Achilles m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek
Ἀχιλλεύς (Achilleus), which is of unknown meaning, perhaps derived from Greek
ἄχος (achos) meaning
"pain" or else from the name of the Achelous River. This was the name of a warrior in Greek legend, one of the central characters in
Homer's
Iliad. The bravest of the Greek heroes in the war against the Trojans, he was eventually killed by an arrow to his heel, the only vulnerable part of his body.
... [more] Ajax m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Αἴας (Aias), perhaps deriving from Greek
αἰαστής (aiastes) meaning
"mourner" or
αἶα (aia) meaning
"earth, land". In Greek mythology this was the name of two of the heroes who fought for the Greeks in the Trojan War: the son of
Telamon and the son of Oileus. When the armour of the slain hero
Achilles was not given to Ajax Telamonian, he became mad with jealousy and killed himself.
Amaro m Galician, Portuguese, SpanishMeaning uncertain, perhaps related to Latin
amarus "bitter", or maybe from the Visigothic name
Amalric. This was the name of a legendary saint who was said to have sailed across the Atlantic to a paradise. He is especially popular in Galicia and Asturias in Spain.
Amenhotep m Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
jmn-ḥtp meaning
"Amon is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god
Amon combined with
ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of four pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Amenhotep III (14th century BC), known as the Magnificent, who ruled over Egypt during a time of great prosperity.
Amund m NorwegianDerived from the Old Norse name
Agmundr, from the element
egg "edge of a sword" or
agi "awe, fear" combined with
mundr "protection".
Ante 2 m FrisianShort form of names beginning with the Old German element
anto "zeal".
Anteros m Greek MythologyMeans
"love returned" in Greek, derived from
ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and
ἔρως (eros) meaning "love". Anteros was the Greek god of requited love, the brother of
Eros.
As'ad m ArabicMeans
"happier, luckier" in Arabic, from the root
سعد (saʿida) meaning "to be happy, to be lucky".
Ashoka m SanskritMeans
"without sorrow" in Sanskrit, from
अ (a) meaning "not" and
शोका (śokā) meaning "sorrow, grief". This name was borne by Ashoka (or Aśoka) the Great, a 3rd-century BC emperor of the Maurya Empire in northern India.
Ayo f & m YorubaFrom Yoruba
ayọ̀ meaning
"joy", or a short form of other names containing this element.
Barrett m EnglishFrom a surname probably meaning
"quarrelsome, deceptive" in Middle English, originally given to a quarrelsome person.
Bhishma m HinduismMeans
"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.
Blue m & f English (Rare)From the English word for the colour, derived via Norman French from a Frankish word (replacing the native Old English cognate
blaw). Despite the fact that this name was used by the American musicians Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2012 for their first daughter, it has not come into general use in the United States.
Boipelo m & f TswanaMeans
"joy, rejoicing" in Tswana, from
ipela meaning "to rejoice".
Boitumelo f & m TswanaMeans
"joy" in Tswana, from
itumela meaning "to be happy".
Bounmy m & f LaoMeans
"happy", from Lao
ບຸນ (boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" combined with
ມີ (mi) meaning "to have".
Cassiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendFrom Hebrew
קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftsiʾel), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include
"leap of God",
"drawn together by God" or
"wrath of God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.
Cian m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"ancient, enduring" in Irish. In Irish mythology this was the name of the father of
Lugh Lámfada. It was also borne by the mythical ancestor of the Ciannachta and by a son-in-law of
Brian Boru.
Cináed m Medieval Scottish, Old IrishPossibly from Old Irish
cin "respect, esteem, affection" or
cinid "be born, come into being" combined with
áed "fire", though it might actually be of Pictish origin. This was the name of the first king of the Scots and Picts (9th century). It is often Anglicized as
Kenneth. The originally unrelated name
Coinneach is sometimes used as the modern Scottish Gaelic form.
Črtomir m SloveneDerived from Slovene
črt "hatred" combined with the Slavic element
mirŭ "peace, world". This is the name of the hero in the Slovene national epic
Baptism on the Savica (1835) by France Prešeren.
Cruz f & m Spanish, PortugueseMeans
"cross" in Spanish or Portuguese, referring to the cross of the crucifixion.
Ctirad m CzechDerived from the Slavic elements
čĭstĭ "honour" and
radŭ "happy, willing". In Czech legend this was the name of one of the men tricked by
Šárka.
Cupid m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)From the Latin
Cupido meaning
"desire". This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of
Venus and
Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows, which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was
Eros.
Davor m Croatian, Serbian, SloveneMeaning uncertain, possibly from an old Slavic exclamation expressing joy or sorrow. This was the name of a supposed Slavic war god. His name was the basis for the word
davorije, a type of patriotic war song popular in the 19th century.
Deimos m Greek MythologyMeans
"terror" in Greek. This was one of the sons of the Greek god
Ares. Also, a moon of Mars bears this name.
Delshad m & f Persian (Rare)Means
"happy heart, cheerful" in Persian, from
دل (del) meaning "heart" and
شاد (shād) meaning "happy".
Desideratus m Late RomanDerived from Latin
desideratum meaning
"desired". This was the name of a 6th-century French saint.
Diarmaid m Irish, Irish MythologyMeaning unknown, though it has been suggested that it means
"without envy" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior who became the lover of
Gráinne. It was also the name of several ancient Irish kings.
Dipaka m HinduismMeans
"inflaming, exciting" in Sanskrit. This is another name of
Kama, the Hindu god of love.
Dizzy m EnglishFrom an English word meaning
"dizzy, lightheaded, unbalanced". This is usually a nickname, which might be adopted for various reasons. A notable bearer was the American jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993), whose real given name was John.
Dragoljub m Serbian, CroatianFrom the Slavic elements
dorgŭ (South Slavic
drag) meaning "precious" and
ľuby meaning
"love". This is also the Serbian and Croatian word for the flowering plant nasturtium (species Tropaeolum majus).
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew
עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian
𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people,
Adam and
Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Egil m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Egill, a diminutive of names that began with the element
agi "awe, fear". This was the name of a semi-legendary 10th-century Viking, described in the Icelandic
Egill's Saga.
Egzon m AlbanianPossibly a derivative of Albanian
gëzoj "to enjoy".
Elşən m AzerbaijaniFrom Azerbaijani
el meaning "country, society" and
şən meaning "happy, cheerful" (of Armenian origin).
Ernest m English, French, Catalan, Polish, Slovak, SloveneDerived from Old High German
ernust meaning
"serious, earnest". It was introduced to England by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century, though it did not become common until the following century. The American author and adventurer Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was a famous bearer of the name. It was also used by Oscar Wilde for a character in his comedy
The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).
Eros m Greek MythologyMeans
"love" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was a young god, the son of
Aphrodite, who was armed with arrows that caused the victim to fall in love.
Euphranor m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
εὐφραίνω (euphraino) meaning
"to delight, to cheer". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian artist.
Eustorgio m Italian (Rare)From
Eustorgius, the Latin form of the Greek name
Εὐστόργιος (Eustorgios), which was from the word
εὔστοργος (eustorgos) meaning
"content", a derivative of
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
στέργω (stergo) meaning "to love, to be content". Saint Eustorgius was a 6th-century bishop of Milan.
Evellius m Late RomanMeaning uncertain. It could be derived from Greek
εὐήλιος (euelios) meaning
"sunny, pleasant". Saint Evellius was a 1st-century saint who was martyred at Pisa.
Farai m & f ShonaFrom Shona
fara meaning
"rejoice, be happy".
Farrokh m PersianMeans
"happy, auspicious" in Persian. This was the birth name of the musician Freddie Mercury (1946-1991), who was born on Zanzibar to Parsi parents.
Fortunato m Italian, Spanish, PortugueseItalian, Spanish and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name
Fortunatus meaning
"fortunate, blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints and martyrs.
Gaius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, BiblicalRoman praenomen, or given name, of uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from Latin
gaudeo "to rejoice", though it may be of unknown Etruscan origin. This was a very common Roman praenomen, the most famous bearers being Gaius Julius Caesar, the great leader of the Roman Republic, and his adopted son Gaius Octavius (later known as Augustus), the first Roman emperor. This name also appears in the New Testament belonging to a bishop of Ephesus who is regarded as a saint.
Gale 2 m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from Middle English
gaile "jovial". It also coincides with the English word
gale meaning
"storm".
Ganelon m Carolingian CycleFrench form of the Old German name
Wenilo. In the medieval French epic
La Chanson de Roland Ganelon is the knight who betrays
Charlemagne's army to the Saracens, resulting in the death of
Roland and the rest of the rear guard. He was based on Wenilo, a 9th-century archbishop of Sens who betrayed Charles the Bald (Charlemagne's grandson).
Gaylord m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Old French
gaillard "high-spirited, boisterous". This name was rarely used after the mid-20th century, when the word
gay acquired the slang meaning "homosexual".
Gediminas m LithuanianPossibly from the Lithuanian roots
ged- "to mourn, to long for" and
min- "to think, to remember, to mention". This was the name of a 14th-century Grand Duke of Lithuania.
Gordan m Serbian, CroatianDerived from South Slavic
gord meaning
"proud". This name and the feminine form Gordana were popularized by the publication of Croatian author Marija Jurić Zagorka's novel
Gordana (1935).
Grinch m Popular CulturePossibly from French
grincheux meaning
"grumpy". This is the name of a grumpy green character created by the American author Dr. Seuss for his children's book
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957). His name is almost always preceded by the definite article
the.
Haggai m BiblicalMeans
"festive" in Hebrew, from the root
חָגַג (ḥaḡaḡ) meaning "to hold a festival, to celebrate". This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. He was the author of the Book of Haggai, which urges the exiles returning from Babylonia to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
Hani m ArabicMeans
"happy, delighted" in Arabic, from the root
هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Happy f & m English (Rare)From the English word
happy, derived from Middle English
hap "chance, luck", of Old Norse origin.
Harsha m Kannada, Telugu, SanskritMeans
"happiness" in Sanskrit. Harsha (or Harṣa, also called Harshavardhana) was a 7th-century emperor of northern India. He was also noted as an author.
Hauke m Frisian, GermanFrisian short form of Old German given names containing the element
hugu meaning
"mind, thought, spirit".
Hilarius m Ancient RomanRoman name derived from Latin
hilaris meaning
"cheerful". Alternatively, it could be derived from the Greek name
Ἱλαρός (Hilaros) also meaning "cheerful" (the Greek word
ἱλαρός was the source of the Latin word
hilaris). Saint Hilarius was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Poitiers. This was also the name of a 5th-century pope.
Hilary f & m EnglishMedieval English form of
Hilarius or
Hilaria. During the Middle Ages it was primarily a masculine name. It was revived in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century as a predominantly feminine name. In America, this name and the variant
Hillary seemed to drop in popularity after Hillary Clinton (1947-) became the first lady in 1993. Famous bearers include American actresses Hilary Swank (1974-) and Hilary Duff (1987-).
Hiram m Biblical, EnglishFrom Phoenician
𐤇𐤓𐤌 (Ḥirom) meaning
"exalted brother". This was the name of a king of Tyre according to the Old Testament. He may have reigned in the 10th century BC. As an English given name,
Hiram came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where it gained some currency.
Huan f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
欢 (huān) meaning "happy, pleased", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.
Idris 2 m WelshMeans
"ardent lord" from Old Welsh
iudd "lord" combined with
ris "ardent, enthusiastic". This name was borne by Idris the Giant, a 7th-century king of Meirionnydd.
Isamu m JapaneseFrom Japanese
勇 (isamu) meaning "brave" or other kanji having the same pronunciation.
Itumeleng m & f TswanaMeans
"be happy" in Tswana, from
itumela meaning "to be happy".
Jabez m BiblicalMeans
"sorrow" in Hebrew. This is the name of a character in the Old Testament who is blessed by God.
Jad m ArabicMeans
"serious" in Arabic. This name is most common in Lebanon.
Jaromír m Czech, SlovakDerived from the Slavic elements
jarŭ "fierce, energetic" and
mirŭ "peace, world". This name was borne by an 11th-century duke of Bohemia.
Jerahmeel m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְרַחְמְאֵל (Yeraḥmeʾel) meaning
"God will have pity", derived from
רָחַם (raḥam) meaning "to pity" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This name is borne by a few minor characters in the Old Testament.
Jeremiah m English, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmeyahu) meaning
"Yahweh will exalt", from the roots
רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of the major prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations (supposedly). He lived to see the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC.
... [more] Joyce f & m EnglishFrom the medieval masculine name
Josse, which was derived from the earlier
Iudocus, which was a Latinized form of the Breton name
Judoc meaning
"lord". The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 14th century, but was later revived as a feminine name, perhaps because of similarity to the Middle English word
joise "to rejoice". This given name also became a surname, as in the case of the Irish novelist James Joyce (1882-1941).
Kazim m ArabicMeans
"one who suppresses anger" in Arabic, derived from
كظم (kaẓama) meaning "to suppress anger".
Kazuyuki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" and
幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness, good luck", as well as other combinations of kanji characters having the same reading.
Kelsey f & m EnglishFrom 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".
Korkut m Turkic MythologyProbably related to Turkish
korkutmak meaning
"to frighten, to scare". This is the name of the narrator in the 14th-century Turkic epic the
Book of Dede Korkut.
Laimonis m Latvian (Rare)Derived from Latvian
laime meaning
"luck, fate, happiness". Laimonis is a character in the play
Vaidelote (1894) by the Latvian playwright Aspazija.
Livius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that may be related to either Latin
liveo "to envy" or
lividus "blue, envious". Titus Livius, also known as Livy, was a Roman historian who wrote a history of the city of Rome.
Lorcán m IrishMeans
"little fierce one", derived from Old Irish
lorcc "fierce" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Lorcán was a 12th-century archbishop of Dublin.
Macario m SpanishSpanish form of the Latin name
Macarius, derived from the Greek name
Μακάριος (Makarios), which was in turn derived from Greek
μάκαρ (makar) meaning
"blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints.
Madana m HinduismMeans
"intoxicating, maddening" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu love god
Kama.
Malvolio m LiteratureMeans
"ill will" in Italian. This name was invented by Shakespeare for pompous character in his comedy
Twelfth Night (1602).
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).
Mentuhotep m Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
mnṯw-ḥtp meaning
"Montu is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god
Montu combined with
ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of several pharaohs, including Mentuhotep II who reunited Egypt into what is now called the Middle Kingdom in the 21st century BC.
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.
Merry 2 m LiteratureThe name of a hobbit in J. R. R. Tolkien's novel
The Lord of the Rings (1954). His full given name is
Meriadoc;
Merry is a semi-translation into English of his true hobbit-language name
Kali meaning
"jolly, merry" (in full
Kalimac).
Moacir m TupiFrom Tupi
moasy meaning
"pain, regret". This is the name of the son of
Iracema and Martim in the novel
Iracema (1865) by José de Alencar.
Munyaradzi m ShonaMeans
"comforter, consoler" in Shona, from
nyaradza "to make quiet, to console".
Mutaz m ArabicMeans
"powerful, mighty, proud" in Arabic, a derivative of
عزيز (ʿazīz) meaning "to be powerful".
Narmer m Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
nꜥr-mr meaning
"fierce catfish", derived from
nꜥr "catfish" and
mr "fierce, painful". Narmer was an Egyptian ruler who is considered the first pharaoh, uniting Upper and Lower Egypt around the 31st century BC. He is probably the same person as
Menes, with Narmer being his Horus name.
Neil m Irish, Scottish, EnglishFrom the Irish name
Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly connected to the old Celtic root *
nītu- "fury, passion" or the (possibly related) Old Irish word
nia "hero". A derivation from Old Irish
nél "cloud" has also been suggested. This was the name of a few early Irish kings, notably Niall of the Nine Hostages, a semi-legendary high king of the 4th or 5th century.
... [more] Nigel m EnglishFrom
Nigellus, a medieval Latinized form of
Neil. It was commonly associated with Latin
niger "black". It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to Walter Scott's novel
The Fortunes of Nigel (1822).
Nihat m TurkishPossibly from Persian
نهاد (nehād) meaning
"nature, disposition".
Njáll m Old Norse, IcelandicOld Norse form of
Niall (see
Neil). This is the name of the hero of a 13th century Icelandic saga, based on the life of a 10th-century Icelandic chieftain.
Noble m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"noble, high-born". The name can also be given in direct reference to the English word
noble.
Nobuyuki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
信 (nobu) meaning "trust" or
伸 (nobu) meaning "extend, stretch, open" combined with
行 (yuki) meaning "row, line" or
幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.
Obinna m IgboMeans
"heart of the father" in Igbo, from
óbì "heart, mind" and
ńnà "father".
Obrad m SerbianPossibly derived from Serbian
obradovati meaning
"to make happy".
Odin m Norse Mythology, English (Modern)Anglicized form of Old Norse
Óðinn, which was derived from
óðr meaning
"inspiration, rage, frenzy". It ultimately developed from Proto-Germanic *
Wōdanaz. The name appears as
Woden in Anglo-Saxon sources (for example, as the founder of several royal lineages in the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle) and in forms such as
Wuotan,
Wotan or
Wodan in continental Europe, though he is best known from Norse sources.
... [more] Odysseus m Greek MythologyPerhaps derived from Greek
ὀδύσσομαι (odyssomai) meaning
"to hate". In Greek legend Odysseus was one of the Greek heroes who fought in the Trojan War. In the
Odyssey Homer relates Odysseus's misadventures on his way back to his kingdom and his wife
Penelope.
Ove m Swedish, Norwegian, DanishProbably a modern form of the Old Danish name
Aghi, originally a short form of names that contain the Old Norse element
egg "edge of a sword" or
agi "awe, fear".
Pausanias m Ancient GreekFrom the Greek word
παυσανίας (pausanias) meaning
"reliever of sorrow", itself from
παῦσις (pausis) meaning "stopping" and
ἀνία (ania) meaning "grief, sorrow". Notable bearers include the kings Pausanias of Sparta (5th century BC) and Pausanias of Macedon (4th century BC), as well as a 2nd-century geographer.
Pepin m GermanicFrankish name of unknown meaning. It possibly means
"awe-inspiring" from the Germanic word *
bibēną "to tremble". This was the name of three majordomos of Austrasia including Pepin III the Short, who became the first Carolingian king of the Franks. He was the father of
Charlemagne.
Phobos m Greek MythologyMeans
"fear, panic" in Greek. This was one of the sons of
Ares in Greek mythology. Also, one of the moons of Mars bears this name.
Phrixus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Φρίξος (Phrixos) meaning
"thrilling, causing shivers", derived from
φρίξ (phrix) meaning "ripple, shiver". In Greek myth Phrixus was the son of Athamus and Nephele. He was to be sacrificed to
Zeus, but he escaped with his sister Helle on the back of the ram with the Golden Fleece.
Phúc m & f VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
福 (phúc) meaning
"happiness, good fortune, blessing".
Pramoda m HinduismMeans
"joy" in Sanskrit. It appears briefly in the
Mahabharata belonging to an attendant of the Hindu god
Skanda.
Pryderi m Welsh, Welsh MythologyFrom Welsh
pryder meaning
"care, worry" (or perhaps from a derivative word *
pryderi meaning
"loss"). Appearing in Welsh legend in all four branches of the
Mabinogi, Pryderi was the son of
Pwyll and
Rhiannon, eventually succeeding his father as the king of Dyfed. He was one of only seven warriors to return from
Brân's tragic invasion of Ireland, and later had several adventures with
Manawydan. He was ultimately killed in single combat with
Gwydion during the war between Dyfed and Gwynedd.
Ptolemy m HistoryFrom the Greek name
Πτολεμαῖος (Ptolemaios), derived from Greek
πολεμήϊος (polemeios) meaning
"aggressive, warlike". Ptolemy was the name of several Greco-Egyptian rulers of Egypt, all descendants of Ptolemy I Soter, one of the generals of Alexander the Great. This was also the name of a 2nd-century Greek astronomer.
Radko m Bulgarian, CzechOriginally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element
radŭ meaning
"happy, willing".
Radúz m Czech (Rare)Derived from Czech
rád meaning
"happy, glad". The Czech author Julius Zeyer probably created it for a character in his play
Radúz and Mahulena (1898).
Raivo m EstonianMeaning uncertain. It is possibly a diminutive of
Raimond or it could be related to the Old Estonian word
raivo meaning
"fury, rage".
Rajab m ArabicFrom the name of the seventh month in the Islamic calendar, derived from Arabic
رجب (rajaba) meaning "respect, awe".
Raman 2 m Persian MythologyMeans
"peace" in Avestan. In Zoroastrianism, this is the name of a Yazata (a holy being) who presides over joy.
Ramin m Persian, AzerbaijaniDerived from Middle Persian
𐭥𐭠𐭬 (rʾm) meaning
"peace, joy". This is the name of a character in the Persian epic
Vis and Ramin, written by the 11th-century poet Fakhruddin As'ad Gurgani.
Rhys m Welsh, EnglishFrom Old Welsh
Ris, probably meaning
"ardour, enthusiasm". Several Welsh rulers have borne this name, including the 12th-century Rhys ap Gruffydd who fought against the invading Normans.
Rin f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
凛 (rin) meaning "dignified, severe, cold" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Severus m Ancient RomanRoman family name meaning
"stern" in Latin. This name was borne by several early saints including a 6th-century patriarch of Antioch.
Shafaqat m & f ArabicMeans
"compassion, pity" in Arabic, a derivative of
شفق (shafaqa) meaning "to pity, to sympathize".
Shakur m ArabicMeans
"thankful" in Arabic, from the root
شكر (shakara) meaning "to thank". In Islamic tradition
الشكور (al-Shakūr) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Shrek m Popular CultureDerived from German
Schreck or Yiddish
שרעק (shrek) meaning
"fright". This is the name of a large green ogre in the animated movie
Shrek (2001) and its sequels.
Sisu m FinnishMeans
"willpower, determination, strength" in Finnish.
Sobekhotep m Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
sbk-ḥtp meaning
"Sobek is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god
Sobek combined with
ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of several Egyptian pharaohs from the 13th dynasty (19th to 17th centuries BC).
Suero m Medieval SpanishMedieval Spanish form of
Suarius, possibly a Latinized form of a Germanic (perhaps Suebian or Visigothic) name derived from *
swēraz meaning
"heavy, serious".
Tafadzwa m & f ShonaMeans
"we are pleased" in Shona, from
fadza meaning "please, make happy".
Tafari m Amharic (Rare)Possibly means
"he who inspires awe" in Amharic. This name was borne by Lij Tafari Makonnen (1892-1975), also known as Haile Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarians (
Ras Tafari meaning "king Tafari") revere him as the earthly incarnation of God.
Télesphore m French (Archaic)French form of the Greek name
Τελεσφόρος (Telesphoros) meaning
"bringing fulfillment" or
"bearing fruit". Saint Telesphorus was a 2nd-century pope and martyr.
Tristan m English, French, Arthurian CycleProbably from the Celtic name
Drustan, a diminutive of
Drust, which occurs as
Drystan in a few Welsh sources. As
Tristan, it first appears in 12th-century French tales, probably altered by association with Old French
triste "sad". According to the tales Tristan was sent to Ireland by his uncle King Mark of Cornwall in order to fetch
Iseult, who was to be the king's bride. On the way back, Tristan and Iseult accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Later versions of the tale make Tristan one of King
Arthur's knights. His tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since then.
Wenilo m GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with Old Frankish
wani or Old High German
wan meaning
"hope, expectation".
Winston m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name
Wynnstan. A famous bearer was Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the British prime minister during World War II. This name was also borne by the fictional Winston Smith, the protagonist in George Orwell's 1949 novel
1984.
Wojciech m PolishDerived from the Slavic elements
vojĭ "warrior, soldier" and
utěxa "solace, comfort, joy". Saint Wojciech (also known by the Czech form of his name
Vojtěch or his adopted name
Adalbert) was a Bohemian missionary to Hungary, Poland and Prussia, where he was martyred in the 10th century.
Xinyi m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
欣 (xīn) meaning "happy, joyous, delighted" or
心 (xīn) meaning "heart, mind, soul" combined with
怡 (yí) meaning "joy, harmony". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Yaropolk m Russian (Rare)Derived from the Slavic elements
jarŭ "fierce, energetic" and
pŭlkŭ "people, host". This name was borne by two rulers of Kievan Rus (10th and 12th centuries).
Yaroslav m Russian, UkrainianMeans
"fierce and glorious", derived from the Slavic elements
jarŭ "fierce, energetic" and
slava "glory". Yaroslav the Wise was an 11th-century grand prince of Kyiv who expanded Kievan Rus to its greatest extent.
Yuki f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness" or
雪 (yuki) meaning "snow". It can also come from
由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" combined with
貴 (ki) meaning "valuable" or
紀 (ki) meaning "chronicle". Other kanji or kanji combinations are also possible.
Yusri m & f Arabic, Malay, IndonesianMeans
"comfort, ease, prosperity" in Arabic, from the root
يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich". It is occasionally used as a feminine name in Indonesia.
Zbigniew m PolishDerived from the Slavic elements
jĭzbyti "to dispel" and
gněvŭ "anger". This was the name of a 12th-century duke of Poland.
Zelophehad m BiblicalPossibly means either
"first born" or
"shadow from terror" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Zelophehad is a man who dies while the Israelites are wandering in the wilderness, leaving five daughters as heirs.