Names Deemed "strange"

Terence m English
From the Roman family name Terentius, which is of unknown meaning. Famous bearers include Publius Terentius Afer, a Roman playwright, and Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar. It was also borne by several early saints. The name was used in Ireland as an Anglicized form of Toirdhealbhach, but it was not found as an English name until the late 19th century. It attained only a moderate level of popularity in the 20th century, though it has been common as an African-American name especially since the 1970s.

Terenti m Georgian, Russian
Georgian form of Terentius (see Terence). It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Терентий (see Terentiy).

Terenzio m Italian
Italian form of Terentius (see Terence).

Teresia f Swedish
Swedish variant of Teresa.

Teréz f Hungarian
Hungarian short form of Terézia.

Tereza f Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian
Form of Theresa in various languages.

Terezie f Czech
Czech variant form of Theresa.

Terezija f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Theresa.

Terezinha f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese diminutive of Tereza.

Terhi f Finnish
Short form of Terhenetär, which was derived from Finnish terhen meaning "mist". In the Finnish epic the Kalevala Terhenetär is a sprite associated with mist and forests.

Terminus m Roman Mythology
Means "limit, boundary, end" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman god of boundaries.

Tero m Finnish
Either a Finnish form of Terentius or a short form of Antero 1.

Terpsichore f Greek Mythology
Means "enjoying the dance" from Greek τέρψις (terpsis) meaning "delight" and χορός (choros) meaning "dance". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of dance and dramatic chorus, one of the nine Muses.

Terra f English
Variant of Tara 1, perhaps influenced by the Latin word terra meaning "land, earth".

Tertius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Biblical
This was both a Roman praenomen and a cognomen meaning "third" in Latin. It is mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament as the name of the person who wrote the letter (while Paul dictated it).

Terzo m Italian
Italian form of Tertius.

Tesni f Welsh
Means "warmth" in Welsh.

Tethys f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek τήθη (tethe) meaning "grandmother". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan associated with the sea. She was the wife of Oceanus.

Tetiana f Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian Тетяна (see Tetyana).

Tetty f English (Archaic)
Diminutive of Elizabeth.

Teunis m Dutch
Dutch short form of Antonius.

Teuta f Albanian
Possibly from an Illyrian word or title meaning "queen, lady of the people". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Illyrian queen. After the death of her husband Agron, she ruled as the regent for his young son Pinnes.

Teuvo m Finnish
Finnish form of Theodore.

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

Tevye m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish form of Tobiah. This is the name of the central character in stories written by the Yiddish author Sholem Aleichem in the late 19th century, as well as the later musical adaptation Fiddler on the Roof (1964).

Tewodros m Amharic
Amharic form of Theodore.

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

Thaddaeus m Biblical Latin, Biblical
Usual Latin form of Thaddeus, as well as the form used in most English versions of the New Testament.

Thaddeus m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name תַדַּי (Ṯaddai). It is possibly derived from Aramaic תַּד (taḏ) meaning "heart, breast", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as Θεόδωρος (see Theodore). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.

Thaïs f Ancient Greek, French
Possibly means "bandage" in Greek. This was the name of a companion of Alexander the Great. It was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Alexandria, a wealthy socialite who became a Christian convert, though in her case the name may have had a distinct Coptic origin. She has been a popular subject of art and literature, including an 1891 novel by Anatole France and an 1894 opera by Jules Massenet.

Thais f Ancient Greek, Spanish
Alternate transcription of Ancient Greek Θαΐς (see Thaïs), as well as the usual Spanish form.

Thaleia f Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Thalia.

Thales m Ancient Greek, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Derived from Greek θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". Thales of Miletus was a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher and mathematician.

Thamina f Arabic
Means "valuable, precious, priceless" in Arabic.

Thana f Arabic
Means "praise" in Arabic.

Thanasis m Greek
Modern Greek short form of Athanasios.

Thanatos m Greek Mythology
Means "death" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek god of death who resided with Hades in the underworld.

Thandiwe f Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
Means "loving one" in Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele, from thanda "to love".

Thando m & f Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
From Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele thanda meaning "to love".

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

Thankful f English (Archaic)
From the English word thankful. This was one of the many virtue names used by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Thanos m Greek
Diminutive of Athanasios.

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

Theano f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology, Greek
From Greek θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". Theano was a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher associated with Pythagoras. The name was also borne by several figures from Greek mythology.

Thecla f Dutch (Rare), Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Thekla.

Theda f German
Short form of Theodora. A famous bearer was actress Theda Bara (1885-1955), who was born Theodosia Goodman.

Theia f Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan goddess of light, glittering and glory. She was the wife of Hyperion and the mother of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.

Thekla f German (Rare), Greek (Rare), Late Greek
From the ancient Greek name Θεόκλεια (Theokleia), which meant "glory of God" from the Greek elements θεός (theos) meaning "god" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, appearing (as Θέκλα) in the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla. The story tells how Thecla listens to Paul speak about the virtues of chastity and decides to remain a virgin, angering both her mother and her suitor.

Thelma f English
Meaning unknown. It was a rare name when British author Marie Corelli used it for the Norwegian heroine of her novel Thelma (1887). The name became popular around the end of the 19th century after the novel was published. It is sometimes claimed to derive from Greek θέλημα (thelema) meaning "will", though this seems unlikely.

Thelonius m Various (Rare)
Latinized form of Tielo (see Till). A famous bearer was jazz musician Thelonious Monk (1917-1982).

Thema f Akan
Means "queen" in Akan.

Themba m Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "trust, hope" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.

Themis f Greek Mythology
Means "law of nature, divine law, custom" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan who presided over custom and natural law. She was often depicted blindfolded and holding a pair of scales. By Zeus she was the mother of many deities, including the three Μοῖραι (Moirai) and the three Ὥραι (Horai).

Themistocles m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεμιστοκλῆς (Themistokles) meaning "glory of the law", from θέμις (themis) meaning "law of nature, divine law, custom" (genitive θέμιστος) and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of an Athenian statesman and general who was victorious over the Persians in the Battle of Salamis.

Themistoklis m Greek
Modern Greek form of Themistocles.

Theobald m English (Rare), Germanic
Means "bold people", derived from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and bald meaning "bold, brave". It was borne by a 6th-century Frankish king of Austrasia. The Normans brought the name to England, where it joined an existing Old English cognate. The medieval forms Tibald and Tebald were commonly Latinized as Theobaldus. It was rare by the 20th century.

Theocritus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Θεόκριτος (Theokritos), a Greek name meaning "judge of god" from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and κριτής (krites) meaning "judge, critic". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek poet.

Theoderich m Germanic
Old German form of Theodoric.

Theodora f English, Greek, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Theodore. This name was common in the Byzantine Empire, being borne by several empresses including the influential wife of Justinian in the 6th century.

Theodoric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Þiudareiks meaning "ruler of the people", derived from the elements þiuda "people" and reiks "ruler, king". It was notably borne by Theodoric the Great, a 6th-century king of the Ostrogoths who eventually became the ruler of Italy. By Theodoric's time the Ostrogoths were partially Romanized and his name was regularly recorded as Theodoricus. This was also the name of two earlier (5th century) Visigothic kings.

Theodoricus m Gothic (Latinized)
Latinized form of Theodoric.

Theodoros m Greek, Ancient Greek
Greek form of Theodore.

Theodorus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of the Greek name Theodoros (see Theodore). As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Theodoor is typically used in daily life.

Theodosia f Ancient Greek, Greek
Feminine form of Theodosius.

Theodosios m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Theodosius.

Theodosius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεοδόσιος (Theodosios) meaning "giving to god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δόσις (dosis) meaning "giving". Saint Theodosius of Palestine was a monk who founded a monastery near Bethlehem in the 5th century. This also was the name of emperors of the Eastern Roman and Byzantine Empires.

Theodotus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόδοτος (Theodotos) meaning "given to god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δοτός (dotos) meaning "given". This name belonged to several early saints and martyrs.

Theodulus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόδουλος (Theodoulos) meaning "servant of god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δοῦλος (doulos) meaning "slave, servant". This name was borne by several early saints.

Theofilus m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch form of Theophilus.

Theophanes m Ancient Greek
Means "manifestation of God" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". This name was borne by a few saints, including an 8th-century chronicler from Constantinople and a 19th-century Russian Orthodox saint, Theophanes the Recluse, who is Феофан (Feofan) in Russian. Another famous bearer was a 14th-century Byzantine icon painter active in Moscow.

Theophania f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Theophanes.

Theophila f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Theophilus.

Théophile m French
French form of Theophilus.

Theophilus m Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόφιλος (Theophilos) meaning "friend of god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φίλος (philos) meaning "friend". In the New Testament the evangelist Luke addresses his gospel and the Book of Acts to a man named Theophilus.

Theophylaktos m Ancient Greek
Means "watched by god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φυλακτέος (phylakteos) meaning "to be watched". Saint Theophylaktos was a 9th-century bishop of Nicomedia who was banished to Caria.

Theotimus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεότιμος (Theotimos) meaning "honouring god", derived from the elements θεός (theos) meaning "god" and τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". Saint Theotimus was a 4th-century bishop of Tomi in Scythia.

Thera f Dutch
Diminutive of Theresia.

Therapon m Late Greek
Means "servant" or "worshipper" in Greek.

Therasia f Late Roman
Earliest recorded form of Theresa.

Theron m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek θηράω (therao) meaning "to hunt".

Thersa f Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Tirzah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.

Theseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by Aegeus or by the god Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.... [more]

Theudoricus m Gothic (Latinized)
Latinized form of Theodoric.

Thi f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 詩 (thi) meaning "poetry, poem, verse".

Thibault m French
French form of Theobald.

Thierry m French
French form of Theodoric. It was very popular in France from the 1950s, peaking in the mid-1960s before falling away. A famous bearer is the French former soccer player Thierry Henry (1977-).

Thijmen m Dutch
Dutch form of the Germanic name Theotman, derived from the elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Dutch thiad) and man meaning "person, man".

Thijs m Dutch
Short form of Matthijs.

Thirza f Dutch
Dutch form of Tirzah.

Thisbe f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
From the name of an ancient Greek town in Boeotia, itself supposedly named after a nymph. In a Greek legend (the oldest surviving version appearing in Latin in Ovid's Metamorphoses) this is the name of a young woman from Babylon. Believing her to be dead, her lover Pyramus kills himself, after which she does the same to herself. The splashes of blood from their suicides is the reason mulberry fruit are red.

Thomasina f English
Medieval feminine form of Thomas.

Þór m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Þórr (see Thor).

Thor m Norse Mythology, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
From the Old Norse Þórr meaning "thunder", ultimately from Proto-Germanic *Þunraz. In Norse mythology Thor is a god of storms, thunder, war and strength, a son of Odin. He is portrayed as red-bearded, short-tempered, armed with a powerful hammer called Mjölnir, and wearing an enchanted belt called Megingjörð that doubles his strength. During Ragnarök, the final battle at the end of the world, it is foretold that Thor will slay the monstrous sea serpent Jörmungandr but be fatally poisoned by its venom.

Thora f Norwegian, Danish
Modern form of Þóra.

Thorben m Danish, German
Variant of Torben.

Thorbjørn m Norwegian, Danish
Variant of Torbjørn.

Thorborg f Swedish (Rare)
Variant of Torborg.

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

Þórdís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Means "Thor's goddess" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with Old Norse dís "goddess".

Þórfríðr f Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements Þórr (see Thor) and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".

Þórir m Icelandic, Old Norse
Means "Thor's warrior" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with Old Norse vir "warrior, fighter".

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

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

Thorstein m Norwegian
Norwegian variant form of Torsten.

Þórsteinn m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Torsten.

Thorvald m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian
Variant of Torvald.

Thoth m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ḏḥwtj (reconstructed as Djehuti), which is of uncertain meaning. In Egyptian mythology Thoth was the god of the moon, science, magic, speech and writing. He was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis.

Thracius m Ancient Roman
From a Roman name meaning "of Thracia". Thracia was a region in southeastern Europe, now divided between Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.

Thucydides m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Means "glory of god", from the Greek name Θουκυδίδης (Thoukydides), derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" (genitive θεοῦ) and κῦδος (kydos) meaning "glory" with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 5th-century BC Athenian historian.

Thulani m Zulu
Means "be quiet, be peaceful" in Zulu.

Thulile f Zulu
Means "quiet, peaceful" in Zulu.

Þunor m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Anglo-Saxon form of *Þunraz (see Thor).

Thurayya f Arabic
Means "the Pleiades" in Arabic. The Pleiades are a group of stars in the constellation Taurus.

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

Thutmose m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
From Τούθμωσις (Touthmosis), the Greek form of Egyptian ḏḥwtj-ms meaning "born of Thoth", itself composed of the name of the Egyptian god Thoth combined with msj "be born". Thutmose was the name of four Egyptian pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Thutmose III who conquered Syria and Nubia in the 15th century BC.

Thùy f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 垂 (thùy) meaning "let down, suspend, hang".

Thyra f Swedish, Danish
Variant of Tyra.

Thyrza f Dutch (Rare)
Variant of Thirza.

Tiamat f Semitic Mythology
From Akkadian tâmtu meaning "sea". In Babylonian myth Tiamat was the personification of the sea, appearing in the form of a huge dragon. By Apsu she gave birth to the first of the gods. Later, the god Marduk (her great-grandson) defeated her, cut her in half, and used the pieces of her body to make the earth and the sky.

Tiarnach m Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish form of Tighearnach.

Tiarnán m Irish
Modern Irish form of Tighearnán.

Tibby f & m English
Diminutive of Tabitha or Theobald.

Tiberiu m Romanian
Romanian form of Tiberius.

Tiberius m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "of the Tiber" in Latin. The Tiber is the river that runs through Rome. Tiberius was the second Roman emperor, the stepson of Emperor Augustus. He was born Tiberius Claudius Nero, but was renamed Tiberius Julius Caesar after he was designated as the heir of Augustus.

Tibor m Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Hungarian, Czech and Slovak form of Tiburtius (see Tiburcio).

Tiborc m Hungarian (Rare)
Hungarian form of Tiburtius (see Tiburcio).

Tiburcio m Spanish
Spanish form of the Roman cognomen Tiburtius meaning "of Tibur". Tibur (now called Tivoli) was a resort town near Rome. Saint Tiburtius was a 3rd-century martyr from Rome.

Tielo m Medieval German
Earlier form of Till.

Tiernan m Irish
Anglicized form of Tighearnán.

Tierney m Irish
Anglicized form of Tighearnach.

Ties m Dutch
Diminutive of Matthijs, as well as Diederik and other names beginning with Old High German diota or Old Frankish þeoda meaning "people".

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

Tigerlily f English (Rare)
From tiger lily, a name that has been applied to several orange varieties of lily (such as the species Lilium lancifolium). Tiger Lily is also the name of the Native American princess in J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan (1904).

Tigernach m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Tighearnach.

Tigernán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Tighearnán.

Tighearnach m Medieval Irish
From Old Irish Tigernach, derived from tigerna meaning "lord". This was the name of an Irish saint, the founder of the monastery at Clones in the 6th century. According to some tales of his life, he was taken by British pirates to the monastery of Rosnat in his youth, but he escaped and returned to Ireland.

Tighearnán m Medieval Irish
From Old Irish Tigernán meaning "little lord", from tigerna "lord" combined with a diminutive suffix. It was borne by a 6th-century saint who founded a monastery at Errew. It was also the name of a 12th-century king of Breifne.

Tiglath-Pileser m Ancient Assyrian (Anglicized), Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From תִּגְלַת פִּלְאֶסֶר (Tiḡlaṯ Pilʾeser), the Hebrew form of Akkadian Tukulti-apil-esharra meaning "my trust is in the son of Esharra", Esharra being the main temple dedicated to the god Ashur in the city of Ashur. This was the name of three kings of Assyria, including the conqueror Tiglath-Pileser III (8th century BC), who is mentioned in the Old Testament.

Tihana f Croatian, Serbian
Derived from the Slavic element tixŭ (Serbo-Croatian tih) meaning "quiet".

Tihomir m Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene
Derived from the Slavic elements tixŭ "quiet" and mirŭ "peace, world".

Tiitus m Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Titus.

Tijana f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene
Variant of Tihana.

Tikhon m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Tychon.

Tikva f Hebrew
Means "hope" in Hebrew.

Tilda f English, Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Matilda.

Tilen m Slovene
Slovene form of Aegidius (see Giles).

Till m German
From Tielo, a medieval Low German diminutive of Dietrich and other names beginning with Old High German diota or Old Frankish þeoda meaning "people". Till Eulenspiegel is a trickster in German folklore.

Timaeus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latinized form of the Greek name Τίμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". This is the name of one of Plato's dialogues, featuring Timaeus and Socrates. Timaeus is also the name of a person mentioned briefly in the New Testament (Mark 10:46).

Timeus m Biblical
Variant of Timaeus.

Timo 3 f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Timon.

Timofei m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Тимофей (see Timofey).

Timon m Ancient Greek, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Dutch
Derived from Greek τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour, to esteem". According to ancient writers, this was the name of a wealthy man of Athens who grew to hate humanity after he lost his riches and his friends deserted him. His story is related in Shakespeare's tragedy Timon of Athens (1607). This name is also mentioned in the New Testament as belonging to one of the original seven deacons of the church, considered a saint.

Timotej m Slovene, Macedonian, Slovak
Slovene, Macedonian and Slovak form of Timothy.

Timoteus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Variant of Timotheus.

Timotha f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Timothy.

Timothea f Ancient Greek, Greek
Feminine form of Timothy.

Timothée m French
French form of Timothy.

Timotheus m Biblical Latin, German (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Latinized form of Timotheos (see Timothy).

Timour m History
Variant of Timur.

Timur m Tatar, Chechen, Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkish, Russian, History
From the Turkic and Mongol name Temür meaning "iron". This was the name of several Mongol, Turkic and Yuan leaders. A notable bearer was Timur, also known as Tamerlane (from Persian تیمور لنگ (Tīmūr e Lang) meaning "Timur the lame"), a 14th-century Turkic leader who conquered large areas of western Asia.

Tinashe m & f Shona
Means "we are with God", from Shona ti "we", na "with" and ishe "lord, God".

Tinatin f Georgian, Literature
Possibly related to Georgian სინათლე (sinatle) meaning "light". The name was devised by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin, in which Tinatin is the ruler of Arabia and the lover of Avtandil.

Tindra f Swedish (Modern)
Means "to twinkle, to sparkle" in Swedish.

Tineke f Dutch
Diminutive of Tina.

Tinkara f Slovene
Elaboration of Tina.

Tintin m Popular Culture
Created by the Belgian cartoonist Hergé for the hero in his comic book series of the same name, debuting 1929. Hergé never explained why he chose the name.

Tinúviel f Literature
Means "daughter of twilight, nightingale" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tinuviel was another name of Lúthien, the daughter of Thingol the elf king. She was the beloved of Beren, who with her help retrieved one of the Silmarils from the iron crown of Morgoth.

Tipene m Maori
Maori form of Stephen.

Tiphanie f French
French variant of Tiffany.

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

Tiriaq f & m Inuit
Means "ermine, weasel" in Inuktitut.

Tirzah f Biblical
From the Hebrew name תִּרְצָה (Tirtsa) meaning "favourable". Tirzah is the name of one of the daughters of Zelophehad in the Old Testament. It also occurs in the Old Testament as a place name, the early residence of the kings of the northern kingdom.

Tisiphone f Greek Mythology
Means "avenging murder" in Greek, derived from τίσις (tisis) meaning "vengeance" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. She killed Cithaeron with the bite of one of the snakes on her head.

Tit m Slovene, Russian (Rare)
Slovene and Russian form of Titus.

Titania f Literature
Perhaps based on Latin Titanius meaning "of the Titans". This name was (first?) used by William Shakespeare in his comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595) where it belongs to the queen of the fairies, the wife of Oberon. This is also a moon of Uranus, named after the Shakespearean character.

Titiana f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Titianus.

Titianus m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Tiziano.

Titilayo f Yoruba
Means "eternal happiness" in Yoruba.

Tito m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Titus.

Titos m Biblical Greek
Form of Titus used in the Greek New Testament.

Titrit f Berber
Feminine form of Itri.

Titty f English
Diminutive of Letitia. This is now a slang word for the female breast, and the name has subsequently dropped out of common use.

Titus m Ancient Roman, English, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Roman praenomen, or given name, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to Latin titulus "title of honour". It is more likely of Oscan origin, since it was borne by the legendary Sabine king Titus Tatius.... [more]

Tivadar m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Theodore.

Tivoli m & f Various (Rare)
From the name of a picturesque Italian town, used as a summer resort by the ancient Romans.

Tiw m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Anglo-Saxon form of *Tīwaz (see Tyr).

Tiyamike f & m Chewa
Means "we praise" in Chewa.

Tiziana f Italian
Feminine form of Tiziano.

Tiziano m Italian
Italian form of the Roman cognomen Titianus, which was derived from the Roman praenomen Titus. A famous bearer was the Venetian Renaissance painter Tiziano Vecellio (1488-1576), known in English as Titian.

Tjaša f Slovene
Diminutive of Tatjana.

Tjaž m Slovene
Short form of Matjaž.

Tjeerd m Frisian, Dutch
Frisian form of Theodoard or Theodard.

Tlaloc m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl
Possibly from Nahuatl tlālloh meaning "covered with earth", derived from tlālli meaning "earth, land, soil". This was the name of the Aztec god of rain and fertility, the husband of Chalchiuhtlicue.

Tobias m Biblical, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Greek form of Tobiah. This is the name of the hero of the apocryphal Book of Tobit, which appears in many English versions of the Old Testament. It relates how Tobit's son Tobias, with the help of the angel Raphael, is able to drive away a demon who has plagued Sarah, who subsequently becomes his wife. This story was popular in the Middle Ages, and the name came into occasional use in parts of Europe at that time. In England it became common after the Protestant Reformation.

Tobiasz m Polish
Polish form of Tobias.

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

Tobit m Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Greek Τωβίθ (Tobith), from the Hebrew name טוֹבִיה (Ṭovi) meaning "my good", a possessive form of טוֹב (ṭov) meaning "good". The apocryphal Book of Tobit, which is canonical in many Christian traditions but not in Judaism, tells the story of Tobit's son Tobias. He is sent by his father to collect money in Media, aided by the angel Raphael in the guise of a man. At the end of the story Tobit's blindness is cured.

Todor m Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian
Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Theodore.

Todorka f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian feminine form of Theodore.

Toiba f Yiddish (Rare)
From Yiddish טויב (toib) meaning "dove".

Toinette f French
Short form of Antoinette.

Toirdhealbhach m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Tairdelbach meaning "instigator", derived from tairdelb "prompting". This name was borne by several medieval Irish kings.

Toiréasa f Irish
Irish form of Theresa.

Toivo m Finnish, Estonian
Means "hope" in Finnish.

Tola 1 m & f Khmer
Means "October" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit तुल (tula), referring to the constellation Libra.

Tolga m Turkish
Means "helmet" in Turkish.

Tollak m Norwegian (Rare)
From the Old Norse name Þórleikr, which meant "Thor's play" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with leikr "play, game (involving weapons)".

Toma 2 m Romanian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Georgian
Form of Thomas used in several languages.

Tomasa f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Thomas.

Tomaž m Slovene
Slovene form of Thomas.

Tomislav m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Bulgarian
Probably derived from the Slavic element tomiti "to torment" combined with slava "glory". This was the name of the first king of Croatia (10th century).

Tomislava f Croatian, Serbian
Feminine form of Tomislav.

Tommaso m Italian
Italian form of Thomas.

Tomo m Croatian
Either a variant of Toma 2 or a diminutive of Tomislav.

Tomoko f Japanese
From Japanese 智 (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or 朋 (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed of other kanji characters as well.

Tömörbaatar m Mongolian
Means "iron hero" in Mongolian, from төмөр (tömör) meaning "iron" and баатар (baatar) meaning "hero".

Tomos m Welsh
Welsh form of Thomas.

Tomyris f History
Hellenized form of a Scythian name, possibly from an Iranian root meaning "family". This was the name of a 6th-century BC queen of the Massagetae (a Scythian people) who defeated Cyrus the Great during his invasion of Central Asia.

Tondra f Esperanto
Means "thunderous", from Esperanto tondro meaning "thunder".

Tõnis m Estonian
Estonian form of Anthony.

Tonka f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian diminutive of Antonia.

Toño m Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Antonio.

Tonya f English, Russian
English diminutive of Antonia or a Russian diminutive of Antonina. In the English-speaking world its use has likely been positively influenced by the name Tanya.

Toomas m Estonian
Estonian form of Thomas.

Toon m Dutch
Dutch short form of Antoon.

Topaz f English (Rare)
From the English word for the yellow precious stone, the traditional birthstone of November, ultimately derived from Greek τόπαζος (topazos).

Topher m English
Short form of Christopher.

Topi m Finnish
Finnish short form of Tobias.

Topsy f English (Rare)
From a nickname that is of unknown meaning, perhaps deriving from the English word top. This is the name of a young slave in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852).

Topʉsana f Comanche
Means "prairie flower" in Comanche.

Tora f Swedish, Norwegian
Modern form of Þóra.

Torben m Danish, German
Danish form of Torbjörn.

Torbjørg f Norwegian
Norwegian form of Þórbjǫrg.

Torbjørn m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Torbjörn.

Torborg f Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare)
Swedish and Norwegian form of Þórbjǫrg.

Torcuil m Scottish Gaelic
Variant of Torcall.

Tord m Swedish, Norwegian
From Old Norse Þórðr, a short form of Þórfreðr.

Tordis f Norwegian
Modern form of Þórdís.

Tore 2 m Italian
Short form of Salvatore.

Torgeir m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Þórgeirr, which meant "Thor's spear" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with geirr "spear".

Torhild f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Þórhildr, which meant "Thor's battle" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with hildr "battle".

Toria f English
Short form of Victoria.

Toribio m Spanish
Spanish form of the Latin name Turibius, of unknown meaning. This name has been borne by three Spanish saints, from the 5th, 6th and 16th centuries (the latter being an archbishop of Lima).

Toril f Norwegian
Variant of Torhild.

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

Torkel m Norwegian, Swedish
From the Old Norse name Þórketill meaning "Thor's cauldron" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with ketill "cauldron".

Tormod m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Þórmóðr, which meant "Thor's wrath" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with móðr "wrath".

Torny f Norwegian (Rare)
From the Old Norse name Þórný, which was derived from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with nýr "new".

Torø f Norwegian (Rare)
Norwegian variant of Tora.

Toros m Armenian
Armenian form of Theodore.

Torquil m Scottish
Anglicized form of Torcall.

Torstein m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Torsten.

Tōru m Japanese
From Japanese 徹 (tōru) meaning "pierce, penetrate", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.

Torunn f Norwegian
Norwegian form of the Old Norse name Þórunn, from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with unnr "wave" or unna "to love".

Torvald m Swedish, Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Þórvaldr, which meant "Thor's ruler" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with valdr "ruler".

Toshiko f Japanese
From Japanese 敏 (toshi) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji characters can also form this name.

Tottie f English
Diminutive of Charlotte.

Totty f English
Diminutive of Charlotte.

Toussaint m French
Means "all saints" in French. This is the name of a Christian festival celebrated on November 1 (All Saints' Day).

Tova 1 f Hebrew
Means "good" in Hebrew.

Tova 2 f Swedish
Swedish variant of Tove.

Tovah f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew טוֹבָה (see Tova 1).

Tove f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Modern form of the Old Norse name Tófa, a short form of Þórfríðr.

Tovia m & f Hebrew
Hebrew form of Tobiah, also used as a feminine form.

Toya f American (Hispanic)
Diminutive of Victoria or Custodia used among Hispanic Americans.

Toygar m Turkish
Means "lark" in Turkish.

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

Trahaearn m Medieval Welsh
Means "very much like iron", derived from Welsh tra "very, over" prefixed to haearn "iron". This name was borne by an 11th-century king of Gwynedd.

Trahern m Medieval Welsh (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Trahaearn.

Traian m Romanian
Romanian form of Traianus (see Trajan 1).

Trajan 1 m History
From the Roman cognomen Traianus, which is of unknown meaning. The Roman emperor Trajan (full name Marcus Ulpius Traianus) is considered among the most capable men to have led the empire. His military accomplishments include victories over Dacia and Parthia.

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

Traudl f German
Diminutive of Gertraud, Waltraud or Edeltraud.

Traugott m German (Rare)
Derived from German trau "trust" and Gott "God". This name was created in the 17th century.

Travers m English (Rare)
From the surname Travers.

Treasach m Medieval Irish
From Old Irish Tressach meaning "warlike, fierce".

Treasure f English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately from Greek θησαυρός (thesauros) meaning "treasure, collection".

Trees f Dutch
Dutch short form of Theresia.

Trefor m Welsh
Welsh form of Trevor.

Trendafilka f Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian трендафил (trendafil) meaning "eglantine, sweet briar".

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

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

Tri m & f Indonesian
Means "three, third" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit त्रि (tri).

Tria f English (Rare)
Perhaps a short form of Demetria and other names ending in a similar sound.

Triinu f Estonian
Diminutive of Katariina.

Trijntje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Katrijn.

Trinh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 貞 (trinh) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal".

Trini f Spanish
Short form of Trinidad.

Trinidad f & m Spanish
Means "trinity" in Spanish, referring to the Holy Trinity. An island in the West Indies bears this name.

Trinity f English
From the English word Trinity, given in honour of the Christian belief that God has one essence, but three distinct expressions of being: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It has only been in use as a given name since the 20th century.

Trista f English
Feminine form of Tristan.

Tristán m Spanish
Spanish form of Tristan.

Tristan m English, French, Arthurian Cycle
Probably 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.

Tristão m Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese form of Tristan.

Tristin m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Tristan, sometimes used as a feminine form.

Tristram m English (British)
Medieval English form of Tristan.

Trix f English
Short form of Beatrix.

Trixie f English
Diminutive of Beatrix.

Troels m Danish
Danish form of Þórgísl.

Trophimus m Biblical Latin, Biblical
From the Greek name Τρόφιμος (Trophimos) meaning "nourishing", a derivative of τροφή (trophe) meaning "nourishment, food". In the New Testament this is the name of a companion of Paul.