SAROLT f Hungarian (Rare)From the Old Hungarian name
Saroldu, probably of Turkic origin meaning "white weasel, ermine". This was the wife of the 10th-century Hungarian grand prince
Géza.
SARPEDON m Greek MythologyMeaning 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 defense of Troy, but he was killed by
Patroclus. Another Sarpedon was the son of Zeus and
Europa.
SASKIA f Dutch, GermanFrom the Germanic element
sahs "Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word
sahs meaning "knife".
SATAN m Theology, Biblical, Biblical HebrewDerived from Hebrew
שָׂטָן (satan) 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 a surname derived from Old English
sacc meaning "sack, bag", referring to a person who was a bag maker.
SATI f HinduismMeans "truthful" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this was the name of a goddess, a wife of
Shiva. After her death she was reborn as the goddess
Parvati.
SATISHA m HinduismMeans "lord of Sati" from the name of the Hindu goddess
SATI combined with
ईश (isha) meaning "ruler". This is another name for the Hindu god
Shiva.
SATOMI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
里 (sato) meaning "village" or
聡 (sato) meaning "intelligent, clever, bright" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
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.
SATURNINUS m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen derived from the name of the Roman god
Saturnus (see
SATURN). This was the name of several early saints.
SAUL m Biblical, Jewish, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
שָׁאוּל (Sha'ul) 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.
SAVANNAH f EnglishFrom the English word for the large grassy plain, ultimately deriving from the Taino (Native American) word
zabana. It came into use as a given name in America in the 19th century. It was revived in the 1980s by the movie 'Savannah Smiles' (1982).
SAVELIY m RussianRussian form of the Latin name
Sabellius meaning "a Sabine". The Sabines were an ancient people who lived in central Italy.
SAVITR m HinduismMeans "rouser, stimulator" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu sun god, sometimes identified with
Surya.
SAVITRI f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, MarathiMeans "relating to the sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hymn dedicated to Savitr, a Hindu sun god, and it is also the name of his daughter. It is borne by several other characters in Hindu epics, including a wife of
Brahma, a wife of
Shiva, and a daughter of Daksha. 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.
SAWDA f ArabicPossibly means "palm-tree garden" in Arabic. This was the name of a wife of the Prophet
Muhammad.
SAWYER m English (Modern)From a surname meaning "sawer of wood" in Middle English. Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' (1876).
SAXON m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from the name of the Germanic tribe the Saxons, ultimately deriving from the Germanic word
sahs meaning "knife". This name can also be given in direct reference to the tribe.
SAYAKA f JapaneseFrom Japanese
沙 (sa) meaning "sand" or
紗 (sa) meaning "thread, silk" with
也 (ya) meaning "also" or
耶 (ya), an interjection, combined with
香 (ka) meaning "fragrance" or
加 (ka) meaning "increase". This name can also be composed of other kanji combinations. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.
SAYURI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
小 (sa) meaning "small" and
百合 (yuri) meaning "lily". This name can also be composed of other kanji combinations.
SAYYID m ArabicMeans "lord, master" in Arabic. A famous bearer was the Egyptian musician Sayyid Darwish (1892-1923).
SCARLETT f EnglishFrom a surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian
سقرلاط (saghrilat)). Margaret Mitchell used this name for Scarlett O'Hara, the main character in her novel 'Gone with the Wind' (1936). Scarlett's name came from her grandmother's maiden name.
SCEVOLA m ItalianItalian 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.
SCHOLASTICA f Late RomanFrom a Late Latin name that was derived from
scholasticus meaning "rhetorician, orator". Saint Scholastica was a 6th-century Benedictine abbess, the sister of Saint Benedict of Nursia.
SCHUYLER m EnglishFrom a Dutch surname meaning "scholar". Dutch settlers brought the surname to America, where it was subsequently adopted as a given name in honour of the American general and senator Philip Schuyler (1733-1804).
SCOTT m English, ScottishFrom 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 "Gaelic speaker", with the ultimate origin uncertain.
SCOUT f English (Rare)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).
SEACHNALL m IrishPossibly an Irish form of
SECUNDINUS. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish saint, also known as Secundinus.
SÉAGHDHA m IrishPossibly means "esteemed, majestic" in Irish Gaelic.
SEBASTIAN m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Finnish, Romanian, CzechFrom the Latin name
Sebastianus, which meant "from Sebaste". Sebaste was the name a town in Asia Minor, its name deriving from Greek
σεβαστος (sebastos) "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] SECUNDINUS m Ancient RomanRoman 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.
SEDNA f MythologyMeaning unknown. This is the name of the Inuit goddess of the sea, sea animals and the underworld. According to some legends Sedna was originally a beautiful woman thrown into the ocean by her father.
SEETHA f TamilTamil form of
SITA. The name of the mythological figures is
சீதை, while
சீதா is the spelling used for people.
SEFTON m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town in the rushes" in Old English.
SEIJA f FinnishDerived from Finnish
seijas meaning "tranquil, serene".
SELA f English (Rare)From the name of a city, the capital of Edom, which appears in the Old Testament. It means "rock" in Hebrew.
SELAH f BiblicalFrom a Hebrew musical term that occurs many times in the Old Testament Psalms. It was probably meant to indicate a musical pause.
SELBY m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "willow farm" in Old Norse.
SELENE f Greek MythologyMeans "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. She was sometimes identified with the goddess
Artemis.
SELEUCUS m Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Σελευκος (Seleukos), of unknown meaning. This was the name of one of Alexander the Great's generals, who established the Seleucid Empire in Western Asia after Alexander's death.
SELİM m TurkishTurkish form of
SALIM. This was the name of three Ottoman sultans, including the father of Süleyman the Magnificent.
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".
SEMELE f Greek MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly of Phrygian origin. In Greek mythology she was one of the many lovers of
Zeus.
Hera, being jealous, tricked Semele into asking Zeus to display himself in all his splendour as the god of thunder. When he did, Semele was struck by lightning and died, but not before giving birth to
Dionysos.
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.
SENÁN m IrishMeans "little old person", derived from Old Irish
sen "old" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Senán was a 6th-century monk from Munster, Ireland.
SENECA m Ancient RomanFrom 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. This name also coincides with that of the
Seneca, a Native American tribe that lived near the Great Lakes, whose name meant "place of stones".
ŞENER m TurkishFrom Turkish
şen meaning "happy" and
er meaning "brave man".
SENGA f ScottishSometimes explained as an anagram of
AGNES, but more likely derived from Gaelic
seang "slender".
ŞENOL m & f TurkishMeans "be happy", from Turkish
şen "happy".
SEO-HYEON f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
瑞 (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" combined with
賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
SEO-JUN m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
瑞 (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" or
舒 (seo) meaning "open up, unfold, comfortable, easy" combined with
俊 (jun) meaning "talented, handsome". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
SEOK m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
石 (seok) meaning "stone" or
錫 (seok) meaning "tin", as well as other characters that are pronounced the same way.
SEONG m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
成 (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-HO m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or
盛 (seong) meaning "abundant, flourishing" combined with
鎬 (ho) meaning "stove, bright" or
晧 (ho) meaning "daybreak, bright". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
SEONG-HUN m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" combined with
勛 (hun) meaning "meritorious deed, rank". Other hanja character combinations can form this name as well.
SEONG-HYEON m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" combined with
鉉 (hyeon), which refers to a device used to lift a tripod cauldron. Other hanja character combinations are possible.
SEONG-JIN m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or
星 (seong) meaning "star, planet" combined with
鎭 (jin) meaning "town, marketplace" or
震 (jin) meaning "shake, tremor, excite". Other hanja character combinations are also possible.
SEONG-MIN m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or
性 (seong) meaning "nature, character, sex" combined with
敏 (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" or
旻 (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
SEONG-SU m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or
聖 (seong) meaning "holy, sacred" combined with
洙 (su), which refers to a river in China. Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
SEO-YEON f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
瑞 (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" and
姢 (yeon) meaning "beautiful, graceful", besides other hanja character combinations.
SEO-YUN f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
瑞 (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" and
潤 (yun) meaning "soft, sleek", as well as other hanja character combinations.
SEPTEMBER f & m English (Rare)From the name of the ninth month (though it means "seventh month" in Latin, since it was originally the seventh month of the Roman year), which is sometimes used as a given name for someone born in September.
SEPTIMIUS m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was derived from
SEPTIMUS. Septimius Severus was an early 3rd-century Roman emperor. This was also the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr.
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 Native American, CherokeePossibly from Cherokee
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.
SERAPHINA f English (Rare), German (Rare), Late RomanFeminine form of the Late Latin name
Seraphinus, derived from the biblical word
seraphim, which was Hebrew in origin and meant "fiery ones". The seraphim were an order of angels, described by Isaiah in the Bible as having six wings each. This was the name of a 13th-century Italian saint who made clothes for the poor. As an English name, it has never been common.
SERENA f English, Italian, Late RomanFrom a Late Latin name that was derived from Latin
serenus meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". This name was borne by an obscure early saint. Edmund Spenser also used it in his poem 'The Faerie Queene' (1590).
SERENITY f English (Modern)From the English word meaning "serenity, tranquility", ultimately from Latin
serenus meaning "clear, calm".
SERGIUS m Ancient RomanRoman 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.
SERHAN m TurkishDerived from Turkish
ser "head, top" and
han, which is from the title
khan meaning "leader".
SERKAN m TurkishMeans "leader, chief" from Turkish
ser "head, top" and
kan "blood".
SERVAAS m DutchDutch form of the Late Latin name
Servatius, derived from
servatus "saved, redeemed". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who helped spread Christianity to the Low Countries.
SETH (2) m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)From
Σεθ (Seth), the Greek form of Egyptian
Swtkh (reconstructed as
Sutekh), which possibly means "pillar" or "dazzle". 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.
SETSUKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
節 (setsu) meaning "section, period, verse, melody" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also be possible.
SEUNG m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
昇 (seung) meaning "rise, ascent",
勝 (seung) meaning "victory, excel" or
承 (seung) meaning "inherit", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
SEVAN f & m ArmenianFrom the name of the largest lake in Armenia, which may be from the Urartian word
suinia simply meaning "lake".
SEVERINUS m Ancient RomanRoman 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.
SEVERUS m Ancient RomanRoman family name meaning "stern" in Latin. This name was borne by several early saints.