mafiosa's Personal Name List

Abene
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque (Rare)
Personal remark: ah-BE-ne
Derived from Basque abe meaning "pillar". It is a Basque equivalent of Pilar.
Adela
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, Slovak, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: ə-DEHL-ə(English) a-DHEH-la(Spanish) a-DEH-la(Polish) A-deh-la(Slovak)
Personal remark: ah-DE-lah
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element adal meaning "noble" (Proto-Germanic *aþalaz). 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.
Adelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish
Pronounced: ə-DEHL-ee-ə(English) a-DHEH-lya(Spanish)
Personal remark: ah-DEHL-yah
Elaborated form of Adela.
Adelina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Germanic (Latinized) [1]
Other Scripts: Аделина(Bulgarian)
Pronounced: a-deh-LEE-na(Italian) a-dheh-LEE-na(Spanish)
Personal remark: ah-de-LEE-nah
From a Germanic name that was derived from the element adal meaning "noble" (Proto-Germanic *aþalaz).
Adlai
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: עַדְלָי(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: AD-lay(English)
Personal remark: AD-lay
Contracted form of Adalia. This is the name of the father of one of King David's herdsmen in the Old Testament.
Adrasteia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ἀδράστεια(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: A-DRAS-TEH-A(Classical Greek)
Personal remark: Adrastia; ah-DRAHS-tee-ah
Feminine form of Adrastos. In Greek mythology this name was borne by a nymph who fostered the infant Zeus. This was also another name of the goddess Nemesis.
Adrianus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Dutch
Pronounced: a-dree-A-nuys, A-dree-a-nuys
Personal remark: ah-dree-AH-nuws
Official Dutch form of Adrian, used on birth certificates but not commonly in daily life.
Agrafena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Аграфена(Russian)
Pronounced: u-gru-FYEH-nə
Personal remark: ah-grah-FE-nah
Russian form of Agrippina.
Agurne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: a-GHOOR-neh
Personal remark: ah-GOOR-ne
From Basque agur meaning "greeting, salutation".
Aintzane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ien-TSA-neh
Personal remark: IEN-tsah-ne
Variant of Aintza.
Alaia 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Personal remark: ah-LIE-ah
Means "joyful, happy" from Basque alai.
Alan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Scottish, Breton, French
Pronounced: AL-ən(English) A-lahn(Breton) A-LAHN(French)
Personal remark: 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.

Alana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Breton
Pronounced: ə-LAN-ə(English) a-LAHN-a(Breton)
Personal remark: ah-LAH-nah
Feminine form of Alan.
Alaric
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Gothic (Anglicized)
Other Scripts: 𐌰𐌻𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃(Gothic)
Pronounced: AL-ə-rik(English)
Personal remark: AL-a-rik
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.
Alastair
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish
Pronounced: AL-i-stər(English)
Personal remark: AL-as-ter
Anglicized form of Alasdair.
Alastríona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: ə-ləs-TRYEE-nə, A-ləs-tryee-nə
Personal remark: al-as-TREE-na
Feminine form of Alastar.
Alazne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: a-LAS-neh
Personal remark: ah-LAHS-ne
From Basque alatz meaning "miracle". It is an equivalent of Milagros, proposed by Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Albena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Bulgarian
Other Scripts: Албена(Bulgarian)
Personal remark: ahl-BE-nah
Created 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).
Alberic
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Germanic [1]
Personal remark: AL-be-rik
Variant of Alberich.
Alec
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AL-ik
Personal remark: AL-ek
Short form of Alexander.
Aleida
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Dutch
Pronounced: a-LAY-da
Personal remark: ah-LEY-dah
Dutch short form of Adelaide.
Aleixo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Portuguese (Rare), Galician (Rare)
Pronounced: u-LIE-shoo(European Portuguese) a-LAY-shoo(Brazilian Portuguese) a-LAY-shuw(Galician)
Personal remark: a-LEY-sho
Portuguese and Galician form of Alexis.
Alethea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: al-ə-THEE-ə, ə-LEE-thee-ə
Personal remark: Alethia; a-le-THEE-a or ah-LEE-thee-ah
Derived from Greek ἀλήθεια (aletheia) meaning "truth". This name was coined in the 16th century.
Alexander
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ἀλέξανδρος(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: al-ig-ZAN-dər(English) a-leh-KSAN-du(German) a-lehk-SAHN-dər(Dutch) a-lehk-SAN-dehr(Swedish, Latin) A-lehk-san-tehr(Icelandic) AW-lehk-sawn-dehr(Hungarian) A-lehk-san-dehr(Slovak)
Personal remark: al-eg-ZAN-der
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, help" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). 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.

Alexey
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Алексей(Russian)
Pronounced: u-lyi-KSYAY
Personal remark: ah-lek-SEY
Alternate transcription of Russian Алексей (see Aleksey).
Alfeo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: al-FEH-o
Personal remark: ahl-FE-o
Italian form of Alphaeus.
Alodia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Gothic (Latinized)
Personal remark: a-LO-dee-a
Possibly from a Visigothic name, maybe from Gothic elements such as alls "all" or aljis "other" combined with auds "riches, wealth". Saint Alodia was a 9th-century Spanish martyr with her sister Nunilo.
Aloisia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German (Rare)
Pronounced: a-LOI-zya
Personal remark: ah-LOYS-yah
German feminine form of Aloysius.
Alona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אַלוֹנָה(Hebrew)
Personal remark: ah-LO-nah
Feminine form of Alon 1.
Alondra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish (Latin American)
Pronounced: a-LON-dra
Personal remark: ah-LON-drah
Derived from Spanish alondra meaning "lark".
Alonso
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: a-LON-so
Personal remark: ah-LON-so
Spanish variant of Alfonso.
Althea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ἀλθαία(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: ahl-THE-ah
From the Greek name Ἀλθαία (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek ἄλθος (althos) meaning "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.
Álvaro
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: AL-ba-ro(Spanish)
Personal remark: AHL-bah-ro
Spanish form of Alvarus, the Latinized form of a Visigothic name, possibly derived from the elements alls "all" and wars "aware, cautious" or wards "guard". Álvar Fáñez was an 11th-century military commander and duke of Toledo, who appears as a general of El Cid in the epic poem El Cantar de mio Cid. Verdi also used the name in his opera The Force of Destiny (1862).
Alyona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, Ukrainian
Other Scripts: Алёна(Russian) Альона(Ukrainian)
Pronounced: u-LYUY-nə(Russian)
Personal remark: Aljona; ahl-YO-nah
Originally a Russian diminutive of Yelena. It is now used independently.
Amada
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: a-MA-dha
Personal remark: ah-MAH-dah
Feminine form of Amado.
Amalric
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Gothic (Anglicized) [1]
Other Scripts: 𐌰𐌼𐌰𐌻𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃(Gothic)
Pronounced: AM-əl-rik(English) ə-MAL-rik(English)
Personal remark: AM-al-rik
From the Visigothic name *Amalareiks, derived from the Gothic element amals meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave", also referring to the royal dynasty of the Amali, combined with reiks meaning "ruler, king". 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.
Amancio
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: a-MAN-thyo(European Spanish) a-MAN-syo(Latin American Spanish)
Personal remark: ah-MAHNTH-yo
Spanish form of Amantius.
Amandine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: A-MAHN-DEEN
Personal remark: ah-mahn-DEEN
French diminutive of Amanda.
Amaranta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish (Rare), Italian (Rare)
Pronounced: a-ma-RAN-ta
Personal remark: ah-mah-RAHN-tah
Spanish and Italian form of Amarantha.
Ambrosia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Ἀμβροσία(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AM-BRO-SEE-A
Personal remark: ahm-bro-SEE-ah
Feminine form of Ambrosios (see Ambrose).
Amir 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Kazakh, Tatar, Bashkir, Malay, Indonesian, Bosnian
Other Scripts: أمير(Arabic) امیر(Persian, Urdu) Әмір(Kazakh) Әмир(Tatar, Bashkir) Амир(Russian)
Pronounced: a-MEER(Arabic)
Personal remark: AH-meer
Means "commander, prince" in Arabic. This was originally a title, which has come into English as the Arabic loanword emir.
Anna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Armenian, Icelandic, Faroese, Catalan, Occitan, Breton, Scottish Gaelic, Biblical, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: Άννα(Greek) Анна(Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Church Slavic) Աննա(Armenian) Ἄννα(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AN-ə(English) AN-na(Italian, Polish, Icelandic) A-na(German, Swedish, Danish, Greek, Czech) AH-na(Dutch) AHN-na(Norwegian) AHN-nah(Finnish) AWN-naw(Hungarian) AN-nə(Russian, Catalan)
Personal remark: 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 instead of Anna. 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 England, this Latin form has been used alongside the vernacular forms Ann and Anne since the late Middle Ages. Anna is currently the most common of these spellings in all English-speaking countries (since the 1970s), however the biblical form Hannah is presently more popular than all three.

The name was borne by several Russian royals, including an 18th-century empress of Russia. It is also the name of the main character in Leo Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina (1877), about a married aristocrat who begins an ultimately tragic relationship with Count Vronsky.

Anthea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ἄνθεια(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: AN-thee-ə(English)
Personal remark: Anthia; ahn-THEE-ah
From the Greek Ἄνθεια (Antheia), derived from ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera.
Anthony
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AN-thə-nee(American English) AN-tə-nee(British English)
Personal remark: AN-to-nee
English 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 4th-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. It has been commonly (but incorrectly) associated with Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower", which resulted in the addition of the h to this spelling in the 17th century.

Antía
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Galician
Pronounced: an-TEE-a
Personal remark: an-TEE-a
Galician feminine form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Dutch
Pronounced: an-TO-nee-oos(Latin) an-TO-nee-əs(English) ahn-TO-nee-uys(Dutch)
Personal remark: ahn-TOHN-yuws
Latin form of Anthony. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but commonly rendered Anton or Antoon in daily life.
Antony
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AN-tə-nee
Personal remark: AN-to-nee
Variant of Anthony. This was formerly the usual English spelling of the name, but during the 17th century the h began to be added.
Arantxa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: a-RAN-cha
Personal remark: ah-RAHN-chah
Diminutive of Arantzazu.
Arantzazu
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: a-RAN-tsa-soo
Personal remark: ah-RAHN-tsah-soo
From 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".
Ares
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ἄρης(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: A-REHS(Classical Greek) EHR-eez(English)
Personal remark: AH-res
Perhaps from either Greek ἀρή (are) meaning "bane, ruin" or ἄρσην (arsen) meaning "male". The name first appears as a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Hera.
Argiñe
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ar-GEE-nyeh
Personal remark: ahr-GEEN-ye
Feminine form of Argi. This is a Basque equivalent of Luz.
Ariadna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Catalan, Russian, Polish
Other Scripts: Ариадна(Russian)
Pronounced: a-RYADH-na(Spanish) ə-RYADH-nə(Catalan) a-RYAD-na(Polish)
Personal remark: ah-ree-AHD-nah
Spanish, Catalan, Russian and Polish form of Ariadne.
Ariadne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ἀριάδνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: A-REE-AD-NEH(Classical Greek) ar-ee-AD-nee(English)
Personal remark: ah-ree-AHD-ne or ar-ee-AD-nee
Means "most holy", composed of the Greek prefix ἀρι (ari) meaning "most" combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "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.
Armida
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish (Latin American)
Pronounced: ar-MEE-da(Italian) ar-MEE-dha(Spanish)
Personal remark: ahr-MEE-dah
Probably 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.
Astraea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ἀστραία(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: ahs-TRE-ah
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.
Asunción
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: a-soon-THYON(European Spanish) a-soon-SYON(Latin American Spanish)
Personal remark: ah-soonth-YON
Means "assumption" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven.
Athanaric
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Gothic (Anglicized) [1]
Other Scripts: 𐌰𐌸𐌰𐌽𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃(Gothic)
Personal remark: a-THA-na-rik
From the Gothic name *Aþanareiks, derived from the element aþn meaning "year" combined with reiks meaning "ruler, king". Athanaric was a 4th-century ruler of the Visigoths.
Athanasia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek, Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Αθανασία(Greek) Ἀθανασία(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: ah-thah-nah-SEE-ah
Feminine form of Athanasios (see Athanasius).
Athena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, English
Other Scripts: Ἀθηνᾶ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: A-TEH-NA(Classical Greek) ə-THEE-nə(English)
Personal remark: ah-THEE-nah
Meaning unknown. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. It is likely that her name is derived from that of the city, not vice versa. The earliest mention of her seems to be a 15th-century BC Mycenaean Greek inscription from Knossos on Crete.

The daughter of Zeus, she was said to have sprung from his head fully grown after he impregnated and swallowed her mother Metis. Athena is associated with the olive tree and the owl.

Athenais
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Ἀθηναΐς(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: ah-thee-nah-EES
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Athena.
Atticus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Literature, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ἀττικός(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: AT-i-kus
Latinized form of Greek Ἀττικός (Attikos) meaning "from Attica", referring to the region surrounding Athens in Greece. This name was borne by a few notable Greeks from the Roman period (or Romans of Greek background). The author Harper Lee used the name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) for an Alabama lawyer who defends a black man accused of raping a white woman.
Aurelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Romanian, Italian, Spanish, Polish
Pronounced: ow-REH-lee-a(Latin) ow-REH-lya(Italian, Spanish, Polish)
Personal remark: ow-REHL-yah
Feminine form of Aurelius.
Aurelius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: ow-REH-lee-oos(Latin) aw-REEL-ee-əs(English)
Personal remark: ow-REHL-yuws
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.
Barra
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Personal remark: BAR-a
Diminutive of Finbar or Bairrfhionn.
Bartholomew
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: bahr-THAHL-ə-myoo(English)
Personal remark: bahr-THOL-e-myoo
English form of Βαρθολομαῖος (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, possibly the same person as the apostle Nathanael. According to tradition he was a missionary to India before returning westward to Armenia, where he was martyred by flaying. Due to the popularity of this saint the name became common in England during the Middle Ages.
Bartolomé
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: bar-to-lo-MEH
Personal remark: bahr-to-lo-ME
Spanish form of Bartholomew.
Bethany
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BETH-ə-nee
Personal remark: BETH-a-nee
From the name of a biblical town, Βηθανία (Bethania) in Greek, which is probably of Aramaic or Hebrew origin, possibly meaning "house of affliction" or "house of figs". In the New Testament the town of Bethany is 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.
Bidane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Personal remark: bee-DAH-ne
Means "way" in Basque.
Bonnie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BAHN-ee
Personal remark: BON-ee
Means "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.
Brendan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English, Breton
Pronounced: BREHN-dən(English) BREHN-dahn(Breton)
Personal remark: BREN-dan
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.
Cadogan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh (Rare)
Personal remark: KAD-o-gan
Anglicized form of Cadwgan.
Caetano
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Portuguese
Personal remark: kah-e-TAH-no
Portuguese form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).
Cain
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: קָיִן(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: KAYN(English)
Personal remark: 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 of meat instead of his offering of plant-based foods. After this Cain was banished to be a wanderer.
Cairbre
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KAR-bryə
Personal remark: KAR-bra
Means "charioteer" in Irish. This was the name of two semi-legendary high kings of Ireland.
Caitria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Personal remark: KAT-ree-a
Possibly a form of Caitríona.
Caitríona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: kə-TRYEE-nə, KAT-ryee-nə
Personal remark: ka-TREE-nah
Irish form of Katherine.
Caius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: GA-ee-oos(Latin) KIE-əs(English)
Personal remark: KAH-yuws
Roman variant of Gaius.
Calbhach
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Medieval Irish
Pronounced: KAL-ə-wəkh
Personal remark: KAL-va [?]
Means "bald" in Irish.
Calvagh
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Medieval Irish (Anglicized)
Personal remark: KAL-va
Anglicized form of Calbhach.
Caolán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KEE-lan
Personal remark: KAY-lan
From Irish caol meaning "slender" combined with the diminutive suffix -án.
Carbrey
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Pronounced: KAHR-bree(English)
Personal remark: KAHR-bree
Anglicized form of Cairbre.
Carbry
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Pronounced: KAHR-bree(English)
Personal remark: KAHR-bree
Anglicized form of Cairbre.
Cardea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Roman Mythology
Pronounced: KAR-deh-a(Latin)
Personal remark: kahr-DE-ah
Derived from Latin cardo meaning "hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.
Carey
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KEHR-ee
Personal remark: CAR-ee
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Ciardha, which is a patronymic derived from the given name Ciardha.
Carles
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Catalan
Pronounced: KAR-ləs
Personal remark: KAHR-les
Catalan form of Charles.
Cary
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KEHR-ee
Personal remark: KAR-ee
Variant of Carey. A famous bearer was the British-American actor Cary Grant (1904-1986).
Catalina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Corsican
Pronounced: ka-ta-LEE-na(Spanish)
Personal remark: kah-tah-LEE-nah
Spanish and Corsican form of Katherine.
Catarina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Portuguese, Occitan, Galician
Pronounced: ku-tu-REE-nu(European Portuguese) ka-ta-REE-nu(Brazilian Portuguese) ka-ta-REE-na(Galician)
Personal remark: kah-tah-REE-nah
Portuguese, Occitan and Galician form of Katherine.
Caterina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Catalan
Pronounced: ka-teh-REE-na(Italian) kə-tə-REE-nə(Catalan)
Personal remark: kah-te-REE-nah
Italian and Catalan form of Katherine.
Cathán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Old Irish
Personal remark: KAYN [?]
Derived from Old Irish cath "battle" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Cathán was a 6th-century Irish monk, a missionary to the Isle of Bute.
Catharina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Dutch, Swedish
Pronounced: ka-ta-REE-na(Dutch)
Personal remark: kah-tah-REE-nah
Dutch and Swedish form of Katherine.
Catherina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: kath-ə-REE-nə, ka-THREE-nə
Personal remark: kah-te-REE-nah
Variant of Katherine.
Cathrin
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German
Pronounced: ka-TREEN
Personal remark: KAHT-reen
German short form of Katharina.
Catina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Romanian (Rare)
Personal remark: kah-TEE-nah
Contracted form of Cătălina.
Cato 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: KA-to(Latin) KAY-to(English)
Personal remark: KAH-to or KAY-to
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 descendants, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.
Catrin
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh, German
Pronounced: KAT-rin(Welsh) ka-TREEN(German)
Personal remark: KAHT-reen
Welsh form of Katherine, as well as a German short form of Katharina.
Cayetano
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: kie-eh-TA-no
Personal remark: kah-ye-TAH-no
Spanish form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).
César
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: SEH-ZAR(French) THEH-sar(European Spanish) SEH-sar(Latin American Spanish) SEH-zur(European Portuguese) SEH-zukh(Brazilian Portuguese)
Personal remark: SE-sahr
French, Spanish and Portuguese form of Caesar. A famous bearer was the American labour organizer César Chávez (1927-1993).
Cesare
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: CHEH-za-reh
Personal remark: che-SAH-re
Italian form of Caesar.
Christian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: KRIS-chən(English) KRISH-chən(English) KREES-TYAHN(French) KRIS-tee-an(German) KRIS-ti-an(Swedish, Norwegian) KREHS-dyan(Danish)
Personal remark: KRIST-yahn
From the medieval Latin name Christianus meaning "a Christian" (see Christos 1 for further etymology). 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.

This was a top-ten name in France for most of the 1940s and 50s, while in Germany it was the most popular name for several years in the 1970s and 80s. In the United States it peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Famous bearers include Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), the Danish author of such fairy tales as The Ugly Duckling and The Emperor's New Clothes, and the French fashion designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).

Cianán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Old Irish [1]
Personal remark: KEEN-an
Diminutive of Cian. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish saint.
Ciarán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: KYEE-ran(Irish)
Personal remark: KEER-an
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.
Columbine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: KAWL-əm-bien
Personal remark: KOL-um-bien
From the name of a variety of flower. It is also an English form of Colombina, the pantomime character.
Conleth
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Personal remark: KON-lee [?]
Anglicized form of the Old Irish name Conláed, possibly meaning "constant fire" from cunnail "prudent, constant" and áed "fire". Saint Conláed was a 5th-century bishop of Kildare.
Conley
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Personal remark: KON-lee
Anglicized form of Conleth.
Constance
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: KAHN-stəns(English) KAWNS-TAHNS(French)
Personal remark: KON-stans
Medieval form of Constantia. The Normans introduced this name to England (it was the name of a daughter of William the Conqueror).
Constantina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Late Roman, Romanian
Personal remark: kon-stan-TEE-nah
Feminine form of Constantinus (see Constantine).
Constantine
Gender: Masculine
Usage: History
Pronounced: KAHN-stən-teen(English)
Personal remark: KON-stan-teen
From the Latin name Constantinus, a derivative of Constans. Constantine the Great (272-337), full name Flavius Valerius Constantinus, was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
Cormac
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish Mythology, Irish
Personal remark: KOR-mak
From Old Irish Cormacc or Corbmac, of uncertain meaning, possibly from corb "chariot, wagon" or corbbad "defilement, corruption" combined with macc "son". This is the name of several characters from Irish legend, including the semi-legendary high king Cormac mac Airt who supposedly ruled in the 3rd century, during the adventures of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill. This name was also borne by a few early saints.
Curro
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: KOO-ro
Personal remark: KOO-ro
Andalusian diminutive of Francisco.
Daciana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Romanian
Pronounced: da-chee-AN-a
Personal remark: dahs-YAH-nah [?]
Feminine form of Dacian.
Dáire
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: DA-ryə(Irish)
Personal remark: DAR-a
Means "fruitful, fertile" in Irish. This name is borne by many figures in Irish legend, including the Ulster chief Dáire mac Fiachna 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.
Daphne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology, English, Dutch
Other Scripts: Δάφνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: DA-PNEH(Classical Greek) DAF-nee(English) DAHF-nə(Dutch)
Personal remark: 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
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Personal remark: DAR-a
Anglicized form of Dáire.
Daragh
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Personal remark: DAR-a
Anglicized form of Dáire or Darach.
Darragh
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Personal remark: DAR-a
Anglicized form of Dáire or Darach.
Daveth
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Cornish
Personal remark: DAV-eth
Cornish form of David.
Davinia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare), Spanish (Modern)
Personal remark: dah-VEEN-yah
Probably an elaboration of Davina. About 1980 this name jumped in popularity in Spain, possibly due to the main character on the British television series The Foundation (1977-1979), which was broadcast in Spain as La Fundación.
Decimus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: DEH-kee-moos
Personal remark: DE-tsi-muws
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "tenth" in Latin.
Deloris
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: də-LAWR-is
Personal remark: de-LOR-is
Variant of Dolores.
Desideria
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare), Late Roman
Pronounced: deh-see-DHEH-rya(Spanish)
Personal remark: de-see-DER-yah
Feminine 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.
Desiderio
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: deh-see-DHEH-ryo(Spanish)
Personal remark: de-see-DER-yo
Italian and Spanish form of Desiderius.
Despina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Δέσποινα(Greek)
Pronounced: DHEH-spee-na
Personal remark: DES-pee-nah
Modern Greek form of Despoina.
Diego
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Italian
Pronounced: DYEH-gho(Spanish) DYEH-go(Italian)
Personal remark: DYE-go
Spanish name, possibly 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 διδαχή (didache) meaning "teaching". Saint Didacus (or Diego) was a 15th-century Franciscan brother based in Alcalá, Spain. Other famous bearers of this name include Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (1886-1957) and Argentine soccer player Diego Maradona (1960-2020).
Domenico
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: do-MEH-nee-ko
Personal remark: do-ME-nee-ko
Italian form of Dominic. Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.
Dominga
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: do-MEENG-ga
Personal remark: do-MING-gah
Spanish feminine form of Dominic.
Domingo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: do-MEENG-go
Personal remark: do-MING-go
Spanish form of Dominic.
Donata
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Polish, Lithuanian, Late Roman
Pronounced: do-NA-ta(Italian)
Personal remark: do-NAH-tah
Feminine form of Donatus (see Donato).
Dymphna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: History (Ecclesiastical), Irish
Pronounced: DIMF-nə(English)
Personal remark: DIMF-na
Form of Damhnait. According to legend, Saint Dymphna was a young 7th-century woman from Ireland who was martyred by her father in the Belgian town of Geel. She is the patron saint of the mentally ill.
Éanna
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Personal remark: AY-na
Modern Irish form of Énna.
Ederne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque (Rare)
Pronounced: eh-DHEHR-neh
Personal remark: e-DER-ne
Feminine variant of Eder 2.
Edurne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: eh-DHOOR-neh
Personal remark: e-DOOR-ne
Means "snow" in Basque, from edur, a variant of elur "snow". It is an equivalent of Nieves, proposed by the writer Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Efisio
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: eh-FEE-zyo
Personal remark: e-FEES-yo
From 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.
Eguzkiñe
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: eh-GHOOS-kee-nyeh
Personal remark: e-GOOS-keen-ye
Feminine form of Eguzki.
Ekain
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: eh-KIEN
Personal remark: E-kien
Means "June (month)" in Basque.
Elaine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Arthurian Romance
Pronounced: i-LAYN(English) ee-LAYN(English)
Personal remark: i-LAYN
From an Old French form of Helen. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation Le Morte d'Arthur Elaine was the daughter of Pelles, the lover of Lancelot, and the mother of Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian epic Idylls of the King (1859).
Elena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Lithuanian, Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Greek, German, English, Medieval Slavic
Other Scripts: Елена(Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, Church Slavic) Έλενα(Greek)
Pronounced: EH-leh-na(Italian, Czech, German) eh-LEH-na(Spanish) eh-lyeh-NU(Lithuanian) yi-LYEH-nə(Russian) i-LYEH-nə(Russian) EHL-ə-nə(English) ə-LAY-nə(English)
Personal remark: EL-e-nah
Form of Helen used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Елена (see Yelena).
Elisa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Finnish, English
Pronounced: eh-LEE-za(Italian, German) eh-LEE-sa(Spanish) EH-lee-sah(Finnish) ə-LEE-sə(English)
Personal remark: e-LEE-sah
Short form of Elisabeth.
Eliseo
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: eh-lee-ZEH-o(Italian) eh-lee-SEH-o(Spanish)
Personal remark: Elisea; e-lee-SE-ah
Italian and Spanish form of Elisha.
Elissa 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Roman Mythology
Personal remark: e-LI-sah
Meaning unknown, possibly Phoenician in origin. This is another name of Dido, the legendary queen of Carthage.
Elizabeth
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: i-LIZ-ə-bəth(English)
Personal remark: e-LIZ-a-beth
From Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע ('Elisheva') meaning "my God is an oath", derived from the roots אֵל ('el) referring to the Hebrew God and שָׁבַע (shava') meaning "oath". 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. In American name statistics (as recorded since 1880) it has never ranked lower than 30, making it the most consistently popular name for girls in the United States.

Besides Elizabeth I, this name has been borne (in various spellings) by many other European royals, including a ruling empress of Russia in the 18th century. Famous modern bearers include the British queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) and actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011).

Elkan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: עֶלְקָן(Hebrew)
Personal remark: EL-kahn
Variant of Elkanah.
Ella 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHL-ə
Personal remark: EL-a
Norman name, originally a short form of Germanic names containing the element alles meaning "other" (Proto-Germanic *aljaz). 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).
Émeric
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French
Pronounced: EHM-REEK
Personal remark: EM-e-rik
French form of Emmerich.
Encarna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: eng-KAR-na
Personal remark: en-KAHR-nah
Short form of Encarnación.
Enric
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Catalan
Pronounced: ən-REEK
Personal remark: EN-rik
Catalan form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Érico
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Portuguese
Personal remark: E-ree-ko
Portuguese form of Eric.
Erlea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque (Rare)
Personal remark: er-LE-ah
Means "bee" in Basque.
Ernesto
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: ehr-NEHS-to(Spanish)
Personal remark: er-NES-to
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Ernest.
Eros
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ἔρως(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: EH-RAWS(Classical Greek) EHR-aws(English)
Personal remark: 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.
Erramun
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Basque
Personal remark: e-RAH-moon
Basque form of Raymond.
Eskarne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque (Rare)
Personal remark: es-KAHR-ne
Means "mercy" in Basque. It is a Basque equivalent of Mercedes.
Esteban
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: ehs-TEH-ban
Personal remark: es-TE-bahn
Spanish form of Stephen.
Estebe
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: EHS-teh-beh
Personal remark: es-TE-be
Basque form of Stephen.
Estevo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Galician
Personal remark: es-TE-vo
Galician form of Stephen.
Esti
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque (Rare)
Personal remark: ES-tee
Means "sweet, honey", from Basque ezti.
Estiñe
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque (Rare)
Personal remark: Estiñe; es-TEEN-ye
Variant of Esti.
Eukene
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ew-KEH-neh
Personal remark: e-oo-KE-ne
Basque form of Eugenia.
Eunomia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Εὐνομία(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: ev-no-MEE-ah
Means "good order" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νόμος (nomos) meaning "law, custom". Eunomia was a Greek goddess, one of the Ὥραι (Horai), presiding over law.
Euphemia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek, English (Archaic)
Other Scripts: Εὐφημία(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: yoo-FEE-mee-ə(English) yoo-FEH-mee-ə(English)
Personal remark: ev-fe-MEE-ah
Means "to use words of good omen" from Greek εὐφημέω (euphemeo), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φημί (phemi) meaning "to speak, to declare". Saint Euphemia was an early martyr from Chalcedon.
Euthalia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Εὐθαλία(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: ev-thah-LEE-ah
Means "flower, bloom" from the Greek word εὐθάλεια (euthaleia), itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom".
Eva
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, Danish, Icelandic, Faroese, Romanian, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Croatian, Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: Εύα(Greek) Ева(Bulgarian, Russian, Church Slavic) ევა(Georgian) Էվա(Armenian)
Pronounced: EH-ba(Spanish) EH-va(Italian, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, Swedish, Icelandic, Greek) EE-və(English) EH-fa(German) EH-vah(Danish) YEH-və(Russian) EH-VAH(Georgian) EH-wa(Latin)
Personal remark: E-fah
Form of Eve used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. The 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.

This is also an alternate transcription of Russian Ева (see Yeva).

Evadne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Εὐάδνη(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: e-VAD-nee or e-VAHD-ne
From Greek Εὐάδνη (Euadne), from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" possibly combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". This name was borne by several characters in Greek legend, including 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: Εὔανδρος(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ee-VAN-dər(English) ə-VAN-dər(English)
Personal remark: ee-VAN-der
Variant of Evandrus, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὔανδρος (Euandros) meaning "good of man", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). 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.
Eve
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Estonian, Biblical
Other Scripts: חַוָּה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: EEV(English)
Personal remark: EEV
From the Hebrew name חַוָּה (Chawwah), which was derived from the Hebrew word חָוָה (chawah) meaning "to breathe" or the related word חָיָה (chayah) meaning "to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis, Eve and Adam were the first humans. God created her from one of Adam's ribs to be his companion. At the urging of a serpent she ate the forbidden fruit and shared some with Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

Despite this potentially negative association, the name was occasionally used by Christians during the Middle Ages. In the English-speaking world both Eve and the Latin form Eva were revived in the 19th century, with the latter being more common.

Evelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: eh-BEH-lya
Personal remark: e-VEHL-yah
Elaborated form of Eva.
Eztebe
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Basque (Rare)
Pronounced: EHS-teh-beh
Personal remark: es-TE-be
Basque form of Stephen.
Fabian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
Pronounced: FA-bee-an(German) FA-bee-ahn(Dutch) FA-byan(Polish) FAY-bee-ən(English)
Personal remark: FAH-bee-ahn
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.
Fabiola
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: fa-BYO-la(Italian, Spanish)
Personal remark: fahb-YO-lah
Latin diminutive of Fabia. This was the name of a 4th-century saint from Rome.
Fáelán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Old Irish [1]
Personal remark: FAY-lawn
Old Irish form of Faolán.
Faina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Фаина(Russian)
Pronounced: fu-EE-nə
Personal remark: fah-EE-nah
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from Phaenna.
Falk
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German
Pronounced: FALK
Personal remark: FAHLK
Means "falcon" in German.
Fantine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Literature
Personal remark: fan-TEEN
This 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".
Faolán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Pronounced: FEH-lan, FEE-lan
Personal remark: FAY-lawn
Means "little wolf", derived from Old Irish fáel "wolf" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an Irish saint who did missionary work in Scotland.
Felicitas
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Late Roman, Roman Mythology, German, Spanish
Pronounced: feh-LEE-kee-tas(Latin) feh-LEE-tsee-tas(German) feh-lee-THEE-tas(European Spanish) feh-lee-SEE-tas(Latin American Spanish)
Personal remark: fe-LEE-tsi-tahs
Latin name meaning "good luck, fortune". In Roman mythology the goddess Felicitas was the personification of good luck. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a slave martyred with her master Perpetua in Carthage.
Felina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Late Roman
Personal remark: fe-LEE-nah
Feminine form of Felinus.
Felix
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Pronounced: FEH-liks(German, Dutch, Swedish) FEE-liks(English) FEH-leeks(Latin)
Personal remark: 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).

Femke
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Frisian, Dutch
Pronounced: FEHM-kə(Dutch)
Personal remark: FEM-ke
Diminutive of Femme.
Fern
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FURN
Personal remark: FURN
From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Fernando
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: fehr-NAN-do(Spanish)
Personal remark: fer-NAHN-do
Spanish and Portuguese form of Ferdinand.
Ferran
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Catalan
Pronounced: fə-RAN
Personal remark: FER-an
Catalan form of Ferdinand.
Fidelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish (Rare)
Personal remark: fee-DEHL-yah
Feminine form of Fidel.
Fidelis
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Late Roman
Personal remark: fee-DE-lis
Original form of Fidel.
Fiera
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Esperanto
Pronounced: fee-EH-ra
Personal remark: fee-E-rah or FEE-rah
Means "proud" in Esperanto.
Filomena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Lithuanian
Pronounced: fee-lo-MEH-na(Italian, Spanish)
Personal remark: fi-lo-ME-nah
Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Lithuanian form of Philomena.
Fina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: FEE-na
Personal remark: FEE-nah
Short form of Serafina. Saint Fina, also known as Saint Serafina, was a 13th-century girl from the town of San Gimignano in Italy.
Flavia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: FLA-vya(Italian) FLA-bya(Spanish) FLA-wee-a(Latin)
Personal remark: FLAH-vee-ah
Feminine form of Flavius.
Flavian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: History (Ecclesiastical)
Personal remark: FLAY-vee-an
From 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.
Florentina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Romanian, Late Roman
Pronounced: flo-rehn-TEE-na(Spanish)
Personal remark: flo-ren-TEE-nah
Feminine form of Florentinus.
Florian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, French, Romanian, Polish, History
Pronounced: FLO-ree-an(German) FLAW-RYAHN(French) FLAW-ryan(Polish)
Personal remark: FLO-ree-ahn
From the Roman cognomen Florianus, a derivative of Florus. This was the name of a short-lived Roman emperor of the 3rd century, Marcus Annius Florianus. It was also borne by Saint Florian, a martyr of the 3rd century, the patron saint of Poland and Upper Austria.
Folke
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Swedish, Danish
Pronounced: FAWL-keh(Swedish)
Personal remark: FOL-ke
Short form of various Old Norse names that contain the element folk meaning "people", and thus a cognate of Fulk.
Fortunata
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Rare), Late Roman
Pronounced: for-too-NA-ta(Italian, Spanish)
Personal remark: for-too-NAH-tah
Feminine form of Fortunato.
Franca
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: FRANG-ka
Personal remark: FRAHNG-kah
Contracted form of Francesca.
Freya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Norse Mythology, English (Modern), German
Pronounced: FRAY-ə(English) FRAY-a(German)
Personal remark: FRIE-ah
From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). 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.

Friedrich
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German
Pronounced: FREE-drikh
Personal remark: FREED-rikh
German form of Frederick. This was the name of several rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Austria and Prussia. The philosophers Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) are two other famous bearers of this name.
Gaël
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, Breton
Pronounced: GA-EHL(French)
Personal remark: Gael; gah-EL
Form of Gael using French orthography.
Gerardo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: jeh-RAR-do(Italian) kheh-RAR-dho(Spanish)
Personal remark: khe-RAHR-do
Italian and Spanish form of Gerard.
Gerrard
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Personal remark: je-RAHRD
Variant of Gerard.
Ghislaine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: ZHEES-LEHN, GEE-LEHN
Personal remark: gis-LAYN
Feminine form of Ghislain.
Giacomo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: JA-ko-mo
Personal remark: JAH-ko-mo
Italian form of Iacomus (see James).
Gioacchino
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: jo-ak-KEE-no
Personal remark: jo-ah-KEE-no
Italian form of Joachim.
Gioachino
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: jo-a-KEE-no
Personal remark: jo-ah-KEE-no
Italian form of Joachim. A famous bearer was the Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868).
Goizane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: goi-SA-neh
Personal remark: goy-SAH-ne
Derived from Basque goiz meaning "morning".
Haizea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ie-SEH-a
Personal remark: ie-SE-ah
Means "wind" in Basque.
Hirune
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ee-ROO-neh
Personal remark: ee-ROO-ne
Variant of Irune.
Idonea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Archaic)
Personal remark: i-do-NE-ah
Medieval 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 [1].
Igone
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ee-GHO-neh
Personal remark: ee-GO-ne
Means "ascension" in Basque. It is an equivalent of Ascensión coined by the Basque writer Sabino Arana in 1910.
Irati
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ee-RA-tee
Personal remark: ee-RAH-tee
Means "fern field" in Basque.
Irune
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ee-ROO-neh
Personal remark: ee-ROO-ne
Means "trinity" in Basque, derived from hiru meaning "three".
István
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hungarian
Pronounced: EESHT-van
Personal remark: isht-VAHN
Hungarian form of Stephen. This was the name of the first king of Hungary. Ruling in the 11th century, he encouraged the spread of Christianity among his subjects and is considered the patron saint of Hungary.
Itsasne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ee-TSAS-neh
Personal remark: ee-CHAHS-ne
Variant of Itsaso.
Itsaso
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ee-TSA-so
Personal remark: ee-CHAH-so
Means "ocean" in Basque.
Itxaro
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ee-CHA-ro
Personal remark: ee-CHAH-ro
Means "hope, wait" in Basque.
Itxaso
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ee-CHA-so
Personal remark: ee-CHAH-so
Diminutive of Itsaso.
Ivana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Italian
Other Scripts: Ивана(Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: I-va-na(Czech) EE-va-na(Slovak)
Personal remark: ee-VAH-nah
Feminine form of Ivan.
Ivy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: IE-vee
Personal remark: IE-vee
From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.
Izar
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: ee-SAR
Personal remark: EE-sahr
Means "star" in Basque.
Jack
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JAK
Personal remark: JAK
Derived from Jackin (earlier Jankin), a medieval diminutive of John [1]. There could be some early influence from the unrelated French name Jacques [2]. 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. It is also borne by the actor Jack Nicholson (1937-) and the golfer Jack Nicklaus (1940-). Apart from Nicklaus, none of these famous bearers were given the name Jack at birth.

In the United Kingdom this form has been bestowed more frequently than John since the 1990s, being the most popular name for boys from 1996 to 2008.

Jackie
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JAK-ee
Personal remark: NN, JAK-ee
Diminutive of Jack or Jacqueline. A notable bearer was baseball player Jackie Robinson (1919-1972), the first African American to play in Major League Baseball.
Jael
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Portuguese
Other Scripts: יָעֵל(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: JAY-əl(English) JAYL(English)
Personal remark: jah-EL
From the Hebrew name יָעֵל (Ya'el) meaning "ibex, mountain goat". This name appears in the Old Testament belonging to the wife of Heber the Kenite. After Sisera, the captain of the Canaanite army, was defeated in battle by Deborah and Barak he took refuge in Heber's tent. When he fell asleep Jael killed him by hammering a tent peg into his head.
James
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: JAYMZ(English)
Personal remark: JAYMZ
English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus, a variant of the Biblical Latin form Iacobus, from 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.

This name has been used in England since the 13th century, 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. In American name statistics (recorded since 1880) this name has never been out of the top 20, making it arguably the era's most consistently popular name. It was the top ranked name for boys in the United States from 1940 to 1952.

Famous bearers include the English explorer Captain James Cook (1728-1779), the Scottish inventor James Watt (1736-1819), and the Irish 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 in 1953.

Jane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: JAYN
Personal remark: JAYN
Medieval 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. In the first half of the 20th century Joan once again overtook Jane for a few decades in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Famous bearers include the uncrowned English queen Lady Jane Grey (1536-1554), who ruled for only nine days, British novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817), who wrote Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, British primatologist Jane Goodall (1934-), and American actress Jane Fonda (1937-). This is also the name of the central character in Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre (1847), which tells of Jane's sad childhood and her relationship with Edward Rochester.

Janina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Polish, Finnish, Lithuanian, German, Swedish
Pronounced: ya-NYEE-na(Polish) YAH-nee-nah(Finnish) yu-nyi-NU(Lithuanian) ya-NEE-na(German)
Personal remark: yah-NEE-nah
Latinate form of Jeannine.
Jenaro
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: kheh-NA-ro
Personal remark: khe-NAH-ro
Spanish form of Januarius.
Josune
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: yo-SOO-neh
Personal remark: yo-SOO-ne
Feminine form of Josu.
Julia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Spanish, Polish, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Roman, Biblical
Other Scripts: Юлия(Russian) Юлія(Ukrainian)
Pronounced: JOO-lee-ə(English) YOO-lya(German, Danish, Polish) YOO-lee-ah(Swedish, Finnish) KHOO-lya(Spanish) YOO-lyi-yə(Russian) YOO-lee-a(Latin)
Personal remark: JOO-lee-ah
Feminine form of the Roman family name Julius. Among the notable women from this family were Julia Augusta (also known as Livia Drusilla), the wife of Emperor Augustus, and Julia the Elder, the daughter of Augustus and the wife of Tiberius. A person by this name has a brief mention in the New Testament. It was also borne by a few early saints and martyrs, including the patron saint of Corsica. Additionally, Shakespeare used it 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. A famous modern bearer is American actress Julia Roberts (1967-).

Julio
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: KHOO-lyo
Personal remark: KHOOL-yo
Spanish form of Julius.
Julius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, English, German, Finnish, Lithuanian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech
Pronounced: YOO-lee-oos(Latin, Swedish) JOO-lee-əs(English) YOO-lee-uws(German) YOO-leews(Finnish) YUW-lyuws(Lithuanian) YOO-lyoos(Danish) YOO-li-yuws(Czech)
Personal remark: JOO-lee-us
From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Greek ἴουλος (ioulos) meaning "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 gained renown as a military leader 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.

Kadri 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Estonian
Pronounced: KAH-dree
Personal remark: KAHD-ree
Estonian form of Katherine.
Kalyna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ukrainian (Rare)
Other Scripts: Калина(Ukrainian)
Pronounced: ku-LI-nu
Personal remark: kah-LEE-nah
From the Ukrainian word for a type of shrub, also called the guelder rose (species Viburnum opulus).
Katalin
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hungarian, Basque
Pronounced: KAW-taw-leen(Hungarian) ka-TA-leen(Basque)
Personal remark: kah-TAH-leen or kah-tah-LEEN
Hungarian and Basque form of Katherine.
Katarin
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Breton
Personal remark: kah-tah-REEN
Breton form of Katherine.
Katarina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Sorbian
Other Scripts: Катарина(Serbian)
Pronounced: ka-ta-REE-na(Swedish, German)
Personal remark: kah-tah-REE-nah
Form of Katherine in several languages.
Katell
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Breton
Personal remark: KAH-tel
Breton form of Katherine.
Katerina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Macedonian, Albanian, Russian, Bulgarian, Greek, Late Roman
Other Scripts: Катерина(Macedonian, Russian, Bulgarian) Κατερίνα(Greek)
Pronounced: kə-tyi-RYEE-nə(Russian)
Personal remark: kah-te-REE-nah
Macedonian and Albanian form of Katherine, a Russian short form of Yekaterina, a Bulgarian short form of Ekaterina, and a Greek variant of Aikaterine.
Kateryna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ukrainian
Other Scripts: Катерина(Ukrainian)
Pronounced: ku-teh-RI-nu
Personal remark: kah-te-REE-nah
Ukrainian form of Katherine.
Katharina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: ka-ta-REE-na(German, Swedish)
Personal remark: kah-tah-REE-nah
German form of Katherine.
Katherina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare), German
Pronounced: kath-ə-REE-nə(English) kə-THREE-nə(English) ka-teh-REE-na(German)
Personal remark: kah-te-REE-nah
Latinate form of Katherine. This is the name of the woman whom Petruchio marries and tries to tame in Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew (1593).
Kathrin
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German
Pronounced: ka-TREEN
Personal remark: KAHT-reen
German short form of Katharina.
Katinka
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Hungarian, Dutch
Pronounced: ka-TING-ka(German) KAW-teeng-kaw(Hungarian)
Personal remark: kah-TING-kah
German diminutive of Katharina, a Hungarian diminutive of Katalin and a Dutch diminutive of Catharina.
Katja
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Slovene, Croatian
Pronounced: KAT-ya(German) KAHT-ya(Dutch)
Personal remark: KAHT-yah
Form of Katya in various languages.
Katrin
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Swedish, Estonian
Pronounced: ka-TREEN(German) kah-TREEN(Swedish)
Personal remark: KAHT-reen
German, Swedish and Estonian short form of Katherine.
Katrina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: kə-TREE-nə(English)
Personal remark: kat-REE-na or kah-TREE-nah
Anglicized form of Caitrìona.
Kerry
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KEHR-ee
Personal remark: KER-ee
From the name of the Irish county, called Ciarraí in Irish Gaelic, which means "Ciar's people".
Keturah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: קְטוּרָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: kə-TOO-rə(English)
Personal remark: ke-TOO-rah
Means "incense" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament she is Abraham's wife after Sarah dies.
Kristjana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Icelandic
Personal remark: krist-YAH-nah
Icelandic form of Christina.
Laelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: LIE-lee-a
Personal remark: LIE-lee-ah
Feminine 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.
Laetitia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Late Roman, French
Pronounced: LEH-TEE-SYA(French)
Personal remark: le-TEETS-yah
Original Latin form of Letitia, as well as a French variant. This name began rising in popularity in France around the same time that Serge Gainsbourg released his 1963 song Elaeudanla Téïtéïa (this title is a phonetic rendering of the letters in the name Lætitia). It peaked in 1982 as the fourth most common name for girls.
Láilá
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Sami
Personal remark: LIE-lah
Sami variant form of Helga.
Layla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, English
Other Scripts: ليلى(Arabic)
Pronounced: LIE-la(Arabic) LAY-lə(English)
Personal remark: LIE-lah
Means "night" in Arabic. Layla was the love interest of the poet Qays (called Majnun) in an old Arab tale, notably retold by the 12th-century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in his poem Layla and Majnun. This story was 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.
Leila
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Persian, Arabic, Kurdish, English, French, Georgian
Other Scripts: لیلا(Persian) ليلى(Arabic) لەیلا(Kurdish Sorani) ლეილა(Georgian)
Pronounced: lay-LAW(Persian) LIE-la(Arabic) LAY-lə(English) LEE-lə(English) LIE-lə(English) LAY-LA(French)
Personal remark: LEY-lah
Variant of Layla, and the usual Persian transcription.

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.

Leith
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: LEETH
Personal remark: Laith; LAYTH
From 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.
Lelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian
Personal remark: LE-lee-ah
Italian form of Laelia.
Lenora
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Personal remark: le-NOR-a
Short form of Elenora.
Lenore
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: lə-NAWR
Personal remark: le-NOR
Short form of Eleanor. This was the name of the departed love of the narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven (1845).
Leticia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: leh-TEE-thya(European Spanish) leh-TEE-sya(Latin American Spanish)
Personal remark: le-TEES-yah
Spanish form of Letitia.
Leyla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Turkish, Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Persian, Arabic, English (Modern)
Other Scripts: لەیلا(Kurdish Sorani) لیلا(Persian) ليلى(Arabic)
Pronounced: LIE-la(Arabic) LAY-lə(English) LEE-lə(English) LIE-lə(English)
Personal remark: LEY-lah
Variant of Leila, and the usual Turkish, Azerbaijani and Kurdish form.
Liam
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English, French (Modern), Dutch (Modern), German (Modern), Swedish (Modern)
Pronounced: LYEEM(Irish) LEE-əm(English) LYAM(French)
Personal remark: LEE-am
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-).
Libitina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Roman Mythology
Pronounced: lee-bee-TEE-na(Latin)
Personal remark: li-bee-TEE-nah
Meaning uncertain, possibily from Etruscan lupu "dead". Libitina was the Roman goddess of funerals, corpses and death.
Lígia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Portuguese
Personal remark: Ligia; LEEKH-yah
Portuguese form of Ligeia.
Liviana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: lee-VYA-na(Italian)
Personal remark: li-vee-AH-nah
Feminine form of the Roman family name Livianus, which was itself derived from the family name Livius.
Lore 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: lo-REH
Personal remark: LO-re
Means "flower" in Basque.
Lorea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: lo-REH-a
Personal remark: lo-RE-ah
Variant of Lore 2.
Lorena 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Pronounced: lo-REH-na(Spanish)
Personal remark: lo-RE-nah
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian form of Lorraine.
Lucan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: History
Personal remark: LOO-kan
From the Roman cognomen Lucanus, which was derived from the name of the city of Luca in Tuscany (modern Lucca). Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.
Lucian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Romanian, English
Pronounced: LOO-chyan(Romanian) LOO-shən(English)
Personal remark: LOO-see-an
Romanian and English form of Lucianus. Lucian is the usual name of Lucianus of Samosata in English.
Luciano
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: loo-CHA-no(Italian) loo-THYA-no(European Spanish) loo-SYA-no(Latin American Spanish) loo-SYU-noo(Portuguese)
Personal remark: loos-YAH-no or loo-CHAH-no; NN Ciano, CHAH-no
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Lucianus.
Luminița
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Romanian
Pronounced: loo-mee-NEE-tsa
Personal remark: loo-mee-NEE-tsah
Means "little light", derived from Romanian lumina "light" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Madge
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAJ
Personal remark: MAJ
Diminutive of Margaret.
Maëlle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, Breton
Pronounced: MA-EHL(French)
Personal remark: mah-EL
Feminine form of Maël.
Maëlys
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: MA-EH-LEES
Personal remark: mah-E-lis
Feminine form of Maël, possibly influenced by the spelling of Mailys.
Maialen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: MIE-a-lehn, mie-A-lehn
Personal remark: mah-YAH-len or mah-yah-LEHN
Basque form of Magdalene.
Maite 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: MIE-teh
Personal remark: MIE-te
Means "beloved" in Basque.
Malaika
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Eastern African, Swahili
Personal remark: mah-LIE-kah
Means "angel" in Swahili, derived from Arabic ملك (malak).
Marc
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, Catalan, Welsh
Pronounced: MARK(French, Catalan)
Personal remark: MAHRK
French, Catalan and Welsh form of Marcus (see Mark).
Marcus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: MAR-koos(Latin) MAHR-kəs(English) MAR-kuys(Swedish)
Personal remark: MAHR-kuws
Roman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from the name of the Roman god Mars. This was among the most popular of the Roman praenomina. Famous bearers include 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.
Margaret
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAHR-grit, MAHR-gə-rit
Personal remark: MAHR-grit
Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. 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.

As an English name it has been very popular since the Middle Ages. It was the top name for girls in England and Wales in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, but it declined in the latter half of the 20th century.

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-). Others include American anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901-1978) and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).

Mariamne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: History
Personal remark: mah-ree-AHM-ne
From Μαριάμη (Mariame), the form of Maria used by the historian Josephus when referring to the wife of King Herod.
Maricruz
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Personal remark: mah-ree-KROOTH or mah-ree-KROOS
Short form of María Cruz or María De La Cruz.
Marilena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Romanian, Greek
Other Scripts: Μαριλένα(Greek)
Pronounced: ma-ree-LEH-na(Italian)
Personal remark: mah-ree-LE-nah
Combination of Maria and Elena.
Marisol
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: ma-ree-SOL
Personal remark: mah-ree-SOL
Short form of María Soledad. It is sometimes considered a combination of María and Sol 1, or from Spanish mar y sol "sea and sun".
Mark
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Russian, Belarusian, Dutch, Danish, Armenian, Biblical
Other Scripts: Марк(Russian, Belarusian) Մարկ(Armenian)
Pronounced: MAHRK(English, Dutch, Eastern Armenian) MARK(Russian)
Personal remark: MAHRK
Form of Latin Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark was the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Though the author's identity is not certain, some traditions hold him to be the same person as the John Mark who appears in the Book of Acts. 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 medieval legend of Tristan and Iseult 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 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He 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).

Marta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russian, Swedish, Icelandic, Latvian, Estonian, Georgian
Other Scripts: Марта(Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russian) მართა(Georgian)
Pronounced: MAR-ta(Spanish, Italian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, German) MAR-tu(European Portuguese) MAKH-tu(Brazilian Portuguese) MAR-tə(Catalan) MAHR-TAH(Georgian)
Personal remark: MAHR-tah
Form of Martha used in various languages.
Mary
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: MEHR-ee(English) MAR-ee(English)
Personal remark: MAR-ee
Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριάμ (Mariam) and Μαρία (Maria) — the spellings are interchangeable — which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. 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 mother of Jesus. According to the gospels, Jesus was conceived in her by the Holy Spirit while she remained a virgin. This name was also borne by Mary Magdalene, a woman cured of demons by Jesus. She became one of his followers and later witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection.

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. In the United States in 1880 it was given more than twice as often as the next most popular name for girls (Anna). It remained in the top rank in America until 1946 when it was bumped to second (by Linda). Although it regained the top spot for a few more years in the 1950s it was already falling in usage, and has since dropped out of the top 100 names.

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 is Mary Poppins from the children's books by P. L. Travers, first published in 1934.

The Latinized form of this name, Maria, is also used in English as well as in several other languages.

Matthias
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, French, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: Ματθίας(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ma-TEE-as(German) MA-TYAS(French) mə-THIE-əs(English) MAT-tee-as(Latin)
Personal remark: mah-TEE-ahs
From Greek Ματθίας (Matthias), a variant of Ματθαῖος (see Matthew). This form 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 (spelled Mátyás in Hungarian), including Matthias I who made important reforms to the kingdom in the 15th century.
Máxima
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: MAK-see-ma
Personal remark: MAHK-see-mah
Spanish feminine form of Maximus.
Maximus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: MAK-see-moos
Personal remark: MAHK-see-muws
Roman family name that was derived from Latin maximus "greatest". Saint Maximus was a monk and theologian from Constantinople in the 7th century.
Maytal
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: מֵיטַל(Hebrew)
Personal remark: MIE-tahl
Alternate transcription of Hebrew מֵיטַל (see Meital).
Menachem
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: מְנַחֵם(Hebrew)
Personal remark: ME-nah-khem
Hebrew form of Menahem.
Merav
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: מֵרַב(Hebrew)
Personal remark: ME-rahv
Hebrew form of Merab 1.
Michael
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: מִיכָאֵל(Ancient Hebrew) Μιχαήλ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: MIE-kəl(English) MI-kha-ehl(German, Czech) MEE-kal(Danish) MEE-ka-ehl(Swedish) MEE-kah-ehl(Norwegian) mee-KA-ehl(Latin)
Personal remark: 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 archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.

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).

In the United States, this name rapidly gained popularity beginning in the 1930s, eventually becoming the most popular male name from 1954 to 1998. However, it was not as overwhelmingly common in the United Kingdom, where it never reached the top spot.

Famous bearers of this name include the British chemist/physicist Michael Faraday (1791-1867), musician Michael Jackson (1958-2009), and basketball player Michael Jordan (1963-).

Miguel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese, Galician
Pronounced: mee-GHEHL(Spanish) mee-GEHL(European Portuguese) mee-GEW(Brazilian Portuguese)
Personal remark: mee-GEL
Spanish, Portuguese and Galician 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.
Mireia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Catalan, Spanish
Pronounced: mee-REH-yə(Catalan) mee-REH-ya(Spanish)
Personal remark: mee-REY-ah
Catalan form of Mirèio (see Mireille).
Mirela
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Romanian, Croatian, Albanian
Personal remark: mee-RE-lah
Romanian, Croatian and Albanian form of Mireille.
Miren
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: MEE-rehn
Personal remark: MEE-ren
Basque form of Maria.
Mitxel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Basque
Personal remark: MI-chel
Basque form of Michael.
Montserrat
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Catalan
Pronounced: moon-sə-RAT
Personal remark: mont-se-RAHT
From 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".
Nadejda
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, Bulgarian
Other Scripts: Надежда(Russian, Bulgarian)
Pronounced: nu-DYEZH-də(Russian)
Personal remark: nah-DEZH-dah
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Надежда (see Nadezhda).
Naděžda
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Czech
Pronounced: NA-gyezh-da
Personal remark: nahd-YEZH-dah
Czech form of Nadezhda.
Nagore
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: na-GHO-reh
Personal remark: NAH-go-re
From the name of a Basque village where there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Nahia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: NA-ya
Personal remark: NIE-ah
From Basque nahi meaning "desire, wish".
Naila
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: نائلة(Arabic)
Pronounced: NA-ee-lah
Personal remark: NIE-lah
Feminine 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.
Naomhán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Personal remark: NEEV-an
Means "little saint", derived from Irish naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Nawal
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: نوال(Arabic)
Pronounced: na-WAL
Personal remark: nah-WAHL
Means "gift" in Arabic.
Nefertari
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Egyptian
Pronounced: nehf-ər-TAHR-ee(English)
Personal remark: nef-er-TAHR-ee
From Egyptian nfrt-jrj meaning "the most beautiful" [1]. This was the name of an Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom (13th century BC), the favourite wife of Ramesses II.
Nekane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: neh-KA-neh
Personal remark: ne-KAH-ne
Means "sorrows" in Basque. It is an equivalent of Dolores, coined by Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Nephele
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Νεφέλη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: NEH-PEH-LEH(Classical Greek) NEHF-ə-lee(English)
Personal remark: ne-FE-lee
From Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud". 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.
Nere
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: neh-REH
Personal remark: NE-re
From Basque nere, a dialectal variant of nire meaning "mine".
Nero 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: NEH-ro(Latin) NIR-o(English)
Personal remark: NE-ro
Roman cognomen, which was probably of Sabine origin meaning "strong, vigorous". It was used by a prominent branch of the gens Claudia starting from the 3rd century BC. It was borne most famously by a Roman emperor of the 1st century, remembered as a tyrant. His birth name was Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, but after he was adopted as the heir of Claudius his name became Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus.
Nevan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: NEHV-ən(English)
Personal remark: NEV-an
Anglicized form of Naomhán.
Nevena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian
Other Scripts: Невена(Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian)
Personal remark: ne-VE-nah
Derived from South Slavic neven meaning "marigold".
Nieve
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish (Rare)
Personal remark: NYE-ve
Variant of Nieves.
Nieves
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: NYEH-behs
Personal remark: NYE-ves
Means "snows" in Spanish, derived from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows".
Nizhóní
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Indigenous American, Navajo
Personal remark: nee-ZHO-nee
From Navajo nizhóní meaning "beautiful" [1].
Nora 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Irish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: NAWR-ə(English) NO-ra(German)
Personal remark: NOR-a
Short form of Honora or Eleanor. Henrik Ibsen used it for a character in his play A Doll's House (1879).
Octavia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Pronounced: ahk-TAY-vee-ə(English) ok-TA-bya(Spanish) ok-TA-wee-a(Latin)
Personal remark: ok-TAH-vee-ah or ok-TAY-vee-a
Feminine form of Octavius. Octavia was the wife of Mark Antony and the sister of the Roman emperor Augustus. In 19th-century England it was sometimes given to the eighth-born child.
Oihana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: oi-A-na
Personal remark: oy-AH-nah
Feminine form of Oihan.
Ophelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Literature, Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Ὠφελία(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: o-FEEL-ee-ə(English) o-FEEL-yə(English)
Personal remark: o-FEHL-yah
Derived from Greek ὠφέλεια (opheleia) meaning "help, advantage". This was a rare ancient Greek name, which was either rediscovered or recreated 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 the daughter of Polonius and the potential love interest of Hamlet. She eventually goes insane and drowns herself after Hamlet kills her father. In spite of this negative association, the name has been in use since the 19th century.
Osane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Personal remark: O-sah-ne
Means "cure, remedy" in Basque. It is an equivalent of Remedios, proposed by Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Peter
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Slovene, Slovak, Biblical
Pronounced: PEE-tər(English) PEH-tu(German) PEH-tər(Dutch, Danish, Slovene) PEH-tehr(Slovak)
Personal remark: PEE-ter
Derived from Greek Πέτρος (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 [1].

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, Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up in J. M. Barrie's 1904 play, and Peter Parker, the real name of the comic book superhero Spider-Man.

Phaedrus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Φαῖδρος(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: FEED-rus
Latinized form of the Greek name Φαῖδρος (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.
Pherick
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Manx
Personal remark: FE-rik
Manx form of Patrick.
Phineas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: פִּינְחָס(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: FIN-ee-əs(English)
Personal remark: FIN-ee-as
Variant of Phinehas used in some English versions of the Old Testament.
Photine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Φωτίνη(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: fo-tee-NEE
Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)). 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.
Photios
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Φώτιος(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: FO-tee-os
Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)).
Rafael
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese, German, Hungarian, Romanian, Slovene, Hebrew
Other Scripts: רָפָאֵל(Hebrew) Рафаел(Macedonian)
Pronounced: ra-fa-EHL(Spanish, European Portuguese) ha-fa-EW(Brazilian Portuguese) RA-fa-ehl(German) RAW-faw-ehl(Hungarian)
Personal remark: RAH-fah-el
Form of Raphael in various languages. A famous bearer is the Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal (1986-).
Regulus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Astronomy
Pronounced: REH-goo-loos(Latin)
Personal remark: REG-yu-lus or RE-goo-luws
Roman cognomen meaning "prince, little king", a diminutive of Latin rex "king". This was the cognomen of several 3rd-century BC consuls from the gens Atilia. It was also the name of several early saints. A star in the constellation Leo bears this name as well.
Remei
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Catalan
Pronounced: rə-MAY
Personal remark: re-MEY
Means "remedy" in Catalan, a Catalan equivalent of Remedios.
Rocío
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: ro-THEE-o(European Spanish) ro-SEE-o(Latin American Spanish)
Personal remark: 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".
Romain
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French
Pronounced: RAW-MEHN
Personal remark: ro-MAYN
French form of Romanus (see Roman).
Romaine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: RAW-MEHN(French) ro-MAYN(English)
Personal remark: ro-MAYN
French feminine form of Romanus (see Roman).
Roman
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, Slovene, Croatian, Estonian, German, English
Other Scripts: Роман(Russian, Ukrainian)
Pronounced: ru-MAN(Russian) RAWN-man(Polish) RO-man(Czech, German) RAW-man(Slovak) RO-mən(English)
Personal remark: ro-MAHN
From the Late Latin name Romanus meaning "Roman". This name was borne by several early saints including a 7th-century bishop of Rouen, as well as medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv and Moldavia.
Romane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: RAW-MAN
Personal remark: ro-MAHN
French feminine form of Romanus (see Roman).
Romano
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: ro-MA-no
Personal remark: ro-MAH-no
Italian form of Romanus (see Roman).
Romeo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Romanian
Pronounced: ro-MEH-o(Italian) RO-mee-o(English)
Personal remark: RO-me-o or RO-mee-o
Italian form of the Late Latin Romaeus or Late Greek Ρωμαῖος (Romaios), which meant "from Rome" or "Roman". Romeo is best known as the lover of Juliet in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596). Shakespeare based his play on earlier Italian stories by Luigi Da Porto (1524) and Matteo Bandello (1554), which both featured characters named Giulietta and Romeo.
Rosemarie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Dutch
Pronounced: ROZ-mə-ree(English) ROZ-mehr-ee(English) RO-zə-ma-ree(German)
Personal remark: ROZ-ma-ree
Variant of Rosemary.
Rosemary
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: ROZ-mə-ree, ROZ-mehr-ee
Personal remark: ROZ-ma-ree
Combination 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.
Roxana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Ῥωξάνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: rahk-SAN-ə(English) rok-SA-na(Spanish)
Personal remark: rok-SAH-nah
Latin form of Ῥωξάνη (Rhoxane), the Greek form of an Old Persian or Bactrian name, from Old Iranian *rauxšnā meaning "bright, shining" [1]. 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).
Rufus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, English, Biblical
Pronounced: ROO-foos(Latin) ROO-fəs(English)
Personal remark: ROO-fuws
Roman cognomen meaning "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.
Safira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Esperanto
Pronounced: sa-FEE-ra
Personal remark: sah-FEE-rah
From Esperanto safiro meaning "sapphire".
Salomé
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: SA-LAW-MEH(French) sə-loo-MEH(Portuguese)
Personal remark: SAH-lo-me
French, Spanish and Portuguese form of Salome.
Santino
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: san-TEE-no
Personal remark: sahn-TEE-no
Diminutive of Santo.
Santo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: SAN-to
Personal remark: SAHN-to
Means "saint" in Italian, ultimately from Latin sanctus.
Santos
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: SAN-tos
Personal remark: SAHN-tos
Means "saints" in Spanish. It is used in reference to the Christian festival Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints' Day) celebrated on November 1.
Sarina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Dutch, English (Modern)
Personal remark: sah-REE-nah
Diminutive of Sara, or sometimes a variant of Serena.
Sawney
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scots [1]
Personal remark: SAW-nee
Scots diminutive of Alexander.
Scholastica
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Late Roman
Personal remark: sko-LAHS-ti-kah
From a Late Latin name that was derived from scholasticus meaning "rhetorician, orator". Saint Scholastica was a 6th-century Benedictine abbess, the sister of Saint Benedict of Nursia.
Selene
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Σελήνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: SEH-LEH-NEH(Classical Greek) si-LEE-nee(English)
Personal remark: se-LEEN
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.
Sendoa
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: sehn-DO-a
Personal remark: sen-DO-ah
Means "strong" in Basque.
Serafina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Pronounced: seh-ra-FEE-na(Spanish)
Personal remark: se-rah-FEE-nah
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Seraphina.
Sheena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: SHEE-nə(English)
Personal remark: SHEE-na
Anglicized form of Sìne. This name was popularized outside of Scotland in the 1980s by the singer Sheena Easton (1959-).
Solène
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: SAW-LEHN
Personal remark: so-LEN
Variant of Solange.
Solveig
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Pronounced: SOOL-vie(Norwegian) SOOL-vay(Swedish)
Personal remark: SOOL-vie
From 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).
Sonja
Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Other Scripts: Соња(Serbian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: ZAWN-ya(German) SON-yah(Finnish)
Personal remark: ZON-yah
Form of Sonya in various languages.
Sorina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Romanian
Pronounced: so-REE-na
Personal remark: so-REE-nah
Feminine form of Sorin.
Sorley
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish
Pronounced: SAWR-lee(English)
Personal remark: SOR-lee
Anglicized form of Somhairle.
Sorne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque (Rare)
Personal remark: SOR-ne
Means "conception" in Basque. It is a Basque equivalent of Concepción.
Stamatia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Σταματία(Greek)
Personal remark: stah-MAHT-yah
Feminine form of Stamatios.
Steven
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Dutch
Pronounced: STEE-vən(English) STEH-vən(Dutch)
Personal remark: STEEV-en
Medieval English variant of Stephen, and a Dutch variant of Stefan. The filmmaker Steven Spielberg (1946-), director of E.T. and Indiana Jones, is a famous bearer of this name.
Svea
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swedish
Pronounced: SVEH-ah
Personal remark: SVE-ah
From a personification of the country of Sweden, in use since the 17th century. It is a derivative of Svear, the Swedish name for the North Germanic tribe the Swedes. The Swedish name of the country of Sweden is Sverige, a newer form of Svear rike meaning "the realm of the Svear".
Tacita
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Personal remark: tah-SEE-tah or tah-THEE-tah
Feminine form of Tacitus.
Tacito
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian (Rare)
Pronounced: TA-chee-to
Personal remark: tah-SEE-to
Italian form of Tacitus.
Taline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Armenian
Other Scripts: Թալին(Armenian)
Pronounced: tah-LEEN
Personal remark: tah-LEEN
Alternate transcription of Armenian Թալին (see Talin).
Tariq
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: طارق(Arabic)
Pronounced: TA-reek
Personal remark: TAH-rik
Means "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.
Taskill
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish (Rare)
Personal remark: TAS-kil
Anglicized form of Tasgall.
Tatjana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, German, Latvian, Lithuanian, Finnish, Estonian
Other Scripts: Татјана(Serbian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: tu-tyu-NU(Lithuanian) TAH-tyah-nah(Finnish)
Personal remark: taht-YAH-nah
Form of Tatiana in several languages, in some cases via Russian Татьяна (Tatyana).
Teman
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: תֵּימָן(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: TEE-mən(English)
Personal remark: te-MAHN
Means "right hand" or "south" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament this was the name of a grandson of Esau for whom the town of Teman in Edom was named.
Tercero
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish (Rare)
Pronounced: tehr-THEH-ro(European Spanish) tehr-SEH-ro(Latin American Spanish)
Personal remark: ter-THE-ro
Means "third" in Spanish. This name was traditionally given to the third child born.
Tertius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Pronounced: TEHR-tee-oos(Latin) TUR-shəs(English)
Personal remark: TER-tee-uws
This was both a Roman praenomen and a cognomen meaning "third" in Latin. It is mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament as the name of the person who wrote the letter (while Paul dictated it).
Theodoric
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Gothic (Anglicized)
Other Scripts: 𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌳𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃(Gothic)
Pronounced: thee-AHD-ə-rik(English)
Personal remark: thee-OD-o-rik
From the Gothic name *Þiudareiks meaning "ruler of the people", derived from the elements þiuda "people" and reiks "ruler, king". 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.
Theophania
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Θεοφάνια(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: the-o-FAHN-yah
Feminine form of Theophanes.
Theophila
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Θεοφίλα(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: the-o-FEE-lah
Feminine form of Theophilus.
Tisiphone
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Τισιφόνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ti-SIF-ə-nee(English)
Personal remark: ti-SIF-o-nee or ti-see-FO-nee
Means "avenging murder" in Greek, derived from τίσις (tisis) meaning "vengeance" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. She killed Cithaeron with the bite of one of the snakes on her head.
Torny
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Norwegian (Rare)
Personal remark: TOR-nee
From the Old Norse name Þórný, which was derived from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with nýr "new".
Traian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Romanian
Personal remark: TRAH-yahn [?]
Romanian form of Traianus (see Trajan 1).
Tryphena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: Τρύφαινα(Ancient Greek)
Personal remark: TREE-fe-nah
From the Greek name Τρύφαινα (Tryphaina), derived from Greek τρυφή (tryphe) meaning "softness, delicacy". This name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament.
Txomin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: CHO-meen
Personal remark: CHO-meen
Basque form of Dominic.
Udane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Personal remark: oo-DAH-ne
Derived from Basque uda meaning "summer".
Unai
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: oo-NIE
Personal remark: OO-nie
Means "cowherd" in Basque.
Valerian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian, Georgian, Romanian, History
Other Scripts: Валериан(Russian) ვალერიან(Georgian)
Pronounced: və-LIR-ee-ən(English)
Personal remark: val-ER-ee-an
From the Roman cognomen Valerianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name Valerius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Publius Licinius Valerianus) who was captured by the Persians. Several saints have also borne this name, including a 2nd-century martyr of Lyons.
Valeriana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Personal remark: vah-le-ree-AH-nah
Feminine form of Valerianus (see Valerian).
Valerius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Pronounced: wa-LEH-ree-oos(Latin) və-LIR-ee-əs(English)
Personal remark: vah-LE-ree-uws
Roman family name that was derived from Latin valere "to be strong". This was the name of several early saints.
Valkyrie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various
Pronounced: VAL-ki-ree(English)
Personal remark: 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.
Varinia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Spanish (Rare)
Personal remark: vah-RIN-yah
Feminine form of Varinius.
Varinius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Personal remark: vah-RIN-yuws
Roman family name possibly derived from Varius.
Varius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Personal remark: VAH-ree-uws
Roman family name meaning "versatile" in Latin. Varius Rufus was a Roman epic poet of the 1st century BC.
Veit
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German
Pronounced: FIET
Personal remark: FIET
German form of Vitus.
Vilko
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Slovene, Croatian
Personal remark: VIL-ko
Slovene and Croatian diminutive of William.
Vinicio
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: vee-NEE-cho(Italian) bee-NEE-thyo(European Spanish) bee-NEE-syo(Latin American Spanish)
Personal remark: vee-NEES-yo
Italian and Spanish form of the Roman family name Vinicius, which was possibly derived from Latin vinum "wine".
Viorica
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Romanian
Pronounced: vee-o-REE-ka
Personal remark: vee-O-ri-ka [?]
Derived from Romanian viorea (see Viorel).
Xabier
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Basque, Galician
Pronounced: sha-BYEHR(Basque) sha-bee-EHR(Galician)
Personal remark: shah-bee-ER; NN Xabi, SHAH-bee
Basque and Galician form of Xavier.
Yael
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: יָעֵל(Hebrew)
Pronounced: ya-EHL(Hebrew)
Personal remark: yah-EL
Hebrew form of Jael.
Zenobia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Ζηνοβία(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ZDEH-NO-BEE-A(Classical Greek) zə-NO-bee-ə(English)
Personal remark: zi-no-VEE-ah
Means "life of Zeus", derived from Greek Ζηνός (Zenos) meaning "of Zeus" and βίος (bios) meaning "life". This was the name of the queen of the Palmyrene Empire, which broke away from Rome in the 3rd-century and began expanding into Roman territory. She was eventually defeated by the emperor Aurelian. Her Greek name was used as an approximation of her native Aramaic name.
Zeru
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Basque
Pronounced: seh-ROO
Personal remark: SE-roo
Means "sky" in Basque.
Zinnia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: ZIN-ee-ə
Personal remark: ZIN-ee-a
From the name of the flower, which was itself named for the German botanist Johann Zinn.
Zorione
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Personal remark: so-ree-O-ne
Feminine form of Zorion.
Zulaykha
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic (Rare)
Other Scripts: زليخا(Arabic)
Pronounced: zoo-LIE-kha
Personal remark: zoo-LIE-khah
Arabic form of Zuleika.
Zuleika
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Literature
Pronounced: zoo-LAY-kə(English)
Personal remark: zoo-LEY-kah
Meaning uncertain, possibly of Arabic origin. According to medieval tradition, notably related by the 15th-century Persian poet Jami, this was the name of the biblical Potiphar's wife. She has been a frequent subject of poems and tales.
Zuriñe
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Basque
Personal remark: soo-REEN-ye
Derived from Basque zuri "white". This is a Basque equivalent of Blanca.
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