Names Deemed "strong"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is strong.
gender
usage
impression
Ruzha f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Means "hollyhock" in Bulgarian (referring to flowering plants from the genera Alcea and Althaea). This is also an alternate transcription of Macedonian Ружа (see Ruža).
Ryan m English
From a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Riain. This patronymic derives from the given name Rian, which is of uncertain meaning. It is traditionally said to mean "little king", from Irish "king" combined with a diminutive suffix.... [more]
Ryder m English (Modern)
From an English occupational surname derived from Old English ridere meaning "mounted warrior" or "messenger". It has grown in popularity in the 2000s because it starts with the same sound found in other popular names like Ryan and Riley.
Ryker m English (Modern)
Possibly a variant of the German surname Riker, a derivative of Low German rike "rich". As a modern English name, it has become popular because it shares the same trendy sounds found in other names such as Ryan and Ryder.
Ryland m English (Modern)
From an English surname, which was originally derived from a place name meaning "rye land" in Old English.
Ryo m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji or or or (see Ryō).
Ryō m Japanese
From Japanese (ryō) meaning "clear", (ryō) meaning "cool, refreshing", (ryō) meaning "distant" or (ryō) meaning "reality", as well as other kanji that have the same pronunciation.
Ryoichi m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 良一 or 亮一 (see Ryōichi).
Ryōta m Japanese
From Japanese (ryō) meaning "cool, refreshing", (ryō) meaning "clear" or (ryō) meaning "good" combined with (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". This name can also be formed of other kanji combinations.
Ryota m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 涼太 or 亮太 or 良太 (see Ryōta).
Ryouichi m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 良一 or 亮一 (see Ryōichi).
Ryouta m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 涼太 or 亮太 or 良太 (see Ryōta).
Ryszard m Polish
Polish form of Richard.
Ryū m Japanese
From Japanese 竜 or 龍 (ryū) meaning "dragon", as well as other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Ryūji m Japanese
From Japanese 竜 or 龍 (ryū) meaning "dragon" or (ryū) meaning "noble, prosperous" combined with (ji) meaning "two" or (ji) meaning "officer, boss". This name can also be formed using other kanji combinations.
Ryūnosuke m Japanese
From Japanese 竜 or 龍 (ryū) meaning "dragon" or (ryū) meaning "noble, prosperous" combined with (no), a possessive marker, and (suke) meaning "help, assist". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Ryuu m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji or (see Ryū).
Ryuunosuke m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 竜之介 or 龍之介 or 隆之介 (see Ryūnosuke).
Saar 2 m Hebrew
Means "storm" in Hebrew.
Saara f Finnish
Finnish form of Sarah.
Sabien f Dutch (Modern)
Dutch form of Sabina.
Sabino m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Sabinus (see Sabina).
Saburo m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 三郎 (see Saburō).
Saburou m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 三郎 (see Saburō).
Sacagawea f Indigenous American
Probably from Hidatsa tsakáka wía meaning "bird woman". Alternatively it could originate from the Shoshone language and mean "boat puller". This name was borne by a Native American woman who guided the explorers Lewis and Clark. She was of Shoshone ancestry but had been abducted in her youth and raised by a Hidatsa tribe.
Sacheverell m English (Rare)
From a now extinct English surname that was derived from a Norman place name. It was occasionally given in honour of the English preacher Henry Sacheverell (1674-1724), especially by the Sitwell noble family.
Sachin m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu
Possibly from Sanskrit सत् (sat) meaning "existence, essence". A famous bearer is the retired Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar (1973-).
Sa'di m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic سعدي (see Sadi).
Saeed m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Dhivehi
Alternate transcription of Arabic سعيد (see Said), as well as the usual Persian, Urdu and Dhivehi transcription.
Saga f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Icelandic
From Old Norse Sága, possibly meaning "seeing one", derived from sjá "to see". This is the name of a Norse goddess, possibly connected to Frigg. As a Swedish and Icelandic name, it is also derived from the unrelated word saga "story, fairy tale, saga".
Sa'id m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic سعيد (see Said).
Saif m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Means "sword" in Arabic.
Saif al-Din m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic سيف الدين (see Sayf ad-Din).
Saiful m Arabic, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay
First part of compound Arabic names beginning with سيف ال (Sayf al) meaning "sword of the" (such as Sayf ad-Din).
Saifullah m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic سيف الله or Urdu سیف اللہ (see Sayfullah).
Sajjad m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali
Means "one who prays" in Arabic, derived from سجد (sajada) meaning "to bow down, to prostrate".
Sakhr m Arabic
Means "solid rock" in Arabic. This name appears in the poems of the 7th-century poetess Al-Khansa.
Sakke m Finnish
Diminutive of Sakari.
Sal f & m English
Short form of Sally, Salvador and other names beginning with Sal.
Saladin m History
Anglicized form of Salah ad-Din.
Salah al-Din m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic صلاح الدين (see Salah ad-Din).
Salamon m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Solomon.
Salathiel m Biblical, Biblical Greek
Greek form of Shealtiel. This form is also used in some English translations of the Bible (including the King James Version).
Salem 2 f & m English (Modern)
From the name of a biblical town, שָׁלֵם (Shalem) in Hebrew, meaning "complete, safe, peaceful". According to the Old Testament this was the town where Melchizedek was king. It is usually identified with Jerusalem. Many places are named after the biblical town, most in America, notably a city in Massachusetts where the infamous Salem witch trials occurred in 1692.
Salman m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay
Means "safe" in Arabic, a derivative of سلم (salima) meaning "to be safe".
Salomão m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Solomon.
Salomon m French, Biblical French, Biblical Polish, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
French and Polish form of Solomon. This form also occurs in the Greek and Latin Old Testament (with the forms Σολομών and Solomon in the New Testament).
Saltanat f Kazakh
Means "festival, celebration" in Kazakh.
Salut f Catalan
Means "health" or "cheers" in Catalan.
Salvador m Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan
Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan form of the Late Latin name Salvator, which meant "saviour", referring to Jesus. A famous bearer of this name was the Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dalí (1904-1989).
Salvatore m Italian
Italian cognate of Salvador.
Salvatrix f Late Roman
Feminine form of Salvator.
Sam 1 m & f English
Short form of Samuel, Samson, Samantha and other names beginning with Sam. A notable fictional bearer is Sam Spade, a detective in Dashiell Hammett's novel The Maltese Falcon (1930). In J. R. R. Tolkien's 1954 novel The Lord of the Rings (1954) this is a short form of Samwise.
Sam 2 m Persian, Persian Mythology
Means "fire" in Persian (from an earlier Iranian root meaning "black"). This is the name of a hero in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Samad m Arabic
Means "eternal" in Arabic.
Samael m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Means "venom of God" in Hebrew. This is the name of an archangel in Jewish tradition, described as a destructive angel of death.
Samanta f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Latvian, Polish
Variant of Samantha used in several languages.
Samar 1 f Arabic
Means "evening conversation" in Arabic, from the root سمر (samara) meaning "to talk in the evening".
Sameer 1 m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic سمير (see Samir 1).
Sameer 2 m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi समीर, Bengali সমীর or Gujarati સમીર (see Samir 2).
Samia 1 f Arabic, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Arabic سامية (see Samiya), as well as the usual Bengali transcription.
Samir 2 m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati
From Sanskrit समीर (samīra) meaning "wind, air".
Samnang m & f Khmer
Means "luck, fortune" in Khmer.
Sampo m Finnish, Finnish Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Finnish mythology this is the name of a magical artifact (perhaps a mill) created by the smith god Ilmarinen.
Sampson 2 m English
From an English surname that was itself derived from a medieval form of the given name Samson.
Samson m Biblical, English, French, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name שִׁמְשׁוֹן (Shimshon), derived from שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh) meaning "sun". Samson was an Old Testament hero granted exceptional strength by God. His mistress Delilah betrayed him and cut his hair, stripping him of his power. Thus he was captured by the Philistines, blinded, and brought to their temple. However, in a final act of strength, he pulled down the pillars of the temple upon himself and his captors.... [more]
Samuel m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemuʾel) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of "God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.... [more]
Samuil m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Samuel.
Samuli m Finnish
Finnish form of Samuel.
Samwise m Literature
Means "simple, half wise" from Old English sam "half" and wis "wise". This is the name of a hobbit in J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings (1954). Samwise Gamgee, often called Sam, is the faithful companion of Frodo on his quest to destroy the One Ring. Samwise is an English-like translation of his true hobbit name Banazîr.
Sancho m Spanish, Portuguese
Possibly a Spanish and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name Sanctius, which was derived from the word sanctus meaning "saintly, holy". Alternatively, Sancho and Sanctius may be derived from an older Iberian name. This was the name of a 9th-century saint who was martyred by the Moors at Córdoba. It was also borne by several Spanish and Portuguese kings. Miguel de Cervantes used it in his novel Don Quixote (1605), where it belongs to the squire of Don Quixote.
Sander m Dutch, Estonian, Danish, Norwegian
Dutch, Estonian, Danish and Norwegian short form of Alexander.
Sandford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Sanford.
Sandhya f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam
Means "twilight" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu goddess of twilight, a daughter of Brahma.
Sándor m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Alexander.
Sandra f Italian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Romanian
Short form of Alessandra. It was introduced to the English-speaking world (where it is usually used independently of Alexandra) by author George Meredith, who used it for the heroine in his novel Emilia in England (1864) and the reissued version Sandra Belloni (1887). A famous bearer is the American actress Sandra Bullock (1964-).
Sandro m Italian, Georgian
Short form of Alessandro (Italian) or Aleksandre (Georgian). Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) was an Italian Renaissance artist, the painter of The Birth of Venus and other famous works.
Sanford m English
From an English surname, originally from a place name, which meant "sand ford" in Old English.
Sang m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (sang) meaning "common, frequent, regular" or other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character.
Sang-Hun m Korean
From Sino-Korean (sang) meaning "still, yet" combined with (hun) meaning "meritorious deed, rank". Other hanja characters can form this name as well.
Sanjeet m Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi संजीत (see Sanjit).
Sanjeev m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi संजीव, Gujarati સંજીવ, Gurmukhi ਸੰਜੀਵ, Telugu సంజీవ్ or Kannada ಸಂಜೀವ್ (see Sanjiv).
Sanjit m Hindi, Bengali
From Sanskrit संजित (saṃjita) meaning "complete victory".
Sanjiv m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Kannada
Derived from Sanskrit संजीव (saṃjīva) meaning "living, reviving".
Sankar m Malayalam, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Malayalam ശങ്കർ or Bengali শংকর (see Shankar).
Sans m Medieval Spanish
Old variant of Sancho.
Santana f & m Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese (Brazilian), English (Modern)
From a contraction of Santa Ana (referring to Saint Anna) or from a Spanish and Portuguese surname derived from any of the numerous places named for the saint. It can be given in honour of the Mexican-American musician Carlos Santana (1947-), the founder of the band Santana. The name received a boost in popularity for American girls after the character Santana Andrade began appearing on the soap opera Santa Barbara in 1984.
Santiago m Spanish, Portuguese
Means "Saint James", derived from Spanish santo "saint" combined with Yago, an old Spanish form of James, the patron saint of Spain. It is the name of the main character in the novella The Old Man and the Sea (1951) by Ernest Hemingway. This also is the name of the capital city of Chile, as well as several other cities in the Spanish-speaking world.
Santino m Italian
Diminutive of Santo.
Santo m Italian
Means "saint" in Italian, ultimately from Latin sanctus.
Santos m Spanish
Means "saints" in Spanish. It is used in reference to the Christian festival Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints' Day) celebrated on November 1.
Santtu m Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Alexander.
Saraid f Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Sárait, derived from sár meaning "excellent". This was the name of a daughter of the legendary high king of Ireland, Conn of the Hundred Battles.
Sarangerel f Mongolian
Means "moonlight" in Mongolian, from саран (saran) meaning "moon" and гэрэл (gerel) meaning "light".
Sarava m Various (Rare)
From a phrase used by members of the Candomblé religion (an African religion that was taken to Brazil by African slaves), which means "good luck".
Sargon m Akkadian (Anglicized), Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew form סַרְגּוֹן (Sargon) of the Akkadian name Sharru-ukin, from šarru meaning "king" and kīnu meaning "legitimate, true". This was the name of the first king of the Akkadian Empire, beginning in the 24th century BC. It was also borne by the 8th-century BC Assyrian king Sargon II, who appears briefly in the Old Testament. The usual English spelling of the name is based on this biblical mention, applied retroactively to the earlier king.
Sarkis m Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Sargis.
Sarnai f Mongolian
Means "rose" in Mongolian.
Sarpedon m Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek legend Sarpedon was the son of Zeus and Laodamia, and the king of the Lycians. He was one of the chief warriors who fought against the Greeks in defence of Troy, but he was killed by Patroclus. Another Sarpedon was the son of Zeus and Europa.
Sashenka f Russian
Diminutive of Sasha.
Sashka f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian diminutive of Aleksandra, as well as an alternate transcription of Macedonian Сашка (see Saška).
Sasho m Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian diminutive of Alexander, as well as an alternate transcription of Macedonian Сашо (see Sašo).
Satan m Theology, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew שָׂטָן (saṭan) meaning "adversary". This is the Hebrew name of the enemy of the Judeo-Christian god. In the New Testament he is also known by the title Devil (Diabolos in Greek).
Satchel m English (Rare)
From an English surname derived from Old English sacc meaning "sack, bag", referring to a person who was a bag maker. A famous bearer was the American baseball player Satchel Paige (1906-1982). In his case it was a childhood nickname acquired because he sold bags.
Saturn m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Saturnus, which is of unknown meaning. In Roman mythology he was the father of Jupiter, Juno and others, and was also the god of agriculture. This is also the name of the ringed sixth planet in the solar system.
Saturnino m Spanish, Italian (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Saturninus.
Saturninus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from the name of the Roman god Saturnus (see Saturn). This was the name of several early saints.
Sauda f Swahili
Meaning uncertain, possibly a variant of Sawda.
Saúl m Spanish
Spanish form of Saul.
Saul m Biblical, Jewish, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name שָׁאוּל (Shaʾul) meaning "asked for, prayed for". This was the name of the first king of Israel, as told in the Old Testament. Before the end of his reign he lost favour with God, and after a defeat by the Philistines he was succeeded by David as king. In the New Testament, Saul was the original Hebrew name of the apostle Paul.
Saulė f Lithuanian, Baltic Mythology
Means "sun" in Lithuanian. This was the name of the Lithuanian sun goddess.
Sauron m Literature
Means "abhorred" in the fictional language Quenya. Sauron is a powerful evil being in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels, serving as the main antagonist in The Lord of the Rings (1954). During the novels he appears as a disembodied lidless eye, though in earlier times he took on other forms.
Sava m Serbian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Serbian, Bulgarian and Ukrainian form of Sabas.
Saverio m Italian
Italian form of Xavier.
Savio m Italian
Means "wise" in Italian.
Savitri f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi
Means "of the sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hymn in the Rigveda dedicated to Savitr, a sun god. This is also the name of Savitr's daughter, a wife of Brahma, considered an aspect of Saraswati. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata it is borne by King Satyavan's wife, who successfully pleas with Yama, the god of death, to restore her husband to life.
Sawney m Scots
Scots diminutive of Alexander.
Sawyer m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "sawer of wood". Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).... [more]
Saxa f Germanic (Latinized)
Old German form of Saskia.
Saxon m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the name of the Germanic tribe the Saxons, ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". This name can also be given in direct reference to the tribe.
Sayen f Mapuche
Meaning uncertain, possibly a derivative of Mapuche ayün "love".
Sayyid m Arabic
Means "lord, master" in Arabic. A famous bearer was the Egyptian musician Sayyid Darwish (1892-1923).
Scevola m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of the Roman cognomen Scaevola, which was derived from Latin scaevus "left-handed". The first bearer of this name was Gaius Mucius Scaevola, who acquired it, according to legend, after he thrust his right hand into a blazing fire in order to intimidate the Etruscan king Porsenna, who was blockading the city of Rome.
Scheherazade f Literature
Anglicized form of Shahrazad.
Scorpio m Astronomy
Means "scorpion" in Latin, from Greek σκορπίος (skorpios). This is the name of the eighth sign of the zodiac, associated with the constellation Scorpius.
Scorpius m Astronomy
From a Latin variant of Scorpio. This is the name of a zodiacal constellation said to have the shape of a scorpion. According to Greek and Roman legend it was the monster that was sent to kill Orion.
Scot m English, Scottish
Variant form of Scott.
Scott m English, Scottish
From an English and Scottish surname that referred to a person from Scotland or a person who spoke Scottish Gaelic. It is derived from Latin Scoti meaning "Gael, Gaelic speaker", with the ultimate origin uncertain.
Scout f & m English (Modern)
From the English word scout meaning "one who gathers information covertly", which is derived from Old French escouter "to listen". Harper Lee used this name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).
Seachlann m Irish (Rare)
Metathesized variant of Seachnall.
Seachnall m Irish (Rare)
Possibly an Irish form of Secundinus. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish saint, also known as Secundinus.
Seaghdh m Scottish Gaelic (Rare)
Scottish Gaelic form of Séaghdha.
Séaghdha m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Ségdae, probably derived from ségda meaning "fine, good, favourable, learned". According to an Irish legend this was the name of a boy who was set to be sacrificed but was saved by his mother.
Séamas m Irish
Irish form of James.
Séamus m Irish
Irish form of James.
Sean m Irish, English
Anglicized form of Seán. This name name, along with variants Shawn and Shaun, began to be be used in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland around the middle of the 20th century.
Séarlas m Irish
Irish form of Charles.
Sebastián m Spanish, Czech
Spanish and Czech form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Sebastian m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Finnish, Romanian, Czech
From the Latin name Sebastianus, which meant "from Sebaste". Sebaste was the name a town in Asia Minor, its name deriving from Greek σεβαστός (sebastos) meaning "venerable" (a translation of Latin Augustus, the title of the Roman emperors). According to Christian tradition, Saint Sebastian was a 3rd-century Roman soldier martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian. After he was discovered to be a Christian, he was tied to a stake and shot with arrows. This however did not kill him. Saint Irene of Rome healed him and he returned to personally admonish Diocletian, whereupon the emperor had him beaten to death.... [more]
Sebastiano m Italian
Italian form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Sebestyén m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Sechnall m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Seachnall.
Secundinus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name derived from the praenomen Secundus. Saint Secundinus, also known as Seachnall, was a 5th-century assistant to Saint Patrick who became the first bishop of Dunshaughlin.
Sefu m Swahili
Possibly a Swahili form of Saif.
Sekai f Shona
From Shona seka meaning "laugh".
Sekani m Tumbuka
Means "laugh" in Tumbuka.
Sekar m Tamil
Tamil form of Shekhar.
Selahattin m Turkish
Turkish form of Salah ad-Din.
Seleucus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Σέλευκος (Seleukos), of unknown meaning. It is possibly related to λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, white". This was the name of one of Alexander the Great's generals, who established the Seleucid Empire in western Asia after Alexander's death.
Selvaggia f Italian (Rare)
Means "wild" in Italian.
Selwyn m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from an Old English given name, which was formed of the elements sele "manor" and wine "friend".
Semih m Turkish
Means "generous" in Turkish.
Semiramis f Ancient Assyrian (Hellenized)
Probably from a Greek form of the name Shammuramat. According to ancient Greek and Armenian sources, Semiramis (Շամիրամ (Shamiram) in Armenian) was an Assyrian queen who conquered much of Asia. Though the tales are legendary, she might be loosely based on the real Assyrian queen.
Semyon m Russian
Russian form of Simon 1.
Senan m Irish
Anglicized form of Senán.
Sender m Yiddish
Yiddish form of Alexander.
Sendoa m Basque
Means "strong" in Basque.
Seneca m Ancient Roman
From a Roman cognomen derived from Latin senectus meaning "old". This was the name of both a Roman orator (born in Spain) and also of his son, a philosopher and statesman.... [more]
Seonag f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Joan 1.
Seong m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded", as well as other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. Although it does appear as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character.
Seong-Min m Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or (seong) meaning "nature, character, sex" combined with (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" or (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
Seòras m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of George.
Seòsaidh m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Josey.
Sepp m German
German diminutive of Josef.
Seppo 1 m Finnish, Finnish Mythology
Derived from Finnish seppä meaning "smith". Seppo Ilmarinen ("the smith Ilmarinen") is the name of a master craftsman in the Finnish epic the Kalevala.
Seppo 2 m Finnish
Finnish variant of Sepeteus or Sebastian.
Septimus m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, which meant "seventh" in Latin.
Sequoia f & m English (Rare)
From the name of huge trees that grow in California. The tree got its name from the 19th-century Cherokee scholar Sequoyah (also known as George Guess), the inventor of the Cherokee writing system.
Sequoyah m Cherokee
Probably derived from Cherokee ᏏᏆ (siqua) meaning "hog". This was the name of the Cherokee man (also known as George Guess) who devised the Cherokee writing system in the 19th century.
Serafeim m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Σεραφείμ (see Serafim).
Serdar m Turkish, Turkmen
Turkish and Turkmen form of Sardar.
Serge m French
French form of Sergius.
Sergei m Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Сергей (see Sergey).
Sergej m Serbian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Bulgarian
Serbian, Slovene, Czech and Slovak form of Sergey, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Сергей (see Sergey).
Sergey m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Sergius.
Serghei m Moldovan
Romanian form of Sergey.
Sergio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Sergius.
Sergiu m Romanian
Romanian form of Sergius.
Sergius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name, possibly meaning "servant" in Latin but most likely of unknown Etruscan origin. Saint Sergius was a 4th-century Roman officer who was martyred in Syria with his companion Bacchus. They are the patron saints of Christian desert nomads. Another saint by this name (in the Russian form Sergey) was a 14th-century Russian spiritual leader. The name was also borne by four popes.
Sergiusz m Polish
Polish form of Sergius.
Serhat m Turkish
Means "frontier" in Turkish.
Serik m Kazakh
Means "support" in Kazakh.
Serkan m Turkish
Means "leader, chief" from Turkish ser "head, top" and kan "blood".
Servius m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "to preserve" from Latin servo.
Sesto m Italian
Italian form of Sextus.
Seth 1 m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name שֵׁת (Sheṯ) meaning "placed, set". In the Old Testament he is the third named son of Adam and Eve, and the ancestor of Noah and all humankind. In England this name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Seth 2 m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
From Σήθ (Seth), the Greek form of Egyptian swtẖ or stẖ (reconstructed as Sutekh), which is of unknown meaning. Seth was the Egyptian god of chaos and the desert, the slayer of Osiris. Osiris's son Horus eventually defeats Seth and has him banished to the desert.
Setiawan m Indonesian
From Indonesian setia meaning "loyal, true", ultimately from Sanskrit सत्य (satya), combined with the masculine suffix -wan.
Seumas m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of James.
Seung m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seung) meaning "rise, ascend", (seung) meaning "victory" or (seung) meaning "inherit", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Sevastian m Russian (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Russian Севастьян (see Sevastyan).
Severiano m Spanish
Spanish form of the Roman cognomen Severianus, which was derived from Severus.
Severianus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was derived from Severus.
Séverin m French
French form of Severinus.
Severino m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Severinus.
Severinus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Severus. Severinus was the name of many early saints, including a 6th-century Roman philosopher martyred by the Ostrogothic king Theodoric. It was also borne by a pope.
Severo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Severus.
Severus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name meaning "stern" in Latin. This name was borne by several early saints including a 6th-century patriarch of Antioch.
Seweryn m Polish
Polish form of Severinus.
Sextilius m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Sextus.
Sextus m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "sixth" in Latin. It was traditionally given to the sixth child.
Seymour m English
From a Norman surname that originally belonged to a person coming from the French town of Saint Maur (which means "Saint Maurus").
Shad 1 m Persian
Means "happy" in Persian.
Shad 2 m English
Perhaps a variant of Chad.
Shadiya f Arabic
Feminine form of Shadi 1.
Shadrach m Biblical
Means "command of Aku" in Akkadian, Aku being the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Old Testament Shadrach is the Babylonian name of Hananiah, one of the three men cast into a fiery furnace but saved by God.
Shafiq m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Malay
Means "compassionate" in Arabic, from the root شفق (shafaqa) meaning "to pity, to sympathize".
Shafiqa f Arabic
Feminine form of Shafiq.
Shahar f & m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew שַׁחַר (see Shachar).
Shaheen m Persian, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Persian شاهین (see Shahin), as well as the usual Urdu transcription.
Shahin m Persian, Arabic, Bengali
Means "falcon" in Persian, referring more specifically to the Barbary falcon (species Falco pelegrinoides). The bird's name is a derivative of Persian شاه (shāh) meaning "king".
Shahira f Arabic
Means "renowned" in Arabic.
Shahjahan m Urdu
Means "king of the world" from Persian شاه (shāh) meaning "king" and جهان (jahān) meaning "world". This was the name of the 17th-century Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal.
Shahrazad f Persian (Rare), Arabic
Possibly means "noble lineage" from Persian چهر (chehr) meaning "lineage, origin" and آزاد (āzād) meaning "free, noble". Alternatively, it might mean "child of the city" from شهر (shahr) meaning "city, land" combined with the suffix زاد (zād) meaning "child of". This is the name of the fictional storyteller in The 1001 Nights. She tells a story to her husband the king every night for 1001 nights in order to delay her execution.
Shahriar m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian شهریار (see Shahriyar).
Shahriyar m Persian
Means "lord" in Persian.
Shahrokh m Persian
Means "royal face" in Persian, from شاه (shāh) meaning "king" and رخ (rokh) meaning "face". This was the name of a 15th-century ruler of the Timurid Empire (a son of Timur).
Shahrzad f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian شهرزاد (see Shahrazad).
Shahzad m Persian, Arabic, Urdu
Means "prince, son of the king" in Persian.
Shakil m Arabic
Means "handsome" in Arabic.
Shakila f Arabic
Feminine form of Shakil.
Shakir m Arabic, Urdu
Means "thankful" in Arabic, from the root شكر (shakara) meaning "to thank".
Shakira f Arabic
Feminine form of Shakir. A famous bearer is the Colombian singer Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (1977-), known simply as Shakira.
Shakti f & m Hinduism, Hindi
Means "power" in Sanskrit. In Hinduism a shakti is the female counterpart of a god. The name Shakti is used in particular to refer to the female counterpart of Shiva, also known as Parvati among many other names.
Shakuntala f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शकुन्त (śakunta) meaning "bird". This is the name of a character in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata, with the story adapted by Kalidasa for the 5th-century play Abhijnanashakuntalam. It tells how Shakuntala, who was raised in the forest by birds, meets and marries the king Dushyanta. After a curse is laid upon them Dushyanta loses his memory and they are separated, but eventually the curse is broken after the king sees the signet ring he gave her.
Shamgar m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Meaning unknown, possibly of Hittite origin. Shamgar was one of the Old Testament judges.
Shamira f Hebrew
Means "guardian, protector" in Hebrew, from the root שָׁמַר (shamar) "to guard, to watch".
Shams f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Semitic Mythology
Means "sun" in Arabic. This was the name of a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess of the sun, identified with the Akkadian sun god Shamash (whose name is related) and the northern Arabian goddess Nuha.
Shamus m Irish
Anglicized form of Séamus.
Shandar m Urdu
Means "fabulous" in Urdu.
Shandiin f & m Navajo
From Navajo sháńdíín meaning "sunshine".
Shane m Irish, English
Anglicized form of Seán. It came into general use in America after the release of the western movie Shane (1953).
Shani 1 f & m Hebrew
Means "red, scarlet" in Hebrew.
Shanika f African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements sha, nee and ka.
Shankara m Hinduism
Derived from the Sanskrit elements शम् (śam) meaning "auspicious, lucky" and कर (kara) meaning "maker". This is another name of the Hindu gods Rudra or Shiva. This was also the name of a 9th-century Indian religious philosopher also known as Shankaracharya.
Shanta f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "pacified, calm" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Ramayana this is the name of a princess of Anga who marries Rishyasringa.
Shantanu m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Means "wholesome" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of a king of Hastinapura.
Sharar m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "enemy" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Ahiam.
Shareef m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شريف (see Sharif).
Shariah m Arabic (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Arabic شريعة (see Sharia).
Sharif m Arabic, Urdu, Pashto, Persian, Tajik, Uzbek, Malay
Means "noble, eminent" in Arabic, a derivative of شرف (sharufa) meaning "to be noble, to be illustrious". This was a title used by the descendants of Muhammad.
Sharon f & m English, Hebrew
From an Old Testament place name, in Hebrew שָׁרוֹן (Sharon) meaning "plain", referring to a fertile plain on the central west coast of Israel. This is also the name of a flowering plant in the Bible, the rose of Sharon, a term now used to refer to several different species of flowers.... [more]
Sharyn f English
Variant of Sharon.
Shaun m English
Anglicized form of Seán. This is the more common spelling in the United Kingdom and Australia, while Shawn is preferred in the United States and Canada (though it got a boost in America after the singer Shaun Cassidy released his debut album in 1976).
Shauna f English
Feminine form of Shaun.
Shavonne f English (Modern), African American (Modern)
Anglicized form of Siobhán. In some cases it might be considered a combination of the phonetic element sha and Yvonne.
Shaw m English (Rare)
From a surname. As an English surname it is derived from Old English sceaga meaning "thicket". As a Scottish surname it is derived from the Gaelic byname Sitheach meaning "wolf".
Shawn m & f English
Anglicized form of Seán, occasionally used as a feminine form. This is the most common spelling of this name in the United States and Canada, with Shaun being more typical in the United Kingdom and Australia.
Shawnda f English
Variant of Shonda.
Shay 2 m & f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew שַׁי (see Shai).
Sheamus m Irish
Anglicized form of Séamus.
Sheard m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "gap between hills" in Old English.
Sheba m Biblical
Probably from the name of the Sabaean people, who had a kingdom in the southern Arabian Peninsula and eastern Ethiopia. Sheba is a place name in the Old Testament, famous as the home of the Queen of Sheba, who visited King Solomon after hearing of his wisdom. This name is also borne by several male characters in the Bible.
Sheela f Marathi, Kannada, Hindi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Shila.
Sheherazade f Literature
Anglicized form of Shahrazad.
Shekhar m Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Gujarati
From Sanskrit शेखर (śekhara) meaning "crest, crown, peak".
Shekinah f Various
From the Hebrew word שׁכִינה (sheḵina) meaning "God's manifested glory" or "God's presence". This word does not appear in the Bible, but later Jewish scholars used it to refer to the dwelling place of God, especially the Temple in Jerusalem.
Shem m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "name" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Shem is one of Noah's three sons (along with Japheth and Ham) and the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
Shemu'el m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Samuel.
Shenandoah m Oneida (Anglicized)
Variant of Skenandoa, or from the name of the Shenandoah River (names that may or may not be connected). The traditional American folk song Oh Shenandoah may refer to the Oneida chief Skenandoa or to the river; it is unclear.
Shepherd m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "sheep herder, shepherd".
Sherif m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شريف (see Sharif).
Sherlock m Literature
Used by Scottish author Arthur Conan Doyle for his character Sherlock Holmes, who was a detective in Doyle's mystery stories beginning in 1887. The character's name was from an English surname meaning "shear lock", originally referring to a person with closely cut hair.
Sherwood m English
From an English place name (or from a surname that was derived from it) meaning "bright forest". This was the name of the forest in which the legendary outlaw Robin Hood made his home.
Shichiro m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 七郎 (see Shichirō).
Shichirou m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 七郎 (see Shichirō).
Shigeru m Japanese
From Japanese (shigeru) meaning "lush, luxuriant", as well as other kanji having the same reading. A famous bearer is the Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto (1952-).
Shihab m Arabic
Means "shooting star, meteor" in Arabic.
Shimon m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Simeon (and Simon 1).
Shin m Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "real, genuine" or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Shingo m Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "real, genuine" or (shin) meaning "prudent, careful" combined with (go) meaning "I, me". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Shinobu m & f Japanese
From Japanese (shinobu) meaning "endurance, patience", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations having the same pronunciation.
Shinsuke m Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "extend, stretch, open" or (shin) meaning "real, genuine" combined with (suke) meaning "help, assist". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Shiro m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 四郎 (see Shirō).
Shiv m Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi
Northern Indian form of Shiva 1.
Shiva 1 m Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit शिव (śiva) meaning "benign, kind, auspicious". Shiva is the Hindu god of destruction and restoration, the husband of the mother goddess Parvati. Though he does not appear in the Vedas, Shiva nevertheless incorporates elements of Vedic deities such as the storm god Rudra. He is often depicted with four arms and a third eye, and has both fierce and gentle aspects.... [more]
Shmuel m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Samuel.
Sho m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji or or (see Shō).
Shō m Japanese
From Japanese (shō) meaning "soar, glide" or (shō) meaning "prize, reward" or (shō) meaning "good luck, good omen". Other kanji with identical pronunciations can also form this name.
Shobha f Kannada, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शोभा (śobhā) meaning "brilliance".
Shōhei m Japanese
From Japanese (shō) meaning "soar, glide" and (hei) meaning "level, even, peaceful", in addition to other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Shohreh f Persian
Means "famous" in Persian.
Sholto m Scottish
Probably an Anglicized form of Gaelic sìoltaich meaning "sower, propagator". It has occasionally been used in the Douglas family since the 17th century, after David Hume of Godscroft claimed it was the name of the 7th-century founder of the clan.