So my approach to naming is that I donāt want to honor people but I do want to choose meaningful names. Iām looking for names with meanings and associations that match the values I want for my future little ones.
Specifically, meanings related to:
- Travel or wanderlust
- Strength or protection (of others, of the earth, of values)
- Earth (nature and love of nature)
- Artistic
- Kindness
- Intelligence or skepticism
- Humanism
- Dreamer or idealism
Please, NO meanings related to religion or God. Iām also avoiding biblical or Saint names.
What names do you think capture this wandering, feminist, humanist, almost hippie dippie vibe? Names that feel like my son, either as a first or middle?
6 Likes
hmmmā¦ what about:
Faramund (āprotector of travelersā)
Somerled (āsummer travelerā)
Peregrine (ātravelerā)
Sojourner (ātravelerā plus good namesakes!)
Doran (āwandererā)
Miran (āworldā)
Journey (too on-the-nose?)
i like this challenge and will be back later with more ideas! just have to go afk now so take what iāve come up with so far ^^
1 Like
hmmm okay
maybe names like:
[name_u]Sage[/name_u]
[name_f]Clover[/name_f]
[name_f]Fern[/name_f]
[name_u]Wilder[/name_u]
[name_u]River[/name_u]
[name_f]Hazel[/name_f]
names of famous scientists could work, or names related to science in some way, like:
[name_m]Darwin[/name_m] (Charles Darwin)
[name_m]William[/name_m] (Bill Nye)
[name_m]Galileo[/name_m] (Galileo Galilei)
[name_m]Leonardo[/name_m] (Leonardo da Vinci)
[name_u]Rosen[/name_u] or [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] (Rosalind [name_m]Franklin[/name_m] and [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] Franklin)
[name_m]Newton[/name_m] (Isaac Newton)
[name_u]Florence[/name_u] or [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u] (Florence Nightingale)
[name_u]Firenze[/name_u] (fee-den-zay) could also work for [name_u]Florence[/name_u] [name_u]Nightingale[/name_u]
[name_u]Claude[/name_u] (Claudius Ptolemy)
[name_u]Neil[/name_u] (Neil DeGrasse Tyson)
[name_m]Stephen[/name_m] or [name_m]Hawk[/name_m] (Stephen Hawking)
[name_m]Ezio[/name_m] āhawkā could also work for [name_m]Stephen[/name_m] Hawking
[name_m]Richard[/name_m] (?) (Richard Dawkins)
[name_m]Sagan[/name_m] or [name_f]Saga[/name_f] (Carl Sagan)
Most of these names also apply to humanism, since they mostly come from humanists/atheists
[name_m]Astro[/name_m]
[name_u]Mars[/name_u]
[name_u]Jupiter[/name_u]
[name_f]Callisto[/name_f]
[name_f]Lune[/name_f]
[name_m]Helio[/name_m] āsunā
Names that mean intelligent/smart:
[name_m]Vivek[/name_m] āwisdomā
[name_m]Hugo[/name_m] āintellectā
[name_u]Sage[/name_u] āwise and knowingā
[name_u]Cato[/name_u] āall knowingā
[name_m]Feivel[/name_m] ābrilliant oneā
[name_u]Kendry[/name_u] āwise manā
this is kind of a stretch but [name_f]Reverie[/name_f] means daydream, so [name_u]Revere[/name_u] could be a masc form of that
I hope these help!! the search to find good, not religious names is difficult so I totally feel you there lol. good luck! <3
1 Like
[name_m]Petrichor[/name_m]
2 Likes
@anon35922409 thank you!! I literally love all of those meanings so much! Canāt wait to see the rest!
@Quilliza thank you! 
I didnāt notice how many boy names have religious meanings until I realized that it would bother me. I loveā¦
[name_u]Sage[/name_u]
[name_u]Wilder[/name_u]
[name_u]River[/name_u]
[name_m]Darwin[/name_m]
[name_m]Galileo[/name_m]
[name_u]Nightingale[/name_u]
[name_u]Claude[/name_u] (or Ptolemy!)
[name_m]Ezio[/name_m]
[name_m]Astro[/name_m]
[name_u]Mars[/name_u]
[name_m]Feivel[/name_m]
[name_u]Kendry[/name_u]
[name_u]Revere[/name_u]
@Harvest-Endellion thank you! [name_m]Petrichor[/name_m] is interesting, what does it mean?
1 Like
more suggestions!
Wilder (āuntamed, wildā)
Farren (āwandererā)
Gatlin (āwandering manā)
Nestor (ātravelerā)
Viator (āvoyagerā)
Ferdinand or Dinand (ābold voyagerā)
Bonaventure (āgood fortuneā)
Kota (āgood fortuneā)
Esmond or Osmond (āgraceful protectionā)
Emmon (ārich protectionā)
Wilkie or Wiley (āresolute protectionā)
Julian (āsky fatherā - too religious?)
Coel (ābeliefā)
Petrichor (āthe scent of fresh rain on dry groundā)
Damek (āson of the red earthā - too biblical due to etymological link to Adam?)
Mies (āson of the earthā)
Holt (āson of the unspoiled forestsā)
Dagwood (āshining forestā)
Roscoe (ādeer forestā)
Zale (āsea-strengthā)
Almeisan (āthe shining oneā - also the name of a star in Gemini)
Gilbert (āshining promiseā)
Painter (obvious)
1 Like
the beautiful scent of rain after long dryness
1 Like
In the spirit of wandering, I love [name_m]Meander[/name_m] as a name.
1 Like
I love these parametres, and I love your take on naming. I also share your not using specific honours but using very meaningful names style.
Amedeo ā¢Amedeo Modigliani , a famous Italian painter and sculptor
Aqil ā¢means intelligent/wise in Arabic
Arlotto ā¢I just discovered this, it looks like it possibly comes from an old French word meaning vagabond or tramp
Atlas ā¢the obvious connection to the word atlas always gives me traveling vibes when I hear this name
Ayan ā¢means road, path or solar path in Bengali
Benigno ā¢means kind/friendly
Beren ā¢means strong/smart in Turkish
Caiseal ā¢ Caiseal Mor, an Australian sci-fi and fantasy novelist, artist and musician
CĆ©zanne ā¢from the French artist, Paul CĆ©zanne
Chares / Charis ā¢means grace/kindness, Chares was also the name of a Greek sculptor
Domenico ā¢Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter
Elisedd ā¢means kind
Enki ā¢means lord of the earth or lord of the ground. itās a name from Sumerian mythology. Enki was the Sumerian god of water and wisdom. Iām not sure how you feel about mythological names?
Hozan ā¢means poet/intellect in Kurdish
Irfan ā¢means knowledge/awareness/learning in Arabic (I especially love the thought of the awareness meaning)
Kahlo ā¢Frida Kahlo
Keefe ā¢loosely means descendant of beauty/gentleness/kindness
Kees ā¢a Dutch painter, Kees van Dongen
Koios or Coeus ā¢Meaning, origin and history of the name Koios - Behind the Name this potential meaning seems like the epitome of what you are looking for to me
Matisse ā¢from French artist, Henri Matisse
Mungo ā¢gentle/kind
Phintias ā¢ Phintias was an ancient Greek vase painter
Pictor ā¢Latin meaning painter, also a constellation
Romare ā¢ for the African American artist, Romare Bearden
Veremund ā¢means vigilant or cautious protection
Walker ā¢the obvious meaning makes it feel like a traveling name
Wasi ā¢means broad-minded/liberal/learned in Arabic
Winslow ā¢famous American painter, Winslow Homer
I got my meanings from behind the name website. Since I couldnāt find any name meanings that related to art, I went with names of artists. Iām not sure if that kind of connection is something you are interested in.
2 Likes
Would you ever consider simply using [name_m]Art[/name_m] as a name? Canāt get much more artsy then that!
2 Likes
@Harvest-Endellion ooh thatās so cool! I love that meaning!
@anon35922409 wow, thank you! I loveā¦
[name_u]Wilder[/name_u]
[name_m]Farren[/name_m]
[name_m]Gatlin[/name_m]
[name_m]Kota[/name_m]
[name_m]Esmond[/name_m]
[name_m]Emmon[/name_m]
[name_m]Petrichor[/name_m]
[name_u]Roscoe[/name_u]
[name_m]Zale[/name_m]
[name_m]Almeisan[/name_m]
@columbiacharm thank you! I love seeing someone else taking this approach too! I donāt mind mythological names, in fact I rather like them, itās just Judeo-Christian names that Iām avoiding. I loveā¦
[name_m]Amedeo[/name_m]
Arlotto
[name_u]Atlas[/name_u]
[name_u]Ayan[/name_u]
Caiseal
[name_u]Kahlo[/name_u]
[name_m]Keene[/name_m]
Koios (love this!)
[name_u]Matisse[/name_u]
Veremund
[name_m]Art[/name_m] feels more like a nickname for [name_m]Arthur[/name_m] than a name to me but it is quite artsy lol.
1 Like
[name_m]Eric[/name_m], [name_m]Carl[/name_m] (Eric Carle)
[name_u]Dale[/name_u], [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] (Dale [name_m]Patrick[/name_m] Chihuly)
[name_m]Frank[/name_m], [name_m]Lloyd[/name_m] (Frank [name_m]Lloyd[/name_m] Wright)
1 Like
[name_u]Evren[/name_u]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m]
[name_f]Monet[/name_f]
[name_m]Angelo[/name_m]
[name_m]Hawthorn[/name_m]
[name_u]Cedar[/name_u]
[name_u]Cypress[/name_u]
1 Like
i w i l l t a k e l i t e r a l l y e v e r y n a m e l i s t e d h e r e, t h a n k y o u v e r y m u c h.
1 Like
[name_m]Leander[/name_m] (lion of a man)
[name_m]Oscar[/name_m] (friend of deer)
[name_m]Alaric[/name_m] (ruler of all)
[name_m]Atreus[/name_m] (fearless)
[name_u]Cato[/name_u] (wise)
[name_m]Rembrandt[/name_m] (a painterās name meaning sword of advice)
[name_m]Amias[/name_m] (friend)
Iām trying to avoid any obviously [name_u]Christian[/name_u] names, but saintsā names in particular are hard to avoid since there are so many of them. 
1 Like
[name_m]Rainier[/name_m]
[name_u]Everest[/name_u]
[name_u]Noe[/name_u] ā rest, peace
[name_u]Payson[/name_u] ā son of peace
[name_u]Wendell[/name_u] ā seeker, wanderer
Woodard ā caretaker of the woods
[name_u]Amory[/name_u] ā leader, brave, divine
1 Like
@shells15 thank you!! Those names arenāt really my style but I like the people!
@Greyblue thank you!! I love
[name_u]Evren[/name_u]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m]
[name_f]Monet[/name_f] (love this on a boy!)
[name_m]Hawthorn[/name_m]
@choupette thank you!! Iām really trying not to let saint names bother me because of that lol. I love
[name_m]Leander[/name_m]
[name_m]Alaric[/name_m]
[name_m]Atreus[/name_m]
[name_u]Cato[/name_u]
[name_m]Amias[/name_m]
@PaperGirlAC thank you! I love
[name_m]Rainier[/name_m]
[name_u]Everest[/name_u]
[name_u]Wendell[/name_u]
[name_u]Amory[/name_u]
@tfzolghadr thank you !! I used to be catholic but most of the time, I discover names are saint names when I look them up on BtN. Thereās just so many! I love
[name_u]Berlin[/name_u]
[name_u]Morocco[/name_u]
[name_m]Caspian[/name_m]
[name_m]Adrian[/name_m]
[name_u]Denver[/name_u]
Traverse
[name_u]Quest[/name_u]
Aukai
[name_m]Ansel[/name_m]
[name_m]Eamon[/name_m]
[name_m]Aatami[/name_m]
[name_m]Aatos[/name_m]
[name_m]Ahti[/name_m]
[name_m]Dallin[/name_m]
Ilmarinen
[name_m]Otso[/name_m]
[name_m]Thor[/name_m]
[name_u]Canyon[/name_u]
[name_u]Equinox[/name_u]
[name_u]Solstice[/name_u]
[name_u]Everest[/name_u]
[name_m]Malachite[/name_m]
[name_u]Onyx[/name_u]
[name_u]Falcon[/name_u]
[name_u]Rio[/name_u]
[name_u]Oleander[/name_u]
[name_u]Sage[/name_u]
[name_u]Starling[/name_u]
[name_m]Grayling[/name_m]
Capelin
[name_u]Marlin[/name_u]
[name_u]Sunbeam[/name_u]
Arctic
[name_u]Golden[/name_u]
[name_u]Quill[/name_u]
[name_u]Rune[/name_u]
[name_m]Thorn[/name_m]
[name_u]Nightingale[/name_u]
[name_u]Wolf[/name_u]
[name_u]Cove[/name_u]
[name_u]Eagle[/name_u]
[name_u]Orion[/name_u]
Cosmos
[name_u]Zenith[/name_u]
[name_u]Evren[/name_u]
Keone
[name_u]Kai[/name_u]
Alapai
Nahele
Kawai
[name_m]Keanu[/name_m]
2 Likes