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
Anika 1 f German, Dutch, Danish, Polish, Slovene
Diminutive of Anna or Ana.
Violetta f Italian, Russian, Hungarian
Italian, Russian and Hungarian form of Violet.
Mariabella f English (Rare)
Combination of Maria and Bella.
Imanol m Basque
Basque form of Emmanuel.
Danihel m Biblical Latin
Form of Daniel used in the Latin Bible.
Angelita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Angela.
Breanna f English
Variant of Briana.
Celinda f English (Rare)
Probably a blend of Celia and Linda. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
Amarantha f Various (Rare)
From the name of the amaranth flower, which is derived from Greek ἀμάραντος (amarantos) meaning "unfading". Ἀμάραντος (Amarantos) was also an Ancient Greek given name.
Clifton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "settlement by a cliff" in Old English.
Myron m English, Ukrainian, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μύρον (myron) meaning "sweet oil, perfume". Myron was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek sculptor. Saints bearing this name include a 3rd-century bishop of Crete and a 4th-century martyr from Cyzicus who was killed by a mob. These saints are more widely revered in the Eastern Church, and the name has generally been more common among Eastern Christians. As an English name, it has been used since the 19th century.
Nephele f Greek Mythology
From Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud". In Greek legend Nephele was created from a cloud by Zeus, who shaped the cloud to look like Hera in order to trick Ixion, a mortal who desired her. Nephele was the mother of the centaurs by Ixion, and was also the mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamus.
Veera f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Vera 1.
Ariane f French, German
French form of Ariadne.
Constanze f German
German form of Constantia.
Sadhbh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Sadb.
Nigel m English
From Nigellus, a medieval Latinized form of Neil. It was commonly associated with Latin niger "black". It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to Walter Scott's novel The Fortunes of Nigel (1822).
Giorgia f Italian, Greek
Italian feminine form of George, as well as a Greek variant form.
Mária f Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak form of Maria.
Therese f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
German and Scandinavian variant of Theresa.
Amée f Medieval French
Old French form of Aimée.
Clarice f English
Medieval vernacular form of the Late Latin name Claritia, which was a derivative of Clara.
Laios m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Laius.
Alicja f Polish
Polish form of Alice.
Fidelis m Late Roman
Original form of Fidel.
Míša f Czech
Diminutive of Michaela.
Lucinda f English, Portuguese, Literature
An elaboration of Lucia created by Cervantes for his novel Don Quixote (1605). It was subsequently used by Molière in his play The Doctor in Spite of Himself (1666).
Roseanne f English
Variant of Rosanne.
Alina f Romanian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Slovene, German, Italian, Spanish
Short form of Adelina, Albina and names that end in alina.
Elnora f English
Contracted form of Eleanora.
Massimiliano m Italian
Italian form of Maximilian.
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]
Jerome m English
From the Greek name Ἱερώνυμος (Hieronymos) meaning "sacred name", derived from ἱερός (hieros) meaning "sacred" and ὄνυμα (onyma) meaning "name". Saint Jerome was responsible for the creation of the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible, in the 5th century. He is regarded as a Doctor of the Church. The name was used in his honour in the Middle Ages, especially in Italy and France, and has been used in England since the 12th century.
Natalina f Italian, Portuguese
Diminutive of Natalia (Italian) or Natália (Portuguese).
Ean m Manx
Manx form of John.
Ilyas m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian, Kazakh, Chechen, Tatar, Bashkir
Arabic form of Elijah, also used in several other languages.
Jozef m Slovak, Dutch, Albanian
Slovak, Dutch and Albanian form of Joseph.
Elnathan m Biblical
From the Hebrew name אֶלְנָתָן (ʾElnaṯan) meaning "God has given", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a grandfather of King Jehoiachin and a son of Akbor.
Alexandrine f French
French diminutive of Alexandra. This was the name of a Danish queen, the wife of King Christian X.
Ann f English, Manx
English and Manx form of Anne 1. In the English-speaking world, both this spelling and Anne have been used since the late Middle Ages. Currently Ann is less popular than Anne (and both are less popular than their relatives Anna and Hannah).
Sashi m & f Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಶಶಿ (see Shashi).
Emelina f Spanish
Spanish form of Emmeline.
Conrad m English, German, Germanic
Means "brave counsel", derived from the Old German elements kuoni "brave" and rat "counsel, advice". This was the name of a 10th-century saint and bishop of Konstanz, in southern Germany. It was also borne by several medieval German kings and dukes, notably Conrad II, the first of the Holy Roman Emperors from the Salic dynasty. In England it was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, but has only been common since the 19th century when it was reintroduced from Germany.
Raphael m German, English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name רָפָאֵל (Rafaʾel) meaning "God heals", from the roots רָפָא (rafa) meaning "to heal" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In Hebrew tradition Raphael is the name of an archangel. He appears in the Book of Tobit, in which he disguises himself as a man named Azarias and accompanies Tobias on his journey to Media, aiding him along the way. In the end he cures Tobias's father Tobit of his blindness. He is not mentioned in the New Testament, though tradition identifies him with the angel troubling the water in John 5:4.... [more]
Eustace m English
English form of Eustachius or Eustathius, two names of Greek origin that have been conflated in the post-classical period. Saint Eustace, who is known under both spellings, was a 2nd-century Roman general who became a Christian after seeing a vision of a cross between the antlers of a stag he was hunting. He was burned to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods and is now regarded as the patron saint of hunters. Due to him, this name was common in England during the Middle Ages, though it is presently rare.
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.
Paschal m History
Variant of Paschalis (see Pascal). Paschal or Paschalis was the name of two popes.
Ephesius m Late Roman
Latin form of Efisio.
Mykhaylo m Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian Михайло (see Mykhailo).
Vassily m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Василий (see Vasiliy).
Virgil m English, Romanian
From the Roman family name Vergilius, which is of unknown meaning. This name was borne by the 1st-century BC Roman poet Publius Vergilius Maro, commonly called Virgil, who was the writer of the Aeneid. Due to him, Virgil has been in use as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
Lluís m Catalan
Catalan form of Louis.
Amis m Medieval English, Medieval French
Medieval name, a masculine form of Amice. It appears in the medieval French poem Amis and Amiles, about two friends who make sacrifices for one another.
Rhea f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, perhaps related to ῥέω (rheo) meaning "to flow" or ἔρα (era) meaning "ground". In Greek mythology Rhea was a Titan, the wife of Cronus, and the mother of the Olympian gods Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia. Also, in Roman mythology a woman named Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.
Thais f Ancient Greek, Spanish
Alternate transcription of Ancient Greek Θαΐς (see Thaïs), as well as the usual Spanish form.
Ysabel f Spanish (Archaic)
Medieval Spanish form of Isabel.
Truman m English
From a surname that meant "trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).
Olwen f Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
Means "white footprint" from Welsh ol "footprint, track" and gwen "white, blessed". In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen she was a beautiful maiden, the lover of Culhwch and the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Her father insisted that Culhwch complete several seemingly impossible tasks before he would allow them to marry.
Ximena f Spanish
Feminine form of Ximeno. This was the name of the wife of El Cid.
Gwenaëlle f French, Breton
Feminine form of Gwenaël.
Chayyim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).
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.
Marjolein f Dutch
Dutch cognate of Marjolaine.
Clementine f English
English form of Clémentine.
Meirion m Welsh
From the name of the Welsh county of Meirionnydd, formerly a part of the kingdom of Gwynedd. It is probably derived from the Roman name Marianus.
Prem m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit प्रेम (prema) meaning "love, affection".
Niki 2 f English
Diminutive of Nicole.
Damaris f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Probably means "calf, heifer, girl" from Greek δάμαλις (damalis). In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul.
Mille f & m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Danish and Norwegian short form of Emilie (feminine) and Swedish short form of Emil (masculine).
James m English, Biblical
English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus, a variant of the Biblical Latin form Iacobus, from the Hebrew name Yaʿaqov (see Jacob). This was the name of two apostles in the New Testament. The first was Saint James the Greater, the apostle John's brother, who was beheaded under Herod Agrippa in the Book of Acts. The second was James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. Another James (known as James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible as being the brother of Jesus.... [more]
Dianna f English
Variant of Diana.
Angelika f German, Polish, Hungarian
Form of Angelica in several languages.
Halldóra f Icelandic
Icelandic feminine form of Haldor.
Femke f Frisian, Dutch
Diminutive of Femme.
Ave f Italian, Estonian
Possibly from the name of the prayer Ave Maria, in which Ave is Latin meaning "greetings, salutations". In Estonian it is also associated with the word ava meaning "open".
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]
Philippina f German (Rare)
Elaborated form of Philippa.
Léopoldine f French
French feminine form of Leopold.
Beatriu f Catalan
Catalan form of Beatrix.
Elodia f Spanish
Spanish form of Alodia.
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.
Arik m Hebrew
Diminutive of Ariel or Arieh.
Dulcibella f English (Archaic)
From Latin dulcis "sweet" and bella "beautiful". The usual medieval spelling of this name was Dowsabel, and the Latinized form Dulcibella was revived in the 18th century.
Floriane f French
French feminine form of Florian.
Edison m English, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish (Latin American), Albanian
From an English surname that meant either "son of Eda 2" or "son of Adam". A famous bearer of the surname was the American inventor Thomas Edison (1847-1931).
Mónica f Spanish, Portuguese (European)
Spanish and European Portuguese form of Monica.
Carlotta f Italian
Italian form of Charlotte.
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]
Mylène f French
Combination of Marie and Hélène. It can also be used as a French form of Milena.
Henri m French, Finnish
French form of Heinrich (see Henry). A notable bearer was the French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954).
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.
Katriina f Finnish
Short form of Katariina.
Kaisa f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Katherine.
Olwyn f Welsh
Variant of Olwen.
Katarin f Breton
Breton form of Katherine.
Bethania f Spanish (Latin American)
Spanish variant form of Bethany.
Sitara f Urdu
Means "star" in Urdu, ultimately from Persian.
Floris m Dutch
Dutch form of Florentius (see Florence).
Lala f Bulgarian (Rare)
From Bulgarian лале (lale) meaning "tulip" (of Persian origin).
Amadeus m Late Roman
Means "love of God", derived from Latin amo "to love" and Deus "God". A famous bearer was the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who was actually born Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart but preferred the Latin translation of his Greek middle name. This name was also assumed as a middle name by the German novelist E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), who took it in honour of Mozart.
Marcellette f French (Rare)
French feminine diminutive of Marcellus.
Glory f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word glory, ultimately from Latin gloria.
Yeshua m Biblical Hebrew, Ancient Aramaic
Contracted form of Yehoshuaʿ (see Joshua) used in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Hebrew Bible. The form was also used in Aramaic, and was most likely the name represented by Greek Iesous (see Jesus) in the New Testament. This means it was probably the real name of Jesus.
Delphine f French
French form of Delphina.
Eleonor f Swedish
Swedish variant of Eleanor.
Evita f Spanish, Latvian
Diminutive of Eva.
Anastazja f Polish
Polish form of Anastasia.
Hersilia f Roman Mythology
Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Greek ἕρση (herse) meaning "dew". In Roman legend this was the name of a Sabine woman who became the wife of Romulus.
Harriet f English
English form of Henriette, and thus a feminine form of Harry. It was first used in the 17th century, becoming very common in the English-speaking world by the 18th century. Famous bearers include the Americans Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and the abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913).
Wioletta f Polish
Polish form of Violet.
Mattias m Swedish, Estonian
Swedish and Estonian form of Matthias.
Félicie f French
French form of Felicia.
Violette f French
French form of Violet.
Ilinca f Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Elena.
Runa f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Feminine form of Rune.
Salvatrice f Italian
From Salvatrix, the feminine form of Salvator (see Salvador).
Marceau m French
Old French variant of Marcel. A famous bearer of the surname was the French general François Séverin Marceau (1769-1796).
Lucrecia f Spanish
Spanish form of Lucretia.
Katrine f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian contracted form of Katherine.
Laney f English
Diminutive of Elaine.
Hermione f Greek Mythology
Derived from the name of the Greek messenger god Hermes. In Greek myth Hermione was the daughter of Menelaus and Helen. This is also the name of the wife of Leontes in Shakespeare's play The Winter's Tale (1610). It is now closely associated with the character Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Laure f French
French form of Laura.
Máximo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Maximus.
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.
Veronica f English, Italian, Romanian, Late Roman
Latin alteration of Berenice, the spelling influenced by the ecclesiastical Latin phrase vera icon meaning "true image". This was the name of a legendary saint who wiped Jesus' face with a towel and then found his image imprinted upon it. Due to popular stories about her, the name was occasionally used in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. It was borne by the Italian saint and mystic Veronica Giuliani (1660-1727). As an English name, it was not common until the 19th century, when it was imported from France and Scotland.
Polina f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Greek
Either a Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Greek form of Paulina or a short form of Apollinariya.
Isidore m English, French, Georgian (Rare), Jewish
From the Greek name Ἰσίδωρος (Isidoros) meaning "gift of Isis", derived from the name of the Egyptian goddess Isis combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Isidore of Seville was a 6th-century archbishop, historian and theologian.... [more]
Rosette f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Lanford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "long ford" in Old English.
Petronia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Petronius.
Agustina f Spanish, Indonesian
Spanish feminine form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1), also used in Indonesia.
Sive f Irish
Anglicized form of Sadhbh.
'Efrayim m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Ephraim.
Marcelle f French
French feminine form of Marcellus.
Galatea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Γαλάτεια (Galateia), probably derived from γάλα (gala) meaning "milk". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology including a sea nymph who was the daughter of Doris and Nereus and the lover of Acis. According to some sources, this was also the name of the ivory statue carved by Pygmalion that came to life.
Elpida f Greek
Modern Greek form of Elpis.
Jacinth f English (Rare)
From the English word for the orange precious stone, originating from the same source as Hyacinth.
Eira 1 f Welsh
Means "snow" in Welsh. This is a recently created name.
Celeste f & m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, English
Italian feminine and masculine form of Caelestis. It is also the Portuguese, Spanish and English feminine form.
Charmian f Literature
Form of Charmion used by Shakespeare in his play Antony and Cleopatra (1606).
Ane 1 f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian variant of Anne 1.
Laurene f English
Elaboration of Laura.
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.
Willem m Dutch
Dutch form of William. Willem the Silent, Prince of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain that brought about the independence of the Netherlands. He is considered the founder of the Dutch royal family. In English he is commonly called William of Orange.
Rosine f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Cenric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cene "bold" and ric "ruler, king".
Flóra f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Flora.
Democritus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Δημόκριτος (Demokritos), a Greek name meaning "judge of the people" from the elements δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people" and κριτής (krites) meaning "judge, critic". This was the name of a Greek philosopher, the creator of the atomic theory.
'Ester f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Esther.
Siv f Swedish, Norwegian, Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Sif, which meant "bride, kinswoman". In Norse mythology she was the wife of Thor. After the trickster Loki cut off her golden hair, an angry Thor forced him to create a replacement.
Artem m Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian form of Artemios. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Артём (see Artyom).
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]
Adriel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "flock of God" in Hebrew, from עֵדֶר (ʿeḏer) meaning "flock, herd" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a man who married Saul's daughter Merab.
Mabel f English
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis. This spelling and Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel The Heir of Redclyffe, which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
Perle f French, Yiddish
French and Yiddish cognate of Pearl. It is also used as a Yiddish vernacular form of Margalit.
Hildebert m German (Rare)
Means "bright battle" from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and beraht "bright". This name was borne by four early Frankish kings, usually called Childebert.
Teresa f Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Catalan, Polish, Lithuanian, Finnish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
Form of Theresa used in several languages. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a 16th-century Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelite monasteries and wrote several spiritual books. It was also borne by the Albanian missionary Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), better known as Mother Teresa, who worked with the poor in India. She adopted the name in honour of the French saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron of missionaries.
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.
Anastázie f Czech
Czech form of Anastasia.
Lúcia f Portuguese, Hungarian
Portuguese and Hungarian form of Lucia.
Prosper m French, English
From the Latin name Prosperus, which meant "fortunate, successful". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a supporter of Saint Augustine. It has never been common as an English name, though the Puritans used it, partly because it is identical to the English word prosper.
Salem 2 f & m English (Modern)
From the name of a biblical town, שָׁלֵם (Shalem) in Hebrew, meaning "complete, safe, peaceful". According to the Old Testament this was the town where Melchizedek was king. It is usually identified with Jerusalem. Many places are named after the biblical town, most in America, notably a city in Massachusetts where the infamous Salem witch trials occurred in 1692.
Lile f Irish (Rare)
Irish form of Lily.
Cordelia f Literature, English
From Cordeilla, a name appearing in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth, borne by the youngest of the three daughters of King Leir and the only one to remain loyal to her father. Geoffrey possibly based her name on that of Creiddylad, a character from Welsh legend.... [more]
Léonce m & f French
French form of Leontios, also used as a feminine name.
Philip m English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Biblical
From the Greek name Φίλιππος (Philippos) meaning "friend of horses", composed of the elements φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This was the name of five kings of Macedon, including Philip II the father of Alexander the Great. The name appears in the New Testament belonging to two people who are regarded as saints. First, one of the twelve apostles, and second, an early figure in the Christian church known as Philip the Deacon.... [more]
Laurena f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Lauren.
Bhavana f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
From Sanskrit भावन (bhāvana) meaning "producing, manifesting, thought, emotion".
Fidan f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "sapling" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Ambroise m French
French form of Ambrosius (see Ambrose).
Sixtus m Late Roman
Probably the Latin form of the Greek name Ξύστος (Xystos) meaning "scraped, polished". This name was borne by five popes. The first pope by this name was the sixth to serve after Saint Peter, so there is a possibility that this name is in fact derived from Latin sextus "sixth".
Elva 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Ailbhe.
Fidelia f Spanish (Latin American)
Feminine form of Fidel. It appears in the epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590) belonging to the sister of Speranza.
Rosalia f Italian, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from rosa "rose". This was the name of a 12th-century Sicilian saint.
Elenora f English
Variant of Eleanor.
Hadassah f Biblical, Hebrew
From Hebrew הֲדַס (haḏas) meaning "myrtle tree". In the Old Testament this is the Hebrew name of Queen Esther.
Rubina f Portuguese, Italian (Rare)
Derived from Portuguese rubi or Italian rubino meaning "ruby", ultimately from Latin ruber "red".
Francisca f Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Late Roman
Feminine form of Franciscus (see Francis).
Hernán m Spanish
Short form of Hernando.
Anna-Liisa f Finnish
Combination of Anna and Liisa.
Silvie f Czech
Czech form of Silvia.
Merlin m Arthurian Cycle, English
Form of the Welsh name Myrddin used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 12th-century chronicle. Writing in Latin, he likely chose the form Merlinus over Merdinus in order to prevent associations with French merde "excrement".... [more]
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.
Eytan m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew אֵיתָן (see Eitan).
Romina f Italian
Possibly a variant of Romana.
Valentine 2 f French
French feminine form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Eliana 2 f Hebrew
Means "my God has answered" in Hebrew.
Sylvana f Various
Variant of Silvana.
Joséphine f French
French feminine form of Joseph. A notable bearer of this name was the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763-1814).
Vitaliya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian feminine form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Hannelore f German
Combination of Hanne 1 and Eleonore.
Josephina f English (Rare)
Latinate variant of Joséphine.
Natalija f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Lithuanian
Form of Natalia (see Natalie) in several languages.
Paola f Italian
Italian feminine form of Paul.
Vergil m English
Variant of Virgil.
Miriana f Italian
Italian variant of Miriam.
Odo m Germanic
Variant of Otto. This form is typically Frankish, and used when referring to historical bearers from medieval France. It was the name of a 9th-century king of the West Franks. Another notable bearer was Saint Odo, a 10th-century abbot of Cluny.
Narine f Armenian
Probably from Persian نار (nār) meaning "pomegranate", considered a sacred fruit in Armenian culture. Alternately, it could be derived from Arabic نار (nār) meaning "fire".
Édith f French
French form of Edith. A notable bearer was the French cabaret singer Édith Piaf (1915-1963).
Elmira 1 f Literature
Possibly a shortened form of Edelmira. It appears in the play Tartuffe (1664) by the French playwright Molière (often spelled in the French style Elmire).
Einrí m Irish
Irish form of Henry.
Circe f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κίρκη (Kirke), possibly from κίρκος (kirkos) meaning "hawk". In Greek mythology Circe was a sorceress who changed Odysseus's crew into hogs, as told in Homer's Odyssey. Odysseus forced her to change them back, then stayed with her for a year before continuing his voyage.
Hero 1 f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero". In Greek legend she was the lover of Leander, who would swim across the Hellespont each night to meet her. He was killed on one such occasion when he got caught in a storm while in the water, and when Hero saw his dead body she drowned herself. This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing (1599).
Adrien m French
French form of Adrian.
Bronwen f Welsh
Seemingly derived from Welsh bron "breast" and gwen "white, blessed", though it has sometimes occurred as a variant spelling of the legendary name Branwen. It has been used as a given name in Wales since the 19th century. It is borne by a character in Richard Llewellyn's 1939 novel How Green Was My Valley, as well as the 1941 movie adaptation.
Santo m Italian
Means "saint" in Italian, ultimately from Latin sanctus.
Nicola 1 m Italian
Italian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the 13th-century sculptor Nicola Pisano.
Leone 2 f English
Variant of Leona.
Miri f Hebrew
Hebrew diminutive of Miriam.
Guinevere f Arthurian Cycle
From the Norman French form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar meaning "white phantom", ultimately from the old Celtic roots *windos meaning "white" (modern Welsh gwen) and *sēbros meaning "phantom, magical being". In Arthurian legend she was the beautiful wife of King Arthur. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, she was seduced by Mordred before the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. According to the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, she engaged in an adulterous affair with Sir Lancelot.... [more]
Kasimira f German (Archaic)
Feminine form of Kasimir.
Muriel f English, French, Irish, Scottish, Medieval Breton (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Irish Muirgel and Scottish Muireall. A form of this name was also used in Brittany, and it was first introduced to medieval England by Breton settlers in the wake of the Norman Conquest. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel John Halifax, Gentleman (1856).
Alis f Welsh
Welsh form of Alice.
Nora 1 f English, Irish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
Short form of Honora or Eleanor. Henrik Ibsen used it for a character in his play A Doll's House (1879).
Antonie 1 f Czech
Czech form of Antonia.
Aquilina f Ancient Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of Aquilinus. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Byblos.
Anikó f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Anna.
Valentine 1 m English
From the Roman cognomen Valentinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Valens meaning "strong, vigorous, healthy" in Latin. Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century martyr. His feast day was the same as the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which resulted in the association between Valentine's Day and love.... [more]
Izabella f Hungarian, Polish
Hungarian and Polish form of Isabella.
Liesel f German
German diminutive of Elisabeth.
Sunitha f Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Sunita.
Hamilton m English
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Old English hamel "crooked, mutilated" and dun "hill". The surname was originally taken from the name of a town in Leicestershire, England (which no longer exists). A famous bearer of the surname was Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), a founding father of the United States who was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr.
Samuele m Italian
Italian form of Samuel.
Theseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by Aegeus or by the god Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.... [more]
Emiliya f Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Russian
Bulgarian, Ukrainian and Russian feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Florentia f Late Roman
Original feminine form of Florence.
Eilidh f Scottish Gaelic
Diminutive of Eilionoir, also taken to be a Gaelic form of Helen.
Eilionoir f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Eleanor.
Michelina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Michele 1.
Roshni f Marathi, Hindi
From Hindi and Marathi रौशनी (raushanī) meaning "light, brightness", ultimately of Persian origin.
Dorina 2 f Hungarian
Elaboration of Dóra.
Ludmila f Czech, Latvian, Russian
Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.... [more]
Eithne f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Possibly from Old Irish etne meaning "kernel, grain". In Irish mythology Eithne or Ethniu was a Fomorian and the mother of Lugh Lámfada. It was borne by several other legendary and historical figures, including a few early saints.
Ilene f English
Variant of Eileen, probably inspired by the spelling of Irene.
Adaline f English
Variant of Adelina.
Vesper m & f Roman Mythology, Dutch (Modern)
Latin cognate of Hesperos. This name was used by the British author Ian Fleming for a female character, a love interest of James Bond, in his novel Casino Royale (1953). She also appears in the film adaptations of 1967 and 2006.
Zvezdana f Serbian, Slovene
Serbian and Slovene form of Zvjezdana.
Hema f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada
Means "golden" in Sanskrit.
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]
Elis m Swedish, Medieval English
Swedish variant of Elias, as well as a medieval English form.
Stacey f & m English
Variant of Stacy.
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.
Kishore m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi किशोर, Tamil கிஷோர் or Telugu కిశోర్ (see Kishor).
Amé m Medieval French
Old French form of Aimé.
Theda f German
Short form of Theodora. A famous bearer was actress Theda Bara (1885-1955), who was born Theodosia Goodman.
Yosyp m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Joseph.
Rahel f Biblical Latin, German, Estonian
Biblical Latin form of Rachel, as well as a German and Estonian form.
Iliana f Greek, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Ilias (Greek) or Iliya (Bulgarian).
Castor m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κάστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" (pluperfect κέκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word κάστωρ (kastor) meaning "beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.
Lára f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Laura.
Bénédicte f French
French feminine form of Benedict.
Slava m & f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Croatian, Slovene
Short form of names containing the Slavic element slava meaning "glory". It is typically masculine in Russia and Belarus, unisex in Ukraine, and feminine the South Slavic countries.
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.
Norah 1 f English, Irish
Variant of Nora 1.
Lenka f Czech, Slovak
Originally a diminutive of Magdaléna or Helena. It is now used as an independent name.
Seymour m English
From a Norman surname that originally belonged to a person coming from the French town of Saint Maur (which means "Saint Maurus").
Bria f English
Short form of Brianna, Gabriella and other names containing bri.
Winfred m English
Means "friend of peace" from the Old English elements wine "friend" and friþ "peace". This was the birth name of the 8th-century missionary Saint Boniface. It became rare after the Norman Conquest, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Ilia m Georgian, Russian, Bulgarian, Belarusian, Old Church Slavic
Georgian form of Elijah. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Илья or Belarusian Ілья (see Ilya) or Bulgarian Илия (see Iliya).
Pylyp m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Philip.
Alphonsine f French
French feminine diminutive of Alfonso.
Anna Maria f Italian
Combination of Anna and Maria.
Charles m English, French
French and English form of Carolus, the Latin form of the Germanic name Karl, which was derived from a word meaning "man" (Proto-Germanic *karlaz). However, an alternative theory states that it is derived from the common Germanic name element *harjaz meaning "army".... [more]
Bethan f Welsh
Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth.
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).
Kshitij m Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit क्षितिज (kṣitija) meaning "born of the earth" or "horizon".
Baila f Yiddish
Variant of Beyle.
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.
Victoria f English, Spanish, Romanian, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, French, Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Means "victory" in Latin, being borne by the Roman goddess of victory. It is also a feminine form of Victorius. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from North Africa.... [more]
Ormond m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Ruaidh, derived from the given name Ruadh.
Vivien 2 f Literature, Hungarian
Used by Alfred Tennyson as the name of the Lady of the Lake in his Arthurian epic Idylls of the King (1859). Tennyson may have based it on Vivienne, but it possibly arose as a misreading of Ninian. A famous bearer was British actress Vivien Leigh (1913-1967), who played Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind.
Anniina f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Anna.