Names Meaning Hope Shine a Light

Names meaning hope can be a source of optimism and positivity in an uncertain time.

Welcoming a baby into the world is a powerful act of hope…and if predictions of a December 2020 baby boom are to be believed, there could be a lot of hopeful people out there right now.

Parents through the ages have given their children optimistic names. You might especially think of the Puritans, who used virtue names like Hope and Grace (as well as ones that haven’t aged so well, like Diffidence and Silence).

Sometimes such a name can signify that a child is a medical miracle, or born in difficult times. Sometimes it simply expresses our wishes for their future. We hope for a world in which Maverick will make changes, or Bear will still be able to see his namesake in the wild, or Charlie won’t be pinned down by their gender, or Khadija will be proud of her heritage.

I can’t put it better than Abby, our Name Sage, in her latest newsletter: “no matter how daunting our moment, I believe that naming is an act of optimism.”

So if you’re looking for a baby name that signifies better things to come, here are some ideas. Encompassing literal and subtle, popular and rare, and from around the world, there’s a hopeful name for everyone.

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