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
Jemima f Biblical, English
Traditionally said to mean "dove", it may actually be related to Hebrew יוֹמָם (yomam) meaning "daytime". This was the oldest of the three daughters of Job in the Old Testament. As an English name, Jemima first became common during the Puritan era.
Soroush m Persian Mythology, Persian
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬯𐬭𐬀𐬊𐬱𐬀 (Sraosha) meaning "obedience". In Zoroastrianism this was the name of a Yazata (a holy being), later equated with the angel Gabriel.
Ludovico m Italian
Italian form of Ludwig.
Maybelle f English
Variant of Mabel.
Love 1 m Swedish
Swedish form of Louis.
Claude m & f French, English
French masculine and feminine form of Claudius. In France the masculine name has been common since the Middle Ages due to the 7th-century Saint Claude of Besançon. It was imported to Britain in the 16th century by the aristocratic Hamilton family, who had French connections. A famous bearer of this name was the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
Sanjiv m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Kannada
Derived from Sanskrit संजीव (saṃjīva) meaning "living, reviving".
Orel m Hebrew
Means "light of God" in Hebrew.
Johan m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Scandinavian and Dutch form of Iohannes (see John). A famous bearer was the Dutch soccer player Johan Cruyff (1947-2016).
Lir m Irish Mythology
Possibly from the patronymic Manannán mac Lir, in which case Lir is the genitive case of the name Ler. The medieval Irish legend the Children of Lir tells how Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann had his children transformed into swans by his third wife Aoife. The legendary characters Lir and Ler seem to be distinct.
Phyllis f Greek Mythology, English
Means "foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with Felicia.
Adélaïde f French
French form of Adelaide.
Baptist m German
German form of Baptiste. It is often paired with the name Johann, in honour of Saint John the Baptist.
Lilli f German, Danish, Finnish
German, Danish and Finnish variant of Lili.
Hyacinth 2 f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower (or the precious stone that also bears this name), ultimately from Greek hyakinthos (see Hyacinthus).
Amice f Medieval English
Medieval name derived from Latin amicus meaning "friend". This was a popular name in the Middle Ages, though it has since become uncommon.
Jacquette f French (Rare)
Feminine diminutive of Jacques.
Esmond m English (Rare)
Derived from the Old English elements est "grace" and mund "protection". This Old English name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest. It was occasionally revived in the 19th century.
Valentín m Spanish, Slovak
Spanish and Slovak form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Theodoric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Þiudareiks meaning "ruler of the people", derived from the elements þiuda "people" and reiks "ruler, king". It was notably borne by Theodoric the Great, a 6th-century king of the Ostrogoths who eventually became the ruler of Italy. By Theodoric's time the Ostrogoths were partially Romanized and his name was regularly recorded as Theodoricus. This was also the name of two earlier (5th century) Visigothic kings.
Nicolás m Spanish
Spanish form of Nicholas.
Ena 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Eithne.
Felícia f Hungarian, Portuguese
Hungarian and Portuguese form of Felicia.
Graciana f Spanish, Portuguese
Feminine form of Graciano.
Deanna f English
Either a variant of Diana or a feminine form of Dean. This name was popularized by the Canadian actress and singer Deanna Durbin (1921-2013), whose birth name was Edna. Her stage name was a rearrangement of the letters of her real name.
Shoshana f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Susanna.
Caerwyn m Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements caer "fortress" and gwyn "white, blessed".
Annalise f Danish, English (Modern)
Combination of Anna and Lise.
Richárd m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Richard.
Bertille f French
French form of Berthild.
Hyperion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.
Horatius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin hora meaning "hour, time, season", though the name may actually be of Etruscan origin. A famous bearer was Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Roman lyric poet of the 1st century BC who is better known as Horace in the English-speaking world.
Theda f German
Short form of Theodora. A famous bearer was actress Theda Bara (1885-1955), who was born Theodosia Goodman.
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.
Marlyn f & m English
Variant of Marilyn (feminine) or Marlin (masculine).
Bénédicte f French
French feminine form of Benedict.
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.
Nathaniel m English, Biblical
Variant of Nathanael. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation. This has been the most popular spelling, even though the spelling Nathanael is found in most versions of the New Testament. The American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), author of The Scarlet Letter, was a famous bearer of this name.
Sapphira f Biblical
From the Greek name Σαπφείρη (Sappheire), which was from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros) meaning "sapphire" or "lapis lazuli" (ultimately derived from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir)). Sapphira is a character in Acts in the New Testament who is killed by God for lying.
Lauretta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Laura. This is the name of one of the narrators in Boccaccio's book The Decameron (1350).
Anaiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has answered" in Hebrew, from עָנָה (ʿana) meaning "to answer" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
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.
Yohan m French
French form of Johann.
Angelique f Dutch
Dutch form of Angélique.
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.
Mitja m Slovene
Slovene form of Mitya.
Emmerich m German, Germanic
Germanic name, in which the second element is rih "ruler, king". The first element may be irmin "whole, great" (making it a relative of Ermenrich), amal "unceasing, vigorous, brave" (making it a relative of Amalric) or heim "home" (making it a relative of Henry). It is likely that several forms merged into a single name.
Antonie 1 f Czech
Czech form of Antonia.
Deirdre f English, Irish, Irish Mythology
From the Old Irish name Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from der meaning "daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after Conchobar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover Naoise.... [more]
Pius m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "pious, dutiful". This was the name of twelve popes.
Fabricia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Fabricius (see Fabrice).
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.
Nona 1 f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin nonus meaning "ninth", referring to the nine months of pregnancy. This was the name of a Roman goddess of pregnancy. She was also one of the three Fates (or Parcae).
Stanford m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "stone ford" in Old English.
Marion 1 f French, English, German, Dutch
Medieval French diminutive of Marie.
Nathália f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Glynn m Welsh
Variant of Glyn.
Angela f English, Italian, German, Dutch, Romanian, Slovene, Slovak, Russian, Macedonian, Greek, Late Roman
Feminine form of Angelus (see Angel). As an English name, it came into use in the 18th century. A notable bearer is the former German chancellor Angela Merkel (1954-).
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.
Niki 1 f Greek
Modern Greek form of Nike.
Darwin m English
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Deorwine. The surname was borne by the British naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882), the man who first proposed the theory of natural selection and subsequently revolutionized biology.
Ismene f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek ἰσμή (isme) meaning "knowledge". This was the name of the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta in Greek legend.
Nina 1 f Russian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Short form of names that end in nina, such as Antonina or Giannina. It was imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. This name also nearly coincides with the Spanish word niña meaning "little girl" (the word is pronounced differently than the name).... [more]
Sylviane f French
Variant of Sylvaine.
Illuminata f Late Roman
Means "illuminated, brightened, filled with light" in Latin. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint from Todi, Italy.
Marceline f French
French feminine form of Marcellinus.
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).
Madelina f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Madeline.
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.
Jovita f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of the Roman name Iovita (masculine), which was derived from the name of the god Jove. This was the name of an early saint and martyr, the brother of Faustinus.
Clarisse f French
French form of Clarice.
Giulia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Julius.
Luisa f Spanish, Italian
Feminine form of Luis.
Jacobine f Norwegian (Archaic), Dutch (Rare)
Norwegian and Dutch feminine form of Jacob.
Soňa f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Sonya.
Vérène f French (Rare)
French form of Verena.
Élisabeth f French
French form of Elizabeth.
Gavriil m Greek, Russian
Greek and Russian form of Gabriel.
Raisa 2 f Yiddish
From Yiddish רויז (roiz) meaning "rose".
Josefine f Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German
Scandinavian and German form of Joséphine.
Louise f French, English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Louis.
Valentino m Italian
Italian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Silvie f Czech
Czech form of Silvia.
Isabel f Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, German, Dutch
Medieval Occitan form of Elizabeth. It spread throughout Spain, Portugal and France, becoming common among the royalty by the 12th century. It grew popular in England in the 13th century after Isabella of Angoulême married the English king John, and it was subsequently bolstered when Isabella of France married Edward II the following century.... [more]
Athina f Greek
Modern Greek form of Athena.
Adrian m English, Romanian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Russian
Form of Hadrianus (see Hadrian) used in several languages. Several saints and six popes have borne this name, including the only English pope, Adrian IV, and the only Dutch pope, Adrian VI. As an English name, it has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it was not popular until modern times.
Frédérique f French
French form of Frederica.
Adelyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Adeline using the popular name suffix lyn.
Iuno f Roman Mythology
Latin form of Juno.
Vespera f Esperanto
Means "of the evening", derived from Esperanto vespero "evening", ultimately from Latin vesper.
Rosaria f Italian
Italian feminine form of Rosario.
Perla f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish cognate of Pearl.
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]
Aleida f Dutch, Spanish (Latin American)
Dutch and Spanish short form of Adelaide.
Lysander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λύσανδρος (Lysandros), derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a notable 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.
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.
Danièle f French
French feminine form of Daniel.
Arete f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "virtue" in Greek. In Greek mythology Arete was the personification of virtue and excellence.
Kata f Hungarian, Finnish, Croatian
Hungarian short form of Katalin, Finnish short form of Katariina and Croatian short form of Katarina.
Yvonne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Yvon. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Wilfred m English
Means "desiring peace" from Old English willa "will, desire" and friþ "peace". Saint Wilfrid was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon bishop. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Josseline f French
French feminine variant of Jocelyn.
Catharina f Dutch, Swedish
Dutch and Swedish form of Katherine.
Kiaran m English (Rare)
Anglicized form of Ciarán.
Ilyas m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian, Kazakh, Chechen, Tatar, Bashkir
Arabic form of Elijah, also used in several other languages.
Katia f Italian, French, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Italian and French form of Katya, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name.
Asal f Persian
Means "honey" in Persian (of Arabic origin).
Saturnina f Ancient Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of Saturninus. This was the name of a legendary saint who was supposedly martyred in northern France.
Celso m Portuguese, Galician, Spanish, Italian
Portuguese, Galician, Spanish and Italian form of Celsus.
Benedicta f Late Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of Benedictus (see Benedict).
Eastmund m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Esmond.
Evy f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Diminutive of Eva or Evelina.
Katrien f Dutch
Dutch (especially Flemish) form of Katherine.
Live f Norwegian
Variant of Liv 1.
Baptiste m French
Means "baptist" in French, originally deriving from Greek βάπτω (bapto) meaning "to dip". This name is usually given in honour of Saint John the Baptist, and as such it is often paired with the name Jean.
Melaina f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek μέλαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology.
Eugene m English
English form of Eugenius, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὐγένιος (Eugenios), which was derived from the Greek word εὐγενής (eugenes) meaning "well born". It is composed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of several saints and four popes.... [more]
Alin m Romanian
Possibly a Romanian masculine form of Alina. Alternatively it may derive from Romanian alina "to soothe".
Andrina f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Andrew.
Bennett m English
Medieval form of Benedict. This was the more common spelling in England until the 18th century. Modern use of the name is probably also influenced by the common surname Bennett, itself a derivative of the medieval name.
Lucrecia f Spanish
Spanish form of Lucretia.
Charissa f English, Dutch
Elaborated form of Charis. Edmund Spencer used it in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
Levin m German
German form of Leobwin.
Salina f English
Perhaps an invented name based on similar-sounding names such as Selina.
Leonie f German, Dutch
German and Dutch feminine form of Leonius.
Amelia f English, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Medieval French
Variant of Amalia, though it is sometimes confused with Emilia, which has a different origin. The name became popular in England after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century — it was borne by daughters of both George II and George III. The author Henry Fielding used it for the title character in his novel Amelia (1751). Another famous bearer was Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), the first woman to make a solo flight over the Atlantic Ocean.... [more]
Dione 1 f Greek Mythology
From Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus". By extension, it means "goddess". This was the name of a Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of Aphrodite. A moon of Saturn is named after her.
Lovel m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.
Paloma f Spanish
Means "dove, pigeon" in Spanish.
Percival m Arthurian Cycle, English
Created by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his poem Perceval, the Story of the Grail. Chrétien may have derived the name from Old French perce val "pierce the valley", or he may have based it loosely on the Welsh name Peredur. In the poem Perceval is a boy from Wales who hopes to become a knight under King Arthur. Setting out to prove himself, he eventually comes to the castle of the Fisher King and is given a glimpse of the Grail.
Ilinca f Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Elena.
Mahtab f Persian
Means "moonlight" in Persian.
Anatoli m Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian
Alternate transcription of Russian Анатолий or Ukrainian Анатолій (see Anatoliy), as well as the Georgian form.
Adah f Biblical
Means "adornment, ornament" in Hebrew. This is the name of the wives of both Lamech and Esau in the Old Testament.
Sigrid f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, German, Estonian, Finnish (Archaic)
From the Old Norse name Sigríðr, which was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Delaiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has drawn up" in Hebrew, from דָּלָה (dala) meaning "to draw up, to hang" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Vidal m Spanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Léandre m French
French form of Leander.
Jean 1 m French
Modern French form of Jehan, the Old French form of Iohannes (see John). Since the 12th century it has consistently been the most common male name in France. It finally dropped from the top rank in 1958, unseated by Philippe.... [more]
Fabian m German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.
Audra 2 f English
Variant of Audrey, used since the 19th century. It jumped in popularity in the United States after the debut of the television series The Big Valley (1965-1969), which featured the character Audra Barkley.
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]
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).
Carmen f Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, French, Romanian, German
Medieval Spanish form of Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word carmen meaning "song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera Carmen (1875).
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]
Milica f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by the wife of the 14th-century Serbian ruler Lazar.
Blanche f French, English
From a medieval French nickname meaning "white, fair-coloured". This word and its cognates in other languages are ultimately derived from the Germanic word *blankaz. An early bearer was the 12th-century Blanca of Navarre, the wife of Sancho III of Castile. Her granddaughter of the same name married Louis VIII of France, with the result that the name became more common in France.
Perceval m Arthurian Cycle
Old French form of Percival used by Chrétien de Troyes.
Vivianne f French
Variant of Viviane.
Susanne f German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, English
German and Scandinavian form of Susanna.
Vicente m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Vincent.
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).
Matias m Finnish, Portuguese
Finnish and Portuguese form of Matthias.
Melaniya f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Melania (see Melanie).
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.
Rina 1 f Italian, Dutch
Short form of Caterina or Catharina as well as other names ending in rina.
Prudentius m Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from prudens "prudent, wise, skilled". This was the name of a 9th-century bishop of Troyes. He is considered a local saint there.
Julian m English, Polish, German
From the Roman name Iulianus, which was derived from Julius. This was the name of the last pagan Roman emperor, Julian the Apostate (4th century). It was also borne by several early saints, including the legendary Saint Julian the Hospitaller. This name has been used in England since the Middle Ages, at which time it was also a feminine name (from Juliana, eventually becoming Gillian).
Angeline f French
French diminutive of Angela.
Amée f Medieval French
Old French form of Aimée.
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]
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.
Bartholomeus m Dutch, Biblical Latin
Dutch and Latin form of Bartholomew.
Adrià m Catalan
Catalan form of Adrian.
Christopher m English
From the Late Greek name Χριστόφορος (Christophoros) meaning "bearing Christ", derived from Χριστός (Christos) combined with φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.... [more]
Alona f Hebrew
Feminine form of Alon 1.
Nicoletta f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Nicola 1.
Korinna f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Corinna.
Cynthia f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κυνθία (Kynthia), which means "woman from Cynthus". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, given because Cynthus was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century. It reached a peak of popularity in the United States in 1957 and has declined steadily since then.
Opal f English
From the English word opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".
Gabriëlle f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of Gabriel.
Leonardo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Leonard. A notable bearer was Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), an Italian artist and scientist of the Renaissance. He is known as the inventor of several contraptions, including flying machines, as well as the painter of the Mona Lisa. Another famous bearer was Leonardo Fibonacci, a 13th-century Italian mathematician. A more recent bearer is American actor Leonardo DiCaprio (1974-).
Vencel m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Václav.
Sylvana f Various
Variant of Silvana.
Anneliese f German, Dutch
Combination of Anne 1 and Liese.
Vianne f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown, perhaps a combination of Vi and Anne 1 or a short form of Vivianne.
Antonela f Croatian
Croatian form of Antonella.
Uriel m Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name אוּרִיאֵל (ʾUriʾel) meaning "God is my light", from אוּר (ʾur) meaning "light, flame" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Uriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition. He is mentioned only in the Apocrypha, for example in the Book of Enoch where he warns Noah of the coming flood.
Metis f Greek Mythology
Means "wisdom, skill, cunning" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a Titan. Because it was prophesied that her children would be wiser than Zeus, he swallowed her after he had impregnated her. However, their daughter Athena eventually burst from his head fully grown.
Fabián m Spanish
Spanish form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Lucinde f French (Rare)
French form of Lucinda.
Llewella f Welsh
Feminine form of Llywelyn.
Estrella f Spanish
Spanish form of Stella 1, coinciding with the Spanish word meaning "star".
Elene f Georgian, Sardinian, Basque
Georgian, Sardinian and Basque form of Helen.
Élie m French
French form of Elijah.
Lucius m Ancient Roman, Biblical, English
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Ottilia f Swedish
Swedish form of Odilia.
Ippolito m Italian
Italian form of Hippolytos.
Iria f Portuguese, Galician
Possibly a Portuguese and Galician form of Irene. This was the name of a 7th-century saint (also known as Irene) from Tomar in Portugal. This is also the name of an ancient town in Galicia (now a district of Padrón).
Carmelita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Carmel.
Clotilda f English (Rare)
English form of Clotilde.
Alastríona f Irish
Feminine form of Alastar.
Vishal m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali
From Sanskrit विशाल (viśāla) meaning "wide, broad, spacious".
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.
Zéphyrine f French (Rare)
French feminine form of Zephyrinus (see Zeferino).
Ankita f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali
Feminine form of Ankit.
Benjamine f French
French feminine form of Benjamin.
Laelius m Ancient Roman
Masculine form of Laelia.
Natalina f Italian, Portuguese
Diminutive of Natalia (Italian) or Natália (Portuguese).
Avrora f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Aurora.
Avi m Hebrew
Means "my father" in Hebrew. It is also a diminutive of Avraham or Aviram.
Alexius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξιος (Alexios), a derivative of Ἄλεξις (see Alexis). This was the name of five Byzantine emperors. It was also borne by a 5th-century Syrian saint who is especially venerated in the Eastern Church.
Dorian m English, French, Romanian, Polish
The name was first used by Oscar Wilde in his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), which tells the story of a man whose portrait ages while he stays young. Wilde may have taken it from the name of the ancient Greek tribe the Dorians.
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.
Savva m Russian
Russian form of Sabas.
Anna f English, Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Armenian, Icelandic, Faroese, Catalan, Occitan, Breton, Scottish Gaelic, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Form of Hannah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament. Many later Old Testament translations, including the English, use the Hannah spelling instead of Anna. The name appears briefly in the New Testament belonging to a prophetess who recognized Jesus as the Messiah. It was a popular name in the Byzantine Empire from an early date, and in the Middle Ages it became common among Western Christians due to veneration of Saint Anna (usually known as Saint Anne in English), the name traditionally assigned to the mother of the Virgin Mary.... [more]
Feliciano m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of the Roman name Felicianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name Felix. It was borne by a number of early saints, including a 3rd-century bishop of Foligno.
Laurie f & m English, French
Diminutive of Laura or Laurence 1.
Margot f French
French short form of Margaret.
Cloelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cloelius. In Roman legend Cloelia was a maiden who was given to an Etruscan invader as a hostage. She managed to escape by swimming across the Tiber, at the same time helping some of the other captives to safety.
Bianka f German, Hungarian, Polish
German, Hungarian and Polish form of Bianca.
Shri f Hinduism
Means "diffusing light, radiance, beauty" in Sanskrit, a word used as a title of respect in India. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
Catriona f Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Caitríona (Irish) or Caitrìona (Scottish Gaelic).
Hernán m Spanish
Short form of Hernando.
Claudia f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Claudius. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament. As a Christian name it was very rare until the 16th century.
Evangelos m Greek
Means "bringing good news" from the Greek word εὐάγγελος (euangelos), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger".
Calypso f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant "she that conceals", derived from καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until Zeus ordered her to release him.
Lommán m Old Irish
Means "little bare one", derived from Old Irish lomm "bare" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a nephew of Saint Patrick.
Auster m Roman Mythology
Means "south" in Latin (descended from the Indo-European root *hews- meaning "dawn", making it related to the English word east). Auster was the Roman god of the south wind.
Augustus m Ancient Roman, Dutch (Rare)
Means "exalted, venerable", derived from Latin augeo meaning "to increase". Augustus was the title given to Octavian, the first Roman emperor. He was an adopted son of Julius Caesar who rose to power through a combination of military skill and political prowess. In 26 BC the senate officially gave him the name Augustus, and after his death it was used as a title for subsequent emperors. This was also the name of three kings of Poland (called August in Polish).
Vienna f English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of Austria, Vienna.
Kourosh m Persian
Modern Persian form of Cyrus.
Alison 1 f English, French
Norman French diminutive of Aalis (see Alice). It was common in England, Scotland and France in the Middle Ages, and was later revived in England in the 20th century via Scotland. Unlike most other English names ending in son, it is not derived from a surname.
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]
Leonius m Late Roman
Late Latin name that was derived from Leo.
Liwia f Polish
Polish form of Livia 1.
Cyrille m & f French
French form of Cyril, sometimes used as a feminine form.
Langston m English
From an English surname, itself from a place name, derived from Old English lang "long" and stan "stone". A famous bearer was the American author Langston Hughes (1901-1967).
Nadia 1 f French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Variant of Nadya 1 used in Western Europe, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name. It began to be used in France in the 19th century. The name received a boost in popularity from the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci (1961-).
Muirenn f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish muir "sea" and finn "white, blessed". This is another name of Muirne, the mother of the legendary hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Sámuel m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Samuel.
Ariel m & f Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Polish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means "lion of God" in Hebrew, from אֲרִי (ʾari) meaning "lion" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare utilized it for a spirit in his play The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1712), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film The Little Mermaid (1989).
Janine f French, English, Dutch, German
Variant of Jeannine. It has only been in use since the 20th century.
Anatole m French
French form of Anatolius.
Anasztázia f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Anastasia.
Santina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Santo.
Rosaleen f English (Rare), Irish
Variant of Rosaline. James Clarence Mangan used it as a translation for Róisín in his poem Dark Rosaleen (1846).
Leonzio m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Leontios.
Leontiy m Russian
Russian form of Leontios.
Fioralba f Italian (Rare)
Combination of Italian fiore "flower" (Latin flos) and alba "dawn".
Anna-Liisa f Finnish
Combination of Anna and Liisa.
Calista f English, Portuguese (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Feminine form of Callistus. As an English name it might also be a variant of Kallisto.
Jovana f Serbian, Macedonian
Serbian and Macedonian feminine form of John.
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.
Yasmin f Arabic, Hebrew, Urdu, English (Modern), Spanish (Modern), Portuguese (Modern)
Means "jasmine" in Arabic and Hebrew, derived from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn). In modern times it has been used in the western world, as an Arabic-influenced variant of Jasmine.
Laelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Laelius, a Roman family name of unknown meaning. This is also the name of a type of flower, an orchid found in Mexico and Central America.
Thisbe f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
From the name of an ancient Greek town in Boeotia, itself supposedly named after a nymph. In a Greek legend (the oldest surviving version appearing in Latin in Ovid's Metamorphoses) this is the name of a young woman from Babylon. Believing her to be dead, her lover Pyramus kills himself, after which she does the same to herself. The splashes of blood from their suicides is the reason mulberry fruit are red.
Henry m English
From the Germanic name Heimirich meaning "home ruler", composed of the elements heim "home" and rih "ruler". It was later commonly spelled Heinrich, with the spelling altered due to the influence of other Germanic names like Haganrich, in which the first element is hag "enclosure".... [more]
Pelagia f Ancient Greek, Greek, Polish (Rare)
Feminine form of Pelagius. This was the name of a few early saints, including a young 4th-century martyr who threw herself from a rooftop in Antioch rather than lose her virginity.
Milou f Dutch
Short form of Marie-Louise. This is the name of a (male) dog in the French-language Belgian comic series The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé, first appearing in 1929. He is named Snowy in the English version and Bobbie in the Dutch version.
Sanna f Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Susanna. It can also be derived from Swedish sann meaning "true".
Stacey f & m English
Variant of Stacy.
Blandine f French
French form of the Roman name Blandina, which was the feminine form of Blandinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Blandus. Saint Blandina was a 2nd-century slave from Lyons who was martyred by being thrown to wild beasts.
Colombina f Italian (Rare), Theatre
Italian feminine diminutive of Columba. In traditional Italian theatre (commedia dell'arte) this is the name of a stock character, a female servant who was often the lover of Arlecchino (Harlequin). This is also the Italian word for the columbine flower.
Georgina f English, Spanish, Hungarian
Feminine form of George.
Emilija f Lithuanian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Mariona f Catalan
Catalan diminutive of Maria.
Rubina f Portuguese, Italian (Rare)
Derived from Portuguese rubi or Italian rubino meaning "ruby", ultimately from Latin ruber "red".
Morgane f French
French, either a form of Morgan 2 or a feminine form of Morgan 1.
Samara f English (Modern), Portuguese (Brazilian)
Possibly derived from the name of the city of Samarra (in Iraq) or Samara (in Russia). The former appears in the title of the novel Appointment in Samarra (1934) by John O'Hara, which refers to an ancient Babylonian legend about a man trying to evade death. Alternatively, this name could be derived from the word for the winged seeds that grow on trees such as maples and elms.... [more]
Aphrodite f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess Venus. She was the wife of Hephaestus and the mother of Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with ἀφρός (aphros) meaning "foam", resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
Lynna f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lynn.
Philomel f Literature
From an English word meaning "nightingale" (ultimately from Philomela). It has been used frequently in poetry to denote the bird.
Isaia m Italian, Old Church Slavic
Italian form of Isaiah, as well as the Old Church Slavic form.
Augustin m French, Romanian, Czech, German (Rare)
Form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1) in several languages.
Bevin f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Bébinn.
Caelina f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Caelinus.
Anabel f Spanish
Spanish form of Annabel, also commonly used as a contraction of Ana Isabel.
Elisaveta f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Elizabeth.
Zvezdana f Serbian, Slovene
Serbian and Slovene form of Zvjezdana.
Gwyneira f Welsh
Means "white snow" from the Welsh element gwyn meaning "white, blessed" combined with eira meaning "snow". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Huguette f French
Feminine form of Hugues.
Cătălin m Romanian
Romanian masculine form of Katherine.
Melanija f Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene, Latvian, Lithuanian
Form of Melanie used in various languages.
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".
Olena f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Helen.