Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the length is 7; and the community's impression is strong.
gender
usage
length
impression
Margery f English
Medieval English form of Margaret.
Mariano m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Marianus. It is sometimes regarded as a masculine form of Maria.
Marijan m Croatian, Slovene
Croatian and Slovene form of Marianus.
Marinus m Ancient Roman, Dutch
From the Roman family name Marinus, which derives either from the name Marius or from the Latin word marinus "of the sea". Saint Marinus was a 4th-century stonemason who built a chapel on Monte Titano, in the country that is today known as San Marino.
Mariska f Hungarian, Dutch
Diminutive of Maria.
Mariusz m Polish
Polish form of Marius.
Markéta f Czech
Czech form of Margaret.
Marloes f Dutch
Combination of Maria and Loes.
Marshal m English
Variant of Marshall.
Martial m French, History
From the Roman cognomen Martialis, which was derived from the name of the Roman god Mars. The name was borne by Marcus Valerius Martialis, now commonly known as Martial, a Roman poet of the 1st century.
Martino m Italian
Italian form of Martinus (see Martin).
Marzell m German (Rare)
German variant of Marcellus.
Marzena f Polish
Probably originally a Polish diminutive of Maria or Małgorzata.
Masamba m Yao
Means "leaves, vegetables" in Yao.
Masashi m Japanese
From Japanese (masa) meaning "government" or (masa) meaning "elegant, graceful" combined with (shi) meaning "will, purpose". Many other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Massimo m Italian
Italian form of Maximus.
Mateusz m Polish
Polish form of Matthew.
Mathieu m French
French variant form of Matthew.
Mathúin m Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish form of Mathgamain.
Matilda f English, Swedish, Finnish, Slovak, Slovene
From the Germanic name Mahthilt meaning "strength in battle", from the elements maht "might, strength" and hilt "battle". Saint Matilda was the wife of the 10th-century German king Henry I the Fowler. The name was common in many branches of European royalty in the Middle Ages. It was brought to England by the Normans, being borne by the wife of William the Conqueror himself. Another notable royal by this name was a 12th-century daughter of Henry I of England, known as the Empress Matilda because of her first marriage to the Holy Roman emperor Henry V. She later invaded England, laying the foundations for the reign of her son Henry II.... [more]
Matrona 1 f Russian (Rare), Late Roman
Means "lady" in Late Latin, a derivative of Latin mater "mother". This was the name of three early saints.
Matthei m Old Church Slavic
Old Church Slavic form of Matthew.
Matthew m English, Biblical
English form of Ματθαῖος (Matthaios), which is the New Testament Greek form of Mattithiah. Matthew, probably also called Levi, was one of the twelve apostles. He was a tax collector, and supposedly the author of the first gospel in the New Testament. He is considered a saint in many Christian traditions. The variant Matthias also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a separate apostle.... [more]
Mattias m Swedish, Estonian
Swedish and Estonian form of Matthias.
Maurice m French, English
From the Roman name Mauritius, a derivative of Maurus. Saint Maurice was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Egypt. He and the other Christians in his legion were supposedly massacred on the orders of Emperor Maximian for refusing to worship Roman gods. Thus, he is the patron saint of infantry soldiers.... [more]
Maurits m Dutch
Dutch form of Maurice.
Maxence m French
French form of the Roman name Maxentius, a derivative of Latin maximus "greatest". This was the agnomen of an early 4th-century Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius, a rival of Constantine. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint from Agde in France.
Maximus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Latin maximus "greatest". Saint Maximus was a monk and theologian from Constantinople in the 7th century.
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]
Meallán m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Mellán, derived from mell meaning either "pleasant, delightful" or "lump, ball" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a few early saints.
Megaera f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Μέγαιρα (Megaira), which was derived from μεγαίρω (megairo) meaning "to grudge". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. The name is used as a word in several European languages to denote a shrewish, ill-tempered woman (for example, French mégère and Italian megera).
Mehrdad m Persian
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and داد (dād) meaning "given". Since مهر is also the Modern Persian form of Mithra, this name can also function as a modern form of Mithridates.
Meinrad m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements megin "power, strength" and rat "counsel, advice". Saint Meinrad was a 9th-century hermit who founded the Benedictine abbey at Einsiedeln in Switzerland.
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.
Melchor m Spanish
Spanish form of Melchior.
Memphis m & f English (Modern)
From the name of an important city of ancient Egypt, or the city in Tennessee that was named after it. It is derived from a Greek form of Egyptian mn-nfr meaning "enduring beauty".
Menahem m Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name מְנַחֵם (Menaḥem) meaning "comforter", a derivative of נָחַם (naḥam) meaning "to comfort". This was the name of a king of Israel, appearing in the Old Testament. His reign was noted for its brutality.
Mercury m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Mercurius, probably derived from Latin mercari "to trade" or merces "wages". This was the name of the Roman god of trade, merchants, and travellers, later equated with the Greek god Hermes. This is also the name of the first planet in the solar system and a metallic chemical element, both named for the god.
Merrick m English (Modern)
From a Welsh surname that was originally derived from the given name Meurig.
Meshach m Biblical
Possibly means "who is what Aku is?" in Akkadian, Aku being the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament this is the Babylonian name of Mishael, one of the three men cast into a blazing furnace but saved from harm by God.
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.
Micaiah m & f Biblical
Means "who is like Yahweh?" in Hebrew, derived from the interrogative pronoun מִי (mi) combined with ךְּ (ke) meaning "like" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name occurs in the Old Testament in a variety of Hebrew spellings, belonging to both males and females. It is the full name of Micah, both the prophet and the man from the Book of Judges. As a feminine name it belongs to the mother of King Abijah (at 2 Chronicles 13:2), though her name is listed as Maacah in other passages.
Micajah m & f Biblical
Variant of Micaiah.
Michaël m Dutch, French
Dutch and French form of Michael.
Michael m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Miḵaʾel) meaning "who is like God?", derived from the interrogative pronoun מִי (mi) combined with ךְּ (ke) meaning "like" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.... [more]
Micheal m English
Variant of Michael.
Michiel m Dutch
Dutch form of Michael.
Mickaël m French
French variant form of Michael.
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).
Miĥaelo m Esperanto
Original Esperanto form of Michael.
Mikha'el m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Michael.
Mikhael m Hebrew, Biblical Greek
Alternate transcription of Hebrew מִיכָאֵל or Ancient Greek Μιχαήλ (see Michael).
Mikha'il m Arabic
Arabic form of Michael.
Mikhail m Russian, Belarusian, Bulgarian
Russian and Belarusian form of Michael, and an alternate transcription of Bulgarian Михаил (see Mihail). This was the name of two Russian tsars. Other notable bearers include the Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841), the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022), and the Latvian-Russian-American dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov (1948-).
Mikoláš m Czech
Czech variant form of Nicholas.
Mikuláš m Slovak, Czech
Slovak and Czech form of Nicholas.
Milanka f Serbian, Croatian
Feminine form of Milan.
Millard m English
From an occupational English surname meaning "guardian of the mill" in Old English.
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.
Miodrag m Serbian, Croatian
Derived from the element mio, a Serbo-Croatian form of the Slavic element milŭ meaning "dear", combined with dorgŭ meaning "precious".
Mirembe f Ganda
Means "peace" in Luganda.
Mirjami f Finnish
Finnish form of Miriam.
Momchil m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian момче (momche) meaning "boy".
Mongkut m Thai
Means "crown" in Thai.
Montana f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the American state, which is derived from Latin montanus "mountainous".
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.
Morgana f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Morgan 1.
Morteza m Persian
Persian form of Murtada.
Mostafa m Persian, Bengali, Arabic
Persian and Bengali form of Mustafa, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.
Muhamad m Indonesian, Malay, Avar
Indonesian, Malay and Avar variant 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.
Mukesha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of Muka" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Shiva, given to him because he killed Muka, a demon in the form of a wild boar.
Mukhtar m Arabic, Urdu, Kazakh
Means "chosen" in Arabic, derived from اختار (ikhtāra) meaning "to choose".
Munashe m & f Shona
Means "with God" in Shona, derived from ishe meaning "lord, God".
Murdoch m Scottish
Anglicized form of Muireadhach.
Murtada m Arabic
Means "chosen" in Arabic. This is an epithet of Ali, the fourth caliph.
Murtagh m Irish
Anglicized form of Muirchertach.
Murtaza m Urdu, Arabic
Urdu form of Murtada, as well as an alternate transcription of the Arabic name.
Murugan m Hinduism, Tamil
From a Tamil word meaning "young". This was the name of a Tamil war god who is now identified with Skanda.
Mustafa m Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian, Urdu, Kazakh, Indonesian, Malay
Means "chosen" in Arabic, derived from اصطفا (iṣṭafā) meaning "to choose". This is an epithet of the Prophet Muhammad. It was borne by four Ottoman sultans. Another famous bearer was Mustafa Kemal (1881-1938), also known as Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.
Mykolas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Michael.
Myrddin m Welsh Mythology, Welsh
Original Welsh form of Merlin. It is probably ultimately from the name of the Romano-British settlement Moridunum, derived from Celtic *mori "sea" and *dūnom "rampart, hill fort". Prefixed with Welsh caer "fort", this town has been called Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen in English) from medieval times. It is thought that Caerfyrddin may have mistakenly been interpreted as meaning "fort of Myrddin", as if Myrddin were a personal name instead of a later development of Moridunum.... [more]
Nadzeya f Belarusian
Belarusian cognate of Nadezhda, being the Belarusian word meaning "hope".
Naomhán m Irish
Means "little saint", derived from Irish naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Narayan m Hindi, Nepali, Marathi, Odia, Bengali
Modern northern Indian form of Narayana.
Natacha f French, Portuguese
French and Portuguese form of Natasha.
Nazaire m French (Rare)
French 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.
Nazario m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Nazarius.
Nebojša m Serbian, Croatian
Means "fearless" in Serbian and Croatian, from the Old Slavic root nebojĭ.
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).
Nedelka f Macedonian
Macedonian feminine form of Nedeljko.
Nemanja m Serbian
Possibly from Slavic ne maniti meaning "not deceiving, not luring, not attracting". Another theory states that it means "without possessions", derived from Serbo-Croatian nemati meaning "have not". This was the name of a 12th-century Serbian king, and the name of the dynasty he began.
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.
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.
Nestore m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Nestor.
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.
Nicolae m Romanian
Romanian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu (1918-1989).
Nicolao m Italian (Rare)
Italian variant form of Nicholas.
Nicolás m Spanish
Spanish form of Nicholas.
Nicolas m French
French form of Nicholas.
Nicolau m Portuguese, Galician, Catalan
Portuguese, Galician and Catalan form of Nicholas.
Nicușor m Romanian
Diminutive of Nicolae.
Niklaus m German (Swiss)
Swiss German form of Nicholas.
Nikodem m Polish
Polish form of Nicodemus.
Nikodim m Russian
Russian form of Nicodemus.
Nikolai m Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Николай (see Nikolay).
Nikolaj m Danish, Slovene
Danish and Slovene form of Nicholas.
Nikolao m Esperanto
Esperanto form of Nicholas.
Nikolas m Greek, English
Variant of Nikolaos (Greek) or Nicholas (English).
Nikoloz m Georgian
Georgian form of Nicholas.
Nishant m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
From Sanskrit निशान्त (niśānta) meaning "night's end, dawn".
Nkosana m Xhosa
Means "prince" in Xhosa.
Nollaig f & m Irish
Means "Christmas" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century as a translation of Noël.
Norbert m German, English, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements nord meaning "north" and beraht meaning "bright". This was the name of an 11th-century German saint who made many reforms within the Church.
Normand m French (Quebec)
French form of Norman.
Nosipho f Zulu, Xhosa
From the Zulu and Xhosa feminine prefix no- combined with isipho "gift".
Nosizwe f Xhosa
From the Xhosa feminine prefix no- combined with isizwe "nation".
Nsonowa m & f Akan
Means "seventh born child" in Akan.
Numitor m Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Roman mythology Numitor was the king of Alba Longa and the father of Rhea Silvia. He was overthrown by his brother Amulius, but reinstated by his grandsons Romulus and Remus.
Nurasyl m Kazakh (Rare)
From Kazakh нұр (nur) meaning "light" and асыл (asyl) meaning "precious, noble" (both words ultimately of Arabic origin).
Nurzhan m Kazakh
From Kazakh нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) and жан (zhan) meaning "soul" (of Persian origin).
Nynniaw m Old Welsh
Probably a Welsh form of *Ninniau (see Ninian). This form is used for Nennius in Brut y Brenhinedd, the Middle Welsh translation of the 12th-century Latin chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth. The name also appears in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen belonging to a man who is transformed into an ox.
Obadiah m Biblical
Means "servant of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from עָבַד (ʿavaḏ) meaning "to serve, to worship" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets, the author of the Book of Obadiah, which predicts the downfall of the nation of Edom. This is also the name of several other biblical characters.
Obdulia f Spanish
Meaning unknown. This was the name of a saint from Toledo, Spain. The details of her life are unknown.
Octávia f Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese form of Octavia.
Octavia f English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Octavius. Octavia was the wife of Mark Antony and the sister of the Roman emperor Augustus. In 19th-century England it was sometimes given to the eighth-born child.
Octavio m Spanish
Spanish form of Octavius.
October f English (Rare)
From the name of the tenth month. It is derived from Latin octo meaning "eight", because it was originally the eighth month of the Roman year.
Odoacer m Gothic (Latinized)
From the Gothic name *Audawakrs meaning "wealthy and vigilant", derived from the elements auds "wealth" and wakrs "vigilant". Odoacer, sometimes called Odovacar, was a 5th-century Gothic leader who overthrew the last Western Roman emperor and became the first barbarian king of Italy.
Oedipus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Οἰδίπους (Oidipous), meaning "swollen foot" from οἰδέω (oideo) meaning "to swell" and πούς (pous) meaning "foot". In Greek mythology Oedipus was the son of the Theban king Laius and his wife Jocasta. Laius received a prophesy that he would be killed by his son, so he left the newborn to die of exposure. Oedipus was however rescued and raised in the home of the Corinthian king Polybus. After he had grown and learned of the same prophesy, Oedipus left Corinth so that he would not be a danger to Polybus, whom he assumed was his father. On the road to Delphi he chanced upon his real father Laius and slew him in a petty disagreement, thus fulfilling the prophecy. He then correctly answered the Sphinx's riddle, winning the now vacant throne of Thebes and marrying the widowed Queen Jocasta, his own mother. Years later they learned the truth of their relationship, prompting Jocasta to commit suicide and Oedipus to blind himself.
Oighrig f Scottish Gaelic
From the older Gaelic name Aithbhreac, derived from the intensive prefix ath- and breac "speckled". It has been Anglicized as Effie, Euphemia and Affrica.
Okeanos m Greek Mythology
From the name of the river or body of water thought by the ancient Greeks to surround the Earth. In Greek mythology Okeanos was the Titan who personified this body of water.
Okonkwo m Igbo
Means "boy (born on) Nkwo" in Igbo, Nkwo being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Okropir m Georgian
Means "golden mouth" in Georgian, a translation of Greek Chrysostomos.
Oktawia f Polish
Polish form of Octavia.
Olabode m Yoruba
Means "wealth returns" in Yoruba.
Oldřich m Czech
Czech form of Ulrich.
Oldrich m Slovak
Slovak form of Ulrich.
Oleksiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Alexius.
Olujimi m Yoruba
Means "God forgives me" in Yoruba.
Olumide m Yoruba
Means "my God has come" in Yoruba.
Olympia f Greek, Slovak
Feminine form of Olympos.
Olympos m Ancient Greek
From a Greek personal name that was derived from the place name Olympos, the name of the mountain home of the Greek gods.
Opeyemi f & m Yoruba
Means "gratitude is suitable for me" in Yoruba.
Orestes m Greek Mythology
Means "of the mountains", derived from Greek ὄρος (oros) meaning "mountain" and ἵστημι (histemi) meaning "to stand". In Greek myth he was the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. He killed his mother and her lover Aegisthus after they killed his father.
Orlanda f Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Orlando.
Orlando m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Carolingian Cycle
Italian form of Roland, as used in the epic poems Orlando Innamorato (1483) by Matteo Maria Boiardo and the continuation Orlando Furioso (1532) by Ludovico Ariosto. In the poems, Orlando is a knight in Charlemagne's army who battles against the invading Saracens. A character in Shakespeare's play As You Like It (1599) also bears this name, as does a city in Florida.
Orpheus m Greek Mythology
Perhaps related to Greek ὄρφνη (orphne) meaning "the darkness of night". In Greek mythology Orpheus was a poet and musician who went to the underworld to retrieve his dead wife Eurydice. He succeeded in charming Hades with his lyre, and he was allowed to lead his wife out of the underworld on the condition that he not look back at her until they reached the surface. Unfortunately, just before they arrived his love for her overcame his will and he glanced back at her, causing her to be drawn back to Hades.
Orsolya f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Ursula.
Orville m English
This name was invented by the 18th-century writer Fanny Burney, who perhaps intended it to mean "golden city" in French. Orville Wright (1871-1948), together with his brother Wilbur, invented the first successful airplane.
Osborne m English
From a surname that was a variant of Osborn.
Osvaldo m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Oswald.
Othello m Literature
Perhaps a diminutive of Otho. William Shakespeare used this name in his tragedy Othello (1603), where it belongs to a Moor who is manipulated by Iago into killing his wife Desdemona.
Othniel m Biblical
Meaning uncertain, possibly "lion of God" or "strength of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is a nephew or brother of Caleb who becomes the first of the ruling judges of the Israelites.
Ottavio m Italian
Italian form of Octavius.
Ottokar m German (Rare)
German form of Odoacer.
Ourania f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek οὐράνιος (ouranios) meaning "heavenly". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of astronomy and astrology, one of the nine Muses.
Ovidius m Ancient Roman
Latin form of Ovid.
Øystein m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Eysteinn.
Ozazias m Biblical Greek
Form of Azaziah used in the Greek Bible.
Pádraic m Irish
Irish form of Patrick.
Pádraig m Irish
Irish form of Patrick.
Pàdraig m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Patrick.
Palmiro m Italian
Means "pilgrim" in Italian. In medieval times it denoted one who had been a pilgrim to Palestine. It is ultimately from the word palma meaning "palm tree", because of the custom of pilgrims to bring palm fronds home with them. The name is sometimes given to a child born on Palm Sunday.
Pancras m English (Archaic)
Medieval English form of Pancratius. The relics of the 4th-century saint Pancratius were sent to England by Pope Gregory the Great, leading to the saint's veneration there.
Panfilo m Italian
Italian form of Pamphilos. The Italian author Boccaccio used this name in his work The Decameron (1350).
Panther m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name meaning "panther".
Parvaiz m Urdu
Alternate transcription of Urdu پرویز (see Parvez).
Pastora f Spanish
Feminine form of Pastor.
Patrick m Irish, English, French, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
From the Latin name Patricius, which meant "nobleman". This name was adopted in the 5th-century by Saint Patrick, whose birth name was Sucat. He was a Romanized Briton who was captured and enslaved in his youth by Irish raiders. After six years of servitude he escaped home, but he eventually became a bishop and went back to Ireland as a missionary. He is traditionally credited with Christianizing the island, and is regarded as Ireland's patron saint. He is called Pádraig in Irish.... [more]
Pegasus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Πήγασος (Pegasos), possibly either from πηγός (pegos) meaning "strong" or πηγαῖος (pegaios) meaning "from a water spring". In Greek mythology Pegasus was the winged horse that sprang from the blood of Medusa after she was killed by Perseus. There is a constellation in the northern sky named after the horse.
Peredur m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
Meaning uncertain. It possibly means "hard spears" from Welsh peri "spears" and dur "hard, steel". In early Welsh poetry and histories, the brothers Peredur and Gwrgi were chieftains in Cumbria who defeated Gwenddoleu at the Battle of Arfderydd. This name was later used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth in the Latin form Peredurus for an early (fictitious) king of Britain. Entering into Arthurian romance, Peredur is an aspiring knight in the 14th-century Welsh tale Peredur son of Efrawg (an adaptation or parallel of Chrétien de Troyes' hero Percival).
Perseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Perseus was a hero who was said to have founded the ancient city of Mycenae. He was the son of Zeus and Danaë. Mother and child were exiled by Danaë's father Acrisius, and Perseus was raised on the island of Seriphos. The king of the island compelled Perseus to kill the Gorgon Medusa, who was so ugly that anyone who gazed upon her was turned to stone. After obtaining winged sandals and other tools from the gods, he succeeded in his task by looking at Medusa in the reflection of his shield and slaying her in her sleep. On his return he defeated a sea monster in order to save Andromeda, who became his wife.
Phanuel m Biblical, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Form of Penuel used in the New Testament, where it is borne by the father of Anna the prophetess. It also appears in the apocryphal Book of Enoch belonging to an angel.
Pherick m Manx
Manx form of Patrick.
Philipa f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Philip.
Phillip m English
Variant of Philip, inspired by the usual spelling of the surname.
Phineas m Biblical
Variant of Phinehas used in some English versions of the Old Testament.
Phoebus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοῖβος (Phoibos), which meant "bright, pure". This was an epithet of the Greek god Apollo.
Phoenix m & f English (Modern)
From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοῖνιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".
Photios m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)).
Phrixus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Φρίξος (Phrixos) meaning "thrilling, causing shivers", derived from φρίξ (phrix) meaning "ripple, shiver". In Greek myth Phrixus was the son of Athamus and Nephele. He was to be sacrificed to Zeus, but he escaped with his sister Helle on the back of the ram with the Golden Fleece.
Pontius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Roman family name. The family had Samnite roots so the name probably originated from the Oscan language, likely meaning "fifth" (a cognate of Latin Quintus). Alternatively, it could be derived from the name of the ancient province of Pontus in Asia Minor, itself probably from Greek πόντος (pontos) meaning "sea". A notable bearer of this name was Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea who appears in the New Testament.
Porcius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name meaning "pig", derived from Latin porcus. Famous members of the family include the Roman statesmen Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato) and his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis).
Prabhat m Hindi
Means "shining forth, morning" in Sanskrit, derived from प्रभा (prabhā) meaning "to shine".
Prabodh m Hindi
Means "awakening" in Sanskrit.
Predrag m Serbian, Croatian
Derived from the Slavic element dorgŭ meaning "precious" combined with a superlative prefix.
Preston m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest town" (Old English preost and tun).
Prokopy m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Прокопий (see Prokopiy).
Proteus m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek πρῶτος (protos) meaning "first". In Greek mythology this was the name of a prophetic god of the sea. Shakespeare later utilized it for a character in his play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
Przemek m Polish
Diminutive of Przemysław.
Przemko m Polish
Diminutive of Przemysław.
Ptolemy m History
From the Greek name Πτολεμαῖος (Ptolemaios), derived from Greek πολεμήϊος (polemeios) meaning "aggressive, warlike". Ptolemy was the name of several Greco-Egyptian rulers of Egypt, all descendants of Ptolemy I Soter, one of the generals of Alexander the Great. This was also the name of a 2nd-century Greek astronomer.
Publius m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "public" in Latin. This was among the more common of the Roman praenomina, being borne by (among others) the emperor Hadrian and the poet Virgil.
Purnama f & m Indonesian
Means "full moon" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit पूर्णिमा (pūrṇimā).
Pyrrhus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Πύρρος (Pyrrhos) meaning "flame-coloured, red", related to πῦρ (pyr) meaning "fire". This was another name of Neoptolemus the son of Achilles. This was also the name of a 3rd-century BC king of Epirus who was famed for his victorious yet costly battles against Rome.
Quentin m French, English
French form of the Roman name Quintinus. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a missionary who was martyred in Gaul. The Normans introduced this name to England. In America it was brought to public attention by president Theodore Roosevelt's son Quentin Roosevelt (1897-1918), who was killed in World War I. A famous bearer is the American movie director Quentin Tarantino (1963-).
Quinlan m & f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caoindealbháin, itself from the given name Caoindealbhán (Old Irish Caíndelbán).
Quintus m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "fifth" in Latin. Originally, during the time of the early Roman Republic, it was spelled Quinctus. This name was traditionally given to the fifth child, or possibly a child born in the fifth month. It was a common praenomen, being more popular than the other numeric Roman names. A notable bearer was the poet Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus).
Quirino m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Quirinus.
Racquel f English
Variant of Raquel.
Radboud m Dutch (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements rat meaning "counsel, advice" and bot meaning "command, order". This was the name of a 7th-century king of the Frisians.
Radmila f Serbian, Croatian, Czech
Serbian, Croatian and Czech feminine form of Radomil.
Radomil m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements radŭ "happy, willing" and milŭ "gracious, dear".
Radomir m Serbian, Bulgarian
Derived from the Slavic element radŭ "happy, willing" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Radovan m Slovak, Czech, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
Derived from Slavic radovati meaning "to make happy, to gladden".
Raeburn m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "stream where deer drink" (from Scots rae "roe deer" and burn "stream"). A famous bearer of the surname was Scottish portrait painter Henry Raeburn (1756-1823).
Ragnarr m Old Norse
From the Old Norse elements regin "advice, counsel" and herr "army, warrior". It is a cognate of Rayner. This name was borne by the legendary Viking hero Ragnar Lodbrok.
Raharjo m Javanese
From Javanese raharja meaning "prosperous, plentiful, abundant".
Raimund m German, Germanic
German form of Raymond.
Rainard m Germanic
Variant of Reynard.
Rainier m French (Rare)
French form of Rayner.
Rajmund m Polish, Hungarian, Slovene
Polish, Hungarian and Slovene form of Raymond.
Rajnish m Hindi
Means "lord of the night" from Sanskrit रजनी (rajanī) meaning "night" and ईश (īśa) meaning "lord, ruler". This is another name for the moon in Hindu texts.
Raleigh m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning either "red clearing" or "roe deer clearing" in Old English. A city in North Carolina bears this name, after the English courtier, poet and explorer Walter Raleigh (1552-1618).
Ramadan m Arabic
From the name of the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is derived from Arabic رمض (ramaḍ) meaning "parchedness, scorchedness". Muslims traditionally fast during this month.
Randall m English
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Randel.
Randell m English
Variant of Randall.
Randolf m English
From the Old German elements rant meaning "rim (of a shield)" and wolf meaning "wolf". The Normans brought this name to England, where there existed already an Old Norse cognate Randúlfr, which had been introduced by Scandinavian settlers. Randolf became rare after the Middle Ages, though it was revived in the 18th century (usually in the spelling Randolph).
Raniero m Italian
Italian form of Rayner.
Ranjeet m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Hindi रणजीत or रंजीत, Marathi रणजित or रणजीत or Bengali রঞ্জিত (see Ranjit).
Raphaël m French
French form of Raphael.
Raphael m German, English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name רָפָאֵל (Rafaʾel) meaning "God heals", from the roots רָפָא (rafa) meaning "to heal" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In Hebrew tradition Raphael is the name of an archangel. He appears in the Book of Tobit, in which he disguises himself as a man named Azarias and accompanies Tobias on his journey to Media, aiding him along the way. In the end he cures Tobias's father Tobit of his blindness. He is not mentioned in the New Testament, though tradition identifies him with the angel troubling the water in John 5:4.... [more]
Rashaun m African American (Modern)
Combination of the prefix ra with the name Shaun.
Rashawn m African American (Modern)
Combination of the prefix ra with the name Shawn.
Rasheed m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic رشيد or Urdu رشید (see Rashid).
Ravenna f English (Rare)
Either an elaboration of Raven, or else from the name of the city of Ravenna in Italy.
Raymond m English, French
From the Germanic name Raginmund, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and munt "protection". The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Reimund. It was borne by several medieval (mostly Spanish) saints, including Saint Raymond Nonnatus, the patron of midwives and expectant mothers, and Saint Raymond of Peñafort, the patron of canonists.
Raynard m English
Variant of Reynard.
Rearden m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, a variant of Riordan.
Rebekka f German, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Finnish, Dutch (Rare)
Form of Rebecca used in various languages.
Redmond m Irish
Anglicized form of Réamonn.
Redmund m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Réamann.
Regulus m Ancient Roman, Astronomy
Roman cognomen meaning "prince, little king", a diminutive of Latin rex "king". This was the cognomen of several 3rd-century BC consuls from the gens Atilia. It was also the name of several early saints. A star in the constellation Leo bears this name as well.
Remigio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Remigius (see Rémy).
Renatus m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "born again".
Rexanne f English (Rare)
Variant of Roxane influenced by Rex.
Reynard m English (Rare)
From the Germanic name Raginhard, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England in the form Reinard, though it never became very common there. In medieval fables the name was borne by the sly hero Reynard the Fox (with the result that renard has become a French word meaning "fox").
Reynold m English
From the Germanic name Raginald, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and walt "power, authority". The Normans (who used forms like Reinald or Reinold) brought the name to Britain, where it reinforced rare Old English and Norse cognates already in existence. It was common during the Middle Ages, but became more rare after the 15th century.
Rhonwen f Welsh
Welsh form of Rowena, appearing in medieval Welsh poems and stories as a personification of the English people.
Ricarda f German, Spanish, Portuguese
German, Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Richard.
Ricardo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Richard.
Richárd m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Richard.
Richard m English, French, German, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
Means "brave ruler", derived from the Old German elements rih "ruler, king" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of three early dukes of Normandy. The Normans introduced it to England when they invaded in the 11th century, and it has been very common there since that time. It was borne by three kings of England including the 12th-century Richard I the Lionheart, one of the leaders of the Third Crusade.... [more]
Rihanna f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic ريحانة (see Rayhana). This name is borne by the Barbadian singer Robyn Rihanna Fenty (1988-), known simply as Rihanna. In the United States it jumped in popularity between the years 2005 and 2008, when Rihanna was releasing her first albums. It quickly declined over the next few years.
Rihards m Latvian
Latvian form of Richard.
Rikhard m Finnish
Finnish form of Richard.
Rinaldo m Italian, Carolingian Cycle
Italian form of Reynold. This is the Italian name of the hero Renaud, appearing as the cousin of Orlando in the Orlando poems (1483 and 1532) by Boiardo and Ariosto. A different version of this character features in the poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580) by Torquato Tasso.
Ríoghán m Irish
From Old Irish Rígán, itself from "king" (or the derivative ríg "royal") combined with a diminutive suffix.
Riordan m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Ríoghbhárdáin), which was derived from the given name Rígbarddán.
Ritchie m English
Variant of Richie.
Rizwana f Urdu, Arabic
Urdu form of Ridwana, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.
Roberto m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Robert. Saint Roberto Bellarmine was a 16th-century cardinal who is regarded as a Doctor of the Church. Another famous bearer was Roberto de Nobili (1577-1656), a Jesuit missionary to India.
Roberts m Latvian
Latvian form of Robert.
Roderic m Catalan (Rare)
Catalan form of Roderick.
Rodolfo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Rudolf. This is the name of the hero in Puccini's opera La Bohème (1896).
Rodrigo m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Galician
Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Galician form of Roderick, via the Latinized Gothic form Rudericus. A notable bearer was Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid, an 11th-century Spanish military commander.
Rogelio m Spanish
Spanish form of the Late Latin name Rogellus or Rogelius. This was probably related to the Germanic name Hrodger (see Roger), perhaps a remnant of a Visigothic cognate. It has also been suggested that it could be derived from a diminutive of the Latin name Rogatus. Saint Rogellus was a 9th-century martyr from Córdoba.
Rogério m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Roger.
Roksana f Russian, Polish
Russian and Polish form of Roxana.
Rokurou m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 六郎 (see Rokurō).
Rolande f French
French feminine form of Roland.
Rolando m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Roland.
Romaine f French, English
French feminine form of Romanus (see Roman).
Romanus m Late Roman
Latin form of Roman.
Romilda f Italian, Germanic (Latinized)
Means "famous battle" from the Germanic elements hruom "fame, glory" and hilt "battle".
Romuald m French, Polish, Germanic
From the Germanic elements hruom meaning "fame, glory" and walt meaning "power, authority". This was the name of an 11th-century Italian saint who founded the Camaldolese order.
Romulus m Roman Mythology, Romanian
From Roma, the Latin name of the city of Rome, combined with a diminutive suffix. In Roman legend Romulus and Remus were the twin sons of Rhea Silvia and the god Mars. Romulus killed his brother when they argued about where to found Rome. According to the tale he gave the city its name, though in reality it was likely the other way around.
Ronaldo m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Ronald. A notable bearer is the retired Brazilian soccer player Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima (1976-), who is commonly known only by his first name.
Roparzh m Breton
Breton form of Robert.
Rosário f Portuguese
Portuguese (feminine) form of Rosario.
Rowanne f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Rowan.
Rowland m English
Medieval variant of Roland.
Roxanna f English
Variant of Roxana.
Royston m English (British)
From a surname that was originally taken from an Old English place name meaning "town of Royse". The given name Royse was a medieval variant of Rose.
Ruadhán m Irish
From Old Irish Rúadán, derived from rúad "red" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of the founder of the monastery of Lorrha in the 6th century.
Ruaidrí m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Ruaidhrí.