Jupiter m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)From Latin
Iuppiter, which was ultimately derived from the vocative form of Indo-European *
Dyēws-pətēr, composed of the elements
Dyēws (see
Zeus) and
pətēr "father". Jupiter was the supreme god in Roman mythology. He presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. This is also the name of the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.
Jūrō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
十 (jū) meaning "ten" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". Traditionally this name was given to the tenth son. Other combinations of kanji characters are possible as well.
Ju-Won m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
周 (ju) meaning "circumference" combined with
元 (won) meaning "first, origin" or
媛 (won) meaning "beautiful woman". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Katsuhito m JapaneseFrom Japanese
勝 (katsu) meaning "victory" or
克 (katsu) meaning "overcome" combined with
人 (hito) meaning "person" or
仁 (hito) meaning "compassionate". Other kanji characters can combine to form this name as well.
Katsuo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
勝 (katsu) meaning "victory" and
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other combinations of kanji are also possible.
Katsurō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
勝 (katsu) meaning "victory" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". Different kanji characters can combine to form this name as well.
Kavi m HindiFrom a title for a poet, meaning
"wise man, sage, poet" in Sanskrit.
Kawacatoose m Cree (Anglicized)From Cree
ᑲᐋᐧᐦᑲᑐᐢ (Kawâhkatos) meaning
"poor man, weak from hunger". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan.
Kazuhiko m JapaneseFrom Japanese
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" or
一 (kazu) meaning "one" combined with
彦 (hiko) meaning "boy, prince". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Kazuo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
一 (kazu) meaning "one" or
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with
男 (o) meaning "male, man" or
夫 (o) meaning "husband, man". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Kendrick m EnglishFrom a surname that has several different origins. It could be from the Old English given names
Cyneric "royal power" or
Cenric "bold power", or from the Welsh name
Cynwrig "chief hero". It can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname
Mac Eanraig meaning "son of
Henry".
... [more] Kentarō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong",
太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Kermit m EnglishFrom a rare (Americanized) Manx surname, a variant of the Irish surname
Mac Diarmada, itself derived from the given name
Diarmaid. This was the name of a son of Theodore Roosevelt born in 1889. He was named after a relative of his mother, Robert Kermit. The name is now associated with Kermit the Frog, a Muppet created by puppeteer Jim Henson in 1955.
Khatuna f GeorgianFrom the Turkic title
khatun meaning
"lady, woman", a feminine form of
khan.
Kichirō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
吉 (kichi) meaning "good luck" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Kip m EnglishFrom a nickname, probably from the English word
kipper meaning
"male salmon".
Kore f Greek MythologyMeans
"maiden" in Greek. This was another name for the Greek goddess Persephone.
Kreios m Greek MythologyPossibly derived from either Greek
κρείων (kreion) meaning
"lord, master" or
κριός (krios) meaning
"ram, male sheep". This was the name of a Titan in Greek mythology.
Kumara m HinduismDerived from Sanskrit
कुमार (kumara) meaning
"boy, son". In Hindu texts this is an epithet of both the fire god
Agni and the war god
Skanda.
Kun f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
坤 (kūn) meaning "earth, female", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Kurō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
九 (ku) meaning "nine" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This name was traditionally given to the ninth son. Other combinations of kanji characters are also possible.
Lady f Spanish (Latin American)From the English noble title
Lady, derived from Old English
hlæfdige, originally meaning "bread kneader". This name grew in popularity in Latin America after the marriage of Diana Spencer, known as Lady Di, to Prince Charles in 1981 and her death in 1997.
Lailoken m HistoryFrom medieval Latin
Laloecen, possibly related to Welsh
llallo meaning
"brother, friend". This name appears in medieval tales about Saint
Kentigern, borne by a prophetic madman at the court of
Rhydderch Hael. He may form a basis for
Myrddin, who is addressed as
llallogan by his sister
Gwenddydd in the
Red Book of Hergest.
Lal m Hindi, NepaliMeans
"boy" in Hindi, derived from Sanskrit
लल (lala) meaning "playing, caressing".
Lamont m English, African AmericanFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from the medieval Gaelic given name
Lagmann, itself from Old Norse
lǫgmaðr meaning
"law man". This name reached a peak in its American popularity in 1972, the same year that the sitcom
Sanford and Son debuted, featuring the character Lamont Sanford (the titular son).
Lassie f LiteratureFrom a diminutive of the northern English word
lass meaning
"young girl", a word probably of Norse origin. This name was used by the author Eric Knight for a collie dog in his novel
Lassie Come-Home (1940), later adapted into a popular film and television series.
Leander m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from
λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive
ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.
Leonidas m Greek, Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
λέων (leon) meaning "lion" combined with the patronymic suffix
ἴδης (ides). Leonidas was a Spartan king of the 5th century BC who sacrificed his life and his army defending the pass of Thermopylae from the Persians. This was also the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr, the father of Origen, from Alexandria.
Leto f Greek MythologyPossibly from Lycian
lada meaning
"wife". Other theories connect it to Greek
λήθω (letho) meaning
"hidden, forgotten". In Greek mythology she was the mother of
Apollo and
Artemis by
Zeus.
Lillemor f Swedish, Norwegian (Rare)Means
"little mother", from Swedish and Norwegian
lille, an inflected form of
liten meaning "little", combined with
mor meaning "mother". This name was first recorded in Norway and Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century.
Mabyn f CornishPossibly from Old Cornish
mab meaning
"son". This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the children of
Brychan Brycheiniog. She is now regarded as a woman, but some early sources describe her as a man.
Macbeth m HistoryAnglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic given name
Mac Beatha meaning
"son of life", implying holiness. This was the name of an 11th-century Scottish king who came to power after defeating and killing King
Duncan in battle. Years later he was himself slain in battle with Duncan's son
Malcolm. Shakespeare based his play
Macbeth (1606) loosely on this king's life, drawing from the tales related in
Holinshed's Chronicles (1587).
Macdara m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"son of oak" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara.
Mackenzie f & m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name
Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy
One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.
Maddox m English (Modern)From a Welsh surname meaning
"son of Madoc". It was brought to public attention when the actress Angelina Jolie gave this name to her adopted son in 2002.
Madison f & m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Maud". It was not commonly used as a feminine name until after the movie
Splash (1984), in which the main character adopted it as her name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York City. It was ranked second for girls in the United States by 2001. This rise from obscurity to prominence in only 18 years represents an unprecedented 550,000 percent increase in usage.
... [more] Madonna f EnglishFrom a title of the Virgin
Mary meaning "my lady" in Italian. A famous bearer of the name is American singer Madonna Ciccone (1958-), known simply as Madonna.
Ma'evehpota'e f CheyenneMeans
"red leaf woman", from Cheyenne
ma'e- "red" and
vehpȯtse "leaf" combined with the feminine suffix
-e'é.
Mahavira m SanskritMeans
"great hero" from Sanskrit
महा (maha) meaning "great" and
वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man". This was the name of the 6th-century BC founder of Jainism.
Manfred m German, Dutch, Polish, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
man "man" and
fridu "peace". It was borne by a 13th-century king of Sicily. Another notable bearer was Manfred von Richthofen (1892-1918), the World War I pilot known as the Red Baron. This is also the name of the main character in Lord Byron's drama
Manfred (1817).
Manno m GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
man meaning
"person, man" (Proto-Germanic *
mannô).
Maponos m Celtic MythologyMeans
"great son", from the Celtic root *
makwos meaning "son" (Gaulish and Brythonic
mapos) combined with the divine or augmentative suffix
-on. This was the name of a god of youth worshipped in Gaul and Britain. He was commonly equated with the Greco-Roman god
Apollo.
Mari 3 f Basque MythologyPossibly from Basque
emari meaning
"donation" or
amari meaning
"mother". This was the name of a goddess of nature and fertility in Basque mythology.
Marius m Ancient Roman, Romanian, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, French, LithuanianRoman family name that was derived either from
Mars, the name of the Roman god of War, or else from the Latin root
mas, maris meaning
"male". Gaius Marius was a famous Roman consul of the 2nd century BC. Since the start of the Christian era, it has occasionally been used as a masculine form of
Maria.
Mars m Roman MythologyPossibly related to Latin
mas meaning
"male" (genitive
maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god
Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.
Martha f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church SlavicFrom Aramaic
מַרְתָּא (marta') meaning
"the lady, the mistress", feminine form of
מַר (mar) meaning "master". In the New Testament this is the name of the sister of
Lazarus and
Mary of Bethany (who is sometimes identified with Mary Magdalene). She was a witness to
Jesus restoring her dead brother to life.
... [more] Masahiko m JapaneseFrom Japanese
雅 (masa) meaning "elegant, graceful" or
正 (masa) meaning "right, proper" combined with
彦 (hiko) meaning "boy, prince". This name can be formed from other kanji combinations as well.
Masao m JapaneseFrom Japanese
正 (masa) meaning "right, proper" or
政 (masa) meaning "government" combined with
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly" or
夫 (o) meaning "man, husband". This name can be formed from other kanji combinations as well.
Masato m JapaneseFrom Japanese
正 (masa) meaning "right, proper",
雅 (masa) meaning "elegant, graceful" or
真 (masa) meaning "real, genuine, true" combined with
人 (to) meaning "person". Other combinations of kanji that have the same pronunciation can also form this name.
Matrona 2 f Celtic MythologyMeans
"great mother", from Celtic *
mātīr meaning "mother" and the divine or augmentative suffix
-on. This was the name of a Gaulish and Brythonic mother goddess, the namesake of the River Marne.
Mayrbek m ChechenDerived from Nakh
майра (mayra) meaning "husband, brave man" combined with the Turkic military title
beg meaning "chieftain, master".
McKenna f English (Modern)From an Irish and Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of
Mac Cionaodha, itself derived from the given name
Cionaodh. As a given name, it was very rare before 1980. It rapidly increased in popularity during the 1990s, likely because it was viewed as an even more feminine alternative to
Mackenzie.
McKinley f & m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of
Mac Fhionnlaigh, from the given name
Fionnlagh. A famous bearer of the surname was the American president William McKinley (1843-1901).
... [more] Meinir f WelshMeans
"tall and slender, beautiful maiden" in Welsh (a compound of
main "slender" and
hir "tall").
Meinwen f WelshMeans
"slender and beautiful maiden" from a Welsh compound of
main "slender" and
gwen "white, blessed".
Menander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Μένανδρος (Menandros), derived from either
μένω (meno) meaning "to stay, to last" or
μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force" combined with
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive
ἀνδρός). This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek dramatist. It was also borne by a 2nd-century BC Indo-Greek king who expanded the realm to its greatest extent.
Meritites f Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
mryt-jts meaning
"loved by her father". This name was borne by several Egyptian royals, including a wife and a daughter of the pharaoh
Khufu.
Methuselah m BiblicalMeans
"man of the dart" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the father of
Lamech and the grandfather of
Noah. He lived to age 969, making him the longest-lived person in the Bible.
Miltiades m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
μίλτος (miltos) meaning "red earth" and the patronymic suffix
ἴδης (ides). This was the name of the general who led the Greek forces to victory against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon.
Moa f SwedishPossibly derived from Swedish
moder meaning
"mother". This was the pen name of the Swedish author Moa Martinson (real name Helga Maria Martinson).
Moab m BiblicalMeans
"of his father" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Lot. He was the ancestor of the Moabites, a people who lived in the region called Moab to the east of Israel.
Morwenna f Cornish, WelshFrom Old Cornish
moroin meaning
"maiden, girl" (related to the Welsh word
morwyn). This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the daughters of
Brychan Brycheiniog.
Moses m English, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh), which is most likely derived from Egyptian
mes meaning
"son", but could also possibly mean
"deliver" in Hebrew. The meaning suggested in the Old Testament of
"drew out" from Hebrew
משה (mashah) is probably an invented etymology (see
Exodus 2:10).
... [more] Mut f Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
mwt meaning
"mother". In Egyptian mythology she was a mother goddess, the consort of
Amon and the mother of
Khonsu. She was sometimes depicted wearing a headdress with vulture wings.
Myfanwy f WelshFrom the Welsh prefix
my- meaning "my, belonging to me" (an older form of
fy) combined with either
manwy meaning "fine, delicate" or
banwy meaning "woman" (a variant of
banw). This was the name of an 1875 Welsh song composed by Joseph Parry.
Nabopolassar m Babylonian (Anglicized)From the Akkadian name
Nabu-apla-usur meaning
"Nabu protect my son", derived from the god's name
Nabu combined with
aplu meaning "son, heir" and an imperative form of
naṣāru meaning "to protect". This was the name of a 7th-century BC king of the Babylonian Empire, the first of the Chaldean dynasty.
Naja f Greenlandic, DanishFrom Greenlandic
najaa meaning
"his younger sister". It was popularized in Denmark by the writer B. S. Ingemann, who used it in his novel
Kunnuk and Naja, or the Greenlanders (1842).
Napoleon m History, EnglishFrom the old Italian name
Napoleone, used most notably by the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who was born on Corsica. The etymology is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from Old German
Nibelungen meaning
"sons of mist", a name used in Germanic legend to refer to the keepers of a hoard of treasure, often identified with the Burgundians. Alternatively, it could be connected to the name of the Italian city of Napoli (Naples).
Nebuchadnezzar m Babylonian (Anglicized), BiblicalFrom
נְבוּכַדְנֶאצֲּר (Nevukhadnetzzar), the Hebrew form of the Akkadian name
Nabu-kudurri-usur meaning "Nabu protect my eldest son", derived from the god's name
Nabu combined with
kudurru meaning "eldest son" and an imperative form of
naṣāru meaning "to protect". This name was borne by a 12th-century BC king of the Babylonian Empire. It was also borne by a 6th-century BC king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He captured Jerusalem, and ultimately destroyed the city's temple and deported many of its citizens, as told in the Old Testament.
Neely m & f English (Rare)From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized and reduced form of Gaelic
Mac an Fhilidh (or
McNeilly) meaning
"son of the poet".
Nelson m English, SpanishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Neil". It was originally given in honour of the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). His most famous battle was the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he destroyed a combined French and Spanish fleet, but was himself killed. Another notable bearer was the South African statesman Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). Mandela's birth name was
Rolihlahla; as a child he was given the English name
Nelson by a teacher.
Nena f EnglishVariant of
Nina 1, also coinciding with the Spanish word
nena meaning
"baby girl".
Neohne'e f CheyenneMeans
"walks toward woman", from Cheyenne
nėh- "toward" and
-ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix
-e'é.
Nephthys f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)Greek form of Egyptian
nbt-ḥwt (reconstructed as
Nebet-Hut) meaning
"lady of the house", derived from
nbt "lady" and
ḥwt "house". This was the name of an Egyptian goddess associated with the air, death and mourning. She was wife of the desert god
Seth.
Nikandros m Ancient GreekMeans
"victory of a man" from the Greek elements
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive
ἀνδρός). This was the name of a 2nd-century BC Greek poet and grammarian from Colophon.
Niles m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the given name
Neil.
Nina 1 f Russian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, BelarusianShort form of names that end in
nina, such as
Antonina or
Giannina. It was imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. This name also nearly coincides with the Spanish word
niña meaning
"little girl" (the word is pronounced differently than the name).
... [more] Ningal f Sumerian MythologyMeans
"great lady", from Sumerian
𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and
𒃲 (gal) meaning "big, great". This was the name of a goddess of reeds in Sumerian mythology. She was the daughter of
Enki and the wife of
Nanna.
Ninhursag f Sumerian MythologyMeans
"lady of the mountain", from Sumerian
𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and
𒉺𒂅 (hursaĝ) meaning "mountain". This was the name of the Sumerian mother and fertility goddess, the primary consort of
Enki.
Ninisina f Sumerian MythologyMeans "lady of Isin", from Sumerian
𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" combined with the name of the city-state of
Isin. This was the name of a Sumerian goddess of healing, later conflated with
Gula.
Ninsun f Sumerian MythologyFrom Sumerian
nin-sumun-a(k) meaning
"lady of the wild cow", derived from
𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of
𒄢 (sumun) meaning "wild cow". In Sumerian mythology Ninsun was the divine mother of
Gilgamesh.
Ninurta m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic MythologyDerived from Sumerian
𒎏 (nin) meaning "lord" and
𒅁 (urta) meaning "ear of barley". In Sumerian, Akkadian and Babylonian mythology Ninurta was a god of agriculture, hunting and healing, later associated with war. He was also called
Ningirsu, though they may have originally been separate deities.
Nisa f TurkishFrom Arabic
نساء (nisa) meaning
"women". This is the name of the fourth chapter of the Quran (surah an-Nisa).
Nivi f GreenlandicShort form of Greenlandic
niviarsiaq meaning
"young girl".
Niviarsiaq f GreenlandicMeans
"young girl" in Greenlandic. This is the name of a variety of flower that grows on Greenland, the dwarf fireweed (species Chamaenerion latifolium).
Nixon m English (Modern)From an English surname meaning
"son of Nick". It was borne by the American president Richard Nixon (1913-1994).
Nnamdi m IgboMeans
"my father is alive" in Igbo. This name is given to a child when it is believed that he is a reincarnation of his grandfather.
Nneka f IgboMeans
"mother is greater" in Igbo.
Nnenna f IgboMeans
"father's mother" in Igbo. This name is given in honour of the child's paternal grandmother.
Nnenne f IgboMeans
"mother's mother" in Igbo. This name is given in honour of the child's maternal grandmother.
Nonhelema f ShawneePossibly means
"not a man" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief, the sister of
Hokolesqua.
Nonhle f XhosaFrom the Xhosa feminine prefix
no- combined with
hle "beautiful".
Nosipho f Zulu, XhosaFrom the Zulu and Xhosa feminine prefix
no- combined with
isipho "gift".
Nosizwe f XhosaFrom the Xhosa feminine prefix
no- combined with
isizwe "nation".
Nostradamus m HistoryLatinized form of the surname of Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), a French astrologer famous for his book of prophecies. The surname, meaning
"our lady" in Old French, was acquired by his father upon his conversion from Judaism to Christianity.
Noxolo f Xhosa, NdebeleFrom the Xhosa and Ndebele feminine prefix
no- combined with
uxolo "peace".
Nüwa f Chinese MythologyFrom Chinese
女 (nǚ) meaning "woman, female" and
娲 (wā), a character of uncertain origin that refers to the goddess herself. This is the name of the creator goddess in Chinese mythology, depicted as a snake with a human head. She molded humans from earth or clay with her brother
Fuxi.
Obinna m IgboMeans
"heart of the father" in Igbo, from
óbì "heart, mind" and
ńnà "father".
Okafor m IgboMeans
"boy (born on) Afor" in Igbo,
Afor being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Okeke m IgboMeans
"boy (born on) Eke" in Igbo,
Eke being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Okonkwo m IgboMeans
"boy (born on) Nkwo" in Igbo,
Nkwo being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Okorie m IgboMeans
"boy (born on) Orie" in Igbo,
Orie being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Osborn m EnglishDerived from the Old English elements
os "god" and
beorn "warrior, man". During the Anglo-Saxon period there was also a Norse cognate
Ásbjǫrn used in England, and after the Norman Conquest the Norman cognate
Osbern was introduced. It was occasionally revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the given name.
Otis m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name
Ode, a cognate of
Otto. In America it has been used in honour of the revolutionary James Otis (1725-1783).
Pachamama f Inca MythologyMeans
"earth mother" in Quechua, from
pacha "world, time" and
mama "mother". This was the name of an Inca goddess of the earth and fertility.
Pahoevotona'e f CheyenneMeans
"attached feathers woman", from Cheyenne
pȧhoe- "attach to" and
voto "feather, plume" combined with the feminine suffix
-e'é.
Pallas 1 f Greek MythologyProbably derived from a Greek word meaning
"maiden, young woman". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess
Athena. According to some legends it was originally the name of a friend of the goddess. Athena accidentally killed her while sparring, so she took the name in honour of her friend.
Paninnguaq f GreenlandicMeans
"little daughter" in Greenlandic, from
panik "daughter" and the diminutive suffix
-nnguaq.
Partha m Hinduism, Bengali, AssameseMeans
"son of Pritha" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is another name for the Pandavas, who were sons of Pritha (another name of Kunti) and Pandu.
Perchuhi f ArmenianMeans
"elegant lady", from Armenian
պերճ (perch) meaning "elegant, splendid" and the feminine suffix
ուհի (uhi).
Perry m EnglishFrom a surname that is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English
perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh
ap Herry, meaning "son of
Herry". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.
Persis f Biblical, Biblical GreekGreek name meaning
"Persian woman". This was the name of a woman mentioned in
Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament.
Poseidon m Greek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
πόσις (posis) meaning "husband, lord" and
δᾶ (da) meaning "earth". The name first appears in Mycenaean Greek inscriptions as
po-se-da-o. In Greek mythology Poseidon was the unruly god of the sea and earthquakes, the brother of
Zeus. He was often depicted carrying a trident and riding in a chariot drawn by white horses.
Potsʉnakwahipʉ m ComancheMeans
"male bison back" in Comanche, derived from
potsʉ "male bison" and
kwahi "back (body part)". This name was borne by a 19th-century war chief of the Penateka Comanche, also called Buffalo Hump.
Price m EnglishFrom a Welsh surname that was derived from
ap Rhys meaning
"son of Rhys".
Puabi f AkkadianMeans
"word of my father", from Akkadian
pû meaning "mouth" and
abu meaning "father". Puabi was a 26th-century BC Akkadian noblewoman who was buried in the Sumerian city of Ur.
Puteri f MalayMeans
"daughter, princess" in Malay, ultimately from Sanskrit
पुत्री (putri).
Quasimodo m LiteratureFrom the name of the Sunday that follows Easter, called Quasimodo Sunday, which gets its name from the opening words of the Latin chant
quasi modo (geniti infantes...) meaning
"like the way (that newborn infants do...)". It was used by Victor Hugo for his novel
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Quasimodo is a hunchbacked bellringer at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He was named thus by Archdeacon Frollo because he was abandoned as a baby at the cathedral on Quasimodo Sunday, though Hugo states that Frollo may have been inspired by the alternate meaning for
quasi "almost", referring to the almost-complete appearance of the foundling.
Rajesh m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, NepaliMeans
"ruler of kings" from Sanskrit
राज (raja) meaning "king" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler".
Rajnish m HindiMeans
"lord of the night" from Sanskrit
रजनि (rajani) meaning "night" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler". This is another name for the moon in Hindu texts.
Rambabu m TeluguMeans
"father Rama" from the name of the Hindu deity
Rama 1 combined with Telugu
బాబు (babu) meaning "father".
Reuben m Biblical, Hebrew, EnglishMeans
"behold, a son" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the eldest son of
Jacob and
Leah and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Reuben was cursed by his father because he slept with Jacob's concubine
Bilhah. It has been used as a Christian name in Britain since the Protestant Reformation.
Rhian f WelshDerived from Welsh
rhiain meaning
"maiden, young woman".
Rikuto m JapaneseFrom Japanese
陸 (riku) meaning "land" combined with
斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or
人 (to) meaning "person", as well as other combinations of kanji that have the same pronunciation.
Rokurō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
六 (roku) meaning "six" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This name was traditionally given to the sixth son. Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Ryūji m JapaneseFrom Japanese
竜 or 龍 (ryū) meaning "dragon" or
隆 (ryū) meaning "noble, prosperous" combined with
二 (ji) meaning "two" or
司 (ji) meaning "officer, boss". This name can also be formed using other kanji combinations.
Sabas m SpanishFrom the Greek name
Σάββας (Sabbas), which was derived from Aramaic
סַבָא (sava') meaning
"old man, grandfather". Saints bearing this name include a 4th-century Gothic martyr, a 5th-century Cappadocian hermit, and a 12th-century archbishop of Serbia who is the patron saint of that country.
Saburō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
三 (sabu) meaning "three" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This was traditionally a name for the third son. Other kanji combinations are possible as well.
Sacagawea f Indigenous AmericanProbably from Hidatsa
tsakáka wía meaning
"bird woman". Alternatively it could originate from the Shoshone language and mean "boat puller". This name was borne by a Native American woman who guided the explorers Lewis and Clark. She was of Shoshone ancestry but had been abducted in her youth and raised by a Hidatsa tribe.
Sadaf f ArabicMeans
"seashell, mother-of-pearl" in Arabic.
Sarah f English, French, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"lady, princess, noblewoman" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of
Abraham's wife, considered the matriarch of the Jewish people. She was barren until she unexpectedly became pregnant with
Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally
Sarai, but God changed it at the same time Abraham's name was changed (see
Genesis 17:15).
... [more] Saramama f Inca MythologyMeans
"corn mother" in Quechua, from
sara "corn, maize" and
mama "mother". This was the name of the Inca goddess of grain.
Satisha m HinduismMeans
"lord of Sati" from the name of the Hindu goddess
Sati combined with
ईश (isha) meaning "ruler". This is another name for the Hindu god
Shiva.
Şener m TurkishFrom Turkish
şen meaning "happy" and
er meaning "man, hero, brave".
Shapur m History, PersianFrom Middle Persian
𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩 (Shahpuhr) meaning
"son of the king". This was the name of three Sasanian emperors.
Shehu m HausaFrom Arabic
شيخ (shaykh) meaning
"elder, chief, sheikh", a title of Usman dan Fodio (1754-1817), the founder of the Sokoto Caliphate.
Sherman m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"shear man", originally denoting a person who cut cloth. Famous bearers of the surname include American politician Roger Sherman (1721-1793) and American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891).
Shichirō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
七 (shichi) meaning "seven" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This was traditionally a name given to the seventh son. Other kanji combinations can be possible.
Shigeo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
茂 (shige) meaning "lush, luxuriant" or
重 (shige) meaning "layers, folds" combined with
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly" or
男 (o) meaning "male, man". Many other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Shirō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
四 (shi) meaning "four" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This was traditionally a name for the fourth son. Other kanji combinations are possible.
Shripati m HinduismMeans
"husband of Shri" from the name of the Hindu goddess
Shri combined with Sanskrit
पति (pati) meaning "husband, lord". This is another name of the Hindu god
Vishnu.
Simonides m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
σιμός (simos) meaning "flat-nosed" and the patronymic suffix
ἴδης (ides). This name was borne by the 7th-century BC iambic poet Simonides of Amorgos and the 6th-century BC lyric poet Simonides of Ceos.
Siv f Swedish, Norwegian, Norse MythologyFrom Old Norse
Sif, which meant
"bride, kinswoman". In Norse mythology she was the wife of
Thor. After the trickster
Loki cut off her golden hair, an angry Thor forced him to create a replacement.
Somchai m ThaiDerived from Thai
สม (som) meaning "worthy" combined with
ชาย (chai) meaning "man" or
ชัย (chai) meaning "victory".
Srbuhi f ArmenianMeans
"holy woman, female saint" in Armenian, derived from
սուրբ (surb) meaning "holy, sacred".
Susanoo m Japanese MythologyOf Japanese origin, possibly meaning
"wild male, impetuous male". In Japanese mythology he was the god of storms and the sea, as well as the brother and adversary of the goddess
Amaterasu. He was born when
Izanagi washed his nose after returning from the underworld. After he was banished from the heavens, he descended to earth and slew an eight-headed dragon.
Tahpenes f BiblicalProbably of Egyptian origin, possibly meaning
"the wife of the king", derived from the feminine determiner
tꜣ and
ḥmt "woman, wife" combined with the masculine determiner
pꜣ and
nsw "king". Queen Tahpenes was a wife of an Egyptian pharaoh according to the Book of Kings in the Old Testament.
Takehiko m JapaneseFrom Japanese
武 (take) meaning "military, martial" or
竹 (take) meaning "bamboo" combined with
彦 (hiko) meaning "boy, prince". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Takeo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
武 (take) meaning "military, martial" combined with
夫 (o) meaning "man, husband" or
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Takuto m JapaneseFrom Japanese
拓 (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" combined with
斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or
人 (to) meaning "person". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Talitha f BiblicalMeans
"little girl" in Aramaic. The name is taken from the phrase
talitha cumi meaning "little girl arise" spoken by
Jesus in order to restore a young girl to life (see
Mark 5:41).
Tāne m Maori, Polynesian MythologyMeans
"man" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Tāne was the god of forests and light. He was the son of the sky god
Rangi and the earth goddess
Papa, who were locked in an embrace and finally separated by their son. He created the tui bird and, by some accounts, man.
Tarō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Tatanka m Sioux (Anglicized)From Lakota
tȟatȟáŋka meaning
"male bison". This was the first part of the name of the Lakota holy man and chief Tatanka Iyotake (1831-1890), usually translated into English as Sitting Bull.
Tatsuo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
達 (tatsu) meaning "achieve" combined with
夫 (o) meaning "man, husband". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Tavish m ScottishAnglicized form of
a Thàmhais, vocative case of
Tàmhas. Alternatively it could be taken from the Scottish surname
McTavish, Anglicized form of
Mac Tàmhais, meaning "son of
Tàmhas".
Taweret f Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
tꜣ-wrt meaning
"O great female". In Egyptian mythology Taweret was a goddess of childbirth and fertility. She was typically depicted as an upright hippopotamus.
Tennyson m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that meant
"son of Tenney",
Tenney being a medieval form of
Denis. A notable bearer of the surname was the British poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), commonly called Lord Tennyson after he became a baron in 1884.
Teuta f AlbanianPossibly from an Illyrian word or title meaning
"queen, lady of the people". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Illyrian queen. After the death of her husband
Agron, she ruled as the regent for his young son Pinnes.
Thị f VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
氏 (thị) meaning
"clan, family, maiden name". This is a very common middle name for Vietnamese girls.
Thijmen m DutchDutch form of the Germanic name
Theotman, derived from the elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Dutch
thiad) and
man meaning "person, man".
Tilman m GermanCombination of
Till and Old German
man meaning "person, man". A notable bearer was the German sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider (1460-1531).
Tinúviel f LiteratureMeans
"daughter of twilight, nightingale" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the
Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tinuviel was another name of Lúthien, the daughter of Thingol the elf king. She was the beloved of Beren, who with her help retrieved one of the Silmarils from the iron crown of Morgoth.
Torfinn m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Þórfinnr, derived from the name of the Norse god
Þórr (see
Thor) combined with
finnr "Sámi, person from Finland".
Toshirō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
俊 (toshi) meaning "talented, handsome" or
敏 (toshi) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" combined with
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Truman m EnglishFrom a surname that meant
"trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).
Tsuneo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
恒 (tsune) meaning "constant, persistent" combined with
夫 (o) meaning "man, husband",
男 (o) meaning "male, man" or
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Tyree m African AmericanFrom a Scottish surname, a variant of
McIntyre. It has been well-used as an African-American name, especially since the 1970s, probably inspired by other similar-sounding names such as
Tyrone.
Tyson m EnglishFrom an English surname, originally a nickname for a quarrelsome person, from Old French
tison meaning
"firebrand". A famous bearer of the surname is boxer Mike Tyson (1966-). This was a rare given name in America before 1960, but it increased in popularity through the 1960s and 70s, maybe because of its similarities with names such as
Tyler and
Tyrone.
Uchenna m & f IgboMeans
"wisdom of the father, sense of the father" in Igbo.
Umm f ArabicMeans
"mother" in Arabic. This is often used in a kunya, a type of Arabic nickname (see the masculine counterpart
Abu).
Uroš m Serbian, SloveneSerbian form of an old Hungarian name, possibly from
úr meaning
"man, lord" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of five Serbian kings.
Uthman m ArabicMeans
"baby bustard" in Arabic (a bustard is a type of large bird). Uthman was a companion of the Prophet
Muhammad who married two of his daughters. He was the third caliph of the Muslims.
Veikko m FinnishFrom a colloquial form of the Finnish word
veli meaning
"brother".
Ve'keseha'e f CheyenneMeans
"bird woman" in Cheyenne, derived from
vé'kėséhe- "bird" and the feminine suffix
-e'é.
Vello m EstonianFrom a diminutive form of the Estonian word
veli meaning
"brother".
Veslemøy f NorwegianMeans
"little girl" from Norwegian
vesle "little" and
møy "girl". This name was created by Norwegian writer Arne Garborg for the main character in his poem
Haugtussa (1895).
Virginia f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Greek, Ancient RomanFeminine form of the Roman family name
Verginius or
Virginius, which is of unknown meaning, but long associated with Latin
virgo "maid, virgin". According to a legend, it was the name of a Roman woman killed by her father so as to save her from the clutches of a crooked official.
... [more] Virgo f AstronomyMeans
"maiden, virgin" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the sixth sign of the zodiac.
Voestaa'e f CheyenneMeans
"white bison calf woman" in Cheyenne, derived from
vóésta "white bison calf" and the feminine suffix
-e'é. Because white bison calves were rare they were considered sacred.
Vonahe'e f CheyenneMeans
"medicine bundle woman" in Cheyenne. A medicine bundle is a collection of sacred items used in religious ceremonies.
Watson m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Wat". A famous fictional bearer of the surname was Dr. Watson, the assistant to Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's mystery stories beginning in 1887.
Winona f English, SiouxMeans
"firstborn daughter" in Dakota or Lakota. According to folklore, this was the name of a daughter of a Dakota chief (possibly
Wapasha III) who leapt from a cliff to her death rather than marry a man she hated. Numerous places in the United States have been named after her. The actress Winona Ryder (1971-) was named after the city in Minnesota where she was born.
Yancy m & f EnglishFrom a surname, which was an Americanized form of the Dutch surname
Jansen meaning
"Jan 1's son".
Yang m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
洋 (yáng) meaning "ocean" or
阳 (yáng) meaning "light, sun, male" (which is typically only masculine), as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.
Yemọja f Yoruba MythologyMeans
"mother of fish" in Yoruba, derived from
iye "mother",
ọmọ "child" and
ẹja "fish". In traditional Yoruba religion she is the goddess of the Ogun River, pregnancy and motherhood.
Yōko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
陽 (yō) meaning "light, sun, male" or
洋 (yō) meaning "ocean" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Yoshio m JapaneseFrom Japanese
義 (yoshi) meaning "righteous" and
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly", as well as many other kanji combinations having the same pronunciation.
Yoshirō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
義 (yoshi) meaning "righteous" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Yōsuke m JapaneseFrom Japanese
陽 (yō) meaning "light, sun, male" or
洋 (yō) meaning "ocean" combined with
介 (suke) meaning "help, assist". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Yōta m JapaneseFrom Japanese
陽 (yō) meaning "light, sun, male" and
太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". Other character combinations are possible.
Yūdai m JapaneseFrom Japanese
雄 (yū) meaning "hero, manly" and
大 (dai) meaning "big, great, vast", besides other combinations of kanji.
Yūji m JapaneseFrom
祐 (yū) meaning "divine intervention, protection",
雄 (yū) meaning "hero, manly", or
裕 (yū) meaning "abundant" combined with
二 (ji) meaning "two" or
司 (ji) meaning "officer, boss". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Yukio m JapaneseFrom Japanese
幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness" combined with
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly" or
男 (o) meaning "male, man". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Yūta m JapaneseFrom Japanese
優 (yū) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness",
悠 (yū) meaning "permanence" or
勇 (yū) meaning "brave" combined with
太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". Other combinations of kanji are possible.
Yūto m JapaneseFrom Japanese
優 (yū) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or
悠 (yū) meaning "permanence" combined with
斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation,
人 (to) meaning "person" or
翔 (to) meaning "soar, fly". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Zétény m HungarianPossibly from the Old Slavic root
zętĭ meaning
"son-in-law".