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the etymology and history of first names
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Traditional English Names

The names listed here are used in English-speaking countries. Modern spelling variations of traditional names are not included. See also about English names.

AARON   m   English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name אַהֲרֹן ('Aharon) which is most likely of unknown Egyptian origin... [more]

ABBEY   f   English
Diminutive of ABIGAIL

ABBI   f   English
Diminutive of ABIGAIL

ABBIE   f   English
Diminutive of ABIGAIL

ABBY   f   English
Diminutive of ABIGAIL

ABE   m   English, Jewish
Short form of ABRAHAM

ABEL   m   English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Biblical
From the Hebrew name הֶבֶל (Hevel) or הָבֶל (Havel) which meant "breath"... [more]

ABIGAIL   f   English, German, Biblical
From the Hebrew name אֲבִיגָיִל ('Avigayil) meaning "my father is joy"... [more]

ABNER   m   English, Biblical
Means "my father is a light" in Hebrew... [more]

ABRAHAM   m   English, Jewish, Dutch, Biblical
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]

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

ADA   f   English, German, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian
Short form of ADELAIDE... [more]

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

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
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element adal meaning "noble"... [more]

ADELAIDE   f   English
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
German, English and Italian form of ADÈLE

ADELIA   f   English, Spanish
Elaborated form of ADELA

ADELLE   f   English
Variant of ADELE

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

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
Latinized form of the Greek name ‘Αγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek ‘αγνος (hagnos) meaning "chaste"... [more]

AILEEN   f   Scottish, Irish, English
Variant of EILEEN

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

ALAN   m   English, Scottish, Breton
The meaning of this name is not known for certain, though it possibly means either "little rock" or "handsome" in Breton... [more]

ALANA   f   English
Feminine form of ALAN

ALANNA   f   English
Feminine form of ALAN

ALBERT   m   English, French, Slovene, Polish, Russian, Dutch
From the Germanic name Adalbrecht, 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".

ALEASE   f   English
Possibly a variant of ALICIA

ALEC   m   English
Diminutive of ALEXANDER

ALECIA   f   English
Variant of ALICIA

ALENE   f   English
Variant of ALINE

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, Hungarian, Slovak, 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, English, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Hungarian, Slovak, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Feminine form of ALEXANDER... [more]

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

ALEXINA   f   English
Diminutive of ALEXIS

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

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

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]

ALICE   f   English, French, Portuguese, Italian
From the Old French name Alis, 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]

ALISHA   f   English
Variant of ALICIA

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

ALISSA   f   English
Variant of ALYSSA

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

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

ALLIE   f   English
Diminutive of ALISON

ALLISON   f   English
Variant of ALISON

ALLY   f   English
Diminutive of ALISON

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
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.

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

ALWILDA   f   English
Anglicized form of ALFHILD

ALYCE   f   English
Variant of ALICE

ALYCIA   f   English
Variant of ALICIA

ALYS   f   English
Variant of ALICE

ALYSIA   f   English
Variant of ALICIA

ALYSON   f   English
Variant of ALISON

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

AMANDA   f   English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Finnish
Created in the 17th century by the playwright Colley Cibber, who based it on Latin amanda meaning "lovable, worthy of love"... [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]

AMELIA   f   English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German
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]

AMI (2)   f   English
Variant of AMY

AMIE   f   English
Variant of AMY

AMOS   m   Biblical, English, Jewish
Means "to carry" 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]

ANASTACIA   f   English
Variant of ANASTASIA

ANASTASIA   f   Greek, English, 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
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]

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

ANGEL   m & f   English, Bulgarian
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
Feminine form of Angelus (see ANGEL)... [more]

ANGELIA   f   English
Elaborated form of ANGELA

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

ANGELINA   f   Italian, English, Russian, Polish
Latinate diminutive of ANGELA

ANGIE   f   English
Diminutive of ANGELA

ANGUS   m   Scottish, Irish, English
Anglicized form of AONGHUS

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

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, Breton, Biblical
Latinate form of HANNAH... [more]

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

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

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

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

ANNICE   f   English
Variant of ANNIS

ANNIE   f   English
Diminutive of ANNE (1)

ANNIS   f   English
Medieval English form of AGNES

ANNMARIE   f   English
Combination of ANN and MARIE

ANONA   f   English
Meaning unknown... [more]

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

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]

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
Elaborated form of Arabel, a medieval Scottish variant of ANNABEL, perhaps altered by association with Latin orabilis meaning "invokable".

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]

ARIC   m   English
Variant of ERIC

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

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, probably 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
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, Welsh Mythology
The meaning of this name is unknown... [more]

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

ASH   m & f   English
Short form of ASHLEY... [more]

ASHER   m   Biblical, Jewish, English
Means "happy" or "blessed" in Hebrew... [more]

ASHLEY   f & m   English
From an English surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "ash tree clearing" in Old English... [more]

ASHTON   m & f   English
From a surname which was originally derived from a place name which meant "ash tree town" in Old English.

AUBREY   m & f   English
Norman French form of the Germanic name ALBERICH... [more]

AUDIE   f   English
Diminutive of AUDREY

AUDLEY   m   English
From a surname which was taken from a place name meaning "EALDGYÐ's clearing" in Old English.

AUDRA (2)   f   English
Variant of AUDREY, used since the 19th century.

AUDREY   f   English
Medieval diminutive of ÆÐELÞRYÐ... [more]

AUGUST   m   German, Polish, Scandinavian, English
German, Polish and Scandinavian form of AUGUSTUS

AUGUSTA   f   German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch, English
Feminine form of AUGUSTUS... [more]

AUGUSTINE (1)   m   English
From the Roman name Augustinus, itself derived from the Roman name AUGUSTUS... [more]

AURA   f   English
From the English word aura (derived from Latin) for a distinctive atmosphere or illumination.

AURORA   f   Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, German, Romanian, Finnish, Roman Mythology
Means "dawn" in Latin... [more]

AUSTIN   m   English
Medieval contracted form of AUGUSTINE (1)... [more]

AUTUMN   f   English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Latin autumnus... [more]

AVA (1)   f   English
Variant of EVE... [more]

AVERY   m & f   English
From a surname which was itself derived from the Norman French form of the given names ALBERICH or ALFRED.

AVIS   f   English
Latinized form of the Germanic name Aveza, which was derived from the element avi, of unknown meaning, possibly "desired"... [more]

BABS   f   English
Diminutive of BARBARA

BAILEY   m & f   English
From a surname derived from Middle English baili meaning "bailiff", originally denoting one who was a bailiff.

BALDWIN   m   English
Derived from the Germanic elements bald "bold, brave" and wine "friend"... [more]

BAMBI   f   English
Derived from Italian bambina meaning "young girl"... [more]

BARB   f   English
Short form of BARBARA

BARBARA   f   English, Italian, French, German, Polish, Hungarian, Slovene
Derived from Greek βαρβαρος (barbaros) meaning "foreign"... [more]

BARBIE   f   English
Diminutive of BARBARA

BARBRA   f   English
Variant of BARBARA

BARNEY   m   English
Short form of BARNABAS, BERNARD or BARNABY

BARRETT   m   English
From a surname meaning "dispute" in Middle English, originally given to a quarrelsome person.

BARRIE   m   Irish, English
Variant of BARRY

BARRY   m   Irish, English
Anglicized form of the Irish name Bairre, which is a diminutive of FIONNBHARR... [more]

BART   m   English, Dutch
Short form of BARTHOLOMEW... [more]

BARTHOLOMEW   m   English, Biblical
From Βαρθολομαιος (Bartholomaios), which was the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning "son of תַלְמַי (Talmay)"... [more]

BASIL (1)   m   English
Derived from Greek βασιλευς (basileus) meaning "king"... [more]

BAXTER   m   English
From an occupational surname which meant "(female) baker" in Old English.

BEA   f   English
Short form of BEATRIX

BEATRICE   f   Italian, English
Italian form of BEATRIX... [more]

BEATRIX   f   English, German, Dutch
From Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator which meant "voyager, traveller"... [more]

BEAU   m   English
Means "beautiful" in French... [more]

BECCA   f   English
Short form of REBECCA

BECKA   f   English
Short form of REBECCA

BECKAH   f   English
Short form of REBECCA

BECKY   f   English
Diminutive of REBECCA

BEE   f   English
Short form of BEATRIX

BELINDA   f   English
The meaning of this name is not known for certain... [more]

BELLA   f   English
Short form of ISABELLA and other names ending in bella... [more]

BELLE   f   English
Short form of ISABELLA or names ending in belle... [more]

BEN (1)   m   English, Dutch
Short form of BENJAMIN or BENEDICT... [more]

BENEDICT   m   English
From the Late Latin name Benedictus which meant "blessed"... [more]

BENJ   m   English
Short form of BENJAMIN

BENJAMIN   m   English, French, German, Dutch, Biblical
From the Hebrew name בִנְיָמִין (Binyamin) which means "son of the south" or "son of the right hand"... [more]

BENJI   m   English
Diminutive of BENJAMIN

BENJY   m   English
Diminutive of BENJAMIN

BENNETT   m   English
Medieval form of BENEDICT... [more]

BENNIE   m   English
Diminutive of BENJAMIN or BENEDICT

BENNY   m   English
Diminutive of BENJAMIN or BENEDICT

BENSON   m   English
From a surname which originally meant "son of BENEDICT".

BENTLEY   m   English
From a surname which was derived from a place name meaning "clearing covered with bent grass" in Old English... [more]

BENTON   m   English
From a surname which was derived from a place name meaning "town near bent grass" in Old English.

BERENICE   f   English, Italian
Ancient Macedonian form of the Greek name Φερενικη (Pherenike), which meant "bringing victory" from φερω (phero) "to bring" and νικη (nike) "victory"... [more]

BERNADINE   f   English
Feminine form of BERNARD

BERNARD   m   English, French, Polish
Derived from the Germanic element bern "bear" combined with hard "brave, hardy"... [more]

BERNETTA   f   English
Diminutive of BERENICE

BERNICE   f   English, Biblical
Contracted form of BERENICE... [more]

BERNIE   m & f   English
Short form of BERNARD, BERNADETTE, and other names beginning with Bern.

BERNIECE   f   English
Variant of BERNICE

BERRY (1)   m   English
Variant of BARRY

BERT   m   English, Dutch
Short form of ALBERT and other names containing the element bert, often derived from the Germanic element beraht meaning "bright".

BERTHA   f   German, English
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element beraht meaning "bright, famous"... [more]

BERTIE   m & f   English
Diminutive of ALBERT, HERBERT, and other names containing bert (often derived from the Germanic element beraht meaning "bright").

BERTINA   f   English
Feminine form of BERT

BERTRAM   m   English, German
Means "bright raven", derived from the Germanic element beraht "bright" combined with hramn "raven"... [more]

BERTRAND   m   French, English
French form of BERTRAM... [more]

BERYL   f   English
From the English word for the clear or pale green precious stone, ultimately deriving from Sanskrit... [more]

BESS   f   English
Diminutive of ELIZABETH

BESSIE   f   English
Diminutive of ELIZABETH

BETH   f   English
Short form of ELIZABETH, or sometimes BETHANY.

BETHANY   f   English, Biblical
Means "house of figs" in Hebrew, from a biblical place name... [more]

BETSY   f   English
Diminutive of ELIZABETH

BETTE   f   English
Diminutive of ELIZABETH

BETTIE   f   English
Diminutive of ELIZABETH

BETTY   f   English
Diminutive of ELIZABETH

BETTYE   f   English
Variant of BETTY

BEULAH   f   Biblical, English
Means "married" in Hebrew... [more]

BEVERLEY   f   English
Variant of BEVERLY

BEVERLY   f & m   English
From a surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "beaver stream" in Old English... [more]

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