Illustration: MomJunction Design Team
English has been around since 450 CE (1). Hence, it is no surprise that English baby names are famous worldwide. English, spoken by over a billion people, is the world's lingua franca. The language of Dante, Shakespeare, and Queen Elizabeth, English has a universal magnificence, which elevates even the simplest write-up to a nifty piece of art. There's no dearth of attractive names in the English language. Many of these names traveled to the US with the early settlers and set up homes in the new country. With such an ancient language, many influences have shaped modern names. Biblical names such as John and Hannah have always been a part of religious English culture. Historical names, including Charles and Isabel, also found a permanent place in English royalty.
Moreover, names having cultural associations, such as William and Charlotte exude a timeless charm and literary prowess. There's a trend of using English surnames as given names, such as Bradley and Cameron. Vocabulary words like Hope, Charity, and Summer are also being used as given names. The stock is further increased by traditional and classic names like Alicia, Emily, Marshall, Nicholas, and their short forms. In recent years, celebrity names like Margaret and David have found new favor with parents. With diminishing global and cultural boundaries, regional variations are commonly used among English baby names. For example, Sean for John and Siobhan for Joan give a regional twist to regular English baby names. English baby names have blended with other languages and taken their place in several countries with their variations. For instance, names like Emma and Louis are popular in France. Maria is famous as an Italian and Swedish name, while Adela and Daniel are well-known Spanish names. Below is our wide selection of English baby names with their meanings and additional information. It will surely help you pick the perfect name for the latest member of your family.
| Name | Gender | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  Unisex | The lake or reservoir in midst of timber trees |
| | |  Girl | A quality of a sound; A timbre of a voice or music |
| | | Girl | An instrument for music |
| | |  Boy | A period; An era; A quantity of period |
| | | Boy | One who honours god; Fear from God |
| | | Boy | One who honors Theos or God |
| | | Boy | One who honors or respects God |
| | | Girl | A follower of God |
| | | Girl | Sounds that a bell makes |
| | | Girl | One who follows Christ |
| | | Girl | Glorious and beautiful |
| | | Unisex | A tinker; Someone who repairs or makes things |
| | | Girl | A fictional name |
| | | Girl | One who is bashful or shy |
| | | Girl | A fence; A hedge |
| | | Girl | Tynni's meadow |
| | | Unisex | A little one |
| | | Girl | From the clan of Roman empire |
| | | Boy | A brave and bold race or people |
| | | Boy | A habitational name; A farm or a settlement |
| | | Boy | Tactful, insightful, and loving individual |
| | | Boy | A thunder ruler or a martial ruler |
| | | Unisex | Responsible for the wardrobe of royal or nobles |
| | | Girl | A strong will; Will-power |
| | | Girl | Aristocrat |
| | | Girl | One who has strong willpower |
| | | Girl | A type of frustrated behavior |
| | | Boy | A genuine, admirable, and lighthearted individual |
| | | Boy | A tidy, trusting, and thorough individual |
| | | Boy | A narrow path between two walls |
| | | Boy | A variant of Theodoric; Ruler of the people |
| | | Unisex | Abbreviation of first and middle names; J usually stands for Junior |
| | | Boy | The handle of a joiner |
| | | Unisex | God is good; Good is Yahweh |
| | | Boy | God is always good |
| | | Boy | God is Yahweh |
| | | Boy | God is right and good |
| | | Boy | Fox |
| | | Boy | A fox or a cunning fox |
| | | Unisex | A representation or symbol of something else; A piece of data created by a system to represent unique information; A digital asset |
| | | Boy | One who owns the taxed land |
| | | Boy | Land of the river Tone |
| | | Boy | One who collects the toll |
| | | Unisex | Son of Toll |
| | | Boy | A tidy, enthusiastic, and orderly person |
| | | Girl | Moderate, trustworthy, and tender individual |
| | | Girl | A kind, affectionate, and encouraging person |
| | | Boy | A twin; One of the disciples of Jesus |
| | | Boy | A dear kin of Thomas |
| | | Boy | A little twin; A newborn twin |
| | | Boy | Son of a younger twin child |
| | | Boy | The younger twin's child |
| | | Girl | One who is highly praised and priceless |
| | | Boy | The bright flower or shining flower |
| | | Boy | The brightest flower |
| | | Boy | The descendant of Tond or flower |
| | | Boy | One who is a stonemaker; a diplomatic individual |
| | | Girl | One who can't be priced |
| | | Unisex | Who is worth of many praises |
| | | Unisex | A nickname |
| | | Unisex | Sweet; Cute |
| | | Boy | To bear or carry Christ |
| | | Boy | Crest; A point of some high structure or tree top |
| | | Boy | The glory of thor or glorious as Thor |
| | | Unisex | Victorious, mighty, brave |
| | | Boy | The meadow or thunder God |
| | | Boy | An occupational name for the one who bakes tarts |
| | | Boy | One who is able to bake tarts |
| | | Unisex | Victorious; conqueror; leader |
| | | Boy | A well-known noble-man |
| | | Girl | A tolerant, diligent, and elegant individual |
| | | Girl | Unselfish; Lonely and analytical person |
| | | Boy | Versatile; Idealistic and inspirational individual |
| | | Boy | One who sews or put tucks in fabric |
| | | Boy | One who works in the administrative department |
| | | Boy | From the meadows of a town |
| | | Boy | One who is from the end of the town |
| | | Boy | A town across the woods |
| | | Boy | A town or village in the woods |
| | | Boy | One who is from the town of woods |
| | | Boy | A town settled by clearing of woods |
| | | Boy | The cleaning of woods to form a town |
| | | Boy | A settlement at the end of town |
| | | Boy | One who belongs to the town |
| | | Unisex | An object for children to play with |
| | | Boy | A toy; A baby girl as a toy to keep house-members busy |
| | | Boy | One who belong to the Thracians |
| | | Girl | Who belongs to the place or Thracians |
| | | Unisex | Someone or something that traces |
| | | Unisex | Thracian’s place |
| | | Girl | Who hails from the place of Thracius |
| | | Girl | A girl from the Thracius |
| | | Boy | One who goes to other country for trades |
| | | Boy | A form of trey |
| | | Boy | A town or settlement near the trees |
| | | Boy | Strong; Bold |
| | | Boy | A hawker with the horse cart |
| | | Boy | A person from the fair town |
| | | Boy | A town of fair people |
| | | Boy | A town that is fair |
English baby names have created a loyal audience worldwide. New parents all over the world are attracted to these names due to their timeless allure and the ability to morph into recent trends. These names are rooted in history, literature, royalty, and pop culture. They show versatility in their variety and meanings. English baby names, originally from England, have now traveled across the globe to reach new shores. Moreover, they have also assimilated the quirks of other languages and included their names.
Infographic: Eloquent English Baby Names With Meanings
English baby names have been around for a long time. They have also morphed to become new names that are now famous all over the world. New parents are enamored of these names because of their classic feel. Take a look at this infographic to get endearing English baby names for your little one.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What customs and traditions are associated with English baby names?
English naming customs typically involve three elements - a given name, a middle name (s), and a family name. The British follow a patrilineal naming system where the child inherits their father's family name. However, following the patrilineal naming system is not mandatory. Instead, parents have the freedom to choose their child's last name. Some parents could also give their child the mother's last name. In contrast, others may provide both mother and father surnames in a hyphenated form, reflecting the flexibility in English naming traditions and customs.
2. How do English baby names reflect a person's heritage?
English naming conventions are diverse, encompassing people from different religions, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds. Many parents may opt for names that mirror their ethnic and cultural connections. For example, parents of Irish heritage may choose titles like Liam. On the other hand, those of Greek origin might opt for names like Sophia or Alexander. Parents may also pick names that reflect their regional heritage. For example, Devon and Kent are names inspired by specific regions or places within England. Furthermore, many families pass down names from one generation to another or choose monikers inspired by literary and historical figures.
References
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