Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the usage is not English; and the categories include place names.
gender
usage
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Abilene f Various (Rare)
From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew אָבֵל ('avel) meaning "meadow, grassy area". It has occasionally been used as a given name in modern times.
Achaicus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀχαϊκός (Achaikos), which referred to the region in Greece called Ἀχαΐα (Achaia), situated on the northern coast of the Peloponnese. In the New Testament this is the name of a Corinthian Christian who aids Saint Paul.
Ada 2 f Turkish
Means "island" in Turkish.
Africa 1 f African American (Rare)
From the name of the continent, which is of Latin origin, possibly from the Afri people who lived near Carthage in North Africa. This rare name is used most often by African-American parents.
Ailsa f Scottish
From Ailsa Craig, the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland, which is of uncertain derivation.
Ainhoa f Basque
From the name of a town in southwestern France where there is a famous image of the Virgin Mary.
Ainoa f Spanish
Spanish form of Ainhoa.
Aitana f Spanish
From the name of a mountain range in Valencia, eastern Spain. The Spanish poet Rafael Alberti used it for his daughter in 1941.
Aki 2 f Japanese
From Japanese 晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal", 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn". It can also come from 亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with 希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name too.
Alta f Various
Possibly from Latin altus or Italian/Spanish alto meaning "high".
Amaia f Basque
Means "the end" in Basque. This is the name of a character in the historical novel Amaya, or the Basques in the 8th century (1879) by Francisco Navarro-Villoslada (Amaya in the Spanish original; Amaia in the Basque translation).
Amalie f Norwegian, Danish, German (Rare)
Norwegian, Danish and German form of Amalia.
Anatolia f Late Roman
Feminine form of Anatolius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Italian saint and martyr. This is also a place name (from the same Greek origin) referring to the large peninsula that makes up the majority of Turkey.
Ángeles f Spanish
Means "angels", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles, meaning "Our Lady the Queen of the Angels".
Ani 2 f Armenian
From the name of an old Armenian city, of unknown meaning. Now in eastern Turkey, in the 10th and 11th centuries it was the capital of the Kingdom of Armenia, though it was later abandoned and is now only ruins.
Ararat m Armenian
From the name of a mountain in eastern Turkey (formerly part of Armenia), the place where Noah's Ark came to rest according to the Old Testament.
Arcadia f Spanish (Latin American)
Feminine form of Arcadius. This is the name of a region on the Greek Peloponnese, long idealized for its natural beauty.
Arkadi m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Аркадий (see Arkadiy).
Arkadios m Ancient Greek
From an ancient Greek name meaning "of Arcadia". Arcadia was a region in Greece, its name deriving from ἄρκτος (arktos) meaning "bear". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr.
Arkadiusz m Polish
Polish form of Arkadios.
Arkadiy m Russian
Russian form of Arkadios. This is the name of one of the main characters in Ivan Turgenev's Fathers and Sons (1862).
Arkady m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Аркадий (see Arkadiy).
Arran m Scottish
From the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland in the Firth of Clyde.
Asunción f Spanish
Means "assumption" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the assumption of the Virgin Mary into heaven.
Athol m & f Scottish
From Atholl, the name of a district in Scotland, from Scottish Gaelic Athall, possibly derived from Old Irish ath Fhotla "new Ireland".
Atticus m Literature, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀττικός (Attikos) meaning "from Attica", referring to the region surrounding Athens in Greece. This name was borne by a few notable Greeks from the Roman period (or Romans of Greek background). The author Harper Lee used the name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) for an Alabama lawyer who defends a black man accused of raping a white woman.
Avanti f Hindi
From the name of an ancient kingdom of central India that had its capital at Ujjain.
Avelino m Spanish, Portuguese
Used in honour of the 16th-century Italian saint Andrea Avellino (usually spelled Avelino in Spanish and Portuguese). His surname is derived from the name of the town of Avellino in Campania, itself from Latin Abellinum (of unknown meaning).
Avila f Germanic
Derived from the Old German element awi, of unknown meaning. Rarely, this name may be given in honour of the 16th-century mystic Saint Teresa of Ávila, Ávila being the name of the town in Spain where she was born.
Azel m Biblical
Means "reserved" in Hebrew. This is both the name of a minor character and a place name in the Old Testament.
Babylas m Late Greek, French (Rare)
Derived from the name of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon. Saint Babylas was a 3rd-century patriarch of Antioch who was martyred during the reign of the Roman emperor Decius.
Belén f Spanish
Spanish form of Bethlehem, the name of the town in Judah where King David and Jesus were born. The town's name is from Hebrew בֵּית־לֶחֶם (Beit-lechem) meaning "house of bread".
Berlin f & m Various
From the name of the city in Germany, which is of uncertain meaning.
Cambria f Various (Rare)
Latin form of the Welsh Cymru, the Welsh name for the country of Wales, derived from cymry meaning "the people". It is occasionally used as a given name in modern times.
Canaan m Biblical
From כְּנַעַן (Kena'an), the Hebrew name of the ancient region of Canaan, which was possibly derived from a root meaning "low, humble". In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Ham. He is said to be the ancestor and namesake of the Canaanite peoples.
Caprina f Various (Rare)
From the name of the Italian island of Capri.
Caron f & m Welsh
From the name of places near the town of Tregaron in Ceredigion, Wales.
Caspian m Literature
Used by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his Chronicles of Narnia series, first appearing in 1950. Prince Caspian first appears in the fourth book, where he is the rightful king of Narnia driven into exile by his evil uncle Miraz. Lewis probably based the name on the Caspian Sea, which was named for the city of Qazvin, which was itself named for the ancient Cas tribe.
Catalina f Spanish, Corsican
Spanish and Corsican form of Katherine.
Catarina f Portuguese, Occitan, Galician
Portuguese, Occitan and Galician form of Katherine.
Charlotta f Swedish
Swedish variant of Charlotte.
Covadonga f Spanish
From the name of a village in Asturias, Spain. Called Cuadonga in Asturian, it probably means "cave of the spring", though it has long been associated with Vulgar Latin Cova Dominica "Cave of Our Lady". This is the site of an important shrine to the Virgin Mary, and its use as a given name stems from the Marian title Nuestra Señora de Covadonga "Our Lady of Covadonga".
Cyprian m Polish, History (Ecclesiastical)
From the Roman family name Cyprianus, which meant "from Cyprus". Saint Cyprian was a 3rd-century bishop of Carthage and a martyr under the emperor Valerian.
Edina f Hungarian
Possibly a diminutive of names beginning with the Old German element adal meaning "noble".
Éireann f Irish (Rare)
From Éireann, the genitive case of Irish Gaelic Éire, meaning "Ireland". It is commonly Anglicized as Erin.
Elidi f Various (Rare)
Meaning unknown, possibly of Greek or Welsh origin. It may have been inspired by the name of the Ήλιδα (Ilida) valley and ancient city in western Greece (Elis in English).
Elysia f Various
From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology, which means "blissful".
Emlyn m Welsh
From the name of an ancient region of southwestern Wales, its name meaning "around the valley" from Welsh am "around" and glyn "valley". It has also been suggested that this name is a Welsh form of Latin Aemilianus (see Emiliano), though this appears to be unfounded.
Estíbaliz f Spanish
From a Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de Estíbaliz, meaning "Our Lady of Estíbaliz". Estíbaliz is a sanctuary in Álava, Spain. It may be derived from Latin aestivalis "pertaining to the summer", a derivative of aestas "summer". Folk etymology connects it to Basque ezti "honey" and balitz "as if it were".
Europe f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Europa.
Fife m Scottish (Rare)
From a Scottish place name that was formerly the name of a kingdom in Scotland. It is said to be named for a Pictish kingdom called Fib.
Firenze f Various (Rare)
From the name of an Italian city, commonly called Florence in English.
France 1 f French
From the name of the country, sometimes considered a feminine form of Frank or short form of Françoise, both of which are ultimately related to the name of the country.
Gaetano m Italian
Italian form of the Latin name Caietanus, which meant "from Caieta". Caieta (now called Gaeta) was a town in ancient Italy, its name deriving either from Kaiadas, the name a Greek location where prisoners were executed, or else from Caieta, the name of the nurse of Aeneas. Saint Gaetano was a 16th-century Italian priest who founded the Theatines.
Gethsemane f Various (Rare)
From a biblical place name, the garden where Jesus was arrested, located on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem. It is derived from Γεθσημανί (Gethsemani), the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning "oil vat". It is very rarely used as a given name.
Gilead m Biblical
From an Old Testament place name meaning "heap of witness" in Hebrew. This is a mountainous region east of the Jordan River. Besides being a place name, it is also borne by people in the Bible.
Ginevra f Italian
Italian form of Guinevere. This is also the Italian name for the city of Geneva, Switzerland. It is also sometimes associated with the Italian word ginepro meaning "juniper".
Glendower m Welsh
Anglicized form of Glyndwr.
Glyndwr m Welsh
Given in honour of Owain Glyndwr (or Glyn Dŵr, Anglicized as Glendower), a 14th-century Welsh patriot who led a revolt against England. His byname means "valley water", and was probably inspired by the name of his estate at Glyndyfrdwy (meaning "valley of the River Dee").
Gordian m History
From the Roman cognomen Gordianus meaning "from Gordium", Gordium being the capital of Phrygia in Asia Minor. This is the name by which three Roman emperors are known.
Guadalupe f & m Spanish
From a Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, meaning "Our Lady of Guadalupe". Guadalupe is a Spanish place name, the site of a famous convent, derived from Arabic وادي (wadi) meaning "valley, river" possibly combined with Latin lupus meaning "wolf". In the 16th century Our Lady of Guadalupe supposedly appeared in a vision to a native Mexican man, and she is now regarded as a patron saint of the Americas.
Gwynedd f & m Welsh
From the name of the kingdom of Gwynedd, which was located in northern Wales from the 5th century. It is now the name of a Welsh county. The name may be related to Old Irish Féni meaning "Irish people", itself possibly related to the Celtic root *wēnā meaning "band of warriors".
Hadrian m History
From the Roman cognomen Hadrianus, which meant "from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria was the name of two Roman settlements. The first (modern Adria) is in northern Italy and was an important Etruscan port town. The second (modern Atri) is in central Italy and was named after the northern town. The Adriatic Sea is also named after the northern town.... [more]
Hamlet m Literature, Armenian
Anglicized form of the Danish name Amleth. Shakespeare used this name for the main character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600), which he based upon earlier Danish tales. In the play, Hamlet is a prince of Denmark seeking to avenge the death of his father (also named Hamlet) at the hands of his uncle Claudius.
Harel m Hebrew
Means "altar, mountain of God" in Hebrew. In the Hebrew Bible this word is applied to the altar in the temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 43:15).
Havilah m Biblical
Probably means "to dance, to circle, to twist" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is both a place name and a masculine personal name.
Hélder m Portuguese
Meaning uncertain. It was borne by the Brazilian archbishop Dom Hélder Câmara (1909-1999) who was noted for his charity. It could be from the name of the Dutch town of Den Helder (possibly meaning "hell's door" in Dutch).
Hiranur f Turkish (Modern)
From Arabic حراء (Hira), the name of the cave where the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation, combined with نور (nur) meaning "light".
Idoia f Basque
From the name of a sanctuary in Isaba, Navarre, possibly meaning "pond" in Basque, an important place of worship of the Virgin Mary.
Iglė f Lithuanian (Modern)
From the name of a small lake (also called Ygla) in southwestern Lithuania. It was popularized after 2016 by the singer Iglė Bernotaitytė (1999-).
Isaura f Portuguese, Spanish, Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "from Isauria". Isauria was the name of a region in Asia Minor.
Isaurus m Late Roman
Masculine form of Isaura. This was the name of an early saint who was martyred in Macedon.
Italia f Italian
From the Italian name of the country of Italy, Italia (see Italus).
Italus m Roman Mythology
Means "of Italy" in Latin. In Roman legend Italus was the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. He supposedly gave his name to the region known as Italia or Italy (in fact the region may have gotten its name from Oscan Víteliú meaning "land of bulls").
Izaro f Basque
Means "island" in Basque, from the name of a small island off the Spanish coast in the Bay of Biscay.
Izaskun f Basque
From the name of a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary near Tolosa, Gipuzkoa, Spain. It possibly means "broom bush above the valley" in Basque.
Karine 3 f Armenian
Probably from Կարին (Karin), the Armenian name for the city of Erzurum in eastern Turkey. It was an Armenian city in classical times.
Kerr m Scottish
From a Scots surname that was derived from a word meaning "thicket, marsh", ultimately from Old Norse kjarr.
Kobe 2 m Various
From the name of the city in Japan. The parents of basketball player Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) chose this name after seeing Kobe beef (which is from the Japanese city) on a menu.
Lacedaemon m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Λακεδαίμων (Lakedaimon), the Greek name of the city-state also commonly called Sparta. According to Greek mythology Lacedaemon, a son of Zeus, was the founder of Sparta.
Laoise f Irish
Possibly a newer form of Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of Lucy or Louise.
Larisa f Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Slovene, Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from the name of the ancient city of Larisa in Thessaly, which meant "citadel". In Greek legends, the nymph Larisa was either a daughter or mother of Pelasgus, the ancestor of the mythical Pelasgians. This name was later borne by a 4th-century Greek martyr who is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Church. The name (of the city, nymph and saint) is commonly Latinized as Larissa, with a double s. As a Ukrainian name, it is more commonly transcribed Larysa.
Lehi m Mormon
From an Old Testament place name meaning "jawbone" in Hebrew, so called because it was the site where the hero Samson defeated 1,000 warriors using only the jawbone of a donkey as a weapon. It is also used in the Book of Mormon as the name of a prophet who travels out of Jerusalem and settles in the Americas.
Lelia f Italian
Italian form of Laelia.
Liberia f Late Roman
Feminine form of Liberius.
Loreto f & m Spanish, Italian
From the name of a town in Italy, originally called Lauretum in Latin, meaning "laurel grove". Supposedly in the 13th century the house of the Virgin Mary was miraculously carried by angels from Nazareth to the town. In Spain it is a feminine name, from the Marian title Nuestra Señora de Loreto, while in Italy it is mostly masculine.
Lucan m History
From the Roman cognomen Lucanus, which was derived from the name of the city of Luca in Tuscany (modern Lucca). Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.
Macarena f Spanish
From the name of a barrio (district) in Seville, which got its name from a temple that may have been named for a person named Macarius (see Macario). The Virgin of Macarena, that is Mary, is widely venerated in Seville.
Majella f Irish
From the surname of the Italian saint Gerard Majella (1726-1755; called Gerardo Maiella in Italian), a miracle worker who is regarded as the patron saint of pregnancy and childbirth. His surname is derived from the name of the Maiella massif in Abruzzo, Italy.
Maldwyn m Welsh
From Maldwyn, another name for the old Welsh county of Montgomeryshire. It is so called from Trefaldwyn, the Welsh name for the county town of Montgomery, misinterpreting it as if meaning "town of Maldwyn". In fact it means "town of Baldwin" (in Welsh both m and b mutate to f).
Margaux f French
Variant of Margot influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from Margot.
Marietta f Italian, Greek, Hungarian, German, Polish
Diminutive of Maria.
Marwa f Arabic
From the Arabic name of a fragrant plant. Al-Marwa is the name of one of the two sacred hills near Mecca.
Mauritius m Late Roman
Latin form of Maurice.
Maylis f French
From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.
Meirion m Welsh
From the name of the Welsh county of Meirionnydd, formerly a part of the kingdom of Gwynedd. It is probably derived from the Roman name Marianus.
Melchior m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend, French (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Possibly from the Hebrew roots מֶלֶכְ (melekh) meaning "king" and אוֹר ('or) meaning "light". This was a name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. According to medieval tradition he was a king of Persia.
Meritxell f Catalan
From the name of a village in Andorra where there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The name of the village may derive from Latin meridies meaning "midday".
Mervi f Finnish
From the name of a Finnish village (now a part of the municipality of Hattula).
Milan m Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Dutch (Modern), German (Modern), French (Modern)
From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names that began with that element. It was originally used in Czech, Slovak, and the South Slavic languages, though it has recently become popular elsewhere in Europe.... [more]
Miron 2 m Hebrew
From the name of the highest mountain in Israel, Mount Meron. It is also the name of a village on its slopes, thought to be on the same site as the ancient Canaanite city of Merom.
Modesto m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Modestus.
Moema f Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Means "lies" in Tupí. This name appears in the poem Caramuru (1781) by the Brazilian poet Santa Rita Durão.
Montserrat f Catalan
From the name of a mountain near Barcelona, the site of a monastery founded in the 10th century. The mountain gets its name from Latin mons serratus meaning "jagged mountain".
Moray m Scottish
From the name of the area of Moray in Scotland or the surname derived from it (see Moray).
Morven f Scottish
From the name of a region in western Scotland, also called Morvern or in Gaelic A' Mhorbhairne, meaning "the big gap". This is the location of Fingal's kingdom in James Macpherson's 18th-century poems.
Mostyn m Welsh
From the name of a town in northern Wales, which is probably derived from Old English elements meaning "moss town".
Muir m Scottish
From a Scottish surname, derived from Scots muir meaning "moor, fen". This name could also be inspired by Scottish Gaelic muir meaning "sea".
Nairobi f African American (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of Kenya, derived from Maasai enkare nyrobi meaning "cold water".
Nazaret f & m Spanish, Armenian
From Nazareth, the town in Galilee where Jesus lived. This name is primarily feminine in Spanish and primarily masculine in Armenian.
Nazarius m Late Roman
Latin name meaning "from Nazareth". Nazareth was the town in Galilee where Jesus lived. This name was borne by several early saints, including a man martyred with Celsus in Milan.
Nubia f Spanish (Latin American)
From the name of the ancient region and kingdom in Africa, south of Egypt. It possibly derives from the Egyptian word nbw meaning "gold".
Nye m Welsh
Diminutive of Aneirin.
Nyssa f Various (Rare)
From the name of an ancient town of Asia Minor where Saint Gregory was bishop in the 4th century. Nyssa is also the genus name of a type of tree, also called the Tupelo.
Odessa f Various
From the name of a Ukrainian city that sits on the north coast of the Black Sea, which was named after the ancient Greek city of Ὀδησσός (Odessos), of uncertain meaning. This name can also be used as a feminine form of Odysseus.
Ophir m & f Biblical, Hebrew
From Hebrew אוֹפִיר ('Ofir), meaning unknown. This is the name of a son of Joktan in the Old Testament (where it is also used as a place name).
Ophrah m Biblical
Means "fawn" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of both a man mentioned in genealogies and a city in Manasseh.
Orlando m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Carolingian Cycle
Italian form of Roland, as used in the epic poems Orlando Innamorato (1483) by Matteo Maria Boiardo and the continuation Orlando Furioso (1532) by Ludovico Ariosto. In the poems, Orlando is a knight in Charlemagne's army who battles against the invading Saracens. A character in Shakespeare's play As You Like It (1599) also bears this name, as does a city in Florida.
Palmira f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Feminine form of Palmiro.
Paris 2 f Various
From the name of the capital city of France, which got its name from the Gaulish tribe known as the Parisii. In America the popularity of this name spiked up and then down between 2003 and 2006, around the time that the television personality and socialite Paris Hilton (1981-) was at the height of her fame.
Peru m Basque
Basque form of Peter.
Pomona f Roman Mythology
From Latin pomus "fruit tree". This was the name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees.
Pontius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Roman family name. The family had Samnite roots so the name probably originated from the Oscan language, likely meaning "fifth" (a cognate of Latin Quintus). Alternatively, it could be derived from the name of the ancient province of Pontus in Asia Minor, itself probably from Greek πόντος (pontos) meaning "sea". A notable bearer of this name was Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea who appears in the New Testament.
Queralt f Catalan
From the name of a Spanish sanctuary (in Catalonia) that is devoted to the Virgin Mary.
Rhona f Scottish
Possibly derived from the name of either of the two Hebridean islands called Rona, which means "rough island" in Old Norse.
Rohan 2 f Literature
From the novel The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, where it is a place name meaning "horse country" in the fictional language Sindarin.
Rusnė f Lithuanian
From the name of an island in the Neman River delta in southwestern Lithuania.
Saima 2 f Finnish, Estonian
From Saimaa, the name of the largest lake in Finland. The etymology of the lake's name is unknown.
Salem 1 m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic سليم or سالم (see Salim).
Sevan f & m Armenian
From the name of the largest lake in Armenia, which may be from the Urartian word suinia simply meaning "lake".
Sheba m Biblical
Means "oath" in Hebrew. This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament. Also in the Bible, this is a place name, referring to a region in Ethiopia. The queen of Sheba visited Solomon after hearing of his wisdom.
Shenandoah m Oneida (Anglicized)
Variant of Skenandoa, or from the name of the Shenandoah River (names that may or may not be connected). The traditional American folk song Oh Shenandoah may refer to the Oneida chief Skenandoa or to the river; it is unclear.
Shiloh m & f Biblical
From an Old Testament place name possibly meaning "tranquil" in Hebrew. It is also used prophetically in the Old Testament to refer to a person, often understood to be the Messiah (see Genesis 49:10). This may in fact be a mistranslation.... [more]
Sidónio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Sidonius.
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.
Szabolcs m Hungarian
Meaning unknown, possibly from a Slavic word meaning "marten". It was borne by a leader of the Magyars at the time of Árpád. This is now the name of a region in Hungary.
Talin f Armenian
From the name of an Armenian town (meaning unknown), which is home to a famous 7th-century cathedral.
Taline f Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Թալին (see Talin).
Tamar f Hebrew, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "date palm" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah and later his wife. This was also the name of a daughter of King David. She was raped by her half-brother Amnon, leading to his murder by her brother Absalom. The name was borne by a 12th-century ruling queen of Georgia who presided over the kingdom at the peak of its power.
Taron m Armenian
From the name of a region in historic Armenia (now in Turkey).
Tegid m Welsh
Possibly derived from Welsh teg "beautiful, handsome", or possibly from the Roman name Tacitus. This is the name of a lake in Wales, called Bala Lake in English. It also occurs in medieval Welsh legends as the husband of Ceridwen.
Therasia f Late Roman
Earliest recorded form of Theresa.
Thisbe f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
From the name of an ancient Greek town in Boeotia, itself supposedly named after a nymph. In a Greek legend (the oldest surviving version appearing in Latin in Ovid's Metamorphoses) this is the name of a young woman from Babylon. Believing her to be dead, her lover Pyramus kills himself, after which she does the same to herself. The splashes of blood from their suicides is the reason mulberry fruit are red.
Tirzah f Biblical
From the Hebrew name תִּרְצָה (Tirtzah) meaning "favourable". Tirzah is the name of one of the daughters of Zelophehad in the Old Testament. It also occurs in the Old Testament as a place name, the early residence of the kings of the northern kingdom.
Tivoli m & f Various (Rare)
From the name of a picturesque Italian town, used as a summer resort by the ancient Romans.
Triana f Spanish (Modern)
From the name of a neighbourhood in the city of Seville, of uncertain meaning.
Trinidad f & m Spanish
Means "trinity" in Spanish, referring to the Holy Trinity. An island in the West Indies bears this name.
Turin m Literature
Means "victory mood" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Turin was a cursed hero, the slayer of the dragon Glaurung. He was also called Turambar, Mormegil, and other names. This is also the Anglicized name of the city of Torino in Italy.
Uxue f Basque
From the Basque name of the Spanish town of Ujué where there is a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its name is derived from Basque usoa "dove".
Valbona f Albanian
From Valbona (or Valbonë), the name of a mountain valley and river in northern Albania.
Venkata m Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
From the name of a sacred hill in Andhra Pradesh in southern India. It is the home of the Venkateswara Temple, a pilgrimage site for Hindus.
Verona f Various
From the name of the city in Italy, which is itself of unknown meaning.
Vienne f Various (Rare)
From the French name for Vienna, the capital city of Austria.
Xiuying f Chinese
From Chinese 秀 (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with 英 (yīng) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". Other character combinations are possible.
Yeray m Spanish (Canarian)
Canarian Spanish name of recent origin, possibly from a Guanche word or place name meaning "big, grand".
Yunuen f & m Spanish (Mexican)
Meaning unknown, probably of indigenous (maybe Purépecha) origin. This is the name of an island on Lake Pátzcuaro in Mexico.
Zaire m African American (Modern)
From the name of a country in Africa from 1971 to 1997, now called the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is said to be derived from Kikongo nzadi o nzere meaning "river swallowing rivers", referring to the Congo River.