LOUP m FrenchFrench form of the Late Latin name
Lupus meaning
"wolf". Lupus was the name of several early saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Troyes who apparently convinced
Attila to spare the city.
LOWELL m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a Norman French nickname, from
lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).
LUCA (1) m Italian, RomanianItalian and Romanian form of
Lucas (see
LUKE). This name was borne by Luca della Robbia, a Renaissance sculptor from Florence.
LUCAN m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Lucanus, which was derived from the name of the city of Luca in Tuscany (modern Lucca). Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.
LUCIANUS m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was derived from the Roman praenomen
LUCIUS. Lucianus (or
Λουκιανός in his native Greek) of Samosata was a 2nd-century satirist and author. This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from Antioch.
LUCIFER m Judeo-Christian LegendMeans
"bringing light", derived from Latin
lux "light" and
ferre "to bring". In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus, but later became associated with the chief angel who rebelled against God's rule in heaven (see
Isaiah 14:12). In later literature, such as the
Divine Comedy (1321) by Dante and
Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton, Lucifer became associated with Satan himself.
LUCILIUS m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was a derivative of the given name
LUCIUS. This was the family name of the 2nd-century BC Roman satirist Gaius Lucilius.
LUCIUS m Ancient Roman, Biblical, EnglishRoman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin
lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
LUDGER m GermanFrom the Germanic name
Leudagar, which was derived from the elements
leud "people" and
ger "spear". Saint Ludger was an 8th-century Frisian Benedictine bishop who founded a monastery at Munster.
LUDOVIC m FrenchMedieval Latinized form of
LUDWIG. This was the name of an 1833 opera by the French composer Fromental Halévy.
LUDOVIKO m EsperantoEsperanto form of
LUDWIG. This is the Esperanto name of the philologist Ludwig Zamenhof (1859-1917), the creator of the Esperanto language.
ĽUDOVÍT m SlovakMeans
"master of the people" from the Slavic elements
lyudu "people" and
vit "master, lord".
LUDWIG m GermanFrom the Germanic name
Chlodovech meaning
"famous battle", composed of the elements
hlud "famous" and
wig "war, battle". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks (though their names are usually spelled in the Latinized form
Clovis) as well as several Carolingian kings and Holy Roman emperors (names often spelled in the French form
Louis). Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.
LUGH m Irish MythologyProbably an Irish form of
LUGUS. In Irish mythology Lugh was a divine hero who led the Tuatha De Danann against the Fomorians who were led by his grandfather Balor. Lugh killed Balor by shooting a stone into his giant eye.
LUGHAIDH m Irish, Irish MythologyDerived from the name of the Irish god
LUGH. This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including the king Lughaidh mac Con.
LUGUS m Gaulish MythologyProbably from early Celtic meaning
"light", ultimately from the Indo-European root *
leuk "light, brightness". This was the name of a Celtic (Gaulish) god of commerce and craftsmanship, who was equated by the Romans with
Mercury. He probably forms the basis for the characters and names of
Lugh (Irish) and
Lleu (Welsh).
LUKE m English, BiblicalEnglish form of Latin
Lucas, from the Greek name
Λουκᾶς (Loukas) meaning
"from Lucania", Lucania being a region in southern Italy (of uncertain meaning). Luke was a doctor who travelled in the company of the apostle
Paul. According to tradition, he was the author of the third gospel and Acts in the New Testament. He was probably of Greek ethnicity. He is considered a saint by many Christian denominations.
... [more] LUMÍR m CzechMeaning unknown, though the second element is likely Slavic
miru meaning "peace" or "world". In Czech legend this is the name of a bard.
LUTHER m EnglishFrom a German surname, itself from the Germanic given name
LEUTHAR. The surname was borne by Martin Luther, a 16th-century monk and theologian, who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King (1929-1968).
LUX f & m VariousDerived from Latin
lux meaning
"light".
LYALL m English (Rare)From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name
Liulfr (which was derived in part from
úlfr "wolf").
LYDOS m Ancient GreekMeaning unknown. This was the name of the semi-legendary king who gave his name to the region of
Lydia in Asia Minor.
LYLE m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Norman French
l'isle "island".
LYNDON m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"linden tree hill" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973).
LYNN f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Welsh
llyn meaning
"lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of
LINDA or names that end in
lyn or
line.
MAACAH f & m BiblicalFrom Hebrew
מָעַך (ma'akh) meaning
"to press, to crush". This name is borne by both male and female characters in the Old Testament.
MACARIO m SpanishSpanish form of the Latin name
Macarius, derived from the Greek name
Μακάριος (Makarios), which was in turn derived from Greek
μάκαρ (makar) meaning
"blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints.
MACAULAY m English (British)From a surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Amhalghaidh meaning
"son of Amhalghadh", itself a given name of unknown meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1861), a British Whig politician and noted historian. The given name is borne by the American former child actor Macaulay Culkin (1980-), who was named after the British politician.
MACBETH m HistoryAnglicized form of the Gaelic given name
Mac Beatha meaning
"son of life", implying holiness. This was the name of an 11th-century Scottish king. Shakespeare based his play
Macbeth loosely on this king's life.
MACK (1) m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally a shortened form of various Gaelic surnames beginning with
Mac or
Mc (from Gaelic
mac meaning "son"). It is also used as a generic slang term for a man.
MACKENZIE f & m EnglishFrom the Gaelic surname
Mac Coinnich, which means
"son of COINNEACH". A famous bearer of the surname was William Lyon MacKenzie (1795-1861), a Canadian journalist and political rebel. As a feminine given name, it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-). In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.
MACSEN m WelshWelsh form of
MAXIMUS. Magnus Maximus (known as Macsen in Welsh) was a 4th-century co-ruler of the Western Roman Empire. In Wales he was regarded as the founder of several royal lineages. He appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth.
MADAI m BiblicalMeans
"Medes" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Japheth. He was the ancestor of the Medes, an ancient people related to the Persians.
MADDOX m English (Modern)From a Welsh surname meaning
"son of MADOC". It was brought to public attention when the actress Angelina Jolie gave this name to her adopted son in 2002.
MADE m & f BalineseFrom Sanskrit
मध्य (madhya) meaning
"middle". This name is traditionally given to the family's second-born child.
MADHAVA m Sanskrit, HinduismMeans
"vernal, of the springtime" in Sanskrit. This is an epithet of several Hindu gods. It was also the name of a 14th-century Hindu scholar.
MADISON f & m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of MAUD". It was not commonly used as a feminine name until after the movie
Splash (1984), in which the main character adopted it as her name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York City. It was ranked second for girls in the United States by 2001. This rise from obscurity to prominence in only 18 years represents an unprecedented 550,000 percent increase in usage.
... [more] MADOC m WelshPossibly derived from Welsh
mad meaning
"fortunate" combined with a diminutive suffix.
MÁEDÓC m Ancient IrishMeaning unknown. Saint Máedóc (also known as Áedán) of Ferns was a 7th-century Irish bishop.
MAËL m French, BretonFrench form of Breton
Mael, which was derived from a Celtic word meaning
"chieftain" or
"prince". Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.
MÁEL MÁEDÓC m Ancient IrishMeans
"disciple of Saint MÁEDÓC" in Irish. Saint Máel Máedóc (also known as Malachy) was a 12th-century archbishop of Armagh.
MÁEL SECHNAILL m Ancient IrishMeans
"disciple of Saint SEACHNALL" in Irish. This was the name of two Irish high kings: Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid who ruled all of Ireland in the 9th century; and Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill (called Malachy) who defeated the Norse of Dublin in the 10th century.
MAGDY m Arabic (Egyptian)Alternate transcription of Arabic
مجدي (see
MAJDI). This corresponds more closely with the Egyptian Arabic pronunciation of the name.
MAGNUS m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"great". It was borne by a 7th-century saint who was a missionary in Germany. It became popular in Scandinavia after the time of the 11th-century Norwegian king Magnus I, who was said to have been named after
Charlemagne, or Carolus Magnus in Latin (however there was also a Norse name
Magni). The name was borne by six subsequent kings of Norway as well as three kings of Sweden. It was imported to Scotland and Ireland during the Middle Ages.
MAHATMA m HistoryFrom the Indian title
महात्मा (Mahatma) meaning
"great soul", derived from Sanskrit
महा (maha) meaning "great" and
आत्मन् (atman) meaning "soul, spirit, life". This title was given to, among others, Mohandas Karamchand, also known as Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948).
MAHAVIRA m SanskritMeans
"great hero" from Sanskrit
महा (maha) meaning "great" and
वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man". This was the name of the 6th-century BC founder of Jainism.
MAHERSHALA m VariousFrom the longer name
Mahershalalhashbaz, which appears in the Old Testament at
Isaiah 8:1 in reference to Isaiah's symbolic son. It is written in Hebrew as
מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז, and is composed of the two-word phrases
מַהֵר שָׁלָל (maher shalal) and
חָשׁ בַּז (chash baz), which both mean
"hurry to the plunder". A famous bearer is the American actor Mahershala Ali (1974-), whose full name is Mahershalalhashbaz.
MAHLAH f & m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
מַחְלָה (Machlah), possibly from
חָלָה (chalah) meaning
"weak, sick". This name is used in the Old Testament as both a feminine and masculine name. In some versions of the Bible the masculine name is spelled
Mahalah.
MAHLI m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
מַחְלִי (Machli), possibly meaning
"weak, sick". This was the name of two characters mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
MAHPIYA m Indigenous American, SiouxMeans
"cloud, sky" in Dakota and Lakota. This is the first part of the names of the Dakota chief Mahpiya Wicasta (1780-1863), known as Cloud Man, and the Lakota chiefs Mahpiya Luta (1822-1909), known as Red Cloud, and Mahpiya Iyapato (1838-1905), known as Touch the Clouds.
MAINA m Eastern African, KikuyuMeans
"sing, dance" in Kikuyu. Kikuyu males were traditionally organized into age sets or generations, each lasting about 30 years. The
Maina generation occupied the last part of the 19th century.
MAINCHÍN m IrishMeans
"little monk", derived from Irish
manach "monk" combined with a diminutive suffix.
MAITLAND m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that was from a Norman French place name possibly meaning
"inhospitable".
MAJOR m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from the given name
Mauger, an Old French form of the Germanic name
Malger meaning "council spear". The name can also be given in reference to the English word
major.
MAKOTO m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
誠 (makoto) meaning "sincerity", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations.
MALACHI m Hebrew, English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
מַלְאָכִי (Mal'akhi) meaning
"my messenger" or
"my angel". This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Malachi, which some claim foretells the coming of Christ. In England the name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
MALCOLM m Scottish, EnglishFrom Scottish Gaelic
Máel Coluim, which means
"disciple of Saint COLUMBA". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing Macbeth, the usurper who had murdered his father. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy
Macbeth (1606) is based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.
MALIK (1) m ArabicMeans
"king" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition
الملك (al-Malik) is one of the 99 names of Allah. This can also be another way of transcribing the name
مالك (see
MAALIK).
MALKHAZ m GeorgianPossibly means
"beautiful, elegant, youthful" in Georgian.
MALO m BretonMeans
"bright pledge", derived from Old Breton
mach "pledge, hostage" and
lou "bright, brilliant". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint, supposedly a companion of Saint
Brendan on his trans-Atlantic journey. He later went to Brittany, where he founded the monastic settlement of Saint-Malo.
MALONE m & f English (Rare)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Maoil Eoin meaning
"descendant of a disciple of Saint JOHN".
MALVOLIO m LiteratureMeans
"ill will" in Italian. This name was invented by Shakespeare for a character in his play
Twelfth Night (1602).
MANAIA f & m MaoriFrom the name of a stylized design common in Maori carvings. It represents a mythological creature with the head of a bird and the body of a human.
MANASSEH m BiblicalMeans
"causing to forget" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the oldest son of
Joseph and
Asenath and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was also borne by a 7th-century BC king of Judah, condemned in the bible for allowing the worship of other gods.
MANFRED m German, Dutch, PolishDerived from the Germanic elements
magan "strength" and
frid "peace". This is the name of the main character in Lord Byron's drama
Manfred (1817). This name was also borne by Manfred von Richthofen (1892-1918), the German pilot in World War I who was known as the Red Baron.
MANI (2) m PersianMeaning unknown, presumably of Persian origin. Mani was a 3rd-century prophet who founded the religion of Manichaeism (which is now extinct).
MANIUS m Ancient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, which was possibly derived from Old Latin
manus "good".
MANLEY m EnglishFrom an English surname, originally a place name, meaning
"common clearing" in Old English.
MANLIUS m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was possibly derived from Latin
mane "morning". Marcus Manlius Capitolinus was a Roman consul who saved Rome from the Gauls in the 4th century BC.
MANOJ m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, KannadaModern form of
MANOJA.
MANOJA m HinduismMeans
"born of the mind", from Sanskrit
मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and
ज (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu god
Kama.