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru "to love" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name was created in the 20th century.
Carys f Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru meaning "love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.
Cefin m Welsh
Welsh form of Kevin.
Ceri f & m Welsh
Meaning uncertain. It could come from the name of the Ceri River in Ceredigion, Wales; it could be a short form of Ceridwen; it could be derived from Welsh caru meaning "to love".
Chandrakant m Indian, Marathi, Hindi
Means "beloved by the moon", derived from Sanskrit चन्द्र (chandra) meaning "moon" and कान्त (kanta) meaning "desired, beloved". This is another name for the moonstone.
Charita f Various
Latinate form of Charity.
Charity f English
From the English word charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin caritas "generous love", from Latin carus "dear, beloved". Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation.
Chikondi m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means "love" in Chewa.
Cináed m Medieval Scottish, Old Irish
Possibly from Old Irish cin "respect, esteem, affection" or cinid "be born, come into being" combined with áed "fire", though it might actually be of Pictish origin. This was the name of the first king of the Scots and Picts (9th century). It is often Anglicized as Kenneth. The originally unrelated name Coinneach is sometimes used as the modern Scottish Gaelic form.
Cinta f Indonesian
Means "love" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit चिन्ता (chinta).
Clíodhna f Irish, Irish Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Irish legend this was the name of a beautiful goddess. She fell in love with a mortal named Ciabhán and left the Land of Promise with him, but when she arrived on the other shore she was swept to sea by a great wave.
Cóemgein m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Kevin.
Cordula f German
Late Latin name meaning "heart" from Latin cor (genitive cordis). Saint Cordula was one of the 4th-century companions of Saint Ursula.
Cupid m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Cupido meaning "desire". This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of Venus and Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows, which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was Eros.
Cupido m Roman Mythology
Latin form of Cupid.
Dafydd m Welsh
Welsh form of David. This name was borne by Dafydd ap Gruffydd, a 13th-century Welsh ruler, and Dafydd ap Gwilym, a 14th-century poet.
Dáibhí m Irish
Irish form of David.
Dàibhidh m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of David.
Daividh m Scottish (Rare)
Partially Anglicized variant of Dàibhidh.
Dalimil m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements dali meaning "distance" and milu meaning "gracious, dear".
Danai 2 f Southern African, Shona
From Shona dana meaning "call, summon".
Darlene f English
From the English word darling combined with the common name suffix lene. This name has been in use since the beginning of the 20th century.
Daud m Indonesian, Arabic
Indonesian form of David, and also an alternate transcription of Arabic داود or داوود (see Dawud).
Dauid m Biblical Greek
Form of David used in the Greek Old Testament. Some versions of the Greek New Testament also use this form, while others (the Textus Receptus) use Δαβίδ (Dabid).
Daveth m Cornish
Cornish form of David.
Davey m English
Diminutive of David.
Davi m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of David.
Dávid m Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak form of David.
David m English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dawid), which was derived from Hebrew דּוֹד (dod) meaning "beloved" or "uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament, Jesus was descended from him.... [more]
Davida f English (Rare)
Feminine form of David.
Davide m Italian
Italian form of David.
Davie m English, Scottish
Diminutive of David.
Davina f English
Feminine form of David. It originated in Scotland.
Davinia f English (Rare), Spanish (Modern)
Probably an elaboration of Davina. About 1980 this name jumped in popularity in Spain, possibly due to the main character on the British television series The Foundation (1977-1979), which was broadcast in Spain as La Fundación.
Davis m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name David. A famous bearer of the surname was Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), the only president of the Confederate States of America.
Davit m Georgian, Armenian
Georgian and Armenian form of David.
Daviti m Georgian
Form of Davit with the nominative suffix, used in Georgian when the name is written stand-alone.
Davud m Persian, Azerbaijani, Bosnian
Persian, Azerbaijani and Bosnian form of David.
Daw m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of David.
Dawid m Polish, Biblical Hebrew
Polish form of David, as well as the Biblical Hebrew form.
Dawood m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic داود or داوود (see Dawud).
Dawud m Arabic
Arabic form of David.
Delara f Persian
Means "adorning the heart", from Persian دل (del) meaning "heart" and آرا (ara) meaning "decorate, adorn".
Dewey m English
Probably a variant of Dewi 1.
Dewi 1 m Welsh
Possibly from Dewydd, an Old Welsh form of David. Saint Dewi, the patron saint of Wales, was a 6th-century bishop of Mynyw. A later Welsh form of David was Dafydd, which was more common in the medieval period. Dewi was revived in the 19th century.
Dilan f Turkish
Means "love" in Turkish.
Dilara f Turkish
Turkish form of Delara.
Diletta f Italian
Means "beloved" in Italian, from Latin dilectus.
Dobromil m Czech (Rare), Medieval Slavic
Derived from the Slavic elements dobru "good" and milu "gracious, dear".
Domagoj m Croatian
Derived from the Slavic elements domu "home" and gojiti "grow, heal, foster, nurture".
Dovid m Yiddish
Yiddish form of David.
Dovydas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of David.
Dragoljub m Serbian, Croatian
From the Slavic elements dragu meaning "precious" and lyuby meaning "love". This is also the Serbian and Croatian word for the flowering plant nasturtium (species Tropaeolum majus).
Dudel m Yiddish
Yiddish diminutive of David.
Eldad m Biblical
Means "God has loved" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is one of the two elders who prophesizes in the Israelite camp.
Elmo m Italian, English, Finnish, Estonian
Originally a short form of names ending with the Old German element helm meaning "helmet, protection", such as Guglielmo or Anselmo. It is also a derivative of Erasmus, via the old Italian short form Ermo. Saint Elmo, also known as Saint Erasmus, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron of sailors. Saint Elmo's fire is said to be a sign of his protection.... [more]
Erasmo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Erasmus.
Erasmos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Erasmus.
Erasmus m Late Greek (Latinized)
Derived from Greek ἐράσμιος (erasmios) meaning "beloved". Saint Erasmus, also known as Saint Elmo, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron saint of sailors. Erasmus was also the name of a Dutch scholar of the Renaissance period.
Erastus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἔραστος (Erastos) meaning "beloved". This was the name of an assistant of Paul mentioned in Acts and two epistles in the New Testament.
Erato f Greek Mythology
Means "lovely" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, the muse of lyric poetry.
Erazem m Slovene
Slovene form of Erasmus.
Ermo m Medieval Italian
Italian diminutive of Erasmus.
Eros m Greek Mythology
Means "love" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was a young god, the son of Aphrodite, who was armed with arrows that caused the victim to fall in love.
Esmae f English (Modern)
Feminine form of Esmé.
Esme f & m English (British)
Variant of Esmé.
Esmé m & f English (British)
Means "esteemed" or "loved" in Old French. It was first recorded in Scotland, being borne by the first Duke of Lennox in the 16th century. It is now more common as a feminine name.
Esmée f English (British), Dutch
Feminine form of Esmé.
Esmee f English (British), Dutch
Feminine form of Esmé.
Eustorgio m Italian (Rare)
From Eustorgius, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὐστόργιος (Eustorgios), which was from the word εὔστοργος (eustorgos) meaning "content", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and στέργω (stergo) meaning "to love, to be content". Saint Eustorgius was a 6th-century bishop of Milan.
Evîn f Kurdish
Means "love" in Kurdish.
Eziz m Turkmen
Turkmen form of Aziz.
Fancy f English (Rare)
From the English word fancy, which means either "like, love, inclination" or "ornamental". It is derived from Middle English fantasie, which comes (via Norman French and Latin) from Greek φαίνω (phaino) meaning "to show, to appear".
Filadelfo m Italian
Italian form of Philadelphos.
Filomena f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Lithuanian
Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Lithuanian form of Philomena.
Freya f Norse Mythology, English (Modern), German
From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.... [more]
Freyja f Icelandic, Norse Mythology
Icelandic and Old Norse form of Freya.
Frig f Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Anglo-Saxon cognate of Frigg. The day of the week Friday is named for her.
Frigg f Norse Mythology
Means "beloved", from Proto-Germanic *Frijjō, derived from the root *frijōną meaning "to love". In Norse mythology she was the wife of Odin and the mother of Balder. Some scholars believe that she and the goddess Freya share a common origin (though their names are not linguistically related).
Fríða f Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse form of Frida 2.
Fumnanya f & m Western African, Igbo
Means "love me" in Igbo.
Godelieve f Flemish
Dutch (Flemish) form of Godeliva.
Godeliva f Germanic (Latinized)
Feminine form of Goteleib. This was the name of an 11th-century Flemish saint who was murdered on her husband's orders.
Gojko m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene
From Slavic gojiti meaning "grow, heal, foster, nurture".
Goteleib m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements got "god" and liob "dear, beloved".
Gráinne f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Possibly derived from Old Irish grán meaning "grain" or gráin meaning "hatred, fear". In the Irish legend The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne she escaped from her arranged marriage to Fionn mac Cumhaill by fleeing with her lover Diarmaid. Another famous bearer was the powerful 16th-century Irish landowner and seafarer Gráinne Ní Mháille (known in English as Grace O'Malley), who was sometimes portrayed as a pirate queen in later tales.
Gurpreet m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit गुरु (guru) meaning "teacher, guru" and प्रीति (priti) meaning "pleasure, joy, love".
Habib m Arabic, Persian, Urdu
Means "beloved, darling" in Arabic.
Habiba f Arabic, Bengali
Feminine form of Habib.
Harpreet m & f Indian (Sikh)
From the name of the Hindu god Hari and Sanskrit प्रीति (priti) meaning "pleasure, joy, love".
Hellä f Finnish
Means "gentle, tender" in Finnish.
Heremoana m Tahitian
From Tahitian here "loved, dear" and moana "ocean".
Herenui f Tahitian
From Tahitian here "loved, dear" and nui "big".
Hulda 1 f Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian, Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse hulda meaning "hiding, secrecy". This was the name of a sorceress in Norse mythology. As a modern name, it can also derive from archaic Swedish huld meaning "gracious, sweet, lovable".
Idida f Biblical Latin
Form of Jedidah used in the Latin Old Testament.
Idonea f English (Archaic)
Medieval English name, probably a Latinized form of Iðunn. The spelling may have been influenced by Latin idonea "suitable". It was common in England from the 12th century.
Iedida f Biblical Greek
Form of Jedidah used in the Greek Old Testament.
Ife f & m Western African, Yoruba
From Yoruba ìfẹ́ meaning "love".
Ifunanya f Western African, Igbo
Means "love" in Igbo (literally "to see in one's eye").
Inanna f Sumerian Mythology
Possibly derived from Sumerian nin-an-a(k) meaning "lady of the heavens", from 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒀭 (an) meaning "heaven, sky". Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and war. She descended into the underworld where the ruler of that place, her sister Ereshkigal, had her killed. The god Enki interceded, and Inanna was allowed to leave the underworld as long as her husband Dumuzi took her place.... [more]
Ingunn f Norwegian, Icelandic, Old Norse
From the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with Old Norse unna meaning "to love".
Inkar f Kazakh
Means "desire, passion" in Kazakh.
Ishtar f Semitic Mythology
From the Semitic root 'ṯtr, which possibly relates to the Evening Star. Ishtar was an Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian goddess who presided over love, war and fertility. She was cognate with the Canaanite and Phoenician Ashtoreth, and she was also identified with the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
Iðunn f Norse Mythology, Old Norse, Icelandic
Probably derived from the Old Norse prefix ið- "again, repeated" and unna "to love". In Norse mythology Iðunn was the goddess of spring and immortality whose responsibility it was to guard the gods' apples of youth.
Jaime 2 f English
Variant of Jamie. The character Jaime Sommers from the television series The Bionic Woman (1976-1978) helped to popularize the name. It can sometimes be given in reference to the French phrase j'aime meaning "I love", though it is pronounced differently.
Janan f Arabic
Means "heart" or "soul" in Arabic.
Jedidah f Biblical
From Hebrew יָדִיד (yadid) meaning "beloved, friend". In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of King Amon of Judah and the mother of Josiah.
Jedidiah m Biblical
Means "beloved of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from יָדִיד (yadid) meaning "beloved, friend" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is a name given to Solomon by Nathan.
Jorunn f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Jórunnr, derived from the elements jǫfurr "boar" and unna "to love".
Kaipo m & f Hawaiian
Means "the sweetheart" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and ipo "sweetheart".
Kalyani f Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Hindi
Means "beautiful, lovely, auspicious" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
Kama m Hinduism
Means "love, desire" in Sanskrit. Kama is the winged Hindu god of love, the son of Lakshmi.
Kamakshi f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
From Sanskrit काम (kama) meaning "love, desire" and अक्षि (akshi) meaning "eye". This is the name of a Hindu fertility goddess. She is considered to be an incarnation of Parvati.
Kanda f Thai
Means "beloved" in Thai.
Karenza f Cornish
Variant of Kerensa.
Karesinda f Esperanto
Means "worthy of a caress" in Esperanto.
Karita f Swedish
Variant of Carita.
Kasih f Indonesian, Malay
Means "love" in Malay and Indonesian.
Kealoha f & m Hawaiian
Means "the loved one" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and aloha "love".
Kerensa f Cornish
Means "love" in Cornish.
Kerenza f Cornish
Variant of Kerensa.
Kevan m English
Variant of Kevin.
Kévin m French (Modern)
French variant of Kevin.
Kevyn m & f English (Rare)
Variant or feminine form of Kevin.
Kewin m Polish (Modern)
Polish form of Kevin.
Klytië f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek κλυτός (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". In Greek myth Klytië was an ocean nymph who loved the sun god Helios. Her love was not returned, and she pined away staring at him until she was transformed into a heliotrope flower, whose head moves to follow the sun.
Kokoro f Japanese
From Japanese (kokoro) meaning "heart, mind, soul" or other kanji and kanji combinations having the same pronunciation. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.
Lakshmi f & m Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Odia
Means "sign, mark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Hindu goddess of prosperity, good luck, and beauty. She is the wife of Vishnu and her symbol is the lotus flower, with which she is often depicted.
Laxmi f & m Indian, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Telugu లక్ష్మి or Marathi/Hindi लक्ष्मी (see Lakshmi), as well as the most common Nepali transcription.
Leeba f Yiddish
Alternate transcription of Yiddish ליבאַ (see Liba).
Lemminkäinen m Finnish Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly related to Finnish lempi "love". In the Finnish epic the Kalevala this is the name of an arrogant hero. After he was killed his mother fetched his body from the River of Death and restored him to life. He is sometimes identified with the god Ahti.
Lempi f Finnish
Means "love" in Finnish.
Lennon m & f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, derived from the Irish byname Leannán meaning "lover". The surname was borne by musician and Beatle member John Lennon (1940-1980), and it may be used as a given name in his honour. In America it is now more common as a feminine name, possibly inspired in part by the singer Lennon Stella (1999-), who began appearing on the television series Nashville in 2012.
Leobwin m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements liob "dear, beloved" and wini "friend", making it a cognate of Leofwine.
Leofdæg m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English element leof "dear, beloved" combined with dæg "day".
Leofflæd f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements leof "dear, beloved" and flæd, possibly meaning "beauty".
Leofgyð f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements leof "dear, beloved" and guð "battle".
Leofric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English element leof "dear, beloved" combined with ric "ruler, king".
Leofsige m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements leof "dear, beloved" and sige "victory".
Leofstan m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English element leof "dear, beloved" combined with stan "stone".
Leofwine m Anglo-Saxon
Means "dear friend", derived from the Old English elements leof "dear, beloved" and wine "friend". This was the name of an 8th-century English saint, also known as Lebuin, who did missionary work in Frisia.
Lerato f & m Southern African, Sotho
Means "love" in Sotho.
Lev 2 m Hebrew
Means "heart" in Hebrew.
Levin m German
German form of Leobwin.
Lewin m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Leofwine.
Liba f Yiddish
From Yiddish ליבע (libe) meaning "love".
Liběna f Czech
Derived from Czech libý meaning "pleasant, nice", from the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love".
Libuše f Czech
Derived from Czech libý meaning "pleasant, nice", from the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love". In Czech legend Libuše was the founder of Prague.
Lieber m Yiddish
From Yiddish ליבע (libe) meaning "love".
Lieve f Flemish
Short form of Godelieve.
Lieven m Flemish
Flemish form of Leobwin.
Lievin m Flemish
Flemish form of Leobwin.
Lioubov f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь (see Lyubov).
Liubou f Belarusian
Belarusian form of Lyubov.
Ljuba m & f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Czech
From the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love", or a short form of names beginning with this element. It is typically masculine in Serbia and feminine elsewhere.
Ljube m Macedonian
Diminutive of Ljubomir.
Ljubica f Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene
From the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love" combined with a diminutive suffix. It can also come from Serbian and Croatian ljubičica meaning "violet".
Ljubinka f Serbian
From the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Ljubiša m Serbian
From the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Ljubo m Croatian, Serbian
Diminutive of Ljubomir.
Ljubomir m Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Lubomír.
Ljupcho m Macedonian
Alternate transcription of Macedonian Љупчо (see Ljupčo).
Ljupčo m Macedonian
Diminutive of Ljubomir.
Love 2 f English
Simply from the English word love, derived from Old English lufu.
Lovemore m Southern African
From the English words love and more. This name is most common in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in southern Africa.
Luben m Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Любен (see Lyuben).
Ľubomír m Slovak
Slovak form of Lubomír.
Lubomír m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements lyuby "love" and miru "peace, world".
Lubomir m Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Любомир (see Lyubomir).
Ľubomíra f Slovak
Slovak feminine form of Lubomír.
Lubomíra f Czech
Feminine form of Lubomír.
Lubor m Czech
Derived from the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love".
Ľuboš m Slovak
Slovak form of Luboš.
Luboš m Czech
Short form of Lubomír and other names beginning with the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love".
Lubov f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian/Bulgarian Любов (see Lyubov).
Ļubova f Latvian
Latvian form of Lyubov.
Lyuben m Bulgarian
Derived from the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love".
Lyubov f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Derived from the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love".
Mabel f English
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis. This spelling and Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel The Heir of Redclyffe, which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
Mable f English
Variant of Mabel.
Mai 2 f Japanese
From Japanese (mai) meaning "dance" or 麻衣 (mai) meaning "linen robe". It can also come from (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with (ai) meaning "love, affection". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Mair f Welsh
Welsh form of Maria (see Mary).
Mairwen f Welsh
Combination of Mair and Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed".
Maite 2 f Basque
Means "beloved" in Basque.
Manami f Japanese
From Japanese (mana) meaning "love, affection" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful" or (mi) meaning "sea, ocean". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Manju f Indian, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu
Means "lovely, beautiful" in Sanskrit.
Manpreet f & m Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and प्रीति (priti) meaning "pleasure, joy, love".
Mariona f Catalan
Catalan diminutive of Maria.
Mary f English, Biblical
Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριάμ (Mariam) and Μαρία (Maria) — the spellings are interchangeable — which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".... [more]
Mavourneen f Irish (Rare)
Derived from the Irish phrase mo mhúirnín meaning "my darling".
Maybelline f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Mabel. This is an American cosmetics company, which was named after the founder's sister Mabel in 1915.
Medad m Biblical
Means "love" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Medad is one of the elders who prophesizes in the camp of the Israelites after the flight from Egypt.
Megumi f Japanese
From Japanese (megumi) meaning "favour, benefit" or (megumi) meaning "love, affection", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that have the same reading. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.
Meresankh f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian mrs-ꜥnḫ meaning "she loves life". This name was borne by several Egyptian royals during the 4th-dynasty period.
Meritites f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian mryt-jts meaning "loved by her father". This name was borne by several Egyptian royals, including a wife and a daughter of the pharaoh Khufu.
Milan m Czech, Slovak, Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian
From the Slavic element milu meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names that began with that element. A city in Italy bears this name, though it originates from a different source.
Milda f Lithuanian, Latvian, Baltic Mythology
Meaning unknown. According to the 19th-century Polish-Lithuanian historian Teodor Narbutt, this was the name of a Lithuanian goddess of love.
Miloslav m Czech, Slovak, Medieval Slavic
Derived from the Slavic elements milu "gracious, dear" and slava "glory".
Minna f German (Archaic), Finnish, Swedish
Means "love" in Old German, specifically medieval courtly love. It is also used as a short form of Wilhelmina. This is the name of the title character in the play Minna von Barnhelm (1767) by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.
Mireille f French, Dutch
From the Occitan name Mirèio, which was first used by the poet Frédéric Mistral for the main character in his poem Mirèio (1859). He probably derived it from the Occitan word mirar meaning "to admire". It is spelled Mirèlha in classical Occitan orthography. A notable bearer is the French singer Mireille Mathieu (1946-).
Miriana f Italian
Italian variant of Miriam.
Mudiwa f & m Southern African, Shona
Means "beloved, darling" in Shona.
Naji m Arabic
Means "intimate friend" in Arabic. This can also be another way of transcribing the name ناجي (see Naaji).
Nayeli f Indigenous American, Zapotec (Hispanicized), Spanish (Mexican)
Possibly from Zapotec nadxiie lii meaning "I love you" or nayele' meaning "open".
Negar f Persian
Means "beloved" in Persian.
Neha f Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu
Possibly from Sanskrit स्नेह (sneha) meaning "love, tenderness".
Nigar f Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Negar.
Nigora f Uzbek, Tajik
Uzbek and Tajik form of Negar.