Browse Names

Ji-Su f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean 志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" or 智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" combined with 秀 (su) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful". Other hanja character combinations are possible.

Ji-U f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean 芝 (ji) meaning "sesame" or 志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" combined with 雨 (u) meaning "rain" or 宇 (u) meaning "house, eaves, universe". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.

Ji-Yeong f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean 智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or 知 (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend" combined with 英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" or 榮 (yeong) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.

Jóarr m Old Norse
From Old Norse jór "horse" and herr "army, warrior". This name appears on runestones as ioar and iuar, though the latter form could also represent Ívarr.

Jonah m English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹנָה (Yonah) meaning "dove". This was the name of a prophet swallowed by a fish, as told in the Old Testament Book of Jonah. Jonah was commanded by God to preach in Nineveh, but instead fled by boat. After being caught in a storm, the other sailors threw Jonah overboard, at which point he was swallowed. He emerged from the fish alive and repentant three days later.... [more]

Jonquil f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower, derived ultimately from Latin iuncus "reed".

Jorunn f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Jórunnr, derived from the elements jǫfurr "boar" and unna "to love".

Jostein m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Jósteinn, derived from the elements jór "horse" and steinn "stone".

Ju f & m Chinese
From Chinese 菊 (jú) meaning "chrysanthemum" (which is usually only feminine) or 巨 (jù) meaning "big, enormous" (usually only masculine), besides other characters that are pronounced similarly.

Juniper f English (Modern)
From the English word for the type of tree, derived ultimately from Latin iuniperus.

Junípero m Various (Rare)
This was the name assumed by the 18th-century Spanish Franciscan monk Miguel José Serra, a missionary to California. He named himself after one of Saint Francis's companions, who was named from Latin iuniperus "juniper".

Kaede f & m Japanese
From Japanese 楓 (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

Kalei m & f Hawaiian
Means "the flowers" or "the child" from Hawaiian ka "the" and lei "flowers, lei, child".

Kálfr m Old Norse
Means "calf" in Old Norse.

Kalin m Bulgarian
Masculine form of Kalina.

Kalina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Polish
Means "viburnum tree" in Bulgarian, Macedonian and Polish.

Kallippos m Ancient Greek
Means "beautiful horse", derived from the Greek elements κάλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse".

Kalyna f Ukrainian (Rare)
From the Ukrainian word for a type of shrub, also called the guelder rose (species Viburnum opulus).

Kamala f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Nepali
Means "lotus" or "pale red" in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form कमला and the masculine form कमल, though in modern languages it is only a feminine form. This is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades, in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

Kanon f Japanese
From Japanese 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" and 音 (non) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.

Kantuta f Aymara
Means "cantua flower" in Aymara (species Cantua buxifolia).

Kapua f & m Hawaiian
Means "the flower" or "the child" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and pua "flower, offspring".

Karen 3 f Japanese
From Japanese 華 (ka) meaning "flower" and 蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus, water lily". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.

Kasumi f Japanese
From Japanese 霞 (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with 澄 (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Katida f Esperanto
From Esperanto katido meaning "kitten", ultimately from Latin cattus.

Katsumi m & f Japanese
From Japanese 克 (katsu) meaning "overcome" or 勝 (katsu) meaning "victory" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 己 (mi) meaning "self". Other kanji combinations having the same pronunciation can also form this name.

Kauã m Tupi
Variant of Cauã.

Kauri m Maori
From the name of a type of tree found in New Zealand (species Agathis australis).

Kavi m Hindi
From a title for a poet, meaning "wise man, sage, poet" in Sanskrit.

Kazuki m Japanese
From Japanese 一 (kazu) meaning "one" or 和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with 輝 (ki) meaning "brightness", 希 (ki) meaning "hope" or 樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.

Kazumi f & m Japanese
From Japanese 和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" or 一 (kazu) meaning "one" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.

Kelebek f Turkish (Rare)
Means "butterfly" in Turkish.

Kenaniah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh establishes" in Hebrew. This was the name of two minor Old Testament characters.

Kentigern m History (Ecclesiastical)
From a Brythonic name in which the second element is Celtic *tigernos "lord, ruler". The first element may be *kentus "first" or *kū "dog, hound" (genitive *kunos). This was the name of a 6th-century saint from the Kingdom of Strathclyde. He is the patron saint of Glasgow.

Kestrel f English (Rare)
From the name of the bird of prey, ultimately derived from Old French crecelle "rattle", which refers to the sound of its cry.

Kfir m Hebrew
Means "lion cub" in Hebrew.

Khulan f Mongolian
Means "onager, wild donkey" in Mongolian. This was the name of a wife of Genghis Khan.

Kiefer m English (Modern)
From a German surname meaning either "pine tree" or "barrel maker".

Kielo f Finnish
Means "lily of the valley" in Finnish (species Convallaria majalis).

Kiku f Japanese
From Japanese 菊 (kiku) meaning "chrysanthemum", as well as other kanji characters that are pronounced the same way.

Kimimela f Sioux
From Lakota kimímela meaning "butterfly".

Kip m English
From a nickname, probably from the English word kipper meaning "male salmon".

Kiri f Maori
Means "skin of a tree or fruit" in Maori. This name has been brought to public attention by New Zealand opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa (1944-).

Kishor m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit किशोर (kishora) meaning "colt".

Koa m Hawaiian
Means "warrior, koa tree" in Hawaiian.

Kolab f Khmer (Rare)
Means "rose" in Khmer, ultimately from Persian گلاب (golab).

Koralia f Greek, Late Greek
Derived from Ancient Greek κοράλλιον (korallion) meaning "coral" (in Modern Greek κοράλλι). This was the name of an obscure 4th-century saint and martyr from Thrace.

Koraljka f Croatian
From Croatian koralj meaning "coral", ultimately from Latin corallium.

Koralo m Esperanto
Means "coral" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin corallium.

Korbinian m German
Derived from Latin corvus meaning "raven". This was the name of an 8th-century Frankish saint who was sent by Pope Gregory II to evangelize in Bavaria. His real name may have been Hraban.

Koronis f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek κορώνη (korone) meaning "crow". This was the name of several figures from Greek mythology, including the mother of the god Asklepios.

Kōsuke m Japanese
From Japanese 康 (kō) meaning "peace", 孝 (kō) meaning "filial piety, obedience" or 浩 (kō) meaning "prosperous" combined with 介 (suke) meaning "help, assist". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.

Kreios m Greek Mythology
Possibly 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.

Kukka f Finnish
Means "flower" in Finnish.

K'uk'ulkan m Mayan Mythology
Means "feathered serpent", from Classic Maya k'uk' "quetzal, quetzal feather" and kaan "serpent, snake". This was the name of a snake god in Maya mythology, roughly equivalent to the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. This is the Yucatec Maya form — the K'iche' name is Q'uq'umatz (which is only partially cognate).

Kulap f & m Thai
Means "rose" in Thai (of Persian origin).

Kunala m Sanskrit
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor Ashoka.

Kusuma m & f Indonesian
Derived from Sanskrit कुसुम (kusuma) meaning "flower".

Květa f Czech
Either a short form of Květoslava or directly from Czech květ "flower, blossom".

Kveta f Slovak
Slovak form of Květa.

Květoslav m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements květŭ "flower" and slava "glory".

Kvetoslav m Slovak
Slovak form of Květoslav.

Lăcrămioara f Romanian
Means "lily of the valley" in Romanian (species Convallaria majalis). It is derived from a diminutive form of lacrămă "tear".

Lærke f Danish
Means "lark" in Danish.

Lagle f Estonian
Means "goose" in Estonian.

Lala f Bulgarian (Rare)
From Bulgarian лале (lale) meaning "tulip" (of Persian origin).

Lale f Turkish
Means "tulip" in Turkish, of Persian origin.

Laleh f Persian
Means "tulip" in Persian.

Lalka f Bulgarian
From Bulgarian лале (lale) meaning "tulip". It is derived via Turkish from Persian لاله (laleh).

Lalla f Literature
Derived from Persian لاله (laleh) meaning "tulip". This was the name of the heroine of Thomas Moore's poem Lalla Rookh (1817). In the poem, Lalla, the daughter of the emperor of Delhi, listens to a poet sing four tales.

Lan 1 f & m Chinese, Vietnamese
From Chinese 兰 (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant" (which is usually only feminine) or 岚 (lán) meaning "mountain mist". Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. As a Vietnamese name, it is derived from Sino-Vietnamese 蘭 meaning "orchid".

Landulf m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements lant meaning "land" and wolf meaning "wolf". This name was borne by several Lombard nobles.

Lark f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of songbird.

Lata f Hindi, Marathi
Means "vine, creeping plant" in Sanskrit.

Laura f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, French, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Lithuanian, Latvian, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Laurus, which meant "laurel". This meaning was favourable, since in ancient Rome the leaves of laurel trees were used to create victors' garlands. The name was borne by the 9th-century Spanish martyr Saint Laura, who was a nun thrown into a vat of molten lead by the Moors. It was also the name of the subject of poems by the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch.... [more]

Laurel f English
From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.

Lautaro m Mapuche (Hispanicized), Spanish (Latin American)
Hispanicized form of Mapuche Lef-Traru meaning "swift hawk", derived from lef "swift" and traru "hawk". This name was borne by a 16th-century Mapuche military leader who fought against the Spanish conquistadors in Chile.

Lavender f English (Rare)
From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.

Laverne f & m English
From a French surname that was derived from a place name, ultimately from the Gaulish word vern "alder". It is sometimes associated with the Roman goddess Laverna or the Latin word vernus "of spring".

Lavi m Hebrew
Means "lion" in Hebrew.

Leah f English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name לֵאָה (Le'ah), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word לְאָה (le'ah) meaning "weary". Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian littu meaning "cow". In the Old Testament Leah is the first wife of Jacob and the mother of seven of his children. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister Rachel, whom he preferred. Leah later offered Jacob her handmaid Zilpah in order for him to conceive more children.... [more]

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.

Lehua f & m Hawaiian
Means "ohia flower" in Hawaiian.

Lei 1 m & f Hawaiian
Means "flowers, lei, child" in Hawaiian.

Leib m Yiddish
Means "lion" in Yiddish, from Old High German lewo. This was a vernacular form of Arieh.

Leilani f & m Hawaiian
Means "heavenly flowers" or "royal child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Leimomi f Hawaiian
Means "pearl lei" or "pearl child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and momi "pearl".

Lencho m Oromo
Means "lion" in Oromo.

Leo m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, English, Croatian, Armenian, Late Roman
Derived from Latin leo meaning "lion", a cognate of Leon. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of 13 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), name spelled Лев in Russian, whose works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Leo is also a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.

Leon m English, German, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Greek, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek λέων (leon) meaning "lion". During the Christian era this Greek name was merged with the Latin cognate Leo, with the result that the two forms are used somewhat interchangeably across European languages. In England during the Middle Ages this was a common name among Jews. A famous bearer was the communist revolutionary Leon Trotsky (1879-1940), whose name is Лев in Russian.

Leonard m English, Dutch, German, Polish, Romanian, Germanic
Means "brave lion", derived from the Old German elements lewo "lion" (of Latin origin) and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish saint from Noblac who is the patron of prisoners and horses. The Normans brought this name to England, where it was used steadily through the Middle Ages, becoming even more common in the 20th century.

Leonidas m Greek, Ancient Greek
Derived 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.

Leontes m Literature
Variant of Leontios. This is the name of the king of Sicily in Shakespeare's play The Winter's Tale (1610). He is the husband of Hermione, whom he imprisons, and the father of Perdita, whom he abandons.

Leontios m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek λέοντος (leontos), the genitive case of λέων (leon) meaning "lion". This was the name of various early saints and martyrs. It was also borne by a 7th-century Byzantine emperor.

Leslie f & m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from a place in Aberdeenshire, probably from Gaelic leas celyn meaning "garden of holly". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In America it was more common as a feminine name after the 1940s.

Leukippos m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "white horse", derived from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "white, bright" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This name was borne by a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher, as well as by several characters in Greek mythology.

Lev 1 m Russian
Means "lion" in Russian, functioning as a vernacular form of Leo. This was the real Russian name of both author Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) and revolutionary Leon Trotsky (1879-1940).

Lew 2 m Polish (Rare)
Polish cognate of Lev 1.

Lian 2 m & f Chinese
From Chinese 莲 (lián) meaning "lotus, water lily", 濂 (lián) meaning "waterfall", or other Chinese characters that are pronounced similarly.

Licarayen f Mapuche
Means "stone flower" in Mapuche, from likan "a type of black stone" and rayen "flower". According to a Mapuche legend this was the name of a maiden who sacrificed herself in order to stop the wrath of the evil spirit of a volcano.

Liên f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 蓮 (liên) meaning "lotus, water lily".

Liepa f Lithuanian
Means "linden tree" or "July" in Lithuanian.

Lilac f English (Rare)
From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers (genus Syringa). It is derived via Arabic from Persian.

Lilach f Hebrew
Means "lilac" in Hebrew.

Lile f Irish (Rare)
Irish form of Lily.

Lili f German, French, Hungarian
German, French and Hungarian diminutive of Elisabeth and other names containing li. It is also sometimes connected to the German word lilie meaning "lily".

Lilia f Spanish, Italian, Russian, Ukrainian
Spanish and Italian form of Lily, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Лилия or Ukrainian Лілія (see Liliya).

Lilija f Lithuanian, Latvian
Lithuanian and Latvian cognate of Lily.

Lilijana f Slovene, Lithuanian
Slovene and Lithuanian form of Lillian.

Liliya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian cognate of Lily.

Lilja f Icelandic, Faroese, Finnish
Icelandic, Faroese and Finnish cognate of Lily.

Liljana f Macedonian, Slovene, Albanian
Macedonian, Slovene and Albanian form of Lillian.

Lilli f German, Danish, Finnish
German, Danish and Finnish variant of Lili.

Lily f English
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).

Lilyana f Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Lillian.

Lilyrose f English
Combination of Lily and Rose.

Lina 1 f Arabic
Means either "palm tree" or "tender" in Arabic.

Linas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Linus. This is also the Lithuanian word for "flax" (a cognate of the name's root).

Linden m & f English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".

Linnaea f English (Rare)
From the word for the type of flower, also called the twinflower (see Linnéa).

Linnéa f Swedish
From the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favourite flower.

Linnea f Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish
Variant of Linnéa.

Linnet f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Lynette or else from the name of the small bird, a type of finch.

Linus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized), Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Greek name Λίνος (Linos) meaning "flax". In Greek legend he was the son of the god Apollo, who accidentally killed him in a contest. Another son of Apollo by this name was the music teacher of Herakles. The name was also borne by the second pope, serving after Saint Peter in the 1st century. In modern times this was the name of a character in Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.

Ljerka f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Derived from the rare Serbo-Croatian word lijer meaning "lily" (the usual word is ljiljan).

Ljiljana f Serbian, Croatian
Derived from Serbo-Croatian ljiljan meaning "lily".

Ljubica f Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene
From the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love" combined with a diminutive suffix. It can also come from the Serbian and Croatian word ljubica meaning "violet (flower)".

Llinos f Welsh
Means "linnet, finch" in Welsh. The linnet (species Linaria cannabina) is a small European bird in the finch family.

Loan 2 f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 鸞 (loan), which refers to a mythological bird.

Lóegaire m Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "calf herder", derived from Old Irish lóeg "calf". In Irish legend Lóegaire Búadach was an Ulster warrior. He saved the life of the poet Áed, but died in the process. This was also the name of several Irish high kings.

Lonán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "little blackbird", derived from Old Irish lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.

Long m Chinese, Vietnamese
From Chinese 龙 (lóng) meaning "dragon" or 隆 (lóng) meaning "prosperous, abundant", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.

Longwang m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 龙 (lóng) meaning "dragon" and 王 (wáng) meaning "king". This is the Chinese name of the Dragon King, a god associated with water and rain.

Lore 2 f Basque
Means "flower" in Basque.

Lotus f English (Rare)
From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.

Loup m French
French form of the Roman name Lupus meaning "wolf". Lupus was the name of several early saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Troyes who apparently convinced Attila to spare the city.

Lovel m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.

Lovell m English
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.

Lowell m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman French nickname, from lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).

Luan m Albanian
Means "lion" in Albanian.

Lubna f Arabic
Means "storax tree" in Arabic. According to a 7th-century legend Lubna and Qays were a couple forced to divorce by Qays's father.

Ludolf m German (Rare), Germanic
From the Old German name Hludolf, which was composed of the elements hlut meaning "famous, loud" and wolf meaning "wolf". Saint Ludolf (or Ludolph) was a 13th-century bishop of Ratzeburg.

Lule f Albanian
Means "flower" in Albanian.

Luljeta f Albanian
Means "flower of life" in Albanian, from lule "flower" and jetë "life".

Lycurgus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λυκοῦργος (Lykourgos), derived from λύκος (lykos) meaning "wolf" and ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work, deed". In Greek legend this was the name of a king who was driven mad by the gods because of his impiety. This was also the name of a Spartan legislator of the 9th century BC.

Lycus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λύκος (Lykos) meaning "wolf". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology including a legendary ruler of Thebes.

Lyndon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "linden tree hill" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973).

Lyones f Arthurian Cycle
Variant of Lyonesse.

Lyonesse f Arthurian Cycle
Means "lioness" in Middle English. In Thomas Malory's 15th-century tale Le Morte d'Arthur this is the name of a woman trapped in a castle by the Red Knight. Her sister Lynet gains the help of the knight Gareth in order to save her.

Lyonors f Arthurian Cycle
Probably from Middle English lyon meaning "lion". It appears in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends Le Morte d'Arthur, belonging to a woman who had a child with Arthur. Alfred Tennyson used the name in his poem Gareth and Lynette (1872) for the sister of Lynette (this character is called Lyonesse in Malory's version of the story).

Macdara m Irish, Old Irish
Means "son of oak" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara.

Madelief f Dutch
Derived from Dutch madeliefje meaning "daisy".

Madhukar m Hindi, Marathi
Means "bee, honey-maker" in Sanskrit.

Maelgwn m Medieval Welsh
From Old Welsh Mailcun, from a Brythonic name *Maglocunos meaning "chief of hounds", derived from Celtic *maglos "chief" and *kū "dog, hound" (genitive *kunos). This was the name of several early Welsh rulers, notably Maelgwn Gwynedd, a 6th-century king of Gwynedd.

Magnolia f English
From the English word magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.

Maha f Arabic
Means "oryx" in Arabic. The oryx is a variety of antelope that is said to represent beauty.

Mahihkan m Cree
Means "wolf" in Cree.

Maile f Hawaiian
From the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.

Mak m Bosnian
Means "poppy (flower)" in Bosnian. It is most often given in honour of the Bosnian poet Mehmedalija Dizdar (1917-1971), whose pseudonym was Mak.

Malai f Thai
Means "garland of flowers" in Thai.

Malati f Hindi
Means "jasmine" in Sanskrit.

Mali f Thai
Means "jasmine" in Thai.

Malinalli f Nahuatl
Means "tall grass" in Nahuatl.

Mami f Japanese
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or 麻 (ma) meaning "flax" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.

Manana f Georgian
Means both "heather" and "manna, divine food" in Georgian.

Mao f Japanese
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or 舞 (mai) meaning "dance" combined with 央 (o) meaning "center", 緒 (o) meaning "thread" or 桜 (o) meaning "cherry blossom". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Maple f English
From the English word for the tree, derived from Old English mapul. This is the name of a girl in Robert Frost's poem Maple (1923) who wonders about the origin of her unusual name.

Maral f Mongolian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Turkmen
Means "deer" in Mongolian, Azerbaijani, Armenian and Turkmen, referring to the Caspian Red Deer.

Marduk m Semitic Mythology
Probably from Sumerian amar-Utuk meaning "calf of Utu", derived from amar "calf" combined with the name of the sun god Utu. This was the name of the chief Babylonian god, presiding over heaven, light, sky, battle, and fertility. After killing the dragon Tiamat, who was an old enemy of the gods, he created the world and sky from the pieces of her body.

Marianthi f Greek
Combination of Maria and Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower" (from names such as Chrysanthi).

Marie-Rose f French
Combination of Marie and Rose.

Marigold f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of Mary and the English word gold.

Marijani m Swahili
Means "coral" in Swahili, originally a borrowing from Arabic.

Marjolaine f French
Means "marjoram" in French, from Latin maiorana. Marjoram is a minty herb.

Marjolein f Dutch
Dutch cognate of Marjolaine.

Masaki m Japanese
From Japanese 正 (masa) meaning "right, proper" and 樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of kanji having the same reading.

Math m Welsh Mythology
Possibly from the old Celtic root *matus meaning "bear". According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, Math ap Mathonwy was a king of Gwynedd and a magician. Whenever he was not at war, it was required that he rest his feet in the lap of a virgin. He was the uncle of the hero Gwydion, with whom he shared most of his adventures.

Mathgamain m Old Irish
Means "bear" in Old Irish, a compound of math, itself meaning "bear", and gamuin meaning "calf". This was the name of a brother of the Irish king Brian Boru.

Mawar f Indonesian, Malay
Means "rose" in Malay and Indonesian.

Maylis f French
From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.

Mayur m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "peacock" in Sanskrit.

Mbalenhle f Zulu
From Zulu imbali "flower" and hle "beautiful".

Mbali f Zulu
Means "flower" in Zulu.

Mei 2 f Japanese
From Japanese 芽 (me) meaning "bud, sprout" combined with 依 (i) meaning "rely on", 生 (i) meaning "life" or 衣 (i) meaning "clothing, garment". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Mekaisto m Siksika
From Siksika Mí'kiai'stoowa meaning "red crow", from mi'ki "red" and mai'stóó "crow". Red Crow (1830-1900) was a chief of the Kainai Blackfoot.

Melanthios m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μέλας (melas) meaning "black, dark" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of an insolent goatherd killed by Odysseus.

Melati f Indonesian, Malay
Means "jasmine flower" in Malay and Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit मालती (malati).

Melia f Greek Mythology
Means "ash tree" in Greek, a derivative of μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". This was the name of a nymph in Greek myth, the daughter of the Greek god Okeanos.

Melissa f English, Dutch, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "bee" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a daughter of Procles, as well as an epithet of various Greek nymphs and priestesses. According to the early Christian writer Lactantius this was the name of the sister of the nymph Amalthea, with whom she cared for the young Zeus. Later it appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem Orlando Furioso belonging to the fairy who helps Ruggiero escape from the witch Alcina. As an English given name, Melissa has been used since the 18th century.

Meral f Turkish
Turkish form of Maral.

Mercan f Turkish
Means "coral" in Turkish, of Arabic origin.

Merel f Dutch
Means "blackbird" in Dutch.

Merjen f Turkmen
Turkmen form of Mercan.

Merle m & f English, Estonian
From the English word merle or the French surname Merle, which both mean "blackbird" (from Latin merula). It was borne by the devious character Madame Merle (in fact her surname) in Henry James' novel The Portrait of a Lady (1880).... [more]

Methoataske f Shawnee
Means "turtle laying its eggs" in Shawnee.

Miillaaraq f Greenlandic
Possibly from Greenlandic millalaarpoq meaning "drone, hum (of an insect)" combined with the diminutive suffix -araq.

Millaray f Mapuche
Means "golden flower" in Mapuche, from milla "gold" and rayen "flower".

Mimoza f Albanian, Georgian
From the Albanian and Georgian word for the mimosa plant, a flowering herb. It is ultimately derived from Greek μῖμος (mimos) meaning "mimic".

Mina 2 f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil
Means "fish" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the daughter of the Hindu goddess Ushas as well as the daughter of the god Kubera.

Minakshi f Hinduism, Hindi
From Sanskrit मीन (mina) meaning "fish" and अक्षि (akshi) meaning "eye". This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.

Minali f Hindi
Means "fish catcher" in Sanskrit.

Minik m & f Greenlandic
Means "seal oil" in Greenlandic. A notable bearer was the Inughuit boy Minik (1890-1918), who was among a group brought by the explorer Robert Peary from Greenland to New York in 1897.

Minoru m & f Japanese
From Japanese 実 (minoru) meaning "to bear fruit", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.

Minttu f Finnish
Means "mint" in Finnish.

Mio f Japanese
From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with 桜 (o) meaning "cherry blossom" or 緒 (o) meaning "thread". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.

Mirta f Spanish, Italian, Croatian
Spanish, Italian and Croatian cognate of Myrtle.

Mirte f Dutch
Variant of Myrthe.

Mirthe f Dutch
Variant of Myrthe.

Misaki f Japanese
From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 咲 (saki) meaning "blossom". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji as well.

Moe 2 f Japanese
From Japanese 萌 (moe) meaning "bud, sprout". Other kanji with the same reading can also form this name.

Momoka f Japanese
From Japanese 百 (momo) meaning "hundred" or 桃 (momo) meaning "peach" combined with 花 (ka) meaning "flower" or 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Mönkhtsetseg f Mongolian
Means "eternal flower" in Mongolian, from мөнх (mönkh) meaning "eternal" and цэцэг (tsetseg) meaning "flower".

Moran f & m Hebrew
Means "viburnum shrub" in Hebrew.

Mowgli m Literature
Created by Rudyard Kipling for a character in The Jungle Book (1894) and its sequel (1895), in which Mowgli is a feral boy who was raised by wolves in the jungle of central India. His name, given to him by his adopted wolf parents, is said to mean "frog" in the stories, though Kipling admitted the name was made up.

Mu m & f Chinese
From Chinese 慕 (mù) meaning "admire, desire", 木 (mù) meaning "tree, wood", or other characters with similar pronunciations.

Müge f Turkish
Means "lily of the valley" in Turkish (species Convallaria majalis).

Mukami f Kikuyu
Possibly means "the one who milks the cows" in Kikuyu.

Mukul m Hindi
Means "bud, blossom" in Sanskrit.

Mulan f Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 木兰 (mùlán) meaning "magnolia". This is the name of a legendary female warrior who disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father's place when he is conscripted into the army.

Mupitsukupʉ m Comanche
Means "old owl" in Comanche, derived from mupitsi "owl" and tsukupʉ "old man". This name was borne by a 19th-century chief of the Penateka Comanche.

Mynte f Danish
Means "mint" in Danish.

Myrthe f Dutch
From Dutch mirte, a cognate of Myrtle.

Myrtle f English
Simply from the English word myrtle for the evergreen shrub, ultimately from Greek μύρτος (myrtos). It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.

Myrto f Greek, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
From Greek μύρτος (myrtos) meaning "myrtle". This was the name of a few characters from Greek mythology, including one of the Maenads.

Naasunnguaq f Greenlandic
Means "little flower" in Greenlandic, from naasoq "flower, plant" and the diminutive suffix -nnguaq.

Nagendra m Hinduism, Kannada, Telugu
Means "lord of snakes" from Sanskrit नाग (naga) meaning "snake" (also "elephant") combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for Vasuki, the king of snakes, in Hindu mythology.

Nalini f Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit.

Nanabozho m New World Mythology
Means "my rabbit" in Ojibwe, derived from waabooz "rabbit". In Anishinaabe legend Nanabozho (also called Wenabozho) is a trickster spirit.

Nanuq m Inuit
Means "polar bear" in Inuktitut.

Naoki m Japanese
From Japanese 直 (nao) meaning "straight, direct" and 樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of different kanji with the same pronunciations.

Narantsetseg f Mongolian
Means "sun flower" in Mongolian, from наран (naran) meaning "sun" and цэцэг (tsetseg) meaning "flower".

Narasimha m Hinduism, Telugu
Means "man-lion", derived from Sanskrit नर (nara) meaning "man" combined with सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion". This is the name of a lion-headed avatar of the god Vishnu.

Narcissus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Late Roman, Biblical
Latinized form of Greek Νάρκισσος (Narkissos), possibly derived from νάρκη (narke) meaning "sleep, numbness". Narkissos was a beautiful youth in Greek mythology who stared at his own reflection for so long that he eventually died and was turned into the narcissus flower.... [more]

Narges f Persian
Means "daffodil, narcissus" in Persian, ultimately derived from Greek (see Narcissus).

Nari f Korean
Means "lily" in Korean.

Narmer m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nꜥr-mr meaning "fierce catfish", derived from nꜥr "catfish" and mr "fierce, painful". Narmer was an Egyptian ruler who is considered the first pharaoh, uniting Upper and Lower Egypt around the 31st century BC. He is probably the same person as Menes, with Narmer being his Horus name.

Nash m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from the Middle English phrase atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer of the surname was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015).... [more]

Nasrin f Persian, Bengali
Means "wild rose" in Persian.

Nauja f Greenlandic, Inuit
Means "seagull" in Greenlandic and Inuktitut.

Nawel m Mapuche
Means "jaguar" in Mapuche.

Nawra f Arabic
Means "flower, blossom" in Arabic.

Nazgul f Kyrgyz, Kazakh
Derived from Persian ناز (naz) meaning "delight, comfort" and گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".

Neophytos m Ancient Greek
Greek name meaning "new plant, new child", from a word that was derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new" and φυτόν (phyton) meaning "plant".

Nergis f Turkish
Means "daffodil, narcissus" in Turkish, ultimately derived from Greek (see Narcissus).

Nerida f Indigenous Australian
Possibly means "water lily" in an Australian Aboriginal language.

Nesrîn f Kurdish
Means "eglantine, sweetbrier" in Kurdish.

Neta f & m Hebrew
Means "plant, shrub" in Hebrew.

Neven m Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Masculine form of Nevena.

Nevena f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian
Derived from South Slavic neven meaning "marigold".

Nevenka f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Variant of Nevena.

Nevio m Italian
Italian form of the Roman family name Naevius, which was derived from Latin naevus "mole (on the body)". A famous bearer was the 3rd-century BC Roman poet Gnaeus Naevius.

Ngải m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 艾 (ngải) meaning "sagebrush, wormwood".

Nicte f Mayan (Hispanicized)
From Yucatec Maya nikte' meaning "flower" or specifically "plumeria flower". It is derived from Classic Maya nich "flower" and te' "tree".

Nikephoros m & f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "carrying victory" from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and φέρω (phero) meaning "to carry, to bear". This name was borne by several Byzantine emperors, including the 10th-century Nikephoros II Phokas. Besides being a masculine personal name, it was also a title borne by the goddess Athena.

Niloufar f Persian
Means "water lily" in Persian.

Ninsun f Sumerian Mythology
From 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 Mythology
Derived 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.

Nîpisiy f Cree
Means "willow" in Cree.

Niraj m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Nepali
Means "water-born, lotus" in Sanskrit.

Nita 2 f Choctaw
Means "bear" in Choctaw.

Nitzan m & f Hebrew
Means "flower bud" in Hebrew.

Norwood m English
From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "north wood" in Old English.

Nurgül f Turkish
Means "radiant rose" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic نور (nur) meaning "light" and Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".

Nurgul f Kazakh, Kyrgyz
Kazakh and Kyrgyz form of Nurgül.

Nurit f Hebrew
Means "buttercup (flower)" in Hebrew (genus Ranunculus).

Oakley m & f English
From an English surname that was from various place names meaning "oak clearing" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the American sharpshooter Annie Oakley (1860-1926).

Oanez f Breton
Derived from Breton oan "lamb" (ultimately from Latin agnus) and used as a Breton form of Agnes.

Oddbjørn m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Oddbjǫrn, derived from the elements oddr "point of a sword" and bjǫrn "bear".

Odtsetseg f Mongolian
Means "star flower" in Mongolian, from од (od) meaning "star" and цэцэг (tsetseg) meaning "flower".

Ofer m Hebrew
Means "fawn" in Hebrew. This makes it a modern variant of the Classical Hebrew name Ophrah.

Ofri f & m Hebrew
Means "my fawn" in Hebrew.

Ogden m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "oak valley" in Old English. A famous bearer was the humorous American poet Ogden Nash (1902-1971).

Õie f Estonian
Derived from Estonian õis meaning "flower".

Oisín m Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "little deer", derived from Old Irish oss "deer, stag" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend Oisín was a warrior hero and a poet, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the narrator in many of his tales.

Olinda f Literature, Portuguese, Spanish (Latin American)
The name of a princess of Norway in the medieval Spanish tale of the knight Amadis of Gaul. It is perhaps related to Greek ὀλύνθη (olynthe) meaning "wild fig tree" (similar to Olindo). Olinda is also the name of a Brazilian city.

Oliver m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian Cycle
From Old French Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin oliva "olive tree". Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse Áleifr (see Olaf) or Frankish Alawar (see Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero Roland.... [more]

Olivier m French, Dutch, Carolingian Cycle
French and Dutch form of Oliver. This is also a French word meaning "olive tree".

Omer m & f Hebrew
Means "sheaf of wheat" in Hebrew.

Ophiuchus m Astronomy
Latinized form of Greek Ὀφιοῦχος (Ophiouchos) meaning "serpent bearer". This is the name of an equatorial constellation that depicts the god Asklepios holding a snake.

Ophrah m Biblical
Means "fawn" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of both a man mentioned in genealogies and a city in Manasseh.

Oren m Hebrew
Means "pine tree" in Hebrew.

Orquídea f Spanish, Portuguese
Means "orchid" in Spanish and Portuguese, from Latin orchis, Greek ὄρχις (orchis).

Orson m English
From a Norman nickname derived from a diminutive of Norman French ors "bear", ultimately from Latin ursus. American actor and director Orson Welles (1915-1985) was a famous bearer of this name.

Orvokki f Finnish
Means "pansy, violet" in Finnish.

Oscar m English, Irish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, Irish Mythology
Possibly means "deer friend", derived from Old Irish oss "deer" and carae "friend". Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name Osgar or its Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. In Irish legend Oscar was the son of the poet Oisín and the grandson of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.... [more]

Othniel m Biblical
Meaning uncertain, possibly "lion of God" or "strength of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is a nephew or brother of Caleb who becomes the first of the ruling judges of the Israelites.

Otso m Finnish
Means "bear" in Finnish.

Ott m Estonian
Possibly an Estonian form of Otto. It may also be inspired by an archaic Estonian word meaning "bear".

Ovid m History
From the Roman family name Ovidius, which was possibly derived from Latin ovis "a sheep". Alternatively, it could have a Sabellic origin. Publius Ovidius Naso, better known as Ovid, was a 1st-century BC Roman poet who is best known as the author of the Metamorphoses. He was sent into exile on the coast of the Black Sea by Emperor Augustus for no apparent reason.

Pa f Hmong
Means "flower" in Hmong.

Padma f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form पद्मा and the masculine form पद्म.... [more]

Padmavati f Hinduism
Means "resembling lotuses", derived from the Sanskrit word पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus" combined with वती (vati) meaning "resemblance". This is the name of the foster-mother of the god Hindu Skanda. This was also the name of a semi-legendary 14th-century queen of Mewar.

Padmini f Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Means "multitude of lotuses", a derivative of Sanskrit पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus".

Palesa f Sotho
Means "flower" in Sotho.

Pallab m Bengali
Bengali form of Pallav.

Pallavi f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Feminine form of Pallav.

Palmira f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Feminine form of Palmiro.

Paloma f Spanish
Means "dove, pigeon" in Spanish.

Pansy f English
From the English word for a type of flower, ultimately deriving from Old French pensee "thought".

Pantaleon m Ancient Greek
Derived from the Greek elements πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" (genitive παντός) and λέων (leon) meaning "lion". This was the name of a 2nd-century BC king of Bactria. It was also borne by Saint Pantaleon (also called Panteleimon), a doctor from Asia Minor who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century. He is a patron saint of doctors and midwives.