Some parents, sure, they choose a baby name just because they like the way it sounds. Others see a baby name as a statement of values, and want to choose a name that shows off their ideals.
When looking at the top 1,000 boy names and girl names put out by the Social Security Administration (SSA) this year, we can see that meaningful baby names are on the rise. Looking at the just top 10, you can find names with deep definitions, like Sophia (which means "wisdom"), Theodore ("gift of God") and Evelyn ("desired").
So for parents who want to go backwards, and start with the definition and then choose the name, these meaningful baby names offer up great inspiration.
Names That State Their Values
Certain "virtue names" don't have a hidden meaning — they're English word names that state their intentions loud and clear.
- Charity
- Chosen
- Earnest
- Faith
- Glory
- Grace
- Harmony
- Honor
- Hope
- Joy
- Justice
- Liberty
- Loyal
- Lucky
- Mercy
- Prudence
- Royal
- Saint
- True
- Valor
While many of these names are traditionally girl names, it's the traditional boy names that are actually growing in popularity. Chosen (and Chozen), True and Saint all made the SSA's list of the fastest-climbing names for boys. (Joy is the only one that made the fast-climbing girl list.)
Names That Mean "Wise," "Smart" or "Intelligent"
If what parents want most is to cultivate the mind, these names are a perfect match, since they all pay homage to wisdom, cleverness or intelligence.
- Akilah
- Akira
- Alden
- Aldo
- Alfred
- Athena
- Hugh
- Keen
- Minerva
- Ramona/Raymond
- Sage
- Sophia/Sofia
- Sonya
- Thanh
- Veda
Looking for more great baby names? Check out these Good Housekeeping guides: Disney Baby Names | Indian/Hindu Boy Names | Indian/Hindu Girl Names | Italian Baby Names | French Baby Names | Hispanic Boy Names | Hispanic Girl Names | Irish Boy Names | Irish Girl Names | Long Names for Boys | Long Names for Girls | Short Names for Boys | Short Names for Girls
Baby Names That Mean "Strong"
In this case, "strong" could mean either a physical strength, or an inner sense of strength and resilience. These are great names to consider for strong babies.
- Amari
- Andrea
- Andrew
- Audrey
- Brian
- Ethan
- Evander
- Griffin
- Hamza
- Kenji
- Liam
- Matilda
- Millie
- Valentina
- Valerie
Names That Mean "Gift of God" or "God Is Gracious"
Babies are a gift — they must be if there are so many names that mean some variation of "God's gift," or "God is gracious," hailing from so many different cultures and in different languages. Parents who want to pay tribute to a higher power may want to take note.
- Ayaan
- Ayansh
- Dorothy
- Gianna
- Ivan
- Jack
- Jane
- Jasmine
- Jesse
- Joan
- Joanna
- Jonathan/John
- Matthew/Matteo
- Nael
- Nathaniel
- Sean
- Siobhan
- Thaddeus
- Theodore/Theodora/Theo
- Zane
Baby Names That Mean "Joy" or "Happiness"
As mentioned earlier, Joy is a name in and of itself, but for parents who want to keep it a little under-the-radar, here are other names that bring about good feelings.
- Abgail
- Alaia
- Alan
- Asher
- Beatrice
- Blythe
- Caius
- Felicity
- Felix
- Gaius
- Isaac
- Lettie
- Naim
- Sayid
- Tate
Names That Mean "Noble" or "Wealthy"
If the goal is to be healthy, wealthy and wise, well, you can't forget that middle part. These are names that invoke high status, riches and nobility.
- Adele/Della
- Alice
- Dhani
- Eamon
- Earl
- Edward/Edwin
- Elodie
- Grady
- Heidi
- Karim
- Odette
- Otis
- Otto
- Owen
- Patrick
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
