Aries baby names
Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, the ram, ruled by Mars and born as spring breaks open. These names carry the fire, the courage, the red of Mars and the feeling of going first, and every one has its origin and meaning checked.
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An Aries baby is born between around 21 March and 19 April, in the first sign of the zodiac. The year in astrology starts here, at the spring equinox, so this is a child born at a beginning. Mars rules the sign. The ram is its figure. Fire is its element. A name for an Aries can carry any of those: a spark, a first, a horn, a flash of red.
Aries children do things now, and a good Aries name tends to be quick to say and hard to ignore. Every name on this page has a checked origin and meaning, and every one has a reason to be here that belongs to Aries in particular. Start with the ten below. Then read the threads, and you will be able to judge any name you meet.
The ten to try out loud first
- Aidan (boy). Irish, “little fire”. A small flame with a lot of go in it, which is a fair picture of an Aries baby.
- Matilda (girl). Germanic, “strength in battle”. Mars is the planet of courage, and this name has carried it for a thousand years.
- Una (girl). Irish, probably from a word for “lamb”. A soft, short name that quietly holds the young of the ram.
- Primo (boy). Italian, from the Latin for “first”. Aries is the first sign, and the Aries child likes to be first at everything.
- Martin (boy). Latin, from the name of Mars. The ruling planet, tucked into a plain, friendly name.
- Nova (girl). Latin, “new”. This sign opens the zodiac year. Everything about it is new.
- Flann (boy). Irish, “blood red”. The colour of Mars and of Aries, in one strong syllable.
- Avril (girl). French for April, the month most Aries babies are born in.
- Ace (any). English, “highest rank”. On a playing card the ace is the one, and Aries is sign number one.
- Seraphina (girl). From the Hebrew for “fiery ones”. Long and bright, with a nickname, Sera, that moves as fast as an Aries does.
What makes a name feel like Aries
You do not need a name that says “ram”. You need a name that carries one of the threads that run through this sign. Here they are, so you can test any name against them.
The ram
The figure of Aries is the ram, and “aries” is simply the Latin word for one. A ram leads the flock. It goes up the hill first. It meets a problem head on, with its horns, and it does not wait to be asked.
That is the Aries child in one picture. In the Greek telling, the ram in the sky is the ram with the golden fleece, the one the hero Jason sailed away to bring home. So names for sheep and lambs belong here, and so do names linked to that golden ram. The brightest star in Aries is even called Hamal, from the Arabic for “head of the ram”.
Mars, the ruler
Every sign has a ruling planet, the planet that sets its tone. Aries is ruled by Mars, the red planet, named after the Roman god of war. In astrology Mars is drive, nerve, heat and the push to act. It is the energy that gets a baby up on its feet and across the room before anyone thought it could.
Mars gives Aries some of the oldest names in Europe. Martin, Marcus, Marcella, Martina and Marius all trace back to the Roman name for this planet. Mars also rules Tuesday, which is why the day is “mardi” in French and “martes” in Spanish.
Fire, the element
The twelve signs sit in four elements: fire, earth, air and water. Aries is a fire sign, with Leo and Sagittarius. Each fire sign burns differently. Leo is the steady hearth. Sagittarius is the campfire on the road. Aries is the match being struck: the first flash, very hot and very fast. You can read about all four on the four elements before the twelve signs.
Aries is also a cardinal sign. Cardinal signs start things. Each one opens a season, and Aries opens spring. So fire names with a sense of the spark, the first light or the kindling suit Aries best.
Spring, the season and the months
In the northern hemisphere Aries arrives with the spring equinox, when the days first grow longer than the nights. The birth months are late March and most of April: the first warm sun, lambs in the fields, primroses and daisies, buds opening. Spring names, April names and dawn names are all at home here.
If you live in the southern hemisphere, Aries falls in autumn instead. The sign is the same, and the fire and the first-ness are the same. Only the weather outside the window changes, so you may prefer to lean on the fire and Mars threads rather than the spring ones.
Colours, stones and flowers
The colour of Aries is red, the red of Mars. Its stones, as most astrologers give them, are the diamond and the bloodstone. The diamond is also the traditional birthstone of April, and the bloodstone is one of the birthstones of March. The flowers usually linked to Aries are honeysuckle and thistle, and the birth flowers of its months are the daffodil for March and the daisy and sweet pea for April.
The heart of the sign
Underneath it all, Aries is about courage, speed, honesty and beginnings. The Aries child goes first, says the true thing, gets angry fast and forgives faster. Names that mean brave, strong, bold, new or first carry that heart, even when they say nothing about rams or fire.
Aries baby names, in themed groups
Each group below has a short note and a table. Every meaning has been checked. Where a meaning is uncertain or has two sources, the table says so plainly.
Ram, lamb and the golden fleece
These are the names closest to the figure itself. Some are soft, because a lamb is soft. Some have horns.
| Name | Origin | Meaning | Why it fits an Aries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rachel (girl) | Hebrew | “ewe” | A female sheep. The flock of the ram, in a classic name that never dates. |
| Una (girl) | Irish (Úna) | probably “lamb” | The ram’s young, in a name short enough for a child who will not wait for the end of a long one. |
| Agnes (girl) | Greek, via Latin | “chaste”, from Greek hagnos | Long linked with Latin agnus, “lamb”, which is why Saint Agnes is painted with a lamb beside her. |
| Nesta (girl) | Welsh | a medieval pet form of Agnes | The lamb name made quick and bright, with the snap of an Aries temper in it. |
| Jason (boy) | Greek | “healer” | The hero who went after the golden fleece, the fleece of the ram in the Aries sky. |
| Hamal (any) | Arabic | “head of the ram”, from the star’s Arabic name | The brightest star in the Aries constellation. Rare as a name, which an Aries may enjoy. |
| Aries (any) | Latin | “ram” | The sign’s own name. Bold, and an Aries child will not mind owning it. |
Mars and his names
These are the names of the ruling planet. Most of them come from Rome, where Mars was one of the most honoured gods of all.
| Name | Origin | Meaning | Why it fits an Aries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin (boy) | Latin, Martinus | from Mars | The planet of Aries in a warm, ordinary name. The story goes that Saint Martin cut his cloak in half for a cold beggar, which is very Aries: fast, generous, no committee. |
| Martina (girl) | Latin | feminine of Martinus, from Mars | The same Mars thread with a lighter sound. |
| Marcus (boy) | Latin | probably from Mars | A Roman first name with Mars at its root, short and direct. |
| Marcella (girl) | Latin | feminine of Marcellus, a pet form of Marcus | Mars made small and pretty, without losing the fire underneath. |
| Marzia (girl) | Italian | Italian form of Marcia, from the Roman name Marcius | An Italian Mars name. It also sounds like Marzo, the Italian for March. |
| Marius (boy) | Latin | from Mars, or from Latin mas, “male” | Two possible roots, and the Mars one has always been the one people hear. |
| Ares (boy) | Greek | uncertain, perhaps “ruin” or “male” | The Greek name for the god Rome called Mars. Strong, short and very much a name for a ram. |
| Mangala (any) | Sanskrit | “auspicious, lucky” | The name of Mars in Indian astrology. A gentle meaning for a fiery planet, which is a lovely balance. |
Fire and the first spark
Aries fire is the striking of the match. These names hold flame, heat and light at the moment they begin.
| Name | Origin | Meaning | Why it fits an Aries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aodh (boy) | Irish | “fire” | One of the oldest fire names in Europe, borne by Irish high kings. Pronounced “ay”. |
| Aidan (boy) | Irish (Aodhán) | “little fire” | The small flame that catches quickly. Our first pick for an Aries boy. |
| Keegan (boy) | Irish surname | from Aodhagán, a double pet form of Aodh | “Little little fire”. Fire inside fire, and a name that sounds like it is in a hurry. |
| Agni (boy) | Sanskrit | “fire” | The fire of the Vedas, who is shown riding a ram. A name where Aries fire and the Aries figure meet. |
| Azar (girl) | Persian | “fire” | Two syllables, a bright ending and a straight meaning. |
| Alev (any) | Turkish | “flame” | A short, light flame name. Used for boys and girls in Turkey. |
| Fiamma (girl) | Italian | “flame” | Soft to say and hot in meaning, much like an Aries baby asleep. |
| Seraphina (girl) | Hebrew, via Late Latin | from seraphim, “fiery ones” | A long, glowing name for a child who burns bright. |
| Ignatius (boy) | Latin | from a Roman family name of unknown meaning | The spelling was later changed to look like Latin ignis, “fire”, and the fire is what most people now hear in it. Iggy is the Aries nickname. |
Spring, April and the dawn
These names belong to the season Aries opens. Most of them work best for babies born in the northern spring, though any of them carries the sense of a beginning.
| Name | Origin | Meaning | Why it fits an Aries |
|---|---|---|---|
| April (girl) | English | the month, probably from Latin aperio, “to open” | The month of opening, and the month most Aries children arrive in. |
| Avril (girl) | French | April | The same month, a little sharper and more unusual. |
| Abril (girl) | Spanish and Catalan | April | April with a warm Spanish sound. |
| Bahar (girl) | Persian and Turkish | “spring” | The season itself. In Iran the new year, Nowruz, falls at the spring equinox, just as the zodiac year does. |
| Haru (boy) | Japanese | “spring” (written 春), among other meanings | One kanji for this name means spring. Another means sun. Both suit a fire sign born in March. |
| Vasant (boy) | Marathi and Gujarati | modern form of Vasanta, Sanskrit “spring” | The spring name of India, for a child born as the year turns. |
| Verna (girl) | English | feminine of Vernon, often linked with Latin vernus, “of spring” | A vintage name whose spring link is the one people remember. |
| Aurora (girl) | Latin | “dawn” | Aries is the dawn of the zodiac year, the first light after the long dark. |
| Dawn (girl) | English | “dawn” | The plain English version of the same first light. |
| Nova (girl) | Latin | “new” | Fresh as a first day. Short, which suits a child in a hurry. |
| Genesis (girl) | Greek | “birth, origin” | The first book of the Bible is called Genesis. A name for the first sign of the twelve. |
Courage, strength and nerve
These names do not mention Mars, but Mars is all through them. Aries is the brave sign, and Germanic names in particular are full of battle and boldness.
| Name | Origin | Meaning | Why it fits an Aries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matilda (girl) | Germanic | “strength in battle” | The whole of Mars in one name, with Tilly as a quick, friendly short form. |
| Hilda (girl) | Germanic | “battle” | Short, firm and old. A name that does not back down. |
| Gunnar (boy) | Old Norse | from words for “war” and “warrior” | The Viking version of the Aries spirit. |
| Louis (boy) | French, from Germanic Ludwig | “famous in battle” | A royal name that is really about courage under pressure. |
| Valentina (girl) | Latin | from Valens, “strong, vigorous, healthy” | Strength and energy, with a pretty sound. The first woman in space was a Valentina, which is a very Aries kind of first. |
| Valentine (any) | Latin | “strong, vigorous, healthy” | The same strength in a name that works for a boy or a girl. |
| Valerie (girl) | Latin, from Valeria | from valere, “to be strong” | Strength in a softer, vintage shape. |
| Andrew (boy) | Greek, Andreas | “manly” | Andrew was the first disciple to join Jesus in the Gospels: the first one to say yes. |
| Bernard (boy) | Germanic | “bear” and “brave, hardy” | The bravery of a bear. Bernie is the cheerful everyday version. |
Red, the colour of Mars
Red is the colour of Aries. These names hold that red, in hair, cloth, kings and blood.
| Name | Origin | Meaning | Why it fits an Aries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flann (boy) | Irish | “blood red” | The deepest red of all, in a single beat. |
| Rory (boy) | Irish (Ruaidhrí) | “red king” | The red of Mars and the habit of leading. |
| Rufus (boy) | Latin | “red-haired” | A Roman nickname that became a name. Cheerful and fiery. |
| Russell (boy) | Norman French surname | “little red one” | A red name with a gentle ending. |
| Reid (boy) | Scots surname, a form of Reed | “red” | Very short and very clean. It carries across a park. |
| Scarlett (girl) | English surname | for a seller of scarlet cloth | The brightest red there is, and an Aries favourite for a reason. |
Firsts and the number one
Aries is sign number one. These names carry being first, being new and being the top card.
| Name | Origin | Meaning | Why it fits an Aries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primo (boy) | Italian, from Latin Primus | “first” | The Aries need to go first, in two easy syllables. |
| Primrose (girl) | English, from Latin prima rosa | “first rose” | Doubly right: the word “first” is in it, and the primrose is one of the first flowers of spring. |
| Ace (any) | English | “highest rank” | The one on the card, and the top of the deck. |
| Daisy (girl) | English, from Old English dægeseage | “day’s eye” | The April birth flower, and a flower that opens with the morning, eager for the day. |
That makes more than fifty names, each with a thread you can explain to a grandparent who asks why.
Names that sound like Aries but belong somewhere else
A few names often turn up on Aries lists because of the way they sound. They are lovely names, but their meanings point to other signs.
- Ari means “lion” in Hebrew. That is Leo’s figure, not the ram. It belongs on the Leo baby names page.
- Aria means “air” or “song, melody” in Italian. The air is a different element from Aries fire.
- Ariadne probably means “most holy” in Greek. Beautiful, but nothing to do with rams or Mars.
- Hugh was long used in English for the Irish fire name Aodh, but Hugh itself comes from a Germanic word for “mind, thought, spirit”. If you want the fire, use Aodh or Aidan.
Choosing well
Say it out loud
You will say this name thousands of times before you write it down much. Give every name on your shortlist these tests.
- With the surname. Say the whole name five times, fast and slow. A short first name like Reid or Una sits well before a long surname. A long first name like Seraphina or Valentina likes a short one.
- With the nickname. Every name gets cut down. Matilda becomes Tilly, Ignatius becomes Iggy, Valentina becomes Val or Tina, Seraphina becomes Sera. Make sure you like where it ends up.
- With the initials. Write the first, middle and last initials together and check they do not spell anything a classmate could use.
- Across a park. Go to the back door and call it. Aries children run off first and fast, so a name that carries matters. Rory, Flann, Ace and Nova carry well. Agnes and Verna need a little more breath.
- The Aries test: can you say it in a hurry? An Aries child will be halfway up the climbing frame before you finish speaking. One or two clear syllables in the everyday form, even if the full name is longer, is a real kindness to the person calling it.
First and middle names that work for an Aries
A good pair often puts one thread in the first name and a different one in the middle. Fire with spring. Mars with a lamb. A long name with a short one.
| Pairing | What it carries |
|---|---|
| Matilda Una | the courage of Mars and the softness of the lamb |
| Aurora Flann | the dawn of the year and the red of Mars |
| Nova Primrose | something new, and the first flower |
| Seraphina April | a long blaze and the birth month |
| Marzia Daisy | Mars, March and the April flower |
| Aidan Rory | a small fire and a red king |
| Martin Haru | Mars and the spring |
| Jason Ace | the hero of the golden fleece and the number one |
| Louis Agni | courage and fire |
| Valentine Reid | strength and red, for any gender |
As a middle name on its own, short Aries words do a lot of work: Una, Dawn, Nova and April for girls; Reid, Flann, Ace and Aodh for boys.
Brother and sister names across the zodiac
If the family already has a name, look for a thread that joins the two signs.
- A Libra sibling. Libra sits opposite Aries in the zodiac, and its ruler is Venus, the planet always paired with Mars. A Mars name beside a Venus name is a classic match. See Libra baby names.
- A Scorpio sibling. In classical astrology Mars rules Scorpio as well as Aries. A Martin and a Scorpio sibling share a planet but meet it in different ways, one in fire and one in water. See Scorpio baby names.
- A Leo or Sagittarius sibling. The other two fire signs. Fire names can run through the whole family while each child keeps a figure of their own: the ram, the lion, the archer. See Leo baby names and Sagittarius baby names.
- A Taurus sibling. Taurus follows Aries, still in spring. April and Primrose can stretch across both signs. See Taurus baby names.
- A Pisces sibling. Pisces comes just before Aries, at the very end of the zodiac year. A Pisces with a sea name beside an Aries with a fire name gives you the last page of the year and the first one, side by side. See Pisces baby names.
The full set of signs is on the zodiac baby names hub.
The chart is bigger than the Sun
The Sun sign is what people mean when they say “she’s an Aries”. But a birth chart has a Moon sign and a rising sign too, and either one can be Aries when the Sun is somewhere else. Sun, Moon and rising explains how the three fit together.
An Aries Moon
The Moon shows what a child needs underneath, when they are tired or upset. An Aries Moon feels everything fast and lets it go fast. If your baby’s Sun is in a quiet sign but the Moon is in Aries, a name with a spark in the middle or the nickname can honour that hidden fire. A gentle first name with Aidan, Flann or Azar in the middle is one way to do it. Read more on the Aries Moon child.
Aries rising
The rising sign is the face a child shows the world first, the way they come into a room. With Aries rising, they come in at speed, chin up, ready. Short, strong first names suit that first impression: Reid, Ace, Nova, Una, Rory. The rising sign in children shows how to find it, and you will need the birth time.
Due near a cusp, or early, or late
Babies keep their own diary. If your due date is in the last days of March or the third week of April, your baby might be born a Pisces or a Taurus instead. The moment the Sun moves into the next sign shifts by about a day from year to year, so born on the cusp is worth reading once the baby has arrived.
The simplest answer is a shortlist that works either way.
- Due around 18 to 22 March (Pisces or Aries). Spring names sit on the line. Bahar, Haru and Verna all hold the equinox, and the Persian new year falls exactly there. Marzia carries March for a baby on either side.
- Due around 17 to 22 April (Aries or Taurus). April, Avril and Abril belong to the month whatever the sign. Daisy, the April flower, and Primrose, a flower of the whole season, suit both. Taurus is ruled by Venus, the planet of flowers, so a flower name is a safe bridge.
- Want to keep the fire whatever happens? Fire is shared with Leo and Sagittarius, not with the signs on either side of Aries. If the element matters most to you, a fire name such as Aidan or Azar will stay true to the Aries side of the chart, and a later Moon or rising may well bring the fire back anyway.
If you want to look at the whole chart before you decide, how to read a child’s birth chart takes you through it one step at a time.
A name to run into the world with
An Aries child will not wait to grow into their name. They will wear it from the first loud morning, and they will want it said clearly, quickly and with conviction. Choose the one you can call out like you mean it. That is the name the ram will turn round for.
When the name is settled, double Aries is there if the Moon joins the Sun in the sign, Aries baby gifts has ideas for the welcome, and the Aries parent is there if the fire runs in the family.
Sources and references
- Behind the Name: Una (Úna), Rachel, Agnes, Nesta and Jason, for the ram and lamb names
- Behind the Name: Martin, Marcus, Marcellus, Marcia, Marius, Ares and Mangala, for the Mars names
- Behind the Name: Aodh, Aodhán, Keegan, Agni, Azar, Fiamma, Seraphina and Ignatius, for the fire names
- Wiktionary: alev, the Turkish word for “flame”
- Behind the Name: April, Bahar, Haru, Vasanta, Verna, Aurora, Nova and Genesis, for the spring and beginning names
- Behind the Name: Matilda, Hilda, Gunnar, Ludwig, Valentine, Andrew and Bernard, for the courage names
- Behind the Name: Flann, Ruaidhrí, Rufus, Russell and Scarlett, for the red names
- Behind the Name: Primus, Primrose, Ace and Daisy, for the first names
- Behind the Name: Ari, Aria, Ariadne and Hugh, for the names that only sound like Aries
- Hamal (Alpha Arietis), the brightest star in Aries and the source of its name