Names that mean love: 90+ girl, boy and unisex names
90 names · Updated · By The Nomezo Editors · Save to Pinterest
Names that mean love include Amanda (Latin, worthy of love), Carys (Welsh, love) and David (Hebrew, beloved), and almost every language has at least one.
Below are girl, boy and unisex names that mean love, names that mean beloved or dear, and the gods and goddesses of love from Greek, Roman, Norse, Hindu, Egyptian and other traditions. Each note gives the meaning and the language it comes from, with a simple pronunciation where English speakers may stumble.
Can't decide? Shuffle 6 random picks
Habiba
Beloved, dear; Arabic. Say hah-BEE-bah
Prem
Love; Sanskrit, a common Hindi name
Xochiquetzal
Aztec goddess of love, beauty and flowers
Jedidiah
Beloved of God; Hebrew, a name given to Solomon
Widad
Love, affection; Arabic. Say wee-DAHD
Prema
Love; Sanskrit, the feminine form of Prem
Girl names that mean love
Real girl names whose meaning is love, lovable or worthy of love, from a dozen languages.
- Amabel: Lovable; medieval English, from Latin amabilis
- Carys: Love; Welsh, from caru, to love. Say KARR-iss
- Kerensa: Love; Cornish. Say keh-REN-zuh
- Ahava: Love; Hebrew. Say ah-hah-VAH
- Lyubov: Love; Russian, one of the three Christian virtue names
- Sevgi: Love, affection; a classic Turkish girl's name
- Sevda: Love, infatuation; Turkish, also used in Azerbaijan
- Sevim: Love; Turkish, from sevmek, to love
- Prema: Love; Sanskrit, the feminine form of Prem
- Sneha: Love, affection; Sanskrit. Say SNAY-hah
- Mamata: Love, affection; Sanskrit, used in Bengali and Hindi
- Priti: Love, joy; Sanskrit. Say PREE-tee
- Upendo: Love; Swahili. Say oo-PEN-doh
- Widad: Love, affection; Arabic. Say wee-DAHD
- Ai: Love, written 愛; Japanese and Chinese
- Aiko: Love and child, written 愛子; Japanese. Say EYE-koh
- Aimi: Love and beauty, written 愛美; Japanese. Say ah-EE-mee
- Ifunanya: Love; Igbo, from Nigeria. Say ee-foo-NAHN-yah
- Lorato: Love; Tswana, from Botswana and South Africa
- Minna: Love; Old German minne. Also short for Wilhelmina
Boy names that mean love
Boy names with love at their heart, from Mozart's middle name to Welsh, Sanskrit and Yoruba favorites.
- Amadeus: Love of God; Latin, the middle name of Mozart
- Amadeo: Love of God; the Italian and Spanish form of Amadeus
- Prem: Love; Sanskrit, a common Hindi name
- Anbu: Love; Tamil. Say UN-boo
- Anurag: Love, affection, devotion; Sanskrit
- Lubomir: Love and peace; Slavic, used in Poland. Say loo-BOH-meer
- Olufemi: God loves me; Yoruba. Say oh-loo-FEH-mee
- Gottlieb: God and love; German, a translation of Greek Theophilus
- Mehran: Love, kindness; Persian. Say meh-RAHN
- Lovemore: Love more; an English name popular in Zimbabwe
- Carwyn: Blessed love; Welsh, from car, love, and gwyn
- Caradog: Amiable, beloved; Welsh, from car, love. Say ka-RAH-dog
- Eros: Love; Greek god of desire, also an Italian name
Unisex names that mean love
Names used for girls and boys alike, many from southern Africa, where love names are especially popular.
- Rudo: Love; Shona, from Zimbabwe. Say ROO-doh
- Thando: Love; Zulu and Xhosa. Say TAHN-doh
- Luthando: It is love; Xhosa, from South Africa
- Thandolwethu: Our love; Zulu and Xhosa
- Lerato: Love; Sotho, given to both girls and boys
- Ife: Love; Yoruba. Say EE-feh
- Fumnanya: Love me; Igbo, from Nigeria
- Chikondi: Love; Chewa, from Malawi. Say chee-KOHN-dee
- Mudiwa: Beloved, darling; Shona. Say moo-DEE-wah
- Kealoha: The loved one; Hawaiian, from aloha. Say keh-ah-LOH-hah
- Mehr: Love, kindness; Persian, also linked to the sun god Mithra
- Manpreet: Love of the heart and mind; a Punjabi Sikh name
- Gurpreet: Love of the guru; a Punjabi Sikh name
- Amor: Love; Latin, a rare Spanish and Portuguese name
Names that mean beloved or dear
Names that mean loved, beloved, darling or dear: a gentle wish that a child will always be loved.
- Habib: Beloved, darling; Arabic. Say hah-BEEB
- Habiba: Beloved, dear; Arabic. Say hah-BEE-bah
- Mahbub: Beloved, dear; Arabic, also common in Bangladesh
- Priya: Beloved, dear; Sanskrit. Say PREE-yah
- Pritam: Most beloved, dearest; Sanskrit. Say PREE-tum
- Ahuva: Beloved; Hebrew. Say ah-hoo-VAH
- Erasmus: Beloved; Greek, borne by the Dutch scholar of Rotterdam
- Erastus: Beloved, lovely; Greek, a name from the New Testament
- Aimée: Beloved; French. Say eh-MAY
- Amata: Beloved; Latin, also used in Italy
- Amato: Beloved; Italian, from Latin amatus
- Amado: Beloved; Spanish and Portuguese
- Cara: Beloved in Italian, friend in Irish
- Carina: Dear, beloved; Latin, from carus
- Diletta: Beloved one; Italian, from Latin dilectus
- Canan: Sweetheart, beloved; Turkish. Say jah-NAHN
- Negar: Beloved, sweetheart; Persian. Say neh-GAR
Gods and goddesses of love
Love deities and legends from around the world. Most are not used as everyday names, but they suit stories, pets and characters.
- Aphrodite: Greek goddess of love and beauty, said to rise from sea foam
- Venus: Love, desire; Latin. The Roman goddess of love
- Cupid: Latin for desire; the winged Roman god of love
- Anteros: Greek for love returned; the god of requited love
- Himeros: Greek for desire; a winged companion of Aphrodite
- Pothos: Greek for longing; a god of yearning love
- Philotes: Greek for affection; the spirit of friendship and love
- Psyche: Greek for soul; the mortal who won the love of Eros
- Frigg: Norse queen of the gods; from a root meaning beloved
- Freyja US #772: Lady; Old Norse. The Norse goddess of love and beauty
- Kama: Sanskrit for love or desire; the Hindu god of love
- Hathor: Egyptian goddess of love, music and joy
- Inanna: Sumerian goddess of love and war; lady of heaven
- Ishtar: Babylonian goddess of love and war, matched with Inanna
- Xochiquetzal: Aztec goddess of love, beauty and flowers
- Oshun: Yoruba orisha of love, sweet water and fertility
- Aengus: Irish god of love and youth, whose kisses became birds
- Dwynwen: Welsh patron saint of lovers, honored every January 25
- Yue Lao: Chinese old man under the moon, who ties lovers with red thread
How to pick the right name
Love or beloved?
Names like Carys, Ahava and Prem mean love itself. Names like David, Amy and Priya mean loved or beloved, which reads as a gentle wish for the child.
Check the characters
Japanese names such as Ai and Aiko mean love only when written with the kanji 愛. Pick the name and its characters together, and ask a native speaker for real-world use.
Say it with your surname
Short love names (Ai, Ife, Prem, Amy) balance a long surname, while longer ones (Amadeus, Thandolwethu, Jedidiah) suit a short one. Say the full name out loud a few times.
Watch for false friends
Valentina and Romeo feel romantic, but neither means love: Valentina means strong and Romeo means pilgrim to Rome. Check the meaning before you commit.
Save this list for later
Pin it to a naming board, or tap the heart next to any name to keep it in your favorites on this device.
Frequently asked questions
What name means love?
Carys (Welsh), Ahava (Hebrew), Lyubov (Russian), Sevgi (Turkish), Prem (Sanskrit), Upendo (Swahili) and Rudo (Shona) all translate directly as love. Amanda means worthy of love.
What girl names mean love?
Amanda, Mabel, Esme, Carys, Kerensa, Ahava, Priti and Aiko all have love in their meaning. Amy, Aimée and Davina mean beloved.
What boy names mean love?
Amadeus (love of God), Prem and Anbu (love), Olufemi (God loves me) and Carwyn (blessed love) are good choices. David, Habib and Erasmus mean beloved.
Does Valentina mean love?
No. Valentina and Valentine come from Latin valens, meaning strong and healthy. The link to love comes from Saint Valentine's Day, not from the name itself.
What name means beloved?
David (Hebrew), Habib and Habiba (Arabic), Priya (Sanskrit), Amy (Old French), Diletta (Italian) and Mudiwa (Shona) all mean beloved or dear.
More by meaning and generators
- Names that mean hope73 names. Names that mean hope for girls, boys and any gender, from Esperanza and Nadia to Omid and Tikva, plus names meaning wish and the word hope in other languages.
- Names that mean moon82 names. Names that mean moon for girls and boys, like Luna, Selene and Chandra, plus unisex picks, moon goddesses and moonlight names, each with its origin.
- Names that mean light106 names. Names that mean light for girls and boys, like Lucy, Noor and Uriel, plus unisex names and names meaning bright, radiant or first light, with origins.
- Names that mean star71 names. Names that mean star, like Stella, Tara and Najm, plus unisex picks, names of real stars, Indian star names and celestial names, each with its origin.
- Goddess names146 names. Goddess names from Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, Celtic, Hindu and other mythologies, like Athena, Freya and Isis, with each goddess's domain.
- Nicknames for girlfriend225 names. Nicknames for your girlfriend: 220+ cute, romantic and funny pet names, unique nicknames with meaning, Bible names and sweet words in other languages.
- Nicknames for boyfriend203 names. Nicknames for your boyfriend: cute, romantic and funny pet names, hero and hobby nicknames, and sweet words in other languages. 200+ ideas with notes.
- Cute nicknames236 names. Cute nicknames for girls, friends, kids and loved ones: sweet, beautiful and playful names, from animals and treats to flowers and words from other languages.
- Flower names for girls125 names. Flower names for girls: 120+ girl and female flower names like Lily, Daisy, Sakura and Rózsa, plus boy and unisex picks and names that mean rose or lotus.