For most parents, the arrival of a new baby, awakens a new hope. New life almost always comes with the promise of new possibilities and makes us feel hopeful about the future. It makes so much sense to choose a baby name rooted in hope for that very reason. Baby names that mean "hope," will always remind us of the fresh hope that little bundle of joy brought into our lives, and that is so beautiful.
Some of us have wanted to be parents our entire lives and the moment is finally arriving, others may have waited until later in life and now hope for nothing more than to start a family. Still others may have hoped for just one more baby or feel hopeful after a long battle with infertility or possibly a lengthy adoption journey. Whatever the circumstances — a name that means "hope" is likely fitting. Check out some of our favorites here…don't worry, we won't state the obvious.
Amil
Amil is a beautiful name for a baby boy. It comes from the Sanskrit language in which the word means "hope" or "one who hopes." It's quite uncommon outside of the Indian community, but it's certainly a powerful choice, no matter your background.
Saki
While it's quite common in Japan, the girl name Saki is a much more unique choice in the U.S. In the Japanese language, it translates to "blossom," "bloom," or "hope," which seems beautifully symbolic.
Toivo
Toivo is a boy name that originated in Finland. It means "hope," and was fairly common in the U.S. during the first half of the 20th century, when there was a boom in immigrants from Finland.
Esperanza
Esperanza is quite a regal-sounding name out of Spain. Though it sounds exotic and fancy, it's actually just the Spanish word for "hope." It has religious roots as it's taken from the title "Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza," which means, "our lady of hope."
Emmanuel
The name Emmanuel is inextricably related to the idea of hope. It literally means, "God is with us," which of course, refers to Jesus Christ, who is believed by many to be the "hope" of the whole world.
Nadine
The name Nadine is so very pretty, and although it's not all that common anymore, we still love it. It comes from the Russian name, Nadezhda, which literally means "hope."
Jahleel
Jahleel is another Biblical name. It's actually believed to mean "hope in God," which is particularly significant for parents of strong faith. It's not terribly common in the U.S., which adds to its appeal.
Arman
Arman is a gorgeous name for a boy. It's of Iranian or Persian origin, and means, "wish," "desire" or "hope." It's quite popular in Armenia and other parts of the Middle East.
Jesse
Jesse is a unisex name derived from the Hebrew name Yishai, which comes from the word that means, "gift" or "wealth." Some, however, interpret it to mean "gift of hope."
Aisling
The name, Aisling, has Gaelic origins and means, "dream." The words "dream" and "hope" are nearly interchangeable in American English, so we think this is a fitting choice for a baby girl name that invokes hope.
Saul
Sensing a theme here? Saul is also a Biblical name, and we like it because while it signifies hope, it's not a direct translation. It means, "asked for" or "asked of God," as in, the baby you hoped for.
Amal
When you hear the name Amal, you probably think of actor George Clooney's accomplished wife immediately, which isn't a bad thing considering she's a powerhouse lawyer. Her name is quite beautiful, too. It's Arabic and means "hope."
Jonah
Jonah is a name with Hebrew origins. It means, "dove," as in the beautiful white bird, which is considered a symbol of hope in many parts of the world. It, too, is a name that appears in the Holy Bible.
Day
Day is a cool, vintage-sounding name of American origin. Of course, it symbolizes hope because of the idea that each new day brings us fresh hope. It's not common at all, so it's a great choice if you're looking for something unique for any gender.
Amani
Amani is a truly lovely name of Arabic origin. It is derived from the word "mana," which means "desire," which is essentially a synonym for the word, "hope." It just sounds so pretty!
Nadia
Nadia is a girl name that just seems powerful to us. It has the same Russian roots as Nadine, and specifically mean, "hope." In Russian it is spelled Nadya, but the French swapped the "y" for an "i."
Taraji
Given the popularity and success of the actress, Taraji P. Henson, we're actually surprised the name Taraji hasn't gotten more popular. It comes from the Swahili language in which it means "hope."
Iris
Iris is an incredibly pretty name that we love for a number of reasons, including that it's the name of a gorgeous spring flower. It's also pretty cool that it was the name given to the mythological Greek goddess of the rainbow, and rainbows are a symbol of hope.
