Valentine baby names mean love and romance in every possible way. Today we look at names that mean love, heart, sweetness, and more, to celebrate the holiday in the name of your own lovebug.

　　

The Valentine Family

Let’s begin with the star of the show. The name Valentine (in Latin, Valentinus) comes from a root meaning "strength" or "health".

　　Valentine has always been a unisex name, but in recent years it has been particularly gender-balanced. In 2021 in the US, it was given to 49 girls and 53 boys.

　　A whole group of names share the same origin: not just Valentina and Valentino, but also modern virtue Valor, place name Valencia and international forms like Bálint.

　　Here are some of our favorite family members.

　　HeartBalendinChevron - RightHeartBálintChevron - RightHeartTinoChevron - RightHeartValenChevron - RightHeartValentinaChevron - RightHeartValentinoChevron - RightHeartValerianChevron - RightHeartValeriaChevron - RightHeartValerieChevron - RightHeartValiantChevron - RightHeartValorChevron - RightHeartValtinChevron - Right

　　

Names That Mean Love

You could choose Love itself as a name. It flows especially well in the middle spot, as in Jennifer Love Hewitt or April Love Geary, who passed it onto her daughter, Mia Love.

　　A more subtle option is a name with a hidden “love”, like Clover or Lovell. Or you could get really clever like Ashley Scott, whose daughter is named Iyla Vue (say it aloud).

　　A small but growing number of parents use loving phrase names, like Ily (an acronym for "I love you") and Miamor. And there are lots of names meaning love in languages from around the world — love is universal, after all.

　　From Romance languages, Amora and Amoura are among the fastest-rising girl names, while Amias is a red-hot vintage revival for boys. Other modern favorites are Milan and Milena from Slavic languages, Nayeli from Central America, and Davis, from Hebrew via an English surname.

　　Here, some of the best names meaning love we think you may, well, love.

　　HeartAikoChevron - RightHeartAmadaChevron - RightHeartAmiasChevron - RightHeartAmoraChevron - RightHeartArohaChevron - RightHeartCarysChevron - RightHeartCherishChevron - RightHeartDavisChevron - RightHeartDesiChevron - RightHeartElskaChevron - RightHeartEsmeChevron - RightHeartHabibaChevron - RightHeartKerensaChevron - RightHeartKalilaChevron - RightHeartKealohaChevron - RightHeartIlyChevron - RightHeartLennonChevron - RightHeartLewinChevron - RightHeartLowdyChevron - RightHeartMabelChevron - RightHeartMahaliaChevron - RightHeartMiamorChevron - RightHeartMilanChevron - RightHeartMilenaChevron - RightHeartNayeliChevron - RightHeartPhilouChevron - RightHeartRasmusChevron - RightHeartRudoChevron - RightHeartSajanChevron - RightHeartThandoChevron - RightHeartYaretziChevron - Right

　　

Names That Mean Heart

The heart is (figuratively) where we feel love and emotion, and you can’t miss the love-heart symbols on Valentine’s Day. These names that mean heart, or sound like the word, could be perfect for someone who holds a special place in yours.

　　HeartCorazonChevron - RightHeartCordeliaChevron - RightHeartCorwinChevron - RightHeartHartChevron - RightHeartHartfordChevron - RightHeartHartleyChevron - RightHeartHathaiChevron - RightHeartJananChevron - RightHeartKordianChevron - RightHeartLibiChevron - RightHeartObiChevron - RightHeartTyasChevron - Right

　　

Terms of Endearment

Parents everywhere call their kids affectionate nicknames — Sweetie, Honey, Pumpkin — but using one as a legal name takes it to the next level.

　　Names that are terms of endearment can be cutesy, like Jamie Oliver’s children Daisy Boo and Buddy Bear. Sweet term of endearment names like Buddy, Sonny, Kitty and Honey are already popular across the pond.

　　But there are others that you may not even know started as the equivalent of “Dear” or “Darling”. Here’s a selection.

　　HeartAngelChevron - RightHeartBearChevron - RightHeartBooChevron - RightHeartBuddyChevron - RightHeartBuntyChevron - RightHeartCaraChevron - RightHeartCariadChevron - RightHeartCarinaChevron - RightHeartCherieChevron - RightHeartDarlaChevron - RightHeartDarlingChevron - RightHeartDollyChevron - RightHeartDruryChevron - RightHeartHabibaChevron - RightHeartHoneyChevron - RightHeartMignonChevron - RightHeartMilaChevron - RightHeartMiladaChevron - RightHeartNazaninChevron - RightHeartPixieChevron - RightHeartPreciousChevron - RightHeartSweetheartChevron - RightHeartTigerChevron - RightHeartTreasureChevron - Right

　　

Sweet Candy Names

Candy is a big part (if not the best part) of Valentine’s Day for many. These names are related to sweet treats, or mean sweet — perfect for a delicious child, but also on a grown-up (just look at Condoleezza Rice).

　　HeartAngelicaChevron - RightHeartAnoushChevron - RightHeartCandyChevron - RightHeartClarkChevron - RightHeartCookieChevron - RightHeartDawseyChevron - RightHeartDulcieChevron - RightHeartHenryChevron - RightHeartKitChevron - RightHeartManjuChevron - RightHeartMapleChevron - RightHeartMelinaChevron - RightHeartReeseChevron - RightHeartRuthChevron - RightHeartSadhbhChevron - RightHeartShirinChevron - RightHeartTaffyChevron - RightHeartZusaChevron - Right

　　

Trinkets and Tokens

Are you giving your love a Rose? Writing them a Sonnet? Perhaps even taking them to a leafy Bower? A traditional symbol or gift could be a great meaningful name for a Valentine’s baby — we’ve also included some names meaning gift.

　　HeartAnjaliChevron - RightHeartArborChevron - RightHeartArrowChevron - RightHeartBlueChevron - RightHeartBowChevron - RightHeartBowerChevron - RightHeartDartChevron - RightHeartDoraChevron - RightHeartDoveChevron - RightHeartJewelChevron - RightHeartLaceyChevron - RightHeartMakanaChevron - RightHeartNathanChevron - RightHeartPoseyChevron - RightHeartRedChevron - RightHeartRoseChevron - RightHeartSonnetChevron - RightHeartTeddyChevron - RightHeartTrueChevron - RightHeartVioletChevron - Right

　　

Great Lovers

Beyond Romeo and Juliet, there are many excellently-named couples from history, legend and literature. We don’t recommend naming children after both lovers — siblings named Antony and Cleopatra would definitely be too close for comfort — especially if they’re ill-fated or, er, a little problematic. But there’s plenty of inspiration in one of these romantic pairs.

　　Antony & Cleopatra

　　Cyrano & Roxane

　　Dante & Beatrice

　　Daphnis & Chloe

　　Diarmuid & Grainne

　　Heathcliff & Cathy

　　Helen & Paris

　　Heloise & Abelard

　　Hero & Leander

　　Lancelot & Guinevere

　　Layla & Majnun

　　Marius & Cosette

　　Niamh & Oisin

　　Odysseus & Penelope

　　Pyramus & Thisbe

　　Rama & Sita

　　Rhys & Meinir

　　Romeo & Juliet

　　Samson & Delilah

　　Scarlett & Rhett

　　

Gods and Goddesses of Love

Mythological names are booming, but many of the most popular — Odin, Athena, Raiden — are warlike and stormy gods and goddesses.

　　Here are names from religion, myth and legend more suited to a celebration of love.

　　HeartAineChevron - RightHeartAngusChevron - RightHeartAphroditeChevron - RightHeartCliodhnaChevron - RightHeartCupidChevron - RightHeartDwynwenChevron - RightHeartErosChevron - RightHeartFreyaChevron - RightHeartInannaChevron - RightHeartKamaChevron - RightHeartLadaChevron - RightHeartLakshmiChevron - RightHeartMildaChevron - RightHeartParvatiChevron - RightHeartRadhaChevron - RightHeartTuranChevron - RightHeartUmaChevron - RightHeartVenusChevron - RightHeartZivaChevron - Right

　　Happy Valentine’s Day — we love all our readers!

　　

About the Author

　　

Clare Green

　　Clare Green has been writing for Nameberry since 2015, covering everything from names peaking right now to feminist baby names, and keeping up-to-date with international baby name rankings. Her work has featured in publications such as The Independent and HuffPost. Clare has a background in linguistics and librarianship, and recently completed an MA dissertation researching names in multilingual families. She lives in England with her husband and son. You can reach her at [email protected]

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