100 Names That Mean Butterfly for Boys & Girls

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Naming expert Natalie Mulholland shares butterfly-themed names that will make your heart flutter

Co-authored by Natalie Mulholland and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: August 18, 2026 Fact Checked

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• For Girls
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• For Boys
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• Mythical
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• Associated with Butterflies
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• More Name Ideas

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Butterflies are associated with a lot of positive symbolism, including transformation and freedom. So, it’s no surprise that a lot of beautiful names mean “butterfly.” We talked to a naming expert to help us compile a list of the best butterfly-themed names for boys and girls, as well as names inspired by butterfly mythology and symbolism. Keep reading to find the perfect name for you!

Top Names That Mean Butterfly

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Naming expert Natalie Mulholland says that girl names that mean butterfly include Flutura, Mariposa, Pepela, Bindi, Polla, Meidie, and Apani. Names for boys include Choji and Eilir. Other options are inspired by the names of butterflies, like Adonis and Argus.

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Section 1 of 5:

Girl Names That Mean Butterfly

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1. 
   Butterflies are often associated with grace, transformation, and beauty, making them the perfect inspiration for beautiful girl names. Check out these butterfly-themed names from around the world:

   • Apani (Blackfoot for “butterfly”)
   • Bindi (Australian Aboriginal for “butterfly”)
   • Birabiro (Amharic for “butterfly”)
   • Caparina (Asturian for “butterfly”
   • Cho (Japanese for “butterfly”)
   • Chocho (Japanese for “butterfly”)
   • Chōko (Japanese for “butterfly child”)
   • Choumi (Japanese for “butterfly, sea”)
   • Chrysalis (the pupal stage of a butterfly)
   • Dié (Chinese for “butterfly”)
   • Faranak (Persian for “glory, resembling a butterfly”)
   • Farasha (Arabic for “butterfly”)
   • Farfalla (Italian for “butterfly”)
   • Flutura (Albanian for “butterfly”)
   • Fumichou (Japanese for “butterfly, beauty, wealth”)
   • Hudie (Chinese for “butterfly”)
   • Janessa (Invented name meaning “butterfly, God is gracious”)
   • Kamama (Cherokee for “butterfly”)
   • Kimana (Shoshone for “butterfly”)
   • Kimimela (Sioux and Lakota for “butterfly”)
   • Kimimila (Lakota for “butterfly”)
   • Kipepeo (Swahili for “butterfly”)
   • Mariposa (Spanish for “butterfly”)
   • Mazarine (after the mazarine blue butterfly)
   • Meidie (Chinese, combines “rose” and “butterfly”)
   • Nabi (Korean for “butterfly”)
   • Panambi (Guarani for “butterfly”)
   • Papillon (French for “butterfly”)
   • Parvana (Persian for “butterfly”)
   • Parvaneh (Persian for “butterfly”)
   • Pepela (Georgian for “butterfly”)
   • Polla (Chechen for “butterfly”)
   • Vanessa (Invented name later given to a genus of butterflies.)
   • Vanetta (English and Greek for “butterfly”)
   • Venessa (Invented name meaning “butterfly”)
   • Vlinder (Dutch for “butterfly”)
   • Yara (Arabic for “small butterfly”)
   • Yareli (Arabic for “small butterfly”)
   • Yarelis (Spanish for “small butterfly”)

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Natalie Mulholland is a naming expert and content creator. She focuses on sharing the origin of names, plus what they mean and interesting people who’ve had that name before.
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Section 2 of 5:

Boy Names That Mean Butterfly

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1. 
   Butterflies are often associated with femininity, so there are more feminine names that mean “butterfly” than masculine. However, there are still several unique options for boys! If you can’t find a name you like that directly means “butterfly,” consider choosing one that’s named after a certain species of butterfly. Here are some examples:

   • Adonis (after the Adonis blue butterfly)
   • Argus (after the brown argus butterfly)
   • Caligo (after the genus name for owl butterflies)
   • Cassius (after the Cassius blue butterfly)
   • Choji (Japanese for “second butterfly”)
   • Chojun (Japanese for “pure, butterfly”)
   • Eilir (Welsh for “butterfly, spring, renewal”)
   • Heath (after the small heath butterfly)
   • Hector (after the Pachliopta hector, or the crimson rose butterfly)
   • Kahúngu (Kiga for “butterfly”)
   • Perhonen (Finnish for “butterfly”)
   • Skipper (after skipper butterflies)

Section 3 of 5:

Mythical Butterfly Names

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1. 
   Butterflies are found all over the world, so it’s no surprise that they’re often featured in myths and legends from different cultures. While there aren’t many butterfly deities, there are several deities that are associated with butterflies to some degree. Here are a few names inspired by mythological figures:

   • Étaín (a goddess in Irish mythology, sometimes associated with butterflies)
   • Freyja (the Norse goddess of love, war, and magic; butterflies were historically known as “Freyja’s hens”)
   • Hina (a Polynesian moon and creation goddess, sometimes linked to butterflies)
   • Itzpapalotl (an Aztec warrior goddess; translates to “obsidian butterfly”)
   • Juno (the Roman goddess of marriage; Roman coins sometimes depicted butterflies as a representation of Juno)
   • Psyche (after the Greek goddess of the soul; “psyche” is also ancient Greek for “butterfly”)
   • Thanatos (the Greek god of death, who was often depicted carrying a butterfly)
   • Ulysses (after the Ulysses butterfly, named after Ulysses, the Roman name for Odysseus)
   • Xiuhtecuhtli (the Aztec god of fire, sometimes associated with butterflies)
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Section 4 of 5:

Names Associated with Butterflies

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1. 
   If you don’t love any of the names that directly mean “butterfly,” don’t worry. You can still choose a butterfly-inspired name by considering the symbolism of butterflies. Butterflies are often associated with transformation, new beginnings, and freedom, so try a name with one of those meanings:

   • Amaryllis (Greek for “new and sparkling”)
   • Amil (Arabic for “hope, new beginnings”)
   • Anastasia (Greek for “resurrection”)
   • Ankur (Hindi for “new life”)
   • Arata (Japanese for “fresh, new”)
   • Asher (Hebrew for “happy”)
   • Avril (Latin for “blooming; April”)
   • Bahar (Persian and Turkish for “spring”)
   • Beeja (Hindi for “the beginning”)
   • Blossom (English for “to bloom”)
   • Blythe (English for “happy, cheerful”)
   • Carolyn (English and French for “free man”)
   • Charles (French for “free man”)
   • Charlotte (French for “free man”)
   • Chloe (Greek for “verdant and blooming”)
   • Clover (English for “good luck”)
   • Corliss (English for “carefree person”)
   • Damica (French for “open-spirited, friendly”)
   • Fatiha (Arabic for “beginning”)
   • Felix (Latin for “happy, lucky”)
   • Flora (Latin for “flower”)
   • Haruhi (Japanese for “spring day”)
   • Haruko (Japanese for “born in spring”)
   • Holly (after the Holly blue butterfly)
   • Iris (Greek for “rainbow”)
   • Jarek (Slavic for “spring”)
   • Lirija (Albanian for “freedom”)
   • Malaya (Filipino for “free”)
   • Meadow (English for “field of grass”)
   • Nasima (Arabic for “fresh air”)
   • Neo (Latin for “new”)
   • Ordell (English for “beginning”)
   • Pearl (after the pearl crescent butterfly)
   • Posie (English for “a small bunch of flowers”)
   • Primrose (English for “first rose”)
   • Rabia (Arabic for “spring”)
   • Renata (Latin for “reborn”)
   • Tadesse (Amharic for “renewed”)
   • Vesna (Slavic for “spring”)
   • Zera (Hebrew for “seed, beginning”)

Section 5 of 5:

More Name Ideas

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1. Considering other nature-themed names? We’ve got you covered! Check out these other wikiHow articles for even more beautiful names inspired by the natural world or associated with butterflies:

   • 160+ Unique Flower Names for Girls (with Origins & Meanings)
   • The 100 Best Bird Names for Baby Girls: Pretty & Unique Options
   • The Best Baby Girl & Boy Names That Mean Wind, Sky, or Storm
   • 170+ Unique & Creative Names That Mean “Life”
   • 100+ Names Meaning Rebirth (Boys, Girls, & Unisex)
   • 310+ Baby Names That Mean Hope, Strength, & Miracles
   • 50+ Baby Names That Mean “Free” or “Freedom”
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