Browse Names - Behind the Name

Ahmose m & f Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
From Egyptian jꜥḥ-ms meaning "born of Iah", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Iah combined with msj meaning "be born". This was the name of the first pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (16th century BC). He defeated the Hyksos and drove them from Egypt. It was also borne by others among Egyptian royalty from the same era, including several queens consort.

Akhenaten m Ancient Egyptian
Variant of Akhenaton.

Akhenaton m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ꜣḫ-n-jtn meaning "effective for Aton". Akhenaton was a 14th-century BC Egyptian pharaoh of the New Kingdom, who is best known for promoting the monotheistic worship of the sun god Aton. He changed his name from Amenhotep in order to honour the god. After his death, polytheism resumed.

Amenemhat m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian jmn-m-ḥꜣt meaning "Amon is foremost". This was the name of four Egyptian pharaohs, including Amenemhat I the founder of the 12th dynasty in the 20th century BC.

Amenemhet m Ancient Egyptian
Variant of Amenemhat.

Amenhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian jmn-ḥtp meaning "Amon is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Amon combined with ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of four pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Amenhotep III (14th century BC), known as the Magnificent, who ruled over Egypt during a time of great prosperity.

Amosis m & f Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Ahmose.

Cheops m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Khufu.

Chephren m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Khafra.

Djedefre m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ḏd-f-rꜥ meaning "his stability is Ra", from ḏd "stability" combined with the name of the god Ra. This was the name of a pharaoh of the 4th dynasty of the Old Kingdom (26th century BC), a son of Khufu. His name was also written with the hieroglyphs in reverse order, as Radjedef.

Djehutimesu m Ancient Egyptian (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Thutmose.

Djehutimose m Ancient Egyptian (Hypothetical)
Variant of Djehutimesu.

Djoser m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ḏsr meaning "splendour, glory". This was the name of the founding pharaoh of the 3rd dynasty of Egypt's Old Kingdom (27th century BC).

Iahmesu m & f Ancient Egyptian (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Ahmose.

Imhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian jj-m-ḥtp meaning "he comes in peace". This was the name of a 27th-century BC architect, priest, physician and chief minister to the pharaoh Djoser. Imhotep apparently designed the step pyramid at Saqqara, near Memphis.

Khafra m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ḫꜥf-rꜥ meaning "he appears as Ra". This was the name of the 4th-dynasty Egyptian pharaoh who built the second largest of the pyramids at Giza (26th century BC). He is also known as Chephren, from the Greek form of his name.

Khafre m Ancient Egyptian
Variant of Khafra.

Khnum-Khufu m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ẖnmw-ḫwfw meaning "Khnum protects me". This was the full name of the pharaoh Khufu.

Khufu m Ancient Egyptian
Shortened form of the longer Egyptian name Khnum-Khufu. This was the name of an Egyptian pharaoh of the 4th dynasty (26th century BC), the builder of the largest of the pyramids at Giza. He used both the full and shortened versions of his name in his lifetime, and is also known to history by the Greek form of his name Cheops.

Menes m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian mnj probably meaning "he who endures", derived from mn "to endure". According to tradition, Menes was the Egyptian pharaoh who first united Upper and Lower Egypt around the 31st century BC. He is probably the same as the pharaoh known as Narmer; Menes could have been his throne name.

Mentuhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian mnṯw-ḥtp meaning "Montu is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Montu combined with ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of several pharaohs, including Mentuhotep II who reunited Egypt into what is now called the Middle Kingdom in the 21st century BC.

Narmer m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nꜥr-mr meaning "fierce catfish", derived from nꜥr "catfish" and mr "fierce, painful". Narmer was an Egyptian ruler who is considered the first pharaoh, uniting Upper and Lower Egypt around the 31st century BC. He is probably the same person as Menes, with Narmer being his Horus name.

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.

Paphnoutios m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Paphnutius.

Paphnutius m Ancient Egyptian (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Παφνούτιος (Paphnoutios), derived from Egyptian pꜣj-pꜣ-nṯr meaning "the one of God". This was the name of several saints, including the 4th-century bishop Paphnutius of Thebes.

Rameses m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
Variant of Ramesses.

Ramesses m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
From Ῥαμέσσης (Rhamesses), the Greek form of Egyptian rꜥ-ms-sw meaning "born of Ra", composed of the name of the supreme god Ra combined with the root msj "be born". Ramesses was the name of eleven Egyptian pharaohs of the New Kingdom. The most important of these were Ramesses II the Great who campaigned against the Hittites and also built several great monuments (13th century BC), and Ramesses III who defended Egypt from the Libyans and Sea Peoples (12th century BC).

Ramessu m Ancient Egyptian (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Ramesses.

Ramses m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized, Latinized)
Variant of Ramesses.

Rhamesses m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Hellenized form of Egyptian rꜥ-ms-sw (see Ramesses).

Seti m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian stẖj meaning "of Seth 2". This was the name of two pharaohs of the 19th dynasty (13th century BC).

Sneferu m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian snfr-wj meaning "(he) has made me beautiful", from snfr "to make beautiful", a derivative of nfr "beautiful, good". This was the name of the founder of the 4th dynasty during Egypt's Old Kingdom (27th century BC).

Sobekhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian sbk-ḥtp meaning "Sobek is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Sobek combined with ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of several Egyptian pharaohs from the 13th dynasty (19th to 17th centuries BC).

Thutmose m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
From Τούθμωσις (Touthmosis), the Greek form of Egyptian ḏḥwtj-ms meaning "born of Thoth", itself composed of the name of the Egyptian god Thoth combined with msj "be born". Thutmose was the name of four Egyptian pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Thutmose III who conquered Syria and Nubia in the 15th century BC.

Touthmosis m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Thutmose.

Tutankhamon m Ancient Egyptian
Variant of Tutankhamun.

Tutankhamun m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian twt-ꜥnḫ-jmn meaning "image of the life of Amon", derived from twt "image" combined with ꜥnḫ "life" combined with the name of the god Amon. This was the name of a 14th-century BC pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, most famous because of the treasures found in his tomb.

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