Masculine Names

gender
usage
Nedim m Turkish, Bosnian
Turkish and Bosnian form of Nadim.
Nedyalko m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Nedeljko.
Neelam f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi नीलम (see Nilam).
Neely m & f English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized and reduced form of Gaelic Mac an Fhilidh (or McNeilly) meaning "son of the poet".
Neemias m Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Nehemiah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Neer m Limburgish
Short form of Reneer.
Neeraj m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi नीरज or Gujarati નીરજ (see Niraj).
Neferkare m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfr-kꜣ-rꜥ meaning "the soul of Ra is beautiful", from nfr "beautiful, good" combined with kꜣ "soul" combined with the name of the god Ra. This name was borne by several Egyptian pharaohs.
Nehemiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh comforts" in Hebrew, derived from נָחַם (nacham) meaning "to comfort" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. According to the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament he was a leader of the Jews who was responsible for the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the return from the Babylonian captivity.
Nehuén m Indigenous American, Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Variant of Newen using Spanish spelling conventions.
Neifion m Welsh (Rare)
Welsh form of Neptune.
Neil m Irish, Scottish, English
From the Irish name Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly connected to the old Celtic root *nītu- "fury, passion" or the (possibly related) Old Irish word nia "hero". A derivation from Old Irish nél "cloud" has also been suggested. This was the name of a few early Irish kings, notably Niall of the Nine Hostages, a semi-legendary high king of the 4th or 5th century.... [more]
Neilos m Greek Mythology, Late Greek
Greek name of the Nile River, possibly of Semitic origin meaning "river". In Greek mythology he was the god of the Nile, the son of Okeanos and Tethys.... [more]
Neirin m Old Welsh
Variant of Aneirin.
Neizan m Spanish (Modern)
Spanish form of Nathan, reflecting the English pronunciation.
Nejc m Slovene
Diminutive of Jernej.
Nekoda m Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
Means "marked" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the head of a family of temple servants.
Nektarios m Greek, Late Greek
Derived from Greek νέκταρ (nektar) meaning "nectar, drink of the gods".
Nelinho m Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of Manuel.
Nello m Italian
Short form of names ending in nello, such as Brunello or Antonello.
Nels m Danish (Rare)
Danish variant of Nils.
Nélson m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Nelson.
Nelson m English, Spanish
From an English surname meaning "son of Neil". It was originally given in honour of the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). His most famous battle was the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he destroyed a combined French and Spanish fleet, but was himself killed. Another notable bearer was the South African statesman Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). Mandela's birth name was Rolihlahla; as a child he was given the English name Nelson by a teacher.
Nelu m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Ion 1.
Nemanja m Serbian
Possibly from Slavic ne maniti meaning "not deceiving, not luring, not attracting". Another theory states that it means "without possessions", derived from Serbo-Croatian nemati meaning "have not". This was the name of a 12th-century Serbian king, and the name of the dynasty he began.
Nemo m Literature
Means "nobody" in Latin. This was the name used by author Jules Verne for the captain of the Nautilus in his novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870). It was later used for the title character (a fish) in the 2003 animated movie Finding Nemo.
Nenad m Serbian, Croatian
Means "unexpected" in Serbian and Croatian. In the Serbian folk song Predrag and Nenad this is the name of Predrag's brother.
Nennius m History
Meaning unknown, presumably a Latinized form of a Brythonic name (perhaps Nynniaw). According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, this was the name of a British prince who fought against the invading forces of Julius Caesar. It was also borne by a 9th-century Welsh monk, traditionally credited with authoring the History of the Britons.
Neno m Serbian, Croatian
Diminutive of Nenad.
Neo 1 f & m Southern African, Tswana
Means "gift" in Tswana, a derivative of naya "to give".
Neo 2 m Various
From a prefix meaning "new", ultimately from Greek νέος (neos).... [more]
Neofit m Bulgarian (Rare), Macedonian (Rare)
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Neophytos.
Neofytos m Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Neophytos.
Neon m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νέος (neos) meaning "new".
Neophytos m Ancient Greek
Greek name meaning "new plant, new child", from a word that was derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new" and φυτόν (phyton) meaning "plant".
Neoptolemus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Νεοπτόλεμος (Neoptolemos) meaning "new war", derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new" combined with an Epic Greek form of πόλεμος (polemos) meaning "war". In Greek legend this was the name of the son of Achilles, brought into the Trojan War because it was prophesied the Greeks could not win it unless he was present. After the war he was slain by Orestes fighting over Hermione.
Nephi m Mormon
Meaning unknown. This name is used in the Book of Mormon as the name of a prophet, the son of Lehi and Sariah. He was supposedly the founder of the Nephite people in the Americas.
Neptune m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Indo-European root *nebh- "wet, damp, clouds". Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.
Neptuno m Roman Mythology (Hispanicized, Portuguese-style)
Spanish and European Portuguese form of Neptune.
Nereo m Italian, Spanish (Latin American)
Italian and Spanish form of Nereus.
Nereus m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Derived from Greek νηρός (neros) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a god of the sea, the father of the Nereids. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament, belonging to a Christian in Rome. This was also the name of a Roman saint of the 1st century, a member of the army, who was martyred with his companion Achilleus because they refused to execute Christians.
Nergüi m & f Mongolian
Means "no name" in Mongolian. This name was traditionally given in order to mislead bad spirits.
Neriah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "lamp of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of the father of Baruch in the Old Testament.
Nerio m Italian
Possibly a variant of Nereo.
Nermin m & f Bosnian, Turkish, Arabic (Egyptian)
From Persian نرم (narm) meaning "soft, gentle". It is typically masculine in Bosnian, and feminine in Turkish and Arabic.
Nero 1 m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen, which was probably of Sabine origin meaning "strong, vigorous". It was used by a prominent branch of the gens Claudia starting from the 3rd century BC. It was borne most famously by a Roman emperor of the 1st century, remembered as a tyrant. His birth name was Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, but after he was adopted as the heir of Claudius his name became Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus.
Nero 2 m Italian
Short form of Raniero. It also coincides with the Italian word nero meaning "black".
Nerses m Armenian
Armenian form of Middle Persian Narseh (see Narses). Saint Nerses was a 4th-century patriarch of the Armenian Church.
Nerþuz f & m Germanic Mythology (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Nerthus and Njord.
Nerva m Ancient Roman, History
Roman cognomen derived from Latin nervus "strength". This is the name by which the 1st-century Roman emperor Marcus Cocceius Nerva is commonly known.
Nesim m & f Turkish
Turkish form of Nasim.
Néstor m Spanish
Spanish form of Nestor.
Nestor m Greek Mythology, Russian, Portuguese, French
Means "returner, homecomer" in Greek, from νέομαι (neomai) meaning "to return". In Homer's Iliad this was the name of the king of Pylos, famous for his great wisdom and longevity, who acted as a counselor to the Greek allies.
Nestore m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Nestor.
Nestori m Finnish
Finnish form of Nestor.
Neta f & m Hebrew
Means "plant, shrub" in Hebrew.
Netan'el m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Nathanael.
Netanel m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Nathanael.
Nethaneel m Biblical
Form of Nathanael used in some versions of the Old Testament.
Nethanel m Biblical
Form of Nathanael used in some versions of the Old Testament.
Nethaniah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has given" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Ishmael (the assassin of Gedaliah), as well as other minor characters.
Netuno m Roman Mythology (Portuguese-style)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Neptune.
Nevada f & m English
From the name of the American state, which means "snow-capped" in Spanish.
Nevan m Irish
Anglicized form of Naomhán.
Neven m Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Masculine form of Nevena.
Neville m English (British)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Norman French. As a given name it is chiefly British and Australian.
Nevio m Italian
Italian form of the Roman family name Naevius, which was derived from Latin naevus "mole (on the body)". A famous bearer was the 3rd-century BC Roman poet Gnaeus Naevius.
Newen m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "force, strength" in Mapuche.
Newt m English
Short form of Newton.
Newton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
Nezih m Turkish
Turkish form of Nazih.
Ngải m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (ngải) meaning "sagebrush, wormwood".
Ngawang m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "powerful speech" in Tibetan, from ངག (ngag) meaning "speech" and དབང (dbang) meaning "power, force".
Ngọc f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (ngọc) meaning "jade, precious stone, gem".
Nguyên m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (nguyên) meaning "original, first".
Nhung f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (nhung) meaning "velvet".
Niall m Irish, Old Irish
Irish form of Neil.
Nic m English
Short form of Nicholas, or sometimes Dominic.
Nicanor m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin, Spanish
From the Greek name Νικάνωρ (Nikanor), which was derived from νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". This name was borne by several notable officers from ancient Macedon. It is also mentioned in the New Testament as belonging to one of the original seven deacons of the church, considered a saint.
Niccolò m Italian
Italian form of Nicholas. A famous bearer was Niccolò Machiavelli, a 16th-century political philosopher from Florence.
Nicholas m English
From the Greek name Νικόλαος (Nikolaos) meaning "victory of the people", derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and λαός (laos) meaning "people". Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop from Anatolia who, according to legend, saved the daughters of a poor man from lives of prostitution. He is the patron saint of children, sailors and merchants, as well as Greece and Russia. He formed the basis for the figure known as Santa Claus (created in the 19th century from Dutch Sinterklaas), the bringer of Christmas presents.... [more]
Niĉjo m Esperanto
Esperanto diminutive of Nicholas.
Nick m English, Dutch
Short form of Nicholas. It is borne by the comic character Nick Bottom in Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).
Nicky m & f English
Diminutive of Nicholas or Nicole.
Nico m Italian, Dutch, German, Spanish, Portuguese
Short form of Nicholas (or sometimes Nicodemus).
Nicodemo m Italian, Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Nicodemus.
Nicodemus m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Νικόδημος (Nikodemos) meaning "victory of the people", derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people". This is the name of a character in the New Testament who helps Joseph of Arimathea entomb Jesus.
Nicol 1 m Medieval English, Scottish
Medieval English and Scottish form of Nicholas. This was the middle name of a character in the novel Rob Roy (1817) by Walter Scott.
Nicola 1 m Italian
Italian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the 13th-century sculptor Nicola Pisano.
Nicolaas m Dutch
Dutch form of Nicholas.
Nicolae m Romanian
Romanian form of Nicholas.
Nicolai m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian variant form of Nicholas.
Nicolao m Italian (Rare)
Italian variant form of Nicholas.
Nicolaos m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Νικόλαος (see Nikolaos).
Nicolás m Spanish
Spanish form of Nicholas.
Nicolas m French
French form of Nicholas.
Nicolau m Portuguese, Galician, Catalan
Portuguese, Galician and Catalan form of Nicholas.
Nicolaus m German, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Nikolaos (see Nicholas). This form is also used in Germany as a variant of Nikolaus.
Nicolino m Italian
Italian diminutive of Nicola 1.
Nicolò m Italian
Italian variant form (particularly Sicilian) of Nicholas.
Nicu m Romanian
Diminutive of Nicolae.
Nicușor m Romanian
Diminutive of Nicolae.
Niek m Dutch
Short form of Nicolaas.
Niels 1 m Danish
Danish form of Nicholas. A famous bearer was Niels Bohr (1885-1962), a Danish physicist who investigated the structure of atoms.
Niels 2 m Dutch
Dutch short form of Cornelius.
Nigel m English
From Nigellus, a medieval Latinized form of Neil. It was commonly associated with Latin niger "black". It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to Walter Scott's novel The Fortunes of Nigel (1822).
Nigul m Estonian
Estonian form of Nicholas.
Nihad m Bosnian, Azerbaijani
Bosnian and Azerbaijani form of Nihat.
Nihal 2 m Indian, Hindi
Means "content, happy" in Hindi.
Nihat m Turkish
Possibly from Persian نهاد (nehad) meaning "nature, disposition".
Nii m Western African, Ga
From a Ga word used as a masculine royal title.
Niillas m Sami
Sami form of Nils.
Niilo m Finnish
Finnish form of Nicholas.
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).
Nika 3 m Georgian
Diminutive of Nikoloz.
Nikandr m Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Nikandros.
Nikandros m Ancient Greek
Means "victory of a man" from the Greek elements νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a 2nd-century BC Greek poet and grammarian from Colophon.
Nīkau m Maori
From the name of a type of palm tree found in New Zealand (species Rhopalostylis sapida).
Nikephoros m & f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "carrying victory" from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and φέρω (phero) meaning "to carry, to bear". This name was borne by several Byzantine emperors, including the 10th-century Nikephoros II Phokas. Besides being a masculine personal name, it was also a title borne by the goddess Athena.
Niketas m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νικητής (niketes) meaning "winner, victor". Saint Niketas was a 4th-century bishop of Remesiana in Serbia. He is a patron saint of Romania.
Nikhil m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil
Means "whole, entire" in Sanskrit.
Nikias m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". This was the name of an Athenian general who fought in the Peloponnesian war.
Nikica m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian diminutive of Nikola 1.
Nikifor m Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Nikephoros.
Nikita 1 m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian form of Niketas. This form is also used in Ukrainian and Belarusian alongside the more traditional forms Mykyta and Mikita.
Niklaus m German (Swiss)
Swiss German form of Nicholas.
Niklāvs m Latvian
Latvian variant form of Nicholas.
Niko m Finnish, Croatian, Slovene, Georgian, German
Finnish form of Nicholas, as well as a Croatian, Slovene, Georgian and German short form.
Nikodem m Polish
Polish form of Nicodemus.
Nikodim m Russian
Russian form of Nicodemus.
Nikola 1 m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Czech, Basque, Medieval Slavic
Form of Nicholas in several languages. Note, in Czech this is also a feminine name (see Nikola 2).
Nikolaas m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch variant of Nicolaas.
Nikolai m Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Николай (see Nikolay).
Nikolaj m Danish, Slovene
Danish and Slovene form of Nicholas.
Nikolajs m Latvian
Latvian form of Nicholas.
Nikolao m Esperanto
Esperanto form of Nicholas.
Nikolas m Greek, English
Variant of Nikolaos (Greek) or Nicholas (English).
Nikolasz m Hungarian (Modern)
Hungarian form of Nicholas. This form is a modern adaptation (based on the spelling in English or another foreign language), as opposed to the traditional form Miklós.
Nikolaus m German
German form of Nicholas.
Nikolay m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the Russian novelist Nikolay Gogol (1809-1852).
Nikolče m Macedonian
Macedonian diminutive of Nicholas.
Nikolche m Macedonian
Alternate transcription of Macedonian Николче (see Nikolče).
Nikollë m Albanian
Albanian form of Nicholas.
Nikoloz m Georgian
Georgian form of Nicholas.
Nikomachos m Ancient Greek
Means "battle of victory" from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and μάχη (mache) meaning "battle". This was the name of both the father and son of the Greek philosopher Aristotle. It was also borne by a 2nd-century Greek mathematician.
Nikomedes m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, a priest beaten to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods.
Nikon m Ancient Greek, Russian
Derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory".
Nikora m & f Maori
Maori form of Nicholas or Nicole.
Nikos m Greek
Greek short form of Nikolaos.
Nikostratos m Ancient Greek
Means "army of victory" from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and στρατός (stratos) meaning "army". This was the name of a Roman saint martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian at the end of the 3rd century.
Nikša m Croatian
Diminutive of Nikola 1.
Nikusha m Georgian
Diminutive of Nikoloz.
Nil m & f Catalan, Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare), Belarusian (Rare), Turkish
Catalan, Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Neilos (and the Nile River). This name was borne by a 15th-century Russian saint, Nil Sorsky. As a Turkish name it is feminine, and comes directly from the Turkish name for the river.
Nilam f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "dark blue, sapphire" in Sanskrit.
Nilas m Sami
Sami form of Nils.
Niles m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Neil.
Nilesh m Indian, Marathi
From Sanskrit नील (nila) meaning "dark blue" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler".
Nilo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Neilos (and also of the Nile River).
Nils m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Nicholas.
Nima 1 f & m Arabic
Means "blessing" in Arabic.
Nima 2 m Persian
Persian name of uncertain meaning, possibly "just, fair" or "half moon".
Nimat f & m Arabic
Means "blessings" in Arabic, a plural form of Nima 1.
Nimród m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Nimrod.
Nimrod m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Meaning unknown, possibly of Akkadian origin or possibly meaning "rebel" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Nimrod is a renowned hunter, the great-grandson of Noah. He was the founder of Babylon.... [more]
Ninad m Indian, Marathi
Means "sound, hum" in Sanskrit.
Ning f & m Chinese
From Chinese (níng) meaning "peaceful, calm, serene", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.
Ninian m Scottish
From the name of a 5th-century British saint, known as the Apostle to the Picts, who was apparently responsible for many miracles and cures. He first appears briefly in the 8th-century Latin writings of the historian Bede, though his name is only written in the ablative case Nynia. This may represent a Brythonic name *Ninniau.
Ninniau m Brythonic (Hypothetical)
Possible early form of Ninian.
Nino 1 m Italian
Short form of Giannino, Antonino and other names ending in nino.
Ninos m Ancient Assyrian (Hellenized)
Probably from the name of the ancient city of Nineveh in Assyria. According to Greek historians this was the name of the husband of Semiramis and the founder of Nineveh. In actuality he does not correspond to any known Assyrian king, and is likely a composite character named after the city.
Ninoslav m Serbian, Croatian, Medieval Slavic
From a Slavic element, possibly nyni "now", combined with slava "glory".
Ninurta m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
Derived from Sumerian 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lord" and 𒅁 (urta) meaning "ear of barley". In Sumerian, Akkadian and Babylonian mythology Ninurta was a god of agriculture, hunting and healing, later associated with war. He was also called Ningirsu, though they may have originally been separate deities.
Nioclás m Irish
Irish form of Nicholas.
Nir m Hebrew
Means "plowed field" in Hebrew.
Niraj m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Nepali
Means "water-born, lotus" in Sanskrit.
Nirav m Indian, Gujarati, Marathi
Means "quiet, silent" in Sanskrit.
Nirmal m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali
Means "clean, pure" in Sanskrit.
Nis m Danish
Contracted form of Nils or Niels 1.
Nishant m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "night's end, dawn" in Sanskrit.
Nishat m & f Arabic, Bengali
Means "energetic, lively" in Arabic.
Nisus m Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. According to Virgil's Aeneid, this was the name of the son of the Trojan Hyrtacus (himself mentioned in the Iliad, though Nisus is not). In the Aeneid Nisus is the friend of Euryalus. After Euryalus is captured by the Rutuli, both are slain when Nisus attempts to save him.
Nithin m Indian, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Southern Indian variant of Nitin.
Nitin m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit नीति (niti) meaning "guidance, moral conduct".
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.
Nitzan m & f Hebrew
Means "flower bud" in Hebrew.
Niv m Hebrew
Means either "speech, expression" or "fang, tusk" in Hebrew.
Niven m Scottish
Anglicized form of Naomhán.
Nixon m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of Nick". It was borne by the American president Richard Nixon (1913-1994).
Nizar m Arabic
Perhaps from Arabic نزير (nazir) meaning "little".
Njål m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Njáll.
Njáll m Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse form of Niall (see Neil). This is the name of the hero of a 13th century Icelandic saga, based on the life of a 10th-century Icelandic chieftain.
Njinga m & f Central African, Mbundu
Possibly from a Bantu root meaning "to twist, to wrap" (kujinga in Kimbundu), alluding to the wrapping of the umbilical cord around the neck of the newborn. This name was borne by kings and queens of the African kingdoms of Ndongo and Kongo, notably a 17th-century queen of Ndongo who resisted the Portuguese.
Njord m Norse Mythology, Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare)
From Old Norse Njǫrðr, derived from Proto-Germanic *Nerþuz. It might derive from the Indo-European root *hnerto- meaning "strong, vigorous". Njord was the Norse god associated with the sea, sailing, fishing and fertility. With his children Freyr and Freya he was a member of the Vanir gods.
Njǫrðr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Njord.
Nkosana m Southern African, Xhosa
Means "prince" in Xhosa.
Nkruma m & f Western African, Akan
Means "ninth born child" in Akan.
Nnamdi m Western African, Igbo
Means "my father is alive" in Igbo. This name is given to a child when it is believed that he is a reincarnation of his grandfather.
Noa 2 m Croatian, Hawaiian, French
Croatian and Hawaiian form of Noah 1, as well as a French variant.
Noach m Hebrew, Dutch (Rare), Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew and Dutch form of Noah 1.
Noah 1 m English, German, Biblical
From the Hebrew name נֹחַ (Noach) meaning "rest, repose", derived from the root נוּחַ (nuach). According to the Old Testament, Noah was the builder of the Ark that allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the Great Flood. After the flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. He was the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.... [more]
Noak m Swedish (Rare)
Swedish form of Noah 1.
Noam m & f Hebrew, French
Means "pleasantness" in Hebrew. A famous bearer is Noam Chomsky (1928-), an American linguist and philosopher.
Noble m English
From an English surname meaning "noble, notable". The name can also be given in direct reference to the English word noble.
Noboru m Japanese
From Japanese (noboru) meaning "rise, ascend" or other kanji pronounced in the same way.
Nobu m Japanese
From Japanese (nobu) meaning "trust", (nobu) meaning "prolong, stretch", or other kanji and kanji combinations. It is sometimes a short form of longer names beginning with this sound.
Noburu m Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese (noburu) meaning "extend, stretch" or other kanji having the same pronunciation.
Nobutoshi m Japanese
From Japanese (nobu) meaning "trust" and (toshi) meaning "quick, clever, sharp". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Nobuyuki m Japanese
From Japanese (nobu) meaning "trust" or (nobu) meaning "extend, stretch, open" combined with (yuki) meaning "row, line" or (yuki) meaning "happiness". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.
Nodens m Celtic Mythology
Possibly from the old Celtic root *snowdo- meaning "mist, haze". Alternatively it might be related to the Indo-European root *neud- meaning "to acquire, to use". This is the name of a Celtic god associated with healing, hunting and fishing. He is known from a shrine excavated at Gloucestershire, where the name is only found in the dative forms Nodenti and Nodonti. He probably forms the basis for the legendary figures of Nuada (Irish) and Nudd (Welsh).
Nodir m Uzbek
Uzbek form of Nadir.
Noe m Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Georgian
Form of Noah 1 used in the Greek and Latin Bible. This is also the Georgian form.
Noé m French, Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Biblical French, Biblical Spanish, Biblical Portuguese
French, Spanish, Portuguese and Hungarian form of Noah 1.
Noè m Italian, Biblical Italian
Italian form of Noah 1.
Noël m French
Means "Christmas" in French. In the Middle Ages it was used for children born on the holiday. A famous bearer was the English playwright and composer Noël Coward (1899-1973).
Noel m & f English
English form of Noël or Noëlle (rarely). It was fairly popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand in the middle of the 20th century. It is occasionally written with a diaeresis, like in French. A famous bearer is British musician Noel Gallagher (1967-).
Noga f & m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew transcription of Nogah, usually used as a feminine name.
Nogah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "brightness" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of King David in the Old Testament.
Noham m French (Modern)
French variant of Noam.
Noíse m Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Naoise.
Nojus m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Noah 1.
Nöl m Limburgish
Limburgish short form of Arnold.
Nolan m English, French (Modern)
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Nualláin, itself derived from the given name Nuallán. The baseball player Nolan Ryan (1947-) is a famous bearer. This name has climbed steadily in popularity since the 1970s.
Nölke m Limburgish
Limburgish diminutive of Arnold.
Noll m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Oliver.
Nollaig f & m Irish
Means "Christmas" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century as a translation of Noël.
Nonnos m Late Greek
Meaning unknown, probably of Egyptian or Semitic origin. Saint Nonnos was a 4th-century Egyptian monk who became a bishop of Heliopolis in Syria. The name was also borne by a noted 5th-century Egyptian poet who wrote in Greek.
Nonus m Ancient Roman (Rare)
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "ninth" in Latin. This was a rare praenomen.
Nooa m Finnish
Finnish form of Noah 1.
Noodin m Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "wind" in Ojibwe.
Noor 1 f & m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic/Urdu نور (see Nur).
Noor-Ali m Persian
From Persian نور (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) combined with the name Ali 1. Though usually transcribed into Latin characters with a dash or a space, it is not written with a space in Persian.
Nor 1 f & m Malay
Malay variant of Nur.
Nor 2 m Limburgish
Short form of Norbaer.
Norbaer m Limburgish
Limburgish form of Norbert. Its spelling has been influenced by the French pronunciation of Norbert.
Norbert m German, English, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements nord meaning "north" and beraht meaning "bright". This was the name of an 11th-century German saint who made many reforms within the Church.
Norberto m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Norbert.
Norbu m Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "jewel" in Tibetan.
Nori m Japanese
From Japanese (nori) meaning "ceremony, rites" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Noriaki m Japanese
From Japanese (nori) meaning "law" or (nori) meaning "rule, ceremony" combined with (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Norm m English
Short form of Norman.
Norman m English, Germanic
From an old Germanic byname meaning "northman", referring to a Scandinavians. The Normans were Vikings who settled on the coast of France, in the region that became known as Normandy. In England the name Norman or Normant was used before the Norman Conquest, first as a nickname for Scandinavian settlers and later as a given name. After the Conquest it became more common, but died out around the 14th century. It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to a character by this name in C. M. Yonge's 1856 novel The Daisy Chain. Famous bearers include the American painter Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) and the American author Norman Mailer (1923-2007).
Normand m French (Quebec)
French form of Norman.
Norris m English
From an English surname, either Norris 1 or Norris 2.
Norton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "north town" in Old English.
Norwood m English
From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "north wood" in Old English.
Nosson m Yiddish
Yiddish form of Natan (see Nathan).
Notah m Indigenous American, Navajo
Possibly means "almost there" in Navajo.
Notos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Notus.
Notus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Νότος (Notos) meaning "south wind". This was the name of the god of the south wind in Greek mythology.
Noud m Dutch
Short form of Arnoud.
Nour f & m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نور (see Nur).
Noureddin m Persian
Persian form of Nur ad-Din.
Noureddine m Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic نور الدين (see Nur ad-Din) chiefly used in Northern Africa.
Nout m Dutch
Short form of Arnout.
Novak m Serbian
From Serbian нов (nov) meaning "new". A notable bearer is the Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic (1987-).
Nowell m English (Rare)
From the surname Nowell (a variant of Noel).
Noy f & m Hebrew
Means "beauty" in Hebrew.
Nqobile f & m Southern African, Zulu
Means "they conquered" in Zulu, from nqoba "to conquer".
Nsia m & f Western African, Akan
Means "sixth born child" in Akan.
Nsonowa m & f Western African, Akan
Means "seventh born child" in Akan.
Nthanda m & f Southern African, Tumbuka
Means "star" in Tumbuka.
Nu m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian nnw meaning "primeval water". In Egyptian mythology this was the name of the god who personified the primeval waters from which the earth was born.
Nuada m Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Nuadu, probably from Nodens. In Irish mythology he was the first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. After he lost an arm in battle it was replaced with one made from silver, and he received the byname Airgetlám meaning "silver hand". He was later killed fighting the monstrous Fomorians led by Balor. This name was also borne by a few semi-legendary Irish kings.
Nuadha m Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Nuada.
Nuadu m Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Old Irish form of Nuada.
Nuallán m Medieval Irish
Irish byname derived from nuall meaning "famous, loud" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Nudd m Welsh Mythology
Welsh cognate of Nuada. This is the name of a figure in Welsh legend, appearing in early poetry and in Culhwch and Olwen as the father of Gwyn.
Nuh m Arabic, Turkish
Arabic and Turkish form of Noah 1.
Nuka m & f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
From Greenlandic nukaa meaning "younger sibling".
Numitor m Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Roman mythology Numitor was the king of Alba Longa and the father of Rhea Silvia. He was overthrown by his brother Amulius, but reinstated by his grandsons Romulus and Remus.
Nuño m Medieval Spanish
Spanish form of Nuno.
Nuno m Portuguese, Medieval Portuguese
Medieval Portuguese and Spanish name, possibly from Latin nonus "ninth" or nunnus "grandfather". Saint Nuno was a 14th-century Portuguese general who defeated a Castilian invasion.