Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the gender is feminine; and the categories include word names.
gender
usage
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Misericordia f Spanish
Means "compassion, mercy" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin miser "poor, wretched" and cor "heart". It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen de la Misericordia, meaning "The Virgin of Compassion".
Missy f English
Diminutive of Melissa. This is also a slang term meaning "young woman".
Misty f English
From the English word misty, ultimately derived from Old English. The jazz song Misty (1954) by Erroll Garner may have helped popularize the name.
Mittens m & f Pet
From the plural of the English word mitten. This is a common name for cats, given because of a distinctive colouration of the paws.
Modesty f English (Rare)
From the English word modesty, ultimately from Latin modestus "moderate", a derivative of modus "measure".
Moe 2 f Japanese
From Japanese 萌 (moe) meaning "bud, sprout". Other kanji with the same reading can also form this name.
Mohini f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi
Means "perplexing, enchanting" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a beautiful female avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, a form he took in order to trick the asuras (demons) into relinquishing the amrita (elixir of immortality).
Monday m & f English (African)
From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English mona "moon" and dæg "day". This can be given to children born on Monday, especially in Nigeria.
Monta f Latvian
Modern Latvian name, possibly from Latin mons "mountain".
Montana f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the American state, which is derived from Latin montanus "mountainous".
Moon 2 f & m English (Rare)
From the English word for Earth's natural satellite, ultimately from Old English mona.
Moran f & m Hebrew
Means "viburnum shrub" in Hebrew.
Morena f Italian, Spanish
Feminine form of Moreno.
Mynte f Danish
Means "mint" in Danish.
Myrtle f English
Simply from the English word myrtle for the evergreen shrub, ultimately from Greek μύρτος (myrtos). It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
Nada 2 f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
Means "hope" in South Slavic.
Nadezhda f Russian, Bulgarian
Means "hope" in Russian and Bulgarian.
Nadiya f Ukrainian
Ukrainian cognate of Nadezhda, being the Ukrainian word meaning "hope".
Nadzeya f Belarusian
Belarusian cognate of Nadezhda, being the Belarusian word meaning "hope".
Naenia f Roman Mythology
Means "incantation, dirge" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of funerals.
Nəfəs f Azerbaijani
Means "breath" in Azerbaijani, derived from Arabic نفس (nafas), ultimately related to the root نفس (nafusa) meaning "to be precious".
Nanny f English
Diminutive of Anne 1.
Naomh f Irish
Means "holy" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Narantsetseg f Mongolian
Means "sun flower" in Mongolian, from наран (naran) meaning "sun" and цэцэг (tsetseg) meaning "flower".
Narcisse m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Narcissus. This is also the French word for the narcissus flower.
Nari f Korean
Means "lily" in Korean.
Natividad f Spanish
Means "nativity" in Spanish, commemorating the birth of either Jesus or the Virgin Mary.
Nauja f Greenlandic, Inuit
Means "seagull" in Greenlandic and Inuktitut.
Navy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "sea force, fleet, armed forces of the sea". It is derived from Old French navie, from Latin navigia, the plural of navigium "boat, vessel". It also refers to a shade of dark blue, a colour traditionally associated with naval uniforms.
Nena f English
Variant of Nina 1, also coinciding with the Spanish word nena meaning "baby girl".
Nest f Welsh
Medieval Welsh diminutive of Agnes.
Nevada f & m English
From the name of the American state, which means "snow-capped" in Spanish.
Niamh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "bright" in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet Oisín, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill. It has been used as a given name for people only since the early 20th century.
Nieve f Spanish (Rare)
Variant of Nieves.
Nieves f Spanish
Means "snows" in Spanish, derived from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows".
Nigella f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Nigel.
Nine f Frisian
Frisian short form of Katherine.
Niviarsiaq f Greenlandic
Means "young girl" in Greenlandic. This is the name of a variety of flower that grows on Greenland, the dwarf fireweed (species Chamaenerion latifolium).
Nollaig f & m Irish
Means "Christmas" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century as a translation of Noël.
Nomusa f Ndebele
Means "merciful" in Ndebele.
Nona 2 f English, Ancient Roman (Rare)
Feminine form of Nonus. It was also used in 19th-century England, derived directly from Latin nonus "ninth" and traditionally given to the ninth-born child.
Norma f English, Italian, Literature
Created by Felice Romani for the main character in the opera Norma (1831). He may have based it on Latin norma "rule". This name is also frequently used as a feminine form of Norman.
Nova f English, Swedish (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
Derived from Latin novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.
Novella f Italian
Derived from Latin novellus meaning "new, young, novel", a diminutive of novus "new". This name was borne by the 14th-century Italian scholar Novella d'Andrea, who taught law at the University of Bologna.
Nyala f Various (Rare)
From the name of a type of African antelope, ultimately derived from the Bantu word nyálà.
Ocean f & m English (Modern)
Simply from the English word ocean for a large body of water. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ὠκεανός (Okeanos), the name of the body of water thought to surround the Earth.
Océane f French
Derived from French océan meaning "ocean".
October f English (Rare)
From the name of the tenth month. It is derived from Latin octo meaning "eight", because it was originally the eighth month of the Roman year.
Olive f English, French
From the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin oliva.
Olvido f Spanish
Means "oblivion, forgetting" in Spanish, taken from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Olvido, Triunfo y Misericordias meaning "Our Lady of Oblivion, Triumph and Mercies". It commemorates an 1831 vision of Mary by the Spanish nun Sor Patrocinio.
Omega m & f Various
From the name of the last letter in the Greek alphabet, Ω. It is often seen as a symbol of completion.
Onyx m & f English
From the English word for the gemstone (a variety of chalcedony), which can be black, red or other colours. It is derived from Greek ὄνυξ (onyx) meaning "claw, nail".
Opal f English
From the English word opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".
Or m & f Hebrew
Means "light" in Hebrew.
Orquídea f Spanish, Portuguese
Means "orchid" in Spanish and Portuguese, from Latin orchis, Greek ὄρχις (orchis).
Orvokki f Finnish
Means "pansy, violet" in Finnish.
Pa f Hmong
Means "flower" in Hmong.
Pacífica f Spanish (Rare)
Spanish feminine form of the Late Latin name Pacificus meaning "peacemaker".
Page m & f English
From a surname that was a variant of Paige.
Paisley f English (Modern)
From a Scots surname, originally from the name of a town near Glasgow, maybe ultimately derived from Latin basilica "church". This is also a word (derived from the name of that same town) for a type of pattern commonly found on fabrics.
Päivä f Finnish (Rare)
Means "day" in Finnish.
Pakpao f Thai
Means "kite (flying craft)" in Thai.
Paloma f Spanish
Means "dove, pigeon" in Spanish.
Pansy f English
From the English word for a type of flower, ultimately deriving from Old French pensee "thought".
Papa f Polynesian Mythology
Means "earth" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Papa or Papatuanuku was the goddess of the earth and the mother of many of the other gods. She and her husband Rangi, the god of the sky, were locked in a tight embrace. Their children decided to separate them, a feat of strength accomplished by the god Tāne.
Parker m & f English
From an English occupational surname that meant "keeper of the park".
Pastora f Spanish
Feminine form of Pastor.
Patience f English
From the English word patience, ultimately from Latin patientia, a derivative of pati "to suffer". This was one of the virtue names coined by the Puritans in the 17th century. It is now most commonly used in African countries where English is widely understood, such as Nigeria and Ghana.
Patrocinio f & m Spanish
Means "patronage, sponsorship" in Spanish, taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen del Patrocinio, meaning "The Virgin of Patronage".
Patsy f & m English, Irish
Variant of Patty, also used as a diminutive of Patrick.
Paz 1 f Spanish
Means "peace" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Paz, meaning "Our Lady of Peace".
Peace f English (African)
From the English word peace, ultimately derived from Latin pax. This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Pearl f English
From the English word pearl for the concretions formed in the shells of some mollusks, ultimately from Late Latin perla. Like other gemstone names, it has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century. The pearl is the traditional birthstone for June, and it supposedly imparts health and wealth.
Peg f English
Short form of Peggy.
Pen f English
Short form of Penelope.
Penny f English
Diminutive of Penelope. It can also be given in reference to the copper coin (a British pound or an American dollar are worth 100 of them), derived from Old English penning.
Peony f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower. It was originally believed to have healing qualities, so it was named after the Greek medical god Pæon.
Pepper f & m English (Modern)
From the English word for the spice, which is prepared from the dried berries of the pepper plant. The word is derived from Latin piper, ultimately from an Indo-Aryan source. In popular culture, Pepper is the nickname of Virginia Potts from the Iron Man series of comic books and movies, created 1963.
Perla f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish cognate of Pearl.
Perle f French, Yiddish
French and Yiddish cognate of Pearl. It is also used as a Yiddish vernacular form of Margalit.
Perlita f Spanish
Diminutive of Perla.
Petal f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower part, derived from Greek πέταλον (petalon) meaning "leaf".
Petunia f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, derived ultimately from a Tupi (South American) word.
Phoenix m & f English (Modern)
From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοῖνιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".
Piedad f Spanish
Means "mercy, piety" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin pietas.
Piety f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "piety, devoutness". This was a rare virtue name used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Pika 2 f Slovene
Means "dot" in Slovene. This is the Slovene name for Pippi Longstocking, Pika Nogavička.
Pilar f Spanish
Means "pillar" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, María del Pilar, meaning "Mary of the Pillar". According to legend, when Saint James the Greater was in Saragossa in Spain, the Virgin Mary appeared on a pillar.
Pilvi f Finnish, Estonian
Means "cloud" in Finnish and Estonian.
Pinja f Finnish
Means "stone pine" in Finnish.
Piper f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute). It was popularized as a given name by a character from the television series Charmed, which debuted in 1998.
Pleasance f English (Archaic)
From the medieval name Plaisance, which meant "pleasant" in Old French.
Poppy f English
From the word for the red flower, derived from Old English popæg.
Posy f English
Diminutive of Josephine. It can also be inspired by the English word posy for a bunch of flowers.
Praise f & m English (African)
From the English word praise, which is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Late Latin preciare, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth". This name is most common in English-speaking Africa.
Precious f English (African), African American (Modern)
From the English word precious, ultimately derived from Latin pretiosus, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth".
Primrose f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower, ultimately deriving from Latin prima rosa "first rose".
Primula f English (Rare), Italian (Rare)
From the name of a genus of several species of flowers, including the primrose. It is derived from the Latin word primulus meaning "very first".
Princess f English (Modern)
Feminine equivalent of Prince.
Prissy f English
Diminutive of Priscilla.
Promise f & m English (African)
From the English word promise, from Latin promissum. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Prudence f & m English, French
Medieval English form of Prudentia, the feminine form of Prudentius. In France it is both the feminine form and a rare masculine form. In England it was used during the Middle Ages and was revived in the 17th century by the Puritans, in part from the English word prudence, ultimately of the same source.
Prudencia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Prudentius.
Prune f French
Means "plum" in French.
Prunella f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower, also called self-heal, ultimately a derivative of the Latin word pruna "plum".
Psyche f Greek Mythology
Means "the soul", derived from Greek ψύχω (psycho) meaning "to breathe". The Greeks thought that the breath was the soul. In Greek mythology Psyche was a beautiful maiden who was beloved by Eros (or Cupid in Roman mythology). She is the subject of Keats's poem Ode to Psyche (1819).
Punam f Hindi
Means "full moon" in Hindi, ultimately from Sanskrit पूर्णिमा (pūrṇimā).
Pura f Spanish
From Spanish pura meaning "pure", also used as a diminutive of Purificación.
Purificación f Spanish
Means "purification" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the ritual purification of the Virgin Mary after her childbirth.
Queen f English
From an old nickname that was derived from the English word queen, ultimately from Old English cwen meaning "woman, wife".
Quỳnh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 瓊 (quỳnh) meaning "deep red". This is also the Vietnamese name for a variety of flowering plant (genus Epiphyllum).
Rain 1 f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word rain, derived from Old English regn.
Rainbow f English (Rare)
From the English word for the arc of multicoloured light that can appear in a misty sky.
Rakhi f Hindi
From a word for a type of ritual wristband, ultimately from Sanskrit रक्ष् (rakṣ) meaning "to protect".
Ralitsa f Bulgarian
Means "larkspur (flower)" in Bulgarian.
Ran f Japanese
From Japanese 蘭 (ran) meaning "orchid" or other kanji pronounced in the same way.
Rani 1 f Telugu, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Urdu, Indonesian
From Sanskrit राणी (rāṇī) meaning "queen".
Rasa f Lithuanian, Latvian
Means "dew" in Lithuanian and Latvian.
Rauha f Finnish
Means "peace" in Finnish.
Rava f Esperanto
Means "lovely, delightful" in Esperanto.
Raven f & m English
From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English hræfn. The raven is revered by several Native American groups of the west coast. It is also associated with the Norse god Odin.
Ravenna f English (Rare)
Either an elaboration of Raven, or else from the name of the city of Ravenna in Italy.
Regina f English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Lithuanian, Estonian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late Roman
Means "queen" in Latin (or Italian). It was in use as a Christian name from early times, and was borne by a 2nd-century saint. In England it was used during the Middle Ages in honour of the Virgin Mary, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A city in Canada bears this name, in honour of Queen Victoria.
Regla f Spanish
Means "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.
Regula f German (Swiss), Late Roman
Means "rule" in Latin. This was the name of a 3rd-century Swiss martyr, the patron saint of Zurich.
Rei f Japanese
From Japanese 鈴 (rei) meaning "bell", 麗 (rei) meaning "beautiful, lovely" or 玲 (rei) meaning "the tinkling of jade". This name can also be formed by other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Reign f & m English (Modern)
From the English word reign, derived from Latin regnum "royal power".
Reina 1 f Spanish
Means "queen" in Spanish.
Reine f French
Means "queen" in French, ultimately from Latin regina.
Remedios f Spanish
Means "remedies" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, meaning "Our Lady of the Remedies".
Remei f Catalan
Means "remedy" in Catalan, a Catalan equivalent of Remedios.
Reverie f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "daydream, fanciful musing", derived from Old French resverie, itself from resver meaning "to dream, to rave".
Reyes f & m Spanish
Means "kings" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen de los Reyes, meaning "The Virgin of the Kings". According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to King Ferdinand III of Castile and told him his armies would defeat those of the Moors in Seville.
Rhosyn f Welsh (Rare)
Means "rose" in Welsh. This is a modern Welsh name.
Rim f Arabic
Means "white antelope" in Arabic.
Rio 1 m & f Various
Means "river" in Spanish or Portuguese. A city in Brazil bears this name. Its full name is Rio de Janeiro, which means "river of January", so named because the first explorers came to the harbour in January and mistakenly thought it was a river mouth.
Ritva f Finnish
Means "birch branch" in Finnish.
River m & f English (Modern)
From the English word that denotes a flowing body of water. The word is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Latin ripa "riverbank".
Robin m & f English, French, Dutch, Swedish, Czech
Medieval English diminutive of Robert, now usually regarded as an independent name. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor. In modern times it has also been used as a feminine name, and it may sometimes be given in reference to the red-breasted bird.
Rocío f Spanish
Means "dew" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary María del Rocío meaning "Mary of the Dew".
Rós f Icelandic
Means "rose" in Icelandic.
Rosa 1 f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, German, English
Generally this can be considered to be from Latin rosa meaning "rose", though originally it may have come from the unrelated Germanic name Roza 2. This was the name of a 13th-century saint from Viterbo in Italy. In the English-speaking world it was first used in the 19th century. Famous bearers include the Polish-German revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg (1871-1919) and the American civil rights activist Rosa Parks (1913-2005).
Rosa 2 f Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Means "dew" in the South Slavic languages.
Rosario f & m Spanish, Italian
Means "rosary", and is taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Rosario meaning "Our Lady of the Rosary". This name is feminine in Spanish and masculine in Italian.
Rose f English, French
Originally a Norman French form of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis meaning "famous type", composed of the elements hruod "fame" and heit "kind, sort, type". The Normans introduced it to England in the forms Roese and Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower rose (derived from Latin rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind.
Rosemary f English
Combination of Rose and Mary. This name can also be given in reference to the herb, which gets its name from Latin ros marinus meaning "dew of the sea". It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.
Rosetta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Rosa 1.
Rosette f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Rossa f Italian (Rare)
Means "red" in Italian.
Rosy f English
Diminutive of Rose.
Rowan m & f Irish, English (Modern)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).
Roya f Persian
Means "dream" in Persian, of Arabic origin, derived from رأى (raʾā) meaning "to see, to perceive".
Royal m & f English
From the English word royal, derived (via Old French) from Latin regalis, a derivative of rex "king". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century.
Royalty f English (Modern)
From the English word royalty, derived (via Old French) from Latin regalitas, a derivative of rex "king".
Rožė f Lithuanian
Means "rose" in Lithuanian. It is a cognate of Rosa 1.
Rozenn f Breton
Means "rose" in Breton.
Rubena f Esperanto
From Esperanto rubeno meaning "ruby", ultimately from Latin ruber "red".
Rubina f Portuguese, Italian (Rare)
Derived from Portuguese rubi or Italian rubino meaning "ruby", ultimately from Latin ruber "red".
Ruby f English
Simply from the name of the precious stone (which ultimately derives from Latin ruber "red"), which is the traditional birthstone of July. It came into use as a given name in the 16th century.
Rubye f English
Variant of Ruby.
Rue f English
From the name of the bitter medicinal herb, ultimately deriving from Greek ῥυτή (rhyte). This is also sometimes used as a short form of Ruth 1.
Rūta f Lithuanian, Latvian
Means "rue" in Lithuanian, the rue plant being a bitter medicinal herb that is a national symbol of Lithuania. This is also the Lithuanian form of Ruth 1.
Ruth 1 f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name רוּת (Ruṯ), probably derived from the word רְעוּת (reʿuṯ) meaning "female friend". This is the name of the central character in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. She was a Moabite woman who accompanied her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem after Ruth's husband died. There she met and married Boaz. She was an ancestor of King David.... [more]
Sable f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "black", derived from the name of the black-furred mammal native to northern Asia, ultimately of Slavic origin.
Säde f Finnish
Means "ray of light" in Finnish.
Sadhana f Bengali, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit साधना (sādhanā) meaning "accomplishment, completion".
Saffron f English (Rare)
From the English word that refers either to a spice, the crocus flower from which it is harvested, or the yellow-orange colour of the spice. It is derived via Old French from Arabic زعفران (zaʿfarān), itself probably from Persian meaning "gold leaves".
Saga f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Icelandic
From Old Norse Sága, possibly meaning "seeing one", derived from sjá "to see". This is the name of a Norse goddess, possibly connected to Frigg. As a Swedish and Icelandic name, it is also derived from the unrelated word saga "story, fairy tale, saga".
Sage f & m English (Modern)
From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.
Sagrario f Spanish
Means "sanctuary, tabernacle" in Spanish, derived from Latin sacrarium. It is taken from an epithet of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Sagrario, and is associated with Toledo Cathedral.
Sailor f English (Rare)
Variant of Saylor. This is the less common spelling.
Sakura f Japanese
From Japanese 桜 (sakura) meaning "cherry blossom", though it is often written using the hiragana writing system. It can also come from 咲 (saku) meaning "blossom" and 良 (ra) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" as well as other kanji combinations.
Saltanat f Kazakh
Means "festival, celebration" in Kazakh.
Salud f Spanish
Spanish cognate of Salut.
Salut f Catalan
Means "health" or "cheers" in Catalan.
Sandy m & f English
Originally a diminutive of Alexander. As a feminine name it is a diminutive of Alexandra or Sandra. It can also be given in reference to the colour.
Sang m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean 常 (sang) meaning "common, frequent, regular" or other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character.
Sango f Popular Culture
Means "coral" in Japanese. This name is used in the Japanese comic book and television show InuYasha.
Santa 1 f Italian
Feminine form of Santo.
Saoirse f Irish
Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.
Sapir f Hebrew
Means "sapphire" in Hebrew.
Sapphire f English (Modern)
From the name of the gemstone, typically blue, which is the traditional birthstone of September. It is derived from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros), ultimately from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir).
Sari 2 f Indonesian
Means "essence" in Indonesian.
Satu f Finnish
Means "fairy tale, fable" in Finnish.
Saule 1 f Latvian, Baltic Mythology
Latvian form of Saulė.
Saule 2 f Kazakh
Means "ray, sunbeam" in Kazakh.
Saulė f Lithuanian, Baltic Mythology
Means "sun" in Lithuanian. This was the name of the Lithuanian sun goddess.
Sauliā f Baltic Mythology (Hypothetical)
Possible earlier form of Saulė.
Savanna f English (Modern)
Variant of Savannah.
Savannah f English
From the English word for the large grassy plain, ultimately deriving from the Taino (Native American) word zabana. It came into use as a given name in America in the 19th century. It was revived in the 1980s by the movie Savannah Smiles (1982).
Scarlet f English (Modern)
Either a variant of Scarlett or else from the English word for the red colour (both of the same origin, a type of cloth).
Scarlett f English
From an English surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelāṭ)). Margaret Mitchell used it for the main character, Scarlett O'Hara, in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936). Her name is explained as having come from her grandmother. Despite the fact that the book was adapted into a popular movie in 1939, the name was not common until the 21st century. It started rising around 2003, about the time that the career of American actress Scarlett Johansson (1984-) started taking off.
Scout f & m English (Modern)
From the English word scout meaning "one who gathers information covertly", which is derived from Old French escouter "to listen". Harper Lee used this name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).
Sela f English (Rare)
From the name of a city, the capital of Edom, which appears in the Old Testament. It means "rock" in Hebrew.
Selvaggia f Italian (Rare)
Means "wild" in Italian.
Sema f Turkish
Means "sky, heaven" in Turkish.
September f English (Rare)
From the name of the ninth month (though it means "seventh month" in Latin, since it was originally the seventh month of the Roman year), which is sometimes used as a given name for someone born in September.
Sequoia f & m English (Rare)
From the name of huge trees that grow in California. The tree got its name from the 19th-century Cherokee scholar Sequoyah (also known as George Guess), the inventor of the Cherokee writing system.
Seren f Welsh
Means "star" in Welsh. This is a recently created Welsh name.
Serena f English, Italian, Late Roman
From a Late Latin name that was derived from Latin serenus meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". This name was borne by an obscure early saint. Edmund Spenser also used it in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590). A famous bearer from the modern era is tennis player Serena Williams (1981-).
Serenity f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "serenity, tranquility", ultimately from Latin serenus meaning "clear, calm".
Setare f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian ستاره (see Setareh).
Setareh f Persian
Means "star" in Persian.
Seven m & f English (Modern)
From the English word for the number, derived from Old English seofon (from an Indo-European root shared by Latin septem and Greek ἑπτά (hepta)).
Shani 1 f & m Hebrew
Means "red, scarlet" in Hebrew.
Shell f English
Short form of Michelle or Shelley. It can also be simply from the English word shell (ultimately from Old English sciell).
Sherry f English
Probably inspired by the French word chérie meaning "darling" or the English word sherry, a type of fortified wine named from the Spanish town of Jerez. This name came into popular use during the 1920s, inspired by other similar-sounding names and by Collette's novels Chéri (1920, English translation 1929) and The Last of Chéri (1926, English translation 1932), in which it is a masculine name.... [more]
Shinju f Japanese
From Japanese 真珠 (shinju) meaning "pearl".
Shqipe f Albanian
From Albanian shqip meaning "Albanian". Additionally, the word shqipe means "eagle" in modern Albanian, a variant of older shkabë. These interrelated words are often the subject of competing claims that the one is derived from the other. The ultimate origin of shqip "Albanian" is uncertain, but it may be from shqipoj meaning "to say clearly".
Shun 2 f & m Japanese
From Japanese 駿 (shun) meaning "fast", 俊 (shun) meaning "talented", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Sibyl f English
From Greek Σίβυλλα (Sibylla), meaning "prophetess, sibyl". In Greek and Roman legend the sibyls were female prophets who practiced at different holy sites in the ancient world. In later Christian theology, the sibyls were thought to have divine knowledge and were revered in much the same way as the Old Testament prophets. Because of this, the name came into general use in the Christian world during the Middle Ages. The Normans imported it to England, where it was spelled both Sibyl and Sybil. It became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps helped by Benjamin Disraeli's novel Sybil (1845).
Sibylla f Late Roman, German
Latinate form of Sibyl.
Sienna f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "orange-red". It is ultimately from the name of the city of Siena in Italy, because of the colour of the clay there.
Sierra f English (Modern)
Means "mountain range" in Spanish, referring specifically to a mountain range with jagged peaks.
Silver m & f English (Rare)
From the English word for the precious metal or the colour, ultimately derived from Old English seolfor.
Sincere m & f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning genuine or heartfelt.
Sini f Finnish
Means "blue" in Finnish. More specifically, sini is a poetic term for the colour blue.
Sinikka f Finnish
Elaborated form of Sini, also meaning "bluebird".
Síofra f Irish
Means "elf, sprite" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Sisko f Finnish
Means "sister" in Finnish.
Sitara f Urdu
Means "star" in Urdu, ultimately from Persian.
Sitora f Tajik, Uzbek
Tajik and Uzbek form of Sitara.
Skaistė f Lithuanian
Means "pure, chaste" in Lithuanian.
Sky f & m English (Modern)
Simply from the English word sky, which was ultimately derived from Old Norse ský "cloud".
Slava m & f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Croatian, Slovene
Short form of names containing the Slavic element slava meaning "glory". It is typically masculine in Russia and Belarus, unisex in Ukraine, and feminine the South Slavic countries.
Snow f English (Rare)
From the English word, derived from Old English snāw.
Snow White f Literature
English translation of German Sneewittchen, derived from Low German Snee "snow" and witt "white" combined with the diminutive suffix -chen. This is the name of a girl who escapes her evil stepmother and takes refuge with seven dwarfs in an 1812 story recorded by the Brothers Grimm, who based it on earlier European folktales. The High German translation would be Schneeweißchen, but this was used by the Grimms for an unrelated character in another story (Snow-White and Rose-Red). The modern German form is typically the hybrid Schneewittchen. The story was adapted into a film by Walt Disney in 1937.
Socorro f Spanish
Means "succour, help, relief" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary María del Socorro meaning "Mary of Perpetual Succour".
Sol 1 f Spanish, Portuguese
Means "sun" in Spanish or Portuguese.
Sole f Italian
Means "sun" in Italian.
Soledad f Spanish
Means "solitude" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, María de la Soledad, meaning "Mary of Solitude".
Soleil f Various
Means "sun" in French. It is not commonly used as a name in France itself.
Sóley f Icelandic
Means "buttercup (flower)" in Icelandic (genus Ranunculus), derived from sól "sun" and ey "island".
Sora f & m Japanese
From Japanese 空 (sora) or 昊 (sora) both meaning "sky". Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also form this name.
Sorcha f Irish, Scottish Gaelic
Means "radiant, bright" in Irish. It has been in use since late medieval times. It is sometimes Anglicized as Sarah (in Ireland) and Clara (in Scotland).
Sorrel f English (Rare)
From the name of the sour tasting plant, derived from Old French sur "sour", a word of Frankish origin.
Sparrow m & f English (Rare)
From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English spearwa.
Spes f Roman Mythology
Means "hope" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the personification of hope.
Spirit f English (Rare)
From the English word spirit, ultimately from Latin spiritus "breath, energy", a derivative of spirare "to blow".
Spring f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English springan "to leap, to burst forth".
Sprita f Esperanto
Means "witty, lively" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin spiritus "breath, energy".
Star f English
From the English word for the celestial body, ultimately from Old English steorra.
Stela f Romanian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak
Form of Stella 1 in several languages, derived from Latin stella meaning "star" (modern Romanian stea).
Stella 1 f English, Italian, Dutch, German
Means "star" in Latin. This name was created by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney for the subject of his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella. It was a nickname of a lover of Jonathan Swift, real name Esther Johnson (1681-1728), though it was not commonly used as a given name until the 19th century. It appears in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), belonging to the sister of Blanche DuBois and the wife of Stanley Kowalski.
Steren f Cornish
Means "star" in Cornish.
Storm m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern), Danish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern)
From the vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English or Old Dutch storm, or in the case of the Scandinavian name, from Old Norse stormr. It is unisex as an English name, but typically masculine elsewhere.
Stormy f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "stormy, wild, turbulent", ultimately from Old English stormig.
Subira f Swahili
Means "patience" in Swahili, from Arabic صبر (ṣabara).
Sue f English
Short form of Susanna.
Sultan m & f Arabic, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Urdu, Bengali, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Avar, Indonesian
Means "ruler, king, sultan" in Arabic. In the Arab world this name is typically masculine, but Turkey it is given to both boys and girls.
Sultana f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Feminine form of Sultan.
Suman m & f Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali
Means "well-disposed, good mind", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with मनस् (manas) meaning "mind".
Summer f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English sumor. It has been in use as a given name since the 1970s.
Sunday m & f English
From the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English sunnandæg, which was composed of the elements sunne "sun" and dæg "day". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Sunny f & m English
From the English word meaning "sunny, cheerful".
Sunshine f English
From the English word, ultimately from Old English sunne "sun" and scinan "shine".
Suoma f Finnish
Derived from Finnish Suomi meaning "Finland".
Suvi f Finnish
Means "summer" in Finnish.
Svajonė f Lithuanian
Means "dream, wish" in Lithuanian.
Swapna f Telugu, Marathi
From Sanskrit स्वप्न (svapna) meaning "sleep, dream".
Symphony f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word, ultimately deriving from Greek σύμφωνος (symphonos) meaning "concordant in sound".
Tähti f Finnish (Rare), Estonian (Rare)
Means "star" in Finnish and Estonian.
Taika f Finnish (Rare)
Means "magic, spell" in Finnish.
Taimi f Finnish, Estonian
From Finnish taimi meaning "sapling, young tree" or Estonian taim meaning "plant" (words from a common origin).
Takara m & f Japanese
From Japanese 宝 (takara) meaning "treasure, jewel", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.
Talitha f Biblical
Means "little girl" in Aramaic. The name is taken from the phrase talitha cumi meaning "little girl arise" spoken by Jesus in order to restore a young girl to life (see Mark 5:41).
Talvikki f Finnish (Rare)
Derived from Finnish talvi meaning "winter". This is also the Finnish word for the wintergreen plant (genus Pyrola).
Tansy f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived via Old French from Late Latin tanacita.
Taru f Finnish
Means "legend, myth" in Finnish. It is also used as a diminutive of Tarja.
Tawny f English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately deriving from Old French tané, which means "light brown".
Taylor m & f English
From an English surname that originally denoted someone who was a tailor, from Norman French tailleur, ultimately from Latin taliare "to cut".... [more]
Tea f Croatian, Slovene, Finnish, Georgian
Short form of Dorothea, Theodora and other names containing a similar sound.
Teal f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of duck or the greenish-blue colour.
Temperance f English
From the English word meaning "moderation" or "restraint". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It experienced a modest revival in the United States during the run of the television series Bones (2005-2017), in which the main character bears this name.
Tempest f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "storm". It appears in the title of William Shakespeare's play The Tempest (1611).
Temple m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who was associated with the Knights Templar, a medieval religious military order.
Terra f English
Variant of Tara 1, perhaps influenced by the Latin word terra meaning "land, earth".
Terttu f Finnish
Means "bunch, cluster" in Finnish.
Thankful f English (Archaic)
From the English word thankful. This was one of the many virtue names used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Tiara f English (Modern)
From the English word for a semicircle crown, ultimately of Greek origin.
Tierra f Various
Means "earth" in Spanish.
Tindra f Swedish (Modern)
Means "to twinkle, to sparkle" in Swedish.
Tinker Bell f Literature
Created by the writer J. M. Barrie for a fairy character, first introduced in his 1904 play Peter Pan. Her name refers to the fact that she is a mender of pots and kettles (a tinker) with a voice like a tinkling bell.
Titty f English
Diminutive of Letitia. This is now a slang word for the female breast, and the name has subsequently dropped out of common use.
Tola 1 m & f Khmer
Means "October" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit तुल (tula), referring to the constellation Libra.
Tonalli m & f Nahuatl
Means "day, warmth of the sun" in Nahuatl.
Tondra f Esperanto
Means "thunderous", from Esperanto tondro meaning "thunder".
Tone 2 f Norwegian
Newer form of Torny.
Topaz f English (Rare)
From the English word for the yellow precious stone, the traditional birthstone of November, ultimately derived from Greek τόπαζος (topazos).
Treasure f English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately from Greek θησαυρός (thesauros) meaning "treasure, collection".
Tri m & f Indonesian
Means "three, third" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit त्रि (tri).
Trinidad f & m Spanish
Means "trinity" in Spanish, referring to the Holy Trinity. An island in the West Indies bears this name.
Trinity f English
From the English word Trinity, given in honour of the Christian belief that God has one essence, but three distinct expressions of being: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It has only been in use as a given name since the 20th century.
Tuba f Arabic, Turkish
From the name of a type of tree that is believed to grow in heaven in Islamic tradition. It means "blessedness" in Arabic.
Tuesday f English (Rare)
From the English word for the day of the week, which derives from Old English tiwesdæg meaning "Tiw's day".
Tuija f Finnish
Means "cedar" in Finnish.
Tündér f Hungarian (Rare)
Means "fairy" in Hungarian.
Tuuli f Finnish, Estonian
Means "wind" in Finnish and Estonian.
Ume f Japanese
From Japanese 梅 (ume) meaning "Japanese apricot, plum" (refers specifically to the species Prunus mume). In Japan the ume blossom is regarded as a symbol of spring and a ward against evil. Different kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Una f English
Anglicized form of Irish Úna or Scottish Ùna. It is also associated with Latin una, feminine form of unus meaning "one". The name features in Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590).