35 baby names that mean thankful, grateful or blessed

Elise Solé
Digital Vision

Expecting a tiny miracle during the Thanksgiving season?

When writing your baby name list, jot down selections that represent the essence of Thanksgiving: feeling thankful, grateful, and blessed.

"Gratitude is a common theme in names within many cultures," Laura Wattenberg, the creator of Namerology, tells TODAY.com. "A name that gives thanks sends a dual message to a child: it’s a reminder to be grateful and appreciate the good in life, and that the child herself is a blessing to his or her family."

Look toward leaders like Barack Obama, Dolly Parton and Gwyneth Paltrow, whose first names, to some degree, reflect the notion of appreciation. And they're setting a trend for younger generations.

"Parents today lean more toward inspiration than humility in names," says Wattenberg. "That means that contemporary 'thankful' names tend to celebrate the child, with the gratitude all on the parents’ side. You can see that side of thankfulness in names like Blessing, Treasure and Miracle. Unlike in many languages, particularly African languages, there are no names in American English that directly express thanks."

Whether you prefer a traditional female, male or gender-neutral name for your Thanksgiving miracle, there is something for everyone on our list.

Baby names that mean thankful, gratitude or blessed

Feeling lucky? Show it by choosing a baby name like Jude, Celia or even Thankful.

  • Asher

  • Jude

  • Barack

  • Evan

  • Jayden

  • Seven

  • Gratian

  • Felix

  • Chance

  • Bennett

  • Marvel

  • Fortune

  • Gwyneth

  • Grace

  • Mila

  • Amari

  • Ewan

  • Blessing

  • Evangeline

  • Dolly

  • Mehmet

  • Asante

  • Shakira

  • Praise

  • Fortune

  • Jones

  • Shane

  • Anna

  • Talisman

  • Felicia

  • Jeanne

  • Ashanti

  • Merci

  • Kuron

  • Tendai

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

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