Baby names
How to Honour a Loved One Without Giving Your Baby Their Exact Name
A family connection can live in a shared initial, a second given name or a story you pass on. Work out what you want to preserve before choosing how.
Names and ideas for family life
Find a name that feels right for your family.
Explore name meanings, origins and pronunciation, or find practical guides for pregnancy and everyday family life.
- Names tracked
- 428
- Origins tracked
- 35
- Curated lists
- 7
- Languages
- 2
Explore the collection
Names to get you started
Explore meanings, origins and sounds to find names you want to know better.
Isla
GirlScottish · English: /ˈaɪ.lə/ — EYE-luh
A name drawn from the Scottish island Islay; its older literal meaning is uncertain.
Nature-inspiredGentle
Sami
BoyArabic · Arabic /ˈsaː.miː/; Finnish /ˈsɑ.mi/
In Arabic, “elevated” or “exalted”; in Finnish, a short form of Samuel.
MinimalistWarm
Hana
GirlHebrew · Czech /ˈɦa.na/; Japanese /ha.na/; Arabic هناء /haˈnaːʔ/.
Grace or favour in the Hannah tradition; happiness in Arabic; flower in Japanese spellings such as 花.
Simple and sweetGentle
Felix
BoyLatin · English: /ˈfiːlɪks/; German: /ˈfeːlɪks/
Happy or fortunate
ClassicBright
Mateo
BoySpanish · Spanish: /maˈte.o/, approximately mah-TEH-oh; three syllables, stress on the middle one.
Gift of God, from the name’s Hebrew ancestry.
ClassicWarm
Luka
BoySlavic · Croatian /ˈluː.ka/; approximately LOO-kah
Usually interpreted as “from Lucania”, a region of southern Italy.
Simple and sweetWarm
Quick shortlists
Curated lists
Discover names through shared origins, sounds and cultural connections.
Finnish Boy Names: Meaning and Sound
Explore Finnish boys’ names through their roots, vowel lengths and rhythms, from Finnish word names to local forms of wider name families.
AapoAkseliEeroIlmariJuhani
Finnish Names: Forms and Connections
Explore Finnish names through their words, name families and cultural connections, with careful distinctions between shared spellings.
AapoAkseliEeroElinaIlmari
Hawaiian Boy Names
Explore names used for boys with Hawaiian connections, from adapted name forms to words and religious tradition.
KaleKuMano
Italian Names: Meaning, Rhythm and Everyday Use
Explore Italian name forms and their older roots, with practical comparisons of pronunciation, endings and gender across languages.
AndreaAriaArmandoAurelioCarla
TinyNest
Family guides
Ideas and practical help for planning a family, welcoming a baby and everyday life together.
Baby names
Love the Name, Dislike the Nickname? How to Think Through Your Choice
Separate the name you love from the short form you dislike. Compare your options, practise a simple request and leave room for your child’s own preference.
Family life
Who’s Making Dinner After Baby Arrives? A Food Plan for the First Weeks
A flexible first-week plan for groceries, easy meals, food from friends and washing up, with options for a small freezer, a tight budget or one available adult.