Armpit, Hairy, Noodle, and More: These 150 Baby Names Have the Strangest Meanings

We all know that names carry weight. They are often the first impression we make and can tell a lot about our cultural background, family history, or even personal attributes. But did you know that some of the most common monikers we hear daily have genuinely bizarre origins and meanings? From the playground to the classroom, you’d be surprised at the unusual hidden meanings behind some of the most popular baby names.

Choosing a name for your little one is no small task. It’s a decision that will follow them throughout their life. While most soon-to-be parents consider factors like popularity, originality, and how the name sounds, few delve into what these names actually mean. So, whether you’re searching for the perfect name for your bundle of joy or love learning about names, strap in as we explore some popular baby names with the strangest hidden meanings.

Transmissions from the Dark Side

• Akuma: demon
• Ares: bane
• Duald: darkness
• Elegy: lament
• Ephai: gloomy

More Appellations with Dark Meanings

• Fogarty: exiled
• Gorgophone: slayer
• Jabez: pain
• Masozi: tears
• Meribah: quarreling

Final Names with Cursed Meanings

• Odysseus: wrathful
• Penthesilea: mournful
• Rue: regret
• Snorri: onslaught
• Torquil: cauldron

Appellations with Meanings Related to Body Parts

• Ascella: armpit
• Bronwen: breast
• Dandelion: tooth
• Delphia: womb
• Olwen: footprint

More Body Part Meanings

• Osiris: eyesight
• Perna: leg
• Sharpay: skin
• Taliesin: brow

Baby Names That Comment on Appearance

• Algernon: moustached
• Belcher: pretty face
• Blaine: angular
• Brady: broad-chested
• Brecken: speckled
• Cameron: crooked nose
• Gifford: puffy cheeks

More Appellations All About Appearance

• Esau: hairy
• Hamill: scarred
• Jaeda: long-necked
• Kennedy: misshapen head
• Loman: small bare one
• Rajiv: striped
• Roc: frizzy

Descriptive Meanings

• Bilhah: bashful
• Bina: understanding
• Caprice: impulsive
• Dempsey: haughty
• Howell: eminent
• Kessie: chubby

More Meanings That Describe a Person

• Kymani: adventurous
• Maverick: nonconformist
• Molloy: venerable
• Montague: pointy
• Motoko: resourceful

Final Appellations with Descriptive Meanings

• Panya: tiny
• Pendleton: overhanging
• Shea: dauntless
• Sophrona: sensible
• Vogue: fashionable

Baby Names With Occupational Meanings

• Bader: surgeon
• Carbry: charioteer
• Collier: miner
• Halloran: pirate
• Idrissa: interpreter
• Jenner: engineer

More Appellations About Professions

• Kellogg: pork butcher
• Lochlainn: Viking
• Mailer: enameler
• Millard: caretaker of the mill
• Neviah: forecaster
• Odalis: chambermaid

Final Occupational Baby Appellations

• Porter: doorkeeper
• Sloane: raider
• Tupac: accountant
• Vedette: actor
• Wainright: wagonmaker

Baby Names with Household Meanings

• Bechette: spade
• Binnie: basket
• Bogart: bowl
• Booth: shed
• Cody: pillow
• Hestia: fireside

More Domestic-Inspired Appellations

• Jara: jug
• Jumelle: binoculars
• Keller: cellar
• Kyoko: mirror
• Matita: pencil
• Mesa: table

Final Names with Household Meanings

• Minahil: door
• Obelia: needle
• Taci: washtub
• Tasso: cup
• Zaniah: corner

Appellations with Food and Beverage Meanings

• Auster: oyster
• Bezai: eggs
• Cassia: cinnamon
• Cicero: chickpea
• Craven: garlic
• Dunja: quince
• Fideo: noodle

More Delicious Meanings

• Galador: milk
• Galette: pancake
• Idra: fig
• Jarah: honeycomb
• Layton: leek
• Malina: raspberry
• Miette: crumb

Final Names with Foodie Meanings

• Mora: blackberry
• Noyce: walnut
• Palin: wine
• Rapunzel: lettuce
• Rimona: pomegranate
• Vieira: scallop

Appellations with Nature-Inspired Meanings

• Alioth: sheep
• Arantxa: thornbush
• Arley: rabbit
• Azami: thistle
• Berquist: twig
• Boyne: cow
• Castor: beaver

More Meanings About Nature

• Fana: jungle
• Gilead: camel
• Halcyon: kingfisher
• Kobe: tortoise
• Koko: stork
• Nahma: sturgeon
• Numair: panther

Final Names with Nature-Inspired Meanings

• Osman: snake
• Poe: peacock
• Rohan: sandalwood
• Shada: pelican
• Takeo: bamboo
• Tupelo: swamp

Appellations That Mean Various Actions

• Devere: fishing
• Fatima: abstains
• Faunia: befriend
• Ido: evaporate
• Leib: roaring
• Ligeia: whistling

More Hidden Action Baby Names

• Malala: grieved
• Nira: plowed
• Nixi: childbirth
• Ozlem: yearning
• Pakuna: jumping
• Philemon: kiss

Final Action Appellations

• Susmita: smile
• Tallulah: leaping
• Terpsichore: dancing
• Tycho: hitting
• Waverly: quivering

Miscellaneous Meanings

• Azha: the breeding place
• Balbo: mutterer
• Burr: bristle
• Calah: opportunity
• Chadwick: dairy

More Random Baby Name Meanings

• Chan: sweet smelling tree
• Corentin: hurricane
• Devrim: revolution
• Evrim: evolution
• Faro: lighthouse

Best of the Rest

• Heber: togetherness
• Keats: kite
• Koren: gleaming
• Maeve: intoxicates
• Mika: fragrance

Final Names with Weird Meanings

• Missouri: canoe
• Nemo: nobody
• Nicomedes: pondering
• Petronilla: yokel
• Tafari: awe

As we wrap up our exploration of popular baby names with unexpected hidden meanings, remember that a name is just the beginning of a person’s story. While some of these meanings may have surprised you, they don’t define the person who carries the name. The beauty of names lies in their diversity and depth, reflecting different cultures, histories, and narratives. So whether you’re naming a child or simply curious about name meanings, we hope this journey through the strange and fascinating world of names has been as enlightening for you as it was for us. After all, there’s more to a name than just a label—it’s a piece of our identity.