Baby Names That Mean Hope: Popular Chloe, Surprising Arman

Let’s talk about baby names that mean hope.

It’s an uplifting meaning for any family. And hope might be all the more significant with a challenging pregnancy or adoption journey. It could symbolize a child born during a difficult moment. Or a simple expression of a powerful attitude towards life. 

Emily Dickinson wrote, “Hope is the thing with feathers.” It’s a compelling image for a child’s name.

All of these choices offer an auspicious meaning. Some are more obviously tied to hope. Others suggest the concept. Any of them could be the perfect name for a wished-for child.

AMAL

Made famous by human rights attorney Amal Clooney, this Arabic name means hope. It’s a unisex choice. Besides the name’s Arabic origins, Amal also appears in the Old Testament, in which case the name means work.

AMANI

In Arabic, Amani means wishes. It’s also a Swahili name meaning peace. It’s ranked in the US Top 1000 since the 1990s for girls, for a mix of meaning and stylish sound. 

APOLLO

Because Apollo is the sun god in Greek myth, he’s associated with the break of a new day.

ARMAN

A Persian name meaning hope, Arman sounds quite a bit like Armand and Armando. However, those names are cousins to the Germanic Herman, which means “army man.”

ASHA

A Sanskrit name meaning hope – or wish. Disney fans might think of the main character in 2023’s Wish, about a heroic young woman who aspires to become a granter of wishes. The name also means life in Swahili. It’s a richly meaningful combination. Names like Ashlyn are likely plays on the popular Ashley, but could also relate to Asha.

AURORA

The Roman goddess of the dawn. Any name that suggests morning or sunrise feels like an upbeat possibility that fits on this list of names that mean hope.

AVA

Again, Ava has several possible sources and meaning. One of those is the Germanic element awi, which could mean desire. Names like Avila, Avis, and Aveza are cousins.

BODHI

A Sanskrit name meaning enlightenment or awakening, Bodhi carries a broader, deeper meaning than hope or wish.  But it feels appropriate for this list. 

CHLOE

A popular baby girl name in recent decades, Chloe means “green shoot” in Greek. That makes it a springtime choice, but also one that evokes new beginnings.

DAISY

In the language of flowers, daisies symbolize hope. The name comes from the Old English phrase day’s eye, probably referring to the way the flower opens in the morning. In French, daisies are called marguerites – as in Marguerite, the French form of Margaret. Margaret names, like Greta and Margot, might borrow Daisy’s meaning, too.

DESIREE

This name comes from the Latin Desideratus, a sixth-century saint. It literally means desired. Desiree is effortlessly French, made popular in the US thanks to a 1954 movie about a real-life Desiree. (She was the woman who almost married Napoleon Bonaparte. Instead, she became Queen of Sweden, where she was known as Desideria. 

ELIO

Strictly speaking, Elio is related to the sun, from the Greek word helios. In Greek mythology, Helios drove his chariot across the sky every morning, drawing the sun into place. But it could also be a short form of Elpidios or Elpidius, from the Latin elpis, meaning hope.

EVANGELINE

Strictly speaking, Evangeline comes from the Greek words meaning “bringer of good news.” That sounds like an optimistic, forward-looking name, doesn’t it?

HOLLY

Like Daisy, Holly is a familiar nature name, known for symbolizing hope.

HOPE

A virtue name with tremendous appeal, a vote of confidence in the future, as well as deeply-held beliefs. Hope is sometimes a surname, too. In that case, it’s less likely to come from the virtue, and more likely to refer to the Middle English hop – a valley.

IRIS

Another name from myth, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow. It’s included on this list because rainbow babies are such a powerful reminder of hope.

KIBO, KIBOU

Some names exist in theory more than they’re heard on actual people. File Kibou in that category. It means hope or wish in Japanese, but it seems to be more of a word, and less often a given name.

KIRAN

It sounds like the Gaelic Kieran, but Kiran is Sanskrit. It means “ray of light” or sunbeam. That’s not specifically hope, but lots of names that mean light feel they fit in this category.

LUX

The Latin word for light is Lux. Lux can be a given name, and it’s also associated with names like Lucia and Lucas. (Though they’re also related to the place name Lucania, which likely means light, too.)

MARAM

Another Arabic name, meaning wish.

MARIA, MARIE, MARY, MARIAM, MIRIAM

Mary is a classic, as are the many forms of the name used across time and language. Despite those millennia of use, the name’s exact meaning and origins are debated. One theory? Mary might mean “wished-for child.”

NADIA, NADINE

A Slavic name meaning hope, Nadia is also spelled Nadya. Nadine is originally French, but it is used in English and other European languages. And it maybe sounds a little down home, too, doesn’t it? 

PALOMA

A Spanish name, Paloma means dove. Doves symbolize peace and hope – an unbeatable combination. Paloma can also refer to butterflies. Fun fact: jewlery designer Paloma Picasso created an entire collection around butterflies.

SAKI

A Japanese name that might mean hope, depending on the kanji used to write it.

SAMUEL

One possible meaning of Samuel is “God has heard,” suggesting that a child is the answer to a prayer. Samantha, too, might share this meaning.

Would you use any of these names that mean hope?

First published May 11, 2012, this post was revised and republished on October 30, 2024.