Browse Names

Acheloios m Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Achelous.

Achelous m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀχελώιος (Acheloios), which is of unknown meaning, possibly of Semitic origin. This was the name of a Greek god of water and rivers, in particular the Achelous River in western Greece. He fought with (and was defeated by) Herakles for the hand of Deianeira.

Achilles m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀχιλλεύς (Achilleus), which is of unknown meaning, perhaps derived from Greek ἄχος (achos) meaning "pain" or else from the name of the Achelous River. This was the name of a warrior in Greek legend, one of the central characters in Homer's Iliad. The bravest of the Greek heroes in the war against the Trojans, he was eventually killed by an arrow to his heel, the only vulnerable part of his body.... [more]

Achilleus m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Achilles.

Adad m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian cognate of Hadad.

Aditya m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali, Indonesian
Means "belonging to Aditi" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the seven (or eight) Hindu gods who are the children of Aditi. It is also another name for the sun god Surya.

Admetos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Admetus.

Admetus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἄδμητος (Admetos) meaning "unconquered, untamed", a poetic form of ἀδάμαστος (adamastos). In Greek mythology this was the name of a king of Pherae in Thessaly. He was the husband of Alcestis, who died for him.

Adonis m Greek Mythology
From Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning "lord, master". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by Aphrodite, Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see Dumuzi).

Adrastos m Greek Mythology
Means "not inclined to run away" in Greek, from the negative prefix ἀ (a) and διδράσκω (didrasko) meaning "to run away". This was the name of a king of Argos in Greek legend.

Áed m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Aodh.

Ægir m Norse Mythology
Means "sea, ocean" in Old Norse. According to Norse mythology Ægir was a god or giant (jǫtunn) who lived under the ocean. His wife was Rán.

Aeneas m Roman Mythology
Latin form of the Greek name Αἰνείας (Aineias), derived from Greek αἴνη (aine) meaning "praise". In Greek legend he was a son of Aphrodite and was one of the chief heroes who defended Troy from the Greeks. The Roman poet Virgil continued his story in the Aeneid, in which Aeneas travels to Italy and founds the Roman state.

Aeolus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Aiolos.

Aesculapius m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Asklepios.

Aeson m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Αἰσών (Aison), which is of unknown meaning. Aeson was the father of Jason in Greek mythology.

Aether m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Αἰθήρ (Aither) meaning "ether, heaven", derived from αἴθω (aitho) meaning "to burn, to ignite". In Greek mythology this was the name of the god of the upper sky.

Agamemnon m Greek Mythology, Greek
Possibly means "very steadfast" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was the brother of Menelaus. He led the Greek expedition to Troy to recover his brother's wife Helen. After the Trojan War Agamemnon was killed by his wife Clytemnestra.

Agni 1 m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Means "fire" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the ancient Hindu fire god, usually depicted as red-skinned with three legs, seven arms, and two faces.

Ahriman m Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Angra Mainyu.

Ahti m Finnish, Estonian, Finnish Mythology
Meaning unknown. This is the name of the Finnish god of the ocean, rivers and fishing.

Ahura Mazda m Persian Mythology
Means "lord of wisdom", from Avestan 𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬭𐬀 (ahura) meaning "lord" and 𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬁 (mazdā) meaning "wisdom". In Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.

Aias m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Ajax.

Ailbe m & f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Ailbhe.

Ailbhe f & m Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Ailbe, possibly derived from the old Celtic root *albiyo- "world, light, white" or Old Irish ail "rock". In Irish legend this was the name of a female warrior of the Fianna. It was also the name of a 6th-century masculine saint, the founder of a monastery at Emly.

Ailill m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "elf" in Irish. This name was borne by several early Irish kings. It also occurs frequently in Irish legend, borne for example by the husband of Queen Medb.

Aineias m Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Aeneas.

Aiolos m Greek Mythology
Means "quick-moving, nimble" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek god of the winds.

Aither m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Aether.

Ajax m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Αἴας (Aias), perhaps deriving from Greek αἰαστής (aiastes) meaning "mourner" or αἶα (aia) meaning "earth, land". In Greek mythology this was the name of two of the heroes who fought for the Greeks in the Trojan War, the son of Telamon and the son of Oileus. When the armour of the slain hero Achilles was not given to Ajax Telamonian, he became mad with jealousy and killed himself.

Alastor m Greek Mythology
Means "avenger" in Greek. This was an epithet of Zeus, as well as the name of several other characters from Greek mythology.

Alberich m Germanic, Germanic Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements alb "elf" and rih "ruler, king". It was borne by two Lombard dukes of Spoleto in the 10th century. It was also the name of a 12th-century French saint who helped found the Cistercian Order.... [more]

Alcides m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Portuguese, Spanish
Latinized form of Greek Ἀλκείδης (Alkeides), derived from ἀλκή (alke) meaning "strength, prowess" and the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was another name for the hero Herakles.

Alexander m English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, help" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.... [more]

Alexandros m Greek, Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek, Greek Mythology
Greek form of Alexander.

Alf 1 m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse alfr meaning "elf". In Norse legend this was the name of king, the suitor of a reluctant maiden named Alfhild. She avoided marrying him by disguising herself as a warrior, but when they fought she was so impressed by his strength that she changed her mind.

Alfr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Alf 1.

Alkeides m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Alcides.

Alvis m Norse Mythology, Latvian
From the Old Norse Alvíss meaning "all wise". In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf who was to marry Thor's daughter Thrud. Thor was not pleased with this so he tricked Alvis by asking him questions until the sun rose, at which time the dwarf was turned into stone.

Alvíss m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Alvis.

Amadioha m Igbo Mythology
Derived from Igbo àmádí "freeborn man" and ọ̀hà "community, people". The is the name of the god of thunder and lightning in traditional Igbo belief.

Amen m Egyptian Mythology (Anglicized)
Variant of Amon.

Amirani m Georgian Mythology
Meaning unknown, probably of Proto-Kartvelian origin. This is the name of a hero from Georgian mythology whose story is similar to that of Prometheus from Greek mythology.

Ammon m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian Yamanu (see Amon).

Amon m Egyptian Mythology (Anglicized)
From Ἄμμων (Ammon), the Greek form of Egyptian jmn (reconstructed as Yamanu) meaning "the hidden one". In early Egyptian mythology he was a god of the air, creativity and fertility, who was particularly revered in Thebes. Later, during the Middle Kingdom, his attributes were combined with those of the god Ra and he was worshipped as the supreme solar deity Amon-Ra.

Amon-Ra m Egyptian Mythology (Anglicized)
Combination of the names of the gods Amon and Ra. During the later Middle Kingdom the attributes of these two deities were merged.

Amor m & f Roman Mythology, Late Roman, Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Means "love" in Latin. This was another name for the Roman god Cupid. It also means "love" in Spanish and Portuguese, and as a feminine name it can be derived directly from this vocabulary word.

Amulius m Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Roman mythology Amulius overthrew his brother Numitor, king of Alba Longa, but was eventually deposed by Numitor's grandsons Romulus and Remus.

Amun m Egyptian Mythology (Anglicized)
Variant of Amon.

An 2 m Sumerian Mythology
Means "heaven, sky" in Sumerian. An was the supreme Sumerian god of the heavens, the father of Enlil and Enki. His cuneiform sign 𒀭 (dingir) was prefixed to the names of other deities in writing, though it was not pronounced.

Ananta m & f Hinduism
Means "infinite, endless" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form अनन्त / अनंत (an epithet of the Hindu god Vishnu) and the feminine form अनन्ता / अनंता (an epithet of the goddess Parvati).

Anapa m Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Anubis.

Angra Mainyu m Persian Mythology
Means "evil spirit", from Avestan 𐬀𐬢𐬭𐬀 (angra) meaning "evil, destructive" and 𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬎 (mainiiu) meaning "spirit, mind". In Zoroastrianism Angra Mainyu was the god of darkness, death and destruction, the enemy of Ahura Mazda.

Anil m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit अनिल (anila) meaning "air, wind". This is another name of Vayu, the Hindu god of the wind.

Animikii m Indigenous American, Ojibwe, New World Mythology
Means "thunder, thunderer" in Ojibwe. In Anishinaabe mythology this is the name of the thunderbird, an immense flying creature that makes thunder with its flapping wings.

Aniruddha m Hinduism, Bengali, Indian, Marathi, Hindi
Means "unobstructed, ungovernable" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the grandson of the Hindu god Krishna.

Anoubis m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Anapa (see Anubis).

Anu 2 m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian form of An 2, also adopted by the Hurrians and Hittites.

Anubis m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ἄνουβις (Anoubis), the Greek form of Egyptian jnpw (reconstructed as Anapa and other forms), which coincided with a word meaning "royal child, prince". However, it might alternatively be derived from the root jnp meaning "to decay". Anubis was the Egyptian god who led the dead to the underworld. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a jackal. The Greeks equated him with their god Hermes.

Aodh m Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Áed, which meant "fire". This was a very popular name in early Ireland, being borne by numerous figures in Irish mythology and several high kings. It has been traditionally Anglicized as Hugh.

Aonghus m Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Óengus, possibly meaning "one strength" from óen "one" and guss "force, strength". Aonghus (sometimes surnamed Mac Og meaning "young son") was an Irish god of love and youth, one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He was the son of Dagda and Boann. The name was also borne by an 8th-century Pictish king, several Irish kings, and a few saints, including a 9th-century bishop of Tallaght.

Apis m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ḥjpw (reconstructed as Hapi), which is of unknown meaning. In Egyptian mythology he was a sacred bull, sometimes considered a son of Hathor. He was later fused with Osiris resulting in the figure of Serapis.

Apollo m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀπόλλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to the Indo-European root *apelo- meaning "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.

Apollon m Greek Mythology, Greek
Greek form of Apollo.

Ara m Armenian, Armenian Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Sumerian origin. In Armenian legend this was the name of an Armenian king who was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis went to war to capture him. During the war Ara was slain.

Aramazd m Armenian Mythology
From a combination of the mythological figures Ara and Ahura Mazda. This was the name of the supreme creator god in pre-Christian Armenian mythology.

Arash m Persian, Persian Mythology
From Avestan 𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬑𐬱𐬀 (Ərəxsha), of uncertain meaning, possibly from a root meaning "bear". In Iranian legend Arash was an archer who was ordered by the Turans to shoot an arrow, the landing place of which would determine the new location of the Iran-Turan border. Arash climbed a mountain and fired his arrow with such strength that it flew for several hours and landed on the banks of the far-away Oxus River.

Arawn m Welsh Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the god of the underworld, called Annwfn, in Welsh mythology.

Ares m Greek Mythology
Perhaps from either Greek ἀρή (are) meaning "bane, ruin" or ἄρσην (arsen) meaning "male". The name first appears as a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Hera.

Argos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Argus.

Argus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἄργος (Argos), derived from ἀργός (argos) meaning "glistening, shining". This name was borne by several characters from Greek myth, including the man who built the Argo and a giant with one hundred eyes.

Aristaeus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀρισταῖος (Aristaios), derived from ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best". This was the name of a minor Greek god of agriculture, hunting and cattle. He was the son of Apollo and the mortal Cyrene.

Aristaios m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Aristaeus.

Aristodemos m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from the Greek elements ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best" and δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people". This was the name of a descendant of Herakles in Greek legend.

Arjuna m Hinduism
Means "white, clear" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hero in Hindu texts, the son of the god Indra and the princess Kunti.

Armazi m Georgian Mythology
Possibly related to the name of the Armenian god Aramazd or the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda. In pre-Christian Georgian mythology Armazi was the supreme god.

Arthur m English, French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements *artos "bear" (Old Welsh arth) combined with *wiros "man" (Old Welsh gur) or *rīxs "king" (Old Welsh ri). Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius.... [more]

Aruna m & f Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi
Means "reddish brown, dawn" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Aruna (अरुण) is the charioteer who drives the sun god Surya across the sky. The modern feminine form अरुणा is also transcribed as Aruna, however the modern masculine form is Arun.

Asar m Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Osiris.

Ascanius m Roman Mythology
From Greek Ἀσκάνιος (Askanios), of unknown meaning. In Greek and Roman mythology Ascanius, also called Julus, was the son of Aeneas.

Asclepius m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Asklepios.

Ashmedai m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Hebrew form of Asmodeus found in the Talmud.

Ashur m Semitic Mythology
From the name of the city of Ashur, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, which is of unknown meaning. Ashur was the patron deity of the city and the chief god of Assyria.

Ask m Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife Embla were the first humans created by the gods.

Askanios m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Ascanius.

Asklepios m Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. Asklepios (Aesculapius to the Romans) was the god of healing and medicine in Greek mythology. He was the son of Apollo and Coronis.

Askr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Ask.

Asmodai m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Variant of Asmodeus.

Asmodeus m Biblical, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
From Greek Ἀσμοδαῖος (Asmodaios) and Hebrew אשְׁמְדּאי ('Ashmed'ai), probably from Avestan 𐬀𐬉𐬱𐬆𐬨𐬀 (aēshəma) meaning "wrath" and 𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬎𐬎𐬀 (daēuua) meaning "demon". In the apocryphal Book of Tobit this is the name of a demon who successively kills seven of Sarah's husbands on their wedding nights. He also appears in the Talmud.

Asterios m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology, Greek
Greek form of Asterius.

Asterius m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀστέριος (Asterios) meaning "starry", a derivative of ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star". This is the name of several figures from Greek mythology. It was also borne by a few early saints.

Atem m Egyptian Mythology
Variant of Atum.

Aten m Egyptian Mythology
Variant of Aton.

Atlas m Greek Mythology
Possibly means "enduring" from Greek τλάω (tlao) meaning "to endure". In Greek mythology he was a Titan punished by Zeus by being forced to support the heavens on his shoulders.

Atli m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Old Norse form of Attila, used in the Norse Völsungasaga to refer to a fictional version of Attila the Hun.

Aton m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian jtn meaning "solar disk". Aton was an Egyptian god of the sun, depicted as a solar disk with long rays extending downwards. The worship of Aton was especially extensive during the 14th-century BC reign of the pharaoh Akhenaton, who proclaimed Aton was the only god.

Atreus m Greek Mythology
Means "fearless", derived from the Greek negative prefix ἀ (a) and τρέω (treo) meaning "to fear, to flee". In Greek mythology, Atreus was a king of Mycenae and the father of Agamemnon and Menelaus.

Atum m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian jtm or tmw, derived from tm meaning "completion, totality". This was the name of an Egyptian creator god. He was first prominently worshipped in Heliopolis during the Old Kingdom.

Auster m Roman Mythology
Means "south" in Latin (descended from the Indo-European root *hews- meaning "dawn", making it related to the English word east). Auster was the Roman god of the south wind.

Azrael m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Variant of Azriel. This was the name of an angel in Jewish and Islamic tradition who separated the soul from the body upon death. He is sometimes referred to as the Angel of Death.

Ba'al m Semitic Mythology, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Semitic ba'l meaning "lord, master, possessor". This was the title of various deities, often associated with storms and fertility, who were worshipped by the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and other peoples of the ancient Near East. It was particularly applied to the god Hadad.

Baal m Semitic Mythology, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Variant spelling of Ba'al, and the form used in most translations of the Bible.

Ba'al Hammon m Semitic Mythology
From Phoenician 𐤁𐤏𐤋 (baʿl) meaning "lord" prefixing another word of uncertain meaning. This was the name of the supreme god worshipped in the Phoenician city of Carthage, alongside his consort Tanith.

Bacchus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Βάκχος (Bakchos), derived from ἰάχω (iacho) meaning "to shout". This was another name of the Greek god Dionysos, and it was also the name that the Romans commonly used for him.

Bahman m Persian, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬎 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬵 (Vohu Manah) meaning "good mind". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with domestic animals. The eleventh month of the Iranian calendar was named for him.

Bahram m Persian, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬬𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬖𐬥𐬀 (Vərəthraghna) meaning "victory over resistance". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with victory and war. It was also borne by several Sasanian emperors. It is also the Persian name for the planet Mars.

Baihu m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 白 (bái) meaning "white, pure" and 虎 (hǔ) meaning "tiger". This is the Chinese name of the White Tiger, associated with the west and the autumn season.

Bala 1 m & f Hinduism, Tamil
Means "young" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form बाल and the feminine form बाला (a minor Hindu goddess).

Baladeva m Hinduism
Means "god of strength" from Sanskrit बल (bala) meaning "strength" combined with देव (deva) meaning "god". Baladeva (also called Balarama) is the name of the older brother of the Hindu god Krishna.

Balarama m Hinduism
From Sanskrit बल (bala) meaning "strength, might" combined with the name of the Hindu deity Rama 1. This is the name of a Hindu god, the elder brother of Krishna.

Balder m Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Baldr meaning "hero, lord, prince", derived from baldr meaning "brave, bold". In Norse mythology Balder was the handsome son of Odin and Frigg. Because of the disturbing dreams he had when he was young, his mother extracted an oath from every thing in the world that it would not harm him. However the devious god Loki learned that she had overlooked mistletoe. Being jealous, he tricked the blind god Hoder into throwing a branch of mistletoe at Balder, which killed him.

Baldr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Balder.

Balor m Irish Mythology
Meaning uncertain. In Irish mythology Balor was a giant king of the Fomorians. He had an evil eye that could destroy opposing armies, though it took four men to pull open the eyelid. In battle with the Tuatha Dé Danann he slew their king Nuada, but was himself killed when the hero Lugh shot a stone into his eye.

Baltazar m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Variant of Balthazar.

Balthasar m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Latin form of Balthazar. Shakespeare used it for minor characters in Romeo and Juliet (1596) and Much Ado About Nothing (1599).

Balthazar m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Variant of Belshazzar. Balthazar is the name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who visited the newborn Jesus. He was said to have come from Arabia. This name was utilized by Shakespeare for minor characters in The Comedy of Errors (1594) and The Merchant of Venice (1596).

Barlaam m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Meaning unknown. In Christian legends Barlaam (recorded as Greek Βαρλαάμ) was a 3rd-century hermit who converted Josaphat, the son of an Indian king, to Christianity. The story is based on that of the Buddha. This name was also borne by two saints.

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.

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.

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.

Bedwyr m Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
Welsh form of Bedivere.

Bel m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian cognate of Ba'al. The Babylonians used it as a title of the god Marduk.

Belenos m Gaulish Mythology
Gaulish form of Belenus.

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.

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.

Bellerophontes m Greek Mythology
Variant of Bellerophon.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Boreas m Greek Mythology
Means "north wind" in Greek. Boreas was the Greek god of the north wind.

Brage m Norse Mythology, Norwegian
Modern Scandinavian form of Bragi.

Bragi m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Derived from Old Norse bragr meaning "first, foremost" or "poetry". In Norse mythology Bragi is the god of poetry and the husband of Iðunn.

Brahma m Hinduism
Means "growth, expansion, creation" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Brahma is the creator and director of the universe, the balance between the opposing forces of Vishnu and Shiva. He is often depicted with four heads and four arms.

Brân m Welsh Mythology
Means "raven" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi, Brân the Blessed (called Bendigeidfran) was a giant king of Britain. He was the son of the divine figure Llŷr. After his sister Branwen was mistreated by her husband the Irish king Matholwch, Brân led an attack on Ireland (the text says that he was so big he was able to wade there). Although victorious, the British lost all except seven men with Brân being mortally wounded by a poisoned spear. He asked the survivors to cut of his head and return with it to Britain. The head continued to speak for many years until it was buried in London.

Bran 1 m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "raven" in Irish. In Irish legend Bran mac Febail was a mariner who was involved in several adventures on his quest to find the Otherworld.

Bran 2 m Welsh Mythology
Unaccented variant of Brân. This is also the Middle Welsh form.

Brijesha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of Brij" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, Brij being a region associated with him.

Brokkr m Norse Mythology
Means "badger" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf, the brother and assistant of Sindri.

Brontes m Greek Mythology
Means "thunderer" in Greek. In Greek mythology (according to Hesiod), this was the name of one of the three Cyclopes, who were the sons of Uranus and Gaia.

Byelobog m Slavic Mythology
Means "the white god" from Slavic byelo "white" and bogu "god". This was the name of the Slavic god of the sun, happiness and fortune.

Cadmus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κάδμος (Kadmos), of uncertain meaning. In Greek mythology Cadmus was the son of the Phoenician king Agenor. He was sent by his father to rescue his sister Europa, who had been abducted by Zeus, although he did not succeed in retrieving her. According to legend, Cadmus founded the city of Thebes and introduced the alphabet to Greece.

Cáel m Irish Mythology
From Old Irish cáel meaning "slender". In Irish legend Cáel was a warrior of the Fianna and the lover of Créd.

Cai 2 m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
Welsh form of Kay 2.

Caishen m Chinese Mythology
Means "god of wealth", from Chinese 财 (cái) meaning "wealth, riches" and 神 (shén) meaning "god". This is the name of a Chinese god of wealth.

Caspar m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Latin variant of Jasper.

Cassiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
From Hebrew קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftzi'el), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include "leap of God", "drawn together by God" or "wrath of God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.

Castiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend, Popular Culture
Possibly a variant of Cassiel. It is the name of an angel in the grimoire the Heptameron, a work that is sometimes (probably incorrectly) attributed to the 13th-century philosopher Pietro d'Abano. It was also the name of a character (an angel) on the American television series Supernatural (2005-2020). The creator Eric Kripke chose it after an internet search revealed that Castiel was an angel associated with Thursdays, the day the show aired.

Castor m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κάστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" (pluperfect κέκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word κάστωρ (kastor) meaning "beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.

Céfiro m Greek Mythology (Hispanicized)
Spanish form of Zephyr.

Cephalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κέφαλος (Kephalos), which was derived from κεφαλή (kephale) meaning "head". In Greek legend he remained faithful to his wife Procris even though he was pursued by the goddess Eos.

Cepheus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κηφεύς (Kepheus), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek legend he was a king of Ethiopia, the husband of Cassiopeia. After he died he was made into a constellation and placed in the sky.

Cerberus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κέρβερος (Kerberos), which possibly meant "spotted". In Greek myth this was the name of the three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to Hades.

Cernunnos m Gaulish Mythology (Latinized)
Means "great horned one", from Celtic *karnos "horn" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on. This was the name of the Celtic god of fertility, animals, wealth, and the underworld. He was usually depicted having antlers, and was identified with the Roman god Mercury.

Chanda m & f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Means "fierce, hot, passionate" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form चण्ड and the feminine form चण्डा (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga).

Chandra m & f Hinduism, Bengali, Indian, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Means "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from चन्द (chand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of the masculine form चण्ड (a name of the moon in Hindu texts, which is often personified as a deity) as well as the feminine form चण्डा.

Charon m Greek Mythology
Possibly means "fierce brightness" in Greek. In Greek mythology Charon was the operator of the ferry that brought the newly dead over the River Acheron into Hades.

Chernobog m Slavic Mythology
Means "the black god" from Slavic cherno "black" and bogu "god". Chernobog was the Slavic god of darkness, evil and grief.

Chi 2 m & f Igbo Mythology, Western African, Igbo
Means "god, spiritual being" in Igbo, referring to the personal spiritual guardian that each person is believed to have. Christian Igbo people use it as a name for the personal Christian god (as opposed to the omnipresent Chukwu, though the names are used synonymously in some contexts). This can also be a short form of the many Igbo names that begin with this element.

Chryses m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek χρύσεος (chryseos) meaning "golden". In Greek mythology Chryses was the father of Chryseis, a woman captured by Agamemnon during the Trojan War.

Chukwu m Igbo Mythology
Means "the great god", derived from Igbo chi "god, spiritual being" and úkwú "great". In traditional Igbo belief Chukwu is the supreme deity and the creator the universe. Christian Igbo people use this name to refer to the Christian god.

Cian m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "ancient, enduring" in Irish. In Irish mythology this was the name of the father of Lugh Lámfada. It was also borne by the mythical ancestor of the Ciannachta and by a son-in-law of Brian Boru.

Ciar m & f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Derived from Irish ciar meaning "black". In Irish legend Ciar was a son of Fergus mac Róich and Medb, and the ancestor of the tribe of the Ciarraige (after whom County Kerry is named). As a feminine name, it was borne by an Irish nun (also called Ciara) who established a monastery in Tipperary in the 7th century.

Coeus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Koios.

Conall m Irish, Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "rule of a wolf", from Old Irish cú "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive con) and fal "rule". This is the name of several characters in Irish legend including the hero Conall Cernach ("Conall of the victories"), a member of the Red Branch of Ulster, who avenged Cúchulainn's death by killing Lugaid.

Conchobar m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Derived from Old Irish cú "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive con) and cobar "desiring". It has been in use in Ireland for centuries and was the name of several Irish rulers. It was borne by the Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa, one of the central characters in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, known for his tragic desire for Deirdre and his war with Queen Medb of Connacht.

Conchobhar m Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Conchobar.

Conchúr m Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Conchobar.

Conlaoch m Irish Mythology
Variant of Connla.

Conn m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Perhaps from Old Irish conn meaning "sense, reason" or cenn meaning "head, chief". This was the name of a legendary high king of Ireland, Conn of the Hundred Battles.

Connla m Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Conláech, derived from cú "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive con) and láech "warrior". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend including the son of Cúchulainn and Aoife. When he finally met his father they fought because Connla would not identify himself, and the son was slain.

Conor m Irish, English, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of Conchobar (or the Modern Irish form Conchúr).

Consus m Roman Mythology
Possibly derived from Latin conserere meaning "to sow, to plant". Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.

Cormac m Irish Mythology, Irish
From Old Irish Cormacc or Corbmac, of uncertain meaning, possibly from corb "chariot, wagon" or corbbad "defilement, corruption" combined with macc "son". This is the name of several characters from Irish legend, including the semi-legendary high king Cormac mac Airt who supposedly ruled in the 3rd century, during the adventures of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill. This name was also borne by a few early saints.

Cormacc m Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Old Irish form of Cormac.

Crius m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Kreios.

Cronus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κρόνος (Kronos), possibly derived from the Indo-European root *(s)ker- meaning "to cut". Cronus was the Titan who fathered the Greek gods. As his wife Rhea gave birth to the gods, Cronus swallowed them fearing the prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his children. However Rhea hid Zeus, her last child, who eventually forced his father to disgorge his siblings. Cronus and the rest of the Titans were then defeated by the gods and exiled.

Cú Chulainn m Irish Mythology
Variant of Cúchulainn.

Cúchulainn m Irish Mythology
Means "hound of Culann" in Irish. This was the usual name of the warrior hero who was named Sétanta at birth, given to him because he took the place of one of Culann's hounds after he accidentally killed it. The Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology tells of Cúchulainn's many adventures, including his single-handed defence of Ulster against the army of Queen Medb.

Culann m Irish Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of a smith in Irish legend. After Sétanta killed one of his dogs in self-defence, Sétanta took the place of the dog and was thereafter known as Cúchulainn.

Culhwch m Arthurian Romance, Welsh Mythology
Means "hiding place of the pig" in Welsh. In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen he was the lover of Olwen, the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Before the giant would allow Culhwch to marry his daughter, he insisted that Culhwch complete a series of extremely difficult tasks. Culhwch managed to complete the tasks with the help of his cousin King Arthur, and he returned to marry Olwen and kill the giant.

Cupid m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Cupido meaning "desire". This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of Venus and Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows, which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was Eros.

Cupido m Roman Mythology
Latin form of Cupid.

Daedalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Δαίδαλος (Daidalos), which was derived from δαιδάλλω (daidallo) meaning "to work cunningly". In Greek myth Daedalus was an Athenian inventor who was banished to Crete. There he designed the Labyrinth for King Minos, but he and his son Icarus were eventually imprisoned inside it because he had aided Theseus in his quest against the Minotaur. Daelalus and Icarus escaped using wings fashioned from wax, but Icarus fell from the sky to his death.

Dagan m Semitic Mythology
Variant of Dagon.

Dagda m Irish Mythology
Means "the good god" from the Old Irish prefix dag- "good" and día "god". In Irish myth Dagda (called also The Dagda) was the powerful god of the earth, knowledge, magic, abundance and treaties, a leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He was skilled in combat and healing and possessed a huge club, the handle of which could revive the dead.

Dagon m Semitic Mythology
Perhaps related to Ugaritic dgn meaning "grain". This was the name of a Semitic god of agriculture, usually depicted with the body of a fish.

Daidalos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Daedalus.

Dáire m Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "fruitful, fertile" in Irish. This name is borne by many figures in Irish legend, including the Ulster chief Dáire mac Fiachna who reneged on his promise to loan the Brown Bull of Cooley to Medb, starting the war between Connacht and Ulster as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.

Damocles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Δαμοκλῆς (Damokles), which was derived from δᾶμος (damos) meaning "the people", a Doric Greek variant of δῆμος (demos), and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek legend Damocles was a member of the court of Dionysius the Elder, the king of Syracuse. Damocles expressed envy of the king's station so Dionysius offered to switch roles with him for a day. To illustrate to Damocles the peril of a man in his position he suspended a sword over the throne.

Damodara m Hinduism
Means "rope around the belly", derived from Sanskrit दाम (dama) meaning "rope" and उदर (udara) meaning "belly". This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, given to him because his foster-mother tied him to a large urn.

Damokles m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Damocles.

Damon m Greek Mythology, English
Derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". According to Greek legend, Damon and Pythias were friends who lived on Syracuse in the 4th century BC. When Pythias was sentenced to death, he was allowed to temporarily go free on the condition that Damon take his place in prison. Pythias returned just before Damon was to be executed in his place, and the king was so impressed with their loyalty to one another that he pardoned Pythias. As an English given name, it has only been regularly used since the 20th century.

Dardanos m Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek δαρδάπτω (dardapto) meaning "to devour". In Greek mythology Dardanos was a son of Zeus and Electra. He was the founder of the city of Dardania in Asia Minor.

Dazbog m Slavic Mythology
Variant of Dazhdbog.

Dazhdbog m Slavic Mythology
Possibly means "the giving god" in Slavic. He was a Slavic god of the sun and light, a son of Svarog. In some myths he is the ancestor of the Russian people.

Deimne m Irish Mythology
Means "sureness, certainty" in Irish. This was the birth name of the Irish hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Deimos m Greek Mythology
Means "terror" in Greek. This was one of the sons of the Greek god Ares. Also, a moon of Mars bears this name.

Demophon m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people" and φωνή (phone) meaning "voice". In Greek mythology this was the name of the son of Theseus and Phaedra.

Devaraja m Hinduism
Means "king of gods" from Sanskrit देव (deva) meaning "god" and राज (raja) meaning "king". This is another name of the Hindu god Indra.

Diarmaid m Irish, Irish Mythology
Meaning unknown, though it has been suggested that it means "without envy" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior who became the lover of Gráinne. It was also the name of several ancient Irish kings.

Diarmait m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Diarmaid.

Diarmuid m Irish, Irish Mythology
Variant of Diarmaid.

Dilipa m Hinduism
Means "protector of Delhi" from Sanskrit दिल्ली (see Delhi) combined with प (pa) meaning "protecting". This is the name of several kings in Hindu texts.

Dinesha m Hinduism
Means "day lord" from Sanskrit दिन (dina) meaning "day" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord". In Hindu texts this is used as a name of the sun.

Diomedes m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek legend Diomedes was one of the greatest heroes who fought against the Trojans. With Odysseus he entered Troy and stole the Palladium. After the Trojan War he founded the cities of Brindisi and Arpi in Italy.

Dionysos m Greek Mythology
From Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" combined with Nysa, the name of the region where young Dionysos was said to have been raised. In Greek mythology Dionysos was the god of wine, revelry, fertility and dance. He was the son of Zeus and Semele.

Dionysus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latin form of Dionysos.

Dipaka m Hinduism
Means "inflaming, exciting" in Sanskrit. This is another name of Kama, the Hindu god of love.

Dismas m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Derived from Greek δυσμή (dysme) meaning "sunset". This is the name traditionally assigned to the repentant thief who was crucified beside Jesus.

Djehuti m Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Thoth.

Donar m Germanic Mythology
Old High German form of *Þunraz (see Thor).

Drupada m Hinduism
Means "wooden pillar" or "firm footed" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of a king of Panchala, the father of Draupadi and Dhrishtadyumna.

Dumuzi m Sumerian Mythology
From Sumerian 𒌉 (dumu) meaning "son, child" and 𒍣 (zid) meaning "true, loyal". This was the name of a Sumerian god of shepherds and vegetation, the husband of Inanna. He was said to spend half of each year in the underworld, resulting in the yearly cycle of seasons. He was known to the Semitic peoples of Mesopotamia as Tammuz.

Dumuzid m Sumerian Mythology
Variant of Dumuzi.

Dushyanta m Hinduism
Possibly means "destroyer of evil" in Sanskrit. In Hindu legend this is the name of a king who is the husband of Shakuntala and the father of Bharata.

Dyaus m Hinduism
From Sanskrit द्यु (dyu) meaning "sky", ultimately connected to the name of the Indo-European god *Dyēws. In the Rigveda he is the sky god, the consort of the earth goddess Prithvi. He is also called Dyaus Pita meaning "father sky". His name is cognate with other Indo-European theonyms such as Greek Zeus and Latin Jupiter.

Dyaus Pita m Hinduism
Form of Dyaus suffixed with the Sanskrit epithet पितृ (pitr) meaning "father".

Dylan m Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
From the Welsh prefix dy meaning "to, toward" and llanw meaning "tide, flow". According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, Dylan was a son of Arianrhod and the twin brother of Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Immediately after he was baptized he took to the sea, where he could swim as well as a fish. He was slain accidentally by his uncle Gofannon. According to some theories the character might be rooted in an earlier and otherwise unattested Celtic god of the sea.... [more]

Ea 1 m Semitic Mythology
Meaning unknown, perhaps from Sumerian meaning "house of water", or perhaps of Akkadian or Hurrian origin. This was the Akkadian, Assyrian, Hurrian and Babylonian name of the Sumerian water god Enki.

Éber m Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Éibhear.

Ehecatl m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Indigenous American, Nahuatl
Means "wind" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec wind god.

Éibhear m Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Éber, meaning uncertain. According to Irish legend this name belonged to two of the sons of Míl, Éibhear Dunn and Éibhear Finn, the first of the Gaels to conquer Ireland.

Éibhir m Irish Mythology
Variant of Éibhear.

El m Semitic Mythology
From a Semitic root meaning "god". This was a title applied to several Semitic gods. The Canaanites used it as the name of their chief deity, the father of the gods and mankind. The Hebrews used it to refer to Yahweh.

Elagabalus m Semitic Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of an Arabic name, derived from إله (ilah) meaning "god" and جبل (jabal) meaning "mountain". This was the name of a sun god worshipped in Emesa, in the Roman province of Syria. A 3rd-century Roman emperor, who served as a priest of this god in his youth in Syria, is known to history by the name Elagabalus. After ruling for four years he was assassinated at the age of 18, in part because he promoted the god to the head of the Roman pantheon.

Elil m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian form of Enlil.

Ellil m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian form of Enlil.

Endymion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning "to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess Selene, who asked Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.

Enki m Sumerian Mythology
From Sumerian 𒂗 (en) meaning "lord" and 𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth, ground" (though maybe originally from 𒆳 (kur) meaning "underworld, mountain"). Enki, called Ea by the Akkadians, Assyrians and Babylonians, was the Sumerian god of water and wisdom and the keeper of the Me, the divine laws.

Enkidu m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
Probably means "lord of the good place", from Sumerian 𒂗 (en) meaning "lord", 𒆠 (ki) meaning "place" and 𒄭 (du) meaning "good". This was the name of a wild man who became a companion of the Sumerian hero Gilgamesh, notably appearing in the Akkadian poem the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Enlil m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
From Sumerian 𒂗 (en) meaning "lord" and possibly 𒆤 (lil) meaning "wind". Enlil was the Sumerian god of the wind and storms, the son of An and Ki. He was later worshipped by the Akkadians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and other Mesopotamian peoples.

Eógan m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Eoghan.

Eoghan m Irish, Irish Mythology
Possibly means "born from the yew tree", from Old Irish eó "yew" and the suffix gan "born". Alternatively, it might be derived from the Latin name Eugenius. It was borne by several legendary or semi-legendary Irish figures, including a son of the king Niall of the Nine Hostages.

Epimetheus m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἐπιμήθεια (epimetheia) meaning "hindsight, hindthought". In Greek mythology he was a Titan, the brother of the god of forethought Prometheus.

Erebos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Erebus.

Erebus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἔρεβος (Erebos), which means "nether darkness". Erebus was the personification of the primordial darkness in Greek mythology.

Eros m Greek Mythology
Means "love" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was a young god, the son of Aphrodite, who was armed with arrows that caused the victim to fall in love.

Etzel m Germanic Mythology
Form of Attila used in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied. In the story Etzel is a fictional version of Attila the Hun.

Euandros m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Evander 1.

Euryalos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Euryalus.

Euryalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
From Greek Εὐρύαλος (Euryalos) meaning "broad". This name was borne by several figures in Greek legend. In Virgil's Aeneid it belongs to the friend of Nisus, with whom he is killed while raiding the Rutuli.

Evander 1 m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Variant of Evandrus, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὔανδρος (Euandros) meaning "good of man", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan War who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.

Evandrus m Roman Mythology
Latin variant of Evander 1.

Fachtna m Irish, Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Possibly from Old Irish facht meaning "malice". This was the name of a legendary high king of Ireland, said in some traditions to be the husband of Neasa and the father of Conchobar.

Faunus m Roman Mythology
Possibly means "to befriend" from Latin. Faunus was a Roman god of fertility, forests, and agriculture.

Fearghas m Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Mythology
Irish and Scottish Gaelic form of Fergus.

Fedelmid m & f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Variant of Feidlimid.

Fedlimid m & f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Variant of Feidlimid.

Feidlimid m & f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Traditionally said to mean "ever good", it might be related to Old Irish feidil "enduring, constant". This was the name of three early kings of Munster. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint, typically called Saint Felim. In Irish legend, it was the name of the father of Deirdre.

Fenrir m Norse Mythology
From Old Norse fen meaning "marsh, fen". In Norse mythology Fenrir was a ferocious wolf, one of the offspring of Loki and the giantess Angrboða. Because it was foretold he would bring about disaster, the gods bound him with a magical fetter, though in the process Tyr's hand was bitten off. At the time of Ragnarök, the end of the world, it is told that he will break free and kill Odin.

Fereydoun m Persian, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Old Iranian *Thraitauna meaning "the third". In the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh this is the name of a virtuous king who ruled for 500 years. The Avestan form of the name 𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀𐬊𐬥𐬀 (Thraētaona) appears in the earlier texts of the Avesta.

Fereydun m Persian, Persian Mythology
Alternate transcription of Persian فریدون (see Fereydoun).

Fergus m Irish, Scottish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "man of vigour", derived from the Old Irish elements fer "man" and guss "vigour, strength, force". This was the name of several early rulers of Ireland and Dál Riata, as well as many characters from Irish legend. Notably it was borne by the hero Fergus mac Róich, who was tricked into giving up the kingship of Ulster to Conchobar. However, he remained loyal to the new king until Conchobar betrayed Deirdre and Naoise, at which point he defected to Connacht in anger. The name was also borne by an 8th-century saint, a missionary to Scotland.... [more]

Fiachna m Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Derived from Irish fiach meaning "raven". This is the name of several characters from Irish legend. It was also borne by Fiachna mac Báetáin, a 7th-century king of Dál Araide.

Fiachra m Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Fiachrae, possibly from fiach "raven" or fích "battle" combined with rí "king". This was the name of several legendary figures, including one of the four children of Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners: a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France, usually called Saint Fiacre.

Fiachrae m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Fiachra.

Finn 1 m Irish Mythology, Old Irish, Irish, English, Dutch, German
Old Irish form of Fionn, as well as the usual Anglicized spelling (with the Irish hero's name Anglicized as Finn McCool). As a surname it is borne by Huckleberry Finn, a character in Mark Twain's novels.

Fintan m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Possibly means either "white fire" or "white ancient" in Irish. According to legend this was the name of the only Irish person to survive the great flood. This name was also borne by many Irish saints.

Fion m Irish Mythology
Variant of Fionn.

Fionn m Irish, Irish Mythology
From the Old Irish name Finn, derived from finn meaning "white, blessed". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of Oisín and grandfather of Oscar.

Frey m Norse Mythology
Variant of Freyr.

Freyr m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Means "lord" in Old Norse, derived from the Germanic root *fraujô. This is the name of a Norse god. He may have originally been called Yngvi, with the name Freyr being his title. Freyr is associated with fertility, sunlight and rain, and is the husband of the giantess Gerd. With his twin sister Freya and father Njord he is one of the group of deities called the Vanir.

Fūjin m Japanese Mythology
From Japanese 風 (fū) meaning "wind" and 神 (jin) meaning "god, spirit". This is the name of the Japanese wind god, who carries the wind in a bag over his shoulders.

Fuxi m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 伏 (fú) meaning "prostrate, lying down" and 羲 (xī), a character that refers to the god himself. In Chinese mythology Fuxi is the twin brother and husband of Nüwa. He is said to have taught humans how to hunt and cook, as well as devising the trigrams. He is sometimes depicted with the body of a snake.

Gandalf m Norse Mythology, Literature
Means "wand elf" in Old Norse, from the elements gandr "wand, staff, magic, monster" and alfr "elf". This name belongs to a dwarf (Gandálfr) in the Völuspá, a 13th-century Scandinavian manuscript that forms part of the Poetic Edda. The author J. R. R. Tolkien borrowed the name for a wizard in his novels The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954).

Gandálfr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Gandalf.

Ganesha m Hinduism
Means "lord of hordes" from Sanskrit गण (gana) meaning "horde, multitude" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler". This is the name of the Hindu god of wisdom and good luck, the son of Shiva and Parvati. He is often depicted as a stout man with the head of an elephant.

Ganymede m Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From Greek Γανυμήδης (Ganymedes), which was possibly derived from γάνυμαι (ganymai) meaning "to be glad" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek mythology this was the name of a beautiful boy who was abducted by Zeus to become the cupbearer to the gods, the successor of Hebe. A moon of Jupiter is named after him.

Ganymedes m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Ganymede.

Gaspar m Spanish, Portuguese, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Spanish and Portuguese form of Jasper, as well as the Latin form.

Geb m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian 𓎼𓃀𓃀 (gbb) meaning "earth". In Egyptian mythology he was the god of the earth and crops. His consort was his sister the sky goddess Nut.

Gemini m Roman Mythology, Astronomy
Means "twins" in Latin. This is the name of the third sign of the zodiac. The two brightest stars in the constellation, Castor and Pollux, are named for the mythological twin sons of Leda.

Geraint m Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
Meaning unknown, possibly a Welsh form of Gerontius. This was the name of a figure in various Welsh legends. He was also incorporated into Arthurian tales (the romance Geraint and Enid) as one of the Knights of the Round Table and the husband of Enid.

Giano m Roman Mythology (Italianized)
Italian form of Ianus (see Janus).

Gilgamesh m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
Possibly means "the ancestor is a hero", from Sumerian 𒉋𒂵 (bilga) meaning "ancestor" and 𒈩 (mes) meaning "hero, young man". This was the name of a Sumerian hero, later appearing in the Akkadian poem the Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh, with his friend Enkidu, battled the giant Humbaba and stopped the rampage of the Bull of Heaven, besides other adventures. Gilgamesh was probably based on a real person: a king of Uruk who ruled around the 27th century BC.

Giove m Roman Mythology (Italianized)
Italian form of Iovis (see Jove). This is the Italian name for the Roman god Jupiter.

Girisha m Hinduism
Means "lord of the mountain" in Sanskrit. This is a name of the Hindu god Shiva, given because of his abode in the Himalayan Mountains.

Giv m Persian Mythology
Meaning unknown. This is the name of a hero in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.

Glaucus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Γλαῦκος (Glaukos), a name meaning "bluish grey". This was the name of a Greek sea god, as well as other characters in Greek legend.

Glaukos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Glaucus.

Glooscap m New World Mythology
Derived from an Eastern Algonquian phrase meaning "man from nothing". Glooscap (or Gluskabe) was a hero involved in the creation myths of the Wabanaki people of eastern North America.

Gobannos m Gaulish Mythology
From old Celtic *goban meaning "smith". This was the name of a scantily attested Gaulish smith god.

Gofannon m Welsh Mythology
From Welsh gof meaning "smith". This was the name of a smith in Welsh legends. He is possibly a later development of an earlier Celtic god (seen also in Gaulish Gobannos and Irish Goibniu).

Goibniu m Irish Mythology
Derived from Old Irish gobae meaning "smith". In Irish mythology this was the name of a divine metalsmith and weaponmaker of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He also provided them with feasts that protected them from old age. He may be derived from an earlier Celtic smith god (seen also in Gaulish Gobannos and Welsh Gofannon).

Gonggong m Chinese Mythology
Meaning unknown, though usually spelled using the Chinese characters 共 (gòng) meaning "together" and 工 (gōng) meaning "work". This is the name of a Chinese water god, depicted as a serpent with a human head. He damaged the heavenly pillar Mount Buzhou, making the sky tilt to the northwest and the earth tilt to the southeast. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for him in 2019.

Gopala m Hinduism
Means "cow protector" from Sanskrit गो (go) meaning "cow" and पाल (pala) meaning "guard, protector". This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna. This name was also borne by the 8th-century founder of the Pala Empire in Bengal.

Gopinatha m Hinduism
Means "leader of the gopis" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, acquired because of his association with the gopis, who are cow-herding girls.

Goronwy m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Variant of Gronw. This form appears in the Book of Taliesin. It was borne by the Welsh poet Goronwy Owen (1723-1769).

Gotama m Hinduism
Means "the best ox" from Sanskrit गो (go) meaning "ox, cow" and तम (tama) meaning "best". In Hindu texts this is the name of one of the Saptarshis, or seven sages. This name was also borne by an early Indian philosopher who wrote the Nyaya Sutras.

Govannon m Welsh Mythology
Variant of Gofannon.

Govinda m Hinduism, Indian, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada
Means "cow finder", derived from Sanskrit गो (go) meaning "cow" combined with विन्द (vinda) meaning "finding". This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna.

Gowad m Persian Mythology
Middle Persian form of Vata.

Gronw m Welsh Mythology
Meaning unknown, perhaps from Old Welsh gur "man". According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi he was the lover of Blodeuwedd. He attempted to murder her husband Lleu Llaw Gyffes with a special spear he crafted over the course of a year, but Lleu transformed into an eagle. After he was restored to human form he killed Gronw.

Guendoleu m Welsh Mythology
Old Welsh form of Gwenddoleu.

Gundahar m Germanic, Germanic Mythology
Old German form of Gunther.