40 Baby Names That Mean Hope

Evidence-based, parent-tested. References guidelines from the AAP, CDC, and WHO.

Informational only, not medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician about your baby's specific needs.

A name that means hope says something about the moment a child arrives. Parents choose these names after a hard year, after a long wait, or simply because hope is what a new baby brings into a house.

Nearly every language has turned its word for hope into a name. Below are 40, from familiar choices like Hope and Nadia to names that are common in their own countries and rare everywhere else. Each has its origin, its literal meaning, and how to say it.

📌 Key Takeaway: The word for hope is a given name in dozens of languages: Esperanza in Spanish, Nadezhda in Russian, Amal in Arabic, Omid in Persian, Asha in Sanskrit, Toivo in Finnish, and Tikvah in Hebrew. Nadia, one of the best-known names in the West, is simply the short form of the Russian one. If you are looking for names about happiness instead, see our list of names that mean happy or blessed.

40 Baby Names That Mean Hope

Girl Names That Mean Hope

Name	Gender	Origin	Meaning	Say it
Hope	Girl	English	”Hope”	HOHP
Esperanza	Girl	Spanish	”Hope”	es-peh-RAHN-sah
Speranza	Girl	Italian	”Hope”	speh-RAHN-tsah
Espérance	Girl	French	”Hope”	es-pay-RAHNSS
Nadia	Girl	Russian	Short form of Nadezhda, “hope”	NAH-dee-uh
Nadine	Girl	French	French form of Nadia	nay-DEEN
Nadezhda	Girl	Russian	”Hope”	nah-DYEZH-dah
Nadzieja	Girl	Polish	”Hope”	nah-JEH-yah
Elpida	Girl	Greek	”Hope”	el-PEE-thah
Nozomi	Girl	Japanese	Written 希 or 望, “hope, wish”	noh-zoh-mee
Asha	Girl	Sanskrit	”Hope, wish”	AH-shah
Tikvah	Girl	Hebrew	”Hope”	TEEK-vah
Rajaa	Girl	Arabic	”Hope”	rah-JAH
Nomathemba	Girl	Zulu / Xhosa	”Mother of hope”	no-mah-TEM-bah
Thembi	Girl	Zulu / Xhosa	Short form of names built on themba, “hope, trust”	TEM-bee
Mirai	Girl	Japanese	Written 未来, “the future”	mee-rye
Iris	Girl	Greek	”Rainbow,” a long-standing symbol of hope	EYE-ris
Evangeline	Girl	Greek, via English	”Bearer of good news”	ee-VAN-juh-leen

Boy Names That Mean Hope

Name	Gender	Origin	Meaning	Say it
Omid	Boy	Persian	”Hope”	oh-MEED
Umut	Boy	Turkish	”Hope”	oo-MOOT
Umid	Boy	Uzbek / Tajik	”Hope”	oo-MEED
Toivo	Boy	Finnish	”Hope”	TOY-vo
Themba	Boy	Zulu / Xhosa	”Hope, trust”	TEM-bah
Tshepo	Boy	Sotho / Tswana	”Hope”	TSEH-po
Elpidio	Boy	Spanish / Italian, from Greek	From elpis, “hope”	el-PEE-dyoh
Nozomu	Boy	Japanese	Written 望, “hope, wish”	noh-zoh-moo
Raji	Boy	Arabic	”Hopeful”	RAH-jee
Von	Boy	Old Norse	From vón, “hope”	VON

Unisex Names That Mean Hope

Name	Gender	Origin	Meaning	Say it
Amal	Unisex	Arabic	”Hope”	ah-MAHL
Tumaini	Unisex	Swahili	”Hope”	too-mah-EE-nee
Xi	Unisex	Chinese	When written 希, “hope”	SHEE

Close Cousins: Names That Mean Wish or Faith

These do not mean hope exactly, but they sit right beside it.

Name	Gender	Origin	Meaning	Say it
Faith	Girl	English	”Faith, trust”	FAYTH
Vera	Girl	Russian	”Faith”	VEER-uh
Imani	Girl	Swahili	”Faith”	ee-MAH-nee
Iman	Unisex	Arabic	”Faith”	ee-MAHN
Emunah	Girl	Hebrew	”Faith”	eh-moo-NAH
Amani	Unisex	Arabic / Swahili	”Wishes” in Arabic; “peace” in Swahili	ah-MAH-nee
Arzu	Girl	Persian / Turkish	”Wish, longing”	ar-ZOO
Arman	Boy	Persian	”Wish, ideal”	ar-MAHN
Asher	Boy	Hebrew	”Happy, blessed”	ASH-er

In Russian tradition, Vera (faith), Nadezhda (hope), and Lyubov (love) are three sister saints, and the three names are still thought of as a set. For the third, see our list of names meaning love.

How to Choose a Name That Means Hope

Choose the language that belongs to your family. Because nearly every language has a hope name, this is a meaning you can almost always find in your own heritage. A grandmother from Poland, Iran, or Finland will recognize Nadzieja, Omid, or Toivo immediately.

Use the short forms. Nadezhda is a lot of name in English, which is exactly why Nadia exists. Esperanza shortens to Espy or Pera, and Evangeline to Eva or Evie.

Hope works well as a middle name. Like Grace and Faith, it is one syllable and follows almost any first name: Clara Hope, Amelia Hope, Julia Hope.

Check the meaning in the right language. Some names have different meanings depending on where they are used. Amani means wishes in Arabic and peace in Swahili, and Raja is a Sanskrit word for king as well as an Arabic name meaning hope.

For names with a related feeling, see names meaning miracle, gift, or blessing and names meaning light. You can also try combinations in our Baby Name Generator.

FAQ

What girl name means hope?

Hope is the English word used as a name. Esperanza is Spanish for hope, Nadia is the short form of the Russian word for hope, Asha means hope in Sanskrit, and Tikvah means hope in Hebrew.

What boy name means hope?

Omid means hope in Persian, Umut in Turkish, Toivo in Finnish, and Themba in Zulu and Xhosa. Amal, from Arabic, is used for both boys and girls.

Does Nadia mean hope?

Yes. Nadia began as a short form of Nadezhda, the Russian word for hope. There is also a separate Arabic name with a similar sound, so the meaning depends on which tradition the name comes from.

What are names that mean faith?

Faith is the English word used as a name. Vera means faith in Russian, Imani means faith in Swahili, Iman means faith in Arabic, and Emunah means faith in Hebrew.

Sources

Behind the Name. Name etymologies and histories.
Oxford University Press. A Dictionary of First Names (Hanks, Hardcastle, and Hodges).
U.S. Social Security Administration. Popular Baby Names.

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or healthcare provider with any questions about your baby's health.

Written by

Vega Lin

Founder & Editor — Mother of 2 (Taiwan)

Vega writes Baby Care Guide from the intersection of evidence-based research (AAP, CDC, WHO) and real parenting experience. Holds a Master's in Digital Innovation from Tunghai University. Read more →