Masculine Names

gender
usage
Bartoloměj m Czech
Czech form of Bartholomew.
Bartolomej m Slovak, Croatian (Rare)
Slovak and Croatian form of Bartholomew.
Bartolomeo m Italian
Italian form of Bartholomew.
Bartolomeu m Portuguese, Galician
Portuguese and Galician form of Bartholomew.
Bartomeu m Catalan
Catalan form of Bartholomew, most common on the Balearic Islands.
Bartosz m Polish
Polish form of Bartholomew.
Baruch m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Hebrew
Means "blessed" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a companion of the prophet Jeremiah, acting as his scribe and assistant. The deuterocanonical Book of Baruch was supposedly written by him. A famous bearer was Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), a Dutch-Jewish rationalist philosopher.
Barys m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Boris.
Barzillai m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From Hebrew בַּרְזִלָּי (Barzillai), derived from בַּרְזֶל (barzel) meaning "iron". This is the name of three different characters in the Old Testament, including Barzillai the Gileadite.
Bas m Dutch
Short form of Sebastiaan.
Basajaun m Basque Mythology
Means "lord of the woods" from Basque baso "woods" and jaun "lord". This is the name of a character in Basque folklore, the Old Man of the Woods.
Basant m Indian, Hindi
Modern form of Vasanta.
Bashar m Arabic
Means "bringing good news" in Arabic.
Bashkim m Albanian
From Albanian bashkë meaning "together".
Basil 1 m English
From the Greek name Βασίλειος (Basileios), which was derived from βασιλεύς (basileus) meaning "king". Saint Basil the Great was a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea and one of the fathers of the early Christian church. Due to him, the name (in various spellings) has come into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors.
Basil 2 m Arabic
Means "brave, valiant" in Arabic.
Basile m French
French form of Basil 1.
Basileios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Basil 1.
Basilio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Basil 1.
Basilius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Basileios (see Basil 1).
Basim m Arabic
Means "smiling" in Arabic, from the root بَسَمَ (basama) meaning "to smile".
Basir m Arabic
Means "wise" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition البصير (al-Basir) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Basit m Arabic
Means "one who enlarges" in Arabic.
Bassam m Arabic
Means "smiling" in Arabic, from the root بَسَمَ (basama) meaning "to smile".
Bassanio m Literature
Used by Shakespeare for the friend of Antonio and suitor of Portia in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). It is probably from the Latin word bassus meaning "thick, low", or from the related Roman cognomen Bassianus (borne by a 4th-century saint who was a bishop of Lodi).
Bassem m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic باسم (see Basim).
Bastiaan m Dutch
Short form of Sebastiaan.
Bastian m German
Short form of Sebastian.
Bastien m French
Short form of Sébastien.
Basu m Bengali
Bengali form of Vasu.
Batbayar m Mongolian
Means "strong joy" in Mongolian, from бат (batu) meaning "strong, firm" and баяр (bayar) meaning "joy".
Bate m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Bartholomew.
Bat-Erdene m Mongolian
Means "strong jewel" in Mongolian, from бат (batu) meaning "strong, firm" and эрдэнэ (erdene) meaning "jewel, treasure".
Batraz m Ossetian, Caucasian Mythology
Possibly from Turkic bagatur meaning "hero, warrior, brave". This is the name of the leader of the superhuman Narts in Caucasian mythology.
Battista m Italian
Italian form of Baptiste.
Batu m Mongolian
Means "strong, firm" in Mongolian. Batu Khan was a 13th-century Mongol leader, the founder of the Golden Horde.
Batuhan m Turkish
Combination of Batu and Turkish han meaning "khan, ruler, leader", referring to the 13th-century Mongol ruler Batu Khan.
Batyr m Turkmen
Turkmen form of the Turkic word bagatur meaning "hero, warrior".
Baudilio m Spanish
From Baudilius, a Latinized form of a possibly Frankish name formed of the element bald "bold, brave". Saint Baudilius (or Baudilus) was a 3rd or 4th-century saint who was martyred at Nîmes in France.
Baudouin m French
French form of Baldwin.
Baugulf m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements boug meaning "ring, bracelet" and wolf meaning "wolf".
Bautista m Spanish
Spanish form of Baptiste.
Baxter m English
From an occupational surname that meant "(female) baker", from Old English bæcere and a feminine agent suffix.
Bəxtiyar m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Bakhtiar.
Baxtiyor m Uzbek
Uzbek form of Bakhtiar.
Bayani m Filipino, Tagalog
Means "hero" in Tagalog.
Bayard m Literature
Derived from Old French baiart meaning "bay coloured". In medieval French poetry Bayard was a bay horse owned by Renaud de Montauban and his brothers. The horse could magically adjust its size to carry multiple riders.
Bayley m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Bailey.
Baylor m & f English (Modern)
From a surname, possibly an Americanized form of the German surname Beiler, derived from Middle High German beile meaning "measuring stick".
Bayram m Turkish
Means "festival" in Turkish.
Baz m English (British)
Chiefly British diminutive of Barry or Basil 1.
Bazyli m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Basil 1.
Bazza m English (British)
Chiefly British diminutive of Barry or Basil 1.
Bear m English (Modern)
From the English word for the animal, derived from Old English bera, probably derived from a root meaning "brown".
Bearach m Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish form of Berach.
Beat m German (Swiss)
Swiss German form of Beatus.
Beathan m Scottish Gaelic
Derived from a diminutive of Scottish Gaelic beatha meaning "life".
Beatus m Late Roman
Masculine form of Beata. According to legend, Saint Beatus was ordained a priest by Saint Peter and evangelized in Switzerland. Another saint by this name was an 8th-century Asturian theologian.
Beau m & f English, Dutch (Modern)
Means "beautiful, handsome" in French. It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. In Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind (1936) this is the name of Ashley and Melanie's son.... [more]
Beauden m English (New Zealand, Modern)
Elaboration of French beau "beautiful" using the popular phonetic suffix den, found in such names as Hayden and Aidan. This name has become popular in New Zealand due to rugby player Beauden Barrett (1991-).
Beaumont m English (Rare)
From a French surname meaning "beautiful mountain".
Beauregard m English (Rare)
From a French surname meaning "beautiful outlook".
Beavis m Popular Culture
Variant of Bevis. This name was used in the animated television program Beavis and Butthead.
Beck m & f English (Rare)
From a surname of English, German or Scandinavian origins, all derived from related words meaning "stream". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a short form of Rebecca. A noted bearer is the American rock musician Beck Hansen (1970-), born Bek David Campbell, who goes by the stage name Beck.
Beckett m English (Modern)
From an English surname that could be derived from various sources, including from Middle English bec meaning "beak" or bekke meaning "stream, brook".
Beckham m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "Becca's homestead". The Old English byname Becca meant "pickaxe". A famous bearer of the surname is retired English soccer player David Beckham (1975-).
Bede m History (Ecclesiastical)
Modern form of the Old English name Baeda, possibly related to Old English bed "prayer". Saint Bede, called the Venerable Bede, was an 8th-century historian, scholar and Doctor of the Church.
Bedivere m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
From the Welsh name Bedwyr, possibly from bedwen "birch" and gwr "man". In Arthurian legends Bedivere was one of the original companions of King Arthur. He first appears in early Welsh tales, and his story was later expanded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century. He is the one who throws the sword Excalibur into the lake at the request of the dying Arthur.
Bedřich m Czech
Czech form of Frederick.
Bedros m Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Petros.
Beelzeboul m Biblical Greek
Form of Hebrew בַּעַל זְבוּב (Ba'al Zevuv) used in the Greek New Testament (see Beelzebub). The Greek form may represent a misspelling or it might be a pun based on Hebrew זֶבֶל (zevel) meaning "dung".
Beelzebub m Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Hebrew בַּעַל זְבוּב (Ba'al Zevuv) meaning "lord of flies", the name of a Philistine god according to the Old Testament. It is possibly intended as a mocking alteration of בַּעַל זְבוּל (Ba'al Zevul) meaning "Ba'al of the exalted house".... [more]
Beelzebul m Biblical
Form of Beelzebub used in many modern translations of the New Testament.
Beetlejuice m Popular Culture
Variant of Betelgeuse used for the title character of the movie Beetlejuice (1988), about an obnoxious ghost who is commissioned to scare a family out of their new house. The character's name is spelled Betelgeuse in the credits, though in other media it appears as Beetlejuice.
Behar m Albanian
From the archaic Albanian word behar meaning "summer".
Behnam m Persian
Means "reputable" (literally "good name") in Persian.
Behram m Turkish
Turkish form of Bahram.
Behrooz m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian بهروز (see Behrouz).
Behrouz m Persian
Means "fortunate" (literally "good day") in Persian.
Behruz m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian بهروز (see Behrouz).
Bekele m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "grow, flourish" in Amharic.
Bekzat m Kazakh
From the Turkic military title beg meaning "chieftain, master" and the Persian suffix زاد (zad) meaning "son of".
Bekzod m Uzbek
Uzbek form of Bekzat.
Bel m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian cognate of Ba'al. The Babylonians used it as a title of the god Marduk.
Béla m Hungarian
The meaning of this name is not known for certain. It could be derived from Hungarian bél meaning "guts, bowel" or Slavic бѣлъ (belu) meaning "white". This was the name of four Hungarian kings.
Belenus m Gaulish Mythology
Latinized form of Gaulish Belenos or Belinos, possibly from Celtic roots meaning either "bright, brilliant" (from Indo-European *bhel-) or "strong" (from Indo-European *bel-). This was the name of a Gaulish god who was often equated with Apollo. He is mostly known from Gallo-Roman inscriptions and was especially venerated in Aquileia in northern Italy.
Beli m Welsh Mythology
Probably a Welsh derivative of Belenus. Beli Mawr was a Welsh ancestor deity who established several royal lines in Wales.
Belial m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Means "worthless" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this term is used to refer to various wicked people. In the New Testament, Paul uses it as a name for Satan. In later Christian tradition Belial became an evil angel associated with lawlessness and lust.
Bellamy f & m English (Modern)
From an English surname derived from Old French bel ami meaning "beautiful friend".
Bellerophon m Greek Mythology
From Βελλεροφόντης (Bellerophontes), possibly from Greek βέλος (belos) meaning "dart" and the suffix φόντης (phontes) meaning "slayer of". Alternatively the first element might come from a defeated foe named Belleros, who is otherwise unattested. In Greek legend Bellerophon or Bellerophontes was a hero who tamed Pegasus and killed the monstrous Chimera. He was killed by Zeus when he attempted to ride Pegasus to Mount Olympus.
Bello m Western African, Fula, Hausa
Possibly from Fula ballo meaning "helper". This name was borne by Muhammad Bello (1781-1837), the second leader of the Sokoto Caliphate.
Belshatzzar m Biblical Hebrew
Form of Belshazzar found in the Hebrew Bible.
Belshazzar m Babylonian (Anglicized), Biblical
From בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר (Belshatzzar), the Hebrew form of the Akkadian name Bel-sharra-usur meaning "Bel protect the king". This was the name of the son of Nabonidus, the last king of the Babylonian Empire before the Persians conquered it in the 6th century BC. In the Old Testament Book of Daniel Belshazzar is the last king of Babylon who sees the mystical handwriting on the wall, which is interpreted by Daniel to portend the end of the empire.
Ben 1 m English, German, Dutch
Short form of Benjamin or Benedict. A notable bearer was Ben Jonson (1572-1637), an English poet and playwright.
Ben 2 m Dutch
Short form of Bernhard.
Benaiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name בְּנָיָה (Benayah) meaning "Yahweh has built". This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters.
Beñat m Basque
Basque form of Bernard.
Bence m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Vincent. It is also used as a short form of Benedek.
Bendegúz m Hungarian
Hungarian variant of the Turkic name Mundzuk, possibly from mončuq meaning "jewel, bead". This was the name of Attila the Hun's father.
Bendigeidfran m Welsh Mythology
From Welsh bendigaid "blessed" combined with the lenited form of the name Brân. This is another name for Brân the Blessed.
Bendik m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Benedict.
Bendiks m Latvian
Latvian form of Benedictus (see Benedict).
Bendt m Danish
Variant of Bent 1.
Benedek m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Benedictus (see Benedict).
Benedetto m Italian
Italian form of Benedictus (see Benedict).
Benedick m Literature
Variant of Benedict used by Shakespeare in his comedy Much Ado About Nothing (1599).
Benedict m English
From the Late Latin name Benedictus, which meant "blessed". Saint Benedict was an Italian monk who founded the Benedictines in the 6th century. After his time the name was common among Christians, being used by 16 popes. In England it did not come into use until the 12th century, at which point it became very popular. This name was also borne by the American general Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), who defected to Britain during the American Revolution.
Benedictus m Late Roman, Dutch (Rare)
Original Latin form of Benedict. This is also the official Dutch form, used on birth certificates but not typically in daily life.
Benedikt m German, Icelandic, Czech, Russian (Rare)
Form of Benedictus (see Benedict) in several languages.
Benediktas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Benedictus (see Benedict).
Benedito m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Benedictus (see Benedict).
Benedykt m Polish
Polish form of Benedictus (see Benedict).
Benesh m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish form of Benedict.
Benett m Hungarian (Modern)
Hungarian form of Bennett.
Bengt m Swedish
Swedish form of Benedict.
Beniamin m Romanian, Polish, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Romanian and Polish form of Benjamin, as well as the form used in the Greek and Latin Bibles.
Beniamino m Italian
Italian form of Benjamin.
Benigno m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name Benignus, which meant "kind, friendly". This was the name of several saints including a 5th-century disciple of Saint Patrick who later became the archbishop of Armagh.
Benignus m Late Roman
Late Latin form of Benigno.
Benito m Spanish, Italian
Spanish form of Benedict. This name was borne by Mexican president Benito Juárez, and also by Benito Mussolini (who was named after Juárez), the fascist dictator of Italy during World War II.
Benj m English
Short form of Benjamin.
Benjamim m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Benjamin.
Benjámin m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Benjamin.
Benjamín m Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Icelandic
Spanish, Czech, Slovak and Icelandic form of Benjamin.
Benjamin m English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning "son of the south" or "son of the right hand", from the roots בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-'oni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see Genesis 35:18).... [more]
Benjaminas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Benjamin.
Benji m English
Diminutive of Benjamin.
Benjy m English
Diminutive of Benjamin.
Bennett m English
Medieval form of Benedict. This was the more common spelling in England until the 18th century. Modern use of the name is probably also influenced by the common surname Bennett, itself a derivative of the medieval name.
Bennie m English
Diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict.
Benno m German
Short form of German names containing the element bern "bear".
Benny m English
Diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict.
Benoît m French
French form of Benedict.
Benson m English
From an English surname that originally meant "son of Benedict".
Bent 1 m Danish
Danish form of Benedict.
Bent 2 m Frisian
Frisian variant of Ben 2.
Bentley m English
From a surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English beonet "bent grass" and leah "woodland, clearing". Various towns in England bear this name.
Bento m Portuguese
Portuguese short form of Benedito.
Benton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name, composed of Old English beonet "bent grass" and tun "enclosure".
Benvenuto m Italian
Means "welcome" in Italian. A famous bearer was the Italian Renaissance sculptor and writer Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571).
Benvolio m Literature
Means "good will" in Italian. This name appears in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet (1596) belonging to a friend of Romeo. The character had been created earlier by the Italian writer Matteo Bandello, whose story Giulietta e Romeo (1554) was one of Shakespeare's sources.
Beorhtric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements beorht "bright" and ric "ruler, king".
Beorhtsige m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements beorht "bright" and sige "victory".
Beornræd m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements beorn "warrior, man" and ræd "counsel, advice".
Beowulf m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Possibly means "bee wolf" (in effect equal to "bear") from Old English beo "bee" and wulf "wolf". Alternatively, the first element may be beadu "battle". This is the name of the main character in the anonymous 8th-century epic poem Beowulf. Set in Denmark, the poem tells how he slays the monster Grendel and its mother at the request of King Hroðgar. After this Beowulf becomes the king of the Geats. The conclusion of the poem tells how Beawulf, in his old age, slays a dragon but is himself mortally wounded in the act.
Beppe m Italian
Diminutive of Giuseppe.
Bèr m Limburgish
Variant of Baer.
Ber m Yiddish
Means "bear" in Yiddish, a vernacular form of Dov.
Berach m Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish berach meaning "sharp, pointed". This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint.
Berahard m Germanic
Old German form of Berard.
Berahthraban m Germanic
Old German form of Bertram, using an extended form of the second element.
Berahthram m Germanic
Old German form of Bertram.
Berard m Germanic
Variant of Bernard using the related root bero "bear" as the first element. This was the name of a 13th-century saint from Carbio, Italy who was martyred in Morocco.
Berardo m Italian
Italian form of Berard.
Berat m Turkish
Possibly from Turkish berat meaning "letters patent".
Bereket m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "blessing, abundance, profusion" in Amharic.
Beren f & m Turkish
Means "strong, smart" in Turkish.
Berend m Dutch
Variant of Bernhard.
Berengar m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements bern "bear" and ger "spear". This was the name of two medieval kings of Italy and a Holy Roman emperor.
Bérenger m French
French form of Berengar.
Berenguer m Catalan
Catalan form of Berengar.
Berenhard m Germanic
Old German form of Bernard.
Berhane m & f Eastern African, Amharic
Means "my light" in Amharic.
Berhanu m Eastern African, Amharic
Means "his light" in Amharic.
Berhtoald m Germanic
Old German form of Berthold.
Berislav m Croatian, Medieval Slavic
Derived from the Slavic elements birati "to take, to gather" (in an inflected form) and slava "glory".
Berk m Turkish
Means "solid, firm, strong" in Turkish.
Berkant m Turkish
Means "solid oath" in Turkish.
Berker m Turkish
Means "solid man" in Turkish.
Berko m Western African, Akan
Means "first born" in Akan.
Berlin f & m Various
From the name of the city in Germany, which is of uncertain meaning.
Bernabé m Spanish
Spanish form of Barnabas.
Bernard m English, French, Dutch, Polish, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element bern "bear" combined with hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Beornheard. This was the name of several saints, including Saint Bernard of Menthon who built hospices in the Swiss Alps in the 10th century, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. Other famous bearers include the Irish playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and the British World War II field marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976).
Bernardino m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Diminutive of Bernardo. Saint Bernadino of Siena was a 15th-century Italian priest and preacher.
Bernardo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Bernard.
Bernát m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Bernard.
Bernat m Catalan
Catalan form of Bernard.
Bernd m German
Short form of Bernhard.
Bernhard m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
German, Dutch and Scandinavian form of Bernard.
Bernie m & f English
Diminutive of Bernard, Bernadette, Bernice and other names beginning with Bern.
Bernt m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Bernard.
Bernuharduz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Bernard.
Berny m & f English
Variant of Bernie.
Berry 1 m English
Variant of Barry.
Bert m English, German, Dutch
Short form of Albert and other names containing the element bert, often derived from the Old German element beraht meaning "bright".
Bertalan m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Bartholomew.
Berthold m German
Means "bright power" from the Old German element beraht "bright" combined with walt "power, authority".
Bertie m & f English
Diminutive of Albert, Herbert and other names containing bert (often derived from the Old German element beraht meaning "bright").
Bertil m Swedish, Danish
Scandinavian form of Bertilo or Berthold.
Bertilo m Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element beraht meaning "bright, famous".
Berto m Italian, Spanish
Short form of Roberto, Alberto and other names containing berto (often derived from the Old German element beraht meaning "bright").
Bertók m Hungarian (Rare)
Hungarian diminutive of Bertalan and other names beginning with Bert.
Bertoldo m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Berthold.
Bertram m English, German, Germanic
Means "bright raven", derived from the Old German element beraht "bright" combined with hram "raven". This name has long been conflated with Bertrand. The Normans introduced it to England, and Shakespeare used it in his play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Bertrand m French, English, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements beraht meaning "bright" and rant meaning "rim (of a shield)". From an early date it has been confused with Bertram and the two names have merged to some degree. Saint Bertrand was an 11th-century bishop of Comminges in France. Another famous bearer was the English philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).
Berwyn m Welsh
Means "white top" from the Welsh elements barr "top, head" and gwyn "white, blessed". This is the name of a mountain range in Wales.
Besarion m Georgian
Georgian form of Bessarion.
Besim 1 m Turkish
Turkish form of Basim.
Besim 2 m Albanian
Means "faith, trust" in Albanian.
Besnik m Albanian
Means "faithful" in Albanian.
Beso m Georgian
Short form of Besarion.
Bessarion m Late Greek
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Greek βῆσσα (bessa) meaning "wooded valley". This was the name of a 5th-century Egyptian hermit who was a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great. It was later adopted by the scholar Basilios Bessarion (1403-1472), a Greek born in Byzantine Anatolia who became a Roman Catholic bishop.
Betelgeuse m Astronomy
The name of the star that marks the right shoulder of the constellation Orion. It is derived from Arabic يد الجوزا (yad al-Jawza) meaning "the hand of Jawza". جوزا (Jawza) meaning "central one" was the old Arabic name for the constellation Orion (also for Gemini).
Bethuel m Biblical
Possibly means "God destroys" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Rebecca.
Bettino m Italian
Diminutive of Benedetto.
Bevan m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from ap Evan meaning "son of Evan". As a given name, it is particularly common in New Zealand and Australia.
Beverly f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of a Yorkshire city, itself from Old English beofor "beaver" and (possibly) licc "stream". It came into use as a masculine given name in the 19th century, then became common as an American feminine name after the publication of George Barr McCutcheon's 1904 novel Beverly of Graustark. It was most popular in the 1930s, and has since greatly declined in use.
Bevis m English (Rare)
From an English surname that is possibly derived from the name of the French town Beauvais.
Bhaltair m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Walter.
Bharata m Hinduism
Means "being maintained" in Sanskrit. This is one of the names of Agni, the Hindu god of fire, and is also the name of the brother of Rama in the Hindu epic the Ramayana. It was also borne by a legendary king, the son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala. The official name of the country of India, Bharat, derives from him.
Bharath m Tamil, Indian, Malayalam, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Bharata.
Bhaskara m Hinduism
Means "shining", derived from a combination of Sanskrit भास (bhasa) meaning "light" and कर (kara) meaning "maker". This is another name of Hindu sun god Surya. It was additionally borne by a 12th-century Indian astronomer, also known as Bhaskaracharya.
Bhàtair m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Walter.
Bhim m Indian, Hindi, Nepali
Modern form of Bhima.
Bhima m Hinduism
Means "terrible, formidable" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of the second son of Pandu, and thus one of the five Pandavas. He was known for his terrific strength and skill as a warrior.
Biagino m Italian (Rare)
Diminutive of Biagio.
Biagio m Italian
Italian form of Blaise.
Bibek m Nepali, Bengali
Nepali and Bengali form of Vivek.
Bích f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (bích) meaning "bluish green, cyan".
Bidziil m Indigenous American, Navajo
Means "he is strong" in Navajo.
Bidzina m Georgian
From Georgian ბიძა (bidza) meaning "uncle". This was the name of a 17th-century Georgian saint and martyr.
Bieito m Galician
Galician form of Benedict.
Biel m Catalan
Catalan short form of Gabriel.
Biff m English (Rare)
From a nickname that was based on the English word biff, which means "punch, hit, strike".
Bijay m Bengali
Bengali form of Vijaya.
Bijoy m Bengali
Alternate transcription of Bengali বিজয় (see Bijay).
Bikendi m Basque
Basque form of Vincent.
Bilal m Arabic, Turkish, Urdu
Means "wetting, moistening" in Arabic. This was the name of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad.
Bilbo m Literature
This is the name of the hero of The Hobbit (1937) by J. R. R. Tolkien. His real hobbit name is Bilba, which is of unknown meaning, but this was altered by Tolkien in order to use the more masculine o ending. In the novel Bilbo Baggins is recruited by the wizard Gandalf to join the quest to retake Mount Erebor from the dragon Smaug.
Bile m Irish Mythology
Possibly an Irish form of Belenus, though it may derive from an Irish word meaning "sacred tree, scion, hero". In Irish mythology this was the name of one of the Milesians who was drowned while invading Ireland.
Bilge m & f Turkish
Means "wise" in Turkish.
Bilgüün m Mongolian
Means "wise" in Mongolian.
Bill m English
Short form of William. This spelling was first used in the 19th century. The change in the initial consonant may have been influenced by an earlier Irish pronunciation of the name. Famous bearers include basketball player Bill Russell (1934-2022), comedian Bill Cosby (1937-), American president Bill Clinton (1946-), and Microsoft founder Bill Gates (1955-).
Billie m & f English
Diminutive of Bill. It is also used as a feminine form of William.
Billy m English
Diminutive of Bill. A notable bearer was the American outlaw Billy the Kid (1859-1881), whose real name was William H. Bonney.
Bima m Indonesian
Indonesian form of Bhima.
Binay m Bengali
Bengali form of Vinay.
Bine 2 m Slovene
Diminutive of Albin.
Bình m & f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (bình) meaning "level, even, peaceful".
Binyamin m Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew and Arabic form of Benjamin.
Bion m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from βίος (bios) meaning "life".
Bipin m Indian, Marathi, Hindi
Variant of Vipin.
Birger m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Birgir, probably derived from bjarga meaning "help, save, rescue".
Birgir m Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Birger.
Birkir m Icelandic
From Icelandic birki meaning "birch", specifically the downy birch (species Betula pubescens).
Birûsk m Kurdish
Means "lightning" in Kurdish.
Bishal m Nepali, Bengali
Nepali and Bengali form of Vishal.
Bishan m Indian, Hindi
Variant of Vishnu.
Bishop m English
Either from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer".
Bittor m Basque
Basque form of Victor.
Bjarke m Danish
Danish diminutive of Bjørn.
Bjarki m Icelandic
Masculine form of Björk.
Bjarne m Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Modern form of Bjarni.
Bjarni m Old Norse, Icelandic, Faroese
Old Norse diminutive of Bjǫrn and other names containing the element bjǫrn meaning "bear".
Bjarte m Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Bjartr, which meant "bright".
Bjartr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bjarte.
Bjartur m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Bjartr (see Bjarte).
Bjoern m German (Rare)
German variant of Björn. The Scandinavian names Björn and Bjørn are occasionally written with the digraph oe.
Björn m Swedish, Icelandic, German
From an Old Norse byname derived from bjǫrn meaning "bear".
Bjørn m Norwegian, Danish
Danish and Norwegian form of Björn.
Bjǫrn m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Björn.
Bjørnar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements bjǫrn "bear" and herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Björne m Swedish
Diminutive of Björn.
Bláán m Old Irish
From Old Irish blá meaning "yellow" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of 6th-century Irish saint, a bishop of Kingarth on the Isle of Bute in Scotland.
Blago m Croatian, Bulgarian
Croatian form of Blagoy, as well as a Bulgarian variant.
Blagoj m Macedonian
Macedonian form of Blagoy.
Blagoje m Serbian
Serbian form of Blagoy.
Blagovest m Bulgarian
Derived from the Slavic elements благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good" and вест (vest) meaning "message, news".
Blagoy m Bulgarian
Derived from South Slavic благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good".
Blagun m Macedonian, Bulgarian (Rare)
Derived from South Slavic благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good".
Blahoslav m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements blag meaning "sweet, pleasant, good" and slava meaning "glory".
Blai m Catalan
Catalan form of Blasius (see Blaise).
Blaine m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Irish given name Bláán.
Blair m & f Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic blàr meaning "plain, field, battlefield". In Scotland this name is typically masculine.... [more]
Blaise m French
From the Roman name Blasius, which was derived from Latin blaesus meaning "lisping". A famous bearer was the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).
Blake m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English blæc "black" or blac "pale". A famous bearer of the surname was the poet and artist William Blake (1757-1827). It was originally a mainly masculine name but in 2007 actress Blake Lively (1987-) began starring in the television series Gossip Girl, after which time it increased in popularity for girls.
Blanchard m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements blanc meaning "white" and hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of an obscure (perhaps legendary) 7th-century French saint.
Blandinus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Blandus.
Blandus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "charming" in Latin.
Blas m Spanish
Spanish form of Blaise.
Blasius m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Blaise.
Blaž m Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Blaise. It is also associated with South Slavic blag meaning "sweet, pleasant, good".
Blaže m Macedonian
Derived from South Slavic благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good".
Blaze m English (Modern)
Modern variant of Blaise influenced by the English word blaze.