Aubrey m & f EnglishFrom
Auberi, an Old French form of
Alberich brought to England by the Normans. It was common in the Middle Ages, and was revived in the 19th century. Since the mid-1970s it has more frequently been given to girls, due to Bread's 1972 song
Aubrey along with its similarity to the established feminine name
Audrey.
Audagar m GermanicDerived from the Old Frankish elements
aud meaning "wealth, fortune" and
gair meaning "spear". It is a cognate of
Edgar. This was the name of an 8th-century Frankish nobleman who was exiled by
Charlemagne. He forms the basis for the character known as
Ogier in later French tales.
Audie m & f EnglishIn the case of the famed American soldier Audie Murphy (1925-1971), it is of uncertain meaning. As a feminine name, it can be a diminutive of
Audrey.
Audovera f GermanicDerived from Old Frankish
aud "wealth, fortune" combined with
war "true" or
war "aware, cautious". This was the name of the first wife of
Chilperic I of Neustria.
Audowin m GermanicDerived from Old Frankish
aud or Old High German
ot meaning "wealth, fortune" combined with
wini meaning "friend". This is a cognate of
Edwin.
Audra 2 f EnglishVariant of
Audrey, used since the 19th century. It jumped in popularity in the United States after the debut of the television series
The Big Valley (1965-1969), which featured the character Audra Barkley.
Audrey f English, FrenchMedieval diminutive of
Æðelþryð. This was the name of a 7th-century saint, a princess of East Anglia who founded a monastery at Ely. It was also used by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy
As You Like It (1599). At the end of the Middle Ages the name became rare due to association with the word
tawdry (which was derived from
St. Audrey, the name of a fair where cheap lace was sold), but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).
Augustine 1 m EnglishFrom the Roman name
Augustinus, itself derived from the Roman name
Augustus. Saint Augustine of Hippo was a 5th-century Christian theologian and author from North Africa. For his contributions to Christian philosophy he is known as a Doctor of the Church. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world. It became popular in England in the Middle Ages partly because of a second saint by this name, Augustine of Canterbury, a 6th-century Italian monk sent to England to convert the Anglo-Saxons.
Augustus m Ancient Roman, Dutch (Rare)Means
"exalted, venerable", derived from Latin
augeo meaning "to increase". Augustus was the title given to
Octavian, the first Roman emperor. He was an adopted son of Julius Caesar who rose to power through a combination of military skill and political prowess. In 26 BC the senate officially gave him the name
Augustus, and after his death it was used as a title for subsequent emperors. This was also the name of three kings of Poland (called
August in Polish).
Aurangzeb m UrduMeans
"honouring the throne" in Persian. This was the name of a 17th-century Mughal emperor of India.
Aurea f Late RomanLate Latin name that was derived from
aureus "golden". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Ostia (near Rome), as well as an 11th-century Spanish saint.
Aurelianus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen that was originally derived from the Roman family name
Aurelius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Lucius Domitius Aurelianus) who reconquered the breakaway Gallic and Palmyrene Empires.
Aurelius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was derived from Latin
aureus meaning
"golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.
Auster m Roman MythologyMeans
"south" in Latin (descended from the Indo-European root *
hews- meaning "dawn", making it related to the English word
east). Auster was the Roman god of the south wind.
Austin m EnglishMedieval contracted form of
Augustine 1. Modern use of the name is probably also partly inspired by the common surname
Austin, which is of the same origin. This is also the name of a city in Texas.
Autumn f EnglishFrom the name of the season, ultimately from Latin
autumnus. This name has been in general use since the 1960s.
Ava 1 f EnglishVariant of
Eve. A famous bearer was the American actress Ava Gardner (1922-1990). This name became very popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 21st century, entering the top ten for girls in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It began to rise sharply after 1997, possibly inspired by the actress Heather Locklear and musician Richie Sambora when they used it for their baby daughter that year.
Ava 3 f German, GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
awi, of unknown meaning. This was the name of a 9th-century Frankish saint. It was also borne by a 12th-century poet from Melk, Austria.
Avalokiteshvara m BuddhismMeans
"the lord who looks down" in Sanskrit, derived from
अवलोक् (avalok) meaning "to look down" and
ईश्वर (īśvara) meaning "lord, god". The original form of the name may have been
अवलोकितस्वर (Avalokitasvara), with the final element being
स्वर (svara) meaning "sound, tone" (as evidenced by the Chinese form
Guanyin). In Buddhist belief this is the name of a bodhisattva associated with compassion.
Avalon f English (Rare)From the name of the island paradise to which King
Arthur was brought after his death. The name of this island is perhaps related to Welsh
afal meaning "apple", a fruit that was often linked with paradise.
Avanti f HindiFrom the name of an ancient kingdom of central India that had its capital at Ujjain.
Ave f Italian, EstonianPossibly from the name of the prayer
Ave Maria, in which
Ave is Latin meaning
"greetings, salutations". In Estonian it is also associated with the word
ava meaning "open".
Aveline f English (Rare)From the Norman French form of the Germanic name
Avelina, a diminutive of
Avila. The Normans introduced this name to Britain. After the Middle Ages it became rare as an English name, though it persisted in America until the 19th century.
Avelino m Spanish, PortugueseUsed 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).
Averroes m HistoryLatinized form of the Arabic patronymic
ابن رشد (ibn Rushd), used to refer to the Islamic philosopher and scientist Abu l-Walid Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rushd (1126-1198), who was born in Córdoba, Spain. His patronymic commemorates an ancestor named
Rushd.
Aviana f English (Modern)Probably an elaboration of
Ava 1, influenced by names such as
Ariana. In some cases it could be inspired by the word
avian meaning
"bird" or
"related to birds, bird-like".
Avicenna m HistoryLatinized form of the Arabic patronymic
ابن سينا (ibn Sīnā), referring to the famed Arabic-speaking Persian philosopher and physician Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Abdullah ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Sina (980-1037). His patronymic commemorates an ancestor named
Sina.
Avila f GermanicDerived 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.
Avilius m Ancient RomanRoman family name of unknown meaning. Saint Avilius was a 1st-century patriarch of Alexandria.
Avis f EnglishProbably a Latinized form of the Germanic name
Aveza, which was derived from the element
awi, of unknown meaning. The Normans introduced this name to England and it became moderately common during the Middle Ages, at which time it was associated with Latin
avis "bird".
Avitus m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman family name that meant
"ancestral" in Latin. This was the name of an emperor who briefly reigned over the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. It was also the name of several saints, including a 6th-century bishop of Vienne.
Avonlea f English (Rare)Created by L. M. Montgomery as the setting for her novel
Anne of Green Gables (1908). She may have based the name on the Arthurian island of
Avalon, though it also resembles the river name
Avon and
leah "woodland, clearing".
Avtandil m Georgian, LiteratureCreated by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic
The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Rustaveli based it on Persian
آفتاب (āftāb) meaning "sunshine" and
دل (del) meaning "heart". In the poem Avtandil is a knight who is sent by
Tinatin to search for the mysterious knight of the title.
Awilix f Mayan MythologyMeaning uncertain, possibly from a place name Awilizapan, or possibly from a Q'eqchi' Maya word meaning
"swallow (bird)". This was the name of the K'iche' Maya goddess of the moon, night and death.
Aya 2 f ArabicMeans
"sign, evidence" or
"verse" in Arabic, as in one of the passages that make up the Quran.
Aya 3 f Semitic MythologyMeans
"dawn" in Akkadian. In Akkadian mythology this was the name of the goddess of the dawn, associated with sexual appeal and beauty. She was the consort of the sun god
Shamash. The Babylonians sometimes called her
kallatum meaning "the bride".
Ayako f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour",
綾 (aya) meaning "design" or
絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are also possible.
Ayame f JapaneseFrom Japanese
菖蒲 (ayame) meaning "iris (flower)". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Ayan 2 f & m Azerbaijani, KazakhMeans
"clear, obvious, revelation" in Kazakh and Azerbaijani, from Arabic
عيان (ʿiyān) meaning "witnessing, seeing, clear", a derivative of
عاين (ʿāyana) meaning "to see". It is feminine in Azerbaijan and masculine in Kazakhstan.
Ayanna f African AmericanMeaning uncertain. In 1970 it was featured in
The Book of African Names by Chief Osuntoki with a listed meaning of
"beautiful flower". American comedian and activist Dick Gregory used it for his daughter in 1971.
Ayano f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour" or
綾 (aya) meaning "design" combined with
乃 (no), a possessive particle. Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Ayaz m Turkish, Azerbaijani, UrduFrom Turkish and Azerbaijani
ayaz meaning
"frost" or
"dry and cold air". This was the name of a slave and later companion of the 11th-century sultan Mahmud of Ghazni.
Ayazhan f KazakhFrom an element of uncertain meaning combined with Kazakh
жан (zhan) meaning "soul" (of Persian origin).
Aybars m TurkishPossibly from Turkic
ay meaning "moon" and
bars meaning "leopard". This was the name of an uncle of
Attila. He is also called
Oebarsius, the Latinized form of his name.
Ayelet f HebrewMeans
"doe, female deer, gazelle". It is taken from the Hebrew phrase
אַיֶלֶת הַשַׁחַר (ʾayeleṯ hashaḥar), literally "gazelle of dawn", which is a name of the morning star.
Aygül f Turkish, Uyghur, AzerbaijaniDerived from the Turkic element
ay meaning "moon" combined with Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose". In some languages this is also a name for a variety of flowering plant that grows in central Asia (species Fritillaria eduardii).
Ayla 3 f Literature, English (Modern)Created for the novel
Clan of the Cave Bear (1980) by author Jean M. Auel. In the novel Ayla is an orphaned Cro-Magnon girl adopted by Neanderthals.
Ayla is the Neanderthal pronunciation of her real name, which is not given.
... [more] Ayman m ArabicMeans
"right-handed, blessed, lucky" in Arabic, a derivative of
يمين (yamīn) meaning "right hand".
Aýnabat f TurkmenDerived from Turkmen
aý "moon" and
nabat, a type of crystallized sugar candy.
Ayo f & m YorubaFrom Yoruba
ayọ̀ meaning
"joy", or a short form of other names containing this element.
Ayrat m Tatar, BashkirMeaning uncertain, possibly from Arabic
خيرات (khayrāt) meaning
"good deeds". Alternatively it could be from the name of the Oirat people, a western Mongol tribe.
Aysel f Turkish, AzerbaijaniMeans
"moon flood" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, derived from
ay "moon" and
sel "flood, stream, torrent" (of Arabic origin).
Aysima f TurkishDerived from Turkish
ay meaning "moon" and
sima meaning "face" (of Persian origin).
Aytaç m & f TurkishDerived from Turkish
ay meaning "moon" and
taç meaning "crown" (of Persian origin).
Ayten f TurkishDerived from Turkish
ay meaning "moon" and
ten meaning "skin" (of Persian origin).
Ayumi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
歩 (ayumi) meaning "walk, step". It can also be from
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with
由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Otherwise it can be written with different combinations of kanji, or with the hiragana writing system.
Ayumu m JapaneseFrom Japanese
歩 (ayu) meaning "walk, step" and
夢 (mu) meaning "dream, vision". It can also be written with
歩 alone, or with other combinations of kanji.
Azahar f Spanish (Rare)Means
"orange blossom" in Spanish, ultimately from Arabic
زهْرة (zahra) meaning "flower". It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora del Azahar, meaning "Our Lady of the Orange Blossom", because of the citrus trees that surround a church devoted to her near Murcia.
Azahara f SpanishVariant of
Azahar. It can also be given in reference to the ruined Moorish city of Medina Azahara in Córdoba, which derives from the related Arabic root
زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".
Azalea f English (Modern)From the name of the flower (shrubs of the genus Rhododendron), ultimately derived from Greek
ἀζαλέος (azaleos) meaning "dry".
Azariah m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
עֲזַרְיָה (ʿAzarya) meaning
"Yahweh has helped", derived from
עָזַר (ʿazar) meaning "help" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many Old Testament characters including of one of the three men the Babylonian king ordered cast into a fiery furnace. His Babylonian name was
Abednego.
Azazel m BiblicalMeans
"scapegoat" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, this is the name of the recipient of a sacrificial goat. The identity of Azazel is not clear; it may in fact be the name of the place where the goat is to be sacrificed, or it may be the name of some sort of evil desert demon.
Azaziah m BiblicalMeans
"Yahweh is strong" in Hebrew, from
עָזַז (ʿazaz) meaning "to be strong" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.
Azel m BiblicalMeans
"reserved" in Hebrew. This is both the name of a minor character and a place name in the Old Testament.
Azélie f French (Rare)Perhaps a form of
Azalaïs. It was borne by Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin (1831-1877), also called Zélie, the mother of Thérèse of Lisieux.
Aziel m Biblical, Biblical HebrewPossibly means
"God comforts" in Hebrew, from the roots
עוּז (ʿuz) meaning "to take refuge" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Otherwise it might a variant of
Uzziel. This is the name of a musician (also called Jaaziel) in the Old Testament.
Aziz m Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Indonesian, MalayMeans
"powerful, respected, beloved" in Arabic, derived from the root
عزّ (ʿazza) meaning "to be powerful" or "to be cherished". In Islamic tradition
العزيز (al-ʿAzīz) is one of the 99 names of Allah. A notable bearer of the name was Al-'Aziz, a 10th-century Fatimid caliph.
Azrael m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendVariant of
Azarel. This is the name of an angel in Jewish and Islamic tradition who separates the soul from the body upon death. He is sometimes referred to as the Angel of Death.
Azriel m BiblicalMeans
"my help is God" in Hebrew, derived from
עֶזְרָה (ʿezra) meaning "help" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.
Azubah f BiblicalMeans
"forsaken" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of
Caleb's wife.
Ba'al m Semitic Mythology, Biblical HebrewHebrew form of Semitic root
bʿl meaning
"lord, master, possessor". This was the title of various deities, often associated with storms and fertility, who were worshipped by the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and other peoples of the ancient Near East. It was particularly applied to the god
Hadad.
Ba'al Hammon m Semitic MythologyFrom Phoenician
𐤁𐤏𐤋 (baʿl) meaning "lord" prefixing another word of uncertain meaning. This was the name of the supreme god worshipped in the Phoenician city of Carthage, alongside his consort
Tanith.
Babak m PersianFrom Middle Persian
𐭯𐭠𐭯𐭪𐭩 (Papak) meaning
"little father". This was the name of the father of
Ardashir, the founder of the Sasanian Empire in Persia. It was also borne by the 9th-century resistance leader Babak Khorramdin.
Babe m & f EnglishFrom a nickname meaning
"baby", also a slang term meaning
"attractive person". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a diminutive of
Barbara.
Babur m UrduFrom a Persian word meaning
"tiger". This was the nickname of Zahir ud-Din Muhammad, the 16th-century founder of the Mughal Empire in India.
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.
Bademus m History (Ecclesiastical)Latinized form of a Persian name of unknown meaning. Saint Bademus was a 4th-century Persian martyr who was a victim of Shapur II's persecutions.
Baer m LimburgishShort form of
Albaer and other Limburgish names ending in
baer, often derived from the Germanic element
beraht meaning "bright".
Bagadata m Old PersianOld Persian name derived from
𐏎 (baga) meaning "god" and
𐎭𐎠𐎫 (data) meaning "given". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Persian satrap under the Seleucid Empire.
Bahadır m TurkishTurkish form of Persian
بهادر (bahādor), itself from Turkic
bagatur meaning
"hero, warrior".
Bahadur m Hindi, NepaliFrom Persian
بهادر (bahādor), itself from Turkic
bagatur meaning
"hero, warrior". This was the name of rulers of the Mughal Empire.
Bahargül f TurkmenDerived from Turkmen
bahar meaning "spring" and
gül meaning "flower, rose" (both roots ultimately of Persian origin).
Bahman m Persian, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Avestan
𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬎 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬵 (Vohu Manah) meaning
"good mind". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with domestic animals. The eleventh month of the Iranian calendar was named for him.
Bahram m Persian, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Avestan
𐬬𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬖𐬥𐬀 (Vərəthraghna) meaning
"victory over resistance". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with victory and war. It was also borne by several Sasanian emperors. It is also the Persian name for the planet Mars.