Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the gender is feminine; and the usage is American.
gender
usage
Coby m & f English
Masculine or feminine diminutive of Jacob.
Codie m & f English (Modern)
Variant or feminine form of Cody.
Coleen f English
Variant of Colleen.
Colleen f English
Derived 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 English
From 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.
Collyn f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Colleen or Colin 2.
Columbine f English (Rare)
From the name of a variety of flower. It is also an English form of Colombina, the pantomime character.
Connie f & m English
Diminutive of Constance and other names beginning with Con. It is occasionally a masculine name, a diminutive of Cornelius or Conrad.
Constance f English, French
Medieval form of Constantia. The Normans introduced this name to England (it was the name of a daughter of William the Conqueror).
Cora f English, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Kore. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel The Last of the Mohicans (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of Cordula, Corinna and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Coral f English, Spanish
From the English and Spanish word coral for the underwater skeletal deposits that can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κοράλλιον (korallion).
Cordelia f Literature, English
From Cordeilla, a name appearing in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth, borne by the youngest of the three daughters of King Leir and the only one to remain loyal to her father. Geoffrey possibly based her name on that of Creiddylad, a character from Welsh legend.... [more]
Coretta f English
Diminutive of Cora. It was borne by Coretta Scott King (1927-2006), the wife of Martin Luther King Jr.
Cori f English
Feminine form of Corey.
Coriander f English (Rare)
From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
Corie f English
Variant of Corrie.
Corina f Romanian, Spanish, English, German
Romanian and Spanish form of Corinna, as well as an English and German variant.
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.
Corinne f French, English
French form of Corinna. The French-Swiss author Madame de Staël used it for her novel Corinne (1807).
Cornelia f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cornelius. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
Corrie f English, Dutch
Diminutive of Corinna, Cora, Cornelia and other names starting with Cor. Since the 1970s it has also been used as a feminine form of Corey.
Corrina f English
Variant of Corinna.
Corrine f English
Variant of Corinne.
Cortney f & m English
Variant of Courtney.
Courteney f English
Variant of Courtney. A famous bearer is actress Courteney Cox (1964-).
Courtney f & m English
From an aristocratic English surname that was derived either from the French place name Courtenay (originally a derivative of the personal name Curtenus, itself derived from Latin curtus "short") or else from a Norman nickname meaning "short nose".... [more]
Cree m & f English (Rare)
From the name of a Native American tribe of central Canada. Their name derives via French from the Cree word kiristino.
Crystal f English
From the English word crystal for the clear, colourless glass, sometimes cut into the shape of a gemstone. The English word derives ultimately from Greek κρύσταλλος (krystallos) meaning "ice". It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.
Cyan f & m English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "greenish blue, cyan", ultimately derived from Greek κύανος (kyanos).
Cybill f English (Rare)
Variant of Sibyl. This name was borne by actress Cybill Shepherd (1950-), who was named after her grandfather Cy and her father Bill.
Cyndi f English
Short form of Cynthia.
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.
Cyrilla f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Cyril.
Daffodil f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, ultimately derived from Dutch de affodil meaning "the asphodel".
Dahlia f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which was named for the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.
Daisy f English
Simply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.... [more]
Dakota m & f English (Modern)
From the name of the Native American people of the northern Mississippi Valley, or from the two American states that were named for them: North and South Dakota (until 1889 unified as the Dakota Territory). The tribal name means "allies, friends" in the Dakota language.... [more]
Dale m & f English
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who lived near a dale or valley.
Daley f & m English (Rare), Dutch (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Dálaigh, itself derived from the given name Dálach. Its recent popularity in the Netherlands can be attributed to the Dutch soccer player Daley Blind (1990-).
Daleyza f American (Hispanic, Modern)
Meaning uncertain, perhaps an elaboration of Dalia 1. This name was used by Mexican-American musician Larry Hernandez for his daughter born 2010.
Dallas m & f English
From a surname that could either be of Old English origin meaning "valley house" or of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "meadow dwelling". A city in Texas bears this name, probably in honour of American Vice President George M. Dallas (1792-1864).
Daly f & m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Daley.
Dana 2 m & f English
From a surname that is of unknown origin. It was originally given in honour of American lawyer Richard Henry Dana Jr. (1815-1882), the author of the memoir Two Years Before the Mast.
Danette f English
Feminine diminutive of Daniel.
Dani 1 f English
Diminutive of Danielle.
Danica f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Slovak, Macedonian, English
From a Slavic word meaning "morning star, Venus". This name occurs in Slavic folklore as a personification of the morning star. It has sometimes been used in the English-speaking world since the 1970s.
Daniella f English, Hungarian
Feminine form of Daniel.
Danielle f French, English
French feminine form of Daniel. It has been commonly used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.
Danita f English
Feminine diminutive of Daniel.
Danna f English
Feminine form of Daniel or Dan 1.
Danni f & m English, Danish
Diminutive of Danielle (English) or Daniel (Danish).
Dannie m & f English
Diminutive of Daniel or Danielle.
Daphne f Greek Mythology, English, Dutch
Means "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.
Darby m & f English
From an English surname, which was derived from the name of the town of Derby, meaning "deer town" in Old Norse.
Darcey f English
Feminine variant of Darcy.
Darcie f English
Feminine variant of Darcy.
D'Arcy f & m English
Variant of Darcy.
Darcy f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French d'Arcy, originally denoting one who came from the town of Arcy in La Manche, France. This is the surname of a character, Fitzwilliam Darcy, in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice (1813).
Daria f Italian, Polish, Romanian, English, Croatian, Russian, Late Roman
Feminine form of Darius. Saint Daria was a 3rd-century woman who was martyred with her husband Chrysanthus under the Roman emperor Numerian. It has never been a particularly common English given name. As a Russian name, it is more commonly transcribed Darya.
Darian m & f English
Probably an elaborated form of Darren.
Darla f English
Variant of Darlene using the suffix la.
Darleen f English
Variant of Darlene.
Darlene f English
From the English word darling combined with the common name suffix lene. This name has been in use since the beginning of the 20th century.
Davida f English (Rare)
Feminine form of David.
Davina f English
Feminine form of David. It originated in Scotland.
Davinia f English (Rare), Spanish (Modern)
Probably an elaboration of Davina. About 1980 this name jumped in popularity in Spain, possibly due to the main character on the British television series The Foundation (1977-1979), which was broadcast in Spain as La Fundación.
Dawn f English
From the English word dawn, ultimately derived from Old English dagung.
Dayna f English
Feminine variant of Dana 2.
Deana f English
Variant of Deanna.
Deanna f English
Either a variant of Diana or a feminine form of Dean. This name was popularized by the Canadian actress and singer Deanna Durbin (1921-2013), whose birth name was Edna. Her stage name was a rearrangement of the letters of her real name.
Deanne f English
Variant of Deanna.
Deb f English
Short form of Deborah.
Debbi f English
Diminutive of Deborah.
Debbie f English
Diminutive of Deborah.
Debby f English
Diminutive of Deborah.
Debi f English
Diminutive of Deborah.
Deborah f English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name דְּבוֹרָה (Devorah) meaning "bee". In the Old Testament Book of Judges, Deborah is a heroine and prophetess who leads the Israelites when they are threatened by the Canaanites. She forms an army under the command of Barak, and together they destroy the army of the Canaanite commander Sisera. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of the nurse of Rebecca.... [more]
Debra f English
Variant of Deborah.
Dee f & m English
Short form of names beginning with D. It may also be given in reference to the Dee River in Scotland.
Deeann f English
Variant of Deanna.
Deedee f English
Originally a nickname, typically for names beginning with D. It can be spelled Deedee, DeeDee or Dee Dee.
Deena f English
Variant of Deanna.
Deidra f English
Variant of Deirdre.
Deidre f English
Variant of Deirdre.
Deirdre f English, Irish, Irish Mythology
From 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]
Deja f African American (Modern)
Means "already" from the French phrase déjà vu meaning "already seen". It received a popularity boost in 1995 when a character named Deja appeared in the movie Higher Learning.
Delaney f English (Modern)
From a surname: either the English surname Delaney 1 or the Irish surname Delaney 2.
Delia 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Greek Mythology
Means "of Delos" in Greek. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis, given because she and her twin brother Apollo were born on the island of Delos. The name appeared in several poems of the 16th and 17th centuries, and it has occasionally been used as a given name since that time.
Delia 2 f English
Short form of Adelia or Bedelia.
Delicia f English (Rare)
Either from Latin deliciae "delight, pleasure" or a variant of the English word delicious. It has been used since the 17th century (rarely).
Delight f English (Rare)
Means simply "delight, happiness" from the English word.
Delilah f Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, English
Means "delicate, weak, languishing" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament she is the lover of Samson, whom she betrays to the Philistines by cutting his hair, which is the source of his power. Despite her character flaws, the name began to be used by the Puritans in the 17th century. It has been used occasionally in the English-speaking world since that time.
Dell m & f English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived in a dell or valley.
Della f English
Diminutive of Adela or Adelaide. A famous bearer was American actress and singer Della Reese (1931-2017).
Delma f English
Possibly a short form of Adelma.
Delora f English
Altered form of Dolores.
Delores f English
Variant of Dolores.
Deloris f English
Variant of Dolores.
Delphia f English
Possibly from the name of the Greek city of Delphi, the site of an oracle of Apollo, which is possibly related to Greek δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". It was used in the play The Prophetess (1647), in which it belongs to the title prophetess.
Delta f English
From the name of the fourth letter in the Greek alphabet, Δ. It is also the name for an island formed at the mouth of a river.
Demi f Greek, English (Modern)
Alternate transcription of Greek Δήμη or Ντίμι or Ντίμη (see Dimi), as well as a short form of Demetria. A famous bearer is American actress Demi Moore (1962-), and it is because of her that the name rose in popularity in the United States in the late 1980s. Though some sources claim Moore's birth name is Demetria, the actress herself has said she was born as Demi and named after a makeup product. The name received a further boost after 2008 with the release of the debut album by the singer Demi Lovato (1992-), who pronounces the name differently than the older actress. Lovato's birth name is Demetria.
Dena f English
Possibly a short form of names ending with dena. It has also been used as a variant of Deanna.
Dene m & f English (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Dean or Dena.
Denice f English
Variant of Denise.
Denise f French, English, Dutch
French feminine form of Denis.
Derby m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was a variant of Darby.
Desi m & f English
Diminutive of Desmond, Desiree and other names beginning with a similar sound. In the case of musician and actor Desi Arnaz (1917-1986) it was a diminutive of Desiderio.
Desiree f English
English form of Désirée. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the movie Désirée (1954).
Destiny f English
Means simply "destiny, fate" from the English word, ultimately from Latin destinare "to determine", a derivative of stare "to stand". It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world only since the last half of the 20th century.
Detta f English (Rare)
Short form of names that end in detta.
Devan m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Devin.
Devin m & f English
From a surname, either the Irish surname Devin 1 or the English surname Devin 2.
Devon m & f English
Variant of Devin. It may also be partly inspired by the name of the county of Devon in England, which got its name from the Dumnonii, a Celtic tribe.
Devyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Devin.
Dezi m & f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Desmond and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Di f English
Short form of Diana.
Diamond f English (Rare), African American (Modern)
From the English word diamond for the clear colourless precious stone, the traditional birthstone of April. It is derived from Late Latin diamas, from Latin adamas, which is of Greek origin meaning "unconquerable, unbreakable".
Diana f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman Mythology
Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.... [more]
Diane f French, English
French form of Diana, also regularly used in the English-speaking world.
Diann f English
Variant of Diane.
Dianna f English
Variant of Diana.
Dianne f English
Variant of Diane.
Diantha f Dutch (Rare), English (Rare)
From dianthus, the name of a type of flower (ultimately from Greek meaning "heavenly flower").
Dina 2 f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English
Short form of names ending in dina, such as Bernardina or Ondina. As an English name, this can also be a variant of Deanna.
Dinah f Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, English
Means "judged" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament, Dinah was a daughter of Jacob and Leah who was abducted by Shechem. It has been used as an English given name since after the Protestant Reformation.
Dione 2 f English
Feminine form of Dion.
Dionne f English
Feminine form of Dion.
Dior f & m English (Modern)
From a French surname, possibly from doré meaning "golden". As a given name it has been inspired by the French luxury fashion house Dior, founded by the designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).
Dixie f English
From the term that refers to the southern United States, used by Daniel D. Emmett in his song Dixie in 1859. The term may be derived from French dix "ten", which was printed on ten-dollar bills issued from a New Orleans bank. Alternatively it may come from the term Mason-Dixon Line, the boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Docia f English (Archaic)
Possibly a diminutive of Theodosia.
Dodie f English
Diminutive of Dorothy.
Dollie f English
Variant of Dolly.
Dolly f English
Diminutive of Dorothy. Doll and Dolly were used from the 16th century, and the common English word doll (for the plaything) is derived from them. In modern times this name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Dolores.
Dolores f Spanish, English
Means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
Dona f English
Variant of Donna.
Donelle f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Don.
Donna f English
From Italian donna meaning "lady". It is also used as a feminine form of Donald.
Dorean f English
Variant of Doreen.
Doreen f English
Combination of Dora and the name suffix een. The name was (first?) used by novelist Edna Lyall in her novel Doreen (1894).
Doretta f English, Italian
Diminutive of Dora.
Doria f English (Rare)
Possibly a feminine form of Dorian or an elaboration of Dora.
Dorinda f English, Galician
Combination of Dora and the name suffix inda. It was apparently coined by the English writers John Dryden and William D'Avenant for their play The Enchanted Island (1667). In the play, a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest, Dorinda is the sister of Miranda.
Dorine f English
Variant of Doreen.
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
From 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).
Dorothea f German, Dutch, English, Late Greek
Feminine form of the Late Greek name Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant "gift of god" from Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
Dorothy f English
Usual English form of Dorothea. It has been in use since the 16th century. The author L. Frank Baum used it for the central character, Dorothy Gale, in his fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and several of its sequels.
Dorris f English
Variant of Doris.
Dortha f English
Variant of Dorothy.
Dorthy f English
Variant of Dorothy.
Dory f English
Diminutive of Dorothy or Doris. This is the name of a fish in the animated film Finding Nemo (2003).
Dot f English
Diminutive of Dorothy.
Dottie f English
Diminutive of Dorothy.
Dotty f English
Diminutive of Dorothy.
Dove f English
From the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.
Drea f English
Short form of Andrea 2.
Dream f English (Modern)
From the English word dream referring to imaginary events seen in the mind while sleeping or a hope or wish.
Duana f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Duane.
Dulcibella f English (Archaic)
From Latin dulcis "sweet" and bella "beautiful". The usual medieval spelling of this name was Dowsabel, and the Latinized form Dulcibella was revived in the 18th century.
Dulcie f English
From Latin dulcis meaning "sweet". It was used in the Middle Ages in the spellings Dowse and Duce, and was recoined in the 19th century.
Dusty m & f English
From a nickname originally given to people perceived as being dusty. It is also used a diminutive of Dustin. A famous bearer was British singer Dusty Springfield (1939-1999), who acquired her nickname as a child.
Dyan f English
Variant of Diane.
Earleen f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Earl.
Earlene f English
Feminine form of Earl.
Earline f English
Feminine form of Earl.
Eartha f English
Combination of the English word earth with the feminine name suffix a. It has been used in honour of African-American philanthropist Eartha M. M. White (1876-1974). Another famous bearer was American singer and actress Eartha Kitt (1927-2008).
Easter f English
From the English name of the Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. It was ultimately named for the Germanic spring goddess Eostre. It was traditionally given to children born on Easter, though it is rare in modern times.
Ebba 2 f English (Rare)
From the Old English name Æbbe, meaning unknown, perhaps a contracted form of a longer name. Saint Ebba was a 7th-century daughter of King Æthelfrith of Bernicia and the founder of monasteries in Scotland. Another saint named Ebba was a 9th-century abbess and martyr who mutilated her own face so that she would not be raped by the invading Danes.
Ebony f African American
From the English word ebony for the black wood that comes from the ebony tree. It is ultimately from the Egyptian word hbnj. In America this name is most often used in the black community.
Eddie m & f English
Diminutive of Edward, Edmund and other names beginning with Ed.
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern)
Possibly from Hebrew עֵדֶן ('eden) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian 𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Edie f English
Diminutive of Edith.
Edith f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
From the Old English name Eadgyð, derived from the elements ead "wealth, fortune" and guð "battle". It was popular among Anglo-Saxon royalty, being borne for example by Saint Eadgyeth;, the daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. It was also borne by the Anglo-Saxon wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. The name remained common after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 15th century, but was revived in the 19th century.
Editha f German, English (Rare)
Latinate form of Edith.
Edna f English, Biblical
Means "pleasure" in Hebrew. This name appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha, for instance in the Book of Tobit belonging to the wife of Raguel. It was borne by the American poet Edna Dean Proctor (1829-1923). It did not become popular until the second half of the 19th century, after it was used for the heroine in the successful 1866 novel St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans. It peaked around the turn of the century and has declined steadily since then, falling off the American top 1000 list in 1992.
Edwina f English
Feminine form of Edwin.
Edytha f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Edith.
Edythe f English
Variant of Edith.
Effie f English, Scottish
Diminutive of Euphemia. In Scotland it has been used as an Anglicized form of Oighrig.
Eglantine f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It is derived via Old French from Vulgar Latin *aquilentum meaning "prickly". It was early used as a given name (in the form Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story The Prioress's Tale (one of The Canterbury Tales).
Egypt f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the North African country, which derives from Greek Αἴγυπτος (Aigyptos), itself probably from Egyptian ḥwt-kꜣ-ptḥ meaning "the house of the soul of Ptah", the name of the temple to the god Ptah in Memphis.
Eileen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Eibhlín. It is also sometimes considered an Irish form of Helen. It first became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland near the end of the 19th century.
Elaina f English
Variant of Elaine.
Elaine f English, Arthurian Romance
From an Old French form of Helen. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation Le Morte d'Arthur Elaine was the daughter of Pelles, the lover of Lancelot, and the mother of Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian epic Idylls of the King (1859).
Elea f English
Short form of Eleanor. This was also the name of an ancient Italian town (modern Velia) that is well known for being the home of the philosopher Parmenides and his student Zeno of Elea, who was famous for his paradoxes.
Eleanor f English
From the Old French form of the Occitan name Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase alia Aenor "the other Aenor" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.... [more]
Eleanora f English
Latinate form of Eleanor.
Eleanore f English
Variant of Eleanor.
Elena f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Lithuanian, Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Greek, German, English, Medieval Slavic
Form of Helen used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Елена (see Yelena).
Elenora f English
Variant of Eleanor.
Elfleda f English (Archaic)
Middle English form of both the Old English names Æðelflæd and Ælfflæd. These names became rare after the Norman Conquest, but Elfleda was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Elfreda f English
Middle English form of the Old English name Ælfþryð meaning "elf strength", derived from the element ælf "elf" combined with þryþ "strength". Ælfþryð was common amongst Anglo-Saxon nobility, being borne for example by the mother of King Æðelræd the Unready. This name was rare after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Elfrieda f English
Variant of Elfreda.
Eliana 1 f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English (Modern)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Éliane.
Elinor f English
Variant of Eleanor.
Elisabeth f German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
German and Dutch form of Elizabeth. It is also a variant English form, reflecting the spelling used in the Authorized Version of the New Testament.
Elissa 2 f English
Variant of Elisa.
Eliza f English, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Hungarian, Georgian
Short form of Elizabeth. It was borne by the character Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion (1913) and the subsequent musical adaptation My Fair Lady (1956).
Elizabeth f English, Biblical
From Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע ('Elisheva') meaning "my God is an oath", derived from the roots אֵל ('el) referring to the Hebrew God and שָׁבַע (shava') meaning "oath". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist.... [more]
Ella 1 f English
Norman name, originally a short form of Germanic names containing the element alles meaning "other" (Proto-Germanic *aljaz). It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).
Ella 2 f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. It can also be a short form of names ending in ella.
Elle f English (Modern)
Diminutive of Eleanor and other names beginning with El. This name can also be given in reference to the French pronoun elle meaning "she".... [more]
Ellen 1 f English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Estonian
Medieval English form of Helen. This was the usual spelling of the name until the 19th century, when the form Helen also became common.
Ellery m & f English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the medieval masculine name Hilary.
Ellie f English
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. This name became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, being ranked second for girls in 2003.
Ellington f & m English (Rare)
Derived from the English surname Ellington.
Ellis m & f English, Welsh
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Elis, a medieval vernacular form of Elias. This name has also functioned as an Anglicized form of Welsh Elisedd.
Elly f English, Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth or an English variant of Ellie.
Elma f Dutch, English, German (Rare)
Short form of Wilhelmine or names ending in elma, such as Anselma. It has also been recorded as a combination of Elizabeth and Mary, as in the case of the 19th-century daughter of the Earl of Elgin, who was named using her mother's first and middle names.
Elnora f English
Contracted form of Eleanora.
Elodie f English
English form of Élodie.
Eloise f English
From the Old French name Héloïse, which was probably from the Germanic name Helewidis, composed of the elements heil meaning "healthy, whole" and wit meaning "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" or the name Louise, though there is no etymological connection. This name was borne by the 12th-century French scholar and philosopher Héloïse. Secretly marrying the theologian Peter Abelard at a young age, she became a nun (and eventually an abbess) after Abelard was violently castrated by order of her uncle Fulbert.... [more]
Elora f Popular Culture, English (Modern)
Probably an invented name. This is the name of an infant girl in the fantasy movie Willow (1988). Since the release of the movie the name has been steadily used, finally breaking into the top 1000 in the United States in 2015.
Elouise f English
Variant of Eloise.
Elsa f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Finnish, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English
Short form of Elisabeth, typically used independently. Elsa von Brabant is the lover of Lohengrin in medieval German tales, and her story was expanded by Richard Wagner for his opera Lohengrin (1850). The name had a little spike in popularity after the 2013 release of the animated Disney movie Frozen, which featured a magical princess by this name.
Elsie f English, Swedish
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Elvina f English
Variant of Alvina.
Elyse f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth. It was popularized in the early 1980s by a character from the television comedy Family Ties.
Em f English
Short form of Emily or Emma.
Ember f English (Modern)
From the English word ember, ultimately from Old English æmerge.
Emberly f English (Modern)
Elaboration of Ember, influenced by the spelling of Kimberly.
Emelia f English
Variant of Amelia.
Emerald f English (Modern)
From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek σμάραγδος (smaragdos).
Emerson m & f English
From 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.
Emersyn f English
Feminine variant of Emerson.
Emery m & f English
Norman French form of Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.
Emilia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Finnish, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Greek, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily). In Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603) this is the name of the wife of Iago.
Emily f English
English feminine form of Aemilius (see Emil). In the English-speaking world it was not common until after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century; the princess Amelia Sophia (1711-1786) was commonly known as Emily in English, even though Amelia is an unrelated name.... [more]
Emma f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Latvian, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning "whole" or "great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.... [more]
Emmalyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Emmeline, or else a combination of Emma and the fashionable name suffix lyn.
Emmeline f English
From Old French Emeline, a diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element amal meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave". The Normans introduced this name to England.
Emmie f English
Diminutive of Emma or Emily.
Emmy f English, French, Swedish, Dutch, German
Diminutive of Emma or Emily.
Emmylou f English (Rare)
Combination of Emmy and Lou.
Emory m & f English
Variant of Emery.
Enid f Welsh, English, Arthurian Romance
Probably derived from Welsh enaid meaning "soul, spirit, life". In Arthurian tales she first appears in the 12th-century French poem Erec and Enide by Chrétien de Troyes, where she is the wife of Erec. In later adaptations she is typically the wife of Geraint. The name became more commonly used after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian poem Enid in 1859, and it was fairly popular in Britain in the first half of the 20th century.
Enola f English
Meaning unknown. This name first appeared in the late 19th century. It is the name of the main character in the novel Enola; or, her Fatal Mistake (1886) by Mary Young Ridenbaugh. The aircraft that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was named Enola Gay after the mother of the pilot, who was herself named for the book character.
Epiphany f English (Rare)
From the name of the Christian festival (January 6) that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. It is also an English word meaning "sudden appearance" or "sudden perception", ultimately deriving from Greek ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia) meaning "manifestation".
Erica f English, Swedish, Italian
Feminine form of Eric. It was first used in the 18th century. It also coincides with the Latin word for "heather".
Ericka f English
Variant of Erica.
Erika f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, English, Italian
Feminine form of Erik. It also coincides with the word for "heather" in some languages.
Erin f English, Irish
Anglicized form of Éireann. It was initially used by people of Irish heritage in America, Canada and Australia. It was rare until the mid-1950s.
Erma f English
Variant of Irma. It began to be used in the English-speaking world in the 19th century, along with Irma.
Ermintrude f English (Archaic)
English form of Ermendrud. It was occasionally used until the 19th century.
Ernestine f French, German, English
Feminine form of Ernest.
Esmae f English (Modern)
Feminine form of Esmé.
Esmeralda f Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian, Literature
Means "emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Gypsy girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.
Essence f English (Modern)
From the English word essence, which means either "odour, scent" or else "fundamental quality". Ultimately it derives from Latin esse "to be".
Essie f English
Diminutive of Estelle or Esther.
Esta f English
Diminutive of Esther.
Estella f English
Latinate form of Estelle. This was the name of the heroine, Estella Havisham, in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).
Estelle f English, French
From an Old French name meaning "star", ultimately derived from Latin stella. It was rare in the English-speaking world in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due to the character Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).
Esther f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly means "star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was Hadassah.... [more]
Ethel f English
Short 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).
Ethelinda f English (Archaic)
English form of the Germanic name Adallinda. The name was very rare in medieval times, but it was revived in the early 19th century.
Ethelyn f English
Diminutive of Ethel.