OceanSoul's Personal Name List

Adeline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: A-DU-LEEN(French) AD-ə-lien(English)
French and English form of Adelina.
Aelius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: IE-lee-oos
Roman family name that was possibly derived from the Greek word ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun". This was the family name of the Roman emperor Hadrian.
Aidan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English (Modern)
Pronounced: AY-dən(English)
Anglicized form of Aodhán. In the latter part of the 20th century it became popular in America due to its sound, since it shares a sound with such names as Braden and Hayden. It peaked ranked 39th for boys in 2003.
Aideen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: AY-deen(English)
Anglicized form of Éadaoin.
Aileen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Scottish, Irish, English
Pronounced: ie-LEEN(English) IE-leen(English)
Variant of Eileen.
Aislinn
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: ASH-lyən
Variant of Aisling.
Akemi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 明美, etc.(Japanese Kanji) あけみ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: A-KEH-MEE
From Japanese (ake) meaning "bright" and (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Alanna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ə-LAN-ə
Feminine form of Alan.
Alannah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English (Modern)
Pronounced: ə-LAN-ə(English)
Variant of Alana. It has been influenced by the affectionate Anglo-Irish word alannah, from the Irish Gaelic phrase a leanbh meaning "O child".
Alaric
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Gothic (Anglicized)
Other Scripts: 𐌰𐌻𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃(Gothic)
Pronounced: AL-ə-rik(English)
From the Gothic name *Alareiks meaning "ruler of all", derived from the element alls "all" combined with reiks "ruler, king". This was the name of a king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century.
Albus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "white, bright" in Latin.
Alyssa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ə-LIS-ə
Variant of Alicia. The spelling has probably been influenced by that of the alyssum flower, the name of which is derived from Greek (a), a negative prefix, combined with λύσσα (lyssa) meaning "madness, rabies", since it was believed to cure madness.
Amarante
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French (Rare)
French form of Amarantha.
Amaranth
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
From the name of the amaranth flower, which is derived from Greek αμαραντος (amarantos) meaning "unfading".
Amarantha
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various (Rare)
From the name of the amaranth flower, which is derived from Greek ἀμάραντος (amarantos) meaning "unfading". Ἀμάραντος (Amarantos) was also an Ancient Greek given name.
Amaterasu
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese Mythology
Other Scripts: 天照(Japanese Kanji) あまてらす(Japanese Hiragana) アマテラス(Japanese Katakana)
Pronounced: A-MA-TEH-RA-SOO(Japanese)
Means "shining over heaven", from Japanese (ama) meaning "heaven, sky" and (terasu) meaning "shine". This was the name of the Japanese sun goddess, the ruler of the heavens. She was born when Izanagi washed his left eye after returning from the underworld. At one time the Japanese royal family claimed descent from her.
Amelie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German
Pronounced: a-meh-LEE
German variant of Amelia.
April
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AY-prəl
From the name of the month, probably originally derived from Latin aperire "to open", referring to the opening of flowers. It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 1940s.
Aran 1
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Irish
From the name of the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland.
Artemis
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, Greek
Other Scripts: Ἄρτεμις(Ancient Greek) Άρτεμις(Greek)
Pronounced: AR-TEH-MEES(Classical Greek) AHR-tə-mis(English)
Meaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek ἀρτεμής (artemes) meaning "safe" or ἄρταμος (artamos) meaning "a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She was known as Diana to the Romans.
Astraea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ἀστραία(Ancient Greek)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἀστραία (Astraia), derived from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star". Astraea was a Greek goddess of justice and innocence. After wickedness took root in the world she left the earth and became the constellation Virgo.
Aurelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Romanian, Italian, Spanish, Polish
Pronounced: ow-REH-lee-a(Latin) ow-REH-lya(Italian, Spanish, Polish)
Feminine form of Aurelius.
Aurelius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: ow-REH-lee-oos(Latin) aw-REEL-ee-əs(English)
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.
Avaline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: AV-ə-lien, AV-ə-leen
Variant of Aveline.
Avelina 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Germanic [1]
Diminutive of Avila.
Aveline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: AV-ə-lien, AV-ə-leen
From the Norman French form of the Germanic name Avelina, a diminutive of Avila. The Normans introduced this name to Britain. After the Middle Ages it became rare as an English name, though it persisted in America until the 19th century [1].
Bellatrix
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Astronomy
Pronounced: bə-LAY-triks(English) BEHL-ə-triks(English)
Means "female warrior" in Latin. This is the name of the star that marks the left shoulder of the constellation Orion.
Brendan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English, Breton
Pronounced: BREHN-dən(English) BREHN-dahn(Breton)
From Brendanus, the Latinized form of the Old Irish name Bréanainn, which was derived from Old Welsh breenhin meaning "king, prince". Saint Brendan was a 6th-century Irish abbot who, according to legend, crossed the Atlantic and reached North America with 17 other monks.
Brennan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BREHN-ən
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Braonáin) that was derived from the byname Braonán, itself from Irish braon meaning "rain, moisture, drop" combined with a diminutive suffix. As a given name, it has been used since the 1960s as an alternative to Brendan or Brandon, though it has not been as popular as them.
Bronwen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: BRAWN-wehn
Seemingly derived from Welsh bron "breast" and gwen "white, blessed", though it has sometimes occurred as a variant spelling of the legendary name Branwen [1]. 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.
Bronwyn
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Variant of Bronwen used in the English-speaking world (especially Australia and New Zealand).
Bryony
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: BRIE-ə-nee
From the name of a type of Eurasian vine, formerly used as medicine. It ultimately derives from Greek βρύω (bryo) meaning "to swell".
Calanthe
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: kə-LAN-thee
From the name of a type of orchid, ultimately meaning "beautiful flower", derived from Greek καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower".
Calanthia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: kə-LAN-thee-ə
Elaborated form of Calanthe.
Calla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KAL-ə
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".
Camellia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: kə-MEE-lee-ə, kə-MEHL-ee-ə
From the name of the flowering shrub, which was named for the botanist and missionary Georg Josef Kamel.
Cassandra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Κασσάνδρα(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: kə-SAN-drə(English) kə-SAHN-drə(English)
From the Greek name Κασσάνδρα (Kassandra), possibly derived from κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.

In the Middle Ages this name was common in England due to the popularity of medieval tales about the Trojan War. It subsequently became rare, but was revived in the 20th century.

Chandra
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Hinduism, Bengali, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Other Scripts: चन्द्र, चन्द्रा(Sanskrit, Hindi, Nepali) চন্দ্র(Bengali) চন্দ্ৰ(Assamese) चंद्रा(Marathi) చంద్ర(Telugu) சந்திரா(Tamil) ಚಂದ್ರ(Kannada)
Pronounced: CHAWND-ro(Bengali)
Means "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from चन्द (chand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of the masculine form चण्ड (a name of the moon in Hindu texts, which is often personified as a deity) as well as the feminine form चण्डा.
Chrysanta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: kri-SAN-tə
Shortened form of the word chrysanthemum, the name of a flowering plant, which means "golden flower" in Greek.
Ciarán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: KYEE-ran(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.
Cillian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Probably from Old Irish cell meaning "church" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint who evangelized in Franconia. He was martyred in Würzburg.
Coriander
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: KAWR-ee-an-dər, kawr-ee-AN-dər
From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
Damian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Polish, Romanian, Dutch (Modern)
Pronounced: DAY-mee-ən(English) DA-myan(Polish)
From the Greek name Δαμιανός (Damianos), which was derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". Saint Damian was martyred with his twin brother Cosmas in Syria early in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in Christian Europe. Another saint by this name was Peter Damian, an 11th-century cardinal and theologian from Italy.
Damon
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology, English
Other Scripts: Δάμων(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: DAY-mən(English)
Derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". According to Greek legend, Damon and Pythias were friends who lived on Syracuse in the 4th century BC. When Pythias was sentenced to death, he was allowed to temporarily go free on the condition that Damon take his place in prison. Pythias returned just before Damon was to be executed in his place, and the king was so impressed with their loyalty to one another that he pardoned Pythias. As an English given name, it has only been regularly used since the 20th century.
Diana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman Mythology
Other Scripts: Диана(Russian, Bulgarian) Діана(Ukrainian) Դիանա(Armenian) დიანა(Georgian)
Pronounced: die-AN-ə(English) DYA-na(Spanish, Italian, Polish) dee-U-nu(European Portuguese) jee-U-nu(Brazilian Portuguese) dee-A-nə(Catalan) dee-A-na(German, Dutch, Latin) dyee-AH-nu(Ukrainian) DI-ya-na(Czech) DEE-a-na(Slovak)
Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.

As a given name, Diana has been regularly used since the Renaissance. It became more common in the English-speaking world following Walter Scott's novel Rob Roy (1817), which featured a character named Diana Vernon. It also appeared in George Meredith's novel Diana of the Crossways (1885). A notable bearer was the British royal Diana Spencer (1961-1997), the Princess of Wales.

Diantha
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Dutch (Rare), English (Rare)
Pronounced: die-AN-thə(English)
From dianthus, the name of a type of flower (ultimately from Greek meaning "heavenly flower").
Draco
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Δράκων(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: DRAY-ko(English)
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.
Eamon
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: EH-mən
Variant of Éamonn.
Eireen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: ie-REEN, ie-REE-nee
Variant of Irene.
Eirian
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Welsh
Means "bright, beautiful" in Welsh [1].
Elias
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Dutch, Greek, Amharic, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: Ηλίας(Greek) ኤልያስ(Amharic) Ἠλίας(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: i-LEE-ush(European Portuguese) eh-LEE-us(Brazilian Portuguese) eh-LEE-as(German) EH-lee-ahs(Finnish) i-LIE-əs(English) ee-LIE-əs(English)
Form of Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament.
Elijah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Hebrew, Biblical
Other Scripts: אֱלִיָּהוּ(Hebrew)
Pronounced: i-LIE-jə(English) i-LIE-zhə(English)
From the Hebrew name אֱלִיָּהוּ ('Eliyyahu) meaning "my God is Yahweh", derived from the elements אֵל ('el) and יָה (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. He was active in the 9th century BC during the reign of King Ahab of Israel and his Phoenician-born queen Jezebel. Elijah confronted the king and queen over their idolatry of the Canaanite god Ba'al and other wicked deeds. At the end of his life he was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and was succeeded by Elisha. In the New Testament, Elijah and Moses appear next to Jesus when he is transfigured.

Because Elijah was a popular figure in medieval tales, and because his name was borne by a few early saints (who are usually known by the Latin form Elias), the name came into general use during the Middle Ages. In medieval England it was usually spelled Elis. It died out there by the 16th century, but it was revived by the Puritans in the form Elijah after the Protestant Reformation. The name became popular during the 1990s and 2000s, especially in America where it broke into the top ten in 2016.

Elissa 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly Phoenician in origin. This is another name of Dido, the legendary queen of Carthage.
Émeline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: EH-MU-LEEN
French form of Emmeline.
Emilie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Czech
Pronounced: eh-MEE-lyə(German) eh-MEE-lee-eh(Norwegian) EHM-i-lee(Swedish)
German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emily
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHM-ə-lee
English feminine form of Aemilius (see Emil). In the English-speaking world it was not common until after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century; the princess Amelia Sophia (1711-1786) was commonly known as Emily in English, even though Amelia is an unrelated name.

This name was moderately popular through most of the 20th century, and became very popular around the turn of the 21st century. It was the highest ranked name for girls in the United States from 1996 to 2007, attaining similar levels in other English-speaking countries around the same time.

Famous bearers include the British author Emily Brontë (1818-1848), known for the novel Wuthering Heights, and the American poet Emily Dickinson (1830-1886).

Endymion
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ἐνδυμίων(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: EHN-DUY-MEE-AWN(Classical Greek) ehn-DIM-ee-ən(English)
Derived from Greek ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning "to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess Selene, who asked Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.
Étaín
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: EH-teen(Irish)
Possibly derived from Old Irish ét meaning "jealousy, passion". In Irish legend she is the subject of the 9th-century tale The Wooing of Étaín [2]. She was the wife of Midir, but his jealous first wife Fuamnach transformed her into a fly. She was accidentally swallowed, and then reborn to the woman who swallowed her. After she grew again to adulthood she married the Irish high king Eochaid Airem, having no memory of Midir. Midir and Étaín were eventually reunited after Midir defeated Eochaid in a game of chess.

In modern Irish this name is properly spelled Éadaoin.

Evan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh, English
Pronounced: EHV-ən(English)
Anglicized form of Ifan, a Welsh form of John.
Finnian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: 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).
Galen
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: GAY-lən
Modern form of the Greek name Γαληνός (Galenos), which meant "calm" from Greek γαλήνη (galene). It was borne by a 2nd-century BC Greco-Roman physician who contributed to anatomy and medicine. In modern times the name is occasionally given in his honour.
Gwyneira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Pronounced: gwi-NAY-ra
Means "white snow" from the Welsh element gwyn meaning "white, blessed" combined with eira meaning "snow". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Heather
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HEDH-ər
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.
Hikari
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: , etc.(Japanese Kanji) ひかり(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: KHEE-KA-REE
From Japanese (hikari) meaning "light". Other kanji can also form this name. It is often written with the hiragana writing system.
Hikaru
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 光, 輝, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ひかる(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: KHEE-KA-ROO
From Japanese (hikaru) meaning "light" or (hikaru) meaning "brightness". Other kanji can also form this name.
Hinata
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 日向, 陽向, 向日葵, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ひなた(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: KHEE-NA-TA
From Japanese 日向 (hinata) meaning "sunny place", 陽向 (hinata) meaning "toward the sun", or a non-standard reading of 向日葵 (himawari) meaning "sunflower". Other kanji compounds are also possible. Because of the irregular readings, this name is often written using the hiragana writing system.
Ian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: EE-ən(English)
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Iain, itself from Latin Iohannes (see John). It became popular in the United Kingdom outside of Scotland in the first half of the 20th century, but did not begin catching on in America until the 1960s.
Ioan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Romanian, Welsh, Bulgarian
Other Scripts: Йоан(Bulgarian)
Pronounced: ee-WAN(Romanian) YAW-an(Welsh)
Romanian and Welsh form of John. This is also an alternate transcription of Bulgarian Йоан (see Yoan 2).
Jowan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Cornish
Cornish form of John.
Julian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Polish, German
Pronounced: JOO-lee-ən(English) JOOL-yən(English) YOO-lyan(Polish) YOO-lee-an(German)
From the Roman name Iulianus, which was derived from Julius. This was the name of the last pagan Roman emperor, Julian the Apostate (4th century). It was also borne by several early saints, including the legendary Saint Julian the Hospitaller. This name has been used in England since the Middle Ages, at which time it was also a feminine name (from Juliana, eventually becoming Gillian).
Kaito
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 海斗, 海翔, etc.(Japanese Kanji) かいと(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: KA-EE-TO
From Japanese (kai) meaning "sea, ocean" combined with (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or (to) meaning "soar, fly". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Kalani
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: ka-LA-nee
Means "the heavens" from Hawaiian ka "the" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Kalena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Karen 1.
Kanani
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: ka-NA-nee
Means "the beauty" from Hawaiian ka "the" and nani "beauty, glory".
Keoni
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of John.
Kiana 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian, English
Hawaiian form of Diana. It was brought to wider attention in the late 1980s, likely by the Hawaiian fitness instructor Kiana Tom (1965-), who had a television show on ESPN beginning in 1988 [1].
Kieran
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: KEER-ən(English) KEER-awn(English)
Anglicized form of Ciarán.
Killian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, French
Anglicized form of Cillian, also used in France.
Kōnane
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian
Means "bright" in Hawaiian.
Lani
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: LA-nee
Means "sky, heaven, royal, majesty" in Hawaiian.
Lauren
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LAWR-ən
Variant or feminine form of Laurence 1. Originally a masculine name, it was first popularized as a feminine name by actress Betty Jean Perske (1924-2014), who used Lauren Bacall as her stage name.
Lavender
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: LAV-ən-dər
From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.
Leander
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Λέανδρος(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: lee-AN-dər(English)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.
Leilani
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: lay-LA-nee
Means "heavenly flowers" or "royal child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Liam
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English, French (Modern), Dutch (Modern), German (Modern), Swedish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern)
Pronounced: LYEEM(Irish) LEE-əm(English) LYAM(French)
Irish short form of William. It became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, and elsewhere in Europe and the Americas after that. It was the top ranked name for boys in the United States beginning in 2017. Famous bearers include British actor Liam Neeson (1952-), British musician Liam Gallagher (1972-), and Australian actor Liam Hemsworth (1990-).
Liliana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Polish, Czech, English
Pronounced: lee-LYA-na(Italian, Spanish, Polish) lil-ee-AN-ə(English) lil-ee-AHN-ə(English)
Latinate form of Lillian.
Lilith
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Semitic Mythology, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Other Scripts: לילית(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: LIL-ith(English)
Derived from Akkadian lilitu meaning "of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.
Lillia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIL-ee-ə
Short form of Lillian or an elaborated form of Lily.
Lillian
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIL-ee-ən
Probably originally a diminutive of Elizabeth. It may also be considered an elaborated form of Lily, from the Latin word for "lily" lilium. This name has been used in England since the 16th century.
Lilly
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Pronounced: LIL-ee(English)
English variant of Lily. It is also used in Scandinavia, as a form of Lily or a diminutive of Elisabeth.
Lily
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIL-ee
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).
Linnaea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: li-NAY-ə, li-NEE-ə
From the word for the type of flower, also called the twinflower (see Linnéa).
Loren
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LAWR-ən
Either a short form of Laurence 1 (masculine) or a variant of Lauren (feminine).
Lucas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Biblical Latin
Pronounced: LOO-kəs(English) LUY-kahs(Dutch) LUY-KA(French) LOO-kush(European Portuguese) LOO-kus(Brazilian Portuguese) LOO-kas(Spanish, Swedish, Latin)
Latin form of Greek Λουκᾶς (see Luke), as well as the form used in several other languages.

This name became very popular in the second half of the 20th century. It reached the top ten names for boys in France (by 1997), Belgium (1998), Denmark (2003), Canada (2008), the Netherlands (2009), New Zealand (2009), Australia (2010), Scotland (2013), Spain (2015) and the United States (2018).

Lucian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Romanian, English
Pronounced: LOO-chyan(Romanian) LOO-shən(English)
Romanian and English form of Lucianus. Lucian is the usual name of Lucianus of Samosata in English.
Lucianus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from the Roman praenomen Lucius. Lucianus (or Λουκιανός in his native Greek) of Samosata was a 2nd-century satirist and author. This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from Antioch.
Lucien
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French
Pronounced: LUY-SYEHN
French form of Lucianus.
Lucilla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Ancient Roman
Latin diminutive of Lucia. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint martyred in Rome.
Lucina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Roman Mythology
Pronounced: loo-KEE-na(Latin) loo-SIE-nə(English) loo-SEE-nə(English)
Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux meaning "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
Lucius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Biblical, English
Pronounced: LOO-kee-oos(Latin) LOO-shəs(English) LOO-si-əs(English)
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Luka
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Russian, Georgian, Old Church Slavic
Other Scripts: Лука(Serbian, Macedonian, Russian) ლუკა(Georgian) Лꙋка(Church Slavic)
Pronounced: LOO-ka(Croatian) LOO-KAH(Georgian)
Form of Lucas (see Luke) in several languages.
Luke
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: LOOK(English)
English form of Latin Lucas, from the Greek name Λουκᾶς (Loukas) meaning "from Lucania", Lucania being a region in southern Italy (of uncertain meaning). Luke was a doctor who travelled in the company of the apostle Paul. According to tradition, he was the author of the third gospel and Acts in the New Testament. He was probably of Greek ethnicity. He is considered a saint by many Christian denominations.

Due to the saint's renown, the name became common in the Christian world (in various spellings). As an English name, Luke has been in use since the 12th century alongside the Latin form Lucas. Both forms became popular throughout the English-speaking world towards the end of the 20th century. A famous fictional bearer was the hero Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies, beginning in 1977.

Luna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English
Pronounced: LOO-na(Latin, Spanish, Italian) LOO-nə(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.
Lyra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Astronomy
Pronounced: LIE-rə(English)
The name of the constellation in the northern sky containing the star Vega. It is said to be shaped after the lyre of Orpheus. This is the name of the main character in the His Dark Materials series of books by Philip Pullman (beginning 1995).
Lyssa 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIS-ə
Short form of Alyssa.
Mairwen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Combination of Mair and Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed".
Marielle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: MA-RYEHL
French diminutive of Marie.
Mason
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAY-sən
From an English surname (or vocabulary word) meaning "stoneworker", derived from an Old French word of Frankish origin (akin to Old English macian "to make"). In the United States this name began to increase in popularity in the 1980s, likely because of its fashionable sound. It jumped in popularity after 2009 when Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their son, as featured on their reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2010. It peaked as the second most popular name for boys in 2011.
Meallán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Pronounced: MYA-lan
From Old Irish Mellán, derived from mell meaning either "pleasant, delightful" or "lump, ball" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a few early saints.
Meinwen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh
Means "slender and beautiful maiden" from a Welsh compound of main "slender" and gwen "white, blessed".
Mizuki
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 瑞希, etc.(Japanese Kanji) みずき(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: MEE-ZOO-KYEE
From Japanese (mizu) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" and (ki) meaning "hope", besides other kanji combinations.
Moira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Scottish, English
Pronounced: MOI-rə(English)
Anglicized form of Máire. It also coincides with Greek Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.
Moyna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Variant of Mona 1.
Neassa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Variant of Neasa.
Nyssa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various (Rare)
From the name of an ancient town of Asia Minor where Saint Gregory was bishop in the 4th century. Nyssa is also the genus name of a type of tree, also called the Tupelo.
Oleander
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Greek (Rare), English (Rare)
Pronounced: AW-lee-an-der(Greek)
The name Oleander originated as an Greek name. In Greek, the name Oleander means "an evergreen tree."
The origin of the name was said to have come from a young man whose ardour to his Lady Love ended in a tragedy. The young man was named Leander, and his precious lady longing for his love shouting with such forlorn “O Leander!”, “O Leander!” in the banks, until finally he was found. And clasped in his hands were sweet flowers, who have become a symbol of everlasting love, known as oleanders.


Possibly taken from the plant family, Nerium oleander (flowering shrub known as oleanders), Cascabela thevetia (yellow oleander), Acacia neriifolia (oleander wattle); or a species of moth, Daphnis nerii (oleander hawk-moth).


In the complex language of love practiced during the time of Queen Victoria, the Oleander flower means caution.


A diminutive use of Oleander could be Ollie, Lee, Lee-Ann, or Anders.

Oliver
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian Cycle
Other Scripts: Оливер(Serbian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: AHL-i-vər(English) O-lee-vu(German) O-lee-vehr(Finnish) oo-lee-BEH(Catalan) O-li-vehr(Czech) AW-lee-vehr(Slovak)
From Old French Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin oliva "olive tree" [1]. Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse Áleifr (see Olaf) or Frankish Alawar (see Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero Roland.

In England Oliver was a common medieval name, however it became rare after the 17th century because of the military commander Oliver Cromwell, who ruled the country following the civil war. The name was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due in part to the title character in Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist (1838), about a poor orphan living on the streets of London. It became very popular at the beginning of the 21st century, reaching the top rank for boys in England and Wales in 2009 and entering the top ten in the United States in 2017.

Oran
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: O-rən(English)
Anglicized form of Odhrán.
Oriana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: o-RYA-na
Possibly derived from Latin aurum "gold" or from its derivatives, Spanish oro or French or. In medieval legend Oriana was the daughter of a king of England who married the knight Amadis.
Orion
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ὠρίων(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AW-REE-AWN(Classical Greek) o-RIE-ən(English)
Meaning uncertain, but possibly related to Greek ὅριον (horion) meaning "boundary, limit". Alternatively it may be derived from Akkadian Uru-anna meaning "light of the heavens". This is the name of a constellation, which gets its name from a legendary Greek hunter who was killed by a scorpion sent by the earth goddess Gaia.
Rosalia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Late Roman
Pronounced: ro-za-LEE-a(Italian)
Late Latin name derived from rosa "rose". This was the name of a 12th-century Sicilian saint.
Rosaline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RO-zə-leen, RAHZ-ə-lin, RAHZ-ə-lien
Medieval variant of Rosalind. This is the name of characters in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (1594) and Romeo and Juliet (1596).
Rowan
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Irish, English (Modern)
Pronounced: RO-ən(English)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).
Rowena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ro-EEN-ə
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).
Séamus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SHEH-məs
Irish form of James.
Selene
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Σελήνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: SEH-LEH-NEH(Classical Greek) si-LEE-nee(English)
Means "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. She was sometimes identified with the goddess Artemis.
Shane
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: SHAYN(English)
Anglicized form of Seán. It came into general use in America after the release of the western movie Shane (1953).
Shay 1
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SHAY(English)
Anglicized form of Séaghdha, sometimes used as a feminine name.
Sirius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Astronomy
Pronounced: SIR-ee-əs(English)
The name of a bright star in the constellation Canis Major, derived via Latin from Greek σείριος (seirios) meaning "burning".
Skye
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: SKIE
From the name of the Isle of Skye off the west coast of Scotland. It is sometimes considered a variant of Sky.
Stefan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Polish, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian
Other Scripts: Стефан(Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: SHTEH-fan(German) STEH-fahn(Dutch) STEH-fan(Polish)
Form of Stephen used in several languages. Famous bearers include the Serbian rulers Stefan Nemanja, Stefan Nemanjić, and Stefan Lazarević, who are all considered saints in the Orthodox Church.
Tanith
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Semitic Mythology
Other Scripts: 𐤕𐤍𐤕(Phoenician)
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Phoenician goddess of love, fertility, the moon and the stars. She was particularly associated with the city of Carthage, being the consort of Ba'al Hammon.
Tawny
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: TAW-nee
From the English word, ultimately deriving from Old French tané, which means "light brown".
Tierney
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Anglicized form of Tighearnach.
Torin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Meaning unknown. It has been suggested that it is of Irish origin, though no suitable derivation can be found.
Tristan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, Arthurian Cycle
Pronounced: TRIS-tən(English) TREES-TAHN(French)
Probably from the Celtic name Drustan, a diminutive of Drust, which occurs as Drystan in a few Welsh sources. As Tristan, it first appears in 12th-century French tales, probably altered by association with Old French triste "sad". According to the tales Tristan was sent to Ireland by his uncle King Mark of Cornwall in order to fetch Iseult, who was to be the king's bride. On the way back, Tristan and Iseult accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Later versions of the tale make Tristan one of King Arthur's knights. His tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since then.
Tsubaki
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 椿, etc.(Japanese Kanji) つばき(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: TSOO-BA-KYEE
From Japanese 椿 (tsubaki) meaning "camellia (flower)", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Tsukiko
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 月子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) つきこ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: TSOO-KYEE-KO
From Japanese (tsuki) meaning "moon" and (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji are possible.
Usagi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Popular Culture
Pronounced: OO-SA-GYEE(Japanese)
Means "rabbit" in Japanese. This name was used on the Japanese television show Sailor Moon, which first aired in the 1990s.
Yuki
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 幸, 雪, 由貴, 由紀, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ゆき(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: YOO-KYEE
From Japanese (yuki) meaning "happiness" or (yuki) meaning "snow". It can also come from (yu) meaning "reason, cause" combined with (ki) meaning "valuable" or (ki) meaning "chronicle". Other kanji or kanji combinations are also possible.
Yuzuki
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 柚希, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ゆずき(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: YOO-ZOO-KYEE
From Japanese (yuzu) meaning "grapefruit, pomelo, citrus fruit" and (ki) meaning "hope". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Zane 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ZAYN
From an English surname of unknown meaning. It was introduced as a given name by American author Zane Grey (1872-1939). Zane was in fact his middle name — it had been his mother's maiden name.
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