Baby Names That Mean Purple

As a color, I’ve always found purple quite calming, spiritual, but also powerful at the same time. I remember last year my family went to see some Christmas lights just outside London. There was one particular display where the colors changed, and it was interesting to hear gasps from other visitors when it cycled through the purple color. I guess for some reason it just has this affect on people…

When it comes to baby names, having your favourite color as a meaning is one strategy to inspire some creativity and conjure up some ideas. So if you’re a fan of purple, here are some boys, girls and unisex names to consider.

Related Post: Baby Names That Mean Yellow

Girls names that mean purple

Many girls’ names that mean purple are actually a shade of the color. Here are some to choose from:

Bora

Bora actually has different meanings depending on what country it’s from. In Czech it means ‘snow’, in Swahili it means ‘excellent’ and in Sanskrit it means ‘brave’. However, in the Korean language Bora is a girl’s name that means ‘purple’. It seems you can take your pick with what meaning you want with this name!

Violet

This is a traditional English girl’s name, which originates from the Latin language. Violet comes from the Latin word viola which means purple, and it is a type of flower as well as a color. In the USA, it was particularly popular in the early 20^th century before falling away in the early 1980s.

Related Post: Baby Flower Names

However it has seen a resurgence in the last few years. In 2021, it was the 35^th most popular girl’s name. Although it has an old-fashioned ring to it, it is obviously seen as something a bit different and trendy these days. I have to admit I think of Violet turning into a blueberry in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when I think of this name!

Wisteria

Wisteria is another girl’s name that comes from a plant or flower. It has those long drooping light purple/blue flowers which can really enhance the appearance of any home. As a girl’s name it comes from Germany and has the meaning ‘Wister’s flower’. In the world of plants, Wisteria represents devotion which makes it a lovely meaning for a child. It isn’t a particularly popular name and it has never featured in the top 1000 names in the USA since records began.

Yolanda

This name is popular in Spanish, but it is of Greek origin. Yolanda means ‘violet flower’ and it has a number of different spellings in various languages; Jolanda in Dutch, Jolanta in Polish and Iolanda in Italian. Surprisingly this name has been fairly popular in the USA over the years.

Since 1900 it steadily became more popular and reached its peak from 1945-1980, before falling away again. It hasn’t featured in the top 1000 since 2002. It might be time for comeback if you want something a little different for your baby girl.

Names for boys that mean purple

There aren’t quite as many boys’ names that mean purple, and I can’t find any which are traditionally found in Western countries. Nevertheless, here are a couple to consider:

Murasakino

This name comes from the word murasaki which means ‘purple’ in Japanese. It can also mean ‘lavender’ or ‘violet’. If you are fan of Japanese culture, or if you have a connection with the country, this name might be a great choice for your baby boy.

Morado

Morado comes from Spanish and Portuguese and it means ‘deep purple’ (a bit like the heavy rock band!). Although it can be used as a first name, it’s more common as a surname. This will likely be a unique name in most English-speaking countries, but if you live in areas with a higher Hispanic population it will be more widespread.

Unisex names

Hadley

Although this can be a boy’s name, these days it tends to be more popular for girls. In fact Hadley is on a significant rise in the USA as a girl’s name, entering the top 1000 in 1998 and finding itself close to the top 100 in 2021. So if you want a name that is on trend, this could be a good choice right now. Hadley means ‘heather field’ which means it has a link to the color purple.

You can also spell the name as Hadlee, which isn’t as common, but there are plenty of baby girls born in the USA who have this variant instead; it’s been in the top 1000 since 2013.

What does purple represent?

This color has a connection to royalty and wealth, but at the same time it has a link to magic, spiritualism and mystery. For most people, purple seems to create a feeling of calmness and peace when they see it. If you think of purple flowers like heather, lavender and violet, they can add so much to any garden.

The singer/songwriter Prince was fascinated by the color purple, and he even used the name in one of his biggest hits ‘Purple Rain’.

Source: https://www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi

Related Post: Baby Names That Mean Complete