Love names fall into two groups: names that mean 'love' itself, like Carys (Welsh), Aroha (Māori) or Sevgi (Turkish), and names that mean 'beloved' or 'dear', which is a much older idea. Amy, Mabel, David, Kevin and Priya are all in the second group, and several of them are among the most-used names in England and Wales. Every meaning here has been checked against a cited source, mostly Behind the Name and Wiktionary, and the ranks come from the ONS.
Love is also where baby name myths cluster. Romeo, Valentine and Freya are linked with love by story and tradition, not by meaning. We've marked them uncertain and explained.
By Rich · 13 November 2026 · 79 names · 49 with their real rank in England and Wales · every meaning checked against the sources below
Checked The meaning is recorded in the sources below.
Word name A modern name made from a real word.
Disputed The meaning is disputed or popular but unproven.
often linked with caru, 'to love', but it may come from a river name
No names match. Try a different letter or origin.
Beloved names
Names meaning 'beloved' or 'dear' are some of the oldest in use. David comes from Hebrew dod, Amy from Old French amée, Kevin from Irish cóem, Priya from Sanskrit and Habib from Arabic. If you want a love meaning in a name people already know, start here.
The Sikh -preet names
Many Sikh names end in -preet, from Sanskrit prīti, 'love'. They're used for both boys and girls: Harpreet is 'love of Hari (God)', Gurpreet 'love of the guru', Manpreet 'love of the mind'. The first part changes the sense, so it's worth knowing what each one means before you choose.
Nicknames and short forms
Amabel gives Mabel or Bel, Philomena gives Mina, Jedidiah gives Jed, and Amadeus gives Amadeo or Deo. David has Dave, Davy and Dai in Welsh. If you're choosing a long love name, try the short form too, because that's what most people will use.
Names That Mean 'Light': Over 70 real names that mean 'light', 'lamp' or 'brightness', from Lucy and Nur to Uriel and Kiran, with every meaning checked against a cited source.
Names That Mean 'Moon': Over 60 real names that mean 'moon', 'moonlight' or 'full moon', from Luna and Selene to Qamar and Mahina, each meaning checked against a cited source.
Names That Mean 'Strength': Over 70 real names that mean 'strength', 'strong' or 'mighty', from Matilda, Audrey and Valerie to Ethan, Gabriel and Fergus, each meaning sourced.
Names That Mean 'Sun': Over 60 real names that mean 'sun' or 'sunshine', from Soleil, Sunniva and Heulwen to Samson, Ravi and Shams, with every meaning checked and sourced.
Names That Mean 'Star': Over 60 real names that mean 'star', from Stella, Estelle and Seren to Najm and Tara, with sourced meanings and the 'star' names that are myths.
Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Names (Naming Library): How Anglo-Saxon names like Æthelstan and Edith were built from two Old English words, what the parts meant, and which names survived 1066.
Welsh Names and Surnames (Naming Library): How Welsh names worked: ap, ab and ferch, how Powell, Price and Bowen grew out of them, why Jones is so common, and what Welsh first names mean.
What Is Onomastics? The Study of Names (Naming Library): Onomastics is the study of names. What anthroponymy and toponymy cover, and how scholars trace what a name meant from its earliest spellings.
Frequently Asked Questions
+What name means loved by God?
Jedidiah means 'beloved of Yahweh' in Hebrew, and Amadeus 'love of God' in Latin. Olufemi, from Yoruba, means 'God loves me'.
+What name means lover of horses?
Philip, from Greek Philippos, made of philos ('friend, lover') and hippos ('horse'). Philippa is the feminine form.
+What girl names mean 'love'?
Carys (Welsh), Ahava (Hebrew), Kerensa (Cornish), Lyubov (Russian), Sevgi (Turkish) and Aiko (Japanese) mean 'love'. Amy, Mabel, Davina, Caoimhe and Priya mean 'beloved' or 'dear'.