Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the gender is masculine; and the pattern is *i*a.
gender
usage
pattern
Abia m & f Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Biblical Greek and Latin form of Abijah.
Abimbola f & m Yoruba
Means "born to me with wealth" in Yoruba.
Abiola f & m Yoruba
Means "born into wealth" in Yoruba.
Adalia m Biblical
Meaning unknown, possibly of Persian origin. In Book of Esther in the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Haman the Agagite.
'Adina m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Adina 1.
Adina 1 m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name עֲדִינָא (ʿAḏina), derived from עָדִין (ʿaḏin) meaning "delicate". This name is borne by a soldier in the Old Testament.... [more]
Adisa m & f Yoruba
Means "bundled up and set to dry" in Yoruba.
Aditya m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali, Indonesian
Means "belonging to Aditi" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the seven (or more) Hindu gods who are the children of Aditi. It is also another name for the sun god Surya.
Adrià m Catalan
Catalan form of Adrian.
Agrippa m & f Ancient Roman, Biblical
Roman cognomen of unknown meaning, possibly from a combination of Greek ἄγριος (agrios) meaning "wild" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse" or alternatively of Etruscan origin. It was also used as a praenomen, or given name, by the Furia and Menenia families. In the New Testament this name was borne by Herod Agrippa (a grandson of Herod the Great), the king of Israel who put the apostle James to death. It was also borne by the 1st-century BC Roman general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.
Aindrea m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Andrew.
Ajita m Hinduism, Buddhism
Means "unconquered, invincible", from Sanskrit (a) meaning "not" and जित (jita) meaning "conquered". This is a name of the gods Shiva and Vishnu, and of a future Buddha.
Akiba m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew עֲקִיבָא (see Akiva).
Akicita m Sioux
From Lakota or Dakota akíčhita meaning "warrior".
Akira m & f Japanese
From Japanese (akira) meaning "bright", (akira) meaning "bright" or (akira) meaning "clear". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name. A famous bearer was the Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998), given name written .
Akiva m Hebrew
From an Aramaic form of Yaakov. Akiva (or Akiba) ben Joseph was a prominent 1st-century Jewish rabbi.
Alija m Bosnian
Bosnian form of Ali 1.
Alireza m Persian
Combination of Ali 1 and Reza, given in honour of the 9th-century Shia imam Ali ar-Rida.
Amadioha m Igbo Mythology
Derived from Igbo àmádí "freeborn man" and ọ̀hà "community, people". The is the name of the god of thunder and lightning in traditional Igbo belief.
Amila m Sinhalese
Means "valuable" in Sinhala.
Aminta m & f Literature, Spanish (Latin American)
Form of Amyntas used by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso for his play Aminta (1573). In the play Aminta is a shepherd who falls in love with a nymph.... [more]
Andria m Georgian, Corsican, Sardinian
Georgian, Corsican and Sardinian form of Andrew.
Andrija m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Andrew.
Anila 2 m Hinduism
Sanksrit transcription of Anil. This is another name of Vayu, the Hindu god of the wind.
Aniruddha m Hinduism, Bengali, Marathi, Hindi
Means "unobstructed, ungovernable" in Sanskrit. According to the Puranas this was the name of a grandson of the Hindu deity Krishna and his wife Rukmini. He is sometimes considered to be an avatar of Vishnu.
Aquila m & f Biblical, Ancient Roman
From a Roman cognomen meaning "eagle" in Latin. In Acts in the New Testament Paul lives with Aquila and his wife Priscilla (or Prisca) for a time.
Arabinda m Bengali, Odia
Bengali and Odia variant of Aravind.
Aravinda m Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಅರವಿಂದ (see Aravind).
Aria 2 m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian آریا (see Arya 1).
Aritra m Bengali
From Sanskrit अरित्र (aritra) meaning "propelling, an oar".
Atila m Turkish
Turkish variant of Attila.
Atilla m Turkish
Turkish variant of Attila.
Atiya m & f Arabic
Means "gift" in Arabic.
Attila m History, Hungarian, Turkish
Probably means "little father" from Gothic atta "father" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century leader of the Huns, a nomadic people from Central Asia who had expanded into Eastern Europe by the 4th century. Attila was likely the name given to him by his Gothic-speaking subjects in Eastern Europe; his real name may have been Avitohol.
Aurică m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Aurel.
Avalokiteshvara m Buddhism
Means "the lord who looks down" in Sanskrit, derived from अवलोक् (avalok) meaning "to look down" and ईश्वर (īśvara) meaning "lord, god". The original form of the name may have been अवलोकितस्वर (Avalokitasvara), with the final element being स्वर (svara) meaning "sound, tone" (as evidenced by the Chinese form Guanyin). In Buddhist belief this is the name of a bodhisattva associated with compassion.
Avia m & f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Abijah.
Avicenna m History
Latinized form of the Arabic patronymic ابن سينا (ibn Sīnā), referring to the famed Arabic-speaking Persian philosopher and physician Abu Ali al-Husayn ibn Abdullah ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Sina (980-1037). His patronymic commemorates an ancestor named Sina.
'Aviya m & f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Abijah.
Azaria m & f Hebrew, English (Modern)
Hebrew form of Azariah (masculine), as well as a feminine variant in the English-speaking world.
Balakrishna m Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit बाल (bāla) meaning "young" combined with the name of the Hindu god Krishna.
Balkrishna m Marathi
Marathi form of Balakrishna.
Baptista m Late Roman
Latin form of Baptiste.
Battista m Italian
Italian form of Baptiste.
Bautista m Spanish
Spanish form of Baptiste.
Bhima m Hinduism
Means "terrible, formidable" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of the second son of Pandu, and thus one of the five Pandavas. His true father was the wind god Vayu. He was known for his terrific strength and skill as a warrior.
Bhishma m Hinduism
Means "terrible, dreadful, formidable" in Sanskrit. According to the Mahabharata he was a son of Shantanu and the river goddess Ganga. He was originally named Devavrata. He became an advisor to the kings of Kuru, and was renowned for his wisdom. He reluctantly helped lead the Kauravas in their war with the Pandavas, during which he was killed by the Pandava brother Arjuna.
Bidzina m Georgian
From Georgian ბიძა (bidza) meaning "uncle". This was the name of a 17th-century Georgian saint and martyr.
Bima m Indonesian
Indonesian form of Bhima.
Bira m Tupi
Short form of Ubirajara.
Brijesha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of Brij" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, Brij being a region associated with him.
Caligula m History
Means "little boot" in Latin. This was a nickname for the 1st-century Roman emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus given to him in his youth by his father's soldiers.
Chaminda m Sinhalese
Meaning unknown.
Chariovalda m Old Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of Hariwald. This was the name of 1st-century Batavian chief mentioned by Tacitus.
Chiemeka m & f Igbo
Means "God did a greater deed" in Igbo.
Chika 1 f & m Igbo
Means "God is greater" in Igbo.
Chikara m Japanese
From Japanese (chikara) meaning "power, capability, influence". This name can also be formed by other kanji or combinations of kanji.
Chima m & f Igbo
Means "God knows" in Igbo, derived from Chi 2, referring to God, and meaning "know".
Chimwala m & f Yao
Means "stone" in Yao.
Chinweuba m Igbo
Means "God possesses plenty" in Igbo.
Chizoba f & m Igbo
Means "God continues to save" in Igbo.
Ciardha m Medieval Irish
Irish byname derived from ciar meaning "black".
Costică m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Constantin.
Dakila m Tagalog
Means "great" in Tagalog.
Danila 1 m Russian
Russian variant form of Daniel.
Dikla m & f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Diklah. In modern Hebrew it is also used as a feminine name.
Dilipa m Hinduism
Means "protector of Delhi" from Sanskrit दिल्ली (see Delhi) combined with (pa) meaning "protecting". According to Hindu scripture this was the name of a king who was an ancestor of Rama 1.
Dima 2 m Russian, Georgian
Diminutive of Dmitriy.
Dimka m Russian
Diminutive of Dmitriy.
Dinesha m Hinduism
Means "day lord" from Sanskrit दिन (dina) meaning "day" and ईश (īśa) meaning "lord". In Hindu texts this is used as a name of the sun.
Dipaka m Hinduism
Means "inflaming, exciting" in Sanskrit. This is another name of Kama, the Hindu god of love.
Diya 2 m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic ضياء (see Ziya).
Dragiša m Serbian
Originally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element dorgŭ (South Slavic drag) meaning "precious".
Dyaus Pita m Hinduism
Form of Dyaus suffixed with the Sanskrit epithet पितृ (pitṛ) meaning "father".
Ebrima m Western African
Form of Ibrahim used in West Africa (Gambia).
Elia 1 m Italian
Italian form of Elijah.
Elisha m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name אֱלִישַׁע (ʾElishaʿ), a contracted form of אֱלִישׁוּעַ (ʾElishuaʿ) meaning "my God is salvation", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save, to deliver". According to the Old Testament, Elisha was a prophet and miracle worker. He was the attendant of Elijah and succeeded him after his ascension to heaven.
Elishua m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From Hebrew אֱלִישׁוּעַ (ʾElishuaʿ), an extended form of אֱלִישַׁע (see Elisha). In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of King David.
Eliya m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew variant form of Elijah.
Endika m Basque
Basque form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Eniola f & m Yoruba
Means "person of wealth" in Yoruba.
Enyinnaya m Igbo
Means "his father's friend" in Igbo.
Evangelista m & f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Means "evangelist, preacher" in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, derived from Latin, ultimately from Greek εὐάγγελος (euangelos) meaning "bringing good news". It is often used in honour of the Four Evangelists (the authors of the gospels in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). It is traditionally masculine, though occasionally given to girls. A famous bearer was the Italian physicist and mathematician Evangelista Torricelli (1608-1647), who invented the barometer.
Fiachna m Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Derived from Irish fiach meaning "raven". This is the name of several characters from Irish legend. It was also borne by Fiachna mac Báetáin, a 7th-century king of Dál Araide.
Fiachra m Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Fiachrae, possibly from fiach "raven" or fích "battle" combined with "king". This was the name of several legendary figures, including one of the four children of Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners: a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France, usually called Saint Fiacre.
Fida f & m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian
Means "redemption" in Arabic, a derivative of فدى (fadā) meaning "to redeem, to to ransom, to sacrifice". It is typically masculine in Pakistan and feminine in Indonesia.
Fima m Russian
Diminutive of Yefim.
Gadisa m Oromo
From Oromo gaaddisa meaning "shade".
Gaizka m Basque
Means "saviour" in Basque. This name was proposed as an equivalent of Salvador by the Basque writer Sabino Arana in 1910.
Geremia m Italian
Italian form of Jeremiah.
Ghiță m Romanian
Diminutive of Gheorghe.
Giambattista m Italian
Combination of Gianni and Battista, given in honour of Saint John the Baptist.
Gianluca m Italian
Combination of Gianni and Luca 1.
Gianmaria m Italian
Combination of Gianni and Maria.
Giona m Italian
Italian form of Jonah.
Gionata m Italian
Italian form of Jonathan.
Girisha m Hinduism
Means "lord of the mountain" in Sanskrit. This is a name of the Hindu god Shiva, given because of his abode in the Himalayan Mountains.
Glaucia m & f Ancient Roman
Latin form of Gláucio.
Gobinda m Bengali
Bengali form of Govinda.
Godzilla m Popular Culture
From Japanese ゴジラ (Gojira), a blend of ゴリラ (gorira) meaning "gorilla" and (kujira) meaning "whale". This is the name of a massive reptilian monster from a series of Japanese movies, starting 1954.
Gojira m Popular Culture
Japanese form of Godzilla.
Gopinatha m Hinduism
Means "leader of the gopis" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, acquired because of his association with the gopis (milkmaids).
Govinda m Hinduism, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada
Means "cow finder", derived from Sanskrit गो (go) meaning "cow" combined with विन्द (vinda) meaning "finding". This is an epithet of the Hindu god Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.
Grisha m Russian
Diminutive of Grigoriy.
Gudina m Oromo
Means "growth, advancement" in Oromo.
Harisha m & f Kannada, Telugu
Variant and feminine form of Harish.
Hiawatha m History, Iroquois (Anglicized)
Meaning uncertain, of Iroquois origin, possibly meaning "he who combs". This was the name of a Mohawk or Onondaga leader who founded the Iroquois Confederacy around the 15th century. He was later the subject of a fictionalized 1855 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Hinata f & m Japanese
From Japanese 日向 (hinata) meaning "sunny place", 陽向 (hinata) meaning "toward the sun", or a non-standard reading of 向日葵 (himawari) meaning "sunflower". Other kanji compounds are also possible. Because of the irregular readings, this name is often written using the hiragana writing system.
Hira 1 f & m Urdu, Nepali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi
Derived from Sanskrit हीर (hīra) meaning "diamond". It is typically feminine in Pakistan and unisex in India and Nepal.
Hlūdawīgą m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Ludwig.
Hodiya f & m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Hodiah.
Horia m Romanian
Variant of Horea.
Iakopa m Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Jacob.
Ibrahima m Western African
Form of Ibrahim used in parts of West Africa.
Idrissa m Western African
Form of Idris 1 common in West Africa.
Ifa m Oromo
Means "light" in Oromo.
Iikka m Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Isaac.
Ikaia m Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Isaiah.
Ikaika m Hawaiian
Means "strong" in Hawaiian.
Ikenna m Igbo
Means "power of the father" in Igbo.
Ilia m Georgian, Russian, Bulgarian, Belarusian, Old Church Slavic
Georgian form of Elijah. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Илья or Belarusian Ілья (see Ilya) or Bulgarian Илия (see Iliya).
Ilija m Macedonian, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian
Macedonian, Serbian and Croatian form of Elijah, and an alternate transcription of Bulgarian Илия (see Iliya).
Iliya m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Elijah.
Ilja m Czech, Estonian, Lithuanian, Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Илья (see Ilya), as well as the usual form in several other languages.
Ilkka m Finnish
From a Finnish surname, which is of unknown meaning. It is given in honour of Jaakko Ilkka (1550-1597), the leader of a peasant uprising against Swedish rule, known as the Cudgel War.
Illya m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Elijah.
Ilya m Russian, Belarusian
Russian and Belarusian form of Elijah.
Imeda m Georgian
Derived from Georgian იმედი (imedi) meaning "hope".
Indiana f & m English
From the name of the American state of Indiana, which means "land of the Indians". This is the name of the hero in the Indiana Jones series of movies, starring Harrison Ford.
Indika m Sinhalese
Means "Indian, person from India" in Sinhala.
Indra m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, Indonesian
Means "possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain, frequently depicted riding the elephant Airavata. He is the chief god in the Rigveda.
Inna f & m Russian, Ukrainian, History (Ecclesiastical)
Meaning unknown. This was the name of an early saint, a male, supposedly a disciple of Saint Andrew who was martyred in the area of the Black Sea.
Iokua m Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Joshua.
Iona 2 m Russian, Georgian, Biblical Latin
Form of Jonah used in the Latin Old Testament, as well as the Russian and Georgian form.
Ionică m Romanian
Diminutive of Ion 1.
Iouda m Biblical Greek
Form of Judah in the Greek Old Testament. It is used interchangeably with the form Ioudas.
Iovita m & f Ancient Roman
Latin masculine and feminine form of Jovita.
'Ira m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Ira 1.
Ira 1 m English, Hebrew, Biblical
Means "watchful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of King David's priest. As an English Christian given name, Ira began to be used after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where remained moderately common into the 20th century.
İsa m Turkish, Azerbaijani
Turkish and Azerbaijani form of Jesus.
Isa 1 m Arabic, Persian, Albanian, Bosnian, Indonesian, Malay
Arabic form of Jesus. This form is found in the Quran and is used as a given name by Muslims. Arabic-speaking Christians instead use يسوع (Yasūʿ) to refer to Jesus Christ.
Isa 3 m Germanic
Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element is meaning "ice" (Proto-Germanic *īsą).
Isaia m Italian, Old Church Slavic
Italian form of Isaiah, as well as the Old Church Slavic form.
Isaija m Serbian, Macedonian
Serbian and Macedonian form of Isaiah.
Isapo-Muxika m Siksika
From Siksika Issapóómahksika meaning "big Crow foot", from Issapó "Crow (tribe)", ómahk "big" and ika "foot". This was the name of a Blackfoot chief, known as Crowfoot (1830-1890).
Isha f & m Hindi, Marathi, Hinduism
Means "master, lord, ruler" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form ईशा and the masculine form ईश (an epithet of the Hindu god Shiva). It is also the name of one of the Upanishads, which are parts of Hindu scripture.
Isingoma m Ganda
Means "first of twins" in Luganda.
Issa m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عيسى (see Isa 1).
Itzamna m Mayan Mythology, Mayan
From Classic Maya itzam, an element found in the names of some Maya gods (possibly from itz "enchanted, nectar" and mam "grandfather"), combined with nah "great". Itzamna was the Maya creator god.
Ivica m Croatian, Serbian
Diminutive of Ivan.
Jaakkima m Finnish (Rare)
Finnish form of Joachim.
Jagadisha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of the world" from Sanskrit जगत् (jagat) meaning "world" and ईश (īśa) meaning "ruler, lord". This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu or his avatar Krishna.
Jia m & f Chinese
From Chinese (jiā) meaning "good, auspicious, beautiful", (jiā) meaning "home, family", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Jindra f & m Czech
Diminutive of Jindřiška or Jindřich.
Jitendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "conqueror of Indra" from Sanskrit जिति (jiti) meaning "victory, conquering" combined with the name of the god Indra.
José María m Spanish
Combination of José and María, the names of the parents of Jesus.
José Maria m Portuguese
Combination of José and Maria, the names of the parents of Jesus.
Josep Maria m Catalan
Combination of Josep and Maria, the names of the parents of Jesus.
Jovica m Serbian, Macedonian
Diminutive of Jovan.
Juan Bautista m Spanish
Combination of Juan 1 and Bautista, given in honour of Saint John the Baptist.
Julià m Catalan
Catalan form of Iulianus (see Julian).
Jurica m Croatian, Slovene
Diminutive of Juraj or Jurij.
Kabujiya m Old Persian
Old Persian form of Cambyses.
Kaimana m & f Hawaiian
From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and mana "power". It is also Hawaiian meaning "diamond", derived from the English word diamond.
Kalidasa m Sanskrit
Means "servant of Kali" from the name of the Hindu goddess Kali 1 combined with Sanskrit दास (dāsa) meaning "servant". Kalidasa (or Kālidāsa) was a 4th-century Indian poet and dramatist, the author of the Abhijnanashakuntalam and other works.
Kambujiya m Old Persian
Alternate transcription of Old Persian 𐎣𐎲𐎢𐎪𐎡𐎹 (see Kabujiya).
Kapila m Hinduism, Sinhalese
Means "reddish brown" in Sanskrit, derived from कपि (kapi) meaning "monkey". According to Hindu tradition this was the name of a sage who founded Samkhya philosophy. He is sometimes considered an incarnation of Vishnu.
Kartikeya m Hinduism
From Sanskrit कृत्तिका (Kṛttikā), the Indian name for the constellation the Pleiades, ultimately from कृत् (kṛt) meaning "to cut, to divide". This is another name for the Hindu god Skanda, given because he was raised by the Krttikas.
Keita 1 m Japanese
From Japanese (kei) meaning "celebration" or (kei) meaning "open, begin" combined with (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Khalifa m Arabic
Means "successor, caliph" in Arabic. The title caliph was given to the successors of the Prophet Muhammad, originally elected by the Islamic populace.
Kobina m Akan
Variant of Kwabena.
Koldobika m Basque
Basque form of Louis.
Krishna m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit कृष्ण (kṛṣṇa) meaning "black, dark". This is the name of a Hindu deity believed to be an incarnation of the god Vishnu. According to the Mahabharata and the Puranas he was the youngest of King Vasudeva's eight sons by Devaki, six of whom were killed by King Kamsa because of a prophecy that a child of Vasudeva would kill Kamsa. However, Krishna and his brother Balarama were saved and he eventually fulfilled the prophecy by slaying the evil king. He then helped the Pandavas defeat the Kauravas in the Mahabharata War. His philosophical conversation with the Pandava leader Arjuna forms the text of the important Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita.... [more]
Krisna m Indonesian
Indonesian form of Krishna.
Lalawethika m Shawnee
Means "he makes noise" in Shawnee. This was another name of the Shawnee leader Tenskwatawa (1775-1836).
Lelisa m Oromo
From Oromo leellisaa meaning "admirer".
Leonida m Italian
Italian form of Leonidas.
Lisakhanya f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "still shining" in Xhosa and Zulu, from the roots sa "still, continuing" and khanya "to shine".
Ljubiša m Serbian
From the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Mahavira m Sanskrit
Means "great hero" in Sanskrit, from महा (mahā) meaning "great" and वीर (vīra) meaning "hero, man". Mahavira (or Mahāvīra) was the 6th-century BC founder of Jainism.
Mahpiya m & f Sioux
From Dakota or Lakota maȟpíya meaning "cloud, sky". This is the first part of the names of the Dakota chief Mahpiya Wicasta (1780-1863), known as Cloud Man, and the Lakota chiefs Mahpiya Luta (1822-1909), known as Red Cloud, and Mahpiya Iyapato (1838-1905), known as Touch the Clouds.
Maina m Kikuyu
Means "sing, dance" in Kikuyu. Kikuyu males were traditionally organized into age sets or generations, each lasting about 30 years. The Maina generation occupied the last part of the 19th century.
Manaia f & m Maori
From the name of a stylized design common in Maori carvings. It represents a mythological creature with the head of a bird and the body of a human.
Maquinna m Nuu-chah-nulth (Anglicized)
From Nuu-chah-nulth Mukwina, possibly meaning "possessor of pebbles". This was the name of a late 18th-century chief of the Mowachaht people.
María f & m Spanish, Galician, Icelandic
Spanish, Galician and Icelandic form of Maria.... [more]
Maria f & m Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.... [more]
Massinissa m Ancient Berber (Latinized), Berber
Latinized form of Berber Masensen meaning "their lord". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Berber chieftain. He became the first king of Numidia after allying himself with the Roman Republic against Carthage.
Matia m Basque
Basque form of Matthew.
Matija m & f Slovene, Croatian, Serbian
Slovene, Croatian and Serbian form of Matthias, used to refer to the apostle chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. It is occasionally used as a feminine name.
Matthia m Old Church Slavic
Old Church Slavic form of Matthias.
Mattia m Italian
Italian form of Matthias.
Metodija m Macedonian
Macedonian form of Methodius.
Micha 1 m Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, German, Dutch
Form of Micah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament (when referring to the man from the Book of Judges). It is also the German and Dutch form.
Micha 2 m German, Dutch
Short form of Michael.
Miha m Slovene
Short form of Mihael.
Mihăiță m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Michael.
Mika 1 m Finnish
Finnish short form of Mikael.
Mikala m Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Michael.
Mikha m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Micah.
Mikita m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Niketas.
Mikola m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Nicholas.
Miksa m Hungarian
Originally a diminutive of Miklós or Mihály. It is now used independently, or as a Hungarian form of Maximilian.
Mikula m Czech (Rare)
Czech form of Nicholas.
Míla f & m Czech
Diminutive of Miloslava, Miloslav, Bohumila and other names containing the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear".
Milojica m Serbian
Diminutive of Miloje.
Mircea m Romanian
Romanian form of Mirče. This name was borne by a 14th-century ruler of Wallachia, called Mircea the Great.
Mirza m Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Bosnian
Means "prince" from Persian میرزا (mīrzā), earlier امیرزاده (amīrzādeh), which is ultimately from Arabic أمير (ʾamīr) meaning "commander" combined with Persian زاده (zādeh) meaning "offspring".
Mirzə m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Mirza.
Miša m & f Serbian, Slovene
Serbian diminutive of Mihailo, Miroslav and other names beginning with a similar sound. In Slovenia it is typically feminine.
Mischa m & f Dutch, German
Dutch and German form of Misha. It is occasionally used as a feminine name in Dutch.
Misha m Russian
Russian diminutive of Mikhail.
Mishka m Russian
Russian diminutive of Mikhail.
Miska m Finnish
Diminutive of Mikael.
Mistefa m Kurdish
Kurdish form of Mustafa.
Mithra m Persian Mythology
From Avestan 𐬨𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀 (mithra) meaning "oath, covenant, agreement", derived from an Indo-Iranian root *mitra meaning "that which binds". According Zoroastrian mythology Mithra was a god of light and friendship, the son of the supreme god Ahura Mazda. Worship of him eventually spread outside of Persia to the Roman Empire, where it was known as Mithraism.
Mithradatha m Old Persian
Old Persian form of Mithridates.
Mitică m Romanian
Diminutive of Dumitru. This is the name of a character in early 20th-century stories by the Romanian author Ion Luca Caragiale.
Mitja m Slovene
Slovene form of Mitya.
Mitra 1 m & f Hinduism, Hindi
Means "friend" in Sanskrit, a cognate of Mithra. This is the name of a Vedic god (मित्र) who is associated with friendship and contracts and is frequently paired with the god Varuna. The feminine form मित्रा (spelled with a final long vowel) is also transcribed as Mitra.
Mitya m Russian
Diminutive of Dmitriy or Mitrofan.
Mudiwa f & m Shona
Means "beloved, darling" in Shona.
Nairyosangha m Persian Mythology
Derived from Avestan 𐬥𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀 (nairiia) meaning "male" and 𐬯𐬀𐬢𐬵𐬀 (sangha) meaning "word, utterance, proclamation". Nairyosangha was a Zoroastrian Yazata (a holy being) who served as a messenger for Ahura Mazda.
Narasimha m Hinduism, Telugu
Means "man-lion", derived from Sanskrit नर (nara) meaning "man" combined with सिंह (siṃha) meaning "lion". This is the name of a lion-headed avatar of the god Vishnu who kills the evil king Hiranyakashipu.
Narasingha m Hinduism
Alternate transcription of Sanskrit नरसिंह (see Narasimha).
Neriya m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Neriah.
Nichita m Moldovan
Romanian form of Nikita 1.
Nicola 1 m Italian
Italian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the 13th-century sculptor Nicola Pisano.
Nika 1 f & m Russian
Russian short form of Veronika and other names ending in nika. It can also be a short form of Nikita 1 (masculine).
Nika 3 m Georgian
Diminutive of Nikoloz.
Nikica m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian diminutive of Nikola 1.
Nikita 1 m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian form of Niketas. This form is also used in Ukrainian and Belarusian alongside the more traditional forms Mykyta and Mikita. A notable bearer was the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971).
Nikola 1 m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Czech, Basque
Form of Nicholas in several languages. Note, in Czech this is also a feminine name (see Nikola 2). A famous bearer was the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla (1856-1943).
Nikora m & f Maori
Maori form of Nicholas or Nicole.
Nikša m Croatian
Diminutive of Nikola 1.
Nikusha m Georgian
Diminutive of Nikoloz.
Nima 1 f & m Arabic
Means "blessing" in Arabic.
Nima 2 m Persian
Persian name of uncertain meaning, possibly "just, fair" or "half moon".
Ninurta m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
Derived from Sumerian 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lord" and 𒅁 (urta) meaning "ear of barley". In Sumerian, Akkadian and Babylonian mythology Ninurta was a god of agriculture, hunting and healing, later associated with war. He was also called Ningirsu, though they may have originally been separate deities.
Nitya f & m Hinduism, Hindi
Means "always, eternal" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form नित्या (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga) and the masculine form नित्य.
Njinga m & f Mbundu
Possibly from a Bantu root meaning "to twist, to wrap" (kujinga in Kimbundu), alluding to the wrapping of the umbilical cord around the neck of the newborn. This name was borne by kings and queens of the African kingdoms of Ndongo and Kongo, notably a 17th-century queen of Ndongo who resisted the Portuguese.
Nsia m & f Akan
Means "sixth born child" in Akan.
Nzinga m & f Mbundu
Variant of Njinga.
Obinna m Igbo
Means "heart of the father" in Igbo, from óbì "heart, mind" and ńnà "father".
Ohiyesa m Sioux
Means "winner" in Dakota or Lakota, from ohíya "winning" and the suffix s'a "commonly, frequently".
Oiva m Finnish
Means "splendid" in Finnish.
Olayinka f & m Yoruba
Means "wealth surrounds me" in Yoruba.
Oriṣanla m Yoruba Mythology
From Yoruba òrìṣà "deity, spirit" and ńlá "great". This is another name for the god Ọbatala.
Ovadia m Hebrew
Hebrew form of Obadiah.
Perica m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian diminutive of Petar.
Petia m & f Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Петя (see Petya).
Petrică m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Peter.
Pika 1 m Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Peter.
Pista m Hungarian
Diminutive of István.
Pitambara m Hinduism
Derived from Sanskrit पीत (pīta) meaning "yellow" and अम्बर (ambara) meaning "garment". This is another name of the Hindu gods Vishnu or Krishna, given to them because yellow clothing is traditionally worn at religious events.
Rabi'a f & m Arabic
Variant of Rabia.
Rabia f & m Arabic, Turkish, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic رابعة (see Raabi'a), as well as the usual Turkish and Urdu form.... [more]
Rabindra m Bengali
Bengali form of Ravindra.
Rafinha m Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of Rafael.
Ramakrishna m Telugu, Kannada
Combination of the names of the Hindu deities Rama 1 and Krishna. This name was borne by the Hindu religious teacher Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886).
Ramkrishna m Bengali, Marathi
Form of Ramakrishna more common in northern India.
Ravindra m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada
Means "lord of the sun" from Sanskrit रवि (ravi) meaning "sun" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for the Hindu god Surya.
Reima m Finnish
Finnish form of Raymond.
Rida m Arabic
From Arabic رضًا (riḍan) meaning "satisfaction, contentment". This name was borne by Ali ar-Rida, a 9th-century Shia imam.
Ridha m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic رضا (see Rida).
Rıza m Turkish
Turkish form of Rida.
Satisha m Hinduism
Means "lord of Sati" from the name of the Hindu goddess Sati combined with ईश (īśa) meaning "ruler". This is another name of the Hindu god Shiva.
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.
Sharia m Arabic (Rare)
Means "divine law, noble law" in Arabic, from the root شرع (sharaʿa) meaning "to go, to enact".
Shikoba m & f Choctaw
Means "feather" in Choctaw.
Shin'ya m Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "real, genuine" combined with (ya) meaning "also", as well as other kanji combinations having the same pronunciation.
Shiva 1 m Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit शिव (śiva) meaning "benign, kind, auspicious". Shiva is the Hindu god of destruction and restoration, the husband of the mother goddess Parvati. Though he does not appear in the Vedas, Shiva nevertheless incorporates elements of Vedic deities such as the storm god Rudra. He is often depicted with four arms and a third eye, and has both fierce and gentle aspects.... [more]
Shrivatsa m Hindi (Rare)
Means "beloved of Shri" from the name of the Hindu goddess Shri combined with Sanskrit वत्स (vatsa) meaning "beloved, dear". This is the name of a mark on Vishnu's chest.
Siddhartha m Sanskrit, Buddhism, Bengali
Means "one who has accomplished a goal", derived from Sanskrit सिद्ध (siddha) meaning "accomplished" and अर्थ (artha) meaning "goal". Siddhartha Gautama was the real name of the Buddha.
Simba 1 m Shona
Means "power, strength" in Shona.
Simba 2 m Swahili
Means "lion" in Swahili. This is the name of the main character in the Disney movie The Lion King (1994), about a lion cub who exiles himself after his father is murdered.
Simcha f & m Hebrew
Means "happiness, joy" in Hebrew.
Sina m Persian
From the Persian name for Mount Sinai or the Sinai Peninsula.
Sin-Ahhi-Eriba m Ancient Assyrian
Original Akkadian form of Sennacherib.
Siniša m Croatian, Serbian
Derived from Serbo-Croatian sin meaning "son".
Siva m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Tamil சிவா, Telugu శివ, Kannada ಶಿವ or Malayalam ശിവ (see Shiva 1).
Siyabonga m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "we thank you" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Suriya m Thai, Tamil
Thai form of Surya, as well as an alternate Tamil transcription.
Sushila f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "good-tempered, well-disposed", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with शील (śīla) meaning "conduct, disposition". This is a transcription of both the feminine form सुशीला (long final vowel, borne by a consort of the Hindu god Yama) and the masculine form सुशील (short final vowel).
Susila m Indonesian
Indonesian form of Sushila.
Tadija m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Thaddeus.
Tavita m Samoan
Samoan form of David.
Tevita m Fijian, Tongan
Fijian and Tongan form of David.
Tezcatlipoca m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "smoking mirror" in Nahuatl, derived from tezcatl "mirror" and pōctli "smoke". In Aztec and other Mesoamerican mythology he was one of the chief gods, associated with the night sky, winds, war, and the north. Like his rival Quetzalcoatl, he was a creator god.
Thiha m Burmese
Means "lion" in Burmese, ultimately from Sanskrit सिंह (siṃha).
Thusitha f & m Sinhalese
Means "heaven" in Sinhala.
Tichaona m Shona
Means "we will see" from Shona ticha "we will" and ona "see".
Tirta m & f Indonesian
Means "sacred water, place of pilgrimage" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit तीर्थ (tīrtha).
Tomica m Croatian
Diminutive of Tomislav or Toma 2.
Tovia m & f Hebrew
Hebrew form of Tobiah, also used as a feminine form.
Toviyya m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Tobiah.