RoseWeasley95's Personal Name List

Acacia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: ə-KAY-shə
From the name of a type of tree, ultimately derived from Greek ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".
Adelaide
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, Portuguese
Pronounced: A-də-layd(English) a-deh-LIE-deh(Italian) a-di-LIE-di(European Portuguese) a-di-LIED(European Portuguese) a-deh-LIE-dee(Brazilian Portuguese)
Means "nobleness, nobility", from the French form of the Germanic name Adalheidis, which was composed of adal "noble" and the suffix heit "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great.

In Britain the parallel form Alice, derived via Old French, has historically been more common than Adelaide, though this form did gain some currency in the 19th century due to the popularity of the German-born wife of King William IV, for whom the city of Adelaide in Australia was named in 1836.

Adisa
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Yoruba
Means "bundled up and set to dry" in Yoruba.
Aisling
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: ASH-lyən
Means "dream" or "vision" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Akash
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Other Scripts: आकाश(Hindi, Marathi) আকাশ(Bengali)
Pronounced: a-KASH(Hindi)
Means "open space, sky" in Sanskrit.
Aleksandra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Serbian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Croatian, Macedonian, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Georgian
Other Scripts: Александра(Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian) ალექსანდრა(Georgian)
Pronounced: u-lyik-SAN-drə(Russian) a-lehk-SAN-dra(Polish) u-lyehk-SAN-dru(Lithuanian)
Form of Alexandra in several languages.
Alessandra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: a-lehs-SAN-dra
Italian form of Alexandra.
Aliza
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: עַלִיזָה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: ah-LEE-zah
Means "joyful" in Hebrew.
Alona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אַלוֹנָה(Hebrew)
Feminine form of Alon 1.
Amara
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Igbo
Means "grace" in Igbo.
Amelinda
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Amira 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אַמִירָה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: ah-MEER-ah
Feminine form of Amir 2.
Aria 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: AHR-ee-ə
Means "song, melody" in Italian (literally means "air"). An aria is an elaborate vocal solo, the type usually performed in operas. As an English name, it has only been in use since the 20th century, its rise in popularity accelerating after the 2010 premier of the television drama Pretty Little Liars, featuring a character by this name. It is not traditionally used in Italy.
Asar
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Osiris.
Asha 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
Other Scripts: आशा(Hindi, Marathi) ಆಶಾ(Kannada) ആശാ(Malayalam)
Derived from Sanskrit आशा (asha) meaning "wish, desire, hope".
Asha 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swahili
From Swahili ishi meaning "live, exist".
Aurelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Romanian, Italian, Spanish, Polish
Pronounced: ow-REH-lee-a(Latin) ow-REH-lya(Italian, Spanish, Polish)
Feminine form of Aurelius.
Avery
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AY-və-ree, AYV-ree
From an English surname that was itself derived from the Norman French form of the given names Alberich or Alfred.

As a given name, it was used on the American sitcom Murphy Brown (1988-1998) for both the mother and son of the main character. By 1998 it was more popular as a name for girls in the United States, perhaps further inspired by a character from the movie Jerry Maguire (1996).

Avra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Αύρα(Greek)
Greek form of Aura.
Ayla 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: אֵלָה(Hebrew)
Alternate transcription of Hebrew אֵלָה (see Ela 3).
Bellona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Roman Mythology
Pronounced: behl-LO-na(Latin) bə-LON-ə(English)
Derived from Latin bellare meaning "to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war, a companion of Mars.
Brooklyn
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: BRUWK-lən
From the name of a borough of New York City, originally named after the Dutch town of Breukelen, itself meaning either "broken land" (from Dutch breuk) or "marsh land" (from Dutch broek). It can also be viewed as a combination of Brook and the popular name suffix lyn. It is considered a feminine name in the United States, but is more common as a masculine name in the United Kingdom.
Brynmor
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh
From the Welsh place name Brynmawr meaning "great hill".
Bryson
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BRIE-sən
From an English surname meaning "son of Brice". Starting in the 1970s this name began steadily growing in popularity, likely because it features the same popular sounds found in other names such as Brice and Tyson.
Callum
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish
Pronounced: KAL-əm
Variant of Calum.
Christopher
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KRIS-tə-fər
From the Late Greek name Χριστόφορος (Christophoros) meaning "bearing Christ", derived from Χριστός (Christos) combined with φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.

As an English given name, Christopher has been in general use since the 15th century. It became very popular in the second half of the 20th century, reaching the top of the charts for England and Wales in the 1980s, and nearing it in the United States.

In Denmark this name was borne by three kings (their names are usually spelled Christoffer), including the 15th-century Christopher of Bavaria who also ruled Norway and Sweden. Other famous bearers include Italian explorer Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), English architect Christopher Wren (1632-1723) and the fictional character Christopher Robin from A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh books.

Cole
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KOL
From an English surname, itself originally derived from either a medieval short form of Nicholas or the byname Cola. A famous bearer was the songwriter Cole Porter (1891-1964), while a bearer of the surname was the musician Nat King Cole (1919-1965).

This name got more popular in the early 1980s, then got a boost in 1990 when it was used by the main character in the movie Days of Thunder.

Coralie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: KAW-RA-LEE
Either a French form of Koralia, or a derivative of Latin corallium "coral" (see Coral).
Dahlia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: DAL-yə, DAHL-yə, DAYL-yə
From the name of the flower, which was named for the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.
Darcy
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: DAHR-see
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French d'Arcy, originally denoting one who came from the town of Arcy in La Manche, France. This is the surname of a character, Fitzwilliam Darcy, in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice (1813).
David
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: דָּוִד(Hebrew) Давид(Russian, Serbian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: DAY-vid(English) da-VEED(Hebrew, Brazilian Portuguese) DA-VEED(French) da-BEEDH(Spanish) du-VEED(European Portuguese) də-BEET(Catalan) DA-vit(German, Dutch, Czech) DAH-vid(Swedish, Norwegian) du-VYEET(Russian)
From the Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dawid), which was derived from Hebrew דּוֹד (dod) meaning "beloved" or "uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament, Jesus was descended from him.

This name has been used in Britain since the Middle Ages. It has been especially popular in Wales, where it is used in honour of the 5th-century patron saint of Wales (also called Dewi), as well as in Scotland, where it was borne by two kings. Over the last century it has been one of the English-speaking world's most consistently popular names, never leaving the top 30 names for boys in the United States, and reaching the top rank in England and Wales during the 1950s and 60s. In Spain it was the most popular name for boys during the 1970s and 80s.

Famous bearers include empiricist philosopher David Hume (1711-1776), explorer David Livingstone (1813-1873), musician David Bowie (1947-2016), and soccer player David Beckham (1975-). This is also the name of the hero of Charles Dickens' semi-autobiographical novel David Copperfield (1850).

Desmond
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Irish
Pronounced: DEHZ-mənd(English)
Anglicized form of Irish Deasmhumhain meaning "south Munster", referring to the region of Desmond in southern Ireland, formerly a kingdom. It can also come from the related surname (an Anglicized form of Ó Deasmhumhnaigh), which indicated a person who came from that region. A famous bearer is the South African archbishop and activist Desmond Tutu (1931-2021).
Dymphna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: History (Ecclesiastical), Irish
Pronounced: DIMF-nə(English)
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.
Eirian
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Welsh
Means "bright, beautiful" in Welsh [1].
Elena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Lithuanian, Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Greek, German, English
Other Scripts: Елена(Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian) 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)
Form of Helen used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Елена (see Yelena).
Elia
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: eh-LEE-a
Italian form of Elijah.
Elin
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Welsh
Pronounced: EH-lin(Swedish, Norwegian, Welsh)
Scandinavian and Welsh form of Helen.
Eliška
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Czech, Slovak
Pronounced: EH-lish-ka(Czech) EH-leesh-ka(Slovak)
Czech and Slovak diminutive of Elizabeth.
Élodie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: EH-LAW-DEE
French form of Alodia.
Emery
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHM-ə-ree
Norman French form of Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.
Evelyn
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English, German
Pronounced: EHV-ə-lin(English) EEV-lin(British English) EEV-ə-lin(British English) EH-və-leen(German)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Aveline. In the 17th century when it was first used as a given name it was more common for boys, but it is now regarded as almost entirely feminine, probably in part because of its similarity to Eve and Evelina.

This name was popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 20th century. It staged a comeback in the early 21st century, returning to the American top ten in 2017.

Everett
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: EHV-ə-rit, EHV-rit
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Everard.
Fallon
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
From an Irish surname that was an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic Ó Fallamháin, itself derived from the given name Fallamhán meaning "leader". It was popularized in the 1980s by a character on the soap opera Dynasty.
Fay
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAY
In part from the English word fay meaning "fairy", derived from Middle English faie meaning "magical, enchanted", ultimately (via Old French) from Latin fata meaning "the Fates". It appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's chronicles in the name of Morgan le Fay. In some cases it may be used as a short form of Faith. It has been used as a feminine given name since the 19th century.

As a rarer (but older) masculine name it is probably derived from a surname: see Fay 1 or Fay 2.

Faye
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FAY
Variant of Fay.
Francisco
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: fran-THEES-ko(European Spanish) fran-SEES-ko(Latin American Spanish) frun-SEESH-koo(Portuguese) frun-SEES-koo(Portuguese)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Franciscus (see Francis). This is the Spanish name of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Other notable bearers include the Spanish painter and engraver Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) and the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975).
Gemma
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Catalan, English (British), Dutch
Pronounced: JEHM-ma(Italian) ZHEHM-mə(Catalan) JEHM-ə(British English) GHEH-ma(Dutch)
Medieval Italian nickname meaning "gem, precious stone". It was borne by the wife of the 13th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri.
Geneviève
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: ZHU-NU-VYEHV, ZHUN-VYEHV
From the medieval name Genovefa, which is of uncertain origin. It could be derived from the Germanic elements *kunją "clan, family, lineage" and *wībą "wife, woman". Alternatively it could be of Gaulish origin, from the related Celtic element *genos "kin, family" combined with a second element of unknown meaning. This name was borne by Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, who inspired the city to resist the Huns in the 5th century.
Grayson
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: GRAY-sən
From an English surname meaning "son of the steward", derived from Middle English greyve "steward". It became common towards the end of the 20th century because of its similarity to popular names like Jason, Mason and Graham.
Gwalchmei
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh Mythology
Variant of Gwalchmai.
Hadley
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAD-lee
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather field" in Old English.
Harmony
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAHR-mə-nee
From the English word harmony, ultimately deriving from Greek ἁρμονία (harmonia).
Hope
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HOP
From the English word hope, ultimately from Old English hopian. This name was first used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Imani
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Swahili, African American
Means "faith" in Swahili, ultimately of Arabic origin.
Ismene
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek Mythology
Other Scripts: Ἰσμήνη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: EEZ-MEH-NEH(Classical Greek) is-MEE-nee(English)
Possibly from Greek ἰσμή (isme) meaning "knowledge". This was the name of the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta in Greek legend.
Isobel
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Scottish
Anglicized form of Iseabail.
Isra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: إسراء(Arabic)
Pronounced: ees-RA
Means "nocturnal journey", derived from Arabic سرى (sara) meaning "to travel at night".
Ivy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: IE-vee
From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.
Jasper
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Dutch, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Pronounced: JAS-pər(English) YAHS-pər(Dutch)
From Latin Gaspar, perhaps from the Biblical Hebrew word גִּזְבָּר (gizbar) meaning "treasurer", derived from Persian ganzabara. This name was traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since the Middle Ages. The name can also be given in reference to the English word for the gemstone.
Javier
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: kha-BYEHR
Spanish form of Xavier.
Jia
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Chinese
Other Scripts: 佳, 家, etc.(Chinese)
Pronounced: CHYA
From Chinese (jiā) meaning "good, auspicious, beautiful", (jiā) meaning "home, family", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Katherine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KATH-ə-rin, KATH-rin
From the Greek name Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from an earlier Greek name Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess Hecate; it could be related to Greek αἰκία (aikia) meaning "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρός (katharos) meaning "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this.

The name was borne by a semi-legendary 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on a spiked wheel. The saint was initially venerated in Syria, and returning crusaders introduced the name to Western Europe. It has been common in England since the 12th century in many different spellings, with Katherine and Catherine becoming standard in the later Middle Ages. To this day both spellings are regularly used in the English-speaking world. In the United States the spelling Katherine has been more popular since 1973.

Famous bearers of the name include Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century mystic, and Catherine de' Medici, a 16th-century French queen. It was also borne by three of Henry VIII's wives, including Katherine of Aragon, and by two empresses of Russia, including Catherine the Great.

Katina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Greek, Macedonian, Bulgarian
Other Scripts: Κατίνα(Greek) Катина(Macedonian, Bulgarian)
Greek contracted form of Katerina. This name had a spike in popularity in America in 1972 when it was used for a newborn baby on the soap opera Where the Heart Is.
Keiko
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 慶子, 敬子, 啓子, 恵子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) けいこ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: KEH-KO
From Japanese (kei) meaning "celebration", (kei) meaning "respect", (kei) meaning "open, begin" or (kei) meaning "favour, benefit" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Kelly
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: KEHL-ee(English)
Anglicized form of the Irish given name Ceallach or the surname derived from it Ó Ceallaigh. As a surname, it has been borne by actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).

As a given name it was mostly masculine before 1940, but it rose in popularity as a name for girls during the 40s and 50s, probably due both to Grace Kelly (who married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956) and a female character on the 1957 television series Bachelor Father [1]. By the end of the 1970s it was on the decline.

Kit
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KIT
Diminutive of Christopher or Katherine. A notable bearer was Kit Carson (1809-1868), an American frontiersman and explorer.
Larkin
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Medieval English
Pronounced: LAHR-kin(English)
Medieval diminutive of Laurence 1.
Laurine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: LAW-REEN
Diminutive of Laure.
Lettie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LEHT-ee
Diminutive of Lettice.
Linden
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIN-dən
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".
Lindy
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIN-dee
Originally this was a masculine name, coming into use in America in 1927 when the dance called the Lindy Hop became popular. The dance was probably named for aviator Charles Lindbergh. Later this name was used as a diminutive of Linda.
Lorenzo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: lo-REHN-tso(Italian) lo-REHN-tho(European Spanish) lo-REHN-so(Latin American Spanish)
Italian and Spanish form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1). Lorenzo de' Medici (1449-1492), known as the Magnificent, was a ruler of Florence during the Renaissance. He was also a great patron of the arts who employed Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and other famous artists.
Lucy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LOO-see
English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.
Lunete
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arthurian Romance
Form of Eluned used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes in his poem Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. In the poem she is a servant of the Lady of the Fountain who aids the knight Yvain.
Malika
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: ملكة(Arabic)
Pronounced: MA-lee-kah
Means "queen" in Arabic, the feminine form of Malik 1.
Mari 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Estonian, Finnish, Welsh, Breton, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Georgian, Armenian
Other Scripts: მარი(Georgian) Մարի(Armenian)
Pronounced: MAH-ree(Finnish) MAW-ree(Hungarian) mah-REE(Swedish)
Estonian, Finnish, Welsh and Breton form of Maria, as well as a Hungarian diminutive of Mária. It is also a Scandinavian, Georgian and Armenian form of the French name Marie.
Maverick
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAV-ə-rik
Derived from the English word maverick meaning "independent". The word itself is derived from the surname of a 19th-century Texas rancher who did not brand his calves.
Millicent
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MIL-i-sənt
From the Gothic name *Amalaswinþa, composed of the elements amals "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and swinþs "strong". Amalaswintha was a 6th-century queen of the Ostrogoths. The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Melisent or Melisende. Melisende was a 12th-century queen of Jerusalem, the daughter of Baldwin II.
Millie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MIL-ee
Diminutive of Mildred, Millicent and other names containing the same sound.
Mira 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Other Scripts: मीरा(Hindi, Marathi) മീര(Malayalam) மீரா(Tamil) ಮೀರಾ(Kannada)
Means "sea, ocean" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a 16th-century Indian princess who devoted her life to the god Krishna.
Nadra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: نضرة(Arabic)
Pronounced: NAD-rah
Means "radiance" in Arabic.
Niraj
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Nepali
Other Scripts: नीरज(Hindi, Marathi, Nepali) નીરજ(Gujarati)
Means "water-born, lotus" in Sanskrit.
Océane
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: AW-SEH-AN
Derived from French océan meaning "ocean".
Ophelia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Literature, Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Ὠφελία(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: o-FEEL-ee-ə(English) o-FEEL-yə(English)
Derived from Greek ὠφέλεια (opheleia) meaning "help, advantage". This was a rare ancient Greek name, which was either rediscovered or recreated by the poet Jacopo Sannazaro for a character in his poem Arcadia (1480). 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.
Philomena
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, German, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Other Scripts: Φιλουμένη(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: fil-ə-MEE-nə(English)
From Greek Φιλουμένη (Philoumene) meaning "to be loved", an inflection of φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love". This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr. The name came to public attention in 1802 after a tomb seemingly marked with the name Filumena was found in Rome, supposedly belonging to another martyr named Philomena. This may have in fact been a representation of the Greek word φιλουμένη, not a name.
Pratibha
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hindi, Marathi
Other Scripts: प्रतिभा(Hindi, Marathi)
Means "light, splendour, intelligence" in Sanskrit.
Raiden
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Japanese Mythology
Other Scripts: 雷電(Japanese Kanji) らいでん(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: RA-EE-DEHN(Japanese)
From Japanese (rai) meaning "thunder" and (den) meaning "lightning". This is a regional epithet of the Japanese god Raijin.
Rani 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Telugu, Hindi, Marathi
Other Scripts: రాణీ(Telugu) रानी(Hindi) राणी(Marathi)
Means "queen" in Sanskrit.
Rani 2
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Hebrew
Other Scripts: רָנִּי(Hebrew)
From Hebrew רַן (ran) meaning "to sing".
Ravi
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Other Scripts: रवि(Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali) রবি(Bengali) ରବି(Odia) રવિ(Gujarati) రవి(Telugu) ரவி(Tamil) ರವಿ(Kannada)
Pronounced: RAH-vee(English) rə-VEE(Hindi) RAW-bee(Bengali)
Means "sun" in Sanskrit. Ravi is a Hindu god of the sun, sometimes equated with Surya. A famous bearer was the musician Ravi Shankar (1920-2012).
Rayner
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Archaic)
Pronounced: RAY-nər
From the Germanic name Raginheri, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and heri "army". Saint Rainerius was a 12th-century hermit from Pisa. The Normans brought this name to England where it came into general use, though it was rare by the end of the Middle Ages.
Reina 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: RAY-na
Means "queen" in Spanish.
Rohit
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Other Scripts: रोहित(Hindi, Marathi, Nepali) রোহিত(Bengali) ରୋହିତ(Odia) રોહિત(Gujarati) ರೋಹಿತ್(Kannada) రోహిత్(Telugu)
Derived from Sanskrit रोहित (rohita) meaning "red".
Roshni
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Marathi, Hindi
Other Scripts: रोशनी, रोश्नी(Marathi, Hindi)
From Hindi and Marathi रौशनी (raushani) meaning "light, brightness", ultimately of Persian origin.
Saki
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 咲希, 沙紀, 早紀, etc.(Japanese Kanji) さき(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: SA-KYEE
From Japanese (sa) meaning "blossom" and (ki) meaning "hope", besides other combinations of kanji characters.
Sameera 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic
Other Scripts: سميرة(Arabic)
Pronounced: sa-MEE-rah
Alternate transcription of Arabic سميرة (see Samira 1).
Samir 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Arabic, Azerbaijani
Other Scripts: سمير(Arabic)
Pronounced: sa-MEER(Arabic)
Means "companion in evening talk" in Arabic, from the root سمر (samara) meaning "to talk in the evening".
Samira 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Persian
Other Scripts: سميرة(Arabic) سمیرا(Persian)
Pronounced: sa-MEE-rah(Arabic)
Feminine form of Samir 1.
Santiago
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: san-TYA-gho(Spanish) sun-tee-A-goo(European Portuguese) sun-chee-A-goo(Brazilian Portuguese) sahn-tee-AH-go(English) san-tee-AH-go(English)
Means "Saint James", derived from Spanish santo "saint" combined with Yago, an old Spanish form of James, the patron saint of Spain. It is the name of the main character in the novella The Old Man and the Sea (1951) by Ernest Hemingway. This also is the name of the capital city of Chile, as well as several other cities in the Spanish-speaking world.
Shakti
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Hinduism, Hindi
Other Scripts: शक्ति(Sanskrit, Hindi)
Means "power" in Sanskrit. In Hinduism a shakti is the female counterpart of a god. The name Shakti is used in particular to refer to the female counterpart of Shiva, also known as Parvati among many other names.
Sona 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hindi
Other Scripts: सोना(Hindi)
Means "gold" in Hindi, derived from Sanskrit सुवर्ण (suvarna) meaning literally "good colour".
Sumati
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hinduism, Hindi
Other Scripts: सुमती(Sanskrit, Hindi)
Means "wise, good mind", derived from Sanskrit सु (su) meaning "good" and मति (mati) meaning "mind, thought". In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of King Sagara's second wife, who bore him 60,000 children.
Sunita
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Other Scripts: सुनीता(Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali)
Means "well conducted, wise", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with नीत (nita) meaning "conducted, led". In Hindu legend this is the name of the daughter of King Anga of Bengal.
Suresh
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali
Other Scripts: सुरेश(Hindi, Marathi, Nepali) சுரேஷ்(Tamil) సురేష్(Telugu) സുരേഷ്(Malayalam) ಸುರೇಶ್(Kannada)
Modern form of Suresha.
Theodore
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: THEE-ə-dawr
From the Greek name Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant "gift of god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.

This was a common name in classical Greece, and, due to both the saints who carried it and the favourable meaning, it came into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was however rare in Britain before the 19th century. Famous bearers include three tsars of Russia (in the Russian form Fyodor) and American president Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919).

Thulani
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Zulu
Means "be quiet, be peaceful" in Zulu.
Velia
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: VEH-lya
From the Roman family name Velius, which possibly means "concealed" in Latin.
Vidya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Hinduism, Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Other Scripts: विद्या(Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi) ವಿದ್ಯಾ(Kannada) విద్యా(Telugu) வித்யா(Tamil)
Means "knowledge, science, learning" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Saraswati.
Violet
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: VIE-lit, VIE-ə-lit
From the English word violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.
Yukiko
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 幸子, 雪子, 由喜子, 由貴子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ゆきこ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: YOO-KYEE-KO
From Japanese (yuki) meaning "happiness" or (yuki) meaning "snow" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Alternatively, it can come from (yu) meaning "reason, cause" with (ki) meaning "joy" or (ki) meaning "valuable" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Zahra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Arabic, Persian
Other Scripts: زهراء, زهرة(Arabic) زهرا(Persian)
Pronounced: zah-RA(Arabic) ZAH-rah(Arabic)
From Arabic زهراء (zahra), the feminine form of أزهر (azhar) meaning "shining, brilliant, bright". This is an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad's daughter Fatimah.

It can also be an alternate transcription of Arabic زهرة (see Zahrah), a name derived from a related root.

Zola 2
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Xhosa
From the Xhosa root -zola meaning "calm".
Zuri
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Swahili
Means "beautiful" in Swahili.
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