Browse Names

Aella f Greek Mythology
Means "whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.

Ailbhe f & m Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Ailbe, possibly derived from the Celtic root *albiyo- "world, light, white" or Old Irish ail "rock". In Irish legend this was the name of a female warrior of the Fianna. It was also the name of a 6th-century male saint, the founder of a monastery at Emly.

Anat 1 f Semitic Mythology
Possibly derived from a Semitic root meaning "water spring". Anat was a goddess of fertility, hunting and war worshipped by the Semitic peoples of the Levant. She was the sister and consort of the god Hadad.

Aoife f Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Aífe, derived from oíph meaning "beauty" (modern Irish aoibh). This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a woman at war with Scáthach (her sister in some versions). She was defeated in single combat by the hero Cúchulainn, who spared her life on the condition that she bear him a child (Connla). Another legendary figure by this name appears in the Children of Lir as the jealous third wife of Lir.... [more]

Ashtoreth f Biblical, Semitic Mythology
From עַשְׁתֹרֶת (ʿAshṯoreṯ), the Hebrew form of the name of a Phoenician goddess of love, war and fertility. Her name is cognate to that of the East Semitic goddess Ishtar.

Bellona f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin bello meaning "to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war, a companion of Mars.

Briseis f Greek Mythology
Patronymic derived from Βρισεύς (Briseus), a Greek name of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology Briseis (real name Hippodameia) was the daughter of Briseus. She was captured during the Trojan War by Achilles. After Agamemnon took her away from him, Achilles refused to fight in the war.

Camilla f English, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, German, Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Camillus. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volsci, as told by Virgil in the Aeneid. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Fanny Burney's novel Camilla (1796).

Cassandra f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κασσάνδρα (Kassandra), possibly derived from κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.... [more]

Clytemnestra f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κλυταιμνήστρα (Klytaimnestra) and Κλυταιμήστρα (Klytaimestra), in which the first element is κλυτός (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". The spelling Klytaimnestra would suggest the second element is μνηστήρ (mnester) meaning "courter, wooer", while Klytaimestra would suggest a connection to μήδομαι (medomai) meaning "to plan, to intend". There is debate over which spelling is earlier or more authentic, since the ancient texts seem to make puns based on both etymologies. Klytaimestra appears in the works of the Greek tragedians such as Aeschylus, while Klytaimnestra appears in Homer's poems (the earliest extant copy dating from the post-classical period).... [more]

Durga f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, Telugu
Means "unattainable, unassailable" in Sanskrit. Durga is a Hindu warrior goddess, usually depicted with multiple arms and riding on the back of a lion or tiger. The Puranas relate that she came into being to combat the buffalo demon Mahishasura. She is sometimes considered a fierce aspect of Parvati the wife of Shiva. In Shaktism she is viewed as a principal aspect of the supreme goddess Mahadevi.

Enyo f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. She was a bloodthirsty Greek war goddess and a companion of Ares.

Freya f Norse Mythology, English (Modern), German
From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.... [more]

Gunnr f Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse gunnr meaning "war". This was the name of a valkyrie in Norse legend.

Helen f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.... [more]

Hera f Greek Mythology
Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.

Inanna f Sumerian Mythology
Possibly derived from Sumerian nin-an-a(k) meaning "lady of the heavens", from 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒀭 (an) meaning "heaven, sky". Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and war. She descended into the underworld where the ruler of that place, her sister Ereshkigal, had her killed. The god Enki interceded, and Inanna was allowed to leave the underworld as long as her husband Dumuzi took her place.... [more]

Iphigeneia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἴφιος (iphios) meaning "strong, stout" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". In Greek myth Iphigenia was the daughter of King Agamemnon. When her father offended Artemis it was divined that the only way to appease the goddess was to sacrifice Iphigenia. Just as Agamemnon was about to sacrifice his daughter she was magically transported to the city of Taurus.... [more]

Ishtar f Semitic Mythology
From the Semitic root ʿṯtr, which possibly relates to the Evening Star. Ishtar was an Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian goddess who presided over love, war and fertility. She was cognate with the Canaanite and Phoenician Ashtoreth, and she was also identified with the Sumerian goddess Inanna. Her name in Akkadian cuneiform 𒀭𒈹 was the same as the Sumerian cuneiform for Inanna.

Kumari f Hinduism, Hindi, Telugu
Feminine form of Kumara. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata Kumari is the wife of the warrior Bhima. This is also another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.

Maeve f Irish, English, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of the Irish name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband Ailill fought against the Ulster king Conchobar and the hero Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.

Minerva f Roman Mythology, English, Spanish
Possibly derived from Latin mens meaning "intellect", but more likely of Etruscan origin. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since after the Renaissance.

Morrígan f Irish Mythology
Means either "demon queen" or "great queen", derived from Old Irish mor "demon, evil spirit" or mór "great, big" combined with rígain "queen". In Irish mythology Morrígan (called also The Morrígan) was a goddess of war and death who often took the form of a crow.

Mulan f Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 木兰 (mùlán) meaning "magnolia". This is the name of a legendary female warrior who disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father's place when he is conscripted into the army.

Neith f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian nt, possibly from nt "water" or nrw "fear, dread". This was the name of an early Egyptian goddess of weaving, hunting and war. Her character may have some correspondences with the goddesses Tanith, Anat or Athena.

Polyxena f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Πολυξένη (Polyxene), which was from the word πολύξενος (polyxenos) meaning "entertaining many guests, very hospitable", itself derived from πολύς (polys) meaning "many" and ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest". In Greek legend she was a daughter of Priam and Hecuba, beloved by Achilles. After the Trojan War, Achilles' son Neoptolemus sacrificed her.

Scáthach f Irish Mythology
Means "shadowy" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior woman. She instructed Cúchulainn in the arts of war, and he in turn helped her defeat her rival Aoife.

Sekhmet f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian sḫmt, derived from sḫm meaning "powerful" and a feminine t suffix. Sekhmet was an Egyptian warrior goddess, also associated with healing, violence and plague. She was commonly depicted with the head of a lioness, and was sometimes conflated with the cat-headed goddess Bastet.

Tahmina f Persian Mythology, Tajik, Bengali
Derived from Persian تهم (tahm) meaning "brave, valiant". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh. She is a daughter of the king of Samangan who marries the warrior hero Rostam and eventually bears him a son, whom they name Sohrab.

Tara 2 f Hinduism, Buddhism, Hindi, Nepali
Means "star" in Sanskrit. Tara is the name of a Hindu astral goddess, the wife of Brhaspati. She was abducted by Chandra, the god of the moon, leading to a great war that was only ended when Brahma intervened and released her. This name also appears in the epic the Ramayana belonging to the wife of Vali and, after his death, his younger brother Sugriva. In Buddhist belief this is the name of a bodhisattva associated with salvation and protection.