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
Marlène f French
French form of Marlene.
Ilyas m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian, Kazakh, Chechen, Tatar, Bashkir
Arabic form of Elijah, also used in several other languages.
Maxence m French
French form of the Roman name Maxentius, a derivative of Latin maximus "greatest". This was the agnomen of an early 4th-century Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius, a rival of Constantine. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint from Agde in France.
Lizette f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Imelda f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Irmhild. The Blessed Imelda Lambertini was a young 14th-century nun from Bologna.
Ivona f Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Form of Yvonne in several languages.
Hosanna f Biblical
From the Aramaic religious expression הושע נא (Hoshaʿ na) meaning "deliver us" in Hebrew. In the New Testament this is exclaimed by those around Jesus when he first enters Jerusalem.
Gloriana f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Latin gloria meaning "glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.
Brianne f English (Modern)
Feminine form of Brian.
Autumn f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Latin autumnus. This name has been in general use since the 1960s.
Monte m English, Armenian
Either a diminutive of Montgomery or from the Spanish or Italian vocabulary word meaning "mountain". Its use as an Armenian name is inspired by the Armenian-American revolutionary Monte Melkonian (1957-1993).
Eilidh f Scottish Gaelic
Diminutive of Eilionoir, also taken to be a Gaelic form of Helen.
Divya f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Means "divine, heavenly" in Sanskrit.
Eleni f Greek
Modern Greek form of Helen.
Alexis m & f French, English, Greek, Spanish, Ancient Greek
From the Greek name Ἄλεξις (Alexis) meaning "helper" or "defender", derived from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, to help". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek comic poet, and also of several saints. It is used somewhat interchangeably with the related name Ἀλέξιος or Alexius, borne by five Byzantine emperors.... [more]
Elina f Finnish, Estonian, Swedish
Finnish, Estonian and Swedish form of Helen.
Vered f Hebrew
Means "rose" in Hebrew, originally a borrowing from an Iranian language.
Cyneweard m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and weard "guard".
Willa f English
Feminine form of William.
Rosanna f Italian, English
Combination of Rosa 1 and Anna.
Rosie f English
Diminutive of Rose.
Mahin f Persian
Means "related to the moon" in Persian.
Lilya f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Лилия or Ukrainian Лілія (see Liliya).
Cayetana f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).
Lodovico m Italian
Italian form of Ludwig.
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.
Octavia f English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Octavius. Octavia was the wife of Mark Antony and the sister of the Roman emperor Augustus. In 19th-century England it was sometimes given to the eighth-born child.
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.
Oktawia f Polish
Polish form of Octavia.
Adella f English
Variant of Adela.
Maritta f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Maria.
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.
Ciril m Slovene
Slovene form of Cyril.
Sevastian m Russian (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Russian Севастьян (see Sevastyan).
Bea f English, Hungarian, Dutch
Short form of Beatrix or Beáta.
Ari 2 m Old Norse, Icelandic, Finnish
Old Norse byname meaning "eagle".
Zosia f Polish
Diminutive of Zofia.
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.
Gena 2 m Russian
Diminutive of Gennadiy.
Evangeliya f Bulgarian (Rare)
Bulgarian feminine form of Evangelos.
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".
Rohese f Medieval English
Norman French form of Hrodohaidis.
Stefanos m Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Στέφανος (see Stephen).
Cveta f Serbian
Feminine form of Cvetko.
Thierry m French
French form of Theodoric. It was very popular in France from the 1950s, peaking in the mid-1960s before falling away. A famous bearer is the French former soccer player Thierry Henry (1977-).
Eadwine m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Edwin.
Manca f Slovene
Slovene diminutive of Marija.
Mattias m Swedish, Estonian
Swedish and Estonian form of Matthias.
Marin m Romanian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, French
Romanian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian and French form of Marinus.
Cecilia f English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Romanian, Finnish
Latinate feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, which was derived from Latin caecus meaning "blind". Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.... [more]
Évelyne f French
French form of Evelina.
Siana 1 f Welsh
Diminutive of Siân.
Leonel m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lionel.
Katarína f Slovak
Slovak form of Katherine.
Tamanna f Hindi, Bengali
Means "wish, desire" in Hindi, from Persian تمنّا (tamannā), ultimately from Arabic.
Amélie f French
French form of Amelia.
Laure f French
French form of Laura.
Gethsemane f Various (Rare)
From a biblical place name, the garden where Jesus was arrested, located on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem. It is derived from Γεθσημανί (Gethsemani), the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning "oil vat". It is very rarely used as a given name.
Rosaura f Spanish
Means "golden rose", derived from Latin rosa "rose" and aurea "golden". This name was (first?) used by Pedro Calderón de la Barca for a character in his play Life Is a Dream (1635).
Lilianne f French
Variant of Liliane.
Mìcheal m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Michael.
Natalina f Italian, Portuguese
Diminutive of Natalia (Italian) or Natália (Portuguese).
Alessandro m Italian
Italian form of Alexander. A famous bearer was Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), the Italian physicist who invented the battery.
Clelia f Italian
Italian form of Cloelia.
Wallace m English, Scottish
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Norman French waleis meaning "foreigner, Celt, Welshman" (of Germanic origin). It was first used as a given name in honour of William Wallace, a Scottish hero who led the fight against the English in the 13th century.
Denise f French, English, Dutch
French feminine form of Denis.
Carroll m Irish
Anglicized form of Cearbhall. A famous bearer of the surname was Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a British author known for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
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]
Flavius m Ancient Roman, Romanian
Roman family name meaning "golden" or "yellow-haired" from Latin flavus "yellow, golden". Flavius was the family name of the 1st-century Roman emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. It was used as a personal name by several later emperors, notably by Constantine.
Livvy f English
Diminutive of Olivia.
Jennifer f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish
From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (see Guinevere). This name has only been common outside of Cornwall since the beginning of the 20th century, after it was featured in George Bernard Shaw's play The Doctor's Dilemma (1906). It barely ranked in the United until the late 1930s, when it began steadily growing in popularity, accelerating into the early 1970s. It was the most popular name for girls in America between 1970 and 1984, though it was not as common in the United Kingdom.... [more]
Renée f French, Dutch
French feminine form of René.
Fáelán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Faolán.
Heitor m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Hector.
Maureen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Máirín.
Adamina f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Adam.
Cyrilla f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Cyril.
Kari 1 f Norwegian
Norwegian short form of Katarina.
Avia m & f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Abijah.
Neelam f & m Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi नीलम (see Nilam).
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.
Hypatia f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ὕπατος (hypatos) meaning "highest, supreme". Hypatia of Alexandria was a 5th-century philosopher and mathematician, daughter of the mathematician Theon.
René m French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Slovak, Czech
French form of Renatus. Famous bearers include the French mathematician and rationalist philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650) and the Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte (1898-1967).
Willem m Dutch
Dutch form of William. Willem the Silent, Prince of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain that brought about the independence of the Netherlands. He is considered the founder of the Dutch royal family. In English he is commonly called William of Orange.
Antonio m Spanish, Italian, Croatian
Spanish and Italian form of Antonius (see Anthony). This has been a common name in Italy since the 14th century. In Spain it was the most popular name for boys in the 1950s and 60s.... [more]
Lorita f Italian (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Loreto.
Esfir f Russian
Russian form of Esther.
Yona m & f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jonah. It is a unisex name in modern Hebrew.
Lilia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian
Latinate form of Lily, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Лилия or Ukrainian Лілія (see Liliya).
Florus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). It was borne by a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with Laurus in Illyricum.
Madalyn f English
Variant of Madeline.
Franklin m English
From an English surname that was derived from Middle English frankelin "freeman". A famous bearer of the surname was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher. The name has commonly been given in his honour in the United States. It also received a boost during the term of American president Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
Esther f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶסְתֵר (ʾEsṯer), which possibly means "star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was Hadassah.... [more]
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.
Sophus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Σόφος (Sophos) meaning "skilled, clever".
Ella 1 f English
Norman name, originally a short form of Germanic names containing the element alles meaning "other" (Proto-Germanic *aljaz). It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).
Anamaria f Romanian
Combination of Ana and Maria.
Narcissa f Late Roman
Feminine form of Narcissus.
Anita 1 f Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, Slovene, English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Latvian, Hungarian
Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian and Slovene diminutive of Ana.
Cupid m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Cupido meaning "desire". This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of Venus and Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows, which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was Eros.
Danica f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Slovak, Macedonian, English
From a Slavic word meaning "morning star, Venus". This name occurs in Slavic folklore as a personification of the morning star. It has sometimes been used in the English-speaking world since the 1970s.
Cara f English
From an Italian word meaning "beloved" or an Irish word meaning "friend". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, though it did not become popular until after the 1950s.
Sylvie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Silvia.
Aella f Greek Mythology
Means "whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.
Olivia f English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
This name was used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy Twelfth Night (1602). This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time that may have been based on Oliva or Oliver, or directly on the Latin word oliva meaning "olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman wooed by Duke Orsino. Instead she falls in love with his messenger Cesario, who is actually Viola in disguise.... [more]
Hannah f English, Hebrew, German, Dutch, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Ḥanna) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from Eli she finally became pregnant with Samuel.... [more]
Luciano m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Lucianus.
Kelley f & m English
Variant of Kelly.
Rosetta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Rosa 1.
Naama f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Naamah.
Andrea 2 f English, German, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Dutch, Croatian, Serbian
Feminine form of Andrew. As an English name, it has been used since the 17th century, though it was not common until the 20th century.
Adrianne f English
Feminine form of Adrian.
Eugene m English
English form of Eugenius, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὐγένιος (Eugenios), which was derived from the Greek word εὐγενής (eugenes) meaning "well born". It is composed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of several saints and four popes.... [more]
Ermelinda f Italian, Portuguese
Italian and Portuguese form of Ermelinde.
Ilana f Hebrew
Feminine form of Ilan.
Netuno m Roman Mythology (Portuguesified)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Neptune.
Arcadia f Spanish (Latin American)
Feminine form of Arcadius. This is the name of a region on the Greek Peloponnese, long idealized for its natural beauty.
Liisa f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian short form of Elisabet or Eliisabet.
Zoé f French, Hungarian
French and Hungarian form of Zoe.
Stella 1 f English, Italian, Dutch, German
Means "star" in Latin. This name was created by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney for the subject of his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella. It was a nickname of a lover of Jonathan Swift, real name Esther Johnson (1681-1728), though it was not commonly used as a given name until the 19th century. It appears in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), belonging to the sister of Blanche DuBois and the wife of Stanley Kowalski.
Tahmina f Persian Mythology, Tajik, Bengali
Derived from Persian تهم (tahm) meaning "brave, valiant". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh. She is a daughter of the king of Samangan who marries the warrior hero Rostam and eventually bears him a son, whom they name Sohrab.
Eugénie f French
French form of Eugenia. This was the name of the wife of Napoleon III.
Iuliana f Romanian, Ancient Roman
Latin and Romanian form of Juliana.
Valentin m French, Romanian, German, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Croatian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish
Form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1) in several languages.
Mitya m Russian
Diminutive of Dmitriy or Mitrofan.
Elliott m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of the medieval name Elias.
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.
Kiana 1 f Hawaiian, English
Hawaiian form of Diana. It was brought to wider attention in the late 1980s, likely by the Hawaiian fitness instructor Kiana Tom (1965-), who had a television show on ESPN beginning in 1988.
Susan f English
English variant of Susanna. This has been most common spelling since the 18th century. It was especially popular both in the United States and the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1960s. A notable bearer was the American feminist Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906).
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.
Clotilda f English (Rare)
English form of Clotilde.
Milton m English, Spanish (Latin American)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "mill town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was John Milton (1608-1674), the poet who wrote Paradise Lost.
Florry f English
Diminutive of Florence or Flora.
Peninnah f Biblical
Means "pearl, coral, precious stone" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the wives of Elkanah, the other being Hannah.
Kathryn f English
Contracted form of Katherine.
Anina f German
Diminutive of Anna.
Beatriu f Catalan
Catalan form of Beatrix.
Yuli m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Юлий (see Yuliy).
Kasimira f German (Archaic)
Feminine form of Kasimir.
Liv 2 f English
Short form of Olivia.
Marit f Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch
Norwegian and Swedish form of Margaret.
Noble m English
From an English surname meaning "noble, high-born". The name can also be given in direct reference to the English word noble.
Maristela f Portuguese, Spanish (Rare)
From the title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea" in Latin. It can also be a combination of Maria and Estela.
Odetta f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Odette.
Bhavana f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
From Sanskrit भावन (bhāvana) meaning "producing, manifesting, thought, emotion".
Sabina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Swedish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Sabinus, a Roman cognomen meaning "a Sabine" in Latin. The Sabines were an ancient people who lived in central Italy, their lands eventually taken over by the Romans after several wars. According to legend, the Romans abducted several Sabine women during a raid, and when the men came to rescue them, the women were able to make peace between the two groups. This name was borne by several early saints.
Mateus m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Matthew.
Fidan f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "sapling" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Vivianne f French
Variant of Viviane.
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.
Céline f French
French feminine form of Caelinus. This name can also function as a short form of Marceline.
Tryphena f Biblical
From the Greek name Τρύφαινα (Tryphaina), derived from Greek τρυφή (tryphe) meaning "softness, delicacy". This name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament.
Tricia f English
Short form of Patricia.
Lavinia f Roman Mythology, Romanian, Italian
Meaning unknown, probably of Etruscan origin. In Roman legend Lavinia was the daughter of King Latinus, the wife of Aeneas, and the ancestor of the Roman people. According to the legend Aeneas named the town of Lavinium in honour of his wife.
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]
Alcyone f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀλκυόνη (Alkyone), derived from the word ἀλκυών (alkyon) meaning "kingfisher". In Greek myth this name belonged to a daughter of Aeolus and the wife of Ceyx. After her husband was killed in a shipwreck she threw herself into the water, but the gods saved her and turned them both into kingfishers. This is also the name of the brightest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, supposedly the daughters of Atlas and Pleione.
Koralia f Greek, Late Greek
Derived from Ancient Greek κοράλλιον (korallion) meaning "coral" (in Modern Greek κοράλλι). This was the name of an obscure 4th-century saint and martyr from Thrace.
Portia f English
Variant of Porcia, the feminine form of the Roman family name Porcius, used by William Shakespeare for the heroine of his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). In the play Portia is a woman who disguises herself as a man in order to defend Antonio in court. It is also the name of a moon of Uranus, after the Shakespearean character.
Julija f Slovene, Croatian, Lithuanian
Slovene, Croatian and Lithuanian form of Julia.
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.
Ildi f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Ildikó.
Oenone f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Οἰνώνη (Oinone), derived from οἶνος (oinos) meaning "wine". In Greek mythology Oenone was a mountain nymph who was married to Paris before he went after Helen.
Pavlina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek, Slovene
Bulgarian, Macedonian and Greek form of Paulina.
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.
Jonah m English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹנָה (Yona) meaning "dove". This was the name of a prophet swallowed by a fish, as told in the Old Testament Book of Jonah. Jonah was commanded by God to preach in Nineveh, but instead fled by boat. After being caught in a storm, the other sailors threw Jonah overboard, at which point he was swallowed. He emerged from the fish alive and repentant three days later.... [more]
Ilona f Hungarian, German, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech
Old Hungarian form of Helen, possibly via a Slavic form. In Finland it is associated with the word ilona, a derivative of ilo "joy".
Aili f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Áile.
Laoise f Irish
Possibly a newer form of Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of Lucy or Louise.
Alexei m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алексей (see Aleksey).
Wilfred m English
Means "desiring peace" from Old English willa "will, desire" and friþ "peace". Saint Wilfrid was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon bishop. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Mindy f English
Diminutive of Melinda.
Tobiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name טוֹבִיָּה (Ṭoviyya) meaning "Yahweh is good", from the elements טוֹב (ṭov) meaning "good" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This was the name of an Ammonite in the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
Aelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aelius.
Angelique f Dutch
Dutch form of Angélique.
Lazarus m Biblical, Biblical Latin, English (African)
Latinized form of Λάζαρος (Lazaros), a Greek form of Eleazar used in the New Testament. Lazarus was a man from Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha, who was restored to life by Jesus.... [more]
Oswin m English (Rare)
From the Old English elements os "god" and wine "friend". Saint Oswin was a 7th-century king of Northumbria. After the Norman Conquest this name was used less, and it died out after the 14th century. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Hawise f Medieval English
English form of a medieval French name appearing in various spellings such as Haueis or Haouys, which were derived from Hadewidis. The name was borne by a number of Norman and Anglo-Norman noblewomen from the 11th to 13th centuries.
Marcellinus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Marcellus. Saint Marcellinus was a pope of the early 4th century who was supposedly martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian.
Ghislaine f French
Feminine form of Ghislain.
Mair f Welsh
Welsh form of Maria (see Mary).
Stefánia f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Stephen.
Llewelyn m Welsh
Variant of Llywelyn influenced by the Welsh word llew "lion".
Eladio m Spanish
Spanish form of Helladius.
Charline f French
French feminine diminutive of Charles.
Mariel f Spanish (Latin American), Spanish (Philippines), English (American)
Diminutive of Maria. In the case of the American actress Mariel Hemingway (1961-), the name was inspired by the Cuban town of Mariel.
Vienne f Various (Rare)
From the French name for Vienna, the capital city of Austria.
Arlette f French
French form of Herleva.
Jerome m English
From the Greek name Ἱερώνυμος (Hieronymos) meaning "sacred name", derived from ἱερός (hieros) meaning "sacred" and ὄνυμα (onyma) meaning "name". Saint Jerome was responsible for the creation of the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible, in the 5th century. He is regarded as a Doctor of the Church. The name was used in his honour in the Middle Ages, especially in Italy and France, and has been used in England since the 12th century.
Dorina 2 f Hungarian
Elaboration of Dóra.
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]
May f English
Derived from the name of the month of May, which derives from Maia, the name of a Roman goddess. May is also another name of the hawthorn flower. It is also used as a diminutive of Mary, Margaret or Mabel.
Aithan m Biblical Greek
Form of Ethan used in the Greek Old Testament.
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).
Ephesius m Late Roman
Latin form of Efisio.
Stanford m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "stone ford" in Old English.
Kiran f & m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Gujarati, Nepali, Urdu
Derived from Sanskrit किरण (kiraṇa), which can mean "dust" or "thread" or "sunbeam".
Divina f Spanish (Philippines), Portuguese (Brazilian)
From Spanish or Portuguese divina meaning "divine, godlike".
Donatello m Italian
Diminutive of Donato. The Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Bette Bardi (1386-1466) was better known as Donatello.
Sarpedon m Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek legend Sarpedon was the son of Zeus and Laodamia, and the king of the Lycians. He was one of the chief warriors who fought against the Greeks in defence of Troy, but he was killed by Patroclus. Another Sarpedon was the son of Zeus and Europa.
Frosina f Macedonian
Macedonian form of Euphrosyne.
Doroteja f Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Slovene, Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Dorothea.
Astra f English (Rare)
Means "star", ultimately from Greek ἀστήρ (aster). This name has only been (rarely) used since the 20th century.
Marcellette f French (Rare)
French feminine diminutive of Marcellus.
Gwendolyn f English
Variant of Gwendolen. This is the usual spelling in the United States.
Ciprian m Romanian
Romanian form of Cyprianus (see Cyprian).
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).
Aimée f French
French form of Amy.
Svjetlana f Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Svetlana.
Anett f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Annette.
Milada f Czech, Slovak
Originally a diminutive of names containing the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear". It can also be derived from Czech and Slovak mladá meaning "young", ultimately from Old Slavic *moldŭ.
Fina f Italian, Spanish
Short form of Serafina. Saint Fina, also known as Saint Serafina, was a 13th-century girl from the town of San Gimignano in Italy.
Alexandra f English, German, Dutch, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Catalan, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Feminine form of Alexander. In Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess Hera, and an alternate name of Cassandra. It was borne by several early Christian saints, and also by the wife of Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia. She was from Germany and had the birth name Alix, but was renamed Александра (Aleksandra) upon joining the Russian Church.
Aureliano m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Aurelianus.
Caiaphas m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of Greek Καϊάφας (Kaiaphas), probably of Aramaic origin. In the New Testament this is the name of the Jewish high priest who condemns Jesus.
Carlisle m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of a city in northern England. The city was originally called by the Romans Luguvalium meaning "stronghold of Lugus". Later the Brythonic element ker "fort" was appended to the name of the city.
Noemi f Italian, Czech, Polish, Romanian, German, Biblical Latin
Form of Naomi 1 in several languages.
Kathrin f German
German short form of Katharina.
Etel f Hungarian
Short form of Etelka.
Aseem m Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi असीम (see Asim 2).
Ekaterine f Georgian
Georgian form of Katherine.
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).
Mónika f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Monica.
Mariella f Italian
Italian diminutive of Maria.
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.
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.
Leela f Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Lila 1.
Mykhaylo m Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian Михайло (see Mykhailo).
Lavina f English
Variant of Lavinia.
Evgenia f Greek, Russian, Bulgarian
Modern Greek form of Eugenia. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Евгения (see Yevgeniya) or Bulgarian Евгения (see Evgeniya).
Sibilla f Italian
Italian form of Sibylla.
Marcelino m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Marcellinus.
Darina 2 f Slovak, Czech, Bulgarian, Russian
Derived from the Slavic word darŭ meaning "gift". It is sometimes used as a diminutive of names beginning with Dar.
Sebastiaan m Dutch
Dutch form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
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.
Lóegaire m Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "calf herder", derived from Old Irish lóeg "calf". In Irish legend Lóegaire Búadach was an Ulster warrior. He saved the life of the poet Áed, but died in the process. This was also the name of several Irish high kings.
Kishore m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi किशोर, Tamil கிஷோர் or Telugu కిశోర్ (see Kishor).
Lynn f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of Linda or names that end in lyn or line.
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.
Ami 1 m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "trustworthy, reliable" in Hebrew. This is the name of a servant of King Solomon in the Old Testament.
Inés f Spanish
Spanish form of Agnes.
Silvan m German (Swiss)
German form of Silvanus.
Hélène f French
French form of Helen.
Vittoria f Italian
Italian form of Victoria.
Apolena f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Apollonia.
Teresia f Swedish
Swedish variant of Teresa.
Kornelia f German, Polish
German and Polish form of Cornelia.
Nessa 3 f Irish, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of Neasa.
Emilie f German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Czech
German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Elisabeth f German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
German and Dutch form of Elizabeth. It is also a variant English form, reflecting the spelling used in the Authorized Version of the New Testament.
Savva m Russian
Russian form of Sabas.
Marigold f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of Mary and the English word gold.
Claudine f French
French diminutive of Claude.
Cateline f Medieval French
Medieval French form of Katherine.
Marilla f English (Archaic)
Possibly a diminutive of Mary or a variant of Amaryllis. More common in the 19th century, this name was borne by the American suffragist Marilla Ricker (1840-1920). It is also the name of the adoptive mother of Anne in L. M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables (1908).
Thaís f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese (especially Brazilian) form of Thaïs.
Eleonore f German
German form of Eleanor.
Pegasus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Πήγασος (Pegasos), possibly either from πηγός (pegos) meaning "strong" or πηγαῖος (pegaios) meaning "from a water spring". In Greek mythology Pegasus was the winged horse that sprang from the blood of Medusa after she was killed by Perseus. There is a constellation in the northern sky named after the horse.
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]
Marilynn f English
Variant of Marilyn.
Juliette f French
French diminutive of Julie.
Donatienne f French
French feminine form of Donatianus.
Erna 2 f Norse Mythology, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Means "brisk, vigorous, hale" in Old Norse. This was the name of the wife of Jarl in Norse legend.
Aglaia f Greek Mythology, Greek
Means "splendour, beauty" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites). This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Rome.
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.
Emilija f Lithuanian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Lora f English
Variant of Laura.
Giulia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Julius.
Everild f History (Ecclesiastical)
Latinized form of Eoforhild. This was the name of a 7th-century English saint.
Socrates m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Σωκράτης (Sokrates), which was derived from σῶς (sos) meaning "whole, unwounded, safe" and κράτος (kratos) meaning "power". This was the name of an important Greek philosopher. He left no writings of his own; virtually everything that we know of his beliefs comes from his pupil Plato. He was sentenced to death for impiety.
Florentine f French
French form of Florentina.
Jacques m French
French form of Iacobus, the New Testament Latin form of James.