Browse Names

Nili f Hebrew
Acronym of the phrase נצח ישׂראל לא ישׁקר (Netzach Yisrael Lo Yishaker) meaning "the eternity of Israel will not lie". This phrase appears in the Old Testament in 1 Samuel 15:29. It was used as the name of a Jewish spy network in Palestine during World War I.

Ninhursag f Sumerian Mythology
Means "lady of the mountain", from Sumerian 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and 𒉺𒂅 (hursaĝ) meaning "mountain". This was the name of the Sumerian mother and fertility goddess, the primary consort of Enki.

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.

Nixon m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of Nick". It was borne by the American president Richard Nixon (1913-1994).

Nolan m English, French (Modern)
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Nualláin, itself derived from the given name Nuallán. The baseball player Nolan Ryan (1947-) is a famous bearer. This name has climbed steadily in popularity since the 1970s.

Nosizwe f Xhosa
From the Xhosa feminine prefix no- combined with isizwe "nation".

Nur ad-Din m Arabic
Means "light of religion", from Arabic نور (nur) meaning "light" combined with دين (din) meaning "religion, faith".

Nurul m & f Arabic, Indonesian, Malay
First part of compound Arabic names beginning with نور ال (Nur al) meaning "light of the" (such as نور الدين (Nur al-Din) meaning "light of religion").

Nurullah m Arabic, Turkish
Means "light of Allah", from Arabic نور (nur) meaning "light" combined with الله (Allah).

Obadiah m Biblical
Means "servant of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from עָבַד ('avad) meaning "to serve, to worship" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets, the author of the Book of Obadiah, which predicts the downfall of the nation of Edom. This is also the name of several other biblical characters.

Ọbatala m Yoruba Mythology
Means "king of white cloth" in Yoruba, derived from ọba "king" and àlà "white cloth". According to traditional Yoruba religion he is the creator of the earth and human beings. He also founded the first Yoruba city, Ife.

Obinna m Igbo
Means "heart of the father" in Igbo, from óbì "heart, mind" and ńnà "father".

Odd m Norwegian
Derived from Old Norse oddr meaning "point of a sword".

Oddbjørg f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Oddbjǫrg, derived from oddr "point of a sword" and bjǫrg "help, save, rescue".

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

Oddgeir m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Oddgeirr, derived from the elements oddr "point of a sword" and geirr "spear".

Oddmund m Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements oddr "point of a sword" and mundr "protection". This name was coined in the 19th century.

Oddný f Old Norse, Icelandic
From Old Norse oddr "point of a sword" and nýr "new".

Oddrún f Old Norse, Norse Mythology
From Old Norse oddr "point of a sword" and rún "secret lore, rune". This is the name of a woman in the Old Norse poem Oddrúnargrátr in the Poetic Edda.

Oddvar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Oddvarr, derived from the elements oddr "point of a sword" and varr "aware, cautious".

Oddveig f Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements oddr "point of a sword" and veig "strength". This name was coined in the 19th century.

Ogochukwu f & m Igbo
Means "favour of God" in Igbo.

Oğuzhan m Turkish
From Oğuz, the name of an ancient Turkic people, combined with Turkish han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".

Okafor m Igbo
Means "boy (born on) Afor" in Igbo, Afor being one of the four days of the Igbo week.

Okechukwu m Igbo
Means "portion of God" in Igbo.

Ōkuninushi m Japanese Mythology
Means "master of the great country", from Japanese 大 (ō) meaning "big, great", 国 (kuni) meaning "country, land" and 主 (nushi) meaning "master". In Japanese myth he was the divine ruler of the lands, until the gods of the heavens seized control and he retreated to the unseen world.

Ọlọrun m Yoruba Mythology
Means "ruler of heaven, owner of heaven" in Yoruba, derived from either olú "chief, ruler" or the prefix ọní "owner" combined with ọ̀run "heaven, sky". Ọlọrun is a manifestation of the supreme god in traditional Yoruba religion. In some modern contexts this name is used to refer to the Christian or Islamic god.

Oluchi f Igbo
Means "work of God" in Igbo.

Oluwatoyin f & m Yoruba
Means "God is worthy of praise" in Yoruba.

Olympiodoros m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name meaning "gift of Olympus", derived from Olympos, the name of the mountain home of the Greek gods, combined with δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift".

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

Omolara f Yoruba
Means "child is family" in Yoruba.

Oneida f English
From the name of a Native American tribe, perhaps meaning "standing rock".

Orel m Hebrew
Means "light of God" in Hebrew.

Orestes m Greek Mythology
Means "of the mountains", derived from Greek ὄρος (oros) meaning "mountain" and ἵστημι (histemi) meaning "to stand". In Greek myth he was the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. He killed his mother and her lover Aegisthus after they killed his father.

Orion m Greek Mythology
Meaning uncertain, but possibly related to Greek ὅριον (horion) meaning "boundary, limit". Alternatively it may be derived from Akkadian Uru-anna meaning "light of the heavens". This is the name of a constellation, which gets its name from a legendary Greek hunter who was killed by a scorpion sent by the earth goddess Gaia.

Ormond m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Ruaidh, derived from the given name Ruadh.

Ormonde m English (Rare)
Variant of Ormond.

Orpah f Biblical
Means "back of the neck" in Hebrew. Orpah is Naomi's second daughter-in-law in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament.

Orpheus m Greek Mythology
Perhaps related to Greek ὄρφνη (orphne) meaning "the darkness of night". In Greek mythology Orpheus was a poet and musician who went to the underworld to retrieve his dead wife Eurydice. He succeeded in charming Hades with his lyre, and he was allowed to lead his wife out of the underworld on the condition that he not look back at her until they reached the surface. Unfortunately, just before they arrived his love for her overcame his will and he glanced back at her, causing her to be drawn back to Hades.

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.

Otis m English
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Ode, a cognate of Otto. In America it has been used in honour of the revolutionary James Otis (1725-1783).

Óttarr m Old Norse, Norse Mythology
From Old Norse ótti "terror, fear" and herr "army, warrior". In the Old Norse poem Hyndluljóð in the Poetic Edda, the goddess Freya helps Óttar learn about his ancestry.

Ove m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Probably a modern form of the Old Danish name Aghi, originally a short form of names that contain the Old Norse element egg "edge of a sword" or agi "awe, fear".

Pachakutiq m Quechua
Means "changer of the world" in Quechua, derived from pacha "world, time" and kutiy "to return, to change" combined with the agentive suffix -q "doer". This name was borne by a 15th-century (precontact) ruler of the Inca Empire.

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

Pamphilos m Ancient Greek
Means "friend of all" from Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and φίλος (philos) meaning "friend". This was the name of a 4th-century saint from Caesarea in the Roman province of Syria Palaestina.

Pankaja m Hinduism
Means "born of mud", referring to the lotus flower, derived from Sanskrit पङ्क (panka) meaning "mud" and ज (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu god Brahma.

Paphnutius m Ancient Egyptian (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Παφνούτιος (Paphnoutios), derived from Egyptian pꜣj-pꜣ-nṯr meaning "the one of God". This was the name of several saints, including the 4th-century bishop Paphnutius of Thebes.

Parker m & f English
From an English occupational surname that meant "keeper of the park".

Parry m English (Rare)
From a Welsh surname that was derived from ap Harry meaning "son of Harry".

Partha m Hinduism, Bengali, Assamese
Means "son of Pritha" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is another name for the Pandavas, who were sons of Pritha (another name of Kunti) and Pandu.

Parvati f Hinduism, Hindi
Means "of the mountains" in Sanskrit. Parvati is a Hindu goddess of love and power, the wife of Shiva and the mother of Ganesha.

Patroclus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Πάτροκλος (Patroklos) meaning "glory of the father", derived from πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός) and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek legend he was one of the heroes who fought against the Trojans. His death at the hands of Hector drew his friend Achilles back into the war.

Pausanias m Ancient Greek
From the Greek word παυσανίας (pausanias) meaning "reliever of sorrow", itself from παῦσις (pausis) meaning "stopping" and ἀνία (ania) meaning "grief, sorrow". Notable bearers include the kings Pausanias of Sparta (5th century BC) and Pausanias of Macedon (4th century BC), as well as a 2nd-century geographer.

Perry m English
From a surname that is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh ap Herry, meaning "son of Herry". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.

Philander m English (Archaic), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Φίλανδρος (Philandros) meaning "friend of man" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). It was the name of a son of Apollo with the nymph Acalle. In the 18th century this was coined as a word meaning "to womanize", and the name subsequently dropped out of use.

Philip m English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Biblical
From the Greek name Φίλιππος (Philippos) meaning "friend of horses", composed of the elements φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This was the name of five kings of Macedon, including Philip II the father of Alexander the Great. The name appears in the New Testament belonging to two people who are regarded as saints. First, one of the twelve apostles, and second, an early figure in the Christian church known as Philip the Deacon.... [more]

Philokrates m Ancient Greek
Means "friend of power" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and κράτος (kratos) meaning "power".

Philotheos m Ancient Greek
Means "friend of god" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and θεός (theos) meaning "god".

Phuong f & m Khmer
Means "garland, bouquet (of flowers)" in Khmer.

Polyphonte f Greek Mythology
Means "slayer of many", derived from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder, slaughter". In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who was transformed into a strix (an owl-like bird) after she had sons with a bear.

Prasenjit m Bengali
Means "conqueror of an expert army" in Sanskrit.

Preben m Danish, Norwegian
Modern Danish form of the name Pridbjørn, which was an old Scandinavian form of the Slavic (Wendish) name Predbor or Pridbor, which was possibly derived from Slavic perdŭ "first, in front of" and borti "to fight". It was imported into Danish via the medieval Putbus family, who were Slavic nobles from Rügen in Pomerania.

Price m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from ap Rhys meaning "son of Rhys".

Pritha f Hinduism, Bengali
Means "the palm of the hand" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the legendary Hindu figure Kunti.

Prochorus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Πρόχορος (Prochoros) meaning "leader of the dance". Saint Prochorus was one of the original seven deacons of the church, as told in Acts in the New Testament.

Psamathe f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ψάμαθος (psamathos) meaning "sand of the seashore". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids. One of the small moons of Neptune is named after her.

Puabi f Akkadian
Means "word of my father", from Akkadian pû meaning "mouth" and abu meaning "father". Puabi was a 26th-century BC Akkadian noblewoman who was buried in the Sumerian city of Ur.

Pythagoras m Ancient Greek
Derived from Pythios, a name of Apollo, combined with Greek ἀγορά (agora) meaning "assembly, marketplace". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher and mathematician from Samos. He was the founder of a school of philosophy whose members believed that numbers described the universe.

Qasim m Arabic, Urdu
Means "one who divides goods among his people", derived from Arabic قسم (qasama) meaning "to share" or "to divide". This was the name of a son of the Prophet Muhammad who died while young.

Quân m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 軍 (quân) meaning "army".

Quinlan m & f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caoindealbháin, itself from the given name Caoindealbhán (Old Irish Caíndelbán).

Quinn m & f English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Cuinn, itself derived from the given name Conn. In the United States it was more common as a name for boys until 2010, the year after the female character Quinn Fabray began appearing on the television series Glee.

Rafferty m English
From an Irish surname, itself derived from the given name Rabhartach meaning "flood tide".

Raginaharjaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Raginheri and Ragnarr.

Ragnarr m Old Norse
From the Old Norse elements regin "advice, counsel" and herr "army, warrior". It is a cognate of Rayner. This name was borne by the legendary Viking hero Ragnar Lodbrok.

Rahmatullah m Arabic, Pashto
Means "mercy of Allah", derived from Arabic رحمة (rahmah) meaning "mercy" combined with الله (Allah).

Rajab m Arabic
From the name of the seventh month in the Islamic calendar, derived from Arabic رجب (rajaba) meaning "respect, awe".

Rajendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Nepali
Means "lord of kings", derived from Sanskrit राज (raja) meaning "king" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This was the name of two 11th-century rulers of the Chola Empire in southern India.

Rajesh m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "ruler of kings" from Sanskrit राज (raja) meaning "king" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler".

Rajnish m Hindi
Means "lord of the night" from Sanskrit रजनि (rajani) meaning "night" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler". This is another name for the moon in Hindu texts.

Rakesh m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu
Means "lord of the full moon" from Sanskrit राका (raka) meaning "full moon" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler".

Ramadan m Arabic
From the name of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is derived from Arabic رمض (ramad) meaning "parchedness, scorchedness". Muslims traditionally fast during this month.

Ramakanta m Hinduism, Odia
Means "desired of Rama", from Rama 2 (a name of Lakshmi) combined with Sanskrit कान्त (kanta) meaning "desired, beloved". This name refers to Lakshmi's husband Vishnu.

Ramdas m Marathi, Hindi
Means "servant of Rama" from the name of the Hindu deity Rama 1 combined with Sanskrit दास (dasa) meaning "servant". This name was borne by a 17th-century Hindu holy man from Maharashtra.

Ramesha m Hinduism
Means "husband of Lakshmi", derived from Rama 2, a name of Lakshmi, combined with ईश (isha) meaning "ruler, husband". This is one of the names of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Rameshvara m Hinduism
Means "lord of Rama", derived from the name of the Hindu god Rama 1 combined with Sanskrit ईश्वर (ishvara) meaning "lord, god". This is another name for the Hindu god Shiva.

Ramesses m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
From Ῥαμέσσης (Rhamesses), the Greek form of Egyptian rꜥ-ms-sw meaning "born of Ra", composed of the name of the supreme god Ra combined with the root msj "be born". Ramesses was the name of eleven Egyptian pharaohs of the New Kingdom. The most important of these were Ramesses II the Great who campaigned against the Hittites and also built several great monuments (13th century BC), and Ramesses III who defended Egypt from the Libyans and Sea Peoples (12th century BC).

Ramiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Possibly from Hebrew רָעמִיאֵל (Rami'el) meaning "thunder of God". The Book of Enoch names him as an archangel. He is often identified with Jeremiel.

Ramprasad m Bengali, Hindi, Marathi
Means "clearness of Rama" from the name of the Hindu deity Rama 1 combined with Sanskrit प्रसाद (prasada) meaning "clearness, brightness". This name was borne by the Bengali poet Ramprasad Sen (c. 1723-1781).

Randolf m English
From the Old German elements rant meaning "rim (of a shield)" and wolf meaning "wolf". The Normans brought this name to England, where there existed already an Old Norse cognate Randúlfr, which had been introduced by Scandinavian settlers. Randolf became rare after the Middle Ages, though it was revived in the 18th century (usually in the spelling Randolph).

Rashmi f & m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Means "ray of sunlight" or "rope" in Sanskrit.

Ravindra m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada
Means "lord of the sun" from Sanskrit रवि (ravi) meaning "sun" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for the Hindu god Surya.

Rayner m English (Archaic)
From the Germanic name Raginheri, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and heri "army". Saint Rainerius was a 12th-century hermit from Pisa. The Normans brought this name to England where it came into general use, though it was rare by the end of the Middle Ages.

Reagan f & m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Riagáin, derived from the given name Riagán. This surname was borne by American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004).... [more]

Rearden m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, a variant of Riordan.

Rehoboam m Biblical
From the Hebrew name רֵחַבְעָם (Rechav'am) meaning "he enlarges the people". In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Solomon. He succeeded his father as king of Israel, but his subjects eventually revolted because of high taxes. This resulted in the division of the kingdom into Israel and Judah, with Rehoboam ruling Judah.

Rei f Japanese
From Japanese 鈴 (rei) meaning "bell", 麗 (rei) meaning "beautiful, lovely" or 玲 (rei) meaning "the tinkling of jade". This name can also be formed by other kanji with the same pronunciation.

Reidar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Hreiðarr, which was derived from the elements hreiðr "nest, home" and herr "army, warrior".

Reiko f Japanese
From Japanese 玲 (rei) meaning "the tinkling of jade" or 礼 (rei) meaning "ceremony" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.

Reilly m & f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Raghailligh, derived from the given name Raghailleach, meaning unknown.

Reto m German (Swiss)
Means "of Rhaetia". Rhaetia is a region in eastern Switzerland that got its name from the Rhaeti, a Celtic tribe who originally inhabited the area.

Reuel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "friend of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is another name for Jethro. The fantasy author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was a famous bearer.

Rígbarddán m Old Irish
Means "little poet of the king", from Old Irish rí "king" (genitive ríg) combined with bard "poet" and a diminutive suffix.

Rikuto m Japanese
From Japanese 陸 (riku) meaning "land" combined with 斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or 人 (to) meaning "person", as well as other combinations of kanji that have the same pronunciation.

Riordan m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Ríoghbhárdáin), which was derived from the given name Rígbarddán.

Rosamund f English (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements hros "horse" and munt "protection". This name was borne by the wife of the Lombard king Alboin in the 6th century. The Normans introduced it to England. It was subsequently interpreted as coming from Latin rosa munda "pure rose" or rosa mundi "rose of the world". This was the name of the mistress of Henry II, the king of England in the 12th century. According to legends she was murdered by his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Rowan m & f Irish, English (Modern)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).

Royston m English (British)
From a surname that was originally taken from an Old English place name meaning "town of Royse". The given name Royse was a medieval variant of Rose.

Rúnar m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Runar.

Runar m Norwegian
Derived from the Old Norse elements rún "secret lore, rune" and herr "army, warrior". This name did not exist in Old Norse, but was created in the modern era.

Sabah ad-Din m Arabic (Rare)
Means "morning of religion", derived from Arabic صباح (sabah) meaning "morning" and دين (din) meaning "religion".

Sabeen f Urdu
Possibly from Arabic meaning "follower of another religion", a name given to the Prophet Muhammad and other Muslims by non-Muslim Arabs.

Sadaf f Arabic
Means "seashell, mother-of-pearl" in Arabic.

Säde f Finnish
Means "ray of light" in Finnish.

Saiful m Arabic, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay
First part of compound Arabic names beginning with سيف ال (Sayf al) meaning "sword of the" (such as Sayf ad-Din).

Salah ad-Din m Arabic
Means "righteousness of religion" from Arabic صلاح (salah) meaning "righteousness" combined with دين (din) meaning "religion, faith". A famous bearer of this name was the sultan Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, known in the western world as Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt in the 12th century. He recaptured Jerusalem from the crusaders and repelled the invaders of the Third Crusade. Salah ad-Din was an honorific; his birth name was Yusuf.

Samael m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Means "venom of God" in Hebrew. This is the name of an archangel in Jewish tradition, described as a destructive angel of death.

Samuel m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemu'el) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shama') meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of "God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.... [more]

Sanaz f Persian
Possibly means "full of grace" in Persian.

Sarvesh m Hindi, Marathi
Means "ruler of all" from Sanskrit सर्व (sarva) meaning "all" and ईश (isha) meaning "ruler, lord".

Satisha m Hinduism
Means "lord of Sati" from the name of the Hindu goddess Sati combined with ईश (isha) meaning "ruler". This is another name for the Hindu god Shiva.

Sawyer m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "sawer of wood". Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).... [more]

Sayf ad-Din m Arabic
Means "sword of the faith" from Arabic سيف (sayf) meaning "sword" and دين (din) meaning "religion, faith".

Sayfullah m Arabic, Urdu
Means "sword of Allah" from Arabic سيف (sayf) meaning "sword" combined with الله (Allah).

Scarlett f English
From an English surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelat)). Margaret Mitchell used it for the main character, Scarlett O'Hara, in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936). Her name is explained as having come from her grandmother. Despite the fact that the book was adapted into a popular movie in 1939, the name was not common until the 21st century. It started rising around 2003, about the time that the career of American actress Scarlett Johansson (1984-) started taking off.

Seok-Jin m Korean
From Sino-Korean 碩 (seok) meaning "large, great" and 珍 (jin) meaning "precious, rare". Other hanja characters can form this name as well.

Seti m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian stẖj meaning "of Seth 2". This was the name of two pharaohs of the 19th dynasty (13th century BC).

Shaban m Arabic, Albanian
From the name of the eighth month of the Islamic calendar. It is derived from Arabic شعب (sha'aba) meaning "scatter".

Shadrach m Biblical
Means "command of Aku" in Akkadian, Aku being the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Old Testament Shadrach is the Babylonian name of Hananiah, one of the three men cast into a fiery furnace but saved by God.

Shahjahan m Urdu
Means "king of the world" from Persian شاه (shah) meaning "king" and جهان (jahan) meaning "world". This was the name of the 17th-century Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal.

Shahnaz f & m Persian, Arabic, Urdu
Means "delight of the king" from Persian شاه (shah) meaning "king" and ناز (naz) meaning "delight, comfort, coquetry".

Shahrazad f Persian (Rare), Arabic
Possibly means "noble lineage" from Persian چهر (chehr) meaning "lineage, origin" and آزاد (azad) meaning "free, noble". Alternatively, it might mean "child of the city" from شهر (shahr) meaning "city, land" combined with the suffix زاد (zad) meaning "child of". This is the name of the fictional storyteller in The 1001 Nights. She tells a story to her husband the king every night for 1001 nights in order to delay her execution.

Shahzad m Persian, Arabic, Urdu
Means "prince, son of the king" in Persian.

Shailaja f Hinduism, Telugu
Means "daughter of the mountain" in Sanskrit, from शैल (shaila) meaning "mountain" and ज (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.

Shams ad-Din m Arabic
Means "sun of the religion", from Arabic شمس (shams) meaning "sun" and دين (din) meaning "religion, faith". This was the given name of the 14th-century Berber explorer Ibn Battuta.

Shapur m History, Persian
From Middle Persian 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩 (Shahpuhr) meaning "son of the king". This was the name of three Sasanian emperors.

Shawnee f English (Modern)
Means "southern people" in the Algonquin language. The Shawnee were an Algonquin tribe who originally lived in the Ohio valley.

Shealtiel m Biblical
Means "I have asked of God" in Hebrew. This was the name of the son of King Jeconiah of Judah and the father of Zerubbabel in the Old Testament.

Sheridan m & f English
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Sirideáin), which was derived from the given name Sirideán possibly meaning "searcher".

Sherzod m Uzbek, Tajik
Means "son of the lion", derived from Persian شیر (sher) meaning "lion" and the suffix زاد (zad) meaning "son of".

Shivali f Hinduism, Hindi
Means "beloved of Shiva 1" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.

Shrinivas m Marathi
Means "the abode of Shri" from the name of the Hindu goddess Shri combined with Sanskrit निवास (nivasa) meaning "abode, house".

Shripati m Hinduism
Means "husband of Shri" from the name of the Hindu goddess Shri combined with Sanskrit पति (pati) meaning "husband, lord". This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Shrivatsa m Hindi (Rare)
Means "beloved of Shri" from the name of the Hindu goddess Shri combined with Sanskrit वत्स (vatsa) meaning "beloved, dear". This is the name of a mark on Vishnu's chest.

Sidonius m Late Roman
Latin name meaning "of Sidon". Sidon was an ancient Phoenician city corresponding to modern-day Saida in Lebanon. This name was borne by the 5th-century saint Sidonius Apollinaris, a 5th-century bishop of Clermont.

Sieger m Dutch (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and heri "army".

Silvanus m Roman Mythology, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Roman cognomen meaning "of the woods", derived from Latin silva meaning "wood, forest". Silvanus was the Roman god of forests. This name appears in the New Testament belonging to one of Saint Paul's companions, also called Silas.

Simonides m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek σιμός (simos) meaning "flat-nosed" and the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This name was borne by the 7th-century BC iambic poet Simonides of Amorgos and the 6th-century BC lyric poet Simonides of Ceos.

Sivan f Hebrew
From the name of the ninth month of the Hebrew calendar (occurring in late spring). It was adopted from the Babylonian calendar, derived from Akkadian simānu meaning "season, occasion".

Sizwe m Xhosa
Means "nation" in Xhosa.

Sloan f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Sloane.

Sloane f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Sluaghadháin, itself derived from the given name Sluaghadhán.

Solon m Ancient Greek
Possibly from Greek σόλος (solos) meaning "lump of iron". This was the name of an Athenian statesman who reformed the laws and government of the city.

Sōma m Japanese
From Japanese 颯 (sō) meaning "sudden, sound of the wind" and 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Sostrate f Ancient Greek
Means "safe army" from Greek σῶς (sos) meaning "safe, whole, unwounded" and στρατός (stratos) meaning "army".

Sōta m Japanese
From Japanese 颯 (sō) meaning "sudden, sound of the wind" and 太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". This name can also be formed of other kanji combinations.

Spartacus m History
Means "from the city of Sparta" in Latin. Spartacus was the name of a Thracian-born Roman slave who led a slave revolt in Italy in the 1st century BC. He was eventually killed in battle and many of his followers were crucified.

Spencer m English
From an English surname that meant "dispenser of provisions", derived from Middle English spense "larder, pantry". A famous bearer was American actor Spencer Tracy (1900-1967). It was also the surname of Princess Diana (1961-1997).

Spurius m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, which is of uncertain meaning, probably of Etruscan origin. It may be related to the Late Latin word spurius "of illegitimate birth", which was derived from Etruscan srural "public".

Steinar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Steinarr, derived from the elements steinn "stone" and herr "army, warrior".

Straton m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek στρατός (stratos) meaning "army". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek philosopher.

Sullivan m English, French
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Súileabháin, itself from the given name Súileabhán, which was derived from Irish súil "eye" and dubh "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name has achieved a moderate level of popularity in France since the 1970s. In the United States it was rare before the 1990s, after which it began climbing steadily. A famous fictional bearer of the surname was James P. Sullivan from the animated movie Monsters, Inc. (2001).

Sully m English
Diminutive of Sullivan and other names with a similar sound.

Sumantra m Bengali
Means "following good advice", from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with मन्त्र (mantra) meaning "instrument of thought, prayer, advice".

Surendra m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Nepali
Means "lord of gods" from Sanskrit सुर (sura) meaning "god" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for Indra.

Suresha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of the gods" from Sanskrit सुर (sura) meaning "god" and ईश (isha) meaning "ruler, lord". This is another name of the Hindu gods Indra, Shiva or Vishnu.

Svatopluk m Czech
Means "sacred people", derived from the Slavic elements svętŭ "sacred, holy" and pŭlkŭ "people, host, army". Svatopluk the Great was a 9th-century ruler of Great Moravia, a region centered around the modern Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Tahpenes f Biblical
Probably of Egyptian origin, possibly meaning "the wife of the king", derived from the feminine determiner tꜣ and ḥmt "woman, wife" combined with the masculine determiner pꜣ and nsw "king". Queen Tahpenes was a wife of an Egyptian pharaoh according to the Book of Kings in the Old Testament.

Takehiko m Japanese
From Japanese 武 (take) meaning "military, martial" or 竹 (take) meaning "bamboo" combined with 彦 (hiko) meaning "boy, prince". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Takeo m Japanese
From Japanese 武 (take) meaning "military, martial" combined with 夫 (o) meaning "man, husband" or 雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Takeshi m Japanese
From Japanese 武 (takeshi) meaning "military, martial", 健 (takeshi) meaning "strong, healthy", or other kanji having the same reading.

Takuto m Japanese
From Japanese 拓 (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" combined with 斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or 人 (to) meaning "person". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Talib m Arabic
Means "seeker of knowledge, student" in Arabic. Abu Talib was an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad who raised him after his parents and grandparents died. His name was in fact a kunya (a nickname) formed using Abu; his real name may have been Imran.

Talulla f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of the Old Irish name Taileflaith, Tuileflaith or Tuilelaith, probably from tuile "abundance" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of an early saint, an abbess of Kildare.

Tatsuo m Japanese
From Japanese 達 (tatsu) meaning "achieve" combined with 夫 (o) meaning "man, husband". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

Tautvydas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian tauta "people, nation" and the root vyd- "to see".

Tavish m Scottish
Anglicized form of a Thàmhais, vocative case of Tàmhas. Alternatively it could be taken from the Scottish surname McTavish, Anglicized form of Mac Tàmhais, meaning "son of Tàmhas".

Teagan f English (Modern)
Variant of Tegan. It also coincides with a rare Irish surname Teagan. This name rose on the American popularity charts in the 1990s, probably because of its similarity to names like Megan and Reagan.

Temitope f & m Yoruba
Means "mine is worthy of gratitude" in Yoruba.

Temujin m History
Means "of iron" in Mongolian, derived ultimately from the Turkic word temür "iron". This was the original name of the Mongolian leader better known by the title Genghis Khan. Born in the 12th century, he managed to unite the tribes of Mongolia and then conquer huge areas of Asia and Eastern Europe.

Tennyson m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "son of Tenney", Tenney being a medieval form of Denis. A notable bearer of the surname was the British poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), commonly called Lord Tennyson after he became a baron in 1884.

Tenzin m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
From Tibetan བསྟན་འཛིན (bstan-'dzin) meaning "upholder of teachings". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).

Teuta f Albanian
Possibly from an Illyrian word or title meaning "queen, lady of the people". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Illyrian queen. After the death of her husband Agron, she ruled as the regent for his young son Pinnes.

Thekla f German (Rare), Greek (Rare), Late Greek
From the ancient Greek name Θεόκλεια (Theokleia), which meant "glory of God" from the Greek elements θεός (theos) meaning "god" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, appearing (as Θέκλα) in the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla. The story tells how Thecla listens to Paul speak about the virtues of chastity and decides to remain a virgin, angering both her mother and her suitor.

Themis f Greek Mythology
Means "law of nature, divine law, custom" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan who presided over custom and natural law. She was often depicted blindfolded and holding a pair of scales. By Zeus she was the mother of many deities, including the three Μοῖραι (Moirai) and the three Ὥραι (Horai).

Themistocles m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεμιστοκλῆς (Themistokles) meaning "glory of the law", from θέμις (themis) meaning "law of nature, divine law, custom" (genitive θέμιστος) and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of an Athenian statesman and general who was victorious over the Persians in the Battle of Salamis.

Theobald m English (Rare), Germanic
Means "bold people", derived from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and bald meaning "bold, brave". It was borne by a 6th-century Frankish king of Austrasia. The Normans brought the name to England, where it joined an existing Old English cognate. The medieval forms Tibald and Tebald were commonly Latinized as Theobaldus. It was rare by the 20th century.

Theocritus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Θεόκριτος (Theokritos), a Greek name meaning "judge of god" from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and κριτής (krites) meaning "judge, critic". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek poet.

Theodard m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint and martyr, a bishop of Maastricht.

Theoderich m Germanic
Old German form of Theodoric.

Theodoar m Germanic
Germanic name composed of the elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and war meaning "aware, cautious".

Theodoard m Germanic
Germanic name composed of the elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and wart meaning "guard, guardian".

Theodore m English
From the Greek name Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant "gift of god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.... [more]

Theodoric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Þiudareiks meaning "ruler of the people", derived from the elements þiuda "people" and reiks "ruler, king". It was notably borne by Theodoric the Great, a 6th-century king of the Ostrogoths who eventually became the ruler of Italy. By Theodoric's time the Ostrogoths were partially Romanized and his name was regularly recorded as Theodoricus. This was also the name of two earlier (5th century) Visigothic kings.

Theodulus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόδουλος (Theodoulos) meaning "servant of god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δοῦλος (doulos) meaning "slave, servant". This name was borne by several early saints.

Theophanes m Ancient Greek
Means "manifestation of God" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". This name was borne by a few saints, including an 8th-century chronicler from Constantinople and a 19th-century Russian Orthodox saint, Theophanes the Recluse, who is Феофан (Feofan) in Russian. Another famous bearer was a 14th-century Byzantine icon painter active in Moscow.

Theophilus m Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόφιλος (Theophilos) meaning "friend of god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φίλος (philos) meaning "friend". In the New Testament the evangelist Luke addresses his gospel and the Book of Acts to a man named Theophilus.

Theudemer m Germanic
Old German form of Theodemir. Theudemer (or Theodemer) was a 5th-century king of the Franks.

Þeudōmēraz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Theodemir.

Þeudōrīks m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Theodoric.

Thị f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 氏 (thị) meaning "clan, family, maiden name". This is a very common middle name for Vietnamese girls.

Thijmen m Dutch
Dutch form of the Germanic name Theotman, derived from the elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Dutch thiad) and man meaning "person, man".

Þiudamers m Gothic (Hypothetical)
Gothic form of Theodemir.

Þórgísl m Old Norse
Old Norse name meaning "Thor's arrow" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with gísl "shaft, arrow".

Thracius m Ancient Roman
From a Roman name meaning "of Thracia". Thracia was a region in southeastern Europe, now divided between Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.

Thucydides m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Means "glory of god", from the Greek name Θουκυδίδης (Thoukydides), derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" (genitive θεοῦ) and κῦδος (kydos) meaning "glory" with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 5th-century BC Athenian historian.

Tiberius m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "of the Tiber" in Latin. The Tiber is the river that runs through Rome. Tiberius was the second Roman emperor, the stepson of Emperor Augustus. He was born Tiberius Claudius Nero, but was renamed Tiberius Julius Caesar after he was designated as the heir of Augustus.

Tiburcio m Spanish
Spanish form of the Roman cognomen Tiburtius meaning "of Tibur". Tibur (now called Tivoli) was a resort town near Rome. Saint Tiburtius was a 3rd-century martyr from Rome.

Tiede m Frisian
Frisian form of Diede.

Tinúviel f Literature
Means "daughter of twilight, nightingale" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tinuviel was another name of Lúthien, the daughter of Thingol the elf king. She was the beloved of Beren, who with her help retrieved one of the Silmarils from the iron crown of Morgoth.

Tirta m & f Indonesian
Means "sacred water, place of pilgrimage" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit तीर्थ (tirtha).

Tirto m Indonesian
Javanese form of Tirta.

Titania f Literature
Perhaps based on Latin Titanius meaning "of the Titans". This name was (first?) used by William Shakespeare in his comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595) where it belongs to the queen of the fairies, the wife of Oberon. This is also a moon of Uranus, named after the Shakespearean character.

Titus m Ancient Roman, English, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Roman praenomen, or given name, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to Latin titulus "title of honour". It is more likely of Oscan origin, since it was borne by the legendary Sabine king Titus Tatius.... [more]

Tomyris f History
Hellenized form of a Scythian name, possibly from an Iranian root meaning "family". This was the name of a 6th-century BC queen of the Massagetae (a Scythian people) who defeated Cyrus the Great during his invasion of Central Asia.

Tonalli m & f Nahuatl
Means "day, warmth of the sun" in Nahuatl.

Toutatis m Gaulish Mythology
Probably derived from the old Celtic root *toutā meaning "people, tribe". This was the name of a Gaulish god who may have been regarded as the protector of the people or tribe.

Toyin f & m Yoruba
Means "worthy of praise" in Yoruba, also a short form of Oluwatoyin.

Tressa f English (Rare)
Contracted form of Theresa. It may also be associated with the English word tress meaning "long lock of hair".

Tsisana f Georgian
Probably derived from Georgian ცის (tsis) meaning "of the sky", the genitive case of ცა (tsa) meaning "sky, heaven". This is also an alternative Georgian word for the forget-me-not flower.

Tsisia f Georgian
Derived from Georgian ცის (tsis) meaning "of the sky", the genitive case of ცა (tsa) meaning "sky, heaven".

Túathal m Old Irish
Means "ruler of the people", from Old Irish túath "people, country" and fal "rule". This was the name of a few Irish kings, including the legendary Túathal Techtmar.

Tuathflaith f Old Irish
From Old Irish túath "people, country" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess".

Tudor 1 m Welsh
Anglicized form of the medieval Welsh name Tudur, possibly from a hypothetical Celtic name *Toutorīxs meaning "ruler of the people" (cognate with Theodoric). As a surname it was borne by five monarchs of England beginning with Henry VII in the 15th century. These monarchs were descended from Owain ap Maredudd ap Tudur, a Welsh nobleman.

Tudwal m Welsh (Rare)
From the Old Welsh and Breton name Tutgual, derived from tut "people, country" and gual "ruler, leader". This was the name of a 6th-century Breton saint.

Turan m & f Turkish, Azerbaijani
From Persian توران (Turan), a historical region in Central Asia, originally inhabited by nomadic Iranian peoples. It is traditionally said to mean "land of Tur". The place is mentioned frequently in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.

Tutankhamun m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian twt-ꜥnḫ-jmn meaning "image of the life of Amon", derived from twt "image" combined with ꜥnḫ "life" combined with the name of the god Amon. This was the name of a 14th-century BC pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, most famous because of the treasures found in his tomb.

Tyler m English
From an English surname meaning "tiler of roofs", derived from Old English tigele "tile". The surname was borne by American president John Tyler (1790-1862).

Tyree m African American
From a Scottish surname, a variant of McIntyre. It has been well-used as an African-American name, especially since the 1970s, probably inspired by other similar-sounding names such as Tyrone.

Ubirajara m Tupi
Means "lord of the spear" in Tupi, from ybyra "wood, stick, spear" and îara "lord, master". This is the name of an 1874 novel by José de Alencar.

Uchenna m & f Igbo
Means "wisdom of the father, sense of the father" in Igbo.

Ufuoma m & f Urhobo
Means "peace of mind" in Urhobo.

Ugochi f Igbo
Means "eagle of God" in Igbo, from ùgó meaning "eagle, honour" and Chi 2, referring to God.

Ugochukwu m Igbo
Means "eagle of God" in Igbo.

Ultán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "of Ulster" in Irish. Ulster is a region in the north of Ireland. This name was borne by two 7th-century Irish saints.

Uzochi m & f Igbo
Means "way of God" in Igbo.

Valdís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from Old Norse valr meaning "the dead, the slain" and dís meaning "goddess".

Valkyrie f Various (Rare)
Means "chooser of the slain", derived from Old Norse valr "the slain" and kyrja "chooser". In Norse myth the Valkyries were maidens who led heroes killed in battle to Valhalla.

Valþjófr m Old Norse
Old Norse name, possibly derived from the elements valr meaning "the dead, the slain" and þjófr meaning "thief".

Vanadís f Norse Mythology
Means "goddess of the Vanir" in Old Norse. This was an epithet of the Norse goddess Freya, given because she was a member of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir).

Vasudha f Hindi
Means "producer of wealth" in Sanskrit, used to refer to the earth.

Vasundhara f Hindi, Telugu
Means "possessor of wealth" in Sanskrit, used to refer to the earth.

Vespera f Esperanto
Means "of the evening", derived from Esperanto vespero "evening", ultimately from Latin vesper.

Vidar m Norwegian, Swedish, Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Víðarr, which was possibly derived from víðr "wide" and herr "army, warrior". In Norse mythology Víðarr was the son of Odin and Grid. At the time of the end of the world, Ragnarök, it is said he will avenge his father's death by slaying the wolf Fenrir.

Viljar 2 m Norwegian
Possibly a modern coinage based on the Old Norse elements vili "will, desire" and herr "army, warrior".

Viltautas m Lithuanian (Rare)
From Lithuanian viltis "hope" and tauta "people, nation".

Vitale m Italian
Italian form of the Late Latin name Vitalis, which was derived from Latin vitalis meaning "of life, vital". Vitalis was the name of several early saints and martyrs.

Voldemort m Literature
Invented by author J.K. Rowling, apparently based on French vol de mort meaning "flight of death" or "theft of death". This is the name of the primary villain in Rowling's Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997. The books explain that he created his name by anagramming his birth name Tom Marvolo Riddle into I am Lord Voldemort.

Volker m German
Derived from the Old German element folk "people" combined with heri "army".

Volkhard m German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements folk "people" and hart "hard, brave".

Volkmar m German
Derived from the Old German element folk "people" combined with mari "famous".

Vytautas m Lithuanian
From the Lithuanian root vyd- "to see" or vyti "to chase, to drive away" combined with tauta "people, nation". This was the name of a 15th-century Grand Duke of Lithuania, revered as a national hero in that country.

Walburga f German
Means "power of the fortress" from Old German walt meaning "power, authority" and burg meaning "fortress" (or perhaps from Old English cognates, though as an Old English name it is unattested). This was the name of an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon saint who did missionary work in Germany.

Waldaharjaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Walter.

Walter m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Italian, Germanic
From the Germanic name Waltheri meaning "power of the army", from the elements walt "power, authority" and heri "army". In medieval German tales (notably Waltharius by Ekkehard of Saint Gall) Walter of Aquitaine is a heroic king of the Visigoths. The name was also borne by an 11th-century French saint, Walter of Pontoise. The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Wealdhere.... [more]

Washington m English
From a surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town, itself meaning "settlement belonging to Wassa's people". The given name is usually given in honour of George Washington (1732-1799), commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the first president of the United States.

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

Watson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Wat". A famous fictional bearer of the surname was Dr. Watson, the assistant to Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's mystery stories beginning in 1887.

Wealdhere m Anglo-Saxon
From Old English weald "powerful, mighty" and here "army", making it a cognate of Walter.

Werner m German, Dutch
From an Old German name derived from the element warin, related to war meaning "aware, cautious", combined with heri meaning "army". This was the name of a 13th-century boy from Oberwesel, Germany who was formerly regarded as a saint. He is no longer recognized as such by the Church. Another famous bearer was the German physicist Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976).

Werther m German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements werd "worthy" and heri "army". Goethe used this name in his novel The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774).

Wickaninnish m Nuu-chah-nulth (Anglicized)
Possibly means "having no one in front of him in the canoe" in Nuu-chah-nulth. This was the name of a chief of the Clayoquot in the late 18th century, at the time of European contact.

Wilson m English, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese
From an English surname meaning "son of William". The surname was borne by Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), the American president during World War I.

Winfred m English
Means "friend of peace" from the Old English elements wine "friend" and friþ "peace". This was the birth name of the 8th-century missionary Saint Boniface. It became rare after the Norman Conquest, though it was revived in the 19th century.

Woodrow m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "row of houses by a wood" in Old English. It was borne by the American president Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), who was given his mother's maiden name as his middle name (his first name was Thomas). During his candidacy and presidency (1912-1921) the name became popular, reaching the 44th rank in 1913, though it quickly declined after that.

Wu m & f Chinese
From Chinese 武 (wǔ) meaning "military, martial" (which is generally only masculine) or 务 (wù) meaning "affairs, business", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly. This was the name of several Chinese rulers, including the 2nd-century BC emperor Wu of Han (a posthumous name, spelled 武) who expanded the empire and made Confucianism the state philosophy.

Xenagoras m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreign, strange" and ἀγορά (agora) meaning "assembly, marketplace". This was the name of a 2nd-century BC Greek historian.

Yaling f Chinese
From Chinese 雅 (yǎ) meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" combined with 玲 (líng) meaning "tinkling of jade". This name can be formed of other character combinations as well.

Yaropolk m Russian (Rare)
Derived from the Slavic elements jarŭ "fierce, energetic" and pŭlkŭ "people, host". This name was borne by two rulers of Kievan Rus (10th and 12th centuries).

Yemọja f Yoruba Mythology
Means "mother of fish" in Yoruba, derived from iye "mother", ọmọ "child" and ẹja "fish". In traditional Yoruba religion she is the goddess of the Ogun River, pregnancy and motherhood.

Yūto m Japanese
From Japanese 優 (yū) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or 悠 (yū) meaning "permanence" combined with 斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, 人 (to) meaning "person" or 翔 (to) meaning "soar, fly". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Zayn ad-Din m Arabic
Means "beauty of religion", from Arabic زين (zayn) meaning "beauty" combined with دين (din) meaning "religion, faith".

Zedekiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name צִדְקִיָּהוּ (Tzidqiyyahu) meaning "justice of Yahweh", from צֶדֶק (tzedeq) meaning "justice" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of the last king of Judah.

Zenobia f Ancient Greek
Means "life of Zeus", derived from Greek Ζηνός (Zenos) meaning "of Zeus" and βίος (bios) meaning "life". This was the name of the queen of the Palmyrene Empire, which broke away from Rome in the 3rd-century and began expanding into Roman territory. She was eventually defeated by the emperor Aurelian. Her Greek name was used as an approximation of her native Aramaic name.

Zerachiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Possibly means "command of God" in Hebrew. The Book of Enoch names him as one of the seven archangels. His name is sometimes rendered as Sarakiel.

Ziemowit m Polish
From an old Polish name derived from the elements sěmĭja "family" and vitŭ "master, lord". This was the name of a semi-legendary duke of Poland. It was also borne by several other Piast rulers of Masovia.

Ziya ad-Din m Arabic
Means "splendour of religion" from Arabic ضياء (diya) meaning "splendour, light, glow" combined with دين (din) meaning "religion, faith".

Ziya ur-Rahman m Arabic
Means "splendour of the merciful" from Arabic ضياء (diya) meaning "splendour, light, glow" combined with رحمن (rahman) meaning "merciful".

Zoticus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ζωτικός (Zotikos), derived from ζωτικός (zotikos) meaning "full of life". This was the name of several early saints.

Zulfiqar m Arabic, Urdu
From Arabic ذو الفقار (Dhu al-Faqar) interpreted as meaning "cleaver of the spine", derived from ذو (dhu) meaning "possessor, holder" and فقار (faqar) meaning "spine, vertebra". This was the name of the Prophet Muhammad's sword, also used by his son-in-law Ali.