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Names that mean freedom are a great way to celebrate your little one’s independent spirit. We’ve found 45 ideas from around the world to inspire you!
Are you searching for a name that captures your little one’s independent spirit?
Baby names that mean freedom could be a perfect choice.
Cultures from across the world celebrate the love of liberty in their names.
So whether you’re looking for a traditional favorite or something more unusual, there are loads of options to choose from.
In this article: 📝
- Popular names that mean freedom
- Girl names that mean freedom
- Boy names that mean freedom
- More inspiring baby names that mean freedom
Popular names that mean freedom
Many names that have been used in the western world for centuries are based on ideas of freedom.
Today, many of them still make the lists of most popular names in the US. Here are some of the best-loved classics:
- Charles: Charles is a name that’s been used by the British royal family for hundreds of years. It comes from the Old English word ceorl, which means “free man.”
- Charlotte: The feminine version of Charles.
- Carl or Karl: This is the German form of Charles.
- Carla: Carla is used for girls and simply means “free woman.” Other variants include Caroline (although Carol and Carolina come from a different root and mean “song of joy”).
- Carlos: Although similar to Carl, Carlos has both English and Spanish origins. And as well as meaning “free man,” it also means “valiant.”
- Francis: Francis comes from Latin, and like Charles, it means simply “free man.” It also means “Frenchman,” so it’s perfect if your little peanut also has Gallic connections!
- Frances: The spelling with an “e” is usually used for girls. Francesca is an elegant variation of the theme.
- Frank or Franklin: Both names come from the same Latin root as Francis, and both are in the top 1.000 US names.
- Saoirse: This lovely Irish name is pronounced SER-sha and means “freedom.” It’s more usually used for girls, although it can be a boy’s name too.
- Malaya: A Filipino name that also means “freedom.” Some believe that the country of Malaysia takes its name from the same root — but it’s more often translated as “land of mountains.”
Girl names that mean freedom
Lots of classic names come in different forms for girls and boys.
So there’s Carla and Carl, and Frances and Francis.
But there are lots of more unusual options for girls’ names that mean freedom, too.
Here are some of our favorites for free-spirited lasses:
- Alzena: This lovely name is Arabic. Its most basic meaning is simply “woman,” but it also means “imaginative,” “creative,” and “longing for freedom.”
- Bashita: A Bengali name meaning “freedom.”
- Blythe: Rare these days, Blythe is an Old English name meaning just what it sounds like — “blithe” or “free from care.”
- Carly: A rarer feminine take on “Carl,” Carly became better known in the 1970s, courtesy of the singer and songwriter, Carly Simon.
- Cecania: This German girl’s name means “free.”
- Charlene: Another female form of Charles, this one has a number of different spellings, including Sharlene, Sharleen, and Charlyne.
- Derora: This Hebrew name comes from the word for bird and means “freedom.”
- Eleftheria: A Greek name meaning “freedom.”
- Fanchon: This unusual take on Frank or Francis is French. It, too, means “freedom.”
- Feronia: Feronia was an ancient Roman goddess of fertility and abundance. But she was also known as a liberator of enslaved people.
- Hura: An Arabic name that means “free woman.”
- Isaree: Means “freedom” in Thai.
- Kaivalya: This Sanskrit name means both “freedom” and “aloneness.”
- Liberty: This alternative word for freedom has somewhat fallen out of fashion as a girl’s name. Alternative options are Libera and Liberta.
- Nonkululeko: This beautiful Zulu name means “freedom.”
Boy names that mean freedom
There are just as many unusual options for boys who love to spread their wings:
- Arvish: This means “daring” or “freedom-loving.” It comes from Telegu, a language spoken in southern India.
- Dror: This Hebrew name uses birds as a metaphor for freedom. Its meaning is “sparrow.”
- Chang: This Chinese name has a large number of different meanings. Alongside “free” and “unrestrained,” it can also mean “smooth,” “flourish,” “prosper,” and even “sunlight.”
- Chiru: Meaning a “freedom-loving person,” this name comes from India.
- Ferenc: If you’re looking for a variant on a more common name, how about Ferenc? This version of Frank comes from Hungary.
- Irek: Not to be confused with the more common Eric (which means “ruler forever”), Irek is a Tatar and Bashkir name meaning “free.”
- Kymani: It doesn’t quite mean “freedom,” but this Jamaican name meaning “adventurous traveler” is a great choice for liberated little ones.
- Liridon: An Albanian name, Liridon means “desire for freedom.”
- Lysander: This Greek name famously appears in the Shakespeare play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It means “liberator” or literally, “man who creates freedom.”
- Maverick: Made famous as Tom Cruise’s character’s call sign in the movie Top Gun, maverick means “an independently minded person.”
- Merdeka: This Malay name means “free” or “independent.” It was originally applied to people who had been enslaved before gaining their freedom.
- Neberd: The Kurds have a number of different names meaning “freedom.” Neberd, Nebez and Serbest are all options.
- Swaraj: This Sikh and Punjabi name means “liberty” or “freedom.”
- Volya: A rare name, even in its native Russia, Volya means “freedom” or “will.”
More inspiring baby names that mean freedom
Lots of other names are used for all genders in countries around the world. Here are some to consider:
- Erkin: This Turkish name means “free” or “independent.”
- Corliss: An Old English name meaning “free from care.” It’s rarely seen these days — we think it’s due for a comeback!
- Kanoa: This melodic Hawaiian name means “free one.”
- Liri: An Albanian name meaning “freedom.” Many other names in Albania also begin “Liri,” so it’s a common abbreviation there.
- Ominira: Means freedom, independence, and liberation in Yoruba, a language spoken in Nigeria and Benin.
- Serey: Means “freedom” in Khmer but also has a range of other meanings — “charm or beauty,” “peace,” and “power or authority.”
Names that mean freedom are a wonderful way to honor your little one’s independent spirit.
Whether you’re going traditional or want something rarer, there are options from around the world.
If you’re looking for more inspiration, why not check out our ultimate lists of boys’ names and girls’ names?
With more than 2,000 ideas, there’s sure to be something that catches your eye.
Good luck in your search!