Ancient Names

These names were used in various ancient regions.
gender
usage
Arnulf m German, Germanic
Germanic name derived from the elements arn meaning "eagle" and wolf meaning "wolf". This name was borne by a few early saints, notably a 7th-century Frankish bishop of Metz. It was also the name of a 9th-century Holy Roman emperor.
Arnviðr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Arvid.
Arsaces m Old Persian (Latinized), Parthian (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ἀρσάκης (Arsakes), the Greek form of Old Persian 𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎣 (Aršaka) or Parthian 𐭀𐭓𐭔𐭊 (Arshak), perhaps a diminutive of Old Persian 𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎠𐎴 (aršan) meaning "hero". This name was borne by two rulers of Parthia, including the first king (3rd century BC).
Arsakes m Old Persian (Hellenized), Parthian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Old Persian Aršaka or Parthian Arshak (see Arsaces).
Arsenios m Ancient Greek
Means "virile" in Greek. Saint Arsenius was a 5th-century deacon who was tutor to the two sons of the Roman emperor Theodosius. The two sons, Arcadius and Honorius, divided the empire into eastern and western halves upon their father's death.
Arshak m Parthian
Parthian form of Arsaces.
Arshaka m Old Persian
Old Persian form of Arsaces.
Arsinoe f Ancient Greek
Means "raising of the mind", from Greek ἄρσις (arsis) "raising" and νόος (noos) "mind, thought". This name was borne by Egyptian queens from the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Artaxerxes m Old Persian (Hellenized), Biblical, History
Greek form of the Old Persian name 𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎠 (Artaxšaça) meaning "true reign", derived from 𐎠𐎼𐎫 (arta) meaning "true" and 𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎶 (xšaçam) meaning "reign, kingdom". This was the name of several Achaemenid Persian rulers. It was also borne by the founder of the Sasanian Empire, usually known by the Middle Persian form Ardashir.
Artaxshaça m Old Persian
Old Persian form of Artaxerxes.
Artemidoros m Ancient Greek
Means "gift of Artemis" from the name of the goddess Artemis combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a Greek author of the 2nd century who wrote about the interpretation of dreams.
Artemios m Ancient Greek
From an ancient Greek name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Artemis. This was the name of a 4th-century general in the Roman army who is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church.
Artemisia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Artemisios. This was the name of the 4th-century BC builder of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. She built it in memory of her husband, the Carian prince Mausolus.
Artemisios m Ancient Greek
From an ancient Greek name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Artemis.
Artemon m Ancient Greek
From an ancient Greek name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Artemis.
Arthmail m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Armel.
Ása f Old Norse, Icelandic, Faroese
Old Norse, Icelandic and Faroese form of Åsa.
Ásbjǫrn m Old Norse
Old Norse name derived from the elements áss "god" and bjǫrn "bear". It is therefore a cognate of Osborn.
Ascelin m Germanic
Derived from a diminutive of the Old German element asc meaning "ash tree" (Proto-Germanic *askaz).
Asco m Germanic
Derived from the Old German element asc meaning "ash tree" (Proto-Germanic *askaz).
Ásdís f Icelandic, Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and dís "goddess".
Ásgeirr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Asger.
Áshildr f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Åshild.
Ashoka m Sanskrit
Means "without sorrow" in Sanskrit. This name was borne by Ashoka the Great, a 3rd-century BC emperor of India.
Ashurbanipal m Ancient Assyrian (Anglicized)
From Akkadian Ashur-bani-apli meaning "Ashur is creator of a son". This was the name of one of the final kings of the Assyrian Empire, reigning late in the 7th century BC. He appears in the Old Testament under the name Asnappar.
Ásketill m Old Norse
Derived from Old Norse áss "god" and ketill "cauldron, helmet".
Asklepiades m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek god Asklepios combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). It was borne by several Greek physicians.
Áslaug f Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Aslaug.
Ásmundr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Åsmund.
Ásný f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Åsne.
Aspasia f Ancient Greek, Greek
Derived from Greek ἀσπάσιος (aspasios) meaning "welcome, embrace". This was the name of the lover of Pericles (5th century BC).
Ásta f Old Norse, Icelandic
Short form of Ástríðr. It nearly coincides with Icelandic ást meaning "love".
Asterius m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀστέριος (Asterios) meaning "starry", a derivative of ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star". This is the name of several figures from Greek mythology. It was also borne by a few early saints.
Ástríðr f Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Ásvaldr m Old Norse
From the Old Norse elements áss "god" and valdr "ruler" (a cognate of Oswald).
Aþalaberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Adalbert and Æþelbeorht.
Aþalafuns m Gothic (Hypothetical)
Possible Gothic form of Alfonso.
Aþalawulfaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Adalwolf, Aþawulfs and Æðelwulf.
Aðalsteinn m Icelandic, Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements aðal "noble" and steinn "stone".
Athanaric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Aþanareiks, derived from the element aþn meaning "year" combined with reiks meaning "ruler, king". Athanaric was a 4th-century ruler of the Visigoths.
Athanas m Ancient Greek
Short form of Athanasios (see Athanasius).
Athanasia f Greek, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Athanasios (see Athanasius).
Athanasius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀθανάσιος (Athanasios) meaning "immortal", from Greek (a), a negative prefix, combined with θάνατος (thanatos) meaning "death". Saint Athanasius was a 4th-century bishop of Alexandria who strongly opposed Arianism.
Athaulf m Gothic (Modernized)
Contemporary spelling of the Gothic name *Aþawulfs, derived from the elements aþals "nobility" and wulfs "wolf" (making it a cognate of Adolf). Alternatively, the first element could be atta "father". This was the name of a 5th-century king of the Visigoths.
Aþawulfs m Gothic (Hypothetical)
Possible Gothic form of Athaulf.
Athenais f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Athena.
Athenodoros m Ancient Greek
Means "gift of Athena" from the name of the god Athena combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift".
Atilius m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Attilio.
Atossa f Old Persian (Hellenized)
Hellenized form of Old Persian *𐎢𐎫𐎢𐎰 (Utautha) meaning "well granting". It was notably borne by the eldest daughter of Cyrus the Great, who married Darius the Great in the 6th century BC.
Atticus m Literature, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀττικός (Attikos) meaning "from Attica", referring to the region surrounding Athens in Greece. This name was borne by a few notable Greeks from the Roman period (or Romans of Greek background). The author Harper Lee used the name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) for an Alabama lawyer who defends a black man accused of raping a white woman.
Attikos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Atticus.
Auda f Germanic
Feminine form of Audo (see Otto).
Audamar m Germanic
Old German form of Otmar.
Audaweniz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Eadwine and Audowin.
Audo m Germanic
Old German form of Otto.
Audoin m Lombardic (Latinized)
From Audoinus, the Latin form of the Germanic names Audowin or Aldwin. Audoin (or Auduin or Alduin) was a 6th-century king of the Lombards.
Audowin m Germanic
Derived from the Old Frankish element aud, Old High German ot meaning "wealth, fortune" combined with wini meaning "friend". This is a cognate of Edwin.
Augusta f Italian, Portuguese, English, German, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Augustus. It was introduced to Britain when King George III, a member of the German House of Hanover, gave this name to his second daughter in the 18th century.
Augustina f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1).
Augustus m Ancient Roman, Dutch (Rare)
Means "exalted, venerable", derived from Latin augere meaning "to increase". Augustus was the title given to Octavian, the first Roman emperor. He was the adopted son of Julius Caesar who rose to power through a combination of military skill and political prowess. In 26 BC the senate officially gave him the name Augustus, and after his death it was used as a title for subsequent emperors. This was also the name of three kings of Poland (August in Polish).
Aulus m Ancient Roman
Possibly from Latin avulus meaning "little grandfather", though it could be from the Etruscan name Aule, which was possibly derived from avils meaning "years". This was a Roman praenomen, or given name. Folk etymology connects it to Latin aula meaning "palace".
Aurelianus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was originally derived from the Roman family name Aurelius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Lucius Domitius Aurelianus) who reconquered the breakaway Gallic and Palmyrene Empires.
Aurelius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Latin aureus meaning "golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.
Auðr f & m Old Norse
Means "wealth, fortune" in Old Norse.
Auðrhildr f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Audhild.
Auðun m Old Norse
Derived from Old Norse auðr "wealth, fortune" and vinr "friend".
Auxentios m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek αὐξάνω (auxano) meaning "to increase, to grow". This name was borne by a few early saints.
Ava 3 f German, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element awi, of unknown meaning. This was the name of a 9th-century Frankish saint. It was also borne by a 12th-century poet from Melk, Austria.
Avelina 1 f Germanic
Diminutive of Avila.
Aveza f Germanic
Old German form of Avis.
Avila f Germanic
Derived from the Old German element awi, of unknown meaning. Rarely, this name may be given in honour of the 16th-century mystic Saint Teresa of Ávila, Ávila being the name of the town in Spain where she was born.
Avilius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name of unknown meaning. Saint Avilius was a 1st-century patriarch of Alexandria.
Avitus m Ancient Roman
From a Roman family name that meant "ancestral" in Latin. This was the name of an emperor who briefly reigned over the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. It was also the name of several saints, including a 6th-century bishop of Vienne.
Bada m Anglo-Saxon
Old English name probably derived from beadu meaning "battle".
Badulf m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements batu meaning "battle" and wolf meaning "wolf".
Badurad m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements batu "battle" and rat "counsel, advice".
Bagadata m Old Persian
Old Persian name derived from 𐏎 (baga) meaning "god" and 𐎭𐎠𐎫 (data) meaning "given". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Persian satrap under the Seleucid Empire.
Baggi m Old Norse
Byname derived from Old Norse baggi meaning "bag, pack".
Balbina f Spanish, Portuguese (Rare), Polish (Rare), Italian (Rare), Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Balbinus. Saint Balbina was a 2nd-century Roman woman martyred with her father Quirinus.
Balbinus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Balbus.
Balbus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "stammerer" in Latin. This was a family name of the mother of Emperor Augustus, Atia Balba Caesonia.
Balderich m Germanic
Old German form of Baldric.
Baldewin m Germanic
Old German form of Baldwin.
Baldilo m Germanic
Originally a diminutive of names containing the Old German element bald meaning "bold, brave" (Proto-Germanic *balþaz).
Baldo m Italian, Spanish, Germanic
Originally a short form of names containing the Old German element bald meaning "bold, brave" (Proto-Germanic *balþaz), such as Baldwin and Theobald. In Italian it can also be short for the non-Germanic name Baldassare.
Baldomar m Germanic
Old German form of Baldomero.
Baldwin m English, Germanic
Means "bold friend", derived from the Old German elements bald "bold, brave" and wini "friend". In the Middle Ages this was a popular name in Flanders and among the Normans, who brought it to Britain. It was borne by one of the leaders of the First Crusade, an 11th-century nobleman from Flanders. After the crusaders conquered Jerusalem, he was crowned as the king of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Bardulf m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements barta "axe" and wolf "wolf".
Bárðr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bård.
Basileios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Basil 1.
Basilius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Basileios (see Basil 1).
Baugulf m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements boug meaning "ring, bracelet" and wolf meaning "wolf".
Bébinn f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "white woman", from Old Irish "woman" and finn "white, blessed". This name was borne by several characters in Irish mythology, including the mother of the hero Fráech.
Belshazzar m Babylonian (Anglicized), Biblical
From בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר (Belshatzzar), the Hebrew form of the Akkadian name Bel-sharra-usur meaning "Bel protect the king". This was the name of the son of Nabonidus, the last king of the Babylonian Empire before the Persians conquered it in the 6th century BC. In the Old Testament Book of Daniel Belshazzar is the last king of Babylon who sees the mystical handwriting on the wall, which is interpreted by Daniel to portend the end of the empire.
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".
Berach m Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish berach meaning "sharp, pointed". This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint.
Berahard m Germanic
Old German form of Berard.
Berahthraban m Germanic
Old German form of Bertram, using an extended form of the second element.
Berahthram m Germanic
Old German form of Bertram.
Berard m Germanic
Variant of Bernard using the related root bero "bear" as the first element. This was the name of a 13th-century saint from Carbio, Italy who was martyred in Morocco.
Berengar m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements bern "bear" and ger "spear". This was the name of two medieval kings of Italy and a Holy Roman emperor.
Berengaria f Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized feminine form of Berengar. This name was borne by a 13th-century queen of Castile.
Berenhard m Germanic
Old German form of Bernard.
Berenice f English, Italian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Βερενίκη (Berenike), the Macedonian form of the Greek name Φερενίκη (Pherenike), which meant "bringing victory" from φέρω (phero) meaning "to bring" and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". This name was common among the Ptolemy ruling family of Egypt, a dynasty that was originally from Macedon. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament (in most English bibles it is spelled Bernice) belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II. As an English name, Berenice came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Berenike f Ancient Greek
Ancient Macedonian form of Berenice.
Bergljót f Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Bergljot.
Berhta f Germanic
Old German form of Bertha.
Berhtoald m Germanic
Old German form of Berthold.
Bernard m English, French, Dutch, Polish, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element bern "bear" combined with hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Beornheard. This was the name of several saints, including Saint Bernard of Menthon who built hospices in the Swiss Alps in the 10th century, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. Other famous bearers include the Irish playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and the British World War II field marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976).
Bernhard m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
German, Dutch and Scandinavian form of Bernard.
Bernuharduz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Bernard.
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.
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).
Bertrand m French, English, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements beraht meaning "bright" and rant meaning "rim (of a shield)". From an early date it has been confused with Bertram and the two names have merged to some degree. Saint Bertrand was an 11th-century bishop of Comminges in France. Another famous bearer was the English philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).
Bion m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from βίος (bios) meaning "life".
Birgir m Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Birger.
Bjarni m Old Norse, Icelandic, Faroese
Old Norse diminutive of Bjǫrn and other names containing the element bjǫrn meaning "bear".
Bjartr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bjarte.
Bjǫrg f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bjørg.
Bjǫrn m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Björn.
Bláán m Old Irish
From Old Irish blá meaning "yellow" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of 6th-century Irish saint, a bishop of Kingarth on the Isle of Bute in Scotland.
Blanchard m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements blanc meaning "white" and hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of an obscure (perhaps legendary) 7th-century French saint.
Blandinus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Blandus.
Blandus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "charming" in Latin.
Blasius m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Blaise.
Boadicea f Brythonic (Latinized)
Medieval variant of Boudicca, possibly arising from a scribal error.
Bodo m Germanic
Old German form of Bode.
Bomilcar m Phoenician (Latinized)
From the Punic name 𐤁𐤃𐤌𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤕 (Bodmilqart), from Phoenician 𐤁𐤃 (bod) meaning "on behalf of" or perhaps from 𐤏𐤁𐤃 (ʿabd) meaning "servant, slave" combined with the name of the god Melqart. This name was borne by a few figures from Carthaginian history.
Bóthildr f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bodil.
Botwulf m Anglo-Saxon
From Old English bot meaning "improvement" and wulf meaning "wolf". Saint Botwulf was a 7th-century English abbot. He may be the person after whom Boston is named.
Boudicca f Brythonic (Latinized)
Derived from Brythonic boud meaning "victory". This was the name of a 1st-century queen of the Iceni who led the Britons in revolt against the Romans. Eventually her forces were defeated and she committed suicide. Her name is first recorded in Roman histories, as Boudicca by Tacitus and Βουδουῖκα (Boudouika) by Cassius Dio.
Bran 1 m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "raven" in Irish. In Irish legend Bran mac Febail was a mariner who was involved in several adventures on his quest to find the Otherworld.
Brando m Germanic
Germanic name derived from the element brant meaning "fire, torch, sword".
Brandr m Old Norse
Old Norse byname meaning "fire, torch, sword".
Bréanainn m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Brendan.
Brendanus m Old Irish (Latinized)
Latinized form of Bréanainn (see Brendan).
Brennus m Gaulish (Latinized)
Latinized form of a Celtic name (or title) that possibly meant either "king, prince" or "raven". Brennus was a Gallic leader of the 4th century BC who attacked and sacked Rome.
Brian m English, Irish, Old Irish
Meaning uncertain, possibly related to the old Celtic root *brixs "hill, high" (Old Irish brií) or the related *brigā "might, power" (Old Irish briíg). It was borne by the Irish king Brian Boru, who thwarted Viking attempts to conquer Ireland in the 11th century. He was slain in the Battle of Clontarf, though his forces were decisively victorious. This name was common in Ireland after his time, and it was introduced to northern England by Norse-Gael settlers. It was also used in Brittany, and was brought to England by Bretons in the wake of the Norman Conquest. Though it eventually became rare in the English-speaking world, it was strongly revived in the 20th century, becoming a top-ten name for boys in most regions.
Bricius m Gaulish (Latinized)
Latin form of Brice, probably ultimately of Gaulish origin.
Broccán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Brogán.
Broccomaglos m Brythonic (Hypothetical)
Possible Brythonic form of Brochfael.
Brochmail m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Brochfael.
Bróðir m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bror.
Brunhild f German, Germanic Mythology, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements brunna "armour, protection" and hilt "battle". It is cognate with the Old Norse name Brynhildr (from the elements brynja and hildr). In Norse legend Brynhildr was the queen of the valkyries who was rescued by the hero Sigurd. In the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied she was a queen of Iceland and the wife of Gunther. Both of these characters were probably inspired by the eventful life of the 6th-century Frankish queen Brunhilda (of Visigothic birth).... [more]
Brunihild f Germanic
Old German variant of Brunhild.
Brunjōhildiz f Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Brunhild and Brynhildr.
Bruno m German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Croatian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Latvian, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element brunna meaning "armour, protection" (Proto-Germanic *brunjǭ) or brun meaning "brown" (Proto-Germanic *brūnaz). Saint Bruno of Cologne was a German monk of the 11th century who founded the Carthusian Order. The surname has belonged to Giordano Bruno, a philosopher burned at the stake by the Inquisition. A modern bearer is the American singer Bruno Mars (1985-), born Peter Gene Hernandez.
Brutus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "heavy" in Latin. Famous bearers include Lucius Junius Brutus, the traditional founder of the Roman Republic, and Marcus Junius Brutus, the statesman who conspired to assassinate Julius Caesar.
Brychan m Old Welsh
Derived from Welsh brych meaning "speckled, freckled" combined with a diminutive suffix. Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary Welsh king, said to be Irish by birth, the founder of the kingdom of Brycheiniog in central Wales. He reputedly fathered dozens of children, many of whom are regarded as saints.
Brynhildr f Norse Mythology, Old Norse
Old Norse cognate of Brunhild. In the Norse epic the Völsungasaga Brynhildr was rescued by the hero Sigurd in the guise of Gunnar. Brynhildr and Gunnar were married, but when Sigurd's wife Gudrun let slip that it was in fact Sigurd who had rescued her, Brynhildr plotted against him. She accused Sigurd of taking her virginity, spurring Gunnar to arrange Sigurd's murder.
Brynja f Icelandic, Old Norse
Means "armour" in Old Norse.
Brynjarr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Brynjar.
Búi m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bo 1.
Burgheard m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements burg "fortress" and heard "hard, firm, brave, hardy". It is a cognate of Burkhard.
Burkhard m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements burg "fortress" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy", or perhaps from the Old English cognate Burgheard. Saint Burkhard was an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (a companion of Boniface) who became the first bishop of Würzburg.
Cadfan m Old Welsh
From an Old Welsh name, recorded in Latinized forms such as Catamanus, meaning "battle peak" from cat "battle" and bann "peak". Saint Cadfan, from Brittany, was a 6th-century missionary to Wales.
Cadoc m Old Welsh
From an Old Welsh name, recorded in Latinized forms such as Catocus, derived from cat meaning "battle". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who was martyred by the Saxons.
Caecilia f Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Cecilia.
Caecilius m Ancient Roman
Original Latin masculine form of Cecilia.
Cáelfind f Old Irish
Old Irish form of Caoilfhionn.
Caelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Caelius.
Caelina f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Caelinus.
Caelinus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was itself derived from the Roman family name Caelius.
Caelius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Latin caelum meaning "heaven".
Caesar m Ancient Roman
From a Roman cognomen that possibly meant "hairy", from Latin caesaries "hair". Julius Caesar and his adopted son Julius Caesar Octavianus (commonly known as Augustus) were both rulers of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC. Caesar was used as a title by the emperors that came after them.
Caeso m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from Latin caesius meaning "blue-grey". This praenomen was only used by a few families.
Caesonia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Caesonius. This name was borne by Milonia Caesonia, the last wife of the Roman emperor Caligula.
Caesonius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from the praenomen Caeso.
Caíndelbán m Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish caín "handsome" and delb "form, image" (with a diminutive suffix).
Cainnech m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Coinneach.
Caius m Ancient Roman
Roman variant of Gaius.
Calpurnia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Calpurnius. This was the name of Julius Caesar's last wife.
Calpurnius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name, which was possibly derived from Latin calpar meaning "chalice, cup".
Calvus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "bald" in Latin.
Cambyses m Old Persian (Latinized), History
Latin form of Καμβύσης (Kambyses), the Greek form of the Old Persian name 𐎣𐎲𐎢𐎪𐎡𐎹 (Kabujiya), which is of uncertain meaning, possibly related to the geographical name Kamboja, a historical region in Central Asia. Two Persian kings bore this name, including Cambyses II, the second ruler of the Achaemenid Empire, who conquered Egypt.
Camilla f English, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, German, Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Camillus. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volsci, as told by Virgil in the Aeneid. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Fanny Burney's novel Camilla (1796).
Camillus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen, which is probably of Etruscan origin and unknown meaning. It is probably not related to Latin camillus "a youth employed in religious services". This name was borne by the 16th-century Italian monk Saint Camillus de Lellis.
Caracalla m Ancient Roman
From Latin caracalla, which referred to a type of hooded tunic worn by the Gauls. This was the agnomen, or nickname, of a 3rd-century Roman emperor.
Caratācos m Brythonic (Hypothetical)
Possible Brythonic form of Caratacus.
Caratacus m Brythonic (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Brythonic name *Caratācos meaning "loved", derived from the old Celtic root *karu "to love". According to Roman writers, this was the name of a 1st-century British chieftain who rebelled against Roman rule.
Caratauc m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Caradog.
Carlman m Germanic
Old German variant of Carloman.
Carloman m Germanic
From an Old German name derived from karl meaning "man" and man meaning "person, man". This was the name of several Frankish rulers, including the 8th-century Carloman I who ruled jointly with his brother Charlemagne for a time.
Carthach m Old Irish
Means "loving" in Irish. This was the name of two Irish saints, from the 6th and 7th centuries.
Cassander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κάσσανδρος (Kassandros), the masculine form of Cassandra. This was the name of a 3rd-century BC king of Macedon.
Cassia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cassius.
Cassian m Ancient Roman (Anglicized)
From the Roman family name Cassianus, which was derived from Cassius. This was the name of several saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Tangier who is the patron saint of stenographers and a 5th-century mystic who founded a monastery in Marseille.
Cassianus m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Cassian.
Cassius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin cassus meaning "empty, vain". This name was borne by several early saints. In modern times, it was the original first name of boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who was named after his father Cassius Clay, who was himself named after the American abolitionist Cassius Clay (1810-1903).
Catell m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Cadell.
Catguocaun m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Cadwgan.
Cathal m Irish, Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish cath "battle" and fal "rule". This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint. It was also borne by several Irish kings. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Charles.
Cathalán m Old Irish
Diminutive of Cathal.
Cathán m Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish cath "battle" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Cathán was a 6th-century Irish monk, a missionary to the Isle of Bute.
Cathassach m Old Irish
Means "vigilant" in Irish.
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.
Ceadda m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Chad.
Cellach m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Ceallach.
Cellachán m Old Irish
Diminutive of Cellach. This name was borne by a 10th-century king of Munster.
Celsus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name meaning "tall" in Latin. This was the name of a 2nd-century philosopher who wrote against Christianity. It was also borne by an early saint martyred with Nazarius in Milan.
Cenhelm m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Kenelm.
Cennétig m Old Irish
Old Irish byname meaning either "armoured head" or "misshapen head" (Old Irish cenn "head" and étiud "armour, clothing" or étig "ugly, misshapen"). This was the name of an Irish king, the father of Brian Boru.
Cenric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cene "bold" and ric "ruler, king".
Ceolmund m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ceol "keel" and mund "protection".
Cerball m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Cearbhall.
Cerdic m Anglo-Saxon
Earlier form of Cedric, possibly of Brythonic origin.
Chares m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian general. It was also borne by the sculptor who crafted the Colossus of Rhodes.
Charibert m Germanic
Old German (Frankish) variant of Haribert. This name was borne by two Merovingian kings of the Franks (6th and 7th centuries).
Charikleia f Greek, Ancient Greek
From Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This is the name of the heroine of the 3rd-century novel Aethiopica, about the love between Charikleia and Theagenes, written by Heliodorus of Emesa.
Charilaos m Ancient Greek, Greek
Means "grace of the people", derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness" and λαός (laos) meaning "people".
Chariovalda m Old Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of Hariwald. This was the name of 1st-century Batavian chief mentioned by Tacitus.
Charis f & m Ancient Greek, Greek
Ancient Greek feminine form of Chares. This was the word (in the singular) for one of the three Graces (plural Χάριτες).... [more]
Chariton m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness". This was the name of a 1st-century Greek novelist.
Charmion f Ancient Greek
Greek name derived from χάρμα (charma) meaning "delight". This was the name of one of Cleopatra's servants, as recorded by Plutarch.
Childebert m Germanic
Old German (Frankish) form of Hildebert. This name was borne by four Merovingian Frankish kings (between the 6th and 8th centuries).
Childeric m Germanic
Old German (Frankish) variant of Hilderic.
Chilperic m Germanic
Old German (Frankish) variant of Hilperic.
Chlodechilda f Germanic
Frankish name derived from the elements hlut "famous, loud" and hilt "battle". See also Clotilde.
Chlodochar m Germanic
Old German variant of Lothar.
Chlodovech m Germanic (Latinized)
From Chlodovechus, a Latinized form of the Germanic name Hludwig (see Ludwig).
Chlodulf m Germanic
Old German form of Ludolf.
Chloe f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "green shoot" in Greek, referring to new plant growth in the spring. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Demeter. The name is also mentioned by Paul in one of his epistles in the New Testament.... [more]
Chlothar m Germanic
Old German form of Lothar.
Chrestos m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from Greek χρηστός (chrestos) meaning "useful, good".
Chrodechildis f Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized Frankish form of Clotilde.
Chrysanthos m Greek, Ancient Greek
Means "golden flower" from Greek χρύσεος (chryseos) meaning "golden" combined with ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century Egyptian saint.
Cian m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "ancient, enduring" in Irish. In Irish mythology this was the name of the father of Lugh Lámfada. It was also borne by the mythical ancestor of the Ciannachta and by a son-in-law of Brian Boru.
Cianán m Irish, Old Irish
Diminutive of Cian. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish saint.
Ciar m & f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Derived from Irish ciar meaning "black". In Irish legend Ciar was a son of Fergus mac Róich and Medb, and the ancestor of the tribe of the Ciarraige (after whom County Kerry is named). As a feminine name, it was borne by an Irish nun (also called Ciara) who established a monastery in Tipperary in the 7th century.
Ciarán m Irish, Old Irish
Diminutive of Ciar. This was the name of two 6th-century Irish saints: Ciarán the Elder, the founder of the monastery at Saighir, and Ciarán the Younger, the founder of the monastery at Clonmacnoise.
Cicero m Ancient Roman
Roman 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.
Cináed m Medieval Scottish, Old Irish
Possibly 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.
Claudia f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Claudius. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament. As a Christian name it was very rare until the 16th century.
Claudius m Ancient Roman
From 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]
Cleisthenes m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Κλεισθένης (Kleisthenes), derived from κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" and σθένος (sthenos) meaning "strength". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Athenian statesman and reformer. He helped establish democracy in Athens.
Cleon m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Κλέων (Kleon), a Greek name derived from κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory".
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.
Clodovicus m Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Germanic name Hludwig (see Ludwig).
Cloelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine 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.
Cloelius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name of unknown meaning.
Clothildis f Germanic (Latinized)
Medieval Latin form of Chrodechildis and Chlodechilda (see Clotilde).
Cnaeus m Ancient Roman
Roman variant of Gnaeus.
Cóem m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Caomh.
Cóemán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Caomhán.
Cóemgein m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Kevin.
Cola m Anglo-Saxon
Old English byname meaning "charcoal", originally given to a person with dark features.
Colmán m Irish, Old Irish
Diminutive of Colm (see Colum). This was the name of a large number of Irish saints.
Colobert m Germanic
Old German name composed of (possibly) the element kollo meaning "head, peak" and beraht meaning "bright".
Colum m Irish, Old Irish
Irish form of Columba. The Old Irish word columb or colum also means "dove", derived from Latin columba.
Columb m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Columba.
Columbán m Old Irish
Possibly an Irish diminutive of Columba. Alternatively, it may be derived from Old Irish colum "dove" and bán "white". The 7th-century Saint Columbán of Leinster was the founder of several monasteries in Europe.
Comgall m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Comhghall.
Conall m Irish, Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "rule of a wolf", from Old Irish "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.
Conán m Irish, Old Irish
Irish Gaelic form of Conan.
Conchobar m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Derived from Old Irish "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.
Conláed m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Conleth.
Conn m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Perhaps from Old Irish conn meaning "sense, reason" or cenn meaning "head, chief". This was the name of a legendary high king of Ireland, Conn of the Hundred Battles.
Conrad m English, German, Germanic
Means "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.
Conrí m Old Irish
Means "king of hounds" in Irish.
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.
Corinthia f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κορινθία (Korinthia) meaning "woman from Corinth", an ancient Greek city-state. This is the real name of Corrie in William Faulkner's novel The Reivers (1962).
Cornelia f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient Roman
Feminine 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.