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Naming expert Natalie Mulholland shares names that mean sweet or gentle
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Are you looking for a name that’s sweet as honey? You’ve come to the right place! We’ve compiled the ultimate list of names that mean “sweet,” including feminine, masculine, and gender-neutral options—with exclusive insights from a naming expert. We’ve also added in a few names that mean things similar to “sweet,” like kindness, gentleness, or mercy. Whether you’re an expecting parent or a writer trying to name a character, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for here!

Section 1 of 6:

Girl Names that Mean Sweet

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  1. There are several girl names that literally mean “sweet” or are directly related to sweetness (like references to honey, bees, or sweet-sounding music). If you’re looking for a more direct, literal option, these could be the ones for you! Here are a few of our favorites:
    • Adun: “Sweetness,” Yoruba origin.
    • Anush:[1] “Sweet,” Armenian origin.
    • Asel: “Honey,” Arabic, Turkish, & Persian origins.
    • Candy: “Crystalized sugar” or “queen mother,” Greek, African, & British origins.
    • Darva: “Honeybee,” Slavic origin.
    • Douce: “Sweet” or “gentle,” French origin.
    • Dulcia: “Sweet,” Latin origin.
    • Dulcie: “Sweet,” Latin origin.
    • Dulcinea: “Sweetness,” Spanish origin.
    • Esti:[2] “Sweet” or “honey,” Basque origin.
    • Estiñe: “Sweet honey,” Basque origin.
    • Eulalia: “Sweetly speaking,” Greek origin.
    • Eulalie: “Sweetly speaking,” Greek origin.
    • Habiba: “Sweetheart” or “beloved,” Arabic origin.
    • Honey: “Sweetie,” “darling,” “honey,” or “nectar,” British origin.
    • Hulda: “Sweet” and “lovable,” Hebrew origin.
    • Ilhanelma: “Sweet” or “lovely,” Finnish origin.
    • Laia: “Sweet-speaking,” Catalan origin.
    • Maire: “Sweet,” “drop of the sea,” or “bitter,” Finnish & Irish origins.
    • Mandisa: “Sweet,” “pleasant,” and “nice,” Xhosa, Zulu, & Southern African origins.
    • Manju: “Sweet” or “pleasant,” Sanskrit origin.
    • Melina: “Little honey,” Greek origin.
    • Melinda: “Beautiful honey,” English origin.
    • Melissa: “Honeybee,” Greek origin.
    • Melita: “Honey,” Greek origin.
    • Mellona: “Honey,” Latin origin.
    • Miela:[3] “Sweet” or “honey,” Slavic origin.
    • Mitsu: “Sweetness,” “honey,” “nectar,” “beautiful haven,” or “light,” Japanese origin.
    • Myra: “Sweet-smelling oil,” Greek origin.
    • Naamah: “Sweetness,” “grace,” or “beauty,” Hebrew origin.
    • Natuk: “Sweet” or “cute,” Greenlandic origin.
    • Nazanin: “Sweetheart,” Persian origin.
    • Nazia:[4] “Coy” or “sweet,” Persian origin.
    • Nemy: “Sweet,” Mende origin.
    • Nidia: “She possesses sweetness and grace,” Greek origin.
    • Olalla: “Sweetly speaking,” Spanish & Greek origins.
    • Olaya: “Sweetly speaking,” Spanish & Greek origins.
    • Pamela: “All honey,” English origin.
    • Pamina: “Little honey,” Italian origin.
    • Rihanna: “Sweet basil,” Arabic origin.
    • Sive: “Sweet” or “goodness,” Irish origin.
    • Vevina: “Sweet lady,” Scottish origin.
    • Zoete: “Sweet,” Dutch origin.
    • Zusa: “Sweet,” Yiddish origin.

    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 6:

Girl Names with Similar Meanings

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  1. If you didn’t find a name you love in the above section, don’t fear! There are several names out there that evoke the energy of sweetness, even if they don’t literally contain “sweet” in the meaning. For example, names that mean kindness, affection, or gentleness totally give off sweet vibes, and here are a few of our top picks in this category:
    • Angelica: “Angel” or “angelic,” Italian, Polish, & Russian origins.
    • Atifa: “Affection” or “kindness,” Arabic origin.
    • Atsuko: "Sincere, kind child,” Japanese origin.
    • Calia: “Good or beautiful person,” Italian origin.
    • Caoimhe: “Gentle,” “beautiful,” or “precious,” Irish origin.
    • Caris: “Kindness,” “grace,” or “love,” Greek origin.
    • Cedrina: “Kindly and loved,” British origin.
    • Charissa: “Kindness,” “grace,” or “beloved,” Greek origin.
    • Clementine: “Kind,” “gentle,” or “merciful,” Latin origin.
    • Dalia: “Gentle,” Hebrew, Spanish, & Swahili origins.
    • Damara: “Gentle girl,” Greek origin.
    • Daya: “Compassionate” or “kind,” Hebrew origin.
    • Gwenda: “Fair and good,” Welsh origin.
    • Halima: “Gentle,” “patient,” “mild-tempered,” or “dreamer,” Arabic origin.
    • Karuna: “Mercy” or “compassion,” Hindi origin.
    • Karyssa: “Kindness” or “grace,” Greek origin.
    • Keeva: “Gentle,” “beautiful,” or “beloved,” British & Irish origins.
    • Mehri: “Kind,” “lovable,” or “sunny,” Persian origin.
    • Mihra: “Love,” “kindness,” or “friendship,” Turkish origin.
    • Mila: “Gracious,” “dear,” or “miracles,” Spanish & Slavic origins.
    • Millie: “Gentle strength,” German origin.
    • Latavia: “Kind,” “gentle,” “pleasant,” or “friendly,” Arabic & Latin origins.
    • Latifah: “Gentle,” “kind,” or “pleasant,” Arabic origin.
    • Naomi: “Pleasant” or “gentle,” Hebrew origin.
    • Priyanka: “Agreeable” or “amiable,” Hindi origin.
    • Tirien: “Kind,” Welsh origin.
    • Winnifred: “Friend of peace,” Welsh origin.
    • Winnie: “Gentle friend” or “friend of peace,” Welsh origin.
Section 3 of 6:

Boy Names That Mean Sweet

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  1. Although there are fewer masculine names out there that literally mean “sweet,” there are still a few very solid options to choose from. For example, Dawsey (“sweet” or “soft”), Ikila (“how sweet you are”), and Jerah (“sweet-smelling” or “moon”) are super cool and unique choices! Check out more below:
    • Adymus: “Sweet” or “pleasant,” Ancient Greek origin.
    • Amiya: “Very sweet” or “nectarous,” Bengali & Assamese origins.
    • Beckett: “Beehive” or “bee cottage,” British origin.
    • Chan: “Sweet smelling tree,” Cambodian origin.
    • Cho: “Sweet” or “pleasant,” Burmese origin.
    • Dawsey: “Sweet,” “soft,” or “son of David,” English origin.
    • Deucalion: “Sweet sailor,” Greek origin.
    • Drury: “Sweetheart” or “dear one,” French origin.
    • Dulcinus: “Sweet,” Ancient Roman origin.
    • Euphonious: “Sweet-sounding,” Greek origin.
    • Hlynur: “Maple,” Icelandic origin.
    • Ikila: “How sweet you are,” Greenlandic origin.
    • Jarah: “Honeycomb” or “honeysuckle,” Hebrew origin.
    • Jerah: “Sweet smelling,” “moon,” or “month,” Hebrew origin.
    • Javor: Maple tree,” Serbian origin.
    • Kaede: “Maple tree,” Japanese origin.
    • Kaipo: “The sweetheart” or “the beloved,” Pacific Islander & Hawaiian origin.
    • Myron:[5] “Sweet oil,” Greek origin.
    • Naaman: “Sweet herbs,” Hebrew origin.
    • Nectarios: “Of nectar,” Greek origin.
    • Ooquna: “Sweet” or “cute,” Greenlandic origin.
    • Pollux:[6] “Very sweet,” Greek origin.
    • Quanah: “Sweet smelling” or “fragrant,” Native American origin.
    • Rayhaan: “Sweet aromatic flower that brings comfort,” Bengali origin.
    • Sakari: “Sweet” or “sugar,” Finnish origin.
    • Xiangbao: “Sweet smelling,” “fragrant,” or “incense,” Chinese origin.
    • Zusman:[7] “Sweet man,” Hebrew origin.
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Section 4 of 6:

Boy Names With Similar Meanings

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  1. You don’t need to stick to literal meanings! If none of the above options quite landed for you, we’ve included a few boy names that mean things close to “sweet,” such as “kind,” “benevolent,” “merciful,” or “gentle.” Browse our faves below:
    • Adiv: “Gentle,” “courteous,” or “polite,” Hebrew origin.
    • Agapeto: “Kindness,” “loving,” or “charity,” Greek origin.
    • Anbu: “Kindness” or “love,” Indian origin.
    • Atif: “Compassionate and kind,” Arabic origin.
    • Axel: “Father of peace,” Icelandic origin.
    • Benvolio: “Benevolent,” “peacemaker,” or “good wisher,” Italian origin.
    • Ced: “Kindly and loved,” British origin.
    • Cedric: “Kind” or “beloved,” British & Welsh origins.
    • Chares: “Kindness” or “grace,” Greek origin.
    • Clement: “Merciful,” “gentle,” or “kind-hearted,” Latin origin.
    • Gareth: “Gentle,” Welsh origin.
    • Hesed: “Kindness,” “loving-kindness,” or “charity,” Hebrew origin.
    • Hiroshi: “Generous,” Japanese origin.
    • Inayat: “Kindness,” “care,” or “bounty,” Arabic origin.
    • Jaxith: “Kind-hearted,” Hungarian origin.
    • Kaden: “Gentle,” “friend,” or “companion,” Arabic & Scottish origins.
    • Kalman: “Gracious, good reputation,” Latin origin.
    • Kareem: “Generous” or “gracious,” Arabic origin.
    • Kedric: “Kind and loved,” British origin.
    • Kedrick: “Kind and loved,” British origin.
    • Khayri: “Charitable,” “good,” or "beneficent," Arabic origin.
    • Lateef: “Gentle” or “kind,” Arabic origin.
    • Maitreya: “Loving kindness,” Sanskrit origin.
    • Mehran: “Kindness,” “friendship,” or “love,” Persian origin.
    • Milos: “Merciful” or “gentle,” Slavic origin.
    • Rahim: “Compassionate” or “kind,” Arabic origin.
    • Samih: “Kind” or “forgiving,” Arabic origin.
    • Tovi: “Good,” Hebrew origin.
    • Tyrion: “Gentle” or “kind,” Welsh origin.
    • Yuto: “Gentle person,” Japanese origin.
    • Zayn: “Grace” or “beauty,” Arabic origin.
Section 5 of 6:

Gender Neutral Names That Mean Sweet

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  1. Gender neutral names are super popular right now, and we understand why! They’re super cool, modern, and unique. Luckily, there are several unisex options that either mean “sweet” or something closely related, and we’ve got them all here:
    • Agape: “Goodness” or “kindness,” Greek origin.
    • Alealani: “The sweet voice of the heavens,” Hawaiian origin.
    • Amel: “Sweet,” “hope,” or "aspirations," French, Arabic, Dutch, & Latin origins.
    • Amias: “Beloved,” Latin & French origin.
    • Anoush: “Sweet,” Armenian origin.
    • Ari: “Kind,” “generous,” and “compassionate,” Thai origin.
    • Caron: “Kindhearted,” “loving,” or “charitable,” Welsh origin.
    • Dakota: “Friendly one,” Native American origin.
    • Dulce:[8] “Sweet” or “candy,” Italian & Spanish origins.
    • Ellis: “Kind” or “benevolent,” Welsh, Greek, & Hebrew origins.
    • Lennan: “Sweetheart” or “lover,” Irish origin.
    • Madhur:[9] “Sweet,” Indian origin.
    • Maple: “Maple tree,” English origin.
    • Milan: “Gracious,” “dear,” or “loving,” Slavic origin.
    • Navi: “Kind to people,” “bearer of good news,” or “prophet,” Hebrew, Arabic, & Sanskrit origins.
    • Sasha: “Helper of mankind,” Russian & Slavic origins.
    • Tirian: “Kind” or “gentle,” Welsh origin.
    • Vieno: “Gentle,” Finnish origin.
    • Yuting:[10] “Sweet rain,” Chinese origin.
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Section 6 of 6:

More Name Inspo

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  1. Looking for even more name options? We’ve got you covered! Check out a few more of our comprehensive, themed, and curated lists below:

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References

  1. Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  2. Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  3. Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  4. Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  5. Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  6. Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  7. Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  8. Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview
  9. Natalie Mulholland. Naming Expert. Expert Interview

About This Article

Natalie Mulholland
Co-authored by:
Naming Expert
This article was co-authored by Natalie Mulholland and by wikiHow staff writer, Annabelle Reyes. Natalie Mulholland is a naming expert and content creator based in Athens, Georgia. With a lifelong interest in names, Natalie started creating content around this passion in 2023. She brings a linguistically focused approach to her content, sharing a name’s origin, meaning, category, notable people, and more. She is expecting to receive her bachelor’s degree in human development and family science from the University of Georgia in 2025. This article has been viewed 1,255 times.
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Co-authors: 3
Updated: September 1, 2026
Views: 1,255
Categories: Naming a Baby
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