Bébinn f Old Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"white woman", from Old Irish
bé "woman" and
finn "white, blessed". This name was borne by several characters in Irish mythology, including the mother of the hero Fráech.
Jarmila f Czech, SlovakDerived from Czech
jarý "young, fresh" and
milý "kind, dear". This is the name of a character in the Czech poem
Máj (1836) by Karel Hynek Mácha.
Hideko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or
英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Furiosa f Popular CultureMeans
"full of rage, furious" in Latin. This is the name of a warrior who turns against the evil Immortan Joe in the movie
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).
Sun f & m KoreanAlternate transcription of Korean Hangul
선 (see
Seon).
Meja f Swedish (Modern)Possibly from a Low German diminutive of names beginning with the Old German element
megin meaning
"power, strength". It was popularized by the Swedish singer Meja (1969-), born Anna Pernilla Torndahl.
Nəfəs f AzerbaijaniMeans
"breath" in Azerbaijani, derived from Arabic
نفس (nafas), ultimately related to the root
نفس (nafusa) meaning "to be precious".
Gül f TurkishMeans
"rose" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.
Celinda f English (Rare)Probably a blend of
Celia and
Linda. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
Min 1 m & f Chinese, KoreanFrom
敏 (mǐn) meaning "quick, clever, sharp",
民 (mín) meaning "people, citizens", or other Chinese/Sino-Korean characters that are pronounced similarly.
Snieguolė f LithuanianFrom Lithuanian
sniegas meaning
"snow" and a diminutive suffix. As a word,
snieguolė can also mean
"snowdrop flower", while
Snieguolė is also the Lithuanian name for
Snow White.
Lindy m & f EnglishOriginally this was a masculine name, coming into use in America in 1927 when the dance called the Lindy Hop became popular. The dance was probably named for aviator Charles Lindbergh. Later this name was used as a diminutive of
Linda.
Chrissy f EnglishDiminutive of
Christine or
Christina. This name briefly jumped in popularity after the 1977 premiere of the American sitcom
Three's Company, featuring a character by this name.
Amalaberga f Gothic (Latinized)From the Gothic name *
Amalabairga, derived from the Gothic element
amals meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave", also referring to the royal dynasty of the Amali, combined with
bairgo meaning "help, protection". This name was borne by a daughter of Theodemir, king of the Ostrogoths in the 5th century.
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.
Mayumi 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with
弓 (yumi) meaning "archery bow" or
由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". This name can also be constructed from other kanji combinations.
Lucina f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
lucus meaning
"grove", but later associated with
lux meaning
"light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
Maile f HawaiianFrom the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.
Rita f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, English, German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, EstonianShort form of
Margherita and other names ending in
rita. Saint Rita (born Margherita Lotti) was a 15th-century nun from Cascia, Italy. Another famous bearer was the American actress Rita Hayworth (1918-1987).
Kimberly f EnglishFrom the name of the city of
Kimberley in South Africa, which was named after Lord
Kimberley (1826-1902). The city came to prominence in the late 19th century during the Boer War.
Kimberly has been used as a given name since the mid-20th century, eventually becoming very popular as a feminine name.
Unity f English (Rare)From the English word
unity, which is ultimately derived from Latin
unitas.
Veasna m & f KhmerMeans
"fate, destiny" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit
वासना (vāsanā) meaning "imagination, impression".
Shirley f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel
Shirley (1849). Though the name was already popular in the United States, the child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) gave it a further boost. By 1935 it was the second most common name for girls.
Patrocinio f & m SpanishMeans
"patronage, sponsorship" in Spanish, taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
La Virgen del Patrocinio, meaning "The Virgin of Patronage".
Inas f ArabicMeans
"friendliness" in Arabic, from the root
أنس (ʾanisa) meaning "to be friendly".
Sanaa f ArabicMeans
"brilliance, radiance, splendour" in Arabic, derived from the root
سنا (sanā) meaning "to gleam, to shine".
Mildred f EnglishFrom the Old English name
Mildþryð meaning
"gentle strength", derived from the elements
milde "gentle" and
þryþ "strength". Saint Mildred was a 7th-century abbess, the daughter of the Kentish princess Saint Ermenburga. After the Norman Conquest this name became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Nanabah f NavajoMeans
"returning warrior" in Navajo, derived from
nááná "again" and
baa' "warrior, heroine, raid, battle".
Sethunya f TswanaMeans
"bloom, flower" in Tswana, derived from
thunya "to bloom".
Guinevere f Arthurian CycleFrom the Norman French form of the Welsh name
Gwenhwyfar meaning
"white phantom", ultimately from the old Celtic roots *
windos meaning "white" (modern Welsh
gwen) and *
sēbros meaning "phantom, magical being". In Arthurian legend she was the beautiful wife of King
Arthur. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, she was seduced by
Mordred before the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. According to the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, she engaged in an adulterous affair with Sir
Lancelot.
... [more] Pocahontas f Powhatan (Anglicized)Means
"little playful one" in Powhatan, an Algonquian language. This was the nickname of a 17th-century Powhatan woman, a daughter of the powerful chief
Wahunsenacawh. She married the white colonist John Rolfe and travelled with him to England, but died of illness before returning.
Halo f English (Modern)From the English word
halo meaning
"luminous disc or ring", derived from Greek
ἅλως (halos). Haloes often appear in religious art above the heads of holy people.
Regla f SpanishMeans
"rule" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Regla, meaning "Our Lady of the Rule". This name is especially common in Cuba.
Rán f Norse MythologyMeans
"robbery, theft" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology Rán was a sea goddess who captured and drowned sailors. She was wife to
Ægir and the mother of nine daughters by him.
Angerona f Roman MythologyPossibly from Latin
angor "strangulation, torment" or
angustus "narrow, constricted". Angerona was the Roman goddess of the winter solstice, death, and silence.
Umm f ArabicMeans
"mother" in Arabic. This is often used in a kunya, a type of Arabic nickname (see the masculine counterpart
Abu).
Fungai m & f ShonaFrom Shona
funga meaning
"think, judge".
Keala f & m HawaiianMeans
"the path" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
ala "path".
Aldara f GalicianGalician form of the Visigothic name *
Hildiwara, which was composed of the Gothic elements
hilds "battle" and
wars "aware, cautious". This was the name of the 7th-century wife of the Visigothic king Gundemar. It was also borne by the mother of Saint
Rosendo (10th century).
Atsuko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
温 (atsu) meaning "warm",
篤 (atsu) meaning "deep, true, sincere" or
敦 (atsu) meaning "honest" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Terry 1 m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the medieval name
Thierry, a Norman French form of
Theodoric.
Goda 2 f LithuanianFrom Lithuanian
godà meaning
"thought, dream" or
"honour, respect".
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.
Garance f FrenchFrom the French name for a variety of flowering plant (genus Rubia; called
madder in English), which is used to make red dye. This name was borne by the central character in the French film
Les Enfants du Paradis (1945).
Tondra f EsperantoMeans
"thunderous", from Esperanto
tondro meaning "thunder".
Dagrun f NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Dagrún, which was derived from the Old Norse elements
dagr "day" and
rún "secret lore, rune".
Leonor f Spanish, PortugueseSpanish and Portuguese form of
Eleanor. It was brought to Spain in the 12th-century by Eleanor of England, who married King Alfonso VIII of Castile.
Ludmila f Czech, Latvian, RussianMeans
"favour of the people" from the Slavic elements
ľudŭ "people" and
milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.
... [more] Love 2 f EnglishSimply from the English word
love, derived from Old English
lufu.
Róisín f IrishDiminutive of
Róis or the Irish word
rós meaning
"rose" (of Latin origin). It appears in the 17th-century song
Róisín Dubh.
Britannia f English (Rare)From the Latin name of the island of
Britain, in occasional use as an English given name since the 18th century. This is also the name of the Roman female personification of Britain pictured on some British coins.
Milani f English (Modern)From the name of the Italian city of
Milan, as in the name of the American cosmetics company founded in 2002. It could also a variant of
Melanie.
Nephthys f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)Greek form of Egyptian
nbt-ḥwt (reconstructed as
Nebet-Hut) meaning
"lady of the house", derived from
nbt "lady" and
ḥwt "house". This was the name of an Egyptian goddess associated with the air, death and mourning. She was wife of the desert god
Seth.
Clarinda f EnglishCombination of
Clara and the popular name suffix
inda. It was first used by Edmund Spenser in his epic poem
The Faerie Queene (1590).
Narine f ArmenianProbably from Persian
نار (nār) meaning
"pomegranate", considered a sacred fruit in Armenian culture. Alternately, it could be derived from Arabic
نار (nār) meaning
"fire".
Delphina f Late RomanFeminine form of the Latin name
Delphinus, which meant
"of Delphi". Delphi was a city in ancient Greece, the name of which is possibly related to Greek
δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". The Blessed Delphina was a 14th-century Provençal nun.
Yolotzin f & m NahuatlMeans
"beloved heart" in Nahuatl, from
yōllōtl "heart" and the suffix
tzin "beloved, revered".
Emerald f English (Modern)From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek
σμάραγδος (smaragdos).
Mähri f TurkmenPossibly derived from Persian
مه (mah) meaning
"moon" or
مهر (mehr) meaning
"friendship, love, kindness".
Eirwen f WelshMeans
"white snow" from the Welsh elements
eira "snow" and
gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the early 20th century.
Haru m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
陽 (haru) meaning "light, sun, male",
春 (haru) meaning "spring" or
晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Mervi f FinnishFrom the name of a Finnish village (now a part of the municipality of Hattula).
Saori f JapaneseFrom Japanese
沙 (sa) meaning "sand" or
早 (sa) meaning "already, now" combined with
織 (ori) meaning "weaving". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Vanessa f English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German, DutchInvented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem
Cadenus and Vanessa. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of
Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.
Bryn m & f Welsh, English (Modern)Means
"hill, mound" in Welsh. In Wales it is almost always a masculine name, though elsewhere in the English-speaking world it can be unisex (see
Brynn).
Ama f AkanMeans
"born on Saturday" in Akan.
Dior f & m English (Modern)From a French surname, possibly from
doré meaning
"golden". As a given name it has been inspired by the French luxury fashion house Dior, founded by the designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).
Jefimija f SerbianSerbian form of
Euphemia. This name was adopted by a 14th-century Serbian poet (born Jelena Mrnjavčević).
Lamya f ArabicDerived from the poetic Arabic word
لمى (lamā) meaning
"dark red lips".
Hailey f English (Modern)Variant of
Hayley. This is currently the most common spelling in the United States, surpassing
Haley in 2001 and attaining a high rank of 19th in 2010.
Kahina f BerberDerived from Arabic
الكاهنة (al-Kāhina) meaning
"the diviner, the fortuneteller". This was a title applied to the 7th-century Berber queen Dihya, who resisted the Arab expansion into North Africa.
Rupinder m & f Indian (Sikh)Means
"greatest beauty" from Sanskrit
रूप (rūpa) meaning "beauty, form" combined with the name of the Hindu god
Indra, used here to mean "greatest".
Ebru f TurkishMeans
"paper marbling" in Turkish. Paper marbling is the art of creating colourful patterns on paper.
Mireille f French, DutchFrom the Occitan name
Mirèio, which was first used by the poet Frédéric Mistral for the main character in his poem
Mirèio (1859). He probably derived it from the Occitan word
mirar meaning
"to admire". It is spelled
Mirèlha in classical Occitan orthography. A notable bearer is the French singer Mireille Mathieu (1946-).