Aali m ArabicMeans
"high, lofty, sublime" in Arabic.
Abiathar m BiblicalFrom Hebrew
אֶבְיָתָר ('Evyatar) meaning
"my father abounds" or
"my father excels". In the Old Testament Abiathar was a high priest during the reign of King
David.
Abiel m BiblicalMeans
"God is my father" in Hebrew. This was the name of the grandfather of Saul in the Old Testament.
Abihu m BiblicalMeans
"he is my father" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of
Aaron in the Old Testament. He and his brother Nadab were killed by God because they presented him with unauthorized fire.
Abijah m & f BiblicalMeans
"my father is Yahweh" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of several characters, both male and female, including the second king of Judah (also known as
Abijam).
Abiram m BiblicalMeans
"my father is exalted" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Abiram is swallowed by an earthquake after rebelling against the leadership of
Moses.
Abishag f BiblicalMeans
"my father strays" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Abishag is a young woman who tends King
David in his old age.
Abishai m BiblicalMeans
"my father is a gift" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is one of King
David's heroes.
Abital f BiblicalMeans
"my father is dew" in Hebrew. She is the fifth wife of
David in the Old Testament.
Abner m English, Biblical, Biblical LatinMeans
"my father is a light" in Hebrew, from
אָב ('av) meaning "father" and
נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light". In the Old Testament, Abner was a cousin of
Saul and the commander of his army. After he killed Asahel he was himself slain by Asahel's brother
Joab.
... [more] Abraham m English, Hebrew, Spanish, French, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical German, Biblical Swedish, Biblical Norwegian, Biblical Danish, Biblical LatinThis name may be viewed either as meaning
"father of many" in Hebrew or else as a contraction of
Abram 1 and
הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning "many, multitude". The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but God changed his name (see
Genesis 17:5). With his father
Terah, he led his wife
Sarah, his nephew
Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son
Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son
Ishmael.
... [more] Absalom m Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
אַבְשָׁלוֹם ('Avshalom) meaning
"my father is peace", derived from
אָב ('av) meaning "father" and
שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". In the Old Testament he is a son of King
David. He avenged his sister
Tamar by arranging the murder of her rapist, their half-brother
Amnon. He later led a revolt against his father. While fleeing on the back of a mule he got his head caught in a tree and was killed by
Joab.
Abu m ArabicMeans
"father of" in Arabic. This is commonly used as an element in a kunya, which is a type of Arabic nickname. The element is combined with the name of one of the bearer's children (usually the eldest son). In some cases the kunya is figurative, not referring to an actual child, as in the case of the Muslim caliph
Abu Bakr.
Adaeze f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of the king" in Igbo.
Adalhard m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
adal "noble" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Saint Adalhard or Adalard was a cousin of
Charlemagne who became an abbot of Corbie.
Adallinda f GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
adal "noble" and
lind "soft, flexible, tender". Adallinda (or Adalindis or Ethelind) was the name of one of the concubines of
Charlemagne, with whom she had at least two children.
Adam m English, French, German, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewThis is the Hebrew word for
"man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew
אדם ('adam) meaning
"to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian
adamu meaning
"to make".
... [more] Adanna f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of the father" in Igbo.
Adannaya f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of her father" in Igbo.
Addison f & m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Adam". Its recent popularity as a feminine name stems from its similarity in sound to
Madison.
Ade 2 m FrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
adal meaning
"noble".
Adela f English, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, Slovak, GermanicOriginally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element
adal meaning
"noble" (Proto-Germanic *
aþalaz). Saint Adela was a 7th-century Frankish princess who founded a monastery at Pfazel in France. This name was also borne by a daughter of William the Conqueror.
Adelaide f English, Italian, PortugueseMeans
"nobleness, nobility", from the French form of the Germanic name
Adalheidis, which was composed of
adal "noble" and the suffix
heit "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great.
... [more] Adhara f AstronomyDerived from Arabic
عذارى ('adhara) meaning
"maidens". This is the name of the second brightest star (after
Sirius) in the constellation Canis Major.
Adolf m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, GermanicFrom the Old German name
Adalwolf, which meant
"noble wolf" from the elements
adal "noble" and
wolf. It was borne by several Swedish kings as a first or second name, most notably by Gustav II Adolf in the 17th century. Association with Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), the leader of the Nazi party in Germany during World War II, has lessened the use of this name.
Æþelbeorht m Anglo-SaxonOld English cognate of
Adalbert (see
Albert). This was the name of a Saxon king of England and two kings of Kent, one of whom was a saint. It became unused after the Normans introduced their form of
Adalbert after their invasion.
Æðelflæd f Anglo-SaxonOld English name composed of the elements
æðele "noble" and
flæd, possibly meaning "beauty". This was the name of a 10th-century ruler of Mercia (a daughter of
Alfred the Great).
Æðelfrið m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
friþ "peace". The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
Æðelmær m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
mære "famous". A famous bearer was the 11th-century English monk Æðelmær of Malmesbury who attempted to fly with a gliding apparatus (breaking his legs in the process).
Æðelræd m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
ræd "counsel, advice". This was the name of two Saxon kings of England including Æðelræd II "the Unready" whose realm was overrun by the Danes in the early 11th century. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
Æðelric m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
ric "ruler, king". This was the name of several early Anglo-Saxon kings.
Æðelstan m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
stan "stone". This was the name of a 10th-century English king, the first to rule all of England. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, though it enjoyed a modest revival (as
Athelstan) in the 19th century.
Æðelwine m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
wine "friend". This was the name of a few Anglo-Saxon saints, including a 7th-century bishop of Lindsey. The name became rare after the Norman Conquest.
Æðelwulf m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
wulf "wolf" (making it a cognate of
Adolf). This name was borne by a 9th-century king of Wessex.
Agaue f Greek MythologyMeans
"illustrious, noble" in Greek. This was the mother of Pentheus in Greek myth.
Agenor m Greek MythologyDerived from the poetic Greek word
ἀγήνωρ (agenor) meaning
"very manly, heroic", a derivative of
ἄγαν (agan) "very much" and
ἀνήρ (aner) "man". This is the name of multiple characters in Greek mythology, including a king of the Phoenician city of Tyre. He was a son of
Poseidon and
Libya and the father of
Europa,
Cadmus and several other children.
Ahab m Biblical, Biblical LatinMeans
"uncle", from Hebrew
אָח ('ach) meaning "brother" and
אָב ('av) meaning "father". This was the name of a king of Israel, the husband of
Jezebel, as told in the Old Testament. He was admonished by
Elijah for his sinful behaviour. Herman Melville later used this name in his novel
Moby-Dick (1851), where it belongs to a sea captain obsessively hunting for a white whale.
Ahinoam f BiblicalMeans
"my brother is pleasant" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of wives of both
Saul and
David.
Aike m FrisianDiminutive of names beginning with the Old German element
ekka meaning
"edge, blade" or
adal meaning
"noble".
Aitor m Basque, SpanishPossibly means
"good fathers" from Basque
aita "father" and
on "good". This was the name of a legendary ancestor of the Basques.
Akihiko m JapaneseFrom Japanese
明 (aki) or
昭 (aki) both meaning "bright" combined with
彦 (hiko) meaning "boy, prince". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Akihito m JapaneseFrom Japanese
明 (aki) or
昭 (aki) both meaning "bright" combined with
仁 (hito) meaning "compassionate". Other kanji combinations are possible. Akihito (1933-), name written
明仁, was the emperor of Japan from 1989 to 2019.
Akio m JapaneseFrom Japanese
昭 (aki) meaning "bright, luminous" combined with
夫 (o) meaning "man, husband",
男 (o) meaning "male, man" or
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Akito m JapaneseFrom Japanese
章 (aki) meaning "chapter" combined with
斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or
人 (to) meaning "person". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Albert m English, German, French, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Romanian, Hungarian, Albanian, GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Adalbert meaning
"noble and bright", composed of the elements
adal "noble" and
beraht "bright". This name was common among medieval German royalty. The Normans introduced it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Æþelbeorht. Though it became rare in England by the 17th century, it was repopularized in the 19th century by the German-born Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.
... [more] Alcibiades m Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Ἀλκιβιάδης (Alkibiades), derived from
ἀλκή (alke) meaning "strength, prowess" and
βία (bia) meaning "force" with the patronymic suffix
ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a notable Greek statesman and general during the Peloponnesian War. He changed allegiance from Athens to Sparta and back again during the course of the war. He features in Shakespeare's tragedy
Timon of Athens (1607).
Aldo m Italian, GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
alt meaning
"old" (Proto-Germanic *
aldaz), and sometimes also with
adal meaning
"noble" (Proto-Germanic *
aþalaz).
Ale 2 m FrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
adal meaning
"noble".
Alexander m English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant
"defending men" from Greek
ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, help" and
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive
ἀνδρός). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero
Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.
... [more] Alfonso m Spanish, ItalianSpanish and Italian form of
Alphonsus, the Latin form of the Visigothic name *
Aþalafuns meaning
"noble and ready", derived from the Gothic elements
aþals "noble" and
funs "ready". This was the name of several kings of Spain (Asturias, León, Castile and Aragon) and Portugal, starting with Alfonso I of Asturias in the 8th century. His name was sometimes recorded in the Latin spelling
Adefonsus, and on that basis it is theorized that first element might be from another source (perhaps
haþus meaning "battle"). It is possible that two or more names merged into a single form.
Ali 1 m Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Pashto, Indonesian, Malay, Avar, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, Dhivehi, Albanian, BosnianMeans
"lofty, sublime" in Arabic, from the root
علا ('ala) meaning "to be high". Ali ibn Abi Talib was a cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet
Muhammad and the fourth caliph to rule the Muslim world. His followers were the original Shia Muslims, who regard him as the first rightful caliph.
... [more] Alisson m Portuguese (Brazilian)Possibly a Brazilian variant of
Allison. A notable bearer is the Brazilian soccer goalkeeper Alisson Ramses Becker (1992-), commonly known simply as Alisson.
Allison f & m EnglishFrom the middle of the 20th century this has primarily been used as a variant of the feminine name
Alison 1. However, prior to that it was used as an uncommon masculine name, derived from the English and Scottish surname
Allison.
Alperen m TurkishMeans
"fighter" in Turkish, a word derived from
alp "brave, hero" and
eren "holy person".
Aludra f AstronomyDerived from Arabic
العذراء (al-'adhra) meaning
"the maiden". This is the name of a star in the constellation Canis Major.
Amadioha m Igbo MythologyDerived from Igbo
àmádí "freeborn man" and
ọ̀hà "community, people". The is the name of the god of thunder and lightning in traditional Igbo belief.
Amane f BasqueFrom Basque
ama "mother". It was coined by the Basque writer Sabino Arana as the equivalent of the rare Spanish devotional name
Maternidad.
Ameohne'e f CheyenneMeans
"walks along woman", from Cheyenne
ame- "along, by" and
-ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix
-e'é.
Anangikwe f OjibweMeans
"star woman" in Ojibwe, derived from
anang "star" and
ikwe "woman".
Andromeda f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive
ἀνδρός) combined with one of the related words
μέδομαι (medomai) meaning "to be mindful of, to provide for, to think on" or
μέδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". In Greek mythology Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess rescued from sacrifice by the hero
Perseus. A constellation in the northern sky is named for her. This is also the name of a nearby galaxy, given because it resides (from our point of view) within the constellation.
Anish m Hindi, MarathiMeans
"supreme, paramount, without a ruler", from the Sanskrit negative prefix
अ (a) and
ईश (isha) meaning "ruler, lord".
Antipater m Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Ἀντίπατρος (Antipatros), which meant
"like the father" from Greek
ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and
πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive
πατρός). This was the name of an officer of Alexander the Great who became the regent of Macedon during Alexander's absence.
Apollo m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Ἀπόλλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to the Indo-European root *
apelo- meaning
"strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means
"father lion" or
"father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb
ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) meaning
"to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of
Zeus and
Leto and the twin of
Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.
Ares m Greek MythologyPerhaps from either Greek
ἀρή (are) meaning
"bane, ruin" or
ἄρσην (arsen) meaning
"male". The name first appears as
a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of
Zeus and
Hera.
Armani m & f English (Modern)From an Italian surname meaning
"son of Ermanno". It has been used as a given name due to the fashion company Armani, which was founded by the clothing designer Giorgio Armani (1934-).
Arnfinn m NorwegianNorwegian form of
Arnfinnr, which was derived from the elements
ǫrn "eagle" and
finnr "Sámi, person from Finland".
Arwa f ArabicMeans
"female ibex, mountain goat" in Arabic. This name was borne by some relatives of the Prophet
Muhammad. It was also the name of a 12th-century queen of Yemen.
Arwen f LiteratureMeans
"noble maiden" in the fictional language Sindarin. In
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Arwen was the daughter of
Elrond and the lover of
Aragorn.
Arya 1 m & f Persian, Hindi, MalayalamFrom an old Indo-Iranian root meaning "Aryan, noble". In India, this is a transcription of both the masculine form
आर्य and the feminine form
आर्या. In Iran it is only a masculine name.
Asdzáán Nádleehé f New World MythologyMeans
"changing woman", from Navajo
asdzáán "woman" and
nádleeh "become, change". In Navajo mythology this is the name of a being who created humans from parts of her body.
Ashurbanipal m Ancient Assyrian (Anglicized)From Akkadian
Ashur-bani-apli meaning
"Ashur is creator of a son". This was the name of one of the final kings of the Assyrian Empire, reigning late in the 7th century BC. He appears in the Old Testament under the name
Asnappar.
Asil m TurkishMeans
"noble" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
أصيل (asil).
Asylym f KazakhMeans
"my dear" in Kazakh, derived from
асыл (asyl) meaning "precious, noble" and the possessive suffix
ым (ym).
Atabek m Kazakh, KyrgyzFrom the Turkic noble title
atabeg, derived from
ata meaning "father, ancestor" and
beg meaning "chieftain, master".
Atajan m TurkmenFrom Turkmen
ata meaning "father, ancestor" combined with the suffix
jan meaning "dear, darling" (of Persian origin).
Attila m History, Hungarian, TurkishProbably means
"little father" from Gothic
atta "father" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century leader of the Huns, a nomadic people from Central Asia who had expanded into Eastern Europe by the 4th century.
Attila was likely the name given to him by his Gothic-speaking subjects in Eastern Europe; his real name may have been Avitohol.
Awee f & m NavajoFrom Navajo
awéé' meaning
"baby".
Ayelet f HebrewMeans
"doe, female deer, gazelle". It is taken from the Hebrew phrase
אַיֶלֶת הַשַׁחַר ('ayelet hashachar), literally "gazelle of dawn", which is a name of the morning star.
Baba m AzerbaijaniFrom a nickname or honorific meaning
"old man" in Azerbaijani.
Babak m PersianFrom Middle Persian
𐭯𐭠𐭯𐭪𐭩 (Papak) meaning
"little father". This was the name of the father of
Ardashir, the founder of the Sasanian Empire in Persia. It was also borne by the 9th-century resistance leader Babak Khorramdin.
Babe m & f EnglishFrom a nickname meaning
"baby", also a slang term meaning
"attractive person". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a diminutive of
Barbara.
Bambi f EnglishDerived from Italian
bambina meaning
"young girl". The American novelist Marjorie Benton Cooke used it in her novel
Bambi (1914). This was also the name of a male deer in a cartoon by Walt Disney, which was based on a 1923 novel by Swiss author Felix Salten.
Bartholomew m English, BiblicalEnglish form of
Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaios), which was the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning
"son of Talmai". In the New Testament
Bartholomew is the byname of an apostle, possibly the same person as the apostle
Nathanael. According to tradition he was a missionary to India before returning westward to Armenia, where he was martyred by flaying. Due to the popularity of this saint the name became common in England during the Middle Ages.
Bathsheba f BiblicalMeans
"daughter of the oath" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament, this was the name of a woman married to
Uriah the Hittite. She became pregnant by King
David, so he arranged to have her husband killed in battle and then married her. She was the mother of
Solomon.
Baxter m EnglishFrom an occupational surname that meant
"(female) baker", from Old English
bæcere and a feminine agent suffix.
Bébinn f Old Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"white woman", from Old Irish
bé "woman" and
finn "white, blessed". This name was borne by several characters in Irish mythology, including the mother of the hero Fráech.
Bedivere m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian CycleFrom the Welsh name
Bedwyr, possibly from
bedwen "birch" and
gwr "man". In Arthurian legends Bedivere was one of the original companions of King
Arthur. He first appears in early Welsh tales, and his story was later expanded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century. He is the one who throws the sword Excalibur into the lake at the request of the dying Arthur.
Behzad m PersianMeans
"noble, high-born" in Persian, from
به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and the suffix
زاد (zad) meaning "child of".
Bekzat m Kazakh, KyrgyzFrom the Turkic military title
beg meaning "chieftain, master" and the Persian suffix
زاد (zad) meaning "son of".
Belladonna f VariousFrom Italian
bella "beautiful, fair" and
donna "lady". This is the name of a toxic plant, also called deadly nightshade (species Atropa belladonna).
Bellatrix f AstronomyMeans
"female warrior" in Latin. This is the name of the star that marks the left shoulder of the constellation Orion.
Benjamin m English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning
"son of the south" or
"son of the right hand", from the roots
בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and
יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of
Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named
בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-'oni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother
Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see
Genesis 35:18).
... [more] Bevan m EnglishFrom a Welsh surname that was derived from
ap Evan meaning
"son of Evan". As a given name, it is particularly common in New Zealand and Australia.
Bidzina m GeorgianFrom Georgian
ბიძა (bidza) meaning
"uncle". This was the name of a 17th-century Georgian saint and martyr.
Bithiah f BiblicalMeans
"daughter of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from the roots
בַּת (bat) meaning "daughter" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Pharaoh. She is traditionally equated with the pharaoh's daughter who drew
Moses from the Nile.
Brochfael m Medieval WelshFrom Old Welsh
Brochmail, from a Brythonic name *
Broccomaglos, derived from Celtic *
brokkos "badger" and *
maglos "chief". This was the name of a 6th-century king of Powys, also known as
Brochwel.
Bror m SwedishFrom the Old Norse name
Bróðir meaning
"brother".
Bryson m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Brice". Starting in the 1970s this name began steadily growing in popularity, likely because it features the same popular sounds found in other names such as
Brice and
Tyson.
Cahir m IrishAnglicized form of Irish
Cathaoir, possibly meaning
"battle man" from Old Irish
cath "battle" and
fer "man".
Calogero m ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Calogerus meaning
"beautiful elder", from Greek
καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful" and
γέρων (geron) meaning "old man, elder". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a hermit of Sicily.
Candace f English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the hereditary title of the queens of Ethiopia, as mentioned in Acts in the New Testament. It is apparently derived from Cushitic
kdke meaning
"queen mother". In some versions of the Bible it is spelled
Kandake, reflecting the Greek spelling
Κανδάκη. It was used as a given name by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 20th century by a character in the 1942 movie
Meet the Stewarts.
Caner m TurkishFrom Turkish
can "soul, life" and
er "man, hero, brave".
Carloman m GermanicFrom an Old German name derived from
karl meaning "man" and
man meaning "person, man". This was the name of several Frankish rulers, including the 8th-century Carloman I who ruled jointly with his brother
Charlemagne for a time.
Chae-Won f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
采 (chae) meaning "collect, gather, pluck" or
彩 (chae) meaning "colour" combined with
原 (won) meaning "source, origin, beginning". Other hanja combinations can also form this name.
Channary f KhmerMeans
"moon-faced girl" from Khmer
ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and
នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".
Charles m English, FrenchFrench and English form of
Carolus, the Latin form of the Germanic name
Karl, which was derived from a word meaning
"man" (Proto-Germanic *
karlaz). However, an alternative theory states that it is derived from the common Germanic name element *
harjaz meaning "army".
... [more] Charlton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"settlement of free men" in Old English.
Chaska m SiouxFrom Lakota or Dakota
čhaské meaning
"firstborn son".
Cleopatra f Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κλεοπάτρα (Kleopatra) meaning
"glory of the father", derived from
κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" combined with
πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive
πατρός). This was the name of queens of Egypt from the Ptolemaic royal family, including Cleopatra VII, the mistress of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After being defeated by Augustus she committed suicide (according to popular belief, by allowing herself to be bitten by a venomous asp). Shakespeare's tragedy
Antony and Cleopatra (1606) tells the story of her life.
Clytemnestra f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κλυταιμνήστρα (Klytaimnestra) and
Κλυταιμήστρα (Klytaimestra), in which the first element is
κλυτός (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". The spelling
Klytaimnestra would suggest the second element is
μνηστήρ (mnester) meaning "courter, wooer", while
Klytaimestra would suggest a connection to
μήδομαι (medomai) meaning "to plan, to intend". There is debate over which spelling is earlier or more authentic, since the ancient texts seem to make puns based on both etymologies.
Klytaimestra appears in the works of the Greek tragedians such as Aeschylus, while
Klytaimnestra appears in Homer's poems (the earliest extant copy dating from the post-classical period).
... [more] Cody m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of both Irish Gaelic
Ó Cuidighthigh meaning
"descendant of the helpful one" and
Mac Óda meaning
"son of Odo". A famous bearer of the surname was the American frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917).
Colleen f EnglishDerived from the Irish word
cailín meaning
"girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.
Collins f & m EnglishFrom a surname, which is either Irish or English in origin (see
Collins 1 and
Collins 2). It increased in popularity as a name for girls after it appeared in the movie
The Blind Side (2009), which was based on a 2006 biography. As a masculine name, it is currently most common in parts of English-speaking Africa.
Colson m English (Modern)From an English surname meaning
"son of Col". As a given name it entered the American top 1000 rankings in 2017, probably inspired by similar-sounding names such as
Cole and
Colton.
Corinna f German, Italian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Κορίννα (Korinna), which was derived from
κόρη (kore) meaning
"maiden". This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet
Ovid used it for the main female character in his book
Amores. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem
Corinna's going a-Maying.
Cormac m Irish Mythology, IrishFrom Old Irish
Cormacc or
Corbmac, of uncertain meaning, possibly from
corb "chariot, wagon" or
corbbad "defilement, corruption" combined with
macc "son". This is the name of several characters from Irish legend, including the semi-legendary high king Cormac mac Airt who supposedly ruled in the 3rd century, during the adventures of the hero
Fionn mac Cumhaill. This name was also borne by a few early saints.
Cynthia f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κυνθία (Kynthia), which means
"woman from Cynthus". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess
Artemis, given because Cynthus was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother
Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century. It reached a peak of popularity in the United States in 1957 and has declined steadily since then.
Cynwrig m Old WelshDerived from Old Welsh
cynt meaning "first, chief" and
gur meaning "man", plus the suffix
ig indicating "has the quality of".
Dagfinn m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Dagfinnr, which was composed of the elements
dagr "day" and
finnr "Sámi, person from Finland".
Dar f & m HebrewMeans
"mother-of-pearl, nacre" in Hebrew.
David m English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
דָּוִד (Dawid), which was derived from Hebrew
דּוֹד (dod) meaning
"beloved" or
"uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of
Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament,
Jesus was descended from him.
... [more] Davis m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the given name
David. A famous bearer of the surname was Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), the only president of the Confederate States of America.
Dawson m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of David". As a given name, it was popularized in the late 1990s by the central character on the television drama
Dawson's Creek (1998-2003). In the United States the number of boys receiving the name increased tenfold between 1997 and 1999. It got another boost in 2014 after it was used for a main character in the movie
The Best of Me.
Dearbháil f IrishFrom Old Irish
Derbáil meaning
"daughter of Fál", derived from the prefix
der meaning "daughter" and
Fál, a legendary name for Ireland.
Dehgewanus f SenecaFrom a name, also spelled as
Dickewamis or
Dehhewämis, which was given to the young British settler Mary Jemison (1743-1833) after she was captured and assimilated into the Seneca. Much later she claimed the name meant
"pretty girl, pleasant thing", though this interpretation does not seem to be valid.
Deianeira f Greek MythologyFrom Greek
δηιόω (deioo) meaning "to slay" and
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". In Greek mythology this was the name of the wife of
Herakles. She unwittingly poisoned her husband by giving him the Shirt of Nessus.
Deirbhile f IrishMeans
"daughter of a poet" from Old Irish
der "daughter" and
fili "poet" (genitive
filed). This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint, also called Dervla.
Deirdre f English, Irish, Irish MythologyFrom the Old Irish name
Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from
der meaning
"daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after
Conchobar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover
Naoise.
... [more] Demeter 1 f Greek MythologyPossibly means
"earth mother", derived from Greek
δᾶ (da) meaning "earth" and
μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother". In Greek mythology Demeter was the goddess of agriculture, the daughter of
Cronus, the sister of
Zeus, and the mother of
Persephone. She was an important figure in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites performed at Eleusis near Athens.
Despoina f Greek Mythology, GreekMeans
"mistress, lady" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon. She was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at Eleusis near Athens.
Dinesha m HinduismMeans
"day lord" from Sanskrit
दिन (dina) meaning "day" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord". In Hindu texts this is used as a name of the sun.
Doireann f Irish, Irish MythologyPossibly from the Old Irish prefix
der "daughter" and
finn "white, blessed". Alternatively it may be derived from Irish
doireann "sullen, tempestuous". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a daughter of Bodb Derg who poisoned
Fionn mac Cumhaill after he spurned her advances.
Donna f EnglishFrom Italian
donna meaning
"lady". It is also used as a feminine form of
Donald.
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFrom the Greek name
Δωρίς (Doris), which meant
"Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
Draupadi f HinduismMeans
"daughter of Drupada" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of the daughter of King Drupada. She married all of the Pandavas, the five sons of Pandu.
Dumuzi m Sumerian MythologyFrom Sumerian
𒌉 (dumu) meaning "son, child" and
𒍣 (zid) meaning "true, loyal". This was the name of a Sumerian god of shepherds and vegetation, the husband of
Inanna. He was said to spend half of each year in the underworld, resulting in the yearly cycle of seasons. He was known to the Semitic peoples of Mesopotamia as
Tammuz.
Ece f TurkishMeans
"queen" or
"beautiful woman" in Turkish.
Edelgard f GermanFrom an Old German name, which was derived from the elements
adal "noble" and
gart "enclosure, yard".
Edina f HungarianPossibly a diminutive of names beginning with the Old German element
adal meaning
"noble".
Eliab m BiblicalFrom Hebrew
אֱלִיאָב ('Eli'av) meaning
"my God is father". This is the name of several people from the Old Testament, including a brother of King
David.
Elwood m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"elder tree forest" in Old English.
Emerson m & f EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Emery". The surname was borne by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American writer and philosopher who wrote about transcendentalism.
Emese f HungarianPossibly derived from Finno-Ugric
eme meaning
"mother". In Hungarian legend this was the name of the grandmother of Árpád, founder of the Hungarian state.
Emőke f HungarianDerived from Hungarian
emő meaning
"suckling (baby)".
Emre m TurkishMeans
"friend, brother" in Turkish. This name was borne by the 13th-century Turkish poet Yunus Emre.
Enitan m & f YorubaMeans
"person with a story, storied person" in Yoruba.
Erasyl m KazakhMeans
"noble hero" in Kazakh, from
ер (er) meaning "man, hero" and
асыл (asyl) meaning "precious, noble".
Ercan m TurkishFrom Turkish
er meaning "man, hero, brave" and
can meaning "soul, life".
Erdoğan m TurkishFrom Turkish
er "man, hero, brave" and
doğan "falcon".
Ereshkigal f Sumerian MythologyMeans
"lady of the great earth", from Sumerian
𒊩𒌆 (ereš) meaning "lady, queen" combined with
𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth" and
𒃲 (gal) meaning "great, big". In Sumerian mythology she was the goddess of death and the underworld.
Erhan m TurkishFrom Turkish
er meaning "man, hero, brave" and
han, which is from the title
khan meaning "leader".
Erkan m TurkishFrom Turkish
er "man, hero, brave" and
kan "blood".
Ertuğrul m TurkishFrom Turkish
er meaning "man, hero, brave" and
tuğrul, referring to a mythical bird of prey. This was the name of the father of
Osman, the founder of the Ottoman Empire.
Ethel f EnglishShort form of names beginning with the Old English element
æðele meaning
"noble". It was coined in the 19th century, when many Old English names were revived. It was popularized by the novels
The Newcomes (1855) by William Makepeace Thackeray and
The Daisy Chain (1856) by C. M. Yonge. A famous bearer was American actress and singer Ethel Merman (1908-1984).
Euripides m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
Εὔριπος (Euripos), referring to the strait between Euboea and Boeotia, combined with the patronymic suffix
ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek tragic poet.
Faruq m ArabicMeans
"person who can tell right from wrong" in Arabic. This was the name of the last king of Egypt (1920-1965).
Fergal m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"man of valour", derived from the Old Irish elements
fer "man" and
gal "valour". This was the name of an 8th-century king of Ireland. As well as the Old Irish form of the name, this is the usual Anglicization of the Modern Irish form
Fearghal.
Fergus m Irish, Scottish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"man of vigour", derived from the Old Irish elements
fer "man" and
guss "vigour, strength, force". This was the name of several early rulers of Ireland and Dál Riata, as well as many characters from Irish legend. Notably it was borne by the hero Fergus mac Róich, who was tricked into giving up the kingship of Ulster to
Conchobar. However, he remained loyal to the new king until Conchobar betrayed
Deirdre and
Naoise, at which point he defected to Connacht in anger. The name was also borne by an 8th-century saint, a missionary to Scotland.
... [more] Figaro m LiteratureCreated by playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais for the central character in his plays
The Barber of Seville (1775),
The Marriage of Figaro (1784) and
The Guilty Mother (1792). Beaumarchais may have based the character's name on the French phrase
fils Caron meaning
"son of Caron", which was his own nickname and would have been pronounced in a similar way. In modern French the word
figaro has acquired the meaning "barber", reflecting the character's profession.
Fitz m English (Rare)Short form of various given names that are derived from surnames beginning with Norman French
fitz meaning
"son of" (for example
Fitzroy).
Fitzroy m English (Rare)From an English surname meaning
"son of the king" in Old French, originally given to illegitimate sons of monarchs.
Fitzwilliam m LiteratureFrom an English surname meaning
"son of William", formed using the Anglo-Norman French prefix
fitz-, derived from Latin
filius "son". This is the given name of Mr. Darcy, a character in Jane Austen's novel
Pride and Prejudice (1813).
Frauke f GermanMeans
"little lady", derived from German
frau combined with a diminutive suffix.
Freeman m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"free man". It originally denoted a person who was not a serf.
Freya f Norse Mythology, English (Modern), GermanFrom Old Norse
Freyja meaning
"lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother
Freyr and father
Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess
Frigg.
... [more] Fu m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
富 (fù) meaning "abundant, rich, wealthy",
芙 (fú) meaning "hibiscus, lotus" or
甫 (fǔ) meaning "begin, man, father", in addition to other characters with a similar pronunciation. A famous bearer was the 8th-century Tang dynasty poet Du Fu, whose given name was
甫.
Fumio m JapaneseFrom Japanese
文 (fumi) meaning "writing" combined with
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly" or
夫 (o) meaning "husband, man". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Gabriel m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
גַבְרִיאֵל (Gavri'el) meaning
"God is my strong man", derived from
גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet
Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of
John to
Zechariah and
Jesus to
Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to
Muhammad.
... [more] Galadriel f LiteratureMeans
"maiden crowned with a radiant garland" in the fictional language Sindarin. Galadriel was a Noldorin elf princess renowned for her beauty and wisdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels. The elements are
galad "radiant" and
riel "garlanded maiden".
Alatáriel is the Quenya form of her name.
Ganesha m HinduismMeans
"lord of hordes" from Sanskrit
गण (gana) meaning "horde, multitude" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler". This is the name of the Hindu god of wisdom and good luck, the son of
Shiva and
Parvati. He is often depicted as a stout man with the head of an elephant.
Generosus m Late RomanDerived from Latin
generosus meaning
"well-born, noble, excellent", from
genus meaning "birth, origin". This name was borne by a few early saints, including a 4th-century martyr from Ortona dei Marsi in Italy.
Geneviève f FrenchFrom the medieval name
Genovefa, which is of uncertain origin. It could be derived from the Germanic elements *
kunją "clan, family, lineage" and *
wībą "wife, woman". Alternatively it could be of Gaulish origin, from the related Celtic element *
genos "kin, family" combined with a second element of unknown meaning. This name was borne by Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, who inspired the city to resist the Huns in the 5th century.
Gereon m German, Late RomanPossibly derived from Greek
γέρων (geron) meaning
"old man, elder". This was the name of a saint martyred in Cologne in the 4th century.
Germanus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen meaning
"brother" in Latin. This was the name of several early saints.
Ghulam m Arabic, Urdu, PashtoMeans
"servant, boy" in Arabic. It is often used as the first part of compound names.
Giiwedinokwe f OjibweMeans
"woman of the north" in Ojibwe, derived from
giiwedin "north" and
ikwe "woman".
Gilgamesh m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic MythologyPossibly means
"the ancestor is a hero", from Sumerian
𒉋𒂵 (bilga) meaning "ancestor" and
𒈩 (mes) meaning "hero, young man". This was the name of a Sumerian hero, later appearing in the Akkadian poem the
Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh, with his friend
Enkidu, battled the giant Humbaba and stopped the rampage of the Bull of Heaven, besides other adventures. Gilgamesh was probably based on a real person: a king of Uruk who ruled around the 27th century BC.
Gilroy m English (Rare)From an Irish surname, either
Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means
"son of the red-haired servant", or
Mac Giolla Rí, which means
"son of the king's servant".
Girisha m HinduismMeans
"lord of the mountain" in Sanskrit. This is a name of the Hindu god
Shiva, given because of his abode in the Himalayan Mountains.
Glanville m English (Rare)From an English surname that was taken from a Norman place name, which possibly meant
"domain of (a person named) Gland" in Old French.
Glooscap m New World MythologyDerived from an Eastern Algonquian phrase meaning
"man from nothing". Glooscap (or Gluskabe) was a hero involved in the creation myths of the Wabanaki people of eastern North America.
Gocha m GeorgianMeaning unknown, possibly from a Georgian dialectal word meaning
"old man".
Gorō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
五 (go) meaning "five" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This was traditionally a name for the fifth son. Different combinations of kanji are also possible.
Grayson m English (Modern)From an English surname meaning
"son of the steward", derived from Middle English
greyve "steward". It became common towards the end of the 20th century because of its similarity to popular names like
Jason,
Mason and
Graham.
Gronw m Welsh MythologyMeaning unknown, perhaps from Old Welsh
gur "man". According to the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi he was the lover of
Blodeuwedd. He attempted to murder her husband
Lleu Llaw Gyffes with a special spear he crafted over the course of a year, but Lleu transformed into an eagle. After he was restored to human form he killed Gronw.
Gumersindo m SpanishFrom the medieval name
Gomesendus, the Latin form of a Germanic (Visigothic or Suebian) name probably composed of
guma "man" and
sinþs "time". This was the name of a 9th-century martyr from Córdoba.
Gyöngyvér f HungarianMeans
"sister of pearl", from Hungarian
gyöngy "pearl" and
testvér "sibling". This name was created by the Hungarian poet János Arany for a character in his poem
The Death of King Buda (1864).
Hachirō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
八 (hachi) meaning "eight" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This was traditionally a name for the eighth son. Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Håkon m NorwegianModern Norwegian form of the Old Norse name
Hákon, derived from the element
hár "high" or
hǫð "battle, combat" combined with and
konr "son, descendant". This was the name of seven kings of Norway.
Hamilcar m Phoenician (Latinized), HistoryPossibly means
"brother of Melqart", derived from Phoenician
𐤀𐤇 (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" combined with the name of the god
Melqart. This was a common Punic name. Among the notable bearers was Hamilcar Barca, a 3rd-century BC Carthaginian general who was the father of
Hannibal and
Hasdrubal.
Hamutal f BiblicalMeans
"father-in-law is dew" in Hebrew, derived from
חָם (cham) meaning "father-in-law" and
טַל (tal) meaning "dew". In the Old Testament this is the name of a wife of King
Josiah of Judah.