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
Elisabeta f Romanian
Romanian form of Elizabeth.
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]
Arminius m Old Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of a Germanic name, possibly derived from the element *ermunaz meaning "whole, universal". Other theories claim that it is related to Herman, or that it is not Germanic at all. Arminius was a 1st-century chief of the Germanic tribe of the Cherusci. Raised in Rome as a hostage, he eventually became a citizen and joined the army. However, he turned against the Empire, leading the Germans in a surprise attack in the Teutoburg Forest and driving the Romans from Germania.
Florette f French (Rare)
French diminutive of Flora.
Marcelo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Marcellus.
Antonella f Italian
Diminutive of Antonia.
Flavio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Flavius.
Maryse f French
French diminutive of Marie.
Florus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). It was borne by a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with Laurus in Illyricum.
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".
Joannes m Late Roman
Latin variant of Johannes.
Josephina f English (Rare)
Latinate variant of Joséphine.
Eleuterio m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Eleutherius.
Natália f Portuguese, Slovak, Hungarian
Portuguese, Slovak and Hungarian form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Theodoric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Þiudareiks meaning "ruler of the people", derived from the elements þiuda "people" and reiks "ruler, king". It was notably borne by Theodoric the Great, a 6th-century king of the Ostrogoths who eventually became the ruler of Italy. By Theodoric's time the Ostrogoths were partially Romanized and his name was regularly recorded as Theodoricus. This was also the name of two earlier (5th century) Visigothic kings.
Fabricia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Fabricius (see Fabrice).
Imanol m Basque
Basque form of Emmanuel.
Marianus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name, which was itself derived from the Roman name Marius. This was the name of a few early saints.
Alfredo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Alfred.
Selene f Greek Mythology
Means "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. She was sometimes identified with the goddess Artemis.
Élisabeth f French
French form of Elizabeth.
Matild f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Matilda.
Cicely f English
Medieval variant of Cecily.
Orianne f French
French form of Oriana.
Mónika f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Monica.
Mona 1 f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Muadhnait. It is also associated with Greek monos "one" and Leonardo da Vinci's painting the Mona Lisa (in which case it is a contraction of Italian ma donna meaning "my lady").
Valens m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen (see Valentine 1). This name was borne by a 4th-century Roman emperor.
Lata f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit लता (latā) meaning "vine, creeping plant".
Lucyna f Polish
Polish form of Lucina.
Ella 2 f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. It can also be a short form of names ending in ella.
Howell m Welsh
Anglicized form of Hywel.
Wilson m English, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese
From an English surname meaning "son of William". The surname was borne by Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), the American president during World War I.
Doroteja f Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Slovene, Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Dorothea.
Fabio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Fabius.
Hebe f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥβη (hebe) meaning "youth". In Greek mythology Hebe was the daughter of Zeus and Hera. She was a goddess of youth who acted as the cupbearer to the gods.
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.
Alyssa f English
Variant of Alicia. The spelling has probably been influenced by that of the alyssum flower, the name of which is derived from Greek (a), a negative prefix, combined with λύσσα (lyssa) meaning "madness, rabies", since it was believed to cure madness.
Bonita f English
Means "pretty" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin bonus "good". It has been used as a name in the English-speaking world since the beginning of the 20th century.
Caeso m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from Latin caesius meaning "blue-grey". This praenomen was only used by a few families.
Io f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Io was a princess loved by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer in order to hide her from Hera. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.
Lilith f Semitic Mythology, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Derived from Akkadian lilitu meaning "of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.
Giannina f Italian
Diminutive of Giovanna.
Delia 2 f English
Short form of Adelia or Bedelia.
Florent m French
French masculine form of Florentius (see Florence).
Phoebe f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.... [more]
Ekaterine f Georgian
Georgian form of Katherine.
Marlène f French
French form of Marlene.
Katya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian diminutive of Yekaterina.
Siana 1 f Welsh
Diminutive of Siân.
Evelien f Dutch
Dutch form of Evelina.
Vladyslav m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Vladislav.
Pamela f English
This name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Philip Sidney for use in his romance Arcadia (1593). He possibly intended it to mean "all sweetness" from Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.
Anastazja f Polish
Polish form of Anastasia.
Benedict m English
From the Late Latin name Benedictus, which meant "blessed". Saint Benedict was an Italian monk who founded the Benedictines in the 6th century. After his time the name was common among Christians, being used by 16 popes. In England it did not come into use until the 12th century, at which point it became very popular. This name was also borne by the American general Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), who defected to Britain during the American Revolution.
Delphine f French
French form of Delphina.
Niccolò m Italian
Italian form of Nicholas. Famous bearers include Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), a Florentine political philosopher, and Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), a Genoese composer and violinist.
Rosaura f Spanish
Means "golden rose", derived from Latin rosa "rose" and aurea "golden". This name was (first?) used by Pedro Calderón de la Barca for a character in his play Life Is a Dream (1635).
Leontiy m Russian
Russian form of Leontios.
Dianne f English
Variant of Diane.
Anselme m French
French form of Anselm.
Nedelya f Bulgarian
Means "Sunday" in Bulgarian.
Mileva f Serbian, Macedonian
From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear".
Signy f Norwegian
Norwegian variant form of Signý.
Lyda f English
Perhaps a variant of Lydia.
Fioralba f Italian (Rare)
Combination of Italian fiore "flower" (Latin flos) and alba "dawn".
Yelena f Russian
Russian form of Helen.
Frederick m English
English form of an Old German name meaning "peaceful ruler", derived from fridu "peace" and rih "ruler, king". This name has long been common in continental Germanic-speaking regions, being borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, and Prussia. Notables among these rulers include the 12th-century Holy Roman emperor and crusader Frederick I Barbarossa, the 13th-century emperor and patron of the arts Frederick II, and the 18th-century Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great.... [more]
Seanán m Irish
Modern Irish form of Senán.
Merida f Popular Culture
The name of the main character in the Disney/Pixar movie Brave (2012) about a medieval Scottish princess. The meaning of her name is unexplained, though it could be based on the Spanish city of Mérida, derived from Latin Emerita Augusta meaning "veterans of Augustus", so named because it was founded by the emperor Augustus as a colony for his veterans.
Albina f Russian, Ukrainian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Slovene, Polish, German, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Albinus. This was the name of a few early saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Caesarea.
Bonaventura m Italian, Catalan
Means "good fortune" in Italian, from Latin bonus "good" and venturas "the things that will come, the future". Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
Eline f Norwegian, Dutch, Danish
Norwegian and Dutch variant form of Helen. This is the name of the title character in the novel Eline Vere (1889) by the Dutch writer Louis Couperus.
Edelgard f German
From an Old German name, which was derived from the elements adal "noble" and gart "enclosure, yard".
Marilena f Italian, Romanian, Greek
Combination of Maria and Elena.
Nadejda f Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Надежда (see Nadezhda).
Rosemary f English
Combination of Rose and Mary. This name can also be given in reference to the herb, which gets its name from Latin ros marinus meaning "dew of the sea". It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.
Maryam f Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Indonesian, Bashkir, Tatar
Arabic form of Miryam (see Mary) appearing in the Quran. It is also the form used in several other languages. In Iran it is also the name of a flower, the tuberose, which is named after the Virgin Mary.
Alona f Hebrew
Feminine form of Alon 1.
Donatello m Italian
Diminutive of Donato. The Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Bette Bardi (1386-1466) was better known as Donatello.
Maialen f Basque
Basque form of Magdalene.
Leone 1 m Italian
Italian form of Leo and Leon.
Ellinor f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Eleanor.
Ippolito m Italian
Italian form of Hippolytos.
Edmond m French, Albanian
French and Albanian form of Edmund. A notable bearer was the English astronomer Edmond Halley (1656-1742), for whom Halley's comet is named.
Delfina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Delphina.
Alenka f Slovene
Slovene diminutive of Alena 1.
Susie f English
Diminutive of Susan.
Leonard m English, Dutch, German, Polish, Romanian, Germanic
Means "brave lion", derived from the Old German elements lewo "lion" (of Latin origin) and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish saint from Noblac who is the patron of prisoners and horses. The Normans brought this name to England, where it was used steadily through the Middle Ages, becoming even more common in the 20th century.
Mariah f English
Variant of Maria. It is usually pronounced in a way that reflects an older English pronunciation of Maria. The name was popularized in the early 1990s by the American singer Mariah Carey (1970-).
Mirica f Croatian
From the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Liesel f German
German diminutive of Elisabeth.
Alexandrina f Portuguese, Romanian, English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Alexandra. This was the first name of Queen Victoria; her middle name was Victoria.
Teja f Slovene
Short form of Doroteja or Mateja 1.
Thaïs f Ancient Greek, French
Possibly means "bandage" in Greek. This was the name of a companion of Alexander the Great. It was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Alexandria, a wealthy socialite who became a Christian convert, though in her case the name may have had a distinct Coptic origin. She has been a popular subject of art and literature, including an 1891 novel by Anatole France and an 1894 opera by Jules Massenet.
Amabel f English (Rare)
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis.
Vanna 2 f & m Khmer
From Khmer វណ្ណ (von) meaning "colour", ultimately from Sanskrit वर्ण (varṇa).
Vitalia f Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Vitale.
Thera f Dutch
Diminutive of Theresia.
Janelle f English
Diminutive of Jane. It has been in use only since the 20th century.
Ernestine f French, German, English
Feminine form of Ernest.
Joye f English
Variant of Joy.
Léandre m French
French form of Leander.
Giuseppe m Italian
Italian form of Joseph. Two noteworthy bearers were Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), a military leader who united Italy, and Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), a composer of operas.
Magdaléna f Slovak, Czech, Hungarian
Slovak and Czech form of Magdalene, as well as a Hungarian variant form.
Rajendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Nepali
Means "lord of kings", derived from Sanskrit राज (rāja) meaning "king" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This was the name of two 11th-century rulers of the Chola Empire in southern India.
Cindy f English
Diminutive of Cynthia or Lucinda. Like Cynthia, it peaked in popularity in the United States in 1957.
Miles m English
From the Germanic name Milo, introduced by the Normans to England in the form Miles. The meaning is not known for certain. It is possibly connected to the Slavic name element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear". From an early date it was associated with Latin miles meaning "soldier".... [more]
Cátia f Portuguese
Diminutive of Catarina.
Joscelin m Old Norman
Norman form of Jocelyn.
Mykhaylo m Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian Михайло (see Mykhailo).
Fernanda f Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian feminine form of Ferdinand.
Dearbháil f Irish
From Old Irish Derbáil meaning "daughter of Fál", derived from the prefix der meaning "daughter" and Fál, a legendary name for Ireland.
Théophile m French
French form of Theophilus.
Collin m English
Variant of Colin 2.
Lovel m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.
Ludovico m Italian
Italian form of Ludwig.
Mneme f Greek Mythology
Means "memory" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of memory.
Alexius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξιος (Alexios), a derivative of Ἄλεξις (see Alexis). This was the name of five Byzantine emperors. It was also borne by a 5th-century Syrian saint who is especially venerated in the Eastern Church.
Natale m Italian
Masculine form of Natalia.
Wincenty m Polish
Polish form of Vincent.
Patrice 1 m French
French form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Wyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
Niki 1 f Greek
Modern Greek form of Nike.
Gaetano m Italian
Italian form of the Latin name Caietanus, which meant "from Caieta". Caieta (now called Gaeta) was a town in ancient Italy, its name deriving either from Καιάδας (Kaiadas), the name of a Greek location where prisoners were executed, or else from Caieta, the name of the nurse of Aeneas. Saint Gaetano was a 16th-century Italian priest who founded the Theatines.
Tomislav m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Bulgarian
Probably derived from the Slavic element tomiti "to torment" combined with slava "glory". This was the name of the first king of Croatia (10th century).
Vincente f French
French feminine form of Vincent.
Menodora f Ancient Greek
Means "gift of the moon", derived from Greek μήνη (mene) meaning "moon" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Metrodora and Nymphodora.
Elettra f Italian
Italian form of Electra.
Malinda f English
Variant of Melinda.
Eugenios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Eugene.
Rupert m German, English
German variant form of Robert, from the Old German variant Hrodperht. It was borne by the 7th century Saint Rupert of Salzburg and the 8th-century Saint Rupert of Bingen. The military commander Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a nephew of Charles I, introduced this name to England in the 17th century. A notable bearer is the Australian-American businessman Rupert Murdoch (1931-).
Na'ima f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نعيمة (see Naima).
Ignatius m Late Roman
From the Roman family name Egnatius, meaning unknown, of Etruscan origin. The spelling was later altered to resemble Latin ignis "fire". This was the name of several saints, including the third bishop of Antioch who was thrown to wild beasts by Emperor Trajan, and by Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), founder of the Jesuits, whose real birth name was in fact Íñigo.
Imelda f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Irmhild. The Blessed Imelda Lambertini was a young 14th-century nun from Bologna.
Florin m Romanian
Romanian form of Florinus.
Eladio m Spanish
Spanish form of Helladius.
Aemilia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Fiore f & m Italian
Means "flower" in Italian. It can also be considered an Italian form of the Latin names Flora and Florus.
Tzeitel f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Sarah. This is the name of Tevye's oldest daughter in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (1964), based on Sholem Aleichem's stories from the late 19th century.
Isidor m German (Rare), Russian (Rare)
German and Russian form of Isidore.
Sabine f French, German, Dutch, Danish
French, German, Dutch and Danish form of Sabina.
Fernande f French
French feminine form of Ferdinand.
Constance f English, French
Medieval form of Constantia. The Normans introduced this name to England (it was the name of a daughter of William the Conqueror).
Klemens m German, Polish
German and Polish form of Clemens (see Clement). Prince Klemens Metternich (1773-1859) was an Austrian chancellor who guided the Austrian Empire to victory in the Napoleonic Wars.
Yvonne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Yvon. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Quintillus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from the given name Quintus.
Kateri f History
From the Mohawk pronunciation of Katherine. This was the name adopted by the 17th-century Mohawk saint Tekakwitha upon her baptism.
Rosamund f English (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements hros "horse" and munt "protection". This name was borne by the wife of the Lombard king Alboin in the 6th century. The Normans introduced it to England. It was subsequently interpreted as coming from Latin rosa munda "pure rose" or rosa mundi "rose of the world". This was the name of the mistress of Henry II, the king of England in the 12th century. According to legends she was murdered by his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Jonah m English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹנָה (Yona) meaning "dove". This was the name of a prophet swallowed by a fish, as told in the Old Testament Book of Jonah. Jonah was commanded by God to preach in Nineveh, but instead fled by boat. After being caught in a storm, the other sailors threw Jonah overboard, at which point he was swallowed. He emerged from the fish alive and repentant three days later.... [more]
Eliška f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak diminutive of Elizabeth.
Sofiya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Sophia.
Leonor f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Eleanor. It was brought to Spain in the 12th-century by Eleanor of England, who married King Alfonso VIII of Castile.
Xanthe f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning "yellow, blond, fair-haired". This was the name of a few minor figures in Greek mythology.
Iliya m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Elijah.
Viera f Slovak, Belarusian
Slovak form of Vera 1, as well as an alternate transcription of Belarusian Вера (see Vera 1).
Alexandria f English
Feminine form of Alexander. Alexander the Great founded several cities by this name (or renamed them) as he extended his empire eastward. The most notable of these is Alexandria in Egypt, founded by Alexander in 331 BC.
Angeline f French
French diminutive of Angela.
Anastázie f Czech
Czech form of Anastasia.
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).
Albertus m Germanic (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of Albert. This is the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but commonly rendered Albert in daily life.
Pio m Italian, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian and Portuguese form of Pius.
Meallán m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Mellán, derived from mell meaning either "pleasant, delightful" or "lump, ball" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a few early saints.
Shri f Hinduism
Means "diffusing light, radiance, beauty" in Sanskrit, a word used as a title of respect in India. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
Leonora f Italian
Italian short form of Eleanor.
Elpida f Greek
Modern Greek form of Elpis.
Lynn f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of Linda or names that end in lyn or line.
Aurea f Late Roman
Late Latin name that was derived from aureus "golden". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Ostia (near Rome), as well as an 11th-century Spanish saint.
Ayala f Hebrew
Means "doe, female deer" in Hebrew.
Pearle f English
Variant of Pearl.
Carol 1 f & m English
Short form of Caroline. It was formerly a masculine name, derived from Carolus. The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means "song" or "hymn".
Eliott m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Elliott.
Dorin m Romanian
Romanian, possibly a form of Dorian or a diminutive of Teodor.
Susan f English
English variant of Susanna. This has been most common spelling since the 18th century. It was especially popular both in the United States and the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1960s. A notable bearer was the American feminist Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906).
Cassander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κάσσανδρος (Kassandros), the masculine form of Cassandra. This was the name of a 3rd-century BC king of Macedon.
Oksana f Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian form of Xenia.
Anastasiya f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Anastasia. This name was borne by the wife of the Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible.
Lesya f Ukrainian
Diminutive of Oleksandra.
Mariamne f History
From Μαριάμη (Mariame), the form of Maria used by the historian Josephus when referring to the wife of King Herod.
Andriana f Greek, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Andreas (Greek) or Andrey (Bulgarian).
Evita f Spanish, Latvian
Diminutive of Eva.
Lubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Dolores f Spanish, English
Means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
Eilidh f Scottish Gaelic
Diminutive of Eilionoir, also taken to be a Gaelic form of Helen.
Patroclus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Πάτροκλος (Patroklos) meaning "glory of the father", derived from πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός) and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek legend he was one of the heroes who fought against the Trojans. His death at the hands of Hector drew his friend Achilles back into the war.
Zaharina f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian feminine form of Zechariah.
Rosita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Rosa 1.
Amerigo m Italian
Medieval Italian form of Emmerich. Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) was the Italian explorer who gave the continent of America its name (from Americus, the Latin form of his name).
Sariah f Mormon
Possibly from an alternate reading of Hebrew שׂריה (see Seraiah). In the Book of Mormon this is the name of Lehi's wife.
Tillie f English
Diminutive of Matilda.
Cleopatra f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κλεοπάτρα (Kleopatra) meaning "glory of the father", derived from κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" combined with πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός). This was the name of queens of Egypt from the Ptolemaic royal family, including Cleopatra VII, the mistress of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After being defeated by Augustus she committed suicide (according to popular belief, by allowing herself to be bitten by a venomous asp). Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra (1606) tells the story of her life.
Amelie f German
German variant of Amelia.
Joana f Portuguese, Catalan
Portuguese and Catalan form of Iohanna (see Joanna).
Cosmina f Romanian
Feminine form of Cosmin.
Iolyn m Welsh (Rare)
Diminutive of Iorwerth.
Jean-Claude m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Claude.
Nikhila f Telugu, Hindi
Feminine form of Nikhil.
Vera 1 f Russian, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Belarusian, Georgian
Means "faith" in Russian, though it is sometimes associated with the Latin word verus "true". It has been in general use in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Ansehelm m Germanic
Old German form of Anselm.
Shoshana f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Susanna.
Rupinder m & f Indian (Sikh)
Means "greatest beauty" from Sanskrit रूप (rūpa) meaning "beauty, form" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "greatest".
Fanni f Finnish, Hungarian
Finnish diminutive of Francisca and a Hungarian diminutive of Franciska or Stefánia.
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.
Jenae f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Jennifer.
Jennifer f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish
From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (see Guinevere). This name has only been common outside of Cornwall since the beginning of the 20th century, after it was featured in George Bernard Shaw's play The Doctor's Dilemma (1906). It barely ranked in the United until the late 1930s, when it began steadily growing in popularity, accelerating into the early 1970s. It was the most popular name for girls in America between 1970 and 1984, though it was not as common in the United Kingdom.... [more]
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]
Natalya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Iakovos m Greek
Modern Greek form of Jacob (or James).
Loïc m French, Breton
Breton form of Louis.
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]
Oberon m Literature
Variant of Auberon. Oberon and Titania are the king and queen of the fairies in Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595). A moon of Uranus bears this name in his honour.
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.
Basil 1 m English
From the Greek name Βασίλειος (Basileios), which was derived from βασιλεύς (basileus) meaning "king". Saint Basil the Great was a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea and one of the fathers of the early Christian church. Due to him, the name (in various spellings) has come into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors.
Orabela f Esperanto
Means "golden-beautiful" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin aurea "gold" and bella "beautiful".
Thaddeus m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name תַדַּי (Ṯaddai). It is possibly derived from Aramaic תַּד (taḏ) meaning "heart, breast", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as Θεόδωρος (see Theodore). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.
Leonius m Late Roman
Late Latin name that was derived from Leo.
Taisiya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Thaïs (referring to the saint).
Selena f Spanish, English, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Selene. This name was borne by popular Mexican-American singer Selena Quintanilla (1971-1995), who was known simply as Selena. Another famous bearer is the American actress and singer Selena Gomez (1992-).
Oles m Ukrainian
Short form of Oleksandr or Oleksiy.
Petrina f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Petra.
Muiris m Irish
Irish form of Maurice.
Lana f English, Russian, Croatian, Slovene, Georgian
Short form of Alana (English) or Svetlana (Russian). In the English-speaking world it was popularized by actress Lana Turner (1921-1995), who was born Julia Jean Turner.
Maxwell m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.... [more]
Maybelline f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Mabel. This is an American cosmetics company, which was named after the founder's sister Mabel in 1915.
Ksenija f Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene, Latvian
Form of Xenia in several languages.
Fabian m German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.
Eleonore f German
German form of Eleanor.
Lolicia f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lola.
Pallavi f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Feminine form of Pallav.
Leonida m Italian
Italian form of Leonidas.
Laios m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Laius.
Stéphane m French
French form of Stephen.
Tiitus m Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Titus.
Alexei m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алексей (see Aleksey).
Oliwer m Polish
Polish form of Oliver.
Viola f English, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Means "violet" in Latin. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night (1602). In the play she is the survivor of a shipwreck who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Working as a messenger for Duke Orsino, she attempts to convince Olivia to marry him. Instead Viola falls in love with the duke.
Étienne m French
French form of Stephen.
Marilla f English (Archaic)
Possibly a diminutive of Mary or a variant of Amaryllis. More common in the 19th century, this name was borne by the American suffragist Marilla Ricker (1840-1920). It is also the name of the adoptive mother of Anne in L. M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables (1908).
Gisèle f French
French variant of Giselle.
Konrad m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Slovene
German, Scandinavian, Polish and Slovene form of Conrad.
Isaia m Italian, Old Church Slavic
Italian form of Isaiah, as well as the Old Church Slavic form.
Galen m English
Modern form of the Greek name Γαληνός (Galenos), which meant "calm" from Greek γαλήνη (galene). It was borne by a 2nd-century BC Greco-Roman physician who contributed to anatomy and medicine. In modern times the name is occasionally given in his honour.
Roselyn f English
Variant of Rosalyn.
Myles 2 m Greek Mythology
Probably from Greek μύλη (myle) meaning "mill". This was the name of a king of Laconia in Greek mythology.
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).
Elva 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Ailbhe.
Galileo m Italian (Rare)
Medieval Italian name derived from Latin galilaeus meaning "Galilean, from Galilee". Galilee is a region in northern Israel, mentioned in the New Testament as the site of several of Jesus's miracles. It is derived from the Hebrew root גָּלִיל (galil) meaning "district, roll".... [more]
Léonard m French
French form of Leonard.
Muireall f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Muirgel.
Shweta f Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati
From Sanskrit श्वेत (śveta) meaning "white".
Evelina f English, Italian, Swedish, Lithuanian, Greek, Russian, Bulgarian
Latinate form of Aveline. It was revived by the author Fanny Burney for the heroine of her first novel Evelina (1778). It is often regarded as a variant of the related name Evelyn or an elaboration of Eve.
Aideen f Irish
Anglicized form of Éadaoin.
Vilde 1 f Norwegian
Short form of Alvilde.
Niklaus m German (Swiss)
Swiss German form of Nicholas.
Emiliya f Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Russian
Bulgarian, Ukrainian and Russian feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Estela f Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Estelle.
Noreen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Nóirín.
Perle f French, Yiddish
French and Yiddish cognate of Pearl. It is also used as a Yiddish vernacular form of Margalit.
Bertille f French
French form of Berthild.
Callistus m Late Roman
Late Latin name that was derived from the Greek name Κάλλιστος (Kallistos) meaning "most beautiful". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callixtus), including the 3rd-century Callistus I who is regarded as a saint.
Emilian m Romanian, Polish
Romanian and Polish form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Eulalie f French
French form of Eulalia.
Viviane f French, Portuguese
French form of Viviana, as well as a Portuguese variant. It is also the French form of Vivien 2.
Aiolos m Greek Mythology
Means "quick-moving, nimble" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek god of the winds.
Raphaela f German
Feminine form of Raphael.
Elisha m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name אֱלִישַׁע (ʾElishaʿ), a contracted form of אֱלִישׁוּעַ (ʾElishuaʿ) meaning "my God is salvation", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save, to deliver". 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.
Ambrose m English
From the Late Latin name Ambrosius, which was derived from the Greek name Ἀμβρόσιος (Ambrosios) meaning "immortal". Saint Ambrose was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Milan, who is considered a Doctor of the Church. Due to the saint, the name came into general use in Christian Europe, though it was never particularly common in England.
Giosetta f Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Josette.
Ariane f French, German
French form of Ariadne.
Avrora f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Aurora.
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.
Aelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aelius.
Glenice f Welsh
Anglicized form of Glenys.
Dione 1 f Greek Mythology
From Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus". By extension, it means "goddess". This was the name of a Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of Aphrodite. A moon of Saturn is named after her.
Jóna f Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Iohanna (see Joanna).
Augustin m French, Romanian, Czech, German (Rare)
Form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1) in several languages.
Violetta f Italian, Russian, Hungarian
Italian, Russian and Hungarian form of Violet.
Sheila f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Síle.