Singh m Indian (Sikh)From Sanskrit
सिंह (sinha) meaning
"lion". In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh gave all his male Sikh followers the surname
Singh, and it is now a very common surname or a middle name. The female equivalent is
Kaur.
Sirius m AstronomyThe name of a bright star in the constellation Canis Major, derived via Latin from Greek
σείριος (seirios) meaning
"burning".
Sisu m FinnishMeans
"willpower, determination, strength" in Finnish.
Si-U m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
始 (si) meaning "begin, start" combined with
祐 (u) meaning "divine intervention, protection" or
雨 (u) meaning "rain". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Sixten m SwedishFrom the Old Norse name
Sigsteinn, which was derived from the elements
sigr "victory" and
steinn "stone".
Sixtus m Late RomanProbably the Latin form of the Greek name
Ξύστος (Xystos) meaning
"scraped, polished". This name was borne by five popes. The first pope by this name was the sixth to serve after Saint Peter, so there is a possibility that this name is in fact derived from Latin
sextus "sixth".
Sjra m LimburgishLimburgish form of
Gerard. Its spelling has been influenced by the French pronunciation of Gérard.
Skanda m HinduismMeans
"hopping, spurting, spilling" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is the name of the god of war, also known as
Kartikeya or
Murugan. He is worshipped especially by the Tamils in southern India.
Skenandoa m Oneida (Anglicized)Possibly from Oneida
oskanutú meaning
"deer". This was the name of an 18th-century Oneida chief. According to some sources the Shenandoah River in Virginia was named after him, though the river seems to have borne this name from before his birth. It is possible that he was named after the river, or that the similarity in spellings is a coincidence.
Sky f & m English (Modern)Simply from the English word
sky, which was ultimately derived from Old Norse
ský "cloud".
Skylar f & m English (Modern)Variant of
Skyler. Originally more common for boys during the 1980s, it was popularized as a name for girls after it was used on the American soap opera
The Young and the Restless in 1989 and the movie
Good Will Hunting in 1997. Its sharp rise in the United States in 2011 might be attributed to the character Skyler White from the television series
Breaking Bad (2008-2013) or the singer Skylar Grey (1986-), who adopted this name in 2010 after previously going by Holly Brook.
Skyler m & f English (Modern)Variant of
Schuyler, based on the pronunciation of the surname but respelled as if it was a blend of the English word
sky with names such as
Tyler. It was rare before 1980, and first gained popularity as a name for boys. It is now more common for girls, though it is more evenly unisex than the mostly feminine variant
Skylar.
Sláine f & m Old Irish, Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
slán meaning
"health, safety". This was the name of a legendary high king of Ireland, one of the Fir Bolg. It was also the name of a daughter of the 11th-century high king Brian Boru.
Slávek m CzechDiminutive of names containing the Slavic element
slava meaning
"glory". It is sometimes used independently.
Slaven m Croatian, SerbianMeans
"a Slav" in Croatian and Serbian, referring to the European people who speak one of the Slavic languages (which include Croatian and Serbian). The word is derived from Old Slavic *
slověninŭ.
Sławomir m PolishDerived from the Slavic elements
slava "glory" and
mirŭ "peace, world". This name (Slavomir) was borne by 9th-century rulers of the Obotrites and the Moravians.
Sly m EnglishShort form of
Sylvester. The actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-) is a well-known bearer of this nickname.
Smaragdos m Late GreekMeans
"emerald" in Greek, of Semitic origin. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman martyr and saint, better known by the Latinized form of his name
Smaragdus.
Sméagol m LiteratureFrom Old English
smeah meaning
"penetrating, creeping". In J. R. R. Tolkien's novel
The Lord of the Rings (1954) this is revealed as the original name of the creature
Gollum. Tolkien used English-like translations of many names; the real hobbit-language form of the name was
Trahald.
Smith m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"metal worker, blacksmith", derived from Old English
smitan "to smite, to hit". It is the most common surname in most of the English-speaking world.
Sneferu m Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
snfr-wj meaning
"(he) has made me beautiful", from
snfr "to make beautiful", a derivative of
nfr "beautiful, good". This was the name of the founder of the 4th dynasty during Egypt's Old Kingdom (27th century BC).
Snorri m Old Norse, IcelandicDerived from Old Norse
snerra "attack, onslaught". This name was borne by Snorri Sturluson, a 13th-century Icelandic historian and poet, the author of the
Prose Edda.
Soan m French (Modern)Variant of
Sohan. It was popularized by the French singer Julien Decroix (1981-), also known as Soan.
Sobek m Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
sbk, possibly derived from
sbq "to impregnate". In Egyptian mythology Sobek was a ferocious crocodile-headed god associated with fertility and the Nile River.
Sobekhotep m Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
sbk-ḥtp meaning
"Sobek is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god
Sobek combined with
ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of several Egyptian pharaohs from the 13th dynasty (19th to 17th centuries BC).
Sobiesław m Polish (Rare)Derived from Slavic elements, probably
sebě "to oneself" and
slava "glory". This name (in the Czech form
Soběslav) was borne by two 12th-century dukes of Bohemia.
Socrates m Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Σωκράτης (Sokrates), which was derived from
σῶς (sos) meaning "whole, unwounded, safe" and
κράτος (kratos) meaning "power". This was the name of an important Greek philosopher. He left no writings of his own; virtually everything that we know of his beliefs comes from his pupil
Plato. He was sentenced to death for impiety.
Sohrab m Persian, Persian MythologyFrom Persian
سهر (sohr) meaning "red" and
آب (ab) meaning "water". In the 10th-century Persian epic the
Shahnameh this is the name of the son of the hero
Rostam. He was tragically slain in battle by his father, who was unaware he was fighting his own son.
Sok m & f KhmerMeans
"healthy, peaceful, happy, pleasant" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit
सुख (sukha).
Sokol m AlbanianMeans
"falcon" in Albanian, a word borrowed from Slavic.
Solomon m Biblical, English, Jewish, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
שְׁלֹמֹה (Shelomoh), which was derived from Hebrew
שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". As told in the Old Testament, Solomon was a king of Israel, the son of
David and
Bathsheba. He was renowned for his wisdom and wealth. Towards the end of his reign he angered God by turning to idolatry. Supposedly, he was the author of the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.
... [more] Solon m Ancient GreekPossibly from Greek
σόλος (solos) meaning
"lump of iron". This was the name of an Athenian statesman who reformed the laws and government of the city.
Sōma m JapaneseFrom Japanese
颯 (sō) meaning "sudden, sound of the wind" and
真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Soma m HungarianFrom Hungarian
som meaning
"dogwood, cornel tree".
Somboon m ThaiDerived from Thai
สม (som) meaning "worthy" and
บุญ (bun) meaning "merit".
Somchai m ThaiDerived from Thai
สม (som) meaning "worthy" combined with
ชาย (chai) meaning "man" or
ชัย (chai) meaning "victory".
Somerled m Old Norse (Anglicized)Anglicized form of the Old Norse name
Sumarliði meaning
"summer traveller". This was the name of a 12th-century Norse-Gaelic king of Mann and the Scottish Isles.
Somporn m ThaiDerived from Thai
สม (som) meaning "worthy" and
พร (phon) meaning "blessing".
Somsak m ThaiDerived from Thai
สม (som) meaning "worthy" and
ศักดิ์ (sak) meaning "power, honour".
Sondre m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Sundri, possibly from Old Norse
sunn meaning
"south".
Sonic m Popular CultureFrom the English word
sonic meaning
"related to sound", derived from Latin
sonus meaning "sound". It also connotates speediness, or the speed of sound, due to words like
supersonic or
hypersonic. A notable fictional bearer is the speedy video game character Sonic the Hedgehog, introduced in 1991 by Sega. He is called
ソニック (Sonikku) in Japan.
Sonny m EnglishFrom a nickname that is commonly used to denote a young boy, derived from the English word
son.
Sophron m Ancient GreekMeans
"self-controlled, sensible" in Greek. This name was borne by the 5th-century BC writer Sophron of Syracuse.
Sora f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
空 (sora) or
昊 (sora) both meaning "sky". Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also form this name.
Søren m DanishDanish form of
Severinus. Søren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) was a Danish philosopher who is regarded as a precursor of existentialism.
Sorin m RomanianPossibly derived from Romanian
soare meaning
"sun".
Sosigenes m Ancient GreekMeans
"born safely" from Greek
σῶς (sos) meaning "safe, whole, unwounded" and
γενής (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of an astronomer from Alexandria employed by Julius Caesar to correct the Roman calendar.
Sosruko m Caucasian MythologyDerived from Turkic
suslä meaning
"menacing". This is the name of a trickster god in Caucasian mythology. He is the hero of the Nart sagas.
Sōta m JapaneseFrom Japanese
颯 (sō) meaning "sudden, sound of the wind" and
太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". This name can also be formed of other kanji combinations.
Sothy m & f KhmerMeans
"intelligence, wisdom" in Khmer.
Spartacus m HistoryMeans
"from the city of Sparta" in Latin. Spartacus was the name of a Thracian-born Roman slave who led a slave revolt in Italy in the 1st century BC. He was eventually killed in battle and many of his followers were crucified.
Spencer m EnglishFrom an English surname that meant
"dispenser of provisions", derived from Middle English
spense "larder, pantry". A famous bearer was American actor Spencer Tracy (1900-1967). It was also the surname of Princess Diana (1961-1997).
Spike m EnglishFrom a nickname that may have originally been given to a person with spiky hair.
Spock m Popular CultureThe name of a half-Vulcan, half-human Starfleet officer on the
Star Trek television series (1966-1969), later appearing in several movies. His name was invented by the writers, based on their rules that Vulcan names must start with an
S and end with a
k. In a 1985 tie-in novel his full name is said to be S'chn T'gai Spock (
S'chn T'gai is the family name, since it is also borne by his father S'chn T'gai Sarek; this is despite the fact that he is often addressed as
Mr. Spock by characters on the show).
Spurius m Ancient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, which is of uncertain meaning, probably of Etruscan origin. It may be related to the Late Latin word
spurius "of illegitimate birth", which was derived from Etruscan
srural "public".
Spyridon m Greek, Late GreekLate Greek name derived from Greek
σπυρίδιον (spyridion) meaning
"basket" or Latin
spiritus meaning
"spirit". Saint Spyridon was a 4th-century sheep farmer who became the bishop of Tremithus and suffered during the persecutions of Diocletian.
Stacy f & m EnglishAs a feminine name it is commonly considered a diminutive of
Anastasia, though it was originally used independently of that name, which was rare in America in the 1950s when Stacy began becoming popular. It had earlier been in use as an uncommon masculine name, borrowed from the surname Stacy or Stacey (derived from
Stace, a medieval form of
Eustace).
Stafford m EnglishFrom a surname that was from a place name meaning
"landing-place ford" in Old English.
Ståle m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse byname
Stáli, which was derived from
stál meaning
"steel".
Stan 1 m EnglishShort form of
Stanley. A famous bearer was British comedian Stan Laurel (1890-1965).
Stanford m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"stone ford" in Old English.
Stanley m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"stone clearing" (Old English
stan "stone" and
leah "woodland, clearing"). A notable bearer of the surname was the British-American explorer and journalist Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904), the man who found David Livingstone in Africa. As a given name, it was borne by American director Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999), as well as the character Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' play
A Streetcar Named Desire (1947).
Stavros m GreekMeans
"cross" in Greek, referring to the cross of the crucifixion.
Stefan m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Polish, Bulgarian, Serbian, MacedonianForm of
Stephen used in several languages. Famous bearers include the Serbian rulers Stefan Nemanja, Stefan Nemanjić, and Stefan Lazarević, who are all considered saints in the Orthodox Church.
Stefanus m DutchOfficial Dutch form of
Stephen, used on birth certificates but not commonly in daily life.
Stellan m SwedishMeaning unknown, perhaps related to Old Norse
stilling "calm", or perhaps of German origin.
Stephen m English, BiblicalFrom the Greek name
Στέφανος (Stephanos) meaning
"crown, wreath", more precisely
"that which surrounds". Saint Stephen was a deacon who was stoned to death, as told in Acts in the New Testament. He is regarded as the first Christian martyr. Due to him, the name became common in the Christian world. It was popularized in England by the Normans.
... [more] Sterling m EnglishFrom a Scots surname that was derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning. The name can also be given in reference to the English word
sterling meaning "excellent". In this case, the word derives from sterling silver, which was so named because of the emblem that some Norman coins bore, from Old English meaning "little star".
Stetson m English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of the village of Stidston in Devon, meaning
"Stithweard's town". This is a type of wide-brimmed hat, originally made by the John B. Stetson Company.
Steve m EnglishShort form of
Steven. A notable bearer was American technology entrepreneur Steve Jobs (1955-2011).
Steven m English, DutchMedieval English variant of
Stephen, and a Dutch variant of
Stefan. The filmmaker Steven Spielberg (1946-), director of
E.T. and
Indiana Jones, is a famous bearer of this name.
Stribog m Slavic MythologyPossibly from Old Slavic
sterti "to extend, to spread" and
bogŭ "god". Alternatively it could come from
strybati "to flow, to move quickly". Stribog was a Slavic god who was possibly associated with the wind.
Stuart m English, ScottishFrom a Scottish occupational surname originally belonging to a person who was a steward. It is ultimately derived from Old English
stig "house" and
weard "guard". As a given name, it arose in 19th-century Scotland in honour of the Stuart royal family, which produced several kings and queens of Scotland and Britain between the 14th and 18th centuries.
Stylianos m Greek, Late GreekDerived from Greek
στῦλος (stylos) meaning
"pillar". Saint Stylianos was a 7th-century hermit from Adrianopolis in Asia Minor who is regarded as a patron saint of children.
Su 2 f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
素 (sù) meaning "plain, simple" or
肃 (sù) meaning "respectful", besides other characters pronounced in a similar way.
Su-Bin f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
秀 (su) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with
斌 (bin) meaning "refined". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Suero m Medieval SpanishMedieval Spanish form of
Suarius, possibly a Latinized form of a Germanic (perhaps Suebian or Visigothic) name derived from *
swēraz meaning
"heavy, serious".
Suhail m Arabic, UrduDerived from Arabic
سَهُلَ (sahula) meaning
"level, even". This is the Arabic name of the second brightest star in the sky, known in the western world as Canopus. It is also the official (IAU) name of the third brightest star in the constellation Vela.
Suharto m JavaneseFrom Sanskrit
सु (su) meaning "good" and
अर्थ (artha) meaning "wealth, property" (borrowed into Indonesian as
harta). This was the name of an Indonesian general (1921-2008) who seized power to become the country's second president.