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
Edana f History (Ecclesiastical)
Latinized form of Étaín. This was the name of an early Irish saint.
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.
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.
Édouard m French
French form of Edward.
Michel m French, German, Dutch
French form of Michael. Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), also known as Nostradamus, was a French astrologer who made predictions about future world events. Another famous bearer is the retired French soccer player Michel Platini (1955-). This is also the German diminutive form of Michael.
Roberts m Latvian
Latvian form of Robert.
Annabel f English, Dutch
Variant of Amabel, with the spelling altered as if it were a combination of Anna and French belle "beautiful". This name appears to have arisen in Scotland in the Middle Ages.
Henryk m Polish
Polish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Devika f Hindi
Means "little goddess" from Sanskrit देवी (devī) meaning "goddess" and (ka) meaning "little".
Pierrette f French
Feminine diminutive of Pierre.
Katia f Italian, French, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Italian and French form of Katya, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name.
Caterina f Italian, Catalan
Italian and Catalan form of Katherine.
Phoebe f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.... [more]
Carol 1 f & m English
Short form of Caroline. It was formerly a masculine name, derived from Carolus. The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means "song" or "hymn".
Albertus m Germanic (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of Albert. This is the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but commonly rendered Albert in daily life.
Catrine f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian contracted form of Katherine.
Persis f Biblical, Biblical Greek
Greek name meaning "Persian woman". This is the name of a woman mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament.
Benjamine f French
French feminine form of Benjamin.
Suresha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of the gods" from Sanskrit सुर (sura) meaning "god" and ईश (īśa) meaning "ruler, lord". This is another name of the Hindu gods Indra, Shiva or Vishnu.
Ignacy m Polish
Polish form of Ignatius.
Laurentius m Ancient Roman, Dutch
Latin form of Laurence 1. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Laurens is typically used in daily life.
Marie f & m French, Czech, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Albanian
French and Czech form of Maria. It has been very common in France since the 13th century. At the opening of the 20th century it was given to approximately 20 percent of French girls. This percentage has declined steadily over the course of the century, and it dropped from the top rank in 1958.... [more]
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.
Kasi f Telugu, Tamil
Southern Indian form of Kashi.
Vilde 1 f Norwegian
Short form of Alvilde.
Světlana f Czech
Czech form of Svetlana.
Émilienne f French
French feminine form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Bertalan m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Bartholomew.
Clarinda f English
Combination of Clara and the popular name suffix inda. It was first used by Edmund Spenser in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
Halyna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Galina.
Emanuele m Italian
Italian form of Emmanuel.
Sarika f Hindi, Marathi
From a Sanskrit word referring to a type of thrush (species Turdus salica) or myna bird (species Gracula religiosa).
Elfriede f German
German form of Elfreda.
Aldebrand m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements alt meaning "old" and brant meaning "fire, torch, sword". Saint Aldebrand was a 12th-century bishop of Fossombrone in Italy.
Verity f English
From the English word meaning "verity, truth", from Latin verus "true, real". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Behnam m Persian
Means "reputable" in Persian, from به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and نام (nām) meaning "name".
Senta f German
Diminutive of Kreszentia.
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.
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.
Mahavir m Hindi
Modern form of Mahavira.
Lydie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lydia.
Ina f German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, English, Slovene, Latvian
Short form of names ending with or otherwise containing ina, such as Martina, Christina and Carolina.
Corrine f English
Variant of Corinne.
Lorita f Italian (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Loreto.
Sophia f English, Greek, German, Ancient Greek
Means "wisdom" in Greek. This was the name of an early, probably mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Legends about her probably arose as a result of a medieval misunderstanding of the phrase Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom", which is the name of a large basilica in Constantinople.... [more]
Gerasim m Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Gerasimos.
Asterion m Greek Mythology
Means "of the stars", derived from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) "star". This is the name of several figures in Greek mythology, including a river god.
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.
Levana 1 f & m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Lebanah. In modern Hebrew it is typically a feminine name.
Marielle f French
French diminutive of Marie.
Miren f Basque
Basque form of Maria.
Virgil m English, Romanian
From the Roman family name Vergilius, which is of unknown meaning. This name was borne by the 1st-century BC Roman poet Publius Vergilius Maro, commonly called Virgil, who was the writer of the Aeneid. Due to him, Virgil has been in use as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
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]
Caerwyn m Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements caer "fortress" and gwyn "white, blessed".
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.
Ione f Greek Mythology, English
From Ancient Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.
Peronel f English (Archaic)
Contracted form of Petronel.
Léopoldine f French
French feminine form of Leopold.
Annora f English (Rare)
Medieval English variant of Honora.
Eilís f Irish
Irish Gaelic form of Elizabeth (or sometimes of Alice).
Thelonius m Various (Rare)
Latinized form of Tielo (see Till). A famous bearer was jazz musician Thelonious Monk (1917-1982).
Lilith f Semitic Mythology, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Derived from Akkadian lilitu meaning "of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.
Alissa f English
Variant of Alyssa.
Suzette f French
French diminutive of Suzanne.
Elizabeta f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Elizabeth.
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.
Mateus m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Matthew.
Lilija f Lithuanian, Latvian
Lithuanian and Latvian cognate of Lily.
Clement m English
English form of the Late Latin name Clemens (or sometimes of its derivative Clementius), which meant "merciful, gentle". This was the name of 14 popes, including Saint Clement I, the third pope, one of the Apostolic Fathers. Another saint by this name was Clement of Alexandria, a 3rd-century theologian and church father who attempted to reconcile Christian and Platonic philosophies. It has been in general as a given name in Christian Europe (in various spellings) since early times. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Eunomia f Greek Mythology
Means "good order" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νόμος (nomos) meaning "law, custom". Eunomia was a Greek goddess, one of the Ὥραι (Horai), presiding over law.
Lilibet f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Lucy f English
English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.
Prudentia f Late Roman
Feminine form of Prudentius.
Synnøve f Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Sunniva.
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).
Aoide f Greek Mythology
Means "song" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of song.
Reyna f Spanish
Variant of Reina 1.
Manca f Slovene
Slovene diminutive of Marija.
Sariah f Mormon
Possibly from an alternate reading of Hebrew שׂריה (see Seraiah). In the Book of Mormon this is the name of Lehi's wife.
Guillaume m French
French form of William.
Nadine f French, German, English, Dutch
French diminutive of Nadia 1.
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.
Lawson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Laurence 1".
Jessica f English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
This name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name Iscah, which would have been spelled Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the United States in 1987, and was the top ranked name for girls between 1985 and 1995, excepting 1991 and 1992 (when it was unseated by Ashley). Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).
Piia f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Pia.
Zaharina f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian feminine form of Zechariah.
Loreto f & m Spanish, Italian
From the name of a town in Italy, originally called Lauretum in Latin, meaning "laurel grove". Supposedly in the 13th century the house of the Virgin Mary was miraculously carried by angels from Nazareth to the town. In Spain it is a feminine name, from the Marian title Nuestra Señora de Loreto, while in Italy it is mostly masculine.
Kae f English (Rare)
Variant of Kay 1.
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.
Alberte 2 f French, Danish
French and Danish feminine form of Albert.
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.
Pandora f Greek Mythology
Means "all gifts", derived from a combination of Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". In Greek mythology Pandora was the first mortal woman. Zeus gave her a jar containing all of the troubles and ills that mankind now knows, and told her not to open it. Unfortunately her curiosity got the best of her and she opened it, unleashing the evil spirits into the world.
Lorena 1 f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian form of Lorraine.
Laelius m Ancient Roman
Masculine form of Laelia.
Lal m Hindi, Nepali
Means "boy" in Hindi, derived from Sanskrit लल (lala) meaning "playing, caressing".
Nóra f Hungarian, Irish
Hungarian and Irish Gaelic form of Nora 1.
Maša f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Masha.
Mélisande f French (Rare)
French form of Millicent used by Maurice Maeterlinck in his play Pelléas et Mélisande (1893). The play was later adapted by Claude Debussy into an opera (1902).
Nevena f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian
Derived from South Slavic neven meaning "marigold".
Radomila f Czech (Rare)
Feminine form of Radomil.
Estee f Jewish
Diminutive of Esther. A famous bearer was the American businesswoman Estée Lauder (1908-2004), founder of the cosmetics company that bears her name. Her birth name was Josephine Esther Mentzer. Apparently she added the accent to her name Estee in order to make it appear French.
Luis Ángel m Spanish
Combination of Luis and Ángel.
Maël m French, Breton
French form of Breton Mael meaning "prince, chieftain, lord". Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.
Kimberly f English
From the name of the city of Kimberley in South Africa, which was named after Lord Kimberley (1826-1902). The city came to prominence in the late 19th century during the Boer War. Kimberly has been used as a given name since the mid-20th century, eventually becoming very popular as a feminine name.
Cintia f Spanish, Hungarian
Spanish and Hungarian form of Cynthia.
Uliana f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Ульяна or Ukrainian Уляна (see Ulyana).
Talya f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew טַלְיָה or טַלְיָא (see Talia 1).
Aliona f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алёна or Ukrainian Альона (see Alyona).
Amancio m Spanish
Spanish form of Amantius.
Odilia f Germanic (Latinized)
Derived from the Old German element uodil meaning "heritage" or ot meaning "wealth, fortune". Saint Odilia (or Odila) was an 8th-century nun who is considered the patron saint of Alsace. She was apparently born blind but gained sight when she was baptized.
Ghislaine f French
Feminine form of Ghislain.
Mathieu m French
French variant form of Matthew.
Lothaire m French
French form of Lothar.
Matthieu m French
Variant of Mathieu.
Paula f German, English, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Croatian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Paulus (see Paul). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman saint who was a companion of Saint Jerome.
Saint m English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately from Latin sanctus "holy, saintly".
Rosana f Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Roxana.
Ellery m & f English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the medieval masculine name Hilary.
Eadwine m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Edwin.
Nahid f Persian Mythology, Persian, Bengali
Modern Persian form of Anahita. This is also the Persian name for the planet Venus.
Gladwin m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Glædwine.
Arabella f English
Medieval Scottish name, probably a variant of Annabel. It has long been associated with Latin orabilis meaning "invokable, yielding to prayer", and the name was often recorded in forms resembling this.... [more]
Élise f French
French short form of Élisabeth.
Emelie f Swedish
Swedish feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Galileo m Italian (Rare)
Medieval Italian name derived from Latin galilaeus meaning "Galilean, from Galilee". Galilee is a region in northern Israel, mentioned in the New Testament as the site of several of Jesus's miracles. It is derived from the Hebrew root גָּלִיל (galil) meaning "district, roll".... [more]
Eliseo m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Elisha.
Fabienne f French
French feminine form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Gavriil m Greek, Russian
Greek and Russian form of Gabriel.
Danail m Bulgarian
Bulgarian variant form of Daniel.
Lenka f Czech, Slovak
Originally a diminutive of Magdaléna or Helena. It is now used as an independent name.
Marion 1 f French, English, German, Dutch
Medieval French diminutive of Marie.
Josefa f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Joseph.
Doroteja f Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Slovene, Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Dorothea.
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.
Beatriu f Catalan
Catalan form of Beatrix.
Minna f German (Archaic), Finnish, Swedish
Means "love" in Old German, specifically medieval courtly love. It is also used as a short form of Wilhelmina. This is the name of the title character in the play Minna von Barnhelm (1767) by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.
Grenville m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Granville.
Juliet f English
Anglicized form of Giulietta or Juliette. This spelling was used for the ill-fated lover of Romeo in the play Romeo and Juliet (1596) by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare based his story on earlier Italian tales such as Giulietta e Romeo (1524) by Luigi Da Porto.
Lauretta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Laura. This is the name of one of the narrators in Boccaccio's book The Decameron (1350).
Vitaliy m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Pauline f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Paulinus (see Paulino).
Muireall f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Muirgel.
Channary f Khmer
Means "moon-faced girl" from Khmer ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".
Marlyn f & m English
Variant of Marilyn (feminine) or Marlin (masculine).
Elias m Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Dutch, Greek, Amharic, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament, as well as some English translations.
Damhán m Irish
From Old Irish Damán meaning "calf, fawn", derived from dam "ox, deer" and a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an early Irish saint, a brother of Saint Abbán.
Ofelia f Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Ophelia.
Isolda f Arthurian Cycle
Latinate form of Iseult.
Sylviane f French
Variant of Sylvaine.
Delia 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Greek Mythology
Means "of Delos" in Greek. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Artemis, given because she and her twin brother Apollo were born on the island of Delos. The name appeared in several poems of the 16th and 17th centuries, and it has occasionally been used as a given name since that time.
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-).
Chandana f & m Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Bengali, Sinhalese
Feminine form of Chandan, as well as the Sinhala masculine form.
Flor f Spanish, Portuguese
Either directly from Spanish or Portuguese flor meaning "flower", or a short form of Florencia.
Rianne f Dutch
Combination of Ria and Anne 1. It can also be a short form of names ending in rianne.
Roselyn f English
Variant of Rosalyn.
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.
Wilson m English, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese
From an English surname meaning "son of William". The surname was borne by Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), the American president during World War I.
Rozália f Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak form of Rosalia.
Freda f English
Short form of names ending in freda or fred, such as Winifred or Alfreda.
Ĉiela f Esperanto
Means "heavenly, from the sky" in Esperanto, from ĉielo "sky", ultimately derived from Latin caelum.
Liwia f Polish
Polish form of Livia 1.
Sidony f English (Archaic)
Feminine form of Sidonius. This name was in use in the Middle Ages, when it became associated with the word sindon (of Greek origin) meaning "linen", a reference to the Shroud of Turin.
Nicola 1 m Italian
Italian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the 13th-century sculptor Nicola Pisano.
Evette f English
Variant of Yvette.
Iulia f Romanian, Ancient Roman
Latin and Romanian form of Julia.
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.
Rubina f Portuguese, Italian (Rare)
Derived from Portuguese rubi or Italian rubino meaning "ruby", ultimately from Latin ruber "red".
Roseanne f English
Variant of Rosanne.
Alise 1 f Latvian
Latvian form of Alice.
Violette f French
French form of Violet.
Glenys f Welsh
Probably an elaboration of the Welsh word glân "pure, clean, holy" or glyn "valley". This name was created in the late 19th century.
Eirene f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Irene.
Osanne f French (Rare)
French form of Osanna.
Aldara f Galician
Galician form of the Visigothic name *Hildiwara, which was composed of the Gothic elements hilds "battle" and wars "aware, cautious". This was the name of the 7th-century wife of the Visigothic king Gundemar. It was also borne by the mother of Saint Rosendo (10th century).
Timothée m French
French form of Timothy.
Eleanora f English
Latinate form of Eleanor.
Thérèse f French
French form of Theresa. It was borne by the French nun Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), who is regarded as a Doctor of the Church.
Étienne m French
French form of Stephen.
Helena f German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Felicitas f Late Roman, Roman Mythology, German, Spanish
Latin name meaning "good luck, fortune". In Roman mythology the goddess Felicitas was the personification of good luck. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a slave martyred with her master Perpetua in Carthage.
Gratiana f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Gratianus (see Gratian).
Viera f Slovak, Belarusian
Slovak form of Vera 1, as well as an alternate transcription of Belarusian Вера (see Vera 1).
Eli 1 m English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
Means "ascension" in Hebrew, a derivative of עָלָה (ʿala) meaning "to ascend". In the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament he is a high priest of the Israelites. He took the young Samuel into his service and gave him guidance when God spoke to him. Because of the misdeeds of his sons, Eli and his descendants were cursed to die before reaching old age.... [more]
Azaziah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is strong" in Hebrew, from עָזַז (ʿazaz) meaning "to be strong" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.
Natalina f Italian, Portuguese
Diminutive of Natalia (Italian) or Natália (Portuguese).
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.
Kishore m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi किशोर, Tamil கிஷோர் or Telugu కిశోర్ (see Kishor).
Nalini f Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi
From Sanskrit नलिनी (nalinī) meaning "lotus".
Solon m Ancient Greek
Possibly from Greek σόλος (solos) meaning "lump of iron". This was the name of an Athenian statesman who reformed the laws and government of the city.
Jacinthe f French (Rare)
French cognate of Hyacinth 2.
Lavrenti m Russian, Georgian
Alternate transcription of Russian Лаврентий (see Lavrentiy), as well as the Georgian form.
Josephina f English (Rare)
Latinate variant of Joséphine.
Helene f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Helen, as well as the modern Scandinavian and German form.
Juliette f French
French diminutive of Julie.
Karolína f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak feminine form of Carolus.
Gwendolen f Welsh
Possibly means "white ring", derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" and dolen meaning "ring, loop". This name appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century chronicles, written in the Latin form Guendoloena, where it belongs to an ancient queen of the Britons who defeats her ex-husband in battle. Geoffrey later used it in Vita Merlini for the wife of the prophet Merlin. An alternate theory claims that the name arose from a misreading of the masculine name Guendoleu by Geoffrey.... [more]
Davinia f English (Rare), Spanish (Modern)
Probably an elaboration of Davina. About 1980 this name jumped in popularity in Spain, possibly due to the main character on the British television series The Foundation (1977-1979), which was broadcast in Spain as La Fundación.
Pénélope f French
French form of Penelope.
Reima m Finnish
Finnish form of Raymond.
Elva 2 f Danish, Icelandic
Feminine form of Alf 1.
Malina 2 f Bulgarian, Serbian, Polish
Means "raspberry" in several Slavic languages.
Isidora f Spanish, Serbian, Portuguese (Rare), Italian (Rare), English (Rare), Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Isidore. This was the name of a 4th-century Egyptian saint and hermitess.
Lucero f & m Spanish (Mexican), Spanish (Latin American)
Means "light source, bright star, morning star" in Spanish, a derivative of luz "light". It is most common in Mexico and Colombia.
Godiva f Anglo-Saxon (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Old English name Godgifu meaning "gift of god", from the elements god and giefu "gift". Lady Godiva was an 11th-century English noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry to protest the high taxes imposed by her husband upon the townspeople.
Sibilla f Italian
Italian form of Sibylla.
Nikhila f Telugu, Hindi
Feminine form of Nikhil.
Esteri f Finnish
Finnish form of Esther.
Astraea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἀστραία (Astraia), derived from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star". Astraea was a Greek goddess of justice and innocence. After wickedness took root in the world she left the earth and became the constellation Virgo.
Lisa f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian
Short form of Elizabeth (though often used independently) and its cognates in other languages. This is the name of the subject of one of the world's most famous paintings, the Mona Lisa, the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo by Leonardo da Vinci.... [more]
Murielle f French
French variant of Muriel.
Yelena f Russian
Russian form of Helen.
Montgomery m English
From an English surname meaning "Gumarich's mountain" in Norman French. A notable bearer of this surname was Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976), a British army commander during World War II.
Lionel m French, English, Arthurian Cycle
French diminutive of Léon. It appears in Arthurian legend in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle, belonging to a knight who was the brother of Sir Bors. A notable modern bearer is the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi (1987-).
Philippa f English (British), German
Latinate feminine form of Philip. As an English name, it is chiefly British.
Eira 2 f Swedish, Norwegian
Modern form of Eir.
Bessarion m Late Greek
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Greek βῆσσα (bessa) meaning "wooded valley". This was the name of a 5th-century Egyptian hermit who was a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great. It was later adopted by the scholar Basilios Bessarion (1403-1472), a Greek born in Byzantine Anatolia who became a Roman Catholic bishop.
Delphinus m Late Roman
Masculine form of Delphina. Saint Delphinus was a 4th-century bishop of Bordeaux.
Narcisse m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Narcissus. This is also the French word for the narcissus flower.
Rosa María f Spanish
Combination of Rosa 1 and María.
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.
Sébastienne f French
French feminine form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Jacques m French
French form of Iacobus, the New Testament Latin form of James.
Lára f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Laura.
Kattalin f Basque
Basque form of Katherine.
Cicely f English
Medieval variant of Cecily.
Noémi f Hungarian, French
Hungarian form and French variant of Naomi 1.
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.
Jessamine f English (Rare)
From a variant spelling of the English word jasmine (see Jasmine), used also to refer to flowering plants in the cestrum family.
Elisavet f Greek
Modern Greek form of Elizabeth.
Anastazja f Polish
Polish form of Anastasia.
Annelien f Dutch
Combination of Anna and lien (from names such as Carolien).
Sevastian m Russian (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Russian Севастьян (see Sevastyan).
Sitara f Urdu
Means "star" in Urdu, ultimately from Persian.
Alberto m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Albert.
Marceli m Polish
Polish form of Marcellus.
Fabian m German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.
Giles m English
From the Late Latin name Aegidius, which is derived from Greek αἰγίδιον (aigidion) meaning "young goat". Saint Giles was an 8th-century miracle worker who came to southern France from Greece. He is regarded as the patron saint of the crippled. In Old French the name Aegidius became Gidie and then Gilles, at which point it was imported to England. Another famous bearer was the 13th-century philosopher and theologian Giles of Rome (Egidio in Italian).
Fioralba f Italian (Rare)
Combination of Italian fiore "flower" (Latin flos) and alba "dawn".
Akhil m Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam
From Sanskrit अखिल (akhila) meaning "whole, complete".
Melisende f Medieval French
Old French form of Millicent.
Biljana f Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian, Slovene
From the South Slavic word биље (bilje) meaning "herb".
Anikó f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Anna.
Mæja f Icelandic
Icelandic diminutive of María.
Giselle f French, English (Modern)
Derived from the Old German element gisal meaning "hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. This was the name of both a sister and daughter of Charlemagne. It was also borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. Another notable bearer was the 11th-century Gisela of Swabia, wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II.... [more]
Iakovos m Greek
Modern Greek form of Jacob (or James).
Sebastiano m Italian
Italian form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Consolata f Italian
Means "consoled" in Italian. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Maria Consolata.
Mihai m Romanian
Romanian form of Michael. Mihai the Brave was a prince of Wallachia who united Romania in the early 17th century.
Elías m Spanish, Icelandic
Spanish and Icelandic form of Elijah.
Susann f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
German and Scandinavian short form of Susanne.
Silvan m German (Swiss)
German form of Silvanus.
Neha f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu
Possibly from Sanskrit स्नेह (sneha) meaning "love, tenderness".
Julyan m English (Rare)
Medieval variant of Julian.
Aether m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Αἰθήρ (Aither) meaning "ether, heaven", derived from αἴθω (aitho) meaning "to burn, to ignite". In Greek mythology this was the name of the god of light and the upper sky.
Annice f English
Variant of Annis.
Calanthe f English (Rare)
From the name of a type of orchid, ultimately meaning "beautiful flower", derived from Greek καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower".
Leolin m Welsh
Anglicized form of Llywelyn influenced by Latin leo "lion".
Margarita f Spanish, Russian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Greek, Albanian, Late Roman
Latinate form of Margaret. This is also the Spanish word for the daisy flower (species Bellis perennis, Leucanthemum vulgare and others).
Adrián m Spanish, Hungarian, Slovak
Spanish, Hungarian and Slovak form of Hadrianus (see Hadrian).
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.
Désiré m French
Masculine form of Désirée.
Leonarda f Italian
Feminine form of Leonardo.
Zoé f French, Hungarian
French and Hungarian form of Zoe.
Yaara f Hebrew
Means "honeycomb" and "honeysuckle" in Hebrew.
Valens m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen (see Valentine 1). This name was borne by a 4th-century Roman emperor.
Sunil m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with नील (nīla) meaning "dark blue".
Justine f French, English
French form of Iustina (see Justina). This is the name of the heroine in the novel Justine (1791) by the Marquis de Sade.
Azaria m & f Hebrew, English (Modern)
Hebrew form of Azariah (masculine), as well as a feminine variant in the English-speaking world.
Lavanya f Hindi, Telugu, Tamil
From Sanskrit लावण्य (lāvaṇya) meaning "beauty, loveliness, charm".