Abd al-Aziz m ArabicMeans
"servant of the powerful" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
عزيز ('aziz) meaning "powerful". This was the name of the first king of modern Saudi Arabia.
Abd al-Hamid m ArabicMeans
"servant of the praiseworthy" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
حميد (hamid) meaning "praiseworthy". This was the name of two sultans of the Ottoman Empire.
Abd Allah m ArabicMeans
"servant of Allah" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
الله (Allah). This was the name of the Prophet
Muhammad's father. He died before his son's birth.
Abd al-Malik m ArabicMeans
"servant of the king" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
ملك (malik) meaning "king". This was the name of the fifth Umayyad caliph, who made Arabic the official language of the empire.
Abd al-Qadir m ArabicMeans
"servant of the capable, servant of the powerful" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
قادر (qadir) meaning "capable, powerful". This was the name of a 19th-century Algerian resistance leader.
Abd ar-Rahman m ArabicMeans
"servant of the merciful" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
رحمن (rahman) meaning "merciful". This was the name of two early caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain.
Abdastartus m Phoenician (Latinized)From the Greek form
Ἀβδάσταρτος (Abdastartos) of the Phoenician name
𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕 (ʿAbdʿashtart) meaning
"servant of Ashtoreth", derived from
𐤏𐤁𐤃 (ʿabd) meaning "servant, slave" combined with the name of the goddess
Ashtoreth. This was the name of a 10th-century BC king of Tyre, as recorded by the historian Josephus.
Abdiel m Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"servant of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, this is the name of a member of the tribe of Gad. In John Milton's
Paradise Lost (1667), this is the name of a seraph who withstands Satan when he urges the angels to revolt.
Abdolhossein m PersianMeans
"servant of al-Husayn" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
حسّین (Hosseyn), the Persian form of Arabic
Husayn. This name refers to Husayn ibn Ali, the son of Ali.
Abdolreza m PersianMeans
"servant of al-Ridha" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
رضا (Reza), the Persian form of Arabic
Ridha. This name refers to the 9th-century Shia imam Ali al-Ridha.
Abednego m BiblicalMeans
"servant of Nebo" in Akkadian,
Nebo being the Babylonian god of wisdom. In the Old Testament Abednego is the Babylonian name given to
Azariah, one of the three men cast into a blazing furnace but saved from harm by God, as told in the Book of Daniel.
Abidemi m & f YorubaMeans
"born in my absence" in Yoruba. It is typically given to children born when the father is away.
Abosede f YorubaMeans
"comes with the start of the week" in Yoruba, given when the child is born on Sunday.
Abraham m English, Hebrew, Spanish, French, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical German, Biblical Swedish, Biblical Norwegian, Biblical Danish, Biblical LatinThis name may be viewed either as meaning
"father of many" in Hebrew or else as a contraction of
Abram 1 and
הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning "many, multitude". The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but God changed his name (see
Genesis 17:5). With his father
Terah, he led his wife
Sarah, his nephew
Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son
Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son
Ishmael.
... [more] Abu m ArabicMeans
"father of" in Arabic. This is commonly used as an element in a kunya, which is a type of Arabic nickname. The element is combined with the name of one of the bearer's children (usually the eldest son). In some cases the kunya is figurative, not referring to an actual child, as in the case of the Muslim caliph
Abu Bakr.
Adaeze f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of the king" in Igbo.
Adanna f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of the father" in Igbo.
Adannaya f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of her father" in Igbo.
Addison f & m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Adam". Its recent popularity as a feminine name stems from its similarity in sound to
Madison.
Adegoke m YorubaMeans
"the crown has ascended the mountain" in Yoruba.
Adeola f & m YorubaMeans
"the crown of wealth" in Yoruba. It is also a surname.
Agathangelos m Late GreekMeans
"bearer of good news", derived from Greek
ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good" and
ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger, angel". Saint Agathangelus of Rome was a 4th-century deacon who was martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian.
Ahmose m & f Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)From Egyptian
jꜥḥ-ms meaning
"born of Iah", derived from the name of the Egyptian god
Iah combined with
msj meaning "be born". This was the name of the first pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (16th century BC). He defeated the Hyksos and drove them from Egypt. It was also borne by others among Egyptian royalty from the same era, including several queens consort.
Ahuludegi m CherokeeMeans
"he throws away the drum" from Cherokee
ᎠᎱᎵ (ahuli) "drum" and
ᎤᏕᎦ (udega) "throw". This was the name of a 19th-century Cherokee chief, also known as John Jolly.
Ahura Mazda m Persian MythologyMeans
"lord of wisdom", from Avestan
𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬭𐬀 (ahura) meaning "lord" and
𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬁 (mazdā) meaning "wisdom". In Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.
Akane f JapaneseFrom Japanese
茜 (akane) meaning "deep red, dye from the rubia plant". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Akinyi f LuoMeans
"born in the morning" in Luo.
Ala ad-Din m ArabicMeans
"excellence of religion" from Arabic
علاء ('ala) meaning "excellence, elevation" combined with
دين (din) meaning "religion, faith". This was the name of several sultans of Delhi.
Al-Amir m Arabic (Rare)Means
"the commander, the prince" in Arabic. This was the name of a 10th-century Fatimid imam.
Alaric m Gothic (Anglicized)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.
Alcibiades m Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Ἀλκιβιάδης (Alkibiades), derived from
ἀλκή (alke) meaning "strength, prowess" and
βία (bia) meaning "force" with the patronymic suffix
ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a notable Greek statesman and general during the Peloponnesian War. He changed allegiance from Athens to Sparta and back again during the course of the war. He features in Shakespeare's tragedy
Timon of Athens (1607).
Alhaji m HausaMeans
"the pilgrim" in Hausa, a derivative of Arabic
حَجّ (hajj) meaning "pilgrimage, hajj". It is typically a title, not a name.
Alisson m Portuguese (Brazilian)Possibly a Brazilian variant of
Allison. A notable bearer is the Brazilian soccer goalkeeper Alisson Ramses Becker (1992-), commonly known simply as Alisson.
Allah m TheologyDerived from Arabic
الإله (al-ilah) meaning
"the deity". It is primarily used to refer to the Islamic God, though it was originally used by pre-Islamic Arabs, and is sometimes used by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews.
Allison f & m EnglishFrom the middle of the 20th century this has primarily been used as a variant of the feminine name
Alison 1. However, prior to that it was used as an uncommon masculine name, derived from the English and Scottish surname
Allison.
Alma 1 f English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Albanian, Slovene, CroatianThis name became popular after the Battle of Alma (1854), which took place near the River Alma in Crimea and ended in a victory for Britain and France. However, the name was in rare use before the battle; it was probably inspired by Latin
almus "nourishing". It also coincides with the Spanish word meaning
"the soul".
Almudena f SpanishDerived from Arabic
المدينة (al-mudaynah) meaning
"the citadel". It was in a building by this name that a concealed statue of the Virgin
Mary was discovered during the Reconquista in Madrid. The Virgin of Almudena, that is Mary, is the patron saint of Madrid.
Alton m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"town at the source of the river" in Old English.
Aludra f AstronomyDerived from Arabic
العذراء (al-'adhra) meaning
"the maiden". This is the name of a star in the constellation Canis Major.
Amadeus m Late RomanMeans
"love of God", derived from Latin
amare "to love" and
Deus "God". A famous bearer was the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who was actually born Wolfgang
Theophilus Mozart but preferred the Latin translation of his Greek middle name. This name was also assumed as a middle name by the German novelist E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), who took it in honour of Mozart.
Amadioha m Igbo MythologyDerived from Igbo
àmádí "freeborn man" and
ọ̀hà "community, people". The is the name of the god of thunder and lightning in traditional Igbo belief.
Amahle m & f ZuluMeans
"the beautiful ones" in Zulu.
Amaia f BasqueMeans
"the end" in Basque. This is the name of a character in the historical novel
Amaya, or the Basques in the 8th century (1879) by Francisco Navarro-Villoslada (
Amaya in the Spanish original;
Amaia in the Basque translation).
Amalbert m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
amal possibly meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and
beraht meaning "bright".
Amanda f English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Latvian, Late RomanIn part this is a feminine form of
Amandus. However, it was not used during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century it was recreated by authors and poets who based it directly on Latin
amanda meaning
"lovable, worthy of love". Notably, the playwright Colley Cibber used it for a character in his play
Love's Last Shift (1696). It came into regular use during the 19th century.
Amandus m Late RomanDerived from Latin
amanda meaning
"lovable, worthy of love". Saint Amandus was a 5th-century bishop of Bordeaux. It was also borne by a 7th-century French saint who evangelized in Flanders.
Amator m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"lover (of God)". Saint Amator was a 5th-century bishop of Auxerre.
Amon m Egyptian Mythology (Anglicized)From
Ἄμμων (Ammon), the Greek form of Egyptian
jmn (reconstructed as
Yamanu) meaning
"the hidden one". In early Egyptian mythology he was a god of the air, creativity and fertility, who was particularly revered in Thebes. Later, during the Middle Kingdom, his attributes were combined with those of the god
Ra and he was worshipped as the supreme solar deity
Amon-Ra.
Amphitrite f Greek MythologyPossibly means
"the surrounding sea" or
"the surrounding third", from Greek
ἀμφίς (amphis) meaning "surrounding, around, between" and the same root found in the name of
Triton. In Greek mythology she was a goddess of the sea and salt water, the wife of
Poseidon and the mother of Triton.
Andromeda f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive
ἀνδρός) combined with one of the related words
μέδομαι (medomai) meaning "to be mindful of, to provide for, to think on" or
μέδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". In Greek mythology Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess rescued from sacrifice by the hero
Perseus. A constellation in the northern sky is named for her. This is also the name of a nearby galaxy, given because it resides (from our point of view) within the constellation.
Ankhesenamun f Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
ꜥnḫ-s-n-jmn meaning
"her life is of Amon", derived from
ꜥnḫ "life" combined with the name of the god
Amon. This was the name of a 14th-century BC queen of Egypt, the wife of
Tutankhamun.
Antiman m MapucheMeans
"condor of the sun" in Mapuche, from
antü "sun" and
mañku "condor".
Antinanco m MapucheMeans
"eagle of the sun" in Mapuche, from
antü "sun" and
ñamko "eagle, hawk, buzzard".
Antipater m Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Ἀντίπατρος (Antipatros), which meant
"like the father" from Greek
ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and
πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive
πατρός). This was the name of an officer of Alexander the Great who became the regent of Macedon during Alexander's absence.
Araceli f SpanishMeans
"altar of the sky" from Latin
ara "altar" and
coeli "sky". This is an epithet of the Virgin
Mary in her role as the patron saint of Lucena, Spain.
Archippos m Ancient Greek, Biblical GreekMeans
"master of horses" from the Greek elements
ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and
ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". In the New Testament it is borne by a man mentioned in the epistles (spelled as
Archippus, the Latinized form, in the English version).
Arcturus m AstronomyFrom Ancient Greek
Ἀρκτοῦρος (Arktouros), the name of the fourth brightest star in the sky, part of the constellation Boötes. It means
"guardian of the bear", derived from
ἄρκτος (arktos) meaning "bear" and
οὖρος (ouros) meaning "guardian", referring to the star's position close to the constellations Ursa Minor and Ursa Major.
Areli m BiblicalMeans
"lion of God, hero" in Hebrew. This was the name of a son of
Gad in the Old Testament.
Ariel m & f Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Polish, Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"lion of God" in Hebrew, from
אֲרִי ('ari) meaning "lion" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare utilized it for a spirit in his play
The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem
The Rape of the Lock (1712), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film
The Little Mermaid (1989).
Arista f AstronomyMeans
"ear of grain" in Latin. This is the name of a star, also known as Spica, in the constellation Virgo.
Aristotle m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)From the Greek name
Ἀριστοτέλης (Aristoteles) meaning
"the best purpose", derived from
ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best" and
τέλος (telos) meaning "purpose, result, completion". This was the name of a Greek philosopher of the 4th century BC who made lasting contributions to Western thought, including the fields of logic, metaphysics, ethics and biology.
Arkadios m Ancient GreekFrom an ancient Greek name meaning
"of Arcadia". Arcadia was a region in Greece, its name deriving from
ἄρκτος (arktos) meaning "bear". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr.
Armani m & f English (Modern)From an Italian surname meaning
"son of Ermanno". It has been used as a given name due to the fashion company Armani, which was founded by the clothing designer Giorgio Armani (1934-).
Arsinoe f Ancient GreekMeans
"raising of the mind", from Greek
ἄρσις (arsis) "raising" and
νόος (noos) "mind, thought". This name was borne by Egyptian queens from the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Artemidoros m Ancient GreekMeans
"gift of Artemis" from the name of the goddess
Artemis combined with Greek
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a Greek author of the 2nd century who wrote about the interpretation of dreams.
Arzhang m Persian, Persian MythologyMeaning uncertain, possibly from Old Persian meaning
"message of truth". This is the name of a holy book in Manichaeism, written by
Mani. It is also the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the
Shahnameh.
Asherah f Semitic MythologyPerhaps derived from Semitic roots meaning
"she who walks in the sea". This was the name of a Semitic mother goddess. She was worshipped by the Israelites before the advent of monotheism.
Ashurbanipal m Ancient Assyrian (Anglicized)From Akkadian
Ashur-bani-apli meaning
"Ashur is creator of a son". This was the name of one of the final kings of the Assyrian Empire, reigning late in the 7th century BC. He appears in the Old Testament under the name
Asnappar.
Assol f Russian (Rare), LiteratureFrom the 1923 Russian novel
Scarlet Sails by Alexander Grin, adapted into a 1961 Soviet movie. In the story, Assol is a young girl who is told by a prophetic old man that she will one day marry a prince. The meaning of the name is not uncertain, but it has been suggested that it was inspired by the Russian question
а соль (a sol) meaning
"and the salt?".
Asterion m Greek MythologyMeans
"of the stars", derived from Greek
ἀστήρ (aster) "star". This is the name of several figures in Greek mythology, including a river god.
Aurangzeb m HistoryMeans
"honouring the throne" in Persian. This was the name of a 17th-century Mughal emperor of India.
Avalokiteshvara m BuddhismMeans
"the lord who looks down" in Sanskrit, derived from
अवलोक् (avalok) meaning "to look down" and
ईश्वर (ishvara) meaning "lord, god". The original form of the name may have been
अवलोकितस्वर (Avalokitasvara), with the final element being
स्वर (svara) meaning "sound, tone" (as evidenced by the Chinese form
Guanyin). In Buddhist belief this is the name of a bodhisattva associated with compassion.
Azubuike m IgboMeans
"the past is your strength" or
"your back is your strength" in Igbo.
Baladeva m HinduismMeans
"god of strength" from Sanskrit
बल (bala) meaning "strength" combined with
देव (deva) meaning "god". Baladeva (also called Balarama) is the name of the older brother of the Hindu god
Krishna.
Banks m English (Modern)From an English surname that that was given to a person who lived near a hillside or a bank of land.
Bartholomew m English, BiblicalEnglish 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.
Basajaun m Basque MythologyMeans
"lord of the woods" from Basque
baso "woods" and
jaun "lord". This is the name of a character in Basque folklore, the Old Man of the Woods.
Başak f TurkishMeans
"ear of wheat" in Turkish. This is also the Turkish name for the constellation Virgo.
Bathsheba f BiblicalMeans
"daughter of the oath" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament, this was the name of a woman married to
Uriah the Hittite. She became pregnant by King
David, so he arranged to have her husband killed in battle and then married her. She was the mother of
Solomon.
Behzad m PersianMeans
"noble, high-born" in Persian, from
به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and the suffix
زاد (zad) meaning "child of".
Bekzat m Kazakh, KyrgyzFrom the Turkic military title
beg meaning "chieftain, master" and the Persian suffix
زاد (zad) meaning "son of".
Bellerophon m Greek MythologyFrom
Βελλεροφόντης (Bellerophontes), possibly from Greek
βέλος (belos) meaning "dart" and the suffix
φόντης (phontes) meaning "slayer of". Alternatively the first element might come from a defeated foe named Belleros, who is otherwise unattested. In Greek legend Bellerophon or Bellerophontes was a hero who tamed
Pegasus and killed the monstrous Chimera. He was killed by
Zeus when he attempted to ride Pegasus to Mount Olympus.
Belobog m Slavic MythologyMeans
"the white god" from Old Slavic
bělŭ "white" and
bogŭ "god". This was the name of a poorly attested (possibly spurious) Slavic god of good fortune.
Benjamin m English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning
"son of the south" or
"son of the right hand", from the roots
בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and
יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of
Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named
בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-'oni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother
Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see
Genesis 35:18).
... [more] Bessarion m Late GreekMeaning uncertain, possibly from Greek
βῆσσα (bessa) meaning
"wooded valley". This was the name of a 5th-century Egyptian hermit who was a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great. It was later adopted by the scholar Basilios Bessarion (1403-1472), a Greek born in Byzantine Anatolia who became a Roman Catholic bishop.
Betelgeuse m AstronomyThe name of the star that marks the right shoulder of the constellation Orion. It is derived from Arabic
يد الجوزا (yad al-Jawza) meaning
"the hand of Jawza".
جوزا (Jawza) meaning "central one" was the old Arabic name for the constellation Orion (also for Gemini).
Bethel f EnglishFrom an Old Testament place name meaning
"house of God" in Hebrew. This was a town north of Jerusalem, where
Jacob saw his vision of the stairway. It is occasionally used as a given name.
Bevan m EnglishFrom a Welsh surname that was derived from
ap Evan meaning
"son of Evan". As a given name, it is particularly common in New Zealand and Australia.
Bithiah f BiblicalMeans
"daughter of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from the roots
בַּת (bat) meaning "daughter" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Pharaoh. She is traditionally equated with the pharaoh's daughter who drew
Moses from the Nile.
Blodeuwedd f Welsh MythologyMeans
"face of flowers" in Welsh. According to the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi, she was created out of flowers by
Gwydion to be the wife of his nephew
Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Originally she was named
Blodeuedd meaning simply "flowers". She was eventually transformed into an owl by Gwydion after she and her lover
Gronw attempted to murder Lleu, at which point he renamed her
Blodeuwedd.
Bogusław m PolishMeans
"glory of God" from the Slavic elements
bogŭ "god" and
slava "glory". This name was borne by several dukes of Pomerania, beginning in the 12th century.
Bomilcar m Phoenician (Latinized)From the Punic name
𐤁𐤃𐤌𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤕 (Bodmilqart), from Phoenician
𐤁𐤃 (bod) meaning "on behalf of" or perhaps from
𐤏𐤁𐤃 (ʿabd) meaning "servant, slave" combined with the name of the god
Melqart. This name was borne by a few figures from Carthaginian history.
Bonaventura m Italian, CatalanMeans
"good fortune" in Italian, from Latin
bonus "good" and
venturas "the things that will come, the future". Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
Booker m EnglishFrom an English occupational surname meaning
"maker of books". A famous bearer was Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an African-American leader.
Braden m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Bradáin, which was in turn derived from the byname
Bradán. Like other similar-sounding names such as
Hayden and
Aidan, it and its variant
Brayden became popular in America at the end of the 20th century.
Brady m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Brádaigh, itself derived from the byname
Brádach. A famous bearer of the surname is the American football quarterback Tom Brady (1977-). It was also borne by a fictional family on the television series
The Brady Bunch (1969-1974).
Brennan m EnglishFrom an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic
Ó Braonáin) that was derived from the byname
Braonán, itself from Irish
braon meaning "rain, moisture, drop" combined with a diminutive suffix. As a given name, it has been used since the 1960s as an alternative to
Brendan or
Brandon, though it has not been as popular as them.
Bridget f Irish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Irish name
Brighid, Old Irish
Brigit, from old Celtic *
Brigantī meaning
"the exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god
Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form
Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.
Brijesha m HinduismMeans
"ruler of Brij" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna, Brij being a region associated with him.
Bronte m & f English (Rare)From a surname, an Anglicized form of Irish
Ó Proinntigh, itself derived from the given name
Proinnteach, probably from Irish
bronntach meaning "generous". The Brontë sisters — Charlotte, Emily, and Anne — were 19th-century English novelists. Their father changed the spelling of the family surname from
Brunty to
Brontë, possibly to make it coincide with Greek
βροντή meaning "thunder".
Bryson m EnglishFrom 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.
Byron m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"place of the cow sheds" in Old English. This was the surname of the romantic poet Lord Byron (1788-1824), the writer of
Don Juan and many other works.
Caden m English (Modern)Sometimes explained as deriving from the Irish surname
Caden, which is an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic
Mac Cadáin, itself from the given name
Cadán (of unknown meaning). In actuality, the popularity of this name in America beginning in the 1990s is due to its sound — it shares its fashionable
den suffix sound with other trendy names like
Hayden,
Aidan and
Braden.
Cadwaladr m WelshFrom Old Welsh
Catgualatr (also recorded in many other spellings) meaning
"leader of the battle", from
cat "battle" and
gwaladr "leader". This was the name of a 7th-century king of Gwynedd. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth he was the last king of all of the Britons. This name was also borne by a 7th-century Welsh saint.
Caishen m Chinese MythologyMeans
"god of wealth", from Chinese
财 (cái) meaning "wealth, riches" and
神 (shén) meaning "god". This is the name of a Chinese god of wealth.
Calla f EnglishFrom the name of two types of plants, the true calla (species Calla palustris) and the calla lily (species Calla aethiopica), both having white flowers and growing in marshy areas. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek
κάλλος (kallos) meaning
"beauty".
Callan m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Cathaláin, derived from the given name
Cathalán.
Camden m English (Modern)From an English surname that was derived from a place name, perhaps meaning
"enclosed valley" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English historian William Camden (1551-1623).
Carey m & f EnglishFrom an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Ciardha, which is a patronymic derived from the given name
Ciardha.
Cary m & f EnglishVariant of
Carey. A famous bearer was the British-American actor Cary Grant (1904-1986).
Casey m & f EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Cathasaigh, a patronymic derived from the given name
Cathassach. This name can be given in honour of Casey Jones (1863-1900), a train engineer who sacrificed his life to save his passengers. In his case,
Casey was a nickname acquired because he was raised in the town of Cayce, Kentucky.
Cassidy f & m English (Modern)From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic
Ó Caiside), which is derived from the byname
Caiside. Very rare as a given name before the 1970s, it established itself in the 80s and then surged in popularity during the 90s.
Cassiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendFrom Hebrew
קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftzi'el), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include
"leap of God",
"drawn together by God" or
"wrath of God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.
Cavan m EnglishEither from the name of the Irish county, which is derived from Irish
cabhán "hollow", or else from the Irish surname
Cavan.
Cemre f TurkishFrom a term used in Turkish folklore referring to the warming of temperature at the end of winter, thought to occur in three stages affecting air, water, then earth.
Charlemagne m HistoryFrom Old French
Charles le Magne meaning
"Charles the Great". This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.
Charlton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"settlement of free men" in Old English.
Chen 1 m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
晨 (chén) or
辰 (chén), both meaning "morning". The character
辰 also refers to the fifth Earthly Branch (7 AM to 9 AM), which is itself associated with the dragon of the Chinese zodiac. This name can be formed from other characters as well.
Chernobog m Slavic MythologyMeans
"the black god" from Old Slavic
čĭrnŭ "black" and
bogŭ "god". According to a few late sources, Chernobog was a Slavic god of misfortune.
Cherokee f & m English (Rare)Probably derived from the Creek word
tciloki meaning "people of a different speech". This is the name of a Native American people who live in the east of North America.
Cheyenne f EnglishDerived from the Lakota word
šahiyena meaning "red speakers". This is the name of a Native American people of the Great Plains. The name was supposedly given to the Cheyenne by the Lakota because their language was unrelated to their own. As a given name, it has been in use since the 1950s.
Chidi m & f IgboMeans
"God exists" in Igbo, derived from
Chi 2, referring to God, and
dị meaning "is". It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with
Chidi.
Chthonia f Greek MythologyMeans
"of the earth, underground" in Greek, a derivative of
χθών (chthon) meaning "earth, ground, soil". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess
Demeter.
Chukwu m Igbo MythologyMeans
"the great god", derived from Igbo
chi "god, spiritual being" and
úkwú "great". In traditional Igbo belief Chukwu is the supreme deity and the creator the universe. Christian Igbo people use this name to refer to the Christian god.
Ĉiela f EsperantoMeans
"heavenly, from the sky" in Esperanto, from
ĉielo "sky", ultimately derived from Latin
caelum.
Cináed m Medieval Scottish, Old IrishPossibly from Old Irish
cin "respect, esteem, affection" or
cinid "be born, come into being" combined with
áed "fire", though it might actually be of Pictish origin. This was the name of the first king of the Scots and Picts (9th century). It is often Anglicized as
Kenneth. The originally unrelated name
Coinneach is sometimes used as the modern Scottish Gaelic form.
Clancy m & f English (Rare)From an Irish surname (Anglicized from
Mac Fhlannchaidh), derived from the given name
Flannchadh meaning "red warrior".
Cleopatra f Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κλεοπάτρα (Kleopatra) meaning
"glory of the father", derived from
κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" combined with
πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive
πατρός). This was the name of queens of Egypt from the Ptolemaic royal family, including Cleopatra VII, the mistress of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After being defeated by Augustus she committed suicide (according to popular belief, by allowing herself to be bitten by a venomous asp). Shakespeare's tragedy
Antony and Cleopatra (1606) tells the story of her life.
Clinton m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from towns named
Glinton, of uncertain meaning, or
Glympton, meaning
"settlement on the River Glyme". A famous bearer of the surname is former American president Bill Clinton (1946-).
Cody m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of both Irish Gaelic
Ó Cuidighthigh meaning
"descendant of the helpful one" and
Mac Óda meaning
"son of Odo". A famous bearer of the surname was the American frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917).
Collins f & m EnglishFrom a surname, which is either Irish or English in origin (see
Collins 1 and
Collins 2). It increased in popularity as a name for girls after it appeared in the movie
The Blind Side (2009), which was based on a 2006 biography. As a masculine name, it is currently most common in parts of English-speaking Africa.
Colson m English (Modern)From an English surname meaning
"son of Col". As a given name it entered the American top 1000 rankings in 2017, probably inspired by similar-sounding names such as
Cole and
Colton.
Conall m Irish, Old Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"rule of a wolf", from Old Irish
cú "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive
con) and
fal "rule". This is the name of several characters in Irish legend including the hero Conall Cernach ("Conall of the victories"), a member of the Red Branch of Ulster, who avenged
Cúchulainn's death by killing
Lugaid.
Conchobar m Old Irish, Irish MythologyDerived from Old Irish
cú "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive
con) and
cobar "desiring". It has been in use in Ireland for centuries and was the name of several Irish rulers. It was borne by the Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa, one of the central characters in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, known for his tragic desire for
Deirdre and his war with Queen
Medb of Connacht.
Cordell m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"maker of cord" or
"seller of cord" in Middle English.
Cormac m Irish Mythology, IrishFrom 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.
Cthulhu m LiteratureCreated by author H. P. Lovecraft for a gigantic, horrible, octopus-like god, first introduced in the short story
The Call of Cthulhu (1926). Lovecraft may have based the name on the word
chthonic meaning
"under the earth, subterranean", a derivative of Greek
χθών (chthon) meaning "earth, ground, soil".
Cúchulainn m Irish MythologyMeans
"hound of Culann" in Irish. This was the usual name of the warrior hero who was named Sétanta at birth, given to him because he took the place of one of Culann's hounds after he accidentally killed it. The Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology tells of Cúchulainn's many adventures, including his single-handed defence of Ulster against the army of Queen
Medb.
Culhwch m Arthurian Cycle, Welsh MythologyMeans
"hiding place of the pig" in Welsh. In the Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen he was the lover of
Olwen, the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Before the giant would allow Culhwch to marry his daughter, he insisted that Culhwch complete a series of extremely difficult tasks. Culhwch managed to complete the tasks with the help of his cousin King
Arthur, and he returned to marry Olwen and kill the giant.
Cullen m EnglishFrom a surname, either
Cullen 1 or
Cullen 2. It jumped a little in popularity as a given name after Stephenie Meyer's novel
Twilight (2005), featuring a vampire named Edward Cullen, was adapted into a movie in 2008.
Cyriacus m Late RomanLatinized form of the Greek name
Κυριακός (Kyriakos), which meant
"of the lord" (derived from Greek
κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord"). This was the name of a few early saints.
Dagda m Irish MythologyMeans
"the good god" from the Old Irish prefix
dag- "good" and
día "god". In Irish myth Dagda (called also The Dagda) was the powerful god of the earth, knowledge, magic, abundance and treaties, a leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He was skilled in combat and healing and possessed a huge club, the handle of which could revive the dead.
Dale m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that originally belonged to a person who lived near a dale or valley.
Daley f & m English (Rare), Dutch (Modern)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Dálaigh, itself derived from the given name
Dálach. Its recent popularity in the Netherlands can be attributed to the Dutch soccer player Daley Blind (1990-).
Dallas m & f EnglishFrom a surname that could either be of Old English origin meaning
"valley house" or of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning
"meadow dwelling". A city in Texas bears this name, probably in honour of American Vice President George M. Dallas (1792-1864).
Dalton m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"valley town" in Old English. A notable bearer of the surname was John Dalton (1766-1844), the English chemist and physicist who theorized about the existence of atoms.
Damocles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Δαμοκλῆς (Damokles), which was derived from
δᾶμος (damos) meaning "the people", a Doric Greek variant of
δῆμος (demos), and
κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek legend Damocles was a member of the court of Dionysius the Elder, the king of Syracuse. Damocles expressed envy of the king's station so Dionysius offered to switch roles with him for a day. To illustrate to Damocles the peril of a man in his position he suspended a sword over the throne.
Damodara m HinduismMeans
"rope around the belly", derived from Sanskrit
दाम (dama) meaning "rope" and
उदर (udara) meaning "belly". This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna, given to him because his foster-mother tied him to a large urn.
Danaë f Greek MythologyFrom
Δαναοί (Danaoi), a word used by
Homer to designate the Greeks. In Greek mythology Danaë was the daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. It had been prophesied to her father that he would one day be killed by Danaë's son, so he attempted to keep his daughter childless. However,
Zeus came to her in the form of a shower of gold, and she became the mother of
Perseus. Eventually the prophecy was fulfilled and Perseus killed Acrisius, albeit accidentally.
Dane m EnglishFrom an English surname that was either a variant of the surname
Dean or else an ethnic name referring to a person from Denmark.
Dar f & m HebrewMeans
"mother-of-pearl, nacre" in Hebrew.
Darnell m English, African AmericanFrom an English surname that was derived from Old French
darnel, a type of grass. In some cases the surname may be from a place name, itself derived from Old English
derne "hidden" and
halh "nook".
Davis m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the given name
David. A famous bearer of the surname was Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), the only president of the Confederate States of America.
Dawson m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of David". As a given name, it was popularized in the late 1990s by the central character on the television drama
Dawson's Creek (1998-2003). In the United States the number of boys receiving the name increased tenfold between 1997 and 1999. It got another boost in 2014 after it was used for a main character in the movie
The Best of Me.
Dayaram m HindiMeans
"compassion of Rama", from Sanskrit
दया (daya) meaning "compassion" combined with the name of the god
Rama 1.
Dazhbog m Slavic MythologyMeans
"the giving god" from Old Slavic
dati "to give" and
bogŭ "god". Dazhbog was a Slavic god of the sun and light, a son of
Svarog. In some myths he is the ancestor of the Rus people.
Dean m EnglishFrom a surname, see
Dean 1 and
Dean 2. The actor James Dean (1931-1955) was a famous bearer of the surname.
Dearbháil f IrishFrom Old Irish
Derbáil meaning
"daughter of Fál", derived from the prefix
der meaning "daughter" and
Fál, a legendary name for Ireland.
Deforest m EnglishFrom a French surname meaning
"from the forest". It was originally given in honour of American author John Deforest (1826-1906).
Deirbhile f IrishMeans
"daughter of a poet" from Old Irish
der "daughter" and
fili "poet" (genitive
filed). This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint, also called Dervla.
Delara f PersianMeans
"adorning the heart", from Persian
دل (del) meaning "heart" and
آرا (ara) meaning "decorate, adorn".
Delia 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Greek MythologyMeans
"of Delos" in Greek. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess
Artemis, given because she and her twin brother
Apollo were born on the island of Delos. The name appeared in several poems of the 16th and 17th centuries, and it has occasionally been used as a given name since that time.
Delmar m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Norman French
de la mare meaning
"from the pond".
Delphina f Late RomanFeminine form of the Latin name
Delphinus, which meant
"of Delphi". Delphi was a city in ancient Greece, the name of which is possibly related to Greek
δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". The Blessed Delphina was a 14th-century Provençal nun.
Demelza f English (British, Rare)From a Cornish place name meaning
"fort of Maeldaf". It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the British television series
Poldark, which was set in Cornwall.
Demet f TurkishMeans
"bundle, bunch (of flowers), bouquet" in Turkish.
Demosthenes m Ancient GreekMeans
"vigour of the people" from Greek
δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people" and
σθένος (sthenos) meaning "vigour, strength". This was the name of both an Athenian general of the 5th century and an Athenian orator of the 4th century.
Denholm m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning
"valley island" in Old English.
Denton m EnglishFrom a surname, originally from a place name, which meant
"valley town" in Old English.
Desmond m English, IrishAnglicized 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).
Dieter m GermanMeans
"warrior of the people", derived from the Old German elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Frankish
þeoda) and
heri meaning "army". This name is also used as a short form of
Dietrich.
Dilipa m HinduismMeans
"protector of Delhi" from Sanskrit
दिल्ली (see
Delhi) combined with
प (pa) meaning "protecting". This is the name of several kings in Hindu texts.
Dione 1 f Greek MythologyFrom Greek
Διός (Dios) meaning
"of Zeus". By extension, it means
"goddess". This was the name of an obscure Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of
Aphrodite.
Dominic m EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Dominicus meaning
"of the Lord". This name was traditionally given to a child born on Sunday. Several saints have borne this name, including the 13th-century founder of the Dominican order of friars. It was in this saint's honour that the name was first used in England, starting around the 13th century. It is primarily used by Catholics.
Donald m Scottish, EnglishFrom the Scottish Gaelic name
Dòmhnall meaning
"ruler of the world", composed of the Old Irish elements
domun "world" and
fal "rule". This was the name of two 9th-century kings of the Scots and Picts. It has traditionally been very popular in Scotland, and during the 20th century it became common in the rest of the English-speaking world. This is the name of one of Walt Disney's most popular cartoon characters, Donald Duck, introduced 1931. It was also borne by Australian cricket player Donald Bradman (1908-2001) and former American president Donald Trump (1946-).
Donovan m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Donndubháin, itself derived from the given name
Donndubán. This name is borne by the Scottish folk musician Donovan Leitch (1946-), known simply as Donovan.
Doran m English (Rare)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Deoradháin, from the byname
Deoradhán, derived from Irish
deoradh meaning "exile, wanderer" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Dorothea f German, Dutch, English, Late GreekFeminine form of the Late Greek name
Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant
"gift of god" from Greek
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and
θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name
Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
Dos-teh-seh f ApachePossibly means
"something at the campire already cooked" in Apache. This was the name of the wife of the Chiricahua Apache chief
Cochise.
Doyle m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Dubhghaill, itself derived from the given name
Dubhghall. A famous bearer of the surname was Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories.
Draupadi f HinduismMeans
"daughter of Drupada" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of the daughter of King Drupada. She married all of the Pandavas, the five sons of Pandu.
Driscoll m English (Rare)From an Irish surname that was an Anglicized form of
Ó hEidirsceóil meaning
"descendant of the messenger".
Duane m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Dubháin, itself derived from the given name
Dubhán. Usage in America began around the start of the 20th century. It last appeared on the top 1000 rankings in 2002, though the variant
Dwayne lingered a few years longer.
Dumnorix m GaulishMeans
"king of the world" from Gaulish
dumnos "world" and
rix "king". This was the name of a 1st-century BC chief of the Gaulish tribe the Aedui.
Dushyanta m HinduismPossibly means
"destroyer of evil" in Sanskrit. In Hindu legend this is the name of a king who is the husband of
Shakuntala and the father of
Bharata.
Ea 1 m Semitic MythologyMeaning unknown, perhaps from Sumerian meaning
"house of water", or perhaps of Akkadian or Hurrian origin. This was the Akkadian, Assyrian, Hurrian and Babylonian name of the Sumerian water god
Enki.