150 Baby Girl & Boy Names That Mean Bird

Birds have always symbolized freedom because they move between earth and sky without boundaries. Some represent peace and hope, while others are linked to wisdom, strength, mystery, or adventure. That wide symbolism is what makes bird-inspired names feel so timeless and full of personality. They carry a sense of movement, lightness, and spirit that ordinary names often lack.

Below are 150 baby girl and boy names connected to birds, wings, flight, feathers, and sky symbolism from different cultures and traditions. Some sound soft and graceful, while others feel bold, wild, and free-spirited.

Key Takeaways

Bird names are trending globally among parents who want nature-inspired names with depth. Names like Wren, Lark, and Raven have entered US Top 1000 charts in recent years. Japanese, Korean, and Chinese bird names remain largely undiscovered by Western parents, making them genuinely rare choices. Many bird names work perfectly as unisex names. Several bird-inspired last names also function beautifully as first names.

Cute Japanese Baby Girl Names

Japan has a rich tradition of naming children after birds, especially those tied to good fortune, beauty, and seasonal change.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Hibari	Japanese	Skylark; a legendary name tied to a beloved Japanese singer
Suzume	Japanese	Sparrow; gaining attention globally after the Makoto Shinkai anime film
Tsubame	Japanese	Swallow; a bird believed to bring good luck when it nests near a home
Chidori	Japanese	Plover; an elegant shorebird associated with grace and patience
Tsugumi	Japanese	Thrush; a small, melodious songbird
Hiina	Japanese	Young chick or hina doll; soft and delicate in sound and meaning
Tori	Japanese	Bird; a crisp, modern-sounding name with deep roots
Koko	Japanese	Stork; associated with longevity and fertility in Japanese culture
Rizu	Japanese	Crane; a combination of reason and the majestic crane bird
Enza	Japanese	Swallow; combines the swallow kanji with the number three

Unique Chinese Baby Names

Chinese names often combine characters to build layered meanings. These picks use bird-related characters in beautiful ways.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Enyan	Chinese	Kindness combined with swallow bird
Feiniao	Chinese	Flying bird; the character fei means to soar
Heyao	Chinese	Crane bird paired with the word for folksong or ballad
Ruiyan	Chinese	Auspicious omen combined with swallow bird
Saiyan	Chinese	Swallow bird combined with compete or contend
Shaoyan	Chinese	Continue or join paired with swallow bird
Shengyan	Chinese	Sacred or holy combined with swallow bird
Hedi	Chinese	Crane bird combined with younger brother or plant name
Shenhe	Chinese	Stretch or extend paired with crane bird
Yanmei	Chinese	Swallow bird paired with beauty; a classic feminine combination

Pretty French Baby Names

French bird names carry a natural elegance, often rooted in the Romantic languages and medieval literature.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Merle	French	Blackbird; a sleek and poetic name used for both girls and boys
Linnet	French	A small songbird; delicate and literary in feel
Alouette	French	Skylark; familiar from the French children’s song
Colombe	French	Dove; the French form of Columba, soft and classic
Fauvette	French	Warbler; a small singing bird, rarely used as a name making it truly rare
Myrla	French	Blackbird; a modern variation with a fresher sound
Merlen	French	A feminine variation of Merle meaning blackbird
Corvette	French	Derived from corvus, the crow; unusual and striking
Grive	French	Thrush; a simple one-syllable name with deep French roots
Pinson	French	Finch; a cheerful and light French word-name

Spanish Baby Names That Mean Bird

Spanish culture holds birds in high regard across folklore, literature, and daily life.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Paloma	Spanish	Dove; one of the most beloved Spanish girl names in Latin America
Gaviota	Spanish	Seagull; lyrical and rarely used as a personal name
Mirlo	Spanish	Blackbird; the Spanish equivalent of Merle
Aguila	Spanish	Eagle; powerful and strong for a boy
Golondrina	Spanish	Swallow bird; celebrated in Spanish folk songs
Cuervo	Spanish	Raven; dark and distinctive as a name
Ruisenor	Spanish	Nightingale; the name of Spain’s most celebrated songbird
Tordo	Spanish	Song thrush; earthy and grounded
Pato	Spanish	Duck; playful and unexpected as a given name
Codorniz	Spanish	Quail; uncommon and full of character

Korean Baby Names That Mean Bird

Korean names often combine the word sae, meaning bird, with other meaningful characters to build beautiful layered names.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Eunsae	Korean	Silver bird or graceful bird; a delicate feminine choice
Saelin	Korean	New bird paired with neighbor or clear water
Saena	Korean	Bird and new; a fresh, modern Korean name
Saera	Korean	Bird or royal seal combined with silk or display
Sei	Korean	Bird; from the Jeju dialect, rare even within Korea
Hak-jin	Korean	Crane bird combined with truth; traditionally masculine
Jae	Korean	Linked to the jay bird; also means talent and wealth
Bong	Korean	A mythical bird figure in Korean cultural tradition
Cheonsae	Korean	Sky bird; combines the words for sky and bird
Haksung	Korean	Crane star; poetic and uncommon

Italian Baby Names That Mean Bird

Italian names carry warmth and musicality, and many connect to birds through Roman mythology and Latin roots.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Colomba	Italian	Dove; the Italian form of Columba, carried by an early Christian saint
Aquila	Italian	Eagle; the name of a Roman legion symbol and a constellation
Passero	Italian	Sparrow; simple and charming
Allodola	Italian	Skylark; musical and lyrical
Usignolo	Italian	Nightingale; operatic in sound and feel
Cardellino	Italian	Goldfinch; a cheerful and colorful bird name
Colombo	Italian	Dove or pigeon; carries the legacy of Christopher Columbus
Fringuello	Italian	Chaffinch; a small bright bird, unusual as a name
Torcicollo	Italian	Wryneck bird; dramatic and uncommon
Airone	Italian	Heron; tall, graceful, and striking

African Baby Names That Mean Bird

Across the diverse cultures of Africa, birds carry spiritual significance and appear in names with strong meaning.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Loa	African	Bird; a simple and powerful nature name
Seihia	Tiv (Nigerian)	Peaceful bird or one of a kind
Akosu	Ghanaian	Eagle; strength and vision in a compact name
Ndege	Swahili	Bird; the direct Swahili word used as a name
Tai	West African	Eagle; short, sharp, and strong
Zuri	Swahili	Beautiful bird; often used to evoke natural beauty
Ayo	Yoruba	Joy, often connected to the free-flying nature of birds in Yoruba poetry
Simba	Swahili/African	While known for lion, also tied to spirit and the sky in some traditions
Amara	Amharic	Grace; tied to the graceful flight of birds in Ethiopian culture
Sekani	African	Laughter and lightness, qualities attributed to songbirds

Greek Baby Names That Mean Bird

Greek mythology is full of bird imagery, from the phoenix to the nightingale, making Greek names especially rich for this theme.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Aetos	Greek	Eagle; the bird of Zeus and a classic mythological name
Chelida	Greek	Swallow; from chelidon, a bird in Greek myth tied to Philomela
Merope	Greek	Bee-eater bird; one of the Pleiades sisters in Greek mythology
Phoebe	Greek	Bright one; also the name of an American bird native to the continent
Alcyon	Greek	Kingfisher; from Alcyone, the figure transformed into this bird
Rhea	Greek	A large flightless bird native to South America, named after the Titan goddess
Kirke	Greek	Falcon or hawk; the sorceress in the Odyssey whose name links to birds
Aedon	Greek	Nightingale; the woman transformed into this bird in Greek myth
Aellopus	Greek	Storm-swift; a name tied to the winged Harpies
Nycticorax	Greek	Night raven; from Greek myth, a man transformed into a night heron

Unisex Baby Names That Mean Bird

These names work beautifully for any child regardless of gender, offering flexibility without losing meaning.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Wren	English	A small songbird; unisex and rising fast in popularity
Lark	English	A joyful songbird; perfectly balanced between girl and boy
Raven	English/Native American	The raven; associated with wisdom in many cultures
Robin	Old German	Bright fame; universally used across genders
Deryn	Welsh	Bird; the Welsh word used directly as a name
Arden	English	A name with nature-bird connections, running nearly 50-50 across genders
Corbin	Latin/French	Black-feathered bird like a raven; strongly unisex
Gannet	Old German	A seabird or goose; rare and genderless
Ibis	Latin	A long-legged wetland bird; used for both boys and girls
Talon	English	Hawk’s claw; strong and unisex with bird-world connections

Unique English Baby Girl Names

English has given us some of the most familiar bird names, but this section focuses on the ones rarely found on other lists.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Linnet	English/French	A small finch-like songbird, used as a girl’s name for centuries
Mavis	English	Song thrush; once a Roaring Twenties favorite, now making a quiet comeback
Piper	English	Sandpiper; musical and energetic
Teal	English	A small duck; also a stunning blue-green color name
Finch	English	A cheerful little bird; fresh and modern
Kestrel	Old French	A small hovering falcon; daring and distinctive
Palila	Hawaiian	A species of honeycreeper finch; rare and beautiful
Oriole	Latin	Golden bird; elegant and underused
Birdie	English	Little bird; charming and cheerful
Sephora	Hebrew	Beauty or bird; a rare biblical choice

Unique English Baby Boy Names

These English-origin boy names connect to birds through meaning, mythology, or direct reference.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Faulkner	Old English	Falcon trainer; an occupational name with medieval roots
Culver	English	Dove; an Old English alternative to the more common Colomba-type names
Gawain	Welsh	May hawk; the courteous Knight of the Round Table
Vireo	Latin	A gray-olive songbird with a melodious rolling song
Griffon	Welsh	Related to the Griffon vulture; also means strong lord
Heron	Old French	Hero or long-legged bird; tall and literary
Drake	Old English	Male duck or dragon; a strong and popular crossover name
Osprey	English	A large fish-hunting bird of prey; bold and uncommon as a name
Starling	English	The iridescent chatty bird; unusual and striking
Hawk	English	The bird of prey; short, sharp, and powerful

Rare and Pretty Names

These names come from less commonly explored cultures and are unlikely to appear on any other list your neighbors are reading.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Derora	Hebrew	Freedom; tied to the bird as a symbol of liberty
Daya	Hebrew	Bird; simple, elegant, and rarely used in Western countries
Kanara	Sanskrit	Songbird; melodious and exotic
Efron	Hebrew	Bird; a biblical name carried by the actor Zac Efron
Heimanu	Tahitian	Bird crown or crown of the bird
Heremanu	Tahitian	Bird of love; a combination of love and bird
Walela	Cherokee	Hummingbird; associated with beauty, agility, and joy
Shahaf	Hebrew	Seagull; a lovely and unusual Hebrew option
Akos	Turkish	Falcon; short and striking
Lihini	Sinhalese	Little bird; delicate and innocent

Bird-Inspired Last Names Used as First Names

Using surnames as first names is a strong modern trend. These bird-related last names cross over beautifully.

Name	Origin	Meaning/Connection
Byrd	Old English	Birdlike; originally an occupational surname for bird catchers
Crane	Old English	The tall wading bird; long used as a family name
Swift	Old English	Quick; also the name of a fast-flying bird species
Finch	English	The small songbird; famous as Atticus Finch’s surname
Wren	English	The small bird; now crossover surname turned first name
Starling	English	The iridescent bird; a striking surname-to-first-name choice
Martin	Latin	Mars; but also a small swallow-type bird called the martin
Jay	Old French	The blue-crested bird; both a given name and a surname
Rook	Old English	A type of crow; edgy and rare as a first name
Heron	Old French	The large wading bird; literary and distinguished

Mythical and Symbolic Bird Names for Babies

Some bird names come not from real species but from legend, mythology, and symbol-rich traditions.

Name	Origin	Meaning
Phoenix	Greek	The mythical bird that rises from ashes; a symbol of rebirth
Griffin	Welsh/Latin	The legendary eagle-lion hybrid; means strong lord
Altair	Arabic	Falcon or bird; also the 11th brightest star in the sky
Horus	Egyptian	The falcon-headed god of the sun and sky
Garuda	Sanskrit	The divine eagle in Hindu mythology; a vehicle of Vishnu
Simurgh	Persian	A mythical benevolent bird of Persian legend
Ziz	Hebrew	A giant bird from Hebrew mythology, parallel to Leviathan
Feng	Chinese	Phoenix; specifically the female phoenix in Chinese myth
Bennu	Egyptian	The sacred heron connected to the sun god Ra
Alkonost	Slavic	A mythical bird-woman of paradise in Slavic folklore

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular baby name that means bird?

Wren is currently the most popular bird-meaning baby name in the United States, entering the Top 200 names for girls and gaining traction for boys as well after celebrity parents like Chrissy Teigen and John Legend used it.

Are bird names more commonly used for girls or boys?

Most bird names skew toward girls in modern usage, but many are genuinely unisex. Names like Wren, Robin, Lark, Raven, and Corbin are used across genders, and cultures like Korean and Japanese tend to use bird names for both boys and girls equally.

Which culture has the most unique bird baby names?

Japanese and Korean cultures offer some of the most genuinely rare bird names for Western parents. Names like Hiina, Tsubame, Saelin, and Sei are almost entirely unheard of outside their home countries, making them excellent choices for parents who want true uniqueness.

Can a bird name work as a professional adult name?

Absolutely. Names like Phoebe, Robin, Martin, Jay, Merle, and Faulkner have long histories of professional use across fields from law and medicine to literature and politics.

What does the name Ava have to do with birds?

Ava is thought to derive from the Latin word avis, meaning bird. While the name has long been in use for other reasons, its bird connection makes it a natural fit for parents wanting a subtle avian name that does not sound overtly themed.

Are there bird names that work well as middle names?

Yes. Short bird names make particularly strong middle names. Wren, Lark, Jay, Dove, Teal, and Swift all pair cleanly with longer first names without overwhelming them.

What bird names are rising in popularity right now?

Beyond Wren, names like Cardinal, Lark, Birdie, Finch, and Robin are climbing the charts. The spinoffs Wrenley and Wrenlee also entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, showing the breadth of this naming trend.