BATRAZ m Ossetian, Caucasian MythologyPossibly from Turkic
bagatur meaning "hero, warrior, brave". This is the name of the leader of the superhuman Narts in Caucasian mythology.
BATU m MongolianMeans "strong, firm" in Mongolian. Batu Khan was a 13th-century Mongol leader, the founder of the Golden Horde.
BATUHAN m TurkishCombination of
BATU and Turkish
han meaning "khan, ruler, leader", referring to the 13th-century Mongol ruler Batu Khan.
BAUDELIO m SpanishFrom
Baudelius, a Latinized form of a possibly Germanic name. Saint Baudelius was a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Orleans.
BAXTER m EnglishFrom an occupational surname that meant "(female) baker" in Old English.
BAYARD m LiteratureDerived from Old French
baiart meaning "bay coloured". In medieval French poetry Bayard was a bay horse owned by Renaud de Montauban and his brothers. The horse could magically adjust its size to carry multiple riders.
BEATUS m Late RomanMasculine form of
BEATA. According to legend, Saint Beatus was ordained a priest by Saint
Peter and evangelized in Switzerland. Another saint by this name was an 8th-century Asturian theologian.
BEAU m EnglishMeans "beautiful" in French. It has been occasionally used as an American given name since the late 19th century. It appears in Margaret Mitchell's novel 'Gone with the Wind' (1936) as the name of Ashley and Melanie's son.
BECKETT m English (Modern)From an English surname that could be derived from various sources, including from Middle English
beke meaning "beak" or
bekke meaning "stream, brook".
BECKHAM m English (Modern)From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "Becca's homestead" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname is retired English soccer player David Beckham (1975-).
BEDE m HistoryModern form of the Old English name
Baeda, possibly related to Old English
bed "prayer". Saint Bede, called the Venerable Bede, was an 8th-century historian, scholar and Doctor of the Church.
BEDIVERE m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian RomanceFrom the Welsh name
Bedwyr, which is of unknown meaning. In Arthurian legends Bedivere was one of the original companions of King
Arthur. He first appears in early Welsh tales, and his story was later expanded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century. He is the one who throws the sword Excalibur into the lake at the request of the dying Arthur.
BEHAR m AlbanianFrom the archaic Albanian word
behar meaning "summer".
BEHNAM m PersianMeans "reputable" (literally "good name") in Persian.
BÉLA m HungarianThe meaning of this name is not known for certain. It could be derived from Hungarian
bél meaning "guts, bowel" or Slavic
бѣлъ (belu) meaning "white". This was the name of four Hungarian kings.
BELENUS m Celtic MythologyProbably from a Celtic word meaning "bright, brilliant". This was the name of a Gaulish solar god who was often equated with
Apollo.
BELI m Welsh MythologyProbably a Welsh derivative of
BELENUS. Beli Mawr was a Welsh ancestor deity who established several royal lines in Wales.
BELIAL m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Judeo-Christian LegendMeans "worthless" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this term is used to refer to various wicked people. In the New Testament, Paul uses it as a name for Satan. In later Christian tradition Belial became an evil angel associated with lawlessness and lust.
BELSHAZZAR m Babylonian (Anglicized), BiblicalFrom
בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר (Belshatzzar), the Hebrew form of the Akkadian name
Bel-sharra-usur meaning "
BEL protect the king". This was the name of the son of Nabonidus, the last king of the Babylonian Empire before the Persians conquered it in the 6th century BC. In the Old Testament Book of Daniel Belshazzar is the last king of Babylon who sees the mystical handwriting on the wall, which is interpreted by Daniel to portend the end of the empire.
BENDEGÚZ m HungarianHungarian variant of the Turkic name
Mundzuk, possibly from
mončuq meaning "jewel, bead". This was the name of
Attila the Hun's father.
BENEDICT m EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Benedictus, which meant "blessed". Saint Benedict was an Italian monk who founded the Benedictines in the 6th century. After his time the name was common among Christians, being used by 16 popes. In England it did not come into use until the 12th century, at which point it became very popular. This name was also borne by the American general Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), who defected to Britain during the American Revolution.
BENIGNO m Italian, Spanish, PortugueseItalian, Spanish and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name
Benignus, which meant "kind, friendly". This was the name of several saints including a 5th-century disciple of Saint
Patrick who later became the chief Bishop of Ireland.
BENITO m Spanish, ItalianSpanish form of
BENEDICT. This name was borne by Mexican president Benito Juárez, and also by Benito Mussolini (who was named after Juárez), the fascist dictator of Italy during World War II.
BENJAMIN m English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning "son of the south" or "son of the right hand", from the roots
בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and
יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament is the twelfth and youngest son of
Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named
בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-'oni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother
Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see Genesis 35:18).
... [more] BENNETT m EnglishMedieval form of
BENEDICT. This was the more common spelling in England until the 18th century. Modern use of the name is probably also influenced by the common surname
Bennett, itself a derivative of the medieval name.
BENNO m GermanShort form of German names containing the element
bern "bear".
BENTLEY m EnglishFrom a surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English
beonet "bent grass" and
leah "woodland, clearing". Various towns in England bear this name.
BENTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name, composed of Old English
beonet "bent grass" and
tun "enclosure".
BENVENUTO m ItalianMeans "welcome" in Italian. A famous bearer was the Italian Renaissance sculptor and writer Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571).
BEOWULF m Anglo-Saxon MythologyPossibly means "bee wolf" (in effect equal to "bear") from Old English
beo "bee" and
wulf "wolf". Alternatively, the first element may be
beadu "battle". This is the name of the main character in the anonymous 8th-century epic poem 'Beowulf'. Set in Denmark, the poem tells how he slays the monster Grendel and its mother at the request of King
Hroðgar. After this Beowulf becomes the king of the Geats. The conclusion of the poem tells how Beawulf, in his old age, slays a dragon but is himself mortally wounded in the act.
BERACH m IrishDerived from Irish Gaelic
biorach meaning "sharp". This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint.
BERARD m Ancient GermanicVariant of
BERNARD using the related root
bero "bear" as the first element. This was the name of a 13th-century saint who was martyred in Morocco.
BERAT m TurkishPossibly from Turkish
berat meaning "letters patent".
BERENGAR m Ancient GermanicGermanic name derived from the elements
bern "bear" and
ger "spear". This was the name of two medieval kings of Italy and a Holy Roman emperor.
BERNARD m English, French, Dutch, Polish, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Ancient GermanicDerived from the Germanic element
bern "bear" combined with
hard "brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Beornheard. This was the name of several saints, including Saint Bernard of Menthon who built hospices in the Swiss Alps in the 10th century, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. Other famous bearers include the Irish playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and the British World War II field marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976).
BERTRAM m English, German, Ancient GermanicMeans "bright raven", derived from the Germanic element
beraht "bright" combined with
hramn "raven". The Normans introduced this name to England. Shakespeare used it in his play 'All's Well That Ends Well' (1603).
BERTRAND m French, English, Ancient GermanicDerived from the Germanic elements
beraht meaning "bright" and
rand meaning "rim (of a shield)". From an early date it has been confused with
BERTRAM and the two names have merged to some degree. A famous bearer was English philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).
BERWYN m WelshMeans "white head" from the Welsh elements
barr "head" and
wyn "white".
BESSARION m Late GreekMeaning uncertain, possibly from Greek
βησσα (bessa) "wooded valley". This was the name of a 5th-century Egyptian hermit who was a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great. It was later adopted by the scholar Basilios Bessarion (1403-1472), a Greek born in Byzantine Anatolia who became a Roman Catholic bishop.
BETELGEUSE m AstronomyThe name of the star that marks the right shoulder of the constellation Orion. It is derived from Arabic
يد الجوزا (yad al-Jawza) meaning "the hand of Jawza".
جوزا (Jawza) meaning "central one" was the old Arabic name for the constellation Orion (also for Gemini).
BETHUEL m BiblicalPossibly means "God destroys" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of
Rebecca.
BEVAN m WelshFrom a Welsh surname that was derived from
ap Evan meaning "son of
EVAN".
BEVERLY f & m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from the name of an English city, itself meaning "beaver stream" in Old English. It came into use as a masculine given name in the 19th century, and it became common as an American feminine name after the publication of George Barr McCutcheon's novel 'Beverly of Graustark' (1904).
BEVIS m English (Rare)From an English surname that is possibly derived from the name of the French town
Beauvais.
BHARATA m HinduismMeans "being maintained" in Sanskrit. This is one of the names of
Agni, the Hindu god of fire, and is also the name of the brother of
Rama in the Hindu epic the 'Ramayana'. It was also borne by a legendary king, the son of
Dushyanta and
Shakuntala. The official name of the country of India, Bharat, derives from him.
BHASKARA m HinduismMeans "shining", derived from a combination of Sanskrit
भास (bhasa) meaning "light" and
कर (kara) meaning "maker". This is another name of the sun and the Hindu god
Shiva. It was additionally borne by a 12th-century Indian astronomer, also known as Bhaskaracharya.
BHIMA m HinduismMeans "terrible, formidable" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the 'Mahabharata' this is the name of the second son of Pandu, and thus one of the five Pandavas. He was known for his terrific strength and skill as a warrior.
BIDZINA m GeorgianPossibly from Georgian
ბიძა (bidza) meaning "uncle". This was the name of a 17th-century Georgian saint and martyr.
BIFF m English (Rare)From a nickname that was based on the English word
biff, which means "punch, hit, strike".
BILAL m Arabic, UrduMeans "wetting, moistening" in Arabic. This was the name of a companion of the Prophet
Muhammad.
BILBO m LiteratureThis was the name of the hero of 'The Hobbit' (1937) by J. R. R. Tolkien. His real hobbit name was
Bilba, which is of unknown meaning, but this was altered by Tolkien in order to use the more masculine
o ending. In the novel Bilbo Baggins was recruited by the wizard
Gandalf to join the quest to retake Mount Erebor from the dragon Smaug.
BILE m Irish MythologyPossibly an Irish form of
BELENUS, though it may derive from an Irish word meaning "hero". In Irish mythology this was the name of one of the Milesians who was drowned while invading Ireland.
BILL m EnglishShort form of
WILLIAM. This spelling was first used in the 19th century. The change in the initial consonant may have been influenced by an earlier Irish pronunciation of the name. Famous bearers include basketball player Bill Russell (1934-), comedian Bill Cosby (1937-), American president Bill Clinton (1946-), and Microsoft founder Bill Gates (1955-).
BILLY m EnglishDiminutive of
BILL. A notable bearer was the American outlaw Billy the Kid (1859-1881), whose real name was William H. Bonney.
BIRKIR m IcelandicFrom Icelandic
birki meaning "birch", specifically the downy birch (species Betula pubescens).
BISHOP m EnglishEither from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek
επισκοπος (episkopos) "overseer".
BLAINE m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from the given name
Bláán, which meant "yellow" in Gaelic. Saint Bláán was a 6th-century missionary to the Picts.
BLAIR m & f Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that is derived from Gaelic
blár meaning "plain, field, battlefield".
BLAISE m FrenchFrom the Roman name
Blasius, which was derived from Latin
blaesus meaning "lisping". A famous bearer was the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).
BLAKE m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from Old English
blæc "black" or
blac "pale". A famous bearer of the surname was the poet and artist William Blake (1757-1827).
BLEDA m HistoryPossibly from a Turkic root meaning "wise". According to other theories the name was of Gothic origin, or was a Gothicized form of a Hunnic name. This was the name of the brother of
Attila.
BLEDDYN m WelshFrom Welsh
blaidd "wolf" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an 11th-century king of Gwynedd and Powys.
BO (1) m Swedish, DanishFrom the Old Norse byname
Búi, which was derived from Old Norse
bua meaning "to live".
BO (2) m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
波 (bō) meaning "wave", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
BOAZ m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical HebrewMeans "swiftness" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the man who marries
Ruth. This was also the name of one of the two pillars that stood outside Solomon's Temple (with
Jachin).
BOB m English, DutchShort form of
ROBERT. It arose later than
Dob,
Hob and
Nob, which were medieval rhyming nicknames of Robert. It was borne by the character Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens' novel 'A Christmas Carol' (1843). Other famous bearers include American folk musician Bob Dylan (1941-) and Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).
BOBBY m EnglishDiminutive of
BOB. Hockey greats Bobby Hull (1939-) and Bobby Orr (1948-) have borne this name.
BOGUSŁAW m PolishMeans "glory of God" from the Slavic elements
bogu "god" and
slava "glory". This name was borne by several dukes of Pomerania, beginning in the 12th century.
BOLAT m KazakhFrom a Turkic word meaning "steel", ultimately from Persian.
BOLESŁAW m PolishDerived from the Slavic elements
bolye "more, greater" and
slava "glory". This was the name of kings of Poland, starting in the 11th century with the first Polish king Bolesław the Brave.
BOLÍVAR m Spanish (Latin American)From a surname that was taken from the Basque place name
Bolibar, which was derived from
bolu "mill" and
ibar "riverside". A famous bearer of the surname was Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), a South American revolutionary leader, after whom the country of Bolivia is named.
BONAVENTURA m ItalianMeans "good fortune" in Italian. Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
BONIFACE m French, English (Rare)From the Late Latin name
Bonifatius, which meant "good fate" from
bonum "good" and
fatum "fate". This was the name of nine popes and also several saints, including an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (originally named Winfrid) who is now regarded as the patron saint of that country. It came into use in England during the Middle Ages, but became rare after the Protestant Reformation.
BONITUS m Late RomanDerived from a diminutive of Latin
bonus meaning "good". This was the name of a 7th-century century saint, a bishop of Auvergne.
BOOKER m EnglishFrom an English occupational surname meaning "maker of books". A famous bearer was Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an African-American leader.