Browse Names

Ollie m & f English
Diminutive of Oliver, Olivia or Olive.

Onyx m & f English
From the English word for the gemstone (a variety of chalcedony), which can be black, red or other colours. It is derived from Greek ὄνυξ (onyx) meaning "claw, nail".

Ora 1 f & m English
Perhaps based on Latin oro "to pray". It was first used in America in the 19th century.

Oral m English
Meaning uncertain. This name was borne by the influential American evangelist Oral Roberts (1918-2009), who was apparently named by his cousin.

Ormond m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Ruaidh, derived from the given name Ruadh.

Ormonde m English (Rare)
Variant of Ormond.

Orrell m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "ore hill" in Old English.

Orson m English
From a Norman nickname derived from a diminutive of Norman French ors "bear", ultimately from Latin ursus. American actor and director Orson Welles (1915-1985) was a famous bearer of this name.

Orval m English
Variant of Orville.

Orville m English
This name was invented by the 18th-century writer Fanny Burney, who perhaps intended it to mean "golden city" in French. Orville Wright (1871-1948), together with his brother Wilbur, invented the first successful airplane.

Osborne m English
From a surname that was a variant of Osborn.

Osbourne m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Osborn.

Othniel m Biblical
Meaning uncertain, possibly "lion of God" or "strength of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is a nephew or brother of Caleb who becomes the first of the ruling judges of the Israelites.

Otis m English
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Ode, a cognate of Otto. In America it has been used in honour of the revolutionary James Otis (1725-1783).

Pace m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the Middle English word pace meaning "peace".

Pacey m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the French place name Pacy, itself derived from Gaulish given name of unknown meaning.

Paden m English (Rare)
From a surname, itself probably a derivative of the given name Pate, a short form of Patrick. It was an obscure given name in America until 1985, when it appeared in the western movie Silverado. Its modest usage after that can probably be attributed to the fact that it ends in the popular den sound found in more-popular names such as Braden, Hayden and Aidan.

Page m & f English
From a surname that was a variant of Paige.

Paget f & m English (Rare)
From a French and English surname that meant "little page" (see Paige).

Pallu m Biblical
Means "distinguished" in Hebrew. This was the name of a son of Reuben in the Old Testament.

Palmer m & f English
From an English surname meaning "pilgrim". It is ultimately from Latin palma "palm tree", since pilgrims to the Holy Land often brought back palm fronds as proof of their journey.

Parker m & f English
From an English occupational surname that meant "keeper of the park".

Parris m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who came from the French city of Paris (see Paris 2).

Parry m English (Rare)
From a Welsh surname that was derived from ap Harry meaning "son of Harry".

Patton m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of Patrick. A notable bearer of the surname was the American World War II general George S. Patton (1885-1945), who played an important part in the allied offensive in France.

Paxton m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "Pœcc's town". Pœcc is an Old English given name of unknown meaning.

Payton f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Peyton.

Pearce m English (Rare)
Variant of Pierce.

Pepper f & m English (Modern)
From the English word for the spice, which is prepared from the dried berries of the pepper plant. The word is derived from Latin piper, ultimately from an Indo-Aryan source. In popular culture, Pepper is the nickname of Virginia Potts from the Iron Man series of comic books and movies, created 1963.

Perce m English
Short form of Percy.

Percy m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of a Norman town Perci, which was itself perhaps derived from a Gaulish given name that was Latinized as Persius. The surname was borne by a noble English family, and it first used as a given name in their honour. A famous bearer was Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), an English romantic poet whose works include Adonais and Ozymandias. This name can also be used as a short form of Percival.

Perry m English
From a surname that is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh ap Herry, meaning "son of Herry". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.

Peyton f & m English
From an English surname, originally a place name meaning "Pæga's town". This was a rare masculine name until the 1990s. In 1992 it was used for a female character in the movie The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and, despite the fact that it was borne by the villain, the name began to rise in popularity for girls as well as boys.... [more]

Phoenix m & f English (Modern)
From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοῖνιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".

Pierce m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Piers. In America this name slowly started to grow in popularity in 1982 when actor Pierce Brosnan (1953-) began starring on the television series Remington Steele.

Porter m English
From an occupational English surname meaning "doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French porte "door", from Latin porta.

Praise f & m English (African)
From the English word praise, which is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Late Latin preciare, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth". This name is most common in English-speaking Africa.

Presley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest clearing" (Old English preost and leah). This surname was borne by musician Elvis Presley (1935-1977).

Preston m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest town" (Old English preost and tun).

Price m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from ap Rhys meaning "son of Rhys".

Prince m English
From the English word prince, a royal title, which comes ultimately from Latin princeps. This name was borne by the American musician Prince Rogers Nelson (1958-2016), who is known simply as Prince.

Princeton m English (Modern)
From the name of the town or university in New Jersey. Established in the early 18th century, it is said to have been named for William III, the Prince of Orange.

Promise f & m English (African)
From the English word promise, from Latin promissum. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Prudence f & m English, French
Medieval English form of Prudentia, the feminine form of Prudentius. In France it is both the feminine form and a rare masculine form. In England it was used during the Middle Ages and was revived in the 17th century by the Puritans, in part from the English word prudence, ultimately of the same source.

Purdie m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the Norman French expression pur die "by God". It was perhaps originally a nickname for a person who used the oath frequently.

Quin m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Quinn.

Quincey m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Quincy.

Quincy m & f English
From an English surname that was derived (via the place name Cuinchy) from the personal name Quintus. A famous bearer was John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), sixth president of the United States, who was born in the town of Quincy, Massachusetts. Both the town and the president were named after his maternal great-grandfather John Quincy (1689-1767). Another notable bearer is the American musician Quincy Jones (1933-).

Quinlan m & f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caoindealbháin, itself from the given name Caoindealbhán (Old Irish Caíndelbán).

Quinn m & f English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Cuinn, itself derived from the given name Conn. In the United States it was more common as a name for boys until 2010, the year after the female character Quinn Fabray began appearing on the television series Glee.

Radcliff m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "red cliff" in Old English.

Radclyffe m English (Rare)
From a surname, a variant of Radcliff.

Raeburn m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "stream where deer drink" (from Scots rae "roe deer" and burn "stream"). A famous bearer of the surname was Scottish portrait painter Henry Raeburn (1756-1823).

Rafferty m English
From an Irish surname, itself derived from the given name Rabhartach meaning "flood tide".

Rain 1 f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word rain, derived from Old English regn.

Raine f & m English (Rare)
From a surname derived from the Old French nickname reine meaning "queen". A famous bearer was the British socialite Raine Spencer (1929-2016), the stepmother of Princess Diana. In modern times it is also considered a variant of Rain 1.

Raleigh m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning either "red clearing" or "roe deer clearing" in Old English. A city in North Carolina bears this name, after the English courtier, poet and explorer Walter Raleigh (1552-1618).

Ram 1 m Biblical
Means "exalted" in Hebrew. This was a son of Hezron in the Old Testament.

Ramsay m Scottish
From a surname that was a variant of Ramsey.

Ramsey m English
From an English and Scottish surname that was derived from a place name meaning "garlic island" in Old English.

Randal m English
Variant of Randall.

Randall m English
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Randel.

Randell m English
Variant of Randall.

Randy m & f English
Diminutive of Randall, Randolf or Miranda.

Rashaun m African American (Modern)
Combination of the prefix ra with the name Shaun.

Rashawn m African American (Modern)
Combination of the prefix ra with the name Shawn.

Raven f & m English
From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English hræfn. The raven is revered by several Native American groups of the west coast. It is also associated with the Norse god Odin.

Read m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Reed.

Reagan f & m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Riagáin, derived from the given name Riagán. This surname was borne by American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004).... [more]

Rearden m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, a variant of Riordan.

Red m English
From the English word for the colour, ultimately derived from Old English read. It was originally a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

Redd m English (Rare)
Variant of Red.

Reed m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English read meaning "red", originally a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion. Unconnected, this is also the English word for tall grass-like plants that grow in marshes.

Regan f & m Literature, English
Meaning unknown. In the chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth it is the name of a treacherous daughter of King Leir. Shakespeare adapted the story for his tragedy King Lear (1606). In the modern era it has appeared in the horror movie The Exorcist (1973) belonging to a girl possessed by the devil. This name can also be used as a variant of Reagan.

Reid m English
From a surname, a Scots variant of Reed.

Reign f & m English (Modern)
From the English word reign, derived from Latin regnum "royal power".

Reilly m & f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Raghailligh, derived from the given name Raghailleach, meaning unknown.

Remington m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of the town of Rimington in Lancashire, itself meaning "settlement on the Riming stream". It may be given in honour of the American manufacturer Eliphalet Remington (1793-1861) or his sons, founders of the firearms company that bears their name.

Rex m English
From Latin rex meaning "king". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.

Rhett m English
From a surname, an Anglicized form of the Dutch de Raedt, derived from raet "advice, counsel". Margaret Mitchell used this name for the character Rhett Butler in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936).

Rian m Irish, Old Irish, English
Irish form of Ryan, as well as an English variant.

Ridge m English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word denoting a continuous elevated mountain crest, or from the English surname derived from the word.

Ridley m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was originally derived from various place names meaning either "reed clearing" or "channel clearing" in Old English.

Rigby m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "ridge farm" in Old Norse.

Riley m & f English
From a surname that comes from two distinct sources. As an Irish surname it is a variant of Reilly. As an English surname it is derived from a place name meaning "rye clearing" in Old English.... [more]

Riordan m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Ríoghbhárdáin), which was derived from the given name Rígbarddán.

Ripley f & m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of various English towns, from Old English rippel "grove, thicket" and leah "clearing". A famous fictional bearer is the character Ellen Ripley (usually only called by her surname) from the Alien series of movies, beginning 1979.

River m & f English (Modern)
From the English word that denotes a flowing body of water. The word is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Latin ripa "riverbank".

Rocky m English
Diminutive of Rocco and other names beginning with a similar sound, or else a nickname referring to a tough person. This is the name of the boxer Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone) in the movie Rocky (1976) and its sequels.

Rod m English
Short form of Roderick or Rodney.

Roddy m English, Scottish
Diminutive of Roderick or Rodney.

Rodney m English
From an English surname, originally derived from a place name, which meant "Hroda's island" in Old English (where Hroda is an Old English given name meaning "fame"). It was first used as a given name in honour of the British admiral Lord Rodney (1719-1792).

Romilly m & f English (British, Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the name of various Norman towns, themselves from the given name Romilius.

Roosevelt m English
From a Dutch surname meaning "rose field". This name is often given in honour of American presidents Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) or Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).

Roscoe m English
From an English surname, originally derived from a place name, itself derived from Old Norse rá "roebuck" and skógr "wood, forest".

Ross m Scottish, English
From a Scottish and English surname that originally indicated a person from a place called Ross (such as the region of Ross in northern Scotland), derived from Gaelic ros meaning "promontory, headland". A famous bearer of the surname was James Clark Ross (1800-1862), an Antarctic explorer.

Roswell m English
From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "horse spring".

Rowan m & f Irish, English (Modern)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).

Rowen m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Rowan.

Royal m & f English
From the English word royal, derived (via Old French) from Latin regalis, a derivative of rex "king". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century.

Royale f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Royal.

Royce m English
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Royse, a variant of Rose.

Roydon m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "rye hill", from Old English ryge "rye" and dun "hill".

Royle m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "rye hill" from Old English ryge "rye" and hyll "hill".

Royston m English (British)
From a surname that was originally taken from an Old English place name meaning "town of Royse". The given name Royse was a medieval variant of Rose.

Rudyard m English (Rare)
From a place name meaning "red yard" in Old English. This name was borne by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), the author of The Jungle Book and other works, who was named after Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire.

Russ m English
Short form of Russell.

Russel m English
Variant of Russell.

Russell m English
From an English surname, of Norman origin, meaning "little red one" (a diminutive of Old French rous "red"). A notable bearer of the surname was the agnostic British philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), who wrote on many subjects including logic, epistemology and mathematics. He was also a political activist for causes such as pacifism and women's rights.... [more]

Rusty m English
From a nickname that was originally given to someone with a rusty, or reddish-brown, hair colour.

Ry m & f English
Short form of Ryan and other names beginning with Ry.

Ryan m English
From a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Riain. This patronymic derives from the given name Rian, which is of uncertain meaning. It is traditionally said to mean "little king", from Irish rí "king" combined with a diminutive suffix.... [more]

Ryder m English (Modern)
From an English occupational surname derived from Old English ridere meaning "mounted warrior" or "messenger". It has grown in popularity in the 2000s because it starts with the same sound found in other popular names like Ryan and Riley.

Ryker m English (Modern)
Possibly a variant of the German surname Riker, a derivative of Low German rike "rich". As a modern English name, it has become popular because it shares the same trendy sounds found in other names such as Ryan and Ryder.

Rylan m English (Modern)
Possibly a variant of Ryland, though it could also be an invented name inspired by other names like Ryan and Riley.

Ryland m English (Modern)
From an English surname, which was originally derived from a place name meaning "rye land" in Old English.

Rylee f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Riley.

Ryley m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Riley.

Rylie f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Riley.

Sacheverell m English (Rare)
From a now extinct English surname that was derived from a Norman place name. It was occasionally given in honour of the English preacher Henry Sacheverell (1674-1724), especially by the Sitwell noble family.

Sage f & m English (Modern)
From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.

Saint m English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately from Latin sanctus "holy, saintly".

Salem 2 f & m English (Modern)
From the name of a biblical town, שָׁלֵם (Shalem) in Hebrew, meaning "complete, safe, peaceful". According to the Old Testament this was the town where Melchizedek was king. It is usually identified with Jerusalem. Many places are named after the biblical town, most in America, notably a city in Massachusetts where the infamous Salem witch trials occurred in 1692.

Sampson 2 m English
From an English surname that was itself derived from a medieval form of the given name Samson.

Sandford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Sanford.

Sanford m English
From an English surname, originally from a place name, which meant "sand ford" in Old English.

Santana f & m Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese (Brazilian), English (Modern)
From a contraction of Santa Ana (referring to Saint Anna) or from a Spanish and Portuguese surname derived from any of the numerous places named for the saint. It can be given in honour of the Mexican-American musician Carlos Santana (1947-), the founder of the band Santana. The name received a boost in popularity for American girls after the character Santana Andrade began appearing on the soap opera Santa Barbara in 1984.

Satchel m English (Rare)
From an English surname derived from Old English sacc meaning "sack, bag", referring to a person who was a bag maker. A famous bearer was the American baseball player Satchel Paige (1906-1982). In his case it was a childhood nickname acquired because he sold bags.

Sawyer m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "sawer of wood". Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).... [more]

Saxon m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the name of the Germanic tribe the Saxons, ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". This name can also be given in direct reference to the tribe.

Schuyler m & f English
From a Dutch surname meaning "scholar". Dutch settlers brought the surname to America, where it was subsequently adopted as a given name in honour of the American general and senator Philip Schuyler (1733-1804).

Scot m English, Scottish
Variant form of Scott.

Scott m English, Scottish
From an English and Scottish surname that referred to a person from Scotland or a person who spoke Scottish Gaelic. It is derived from Latin Scoti meaning "Gael, Gaelic speaker", with the ultimate origin uncertain.

Scottie m & f English
Diminutive of Scott, also used as a feminine form.

Scotty m English
Diminutive of Scott.

Scout f & m English (Modern)
From the English word scout meaning "one who gathers information covertly", which is derived from Old French escouter "to listen". Harper Lee used this name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).

Sefton m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town in the rushes" in Old English.

Selby m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "willow farm" in Old Norse.

Selwyn m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from an Old English given name, which was formed of the elements sele "manor" and wine "friend".

Sequoia f & m English (Rare)
From the name of huge trees that grow in California. The tree got its name from the 19th-century Cherokee scholar Sequoyah (also known as George Guess), the inventor of the Cherokee writing system.

Seven m & f English (Modern)
From the English word for the number, derived from Old English seofon (from an Indo-European root shared by Latin septem and Greek ἑπτά (hepta)).

Sevyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Seven.

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

Seymour m English
From a Norman surname that originally belonged to a person coming from the French town of Saint Maur (which means "Saint Maurus").

Shadrach m Biblical
Means "command of Aku" in Akkadian, Aku being the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Old Testament Shadrach is the Babylonian name of Hananiah, one of the three men cast into a fiery furnace but saved by God.

Shamgar m Biblical
Possibly means "sword" in Hebrew. Shamgar was one of the Old Testament judges.

Shannon f & m English
From the name of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, called an tSionainn in Irish. It is associated with the legendary figure Sionann and is sometimes said to be named for her. However it is more likely she was named after the river, which may be related to Old Irish sen "old, ancient". As a given name, it first became common in America after the 1940s.

Shanon f & m English
Variant of Shannon.

Shaquan m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements sha and quan.

Sharar m Biblical
Means "enemy" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Ahiam.

Sharon f & m English, Hebrew
From an Old Testament place name, in Hebrew שָׁרוֹן (Sharon) meaning "plain", referring to a fertile plain on the central west coast of Israel. This is also the name of a flowering plant in the Bible, the rose of Sharon, a term now used to refer to several different species of flowers.... [more]

Shaw m English (Rare)
From a surname. As an English surname it is derived from Old English sceaga meaning "thicket". As a Scottish surname it is derived from the Gaelic byname Sitheach meaning "wolf".

Sheard m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "gap between hills" in Old English.

Sheba m Biblical
Means "oath" in Hebrew. This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament. Also in the Bible, this is a place name, referring to a region in Ethiopia. The queen of Sheba visited Solomon after hearing of his wisdom.

Shel m English
Short form of Sheldon.

Shelby m & f English
From an English surname, which was possibly a variant of Selby. Though previously in use as a rare masculine name, it was popularized as a feminine name by the main character in the movie The Woman in Red (1935). It was later reinforced by the movie Steel Magnolias (1989) in which Julia Roberts played a character by this name.

Sheldon m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "valley with steep sides" in Old English. Sheldon is the name of several locations in England.

Shelley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "clearing on a bank" in Old English. Two famous bearers of the surname were Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), a romantic poet whose works include Adonais and Ozymandias, and Mary Shelley (1797-1851), his wife, the author of the horror story Frankenstein. As a feminine given name, it came into general use after the 1940s.

Shelly f & m English
Variant of Shelley.

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

Shemer m Biblical
Possibly means "preserved" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the owner of the hill upon which Samaria was built.

Shepherd m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "sheep herder, shepherd".

Sheridan m & f English
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Sirideáin), which was derived from the given name Sirideán possibly meaning "searcher".

Sherman m English
From an English surname meaning "shear man", originally denoting a person who cut cloth. Famous bearers of the surname include American politician Roger Sherman (1721-1793) and American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891).

Sherwood m English
From an English place name (or from a surname that was derived from it) meaning "bright forest". This was the name of the forest in which the legendary outlaw Robin Hood made his home.

Shiloh m & f Biblical
From an Old Testament place name possibly meaning "tranquil" in Hebrew. It is also used prophetically in the Old Testament to refer to a person, often understood to be the Messiah (see Genesis 49:10). This may in fact be a mistranslation.... [more]

Shirley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel Shirley (1849). Though the name was already popular in the United States, the child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) gave it a further boost. By 1935 it was the second most common name for girls.

Sid m English
Short form of Sidney.

Sidney m & f English
From the English surname Sidney. It was first used as a given name in honour of executed politician Algernon Sidney (1622-1683). Another notable bearer of the surname was the poet and statesman Philip Sidney (1554-1586).... [more]

Silver m & f English (Rare)
From the English word for the precious metal or the colour, ultimately derived from Old English seolfor.

Sincere m & f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning genuine or heartfelt.

Sinclair m & f English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from a Norman French town called "Saint Clair". A notable bearer was the American author Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951).

Sinjin m English (British, Rare)
Phonetic variant of St John.

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.

Slade m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from Old English slæd meaning "valley".

Sloan f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Sloane.

Smith m English
From 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.

Sonnie m English (Rare)
Variant of Sonny.

Sonny m English
From a nickname that is commonly used to denote a young boy, derived from the English word son.

Sparrow m & f English (Rare)
From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English spearwa.

Spencer m English
From 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 English
From a nickname that may have originally been given to a person with spiky hair.

Stace m & f Medieval English, English
Medieval short form of Eustace. As a modern name it is typically a short form of Stacy.

Stacey f & m English
Variant of Stacy.

Stacy f & m English
As 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 English
From a surname that was from a place name meaning "landing-place ford" in Old English.

Stan 1 m English
Short form of Stanley. A famous bearer was British comedian Stan Laurel (1890-1965).

Stanford m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "stone ford" in Old English.

Stanley m English
From 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).

Sterling m English
From 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.

Stew m English
Short form of Stewart.

Stewart m English, Scottish
From a surname that was a variant Stuart.

Stirling m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant Sterling. This is the name of a city in Scotland.

St John m English (British, Rare)
From the title and name of Saint John the Baptist or Saint John the Evangelist (see John).

Stone m English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English stan.

Storm m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern), Danish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern)
From the vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English or Old Dutch storm, or in the case of the Scandinavian name, from Old Norse stormr.

Stu m English
Short form of Stuart.

Stuart m English, Scottish
From 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.

Sullivan m English, French
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Súileabháin, itself from the given name Súileabhán, which was derived from Irish súil "eye" and dubh "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name has achieved a moderate level of popularity in France since the 1970s. In the United States it was rare before the 1990s, after which it began climbing steadily. A famous fictional bearer of the surname was James P. Sullivan from the animated movie Monsters, Inc. (2001).

Sully m English
Diminutive of Sullivan and other names with a similar sound.

Sunday m & f English
From the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English sunnandæg, which was composed of the elements sunne "sun" and dæg "day". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Sunny f & m English
From the English word meaning "sunny, cheerful".

Sutton f & m English (Modern)
From a surname, itself derived from the name of numerous English towns, of Old English origin meaning "south town".

Syd m & f English
Short form of Sydney.

Sydney f & m English
From a surname that was a variant of the surname Sidney. This is the name of the largest city in Australia, which was named for Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney in 1788. Formerly used by both genders, since the 1980s this spelling of the name has been mostly feminine.

Talbot m English (Rare)
From an English surname, of Norman origin, possibly derived from an unattested Germanic given name composed of the elements dala "to destroy" and bod "message".

Talon m English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "talon, claw", ultimately derived (via Norman French) from Latin talus "anklebone".

Tanner m English
From an English surname meaning "one who tans hides".

Tate m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Tata, of unknown origin.

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

Tatum f & m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Tata's homestead" in Old English. It was brought to public attention by the child actress Tatum O'Neal (1963-) in the 1970s, though it did not catch on. It attained a modest level of popularity after 1996, when it was borne by a character in the movie Scream.

Tavon m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements ta or tay with von.

Tayler f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Taylor.

Taylor m & f English
From an English surname that originally denoted someone who was a tailor, from Norman French tailleur, ultimately from Latin taliare "to cut".... [more]

Tekoa m Biblical
Possibly means either "stockade" or "horn, trumpet" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a both a city and a son of Ashhur.

Tel m English (British)
Short form of Terence or Terry 1.

Temple m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who was associated with the Knights Templar, a medieval religious military order.

Tennyson m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "son of Tenney", Tenney being a medieval form of Denis. A notable bearer of the surname was the British poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), commonly called Lord Tennyson after he became a baron in 1884.

Terell m English (Modern), African American (Modern)
Variant of Terrell.

Terrell m English, African American
From an English surname that was probably derived from the Norman French nickname tirel "to pull", referring to a stubborn person. It may sometimes be given in honour of civil rights activist Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954). It was common in the African-American community from the 1970s to the 1990s, typically stressed on the second syllable. A famous bearer is American football player Terrell Owens (1973-).

Terry 1 m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval name Thierry, a Norman French form of Theodoric.

Tevin m English (Modern)
Invented name, probably inspired by Kevin and Devin. This name was popularized by the American singer Tevin Campbell (1976-).

Tex m English
From a nickname denoting a person who came from the state of Texas. A famous bearer was the American animator Tex Avery (1908-1980), real name Frederick, who was born in Texas.

Thane m English (Rare)
From the Scottish and English noble title, which was originally from Old English thegn.

Thatcher m English (Modern)
From an English surname that referred to a person who thatched roofs by attaching straw to them, derived from Old English þæc "thatch". The surname was borne by British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).

Thorburn m English (Rare)
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from the Norse name Þórbjǫrn (see Torbjörn).

Thorley m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "thorn clearing" in Old English.

Thornton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "thorn town" in Old English.

Thurstan m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the Norse name Þórsteinn (see Torsten).

Tiger m English (Rare)
From the name of the large striped cat, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek τίγρις (tigris), ultimately of Iranian origin. A famous bearer is American golfer Tiger Woods (1975-).

Tiras m Biblical
From Hebrew תִּירָס (Tiras), meaning unknown. Tiras is a grandson of Noah in the Old Testament. This is also a modern Hebrew word meaning "corn".

Tobin m English
From an English surname that was itself derived from the given name Tobias.

Tod m English
Variant of Todd.

Todd m English
From an English surname meaning "fox", derived from Middle English todde. As a given name it was rare before 1930. It peaked in popularity in most parts of the English-speaking world in the 1960s or 70s, but it has since declined.

Torin m English (Modern)
Meaning unknown. It has been suggested that it is of Irish origin, though no suitable derivation can be found.

Trace m English
Short form of Tracy.

Tracey f & m English
Variant of Tracy.

Tracy f & m English
From an English surname that was taken from a Norman French place name meaning "domain belonging to Thracius". Charles Dickens used it for a male character in his novel The Pickwick Papers (1837). It was later popularized as a feminine name by the main character Tracy Lord in the movie The Philadelphia Story (1940). This name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Theresa.

Trafford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "fish-trap ford" in Old English.

Tranter m English (Rare)
From a surname meaning "wagoner" in Old English.

Travers m English (Rare)
From the surname Travers.

Travis m English
From the English surname Travis (a variant of Travers). It was used in America in honour of William Travis (1809-1836), the commander of the Texan forces at the Battle of the Alamo.

Trent m English
From an English surname that originally denoted someone who lived by the River Trent. A famous bearer is the American musician Trent Reznor (1965-).... [more]

Trenton m English
From the name of a New Jersey city established in the 17th century by William Trent. It means "Trent's town".

Trev m Welsh, English
Short form of Trevor.

Trevelyan m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a Cornish place name meaning "homestead on the hill".

Trevon m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements tre and von.

Trevor m Welsh, English
From a Welsh surname, originally taken from the name of towns in Wales meaning "big village", derived from Middle Welsh tref "village" and maur "large". As a given name it became popular in the United Kingdom in the middle of the 20th century, then caught on in the United States in the 1960s.

Trey m English
From an English nickname meaning "three".

Treyvon m African American (Modern)
Variant of Trevon.

Tripp m English (Modern)
From a surname derived from Middle English trippen "to dance". It could also be inspired by the English word trip "journey, stumble".

Troy m English
Originally from a surname that denoted a person from the city of Troyes in France. It is now more likely used in reference to the ancient city of Troy that was besieged by the Greeks in Homer's Iliad. The city's name, from Greek Τροία (Troia), is said to derive from its mythical founder Τρώς (Tros), but is more likely of Luwian or Hittite origin. This name was popularized in the 1960s by the actor Troy Donahue (1936-2001), who took his stage name from that of the ancient city.

Trueman m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Truman.

Truman m English
From a surname that meant "trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).

Tucker m English (Modern)
From an occupational surname for a cloth fuller, derived from Old English tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.

Turner m English
From an English surname for one who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English turnian "to turn", of Latin origin.

Ty m English
Short form of Tyler, Tyson, Tyrone and other names beginning with Ty.

Tye m English
From a surname meaning "pasture" in Middle English.

Tylar m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Tyler.

Tyler m English
From an English surname meaning "tiler of roofs", derived from Old English tigele "tile". The surname was borne by American president John Tyler (1790-1862).

Tylor m English (Modern)
Variant of Tyler.

Tyquan m African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements ty and quan.

Tyreek m African American (Modern)
Variant of Tyrik.

Tyrell m English (Modern), African American (Modern)
From a surname that was a variant of Terrell. Influenced by similar-sounding names such as Tyrone and Darrell it has been used by African-American parents, usually stressed on the second syllable.

Tyrese m African American (Modern)
Invented name, an elaboration of the initial sound in names such as Tyrone, Tyrell and Tyree. It jumped in popularity after the American singer and actor Tyrese Gibson (1978-) released his debut album in 1998.

Tyrik m African American (Modern)
Invented name, influenced by the sounds found other names such as Tyrone, Tyrell, Tyree and Tariq.

Tyriq m African American (Modern)
Variant of Tyrik.

Tyrique m African American (Modern)
Variant of Tyrik.

Tyron m English
Variant of Tyrone.

Tyrone m English, African American
From the name of a county in Northern Ireland, which is derived from Irish Gaelic Tir Eoghain meaning "land of Eoghan". This name was popularized by American actor Tyrone Power (1914-1958), who was named after his great-grandfather, an Irish actor.

Tyrrell m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Terrell.

Tyshawn m African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic prefix ty and Shawn.

Tyson m English
From an English surname, originally a nickname for a quarrelsome person, from Old French tison meaning "firebrand". A famous bearer of the surname is boxer Mike Tyson (1966-). This was a rare given name in America before 1960, but it increased in popularity through the 1960s and 70s, maybe because of its similarities with names such as Tyler and Tyrone.

Upton m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "upper town" in Old English. A famous bearer of this name was the American novelist Upton Sinclair (1878-1968).

Van m English
Short form of names containing van, such as Vance or Ivan.

Vance m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English fenn meaning "marsh, fen".

Vaughan m Welsh, English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from bychan (mutated to fychan) meaning "little".

Vaughn m English
From a Welsh surname, a variant of Vaughan.

Vere m English (Rare)
From a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, which was itself derived from a Gaulish word meaning "alder".

Vern m English
Short form of Vernon.

Vernon m English
From a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, ultimately derived from the Gaulish word vern meaning "alder".

Vilmar m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Form of Wilmer popular in Brazil.

Vinal m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "vine hall" in Middle English.

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

Waldo 1 m English
From a surname that was derived from the Anglo-Scandinavian given name Waltheof. Its present use in the English-speaking world is usually in honour of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American transcendentalist, poet and author. His name came from a surname from his father's side of the family.

Walker m English
From an English surname that referred to the medieval occupational of a walker, also known as a fuller. Walkers would tread on wet, unprocessed wool in order to clean and thicken it. The word ultimately derives from Old English wealcan "to walk".

Wallace m English, Scottish
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Norman French waleis meaning "foreigner, Celt, Welshman" (of Germanic origin). It was first used as a given name in honour of William Wallace, a Scottish hero who led the fight against the English in the 13th century.

Wallis m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Wallace. Wallis Simpson (1895-1986) was the divorced woman whom Edward VIII married, which forced him to abdicate the British throne.

Wally m English
Diminutive of Walter or Wallace.

Walton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from various Old English place names meaning "stream town", "wood town", or "wall town".

Ward 1 m English
From an occupational surname for a watchman, derived from Old English weard "guard".

Wardell m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "watch hill" in Old English.

Warner m English
From a Norman surname that was derived from the given name Werner.

Warren m English
From an English surname that was derived either from Norman French warrene meaning "animal enclosure", or else from the town of La Varenne in Normandy. This name was borne by the American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).

Warrick m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Warwick.

Warwick m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of a town in England, itself from Old English wer "weir, dam" and wic "settlement".

Washington m English
From a surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town, itself meaning "settlement belonging to Wassa's people". The given name is usually given in honour of George Washington (1732-1799), commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the first president of the United States.