Happy baby names for girls
Allaire
Allaire is a common French surname and the name of a commune in the country's Brittany region. Also spelled Alair, this lovely name isn't a chart-topper, which for some parents, makes it all the more attractive. Some consider Allaire a variation of Hillary, which comes from the Greek word hilaros (or the Latin hilarius), meaning "joyful," "cheerful," or "glad." Either way, we think this joyous name is a winner.
Bea
Bea is a common nickname for Beatrix or Beatrice, which means "voyager through life." Its roots can be also traced back to the Latin word beatus, meaning "bringer of joy." No matter which variation you choose, this moniker has been favored throughout history: Beatrix is the name of the former queen of the Netherlands, while Beatrice is a main character in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. And let's not forget Beatrix Potter, author and illustrator of The Tale of Peter Rabbit series.
Esperanza
Esperanza is the Spanish variation of the hopeful, wistful Roman name, Esperantia, which is derived from the Latin root sperare, meaning " hope." If you're looking for a happy baby name with multiple syllables, a beautiful rhythmic cadence when spoken, and a wonderful meaning, Esperanza could be the answer. It has great nickname possibilities (think Espy), too!
Felicity
Felicity comes from the Latin root, felicitas, which translates to "happiness" and "good fortune." It's believed to have derived from the Roman Goddess Fortuna, who was seen as the personification of luck. Another famous ancient Felicity, Saint Felicity was a Roman Christian martyr reputed to have seven sons. This charmed name got a popularity boost in 1999, most likely due to the TV drama Felicity. (Also, anyone remember power-couple Felicia and Frisco from the daytime drama General Hospital?)
Farah
Farah means "joy." Often spelled Farrah in English-speaking countries, this pretty and somewhat mystical, Arabic-derived name conjures worldliness without being too obscure. There's a river named the Farah in Afghanistan and Farah is a name that appears in many video games, including Call of Duty. We can't discount the late model/actress of Charlie's Angels fame, Farrah Fawcett, who inspired an entire generation to copy her iconic feathered hairstyle.
Shreya
Shreya means "fortunate" and "auspicious" in Sanskrit. This lovely name is another alias for the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, who's associated with prosperity, contentment, and fulfillment. Shreya made the U.S. Social Security Administration's list of the top 1,000 baby names between 2002 and 2005, and is currently sitting just outside the top 1,000 on BabyCenter's own baby name rankings.
Mabel
Mabel is a true vintage name that comes from Latin origins, meaning "lovable." The name has some clout in pop culture: There's a character named Mabel in the Animal Crossing video game series; British singer-songwriter Mabel McVey is the daughter of Swedish singer Neneh Cherry; Mabel is the name of one of actor Bruce Willis' five daughters; and if you're old enough, you may remember that Helen Hunt's character in Mad About You, Jamie, named her baby Mabel.
Penny
Penny, short for Penelope which means "weaver" in Greek, appears on this list of happy baby names for several reasons: For starters, a penny coin has long been a superstitious token of luck. And "Penny Lane" is arguably one of the happiest songs by The Beatles, as well as a memorable character from the 2000 cult classic Almost Famous. Actress Jennifer Connelly's character, Penny, is a single mom and love interest for Tom Cruise's Maverick, in the sequel film, Top Gun: Maverick.
Leta
Leta is short for Leticia or Letitia, which stems from the Latin word laetus meaning "happy." Leticia was a Saint honored mostly in Spain, but this name has been used as a given name since the Middle Ages. Famously, one of the first-ever mom bloggers Heather Armstrong, whose blog,Dooce, had a groundbreaking following, has a daughter named Leta.
Zelda
Zelda is the feminine version of the Yiddish name Selig, which means "happiness" and "blessed." It's also the jazzy short form of the ancient Germanic name Griselda. The most popular Zeldas might be the title character from the Legend of Zelda game, and the wife of Jazz Age author F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda Fitzgerald. The name is back in style, though, perhaps as an alternative to more popular baby names for girls that end with an "a." (It's currently in the top 700 on BabyCenter's list for girl baby names.)
Happy baby names for boys
Alfie
Alfie may not literally mean "happy" or "lucky," but its connotations still make many smile. Alfie is short for Alfred, which means "counselor" in Anglo-Saxon. It's more popular in the UK than it is in the U.S., in part because of its language origins and possibly due to a popular British children's book character, Alfie, the creation of the late writer-illustrator Shirley Hughes. (Another famous fictional British Alfie: A happy tortoise named Alfie from Roald Dahl's book, Esio Trot.)
Asher
Asher comes from the Hebrew word osher, which means "happiness." In the Bible, Asher is a son of Jacob, who was blessed with an abundance of olive oil for Israel. As an Old English surname, Asher referred to someone who lived by an ash tree. Well known Ashers include the main character in Chaim Potok's novel My Name Is Asher Lev and American rapper Asher Roth. While Asher has traditionally been a boy's name, Asher Keddie, an Australian actress known for her roles in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Offspring, may explain its growing popularity for girls.
Boone
Boone is a short-but-powerful name that derives from the French word bonne, meaning "good." In English, boon means "something to be thankful for" or "a blessing." Most commonly a boy's name, Boone has a classic feel to it and harkens back to Daniel Boone, an American pioneer. This name only just recently appeared on the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 baby names list in 2015 – and is currently on the rise in BabyCenter's baby name rankings.
Chance
Chance is a shortened version of the more formal name Chauncey, or, as is the case with famous American artist Chance the Rapper, Chancelor. Said to originally be an Old French surname, Chauncey means "fortune." This handsome, one-syllable name could easily be considered gender neutral: Rapper and actor Sean "Diddy" Combs has a daughter named Chance.
Edmund
Edmund means " protector of wealth." It stems from the Old English ead, meaning "fortune," and mund, which means "to protect." Some may consider this name handsome, some call it posh, and it's definitely old-fashioned. Edmund is the name of a famous character in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (also known as the Chronicles of Narnia series) who was led astray by a witch who plied him with Turkish delight. Another famous Edmund is Sir Edmund Hillary, a legendary New Zealand mountaineer.
Felix
Felix is a short, sweet baby name that stems from the Latin word felicis, meaning "lucky." The name has been around since ancient Roman times, and is the name of at least three Popes. Felix is also a Biblical name, appearing in the New Testament. It's a popular name across Europe, in both Spanish and German-speaking countries. Actress Gillian Anderson, who played Dana Scully on The X-Files and Margaret Thatcher on Netflix's The Crown, has a son named Felix.
Jasper
Jasper, or "bringer of treasure," is of Persian origin. "Jasper" is also the name of a gemstone mentioned in the Bible that healers believe provides protection by absorbing negative energy. Perfect for your little treasure, this fortuitous name currently ranks number 140 on BabyCenter's list of top boy names.
Madoc/Maddox
Madoc is an Old Welsh name meaning "charitable" or "fortunate." It's a variation of the trendier, increasingly unisex name Maddox, which recently gained some pop culture notoriety as the name of a character on The Vampire Diaries TV series. Madoc Brandybuck was a character in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's oldest son is named Maddox.
Isaac
Isaac is derived from the Hebrew word Yitzhak, meaning "he will laugh." In the Bible, Isaac is the son of Abraham and Sarah, and he marries Rebecca and has two sons, Esau and Jacob. Famous Isaacs include scientists Isaac Newton and Isaac Asimov; Isaac Gabriel, son of British singer songwriter Peter Gabriel; fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi; and soul singer Isaac Hayes. Ike is a popular nickname for Isaac.
Naim
Naim (pronounced nah-eem) is a boy name of Arabic and Hindi origin that means "tranquility," "contentment," and "comfort." Also spelled Naeem, Na'im and Nayeem, this promising, laid-back name is a unique, meaningful choice for parents.
Noam
Noam (pronounced no-am) is a Hebrew name meaning "beautiful" and "good looking." If may remind you of Noah, which is currently the most popular baby name for boys in the U.S. Two of the prominent bearers of this pleasing name: American author and theoretical linguist Noam Chomsky, and Sacha Noam Baron Cohen, the Israeli actor known for his role in Borat and other films.
Otto
Otto is a name of German origin meaning "wealth" or "fortune," which may explain why it's been the name of four German kings. This playful palindrome is on the rise around the world, including in the U.S. and Scandinavia. Famous fictional Ottos include Otto Maddox, the main character in the sci-fi film Repo Man, and Otto the animated minion in Minions: The rise of Gru. It's a name that's truly fit for a king.
Happy baby names that are gender neutral
Bennett
Bennett is believed to have come from the English name Benedict, which stems from the Latin word benedictus for "blessed." Though traditionally a boy's name, the gender-neutral Bennett is currently on the rise, increasingly in popularity on both the boy and girl sides of BabyCenter's top baby names list.
Blythe
Blythe is an Old English surname that means "cheerful." "Hail to thee, blithe spirit" is an oft-cited line from the Percy Shelley poem "To a Skylark." The most well-known Blythe may be Blythe Danner, an actress (and mom of Gwyneth Paltrow), but other than that, this unisex name remains under the radar.
Clover
Clover made this list purely for its happy-go-lucky connotations, thanks to the popular superstition that finding a four-leaf clover brings one good luck. Clover is a bold, unique name that also reminds many of the magical folklore of Ireland. Children's book author Roald Dahl has a granddaughter named Clover, and skateboarding legend Steve Caballero is the father of a little girl named Clover.
Ellery
Ellery is a name of British origin, meaning "cheerful" or "joyful." Also spelled Elleri, this rising-in-popularity unisex name is said to derive from the medieval name, Hilary, which was once more commonly a boy's name. Singer Ben Harper and Academy Award winning actress Laura Dern have a son named Ellery. It's a very uncommon name, only having made the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 baby names list in 1904, 1908 and 1959.
Irie
Irie (pronounced eye-ray) means "cool" and "positive." This unisex name is taken from Jamaican Patois and has a Caribbean origin. Irie is an oft-used Jamaican-English adjective implying "good" or "no worries." The concept of "irie" is commonly referred to in the lyrics of reggae songs, such as "Feeling Irie," sung by many reggae greats including Bob Marley and Gregory Isaacs.
Harmony
Harmony is a musical term referring to a "pleasing combination of notes," but it also implies "living together peacefully," or "in agreement." The word derives from the Greek or Roman Goddess Harmonia, the daughter of Aphrodite and Ares, who personified "symmetry of the universe." The name is on the rise on both the boy and girl sides of BabyCenter's top baby names.
