Aafje f DutchShort form of names beginning with the Old German element
alb "elf".
Aaliyah f Arabic, English (Modern), African American (Modern)Feminine form of
Aali. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001), who was known simply as Aaliyah. This name received a boost in popularity after she released her debut album in 1994, and also in 2001 after her untimely death in an airplane crash.
Baako m & f AkanMeans
"first born child" in Akan.
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.
Bahargül f TurkmenDerived from Turkmen
bahar meaning "spring" and
gül meaning "flower, rose" (both roots ultimately of Persian origin).
Bahija f ArabicMeans
"happy, joyous, delightful" in Arabic, from the verb
بهج (bahija) meaning "to be happy, to rejoice in".
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.
Baia f GeorgianFrom the Georgian name for the buttercup flower (or any flowering plant from the genus Ranunculus).
Bailey m & f EnglishFrom an English surname derived from Middle English
baili meaning
"bailiff", originally denoting one who was a bailiff.
... [more] Bakarne f BasqueFrom Basque
bakar meaning
"alone". It was proposed by Sabino Arana in 1910 as an equivalent of the Spanish name
Soledad.
Baktygul f KyrgyzDerived from Persian
بخت (bakht) meaning "fortune, happiness" and
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
Balthild f GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
bald "bold, brave" and
hilt "battle". This was the name of a 7th-century saint, the wife of the Frankish king Clovis II. She was apparently an Anglo-Saxon, her original name being the Old English cognate
Bealdhild. She is also called
Bathilde.
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.
Bao f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
宝 (bǎo) meaning "treasure, jewel, precious, rare",
褒 (bāo) meaning "praise, honour" or
苞 (bāo) meaning "bud" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are possible as well.
Baran f & m Persian, Turkish, KurdishMeans
"rain" in Persian. It is typically feminine in Persian and masculine in Turkish and Kurdish.
Barbara f English, Italian, French, German, Polish, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late RomanDerived from Greek
βάρβαρος (barbaros) meaning
"foreign, non-Greek". According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning. She is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen. Because of her renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Barbe f FrenchFrench form of
Barbara. In modern times it is usually only used in reference to the saint, while
Barbara is more common as a given name.
Barbie f EnglishDiminutive of
Barbara. This is the name of a doll produced by the Mattel toy company since 1959. It was named after the original designer's daughter.
Başak f TurkishMeans
"ear of wheat" in Turkish. This is also the Turkish name for the constellation Virgo.
Bastet f Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
bꜣstt, which was possibly derived from
bꜣs meaning
"ointment jar" and a feminine
t suffix. In Egyptian mythology Bastet was a goddess of cats, fertility and the sun who was considered a protector of Lower Egypt. In early times she was typically depicted with the head of a lioness. By the New Kingdom period she was more associated with domestic cats, while the similar cat goddess
Sekhmet took on the fierce lioness aspect.
Batari f IndonesianMeans
"goddess" in Indonesian, derived from the Sanskrit noble title
भट्टारी (bhaṭṭārī) meaning "noble lady".
Bathilde f French (Rare)Derived from the Old German elements
batu and
hilt, which both mean
"battle". This is another name used to refer to Saint
Balthild. It is also borne by a character in Adolphe Adam's ballet
Giselle (1841).
Bathsheba f BiblicalMeans
"daughter of the oath" in Hebrew, derived from
בַּת (baṯ) meaning "daughter" and
שָׁבַע (shavaʿ) meaning "oath". According to the Old Testament, this was the name of a woman married to
Uriah the Hittite. She became pregnant by King
David, so he arranged to have her husband killed in battle and then married her. She was the mother of
Solomon.
Batul f ArabicMeans
"virgin" in Arabic. This is an Arabic epithet of the Virgin
Mary.
Bau f Sumerian MythologyMeaning unknown. This was the name of a Sumerian mother goddess, also associated with healing and midwifery.
Baylor m & f English (Modern)From a surname, possibly an Americanized form of the German surname
Beiler, derived from Middle High German
beile meaning
"measuring stick".
Cadence f English (Modern)From an English word meaning
"rhythm, flow". It has been in use only since the 20th century.
Çağrı m & f TurkishMeans
"invitation" or
"falcon" in Turkish.
Calafia f LiteratureProbably invented by the 16th-century Spanish writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, who likely based it on
califa, the Spanish form of Arabic
خليفة (khalīfa), an Islamic title meaning
"successor" (see
Khalifa). In Montalvo's novel
The Adventures of Esplandián it is borne by the queen of the island of California (the inspiration for the name of the American and Mexican states).
Calla f EnglishFrom the name of two types of plants, the true calla (species Calla palustris) and the calla lily (species Calla aethiopica), both having white flowers and growing in marshy areas. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek
κάλλος (kallos) meaning
"beauty".
Calypso f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant
"she that conceals", derived from
καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with
Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until
Zeus ordered her to release him.
Cambria f Various (Rare)Latin form of the Welsh
Cymru, the Welsh name for the country of Wales, derived from
cymry meaning "the people". It is occasionally used as a given name in modern times.
Camellia f English (Rare)From the name of the flowering shrub, which was named for the botanist and missionary Georg Josef Kamel.
Cameron m & f EnglishFrom a Scottish surname meaning
"crooked nose" from Gaelic
cam "crooked" and
sròn "nose". As a given name it is mainly used for boys. It got a little bump in popularity for girls in the second half of the 1990s, likely because of the fame of actress Cameron Diaz (1972-). In the United States, the forms
Camryn and
Kamryn are now more popular than
Cameron for girls.
Camille f & m French, EnglishFrench feminine and masculine form of
Camilla. It is also used in the English-speaking world, where it is generally only feminine.
Campbell m & f EnglishFrom a Scottish surname meaning
"crooked mouth" from Gaelic
cam "crooked" and
beul "mouth".
Candace f English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the hereditary title of the queens of Ethiopia, as mentioned in Acts in the New Testament. It is apparently derived from Cushitic
kdke meaning
"queen mother". In some versions of the Bible it is spelled
Kandake, reflecting the Greek spelling
Κανδάκη. It was used as a given name by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 20th century by a character in the 1942 movie
Meet the Stewarts.
Candelaria f SpanishMeans
"Candlemas" in Spanish, ultimately derived from Spanish
candela "candle". This name is given in honour of the church festival of Candlemas, which commemorates the presentation of Christ in the temple and the purification of the Virgin
Mary.
Candida f Late Roman, EnglishLate Latin name derived from
candidus meaning
"white". This was the name of several early saints, including a woman supposedly healed by Saint
Peter. As an English name, it came into use after George Bernard Shaw's play
Candida (1898).
Candide m & f French (Rare), LiteratureFrench form of
Candidus or
Candida. The French philosopher and author Voltaire used this name for the main character (a male) in his satire
Candide (1759). In French
candide also means
"naive", which is descriptive of the book's protagonist.
Cansel f TurkishDerived from Turkish
can meaning "soul, life" and
sel meaning "flood, stream".
Cansu f TurkishFrom Turkish
can meaning "soul, life" and
su meaning "water".
Caoilfhionn f IrishDerived from the Old Irish elements
cáel "slender" and
finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Caoimhe f IrishDerived from Irish
caomh meaning
"dear, beloved, gentle".
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".
Caprice f EnglishFrom the English word meaning
"impulse", ultimately (via French) from Italian
capriccio.
Capucine f FrenchMeans
"nasturtium" in French. This was the stage name of the French actress and model Capucine (1928-1990).
Cara f EnglishFrom an Italian word meaning
"beloved" or an Irish word meaning
"friend". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, though it did not become popular until after the 1950s.
Cardea f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
cardo meaning
"hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.
Carey m & f EnglishFrom an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Ciardha, which is a patronymic derived from the given name
Ciardha.
Caridad f SpanishMeans
"charity" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de la Caridad, meaning "Our Lady of Charity". This is the name of the patron saint of Cuba, with a shrine located in the town of El Cobre.
Carina 1 f English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Late RomanLate Latin name derived from
cara meaning
"dear, beloved". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr. It is also the name of a constellation in the southern sky, though in this case it means "keel" in Latin, referring to a part of
Jason's ship the Argo.
Carita f SwedishDerived from Latin
caritas meaning
"dearness, esteem, love".
Carlisle m & f English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from the name of a city in northern England. The city was originally called by the Romans
Luguvalium meaning "stronghold of
Lugus". Later the Brythonic element
ker "fort" was appended to the name of the city.
Carly f EnglishFeminine form of
Carl. A famous bearer is the American singer Carly Simon (1945-), who inspired a rise in popularity in this name in the 1970s.
Carmel f & m English, JewishFrom the title of the Virgin
Mary Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
כַּרְמֶל (Karmel) (meaning "garden" in Hebrew) is a mountain in Israel mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the site of several early Christian monasteries. As an English given name, it has mainly been used by Catholics. As a Jewish name it is unisex.
Carmen f Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, French, Romanian, GermanMedieval Spanish form of
Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin
Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word
carmen meaning
"song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera
Carmen (1875).
Carminho f PortugueseDiminutive of
Carmo. It has been popularized in Portugal by the singer simply known as Carminho (1984-).
Carol 1 f & m EnglishShort form of
Caroline. It was formerly a masculine name, derived from
Carolus. The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means "song" or "hymn".
Caron f & m WelshFrom the name of places near the town of Tregaron in Ceredigion, Wales.
Carrie f EnglishDiminutive of
Caroline. This name declined in use shortly after the 1976 release of the horror movie
Carrie, which was based on a 1974 novel by Stephen King.
Carson m & f EnglishFrom a Scottish surname of uncertain meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was the American scout Kit Carson (1809-1868).
Cary m & f EnglishVariant of
Carey. A famous bearer was the British-American actor Cary Grant (1904-1986).
Carys f WelshDerived from Welsh
caru meaning
"love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.
Casey m & f EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Cathasaigh, a patronymic derived from the given name
Cathassach. This name can be given in honour of Casey Jones (1863-1900), a train engineer who sacrificed his life to save his passengers. In his case,
Casey was a nickname acquired because he was raised in the town of Cayce, Kentucky.
Casilda f SpanishMeaning uncertain. This is the name of the 11th-century patron saint of Toledo, Spain. It might have an Arabic origin (Saint Casilda was a Moorish princess), perhaps from
قصيدة (qaṣīda) meaning
"poem". Alternatively it could be derived from a Visigothic name in which the second element is
hilds meaning "battle".
Cassarah f English (Rare)Recently created name intended to mean
"what will be, will be". It is from the title of the 1956 song
Que Sera, Sera, which was taken from the Italian phrase
che sarà sarà. The phrase
que sera, sera is not grammatically correct in any Romance language.
Cassidy f & m English (Modern)From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic
Ó Caiside), which is derived from the byname
Caiside. Very rare as a given name before the 1970s, it established itself in the 80s and then surged in popularity during the 90s.
Cat f & m EnglishDiminutive of
Catherine. It can also be a nickname from the English word for the animal.
Cataleya f Various (Rare)Variant of
cattleya, a genus of orchids native to Central and South America, which were named for the British horticulturist William Cattley. This name was popularized by the main character from the movie
Colombiana (2011).
Da m & f ChineseFrom 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.
Daenerys f LiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series
A Song of Ice and Fire, first published 1996, and the television adaptation
Game of Thrones (2011-2019). 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.
Daffodil f English (Rare)From the name of the flower, ultimately derived from Dutch
de affodil meaning "the asphodel".