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
Erzsébet f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Elizabeth. This is the native name of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. It was also borne by the infamous Erzsébet Báthory (1560-1614), a countess and alleged murderer.
Evy f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Diminutive of Eva or Evelina.
Endymion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning "to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess Selene, who asked Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.
Eliott m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Elliott.
Sinjin m English (British, Rare)
Phonetic variant of St John.
Lilly f English, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
English variant of Lily. It is also used in Scandinavia, as a form of Lily or a diminutive of Elisabeth.
Veniamin m Russian, Greek
Russian and Greek form of Benjamin.
Silvie f Czech
Czech form of Silvia.
Lilla f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Lívia or Lídia.
Myra f English
Created by the 17th-century poet Fulke Greville. He possibly based it on Latin myrra meaning "myrrh" (a fragrant resin obtained from a tree). Otherwise, he may have simply rearranged the letters from the name Mary. Although unrelated etymologically, this is also the name of an ancient city of Anatolia.
Carmel f & m English, Jewish
From the title of the Virgin Mary Our Lady of Mount Carmel. כַּרְמֶל (Karmel) (meaning "garden" in Hebrew) is a mountain in Israel mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the site of several early Christian monasteries. As an English given name, it has mainly been used by Catholics. As a Jewish name it is unisex.
Francette f French
Feminine diminutive of François.
Armand m French, Catalan
French and Catalan form of Herman.
Euthymia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Euthymius.
Mary Anne f English
Combination of Mary and Anne 1.
Íde f Irish
From Old Irish Íte, possibly derived from ítu meaning "thirst". This was the name of a 6th-century Irish nun, the patron saint of Killeedy.
Athanaric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Aþanareiks, derived from the element aþn meaning "year" combined with reiks meaning "ruler, king". Athanaric was a 4th-century ruler of the Visigoths.
Niki 1 f Greek
Modern Greek form of Nike.
Evelia f Spanish
Elaborated form of Eva.
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).
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).
Caelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Caelius.
Alona f Hebrew
Feminine form of Alon 1.
Garnett m & f English
Variant of Garnet 2.
Thilo m German
Variant of Till. Saint Thillo was a 7th-century man of Saxony who was kidnapped and brought to Flanders by raiders. After his release he became a priest and did missionary work in France.
Sébastienne f French
French feminine form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Céline f French
French feminine form of Caelinus. This name can also function as a short form of Marceline.
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]
Émilien m French
French form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Calixta f Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Calixtus.
Alastor m Greek Mythology
Means "avenger" in Greek. This was an epithet of Zeus, as well as the name of several other characters from Greek mythology.
Stuart m English, Scottish
From a Scottish occupational surname originally belonging to a person who was a steward. It is ultimately derived from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". As a given name, it arose in 19th-century Scotland in honour of the Stuart royal family, which produced several kings and queens of Scotland and Britain between the 14th and 18th centuries.
Antonietta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Antonia.
Valentyn m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Monique f French, English, Dutch
French form of Monica.
Corinne f French, English
French form of Corinna. The French-Swiss author Madame de Staël used it for her novel Corinne (1807).
Vittoria f Italian
Italian form of Victoria.
Ria f German, Dutch
Short form of Maria.
Valéry m French
Derived from the Old German elements walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and rih "ruler, king". It has been frequently confused with the name Valère. Saint Walaric (or Valery) was a 7th-century Frankish monk who founded an abbey near Leuconaus at the mouth of the Somme River.
Pavlina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek, Slovene
Bulgarian, Macedonian and Greek form of Paulina.
Justina f English, Spanish, Portuguese, Slovene, Lithuanian, Late Roman
From Latin Iustina, the feminine form of Iustinus (see Justin). This name was borne by several early saints and martyrs.
Cora f English, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Kore. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel The Last of the Mohicans (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of Cordula, Corinna and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Silke f German, Dutch
German and Dutch diminutive of Celia or Cecilia.
Eleanora f English
Latinate form of Eleanor.
Kathrin f German
German short form of Katharina.
Mailys f French
Variant of Maylis.
Euthalia f Late Greek
Means "flower, bloom" from the Greek word εὐθάλεια (euthaleia), itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". This name was borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Sicily.
Sìne f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Jeanne or Jane.
Sylvain m French
French form of Silvanus.
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.
Lova f Swedish
Short form of Lovisa.
Anita 1 f Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, Slovene, English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Latvian, Hungarian
Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian and Slovene diminutive of Ana.
Frida 2 f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Derived from Old Norse fríðr meaning "beautiful, beloved".
Lynette f English, Arthurian Cycle
Form of Lynet used by Alfred Tennyson in his 1872 poem Gareth and Lynette. According to Tennyson, Gareth and Lynette were eventually married. In modern times it is also regarded as a diminutive of Lynn.
Arwyn m Welsh
From the Welsh intensifying prefix ar- and gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
Malka f Hebrew
Means "queen" in Hebrew.
Emily f English
English feminine form of Aemilius (see Emil). In the English-speaking world it was not common until after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century; the princess Amelia Sophia (1711-1786) was commonly known as Emily in English, even though Amelia is an unrelated name.... [more]
Aglaé f French
French form of Aglaia.
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.
Felicia f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Latin name Felicius, a derivative of Felix. As an English name, it has occasionally been used since the Middle Ages.
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.
Ginette f French
Diminutive of Geneviève.
Asherah f Semitic Mythology
Perhaps derived from Semitic roots meaning "she who walks in the sea". This was the name of a Semitic mother goddess. She was worshipped by the Israelites before the advent of monotheism.
Magalie f French
Variant of Magali.
Fifi f French
Diminutive of Joséphine and other names containing the same sound.
Katinka f German, Hungarian, Dutch
German diminutive of Katharina, a Hungarian diminutive of Katalin and a Dutch diminutive of Catharina.
Serina f English
Variant of Serena.
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.
Coen m Dutch
Short form of Coenraad.
Lilavati f Sanskrit
Means "amusing, charming, graceful" in Sanskrit. The 12th-century mathematician Bhaskara gave this name to one of his books on mathematics, possibly after his daughter. This was also the name of a 13th-century queen of Sri Lanka.
Alyssa f English
Variant of Alicia. The spelling has probably been influenced by that of the alyssum flower, the name of which is derived from Greek (a), a negative prefix, combined with λύσσα (lyssa) meaning "madness, rabies", since it was believed to cure madness.
Bartholomeus m Dutch, Biblical Latin
Dutch and Latin form of Bartholomew.
Laelius m Ancient Roman
Masculine form of Laelia.
Cindy f English
Diminutive of Cynthia or Lucinda. Like Cynthia, it peaked in popularity in the United States in 1957.
Ludivine f French
Possibly from a feminine form of Leutwin. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the French miniseries Les Gens de Mogador.
Éva f Hungarian, French
Hungarian form of Eve, as well as a French variant of Ève.
Wiktoria f Polish
Polish form of Victoria.
Mariella f Italian
Italian diminutive of Maria.
Carwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru "to love" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name was created in the 20th century.
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.
Kallisto f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek κάλλιστος (kallistos) meaning "most beautiful", a derivative of καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful". In Greek mythology Kallisto was a nymph who was loved by Zeus. She was changed into a she-bear by Hera, and subsequently became the Great Bear constellation. This was also an ancient Greek personal name.
Arik m Hebrew
Diminutive of Ariel or Arieh.
Katherina f English (Rare), German
Latinate form of Katherine. This is the name of the woman whom Petruchio marries and tries to tame in Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew (1593).
Clifton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "settlement by a cliff" in Old English.
Chetana f Marathi, Hindi
Feminine form of Chetan.
Zaccaria m Italian
Italian form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Osanne f French (Rare)
French form of Osanna.
Eliot m English
From a surname that was a variant of Elliott. A famous bearer of the surname was T. S. Eliot (1888-1965), an Anglo-American poet and dramatist, the writer of The Waste Land. As a given name, it was borne by the American mob-buster Eliot Ness (1903-1957).
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.
Selene f Greek Mythology
Means "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. She was sometimes identified with the goddess Artemis.
Mira 2 f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Polish
Short form of Miroslava and other names beginning with Mir (often the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world").
Maxwell m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.... [more]
Steliana f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of Stylianos.
Asa m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Possibly means "healer" in Hebrew. This name was borne by the third king of Judah, as told in the Old Testament.
Vita 2 f Ukrainian, Belarusian
Ukrainian and Belarusian short form of Viktoriya.
Jacquette f French (Rare)
Feminine diminutive of Jacques.
Nasrin f Persian, Bengali
Means "wild rose" in Persian.
Zoé f French, Hungarian
French and Hungarian form of Zoe.
Daryna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Darina 2.
Shila f Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit शील (śīla) meaning "conduct, disposition, character".
Mónika f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Monica.
Elizaveta f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Елизавета (see Yelizaveta).
Domenico m Italian
Italian form of Dominicus (see Dominic). Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.
Gifty f English (African)
From the English word gift. This name is most common in Ghana in Africa.
Embla f Norse Mythology, Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian
Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Old Norse almr "elm". In Norse mythology Embla and her husband Ask were the first humans. They were created by three of the gods from two trees.
Jasmina f Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Slovene, Macedonian
Form of Jasmine in several languages.
Synnøve f Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Sunniva.
Jenci m Hungarian
Diminutive of Jenő.
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).
Zahari m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Zechariah.
Clelia f Italian
Italian form of Cloelia.
Elysia f Various
From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Michele 1 m Italian
Italian form of Michael.
Matthieu m French
Variant of Mathieu.
June f English
From the name of the month, which was originally derived from the name of the Roman goddess Juno. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
Katerina f Macedonian, Albanian, Russian, Bulgarian, Greek, Late Roman
Macedonian and Albanian form of Katherine, a Russian short form of Yekaterina, a Bulgarian short form of Ekaterina, and a Greek variant of Aikaterine.
Beverley f English
Variant of Beverly.
Timotheus m Biblical Latin, German (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Latinized form of Timotheos (see Timothy).
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-).
Siobhán f Irish
Irish form of Jehanne, a Norman French variant of Jeanne.
Purnima f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada
From Sanskrit पूर्णिमा (pūrṇimā) meaning "full moon".
Frances f English
Feminine form of Francis. The distinction between Francis as a masculine name and Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century. A notable bearer was Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), a social worker and the first American to be canonized.
Guillaume m French
French form of William.
Silvestre m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Silvester.
Ninon f French
French diminutive of Anne 1.
Nikolaus m German
German form of Nicholas.
Rajendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Nepali
Means "lord of kings", derived from Sanskrit राज (rāja) meaning "king" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This was the name of two 11th-century rulers of the Chola Empire in southern India.
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]
Grenville m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Granville.
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]
Evi f Greek, Dutch, German
Modern Greek form of Eve, as well as a Dutch and German diminutive.
Sanne f Dutch, Danish
Dutch and Danish short form of Susanna.
Maija f Finnish, Latvian
Finnish and Latvian variant of Maria or Marija. The Latvian playwright Anna Brigadere used this name for the main character in her play Maija un Paija (1922).
Mahalia f English
Variant of Mahala.
Bernadett f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Bernadette.
Rosina f Italian
Italian diminutive of Rosa 1. This is the name of a character in Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville (1816).
Dolly f English
Diminutive of Dorothy. Doll and Dolly were used from the 16th century, and the common English word doll (for the plaything) is derived from them. In modern times this name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Dolores.
Philetus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Greek name Φίλητος (Philetos) meaning "beloved". In the New Testament, Philetus is a heretic in the church at Ephesus denounced by Paul.
Catrina f Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Caitrìona.
Amée f Medieval French
Old French form of Aimée.
Armani m & f English (Modern)
From an Italian surname meaning "son of Ermanno". It has been used as a given name due to the fashion company Armani, which was founded by the clothing designer Giorgio Armani (1934-).
Atarah f Biblical
Means "crown" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Atarah is a minor character, the wife of Jerahmeel.
Marieke f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Maria.
Imelda f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Irmhild. The Blessed Imelda Lambertini was a young 14th-century nun from Bologna.
Marsaili f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Marcella, now also associated with Marjorie.
Alberto m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Albert.
Adaline f English
Variant of Adelina.
Carmella f English
Latinized form of Carmel.
Olivier m French, Dutch, Carolingian Cycle
French and Dutch form of Oliver. This is also a French word meaning "olive tree".
Callistus m Late Roman
Late Latin name that was derived from the Greek name Κάλλιστος (Kallistos) meaning "most beautiful". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callixtus), including the 3rd-century Callistus I who is regarded as a saint.
Lata f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit लता (latā) meaning "vine, creeping plant".
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.
Asal f Persian
Means "honey" in Persian (of Arabic origin).
Imke f Frisian, Dutch, Low German
Diminutive of Ime 2.
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]
Ianthe f Greek Mythology
Means "violet flower", derived from Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This was the name of an ocean nymph in Greek mythology.
April f English
From the name of the month, probably originally derived from Latin aperio "to open, to uncover", referring to the opening of flowers. It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 1940s.
Renáta f Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Hungarian, Czech and Slovak feminine form of Renatus.
Livvy f English
Diminutive of Olivia.
Rébecca f French
French form of Rebecca.
Isis f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ꜣst (reconstructed as Iset, Aset or Ueset), possibly from st meaning "throne". In Egyptian mythology Isis was the goddess of the sky and nature, the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She was originally depicted wearing a throne-shaped headdress, but in later times she was conflated with the goddess Hathor and depicted having the horns of a cow on her head. She was also worshipped by people outside of Egypt, such as the Greeks and Romans.
Cleopatra f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κλεοπάτρα (Kleopatra) meaning "glory of the father", derived from κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" combined with πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός). This was the name of queens of Egypt from the Ptolemaic royal family, including Cleopatra VII, the mistress of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After being defeated by Augustus she committed suicide (according to popular belief, by allowing herself to be bitten by a venomous asp). Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra (1606) tells the story of her life.
Marciana f Ancient Roman, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Feminine form of Marcianus. This was the name of a young woman martyred in North Africa during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.
Ella 1 f English
Norman name, originally a short form of Germanic names containing the element alles meaning "other" (Proto-Germanic *aljaz). It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).
Merrill m English
From an English surname that was derived either from the given name Muriel or from place names meaning "pleasant hill".
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.
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]
Silvano m Italian
Italian form of Silvanus.
Miia f Finnish
Finnish form of Mia.
Caerwyn m Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements caer "fortress" and gwyn "white, blessed".
Laia f Catalan
Catalan diminutive of Eulalia.
Laci 1 m Hungarian
Diminutive of László.
Nelli f Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, Hungarian
Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish and Hungarian form of Nellie.
Kitty f English
Diminutive of Katherine.
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.
Ansel m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Anselm. A famous bearer was American photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984).
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.
Emelina f Spanish
Spanish form of Emmeline.
Atticus m Literature, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀττικός (Attikos) meaning "from Attica", referring to the region surrounding Athens in Greece. This name was borne by a few notable Greeks from the Roman period (or Romans of Greek background). The author Harper Lee used the name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) for an Alabama lawyer who defends a black man accused of raping a white woman.
Fionnuala f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "white shoulder" from Old Irish finn "white, blessed" and gúala "shoulder". In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for a period of 900 years.
Émile m French
French form of Aemilius (see Emil). This name was borne by the author Émile Zola (1840-1902) and the sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858-1917).
Dolores f Spanish, English
Means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
Eliisa f Finnish
Finnish short form of Elisabet.
Stella 1 f English, Italian, Dutch, German
Means "star" in Latin. This name was created by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney for the subject of his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella. It was a nickname of a lover of Jonathan Swift, real name Esther Johnson (1681-1728), though it was not commonly used as a given name until the 19th century. It appears in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), belonging to the sister of Blanche DuBois and the wife of Stanley Kowalski.
Huguette f French
Feminine form of Hugues.
Bonaventura m Italian, Catalan
Means "good fortune" in Italian, from Latin bonus "good" and venturas "the things that will come, the future". Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
Alfons m German, Dutch, Catalan
German, Dutch and Catalan form of Alfonso.
Elisavet f Greek
Modern Greek form of Elizabeth.
Liubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Elwira f Polish, Tatar, Bashkir
Polish, Tatar and Bashkir form of Elvira.
Ludovico m Italian
Italian form of Ludwig.
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.
Theocritus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Θεόκριτος (Theokritos), a Greek name meaning "judge of god" from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and κριτής (krites) meaning "judge, critic". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek poet.
Théo m French
Short form of Théodore.
Yuli m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Юлий (see Yuliy).
Evaline f English
Variant of Evelyn.
Ellie f English
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. This name became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, being ranked second for girls in 2003.
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]
Sarita 1 f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Sara.
Angelique f Dutch
Dutch form of Angélique.
Nicolas m French
French form of Nicholas.
Ives m History (Ecclesiastical)
English form of Yves, used to refer to Saint Ives (also called Ivo) of Huntingdonshire, a semi-legendary English bishop.
Eevi f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Eva.
Grace f English
From the English word grace, which ultimately derives from Latin gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.... [more]
Seraiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is ruler" in Hebrew, from שָׂרָה (sara) meaning "to have power" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament, including the father of Ezra.
Afërdita f Albanian
Means "daybreak, morning" in Albanian, from afër "nearby, close" and ditë "day". It is also used as an Albanian form of Aphrodite.
Světlana f Czech
Czech form of Svetlana.
Elene f Georgian, Sardinian, Basque
Georgian, Sardinian and Basque form of Helen.
Cerys f Welsh
Variant of Carys.
Karolína f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak feminine form of Carolus.
Gabriel m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name גַבְרִיאֵל (Ḡavriʾel) meaning "God is my strong man", derived from גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of John to Zechariah and Jesus to Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to Muhammad.... [more]
Euodia f Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek, Biblical
Derived from Greek εὐοδία (euodia) meaning "a good journey", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ὁδός (hodos) meaning "road, way, journey". This name is mentioned briefly in Paul's epistle to the Philippians in the New Testament (though some translations assume it belongs to a man named Euodias).
Pylyp m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Philip.
Reima m Finnish
Finnish form of Raymond.
Celestyn m Polish
Polish form of Caelestinus.
Chloris f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek χλωρός (chloros) meaning "pale green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.
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.
Bálint m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
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.
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.
Svjetlana f Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Svetlana.
Erwin m German, Dutch, Polish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German name Hariwini, composed of the elements heri "army" and wini "friend". It may have merged somewhat with the name Eberwin. A notable bearer was Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961), an Austrian physicist who made contributions to quantum theory.
Alene f English
Variant of Aline.
Angèle f French
French feminine form of Angelus (see Angel).
Ghislain m French
French form of Gislenus, a Latinized form of the Germanic name Gislin, derived from the element gisal meaning "hostage" or "pledge". This was the name of a 7th-century saint and hermit who built a chapel near Mons, Belgium.
Aurélia f Slovak, Hungarian, Portuguese, French
Slovak, Hungarian and Portuguese feminine form of Aurelius, as well as a French variant of Aurélie.
Margherita f Italian
Italian form of Margaret. This is also the Italian word for the daisy flower (species Bellis perennis, Leucanthemum vulgare and others).
Lorette f French
Variant of Laurette. This is also the usual French form of Loreto.
Merete f Danish, Norwegian
Medieval Danish variant of Margrethe.
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.
Carina 1 f English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from cara meaning "dear, beloved". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr. It is also the name of a constellation in the southern sky, though in this case it means "keel" in Latin, referring to a part of Jason's ship the Argo.
María Teresa f Spanish
Combination of María and Teresa.
Élise f French
French short form of Élisabeth.
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.
Katelijne f Flemish
Dutch form of Katherine, used especially in Flanders.
Laurentine f French (Rare)
French feminine form of Laurentinus.
Emery m & f English
Norman French form of Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.
Lucie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lucia.
Mentor m Greek Mythology
Possibly related to Greek μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force". In Greek legend Mentor was the son of Alkimos. When Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War he entrusted Mentor with the care of his palace and the guardianship of his son Telemachos. When the goddess Athena visited Telemachos she took the guise of Mentor.
Summer f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English sumor. It has been in use as a given name since the 1970s.
Sidonia f Late Roman, Georgian
Feminine form of Sidonius. This is the name of a legendary saint from Georgia. She and her father Abiathar were supposedly converted by Saint Nino from Judaism to Christianity.
Pascual m Spanish
Spanish form of Pascal.
Adrien m French
French form of Adrian.
Simon 1 m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, Romanian, Macedonian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From Σίμων (Simon), the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name שִׁמְעוֹן (Shimʿon) meaning "hearing, listening", derived from שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear, to listen". This name is spelled Simeon, based on Greek Συμεών, in many translations of the Old Testament, where it is borne by the second son of Jacob. The New Testament spelling may show influence from the otherwise unrelated Greek name Simon 2.... [more]
Annie f English, French, Dutch
Diminutive of Anne 1.
Valens m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen (see Valentine 1). This name was borne by a 4th-century Roman emperor.
Rosaline f English
Medieval variant of Rosalind. This is the name of characters in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (1594) and Romeo and Juliet (1596).
Mona 1 f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Muadhnait. It is also associated with Greek monos "one" and Leonardo da Vinci's painting the Mona Lisa (in which case it is a contraction of Italian ma donna meaning "my lady").
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.
Janae f English (Modern)
Elaborated form of Jane.
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.
Linwood m English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.
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]
Keila f Portuguese (Brazilian), English (Modern)
Variant of Kayla. It could also be inspired by the name of the town of Keilah from the Old Testament.
Junius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from the name of the Roman goddess Juno. It was borne by Lucius Junius Brutus, the founder of the Roman Republic in the 6th century BC. It was also borne by the 1st-century BC Roman politician Marcus Junius Brutus, commonly known as Brutus, who was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar.
Edgar m English, French, Portuguese, German
Derived from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and gar "spear". This was the name of a 10th-century English king, Edgar the Peaceful. The name did not survive long after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 18th century, in part due to a character by this name in Walter Scott's novel The Bride of Lammermoor (1819), which tells of the tragic love between Edgar Ravenswood and Lucy Ashton. Famous bearers include author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), French impressionist painter Edgar Degas (1834-1917), and author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950).
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]
Jéssica f Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Jessica.
Jonáš m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Jonah.
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.
Laure f French
French form of Laura.
Anabel f Spanish
Spanish form of Annabel, also commonly used as a contraction of Ana Isabel.
Jayesh m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "lord of victory" from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory, conquest" and ईश (īśa) meaning "lord, ruler".
Peninnah f Biblical
Means "pearl, coral, precious stone" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the wives of Elkanah, the other being Hannah.
Safira f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Sapphira. It coincides with the Portuguese word for "sapphire".
Fabienne f French
French feminine form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Samuel m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemuʾel) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of "God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.... [more]
Ostap m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eustathius.
Cosmas m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κοσμᾶς (Kosmas), which was derived from κόσμος (kosmos) meaning "order, world, universe". Saint Cosmas was martyred with his twin brother Damian in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians.
Lois 1 f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly derived from Greek λωίων (loion) meaning "more desirable" or "better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of Eunice and the grandmother of Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.