Tallulah f English (Rare)This is the name of waterfalls in Georgia. Popularly claimed to mean "leaping waters" in the Choctaw language, it may actually mean "town" in the Creek language. It was borne by American actress Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968), who was named after her grandmother, who may have been named after the waterfalls.
Talon m English (Modern)From the English word meaning
"talon, claw", ultimately derived (via Norman French) from Latin
talus "anklebone".
Talulla f Irish (Rare)Anglicized form of the Old Irish name
Taileflaith,
Tuileflaith or
Tuilelaith, probably from
tuile "abundance" and
flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of an early saint, an abbess of Kildare.
Talvikki f Finnish (Rare)Derived from Finnish
talvi meaning
"winter". This is also the Finnish word for the wintergreen plant (genus Pyrola).
Tamar f Hebrew, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"date palm" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament Tamar was the daughter-in-law of
Judah and later his wife. This was also the name of a daughter of King
David. She was raped by her half-brother
Amnon, leading to his murder by her brother
Absalom. The name was borne by a 12th-century ruling queen of Georgia who presided over the kingdom at the peak of its power.
Tambudzai f ShonaFrom Shona
tambudza meaning
"make trouble, frustrate".
Tamia f African American (Modern)An invented name, using the initial sound found in names such as
Tamika. It was popularized by the Canadian singer Tamia Hill (1975-), who is known simply as Tamia.
Tamiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
多 (ta) meaning "many",
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Tammaro m ItalianItalian form of the Germanic name
Thancmar, which was composed of the elements
thank meaning "thought, consideration, thanks" (Old High German
danc, Old Frankish
þank) and
mari meaning "famous". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, of Vandalic origin, a bishop of Atella in Campania, Italy.
Tancred m Old NormanNorman form of the Germanic name
Thancrat meaning
"thought and counsel", derived from the elements
thank meaning "thought, consideration, thanks" (Old High German
danc, Old Frankish
þank) and
rat meaning "counsel, advice". This name was common among the medieval Norman nobility of southern Italy, being the name of the founder of the Hauteville family. It was borne by a leader of the First Crusade, described by Torquato Tasso in his epic poem
Jerusalem Delivered (1580).
Tāne m Maori, Polynesian MythologyMeans
"man" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Tāne was the god of forests and light. He was the son of the sky god
Rangi and the earth goddess
Papa, who were locked in an embrace and finally separated by their son. He created the tui bird and, by some accounts, man.
Tangaroa m Polynesian MythologyMeaning unknown. In Polynesian mythology he was the god of the sea, the son of
Rangi and
Papa. He separated his parents' embrace, creating the earth and the sky.
Tangwystl f Medieval WelshFrom Welsh
tanc "peace" and
gwystl "hostage, pledge". This name was borne by a mistress of the 13th-century Welsh ruler
Llywelyn the Great.
Tanina f BerberFrom the name of a legendary bird, similar to an eagle or a phoenix.
Tanisha f African AmericanPopularized by the African-American actress Ta-Tanisha (1953-), born Shirley Cummings. The name spiked in popularity in the early 1970s, when she was featured on the television series
Room 222. She apparently took her stage name from Swahili
tatanisha meaning
"puzzle, tangle, confuse". The name probably resonated with parents because of its similarity to other names such as
Tamika and
Natasha.
Tanner m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"one who tans hides".
Tansy f English (Rare)From the name of the flower, which is derived via Old French from Late Latin
tanacita.
Tao m ChineseFrom Chinese
涛 (tāo) meaning "large waves", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Taphath f BiblicalPossibly means
"drop" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament Taphath was a daughter of
Solomon.
Tara 1 f EnglishAnglicized form of the Irish place name
Teamhair, which possibly means
"elevated place". This was the name of the sacred hill near Dublin where the Irish high kings resided. It was popularized as a given name by the novel
Gone with the Wind (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939), in which it is the name of the O'Hara plantation.
Tara 2 f Hinduism, Buddhism, Hindi, NepaliMeans
"star" in Sanskrit. Tara is the name of a Hindu astral goddess, the wife of Brhaspati. She was abducted by
Chandra, the god of the moon, leading to a great war that was only ended when
Brahma intervened and released her. This is also the name of a Buddhist deity (a bodhisattva).
Taran m Welsh Mythology, PictishMeans
"thunder" in Welsh, from the old Celtic root *
toranos. It appears briefly in the Second Branch of the
Mabinogi. The name is cognate to that of the Gaulish god
Taranis. It was also borne by the 7th-century Pictish king Taran mac Ainftech.
Taranis m Gaulish MythologyDerived from the old Celtic root *
toranos meaning
"thunder", cognate with
Þórr (see
Thor). This was the name of the Gaulish thunder god, who was often identified with the Roman god
Jupiter.
Taras m Ukrainian, Russian, BelarusianUkrainian, Russian and Belarusian form of the Greek name
Ταράσιος (Tarasios), which possibly means
"from Taras". Taras was an Italian city, now called Taranto, which was founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BC and was named for the Greek mythological figure Taras, a son of
Poseidon. Saint Tarasios was an 8th-century bishop of Constantinople. It was also borne by the Ukrainian writer and artist Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861).
Tarhunna m Hittite MythologyFrom Hittite or Luwian
tarh meaning
"to cross, to conquer". This was the name of the Hittite god of the weather, storms, and the sky, and the slayer of the dragon Illuyanka. He was closely identified with the Hurrian god
Teshub, and sometimes with the Semitic god
Hadad.
Tariq m Arabic, UrduMeans
"visitor, knocker at the door" in Arabic, from
طرق (taraqa) "to knock". This is the Arabic name of the morning star. Tariq ibn Ziyad was the Islamic general who conquered Spain for the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century.
Tarō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Taron m ArmenianFrom the name of a region in historic Armenia (now in Turkey).
Tarquin m HistoryFrom
Tarquinius, a Roman name of unknown meaning, possibly Etruscan in origin. This was the name of two early kings of Rome.
Taru f FinnishMeans
"legend, myth" in Finnish. It is also used as a diminutive of
Tarja.
Tarzan m LiteratureCreated by Edgar Rice Burroughs for the main character in his novel
Tarzan of the Apes (1912). In the novel Tarzan is the ape name of the baby John Clayton, who was adopted by the animals after his parents died in the African jungle. The name is said to mean
"white skin" in the fictional Mangani ape language.
Tashina f Sioux (Anglicized)From Lakota
Tȟašína meaning
"her blanket", derived from
šiná "blanket, shawl". This is the first part of the name of historic figures such as Tȟašína Lúta, called Red Blanket, or Tȟašína Máni, called Moving Robe Woman.
Tashlultum f AkkadianMeaning unknown, presumably of Akkadian origin. It appears to end with the Akkadian feminine suffix
-tum. This was the name of a wife of
Sargon of Akkad.
Tasunka m Sioux (Anglicized)From Lakota
Tȟašuŋke meaning
"his horse", derived from
šuŋg "horse". This forms the first part of the name of Tasunka Witko (1840-1877), translated as Crazy Horse, a Lakota war leader.
Tatanka m Sioux (Anglicized)From Lakota
tȟatȟáŋka meaning
"male bison". This was the first part of the name of the Lakota holy man and chief Tatanka Iyotake (1831-1890), usually translated into English as Sitting Bull.
Tate m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name
Tata, of unknown origin.
Tatenda m & f ShonaMeans
"thank you" in Shona, from
tenda meaning "thank".
Tatius m Roman Mythology, Ancient RomanRoman family name of unknown meaning, possibly of Sabine origin. According to Roman legend, Titus Tatius was an 8th-century BC king of the Sabines who came to jointly rule over the Romans and Sabines with the Roman king Romulus.
Tatsuo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
達 (tatsu) meaning "achieve" combined with
夫 (o) meaning "man, husband". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Tatsuya m JapaneseFrom Japanese
達 (tatsu) meaning "achieve" combined with
也 (ya) meaning "to be". Other kanji combinations having the same reading are also possible.
Tatton m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"Tata's town" in Old English.
Tatum f & m English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"Tata's homestead" in Old English. It was brought to public attention by the child actress Tatum O'Neal (1963-) in the 1970s, though it did not catch on. It attained a modest level of popularity after 1996, when it was borne by a character in the movie
Scream.
Tau m Tswana, SothoMeans
"lion" in Tswana and Sotho. Tau was the name of the last ruler of the Rolong in South Africa (18th century).
Taurus m AstronomyMeans
"bull" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the second sign of the zodiac.
Tavish m ScottishAnglicized form of
a Thàmhais, vocative case of
Tàmhas. Alternatively it could be taken from the Scottish surname
McTavish, Anglicized form of
Mac Tàmhais, meaning "son of
Tàmhas".
Taweret f Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
tꜣ-wrt meaning
"O great female". In Egyptian mythology Taweret was a goddess of childbirth and fertility. She was typically depicted as an upright hippopotamus.
Tawfiq m ArabicMeans
"good fortune", derived from Arabic
وفق (wafiqa) meaning "to be successful".
Tawny f English (Modern)From the English word, ultimately deriving from Old French
tané, which means
"light brown".
Tayanita f CherokeeMeans
"young beaver" in Cherokee, derived from
ᏙᏯ (doya) meaning "beaver".
Taylor m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that originally denoted someone who was a tailor, from Norman French
tailleur, ultimately from Latin
taliare "to cut".
... [more] T'Challa m Popular CultureThe real name of the superhero Black Panther from Marvel comic books, debuting in 1966. In a 2018 issue it was revealed that his name means
"he who put the knife where it belonged" in the fictional Wakandan language.
Teagan f English (Modern)Variant of
Tegan. It also coincides with a rare Irish surname
Teagan. This name rose on the American popularity charts in the 1990s, probably because of its similarity to names like
Megan and
Reagan.
Teal f English (Rare)From the English word for the type of duck or the greenish-blue colour.
Tecumseh m ShawneeMeans
"panther passing across" in Shawnee. This name was borne by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh (1768-1813), who resisted American expansion along with his brother the spiritual leader
Tenskwatawa.
Tegan f Welsh, English (Modern)Means
"darling" in Welsh, derived from a diminutive of Welsh
teg "beautiful, pretty". It was somewhat common in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Canada in the 1980s and 90s. It was borne by an Australian character on the television series
Doctor Who from 1981 to 1984.
Tegid m WelshPossibly derived from Welsh
teg "beautiful, handsome", or possibly from the Roman name
Tacitus. This is the name of a lake in Wales, called Bala Lake in English. It also occurs in medieval Welsh legends as the husband of
Ceridwen.
Tegwen f WelshDerived from the Welsh elements
teg "beautiful, pretty" and
gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the 19th century.
Tekakwitha f MohawkMeans
"she who bumps into things" or
"she who puts things in place" in Mohawk. Tekakwitha, also named
Kateri, was a 17th-century Mohawk woman who has become the first Native American Catholic saint.
Tekoa m BiblicalPossibly means either
"stockade" or
"horn, trumpet" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a both a city and a son of Ashhur.
Telamon m Greek MythologyFrom a Greek word meaning
"broad leather strap". According to Greek mythology he was a king of Salamis and the father of the heroes
Ajax and
Teucer.
Télesphore m French (Archaic)French form of the Greek name
Τελεσφόρος (Telesphoros) meaning
"bringing fulfillment" or
"bearing fruit". Saint Telesphorus was a 2nd-century pope and martyr.
Tellervo f Finnish MythologyMeaning unknown. Tellervo was a Finnish forest goddess. She is variously described as either the wife or daughter of Tapio.
Telman m AzerbaijaniSoviet-era name derived from the usual Azerbaijani spelling of the surname of the German communist party leader Ernst Thälmann (1886-1944; see
Thälmann).
Telmo m Portuguese, SpanishDerived from a misdivision of Spanish
Santelmo meaning
"saint Elmo". This name is given in honour of Pedro González Telmo, a 13th-century Spanish priest.
Teman m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"right hand" or
"south" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament this was the name of a grandson of
Esau for whom the town of Teman in Edom was named.
Temperance f EnglishFrom the English word meaning
"moderation" or
"restraint". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It experienced a modest revival in the United States during the run of the television series
Bones (2005-2017), in which the main character bears this name.
Tempest f English (Rare)From the English word meaning
"storm". It appears in the title of William Shakespeare's play
The Tempest (1611).
Temujin m HistoryMeans
"of iron" in Mongolian, derived ultimately from the Turkic word
temür "iron". This was the original name of the Mongolian leader better known by the title
Genghis Khan. Born in the 12th century, he managed to unite the tribes of Mongolia and then conquer huge areas of Asia and Eastern Europe.
Temüülen m & f MongolianMeans
"striving, aspiring" in Mongolian. This was the name of the sister of Genghis Khan.
Tendai m & f ShonaFrom Shona
tenda meaning
"be thankful, thank".
Tenley f English (Modern)From an English surname, itself possibly from a place name derived from Old English
tind "point" and
leah "woodland, clearing". This name was popularized in 2010 by a contestant on the reality television series
The Bachelor.
Tennyson m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that meant
"son of Tenney",
Tenney being a medieval form of
Denis. A notable bearer of the surname was the British poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), commonly called Lord Tennyson after he became a baron in 1884.
Tenskwatawa m ShawneeMeans
"open door" in Shawnee. This name was borne by the Shawnee prophet Tenskwatawa (1775-1836). With his brother
Tecumseh he urged resistance against American expansion.
Tenzin m & f Tibetan, BhutaneseFrom Tibetan
བསྟན་འཛིན (bstan-'dzin) meaning
"upholder of teachings". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).
Terah m BiblicalPossibly means
"station" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Terah is the father of
Abraham. He led his people out of Ur and towards Canaan, but died along the way.
Tercero m Spanish (Rare)Means
"third" in Spanish. This name was traditionally given to the third child born.
Terence m EnglishFrom the Roman family name
Terentius, which is of unknown meaning. Famous bearers include Publius Terentius Afer, a Roman playwright, and Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar. It was also borne by several early saints. The name was used in Ireland as an Anglicized form of
Toirdhealbhach, but it was not found as an English name until the late 19th century. It attained only a moderate level of popularity in the 20th century, though it has been common as an African-American name especially since the 1970s.
Terhi f FinnishShort form of
Terhenetär, which was derived from Finnish
terhen meaning
"mist". In the Finnish epic the
Kalevala Terhenetär is a sprite associated with mist and forests.
Terrell m English, African AmericanFrom an English surname that was probably derived from the Norman French nickname
tirel "to pull", referring to a stubborn person. It may sometimes be given in honour of civil rights activist Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954). It was common in the African-American community from the 1970s to the 1990s, typically stressed on the second syllable. A famous bearer is American football player Terrell Owens (1973-).
Terry 1 m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the medieval name
Thierry, a Norman French form of
Theodoric.
Tertius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, BiblicalThis was both a Roman praenomen and a cognomen meaning
"third" in Latin. It is mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament as the name of the person who wrote the letter (while Paul dictated it).
Tessouat m AlgonquinMeaning unknown. This was the name of several 17th-century Algonquin chiefs.
Tethys f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
τήθη (tethe) meaning
"grandmother". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan associated with the sea. She was the wife of Oceanus.
Tetsuya m JapaneseFrom Japanese
哲 (tetsu) meaning "philosophy" combined with
也 (ya) meaning "to be". Other combinations of kanji with the same reading can form this name as well.
Teuta f AlbanianPossibly from an Illyrian word or title meaning
"queen, lady of the people". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Illyrian queen. After the death of her husband
Agron, she ruled as the regent for his young son Pinnes.
Tex m EnglishFrom a nickname denoting a person who came from the state of Texas. A famous bearer was the American animator Tex Avery (1908-1980), real name Frederick, who was born in Texas.
Tezcatlipoca m Aztec and Toltec MythologyMeans
"smoking mirror" in Nahuatl, derived from
tezcatl "mirror" and
pōctli "smoke". In Aztec and other Mesoamerican mythology he was one of the chief gods, associated with the night sky, winds, war, and the north. Like his rival
Quetzalcoatl, he was a creator god.
Thaddeus m English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom
Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name
Thaddai. It is possibly derived from a word meaning
"heart", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as
Θεόδωρος (see
Theodore). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and
Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.
Thaïs f Ancient Greek, FrenchPossibly means
"bandage" in Greek. This was the name of a companion of Alexander the Great. It was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Alexandria, a wealthy socialite who became a Christian convert, though in her case the name may have had a distinct Coptic origin. She has been a popular subject of art and literature, including an 1891 novel by Anatole France and an 1894 opera by Jules Massenet.
Thalassa f Greek MythologyMeans
"sea" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the personification of the sea. A small moon of Neptune is named for her.
Thane m English (Rare)From the Scottish and English noble title, which was originally from Old English
thegn.
Thankful f English (Archaic)From the English word
thankful. This was one of the many virtue names used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Thatcher m English (Modern)From an English surname that referred to a person who thatched roofs by attaching straw to them, derived from Old English
þæc "thatch". The surname was borne by British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).
Theia f Greek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
θεά (thea) meaning
"goddess". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan goddess of light, glittering and glory. She was the wife of
Hyperion and the mother of the sun god
Helios, the moon goddess
Selene, and the dawn goddess
Eos.
Thekla f German (Rare), Greek (Rare), Late GreekFrom the ancient Greek name
Θεόκλεια (Theokleia), which meant
"glory of God" from the Greek elements
θεός (theos) meaning "god" and
κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, appearing (as
Θέκλα) in the apocryphal
Acts of Paul and Thecla. The story tells how Thecla listens to Paul speak about the virtues of chastity and decides to remain a virgin, angering both her mother and her suitor.
Thelma f EnglishMeaning unknown. It was a rare name when British author Marie Corelli used it for the Norwegian heroine of her novel
Thelma (1887). The name became popular around the end of the 19th century after the novel was published. It is sometimes claimed to derive from Greek
θέλημα (thelema) meaning "will", though this seems unlikely.
Themis f Greek MythologyMeans
"law of nature, divine law, custom" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan who presided over custom and natural law. She was often depicted blindfolded and holding a pair of scales. By
Zeus she was the mother of many deities, including the three
Μοῖραι (Moirai) and the three
Ὥραι (Horai).
Theobald m English (Rare), GermanicMeans
"bold people", derived from the Old German elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Frankish
þeoda) and
bald meaning "bold, brave". It was borne by a 6th-century Frankish king of Austrasia. The Normans brought the name to England, where it joined an existing Old English cognate. The medieval forms
Tibald and
Tebald were commonly Latinized as
Theobaldus. It was rare by the 20th century.
Theodard m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Frankish
þeoda) and
hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint and martyr, a bishop of Maastricht.
Theodoar m GermanicGermanic name composed of the elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Frankish
þeoda) and
war meaning "aware, cautious".
Theodoard m GermanicGermanic name composed of the elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Frankish
þeoda) and
wart meaning "guard, guardian".
Theodore m EnglishFrom the Greek name
Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant
"gift of god" from Greek
θεός (theos) meaning "god" and
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name
Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.
... [more] Theodoric m Gothic (Anglicized)From the Gothic name *
Þiudareiks meaning
"ruler of the people", derived from the elements
þiuda "people" and
reiks "ruler, king". It was notably borne by Theodoric the Great, a 6th-century king of the Ostrogoths who eventually became the ruler of Italy. By Theodoric's time the Ostrogoths were partially Romanized and his name was regularly recorded as
Theodoricus. This was also the name of two earlier (5th century) Visigothic kings.
Theodosius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Θεοδόσιος (Theodosios) meaning
"giving to god", derived from
θεός (theos) meaning "god" and
δόσις (dosis) meaning "giving". Saint Theodosius of Palestine was a monk who founded a monastery near Bethlehem in the 5th century. This also was the name of emperors of the Eastern Roman and Byzantine Empires.
Theophanes m Ancient GreekMeans
"manifestation of God" from Greek
θεός (theos) meaning "god" and
φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". This name was borne by a few saints, including an 8th-century chronicler from Constantinople and a 19th-century Russian Orthodox saint, Theophanes the Recluse, who is
Феофан (Feofan) in Russian. Another famous bearer was a 14th-century Byzantine icon painter active in Moscow.
Theresa f English, GermanFrom the Spanish and Portuguese name
Teresa. It was first recorded as
Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek
θέρος (theros) meaning
"summer", from Greek
θερίζω (therizo) meaning
"to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).
... [more] Theseus m Greek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
τίθημι (tithemi) meaning
"to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by
Aegeus or by the god
Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king
Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter
Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.
... [more] Thetis f Greek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
θέτης (thetes) meaning
"one who places", a derivative of
τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". This was the name of one of the Nereids in Greek mythology. With
Peleus she was the mother of
Achilles.
Thị f VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
氏 (thị) meaning
"clan, family, maiden name". This is a very common middle name for Vietnamese girls.
Thijmen m DutchDutch form of the Germanic name
Theotman, derived from the elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Dutch
thiad) and
man meaning "person, man".
Thiri f BurmeseMeans
"radiance, splendour, beauty" in Burmese, ultimately from Sanskrit
श्री (shri).
Thisbe f Greek Mythology, Roman MythologyFrom the name of an ancient Greek town in Boeotia, itself supposedly named after a nymph. In a Greek legend (the oldest surviving version appearing in Latin in Ovid's
Metamorphoses) this is the name of a young woman from Babylon. Believing her to be dead, her lover Pyramus kills himself, after which she does the same to herself. The splashes of blood from their suicides is the reason mulberry fruit are red.
Thomas m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekGreek form of the Aramaic name
תָּאוֹמָא (Ta'oma') meaning
"twin". In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle. When he heard that
Jesus had risen from the dead he initially doubted the story, until Jesus appeared before him and he examined his wounds himself. According to tradition he was martyred in India. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world.
... [more] Thor m Norse Mythology, Norwegian, Danish, SwedishFrom the Old Norse
Þórr meaning
"thunder", ultimately from Proto-Germanic *
Þunraz. In Norse mythology Thor is a god of storms, thunder, war and strength, a son of
Odin. He is portrayed as red-bearded, short-tempered, armed with a powerful hammer called Mjölnir, and wearing an enchanted belt called Megingjörð that doubles his strength. During Ragnarök, the final battle at the end of the world, it is foretold that Thor will slay the monstrous sea serpent
Jörmungandr but be fatally poisoned by its venom.
Þórbjǫrg f Old NorseOld Norse name meaning
"Thor's protection", from the name of the Norse god
Þórr (see
Thor) combined with
bjǫrg "help, save, rescue".
Þórgísl m Old NorseOld Norse name meaning
"Thor's arrow" from the name of the Norse god
Þórr (see
Thor) combined with
gísl "shaft, arrow".
Thorley m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"thorn clearing" in Old English.
Thornton m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"thorn town" in Old English.
Thoth m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)Greek form of Egyptian
ḏḥwtj (reconstructed as
Djehuti), which is of uncertain meaning. In Egyptian mythology Thoth was the god of the moon, science, magic, speech and writing. He was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis.
Thracius m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman name meaning
"of Thracia". Thracia was a region in southeastern Europe, now divided between Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.
Thrasyboulos m Ancient GreekFrom a Greek word meaning
"bold in counsel", itself from
θρασύς (thrasys) "bold" and
βουλή (boule) "counsel, advice". A notable bearer was a 5th-century BC Athenian general who fought to maintain democratic government in the city-state.
Thumbelina f LiteratureEnglish translation of Danish
Tommelise, a name created from Danish
tommel "thumb" by Hans Christian Andersen for the title character of his 1835 fairy tale. In the story she is a miniature girl who grows out of a grain of barley.
Thurayya f ArabicMeans
"the Pleiades" in Arabic. The Pleiades are a group of stars in the constellation Taurus.
Thutmose m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)From
Τούθμωσις (Touthmosis), the Greek form of Egyptian
ḏḥwtj-ms meaning "born of Thoth", itself composed of the name of the Egyptian god
Thoth combined with
msj "be born". Thutmose was the name of four Egyptian pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Thutmose III who conquered Syria and Nubia in the 15th century BC.
Tiamat f Semitic MythologyFrom Akkadian
tâmtu meaning
"sea". In Babylonian myth Tiamat was the personification of the sea, appearing in the form of a huge dragon. By Apsu she gave birth to the first of the gods. Later, the god
Marduk (her great-grandson) defeated her, cut her in half, and used the pieces of her body to make the earth and the sky.
Tiare f TahitianMeans
"flower" in Tahitian, also specifically referring to the species Gardenia taitensis.
Tiberius m Ancient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, meaning
"of the Tiber" in Latin. The Tiber is the river that runs through Rome. Tiberius was the second Roman emperor, the stepson of Emperor
Augustus. He was born Tiberius Claudius Nero, but was renamed Tiberius Julius Caesar after he was designated as the heir of Augustus.
Tiburcio m SpanishSpanish form of the Roman cognomen
Tiburtius meaning
"of Tibur". Tibur (now called Tivoli) was a resort town near Rome. Saint Tiburtius was a 3rd-century martyr from Rome.
Tichaona m ShonaMeans
"we will see" from Shona
ticha "we will" and
ona "see".
Tiên f VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
仙 (tiên) meaning
"immortal, transcendent, celestial being, fairy".
Tiger m English (Rare)From the name of the large striped cat, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
τίγρις (tigris), ultimately of Iranian origin. A famous bearer is American golfer Tiger Woods (1975-).
Tigerlily f English (Rare)From
tiger lily, a name that has been applied to several orange varieties of lily (such as the species Lilium lancifolium). Tiger Lily is also the name of the Native American princess in J. M. Barrie's play
Peter Pan (1904).
Tighearnach m Medieval IrishFrom Old Irish
Tigernach, derived from
tigerna meaning
"lord". This was the name of an Irish saint, the founder of the monastery at Clones in the 6th century. According to some tales of his life, he was taken by British pirates to the monastery of Rosnat in his youth, but he escaped and returned to Ireland.
Tighearnán m Medieval IrishFrom Old Irish
Tigernán meaning
"little lord", from
tigerna "lord" combined with a diminutive suffix. It was borne by a 6th-century saint who founded a monastery at Errew. It was also the name of a 12th-century king of Breifne.
Tiiu f EstonianEstonian variant of
Tiia, possibly in part from an archaic dialectal form of the word
tihane "titmouse".
Tilman m GermanCombination of
Till and Old German
man meaning "person, man". A notable bearer was the German sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider (1460-1531).
Tímea f HungarianCreated by the Hungarian author Mór Jókai for a character in his novel
The Golden Man (1873). The name is apparently based on the Greek word
εὐθυμία (euthymia) meaning
"good spirits, cheerfulness".
Timon m Ancient Greek, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, DutchDerived from Greek
τιμάω (timao) meaning
"to honour, to esteem". According to ancient writers, this was the name of a wealthy man of Athens who grew to hate humanity after he lost his riches and his friends deserted him. His story is related in Shakespeare's tragedy
Timon of Athens (1607). This name is also mentioned in the New Testament as belonging to one of the original seven deacons of the church, considered a saint.
Timothy m English, BiblicalEnglish form of the Greek name
Τιμόθεος (Timotheos) meaning
"honouring God", derived from
τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour" and
θεός (theos) meaning "god". Saint Timothy was a companion of
Paul on his missionary journeys and was the recipient of two of Paul's epistles that appear in the New Testament. He was of both Jewish and Greek ancestry. According to tradition, he was martyred at Ephesus after protesting the worship of
Artemis. As an English name,
Timothy was not used until after the Protestant Reformation.
Timur m Tatar, Chechen, Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkish, Russian, HistoryFrom the Turkic and Mongol name
Temür meaning
"iron". This was the name of several Mongol, Turkic and Yuan leaders. A notable bearer was Timur, also known as
Tamerlane (from Persian
تیمور لنگ (Timur e Lang) meaning "Timur the lame"), a 14th-century Turkic leader who conquered large areas of western Asia.
Tinashe m & f ShonaMeans
"we are with God", from Shona
ti "we",
na "with" and
ishe "lord, God".
Tinatin f Georgian, LiteraturePossibly related to Georgian
სინათლე (sinatle) meaning
"light". The name was devised by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic poem
The Knight in the Panther's Skin, in which Tinatin is the ruler of Arabia and the lover of
Avtandil.
Tinker Bell f LiteratureCreated by the writer J. M. Barrie for a fairy character, first introduced in his 1904 play
Peter Pan. Her name refers to the fact that she is a mender of pots and kettles (a tinker) with a voice like a tinkling bell.
Tinúviel f LiteratureMeans
"daughter of twilight, nightingale" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the
Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tinuviel was another name of Lúthien, the daughter of Thingol the elf king. She was the beloved of Beren, who with her help retrieved one of the Silmarils from the iron crown of Morgoth.
Tiras m BiblicalFrom Hebrew
תִּירָס (Tiras), meaning unknown. Tiras is a grandson of
Noah in the Old Testament. This is also a modern Hebrew word meaning "corn".
Tirta m & f IndonesianMeans
"sacred water, place of pilgrimage" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit
तीर्थ (tirtha).
Tirzah f BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
תִּרְצָה (Tirtzah) meaning
"favourable". Tirzah is the name of one of the daughters of
Zelophehad in the Old Testament. It also occurs in the Old Testament as a place name, the early residence of the kings of the northern kingdom.
Tisiphone f Greek MythologyMeans
"avenging murder" in Greek, derived from
τίσις (tisis) meaning "vengeance" and
φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". This was the name of one of the Furies or
Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. She killed Cithaeron with the bite of one of the snakes on her head.
Titania f LiteraturePerhaps based on Latin
Titanius meaning
"of the Titans". This name was (first?) used by William Shakespeare in his comedy
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595) where it belongs to the queen of the fairies, the wife of
Oberon. This is also a moon of Uranus, named after the Shakespearean character.
Tivoli m & f Various (Rare)From the name of a picturesque Italian town, used as a summer resort by the ancient Romans.
Tobiah m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
טוֹבִיָּה (Toviyyah) meaning
"Yahweh is good", from the elements
טוֹב (tov) meaning "good" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This was the name of an Ammonite in the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
Tobin m EnglishFrom an English surname that was itself derived from the given name
Tobias.
Todd m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"fox", derived from Middle English
todde. As a given name it was rare before 1930. It peaked in popularity in most parts of the English-speaking world in the 1960s or 70s, but it has since declined.
Togzhan f KazakhPossibly from Kazakh
тоқ (toq) meaning "full, well-fed, prosperous" and
жан (zhan) meaning "soul".
Tohil m Mayan MythologyPossibly from Classic Maya
tojol meaning
"tribute". This was the name of a K'iche' Maya fire god.