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
Isolda f Arthurian Cycle
Latinate form of Iseult.
Xián m Galician
From Xulián, the Galician form of Julian.
Gratiana f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Gratianus (see Gratian).
Hila f Hebrew
Means "halo, aura" in Hebrew, from the root הָלַל (halal) meaning "to praise, to shine".
Nedelya f Bulgarian
Means "Sunday" in Bulgarian.
Bithiah f Biblical
Means "daughter of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from the roots בַּת (baṯ) meaning "daughter" and יָהּ (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.
Zinaida f Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian
Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian form of Zenaida.
Carmel f & m English, Jewish
From the title of the Virgin Mary Our Lady of Mount Carmel. כַּרְמֶל (Karmel) (meaning "garden" in Hebrew) is a mountain in Israel mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the site of several early Christian monasteries. As an English given name, it has mainly been used by Catholics. As a Jewish name it is unisex.
Niki 2 f English
Diminutive of Nicole.
Felina f Late Roman
Feminine form of Felinus.
Bertalan m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Bartholomew.
Anasztázia f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Anastasia.
Aliénor f French
French form of Eleanor.
Lucyna f Polish
Polish form of Lucina.
Illuminata f Late Roman
Means "illuminated, brightened, filled with light" in Latin. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint from Todi, Italy.
Ea 2 f Danish, Norwegian
Short form of names ending in ea.
Alessandro m Italian
Italian form of Alexander. A famous bearer was Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), the Italian physicist who invented the battery.
Yolande f French
French form of Yolanda. A notable bearer of the 15th century was Yolande of Aragon, who acted as regent for the French king Charles VII, her son-in-law. She was a supporter of Joan of Arc.
Gladwin m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Glædwine.
Florencio m Spanish
Spanish form of Florentius (see Florence).
Hannah f English, Hebrew, German, Dutch, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Ḥanna) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from Eli she finally became pregnant with Samuel.... [more]
Leontyne f English (Rare)
Variant of Léontine. This name is borne by opera singer Leontyne Price (1927-).
Rosaline f English
Medieval variant of Rosalind. This is the name of characters in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (1594) and Romeo and Juliet (1596).
María de los Ángeles f Spanish
Means "Mary of the angels" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.
Ormond m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Ruaidh, derived from the given name Ruadh.
Isadore m English
Variant of Isidore.
Thierry m French
French form of Theodoric. It was very popular in France from the 1950s, peaking in the mid-1960s before falling away. A famous bearer is the French former soccer player Thierry Henry (1977-).
Galene f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek feminine form of Galenos (see Galen). This was the name of a minor Greek goddess who personified calm seas.
Federica f Italian
Italian feminine form of Frederick.
Vinay m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit विनय (vinaya) meaning "leading, guidance, modesty".
Gianmaria m Italian
Combination of Gianni and Maria.
Fay f & m English
In part from the English word fay meaning "fairy", derived from Middle English faie meaning "magical, enchanted", ultimately (via Old French) from Latin fata meaning "the Fates". It appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's chronicles in the name of Morgan le Fay. In some cases it may be used as a short form of Faith. It has been used as a feminine given name since the 19th century.... [more]
Micheline f French
French feminine diminutive of Michel.
Lynna f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lynn.
Nicolás m Spanish
Spanish form of Nicholas.
Lenuța f Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Elena.
Kazimiera f Polish, Lithuanian
Feminine form of Kazimierz (Polish) or Kazimieras (Lithuanian).
Mathilde f French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish
Form of Matilda in several languages.
Ignacio m Spanish
Spanish form of Ignatius.
Marianela f Spanish
Combination of María and Estela.
Mehrnaz f Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Selini f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Selene.
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.
Nerina f Italian
Probably from Greek Νηρηΐδες (see Nereida). This name was used by Torquato Tasso for a character in his play Aminta (1573), and subsequently by Giacomo Leopardi in his poem Le Ricordanze (1829).
Maryann f English
Combination of Mary and Ann.
Yves m French
Medieval French form of Ivo 1. This was the name of two French saints: an 11th-century bishop of Chartres and a 13th-century parish priest and lawyer, also known as Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of Brittany.
Simon 2 m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek σιμός (simos) meaning "flat-nosed". According to Greek mythology this was the name of one of the Telchines, demigods who were the original inhabitants of Rhodes.
Madalyn f English
Variant of Madeline.
Angelita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Angela.
Romeo m Italian, Romanian
Italian form of the Late Latin Romaeus or Late Greek Ρωμαῖος (Romaios), which meant "from Rome" or "Roman". Romeo is best known as the lover of Juliet in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596). Shakespeare based his play on earlier Italian stories by Luigi Da Porto (1524) and Matteo Bandello (1554), which both featured characters named Giulietta and Romeo.
Étienne m French
French form of Stephen.
Camillo m Italian
Italian form of Camillus.
Senta f German
Diminutive of Kreszentia.
Cătălina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
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.
Avi m Hebrew
Means "my father" in Hebrew. It is also a diminutive of Avraham or Aviram.
Silvano m Italian
Italian form of Silvanus.
Laure f French
French form of Laura.
Patricie f Czech
Czech feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Victorine f French
French feminine form of Victorinus.
Vita 2 f Ukrainian, Belarusian
Ukrainian and Belarusian short form of Viktoriya.
Ava 3 f German, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element awi, of unknown meaning. This was the name of a 9th-century Frankish saint. It was also borne by a 12th-century poet from Melk, Austria.
Lucrecia f Spanish
Spanish form of Lucretia.
Kitty f English
Diminutive of Katherine.
Augustin m French, Romanian, Czech, German (Rare)
Form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1) in several languages.
Angelika f German, Polish, Hungarian
Form of Angelica in several languages.
Cecilie f Norwegian, Danish, Czech
Norwegian and Danish form of Cecilia, as well as a Czech variant of Cecílie.
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.
Alessa f Italian
Short form of Alessandra.
Chandan m Hindi, Bengali, Odia
Derived from Sanskrit चन्दन (candana) meaning "sandalwood".
Floris m Dutch
Dutch form of Florentius (see Florence).
Melisende f Medieval French
Old French form of Millicent.
Angéla f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Angelus (see Angel).
Aleksander m Polish, Slovene, Estonian, Norwegian, Danish
Form of Alexander in several languages.
Mikołaj m Polish
Polish form of Nicholas.
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.
Prashant m Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Bengali
From Sanskrit प्रशान्त (praśānta) meaning "calm, quiet".
Eulàlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Eulalia.
Mirja f Finnish
Finnish form of Miriam.
Lior m & f Hebrew
Means "my light" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and אוֹר (ʾor) "light".
Bella f English
Short form of Isabella and other names ending in bella. It is also associated with the Italian word bella meaning "beautiful". It was used by the American author Stephenie Meyer for the main character in her popular Twilight series of novels, first released 2005, later adapted into a series of movies beginning 2008.
Christophe m French
French form of Christopher.
Vibeke f Danish, Norwegian
Danish form of Wiebke. It was borne by an influential mistress of Christian IV of Denmark (17th century).
Orrin m Irish
Anglicized form of Odhrán.
Mirthe f Dutch
Variant of Myrthe.
Aimée f French
French form of Amy.
Malia f Hawaiian, English (Modern)
Hawaiian form of Maria. This name experienced a spike in popularity in 2009, due to the eldest daughter (born 1998) of the new American president Barack Obama.
Glendower m Welsh
Anglicized form of Glyndwr.
Cateline f Medieval French
Medieval French form of Katherine.
Marcel m French, Catalan, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, German
Form of Marcellus used in several languages. Notable bearers include the French author Marcel Proust (1871-1922), French artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) and Austrian alpine skier Marcel Hirscher (1989-).
Nilda f Spanish, Portuguese
Short form of Brunilda.
Morgane f French
French, either a form of Morgan 2 or a feminine form of Morgan 1.
Matej m Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Macedonian
Slovak form of Matthias, used to refer to the apostle chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. Also the Slovene, Croatian and Macedonian form of Matthew, used to refer to the evangelist and apostle also known as Levi.
Friederike f German
German feminine form of Frederick.
Daphnée f French (Rare)
French variant form of Daphne.
Amélie f French
French form of Amelia.
Aoife f Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Aífe, derived from oíph meaning "beauty" (modern Irish aoibh). This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a woman at war with Scáthach (her sister in some versions). She was defeated in single combat by the hero Cúchulainn, who spared her life on the condition that she bear him a child (Connla). Another legendary figure by this name appears in the Children of Lir as the jealous third wife of Lir.... [more]
Jovian m Ancient Roman (Anglicized)
From Latin Iovianus, a Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Iovis (see Jove). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor.
Alexander m English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, help" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.... [more]
Theophanes m Ancient Greek
Means "manifestation of God" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". This name was borne by a few saints, including an 8th-century chronicler from Constantinople and a 19th-century Russian Orthodox saint, Theophanes the Recluse, who is Феофан (Feofan) in Russian. Another famous bearer was a 14th-century Byzantine icon painter active in Moscow.
Thais f Ancient Greek, Spanish
Alternate transcription of Ancient Greek Θαΐς (see Thaïs), as well as the usual Spanish form.
Ioannes m Biblical Greek
Biblical Greek form of Yoḥanan (see John).
Lia 1 f Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Georgian, Greek, Biblical Latin
Italian, Portuguese, Georgian and Greek form of Leah.
Liese f German, Dutch
German and Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth.
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.
Silviu m Romanian
Romanian form of Silvius.
Vincente f French
French feminine form of Vincent.
Oria f Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Aurea.
Tatienne f French (Rare)
French form of Tatiana.
Rhiannon f Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.... [more]
Nella f Italian
Short form of Antonella.
Apolinar m Spanish
Spanish form of Apollinaris.
Natalina f Italian, Portuguese
Diminutive of Natalia (Italian) or Natália (Portuguese).
Idony f English (Archaic)
Medieval English vernacular form of Idonea.
Johannes m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Late Roman
Latin form of Greek Ioannes (see John). Notable bearers include the inventor of the printing press Johannes Gutenberg (1398-1468), astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), painter Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675), and composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897).
Newton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
Milada f Czech, Slovak
Originally a diminutive of names containing the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear". It can also be derived from Czech and Slovak mladá meaning "young", ultimately from Old Slavic *moldŭ.
Dolly f English
Diminutive of Dorothy. Doll and Dolly were used from the 16th century, and the common English word doll (for the plaything) is derived from them. In modern times this name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Dolores.
Augusta f Italian, Portuguese, English, German, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Augustus. It was introduced to Britain when King George III, a member of the German House of Hanover, gave this name to his second daughter in 1768.
Padmini f Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Means "multitude of lotuses", a derivative of Sanskrit पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus".
Kasimira f German (Archaic)
Feminine form of Kasimir.
Annelien f Dutch
Combination of Anna and lien (from names such as Carolien).
Alya 2 f Russian
Diminutive of Aleksandra, Albina and other names beginning with Ал.
Elwin m English
Variant of Alvin.
Samuli m Finnish
Finnish form of Samuel.
Sophy f English (Rare)
Variant of Sophie or a diminutive of Sophia.
Leanna f English
Probably this was originally a variant of Liana. It is now often considered a combination of Lee and Anna.
Angelo m Italian
Italian form of Angelus (see Angel).
Beverley f English
Variant of Beverly.
Avrora f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Aurora.
Désirée f French, Dutch, German
French form of Desiderata. In part it is directly from the French word meaning "desired, wished".
Marie f & m French, Czech, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Albanian
French and Czech form of Maria. It has been very common in France since the 13th century. At the opening of the 20th century it was given to approximately 20 percent of French girls. This percentage has declined steadily over the course of the century, and it dropped from the top rank in 1958.... [more]
Katinka f German, Hungarian, Dutch
German diminutive of Katharina, a Hungarian diminutive of Katalin and a Dutch diminutive of Catharina.
Danica f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Slovak, Macedonian, English
From a Slavic word meaning "morning star, Venus". This name occurs in Slavic folklore as a personification of the morning star. It has sometimes been used in the English-speaking world since the 1970s.
Briar Rose f Literature
English translation of German Dornröschen. This is the name of the fairy tale character Sleeping Beauty in the Brothers Grimm version of the story.
Renee f English
English form of Renée.
Brígh f Irish Mythology
From Old Irish bríg meaning "might, power". This was the name of a daughter of the Irish god Dagda.
Emma f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Latvian, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning "whole" or "great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.... [more]
Antonella f Italian
Diminutive of Antonia.
Eglantine f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It is derived via Old French from Vulgar Latin *aquilentum meaning "prickly". It was early used as a given name (in the form Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story The Prioress's Tale (one of The Canterbury Tales).
Alexandrine f French
French diminutive of Alexandra. This was the name of a Danish queen, the wife of King Christian X.
Elva 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Ailbhe.
Eveliina f Finnish
Finnish form of Evelina.
Cora f English, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Kore. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel The Last of the Mohicans (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of Cordula, Corinna and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Gerasim m Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Gerasimos.
Elene f Georgian, Sardinian, Basque
Georgian, Sardinian and Basque form of Helen.
Marlin m English
Possibly a variant of Merlin.
Manca f Slovene
Slovene diminutive of Marija.
Fernando m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Ferdinand.
Sunitha f Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Sunita.
Gloria f English, Spanish, Italian, German
Means "glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin Mary Maria da Glória and María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.... [more]
Lucero f & m Spanish (Mexican), Spanish (Latin American)
Means "light source, bright star, morning star" in Spanish, a derivative of luz "light". It is most common in Mexico and Colombia.
Cosmina f Romanian
Feminine form of Cosmin.
Alicja f Polish
Polish form of Alice.
Dionisia f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish feminine form of Dionysius.
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.
Siôn m Welsh
Welsh form of John.
Azalea f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower (shrubs of the genus Rhododendron), ultimately derived from Greek ἀζαλέος (azaleos) meaning "dry".
Mihail m Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek
Romanian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Michael. This is also an alternate transcription of Greek Μιχαήλ (see Michail).
Niklaus m German (Swiss)
Swiss German form of Nicholas.
Ligeia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek λιγύς (ligys) meaning "clear-voiced, shrill, whistling". This was the name of one of the Sirens in Greek legend. It was also used by Edgar Allan Poe in his story Ligeia (1838).
Cassia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cassius.
Harding m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Heard. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).
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.
Eugenios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Eugene.
Mahendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Sanskrit
From Sanskrit महा (mahā) meaning "great" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor Ashoka, also called Mahinda. He is credited with introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
Honorine f French
French form of Honorina, a feminine form of the Roman name Honorinus, a derivative of Honorius. Saint Honorina was a 4th-century martyr from the Normandy region in France.
Annamaria f Italian
Combination of Anna and Maria.
Alfred m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Dutch, Catalan, Albanian
Means "elf counsel", derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel, advice". Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeastern England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.... [more]
Angélica f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Angelica.
Roslyn f English
Variant of Rosalyn.
Kallias m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek κάλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty". This was the name of an Athenian who fought at Marathon who later became an ambassador to the Persians.
Faye f English
Variant of Fay.
Selina f English, German
Variant of Celina or Selena. As an English name, it first came into use in the 17th century.
Anahita f Persian, Persian Mythology
Means "immaculate, undefiled" in Old Persian, from the Old Iranian prefix *an- "not" combined with *āhita "unclean, dirty". This was the name of an Iranian goddess of fertility and water. In the Zoroastrian religious texts the Avesta she is called 𐬀𐬭𐬆𐬛𐬎𐬎𐬍 (Arəduuī) in Avestan, with 𐬀𐬥𐬁𐬵𐬌𐬙𐬀 (anāhita) appearing only as a descriptive epithet. In origin she is possibly identical to the Indian goddess Saraswati. She has historically been identified with the Semitic goddess Ishtar and the Greek goddess Artemis.
Sanna f Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Susanna. It can also be derived from Swedish sann meaning "true".
Nuala f Irish
Short form of Fionnuala.
Henrique m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Heinrich (see Henry). This was the name of a 15th-century Portuguese naval explorer (known as Henry the Navigator in English).
Hugh m English
From the Germanic name Hugo, derived from Old Frankish hugi or Old High German hugu meaning "mind, thought, spirit" (Proto-Germanic *hugiz). It was common among Frankish and French nobility, being borne by Hugh Capet, a 10th-century king of France who founded the Capetian dynasty. The Normans brought the name to England and it became common there, even more so after the time of the 12th-century bishop Saint Hugh of Lincoln, who was known for his charity. This was also the name of kings of Cyprus and the crusader kingdom of Jerusalem. The name is used in Ireland and Scotland as the Anglicized form of Aodh and Ùisdean.
Adair m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Edgar.
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.
Clement m English
English form of the Late Latin name Clemens (or sometimes of its derivative Clementius), which meant "merciful, gentle". This was the name of 14 popes, including Saint Clement I, the third pope, one of the Apostolic Fathers. Another saint by this name was Clement of Alexandria, a 3rd-century theologian and church father who attempted to reconcile Christian and Platonic philosophies. It has been in general as a given name in Christian Europe (in various spellings) since early times. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, though it was revived in the 19th century.
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).
Penelope f Greek Mythology, English
Probably derived from Greek πηνέλοψ (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be from πήνη (pene) meaning "threads, weft" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of the wife of Odysseus, forced to fend off suitors while her husband is away fighting at Troy.... [more]
Bernadett f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Bernadette.
Viktoriya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Victoria, as well as an alternate transcription of Belarusian Вікторыя (see Viktoryia).
Sámuel m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Samuel.
Biel m Catalan
Catalan short form of Gabriel.
Margaux f French
Variant of Margot influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from Margot.
Ilina f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Feminine form of Iliya.
Onóra f Irish
Irish form of Honora.
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.
Andrina f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Andrew.
Athanasia f Greek, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Athanasios (see Athanasius).
Alexandrie f French (Rare)
French variant of Alexandra.
Donella f Scottish
Feminine form of Donald.
Pascale f French
Feminine form of Pascal.
Leocadio m Spanish
Masculine form of Leocadia.
Laelius m Ancient Roman
Masculine form of Laelia.
Pearle f English
Variant of Pearl.
Katariina f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Katherine.
Olivie f Czech
Czech variant form of Olivia.
Hande f Turkish
From Persian خنده (khandeh) meaning "laughter, smile".
Melina f English, Greek
Elaboration of Mel, either from names such as Melissa or from Greek μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". A famous bearer was Greek-American actress Melina Mercouri (1920-1994), who was born Maria Amalia Mercouris.
Cintia f Spanish, Hungarian
Spanish and Hungarian form of Cynthia.
Wilton m English
From a surname that was derived from the names of several English towns. The town names mean variously "willow town", "well town" or "town on the River Wylye" in Old English. The river name is itself of Celtic origin, possibly meaning "tricky".
Hermínia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Herminius.
Carine f French
French form of Carina 1. It can also function as a short form of Catherine, via Swedish Karin.
François m French
French form of Franciscus (see Francis). François Villon (1431-1463) was a French lyric poet. This was also the name of two kings of France.
Delfina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Delphina.
Luciano m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Lucianus.
Matild f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Matilda.
Jean-Claude m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Claude.
Santo m Italian
Means "saint" in Italian, ultimately from Latin sanctus.
Lijsbeth f Dutch
Dutch form of Elizabeth.
Oliver m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian Cycle
From Old French Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin oliva "olive tree". Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse Áleifr (see Olaf) or Frankish Alawar (see Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero Roland.... [more]
Giosuè m Italian
Italian form of Joshua.
Apolline f French
French form of Apollonia.
Astra f English (Rare)
Means "star", ultimately from Greek ἀστήρ (aster). This name has only been (rarely) used since the 20th century.
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]
Agathangelos m Ancient Greek
Means "bearer of good news", derived from Greek ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good" and ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger, angel". Saint Agathangelus of Rome was a 4th-century deacon who was martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian.
Mary Lou f English
Combination of Mary and Lou.
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.
Catia f Italian
Italian diminutive of Caterina.
Baptist m German
German form of Baptiste. It is often paired with the name Johann, in honour of Saint John the Baptist.
Daryna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Darina 2.
'Ester f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Esther.
Eulalie f French
French form of Eulalia.
Iliya m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Elijah.
Catharina f Dutch, Swedish
Dutch and Swedish form of Katherine.
Lily-Rose f English
Combination of Lily and Rose.
Valère m French
French form of Valerius.
Aquilina f Ancient Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of Aquilinus. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Byblos.
Adela f English, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, Slovak, Germanic
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element adal meaning "noble" (Proto-Germanic *aþalaz). Saint Adela was a 7th-century Frankish princess who founded a monastery at Pfazel in France. This name was also borne by a daughter of William the Conqueror.
Amit 1 m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
From Sanskrit अमित (amita) meaning "immeasurable, infinite".
Bethany f English
From the name of a biblical town, Βηθανία (Bethania) in Greek, which is probably of Aramaic or Hebrew origin, possibly meaning "house of affliction" or "house of figs". In the New Testament the town of Bethany is the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. It has been in use as a rare given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, in honour of Mary of Bethany. In America it became moderately common after the 1950s.
Semele f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Phrygian origin. In Greek mythology she was one of the many lovers of Zeus. Hera, being jealous, tricked Semele into asking Zeus to display himself in all his splendour as the god of thunder. When he did, Semele was struck by lightning and died, but not before giving birth to Dionysos.
Margalit f Hebrew
Means "pearl" in Hebrew, ultimately from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites).
Vivienne f French
French form of Viviana.
Fabrice m French
French form of the Roman family name Fabricius, which was derived from Latin faber meaning "craftsman". Gaius Fabricius Luscinus was a 3rd-century BC Roman general and statesman.
Talya f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew טַלְיָה or טַלְיָא (see Talia 1).
Emmanuelle f French
French feminine form of Emmanuel.
Francis m & f English, French
English form of the Late Latin name Franciscus meaning "Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *frankô). This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.... [more]
Lilianne f French
Variant of Liliane.
Eunomia f Greek Mythology
Means "good order" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νόμος (nomos) meaning "law, custom". Eunomia was a Greek goddess, one of the Ὥραι (Horai), presiding over law.
Netuno m Roman Mythology (Portuguesified)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Neptune.
Leia f Biblical Greek, Portuguese, Popular Culture
Form of Leah used in the Greek Old Testament, as well as a Portuguese form. This is the name of a princess in the Star Wars movies by George Lucas, who probably based it on Leah.
Eugenia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Feminine form of Eugenius (see Eugene). It was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century saint who escaped persecution by disguising herself as a man. The name was occasionally found in England during the Middle Ages, but it was not regularly used until the 19th century.
Tipene m Maori
Maori form of Stephen.
Lovel m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.
Martine f French, Dutch, Norwegian
French, Dutch and Norwegian form of Martina.
Róisín f Irish
Diminutive of Róis or the Irish word rós meaning "rose" (of Latin origin). It appears in the 17th-century song Róisín Dubh.
Monroe m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". The Roe is a river in Northern Ireland. Two famous bearers of the surname were American president James Monroe (1758-1831) and American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).... [more]
Lal m Hindi, Nepali
Means "boy" in Hindi, derived from Sanskrit लल (lala) meaning "playing, caressing".
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-).
Síomha f Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish form of Síthmaith.
Catherine f French, English
French form of Katherine, and also a common English variant.
Archimedes m Ancient Greek
Derived from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician, astronomer and inventor.
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.
Hyacinthe m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Hyacinthus.
Alva 1 f Swedish, Norwegian
Feminine form of Alf 1.
Aalis f Medieval French
Old French form of Alice.
Rafaela f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Raphael.
Steffan m Welsh
Welsh form of Stephen.
Arabella f English
Medieval Scottish name, probably a variant of Annabel. It has long been associated with Latin orabilis meaning "invokable, yielding to prayer", and the name was often recorded in forms resembling this.... [more]
Viona f English (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Fiona influenced by Viola.
Dinah f Biblical, English
Means "judged" in Hebrew, derived from דִּין (din) meaning "to judge". According to the Old Testament, Dinah was a daughter of Jacob and Leah who was abducted by Shechem. It has been used as an English given name since after the Protestant Reformation.
Ivanna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian feminine form of Ivan.
Mariasole f Italian
Combination of Maria and Sole.
Aenor f Germanic (Latinized)
Probably a Latinized form of a Germanic name of unknown meaning. This was the name of the mother of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
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".
Longina f Polish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Longinus.
Julia f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Spanish, Polish, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Roman, Biblical
Feminine form of the Roman family name Julius. Among the notable women from this family were Julia Augusta (also known as Livia Drusilla), the wife of Emperor Augustus, and Julia the Elder, the daughter of Augustus and the wife of Tiberius. A person by this name has a brief mention in the New Testament. It was also borne by a few early saints and martyrs, including the patron saint of Corsica. Additionally, Shakespeare used it in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).... [more]
Carwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru "to love" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name was created in the 20th century.
Flavius m Ancient Roman, Romanian
Roman family name meaning "golden" or "yellow-haired" from Latin flavus "yellow, golden". Flavius was the family name of the 1st-century Roman emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. It was used as a personal name by several later emperors, notably by Constantine.
Nirav m Gujarati, Marathi
From Sanskrit नीरव (nīrava) meaning "quiet, silent".
Eliseo m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Elisha.