This thread is inspired by [name_u]Perry[/name_u] (“dweller near a pear tree”) and [name_m]Samir[/name_m] (“a friend to talk with in the evening”). What are your favourite names with meanings that are a little more, well, interesting (for lack of a better word) than e.g ‘strong’ or ‘brave’ or ‘grace’.
Here are some I just like, they’re not really as descriptive as yours though-
[name_f]Beatrix[/name_f]/[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]: She who brings happiness or Voyager through life
Gelasia: Inclined to laughter
Any -dora names: - gift
[name_f]Alcina[/name_f]: Strong willed
[name_f]Berenice[/name_f]: She who brings victory
Aella: Whirlwind
[name_f]Tallulah[/name_f]: Leaping water
[name_f]Araceli[/name_f]: Altar of the [name_u]Sky[/name_u]/ Heavens
Athanasia and Perenna: Immortal
[name_f]My[/name_f] boys list doesn’t really have many interesting meanings. [name_m]Just[/name_m] Athanasius and [name_m]Emrys[/name_m] which both mean immortal.
Girls
[name_f]Veronica[/name_f] - [name_f]Veronica[/name_f] is a female given name, “she who brings victory”. In medieval etymology, [name_f]Veronica[/name_f] was sometimes attributed as from Latin vera (true) and Greek eikon (image). <–I actually find the mix of etymologies interesting.
Zephirine - ‘West wind,’ or ‘gentle wind’ (western winds being favourable in Greece).
Ayla - ‘the halo of light around the moon’ in Turkish.
Euphemia - ‘well spoken’
Siofra - Fairy, changeling, imp.
Libi - ‘my heart’
Boys
Nicodemus - ‘Victory of the people.’
Lysander - ‘liberator’ or ‘one who is freed’
Peregrine - not actually a reference to the falcon, but foreigner/traveller/pilgrim.
Raziel - ‘My secret is G-d’ or ‘G-d is my secret’
Noam - ‘Pleasantness.’ Which is so sweet and simple it makes me laugh. Does that count as interesting?
Hugleikur - Mind game
Sumarliði - One who goes harrying in the summer
Veturliði - One who goes harrying in the winter
Málfríður - Beautiful language
Illugi - Evil mind (don’t understand why people use this)
Ófeigur - One who lives a long time (name often given in the past to sickly baby boys, in the hope that it would come true)
Styrmir - One who rushes about
[name_u]Waverly[/name_u] - quaking aspen tree
[name_f]Harlow[/name_f] - fortified hill
[name_u]Tegan[/name_u] - daughter of a poet/beautiful
[name_f]Eulalia[/name_f]/[name_f]Eulalie[/name_f] - fair speech/well spoken
[name_f]Luella[/name_f] - female warrior
[name_f]Kendra[/name_f] - head of the household (same as [name_m]Henry[/name_m])
I’ve fallen for [name_f]Alma[/name_f] lately, I love its meaning of “soul” <3 One of my friends recently passed away and his surname was the Spanish word for “spirit” so I appreciate that connection now more than ever.
I like Amparo, it means “shelter” in Spanish.
Etaina- “she who shines”
[name_u]Bellamy[/name_u]- “beautiful friend”
[name_u]Carlin[/name_u]- “little champion”
[name_f]Alastrina[/name_f]- “defender of humankind”
[name_m]Callan[/name_m]- “likes to talk”
[name_f]Emily[/name_f]- “rival”
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f] (“bringer of happiness”)
[name_f]Consuelo[/name_f] (“consolation”)
Lillemor (“little mother” - cute!)
Pilvi (“cloud”)
[name_m]Roc[/name_m]ío (“dew”)
[name_f]Sunniva[/name_f] (“sun-gift”)