NILI f HebrewAcronym of the phrase
נצח ישׂראל לא ישׁקר (Netzach Yisrael Lo Yishaker) meaning
"the eternity of Israel will not lie". This phrase appears in the Old Testament in
1 Samuel 15:29. It was used as the name of a Jewish spy network in Palestine during World War I.
NIMROD m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeaning unknown, possibly of Akkadian origin or possibly meaning
"rebel" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Nimrod is a renowned hunter, the great-grandson of
Noah. He was the founder of Babylon.
... [more] NIMUE f Arthurian RomanceMeaning unknown. In Arthurian legends this is the name of a sorceress, also known as the Lady of the Lake, Vivien, or Niniane. Various versions of the tales have
Merlin falling in love with her and becoming imprisoned by her magic. She first appears in the medieval French
Lancelot-Grail cycle.
NINA (1) f Russian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Ukrainian, BelarusianShort form of names that end in
nina, such as
ANTONINA or
GIANNINA. It was imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. This name also nearly coincides with the Spanish word
niña meaning
"little girl".
NINEL f RussianReversal of the name
Lenin. Lenin was the founder of the former Soviet state. This name was created by Communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names.
NING f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
宁 (níng) meaning "peaceful, calm, serene", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.
NINIAN m Scottish, Irish, Ancient CelticMeaning unknown. It appears in a Latinized form
Niniavus, which could be from the Welsh name
NYNNIAW. This was the name of a 5th-century British saint who was apparently responsible for many miracles and cures. He is known as the Apostle to the Picts.
NINO (2) f GeorgianMeaning unknown, possibly from a Greek feminine form of
NINOS. Saint Nino (sometimes called Nina) was a Greek-speaking woman from Asia Minor who introduced Christianity to Georgia in the 4th century.
NINOS m Ancient Assyrian (Hellenized)Probably from the name of the ancient city of
NINEVEH in Assyria. According to Greek historians this was the name of the husband of
Semiramis and the founder of Nineveh. In actuality he does not correspond to any known Assyrian king, and is likely a composite character named after the city.
NIOBE f Greek MythologyMeaning unknown. In Greek mythology Niobe was the daughter of Tantalos, a king of Asia Minor. Because she boasted that she was superior to
Leto, Leto's children
Apollo and
Artemis killed her 14 children with poison arrows. In grief, Niobe was turned to stone by
Zeus.
NİSA f TurkishFrom Arabic
نساء (nisa) meaning
"women". This is the name of the fourth chapter of the Quran (surah an-Nisa).
NISUS m Roman MythologyMeaning unknown. According to
Virgil's
Aeneid, this was the name of the son of the Trojan Hyrtacus (himself mentioned in the
Iliad, though Nisus is not). In the
Aeneid Nisus is the friend of
Euryalus. After Euryalus is captured by the Rutuli, both are slain when Nisus attempts to save him.
NITYA f & m Indian, HindiMeans
"always, eternal" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form
नित्या (an epithet of the Hindu goddess
Durga) and the masculine form
नित्य.
NIV m HebrewMeans either
"speech, expression" or
"fang, tusk" in Hebrew.
NIXON m English (Modern)From an English surname meaning
"son of NICK". It was borne by the American president Richard Nixon (1913-1994).
NJERI f Eastern African, KikuyuMeans
"travelling one" in Kikuyu. Njeri (or Wanjeri) is the name of one of the nine daughters of
Mumbi in the Kikuyu origin legend.
NJINGA m & f Central African, MbunduPossibly from a Bantu root meaning
"to twist, to wrap" (
kujinga in Kimbundu), alluding to the wrapping of the umbilical cord around the neck of the newborn. This name was borne by kings and queens of the African kingdoms of Ndongo and Kongo, notably a 17th-century queen of Ndongo who resisted the Portuguese.
NJORD m Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishFrom Old Norse
Njǫrðr, which was possibly derived from the Indo-European root *
ner meaning
"strong, vigorous". Njord was the Norse god of the sea, sailing, fishing and fertility. With his children
Freyr and
Freya he was a member of the Vanir.
NNAMDI m Western African, IgboMeans
"my father is alive" in Igbo. This name is given to a child when it is believed that he is a reincarnation of his grandfather.
NNENNA f Western African, IgboMeans
"father's mother" in Igbo. This name is sometimes given to a child when it is believed that she is a reincarnation of her paternal grandmother.
NNENNE f Western African, IgboMeans
"mother's mother" in Igbo. This name is sometimes given to a child when it is believed that she is a reincarnation of her maternal grandmother.
NOA (3) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
乃 (no), a possessive particle, and
愛 (a) meaning "love, affection". This name can also be constructed from other kanji or kanji combinations.
NOAH (1) m English, German, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
נֹחַ (Noach) meaning
"rest, repose", derived from the root
נוּחַ (nuach). According to the Old Testament, Noah was the builder of the Ark that allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the Great Flood. After the flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. He was the father of
Shem,
Ham and
Japheth.
... [more] NOAH (2) f BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
נֹעָה (No'ah) meaning
"motion". In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of
Zelophehad. In English this name is typically spelled the same as the name of the male biblical character
Noah, though in Hebrew they are written distinctly.
NOAM m & f Hebrew, FrenchMeans
"pleasantness" in Hebrew. A famous bearer is Noam Chomsky (1928-), an American linguist and philosopher.
NOBLE m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"noble, notable". The name can also be given in direct reference to the English word
noble.
NOBORU m JapaneseFrom Japanese
登 (noboru) meaning "rise, ascend" or other kanji pronounced in the same way.
NOBU m JapaneseFrom Japanese
信 (nobu) meaning "trust",
延 (nobu) meaning "prolong, stretch", or other kanji and kanji combinations. It is sometimes a short form of longer names beginning with this sound.
NOBUKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
信 (nobu) meaning "trust" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji characters can also form this name.
NOBURU m JapaneseFrom Japanese
伸 (noburu) meaning "extend, stretch" or other kanji having the same pronunciation.
NOBUTOSHI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
信 (nobu) meaning "trust" and
敏 (toshi) meaning "quick, clever, sharp". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
NOBUYUKI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
信 (nobu) meaning "trust" or
伸 (nobu) meaning "extend, stretch, open" combined with
行 (yuki) meaning "row, line" or
幸 (yuki) meaning "happiness". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.
NOËL m FrenchMeans
"Christmas" in French. In the Middle Ages it was used for children born on the holiday. A famous bearer was the English playwright and composer Noël Coward (1899-1973).
NOELANI f HawaiianMeans
"heavenly mist" from Hawaiian
noe "mist" and
lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
NOGA f & m HebrewModern Hebrew transcription of
NOGAH, usually used as a feminine name.
NOKOMIS f New World MythologyMeans
"my grandmother" in Ojibwe. In Anishinaabe mythology this is the name of
Nanabozho's grandmother. It was used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for the grandmother of
Hiawatha in his 1855 poem
The Song of Hiawatha.
NOLAN m Irish, EnglishFrom an Irish surname that was derived from
Ó Nualláin meaning
"descendant of NUALLÁN". The baseball player Nolan Ryan (1947-) is a famous bearer of this name.
NOLWENN f BretonFrom the Breton phrase
Noyal Gwenn meaning
"holy one from Noyal". This was the epithet of a 6th-century saint and martyr from Brittany.
NON f WelshPossibly derived from Latin
nonna meaning
"nun". This was the name of the mother of Saint David.
NONA (1) f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
nonus meaning
"ninth", referring to the nine months of pregnancy. This was the name of a Roman goddess of pregnancy. She was also one of the three Fates (or Parcae).
NORBAER m LimburgishLimburgish form of
NORBERT. Its spelling has been influenced by the French pronunciation of Norbert.
NORI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
儀 (nori) meaning "ceremony, rites" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
NORIAKI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
憲 (nori) meaning "law" or
典 (nori) meaning "rule, ceremony" combined with
明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
NORIKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
法 (nori) meaning "law, rule" or
典 (nori) meaning "rule, ceremony" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
NORMA f English, Italian, LiteratureCreated by Felice Romani for the main character in the opera
Norma (1831). He may have based it on Latin
norma "rule". This name is also frequently used as a feminine form of
NORMAN.
NORMAN m English, Ancient GermanicFrom an old Germanic byname meaning
"northman", referring to a Viking. The Normans were Vikings who settled on the coast of France, in the region that became known as Normandy. In England the name
Norman or
Normant was used before the Norman Conquest, first as a nickname for Scandinavian settlers and later as a given name. After the Conquest it became more common, but died out around the 14th century. It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to a character by this name in C. M. Yonge's 1856 novel
The Daisy Chain.
NORTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"north town" in Old English.
NORWOOD m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning
"north wood" in Old English.
NOVA f EnglishDerived from Latin
novus meaning
"new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.
NUADA m Irish MythologyPossibly means
"to acquire" in Irish. In Irish mythology he was a divine leader of the Tuatha De Danann. After he lost an arm in battle it was replaced with one made from silver. He was later killed in battle against the Fomorians.
NUALLÁN m Ancient IrishDerived from Irish
nuall meaning
"noble, famous" combined with a diminutive suffix.
NUAN f ChineseFrom Chinese
暖 (nuǎn) meaning "warm, genial" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
NUBIA f VariousFrom the name of the ancient region and kingdom in Africa, south of Egypt. It possibly derives from the Egyptian word
nbw meaning "gold".
NUNO m Portuguese, Medieval PortugueseMedieval Portuguese and Spanish name, possibly from Latin
nonus "ninth" or
nunnus "grandfather". Saint Nuno was a 14th-century Portuguese general who defeated a Castilian invasion.
NUNZIO m ItalianMasculine short form of
ANNUNZIATA. It also coincides with the related Italian word
nunzio "messenger" (ultimately from Latin
nuntius).
NURAY f TurkishMeans
"bright moon" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
نور (nur) meaning "light" and Turkic
ay meaning "moon".
NURBEK m KyrgyzFrom Kyrgyz
нур (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) combined with the Turkish military title
beg meaning "chieftain, master".
NURCAN f TurkishMeans
"bright soul" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
نور (nur) meaning "light" and Persian
jan meaning "soul, life".
NURGÜL f TurkishMeans
"radiant rose" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
نور (nur) meaning "light" and Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
NÚRIA f Catalan, PortugueseFrom a Catalan title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nostra Senyora de Núria, meaning "Our Lady of Nuria". Nuria is a sanctuary in Spain in which there is a shrine containing a famous statue of Mary.
NURISLAM m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) combined with
Islam, the name of the religion (ultimately from Arabic
إسلام).
NURIT f HebrewMeans
"buttercup flower" in Hebrew (genus Ranunculus).
NURLAN m Kazakh, KyrgyzFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) combined with
ұлан (ulan) meaning "young man, soldier". The corresponding Kyrgyz roots are
нур and
улан.
NURSULTAN m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" and
сұлтан (sultan) meaning "sultan, king" (both words of Arabic origin).
NURTEN f TurkishMeans
"radiant skin" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
نور (nur) meaning "light" and Persian
تن (tan) meaning "body".
NURZHAN m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) and
жан (zhan) meaning "soul" (of Persian origin).
NYALA f VariousFrom the name of a type of African antelope, ultimately derived from the Bantu word
nyálà.
NYDIA f English (Rare), Spanish, LiteratureUsed by British author Edward Bulwer-Lytton for a blind flower-seller in his novel
The Last Days of Pompeii (1834). He perhaps based it on Latin
nidus "nest".
NYNNIAW m Ancient CelticMeaning unknown, presumably of Welsh origin. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, this was the name of a Welsh prince who fought against the invading forces of Julius Caesar. It was also borne by an 8th-century Welsh historian, usually known by the Latinized form
Nennius.
NYOMAN m & f Indonesian, BalinesePossibly from a Balinese word meaning
"end, remainder". This name is traditionally bestowed upon the third-born child.
NYSSA f VariousFrom the name of an ancient town of Asia Minor where Saint Gregory was bishop in the 4th century. Nyssa is also the genus name of a type of tree, also called the Tupelo.
NYX f Greek MythologyMeans
"night" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the night, the daughter of Khaos and the wife of Erebos.