Behati

Afrikaans, "blessed"

A melodic variation of the German Beata and a sparky relative of Beatrix and Beatrice, Behati is predominantly heard in Southern Africa, though supermodel Behati Prinsloo brought it into the spotlight when she began walking the runways in the late 2000s.

Behati is brought to you today by Nameberry Guest Writer, Tallulah, who is here to share her experience and love of the name.

I studied abroad in Cape Town, and I think that’s where I first really felt the name. Behati is an Afrikaans name, and it carries this soft but grounded kind of beauty that feels tied to the place in a very real way. It means “blessed” or “she who brings happiness,” and there’s something about that definition that matches the way the name sounds: gentle, but certain. Pretty, but not fragile.¹

There’s also something I love about how unexpected it is outside of South Africa. You don’t hear it everywhere, which makes it feel like it belongs to someone specific, someone memorable and I love the nickname Bea. Behati just feels like it has history and warmth built into it. Like it already knows who it is.

Do you have a name you associate a certain place that you want to see featured on Nameberry of the Day? Just send it to grace@nameberry.com and tell me about why you love it!

1. Behati is pronounced as beh-AH-tee