Being called "ancient" might not be a compliment, but having an ancient baby name is a different story.
Ancient baby names are the perfect choice for parents looking for a name unlikely to be repeated among their children's future classmates. In other words, choose an ancient baby name if you want your baby to stand out.
Beautiful names like Persephone and Timon have stood the test of time, but these ancient baby names aren't likely to be on the top 10 list of most popular baby names anytime soon. There's even an "X" ancient baby name: Xerxes.
There are a few exceptions: Among ancient baby boy names, Sebastian is ranked number 13 on the list of most popular baby boy names. Alexander (number 22), Jason (147), Felix (192), Julius (400) and Damon (424) all cracked the top 500 most popular baby boy names. Among ancient baby girl names, you'll find Mila (28), Valentina (49), Brianna (152), Aurelia (371) and Fiona (400) on the top 1,000 list.
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If you want the most ancient of ancient baby names, consider Kushim. According to some historians, Kushim may be the oldest recording of a name. It was the name of an accountant and appears on tablets from ancient Persia as early as about 3400 B.C.E.
Here is a list of 155 ancient names and their origins and meanings.
Ancient baby names for boys:
- Aarav: Hindi, peaceful
- Alexander: from Greek, defending men
- Amadeus: from Latin, lover of God
- Amias: from French, loved
- Andreas: Greek version of Andrew, strong and manly
- Arit: Sanskrit, one worthy of praise
- Arram: Hebrew, high
- Atlas: from Greek, bearer of the heavens
- Atticus: Latin, from Attica
- Augustus: from Latin, great or magnificent
- Aurelius: from Latin, the golden one
- Balthasar: Baal, protect the king
- Bharat: from Sanskrit, universal monarch
- Bodhi: from Sanskrit, awakening or enlightenment
- Bruce: from Latin, a man from the brushwood
- Bruno: German, brown
- Caesar: from Latin, long-haired. Caesar was also the title given to rulers of the Roman empire.
- Caius: from Latin, rejoice
- Cassius: from Latin, hollow
- Castor: from Greek and Latin, beaver
- Cato: from Latin, all-knowing
- Caxton: Old Norse/Old English, lump settlement
- Corbett: French, young crow
- Cornelius: from Latin, horn
- Cosmo: from Greek, Italian, and English, order and beauty
- Cyrus: from Persian, sun
- Damon: English, to tame or subdue
- Decimus: from Latin, tenth
- Demetrius: from Greek, follower of Demeter, the Greek goddess of harvest
- Divit: from Sanskrit, heaven
- Engjell: Albanian, English and Slavic, angel
- Evander: Scottish, strong, or a good man
- Felix: from Latin, happy
- Flavius: from Latin, yellow or golden
- Ivo: German, yew wood or archer
- Hardik: from Sanskrit, heartfelt friendship
- Helios: from Greek mythology, the sun god
- Hiro: Japanese, large or widespread
- Horatio: from Latin, hour or time
- Icarus: from Greek mythology, a character who flew too close to the sun
- Jason: from Greek, healer
- Jasper: from Persian, bringer of treasure
- Julius: from Greek, youthful
- Jupiter: from Latin, supreme
- Lazarus: Latinized from the Greek Eleazar, God is my helper
- Leander: from Greek, lion-man
- Loki: from Norse mythology, a trickster god
- Lucius: from Latin, light
- Magnus: from Latin, greatest
- Marcellus: from Latin, young warrior
- Marcus: from Latin, warlike
- Marius: from Latin, related to Mars, the god of war
- Maximus: from Latin, greatest
- Mercury: from Roman mythology, the messenger god
- Neptune: from Roman mythology, a variation of Neptunus, god of the sea
- Nero: from Latin, stern
- Obi: African, heart
- Octavius: from Latin, eighth
- Odysseus: from Greek, hero of Homer’s epic saga
- Orion: from Greek mythology, a rising star
- Orpheus: from Greek, the darkness of night
- Osirus: Egyptian, with strong eyesight
- Otto: from German, wealthy
- Ozius: from Greek, salvation
- Quintus: from Latin, fifth
- Remus: from Latin, meaning unknown, one of the legendary wolf twins who, with brother Romulus, founded Rome
- Rhodes: from Greek, where roses grow
- Romulus: from Latin, a citizen of Rome, one of the legendary wolf twins who, with brother Remus, founded Rome
- Rufus: from Latin, red-haired
- Scorpius: Italian, a creature with a burning sting
- Sebastian: from Greek and Latin, a person from the ancient city of Sebastia
- Seneca: from Latin, people of the standing rock. Also, Seneca is the name of a Native American tribe.
- Septimus: from Latin, the seventh son
- Severus: from Latin, stern
- Shadrack or Shadrach: Babylonian, command of Aku
- Tarquin: Latin, Roman clan name
- Theon: from Greek, godly
- Thor: Norse, thunder
- Tiberius: Latin, from the Tiber
- Timon: from Greek, worthy or honorable
- Titus: from Latin, title of honor
- Urban: from Latin, of the city
- Wolfgang: German, traveling wolf
- Xerxes: Persian, a hero among heroes
- Zephyr: from Greek, west wind
- Zotikos: from Greek, full of life
Ancient baby names for girls:
- Abelia: from Hebrew, sigh or breath
- Aeliana: from Latin, sun
- Aine: Gaelic, pronounced AWN-yah, radiance. Aine is the name of a legendary Irish fairy queen.
- Anahita: Persian, river, and water goddess
- Aphra: from Hebrew, dust
- Aquilla: from Latin, eagle
- Arya: Sanskrit, noble, air, song
- Asha: from Sanskrit or Swahili, hope or life
- Atarah: from Hebrew, crown
- Athalia: from Hebrew, the Lord is exalted
- Aurelia: from Latin, golden one
- Avalon: Welsh, apple
- Basilia: from Greek, basil
- Boudicca: Ancient Irish, victory
- Brianna: Celtic, one who is honorable and noble
- Bronwen: Welsh, blessed and pure of heart
- Calliope: from Greek mythology, beautiful voice
- Candida: from Latin, white
- Cassia: from Latin, feminine form of Cassius, or from Greek, cinnamon
- Cerridwen: Welsh, poetry
- Chrysanthe: from Greek, golden flower
- Columba: from Latin, dove
- Cyra: Persian or Greek, sun or throne
- Damaris: from Greek, dominant woman
- Deidre: Gaelic, a young girl
- Delicia: from Latin, delight
- Dominica: Italian, belonging to the Lord
- Drusilla: from Latin, fruitful
- Elishah: from Hebrew, salvation of God
- Faustina: from Latin, fortunate one
- Felicia: from Latin, lucky
- Fiona: Gaelic, white or fair
- Flavia: from Latin, golden or blonde
- Florentina: from Latin, blooming
- Gaia: from Greek, earth mother
- Hadassah: from Hebrew, myrtle tree
- Hilaria: from Latin, cheerful
- Honoria: from Latin, a woman of honor
- Isolde: Welsh, ice ruler. In Arthurian legend, Isolde was the name of a queen of Ireland.
- Itzel: Mayan, rainbow lady
- Juno: from Latin, queen of the heavens
- Junia: from Latin, born in June
- Justina: from Greek, fair or just
- Kamala: Hindi or Hawaiian, lotus or a garden. Kamala is also a name for the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
- Khrystyna: with Greek and Russian origins, follower of Christ
- Laurentina: from Latin, laurel tree
- Liene: from Greek and Latvian roots, bright and beautiful
- Lipa: from Greek, a friend of horses
- Livia: from Latin, blue or envious
- Lucia: from Latin and Italian, light
- Lucretia: from Latin, profit or wealth
- Mahala: from Hebrew and Aramaic, tender
- Marilla: from Latin, shining sea
- Mila: Russian, gracious or dear
- Minerva: from Latin, of the mind or intellect
- Niamh: from Irish mythology and pronounced NEEV, beauty, and brightness
- Octavia: from Latin, eighth
- Parisa: Persian, like a fairy
- Perpetua: from Latin, perpetual
- Persephone: from Greek mythology, daughter of Zeus by Demeter, queen of the harvest
- Persis: from Greek, Persian woman
- Rhiannon: Celtic, great queen.
- Silvia: from Latin, of the woods
- Tanaquil: from Etruscan, gift of God
- Tulsi: Hindi, basil
- Valentina: from Latin, strength or health
- Valeria: from Latin, strength or health
- Vita: from Latin, life
- Viviana: from Latin, life
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