Browse Names

Æþelbeorht m Anglo-Saxon
Old English cognate of Adalbert (see Albert). This was the name of a Saxon king of England and two kings of Kent, one of whom was a saint. It became unused after the Normans introduced their form of Adalbert after their invasion.

Aidana f Kazakh
Means "wise moon" in Kazakh, from ай (ay) meaning "moon" and дана (dana) meaning "wise".

Akari f Japanese
From Japanese 明 (aka) meaning "bright" or 朱 (aka) meaning "vermilion red" combined with 里 (ri) meaning "village" or 莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

Akemi f Japanese
From Japanese 明 (ake) meaning "bright" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Aki 2 f Japanese
From Japanese 晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal", 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn". It can also come from 亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with 希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name too.

Akie f Japanese
From Japanese 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" or 昭 (aki) meaning "bright" combined with 絵 (e) meaning "picture, painting" or 恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Akihiko m Japanese
From Japanese 明 (aki) or 昭 (aki) both meaning "bright" combined with 彦 (hiko) meaning "boy, prince". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

Akihito m Japanese
From Japanese 明 (aki) or 昭 (aki) both meaning "bright" combined with 仁 (hito) meaning "compassionate". Other kanji combinations are possible. Akihito (1933-), name written 明仁, was the emperor of Japan from 1989 to 2019.

Akiko f Japanese
From Japanese 晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal", 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.

Akimitsu m Japanese
From Japanese 昭 (aki) meaning "bright" and 光 (mitsu) meaning "light". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.

Akio m Japanese
From Japanese 昭 (aki) meaning "bright, luminous" combined with 夫 (o) meaning "man, husband", 男 (o) meaning "male, man" or 雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Akira m & f Japanese
From Japanese 昭 (akira) meaning "bright", 明 (akira) meaning "bright" or 亮 (akira) meaning "clear". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name. A famous bearer was the Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998), given name written 明.

Albert m English, German, French, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Romanian, Hungarian, Albanian, Germanic
From the Germanic name Adalbert meaning "noble and bright", composed of the elements adal "noble" and beraht "bright". This name was common among medieval German royalty. The Normans introduced it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Æþelbeorht. Though it became rare in England by the 17th century, it was repopularized in the 19th century by the German-born Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.... [more]

Albus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "white, bright" in Latin.

Algimantas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian alga "salary, pay" combined with mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth".

Almantas m Lithuanian
From the Lithuanian root al- "all, every" combined with mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth".

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.

Amalbert m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements amal possibly meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and beraht meaning "bright".

Andebert m Germanic
From the Old German element anto meaning "zeal" combined with beraht meaning "bright".

Ansbert m Germanic
Composed of the Old German elements ansi "god" and beraht "bright". It is a cognate of Osbert. This name was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint, a bishop of Rouen.

Aqil m Arabic
Means "intelligent, wise" in Arabic. This transcription represents two different Arabic spellings.

Areg m Armenian
Means "sun, bright" in Armenian (a poetic word).

Aþalaberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Adalbert and Æþelbeorht.

Azhar m Arabic, Urdu, Malay
Means "shining, brilliant, bright" in Arabic, derived from the root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".

Basir m Arabic
Means "wise" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition البصير (al-Basir) is one of the 99 names of Allah.

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.

Beorhtric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements beorht "bright" and ric "ruler, king".

Beorhtsige m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements beorht "bright" and sige "victory".

Beornræd m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements beorn "warrior, man" and ræd "counsel, advice".

Berahthraban m Germanic
Old German form of Bertram, using an extended form of the second element.

Bertha f German, English, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element berht, Old High German beraht meaning "bright" (Proto-Germanic *berhtaz). This was the name of a few early saints, including a 6th-century Frankish princess who married and eventually converted King Æþelbeorht of Kent. It was also borne by the mother of Charlemagne in the 8th century (also called Bertrada), and it was popularized in England by the Normans. It died out as an English name after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century.... [more]

Berthild f Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements beraht "bright" and hilt "battle". This was the name of a 7th-century saint, an abbess of Chelles in France.

Berthold m German
Means "bright power" from the Old German element beraht "bright" combined with walt "power, authority".

Bertilo m Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element beraht meaning "bright, famous".

Bertram m English, German, Germanic
Means "bright raven", derived from the Old German element beraht "bright" combined with hram "raven". This name has long been conflated with Bertrand. The Normans introduced it to England, and Shakespeare used it in his play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).

Bilge m & f Turkish
Means "wise" in Turkish.

Bilgüün m Mongolian
Means "wise" in Mongolian.

Bjarte m Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Bjartr, which meant "bright".

Bleda m History
Possibly from a Turkic root meaning "wise". According to other theories the name was of Gothic origin, or was a Gothicized form of a Hunnic name. This was the name of the brother of Attila.

Byeong-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean 炳 (byeong) meaning "bright, luminous, glorious" combined with 浩 (ho) meaning "great, numerous, vast" or 昊 (ho) meaning "summer, sky, heaven". Other hanja character combinations are possible.

Cato 1 m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "wise" in Latin. This name was bestowed upon Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato), a 2nd-century BC Roman statesman, author and censor, and was subsequently inherited by his descendants, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.

Ceallach m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Cellach, of uncertain origin, traditionally said to mean "bright-headed". Alternatively it could be derived from Old Irish cellach "war, strife" or cell "church". This name was borne by several early Irish kings and by a 12th-century saint, an archbishop of Armagh.

Chiaki f & m Japanese
From Japanese 千 (chi) meaning "thousand" combined with 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn", 晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal" or 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear". This name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.

Clara f German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Catalan, Romanian, English, Swedish, Danish, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Clarus, which meant "clear, bright, famous". The name Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.... [more]

Colobert m Germanic
Old German name composed of (possibly) the element kollo meaning "head, peak" and beraht meaning "bright".

Cuthbert m English (Rare)
Derived from the Old English elements cuþ "known, familiar" and beorht "bright". Saint Cuthbert was a 6th-century hermit who became the bishop of Lindisfarne, an island off the coast of England. He was known as performer of healing miracles. Because of the saint, this name remained in use in England even after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was (briefly) revived in the 19th century.

Da m & f Chinese
From Chinese 达 (dá) meaning "achieve, arrive at, intelligent" (which is usually only masculine), 大 (dà) meaning "big, great, vast, high", or other characters with a similar pronunciation.

Dagobert m Germanic, German
Means "bright day", derived from Old Frankish dag, Old High German tag meaning "day" combined with Old Frankish berht, Old High German beraht meaning "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century Merovingian king of the Franks.... [more]

Dana 4 m & f Persian, Arabic
Means "wise" in Persian.

Daumantas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian daug "much" combined with mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth". This name was borne by a 13th-century Lithuanian ruler of Pskov who is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Domantas m Lithuanian
From the Lithuanian root do- "to give" combined with mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth". It is sometimes conflated with Daumantas.

Eadberht m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and beorht "bright". This was the name of an 8th-century king of Northumbria and three kings of Kent.

Ealdberht m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements eald "old" and beorht "bright".

Egbert m English, Dutch
Means "bright edge" from the Old English elements ecg "edge, blade" and beorht "bright". This was the name of kings of Kent and Wessex as well as two English saints. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest but was revived in the 19th century.

Eimantas m Lithuanian
From the Lithuanian root ei- "to go" combined with mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth".

Eirian f & m Welsh
Means "bright, beautiful" in Welsh.

Ekkebert m Germanic
From the Old German elements ekka "edge, blade" and beraht "bright". This is a cognate of the English name Egbert.

Engelbert m German, Germanic
Old German name composed of either the element angil, from the name of the Germanic tribe of the Angles, or engil meaning "angel" combined with beraht meaning "bright". Saint Engelbert was a 13th-century archbishop of Cologne murdered by assassins.

Fahim m Arabic
Means "intelligent, scholar" in Arabic.

Farzaneh f Persian
Means "wise, intelligent" in Persian.

Fatin 2 m Arabic
Means "intelligent" in Arabic.

Filibert m Germanic
Means "much brightness" from the Old German elements filu "much" and beraht "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century Frankish saint, commonly called Philibert.

Frode m Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Fróði, which was derived from fróðr meaning "learned, wise".

Frodo m Literature
Derived from Old English froda meaning "wise". This is the name of the hobbit hero in The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, who used Old English to translate some hobbit names (Frodo's true hobbit-language name is Maura). In the novel Frodo Baggins is the bearer of the One Ring on the quest to destroy it in Mount Doom.

Fulbert m French, Germanic
From the Old German elements folk "people" and beraht "bright". Saint Fulbert was an 11th-century bishop of Chartres.

Gautbert m Germanic
Germanic name derived from the elements *gautaz "Geat" (a North Germanic tribe) and beraht "bright".

Gerelt m & f Mongolian
Means "radiant, bright, shining" in Mongolian.

Gilbert m English, French, Dutch, Germanic
Means "bright pledge", derived from the Old German elements gisal "pledge, hostage" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it was common during the Middle Ages. It was borne by a 12th-century English saint, the founder of the religious order known as the Gilbertines.

Giltbert m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements gelt "payment, tribute, compensation" and beraht "bright".

Glædwine m Anglo-Saxon
Old English name derived from the elements glæd "bright, cheerful, glad" and wine "friend". This name was not actually recorded in the Old English era, though it is attested starting in the 11th century.

Godabert m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements got "god" and beraht "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century king of the Lombards.

Góyąń f Indigenous American, Apache
Means "wise" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century Apache warrior woman.

Hadubert m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements hadu "battle" and beraht "bright".

Hakim m Arabic
Means "wise" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الحكيم (al-Hakim) is one of the 99 names of Allah.

Harjaberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Haribert.

Heidrun f Norse Mythology, German
Derived from Old Norse heiðr meaning "bright, clear" and rún meaning "secret lore, rune". In Norse mythology this was the name of a goat that would eat the leaves from the tree of life and produce mead in her udder.

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]

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

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.

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

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

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

Huang m & f Chinese
From Chinese 煌 (huáng) meaning "bright, shining, luminous" (which is usually only masculine) or 凰 (huáng) meaning "phoenix" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.

Hubert m English, German, Dutch, French, Polish, Czech, Germanic
Means "bright heart", derived from the Old German elements hugu "mind, thought, spirit" and beraht "bright". Saint Hubert was an 8th-century bishop of Maastricht who is considered the patron saint of hunters. The Normans brought the name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Hygebeorht. It died out during the Middle Ages but was revived in the 19th century.

Huệ f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 慧 (huệ) meaning "bright, intelligent" or 蕙 (huệ) meaning "tuberose (flower)".

Hui f & m Chinese
From Chinese 慧 (huì) meaning "intelligent, wise" (which is usually only feminine), 辉 (huī) meaning "brightness", besides other characters that are pronounced similarly.

Humbert m French, German (Rare), English (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hun "bear cub" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it has always been uncommon there. It was the name of a 7th-century Frankish saint who founded Maroilles Abbey. It was also borne by two kings of Italy (called Umberto in Italian), who ruled in the 19th and 20th centuries. A notable fictional bearer is Humbert Humbert from Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita (1955).

Hunbeorht m Anglo-Saxon
From the Old English elements hun "bear cub" and beorht "bright", making it a cognate of Humbert. This name was borne by a 9th-century English saint.

Hye m Korean
From Sino-Korean 慧 (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent" or other characters that are pronounced in the same way. Although it does appear rarely as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character. A notable bearer was a 6th-century king of Baekje.

Hye-Jin f Korean
From Sino-Korean 慧 (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent" or 惠 (hye) meaning "favour, benefit" combined with 珍 (jin) meaning "precious, rare". This name can be formed by a variety of other hanja character combinations as well.

Hyeon m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean 賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.

Hyeon-Jeong f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean 賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or 炫 (hyeon) meaning "shine, glitter" combined with 廷 (jeong) meaning "courtyard" or 貞 (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.

Hyeon-Ju f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean 賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" and 珠 (ju) meaning "jewel, pearl". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.

Hyeon-U m Korean
From Sino-Korean 賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or 顯 (hyeon) meaning "manifest, clear" combined with 祐 (u) meaning "divine intervention, protection" or 雨 (u) meaning "rain". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.

Indu f Indian, Hindi
Means "bright drop" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the moon.

Jeong-Hui f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean 正 (jeong) meaning "right, proper, correct" or 靜 (jeong) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" combined with 姬 (hui) meaning "beauty" or 熙 (hui) meaning "bright, splendid, glorious". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.

Ji-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean 智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" and 鎬 (ho) meaning "stove, bright" or 昊 (ho) meaning "summer, sky, heaven". This name can also be formed by other hanja character combinations.

Ji-Hye f Korean
From a Sino-Korean compound meaning "wisdom", formed of the hanja characters 智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" and 慧 (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.

Jun-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean 俊 (jun) meaning "talented, handsome" combined with 鎬 (ho) meaning "stove, bright" or 昊 (ho) meaning "summer, sky, heaven". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.

Kavi m Indian, Hindi
From a title for a poet, meaning "wise man, sage, poet" in Sanskrit.

Kei m & f Japanese
From Japanese 慧 (kei) meaning "intelligent", 圭 (kei) meaning "gemstone" or 慶 (kei) meaning "congratulate". This name can also be formed from other kanji or kanji combinations.

Ken'ichi m Japanese
From Japanese 健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" or 研 (ken) meaning "study, sharpen" combined with 一 (ichi) meaning "one". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Kenji m Japanese
From Japanese 健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" or 研 (ken) meaning "study, sharpen" combined with 二 (ji) meaning "two". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.

Kentarō m Japanese
From Japanese 健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong", 太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great" and 郎 (rō) meaning "son". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

Kenzō m Japanese
From Japanese 謙 (ken) meaning "humble", 健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" or 賢 (ken) meaning "wise" combined with 三 (zō) meaning "three". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Kōnane m & f Hawaiian
Means "bright" in Hawaiian.

Kunibert m German (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German element kuni "royal" and beraht "bright". Saint Kunibert was a 7th-century bishop of Cologne.

Lambert m German, Dutch, French, English, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements lant "land" and beraht "bright". Saint Lambert of Maastricht was a 7th-century bishop who was martyred after denouncing Pepin II for adultery. The name was also borne by a 9th-century king of Italy who was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.

Leocadia f Spanish, Late Roman
Late Latin name that might be derived from the name of the Greek island of Leucadia or from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, clear, white" (which is also the root of the island's name). Saint Leocadia was a 3rd-century martyr from Spain.

Leukippos m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "white horse", derived from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "white, bright" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This name was borne by a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher, as well as by several characters in Greek mythology.

Lubbert m Dutch
Dutch form of the Old German name Leutbert, derived from the elements liut "people" and beraht "bright". Liutbert (or Liutpert) was an 8th-century Lombard king.

Lucero f & m Spanish (Mexican), Spanish (Latin American)
Means "light source, bright star, morning star" in Spanish, a derivative of luz "light". Occasionally it is used as a diminutive of the name Luz. It is most common in Mexico and Colombia.

Malo m Breton
Means "bright pledge", derived from Old Breton mach "pledge, hostage" and lou "bright, brilliant". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint, supposedly a companion of Saint Brendan on his trans-Atlantic journey. He later went to Brittany, where he founded the monastic settlement of Saint-Malo.

Mantas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian mantus meaning "intelligent, clever" or manta meaning "property, wealth". Herkus Mantas was a 13th-century Prussian hero who fought against the Teutonic Knights.

Mantvydas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth" combined with the root vyd- "to see".

Manu 1 m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Kannada
Means "thinking, wise" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is a title of Svayambhuva, the progenitor of the human race, as well as several of his descendants.

Ming m & f Chinese
From Chinese 明 (míng) meaning "bright, light, clear" or 铭 (míng) meaning "inscribe, engrave", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.

Minh m & f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 明 (minh) meaning "bright". This was an adopted name of the communist revolutionary Hồ Chí Minh (1890-1969).

Mitsuaki m Japanese
From Japanese 光 (mitsu) meaning "light" and 昭 (aki) meaning "bright, luminous". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Muirgel f Old Irish
Means "bright sea", derived from Old Irish muir "sea" and gel "bright".

Munir m Arabic
Means "bright, shining" in Arabic.

Myeong m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean 明 (myeong) meaning "bright, light, clear" or other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. Although it does appear rarely as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character.

Myeong-Suk f Korean
From Sino-Korean 明 (myeong) meaning "bright, light, clear" combined with 淑 (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja combinations are possible.

Natela f Georgian
Derived from Georgian ნათელი (nateli) meaning "light, bright".

Niamh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "bright" in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet Oisín, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill. It has been used as a given name for people only since the early 20th century.

Norbert m German, English, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements nord meaning "north" and beraht meaning "bright". This was the name of an 11th-century German saint who made many reforms within the Church.

Noriaki m Japanese
From Japanese 憲 (nori) meaning "law" or 典 (nori) meaning "rule, ceremony" combined with 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Nuray f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "bright moon" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, ultimately from Arabic نور (nur) meaning "light" and Turkic ay meaning "moon".

Nurcan f Turkish
Means "bright soul" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic نور (nur) meaning "light" and Persian jan meaning "soul, life".

Osbert m English (Rare)
Derived from the Old English elements os "god" and beorht "bright". After the Norman Conquest, this Old English name was merged with its Norman cognate. It was rare in the Middle Ages, and eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.

Phaedra f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Φαίδρα (Phaidra), derived from φαιδρός (phaidros) meaning "bright". Phaedra was the daughter of Minos and the wife of Theseus in Greek mythology. Aphrodite caused her to fall in love with her stepson Hippolytos, and after she was rejected by him she killed herself.

Phaedrus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φαῖδρος (Phaidros), which meant "bright". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher, and also of a 1st-century Roman fabulist who was originally a slave from Thrace.

Phoebe f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.... [more]

Phoebus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοῖβος (Phoibos), which meant "bright, pure". This was an epithet of the Greek god Apollo.

Prakash m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali, Odia, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रकाश (prakasha) meaning "light, bright, shining".

Prasanna m Tamil, Indian, Kannada, Telugu, Odia, Hindi
Means "clear, bright, tranquil" in Sanskrit.

Prudentius m Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from prudens "prudent, wise, skilled". This was the name of a 9th-century bishop of Troyes. He is considered a local saint there.

Quang m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 光 (quang) meaning "bright, clear".

Raginbert m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and beraht "bright". This was the name of an 8th-century Lombard king.

Ragnheiðr f Old Norse
Old Norse name meaning "bright advice", derived from the elements regin "advice, counsel" and heiðr "bright, clear".

Reina 3 f Japanese
From Japanese 怜 (rei) meaning "wise" and 奈 (na), a phonetic character. This name can also be formed by other combinations of kanji.

Rimantas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian rimti "to calm down" combined with mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth".

Robert m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Albanian, Romanian, Catalan, Germanic
From the Germanic name Hrodebert meaning "bright fame", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, where it replaced the rare Old English cognate Hreodbeorht. It has been consistently among the most common English names from the 13th to 20th century. In the United States it was the most popular name for boys between 1924 and 1939 (and again in 1953).... [more]

Roshan m & f Persian, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "light, bright" in Persian.

Roshanak f Persian
Feminine form of Roshan, used in Persian to refer to Roxana the wife of Alexander the Great.

Roshanara f Persian (Archaic)
From Persian روشن (roshan) meaning "light" and آرا (ara) meaning "decorate, adorn". This was the name of the second daughter of the 17th-century Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.

Roxana f English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latin form of Ῥωξάνη (Rhoxane), the Greek form of an Old Persian or Bactrian name, from Old Iranian *rauxšnā meaning "bright, shining". This was the name of Alexander the Great's first wife, a daughter of the Bactrian nobleman Oxyartes. In the modern era it came into use during the 17th century. In the English-speaking world it was popularized by Daniel Defoe, who used it in his novel Roxana (1724).

Samwise m Literature
Means "simple, half wise" from Old English sam "half" and wis "wise". This is the name of a hobbit in J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings (1954). Samwise Gamgee, often called Sam, is the faithful companion of Frodo on his quest to destroy the One Ring. Samwise is an English-like translation of his true hobbit name Banazîr.

Satomi f Japanese
From Japanese 里 (sato) meaning "village" or 聡 (sato) meaning "intelligent, clever, bright" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Satoshi m Japanese
From Japanese 聡 (satoshi) meaning "intelligent, clever", 智 (satoshi) meaning "wisdom, intellect", or other kanji and kanji combinations that are read the same way.

Savio m Italian
Means "wise" in Italian.

Seo-Hyeon f Korean
From Sino-Korean 瑞 (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" combined with 賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.

Seong-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean 成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or 盛 (seong) meaning "abundant, flourishing" combined with 鎬 (ho) meaning "stove, bright" or 晧 (ho) meaning "daybreak, bright". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.

Sherwood m English
From an English place name (or from a surname that was derived from it) meaning "bright forest". This was the name of the forest in which the legendary outlaw Robin Hood made his home.

Shideh f Persian
Means "bright" in Persian.

Shirley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel Shirley (1849). Though the name was already popular in the United States, the child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) gave it a further boost. By 1935 it was the second most common name for girls.

Shōji m Japanese
From Japanese 昌 (shō) meaning "flourish, prosper, good" or 昭 (shō) meaning "bright, luminous" combined with 二 (ji) meaning "two". Other combinations of kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name.

Shubham m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शुभ (shubha) meaning "splendid, bright, auspicious".

Siegbert m German
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and beraht "bright". This was the name of several Frankish kings, including the 7th-century Sigebert III of Austrasia who is regarded as a saint.

Sigeberht m Anglo-Saxon
Means "bright victory", derived from Old English sige "victory" and beorht "bright" (a cognate of Siegbert). This was the name of a king of Wessex. The name fell out of use after the Norman Conquest.

Sigiberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Sigibert and Sigeberht.

Skaidrīte f Latvian
Derived from Latvian skaidrs meaning "clear, bright".

Sorcha f Irish, Scottish Gaelic
Means "radiant, bright" in Irish. It has been in use since late medieval times. It is sometimes Anglicized as Sarah (in Ireland) and Clara (in Scotland).

Sovanna f & m Khmer
Variant of Sovann.

Sudhir m Indian, Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu
Derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with धीर (dhira) meaning "wise, considerate".

Su-Hyeon f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean 秀 (su) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" and 賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able". Other combinations of hanja characters can also form this name.

Sumati f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Means "wise, good mind", derived from Sanskrit सु (su) meaning "good" and मति (mati) meaning "mind, thought". In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of King Sagara's second wife, who bore him 60,000 children.

Sunita f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "well conducted, wise", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with नीत (nita) meaning "conducted, led". In Hindu legend this is the name of the daughter of King Anga of Bengal.

Svarog m Slavic Mythology
Derived from Slavic svar meaning "bright, clear". This was the name of the Slavic god of the sky and sun. He was originally the supreme god in Slavic mythology.

Swaran m & f Punjabi
Punjabi form of Swarna.

Tatsuo m Japanese
From Japanese 達 (tatsu) meaning "achieve" combined with 夫 (o) meaning "man, husband". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

Tatsuya m Japanese
From Japanese 達 (tatsu) meaning "achieve" combined with 也 (ya) meaning "to be". Other kanji combinations having the same reading are also possible.

Toshiaki m Japanese
From Japanese 俊 (toshi) meaning "talented, handsome" or 利 (toshi) meaning "benefit, advantage" combined with 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

Vasu m Hinduism, Indian, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi
Means "bright, excellent" in Sanskrit. This is an epithet of several Hindu gods. It also belonged to one of the authors of the Rigveda.

Vidmantas m Lithuanian
From the Lithuanian root vyd- "to see" combined with mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth".

Vilmantas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian viltis "hope" combined with mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth".

Waldebert m Germanic
Germanic name composed of the elements walt "power, authority" and beraht "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century Frankish saint from Luxeuil (called Valbert or Gaubert in French).

Walhberht m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and beraht "bright".

Wīgaberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Wigberht.

Wigberht m Anglo-Saxon, Germanic
Derived from the Old English elements wig "battle" and beorht "bright". This is also a continental Germanic equivalent, derived from the Old German elements wig and beraht. The name was borne by an 8th-century English saint who did missionary work in Frisia and Germany.

Wilbert m Dutch
Means "bright will", derived from the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and beraht "bright".

Win m & f Burmese
Means "bright, radiant, brilliant" in Burmese.

Wischard m Old Norman
Norman form of Guiscard.

Yeong-Cheol m Korean
From Sino-Korean 永 (yeong) meaning "perpetual, eternal" combined with 哲 (cheol) meaning "wise, sage". Other hanja combinations are possible.

Yeong-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean 英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero", 映 (yeong) meaning "reflect light" or 泳 (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with 浩 (ho) meaning "great, numerous, vast" or 皓 (ho) meaning "bright, luminous, clear, hoary". Other hanja combinations are possible.

Zahra f Arabic, Persian
From Arabic زهراء (zahra), the feminine form of أزهر (azhar) meaning "shining, brilliant, bright". This is an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad's daughter Fatimah.... [more]

Zeki m Turkish
Means "intelligent" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic ذكيّ (dhakiy).

Ziv m & f Hebrew
Means "bright, radiant" in Hebrew. This was the ancient name of the second month of the Jewish calendar.