Browse Names

gender
usage
Lhamo f & m Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "goddess" in Tibetan.
Li 1 f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "reason, logic", () meaning "stand, establish", () meaning "black, dawn", () meaning "power, capability, influence" (which is usually only masculine) or () meaning "beautiful" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.
Li 2 f & m Hebrew
Means "to me" in Hebrew.
Lilian f & m English, French, Romanian
English variant of Lillian, as well as a French and Romanian masculine form.
Lindsay f & m English
From an English and Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of the eastern English region of Lindsey, which means "Lincoln island" in Old English. As a given name it was typically masculine until the 1960s (in Britain) and 70s (in America) when it became popular for girls, probably due to its similarity to Linda and because of American actress Lindsay Wagner (1949-).
Lindsey f & m English
Variant of Lindsay.
Ling f & m Chinese
From Chinese (líng) meaning "spirit, soul", (líng) meaning "bell, chime", or other Chinese characters that are pronounced similarly.
Linh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (linh) meaning "spirit, soul".
Lishan f & m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "award" in Amharic.
London f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of the United Kingdom, the meaning of which is uncertain. As a surname it was borne by the American author Jack London (1876-1916).
Loreto f & m Spanish, Italian
From the name of a town in Italy, originally called Lauretum in Latin, meaning "laurel grove". Supposedly in the 13th century the house of the Virgin Mary was miraculously carried by angels from Nazareth to the town. In Spain it is a feminine name, from the Marian title Nuestra Señora de Loreto, while in Italy it is mostly masculine.
Lou f & m English, French
Short form of Louise or Louis. Famous bearers include the baseball player Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) and the musician Lou Reed (1942-2013).
Lucero f & m Spanish (Mexican), Spanish (Latin American)
Means "light source, bright star, morning star" in Spanish, a derivative of luz "light". Occasionally it is used as a diminutive of the name Luz. It is most common in Mexico and Colombia.
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Lungile f & m Southern African, Zulu, Ndebele
Means "correct, right, good" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Lupe f & m Spanish
Short form of Guadalupe.
Lux f & m Various
Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".
Lynn f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of Linda or names that end in lyn or line.
Lyric f & m English (Modern)
Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).
Maacah f & m Biblical
From Hebrew מָעַך (ma'akh) meaning "to press, to crush". This name is borne by both male and female characters in the Old Testament.
Maachah f & m Biblical
Form of Maacah in some versions of the Old Testament.
Ma'akhah f & m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Maacah.
Maayan f & m Hebrew
Means "spring of water" in Hebrew.
Machlah f & m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Mahlah.
Mackenzie f & m English
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.
Madhu f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu
From Sanskrit मधु (madhu) meaning "sweet, honey". This is another name of Chaitra, the first month of the Hindu year (which occurs in March and April).
Madison f & m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Maud". It was not commonly used as a feminine name until after the movie Splash (1984), in which the main character adopted it as her name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York City. It was ranked second for girls in the United States by 2001. This rise from obscurity to prominence in only 18 years represents an unprecedented 550,000 percent increase in usage.... [more]
Mahlah f & m Biblical
From the Hebrew name מַחְלָה (Machlah), possibly from חָלָה (chalah) meaning "weak, sick". This name is used in the Old Testament as both a feminine and masculine name. In some versions of the Bible the masculine name is spelled Mahalah.
Makena f & m Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means "happy one" in Kikuyu.
Malak f & m Arabic
Means "angel" in Arabic.
Manaia f & m Maori
From the name of a stylized design common in Maori carvings. It represents a mythological creature with the head of a bird and the body of a human.
Manpreet f & m Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and प्रीति (priti) meaning "pleasure, joy, love".
Maram f & m Arabic
Means "wish, desire" in Arabic.
Marama f & m Maori, Polynesian Mythology
Means "moon" in Maori. This is the name of a moon god (or goddess) in Maori mythology.
María f & m Spanish, Galician, Icelandic
Spanish, Galician and Icelandic form of Maria.... [more]
Maria f & m Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.... [more]
Marie f & m French, Czech, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Albanian
French and Czech form of Maria. It has been very common in France since the 13th century. At the opening of the 20th century it was given to approximately 20 percent of French girls. This percentage has declined steadily over the course of the century, and it dropped from the top rank in 1958.... [more]
Marley f & m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was taken from a place name meaning either "pleasant wood", "boundary wood" or "marten wood" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the Jamaican musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).
Marlowe f & m English (Modern)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "remnants of a lake" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593).
Marlyn f & m English
Variant of Marilyn (feminine) or Marlin (masculine).
Masami f & m Japanese
From Japanese (masa) meaning "become" or (masa) meaning "right, proper" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji.
Mattie f & m English
Diminutive of Matilda or Matthew.
McKinley f & m English
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Fhionnlaigh, from the given name Fionnlagh. A famous bearer of the surname was the American president William McKinley (1843-1901).... [more]
Mega f & m Indonesian
Means "cloud" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit मेघ (megha).
Merle f & m English, Estonian
Variant of Merrill or Muriel. The spelling has been influenced by the word merle meaning "blackbird" (via French, from Latin merula). This name is also common in Estonia, though a connection to the English-language name is uncertain.
Metztli f & m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "moon" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec god (or goddess) of the moon.
Mies f & m Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Maria or Bartholomeus.
Miigwan f & m Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "feather" in Ojibwe.
Mille f & m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Danish and Norwegian short form of Emilie (feminine) and Swedish short form of Emil (masculine).
Minenhle f & m Southern African, Zulu
From Zulu imini "day" and hle "beautiful".
Mo f & m English
Short form of Maureen, Maurice, Morris and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Moana f & m Maori, Hawaiian, Tahitian, Samoan, Tongan
Means "ocean, wide expanse of water, deep sea" in Maori, Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages.
Monet f & m Various
From a French surname that was derived from either Hamon or Edmond. This was the surname of the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
Montana f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the American state, which is derived from Latin montanus "mountainous".
Mor f & m Hebrew
Means "myrrh" in Hebrew.
Moran f & m Hebrew
Means "viburnum shrub" in Hebrew.
Mosi f & m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "first (child)" in Swahili.
Mudiwa f & m Southern African, Shona
Means "beloved, darling" in Shona.
Mwayi f & m Southern African, Chewa
Means "opportunity" in Chewa.
Mwenya f & m Southern African, Chewa
From the Chewa word for a type of flowering tree (species Breonadia salicina).
Nālani f & m Hawaiian
Means "the heavens" or "the chiefs" from Hawaiian , a definite article, and lani "heaven, sky, chief".
Nao f & m Japanese
From Japanese (nao) meaning "straight, direct" or from a combination of (na), a phonetic character, and (o) meaning "center". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Naomi 2 f & m Japanese
From Japanese (nao) meaning "straight, direct" and (mi) meaning "beautiful" (usually feminine) or (mi) meaning "self" (usually masculine). Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Navy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "sea force, fleet, armed forces of the sea". It is derived from Old French navie, from Latin navigia, the plural of navigium "boat, vessel". It also refers to a shade of dark blue, a colour traditionally associated with naval uniforms.
Nazaret f & m Spanish, Armenian
From Nazareth, the town in Galilee where Jesus lived. This name is primarily feminine in Spanish and primarily masculine in Armenian.
Ndidi f & m Western African, Igbo
Means "patience" in Igbo.
Neelam f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi नीलम (see Nilam).
Neo 1 f & m Southern African, Tswana
Means "gift" in Tswana, a derivative of naya "to give".
Nerþuz f & m Germanic Mythology (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Nerthus and Njord.
Neta f & m Hebrew
Means "plant, shrub" in Hebrew.
Nevada f & m English
From the name of the American state, which means "snow-capped" in Spanish.
Ngọc f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (ngọc) meaning "jade, precious stone, gem".
Nhung f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (nhung) meaning "velvet".
Nika 1 f & m Russian
Russian short form of Veronika and other names ending in nika. It can also be a short form of Nikita 1 (masculine).
Nilam f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "dark blue, sapphire" in Sanskrit.
Nima 1 f & m Arabic
Means "blessing" in Arabic.
Nimat f & m Arabic
Means "blessings" in Arabic, a plural form of Nima 1.
Ning f & m Chinese
From Chinese (níng) meaning "peaceful, calm, serene", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.
Nitya f & m Indian, Hindi
Means "always, eternal" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form नित्या (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga) and the masculine form नित्य.
Noga f & m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew transcription of Nogah, usually used as a feminine name.
Nollaig f & m Irish
Means "Christmas" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century as a translation of Noël.
Noor 1 f & m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic/Urdu نور (see Nur).
Nor 1 f & m Malay
Malay variant of Nur.
Nour f & m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نور (see Nur).
Noy f & m Hebrew
Means "beauty" in Hebrew.
Nqobile f & m Southern African, Zulu
Means "they conquered" in Zulu, from nqoba "to conquer".
Nur f & m Arabic, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Urdu, Bengali, Uyghur, Indonesian, Malay
Means "light" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition النور (al-Nur) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Odalis f & m Spanish (Latin American)
Possibly an elaboration of Odilia used in Latin America. In most countries it is a feminine name, but in the Dominican Republic it is commonly masculine.
Ofri f & m Hebrew
Means "my fawn" in Hebrew.
Ogochukwu f & m Western African, Igbo
Means "favour of God" in Igbo.
Olayinka f & m Western African, Yoruba
Means "wealth surrounds me" in Yoruba.
Oluwaseyi f & m Western African, Yoruba
Means "God made this" in Yoruba.
Oluwatoyin f & m Western African, Yoruba
Means "God is worthy of praise" in Yoruba.
Ömür f & m Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "life" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, derived from Arabic عمر ('umr).
Oni f & m Western African, Yoruba
Means "today" in Yoruba.
Opeyemi f & m Western African, Yoruba
Means "gratitude is suitable for me" in Yoruba.
Ora 1 f & m English
Perhaps based on Latin oro "to pray". It was first used in America in the 19th century.
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.
Pádraigín f & m Irish
Diminutive of Pádraig, also used as a feminine form.
Paget f & m English (Rare)
From a French and English surname that meant "little page" (see Paige).
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.
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".
Patsy f & m English, Irish
Variant of Patty, also used as a diminutive of Patrick.
Payne f & m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "(sky) blue" in Mapuche.
Payton f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Peyton.
Paz 2 f & m Hebrew
Means "gold" in Hebrew.
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.
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]
Phuong f & m Khmer
Means "garland, bouquet (of flowers)" in Khmer.
Pich f & m Khmer
Means "diamond" in Khmer.
Pittiulaaq f & m Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "black guillemot" in Inuktitut (a guillemot is a type of sea bird; species Cepphus grylle).
Praise f & m English (African)
From the English word praise, which is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Late Latin preciare, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth". This name is most common in English-speaking Africa.
Presley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest clearing" (Old English preost and leah). This surname was borne by musician Elvis Presley (1935-1977).
Promise f & m English (African)
From the English word promise, from Latin promissum. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Prudence f & m English, French
Medieval English form of Prudentia, the feminine form of Prudentius. In France it is both the feminine form and a rare masculine form. In England it was used during the Middle Ages and was revived in the 17th century by the Puritans, in part from the English word prudence, ultimately of the same source.
Pua f & m Hawaiian
Means "flower, offspring" in Hawaiian.
Purnama f & m Indonesian
Means "full moon" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit पूर्णिमा (purnima).
Pushpa f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Means "flower" in Sanskrit. This is a trascription of both the feminine form पुष्पा and the masculine form पुष्प. Especially in Nepal it is frequently masculine.
Qing f & m Chinese
From Chinese (qīng) meaning "blue, green, young", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.
Qinnuajuaq f & m Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "rough-legged hawk" in Inuktitut (species Buteo lagopus).
Quý f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (quý) meaning "precious, valuable".
Quỳnh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (quỳnh) meaning "deep red". This is also the Vietnamese name for a variety of flowering plant (genus Epiphyllum).
Radha f & m Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi
Means "success, prosperity" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the favourite consort of the Hindu god Krishna. She is associated with beauty and compassion, and is considered an avatar of Lakshmi.
Rain 1 f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word rain, derived from Old English regn.
Raine f & m English (Rare)
Possibly based on the French word reine meaning "queen". A famous bearer was the British socialite Raine Spencer (1929-2016), the stepmother of Princess Diana. In modern times it can also be used as a variant of Rain 1 or a short form of Lorraine.
Rajani f & m Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, Nepali
Means "the dark one" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Kali or Durga.
Rashmi f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Means "ray of sunlight" or "rope" in Sanskrit.
Rathna f & m Tamil
Southern Indian variant of Ratna.
Ratna f & m Indian, Hindi, Telugu, Nepali, Indonesian
Derived from Sanskrit रत्न (ratna) meaning "jewel, treasure". This is a transcription of both the feminine form रत्ना and the masculine form रत्न.
Raven f & m English
From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English hræfn. The raven is revered by several Native American groups of the west coast. It is also associated with the Norse god Odin.
Reagan f & m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Riagáin, derived from the given name Riagán. This surname was borne by American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004).... [more]
Regan f & m Literature, English
Meaning unknown. In the chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth it is the name of a treacherous daughter of King Leir. Shakespeare adapted the story for his tragedy King Lear (1606). In the modern era it has appeared in the horror movie The Exorcist (1973) belonging to a girl possessed by the devil. This name can also be used as a variant of Reagan.
Reign f & m English (Modern)
From the English word reign, derived from Latin regnum "royal power".
Reyes f & m Spanish
Means "kings" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen de los Reyes, meaning "The Virgin of the Kings". According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to King Ferdinand III of Castile and told him his armies would defeat those of the Moors in Seville.
Ricmod f & m Germanic
Derived from the Old German element rih "ruler, king" combined with muot "mind, spirit".
Rin f & m Japanese
From Japanese (rin) meaning "dignified, severe, cold" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Ripley f & m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of various English towns, from Old English rippel "grove, thicket" and leah "clearing". A famous fictional bearer is the character Ellen Ripley (usually only called by her surname) from the Alien series of movies, beginning 1979.
Rong f & m Chinese
From Chinese (róng) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper", (róng) meaning "fuse, harmonize" or (róng) meaning "appearance, form" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well.
Roni 1 f & m Hebrew
Means "my joy" or "my song" in Hebrew.
Rorie f & m English
Variant of Rory.
Rosario f & m Spanish, Italian
Means "rosary", and is taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Rosario meaning "Our Lady of the Rosary". This name is feminine in Spanish and masculine in Italian.
Royale f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Royal.
Rutendo f & m Southern African, Shona
Means "thankfulness" in Shona.
Rylee f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Riley.
Rylie f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Riley.
Sabah f & m Arabic, Turkish
Means "morning" in Arabic and Turkish.
Safaa f & m Arabic
Means "pure", from Arabic صفا (safa). As-Safaa is the name of one of the two sacred hills near Mecca. This can also be an alternate transcription of Arabic صفاء (see Safaa').
Safaa' f & m Arabic
Means "serenity, clarity" in Arabic.
Sage f & m English (Modern)
From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.
Sal f & m English
Short form of Sally, Salvador and other names beginning with Sal.
Salem 2 f & m English (Modern)
From the name of a biblical town, שָׁלֵם (Shalem) in Hebrew, meaning "complete, safe, peaceful". According to the Old Testament this was the town where Melchizedek was king. It is usually identified with Jerusalem. Many places are named after the biblical town, most in America, notably a city in Massachusetts where the infamous Salem witch trials occurred in 1692.
Sammie f & m English
Diminutive of Samuel, Samson or Samantha.
Santana f & m Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese (Brazilian), English (Modern)
From a contraction of Santa Ana (referring to Saint Anna) or from a Spanish and Portuguese surname derived from any of the numerous places named for the saint. It can be given in honour of the Mexican-American musician Carlos Santana (1947-), the founder of the band Santana. The name received a boost in popularity for American girls after the character Santana Andrade began appearing on the soap opera Santa Barbara in 1984.
Scout f & m English (Modern)
From the English word scout meaning "one who gathers information covertly", which is derived from Old French escouter "to listen". Harper Lee used this name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).
Sengphet f & m Lao
From Lao ແສງ (saeng) meaning "light" and ເພັດ (phet) meaning "diamond, gem".
Senna f & m Dutch (Modern)
Meaning unknown, possibly from the name of the senna plant.
Sequoia f & m English (Rare)
From the name of huge trees that grow in California. The tree got its name from the 19th-century Cherokee scholar Sequoyah (also known as George Guess), the inventor of the Cherokee writing system.
Sevan f & m Armenian
From the name of the largest lake in Armenia, which may be from the Urartian word suinia simply meaning "lake".
Sevyn f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Seven.
Shachar f & m Hebrew
Means "dawn" in Hebrew.
Shae f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Shea.
Shahar f & m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew שַׁחַר (see Shachar).
Shahnaz f & m Persian, Arabic, Urdu
Means "delight of the king" from Persian شاه (shah) meaning "king" and ناز (naz) meaning "delight, comfort, coquetry".
Shaked f & m Hebrew
Means "almond" in Hebrew.
Shakti f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Means "power" in Sanskrit. In Hinduism a shakti is the female counterpart of a god. The name Shakti is used in particular to refer to the female counterpart of Shiva, also known as Parvati among many other names.
Shams f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Semitic Mythology
Means "sun" in Arabic. This was the name of a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess of the sun, identified with the Akkadian sun god Shamash (whose name is related) and the northern Arabian goddess Nuha.
Shandiin f & m Indigenous American, Navajo
From Navajo sháńdíín meaning "sunshine".
Shani 1 f & m Hebrew
Means "red, scarlet" in Hebrew.
Shannon f & m English
From the name of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, called an tSionainn in Irish. It is associated with the legendary figure Sionann and is sometimes said to be named for her. However it is more likely she was named after the river, which may be related to Old Irish sen "old, ancient". As a given name, it first became common in America after the 1940s.
Shanon f & m English
Variant of Shannon.
Shaye f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Shea.
Shelley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "clearing on a bank" in Old English. Two famous bearers of the surname were Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), a romantic poet whose works include Adonais and Ozymandias, and Mary Shelley (1797-1851), his wife, the author of the horror story Frankenstein. As a feminine given name, it came into general use after the 1940s.
Shelly f & m English
Variant of Shelley.
Shelomit f & m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Shelomith.
Shelomith f & m Biblical
Means "peaceful" in Hebrew, from שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, both female and male.
Shion f & m Japanese
From Japanese 紫苑 (shion) meaning "aster". It can also come from (shi) meaning "poem" and (on) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Shiori f & m Japanese
As a feminine name it can be from Japanese (shi) meaning "poem" combined with (ori) meaning "weave". It can also be from (shiori) meaning "bookmark" (usually feminine) or (shiori) meaning "lithe, bending" (usually masculine), as well as other kanji or kanji combinations.
Shirley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel Shirley (1849). Though the name was already popular in the United States, the child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) gave it a further boost. By 1935 it was the second most common name for girls.
Shun 1 f & m Chinese
From Chinese (shùn) meaning "obey, submit" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Shun 2 f & m Japanese
From Japanese 駿 (shun) meaning "fast", (shun) meaning "talented", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Shura f & m Russian
Russian diminutive of Aleksandra or Aleksandr.
Simcha f & m Hebrew
Means "happiness, joy" in Hebrew.
Simran f & m Punjabi, Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "meditation", derived from Sanskrit स्मरण (smarana) meaning "recollection".
Sithembile f & m Southern African, Zulu
Means "we trust" in Zulu.
Sky f & m English (Modern)
Simply from the English word sky, which was ultimately derived from Old Norse ský "cloud".
Skylar f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Skyler. Originally more common for boys during the 1980s, it was popularized as a name for girls after it was used on the American soap opera The Young and the Restless in 1989 and the movie Good Will Hunting in 1997. Its sharp rise in the United States in 2011 might be attributed to the character Skyler White from the television series Breaking Bad (2008-2013) or the singer Skylar Grey (1986-), who adopted this name in 2010 after previously going by Holly Brook.
Sláine f & m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish slán meaning "health, safety". This was the name of a legendary high king of Ireland, one of the Fir Bolg. It was also the name of a daughter of the 11th-century high king Brian Boru.
Sloan f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Sloane.
Socheata f & m Khmer
Means "well-born" in Khmer, a Khmer form of Sujata.
Sonam f & m Tibetan, Bhutanese, Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "virtuous, good karma, fortunate" in Tibetan.
Soo-Hyun f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 수현 (see Su-Hyeon).
Soo-Jin f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 수진 (see Su-Jin).
Sophea f & m Khmer
Means "judge, lawyer" in Khmer.
Sopheap f & m Khmer
Means "gentle, proper" in Khmer.
Sora f & m Japanese
From Japanese (sora) or (sora) both meaning "sky". Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also form this name.
Sovanna f & m Khmer
Variant of Sovann.
Stacey f & m English
Variant of Stacy.
Stacy f & m English
Either a diminutive of Anastasia, or else from a surname that was derived from Stace, a medieval form of Eustace. As a feminine name, it came into general use during the 1950s, though it had earlier been in use as a rare masculine name.
Stav f & m Hebrew
Means "autumn" in Hebrew.
Steph f & m English
Short form of Stephanie or Stephen.
Su 2 f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "plain, simple" or () meaning "respectful", besides other characters pronounced in a similar way.
Suad f & m Arabic, Bosnian, Albanian
Alternate transcription of Arabic سعاد (see Su'ad). In Bosnia and Albania it is typically masculine.
Su-Bin f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (su) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with (bin) meaning "refined". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Su-Hyeon f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (su) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" and (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able". Other combinations of hanja characters can also form this name.
Su-Jin f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (su) meaning "gather, harvest" or (su) meaning "long life, lifespan" combined with (jin) meaning "real, genuine" or (jin) meaning "precious, rare". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Sunny f & m English
From the English word meaning "sunny, cheerful".
Sushila f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "good-tempered, well-disposed", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with शील (shila) meaning "conduct, disposition". This is a transcription of both the feminine form सुशीला and the masculine form सुशील. This name is borne by wives of the Hindu gods Krishna and Yama.
Sutton f & m English (Modern)
From a surname, itself derived from the name of numerous English towns, of Old English origin meaning "south town".
Sydney f & m English
From a surname that was a variant of the surname Sidney. This is the name of the largest city in Australia, which was named for Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney in 1788. Formerly used by both genders, since the 1980s this spelling of the name has been mostly feminine.
Taonga f & m Southern African, Tumbuka
Means "we are thankful" in Tumbuka.
Tasi f & m Chamorro
Means "sea, ocean" in Chamorro.
Tatum f & m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Tata's homestead" in Old English. It was brought to public attention by the child actress Tatum O'Neal (1963-) in the 1970s, though it did not catch on. It attained a modest level of popularity after 1996, when it was borne by a character in the movie Scream.
Tayler f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Taylor.
Tebogo f & m Southern African, Tswana
Means "gratitude, thanks" in Tswana.
Temitope f & m Western African, Yoruba
Means "mine is worthy of gratitude" in Yoruba.
Thanh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (thanh) meaning "blue, green, young" or (thanh) meaning "sound, voice, tone".
Thảo f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (thảo) meaning "grass, herbs".
Thusitha f & m Sinhalese
Means "heaven" in Sinhala.
Tibby f & m English
Diminutive of Tabitha or Theobald.
Tionge f & m Southern African, Chewa, Tumbuka
Means "we thank" in Chewa and Tumbuka.
Tiriaq f & m Indigenous American, Inuit
Means "ermine, weasel" in Inuktitut.
Tiyamike f & m Southern African, Chewa
Means "we praise" in Chewa.
Tomomi f & m Japanese
From Japanese (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful" or (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Toyin f & m Western African, Yoruba
Means "worthy of praise" in Yoruba, also a short form of Oluwatoyin.
Tracey f & m English
Variant of Tracy.
Tracy f & m English
From an English surname that was taken from a Norman French place name meaning "domain belonging to Thracius". Charles Dickens used it for a male character in his novel The Pickwick Papers (1837). It was later popularized as a feminine name by the main character Tracy Lord in the movie The Philadelphia Story (1940). This name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Theresa.
Tránsito f & m Spanish
Means "transit, travel" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the movement of the Virgin Mary into heaven.
Trinh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (trinh) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal".
Trinidad f & m Spanish
Means "trinity" in Spanish, referring to the Holy Trinity. An island in the West Indies bears this name.
Tumaini f & m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "wish, hope" in Swahili.
Tutku f & m Turkish
Means "passion" in Turkish.
Uʻilani f & m Hawaiian
Means "heavenly beauty" or "royal beauty" from Hawaiian uʻi "youth, beauty" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Valya f & m Russian, Bulgarian
Diminutive of Valentina or Valentin.
Vân f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (vân) meaning "cloud".
Vanna 2 f & m Khmer
From Khmer វណ្ណ (von) meaning "colour", ultimately from Sanskrit वर्ण (varna).
Vieno f & m Finnish (Rare)
Means "gentle" in Finnish.
Vosgi f & m Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Ոսկի (see Voski).
Voski f & m Armenian
Means "gold" in Armenian.
Wattana f & m Thai
Means "development" in Thai.
Waverly f & m English
From the rare English surname Waverley, derived from the name of a place in Surrey, itself possibly from Old English wæfre "flickering, wavering" and leah "woodland, clearing".... [more]
Whetū f & m Maori
Means "star" in Maori.
Whitney f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).
Wisdom f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word, a derivative of Old English wis "wise".
Xquenda f & m Indigenous American, Zapotec
From Zapotec guenda "spirit, soul, essence" combined with the possessive prefix x-.
Xue f & m Chinese
From Chinese (xuě) meaning "snow" or (xué) meaning "study, learning, school", besides other characters pronounced similarly.
Yağmur f & m Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "rain" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Yahui f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with (huì) meaning "favour, benefit". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Yalwa f & m Western African, Hausa
Means "abundance" in Hausa.
Yan 2 f & m Chinese
From Chinese (yàn) meaning "beautiful, gorgeous" (which is usually only feminine) or (yán) meaning "cliff, rocks", as well as other Chinese characters pronounced in a similar fashion.
Yasu 1 f & m Japanese
From Japanese (yasu) meaning "peace, quiet", (yasu) meaning "peaceful" or (yasu) meaning "flat, smooth, level", as well as other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Yating f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with (tíng) meaning "pretty, graceful". Other character combinations are possible.
Yaxkin f & m Indigenous American, Mayan
From Yaxk'in, the name of the seventh month in the Maya calender, derived from Classic Maya yax "green, first" and k'in "sun, day".
Yazhu f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with (zhù) meaning "lute, zither, build". Other character combinations are also possible.
Yeong f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero", as well as other hanja characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name. This name was borne by Jang Yeong-sil (where Jang is the surname), a 15th-century Korean scientist and inventor.
Yi f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "suitable, proper", () meaning "resolute, decisive, firm", () meaning "justice, righteousness", () meaning "profit, benefit", () meaning "joy, harmony" (which is usually only feminine) or () meaning "ceremony, rites" (also usually feminine). Other characters can also form this name.
Yin f & m Chinese
From Chinese (yín) meaning "silver, money", (yīn) meaning "sound, tone" or (yīn) meaning "shade, shelter, protect", as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.
Yolotl f & m Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "heart, spirit" in Nahuatl.
Yolotzin f & m Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "beloved heart" in Nahuatl, from yōllōtl "heart" and the suffix tzin "beloved, revered".
Yoshie f & m Japanese
From Japanese (yoshi) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or (yoshi) meaning "reason, case" combined with (e) meaning "favour, benefit". Other kanji combinations with the same reading can also form this name.
Young f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul (see Yeong).
Yu f & m Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "jade, precious stone, gem", () meaning "pleasant, delightful" or () meaning "rain". Other characters can form this name as well.
Yuki f & m Japanese
From Japanese (yuki) meaning "happiness" or (yuki) meaning "snow". It can also come from (yu) meaning "reason, cause" combined with (ki) meaning "valuable" or (ki) meaning "chronicle". Other kanji or kanji combinations are also possible.
Yun f & m Chinese
From Chinese (yún) meaning "cloud" or (yǔn) meaning "allow, consent", as well as other Chinese characters that are pronounced in a similar way.
Yun-Seo f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (yun) meaning "govern" or (yun) meaning "allow, consent" combined with (seo) meaning "series, sequence", as well as other hanja character combinations.
Yunuen f & m Spanish (Mexican)
Meaning unknown, probably of indigenous (maybe Purépecha) origin. This is the name of an island on Lake Pátzcuaro in Mexico.
Zan f & m Chinese
From Chinese (zàn) meaning "help, support", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Zawadi f & m Eastern African, Swahili
Means "gift" in Swahili.
Zhen f & m Chinese
From Chinese (zhēn) meaning "precious, rare", (zhēn) meaning "real, genuine", (zhēn) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal", or other Chinese characters that are pronounced similarly.
Zhenya f & m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian diminutive of Yevgeniya or Yevgeniy or a Bulgarian diminutive of Evgeniya.
Zola 2 f & m Southern African, Xhosa
From the Xhosa root -zola meaning "calm".