Hajna f HungarianShortened form of
Hajnal. The Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty used it in his epic poem
Zalán Futása (1825).
Hajnalka f HungarianMeans
"morning glory (flower)" in Hungarian, derived from
hajnal "dawn" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Hala f ArabicMeans
"halo around the moon" in Arabic. This was the name of a sister-in-law of the Prophet
Muhammad.
Hana 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
花 (hana) or
華 (hana) both meaning "flower". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Haniyya f ArabicFrom Arabic
هنيء (hanīʾ) meaning
"pleasant, beneficial", from the root
هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Hanna 1 f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian, German, Dutch, Icelandic, Hungarian, Arabic, HebrewForm of
Ḥanna (see
Hannah) in several languages.
Harpa f IcelandicFrom the name of the first summer month in the old Icelandic calendar, which might have originally been named for an unattested pre-Christian goddess. It also means
"harp" in Icelandic.
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.
Hasna f ArabicMeans
"beauty" in Arabic, a derivative of
حسن (ḥasuna) meaning "to be beautiful, to be good".
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.
Haya f ArabicMeans
"hurry, come quickly" in Arabic.
Hedda f Norwegian, SwedishDiminutive of
Hedvig. This is the name of the heroine of the play
Hedda Gabler (1890) by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen.
Hekla f IcelandicFrom the name of an active Icelandic volcano, derived from Old Norse
hekla meaning "cloak".
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).
Helga f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Icelandic, German, Dutch, Finnish, Hungarian, Czech, Portuguese, Old NorseFeminine form of
Helge.
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.
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.
Herleva f Germanic (Latinized)Possibly from the Old German elements
heri "army" and
leiba "remainder, remnant, legacy" (or the Old Norse cognates
herr and
leif, see
Herleif). This was the name of the mother of William the Conqueror, who, according to tradition, was a commoner.
Hermia f LiteratureFeminine form of
Hermes. Shakespeare used this name in his comedy
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).
Hersilia f Roman MythologyMeaning uncertain, perhaps related to Greek
ἕρση (herse) meaning
"dew". In Roman legend this was the name of a Sabine woman who became the wife of
Romulus.
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.
Hila f HebrewMeans
"halo, aura" in Hebrew, from the root
הָלַל (halal) meaning "to praise, to shine".
Hilda f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Spanish, Hungarian, Anglo-Saxon (Latinized), GermanicOriginally a short form of names containing the Old Frankish element
hildi, Old High German
hilt, Old English
hild meaning
"battle" (Proto-Germanic *
hildiz). The short form was used for both Old English and continental Germanic names. Saint Hilda (or Hild) of Whitby was a 7th-century English saint and abbess. The name became rare in England during the later Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century.
Hilla f FinnishShort form of names beginning with
Hil. It also means "cloudberry" in Finnish.
Hina f JapaneseFrom Japanese
陽 (hi) meaning "light, sun" or
日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" combined with
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
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.
Hira 2 f TurkishFrom Arabic
حراء (Ḥirāʾ), which according to tradition was the name of the cave where the Prophet
Muhammad received his first revelation.
Hla m & f BurmeseMeans
"pretty, favourable" in Burmese.
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.
Honoria f Late RomanFeminine form of
Honorius. This name was borne by the sister of the Western Roman emperor Valentinian III. After her brother had her engaged to a man she did not like, she wrote to
Attila the Hun asking for help. Attila interpreted this as a marriage proposal and subsequently invaded.
Hosanna f BiblicalFrom the Aramaic religious expression
הושע נא (Hoshaʿ na) meaning
"deliver us" in Hebrew. In the New Testament this is exclaimed by those around
Jesus when he first enters Jerusalem.
Hua f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
华 (huá) meaning "splendid, illustrious, Chinese" or
花 (huā) meaning "flower, blossom" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well.
Huda f ArabicMeans
"right guidance" in Arabic, from the root
هدى (hadā) meaning "to lead the right way, to guide".
Hulda 1 f Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian, Norse MythologyDerived from Old Norse
hulda meaning
"hiding, secrecy". This was the name of a sorceress in Norse mythology. As a modern name, it can also derive from archaic Swedish
huld meaning "gracious, sweet, lovable".
Huriya f Arabic (Rare)Means
"nymph, heavenly maiden" in Arabic, referring to the houris, who are beautiful maidens who dwell in the Islamic afterlife.
Hydra f Astronomy, Greek MythologyMeans
"water serpent" in Greek, related to
ὕδωρ (hydor) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a many-headed Lernaean serpent slain by
Herakles. It is also the name of a northern constellation, as well as a moon of Pluto.
Hypatia f Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
ὕπατος (hypatos) meaning
"highest, supreme". Hypatia of Alexandria was a 5th-century philosopher and mathematician, daughter of the mathematician Theon.
Ianeira f Greek MythologyPossibly from Greek
Ἰάν (Ian), a variant of
Ἴων (Ion) meaning
"Ionian", the Ionians being a Greek tribe. The name Ianeira was borne by a few characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids and one of the Oceanids.
Iara f TupiMeans
"lady of the water" in Tupi, from
y "water" and
îara "lady, mistress". In Brazilian folklore this is the name of a beautiful river nymph who would lure men into the water. She may have been based upon earlier Tupi legends.
Ibolya f HungarianMeans
"violet" in Hungarian, ultimately from Latin
viola.
Ida f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, French, Polish, Finnish, Hungarian, Slovak, Slovene, GermanicDerived from the Germanic element
id possibly meaning
"work, labour" (Proto-Germanic *
idiz). The Normans brought this name to England, though it eventually died out there in the Middle Ages. It was strongly revived in the 19th century, in part due to the heroine in Alfred Tennyson's poem
The Princess (1847), which was later adapted into the play
Princess Ida (1884) by Gilbert and Sullivan.
... [more] Idoia f BasqueFrom the name of a sanctuary in Isaba, Navarre, possibly meaning
"pond" in Basque, an important place of worship of the Virgin
Mary.
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.
Iemanjá f Afro-American MythologyPortuguese form of
Yemọja, used in Brazil by adherents of Candomblé. She is identified with Our Lady of Immaculate Conception as well as other aspects of the Virgin
Mary.
Ieva f Lithuanian, LatvianLithuanian and Latvian form of
Eve. This is also the Lithuanian and Latvian word for a type of cherry tree (species Prunus padus).
Ifeoma f IgboMeans
"good thing" in Igbo, derived from
ífé meaning "thing" and
ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".
Ifunanya f IgboMeans
"love" in Igbo (literally "to see in one's eye").
Ila f HindiMeans
"earth" or
"speech" in Sanskrit.
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.
Ilga f LatvianDerived from Latvian
ilgas meaning
"longing, desire" or
ilgs meaning
"long time".
Illuminata f Late RomanMeans
"illuminated, brightened, filled with light" in Latin. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint from Todi, Italy.
Ilma 2 f BosnianMeaning unknown, possibly from Arabic
علْم (ʿilm) meaning
"knowledge, learning".
Imola f HungarianCreated by the Hungarian author Mór Jókai for a character in his novel
Bálványosvár (1883). It means
"centaury, knapweed, starthistle" in Hungarian, referring to flowering plants in the genus Centaurea.
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] India f English, Spanish (Modern)From the name of the country of
India, which is itself derived from the name of the Indus River. The river's name is ultimately from Sanskrit
सिन्धु (Sindhu) meaning "body of trembling water, river". India Wilkes is a character in the novel
Gone with the Wind (1936) by Margaret Mitchell.
Indiana f & m EnglishFrom the name of the American state of
Indiana, which means "land of the Indians". This is the name of the hero in the
Indiana Jones series of movies, starring Harrison Ford.
Inga f Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Estonian, Finnish, Latvian, Lithuanian, German, Polish, Russian, Old Norse, GermanicStrictly feminine form of
Inge.
Ingela f SwedishOld variant of
Ingegerd. It can also be considered a diminutive of other names beginning with
Ing.
Inja f SloveneSlovene short form of names ending with
ina.
Inmaculada f SpanishMeans
"immaculate" in Spanish. This name is given to commemorate the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin
Mary.
Iona 1 f English, ScottishFrom the name of the island off Scotland where Saint Columba founded a monastery. The name of the island is Old Norse in origin, and apparently derives simply from
ey meaning "island".
Iphigeneia f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ἴφιος (iphios) meaning "strong, stout" and
γενής (genes) meaning "born". In Greek myth Iphigenia was the daughter of King
Agamemnon. When her father offended
Artemis it was divined that the only way to appease the goddess was to sacrifice Iphigenia. Just as Agamemnon was about to sacrifice his daughter she was magically transported to the city of Taurus.
... [more] Iqra f UrduFrom Arabic
اقْرأ (iqraʾ) meaning
"read, recite, confess". This is another name of the 96th chapter of the Quran.
Iracema f TupiMeans
"honey lips" in Tupi, from
yra "honey" and
tembe "lips". This is the name of an 1865 novel by José de Alencar, about the relationship between a Tupi woman and a Portuguese man during the early colonial period. Alencar may have constructed the name so that it would be an anagram of
America.
Iria f Portuguese, GalicianPossibly a Portuguese and Galician form of
Irene. This was the name of a 7th-century saint (also known as Irene) from Tomar in Portugal. This is also the name of an ancient town in Galicia (now a district of Padrón).
Irma f German, English, Dutch, Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Spanish, Italian, Georgian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Slovene, GermanicGerman short form of names beginning with the Old German element
irmin meaning
"whole, great" (Proto-Germanic *
ermunaz). It is thus related to
Emma. It began to be regularly used in the English-speaking world in the 19th century.
Isabella f Italian, German, English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, RomanianLatinate form of
Isabel. This name was borne by many medieval royals, including queens consort of England, France, Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire and Hungary, as well as the powerful ruling queen Isabella of Castile (properly called
Isabel).
... [more] Isha f & m Hindi, Marathi, HinduismMeans
"master, lord, ruler" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form
ईशा and the masculine form
ईश (an epithet of the Hindu god
Shiva). It is also the name of one of the Upanishads, which are parts of Hindu scripture.
Isla f Scottish, EnglishVariant of
Islay, typically used as a feminine name. It also coincides with the Spanish word
isla meaning "island".
Isra f ArabicMeans
"nocturnal journey" in Arabic, derived from
سرى (sarā) meaning "to travel by night". According to Islamic tradition, the
Isra was a miraculous journey undertaken by the Prophet
Muhammad.