ABIEL m BiblicalMeans
"God is my father" in Hebrew. This was the name of the grandfather of Saul in the Old Testament.
ABIJAH m & f BiblicalMeans
"my father is YAHWEH" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of several characters, both male and female, including the second king of Judah.
ADEODATUS m Late RomanLatin name meaning
"given by God". This was the name of a son of Saint Augustine and two popes (who are also known by the related name
Deusdedit).
ADONAI m TheologyMeans
"my lord" in Hebrew. This was the title used to refer to the God of the Israelites,
Yahweh, whose name was forbidden to be spoken.
ADONIJAH m BiblicalMeans
"my lord is YAHWEH" in Hebrew. This is the name of one of King
David's sons in the Old Testament. Though he was the eldest surviving son of David, he was passed over as heir to the throne in favour of
Solomon.
ADONIS m Greek MythologyFrom Phoenician
adon meaning
"lord". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by
Aphrodite,
Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see
DUMUZI).
AHURA MAZDA m Persian MythologyMeans
"lord of wisdom" in Avestan. In Persian mythology Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.
AMADEUS m Late RomanMeans
"love of God", derived from Latin
amare "to love" and
Deus "God". A famous bearer was the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who was actually born Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart but preferred the Latin translation of his Greek middle name. This name was also assumed as a middle name by the German novelist E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), who took it in honour of Mozart.
AMARIAH m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH has said" in Hebrew. This was the name of several Old Testament characters.
AMATOR m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"lover (of God)". Saint Amator was a 5th-century bishop of Auxerre.
ANSALDO m ItalianItalian form of a Germanic name composed of the elements
ans "god" and
wald "power, leader, ruler".
ANSELM m German, English (Rare), Ancient GermanicDerived from the Germanic elements
ans "god" and
helm "helmet, protection". This name was brought to England in the late 11th century by Saint Anselm, who was born in northern Italy. He was archbishop of Canterbury and a Doctor of the Church.
ARABELLA f EnglishMedieval Scottish name, probably a variant of
ANNABEL. It has long been associated with Latin
orabilis meaning "invokable, yielding to prayer".
ARELI m BiblicalMeans
"lion of God, hero" in Hebrew. This was the name of a son of
Gad in the Old Testament.
ARIEL m & f Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"lion of God" in Hebrew, from
אֲרִי ('ari) meaning "lion" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare used it as the name of a spirit in his play
The Tempest (1611), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Walt Disney film
The Little Mermaid (1989).
ÅSA f SwedishShort form of Old Norse feminine names beginning with the element
áss "god".
ASGER m DanishFrom the Old Norse name
Ásgeirr, derived from the elements
áss meaning "god" and
geirr meaning "spear".
ASLAUG f NorwegianDerived from the Old Norse elements
áss meaning "god" and
laug possibly meaning "betrothed woman".
ASSE m FrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
asc meaning
"ash tree" or
ans meaning
"god".
ATHALIAH f & m BiblicalPossibly means
"YAHWEH is exalted" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is both a feminine and masculine name. It was borne by the daughter of
Ahab and
Jezebel, who later came to rule Judah as a queen.
AZARIAH m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH has helped" in Hebrew, derived from
עָזַר ('azar) meaning "help" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many Old Testament characters including of one of the three men the Babylonian king ordered cast into a fiery furnace. His Babylonian name was
Abednego.
AZAZIAH m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH is strong" in Hebrew. This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.
AZRIEL m BiblicalMeans
"my help is God", derived from Hebrew
עָזַר ('azar) meaning "help" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This was the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.
BA'AL m Semitic Mythology, Biblical HebrewHebrew form of Semitic
ba'l meaning
"lord, master, possessor". This was the title of various deities, often associated with storms and fertility, who were worshipped by the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and other peoples of the ancient Near East. It was particularly applied to the god
Hadad.
BA'AL HAMMON m Semitic MythologyFrom Semitic
ba'l meaning "lord" prefixing another word of uncertain meaning. This was the name of the supreme god worshipped in the Phoenician city of Carthage, alongside his consort
Tanith.
BAGADATA m Ancient PersianOld Persian name derived from
baga "god" and
data "given". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Persian satrap under the Seleucid Empire.
BALADEVA m HinduismMeans
"god of strength" from Sanskrit
बल (bala) meaning "strength" combined with
देव (deva) meaning "god". Baladeva (also called Balarama) is the name of the older brother of the Hindu god
Krishna.
BASAJAUN m MythologyMeans
"lord of the woods" from Basque
baso "woods" and
jaun "lord". This is the name of a character in Basque folklore, the Old Man of the Woods.
BEDE m HistoryModern form of the Old English name
Baeda, possibly related to Old English
bed "prayer". Saint Bede, called the Venerable Bede, was an 8th-century historian, scholar and Doctor of the Church.
BETHEL f EnglishFrom an Old Testament place name meaning
"house of God" in Hebrew. This was a town north of Jerusalem, where
Jacob saw his vision of the stairway. It is occasionally used as a given name.
BETHUEL m BiblicalPossibly means
"God destroys" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of
Rebecca.
BITHIAH f BiblicalMeans
"daughter of YAHWEH" in Hebrew, from the roots
בַּת (bat) meaning "daughter" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Pharaoh. She is traditionally equated with the pharaoh's daughter who drew
Moses from the Nile.
BOGUSŁAW m PolishMeans
"glory of God" from the Slavic elements
bogu "god" and
slava "glory". This name was borne by several dukes of Pomerania, beginning in the 12th century.
BYELOBOG m Slavic MythologyMeans
"the white god" from Slavic
byelo "white" and
bogu "god". This was the name of the Slavic god of the sun, happiness and fortune.
CAISHEN m Chinese MythologyMeans
"god of wealth", from Chinese
财 (cái) meaning "wealth, riches" and
神 (shén) meaning "god". This is the name of a Chinese god of wealth.
CASSIEL m Judeo-Christian LegendFrom Hebrew
קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftzi'el), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include
"speed of God" or
"cover of God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.
CEALLACH m IrishIrish name of uncertain origin, traditionally said to mean
"bright-headed". Alternatively it could be derived from Old Irish
ceallach "war, strife" or
ceall "church".
CHERNOBOG m Slavic MythologyMeans
"the black god" from Slavic
cherno "black" and
bogu "god". Chernobog was the Slavic god of darkness, evil and grief.
CHI (2) m & f Mythology, Western African, IgboMeans
"god, spiritual being" in Igbo, referring to the personal spiritual guardian that each person is believed to have. Christian Igbo people use it as a name for the personal Christian god. This can also be a short form of the many Igbo names that begin with this element.
CHIDI m & f Western African, IgboMeans
"God exists" in Igbo. It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with
Chidi.
CHUKWU m MythologyMeans
"God is great", derived from Igbo
chi "god, spiritual being" and
ukwu "great". In Igbo mythology Chukwu is the supreme god who created the universe. Christian Igbo people use this name for the Christian god.
CHUKWUDI m Western African, IgboMeans
"God exists" in Igbo, a variant of
CHIDI using
Chukwu as the first element, which is the extended form of
Chi meaning "God".
CHUKWUMA m Western African, IgboMeans
"God knows" in Igbo, a variant of
CHIMA using
Chukwu as the first element, which is the extended form of
Chi meaning "God".
CILLIAN m IrishProbably from Gaelic
ceall meaning
"church" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint who evangelized in Franconia. He was martyred in Würzburg.
CONLAOCH m Irish MythologyPossibly derived from Irish
conn "chief" and
flaith "lord". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend including a son of
Cúchulainn who was accidentally killed by his father.
CYRIACUS m Late RomanLatinized form of the Greek name
Κυριακός (Kyriakos), which meant
"of the lord" (derived from Greek
κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord"). This was the name of a few early saints.
CYRUS m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek (Latinized)From
Κῦρος (Kyros), the Greek form of the Persian name
Kūrush, which may mean
"far sighted" or
"young". The name is sometimes associated with Greek
κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord". It was borne by several kings of Persia, including Cyrus the Great, who conquered Babylon. He is famous in the Old Testament for freeing the captive Jews and allowing them to return to Israel. As an English name, it first came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation.
DAGDA m Irish MythologyMeans
"good god" in Celtic. In Irish myth Dagda (called also The Dagda) was the powerful god of the earth, knowledge, magic, abundance and treaties, a leader of the Tuatha De Danann. He was skilled in combat and healing and possessed a huge club, the handle of which could revive the dead.
DANIEL m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning
"God is my judge", from the roots
דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.
... [more] DANYA (1) f HebrewFeminine form of
DAN (1). It can also be considered a compound meaning
"judgement from God", using the element
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
DAZHDBOG m Slavic MythologyPossibly means
"the giving god" in Slavic. He was a Slavic god of the sun and light, a son of Svarog. In some myths he is the ancestor of the Russian people.
DELAIAH m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH has drawn up" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
DEUSDEDIT m Late RomanLatin name meaning
"God has given". This was the name of two popes (who are also known by the related name
Adeodatus).
DINESHA m HinduismMeans
"day lord" from Sanskrit
दिन (dina) meaning "day" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord". In Hindu texts this is used as a name of the sun.
DIONE (1) f Greek MythologyFrom Greek
Διός (Dios) meaning
"of ZEUS". By extension, it means
"goddess". This was the name of an obscure Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of
Aphrodite.
DOMINIC m EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Dominicus meaning
"of the Lord". This name was traditionally given to a child born on Sunday. Several saints have borne this name, including the 13th-century founder of the Dominican order of friars. It was in this saint's honour that the name was first used in England, starting around the 13th century. It is primarily used by Catholics.
DOMNUS m Late RomanFrom Vulgar Latin
domnus, from Latin
dominus meaning
"lord, master". This name was borne by the 6th-century saint Domnus of Vienne (also called Domninus).
DOROTHEA f German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, English, Late GreekFeminine form of the Late Greek name
Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant
"gift of God" from Greek
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and
θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name
Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
EL m Semitic MythologyFrom a Semitic root meaning
"god". This was a title applied to several Semitic gods. The Canaanites used it as the name of their chief deity, the father of the gods and mankind. The Hebrews used it to refer to
Yahweh.
ELAGABALUS m Semitic Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of an Arabic name, derived from
إله (ilah) meaning "god" and
جبل (jabal) meaning "mountain". This was the name of a sun god worshipped in Emesa, in the Roman province of Syria. A 3rd-century Roman emperor, who served as a priest of this god in his youth in Syria, is known to history by the name Elagabalus. After ruling for four years he was assassinated at the age of 18, in part because he promoted the god to the head of the Roman pantheon.
ELDAD m BiblicalMeans
"God has loved" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is one of the two elders who prophesizes in the Israelite camp.
ELIAKIM m BiblicalMeans
"God rises" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the master of Hezekiah's household.
ELIJAH m English, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִיָּהוּ ('Eliyyahu) meaning
"my God is YAHWEH", derived from the elements
אֵל ('el) and
יָה (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. He was active in the 9th century BC during the reign of King
Ahab of Israel and his Phoenician-born queen
Jezebel. Elijah confronted the king and queen over their idolatry of the Canaanite god
Ba'al and other wicked deeds. At the end of his life he was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and was succeeded by
Elisha. In the New Testament, Elijah and
Moses appear next to
Jesus when he is transfigured.
... [more] ELIOENAI m BiblicalMeans
"my eyes look to God" in Hebrew. This was the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.
ELIPHELET m BiblicalMeans
"God is release" in Hebrew. This is the name of several people in the Old Testament including a son of
David.
ELISHA m Biblical, Biblical HebrewFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִישַׁע ('Elisha'), a contracted form of
אֱלִישׁוּעַ ('Elishu'a) meaning
"my God is salvation". According to the Old Testament, Elisha was a prophet and miracle worker. He was the attendant of
Elijah and succeeded him after his ascension to heaven.
ELIZABETH f English, BiblicalFrom
Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name
אֱלִישֶׁבַע ('Elisheva') meaning
"my God is an oath", derived from the roots
אֵל ('el) referring to the Hebrew God and
שָׁבַע (shava') meaning "oath". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of
Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of
John the Baptist.
... [more] ELNATHAN m BiblicalFrom Hebrew
אֶלְנָתָן ('Elnatan) meaning
"God has given". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a grandfather of King Jehoiachin and a son of Akbor.
EMMANUEL m Biblical, French, EnglishFrom the Hebrew name
עִמָּנוּאֵל ('Immanu'el) meaning
"God is with us", from the roots
עִם ('im) meaning "with" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings
Emmanuel and
Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings
Manuel and
Manoel).
ENKI m Sumerian MythologyFrom Sumerian
𒂗 (en) meaning "lord" and
𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth, ground" (though maybe originally from
𒆳 (kur) meaning "underworld, mountain"). Enki, called
Ea by the Akkadians, Assyrians and Babylonians, was the Sumerian god of water and wisdom and the keeper of the Me, the divine laws.
ENLIL m Sumerian MythologyFrom Sumerian
𒂗 (en) meaning "lord" and possibly
𒆤 (lil) meaning "wind". Enlil was the Sumerian god of the wind and storms, the son of
An and
Ki. He was later worshipped by the Akkadians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and other Mesopotamian peoples.
EZEKIEL m Biblical, EnglishFrom the Hebrew name
יְחֶזְקֵאל (Yechezqel) meaning
"God will strengthen", from the roots
חָזַק (chazaq) meaning "to strengthen" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Ezekiel is a major prophet of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Ezekiel. He lived in Jerusalem until the Babylonian conquest and captivity of Israel, at which time he was taken to Babylon. The Book of Ezekiel describes his vivid symbolic visions that predict the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. As an English given name,
Ezekiel has been used since the Protestant Reformation.
FREYR m Norse Mythology, IcelandicMeans
"lord" in Old Norse. This was the name of a Norse god. He may have originally been called
Yngvi, with the name
Freyr being his title. Freyr presided over fertility, sunlight and rain, and was the husband of the frost giantess
Gerd. With his twin sister
Freya and father
Njord he was one of the group of deities called the Vanir.
FŪJIN m Japanese MythologyFrom Japanese
風 (fū) meaning "wind" and
神 (jin) meaning "god, spirit". This is the name of the Japanese wind god, who carries the wind in a bag over his shoulders.
GABRIEL m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
גַבְרִיאֵל (Gavri'el) meaning
"God is my strong man", derived from
גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet
Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of
John to
Zechariah and
Jesus to
Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to
Muhammad.
... [more] GALIA f HebrewElaboration of
GAL (1). It could also be considered a compound meaning
"wave from God", using the element
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
GANESHA m HinduismMeans
"lord of hordes" from Sanskrit
गण (gana) meaning "horde, multitude" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler". This is the name of the Hindu god of wisdom and good luck, the son of
Shiva and
Parvati. He is often depicted as a stout man with the head of an elephant.
GEDALIAH m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH is great" in Hebrew. This was the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including the governor of Judah appointed by Nebuchadnezzar.
GEMARIAH m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH has completed" in Hebrew. This is the name of a friend of Jeremiah in the Old Testament.
GIRISHA m HinduismMeans
"lord of the mountain" in Sanskrit. This is a name of the Hindu god
Shiva, given because of his abode in the Himalayan Mountains.
GLEB m Russian, UkrainianRussian and Ukrainian form of the Old Norse name
Guðleifr, which was derived from the elements
guð "god" and
leifr "heir".
GODEHARD m Ancient GermanicGermanic name derived from the elements
god "god" and
hard "hardy, brave". This was the name of an 11th-century saint who was a bishop of Hildesheim.
GODFREY m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Godafrid, which meant
"peace of god" from the Germanic elements
god "god" and
frid "peace". The Normans brought this name to England, where it became common during the Middle Ages. A notable bearer was Godfrey of Bouillon, an 11th-century leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
GODIVA f Anglo-Saxon (Latinized)Latinized form of the Old English name
Godgifu meaning
"gift of god", from the elements
god and
giefu "gift". Lady Godiva was an 11th-century English noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry to protest the high taxes imposed by her husband upon the townspeople.
GODRIC m Anglo-SaxonMeans
"god's ruler", derived from Old English
god combined with
ric "ruler, mighty". This name died out a few centuries after the Norman Conquest.
GODWINE m Anglo-SaxonMeans
"friend of god", derived from Old English
god combined with
wine "friend". This was the name of the powerful 11th-century Earl of Wessex, the father of King Harold II of England.
GOTTHILF m German (Rare)Derived from German
Gott "God" and
hilf "help". This name was created in the 17th century.
GOTTHOLD m German (Rare)Derived from German
Gott "God" and
hold "lovely". This name was created in the 17th century.
GOTTLOB m German (Rare)Derived from German
Gott "God" and
lob "praise". This name was created in the 17th century.
GOTTSCHALK m German (Archaic)Derived from the Germanic elements
god "god" and
scalc "servant". Saint Gottschalk was a (perhaps spurious) 11th-century prince of the Wends who was martyred by his brother-in-law.
GUDRUN f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, GermanFrom the Old Norse name
Guðrún meaning
"god's secret lore", derived from the elements
guð "god" and
rún "secret lore". In Norse legend Gudrun was the wife of
Sigurd. After his death she married Atli, but when he murdered her brothers, she killed her sons by him, fed him their hearts, and then slew him.
HAREL m HebrewMeans
"altar, mountain of God" in Hebrew. In the Hebrew Bible this word is applied to the altar in the temple in Jerusalem (
Ezekiel 43:15).
HAZAEL m BiblicalMeans
"God sees" in Hebrew. This is the name of a king of Aram in the Old Testament.
HEZEKIAH m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
חִזְקִיָהוּ (Chizqiyahu), which means
"YAHWEH strengthens", from the roots
חָזַק (chazaq) meaning "to strength" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name was borne by a powerful king of Judah who reigned in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of an ancestor of the prophet
Zephaniah.
HJÖRDIS f SwedishSwedish form of the Old Norse name
Hjǫrdís meaning
"sword goddess", derived from the elements
hjǫrr "sword" and
dís "goddess".
HUANGDI m Chinese MythologyFrom Chinese
黄 (huáng) meaning "yellow" and
帝 (dì) meaning "god, emperor". This is the Chinese name for the Yellow Emperor, a mythical ruler and deity who is said to have reigned in the 3rd millennium BC. He is regarded as the ancestor of the Chinese people.
IDRIS (2) m WelshMeans
"ardent lord" from Welsh
udd "lord, prince" combined with
ris "ardent, enthusiastic, impulsive".
IDWAL m WelshMeans
"lord of the wall", derived from Welsh
udd "lord, prince" combined with
gwal "wall, rampart".
IORWERTH m WelshMeans
"handsome lord" from Welsh
ior "lord" and
berth "handsome". This name is used in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, where it belongs to a son of Maredudd. This name is sometimes used as a Welsh form of
EDWARD.
ISAIAH m English, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (Yesha'yahu) meaning
"YAHWEH is salvation", from the roots
יָשַׁע (yasha') meaning "to save" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. Isaiah is one of the four major prophets of the Old Testament, supposedly the author of the Book of Isaiah. He was from Jerusalem and probably lived in the 8th century BC, at a time when Assyria threatened the Kingdom of Judah. As an English Christian name,
Isaiah was first used after the Protestant Reformation.
ISHA f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, HinduismMeans
"master, lord" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form
ईशा and the masculine form
ईश (an epithet of the Hindu god
Shiva). It is also the name of one of the Upanishads, which are parts of Hindu scripture.
ISHMAEL m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishma'el) meaning
"God will hear", from the roots
שָׁמַע (shama') meaning "to hear" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Abraham. He is the traditional ancestor of the Arab people. Also in the Old Testament, it is borne by a man who assassinates
Gedaliah the governor of Judah. The author Herman Melville later used this name for the narrator in his novel
Moby-Dick (1851).
ITHEL m WelshMeans
"generous lord" from the Welsh elements
udd "lord, prince" and
hael "generous".
ITHIEL m BiblicalPossibly means
"God is with me" in Hebrew. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
JACOB m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Jewish, BiblicalFrom the Latin
Iacob, which was from the Greek
Ἰακώβ (Iakob), which was from the Hebrew name
יַעֲקֹב (Ya'aqov). In the Old Testament Jacob (later called
Israel) is the son of
Isaac and
Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother
Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning
"holder of the heel" or
"supplanter", because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see
Genesis 27:36). Other theories claim that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like
יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Ya'aqov'el) meaning
"may God protect".
... [more] JAHLEEL m BiblicalMeans
"God waits" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
JAYADEVA m SanskritMeans
"divine victory" from Sanskrit
जय (jaya) meaning "victory" and
देव (deva) meaning "god". This was the name of a 13th-century Indian poet.
JAYENDRA m Indian, HindiMeans
"lord of victory" from Sanskrit
जय (jaya) meaning "victory" combined with the name of the god
INDRA, used here to mean "lord".
JEHIEL m BiblicalMeans
"God will live" in Hebrew. This is the name of several people in the Old Testament, including one of King
David's lute players.
JEHOIACHIN m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH establishes" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah. Also known as
Jeconiah, he was imprisoned in Babylon by
Nebuchadnezzar after a brief reign in the early 6th century BC.
JEHOIAKIM m BiblicalMeans
"raised by YAHWEH" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah. He lived in the 7th century BC, and was the son of
Josiah and the father of
Jehoiachin.
JEHORAM m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְהוֹרָם (Yehoram) meaning
"exalted by YAHWEH". In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah and a king of Israel, both of whom ruled at about the same time in the 9th century BC.
JEHOSHAPHAT m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH has judged" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the fourth king of Judah, noted for having a generally peaceful and prosperous reign.
JEHOSHEBA m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְהוֹשֶׁבַע (Yehosheva') meaning
"YAHWEH is an oath". In the Old Testament she is the daughter of King
Jehoram of Judah. With her husband Jehoiada she rescued the future king
Joash, her nephew, from a purge.
JEHU m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH is he" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Israel. He ruled in the 9th century BC, coming to power by overthrowing
Jehoram. This was also the name of a prophet during the reign of the king Baasha.
JERAHMEEL m BiblicalFrom Hebrew
יְרַחְמְאֵל (Yerachme'el) meaning
"God will have pity". This name is borne by a few minor characters in the Old Testament.
JEREMIAH m English, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmiyahu) meaning
"YAHWEH will exalt", from the roots
רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of the major prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations (supposedly). He lived to see the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC.
... [more] JERIAH m BiblicalMeans
"taught by YAHWEH" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Jeriah is a descendant of Hebron.
JIMMU m Japanese MythologyMeans
"divine warrior", from Japanese
神 (jin) meaning "god" and
武 (mu) meaning "military, martial". In Japanese legend this was the name of the founder of Japan and the first emperor, supposedly ruling in the 7th century BC.
JOAB m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH is father" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament, he was the commander of King
David's army. In separate incidents he killed both
Abner and
Absalom. When
Solomon came to power he was executed.
JOAH m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH is brother" in Hebrew. This is the name of four people in the Old Testament.
JOASH m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יוֹאָשׁ (Yo'ash), possibly meaning
"fire of YAHWEH". In the Old Testament this name was borne by several characters including the father of
Gideon, a king of Judah, and a son of King
Ahab of Israel.
JOEL m English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Finnish, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יוֹאֵל (Yo'el) meaning
"YAHWEH is God", from the elements
יוֹ (yo) and
אֵל ('el), both referring to the Hebrew God. Joel is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Joel, which describes a plague of locusts. In England, it was first used as a Christian name after the Protestant Reformation.
JOHN m English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, BiblicalEnglish form of
Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name
Ἰωάννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name
יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan) meaning
"YAHWEH is gracious", from the roots
יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and
חָנַן (chanan) meaning "to be gracious". The Hebrew form occurs in the Old Testament (spelled
Johanan or
Jehohanan in the English version), but this name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who is considered the forerunner of
Jesus. He baptized Jesus and was later executed by
Herod Antipas. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth gospel and Revelation. With the apostles
Peter and
James (his brother), he was part of the inner circle of Jesus.
... [more] JONATHAN m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְהוֹנָתָן (Yehonatan), contracted to
יוֹנָתָן (Yonatan), meaning
"YAHWEH has given", derived from the roots
יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and
נָתַן (natan) meaning "to give". According to the Old Testament, Jonathan was the eldest son of
Saul. His relationship with his father was strained due to his close friendship with his father's rival
David. Along with Saul he was killed in battle with the Philistines.
... [more] JOSHUA m English, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshu'a) meaning
"YAHWEH is salvation", from the roots
יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and
יָשַׁע (yasha') meaning "to save". As told in the Old Testament, Joshua was a companion of
Moses. He went up Mount Sinai with Moses when he received the Ten Commandments from God, and later he was one of the twelve spies sent into Canaan. After Moses died Joshua succeeded him as leader of the Israelites and he led the conquest of Canaan. His original name was
Hoshea.
... [more] JOSIAH m Biblical, EnglishFrom the Hebrew name
יֹאשִׁיָהוּ (Yoshiyahu) meaning
"YAHWEH supports". In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah famous for his religious reforms. He was killed fighting the Egyptians at Megiddo in the 7th century BC. In England this name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
JOTHAM m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH is perfect" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of both a son of
Gideon and a king of Judah.
JOYCE f & m EnglishFrom the medieval masculine name
Josse, which was derived from the earlier
Iudocus, which was a Latinized form of the Breton name
Judoc meaning
"lord". The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 14th century, but was later revived as a feminine name, perhaps because of similarity to the Middle English word
joise "to rejoice". This given name also formed the basis for a surname, as in the case of the Irish novelist James Joyce (1882-1941).
JUDICAËL m French, BretonFrench form of the Old Breton name
Iudicael, derived from the elements
iudd "lord, prince" and
hael "generous". This was the name of a 7th-century Breton king, also regarded as a saint.
KENANIAH m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH establishes" in Hebrew. This was the name of two minor Old Testament characters.
KENTIGERN m ScottishPossibly means
"chief lord" in Gaelic. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Glasgow.
KHODADAD m PersianMeans
"God given" from Persian
خدا (khoda) meaning "god, lord" and
داد (dad) meaning "gave".
KIMIKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
貴 (ki) meaning "valuable" with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or
君 (kimi) meaning "lord, noble" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
KIRBY m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"church settlement" in Old Norse. This name briefly spiked in popularity for American girls in 1982 after the character Kirby Anders Colby was introduced to the soap opera
Dynasty.
KIRK m EnglishFrom an English and Scottish surname meaning
"church" from Old Norse
kirkja, ultimately from Greek. A famous bearer was American actor Kirk Douglas (1916-), whose birth name was Issur Danielovitch.
KREIOS m Greek MythologyPossibly derived from either Greek
κρείων (kreion) meaning
"lord, master" or
κριός (krios) meaning
"ram, male sheep". This was the name of a Titan in Greek mythology.
KYRIE m & f English (Modern)From the name of a Christian prayer, also called the
Kyrie eleison meaning "Lord, have mercy". It is ultimately from Greek
κύριος (kyrios) meaning
"lord". In America it was popularized as a masculine name by basketball player Kyrie Irving (1992-), whose name is pronounced differently than the prayer.
LEIGONG m Chinese MythologyMeans
"lord of thunder", from Chinese
雷 (léi) meaning "thunder" and
公 (gōng) meaning "lord, prince". This is the name of a Chinese thunder god.
LEMUEL m Biblical, Mormon, Biblical HebrewMeans
"for God" in Hebrew. This was the name of a king briefly mentioned in Proverbs in the Old Testament. In the Book of Mormon it is the name of a son of Lehi and Sariah. It is also borne by the hero of Jonathan Swift's novel
Gulliver's Travels (1726).
ĽUDOVÍT m SlovakMeans
"master of the people" from the Slavic elements
lyudu "people" and
vit "master, lord".
MATTANIAH m BiblicalMeans
"gift of YAHWEH" in Hebrew. This was the original name of Zedekiah, a king of Judah, in the Old Testament.
MATTHEW m English, BiblicalEnglish form of
Ματθαῖος (Matthaios), which was a Greek form of the Hebrew name
מַתִּתְיָהוּ (Mattityahu) meaning
"gift of YAHWEH", from the roots
מַתָּן (mattan) meaning "gift" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. Matthew, also called
Levi, was one of the twelve apostles. He was a tax collector, and supposedly the author of the first gospel in the New Testament. He is considered a saint in many Christian traditions. The variant
Matthias also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a separate apostle. The name appears in the Old Testament as
Mattithiah.
... [more] MEHETABEL f BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
מְהֵיטַבְאֵל (Meheitav'el) meaning
"God makes happy". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
MEREDITH m & f Welsh, EnglishFrom the Welsh name
Maredudd or
Meredydd, possibly meaning
"great lord" or
"sea lord". Since the mid-1920s it has been used more often for girls than for boys in English-speaking countries, though it is still a masculine name in Wales. A famous bearer of this name as surname was the English novelist and poet George Meredith (1828-1909).
MICAIAH m & f BiblicalMeans
"who is like YAHWEH?" in Hebrew. This name occurs in the Old Testament in a variety of Hebrew spellings, belonging to both males and females. It is the full name of
Micah, both the prophet and the man from the Book of Judges. As a feminine name it belongs to the mother of King
Abijah (at
2 Chronicles 13:2), though her name is listed as
Maacah in other passages.
MICHAEL m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el) meaning
"who is like God?". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel. In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.
... [more] MORIAH f English (Modern)From Hebrew
מֹרִיָה (Moriyah) possibly meaning "seen by
YAHWEH". This is a place name in the Old Testament, both the land where
Abraham is to sacrifice
Isaac and the mountain upon which
Solomon builds the temple. They may be the same place. Since the 1980s it has occasionally been used as a feminine given name in America.
MUIREDACH m IrishMeans
"lord" in Irish. This was the name of several legendary and historical kings of Ireland.
NAGENDRA m Hinduism, Indian, Kannada, TeluguMeans
"lord of snakes" from Sanskrit
नाग (naga) meaning "snake" (also "elephant") combined with the name of the Hindu god
INDRA, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for Vasuki, the king of snakes, in Hindu mythology.
NEHEMIAH m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH comforts" in Hebrew, derived from
נָחַם (nacham) meaning "to comfort" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. According to the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament he was a leader of the Jews who was responsible for the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the return from the Babylonian captivity.
NERYS f WelshPerhaps an elaboration of Welsh
ner "lord", with the intended meaning of "lady".
NETHANIAH m BiblicalMeans
"YAHWEH has given" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of
Ishmael (the assassin of Gedaliah), as well as other minor characters.
NINURTA m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic MythologyDerived from Sumerian
𒊩𒌆 (nin) meaning "lord" and
𒅁 (urta) meaning "ear of barley". In Sumerian and Akkadian mythology Ninurta was a god of agriculture, hunting and healing, later associated with war. He was also called
Ningirsu, though they may have originally been separate deities.
OBADIAH m BiblicalMeans
"serving YAHWEH" in Hebrew, derived from
עָבַד ('avad) meaning "to serve" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets, the author of the Book of Obadiah, which predicts the downfall of the nation of Edom.
ORA (1) f & m EnglishPerhaps based on Latin
oro "to pray". It was first used in America in the 19th century.
OSBERT m English (Rare)Derived from the Old English elements
os "god" and
beorht "bright". After the Norman Conquest, this Old English name was merged with its Norman cognate. It was rare in the Middle Ages, and eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
OSBORN m EnglishDerived from the Old English elements
os "god" and
beorn "bear". During the Anglo-Saxon period there was also a Norse cognate
Ásbjǫrn used in England, and after the Norman Conquest the Norman cognate
Osbern was introduced. It was occasionally revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the given name.
OSMOND m English (Rare)From the Old English elements
os "god" and
mund "protection". During the Anglo-Saxon period a Norse cognate
Ásmundr was also used in England, and another version was imported by the Normans. Saint Osmund was an 11th-century Norman nobleman who became an English bishop. Though it eventually became rare, it was revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the given name.
OSWALD m English, German, Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
os "god" and
weald "power, ruler". Saint Oswald was a king of Northumbria who introduced Christianity to northeast England in the 7th century before being killed in battle. There was also an Old Norse cognate
Ásvaldr in use in England, being borne by the 10th-century Saint Oswald of Worcester, who was of Danish ancestry. Though the name had died out by the end of the Middle Ages, it was revived in the 19th century.
OSWIN m English (Rare)From the Old English elements
os "god" and
wine "friend". Saint Oswin was a 7th-century king of Northumbria. After the Norman Conquest this name was used less, and it died out after the 14th century. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
OTHNIEL m BiblicalMeaning uncertain, possibly
"lion of God" or
"strength of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is a nephew of
Caleb who becomes the first of the ruling judges of the Israelites.