Fryderyk m PolishPolish form of
Frederick. A famous bearer was the Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849), also known by the French form of his name Frédéric.
Fulgencio m SpanishSpanish form of the Late Latin name
Fulgentius, which meant
"shining" from Latin
fulgens. Saint Fulgentius was a 6th-century bishop from Tunisia who was a friend of Saint
Augustine.
Fuyuko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
冬 (fuyu) meaning "winter" and
子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other combinations of kanji.
Gabriel m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
גַבְרִיאֵל (Gavri'el) meaning
"God is my strong man", derived from
גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet
Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of
John to
Zechariah and
Jesus to
Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to
Muhammad.
... [more] Gaetano m ItalianItalian form of the Latin name
Caietanus, which meant
"from Caieta". Caieta (now called Gaeta) was a town in ancient Italy, its name deriving either from
Kaiadas, the name a Greek location where prisoners were executed, or else from
Caieta, the name of the nurse of Aeneas. Saint Gaetano was a 16th-century Italian priest who founded the Theatines.
Gaiana f Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Γαϊανή (Gaiane), a derivative of
Gaia. This was the name of a (perhaps fictional) martyr who was killed in Armenia during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the late 3rd century.
Gaius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, BiblicalRoman praenomen, or given name, of uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from Latin
gaudere "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.
Galadriel f LiteratureMeans
"maiden crowned with a radiant garland" in the fictional language Sindarin. Galadriel was a Noldorin elf princess renowned for her beauty and wisdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels. The elements are
galad "radiant" and
riel "garlanded maiden".
Alatáriel is the Quenya form of her name.
Galahad m Arthurian CycleFrom earlier
Galaad, likely derived from the Old French form of the biblical place name
Gilead. In Arthurian legend Sir Galahad was the son of
Lancelot and
Elaine. He was the most pure of the Knights of the Round Table, and he was the only one to succeed in finding the Holy Grail. He first appears in the 13th-century French
Lancelot-Grail Cycle.
Galatea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Γαλάτεια (Galateia), probably derived from
γάλα (gala) meaning
"milk". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology including a sea nymph who was the daughter of
Doris and
Nereus and the lover of Acis. According to some sources, this was also the name of the ivory statue carved by
Pygmalion that came to life.
Gamaliel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical GreekMeans
"my reward is God" in Hebrew. This name appears in the Old Testament belonging to a son of Pedahzur. It was also borne by a 1st-century Jewish priest and scholar, mentioned in Acts in the New Testament as a teacher of Saint
Paul.
Gardenia f English (Rare)From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).
Garland m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"triangle land" from Old English
gara and
land. The surname originally belonged to a person who owned a triangle-shaped piece of land.
Garnet 1 f EnglishFrom the English word
garnet for the precious stone, the birthstone of January. The word is derived from Middle English
gernet meaning "dark red".
Garnet 2 m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that either referred to a person who made hinges (Old French
carne) or was derived from the Norman name
Guarin.
Gautama m Sanskrit, BuddhismIn the case of Siddhartha Gautama, it was a patronymic form of
Gotama. Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the
Buddha, was the founder of Buddhism. He was a 6th-century BC nobleman who left his family in order to lead a life of meditation and poverty.
Gawain m Arthurian CycleMeaning uncertain, from the Latin form
Gualguainus used in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth (appearing also as
Walganus,
Gwalguanus and other spellings in different copies of the text), where he is one of the knights who serve his uncle King
Arthur. He can be identified with the earlier Welsh hero Gwalchmai, and it is possible that the name derives from
Gwalchmai or a misreading of it.
... [more] Gayatri f Hinduism, Marathi, HindiFrom Sanskrit
गायत्र (gayatra), which refers to a type of song or hymn with a particular meter. It is also the name of a Hindu goddess who is a personification of this song.
Gebhard m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German element
geba "gift" combined with
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Saint Gebhard was a 10th-century bishop of Constance.
Gedaliah m BiblicalMeans
"Yahweh is great" in Hebrew. This was the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including the governor of Judah appointed by Nebuchadnezzar.
Gellért m HungarianHungarian form of
Gerard. Saint Gellért was an 11th-century missionary to Hungary who was martyred by being thrown into the Danube.
Geneva f EnglishPossibly a shortened form of
Genevieve. It could also be inspired by the name of the city in Switzerland. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
Geneviève f FrenchFrom the medieval name
Genovefa, which is of uncertain origin. It could be derived from the Germanic elements *
kunją "clan, family, lineage" and *
wībą "wife, woman". Alternatively it could be of Gaulish origin, from the related Celtic element *
genos "kin, family" combined with a second element of unknown meaning. This name was borne by Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, who inspired the city to resist the Huns in the 5th century.
Genghis m HistoryFrom the title
Genghis (or
Chinggis)
Khan, meaning "universal ruler", which was adopted by the Mongol Empire founder
Temujin in the late 12th century. Remembered both for his military brilliance and his brutality towards civilians, he went on to conquer huge areas of Asia and Eastern Europe.
Gentian m AlbanianFrom the name of the flowering plant called the gentian, the roots of which are used to create a tonic. It is derived from the name of the Illyrian king
Gentius, who supposedly discovered its medicinal properties.
Geoffrey m English, FrenchFrom a Norman French form of a Frankish name. The second element is Old German
fridu "peace", while the first element could be *
gautaz "Geat" (a North Germanic tribe),
gawi "territory" or
walah "foreigner". It is possible that two or more names merged into a single form. In the later Middle Ages
Geoffrey was further confused with the distinct name
Godfrey.
... [more] George m English, Romanian, Indian (Christian)From the Greek name
Γεώργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word
γεωργός (georgos) meaning
"farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements
γῆ (ge) meaning "earth" and
ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Cappadocia who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.
... [more] Georges m FrenchFrench form of
George. This name was borne by the French artists Georges Seurat (1859-1891) and Georges Braque (1882-1963).
Geraint m Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian CycleMeaning unknown, possibly a Welsh form of
Gerontius. This was the name of a figure in various Welsh legends. He was also incorporated into Arthurian tales (the romance
Geraint and Enid) as one of the Knights of the Round Table and the husband of
Enid.
Gerald m English, German, DutchFrom a Germanic name meaning
"power of the spear", from the elements
ger meaning "spear" and
walt meaning "power, authority". The Normans brought it to Britain. Though it died out in England during the Middle Ages, it remained common in Ireland. It was revived in the English-speaking world in 19th century.
Geraldine f EnglishFeminine form of
Gerald. This name was created by the poet Henry Howard for use in a 1537 sonnet praising Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald, whom he terms
The Geraldine.
Gerard m English, Dutch, Catalan, PolishDerived from the Old German element
ger meaning "spear" combined with
hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by saints from Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy. The Normans introduced it to Britain. It was initially much more common there than the similar name
Gerald, with which it was often confused, but it is now less common.
Gerasimos m Greek, Late GreekDerived from Greek
γέρας (geras) meaning
"honour, gift". Saint Gerasimus was a 5th-century hermit who lived near the Jordan River.
Gereon m German, Late RomanPossibly derived from Greek
γέρων (geron) meaning
"old man, elder". This was the name of a saint martyred in Cologne in the 4th century.
Gerlinde f German, DutchDerived from the Old German element
ger meaning "spear" combined with
lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender".
Germaine f FrenchFrench feminine form of
Germain. Saint Germaine was a 16th-century peasant girl from France.
Gernot m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
ger "spear" and
not "need". It is used in the medieval German saga the
Nibelungenlied for one of the brothers of
Gunther.
Gertrude f English, French, GermanMeans
"spear of strength", derived from the Old German elements
ger "spear" and
drud "strength". Saint Gertrude the Great was a 13th-century nun and mystic writer from Thuringia. It was probably introduced to England by settlers from the Low Countries in the 15th century. Shakespeare used the name in his play
Hamlet (1600) for the mother of
Hamlet. Another famous bearer was the American writer Gertrude Stein (1874-1946).
Gervasius m Germanic (Latinized)Possibly a Latinized form of a Germanic name with a first element deriving from
ger "spear". The second element is uncertain, though some propose it to be Gaulish *
wassos "servant". Alternatively the name could be related to the Greek word
γεραιός (geraios) "old".
... [more] Gethsemane f Various (Rare)From a biblical place name, the garden where
Jesus was arrested, located on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem. It is derived from
Γεθσημανί (Gethsemani), the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning "oil vat". It is very rarely used as a given name.
Ghassan m ArabicMeans
"youth" in Arabic. This was the name of an Arabian tribe that existed until the 6th century.
Ghislain m FrenchFrench form of
Gislenus, a Latinized form of the Germanic name
Gislin, derived from the element
gisal meaning
"hostage" or
"pledge". This was the name of a 7th-century saint and hermit who built a chapel near Mons, Belgium.
Gideon m Biblical, Hebrew, English, DutchMeans
"feller, hewer" in Hebrew. Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. He led the vastly outnumbered Israelites against the Midianites, defeated them, and killed their two kings. In the English-speaking world,
Gideon has been used as a given name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.
Giiwedinokwe f OjibweMeans
"woman of the north" in Ojibwe, derived from
giiwedin "north" and
ikwe "woman".
Gilbert m English, French, Dutch, GermanicMeans
"bright pledge", derived from the Old German elements
gisal "pledge, hostage" and
beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it was common during the Middle Ages. It was borne by a 12th-century English saint, the founder of the religious order known as the Gilbertines.
Giles m EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Aegidius, which is derived from Greek
αἰγίδιον (aigidion) meaning
"young goat". Saint Giles was an 8th-century miracle worker who came to southern France from Greece. He is regarded as the patron saint of the crippled. In Old French the name
Aegidius became
Gidie and then
Gilles, at which point it was imported to England. Another famous bearer was the 13th-century philosopher and theologian Giles of Rome (
Egidio in Italian).
Gilgamesh m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic MythologyPossibly means
"the ancestor is a hero", from Sumerian
𒉋𒂵 (bilga) meaning "ancestor" and
𒈩 (mes) meaning "hero, young man". This was the name of a Sumerian hero, later appearing in the Akkadian poem the
Epic of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh, with his friend
Enkidu, battled the giant Humbaba and stopped the rampage of the Bull of Heaven, besides other adventures. Gilgamesh was probably based on a real person: a king of Uruk who ruled around the 27th century BC.
Ginevra f ItalianItalian form of
Guinevere. This is also the Italian name for the city of Geneva, Switzerland. It is also sometimes associated with the Italian word
ginepro meaning "juniper".
Gioachino m ItalianItalian form of
Joachim. A famous bearer was the Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868).
Gioconda f ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Iucunda, which meant
"pleasant, delightful, happy". Leonardo da Vinci's painting the
Mona Lisa is also known as
La Gioconda because its subject is Lisa del Giocondo.
Giordano m ItalianItalian form of
Jordan. A notable bearer was the cosmologist Giordano Bruno (1548-1600), who was burned at the stake by the Inquisition.
Giovanni m ItalianItalian form of
Iohannes (see
John). This name has been very common in Italy since the late Middle Ages, as with other equivalents of
John in Europe. The Renaissance writer Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375), the painter Giovanni Bellini (1430-1516) and the painter and sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) were famous bearers of the name.
Giselle f French, English (Modern)Derived from the Old German element
gisal meaning
"hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *
gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. This was the name of both a sister and daughter of
Charlemagne. It was also borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. Another notable bearer was the 11th-century Gisela of Swabia, wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II.
... [more] Giuseppe m ItalianItalian form of
Joseph. Two noteworthy bearers were Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), a military leader who united Italy, and Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), a composer of operas.
Glædwine m Anglo-SaxonOld English name derived from the elements
glæd "bright, cheerful, glad" and
wine "friend". This name was not actually recorded in the Old English era, though it is attested starting in the 11th century.
Glanville m English (Rare)From an English surname that was taken from a Norman place name, which possibly meant
"domain of (a person named) Gland" in Old French.
Glenys f WelshProbably an elaboration of the Welsh word
glân "pure, clean, holy" or
glyn "valley". This name was created in the late 19th century.
Glinda f LiteratureCreated by author L. Frank Baum for his character Glinda the Good Witch, a kind sorceress in his
Oz series of books beginning in 1900. It is not known what inspired the name.
Gloria f English, Spanish, Italian, GermanMeans
"glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin
Mary Maria da Glória and
María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.
... [more] Gloriana f English (Rare)Elaborated form of Latin
gloria meaning
"glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem
The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.
Glorinda f EsperantoMeans
"worthy of glory" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin
gloria.
Glyndwr m WelshGiven in honour of Owain Glyndwr (or
Glyn Dŵr, Anglicized as
Glendower), a 14th-century Welsh patriot who led a revolt against England. His byname means
"valley water", and was probably inspired by the name of his estate at Glyndyfrdwy (meaning "valley of the River
Dee").
Gnaeus m Ancient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, which is of unknown Etruscan meaning, though it may be related to Latin
naevus "birthmark". A famous bearer was Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey the Great, a Roman general of the 1st century BC.
Godfrey m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Godefrid, which meant
"peace of god" from the Old German elements
got "god" and
fridu "peace". The Normans brought this name to England, where it became common during the Middle Ages. A notable bearer was Godfrey of Bouillon, an 11th-century leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Godiva f Anglo-Saxon (Latinized)Latinized form of the Old English name
Godgifu meaning
"gift of god", from the elements
god and
giefu "gift". Lady Godiva was an 11th-century English noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry to protest the high taxes imposed by her husband upon the townspeople.
Godric m Anglo-SaxonMeans
"god's ruler", derived from Old English
god combined with
ric "ruler, king". This name died out a few centuries after the Norman Conquest.
Godwine m Anglo-SaxonMeans
"friend of god", derived from Old English
god combined with
wine "friend". This was the name of the powerful 11th-century Earl of Wessex, the father of King Harold II of England.
Gonzalo m SpanishFrom the medieval name
Gundisalvus, which was the Latin form of a Germanic (possibly Visigothic or Suebi) name composed of
gunda "war" and maybe
salba "salve, ointment",
salo "dark, dusky" or
sal "house, hall" (with the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin
salvus "safe"). Saint Gonzalo was an 11th-century bishop of Mondoñedo in Galicia, Spain.
Gopinatha m HinduismMeans
"leader of the gopis" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna, acquired because of his association with the gopis, who are cow-herding girls.
Gordon m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Berwickshire, itself derived from Brythonic elements meaning
"spacious fort". It was originally used in honour of Charles George Gordon (1833-1885), a British general who died defending the city of Khartoum in Sudan.
... [more] Gormlaith f Old IrishDerived from Old Irish
gorm "blue" or "illustrious" and
flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of several medieval Irish royals, including the wife of the 11th-century king
Brian Boru.
Gotama m HinduismMeans
"the best ox" from Sanskrit
गो (go) meaning "ox, cow" and
तम (tama) meaning "best". In Hindu texts this is the name of one of the Saptarshis, or seven sages. This name was also borne by an early Indian philosopher who wrote the Nyaya Sutras.
Gottfried m GermanGerman form of
Godfrey. This name was borne by the 13th-century German poet Gottfried von Strassburg and the German philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), one of the inventors of calculus.
Gotthilf m German (Rare)Derived from German
Gott "God" and
hilf "help". This name was created in the 17th century.
Gottschalk m German (Archaic)Derived from the Old German elements
got "god" and
scalc "servant". Saint Gottschalk was a (perhaps spurious) 11th-century prince of the Wends who was martyred by his brother-in-law.
Grace f EnglishFrom the English word
grace, which ultimately derives from Latin
gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.
... [more] Graham m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname, originally derived from the English place name
Grantham, which probably meant
"gravelly homestead" in Old English. The surname was first taken to Scotland in the 12th century by the Norman baron William de Graham. A famous bearer of the surname was Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor who devised the telephone. A famous bearer of the given name was the British author Graham Greene (1904-1991).
... [more] Gratian m HistoryFrom the Roman name
Gratianus, which meant
"grace" from Latin
gratus. Saint Gratian was the first bishop of Tours (4th century). This was also the name of a Roman emperor.
Grażyna f PolishFrom Lithuanian
graži meaning
"beautiful". This name was created by Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz for his poem
Grażyna (1823).
Gregor m German, Scottish, Slovak, SloveneGerman, Scottish, Slovak and Slovene form of
Gregorius (see
Gregory). A famous bearer was Gregor Mendel (1822-1884), a Czech monk and scientist who did experiments in genetics.
Gregory m EnglishEnglish form of Latin
Gregorius, which was from the Late Greek name
Γρηγόριος (Gregorios), derived from
γρήγορος (gregoros) meaning
"watchful, alert". This name was popular among early Christians, being borne by a number of important saints including Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus (3rd century), Saint Gregory the Illuminator (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nyssa (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (4th century), and Saint Gregory of Tours (6th century). It was also borne by the 6th-century pope Saint Gregory I the Great, a reformer and Doctor of the Church, as well as 15 subsequent popes.
... [more] Gresham m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"grazing homestead" in Old English.
Grigoriy m RussianRussian form of
Gregory. This name was borne by the Russian mystic Grigoriy Rasputin (1869-1916), more commonly known by only his surname.
Griselda f English, Spanish, LiteraturePossibly derived from the Old German elements
gris "grey" and
hilt "battle". It is not attested as a Germanic name. This was the name of a patient wife in medieval folklore, adapted into tales by Boccaccio (in
The Decameron) and Chaucer (in
The Canterbury Tales).
Guadalupe f & m SpanishFrom a Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, meaning "Our Lady of Guadalupe". Guadalupe is a Spanish place name, the site of a famous convent, derived from Arabic
وادي (wadi) meaning "valley, river" possibly combined with Latin
lupus meaning "wolf". In the 16th century Our Lady of Guadalupe supposedly appeared in a vision to a native Mexican man, and she is now regarded as a patron saint of the Americas.
Guanyu m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
冠 (guān) meaning "cap, crown, headgear" combined with
宇 (yǔ) meaning "house, eaves, universe". Other character combinations are possible.
Gudbrand m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Guðbrandr meaning
"god's sword", derived from the elements
guð "god" and
brandr "fire, torch, sword".
Gudrun f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, GermanFrom the Old Norse name
Guðrún meaning
"god's secret lore", derived from the elements
guð "god" and
rún "secret lore, rune". In Norse legend Gudrun was the wife of
Sigurd. After his death she married
Atli, but when he murdered her brothers, she killed her sons by him, fed him their hearts, and then slew him. Her story appears in Norse literature such as the
Eddas and the
Völsungasaga. She is called
Kriemhild in German versions of the tale. This is also an unrelated character in the medieval German epic
Kudrun.
Guinevere f Arthurian CycleFrom the Norman French form of the Welsh name
Gwenhwyfar meaning
"white phantom", ultimately from the old Celtic roots *
windos meaning "white" (modern Welsh
gwen) and *
sēbros meaning "phantom, magical being". In Arthurian legend she was the beautiful wife of King
Arthur. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, she was seduced by
Mordred before the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. According to the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, she engaged in an adulterous affair with Sir
Lancelot.
... [more] Guiomar f & m Portuguese, Spanish, Arthurian CyclePossibly derived from the Germanic name
Wigmar, which was formed of the elements
wig "war, battle" and
mari "famous". In the medieval
Lancelot-Grail Cycle he plays a minor role as a cousin of Guinevere, who banishes him after he becomes a lover of Morgan le Fey. In modern Portugal and Spain it is a feminine name.
Guiscard m Medieval FrenchNorman French form of the Norman name
Wischard, from Old Norse
vizkr "wise" and the Old French pejorative suffix
-ard (from Old Frankish
hard "hard, firm, brave, hardy"). This was the byname of Robert Guiscard, an 11th-century Norman conqueror of Sicily.
Guiying m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
桂 (guì) meaning "laurel, cassia, cinnamon" combined with
英 (yīng) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". This name can be formed from other character combinations as well.
Gulrukh f UrduMeans
"rose faced" in Persian. This was the name of a wife of the Mughal emperor Babur.
Guntram m GermanMeans
"war raven" from the Old German elements
gunda "war" and
hram "raven". This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish king, sometimes called Gontrand, who is considered a saint.
Gustav m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German, CzechPossibly means
"staff of the Geats", derived from the Old Norse elements
gautr meaning "Geat" and
stafr meaning "staff". However, the root name
Gautstafr is not well attested in the Old Norse period. Alternatively, it might be derived from the Old Slavic name
Gostislav.
... [more] Gustave m FrenchFrench form of
Gustav. This name was borne by the French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883).
Gwenaël m French, BretonMeans
"blessed and generous" from Breton
gwenn meaning "white, blessed" and
hael meaning "generous". Saint Gwenhael was a 6th-century abbot of Brittany.
Gwendolen f WelshPossibly means
"white ring", derived from Welsh
gwen meaning "white, blessed" and
dolen meaning "ring, loop". This name appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century chronicles, written in the Latin form
Guendoloena, where it belongs to an ancient queen of the Britons who defeats her ex-husband in battle. Geoffrey later used it in
Vita Merlini for the wife of the prophet
Merlin. An alternate theory claims that the name arose from a misreading of the masculine name
Guendoleu by Geoffrey.
... [more] Gwenfrewi f Welsh (Rare)Derived from Welsh
gwen meaning "white, blessed" combined with another element of uncertain meaning. It could possibly be Welsh
ffreu meaning "stream, flow" or the obscure word
ffrewi meaning "pacify, quell, reconcile". This may be the original form of
Winifred. In any case, it is the Welsh name for the saint.
Gwenllian f WelshDerived from the Welsh elements
gwen meaning "white, blessed" and possibly
lliain meaning "flaxen, made of linen" or
lliant meaning "flow, flood". This name was used by medieval Welsh royalty, notably by a 12th-century princess of Deheubarth who died in battle with the Normans. It was also borne by the 13th-century daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of Gwynedd.
Gwrtheyrn m Old Welsh (Modernized)From Old Welsh
Guorthigirn meaning
"supreme king", from
guor meaning "over" and
tigirn meaning "king, monarch". It is possible that this is not a name, but a title. According to medieval chroniclers, Gwrtheyrn (also known as Vortigern) was a 5th-century king of the Britons. It was he who invited the brothers
Hengist and
Horsa to Britain, which eventually led to the Anglo-Saxon conquest of England.
Gwydion m Welsh, Welsh MythologyProbably means
"born of trees" from Old Welsh
guid "trees" and the suffix
gen "born of". In the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi, Gwydion is the nephew of King
Math of Gwynedd, and like him a powerful magician. In an elaborate plot to give his brother a chance to rape his uncle's footbearer, he arranged a war between Gwynedd and the neighbouring kingdom of Dyfed. Gwydion himself killed King
Pryderi of Dyfed at the end of the war. In punishment for the rape, Math transformed Gwydion and his brother into different animals over the course of three years. Gwydion was the uncle of
Lleu Llaw Gyffes, whom he fostered. Math and Gwydion fashioned Lleu a wife,
Blodeuwedd, out of flowers and they later aided him after her betrayal. Gwydion also appears in older Welsh poetry such as the
Book of Taliesin.
Gwynedd f & m WelshFrom the name of the kingdom of Gwynedd, which was located in northern Wales from the 5th century. It is now the name of a Welsh county. The name may be related to Old Irish
Féni meaning "Irish people", itself possibly related to the Celtic root *
wēnā meaning "band of warriors".
Gwyneira f WelshMeans
"white snow" from the Welsh element
gwyn meaning "white, blessed" combined with
eira meaning "snow". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Gwyneth f Welsh, EnglishProbably a variant of
Gwynedd. It has been common in Wales since the 19th century, perhaps after the Welsh novelist Gwyneth Vaughan (1852-1910), whose real name was Ann Harriet Hughes. A modern famous bearer is the American actress Gwyneth Paltrow (1972-).
Gwynfor m WelshDerived from the Welsh element
gwyn meaning "white, blessed" combined with
maur meaning "great, large". This name was created in the 19th century.
Gyeong m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
京 (gyeong) meaning "capital city",
景 (gyeong) meaning "scenery, view",
敬 (gyeong) meaning "respect, honour", or other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
Gyeong-Ja f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
慶 (gyeong) meaning "congratulate, celebrate" or
敬 (gyeong) meaning "respect, honour" combined with
子 (ja) meaning "child". This name can be formed of other hanja character combinations as well. Korean feminine names ending with the character
子 (a fashionable name suffix in Japan, read as
-ko in Japanese) became less popular after Japanese rule of Korea ended in 1945.
Hades m Greek MythologyFrom Greek
Ἅιδης (Haides), derived from
ἀϊδής (aides) meaning
"unseen". In Greek mythology Hades was the dark god of the underworld, a place that also came to be called Hades. His brothers were
Zeus and
Poseidon and his wife was
Persephone, whom he had abducted.