Names Categorized "happiness"

This is a list of names in which the categories include happiness.
gender
usage
Abigail f English, Biblical, Biblical German, Biblical Italian, Biblical Portuguese, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name אֲבִיגָיִל (ʾAviḡayil) meaning "my father is joy", derived from the roots אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and גִּיל (gil) meaning "joy". In the Old Testament this is the name of Nabal's wife. After Nabal's death she became the third wife of King David.... [more]
Adebayo m Yoruba
Means "the crown meets joy" in Yoruba.
Adedayo m & f Yoruba
Means "the crown becomes joy" in Yoruba.
Adegoke m Yoruba
Means "the crown has ascended the mountain" in Yoruba.
Aditi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Means "boundless, entire" or "freedom, security" in Sanskrit, derived from the negative prefix (a) and दिति (diti) meaning "giving". This is the name of a Hindu goddess of the cosmos, motherhood and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of several of the gods.
Ælfwynn f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and wynn "joy". This name was borne by a daughter of Æðelflæd who ruled Mercia briefly in the 10th century.
Ailen f Mapuche
Variant of Ayelen.
Alaia 1 f Basque
Means "joyful, happy" from Basque alai.
Aliza f Hebrew
Means "joyful" in Hebrew.
Allegra f Italian, English (Rare)
Means "cheerful, lively" in Italian. It was borne by a short-lived illegitimate daughter of Lord Byron (1817-1822).
Allegria f Various (Rare)
Means "cheerfulness, joy" in Italian.
Amenhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian jmn-ḥtp meaning "Amon is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Amon combined with ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of four pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Amenhotep III (14th century BC), known as the Magnificent, who ruled over Egypt during a time of great prosperity.
Ananda m Sanskrit, Buddhism, Tamil, Bengali
Derived from Sanskrit आनन्द (ānanda) meaning "happiness, bliss". This was the name of an attendant and disciple of the Buddha.
Anandi f Hindi
Feminine form of Anand.
Anas m Arabic
Means "friendliness" in Arabic. Anas ibn Malik was one of the Prophet Muhammad's companions.
Ankhbayar m & f Mongolian
Means "first joy" in Mongolian, from анх (ankh) meaning "first" and баяр (bayar) meaning "joy".
Anuli f Igbo
Means "joy" in Igbo.
Aoibhinn f Irish
Variant of Aoibheann. It also coincides with the related Irish word aoibhinn meaning "delightful, pleasant".
Apikalia f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Abigail.
As'ad m Arabic
Means "happier, luckier" in Arabic, from the root سعد (saʿida) meaning "to be happy, to be lucky".
Asher m Hebrew, English, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "happy, blessed" in Hebrew, derived from אָשַׁר (ʾashar) meaning "to be happy, to be blessed". Asher in the Old Testament is a son of Jacob by Leah's handmaid Zilpah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The meaning of his name is explained in Genesis 30:13.
Ashoka m Sanskrit
Means "without sorrow" in Sanskrit, from (a) meaning "not" and शोका (śokā) meaning "sorrow, grief". This name was borne by Ashoka (or Aśoka) the Great, a 3rd-century BC emperor of the Maurya Empire in northern India.
Asiri f Quechua
Means "smile" in Quechua.
Aspasia f Ancient Greek, Greek
Derived from Greek ἀσπάσιος (aspasios) meaning "welcome, embrace". This was the name of the lover of Pericles (5th century BC).
Avigail f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Abigail.
'Avigayil f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Abigail.
Ayelen f Mapuche
From Mapuche ayelen "laughing", ayliñ "clear" or aylen "ember".
Aylen f Mapuche
Variant of Ayelen.
Ayo f & m Yoruba
From Yoruba ayọ̀ meaning "joy", or a short form of other names containing this element.
Ayodele m & f Yoruba
Means "joy has come home" in Yoruba.
Ayokunle m Yoruba
Means "joy has filled the home" in Yoruba.
Ayomide f & m Yoruba
Means "my joy has arrived" in Yoruba.
Ayotunde m & f Yoruba
Means "joy has come again" in Yoruba.
Babis m Greek
Diminutive of Charalampos.
Bahija f Arabic
Means "happy, joyous, delightful" in Arabic, from the verb بهج (bahija) meaning "to be happy, to rejoice in".
Baktygul f Kyrgyz
Derived from Persian بخت (bakht) meaning "fortune, happiness" and گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
Basim m Arabic
Means "smiling" in Arabic, from the root بسم (basama) meaning "to smile".
Basma f Arabic
Means "smile" in Arabic, from the root بسم (basama) meaning "to smile".
Bassam m Arabic
Means "smiling" in Arabic, from the root بسم (basama) meaning "to smile".
Batbayar m Mongolian
Means "strong joy" in Mongolian, from бат (batu) meaning "strong, firm" and баяр (bayar) meaning "joy".
Bayram m Turkish
Means "festival" in Turkish.
Béatrice f French
French form of Beatrix.
Beatrice f Italian, English, Swedish, Romanian
Italian form of Beatrix. Beatrice Portinari (1266-1290) was the woman who was loved by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. She serves as Dante's guide through paradise in his epic poem the Divine Comedy (1321). This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing (1599), in which Beatrice and Benedick are fooled into confessing their love for one another.
Beatrise f Latvian
Latvian form of Beatrix.
Beatriu f Catalan
Catalan form of Beatrix.
Beatrix f German, Hungarian, Dutch, English, Late Roman
Probably from Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator meaning "voyager, traveller". It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin beatus "blessed, happy". Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of Diocletian.... [more]
Beatriz f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Beatrix.
Behnaz f Persian
From Persian به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort".
Beitris f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Beatrice.
Benvenuto m Italian
Means "welcome" in Italian. A famous bearer was the Italian Renaissance sculptor and writer Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571).
Betrys f Welsh
Welsh form of Beatrice.
Blaže m Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian блажен (blažen) meaning "blissful, blessed", ultimately from Old Slavic bolgŭ "good, pleasant".
Blažej m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Blaise, also associated with the word blažený meaning "blissful, happy, blessed".
Blažena f Czech, Slovak
Derived from Czech and Slovak blažený meaning "blissful, happy, blessed", ultimately from Old Slavic *bolgŭ "good, pleasant".
Blythe f & m English (Rare)
From a surname meaning "cheerful" in Old English.
Boipelo m & f Tswana
Means "joy, rejoicing" in Tswana, from ipela meaning "to rejoice".
Boitumelo f & m Tswana
Means "joy" in Tswana, from itumela meaning "to be happy".
Bonnie f English
Means "pretty" from the Scottish word bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.
Bounmy m & f Lao
Means "happy", from Lao ບຸນ (boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" combined with ມີ (mi) meaning "to have".
Bushra f Arabic, Urdu
Means "good news" in Arabic, from the root بشّر (bashshara) meaning "to bring good news".
Caius m Ancient Roman
Roman variant of Gaius.
Chara f Greek
Means "happiness, joy" in Greek.
Charalampos m Greek
Means "to shine from happiness" from Greek χαρά (chara) meaning "happiness" combined with λάμπω (lampo) meaning "to shine".
Charmion f Ancient Greek (Rare)
Greek name derived from χάρμα (charma) meaning "delight". This was the name of one of Cleopatra's servants, as recorded by Plutarch.
Chimwemwe m & f Chewa
Means "joy, pleasure" in Chewa.
Coşkun m Turkish
Means "enthusiastic" in Turkish.
Ctirad m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements čĭstĭ "honour" and radŭ "happy, willing". In Czech legend this was the name of one of the men tricked by Šárka.
Dakarai m Shona
Means "rejoice" in Shona.
Davor m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Meaning uncertain, possibly from an old Slavic exclamation expressing joy or sorrow. This was the name of a supposed Slavic war god. His name was the basis for the word davorije, a type of patriotic war song popular in the 19th century.
Dayo m & f Yoruba
Means "joy arrives" in Yoruba.
Dechen f & m Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "great happiness" in Tibetan.
Delicia f English (Rare)
Either from Latin deliciae "delight, pleasure" or a variant of the English word delicious. It has been used since the 17th century (rarely).
Delight f English (Rare)
Means simply "delight, happiness" from the English word.
Delshad m & f Persian (Rare)
Means "happy heart, cheerful" in Persian, from دل (del) meaning "heart" and شاد (shād) meaning "happy".
Desta f & m Amharic
Means "joy" in Amharic.
Dilnaz f Kazakh
Derived from Persian دل (del) meaning "heart, mind" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort".
Dilşad f & m Turkish, Kurdish
Turkish (feminine) and Kurdish (masculine) form of Delshad.
Dilshad m & f Urdu
Urdu form of Delshad.
Ealar m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Hilary.
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)
From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian 𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived before they were expelled.
'Edna f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Edna.
Edna f English, Hebrew, Biblical
Means "pleasure" in Hebrew, a derivative of עָדַן (ʿaḏan) meaning "to delight". This name appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha, for instance in the Book of Tobit belonging to the wife of Raguel. It was borne by the American poet Edna Dean Proctor (1829-1923). It did not become popular until the second half of the 19th century, after it was used for the heroine in the successful 1866 novel St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans. It peaked around the turn of the century and has declined steadily since then, falling off the American top 1000 list in 1992.
Effrosyni f Greek
Modern Greek form of Euphrosyne.
Efterpi f Greek
Modern Greek form of Euterpe.
Eftychia f Greek
Modern Greek form of Eutychia. It means "happiness" in Modern Greek.
Egzon m Albanian
Possibly a derivative of Albanian gëzoj "to enjoy".
Eija f Finnish
Possibly from the Finnish happy exclamation eijaa.
Ekundayo f & m Yoruba
Means "tears become joy" in Yoruba.
Ellar m Scottish
Anglicized form of Ealar.
Elşad m Azerbaijani
From Azerbaijani el meaning "country, society" combined with şad meaning "happy, glad" (from Persian شاد).
Elşən m Azerbaijani
From Azerbaijani el meaning "country, society" and şən meaning "happy, cheerful" (of Armenian origin).
Elvira f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian, Russian
Spanish form of a Visigothic name, recorded from the 10th century in forms such as Geloyra or Giluira. It is of uncertain meaning, possibly composed of the Gothic element gails "happy" or gails "spear" combined with wers "friendly, agreeable, true". The name was borne by members of the royal families of León and Castille. This is also the name of a character in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni (1787).
Elysia f Various
From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Enkhjargal f Mongolian
Means "peace blessing" in Mongolian, from энх (enkh) meaning "peace, calm" and жаргал (jargal) meaning "blessing, happiness".
Éowyn f Literature
Means "horse joy" in Old English. This name was invented by J. R. R. Tolkien who used Old English to represent the Rohirric language. In his novel The Lord of the Rings (1954) Eowyn is the niece of King Theoden of Rohan. She slays the Lord of the Nazgul in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Etsuko f Japanese
From Japanese (etsu) meaning "joy, pleased" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Eudocia f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐδοκία (Eudokia), derived from the word εὐδοκέω (eudokeo) meaning "to be well pleased, to be satisfied", itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δοκέω (dokeo) meaning "to think, to imagine, to suppose". This name was common among Byzantine royalty. Saint Eudocia was the wife of the 5th-century emperor Theodosius II.
Euphranor m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὐφραίνω (euphraino) meaning "to delight, to cheer". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian artist.
Euphrasia f Ancient Greek
Means "good cheer" in Greek, a derivative of εὐφραίνω (euphraino) meaning "to delight, to cheer". This name was borne by a 5th-century saint from Constantinople.
Euphrasie f French
French form of Euphrasia.
Euphrosyne f Greek Mythology
Means "mirth, merriment, cheerfulness" in Greek, a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φρήν (phren) meaning "mind, heart". She was one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites) in Greek mythology.
Eustorgio m Italian (Rare)
From Eustorgius, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὐστόργιος (Eustorgios), which was from the word εὔστοργος (eustorgos) meaning "content", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and στέργω (stergo) meaning "to love, to be content". Saint Eustorgius was a 6th-century bishop of Milan.
Euterpe f Greek Mythology
Means "delight" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and τέρπω (terpo) meaning "to satisfy, to cheer". In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, the muse of music and joy. She was said to have invented the double flute.
Euthymius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐθύμιος (Euthymios) meaning "in good spirits, generous", derived from the word εὔθυμος (euthymos), which was composed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θυμός (thymos) meaning "soul, spirit". This was the name of several early saints.
Evaristus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐάριστος (Euaristos) meaning "well pleasing" from the Greek word εὐάρεστος (euarestos), derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good, well" and ἀρεστός (arestos) meaning "pleasing". This was the name of the fifth pope, supposedly martyred under Emperor Hadrian.
Fadzai f Shona
From Shona fadza meaning "please, make happy".
Farah f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Malay
Means "joy, happiness" in Arabic, from the root فرح (fariḥa) meaning "to be happy".
Farai m & f Shona
From Shona fara meaning "rejoice, be happy".
Faraj m Arabic
Means "comfort, relief" in Arabic.
Farhan m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Malay, Indonesian
Means "happy, cheerful" in Arabic, a derivative of فرح (fariḥa) meaning "to be happy".
Farhana f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Feminine form of Farhan.
Fariha f Arabic, Urdu
Means "happy" in Arabic, from the root فرح (fariḥa) meaning "to be happy".
Farrah f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic فرح (see Farah).
Farrokh m Persian
Means "happy, auspicious" in Persian. This was the birth name of the musician Freddie Mercury (1946-1991), who was born on Zanzibar to Parsi parents.
Farruh m Uzbek
Uzbek form of Farrokh.
Farrukh m Urdu, Tajik
Urdu and Tajik form of Farrokh.
Farrux m Uzbek
Uzbek form of Farrokh.
Felicidad f Spanish
Spanish form of Felicitas. It also means "happiness" in Spanish.
Felicidade f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Felicitas. It also means "happiness" in Portuguese.
Felicita f Italian
Italian form of Felicitas. It also coincides closely with Italian felicità "happiness".
Félicité f French
French form of Felicitas.
Felicity f English
From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name Felicitas. This name jumped in popularity in the United States after the premiere of the television series Felicity in 1998. It is more common in the United Kingdom.
Felix m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From a Roman cognomen meaning "lucky, successful" in Latin. It was acquired as an agnomen, or nickname, by the 1st-century BC Roman general Sulla. It also appears in the New Testament belonging to the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint Paul.... [more]
Festim m Albanian
Means "festivity, celebration" in Albanian.
Festus m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Roman cognomen, possibly meaning "festival, holiday" in Latin. This was the name of a Roman official in the New Testament.
Fortunato m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name Fortunatus meaning "fortunate, blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints and martyrs.
Freyde f Yiddish (Rare)
From Yiddish פֿרייד (freid) meaning "joy".
Frosina f Macedonian
Macedonian form of Euphrosyne.
Fruzsina f Hungarian
Diminutive of Eufrozina, the Hungarian form of Euphrosyne.
Fuku m & f Japanese
From Japanese (fuku) meaning "happiness, good fortune, blessing". This name can also be formed by other kanji or combinations of kanji.
Funmilayo f Yoruba
Means "give me joy" in Yoruba, also a short form of Olufunmilayo or Oluwafunmilayo.
Furaha f Swahili
Means "joy, happiness" in Swahili, borrowed from Arabic فرح (fariḥa).
Gailawera f Gothic (Hypothetical)
Possible Gothic form of Elvira.
Gaius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Roman praenomen, or given name, of uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from Latin gaudere "to rejoice", though it may be of unknown Etruscan origin. This was a very common Roman praenomen, the most famous bearers being Gaius Julius Caesar, the great leader of the Roman Republic, and his adopted son Gaius Octavius (later known as Augustus), the first Roman emperor. This name also appears in the New Testament belonging to a bishop of Ephesus who is regarded as a saint.
Gaja 2 f Esperanto
Means "cheerful, merry, glad" in Esperanto.
Gale 2 m English
From a surname that was derived from Middle English gaile "jovial". It also coincides with the English word gale meaning "storm".
Galswintha f Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Gaileswinþa, derived from the element gails "happy" or gails "spear" combined with swinþs "strong". Galswintha was a daughter of the 6th-century Visigothic king Athanagild. She was murdered soon after she married Chilperic I, the Frankish king of Neustria.
Ganymede m Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From Greek Γανυμήδης (Ganymedes), which was possibly derived from γάνυμαι (ganymai) meaning "to be glad" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek mythology this was the name of a beautiful boy who was abducted by Zeus to become the cupbearer to the gods, the successor of Hebe. A moon of Jupiter is named after him.
Gay f English
From the English word gay meaning "gay, happy". By the mid-20th century the word had acquired the additional meaning of "homosexual", and the name has subsequently dropped out of use.
Gaylord m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old French gaillard "high-spirited, boisterous". This name was rarely used after the mid-20th century, when the word gay acquired the slang meaning "homosexual".
Gazmend m Albanian
Means "exultation, great joy, elation" in Albanian.
Geloyra f Gothic (Latinized)
Latinized (Old Spanish) form of a Gothic name (see Elvira).
Gëzim m Albanian
Means "joy, happiness" in Albanian.
Gil 3 m Hebrew
Means "joy, happiness" in Hebrew.
Gila f Hebrew
Feminine form of Gil 3.
Gili f & m Hebrew
Means "my joy" in Hebrew.
Gioconda f Italian
From the Late Latin name Iucunda, which meant "pleasant, delightful, happy". Leonardo da Vinci's painting the Mona Lisa is also known as La Gioconda because its subject is Lisa del Giocondo.
Gioia f Italian
Means "joy" in Italian.
Glædwine m Anglo-Saxon
Old English name derived from the elements glæd "bright, cheerful, glad" and wine "friend". This name was not actually recorded in the Old English era, though it is attested starting in the 11th century.
Golnaz f Persian
Derived from Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort".
Gülşat f Turkmen
From Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and شاد (shād) meaning "happy".
Gurpreet m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit गुरु (guru) meaning "teacher, guru" and प्रीति (prīti) meaning "pleasure, joy, love".
Gwenith f Welsh
Variant of Gwyneth, influenced by the Welsh word gwenith meaning "wheat".
Haggai m Biblical
Means "festive" in Hebrew, from the root חָגַג (ḥaḡaḡ) meaning "to hold a festival, to celebrate". This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. He was the author of the Book of Haggai, which urges the exiles returning from Babylonia to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
Haggith f Biblical
Means "festive" in Hebrew, derived from the root חָגַג (ḥaḡaḡ) meaning "to hold a festival, to celebrate". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of King David's wives.
Hailwic f Germanic
Old German variant of Heilwig.
Hana 1 f Arabic, Bosnian
Means "bliss, happiness" in Arabic, from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Hanaa f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هناء (see Hana 1).
Handan f Turkish
From Persian خندان (khandān) meaning "laughing, smiling".
Hande f Turkish
From Persian خنده (khandeh) meaning "laughter, smile".
Hani m Arabic
Means "happy, delighted" in Arabic, from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Haniyya f Arabic
From Arabic هنيء (hanīʾ) meaning "pleasant, beneficial", from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Happy f & m English (Rare)
From the English word happy, derived from Middle English hap "chance, luck", of Old Norse origin.
Harpreet m & f Indian (Sikh)
From the name of the Hindu god Hari and Sanskrit प्रीति (prīti) meaning "pleasure, joy, love".
Harsha m Kannada, Telugu, Sanskrit
Means "happiness" in Sanskrit. Harsha (or Harṣa, also called Harshavardhana) was a 7th-century emperor of northern India. He was also noted as an author.
Harshad m Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit हर्ष (harṣa) meaning "happiness".
Harshal m Marathi, Gujarati
Derived from Sanskrit हर्ष (harṣa) meaning "happiness".
Heilwig f German (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements heil "healthy, whole" and wig "war".
Hephzibah f Biblical
From the Hebrew name חֶףְצִי־בָּה (Ḥeftsi-ba) meaning "my delight is in her". In the Old Testament she is the wife of King Hezekiah of Judah and the mother of Manasseh. The meaning of her name is explained in Isaiah 62:4.
Hetepheres f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ḥtp-ḥrs meaning "satisfied is her face", from ḥtp "peace, satisfaction" and ḥr "face". This was the name of queens consort and princesses from the Egyptian 4th dynasty (26th century BC).
Hilaire m French
French form of Hilarius.
Hilario m Spanish
Spanish form of Hilarius.
Hilarion m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἱλαρός (hilaros) meaning "cheerful". This was the name of a 4th-century saint, a disciple of Saint Anthony.
Hilarius m Ancient Roman
Roman name derived from Latin hilaris meaning "cheerful". Alternatively, it could be derived from the Greek name Ἱλαρός (Hilaros) also meaning "cheerful" (the Greek word ἱλαρός was the source of the Latin word hilaris). Saint Hilarius was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Poitiers. This was also the name of a 5th-century pope.
Hilary f & m English
Medieval English form of Hilarius or Hilaria. During the Middle Ages it was primarily a masculine name. It was revived in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century as a predominantly feminine name. In America, this name and the variant Hillary seemed to drop in popularity after Hillary Clinton (1947-) became the first lady in 1993. Famous bearers include American actresses Hilary Swank (1974-) and Hilary Duff (1987-).
Hilla f Finnish
Short form of names beginning with Hil. It also means "cloudberry" in Finnish.
Hillar m Estonian
Estonian form of Hilarius.
Hillary f English
Variant of Hilary. A famous bearer of the surname was Edmund Hillary (1919-2008), the first man to climb Mount Everest. It is borne by the American politician Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947-). The name dropped in popularity in 1993 after she became the first lady as the wife of Bill Clinton.
Hillevi f Swedish, Finnish
Swedish and Finnish form of Heilwig.
Huan f & m Chinese
From Chinese (huān) meaning "happy, pleased", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.
Hürrem f Ottoman Turkish
Derived from Persian خرّم (khorram) meaning "happy, pleasant". This was a name given to Süleyman the Magnificent's concubine and eventual wife Hürrem Sultan (1504-1558), also known as Roxelana.
Ibtihaj f Arabic
Means "joy" in Arabic, from the root بهج (bahija) meaning "to be happy, to rejoice in".
Ibtisam f Arabic
Means "a smile" in Arabic, from the root بسم (basama) meaning "to smile".
Ilar m Welsh
Welsh form of Hilarius. This is the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint.
Ilari m Finnish
Finnish form of Hilarius.
Ilaria f Italian
Italian feminine form of Hilarius.
Ilario m Italian
Italian form of Hilarius.
Ilarion m Bulgarian (Rare), Macedonian (Rare)
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Hilarion.
Ilariy m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Hilarius.
Ilona f Hungarian, German, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech
Old Hungarian form of Helen, possibly via a Slavic form. In Finland it is associated with the word ilona, a derivative of ilo "joy".
İlshat m Tatar
Tatar form of Elşad.
Ilshat m Bashkir, Tatar
Bashkir form of Elşad, as well as an alternate transcription of Tatar Илшат (see İlshat).
Into m Finnish
Means "enthusiasm" in Finnish.
Isaac m English, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, French, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name יִץְחָק (Yitsḥaq) meaning "he will laugh, he will rejoice", derived from צָחַק (tsaḥaq) meaning "to laugh". The Old Testament explains this meaning, by recounting that Abraham laughed when God told him that his aged wife Sarah would become pregnant with Isaac (see Genesis 17:17), and later Sarah laughed when overhearing the same prophecy (see Genesis 18:12). When Isaac was a boy, God tested Abraham's faith by ordering him to sacrifice his son, though an angel prevented the act at the last moment. Isaac went on to become the father of Esau and Jacob with his wife Rebecca.... [more]
Isac m Romanian (Rare), Swedish
Romanian form of Isaac, as well as a Swedish variant form.
Isamu m Japanese
From Japanese (isamu) meaning "brave" or other kanji having the same pronunciation.
Itumeleng m & f Tswana
Means "be happy" in Tswana, from itumela meaning "to be happy".
Iucunda f Late Roman
Latin form of Gioconda.
Jargal f & m Mongolian
Means "happiness, blessing" in Mongolian.
Jehoaddan f Biblical
Means "Yahweh delights" in Hebrew, from the roots יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and עָדַן (ʿaḏan) meaning "to delight". In the Old Testament she was the wife of King Joash of Judah, and the mother of his successor King Amaziah.
Jingyi m & f Chinese
From Chinese (jìng) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" combined with () meaning "joy, harmony". Other character combinations are possible as well.
Jocosa f Medieval English
Medieval variant of Joyce, influenced by the Latin word iocosus or jocosus "merry, playful".
Joi f English (Modern)
Variant of Joy.
Joy f English
Simply from the English word joy, ultimately derived from Norman French joie, Latin gaudium. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Joyce f & m English
From the medieval masculine name Josse, which was derived from the earlier Iudocus, which was a Latinized form of the Breton name Judoc meaning "lord". The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 14th century, but was later revived as a feminine name, perhaps because of similarity to the Middle English word joise "to rejoice". This given name also became a surname, as in the case of the Irish novelist James Joyce (1882-1941).
Joye f English
Variant of Joy.
Jun-Seo m Korean
From Sino-Korean (jun) meaning "talented, handsome" combined with (seo) meaning "open up, unfold, comfortable, easy" or (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Jyrgal m & f Kyrgyz
Means "happiness" in Kyrgyz.
Kalea f Hawaiian
Means "joy, happiness" in Hawaiian.
Kayin m & f Yoruba (Rare)
Means "celebrate" in Yoruba.
Kayode m Yoruba
Means "bringing joy" in Yoruba.
Kazuyuki m Japanese
From Japanese (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" and (yuki) meaning "happiness, good luck", as well as other combinations of kanji characters having the same reading.
Khurram m Urdu
Derived from Persian خرّم (khorram) meaning "happy, pleasant".
Khushi f Hindi
Means "happiness" in Hindi, ultimately from Persian خوشی (khūshī).
Kıvanç m Turkish
Means "pleasure, joy" in Turkish.
Kōji m Japanese
From Japanese () meaning "prosperous", () meaning "happiness, good luck" or () meaning "peace" combined with (ji) meaning "officer, boss", (ji) meaning "two" or (ji) meaning "next". This name can also be formed from many other combinations of kanji characters.
Kōki m Japanese
From Japanese () meaning "light" or () meaning "happiness, good luck" combined with (ki) meaning "hope" or (ki) meaning "brightness". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji characters as well.
Kondwani m Chewa, Tumbuka
Means "be happy, rejoice" in Chewa and Tumbuka.
Kouki m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 光希 or 幸輝 (see Kōki).
Laëtitia f French
French form of Laetitia.
Lætitia f French
French form of Laetitia.
Laetitia f Late Roman, French
Original Latin form of Letitia, as well as a French variant. This name began rising in popularity in France around the same time that Serge Gainsbourg released his 1963 song Elaeudanla Téïtéïa (this title is a phonetic rendering of the letters in the name Lætitia). It peaked in 1982 as the fourth most common name for girls.
Laima f Lithuanian, Latvian, Baltic Mythology
From Latvian laime and Lithuanian laima, which mean "luck, fate". This was the name of the Latvian and Lithuanian goddess of fate, luck, pregnancy and childbirth. She was the sister of the goddesses Dēkla and Kārta, who were also associated with fate.
Lakshmi f & m Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Odia
Means "sign, mark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Hindu goddess of prosperity, good luck, and beauty. She is the wife of Vishnu and her symbol is the lotus flower, with which she is often depicted.
Laxmi f & m Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Telugu లక్ష్మి or Marathi/Hindi लक्ष्मी (see Lakshmi), as well as the most common Nepali transcription.
Leelavathi f Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Lilavati.
Lepidus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "pleasant, agreeable, charming" in Latin. A notable bearer was the 1st-century BC Roman general and statesman Marcus Aemilius Lepidus.
Leta f English
Possibly derived from Latin laetus meaning "glad". Otherwise, it could be a short form of names ending in leta.
Lethabo m & f Sotho, Tswana
Means "joy, happiness" in Sotho and Tswana.
Letícia f Portuguese, Hungarian
Portuguese and Hungarian form of Letitia.
Leticia f Spanish
Spanish form of Letitia.
Letitia f English
From the Late Latin name Laetitia meaning "joy, happiness". This was the name of an obscure saint, who is revered mainly in Spain. It was in use in England during the Middle Ages, usually in the spelling Lettice, and it was revived in the 18th century.
Letizia f Italian
Italian form of Letitia. It was borne by Napoleon Bonaparte's mother.
Lettice f English (Archaic)
Medieval form of Letitia.
Ligaya f Tagalog
Means "happiness" in Tagalog.
Lila 1 f Hindi
Means "play, amusement" in Sanskrit.
Lilavati f Sanskrit
Means "amusing, charming, graceful" in Sanskrit. The 12th-century mathematician Bhaskara gave this name to one of his books on mathematics, possibly after his daughter. This was also the name of a 13th-century queen of Sri Lanka.
Liron m & f Hebrew
Means "my song, my joy" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and רֹן (ron) "joy, song".
Lykke f Danish
Means "good fortune, happiness" in Danish.
Macaria f Spanish
Feminine form of Macario.
Macario m Spanish
Spanish form of the Latin name Macarius, derived from the Greek name Μακάριος (Makarios), which was in turn derived from Greek μάκαρ (makar) meaning "blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints.
Mahnaz f Persian
From Persian مه (mah) meaning "moon" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort".
Makar m Russian
Russian form of Makarios (see Macario).
Makarios m Late Greek
Greek form of Macario.
Makena f & m Kikuyu
Means "happy one" in Kikuyu.
Manjula f Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam
From Sanskrit मञ्जुल (mañjula) meaning "pleasing, beautiful".
Manpreet f & m Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and प्रीति (prīti) meaning "pleasure, joy, love".
Marley f & m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was taken from a place name meaning either "pleasant wood", "boundary wood" or "marten wood" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the Jamaican musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).
Marzieh f Persian
Derived from Arabic مرضيّ (marḍīy) meaning "satisfactory, pleasing", a derivative of رضي (raḍiya) meaning "to be satisfied".
Meallán m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Mellán, derived from mell meaning either "pleasant, delightful" or "lump, ball" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a few early saints.
Mehetabel f Biblical
From the Hebrew name םְהֵיטַבְאֵל (Meheṭavʾel) meaning "God makes happy", derived from the roots יָטַב (yaṭav) meaning "to be happy" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Mehrnaz f Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Melpomene f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek μέλπω (melpo) meaning "to sing, to celebrate with song". This was the name of one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, the muse of tragedy.
Mentuhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian mnṯw-ḥtp meaning "Montu is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Montu combined with ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of several pharaohs, including Mentuhotep II who reunited Egypt into what is now called the Middle Kingdom in the 21st century BC.
Meriwether m English (Rare)
From a surname meaning "happy weather" in Middle English, originally belonging to a cheery person. A notable bearer of the name was Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), who, with William Clark, explored the west of North America.
Merry 1 f English
From the English word merry, ultimately from Old English myrige. This name appears in Charles Dickens' novel Martin Chuzzlewit (1844), where it is a diminutive of Mercy.
Merry 2 m Literature
The name of a hobbit in J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings (1954). His full given name is Meriadoc; Merry is a semi-translation into English of his true hobbit-language name Kali meaning "jolly, merry" (in full Kalimac).
Miley f English (Modern)
In the case of actress and singer Miley Cyrus (1992-), it is a shortened form of the nickname Smiley, given to her by her father because she often smiled. Although it was not at all common before she brought it to public attention, there are some examples of its use before her time, most likely as a diminutive of Miles.
Milorad m Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Derived from the Slavic elements milŭ "gracious, dear" and radŭ "happy, willing".
Mirinda f Esperanto
Means "wonderful" in Esperanto.
Miyuki f Japanese
From Japanese (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with (yuki) meaning "happiness" or (yuki) meaning "snow". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Musad m Arabic
Means "lucky" in Arabic, from the root سعد (saʿida) meaning "to be happy, to be lucky".
Naamah f Biblical
Means "pleasant" in Hebrew. This name is borne in the Old Testament by both a daughter of Lamech and a wife of Solomon. Some later Jewish texts give Naamah as the name of Noah's wife, even though she is not named in the Old Testament.
Na'im m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نعيم (see Naim).
Nand m Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi
Northern Indian masculine form of Nanda.
Nanda m & f Hinduism, Buddhism, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Nepali, Burmese, Hindi, Marathi
Means "joy" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form नन्द and the feminine form नन्दा (spelled with a long final vowel).... [more]
Nandar f Burmese
Alternate transcription of Burmese နန္ဒ or နန္ဒာ (see Nanda).
Nandita f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit नन्द (nanda) meaning "joy".
Naomi 1 f English, Hebrew, Biblical
From the Hebrew name נָעֳמִי (Naʿomi) meaning "my pleasantness", a derivative of נָעַם (naʿam) meaning "to be pleasant". In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother-in-law of Ruth. After the death of her husband and sons, she returned to Bethlehem with Ruth. There she declared that her name should be Mara because of her misfortune (see Ruth 1:20).... [more]
Nashwa f Arabic
Means "ecstasy, elation" in Arabic.
Nazerke f Kazakh
Derived from Persian ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort" and Kazakh ерке (erke) meaning "naughty, spoiled, darling".
Nazgul f Kyrgyz, Kazakh
Derived from Persian ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort" and گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
Neşe f Turkish
Means "joy, happiness" in Turkish.
Nihal 2 m Hindi
Means "content, happy" in Hindi.
Noam m & f Hebrew, French
Means "pleasantness" in Hebrew. A famous bearer is Noam Chomsky (1928-), an American linguist and philosopher.
Nobuyuki m Japanese
From Japanese (nobu) meaning "trust" or (nobu) meaning "extend, stretch, open" combined with (yuki) meaning "row, line" or (yuki) meaning "happiness". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.
Noham m French (Modern)
French variant of Noam.
Nuallán m Medieval Irish
Irish byname derived from nuall meaning "famous, loud" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Nuan f Chinese
From Chinese (nuǎn) meaning "warm, genial" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Obrad m Serbian
Possibly derived from Serbian obradovati meaning "to make happy".
Olufunmilayo f Yoruba
Means "God gives me joy" in Yoruba.
Olukayode m Yoruba
Means "God brings happiness" in Yoruba.
Onni m Finnish
Means "happiness, luck" in Finnish.