Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the meaning contains the keywords god or gods or goddess or lord or yahweh or church or prayer or pray.
gender
usage
meaning
Abdiel m Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means "servant of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, this is the name of a member of the tribe of Gad. In John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667), this is the name of a seraph who withstands Satan when he urges the angels to revolt.
Abeni f Western African, Yoruba
Means "we prayed and we received" in Yoruba.
Abiathar m Biblical
From Hebrew אֶבְיָתָר ('Evyatar) meaning "my father abounds" or "my father excels". In the Old Testament Abiathar was a high priest during the reign of King David.
Abiel m Biblical
Means "God is my father" in Hebrew. This was the name of the grandfather of Saul in the Old Testament.
Abijah m & f Biblical
Means "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 (also known as Abijam).
Adaiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name עֲדָיָה ('Adayah) meaning "Yahweh has adorned". This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters, including the father of Jedidah.
'Adayah m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Adaiah.
Adeodatus m Late Roman
Latin 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 Theology
Means "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 Biblical
Means "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.
Adoniram m Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
Means "my lord is exalted" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of an overseer of tribute under the kings David, Solomon and Rehoboam. He was stoned to death when the Israelites revolted.
Adonis m Greek Mythology
From Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning "lord, master". 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).
Adriel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "flock of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a man who married Saul's daughter Merab.
Ahura Mazda m Persian Mythology
Means "lord of wisdom", from Avestan 𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬭𐬀 (ahura) meaning "lord" and 𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬁 (mazdā) meaning "wisdom". In Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.
Akachi m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "the hand of God" in Igbo.
Akuchi f & m Western African, Igbo
Means "wealth from God" in Igbo.
Amadeus m Late Roman
Means "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.
Amarachi f Western African, Igbo
Means "God's grace" in Igbo.
Amariah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has said" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Amator m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "lover (of God)". Saint Amator was a 5th-century bishop of Auxerre.
Amaziah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh strengthens" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters, including a king of Judah.
Ammiel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God is my kinsman" in Hebrew. This is the name of one of the spies sent out by Moses in the Old Testament.
Anaiah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "Yahweh has answered" in Hebrew. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Anaxagoras m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἄναξ (anax) meaning "master, lord" and ἀγορά (agora) meaning "assembly, marketplace". This name was borne by a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher.
Anish m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "supreme, paramount, without a ruler", from the Sanskrit negative prefix (a) and ईश (isha) meaning "ruler, lord".
Ansaldo m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of a Germanic name composed of the elements ansi "god" and walt "power, authority" (a cognate of Oswald).
Ansbert m Germanic
Composed of the Old German elements ansi "god" and beraht "bright". It is a cognate of Osbert. This name was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint, a bishop of Rouen.
Ansegar m Germanic
Old German form of Ansgar.
Anselm m German, English (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements ansi "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.
Anso m Germanic
Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element ansi meaning "god" (Proto-Germanic *ansuz).
Ansugaizaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Ansgar, Ásgeirr and Osgar.
Ansuwaldaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Osweald, Ansoald and Ásvaldr.
Areli m Biblical
Means "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, Polish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means "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 utilized it for a spirit in his play The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1712), 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 Disney film The Little Mermaid (1989).
Armel m Breton, French
Breton and French form of the Old Welsh name Arthmail, which was composed of the elements arth "bear" and mael "prince, chieftain". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who founded abbeys in Brittany.
Åsa f Swedish
Short form of Old Norse feminine names beginning with the element áss "god".
Ásbjǫrn m Old Norse
Old Norse name derived from the elements áss "god" and bjǫrn "bear". It is therefore a cognate of Osborn.
Ásdís f Icelandic, Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and dís "goddess".
Asenath f Biblical
Means "devoted to the goddess Neith" in Ancient Egyptian. In the Old Testament this is the name of Joseph's Egyptian wife. She was the mother of Manasseh and Ephraim.
Asger m Danish
From the Old Norse name Ásgeirr, derived from the elements áss meaning "god" and geirr meaning "spear". It is a cognate of Ansgar.
Åshild f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Áshildr, derived from the elements áss "god" and hildr "battle".
Ashish m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit आशिष (ashisha) meaning "prayer, blessing".
Ásketill m Old Norse
Derived from Old Norse áss "god" and ketill "cauldron, helmet".
Aslaug f Norwegian
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss meaning "god" and laug possibly meaning "vowed, promised, bound in oath".
Åsmund m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Ásmundr, derived from the elements áss "god" and mundr "protection" (a cognate of Osmond).
Åsne f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Ásný, derived from the elements áss "god" and nýr "new".
Asse m Frisian
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the elements asc meaning "ash tree" or ansi meaning "god".
Ástríðr f Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Ásvaldr m Old Norse
From the Old Norse elements áss "god" and valdr "ruler" (a cognate of Oswald).
Athaliah f & m Biblical
Possibly 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.
Azarel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God has helped" in Hebrew. This is the name of several minor Old Testament characters.
Azariah m Biblical
Means "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 Biblical
Means "Yahweh is strong" in Hebrew. This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.
Aziel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Probably a variant of Uzziel. This is the name of a musician (also called Jaaziel) in the Old Testament.
Azriel m Biblical
Means "my help is God", derived from Hebrew עָזַר ('azar) meaning "help" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.
Ba'al m Semitic Mythology, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew 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.
Bagadata m Old Persian
Old Persian name derived from 𐏎 (baga) meaning "god" and 𐎭𐎠𐎫 (data) meaning "given". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Persian satrap under the Seleucid Empire.
Baladeva m Hinduism
Means "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.
Balder m Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Baldr meaning "hero, lord, prince", derived from baldr meaning "brave, bold". In Norse mythology Balder was the handsome son of Odin and Frigg. Because of the disturbing dreams he had when he was young, his mother extracted an oath from every thing in the world that it would not harm him. However the devious god Loki learned that she had overlooked mistletoe. Being jealous, he tricked the blind god Hoder into throwing a branch of mistletoe at Balder, which killed him.
Basajaun m Basque Mythology
Means "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.
Batari f Indonesian
Means "goddess" in Indonesian.
Batel f Hebrew
Means "daughter of God" in Hebrew.
Bede m History (Ecclesiastical)
Modern 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.
Beelzebub m Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Hebrew בַּעַל זְבוּב (Ba'al Zevuv) meaning "lord of flies", the name of a Philistine god according to the Old Testament. It is possibly intended as a mocking alteration of בַּעַל זְבוּל (Ba'al Zevul) meaning "Ba'al of the exalted house".... [more]
Bel m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian cognate of Ba'al. The Babylonians used it as a title of the god Marduk.
Benaiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name בְּנָיָה (Benayah) meaning "Yahweh has built". This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters.
Bethel f English
From 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 Biblical
Possibly means "God destroys" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Rebecca.
Bithiah f Biblical
Means "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.
Bogdan m Polish, Russian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Romanian, Medieval Slavic
Means "given by God" from the Slavic elements bogu "god" and dan "given".
Bogumił m Polish
Means "favoured by God" from the Slavic elements bogu "god" and milu "gracious, dear".
Bogusław m Polish
Means "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.
Bohumír m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic element bogu "god" combined with meru "great, famous" or miru "peace, world".
Božica f Croatian
Diminutive of Božena. It also means "goddess" in Croatian.
Byelobog m Slavic Mythology
Means "the white god" from Slavic byelo "white" and bogu "god". This was the name of the Slavic god of the sun, happiness and fortune.
Cadfael m Welsh (Rare)
From Old Welsh Catmail meaning "battle prince", from cat "battle" and mael "prince". This was apparently the birth name of Saint Cadoc. It was used by the British author Ellis Peters for the main character in her books The Cadfael Chronicles, first released in 1977.
Caishen m Chinese Mythology
Means "god of wealth", from Chinese (cái) meaning "wealth, riches" and (shén) meaning "god". This is the name of a Chinese god of wealth.
Cassiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
From Hebrew קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftzi'el), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include "leap of God", "drawn together by God" or "wrath of God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.
Ceallach m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Cellach, of uncertain origin, traditionally said to mean "bright-headed". Alternatively it could be derived from Old Irish cellach "war, strife" or cell "church". This name was borne by several early Irish kings and by a 12th-century saint, an archbishop of Armagh.
Chang'e f Chinese Mythology
Means "beautiful Chang", from Chinese (Chang), a character that refers to the goddess herself, combined with (é) meaning "beautiful, good". In Chinese mythology this is the name of a goddess of the moon, the wife of the archer Hou Yi. Her original name 姮娥 (Heng'e) was changed to avoid the taboo of sharing a homophonic character with the 2nd-century BC Emperor Wen of Han (personal name Heng).
Chernobog m Slavic Mythology
Means "the black god" from Slavic cherno "black" and bogu "god". Chernobog was the Slavic god of darkness, evil and grief.
Chi 2 m & f Igbo Mythology, Western African, Igbo
Means "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 (as opposed to the omnipresent Chukwu, though the names are used synonymously in some contexts). This can also be a short form of the many Igbo names that begin with this element.
Chiamaka f Western African, Igbo
Means "God is more beautiful" in Igbo.
Chibueze m Western African, Igbo
Means "God is the king" in Igbo.
Chibuike m Western African, Igbo
Means "God is strength" in Igbo.
Chibuzo m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God is the way" in Igbo.
Chidi m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God exists" in Igbo, derived from Chi 2, referring to God, and dị meaning "is". It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with Chidi.
Chidiebere m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God is merciful" in Igbo.
Chidiebube m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God is wonderful" in Igbo.
Chidiegwu m Western African (Rare), Igbo (Rare)
Means "God is awe-inspiring" in Igbo.
Chidike m Western African, Igbo
Means "God is strong" in Igbo.
Chidimma f Western African, Igbo
Means "God is good" in Igbo.
Chidubem m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God is guiding me" in Igbo.
Chiemeka m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God did a greater deed" in Igbo.
Chigozie m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God bless" in Igbo.
Chijindum m & f Western African (Rare), Igbo (Rare)
Means "God holds my life" in Igbo.
Chijioke m Western African, Igbo
Means "God holds a portion" in Igbo.
Chika 1 f & m Western African, Igbo
Means "God is greater" in Igbo.
Chike m Western African, Igbo
Means "God of strength" in Igbo.
Chikere m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God created" in Igbo.
Chima m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God knows" in Igbo, derived from Chi 2, referring to God, and meaning "know".
Chimezie m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God rectify" in Igbo.
Chinasa f Western African, Igbo
Means "God is answering" in Igbo.
Chinedu m Western African, Igbo
Means "God is leading" in Igbo.
Chinenye f Western African, Igbo
Means "God is giving" in Igbo.
Chinonso m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "God is nearby" in Igbo.
Chinwe f Western African, Igbo
Means "God possesses" in Igbo. It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with Chinwe.
Chinweike m Western African, Igbo
Means "God possesses power" in Igbo.
Chinwendu f & m Western African, Igbo
Means "God possesses life" in Igbo.
Chinweuba m Western African, Igbo
Means "God possesses plenty" in Igbo.
Chinyere f Western African, Igbo
Means "God gave" in Igbo, derived from Chi 2, referring to God, and nyè meaning "give".
Chioma f Western African, Igbo
Means "good God" in Igbo, derived from Chi 2, referring to God, and ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".
Chisom f & m Western African, Igbo
Means "God goes with me" in Igbo.
Chizoba f & m Western African, Igbo
Means "God continues to save" in Igbo.
Chuks m Western African, Igbo
Diminutive of Igbo names beginning with the element Chukwu meaning "God".
Chukwu m Igbo Mythology
Means "the great god", derived from Igbo chi "god, spiritual being" and úkwú "great". In traditional Igbo belief Chukwu is the supreme deity and the creator the universe. Christian Igbo people use this name to refer to the Christian god.
Chukwudi m Western African, Igbo
Means "God exists" in Igbo (a variant of Chidi using Chukwu as the first element).
Chukwuebuka m Western African, Igbo
Means "God is greater" in Igbo.
Chukwuemeka m Western African, Igbo
Means "God did a greater deed" in Igbo.
Chukwuma m Western African, Igbo
Means "God knows" in Igbo (a variant of Chima using Chukwu as the first element).
Cillian m Irish
Probably from Old Irish cell 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.
Cyriacus m Late Roman
Latinized 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.
Cyril m English, French, Czech, Slovak
From the Greek name Κύριλλος (Kyrillos), which was derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord", a word used frequently in the Greek Bible to refer to God or Jesus.... [more]
Dagda m Irish Mythology
Means "the good god" from the Old Irish prefix dag- "good" and día "god". 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 Dé 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, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Greek
From 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 Hebrew
Feminine 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 Mythology
Possibly 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.
Debdas m Bengali
Bengali form of Devadas. This is the name of a 1917 novel by the Bengali author Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Dejan m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
Possibly derived from the South Slavic word dejati meaning "to act, to do". Otherwise it may be related to Latin deus meaning "god".
Delaiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has drawn up" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Deusdedit m Late Roman
Latin name meaning "God has given". This was the name of two popes (who are also known by the related name Adeodatus).
Dev m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit देव (deva) meaning "god".
Devadas m Indian, Hindi
Means "servant of the gods" from Sanskrit देव (deva) meaning "god" and दास (dasa) meaning "servant".
Devaraja m Hinduism
Means "king of gods" from Sanskrit देव (deva) meaning "god" and राज (raja) meaning "king". This is another name of the Hindu god Indra.
Devi f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Tamil
Derived from Sanskrit देवी (devi) meaning "goddess". Devi is the Hindu mother goddess who manifests herself as all other goddesses.
Devika f Indian, Hindi
Means "little goddess" from Sanskrit देवी (devi) meaning "goddess" and (ka) meaning "little".
Diana f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman Mythology
Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.... [more]
Dieudonné m French
Means "given by God" in French, used as a French form of Deusdedit. It is currently much more common in French-speaking Africa than it is in France.
Dinesha m Hinduism
Means "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 Mythology
From 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.
Diwata f Filipino, Tagalog
Means "goddess" in Tagalog.
Dominic m English
From 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 Roman
From 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, English, Late Greek
Feminine 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.
Dositheos m Late Greek
From Greek δόσις (dosis) meaning "giving" and θεός (theos) meaning "god".
Dua f Arabic
Means "prayer" in Arabic.
Echthigern m Old Irish
Means "horse lord" from Old Irish ech "horse" and tigerna "lord".
Ejiroghene m & f Western African, Urhobo
Means "praise God" in Urhobo.
Ekenedilichukwu m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "gratitude belongs to God" in Igbo.
El m Semitic Mythology
From 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.
Elaheh f Persian
Means "goddess" in Persian.
Eldad m Biblical
Means "God has loved" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is one of the two elders who prophesizes in the Israelite camp.
Eleazar m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶלְעָזָר ('El'azar) meaning "my God has helped". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the sons of Aaron.
Elhanan m Biblical
Means "God is gracious" in Hebrew. This is the name of two Old Testament characters.
Eli 2 m Hebrew
Means "my God" in Hebrew.
Eliab m Biblical
From Hebrew אֱלִיאָב ('Eli'av) meaning "my God is father". This is the name of several people from the Old Testament, including a brother of King David.
Eliakim m Biblical
Means "God rises" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the master of Hezekiah's household.
Eliana 2 f Hebrew
Means "my God has answered" in Hebrew.
Eliel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, Finnish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Means "my God is God" in Hebrew. This name is borne by a number of characters in the Old Testament.
Eliezer m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From Hebrew אֱלִיעֶזֶר ('Eli'ezer) meaning "my God is help". This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including a servant of Abraham and one of the sons of Moses (see Exodus 18:4 for an explanation of the significance of the name).
Elihu m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, English (Archaic)
Means "my God is he" in Hebrew. This was the name of several characters in the Old Testament including one of the friends of Job.
Elijah m English, Hebrew, Biblical
From 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 Biblical
Means "my eyes look to God" in Hebrew. This was the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.
Elior m Hebrew
Means "my God is my light" in Hebrew.
Eliphelet m Biblical
Means "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 Hebrew
From 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.
Eliud m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Eastern African
From a Greek form of a Hebrew name meaning "God is grandeur". The Gospel of Matthew lists him as an ancestor of Jesus. This name is popular in Kenya.
Elizabeth f English, Biblical
From 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]
Elkanah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God has purchased" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Samuel.
Elnathan m Biblical
From 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, English
From 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).
Emyr m Welsh
Means "king, lord" in Welsh.
Enki m Sumerian Mythology
From 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.
Enkidu m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
Probably means "lord of the good place", from Sumerian 𒂗 (en) meaning "lord", 𒆠 (ki) meaning "place" and 𒄭 (du) meaning "good". This was the name of a wild man who became a companion of the Sumerian hero Gilgamesh, notably appearing in the Akkadian poem the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Enlil m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
From 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.
Eseoghene m & f Western African, Urhobo
Means "God's gift" in Urhobo.
Eydís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements ey "good fortune" or "island" and dís "goddess".
Ezekiel m Biblical, English
From 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.
Flaithrí m Old Irish
Means "king of princes" from Old Irish flaith "ruler, sovereign, prince" and "king".
Freyr m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Means "lord" in Old Norse, derived from the Germanic root *fraujô. This is the name of a Norse god. He may have originally been called Yngvi, with the name Freyr being his title. Freyr is associated with fertility, sunlight and rain, and is the husband of the giantess Gerd. With his twin sister Freya and father Njord he is one of the group of deities called the Vanir.
Fūjin m Japanese Mythology
From Japanese () meaning "wind" and (jin) meaning "god, spirit". This is the name of the Japanese wind god, who carries the wind in a bag over his shoulders.
Fuxi m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese () meaning "prostrate, lying down" and (), a character that refers to the god himself. In Chinese mythology Fuxi is the twin brother and husband of Nüwa. He is said to have taught humans how to hunt and cook, as well as devising the trigrams. He is sometimes depicted with the body of a snake.
Gabriel m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From 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 Hebrew
Elaboration of Gal 1. It could also be considered a compound meaning "wave from God", using the element יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
Gamaliel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek
Means "my reward is God" in Hebrew. This name appears in the Old Testament belonging to a son of Pedahzur. It was also borne by a 1st-century Jewish priest and scholar, mentioned in Acts in the New Testament as a teacher of Saint Paul.
Ganesha m Hinduism
Means "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.
Gareth m Welsh, English (British), Arthurian Romance
Meaning uncertain. It appears in this form in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends Le Morte d'Arthur, in which the knight Gareth (also named Beaumains) is a brother of Gawain. He goes with Lynet to rescue her sister Lyonesse from the Red Knight. Malory based the name on Gaheriet or Guerrehet, which was the name of a similar character in French sources. It may ultimately have a Welsh origin, possibly from the name Gwrhyd meaning "valour" (found in the tale Culhwch and Olwen) or Gwairydd meaning "hay lord" (found in the chronicle Brut y Brenhinedd).
Gedaliah m Biblical
Means "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 Biblical
Means "Yahweh has completed" in Hebrew. This is the name of a friend of Jeremiah in the Old Testament.
Girisha m Hinduism
Means "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
Russian form of the Old Norse name Guðleifr, which was derived from the elements guð "god" and leif "inheritance, legacy". This was the name of an 11th-century saint, a member of the ruling family of Kievan Rus. Along with his brother Boris he was killed in the power struggles that followed the death of his father Vladimir the Great, and he is regarded as a martyr.
Goda 1 m & f Germanic
Germanic name derived from the element guot meaning "good" or got meaning "god".
Godabert m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements got "god" and beraht "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century king of the Lombards.
Godehard m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements got "god" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of an 11th-century saint who was a bishop of Hildesheim.
Godfrey m English
From the Germanic name Godefrid, which meant "peace of god" from the Old German elements got "god" and fridu "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-Saxon
Means "god's ruler", derived from Old English god combined with ric "ruler, king". This name died out a few centuries after the Norman Conquest.
Godwine m Anglo-Saxon
Means "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.
Gormlaith f Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish gorm "blue" or "illustrious" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of several medieval Irish royals, including the wife of the 11th-century king Brian Boru.
Goteleib m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements got "god" and liob "dear, beloved".
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 "gracious, graceful, loyal". 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 Old German elements got "god" and scalc "servant". Saint Gottschalk was a (perhaps spurious) 11th-century prince of the Wends who was martyred by his brother-in-law.
Grifud m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Gruffudd.
Gruffudd m Welsh
From the Old Welsh name Grifud, the second element deriving from Old Welsh iudd "lord, prince" but the first element being of uncertain meaning (possibly cryf "strong"). This was a common name among medieval Welsh royalty. Gruffudd (or Gruffydd) ap Llywelyn was an 11th-century Welsh ruler who fought against England.
Gudbrand m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Guðbrandr meaning "god's sword", derived from the elements guð "god" and brandr "fire, torch, sword".
Gudmund m Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Guðmundr, which was derived from the elements guð "god" and mundr "protection".
Gudrun f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Old Norse name Guðrún meaning "god's secret lore", derived from the elements guð "god" and rún "secret lore, rune". 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. Her story appears in Norse literature such as the Eddas and the Völsungasaga. She is called Kriemhild in German versions of the tale. This is also an unrelated character in the medieval German epic Kudrun.
Gull f Swedish
Short form of various Scandinavian names beginning with the Old Norse element guð meaning "god".
Guðfrøðr m Old Norse
Old Norse cognate of Godefrid, or perhaps a borrowing of the continental Germanic form.
Guðlaug f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements guð meaning "god" and laug possibly meaning "vowed, promised, bound in oath".
Guðríðr f Old Norse
Old Norse name derived from the elements guð "god" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Hananiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is gracious" in Hebrew. This name appears frequently in the Old Testament. It is the Hebrew name of Shadrach.
Harel m Hebrew
Means "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).
Harisha m Hinduism
Means "lord of monkeys" from Sanskrit हरि (hari) meaning "monkey" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord". This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Hazael m Biblical
Means "God sees" in Hebrew. This is the name of a king of Aram in the Old Testament.
Hezekiah m Biblical
From 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 Swedish
Swedish form of the Old Norse name Hjǫrdís meaning "sword goddess", derived from the elements hjǫrr "sword" and dís "goddess".
Hodiah f Biblical
Means "majesty of Yahweh" in Hebrew. This is the name of a wife of Ezra in the Old Testament.
Huangdi m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (huáng) meaning "yellow" and () 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 Welsh
Means "ardent lord" from Old Welsh iudd "lord" combined with ris "ardent, enthusiastic". This name was borne by Idris the Giant, a 7th-century king of Meirionnydd.
Idwal m Welsh
From the Old Welsh name Iudgual derived from iudd "lord" combined with gual "ruler, leader".
Ifeanyichukwu m Western African, Igbo
Means "we can do anything with God" in Igbo.
Ikechukwu m Western African, Igbo
Means "power of God" in Igbo.
Ilu m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian cognate of El, often used to refer to Anu.
Inanna f Sumerian Mythology
Possibly derived from Sumerian nin-an-a(k) meaning "lady of the heavens", from 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒀭 (an) meaning "heaven, sky". Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and war. She descended into the underworld where the ruler of that place, her sister Ereshkigal, had her killed. The god Enki interceded, and Inanna was allowed to leave the underworld as long as her husband Dumuzi took her place.... [more]
Iniobong m & f Western African, Ibibio
Means "God's time" in Ibibio.
Iorwerth m Welsh, Old Welsh
Means "worthy lord" from Old Welsh ior "lord" and gwerth "value, worth". This name was used by medieval Welsh royalty, including the prince Iorwerth Goch of Powys, who is mentioned in the tale the Dream of Rhonabwy. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Edward.
Isaiah m English, Biblical
From 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, Hinduism
Means "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 Biblical
From 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).
Islam m Arabic, Kazakh, Chechen, Ingush
From the name of the religion, derived from Arabic إسلام (Islam) meaning "submission (to God)".
Israel m Jewish, English, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) meaning "God contends", from the roots שָׂרָה (sarah) meaning "to contend, to fight" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament, Israel (who was formerly named Jacob; see Genesis 32:28) wrestles with an angel. The ancient and modern states of Israel took their names from him.
Ithel m Welsh
From the Old Welsh name Iudhail, cognate of Old Breton Iudicael (see Judicaël).
Ithiel m Biblical
Possibly means "God is with me" in Hebrew. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Jaasiel m Biblical, Biblical Spanish
Means "God is my maker", derived from Hebrew עָשָׂה ('asah) meaning "to make" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This is the name of two minor characters in the Old Testament.
Jacob m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Jewish, Biblical
From 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]
Jagadisha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of the world" from Sanskrit जगत् (jagat) meaning "world" and ईश (isha) meaning "ruler". This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Jagannatha m Hinduism
Means "master of the world" from Sanskrit जगत् (jagat) meaning "world" and नाथ (natha) meaning "master". This is a title of the Hindu gods Vishnu and Krishna.
Jahleel m Biblical
Means "God waits" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Jahzeel m Biblical
Means "God will divide" in Hebrew. This is the son of Naphtali in the Old Testament.
Jayadeva m Sanskrit
Means "divine victory" from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory" and देव (deva) meaning "god". This was the name of a 13th-century Indian poet.
Jayashri f Indian, Marathi
Means "goddess of victory" in Sanskrit.
Jayendra m Indian, Hindi
Means "lord of victory" from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory" combined with the name of the god Indra, used here to mean "lord".
Jayesh m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "lord of victory" from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory, conquest" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler".
Jecoliah f Biblical
Means "Yahweh is able" in Hebrew. This name occurs in the Old Testament belonging to the mother of King Uzziah.
Jeconiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh will establish" in Hebrew. This is another name (with the same meaning) of the Judean king Jehoiachin.
Jedidiah m Biblical
Means "beloved of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from יָדִיד (yadid) meaning "beloved, friend" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is a name given to Solomon by Nathan.
Jehiel m Biblical
Means "God will live" in Hebrew. This is the name of several people in the Old Testament, including one of King David's lute players.
Jehoaddan f Biblical
Means "Yahweh delights" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament she was the wife of King Joash of Judah, and the mother of his successor King Amaziah.
Jehoash m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹאָשׁ (Yeho'ash), an extended form of יוֹאָשׁ (see Joash). According to the Old Testament, this was the name of a king of Israel. He probably reigned in the 8th century BC.
Jehoiachin m Biblical
Means "Yahweh will establish" 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 Biblical
Means "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 Biblical
From 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 Biblical
Means "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 f Biblical
From 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 Biblical
Means "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 Biblical
From 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, Biblical
From 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 Biblical
Means "taught by Yahweh" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Jeriah is a descendant of Hebron.
Jimmu m Japanese Mythology
Means "divine warrior", from Japanese (jin) meaning "god" and (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 Biblical
Means "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 Biblical
Means "Yahweh is brother" in Hebrew. This is the name of four people in the Old Testament.
Joash m Biblical
From 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.
Jochebed f Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹכֶבֶד (Yokheved) meaning "Yahweh is glory". In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses.
Joel m English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, Biblical
From 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, Biblical
English 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, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Biblical
From 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, Biblical
From 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, English
From 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 Biblical
Means "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 English
From 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 became a surname, as in the case of the Irish novelist James Joyce (1882-1941).
Judicaël m French, Breton
French form of the Old Breton name Iudicael, derived from the elements iudd "lord" and hael "generous". This was the name of a 7th-century Breton king, also regarded as a saint.
Kelechi m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "thank God" in Igbo.
Kemuel m Biblical
From the Hebrew name קְמוּאֵל (Qemu'el) meaning "raised by God". This is the name of a nephew of Abraham in the Old Testament.
Kenaniah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh establishes" in Hebrew. This was the name of two minor Old Testament characters.
Kentigern m History (Ecclesiastical)
From a Brythonic name in which the second element is Celtic *tigernos "lord, ruler". The first element may be *kentus "first" or * "dog, hound" (genitive *kunos). This was the name of a 6th-century saint from the Kingdom of Strathclyde. He is the patron saint of Glasgow.
Khodadad m Persian
Means "God given" from Persian خدا (khoda) meaning "god, lord" and داد (dad) meaning "gave".
Kimiko f Japanese
From Japanese (ki) meaning "valuable" with (mi) meaning "beautiful" or (kimi) meaning "lord, noble" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Kirby m & f English
From 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 English
From an English and Scottish surname meaning "church" from Old Norse kirkja, ultimately from Greek κυριακόν (kyriakon). A famous bearer was American actor Kirk Douglas (1916-2020), whose birth name was Issur Danielovitch.
Kreios m Greek Mythology
Possibly 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 2 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".
Lael m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "of God" in Hebrew. This is the name of the father of Eliasaph in the Old Testament. It is misspelled as Δαήλ (Dael) in the Greek translation, the Septuagint.
Leigong m Chinese Mythology
Means "lord of thunder", from Chinese (léi) meaning "thunder" and (gōng) meaning "lord, prince". This is the name of a Chinese thunder god.
Lemuel m Biblical, Mormon, Biblical Hebrew
Means "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 rebellious son of Lehi and Sariah. It is also borne by the hero of Jonathan Swift's novel Gulliver's Travels (1726).
Lhamo f & m Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "goddess" in Tibetan.
Ľudovít m Slovak
Means "master of the people" from the Slavic elements lyudu "people" and vit "master, lord".
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.
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).
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.
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.
Mandlenkosi m Southern African, Zulu, Ndebele
From Zulu and Ndebele amandla "strength, power" and inkosi "king, chief".
Mattaniah m Biblical
Means "gift of Yahweh" in Hebrew. This was the original name of Zedekiah, a king of Judah, in the Old Testament.
Matthew m English, Biblical
English 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]
Mawuli m Western African, Ewe
Means "God lives" in Ewe.
Mawunyo m & f Western African, Ewe
Means "God is good" in Ewe.
Mayeso m & f Southern African, Chewa
Means "test (from God)" in Chewa.