Chryseis f Greek MythologyPatronymic derived from
Chryses. In Greek legend she was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of
Apollo. After she was taken prisoner by the Greeks besieging Troy, Apollo sent a plague into their camp, forcing the Greeks to release her.
Chrysostomos m GreekMeans
"golden mouth", from Greek
χρυσός (chrysos) meaning "gold" and
στόμα (stoma) meaning "mouth". This was an epithet applied to eloquent orators, notably Saint John Chrysostom, a 4th-century archbishop of Constantinople.
Chthonia f Greek MythologyMeans
"of the earth, underground" in Greek, a derivative of
χθών (chthon) meaning "earth, ground, soil". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess
Demeter.
Chukwu m Igbo MythologyMeans
"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.
Chun f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
春 (chūn) meaning "spring (season)" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Cian m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"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 IrishDerived 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.
Ciara 2 f English (Modern)Variant of
Sierra. Use of the name has perhaps been influenced by the brand of perfume called Ciara, which was introduced by Revlon in 1973.
Cicero m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen derived from Latin
cicer meaning
"chickpea". Marcus Tullius Cicero (now known simply as Cicero) was a statesman, orator and author of the 1st century BC. He was a political enemy of Mark Antony, who eventually had him executed.
Ciel f & m Various (Rare)Means
"sky" in French. It is not used as a given name in France itself.
Ĉiela f EsperantoMeans
"heavenly, from the sky" in Esperanto, from
ĉielo "sky", ultimately derived from Latin
caelum.
Cielo f SpanishMeans
"sky, heaven" in Spanish. In Mexico this name was popularized by a character named María del Cielo, called Cielo, on the telenovela
Por tu amor (1999).
Cillian m IrishProbably from Old Irish
cell meaning
"church" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint who evangelized in Franconia. He was martyred in Würzburg.
Cináed m Medieval Scottish, Old IrishPossibly from Old Irish
cin "respect, esteem, affection" or
cinid "be born, come into being" combined with
áed "fire", though it might actually be of Pictish origin. This was the name of the first king of the Scots and Picts (9th century). It is often Anglicized as
Kenneth. The originally unrelated name
Coinneach is sometimes used as the modern Scottish Gaelic form.
Cinderella f LiteratureMeans
"little ashes", in part from the French name
Cendrillon. This is the main character in the folktale
Cinderella about a maltreated young woman who eventually marries a prince. This old story is best known in the English-speaking world from the French author Charles Perrault's 1697 version. She has other names in other languages, usually with the meaning "ashes", such as German
Aschenputtel and Italian
Cenerentola.
Cipactli m & f NahuatlMeans
"crocodile, alligator, caiman, monster" in Nahuatl. This is the name of the first day in the tonalpohualli, the Aztec 260-day calendar.
Circe f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κίρκη (Kirke), possibly from
κίρκος (kirkos) meaning
"hawk". In Greek mythology Circe was a sorceress who changed
Odysseus's crew into hogs, as told in Homer's
Odyssey. Odysseus forced her to change them back, then stayed with her for a year before continuing his voyage.
Claire f French, EnglishFrench form of
Clara. This was a common name in France throughout the 20th century, though it has since been eclipsed there by
Clara. It was also very popular in the United Kingdom, especially in the 1970s.
Clancy m & f English (Rare)From an Irish surname (Anglicized from
Mac Fhlannchaidh), derived from the given name
Flannchadh meaning "red warrior".
Clara f German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Catalan, Romanian, English, Swedish, Danish, Late RomanFeminine 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] Clare f EnglishMedieval English form of
Clara. The preferred spelling in the English-speaking world is now the French form
Claire, though
Clare has been fairly popular in the United Kingdom and Australia.
... [more] Clarence m EnglishFrom the Latin title
Clarensis, which belonged to members of the British royal family. The title ultimately derives from the name of the town of Clare in Suffolk. As a given name it has been in use since the 19th century.
Claribel f EnglishCombination of
Clara and the common name suffix
bel, from Latin
bella "beautiful". This name was used by Edmund Spenser in his poem
The Faerie Queene (1590; in the form
Claribell) and by Shakespeare in his play
The Tempest (1611). Alfred Tennyson also wrote a poem entitled
Claribel (1830).
Clarice f EnglishMedieval vernacular form of the Late Latin name
Claritia, which was a derivative of
Clara.
Clarissa f English, ItalianLatinate form of
Clarice. This is the name of the title character in a 1748 novel by Samuel Richardson. In the novel Clarissa Harlowe is a virtuous woman who is tragically exploited by her family and her lover. Another literary character by this name is Clarissa Dalloway from the novel
Mrs. Dalloway (1925) by Virginia Woolf.
Clarity f English (Rare)Simply means "clarity, lucidity" from the English word, ultimately from Latin
clarus "clear".
Clark m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"cleric" or
"scribe", from Old English
clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. As a first name it was borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), as well as the comic book character Clark Kent, the mild-mannered alter ego of Superman, first created 1938.
Claude m & f French, EnglishFrench masculine and feminine form of
Claudius. In France the masculine name has been common since the Middle Ages due to the 7th-century Saint Claude of Besançon. It was imported to Britain in the 16th century by the aristocratic Hamilton family, who had French connections. A famous bearer of this name was the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
Claudius m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin
claudus meaning
"lame, crippled". This was the name of a patrician family prominent in Roman politics. The ancestor of the family was said to have been a 6th-century BC Sabine leader named Attius Clausus, who adopted the name Appius Claudius upon becoming a Roman citizen. The family produced several Roman emperors of the 1st century, including the emperor known simply as Claudius (birth name Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus). He was poisoned by his wife
Agrippina in order to bring her son
Nero (Claudius's stepson) to power.
... [more] Clayton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from various English place names, all meaning
"clay settlement" in Old English.
Cledwyn m WelshPossibly derived from Welsh
caled "rough, hard" and
gwyn "white, blessed". This is the name of a small river (Cledwen) in Conwy, Wales.
Clematis f English (Rare)From the English word for a type of flowering vine, ultimately derived from Greek
κλήμα (klema) meaning "twig, branch".
Clemence f EnglishFeminine form of
Clementius (see
Clement). It has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it became rare after the 17th century.
Clemency f English (Rare)Medieval variant of
Clemence. It can also simply mean "clemency, mercy" from the English word, ultimately from Latin
clemens "merciful".
Clement m EnglishEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Clemens (or sometimes of its derivative
Clementius), which meant
"merciful, gentle". This was the name of 14 popes, including Saint Clement I, the third pope, one of the Apostolic Fathers. Another saint by this name was Clement of Alexandria, a 3rd-century theologian and church father who attempted to reconcile Christian and Platonic philosophies. It has been in general as a given name in Christian Europe (in various spellings) since early times. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Cleopatra f Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κλεοπάτρα (Kleopatra) meaning
"glory of the father", derived from
κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" combined with
πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive
πατρός). This was the name of queens of Egypt from the Ptolemaic royal family, including Cleopatra VII, the mistress of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After being defeated by Augustus she committed suicide (according to popular belief, by allowing herself to be bitten by a venomous asp). Shakespeare's tragedy
Antony and Cleopatra (1606) tells the story of her life.
Cleveland m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"cliff land" (from Old English
clif and
land). This was the surname of American president Grover Cleveland (1837-1908). It is also the name of an American city, which was founded by surveyor Moses Cleaveland (1754-1806).
Clifford m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"ford by a cliff" in Old English.
Clifton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"settlement by a cliff" in Old English.
Clímaco m SpanishSpanish form of
Climacus, derived from Greek
κλῖμαξ (klimax) meaning
"ladder". The 7th-century monk Saint John Climacus (also known as John of the Ladder) acquired this name because he wrote a book called
The Ladder of Divine Ascent.
Clinton m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from towns named
Glinton, of uncertain meaning, or
Glympton, meaning
"settlement on the River Glyme". A famous bearer of the surname is former American president Bill Clinton (1946-).
Clíodhna f Irish, Irish MythologyMeaning unknown. In Irish legend this was the name of a beautiful goddess. She fell in love with a mortal named Ciabhán and left the Land of Promise with him, but when she arrived on the other shore she was swept to sea by a great wave.
Clive m EnglishFrom an English surname derived from Old English
clif meaning
"cliff", originally belonging to a person who lived near a cliff.
Clodagh f IrishFrom the Clodiagh, a small river in County Waterford, Ireland. It was first used as a given name by Clodagh Beresford (1879-1957), daughter of the Marquess of Waterford.
Cloelia f Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Cloelius. In Roman legend Cloelia was a maiden who was given to an Etruscan invader as a hostage. She managed to escape by swimming across the Tiber, at the same time helping some of the other captives to safety.
Clopas m BiblicalMeaning unknown, probably of Aramaic origin. In the New Testament Clopas is mentioned briefly as the husband of one of the women who witnessed the crucifixion, sometimes identified with
Alphaeus.
Clotilde f French, Italian, Portuguese, SpanishFrench form of
Chrodechildis, the Latin form of a Frankish name composed of the elements
hruod "fame, glory" and
hilt "battle". Saint Clotilde (whose name was originally recorded in forms such as
Chrodechildis or
Chrotchildis in Latin sources) was the wife of the Frankish king Clovis, whom she converted to Christianity. It was also borne by others in the Merovingian royal family. In the Middle Ages this name was confused with
Chlodechilda, in which the first element is
hlut "famous, loud".
Clover f English (Modern)From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English
clafre.
Clyde m EnglishFrom the name of the River Clyde in Scotland, from Cumbric
Clud, which is of uncertain origin. It became a common given name in America in the middle of the 19th century, perhaps in honour of Colin Campbell (1792-1863) who was given the title Baron Clyde in 1858.
Clytemnestra f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κλυταιμνήστρα (Klytaimnestra) and
Κλυταιμήστρα (Klytaimestra), in which the first element is
κλυτός (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". The spelling
Klytaimnestra would suggest the second element is
μνηστήρ (mnester) meaning "courter, wooer", while
Klytaimestra would suggest a connection to
μήδομαι (medomai) meaning "to plan, to intend". There is debate over which spelling is earlier or more authentic, since the ancient texts seem to make puns based on both etymologies.
Klytaimestra appears in the works of the Greek tragedians such as Aeschylus, while
Klytaimnestra appears in Homer's poems (the earliest extant copy dating from the post-classical period).
... [more] Coatlicue f Aztec and Toltec MythologyMeans
"snake skirt" in Nahuatl, derived from
cōātl "snake" and
cuēitl "skirt". This was the name of the Aztec creator goddess who gave birth to the stars (considered deities). She was also the mother of
Huitzilopochtli, who protected his mother when her children attacked her.
Cochise m Apache (Anglicized)Meaning uncertain, possibly from Apache
go-chizh "his firewood" or
go-chįh "his nose". This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Chiricahua Apache.
Coco f VariousDiminutive of names beginning with
Co, influenced by the word
cocoa. However, this was not the case for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971; real name Gabrielle), whose nickname came from the name of a song she performed while working as a cabaret singer.
Codrin m RomanianFrom Romanian
codru meaning
"forest", a word of uncertain origin.
Codruț m RomanianFrom Romanian
codru meaning
"forest", a word of uncertain origin.
Cody m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of both Irish Gaelic
Ó Cuidighthigh meaning
"descendant of the helpful one" and
Mac Óda meaning
"son of Odo". A famous bearer of the surname was the American frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917).
Cohen m English (Modern)From a common Jewish surname that was derived from Hebrew
כֹּהֵן (kohen) meaning
"priest". This surname was traditionally associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical
Aaron.
Coinneach m Scottish GaelicScottish Gaelic form of the Old Irish name
Cainnech, derived from
caín meaning
"handsome, beautiful, good". It is often Anglicized as
Kenneth. It is also used as a modern Scottish Gaelic form of the unrelated name
Cináed.
Cola m Anglo-SaxonOld English byname meaning
"charcoal", originally given to a person with dark features.
Colby m EnglishFrom an English surname, originally from various place names, derived from the Old Norse nickname
Koli (meaning "coal, dark") and
býr "town". As a given name, its popularity spiked in the United States and Canada in 2001 when Colby Donaldson (1974-) appeared on the reality television show
Survivor.
Cole m EnglishFrom an English surname, itself originally derived from either a medieval short form of
Nicholas or the byname
Cola. A famous bearer was the songwriter Cole Porter (1891-1964), while a bearer of the surname was the musician Nat King Cole (1919-1965).
... [more] Colleen f EnglishDerived from the Irish word
cailín meaning
"girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.
Collins f & m EnglishFrom a surname, which is either Irish or English in origin (see
Collins 1 and
Collins 2). It increased in popularity as a name for girls after it appeared in the movie
The Blind Side (2009), which was based on a 2006 biography. As a masculine name, it is currently most common in parts of English-speaking Africa.
Colson m English (Modern)From an English surname meaning
"son of Col". As a given name it entered the American top 1000 rankings in 2017, probably inspired by similar-sounding names such as
Cole and
Colton.
Colt m English (Modern)From the English word for a young male horse or from the surname of the same origin. It may be given in honour of the American industrialist Samuel Colt (1814-1862) or the firearms company that bears his name. It was brought to public attention in 1981 by the main character on the television series
The Fall Guy.
Colter m English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally given to a keeper of horses, derived from Middle English
colt.
Colton m English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"Cola's town". It started being used as a given name in the 1980s. Likely in some cases it was viewed as an elaborated or full form of
Cole or
Colt.
Columba m & f Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"dove". The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. This was the name of several early saints both masculine and feminine, most notably the 6th-century Irish monk Saint Columba (or Colum) who established a monastery on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. He is credited with the conversion of Scotland to Christianity.
Columbanus m Late RomanThis name can be viewed as a derivative of
Columba or a Latinized form of
Columbán, both derivations being approximately equivalent. This is the name of Saint Columbán in Latin sources.
Colwyn m WelshFrom the name of a bay and seaside town in Conwy, Wales.
Comfort f English (African)From the English word
comfort, ultimately from Latin
confortare "to strengthen greatly", a derivative of
fortis "strong". It was used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It is now most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Comhghall m Irish (Rare)Means
"fellow hostage" from Old Irish
com "with, together" and
gíall "hostage". This was the name of a 6th-century saint, the founder of a monastery at Bangor, Ireland.
Comhghán m Irish (Rare)Means
"born together" from Old Irish
com "with, together" and
gan "born". Saint Comgán was the founder of a monastery at Killeshin in the 6th or 7th century.
Conall m Irish, Old Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"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.
Conan m IrishMeans
"little wolf" or
"little hound" from Irish
cú "wolf, hound" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early saints, including a 7th-century bishop of the Isle of Man. It appears in Irish legend as a companion
Fionn mac Cumhaill. A famous bearer of it as a middle name was Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories. It is also the name of the hero of the
Conan the Barbarian series of books, comics and movies, debuting 1932.
Concepción f SpanishMeans
"conception" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin
Mary. A city in Chile bears this name.
Concetta f ItalianMeans
"conceived" in Italian, referring to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin
Mary.
Conchobar m Old Irish, Irish MythologyDerived 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.
Condoleezza f Various (Rare)In the case of the former American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (1954-), it is derived from the Italian musical term
con dolcezza meaning
"with sweetness".
Confucius m HistoryAnglicized form of the Chinese name
Kong Fuzi. The surname
孔 (Kong) means "hole, opening" and the title
夫子 (Fuzi) means "master". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Chinese philosopher. His given name was
Qiu.
Conleth m IrishAnglicized form of the Old Irish name
Conláed, possibly meaning
"constant fire" from
cunnail "prudent, constant" and
áed "fire". Saint Conláed was a 5th-century bishop of Kildare.
Conn m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPerhaps 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 MythologyFrom 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.
Connor m Irish, English (Modern)Variant of
Conor, based on the usual spelling of the surname that is derived from the name. This is currently the most common way of spelling it in the English-speaking world, apart from Ireland.
Conrad m English, German, GermanicMeans
"brave counsel", derived from the Old German elements
kuoni "brave" and
rat "counsel, advice". This was the name of a 10th-century saint and bishop of Konstanz, in southern Germany. It was also borne by several medieval German kings and dukes, notably Conrad II, the first of the Holy Roman Emperors from the Salic dynasty. In England it was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, but has only been common since the 19th century when it was reintroduced from Germany.
Consolación f SpanishMeans
"consolation" in Spanish. It is taken from a title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Consolación, meaning "Our Lady of Consolation".
Consolata f ItalianMeans
"consoled" in Italian. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Maria Consolata.
Constans m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"constant, steadfast". This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor, a son of
Constantine the Great.
Constantine m HistoryFrom the Latin name
Constantinus, a derivative of
Constans. Constantine the Great (272-337), full name Flavius Valerius Constantinus, was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
Consuelo f SpanishMeans
"consolation" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, meaning "Our Lady of Consolation".
Consus m Roman MythologyPossibly derived from Latin
conserere meaning
"to sow, to plant". Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.
Conway m EnglishFrom a Welsh surname that was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means "holy water" in Welsh.
Cooper m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"barrel maker", from Middle English
couper.
Coral f English, SpanishFrom the English and Spanish word
coral for the underwater skeletal deposits that can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
κοράλλιον (korallion).
Corbin m EnglishFrom a French surname that was derived from
corbeau "raven", originally denoting a person who had dark hair. The name was probably popularized in America by actor Corbin Bernsen (1954-).
Cordelia f Literature, EnglishFrom
Cordeilla, a name appearing in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth, borne by the youngest of the three daughters of King
Leir and the only one to remain loyal to her father. Geoffrey possibly based her name on that of
Creiddylad, a character from Welsh legend.
... [more] Cordell m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"maker of cord" or
"seller of cord" in Middle English.
Cordula f GermanLate Latin name meaning
"heart" from Latin
cor (genitive
cordis). Saint Cordula was one of the 4th-century companions of Saint Ursula.
Corentin m Breton, FrenchFrench form of the Breton name
Kaourintin, possibly from
korventenn meaning
"hurricane, storm". Alternatively, it could be connected to the Brythonic root *
karid meaning
"love" (modern Breton
karout). This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.
Corey m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name
Kóri, of unknown meaning. This name became popular in the 1960s due to the character Corey Baker on the television series
Julia.
Coriander f English (Rare)From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
Corinna f German, Italian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Κορίννα (Korinna), which was derived from
κόρη (kore) meaning
"maiden". This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet
Ovid used it for the main female character in his book
Amores. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem
Corinna's going a-Maying.
Cormac m Irish Mythology, IrishFrom 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.
Cornelia f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Cornelius. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
Cornelius m Ancient Roman, English, Dutch, German, BiblicalRoman family name that possibly derives from the Latin element
cornu meaning
"horn". In Acts in the New Testament Cornelius is a centurion who is directed by an angel to seek
Peter. After speaking with Peter he converts to Christianity, and he is traditionally deemed the first gentile convert. The name was also borne by a few early saints, including a 3rd-century pope. In England it came into use in the 16th century, partly due to Dutch influence.
Corwin m EnglishFrom an English surname, derived from Old French
cordoan "leather", ultimately from the name of the Spanish city of
Cordova.
Cosette f French, LiteratureFrom French
chosette meaning
"little thing". This is the nickname of the illegitimate daughter of Fantine in Victor Hugo's novel
Les Misérables (1862). Her real name is
Euphrasie, though it is seldom used. In the novel young Cosette is the ward of the cruel Thénardiers until she is retrieved by Jean Valjean.
Cosimo m ItalianItalian form of
Cosmas. A famous bearer was Cosimo de' Medici (1389-1464), the founder of Medici rule in Florence, who was a patron of the Renaissance and a successful merchant. Other members of the Medici family have also borne this name.