Browse Names

Javon m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements ja or jay and von.

Javonte m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements ja, von and tay.

Jax m English (Modern)
Short form of Jackson. It appeared in the video game Mortal Kombat II in 1993. It first registered as a given name in the United States in 1995 (when it was used only five times) but steadily grew in popularity for two decades, probably inspired by similar names like Max and Dax and helped by a character of this name on the American television series Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014).

Jaxon m English (Modern)
Variant of Jackson.

Jaxson m English (Modern)
Variant of Jackson.

Jaxton m English (Modern)
Elaboration of Jax influenced by similar-sounding names such as Paxton and Braxton.

Jaxtyn m English (Modern)
Variant of Jaxton.

Jaxx m English (Modern)
Variant of Jax.

Jaxxon m English (Modern)
Variant of Jackson.

Jaycee f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Jacey.

Jayden m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Jaden. This spelling continued to rapidly rise in popularity in the United States past 2003, unlike Jaden, which stalled. It peaked at the fourth rank for boys in 2010, showing tremendous growth over only two decades. It has since declined.

Jaydon m English (Modern)
Variant of Jaden.

Jaylen m & f African American (Modern), English (Modern)
Variant of Jalen (masculine) or Jaylynn (feminine).

Jaylin m & f African American (Modern), English (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
Variant of Jalen (masculine) or Jaylynn (feminine).

Jaylon m African American (Modern)
Variant of Jalen.

Jefferson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Jeffrey". It is usually given in honour of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the third president of the United States and the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

Jensen m English (Modern)
From a Danish surname meaning "son of Jens".

Jenson m English (Modern)
Variant of Jensen.

Jepson m English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "son of Jep".

Jericho m English (Modern)
From the name of a city in Israel that is mentioned several times in the Old Testament. The meaning of the city's name is uncertain, but it may be related to the Hebrew word יָרֵחַ (yareach) meaning "moon", or otherwise to the Hebrew word רֵיחַ (reyach) meaning "fragrant".

Jervis m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Jarvis.

Jett m English (Modern)
From the English word jet, which denotes either a jet aircraft or an intense black colour (the words derive from different sources).

Jewel f & m English
In part from the English word jewel, a precious stone, derived from Old French jouel, which was possibly related to jeu "game". It is also in part from the surname Jewel or Jewell (a derivative of the Breton name Judicaël), which was sometimes used in honour of the 16th-century bishop of Salisbury John Jewel. It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.

Jewell f & m English
Variant of Jewel.

Johnson m English (African)
From an English surname meaning "son of John". As a given name, it is most common in English-speaking Africa.

Jojo m & f English
Diminutive of Joseph, Jolene and other names that begin with Jo.

Joktan m Biblical
Means "small" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Eber in the Old Testament.

Jones m English
From the English and Welsh surname, itself derived from the given name John.

Jordan m & f English, French, Macedonian, Serbian
From the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is יַרְדֵן (Yarden), and it is derived from יָרַד (yarad) meaning "descend" or "flow down". In the New Testament John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.... [more]

Jordin f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Jordan.

Jordon m English (Modern)
Variant of Jordan.

Judd m English, Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Jordan. Modern use of this name is inspired by the surname that was derived from the medieval name.

July f & m English (Rare)
From the name of the month, which was originally named for Julius Caesar.

Junior m English
From a nickname that was originally used for a boy who had the same name as his father.

Justice m & f English
From an occupational surname meaning "judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word justice.

Kacey f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Casey.

Kade m English (Modern)
Variant of Cade.

Kaden m English (Modern)
Variant of Caden.

Kaeden m English (Modern)
Variant of Caden.

Kaiden m English (Modern)
Variant of Caden.

Kairo m English (Modern)
Variant of Cairo.

Kaison m English (Modern)
Variant of Kyson or Cason.

Kam m & f English (Modern)
Short form of Kameron.

Kamari m & f African American (Modern)
Combination of the sounds found in names such as Jamari, Amari and Kamaria.

Kamden m English (Modern)
Variant of Camden.

Kameron m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Cameron.

Kamryn f & m English (Modern)
Variant (typically feminine) of Cameron.

Kane m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Catháin, derived from the given name Cathán.

Kannon 2 m English (Modern)
Variant of Cannon.

Karson m English (Modern)
Variant of Carson.

Karsyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Carson.

Karter m English (Modern)
Variant of Carter.

Kasen m English (Modern)
Variant of Cason.

Kasey m & f English
Variant of Casey.

Kash m English (Modern)
Variant of Cash.

Kashton m English (Modern)
Probably a combination of Kash and the popular name suffix ton, inspired by names such as Ashton.

Kason m English (Modern)
Variant of Cason.

Kayce m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Casey or Case (depending on the pronunciation). It was popularized by the character Kayce Dutton (pronounced like Casey) from the television series Yellowstone (2018-).

Kayden m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Caden.

Kaylan f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Kaylyn or Caelan.

Kaylen f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Kaylyn or Caelan.

Kaysen m English (Modern)
Variant of Cason.

Kayson m English (Modern)
Variant of Cason.

Kean m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, a variant of Kane.

Keane m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, a variant of Kane.

Keaton m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from a few different place names (see the surname Keaton).

Keefe m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caoimh, derived from the given name or byname Caomh.

Keegan m English
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Mac Aodhagáin, which was derived from the given name Aodhagán, a double diminutive of Aodh.

Kegan m English (Modern)
Variant of Keegan.

Keith m English, Scottish
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of a place in East Lothian, itself possibly derived from the Celtic root *kayto- meaning "wood". This was the surname of a long line of Scottish nobles. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, becoming fairly common throughout the English-speaking world in the 20th century.

Kelan m English (Modern)
Variant of Kellen.

Kelcey m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Kelsey.

Kellan m English (Modern)
Variant of Kellen. This particular spelling jumped in popularity after actor Kellan Lutz (1985-) appeared in the Twilight series of movies beginning 2008.

Kellen m English (Modern)
Possibly from a German surname, itself derived from Middle Low German kel "swampy area". This name began to be used in the United States in the early 1980s after the American football player Kellen Winslow (1957-) began his professional career.

Kelley f & m English
Variant of Kelly.

Kelly m & f Irish, English
Anglicized form of the Irish given name Ceallach or the surname derived from it Ó Ceallaigh. As a surname, it has been borne by actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).... [more]

Kelsey f & m English
From an English surname that is derived from town names in Lincolnshire. It may mean "Cenel's island", from the Old English name Cenel "fierce" in combination with eg "island".

Kelvin m English
From the name of a Scottish river, perhaps meaning "narrow water". As a title it was borne by the Irish-Scottish physicist William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1824-1907), who acquired his title from the river.

Kemp m English (Rare)
From a surname derived from Middle English kempe meaning "champion, athlete, warrior".

Kendal m & f English (Modern)
From a surname that was a variant of Kendall.

Kendall m & f English
From an English surname that comes from the name of the city of Kendale in northwestern England meaning "valley on the river Kent". Originally mostly masculine, the name received a boost in popularity for girls in 1993 when the devious character Kendall Hart began appearing on the American soap opera All My Children.

Kendrick m English
From a surname that has several different origins. It could be from the Old English given names Cyneric "royal power" or Cenric "bold power", or from the Welsh name Cynwrig "chief hero". It can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Eanraig meaning "son of Henry".... [more]

Kennard m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given names Cyneweard or Cyneheard.

Kennedy f & m English, Irish
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Cinnéidigh, itself derived from the given name Cennétig. The name has sometimes been given in honour of assassinated American president John F. Kennedy (1917-1963). It was popularized as a name for girls by Lisa Kennedy Montgomery (1972-), known simply as Kennedy, the host of the television program Alternative Nation on MTV from 1992 to 1997.

Kenrick m English (Rare)
Variant of Kendrick.

Kent m English
From a surname that was originally derived from Kent, the name of a county in England, which may be derived from a Brythonic word meaning "coastal district".

Kenton m English
From a surname that was derived from an English place name meaning either "town on the River Kenn" or "royal town" in Old English.

Kenyon m English
From a surname that was derived from an English place name, of uncertain meaning.

Kenzie m & f English
Short form of Mackenzie.

Kermit m English
From a rare (Americanized) Manx surname, a variant of the Irish surname Mac Diarmada, itself derived from the given name Diarmaid. This was the name of a son of Theodore Roosevelt born in 1889. He was named after a relative of his mother, Robert Kermit. The name is now associated with Kermit the Frog, a Muppet created by puppeteer Jim Henson in 1955.

Kerry m & f English
From the name of the Irish county, called Ciarraí in Irish Gaelic, which means "Ciar's people".

Keshaun m African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular name prefix ke and Shaun.

Keshawn m African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular name prefix ke and Shawn.

Kiefer m English (Modern)
From a German surname meaning either "pine tree" or "barrel maker".

Kim 1 f & m English
At the present it is usually considered a short form of Kimberly, but it in fact predates it as a given name. The author Rudyard Kipling used it for the title hero of his novel Kim (1901), though in this case it was short for Kimball. In her novel Show Boat (1926) Edna Ferber used it for a female character who was born on the Mississippi River and was named from the initials of the states Kentucky, Illinois and Mississippi. The name was popularized in America by the actresses Kim Hunter (1922-2002) and Kim Novak (1933-), both of whom assumed it as a stage name.

Kimball m English
From a surname that was derived from either the Welsh given name Cynbel or the Old English given name Cynebald.

King m English
From the English vocabulary word king, ultimately derived from Old English cyning. This was also a surname, derived from the same source, a famous bearer being the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

Kingsley m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "king's wood" in Old English. This name may have received a boost in popularity after the release of the 2007 movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, featuring the character Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Kingston m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "king's town" in Old English. This name rose significantly on the popularity charts after musicians Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale used it for their son born 2006.

Kip m English
From a nickname, probably from the English word kipper meaning "male salmon".

Kipling m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "Cyppel's people". The surname was borne by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), a British novelist born in India who wrote The Jungle Book and other works.

Kirby m & f English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "church settlement" in Old Norse. This name briefly spiked in popularity for American girls in 1982 after the character Kirby Anders Colby was introduced to the soap opera Dynasty.

Kirk m English
From an English and Scottish surname meaning "church" from Old Norse kirkja, ultimately from Greek κυριακόν (kyriakon). A famous bearer was American actor Kirk Douglas (1916-2020), whose birth name was Issur Danielovitch.

Klay m English (Modern)
Variant of Clay.

Knox m English
From a Scots surname that was derived from various places named Knock, from Gaelic cnoc "round hill". It jumped in popularity after the actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had a baby by this name in 2008.

Koda m English (Modern)
At least in part inspired by the name of a character from the animated movie Brother Bear (2003). The moviemakers apparently took it from Lakota or Dakota koda meaning "friend, companion".

Kodey m English (Rare)
Variant of Cody.

Kody m English (Modern)
Variant of Cody.

Kohen m English (Modern)
Variant of Cohen.

Kolby m English (Modern)
Variant of Colby.

Kole m English (Modern)
Variant of Cole.

Kolton m English (Modern)
Variant of Colton.

Korbin m English (Modern)
Variant of Corbin.

Korey m English
Variant of Corey.

Kory m English
Variant of Corey.

Kurtis m English
Variant of Curtis.

Kylan m English (Modern)
Invented name based on the sounds found in other names such as Kyle and Rylan.

Kyle m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves from Gaelic caol meaning "narrows, channel, strait". As a given name it was rare in the first half of the 20th century. It rose steadily in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, entering the top 50 in most places by the 1990s. It has since declined in all regions.

Kyler m English (Modern)
Probably a blend of the sounds of Kyle and Tyler. It also coincides with the surname Kyler, an Anglicized form of Dutch Cuyler.

Kynaston m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Cynefrið's town" in Old English.

Kyree m African American (Modern)
Variant of Kyrie 1.

Kyrie 1 m African American (Modern)
Invented name, based on the sounds found in names such as Tyree and Kyle. It was popularized as a masculine name by American basketball player Kyrie Irving (1992-).

Kyro m English (Modern)
Variant of Cairo.

Kyson m English (Modern)
An invented name, using the same sound found in names such as Bryson and Tyson.

Lacey f & m English
Variant of Lacy. This is currently the most popular spelling of this name.

Lacy f & m English
From a surname that was derived from Lassy, the name of a town in Normandy. The name of the town was Gaulish in origin, perhaps deriving from a personal name that was Latinized as Lascius. Formerly more common for boys in America, this name began to grow in popularity for girls in 1975.

Laird m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname meaning "landowner" in Scots.

Lake m & f English (Rare)
From the English word lake, for the inland body of water. It is ultimately derived from Latin lacus.

Lamar m English, African American
From a French and English surname, originally from a place name in Normandy, which was derived from Old French la mare meaning "the pool". In the second half of the 20th century this name has been well-used in the African-American community, probably because of its popular phonetic components la and mar.

Lamont m English, African American
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the medieval Gaelic given name Lagmann, itself from Old Norse lǫgmaðr meaning "law man". This name reached a peak in its American popularity in 1972, the same year that the sitcom Sanford and Son debuted, featuring the character Lamont Sanford (the titular son).

Landen m English (Modern)
Variant of Landon.

Landon m English
From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "long hill" (effectively meaning "ridge"). Use of the name may have been inspired in part by the actor Michael Landon (1936-1991).

Landyn m English (Modern)
Variant of Landon.

Lane m English
From an English surname, meaning "lane, path", which originally belonged to a person who lived near a lane.

Lanford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "long ford" in Old English.

Langdon m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of the surname Landon.

Langston m English
From an English surname, itself from a place name, derived from Old English lang "long" and stan "stone". A famous bearer was the American author Langston Hughes (1901-1967).

Lanny m English
Diminutive of Lance, Landon and other names beginning with Lan.

Laquan m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements la and quan. It can be spelled LaQuan or Laquan.

LaShawn f & m African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Shawn.

Lavern m & f English
Variant of Laverne.

Laverne f & m English
From a French surname that was derived from a place name, ultimately from the Gaulish word vern "alder". It is sometimes associated with the Roman goddess Laverna or the Latin word vernus "of spring".

Lawson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Laurence 1".

Layne m & f English
Variant of Lane.

Layton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from the name of English towns meaning "town with a leek garden" in Old English. Like similar-sounding names such as Peyton and Dayton, this name began rising in popularity in the 1990s.

Lee m & f English
From a surname that was derived from Old English leah meaning "clearing". The surname belonged to Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), commander of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In his honour, it has been used as a given name in the American South. It is common as a middle name.

Lefty m English
From a nickname, in most cases given to a left-handed person.

Legacy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word, meaning "something inherited from a predecessor, heritage". It is derived from Old French legacie, itself from Latin legatum "bequest, legacy".

Legend m English (Modern)
From the English word, referring to a story about the past (or by extension, a heroic character in such a story), ultimately from Latin legere "to read".

Leigh f & m English
From a surname that was a variant of Lee.

Leighton f & m English
Variant of Layton. It jumped in popularity as a feminine name after 2007, when actress Leighton Meester (1986-) began appearing on the television series Gossip Girl.

Leith m & f English (Rare)
From a surname, originally from the name of a Scottish town (now a district of Edinburgh), which is derived from Gaelic lìte "wet, damp". It is also the name of the river that flows though Edinburgh.

Leland m English
From a surname, originally from an English place name, which meant "fallow land" in Old English. A famous bearer was the politician, businessman and Stanford University founder Leland Stanford (1824-1893).

Lemoine m English (Rare)
From a French surname meaning "the monk" in French.

Lennon m & f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, derived from the Irish byname Leannán meaning "lover". The surname was borne by musician and Beatle member John Lennon (1940-1980), and it may be used as a given name in his honour. In America it is now more common as a feminine name, possibly inspired in part by the singer Lennon Stella (1999-), who began appearing on the television series Nashville in 2012.

Lennox m & f English (Modern)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the name of a district in Scotland. The district, called Leamhnachd in Gaelic, possibly means "place of elms". This name steadily rose in popularity in the 2000s, at the same time as the similar-sounding (but unrelated) names Lennon and Knox.

Lenox m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lennox.

Leroi m English (Rare)
Variant of Leroy.

Leroy m English
From the French nickname le roi meaning "the king". It has been common as an English given name since the 19th century. Since 1920 in the United States it has been mainly used by African Americans.

Les m English
Short form of Leslie or Lester.

Lesley f & m English
Variant of Leslie.

Leslie f & m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from a place in Aberdeenshire, probably from Gaelic leas celyn meaning "garden of holly". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In America it was more common as a feminine name after the 1940s.

Lester m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of the city of Leicester, originally denoting a person who was from that place. The city's name is derived from the river name Ligore combined with Latin castra "camp".

Lewin m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Leofwine.

Leyton m English (Modern)
From a surname that was a variant of Layton.

Liberty f & m English
Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism).

Lilian f & m English, French, Romanian
English variant of Lillian, as well as a French and Romanian masculine form.

Lincoln m English
From an English surname that was originally from the name of an English city, called Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic lindo "lake, pool" and Latin colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.

Linden m & f English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".

Lindon m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lyndon.

Lindsay f & m English
From an English and Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of the eastern English region of Lindsey, which means "Lincoln island" in Old English. As a given name it was typically masculine until the 1960s (in Britain) and 70s (in America) when it became popular for girls, probably due to its similarity to Linda and because of American actress Lindsay Wagner (1949-).

Lindsey f & m English
Variant of Lindsay.

Lindy m & f English
Originally this was a masculine name, coming into use in America in 1927 when the dance called the Lindy Hop became popular. The dance was probably named for aviator Charles Lindbergh. Later this name was used as a diminutive of Linda.

Linford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally taken from place names meaning either "flax ford" or "linden tree ford" in Old English.

Link m English
Short form of Lincoln. This is the name of the hero in the Legend of Zelda video game series (first appearing in 1986), derived from the English word link meaning "link, connection". He is called リンク (Rinku) in Japanese.

Linton m English
From a surname that was originally from place names meaning either "flax town" or "linden tree town" in Old English.

Linwood m English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.

Lloyd m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from llwyd meaning "grey". The composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948-) is a famous bearer of this name.

Logan m & f English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Ayrshire meaning "little hollow" (from Gaelic lag "hollow, pit" combined with a diminutive suffix). This name started slowly rising on the American popularity charts in the mid-1970s, perhaps partly inspired by the movie Logan's Run (1976). The comic book character Wolverine, alias Logan, was also introduced around the same time.... [more]

London f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of the United Kingdom, the meaning of which is uncertain. As a surname it was borne by the American author Jack London (1876-1916).

Lorn m English (Rare)
Variant of Lorne.

Lorne m English
From the title Marquis of Lorne, which was based on the Scottish place name Lorne, itself possibly derived from the name of the legendary king of Dál Riata, Loarn mac Eirc. This was the title of the first Governor General of Canada, where it has since been most frequently used as a given name. A famous bearer was the Canadian actor Lorne Greene (1915-1987).

Lovel m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.

Lovell m English
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.

Lowell m English
From 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).

Loyd m English
Variant of Lloyd.

Lucky m & f English, Hindi
From a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).

Luther m English
From a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a 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 Jr. (1929-1968).

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").

Lyle m English
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French l'isle meaning "island".

Lyndon m English
From 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 English
From 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.

Lynton m English (Rare)
Variant of Linton.

Lynwood m English
Variant of Linwood.

Lyric f & m English (Modern)
Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).

Mac m English
Variant of Mack 1.

Macaulay m English (British)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Amhalghaidh, itself derived from Amhalghadh, 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.

Macauley m English (British)
Variant of Macaulay.

Mack 1 m English
From a surname, originally a shortened form of various Irish and Scottish surnames beginning with Mac or Mc (from Irish mac meaning "son"). It is also used as a generic slang term for a man.

Mackenzie f & m English
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.

Madai m Biblical
Means "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.

Madison f & m English
From 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]

Maitland m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was from a Norman French place name possibly meaning "inhospitable".

Major m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the given name Mauger, a Norman French form of the Germanic name Malger meaning "council spear". The name can also be given in reference to the English word major.

Malone m & f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Maoil Eoin meaning "descendant of a disciple of Saint John".

Manley m English
From an English surname, originally a place name, meaning "common clearing" in Old English.

Mansel m English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally referred to a person who came from the French city of Le Mans.

Marion 2 m English
From a French surname that was derived from Marion 1. This was the real name of American actor John Wayne (1907-1979), who was born Marion Robert Morrison.

Marley f & m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was taken from a place name meaning either "pleasant wood", "boundary wood" or "marten wood" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the Jamaican musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).

Marlon m English
Meaning unknown. This name was popularized by the American actor Marlon Brando (1924-2004), who was named after his father.

Marlowe f & m English (Modern)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "remnants of a lake" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593).

Marlyn f & m English
Variant of Marilyn (feminine) or Marlin (masculine).

Marshal m English
Variant of Marshall.

Marshall m English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who was a marshal. The word marshal originally derives from Latin mariscalcus, itself from Germanic roots akin to Old High German marah "horse" and scalc "servant". A famous bearer is the American rapper Marshall Mathers (1972-), who performs under the name Eminem.

Marvin m English, German, Dutch
From an English surname that was derived from the Welsh given name Merfyn or the Old English name Mærwine. As an American given name, it steadily rose in popularity through the beginnings of the 20th century and peaked in the early 1930s (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated name Melvin). A famous bearer was the American musician Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).

Marvyn m English (Rare)
Variant of Marvin.

Marwin m German (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
German and Dutch variant of Marvin.

Mason m English
From an English surname (or vocabulary word) meaning "stoneworker", derived from an Old French word of Frankish origin (akin to Old English macian "to make"). In the United States this name began to increase in popularity in the 1980s, likely because of its fashionable sound. It jumped in popularity after 2009 when Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their son, as featured on their reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2010. It peaked as the second most popular name for boys in 2011.

Masterman m English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who worked as a servant.

Maverick m English
Derived from the English word maverick meaning "independent". The word itself is derived from the surname of a 19th-century Texas rancher who did not brand his calves.

Max m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Czech, Russian, French, Catalan
Short form of Maximilian or Maxim. In English it can also be short for Maxwell, and it coincides with the informal word max, short for maximum.... [more]

Maxie m & f English
Diminutive of Maximilian, Maxwell, Maxine and other names beginning with Max.

Maxton m English (Modern)
Elaboration of Max using the popular name suffix ton.

Maxwell m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.... [more]

Maynard m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old German given name Meginhard.

Maynerd m English (Rare)
Variant of Maynard.

Mayson m English (Modern)
Variant of Mason.

McKenzie f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Mackenzie.

McKinley f & m English
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Fhionnlaigh, from the given name Fionnlagh. A famous bearer of the surname was the American president William McKinley (1843-1901).... [more]

Meade m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that indicated one who lived on a meadow (from Middle English mede) or one who sold or made mead (an alcoholic drink made from fermented honey; from Old English meodu).

Medad m Biblical
Means "love" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Medad is one of the elders who prophesies in the camp of the Israelites after the flight from Egypt.

Mel m & f English
Short form of Melvin, Melanie, Melissa and other names beginning with Mel.

Melville m English
From a Scots surname that was originally from a Norman French place name Malleville meaning "bad town". A famous bearer of the surname was the American author Herman Melville (1819-1891), who wrote several novels including Moby-Dick.

Melvin m English, Swedish
From a Scots surname that was a variant of Melville. This name has been used in America since the 19th century. It became popular in the early 20th century and reached a peak in the late 1920s, but has steadily declined since then (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated names Marvin and Alvin).

Melvyn m English
Variant of Melvin.

Memphis m & f English (Modern)
From the name of an important city of ancient Egypt, or the city in Tennessee that was named after it. It is derived from a Greek form of Egyptian mn-nfr meaning "enduring beauty".

Merari m Biblical
Means "bitter" in Hebrew. This is the name of the youngest son of Levi in the Old Testament.

Merit 1 m & f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Merritt or else simply from the English word merit, ultimately from Latin meritus "deserving".

Meriwether m English (Rare)
From a surname meaning "happy weather" in Middle English, originally belonging to a cheery person. A notable bearer of the name was Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), who, with William Clark, explored the west of North America.

Merle m & f English, Estonian
From the English word merle or the French surname Merle, which both mean "blackbird" (from Latin merula). It was borne by the devious character Madame Merle (in fact her surname) in Henry James' novel The Portrait of a Lady (1880).... [more]

Merrick m English (Modern)
From a Welsh surname that was originally derived from the given name Meurig.

Merrill m English
From an English surname that was derived either from the given name Muriel or from place names meaning "pleasant hill".

Merritt m & f English
From an English surname, originally from a place name, which meant "boundary gate" in Old English.

Merton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town on a lake" in Old English.

Mervin m English
Variant of Mervyn or Marvin.

Meshach m Biblical
Possibly means "who is what Aku is?" in Akkadian, Aku being the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament this is the Babylonian name of Mishael, one of the three men cast into a blazing furnace but saved from harm by God.

Milburn m English
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "mill stream" in Old English.

Milford m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from various place names all meaning "ford by a mill" in Old English.

Millard m English
From an occupational English surname meaning "guardian of the mill" in Old English.

Miller m & f English
From an English occupational surname for a miller, derived from Middle English mille "mill".

Mílton m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Milton.

Milton m English, Spanish (Latin American)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "mill town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was John Milton (1608-1674), the poet who wrote Paradise Lost.

Mitch m English
Short form of Mitchell.

Mitchell m English
From an English surname, itself derived from the given name Michael or in some cases from Middle English michel meaning "big, large".

Moab m Biblical
Means "of his father" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Lot. He was the ancestor of the Moabites, a people who lived in the region called Moab to the east of Israel.

Monday m & f English (African)
From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English mona "moon" and dæg "day". This can be given to children born on Monday, especially in Nigeria.

Monroe m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". The Roe is a river in Northern Ireland. Two famous bearers of the surname were American president James Monroe (1758-1831) and American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).... [more]

Montague m English (Rare)
From an aristocratic English surname meaning "sharp mountain", from Old French mont agu. In Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596) this is the surname of Romeo and his family.

Montana f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the American state, which is derived from Latin montanus "mountainous".

Monte m English, Armenian
Either a diminutive of Montgomery or from the Spanish or Italian vocabulary word meaning "mountain". Its use as an Armenian name is inspired by the Armenian-American revolutionary Monte Melkonian (1957-1993).

Montgomery m English
From an English surname meaning "Gumarich's mountain" in Norman French. A notable bearer of this surname was Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976), a British army commander during World War II.

Monty m English
Variant of Monte.

Morley m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally from an Old English place name meaning "marsh clearing".

Mort m English
Short form of Morton or Mortimer.

Mortimer m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Normandy, itself meaning "dead water, still water" in Old French.

Morton m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "moor town" in Old English.

Morty m English
Diminutive of Morton or Mortimer.

Munro m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Monroe.

Munroe m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Monroe.

Murphy m & f English
From a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Murchadha, itself derived from the given name Murchadh. As a given name, it has been borne by female characters on the American television series Murphy Brown (1988-1998) and the movie Interstellar (2014).

Murray m Scottish, English
From a surname, which is either Scottish or Irish in origin (see Murray 1 and Murray 2).

Nahor m Biblical
Means "snorting" in Hebrew. Nahor is the name of both the grandfather and a brother of Abraham in the Old Testament.

Napier m English (Rare)
From an English and Scots surname meaning "linen keeper" in Middle English, from Old French nappe "table cloth".

Nash m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from the Middle English phrase atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer of the surname was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015).... [more]

Navy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "sea force, fleet, armed forces of the sea". It is derived from Old French navie, from Latin navigia, the plural of navigium "boat, vessel". It also refers to a shade of dark blue, a colour traditionally associated with naval uniforms.

Neely m & f English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized and reduced form of Gaelic Mac an Fhilidh (or McNeilly) meaning "son of the poet".

Nélson m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Nelson.

Nelson m English, Spanish
From an English surname meaning "son of Neil". It was originally given in honour of the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). His most famous battle was the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he destroyed a combined French and Spanish fleet, but was himself killed. Another notable bearer was the South African statesman Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). Mandela's birth name was Rolihlahla; as a child he was given the English name Nelson by a teacher.

Nevada f & m English
From the name of the American state, which means "snow-capped" in Spanish.

Nevil m English (Rare)
Variant of Neville.

Neville m English (British)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Norman French. As a given name it is chiefly British and Australian.

Newt m English
Short form of Newton.

Newton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).

Niles m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Neil.

Nixon m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of Nick". It was borne by the American president Richard Nixon (1913-1994).

Noble m English
From an English surname meaning "noble, notable". The name can also be given in direct reference to the English word noble.

Nolan m English, French (Modern)
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Nualláin, itself derived from the given name Nuallán. The baseball player Nolan Ryan (1947-) is a famous bearer. This name has climbed steadily in popularity since the 1970s.

Nolen m Hungarian (Modern)
Possibly a Hungarian form of Nolan.

Norm m English
Short form of Norman.

Norman m English, Germanic
From an old Germanic byname meaning "northman", referring to a Scandinavians. The Normans were Vikings who settled on the coast of France, in the region that became known as Normandy. In England the name Norman or Normant was used before the Norman Conquest, first as a nickname for Scandinavian settlers and later as a given name. After the Conquest it became more common, but died out around the 14th century. It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to a character by this name in C. M. Yonge's 1856 novel The Daisy Chain. Famous bearers include the American painter Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) and the American author Norman Mailer (1923-2007).

Norris m English
From an English surname, either Norris 1 or Norris 2.

Norton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "north town" in Old English.

Norwood m English
From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "north wood" in Old English.

Nowell m English (Rare)
From the surname Nowell (a variant of Noel).

Oakley m & f English
From an English surname that was from various place names meaning "oak clearing" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the American sharpshooter Annie Oakley (1860-1926).

Ocean f & m English (Modern)
Simply from the English word ocean for a large body of water. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ὠκεανός (Okeanos), the name of the body of water thought to surround the Earth.

Odell m & f English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name, itself derived from Old English wad "woad" (a plant that produces a blue dye) and hyll "hill".

Ogden m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "oak valley" in Old English. A famous bearer was the humorous American poet Ogden Nash (1902-1971).

Ohad m Biblical
Means "united" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the third son of Simeon.