Names with "-rose" in Meaning

Lumír m Czech
Meaning unknown, though possibly related to the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world". In Czech legend this is the name of a bard.

Lumusi f Ewe
Means "born face down" in Ewe.

Luna f Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English
Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.

Lungile f & m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "correct, right, good" in Zulu and Ndebele.

Luningning f Tagalog
Means "brilliance" in Tagalog.

Lusine f Armenian
From Armenian լուսին (lusin) meaning "moon".

Lutfi m Arabic, Indonesian
Means "kind, gentle" in Arabic.

Luther m English
From a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

Luule f Estonian
Means "poetry" in Estonian.

Lux f & m Various
Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".

Luz f Spanish
Means "light" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Luz, meaning "Our Lady of Light".

Lwandle m & f Zulu, Xhosa
Means "ocean" in Zulu and Xhosa.

Lycurgus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λυκοῦργος (Lykourgos), derived from λύκος (lykos) meaning "wolf" and ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work, deed". In Greek legend this was the name of a king who was driven mad by the gods because of his impiety. This was also the name of a Spartan legislator of the 9th century BC.

Lycus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λύκος (Lykos) meaning "wolf". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology including a legendary ruler of Thebes.

Lydia f English, German, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Means "from Lydia" in Greek. Lydia was a region on the west coast of Asia Minor, said to be named for the legendary king Lydos. In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. In the modern era the name has been in use since the Protestant Reformation.

Lydos m Ancient Greek
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the semi-legendary king who gave his name to the region of Lydia in Asia Minor.

Lykke f Danish
Means "good fortune, happiness" in Danish.

Lyle m English
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French l'isle meaning "island".

Lyndon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "linden tree hill" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973).

Lynn f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of Linda or names that end in lyn or line.

Lynton m English (Rare)
Variant of Linton.

Lynwood m English
Variant of Linwood.

Lyones f Arthurian Cycle
Variant of Lyonesse.

Lyonesse f Arthurian Cycle
Means "lioness" in Middle English. In Thomas Malory's 15th-century tale Le Morte d'Arthur this is the name of a woman trapped in a castle by the Red Knight. Her sister Lynet gains the help of the knight Gareth in order to save her.

Lyonors f Arthurian Cycle
Probably from Middle English lyon meaning "lion". It appears in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends Le Morte d'Arthur, belonging to a woman who had a child with Arthur. Alfred Tennyson used the name in his poem Gareth and Lynette (1872) for the sister of Lynette (this character is called Lyonesse in Malory's version of the story).

Lyric f & m English (Modern)
Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).

Lysander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λύσανδρος (Lysandros), derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a notable 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.

Lysimachus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λυσίμαχος (Lysimachos), derived from λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and μάχη (mache) meaning "battle". This was the name of one of the generals under Alexander the Great. After Alexander's death Lysimachus took control of Thrace.

Lysistrate f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and στρατός (stratos) meaning "army". This is the name of a comedy by the Greek playwright Aristophanes, also called by its Latinized form Lysistrata. In the play Lysistrate attempts to end the Peloponnesian War by persuading the women from both sides to withhold sex from men.

Lysithea f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". This was the name of a lover of Zeus in Greek mythology. A small moon of Jupiter is named after her.

Lyssa 2 f Greek Mythology
Means "rage, fury, anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Lyssa is a goddess associated with uncontrolled rage.

Lyuben m Bulgarian
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".

Lyubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".

Lyudmil m Bulgarian
Bulgarian masculine form of Ludmila.

Maacah f & m Biblical
From Hebrew מָעַך (ma'akh) meaning "to press, to crush". This name is borne by both male and female characters in the Old Testament.

Maalik m Arabic
Means "owner, possessor, master" in Arabic.

Maaseiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name מַעֲשֵׂיָה (Ma'aseyah) meaning "work of Yahweh". This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters (mostly minor).

Maat f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian mꜣꜥt meaning "truth, virtue, justice". Maat (or Ma'at) was the Egyptian goddess who personified truth and balance. She was the consort of Thoth.

Maayan f & m Hebrew
Means "spring of water" in Hebrew.

Mabyn f Cornish
Possibly from Old Cornish mab meaning "son". This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the children of Brychan Brycheiniog. She is now regarded as a woman, but some early sources describe her as a man.

Macarena f Spanish
From the name of a barrio (district) in Seville, which got its name from a temple that may have been named for a person named Macarius (see Macario). The Virgin of Macarena, that is Mary, is widely venerated in Seville.

Macario m Spanish
Spanish form of the Latin name Macarius, derived from the Greek name Μακάριος (Makarios), which was in turn derived from Greek μάκαρ (makar) meaning "blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints.

Macaulay m English (British)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Amhalghaidh, itself derived from Amhalghadh, a given name of unknown meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1861), a British Whig politician and noted historian. The given name is borne by the American former child actor Macaulay Culkin (1980-), who was named after the British politician.

Macauley m English (British)
Variant of Macaulay.

Macbeth m History
Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic given name Mac Beatha meaning "son of life", implying holiness. This was the name of an 11th-century Scottish king who came to power after defeating and killing King Duncan in battle. Years later he was himself slain in battle with Duncan's son Malcolm. Shakespeare based his play Macbeth (1606) loosely on this king's life, drawing from the tales related in Holinshed's Chronicles (1587).

Macdara m Irish, Old Irish
Means "son of oak" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara.

Mackenzie f & m English
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.

Macy f English
From an English surname that was from various towns called Massy in France. The towns themselves were originally derived from a Gallo-Roman personal name that was Latinized as Maccius. The name was brought to public attention in 1989 when the character Macy Alexander was introduced to the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. It is also notable as the name of a chain of American department stores founded by Rowland Hussey Macy in 1858.

Madai m Biblical
Means "Medes" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Japheth. He was the ancestor of the Medes, an ancient people related to the Persians.

Madalitso m & f Chewa
Means "blessings" in Chewa.

Mädchen f Various (Rare)
Means "girl" in German. It is not used as a name in Germany itself.

Maddox m English (Modern)
From a Welsh surname meaning "son of Madoc". It was brought to public attention when the actress Angelina Jolie gave this name to her adopted son in 2002.

Made m & f Balinese
From Sanskrit मध्य (madhya) meaning "middle". This name is traditionally given to the family's second-born child.

Madelief f Dutch
Derived from Dutch madeliefje meaning "daisy".

Madhava m Sanskrit, Hinduism
Means "vernal, of the springtime" in Sanskrit. This is an epithet of several Hindu gods. It was also the name of a 14th-century Hindu scholar.

Madhu f & m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu
From Sanskrit मधु (madhu) meaning "sweet, honey". This is another name of Chaitra, the first month of the Hindu year (which occurs in March and April).

Madhukar m Hindi, Marathi
Means "bee, honey-maker" in Sanskrit.

Madhur m & f Hindi
Means "sweet" in Sanskrit.

Madhuri f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada
Means "sweetness" in Sanskrit.

Mədinə f Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Madina.

Madina f Tajik, Uzbek, Kazakh, Avar, Chechen
From the name of the city of Medina, Arabic المدينة (al-Madinah), which means "the city". The Saudi city is considered an Islamic holy site because the Prophet Muhammad was based there for a period.

Madison f & m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Maud". It was not commonly used as a feminine name until after the movie Splash (1984), in which the main character adopted it as her name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York City. It was ranked second for girls in the United States by 2001. This rise from obscurity to prominence in only 18 years represents an unprecedented 550,000 percent increase in usage.... [more]

Madoc m Welsh (Rare)
From the Old Welsh name Matauc, derived from mad meaning "good, fortunate" combined with a diminutive suffix. This is the name of a warrior mentioned in the 7th-century Welsh poem Y Gododdin. It was also borne by several medieval rulers, including the 12th-century Madoc ap Maredudd, the last prince of Powys. Another bearer, according to later folklore, was a son of the 12th-century Owain the Great who sailed to the Americas.

Madona f Georgian
Georgian form of Madonna.

Madonna f English
From a title of the Virgin Mary meaning "my lady" in Italian. A famous bearer of the name is American singer Madonna Ciccone (1958-), known simply as Madonna.

Máedóc m Old Irish
Meaning unknown. Saint Máedóc (also known as Áedán) of Ferns was a 7th-century Irish bishop.

Maël m French, Breton
French form of Breton Mael meaning "prince, chieftain, lord". Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.

Maelgwn m Medieval Welsh
From Old Welsh Mailcun, from a Brythonic name *Maglocunos meaning "chief of hounds", derived from Celtic *maglos "chief" and *kū "dog, hound" (genitive *kunos). This was the name of several early Welsh rulers, notably Maelgwn Gwynedd, a 6th-century king of Gwynedd.

Máel Máedóc m Old Irish
Means "disciple of Saint Máedóc" in Irish. Saint Máel Máedóc (also known as Malachy) was a 12th-century archbishop of Armagh.

Máel Sechlainn m Old Irish
Variant of Máel Sechnaill.

Máel Sechnaill m Old Irish
Means "disciple of Saint Seachnall" in Irish. This was the name of two Irish high kings: Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid who ruled all of Ireland in the 9th century; and Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill (called Malachy) who defeated the Norse of Dublin in the 10th century.

Mærwine m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements mære "famous" and wine "friend".

Maeva f Tahitian, French
Means "welcome" in Tahitian. It gained popularity in France during the 1980s.

Maeve f Irish, English, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of the Irish name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband Ailill fought against the Ulster king Conchobar and the hero Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.

Ma'evehpota'e f Cheyenne
Means "red leaf woman", from Cheyenne ma'e- "red" and vehpȯtse "leaf" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.

Magahet m Chamorro
Means "true, certain" in Chamorro.

Magdalene f German, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From a title meaning "of Magdala". Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament, was named thus because she was from Magdala — a village on the Sea of Galilee whose name meant "tower" in Hebrew. She was cleaned of evil spirits by Jesus and then remained with him during his ministry, witnessing the crucifixion and the resurrection. She was a popular saint in the Middle Ages, and the name became common then. In England it is traditionally rendered Madeline, while Magdalene or Magdalen is the learned form.

Magnar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements magn "power, strength" and herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century.

Magnhild f Norwegian
Derived from Old Norse magn "power, strength" and hildr "battle". This was the name of an 1877 novel by the Norwegian author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson.

Magni m Old Norse, Norse Mythology
Derived from the Old Norse element magn meaning "power, strength". In Norse mythology this name is borne by a son of Thor and the giant Járnsaxa.

Magnolia f English
From the English word magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.

Magnus m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "great". It was borne by a 7th-century saint who was a missionary in Germany. It became popular in Scandinavia after the time of the 11th-century Norwegian king Magnus I, who was said to have been named after Charlemagne, or Carolus Magnus in Latin (however there was also a Norse name Magni). The name was borne by six subsequent kings of Norway as well as three kings of Sweden. It was imported to Scotland and Ireland during the Middle Ages.

Mago m Phoenician (Latinized)
From the Punic name 𐤌𐤂𐤍 (Magon) possibly meaning "shield". This name was borne by three kings of Carthage, and also by a brother of Hannibal Barca.

Maha f Arabic
Means "oryx" in Arabic. The oryx is a variety of antelope that is said to represent beauty.

Mahalath f Biblical
From the Hebrew name מָחֲלַת (Machalat) meaning "lyre". In the Old Testament she is the daughter of Ishmael and the wife of Esau.

Məhəmmədəli m Azerbaijani
Combination of Məhəmməd and Əli.

Mahatma m History
From the Indian title महात्मा (Mahatma) meaning "great soul", derived from Sanskrit महा (maha) meaning "great" and आत्मन् (atman) meaning "soul, spirit, life". This title was given to, among others, Mohandas Karamchand, also known as Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948).

Mahavira m Sanskrit
Means "great hero" from Sanskrit महा (maha) meaning "great" and वीर (vira) meaning "hero, man". This was the name of the 6th-century BC founder of Jainism.

Mahbub m Arabic, Bengali
Means "beloved, dear" in Arabic.

Mahdi m Arabic, Persian
Means "guided one" in Arabic.

Mahendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Sanskrit
From Sanskrit महा (maha) meaning "great" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor Ashoka. He is credited with introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka.

Mahershala m Various (Rare)
From the longer name Mahershalalhashbaz, which appears in the Old Testament at Isaiah 8:1 in reference to Isaiah's symbolic son. It is written in Hebrew as מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז, and is composed of the two-word phrases מַהֵר שָׁלָל (maher shalal) and חָשׁ בַּז (chash baz), which both mean "hurry to the plunder". A famous bearer is the American actor Mahershala Ali (1974-), whose full name is Mahershalalhashbaz.

Mahesha m Hinduism
Means "great lord" from Sanskrit महा (maha) meaning "great" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler". This is another name of the Hindu god Shiva.

Mahfuz m Arabic
Means "safeguarded" in Arabic.

Mahihkan m Cree
Means "wolf" in Cree.

Mahin f Persian
Means "related to the moon" in Persian.

Mahinder m & f Indian (Sikh)
Variant of Mahendra used by Sikhs.

Mahir m Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian
Means "skilled" in Arabic.

Mahlah f & m Biblical
From the Hebrew name מַחְלָה (Machlah), possibly from חָלָה (chalah) meaning "weak, sick". This name is used in the Old Testament as both a feminine and masculine name. In some versions of the Bible the masculine name is spelled Mahalah.

Mahli m Biblical
From the Hebrew name מַחְלִי (Machli), possibly meaning "weak, sick". This was the name of two characters mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.

Mahmud m Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay
Means "praised" in Arabic, from the same root as Muhammad. This was the name of the first Muslim ruler of India (11th century). It was also borne by two Ottoman sultans.

Mahnaz f Persian
From Persian مه (mah) meaning "moon" and ناز (naz) meaning "delight, comfort".

Mahpiya m & f Sioux
From Dakota or Lakota maȟpíya meaning "cloud, sky". This is the first part of the names of the Dakota chief Mahpiya Wicasta (1780-1863), known as Cloud Man, and the Lakota chiefs Mahpiya Luta (1822-1909), known as Red Cloud, and Mahpiya Iyapato (1838-1905), known as Touch the Clouds.

Mähri f Turkmen
Possibly derived from Persian مه (mah) meaning "moon" or مهر (mehr) meaning "friendship, love, kindness".

Mahsa f Persian
Means "like the moon" in Persian.

Mahtab f Persian
Means "moonlight" in Persian.

Mahtihildiz f Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Matilda.

Mahvash f Persian
Means "moon-like" in Persian.

Mahzun m Turkish (Rare)
Means "sad" in Turkish.

Mai 1 f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 梅 (mai) meaning "plum, apricot" (refers specifically to the species Prunus mume).

Mai 2 f Japanese
From Japanese 舞 (mai) meaning "dance" or 麻衣 (mai) meaning "linen robe". It can also come from 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.

Mai 4 f Arabic
Means "water" in Arabic, a dialectal variant of ماء (ma).

Maia 1 f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Portuguese, Georgian
From Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning "good mother, dame, foster mother", perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.

Maia 2 f Roman Mythology
Probably from Latin maior meaning "greater". This was the name of a Roman goddess of spring, a companion (sometimes wife) of Vulcan. She was later conflated with the Greek goddess Maia. The month of May is named for her.

Maiara f Tupi
From Tupi maya arya meaning "great-grandmother".

Maider f Basque
From the name of the goddess Mari 3 combined with Basque eder meaning "beautiful".

Maile f Hawaiian
From the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.

Maimu f Estonian
Means "little" in Estonian. This is the name of a girl in the story Maimu (1889) by the Estonian writer August Kitzberg.

Maina m Kikuyu
Means "sing, dance" in Kikuyu. Kikuyu males were traditionally organized into age sets or generations, each lasting about 30 years. The Maina generation occupied the last part of the 19th century.

Mainchín m Irish
Means "little monk", derived from Old Irish manach "monk" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by two early saints.

Mainio m Finnish (Rare)
Means "excellent" in Finnish.

Maira f Greek Mythology
From Greek μαρμαίρω (marmairo) meaning "sparkle, gleam, flash". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids.

Maire f Finnish, Estonian
Derived from Finnish mairea meaning "gushing, sugary".

Mairwen f Welsh
Combination of Mair and Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed".

Maite 1 f Spanish
Combination of María and Teresa.

Maite 2 f Basque
Means "beloved" in Basque.

Maitland m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was from a Norman French place name possibly meaning "inhospitable".

Maiwenn f Breton
Combination of Mai 3 and Gwenn.

Majdi m Arabic
Means "glorious, praiseworthy" in Arabic, from the root مجد (majada) meaning "to be glorious".

Majid m Arabic, Persian, Urdu
Means "glorious, magnificent" in Arabic, from the root مجد (majada) meaning "to be glorious". This transcription represents two related yet distinct Arabic names: مجيد, in which the second vowel is long, and ماجد, in which the first vowel is long.

Majlinda f Albanian
Derived from Albanian maj "May" and lind "to give birth".

Major m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the given name Mauger, a Norman French form of the Germanic name Malger meaning "council spear". The name can also be given in reference to the English word major.

Majvor f Swedish
From Swedish maj meaning "May (month)" combined with vår meaning "spring" or the Old Norse name element vǫr meaning "vigilant, cautious". This name was first used in the early 20th century.

Mak m Bosnian
Means "poppy (flower)" in Bosnian. It is most often given in honour of the Bosnian poet Mehmedalija Dizdar (1917-1971), whose pseudonym was Mak.

Makana m & f Hawaiian
Means "gift" in Hawaiian.

Makara m & f Khmer
Means "January" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit मकर (makara), referring to the constellation Capricornus.

Makbule f Turkish
Means "liked" in Turkish.

Makeda f History
Possibly means "greatness" in Ethiopic. This was the name of an Ethiopian queen of the 10th-century BC. She is probably the same person as the Queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon in the Old Testament.

Makena f & m Kikuyu
Means "happy one" in Kikuyu.

Makoto m & f Japanese
From Japanese 誠 (makoto) meaning "sincerity", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations.

Makram m Arabic
Means "noble trait" in Arabic, from the root كرم (karuma) meaning "to be generous".

Maksat m Turkmen, Kyrgyz, Kazakh
Means "goal, purpose, intention" in Turkmen, Kyrgyz and Kazakh, all derived from Arabic مقصد (maqsid).

Makvala f Georgian
Derived from Georgian მაყვალი (maqvali) meaning "blackberry".

Mala f Hindi
Means "necklace" in Sanskrit.

Malachi m Hebrew, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name מַלְאָכִי (Mal'akhi) meaning "my messenger" or "my angel". This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Malachi, which some claim foretells the coming of Christ. In England the name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.

Malai f Thai
Means "garland of flowers" in Thai.

Malaika f Swahili
Means "angel" in Swahili, derived from Arabic ملك (malak).

Mələk f Azerbaijani
Means "angel" in Azerbaijani, ultimately of Arabic origin.

Malak f & m Arabic
Means "angel" in Arabic.

Malalai f Pashto
Means "sad, grieved" in Pashto. This was the name of a Pashtun woman who encouraged the Afghan forces during the 1880 Battle of Maiwand against the British.

Malati f Hindi
Means "jasmine" in Sanskrit.

Malaysia f English (Modern)
From the name of the country in southeastern Asia, the home of the Malay people. Their ethnic name is of uncertain origin, though it is possibly from the name of a river, itself derived from Malay melaju or Javanese mlayu meaning "to run, to go fast".

Malcolm m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, which means "disciple of Saint Columba". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing Macbeth, the usurper who had defeated his father Duncan. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth (1606) is loosely based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.

Maldwyn m Welsh
From Maldwyn, another name for the old Welsh county of Montgomeryshire. It is so called from Trefaldwyn, the Welsh name for the county town of Montgomery, misinterpreting it as if meaning "town of Maldwyn". In fact it means "town of Baldwin" (in Welsh both m and b mutate to f).

Maleficent f Popular Culture
From an English word meaning "harmful, evil", derived from Latin maleficens. This is the name of the villain in the animated Disney film Sleeping Beauty (1959).

Malger m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements mahal meaning "meeting, assembly, court" and ger meaning "spear".

Mali f Thai
Means "jasmine" in Thai.

Mālie f Hawaiian
Means "calm" in Hawaiian.

Malik 1 m Arabic
Means "king" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الملك (al-Malik) is one of the 99 names of Allah. This can also be another way of transcribing the name مالك (see Maalik).

Malik 2 m Greenlandic
Means "wave, sea" in Greenlandic.

Malika f Arabic
Means "queen" in Arabic, the feminine form of Malik 1.

Malina 2 f Bulgarian, Serbian, Polish
Means "raspberry" in several Slavic languages.

Malinalli f Nahuatl
Means "tall grass" in Nahuatl.

Malini f Hindi
Means "fragrant" in Sanskrit.

Malka f Hebrew
Means "queen" in Hebrew.

Malkhaz m Georgian
Possibly means "beautiful, elegant, youthful" in Georgian.

Mallory f English (Modern)
From an English surname that meant "unfortunate" in Norman French. It first became common in the 1980s due to the American sitcom Family Ties (1982-1989), which featured a character by this name.

Málmfríðr f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Målfrid.

Malo m Breton
Means "bright pledge", derived from Old Breton mach "pledge, hostage" and lou "bright, brilliant". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint, supposedly a companion of Saint Brendan on his trans-Atlantic journey. He later went to Brittany, where he founded the monastic settlement of Saint-Malo.

Malone m & f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Maoil Eoin meaning "descendant of a disciple of Saint John".

Malvina f Literature, English, Italian, French
Created by the Scottish poet James MacPherson in the 18th century for a character in his Ossian poems. He probably intended it to mean "smooth brow", from Scottish Gaelic mala "brow" and mìn "smooth, fine" (lenited to mhìn and pronounced with a v sound).

Malvolio m Literature
Means "ill will" in Italian. This name was invented by Shakespeare for pompous character in his comedy Twelfth Night (1602).

Mami f Japanese
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or 麻 (ma) meaning "flax" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.

Mamuka m Georgian
Means "little father" in Georgian.

Mamun m Arabic, Bengali
Means "trustworthy" in Arabic.

Managold m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements manag "many" and walt "power, authority".

Manami f Japanese
From Japanese 愛 (mana) meaning "love, affection" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 海 (mi) meaning "sea, ocean". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Manana f Georgian
Means both "heather" and "manna, divine food" in Georgian.

Manannán m Irish Mythology
Probably from the name of the Isle of Man, itself possibly from the Celtic root *moniyo- meaning "mountain". In Irish mythology Manannán mac Lir was a god of the sea and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Manas m Bengali, Assamese, Hindi
Means "mind, intellect, spirit" in Sanskrit.

Manasseh m Biblical
Means "causing to forget" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the oldest son of Joseph and Asenath and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was also borne by a 7th-century BC king of Judah, condemned in the Bible for allowing the worship of other gods.

Manawydan m Welsh Mythology
Welsh cognate of Manannán. According to the Mabinogi he was a son of Llŷr, and the brother of Brân and Branwen. He participated in his brother's invasion of Ireland, and was one of only seven warriors to return. Afterwards he became a companion of Pryderi and married his widowed mother Rhiannon.

Mandawuy m Yolngu
Means "from clay" in Yolngu.

Mandeep m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and दीप (dipa) meaning "lamp, light".

Mandla m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "strength, power" in Zulu and Ndebele.

Mandlenkosi m Zulu, Ndebele
From Zulu and Ndebele amandla "strength, power" and inkosi "king, chief".

Mane f Armenian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Armenian մանանա (manana) meaning "manna".

Manfred m German, Dutch, Polish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements man "man" and fridu "peace". It was borne by a 13th-century king of Sicily. Another notable bearer was Manfred von Richthofen (1892-1918), the World War I pilot known as the Red Baron. This is also the name of the main character in Lord Byron's drama Manfred (1817).

Mangatjay m Yolngu
Meaning unknown, of Yolngu origin.

Mani 1 m Hinduism, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada
Means "jewel" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this name is borne by a serpent and an attendant of Skanda.

Mani 2 m Persian
Meaning unknown, presumably of Persian origin. Mani was a 3rd-century prophet who founded the religion of Manichaeism (which is now extinct).

Manijeh f Persian
Meaning uncertain, possibly of Parthian origin. This is the name of a princess in Bijan and Manijeh, a story that forms part of the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.

Maninder m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra.

Manish m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil, Nepali
From Sanskrit मनीषा (manisha) meaning "thought, wisdom".

Manius m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was possibly derived from Latin manus "good".

Manjeet m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and जिति (jiti) meaning "victory, conquering".

Manju f Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu
Means "lovely, beautiful" in Sanskrit.

Manjula f Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam
Means "pleasing, beautiful" in Sanskrit.

Manjusha f Marathi, Hindi
Means "small box, small chest" in Sanskrit.

Manjushri m Buddhism
Means "beautiful radiance", derived from Sanskrit मञ्जु (manju) meaning "lovely, beautiful" and श्री (shri) meaning "radiance, splendour, beauty". According to Buddhist tradition this is the name of a bodhisattva.

Manley m English
From an English surname, originally a place name, meaning "common clearing" in Old English.

Manlius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin mane "morning". Marcus Manlius Capitolinus was a Roman consul who saved Rome from the Gauls in the 4th century BC.

Manno m Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element man meaning "person, man" (Proto-Germanic *mannô).

Manoja m Hinduism
Means "born of the mind", from Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and ज (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu god Kama.

Manpreet f & m Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and प्रीति (priti) meaning "pleasure, joy, love".

Mansur m Arabic, Turkish, Indonesian, Uzbek
Means "victorious" in Arabic. Abu Jafar al-Mansur was an 8th-century Abbasid caliph and the founder of the city of Baghdad.

Mantas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian mantus meaning "intelligent, clever" or manta meaning "property, wealth". Herkus Mantas was a 13th-century Prussian hero who fought against the Teutonic Knights.

Mantvydas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth" combined with the root vyd- "to see".

Manu 1 m Hinduism, Hindi, Kannada
Means "thinking, wise" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is a title of Svayambhuva, the progenitor of the human race, as well as several of his descendants.

Manyara f Shona
Means "you have been humbled" in Shona.

Mao f Japanese
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or 舞 (mai) meaning "dance" combined with 央 (o) meaning "center", 緒 (o) meaning "thread" or 桜 (o) meaning "cherry blossom". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Maoilios m Scottish Gaelic
Means "servant of Jesus" in Scottish Gaelic.

Ma'ome m Cheyenne
Means "ice" in Cheyenne.

Maor m Hebrew
Means "a light" in Hebrew.

Maple f English
From the English word for the tree, derived from Old English mapul. This is the name of a girl in Robert Frost's poem Maple (1923) who wonders about the origin of her unusual name.

Maponos m Celtic Mythology
Means "great son", from the Celtic root *makwos meaning "son" (Gaulish and Brythonic mapos) combined with the divine or augmentative suffix -on. This was the name of a god of youth worshipped in Gaul and Britain. He was commonly equated with the Greco-Roman god Apollo.

Maqsud m Arabic, Urdu
Means "intention, aim" in Arabic.

Maquinna m Nuu-chah-nulth (Anglicized)
From Nuu-chah-nulth Mukwina, possibly meaning "possessor of pebbles". This was the name of a late 18th-century chief of the Mowachaht people.

Mar f Spanish, Catalan
Means "sea" in Spanish and Catalan. It is from a devotional title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Mar "Our Lady of the Sea", the patron saint of the Spanish province of Almería.

Mara 1 f Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Means "bitter" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is a name that Naomi calls herself after the death of her husband and sons (see Ruth 1:20).

Maraĵa f Esperanto
Means "made of the sea" in Esperanto, a derivative of maro "sea", ultimately from Latin mare.

Maral f Mongolian, Azerbaijani, Armenian, Turkmen
Means "deer" in Mongolian, Azerbaijani, Armenian and Turkmen, referring to the Caspian Red Deer.

Maram f & m Arabic
Means "wish, desire" in Arabic.

Marama f & m Maori, Polynesian Mythology
Means "moon" in Maori. This is the name of a moon god (or goddess) in Maori mythology.

Marcus m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Roman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from the name of the Roman god Mars. This was among the most popular of the Roman praenomina. Famous bearers include Marcus Tullius Cicero (known simply as Cicero), a 1st-century BC statesman and orator, Marcus Antonius (known as Mark Antony), a 1st-century BC politician, and Marcus Aurelius, a notable 2nd-century emperor. This was also the name of a pope of the 4th century. This spelling has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world, though the traditional English form Mark has been more common.

Marduk m Semitic Mythology
Probably from Sumerian amar-Utuk meaning "calf of Utu", derived from amar "calf" combined with the name of the sun god Utu. This was the name of the chief Babylonian god, presiding over heaven, light, sky, battle, and fertility. After killing the dragon Tiamat, who was an old enemy of the gods, he created the world and sky from the pieces of her body.

Margalit f Hebrew
Means "pearl" in Hebrew, ultimately from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites).

Margaret f English
Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.... [more]

Mari 2 f Japanese
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with 理 (ri) meaning "reason, logic" or 里 (ri) meaning "village". Many other combinations of kanji characters can form this name.

Mari 3 f Basque Mythology
Possibly from Basque emari meaning "donation" or amari meaning "mother". This was the name of a goddess of nature and fertility in Basque mythology.

María Ángeles f Spanish
Combination of María and Ángeles.

María Auxiliadora f Spanish
Means "Mary the helper" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María Belén f Spanish
Combination of María and Belén.

Mariabella f English (Rare)
Combination of Maria and Bella.

María Carmen f Spanish
Combination of María and Carmen. This was the most popular name for girls in Spain from the 1940s to the 1970s.

Maria Chiara f Italian
Combination of Maria and Chiara.

María Cristina f Spanish
Combination of María and Cristina.

María Cruz f Spanish
Combination of María and Cruz.

María de Jesús f Spanish
Means "Mary (the mother) of Jesus" in Spanish, a compound of María and Jesús.

María de la Cruz f Spanish
Means "Mary of the cross" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María de las Mercedes f Spanish
Means "Mary of mercies" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María del Carmen f Spanish
Means "Mary of Mount Carmel" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary (see Carmen).

María del Mar f Spanish
Means "Mary of the sea" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

Maria del Mar f Catalan
Means "Mary of the sea" in Catalan, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María de los Ángeles f Spanish
Means "Mary of the angels" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María de los Dolores f Spanish
Means "Mary of sorrows" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María Dolores f Spanish
Combination of María and Dolores.

María Fernanda f Spanish
Combination of María and Fernanda.

Maria Francesca f Italian
Combination of Maria and Francesca.

Maria Grazia f Italian
Combination of Maria and Grazia.

María Guadalupe f Spanish (Mexican)
Combination of María and Guadalupe.

María Isabel f Spanish
Combination of María and Isabel.

María Jesús f Spanish
Combination of María and Jesús.

Maria João f Portuguese
Combination of Maria and João.

María José f Spanish
Combination of María and José, the names of the parents of Jesus.

Maria José f Portuguese
Combination of Maria and José, the names of the parents of Jesus.

María Josefa f Spanish
Combination of María and Josefa.

Maria Josep f Catalan
Combination of Maria and Josep, the names of the parents of Jesus.

María Lourdes f Spanish
Combination of María and Lourdes.

María Luisa f Spanish
Combination of María and Luisa.

María Manuela f Spanish
Combination of María and Manuela.

María Mercedes f Spanish
Combination of María and Mercedes.

Marian 1 f English
Variant of Marion 1. This name was borne in English legend by Maid Marian, Robin Hood's love. It is sometimes considered a combination of Mary and Ann.... [more]

Mariana f Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Czech, Bulgarian, Ancient Roman
Roman feminine form of Marianus. After the classical era it was frequently interpreted as a combination of Maria and Ana. In Portuguese it is further used as a form of Mariamne.

Marianela f Spanish
Combination of María and Estela.

Mariangela f Italian
Combination of Maria and Angela.

María Nieves f Spanish
Combination of María and Nieves.

Marianna f Italian, Hungarian, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Greek, English
Combination of Maria and Anna. It has been confused with the Roman name Mariana to the point that it is no longer easy to separate the two forms. It is sometimes also used as a Latinized form of Mariamne.

Marianne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Originally a French diminutive of Marie. It is also considered a combination of Marie and Anne 1. Shortly after the formation of the French Republic in 1792, a female figure by this name was adopted as the symbol of the state.

Marianthi f Greek
Combination of Maria and Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower" (from names such as Chrysanthi).

Maria Pia f Italian
Combination of Maria and Pia.

Mariapia f Italian
Combination of Maria and Pia.

María Pilar f Spanish
Combination of María and Pilar.

Mariasole f Italian
Combination of Maria and Sole.

María Soledad f Spanish
Combination of María and Soledad.

María Teresa f Spanish
Combination of María and Teresa.

Maria Vittoria f Italian
Combination of Maria and Vittoria.

Maricel f Spanish
Combination of María and Celia or Cecilia. It is especially popular in the Philippines.

Maricela f Spanish
Combination of María and Celia.

Marie-Ange f French
Combination of Marie and Ange.

Marie-Christine f French
Combination of Marie and Christine.

Marie-Claire f French
Combination of Marie and Claire.

Marie-Claude f French
Combination of Marie and Claude.

Marie-Ève f French
Combination of Marie and Ève.

Marie-France f French
Combination of Marie and France 1.

Marie-Françoise f French
Combination of Marie and Françoise.

Marie-Hélène f French
Combination of Marie and Hélène.

Marie-José f French
Combination of Marie and José, the names of the parents of Jesus.

Marie-Laure f French
Combination of Marie and Laure.

Marie-Louise f French
Combination of Marie and Louise.

Marie-Madeleine f French
Combination of Marie and Madeleine, referring to Mary Magdalene from the New Testament.

Marie-Noëlle f French
Combination of Marie and Noëlle.

Marie-Pierre f French
Combination of Marie and Pierre.

Marie-Thérèse f French
Combination of Marie and Thérèse.

Marigold f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of Mary and the English word gold.

Marijana f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian
Croatian, Serbian, Slovene and Macedonian form of Mariana.

Marijani m Swahili
Means "coral" in Swahili, originally a borrowing from Arabic.

Marikit f Tagalog
Means "beautiful, pretty" in Tagalog.

Mariko f Japanese
From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine", 里 (ri) meaning "village" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Many different combinations of kanji characters can form this name.

Marilag f Tagalog
Means "beautiful, gorgeous" in Tagalog.