Beautiful Albanian Names and Their Meanings
Names That Tell a Story
Albanian names are not just sounds — they tell stories about history, nature, and values. Some names go all the way back to ancient times! For example, Pirro, Gjergj, Arber, Donika, Vojsava, and Teuta are names from the old Illyrian tribes, the ancestors of modern Albanians.
Names Inspired by Nature
In Albania, it’s common for people to be named after beautiful places. Names like Korab, Drin, Sazan, Valbona, and Shkëlzen come from mountains, rivers, and regions in the country. Nature is everywhere in Albanian names!
Names with Powerful Meanings
Many Albanian names express ideas that are important to families. For example:
- Besnik means “faithful”
- Krenar means “proud”
- Shpresa means “hope”
- Perparim means “progress”
There are also names that come from seasons, animals, or things seen as good and kind.
Foreign Influences in Names
Albanian names have also changed over time. During the time of the Ottoman Empire, many people took names like Hasan, Rexhep, or Gjyle, which come from Turkish and Arabic roots. In the 1990s, when Albania opened up to the world, names from TV shows, football players, and other Western cultures became popular — like Samanta, Johnny, Bernadino, and Albertino.
Today’s Most Popular Names
Even though many different names are used in Albania today, many families are choosing to return to traditional Albanian names.
Popular girl names include:
Afërdita, Albana, Alketa, Adelina, Blerta, Donika, Era, Vera, Valbona, Lindita, Shpresa, Pranvera, and Mimoza.
Popular boy names include:
Agim, Alban, Arber, Dritan, Gjergj, Drilon, Ilir, Fatmir, Krenar, Ylli, Luan, and Besnik.
Learn More About Albanian Culture with Dinolingo
If you want your child to learn more about Albania and its beautiful language, Dinolingo is a great place to start. Dinolingo offers fun and interactive lessons for kids, with videos, songs, games, and flashcards, all designed to help children love learning Albanian!