Names Starting with A

gender
usage
Ansgar m German, Norwegian, Swedish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements ansi "god" and ger "spear". Saint Ansgar was a 9th-century Frankish missionary who tried to convert the Danes and Norwegians.
Anshel m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish form of Anselm, used as a vernacular form of Asher.
Anso m Germanic
Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element ansi meaning "god" (Proto-Germanic *ansuz).
Ansoald m Germanic
Old German form of Ansaldo.
Anson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Agnes".
Anssi m Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Anselm.
Ansugaizaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Ansgar, Ásgeirr and Osgar.
Ansuwaldaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Osweald, Ansoald and Ásvaldr.
Antal m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antanas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antanina f Belarusian, Lithuanian
Belarusian and Lithuanian feminine form of Antoninus.
Antares m Astronomy
From Greek Ἀντάρης (Antares), traditionally said to mean "opposing Ares". This is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius.
Ante 1 m Croatian
Croatian form of Anthony.
Ante 2 m Frisian
Short form of names beginning with the Old German element anto "zeal".
Antea f Croatian (Modern)
Feminine form of Ante 1.
Antelmo m Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare), Italian (Rare)
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Anthelm.
Antero m Finnish
Finnish form of Andrew.
Anthea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἄνθεια (Antheia), derived from ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera.
Anthelm m Germanic
From the Old German element anto meaning "zeal" combined with helm meaning "helmet, protection". Saint Anthelm was a 12th-century bishop of Belley in France.
Anthelme m French (Rare)
French form of Anthelm.
Anthony m English
English form of the Roman family name Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin. The most notable member of the Roman family was the general Marcus Antonius (called Mark Antony in English), who for a period in the 1st century BC ruled the Roman Empire jointly with Augustus. When their relationship turned sour, he and his mistress Cleopatra were attacked and forced to commit suicide, as related in Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra (1606).... [more]
Anthousa f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Anfisa.
Anti m Estonian
Estonian form of Andrew.
Antía f Galician
Galician feminine form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antica f Croatian
Croatian diminutive of Antonia.
Antigone f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and γονή (gone) meaning "birth, offspring". In Greek legend Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. King Creon of Thebes declared that her slain brother Polynices was to remain unburied, a great dishonour. She disobeyed and gave him a proper burial, and for this she was sealed alive in a cave.
Antigonus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀντίγονος (Antigonos), derived from ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and γονεύς (goneus) meaning "ancestor". This was the name of one of Alexander the Great's generals. After Alexander died, he took control of most of Asia Minor.
Antiman m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "condor of the sun" in Mapuche, from antü "sun" and mañku "condor".
Antinanco m Indigenous American, Mapuche
Means "eagle of the sun" in Mapuche, from antü "sun" and ñamko "eagle, hawk, buzzard".
Antiochus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀντίοχος (Antiochos), derived from Greek ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and ὀχή (oche) meaning "support". This was the name of several rulers of the Seleucid Empire. It was also borne by a 2nd-century Christian martyr, the patron saint of Sardinia.
Antioco m Italian
Italian form of Antiochus.
Antiogu m Sardinian (Rare)
Sardinian form of Antiochus.
Antiope f Greek Mythology
Derived from the Greek elements ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "voice". This was the name of several figures in Greek mythology, including a daughter of Ares who was one of the queens of the Amazons. She was kidnapped and married by Theseus.
Antipater m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀντίπατρος (Antipatros), which meant "like the father" from Greek ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός). This was the name of an officer of Alexander the Great who became the regent of Macedon during Alexander's absence.
Antje f Frisian, Dutch, Low German
Frisian, Dutch and Low German diminutive of Anna.
Anto m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antoine m French, African American
French form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antoinette f French
Feminine diminutive of Antoine. This name was borne by Marie Antoinette, the queen of France during the French Revolution. She was executed by guillotine.
Antón m Galician
Galician form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonela f Croatian
Croatian form of Antonella.
Antonella f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonello m Italian
Diminutive of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonette f English
Diminutive of Antonia.
Antoni m Polish, Catalan
Polish and Catalan form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antónia f Portuguese (European), Slovak, Hungarian
Portuguese, Slovak and Hungarian feminine form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antônia f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese feminine form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonie 1 f Czech
Czech form of Antonia.
Antonie 2 m Dutch
Dutch form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonieta f Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish diminutive of Antonia.
Antonietta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Antonia.
Antonij m Macedonian
Macedonian form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonija f Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Latvian
Slovene, Croatian, Serbian and Latvian form of Antonia.
Antonije m Serbian
Serbian form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonijo m Croatian
Croatian form of Anthony.
Antonín m Czech
Czech form of Antoninus, also used as the Czech form of Antonius (see Anthony). A famous bearer was the Czech composer Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904).
Antonin m French
French form of Antoninus. This name was borne by the French playwright Antonin Artaud (1896-1948).
Antoņina f Latvian
Latvian form of Antonina.
Antonino m Italian
Italian form of Antoninus. This name was borne by several Roman and Italian saints.
Antoninus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen, a derivative of Antonius (see Anthony). There were several early saints named Antoninus, including the patrons of Sorrento and Piacenza. This was also the name of a 2nd-century Roman emperor, Antoninus Pius (full name Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius).
António m Portuguese (European)
European Portuguese form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antônio m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonio m Spanish, Italian, Croatian
Spanish and Italian form of Antonius (see Anthony). This has been a common name in Italy since the 14th century. In Spain it was the most popular name for boys in the 1950s and 60s.... [more]
Antonio Pio m Italian
Combination of Antonio and Pio.
Antonios m Greek
Greek form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonis m Greek
Greek form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antoniu m Romanian
Romanian form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonius m Ancient Roman, Dutch
Latin form of Anthony. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but commonly rendered Anton or Antoon in daily life.
Antoniy m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antoniya f Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Antonia.
Antono m Esperanto
Esperanto form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antony m English
Variant of Anthony. This was formerly the usual English spelling of the name, but during the 17th century the h began to be added.
Antoon m Dutch, Limburgish
Dutch and Limburgish form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Ants m Estonian
Estonian form of Hans.
Antti m Finnish
Finnish form of Andrew.
Antton m Basque
Basque form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Anttoni m Finnish
Finnish form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antun m Croatian
Croatian form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antwan m African American
Variant of Antoine, in use since the 1960s.
Anu 1 f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Anna.
Anu 2 m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian form of An 2, also adopted by the Hurrians and Hittites.
Anubis m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ἄνουβις (Anoubis), the Greek form of Egyptian jnpw (reconstructed as Anapa and other forms), which coincided with a word meaning "royal child, prince". However, it might alternatively be derived from the root jnp meaning "to decay". Anubis was the Egyptian god who led the dead to the underworld. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a jackal. The Greeks equated him with their god Hermes.
Anuj m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "born later, younger" in Sanskrit. This name is sometimes given to the younger sibling of an older child.
Anuja f Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Feminine form of Anuj.
Anuki f Georgian
Diminutive of Ana.
Anuli f Western African, Igbo
Means "joy" in Igbo.
Anunciación f Spanish
Spanish cognate of Annunziata.
Anundr m Old Norse
Possibly from the Old Norse elements *anu "ancestor" and *vindr "victor".
Anup m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam
Means "watery, place near the water, lagoon" in Sanskrit.
Anupam m Indian, Hindi, Bengali
Means "incomparable, matchless" in Sanskrit.
Anupama f Indian, Hindi
Feminine form of Anupam.
Anuradha f Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Sinhalese
From the name of a constellation in Hindu astrology, meaning "causing success", from Sanskrit अनु (anu) meaning "after" and राधा (radha) meaning "success, prosperity".
Anuša f Slovene
Diminutive of Ana.
Anuschka f German (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Diminutive of Anna, inspired by the Russian form Annushka.
Anush f Armenian
Means "sweet" in Armenian. This was the name of an 1890 novel by the Armenia writer Hovhannes Tumanyan. It was adapted into an opera in 1912 by Armen Tigranian.
Anushka f Indian, Hindi, Sinhalese
Meaning uncertain, possibly inspired by the Russian name Annushka.
Anwar m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian
Means "brighter, more luminous" in Arabic. This name was borne by Egyptian president Anwar Sadat (1918-1981), who was assassinated three years after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Anwen f Welsh
Means "very beautiful" in Welsh, from the intensive prefix an- combined with gwen "white, fair, blessed".
Anwer m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic أنور (see Anwar).
Anxhela f Albanian
Albanian form of Angela.
Anxo m Galician
Galician form of Angelus (see Angel).
Anya f Russian
Russian diminutive of Anna.
Anže m Slovene
Variant of Janez.
Anžej m Slovene
Variant of Janez.
Anželika f Latvian, Lithuanian
Latvian and Lithuanian form of Angelica.
Anzhela f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian and Bulgarian form of Angela.
Anzhelika f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Angelica.
Anzo m Germanic
Derived from the Old German element enz meaning "giant".
Anzor m Georgian, Chechen
Possibly derived from the Georgian noble title აზნაური (aznauri), ultimately from Middle Persian 𐭠𐭦𐭭𐭠𐭥𐭫 (aznawar) meaning "noble".
Aod m Biblical Greek
Form of Ehud used in the Greek Old Testament.
Aodh m Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Áed, which meant "fire". This was a very popular name in early Ireland, being borne by numerous figures in Irish mythology and several high kings. It has been traditionally Anglicized as Hugh.
Aodhagán m Irish
Diminutive of Aodh (actually double diminutive).
Aodhán m Irish
From the Old Irish name Áedán meaning "little fire", a diminutive of Áed (see Aodh). This name was borne by a 6th-century king of Dál Riata. It was also the name of a few early Irish saints, including a 6th-century bishop of Ferns and a 7th-century bishop of Lindisfarne.
Aoi f & m Japanese
From Japanese (aoi) meaning "hollyhock, althea" or an adjectival form of (ao) meaning "green, blue". Other kanji with the same reading can form this name as well.
Aoibhe f Irish
Variant of Aoife, or directly from Irish aoibh meaning "beauty".
Aoibheann f Irish
From Old Irish Oébfinn or Aíbinn, derived from oíb meaning "beauty, appearance, form" and finn meaning "fair, white". This was the name of the mother of Saint Énna of Aran. It was also borne by the daughter of the 10th-century Irish high king Donnchad Donn.
Aoibhín f Irish
Diminutive of Aoibhe.
Aoibhinn f Irish
Variant of Aoibheann. It also coincides with the related Irish word aoibhinn meaning "delightful, pleasant".
Aoide f Greek Mythology
Means "song" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of song.
Aoife f Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Aífe, derived from oíph meaning "beauty" (modern Irish aoibh). This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a woman at war with Scáthach (her sister in some versions). She was defeated in single combat by the hero Cúchulainn, who spared her life on the condition that she bear him a child (Connla). Another legendary figure by this name appears in the Children of Lir as the jealous third wife of Lir.... [more]
Aonghas m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Aonghus.
Aonghus m Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Óengus, possibly meaning "one strength" from óen "one" and guss "force, strength". Aonghus (sometimes surnamed Mac Og meaning "young son") was an Irish god of love and youth, one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He was the son of Dagda and Boann. The name was also borne by an 8th-century Pictish king, several Irish kings, and a few saints, including a 9th-century bishop of Tallaght.
Apanii f Indigenous American, Siksika
Means "butterfly" in Siksika.
Aparajita f Bengali, Indian, Hindi
Means "unconquered" in Sanskrit.
Aparecida f Portuguese
Means "appeared" in Portuguese, taken from the Brazilian title of the Virgin Mary Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida, meaning "Our Lady of the Conception Who Appeared". It refers to a statue of the Virgin Mary that was said to have been pulled from a river by fishermen in the 18th century. Our Lady of Aparecida is regarded as the patron saint of Brazil.
Aparna f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali
Means "leafless, not having eaten leaves" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
Aphra f Various
Meaning uncertain; possibly a variant of Afra 1, or possibly a variant of Aphrah, a biblical place name meaning "dust". This name was borne by the English writer Aphra Behn (1640-1689).
Aphrodisios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Aphrodite f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess Venus. She was the wife of Hephaestus and the mother of Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with ἀφρός (aphros) meaning "foam", resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
Apikalia f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Abigail.
Apis m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ḥjpw (reconstructed as Hapi), which is of unknown meaning. In Egyptian mythology he was a sacred bull, sometimes considered a son of Hathor. He was later fused with Osiris resulting in the figure of Serapis.
Apolena f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Apollonia.
Apolinar m Spanish
Spanish form of Apollinaris.
Apollinaire m French (Rare)
French form of Apollinaris. It was adopted as a surname by the Polish-French poet Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918), who based it on his Polish middle name Apolinary.
Apollinaris m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from the name of the god Apollo. This was the name of several early saints and martyrs, including a bishop of Ravenna and a bishop of Hierapolis.
Apollinariya f Russian
Russian feminine form of Apollinaris.
Apolline f French
French form of Apollonia.
Apollo m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀπόλλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to the Indo-European root *apelo- meaning "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.
Apollodoros m Ancient Greek
Means "gift of Apollo" from the name of the god Apollo combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift".
Apollonia f Ancient Greek, Italian
Feminine form of Apollonios. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Alexandria.
Apollonides m Ancient Greek
Means "son of Apollo" in Greek, derived from the name of the god Apollo combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides).
Apollonios m Ancient Greek
From an ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek god Apollo. It was borne by a Greek poet of the 3rd century BC. Several saints have also had this name.
Apolónia f Portuguese (European, Rare)
European Portuguese form of Apollonia.
Apolônia f Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Apollonia.
Apolonia f Spanish, Polish
Spanish and Polish form of Apollonia.
Apolonija f Slovene
Slovene form of Apollonia.
Apoorva m & f Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi अपूर्व or अपूर्वा (see Apurva).
Apostol m Bulgarian, Macedonian, Romanian (Rare)
Bulgarian, Macedonian and Romanian form of Apostolos.
Apostolos m Greek
Means "messenger, apostle" in Greek.
Apphia f Biblical
Greek form of a Hebrew name that possibly meant "increasing". This is a name mentioned in Paul's epistle to Philemon in the New Testament.
Appius m Ancient Roman
This was a Roman praenomen, or given name, used predominantly by the Claudia family. Its etymology is unknown. A famous bearer of this name was Appius Claudius Caecus, a Roman statesman of the 3rd century BC. He was responsible for the Aqua Appia (the first Roman aqueduct) and the Appian Way (a road between Rome and Capua), both of which were named for him.
Apple f English (Rare)
From the English word for the fruit, derived from Middle English appel, Old English æppel. The American actress Gwenyth Paltrow and British musician Chris Martin gave this name to their daughter in 2004.
April f English
From the name of the month, probably originally derived from Latin aperire "to open", referring to the opening of flowers. It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 1940s.
Apurva m & f Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "unpreceded, new" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form अपूर्व and the feminine form अपूर्वा.
Aputsiaq m Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "snowflake" in Greenlandic.
Aqil m Arabic
Means "intelligent, wise" in Arabic. This transcription represents two different Arabic spellings.
Aqila f Arabic
Feminine form of Aqil.
Aqissiaq m Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "young ptarmigan" in Greenlandic (a ptarmigan is a type of bird that lives in cold regions).
Aquila m & f Biblical, Ancient Roman
From a Roman cognomen meaning "eagle" in Latin. In Acts in the New Testament Paul lives with Aquila and his wife Priscilla (or Prisca) for a time.
Aquilina f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aquilinus. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Byblos.
Aquilinus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Aquila.
Ara m Armenian, Armenian Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Sumerian origin. In Armenian legend this was the name of an Armenian king who was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis went to war to capture him. During the war Ara was slain.
Arabella f English
Medieval Scottish name, probably a variant of Annabel. It has long been associated with Latin orabilis meaning "invokable, yielding to prayer", and the name was often recorded in forms resembling this.... [more]
Arabinda m Bengali, Indian, Odia
Bengali and Odia variant of Aravind.
Araceli f Spanish
Means "altar of the sky" from Latin ara "altar" and coeli "sky". This is an epithet of the Virgin Mary in her role as the patron saint of Lucena, Spain.
Arachne f Greek Mythology
Means "spider" in Greek. In Greek myth Arachne was a mortal woman who defeated Athena in a weaving contest. After this Arachne hanged herself, but Athena brought her back to life in the form of a spider.
Aradhana f Indian, Hindi
Means "worship" in Sanskrit.
Aragorn m Literature
Meaning unexplained, though the first element is presumably Sindarin ara "noble, kingly". This is the name of a character in The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien. In the book Aragorn is the heir of the Dúnedain kings of the north.
Aram 1 m Kurdish
Means "calm" in Kurdish.
Aram 2 m Armenian
Meaning uncertain. According to the 5th-century Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi this was the name of an ancient ancestor of the Armenian people. A famous bearer was the composer Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978).
Aram 3 m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From Hebrew אַרְמוֹן ('armon) meaning "fortress, elevated place". This is the name of a few characters in the Old Testament, including a son of Shem who was the ancestor of the Arameans.
Aramazd m Armenian Mythology
From a combination of the mythological figures Ara and Ahura Mazda. This was the name of the supreme creator god in pre-Christian Armenian mythology.
Araminta f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown. This name was (first?) used by William Congreve in his comedy The Old Bachelor (1693) and later by Sir John Vanbrugh in his comedy The Confederacy (1705). This was the original given name of abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913), who was born Araminta Ross.
Aramis m Literature
The surname of one of the musketeers in The Three Musketeers (1844) by Alexandre Dumas. Dumas based the character on the 17th-century Henri d'Aramitz, whose surname was derived from the French village of Aramits (itself from Basque aran meaning "valley").
Aran 1 m & f Irish
From the name of the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland.
Aran 2 m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "wild goat" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Dishan in the Old Testament.
Aranka f Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian arany meaning "gold". It is used as a vernacular form of Aurélia.
Arantxa f Basque
Diminutive of Arantzazu.
Arantzazu f Basque
From the name of a place near the Spanish town of Oñati where there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its name is derived from Basque arantza "thornbush".
Aránzazu f Spanish
Spanish form of Arantzazu.
Ararat m Armenian
From the name of a mountain in eastern Turkey (formerly part of Armenia), the place where Noah's Ark came to rest according to the Old Testament.
Aras m Lithuanian
Means "eagle" in Lithuanian (a poetic word).
Arash m Persian, Persian Mythology
From Avestan 𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬑𐬱𐬀 (Ərəxsha), of uncertain meaning, possibly from a root meaning "bear". In Iranian legend Arash was an archer who was ordered by the Turans to shoot an arrow, the landing place of which would determine the new location of the Iran-Turan border. Arash climbed a mountain and fired his arrow with such strength that it flew for several hours and landed on the banks of the far-away Oxus River.
Arastoo m Persian
Persian form of Aristotle.
Arata m Japanese
From Japanese (arata) meaning "fresh, new". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Arati f Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi आरती (see Aarti).
Aravind m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit.
Aravinda m Indian, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಅರವಿಂದ (see Aravind).
Arawn m Welsh Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the god of the underworld, called Annwfn, in Welsh mythology.
Arax f Armenian
From the name of an Armenian river, also called the Aras.
Arbana f Albanian
From Albanian arbën meaning "Albanian".
Arben m Albanian
Derived from Albanian Arbën meaning "Albanian".
Arcadia f Various
Feminine form of Arcadius. This is the name of a region on the Greek Peloponnese, long idealized for its natural beauty.
Arcangelo m Italian
Means "archangel" in Italian.
Archana f Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "honouring, praising" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu ritual.
Archelaus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀρχέλαος (Archelaos), which meant "master of the people" from ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and λαός (laos) meaning "people". This was the name of a son of Herod the Great. He ruled over Judea, Samaria and Idumea.
Archembald m Germanic
Old German form of Ercanbald.
Archer m English
From an English surname meaning "bowman, archer", of Old French origin. Although already slowly growing in popularity, this name accelerated its rise after the premiere of the American television series Archer in 2009.
Archibald m Scottish, English
Derived from the Germanic name Ercanbald, composed of the elements erkan meaning "pure, holy, genuine" and bald meaning "bold, brave". The first element was altered due to the influence of Greek names beginning with the element ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master". The Normans brought this name to England. It first became common in Scotland in the Middle Ages (sometimes used to Anglicize the Gaelic name Gilleasbuig, for unknown reasons).
Archie m Scottish, English
Diminutive of Archibald. This name is borne by Archie Andrews, an American comic-book character created in 1941. It was also used by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for the name of their son born 2019.
Archil m Georgian
Meaning unknown, of Persian origin. This was the name of an 8th-century Georgian noble who was executed for refusing to convert to Islam.
Archimedes m Ancient Greek
Derived from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician, astronomer and inventor.
Archippe f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Archippos.
Archippos m Ancient Greek
Means "master of horses" from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse".
Arcturus m Astronomy
From Ancient Greek Ἀρκτοῦρος (Arktouros), the name of the fourth brightest star in the sky, part of the constellation Boötes. It means "guardian of the bear", derived from ἄρκτος (arktos) meaning "bear" and οὖρος (ouros) meaning "guardian", referring to the star's position close to the constellations Ursa Minor and Ursa Major.
Arda m Turkish
Possibly means "marker, stake" in Turkish.
Ardal m Irish
Anglicized form of Ardghal.
Ardalion m Late Greek, Georgian (Rare), Russian (Rare)
Probably derived from Greek ἀρδάλιον (ardalion) meaning "water pot". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr from Asia Minor.
Ardashir m Middle Persian
Middle Persian form of Old Persian Artaxšaça (see Artaxerxes). This was the name of a 3rd-century king of Persia who defeated the Parthians and founded the Sasanian Empire. He also reestablished Zoroastrianism as the state religion.
Ardath f English
From the name of a plain that appears in the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras (verse 9:26) in some versions of the Old Testament. This place name was used by Marie Corelli for the title of an 1889 novel, which is probably the reason it gained some currency as a given name just after this time.
Arden m & f English
From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, which were derived from a Celtic word meaning "high".
Ardeshir m Persian
Modern Persian form of Ardashir.
Ardgal m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Ardghal.
Ardghal m Irish (Rare)
Means "high valour", derived from the Old Irish elements ard "high" and gal "valour".
Ardit m Albanian
Means "golden day" in Albanian, from ar "gold" and ditë "day".
Ardita f Albanian
Feminine form of Ardit.
Ardith f English
Variant of Ardath.
Ardito m Italian (Rare)
Derived from medieval Italian ardito meaning "bold".
Arduino m Italian
Italian form of Hartwin.
Are m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Ari 2.
Aredvi f Persian Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the Avestan name for Anahita.
Aref m Persian
Persian form of Arif.
Areg m Armenian
Means "sun, bright" in Armenian (a poetic word).
Arek m Polish
Diminutive of Arkadiusz.
Areli m Biblical
Means "lion of God, hero" in Hebrew. This was the name of a son of Gad in the Old Testament.
Aren m Armenian
Meaning unknown.
Arend m Dutch, German (Rare)
Dutch and German variant of Arnold. This is also the Dutch word for "eagle".
Ares m Greek Mythology
Perhaps from either Greek ἀρή (are) meaning "bane, ruin" or ἄρσην (arsen) meaning "male". The name first appears as a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Hera.
Aretas m Biblical
Greek form of an Aramaic name, of unknown meaning. This was the name of four Nabataean kings of Petra in Jordan, including the first king (2nd century BC). King Aretas IV is mentioned briefly in the New Testament.
Arete f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "virtue" in Greek. In Greek mythology Arete was the personification of virtue and excellence.
Aretha f English
Possibly derived from Greek ἀρετή (arete) meaning "virtue". This name was popularized in the 1960s by American singer Aretha Franklin (1942-).
Arethusa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀρέθουσα (Arethousa) meaning "quick water", which is possibly derived from ἄρδω (ardo) meaning "water" and θοός (thoos) meaning "quick, nimble". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology who was transformed into a fountain.
Areti f Greek
Modern Greek form of Arete.
Arevig f Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Արեւիկ (see Arevik).
Arevik f Armenian
Means "like the sun" in Armenian.
Arezoo f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian آرزو (see Arezou).
Arezou f Persian
Means "desire" in Persian.
Arezu f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian آرزو (see Arezou).
Argi m Basque
Means "light" in Basque.
Argider m Basque
Derived from Basque argi "light" and eder "beautiful".
Argiñe f Basque
Feminine form of Argi. This is a Basque equivalent of Luz.
Argos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Argus.
Argus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἄργος (Argos), derived from ἀργός (argos) meaning "glistening, shining". This name was borne by several characters from Greek myth, including the man who built the Argo and a giant with one hundred eyes.
Argyris m Greek
Modern Greek form of Argyros.
Argyro f Greek
Feminine form of Argyros.
Argyros m Ancient Greek
Means "silver" in Greek.
Ari 1 m Hebrew
Means "lion" in Hebrew.
Ari 2 m Old Norse, Icelandic, Finnish
Old Norse byname meaning "eagle".
Ari 3 m Armenian
Means "brave" in Armenian.
Aria 1 f English (Modern)
Means "song, melody" in Italian (literally means "air"). An aria is an elaborate vocal solo, the type usually performed in operas. As an English name, it has only been in use since the 20th century, its rise in popularity accelerating after the 2010 premier of the television drama Pretty Little Liars, featuring a character by this name. It is not traditionally used in Italy.
Aria 2 m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian آریا (see Arya 1).
Ariadna f Spanish, Catalan, Russian, Polish
Spanish, Catalan, Russian and Polish form of Ariadne.
Ariadne f Greek Mythology
Means "most holy", composed of the Greek prefix ἀρι (ari) meaning "most" combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos. She fell in love with Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god Dionysus.
Ariana f Portuguese, English (Modern)
Portuguese form of Ariadne. This name steadily grew in popularity in America in the last few decades of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the American pop singer Ariana Grande (1993-).
Ariane f French, German
French form of Ariadne.
Arianrhod f Welsh Mythology
Probably means "silver wheel" from Welsh arian "silver" and rhod "wheel". According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, Arianrhod was the mother of the twins Dylan and Lleu Llaw Gyffes, who she spontaneously birthed when she stepped over a magical wand. It is speculated that in earlier myths she may have been a goddess of the moon.
Arianwen f Welsh
Derived from Welsh arian "silver" and gwen "white, fair, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint, one of the supposed daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.
Aric m English
Variant of Eric.
Aridai m Biblical
Meaning uncertain, possibly of Persian origin. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the ten sons of Haman killed by the Jews.
Arie 1 m Dutch
Diminutive of Adriaan.
Arie 2 m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew אַרְיֵה (see Arieh).
Arieh m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Means "lion" in Hebrew. This is the name of an officer of King Pekahiah in the Old Testament.
'Ari'el m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Ariel.
Ariel m & f Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Polish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means "lion of God" in Hebrew, from אֲרִי ('ari) meaning "lion" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare used it as the name of a spirit in his play The Tempest (1611), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film The Little Mermaid (1989).
Ariella f English (Modern)
Strictly feminine form of Ariel.
Arielle f French
French feminine form of Ariel.
Aries m Astronomy
Means "ram" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the first sign of the zodiac. Some Roman legends state that the ram in the constellation was the one who supplied the Golden Fleece sought by Jason.
Arif m Arabic, Indonesian, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali
Means "learned, knowing, expert" in Arabic.
Arihel m Biblical Latin
Latin form of Ariel.
Arij f Arabic
Means "fragrance" in Arabic.
Arijana f Croatian
Croatian form of Arianna.
Arijit m Bengali
Means "conquering enemies" in Sanskrit.
Arik m Hebrew
Diminutive of Ariel or Arieh.
Arild m Norwegian
Possibly a variant of Harald or Arnold.
Arin f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Erin or Aaron.