Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Petrarch m English (Anglicized, Rare, Archaic)The anglicized mononym of the Renaissance Tuscan Italian poet and scholar, Francesco Petrarca. It originates from his last name, which ultimately is a latinized form of his original surname, Petracco.
Petrichor f English (Canadian)The earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. The word is constructed from Greek petra (πέτρα), meaning "stone", and īchōr (ἰχώρ), the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology.... [
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Petrova f English, LiteratureRussian patronymic last name. Petrova is the name of one of the Fossil sisters in the book (and movie) 'Ballet Shoes' by Noel Streatfeild.
Pettifleur f EnglishA female English name. It is the first name of Real Housewife of Melbourne Pettifleur Berenger (1964-).
Peyote m EnglishMid 19th century from Latin American Spanish, from Nahuatl
peyotl, meaning "glisten" or "glistening". Other sources translate the Nahuatl word as "Divine Messenger"
Pharaoh m English, Mormon, African AmericanPharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the rulers of all Ancient Egyptian dynasties. Historically, however, "pharaoh" only started being used as a title for the king during the New Kingdom, specifically during the middle of the eighteenth dynasty, after the reign of
Hatshepsut... [
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Phila f EnglishFrom Ancient Greek φιλος
(philos) meaning "lover, friend", or a shortened form of names beginning with
Phila.
Philian m English, GermanDerived from
Philianus, which is the latinized form of Greek
Philianos. It is ultimately derived from Greek
philos "friend" or
phileo "to love". Compare also
Philon... [
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Phlox f English (Rare)Taken from the name of the flower, whose name is derived from Greek
phlox "flame". As a given name, it has been in occasional use in the English-speaking world from the late 19th century onwards.
Phronsie f EnglishDiminutive of Sophronia, the name of the youngest child in Margaret Sydney's "Five Little Peppers"
Phthisis m EnglishSimply from the English word (of Greek origin) which means "wasting, consumption". 'Not a name in frequent use, but a Phthisis Smith was named in Britain in 1915.'
Piercy m & f English (British, Rare)A variant of Piers, a Middle English form of Peter. Peter is derived from the Greek petros, meaning "stone" or "rock".
Pike m EnglishTransferred use of the surname
Pike. May also be used in reference to the various species of fish.
Pilot m English (Rare)Either from the surname
Pilot, which is derived from
Pilate, or directly from the vocabulary word
pilot, which is derived from either Greek πηδον
(pedon) "steering oar" or πλωτης
(plotes) "sailor"... [
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Pimpernel f Literature, English (Rare), Dutch (Rare)From the flower Scarlet Pimpernel, a low growing annual plant. It is well known for being the emblem of the fictional hero of the same name. Tolkien used the name for one of the Took sisters.
Pioneer m EnglishFrom early 16th century (as a military term denoting a member of the infantry) from French
pionnier ‘foot soldier, pioneer’, Old French
paonier, from
paon, from Latin
pedo, pedon-.
Pirate m & f English (Rare)From the English word
pirate, from Latin
pirata, from Greek
peiratēs, from
peirein ‘to attempt, attack’ (from
peira ‘an attempt’).
Pistol m EnglishFrom mid 16th century: from obsolete French
pistole, from German
Pistole, from Czech
pišt'ala, of which the original meaning was ‘whistle’, hence ‘a firearm’ by the resemblance in shape.
Pitt m English (Rare)Transferred use of the surname
Pitt. A fictional bearer was Sir Pitt Crawley in William Makepeace Thackeray's satirical novel 'Vanity Fair' (1848), a character apparently named in honour of the 18th-century British statesman William Pitt, nicknamed "The Great Commoner" (for whom the U.S. city of Pittsburgh was also named).
Pixie f EnglishFrom the English word
pixie, referring to a playful sprite or elf/fairy-like creature, originating from Devon and Cornwall.
Platinum f English (American, Rare)From the metal
platinum, derived from Spanish
platina, a diminutive of
plata "silver". It can also be taken from the color
platinum, derived from the metal.
Pleasure f & m English (African, Rare)From the English word
pleasrue meaning "A state of being pleased or contented; gratification." This name is most common in African countries like Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Uganda.
Plum f & m EnglishFrom Middle English
ploume, from Old English
plume "plum, plum tree," from an early Germanic borrowing (Middle Dutch
prume, Dutch
pruim, Old High German
pfluma, pfruma, German
Pflaume) from Vulgar Latin
*pruna, from Latin
prunum "plum," from Greek
prounon, a later form of
proumnon, a word of unknown origin, which is probably, like the tree itself, of Anatolian origin.
Poem m & f EnglishFrom French
poème or Latin
poema, from Greek
poēma, early variant of
poiēma ‘fiction, poem,’ from
poiein ‘create.’ See also
Poema.
Poet f & m English (American, Modern, Rare)From the English word meaning "someone who writes poems". From the Old French
poete, from Latin
poēta 'poet, author', from Ancient Greek
poiētēs (ποιητής) 'creator, maker, author, poet', from
poieō (poieō) 'I make, compose'.
Poinsettia f English (Rare)From the flower
Euphorbia pulcherrima, which was named for an American Minister to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, who discovered the flower in 1828.
Pop m & f English (Rare)Diminutive of
Poppy and nickname derived from
pop, shortened variation of papa "father," in use in American English as early as 1838.
Poppet f & m EnglishFrom the Middle English
popet, meaning "a small child or doll." Used in specifically British and formerly British controlled countries.
Portland f English (Rare)Meaning, "land surrounding the water" and used in reference to the place of Portland, Oregon which itself is named after Portland, Maine, which is thusly named after the Isle of Portland, England. This name was borne by comedienne, actress, and dancer, Portland Hoffa.
Praise-God m English (Puritan)From the English phrase
praise God, referring to giving God glory. A known bearer was Praise-God Barebone (or Barbon; c. 1598-1679), an English preacher and Fifth Monarchist after whom Barebone's Parliament of 1653 was named... [
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Prayer f & m EnglishMiddle English from Old French
preiere, based on Latin
precarius ‘obtained by entreaty,’ from
prex, prec- prayer.’
Pres m EnglishShort form of Preston, Prescott, or other names beginning with "Pres". Preston "Pres" Dillard is a character in the 1938 film "Jezebel."
Preshea f EnglishA notable fictional bearer of this name is Preshea Villentia, née Buss from Gail Carriger’s Finishing School book series. A notable bearer of a variant of this name is gospel singer Preashea Hilliard.
Pride f English (Puritan, Modern)From late Old English
prȳde ‘excessive self-esteem’, variant of
prȳtu, prȳte, from
prūd. Referring to "pride cometh before the fall."
Psalm m & f Various, English (African), FilipinoFrom the English word
psalm which refers to a sacred song or poem, especially one of the hymns by
David and others which were collected into the Old Testament
Book of Psalms... [
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Ptarmigan f English (Rare)This name comes from a small genus of birds in the grouse subfamily, whose genus name is Lagopus. The name is derived from Scottish Gaelic
tàrmachan, which is of unknown origin, and the
Pt- spelling was adopted as early as the 1680s through a mistaken Greek construction, which may be based on the Greek word
pteron meaning "wing."
Public-universal-friend m & f English (Puritan)Name of 1700s Quaker preacher, originally known as Jemima Wilkinson they changed it after they suffered a severe illness. They claimed to have died and been reanimated as a genderless evangelist.
Purifie m & f English (Puritan)Meaning, "to make ceremonially clean." Referring to being purified from sin through Christ's death and resurrection.
Purity f English (Rare)Middle English from Old French
purete, later assimilated to late Latin
puritas, from Latin
purus ‘pure’. From the English word purity, which means "freedom from immorality."
Purpose f EnglishMiddle English from Old French
porpos, from the verb
porposer, variant of
proposer. Meaning, "the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists."
Quartz m & f English (Rare)Derived from Middle High German
twarc, probably from a West Slavic source (compare Czech
tvrdy and Polish
twardy, both coming from Old Church Slavonic
tvrudu meaning "hard," which is derived from Proto-Slavic
*tvrd- and then a Proto-Indo-European root
*(s)twer- meaning "to grasp, hold, hard.")... [
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