When a new baby enters the world, it's an exciting and undeniably emotionally charged moment. As a new parent, it's easy to feel so many things at once. But the overarching theme to all those emotions? New life has just been brought into the world — and it's ours. Is there anything more exciting than that? Short answer? Nope.
So when considering the right baby name, how about picking one that means "life?" Sure, naming a baby after life is pretty literal, but we honestly think it sums up everything we want for our little one: We want our children to live a happy, full life and in the same vein, we want them to live a long life, too! Need more reasons? What if we mentioned that the names that mean "life" are absolutely stunning?
Without further ado, here are 18 baby names from all cultures meaning "life."
ABEL
In Hebrew, the name Abel means "breath," which is necessary for life. We love the strong energy that comes with this short but simple name. Abel is also one of the marked rising popular names for little boys, and considering it's short, sweet, and classic stature, we can totally see why.
PHOENIX
Although the bold, unusual name Phoenix derives from the Greek word for the bright red phoenix-like color, we think about the mythical bird that comes back to life from ashes. A unisex name, this ethereal moniker is perfect for a beautiful rainbow baby.
ZOE
Short and simple, the name Zoe is timeless. It originates from the Greek word for life, zōē. It's also super popular in the US in recent years, but that shouldn't stop parents from adding this hip baby name to the potential yes list.
ETHAN
Ethan is a common name for baby boys — and for good reason. It's a handsome name! It derives from the Hebrew word meaning "long-lived." Ethan also tops some of the "most popular baby name" lists around the world!
ZENAIDA
Zenaida is an undeniably unusual and graceful name. It has Greek origins and means "life of Zeus." Zeus is the king of all gods in Greek mythology so it's also a powerful name for a strong and beautiful baby girl. It also has adorable nickname potential: Zen, Zeni, or ZiZi just to name a few.
MOSES
Moses is a strong name that's somewhat forgotten — it peaked in popularity back in the 1880s! It means "drawn out of the water" in Hebrew, which is akin to life because water is so vital to life. It's typically used for little boys but makes fo a cool name for a hipster little lady in the making.
VIVIAN
Vivian is a strong, bold and old-fashioned name that peaked in the 1920s. Its Latin root, vivus, means "alive." We love the classic feminine sound of this name that will never get old.
LUKE
Technically, the Anglo-French name Luke means "giver of light," which makes lots of sense in a Star Wars context. However, we think that "giver of light" is a more poetic way of talking about giving life and energy.
LIV
Short but to the point, Liv is a beautiful name for the no-nonsense parents. It's thought to be influenced by the Scandinavian word liv, which means "life." We love how simple and sweet it is for a little girl.
ENID
Enid is undeniably a pretty but uncommon name. It has an uncertain origin but is probably Old Welsh for "soul," which we think is pretty synonymous for "life." The name peaked in the 1910s, so this old school name won't have much competition.
DAXON
Daxon is a handsome but modern-sounding name. Also, Dax makes for such a great nickname for a playful boy. The origin of the name is French and means "water," which is a "life-giving drink."
EVA
How gorgeous is the name Eva? It's simply stunning! Eva comes from the Hebrew word "Chava," which means "life." It's also far less popular than the similar-sounding Evelyn.
VITA
How elegant is the name Vita, which means "life" in Latin? This old-fashioned name peaked in the 1920s and we think we can see it making a comeback. It's short, sweet and rolls off the tongue. An alternative spelling, Vida, is also chic and sweet.
HAYA
This feminine name means "alive" in Hebrew. We think Haya is the perfect name for a sweet baby girl — it has the oh-so-popular "a" ending that parents all seem to be obsessed over nowadays and is super original, which makes it a winner in our book!
CHAIM
Although this name hasn't been common in the US until the past decade, Chaim is a bright Jewish name that means "life." It's perfect for a bold baby boy.
AISHA
Aisha is a beautiful name that means "alive" in Arabic. The name itself was borne by the Prophet Muhammad's third and favorite wife. Although it peaked in the 1970s, we'd be happy to bring it back!
AVALYN
Avalyn is such a sophisticated and gorgeous name. It makes sense that the origins are Old English and its meaning is "beautiful breath of life." Plus the nickname potential of Ava or Lyn is too gorgeous to pass up.
MEI
How pretty is the name Mei? It is pronounced like the name May but has a gorgeous spelling. In Japanese, it means "reliable sprout," which is a cute way of saying a lively little one, in our opinion!
