ABENEDerived from Basque abe meaning "pillar". It is a Basque equivalent of Pilar.ADELAGender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Polish, Romanian, Ancient Germanic
Pronounced: ə-DEL-ə (English), ah-DE-lah (Polish)
Personal note: ah-DE-lah
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element adal meaning "noble". Saint Adela was a 7th-century Frankish princess who founded a monastery at Pfazel in France. This name was also borne by a daughter of William the Conqueror.ADELIAGender: Feminine
Pronounced: ə-DEL-ee-ə (English)
Personal note: ah-DEHL-yah
Elaborated form of ADELAADELINAGender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, German, Finnish, Ancient Germanic (Latinized)
Pronounced: ah-de-LEE-nah (Italian), ah-dhe-LEE-nah (Spanish)
Personal note: ah-de-LEE-nah
Latinate diminutive of ADELAADLAIGender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: עַדְלָי (Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: AD-lay (English), AD-lie (English)
Personal note: AD-lay
Contracted form of ADALIA. This is the name of the father of one of King David's herdsmen in the Old Testament.ADRASTEIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Αδραστεια (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: Adrastia; ah-DRAHS-tee-ah
Feminine form of ADRASTOS. This was another name of the Greek goddess Nemesis.ADRIANUSDutch form of ADRIANAGRAFENAGender: Feminine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Аграфена (Russian)
Pronounced: ah-grah-FYE-nah
Personal note: ah-grah-FE-nah
Russian form of AGRIPPINAAGURNEFrom Basque agur meaning "greeting, salutation".AINTZANEVariant of AINTZAALAIAMeans "joyful, happy" in Basque.ALANGender: Masculine
Usage: English, Scottish, Breton, French
Pronounced: AL-ən (English)
Personal note: AL-an
The meaning of this name is not known for certain. It was used in Brittany at least as early as the 6th century, and it possibly means either "little rock" or "handsome" in Breton. Alternatively, it may derive from the tribal name of the Alans, an Iranian people who migrated into Europe in the 4th and 5th centuries.This was the name of several dukes of Brittany, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman conquest. Famous modern bearers include Alan Shepard (1923-1998), the first American in space and the fifth man to walk on the moon, and Alan Turing (1912-1954), a British mathematician and computer scientist.
ALANAFeminine form of ALANALARICFrom the Gothic name Alareiks which meant "ruler of all", derived from the Germanic element ala "all" combined with ric "ruler, power". This was the name of a king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century.ALASTAIRAnglicized form of ALASDAIRALASTRÍONAFeminine form of ALASTARALAZNEMeans "miracle" in Basque. It is a Basque equivalent of Milagros.ALBENACreated by Bulgarian writer Yordan Yovkov for the heroine in his drama 'Albena' (1930). He may have based it on ablen, the name of a type of peony (a flowering plant).ALBERICVariant of ALBERICHALECShort form of ALEXANDERALEIDADutch and German short form of ADELAIDEALEIXOGender: Masculine
Usage: Portuguese, Galician
Pronounced: ə-LAY-shoo (Portuguese), a-LAY-shaw (Galician)
Personal note: a-LEY-sho
Portuguese and Galician form of ALEXISALETHEAGender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: al-ə-THEE-ə, ə-LEE-thee-ə
Personal note: Alethia; a-le-THEE-a or ah-LEE-thee-ah
Derived from Greek αληθεια (aletheia) meaning "truth". This name was coined in the 17th century.ALEXANDERGender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Αλεξανδρος (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: al-əg-ZAN-dər (English), ah-lek-SAHN-der (German), ah-lək-SAHN-dər (Dutch)
Personal note: al-eg-ZAN-der
Latinized form of the Greek name Αλεξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek αλεξω (alexo) "to defend, help" and ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive ανδρος). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, King of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.The name has been used by kings of Scotland, Poland and Yugoslavia, emperors of Russia, and eight popes. Other notable bearers include English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744), American statesman Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), Scottish-Canadian explorer Sir Alexander MacKenzie (1764-1820), Russian poet Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), and Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor of the telephone.
ALEXEYGender: Masculine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Алексей (Russian)
Pronounced: ah-lyek-SYAY, ah-leek-SYAY
Personal note: ah-lek-SEY
Variant transcription of ALEKSEYALFEOItalian form of ALPHAEUSALODIAPossibly from a Visigothic name derived from the Germanic elements ala "other, foreign" and od "riches, wealth". Saint Alodia was a 9th-century Spanish martyr with her sister Nunilo.ALOISIAGerman feminine form of ALOYSIUSALONAFeminine form of ALONALONDRADerived from Spanish alondra meaning "lark".ALONSOSpanish variant of ALFONSOALTHEAGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Αλθαια (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: ahl-THE-ah
From the Greek name Αλθαια (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek αλθος (althos) "healing". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.ÁLVAROSpanish form of a Germanic name, perhaps ALFHER. Verdi used this name in his opera 'The Force of Destiny' (1862).ALYONARussian diminutive of YELENAAMADAFeminine form of AMADOAMALRICGender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Germanic
Pronounced: AM-əl-rik (English), ə-MAL-rik (English)
Personal note: AM-al-rik
Germanic name derived from the elements amal meaning "work, labour" and ric meaning "power". This was the name of a 6th-century king of the Visigoths, as well as two 12th-century rulers of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.AMANCIOGender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: ah-MAHN-thyo (Spanish), ah-MAHN-syo (Latin American Spanish)
Personal note: ah-MAHNTH-yo
Spanish and Portuguese form of AMANTIUSAMANDINEFrench diminutive of AMANDAAMARANTASpanish and Italian form of AMARANTHAAMBROSIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Αμβροσια (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: ahm-bro-SEE-ah
Feminine form of Ambrosios (see AMBROSE).AMIR (1)Means "commander" or "prince" in Arabic. This was originally a title, which has come into English as the Arabic loanword emir.ANNAGender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Icelandic, Catalan, Occitan, Breton, Biblical, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: Αννα (Greek), Анна (Russian, Bulgarian, Church Slavic)
Pronounced: AN-a (English), AHN-nah (Italian, Dutch, Polish), AH-nah (German, Russian)
Personal note: AH-nah
Form of Channah (see HANNAH) used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament. Many later Old Testament translations, including the English, use the Hannah spelling. The name appears briefly in the New Testament belonging to a prophetess who recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was a popular name in the Byzantine Empire from an early date, and in the Middle Ages it became common among Western Christians due to veneration of Saint Anna (usually known as Saint Anne in English), the name traditionally assigned to the mother of the Virgin Mary. In the English-speaking world, this form came into general use in the 18th century, joining Ann and Anne.The name was borne by several Russian royals, including an 18th-century empress of Russia. It was also the name of the main character in Leo Tolstoy's novel 'Anna Karenina' (1877), a woman forced to choose between her son and her lover.
ANTHEAGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ανθεια (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AN-thee-ə (English)
Personal note: Anthia; ahn-THEE-ah
From the Greek Ανθεια (Antheia), derived from ανθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera.ANTHONYEnglish form of the Roman family name Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin. The most notable member of the Roman family was the general Marcus Antonius (called Mark Antony in English), who for a period in the 1st century BC ruled the Roman Empire jointly with Augustus. When their relationship turned sour, he and his mistress Cleopatra were attacked and forced to commit suicide, as related in Shakespeare's tragedy 'Antony and Cleopatra' (1606).The name became regularly used in the Christian world due to the fame of Saint Anthony the Great, a 3rd-century Egyptian hermit who founded Christian monasticism. Its popularity was reinforced in the Middle Ages by the 13th-century Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of Portugal. In English it has been commonly (but incorrectly) associated with Greek ανθος (anthos) "flower", which resulted in the addition of the h in the 17th century.
ANTÍAGalician feminine form of Antonius (see ANTHONY).ANTONIUSGender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Dutch
Pronounced: ahn-TO-nee-us (Dutch)
Personal note: ahn-TOHN-yuws
Ancient Roman form of ANTHONY. This is also the modern Dutch form of the name.ANTONYVariant of ANTHONY. This was formerly the usual English spelling of the name, but during the 17th century the h began to be added.ARANTXAARANTZAZUFrom the name of a place near the Spanish town of Oñati where there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its name is derived from Basque arantza "thornbush".ARESGender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Αρης (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AR-eez (English), ER-eez (English)
Personal note: AH-res
Perhaps from either Greek αρη (are) "bane, ruin" or αρσην (arsen) "male". Ares was the blood-thirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Hera.ARGIÑEFeminine form of ARGIARIADNAGender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Catalan, Russian, Polish
Other Scripts: Ариадна (Russian)
Pronounced: ah-RYAHD-nah (Spanish, Polish)
Personal note: ah-ree-AHD-nah
Spanish, Catalan, Russian and Polish form of ARIADNEARIADNEGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Αριαδνη (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ah-ree-AHD-ne (Ancient Greek), ar-ee-AD-nee (English)
Personal note: ah-ree-AHD-ne or ar-ee-AD-nee
Means "most holy", composed of the Cretan Greek elements αρι (ari) "most" and αδνος (adnos) "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos. She fell in love with Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god Dionysus.ARMIDAProbably created by the 16th-century Italian poet Torquato Tasso for his epic poem 'Jerusalem Delivered' (1580). In the poem Armida is a beautiful enchantress who bewitches many of the crusaders.ASTRAEAGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Αστραια (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: ahs-TRE-ah
Latinized form of the Greek Αστραια (Astraia), derived from Greek αστηρ (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.ASUNCIÓNGender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: ah-soon-THYON (Spanish), ah-soon-SYON (Latin American Spanish)
Personal note: ah-soonth-YON
Means "assumption" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven.ATHANARICFrom the Gothic name Athanareiks, derived from the Germanic element athana possibly meaning "year" (or possibly a derivative of athala "noble") combined with ric meaning "power, ruler". Athanaric was a 4th-century ruler of the Visigoths.ATHANASIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek, Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Αθανασια (Greek)
Personal note: ah-thah-nah-SEE-ah
Feminine form of Athanasios (see ATHANASIUS).ATHENAGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Αθηνα (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: ah-THEE-nah
Meaning unknown, perhaps derived from Greek αθηρ (ather) "sharp" and αινη (aine) "praise". Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare, the daughter of Zeus and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. She is associated with the olive tree and the owl.ATHENAISGender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Αθηναις (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: ah-thee-nah-EES
Ancient Greek personal name which was derived from the name of the Greek goddess ATHENA.ATTICUSFrom a Roman name meaning "from Attica" in Latin. Attica is the region surrounding Athens in Greece. The author Harper Lee used this name in her novel 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (1960).AURELIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Italian, Romanian, Polish
Pronounced: ow-RE-lyah (Italian), ow-REL-yah (Polish)
Personal note: ow-REHL-yah
Feminine form of AURELIUSAURELIUSRoman family name which was derived from Latin aureus "golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.BARRAVariant of BAIRREBARTHOLOMEWGender: Masculine
Pronounced: bahr-THAHL-ə-myoo (English)
Personal note: bahr-THOL-e-myoo
From Βαρθολομαιος (Bartholomaios), which was the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning "son of TALMAI". In the New Testament Bartholomew is the byname of an apostle also known as Nathaniel. Due to the popularity of this saint the name became common in England during the Middle Ages.BARTOLOMÉSpanish form of BARTHOLOMEWBETHANYGender: Feminine
Pronounced: BETH-ə-nee (English)
Personal note: BETH-a-nee
From the name of a biblical town, possibly derived from Hebrew בֵּית־תְּאֵנָה (beit-te'enah) meaning "house of figs". In the New Testament the town of Bethany was the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. It has been in use as a rare given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, used primarily by Catholics in honour of Mary of Bethany. In America it became moderately common after the 1950s.BIDANEMeans "way" in Basque.BONNIEMeans "pretty" from the Scottish word bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie 'Gone with the Wind' (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.BRENDANFrom Brendanus, the Latinized form of the Irish name Bréanainn which was derived from a Welsh word meaning "prince". Saint Brendan was a 6th-century Irish abbot who, according to legend, crossed the Atlantic and reached North America with 17 other monks.CADOGANAnglicized form of CADWGANCAETANOPortuguese form of Caietanus (see GAETANO).CAINGender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: קָיִן (Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: KAYN (English)
Personal note: KAYN
Means "acquired" in Hebrew. In Genesis in the Old Testament, Cain is the first son of Adam and Eve. He killed his brother Abel after God accepted Abel's offering instead of his.CAIRBREMeans "charioteer" in Gaelic.CAITRIAPossibly a form of CAITRÍONACAITRÍONAIrish form of KATHERINECAIUSRoman variant of GAIUSCALBHACHMeans "bald" in Irish Gaelic.CALVAGHAnglicized form of CALBHACHCAOLÁNFrom Gaelic caol "slender" combined with the diminutive suffix án.CARBREYAnglicized form of CAIRBRECARBRYAnglicized form of CAIRBRECARDEADerived from Latin cardo meaning "hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.CAREYFrom an Irish surname which was derived from Ó Ciardha meaning "descendent of CIARDHA".CARLESCatalan form of CHARLESCARYVariant of CAREYCATALINASpanish form of KATHERINECATARINAGender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Portuguese, Occitan, Galician
Pronounced: kah-tah-REE-nah (Italian), ka-ta-REE-na (Galician)
Personal note: kah-tah-REE-nah
Italian, Portuguese, Occitan and Galician form of KATHERINECATERINAItalian and Catalan form of KATHERINECATHÁNDerived from Gaelic cath "battle" combined with a diminutive suffix.CATHARINAGender: Feminine
Pronounced: kah-tah-REE-nah (Dutch)
Personal note: kah-tah-REE-nah
Dutch and Swedish form of KATHERINECATHERINAGender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: kath-ə-REE-nə, kə-THREE-nə
Personal note: kah-te-REE-nah
Variant of KATHERINECATHRINGerman short form of KATHARINACATINAContracted form of CĂTĂLINACATO (1)Roman cognomen meaning "wise" in Latin. This name was bestowed upon Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato), a 2nd-century BC Roman statesman, author and censor, and was subsequently inherited by his descendents, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.CATRINGender: Feminine
Pronounced: KAT-rin (Welsh), KAHT-reen (German)
Personal note: KAHT-reen
CAYETANOSpanish form of Caietanus (see GAETANO).CÉSARGender: Masculine
Usage: French, Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: THE-sahr (Spanish), SE-sahr (Latin American Spanish)
Personal note: SE-sahr
French, Spanish and Portuguese form of CAESAR. A famous bearer was the American labour organizer César Chávez.CESAREItalian form of CAESARCHRISTIANGender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: KRIS-chən (English), KRISH-chən (English), krees-TYAWN (French), kris-TEE-ahn (German)
Personal note: KRIST-yahn
From the Medieval Latin name Christianus meaning "a Christian" (see CHRISTOS). In England it has been in use since the Middle Ages, during which time it was used by both males and females, but it did not become common until the 17th century. In Denmark the name has been borne by ten kings since the 15th century. A famous bearer was Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), the Danish author of such fairy tales as 'The Ugly Duckling' and 'The Emperor's New Clothes'.CIANÁNCIARÁNDiminutive of CIAR. This was the name of two Irish saints: Saint Ciarán the Elder, the patron of the Kingdom of Munster, and Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, the founder of a monastery in the 6th century.COLUMBINEFrom the name of a variety of the flower. It is also an English form of COLOMBINA, the pantomime character.CONLETHModern form of the old Irish name Conláed, possibly meaning "chaste fire" from Gaelic connla "chaste" and aodh "fire". Saint Conláed was a 5th-century bishop of Kildare.CONLEYAnglicized form of CONLETHCONSTANCEGender: Feminine
Pronounced: KAHN-stənts (English), kawn-STAWNS (French)
Personal note: KON-stans
Medieval form of CONSTANTIA. The Normans introduced this name to England (it was the name of a daughter of William the Conqueror).CONSTANTINAFeminine form of Constantinus (see CONSTANTINE).CONSTANTINEFrom the Latin name Constantinus, a derivative of CONSTANS. Constantine the Great (272-337) 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).CORMACMeans "son of defilement" from Gaelic corb "defilement" and mac "son". This was the name of a 3rd-century king of Ireland.CURROAndalusian diminutive of FRANCISCODACIANADerived from Dacia, the old Roman name for the region which is now Romania and Moldova.DÁIREMeans "fruitful, fertile" in Irish Gaelic. This name is borne by many figures in Irish legend, including the Ulster chief who reneged on his promise to loan the Brown Bull of Cooley to Medb, starting the war between Connacht and Ulster as told in the Irish epic 'The Cattle Raid of Cooley'.DAPHNEGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, English, Dutch
Other Scripts: Δαφνη (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: DAF-nee (English), DAHF-nə (Dutch)
Personal note: DAHF-ne or DAF-nee
Means "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.DARA (1)From the Irish Mac Dara which means Means "oak tree". This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara. It is also used as an Anglicized form of DÁIRE.DARAGHDARRAGHDAVETHCornish form of DAVIDDAVINIAVariant of DAVINADECIMUSRoman praenomen, or given name, meaning "tenth" in Latin.DELORISVariant of DOLORESDESIDERIAFeminine form of DESIDERIO. This was the Latin name of a 19th-century queen of Sweden, the wife of Karl XIV. She was born in France with the name Désirée.DESIDERIOItalian and Spanish form of DESIDERIUSDESPINAModern transcription of DESPOINADIEGOPossibly a shortened form of SANTIAGO. In medieval records Diego was Latinized as Didacus, and it has been suggested that it in fact derives from Greek διδαχη (didache) "teaching". Saint Didacus (or Diego) was a 15th-century Franciscan brother based in Alcalá, Spain. Another famous bearer of this name was Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (1886-1957).DOMENICOItalian form of DOMINIC. Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.DOMINGASpanish feminine form of DOMINICDOMINGOSpanish form of DOMINICDONATAFeminine form of DONATODYMPHNAAnglicized form of DAMHNAIT. This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint who was martyred by her father. She is the patron saint of the mentally ill.ÉANNAVariant of ÉNNAEDERNEFeminine variant of EDER (2)EDURNEFeminine form of EDUREFISIOFrom the Latin byname Ephesius, which originally belonged to a person who was from the city of Ephesus in Ionia. This was the name of a saint martyred on Sardinia in the 4th century.EGUZKIÑEFeminine form of EGUZKIEKAINMeans "June (the month)" in Basque.ELAINEFrom an Old French variant of HELEN. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation 'Le Morte d'Arthur' Elaine was the daughter of Pelleas, the lover of Lancelot, and the mother of Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the appearance of Tennyson's Arthurian epic 'Idylls of the King' (1859).ELENAGender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Bulgarian, Romanian, Macedonian, Croatian, Slovene, Lithuanian, Russian, German, Medieval Slavic
Other Scripts: Елена (Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, Church Slavic)
Pronounced: E-le-nah (Italian), e-LE-nah (Spanish), ye-LYE-nah (Russian), ee-LYE-nah (Russian)
Personal note: EL-e-nah
ELISAGender: Feminine
Usage: German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Finnish, English
Pronounced: e-LEE-zah (German)
Personal note: e-LEE-sah
Short form of ELISABETHELISEOGender: Feminine
Pronounced: e-lee-ZE-o (Italian), e-lee-SE-o (Spanish)
Personal note: Elisea; e-lee-SE-ah
Italian and Spanish form of ELISHAELISSA (1)Meaning unknown (possibly Phoenician in origin). This is another name of Dido, the legendary queen of Carthage.ELIZABETHGender: Feminine
Pronounced: i-LIZ-ə-bəth (English)
Personal note: e-LIZ-a-beth
From Ελισαβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע ('Elisheva') meaning "my God is an oath" or perhaps "my God is abundance". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist.Among Christians, this name was originally more common in Eastern Europe. It was borne in the 12th century by Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a daughter of King Andrew II who used her wealth to help the poor. In medieval England it was occasionally used in honour of the saint, though the form Isabel (from Occitan and Spanish) was more common. It has been very popular in England since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century. Famous modern bearers include the British queen Elizabeth II (1926-) and actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011).
ELKANModern variant of ELKANAHELLA (1)Norman form of the Germanic name Alia, which was a short form of names containing the Germanic element ali meaning "other". It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).ÉMERICFrench form of EMMERICHENCARNAShort form of ENCARNACIÓNENRICCatalan form of HENRYÉRICOPortuguese form of ERICERLEAMeans "a bee" in Basque.ERNESTOItalian, Spanish and Portuguese form of ERNESTEROSGender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ερως (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ER-aws (English)
Personal note: E-ros
Means "love" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was a young god, the son of Aphrodite, who was armed with arrows that caused the victim to fall in love.ERRAMUNBasque form of RAYMONDESKARNEMeans "mercy" in Basque. It is a Basque equivalent of Mercedes.ESTEBANSpanish form of STEPHENESTEBEBasque form of STEPHENESTEVOGalician form of STEPHENESTIMeans "sweet, honey" in Basque.ESTIÑNEVariant of ESTIEUKENEBasque form of EUGENIAEUNOMIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ευνομια (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: ev-no-MEE-ah
Means "good order" in Greek. Eunomia was a Greek goddess, one of the ‘Ωραι (Horai), presiding over law.EUPHEMIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek, English (Archaic)
Other Scripts: Ευφημια (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: yoo-FEM-ee-ə (English)
Personal note: ev-fe-MEE-ah
Means "to speak well", derived from Greek ευ "good" and φημι (phemi) "to speak". Saint Euphemia was an early martyr from Chalcedon.EUTHALIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Ευθαλια (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: ev-thah-LEE-ah
Means "flower, bloom" in Greek.EVAGender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Slovene, Bulgarian, Croatian, Macedonian, Russian, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: Ева (Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, Church Slavic)
Pronounced: E-vah (Italian, Spanish), EE-və (English), E-fah (German), AY-vah (Dutch)
Personal note: E-fah
Latinate form of EVE. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. It is also a variant Russian transcription of YEVA. This name appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.EVADNEGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ευαδνη (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: e-VAD-nee or e-VAHD-ne
From Greek Ευαδνη (Euadne), which is of unknown meaning, though the first element is derived from Greek ευ "good". In Greek legend Evadne was the wife of Capaneus. After Capaneus was killed by a lightning bolt sent from Zeus she committed suicide by throwing herself onto his burning body.EVANDER (1)Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Other Scripts: Ευανδρος (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ee-VAN-dər (English), ə-VAN-dər (English)
Personal note: ee-VAN-der
Variant of Evandrus, Latin form of the Greek name Ευανδρος (Euandros) which meant "good man", derived from Greek ευ "good" and ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive ανδρος). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan War who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.EVEGender: Feminine
Usage: English, French, Biblical
Other Scripts: חַוָּה (Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: EEV (English), EV (French)
Personal note: EEV
From the Hebrew name חַוָּה (Chawwah), which was derived from the Hebrew word חוה (chawah) "to breathe" or the related word חיה (chayah) "to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis, Eve and Adam were the first humans. She gave the forbidden fruit to Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Despite this potentially negative association, the name was occasionally used during the Middle Ages. In the English-speaking world both Eve and the Latin form Eva were revived in the 19th century.EVELIAElaborated form of EVAEZTEBEBasque form of STEPHENFABIANGender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch, Polish, History
Pronounced: FAH-bee-ahn (German, Dutch), FAH-byahn (Polish), FAY-bee-ən (English)
Personal note: FAH-bee-ahn
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from FABIUS. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.FABIOLAGender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, French, German, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: fah-bee-O-lah (German)
Personal note: fahb-YO-lah
FÁELÁNOlder form of FAOLÁNFAINAGender: Feminine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Фаина (Russian)
Pronounced: fah-EE-nah
Personal note: fah-EE-nah
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from PHAENNA.FALKMeans "falcon" in German and Yiddish.FANTINEThis name was used by Victor Hugo for the mother of Cosette in his novel 'Les Misérables' (1862). The name was given to her by a passerby who found the young orphan on the street. Hugo may have intended it to be a derivative of the French word enfant "child".FAOLÁNMeans "little wolf", derived from Gaelic fáel "wolf" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an Irish saint who did missionary work in Scotland.FELICITAS (1)Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Late Roman
Pronounced: fe-LEE-tsee-tahs (German)
Personal note: fe-LEE-tsi-tahs
Late Latin name which meant "good luck, fortune". It was borne by a 3rd-century saint from Carthage, who was martyred with her master Perpetua.FELINAFeminine form of FELINUSFELIXGender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Pronounced: FE-liks (German), FAY-liks (Dutch), FEE-liks (English)
Personal note: FE-liks
From a Roman cognomen meaning "lucky, successful" in Latin. It was acquired as an agnomen, or nickname, by the 1st-century BC Roman general Sulla. It also appears in the New Testament belonging to the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint Paul.Due to its favourable meaning, this name was popular among early Christians, being borne by many early saints and four popes. It has been used in England since the Middle Ages, though it has been more popular in continental Europe. A notable bearer was the German composer Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847).
FEMKEDiminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element frid "peace". It also coincides with a Frisian word meaning "little girl".FERNFrom the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.FERNANDOGender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: fer-NAHN-do (Spanish)
Personal note: fer-NAHN-do
Spanish and Portuguese form of FERDINANDFERRANCatalan form of FERDINANDFIDELIAFeminine form of FIDELFIDELISOriginal form of FIDELFIERAMeans "proud" in Esperanto.FILOMENAGender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch
Pronounced: fee-lo-ME-nah (Italian)
Personal note: fi-lo-ME-nah
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch form of PHILOMENAFINAShort form of SERAFINA. Saint Fina, also known as Saint Serafina, was a 13th-century girl from the town of San Gimignano in Italy.FLAVIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: FLAH-vyah (Italian, Spanish)
Personal note: FLAH-vee-ah
Feminine form of FLAVIUSFLAVIANFrom the Roman family name Flavianus, which was derived from FLAVIUS. This was the name of several early saints including a 5th-century patriarch of Constantinople who was beaten to death.FLORENTINAFeminine form FLORENTINUSFLORIANGender: Masculine
Pronounced: FLO-ree-ahn (German), FLAWR-yahn (Polish)
Personal note: FLO-ree-ahn
From the Roman name Florianus, a derivative of FLORUS. Saint Florian, a martyr of the 3rd century, is the patron saint of Poland and Upper Austria.FOLKEShort form of various Old Norse names that contain the element folk meaning "people", and thus a cognate of FULK.FORTUNATAFeminine form of FORTUNATOFRANCAContracted form of FRANCESCAFREYAGender: Feminine
Usage: Norse Mythology, English (British, Modern)
Pronounced: FRAY-ah (Norse Mythology)
Personal note: FRIE-ah
From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of the goddess of love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claimed half of the heroes who were slain in battle and brought them to her realm in Asgard. Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.This is not the usual spelling in any of the Scandinavian languages (in Sweden and Denmark it is Freja and in Norway it is Frøja) but it is the common spelling of the goddess's name in English. In the 2000s it became popular in Britain.
FRIEDRICHGerman form of FREDERICK. This was the name of kings of Germany. The socialist Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) and the philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) are two famous bearers of this name.GAËLPossibly a variant of GWENAËLGERARDOGender: Masculine
Pronounced: je-RAHR-do (Italian), he-RAHR-do (Spanish)
Personal note: khe-RAHR-do
Italian and Spanish form of GERARDGERRARDVariant of GERARDGHISLAINEFeminine form of GHISLAINGIACOMOItalian form of Iacomus (see JAMES).GIOACCHINOItalian form of JOACHIMGIOACHINOItalian form of JOACHIMGOIZANEDerived from Basque goiz "morning".HAIZEAMeans "wind" in Basque.HIRUNEMeans "trinity" in Basque, derived from hiru meaning "three".IDONEAMedieval English name, probably a Latinized form of IÐUNN. The spelling may have been influenced by Latin idonea "suitable". It was common in England from the 12th century.IGONEIRATIMeans "fern field" in Basque.IRUNEVariant of HIRUNEISTVÁNITSASNEVariant of ITSASOITSASOMeans "ocean" in Basque.ITXAROMeans "hope" in Basque.ITXASODiminutive of ITSASOIVANAGender: Feminine
Usage: Czech, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Other Scripts: Ивана (Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian)
Personal note: ee-VAH-nah
Feminine form of IVANIVYFrom the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.IZARMeans "star" in Basque.JACKDerived from Jackin (earlier Jankin), a medieval diminutive of JOHN. It is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man". It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as 'Jack and the Beanstalk', 'Little Jack Horner', and 'Jack Sprat'. American writers Jack London (1876-1916) and Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) were two famous bearers of this name.JACKIEJAELGender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: יָעֵל (Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JAY-əl (English), JAYL (English)
Personal note: jah-EL
From the Hebrew name יָעֵל (Ya'el) meaning "mountain goat". In the Old Testament this is the name of a woman who killed the captain of the Canaanite army.JAMESEnglish form of the Late Latin name Iacomus which was derived from Ιακωβος (Iakobos), the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name Ya'aqov (see JACOB). This was the name of two apostles in the New Testament. The first was Saint James the Greater, the apostle John's brother, who was beheaded under Herod Agrippa in the Book of Acts. The second was James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. Another James (known as James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible as being the brother of Jesus.Since the 13th century this form of the name has been used in England, though it became more common in Scotland, where it was borne by several kings. In the 17th century the Scottish king James VI inherited the English throne, becoming the first ruler of all Britain, and the name grew much more popular. Famous bearers include the explorer Captain James Cook (1728-1779), the inventor James Watt (1736-1819), and the novelist and poet James Joyce (1882-1941). This name has also been borne by six American presidents. A notable fictional bearer is the British spy James Bond, created by author Ian Fleming.
JANEMedieval English form of Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see JOHN). This became the most common feminine form of John in the 17th century, surpassing Joan. Famous bearers include the uncrowned English queen Lady Jane Grey (1536-1554), who ruled for only 9 days, the British novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817), who wrote 'Sense and Sensibility' and 'Pride and Prejudice', and the British primatologist Jane Goodall (1934-). This was also the name of the central character in Charlotte Bronte's novel 'Jane Eyre' (1847).JANINAGender: Feminine
Usage: Polish, Finnish, German, Swedish, Lithuanian
Pronounced: yah-NEE-nah (Polish, German)
Personal note: yah-NEE-nah
Latinate form of JEANNINEJENAROSpanish form of JANUARIUSJOSUNEFeminine form of JOSUJULIAGender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Spanish, Polish, Finnish, Ancient Roman, Biblical
Pronounced: JOO-lee-ə (English), YOO-lee-ah (German), HOO-lyah (Spanish), YUWL-yah (Polish), YOO:-lee-ah (Ancient Roman)
Personal note: JOO-lee-ah
Feminine form of JULIUS. A person by this name has a brief mention in the New Testament. It was borne by a few early saints and martyrs, including the patron saint of Corsica. Shakespeare used the name in his comedy 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona' (1594). It has been common as a given name in the English-speaking world only since the 18th century.JULIOGender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: HOO-lyo (Spanish), ZHOO-lyoo (Portuguese)
Personal note: KHOOL-yo
Spanish and Portuguese form of JULIUSJULIUSGender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, English, German
Pronounced: YOO:-lee-oos (Ancient Roman), JOO-lee-əs (English), YOO-lee-uws (German)
Personal note: JOO-lee-us
From a Roman family name which was possibly derived from Greek ιουλος (ioulos) "downy-bearded". Alternatively, it could be related to the name of the Roman god JUPITER. This was a prominent patrician family of Rome, who claimed descent from the mythological Julus, son of Aeneas. Its most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, who is known for his clever conquest of Gaul. After a civil war he became the dictator of the Roman Republic, but was eventually stabbed to death in the senate.Although this name was borne by several early saints, including a pope, it was rare during the Middle Ages. It was revived in Italy and France during the Renaissance, and was subsequently imported to England.
KADRIEstonian form of KATHERINEKALYNAFrom the Ukrainian word for a type of shrub, also called the guelder rose.KATALINGender: Feminine
Pronounced: KAWT-aw-leen (Hungarian)
Personal note: kah-TAH-leen or kah-tah-LEEN
Hungarian and Basque form of KATHERINEKATARINBreton form of KATHERINEKATARINAGender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Hungarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Other Scripts: Катарина (Serbian)
Pronounced: kah-tah-REE-nah (German)
Personal note: kah-tah-REE-nah
KATELLBreton form of KATHERINEKATERINAGender: Feminine
Usage: Macedonian, Russian, Bulgarian, Greek, Late Roman
Other Scripts: Катерина (Macedonian, Russian, Bulgarian), Κατερινα (Greek)
Personal note: kah-te-REE-nah
Macedonian form of KATHERINE, a Russian short form of YEKATERINA, a Bulgarian short form of EKATERINA, and a Greek variant of AIKATERINE.KATERYNAUkrainian form of KATHERINEKATHARINAGender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: kah-tah-REE-nah (German)
Personal note: kah-tah-REE-nah
German form of KATHERINEKATHERINAGender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare), German
Pronounced: kath-ə-REE-nə (English), kə-THREE-nə (English), kah-te-REE-nah (German)
Personal note: kah-te-REE-nah
Latinate form of KATHERINE. Shakespeare used this name in his play 'Taming of the Shrew' (1593).KATHRINGerman short form of KATHARINAKATINKAGerman form of KATENKAKATJAGender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Slovene
Pronounced: KAHT-yah (German)
Personal note: KAHT-yah
German, Scandinavian, Dutch and Slovene form of KATYAKATRINGender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Estonian
Pronounced: KAHT-reen (German)
Personal note: KAHT-reen
German, Swedish and Estonian short form of KATHERINEKATRINAGender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Dutch
Pronounced: kə-TREE-nə (English), kaht-REE-nah (Dutch)
Personal note: kat-REE-na or kah-TREE-nah
KAYETANGerman form of Caietanus (see GAETANO).KERRYFrom the name of the Irish county, called Ciarraí in Irish Gaelic, which means "CIAR's people".KETURAHGender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: קְטוּרָה (Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: ki-TOOR-ə (English), kee-TYOOR-ə (English)
Personal note: ke-TOO-rah
KRISTJANAIcelandic form of CHRISTINALAELIAFeminine form of Laelius, a Roman family name of unknown meaning. This is also the name of a type of flower, an orchid found in Mexico and Central America.LAETITIAOriginal form of LETITIA, as well as the French form.LÁILÁSami variant form of HELGALAYLAMeans "night" in Arabic. This was the name of the object of romantic poems written by the 7th-century poet known as Qays. The story of Qays and Layla became a popular romance in medieval Arabia and Persia. The name became used in the English-speaking world after the 1970 release of the song 'Layla' by Derek and the Dominos, the title of which was inspired by the medieval story.LEILAGender: Feminine
Other Scripts: ليلى (Arabic)
Pronounced: LAY-lə (English), LEE-lə (English), LIE-lə (English)
Personal note: LEY-lah
Variant of LAYLA. This spelling was used by Lord Byron for characters in 'The Giaour' (1813) and 'Don Juan' (1819), and it is through him that the name was introduced to the English-speaking world.LEITHFrom a surname, originally from the name of a Scottish town (now a district of Edinburgh), which is derived from Gaelic lìte "wet, damp". It is also the name of the river that flows though Edinburgh.LELIAItalian form of LAELIALENORAShort form of ELENORALENOREShort form of ELEANOR. This was the name of the departed love of the narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's poem 'The Raven' (1845).LETICIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: le-TEE-thyah (Spanish), le-TEE-syah (Latin American Spanish)
Personal note: le-TEES-yah
Spanish form of LETITIALEYLAGender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Azerbaijani, English (Modern)
Other Scripts: ليلى (Arabic)
Personal note: LEY-lah
Variant of LEILALIAMIrish short form of WILLIAMLIBITINAMeaning unknown. Libitina was the Roman goddess of funerals, corpses and death.LÍGIAPortuguese form of LIGEIALIVIANAGender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: lee-VYAH-nah (Italian)
Personal note: li-vee-AH-nah
Feminine form of the Roman family name Livianus, which was itself derived from the family name LIVIUS.LORE (2)Means "flower" in Basque.LOREAVariant of LORE (2)LORENA (1)Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of LORRAINELUCANFrom the Roman cognomen Lucanus which is of unknown meaning. Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.LUCIANRomanian and English form of LUCIANUS. Lucian is the usual name of Lucianus of Samosata in English.LUCIANOGender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: loo-CHAH-no (Italian), loo-THYAH-no (Spanish), loo-SYAH-no (Latin American Spanish)
Personal note: loos-YAH-no or loo-CHAH-no; NN Ciano, CHAH-no
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of LUCIANUSLUMINIȚAMeans "little light", derived from Romanian lumina "light" combined with a diminutive suffix.MADGEMAËLLEFeminine form of MAËLMAËLYSFeminine form of MAËLMAIALENBasque form of MAGDALENEMAITE (2)Means "lovable" in Basque.MALAIKAMeans "angels" from the plural of Arabic ملك (malak).MARCFrench, Catalan and Welsh form of MARKMARCUSGender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: MAHR-koos (Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin), MAHR-kəs (English)
Personal note: MAHR-kuws
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was probably derived from the name of the Roman god MARS. Famous Roman bearers of this name were Marcus Tullius Cicero (known simply as Cicero), a 1st-century BC statesman and orator, Marcus Antonius (known as Mark Antony), a 1st-century BC politician, and Marcus Aurelius, a notable 2nd-century emperor. This was also the name of a pope of the 4th century. This spelling has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world, though the traditional English form Mark has been more common.MARGARETDerived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαριτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", probably ultimately a borrowing from Sanskrit. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.Other saints by this name include a queen of Scotland and a princess of Hungary. It was also borne by Queen Margaret I of Denmark, who united Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the 14th century. Famous literary bearers include American writer Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), the author of 'Gone with the Wind', and Canadian writer Margaret Atwood (1939-).
MARIAMNEFrom Μαριαμη (Mariame), the form of MARIA used by the historian Josephus when referring to the wife of King Herod.MARICRUZMARILENAGender: Feminine
Pronounced: mah-ree-LE-nah (Italian)
Personal note: mah-ree-LE-nah
MARISOLMARKGender: Masculine
Usage: English, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Biblical
Other Scripts: Марк (Russian)
Pronounced: MAHRK (English, Russian)
Personal note: MAHRK
Form of MARCUS. Saint Mark was the author of the second Gospel in the New Testament. He is the patron saint of Venice, where he is supposedly buried. Though in use during the Middle Ages, Mark was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when it began to be used alongside the classical form Marcus.In the Celtic legend of Tristan and Isolde this was the name of a king of Cornwall. It was also borne by the American author Mark Twain (1835-1910), real name Samuel Clemens, the author of 'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huckleberry Finn'. He actually took his pen name from a call used by riverboat workers on the Mississippi River to indicate a depth of two fathoms. This is also the usual English spelling of the name of the 1st-century BC Roman triumvir Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony).
MARTAGender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Polish, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Swedish, Norwegian, Czech, Slovak
Other Scripts: Марта (Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: MAHR-tah (Spanish, Italian, Polish, Czech)
Personal note: MAHR-tah
MARYGender: Feminine
Pronounced: MER-ee (English), MAR-ee (English)
Personal note: MAR-ee
Usual English form of Maria, which was the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριαμ (Mariam) and Μαρια (Maria) - the spellings are interchangeable - which were from the Hebrew name מִרְיָם (Miryam). The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".This is the name of several New Testament characters, most importantly Mary the virgin mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene. Due to the Virgin Mary this name has been very popular in the Christian world, though at certain times in some cultures it has been considered too holy for everyday use. In England it has been used since the 12th century, and it has been among the most common feminine names since the 16th century. The Latinized form Maria is also used in English as well as in several other languages.
This name has been borne by two queens of England, as well as a Queen of Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots. Another notable bearer was Mary Shelley (1797-1851), the author of 'Frankenstein'. A famous fictional character by this name was Mary Poppins, from the children's books by P. L. Travers.
MATTHIASGender: Masculine
Usage: Greek, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, French, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: Ματθιας (Greek)
Pronounced: mah-TEE-ahs (German), mə-THIE-əs (English)
Personal note: mah-TEE-ahs
Variant of Matthaios (see MATTHEW) which appears in the New Testament as the name of the apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot. This was also the name of kings of Hungary, including Matthias I who made important reforms to the kingdom in the 15th century.MÁXIMASpanish feminine form of MAXIMUSMAXIMUSRoman family name which was derived from Latin maximus "greatest". Saint Maximus was a monk and theologian from Constantinople in the 7th century.MAYTALVariant transcription of MEITALMENACHEMGender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: מְנַחֵם (Hebrew)
Personal note: ME-nah-khem
Hebrew form of MENAHEMMERAVGender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: מֵרַב (Hebrew)
Personal note: ME-rahv
Hebrew form of MERABMICHAELGender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: מִיכָאֵל (Ancient Hebrew), Μιχαηλ (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: MIE-kəl (English), MI-khah-el (German)
Personal note: MI-khah-ehl; NN Micha, MI-khah
From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el) meaning "who is like God?". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the seven archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies, and thus is considered the patron saint of soldiers.The popularity of the saint led to the name being used by nine Byzantine emperors, including Michael VIII Palaeologus who restored the empire in the 13th century. It has been common in Western Europe since the Middle Ages, and in England since the 12th century. It has been borne (in various spellings) by rulers of Russia (spelled Михаил), Romania (Mihai), Poland (Michał), and Portugal (Miguel). Other more modern bearers of this name include the British chemist/physicist Michael Faraday (1791-1867) and basketball player Michael Jordan (1963-).
MIGUELSpanish and Portuguese form of MICHAEL. A notable bearer of this name was Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616), the Spanish novelist and poet who wrote 'Don Quixote'.MIREIACatalan form of Mirèio (see MIREILLE).MIRELARomanian and Croatian form of MIREILLEMIRENBasque form of MARIAMITXELBasque form of MICHAELMONTSERRATFrom the name of a mountain near Barcelona, the site of a monastery founded in the 10th century. The mountain gets its name from Latin mons serratus meaning "jagged mountain".NADEJDAGender: Feminine
Other Scripts: Надежда (Russian, Bulgarian)
Pronounced: nah-DYEZH-dah (Russian)
Personal note: nah-DEZH-dah
Variant transcription of NADEZHDANADĚŽDACzech form of NADEZHDANAGOREFrom the name of a Basque village where there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary.NAHIAMeans "desire" in Basque.NAILAFeminine form of NAIL. This was the name of the wife of Uthman, the third caliph of the Muslims. She tried in vain to prevent a mob from murdering her husband, and had several fingers cut off in the process.NAOMHÁNMeans "little saint", derived from Irish naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.NAWALMeans "gift" in Arabic.NEFERTARIGender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Egyptian
Pronounced: nef-ər-TAHR-ee (English)
Personal note: nef-er-TAHR-ee
Means "the most beautiful" in Egyptian. This was the name of an Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom, the favourite wife of Rameses II.NEKANEMeans "sorrows" in Basque. It is a Basque equivalent of Dolores.NEPHELEGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Νεφελη (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: ne-FE-lee
Means "cloudy" in Greek. In Greek legend Nephele was created from a cloud by Zeus, who shaped the cloud to look like Hera in order to trick Ixion, a mortal who desired her. Nephele was the mother of the centaurs by Ixion, and was also the mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamus.NEREMeans "mine" in Basque.NERO (1)Roman cognomen, which was probably of Sabine origin meaning "strong, vigourous". It was borne most infamously by a tyrannical Roman emperor of the 1st century.NEVANAnglicized form of NAOMHÁNNEVENAGender: Feminine
Usage: Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian
Other Scripts: Невена (Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian)
Personal note: ne-VE-nah
Derived from South Slavic neven meaning "marigold".NIEVEVariant of NIEVESNIEVESMeans "snows" in Spanish, derived from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows".NIZHONIMeans "beautiful" in Navajo.NORAGender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Italian
Pronounced: NAWR-ə (English), NO-rah (German)
Personal note: NOR-a
Short form of HONORA or ELEANOR. Henrik Ibsen used it for a character in his play 'A Doll's House' (1879).OCTAVIAGender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: ahk-TAYV-ee-ə (English)
Personal note: ok-TAH-vee-ah or ok-TAY-vee-a
Feminine form of OCTAVIUS. Octavia was the wife of Mark Antony and the sister of Roman emperor Augustus. In 19th-century England it was sometimes given to the eighth-born child.OIHANAMeans "forest" in Basque.OPHELIAGender: Feminine
Usage: English, Literature
Pronounced: o-FEEL-yə (English)
Personal note: o-FEHL-yah
Derived from Greek οφελος (ophelos) meaning "help". This name was probably created by the 15th-century poet Jacopo Sannazaro for a character in his poem 'Arcadia'. It was borrowed by Shakespeare for his play 'Hamlet' (1600), in which it belongs to Hamlet's lover who eventually goes insane and drowns herself. In spite of this, the name has been used since the 19th century.OSANEMeans "cure, remedy" in Basque. It is a Basque equivalent of Remedios.PETERGender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Slovene, Slovak, Biblical
Pronounced: PEE-tər (English), PE-ter (German, Slovak), PAY-tər (Dutch)
Personal note: PEE-ter
Derived from the Greek Πετρος (Petros) meaning "stone". This is a translation used in most versions of the New Testament of the name Cephas, meaning "stone" in Aramaic, which was given to the apostle Simon by Jesus (compare Matthew 16:18 and John 1:42). Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus' ministry and is often considered the first pope.Due to the renown of the apostle, this name became common throughout the Christian world (in various spellings). In England the Normans introduced it in the Old French form Piers, which was gradually replaced by the spelling Peter starting in the 15th century.
Besides the apostle, other saints by this name include the 11th-century reformer Saint Peter Damian and the 13th-century preacher Saint Peter Martyr. It was also borne by rulers of Aragon, Portugal, and Russia, including the Russian tsar Peter the Great (1672-1725), who defeated Sweden in the Great Northern War. Famous fictional bearers include Peter Rabbit from Beatrix Potter's children's books, and Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up in J. M. Barrie's 1904 play.
PHAEDRUSGender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Φαιδρος (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: FEED-rus
Latinized form of the Greek name Φαιδρος (Phaidros), which meant "bright". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher, and also of a 1st-century Roman fabulist who was originally a slave from Thrace.PHERICKManx form of PATRICKPHINEASVariant of PHINEHAS used in some versions of the Bible.PHOTINEGender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Φωτινη (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: fo-tee-NEE
Derived from Greek φως (phos) meaning "light". This is the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (see John 4:7). She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Church.PHOTIOSGender: Masculine
Usage: Greek, Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Φωτιος (Greek)
Personal note: FO-tee-os
Derived from Greek φως (phos) meaning "light".RAFAELGender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese, German, Hungarian, Slovene, Macedonian
Other Scripts: Рафаел (Macedonian)
Pronounced: rah-fah-EL (Spanish), RAH-fah-el (German)
Personal note: RAH-fah-el
Form of RAPHAELREGULUSREMEIMeans "remedy" in Catalan, a Catalan equivalent of REMEDIOS.ROCÍOGender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: ro-THEE-o (Spanish), ro-SEE-o (Latin American Spanish)
Personal note: ro-THEE-o
Means "dew" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary María del Rocío meaning "Mary of the Dew".ROMAINFrench form of Romanus (see ROMAN).ROMAINEFrench feminine form of Romanus (see ROMAN).ROMANGender: Masculine
Usage: Russian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, Slovene, Croatian, German
Other Scripts: Роман (Russian, Ukrainian)
Pronounced: rah-MAHN (Russian), RAW-mahn (Polish)
Personal note: ro-MAHN
From the Late Latin name Romanus which meant "Roman".ROMANEFrench feminine form of Romanus (see ROMAN).ROMANOItalian form of Romanus (see ROMAN).ROMEOItalian form of the Late Latin name Romaeus meaning "a pilgrim to Rome". Romeo is best known as the lover of Juliet in Shakespeare's tragedy 'Romeo and Juliet' (1596).ROSEMARIEGender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: RO-se-mah-ree (German)
Personal note: ROZ-ma-ree
ROSEMARYCombination of ROSE and MARY. This name can also be given in reference to the herb, which gets its name from Latin ros marinus meaning "dew of the sea". It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.ROXANAGender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Pronounced: rahk-SAN-ə (English), rok-SAHN-ah (Spanish)
Personal note: rok-SAH-nah
Latin form of Ρωξανη (Roxane), the Greek form of the Persian or Bactrian name روشنک (Roshanak) which meant "bright" or "dawn". This was the name of Alexander the Great's first wife, a daughter of the Bactrian nobleman Oxyartes. In the modern era it came into use during the 17th century. In the English-speaking world it was popularized by Daniel Defoe, who used it in his novel 'Roxana' (1724).RUFUSGender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, English, Biblical
Pronounced: ROO-fəs (English)
Personal note: ROO-fuws
Roman cognomen which meant "red-haired" in Latin. Several early saints had this name, including one mentioned in one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament. As a nickname it was used by William II Rufus, a king of England, because of his red hair. It came into general use in the English-speaking world after the Protestant Reformation.SAFIRAMeans "like a sapphire" in Esperanto.SALOMÉGender: Feminine
Usage: French, Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: sə-loo-ME (Portuguese)
Personal note: SAH-lo-me
French, Spanish and Portuguese form of SALOMESANTINODiminutive of SANTOSANTOMeans "saint" in Italian, ultimately from Latin sanctus.SANTOSMeans "saints" in Spanish.SARINASAWNEYScottish form of SANDYSCHOLASTICAFrom a Late Latin name which was derived from scholasticus meaning "rhetorician, orator". This was the name of a 6th-century saint, the sister of Saint Benedict.SELENEGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, Greek
Other Scripts: Σεληνη (Greek)
Pronounced: sə-LEE-nee (English)
Personal note: se-LEEN
Means "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, sometimes identified with the goddess Artemis.SENDOAMeans "strong" in Basque.SERAFINAGender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Portuguese, Polish
Pronounced: se-rah-FEE-nah (Polish)
Personal note: se-rah-FEE-nah
Italian, Portuguese and Polish form of SERAPHINASHEENAAnglicized form of SÌNE. This name was popularized outside of Scotland in the 1980s by the singer Sheena Easton (1959-).SOLÈNEVariant of SOLANGESOLVEIGFrom an Old Norse name which was derived from the elements sól "sun" and veig "strength". This is the name of the heroine in Henrik Ibsen's play 'Peer Gynt' (1876).SONJAGender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Other Scripts: Соња (Serbian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: ZAWN-yah (German)
Personal note: ZON-yah
Form of SONYASORINAFeminine form of SORINSORLEYAnglicized form of SOMHAIRLESORNEMeans "conception" in Basque. It is a Basque equivalent of Concepción.STAMATIAFeminine form of STAMATIOSSTEVENMedieval variant of STEPHEN. The filmmaker Steven Spielberg (1946-), director of 'E.T.' and 'Indiana Jones', is a famous bearer of this name.SVEAFrom a personification of the country of Sweden, in use since the 17th century. It is a derivative of Svear, the Swedish name for the ancient Germanic tribe the Swedes. The Swedish name of the country of Sweden is Sverige, a newer form of Svea rike meaning "the realm of the Svear".TACITAFeminine form of TACITUSTACITOGender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: tah-CHEE-to (Italian), tah-THEE-to (Spanish), tah-SEE-to (Latin American Spanish)
Personal note: tah-SEE-to
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of TACITUSTALINEVariant transcription of TALINTARIQMeans "he who knocks at the door" in Arabic. This is the Arabic name of the morning star. Tariq ibn Ziyad was the Islamic general who conquered Spain for the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century.TASKILLAnglicized form of TASGALLTATJANAGender: Feminine
Usage: Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, German, Latvian, Lithuanian, Finnish
Other Scripts: Татјана (Serbian, Macedonian)
Personal note: taht-YAH-nah
Form of TATIANATEMANGender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: תֵּימָן (Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: TEE-mən (English)
Personal note: te-MAHN
Means "right hand" or "south" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a grandson of Esau for whom the town of Teman in Edom was named.TERCEROGender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: ter-THE-ro (Spanish), ter-SE-ro (Latin American Spanish)
Personal note: ter-THE-ro
Means "third" in Spanish. Traditionally given to the third child born.TERTIUSTHEODORICFrom a Germanic name meaning "ruler of the people", derived from the elements þeud "people" and ric "power, ruler". It was notably borne by Theodoric the Great, a 6th-century king of the Ostrogoths who eventually became the ruler of Italy. By Theodoric's time the Ostrogoths were partially Romanized and his name was regularly recorded as Theodoricus. The Gothic original may have been Þiudreiks.THEOPHANIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek, Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Θεοφανια (Greek)
Personal note: the-o-FAHN-yah
Feminine form of THEOPHANESTHEOPHILAGender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Θεοφιλα (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: the-o-FEE-lah
Feminine form of THEOPHILUSTISIPHONEGender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Τισιφονη (Ancient Greek)
Personal note: ti-SIF-o-nee or ti-see-FO-nee
Means "avenging murder" in Greek, derived from τισις (tisis) "vengeance" and φονη (phone) "murder". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ερινυες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. She killed Cithaeron with the bite of one of the snakes on her head.TOLA (1)TORNYFrom the Old Norse name Þórný which was derived from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see THOR) combined with nýr "new".TRAIANRomanian form of Traianus (see TRAJAN).TRYPHENAFrom the Greek name Τρυφαινα (Tryphaina), derived from Greek τρυφη (tryphe) meaning "softness, delicacy". This name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament.TXOMINBasque form of DOMINICUDANEDerived from Basque uda meaning "summer".UNAIMeans "cowherd" in Basque.VALERIANFrom the Roman cognomen Valerianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name VALERIUS. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor. Several saints also had this name, including a 2nd-century martyr of Lyons.VALERIANAFeminine form of Valerianus (see VALERIAN).VALERIUSGender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: və-LER-ee-əs (English)
Personal note: vah-LE-ree-uws
Roman family name which was derived from Latin valere "to be strong". This was the name of several early saints.VALKYRIEGender: Feminine
Usage: Various
Pronounced: val-KIR-ee (English), VAL-kə-ree (English)
Personal note: VAL-ki-ree
Means "chooser of the slain", derived from Old Norse valr "the slain" and kyrja "chooser". In Norse myth the Valkyries were maidens who led heroes killed in battle to Valhalla.VARINIAFeminine form of VARINIUSVARINIUSRoman family name possibly derived from VARIUS.VARIUSRoman family name which meant "versatile" in Latin. Varius Rufus was a Roman epic poet of the 1st century BC.VEITVILKOSlovene and Croatian diminutive of WILLIAMVINICIOItalian and Spanish form of the Roman family name Vinicius, which was possibly derived from Latin vinum "wine".VIORICADerived from Romanian viorea meaning "bluebell".XABIERGender: Masculine
Pronounced: sha-bee-ER
Personal note: shah-bee-ER; NN Xabi, SHAH-bee
Basque and Galician form of XAVIERYAELHebrew form of JAELZENOBIAGender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Ζηνοβια (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: zə-NO-bee-ə (English)
Personal note: zi-no-VEE-ah
Means "life of Zeus", derived from Greek Ζηνο (Zeno), a prefix form of the name of ZEUS, combined with βιος (bios) "life". This was the name of a 3rd-century queen of Palmyra. After claiming the title 'Queen of the East' and expanding her realm into Roman territory she was defeated by emperor Aurelian.ZERUMeans "sky" in Basque.ZINNIAFrom the name of the flower, which was itself named for the German botanist Johann Zinn.ZORIONEFeminine form of ZORIONZULAYKHAArabic form of ZULEIKAZULEIKAPossibly means "brilliant beauty" in Persian. According to medieval legends this was the name of Potiphar's wife in the Bible. She has been the subject of many poems and tales.ZURIÑEDerived from Basque zuri "white".