Baby Names
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35 Boy Names That Mean Love
(Or at least give a loving vibe.)
by Jamie Kenney
Choosing a baby name is never easy. Maybe there are a million names you like and you can’t narrow it down. Or maybe you’re having the opposite problem: nothing sounds right. Sometimes finding a meaning or a feeling to be represented by your baby’s name can narrow it down. For your little guy, finding boy names that mean love can give you a sweet list of cherished, beloved monikers. After all, all you need is love. (Or so they say... though we find things like money and health insurance help a lot... but love is right up there, for sure.)
The good news is, there’s a variety of sweet baby boy names that mean love — or have a loving meaning, foundation, or overall vibe — from around the world. As you can imagine, there’s a whole bunch on this lis, because it turns out that people like to name their babies after nice things, like flowers, and pretty places, and emotions like love and being loved. So whether there’s something wrong with every name you come up with (bad nickname, no nickname, it was the name of that one guy in that one college class you couldn’t stand and now it’s ruined forever), or you want a name that reflects your heritage or honors someone or means something special, this list can help. What better way to welcome a new human being into the world by letting them know, immediately, that they are loved?
1
Amadeus
Amadeus, a name of Latin origin that simultaneously means “beloved of God” and “lover of God,” was one of the many names famed composer Mozart* went by.
*Fun fact: it’s just a (probably jokey) nickname! His real name was Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart... but friends called him Wolfie.
2
Theophilus
The Greek version of Amadeus (or rather, Amadeus is the Latin form of Theophilus, which came first), Theophilus also means both lover and beloved of God. It’s a pretty big name for a little boy, but it’s a good vehicle to call your baby Theo.
3
Beau
Beau is the French word for “handsome,” but in English it has come to mean a young male suitor or beloved person. It has so much spunk.
4
Jedidiah
This Biblical name of Jedidiah comes from Hebrew and means “beloved of the Lord.” I also love Jed as a nickname.
5
Obi
The name Obi comes from Nigeria and is Igbo for “heart.” Obi works as a great standalone name, but is commonly used within a longer name, like Obiajulu (“my heart is at peace”) and Obidike (“stubborn and kind-hearted”).
6
Erasmus
The Greek name Erasmus means “beloved” or “desired.” It’s the chosen name of the Renaissance humanist philosopher/theologian and the patron saint of sailors.
7
Prem
The name Prem comes from Sanskrit and means “lovable” or “affectionate.” It is also a Thai name that means “happy” or “content.”
8
Aziz
The Arabic name Aziz has taken on many meanings, including “powerful,” “darling one,” “respected,” and “beloved.” When prefixed by “Al,” it is one of the names of God given in the Hadith.
9
Corwin
The Irish name Corwin means “heart’s friend.” I love how sweet this one is, and it packs a lot of personality in such a short moniker.
10
Dewey
This Anglicized version of the Welsh name “Dewi,” Dewey retains the same meaning — beloved. It’s a nickname for Dafydd (pronounced “DAV-eth), the Welsh form of the name David.
11
Lennan
Lennan is an Irish name that means “lover” or “sweetheart” and is a fun spin on the more popular “Lenon.” While I’m going to go ahead and guess wee Lennan will have to deal with a lifetime of correcting the spelling of his name, it could be worth it for a name with such a lovely, sweet meaning.
12
Lev
Lev is a name that pops up across cultures. In Russian, it means “lion,” essentially that language’s version of Leo. In Hebrew, however, it means “heart.”
13
Kordian
The name Kordian was first given to the titular character of a play written by Juliusz Słowacki in the 1830s and means “of the heart.” Kordian is considered a Romantic masterpiece.
14
Graziano
The Italian name Graziano, often used as a surname, means “beloved” and “pleasing.”
15
Rhys
The Welsh name Rhys means “ardent” or “passionate.” It is also a name whose etymology has fiery connotations.
16
Didier
Didier is a lively French name, pronounced Dee-dee-YAY, that means “desired.” It gives you a lot of room for fun nicknames, and is super unique.
17
David
In the Bible, King David was one of God’s very favorite folks. As such, the name David means “favorite” or “beloved.”
18
Janan
This gender-neutral Arabic name of Janan means “heart” and “soul.” In Persian, it means “beautiful.”
19
Carwyn
This Welsh name, Carwyn, is a combination of the words caru (love) and wyn (white, fair, or blessed), so it roughly translates to “blessed love.”
20
Sajan
Sajan is a beautiful Indian name that comes from Hindi and means “loved one” and also “good man.”
21
Milos
Milos is a Slavic name that means “dear one,” and can roughly translate to “beloved.”
22
Leofric
This Old English name of Leofric is perhaps due for a comeback. It’s made up of two words: leof (friendly) and ric (kingdom) and roughly translates to “beloved kingdom.” Speaking of kingdoms, this is also the name of a pretty cool character on the series The Last Kingdom.
23
Connor
Connor is a perfect name for a family that is welcoming a human baby after already having a fur-baby in tow. It comes from the Irish language and means “lover of hounds.”
24
Amias
What better way to let your son know he is loved than with this Latin name of Amias, which means exactly that: loved.
25
Romeo
While the meaning of the name Romeo doesn’t have anything to do with love necessarily (it means “pilgrim to Rome”), Shakespeare made it famous and forever connected to literature’s ultimate lover.
26
Rudo
In Shona, a language spoken in southern Africa (mainly Zimbabwa but also in Zambia and Botswana to a lesser extent), this strong-sounding name of Rudo means “love.”
27
Armas
The name Armas comes from Finland. It’s a somewhat old word that means “true love,” and just sounds joyful.
28
Caradoc
Another lovely Welsh name for you to consider, Caradoc means “amiable” or “beloved.” The pronunciation is pretty intuitive (which is not always the case for English speakers attempting Welsh), but there’s been emphasis placed on different syllables.
29
Desi
I Love Lucy fans are likely familiar with the name Desi, rooted in the Italian Desiderio, as it was the name of the actor who played Ricky Ricardo, Desi Arnaz. Desi means “desired,” so I especially love it as a name for a baby that parents have really hoped for.
30
Huracan
This bold name of Huracan means “heart of the sky” or “triple heart of the universe.” Huracan was a powerful god in the Mayan pantheon and his name is where we get the English word “hurricane” and the Spanish word “huracán.”
31
Philemon
While the female form of the name Philemon is probably more familiar (Philomena), this Greek name means “loving,” “affectionate,” and “kiss.”
32
Habib
Habib is Arabic for “beloved” or “my darling,” and you may have heard diminutive versions of this lovely name – habibi
33
Upendo
The Swahili word for “love,” Upendo is the perfect name for a beloved baby boy. (Also, “Endo” is a really cool nickname.)
34
Amador
Amador might call to mind the term matador, the person whose task it is to kill a bull in a bullfight. But whereas matador comes from the Latin “one who kills,” Amador means “one who loves.”
35
Fenmore
This Old English name of Fenmore means both “fen and moore,” but also “dear love.” Perfect for an adored nature lover.
There are so many boy names that mean love, and hopefully this list has given you lots of names to love and consider. Just really think about them, and have fun choosing one for your beloved little guy.
