CHIP m EnglishDiminutive of
CHARLES or
CHRISTOPHER. It can also be from a nickname given in reference to the phrase
a chip off the old block, used of a son who is similar to his father.
CHOBIN m HistoryFrom Persian
چوبین (Chubin) meaning
"spear-like". Bahram Chobin was a 6th-century Sasanian general and, for a short period, the king. He received this nickname because he was tall and thin. He appears in the 10th-century Persian epic the
Shahnameh.
CHRISTIAN m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishFrom the medieval Latin name
Christianus meaning
"a Christian" (see
CHRISTOS). In England it has been in use since the Middle Ages, during which time it was used by both males and females, but it did not become common until the 17th century. In Denmark the name has been borne by ten kings since the 15th century. A famous bearer was Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), the Danish author of such fairy tales as
The Ugly Duckling and
The Emperor's New Clothes.
CHRISTOPHER m EnglishFrom the Late Greek name
Χριστόφορος (Christophoros) meaning
"bearing CHRIST", derived from
Χριστός (Christos) combined with
φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young
Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.
... [more] CHRISTOS m Theology, GreekFrom Greek
Χριστός (Christos) meaning
"anointed", derived from
χρίω (chrio) meaning "to anoint". This was a name applied to
Jesus by early Greek-speaking Christians. It is a translation of the Hebrew word
מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyach), commonly spelled in English
messiah, which also means "anointed".
... [more] CHUCK m EnglishDiminutive of
CHARLES. It originated in America in the early 20th century. Two famous bearers of this name were pilot Chuck Yeager (1923-), the first man to travel faster than the speed of sound, and the musician Chuck Berry (1926-2017), one of the pioneers of rock music.
CHUKWU m MythologyMeans
"God is great", derived from Igbo
chi "god, spiritual being" and
ukwu "great". In Igbo mythology Chukwu is the supreme god who created the universe. Christian Igbo people use this name for the Christian god.
CHUKWUDI m Western African, IgboMeans
"God exists" in Igbo, a variant of
CHIDI using
Chukwu as the first element, which is the extended form of
Chi meaning "God".
CHUKWUMA m Western African, IgboMeans
"God knows" in Igbo, a variant of
CHIMA using
Chukwu as the first element, which is the extended form of
Chi meaning "God".
CHUN f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
春 (chūn) meaning "spring (the season)" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
CIAN m Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"ancient" in Irish. This was the name of the mythical ancestor of the Cianachta in Irish legend. Cian was also the name of a son-in-law of
Brian Boru.
CIANÁN m IrishDiminutive of
CIAN. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish saint.
CIAR m IrishDerived from Irish
ciar meaning
"black".
CIARÁN m IrishDiminutive of
CIAR. This was the name of two Irish saints: Saint Ciarán the Elder, the patron of the Kingdom of Munster, and Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, the founder of a monastery in the 6th century.
CICERO m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen derived from Latin
cicer meaning
"chickpea". Marcus Tullius Cicero (now known simply as Cicero) was a statesman, orator and author of the 1st century BC. He was a political enemy of Mark Antony, who eventually had him executed.
CIEL f & m VariousMeans
"sky" in French. It is not used as a given name in France itself.
CILLIAN m IrishProbably from Gaelic
ceall meaning
"church" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint who evangelized in Franconia. He was martyred in Würzburg.
CINÁED m Scottish, IrishMeans
"born of fire" in Gaelic. This was the name of the first king of the Scots and Picts (9th century). It is often Anglicized as
Kenneth.
CLANCY m Irish, English (Rare)From the Irish surname
Mac Fhlannchaidh, which means
"son of Flannchadh". The Irish name
Flannchadh means "red warrior".
CLARENCE m EnglishFrom the Latin title
Clarensis, which belonged to members of the British royal family. The title ultimately derives from the name of the town of Clare in Suffolk. As a given name it has been in use since the 19th century.
CLARK m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"cleric" or
"scribe", from Old English
clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. It was also borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960).
CLAUDE m & f French, EnglishFrench masculine and feminine form of
CLAUDIUS. In France the masculine name has been common since the Middle Ages due to the 7th-century Saint Claude of Besançon. It was imported to Britain in the 16th century by the aristocratic Hamilton family, who had French connections. A famous bearer of this name was the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
CLAUDIUS m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin
claudus meaning
"lame, crippled". This was the name of a patrician family prominent in Roman politics. The ancestor of the family was said to have been a 6th-century BC Sabine leader named Attius Clausus, who adopted the name Appius Claudius upon becoming a Roman citizen. The family produced several Roman emperors of the 1st century, including the emperor known simply as Claudius. He was poisoned by his wife Agrippina in order to bring her son Nero (Claudius's stepson) to power. The name was later borne by several early saints, including a 7th-century bishop of Besançon.
CLAY m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally referred to a person who lived near or worked with clay. This name can also be a short form of
CLAYTON.
CLAYTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from various English place names, all meaning
"clay settlement" in Old English.
CLEDWYN m WelshDerived from the Welsh element
caled "rough" combined with
gwyn "white, fair, blessed".
CLEMENT m EnglishEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Clemens (or sometimes of its derivative
Clementius), which meant
"merciful, gentle". This was the name of 14 popes, including Saint Clement I, the third pope, one of the Apostolic Fathers. Another saint by this name was Clement of Alexandria, a 3rd-century theologian and church father who attempted to reconcile Christian and Platonic philosophies. It has been in general as a given name in Christian Europe (in various spellings) since early times. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, though it was revived in the 19th century.
CLETUS m EnglishShort form of
ANACLETUS. This name is sometimes used to refer to the third pope, Saint Anacletus. It can also function as an Anglicized form of
KLEITOS.
CLEVELAND m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning
"hilly land". This was the surname of American president Grover Cleveland (1837-1908). It is also the name of an American city, which was founded by surveyor Moses Cleaveland (1754-1806).
CLIFFORD m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"ford by a cliff" in Old English.
CLIFTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"settlement by a cliff" in Old English.
CLÍMACO m SpanishSpanish form of
Climacus, derived from Greek
κλῖμαξ (klimax) meaning
"ladder". The 7th-century monk Saint John Climacus (also known as John of the Ladder) acquired this name because he wrote a book called
The Ladder of Divine Ascent.
CLINT m EnglishShort form of
CLINTON. A notable bearer is American actor Clint Eastwood (1930-), who became famous early in his career for his western movies.
CLINTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from an Old English place name meaning
"settlement on the River Glyme". A famous bearer of the surname is former American president Bill Clinton (1946-).
CLIVE m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"cliff" in Old English, originally belonging to a person who lived near a cliff.
CLOPAS m BiblicalMeaning unknown, probably of Aramaic origin. In the New Testament Clopas is mentioned briefly as the husband of one of the women who witnessed the crucifixion, sometimes identified with
Alphaeus.
CLYDE m EnglishFrom the name of the River Clyde in Scotland, from Cumbric
Clud, which is of uncertain origin. It became a common given name in America in the middle of the 19th century, perhaps in honour of Sir Colin Campbell (1792-1863) who was given the title Baron Clyde in 1858.
CODRIN m RomanianFrom Romanian
codru meaning
"forest", a word of uncertain origin.
CODRUȚ m RomanianFrom Romanian
codru meaning
"forest", a word of uncertain origin.
CODY m EnglishFrom the Irish surname
Ó Cuidighthigh, which means
"descendant of CUIDIGHTHEACH". A famous bearer of the surname was the American frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917).
COHEN m EnglishFrom a common Jewish surname that was derived from Hebrew
כֹּהֵן (kohen) meaning
"priest". This surname was traditionally associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical
Aaron.
COLA m Anglo-SaxonOld English byname meaning
"charcoal", originally given to a person with dark features.
COLBY m EnglishFrom a surname, originally from various English place names, derived from the Old Norse nickname
Koli (meaning "coal, dark") and
býr "town".
COLE m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from the Old English byname
COLA.
COLMÁN m IrishDiminutive of
Colm (see
COLUM). This was the name of a large number of Irish saints.
COLT m EnglishFrom the English word for a young male horse or from the surname of the same origin. It may be given in honour of the American industrialist Samuel Colt (1814-1862) or the firearms company that bears his name.
COLUM m IrishIrish form of
COLUMBA. This is also an Old Irish word meaning "dove", derived from Latin
columba.
COLUMBA m & f Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"dove". The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. This was the name of several early saints both masculine and feminine, most notably the 6th-century Irish monk Saint Columba (or Colum) who established a monastery on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. He is credited with the conversion of Scotland to Christianity.
COLUMBAN m IrishPossibly an Irish diminutive of
COLUMBA. Alternatively, it may be derived from Old Irish
colum "dove" and
bán "white". The 7th-century Saint Columban of Leinster was the founder of several monasteries in Europe.
COLUMBANUS m Late RomanThis name can be viewed as a derivative of
COLUMBA or a Latinized form of
COLUMBAN, both derivations being approximately equivalent. This is the name of Saint Columban in Latin sources.
COLWYN m WelshFrom the name of a river in northern Wales.
COMHGHALL m IrishMeans
"joint pledge" from Irish
comh "together" and
gall "pledge".
COMHGHÁN m IrishMeans
"born together" from Irish
comh "together" and
gan "born".
CONALL m Irish, Scottish, Irish MythologyMeans
"strong wolf" in Irish. This is the name of several characters in Irish legend including the hero Conall Cernach ("Conall of the victories"), a member of the Red Branch of Ulster, who avenged
Cúchulainn's death by killing Lugaid.
CONAN m IrishMeans
"little wolf" or
"little hound" from Irish
cú "wolf, hound" combined with a diminutive suffix. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories.
CONFUCIUS m HistoryAnglicized form of the Chinese name
Kong Fuzi. The surname
孔 (Kong) means "hole, opening" and the title
夫子 (Fuzi) means "master". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Chinese philosopher. His given name was
Qiu.
CONLAOCH m Irish MythologyPossibly derived from Irish
conn "chief" and
flaith "lord". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend including a son of
Cúchulainn who was accidentally killed by his father.
CONLETH m IrishModern form of the old Irish name
Conláed, possibly meaning
"chaste fire" from Irish
connla "chaste" and
aodh "fire". Saint Conláed was a 5th-century bishop of Kildare.
CONOR m Irish, English, Irish MythologyAnglicized form of the Irish name
Conchobar, derived from Old Irish
con "hound, dog, wolf" and
cobar "desiring". It has been in use in Ireland for centuries and was the name of several Irish kings. It was also borne by the legendary Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa, known for his tragic desire for
Deirdre.
CONRAD m English, German, Ancient GermanicMeans
"brave counsel", derived from the Germanic elements
kuoni "brave" and
rad "counsel". This was the name of a 10th-century saint and bishop of Konstanz, in southern Germany. It was also borne by several medieval German kings and dukes. In England it was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, but has only been common since the 19th century when it was reintroduced from Germany.
CONSTANS m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"constant, steadfast". This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor, a son of
Constantine the Great.
CONSTANTINE m HistoryFrom the Latin name
Constantinus, a derivative of
CONSTANS. Constantine the Great (272-337) was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
CONSUS m Roman MythologyPossibly derived from Latin
conserere meaning
"to sow, to plant". Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.
CONWAY m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means "holy water" in Welsh.
COOPER m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"barrel maker", from Middle English
couper.
CORBIN m EnglishFrom a French surname that was derived from
corbeau "raven", originally denoting a person who had dark hair. The name was probably popularized in America by actor Corbin Bernsen (1954-).
CORDELL m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"maker of cord" or
"seller of cord" in Middle English.
CORENTIN m Breton, FrenchPossibly means
"hurricane" in Breton. This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.
COREY m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name
Kóri, of unknown meaning. This name became popular in the 1960s due to the character Corey Baker on the television series
Julia.
CORMAC m IrishPossibly derived from Irish Gaelic
corb "raven" or "wheel" and
mac "son". This was the name of a 3rd-century king of Ireland.
CORNELIUS m Ancient Roman, English, Dutch, German, BiblicalRoman family name that possibly derives from the Latin element
cornu meaning
"horn". In Acts in the New Testament Cornelius is a centurion who is directed by an angel to seek
Peter. After speaking with Peter he converts to Christianity, and he is traditionally deemed the first gentile convert. The name was also borne by a few early saints, including a 3rd-century pope. In England it came into use in the 16th century, partly due to Dutch influence.
CORWIN m EnglishFrom an English surname, derived from Old French
cordoan "leather", ultimately from the name of the Spanish city of
Cordova.
COSIMO m ItalianItalian form of
COSMAS. A famous bearer was Cosimo de' Medici, the 15th-century founder of Medici rule in Florence, who was a patron of the Renaissance and a successful merchant. Other members of the Medici family have also borne this name.
COSMAS m Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κοσμᾶς (Kosmas), which was derived from
κόσμος (kosmos) meaning
"order, decency". Saint Cosmas was martyred with his twin brother
Damian in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians.
COSMO m Italian, EnglishItalian variant of
COSIMO. It was introduced to Britain in the 18th century by the second Scottish Duke of Gordon, who named his son and successor after his friend Cosimo III de' Medici.
COURTNEY f & m EnglishFrom an aristocratic English surname that was derived either from the French place name
Courtenay (originally a derivative of the personal name
Curtenus, itself derived from Latin
curtus "short") or else from a Norman nickname meaning "short nose". As a feminine name in America, it first became popular during the 1970s.
COY m EnglishFrom a surname that meant
"quiet, shy, coy" from Middle English
coi.
CRAIG m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic
creag meaning
"crag" or
"rocks", originally indicating a person who lived near a crag.
CRAWFORD m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"crow ford" in Old English.
CREE m & f English (Rare)From the name of a Native American tribe of central Canada. Their name derives via French from the Cree word
kiristino.
CREIGHTON m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name, originally from Gaelic
crioch "border" combined with Old English
tun "town".
CRESCENTIUS m Late RomanLatin name that was a derivative of the name
CRESCENS. This was the name of a few early saints, including a child martyred in Rome during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.
CRISPIN m English (Rare)From the Roman cognomen
Crispinus, which was derived from the name
CRISPUS. Saint Crispin was a 3rd-century Roman who was martyred with his twin brother Crispinian in Gaul. They are the patrons of shoemakers. They were popular saints in England during the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since that time.
CROFTON m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"town with a small enclosed field" in Old English.
CRONUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Κρόνος (Kronos), possibly derived from the Indo-European root *
ker- meaning
"to cut". Cronus was the Titan who fathered the Greek gods. As his wife
Rhea gave birth to the gods, Cronus swallowed them fearing the prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his children. However Rhea hid
Zeus, her last child, who eventually forced his father to disgorge his siblings. Cronus and the rest of the Titans were then defeated by the gods and exiled.
ČRTOMIR m SloveneDerived from the Slavic elements
črt "hatred" and
miru "peace, world". This is the name of the hero in the Slovene national epic
Baptism on the Savica (1835) by France Prešeren.
CRUZ f & m Spanish, PortugueseMeans
"cross" in Spanish or Portuguese, referring to the cross of the crucifixion.
CSABA m HungarianPossibly means either
"shepherd" or
"gift" in Hungarian. According to legend this was the name of a son of
Attila the Hun.
CSANÁD m HungarianDerived from the old Hungarian name
Csana, of unknown meaning. This was the name of an 11th-century ruler, also known as
Cenad, of the Hungarian region that came to be called Csanád County (now split between Hungary and Romania).
CSONGOR m HungarianPossibly from a Turkic root meaning
"falcon". The Hungarian poet and dramatist Mihály Vörösmarty used it in his play
Csongor és Tünde (1830).
CTIRAD m CzechDerived from the Slavic elements
chisti meaning "honour" and
rad meaning "happy, willing". In Czech legend this was the name of one of the men tricked by
Šárka.
CUÁN m IrishMeans
"little wolf" or
"little hound" from the Irish element
cú meaning "wolf, hound" combined with a diminutive suffix.
CUAUHTÉMOC m Native American, NahuatlMeans
"descending eagle" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the last Aztec emperor, ruling until he was captured and executed by the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés in the year 1525.
CÚCHULAINN m Irish MythologyMeans
"hound of Culann" in Irish. This was the usual name of the warrior hero who was named Sétanta at birth, given to him because he took the place of one of Culann's hounds after he accidentally killed it. Irish legend tells of Cúchulainn's many adventures, including his single-handed defense of Ulster against the army of Queen
Medb.
CUIMÍN m IrishPossibly from Celtic
cam meaning
"bent, crooked". This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint.
CULHWCH m Welsh, Welsh MythologyMeans
"hiding place of the pig" in Welsh. In Welsh legend he was the lover of
Olwen the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Before the giant would allow Culhwch to marry his daughter, he insisted that Culhwch complete a series of extremely difficult tasks. Culhwch managed to complete them, and he returned to marry Olwen and kill the giant. This tale appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth.
CUNOBELINUS m Ancient CelticPossibly means
"hound of Belenus" from the old Celtic element
koun "hound" combined with the name of the god
BELENUS. This was the name of a 1st-century king of southeast Britain.
CUPID m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)From the Latin
Cupido meaning
"desire". This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of
Venus and
Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows, which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was
Eros.