What name means intelligent for a girl?

18 Unique Baby Names That Mean “Wise”

One of the most common questions parents get asked before their baby is born is, “Do you have any names picked out?” Some moms and dads know exactly what their son or daughter will be called from the moment they find out they’re expecting. For other couples, it takes some time and consideration, and maybe an extra special meaning to sway them towards a name.

If you’re looking for baby names that mean wise, smart, intelligent, or something similar, it’s probably important to you that your little boy or girl knows their thoughts are important. Maybe you want them to feel like they can conquer anything with some critical thinking and a little bit of research, or maybe you just already know you’ll learn so much from this little person who’s about to enter your life.

Whatever is drawing you to names with meanings like wisdom or intelligence, you’ll love these options that come from all around the world, throughout history, and even mythology. Some of them are traditionally reserved for boys or girls, and others would make the perfect unisex choice. All of them will remind your little scholar that their brain power will help them go far in life.

1 Sage

For many, the name Sage instantly brings to mind the herb of the same name. But throughout history and philosophy, a sage was someone who was known for being “profoundly wise,” and who could be turned to for advice based on their extensive knowledge and experience. That’s where the term “sage advice” originates, in fact.

So, naming your little one Sage is a great option if you want a nod to centuries’ worth of wisdom and philosophy. Or, you know, if you also happen to want a name that’s one syllable or starts with the letter S.

2 Cato

Cato is considered a gender-neutral name with roots in Latin, and it means “wise” or “good judgment.” It’s also the name of some prominent figures in Roman history. Cato the Elder was a senator in Rome who was the first historian to write down the city’s history in Latin. His great-grandson, Cato the Younger, was a senator, orator, and philosopher. He also had major beef with Julius Caesar and stood against him for being corrupt, so according to Brittanica.com, he’s still seen as a virtuous figure today. All in all, Cato is a great choice for your tiny ruler.

3 Alden

Alden is an English name that means “old, wise friend.” And hey, what more could you really want from your new baby than to become your old, wise friend over time? This name wraps up the virtues of being kind and smart all into one.

Alden is similar in sound to the super popular names Aiden and Holden, but hasn’t been used nearly as much. So, if you’re looking for the “smart” alternative to those two popularity powerhouses, Alden gives you a similar sound while still being unique (because no kid likes having the same name as three other students in their class).

4 Ethan

The name Ethan means strong or firm, so astute readers may wonder why it makes the list at all. Well, the Old Testament has quite a few Ethans in its pages, and one of them, Ethan the Ezrahite, was known for his wisdom. So, if you want something in the wisdom category that isn’t so literal, you may really like Ethan (or one of its variations, like Eitan).

5 Sonya

A Russian name that translates to mean “wisdom,” Sonya definitely tops the list of fitting (and beautiful) baby names. It has an old-fashioned, grown-up feel to it that may not be for everyone, but it would make a stunning name on a smart little girl. Plus, it’s not on any U.S. popularity lists these days, so your wee scholar would stand out in her classroom.

6 Hugo

OK, this name is absolutely dripping in cool and simultaneously isn’t overused one bit. Hugo means “mind” or “intellect,” so while it doesn’t literally translate to “wise” or “wisdom,” it’s got a similar sentiment behind it. It’s pretty popular in the U.K., Spain, and France, so your little one will have a special European flair about them from the start with this name.

7 Quinn

Looking for a boy’s or girl’s name with a virtuous meaning? Quinn has been steadily climbing in popularity for a few decades now, and for good reason. It has Gaelic origins and means “wise” or “head,” referring more to thoughts and intelligence than your baby’s actual noggin.

8 Farzan

Farzan is a name with Persian and Iranian origins that means “wise,” and is most popular in countries outside the U.S. It’s usually reserved for boys as well, but a name this strong and with such a special meaning would make a wonderful name for any child.

100 Girl Names That Mean Smart, Intelligent and Wise

These smart girl names are inspired by intelligent women in history, goddesses or wisdom and names that mean smart of intelligent. Pick a name that means smart for your brilliant baby girl!

Updated: March 27, 2023
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Marie Curie, Gladys West, Jane Goodall, and Maria Montessori are just a few of the remarkable women in history who are famous for their discoveries, hard work and intelligence.

Their professions varied from physicists and mathematicians to anthropologists and educators. No matter what calling your daughter is drawn to later in life, she can become a smart, savvy, and successful leader in her field.

What many people don’t realize is that there are eight types of intelligence. What this all means in terms of baby girl names is that parents can search for titles that literally mean smart, bright, knowledgeable, and intelligent, or they can think a little farther outside of the box.

No matter which definition of intelligence you choose, you will be giving your sweet little girl some built-in motivation for the future!

If you need a little guidance in finding an astute epithet, then consider these 100 baby girl names that mean smart!

Girl Names That Mean Smart

Aatoon — This is a Muslim name that translates to “educator” or “teacheress.»
Aio — Of Italian origins, this gender-neutral name means “teacher” or “tutor.»
Akilah — An Arabic name meaning “intelligent.»
Alberta — This French name means “bright” and is the feminine version of Albert.
Alohi — A Hawaiian name meaning “brilliant.»
Aqila — This Arabic name means “intelligent” and “wise.»
Beren — A Turkish name that means “smart,» “strong,» and “clever.»
Bernadette — Of English origins, this epithet means “intelligent.»
Bertha — This is a German name that means “ glorious,» “beautiful,» and “bright one.»
Brilliance — An English title that translates to “shining,» “perfection,» and “exceptional intelligence.»
Camara — Of African origins, this name means “teacher.»
Cassidy — This is an Irish, Celtic, and Gaelic name that means “clever.»
Cato — Of Latin and American origins, this gender-neutral name means “all-knowing” and “good judgment.»
Chalondra — An African name that means “smart” or “an intelligent woman.»
Conrada — Of German origins, this name means “brave counsel.» This is the female version of Conrad.
Dana — This is an English name meaning “bright as day.»
Eibhlin — An Irish and Gaelic name meaning “shining” or “brilliant.»
Felisberta — Of German origins, this title means “intelligent.»
Huberta — This is a title with Old German origins that means “brilliant mind.»
Huette — Also of German origins, this title means “mind” or “intelligent.»
Huguette — This French name means “bright in mind and spirit.» It is also the feminine version of Hugh or Hugo, which mean “intellect” and “mind.»
Imala — A Native American name that translates to “strong-minded.»
Ishva — Of Hindu origins, this name means “spiritual teacher.»
Mahira — This is a Muslim name that translates to “highly skilled,» “talented,» or “expert.»
Muida — Of Muslim origins, this name means “teacher” or “reviser.»
Monica — A Latin name meaning “advisor” and “counselor.»
Monique — This is a Latin name meaning “advisor” and “counselor” as well as a French name meaning “wise.»
Monisha — Of Hindi origins, this epithet means “solitary life” and “intelligent.»
Najiba — A Muslim name meaning “excellent” or “intelligent.»
Nuha — Of Arabic origins, this name means “mind” and “intelligence.»
Phoebe — A Greek title that means “brilliant.»
Prudence — This is a Latin name meaning “foresight” or “good judgment.»
Quinn — A gender-neutral name of Gaelic and Greek origins, this title means “wise” or “queen.»
Radella — This is an Old English name meaning “elfin advisor.»
Ruxana — Of Arabic origins, this title translates to “brilliant.»
Sana — A Scandinavian name meaning “truth” and an Arabic name meaning “brilliant.»
Sigrid — Of Old Norse origins, this name means “winning advisor.»
Sorcha — This is a Gaelic name meaning “bright.»
Tomo — This Japanese name means “a twin” or “intelligent.»
Tyshira — A Native American name meaning “masterful teacher.»
Veta — Of Spanish origins, this title means “intelligent.»
Zelmira — An Italian name meaning “brilliant one.»

Female Names That Mean Wise

Alda — This German title means “old and wise.» This is the feminine version of the boy name Aldo.
Alfreda — Of English origins, this title means “wise counsel” and it is the girly version of Alfred.
Alldyn — The female version of Alden, this Old English name means “wise protector.»
Alvie — Also of English origins, this unique name means “wise friend” and “friend of elves.»
Alvina — An Old English name meaning “wise friend” or “wise companion.» This is the feminine version of Alvis, which means “all-wise.»
Belig — This is a Mongolian name that means “wise” or “clever.»
Bilge — A gender-neutral moniker with Turkish origins that means “wise.»
Busara — Of African origins, this epithet means “wisdom” and “understanding.»
Dara — This is a unisex Hebrew name that means “pearl of wisdom.»
Eirdis — An Icelandic name meaning “wise or merciful protector.»
Gundruna — This Swedish name means “divine wisdom.»
Hikma — A gender-neutral Arabic name that means “wisdom.»
Hye — Of Korean origins, this name means “wisdom” and “intelligence.»
Karasi — This African title means “life and wisdom.»
Labiba — Of Muslim origins, this title translates to “wise” and “intelligent.»
Maiara — A Brazilian name meaning “a wise woman” and a Native American name meaning “sage.»
Michiko — This Japanese epithet means “beauty,» “wisdom,» and “child of Michi.»
Rae — Of German origins, this name means “wise protection.»
Ramona — This Spanish title means “wise protector.»
Raye — Of German origins, this name means “wise protection.» It is also the feminine version of the name Raymond.
Reina — A Latin name meaning “queenly” and a Spanish name meaning “queen” or “wise.»
Rona — Meaning “wise ruler,» “covenant,» and “oath,» this name has Gaelic origins.
Saffi — A Danish name meaning “wisdom.»
Sage — This French, English, and Latin name means “wise one” or “prophet.»
Shannon — An Irish name meaning “wise one.»
Sofia — Of Greek origins, this name means “wisdom.»
Sonia — This is a Russian name meaning “wisdom.»
Sophia — An alternate spelling option, this name of Greek origins also means “wisdom.» This is an extremely popular name that has been trending in the Social Security Administration’s Top Ten Baby Names list since 2006.
Sophina — This is an English title that means “wisdom” or “ship.»
Suman — A gender-neutral Sanskrit epithet that means “wise” or “intelligent.»
Ulima — Of Arabic origins, this name means “wise.»
Vedi — An Indian name meaning “filled with wisdom.»
Zella — This is a Hebrew name that means “wise and peaceful.» If you are having boy-girl twins, Zeki can be another smart moniker to go with this wise name.
Zofia — Of Polish origins, this title means “wisdom.»
Zosia — Another Polish name, this epithet means “one with wisdom.»

Girl Names That Mean Knowledge

Anura — This is an Indian name meaning “knowledge.»
Arinya — This is a title with Thai origins that means “beautiful knowledgeable woman.»
Bidya — Of Indian origins, this name means “knowledge” and “learning.»
Farzaneh — A Persian name meaning “highly knowledgeable” or “wise.»
Ismene — Of Greek origins, this name means “knowledgeable.»
Kendra — This is an Anglo-Saxon name meaning “understanding” or “knowledge.»
Nek — A gender-neutral name that means “one who is rich in knowledge or wisdom” and has Indian origins.
Prama — This is a Hindu name that means “knowledge of truth.»
Sonja — Of English origins, this title means “a woman of great wisdom and knowledge.»
Talibah — A Muslim baby name meaning “seeker of knowledge.»
Tide — Of Biblical origins, this is a unisex title that means “the knowledge of elevation.»
Veda — This Hindi name means “knowledge” or “wisdom.»
Vidya — A Hindi name meaning “knowledge” or “wisdom.»
Vivitsa — Of Indian origins, this epithet means “desire of knowledge.»

Girl Names Inspired by Goddesses, Wisdom, & Intelligence

Aim for the stars and set your sights on baby girl names that represent intelligence and wisdom.

Athena — This is the name of the Goddess of Wisdom and War in Greek mythology and the daughter of Zeus.
Clara — Of Latin origins, this name means “bright.» It is also the epithet of the woman who founded the American Red Cross.
Hansini — This is one of the many monikers for the Hindu goddess of knowledge, officially known as Saraswathi. This title translates to “swan.»
Hypatia — A Greek name that means “highest” or “supreme.» This is the title of an Egyptian woman who was a famous mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher.
Malala — While this Iranian name means “grief-stricken,» it is also the moniker of an influential activist for female education.
Manisha — The name of the Hindu goddess of the mind, this title means “sharp intellect,» “genius,» and “sagacity.»
Minerva — Meaning “power” and “thinker” in Latin, this is the epithet of the Roman Goddess of wisdom. Minnie is an adorable nickname for this strong title.
Nobel — A gender-neutral title, this is the name of the most prestigious prize in science. This is fitting since this Latin name means “honorable one.»
Pallas — This is another Greek epithet for Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom.
Saga — An English name meaning “journey.» It is also the title of the goddess of prophecy and wisdom in Old Norse mythology.
Saraswati — While this Sanskrit name has meanings tied to water, it is also the title of the Hindu Goddess of knowledge.

Need more intelligent inspiration? Female philosopher names are another smart choice!

For more baby name inspiration check out these popular baby name lists:

Top 1000 Most Popular Baby Girl Names in the U.S.
Top 1000 Most Popular Baby Boy Names in the U.S.
The 100 Coolest Baby Names in the World

Considering one of these names? Pin it to save it for later:

These Enchanting Baby Names That Mean Dream Will Have Your Head In The Clouds

Your new bundle of joy is a dream come true, and as such, you want to celebrate your little one with a dreamy name. After all, choosing a name for your baby is one of the most important — and fun — tasks of being a parent. You no doubt want your baby to have a meaningful and memorable name, and finding monikers that mean dream might be precisely what you, well, dream of (whew, say that five times fast!). To quote Disney’s Cinderella, “A dream is a wish your heart makes.” And that’s pretty perfect since your heart definitely wished for this little one to come along (even if you didn’t realize it at the time).

Names that mean dream have that exceptional, magical, and enchanting quality about them — characteristics that you would love your new baby to carry with them throughout their lives. Every parent wants their children to have every aspiration and goal of theirs come true, and by choosing a name that means dream, it’s your earnest hope as a parent that what you call your baby might help manifest a lifetime of big dreams realized for them.

Keep reading for some of the dreamiest names out there.

Best Baby Names That Mean Dream

1. Dream

Why not just make it obvious and simple by naming your baby girl Dream? It means dream (obviously) but also means “wish” or “imaginary events seen, felt, or experienced while sleeping,” and, of course, you want all her dreams to feel magical.

2. Ahlam

This pretty Arabic name means “a pleasant dreamer” or “imaginative dreams.” And who wouldn’t want their daughter to be described that way?

3. Almos

This Hungarian name originates from the Hungarian word “alum,” which means “dream.” It also means “sleepy,” “dream,” or “dreamt one,” making it perfect for your nap-happy baby boy.

4. Roya

This Arabic girl’s name means “vision” or “dream.” And it’s close enough to the word royal to give off some downright regal vibes.

5. Alora

With roots from Africa, this elegant-sounding name means “my dream,” which is something you want your daughter to hold tight onto. Bonus: If you’re a fan of the 1988 cult classic dark fantasy film Willow, this name probably reminds you of the prophesied Daikini child Elora Danan.

6. Jones

This adorable baby boy’s name that means “rejoicing” and “fulfilled dreams” has old English roots and sounds just as cheerful as its meaning.

7. Ashling

This name of English origins is a beautiful gender-neutral name. It means “dream” or “vision,” and the nickname “Ash” is super cute.

8. Kalpana

This elegant girl’s name from Irish origins means “dreamlike” and “imagination,” which is a totally sweet choice for your new baby.

9. Chavez

Who doesn’t want a little “dream maker” on their hands? And that’s exactly what you’ll get with this solid Spanish name for your little boy.

10. Jacob

This cute yet solid name is from the Bible and is known for meaning “dreams.” The nickname “Jake” would also make a classic nickname-turned-name for your new baby boy.

11. Chimere

Chimere is an elegant French name for your baby girl that means “dreamy.” Isn’t that exactly what she is, after all?

12. Deisy

Another sweet name with French origins that means “passionate” or “dreams,” this one almost guarantees that your little girl will be passionate about chasing her dreams.

13. Guenhwyvar

This unique name is Irish Gaelic and means “idealist.” It refers to “an intelligent girl who wants to live out her dreams,” which sounds like the exact energy any mama would want their daughter to bring into the world.

14. Arman

Every dream starts with a vision. And this strong Persian name for your boy means just that: “dream” or “dream vision.”

15. Imena

This pretty-sounding name has African roots and means “dreams.” It’s a darling choice for any beautiful bundle of joy.

16. Joseph

This traditional boy’s name is of Jewish or Christian origins with Biblical roots. Joseph was said to be the interpreter of dreams, so your little one is sure to be more than a little curious about his ambitions.

17. Lourdes

Madonna chose this name for her daughter, and you can see why — the French moniker is feminine and powerful. It represents a French shrine that was built for Bernadette Soubirous, who was known to have visions of the Virgin Mary.

18. Maya

This sweet name meaning “illusions” is from Sanskrit origins, and it continues to be a popular choice for parents today.

19. Godusa

This old English name is a powerful moniker for your baby girl, meaning “achievement” and “big dreams” as well as “the ability to change or transfer the dream in reality.” So, you know your little one will be tenacious about making her dreams come true.

20. Reve

If cool, one-syllable names appeal to you, try Reve. Although traditionally a boy’s name, this French moniker meaning “steward; dream” could easily work for a girl, too.

21. Endri

How beautiful is this boy’s name? A unique choice you will stand out from the crowd, Endri comes from the Albanian word for “dreamer.”

22. Eislyn

Elegant and feminine, the name Eislyn is Celtic in origin and, yes, it means “dream.” But for those of you who are romantics, you might be interested to know it also means “a beautiful rose.”

23. Ikelos

Technically, this name is sort of “dream”-adjacent. Ikelos was the Greek god of nightmares. Also known as Phobetor, he was the son of Nyx, the goddess of night. So, if you want a name with broody darkness to it, look no further. Plus, it can conveniently be shortened to “Ike” if the full name is too much of a mouthful for every day.

24. Lorien

Another gender-neutral name, Lorien might sound particularly familiar if you’re a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien — the Lord of the Rings author invented it to use as the name of an elven city in his sweeping sagas. It’s believed to mean “god of dreams” or “dreamflower.”

25. Brizo

Brizo comes from an ancient Grecian prophetess by the same name who delivered her prophecies through dreams. The name stems from the word brizein, which means “to fall asleep.” And although its inspiration is female, it leans gender-neutral now.

26. Daniel

Like Ikelos, the name Daniel doesn’t actually mean dream but is associated with dreams. In the Bible, Daniel became famous for interpreting dreams for the King of Babylon. The name’s official meaning is “God is my judge.”

27. Sadira

Not only does this girl’s name simply sound interesting and mysterious, but the meaning also serves up an air of intrigue. Why? Well, there seem to be several. Sadira is said to mean “dreamy,” “lotus tree,” and — this one’s the best — “ostrich running from water.”

28. Aisling

This sweet baby girl’s name has Irish and Gaelic roots. It means vision or dream.

29. Ramiel

This name comes from Hebrew and Arabic origins. Ramiel is also the name of one of the seven archangels in the Book of Enoch. He was an angel of hope who guided souls into heaven and gave people visions. This name means vision.

30. Amets

This unique name comes from Basque origin. It’s a unisex name and has a simple meaning — dream.

31. Guifi

This name can be gender neutral but is often used as a female name. It comes from Chamoru origin and means dream.

32. Joydever

This Irish Gaelic name is unisex and has an inspirational meaning. It means to dream big!

33. Bruadar

Here’s another beautiful Gaelic name with a sweet definition. It means dream vision.

34. Azlin

The name Azlin sounds a lot like the fearless lion in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Aslan), but this name means night vision or dream. This unique moniker has Arabic roots and can also mean sunshine.

35. Chelem

This sweet baby boy’s name hails from the Middle East and has Arabic roots. It means dream.