Names Categorized "goodness"

This is a list of names in which the categories include goodness.
gender
usage
Abrar f & m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Means "virtuous" in Arabic. It is typically feminine in the Arab world, and typically masculine in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
Agafon m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Agathon.
Agáta f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Agatha.
Agata f Italian, Polish, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Swedish
Form of Agatha in various languages.
Agatha f English, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀγαθή (Agathe), derived from Greek ἀγαθός (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.
Agathangelos m Late Greek
Means "bearer of good news", derived from Greek ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good" and ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger, angel". Saint Agathangelus of Rome was a 4th-century deacon who was martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian.
Agathi f Greek
Modern Greek form of Agatha.
Agathinus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀγαθίνος (Agathinos), derived from ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good".
Agathocles m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἀγαθοκλῆς (Agathokles), derived from the elements ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This name was borne by a 2nd-century BC king of Bactria.
Agathon m Ancient Greek
Greek masculine form of Agatha.
Agatino m Italian
Italian form of Agathinus.
Aitor m Basque, Spanish
Possibly means "good fathers" from Basque aita "father" and on "good". This was the name of a legendary ancestor of the Basques.
Alheri f Hausa
Means "the charitable, the good" in Hausa, from Arabic خير (khayr).
Avedis m Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Avetis.
Avetis m Armenian
Means "good news" in Armenian.
Ayaan 2 f Somali
Means "good luck" in Somali.
Ayrat m Tatar, Bashkir
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Arabic خيرات (khayrat) meaning "good deeds". Alternatively it could be from the name of the Oirat people, a western Mongol tribe.
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.
Bashar m Arabic
Means "bringing good news" in Arabic.
Behnam m Persian
Means "reputable" in Persian, from به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and نام (nam) meaning "name".
Behrooz m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian بهروز (see Behrouz).
Behrouz m Persian
Means "fortunate, prosperous" in Persian, from به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and روز (ruz) meaning "day".
Behruz m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian بهروز (see Behrouz).
Benvolio m Literature
Means "good will" in Italian. This name appears in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet (1596) belonging to a friend of Romeo. The character had been created earlier by the Italian writer Matteo Bandello, whose story Giulietta e Romeo (1554) was one of Shakespeare's sources.
Bihter f Turkish
Means "most good" in Turkish.
Blagica f Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Blagovest m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good" and вест (vest) meaning "message, news".
Blagovesta f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Blagovest.
Blagoy m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good".
Blagun m Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good".
Blaguna f Macedonian
Feminine form of Blagun.
Blahoslav m Czech
Derived from the Slavic element bolgŭ (Czech blahý) meaning "good, pleasant" combined with slava meaning "glory".
Blaž m Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Blaise.
Blaže m Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian блажен (blažen) meaning "blissful, blessed", ultimately from Old Slavic bolgŭ "good, pleasant".
Blaženka f Croatian
Croatian feminine form of Blaž.
Blaženko m Croatian
Diminutive of Blaž.
Boaventura m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Bonaventura.
Bonaccorso m Medieval Italian
Medieval Italian name derived from bono "good" and accorso "haste, rush, help".
Bonaventura m Italian, Catalan
Means "good fortune" in Italian, from Latin bonus "good" and venturas "the things that will come, the future". Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
Bonaventure m French, History (Ecclesiastical)
French and English form of Bonaventura. As a French name it is most common in Francophone Africa, while as an English name it is mostly used in reference to the saint.
Boniface m French, English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Bonifatius, which meant "good fate" from bonum "good" and fatum "fate, destiny". This was the name of nine popes and also several saints, including an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (originally named Winfrið) who is now regarded as the patron saint of that country. It came into use in England during the Middle Ages, but became rare after the Protestant Reformation.
Bonifacia f Spanish
Feminine form of Bonifacio.
Bonifacio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonita f English
Means "pretty" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin bonus "good". It has been used as a name in the English-speaking world since the beginning of the 20th century.
Bonitus m Late Roman
Derived from a diminutive of Latin bonus meaning "good". This was the name of a 7th-century century saint, a bishop of Auvergne.
Bonizzone m Medieval Italian
Medieval Italian name derived from bono "good".
Bonnie f English
Means "pretty" from the Scottish word bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.
Boone m English
From an English surname that was either derived from Old French bon meaning "good" or from the name of the town of Bohon, France.
Bounmy m & f Lao
Means "happy", from Lao ບຸນ (boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" combined with ມີ (mi) meaning "to have".
Buenaventura m Spanish
Spanish form of Bonaventura.
Bushra f Arabic, Urdu
Means "good news" in Arabic.
Büşra f Turkish
Turkish form of Bushra.
Ceinwen f Welsh
Derived from Welsh cain "good, lovely" and gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint also known as Cain or Keyne.
Chang m & f Chinese
From Chinese (chāng) meaning "flourish, prosper, good, sunlight" (which is usually only masculine), (chàng) meaning "smooth, free, unrestrained" or (cháng) meaning "long". Other Chinese characters are also possible.
Chidimma f Igbo
Means "God is good" in Igbo.
Chika 2 f Japanese
From Japanese (chi) meaning "thousand", (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or (chi) meaning "scatter" combined with (ka) meaning "good, beautiful" or (ka) meaning "flower". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Chioma f Igbo
Means "good God" in Igbo, derived from Chi 2, referring to God, and ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".
Chrestos m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from Greek χρηστός (chrestos) meaning "useful, good".
Christakis m Greek
Greek diminutive of Christos 2.
Christos 2 m Greek
Modern Greek form of Chrestos. This spelling has been conflated with Χρίστος (see Christos 1), which is pronounced the same in Modern Greek.
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.
Darayavaush m Old Persian
Old Persian form of Darius.
Darek m Polish
Diminutive of Dariusz.
Daria f Italian, Polish, Romanian, English, Croatian, Russian, Late Roman
Feminine form of Darius. Saint Daria was a 3rd-century woman who was martyred with her husband Chrysanthus under the Roman emperor Numerian. It has never been a particularly common English given name. As a Russian name, it is more commonly transcribed Darya.
Darijo m Croatian
Croatian form of Darius.
Darijus m Lithuanian
Lithuanian variant of Darius.
Darío m Spanish
Spanish form of Darius.
Dario m Italian, Croatian
Italian form of Darius.
Darius m English, Lithuanian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Persian (Latinized)
Latin form of Greek Δαρεῖος (Dareios), from the Old Persian name 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎢𐏁 (Darayauš), shortened from 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 (Darayavauš). It means "possessing goodness", composed of 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹 (daraya) meaning "to possess, to hold" and 𐎺𐎢 (vau) meaning "good". Three ancient kings of Persia bore this name, including Darius the Great who expanded the Achaemenid Empire to its greatest extent. His forces invaded Greece but were defeated in the Battle of Marathon.... [more]
Dariusz m Polish
Polish form of Darius.
Dariy m Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Darius.
Darma m Indonesian
Means "good deed" or "duty" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit धर्म (dharma).
Daryawesh m Biblical Hebrew
Form of Darius used in the Hebrew Bible.
Daryush m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian داریوش (see Dariush).
Declan m Irish, English
Anglicized form of Irish Deaglán, Old Irish Declán, which is of unknown meaning. Saint Declan was a 5th-century missionary to the Déisi peoples of Ireland and the founder of the monastery at Ardmore.... [more]
Dobri m Bulgarian
From the Slavic element dobrŭ (Bulgarian добър) meaning "good".
Dobrila f Serbian, Croatian
From the Slavic element dobrŭ (Serbo-Croatian dobar) meaning "good".
Dobrilo m Serbian (Rare)
Masculine form of Dobrila.
Dobrogost m Polish (Rare)
Derived from the Slavic elements dobrŭ "good" and gostĭ "guest".
Dobromil m Czech (Rare)
Derived from the Slavic elements dobrŭ "good" and milŭ "gracious, dear".
Dobroslav m Czech, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian
Derived from the Slavic elements dobrŭ "good" and slava "glory".
Dobroslava f Czech
Feminine form of Dobroslav.
Dobrosława f Polish
Polish feminine form of Dobroslav.
Ebrar f & m Turkish
Turkish form of Abrar.
Edi 2 m Indonesian
Means "beautiful, good" in Javanese.
Effimia f Greek
Modern Greek form of Euphemia.
Efthalia f Greek
Modern Greek form of Euthalia.
Efthimia f Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Ευθυμία (see Efthymia).
Efthymia f Greek
Modern Greek form of Euthymia.
Efthymios m Greek
Modern Greek form of Euthymius.
Eiko f Japanese
From Japanese (ei) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper" or (ei) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
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.
Enyonam f Ewe
Means "it is good for me" in Ewe.
Enzokuhle m & f Zulu, Xhosa
Means "to do good" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots enza "to do" and hle "beautiful, good".
Euadne f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Evadne.
Euanthe f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek εὐανθής (euanthes) meaning "blooming, flowery", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". According to some sources, this was the name of the mother of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites) in Greek mythology.
Euboia f Greek Mythology
Means "good ox" in Greek, from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and βοῦς (bous) meaning "ox, cow". This is the name of several minor characters in Greek mythology, including a naiad who is said to have given her name to the island of Euboia.
Euclid m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Εὐκλείδης (Eukleides), derived from Greek εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician from Alexandria who made numerous contributions to geometry.
Eudocia f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐδοκία (Eudokia), derived from the word εὐδοκέω (eudokeo) meaning "to be well pleased, to be satisfied", itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δοκέω (dokeo) meaning "to think, to imagine, to suppose". This name was common among Byzantine royalty. Saint Eudocia was the wife of the 5th-century emperor Theodosius II.
Eudokia f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Eudocia.
Eudokimos m Late Greek
From Greek εὐδόκιμος (eudokimos) meaning "in good repute, honoured", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δόκιμος (dokimos) meaning "approved, esteemed".
Eudora f Greek Mythology
Means "good gift" in Greek, from the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
Eudoxia f Ancient Greek
From Greek εὐδοξία (eudoxia) meaning "good repute, good judgement", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δόξα (doxa) meaning "notion, reputation, honour".
Eudoxos m Ancient Greek
From Greek εὔδοξος (eudoxos) meaning "of good repute, honoured", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δόξα (doxa) meaning "notion, reputation, honour". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek mathematician and astronomer.
Eufêmia f Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Euphemia.
Eufemia f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Euphemia.
Eugène m French
French form of Eugenius (see Eugene). A notable bearer was the French painter Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863).
Eugene m English
English form of Eugenius, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὐγένιος (Eugenios), which was derived from the Greek word εὐγενής (eugenes) meaning "well born". It is composed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of several saints and four popes.... [more]
Eugeneia f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek feminine form of Eugene.
Eugenia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Feminine form of Eugenius (see Eugene). It was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century saint who escaped persecution by disguising herself as a man. The name was occasionally found in England during the Middle Ages, but it was not regularly used until the 19th century.
Eugénie f French
French form of Eugenia. This was the name of the wife of Napoleon III.
Eugenie f German, English
German and English form of Eugénie, the French form of Eugenia.
Eugraphios m Ancient Greek
From Greek εὐγραφής (eugraphes) meaning "well-drawn" or "well-written", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and γραφή (graphe) meaning "drawing, writing". Saint Eugraphios or Eugraphos was a 3rd or 4th-century martyr from Alexandria.
Eulália f Portuguese, Slovak
Portuguese and Slovak form of Eulalia.
Eulàlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Eulalia.
Eulalia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.
Eulalie f French
French form of Eulalia.
Eulogia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Eulogius.
Eulogios m Late Greek
Greek form of Eulogius.
Eulogius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Εὐλόγιος (Eulogios), derived from either of the words εὔλογος (eulogos) meaning "reasonable" or εὐλογία (eulogia) meaning "good language, praise, blessing". Both words are themselves derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λόγος (logos) meaning "drawing, writing".... [more]
Eunice f Biblical, English, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐνίκη (Eunike) meaning "good victory", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". The New Testament mentions her as the mother of Timothy. As an English name, it was first used after the Protestant Reformation.
Eunika f Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Eunice.
Eunomia f Greek Mythology
Means "good order" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νόμος (nomos) meaning "law, custom". Eunomia was a Greek goddess, one of the Ὥραι (Horai), presiding over law.
Euodia f Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek, Biblical
Derived from Greek εὐοδία (euodia) meaning "a good journey", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ὁδός (hodos) meaning "road, way, journey". This name is mentioned briefly in Paul's epistle to the Philippians in the New Testament.
Euphemia f Ancient Greek, English (Archaic)
Means "to use words of good omen" from Greek εὐφημέω (euphemeo), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φημί (phemi) meaning "to speak, to declare". Saint Euphemia was an early martyr from Chalcedon.
Euphemios m Ancient Greek
Masculine form of Euphemia.
Euphrasia f Ancient Greek
Means "good cheer" in Greek.
Euphrasie f French
French form of Euphrasia.
Eupraxia f Ancient Greek
From a Greek word meaning "good conduct", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and πρᾶξις (praxis) meaning "action, exercise".
Eusebia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Eusebius.
Eusebio m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Eusebius.
Eusebios m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὐσεβής (eusebes) meaning "pious", itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and σέβω (sebo) meaning "to worship, to honour". This was the name of several saints.
Eusebiu m Romanian
Romanian form of Eusebius.
Eusebius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Eusebios. This was the name of a 4th-century historian of the Christian church.
Eustace m English
English form of Eustachius or Eustathius, two names of Greek origin that have been conflated in the post-classical period. Saint Eustace, who is known under both spellings, was a 2nd-century Roman general who became a Christian after seeing a vision of a cross between the antlers of a stag he was hunting. He was burned to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods and is now regarded as the patron saint of hunters. Due to him, this name was common in England during the Middle Ages, though it is presently rare.
Eustache m French
French form of Eustachius or Eustathius (see Eustace).
Eustachio m Italian
Italian form of Eustachius (see Eustace).
Eustachius m Late Roman
Possibly from the Greek name Eustachys, or from the same elements. This (or Eustathius) is the Latin name of Saint Eustace.
Eustachy m Polish (Archaic)
Polish form of Eustachius (see Eustace).
Eustachys m Ancient Greek
Means "fruitful" in Greek. It is ultimately from the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and στάχυς (stachys) meaning "ear of corn".
Eustacia f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Eustace.
Eustaquia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Eustachius (see Eustace).
Eustáquio m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of Eustachius (see Eustace).
Eustaquio m Spanish
Spanish form of Eustachius (see Eustace).
Eustathius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Εὐστάθιος (Eustathios), derived from the Greek word εὐσταθής (eustathes) meaning "well-built, stable". It is ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἵστημι (histemi) meaning "to stand, to set up". This was the name of a few early saints, including the 2nd-century martyr also known as Eustachius (see Eustace).
Eustorgio m Italian (Rare)
From Eustorgius, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὐστόργιος (Eustorgios), which was from the word εὔστοργος (eustorgos) meaning "content", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and στέργω (stergo) meaning "to love, to be content". Saint Eustorgius was a 6th-century bishop of Milan.
Euterpe f Greek Mythology
Means "delight" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and τέρπω (terpo) meaning "to satisfy, to cheer". In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, the muse of music and joy. She was said to have invented the double flute.
Euthalia f Ancient Greek
Means "flower, bloom" from the Greek word εὐθάλεια (euthaleia), itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom".
Euthymia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Euthymius.
Euthymios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Euthymius.
Euthymius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐθύμιος (Euthymios) meaning "in good spirits, generous", derived from the word εὔθυμος (euthymos), which was composed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θυμός (thymos) meaning "soul, spirit". This was the name of several early saints.
Eutimio m Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Spanish and Italian form of Euthymius.
Eutropia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Eutropios (see Eutropius).
Eutropius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐτρόπιος (Eutropios), which was derived from the word εὔτροπος (eutropos) meaning "versatile", formed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and τρόπος (tropos) meaning "direction, manner, fashion".
Eutychus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὔτυχος (Eutychos), which was derived from Greek εὐτυχής (eutyches) meaning "fortunate". The word was formed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and τύχη (tyche) meaning "chance, luck, fortune". In the New Testament this is the name of a young man who went to sleep while Paul was preaching and fell from the third story of the building. He was believed to be dead, but later turned out to be alive.
Evadne f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Εὐάδνη (Euadne), from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" possibly combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". This name was borne by several characters in Greek legend, including the wife of Capaneus. After Capaneus was killed by a lightning bolt sent from Zeus she committed suicide by throwing herself onto his burning body.
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.
Evangelia f Greek
Feminine form of Evangelos.
Evangelina f Spanish, English
Latinate form of Evangeline.
Evangeline f English
Means "good news" from Greek εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελμα (angelma) meaning "news, message". It was (first?) used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his 1847 epic poem Evangeline. It also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) as the full name of the character Eva.
Evangelista m & f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Means "evangelist, preacher" in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, derived from Latin, ultimately from Greek εὐάγγελος (euangelos) meaning "bringing good news". It is often used in honour of the Four Evangelists (the authors of the gospels in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). It is traditionally masculine, though occasionally given to girls. A famous bearer was the Italian physicist and mathematician Evangelista Torricelli (1608-1647), who invented the barometer.
Evangelos m Greek
Means "bringing good news" from the Greek word εὐάγγελος (euangelos), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger".
Evanthia f Greek
Modern Greek feminine form of Εὐανθία (Euanthia), a variant of Euanthe. This was the name of a 1st-century martyr from Skepsis who is considered a saint in the Orthodox Church.
Evaristus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐάριστος (Euaristos) meaning "well pleasing" from the Greek word εὐάρεστος (euarestos), derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good, well" and ἀρεστός (arestos) meaning "pleasing". This was the name of the fifth pope, supposedly martyred under Emperor Hadrian.
Eydís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements ey "good fortune" or "island" and dís "goddess".
Eysteinn m Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements ey meaning "island" or "good fortune" and steinn meaning "stone".
Fedelm f Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Possibly a feminine form of Feidlimid. This name is borne by several women in Irish legend including Fedelm Noíchrothach, a daughter of Conchobar the king of Ulster. It was also the name of a few early saints.
Feidhlimidh m Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish Gaelic form 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.
Felicitas f Late Roman, Roman Mythology, German, Spanish
Latin name meaning "good luck, fortune". In Roman mythology the goddess Felicitas was the personification of good luck. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a slave martyred with her master Perpetua in Carthage.
Felicity f English
From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name Felicitas. This name jumped in popularity in the United States after the premiere of the television series Felicity in 1998. It is more common in the United Kingdom.
Fidelma f Irish
Latinized form of Fedelm.
Gittel f Yiddish
From Yiddish גוט (gut) meaning "good".
Goda 1 m & f Germanic
Germanic name derived from the element guot meaning "good" or got meaning "god".
Guda m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic جودة (see Juda).
Gwenda f Welsh, English
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, blessed" and da meaning "good". This name was created in the 19th century.
Gyeong-Suk f Korean
From Sino-Korean (gyeong) meaning "capital city" and (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Halime f Turkish
Turkish form of Halimah.
Haluk m Turkish
Means "good nature" in Turkish.
Hamid 1 m Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Urdu
Means "praiseworthy" in Arabic, from the root حمد (hamida) meaning "to praise". In Islamic tradition الحميد (al-Hamid) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Hasan m Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Indonesian, Albanian, Bosnian
Means "handsome" in Arabic, from the root حسن (hasuna) meaning "to be beautiful, to be good". Hasan was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He was poisoned by one of his wives and is regarded as a martyr by Shia Muslims. This was also the name of two kings of Morocco. It is sometimes transcribed as Hassan, though this is a distinct name in Arabic.
Hassan m Arabic, Persian, Urdu
Means "beautifier, improver" in Arabic. Hassan ibn Thabit was a 7th-century poet who was a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. This name is sometimes transcribed as Hasan, though the two names are spelled distinctly in Arabic.
Hideyoshi m Japanese
From Japanese (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" combined with (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" or (yoshi) meaning "good luck". Other kanji combinations are possible. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Hideyoshi being his given name) was a 16th-century daimyo who unified Japan and attempted to conquer Korea. He also banned the ownership of weapons by the peasantry, and banished Christian missionaries.
Husni m & f Arabic
Derived from Arabic حسْن (husn) meaning "beauty, excellence, goodness".
Ifeoma f Igbo
Means "good thing" in Igbo, derived from ífé meaning "thing" and ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".
Ijeoma f Igbo
Means "good journey" in Igbo.
Iqbi-Damiq f Semitic Mythology
Means "she said: it is good", derived from Akkadian qabû "to say" and damqu "good, fine". This was the name of a goddess worshipped in Kish and Ashur.
Jawdat m & f Arabic
Means "goodness, excellence", derived from Arabic جاد (jada) meaning "to be excellent".
Jefimija f Serbian
Serbian form of Euphemia. This name was adopted by a 14th-century Serbian poet (born Jelena Mrnjavčević).
Jeong-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean (jeong) meaning "right, proper, correct" combined with (ho) meaning "good, excellent" or (ho) meaning "great, numerous, vast". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Jeong-Suk f Korean
From Sino-Korean (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal" or (jeong) meaning "right, proper, correct" combined with (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Jia m & f Chinese
From Chinese (jiā) meaning "good, auspicious, beautiful", (jiā) meaning "home, family", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Jolánka f Hungarian (Rare)
Created by the Hungarian writer András Dugonics for the main character in his novel Jólánka, Etelkának Leánya (1803). He may have based it on Hungarian jóleán meaning "good girl" or possibly on the name Yolanda.
Juda m Arabic
Means "goodness, excellence", derived from Arabic جاد (jada) meaning "to be excellent".
Jung-Sook f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 정숙 (see Jeong-Suk).
Kaniehtiio f Mohawk
Means "she is good snow" in Mohawk, from ka- "she", óniehte "snow" and the suffix -iio "good".
Kapono m Hawaiian
Means "the good one" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and pono "good, moral".
Kayoko f Japanese
From Japanese (ka) meaning "add, increase" or (ka) meaning "good, auspicious, beautiful" combined with (yo) meaning "generation, era" or (yo) meaning "surplus" and finishing with (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Kazuyuki m Japanese
From Japanese (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" and (yuki) meaning "happiness, good luck", as well as other combinations of kanji characters having the same reading.
Khayrat m & f Arabic
Means "good deeds" in Arabic, plural of خير (khayr).
Kichiro m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 吉郎 (see Kichirō).
Kichirō m Japanese
From Japanese (kichi) meaning "good luck" and () meaning "son". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Kichirou m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 吉郎 (see Kichirō).
Kōji m Japanese
From Japanese () meaning "prosperous", () meaning "happiness, good luck" or () meaning "peace" combined with (ji) meaning "officer, boss", (ji) meaning "two" or (ji) meaning "next". This name can also be formed from many other combinations of kanji characters.
Kōki m Japanese
From Japanese () meaning "light" or () meaning "happiness, good luck" combined with (ki) meaning "hope" or (ki) meaning "brightness". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji characters as well.
Kristaq m Albanian
Albanian form of Christakis.
Kunthea f Khmer
Means "perfume, fragrance" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit गनध (gandha). It is also said to derive from Khmer គុណ (kun) meaning "virtue, good deed" and ធារ (thear) meaning "profusion, abundance".
Kunzang m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "all good, ever excellent" in Tibetan.
Kyung-Sook f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 경숙 (see Gyeong-Suk).
Lakshmi f & m Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Odia
Means "sign, mark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Hindu goddess of prosperity, good luck, and beauty. She is the wife of Vishnu and her symbol is the lotus flower, with which she is often depicted.
Lành m & f Vietnamese
Means "good, favourable, gentle" in Vietnamese.
Laxmi f & m Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Telugu లక్ష్మి or Marathi/Hindi लक्ष्मी (see Lakshmi), as well as the most common Nepali transcription.
Leberecht m German (Rare)
Means "live rightly" from German lebe "live" and recht "right". This name was created in the 17th century.
Lethokuhle f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "bring goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots letha "to bring" and hle "beautiful, good".
Liêm m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (liêm) meaning "clean, honest, upright".
Lois 1 f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly derived from Greek λωίων (loion) meaning "more desirable" or "better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of Eunice and the grandmother of Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.
Lungile f & m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "correct, right, good" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Lykke f Danish
Means "good fortune, happiness" in Danish.
Madoc m Welsh (Rare)
From the Old Welsh name Matauc, derived from mad meaning "good, fortunate" combined with a diminutive suffix. This is the name of a warrior mentioned in the 7th-century Welsh poem Y Gododdin. It was also borne by several medieval rulers, including the 12th-century Madoc ap Maredudd, the last prince of Powys. Another bearer, according to later folklore, was a son of the 12th-century Owain the Great who sailed to the Americas.
Maia 1 f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Portuguese, Georgian
From Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning "good mother, dame, foster mother", perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.
Maimunah f Arabic (Rare), Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic ميمونة (see Maymunah), as well as the usual Malay and Indonesian form.
Manius m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was possibly derived from Latin manus "good".
Mawunyo m & f Ewe
Means "God is good" in Ewe.
Meliora f Various (Rare)
Derived from Latin melior meaning "better".
Melokuhle f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "stand for goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots mela "to stand for, to represent" and hle "beautiful, good".
Mi-Suk f Korean
From Sino-Korean (mi) meaning "beautiful" and (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming", as well as other combinations of hanja characters with the same pronunciations.
Miyu f Japanese
From Japanese (mi) meaning "beautiful" or (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth" combined with (yu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or (yu) meaning "tie, bind" or (yu) meaning "evening". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Mojdeh f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian مژده (see Mozhdeh).
Monat f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Muadhnait.
Moyna f Irish
Variant of Mona 1.
Mozhdeh f Persian
Means "good news" in Persian.
Muadhnait f Irish (Rare)
Means "little noble one", derived from the Old Irish poetic word muad meaning "noble, good" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 6th-century saint, a sister of Saint Mo Laisse.
Müjde f Turkish
Turkish form of Mozhdeh.
Myeong-Suk f Korean
From Sino-Korean (myeong) meaning "bright, light, clear" combined with (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Naamah f Biblical
Means "pleasant" in Hebrew. This name is borne in the Old Testament by both a daughter of Lamech and a wife of Solomon. Some later Jewish texts give Naamah as the name of Noah's wife, even though she is not named in the Old Testament.
Naveed m Persian, Arabic
Alternate transcription of Persian نوید or Arabic نويد (see Navid).
Navid m Persian, Arabic
Means "good news" in Persian.
Nefertiti f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfrt-jjtj meaning "the beautiful one has come". Nefertiti was a powerful Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom (14th century BC), the principal wife of Akhenaton, the pharaoh that briefly imposed a monotheistic religion centered around the sun god Aton.
Niusha f Persian
Means "good listener" in Persian.
Nousha f Persian (Rare)
Means "sweet, pleasant" in Persian.
Oiva m Finnish
Means "splendid" in Finnish.
Okuhle f & m Zulu, Xhosa
Means "that which is beautiful, that which is good" in Zulu and Xhosa.
Olalla f Galician, Spanish
Galician variant of Eulalia.
Onuphrius m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized), Late Roman
Latinized form of Greek Ὀνούφριος (Onouphrios), derived from Egyptian wnn-nfr meaning "he who is good, he who is happy". This was an epithet of the god Osiris. It was later used by an Egyptian saint and hermit from the 4th or 5th century.
Ostap m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eustathius.
Owain m Welsh, Arthurian Romance
From an Old Welsh name (Ougein, Eugein and other spellings), which was possibly from the Latin name Eugenius. Other theories connect it to the Celtic roots *owi- "sheep", *wesu- "good" or *awi- "desire" combined with the Old Welsh suffix gen "born of". This is the name of several figures from British history, including Owain mab Urien, a 6th-century prince of Rheged who fought against the Angles. The 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes adapted him into Yvain for his Arthurian romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Regarded as one of the Knights of the Round Table, Yvain or Owain has since appeared in many other Arthurian tales, typically being the son of King Urien of Gore, and the errant husband of Laudine, the Lady of the Fountain.... [more]
Owen 1 m Welsh, English
Anglicized form of Owain.
Owena f Welsh
Feminine form of Owen 1.
Øydis f Norwegian (Rare)
Norwegian form of Eydís.
Øyvind m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Eyvindr, which was derived from ey meaning "island" or "good fortune" and vindr possibly meaning "victor".
Passang m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "good, excellent" in Tibetan.
Phúc m & f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (phúc) meaning "happiness, good fortune, blessing".
Pius m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "pious, dutiful". This was the name of twelve popes.
Qasim m Arabic, Urdu
Means "one who divides goods among his people", derived from Arabic قسم (qasama) meaning "to share" or "to divide". This was the name of a son of the Prophet Muhammad who died while young.
Rashad m Arabic, Azerbaijani
Means "good sense, good guidance" in Arabic, from the root رشد (rashada) meaning "to be on the right path".
Răzvan m Romanian
Meaning unknown, possibly related to the name Radovan. Alternatively it may have been brought to Romania by the Romani people (note that Romanian and Romani are unrelated), perhaps ultimately from Rizwan.
Rhonda f English
Probably a blend of the sounds of Rhoda and Linda, but maybe also influenced by the name of the Rhondda Valley in South Wales and/or the noted British feminist Margaret Mackworth, Viscountess Rhondda (1883-1956). This name has only been used since the beginning of the 20th century, at first rarely. It started becoming popular in the mid-1940s at the same time as the American actress Rhonda Fleming (1923-2020), born Marilyn Louis. It peaked in the United States in 1965 and thereafter declined.
Ronda f English
Variant of Rhonda.
Ryōichi m Japanese
From Japanese (ryō) meaning "good" or (ryō) meaning "clear" combined with (ichi) meaning "one". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Ryōta m Japanese
From Japanese (ryō) meaning "cool, refreshing", (ryō) meaning "clear" or (ryō) meaning "good" combined with (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". This name can also be formed of other kanji combinations.
Sachie f Japanese
From Japanese (sachi) meaning "happiness, good luck" and (e) meaning "branch" or (e) meaning "favour, benefit". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Sachiko f Japanese
From Japanese (sachi) meaning "happiness, good luck" and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Sa'd m Arabic
Means "fortune, good luck" in Arabic. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas was a military commander during the early years of Islam, serving under the Prophet Muhammad and his successor Umar.
Sakura f Japanese
From Japanese (sakura) meaning "cherry blossom", though it is often written using the hiragana writing system. It can also come from (saku) meaning "blossom" and (ra) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" as well as other kanji combinations.
Sarava m Various (Rare)
From a phrase used by members of the Candomblé religion (an African religion that was taken to Brazil by African slaves), which means "good luck".
Séaghdha m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Ségdae, probably derived from ségda meaning "fine, good, favourable, learned". According to an Irish legend this was the name of a boy who was set to be sacrificed but was saved by his mother.
Seo-A f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" combined with (a) meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" or (a) meaning "good, beautiful". Other combinations of hanja characters can also form this name.
Shantanu m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Means "wholesome" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of a king of Hastinapura.
Shu f Chinese
From Chinese (shū) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming", besides other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Shufen f Chinese
From Chinese (shū) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming" combined with (fēn) meaning "fragrance, aroma, perfume". Other character combinations are possible as well.
Síomha f Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish form of Síthmaith.
Sisay m Amharic
Means "good omen" in Amharic.
Síthmaith f Old Irish
From Old Irish síd meaning "peace" or "fairy mound, tumulus" and maith meaning "good".
Sona 1 f Hindi
Means "gold" in Hindi, derived from Sanskrit सुवर्ण (suvarna) meaning literally "good colour".
Sonal f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
From Hindi सोना (sona), Marathi सोन (son) or Gujarati સોનું (sonum) meaning "gold", all derived from Sanskrit सुवर्ण (suvarna) meaning literally "good colour".
Sonam f & m Tibetan, Bhutanese, Hindi, Marathi
Means "virtuous, good karma, fortunate" in Tibetan.
Subhash m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali
Means "eloquent", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with भाषा (bhasha) meaning "speech".
Subrahmanya m Hinduism, Telugu
From the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" and ब्रह्मन् (brahman) meaning "transcendent reality, eternal truth". This is another name for the Hindu god Skanda.
Subramaniam m Tamil
Tamil variant of Subrahmanya.
Subramanian m Tamil
Tamil variant of Subrahmanya.
Suchart m Thai
Means "born into a good life" in Thai.
Sudarshan m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada
Means "beautiful, good-looking" in Sanskrit, derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with दर्शन (darshana) meaning "seeing, observing".
Sudarshana f Hindi
Feminine form of Sudarshan.