Browse Names

Heliodoros m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Heliodoro.

Helios m Greek Mythology
Means "sun" in Greek. This was the name of the young Greek sun god, a Titan, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses. His sister was the moon goddess Selene.

Helladios m Late Greek
Greek form of Helladius.

Helladius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Late Greek name Ἑλλάδιος (Helladios), which was derived from Ἑλλάδος (Hellados) meaning "of Greece". Saint Helladius was a 7th-century archbishop of Toledo.

Helmfrid m Germanic
Old German form of Helmfried.

Helmfried m German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements helm "helmet" and fridu "peace".

Helmo m Germanic
Short form of Germanic names that began with the element helm meaning "helmet, protection" (Proto-Germanic *helmaz).

Helmold m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements helm "helmet" and walt "power, authority".

Helmut m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element helm "helmet" (or perhaps heil "healthy, whole") combined with muot "mind, spirit".

Helmuth m German
Variant of Helmut.

Helvius m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from either Latin helvus meaning "honey-yellow, blond" or from the name of the Helvii, a Celtic tribe who lived west of the Rhône river. Gaius Helvius Cinna was a Roman poet of the 1st century BC.

Hemi m Maori
Maori form of James.

Hemingr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Hemming.

Hemming m Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare)
Perhaps derived from Old Norse hamr "shape", and possibly originally a nickname for a person believed to be a shape changer.

Henadz m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Gennadius.

Henderson m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "son of Henry".

Hendrick m Dutch (Archaic)
Dutch variant of Hendrik.

Hendricus m Dutch
Variant of Henricus.

Hendrik m Dutch, German, Estonian
Dutch and Estonian cognate of Heinrich (see Henry).

Hendrikus m Dutch
Variant of Henricus.

Hendrix m English (Modern)
From a Dutch surname that was derived from the given name Hendrik. A famous bearer of the surname was the American rock musician Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970).

Hendry m Scots
Scots form of Henry.

Heng m & f Chinese
From Chinese 恒 (héng) meaning "constant, persistent", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation. Lui Heng, known as Wen of Han, was a 2nd-century BC emperor of the Han dynasty.

Hengist m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Means "stallion" in Old English or Old Saxon. According to medieval histories (recorded by Bede in the 8th century), Hengist and his brother Horsa were the leaders of the first Saxon settlers in Britain. Hengist established a kingdom in Kent in the 5th century.

Henk m Dutch
Dutch short form of Hendrik.

Hennadiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Gennadius.

Hennie m & f Dutch
Dutch diminutive and feminine form of Hendrik.

Henning m German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Diminutive of Henrik.

Henny f & m Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Diminutive of Henriette, Hendrika and other names containing hen. In Dutch it can also be masculine as a diminutive of Hendrik.

Henri m French, Finnish
French form of Heinrich (see Henry). A notable bearer was the French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954).

Henrich m Slovak
Slovak form of Heinrich (see Henry).

Henricus m Germanic (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of Heinrich. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Hendrik is typically used in daily life.

Henrik m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Low German, German, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Armenian
Form of Heinrich (see Henry) in several languages. A famous bearer was the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906).

Henrikas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Heinrich (see Henry).

Henrikki m Finnish
Finnish form of Heinrich (see Henry).

Henrique m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Heinrich (see Henry). This was the name of a 15th-century Portuguese naval explorer (known as Henry the Navigator in English).

Henry m English
From the Germanic name Heimirich meaning "home ruler", composed of the elements heim "home" and rih "ruler". It was later commonly spelled Heinrich, with the spelling altered due to the influence of other Germanic names like Haganrich, in which the first element is hag "enclosure".... [more]

Henryk m Polish
Polish form of Heinrich (see Henry).

Heorhiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of George.

Hephaestus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἥφαιστος (Hephaistos), meaning unknown. It probably shares its origin with the Minoan city of Φαιστός (Phaistos), which is of Pre-Greek origin. In Greek mythology Hephaestus was the god of fire and forging, the husband of the unfaithful Aphrodite. It was said that when he was born Hera, his mother, was so displeased with his physical deformities that she hurled him off the top of Mount Olympus.

Hephaistos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hephaestus.

Heracleitus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Variant of Heraclitus.

Heracles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Herakles. However, the spelling used by the Romans was Hercules.

Heraclides m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Herakleides.

Heraclio m Spanish
Spanish form of Heraclius.

Heraclitus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἡράκλειτος (Herakleitos) meaning "glory of Hera", derived from the name of the goddess Hera combined with κλειτός (kleitos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher from Ephesus.

Heraclius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek personal name Ἡράκλειος (Herakleios), which was derived from the name of the Greek hero Herakles. This was the name of a 7th-century Byzantine emperor, known for his victories over the Sasanian Persian Empire. This name was also borne by two early saints.

Herakleides m Ancient Greek
Means "son of Herakles" in Greek, derived from the name of the mythic hero Herakles combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek astronomer who theorized the rotation of the earth.

Herakleios m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Heraclius.

Herakleitos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Heraclitus.

Herakles m Greek Mythology
Means "glory of Hera" from the name of the goddess Hera combined with Greek κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a hero in Greek and Roman mythology, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. After being driven insane by Hera and killing his own children, Herakles completed twelve labours in order to atone for his crime and become immortal.

Herb m English
Short form of Herbert.

Herbert m English, German, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, French
Derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and beraht "bright". It was borne by two Merovingian Frankish kings, usually called Charibert. The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Herebeorht. In the course of the Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.... [more]

Herberto m Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Herbert.

Herbie m English
Diminutive of Herbert.

Hercule m French
French form of Hercules. It was used by the British writer Agatha Christie for the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, the protagonist in many of her mystery novels (debuting 1920).

Hercules m Roman Mythology
Latin form of Herakles.

Heremoana m Tahitian
From Tahitian here "loved, dear" and moana "ocean".

Hereward m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements here "army" and weard "guard". This was the name of an 11th-century Anglo-Saxon leader who rebelled against Norman rule.

Hereweald m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Harold.

Heribert m German
German form of Herbert.

Heriberto m Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Herbert.

Herk m Various (Rare)
Short form of Hercules or other similar names.

Herkus m Lithuanian
Short form of Henrikas.

Herleif f & m Old Norse, Norwegian (Rare)
Old Norse feminine form and modern Scandinavian masculine form of Herleifr.

Herleifr m Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements herr "army, warrior" and leif "inheritance, legacy".

Hermagoras m Ancient Greek
From the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek ἀγορά (agora) meaning "assembly, marketplace". Saint Hermagoras (3rd century) was the first bishop of Aquileia in Italy.

Herman m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Slovene, Germanic
Means "army man", derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and man "person, man". It was introduced to England by the Normans, died out, and was revived in the English-speaking world in the 19th century. It was borne by an 18th-century Russian missionary to Alaska who is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, though in his case the name is an alternate transcription of German. Another famous bearer was the American writer Herman Melville (1819-1891), the author of Moby-Dick.

Hermann m German
German form of Herman. A famous bearer was the German author Hermann Hesse (1877-1962).

Hermanni m Finnish
Finnish form of Herman.

Hermanus m Dutch, Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of Herman. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates, with the form Herman typically used in daily life.

Hermenegild m German (Rare)
German form of Hermenegildo.

Hermenegildo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of a Visigothic name, from the Gothic elements airmans "great, immense" and gild "payment, tribute, compensation". It was borne by a 6th-century saint, the son of Liuvigild the Visigothic king of Hispania.

Hermenegildus m Gothic (Latinized)
Latinized (Old Spanish) form of Airmanagild.

Hermes m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Spanish
Probably from Greek ἕρμα (herma) meaning "cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker". Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeus and the other gods. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.... [more]

Hermínio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Herminius.

Herminio m Spanish
Spanish form of Herminius.

Herminius m Ancient Roman
Roman name that was possibly of unknown Etruscan origin, but could also be derived from the name of the god Hermes. In Roman legend this was the name of a companion of Aeneas.

Hermógenes m Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Hermogenes.

Hermogenes m Ancient Greek
Means "born of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek γενής (genes) meaning "born".

Hermokrates m Ancient Greek
Means "power of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek κράτος (kratos) meaning "power".

Hermolaos m Ancient Greek
Means "the people of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek λαός (laos) meaning "people".

Hernán m Spanish
Short form of Hernando.

Hernando m Spanish
Medieval Spanish form of Ferdinand. A famous bearer of this name was the Spanish conquistador Hernando (or Hernán) Cortés (1485-1547).

Hero 2 m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Heron.

Herod m Biblical
From the Greek name Ἡρῴδης (Herodes), which probably means "song of the hero" from ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior" combined with ᾠδή (ode) meaning "song, ode". This was the name of several rulers of Judea during the period when it was part of the Roman Empire. This includes two who appear in the New Testament: Herod the Great, the king who ordered the slaughter of the children, and his son Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist beheaded.

Herodes m Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Latin form of Herod, as well as the usual Biblical Greek transcription of Ἡρῴδης: after the classical period, the ι in the sequence ωι (often written as a subscript like ῳ) was not pronounced.

Herodion m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Derivative of the Greek name Herodes (see Herod). This name is mentioned briefly in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament. According to tradition he was a bishop of Patras, Greece, and was later martyred in Rome with Saint Peter.

Herodotos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Herodotus.

Herodotus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἡρόδοτος (Herodotos), derived from the name of the goddess Hera combined with δοτός (dotos) meaning "given, granted". Herodotus was a Greek historian of the 5th century BC who wrote the Histories, a detailed account of the Greco-Persian Wars. He is known as the Father of History.

Heroides m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Herod.

Heroidion m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Herodion.

Heron m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero". This was the name of a 1st-century Greek inventor (also known as Hero) from Alexandria.

Herry m Medieval English
Medieval English form of Henry. Unlike Harry, this form is no longer used.

Herschel m American, Yiddish
Variant of Hershel.

Hersh m Yiddish
Alternate transcription of Yiddish הירש (see Hirsh).

Hershel m American, Yiddish
Yiddish diminutive of Hirsh. As a non-Jewish American name (somewhat common around the end of the 19th century), it was likely inspired by the German surname Herschel, borne for instance by the British-German astronomer William Herschel (1738-1822).

Heru m Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Horus.

Herve m Breton
Breton form of Harvey.

Hervé m French
French form of Harvey.

Hervey m English
Variant of Harvey.

Hesekiel m Biblical Swedish, Biblical Finnish, Biblical German
Form of Ezekiel found in Swedish and Finnish bibles, as well as in German Protestant bibles.

Hesham m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هشام (see Hisham).

Heshel m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Yehoshua.

Hesiod m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ἡσίοδος (Hesiodos), which probably meant "to throw song" from ἵημι (hiemi) meaning "to throw, to speak" and ᾠδή (ode) meaning "song, ode". This was the name of an 8th-century BC Greek poet.

Hesiodos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Hesiod.

Hesperos m Ancient Greek
Means "evening" in Greek. This was the name of the personification of the Evening Star (the planet Venus) in Greek mythology.

Hevel m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Abel.

Hewie m English (Rare)
Variant of Hughie.

Heydar m Persian
Persian form of Haidar.

Hezekiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name חִזְקִיָהוּ (Chizqiyahu), which means "Yahweh strengthens", from the roots חָזַק (chazaq) meaning "to strength" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name was borne by a powerful king of Judah who reigned in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of an ancestor of the prophet Zephaniah.

Hiacynt m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Hyacinthus.

Hiawatha m History, Iroquois (Anglicized)
Meaning uncertain, of Iroquois origin, possibly meaning "he who combs". This was the name of a Mohawk or Onondaga leader who founded the Iroquois Confederacy around the 15th century. He was later the subject of a fictionalized 1855 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Hibiki m & f Japanese
From Japanese 響 (hibiki) meaning "sound, echo".

Hidayat m Arabic, Indonesian
Means "guidance" in Arabic.

Hidde m Frisian
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element hilt meaning "battle".

Hideaki m Japanese
From Japanese 英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" and 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear", as well as other combinations of kanji.

Hideki m Japanese
From Japanese 秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or 英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with 樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Hidemi m Japanese
From Japanese 秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.

Hideo m Japanese
From Japanese 英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" or 秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" combined with 雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly" or 夫 (o) meaning "husband, man". Other kanji combinations can also form this name. A famous bearer is the video game developer Hideo Kojima (1963-).

Hideyoshi m Japanese
From Japanese 秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" combined with 良 (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" or 吉 (yoshi) meaning "good luck". Other kanji combinations are possible. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Hideyoshi 秀吉 being his given name) was a 16th-century daimyo who unified Japan and attempted to conquer Korea. He also banned the ownership of weapons by the peasantry, and banished Christian missionaries.

Hienadz m Belarusian
Alternate transcription of Belarusian Генадзь (see Henadz).

Hieremias m Biblical Latin
Latin form of Jeremiah.

Hieremihel m Biblical Latin
Latin form of Jeremiel.

Hieronim m Polish
Polish form of Hieronymos (see Jerome).

Hieronym m Slovak
Slovak form of Hieronymos (see Jerome).

Hieronymos m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Jerome.

Hieronymus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), German (Archaic), Dutch (Archaic)
Latin form of Jerome, formerly common in Germany and the Netherlands. Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516) was a Dutch painter known for his depictions of the torments of hell.

Hiếu m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 孝 (hiếu) meaning "filial piety, obedience".

Hieu m Biblical Latin
Latin form of Jehu.

Hiezecihel m Biblical Latin
Biblical Latin form of Ezekiel.

Hifumi m & f Japanese
From Japanese 一 (hi) meaning "one", 二 (fu) meaning "two" and 三 (mi) meaning "three".

Higini m Catalan (Rare)
Catalan form of Hyginus.

Higinio m Spanish
Spanish form of Hyginus.

Higuel m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Hywel.

Hikari f & m Japanese
From Japanese 光 (hikari) meaning "light". Other kanji can also form this name. It is often written with the hiragana writing system.

Hikaru m & f Japanese
From Japanese 光 (hikaru) meaning "light" or 輝 (hikaru) meaning "brightness". Other kanji can also form this name.

Hikmat m & f Arabic
Derived from Arabic حكمة (hikmah) meaning "wisdom".

Hikmet m Turkish
Turkish form of Hikmat.

Hilaire m French
French form of Hilarius.

Hilal m & f Arabic, Turkish
Means "crescent moon" in Arabic, also referring to the new moon on the Islamic calendar. As a given name it is typically masculine in Arabic and feminine in Turkish.

Hilario m Spanish
Spanish form of Hilarius.

Hilarion m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἱλαρός (hilaros) meaning "cheerful". This was the name of a 4th-century saint, a disciple of Saint Anthony.

Hilarius m Ancient Roman
Roman name derived from Latin hilaris meaning "cheerful". Alternatively, it could be derived from the Greek name Ἱλαρός (Hilaros) also meaning "cheerful" (the Greek word ἱλαρός was the source of the Latin word hilaris). Saint Hilarius was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Poitiers. This was also the name of a 5th-century pope.

Hilary f & m English
Medieval English form of Hilarius or Hilaria. During the Middle Ages it was primarily a masculine name. It was revived in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century as a predominantly feminine name. In America, this name and the variant Hillary seemed to drop in popularity after Hillary Clinton (1947-) became the first lady in 1993. Famous bearers include American actresses Hilary Swank (1974-) and Hilary Duff (1987-).

Hilbert m German (Rare)
Variant of Hildebert.

Hildebert m German (Rare)
Means "bright battle" from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and beraht "bright". This name was borne by four early Frankish kings, usually called Childebert.

Hildebrand m German (Archaic), Germanic
Means "battle sword", derived from the Old German element hilt "battle" combined with brant "fire, torch, sword". This was the name of the hero of an 8th-century poem written in Old High German.

Hildefons m Germanic
Old German form of Ildefonso.

Hilderic m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and rih "ruler, king". Hilderic was a 6th-century king of the Vandals. This name was also borne by three early Merovingian Frankish kings, though their name is usually spelled as Childeric.

Hildiberht m Germanic
Old German form of Hildebert.

Hildiberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Hildebert.

Hildifuns m Gothic (Hypothetical)
Gothic form of Ildefonso.

Hildimar m Germanic
Old German form of Hilmar.

Hilding m Swedish
Modern form of Hildingr.

Hildingr m Old Norse, Norse Mythology
Means "chief, warrior", a derivative of Old Norse hildr "battle". This is the name of a character in the Norse tale Frithiof's Saga.

Hildirīks m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Hilderic.

Hildræd m Anglo-Saxon
Older form of Hildred.

Hildred f & m English
Possibly from the Old English masculine name Hildræd, which was composed of the elements hild "battle" and ræd "counsel, advice". This name was revived in the late 19th century, probably because of its similarity to the popular names Hilda and Mildred.

Hillar m Estonian
Estonian form of Hilarius.

Hillel m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew הָלַל (halal) meaning "praise". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament as the father of the judge Abdon. It was also borne by the 1st-century BC Jewish scholar Hillel the Elder.

Hilmar m German, Icelandic, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old German name Hildimar, derived from the elements hilt "battle" and mari "famous".

Hilperic m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements helfa "help" and rih "ruler, king". This name was borne by two Burgundian kings and two Frankish kings (usually called Chilperic).

Hinata f & m Japanese
From Japanese 日向 (hinata) meaning "sunny place", 陽向 (hinata) meaning "toward the sun", or a non-standard reading of 向日葵 (himawari) meaning "sunflower". Other kanji compounds are also possible. Because of the irregular readings, this name is often written using the hiragana writing system.

Hinnerk m Low German
Low German form of Heinrich.

Hinrich m Low German
Low German form of Heinrich.

Hinrik m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Heinrich (see Henry).

Hiob m Biblical German
German form of Job.

Hipolit m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Hippolytos.

Hipólito m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Hippolytos.

Hippocrates m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἱπποκράτης (Hippokrates) meaning "horse power", derived from the elements ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse" and κράτος (kratos) meaning "power". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek doctor who is known as the Father of Medicine.

Hippokrates m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Hippocrates.

Hippolyte 2 m French
French form of Hippolytos.

Hippolytos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "freer of horses" from Greek ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse" and λύω (luo) meaning "to loosen". In Greek legend he was the son of Theseus who was tragically loved by his stepmother Phaedra. This was also the name of a 3rd-century theologian, saint and martyr.

Hira f & m Urdu, Nepali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi
Derived from Sanskrit हीर (hira) meaning "diamond". It is typically feminine in Pakistan and unisex in India and Nepal.

Hirah m Biblical
Means "splendour" in Hebrew. This was the name of a companion of Judah in the Old Testament.

Hiraku m Japanese
From Japanese 拓 (hiraku) meaning "expand, open, support". Other kanji can also form this name.

Hiram m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, English
From Phoenician 𐤇𐤓𐤌 (Ḥirom) meaning "exalted brother". This was the name of a king of Tyre in the Old Testament. He may have reigned in the 10th century BC. As an English given name, Hiram came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where it gained some currency.

Hirohito m Japanese
From Japanese 裕 (hiro) meaning "abundant" and 人 (hito) meaning "person" or 仁 (hito) meaning "compassionate". Hirohito (1901-1989), name written 裕仁, was the emperor of Japan from 1926 to 1989. Different combinations of kanji can also form this name.

Hiroki m Japanese
From Japanese 大 (hiro) meaning "big, great" and 輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or 樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Hirom m Phoenician
Phoenician form of Hiram.

Hiroshi m Japanese
From Japanese 寛 (hiroshi) meaning "tolerant, generous", 浩 (hiroshi) meaning "prosperous", or other kanji and kanji combinations that are read the same way.

Hiroto m Japanese
From Japanese 大 (hiro) meaning "big, great" or 博 (hiro) meaning "command, esteem" combined with 人 (to) meaning "person", 翔 (to) meaning "soar, glide" or 斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation. Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Hirsh m Yiddish
Means "deer" in Yiddish, from Old High German hiruz. This was a vernacular form of the Hebrew name Tzvi. The deer is particularly associated with the tribe of Naphtali (see Genesis 49:21).

Hirshel m Yiddish
Yiddish diminutive of Hirsh.

Hisein m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسين (see Husayn).

Hisham m Arabic
Means "generous" in Arabic, ultimately from hashama "to crush". The meaning derives from the traditional Arab act of crushing bread into crumbs in order to share it. This was the name of an 8th-century caliph of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain.

Hizkiah m Biblical
Alternate form of the Hebrew name Chizqiyahu (see Hezekiah).

Hjálmar m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Hjalmar.

Hjalmar m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Hjálmarr meaning "helmeted warrior" from the element hjalmr "helmet" combined with herr "army, warrior".

Hjálmarr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Hjalmar.

Hjörtur m Icelandic
Means "deer" in Icelandic.

Hla m & f Burmese
Means "pretty, favourable" in Burmese.

Hleb m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Gleb.

Hlib m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Gleb.

Hlothar m Germanic
Old German form of Lothar.

Hlūdaharjaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Lothar.

Hlūdawīgą m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Ludwig.

Hludolf m Germanic
Old German form of Ludolf.

Hlūdwīg m Frankish (Hypothetical)
Frankish form (possibly) of Ludwig.

Hludwig m Germanic
Old German form of Ludwig.

Hlynur m Icelandic
Means "maple" in Icelandic.

Hob m Medieval English
Medieval short form of Robert.

Hodei m Basque
Means "cloud" in Basque.

Hoder m Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Hǫðr, derived from hǫð meaning "battle". In Norse mythology he was a blind god, tricked by Loki into killing his brother Balder.

Hoebaer m Limburgish
Limburgish form of Hubert. Its spelling has been influenced by the French pronunciation of Hubert.

Hoel m Breton, Arthurian Romance
Breton form of Hywel. This was the name of two dukes of Brittany. According to the chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth, it was borne by a ruler of Brittany who was an ally of King Arthur.

Hohepa m Maori
Maori form of Joseph.

Hokolesqua m Shawnee
Means "cornstalk" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief.

Holden m English (Modern)
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "deep valley" in Old English. This is the name of the main character in J. D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951), Holden Caulfield.

Holger m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Carolingian Cycle
From the Old Norse name Hólmgeirr, derived from the elements holmr "small island" and geirr "spear". In Scandinavia and Germany this is the usual name for the hero Ogier the Dane from medieval French romance.

Hollis m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from Middle English holis "holly trees". It was originally given to a person who lived near a group of those trees.

Hólmgeirr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Holger.

Homer m English, Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ὅμηρος (Homeros), derived from ὅμηρος (homeros) meaning "hostage, pledge". Homer was the Greek epic poet who wrote the Iliad, about the Trojan War, and the Odyssey, about Odysseus's journey home after the war. There is some debate about when he lived, or if he was even a real person, though most scholars place him in the 8th century BC. In the modern era, Homer has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world (chiefly in America) since the 18th century. This name is borne by the oafish cartoon father on the television series The Simpsons.

Homeros m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Homer.

Hong m & f Chinese
From Chinese 虹 (hóng) meaning "rainbow", 弘 (hóng) meaning "enlarge, expand, great" (which is usually only masculine) or 鸿 (hóng) meaning "wild swan, great, vast" (also usually only masculine). Other characters can also form this name.

Honor f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Honour, using the American spelling.

Honoratus m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "esteemed, distinguished". This was the name of at least seven saints, including a 5th-century archbishop of Arles and a 6th-century bishop of Amiens who is the patron saint of bakers.

Honoré m French
French form of Honoratus or Honorius. A notable bearer was the French author Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850).

Honorinus m Late Roman
Late Latin name that was a derivative of Honorius.

Honorius m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "honour, esteem, dignity". This was the name of an emperor of the Western Roman Empire. It was also borne by a few early saints and four popes.

Honour f & m English (Rare)
From the English word honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of Honoria or Honorata, which are ultimately derived from the same source.

Honza m Czech
Czech form of Hans.

Hopcyn m Medieval Welsh
Medieval Welsh diminutive of Hob.

Hopkin m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Hob.

Horace m English, French
English and French form of Horatius, and the name by which the Roman poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus is commonly known those languages. In the modern era it has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, in honour of the poet.

Horácio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Horatius.

Horacio m Spanish
Spanish form of Horatius.

Horatio m English
Variant of Horatius. Shakespeare used it for a character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600). It was borne by the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805), famous for his defeat of Napoleon's forces in the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he was himself killed. Since his time the name has been occasionally used in his honour.

Horațiu m Romanian
Romanian form of Horatius.

Horatius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin hora meaning "hour, time, season", though the name may actually be of Etruscan origin. A famous bearer was Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Roman lyric poet of the 1st century BC who is better known as Horace in the English-speaking world.

Hordad f & m Persian Mythology
Middle Persian form of Haurvatat.

Horea m Romanian
From Romanian horă, a type of circle dance. This was the nickname of Vasile Ursu Nicola (1731-1785), a leader of a peasant rebellion in Romania. He was eventually captured, tortured and executed.

Horia m Romanian
Variant of Horea.

Hormazd m Persian Mythology
Persian variant form of Ahura Mazda.

Hormisdas m Middle Persian (Hellenized)
Hellenized form of Hormizd. This was the name of a 6th-century pope.

Hormizd m Persian Mythology, Middle Persian
Middle Persian form of Ahura Mazda. This name was borne by several rulers of the Sasanian Empire. It was also borne by a Christian saint who was martyred in Persia in the 5th century.

Hormoz m Persian Mythology, Persian
Modern Persian form of Ahura Mazda.

Horos m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Heru (see Horus).

Horsa m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
From Old English or Old Saxon hors meaning "horse". According to medieval chronicles, Horsa and his brother Hengist were the leaders of the first Saxon settlers to arrive in Britain. Horsa was said to have died in battle with the Britons. He is first mentioned in the 8th-century writings of the English historian Bede.

Horst m German
Means "wood, thicket" in Low German. Alternatively, it may derive from Horsa. This name was popular in the first half of the 20th century but has since become uncommon. It is now a German slang word for an unintelligent person.

Hortensius m Ancient Roman
Masculine form of Hortensia.

Horus m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ὧρος (Horos), the Greek form of Egyptian ḥrw (reconstructed as Heru and other forms) possibly from ḥr "above, over" or ḥrj "distant". In Egyptian mythology Horus was a god of the sky and light, often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon. In some versions of the mythology he was the son of Osiris and Isis, and avenged his father's murder by killing his uncle Seth.

Horymír m Czech
Possibly from the Slavic elements gora (Czech hora) meaning "mountain" and mirŭ meaning "peace, world". According to a Czech legend, Horymír was a man sentenced to death but saved by his horse.

Hosea m Biblical
Variant English form of Hoshea, though the name is spelled the same in the Hebrew text. Hosea is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Hosea. Written in the northern kingdom, it draws parallels between his relationship with his unfaithful wife and the relationship between God and his people.

Hosee m Biblical Greek
Form of Hoshea (and Hosea) used in the Greek Bible.

Hoshea m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name הוֹשֵׁעַ (Hoshe'a) meaning "salvation", from the root יָשַׁע (yasha'). In the Old Testament at Numbers 13:16, Moses gives the spy Hoshea the new name Yehoshu'a (see Joshua), which has a related origin. This name was also borne by an 8th-century BC king of Israel, who was the last ruler of that state before it was conquered by Assyria.

Hosni m & f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسني (see Husni).

Hossam m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسام (see Husam).

Hossein m Persian
Persian form of Husayn.

Hǫðr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Hoder.

Houssam m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسام (see Husam).

Houston m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Hugh's town". The original Houston is in Scotland near Glasgow, but this is also the name of a city in Texas, named after the Texas president Sam Houston (1793-1863).

Hovhannes m Armenian
Armenian form of Iohannes (see John).

Hovik m Armenian
Diminutive of Hovhannes.

Hovo m Armenian
Diminutive of Hovhannes.

Hovsep m Armenian
Armenian form of Joseph.

Howard m English
From an English surname that can derive from several different sources: the Anglo-Norman given name Huard, which was from the Germanic name Hughard; the Anglo-Scandinavian given name Haward, from the Old Norse name Hávarðr; or the Middle English term ewehirde meaning "ewe herder". This is the surname of a British noble family, members of which have held the title Duke of Norfolk from the 15th century to the present. A famous bearer of the given name was the American industrialist Howard Hughes (1905-1976).

Howell m Welsh
Anglicized form of Hywel.

Howie m English
Diminutive of Howard.

Hoyt m English
From an English surname that was derived from Middle English hoit "stick", originally a nickname for a thin person.

Hozan m & f Kurdish
Means "poet, intellect" in Kurdish.

Hraban m Germanic
From an Old German byname derived from hraban meaning "raven".

Hrafn m Icelandic, Old Norse
Means "raven" in Old Norse.

Hrambert m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hram "raven" and beraht "bright".

Hranislav m Serbian
Derived from the Slavic element xorniti (Serbo-Croatian hraniti) meaning "to feed, to protect" combined with slava meaning "glory".

Hreiðarr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Reidar.

Hrihoriy m Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian Григорій (see Hryhoriy).

Hristijan m Macedonian
Macedonian form of Christian.

Hristiyan m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Christian.

Hristo m Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian short form of Christopher or Christian.

Hristofor m Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian (Rare)
Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian form of Christopher.

Hróaldr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Roald.

Hróarr m Old Norse
Old Norse name, derived from the element hróðr "praise, fame" combined with either geirr "spear" (making it a relation of Hróðgeirr), herr "army, warrior" or varr "aware, cautious". This is the name of a legendary Danish king, the same one who is featured in the Anglo-Saxon poem Beowulf with the name Hroðgar.

Hrodebert m Germanic
Old German form of Robert.

Hroderich m Germanic
Old German form of Roderick.

Hrodger m Germanic
Old German form of Roger.

Hrodland m Germanic
Old German form of Roland.

Hrodperht m Germanic
Variant of Hrodebert.

Hrodulf m Germanic
Old German form of Rudolf.

Hrœrekr m Old Norse
Old West Norse form of Hrǿríkr.

Hrolf m Germanic
Contracted form of Hrodulf.

Hrólfr m Old Norse
Contracted form of Hróðulfr.

Hrǿríkr m Old Norse (Hypothetical)
From Old Norse hróðr "praise, fame, glory" and ríkr "ruler, king" (a cognate of Roderick).

Hroðgar m Anglo-Saxon
From Old English hroð "fame, glory" and gar "spear", making it a cognate of Hrodger (see Roger). The name became unused after the Normans introduced the continental form. In the Old English poem Beowulf this is the name of the Danish king.

Hrothgar m Anglo-Saxon
Variant of Hroðgar.

Hróðgeirr m Old Norse
From Old Norse hróðr "praise, fame" and geirr "spear", making it a cognate of Hrodger (see Roger).

Hrōþiberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Robert.

Hrōþigaizaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Hrodger, Hroðgar and Hróðgeirr.

Hrōþilandaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Roland.

Hroþireiks m Gothic (Hypothetical)
Gothic form of Roderick.

Hrōþirīks m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Roderick.

Hroþisinþs m Gothic (Hypothetical)
Gothic form of Rosendo.

Hrōþiwulfaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Hrodulf, Hróðulfr and Hroðulf.

Hroðulf m Anglo-Saxon
From Old English hroð "fame, glory" and wulf "wolf", making it a cognate of Hrodulf (see Rudolf). This name appears in Beowulf belonging to the nephew of Hroðgar.

Hrothulf m Anglo-Saxon
Variant of Hroðulf.

Hróðulfr m Old Norse
From Old Norse hróðr "praise, fame" and ulfr "wolf", making it an Old Norse cognate of Hrodulf (see Rudolf).

Hróðvaldr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Roald.

Hruodnand m Germanic
From the Old German elements hruod meaning "fame" and nand meaning "brave". According to some theories, this was the original form of Roland.

Hrvoje m Croatian
Derived from Croatian Hrvat meaning "Croat".