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
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.
Indrani f Hinduism, Bengali, Hindi
Means "wife of Indra" in Sanskrit. This is a Vedic Hindu goddess who is the wife of Indra. She is associated with beauty and jealousy.
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.
Anthelme m French (Rare)
French form of Anthelm.
Mélissa f French
French form of Melissa.
Livie f French (Rare), Czech (Rare)
French and Czech feminine form of Livius.
Echo f Greek Mythology
From the Greek word ἠχώ (echo) meaning "echo, reflected sound", related to ἠχή (eche) meaning "sound". In Greek mythology Echo was a nymph given a speech impediment by Hera, so that she could only repeat what others said. She fell in love with Narcissus, but her love was not returned, and she pined away until nothing remained of her except her voice.
Arete f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "virtue" in Greek. In Greek mythology Arete was the personification of virtue and excellence.
Sylvan m English
Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".
Inês f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Agnes.
Helen f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.... [more]
Margalit f Hebrew
Means "pearl" in Hebrew, ultimately from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites).
Aster f & m English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived via Latin from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star".
Catrina f Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Caitrìona.
Eustacia f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Eustace.
Eline f Norwegian, Dutch, Danish
Norwegian and Dutch variant form of Helen. This is the name of the title character in the novel Eline Vere (1889) by the Dutch writer Louis Couperus.
Raine f & m English (Rare)
From a surname derived from the Old French nickname reine meaning "queen". A famous bearer was the British socialite Raine Spencer (1929-2016), the stepmother of Princess Diana. In modern times it is also considered a variant of Rain 1.
Calixte m French
French form of Calixtus.
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.
Laia f Catalan
Catalan diminutive of Eulalia.
Yelyzaveta f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Elizabeth.
Èlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Aelia.
Catina f Romanian (Rare)
Contracted form of Cătălina.
Chryseis f Greek Mythology
Patronymic derived from Chryses. In Greek legend she was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo. After she was taken prisoner by the Greeks besieging Troy, Apollo sent a plague into their camp, forcing the Greeks to release her.
Liisi f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Elisabet or Eliisabet.
Lilya f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Лилия or Ukrainian Лілія (see Liliya).
Aliona f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алёна or Ukrainian Альона (see Alyona).
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).
Lucyna f Polish
Polish form of Lucina.
Claretta f Italian
Diminutive of Clara.
Philippe m French
French form of Philip.
François m French
French form of Franciscus (see Francis). François Villon (1431-1463) was a French lyric poet. This was also the name of two kings of France.
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.
Stacey f & m English
Variant of Stacy.
Silvanus m Roman Mythology, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Roman cognomen meaning "of the woods", derived from Latin silva meaning "wood, forest". Silvanus was the Roman god of forests. This name appears in the New Testament belonging to one of Saint Paul's companions, also called Silas.
Mercia f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Mercy. This was also the name of an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom, though it has a different origin.
Cyril m English, French, Czech, Slovak
From the Greek name Κύριλλος (Kyrillos), which was derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord", a word used frequently in the Greek Bible to refer to God or Jesus.... [more]
Flavian m History (Ecclesiastical)
From the Roman family name Flavianus, which was derived from Flavius. This was the name of several early saints including a 5th-century patriarch of Constantinople who was beaten to death.
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]
Silva f Bulgarian, Slovene
Short form of Silviya or Silvija.
Hans m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
German short form of Johannes, now used independently. This name has been very common in German-speaking areas of Europe since the late Middle Ages. From an early period it was transmitted to the Low Countries and Scandinavia. Two famous bearers were Hans Holbein (1497-1543), a German portrait painter, and Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), a Danish writer of fairy tales.
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.
Signý f Old Norse, Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Old Norse name that was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and nýr "new". In Norse legend she was the twin sister of Sigmund and the wife of Siggeir.
Avi m Hebrew
Means "my father" in Hebrew. It is also a diminutive of Avraham or Aviram.
Donella f Scottish
Feminine form of Donald.
Geraldine f English
Feminine form of Gerald. This name was created by the poet Henry Howard for use in a 1537 sonnet praising Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald, whom he terms The Geraldine.
Odetta f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Odette.
Anastasiya f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Anastasia. This name was borne by the wife of the Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible.
Reine f French
Means "queen" in French, ultimately from Latin regina.
Elwyn m English
Variant of Alvin.
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.
Aurelian m Romanian, History
Romanian form of Aurelianus, as well as the usual English form when referring to the Roman emperor.
Anastas m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Anastasius.
Laney f English
Diminutive of Elaine.
Taisiya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Thaïs (referring to the saint).
Philipp m German
German form of Philip.
Shona f Scottish
Anglicized form of Seonag or Seònaid. Though unconnected, this is also the name of an ethnic group who live in the south of Africa, mainly Zimbabwe.
Julyan m English (Rare)
Medieval variant of Julian.
Maria f & m Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.... [more]
Katinka f German, Hungarian, Dutch
German diminutive of Katharina, a Hungarian diminutive of Katalin and a Dutch diminutive of Catharina.
Katarin f Breton
Breton form of Katherine.
Felinus m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "cat-like". This was the name of a possibly legendary saint who was martyred with Gratian in the 3rd century.
Liv 1 f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Derived from the Old Norse name Hlíf meaning "protection". Its use has been influenced by the modern Scandinavian word liv meaning "life".
Zéphyrine f French (Rare)
French feminine form of Zephyrinus (see Zeferino).
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).
Cyrilla f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Cyril.
Perle f French, Yiddish
French and Yiddish cognate of Pearl. It is also used as a Yiddish vernacular form of Margalit.
Rosalyn f English
Variant of Rosaline. It can also be considered an elaboration of Rose with the common name suffix lyn.
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-).
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.
Julianne f English
Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian). It can also be considered a combination of Julie and Anne 1.
Célia f Portuguese, French
Portuguese and French form of Celia.
Nicole f French, English, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Nicholas, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).
Linden m & f English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".
Margriet f Dutch
Dutch form of Margaret. This is also the Dutch word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
Gracia f Spanish
Means "grace" in Spanish, making it a cognate of Grace.
Narges f Persian
Means "daffodil, narcissus" in Persian, ultimately derived from Greek (see Narcissus).
Lara 1 f Russian, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian
Russian short form of Larisa. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965). Between 1965 and 1969 it increased by almost 2,000 percent in the United States, however it is currently much more popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany. Another famous fictional bearer is Lara Croft, first appearing in video games in 1996 and movies in 2001.
Constanze f German
German form of Constantia.
Adeline f French, English
French and English form of Adelina.
Sébastienne f French
French feminine form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Isabeau f Medieval French, French (Rare), Dutch (Modern)
Medieval French variant of Isabel. A famous bearer of this name was Isabeau of Bavaria (1385-1422), wife of the French king Charles VI.
Yevhen m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eugene.
Carolina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Swedish
Latinate feminine form of Carolus. This is the name of two American states: North and South Carolina. They were named for Charles I, king of England.
Margareta f German, Swedish, Romanian, Slovene, Finnish, Croatian
Form of Margaret in several languages.
Minnie f English
Diminutive of Wilhelmina. This name was used by Walt Disney for the cartoon character Minnie Mouse, introduced 1928.
Candice f English
Variant of Candace.
Zipporah f Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name צִפּוֹרָה (Tsippora), derived from צִפּוֹר (tsippor) meaning "bird". In the Old Testament this is the name of the Midianite wife of Moses. She was the daughter of the priest Jethro.
Fidan f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "sapling" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Jeremi m Polish
Polish form of Jeremiah.
Euthymia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Euthymius.
Stelios m Greek
Variant of Stylianos.
Sarah f English, French, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שָׂרָה (Sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament this is the name of Abraham's wife, considered the matriarch of the Jewish people. She was barren until she unexpectedly became pregnant with Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally Sarai, but God changed it at the same time Abraham's name was changed (see Genesis 17:15).... [more]
Octavian m History, Romanian
From the Roman name Octavianus, which was derived from the name Octavius. After Gaius Octavius (later the Roman emperor Augustus) was adopted by Julius Caesar he took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus.
Riya f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Means "singer" in Sanskrit.
Ean m Manx
Manx form of John.
Winston m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Wynnstan. A famous bearer was Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the British prime minister during World War II. This name was also borne by the fictional Winston Smith, the protagonist in George Orwell's 1949 novel 1984.
Yvain m Arthurian Cycle
Form of Owain used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his Arthurian romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion.
Amy f English
English form of the Old French name Amée meaning "beloved" (modern French aimée), a vernacular form of the Latin Amata. As an English name, it was in use in the Middle Ages (though not common) and was revived in the 19th century.
Amada f Spanish
Feminine form of Amado.
Nathanaël m French
French form of Nathanael.
Vivian m & f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Latin name Vivianus, which was derived from Latin vivus "alive". Saint Vivian was a French bishop who provided protection during the Visigoth invasion of the 5th century. It has been occasionally used as an English (masculine) name since the Middle Ages. In modern times it is also used as a feminine name, in which case it is either an Anglicized form of Bébinn or a variant of Vivien 2.
Aris 2 m Dutch
Diminutive of Adriaan.
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.
Andreia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Andrew.
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.
Larissa f English, German, Portuguese (Brazilian), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Variant of Larisa. It has been commonly used as an English given name only since the 20th century, as a borrowing from Russian. In 1991 this name was given to one of the moons of Neptune, in honour of the mythological character.
Georgiana f English, Romanian
Feminine form of George. This form of the name has been in use in the English-speaking world since the 18th century.
María del Carmen f Spanish
Means "Mary of Mount Carmel" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary (see Carmen).
Perpetua f Spanish, Late Roman
Derived from Latin perpetuus meaning "continuous". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint martyred with another woman named Felicity.
Arina f Russian
Russian variant of Irina.
Alisa f Russian, Ukrainian, Bosnian, Finnish, Georgian
Form of Alice used in several languages.
Preston m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest town" (Old English preost and tun).
Adonis m Greek Mythology
From Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning "lord, master". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by Aphrodite, Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see Dumuzi).
Constantine 1 m History
From the Latin name Constantinus, a derivative of Constans. Constantine the Great (272-337), full name Flavius Valerius Constantinus, was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
Ian m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Iain, itself from Latin Iohannes (see John). It became popular in the United Kingdom outside of Scotland in the first half of the 20th century, but did not begin catching on in America until the 1960s.
Nerea f Basque, Spanish
Possibly from Basque nere, a dialectal variant of nire meaning "mine". Alternatively, it could be a feminine form of Nereus. This name arose in Basque-speaking regions of Spain in the first half of the 20th century, though it is now popular throughout the country.
Giuliano m Italian
Italian form of Iulianus (see Julian).
Delphina f Late Roman
Feminine form of the Latin name Delphinus, which meant "of Delphi". Delphi was a city in ancient Greece, the name of which is possibly related to Greek δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". The Blessed Delphina was a 14th-century Provençal nun.
Athina f Greek
Modern Greek form of Athena.
Mari 1 f Estonian, Finnish, Welsh, Breton, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Georgian, Armenian
Estonian, Finnish, Welsh and Breton form of Maria, as well as a Hungarian diminutive of Mária. It is also a Scandinavian, Georgian and Armenian form of the French name Marie.
Coralie f French
Either a French form of Koralia, or a derivative of Latin corallium "coral" (see Coral).
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.
Ada 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Finnish, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names such as Adelaide or Adelina that begin with the element adal meaning "noble". Saint Ada was a 7th-century Frankish abbess at Le Mans. This name was also borne by Augusta Ada King (1815-1852), the Countess of Lovelace (known as Ada Lovelace), a daughter of Lord Byron. She was an assistant to Charles Babbage, the inventor of an early mechanical computer.
Glendower m Welsh
Anglicized form of Glyndwr.
Anatolius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀνατόλιος (Anatolios), derived from ἀνατολή (anatole) meaning "sunrise". Saint Anatolius was a 3rd-century philosopher from Alexandria.
Lowell m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman French nickname, from lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).
Adelyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Adeline using the popular name suffix lyn.
Deepali f Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi दीपाली (see Dipali).
Cecílie f Czech
Czech form of Cecilia.
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.
Lolita f Spanish
Diminutive of Lola. This is the name of a 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov.
Eryk m Polish
Polish form of Eric.
Anežka f Czech
Czech form of Agnes.
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.
Florencia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Florentius (see Florence).
Cyrielle f French
French feminine form of Cyril.
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.
Tihana f Croatian, Serbian
Derived from the Slavic element tixŭ (Serbo-Croatian tih) meaning "quiet".
Crescens m Late Roman, Biblical Latin
Latin name that was derived from cresco "to grow". This name is mentioned briefly in one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament.
Johanna f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian, English, Late Roman
Latinate form of Greek Ioanna (see Joanna).
Gita 1 f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Nepali
From Sanskrit गीत (gīta) meaning "song". The word appears in the name of the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text of Hinduism (meaning "divine song").
Mirabelle f French (Rare), English (Rare)
Derived from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful". This name was coined during the Middle Ages, though it eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
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.
Synnöve f Swedish
Swedish form of Sunniva.
Michelina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Michele 1.
Europe f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Europa.
Heracles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Herakles. However, the spelling used by the Romans was Hercules.
Aquilina f Ancient Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of Aquilinus. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Byblos.
Geoffrey m English, French
From a Norman French form of a Frankish name. The second element is Old German fridu "peace", while the first element could be *gautaz "Geat" (a North Germanic tribe), gawi "territory" or walah "foreigner". It is possible that two or more names merged into a single form. In the later Middle Ages Geoffrey was further confused with the distinct name Godfrey.... [more]
Célestine f French
French feminine form of Caelestinus.
Júlia f Portuguese, Catalan, Hungarian, Slovak
Portuguese, Catalan, Hungarian and Slovak form of Julia.
Timaeus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latinized form of the Greek name Τίμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". This is the name of one of Plato's dialogues, featuring Timaeus and Socrates. Timaeus is also the name of a person mentioned briefly in the New Testament (Mark 10:46).
Francis m & f English, French
English form of the Late Latin name Franciscus meaning "Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *frankô). This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.... [more]
Palle m Danish
Danish diminutive of Paul.
Vita 2 f Ukrainian, Belarusian
Ukrainian and Belarusian short form of Viktoriya.
Mæja f Icelandic
Icelandic diminutive of María.
Albanus m Ancient Roman
Latin form of Alban.
Seraphina f English (Rare), German (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Seraphinus, derived from the biblical word seraphim, which was Hebrew in origin and meant "fiery ones". The seraphim were an order of angels, described by Isaiah in the Bible as having six wings each.... [more]
Estrella f Spanish
Spanish form of Stella 1, coinciding with the Spanish word meaning "star".
Alberto m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Albert.
Chayyim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).
Katida f Esperanto
From Esperanto katido meaning "kitten", ultimately from Latin cattus.
Sebastiano m Italian
Italian form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Lidija f Latvian, Lithuanian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Form of Lydia in several languages.
Kalpana f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Means "imagining, fantasy" in Sanskrit.
Valère m French
French form of Valerius.
Mirthe f Dutch
Variant of Myrthe.
Olesya f Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian diminutive of Oleksandra. This was the name of an 1898 novel by the Russian author Aleksandr Kuprin.
Avila f Germanic
Derived from the Old German element awi, of unknown meaning. Rarely, this name may be given in honour of the 16th-century mystic Saint Teresa of Ávila, Ávila being the name of the town in Spain where she was born.
Niloufar f Persian
Means "water lily" in Persian.
Claudio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Claudius.
Miša m & f Serbian, Slovene
Serbian diminutive of Mihailo, Miroslav and other names beginning with a similar sound. In Slovenia it is typically feminine.
Alicja f Polish
Polish form of Alice.
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.
Viola f English, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Means "violet" in Latin. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night (1602). In the play she is the survivor of a shipwreck who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Working as a messenger for Duke Orsino, she attempts to convince Olivia to marry him. Instead Viola falls in love with the duke.
Sabien f Dutch (Modern)
Dutch form of Sabina.
Livia 1 f Italian, Romanian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Livius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Augustus, Livia Drusilla.
Irina f Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Romanian, Georgian, Finnish, Estonian
Form of Irene in several languages.
Carmella f English
Latinized form of Carmel.
Alberte 2 f French, Danish
French and Danish feminine form of Albert.
Milian m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian short form of Maximilian.
Nousha f Persian (Rare)
Means "sweet, pleasant" in Persian.
Mariella f Italian
Italian diminutive of Maria.
Julien m French
French form of Iulianus (see Julian).
Laurena f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Lauren.
Fioralba f Italian (Rare)
Combination of Italian fiore "flower" (Latin flos) and alba "dawn".
Laurette f French
French diminutive of Laura.
Jacinthe f French (Rare)
French cognate of Hyacinth 2.
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]
Amala f Tamil, Malayalam
Derived from Sanskrit अमल (amala) meaning "clean, pure".
Thaleia f Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Thalia.
Laboni f Bengali
Means "saline, salted, tasteful, graceful", derived from Sanskrit लवण (lavaṇa) meaning "salt".
Míša f Czech
Diminutive of Michaela.
Pio m Italian, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian and Portuguese form of Pius.
Massimiliano m Italian
Italian form of Maximilian.
Honoré m French
French form of Honoratus or Honorius. A notable bearer was the French author Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850).
Floretta f English
Latinate diminutive of Flora.
Katelijne f Flemish
Dutch form of Katherine, used especially in Flanders.
Valya f & m Russian, Bulgarian
Diminutive of Valentina or Valentin.
Imanol m Basque
Basque form of Emmanuel.
Sence f Medieval Spanish
Old variant of Sancha.
Rosa María f Spanish
Combination of Rosa 1 and María.
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]
Mykhailo m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Michael.
Sunday m & f English
From the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English sunnandæg, which was composed of the elements sunne "sun" and dæg "day". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
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.
Narendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu
Means "lord of men" from Sanskrit नर (nara) meaning "man" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord".
Hilde f German, Dutch, Norwegian
German, Dutch and Norwegian variant of Hilda.
Mariëtte f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Maria.
Elior m Hebrew
Means "my God is my light" in Hebrew.
Ksenia f Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Polish form of Xenia, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Ксения or Ukrainian/Belarusian Ксенія (see Kseniya).
Maura 2 f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Máire. It has also been associated with Irish mór meaning "great". This was the name of an obscure 5th-century Irish martyr.
Marinus m Ancient Roman, Dutch
From the Roman family name Marinus, which derives either from the name Marius or from the Latin word marinus "of the sea". Saint Marinus was a 4th-century stonemason who built a chapel on Monte Titano, in the country that is today known as San Marino.
Casandra f Spanish, Romanian
Spanish and Romanian form of Cassandra.
Leia f Biblical Greek, Portuguese, Popular Culture
Form of Leah used in the Greek Old Testament, as well as a Portuguese form. This is the name of a princess in the Star Wars movies by George Lucas, who probably based it on Leah.
Cezara f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of Caesar.
Camillo m Italian
Italian form of Camillus.
Roald m Norwegian
Modern form of the Old Norse name Hróðvaldr or Hróaldr, composed of the elements hróðr "praise, fame" and valdr "ruler". This name was borne by the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) and the British children's author Roald Dahl (1916-1990), who was born to Norwegian parents.
Aurora f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Romanian, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Roman Mythology
Means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning. It has occasionally been used as a given name since the Renaissance.
Ane 1 f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian variant of Anne 1.
Gisela f German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese
German, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese form of Giselle.
Kathrin f German
German short form of Katharina.
Lidia f Polish, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Georgian, Old Church Slavic
Polish, Italian, Spanish and Georgian form of Lydia.
Ambrosia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Ambrosios (see Ambrose).
Nicolás m Spanish
Spanish form of Nicholas.
Mere f Maori, Fijian
Maori and Fijian form of Mary.
Tillie f English
Diminutive of Matilda.
Minoo f Persian
Means "heaven, paradise" in Persian.
Fenella f Scottish
Form of Fionnuala used by Walter Scott for a character in his novel Peveril of the Peak (1823).
Romaine f French, English
French feminine form of Romanus (see Roman).
Eytan m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew אֵיתָן (see Eitan).
'Efrayim m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Ephraim.
Angèle f French
French feminine form of Angelus (see Angel).
Alexandria f English
Feminine form of Alexander. Alexander the Great founded several cities by this name (or renamed them) as he extended his empire eastward. The most notable of these is Alexandria in Egypt, founded by Alexander in 331 BC.
Clotilda f English (Rare)
English form of Clotilde.
Vinay m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit विनय (vinaya) meaning "leading, guidance, modesty".
Clarette f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Clara.
Kezia f Biblical
Variant of Keziah.
Sanjana f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit सञजन (sañjana) meaning "uniting, joining".
Laura f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, French, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Lithuanian, Latvian, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Laurus, which meant "laurel". This meaning was favourable, since in ancient Rome the leaves of laurel trees were used to create victors' garlands. The name was borne by the 9th-century Spanish martyr Saint Laura, who was a nun thrown into a vat of molten lead by the Moors. It was also the name of the subject of poems by the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch.... [more]
Archana f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit अर्चन (arcana) meaning "honouring, praising". This is the name of a Hindu ritual.
Honorius m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "honour, esteem, dignity". This was the name of an emperor of the Western Roman Empire. It was also borne by a few early saints and four popes.
Marsaili f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Marcella, now also associated with Marjorie.
Andrew m English, Biblical
English form of the Greek name Ἀνδρέας (Andreas), which was derived from ἀνδρεῖος (andreios) meaning "manly, masculine", a derivative of ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". In the New Testament the apostle Andrew, the first disciple to join Jesus, is the brother of Simon Peter. According to tradition, he later preached in the Black Sea region, with some legends saying he was crucified on an X-shaped cross. Andrew, being a Greek name, was probably only a nickname or a translation of his real Hebrew name, which is not known.... [more]
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.
Marigold f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of Mary and the English word gold.
Leocadia f Spanish, Late Roman
Late Latin name that might be derived from the name of the Greek island of Leucadia or from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, clear, white" (which is also the root of the island's name). Saint Leocadia was a 3rd-century martyr from Spain.
Kishore m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi किशोर, Tamil கிஷோர் or Telugu కిశోర్ (see Kishor).
Annalena f German
Combination of Anna and Lena.
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".
Adah f Biblical
Means "adornment, ornament" in Hebrew. This is the name of the wives of both Lamech and Esau in the Old Testament.
Adelle f English
Variant of Adele.
Mélodie f French
French cognate of Melody.
Lera f Russian, Ukrainian
Short form of Valeriya.
Olle m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Olaf or Oliver.
Isabella f Italian, German, English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Romanian
Latinate form of Isabel. This name was borne by many medieval royals, including queens consort of England, France, Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire and Hungary, as well as the powerful ruling queen Isabella of Castile (properly called Isabel).... [more]
Elspeth f Scottish
Scottish form of Elizabeth.
Laurie f & m English, French
Diminutive of Laura or Laurence 1.
Alene f English
Variant of Aline.
Ilina f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Feminine form of Iliya.
Loviise f Estonian
Estonian feminine form of Louis.
Loviisa f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Louis.
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).
Céline f French
French feminine form of Caelinus. This name can also function as a short form of Marceline.
Valerius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Latin valeo "to be strong". This was the name of several early saints.
Maeve f Irish, English, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of the Irish name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband Ailill fought against the Ulster king Conchobar and the hero Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.
Mateus m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Matthew.