Feminine Names

gender
usage
Osanna f Italian
Italian form of Hosanna. This was the name of a 15th-century Italian saint and mystic, as well as a 16th-century Montenegrin saint.
Osanne f French (Rare)
French form of Osanna.
Osher m & f Hebrew
Means "happiness" in Hebrew.
Oshrat f Hebrew
Feminine form of Osher.
Ọṣun f Yoruba Mythology
Possibly related to ṣán meaning "flow". In traditional Yoruba belief this is the name of the patron goddess of the Osun River, also associated with wealth, beauty and love.
Otávia f Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Octavia.
Otgonbayar m & f Mongolian
Means "youngest joy" in Mongolian, from отгон (otgon) meaning "youngest" and баяр (bayar) meaning "joy".
Otília f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Odilia.
Otilia f Romanian, Spanish
Romanian and Spanish form of Odilia.
Otobong m & f Western African, Ibibio
Means "from God" in Ibibio.
Ottavia f Italian
Italian form of Octavia.
Ottilia f Swedish
Swedish form of Odilia.
Ottilie f German
German form of Odilia.
Ottoline f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Ottilie. A famous bearer was the British socialite Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873-1938).
Otylia f Polish
Polish form of Odilia.
Ouida f Various
Used by the English author Ouida (1839-1908), born Marie Louise Ramé to a French father. Ouida was a pseudonym that arose from her own childhood pronunciation of her middle name Louise.
Oum f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic أمّ (see Umm) chiefly used in Northern Africa.
Oumou f Western African
Form of Umm used in parts of French-influenced western Africa.
Ourania f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek οὐράνιος (ouranios) meaning "heavenly". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of astronomy and astrology, one of the nine Muses.
Ovidia f Ancient Roman, Spanish (Rare), Romanian (Rare)
Feminine form of Ovidius (see Ovid).
Owena f Welsh
Feminine form of Owen 1.
Oxana f Ukrainian, Russian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian/Russian Оксана (see Oksana).
Oxum f Afro-American Mythology
Portuguese form of Ọṣun, used by adherents of Candomblé in Brazil, where it refers to a spirit of fertility and wealth.
Øydis f Norwegian (Rare)
Norwegian form of Eydís.
Oyibo m & f Western African, Urhobo
Means "white" in Urhobo.
Öykü f Turkish
Means "story" in Turkish.
Oyunchimeg f Mongolian
Alternate transcription of Mongolian Cyrillic Оюунчимэг (see Oyuunchimeg).
Oyuun f Mongolian
Means "wisdom, intellect" in Mongolian.
Oyuunchimeg f Mongolian
Means "wisdom ornament" in Mongolian, from оюун (oyuun) meaning "wisdom, intellect" and чимэг (chimeg) meaning "ornament".
Ozana f Romanian (Rare), Croatian (Rare)
Romanian and Croatian form of Osanna.
Özge f Turkish
Means "other, different" in Turkish.
Özgür m & f Turkish
Means "free" in Turkish.
Özlem f Turkish
Means "yearning" in Turkish.
Pa f Hmong
Means "flower" in Hmong.
Paaie f Manx
Manx form of Peggy.
Paca f Spanish
Diminutive of Francisca.
Pacey m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the French place name Pacy, itself derived from Gaulish given name of unknown meaning.
Pachamama f Inca Mythology
Means "earth mother" in Quechua, from pacha "world, time" and mama "mother". This was the name of an Inca goddess of the earth and fertility.
Pacífica f Spanish (Rare)
Spanish feminine form of the Late Latin name Pacificus meaning "peacemaker".
Padma f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form पद्मा and the masculine form पद्म. According to Hindu tradition a lotus holding the god Brahma arose from the navel of the god Vishnu. The name Padma is used in Hindu texts to refer to several characters, including the goddess Lakshmi and the hero Rama.
Padmavati f Hinduism
Means "resembling lotuses", derived from the Sanskrit word पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus" combined with वती (vati) meaning "resemblance". This is the name of the foster-mother of the god Hindu Skanda. This was also the name of a semi-legendary 14th-century queen of Mewar.
Padmini f Indian, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Means "multitude of lotuses", a derivative of Sanskrit पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus".
Pádraigín f & m Irish
Diminutive of Pádraig, also used as a feminine form.
Page m & f English
From a surname that was a variant of Paige.
Paget f & m English (Rare)
From a French and English surname that meant "little page" (see Paige).
Pahoevotona'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "attached feathers woman", from Cheyenne pȧhoe- "attach to" and voto "feather, plume" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Paige f English
From an English surname meaning "servant, page" in Middle English. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".... [more]
Paisley f English (Modern)
From a Scots surname, originally from the name of a town near Glasgow, maybe ultimately derived from Latin basilica "church". This is also a word (derived from the name of that same town) for a type of pattern commonly found on fabrics.
Päivä f Finnish (Rare)
Means "day" in Finnish.
Päivi f Finnish
Derived from Finnish päivä meaning "day".
Pakpao f Thai
Means "kite (flying craft)" in Thai.
Pála f Icelandic
Icelandic feminine form of Paul.
Palesa f Southern African, Sotho
Means "flower" in Sotho.
Palina f Belarusian
Belarusian form of Polina.
Pallabi f Bengali
Bengali feminine form of Pallav.
Pallas 1 f Greek Mythology
Probably derived from a Greek word meaning "maiden, young woman". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Athena. According to some legends it was originally the name of a friend of the goddess. Athena accidentally killed her while sparring, so she took the name in honour of her friend.
Palmer m & f English
From an English surname meaning "pilgrim". It is ultimately from Latin palma "palm tree", since pilgrims to the Holy Land often brought back palm fronds as proof of their journey.
Paloma f Spanish
Means "dove, pigeon" in Spanish.
Pam f English
Short form of Pamela.
Pamela f English
This name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Sir Philip Sidney for use in his poem Arcadia. He possibly intended it to mean "all sweetness" from Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.
Pamelia f English
Elaborated form of Pamela.
Pamella f English
Variant of Pamela.
Panagiota f Greek
Feminine form of Panagiotis.
Pandora f Greek Mythology
Means "all gifts", derived from a combination of Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". In Greek mythology Pandora was the first mortal woman. Zeus gave her a jar containing all of the troubles and ills that mankind now knows, and told her not to open it. Unfortunately her curiosity got the best of her and she opened it, unleashing the evil spirits into the world.
Paniz f Persian
Possibly means "sugar" in Persian.
Panka f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Panna.
Panna f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Anna.
Panni f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Anna.
Pansy f English
From the English word for a type of flower, ultimately deriving from Old French pensee "thought".
Paola f Italian
Italian feminine form of Paul.
Paolina f Italian
Italian feminine form of Paulinus (see Paulino).
Papa f Polynesian Mythology
Means "earth" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Papa or Papatuanuku was the goddess of the earth and the mother of many of the other gods. She and her husband Rangi, the god of the sky, were locked in a tight embrace. Their children decided to separate them, a feat of strength accomplished by the god Tāne.
Paquita f Spanish
Diminutive of Francisca.
Paraskeva f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Paraskeve.
Paraskeve f Late Greek
Derived from Greek παρασκευή (paraskeue) meaning "preparation" or "Friday" (being the day of preparation). This was the name of a 2nd-century saint who was martyred in Rome.
Paraskevi f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Paraskeve.
Paraskevoula f Greek
Diminutive of Paraskevi.
Parastoo f Persian
Means "swallow (bird)" in Persian.
Parastu f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian پرستو (see Parastoo).
Pari f Persian
Means "fairy" in Persian.
Paris 2 f Various
From the name of the capital city of France, which got its name from the Gaulish tribe known as the Parisii. In America the popularity of this name spiked up and then down between 2003 and 2006, around the time that the television personality and socialite Paris Hilton (1981-) was at the height of her fame.
Parisa f Persian
Means "like a fairy" in Persian, derived from پری (pari) meaning "fairy, sprite, supernatural being".
Parker m & f English
From an English occupational surname that meant "keeper of the park".
Parminder m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit परम (parama) meaning "highest, best" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra.
Parnel f English (Archaic)
Contracted form of Petronel. In the later Middle Ages it became a slang term for a promiscuous woman, and the name subsequently fell out of use.
Parris m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who came from the French city of Paris (see Paris 2).
Parthenia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek παρθένος (parthenos) meaning "maiden, virgin". This was the name of one of the mares of Marmax in Greek mythology.
Parthenope f Greek Mythology
Means "maiden's voice", derived from Greek παρθένος (parthenos) meaning "maiden, virgin" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "voice". In Greek legend this is the name of one of the Sirens who enticed Odysseus.
Pərvanə f Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Parvaneh.
Parvana f Azerbaijani
Alternate transcription of Azerbaijani Pərvanə.
Parvaneh f Persian
Means "butterfly" in Persian.
Parvati f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Means "of the mountains" in Sanskrit. Parvati is a Hindu goddess of love and power, the wife of Shiva and the mother of Ganesha.
Parveen f & m Urdu, Indian, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Urdu پروین or Hindi परवीन (see Parvin).
Pərvin f & m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Parvin.
Parvin f & m Persian, Urdu, Indian, Hindi
Means "the Pleiades" in Persian. The Pleiades are a group of stars in the constellation Taurus. This name is typically feminine in Iran, but unisex in India.
Parvina f Tajik, Uzbek
Tajik and Uzbek form of Parvin.
Parysatis f Old Persian (Hellenized)
Greek form of the Old Persian name *𐎱𐎽𐎢𐏁𐎹𐎠𐎫𐎡𐏁 (Parušyatiš) meaning "much prosperity". This was the name of the wife of the Persian king Darius II (5th century BC). It was also borne by Parysatis II, a daughter of Artaxerxes III and a wife of Alexander the Great (4th century BC).
Pascale f French
Feminine form of Pascal.
Pascaline f French
Feminine form of Pascal.
Pascuala f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Pascal.
Pasqualina f Italian
Italian feminine form of Pascal.
Passang m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "good, excellent" in Tibetan.
Pastora f Spanish
Feminine form of Pastor.
Pat m & f English
Short form of Patrick or Patricia. A famous bearer of this name was Pat Garrett (1850-1908), the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid.
Pati f Spanish, Polish
Diminutive of Patricia or Patrycja.
Patience f English
From the English word patience, ultimately from Latin patientia, a derivative of pati "to suffer". This was one of the virtue names coined by the Puritans in the 17th century. It is now most commonly used in African countries where English is widely understood, such as Nigeria and Ghana.
Patigül f Uyghur
Uyghur elaboration of Patime using the suffix گۇل (gul) meaning "flower, rose" (of Persian origin).
Patime f Uyghur
Uyghur form of Fatimah.
Patka f Polish, Slovak
Diminutive of Patrycja or Patrícia.
Patrícia f Slovak, Portuguese, Hungarian
Slovak, Portuguese and Hungarian feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Patricia f English, Spanish, German, Late Roman
Feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick). In medieval England this spelling appears in Latin documents, but this form was probably not used as the actual name until the 18th century, in Scotland.
Patricie f Czech
Czech feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Patrīcija f Latvian
Latvian feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Patricija f Slovene, Croatian, Lithuanian
Slovene, Croatian and Lithuanian feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Patritsiya f Bulgarian (Rare), Russian (Rare)
Bulgarian and Russian feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Patrizia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Patrocinia f Spanish (Latin American)
Strictly feminine variant of Patrocinio.
Patrocinio f & m Spanish
Means "patronage, sponsorship" in Spanish, taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen del Patrocinio, meaning "The Virgin of Patronage".
Patrycja f Polish
Polish feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Patsy f & m English, Irish
Variant of Patty, also used as a diminutive of Patrick.
Patti f English
Variant of Patty.
Pattie f English
Variant of Patty.
Patty f English
Originally a variant of Matty, a 17th-century diminutive of Martha. It is now commonly used as a diminutive of Patricia.
Pàula f Sardinian
Sardinian feminine form of Paulus (see Paul).
Paula f German, English, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Croatian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Paulus (see Paul). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman saint who was a companion of Saint Jerome.
Paule f French
French feminine form of Paulus (see Paul).
Pauletta f English
Latinate feminine diminutive of Paul.
Paulette f French, English
French feminine diminutive of Paul.
Paulien f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of Paulinus (see Paulino).
Pauliina f Finnish
Finnish form of Paulina.
Paulína f Slovak
Slovak form of Paulina.
Pauline f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Paulinus (see Paulino).
Paulinha f Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of Paula.
Pavica f Croatian
Croatian diminutive of Paula.
Pavla f Czech, Slovene
Czech and Slovene feminine form of Paul.
Pavlína f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Paulina.
Pavlina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek, Slovene
Bulgarian, Macedonian and Greek form of Paulina.
Pax f Roman Mythology
Means "peace" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the goddess of peace.
Payne f & m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "(sky) blue" in Mapuche.
Payton f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Peyton.
Paz 1 f Spanish
Means "peace" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Paz, meaning "Our Lady of Peace".
Paz 2 f & m Hebrew
Means "gold" in Hebrew.
Peace f English (African)
From the English word peace, ultimately derived from Latin pax. This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Pearl f English
From the English word pearl for the concretions formed in the shells of some mollusks, ultimately from Late Latin perla. Like other gemstone names, it has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century. The pearl is the traditional birthstone for June, and it supposedly imparts health and wealth.
Pearle f English
Variant of Pearl.
Pearlie f English
Diminutive of Pearl.
Peg f English
Short form of Peggy.
Peggie f English
Variant of Peggy.
Peggy f English
Medieval variant of Meggy, a diminutive of Margaret. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.
Peigi f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Peggy.
Pelageya f Russian
Russian form of Pelagia.
Pelagia f Ancient Greek, Greek, Polish (Rare)
Feminine form of Pelagius. This was the name of a few early saints, including a young 4th-century martyr who threw herself from a rooftop in Antioch rather than lose her virginity.
Pelagiya f Russian
Russian form of Pelagia.
Pele f Polynesian Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fire who is said to live in Kilauea. She is considered the creator of the Hawaiian Islands.
Pema m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
Tibetan form of Padma.
Pembe f Turkish
Means "pink" in Turkish.
Pemphero m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means "prayer" in Chewa.
Pen f English
Short form of Penelope.
Pene f English (Rare)
Short form of Penelope.
Pénélope f French
French form of Penelope.
Penelope f Greek Mythology, English
Probably derived from Greek πηνέλοψ (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be from πήνη (pene) meaning "threads, weft" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of the wife of Odysseus, forced to fend off suitors while her husband is away fighting at Troy.... [more]
Peninnah f Biblical
Means "precious stone, pearl" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the wives of Elkanah, the other being Hannah.
Penjani m & f Southern African, Tumbuka
Means "seek for, look for" in Tumbuka.
Penka f Bulgarian
Bulgarian feminine diminutive of Petar.
Penny f English
Diminutive of Penelope.
Peony f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower. It was originally believed to have healing qualities, so it was named after the Greek medical god Pæon.
Pepca f Slovene
Slovene diminutive of Jožefa.
Pepita f Spanish
Spanish feminine diminutive of Joseph.
Pepper f & m English (Modern)
From the English word for the spice, which is prepared from the dried berries of the pepper plant. The word is derived from Latin piper, ultimately from an Indo-Aryan source. In popular culture, Pepper is the nickname of Virginia Potts from the Iron Man series of comic books and movies, created 1963.
Peppi 2 f Finnish
Usual Finnish form of Pippi Longstocking's name (see Pippi).
Perchuhi f Armenian
Means "elegant lady", from Armenian պերճ (perch) meaning "elegant, splendid" and the feminine suffix ուհի (uhi).
Perdita f Literature
Derived from Latin perditus meaning "lost". Shakespeare created this name for the daughter of Hermione and Leontes in his play The Winter's Tale (1610). Abandoned as an infant by her father the king, she grows up to be a shepherdess and falls in love with with Florizel.
Peri f Turkish
Turkish form of Pari.
Perla f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish cognate of Pearl.
Perle f French, Yiddish
French and Yiddish cognate of Pearl. It is also used as a Yiddish vernacular form of Margalit.
Perlie f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Pearl.
Perlita f Spanish
Diminutive of Perla.
Permelia f English (Archaic)
Meaning unknown, possibly an early American alteration of Pamela.
Pernilla f Swedish
Swedish short form of Petronilla.
Pernille f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian short form of Petronilla.
Peronel f English (Archaic)
Contracted form of Petronel.
Perpétua f Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese form of Perpetua.
Perpetua f Spanish, Late Roman
Derived from Latin perpetuus meaning "continuous". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint martyred with another woman named Felicity.
Perrine f French
French feminine form of Perrin, a diminutive of Pierre.
Persefoni f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Persephone.
Persephone f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, probably of Pre-Greek origin, but perhaps related to Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She was abducted to the underworld by Hades, but was eventually allowed to return to the surface for part of the year. The result of her comings and goings is the changing of the seasons. With her mother she was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at the city of Eleusis near Athens.
Persis f Biblical, Biblical Greek
Greek name meaning "Persian woman". This was the name of a woman mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament.
Pervin f Turkish
Turkish form of Parvin.
Perwîn f Kurdish
Kurdish form of Parvin.
Péťa m & f Czech
Diminutive of Petr or Petra.
Peťa m & f Czech
Diminutive of Petr or Petra.
Peta f English (Australian)
Chiefly Australian feminine form of Peter.
Petal f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower part, derived from Greek πέταλον (petalon) meaning "leaf".
Petia m & f Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Петя (see Petya).
Petra f German, Dutch, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Swedish, Finnish, English
Feminine form of Peter. This was also the name of an ancient city in the region that is now Jordan.
Petrana f Bulgarian
Diminutive of Petra.
Petrina f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Petra.
Petrona f Spanish
Possibly a feminine form of Petronius.
Petronel f English (Archaic)
Medieval English form of Petronilla.
Petronela f Romanian, Slovak
Romanian and Slovak form of Petronilla.
Petronella f Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian
Dutch, Swedish and Hungarian form of Petronilla.
Petronia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Petronius.
Petronila f Spanish
Spanish form of Petronilla.
Petronilla f Italian, Late Roman
From a Latin name, a diminutive of Petronia, the feminine form of Petronius. This was the name of an obscure 1st-century Roman saint, later believed to be a daughter of Saint Peter.
Petroula f Greek
Greek feminine form of Peter.
Petruška f Czech
Diminutive of Petra.
Petula f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown, created in the 20th century. The name is borne by the British singer Petula Clark (1932-), whose name was invented by her father.
Petunia f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, derived ultimately from a Tupi (South American) word.
Petya m & f Russian, Bulgarian
Russian masculine diminutive of Pyotr or Bulgarian feminine diminutive of Petar.
Peyton f & m English
From an English surname, originally a place name meaning "Pæga's town". This was a rare masculine name until the 1990s. In 1992 it was used for a female character in the movie The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and, despite the fact that it was borne by the villain, the name began to rise in popularity for girls as well as boys.... [more]
Phaedra f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Φαίδρα (Phaidra), derived from φαιδρός (phaidros) meaning "bright". Phaedra was the daughter of Minos and the wife of Theseus in Greek mythology. Aphrodite caused her to fall in love with her stepson Hippolytos, and after she was rejected by him she killed herself.
Phaenna f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek φαεινός (phaeinos) meaning "shining". According to some Greek myths this was the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).
Pharaildis f Germanic (Latinized)
Derived from the Old German elements fara "journey" and hilt "battle". This was the name of an 8th-century saint from Ghent, Belgium.
Phebe f English, Biblical
Variant of Phoebe used in some translations of the New Testament.
Pheme f Greek Mythology
Means "rumour, reputation" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the personification of fame and rumours.
Pheobe f English
Variant of Phoebe.
Pherenike f Ancient Greek
Ancient Attic Greek form of Berenice.
Philadelphia f English (Rare)
From the name of a city in Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation in the New Testament. The name of the city meant "brotherly love" from Greek φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love" and ἀδελφός (adelphos) meaning "brother". It is also the name of a city in the United States.
Phile f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Philon (see Philo).
Philipa f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Philip.
Philippa f English (British), German
Latinate feminine form of Philip. As an English name, it is chiefly British.
Philippina f German (Rare)
Elaborated form of Philippa.
Philippine f French
Elaborated feminine form of Philippe.
Phillipa f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Philip.
Phillis f English
Variant of Phyllis.
Philomel f Literature
From an English word meaning "nightingale" (ultimately from Philomela). It has been used frequently in poetry to denote the bird.
Philomela f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Φιλομήλη (Philomele), derived from φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and μῆλον (melon) meaning "fruit". The second element has also been interpreted as Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song". In Greek myth Philomela was the sister-in-law of Tereus, who raped her and cut out her tongue. Prokne avenged her sister by killing her son by Tereus, after which Tereus attempted to kill Philomela. However, the gods intervened and transformed her into a nightingale.
Philomena f English, German, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From Greek Φιλουμένη (Philoumene) meaning "to be loved", an inflection of φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love". This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr. The name came to public attention in 1802 after a tomb seemingly marked with the name Filumena was found in Rome, supposedly belonging to another martyr named Philomena. This may have in fact been a representation of the Greek word φιλουμένη, not a name.
Philomène f French
French form of Philomena.
Philophrosyne f Greek Mythology
Means "friendliness, kindliness" in Greek, a derivative of φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and φρήν (phren) meaning "mind, heart". In Greek mythology this was the name of the personification of welcome and friendliness.
Philoumene f Ancient Greek
Original Greek form of Philomena.
Phoebe f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.... [more]
Phoenix m & f English (Modern)
From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοῖνιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".
Photine f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)). This is the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (see John 4:7). She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Church.
Phúc m & f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (phúc) meaning "happiness, good fortune, blessing".
Phuntso m & f Bhutanese
Bhutanese form of Phuntsok.
Phuntsok m & f Tibetan
Means "abundant, excellent" in Tibetan.
Phương f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (phương) meaning "direction, way".
Phượng f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (phượng) meaning "phoenix". This refers to the mythological creature known as the Chinese phoenix or the Fenghuang.
Phuong f & m Khmer
Means "garland, bouquet (of flowers)" in Khmer.
Phyliss f English
Variant of Phyllis.
Phyllida f English (Rare)
From Φυλλίδος (Phyllidos), the genitive form of Phyllis. This form was used in 17th-century pastoral poetry.
Phyllis f Greek Mythology, English
Means "foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with Felicia.
Pía f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Pius.
Pich f & m Khmer
Means "diamond" in Khmer.
Piedad f Spanish
Means "mercy, piety" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin pietas.
Pien f Dutch
Diminutive of Josephine.
Piera f Italian
Italian feminine form of Peter.
Pierina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Piero.
Pierrette f French
Feminine diminutive of Pierre.
Pietra f Italian
Italian feminine form of Peter.
Pietrina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Pietro.
Piety f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "piety, devoutness". This was a rare virtue name used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Pihla f Finnish
Derived from Finnish pihlaja meaning "rowan tree".
Piia f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Pia.
Pika 2 f Slovene
Means "dot" in Slovene. This is the Slovene name for Pippi Longstocking, Pika Nogavička.
Pilar f Spanish
Means "pillar" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, María del Pilar, meaning "Mary of the Pillar". According to legend, when Saint James the Greater was in Saragossa in Spain, the Virgin Mary appeared on a pillar.
Pili 1 f Spanish
Diminutive of Pilar.
Pili 2 f Eastern African, Swahili
Means "second (child)" in Swahili.
Pilirani m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means "persevere, endure" in Chewa.
Pille f Estonian
Possibly an 18th-century Estonian derivative of the German name Sibylle.
Piloqutinnguaq f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "little leaf" in Greenlandic, from piloqut "leaf" and the diminutive suffix -nnguaq.
Pilvi f Finnish, Estonian
Means "cloud" in Finnish and Estonian.
Pina f Italian
Short form of names ending in pina.
Pınar f Turkish
Means "spring" in Turkish.
Pinelopi f Greek
Modern Greek form of Penelope.
Ping m & f Chinese
From Chinese (píng) meaning "level, even, peaceful". Other characters can also form this name.
Pinja f Finnish
Means "stone pine" in Finnish.
Pip m & f English
Diminutive of Philip or Philippa. This was the name of the main character in Great Expectations (1860) by Charles Dickens.
Pipaluk f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "sweet little thing who belongs to me" in Greenlandic.
Piper f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute). It was popularized as a given name by a character from the television series Charmed, which debuted in 1998.
Pippa f English
Diminutive of Philippa.
Pippi f Literature
Created by the daughter of Swedish author Astrid Lindgren for the main character in her mother's Pippi Longstocking series of stories, first published 1945. In the books Pippi (Swedish name Pippi Långstrump; full first name Pippilotta) is a brash and exceptionally strong young girl who lives in a house by herself.
Pipra f Esperanto
From Esperanto pipro meaning "pepper".
Piret f Estonian
Estonian form of Birgitta.
Piri f Hungarian
Diminutive of Piroska.
Piritta f Finnish
Finnish form of Birgitta.
Pirjo f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Piritta.