Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the gender is feminine; and the categories include word names.
gender
usage
Esperanta f Esperanto
Means "hoping" in Esperanto.
Esperanza f Spanish
Spanish form of the Late Latin name Sperantia, which was derived from sperare "to hope".
Essence f English (Modern)
From the English word essence, which means either "odour, scent" or else "fundamental quality". Ultimately it derives from Latin esse "to be".
Estel f Catalan
Catalan cognate of Estelle.
Estrella f Spanish
Spanish form of Stella 1, coinciding with the Spanish word meaning "star".
Euri f Basque (Rare)
Means "rain" in Basque.
Eve f English, Estonian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name חַוָּה (Ḥawwa), which was derived from the Hebrew word חָוָה (ḥawa) meaning "to breathe" or the related word חָיָה (ḥaya) meaning "to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis, Eve and Adam were the first humans. God created her from one of Adam's ribs to be his companion. At the urging of a serpent she ate the forbidden fruit and shared some with Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.... [more]
Ever m & f English (Modern)
Simply from the English word ever, derived from Old English æfre.
Faith f English
Simply from the English word faith, ultimately from Latin fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Fajra f Esperanto
Means "fiery" in Esperanto, from fajro meaning "fire".
Famke f Frisian, Dutch
Variant of Femke. It also coincides with a Frisian word meaning "girl".
Fancy f English (Rare)
From the English word fancy, which means either "like, love, inclination" or "ornamental". It is derived from Middle English fantasie, which comes (via Norman French and Latin) from Greek φαίνω (phaino) meaning "to show, to appear".
Fang f & m Chinese
From Chinese (fāng) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Fauna f Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Faunus. Fauna was a Roman goddess of fertility, women and healing, a daughter and companion of Faunus.
Favour m & f English (African)
From the English word favour, ultimately from Latin faveo "to favour". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Fawn f English
From the English word fawn for a young deer.
Fe f Spanish
Means "faith" in Spanish, derived from Latin fides.
Fedora f Russian (Rare), Italian
Russian form of Theodora. This was the name of an 1898 opera by the Italian composer Umberto Giordano (who based it on an 1882 French play).
Felicidad f Spanish
Spanish form of Felicitas. It also means "happiness" in Spanish.
Felicidade f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Felicitas. It also means "happiness" in Portuguese.
Felicita f Italian
Italian form of Felicitas. It also coincides closely with Italian felicità "happiness".
Felicity f English
From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name Felicitas. This name jumped in popularity in the United States after the premiere of the television series Felicity in 1998. It is more common in the United Kingdom.
Felina f Late Roman
Feminine form of Felinus.
Fern f English
From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Ffion f Welsh
Means "foxglove" in Welsh (species Digitalis purpurea). This is a recently created Welsh name.
Fiamma f Italian
Means "flame" in Italian.
Fiammetta f Italian
Diminutive of Fiamma. This is the name of a character appearing in several works by the 14th-century Italian author Boccaccio. She was probably based on the Neapolitan noblewoman Maria d'Aquino.
Fiera f Esperanto
Means "proud" in Esperanto.
Fiore f & m Italian
Means "flower" in Italian. It can also be considered an Italian form of the Latin names Flora and Florus.
Fleur f French, Dutch, English (British)
Means "flower" in French. Saint Fleur of Issendolus (Flor in Gascon) was a 14th-century nun from Maurs, France. This was also the name of a character in John Galsworthy's novels The Forsyte Saga (1922).
Flick f & m English (Rare)
Diminutive of Felicity. In some cases it can be a nickname from the English word flick.
Floor m & f Dutch
Dutch form of Florentius (see Florence) or Flora.
Flor f Spanish, Portuguese
Either directly from Spanish or Portuguese flor meaning "flower", or a short form of Florencia.
Flora f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Albanian, Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala.
Flower f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word flower for the blossoming plant. It is derived (via Old French) from Latin flos.
Flutura f Albanian
Means "butterfly" in Albanian.
Fortuna f Roman Mythology
Means "luck" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the personification of luck.
Fortune m & f French, English (Rare)
Simply from the word fortune, ultimately from Latin fortuna, a derivative of fors "luck".
Gaja 2 f Esperanto
Means "cheerful, merry, glad" in Esperanto.
Gal 1 f & m Hebrew
Means "wave" in Hebrew.
Gala 2 f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Gallus.
Gale 1 f English
Variant of Gail. It also coincides with the English word gale meaning "storm".
Gamze f Turkish
Means "dimple" in Turkish.
Garance f French
From 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).
Garbi f Basque
Means "clean, pure" in Basque.
Gardenia f English (Rare)
From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).
Garnet 1 f English
From the English word garnet for the precious stone, the birthstone of January. The word is derived from Middle English gernet meaning "dark red".
Gay f English
From the English word gay meaning "gay, happy". By the mid-20th century the word had acquired the additional meaning of "homosexual", and the name has subsequently dropped out of use.
Gemma f Italian, Catalan, English (British), Dutch
Medieval Italian nickname meaning "gem, precious stone". It was borne by the wife of the 13th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri.
Genesis f English (Modern)
Means "birth, origin" in Greek. This is the name of the first book of the Old Testament in the Bible. It tells of the creation of the world, the expulsion of Adam and Eve, Noah and the great flood, and the three patriarchs.
Genie f English
Diminutive of Eugenia.
Ghufran f & m Arabic
Means "forgiveness" in Arabic.
Giada f Italian
Italian form of Jade.
Gift m & f English (African)
From the English word gift, of Old Norse origin. This name is most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Gifty f English (African)
From the English word gift. This name is most common in Ghana in Africa.
Ginger f English
From the English word ginger for the spice or the reddish-brown colour. It can also be a diminutive of Virginia, as in the case of actress and dancer Ginger Rogers (1911-1995), by whom the name was popularized.
Gintarė f Lithuanian
Feminine form of Gintaras.
Gioia f Italian
Means "joy" in Italian.
Gizem f Turkish
Means "mystery" in Turkish.
Gloria f English, Spanish, Italian, German
Means "glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin Mary Maria da Glória and María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.... [more]
Glory f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word glory, ultimately from Latin gloria.
Graça f Portuguese
Means "grace" in Portuguese, making it a cognate of Grace.
Grace f English
From the English word grace, which ultimately derives from Latin gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.... [more]
Gracia f Spanish
Means "grace" in Spanish, making it a cognate of Grace.
Gratia f Dutch (Rare)
Means "grace" in Latin.
Gray m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "grey", originally given to a person who had grey hair or clothing.
Grazia f Italian
Means "grace" in Italian, making it a cognate of Grace.
Grey m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Gray.
Gry f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Means "to dawn" in Norwegian, Danish and Swedish.
Gula f Sumerian Mythology
Means "the great" in Sumerian. This may have originally been a title rather then a name. Gula was a Sumerian and Akkadian goddess of healing, medicine and midwifery. She was often depicted alongside dogs. In later periods she was equated with other healing goddesses such as Ninisina.
Gun f Swedish
Modern form of Gunnr.
Güneş f Turkish
Means "sun" in Turkish.
Guzal f Tatar, Bashkir
Means "beautiful" in Tatar and Bashkir.
Gwawr f Welsh
Means "dawn" in Welsh.
Gypsy f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word Gypsy for the nomadic people who originated in northern India. The word was originally a corruption of Egyptian. As an ethnic term it is sometimes considered offensive.
f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese () meaning "river".
Hadil f Arabic
Means "cooing (of a pigeon)" in Arabic.
Haf f Welsh
Means "summer" in Welsh.
Haizea f Basque
Means "wind" in Basque.
Hajnal f Hungarian
Means "dawn" in Hungarian.
Halcyon f Various (Rare)
From the name of a genus of kingfisher birds, derived from Greek ἀλκυών (from the same source as Alcyone).
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.
Hana 3 f Japanese
From Japanese (hana) or (hana) both meaning "flower". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Hanga f Hungarian
Means "heather" in Hungarian.
Happy f & m English (Rare)
From the English word happy, derived from Middle English hap "chance, luck", of Old Norse origin.
Harmony f English
From the English word harmony, ultimately deriving from Greek ἁρμονία (harmonia).
Harper f & m English
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who played or made harps (Old English hearpe). A notable bearer was the American author Harper Lee (1926-2016), who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. It rapidly gained popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, entering the American top ten for girls in 2015.
Hasmik f Armenian
Means "jasmine" in Armenian.
Haven f & m English
From the English word for a safe place, derived ultimately from Old English hæfen.
Haya f Arabic
Means "hurry, come quickly" in Arabic.
Hayati 2 f Malay, Indonesian
Means "my life" in Malay and Indonesian, from Arabic حياة (ḥayāh) meaning "life".
Hazan f Turkish
Means "autumn" in Turkish.
Haze m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Hayes, sometimes used as a short form of Hazel.
Hazel f English
From the English word hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.
Heather f English
From the English word heather for the variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers, which commonly grow in rocky areas. It is derived from Middle English hather. It was first used as a given name in the late 19th century, though it did not become popular until the last half of the 20th century.
Heaven f English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word meaning "paradise". It is derived via Middle English hevene from Old English heofon "sky".
Heavenly f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "of the heavens, celestial, divine".
Hekla f Icelandic
From the name of an active Icelandic volcano, derived from Old Norse hekla meaning "cloak".
Heli 2 f Finnish, Estonian
Diminutive of Helena. In Estonian this coincides with the word heli meaning "sound".
Hellä f Finnish
Means "gentle, tender" in Finnish.
Helmi f Finnish, Swedish
Diminutive of Vilhelmiina or Vilhelmina. It also means "pearl" in Finnish.
Helve f Estonian
Means "flake, snowflake" in Estonian.
Henna f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Hero 1 f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero". In Greek legend she was the lover of Leander, who would swim across the Hellespont each night to meet her. He was killed on one such occasion when he got caught in a storm while in the water, and when Hero saw his dead body she drowned herself. This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing (1599).
Heulwen f Welsh
Means "sunshine" in Welsh (a compound of haul "sun" and gwen "white, blessed").
Hilja f Finnish, Estonian
Means "silent, quiet" in Finnish and Estonian (a rare poetic word).
Hilla f Finnish
Short form of names beginning with Hil. It also means "cloudberry" in Finnish.
Hind f Arabic
Possibly means "group of camels" in Arabic. Hind bint Abi Umayyah, also known as Umm Salama, was one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad. This is also the Arabic name for the country of India.
Hitomi f Japanese
From Japanese (hitomi) meaning "pupil of the eye". It can also come from (hito) meaning "history" and (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other kanji combinations. This name is often written with the hiragana writing system.
Hoa f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (hoa) meaning "flower".
Holly f English
From the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English holen. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.
Honey f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word honey, ultimately from Old English hunig. This was originally a nickname for a sweet person.
Honor f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Honour, using the American spelling.
Honour f & m English (Rare)
From the English word honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of Honoria or Honorata, which are ultimately derived from the same source.
Hope f English
From the English word hope, ultimately from Old English hopian. This name was first used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Hortensia f Ancient Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of the Roman family name Hortensius, possibly derived from Latin hortus meaning "garden".
Hua f & m Chinese
From Chinese (huá) meaning "splendid, illustrious, Chinese" or (huā) meaning "flower, blossom" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well.
Hulda 1 f Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian, Norse Mythology
Derived 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".
Hunter m & f English
From an English occupational surname for a hunter, derived from Old English hunta. A famous bearer was the eccentric American journalist Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005).
Hyacinth 2 f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower (or the precious stone that also bears this name), ultimately from Greek hyakinthos (see Hyacinthus).
Ibolya f Hungarian
Means "violet" in Hungarian, ultimately from Latin viola.
Ibtisam f Arabic
Means "a smile" in Arabic, from the root بسم (basama) meaning "to smile".
Ieva f Lithuanian, Latvian
Lithuanian and Latvian form of Eve. This is also the Lithuanian and Latvian word for a type of cherry tree (species Prunus padus).
Ilargi f Basque
Means "moon" in Basque, a compound of hil "month" and argi "light".
Illuminata f Late Roman
Means "illuminated, brightened, filled with light" in Latin. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint from Todi, Italy.
Ilma 1 f Finnish (Rare)
Means "air" in Finnish.
Ilona f Hungarian, German, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech
Old Hungarian form of Helen, possibly via a Slavic form. In Finland it is associated with the word ilona, a derivative of ilo "joy".
Ilta f Finnish
Means "evening" in Finnish.
Imaculada f Portuguese
Portuguese cognate of Inmaculada.
Immaculada f Catalan
Catalan cognate of Inmaculada.
Impi f Finnish
Means "maiden, virgin" in Finnish.
India f English, Spanish (Modern)
From the name of the country, 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.
Indigo f & m English (Modern)
From the English word indigo for the purplish-blue dye or the colour. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ἰνδικόν (Indikon) meaning "Indic, from India".
Indu f Hindi
Means "bright drop" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the moon.
Inken f Frisian
Originally a diminutive of Ingeborg and other names beginning with the element ing, which refers to the Germanic god Ing.
Inmaculada f Spanish
Means "immaculate" in Spanish. This name is given to commemorate the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.
Invidia f Roman Mythology
Means "envy" in Latin. This was the Roman goddess of vengeance, equivalent to the Greek goddess Nemesis.
Iolanthe f Various (Rare)
Probably a variant of Yolanda influenced by the Greek words ἰόλη (iole) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was (first?) used by Gilbert and Sullivan in their comic opera Iolanthe (1882).
Iridián f Spanish (Mexican, Modern)
Means "related to Iris or rainbows", ultimately from Greek ἶρις (genitive ἴριδος). It briefly entered the American top 1000 list in 1995, likely due to a Mexican singer named Iridián.
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Irmak f Turkish
Means "river" in Turkish.
Isla f Scottish, English
Variant of Islay, typically used as a feminine name. It also coincides with the Spanish word isla meaning "island".
Itsaso f Basque
Means "ocean" in Basque.
Itzal f Basque
Means "shadow, protection" in Basque.
Ivory m & f African American
From the English word for the hard, creamy-white substance that comes from elephant tusks and was formerly used to produce piano keys.
Ivy f English
From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.
Izar f & m Basque
Means "star" in Basque.
Jacinth f English (Rare)
From the English word for the orange precious stone, originating from the same source as Hyacinth.
Jade f & m English, French
From the name of the precious stone that is often used in carvings. It is derived from Spanish (piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) flank", relating to the belief that jade could cure renal colic. As a given name, it came into general use during the 1970s. It was initially unisex, though it is now mostly feminine.
Jagoda f Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Polish
Means "strawberry" in South Slavic, and "berry" in Polish. Also in Poland, this can be a diminutive of Jadwiga.
January f English
From the name of the month, which was named for the Roman god Janus. This name briefly charted on the American top 1000 list for girls after it was borne by the protagonist of Jacqueline Susann's novel Once Is Not Enough (1973).
Jasmine f English, French
From the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived via Arabic from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn), which is also a Persian name. In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity from the 1970s, especially among African Americans. It reached a peak in the early 1990s shortly after the release of the animated Disney movie Aladdin (1992), which featured a princess by this name.
Jasna f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian
Derived from South Slavic jasno meaning "clearly, obviously".
Jess m & f English
Short form of Jesse or Jessica.
Jet f Dutch
Short form of Henriëtte or Mariëtte.
Jeunesse f Various
Means "youth" in French. It is not used as a given name in France itself.
Jewel f & m English
In part from the English word jewel, a precious stone, derived from Old French jouel, which was possibly related to jeu "game". It is also in part from the surname Jewel or Jewell (a derivative of the Breton name Judicaël), which was sometimes used in honour of the 16th-century bishop of Salisbury John Jewel. It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.
Joey m & f English
Diminutive of Joseph. It is occasionally used as a feminine diminutive of Josephine or Johanna.
Jolie f English
Means "pretty" in French. This name was popularized by American actress Angelina Jolie (1975-), whose surname was originally her middle name. It is not used as a given name in France.
Jonquil f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower, derived ultimately from Latin iuncus "reed".
Journey f English (Modern)
From the English word, derived via Old French from Latin diurnus "of the day".
Joy f English
Simply from the English word joy, ultimately derived from Norman French joie, Latin gaudium. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.
July f & m English (Rare)
From the name of the month, which was originally named for Julius Caesar.
June f English
From the name of the month, which was originally derived from the name of the Roman goddess Juno. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
Juniper f English (Modern)
From the English word for the type of tree, derived ultimately from Latin iuniperus.
Justice m & f English
From an occupational surname meaning "judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word justice.
Kagiso m & f Tswana
Means "peace" in Tswana.
Kaja 3 f Estonian
Means "echo" in Estonian.
Kala 1 f Tamil
Means "art form, virtue" in Sanskrit.
Kalea f Hawaiian
Means "joy, happiness" in Hawaiian.
Kalina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Polish
Means "viburnum tree" in Bulgarian, Macedonian and Polish.
Kalyna f Ukrainian (Rare)
From the Ukrainian word for a type of shrub, also called the guelder rose (species Viburnum opulus).
Kanchana f Tamil, Thai
From Sanskrit कञ्चन (kañcana) meaning "golden".
Kapka f Bulgarian
Means "droplet" in Bulgarian.
Kapua f & m Hawaiian
Means "the flower" or "the child" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and pua "flower, offspring".
Karabo m & f Sotho, Tswana
Means "answer" in Sotho and Tswana.
Karma m & f Bhutanese
From the Sanskrit word कर्म (karma) meaning "action, deed, fate".
Katniss f Literature
From the English word katniss, the name of a variety of edible aquatic flowering plants (genus Sagittaria). Katniss Everdeen is the protagonist of The Hunger Games series of novels by Suzanne Collins, released 2008 to 2010, about a young woman forced to participate in a violent televised battle.
Kestrel f English (Rare)
From the name of the bird of prey, ultimately derived from Old French crecelle "rattle", which refers to the sound of its cry.
Kham m & f Lao
Means "gold" in Lao.
Khamphet m & f Lao
From Lao ຄຳ (kham) meaning "gold" and ເພັດ (phet) meaning "diamond, gem".
Kielo f Finnish
Means "lily of the valley" in Finnish (species Convallaria majalis).
Kimimela f Sioux
From Lakota kimímela meaning "butterfly".
Kimmernaq f Greenlandic
Means "cowberry, lingonberry" in Greenlandic.
Kirsi f Finnish
Finnish form of Christina, or a short form of Kirsikka. It also means "frost" in Finnish.
Kirsikka f Finnish
Means "cherry" in Finnish.
Kit m & f English
Diminutive of Christopher or Katherine. A notable bearer was Kit Carson (1809-1868), an American frontiersman and explorer.
Kitty f English
Diminutive of Katherine.
Kohinoor f Various
From Koh-i-noor, the name of a famous gemstone, meaning "mountain of light" in Persian.
Kolab f Khmer (Rare)
Means "rose" in Khmer, ultimately from Persian گلاب (golāb).
Kukka f Finnish
Means "flower" in Finnish.
Kulap f & m Thai
Means "rose" in Thai (of Persian origin).
Kusuma m & f Indonesian
Derived from Sanskrit कुसुम (kusuma) meaning "flower".
Lacy f & m English
From a surname that was derived from Lassy, the name of a town in Normandy. The name of the town was Gaulish in origin, perhaps deriving from a personal name that was Latinized as Lascius. Formerly more common for boys in America, this name began to grow in popularity for girls in 1975.
Lady f Spanish (Latin American)
From the English noble title Lady, derived from Old English hlæfdige, originally meaning "bread kneader". This name grew in popularity in Latin America after the marriage of Diana Spencer, known as Lady Di, to Prince Charles in 1981 and her death in 1997.
Lærke f Danish
Means "lark" in Danish.
Laetitia f Late Roman, French
Original Latin form of Letitia, as well as a French variant. This name began rising in popularity in France around the same time that Serge Gainsbourg released his 1963 song Elaeudanla Téïtéïa (this title is a phonetic rendering of the letters in the name Lætitia). It peaked in 1982 as the fourth most common name for girls.
Lagle f Estonian
Means "goose" in Estonian.
Lahja f Finnish
Means "gift" in Finnish.
Laine f Estonian
Means "wave" in Estonian.
Lake m & f English (Rare)
From the English word lake, for the inland body of water. It is ultimately derived from Latin lacus.
Lala f Bulgarian (Rare)
From Bulgarian лале (lale) meaning "tulip" (of Persian origin).
Lamia 2 f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek λαιμός (laimos) meaning "throat". In Greek mythology this is the name of a queen of Libya who was a mistress of Zeus. Hera, being jealous, kills Lamia's children, causing her to go mad and transform into a monster that hunts the children of others.
Lark f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of songbird.
Lassie f Literature
From a diminutive of the northern English word lass meaning "young girl", a word probably of Norse origin. This name was used by the author Eric Knight for a collie dog in his novel Lassie Come-Home (1940), later adapted into a popular film and television series.
Laurel f English
From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.
Lavender f English (Rare)
From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.
Leelo f Estonian
Means "folk song" in Estonian.
Legacy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word, meaning "something inherited from a predecessor, heritage". It is derived from Old French legacie, itself from Latin legatum "bequest, legacy".
Lehua f & m Hawaiian
Means "ohia flower" in Hawaiian.
Lela 1 f Georgian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from the name of a type of plant.
Lempi f Finnish
Means "love" in Finnish.
Liana f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, English, Georgian
Short form of Juliana, Liliana and other names that end in liana. This is also the word for a type of vine that grows in jungles.
Liberata f Late Roman
Feminine form of Liberatus. This was the name of a few early saints, including the patron of Pizzone, Italy.
Liberty f & m English
Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism).
Liepa f Lithuanian
Means "linden tree" or "July" in Lithuanian.
Lilac f English (Rare)
From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers (genus Syringa). It is derived via Arabic from Persian.
Lily f English
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).
Linda f English, German, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, French, Latvian, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Germanic
Originally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (Proto-Germanic *linþaz). It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word linda meaning "beautiful". In the English-speaking world this name experienced a spike in popularity beginning in the 1930s, peaking in the late 1940s, and declining shortly after that. It was the most popular name for girls in the United States from 1947 to 1952.
Linden m & f English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".
Line f Danish, Norwegian, French
Short form of Caroline and other names ending in line.
Linh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (linh) meaning "spirit, soul".
Linnaea f English (Rare)
From the word for the type of flower, also called the twinflower (see Linnéa).
Linnet f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Lynette or else from the name of the small bird, a type of finch.
Live f Norwegian
Variant of Liv 1.
Liviana f Italian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman family name Livianus, which was itself derived from the family name Livius.
Liwen m & f Mapuche
Means "morning" in Mapuche.
Ljubica f Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene
From the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love" combined with a diminutive suffix. It can also come from the Serbian and Croatian word ljubica meaning "violet (flower)".
Llinos f Welsh
Means "linnet, finch" in Welsh. The linnet (species Linaria cannabina) is a small European bird in the finch family.
Lone f Danish
Short form of Abelone.
Lore 2 f Basque
Means "flower" in Basque.
Lotus f English (Rare)
From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.
Love 2 f English
Simply from the English word love, derived from Old English lufu.
Loyalty f English (Modern)
From the English word, which was originally borrowed from Old French loiauté, a derivative of loial "loyal", itself derived from Latin legalis "legal".
Luce f Italian, French
Italian and French variant of Lucia. This also means "light" in Italian.
Lucky m & f English, Hindi
From a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).
Luksa f Esperanto
Means "luxurious" in Esperanto.
Lumi f Finnish
Means "snow" in Finnish.
Luminița f Romanian
Means "little light", derived from Romanian lumina "light" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Luna f Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English
Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.
Luule f Estonian
Means "poetry" in Estonian.
Luz f Spanish
Means "light" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Luz, meaning "Our Lady of Light".
Lwandle m & f Zulu, Xhosa
Means "ocean" in Zulu and Xhosa.
Lykke f Danish
Means "good fortune, happiness" in Danish.
Lyric f & m English (Modern)
Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).
Lys f French (Rare)
Diminutive of Élisabeth. It is also the French word for "lily".
Madara f Latvian
From the Latvian name for a type of flowering plant, known as cleavers or bedstraw in English.
Mädchen f Various (Rare)
Means "girl" in German. It is not used as a name in Germany itself.
Made m & f Balinese
From Sanskrit मध्य (madhya) meaning "middle". This name is traditionally given to the family's second-born child.
Magnolia f English
From the English word magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.
Mai 1 f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (mai) meaning "plum, apricot" (refers specifically to the species Prunus mume).
Mai 2 f Japanese
From Japanese (mai) meaning "dance" or 麻衣 (mai) meaning "linen robe". It can also come from (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with (ai) meaning "love, affection". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Maite 2 f Basque
Means "beloved" in Basque.
Mala f Hindi
Means "necklace" in Sanskrit.
Malaysia f English (Modern)
From the name of the country in southeastern Asia, the home of the Malay people. Their ethnic name is of uncertain origin, though it is possibly from the name of a river, itself derived from Malay melaju or Javanese mlayu meaning "to run, to go fast".
Maleficent f Popular Culture
From an English word meaning "harmful, evil", derived from Latin maleficens. This is the name of the villain in the animated Disney film Sleeping Beauty (1959).
Mane f Armenian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Armenian մանանա (manana) meaning "manna".
Maple f English
From the English word for the tree (comprising the genus Acer), derived from Old English mapul. This is the name of a girl in Robert Frost's poem Maple (1923) who wonders about the origin of her unusual name.
Mar f Spanish, Catalan
Means "sea" in Spanish and Catalan. It is from a devotional title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Mar "Our Lady of the Sea", the patron saint of the Spanish province of Almería.
Mare f Estonian, Slovene, Macedonian, Croatian
Diminutive of Maria and other names beginning with Mar.
Marganita f Hebrew
From the name of a type of flowering plant common in Israel, called the scarlet pimpernel in English.
Margarit f Armenian
Armenian form of Margaret, also meaning "pearl" in Armenian.
Marguerite f French
French form of Margaret. This is also the French word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
Marigold f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of Mary and the English word gold.
Marina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Greek, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Georgian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Marinus. This name was borne by a few early saints. This is also the name by which Saint Margaret of Antioch is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Marine f French, Armenian, Georgian
French, Armenian and Georgian form of Marina.
Marja f Finnish, Sorbian, Dutch
Finnish and Sorbian form of Maria, as well as a Dutch variant. It also means "berry" in Finnish.
Marjolaine f French
Means "marjoram" in French, from Latin maiorana. Marjoram is a minty herb.
Martirio f Spanish (Rare)
Means "martyrdom" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Martirio, the patron saint of the Spanish town of Ugíjar.
Marvel f English
From the English word meaning "a miracle, a wonder", derived from Old French merveille, from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful".
Mavis f English
From the name of the type of bird, also called the song thrush, derived from Old French mauvis, of uncertain origin. It was first used as a given name by the British author Marie Corelli, who used it for a character in her novel The Sorrows of Satan (1895).
Mavourneen f Irish (Rare)
Derived from the Irish phrase mo mhúirnín meaning "my darling".
May f English
Derived from the name of the month of May, which derives from Maia, the name of a Roman goddess. May is also another name of the hawthorn flower. It is also used as a diminutive of Mary, Margaret or Mabel.
Meadow f English (Modern)
From the English word meadow, ultimately from Old English mædwe. Previously very rare, it rose in popularity after it was used as the name of Tony Soprano's daughter on the television series The Sopranos (1999-2007).
Mei 1 f Chinese
From Chinese (měi) meaning "beautiful" or (méi) meaning "Chinese plum" (species Prunus mume), as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Melody f English
From the English word melody, which is derived (via Old French and Late Latin) from Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song" combined with ἀείδω (aeido) meaning "to sing".
Memory f English (African)
From the English word memory, ultimately from Latin memor "mindful, remembering". This name is most common in Malawi, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.
Mercedes f Spanish
Means "mercies" (that is, the plural of mercy), from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, meaning "Our Lady of Mercies". It is ultimately from the Latin word merces meaning "wages, reward", which in Vulgar Latin acquired the meaning "favour, pity".
Mercy f English
From the English word mercy, ultimately from Latin merces "wages, reward", a derivative of merx "goods, wares". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Mererid f Welsh
Means "pearl, gem" in Welsh, derived from Latin margarita.
Meri 1 f Finnish
Means "sea" in Finnish.
Merit 1 m & f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Merritt or else simply from the English word merit, ultimately from Latin meritus "deserving".
Merita 2 f Esperanto
Means "meritorious, worthy" in Esperanto.
Merle m & f English, Estonian
From the English word merle or the French surname Merle, which both mean "blackbird" (from Latin merula). It was borne by the devious character Madame Merle (in fact her surname) in Henry James' novel The Portrait of a Lady (1880).... [more]
Merry 1 f English
From the English word merry, ultimately from Old English myrige. This name appears in Charles Dickens' novel Martin Chuzzlewit (1844), where it is a diminutive of Mercy.
Mia f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, English
Diminutive of Maria. It coincides with the Italian word mia meaning "mine".... [more]
Mica f English
Short form of Michaela.
Miela f Esperanto
Means "sweet" in Esperanto, derived from mielo "honey", ultimately from Latin mel.
Mignon f Literature
Means "cute, darling" in French. This is the name of a character in Ambroise Thomas's opera Mignon (1866), which was based on Goethe's novel Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship (1796).
Milagros f Spanish
Means "miracles" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, which means "Our Lady of Miracles".
Miller m & f English
From an English occupational surname for a miller, derived from Middle English mille "mill".
Mimoza f Albanian, Georgian
From the Albanian and Georgian word for the mimosa plant, a flowering herb. It is ultimately derived from Greek μῖμος (mimos) meaning "mimic".
Minik m & f Greenlandic
Means "seal oil" in Greenlandic. A notable bearer was the Inughuit boy Minik (1890-1918), who was among a group brought by the explorer Robert Peary from Greenland to New York in 1897.
Minttu f Finnish
Means "mint" in Finnish.
Minty f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Araminta.
Miracle f English (Modern)
From the English word miracle for an extraordinary event, ultimately deriving from Latin miraculum "wonder, marvel".
Mirinda f Esperanto
Means "wonderful" in Esperanto.