Antinanco m MapucheMeans
"eagle of the sun" in Mapuche, from
antü "sun" and
ñamko "eagle, hawk, buzzard".
Briscoe m English (Rare)From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"birch wood" in Old Norse.
Clímaco m SpanishSpanish form of
Climacus, derived from Greek
κλῖμαξ (klimax) meaning
"ladder". The 7th-century monk Saint John Climacus (also known as John of the Ladder) acquired this name because he wrote a book called
The Ladder of Divine Ascent.
Coatlicue f Aztec and Toltec MythologyMeans
"snake skirt" in Nahuatl, derived from
cōātl "snake" and
cuēitl "skirt". This was the name of the Aztec creator goddess who gave birth to the stars (considered deities). She was also the mother of
Huitzilopochtli, who protected his mother when her children attacked her.
Cochise m Apache (Anglicized)Meaning uncertain, possibly from Apache
go-chizh "his firewood" or
go-chįh "his nose". This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Chiricahua Apache.
Coco f VariousDiminutive of names beginning with
Co, influenced by the word
cocoa. However, this was not the case for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971; real name Gabrielle), whose nickname came from the name of a song she performed while working as a cabaret singer.
Codrin m RomanianFrom Romanian
codru meaning
"forest", a word of uncertain origin.
Codruț m RomanianFrom Romanian
codru meaning
"forest", a word of uncertain origin.
Cody m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of both Irish Gaelic
Ó Cuidighthigh meaning
"descendant of the helpful one" and
Mac Óda meaning
"son of Odo". A famous bearer of the surname was the American frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917).
Cohen m English (Modern)From a common Jewish surname that was derived from Hebrew
כֹּהֵן (kohen) meaning
"priest". This surname was traditionally associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical
Aaron.
Coinneach m Scottish GaelicScottish Gaelic form of the Old Irish name
Cainnech, derived from
caín meaning
"handsome, beautiful, good". It is often Anglicized as
Kenneth. It is also used as a modern Scottish Gaelic form of the unrelated name
Cináed.
Cola m Anglo-SaxonOld English byname meaning
"charcoal", originally given to a person with dark features.
Colby m EnglishFrom an English surname, originally from various place names, derived from the Old Norse nickname
Koli (meaning "coal, dark") and
býr "town". As a given name, its popularity spiked in the United States and Canada in 2001 when Colby Donaldson (1974-) appeared on the reality television show
Survivor.
Cole m EnglishFrom an English surname, itself originally derived from either a medieval short form of
Nicholas or the byname
Cola. A famous bearer was the songwriter Cole Porter (1891-1964), while a bearer of the surname was the musician Nat King Cole (1919-1965).
... [more] Colette f FrenchShort form of
Nicolette. Saint Colette was a 15th-century French nun who gave her money to the poor. This was also the pen name of the French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954).
Colin 2 m EnglishMedieval diminutive of
Col, a short form of
Nicholas. It is now regarded as an independent name.
Colleen f EnglishDerived from the Irish word
cailín meaning
"girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.
Collins f & m EnglishFrom a surname, which is either Irish or English in origin (see
Collins 1 and
Collins 2). It increased in popularity as a name for girls after it appeared in the movie
The Blind Side (2009), which was based on a 2006 biography. As a masculine name, it is currently most common in parts of English-speaking Africa.
Colombina f Italian (Rare)Italian feminine diminutive of
Columba. In traditional Italian pantomimes this is the name of a stock character, the female counterpart of Arlecchino (also called Harlequin). This is also the Italian word for the columbine flower.
Colson m English (Modern)From an English surname meaning
"son of Col". As a given name it entered the American top 1000 rankings in 2017, probably inspired by similar-sounding names such as
Cole and
Colton.
Colt m English (Modern)From the English word for a young male horse or from the surname of the same origin. It may be given in honour of the American industrialist Samuel Colt (1814-1862) or the firearms company that bears his name. It was brought to public attention in 1981 by the main character on the television series
The Fall Guy.
Colter m English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally given to a keeper of horses, derived from Middle English
colt.
Colton m English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"Cola's town". It started being used as a given name in the 1980s. Likely in some cases it was viewed as an elaborated or full form of
Cole or
Colt.
Columba m & f Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"dove". The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. This was the name of several early saints both masculine and feminine, most notably the 6th-century Irish monk Saint Columba (or Colum) who established a monastery on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. He is credited with the conversion of Scotland to Christianity.
Columbán m Old IrishPossibly 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.
Columbanus m Late RomanThis name can be viewed as a derivative of
Columba or a Latinized form of
Columbán, both derivations being approximately equivalent. This is the name of Saint Columbán in Latin sources.
Colwyn m WelshFrom the name of a bay and seaside town in Conwy, Wales.
Comfort f English (African)From the English word
comfort, ultimately from Latin
confortare "to strengthen greatly", a derivative of
fortis "strong". It was used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It is now most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Comhghall m Irish (Rare)Means
"fellow hostage" from Old Irish
com "with, together" and
gíall "hostage". This was the name of a 6th-century saint, the founder of a monastery at Bangor, Ireland.
Comhghán m Irish (Rare)Means
"born together" from Old Irish
com "with, together" and
gan "born". Saint Comgán was the founder of a monastery at Killeshin in the 6th or 7th century.
Conall m Irish, Old Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"rule of a wolf", from Old Irish
cú "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.
Conan m IrishMeans
"little wolf" or
"little hound" from Irish
cú "wolf, hound" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early saints, including a 7th-century bishop of the Isle of Man. It appears in Irish legend as a companion
Fionn mac Cumhaill. A famous bearer of it as a middle name was Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories. It is also the name of the hero of the
Conan the Barbarian series of books, comics and movies, debuting 1932.
Concepción f SpanishMeans
"conception" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin
Mary. A city in Chile bears this name.
Concetta f ItalianMeans
"conceived" in Italian, referring to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin
Mary.
Conchobar m Old Irish, Irish MythologyDerived from Old Irish
cú "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.
Condoleezza f Various (Rare)In the case of the former American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (1954-), it is derived from the Italian musical term
con dolcezza meaning
"with sweetness".
Confucius m HistoryAnglicized form of the Chinese name
Kong Fuzi. The surname
孔 (Kong) means "hole, opening" and the title
夫子 (Fuzi) means "master". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Chinese philosopher. His given name was
Qiu.
Conleth m IrishAnglicized form of the Old Irish name
Conláed, possibly meaning
"constant fire" from
cunnail "prudent, constant" and
áed "fire". Saint Conláed was a 5th-century bishop of Kildare.
Conn m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPerhaps 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.
Connla m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Conláech, derived from
cú "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive
con) and
láech "warrior". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend including the son of
Cúchulainn and
Aoife. When he finally met his father they fought because Connla would not identify himself, and the son was slain.
Connor m Irish, English (Modern)Variant of
Conor, based on the usual spelling of the surname that is derived from the name. This is currently the most common way of spelling it in the English-speaking world, apart from Ireland.
Conrad m English, German, GermanicMeans
"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.
Consolación f SpanishMeans
"consolation" in Spanish. It is taken from a title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Consolación, meaning "Our Lady of Consolation".
Consolata f ItalianMeans
"consoled" in Italian. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Maria Consolata.
Constans m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"constant, steadfast". This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor, a son of
Constantine the Great.
Constantine m HistoryFrom the Latin name
Constantinus, a derivative of
Constans. Constantine the Great (272-337), full name Flavius Valerius Constantinus, was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
Consuelo f SpanishMeans
"consolation" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, meaning "Our Lady of Consolation".
Consus m Roman MythologyPossibly derived from Latin
conserere meaning
"to sow, to plant". Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.
Conway m EnglishFrom a Welsh surname that was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means "holy water" in Welsh.
Cooper m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"barrel maker", from Middle English
couper.
Cora f English, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of
Kore. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel
The Last of the Mohicans (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of
Cordula,
Corinna and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Coral f English, SpanishFrom the English and Spanish word
coral for the underwater skeletal deposits that can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
κοράλλιον (korallion).
Coraline f Literature, FrenchCreated by the French composer Adolphe Adam for one of the main characters in his opera
Le Toréador (1849). He probably based it on the name
Coralie. It was also used by the author Neil Gaiman for the young heroine in his novel
Coraline (2002). Gaiman has stated that in this case the name began as a typo of
Caroline.
Corbin m EnglishFrom a French surname that was derived from
corbeau "raven", originally denoting a person who had dark hair. The name was probably popularized in America by actor Corbin Bernsen (1954-).
Cordelia f Literature, EnglishFrom
Cordeilla, a name appearing in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth, borne by the youngest of the three daughters of King
Leir and the only one to remain loyal to her father. Geoffrey possibly based her name on that of
Creiddylad, a character from Welsh legend.
... [more] Cordell m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"maker of cord" or
"seller of cord" in Middle English.
Cordula f GermanLate Latin name meaning
"heart" from Latin
cor (genitive
cordis). Saint Cordula was one of the 4th-century companions of Saint Ursula.
Corentin m Breton, FrenchFrench form of the Breton name
Kaourintin, possibly from
korventenn meaning
"hurricane, storm". Alternatively, it could be connected to the Brythonic root *
karid meaning
"love" (modern Breton
karout). This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.
Coretta f EnglishDiminutive of
Cora. It was borne by Coretta Scott King (1927-2006), the wife of Martin Luther King Jr.
Corey m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name
Kóri, of unknown meaning. This name became popular in the 1960s due to the character Corey Baker on the television series
Julia.
Coriander f English (Rare)From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
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.
Cormac m Irish Mythology, IrishFrom Old Irish
Cormacc or
Corbmac, of uncertain meaning, possibly from
corb "chariot, wagon" or
corbbad "defilement, corruption" combined with
macc "son". This is the name of several characters from Irish legend, including the semi-legendary high king Cormac mac Airt who supposedly ruled in the 3rd century, during the adventures of the hero
Fionn mac Cumhaill. This name was also borne by a few early saints.
Cornelia f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient RomanFeminine 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.
Cornelius m Ancient Roman, English, Dutch, German, BiblicalRoman family name that possibly derives from the Latin element
cornu meaning
"horn". In Acts in the New Testament Cornelius is a centurion who is directed by an angel to seek
Peter. After speaking with Peter he converts to Christianity, and he is traditionally deemed the first gentile convert. The name was also borne by a few early saints, including a 3rd-century pope. In England it came into use in the 16th century, partly due to Dutch influence.
Corwin m EnglishFrom an English surname, derived from Old French
cordoan "leather", ultimately from the name of the Spanish city of
Cordova.
Cosette f French, LiteratureFrom French
chosette meaning
"little thing". This is the nickname of the illegitimate daughter of Fantine in Victor Hugo's novel
Les Misérables (1862). Her real name is
Euphrasie, though it is seldom used. In the novel young Cosette is the ward of the cruel Thénardiers until she is retrieved by Jean Valjean.
Cosimo m ItalianItalian form of
Cosmas. A famous bearer was Cosimo de' Medici (1389-1464), the founder of Medici rule in Florence, who was a patron of the Renaissance and a successful merchant. Other members of the Medici family have also borne this name.
Cosmas m Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κοσμᾶς (Kosmas), which was derived from
κόσμος (kosmos) meaning
"order, decency". Saint Cosmas was martyred with his twin brother
Damian in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians.
Cosmo m Italian, EnglishItalian variant of
Cosimo. It was introduced to Britain in the 18th century by the second Scottish Duke of Gordon, who named his son and successor after his friend Cosimo III de' Medici. On the American sitcom
Seinfeld (1989-1998) this was the seldom-used first name of Jerry's neighbour Kramer.
Courtney f & m EnglishFrom an aristocratic English surname that was derived either from the French place name
Courtenay (originally a derivative of the personal name
Curtenus, itself derived from Latin
curtus "short") or else from a Norman nickname meaning "short nose".
... [more] Covadonga f SpanishFrom the name of a village in Asturias, Spain. Called
Cuadonga in Asturian, it probably means "cave of the spring", though it has long been associated with Vulgar Latin
Cova Dominica "Cave of Our Lady". This is the site of an important shrine to the Virgin
Mary, and its use as a given name stems from the Marian title
Nuestra Señora de Covadonga "Our Lady of Covadonga".
Cowessess m Ojibwe (Anglicized)From an Ojibwe or Cree name recorded as
Kiwisance, said to mean
"little child", possibly related to Ojibwe
gwiiwizens meaning "boy" or Cree
ᐊᐋᐧᓯᐢ (awâsis) meaning "child". This was the name of a late 19th-century chief of a mixed band of Plains Cree and Saulteaux people.
Coy m EnglishFrom a surname that meant
"quiet, shy, coy" from Middle English
coi.
Cozbi f BiblicalMeans
"my lie, my deception" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is borne by a Midianite woman who became a lover of the Israelite
Zimri, both of whom were killed by
Phinehas in order to stop a plague sent by God.
Deacon m English (Modern)Either from the occupational surname
Deacon or directly from the vocabulary word
deacon, which refers to a cleric in the Christian church (ultimately from Greek
διάκονος (diakonos) meaning "servant").
Discordia f Roman MythologyMeans
"discord, strife" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of discord, equivalent to the Greek goddess
Eris.
Domenico m ItalianItalian form of
Dominicus (see
Dominic). Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.
Draco m Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Δράκων (Drakon), which meant
"dragon, serpent". This was the name of a 7th-century BC Athenian legislator. This is also the name of a constellation in the northern sky.
Driscoll m English (Rare)From an Irish surname that was an Anglicized form of
Ó hEidirsceóil meaning
"descendant of the messenger".
Enrico m ItalianItalian form of
Heinrich (see
Henry). Enrico Fermi (1901-1954) was an Italian physicist who did work on the development of the nuclear bomb.
Federico m Spanish, ItalianSpanish and Italian form of
Frederick. Spanish poet Federico García Lorca (1898-1936) and Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini (1920-1993) are famous bearers of this name.
Francesco m ItalianItalian form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374) was an Italian Renaissance poet, usually known in English as Petrarch.
Francisco m Spanish, PortugueseSpanish and Portuguese form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). This is the Spanish name of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Other notable bearers include the Spanish painter and engraver Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) and the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975).
François m FrenchFrench form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). François Villon (1431-1463) was a French lyric poet. This was also the name of two kings of France.
Giacomo m ItalianItalian form of
Iacomus (see
James). Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) was an Italian composer of operas.
Gioconda f ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Iucunda, which meant
"pleasant, delightful, happy". Leonardo da Vinci's painting the
Mona Lisa is also known as
La Gioconda because its subject is Lisa del Giocondo.
Iacob m Romanian, Biblical LatinRomanian form of
Jacob (or
James). This is also the form of
Jacob found in the Latin Old Testament (and the New Testament when referring to the patriarch).
Itzcoatl m NahuatlMeans
"obsidian snake" in Nahuatl, from
itztli "obsidian" and
cōātl "snake". Itzcoatl was the fourth king of Tenochtitlan and the first emperor of the Aztec Empire (15th century).
Jacob m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Jewish, BiblicalFrom the Latin
Iacob, which was from the Greek
Ἰακώβ (Iakob), which was from the Hebrew name
יַעֲקֹב (Ya'aqov). In the Old Testament Jacob (later called
Israel) is the son of
Isaac and
Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother
Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning
"holder of the heel" or
"supplanter", because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see
Genesis 27:36). Other theories claim that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like
יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Ya'aqov'el) meaning
"may God protect".
... [more] Jacobo m SpanishSpanish form of
Iacobus, the New Testament Latin form of
James. The apostles are also commonly denoted
Santiago in Spanish.
Laocoön m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Λαοκόων (Laokoon), derived from
λαός (laos) meaning "people" and
ἀκούω (akouo) meaning "to hear". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Trojan priest who warned against accepting the wooden horse left by the Greeks. He and his sons were strangled by sea serpents sent by the gods.
Lincoln m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally from the name of an English city, called
Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic
lindo "lake, pool" and Latin
colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.
Malcolm m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of Scottish Gaelic
Máel Coluim, which means
"disciple of Saint Columba". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing
Macbeth, the usurper who had defeated his father
Duncan. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy
Macbeth (1606) is loosely based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.
Marco m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, DutchItalian form of
Marcus (see
Mark). During the Middle Ages this name was common in Venice, where Saint Mark was supposedly buried. A famous bearer was the Venetian explorer Marco Polo, who travelled across Asia to China in the 13th century.
Micol f ItalianItalian variant form of
Michal 2 (the Italian biblical form being
Mikal). This is the name of the heroine in Giorgio Bassani's novel
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1962).
Misericordia f SpanishMeans
"compassion, mercy" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin
miser "poor, wretched" and
cor "heart". It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
La Virgen de la Misericordia, meaning "The Virgin of Compassion".
Muscowequan m Ojibwe (Anglicized)From Ojibwe
Maskawigwan meaning
"hard quill", derived from
mashkawaa "hard" and
gaaway "quill". This was the name of a 19th-century Saulteaux chief.
Niccolò m ItalianItalian form of
Nicholas. Famous bearers include Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), a Florentine political philosopher, and Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), a Genoese composer and violinist.
Nicolae m RomanianRomanian form of
Nicholas. A notable bearer was the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu (1918-1989).