AALIYAHfArabic, English (Modern)Feminine form of
AALI. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001), who was known simply as Aaliyah.
AARONmEnglish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
אַהֲרֹן ('Aharon) which is most likely of unknown Egyptian origin. Other theories claim a Hebrew derivation, and suggest meanings such as "high mountain" or "exalted". In the Old Testament this name is borne by the older brother of
Moses. He acted as a spokesman for his brother when they appealed to the pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Aaron's rod produced miracles and plagues to intimidate the pharaoh. After the departure from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, God installed Aaron as the first high priest of the Israelites and promised that his descendants would form the priesthood.
... [more] ABBEmFrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
adal meaning "noble".
ABELmEnglish, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
הֶבֶל (Hevel) meaning "breath". In the Old Testament he is the second son of
Adam and
Eve, murdered out of envy by his brother
Cain. In England, this name came into use during the Middle Ages, and it was common during the Puritan era.
ABIELmBiblicalMeans "God is my father" in Hebrew. This was the name of the grandfather of Saul in the Old Testament.
ABIHUmBiblicalMeans "he is my father" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of
Aaron in the Old Testament. He and his brother Nadab were killed by God because they presented him with unauthorized fire.
ABIJAHm & fBiblicalMeans "my father is
YAHWEH" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of several characters, both male and female, including the second king of Judah.
ABIMAELmBiblicalMeaning uncertain, though the first element is likely Hebrew
אָב ('av) meaning "father". In the Old Testament he is listed as a descendant of Shem.
ABIMELECHmBiblicalMeans "my father is king" in Hebrew. This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament including a king of Gerar who takes
Abraham's wife
Sarah, but is forced by God to give her back.
ABIRAMmBiblicalMeans "my father is exalted" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Abiram is swallowed by an earthquake after rebelling against the leadership of
Moses.
ABISHAGfBiblicalMeans "my father strays" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Abishag is a young woman who tends King
David in his old age.
ABISHAImBiblicalMeans "my father is a gift" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is one of King
David's heroes.
ABITALfBiblicalMeans "my father is the night dew" in Hebrew. She is the fifth wife of
David in the Old Testament.
ABNERmEnglish, Biblical, Biblical LatinMeans "my father is a light" in Hebrew, from
אָב ('av) meaning "father" and
נִיר (nir) meaning "lamp, light". In the Old Testament, Abner was a cousin of
Saul and the commander of his army. After he killed Asahel he was himself slain by Asahel's brother
Joab. It has been used as an English Christian given name since the Protestant Reformation. It was popular with the Puritans, who brought it to America in the 17th century.
ABRAHAMmEnglish, Hebrew, Spanish, French, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Biblical, Biblical LatinThis name may be viewed either as meaning "father of many" in Hebrew or else as a contraction of
ABRAM (1) and
הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning "many, multitude". The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but God changed his name (see Genesis 17:5). With his father
Terah, he led his wife
Sarah, his nephew
Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son
Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son
Ishmael.
... [more] ABSALOMmBiblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
אַבְשָׁלוֹם ('Avshalom) meaning "my father is peace", derived from
אָב ('av) meaning "father" and
שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". In the Old Testament he is a son of King
David. He avenged his sister
Tamar by arranging the murder of her rapist, their half-brother
Amnon. He later led a revolt against his father. While fleeing on the back of a mule he got his head caught in a tree and was killed by
Joab.
ACHAICUSmBiblical, Biblical LatinLatinized form of the Greek name
Αχαικος (Achaikos), which referred to the region in Greece called
Αχαια (Achaia), situated on the northern coast of the Peloponnese. In the New Testament this is the name of a Corinthian Christian who aids Saint
Paul.
ADALIAmBiblicalMeaning unknown, possibly of Persian origin. In Book of Esther in the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Haman the Agagite.
ADAMmEnglish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewThis is the Hebrew word for "man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew
אדם ('adam) meaning "to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian
adamu meaning "to make".
... [more] ADDEmFrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
adal meaning "noble".
ADELAfEnglish, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, Ancient GermanicOriginally a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element
adal meaning "noble". Saint Adela was a 7th-century Frankish princess who founded a monastery at Pfazel in France. This name was also borne by a daughter of William the Conqueror.
ADELAIDEfEnglish, Italian, PortugueseFrom the French form of the Germanic name
Adalheidis, which was composed of the elements
adal "noble" and
heid "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great. The name became common in Britain in the 19th century due to the popularity of the German-born wife of King William IV, for whom the city of Adelaide in Australia was named in 1836.
ADILmArabic, Urdu, UyghurMeans "fair, honest, just" from Arabic
عدل ('adala) "to act justly". This name was borne by several sultans of Bijapur.
ADITIfHinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, KannadaMeans "boundless, entire" or "freedom, security" in Sanskrit. This is the name of an ancient Hindu goddess of the sky and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of the gods.
ADOLFmGerman, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Hungarian, Ancient GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Adalwolf, which meant "noble wolf" from the Germanic elements
adal "noble" and
wulf. It was borne by several Swedish kings as a first or second name, most notably by Gustav II Adolf in the 17th century. Association with Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), the leader of the Nazi party in Germany during World War II, has lessened the use of this name.
ADONIJAHmBiblicalMeans "my lord is
YAHWEH" in Hebrew. This is the name of one of King
David's sons in the Old Testament. Though he was the eldest surviving son of David, he was passed over as heir to the throne in favour of
Solomon.
ADRIANmEnglish, Romanian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, RussianForm of
Hadrianus (see
HADRIAN). Several saints and six popes have borne this name, including the only English pope, Adrian IV, and the only Dutch pope, Adrian VI. As an English name, it has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it was not popular until modern times.
ADRIANUSmDutchOfficial Dutch form of
ADRIAN, used on birth certificates but not commonly in daily life.
AENEASmRoman MythologyLatin form of the Greek name
Αινειας (Aineias), derived from Greek
αινη (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.
AGAPITOmSpanish, ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Agapitus or
Agapetus which was derived from the Greek name
Αγαπητος (Agapetos) meaning "beloved". The name Agapetus was borne by two popes.
AGATHAfEnglish, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Αγαθη (Agathe), derived from Greek
αγαθος (agathos) meaning "good". Saint Agatha was a 3rd-century martyr from Sicily who was tortured and killed after spurning the advances of a Roman official. The saint was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). The mystery writer Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was a famous modern bearer of this name.
AGE (1)mFrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
agil meaning "edge (of a sword), blade".
AGNESfEnglish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
‘Αγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek
‘αγνος (hagnos) meaning "chaste". Saint Agnes was a virgin martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The name became associated with Latin
agnus "lamb", resulting in the saint's frequent depiction with a lamb by her side. Due to her renown, the name became common in Christian Europe, being especially popular in England in the Middle Ages.
AGNImHinduism, Indian, HindiMeans "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.
AGRIPPAm & fAncient Roman, BiblicalRoman cognomen of unknown meaning, possibly from Greek
αγριος (agrios) "wild" and
‘ιππος (hippos) "horse" or possibly of Etruscan origin. It was also used as a praenomen, or given name, by the Furia and Menenia families. In the New Testament this name was borne by Herod Agrippa (a grandson of Herod the Great), the king of Israel who put the apostle James to death. It was also borne by the 1st-century BC Roman general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.
AHABmBiblical, Biblical LatinMeans "uncle", from Hebrew
אָח ('ach) "brother" and
אֲב ('av) "father". This was the name of a king of Israel, the husband of
Jezebel, as told in the Old Testament. He was admonished by
Elijah for his sinful behaviour. This name was later used by Herman Melville in his novel 'Moby-Dick' (1851), where it belongs to a sea captain obsessively hunting for a white whale.
AHINOAMfBiblicalMeans "my brother is pleasant" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of wives of both
Saul and
David.
AIKEmFrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
agil meaning "edge (of a sword), blade".
AISHAfArabic, Urdu, AmericanMeans "alive" in Arabic. This was the name of
Muhammad's third wife, the daughter of
Abu Bakr. Some time after Muhammad's death she went to war against
Ali, the fourth caliph, but was defeated. This name is used more by Sunni Muslims and less by Shias.
... [more] ALANmEnglish, Scottish, Breton, FrenchThe meaning of this name is not known for certain. It was used in Brittany at least as early as the 6th century, and it possibly means either "little rock" or "handsome" in Breton. Alternatively, it may derive from the tribal name of the Alans, an Iranian people who migrated into Europe in the 4th and 5th centuries.
... [more] ALANNAHfEnglish (Modern), IrishVariant of
ALANA. It has been influenced by the affectionate Anglo-Irish word
alannah, from the Irish Gaelic phrase
a leanbh meaning "O child".
ALBA (1)fItalian, Spanish, CatalanThis name is derived from two distinct names,
ALBA (2) and
ALBA (3), with distinct origins, Latin and Germanic. Over time these names have become confused with one another. To further complicate the matter,
alba means "dawn" in Italian, Spanish and Catalan. This may be the main inspiration behind its use in Italy and Spain.
ALBAERmLimburgishLimburgish form of
ALBERT. Its spelling has been influenced by the French pronunciation of Albert.
ALBANmGerman, French, Albanian, English (Rare)From the Roman cognomen
Albanus which meant "from Alba". Alba (from Latin
albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. As an English name,
Alban was occasionally used in the Middle Ages and was revived in the 18th century, though it is now uncommon.
ALBERICHmAncient Germanic, Germanic MythologyDerived from the Germanic elements
alf "elf" and
ric "power". Alberich was the name of the sorcerer king of the dwarfs in Germanic mythology. He also appears in the 'Nibelungenlied' as a dwarf who guards the treasure of the Nibelungen.
ALBERTmEnglish, French, Catalan, German, Polish, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Romanian, Hungarian, Ancient GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Adalbert, which was 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
Æðelberht. 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] ALDONAfLithuanian, PolishMeaning unknown. This was the name of a 14th-century Polish queen, the daughter of a Grand Duke of Lithuania.
ALE (2)mFrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
adal meaning "noble".
ALESSANDROmItalianItalian form of
ALEXANDER. A famous bearer was Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), the Italian physicist who invented the battery.
ALEXANDERmEnglish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Αλεξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek
αλεξω (alexo) "to defend, help" and
ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive
ανδρος). 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] ALEXANDRAfEnglish, German, Dutch, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Catalan, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFeminine form of
ALEXANDER. In Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess
Hera, and an alternate name of
Cassandra. It was borne by several early Christian saints, and also by the wife of Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia. She was from Germany and had the birth name
Alix, but was renamed
Александра (Aleksandra) upon joining the Russian Church.
ALEXISm & fGerman, French, English, Greek, Ancient GreekFrom the Greek name
Αλεξις (Alexis), which meant "helper" or "defender", derived from Greek
αλεξω (alexo) "to defend, to help". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek comic poet, and also of several saints. It is used somewhat interchangeably with the related name
Αλεξιος or
Alexius, borne by five Byzantine emperors. In the English-speaking world it is more commonly used as a feminine name.
ALF (1)mSwedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norse MythologyDerived from Old Norse
alfr "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.
ALFHILDfNorwegian, SwedishFrom the Old Norse name
Alfhildr which was composed of the elements
alfr "elf" and
hildr "battle". In Norse legend Alfhild was a maiden who disguised herself as a warrior in order to avoid marriage to King Alf. Her life was perhaps based on that of a 9th-century Viking pirate.