CHOUKOfJapaneseFrom Japanese
蝶 (chou) meaning "butterfly" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can be possible.
CHRISTABELfEnglish (Rare)Combination of
CHRISTINA and the name suffix
bel. This name occurs in medieval literature, and was later used by Samuel Coleridge in his poem 'Christabel' (1800).
CHRISTINAfEnglish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, GreekFrom
Christiana, the Latin feminine form of
CHRISTIAN. This was the name of an early, possibly legendary, saint who was tormented by her pagan father. It was also borne by a 17th-century Swedish queen and patron the arts who gave up her crown in order to become a Roman Catholic.
CHRYSANTAfEnglish (Rare)Shortened form of the word
chrysanthemum, the name of a flowering plant, which means "golden flower" in Greek.
CHRYSEISfGreek MythologyPatronymic derived from
CHRYSES. In Greek legend she was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of
Apollo. After she was taken prisoner by the Greeks besieging Troy, Apollo sent a plague into their camp, forcing the Greeks to release her.
CHUNf & mChineseFrom Chinese
春 (chūn) meaning "spring (the season)" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
CIARA (1)fIrishFeminine form of
CIAR. Saint Ciara was an Irish nun who established a monastery at Kilkeary in the 7th century.
CIARA (2)fEnglish (Modern)Variant of
SIERRA. Use of the name has perhaps been influenced by the brand of perfume called Ciara, which was introduced by Revlon in 1973.
CIELfVariousMeans "sky" in French. It is not used as a given name in France itself.
CINDERELLAfLiteratureFrom the French name
Cendrillon which means "little ashes". This is best known as the main character in the fairy tale 'Cinderella'.
CLARAfItalian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, English, Swedish, Danish, Late RomanFeminine form of the Late Latin name
Clarus which meant "clear, bright, famous". The name
Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called
Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares. As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages, originally in the form
Clare, though the Latinate spelling
Clara became more popular in the 19th century.
CLAREfEnglishMedieval English form of
CLARA. This is also the name of an Irish county, which was originally named for the Norman invader Richard de Clare (known as Strongbow), whose surname was derived from the name of an English river.
CLARIBELfEnglishCombination of
CLARA and the popular name suffix
bel. This name was used by Edmund Spenser in his poem 'The Faerie Queene' (in the form
Claribell) and by Shakespeare in his play 'The Tempest' (1611). Alfred Lord Tennyson also wrote a poem entitled 'Claribel' (1830).
CLARICEfEnglishMedieval vernacular form of the Late Latin name
Claritia, which was a derivative of
CLARA.
CLARINDAfEnglishCombination of
CLARA and the popular name suffix
inda. It was first used by Edmund Spenser in his epic poem 'The Faerie Queene' (1590).
CLARISSAfEnglish, Italian, Portuguese, SpanishLatinate form of
CLARICE. This was the name of the title character in a 1748 novel by Samuel Richardson. In the novel Clarissa is a virtuous woman who is tragically exploited by her family and her lover.
CLARITYfEnglish (Rare)Simply means "clarity, lucidity" from the English word, ultimately from Latin
clarus "clear".
CLAUDEm & fFrench, EnglishFrench masculine and feminine form of
CLAUDIUS. In France the masculine name has been common since the Middle Ages due to the 7th-century Saint Claude of Besançon. It was imported to Britain in the 16th century by the aristocratic Hamilton family, who had French connections. A famous bearer of this name was the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
CLEMENCEfEnglishFeminine form of
Clementius (see
CLEMENT). It has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it became rare after the 17th century.
CLEMENCYfEnglish (Rare)Medieval variant of
CLEMENCE. It can also simply mean "clemency, mercy" from the English word, ultimately from Latin
clemens "merciful".
CLEOPATRAfAncient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κλεοπατρα (Kleopatra) which meant "glory of the father", derived from
κλεος (kleos) "glory" combined with
πατηρ (pater) "father" (genitive
πατρος), This was the name of queens of Egypt from the Ptolemaic royal family, including Cleopatra VII, the mistress of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After being defeated by Augustus she committed suicide by allowing herself to be bitten by an asp. Shakespeare's tragedy 'Antony and Cleopatra' (1606) is based on her.
CLÍODHNAfIrish, Irish MythologyPossibly means "shapely" in Irish Gaelic. In Irish legend this was the name of a beautiful goddess. She fell in love with a mortal named Ciabhan and left the Land of Promise with him, but when she arrived on the other shore she was swept to sea by a great wave.
CLODAGHfIrishFrom the name of a river in Tipperary, Ireland.
CLOELIAfAncient RomanFeminine form of
CLOELIUS. In Roman legend Cloelia was a maiden who was given to an Etruscan invader as a hostage. She managed to escape by swimming across the Tiber, at the same time helping some of the other captives to safety.
CLOTILDEfFrench, Italian, Portuguese, SpanishFrench form of the Germanic name
Chlotichilda which was composed of the elements
hlud "fame" and
hild "battle". Saint Clotilde was the wife of the Frankish king Clovis, whom she converted to Christianity.
CLOVERfEnglish (Rare)From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English
clafre.
COCOfVariousDiminutive of names beginning with
Co, influenced by the word
cocoa. However, this was not the case for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (real name Gabrielle), whose nickname came from the name of a song she performed while working as a cabaret singer.
COLETTEfFrenchShort form of
NICOLETTE. Saint Colette was a 15th-century French nun who gave her money to the poor. This was also the pen name of the French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954).
COLLEENfEnglishDerived from the Irish word
cailín meaning "girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.
COLOMBINAfItalianItalian feminine diminutive of
COLUMBA. In traditional Italian pantomimes this is the name of a stock character, the female counterpart of Arlecchino (also called Harlequin). This is also the Italian word for the columbine flower.
COLUMBAm & fLate RomanLate Latin name meaning "dove". The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. This was the name of several early saints both masculine and feminine, most notably the 6th-century Irish monk Saint Columba (or Colum) who established a monastery on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. He is credited with the conversion of Scotland to Christianity.
COMFORTfEnglish (Rare)From the English word
comfort, ultimately from Latin
confortare "to strengthen greatly", a derivative of
fortis "strong". It was used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation.
CONCEPCIÓNfSpanishMeans "conception" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin
Mary. A city in Chile bears this name.
CONDOLEEZZAfVariousIn the case of American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice it is derived from the Italian musical term
con dolcezza meaning "with sweetness".
CONSOLATAfItalianMeans "consoled" in Italian. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
María Consolata.
CONSUELOfSpanishMeans "consolation" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, meaning "Our Lady of Consolation".
CORAfEnglish, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of
KORE. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel 'The Last of the Mohicans' (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of
CORDULA,
CORINNA or other names beginning with a similar sound.
CORALfEnglish, SpanishFrom the English and Spanish word
coral for the underwater skeletal deposits which can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
κοραλλιον (korallion).
CORDELIAfEnglishFrom
Cordeilla, possibly a Celtic name of unknown meaning. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Cordeilla was the youngest of the three daughters of King Lear and the only one to remain loyal to her father. When adapting the character for his play 'King Lear' (1606), Shakespeare altered the spelling to
Cordelia.
CORDULAfGermanLate Latin name meaning "heart" from Latin
cor,
cordis. Saint Cordula was one of the 4th-century companions of Saint Ursula.
CORETTAfEnglishDiminutive of
CORA. It was borne by Coretta Scott King (1927-2006), the wife of Martin Luther King.
CORIANDERfEnglish (Rare)From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
CORINNAfGerman, Italian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Κοριννα (Korinna), which was derived from
κορη (kore) "maiden". This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet
Ovid used it for the main female character in his book 'Amores'. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem 'Corinna's going a-Maying'.
CORNELIAfGerman, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
CORNELIUS. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
CORONAfLate Roman, Italian, SpanishMeans "crown" in Latin, as well as Italian and Spanish. This was the name of a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with her companion Victor.
COSETTEfFrench, LiteratureFrom French
chosette meaning "little thing". This is the nickname of the illegitimate daughter of Fantine in Victor Hugo's novel 'Les Misérables' (1862). Her real name is
Euphrasie, though it is seldom used. In the novel young Cosette is the ward of the cruel Thénardiers until she is retrieved by Jean Valjean.
COURTNEYf & mEnglishFrom an aristocratic English surname which was derived either from the French place name
Courtenay (originally a derivative of the personal name
Curtenus, itself derived from Latin
curtus "short") or else from a Norman nickname meaning "short nose". As a feminine name in America, it first became popular during the 1970s.
CRESSIDAfLiteratureMedieval form of
CHRYSEIS. Various medieval tales describe her as a woman of Troy, daughter of Calchus, who leaves her Trojan lover Troilus for the Greek hero Diomedes. Shakespeare's play 'Troilus and Cressida' (1602) was based on these tales.
CRUZf & mSpanish, PortugueseMeans "cross" in Spanish or Portuguese, referring to the cross of the crucifixion.
CRYSTALfEnglishFrom the English word
crystal for the clear, colourless glass, sometimes cut into the shape of a gemstone. The English word derives ultimately from Greek
κρυσταλλος (krystallos) meaning "ice". It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.
CSENGEfHungarianPossibly derived from Hungarian
cseng meaning "to ring, to clang".
CSILLAfHungarianDerived 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.
CVETKAfSloveneDerived from Slovene
cvet meaning "blossom, flower".
CYBELEfNear Eastern Mythology (Hellenized)Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
CYBILLfEnglish (Rare)Variant of
SIBYL. This name was borne by actress Cybill Shepherd (1950-), who was named after her grandfather Cy and her father Bill.
CYNEBURGfAnglo-SaxonMeans "royal fortress" from Old English
cyne "royal" and
burg "fortress". Saint Cyneburga, a daughter of a king of Mercia, was the founder of an abbey at Gloucester in the 7th century.
CYNTHIAfEnglish, Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κυνθια (Kynthia) which means "woman from Kynthos". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess
Artemis, given because Kynthos was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother
Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century.
CYRAfHistoryMeaning unknown. Saint Cyra was a 5th-century Syrian hermit who was martyred with her companion Marana.
DAm & fChineseFrom Chinese
达 (dá) meaning "achieve, arrive at, intelligent" (which is usually only masculine),
大 (dà) meaning "big, great, vast, high", or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
DACIANAfRomanianDerived from
Dacia, the old Roman name for the region which is now Romania and Moldova.
DAENERYSfLiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series 'A Song of Ice and Fire', first published 1996, and the television adaption 'Game of Thrones' (2011-). An explanation for the meaning of her name is not provided, though it is presumably intended to be of Valyrian origin. In the series Daenerys Targaryen is a queen of the Dothraki and a claimant to the throne of Westeros.
DAFFODILfEnglish (Rare)From the name of the flower, ultimately derived from Dutch
de affodil meaning "the asphodel".
DAGRUNfNorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Dagrún, which was derived from the Old Norse elements
dagr "day" and
rún "secret lore".
DÁIRÍNEfIrishDerived from Irish Gaelic
dáire meaning "fruitful, fertile".
DAISYfEnglishSimply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English
dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
DAIVAfLithuanianCreated by the Lithuanian writer Vydūnas, who possibly derived it from a Sanskrit word meaning "destiny".
DAKOTAm & fEnglish (Modern)Means "allies, friends" in the Dakota language. This is the name of a Native American people of the northern Mississippi valley.
DALEm & fEnglishFrom an English surname which originally belonged to a person who lived near a dale or valley.
DALIA (2)fLithuanian, Baltic MythologyMeans "fate, luck" in Lithuanian. This was the name of the Lithuanian goddess of weaving, fate and childbirth, often associated with Laima.
DALLASm & fEnglishFrom a surname which was originally taken from a Scottish place name meaning "meadow dwelling". A city in Texas bears this name, probably in honour of American Vice President George Mifflin Dallas (1792-1864).
DAMAYANTIfHinduismMeans "subduing" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the 'Mahabharata' this is the name of a beautiful princess, the wife of Nala.
DAMHNAITfIrishMeans "fawn" from Gaelic
damh "stag, ox" combined with a diminutive suffix.
DANA (2)m & fEnglishFrom a surname which originally belonged to a person who was Danish. It was originally given in honour of American lawyer Richard Henry Dana (1815-1882), the author of 'Two Years Before the Mast'.
DANAËfGreek MythologyFrom
Δαναοι (Danaoi), a word used by
Homer to designate the Greeks. In Greek mythology Danaë was the daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. It had been prophesized to her father that he would one day be killed by Danaë's son, so he attempted to keep his daughter childless. However,
Zeus came to her in the form of a shower of gold, and she became the mother of
Perseus. Eventually the prophecy was fulfilled and Perseus killed Acrisius, albeit accidentally.
DANIELLEfFrench, EnglishFrench feminine form of
DANIEL. It has been commonly used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.
DANUTĖfLithuanianMeaning uncertain, possibly a feminine form of
DANIEL. It is found in Lithuania from at least 14th century, being borne by a sister of Vytautas the Great.
DAPHNEfGreek Mythology, English, DutchMeans "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of
Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.
DARf & mHebrewMeans "mother-of-pearl, nacre" in Hebrew.
DARA (2)f & mKhmerMeans "star" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit.
DARBYm & fEnglishFrom an English surname, which was derived from the name of the town of
Derby, meaning "deer town" in Old Norse.
DARCYf & mEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from Norman French
d'Arcy, originally denoting one who came from Arcy in France. This was the surname of a character in Jane Austen's novel 'Pride and Prejudice' (1813).