Abbán m Old IrishMeans
"little abbot", derived from Irish
abb "abbot" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint, the son of King Cormac of Leinster.
Abd al-Aziz m ArabicMeans
"servant of the powerful" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
عزيز ('aziz) meaning "powerful". This was the name of the first king of modern Saudi Arabia.
Abd al-Hamid m ArabicMeans
"servant of the praiseworthy" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
حميد (hamid) meaning "praiseworthy". This was the name of two sultans of the Ottoman Empire.
Abd Allah m ArabicMeans
"servant of Allah" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
الله (Allah). This was the name of the Prophet
Muhammad's father. He died before his son's birth.
Abd al-Malik m ArabicMeans
"servant of the king" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
ملك (malik) meaning "king". This was the name of the fifth Umayyad caliph, who made Arabic the official language of the empire.
Abd al-Qadir m ArabicMeans
"servant of the capable, servant of the powerful" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
قادر (qadir) meaning "capable, powerful". This was the name of a 19th-century Algerian resistance leader.
Abd ar-Rahman m ArabicMeans
"servant of the merciful" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
رحمن (rahman) meaning "merciful". This was the name of two early caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain.
Abdastartus m Phoenician (Latinized)From the Greek form
Ἀβδάσταρτος (Abdastartos) of the Phoenician name
𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕 (ʿAbdʿashtart) meaning
"servant of Ashtoreth", derived from
𐤏𐤁𐤃 (ʿabd) meaning "servant, slave" combined with the name of the goddess
Ashtoreth. This was the name of a 10th-century BC king of Tyre, as recorded by the historian Josephus.
Abdiel m Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"servant of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, this is the name of a member of the tribe of Gad. In John Milton's
Paradise Lost (1667), this is the name of a seraph who withstands Satan when he urges the angels to revolt.
Abdolhossein m PersianMeans
"servant of al-Husayn" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
حسّین (Hosseyn), the Persian form of Arabic
Husayn. This name refers to Husayn ibn Ali, the son of Ali.
Abdolreza m PersianMeans
"servant of al-Ridha" from Arabic
عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with
رضا (Reza), the Persian form of Arabic
Ridha. This name refers to the 9th-century Shia imam Ali al-Ridha.
Abednego m BiblicalMeans
"servant of Nebo" in Akkadian,
Nebo being the Babylonian god of wisdom. In the Old Testament Abednego is the Babylonian name given to
Azariah, one of the three men cast into a blazing furnace but saved from harm by God, as told in the Book of Daniel.
Adaeze f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of the king" in Igbo.
Ælfric m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ælf "elf" and
ric "ruler, king" (making it a cognate of
Alberich). This was the name of a 10th-century archbishop of Canterbury, sometimes considered a saint.
Æðelric m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
ric "ruler, king". This was the name of several early Anglo-Saxon kings.
Agathangelos m Late GreekMeans
"bearer of good news", derived from Greek
ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good" and
ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger, angel". Saint Agathangelus of Rome was a 4th-century deacon who was martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian.
Airi 2 f FinnishFrom Finnish
airut meaning
"messenger, herald", also influenced by place names beginning with the same sound.
Aisultan m KazakhDerived from Kazakh
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and
сұлтан (sultan) meaning "sultan, king" (of Arabic origin).
Akicita m SiouxFrom Lakota or Dakota
akíčhita meaning
"warrior".
Akli m BerberMeans
"slave, servant, black" in Tamazight.
Al-Amir m Arabic (Rare)Means
"the commander, the prince" in Arabic. This was the name of a 10th-century Fatimid imam.
Alberich m Germanic, Germanic MythologyDerived from the Old German elements
alb "elf" and
rih "ruler, king". It was borne by two Lombard dukes of Spoleto in the 10th century. It was also the name of a 12th-century French saint who helped found the Cistercian Order.
... [more] Alperen m TurkishMeans
"fighter" in Turkish, a word derived from
alp "brave, hero" and
eren "holy person".
Amalric m Gothic (Anglicized)From the Visigothic name *
Amalareiks, derived from the Gothic element
amals meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave", also referring to the royal dynasty of the Amali, combined with
reiks meaning "ruler, king". This was the name of a 6th-century king of the Visigoths, as well as two 12th-century rulers of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Amir 1 m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Kazakh, Tatar, Bashkir, Malay, Indonesian, BosnianMeans
"commander, prince" in Arabic. This was originally a title, which has come into English as the Arabic loanword
emir.
Archer m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"bowman, archer", of Old French origin. Although already slowly growing in popularity, this name accelerated its rise after the premiere of the American television series
Archer in 2009.
Artemis f Greek Mythology, GreekMeaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek
ἀρτεμής (artemes) meaning
"safe" or
ἄρταμος (artamos) meaning
"a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of
Apollo and the daughter of
Zeus and
Leto. She was known as
Diana to the Romans.
Ashurbanipal m Ancient Assyrian (Anglicized)From Akkadian
Ashur-bani-apli meaning
"Ashur is creator of a son". This was the name of one of the final kings of the Assyrian Empire, reigning late in the 7th century BC. He appears in the Old Testament under the name
Asnappar.
Bahadır m TurkishTurkish form of Persian
بهادر (bahador), itself from Turkic
bagatur meaning
"hero, warrior".
Bahadur m Hindi, NepaliFrom Persian
بهادر (bahador), itself from Turkic
bagatur meaning
"hero, warrior". This was the name of rulers of the Mughal Empire.
Bailey m & f EnglishFrom an English surname derived from Middle English
baili meaning
"bailiff", originally denoting one who was a bailiff.
... [more] Baker m English (Modern)From an English occupational surname derived from Old English
bakere meaning
"baker".
Baldric m English (Archaic)Derived from the Old German elements
bald "bold, brave" and
rih "ruler, king". It was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint, the founder of the monastery of Montfaucon. The Normans introduced this name to Britain, and it was common in the Middle Ages.
Basil 1 m EnglishFrom the Greek name
Βασίλειος (Basileios), which was derived from
βασιλεύς (basileus) meaning
"king". Saint Basil the Great was a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea and one of the fathers of the early Christian church. Due to him, the name (in various spellings) has come into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors.
Batraz m Ossetian, Caucasian MythologyPossibly from Turkic
bagatur meaning
"hero, warrior, brave". This is the name of the leader of the superhuman Narts in Caucasian mythology.
Batyr m TurkmenTurkmen form of the Turkic word
bagatur meaning
"hero, warrior".
Baxter m EnglishFrom an occupational surname that meant
"(female) baker", from Old English
bæcere and a feminine agent suffix.
Bellatrix f AstronomyMeans
"female warrior" in Latin. This is the name of the star that marks the left shoulder of the constellation Orion.
Bishop m EnglishEither from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek
ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer".
Bjørnar m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse elements
bjǫrn "bear" and
herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Bomilcar m Phoenician (Latinized)From the Punic name
𐤁𐤃𐤌𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤕 (Bodmilqart), from Phoenician
𐤁𐤃 (bod) meaning "on behalf of" or perhaps from
𐤏𐤁𐤃 (ʿabd) meaning "servant, slave" combined with the name of the god
Melqart. This name was borne by a few figures from Carthaginian history.
Bořivoj m CzechDerived from the Slavic elements
borti "battle" and
vojĭ "soldier". This name was borne by a 9th-century Duke of Bohemia.
Brendan m Irish, English, BretonFrom
Brendanus, the Latinized form of the Old Irish name
Bréanainn, which was derived from Old Welsh
breenhin meaning
"king, prince". Saint Brendan was a 6th-century Irish abbot who, according to legend, crossed the Atlantic and reached North America with 17 other monks.
Brennus m Gaulish (Latinized)Latinized form of a Celtic name (or title) that possibly meant either
"king, prince" or
"raven". Brennus was a Gallic leader of the 4th century BC who attacked and sacked Rome.
Cadeyrn m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catigirn meaning
"battle king", derived from
cat "battle" and
tigirn "king, monarch". This was the name of a 5th-century king of Powys in Wales, the son of
Vortigern.
Cairbre m IrishMeans
"charioteer" in Irish. This was the name of two semi-legendary high kings of Ireland.
Candace f English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the hereditary title of the queens of Ethiopia, as mentioned in Acts in the New Testament. It is apparently derived from Cushitic
kdke meaning
"queen mother". In some versions of the Bible it is spelled
Kandake, reflecting the Greek spelling
Κανδάκη. It was used as a given name by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 20th century by a character in the 1942 movie
Meet the Stewarts.
Chandler m & f EnglishFrom an occupational surname that meant
"candle seller" or
"candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately from Latin
candela via Old French. It surged in popularity after the 1994 debut of the American sitcom
Friends, featuring a character by this name.
Clark m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"cleric" or
"scribe", from Old English
clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. As a first name it was borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), as well as the comic book character Clark Kent, the mild-mannered alter ego of Superman, first created 1938.
Cohen m English (Modern)From a common Jewish surname that was derived from Hebrew
כֹּהֵן (kohen) meaning
"priest". This surname was traditionally associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical
Aaron.
Colter m English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally given to a keeper of horses, derived from Middle English
colt.
Connla m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Conláech, derived from
cú "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive
con) and
láech "warrior". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend including the son of
Cúchulainn and
Aoife. When he finally met his father they fought because Connla would not identify himself, and the son was slain.
Cooper m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"barrel maker", from Middle English
couper.
Cordell m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"maker of cord" or
"seller of cord" in Middle English.
Csaba m HungarianPossibly means either
"shepherd" or
"gift" in Hungarian. According to legend this was the name of a son of
Attila the Hun.
Daniel m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning
"God is my judge", from the roots
דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.
... [more] Danya 1 f HebrewFeminine form of
Dan 1. It can also be considered a compound meaning
"judgement from God", using the element
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
Deacon m English (Modern)Either from the occupational surname
Deacon or directly from the vocabulary word
deacon, which refers to a cleric in the Christian church (ultimately from Greek
διάκονος (diakonos) meaning "servant").
Dean m EnglishFrom a surname, see
Dean 1 and
Dean 2. The actor James Dean (1931-1955) was a famous bearer of the surname.
Debdas m BengaliBengali form of
Devadas. This is the name of a 1917 novel by the Bengali author Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Deemer m English (Rare)From an English and Scottish surname meaning
"judge", from Old English
demere.
Deirbhile f IrishMeans
"daughter of a poet" from Old Irish
der "daughter" and
fili "poet" (genitive
filed). This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint, also called Dervla.
Dexter m EnglishFrom an occupational surname meaning
"one who dyes" in Old English. It also coincides with the Latin word
dexter meaning
"right-handed, skilled".
Dieter m GermanMeans
"warrior of the people", derived from the Old German elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Frankish
þeoda) and
heri meaning "army". This name is also used as a short form of
Dietrich.
Driscoll m English (Rare)From an Irish surname that was an Anglicized form of
Ó hEidirsceóil meaning
"descendant of the messenger".
Dumnorix m GaulishMeans
"king of the world" from Gaulish
dumnos "world" and
rix "king". This was the name of a 1st-century BC chief of the Gaulish tribe the Aedui.
Ece f TurkishMeans
"queen" or
"beautiful woman" in Turkish.
Edric m English (Rare)From the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
ric "ruler, king". After the Norman Conquest this Old English name was not commonly used. It has occasionally been revived in modern times.
Emirhan m TurkishDerived from Turkish
emir meaning "amir, prince" and
han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".
Ereshkigal f Sumerian MythologyMeans
"lady of the great earth", from Sumerian
𒊩𒌆 (ereš) meaning "lady, queen" combined with
𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth" and
𒃲 (gal) meaning "great, big". In Sumerian mythology she was the goddess of death and the underworld.
Eric m English, Swedish, German, SpanishMeans
"ever ruler", from the Old Norse name
Eiríkr, derived from the elements
ei "ever, always" and
ríkr "ruler, king". A notable bearer was Eiríkr inn Rauda (Eric the Red in English), a 10th-century navigator and explorer who discovered Greenland. This was also the name of several early kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
... [more] Ermenrich m GermanicFrom the Gothic name *
Airmanareiks, from the elements
airmans "great, immense" and
reiks "ruler, king". Ermenrich (also often called Ermanaric) was a 4th-century Gothic king.
Euric m Gothic (Anglicized)From the Gothic name *
Aiwareiks, derived from
aiws "eternity, age" and
reiks "ruler, king". This was the name of a 5th-century king of the Visigoths.
Evangeline f EnglishMeans
"good news" from Greek
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
ἄγγελμα (angelma) meaning "news, message". It was (first?) used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his 1847 epic poem
Evangeline. It also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) as the full name of the character Eva.
Evangelista m & f Italian, Spanish, PortugueseMeans
"evangelist, preacher" in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, derived from Latin, ultimately from Greek
εὐάγγελος (euangelos) meaning "bringing good news". It is often used in honour of the Four Evangelists (the authors of the gospels in the New Testament:
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke and
John). It is traditionally masculine, though occasionally given to girls. A famous bearer was the Italian physicist and mathematician Evangelista Torricelli (1608-1647), who invented the barometer.
Fabrice m FrenchFrench form of the Roman family name
Fabricius, which was derived from Latin
faber meaning
"craftsman". Gaius Fabricius Luscinus was a 3rd-century BC Roman general and statesman.
Ferrer m VariousFrom a surname that meant
"blacksmith" in Catalan. This name is often given in honour of Saint Vicente Ferrer, a 14th-century missionary who is the patron saint of builders.
Fiachra m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Fiachrae, possibly from
fiach "raven" or
fích "battle" combined with
rí "king". This was the name of several legendary figures, including one of the four children of
Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners: a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France, usually called Saint Fiacre.
Fionnlagh m Scottish GaelicMeans
"white warrior", derived from Old Irish
finn "white, blessed" and
láech "warrior". An earlier form was
Findláech — this was the name of the father of the 11th-century Scottish king Macbeth.
Fitzroy m English (Rare)From an English surname meaning
"son of the king" in Old French, originally given to illegitimate sons of monarchs.
Frederick m EnglishEnglish form of an Old German name meaning
"peaceful ruler", derived from
fridu "peace" and
rih "ruler, king". This name has long been common in continental Germanic-speaking regions, being borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, and Prussia. Notables among these rulers include the 12th-century Holy Roman emperor and crusader Frederick I Barbarossa, the 13th-century emperor and patron of the arts Frederick II, and the 18th-century Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great.
... [more] Fungai m & f ShonaFrom Shona
funga meaning
"think, judge".
Gabriel m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
גַבְרִיאֵל (Gavri'el) meaning
"God is my strong man", derived from
גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet
Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of
John to
Zechariah and
Jesus to
Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to
Muhammad.
... [more] Gaiseric m Vandalic (Latinized)From
Gaisericus, the Latin form of the Vandalic name *
Gaisarīx, derived from the Germanic elements *
gaizaz "spear" and *
rīks "ruler, king". This was the name of a 5th-century king of the Vandals, a Germanic tribe. He led his people through Hispania and established a kingdom in North Africa.
George m English, Romanian, Indian (Christian)From the Greek name
Γεώργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word
γεωργός (georgos) meaning
"farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements
γῆ (ge) meaning "earth" and
ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Cappadocia who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.
... [more] Gerlach m Dutch (Rare), GermanicDerived from the Old German element
ger "spear" combined with (possibly)
lahhi "doctor, healer". Saint Gerlach was a 12th-century Dutch soldier who became a hermit.
Gervasius m Germanic (Latinized)Possibly a Latinized form of a Germanic name with a first element deriving from
ger "spear". The second element is uncertain, though some propose it to be Gaulish *
wassos "servant". Alternatively the name could be related to the Greek word
γεραιός (geraios) "old".
... [more] Ghulam m Arabic, Urdu, PashtoMeans
"servant, boy" in Arabic. It is often used as the first part of compound names.
Gideon m Biblical, Hebrew, English, DutchMeans
"feller, hewer" in Hebrew. Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. He led the vastly outnumbered Israelites against the Midianites, defeated them, and killed their two kings. In the English-speaking world,
Gideon has been used as a given name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.
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".
Gobán m Irish (Rare)From Old Irish
Gobbán, derived from
gobae "smith" and a diminutive suffix. It could also be a derivative of the name of the Irish smith god
Goibniu (from the same root). This was the name of a few early saints, such as a 7th-century abbot of Killamery. In later folklore, the smith god and the saints seem to have conflated into the legendary figure Gobán Saor ("Gobán the builder"), a master architect and builder of churches.
Gobannos m Gaulish MythologyFrom old Celtic *
goban meaning
"smith". This was the name of a scantily attested Gaulish smith god.
Godric m Anglo-SaxonMeans
"god's ruler", derived from Old English
god combined with
ric "ruler, king". This name died out a few centuries after the Norman Conquest.
Gofannon m Welsh MythologyFrom Welsh
gof meaning
"smith". This was the name of a smith in Welsh legends. He is possibly a later development of an earlier Celtic god (seen also in Gaulish
Gobannos and Irish
Goibniu).
Goibniu m Irish MythologyDerived from Old Irish
gobae meaning
"smith". In Irish mythology this was the name of a divine metalsmith and weapon maker of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He also provided them with feasts that protected them from old age. He may be derived from an earlier Celtic smith god (seen also in Gaulish
Gobannos and Welsh
Gofannon).
Gottschalk m German (Archaic)Derived from the Old German elements
got "god" and
scalc "servant". Saint Gottschalk was a (perhaps spurious) 11th-century prince of the Wends who was martyred by his brother-in-law.
Granuaile f HistoryFrom Irish
Gráinne Mhaol meaning "bald
Gráinne". This was another name of Gráinne Ní Mháille, given in reference to her close-cropped hair as a young woman.
Gwrtheyrn m Old Welsh (Modernized)From Old Welsh
Guorthigirn meaning
"supreme king", from
guor meaning "over" and
tigirn meaning "king, monarch". It is possible that this is not a name, but a title. According to medieval chroniclers, Gwrtheyrn (also known as Vortigern) was a 5th-century king of the Britons. It was he who invited the brothers
Hengist and
Horsa to Britain, which eventually led to the Anglo-Saxon conquest of England.
Haidar m ArabicMeans
"lion, warrior" in Arabic. This is a title of
Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Hammoleketh f BiblicalMeans
"the reigning one, queen" in Hebrew, a derivative of
מָלַכְ (malakh) meaning "to reign". In the Old Testament, this is the name of the sister of
Gilead.
Harper f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally belonged to a person who played or made harps (Old English
hearpe). A notable bearer was the American author Harper Lee (1926-2016), who wrote
To Kill a Mockingbird. It rapidly gained popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, entering the American top ten for girls in 2015.
Heidrich m GermanicDerived from the Old German element (possibly)
heida "heath, heather" combined with
rih "ruler, king".
Henry m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Heimirich meaning
"home ruler", composed of the elements
heim "home" and
rih "ruler". It was later commonly spelled
Heinrich, with the spelling altered due to the influence of other Germanic names like
Haganrich, in which the first element is
hag "enclosure".
... [more] Hera f Greek MythologyUncertain 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.
Herod m BiblicalFrom 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.
Hilderic m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
hilt "battle" and
rih "ruler, king". Hilderic was a 6th-century king of the Vandals. This name was also borne by three early Merovingian Frankish kings, though their name is usually spelled as
Childeric.
Hilperic m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
helfa "help" and
rih "ruler, king". This name was borne by two Burgundian kings and two Frankish kings (usually called
Chilperic).
Howard m EnglishFrom an English surname that can derive from several different sources: the Anglo-Norman given name
Huard, which was from the Germanic name
Hughard; the Anglo-Scandinavian given name
Haward, from the Old Norse name
Hávarðr; or the Middle English term
ewehirde meaning "ewe herder". This is the surname of a British noble family, members of which have held the title Duke of Norfolk from the 15th century to the present. A famous bearer of the given name was the American industrialist Howard Hughes (1905-1976).
Hróarr m Old NorseOld Norse name, derived from the element
hróðr "praise, fame" combined with either
geirr "spear" (making it a relation of
Hróðgeirr),
herr "army, warrior" or
varr "aware, cautious". This is the name of a legendary Danish king, the same one who is featured in the Anglo-Saxon poem
Beowulf with the name
Hroðgar.
Huangdi m Chinese MythologyFrom Chinese
黄 (huáng) meaning "yellow" and
帝 (dì) meaning "god, emperor". This is the Chinese name for the Yellow Emperor, a mythical ruler and deity who is said to have reigned in the 3rd millennium BC. He is regarded as the ancestor of the Chinese people.
Hulderic m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
hold "favourable, gracious, graceful, loyal" and
rih "ruler, king".
Hunter m & f EnglishFrom an English occupational surname for a hunter, derived from Old English
hunta. A famous bearer was the eccentric American journalist Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005).
Huri m BiblicalMeans
"linen weaver" in Hebrew. This was the name of the father of Abihail in the Old Testament.
Ivor m Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English (British)From the Old Norse name
Ívarr, which was probably derived from the elements
ýr "yew tree, bow" and
herr "army, warrior". During the Middle Ages it was brought to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders, and it was adopted in Ireland (Irish
Íomhar), Scotland (Scottish Gaelic
Iomhar) and Wales (Welsh
Ifor).
Jadon m BiblicalPossibly means either
"thankful" or
"he will judge" in Hebrew. This name is borne by a minor character in the Old Testament.
Jasper m English, Dutch, Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendFrom Latin
Gaspar, perhaps from the Biblical Hebrew word
גִּזְבָּר (gizbar) meaning
"treasurer", derived from Persian
ganzabara. This name was 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. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since the Middle Ages. The name can also be given in reference to the English word for the gemstone.
Jehoshaphat m BiblicalMeans
"Yahweh has judged" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the fourth king of Judah, noted for having a generally peaceful and prosperous reign.
Jimmu m Japanese MythologyMeans
"divine warrior", from Japanese
神 (jin) meaning "god" and
武 (mu) meaning "military, martial". In Japanese legend this was the name of the founder of Japan and the first emperor, supposedly ruling in the 7th century BC.
Jóarr m Old NorseFrom Old Norse
jór "horse" and
herr "army, warrior". This name appears on runestones as
ioar and
iuar, though the latter form could also represent
Ívarr.
Jun 1 m & f Chinese, KoreanFrom Chinese
君 (jūn) meaning "king, ruler",
俊 (jùn) meaning "talented, handsome" (which is usually only masculine) or
军 (jūn) meaning "army" (also usually only masculine). This is also a single-character Korean name, often from the hanja
俊 meaning "talented, handsome". This name can be formed by other characters besides those shown here.
Justice m & f EnglishFrom 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.
Kağan m TurkishFrom a Turkish title meaning
"king, ruler", ultimately of Mongolian origin. The title is usually translated into English as
Khan.
Kalidasa m SanskritMeans
"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.
Kavi m HindiFrom a title for a poet, meaning
"wise man, sage, poet" in Sanskrit.
Kekoa m HawaiianMeans
"the warrior" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
koa "warrior, koa tree".
Kemp m English (Rare)From a surname derived from Middle English
kempe meaning
"champion, athlete, warrior".
Kenji m JapaneseFrom Japanese
健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" or
研 (ken) meaning "study, sharpen" combined with
二 (ji) meaning "two". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Khan m Urdu, PashtoFrom a title meaning
"king, ruler". Its origin is probably Mongolian, though the word has been transmitted into many other languages.
Kian 1 m PersianMeans
"king, foundation, symbol of pride" in Persian.
King m EnglishFrom the English vocabulary word
king, ultimately derived from Old English
cyning. This was also a surname, derived from the same source, a famous bearer being the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).
Kingsley m English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"king's wood" in Old English. This name may have received a boost in popularity after the release of the 2007 movie
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, featuring the character Kingsley Shacklebolt.
Kingston m English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"king's town" in Old English. This name rose significantly on the popularity charts after musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale used it for their son born 2006.
Kōji m JapaneseFrom Japanese
浩 (kō) meaning "prosperous",
幸 (kō) meaning "happiness, good luck" or
康 (kō) meaning "peace" combined with
司 (ji) meaning "officer, boss",
二 (ji) meaning "two" or
次 (ji) meaning "next". This name can also be formed from many other combinations of kanji characters.
Leroy m EnglishFrom the French nickname
le roi meaning
"the king". It has been common as an English given name since the 19th century. Since 1920 in the United States it has been mainly used by African Americans.
Levent m TurkishFrom 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".
Lóegaire m Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"calf herder", derived from Old Irish
lóeg "calf". In Irish legend Lóegaire Búadach was an Ulster warrior. He saved the life of the poet
Áed, but died in the process. This was also the name of several Irish high kings.
Longwang m Chinese MythologyFrom Chinese
龙 (lóng) meaning "dragon" and
王 (wáng) meaning "king". This is the Chinese name of the Dragon King, a god associated with water and rain.
Máel Máedóc m Old IrishMeans
"disciple of Saint Máedóc" in Irish. Saint Máel Máedóc (also known as Malachy) was a 12th-century archbishop of Armagh.
Máel Sechnaill m Old IrishMeans
"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.
Magnar m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse elements
magn "power, strength" and
herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Mainchín m IrishMeans
"little monk", derived from Old Irish
manach "monk" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by two early saints.
Malachi m Hebrew, English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
מַלְאָכִי (Mal'akhi) meaning
"my messenger" or
"my angel". This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Malachi, which some claim foretells the coming of Christ. In England the name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Malcolm m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized 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 1 m ArabicMeans
"king" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition
الملك (al-Malik) is one of the 99 names of Allah. This can also be another way of transcribing the name
مالك (see
Maalik).
Malone m & f English (Rare)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Maoil Eoin meaning
"descendant of a disciple of Saint John".
Marshall m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally denoted a person who was a marshal. The word
marshal originally derives from Latin
mariscalcus, itself from Germanic roots akin to Old High German
marah "horse" and
scalc "servant". A famous bearer is the American rapper Marshall Mathers (1972-), who performs under the name Eminem.
Mason m EnglishFrom an English surname (or vocabulary word) meaning
"stoneworker", derived from an Old French word of Frankish origin (akin to Old English
macian "to make"). In the United States this name began to increase in popularity in the 1980s, likely because of its fashionable sound. It jumped in popularity after 2009 when Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their son, as featured on their reality show
Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2010. It peaked as the second most popular name for boys in 2011.
Melqart m Semitic MythologyMeans
"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.
Miles m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Milo, introduced by the Normans to England in the form
Miles. The meaning is not known for certain. It is possibly connected to the Slavic name element
milŭ meaning
"gracious, dear". From an early date it was associated with Latin
miles meaning
"soldier".
... [more] Miller m & f EnglishFrom an English occupational surname for a miller, derived from Middle English
mille "mill".
Minos m Greek MythologyPossibly from a Cretan word or title meaning
"king". This was the name of a king of Crete in Greek mythology. He was the son of
Zeus and
Europa. Because Minos had refused to sacrifice a certain bull to
Poseidon, the god had caused his wife Pasiphaë to mate with the bull, which produced the half-bull creature called the Minotaur. Minos had
Daedalus construct the Labyrinth to house the beast, but it was eventually slain by
Theseus.
Miray f TurkishMeaning uncertain, possibly from Arabic
أمير (amir) meaning "commander" combined with Turkish
ay meaning "moon, month".
Modu m HistoryPossibly a Middle Chinese form of the old Turkic honorific
bagatur meaning
"hero, warrior". Modu Chanyu was a 3rd-century BC ruler of the Xiongnu, a people from Mongolia.
Mohandas m HindiMeans
"servant of Mohana" from the name of the Hindu god
Mohana combined with Sanskrit
दास (dasa) meaning "servant". A famous bearer of this name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), also known as Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian leader who struggled peacefully for independence from Britain.
Mordecai m Biblical, HebrewMeans
"servant of Marduk" in Persian. In the Old Testament Mordecai is the cousin and foster father of
Esther. He thwarted a plot to kill the Persian king, though he made an enemy of the king's chief advisor
Haman.
Morrígan f Irish MythologyMeans either
"demon queen" or
"great queen", derived from Old Irish
mor "demon, evil spirit" or
mór "great, big" combined with
rígain "queen". In Irish mythology Morrígan (called also The Morrígan) was a goddess of war and death who often took the form of a crow.
Nanabah f NavajoMeans
"returning warrior" in Navajo, derived from
nááná "again" and
baa' "warrior, heroine, raid, battle".
Neely m & f English (Rare)From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized and reduced form of Gaelic
Mac an Fhilidh (or
McNeilly) meaning
"son of the poet".
Non f WelshPossibly derived from Latin
nonna meaning
"nun". According to tradition, this was the name of the mother of Saint
David.
Nursultan m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" and
сұлтан (sultan) meaning "sultan, king" (both words of Arabic origin).
Obadiah m BiblicalMeans
"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 MythologyMeans
"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.
Olve m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Ǫlvir, possibly derived from
allr "all" or
alh "temple, shelter" combined with
vir "holy man" or "warrior".
Omri m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical HebrewPossibly means
"life" or
"servant" in Hebrew (or a related Semitic language). This was the name of a 9th-century BC military commander who became king of Israel. He appears in the Old Testament, where he is denounced as being wicked.
Osborn m EnglishDerived from the Old English elements
os "god" and
beorn "warrior, man". During the Anglo-Saxon period there was also a Norse cognate
Ásbjǫrn used in England, and after the Norman Conquest the Norman cognate
Osbern was introduced. It was occasionally revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the given name.
Paige f EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"servant, page" in Middle English. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek
παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".
... [more] Pan m Greek MythologyPossibly from the Indo-European root *
peh- meaning
"shepherd, protect". In Greek mythology Pan was a half-man, half-goat god associated with shepherds, flocks and pastures.
Parker m & f EnglishFrom an English occupational surname that meant
"keeper of the park".
Piper f English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute). It was popularized as a given name by a character from the television series
Charmed, which debuted in 1998.
Presley f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"priest clearing" (Old English
preost and
leah). This surname was borne by musician Elvis Presley (1935-1977).
Preston m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"priest town" (Old English
preost and
tun).
Queen f EnglishFrom an old nickname that was derived from the English word
queen, ultimately from Old English
cwen meaning "woman, wife".
Qulu m AzerbaijaniMeans
"servant" in Azerbaijani. It is sometimes used as the second part of compound names.
Ragnarr m Old NorseFrom 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.
Raine f & m English (Rare)From a surname derived from the Old French nickname
reine meaning
"queen". A famous bearer was the British socialite Raine Spencer (1929-2016), the stepmother of Princess Diana. In modern times it is also considered a variant of
Rain 1.
Rajaram m Hindi, MarathiMeans
"king Rama", from Sanskrit
राज (raja) meaning "king" combined with the name
Rama 1. This name was borne by a 17th-century ruler of the Maratha Empire.
Rajendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, NepaliMeans
"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, NepaliMeans
"ruler of kings" from Sanskrit
राज (raja) meaning "king" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler".
Ramdas m Marathi, HindiMeans
"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.