80 Baby Names That Mean Friend or Friendship

Choosing a name for your baby is one of the most meaningful decisions parents make. Names that signify “friend” or “friendship” can be especially touching, as they represent connection, loyalty, and companionship; qualities we all hope our children will both experience and share with others.

We have gathered 80 beautiful baby names from various cultures around the world that mean “friend,” “friendship,” or similar concepts of connection and companionship. Each name includes its origin and specific meaning to help you find the perfect name for your little one.

Girl Names That Mean Friend or Friendship

Western Origins

1. Amity: Latin origin, directly meaning “friendship”
2. Alanna: Irish origin, meaning “beauty” or “dear child,” implying friendship
3. Amy: Latin origin, meaning “beloved friend”
4. Cara: Latin/Irish origin, meaning “dear one” or “friend”
5. Caroline: Germanic origin, meaning “free woman” with associations of friendship
6. Darlene: English origin, meaning “dearly loved” or “cherished friend”
7. Dorothea: Greek origin, meaning “gift of God” with connotations of friendship
8. Eileen: Irish origin, meaning “light” or “bright one,” associated with warm friendship
9. Fiona: Scottish origin, meaning “fair” or “white,” symbolizing pure friendship
10. Harmony: English origin, meaning “agreement” or “concord,” representing friendship
11. Heulwen: Welsh origin, meaning “sunshine,” symbolizing the warmth of friendship
12. Idelle: French origin, meaning “loyal,” a key quality in friendship
13. Mona: Irish origin, meaning “noble” or “aristocratic,” with connotations of loyal friendship
14. Philomena: Greek origin, meaning “friend of strength”
15. Ruth: Hebrew origin, meaning “companion” or “friend”
16. Winema: Native American origin, meaning “woman chief” or “strong friend”

Eastern and Global Origins

17. Amara: African origin, meaning “grace” with connotations of friendly spirit
18. Amira: Arabic origin, meaning “princess” or “female friend”
19. Priya: Sanskrit origin, meaning “beloved” or “dear friend”
20. Reem: Arabic origin, meaning “gazelle” or “white antelope,” symbol of friendly grace
21. Safiya: Arabic origin, meaning “pure” or “loyal friend”
22. Sakari: Native American origin, meaning “sweet” or “friendly”
23. Sarika: Sanskrit origin, meaning “bird” or “messenger of friendship”
24. Shirin: Persian origin, meaning “sweet” with friendly connotations
25. Suki: Japanese origin, meaning “beloved” or “dear friend”
26. Thuy: Vietnamese origin, meaning “friendship”
27. Uzima: Swahili origin, meaning “full of life” with connotations of companionship
28. Yachi: Native American origin, meaning “good friend”
29. Yuna: Korean origin, meaning “friendly”
30. Zera: African origin, meaning “companion on a journey”

Boy Names That Mean Friend or Friendship

Western Origins

31. Alvin: Old English origin, meaning “friend of all” or “beloved by all”
32. Amicus: Latin origin, directly meaning “friend”
33. Baldwin: Germanic origin, meaning “brave friend”
34. Clarence: Latin origin, meaning “bright” or “clear,” associated with honest friendship
35. David: Hebrew origin, meaning “beloved” with strong connotations of friendship
36. Edwin: Old English origin, meaning “wealthy friend”
37. Ferdinand: Germanic origin, meaning “brave journey” with connotations of companionship
38. Gareth: Welsh origin, meaning “gentle” with friendly connotations
39. Lenny: English origin, meaning “brave lion” with connotations of loyal friendship
40. Lewis: Germanic origin, meaning “famous battle” or “renowned friend”
41. Milo: Germanic origin, meaning “merciful” or “friendly”
42. Paxton: English origin, meaning “peace town” with friendly connotations
43. Rafferty: Irish origin, meaning “one who brings prosperity,” a quality valued in friendship
44. Winston: Old English origin, meaning “friend’s town” or “stone of friendship”

Eastern and Global Origins

45. Amit: Hebrew/Sanskrit origin, meaning “friend” or “companion”
46. Arif: Arabic origin, meaning “knowledgeable” or “wise friend”
47. Barış: Turkish origin, meaning “peace” with connotations of friendship
48. Caleb: Hebrew origin, meaning “faithful” or “loyal,” qualities of true friendship
49. Eiji: Japanese origin, meaning “excellent second son” with connotations of friendship
50. Hakeem: Arabic origin, meaning “wise” or “learned friend”
51. Khalil: Arabic origin, meaning “friend” or “beloved”
52. Michio: Japanese origin, meaning “man on the righteous path” with connotations of true friendship
53. Rafiq: Arabic origin, directly meaning “friend” or “companion”
54. Reuel: Hebrew origin, meaning “friend of God”
55. Sadiq: Arabic origin, meaning “truthful friend”
56. Sahib: Arabic/Indian origin, meaning “companion” or “friend”
57. Suhail: Arabic origin, meaning “smooth and gentle,” qualities valued in friendship
58. Tadeo: Spanish origin, meaning “praise” or “heart’s friend”
59. Tai: Chinese origin, meaning “extreme” or “great friend”
60. Tomodachi: Japanese origin, meaning “friend”

Unisex Names That Mean Friend or Friendship

61. Adair: Scottish origin, meaning “oak tree ford” with connotations of strength in friendship
62. Amity: Latin origin, directly meaning “friendship”
63. Azim: Arabic origin, meaning “defender” or “protector friend”
64. Casey: Irish origin, meaning “vigilant” or “watchful friend”
65. Deshi: African origin, meaning “companion” or “close friend”
66. Drew: English origin, meaning “strong” with connotations of reliable friendship
67. Harlow: English origin, meaning “army friend” or “rock hill”
68. Jody: Hebrew origin, meaning “praised” with friendly connotations
69. Kenzie: Scottish origin, meaning “fair one” with connotations of fair friendship
70. Morgan: Welsh origin, meaning “sea circle” or “bright sea,” symbolizing enduring friendship

Rare and Unique Friend Names

71. Altalune: Native American origin, meaning “one who follows the moon” or “traveling companion”
72. Amicus: Latin origin, directly meaning “friend”
73. Belet: Hebrew origin, meaning “home” or “place of friendship”
74. Chaver: Hebrew origin, meaning “friend”
75. Dost: Persian origin, meaning “friend”
76. Gaerwn: Welsh origin, meaning “fair love” or “fair friend”
77. Mitra: Sanskrit origin, meaning “friend” or “friendly”
78. Philos: Greek origin, meaning “friend” or “beloved”
79. Rufaro: African origin, meaning “happiness” with connotations of joyful friendship
80. Sadaka: Arabic origin, meaning “friendship” or “loyalty”

Want more inspiration? Check out a list of ocean-inspired baby names.

How to Choose a Friendship Name for Your Baby

When selecting a name that means “friend” or “friendship” for your baby, consider these helpful tips:

1. Sound and flow: Say the name out loud with your last name to make sure it flows well and is easy to pronounce.
2. Cultural significance: Consider names from your own heritage or cultures that have special meaning to your family.
3. Future considerations: Think about how the name might grow with your child as they mature. Will they appreciate the meaning when they get older?
4. Name combinations: First and middle names can work together to create a fuller meaning. Consider pairing a friendship name with a family name or another name with a complementary meaning.
5. Nickname potential: Think about possible nicknames that might come from the full name. Do you like them?
6. Name meaning extensions: Look beyond just the literal meaning of “friend” and consider the full story and context behind each name.

The Beauty of Friendship Names

Names that signify friendship carry beautiful aspirations for a child. They express hope that your little one will be both a good friend to others and surrounded by meaningful friendships throughout their life.

Friendship represents some of the most important bonds we form outside our families, and names that honor this concept celebrate the value of connection, loyalty, and mutual care.

A name meaning “friend” can be a daily reminder of the importance of treating others with kindness and maintaining meaningful relationships, values that contribute to a happy and fulfilled life.

We hope this collection helps you find the perfect name to celebrate the gift of friendship you wish for your child. Each name on this list carries a rich history and beautiful meaning that can become part of your child’s unique story.

READ MORE: 150 Baby Names That Mean Peace or Harmony