Names That Mean Life
Some of the oldest names in the world mean simply “life.” Eve, the first woman in Genesis, takes her name from the Hebrew for “living,” and Greek Zoe, Latin Vita, Arabic Hayat and Sanskrit Jeevan say the same thing in other languages. They’re a natural fit for a baby who feels like a fresh start, or one who arrived after a scare.
We’ve gathered more than 90 names meaning life, living, breath or long life, with their true origins. For more names with an uplifting message, see names that mean hope and names that mean miracle, or head back to all name meanings.
Hebrew and biblical names that mean life
The Hebrew root chayah (“to live”) gives us Eve, Chaim and Chaya. “L’chaim!” (“to life!”) is the traditional Jewish toast. More in our Hebrew girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Eve | Hebrew Chavah, “living”; the first woman (Genesis 3:20) | Girl |
| Eva | Latin and European form of Eve | Girl |
| Evita | Spanish diminutive of Eva | Girl |
| Eeva | Finnish form of Eve | Girl |
| Ewa | Polish form of Eve | Girl |
| Chava | Hebrew original of Eve, “life, living” | Girl |
| Hava | Modern Hebrew spelling of Chava | Girl |
| Chaya | Hebrew, “living, alive” | Girl |
| Chaim | Hebrew, “life” | Boy |
| Haim | Sephardic and modern spelling of Chaim | Boy |
| Hyman | Anglicized form of Chaim | Boy |
| Yechiel | Hebrew, “may God live” (1 Chronicles 15:18) | Boy |
Greek and Latin names that mean life
Greek zoe and Latin vita/vivus are the roots of some of today’s most popular names, including Zoe and Vivian. Find more in Latin girl names and Greek girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Zoe | Greek, “life” | Girl |
| Zoey | English spelling of Zoe | Girl |
| Zoya | Russian form of Zoe | Girl |
| Zosimus | Greek, “viable, likely to survive” | Boy |
| Vivian | From Latin vivus, “alive” | Unisex |
| Vivienne | French form of Vivian | Girl |
| Viviana | Italian and Spanish form of Vivian | Girl |
| Vita | Latin, “life” | Girl |
| Vito | Italian, from Latin vitus, “alive” | Boy |
| Vitus | Latin, “life, alive”; St. Vitus | Boy |
| Vít | Czech form of Vitus | Boy |
| Vitalis | Latin, “of life, vital” | Boy |
| Vital | French, “vital, full of life” | Boy |
| Vitale | Italian, “full of life” | Boy |
| Vidal | Spanish and Portuguese, from Vitalis | Boy |
| Vitaliy | Russian and Ukrainian, “vital” | Boy |
| Vida | Spanish, “life” | Girl |
| Anima | Latin, “soul, breath of life” | Girl |
Arabic, Persian and Turkish names that mean life
Aisha, the name of a wife of the Prophet Muhammad, means “living” or “alive,” and remains one of the most widely used Muslim girl names. More in Muslim names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Aisha | Arabic, “alive, living” | Girl |
| Hayat | Arabic, “life” | Girl |
| Hayati | Arabic, “my life” | Girl |
| Hawa | Arabic form of Eve, “life” | Girl |
| Havva | Turkish form of Eve | Girl |
| Yahya | Arabic, “he lives”; the Arabic form of John | Boy |
| Hayyan | Arabic, “alive, lively” | Boy |
| Muhyiddin | Arabic, “reviver of the faith” | Boy |
| Jaan | Persian, “life, soul” | Unisex |
| Can | Turkish, “soul, life” | Boy |
| Canberk | Turkish, “strong soul” | Boy |
| Cansu | Turkish, “water of life” | Girl |
| Yaşar | Turkish, “he lives, alive” | Boy |
| Nefes | Turkish, “breath” | Girl |
Indian names that mean life
Sanskrit jiva (life, living being) and prana (breath, life force) are central ideas in yoga and Hindu philosophy. Browse more in Indian names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Jiva | Sanskrit, “life, living being” | Unisex |
| Jeevan | Sanskrit, “life” | Boy |
| Jeevika | Sanskrit, “life, livelihood” | Girl |
| Prana | Sanskrit, “breath, life force” | Unisex |
| Sanjeev | Sanskrit, “giving life, reviving” | Boy |
| Sanjeevani | Sanskrit, “life-giving herb” | Girl |
| Ayush | Sanskrit, “long life” | Boy |
| Ayushi | Sanskrit, “long-lived” | Girl |
| Ayushman | Sanskrit, “blessed with long life” | Boy |
Names that mean immortal or long life
If you want the meaning to reach a little further, these names mean “immortal,” “eternal life” or “longevity.”
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Athanasius | Greek, “immortal” | Boy |
| Athanasia | Greek, “immortality” | Girl |
| Ambrose | Greek ambrosios, “immortal” | Boy |
| Ambrosia | Greek, “immortal”; the food of the gods | Girl |
| Amrita | Sanskrit, “immortal, nectar of immortality” | Girl |
| Amartya | Sanskrit, “immortal” | Boy |
| Amar | Sanskrit, “immortal” | Boy |
| Chiranjeevi | Sanskrit, “long-lived, immortal” | Boy |
| Changsheng | Chinese 长生, “long life” | Boy |
| Yongsheng | Chinese 永生, “eternal life” | Boy |
| Shou | Chinese 寿, “longevity” | Unisex |
| Chiyo | Japanese 千代, “a thousand generations” | Girl |
Norse, Celtic and Slavic names meaning life
In Norse myth, Líf and her companion survive Ragnarök to repopulate the world. More in female Viking names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Lif | Old Norse, “life”; survivor of Ragnarök | Girl |
| Liv | Scandinavian, “life” (Old Norse hlíf, “protection”) | Girl |
| Beathan | Scottish Gaelic, from beatha, “life” | Boy |
| Beathag | Scottish Gaelic, “life” | Girl |
| Živa | Slavic, “alive”; goddess of life | Girl |
| Živan | Serbian and Croatian, “alive” | Boy |
| Zhivko | Bulgarian, “alive, lively” | Boy |
| Zhivka | Bulgarian, “alive, lively” | Girl |
| Elo | Finnish, “life” | Unisex |
Japanese, Chinese and Polynesian names meaning life
Hawaiian ola and Māori ora both mean life and health, and they appear in many Pacific names. See our Hawaiian names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Sei | Can be written 生, “life” | Unisex |
| Mikoto | Can be written 命, “life, destiny” | Girl |
| Sheng | Chinese 生, “life, birth” | Boy |
| Ola | Hawaiian, “life, health” | Unisex |
| Keola | Hawaiian, “the life” | Unisex |
| Mauli | Hawaiian, “life, heart, spirit” | Unisex |
| Ora | Māori, “life, health, wellbeing” | Unisex |
| Mauri | Māori, “life force” | Unisex |
| Waiora | Māori, “water of life, health” | Girl |
African names that mean life
Igbo names built on ndu (“life”) often express a philosophy, such as “life comes first.” Explore more in African names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Ndu | Igbo, “life” | Unisex |
| Nduka | Igbo, “life is supreme” | Boy |
| Ndubuisi | Igbo, “life is the first” | Boy |
| Ndubueze | Igbo, “life is king” | Boy |
| Ndukwe | Igbo, “if life permits” | Boy |
| Moyo | Shona and Chichewa, “heart, life” | Unisex |
| Mpilo | Zulu and Ndebele, “life” | Unisex |
| Botshelo | Tswana, “life” | Unisex |
| Maisha | Swahili, “life” | Girl |
| Hiwot | Amharic, “life” | Girl |
How to choose a name that means life
- Popular or distinctive? Eva, Zoe and Vivian are familiar in the US; Chaya, Vita and Keola carry the same meaning with fewer classmates sharing them.
- Short names like Liv, Eva and Ola travel easily between languages and pair well with longer surnames.
- Evelyn and Ava are often listed as “life” names, but their origins are different (see the FAQ). Check sources before you settle on a meaning.
- Use a life name in the middle slot for a quiet tribute, such as Rose Vita or Samuel Chaim. See middle names for more ideas.
- Pair it with a sibling name from names that mean light or names that mean joy.
Frequently asked questions
What girl name means life?
Eva, Eve, Zoe, Vivian, Vita, Chaya, Aisha, Hayat, Liv and Hiwot all mean life or living.
What boy name means life?
Chaim (Hebrew), Vito and Vitus (Latin), Jeevan (Sanskrit), Yahya (Arabic), Can (Turkish) and Nduka (Igbo) are strong choices.
Does Evelyn mean life?
Not by origin. Evelyn comes from the Norman name Aveline, whose meaning is uncertain. It is often linked with Eve, which does mean “living.”
Does Ava mean life?
Ava’s origin is uncertain. It may be a short form of Germanic names with avi, or a variant of Eve; only the Eve connection gives it the meaning “life.”
What does Zoe mean?
Zoe is the Greek word for “life.” Early Greek-speaking Jews used it as a translation of Eve.