Behind the Name: English Names

ABRAHAM m English, Hebrew, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin
This name may be viewed either as meaning "father of many" in Hebrew or else as a contraction of ABRAM (1) and הָמוֹן (hamon) "many, multitude"... [more]

ACACIA f English (Rare)
From the name of a type of tree, ultimately deriving from Greek ακη (ake) "thorn, point".

ACE (1) m English
From the English word meaning "highest rank"... [more]

ADA f English, German, Polish, Hungarian, Italian
Short form of ADELAIDE and other names beginning with the same sound... [more]

ADAIR m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname which was derived from the given name EDGAR.

ADAM m English, French, German, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Macedonian, Romanian, Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
This is the Hebrew word for "man"... [more]

ADAMINA f English (Rare)
Feminine form of ADAM

ADDIE f English
Diminutive of ADELAIDE

ADDISON m & f English
From an English surname meaning "son of ADAM".

ADDY f English
Diminutive of ADELAIDE

ADELA f English, Spanish, Polish, Romanian, Ancient Germanic
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element adal meaning "noble"... [more]

ADELAIDE f English, Italian
From the French form of the Germanic name Adalheidis, which was composed of the elements adal "noble" and heid "kind, sort, type"... [more]

ADELE f German, English, Italian, Finnish
Form of ADÈLE

ADELIA f English, Spanish
Elaborated form of ADELA

ADELINE f French, English
Diminutive of ADÈLE

ADELLE f English
Variant of ADELE

ADEN m English (Modern)
Variant of AIDAN

ADOLPH m English
English form of ADOLF, rarely used since World War II.

ADRIA f English
Short form of ADRIANA

ADRIAN m English, Romanian, Polish, German, Russian
Form of Hadrianus (see HADRIAN)... [more]

ADRIANA f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, English
Feminine form of ADRIAN

ADRIANNA f English, Polish
Feminine form of ADRIAN

ADRIANNE f English
Feminine form of ADRIAN

AFRICA (1) f English (African American, Rare)
From the name of the continent, which is of Latin origin, possibly from the Afri people who lived near Carthage in North Africa... [more]

AGATHA f English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Αγαθη (Agathe), derived from Greek αγαθος (agathos) meaning "good"... [more]

AGGIE f English
Diminutive of AGNES or AGATHA

AGNES f English, German, Dutch, Scandinavian, Slovene, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name ‘Αγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek ‘αγνος (hagnos) meaning "chaste"... [more]

AIDAN m Irish, Scottish, English (Modern)
Anglicized form of AODHÁN... [more]

AIDEN m English (Modern)
Variant of AIDAN

AILEEN f Scottish, Irish, English
Variant of EILEEN

AINSLEE f English (Rare)
Variant of AINSLEY

AINSLEY f & m Scottish, English (Modern)
From a surname which was from a place name: either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire... [more]

AINSLIE f English (Rare)
Variant of AINSLEY

AISHA f English
English form of 'AISHA... [more]

AL m English
Short form of ALBERT and other names beginning with Al.

ALAINA f English (Modern)
Variant of of ALANA, probably influenced by ELAINE.

ALAN m English, Scottish, Breton, French
The meaning of this name is not known for certain... [more]

ALANA f English
Feminine form of ALAN

ALANIS f English (Rare)
Feminine form of ALAN... [more]

ALANNA f English
Feminine form of ALAN

ALANNAH f English (Modern), Irish
Variant of ALANA... [more]

ALANNIS f English (Rare)
Variant of ALANIS

ALAYNA f English (Modern)
Variant of ALAINA

ALBAN m German, French, Albanian, English (Rare)
From the Roman cognomen Albanus which meant "from Alba"... [more]

ALBERT m English, French, German, Slovene, Polish, Russian, Dutch, Scandinavian, Ancient Germanic
From the Germanic name Adalbert, which was composed of the elements adal "noble" and beraht "bright"... [more]

ALBERTA f English, Italian, Polish
Feminine form of ALBERT... [more]

ALDEN m English
From a surname which was derived from the Old English given name Ealdwine meaning "old friend".

ALDOUS m English (Rare)
Possibly a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element ald "old", making it a cognate of ALDO... [more]

ALEA f English (Rare)
Variant of AALIYAH

ALEASE f English
Possibly a variant of ALICIA

ALEC m English
Short form of ALEXANDER

ALECIA f English
Variant of ALICIA

ALEESHA f English (Rare)
Variant of ALICIA

ALENE f English
Variant of ALINE

ALESHA f English (Modern)
Variant of ALICIA

ALESIA f English
Possibly a variant of ALICIA, or maybe from the ancient Gaulish city of Alesia.

ALETA f English
Possibly a variant of ALETHEA

ALETHA f English
Variant of ALETHEA

ALETHEA f English
Derived from Greek αληθεια (aletheia) meaning "truth"... [more]

ALEX m & f English, Dutch
Short form of ALEXANDER, ALEXANDRA, and other names beginning with Alex.

ALEXA f English
Short form of ALEXANDRA

ALEXANDER m English, German, Dutch, Scandinavian, 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)... [more]

ALEXANDRA f German, Scandinavian, Dutch, French, English, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Feminine form of ALEXANDER... [more]

ALEXANDREA f English (Modern)
Variant of ALEXANDRIA

ALEXANDRIA f English
Feminine form of ALEXANDER... [more]

ALEXANDRINA f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of ALEXANDRA... [more]

ALEXIA f English (Modern), German
Feminine form of ALEXIS

ALEXINA f English
Diminutive of ALEXIS

ALEXIS m & f German, French, English, Greek, Ancient Greek
From the Greek name Αλεξις (Alexis), which meant "helper" or "defender", derived from Greek αλεξω (alexo) "to defend, to help"... [more]

ALEXUS f English (Modern)
Variant of ALEXIS

ALF (2) m English
Short form of ALFRED

ALFIE m English
Diminutive of ALFRED

ALFRED m English, French, Scandinavian, German, Polish, Dutch
Derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel"... [more]

ALFREDA f Polish, German, Italian, English
Feminine form of ALFRED

ALGAR m English (Rare)
Means "elf spear" from Old English ælf "elf" and gar "spear"... [more]

ALGER m English
From a surname which was derived from the given name ALGAR.

ALGERNON m English
Originally a Norman French nickname, derived from aux gernons "having a moustache", which was applied to William de Percy, a companion of William the Conqueror... [more]

ALIAH f English (Rare)
Variant of AALIYAH

ALICE f English, French, Portuguese, Italian
From the Old French name Aalis, a short form of Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name Adalheidis (see ADELAIDE)... [more]

ALICIA f Spanish, English
Latinized form of ALICE

ALINE f French, English
Medieval short form of ADELINE... [more]

ALISE (2) f English (Rare)
Variant of ALICE

ALISHA f English
Variant of ALICIA

ALISHIA f English (Rare)
Variant of ALICIA

ALISIA f English (Rare)
Variant of ALICIA

ALISON f English, French
Norman French diminutive of Aalis (see ALICE)... [more]

ALISSA f English
Variant of ALYSSA

ALISYA f English (Rare)
Variant of ALICIA

ALIVIA f English (Modern)
Variant of OLIVIA

ALLAN m English, Scottish
Variant of ALAN... [more]

ALLANA f English (Rare)
Variant of ALANA

ALLANNAH f English (Rare)
Variant of ALANNAH

ALLEGRA f English (Rare), Italian (Rare)
Means "cheerful, lively" in Italian... [more]

ALLEGRIA f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of ALLEGRA

ALLEN m English, Scottish
Variant of ALAN... [more]

ALLIE f English
Diminutive of ALISON

ALLISON f English
Variant of ALISON

ALLISSA f English (Rare)
Variant of ALYSSA

ALLY f English
Diminutive of ALISON

ALLYCIA f English (Rare)
Variant of ALICIA

ALLYN m English
Variant of ALAN

ALLYSON f English
Variant of ALISON

ALMA f English, Spanish
This name became popular after the Battle of Alma (1854), which took place near the River Alma in Crimea and ended in a victory for Britain and France... [more]

ALMIRA f English
Variant of ELMIRA... [more]

ALOYSIUS m English, German, Dutch, Provençal (Latinized)
Latinized form of Aloys, a Provençal form of LOUIS... [more]

ALPHA f & m English
From the name of the first letter in the Greek alphabet, Α.

ALPHONSO m English
Variant of ALFONSO

ALPHONZO m English (Rare)
Uncommon variant of ALFONSO

ALTON m English
From an Old English surname which was derived from a place name meaning "town at the source of the river".

ALVA (2) m English
Variant of ALVAH... [more]

ALVENA f English
Feminine form of ALVIN

ALVIN m English
From a medieval form of both the Old English names ÆLFWINE and ÆÐELWINE... [more]

ALVINA f English
Feminine form of ALVIN

ALYCE f English
Variant of ALICE

ALYCIA f English
Variant of ALICIA

ALYS f English
Variant of ALICE

ALYSA f English (Modern)
Variant of ALICIA

ALYSE f English (Modern)
Variant of ALICE

ALYSHA f English (Modern)
Variant of ALICIA

ALYSIA f English
Variant of ALICIA

ALYSON f English
Variant of ALISON

ALYSSA f English
Variant of ALICIA... [more]

ALYSSIA f English (Modern)
Variant of ALICIA

ALYX f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of ALEX

AMABEL f English (Rare)
Medieval feminine form of AMABILIS

AMANDA f English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Scandinavian, Dutch, German, Finnish, Late Roman
In part this is a feminine form of AMANDUS... [more]

AMBER f English, Dutch
From the English word amber that denotes either the gemstone, which is formed from fossil resin, or the orange-yellow colour... [more]

AMBROSE m English
From the Late Latin name Ambrosius, which was derived from the Greek name Αμβροσιος (Ambrosios) meaning "immortal"... [more]

AMBROSINE f English (Rare)
Feminine form of AMBROSE

AMELIA f English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Ancient Germanic
Variant of AMALIA, though it is sometimes confused with EMILIA, which has a different origin... [more]

AMERICA f English
In the English-speaking world, this name is usually given in reference to the United States of America (see AMERIGO)... [more]

AMERY m English (Rare)
Variant of EMERY

AMETHYST f English (Rare)
From the name of the precious stone, which is Greek in origin and means "not drunk", as it was believed to be a remedy against drunkenness.

AMI (2) f English
Variant of AMY

AMIAS m English (Rare)
Variant of AMYAS

AMIE f English
Variant of AMY

AMILIA f English (Rare)
Variant of either AMALIA or EMILIA

AMITY f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "friendship", ultimately deriving from Latin amicitia.

AMOS m Biblical, English, Hebrew, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
Means "carried" in Hebrew... [more]

AMY f English
English form of the Old French name Amée meaning "beloved" (modern French aimée), a vernacular form of the Latin Amata... [more]

AMYAS m English (Rare)
Meaning unknown, perhaps a derivative of AMIS... [more]

ANASTACIA f English
Variant of ANASTASIA

ANASTASIA f Greek, English, Russian, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of ANASTASIUS... [more]

ANDERSON m English
From a surname meaning "son of ANDREW".

ANDI f English
Diminutive of ANDREA (2)

ANDIE m & f English
Diminutive of ANDREW or ANDREA (2)

ANDRA f English
Feminine form of ANDREW, used only since the 20th century.

ANDRE m English
English form of ANDRÉ

ANDREA (2) f English, German, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Scandinavian, Croatian
Feminine form of ANDREW... [more]

ANDREW m English, Biblical
From the Greek name Ανδρεας (Andreas), which was derived from ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive ανδρος (andros) "of a man")... [more]

ANDRIANA f English (Rare)
Probably a blend of ANDREA (2) and ADRIANA.

ANDRINA f English (Rare)
Feminine form of ANDREW

ANDY m & f English
Diminutive of ANDREW or sometimes ANDREA (2)... [more]

ANEMONE f English (Rare)
From the name of the anemone flower, which derives from Greek ανεμος (anemos) "wind".

ANGEL m & f English, Bulgarian, Macedonian
From the medieval Latin masculine name Angelus which was derived from the name of the heavenly creature (itself derived from the Greek word αγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger")... [more]

ANGELA f English, Italian, German, Dutch, Romanian, Slovene, Slovak, Russian, Macedonian, Late Roman
Feminine form of Angelus (see ANGEL)... [more]

ANGELIA f English
Elaborated form of ANGELA

ANGELICA f English, Italian, Romanian, Literature
Derived from Latin angelicus meaning "angelic", ultimately related to Greek αγγελος (angelos) "messenger"... [more]

ANGELINA f Italian, English, Russian, German, Polish, Spanish, Macedonian
Latinate diminutive of ANGELA

ANGELLE f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of ANGEL

ANGIE f English
Diminutive of ANGELA

ANGUS m Scottish, Irish, English
Anglicized form of AONGHUS

ANIMA (2) f English (Rare)
Means "soul, spirit" in Latin... [more]

ANISE f English (Rare)
From the English word for the herb, also called aniseed.

ANISSA f English
Combination of ANNA and the popular name suffix issa... [more]

ANITA f Spanish, Croatian, Finnish, English
Spanish, Croatian and Finnish diminutive of ANA

ANJELICA f English (Modern)
Variant of ANGELICA

ANN f English
English form of ANNE (1)... [more]

ANNA f English, Italian, German, Dutch, Scandinavian, Finnish, Estonian, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Icelandic, Catalan, Provençal, Breton, Biblical, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Channah (see HANNAH) used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament... [more]

ANNABEL f English, Dutch
Variant of AMABEL influenced by the name ANNA... [more]

ANNABELLA f Italian, English (Modern)
Latinate form of ANNABEL... [more]

ANNABELLE f English, French
Variant of ANNABEL... [more]

ANNABETH f English (Rare)
Combination of ANNA and BETH

ANNALEE f English (Rare)
Combination of ANNA and LEE

ANNE (1) f French, English, Scandinavian, Finnish, German, Dutch, Basque
French form of ANNA... [more]

ANNEKA f English (Rare)
Variant of ANNIKA

ANNETTE f French, English
French diminutive of ANNE (1)... [more]

ANNICE f English
Variant of ANNIS

ANNIE f English
Diminutive of ANNE (1)

ANNIKA f Swedish, Dutch, Finnish, German, English (Modern)
Swedish diminutive of ANNA

ANNIS f English
Medieval English form of AGNES

ANNMARIE f English
Combination of ANN and MARIE

ANNORA f English (Rare)
Medieval English variant of HONORA

ANONA f English
Meaning unknown... [more]

ANSEL m English
From a surname which was derived from the given name ANSELM... [more]

ANSELM m German, English (Rare), Ancient Germanic
Derived from the Germanic elements ans "god" and helm "helmet, protection"... [more]

ANSLEY f English (Modern)
From a surname which was a variant of AINSLEY.

ANSON m English
From a surname meaning "son of AGNES".

ANTHONY m English
English form of the Roman family name Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin... [more]

ANTONETTE f English
Diminutive of ANTONIA

ANTONIA f Italian, Spanish, English, German, Scandinavian, Dutch, Polish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Antonius (see ANTHONY).

ANTONY m English
Variant of ANTHONY... [more]

ANTWAN m English (African American)
Variant of ANTOINE, in use since the 1960s.

APRIL f English
From the name of the month, probably originally derived from Latin aperire "to open", referring to the opening of flowers... [more]

ARABELLA f English
Medieval Scottish name, probably a variant of ANNABEL... [more]

ARAMINTA f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown... [more]

ARCHIBALD m Scottish, English
Derived from the Germanic elements ercan "genuine" and bald "bold"... [more]

ARCHIE m Scottish, English
Diminutive of ARCHIBALD... [more]

ARDEN m & f English
From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, which were derived from a Celtic word meaning "high".

ARETHA f English
Possibly derived from Greek αρετη (arete) meaning "virtue"... [more]

ARIA f English
Means "song" or "melody" in Italian... [more]

ARIANA f English (Modern)
Variant of ARIANNA

ARIC m English
Variant of ERIC

ARIEL m & f Biblical, Hebrew, English, French, Biblical Greek
Means "lion of God" in Hebrew... [more]

ARIELLA f English (Rare)
Strictly feminine form of ARIEL

ARIENNE f English (Rare)
Variant of ARIANE

ARIN f English (Rare)
Variant of ERIN

ARLEEN f English
Variant of ARLINE

ARLEN m English
Meaning unknown, possibly from a surname.

ARLENE f English
Variant of ARLINE

ARLIE f & m English
From a surname which was derived from a place name meaning "eagle wood" in Old English... [more]

ARLINE f English
Meaning unknown, possibly invented by Michael William Balfe for the main character in his opera 'The Bohemian Girl' (1843).

ARN m English
Short form of ARNOLD

ARNIE m English
Diminutive of ARNOLD

ARNOLD m English, German, Ancient Germanic
From a Germanic name meaning "eagle power", derived from the elements arn "eagle" and wald "power"... [more]

ARRON m English
Variant of AARON

ART m English
Short form of ARTHUR

ARTHUR m English, French, German, Dutch, Welsh Mythology
The meaning of this name is unknown... [more]

ARVEL m English
Meaning unknown, possibly a variant of ARWEL.

ARYANA f English (Modern)
Variant of ARIANA

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