Names with "white" in Description

This is a list of names in which the description contains the keyword white.
gender
usage
keyword
Aeronwen f Welsh (Rare)
Combination of Aeron and the Welsh element gwen meaning "white, blessed".
Ahab m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Means "uncle", from Hebrew אָח ('ach) meaning "brother" and אָב ('av) meaning "father". This was the name of a king of Israel, the husband of Jezebel, as told in the Old Testament. He was admonished by Elijah for his sinful behaviour. Herman Melville later used this name in his novel Moby-Dick (1851), where it belongs to a sea captain obsessively hunting for a white whale.
Ailbhe f & m Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Ailbe, possibly derived from the old Celtic root *albiyo- "world, light, white" or Old Irish ail "rock". In Irish legend this was the name of a female warrior of the Fianna. It was also the name of a 6th-century masculine saint, the founder of a monastery at Emly.
Airi 1 f Japanese
From Japanese (ai) meaning "love, affection" combined with (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or (ri) meaning "pear". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Akari f Japanese
From Japanese (aka) meaning "bright" or (aka) meaning "vermilion red" combined with (ri) meaning "village" or (ri) meaning "white jasmine". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Akmaral f Kazakh
Derived from Kazakh ақ (aq) meaning "white" and марал (maral) meaning "deer".
Ákos m Hungarian
Possibly of Turkic origin meaning "white falcon". This was the name of a medieval Hungarian clan.
Alban m German, French, Albanian, English (Rare)
From the Roman cognomen Albanus, which meant "from Alba". Alba (from Latin albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.... [more]
Albus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "white, bright" in Latin.
Alphius m Late Roman
Meaning unknown, possibly a variant of Alphaeus, or possibly from an Umbrian root meaning "white". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Sicily.
Alpin m Scottish (Rare)
Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name Ailpean, possibly derived from a Pictish word meaning "white". This was the name of two kings of Dál Riata and two kings of the Picts in the 8th and 9th centuries.
Anwen f Welsh
Means "very beautiful" in Welsh, from the intensive prefix an- combined with gwen "white, blessed".
Aoibheann f Irish
From Old Irish Oébfinn or Aíbinn, derived from oíb meaning "beauty, appearance, form" and finn meaning "white, blessed". This was the name of the mother of Saint Énna of Aran. It was also borne by the daughter of the 10th-century Irish high king Donnchad Donn.
Arianwen f Welsh
Derived from Welsh arian "silver" and gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint, one of the supposed daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.
Arjuna m Hinduism
Means "white, clear" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hero in Hindu texts, the son of the god Indra and the princess Kunti.
Arwyn m Welsh
From the Welsh intensifying prefix ar- and gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
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.
Bai m & f Chinese
From Chinese (bái) meaning "white, pure", (bǎi) meaning "one hundred, many" or (bǎi) meaning "cypress tree, cedar" (which is usually only masculine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. This name was borne in the 8th century by the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai, whose given was .
Baihu m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (bái) meaning "white, pure" and () meaning "tiger". This is the Chinese name of the White Tiger, associated with the west and the autumn season.
Bairrfhionn m Irish (Rare)
Means "fair-haired", derived from Old Irish barr "top, head" and finn "white, blessed".
Banquo m Literature
Meaning uncertain, possibly derived from Scottish Gaelic bàn "white" and "dog, hound". This is the name of a character in William Shakespeare's semi-historical tragedy Macbeth (1606). He earlier appears in Holinshed's Chronicles (1587), one of Shakespeare's sources for the play.
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.
Béla m Hungarian
The meaning of this name is not known for certain. It could be derived from Hungarian bél meaning "guts, bowel" or Old Slavic bělŭ meaning "white". This was the name of four Hungarian kings. It was also borne by the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók (1881-1945).
Běla f Czech
Derived from the Old Slavic word *bělŭ meaning "white".
Belobog m Slavic Mythology
Means "the white god" from Old Slavic bělŭ "white" and bogŭ "god". This was the name of a poorly attested (possibly spurious) Slavic god of good fortune.
Berwyn m Welsh
Means "white top" from the Welsh elements barr "top, head" and gwyn "white, blessed". This is the name of a mountain range in Wales.
Beyle f Yiddish (Rare)
From a Slavic word meaning "white".
Beyza f Turkish
Means "very white" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic بيضاء (bayda).
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.
Blanche f French, English
From a medieval French nickname meaning "white, fair-coloured". This word and its cognates in other languages are ultimately derived from the Germanic word *blankaz. An early bearer was the 12th-century Blanca of Navarre, the wife of Sancho III of Castile. Her granddaughter of the same name married Louis VIII of France, with the result that the name became more common in France.
Blodwen f Welsh
Means "white flowers" from Welsh blodau "flowers" combined with gwen "white, blessed". This is the name of an 1878 Welsh opera by Joseph Parry.
Boann f Irish Mythology
Possibly from Old Irish "cow" and finn "white, blessed". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of the River Boyne, which is named for her. She was the wife of Nechtan and the father of Aonghus (by Dagda).
Branwen f Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Means "white raven" from Old Welsh bran "raven" and gwen "white, blessed". According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi she was the daughter of Llŷr. After she was mistreated by her husband Matholwch, the king of Ireland, she managed to get a message to her brother Brân, the king of Britain. Brân launched a costly invasion to rescue her, but she died of grief shortly after her return.
Bronwen f Welsh
Seemingly derived from Welsh bron "breast" and gwen "white, blessed", though it has sometimes occurred as a variant spelling of the legendary name Branwen. It has been used as a given name in Wales since the 19th century. It is borne by a character in Richard Llewellyn's 1939 novel How Green Was My Valley, as well as the 1941 movie adaptation.
Caerwyn m Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements caer "fortress" and gwyn "white, blessed".
Calla f English
From the name of two types of plants, the true calla (species Calla palustris) and the calla lily (species Calla aethiopica), both having white flowers and growing in marshy areas. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek κάλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty".
Candida f Late Roman, English
Late Latin name derived from candidus meaning "white". This was the name of several early saints, including a woman supposedly healed by Saint Peter. As an English name, it came into use after George Bernard Shaw's play Candida (1898).
Caoilfhionn f Irish
Derived from the Old Irish elements cáel "slender" and finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Carwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru "to love" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name was created in the 20th century.
Céibhfhionn f Irish Mythology
Means "fair-haired", from Old Irish ciab "locks, hair" and finn "white, blessed". In Irish legend this was the name of one of the three daughters of Bec mac Buain.
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.
Celinda f English (Rare)
Probably a blend of Celia and Linda. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
Ceridwen f Welsh
Possibly from cyrrid "bent, crooked" (a derivative of Old Welsh cwrr "corner") combined with ben "woman" or gwen "white, blessed". According to the medieval Welsh legend the Tale of Taliesin (recorded by Elis Gruffyd in the 16th century) this was the name of a sorceress who created a potion that would grant wisdom to her son Morfan. The potion was instead consumed by her servant Gwion Bach, who was subsequently reborn as the renowned bard Taliesin.... [more]
Charlotte f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
French feminine diminutive of Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of Jane Eyre and Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.... [more]
Cledwyn m Welsh
Possibly derived from Welsh caled "rough, hard" and gwyn "white, blessed". This is the name of a small river (Cledwen) in Conwy, Wales.
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.
Daisy f English
Simply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.... [more]
Delwyn m Welsh
From Welsh del "pretty" combined with gwyn "white, blessed". It has been used as a given name since the start of the 20th century.
Dhaval m Marathi, Gujarati
Means "dazzling white" in Sanskrit.
Dilwyn m Welsh
From Welsh dilys "genuine" and gwyn "white, blessed". It has been used since the late 19th century.
Doireann f Irish, Irish Mythology
Possibly from the Old Irish prefix der "daughter" and finn "white, blessed". Alternatively it may be derived from Irish doireann "sullen, tempestuous". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a daughter of Bodb Derg who poisoned Fionn mac Cumhaill after he spurned her advances.
Eartha f English
Combination of the English word earth with the feminine name suffix a. It has been used in honour of African-American philanthropist Eartha M. M. White (1876-1974). Another famous bearer was American singer and actress Eartha Kitt (1927-2008).
Edel f Irish
In Ireland this name is given in honour of the Irish missionary Edel Quinn (1907-1944). She was named after the edelweiss flower (species Leontopodium alpinum), which is derived from German edel "noble" and weiß "white".
Eilwen f Welsh
Perhaps means "white brow", derived from Welsh ael "brow" and gwen "white, blessed". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Eirwen f Welsh
Means "white snow" from the Welsh elements eira "snow" and gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the early 20th century.
Eurwen f Welsh
Derived from Welsh aur "gold" and gwen "white, blessed".
Finbar m Irish
Anglicized form of Irish Fionnbharr, Old Irish Finnbarr, derived from finn "white, blessed" and barr "top, head". Saint Finbar of Cork was a 6th-century bishop who supposedly performed miraculous cures. The Isle of Barra off Scotland was (probably) named for him.
Fingal m Literature
Means "white stranger", derived from the Old Irish elements finn "white, blessed" and gall "foreigner, stranger". This was the name of the hero in the Scottish author James Macpherson's 1761 poem Fingal, which he claimed to have based on early Gaelic legends about Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Finnian m Irish
Derived from Old Irish finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints, including the founders of monasteries at Clonard and Movilla (both 6th century).
Fintan m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Possibly means either "white fire" or "white ancient" in Irish. According to legend this was the name of the only Irish person to survive the great flood. This name was also borne by many Irish saints.
Fionn m Irish, Irish Mythology
From the Old Irish name Finn, derived from finn meaning "white, blessed". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of Oisín and grandfather of Oscar.
Fionnlagh m Scottish Gaelic
Means "white warrior", derived from Old Irish finn "white, blessed" and láech "warrior". An earlier form was Findláech — this was the name of the father of the 11th-century Scottish king Macbeth.
Fionnuala f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "white shoulder" from Old Irish finn "white, blessed" and gúala "shoulder". In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for a period of 900 years.
Gauri f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi
Means "white" in Sanskrit. This is a Hindu goddess, another name of Parvati the wife of Shiva, so named because of her fair complexion.
Guinevere f Arthurian Cycle
From the Norman French form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar meaning "white phantom", ultimately from the old Celtic roots *windos meaning "white" (modern Welsh gwen) and *sēbros meaning "phantom, magical being". In Arthurian legend she was the beautiful wife of King Arthur. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, she was seduced by Mordred before the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. According to the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, she engaged in an adulterous affair with Sir Lancelot.... [more]
Gwen f Welsh, English
From Welsh gwen, the feminine form of gwyn meaning "white, blessed". It can also be a short form of Gwendolen, Gwenllian and other names beginning with Gwen.
Gwenaël m French, Breton
Means "blessed and generous" from Breton gwenn meaning "white, blessed" and hael meaning "generous". Saint Gwenhael was a 6th-century abbot of Brittany.
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.
Gwendal m Breton
Derived from Breton gwenn meaning "white, blessed" and tal meaning "brow, forehead".
Gwenddoleu m Welsh Mythology
From Old Welsh Guendoleu, possibly derived from gwyn meaning "white, blessed" and dol (plural dolau) meaning "meadow". This was the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century king of Arfderydd in Cumbria. His defeat at the Battle of Arfderydd caused his bard Myrddin to go mad with grief.
Gwenddydd f Welsh Mythology
Derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" and dydd meaning "day". In medieval Welsh tales this is the name of Myrddin's sister. Geoffrey of Monmouth calls her Ganieda and also makes her the wife of Rhydderch Hael.
Gwendolen f Welsh
Possibly means "white ring", derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" and dolen meaning "ring, loop". This name appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century chronicles, written in the Latin form Guendoloena, where it belongs to an ancient queen of the Britons who defeats her ex-husband in battle. Geoffrey later used it in Vita Merlini for the wife of the prophet Merlin. An alternate theory claims that the name arose from a misreading of the masculine name Guendoleu by Geoffrey.... [more]
Gwenfrewi f Welsh (Rare)
Derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" combined with another element of uncertain meaning. It could possibly be Welsh ffreu meaning "stream, flow" or the obscure word ffrewi meaning "pacify, quell, reconcile". This may be the original form of Winifred. In any case, it is the Welsh name for the saint.
Gwenllian f Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, blessed" and possibly lliain meaning "flaxen, made of linen" or lliant meaning "flow, flood". This name was used by medieval Welsh royalty, notably by a 12th-century princess of Deheubarth who died in battle with the Normans. It was also borne by the 13th-century daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of Gwynedd.
Gwenneg m Breton
Derived from Breton gwenn meaning "white, blessed" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Gwenneg was an 8th-century monk of Brittany.
Gwyn m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Means "white, blessed" in Welsh. In Welsh legend Gwyn was a king of the Otherworld and the leader of the Wild Hunt. He appears in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen, where he is one of the many who help Culhwch hunt the monstrous boar Trwyth. The story also tells of his rivalry with Gwythyr for the beautiful Creiddylad.
Gwyneira f Welsh
Means "white snow" from the Welsh element gwyn meaning "white, blessed" combined with eira meaning "snow". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Gwynfor m Welsh
Derived from the Welsh element gwyn meaning "white, blessed" combined with maur meaning "great, large". This name was created in the 19th century.
Haukea f Hawaiian
Means "white snow" from Hawaiian hau "snow" and kea "white".
Heather f English
From the English word heather for the variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers, which commonly grow in rocky areas. It is derived from Middle English hather. It was first used as a given name in the late 19th century, though it did not become popular until the last half of the 20th century.
Heddwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh hedd "peace" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name has been given in honour of the poet Ellis Humphrey Evans (1887-1917), who used Hedd Wyn as his bardic name.
Heulwen f Welsh
Means "sunshine" in Welsh (a compound of haul "sun" and gwen "white, blessed").
Ivory m & f African American
From the English word for the hard, creamy-white substance that comes from elephant tusks and was formerly used to produce piano keys.
Jadis f Literature
Used by the author C. S. Lewis as the proper name of the White Witch, the antagonist in his novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950). He may have based it on French jadis meaning "long ago, of old" or Persian جادو (jadu) meaning "magic, witch".
Laban m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew לָבָן (lavan) meaning "white". In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Rachel and Leah.
Lebanah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "white" in Hebrew, a poetic name for the moon. This name appears briefly in the Old Testament.
Leocadia f Spanish, Late Roman
Late Latin name that might be derived from the name of the Greek island of Leucadia or from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, clear, white" (which is also the root of the island's name). Saint Leocadia was a 3rd-century martyr from Spain.
Leukippos m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "white horse", derived from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "white, bright" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This name was borne by a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher, as well as by several characters in Greek mythology.
Lilac f English (Rare)
From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers (genus Syringa). It is derived via Arabic from Persian.
Livna f Hebrew
Means "white" in Hebrew.
Luna f Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English
Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.
Mairwen f Welsh
Combination of Mair and Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed".
Meinwen f Welsh
Means "slender and beautiful maiden" from a Welsh compound of main "slender" and gwen "white, blessed".
Muirenn f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish muir "sea" and finn "white, blessed". This is another name of Muirne, the mother of the legendary hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Ọbatala m Yoruba Mythology
Means "king of white cloth" in Yoruba, derived from ọba "king" and àlà "white cloth". According to traditional Yoruba religion he is the creator of the earth and human beings. He also founded the first Yoruba city, Ife.
Olwen f Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
Means "white footprint" from Welsh ol "footprint, track" and gwen "white, blessed". In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen she was a beautiful maiden, the lover of Culhwch and the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Her father insisted that Culhwch complete several seemingly impossible tasks before he would allow them to marry.
Oyibo m & f Urhobo
Means "white" in Urhobo.
Pocahontas f Powhatan (Anglicized)
Means "little playful one" in Powhatan, an Algonquian language. This was the nickname of a 17th-century Powhatan woman, a daughter of the powerful chief Wahunsenacawh. She married the white colonist John Rolfe and travelled with him to England, but died of illness before returning.
Poseidon m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek πόσις (posis) meaning "husband, lord" and δᾶ (da) meaning "earth". The name first appears in Mycenaean Greek inscriptions as po-se-da-o. In Greek mythology Poseidon was the unruly god of the sea and earthquakes, the brother of Zeus. He was often depicted carrying a trident and riding in a chariot drawn by white horses.
Rhiannon f Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.... [more]
Riko f Japanese
From Japanese (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or (ri) meaning "reason, logic" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Rim f Arabic
Means "white antelope" in Arabic.
Rina 4 f Japanese
From Japanese (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or (ri) meaning "village" combined with (na), a phonetic character, or (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Rio 2 f Japanese
From Japanese (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or (ri) meaning "village" combined with (o) meaning "center", (o) meaning "thread" or (o) meaning "cherry blossom". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Rosalba f Italian
Italian name meaning "white rose", derived from Latin rosa "rose" and alba "white". A famous bearer was the Venetian painter Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757).
Rosenrot f Literature
Means "rose red" in German, used in the Brothers Grimm folktale Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot (English translation Snow-White and Rose-Red). In the tale Rosenrot and her sister Schneeweißchen befriend a bear who has been cursed by an evil dwarf.
Rowena f English
Meaning uncertain. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, this was the name of a daughter of the Saxon chief Hengist. It is possible (but unsupported) that Geoffrey based it on the Old English elements hroð "fame" and wynn "joy", or alternatively on the Old Welsh elements ron "spear" and gwen "white". It was popularized by Walter Scott, who used it for a character in his novel Ivanhoe (1819).
Sacnicte f Mayan (Hispanicized)
Means "white plumeria flower", from Yucatec Maya sak "white" and nikte' "plumeria flower".
Sarolt f Hungarian (Rare)
From the Old Hungarian name Saroldu, probably of Turkic origin meaning "white weasel, ermine". This was the wife of the 10th-century Hungarian grand prince Géza.
Schneeweißchen f Literature
Means "snow white" in High German, thus a cognate of Low German Sneewittchen (see Snow White). This is the name of a peasant girl in the German folktale Snow-White and Rose-Red, recorded by the Brothers Grimm in 1837. Her sister is Rosenrot, translated into English as Rose-Red. This story is distinct from the Grimms' earlier tale Snow White.
Seleucus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Σέλευκος (Seleukos), of unknown meaning. It is possibly related to λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, white". This was the name of one of Alexander the Great's generals, who established the Seleucid Empire in western Asia after Alexander's death.
Shweta f Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati
Means "white" in Sanskrit.
Skylar f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Skyler. Originally more common for boys during the 1980s, it was popularized as a name for girls after it was used on the American soap opera The Young and the Restless in 1989 and the movie Good Will Hunting in 1997. Its sharp rise in the United States in 2011 might be attributed to the character Skyler White from the television series Breaking Bad (2008-2013) or the singer Skylar Grey (1986-), who adopted this name in 2010 after previously going by Holly Brook.
Sneewittchen f Literature
Older form of Schneewittchen (see Snow White). This was the Low German form originally used by the Brothers Grimm for their adaptation of the folktale Snow White.
Snow White f Literature
English translation of German Sneewittchen, derived from Low German Snee "snow" and witt "white" combined with the diminutive suffix -chen. This is the name of a girl who escapes her evil stepmother and takes refuge with seven dwarfs in an 1812 story recorded by the Brothers Grimm, who based it on earlier European folktales. The High German translation would be Schneeweißchen, but this was used by the Grimms for an unrelated character in another story (Snow-White and Rose-Red). The modern German form is typically the hybrid Schneewittchen. The story was adapted into a film by Walt Disney in 1937.
Tarzan m Literature
Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs for the main character in his novel Tarzan of the Apes (1912). In the novel Tarzan is the ape name of the baby John Clayton, who was adopted by the animals after his parents died in the African jungle. The name is said to mean "white skin" in the fictional Mangani ape language.
Tegwen f Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements teg "beautiful, pretty" and gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the 19th century.
Tosahwi m Comanche
Means "white knife" in Comanche, derived from tosa- "white" and wihi "knife". This name was borne by a 19th-century Penateka Comanche chief.
Voestaa'e f Cheyenne
Means "white bison calf woman" in Cheyenne, derived from vóésta "white bison calf" and the feminine suffix -e'é. Because white bison calves were rare they were considered sacred.
Wendy f English
In the case of the character from J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan (1904), it was created from the nickname fwendy "friend", given to the author by a young friend. However, the name was used prior to the play (rarely), in which case it could be related to the Welsh name Gwendolen and other names beginning with the element gwen meaning "white, blessed". The name only became common after Barrie's play ran.
Whitaker m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "white field" in Old English.
Whitney f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).
Wilbur m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the nickname Wildbor meaning "wild boar" in Middle English. This name was borne by Wilbur Wright (1867-1912), one half of the Wright brothers, who together invented the first successful airplane. Wright was named after the Methodist minister Wilbur Fisk (1792-1839). A famous fictional bearer is the main character (a pig) in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.
Wyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
Yuraq m & f Quechua
Means "white" in Quechua.
Zal m Persian Mythology
Means "albino" in Persian. According to the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh this was the name of a white-haired warrior, the father of Rostam.
Zuriñe f Basque
Derived from Basque zuri "white". This is a Basque equivalent of Blanca.