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
Ellery m & f English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the medieval masculine name Hilary.
Sarah f English, French, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שָׂרָה (Sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament this is the name of Abraham's wife, considered the matriarch of the Jewish people. She was barren until she unexpectedly became pregnant with Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally Sarai, but God changed it at the same time Abraham's name was changed (see Genesis 17:15).... [more]
Melaniya f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Melania (see Melanie).
Rosine f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Snow White f Literature
English translation of German Sneewittchen, derived from Low German Snee "snow" and witt "white" combined with the diminutive suffix -chen. This is the name of a girl who escapes her evil stepmother and takes refuge with seven dwarfs in an 1812 story recorded by the Brothers Grimm, who based it on earlier European folktales. The High German translation would be Schneeweißchen, but this was used by the Grimms for an unrelated character in another story (Snow-White and Rose-Red). The modern German form is typically the hybrid Schneewittchen. The story was adapted into a film by Walt Disney in 1937.
Vienna f English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of Austria, Vienna.
Nova f English, Swedish (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
Derived from Latin novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.
Cybele f Near Eastern Mythology (Latinized)
Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
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.
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.
Bethan f Welsh
Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth.
Mercè f Catalan
Catalan form of Mercedes.
Angelle f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Angel.
Eleni f Greek
Modern Greek form of Helen.
Lilyana f Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Lillian.
Elyse f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth. It was popularized in the early 1980s by a character from the television comedy Family Ties.
Galina f Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian feminine form of Galenos (see Galen).
Ninon f French
French diminutive of Anne 1.
Nausicaa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ναυσικάα (Nausikaa) meaning "burner of ships". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of a daughter of Alcinous who helps Odysseus on his journey home.
Aquilina f Ancient Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of Aquilinus. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Byblos.
Stoyan m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian стоя (stoya) meaning "to stand, to stay".
Eulalia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.
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.
Nethaniah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has given" in Hebrew, derived from נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Ishmael (the assassin of Gedaliah), as well as other minor characters.
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".
Malina 1 f Scottish
Feminine form of Malcolm.
Behnam m Persian
Means "reputable" in Persian, from به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and نام (nām) meaning "name".
Eliel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, Finnish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Means "my God is God" in Hebrew. This name is borne by a number of characters in the Old Testament.
Cătălina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
Catrin f Welsh, German
Welsh form of Katherine, as well as a German short form of Katharina.
Chandana f & m Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Bengali, Sinhalese
Feminine form of Chandan, as well as the Sinhala masculine form.
Alicia f Spanish, English, Swedish, French
Latinized form of Alice.
Georgeta f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of George.
Yevhen m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eugene.
Auberon m Carolingian Cycle
From a diminutive form of Auberi, an Old French form of Alberich. It is the name of the fairy king in the 13th-century epic Huon de Bordeaux.
Simeon m Biblical, Bulgarian, Serbian
From Συμεών (Symeon), the Old Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name Shimʿon (see Simon 1). In the Old Testament this is the name of the second son of Jacob and Leah and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. In the New Testament the Greek rendering Σίμων (Simon) is more common, though Συμεών occurs belonging to a man who blessed the newborn Jesus. He is recognized as a saint in most Christian traditions.... [more]
Ormond m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Ruaidh, derived from the given name Ruadh.
Oles m Ukrainian
Short form of Oleksandr or Oleksiy.
Bernadett f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Bernadette.
Rosalyn f English
Variant of Rosaline. It can also be considered an elaboration of Rose with the common name suffix lyn.
Amélie f French
French form of Amelia.
Nieves f Spanish
Means "snows" in Spanish, derived from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows".
Clíodhna f Irish, Irish Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Irish legend this was the name of a beautiful goddess. She fell in love with a mortal named Ciabhán and left the Land of Promise with him, but when she arrived on the other shore she was swept to sea by a great wave.
Philomela f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Φιλομήλη (Philomele), derived from φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and μῆλον (melon) meaning "fruit". The second element has also been interpreted as Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song". In Greek myth Philomela was the sister-in-law of Tereus, who raped her and cut out her tongue. Prokne avenged her sister by killing her son by Tereus, after which Tereus attempted to kill Philomela. However, the gods intervened and transformed her into a nightingale.
Claudio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Claudius.
Faustina f Ancient Roman, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Feminine form of Faustinus (see Faustino).
Amore m & f Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Amor.
Catharina f Dutch, Swedish
Dutch and Swedish form of Katherine.
Aletha f English
Variant of Alethea.
Rohese f Medieval English
Norman French form of Hrodohaidis.
Lilia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian
Latinate form of Lily, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Лилия or Ukrainian Лілія (see Liliya).
Světlana f Czech
Czech form of Svetlana.
Ari 2 m Old Norse, Icelandic, Finnish
Old Norse byname meaning "eagle".
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).
Valencia f Various
From the name of cities in Spain and Venezuela, both derived from Latin valentia meaning "strength, vigour".
Zoë f Dutch, English
Dutch form and English variant of Zoe.
Savva m Russian
Russian form of Sabas.
Cheryl f English
Elaboration of Cherie, perhaps influenced by Beryl. This name was very rare before the 20th century. It seems to have been popularized in America by the actress Cheryl Walker (1918-1971), who had a prominent role in the 1943 movie Stage Door Canteen. After peaking in the 1950s the name has subsequently faded from the popularity charts.
Beatrice f Italian, English, Swedish, Romanian
Italian form of Beatrix. Beatrice Portinari (1266-1290) was the woman who was loved by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. She serves as Dante's guide through paradise in his epic poem the Divine Comedy (1321). This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing (1599), in which Beatrice and Benedick are fooled into confessing their love for one another.
Kateri f History
From the Mohawk pronunciation of Katherine. This was the name adopted by the 17th-century Mohawk saint Tekakwitha upon her baptism.
Lucrecia f Spanish
Spanish form of Lucretia.
Flora f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Albanian, Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala.
Essa m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عيسى (see Isa 1).
Mélina f French
French form of Melina.
Ériu f Irish Mythology
From the name of an Irish goddess, who according to legend gave her name to Ireland (which is called Éire in Irish). In reality, the goddess probably got her name from that of the island, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.
Maeve f Irish, English, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of the Irish name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband Ailill fought against the Ulster king Conchobar and the hero Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.
Maria f & m Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.... [more]
Ambroise m French
French form of Ambrosius (see Ambrose).
Emrys m Welsh
Welsh form of Ambrose. Emrys Wledig (or Ambrosius Aurelianus) was a Romano-British military leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century. Tales of his life were used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth to help shape the early character of Merlin, whom he called Merlinus Ambrosius in Latin.
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.
Kinsey f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Cynesige. This name is borne by Kinsey Millhone, the heroine in a series of mystery novels by author Sue Grafton, beginning in 1982.
Andreea f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of Andrew.
Alberte 1 m Galician
Galician form of Albert.
Tobiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name טוֹבִיָּה (Ṭoviyya) meaning "Yahweh is good", from the elements טוֹב (ṭov) meaning "good" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This was the name of an Ammonite in the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
Josette f French
Diminutive of Joséphine.
Sinjin m English (British, Rare)
Phonetic variant of St John.
Sela f English (Rare)
From the name of a city, the capital of Edom, which appears in the Old Testament. It means "rock" in Hebrew.
Rémy m French
French form of the Latin name Remigius, which was derived from Latin remigis "oarsman, rower". Saint Rémy was a 5th-century bishop who converted and baptized Clovis, king of the Franks.
Marie-France f French
Combination of Marie and France 1.
Aurélien m French
French form of Aurelianus.
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.
Yvain m Arthurian Cycle
Form of Owain used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his Arthurian romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion.
Elfleda f English (Archaic)
Middle English form of both the Old English names Æðelflæd and Ælfflæd. These names became rare after the Norman Conquest, but Elfleda was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Antonette f English
Diminutive of Antonia.
Giovanni m Italian
Italian form of Iohannes (see John). This name has been very common in Italy since the late Middle Ages, as with other equivalents of John in Europe. The Renaissance writer Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375), the painter Giovanni Bellini (1430-1516) and the painter and sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) were famous bearers of the name.
Indu f Hindi
Means "bright drop" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the moon.
Arezou f Persian
Means "desire" in Persian.
Tetiana f Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian Тетяна (see Tetyana).
Gracie f English
Diminutive of Grace.
Sylvana f Various
Variant of Silvana.
Lelia f Italian
Italian form of Laelia.
Alban m German, French, Albanian, English (Rare)
From the Roman cognomen Albanus, which meant "from Alba". Alba (from Latin albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.... [more]
Avigail f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Abigail.
Idonea f English (Archaic)
Medieval English name, probably a Latinized form of Iðunn. The spelling may have been influenced by Latin idonea "suitable". It was common in England from the 12th century.
Adelia f English, Spanish
Elaborated form of Adela.
Dior f & m English (Modern)
From a French surname, possibly from doré meaning "golden". As a given name it has been inspired by the French luxury fashion house Dior, founded by the designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).
Gwen f Welsh, English
From Welsh gwen, the feminine form of gwyn meaning "white, blessed". It can also be a short form of Gwendolen, Gwenllian and other names beginning with Gwen.
Idelle f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Ida.
Jean-Claude m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Claude.
Leonia f Late Roman
Feminine form of Leonius.
Natalie f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
From the Late Latin name Natalia, which meant "Christmas Day" from Latin natale domini. This was the name of the wife of the 4th-century martyr Saint Adrian of Nicomedia. She is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, and the name has traditionally been more common among Eastern Christians than those in the West. It was popularized in America by actress Natalie Wood (1938-1981), who was born to Russian immigrants.
Léontine f French
French form of Leontina.
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.
Séraphin m French
French form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina).
Elizaveta f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Елизавета (see Yelizaveta).
Lile f Irish (Rare)
Irish form of Lily.
Elpis f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "hope" in Greek. In Greek mythology Elpis was the personification of hope. She was the last spirit to remain in the jar after Pandora unleashed the evils that were in it.
Alexandra f English, German, Dutch, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Catalan, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Feminine form of Alexander. In Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess Hera, and an alternate name of Cassandra. It was borne by several early Christian saints, and also by the wife of Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia. She was from Germany and had the birth name Alix, but was renamed Александра (Aleksandra) upon joining the Russian Church.
Liana f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, English, Georgian
Short form of Juliana, Liliana and other names that end in liana. This is also the word for a type of vine that grows in jungles.
Damhán m Irish
From Old Irish Damán meaning "calf, fawn", derived from dam "ox, deer" and a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an early Irish saint, a brother of Saint Abbán.
Gracia f Spanish
Means "grace" in Spanish, making it a cognate of Grace.
Josephina f English (Rare)
Latinate variant of Joséphine.
Corinne f French, English
French form of Corinna. The French-Swiss author Madame de Staël used it for her novel Corinne (1807).
Cara f English
From an Italian word meaning "beloved" or an Irish word meaning "friend". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, though it did not become popular until after the 1950s.
Leah f English, Hebrew, Biblical
From the Hebrew name לֵאָה (Leʾa), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word לָאָה (laʾa) meaning "weary, grieved". Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian littu meaning "cow". In the Old Testament Leah is the first wife of Jacob and the mother of seven of his children. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister Rachel, whom he preferred. Leah later offered Jacob her handmaid Zilpah in order for him to conceive more children.... [more]
Melpomene f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek μέλπω (melpo) meaning "to sing, to celebrate with song". This was the name of one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, the muse of tragedy.
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
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.
Louise f French, English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Louis.
Lizette f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Valentino m Italian
Italian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Lavina f English
Variant of Lavinia.
Hira 1 f & m Urdu, Nepali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi
Derived from Sanskrit हीर (hīra) meaning "diamond". It is typically feminine in Pakistan and unisex in India and Nepal.
Parthenia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek παρθένος (parthenos) meaning "maiden, virgin". This was the name of one of the mares of Marmax in Greek mythology.
Ariana f Portuguese, English (Modern)
Portuguese form of Ariadne. This name steadily grew in popularity in America in the last few decades of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the American pop singer Ariana Grande (1993-).
Geneva f English
Possibly a shortened form of Genevieve. It could also be inspired by the name of the city in Switzerland. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
Fabio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Fabius.
Soleil f Various
Means "sun" in French. It is not commonly used as a name in France itself.
Armelle f French
Feminine form of Armel.
Laurene f English
Elaboration of Laura.
Zenaida f Late Greek
Apparently a Greek derivative of Ζηναΐς (Zenais), which was derived from the name of the Greek god Zeus. This was the name of a 1st-century saint who was a doctor with her sister Philonella.
Alita f English (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Alethea.
Jaya f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory". In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form जया (long final vowel) and the masculine form जय (short final vowel), both of which are used as names or epithets for several characters in Hindu texts. As a modern personal name, this transcription is both feminine and masculine in southern India, but typically only feminine in the north.
Niven m Scottish
Anglicized form of Naomhán.
Sandrine f French
French diminutive of Sandra.
Jacky m French
Diminutive of Jacques.
Vilde 1 f Norwegian
Short form of Alvilde.
Mariabella f English (Rare)
Combination of Maria and Bella.
Eleanor f English
From the Old French form of the Occitan name Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase alia Aenor "the other Aenor" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.... [more]
Adeline f French, English
French and English form of Adelina.
Lorita f Italian (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Loreto.
Xián m Galician
From Xulián, the Galician form of Julian.
Aristide m French, Italian
French and Italian form of Aristides.
Mattias m Swedish, Estonian
Swedish and Estonian form of Matthias.
Miriam f Hebrew, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Biblical
Form of Mary used in the Old Testament, where it belongs to the elder sister of Moses and Aaron. She watched over the infant Moses as the pharaoh's daughter drew him from the Nile. The name has long been popular among Jews, and it has been used as an English Christian name (alongside Mary) since the Protestant Reformation.
Évelyne f French
French form of Evelina.
Adelina f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Germanic (Latinized)
From a Germanic name that was derived from the element adal meaning "noble" (Proto-Germanic *aþalaz).
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.
Richelle f English
Variant of Rachel or Rochelle, probably influenced by Michelle. In some instances it could be viewed as a feminine form of Richard.
Viviana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Late Roman
Feminine form of Vivianus (see Vivian). Saint Viviana (also known as Bibiana) was a Roman saint and martyr of the 4th century.
Therese f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
German and Scandinavian variant of Theresa.
Alaina f English (Modern)
Variant of Alana, probably influenced by Elaine.
Honour f & m English (Rare)
From the English word honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of Honoria or Honorata, which are ultimately derived from the same source.
Eudes m Medieval French
Old French form of Odo.
Jónas m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Jonah.
Ilan m Hebrew
Means "tree" in Hebrew.
Lewin m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Leofwine.
Fabián m Spanish
Spanish form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Nathalie f French, Dutch, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
French form of Natalie, as well as a Dutch, German and Scandinavian variant.
Alona f Hebrew
Feminine form of Alon 1.
Alia 2 f Germanic
Old German form of Ella 1.
Areli m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Possibly means "lion of God, hero" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Gad in the Old Testament.
Isabeau f Medieval French, French (Rare), Dutch (Modern)
Medieval French variant of Isabel. A famous bearer of this name was Isabeau of Bavaria (1385-1422), wife of the French king Charles VI.
Angéla f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Angelus (see Angel).
Callisto 1 m Italian
Italian form of Callistus.
Claudine f French
French diminutive of Claude.
Solange f French, Portuguese
French form of the Late Latin name Sollemnia, which was derived from Latin sollemnis "religious". This was the name of a French shepherdess who became a saint after she was killed by her master.
Jocasta f Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ἰοκάστη (Iokaste), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology she was the mother Oedipus by the Theban king Laius. In a case of tragic mistaken identity, she married her own son.
Dulcie f English
From Latin dulcis meaning "sweet". It was used in the Middle Ages in the spellings Dowse and Duce, and was recoined in the 19th century.
Augustina f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1).
Valentín m Spanish, Slovak
Spanish and Slovak form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Floris m Dutch
Dutch form of Florentius (see Florence).
Hermes m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Spanish
Probably from Greek ἕρμα (herma) meaning "cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker". Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeus and the other gods. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.... [more]
Katina f Greek, Macedonian, Bulgarian
Greek contracted form of Katerina. This name had a spike in popularity in America in 1972 when it was used for a newborn baby on the soap opera Where the Heart Is.
Laurits m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lior m & f Hebrew
Means "my light" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and אוֹר (ʾor) "light".
Heracles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Herakles. However, the spelling used by the Romans was Hercules.
Batel f Hebrew
Means "daughter of God" in Hebrew.
Vasilisa f Russian
Russian feminine form of Basil 1.
Bettina f German, Danish, Italian, Hungarian
Diminutive of Elisabeth (German and Danish), Benedetta or Elisabetta (Italian), or Erzsébet (Hungarian).
Celia f English, Spanish
Feminine form of the Roman family name Caelius. Shakespeare used it in his play As You Like It (1599), which introduced the name to the English-speaking public at large. It is sometimes used as a short form of Cecilia.
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]
Beau m & f English, Dutch (Modern)
Means "beautiful, handsome" in French. It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. In Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind (1936) this is the name of Ashley and Melanie's son.... [more]
Séafra m Irish
Irish form of Geoffrey.
Cathrin f German
German short form of Katharina.
Estienne m Medieval French
Medieval French form of Stephen.
Lucila f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lucilla.
Athaliah f & m Biblical
Possibly means "Yahweh is exalted" in Hebrew, from עֲתַל (ʿaṯal) possibly meaning "exalted" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is both a feminine and masculine name. It was borne by the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, who later came to rule Judah as a queen.
Fernando m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Ferdinand.
Bessarion m Late Greek
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Greek βῆσσα (bessa) meaning "wooded valley". This was the name of a 5th-century Egyptian hermit who was a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great. It was later adopted by the scholar Basilios Bessarion (1403-1472), a Greek born in Byzantine Anatolia who became a Roman Catholic bishop.
Sibylle f German, French
German and French form of Sibyl.
Natalija f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Lithuanian
Form of Natalia (see Natalie) in several languages.
Teja f Slovene
Short form of Doroteja or Mateja 1.
Audo m Germanic
Old German form of Otto.
Shailaja f Hinduism, Telugu
Means "daughter of the mountain" in Sanskrit, from शैल (śaila) meaning "mountain" and (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
Laurie f & m English, French
Diminutive of Laura or Laurence 1.
Mahalia f English
Variant of Mahala.
Lesya f Ukrainian
Diminutive of Oleksandra.
Robyn f English
Feminine variant of Robin.
Anniina f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Anna.
Lilya f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Лилия or Ukrainian Лілія (see Liliya).
Maarten m Dutch
Dutch form of Martin.
Rosa María f Spanish
Combination of Rosa 1 and María.
Reshmi f Hindi, Bengali
Means "silky", from Hindi रेशम (resham) meaning "silk", ultimately of Persian origin.
Andrada f Romanian
Possibly a feminine form of Andrei.
Cleo f & m English
Short form of Cleopatra, Cleon or Cleopas.
Reina 1 f Spanish
Means "queen" in Spanish.
Frañseza f Breton
Breton feminine form of Franciscus (see Francis).
Anabela f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Annabel.
Míša f Czech
Diminutive of Michaela.
Synnöve f Swedish
Swedish form of Sunniva.
Aiolos m Greek Mythology
Means "quick-moving, nimble" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek god of the winds.
Eugène m French
French form of Eugenius (see Eugene). A notable bearer was the French painter Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863).
Fabien m French
French form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Leanna f English
Probably this was originally a variant of Liana. It is now often considered a combination of Lee and Anna.
Pascual m Spanish
Spanish form of Pascal.
Bevin f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Bébinn.
Ugène m Norman
Norman form of Eugenius (see Eugene).
Renáta f Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Hungarian, Czech and Slovak feminine form of Renatus.
Clemence f English
Feminine form of Clementius (see Clement). It has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it became rare after the 17th century.
Alexina f English
Feminine form of Alex, or a diminutive of Alexis.
Saskia f Dutch, German
From the Old German element sahso meaning "a Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642) was the wife of the Dutch painter Rembrandt.
Delphina f Late Roman
Feminine form of the Latin name Delphinus, which meant "of Delphi". Delphi was a city in ancient Greece, the name of which is possibly related to Greek δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". The Blessed Delphina was a 14th-century Provençal nun.
Arcadia f Spanish (Latin American)
Feminine form of Arcadius. This is the name of a region on the Greek Peloponnese, long idealized for its natural beauty.
Sonal f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
From Hindi सोना (sonā), Marathi सोन (son) or Gujarati સોનું (sonum) meaning "gold", all derived from Sanskrit सुवर्ण (suvarṇa) meaning literally "good colour".
Efthalia f Greek
Modern Greek form of Euthalia.
Clara f German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Catalan, Romanian, English, Swedish, Danish, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Clarus, which meant "clear, bright, famous". The name Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.... [more]
Benoît m French
French form of Benedict.
Lily f English
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).
Phillipa f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Philip.
Marinette f French
French diminutive of Marine.
Lucio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Lucius.
Plinio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Plinius (see Pliny).
Sophronius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Σωφρόνιος (Sophronios), which was derived from Greek σώφρων (sophron) meaning "self-controlled, sensible". Saint Sophronius was a 7th-century patriarch of Jerusalem.
Liisa f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian short form of Elisabet or Eliisabet.
Rosemonde f French
French form of Rosamund.
Charlemagne m History
From Old French Charles le Magne meaning "Charles the Great". This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.
Euthymius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐθύμιος (Euthymios) meaning "in good spirits, generous", derived from the word εὔθυμος (euthymos), which was composed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θυμός (thymos) meaning "soul, spirit". This was the name of several early saints.
Sarina f German, Dutch, English (Modern)
Diminutive of Sara, or sometimes a variant of Serena.
Jean-Baptiste m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Baptiste, referring to Saint John the Baptist.
Morgana f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Morgan 1.
Alena 1 f German, Czech, Slovak, Slovene
Short form of Magdalena or Helena. This was the name of a saint, possibly legendary, who was martyred near Brussels in the 7th century.
Gabriele 1 m Italian
Italian form of Gabriel.
Carwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru "to love" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name was created in the 20th century.
Aurelius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Latin aureus meaning "golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.
Sindri m Norse Mythology, Old Norse, Icelandic
Means "sparkle" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf, also named Eitri. With his brother Brokkr he made several magical items for the gods, including Odin's ring Draupnir and Thor's hammer Mjölnir.
Stelian m Romanian
Romanian form of Stylianos.
Édith f French
French form of Edith. A notable bearer was the French cabaret singer Édith Piaf (1915-1963).
Candice f English
Variant of Candace.
Emory m & f English
Variant of Emery.
Faustus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "auspicious, lucky" in Latin. It was also occasionally used as a praenomen, or given name. This was the name of several early Christian saints.
Isolde f German, Arthurian Cycle
German form of Iseult, appearing in the 13th-century German poem Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg. In 1865 the German composer Richard Wagner debuted his popular opera Tristan und Isolde and also used the name for his first daughter.
Adele f German, English, Italian
Form of Adela used in several languages. A famous bearer was the dancer and actress Adele Astaire (1896-1981). It was also borne by the British singer Adele Adkins (1988-), known simply as Adele. Shortly after she released her debut album in 2008 the name reentered the American top 1000 chart after a 40-year absence.
Raisa 2 f Yiddish
From Yiddish רויז (roiz) meaning "rose".
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.
Constanze f German
German form of Constantia.
Alina f Romanian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Slovene, German, Italian, Spanish
Short form of Adelina, Albina and names that end in alina.
Alyona f Russian, Ukrainian
Originally a Russian diminutive of Yelena. It is now used independently.
Amédée m French
French form of Amadeus.
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.
Wilhelm m German, Polish, Germanic
German cognate of William. This was the name of two German emperors. It was also the middle name of several philosophers from Germany: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), who was also a notable mathematician. Another famous bearer was the physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845-1923).
Pasqualina f Italian
Italian feminine form of Pascal.
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.
Anabel f Spanish
Spanish form of Annabel, also commonly used as a contraction of Ana Isabel.
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]
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.
Eleonore f German
German form of Eleanor.
Epiphany f English (Rare)
From the name of the Christian festival (January 6) that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. It is also an English word meaning "sudden appearance" or "sudden perception", ultimately deriving from Greek ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia) meaning "manifestation".
Aneirin m Old Welsh, Welsh
Old Welsh name, possibly from the Latin name Honorius. This was the name of a 6th-century Brythonic poet, also known as Neirin or Aneurin, who is said to be the author of the poem Y Gododdin.
Anđela f Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Angela.
Aleksander m Polish, Slovene, Estonian, Norwegian, Danish
Form of Alexander in several languages.
Albertine f French
French feminine form of Albert.
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.
Octavia f English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Octavius. Octavia was the wife of Mark Antony and the sister of the Roman emperor Augustus. In 19th-century England it was sometimes given to the eighth-born child.
Silvana f Italian
Italian feminine form of Silvanus.
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.
Juan Carlos m Spanish
Combination of Juan 1 and Carlos.