Nickname help!
We want to name our baby Penelope but we can’t decide on a nickname? Help!
Looking for baby names that mean butterfly? We’ve got you covered. These fabulously floaty names are sure to delight you. Read on for our top choices.
Looking for some beautiful baby names that mean butterfly?
Our list of 54 names for girls and boys will make your heart flutter with light and laughter!
Butterflies represent so many things. Hope, light, transformation, growth, renewal and bravery — the list goes on.
In animal omens and spirituality, butterflies symbolize the evolution of our souls and the journey of new beginnings.
These brilliant qualities make names that mean butterfly a wonderful choice for your new arrival.
Looking for ideas?
Let us float these 54 baby names past you for inspiration.
Let’s start by taking a look at some international butterfly-inspired names.
In this article: 📝
- Girl names that mean butterfly
- Boy names that mean butterfly
- What Japanese name means butterfly?
- Does Yara mean butterfly?
- What African names mean butterfly?
- What are Spanish names that mean butterfly?
Girl names that mean butterfly
- Anna Blue: This refers to the butterfly species Plebejus anna, known as Anna’s Blue.
- Aponi: From the Native Americans, this delightful girl’s name means butterfly and comes from the Blackfoot Indian word Apaniiwa.
- Atlantis: From the Atlantis Fritillary, a bright orange butterfly found in Massachusetts. This name combines the qualities of a butterfly with the vibrancy of names meaning orange.
- Bindi: An indigenous Australian name meaning butterfly, this girl’s name comes from the Noongar people in Western Australia.
- Birabiro: From the Ethiopian word for butterfly, Bira biro.
- Butterfly: Why get all in a flutter when you can simply call your beautiful girl Butterfly?
- Caria: This name is taken from a group of colorful butterflies that are found across the American continent.
- Choumi: This Japanese name means butterfly and sea or ocean.
- Cho: This short Japanese name means butterfly.
- Chrysalis: The birthplace of a butterfly is also a lovely girl’s name.
- Die: Pronounced Die-y, this Chinese name means butterfly in Mandarin.
- Diep: This is Vietnamese for butterfly.
- Euthalia: This genus of butterflies is more commonly known as Barons. The name means beautiful flower.
- Edith: Derived from the Edith Copper butterfly found in the northern Rocky Mountains, this name also means rich and happy.
- Farasha: This name for girls means butterfly in Arabic.
- Fumichou: Combining three different meanings, this girl’s name means butterfly, beauty and wealth.
- Hecate: Meaning butterfly or soul, this name is shared with the Greek Goddess of magic and spells.
- Hudie: This Chinese name for a girl means butterfly.
- Itzpa: The feminine version of the name Atzpa, this Aztec name means “obsidian butterfly.”
- Juniper: A homage to the North American Juniper Hairstreak butterfly with gray and orange markings.
- Kelebek: This unusual Turkish name means butterfly.
- Kimana: This lyrical name means butterfly in Shoshone, a Native American language.
- Kimimila: This Native American name means butterfly in Sioux.
- Kipepeo: A Swahili name for a girl meaning butterfly.
- Kocho: This Japanese name means butterfly and comes from the famous Chinese story “A dream of a butterfly.”
- Nabi: If you’re looking for Korean names that mean butterfly, this is a great choice.
- Nova: Does Nova mean butterfly? Not quite, but it makes the list because Nova means “chaser of butterflies” in the Native American language of the Hopi.
- Piper: This name comes from the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly found in North and Central America.
- Saraga: This unusual girl’s name means butterfly and has African American origins.
- Umber: After the Umber Skipper butterfly.
- Vanessa: Author Johnathan Swift invented this name for his student Esther Vanhomright and subsequently used it in one of his famous poems. The name has since been given to a genus of butterflies found across multiple continents.
- Vemvane: This Zulu name means butterfly.
- Vlinder: This girl’s name is derived from the Dutch word vlinder, which means butterfly.
- Yara: This name is perfect for a girl or a boy and has two meanings, “small butterfly” and “water lady.”
Boy names that mean butterfly
- Admiral: This commanding name is also a variety of butterfly found in the British Isles.
- Aglais: From the word Aglaia, meaning splendid and shining, the Aglais is also known as the peacock butterfly.
- Argus: This bluish-brown Eurasian butterfly’s name means “Bright” in Greek.
- Atzpa: This is the name of an Aztec god known as Obsidian Butterfly.
- Caligo: Derived from the genus of the owl butterfly species, Caligo is also the name of a fairy in the game “Lovestruck.”
- Chouka: This Japanese name means butterfly and also describes a special Japanese flower.
- Clodius: This high-flying white butterfly is found in America and Canada. The name also means “poetry” in Latin.
- Danaus: The great-grandson of Zeus in Greek mythology, this demigod has tiger stripes on his wings.
- Eilir: This Welsh name can be used for boys or girls. It means butterfly, spring and regeneration.
- Ekval: Beautiful and free-spirited, this name also means butterfly and has Islamic Indian roots.
- Faranak: Persian for butterfly, this name can be used for boys and girls alike.
- Gilroy: This type of butterfly has red and black markings. This name has Scottish roots and carries the meaning “a king’s servant.”
- Hector: This boy’s name is shared with the grand crimson and black Pachliopta Hector butterfly.
- Jamides: Meaning “lover of glades” or “beautiful butterfly,” this name has Indomalayan roots.
- Jou: This Japanese boy’s name has many meanings, one of which is butterfly.
- Mantech: From Ethiopia, this name means butterfly.
- Nir: Named for every butterfly’s favorite food, Nir means “nectar, elixir” in Hindi.
- Ordell: This English name means beginning, one of the spiritual meanings of butterfly.
- Papillion: This French name translates to English as butterfly.
- Sommerflue: This delightful Danish name means butterfly.
What Japanese name means butterfly?
Chouka is a Japanese name that means butterfly and is used for boys and girls.
Other Japanese names for girls that also mean butterfly are Cho and Kocho.
Kocho is a classical Japanese way of saying butterfly.
This name comes from the famous Chinese story, “Kocho no Yume” which directly translates as “a dream of a butterfly.”
Does Yara mean butterfly?
This gender-neutral name with Arabic roots has two meanings, small butterfly and water lady.
What African names mean butterfly?
There are many African names that mean butterfly.
Two of our favorites are Kipepeo and Saraga.
Kipepeo means butterfly in Swahili.
Saraga is a rare African American name for girls meaning butterfly or winged angel.
What are Spanish names that mean butterfly?
Mariposa is a Spanish name for girls meaning butterfly.
Good luck choosing a bright and beautiful butterfly name for your baby!