What name means gift of love?
100 Boy Names That Mean Love from Around The World
These boy names that mean love will fill your heart with joy. From romantic boy names to heart and love names of different cultures, you’ll find a baby name to fall in love with.
Updated: January 31, 2023
Nothing is as strong as a parent’s love for their baby, so choosing a baby boy name that means love is a perfect fit. These baby boy names are inspired by different types of love from all kinds of cultures, stories and mythologies.
If you want to choose the sweetest baby name for your little boy, explore our list of romantic boy names inspired by literature and famous symbols of love. You’re sure to lose your heart to one of these beautiful boy names.
Baby Boy Names Meaning Love Starting with A to L
These boy names that mean love will help get you started on your search for the perfect name that will always remind your little one just how much they are loved.
- Agapius — Of Latin origin meaning divine love
- Aiko — Japanese name meaning child of love
- Amadeus — A Latin name meaning lover of God
- Amador — Of Latin origin meaning one who loves
- Amatus — Latin boy name meaning loved
- Amias — Of Latin origin meaning loved
- Amor — Latin name meaning “loving.”
- Anbu — Of Indian origin translated to love
- Anwil — Of Welsh origin meaning beloved
- Aonghus — Aonghus is the Irish God of Love and Youth
- Armas — Finnish name that translates to love.
- Atif — Arabic name meaning affectionate one
- Atuf — Arabic for love
- Aziz — This Arabic name means beloved
- Bes — Name of an ancient Egyptian deity who was also known as the “God of love.”
- Caratacos — A Celtic boy name that translates to “love”
- Cargus — Ancient Celtic word meaning love
- Caron— Welsh gender-neutral name meaning loving or kind.
- Carwyn — This Welsh name means fair love
- Carys — Welsh name meaning “to love.”
- Casanova — Italian name that is often used to refer to a male lover or ladies’ man.
- Cerio — Welsh name meaning beloved
- Connelly — Of Irish origin meaning love and friendship
- Cupid — God of love in Roman mythology
- David — Of Hebrew origin meaning beloved
- Daviel — Hebrew name meaning beloved.
- Davin — Welsh name meaning loved.
- Dawood — Hebrew male name meaning beloved friend.
- Dragoste — Romanian name meaning love.
- Dwyn — The God of Love in Celtic mythology.
- Eldad — Biblical name of Hebrew origin meaning God has loved.
- Elmo — Of Greek, Latin, and Italian origin meaning love
- Erasmus — Of Greek origin meaning beloved
- Eros — The Greek God of Love
- Eustorgio — Italian name meaning “good to love”
- Fenmore — An English name meaning dear love
- Gerwyn — Of Welsh origin meaning fair love
- Gracian — Of Italian origin meaning beloved
- Habib— Arabic word for beloved.
- Jacayl — Somali word for love.
- Jeb — Of Hebrew origin meaning beloved friend
- Jedidiah — Of Hebrew origin meaning beloved of the lord
- Kama — In the Hindu tradition, Kama is the God of love
- Karlek — Of Swedish origin meaning love or romance.
- Kealoha — Hawaiian name meaning “the loved one”
- Kendi — African name for boys that means love.
- Leif — A Scandinavian name meaning love
- Liebe — This German name means love
- Lieber — A male Yiddish name that means “love”
- Lennan — Irish boy name meaning “lover”
- Lolonyo — Of African descent meaning love is beautiful
- Lubos — Slavic name that means love.
- Lubomir -Czech name meaning “love and peace”
- Lufian — Old English name meaning one who is full of love
- Lyuben — A Bulgarian name meaning “love”
Baby Boy Names Meaning Love Starting with M to Z
- Medad — A Biblical name for boys that means “love”
- Milos — This Slavic name means beloved
- Paris — Name inspired by the city of love: Paris, France
- Phil— An English name with Greek origins coming from philos which means loved
- Philemon — Of Greek origins meaning loving
- Prem — Of Indian origin for love and affection
- Roman — Italian name for romantic lover.
- Rudo — An African boy’s name meaning “love”
- Sajan — Of Hindi origin meaning loved one
- Upendo — A Swahili name meaning love
- YueLao — God of love in Chinese mythology.
Boy Names That Mean Heart
These names are perfect for a little boy with a very big heart!
- Ahlab — Biblical name that means “brother of the heart.”
- Caleb — Hebrew name meaning “Whole heart.”
- Chane — French name meaning “Strong, oak-heart.”
- Chino— Boy name meaning small, golden heart
- Chitpal — Punjabi boy name meaning “lovely heart.”
- Corazon — Spanish name meaning “heart.”
- Corwin — Gaelic name meaning “heart’s friend.”
- Damir — Muslim boy name meaning “heart” and “love.”
- Daric -Gaelic boy name meaning “Strong, oak-hearted.”
- Deedar — Indian name meaning “melancholy or broken heart.”
- Dilraj — Indian name meaning “heart’s king”
- Dyre — Scandinavian name meaning “dear heart.”
- Euston — Irish male name meaning “heart.”
- Fawad — Muslim boy name meaning “heart.”
- Hagen — Irish name meaning “young heart” or “youthful one.”
- Hugh— German meaning “mind and heart”
- Hughard — German name meaning “brave heart”
- Lev — Israeli name meaning “heart.”
- Redan — Hindi boy name meaning “one with a loving heart.”
- Swaran — Indian name meaning “one who has a golden heart.”
- Tate — Native American name meaning “lighthearted” or “pleasant talker”
- Xaivian — Arabic name meaning “bright heart.”
- Zamir — Hebrew name for “heart of the songbird.”
Romantic Boy’s Names Inspired by Literature and Pop Culture
These boy names are inspired by the swoon worthy romantic heroes from literature, rom-coms, and pop culture.
- Brandon— A classic Jane Austen romantic hero, Colonel Brandon is a love interest in Sense and Sensibility. The name Brandon is of Old English origin and means «fiery hill.»
- Fitzwilliam — The first name of Pride and Prejudice’s Mr. Darcy. Fitzwilliam means “solider’s son.”
- Gilbert— This name means “bright desire” and is a great pick for Anne of Green Gables fans who had a childhood crush on Gilbert Blythe!
- Flynn — Rapunzel’s dashing prince in Disney’s Tangled.
- Heathcliff — A romantic hero or anti-hero with a lot of baggage, this name comes from Charlotte Bronte’s Wuthering Heights.
- Marius — After the romantic lead in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables. Marius falls in love with the beautiful Cosette.
- Nicholas — A name to honor popular romance writer Nicholas Sparks who gave us classic romance stories like The Notebook and Dear John.
- Orpheus — Romantic poet and hero in Ancient Greek mythology who goes to the underworld to rescue his wife Eurydice.
- Pothos — Greek god of longing, desire, and passion.
- Romeo— Of the tragic pair of lovers from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
- Westley— Inspired by the romantic hero of The Princess Bride.
If you are not totally smitten with this list of boy names that mean love, consider these popular baby name lists for more inspiration:
- 101 Girl Names That Mean Love
- Top 1000 Most Popular Baby Boy Names in the U.S.
- Top 1000 Most Popular Baby Girl Names in the U.S.
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Dive Into This Massive List Of Baby Names That Mean Water
When selecting names for their baby, parents consider several factors, including a name’s meaning, origin, and particular characteristics or personality traits it is associated with. Names that mean water touch on all of the above, making them a popular choice with parents. After all, there are few things as vital to human existence as water. Yes, we need to eat, but without water, crops couldn’t grow, and livestock couldn’t survive. Look at any ancient civilization or cities founded before the technological advances of the 19th and 20th centuries: Most (if not all) grew up around a body of water, whether it was the ocean, a natural harbor, a river, or a lake.
Water is extremely powerful too. Not only is it needed to sustain life, but in situations like hurricanes and floods, it can also cause a lot of destruction. Either way, water dictates our future.
To honor this incredible element, we’ve compiled a massive list of names that mean water for girls and boys, as well as some that are gender-neutral.
Girl Names That Mean Water
Here is a selection of girl names that mean “water,” or have some sort of connection to water:
1. Adria
Meaning: sea or water
2. Adriana
Meaning: sea or water
3. Alda
4. Alma
Meaning: river in Crimea
5. Amaya
Meaning: night rain
6. Anahita
Meaning: water and river goddess
7. Asita
Meaning: River Yamuna
8. Avonlea
Meaning: field by the river
9. Beverley/Beverly
Meaning: beaver stream; meadow
10. Breena
Meaning: little drop of water
11. Brenna
Meaning: moisture; drop
12. Brooke
Meaning: small stream
13. Brooklynn
Meaning: small stream
14. Chamiree
Meaning: crooked stream
15. Chandania
16. Cherith
Meaning: winter stream
17. Cordelia
Meaning: daughter of the sea
18. Darya
19. Dayla
Meaning: to draw water
20. Delta
Meaning: triangle of land formed by water
21. Doris
Meaning: gift of the ocean
22. Dwyn
23. Evian
Meaning: spa town in France
24. Guadalupe
Meaning: river with black stones
25. Guinevere
Meaning: white wave
26. Hali
27. Jenna
Meaning: white wave
28. Jennifer
Meaning: white wave
29. Kaimana
Meaning: power of the ocean
30. Kendra
Meaning: clear water
31. Lindsey
Meaning: linden trees near the water
32. Loire
Meaning: from Loire River in France
33. Lucerne
34. Lupe
Meaning wolf river
35. Lupeta
Meaning: wolf river
36. Lyre
Meaning: fork in the river
37. Marella
Meaning: shining sea
38. Marilla
Meaning: shining sea
39. Marina
Meaning: a basin on a shore of a body of water
40. Maya
41. Mayim
42. Meredith
Meaning: protector of the ocean
43. Michal
Meaning: tiny drops of water
44. Mira
Meaning: ocean; sea
45. Misty
Meaning: sea mist
46. Moana
47. Muriel
Meaning: of the bright sea
48. Nahla
Meaning: first drink of water in the desert
49. Naida
Meaning: water nymph
50. Namra
Meaning: delicious water
51. Narelle
Meaning: from the North; a river in New South Wales
52. Noelani
Meaning: heavenly mist
53. Oceana
54. Reva
55. Rhea
56. Rheanna
Meaning: stream; goddess
57. Ria
58. Rihanna
59. Rosemary
Meaning: dew of the sea
60. Sabrina
Meaning: from the river Severn
61. Salila
62. Sarita
63. Sereia
Meaning: mermaid; siren
64. Talia
Meaning: gentle rain
65. Tallulah
Origin: Indigenous American
Meaning: leaping water
66. Zarna
Meaning: sweet water
67. Zarya
Meaning: water priestess
Boy Names That Mean Water
Here is a selection of boy names that mean “water,” or have some sort of connection to water:
1. Adair
Meaning: river near oaks
2. Afron
3. Afton
Meaning: from Afton River
4. Alon
5. Alton
Meaning: town or source of river
6. Andreus
Meaning: on of river Peneius
7. Arnon
Meaning: rushing stream
8. Bahari
9. Bergren
Meaning: mountain stream
10. Brodny
Meaning: one who lives near a stream
11. Brookes
Meaning: small stream
12. Brooks
Meaning: running water
13. Calder
14. Chilton
Meaning: a town by the river
15. Dalas
Meaning: valley of water
16. Dallan
Meaning: valley of water
17. Douglas
Meaning: dark water
18. Dougy
Meaning: dark water
19. Fenton
Meaning: marsh town
20. Firth
Meaning: arm of the sea
21. Ford
Meaning: river crossing
22. Gafar
23. Haf
24. Hudson
Meaning: from Hudson River or Hudson Bay
25. Jafar
Meaning: little stream
26. Kallan
Meaning: flowing water
27. Kalloll
Meaning: large waves
28. Kaveri
Meaning: sacred river of India
29. Kelvin
Meaning: from the narrow river
30. Lincoln
Meaning: settlement by water
31. Malik
32. Maren/Marin
33. Moses
Meaning: drawn from the water
34. Moss
Meaning: drawn from the water
35. Ninad
Meaning: gentle sound of water
36. Odine
Meaning: little wave
37. Ohio
Origin: Indigenous American
Meaning: large river
38. Paroo
Meaning: graceful flow of water
39. Pavati:
Origin: Indigenous American
Meaning: clear water
40. Pulin
41. Redford
Meaning: red river crossing
42. Rilian
Meaning: small stream
43. Rio
44. Ryver
45. Sachiel
Meaning: angel of water
46. Sagara
47. Sailor/Saylor
48. Salil
49. Severin
Meaning: river in England
50. Siva
Meaning: Lord, water
51. Strom
52. Tahoe
Origin: Indigenous American
Meaning: edge of the lake
53. Troy
Meaning: water or foot soldier
54. Wade
Meaning: river crossing
Gender-Neutral Names That Mean Water
Here is a selection of gender-neutral names that mean “water,” or something water-related:
1. Abital
Meaning: my father is the night dew
2. Adva
Meaning: small wave, ripple
3. Aeron
Meaning: a small river in Wales
4. Aqua
Meaning: from the color aqua
5. Ara
Meaning: brings rain
6. Arna
Meaning: wave; stream
7. Baia
8. Bay
Meaning: broad inlet
9. Bayou
Meaning: a small stream
10. Beckett
11. Brennan
Meaning: drop of moisture
12. Brooklyn
Meaning: small stream
13. Cascade
Meaning: falling water
14. Clyde
Meaning: one who washes
15. Coral
Meaning: underwater semi-precious sea growth
16. Dallas
Meaning: valley of water
17. Dylan
Meaning: tide flow
18. Eira
19. Euri
20. Eyre
Origin: English, Norse
Meaning: a lake in Australia
21. Fisher
22. Fjord
Meaning: pass over water
23. Harbor
Meaning: protection; shelter
24. India
25. Isa
26. Isla
27. Itzel
Origin: Indigenous American
Meaning: dew, nectar, fluid
28. Jamaica
Origin: Indigenous American
Meaning: land of food and water
29. Jordan
Meaning: descend or flow
30. Jubal
31. Kai
32. Kelby
Meaning: dweller at the farm by the spring
33. Kenga
34. Kline
35. Laguna
Meaning: pond or lake
36. Lake
37. Leith
Meaning: wet or damp
38. Locklyn
Meaning: lake land
39. Lynn
40. Mar
Origin: Portuguese, Spanish
41. Maris
Meaning: of the sea
42. Marlowe
43. Monroe
Meaning: dweller at the red marsh
44. Morgan
45. Nebula
46. Nira
Meaning: pure water
47. Nirvelli
Origin: Indigenous American
Meaning: water child
48. Nixie
Meaning: water sprite or nymph
49. Oceane
50. Rain
51. Raine
52. Rainey
53. Rayan
Meaning: land lush and rich in water
54. River
55. Shandy
Meaning: wise river
56. Shannon
Meaning: name of a river in Ireland
57. Shore
58. Whitney
Meaning: from clear water
59. Winslet
Meaning: Wynn’s stream
Names Inspired By Greek Sea Goddesses
Greek names have a knack for sounding so pretty and are always a safe way to go. So if you’re thinking about naming your child after one of these supernatural beings of the sea, see below for some aquatic options.
- Aphrodite: We all know Aphrodite as the goddess of love, but did you know she was born from seafoam?
- Argyra: This sea nymph doesn’t have a direct tie to water, but she fell in love with a man named Selemnus, who turned into a river.
- Benthesicyme: This sea nymph is a daughter of Poseidon, so there’s that. But also, the name means “deep wave.”
No matter which name you choose for your child, one with a connection to water may help them go with the flow in life.
149 Names That Mean Love
Names that mean love are especially, well, beloved by parents right now, with such stylish names as Esme, Cordelia, Amias, Amara, and Lennon all having meanings related to love.
A love-related meaning fits in among Valentine’s Day names or might be the perfect choice for a baby conceived on a honeymoon. Of course, names with love meanings can also work for any child welcomed into the world with love.
Love is always a wonderful meaning for a name, and there are baby names meaning love for baby girls and boys in every language and style, including the Welsh names Rhys and Carys and the African Obi, the classic David and the new word name, Love itself.
Along with Esme and Amara, other top girl names that mean love include Mila, Amy, Amanda, Mabel, and Philippa. Top boy names that mean love include Rhys, Philip, Lev, and Hart. Names that mean love or beloved in languages other than English include Carys, Querida, Rudo, and Sajan.
If you’re looking for baby names that mean love, you can include names with a range of meanings related to love and names that reference different kinds of love, from charitable love to romantic love to spiritual love. Included here are names that mean loving, names that mean beloved, names that mean desire, names that mean heart, and even names that mean lovely.
Leading the list are Nameberry’s most popular names that mean love for both baby boys and girls, followed by more unique baby names that mean love.
To explore more baby names by meaning, go to our central page for Name Meanings.
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Mabel is a saucy Victorian favorite searching for its place in modern life; if you love offbeat old-fashioned names like Violet or Josephine, only sassier, Mabel is one for you to consider—it’s started making a comeback and could rise to popularity a la Sadie. Several celebs have chosen it, including Chad Lowe, Nenah Cherry, Bruce Willis and Dermot Mulroney.
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Cordelia, the name of King Lear’s one sympathetic daughter, has style and substance, and is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name that many parents are seeking today. If you’re torn between Cordelia and the equally lovely Cora, you can always choose Cordelia for long and then call her Cora for short—or Delia, Lia, Del, or even the extremely different Cordie. Cordelia is a Nameberry favorite—Number 106 on the site—and it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 60+ year absence.
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There’s Rhys and there’s Reese (now more popular for girls) and there’s Reece, and we particularly like the traditional Welsh spelling, which entered the list in 2004, possibly influenced by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, of The Tudors, and Welsh-born actor Rhys Ifans.
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Amara is the Italian word for bitter, from the same root as Mary and Miriam. It has separate roots in West Africa as a name that means «grace» in the Igbo language. These two meanings are the best-known, but Amara is also a Sanskrit name meaning «immortal», an Arabic word meaning «tribe» and a Mongolian name meaning «peaceful».
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Mila is a given name with Russian and Slavic provenance. It began as the diminutive form for names such as Ludmila, Milena, and Milica. Mila can be a nickname for any name containing the element mil, meaning «gracious» or «dear.»
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Amias or Amyas is a unique name with an attractive sound and feel and a lovely meaning. Though it might sound like a Biblical name, it is not, but is a surname that may be related to Amadeus or even be a male version of Amy—which would make it one of the few boys’ names to be derived from a girls’.
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Philip, the name of one of the 12 apostles, is still favored by parents in search of a solid boys’ classic that is less neutral than Robert or John and more distinctive than Daniel or Matthew and has many historic, royal ties.
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This concise one-syllable name, has two possible derivations and two positive meanings associated with it. In Hebrew, it means «heart», while in Russian it means «lion». So strong and simple Lev has both a soft and a fierce side.
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This form of Agnes, Ines has always been popular since the true story of the thwarted lovers Queen Ines of Castro and King Peter of Portugal. This has to be one of the most heartbreaking and bloody true romances in history!
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Esmé comes from the past participle of the Old French verb esmer, meaing «to esteem» or «to love.» It can also be considered a derivative of the Spanish name Esmeralda, which means «emerald».
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One of the most familiar and usable Asian names.
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Pippa, a peppy condensation of Philippa that turns it from serious to sprightly, has come into the public eye in a big way via the former Kate Middleton’s sister. Heard far more in the UK (where it’s currently just outside the Top 100) than the US, Pippa has been used on its own since the nineteenth century, popularized by Robert Browning’s dramatic poem, Pippa Passes. A recent book and film was titled The Private Lives of Pippa Lee.
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s middle name could make an interesting pick for music-loving parents—if only in middle place. Amadeus is the title of a Peter Shaffer play which became an award-winning film in 1984.
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Amy is the English variation of the Old French name Amée—Aimée in modern French. Amée was a translation of the Latin name Amata, which derived from amatus, meaning «beloved.» Other spelling variations include Amie and Ami.
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David is derived from the Hebrew name Dawid, which evolved from the element dod, meaning «beloved.» It is the name of the Old Testament second king of Israel who, as a boy, slew the giant Philistine Goliath with his slingshot. He grew up to become a wise and highly cultivated leader who enjoyed music and was a poet, later providing inspiration to such great sculptors as Michelangelo and Donatello.
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The name of the Greek winged god of sexual love may seem a lot to live up to, but like other deity names, it’s on the rise. He appears in DC comics as an ally of Wonder Woman, and is the alias of Marvel’s Starfox character. Eros is also the name of an asteroid in our solar system. The name is more popular in Italy, where it’s been in the Top 200 in recent years,
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Common name in Wales that’s all but unknown in the U.S. Certainly an attractive choice ripe for export. In the UK it sits at Number 330.
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As Mary falls further out of favor, her variations become more appealing, whether you’re honoring an ancestral Mary or Marie or Miriam or simply love the tradition of the name.
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This popular name in various Slavic countries and in Italy holds considerable Continental appeal. It is the full name of Ukranian-born actress Mila Kunis, most noted for her award-winning role in the film Black Swan. Another actress bearing the name is Milena Govitch, of Law & Order.
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A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon, an Irish name for girls as well as boys with a wonderful meaning on many levels. Lennon first came to notice when Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit used it for their son in 1999, and singer-musician Adam Pascal followed their lead two years later.
