Confused about naming your baby? Trust me, we’ve all been there.
Do you know why naming a child is considered so important? It is because in most cultures, it is believed that the name of a baby determines the child’s future. Even though we’ve come a long way, and many of us don’t believe in ideas as such anymore, we can all agree that one’s name is a large part of their identity. This is why it is important to put a great deal of thought into it.
But finding a name can be incredibly hard as a parent, especially if you’re looking at just a particular type of name.
In this list, we’re helping you branch out and listing out some of the best international cultures, where you can look for name inspiration.
1. Korean Names
The K-pop wave has swept the entire world, as elements of Korean culture like K-pop and K-dramas have taken a hold of people. As a result, several major elements of Korean cultures, including names have become really popular in recent times. But did you know that Korean names also have a lot of beautiful meanings to them, and most of them are inspired by nature, history, royalty, and more? Many of them are also indicative of status and rank. Koreans also follow a unique trait where the first name often consists of two parts. Here are some examples for you to check out.
Korean Girl Names:
- Areum – beautiful
- Hae-Won – graceful and beautiful garden
- Chin-sun – Seeker of truth and beauty
- Soo-jin – excellence, and truth; a treasure
- Young-Mi – prosperity and eternal beauty
- Sang-hoon – benevolent; also indicative of rank
- Yung-chul- eternal and firm
- Seok – stone; strong like a rock
- Won-shik – head of a family; leader
- Mal-chin – one who is persistent and determined
2. French Names
French is often called the “language of love”, and French names help solidify that belief because they’re beloved all over the world for being romantic and artistic. They’re a great way to make your baby seem filled with elegance and imbibe them with the ” French spirit” of class and grace. They’re also great for both men and women, and sound natural but exotic at the same time. So if you are a lover of French media, whether that’s poetry or cinemas, giving your baby a French name is an excellent idea. Here are some ideas that you can refer to.
French Girl Names:
- Amelie – one who is industrious; famous due to the movie “Amelie” (2001)
- Colette – victorious, also the female derivation of “Nicholas”
- Juliette – young, downy
- Lucille – brightness, light
- Sylvie – “from the forest”
French Boy Names:
- Antoine – praiseworthy
- Gabriel – (Hebrew derivation) “God is my strength”
- Julian – soft-haired
- Marceu – little warrior; variation of Marc
- Thierry – ruler of people; mighty power
3. Indian Names
Indian names are filled with magic, meaning, and beauty. In recent years, more and more people have started naming their children with Indian names, with famous actor Chris Hemsworth naming his daughter “India” itself! Indian names are largely derived from Sanskrit and Urdu languages and mainly refer to religious and divine figures. However, like all other cultures, there are names associated with rank, status, work, and even elements of nature. A lot of Indian names are even a reference to royalty and elements of a royal lifestyle.
Indian Girl Names
- Alisha – one who is mobile; light
- Drishti – sight, vision
- Neharika – drops of dew
- Saloni – beautiful; gorgeous
- Zara – princess; flower; petal
Indian Boy Names
- Akanksh – desire
- Laksh – aim; destination
- Ranbir – a brave warrior
- Taarush – winner; conqueror
- Yash – fame
4. Mexican Names
Mexico is a beautiful country, with a rich history and Mexican names are just as exotic and beautiful. Since Mexico is a largely catholic country and has been from the 1500s, Mexican names are derived from or associated with religious names or the names of Saints. For instance, a popular Mexican name for girls is “Maria”, which is a reference to Maria Guadalupe, or our Lady of Guadalupe. Similarly, José is a derivation of the Mexican word for Joseph, the father of Christ.
Mexican Girl Names:
- Elena – shining light
- Fernando – adventurous, daring; a feminine version of Fernando
- Isabel – devoted to God; a Spanish derivation of Elizabeth
- Maria – Spanish derivation of Mary, a reference to Mother Mary
- Paloma – dove; refers to strength and grace
Mexican Boy Names:
- Antonia – a reference to famed emperor and warrior, Marcus Antonius
- Juan – graceful; merciful; Mexican derivation of John
- Miguel – one who is like God; Spanish derivation of Michael
- Rafael – god heals; a shortened version of Raphael
- Raúl – wolf counsel; derivation of the English name “Ralph”
5. Arabic Names
Arabic names are a treasure-trove of beauty and meaning, with a lot of euphemisms that are indicative of royalty. At the same time, they also have a lot of references to or from the Quran, which is the holy book for Islamic people. A lot of Arabic names also have Christian roots, and you can often find Arabic derivations of popular Christianity-inspired, English names. Here are some popular and beautiful Arabic names for both boys and girls.
Arabic Girl Names
- Amina – honest; trustworthy
- Jiya – sweetheart; my life
- Noor – the divine light; can also be used for boys
- Shahnaz – the pride of the king
- Zoya – alive; loving and caring; might be an Arabic variant of “Zoe”
Arabic Boy Names
- Amir – one who is a born leader
- Ejaz – miracle-filled
- Haafiz – guide-keeper; guard
- Rashid – one who is knowledgeable; mature
- Yousef – Arabic interpretation of the biblical character, Joseph
