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
Charissa f English, Dutch
Elaborated form of Charis. Edmund Spencer used it in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
Malia f Hawaiian, English (Modern)
Hawaiian form of Maria. This name experienced a spike in popularity in 2009, due to the eldest daughter (born 1998) of the new American president Barack Obama.
Kaloyan m Bulgarian
From Greek καλός Ἰωάννης (kalos Ioannes) meaning "handsome John", the nickname of a 13th-century emperor of Bulgaria. He successfully defended the empire from the Fourth Crusade.
Biljana f Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian, Slovene
From the South Slavic word биље (bilje) meaning "herb".
Stanislas m French
French form of Stanislav.
Lonán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "little blackbird", derived from Old Irish lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.
Bhavana f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
From Sanskrit भावन (bhāvana) meaning "producing, manifesting, thought, emotion".
Kishore m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi किशोर, Tamil கிஷோர் or Telugu కిశోర్ (see Kishor).
Silvan m German (Swiss)
German form of Silvanus.
Baran f & m Persian, Turkish, Kurdish
Means "rain" in Persian. It is typically feminine in Persian and masculine in Turkish and Kurdish.
Ambrose m English
From the Late Latin name Ambrosius, which was derived from the Greek name Ἀμβρόσιος (Ambrosios) meaning "immortal". Saint Ambrose was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Milan, who is considered a Doctor of the Church. Due to the saint, the name came into general use in Christian Europe, though it was never particularly common in England.
Godfrey m English
From the Germanic name Godefrid, which meant "peace of god" from the Old German elements got "god" and fridu "peace". The Normans brought this name to England, where it became common during the Middle Ages. A notable bearer was Godfrey of Bouillon, an 11th-century leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Octave m French
French form of Octavius.
Pelagius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Πελάγιος (Pelagios), which was derived from πέλαγος (pelagos) meaning "the sea". This was the name of several saints and two popes. It was also borne by a 4th-century British theologian whose teachings were eventually declared heretical.
Leonel m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lionel.
Flávio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Flavius.
Grania f Irish
Latinized form of Gráinne.
Annalena f German
Combination of Anna and Lena.
Epiphany f English (Rare)
From the name of the Christian festival (January 6) that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. It is also an English word meaning "sudden appearance" or "sudden perception", ultimately deriving from Greek ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia) meaning "manifestation".
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.
Lancelot m Arthurian Cycle
Possibly an Old French diminutive of Lanzo (see Lance). In Arthurian legend Lancelot was the bravest of the Knights of the Round Table. He became the lover of Arthur's wife Guinevere, ultimately causing the destruction of Arthur's kingdom. His earliest appearance is in the works of the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes: briefly in Erec and Enide and then as a main character in Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart.
Na'ima f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نعيمة (see Naima).
Rachel f English, Hebrew, French, Dutch, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name רָחֵל (Raḥel) meaning "ewe". In the Old Testament this is the name of the favourite wife of Jacob. Her father Laban tricked Jacob into marrying her older sister Leah first, though in exchange for seven years of work Laban allowed Jacob to marry Rachel too. Initially barren and facing her husband's anger, she offered her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob to bear him children. Eventually she was herself able to conceive, becoming the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.... [more]
Valeriana f Spanish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Valerianus (see Valerian).
Santo m Italian
Means "saint" in Italian, ultimately from Latin sanctus.
Edelgard f German
From an Old German name, which was derived from the elements adal "noble" and gart "enclosure, yard".
Azaria m & f Hebrew, English (Modern)
Hebrew form of Azariah (masculine), as well as a feminine variant in the English-speaking world.
Cece f English
Diminutive of Cecilia and other names containing a similar sound.
Narine f Armenian
Probably from Persian نار (nār) meaning "pomegranate", considered a sacred fruit in Armenian culture. Alternately, it could be derived from Arabic نار (nār) meaning "fire".
Tiitus m Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Titus.
Antonin m French
French form of Antoninus. This name was borne by the French playwright Antonin Artaud (1896-1948).
Kourosh m Persian
Modern Persian form of Cyrus.
Marcie f English
Diminutive of Marcia.
Katarin f Breton
Breton form of Katherine.
Elaina f English
Variant of Elaine.
Callan m English
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Cathaláin, derived from the given name Cathalán.
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.
Efa f Welsh
Welsh form of Eva.
Diogenes m Ancient Greek
Means "born of Zeus" from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of a Greek Cynic philosopher.
Tova 1 f Hebrew
Means "good" in Hebrew.
Romaine f French, English
French feminine form of Romanus (see Roman).
Michèle f French
French feminine form of Michel.
Mariëtte f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Maria.
Evelien f Dutch
Dutch form of Evelina.
Leocadio m Spanish
Masculine form of Leocadia.
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.
Michelangelo m Italian
Combination of Michael and Angelo, referring to the archangel Michael. The Renaissance painter and sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), from Florence, was the man who created such great works of art as the statue of David and the mural on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This name was also borne by the Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi (1571-1610), better known as Caravaggio.
Esmeralda f Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian, Literature
Means "emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.
Nathanaël m French
French form of Nathanael.
Harding m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Heard. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).
Klasina f Dutch
Feminine form of Klaas.
Melia f Greek Mythology
Means "ash tree" in Greek, a derivative of μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". This was the name of a nymph in Greek myth, the daughter of the Greek god Okeanos.
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]
Wawrzyniec m Polish
Polish form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Jonna f Danish, Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Johanna.
Tabea f German
German short form of Tabitha. This form was used in earlier editions of the Luther Bible.
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.
Tzeitel f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Sarah. This is the name of Tevye's oldest daughter in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (1964), based on Sholem Aleichem's stories from the late 19th century.
Caelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Caelius.
Myrrhine f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μύρρα (myrrha) meaning "myrrh". This is the name of a character in the comedy Lysistrata by the Greek playwright Aristophanes.
Ange m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Angelus (see Angel).
Agnetha f Swedish
Swedish variant of Agnes.
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.
Minnie f English
Diminutive of Wilhelmina. This name was used by Walt Disney for the cartoon character Minnie Mouse, introduced 1928.
Anamarija f Croatian, Slovene
Combination of Ana and Marija.
Ariane f French, German
French form of Ariadne.
Gaetano m Italian
Italian form of the Latin name Caietanus, which meant "from Caieta". Caieta (now called Gaeta) was a town in ancient Italy, its name deriving either from Καιάδας (Kaiadas), the name of a Greek location where prisoners were executed, or else from Caieta, the name of the nurse of Aeneas. Saint Gaetano was a 16th-century Italian priest who founded the Theatines.
Katarine f German (Rare)
German variant form of Katherine.
Donatella f Italian
Diminutive of Donata.
Rahela f Romanian, Croatian, Serbian
Romanian, Croatian and Serbian form of Rachel.
Domenica f Italian
Italian feminine form of Dominicus (see Dominic).
Dorothy f English
Usual English form of Dorothea. It has been in use since the 16th century. The author L. Frank Baum used it for the central character, Dorothy Gale, in his fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and several of its sequels.
Laelius m Ancient Roman
Masculine form of Laelia.
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").
Fernand m French
French form of Ferdinand.
Aeliana f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aelianus.
Armand m French, Catalan
French and Catalan form of Herman.
Prashant m Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Bengali
From Sanskrit प्रशान्त (praśānta) meaning "calm, quiet".
Hemera f Greek Mythology
Means "day" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified the daytime. According to Hesiod she was the daughter of Nyx, the personification of the night.
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.
Everild f History (Ecclesiastical)
Latinized form of Eoforhild. This was the name of a 7th-century English saint.
Hestia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἑστία (hestia) meaning "hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.
Élie m French
French form of Elijah.
Ildikó f Hungarian
Possibly a form of Hilda. This name was borne by the last wife of Attila the Hun.
Domitille f French
French form of Domitilla.
Lile f Irish (Rare)
Irish form of Lily.
Lana f English, Russian, Croatian, Slovene, Georgian
Short form of Alana (English) or Svetlana (Russian). In the English-speaking world it was popularized by actress Lana Turner (1921-1995), who was born Julia Jean Turner.
Mozelle f English
Possibly a feminine form of Moses.
Leander m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.
Lýdia f Slovak, Faroese
Slovak and Faroese form of Lydia.
Caelina f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Caelinus.
Béla m Hungarian
The meaning of this name is not known for certain. It could be derived from Hungarian bél meaning "guts, bowel" or Old Slavic bělŭ meaning "white". This was the name of four Hungarian kings. It was also borne by the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók (1881-1945).
Avis f English
Probably a Latinized form of the Germanic name Aveza, which was derived from the element awi, of unknown meaning. The Normans introduced this name to England and it became moderately common during the Middle Ages, at which time it was associated with Latin avis "bird".
Safira f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Sapphira. It coincides with the Portuguese word for "sapphire".
Amalthea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀμάλθεια (Amaltheia), derived from μαλθάσσω (malthasso) meaning "to soften, to soothe". In Greek myth she was a nymph (in some sources a goat) who nursed the infant Zeus.
Nathalie f French, Dutch, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
French form of Natalie, as well as a Dutch, German and Scandinavian variant.
Theophilus m Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόφιλος (Theophilos) meaning "friend of god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φίλος (philos) meaning "friend". In the New Testament the evangelist Luke addresses his gospel and the Book of Acts to a man named Theophilus.
Kae f English (Rare)
Variant of Kay 1.
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.
Patroclus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Πάτροκλος (Patroklos) meaning "glory of the father", derived from πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός) and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek legend he was one of the heroes who fought against the Trojans. His death at the hands of Hector drew his friend Achilles back into the war.
Laurentine f French (Rare)
French feminine form of Laurentinus.
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.
Delia 2 f English
Short form of Adelia or Bedelia.
Izabella f Hungarian, Polish
Hungarian and Polish form of Isabella.
Mykhailo m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Michael.
Vana f Macedonian
Short form of Ivana or Jovana.
Rosheen f Irish
Anglicized form of Róisín.
Meave f Irish
Variant of Maeve.
Elva 2 f Danish, Icelandic
Feminine form of Alf 1.
Thisbe f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
From the name of an ancient Greek town in Boeotia, itself supposedly named after a nymph. In a Greek legend (the oldest surviving version appearing in Latin in Ovid's Metamorphoses) this is the name of a young woman from Babylon. Believing her to be dead, her lover Pyramus kills himself, after which she does the same to herself. The splashes of blood from their suicides is the reason mulberry fruit are red.
Felim m Irish
Anglicized form of Feidhlim.
Valerius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Latin valeo "to be strong". This was the name of several early saints.
Gisella f Italian
Italian form of Giselle.
Alexandrine f French
French diminutive of Alexandra. This was the name of a Danish queen, the wife of King Christian X.
Giovanni m Italian
Italian form of Iohannes (see John). This name has been very common in Italy since the late Middle Ages, as with other equivalents of John in Europe. The Renaissance writer Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375), the painter Giovanni Bellini (1430-1516) and the painter and sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) were famous bearers of the name.
Dulcibella f English (Archaic)
From Latin dulcis "sweet" and bella "beautiful". The usual medieval spelling of this name was Dowsabel, and the Latinized form Dulcibella was revived in the 18th century.
Étiennette f French
French feminine form of Stephen.
Marsaili f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Marcella, now also associated with Marjorie.
Pascal m French, German, Dutch
From the Late Latin name Paschalis, which meant "relating to Easter" from Latin Pascha "Easter", which was in turn from Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesaḥ) meaning "Passover". Passover is the ancient Hebrew holiday celebrating the liberation from Egypt. Because it coincided closely with the later Christian holiday of Easter, the same Latin word was used for both. The name Pascal can also function as a surname, as in the case of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the French philosopher, mathematician and inventor.
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-).
Anaiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has answered" in Hebrew, from עָנָה (ʿana) meaning "to answer" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Pelagia f Ancient Greek, Greek, Polish (Rare)
Feminine form of Pelagius. This was the name of a few early saints, including a young 4th-century martyr who threw herself from a rooftop in Antioch rather than lose her virginity.
Jon 1 m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Basque
Scandinavian and Basque form of Iohannes (see John).
Alexius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξιος (Alexios), a derivative of Ἄλεξις (see Alexis). This was the name of five Byzantine emperors. It was also borne by a 5th-century Syrian saint who is especially venerated in the Eastern Church.
Danihel m Biblical Latin
Form of Daniel used in the Latin Bible.
Clarisse f French
French form of Clarice.
Rosie f English
Diminutive of Rose.
Alvina f English
Feminine form of Alvin.
Sudhir m Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu
Derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with धीर (dhīra) meaning "wise, considerate".
Leticia f Spanish
Spanish form of Letitia.
Adélaïde f French
French form of Adelaide.
Miha m Slovene
Short form of Mihael.
Elmira 1 f Literature
Possibly a shortened form of Edelmira. It appears in the play Tartuffe (1664) by the French playwright Molière (often spelled in the French style Elmire).
Renard m French (Rare)
French form of Reynard. Because of the medieval character Reynard the Fox, renard became a French word meaning "fox".
Myriam f French
French form of Miriam.
Rebecca f English, Italian, Swedish, German, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name רִבְקָה (Rivqa), probably from a Semitic root meaning "join, tie, snare". This is the name of the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob in the Old Testament. It came into use as an English Christian name after the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular with the Puritans in the 17th century. It has been consistently used since then, becoming especially common in the second half of the 20th century.... [more]
Lada f Slavic Mythology, Czech, Russian, Croatian
The name of a Slavic fertility goddess, derived from Old Slavic lada "wife". It can also be a diminutive of Vladislava or Vladimira.
Junia f Biblical, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Junius. This is the name of an early Christian mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament (there is some debate about whether the name belongs to a woman Junia or a man Junias).
Fabián m Spanish
Spanish form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Eva f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, Danish, Icelandic, Faroese, Romanian, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Form of Eve used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. A notable bearer was the Argentine first lady Eva Perón (1919-1952), the subject of the musical Evita. The name also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.... [more]
Eithne f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Possibly from Old Irish etne meaning "kernel, grain". In Irish mythology Eithne or Ethniu was a Fomorian and the mother of Lugh Lámfada. It was borne by several other legendary and historical figures, including a few early saints.
Catriona f Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Caitríona (Irish) or Caitrìona (Scottish Gaelic).
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).
Mattin m Basque
Basque form of Martinus (see Martin).
Katya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian diminutive of Yekaterina.
Niina f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish short form of Anniina, or a Finnish and Estonian form of Nina 1.
Friedrich m German
German form of Frederick. This was the name of several rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Austria and Prussia. The philosophers Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) are two other famous bearers of this name.
Léonard m French
French form of Leonard.
Lilla f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Lívia or Lídia.
Nima 2 m Persian
Persian name of uncertain meaning, possibly "just, fair" or "half moon".
Rosalie f French, German, Dutch, English
French, German and Dutch form of Rosalia. In the English-speaking this name received a boost after the release of the movie Rosalie (1938), which was based on an earlier musical.
Azariah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name עֲזַרְיָה (ʿAzarya) meaning "Yahweh has helped", derived from עָזַר (ʿazar) meaning "help" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many Old Testament characters including of one of the three men the Babylonian king ordered cast into a fiery furnace. His Babylonian name was Abednego.
Adrien m French
French form of Adrian.
Xiomara f Spanish
Possibly a Spanish form of Guiomar.
Tonje f Norwegian
Variant of Torny.
Giorgina f Italian
Diminutive of Giorgia.
Anatolia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Anatolius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Italian saint and martyr. This is also a place name (from the same Greek origin) referring to the large peninsula that makes up the majority of Turkey.
Nathanael m Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name נְתַנְאֵל (Neṯanʾel) meaning "God has given", from the roots נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". It is borne by several minor characters in the Old Testament, typically spelled Nethanel or Nethaneel. In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle, probably another name of the apostle called Bartholomew.
Adrienn f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Adrian.
Truman m English
From a surname that meant "trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).
Serena f English, Italian, Late Roman
From a Late Latin name that was derived from Latin serenus meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". This name was borne by an obscure early saint. Edmund Spenser also used it in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590). A famous bearer from the modern era is tennis player Serena Williams (1981-).
Nitya f & m Hinduism, Hindi
Means "always, eternal" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form नित्या (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga) and the masculine form नित्य.
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]
Castor m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κάστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" (pluperfect κέκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word κάστωρ (kastor) meaning "beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.
Terence m English
From the Roman family name Terentius, which is of unknown meaning. Famous bearers include Publius Terentius Afer, a Roman playwright, and Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar. It was also borne by several early saints. The name was used in Ireland as an Anglicized form of Toirdhealbhach, but it was not found as an English name until the late 19th century. It attained only a moderate level of popularity in the 20th century, though it has been common as an African-American name especially since the 1970s.
Idun f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian
Modern Scandinavian form of Iðunn.
Phaenna f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek φαεινός (phaeinos) meaning "shining". According to some Greek myths this was the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).
Alessia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Alexius.
Giosetta f Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Josette.
Cecelia f English
Variant of Cecilia.
Carmelita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Carmel.
Metrodora f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother" (genitive μητρός) and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr who was killed with her sisters Menodora and Nymphodora.
Mabel f English
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis. This spelling and Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel The Heir of Redclyffe, which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
Valente m Italian, Spanish (Mexican), Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Valens.
Brielle f English (Modern)
Short form of Gabrielle. This is also the name of towns in the Netherlands and New Jersey, though their names derive from a different source.
Quincy m & f English
From an English surname that was derived (via the place name Cuinchy) from the personal name Quintus. A famous bearer was John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), sixth president of the United States, who was born in the town of Quincy, Massachusetts. Both the town and the president were named after his maternal great-grandfather John Quincy (1689-1767). Another notable bearer is the American musician Quincy Jones (1933-2024).
Ceinwen f Welsh
Derived from Welsh cain "good, lovely" and gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint also known as Cain or Keyne.
Glendower m Welsh
Anglicized form of Glyndwr.
Timothea f Ancient Greek, Greek
Feminine form of Timothy.
Piran m Cornish
Possibly derived from Ciarán. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish monk who founded a monastery in Cornwall. He is the patron saint of Cornwall.
Carrol m & f English
Variant of Carroll (masculine) or Carol 1 (feminine).
Julius m Ancient Roman, English, German, Finnish, Lithuanian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech
From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Greek ἴουλος (ioulos) meaning "downy-bearded". Alternatively, it could be related to the name of the Roman god Jupiter. This was a prominent patrician family of Rome, who claimed descent from the mythological Julus, son of Aeneas. Its most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, who gained renown as a military leader for his clever conquest of Gaul. After a civil war he became the dictator of the Roman Republic, but was eventually stabbed to death in the senate.... [more]
Xiana f Galician
From Xuliana, the Galician form of Juliana.
Eilidh f Scottish Gaelic
Diminutive of Eilionoir, also taken to be a Gaelic form of Helen.
Brigid f Irish, Irish Mythology
Irish variant of Brighid (see Bridget).
Kitty f English
Diminutive of Katherine.
Josseline f French
French feminine variant of Jocelyn.
Édouard m French
French form of Edward.
Radulf m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements rat "counsel, advice" and wolf "wolf", making it a cognate of Ráðúlfr.
Liberatore m Italian (Rare)
Means "liberator" in Italian.
Liliane f French
French form of Lillian.
Stelara f Esperanto
From Esperanto stelaro meaning "constellation", ultimately from Latin stella "star".
Felix m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From a Roman cognomen meaning "lucky, successful" in Latin. It was acquired as an agnomen, or nickname, by the 1st-century BC Roman general Sulla. It also appears in the New Testament belonging to the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint Paul.... [more]
Mitya m Russian
Diminutive of Dmitriy or Mitrofan.
Eudes m Medieval French
Old French form of Odo.
Lilias f Scottish
Form of Lillian found in Scotland from about the 16th century.
Even m Norwegian
Variant of Øyvind.
Prosper m French, English
From the Latin name Prosperus, which meant "fortunate, successful". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a supporter of Saint Augustine. It has never been common as an English name, though the Puritans used it, partly because it is identical to the English word prosper.
Astrophel m Literature
Probably intended to mean "star lover", from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star" and φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend". This name was first used by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney in his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella.
Saga f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Icelandic
From Old Norse Sága, possibly meaning "seeing one", derived from sjá "to see". This is the name of a Norse goddess, possibly connected to Frigg. As a Swedish and Icelandic name, it is also derived from the unrelated word saga "story, fairy tale, saga".
Horatio m English
Variant of Horatius. Shakespeare used it for a character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600). It was borne by the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805), famous for his defeat of Napoleon's forces in the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he was himself killed. Since his time the name has been occasionally used in his honour.
Emiliano m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Roman cognomen Aemilianus, which was itself derived from the family name Aemilius (see Emil). This was the name of a 6th-century Spanish saint.
Danya 1 f Hebrew
Feminine form of Dan 1. It can also be considered a compound meaning "judgement from God", using the element יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
Pavlina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek, Slovene
Bulgarian, Macedonian and Greek form of Paulina.
Josette f French
Diminutive of Joséphine.
Marisela f Spanish
Elaborated form of Marisa.
Lawson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Laurence 1".
Juliane f German, French
German and French feminine form of Julian.
Otilia f Romanian, Spanish
Romanian and Spanish form of Odilia.
Caecilius m Ancient Roman
Original Latin masculine form of Cecilia. Saint Caecilius was a 1st-century missionary to Granada, Spain. It was also part of the full name of Saint Cyprian, Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus.
Raffaele m Italian
Italian form of Raphael.
Alis f Welsh
Welsh form of Alice.
Carine f French
French form of Carina 1. It can also function as a short form of Catherine, via Swedish Karin.
Annie f English, French, Dutch
Diminutive of Anne 1.
Reima m Finnish
Finnish form of Raymond.
Anett f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Annette.
Eulàlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Eulalia.
Ériu f Irish Mythology
From the name of an Irish goddess, who according to legend gave her name to Ireland (which is called Éire in Irish). In reality, the goddess probably got her name from that of the island, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.
Danylo m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Daniel.
Lysistrate f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and στρατός (stratos) meaning "army". This is the name of a comedy by the Greek playwright Aristophanes, also called by its Latinized form Lysistrata. In the play Lysistrate attempts to end the Peloponnesian War by persuading the women from both sides to withhold sex from men.
Hermínia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Herminius.
Eliel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, Finnish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Means "my God is God" in Hebrew. This name is borne by a number of characters in the Old Testament.
Isadora f English, Portuguese
Variant of Isidora. A famous bearer was the American dancer Isadora Duncan (1877-1927).
Aristide m French, Italian
French and Italian form of Aristides.
Octavius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name derived from Latin octavus meaning "eighth". This was the original family name of the emperor Augustus (born Gaius Octavius). It was also rarely used as a Roman praenomen, or given name.
Alexandr m Czech, Russian
Czech form of Alexander, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Александр (see Aleksandr).
Fabian m German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.
Palle m Danish
Danish diminutive of Paul.
Floriana f Italian, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Florianus (see Florian).
Emelia f English
Variant of Amelia.
Esfir f Russian
Russian form of Esther.
Hilary f & m English
Medieval English form of Hilarius or Hilaria. During the Middle Ages it was primarily a masculine name. It was revived in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century as a predominantly feminine name. In America, this name and the variant Hillary seemed to drop in popularity after Hillary Clinton (1947-) became the first lady in 1993. Famous bearers include American actresses Hilary Swank (1974-) and Hilary Duff (1987-).
Areli m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Possibly means "lion of God, hero" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Gad in the Old Testament.
Narayan m Hindi, Nepali, Marathi, Odia, Bengali
Modern northern Indian form of Narayana.
Ceres f Roman Mythology
Derived from the Indo-European root *ker- meaning "grow, increase". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess Demeter.
Ewelina f Polish
Polish form of Evelina.
Petronella f Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian
Dutch, Swedish and Hungarian form of Petronilla.
Kshitij m Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit क्षितिज (kṣitija) meaning "born of the earth" or "horizon".
Estella f English
Latinate form of Estelle. This is the name of the heroine, Estella Havisham, in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).
Melanie f English, German, Dutch
From Mélanie, the French form of the Latin name Melania, derived from Greek μέλαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity in the 5th century. Her grandmother was also a saint with the same name.... [more]
Democritus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Δημόκριτος (Demokritos), a Greek name meaning "judge of the people" from the elements δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people" and κριτής (krites) meaning "judge, critic". This was the name of a Greek philosopher, the creator of the atomic theory.
Flóra f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Flora.
Carole f French
French feminine form of Carolus.
Roland m English, French, German, Swedish, Dutch, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Albanian, Georgian, Carolingian Cycle
From the Old German elements hruod meaning "fame" and lant meaning "land", though some theories hold that the second element was originally nand meaning "brave".... [more]
Remiel m Biblical
Variant of Jeremiel appearing in some versions of the Old Testament.
Marcelino m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Marcellinus.
Ena 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Eithne.
Mădălina f Romanian
Romanian form of Magdalene.
Johanna f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian, English, Late Roman
Latinate form of Greek Ioanna (see Joanna).
Kathryn f English
Contracted form of Katherine.
Katida f Esperanto
From Esperanto katido meaning "kitten", ultimately from Latin cattus.
Harsha m Kannada, Telugu, Sanskrit
Means "happiness" in Sanskrit. Harsha (or Harṣa, also called Harshavardhana) was a 7th-century emperor of northern India. He was also noted as an author.
Alban m German, French, Albanian, English (Rare)
From the Roman cognomen Albanus, which meant "from Alba". Alba (from Latin albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.... [more]
Marceli m Polish
Polish form of Marcellus.
Alodia f Gothic (Latinized)
Possibly from a Visigothic name, maybe from Gothic elements such as alls "all" or aljis "other" combined with auds "riches, wealth". Saint Alodia was a 9th-century Spanish martyr with her sister Nunilo.
Samuele m Italian
Italian form of Samuel.
Mair f Welsh
Welsh form of Maria (see Mary).
Ahava f Hebrew
Means "love" in Hebrew.
Milena f Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Italian
Feminine form of Milan. It began to be used in Italy in honour of Milena Vukotić (1847-1923), mother of Helen of Montenegro, the wife of the Italian king Victor Emmanuel III. In Italy it can also be considered a combination of Maria and Elena.
Donelle f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Don.
Blanca f Spanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan cognate of Blanche.
Aili f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Áile.
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).
Susana f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Susanna.
Jean-Luc m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Luc. A famous bearer is the French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard (1930-2022).
Slàine f Scottish Gaelic (Rare)
Scottish Gaelic form of Sláine.
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.
Clarisa f Spanish
Spanish form of Clarissa.
Adam m English, French, German, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Malay, Indonesian, Dhivehi, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
This is the Hebrew word for "man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew אדם (ʾaḏam) meaning "to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian adamu meaning "to make".... [more]
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.
Beatrice f Italian, English, Swedish, Romanian
Italian form of Beatrix. Beatrice Portinari (1266-1290) was the woman who was loved by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. She serves as Dante's guide through paradise in his epic poem the Divine Comedy (1321). This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing (1599), in which Beatrice and Benedick are fooled into confessing their love for one another.