Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Ancient; and the community's impression is refined; and the order is random.
gender
usage
origin
impression
Annelie f German, Swedish
German diminutive of Anna or short form of Anneliese.
Leonzio m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Leontios.
Théophile m French
French form of Theophilus.
Lada f Slavic Mythology, Czech, Russian, Croatian
The name of a Slavic fertility goddess, derived from Old Slavic lada "wife". It can also be a diminutive of Vladislava or Vladimira.
Hera f Greek Mythology
Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.
Naomhán m Irish
Means "little saint", derived from Irish naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Martin m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Finnish
From the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god Mars. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.... [more]
Carwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru "to love" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name was created in the 20th century.
Émeline f French
French form of Emmeline.
Nikoleta f Greek, Bulgarian, Slovak
Greek, Bulgarian and Slovak form of Nicolette.
Stéphanie f French
French feminine form of Stephen.
Donatus m Late Roman
Latin form of Donato.
Othello m Literature
Perhaps a diminutive of Otho. William Shakespeare used this name in his tragedy Othello (1603), where it belongs to a Moor who is manipulated by Iago into killing his wife Desdemona.
Savitri f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi
Means "of the sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hymn in the Rigveda dedicated to Savitr, a sun god. This is also the name of Savitr's daughter, a wife of Brahma, considered an aspect of Saraswati. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata it is borne by King Satyavan's wife, who successfully pleas with Yama, the god of death, to restore her husband to life.
Mahtab f Persian
Means "moonlight" in Persian.
Elvira f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian, Russian
Spanish form of a Visigothic name, recorded from the 10th century in forms such as Geloyra or Giluira. It is of uncertain meaning, possibly composed of the Gothic element gails "happy" or gails "spear" combined with wers "friendly, agreeable, true". The name was borne by members of the royal families of León and Castille. This is also the name of a character in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni (1787).
Aldara f Galician
Galician form of the Visigothic name *Hildiwara, which was composed of the Gothic elements hilds "battle" and wars "aware, cautious". This was the name of the 7th-century wife of the Visigothic king Gundemar. It was also borne by the mother of Saint Rosendo (10th century).
Tanvi f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "slender woman", derived from Sanskrit तनु (tanu) meaning "slender".
Zinaida f Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian
Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian form of Zenaida.
Talitha f Biblical
Means "little girl" in Aramaic. The name is taken from the phrase talitha cumi meaning "little girl arise" spoken by Jesus in order to restore a young girl to life (see Mark 5:41).
Yuliy m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Julius.
Serafina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Seraphina.
Senka f Serbian, Croatian
Means "shadow, shade" in Serbian and Croatian. It can also be a diminutive of Ksenija.
Melia f Greek Mythology
Means "ash tree" in Greek, a derivative of μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". This was the name of a nymph in Greek myth, the daughter of the Greek god Okeanos.
Kateryna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Katherine.
Tiana f English
Short form of Tatiana or Christiana. It was rare in the United States until it jumped in popularity in 1975, perhaps due to the Vietnamese-American actress Tiana Alexandra (1956-), who had some exposure at that time. It was used as the name of the princess in the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog (2009).
Keoni m Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of John.
Zaccaria m Italian
Italian form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Shira f Hebrew
Means "singing" in Hebrew.
Alva 1 f Swedish, Norwegian
Feminine form of Alf 1.
Myriam f French
French form of Miriam.
Noémi f Hungarian, French
Hungarian form and French variant of Naomi 1.
Persephone f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, probably of Pre-Greek origin, but perhaps related to Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She was abducted to the underworld by Hades, but was eventually allowed to return to the surface for part of the year. The result of her comings and goings is the changing of the seasons. With her mother she was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at the city of Eleusis near Athens.
Salathiel m Biblical, Biblical Greek
Greek form of Shealtiel. This form is also used in some English translations of the Bible (including the King James Version).
Elpidius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἐλπίδιος (Elpidios), which was derived from ἐλπίς (elpis) meaning "hope". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who spent twenty years in a cave in Cappadocia.
Mariya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Maria, as well as an alternate transcription of Belarusian Марыя (see Maryia).
Tetiana f Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian Тетяна (see Tetyana).
Calista f English, Portuguese (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Feminine form of Callistus. As an English name it might also be a variant of Kallisto.
Niki 2 f English
Diminutive of Nicole.
Valent m Croatian
Croatian short form of Valentin.
Beverly f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of a Yorkshire city, itself from Old English beofor "beaver" and (possibly) licc "stream". It came into use as a masculine given name in the 19th century, then became common as an American feminine name after the publication of George Barr McCutcheon's 1904 novel Beverly of Graustark. It was most popular in the 1930s, and has since greatly declined in use.
Ignacio m Spanish
Spanish form of Ignatius.
Melita f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Melite. However, in the case of Queen Victoria's granddaughter Princess Victoria Melita (1876-1936), it was derived from Melita, the Latin name of the island country of Malta where she was born.
Howell m Welsh
Anglicized form of Hywel.
Magdaléna f Slovak, Czech, Hungarian
Slovak and Czech form of Magdalene, as well as a Hungarian variant form.
Mattin m Basque
Basque form of Martinus (see Martin).
Christabel f English (Rare)
Combination of Christina and the name suffix bel (inspired by Latin bella "beautiful"). This name occurs in medieval literature, and was later used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his 1816 poem Christabel.
Euclid m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Εὐκλείδης (Eukleides), derived from Greek εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician from Alexandria who made numerous contributions to geometry.
Iolyn m Welsh (Rare)
Diminutive of Iorwerth.
Serafino m Italian
Italian form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina).
Florencia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Florentius (see Florence).
Vittoria f Italian
Italian form of Victoria.
Linde f Dutch
Dutch variant of Linda.
Caelina f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Caelinus.
Aviya f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew אֲבִיָה (see Avia).
Corinna f German, Italian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Κόριννα (Korinna), which was derived from κόρη (kore) meaning "maiden". This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet Ovid used it for the main female character in his book Amores. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem Corinna's going a-Maying.
Gaiana f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Γαϊανή (Gaiane), a derivative of Gaia. This was the name of a (perhaps fictional) martyr who was killed in Armenia during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the late 3rd century.
Quintillus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from the given name Quintus.
Charlene f English
Feminine diminutive of Charles.
Elva 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Ailbhe.
Vanya m & f Russian, Bulgarian
Diminutive of Ivan (Russian, masculine) or Ivana (Bulgarian, feminine).
Maribel f Spanish
Short form of María Isabel.
Fleur f French, Dutch, English (British)
Means "flower" in French. Saint Fleur of Issendolus (Flor in Gascon) was a 14th-century nun from Maurs, France. This was also the name of a character in John Galsworthy's novels The Forsyte Saga (1922).
Katyusha f Russian
Diminutive of Yekaterina. This is the name of a 1938 Soviet song, which became popular during World War II.
Dénes m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Denis.
Edith f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
From the Old English name Eadgyð, derived from the elements ead "wealth, fortune" and guð "battle". It was popular among Anglo-Saxon royalty, being borne for example by Saint Eadgyeth;, the daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. It was also borne by the Anglo-Saxon wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. The name remained common after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 15th century, but was revived in the 19th century.
Idalia f Germanic (Latinized), Greek Mythology, Polish (Rare)
Probably from a Germanic name derived from the element idal, an extended form of id possibly meaning "work, labour". Unrelated, this was also an epithet of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, given because the city of Idalion on Cyprus was a center of her cult.... [more]
Éliane f French
Probably from Aeliana, the feminine form of the Roman name Aelianus, which was derived from the Roman family name Aelius. This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr from Amasea.
Félicienne f French
French feminine form of Felicianus (see Feliciano).
Raina f Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Райна (see Rayna 1).
Francisco Javier m Spanish
Combination of Francisco and Javier, referring to Saint Francis Xavier.
Claire f French, English
French form of Clara. This was a common name in France throughout the 20th century, though it has since been eclipsed there by Clara. It was also very popular in the United Kingdom, especially in the 1970s.
Benedicta f Late Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of Benedictus (see Benedict).
Radomila f Czech (Rare)
Feminine form of Radomil.
Pelagia f Ancient Greek, Greek, Polish (Rare)
Feminine form of Pelagius. This was the name of a few early saints, including a young 4th-century martyr who threw herself from a rooftop in Antioch rather than lose her virginity.
Cécile f French
French form of Cecilia.
Amariah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has said" in Hebrew, derived from the roots אָמַר (ʾamar) meaning "to say" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Szilvia f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Silvia.
Jasna f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian
Derived from South Slavic jasno meaning "clearly, obviously".
Elena f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Lithuanian, Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Greek, German, English
Form of Helen used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Елена (see Yelena).
Timaeus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latinized form of the Greek name Τίμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". This is the name of one of Plato's dialogues, featuring Timaeus and Socrates. Timaeus is also the name of a person mentioned briefly in the New Testament (Mark 10:46).
Stoyan m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian стоя (stoya) meaning "to stand, to stay".
Meera f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीरा, Malayalam മീര, Tamil மீரா or Kannada ಮೀರಾ (see Mira 1).
Charity f English
From the English word charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin caritas "generous love", from Latin carus "dear, beloved". Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Filomena f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Lithuanian
Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Lithuanian form of Philomena.
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)
From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian 𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Laios m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Laius.
Sebastiano m Italian
Italian form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Kiaran m English (Rare)
Anglicized form of Ciarán.
Marielle f French
French diminutive of Marie.
Gianna f Italian, Greek, English (Modern)
Italian short form of Giovanna and a Modern Greek variant of Ioanna.... [more]
Ofélia f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Ophelia.
Salma f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Indonesian
Means "safe" in Arabic, derived from سلم (salima) meaning "to be safe".
Alaina f English (Modern)
Variant of Alana, probably influenced by Elaine.
Aliona f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алёна or Ukrainian Альона (see Alyona).
Augustine 1 m English
From the Roman name Augustinus, itself derived from the Roman name Augustus. Saint Augustine of Hippo was a 5th-century Christian theologian and author from North Africa. For his contributions to Christian philosophy he is known as a Doctor of the Church. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world. It became popular in England in the Middle Ages partly because of a second saint by this name, Augustine of Canterbury, a 6th-century Italian monk sent to England to convert the Anglo-Saxons.
Nefertiti f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfrt-jjtj meaning "the beautiful one has come". Nefertiti was a powerful Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom (14th century BC), the principal wife of Akhenaton, the pharaoh that briefly imposed a monotheistic religion centered around the sun god Aton.
Lucianus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from the Roman praenomen Lucius. Lucianus (or Λουκιανός in his native Greek) of Samosata was a 2nd-century satirist and author. This name was also borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Beauvais and a 4th-century saint and martyr from Antioch.
Sarina f German, Dutch, English (Modern)
Diminutive of Sara, or sometimes a variant of Serena.
Imanol m Basque
Basque form of Emmanuel.
Loránd m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Roland.
Idelle f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Ida.
Briseis f Greek Mythology
Patronymic derived from Βρισεύς (Briseus), a Greek name of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology Briseis (real name Hippodameia) was the daughter of Briseus. She was captured during the Trojan War by Achilles. After Agamemnon took her away from him, Achilles refused to fight in the war.
Perle f French, Yiddish
French and Yiddish cognate of Pearl. It is also used as a Yiddish vernacular form of Margalit.
Brígh f Irish Mythology
From Old Irish bríg meaning "might, power". This was the name of a daughter of the Irish god Dagda.
Lia 2 f Italian, Dutch, German
Short form of Rosalia, Julia and other names ending in lia.
Nephele f Greek Mythology
From Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud". In Greek legend Nephele was created from a cloud by Zeus, who shaped the cloud to look like Hera in order to trick Ixion, a mortal who desired her. Nephele was the mother of the centaurs by Ixion, and was also the mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamus.
Nefertari f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfrt-jrj meaning "the most beautiful". This was the name of an Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom (13th century BC), the favourite wife of Ramesses II.
Augustin m French, Romanian, Czech, German (Rare)
Form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1) in several languages.
Mercy f English
From the English word mercy, ultimately from Latin merces "wages, reward", a derivative of merx "goods, wares". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Feodora f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Theodora.
Aristaeus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀρισταῖος (Aristaios), derived from ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best". This was the name of a minor Greek god of agriculture, hunting and cattle. He was the son of Apollo and the mortal Cyrene.
Prudencia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Prudentius.
Rosine f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Eudoxia f Ancient Greek
From Greek εὐδοξία (eudoxia) meaning "good repute, good judgement", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δόξα (doxa) meaning "notion, reputation, honour".
Placida f Late Roman, Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Placidus (see Placido).
Elizabeth f English, Biblical
From Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע (ʾElishevaʿ) meaning "my God is an oath", derived from the roots אֵל (ʾel) referring to the Hebrew God and שָׁבַע (shavaʿ) 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]
Balthazar m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Variant of Belshazzar. Balthazar is the name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who visited the newborn Jesus. He was said to have come from Arabia. This name was utilized by Shakespeare for minor characters in The Comedy of Errors (1594) and The Merchant of Venice (1596).
Izabella f Hungarian, Polish
Hungarian and Polish form of Isabella.
Vienna f English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of Austria, Vienna.
Marlin m English
Possibly a variant of Merlin.
Valentino m Italian
Italian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Silvanus m Roman Mythology, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Roman cognomen meaning "of the woods", derived from Latin silva meaning "wood, forest". Silvanus was the Roman god of forests. This name appears in the New Testament belonging to one of Saint Paul's companions, also called Silas.
Alistair m Scottish
Anglicized form of Alasdair.
Edward m English, Polish
Means "rich guard", derived from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and weard "guard". This was the name of several Anglo-Saxon kings, the last being Saint Edward the Confessor shortly before the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. He was known as a just ruler, and because of his popularity his name remained in use after the conquest when most other Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. The 13th-century Plantagenet king Henry III named his son and successor after the saint, and seven subsequent kings of England were also named Edward.... [more]
Jasmine f English, French
From the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived via Arabic from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn), which is also a Persian name. In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity from the 1970s, especially among African Americans. It reached a peak in the early 1990s shortly after the release of the animated Disney movie Aladdin (1992), which featured a princess by this name.
Maša f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Masha.
Felicity f English
From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name Felicitas. This name jumped in popularity in the United States after the premiere of the television series Felicity in 1998. It is more common in the United Kingdom.
Eléonore f French
French form of Eleanor.
Honoria f Late Roman
Feminine form of Honorius. This name was borne by the sister of the Western Roman emperor Valentinian III. After her brother had her engaged to a man she did not like, she wrote to Attila the Hun asking for help. Attila interpreted this as a marriage proposal and subsequently invaded.
Rosalind f English
Derived from the Old German elements hros meaning "horse" and lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it was not common. During the Middle Ages its spelling was influenced by the Latin phrase rosa linda "beautiful rose". The name was popularized by Edmund Spencer, who used it in his poetry, and by William Shakespeare, who used it for the heroine in his comedy As You Like It (1599).
Leda f Greek Mythology, Italian
Meaning unknown. In Greek myth she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra by the god Zeus, who came upon her in the form of a swan.
Metztli f & m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl
Means "moon" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec god (or goddess) of the moon.
Sanja f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Derived from South Slavic sanjati meaning "to dream". Alternatively, it could be from the Russian name Sanya 2.
Saga f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Icelandic
From Old Norse Sága, possibly meaning "seeing one", derived from sjá "to see". This is the name of a Norse goddess, possibly connected to Frigg. As a Swedish and Icelandic name, it is also derived from the unrelated word saga "story, fairy tale, saga".
Rachael f English
Variant of Rachel, the spelling probably influenced by that of Michael.
Ángela f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Angelus (see Angel).
Opal f English
From the English word opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".
Miriana f Italian
Italian variant of Miriam.
Andromeda f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) combined with one of the related words μέδομαι (medomai) meaning "to be mindful of, to provide for, to think on" or μέδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". In Greek mythology Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess rescued from sacrifice by the hero Perseus. A constellation in the northern sky is named for her. This is also the name of a nearby galaxy, given because it resides (from our point of view) within the constellation.
Bernadette f French, English, German, Dutch
French feminine form of Bernard. Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879) was a young woman from Lourdes in France who claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary. She was declared a saint in 1933.
Katarína f Slovak
Slovak form of Katherine.
Yana f Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian
Bulgarian, Russian and Ukrainian form of Jana 1.
Séphora f French
French form of Zipporah.
Augustine 2 f French
French feminine form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1).
Massimo m Italian
Italian form of Maximus.
Miia f Finnish
Finnish form of Mia.
Aureliano m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Aurelianus.
Gloriana f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Latin gloria meaning "glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.
Elpida f Greek
Modern Greek form of Elpis.
Celso m Portuguese, Galician, Spanish, Italian
Portuguese, Galician, Spanish and Italian form of Celsus.
Valorie f English
Variant of Valerie.
Neha f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu
Possibly from Sanskrit स्नेह (sneha) meaning "love, tenderness".
Claudio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Claudius.
Peregrine m English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Peregrinus, which meant "traveller". This was the name of several early saints.
Iakovos m Greek
Modern Greek form of Jacob (or James).
Eydís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements ey "good fortune" or "island" and dís "goddess".
Hannelore f German
Combination of Hanne 1 and Eleonore.
Laelius m Ancient Roman
Masculine form of Laelia.
Naenia f Roman Mythology
Means "incantation, dirge" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of funerals.
Gethsemane f Various (Rare)
From a biblical place name, the garden where Jesus was arrested, located on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem. It is derived from Γεθσημανί (Gethsemani), the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning "oil vat". It is very rarely used as a given name.
Magalie f French
Variant of Magali.
May f English
Derived from the name of the month of May, which derives from Maia, the name of a Roman goddess. May is also another name of the hawthorn flower. It is also used as a diminutive of Mary, Margaret or Mabel.
Juliet f English
Anglicized form of Giulietta or Juliette. This spelling was used for the ill-fated lover of Romeo in the play Romeo and Juliet (1596) by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare based his story on earlier Italian tales such as Giulietta e Romeo (1524) by Luigi Da Porto.
Elea f English
Short form of Eleanor. This was also the name of an ancient Italian town (modern Velia) that is well known for being the home of the philosopher Parmenides and his student Zeno of Elea, who was famous for his paradoxes.
Antonella f Italian
Diminutive of Antonia.
Metrodora f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother" (genitive μητρός) and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr who was killed with her sisters Menodora and Nymphodora.
Filippa f Greek, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Italian
Greek, Scandinavian and Italian feminine form of Philip.
Kaisa f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Katherine.
Lewis m English
Medieval English form of Louis. A famous bearer was Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), the author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. This was also the surname of C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), the author of the Chronicles of Narnia series.
Henri m French, Finnish
French form of Heinrich (see Henry). A notable bearer was the French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954).
Julen m Basque
Basque form of Iulianus (see Julian).
Sence f Medieval Spanish
Old variant of Sancha.
Monica f English, Italian, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Late Roman
Meaning unknown, most likely of Berber or Phoenician origin. In the 4th century this name was borne by a North African saint, the mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, whom she converted to Christianity. Since the Middle Ages it has been associated with Latin moneo "advisor" and Greek μονός (monos) "one, single".... [more]
Gelsomina f Italian
Italian form of Jasmine.
Yasir m Arabic, Urdu
Means "easy, wealthy" in Arabic, derived from the root يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich". This was the name of an early Islamic martyr. It was also borne by Yasir Arafat (1929-2004), a leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Éabha f Irish
Irish form of Eve.
Marsaili f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Marcella, now also associated with Marjorie.
Jovita f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of the Roman name Iovita (masculine), which was derived from the name of the god Jove. This was the name of an early saint and martyr, the brother of Faustinus.
Mentor m Greek Mythology
Possibly related to Greek μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force". In Greek legend Mentor was the son of Alkimos. When Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War he entrusted Mentor with the care of his palace and the guardianship of his son Telemachos. When the goddess Athena visited Telemachos she took the guise of Mentor.
Nereida f Spanish
Derived from Greek Νηρηΐδες (Nereides) meaning "nymphs, sea sprites", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Susana f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Susanna.
Azélie f French (Rare)
Perhaps a form of Azalaïs. It was borne by Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin (1831-1877), also called Zélie, the mother of Thérèse of Lisieux.
Etelvina f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Adalwin.
Melánie f Czech (Rare)
Czech form of Melanie.
María Teresa f Spanish
Combination of María and Teresa.
Dorina 1 f Romanian
Feminine form of Dorin.
Anamarija f Croatian, Slovene
Combination of Ana and Marija.
Stefánia f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Stephen.
Larisa f Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Slovene, Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from the name of the ancient city of Larisa in Thessaly, which meant "citadel". In Greek legends, the nymph Larisa was either a daughter or mother of Pelasgus, the ancestor of the mythical Pelasgians. This name was later borne by a 4th-century Greek martyr who is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Church. The name (of the city, nymph and saint) is commonly Latinized as Larissa, with a double s. As a Ukrainian name, it is more commonly transcribed Larysa.
Lenore f English
Short form of Eleanor. This is the name of the departed love of the narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven (1845).
Collin m English
Variant of Colin 2.
Irene f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.... [more]
Thibault m French
French form of Theobald.
Sílvia f Portuguese, Catalan
Portuguese and Catalan form of Silvia.
Aemilia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Bhavana f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
From Sanskrit भावन (bhāvana) meaning "producing, manifesting, thought, emotion".
Joceline f French
French feminine form of Joscelin (see Jocelyn).
Kiara f English (Modern)
Variant of Ciara 1 or Chiara. This name was brought to public attention in 1988 after the singing duo Kiara released their song This Time. It was further popularized by a character in the animated movie The Lion King II (1998).
Athenais f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Athena.
Avi m Hebrew
Means "my father" in Hebrew. It is also a diminutive of Avraham or Aviram.
Hilde f German, Dutch, Norwegian
German, Dutch and Norwegian variant of Hilda.
Geoffrey m English, French
From a Norman French form of a Frankish name. The second element is Old German fridu "peace", while the first element could be *gautaz "Geat" (a North Germanic tribe), gawi "territory" or walah "foreigner". It is possible that two or more names merged into a single form. In the later Middle Ages Geoffrey was further confused with the distinct name Godfrey.... [more]
Nóra f Hungarian, Irish
Hungarian and Irish Gaelic form of Nora 1.
Daphnée f French (Rare)
French variant form of Daphne.
Ippolito m Italian
Italian form of Hippolytos.
Lída f Czech
Czech diminutive of Ludmila.
Kshitij m Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit क्षितिज (kṣitija) meaning "born of the earth" or "horizon".
Norah 1 f English, Irish
Variant of Nora 1.
Nima 2 m Persian
Persian name of uncertain meaning, possibly "just, fair" or "half moon".
Genoveva f Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan
Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan form of Geneviève.
Prosper m French, English
From the Latin name Prosperus, which meant "fortunate, successful". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a supporter of Saint Augustine. It has never been common as an English name, though the Puritans used it, partly because it is identical to the English word prosper.
Eudes m Medieval French
Old French form of Odo.
Sóley f Icelandic
Means "buttercup (flower)" in Icelandic (genus Ranunculus), derived from sól "sun" and ey "island".
Artemis f Greek Mythology, Greek
Meaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek ἀρτεμής (artemes) meaning "safe" or ἄρταμος (artamos) meaning "a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She was known as Diana to the Romans.
Sanna f Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Susanna. It can also be derived from Swedish sann meaning "true".
Freyja f Icelandic, Norse Mythology
Icelandic and Old Norse form of Freya.
Albertina f Italian, Portuguese
Feminine diminutive of Albert.
Hyacinthus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ὑάκινθος (Hyakinthos), which was derived from the name of the hyacinth flower. In Greek legend Hyakinthos was accidentally killed by the god Apollo, who mournfully caused this flower to arise from his blood. The name was also borne by several early saints, notably a 3rd-century martyr who was killed with his brother Protus.
Avila f Germanic
Derived from the Old German element awi, of unknown meaning. Rarely, this name may be given in honour of the 16th-century mystic Saint Teresa of Ávila, Ávila being the name of the town in Spain where she was born.
Gabrielė f Lithuanian
Lithuanian feminine form of Gabriel.
Athénaïs f French
French form of Athenais.
Seraiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is ruler" in Hebrew, from שָׂרָה (sara) meaning "to have power" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament, including the father of Ezra.
Thanasis m Greek
Modern Greek short form of Athanasios.
Alicia f Spanish, English, Swedish, French
Latinized form of Alice.
Oktawiusz m Polish
Polish form of Octavius.
Giuliano m Italian
Italian form of Iulianus (see Julian).
Guillem m Catalan
Catalan form of William.
Althea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀλθαία (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek ἄλθος (althos) meaning "healing". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.
Rina 2 f Hebrew
Means "joy, singing" in Hebrew.
Joséphine f French
French feminine form of Joseph. A notable bearer of this name was the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763-1814).
Anthelme m French (Rare)
French form of Anthelm.
Ayna f Kazakh
Alternate transcription of Kazakh Айна (see Aina 5).
Nikolaus m German
German form of Nicholas.
Gül f Turkish
Means "rose" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.
Avelina 1 f Germanic
Diminutive of Avila.
Natalina f Italian, Portuguese
Diminutive of Natalia (Italian) or Natália (Portuguese).
Angèle f French
French feminine form of Angelus (see Angel).
Claretta f Italian
Diminutive of Clara.
Narcissa f Late Roman
Feminine form of Narcissus.
Maxime m French
French form of Maximus.
Divya f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Means "divine, heavenly" in Sanskrit.
Cherilyn f English
Combination of Cheryl and the popular name suffix lyn.
Ascelin m Germanic
Derived from a diminutive of the Old German element asc meaning "ash tree" (Proto-Germanic *askaz).
Domenico m Italian
Italian form of Dominicus (see Dominic). Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.
Ada 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Finnish, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names such as Adelaide or Adelina that begin with the element adal meaning "noble". Saint Ada was a 7th-century Frankish abbess at Le Mans. This name was also borne by Augusta Ada King (1815-1852), the Countess of Lovelace (known as Ada Lovelace), a daughter of Lord Byron. She was an assistant to Charles Babbage, the inventor of an early mechanical computer.
Eloise f English
From the Old French name Héloïse, which was probably from the Germanic name Helewidis, composed of the elements heil meaning "healthy, whole" and wit meaning "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" or the name Louise, though there is no etymological connection. This name was borne by the 12th-century French scholar and philosopher Héloïse. Secretly marrying the theologian Peter Abelard at a young age, she became a nun (and eventually an abbess) after Abelard was violently castrated by order of her uncle Fulbert.... [more]
Koralia f Greek, Late Greek
Derived from Ancient Greek κοράλλιον (korallion) meaning "coral" (in Modern Greek κοράλλι). This was the name of an obscure 4th-century saint and martyr from Thrace.
Amalia f Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Greek, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch, German, Germanic (Latinized)
Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element amal. This element means "unceasing, vigorous, brave", or it can refer to the Gothic dynasty of the Amali (derived from the same root).... [more]
Ekaterine f Georgian
Georgian form of Katherine.
Gauthier m French
French form of Walter.
Janine f French, English, Dutch, German
Variant of Jeannine. It has only been in use since the 20th century.
Mairead f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Margaret.
Angelina f Italian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Armenian
Latinate diminutive of Angela. A famous bearer is American actress Angelina Jolie (1975-).
Mira 2 f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Polish
Short form of Miroslava and other names beginning with Mir (often the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world").
Giuliana f Italian
Feminine form of Giuliano.
Verena f German, Late Roman
Possibly related to Latin verus "true". This might also be a Coptic form of the Ptolemaic name Berenice. Saint Verena was a 3rd-century Egyptian-born nurse who went with the Theban Legion to Switzerland. After the legion was massacred she settled near Zurich.
Elysia f Various
From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Ernestine f French, German, English
Feminine form of Ernest.
Julianne f English
Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian). It can also be considered a combination of Julie and Anne 1.
Marilena f Italian, Romanian, Greek
Combination of Maria and Elena.
Anani m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "my cloud" in Hebrew, a possessive form of עָנָן (ʿanan) meaning "cloud". This name is mentioned in the Old Testament as belonging to a descendant of King David.
Sashi m & f Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಶಶಿ (see Shashi).
Pema m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
Tibetan form of Padma.
Pari f Persian
Means "fairy, sprite, nymph" in Persian.
Adelheid f German, Dutch (Rare)
German and Dutch form of Adelaide.
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Carissa f English
Variant of Charissa.
Yusra f Arabic
Means "wealth, ease" in Arabic, a derivative of يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich".
Anatole m French
French form of Anatolius.
Samantha f English, Italian, Dutch
Perhaps intended to be a feminine form of Samuel, using the name suffix antha (possibly inspired by Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). It originated in America in the 18th century but was fairly uncommon until 1964, when it was popularized by the main character on the television show Bewitched.
Danièle f French
French feminine form of Daniel.
Winifred f English, Welsh
From Latin Winifreda, possibly from a Welsh name Gwenfrewi (maybe influenced by the Old English masculine name Winfred). Saint Winifred was a 7th-century Welsh martyr, probably legendary. According to the story, she was decapitated by a prince after she spurned his advances. Where her head fell there arose a healing spring, which has been a pilgrimage site since medieval times. Her story was recorded in the 12th century by Robert of Shrewsbury, and she has been historically more widely venerated in England than in Wales. The name has been used in England since at least the 16th century.
Eladio m Spanish
Spanish form of Helladius.
Floretta f English
Latinate diminutive of Flora.