49 lovable names inspired by Valentine's Day

21 Valentine's girl names

Adora

Adora is a nickname for Adoracion, a Spanish name meaning "adoration." It's hard to imagine a better name for your little beloved.

Aimee

Aimee means "beloved," from the French verb aimer, meaning "to like" or "to love." This pretty variation of Amy is a great choice for your February-born baby.

Amanda

Amanda is a common name for baby girls with a sweet history in poetry. In the 17th century, poets began to use the Latin word amanda as a name. It means "lovable, fit to be loved."

Annabella

Annabella is a version of Annabel. It most likely comes from Amabel, an Old French name that means "lovable."

Annabella may also be given as a combination of Anna (a Hebrew name meaning "God has favored me") and Bella (meaning "beautiful").

Candy

Candy – also spelled Candi – is a straightforward Valentine's Day-themed name, being the name for sugary confections or sweets. Rooted in the Persian word for cane sugar, qand, this word name first appeared on popular baby name lists in the 1940s and disappeared in the 1990s.

This sweet name is also commonly used as a nickname for Candace, an ancient name tied to a long line of Ethiopian queens.

Cara

Cara has been a popular name for little girls since the 1950s. It has Italian roots as a term of endearment meaning "beloved" – but it's also an Irish Gaelic word that means "friend."

"I love Cara and never meet anyone with the name," says BabyCenter Community member Cness.

Carina

Carina takes the Italian Cara and adds a little flair (often called an elaboration in name terms). Like Cara, Carina means "beloved." Karina is another spelling of this sweet name.

Carys

Carys means "loved one" in Welsh. It's derived from the Welsh word caru, meaning "to love."

Cordelia

Cordelia is a name from the Middle Ages, previously spelled Cordeilla. It's often associated with the Latin word cor, which means "heart."

Desiree

Desiree is a cheerful and beautiful French name meaning "desired."

Dove

Dove is a name associated with peace and gentleness. Because the bird is monogamous, only mating with one bird for the season, it's also become a symbol of romantic love.

Freya

Freya is an Old Norse name that means "lady." This name belonged to the Norse goddess of love, war, and beauty.

Juliet

Juliet is a form of Julia, which itself is the feminine version of Julius. The name's meaning isn't certain, but that certainly doesn't diminish its fame: Juliet is one half of Shakespeare's most recognizable star-crossed lovers.

Love

As a name for baby girls, Love goes right to the heart of the Valentine's Day celebration. Love is a word name, with the word coming from the Old English lufu.

Mabel

Mabel is a popular name for baby girls with origins as the Old French word amabel or amable, which means "lovely." It's related to the English word amiable, which can be used to describe someone as friendly or good-humored.

Mila

Mila is a girls' name derived from the Slavic milu, which was originally an element of larger names. It means "gracious" or "dear."

Mia

Mia is a darling little name from an Italian word meaning "mine." It can also work as a nickname for names like Maria, Marial, and Amelia.

Nayeli

Nayeli takes the prize for the most quintessentially romantic name. It's thought to mean "I love you" in Zapotec, the language of a people indigenous to Mexico. This lovely, lilting, and meaningful name may not be one you hear every day, but it's certainly one you won't forget.

Priya

Priya is a Sanskrit name that means "beloved." It's most commonly used for baby girls' in India, but can also be found here in the United States.

Rose

Rose is a perennially popular, classic baby girl name. Roses have been a symbol of love in many cultures throughout history; in Victorian England, the color of the rose symbolized different levels of affection: white for innocent love, pink for a new romance, and red for passion.

Ruby

Ruby is a beautiful name from the deep red gemstone. Because of its color, this precious stone is often associated with passion and love.

19 Valentine's boy names

Archer

Archer was a surname long before it gained popularity as a given name for boys beginning in 2009. While this name refers to the Old French archer and the Latin arcarius, referring to the occupation, we love it as a nod to Cupid and his arrows.

Arrow

Arrow is a great name for a little boy who has stolen your heart. This word name doesn't have a specific meaning, but like Archer, arrow is a symbol often associated with Cupid.

Beau

Beau was first a term of endearment or nickname, but has been increasingly popular as a given name since 1967. It means "handsome" in French.

Carwyn

Carwyn is a Welsh name meaning "blessed love." A combination of caru, "to love," and gwyn, "fair and blessed," this strong and unusual name is a unique alternative to the more popular Carson or Caden.

Court

Court is a surname-name and a word name with several meanings, one of which is a verb that means "to seek the affections of" or "to engage in social activities that lead to marriage." This cool, one-syllable name is a rare find for your little prince.

David

David is certainly a more traditional name, but that doesn't disqualify it from this list! David is most commonly associated with the biblical king, and the name is thought to come from a Hebrew term of endearment meaning "beloved" or "darling."

Hart

As a name, Hart comes from an Old English word for "stag" – though we like it as a smart spelling variation of "heart."

Jamal

Jamal is an Arabic name meaning "good looks" or "beauty."

Jasper

Jasper can be used in reference to the beautiful gemstone, which is most commonly found in the color red. It's believed to be a Persian name meaning "treasurer."

"I like Jasper a lot," says BabyCenter Community member njs2423. "I feel like it's a name that's been around for centuries but not popular."

Jedidiah

Jedidiah is a Hebrew name meaning "beloved of God."

Leonardo

Leonardo is a Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian name that means "brave as a lion." One of the most famous bearers of this romantic name was Leonardo da Vinci, the artist behind the Mona Lisa.

Lev

As a Hebrew name, Lev means "heart." It's also associated with a Russian word meaning "lion."

Milo

Milo is thought to share roots with the girl name Mila, from a Slavic word meaning "dear."

Obi

Obi is a name as unique as your little love. It's an Igbo name, which is a language spoken in southeastern Nigeria, meaning "heart."

Red

Red, also spelled Redd, is a laconic, no-nonsense name that's associated with a bold, primary color – a color often associated with love, passion, and desire.

Romeo

Romeo is the quintessential chivalrous and romantic name, meaning "from Rome." The most famous Romeo was introduced to us by English playwright William Shakespeare. The fictional love story between Romeo and Juliet may have led to a tragic ending, but is still held up as the incarnation of undying young love.

Teddy

Teddy is a nickname for the name Theodore, but more recently is being chosen as a given name in the United States. We think it's a darling, Valentine's Day inspired name for a little boy! Rooted in Greek, this name means "gift from God."

Thaddeus

Thaddeus is a Greek name that shares a connection with the Aramaic name Taddai. It may come from an Aramaic word meaning "heart," though it could also be another form of Theodore.

Valentino

Valentino is the masculine variation of the name Valentine, which is an Italian name meaning "strong, vigorous, healthy."

9 gender-neutral Valentine's names

Aiko

Aiko is a Japanese name that means "loving, beloved child." This name is formed by two Japanese characters, with one meaning "love, affection" and the other meaning "child."

Amor

Amor is a unique name more common among girls – though it can also be given to boys. It's from the Latin word amor, which means "love."

Caron

Caron is a Welsh name given to both boys and girls. It comes from the word caru, which means "to love."

Darcy

Darcy is a gender-neutral name belonging to the romantic male lead in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. While it is traditionally used for boys, it has recently become more popular as a given name for girls as well. Rooted in French, this name means "from Arcy."

Esmé

Esmé is a name with a history as far back as the 16th century, with it recorded as the name of the Duke of Lennox. It is an Old French name meaning "esteemed, loved," that was taken from the Latin word aestimare, meaning "to value, esteem."

Ever

Ever is a hopeful, optimistic, and romantic name. A word name, the adverb "ever" means "at any time" or "always." It also connotes life or eternity. Ever is a meaningful and wonderful name for a newborn child you promise to love forever and you hope will one day find true love.

Lennon

Lennon is a given name transferred from the Irish surname Leannán, which is perhaps most often associated with the Beatles' John Lennon. This sweet, gender-neutral name means "darling" or "sweetheart."

Rhys

Rhys is a Welsh name that means "ardor," a word that means "enthusiasm, passion." This charming name is also spelled Reese and Reece.

"Rhys is a trendy name right now," says BabyCenter Community member NurturingNest. "I know some boys named Reese and Reece, which I might like more for non-Welsh people – not that you have to be Welsh to use a Welsh name."

Valentine

Valentine and Valentin are names that come from a Latin word meaning "strong and healthy." The sweetheart connotation of this name stems from the unconfirmed legends told about two early saints named Valentine, one of whom is the patron saint of lovers.

Betsy Shaw contributed to this article.