You want a name that says something, and "hope" is the word you keep coming back to.
Names that mean hope come from many languages, from the English Hope to Nadia, Asha, Esperanza and Elpida. Hope, miracle, blessing and gift of God names sit close together, so this guide covers all four, plus names for a new beginning. Each meaning comes from a name reference, with its language and root, and each US rank from Social Security Administration (SSA) data for births from 2020 through 2025. We say so when a meaning is uncertain or two names share a spelling.
Names that mean hope include Nadia (Slavic, from Nadezhda), Asha (Sanskrit), Amal (Arabic), Esperanza (Spanish) and Elpida (Greek). For "gift of God," look at Matthew, Theodore and Dorothea.
Key Takeaways
- Hope has a name in many languages: Nadezhda and its short form Nadia, Asha, Amal, Esperanza, Elpida and Toivo.
- Same spelling, different names: Behind the Name lists two separate names spelled Nadia, Asha, Amal and Eliana, with different meanings.
- Gift of God points to Theodore (Greek) and Matthew (Hebrew, "gift of Yahweh"), plus Dorothea, Jonathan and Nathaniel.
- Miracle names include Miracle, Milagros, Karishma, Alazne and Tamrat.
How to read the tables
Each table gives the meaning and root, the language, the name's rank in the SSA's top 200 for births from 2020 through 2025 for the sex shown, and whether it is in our Baby Name Finder today. "Outside top 200" means the name did not make that list. "Not yet" means we have not added it.
Girl names that mean hope
| Name | Meaning and root | Origin | US rank, 2020 to 2025 (SSA) | In our Name Finder? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hope | The English word, first used as a name by Puritans in the 17th century | English | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Nadezhda | "Hope" in Russian and Bulgarian | Russian, Bulgarian | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Nadia | Variant of Nadya, a short form of Nadezhda (see below) | Slavic, used across Europe | Outside top 200 | Yes |
| Asha | Sanskrit āśā, "wish, desire, hope" | Sanskrit, Hindi | Outside top 200 | Yes |
| Esperanza | From Latin spero, "to hope" | Spanish | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Elpida | Modern Greek form of Elpis, "hope" | Greek | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Tikva | "Hope" in Hebrew | Hebrew | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
Two Nadias. Behind the Name has two entries for Nadia. One, used across Europe, is a variant of Nadya, the Russian and Bulgarian short form of Nadezhda. The other, used in Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Indonesian and Malay, transcribes Arabic Nadiyya, "announcement, call." If hope is why you like the name, the first one is yours.
Two Ashas. The first, used in Hindi, Marathi, Kannada and Malayalam, comes from the Sanskrit word for "wish, desire, hope". A Swahili Asha comes from ishi, "live, exist." Only the first means hope.
In Greek mythology, Behind the Name notes, Elpis personified hope and was the last spirit left in the jar after Pandora unleashed the evils.
Our Baby Name Finder lets you browse 200+ names with their origins and meanings and filter by first letter. Mateo and Matteo from the gift section below are in it: search gift to see them with their origins.
Boy names that mean hope
Several hope names are given to boys and girls alike, and the table marks them.
| Name | Meaning and root | Origin | US rank, 2020 to 2025 (SSA) | In our Name Finder? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toivo | "Hope" in Finnish | Finnish, Estonian | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Themba | "Trust, hope" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele | Zulu | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Amal | "Hope, aspiration" in Arabic, from ʾamala, "to hope for"; also girls | Arabic | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Tumaini | "Wish, hope" in Swahili; also girls | Swahili | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
A second Amal, in Biblical Hebrew, means "work" (Behind the Name); the Arabic Amal is the one that means hope.
Names that mean miracle
Behind the Name gives "miracle" as the meaning of these names.
| Name | Meaning and root | Origin | US rank, 2020 to 2025 (SSA) | In our Name Finder? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miracle | The English word, from Latin miraculum, "wonder, marvel" | English | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Milagros | "Miracles" in Spanish, from "Our Lady of Miracles" | Spanish | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Karishma | "Miracle" in Hindi | Hindi | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Alazne | From Basque alatz, "miracle" | Basque | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Tamrat | "Miracle" in Amharic | Amharic | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
Mireille looks like a miracle name, but Behind the Name probably derives it from Occitan mirar, "to admire."
Answered-prayer names sit beside miracle names but mean something else. Eliana in Hebrew means "my God has answered"; a separate Eliana is an Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Eliane. The SSA ranks Eliana #10 for girls in 2025 and does not record which one a family meant. Eliana is in our Name Finder.
Names that mean blessing
| Name | Meaning and root | Origin | US rank, 2020 to 2025 (SSA) | In our Name Finder? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benedict | Latin Benedictus, "blessed" | Latin, English | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Bennett | A medieval English form of Benedict | English | #68 (boys) | Not yet |
| Asher | "Happy, blessed" in Hebrew, from ʾashar, "to be happy, to be blessed" | Hebrew | #22 (boys) | Yes |
| Baruch | "Blessed" in Hebrew | Hebrew | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Baraka | "Blessing" in Swahili, from Arabic baraka | Swahili | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
Two favorites sound as if they belong here. Behind the Name traces Beatrice probably to Viatrix, "voyager, traveller," with the spelling shifted by association with Latin beatus, "blessed, happy." Felix (#193 for boys, 2020 to 2025) comes from a Roman cognomen meaning "lucky, successful."
Names that mean gift from God
Names that mean "gift from God" come from two main roots: Hebrew names pair a word for "gift" or "give" with a name of God, and Greek names pair theos, "god," with doron, "gift."
Gift names: Hebrew, Greek and other languages
| Name | Meaning and root | Origin | US rank, 2020 to 2025 (SSA) | In our Name Finder? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew | Via Greek from Mattithiah, Hebrew "gift of Yahweh" | Hebrew | #35 (boys) | Not yet |
| Mateo, Matteo | Spanish and Italian forms of Matthew | Spanish, Italian | #11 and #155 (boys) | Yes, both |
| Theodore | Greek Theodoros, "gift of god" | Greek | #9 (boys) | Not yet |
| Theo | Short form of Theodore, Theobald and other Theo names | English, German | #105 (boys) | Yes |
| Dorothea | Greek Dorotheos, "gift of god"; Dorothy is its usual English form | Greek | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Jonathan | Hebrew Yehonatan, "Yahweh has given" | Hebrew | #79 (boys) | Not yet |
| Nathaniel | Variant of Nathanael, Hebrew "God has given" | Hebrew | #139 (boys) | Not yet |
| Hiba | "Gift" in Arabic, from wahaba, "to give" | Arabic | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Sipho | "Gift" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele | Zulu | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Neo | "Gift" in Tswana; a separate Neo means "new" | Tswana | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
Dorothea and Theodore use the same two Greek words in opposite order (Theodore), and Dorothy is the usual English form of Dorothea. Matthew descends from Mattithiah. Theo also shortens Theobald, so it alone does not tell you which name it stands for.
"God is gracious" and grace names
Grace sits next to gift. John means "Yahweh is gracious" in Hebrew, and Hannah means "favour, grace."
| Name | Meaning and root | Origin | US rank, 2020 to 2025 (SSA) | In our Name Finder? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John | Hebrew Yohanan, "Yahweh is gracious" | Hebrew | #21 (boys) | Not yet |
| Giovanni | Italian form of Iohannes (see John) | Italian | #126 (boys) | Yes |
| Hannah | Hebrew Ḥanna, "favour, grace" | Hebrew | #47 (girls) | Yes |
| Grace | The English word, from Latin gratia | English | #36 (girls) | Yes |
Names that mean new beginning
We found no name in our reference that means "new beginning" as a phrase. The closest names mean "new," "born again" or "resurrection," and the new beginning is the meaning you give them. For names built on dawn, see names that mean light.
| Name | Meaning and root | Origin | US rank, 2020 to 2025 (SSA) | In our Name Finder? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova | From Latin novus, "new" | Latin | #37 (girls) | Not yet |
| Neo | From a prefix meaning "new," Greek neos | Greek | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Renata | Feminine form of Renatus, Latin "born again" | Latin | Outside top 200 | Not yet |
| Anastasia | Feminine form of Anastasius, from Greek anastasis, "resurrection" | Greek | #166 (girls) | Not yet |
Choosing a name after a loss
If you are choosing a name after a loss, there is no wrong way to do it. You might want a name that carries hope, you might return to a name you loved before, or you might wait until you meet your baby. A meaning can comfort you, and a name does not have to mean anything at all. Some meanings, such as "born again" or "resurrection," can land differently after a loss, so read each one in the tables before you decide.
Rainbow baby names
"Rainbow baby" is a common term for a baby born after a loss. From the tables above, these names have a hopeful, welcoming or grateful meaning: Hope, Amal ("hope"), Eliana ("my God has answered"), Asher ("happy, blessed"), Nova ("new") and Hiba ("gift"). Choose by the sound and the feeling.
How to find more names by meaning
Search by meaning in the Baby Name Finder, filter by gender, origin or first letter, and keep a favorites list on this device.
Three habits help once you have a shortlist:
- Read the reference before you commit. Names that share a spelling, such as Nadia, Asha, Amal, Eliana and Neo, can carry different meanings.
- Say it with your last name. Check the initials and the nicknames.
- Check how common it is. The SSA's list shows how many babies received a name in the latest year.
Pair hope with another theme: browse names that mean light, star names such as Stella (Latin "star"), or names that mean strength. For names that work across languages, start with our international names guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What name means hope?
Hope is the direct English choice. Nadezhda and its short form Nadia, Asha (Sanskrit), Amal (Arabic), Esperanza (Spanish), Elpida (Greek) and Toivo (Finnish) all mean hope in their own languages.
What is a girl name that means hope?
Hope, Nadezhda, Nadia, Asha, Esperanza, Elpida and Tikva all mean hope. Behind the Name also lists a separate Nadia (Arabic, 'announcement, call') and a separate Asha (Swahili, 'live, exist').
What name means miracle?
Miracle and Milagros ('miracles' in Spanish) are the clearest. Karishma means miracle in Hindi, Alazne in Basque and Tamrat in Amharic. Mireille looks similar but probably comes from Occitan for 'to admire'.
What name means gift from God?
Theodore and Dorothea combine the Greek words for god and gift. Matthew (and Mateo, Matteo) comes from Hebrew 'gift of Yahweh', Jonathan means 'Yahweh has given', and Nathaniel means 'God has given'.
What is a good rainbow baby name?
A rainbow baby is a baby born after a loss. Names that fit include Hope, Amal ('hope'), Eliana ('my God has answered') and Asher ('happy, blessed'). No name has to mean anything, so choose what feels right to you.
How This Guide Was Made
The Babysential Team wrote this guide from Behind the Name entries and Social Security Administration data for births 2020 to 2025, checked on October 14, 2026, with AI-assisted drafting. We did not use baby-name list sites or our own tool's text as a source, and we checked the "In our Name Finder?" column against the tool's name list the same day.
Sources
- Top names of the period 2020 to 2025. U.S. Social Security Administration, 2026
- Popular Baby Names, top 10 of 2025. U.S. Social Security Administration, 2025
- Nadezhda, Nadiyya, Asha (Sanskrit), Asha (Swahili) and Amal (Arabic). Behind the Name, 2021 to 2026
- Theodore, Mattithiah and Renatus. Behind the Name, 2026
- Eliana (Hebrew). Behind the Name, 2019
- Every other meaning in the tables comes from the matching entry at behindthename.com/name, accessed October 14, 2026.
