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.
Csilla f HungarianDerived from Hungarian
csillag meaning
"star". This name was created by the Hungarian author András Dugonics for an 1803 novel and later used and popularized by the poet Mihály Vörösmarty.
Dakota m & f English (Modern)From the name of the Native American people of the northern Mississippi Valley, or from the two American states that were named for them: North and South Dakota (until 1889 unified as the Dakota Territory). The tribal name means
"allies, friends" in the Dakota language.
... [more] Daksha m HinduismMeans
"able, competent" in Sanskrit. According to the
Mahabharata and the Puranas this was the name of a son of the Hindu god
Brahma and the father of
Sati. After Daksha insulted Sati's husband
Shiva, prompting her to throw herself into a fire, he was killed by the enraged Shiva. He was later restored to life with the head of a goat.
Dalida f Biblical GreekForm of
Delilah used in the Greek Old Testament. A famous bearer was the Italian-Egyptian singer and actress Dalida (1933-1987), who was born as Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti.
Danica f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Slovak, Macedonian, EnglishFrom a Slavic word meaning
"morning star, Venus". This name occurs in Slavic folklore as a personification of the morning star. It has sometimes been used in the English-speaking world since the 1970s.
Deanna f EnglishEither a variant of
Diana or a feminine form of
Dean. This name was popularized by the Canadian actress and singer Deanna Durbin (1921-2013), whose birth name was Edna. Her stage name was a rearrangement of the letters of her real name.
Delara f PersianMeans
"adorning the heart", from Persian
دل (del) meaning "heart" and
آرا (ārā) meaning "decorate, adorn".
Dhruva m HinduismMeans
"fixed, immovable, firm, stable" in Sanskrit, also referring to the North Star (Polaris). According to Hindu mythology this was a devotee of
Vishnu who became the North Star.
Diklah m BiblicalPossibly means
"palm grove" in Hebrew or Aramaic. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Joktan.
Diksha f HindiMeans
"preparation for a religious ceremony" in Sanskrit.
Dilipa m HinduismMeans
"protector of Delhi" from Sanskrit
दिल्ली (see
Delhi) combined with
प (pa) meaning "protecting". According to Hindu scripture this was the name of a king who was an ancestor of
Rama 1.
Dinara f Kazakh, Tatar, KyrgyzMeaning uncertain, perhaps from Arabic
دينار (dīnār), a currency used in several Muslim countries, ultimately derived from Latin
denarius. Alternatively it may be a derivative of
دين (dīn) meaning "religion".
Dipaka m HinduismMeans
"inflaming, exciting" in Sanskrit. This is another name of
Kama, the Hindu god of love.
Eartha f EnglishCombination of the English word
earth with the feminine name suffix
a. It has been used in honour of African-American philanthropist Eartha M. M. White (1876-1974). Another famous bearer was American singer and actress Eartha Kitt (1927-2008).
Elijah m English, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִיָּהוּ (ʾEliyyahu) meaning
"my God is Yahweh", derived from the roots
אֵל (ʾel) and
יָהּ (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. He was active in the 9th century BC during the reign of King
Ahab of Israel and his Phoenician-born queen
Jezebel. Elijah confronted the king and queen over their idolatry of the Canaanite god
Ba'al and other wicked deeds. At the end of his life he was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and was succeeded by
Elisha. In the New Testament, Elijah and
Moses appear next to
Jesus when he is transfigured.
... [more] Elisha m Biblical, Biblical HebrewFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִישַׁע (ʾElishaʿ), a contracted form of
אֱלִישׁוּעַ (ʾElishuaʿ) meaning
"my God is salvation", derived from
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and
יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save, to deliver". According to the Old Testament, Elisha was a prophet and miracle worker. He was the attendant of
Elijah and succeeded him after his ascension to heaven.
Elissa 1 f Roman MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly Phoenician in origin. This is another name of
Dido, the legendary queen of Carthage.
Elmira 1 f LiteraturePossibly a shortened form of
Edelmira. It appears in the play
Tartuffe (1664) by the French playwright Molière (often spelled in the French style
Elmire).
Elmira 3 f Russian (Rare)Contraction of Russian
электрификация мира (elektrifikatsiya mira) meaning
"electrification of the world". This name was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names.
Elvira f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian, RussianSpanish form of a Visigothic name, recorded from the 10th century in forms such as
Geloyra or
Giluira. It is of uncertain meaning, possibly composed of the Gothic element
gails "happy" or
gails "spear" combined with
wers "friendly, agreeable, true". The name was borne by members of the royal families of León and Castille. This is also the name of a character in Mozart's opera
Don Giovanni (1787).
Elysia f VariousFrom
Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Emilia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Finnish, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Greek, BulgarianFeminine form of
Aemilius (see
Emily). In Shakespeare's tragedy
Othello (1603) this is the name of the wife of
Iago.
Etelka f HungarianFeminine form of
Etele created by the Hungarian writer András Dugonics for the main character in his novel
Etelka (1788).
Euboia f Greek MythologyMeans
"good ox" in Greek, from
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
βοῦς (bous) meaning "ox, cow". This is the name of several minor characters in Greek mythology, including a naiad who is said to have given her name to the island of Euboia.
Eudora f Greek MythologyMeans
"good gift" in Greek, from the elements
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
Euodia f Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek, BiblicalDerived from Greek
εὐοδία (euodia) meaning
"a good journey", a derivative of
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
ὁδός (hodos) meaning "road, way, journey". This name is mentioned briefly in
Paul's epistle to the Philippians in the New Testament (though some translations assume it belongs to a man named
Euodias).
Europa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Εὐρώπη (Europe), which meant
"wide face" from
εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and
ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted and taken to Crete by
Zeus in the guise of a bull. She became the first queen of Crete, and later fathered
Minos by Zeus. The continent of Europe said to be named for her, though it is more likely her name is from that of the continent. This is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.
Fatiha f Arabic (Maghrebi)Means
"opener" in Arabic, from the root
فتح (fataḥa) meaning "to open, to conquer". This is the name of the first chapter (surah al-Fatiha) of the Quran.
Fátima f Portuguese, SpanishFrom the name of a town in Portugal, which was derived from the Arabic feminine name
Fatima, apparently after a Moorish princess who converted to Christianity during the Reconquista. The town became an important Christian pilgrimage center after 1917 when three local children reported witnessing repeated apparitions of the Virgin
Mary.
Fatima f Arabic, Urdu, BosnianDerived from Arabic
فطم (faṭama) meaning
"to abstain, to wean". Fatima was a daughter of the Prophet
Muhammad and the wife of
Ali, the fourth caliph. She is regarded as the exemplary Muslim woman, especially among Shias.
Gabija f Lithuanian, Baltic MythologyProbably from Lithuanian
gaubti meaning
"to cover". In Lithuanian mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire and the home.
Gaizka m BasqueMeans
"saviour" in Basque. This name was proposed as an equivalent of
Salvador by the Basque writer Sabino Arana in 1910.
Garsea m Medieval SpanishMeaning unknown, possibly related to the Basque word
hartz meaning
"bear". This was the name of several medieval kings of Navarre and Leon.
Geneva f EnglishPossibly a shortened form of
Genevieve. It could also be inspired by the name of the city in Switzerland. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
Glenda f EnglishProbably a feminine form of
Glenn using the suffix
da (from names such as
Linda and
Wanda). This name was not regularly used until the 20th century.
Glinda f LiteratureCreated by author L. Frank Baum for his character Glinda the Good Witch, a kind sorceress in his
Oz series of books beginning in 1900. It is not known what inspired the name.
Gloria f English, Spanish, Italian, GermanMeans
"glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin
Mary Maria da Glória and
María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.
... [more] Godiva f Anglo-Saxon (Latinized)Latinized form of the Old English name
Godgifu meaning
"gift of god", from the elements
god and
giefu "gift". Lady Godiva was an 11th-century English noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry to protest the high taxes imposed by her husband upon the townspeople.
Gopala m HinduismMeans
"cow protector" from Sanskrit
गो (go) meaning "cow" and
पाल (pāla) meaning "guard, protector". This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna. It was also borne by the 8th-century founder of the Pala Empire in Bengal.
Gotama m HinduismMeans
"the best ox" from Sanskrit
गो (go) meaning "ox, cow" and
तम (tama) meaning "best". It is best known in its patronymic form
Gautama (with the initial vowel lengthened), which was borne by the
Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. In Hindu texts this is also the name of one of the Saptarshis, or seven sages. Additionally it was borne by an early Indian philosopher who wrote the Nyaya Sutras.
Gulisa f GeorgianMeans
"of the heart" in Georgian, from
გულის (gulis), the genitive of
გული (guli) meaning "heart".
Gwenda f Welsh, EnglishDerived from the Welsh elements
gwen meaning "white, blessed" and
da meaning "good". This name was created in the 19th century.
Harsha m Kannada, Telugu, SanskritMeans
"happiness" in Sanskrit. Harsha (or Harṣa, also called Harshavardhana) was a 7th-century emperor of northern India. He was also noted as an author.
Haruka f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
遥 (haruka) meaning "distant, remote". It can also come from
春 (haru) meaning "spring" or
晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" combined with
花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" or
香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Additionally, other kanji combinations can form this name.
Haruna 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather",
遥 (haru) meaning "distant, remote" or
春 (haru) meaning "spring" combined with
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Haukea f HawaiianMeans
"white snow" from Hawaiian
hau "snow" and
kea "white".
Haumea f Polynesian MythologyMeans
"red ruler", from Hawaiian
hau "ruler" and
mea "reddish brown". Haumea is the Hawaiian goddess of fertility and childbirth. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for her in 2008.
Helena f German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinate form of
Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play
All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Hemera f Greek MythologyMeans
"day" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified the daytime. According to Hesiod she was the daughter of
Nyx, the personification of the night.
Hermia f LiteratureFeminine form of
Hermes. Shakespeare used this name in his comedy
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).
Hertha f GermanForm of
Nerthus. The spelling change from
N to
H resulted from a misreading of Tacitus's text.
Hertta f FinnishFinnish form of
Hertha. This is also the Finnish word for the card suit hearts.
Hestia f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ἑστία (hestia) meaning
"hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.
Hiʻiaka f Polynesian MythologyMeans
"held essence", derived from Hawaiian
hiʻi meaning "hold, carry" and
aka meaning "essence, image, embryo". This is the name of a Hawaiian goddess, the youngest sister of the volcano goddess
Pele. To help her sister, Hiʻiaka volunteered to retrieve Pele's lover Lohiʻau from a neighbouring island, as long as Pele promised to protect her sacred grove of trees and her lover Hōpoe in her absence. The task took longer than expected and Pele grew impatient, destroying Hiʻiaka's grove and killing her lover.
Hinata f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
日向 (hinata) meaning "sunny place",
陽向 (hinata) meaning "toward the sun", or a non-standard reading of
向日葵 (himawari) meaning "sunflower". Other kanji compounds are also possible. Because of the irregular readings, this name is often written using the hiragana writing system.
Hodiah f & m BiblicalMeans
"majesty of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from
הוֹד (hoḏ) meaning "majesty, splendour" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is (probably) the name of a wife of
Ezra in the Old Testament. It is also borne by a few male biblical characters.
Hoglah f BiblicalMeans
"partridge" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the daughters of
Zelophehad.
Honoka f JapaneseFrom Japanese
和 (hono) meaning "harmony" (using an obscure nanori reading) and
花 (ka) meaning "flower", as well as other combinations of kanji that have the same pronunciation. Very often it is written using the hiragana writing system.
Hoshea m Biblical, Biblical HebrewFrom the Hebrew name
הוֹשֵׁעַ (Hosheaʿ) meaning
"salvation", from the root
יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save". In the Old Testament at
Numbers 13:16,
Moses gives the spy Hoshea the new name
Yehoshuaʿ (see
Joshua), which has a related origin. This name was also borne by an 8th-century BC king of Israel, who was the last ruler of that state before it was conquered by Assyria.
Huldah f BiblicalMeans
"weasel, mole" in Hebrew. This name appears in the Old Testament belonging to a prophetess.
Huriya f Arabic (Rare)Means
"nymph, heavenly maiden" in Arabic, referring to the houris, who are beautiful maidens who dwell in the Islamic afterlife.
Ibolya f HungarianMeans
"violet" in Hungarian, ultimately from Latin
viola.
Idonea f English (Archaic)Medieval English name, probably a Latinized form of
Iðunn. The spelling may have been influenced by Latin
idonea "suitable". It was common in England from the 12th century.
Ifeoma f IgboMeans
"good thing" in Igbo, derived from
ífé meaning "thing" and
ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".
İlayda f TurkishPossibly derived from the name of a Turkish water sprite.
Ileana f Romanian, Spanish, ItalianPossibly a Romanian variant of
Elena. In Romanian folklore this is the name of a princess kidnapped by monsters and rescued by a heroic knight.
Inanna f Sumerian MythologyPossibly derived from Sumerian
nin-an-a(k) meaning
"lady of the heavens", from
𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of
𒀭 (an) meaning "heaven, sky". Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and war. She descended into the underworld where the ruler of that place, her sister
Ereshkigal, had her killed. The god
Enki interceded, and Inanna was allowed to leave the underworld as long as her husband
Dumuzi took her place.
... [more] Ingela f SwedishOld variant of
Ingegerd. It can also be considered a diminutive of other names beginning with
Ing.