Browse Names

Fletcher m English
From a surname meaning "maker of arrows" in Middle English, ultimately from Old French flechier.

Flynn m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Floinn, which was derived from the given name or byname Flann. A famous bearer of the surname was American actor Errol Flynn (1909-1959). As a given name, it grew in popularity after it was featured as a character in the Disney movie Tangled in 2010.

Forbes m Scottish
From a Scottish surname that was originally taken from the name of a village in Aberdeenshire, which means "field, area of land" in Gaelic.

Foster 1 m English
From an English surname that has several different origins: see Foster 1, Foster 2, Foster 3 and Foster 4.

Frank m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, French
From an Old German name that referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France, Belgium and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They possibly derived their tribal name from a type of spear that they used, from Proto-Germanic *frankô. From medieval times, the various forms of this name have been commonly conflated with the various forms of Francis. In modern times it is sometimes used as a short form of Francis or Franklin.... [more]

Frankenstein m Popular Culture
From the surname Frankenstein, used by Mary Shelley in her 1818 novel of the same name for the scientist Victor Frankenstein. The monster that Frankenstein created, which has no name in the novel, is sometimes called Frankenstein in modern speech, as if it were his given name.

Friedemann m German
Means "man of peace" from the Old German elements fridu "peace" and man "person, man".

Fritjof m Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare)
From the Old Norse name Friðþjófr meaning "thief of peace", derived from the elements friðr "peace" and þjófr "thief".

Fumie f Japanese
From Japanese 文 (fumi) meaning "writing" or 史 (fumi) meaning "history" combined with 江 (e) meaning "bay, inlet", 恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or 絵 (e) meaning "picture, painting". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Furiosa f Popular Culture
Means "full of rage, furious" in Latin. This is the name of a warrior who turns against the evil Immortan Joe in the movie Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).

Gal 1 f & m Hebrew
Means "wave" in Hebrew.

Gali f Hebrew
Means "my wave" in Hebrew.

Galia f Hebrew
Elaboration of Gal 1. It could also be considered a compound meaning "wave from God", using the element יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.

Galit f Hebrew
Variant of Gal 1.

Gallagher m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Gallchobhair, derived from the given name Gallchobhar.

Ganesha m Hinduism
Means "lord of hordes" from Sanskrit गण (gana) meaning "horde, multitude" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler". This is the name of the Hindu god of wisdom and good luck, the son of Shiva and Parvati. He is often depicted as a stout man with the head of an elephant.

Gerald m English, German, Dutch
From a Germanic name meaning "power of the spear", from the elements ger meaning "spear" and walt meaning "power, authority". The Normans brought it to Britain. Though it died out in England during the Middle Ages, it remained common in Ireland. It was revived in the English-speaking world in 19th century.

Gertrude f English, French, German
Means "spear of strength", derived from the Old German elements ger "spear" and drud "strength". Saint Gertrude the Great was a 13th-century nun and mystic writer from Thuringia. It was probably introduced to England by settlers from the Low Countries in the 15th century. Shakespeare used the name in his play Hamlet (1600) for the mother of Hamlet. Another famous bearer was the American writer Gertrude Stein (1874-1946).

Ghadir f Arabic
Means "stream" in Arabic.

Ghayth m Arabic
Means "rain" in Arabic.

Giang f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 江 (giang) meaning "river".

Gibson m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of Gib".

Giiwedinokwe f Ojibwe
Means "woman of the north" in Ojibwe, derived from giiwedin "north" and ikwe "woman".

Gilchrist m Scottish (Rare)
Anglicized form of the medieval Gaelic name Gille Críst, or from the surname that was derived from it.

Gilead m Biblical
From an Old Testament place name meaning "heap of witness" in Hebrew. This is a mountainous region east of the Jordan River. Besides being a place name, it is also borne by people in the Bible.

Gilla Críst m Medieval Irish
Medeival Irish name meaning "servant of Christ".

Gilleasbuig m Scottish Gaelic
Means "servant of the bishop", from Scottish Gaelic gille "servant" and easbuig "bishop", from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos). It was often Anglicized as Gillespie or Archibald (with which it has no obvious connection).

Gilroy m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, either Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means "son of the red-haired servant", or Mac Giolla Rí, which means "son of the king's servant".

Girisha m Hinduism
Means "lord of the mountain" in Sanskrit. This is a name of the Hindu god Shiva, given because of his abode in the Himalayan Mountains.

Glanville m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was taken from a Norman place name, which possibly meant "domain of (a person named) Gland" in Old French.

Glorinda f Esperanto
Means "worthy of glory" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin gloria.

Glyndwr m Welsh
Given in honour of Owain Glyndwr (or Glyn Dŵr, Anglicized as Glendower), a 14th-century Welsh patriot who led a revolt against England. His byname means "valley water", and was probably inspired by the name of his estate at Glyndyfrdwy (meaning "valley of the River Dee").

Godfrey m English
From the Germanic name Godefrid, which meant "peace of god" from the Old German elements got "god" and fridu "peace". The Normans brought this name to England, where it became common during the Middle Ages. A notable bearer was Godfrey of Bouillon, an 11th-century leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Godiva f Anglo-Saxon (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Old English name Godgifu meaning "gift of god", from the elements god and giefu "gift". Lady Godiva was an 11th-century English noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry to protest the high taxes imposed by her husband upon the townspeople.

Godwine m Anglo-Saxon
Means "friend of god", derived from Old English god combined with wine "friend". This was the name of the powerful 11th-century Earl of Wessex, the father of King Harold II of England.

Göksu m & f Turkish
From Turkish gök meaning "sky" and su meaning "water".

Golbahar f Persian
Means "spring flower", from Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and بهار (bahar) meaning "spring".

Gopinatha m Hinduism
Means "leader of the gopis" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, acquired because of his association with the gopis, who are cow-herding girls.

Grady m English
From an Irish surname, itself derived from the byname Gráda meaning "noble, illustrious".

Grayson m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of the steward", derived from Middle English greyve "steward". It became common towards the end of the 20th century because of its similarity to popular names like Jason, Mason and Graham.

Grover m English
From an English surname derived from Old English graf meaning "grove of trees". A famous bearer was the American president Grover Cleveland (1837-1908), who popularized the name in the United States at the end of the 19th century. The name is now associated with a muppet character from the children's television program Sesame Street.

Guendoloena f Arthurian Cycle
Latin form of Gwendolen used by Geoffrey of Monmouth for the wife of Merlin.

Gulbadan f Urdu (Rare)
Means "having a body like a rose" in Persian. This was the name of a daughter of the Mughal emperor Babur.

Gulisa f Georgian
Means "of the heart" in Georgian, from გულის (gulis), the genitive of გული (guli) meaning "heart".

Gülistan f Turkish
Means "rose garden" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.

Gulistan f Kurdish
Kurdish form of Gülistan.

Gülten f Turkish
Means "rose skin" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and تن (tan) meaning "body, skin".

Gürsel m Turkish
Means "flowing water" in Turkish.

Gustav m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German, Czech
Possibly means "staff of the Geats", derived from the Old Norse elements gautr meaning "Geat" and stafr meaning "staff". However, the root name Gautstafr is not well attested in the Old Norse period. Alternatively, it might be derived from the Old Slavic name Gostislav.... [more]

Gwalchmai m Welsh Mythology
Derived from Welsh gwalch "hawk", possibly combined with Mai "May (month)" or mai "field, plain". This is the name of a character in Welsh legend (appearing in Culhwch and Olwen for example). He is probably the antecedent of Gawain from later Arthurian romance.

Gwenfrewi f Welsh (Rare)
Derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" combined with another element of uncertain meaning. It could possibly be Welsh ffreu meaning "stream, flow" or the obscure word ffrewi meaning "pacify, quell, reconcile". This may be the original form of Winifred. In any case, it is the Welsh name for the saint.

Gwydion m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Probably means "born of trees" from Old Welsh guid "trees" and the suffix gen "born of". In the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, Gwydion is the nephew of King Math of Gwynedd, and like him a powerful magician. In an elaborate plot to give his brother a chance to rape his uncle's footbearer, he arranged a war between Gwynedd and the neighbouring kingdom of Dyfed. Gwydion himself killed King Pryderi of Dyfed at the end of the war. In punishment for the rape, Math transformed Gwydion and his brother into different animals over the course of three years. Gwydion was the uncle of Lleu Llaw Gyffes, whom he fostered. Math and Gwydion fashioned Lleu a wife, Blodeuwedd, out of flowers and they later aided him after her betrayal. Gwydion also appears in older Welsh poetry such as the Book of Taliesin.

Gyatso m Tibetan
From Tibetan རྒྱ་མཚོ (rgya-mtsho) meaning "ocean". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).

Gyöngyvér f Hungarian
Means "sister of pearl", from Hungarian gyöngy "pearl" and testvér "sibling". This name was created by the Hungarian poet János Arany for a character in his poem The Death of King Buda (1864).

Hà f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 河 (hà) meaning "river".

Habibullah m Arabic, Pashto
Means "friend of Allah", from Arabic حبيب (habib) meaning "friend" combined with الله (Allah).

Hadil f Arabic
Means "cooing (of a pigeon)" in Arabic.

Hafdís f Icelandic
Derived from Old Norse haf "sea, ocean" and dís "goddess".

Hải m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 海 (hải) meaning "sea, ocean".

Hai m & f Chinese
From Chinese 海 (hǎi) meaning "sea, ocean" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.

Halimede f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἅλς (hals) meaning "sea, brine, salt" 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". According to Greek mythology this was one of the Nereids. A minor moon of Neptune is named after her.

Hamidullah m Arabic, Pashto
Means "praiseworthy of Allah", derived from Arabic حميد (hamid) meaning "praiseworthy" combined with الله (Allah).

Hamilcar m Phoenician (Latinized), History
Possibly means "brother of Melqart", derived from Phoenician 𐤀𐤇 (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" combined with the name of the god Melqart. This was a common Punic name. Among the notable bearers was Hamilcar Barca, a 3rd-century BC Carthaginian general who was the father of Hannibal and Hasdrubal.

Hamutal f Biblical
Means "father-in-law is dew" in Hebrew, derived from חָם (cham) meaning "father-in-law" and טַל (tal) meaning "dew". In the Old Testament this is the name of a wife of King Josiah of Judah.

Hannibal m Phoenician (Latinized), History
From the Punic name 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋 meaning "grace of Ba'al", derived from Phoenician 𐤇𐤍 (ḥan) meaning "grace, favour" combined with the name of the god Ba'al. This name occurs often in Carthaginian history. It was most notably borne by the famed general and tactician Hannibal Barca, who threatened Rome during the Second Punic War in the 3rd century BC. It is also associated with the fictional villain Hannibal Lecter from the books by Thomas Harris (debuting 1981) and subsequent movie adaptations.

Harel m Hebrew
Means "altar, mountain of God" in Hebrew. In the Hebrew Bible this word is applied to the altar in the temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 43:15).

Harisha m Hinduism
Means "lord of monkeys" from Sanskrit हरि (hari) meaning "monkey" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord". This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Harlow f & m English
From an English surname derived from a place name, itself derived from Old English hær "rock, heap of stones" or here "army", combined with hlaw "hill". As a name for girls, it received some attention in 2008 when the American celebrity Nicole Richie used it for her daughter.

Harpa f Icelandic
From the name of the first summer month in the old Icelandic calendar, which might have originally been named for an unattested pre-Christian goddess. It also means "harp" in Icelandic.

Harris m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Harry.

Harrison m English
From an English surname that meant "son of Harry". This was the surname of two American presidents, William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) and his grandson Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901). As a given name it reached a low point in America in 1977 before it was revived by the career of actor Harrison Ford (1942-), who starred in such movies as Star Wars in 1977 and Indiana Jones in 1984.

Haru m & f Japanese
From Japanese 陽 (haru) meaning "light, sun, male", 春 (haru) meaning "spring" or 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Haruka f & m Japanese
From Japanese 遥 (haruka) meaning "distant, remote". It can also come from 春 (haru) meaning "spring" or 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" combined with 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" or 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Additionally, other kanji combinations can form this name.

Haruki m Japanese
From Japanese 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" or 陽 (haru) meaning "light, sun, male" combined with 輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or 生 (ki) meaning "living". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Haruko f Japanese
From Japanese 春 (haru) meaning "spring" or 陽 (haru) meaning "light, sun, male" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.

Harumi f Japanese
From Japanese 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other kanji combinations that are read the same way.

Haruna 1 f Japanese
From Japanese 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather", 遥 (haru) meaning "distant, remote" or 春 (haru) meaning "spring" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Hathor f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ḥwt-ḥrw (reconstructed as Hut-Heru) meaning "the house of Horus", derived from Egyptian ḥwt "house" combined with the god Horus. In Egyptian mythology she was the goddess of love, often depicted with the head of a cow.

Hatshepsut f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ḥꜣt-špswt meaning "foremost of noble women". This was the name of a pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (15th century BC), among the first women to take this title.

Hayate m Japanese
From Japanese 颯 (hayate) meaning "sudden, sound of the wind". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name.

Hayes m English
From a surname, either Hayes 1 or Hayes 2. It was borne by American president Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893).

He f & m Chinese
From Chinese 河 (hé) meaning "river, stream", 和 (hé) meaning "harmony, peace", or 荷 (hé) meaning "lotus, water lily" (which is usually only feminine). Other characters can form this name as well. A famous bearer was the Ming dynasty explorer Zheng He (1371-1433).

Heavenly f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "of the heavens, celestial, divine".

Heirani f Tahitian
From Tahitian hei "crown, garland" and raʻi "heaven, sky".

Heitiare f Tahitian
From Tahitian hei "crown, garland" and tiare "flower".

Helladius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Late Greek name Ἑλλάδιος (Helladios), which was derived from Ἑλλάδος (Hellados) meaning "of Greece". Saint Helladius was a 7th-century archbishop of Toledo.

Henderson m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "son of Henry".

Hera f Greek Mythology
Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.

Heraclitus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἡράκλειτος (Herakleitos) meaning "glory of Hera", derived from the name of the goddess Hera combined with κλειτός (kleitos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher from Ephesus.

Herakleides m Ancient Greek
Means "son of Herakles" in Greek, derived from the name of the mythic hero Herakles combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek astronomer who theorized the rotation of the earth.

Herakles m Greek Mythology
Means "glory of Hera" from the name of the goddess Hera combined with Greek κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a hero in Greek and Roman mythology, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. After being driven insane by Hera and killing his own children, Herakles completed twelve labours in order to atone for his crime and become immortal.

Heremoana m Tahitian
From Tahitian here "loved, dear" and moana "ocean".

Hermes m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Spanish
Probably from Greek ἕρμα (herma) meaning "cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker". Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeus and the other gods. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.... [more]

Hermogenes m Ancient Greek
Means "born of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek γενής (genes) meaning "born".

Hermokrates m Ancient Greek
Means "power of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek κράτος (kratos) meaning "power".

Hermolaos m Ancient Greek
Means "the people of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek λαός (laos) meaning "people".

Herod m Biblical
From the Greek name Ἡρῴδης (Herodes), which probably means "song of the hero" from ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior" combined with ᾠδή (ode) meaning "song, ode". This was the name of several rulers of Judea during the period when it was part of the Roman Empire. This includes two who appear in the New Testament: Herod the Great, the king who ordered the slaughter of the children, and his son Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist beheaded.

Hersilia f Roman Mythology
Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Greek ἕρση (herse) meaning "dew". In Roman legend this was the name of a Sabine woman who became the wife of Romulus.

Hind f Arabic
Possibly means "group of camels" in Arabic. Hind bint Abi Umayyah, also known as Umm Salama, was one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad. This is also the Arabic name for the country of India.

Hippolytos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "freer of horses" from Greek ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse" and λύω (luo) meaning "to loosen". In Greek legend he was the son of Theseus who was tragically loved by his stepmother Phaedra. This was also the name of a 3rd-century theologian, saint and martyr.

Hitomi f Japanese
From Japanese 瞳 (hitomi) meaning "pupil of the eye". It can also come from 史 (hito) meaning "history" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other kanji combinations. This name is often written with the hiragana writing system.

Hodiah f Biblical
Means "majesty of Yahweh" in Hebrew. This is the name of a wife of Ezra in the Old Testament.

Hrǫnn f Norse Mythology
Means "wave" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology she was one of the nine daughters of Ægir and Rán.

Hudson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Hudde". A famous bearer of the surname was the English explorer Henry Hudson (1570-1611).

Huitzilopochtli m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "left side of the hummingbird" or "southern hummingbird" in Nahuatl, derived from huitzilin "hummingbird" and ōpōchtli "left, south". In Aztec mythology he was the god of the sun and war. He was a patron deity of the city of Tenochtitlan (at the site of modern Mexico City).

Hydra f Astronomy, Greek Mythology
Means "water serpent" in Greek, related to ὕδωρ (hydor) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a many-headed Lernaean serpent slain by Herakles. It is also the name of a northern constellation, as well as a moon of Pluto.

Hyeon-U m Korean
From Sino-Korean 賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or 顯 (hyeon) meaning "manifest, clear" combined with 祐 (u) meaning "divine intervention, protection" or 雨 (u) meaning "rain". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.

Iara f Tupi
Means "lady of the water" in Tupi, from y "water" and îara "lady, mistress". In Brazilian folklore this is the name of a beautiful river nymph who would lure men into the water. She may have been based upon earlier Tupi legends.

Ibai m Basque
Means "river" in Basque.

Idoia f Basque
From the name of a sanctuary in Isaba, Navarre, possibly meaning "pond" in Basque, an important place of worship of the Virgin Mary.

Ihintza f Basque
From Basque ihintz meaning "dew". It is a Basque equivalent of Rocío.

Ikechukwu m Igbo
Means "power of God" in Igbo.

Ikenna m Igbo
Means "power of the father" in Igbo.

Inanna f Sumerian Mythology
Possibly derived from Sumerian nin-an-a(k) meaning "lady of the heavens", from 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒀭 (an) meaning "heaven, sky". Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and war. She descended into the underworld where the ruler of that place, her sister Ereshkigal, had her killed. The god Enki interceded, and Inanna was allowed to leave the underworld as long as her husband Dumuzi took her place.... [more]

Inayatullah m Arabic, Pashto, Urdu
Means "care of Allah", derived from Arabic عناية (inayah) meaning "care, concern" combined with الله (Allah).

Inbal f Hebrew
Means "tongue of a bell" in Hebrew.

Inderpal m & f Indian (Sikh)
Means "protector of Indra" from the name of the god Indra combined with Sanskrit पाल (pala) meaning "protector".

Indra m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali
Means "possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and र (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain. He is the chief god in the Rigveda.

Indrajit m Hinduism, Bengali, Hindi
Means "conqueror of Indra" from the name of the god Indra combined with Sanskrit जिति (jiti) meaning "victory, conquering". In Hindu legend this is another name of Meghanada, the son of Ravana, the king of Sri Lanka. He was given this name by Brahma after he defeated Indra.

Indrani f Hinduism, Bengali, Hindi
Means "queen of Indra" in Sanskrit. This is a Hindu goddess of jealousy and beauty, a wife of Indra.

Irmak f Turkish
Means "river" in Turkish.

Irvine m English, Scottish
From a surname that was a variant of Irving.

Irving m English, Jewish
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the town of Irvine in North Ayrshire, itself named for the River Irvine, which is derived from Brythonic elements meaning "green water". Historically this name has been relatively common among Jews, who have used it as an American-sounding form of Hebrew names beginning with I such as Isaac, Israel and Isaiah. A famous bearer was the Russian-American songwriter and lyricist Irving Berlin (1888-1989), whose birth name was Israel Beilin.

Iseul f & m Korean
Means "dew" in Korean.

Isidore m English, French, Georgian (Rare), Jewish
From the Greek name Ἰσίδωρος (Isidoros) meaning "gift of Isis", derived from the name of the Egyptian goddess Isis combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Isidore of Seville was a 6th-century archbishop, historian and theologian.... [more]

Isingoma m Ganda
Means "first of twins" in Luganda.

Issachar m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly means "man of hire" or "there is reward", from Hebrew שָׁכַר (shakhar) meaning "hire, wage, reward". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve sons of Jacob (by Leah) and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. A justification for the name's meaning is given in Genesis 30:18.

Italus m Roman Mythology
Means "of Italy" in Latin. In Roman legend Italus was the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. He supposedly gave his name to the region known as Italia or Italy (in fact the region may have gotten its name from Oscan Víteliú meaning "land of bulls").

Itsaso f Basque
Means "ocean" in Basque.

Itzel f Mayan
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Classic Maya itz meaning "resin, nectar, dew, liquid, enchanted". Otherwise, it might be a variant of Ixchel.

Izumi f Japanese
From Japanese 泉 (izumi) meaning "fountain, spring". This name can also be constructed from other combinations of kanji.

Izz ad-Din m Arabic
Means "glory of religion", derived from Arabic عزّ ('izz) meaning "glory, power" and دين (din) meaning "religion, faith". In the 13th century Izz ad-Din Aybak became the first Mamluk ruler of Egypt. The Mamluks were a warrior caste who were originally slaves.

Jackson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Jack". A famous bearer of the surname was American president Andrew Jackson (1767-1845).

Jacob m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Jewish, Biblical
From the Latin Iacob, which was from the Greek Ἰακώβ (Iakob), which was from the Hebrew name יַעֲקֹב (Ya'aqov). In the Old Testament Jacob (later called Israel) is the son of Isaac and Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning "holder of the heel" or "supplanter", because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see Genesis 27:36). Other theories claim that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Ya'aqov'el) meaning "may God protect".... [more]

Jadis f Literature
Used by the author C. S. Lewis as the proper name of the White Witch, the antagonist in his novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950). He may have based it on French jadis meaning "long ago, of old" or Persian جادو (jadu) meaning "magic, witch".

Jafar m Arabic, Persian
Means "stream" in Arabic. Jafar ibn Abi Talib was a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad who was killed fighting against Byzantium in the 7th century. Another notable bearer was Jafar al-Sadiq, the sixth Shia imam.

Jagadisha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of the world" from Sanskrit जगत् (jagat) meaning "world" and ईश (isha) meaning "ruler". This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Jagannatha m Hinduism
Means "master of the world" from Sanskrit जगत् (jagat) meaning "world" and नाथ (natha) meaning "master". This is a title of the Hindu gods Vishnu and Krishna.

Jalal ad-Din m Arabic
Means "greatness of the faith" from Arabic جلال (jalal) meaning "greatness, splendour" and دين (din) meaning "religion, faith". Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, commonly called just Rumi, was a 13th-century Persian poet.

Jamal ad-Din m Arabic
Means "beauty of the faith" from Arabic جمال (jamal) meaning "beauty" and دين (din) meaning "religion, faith". Jamal ad-Din al-Afghani (1839-1897) was a political activist who promoted pan-Islamism.

Jameson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of James".

Jamison m English
From an English surname meaning "son of James".

Jannatul Ferdous f Bengali
From the Arabic phrase جنّات الفردوس (jannat al-firdaws) meaning "gardens of paradise".

Jayashri f Marathi
Means "goddess of victory" in Sanskrit.

Jayendra m Hindi
Means "lord of victory" from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory" combined with the name of the god Indra, used here to mean "lord".

Jayesh m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "lord of victory" from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory, conquest" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler".

Jedidiah m Biblical
Means "beloved of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from יָדִיד (yadid) meaning "beloved, friend" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is a name given to Solomon by Nathan.

Jefferson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Jeffrey". It is usually given in honour of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the third president of the United States and the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

Jensen m English (Modern)
From a Danish surname meaning "son of Jens".

Jepson m English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "son of Jep".

Jeriah m Biblical
Means "taught by Yahweh" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Jeriah is a descendant of Hebron.

Jiang m & f Chinese
From Chinese 江 (jiāng) meaning "river, Yangtze", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.

Jitendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "conqueror of Indra" from Sanskrit जिति (jiti) meaning "victory, conquering" combined with the name of the god Indra.

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.

Joash m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹאָשׁ (Yo'ash), possibly meaning "fire of Yahweh". In the Old Testament this name was borne by several characters including the father of Gideon, a king of Judah, and a son of King Ahab of Israel.

Johnson m English (African)
From an English surname meaning "son of John". As a given name, it is most common in English-speaking Africa.

Jorah m Biblical, Literature
From the Hebrew name יוֹרָה (Yorah) meaning either "he teaches" or "rain". This name is mentioned briefly in the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament. It was used by George R. R. Martin for a character in his fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire (first published 1996) and the television adaptation Game of Thrones (2011-2019). It is not known if Martin took the name from the Bible.

Jubal m Biblical
Means "stream" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned in Genesis in the Old Testament as belonging to the first person to be a musician.

Jūratė f Lithuanian
From Lithuanian jūra meaning "sea". This is the name of a sea goddess who falls in love with a fisherman in the Lithuanian folktale Jūratė and Kastytis.

Justice m & f English
From an occupational surname meaning "judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word justice.

Kai 3 m & f Hawaiian
Means "sea" in Hawaiian.

Kai 4 m Chinese
From Chinese 凯 (kǎi) meaning "triumph, victory, music of triumph", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.

Kailani f Hawaiian
From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and lani "sky, heaven".

Kaimana m & f Hawaiian
From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and mana "power". It is also Hawaiian meaning "diamond", derived from the English word diamond.

Kaito m Japanese
From Japanese 海 (kai) meaning "sea, ocean" combined with 斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or 翔 (to) meaning "soar, fly". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

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

Kalidasa m Sanskrit
Means "servant of Kali" from the name of the Hindu goddess Kali 1 combined with Sanskrit दास (dasa) meaning "servant". This was the name of a 4th-century Indian poet and dramatist, the author of the Abhijnanashakuntalam.

Kamal ad-Din m Arabic
Means "perfection of religion", derived from Arabic كمال (kamal) meaning "perfection" and دين (din) meaning "religion".

Kandaĵa f Esperanto
Means "made of candy" in Esperanto, a derivative of kando meaning "candy, rock sugar".

Kane m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Catháin, derived from the given name Cathán.

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.

Karesinda f Esperanto
Means "worthy of a caress" in Esperanto.

Katherine f English
From the Greek name Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from an earlier Greek name Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess Hecate; it could be related to Greek αἰκία (aikia) meaning "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρός (katharos) meaning "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this.... [more]

Kato m Ganda
Means "second of twins" in Luganda.

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.

Kausalya f Hinduism
Means "of the Kosala people" in Sanskrit. Kosala was an ancient Indian kingdom that was at its most powerful in the 6th century BC. In Hindu legend Kausalya is the name of the mother of the hero Rama.

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.

Kean m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, a variant of Kane.

Keane m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, a variant of Kane.

Keefe m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caoimh, derived from the given name or byname Caomh.

Keegan m English
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Mac Aodhagáin, which was derived from the given name Aodhagán, a double diminutive of Aodh.

Keeley f English (Modern)
Variant of Keely.

Keely f English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caolaidhe, itself derived from the given name Caoladhe, from Irish caol "slender".

Kelda f English (Rare)
Possibly derived from Old Norse kildr meaning "a spring".

Kelly m & f Irish, English
Anglicized form of the Irish given name Ceallach or the surname derived from it Ó Ceallaigh. As a surname, it has been borne by actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).... [more]

Kelvin m English
From the name of a Scottish river, perhaps meaning "narrow water". As a title it was borne by the Irish-Scottish physicist William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1824-1907), who acquired his title from the river.

Kendall m & f English
From an English surname that comes from the name of the city of Kendale in northwestern England meaning "valley on the river Kent". Originally mostly masculine, the name received a boost in popularity for girls in 1993 when the devious character Kendall Hart began appearing on the American soap opera All My Children.

Kendrick m English
From 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]

Kennedy f & m English, Irish
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Cinnéidigh, itself derived from the given name Cennétig. The name has sometimes been given in honour of assassinated American president John F. Kennedy (1917-1963). It was popularized as a name for girls by Lisa Kennedy Montgomery (1972-), known simply as Kennedy, the host of the television program Alternative Nation on MTV from 1992 to 1997.

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.

Keren f Hebrew
Means "horn" or "ray of light" in Hebrew.

Keren-Happuch f Biblical
Means "horn of antimony" in Hebrew. Antimony is a substance that was formerly used as an eye cosmetic (eye shadow). A hollowed animal horn could have been used to store this material. Keren-Happuch is the name of the third daughter of Job in the Old Testament.

Kermit m English
From 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.

Kian 1 m Persian
Means "king, foundation, symbol of pride" in Persian.

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

Kinley f English (Modern)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Fhionnlaigh, itself derived from the given name Fionnlagh.

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-).

Koharu f Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small" or 心 (ko) meaning "heart" combined with 春 (haru) meaning "spring". The compound word 小春 means "late summer". Other combinations of kanji characters can form this name as well.

Koios m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek κοῖος (koios), also spelled ποῖος (poios), a questioning word meaning approximately "of what kind?". This was the name of a Titan god of intelligence in Greek mythology.

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

Kshitij m Hindi, Marathi
Means "born of the earth" or "horizon" in Sanskrit.

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

Kyle m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves from Gaelic caol meaning "narrows, channel, strait". As a given name it was rare in the first half of the 20th century. It rose steadily in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, entering the top 50 in most places by the 1990s. It has since declined in all regions.

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

Lael m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "of God" in Hebrew. This is the name of the father of Eliasaph in the Old Testament. It is misspelled as Δαήλ (Dael) in the Greek translation, the Septuagint.

Laertes m Greek Mythology
Means "gatherer of the people" in Greek. This is the name of the father of Odysseus in Greek mythology. It was later utilized by Shakespeare for a character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600), in which he is the son of Polonius. His ultimate duel with Hamlet leads to both of their deaths.

Laine f Estonian
Means "wave" in Estonian.

Lake m & f English (Rare)
From the English word lake, for the inland body of water. It is ultimately derived from Latin lacus.

Lamar m English, African American
From a French and English surname, originally from a place name in Normandy, which was derived from Old French la mare meaning "the pool". In the second half of the 20th century this name has been well-used in the African-American community, probably because of its popular phonetic components la and mar.

Lanford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "long ford" in Old English.

Laodice f Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Λαοδίκη (Laodike) meaning "justice of the people", derived from Greek λαός (laos) meaning "people" and δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order". In Greek mythology this was the name of several women, notably the daughter of King Priam of Troy. It was also common among the royal family of the Seleucid Empire, being borne by the mother of Seleucus himself (4th century BC).

Lawson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Laurence 1".

Lei 2 m & f Chinese
From Chinese 磊 (lěi) meaning "pile of stones" (which is typically masculine) or 蕾 (lěi) meaning "bud" (typically feminine). Other characters can also form this name.

Leigong m Chinese Mythology
Means "lord of thunder", from Chinese 雷 (léi) meaning "thunder" and 公 (gōng) meaning "lord, prince". This is the name of a Chinese thunder god.

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".

Lennon m & f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, derived from the Irish byname Leannán meaning "lover". The surname was borne by musician and Beatle member John Lennon (1940-1980), and it may be used as a given name in his honour. In America it is now more common as a feminine name, possibly inspired in part by the singer Lennon Stella (1999-), who began appearing on the television series Nashville in 2012.

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.

Ler m Irish Mythology
Means "the sea" in Old Irish. Ler was probably an Irish god or personification of the sea, best known as the father of Manannán mac Lir.

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.

Levent m Turkish
From the Ottoman Turkish term levend, referring to a member of the navy, which is possibly ultimately derived from Italian levante "person from the eastern Mediterranean". The Turkish word has now come to mean "tall, handsome, roguish".

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.

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

Lilith f Semitic Mythology, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Derived from Akkadian lilitu meaning "of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.

Linwood m English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.

Lir m Irish Mythology
Possibly from the patronymic Manannán mac Lir, in which case Lir is the genitive case of the name Ler. The medieval Irish legend the Children of Lir tells how Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann had his children transformed into swans by his third wife Aoife. The legendary characters Lir and Ler seem to be distinct.

Lital f Hebrew
Means "my dew" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and טַל (tal) "dew".

Ljudevit m Croatian
Means "master of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and vitŭ "master, lord". This name was borne by a 9th-century leader of the Slavs in Lower Pannonia who fought against Frankish rule.

Lluvia f Spanish (Modern)
Means "rain" in Spanish.

Llŷr m Welsh Mythology
Means "the sea" in Welsh. According to the Mabinogi he was the father of Brân, Branwen and Manawydan. His name is cognate with Irish Ler, and it is typically assumed that Llŷr may have originally been regarded as a god of the sea. He might also be the basis for the legendary King Leir of the Britons.

Ludmila f Czech, Latvian, Russian
Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.... [more]

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

Lwandle m & f Zulu, Xhosa
Means "ocean" in Zulu and Xhosa.

Lynn f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of Linda or names that end in lyn or line.

Maaseiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name מַעֲשֵׂיָה (Ma'aseyah) meaning "work of Yahweh". This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters (mostly minor).

Maayan f & m Hebrew
Means "spring of water" in Hebrew.

Macbeth m History
Anglicized 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 Irish
Means "son of oak" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara.

Mackenzie f & m English
From 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.

Madhava m Sanskrit, Hinduism
Means "vernal, of the springtime" in Sanskrit. This is an epithet of several Hindu gods. It was also the name of a 14th-century Hindu scholar.

Madison f & m English
From 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]

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.

Máel Máedóc m Old Irish
Means "disciple of Saint Máedóc" in Irish. Saint Máel Máedóc (also known as Malachy) was a 12th-century archbishop of Armagh.

Máel Sechnaill m Old Irish
Means "disciple of Saint Seachnall" in Irish. This was the name of two Irish high kings: Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid who ruled all of Ireland in the 9th century; and Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill (called Malachy) who defeated the Norse of Dublin in the 10th century.

Magdalene f German, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From a title meaning "of Magdala". Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament, was named thus because she was from Magdala — a village on the Sea of Galilee whose name meant "tower" in Hebrew. She was cleaned of evil spirits by Jesus and then remained with him during his ministry, witnessing the crucifixion and the resurrection. She was a popular saint in the Middle Ages, and the name became common then. In England it is traditionally rendered Madeline, while Magdalene or Magdalen is the learned form.

Mai 4 f Arabic
Means "water" in Arabic, a dialectal variant of ماء (ma).

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

Majvor f Swedish
From Swedish maj meaning "May (month)" combined with vår meaning "spring" or the Old Norse name element vǫr meaning "vigilant, cautious". This name was first used in the early 20th century.

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

Malcolm m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, which means "disciple of Saint Columba". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing Macbeth, the usurper who had defeated his father Duncan. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth (1606) is loosely based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.

Malik 2 m Greenlandic
Means "wave, sea" in Greenlandic.

Malone m & f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Maoil Eoin meaning "descendant of a disciple of Saint John".

Manami f Japanese
From Japanese 愛 (mana) meaning "love, affection" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 海 (mi) meaning "sea, ocean". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Manoja m Hinduism
Means "born of the mind", from Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and ज (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu god Kama.

Maoilios m Scottish Gaelic
Means "servant of Jesus" in Scottish Gaelic.

Maquinna m Nuu-chah-nulth (Anglicized)
From Nuu-chah-nulth Mukwina, possibly meaning "possessor of pebbles". This was the name of a late 18th-century chief of the Mowachaht people.

Mar f Spanish, Catalan
Means "sea" in Spanish and Catalan. It is from a devotional title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Mar "Our Lady of the Sea", the patron saint of the Spanish province of Almería.

Maraĵa f Esperanto
Means "made of the sea" in Esperanto, a derivative of maro "sea", ultimately from Latin mare.

Marcus m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Roman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from the name of the Roman god Mars. This was among the most popular of the Roman praenomina. Famous bearers include Marcus Tullius Cicero (known simply as Cicero), a 1st-century BC statesman and orator, Marcus Antonius (known as Mark Antony), a 1st-century BC politician, and Marcus Aurelius, a notable 2nd-century emperor. This was also the name of a pope of the 4th century. This spelling has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world, though the traditional English form Mark has been more common.

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.

María de Jesús f Spanish
Means "Mary (the mother) of Jesus" in Spanish, a compound of María and Jesús.

María de la Cruz f Spanish
Means "Mary of the cross" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María de las Mercedes f Spanish
Means "Mary of mercies" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María del Carmen f Spanish
Means "Mary of Mount Carmel" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary (see Carmen).

María del Mar f Spanish
Means "Mary of the sea" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

Maria del Mar f Catalan
Means "Mary of the sea" in Catalan, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María de los Ángeles f Spanish
Means "Mary of the angels" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María de los Dolores f Spanish
Means "Mary of sorrows" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

Marinus m Ancient Roman, Dutch
From the Roman family name Marinus, which derives either from the name Marius or from the Latin word marinus "of the sea". Saint Marinus was a 4th-century stonemason who built a chapel on Monte Titano, in the country that is today known as San Marino.

Maris 2 f English (Rare)
Means "of the sea", taken from the Latin title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea".

Marisol f Spanish
Short form of María Soledad. It is sometimes considered a combination of María and Sol 1, or from Spanish mar y sol "sea and sun".

Maristela f Portuguese, Spanish (Rare)
From the title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea" in Latin. It can also be a combination of Maria and Estela.

Marius m Ancient Roman, Romanian, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, French, Lithuanian
Roman 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.

Marlowe f & m English (Modern)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "remnants of a lake" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593).

Martial m French, History
From the Roman cognomen Martialis, which was derived from the name of the Roman god Mars. The name was borne by Marcus Valerius Martialis, now commonly known as Martial, a Roman poet of the 1st century.

Martin m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Finnish
From the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god Mars. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.... [more]

Mary f English, Biblical
Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριάμ (Mariam) and Μαρία (Maria) — the spellings are interchangeable — which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".... [more]

Masaharu m Japanese
From Japanese 正 (masa) meaning "right, proper" or 雅 (masa) meaning "elegant, graceful" combined with 治 (haru) meaning "govern, administer" or 春 (haru) meaning "spring (the season)". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.

Mattaniah m Biblical
Means "gift of Yahweh" in Hebrew. This was the original name of Zedekiah, a king of Judah, in the Old Testament.

Matthew m English, Biblical
English form of Ματθαῖος (Matthaios), which was a Greek form of the Hebrew name מַתִּתְיָהוּ (Mattityahu) meaning "gift of Yahweh", from the roots מַתָּן (mattan) meaning "gift" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. Matthew, also called Levi, was one of the twelve apostles. He was a tax collector, and supposedly the author of the first gospel in the New Testament. He is considered a saint in many Christian traditions. The variant Matthias also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a separate apostle. The name appears in the Old Testament as Mattithiah.... [more]

Maxwell m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.... [more]

Maya 3 f Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew מַיִם (mayim) meaning "water".

Mazin m Arabic
Means "rain clouds" in Arabic.

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 English
From 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]

Mehrab m Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and آب (ab) meaning "water". This is the name of the king of Kabul in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.

Meital f Hebrew
Means "dew drop" in Hebrew.

Melchior m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend, French (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Possibly from the Hebrew roots מֶלֶכְ (melekh) meaning "king" and אוֹר ('or) meaning "light". This was a name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. According to medieval tradition he was a king of Persia.

Melisizwe m Xhosa
Means "leader of the nation" in Xhosa.

Melqart m Semitic Mythology
Means "king of the city", from Phoenician 𐤌𐤋𐤊 (milk) meaning "king" and 𐤒𐤓𐤕 (qart) meaning "city". This was the name of a Phoenician god worshipped especially in the city of Tyre.

Meltem f Turkish
Means "sea wind" in Turkish.

Mennatullah f Arabic (Egyptian)
Means "grace of Allah", from Arabic منّة (minnah) meaning "favour, grace" combined with الله (Allah).

Menodora f Ancient Greek
Means "gift of the moon", derived from Greek μήνη (mene) meaning "moon" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Metrodora and Nymphodora.

Mephistopheles m Literature
Meaning uncertain. It might be based on Hebrew מֵפִיץ (mefitz) "scatterer, disperser" and טָפַל (tafal) "liar", or on Greek μή (me) "not", φῶς (phos) "light" and φίλος (philos) "friend, lover". Many other etymologies have been proposed. In a German legend, notably retold by Goethe, this is the name of a demon who makes a deal with Faust to exchange his soul for magical powers.

Meraud f Cornish
Meaning unknown, perhaps based on Cornish mor "sea".

Meri 1 f Finnish
Means "sea" in Finnish.

Merike f Estonian
From Estonian meri "sea" with a diminutive suffix.

Merton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town on a lake" in Old English.

Methuselah m Biblical
Means "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.