Names Deemed "nerdy"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is nerdy.
gender
usage
impression
Maximiliaan m Dutch
Dutch form of Maximilianus (see Maximilian).
Maximilien m French
French form of Maximilianus (see Maximilian).
Máximo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Maximus.
Maxwell m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.... [more]
Maylis f French
From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.
Maytal f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew מֵיטַל (see Meital).
Méabh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Medb (see Maeve).
Medb f Irish Mythology
Original Irish form of Maeve.
Medea f Greek Mythology (Latinized), Georgian
From Greek Μήδεια (Medeia), derived from μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek mythology Medea was a sorceress from Colchis (modern Georgia) who helped Jason gain the Golden Fleece. They were married, but eventually Jason left her for another woman. For revenge Medea slew Jason's new lover and also had her own children by Jason killed.
Medina f Kazakh, Bosnian
Kazakh and Bosnian form of Madina.
Medora f Literature
Created by Lord Byron for a character in his poem The Corsair (1814). It is not known what inspired Byron to use this name. The year the poem was published, it was used as the middle name of Elizabeth Medora Leigh (1814-1849), a niece and rumoured daughter of Byron.
Megumi f Japanese
From Japanese (megumi) meaning "favour, benefit" or (megumi) meaning "love, affection", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that have the same reading. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.
Mehdi m Persian, Azerbaijani, Arabic (Maghrebi)
Persian, Azerbaijani and North African form of Mahdi.
Mehetabel f Biblical
From the Hebrew name מְהֵיטַבְאֵל (Meheitav'el) meaning "God makes happy". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Mehrdad m Persian
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and داد (dad) meaning "given". Since مهر is also the Modern Persian form of Mithra, this name can also function as a modern form of Mithridates.
Mehrnaz f Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and ناز (naz) meaning "delight, comfort". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Meindert m Dutch
Dutch form of Meginhard.
Meino m Germanic
Old German form of Meine.
Meir m Hebrew
Means "giving light" in Hebrew.
Meira f Hebrew
Feminine form of Meir.
Meirion m Welsh
From the name of the Welsh county of Meirionnydd, formerly a part of the kingdom of Gwynedd. It is probably derived from the Roman name Marianus.
Mélanie f French
French form of Melanie.
Melanija f Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene, Latvian, Lithuanian
Form of Melanie used in various languages.
Melanthios m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μέλας (melas) meaning "black, dark" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of an insolent goatherd killed by Odysseus.
Melchior m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend, French (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Possibly from the Hebrew roots מֶלֶכְ (melekh) meaning "king" and אוֹר ('or) meaning "light". This was a name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. According to medieval tradition he was a king of Persia.
Melech m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Means "king" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Micah (not the prophet).
Meliora f Various (Rare)
Derived from Latin melior meaning "better".
Melis f Turkish
Turkish form of Melissa.
Melker m Swedish
Swedish form of Melchior.
Mélodie f French
French cognate of Melody.
Melor m Russian (Rare)
Acronym of Russian Маркс Энгельс Ленин Октябрьская Революция (Marx, Engels, Lenin, October Revolution). This name commemorates the creation of the former Soviet state. It was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names.
Melpomene f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek μέλπω (melpo) meaning "to sing, to celebrate with song". This was the name of one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, the muse of tragedy.
Melusine f Mythology
Meaning unknown. In European folklore Melusine was a water fairy who turned into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She made her husband, Raymond of Poitou, promise that he would never see her on that day, and when he broke his word she left him forever.
Melville m English
From a Scots surname that was originally from a Norman French place name Malleville meaning "bad town". A famous bearer of the surname was the American author Herman Melville (1819-1891), who wrote several novels including Moby-Dick.
Melvin m English, Swedish
From a Scots surname that was a variant of Melville. This name has been used in America since the 19th century. It became popular in the early 20th century and reached a peak in the late 1920s, but has steadily declined since then (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated names Marvin and Alvin).
Menahem m Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name מְנַחֵם (Menachem) meaning "comforter". This was the name of a king of Israel, appearing in the Old Testament. His reign was noted for its brutality.
Mendel m Yiddish
Originally this was probably a Yiddish diminutive of Manno. It is now used as a diminutive of Menahem.
Menelaus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Μενέλαος (Menelaos), derived either from μένω (meno) meaning "to stay, to last" or μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force" combined with λαός (laos) meaning "people". In Greek legend he was a king of Sparta and the husband of Helen. When his wife was taken by Paris, the Greeks led by his brother Agamemnon besieged the city of Troy in an effort to get her back. After the war Menelaus and Helen settled down to a happy life.
Menes m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian mnj probably meaning "he who endures", derived from mn "to endure". According to tradition, Menes was the Egyptian pharaoh who first united Upper and Lower Egypt around the 31st century BC. He is probably the same as the pharaoh known as Narmer; Menes could have been his throne name.
Menodora f Ancient Greek
Means "gift of the moon", derived from Greek μήνη (mene) meaning "moon" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Metrodora and Nymphodora.
Mentor m Greek Mythology
Possibly related to Greek μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force". In Greek legend Mentor was the son of Alkimos. When Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War he entrusted Mentor with the care of his palace and the guardianship of his son Telemachos. When the goddess Athena visited Telemachos she took the guise of Mentor.
Meraud f Cornish
Meaning unknown, perhaps based on Cornish mor "sea".
Meredith m & f Welsh, English
From the Welsh name Maredudd or Meredydd, from Old Welsh forms such as Margetud, possibly from mawredd "greatness, magnificence" combined with iudd "lord". The Welsh forms of this name were well used through the Middle Ages. Since the mid-1920s it has been used more often for girls than for boys in English-speaking countries, though it is still a masculine name in Wales. A famous bearer of this name as surname was the English novelist and poet George Meredith (1828-1909).
Meredydd m Welsh
Welsh form of Meredith.
Merel f Dutch
Means "blackbird" in Dutch.
Mererid f Welsh
Means "pearl, gem" in Welsh, derived from Latin margarita.
Merete f Danish, Norwegian
Medieval Danish variant of Margrethe.
Merita 2 f Esperanto
Means "meritorious, worthy" in Esperanto.
Meritxell f Catalan
From the name of a village in Andorra where there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The name of the village may derive from Latin meridies meaning "midday".
Merlin m Arthurian Cycle, English
Form of the Welsh name Myrddin used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 12th-century chronicle. Writing in Latin, he likely chose the form Merlinus over Merdinus in order to prevent associations with French merde "excrement".... [more]
Merlyn m & f English
Variant of Merlin, sometimes used as a feminine form. It has perhaps been influenced by the Welsh word merlyn meaning "pony".
Mert m Turkish
Means "manly, brave" in Turkish, from Persian مرد (mard) meaning "man".
Merton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town on a lake" in Old English.
Mervin m English
Variant of Mervyn or Marvin.
Mervyn m Welsh, English
Welsh variant of Merfyn, as well as the usual Anglicized form.
Meta f German, Danish, Swedish, Slovene
German, Scandinavian and Slovene short form of Margaret.
Methodius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Μεθόδιος (Methodios), derived from Greek μέθοδος (methodos) meaning "pursuit" or "method", ultimately from μετά (meta) meaning "with" and ὁδός (hodos) meaning "road, way, journey". Saint Methodius was a Greek missionary to the Slavs who developed the Cyrillic alphabet (with his brother Cyril) in order to translate the Bible into Slavic.
Methuselah m Biblical
Means "man of the dart" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the father of Lamech and the grandfather of Noah. He lived to age 969, making him the longest-lived person in the Bible.
Metis f Greek Mythology
Means "wisdom, skill, cunning" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a Titan. Because it was prophesied that her children would be wiser than Zeus, he swallowed her after he had impregnated her. However, their daughter Athena eventually burst from his head fully grown.
Metrodora f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother" (genitive μητρός) and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr who was killed with her sisters Menodora and Nymphodora.
Metrophanes m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother" (genitive μητρός) and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". Saint Metrophanes was the first bishop of Byzantium (4th century).
Metztli f & m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl
Means "moon" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec god (or goddess) of the moon.
Meuric m Welsh
Variant of Meurig.
Meyer m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew מֵאִיר (see Meir). It also coincides with a German surname meaning "mayor, leader".
Micha 2 m German, Dutch
Short form of Michael.
Michał m Polish
Polish form of Michael.
Mìcheal m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Michael.
Michi 2 m & f German
German diminutive of Michael or Michaela.
Mieczysław m Polish
Possibly derived from the Slavic elements mečĭ "sword" and slava "glory".
Mieszko m Polish
Probably an old diminutive form of Mieczysław. This was the name of three rulers of Poland including Mieszko I, the first Christian ruler (10th century).
Mihail m Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek
Romanian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Michael. This is also an alternate transcription of Greek Μιχαήλ (see Michail).
Mihovil m Croatian
Croatian form of Michael.
Mikhah m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Micah.
Mikkeline f Danish
Danish feminine form of Mikkel.
Mikołaj m Polish
Polish form of Nicholas.
Milada f Czech, Slovak
Originally a diminutive of names containing the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear". It can also be derived from Czech and Slovak mladá meaning "young", ultimately from Old Slavic *moldŭ.
Milagros f Spanish
Means "miracles" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, which means "Our Lady of Miracles".
Mildburg f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements milde "gentle" and burg "fortress". Saint Mildburg or Milburga, the sister of Saint Mildred, was a daughter of a 7th-century Mercian king. She was supposedly in possession of magical powers.
Mildred f English
From the Old English name Mildþryð meaning "gentle strength", derived from the elements milde "gentle" and þryþ "strength". Saint Mildred was a 7th-century abbess, the daughter of the Kentish princess Saint Ermenburga. After the Norman Conquest this name became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Milford m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from various place names all meaning "ford by a mill" in Old English.
Milja f Finnish
Short form of Emilia.
Millard m English
From an occupational English surname meaning "guardian of the mill" in Old English.
Millicent f English
From the Gothic name *Amalaswinþa, composed of the elements amals "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and swinþs "strong". Amalaswintha was a 6th-century queen of the Ostrogoths. The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Melisent or Melisende. Melisende was a 12th-century queen of Jerusalem, the daughter of Baldwin II.
Miloslav m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements milŭ "gracious, dear" and slava "glory".
Miłosz m Polish
Polish cognate of Miloš.
Milou f Dutch
Short form of Marie-Louise. This is the name of a (male) dog in the French-language Belgian comic series The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé, first appearing in 1929. He is named Snowy in the English version and Bobbie in the Dutch version.
Miltiades m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μίλτος (miltos) meaning "red earth" and the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of the general who led the Greek forces to victory against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon.
Minerva f Roman Mythology, English, Spanish
Possibly derived from Latin mens meaning "intellect", but more likely of Etruscan origin. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since after the Renaissance.
Minh m & f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (minh) meaning "bright". This was an adopted name of the communist revolutionary Hồ Chí Minh (1890-1969).
Min-Ji f Korean
From Sino-Korean (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" combined with (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Minodora f Romanian
Romanian form of Menodora.
Min-Seo f Korean
From Sino-Korean (min) meaning "people, citizens" or (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" combined with (seo) meaning "slowly, calmly, composed, dignified" or (seo) meaning "series, sequence". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Mirabelle f French (Rare), English (Rare)
Derived from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful". This name was coined during the Middle Ages, though it eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Miran m Slovene
Derived from the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace" or "world".
Mircea m Romanian
Romanian form of Mirče. This name was borne by a 14th-century ruler of Wallachia, called Mircea the Great.
Mireia f Catalan, Spanish
Catalan form of Mirèio (see Mireille).
Mirek m Polish, Czech, Slovak
Diminutive of Miroslav and other names beginning with the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world". It is sometimes used independently.
Mirella f Italian
Italian form of Mireille.
Mirembe f Ganda
Means "peace" in Luganda.
Miren f Basque
Basque form of Maria.
Miri f Hebrew
Hebrew diminutive of Miriam.
Miriana f Italian
Italian variant of Miriam.
Mirica f Croatian
From the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Mirja f Finnish
Finnish form of Miriam.
Miro m Croatian, Slovene
Short form of Miroslav and other names beginning with Mir (often the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world").
Mirta f Spanish, Italian, Croatian
Spanish, Italian and Croatian cognate of Myrtle.
Mirthe f Dutch
Variant of Myrthe.
Miruna f Romanian
Possibly derived from the Slavic word mir meaning "peace" or Romanian mira meaning "to wonder, to astound".
Misaki f Japanese
From Japanese (mi) meaning "beautiful" and (saki) meaning "blossom". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji as well.
Mishka m Russian
Russian diminutive of Mikhail.
Mitra 1 m & f Hinduism, Hindi
Means "friend" in Sanskrit, a cognate of Mithra. This is a transcription of both the feminine form मित्रा and the masculine form मित्र, which is the name of a Hindu god of friendship and contracts who appears in the Rigveda.
Mitsuaki m Japanese
From Japanese (mitsu) meaning "light" and (aki) meaning "bright, luminous". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Mitsuko f Japanese
From Japanese (mitsu) meaning "light" and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Mitya m Russian
Diminutive of Dmitriy or Mitrofan.
Miyu f Japanese
From Japanese (mi) meaning "beautiful" or (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth" combined with (yu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or (yu) meaning "tie, bind" or (yu) meaning "evening". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Mnemosyne f Greek Mythology
Means "remembrance" in Greek. In Greek mythology Mnemosyne was a Titan goddess of memory. She was the mother by Zeus of the nine Muses.
Modeste m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Modestus.
Modesto m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Modestus.
Modestus m Late Roman
Means "moderate, restrained" in Late Latin. This was the name of several saints.
Moira f Irish, Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Máire. It also coincides with Greek Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.
Momoka f Japanese
From Japanese (momo) meaning "hundred" or (momo) meaning "peach" combined with (ka) meaning "flower" or (ka) meaning "fragrance". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Mona 1 f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Muadhnait. It is also associated with Greek monos "one" and Leonardo da Vinci's painting the Mona Lisa (in which case it is a contraction of Italian ma donna meaning "my lady").
Mona 3 f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic منى (see Muna).
Mónica f Spanish, Portuguese (European)
Spanish and European Portuguese form of Monica.
Monifa f Yoruba (Rare)
Means "I am lucky" in Yoruba.
Montague m English (Rare)
From an aristocratic English surname meaning "sharp mountain", from Old French mont agu. In Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596) this is the surname of Romeo and his family.
Montgomery m English
From an English surname meaning "Gumarich's mountain" in Norman French. A notable bearer of this surname was Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976), a British army commander during World War II.
Montse f Catalan
Short form of Montserrat.
Montserrat f Catalan
From the name of a mountain near Barcelona, the site of a monastery founded in the 10th century. The mountain gets its name from Latin mons serratus meaning "jagged mountain".
Morcant m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Morgan 1.
Mordred m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
From Welsh Medraut, possibly from Latin moderatus meaning "controlled, moderated". In Arthurian legend Mordred was the illegitimate son (in some versions nephew) of King Arthur. Mordred first appears briefly (as Medraut) in the 10th-century Annales Cambriae, but he was not portrayed as a traitor until the chronicles of the 12th-century Geoffrey of Monmouth. While Arthur is away he seduces his wife Guinevere and declares himself king. This prompts the battle of Camlann, which leads to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur.
Morgaine f Arthurian Cycle
Variant of Morgan 2, from a French form.
Morgan 2 f Arthurian Cycle
Modern form of Morgen, which was used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century for the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay, who was unnamed in earlier stories. Geoffrey probably did not derive it from the Welsh masculine name Morgan, which would have been spelled Morcant in his time. It is likely from Old Welsh mor "sea" and the suffix gen "born of".
Morgana f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Morgan 1.
Moritz m German
German form of Maurice.
Morpheus m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek μορφή (morphe) meaning "shape", referring to the shapes seen in dreams. In Greek mythology Morpheus was the god of dreams.
Morris m English, Medieval English
Usual medieval form of Maurice.
Morten m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Martin.
Morteza m Persian
Persian form of Murtada.
Morticia f Popular Culture
From the American English word mortician meaning "undertaker, funeral director", ultimately derived from Latin mortis meaning "death". This name was created for the mother on the Addams Family television series (1964-1966). She was based on an unnamed recurring character in cartoons by Charles Addams, starting 1938.
Mortimer m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Normandy, itself meaning "dead water, still water" in Old French.
Morton m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "moor town" in Old English.
Morvarid f Persian
Means "pearl" in Persian.
Morven f Scottish
From the name of a region in western Scotland, also called Morvern or in Gaelic A' Mhorbhairne, meaning "the big gap". This is the location of Fingal's kingdom in James Macpherson's 18th-century poems.
Mostyn m Welsh
From the name of a town in northern Wales, which is probably derived from Old English elements meaning "moss town".
Motya m & f Russian
Diminutive of Matvey or Matrona 1.
Mouna f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic منى (see Muna) chiefly used in North Africa.
Mózes m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Moses.
Mridula f Hindi
From Sanskrit मृदु (mrdu) meaning "soft, delicate, gentle".
Mstislav m Czech (Rare), Russian (Rare)
Means "vengeance and glory" from the Slavic elements mĭstĭ "vengeance" and slava "glory". Mstislav the Great was a 12th-century grand prince of Kiev.
Muhammet m Turkish, Turkmen
Turkish and Turkmen form of Muhammad.
Muirgen f Irish Mythology
Means "born of the sea" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a woman (originally named Lí Ban) who was transformed into a mermaid. After 300 years she was brought to shore, baptized, and transformed back into a woman.
Muiris m Irish
Irish form of Maurice.
Muirne f Irish Mythology
From Irish muirn meaning either "affection, endearment" or "festivity, exuberance". In Irish legend this was the name of the mother of Fionn mac Cumhaill. She is also called Muirenn.
Mulan f Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 木兰 (mùlán) meaning "magnolia". This is the name of a legendary female warrior who disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father's place when he is conscripted into the army.
Muna f Arabic
Means "wishes, desires", from the plural of Arabic منية (munyah).
Munira f Arabic
Feminine form of Munir.
Murad m Arabic, Urdu, Azerbaijani, Avar
Means "wish, desire" in Arabic. This name was borne by five Ottoman sultans.
Murali m Hinduism, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi
Means "flute" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, given to him because he played the flute.
Murdoch m Scottish
Anglicized form of Muireadhach.
Muriel f English, French, Irish, Scottish, Medieval Breton (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Irish Muirgel and Scottish Muireall. A form of this name was also used in Brittany, and it was first introduced to medieval England by Breton settlers in the wake of the Norman Conquest. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel John Halifax, Gentleman (1856).
Murielle f French
French variant of Muriel.
Murrough m Irish
Anglicized form of Murchadh.
Murtagh m Irish
Anglicized form of Muirchertach.
Mustafa m Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian, Urdu
Means "the chosen one" in Arabic, an epithet of Muhammad. This was the name of four Ottoman sultans. Another famous bearer was Mustafa Kemal (1881-1938), also known as Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.
Mykhailo m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Michael.
Mykyta m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Niketas.
Mylène f French
Combination of Marie and Hélène. It can also be used as a French form of Milena.
Myron m English, Ukrainian, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μύρον (myron) meaning "sweet oil, perfume". Myron was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek sculptor. Saints bearing this name include a 3rd-century bishop of Crete and a 4th-century martyr from Cyzicus who was killed by a mob. These saints are more widely revered in the Eastern Church, and the name has generally been more common among Eastern Christians. As an English name, it has been used since the 19th century.
Myroslava f Ukrainian
Ukrainian feminine form of Miroslav.
Myrrhine f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μύρρα (myrrha) meaning "myrrh". This is the name of a character in the comedy Lysistrata by the Greek playwright Aristophanes.
Myrtle f English
Simply from the English word myrtle for the evergreen shrub, ultimately from Greek μύρτος (myrtos). It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
Myung m & f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul (see Myeong).
Naama f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Naamah.
Nada 2 f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
Means "hope" in South Slavic.
Nadav m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Nadab.
Nadejda f Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Надежда (see Nadezhda).
Nader m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نادر (see Nadir).
Nadir m Arabic, Turkish
Means "rare" in Arabic.
Nadiya f Ukrainian
Ukrainian cognate of Nadezhda, being the Ukrainian word meaning "hope".
Nadiyya f Arabic
Means "moist, tender, delicate" in Arabic.
Nadya 1 f Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Russian and Bulgarian diminutive of Nadezhda. It is also an alternate transcription of Ukrainian Надія (see Nadiya).
Nadzeya f Belarusian
Belarusian cognate of Nadezhda, being the Belarusian word meaning "hope".
Nafisa f Arabic
From Arabic نفيس (nafis) meaning "precious, valuable".
Nagendra m Hinduism, Kannada, Telugu
Means "lord of snakes" from Sanskrit नाग (naga) meaning "snake" (also "elephant") combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for Vasuki, the king of snakes, in Hindu mythology.
Nahuel m Mapuche (Hispanicized)
Variant of Nawel using Spanish spelling conventions.
Nahum m Biblical
Means "comforter" in Hebrew, from the root נָחַם (nacham). Nahum is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. He authored the Book of Nahum in which the downfall of Nineveh is foretold.
Naia f Basque
Means "wave, sea foam" in Basque.
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.
Naji m Arabic
Means "intimate friend" in Arabic. This can also be another way of transcribing the name ناجي (see Naaji).
Najwa f Arabic
Means "secret, whisper" in Arabic.
Nakato f Ganda
Means "second of twins" in Luganda.
Nanako f Japanese
From Japanese (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" duplicated and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.
Nanaya f Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly related to Inanna. This was the name of a goddess worshipped by the Sumerians and Akkadians. She was later conflated with the goddesses Anahita and Aphrodite.
Nance f English
Short form of Nancy.
Nanda m & f Hinduism, Buddhism, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Nepali, Burmese, Hindi, Marathi
Means "joy" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form नन्द and the feminine form नन्दा (spelled with a long final vowel).... [more]
Nándor m Hungarian
Originally this was a Hungarian word referring to a Bulgarian people that lived along the Danube. Since the 19th century it has been used as a Hungarian short form of Ferdinand.
Nani f Hawaiian
Means "beauty, glory" in Hawaiian.
Nanuq m Inuit
Means "polar bear" in Inuktitut.
Naoki m Japanese
From Japanese (nao) meaning "straight, direct" and (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of different kanji with the same pronunciations.
Naoko f Japanese
From Japanese (nao) meaning "straight, direct" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Naomh f Irish
Means "holy" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Naphtali m Biblical
Means "my struggle, my strife" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is a son of Jacob by Rachel's servant Bilhah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Napoleon m History, English
From the old Italian name Napoleone, used most notably by the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who was born on Corsica. The etymology is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from Old German Nibelungen meaning "sons of mist", a name used in Germanic legend to refer to the keepers of a hoard of treasure, often identified with the Burgundians. Alternatively, it could be connected to the name of the Italian city of Napoli (Naples).
Naranbaatar m Mongolian
Means "sun hero" in Mongolian, from наран (naran) meaning "sun" and баатар (baatar) meaning "hero".
Narayan m Hindi, Nepali, Marathi, Odia, Bengali
Modern northern Indian form of Narayana.
Narendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu
Means "lord of men" from Sanskrit नर (nara) meaning "man" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord".
Narges f Persian
Means "daffodil, narcissus" in Persian, ultimately derived from Greek (see Narcissus).
Naseer m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic ناصر or نصير (see Nasir).
Nasib m Arabic
Means "noble" in Arabic.
Nasir m Arabic
Means "helper" in Arabic. This transcription represents two different Arabic names.
Nasira f Arabic
Feminine form of Nasir.
Nasrin f Persian, Bengali
Means "wild rose" in Persian.
Natalina f Italian, Portuguese
Diminutive of Natalia (Italian) or Natália (Portuguese).
Natan m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Polish
Hebrew and Polish form of Nathan.
Natanael m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Nathanael.
Natia f Georgian
Diminutive of Natela.
Naum m Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Nahum.
Nausicaa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ναυσικάα (Nausikaa) meaning "burner of ships". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of a daughter of Alcinous who helps Odysseus on his journey home.
Navdeep m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit नव (nava) meaning "new, fresh" and दीप (dipa) meaning "lamp, light".
Navin m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Means "new" in Sanskrit.
Nawal f Arabic
Means "gift" in Arabic.
Nazaire m French (Rare)
French form of Nazarius.
Nazar m Russian, Ukrainian, Turkmen, Armenian
Russian, Ukrainian, Turkmen and Armenian form of Nazarius.
Nazaret f & m Spanish, Armenian
From Nazareth, the town in Galilee where Jesus lived. This name is primarily feminine in Spanish and primarily masculine in Armenian.
Nazariy m Ukrainian, Russian (Rare)
Ukrainian and Russian form of Nazarius.
Nechtan m Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Irish name of uncertain meaning, possibly from a Celtic root meaning "damp" (cognate with Neptune). In Irish mythology Nechtan was the husband of Boann, the goddess of the River Boyne. He is sometimes identified with Nuada. This name was borne by the 5th-century Saint Nectan of Hartland in Devon, who was supposedly born in Ireland. It was also the name of several kings of the Picts (described mostly from Gaelic sources, this may represent a Pictish cognate).
Ned m English
Diminutive of Edward or Edmund. It has been used since the 14th century, and may have had root in the medieval affectionate phrase mine Ed, which was later reinterpreted as my Ned.
Neda 2 f Persian
Persian form of Nida.
Neirin m Old Welsh
Variant of Aneirin.
Nelda f English
Possibly an elaboration of Nell using the popular phonetic suffix da.
Nélida f Literature, Spanish
Created by French author Marie d'Agoult for her semi-autobiographical novel Nélida (1846), written under the name Daniel Stern. It was probably an anagram of her pen name Daniel.
Nelson m English, Spanish
From an English surname meaning "son of Neil". It was originally given in honour of the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). His most famous battle was the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he destroyed a combined French and Spanish fleet, but was himself killed. Another notable bearer was the South African statesman Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). Mandela's birth name was Rolihlahla; as a child he was given the English name Nelson by a teacher.
Nemesis f Greek Mythology
Means "distribution of what is due, righteous anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Nemesis was the personification of vengeance and justice.
Neo 1 f & m Tswana
Means "gift" in Tswana, a derivative of naya "to give".
Neophytos m Ancient Greek
Greek name meaning "new plant, new child", from a word that was derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new" and φυτόν (phyton) meaning "plant".
Neoptolemus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Νεοπτόλεμος (Neoptolemos) meaning "new war", derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new" combined with an Epic Greek form of πόλεμος (polemos) meaning "war". In Greek legend this was the name of the son of Achilles, brought into the Trojan War because it was prophesied the Greeks could not win it unless he was present. After the war he was slain by Orestes fighting over Hermione.
Nephthys f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian nbt-ḥwt (reconstructed as Nebet-Hut) meaning "lady of the house", derived from nbt "lady" and ḥwt "house". This was the name of an Egyptian goddess associated with the air, death and mourning. She was wife of the desert god Seth.
Neptune m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Indo-European root *nebh- "wet, damp, clouds". Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.
Nere f Basque
From Basque nere, a dialectal variant of nire meaning "mine".
Nereida f Spanish
Derived from Greek Νηρηΐδες (Nereides) meaning "nymphs, sea sprites", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Nereo m Italian, Spanish (Latin American)
Italian and Spanish form of Nereus.
Nereus m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Derived from Greek νηρός (neros) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a god of the sea, the father of the Nereids. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament, belonging to a Christian in Rome. This was also the name of a Roman saint of the 1st century, a member of the army, who was martyred with his companion Achilleus because they refused to execute Christians.
Nerida f Indigenous Australian
Possibly means "water lily" in an Australian Aboriginal language.
Nerina f Italian
Probably from Greek Νηρηΐδες (see Nereida). This name was used by Torquato Tasso for a character in his play Aminta (1573), and subsequently by Giacomo Leopardi in his poem Le Ricordanze (1829).
Nero 2 m Italian
Short form of Raniero. It also coincides with the Italian word nero meaning "black".
Nerys f Welsh
Probably a feminized form of Welsh nêr meaning "lord".
Nes f Dutch (Rare)
Dutch short form of Agnes.
Nesrin f Turkish
Turkish form of Nasrin.
Nestor m Greek Mythology, Russian, Portuguese, French
Means "returner, homecomer" in Greek, from νέομαι (neomai) meaning "to return". In Homer's Iliad this was the name of the king of Pylos, famous for his great wisdom and longevity, who acted as a counselor to the Greek allies.
Nethanel m Biblical
Form of Nathanael used in some versions of the Old Testament.
Netuno m Roman Mythology (Portuguese-style)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Neptune.
Neus f Catalan
Catalan cognate of Nieves.
Neven m Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Masculine form of Nevena.
Neves f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Nieves.
Neville m English (British)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Norman French. As a given name it is chiefly British and Australian.
Nevio m Italian
Italian form of the Roman family name Naevius, which was derived from Latin naevus "mole (on the body)". A famous bearer was the 3rd-century BC Roman poet Gnaeus Naevius.
Newton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
Ngaio f Maori
Maori name that is derived from the name of a type of tree, also called the mousehole tree. This name was borne by New Zealand crime writer Dame Ngaio Marsh (1895-1982).
Nguyên m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (nguyên) meaning "original, first".
Nguyệt f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (nguyệt) meaning "moon".
Nicanor m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin, Spanish
From the Greek name Νικάνωρ (Nikanor), which was derived from νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". This name was borne by several notable officers from ancient Macedon. It is also mentioned in the New Testament as belonging to one of the original seven deacons of the church, considered a saint.
Niccolò m Italian
Italian form of Nicholas. Famous bearers include Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), a Florentine political philosopher, and Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), a Genoese composer and violinist.
Nicodemus m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Νικόδημος (Nikodemos) meaning "victory of the people", derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people". This is the name of a character in the New Testament who helps Joseph of Arimathea entomb Jesus.
Nicolai m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian variant form of Nicholas.
Nicolás m Spanish
Spanish form of Nicholas.
Nicolaus m German, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Nikolaos (see Nicholas). This form is also used in Germany as a variant of Nikolaus. A notable bearer was the German-speaking Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543). This was his Latin name; his German name was recorded in various spellings such as Niklas Koppernigk.
Nicoletta f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Nicola 1.
Nicte f Mayan (Hispanicized)
From Yucatec Maya nikte' meaning "flower" or specifically "plumeria flower". It is derived from Classic Maya nich "flower" and te' "tree".
Nicușor m Romanian
Diminutive of Nicolae.
Nida f Arabic, Turkish, Urdu
Means "call, proclaim" in Arabic.
Niels 2 m Dutch
Dutch short form of Cornelius.
Nieves f Spanish
Means "snows" in Spanish, derived from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows".
Nigel m English
From 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).
Nikandros m Ancient Greek
Means "victory of a man" from the Greek elements νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a 2nd-century BC Greek poet and grammarian from Colophon.
Nikephoros m & f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "carrying victory" from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and φέρω (phero) meaning "to carry, to bear". This name was borne by several Byzantine emperors, including the 10th-century Nikephoros II Phokas. Besides being a masculine personal name, it was also a title borne by the goddess Athena.