Abeni f YorubaMeans
"we prayed and we received" in Yoruba.
Abidemi m & f YorubaMeans
"born in my absence" in Yoruba. It is typically given to children born when the father is away.
Aditi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, KannadaMeans
"boundless, entire" or
"freedom, security" in Sanskrit, derived from the negative prefix
अ (a) and
दिति (diti) meaning "giving". This is the name of a Hindu goddess of the cosmos, motherhood and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of several of the gods.
Ai 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection",
藍 (ai) meaning "indigo", or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Ai 2 f ChineseFrom Chinese
爱 (ài) meaning "love, affection",
蔼 (ǎi) meaning "friendly, lush", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Aimi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Airi 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" combined with
莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or
梨 (ri) meaning "pear". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Airi 2 f FinnishFrom Finnish
airut meaning
"messenger, herald", also influenced by place names beginning with the same sound.
Akari f JapaneseFrom Japanese
明 (aka) meaning "bright" or
朱 (aka) meaning "vermilion red" combined with
里 (ri) meaning "village" or
莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Akemi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
明 (ake) meaning "bright" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Aki 2 f JapaneseFrom 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.
Akinyi f LuoMeans
"born in the morning" in Luo.
Alli f FinnishFinnish diminutive of names beginning with
Al. This is also the Finnish word for a type of duck.
Amani f ArabicMeans
"wishes" in Arabic, related to the root
منا (manā) meaning "to tempt, to put to the test".
Ami 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Anahí f Spanish (Latin American)Possibly from the Guarani name for the cockspur coral tree (species Erythrina crista-galli). In a Guarani legend this is the name of a young woman burned at the stake by the conquistadors, after which she is transformed into the flowering tree.
Ani 2 f ArmenianFrom 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.
Aoi f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
葵 (aoi) meaning "hollyhock, althea" or an adjectival form of
碧 (ao) meaning "green, blue". Other kanji with the same reading can form this name as well.
Araceli f SpanishMeans
"altar of the sky" from Latin
ara "altar" and
coeli "sky". This is an epithet of the Virgin
Mary in her role as the patron saint of Lucena, Spain.
Armani m & f English (Modern)From an Italian surname meaning
"son of Ermanno". It has been used as a given name due to the fashion company Armani, which was founded by the clothing designer Giorgio Armani (1934-).
Arpi f ArmenianMeans
"sun, ether" in Armenian (a poetic word).
Arundhati f Hinduism, HindiThe name of a star (also called Alcor), which was named after a type of climbing plant, meaning "not restrained" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief it is the name of the sage
Vasishtha's wife, who is identified with the star.
Arushi f Hinduism, HindiFrom Sanskrit
अरुष (aruṣa) meaning
"reddish, dawn", a word used in the
Rigveda to describe the red horses of
Agni. According to some traditions this was the name of the wife of the legendary sage Chyavana.
Asahi m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
旭 (asahi) or
朝日 (asahi) both meaning "morning sun". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Asami f JapaneseFrom Japanese
麻 (asa) meaning "hemp" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Ashanti f & m VariousFrom the name of an African people who reside in southern Ghana. It possibly means "warlike" in the Twi language.
Aslı f TurkishMeans
"origin, original, essence" in Turkish.
Aştî f & m KurdishMeans
"peace, tranquility" in Kurdish.
Avanti f HindiFrom the name of an ancient kingdom of central India that had its capital at Ujjain.
Awiti f LuoMeans
"thrown away" in Luo, possibly used for a child born prematurely.
Awotwi m & f AkanMeans
"eighth born child" in Akan.
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.
Bai m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
白 (bái) meaning "white, pure",
百 (bǎi) meaning "one hundred, many" or
柏 (bǎi) meaning "cypress tree, cedar" (which is usually only masculine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. This name was borne in the 8th century by the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai, whose given was
白.
Bambi f EnglishDerived from Italian
bambina meaning
"young girl". The American novelist Marjorie Benton Cooke used it in her novel
Bambi (1914). This was also the name of a male deer in a cartoon by Walt Disney, which was based on a 1923 novel by Swiss author Felix Salten.
Batari f IndonesianMeans
"goddess" in Indonesian, derived from the Sanskrit noble title
भट्टारी (bhaṭṭārī) meaning "noble lady".
Bhumi f HinduismMeans
"earth, soil" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu earth goddess. She is the wife of
Varaha, an avatar of
Vishnu.
Çağrı m & f TurkishMeans
"invitation" or
"falcon" in Turkish.
Capri f English (Modern)From the name of the picturesque Italian island of Capri. It is likely from Greek
κάπρος (kapros) meaning "wild boar", though it could also be of Etruscan origin or from Latin
capri meaning "goats".
Ceri f & m WelshMeaning uncertain. It could come from the name of the Ceri River in Ceredigion, Wales; it could be a short form of
Ceridwen; it could be derived from Welsh
caru meaning "to love".
Chi 2 m & f Igbo Mythology, IgboMeans
"god, spiritual being" in Igbo, referring to the personal spiritual guardian that each person is believed to have. Christian Igbo people use it as a name for the personal Christian god (as opposed to the omnipresent
Chukwu, though the names are used synonymously in some contexts). This can also be a short form of the many Igbo names that begin with this element.
Chiaki f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
千 (chi) meaning "thousand" combined with
秋 (aki) meaning "autumn",
晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal" or
明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear". This name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.
Chidi m & f IgboMeans
"God exists" in Igbo, derived from
Chi 2, referring to God, and
dị meaning "is". It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with
Chidi.
Cipactli m & f NahuatlMeans
"crocodile, alligator, caiman, monster" in Nahuatl. This is the name of the first day in the tonalpohualli, the Aztec 260-day calendar.
Cozbi f BiblicalMeans
"my lie, my deception" in Hebrew, a derivative of
כָּזַב (kazav) meaning "to lie, to deceive". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a Midianite woman who became a lover of the Israelite
Zimri, both of whom were killed by
Phinehas in order to stop a plague sent by God.
Damayanti f HinduismMeans
"subduing" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of a beautiful princess, the wife of
Nala.
Demi f Greek, English (Modern)Alternate transcription of Greek
Δήμη or
Ντίμι or
Ντίμη (see
Dimi), as well as a short form of
Demetria. A famous bearer is American actress Demi Moore (1962-), and it is because of her that the name rose in popularity in the United States in the late 1980s. Though some sources claim Moore's birth name is Demetria, the actress herself has said she was born as Demi and named after a makeup product. The name received a further boost after 2008 with the release of the debut album by the singer Demi Lovato (1992-), who pronounces the name differently than the older actress. Lovato's birth name is Demetria.
Desi m & f EnglishDiminutive of
Desmond,
Desiree and other names beginning with a similar sound. In the case of musician and actor Desi Arnaz (1917-1986) it was a diminutive of
Desiderio.
Draupadi f HinduismMeans
"daughter of Drupada" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of the daughter of King Drupada of Panchala. She married all of the Pandavas, the five sons of
Pandu.
Duri f & m KoreanMeans
"two" in Korean (Gyeongsang dialect).
Dwi m & f IndonesianMeans
"two, second" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit
द्वि (dvi).
Eleri f WelshFrom the name of a Welsh river, also called the Leri, of unknown meaning. This was also the name of a 7th-century Welsh saint (masculine).
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).
Elli 3 f Norse MythologyMeans
"old age" in Old Norse. In the
Prose Edda this is the name of an old woman (old age personified) who wrestles with and defeats the god
Thor.
Emi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or
絵 (e) meaning "picture, painting" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Esi f AkanMeans
"born on Sunday" in Akan.
Eteri f GeorgianForm of
Eter with the nominative suffix, used when the name is written stand-alone.
Eun-Ji f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
恩 (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" combined with
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
地 (ji) meaning "earth, soil, ground". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Fadzai f ShonaFrom Shona
fadza meaning
"please, make happy".
Farai m & f ShonaFrom Shona
fara meaning
"rejoice, be happy".
Fitri f & m Indonesian, MalayMeans
"pure, natural" in Indonesian and Malay, ultimately from Arabic
فطْري (fiṭrī) meaning "natural". It is a feminine name in Indonesia and a masculine name in Malaysia.
Fumi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
文 (fumi) meaning "writing",
史 (fumi) meaning "history", or other kanji or combinations of kanji that are read the same way. It is often written in hiragana or katakana.
Fungai m & f ShonaFrom Shona
funga meaning
"think, judge".
Gargi f Hinduism, Hindi, BengaliMeaning unknown. This was the name of a 7th-century BC Indian philosopher who appears in the Upanishads, which are parts of Hindu scripture.
Gauri f Hinduism, Hindi, MarathiDerived from Sanskrit
गौर (gaura) meaning
"white, pale, yellow". This is a Hindu goddess, another name of
Parvati the wife of
Shiva, so named because of her fair complexion.
Gayatri f Hinduism, Marathi, HindiFrom Sanskrit
गायत्र (gāyatra), which refers to a type of hymn or song with a particular meter, derived from
गै (gai) meaning "to sing". The original hymm, also called the
Savitri, is in the
Rigveda and is a dedication to the sun god
Savitr. As a goddess, Gayatri is a personification of this hymn. She is identified with
Saraswati.
Goretti f VariousFrom the surname of Maria Goretti, a 20th-century Italian saint who forgave her murderer on her deathbed. Her surname was derived from the given name
Gregorio.
Gwenfrewi f Welsh (Rare)Derived from Welsh
gwen meaning "white, blessed" combined with another element of uncertain meaning. It could possibly be Welsh
ffreu meaning "stream, flow" or the obscure word
ffrewi meaning "pacify, quell, reconcile". This may be the original form of
Winifred. In any case, it is the Welsh name for the saint.
Gyeong-Hui f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
敬 (gyeong) meaning "respect, honour" and
姬 (hui) meaning "beauty". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Hai m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
海 (hǎi) meaning "sea, ocean" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Harumi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other kanji combinations that are read the same way.
Haunani f HawaiianMeans
"beautiful snow" from Hawaiian
hau "snow" and
nani "beauty, glory".
Heidi f German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, EnglishGerman diminutive of
Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel
Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.
Heirani f TahitianFrom Tahitian
hei "crown, garland" and
raʻi "heaven, sky".
Hifumi m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
一 (hi) meaning "one",
二 (fu) meaning "two" and
三 (mi) meaning "three".
Hikari f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
光 (hikari) meaning "light". Other kanji can also form this name. It is often written with the hiragana writing system.
Hitomi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
瞳 (hitomi) meaning "pupil of the eye". It can also come from
史 (hito) meaning "history" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other kanji combinations. This name is often written with the hiragana writing system.
Hōkūlani f HawaiianMeans
"heavenly star" from Hawaiian
hōkū "star" and
lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Hoshi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
星 (hoshi) meaning "star" or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Hui f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
慧 (huì) meaning "intelligent, wise" (which is usually only feminine),
辉 (huī) meaning "brightness", besides other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Ilargi f BasqueMeans
"moon" in Basque, a compound of
hil "month" and
argi "light".
Inari f & m Japanese MythologyMeans
"carrying rice" in Japanese, from
稲 (ina) meaning "rice" and
荷 (ri) meaning "carry". This is the name of a Japanese divinity associated with prosperity, rice and foxes, represented as both female and male.
Itai 2 m & f ShonaFrom Shona
ita meaning
"do, act, perform".
Izanami f Japanese MythologyProbably means
"female who invites" in Japanese, from
誘 (izana) meaning "invite, lure, attract". In Japanese mythology she was a creator goddess, the wife of
Izanagi. She died giving birth to Kagutsuchi, the god of fire.
Izumi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
泉 (izumi) meaning "fountain, spring". This name can also be constructed from other combinations of kanji.
Jelani m & f African American (Modern)This name began to be used rarely in the United States in 1973 after it was featured in a nation-wide newspaper article about African baby names. It probably represents the Arabic name
Jilani, given in honour of the Sufi scholar Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (the meaning quoted by the newspaper article ("mighty") coincides with the meaning of
Qadir).
... [more] Jeong-Hui f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
正 (jeong) meaning "right, proper, correct" or
靜 (jeong) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" combined with
姬 (hui) meaning "beauty" or
熙 (hui) meaning "bright, splendid, glorious". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Ji m & f Korean (Rare)From Sino-Korean
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. Although it does appear rarely as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character.
Jingyi m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
静 (jìng) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" combined with
怡 (yí) meaning "joy, harmony". Other character combinations are possible as well.