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Choosing a Baby Name

Tips on meaning, culture and family traditions — plus the 20 most popular girls' and boys' names across faiths and beliefs.

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Name lists by tradition

Secular Baby Names

Popular modern names chosen for their sound and meaning rather than faith — gentle, timeless choices loved by parents today.

Buddhist Baby Names

Names drawn from Buddhist teaching and Sanskrit and Pali roots, carrying meanings of peace, compassion, wisdom and awakening.

Christian Baby Names

Biblical and saints' names with long histories, chosen by Christian families for their meaning, blessing and family tradition.

Hindu Baby Names

Sanskrit names honouring light, devotion, nature and the divine, often chosen with family blessings and naming ceremonies in mind.

Jewish Baby Names

Hebrew names rich in meaning and heritage, often given in memory of a beloved family member as well as for their beauty.

Muslim Baby Names

Arabic and Quranic names carrying meanings of mercy, light, faith and strength, chosen with care for their blessing and sound.

Sikh Baby Names

Punjabi and Gurmukhi names from Sikh tradition, many given to both girls and boys, with meanings of grace, light and courage.

Name picker

Search girls' and boys' names across seven traditions, tap the heart to build your shortlist, then download it to share with family.

280 names shown

Atheist / Secular

Girls

Olivia — Olive tree, peace
Amelia — Hard-working
Isla — Island, from the River Islay
Ava — Bird, life
Freya — Noble lady
Willow — Graceful tree
Luna — Moon
Ivy — Faithfulness, evergreen
Poppy — The flower
Aurora — Dawn
Hazel — The hazel tree
Nova — New, a new star
Ella — Light, all
Rosie — Rose
Maya — Illusion, water
Sienna — Reddish-orange earth
Elsie — Pledged, noble
Mila — Gracious, dear
Daisy — Day's eye flower
Robin — Bright fame, the bird

Boys

Oliver — Olive tree
Arthur — Bear, strong
Leo — Lion
Finn — Fair, bright
Theo — Gift
Rowan — Little red one, rowan tree
Jasper — Treasurer, the gemstone
Felix — Lucky, happy
Milo — Merciful, soldier
Rory — Red king
Alfie — Wise counsel
Reuben — Behold, a son
Otis — Wealthy
Kai — Sea
Ezra — Helper
Arlo — Fortified hill
Casper — Treasure keeper
Hugo — Mind, spirit
Orson — Bear cub
Bodhi — Awakening

Buddhist

Girls

Tara — Star, the compassionate saviouress
Metta — Loving-kindness
Karuna — Compassion
Mudita — Sympathetic joy
Padma — Lotus
Dolma — Liberating mother (Tibetan Tara)
Pema — Lotus
Yeshe — Primordial wisdom
Sangha — Community of practitioners
Amala — Pure, spotless
Dhara — The earth, one who holds
Kalyani — Auspicious, beautiful
Sunita — Well-guided, of good conduct
Chodren — Holder of the lamp of dharma
Nyima — Sun
Sarnai — Rose (Mongolian Buddhist)
Thanh — Serene, pure (Vietnamese)
Malee — Flower (Thai)
Kannika — Jasmine flower (Thai)
Rinchen — Precious jewel

Boys

Bodhi — Enlightenment, awakening
Siddhartha — One who achieves his aim
Tenzin — Holder of the teachings
Dhamma — The teaching, the way
Anand — Bliss, joy
Karma — Action, deed
Sonam — Merit, good fortune
Lobsang — Kind-hearted, noble mind
Jampa — Loving-kindness (Maitreya)
Norbu — Jewel
Dorje — Thunderbolt, diamond
Thubten — Follower of Buddha's teaching
Gyatso — Ocean
Sumedho — Very wise
Upali — Devoted disciple
Arjun — Bright, shining
Somchai — Worthy man (Thai)
Minh — Bright, clear (Vietnamese)
Kyaw — Renowned (Burmese)
Ratana — Jewel, treasure

Christian

Girls

Mary — Beloved, wished-for child
Grace — God's grace
Hannah — Favour, grace
Elizabeth — God is my oath
Sarah — Princess
Naomi — Pleasantness
Faith — Trust, belief
Abigail — My father's joy
Ruth — Companion, friend
Esther — Star
Miriam — Beloved, wished-for
Anna — Grace
Lydia — Woman from Lydia
Priscilla — Ancient, venerable
Eve — Life
Bethany — House of figs
Joanna — God is gracious
Martha — Lady, mistress of the house
Rebecca — To bind, to join
Theresa — Harvester

Boys

Noah — Rest, comfort
Elijah — The Lord is my God
Matthew — Gift of God
Luke — Light-giving
John — God is gracious
Samuel — God has heard
Daniel — God is my judge
Joseph — God will add
Benjamin — Son of the right hand
Isaac — He will laugh
Nathaniel — Gift of God
Timothy — Honouring God
Stephen — Crown
Paul — Humble, small
Simon — He has heard
Andrew — Manly, brave
Peter — Rock
Gabriel — God is my strength
Michael — Who is like God?
Thomas — Twin

Hindu

Girls

Aadhya — The first power
Ananya — Unique, matchless
Diya — Lamp, light
Saanvi — Goddess Lakshmi
Aarohi — Musical ascent
Meera — Devotee of Krishna
Ishita — Mastery, desired
Priya — Beloved
Kavya — Poetry
Anika — Grace, goddess Durga
Riya — Singer, graceful
Tara — Star
Aditi — Boundless, mother of the gods
Sita — Furrow, consort of Rama
Lakshmi — Goddess of prosperity
Nisha — Night
Avni — The earth
Shreya — Auspicious, best
Trisha — Thirst, desire
Radha — Prosperity, beloved of Krishna

Boys

Aarav — Peaceful, wise
Vihaan — Dawn, first ray of light
Arjun — Bright, hero of the Mahabharata
Krishna — Dark, the beloved god
Rohan — Ascending, growing
Advait — Non-dual, unique
Ishaan — Sun, lord Shiva
Dev — God, divine
Aryan — Noble
Rudra — Fierce form of Shiva
Kabir — Great, the poet-saint
Ved — Sacred knowledge
Shiv — Auspicious one
Ayaan — Gift of God, path
Neel — Blue, sapphire
Ram — Pleasing, divine king
Yash — Fame, glory
Nikhil — Complete, whole
Om — Sacred sound of the universe
Karan — Helper, warrior

Jewish

Girls

Leah — Weary, delicate
Rivka — To bind, Rebecca
Shira — Song
Talia — Dew from heaven
Noa — Movement, motion
Yael — Mountain goat, to ascend
Avigail — My father's joy
Tamar — Date palm
Ariella — Lioness of God
Maayan — Spring of water
Chana — Grace
Batya — Daughter of God
Eliana — God has answered me
Devorah — Bee
Ayelet — Gazelle, dawn
Michal — Who is like God?
Orly — My light
Shoshana — Rose, lily
Naava — Beautiful, pleasant
Yehudit — Praised, Judith

Boys

Ari — Lion
Noam — Pleasantness
Eitan — Strong, enduring
Yosef — God will add
Binyamin — Son of the right hand
Shmuel — God has heard
Levi — Joined, attached
Asher — Happy, blessed
Yonatan — God has given
Dov — Bear
Elior — My God is light
Amit — Friend, comrade
Uri — My flame, my light
Nachman — Comforter
Boaz — Swiftness, strength
Gilad — Everlasting joy, a hill
Ezra — Helper
Menachem — Consoler
Reuven — Behold, a son
Shai — Gift

Muslim

Girls

Aisha — Living, prosperous
Fatima — One who weans, daughter of the Prophet
Maryam — Beloved, the Virgin Mary
Zainab — Fragrant flowering plant
Khadijah — Early baby, first wife of the Prophet
Amina — Trustworthy, safe
Hafsa — Young lioness
Layla — Night
Noor — Light
Sumaya — High above, elevated
Safiyya — Pure, sincere friend
Hana — Bliss, happiness
Ruqayyah — Gentle, ascent
Iman — Faith
Yasmin — Jasmine flower
Zahra — Radiant, blossoming
Rahma — Mercy
Sana — Radiance, brilliance
Bilqis — Queen of Sheba
Alya — Highness, sublime

Boys

Muhammad — Praiseworthy
Ahmad — Most commendable
Ali — Exalted, noble
Omar — Flourishing, long-lived
Yusuf — God will add
Ibrahim — Father of nations
Hamza — Strong, steadfast
Bilal — Water, moisture
Zayd — Growth, abundance
Idris — Studious, interpreter
Musa — Drawn from the water
Ismail — God will hear
Hassan — Handsome, good
Hussein — Little beautiful one
Khalid — Eternal
Ayaan — Gift of God
Rayyan — Gate of paradise for those who fast
Tariq — Morning star, one who knocks
Salman — Safe, peaceful
Adam — Earth, the first human

Sikh

Girls

Simran — Meditation, remembrance of God
Harleen — Absorbed in God
Gurleen — Absorbed in the Guru
Jasleen — Absorbed in praise of God
Amrit — Nectar of immortality
Kiran — Ray of light
Manpreet — Love of the heart
Navjot — New light
Prabhleen — Absorbed in the Lord
Rupinder — Beauty of God
Sukhmani — Jewel of peace
Anmol — Priceless
Japji — Sacred morning prayer
Ravneet — Sun-like principled one
Seerat — Inner beauty, character
Gurnoor — Light of the Guru
Ekam — Oneness of God
Charnjit — One who has won God's feet
Jasmeet — Friend of praise
Nimrat — Humble

Boys

Arjan — Fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev
Gurpreet — Love of the Guru
Harpreet — Love of God
Jaskaran — One who does praise
Manveer — Brave heart
Ranveer — Hero of the battlefield
Sukhdeep — Lamp of peace
Amarjit — Victory of immortality
Gurdeep — Lamp of the Guru
Jagdeep — Light of the world
Karanveer — Brave and generous
Navdeep — New lamp, new light
Parminder — Supreme God
Sahib — Master, lord
Tegh — Sword, from Guru Tegh Bahadur
Fateh — Victory
Ekamjot — Light of the one God
Jorawar — Powerful, courageous
Angad — Part of my own self, second Guru
Nihal — Blissful, content

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1. Start with meaning

Look up what a name means in its original language — a beautiful sound can carry a meaning you did not expect.
Think about the qualities you hope your child grows into: light, courage, kindness, peace. Many names carry exactly those ideas.
Say the full name out loud with your surname, and check the initials spell nothing awkward.
Consider how the name will feel at every age — on a nursery peg, on a school register, and on a CV.

2. Honouring culture and faith

Names often carry heritage: a language, a place, a story. Choosing one can be a gentle way of passing that on.
Some families choose a name with religious significance — a prophet, a saint, a Guru, a virtue, or a verse.
In some traditions there are customs around timing: a naming ceremony, a blessing, or opening a holy book to a letter.
If your family blends cultures, many parents pick a first name from one heritage and a middle name from the other.

3. Family traditions

Passing down a grandparent's name — or using it as a middle name — keeps a loved one close.
Some families name after someone who has died as a mark of respect; others avoid it. Both are valid.
If relatives have strong opinions, it is fine to keep your shortlist private until the baby arrives.
You and your partner are the only two people who need to agree.

4. Practical things to check

Spelling: an unusual spelling may mean a lifetime of correcting people — lovely for some, tiring for others.
Nicknames: think about the shortenings other people will use, because they will.
Popularity: check a national baby-name list if you would rather your child not share their name with three classmates.
Registration: in the UK you have 42 days to register a birth; other countries differ, and some restrict certain names.

5. If you cannot decide

Keep a shortlist of three to five and live with them for a week each.
Meeting your baby often settles it — it is completely normal to leave the hospital undecided.
There is no perfect name, only the one you say with love a hundred times a day.

When in doubt, ask a professional

This guide is for general information only. If you're worried about your baby's health or feeding, speak with your GP, health visitor, or paediatrician.