Based Names vs Cringe Names
Don't name your kids "Aayden" or "Khaleesi"
Need a good name for your future kids? Want to see what your own name means?
I compiled a list of 100+ based options below. 60+ male and 40+ female names. I’ll probably add to this list in the future.
You might want names from your family tree, depending on how cool they are. At the very least, no one should consider modern unintelligible nonsense. Soy parents naming someone Kayleiyeugh or Bracksxtoyhn is child abuse.
If your name didn’t make the following list—sorry friend, your parents didn’t do enough research.
Disclaimer: name meanings may vary by source and region. I analyzed different options and included what seemed to make the most sense. YMMV. I’ve included links for further reading.
Male names & their meanings
Aaron - high mountain, exalted, warrior lion
Abraham - father of many, multitudes
Adam - man (first man)
Alan - little rock or noble rock, beautiful or handsome
Albert - noble and bright
Alexander - defender of men
Alvin / Aldous - noble friend
Andrew / Andre - manly, masculine
Anthony / Antonius - worthy of praise, of value, priceless
Augustus / Augustine - exalted, venerable, consecrated, holy
Benjamin - son of the south, son of the right hand
Bernard - brave or hardy bear
Björn - bear
Brian - noble, exalted; [warning: Brian can mean “maggot” to the French, see link]
Chad - battle, warrior
Charles / Carl - free man, king
Christopher - bearing Christ, the Christ-bearer
Daniel - God is my judge
David - beloved
Donald - ruler of the world, world-ruler
Dylan - to flow, toward the tide
Edgar - rich spear
Edward - rich guard
Eric - ever-ruler, ever-powerful, always mighty
Franklin - free man
Frederick - peaceful ruler
Gabriel - God is my strong man, hero of God
Geoffrey / Jeffrey - God’s peace, peaceful territory
George - farmer, earthworker
Gerald - rule of the spear, spear-ruler
Godfrey / Godfried - peace of God, God’s peace
Gregory / Grigori - watchful, alert
Henry / Harry / Hendrik - home-ruler
Herbert - bright army, illustrious warrior
Herman / Armand - army man
Herod - song of the hero
Hugh / Hugo - heart, mind, spirit
Jared - descent [from Adam]
Jason / Jace / Jayce - healer
John / Jack - God is gracious
Joseph - he will increase, God will add
Joshua - God is lordly
Justin - just, fair, righteous
Leon - lion
Louis / Lewis / Ludwig / Clovis - famous warrior
Martin / Marcus / Mark - of Mars/Ares
Matthew / Mattias / Mateo - gift of God
Michael - “Who is like God? There are none like God.” (Quis ut Deus?)
Neil / Niall / Nigel - fury, passion, hero
Patrick / Pádraig - nobleman
Peter / Piers - stone, rock <”…thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it…” - Matthew 16:18>
Reginald / Reynold / Reinhold / Ronald - one who rules with good counsel or advice, ruler's counselor, wise ruler
Richard - brave ruler
Robert - bright fame
Roger - famous spear, lance of renown
Rudolph / Rudolf - famous wolf
Sigurd - guardian of victory
Solomon - peace
Theodore - gift of God
Timothy - one who honors God
Victor - victor, conqueror
Vladimir - famous ruler, owner of peace <name is similar to Robert “bright-fame”>
William - will to don the helmet, strong-willed warrior
Wyatt - brave in battle
Zachary / Zachariah - God remembers
Female names & their meanings
Abigail - my father is joy
Ada / Adelaide / Adeline - noble
Amanda - worthy of love
Anastasia - resurrection
Anna / Anita / Hannah - favor, grace
Aria - song, melody
Ariadne / Ariana - most holy
Ariel - lion of God
Astrid - beautiful, beloved
Aurora - dawn, of the goddess of the morning
Beatrice / Beatrix - voyager, traveler, blessed, happy
Bridget / Brighid / Bridgette - exalted
Chloe - blooming, fertility, a green shoot in Spring, like Demeter
Christina / Christine - a Christian
Clara / Claire - clear, bright, famous
Cora - maiden, Persephone
Diana - divine, goddess-like
Edith - wealth, fortune, war
Eleanor / Nora - light-hearted, shining light
Elizabeth / Elise / Isabella - my God is an oath, God’s oath
Emily - rival
Eve / Eva / Ava - to breathe, to live
Frida - peace
Helen - torch, moon
Jane / Janet / Janelle / Joan / Joanna / Giovanna / Gianna - God is gracious
Josephine - God will add/grow/increase
Julianna / Gillian - youthful, graceful
Katherine / Catherine / Katrina - pure
Laura - laurel [for victors’ garlands]
Mary / Maria - beloved, love
Matilda / Maude - strength in battle
Naomi - pleasantness, beauty
Natalie / Natasha - Christmas Day
Patricia - noblewoman
Sarah - lady, princess, noblewoman
Sophia - wisdom
Theresa / Therese - summer harvester
Valerie - to be strong
Vera - faith, truth
Victoria - victory
I wouldn’t recommend naming kids after real-life objects, seasons, or regions. Daisy, Georgia, Jade, Jasmine, Olive, Rose, Sage, Savannah, Summer, etc.
Also keep in mind that some of the above names are fairly dated. Even if the meaning is interesting, you might not want to choose something that’s become unpopular (like Herbert or Herod). Or maybe you’ll reverse a trend! Who knows.
Names are important.
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