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
Simeon m Biblical, Bulgarian, Serbian
From Συμεών (Symeon), the Old Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name Shimʿon (see Simon 1). In the Old Testament this is the name of the second son of Jacob and Leah and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. In the New Testament the Greek rendering Σίμων (Simon) is more common, though Συμεών occurs belonging to a man who blessed the newborn Jesus. He is recognized as a saint in most Christian traditions.... [more]
Abilene f Various (Rare)
From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew אָבֵל (ʾavel) meaning "meadow, grassy area". It has occasionally been used as a given name in modern times.
Olivie f Czech
Czech variant form of Olivia.
Evangelia f Greek
Feminine form of Evangelos.
Aurélia f Slovak, Hungarian, Portuguese, French
Slovak, Hungarian and Portuguese feminine form of Aurelius, as well as a French variant of Aurélie.
Ignatius m Late Roman
From the Roman family name Egnatius, meaning unknown, of Etruscan origin. The spelling was later altered to resemble Latin ignis "fire". This was the name of several saints, including the third bishop of Antioch who was thrown to wild beasts by Emperor Trajan, and by Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), founder of the Jesuits, whose real birth name was in fact Íñigo.
Amé m Medieval French
Old French form of Aimé.
Niloufar f Persian
Means "water lily" in Persian.
Stela f Romanian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak
Form of Stella 1 in several languages, derived from Latin stella meaning "star" (modern Romanian stea).
Vencel m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Václav.
Louisa f English, German, Dutch
Latinate feminine form of Louis. A famous bearer was the American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the author of Little Women.
Cornelia f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cornelius. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
Léonide m & f French (Rare)
French masculine and feminine form of Leonidas.
Melanija f Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene, Latvian, Lithuanian
Form of Melanie used in various languages.
Antonie 1 f Czech
Czech form of Antonia.
Cymbeline m Literature
Form of Cunobelinus used by Shakespeare in his play Cymbeline (1609).
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.
Stephanie f English, German
Feminine form of Stephen.
Luvenia f English
Possibly a form of Lavinia. It has been used in America since the 19th century.
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.
Seraphina f English (Rare), German (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Seraphinus, derived from the biblical word seraphim, which was Hebrew in origin and meant "fiery ones". The seraphim were an order of angels, described by Isaiah in the Bible as having six wings each.... [more]
Leoncio m Spanish
Spanish form of Leontios.
Bethany f English
From the name of a biblical town, Βηθανία (Bethania) in Greek, which is probably of Aramaic or Hebrew origin, possibly meaning "house of affliction" or "house of figs". In the New Testament the town of Bethany is the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. It has been in use as a rare given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, in honour of Mary of Bethany. In America it became moderately common after the 1950s.
Nima 2 m Persian
Persian name of uncertain meaning, possibly "just, fair" or "half moon".
Kinsey f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Cynesige. This name is borne by Kinsey Millhone, the heroine in a series of mystery novels by author Sue Grafton, beginning in 1982.
Amit 1 m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
From Sanskrit अमित (amita) meaning "immeasurable, infinite".
Aemilia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Celinda f English (Rare)
Probably a blend of Celia and Linda. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
Tihomir m Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene
Derived from the Slavic elements tixŭ "quiet" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Niusha f Persian
Means "good listener" in Persian.
Rosana f Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Roxana.
Shayna f Yiddish
From Yiddish שיין (shein) meaning "beautiful".
Freyja f Icelandic, Norse Mythology
Icelandic and Old Norse form of Freya.
Cosme m Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Cosmas.
Elara f Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek ἄλαρα (alara) meaning "hazelnut, spear-shaft". In Greek mythology Elara was one of Zeus's mortal lovers and by him the mother of the giant Tityos. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.
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.
Lynne f English
Variant of Lynn.
Christie f & m English
Diminutive of Christine, Christina, Christopher and other names beginning with Christ.
Lilja f Icelandic, Faroese, Finnish
Icelandic, Faroese and Finnish cognate of Lily.
Kyrie 2 f English (Modern)
From the name of a Christian prayer, also called the Kyrie eleison meaning "Lord, have mercy". It is ultimately from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord".
Candice f English
Variant of Candace.
Evelin f German, Estonian, Hungarian
German, Estonian and Hungarian form of Evelina.
Whitney f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).
Alexandrine f French
French diminutive of Alexandra. This was the name of a Danish queen, the wife of King Christian X.
Elpida f Greek
Modern Greek form of Elpis.
Sofiya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Sophia.
Feodora f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Theodora.
Augusta f Italian, Portuguese, English, German, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Augustus. It was introduced to Britain when King George III, a member of the German House of Hanover, gave this name to his second daughter in 1768.
Edita f Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Lithuanian
Form of Edith in several languages.
Oles m Ukrainian
Short form of Oleksandr or Oleksiy.
Autumn f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Latin autumnus. This name has been in general use since the 1960s.
Florent m French
French masculine form of Florentius (see Florence).
Katarína f Slovak
Slovak form of Katherine.
Shri f Hinduism
Means "diffusing light, radiance, beauty" in Sanskrit, a word used as a title of respect in India. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
Illuminata f Late Roman
Means "illuminated, brightened, filled with light" in Latin. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint from Todi, Italy.
Netuno m Roman Mythology (Portuguesified)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Neptune.
Amalia f Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Greek, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch, German, Germanic (Latinized)
Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element amal. This element means "unceasing, vigorous, brave", or it can refer to the Gothic dynasty of the Amali (derived from the same root).... [more]
Euanthe f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek εὐανθής (euanthes) meaning "blooming, flowery", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". According to some sources, this was the name of the mother of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites) in Greek mythology.
Halyna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Galina.
Liubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Johann m German
German form of Iohannes (see John). Famous bearers include German composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), German novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), and Austrian composers Johann Strauss the Elder (1804-1849) and his son Johann Strauss the Younger (1825-1899).
Melis f Turkish
Turkish form of Melissa.
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.
Gulistan f Kurdish
Kurdish form of Gülistan.
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.
Jeremi m Polish
Polish form of Jeremiah.
Zenaida f Late Greek
Apparently a Greek derivative of Ζηναΐς (Zenais), which was derived from the name of the Greek god Zeus. This was the name of a 1st-century saint who was a doctor with her sister Philonella.
Carrol m & f English
Variant of Carroll (masculine) or Carol 1 (feminine).
Taisiya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Thaïs (referring to the saint).
Miranda f English, Dutch
Derived from Latin mirandus meaning "admirable, worthy of being admired". The name was created by Shakespeare for the heroine in his play The Tempest (1611), in which Miranda and her father Prospero are stranded on an island. It did not become a common English given name until the 20th century. This is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, named after the Shakespearean character.
Nicoleta f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of Nicholas.
Orpheus m Greek Mythology
Perhaps related to Greek ὄρφνη (orphne) meaning "the darkness of night". In Greek mythology Orpheus was a poet and musician who went to the underworld to retrieve his dead wife Eurydice. He succeeded in charming Hades with his lyre, and he was allowed to lead his wife out of the underworld on the condition that he not look back at her until they reached the surface. Unfortunately, just before they arrived his love for her overcame his will and he glanced back at her, causing her to be drawn back to Hades.
Della f English
Diminutive of Adela or Adelaide. A famous bearer was American actress and singer Della Reese (1931-2017).
Euthymius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐθύμιος (Euthymios) meaning "in good spirits, generous", derived from the word εὔθυμος (euthymos), which was composed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θυμός (thymos) meaning "soul, spirit". This was the name of several early saints.
Marceau m French
Old French variant of Marcel. A famous bearer of the surname was the French general François Séverin Marceau (1769-1796).
Azalaïs f Occitan
Occitan form of Adelais.
Isaia m Italian, Old Church Slavic
Italian form of Isaiah, as well as the Old Church Slavic form.
Joy f English
Simply from the English word joy, ultimately derived from Norman French joie, Latin gaudium. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Charlemagne m History
From Old French Charles le Magne meaning "Charles the Great". This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.
Danail m Bulgarian
Bulgarian variant form of Daniel.
Bahram m Persian, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬬𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬖𐬥𐬀 (Vərəthraghna) meaning "victory over resistance". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with victory and war. It was also borne by several Sasanian emperors. It is also the Persian name for the planet Mars.
Synnøve f Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Sunniva.
Tabea f German
German short form of Tabitha. This form was used in earlier editions of the Luther Bible.
Eliza f English, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Hungarian, Georgian
Short form of Elizabeth. It was borne by the character Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion (1913) and the subsequent musical adaptation My Fair Lady (1956).
Divya f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Means "divine, heavenly" in Sanskrit.
Valentino m Italian
Italian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Nereida f Spanish
Derived from Greek Νηρηΐδες (Nereides) meaning "nymphs, sea sprites", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Eurydice f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Εὐρυδίκη (Eurydike) meaning "wide justice", derived from εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order". In Greek myth she was the wife of Orpheus. Her husband tried to rescue her from Hades, but he failed when he disobeyed the condition that he not look back upon her on their way out.
Jules 1 m French
French form of Julius. A notable bearer of this name was the French novelist Jules Verne (1828-1905), author of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and other works of science fiction.
Margalit f Hebrew
Means "pearl" in Hebrew, ultimately from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites).
Armand m French, Catalan
French and Catalan form of Herman.
Talitha f Biblical
Means "little girl" in Aramaic. The name is taken from the phrase talitha cumi meaning "little girl arise" spoken by Jesus in order to restore a young girl to life (see Mark 5:41).
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.
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Ruby f English
Simply from the name of the precious stone (which ultimately derives from Latin ruber "red"), which is the traditional birthstone of July. It came into use as a given name in the 16th century.
Marinella f Italian
Diminutive of Marina.
'Efrayim m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Ephraim.
Mina 1 f English, Dutch
Short form of Wilhelmina and other names ending in mina. This was the name of a character in the novel Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker.
Karolína f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak feminine form of Carolus.
Star f English
From the English word for the celestial body, ultimately from Old English steorra.
Valerian m Russian, Georgian, Romanian, History
From the Roman cognomen Valerianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name Valerius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Publius Licinius Valerianus) who was captured by the Persians. Several saints have also borne this name, including a 2nd-century martyr of Lyons.
Evaristus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐάριστος (Euaristos) meaning "well pleasing" from the Greek word εὐάρεστος (euarestos), derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good, well" and ἀρεστός (arestos) meaning "pleasing". This was the name of the fifth pope, supposedly martyred under Emperor Hadrian.
Luanna f English (Rare)
Either a combination of Lou and Anna or a variant of Luana.
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.
Isaias m Biblical
Late Latin form of Isaiah used in some versions of the Bible.
Rébecca f French
French form of Rebecca.
Eira 1 f Welsh
Means "snow" in Welsh. This is a recently created name.
Josephine f English, German, Dutch
English, German and Dutch form of Joséphine.
Anastas m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Anastasius.
Wilbert m Dutch
Means "bright will", derived from the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and beraht "bright".
Arthur m English, French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements *artos "bear" (Old Welsh arth) combined with *wiros "man" (Old Welsh gur) or *rīxs "king" (Old Welsh ri). Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius.... [more]
Eryk m Polish
Polish form of Eric.
Ninon f French
French diminutive of Anne 1.
Damiana f Italian
Italian feminine form of Damian.
Cosima f Italian
Italian feminine form of Cosimo.
Linwood m English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.
Pari f Persian
Means "fairy, sprite, nymph" in Persian.
Iola f English
Probably a variant of Iole.
Edison m English, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish (Latin American), Albanian
From an English surname that meant either "son of Eda 2" or "son of Adam". A famous bearer of the surname was the American inventor Thomas Edison (1847-1931).
Breanna f English
Variant of Briana.
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.
Bernarda f Slovene, Croatian, Spanish
Feminine form of Bernard.
Glendower m Welsh
Anglicized form of Glyndwr.
Kira 2 f English
Variant of Ciara 1.
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).
Francisco m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Franciscus (see Francis). This is the Spanish name of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Other notable bearers include the Spanish painter and engraver Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) and the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975).
Camille f & m French, English
French feminine and masculine form of Camilla. It is also used in the English-speaking world, where it is generally only feminine.
Delphina f Late Roman
Feminine form of the Latin name Delphinus, which meant "of Delphi". Delphi was a city in ancient Greece, the name of which is possibly related to Greek δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". The Blessed Delphina was a 14th-century Provençal nun.
Marija f Croatian, Slovene, Serbian, Macedonian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Maltese
Form of Maria in several languages.
Sylvain m French
French form of Silvanus.
Anabel f Spanish
Spanish form of Annabel, also commonly used as a contraction of Ana Isabel.
Hira 1 f & m Urdu, Nepali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi
Derived from Sanskrit हीर (hīra) meaning "diamond". It is typically feminine in Pakistan and unisex in India and Nepal.
Kasimira f German (Archaic)
Feminine form of Kasimir.
Manca f Slovene
Slovene diminutive of Marija.
Malinda f English
Variant of Melinda.
Rosella f Italian
Italian diminutive of Rosa 1.
Mæja f Icelandic
Icelandic diminutive of María.
Florentia f Late Roman
Original feminine form of Florence.
Sidonie f French
French feminine form of Sidonius.
Mehrnaz f Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Léandre m French
French form of Leander.
Adrienn f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Adrian.
Roslyn f English
Variant of Rosalyn.
Yasaman f Persian
Variant of Yasamin.
Timaeus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latinized form of the Greek name Τίμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". This is the name of one of Plato's dialogues, featuring Timaeus and Socrates. Timaeus is also the name of a person mentioned briefly in the New Testament (Mark 10:46).
Una f English
Anglicized form of Irish Úna or Scottish Ùna. It is also associated with Latin una, feminine form of unus meaning "one". The name features in Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
Gwenaëlle f French, Breton
Feminine form of Gwenaël.
Lucina f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux meaning "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
Emmeline f English
From Old French Emeline, a diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element amal meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave". The Normans introduced this name to England.
Martine f French, Dutch, Norwegian
French, Dutch and Norwegian form of Martina.
Maia 1 f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Portuguese, Georgian
From Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning "good mother, dame, foster mother", perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.
Iliya m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Elijah.
Elene f Georgian, Sardinian, Basque
Georgian, Sardinian and Basque form of Helen.
Hyacinthus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ὑάκινθος (Hyakinthos), which was derived from the name of the hyacinth flower. In Greek legend Hyakinthos was accidentally killed by the god Apollo, who mournfully caused this flower to arise from his blood. The name was also borne by several early saints, notably a 3rd-century martyr who was killed with his brother Protus.
Azaria m & f Hebrew, English (Modern)
Hebrew form of Azariah (masculine), as well as a feminine variant in the English-speaking world.
Theophanes m Ancient Greek
Means "manifestation of God" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". This name was borne by a few saints, including an 8th-century chronicler from Constantinople and a 19th-century Russian Orthodox saint, Theophanes the Recluse, who is Феофан (Feofan) in Russian. Another famous bearer was a 14th-century Byzantine icon painter active in Moscow.
Brianne f English (Modern)
Feminine form of Brian.
Malika f Arabic
Means "queen" in Arabic, the feminine form of Malik 1.
Íris f Portuguese, Icelandic
Portuguese and Icelandic form of Iris.
Tiffany f English
Medieval form of Theophania. This name was traditionally given to girls born on the Epiphany (January 6), the festival commemorating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. The name died out after the Middle Ages, but it was revived by the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), the title of which refers to the Tiffany's jewelry store in New York.
Aideen f Irish
Anglicized form of Éadaoin.
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.
Veronica f English, Italian, Romanian, Late Roman
Latin alteration of Berenice, the spelling influenced by the ecclesiastical Latin phrase vera icon meaning "true image". This was the name of a legendary saint who wiped Jesus' face with a towel and then found his image imprinted upon it. Due to popular stories about her, the name was occasionally used in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. It was borne by the Italian saint and mystic Veronica Giuliani (1660-1727). As an English name, it was not common until the 19th century, when it was imported from France and Scotland.
Charlotte f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
French feminine diminutive of Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of Jane Eyre and Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.... [more]
Michele 1 m Italian
Italian form of Michael.
Sabine f French, German, Dutch, Danish
French, German, Dutch and Danish form of Sabina.
Elliott m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of the medieval name Elias.
Margaret f English
Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.... [more]
Alois m German, Czech
German and Czech form of Aloysius.
Terese f Basque, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Basque and Scandinavian form of Theresa.
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]
Pascale f French
Feminine form of Pascal.
Janelle f English
Diminutive of Jane. It has been in use only since the 20th century.
Rhea f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, perhaps related to ῥέω (rheo) meaning "to flow" or ἔρα (era) meaning "ground". In Greek mythology Rhea was a Titan, the wife of Cronus, and the mother of the Olympian gods Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia. Also, in Roman mythology a woman named Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.
Mercy f English
From the English word mercy, ultimately from Latin merces "wages, reward", a derivative of merx "goods, wares". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Thibault m French
French form of Theobald.
Eli 3 f Spanish, Norwegian, Danish
Spanish, Norwegian and Danish short form of Elisabet or Elin.
Roberts m Latvian
Latvian form of Robert.
Joye f English
Variant of Joy.
Lysander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λύσανδρος (Lysandros), derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a notable 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.
Gisèle f French
French variant of Giselle.
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-).
Lilavati f Sanskrit
Means "amusing, charming, graceful" in Sanskrit. The 12th-century mathematician Bhaskara gave this name to one of his books on mathematics, possibly after his daughter. This was also the name of a 13th-century queen of Sri Lanka.
Donella f Scottish
Feminine form of Donald.
Senta f German
Diminutive of Kreszentia.
Francette f French
Feminine diminutive of François.
Sanne f Dutch, Danish
Dutch and Danish short form of Susanna.
Jasmina f Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Slovene, Macedonian
Form of Jasmine in several languages.
Catherine f French, English
French form of Katherine, and also a common English variant.
Edelgard f German
From an Old German name, which was derived from the elements adal "noble" and gart "enclosure, yard".
Elyse f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth. It was popularized in the early 1980s by a character from the television comedy Family Ties.
Ankita f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali
Feminine form of Ankit.
Cybele f Near Eastern Mythology (Latinized)
Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
Meave f Irish
Variant of Maeve.
Elfriede f German
German form of Elfreda.
Ángel m Spanish
Spanish form of Angelus (see Angel).
Selene f Greek Mythology
Means "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. She was sometimes identified with the goddess Artemis.
Vishal m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali
From Sanskrit विशाल (viśāla) meaning "wide, broad, spacious".
Marina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Greek, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Georgian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Marinus. This name was borne by a few early saints. This is also the name by which Saint Margaret of Antioch is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Mira 1 f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
From Sanskrit मीर (mīra) meaning "sea, ocean". This was the name of a 16th-century Indian princess who devoted her life to the god Krishna.
Phaedra f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Φαίδρα (Phaidra), derived from φαιδρός (phaidros) meaning "bright". Phaedra was the daughter of Minos and the wife of Theseus in Greek mythology. Aphrodite caused her to fall in love with her stepson Hippolytos, and after she was rejected by him she killed herself.
Caterina f Italian, Catalan
Italian and Catalan form of Katherine.
Clementia f Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Clemens or Clementius (see Clement). In Roman mythology this was the name of the personification of mercy and clemency.
Chrysanthi f Greek
Modern Greek feminine form of Chrysanthos.
Paloma f Spanish
Means "dove, pigeon" in Spanish.
Charlene f English
Feminine diminutive of Charles.
Valente m Italian, Spanish (Mexican), Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Valens.
Sunniva f Norwegian
Scandinavian form of the Old English name Sunngifu, which meant "sun gift" from the Old English elements sunne "sun" and giefu "gift". This was the name of a legendary English saint who was shipwrecked in Norway and killed by the inhabitants.
Vinícius m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Vinicius (see Vinicio). It gained popularity in Brazil due to the poet and musician Vinícius de Moraes (1913-1980).
Anya f Russian, English
Russian diminutive of Anna.
Akilina f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of the Roman name Aquilina, a feminine derivative of Aquila.
Kenna f Scottish
Feminine form of Kenneth.
Gladwin m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Glædwine.
Letha f English
Possibly a short form of Aletha.
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.
Émile m French
French form of Aemilius (see Emil). This name was borne by the author Émile Zola (1840-1902) and the sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858-1917).
Kishore m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi किशोर, Tamil கிஷோர் or Telugu కిశోర్ (see Kishor).
Massimo m Italian
Italian form of Maximus.
Angelica f English, Italian, Romanian, Carolingian Cycle
Derived from Latin angelicus meaning "angelic", ultimately related to Greek ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger". The poets Boiardo and Ariosto used this name in their Orlando poems (1483 and 1532), where she is the love interest of both Orlando and Rinaldo. It has been used as a given name since the 18th century.
Archimedes m Ancient Greek
Derived from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician, astronomer and inventor.
Korinna f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Corinna.
Florencia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Florentius (see Florence).
Maybelline f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Mabel. This is an American cosmetics company, which was named after the founder's sister Mabel in 1915.
Circe f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κίρκη (Kirke), possibly from κίρκος (kirkos) meaning "hawk". In Greek mythology Circe was a sorceress who changed Odysseus's crew into hogs, as told in Homer's Odyssey. Odysseus forced her to change them back, then stayed with her for a year before continuing his voyage.
Aletha f English
Variant of Alethea.
Ileana f Romanian, Spanish, Italian
Possibly a Romanian variant of Elena. In Romanian folklore this is the name of a princess kidnapped by monsters and rescued by a heroic knight.
Cedric m English
Invented by Walter Scott for a character in his novel Ivanhoe (1819). Apparently he based it on the actual name Cerdic, the name of the semi-legendary founder of the kingdom of Wessex in the 6th century. The meaning of Cerdic is uncertain, but it does not appear to be Old English in origin. It could be connected to the Brythonic name Caratācos. The name was also used by Frances Hodgson Burnett for the main character in her novel Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886).
Samuel m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemuʾel) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of "God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.... [more]
Theseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by Aegeus or by the god Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.... [more]
Diána f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Diana.
Rosita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Rosa 1.
Linn f Swedish, Norwegian
Short form of Linnéa and other names containing the same sound.
Ástríðr f Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Alícia f Catalan, Portuguese
Catalan form of Alice, as well as a Portuguese variant.
Flor f Spanish, Portuguese
Either directly from Spanish or Portuguese flor meaning "flower", or a short form of Florencia.
Anne-Sophie f French
Combination of Anne 1 and Sophie.
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).
Ambrosia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Ambrosios (see Ambrose).
Agapi f Greek
Modern Greek form of Agape.
Donatien m French
French form of Donatianus.
Melika f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Melissa.
Fifi f French
Diminutive of Joséphine and other names containing the same sound.
Margriet f Dutch
Dutch form of Margaret. This is also the Dutch word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
Sigrid f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, German, Estonian, Finnish (Archaic)
From the Old Norse name Sigríðr, which was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Watson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Wat". A famous fictional bearer of the surname was Dr. Watson, the assistant to Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's mystery stories beginning in 1887.
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.
Redmond m Irish
Anglicized form of Réamonn.
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.
Angelina f Italian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Armenian
Latinate diminutive of Angela. A famous bearer is American actress Angelina Jolie (1975-).
Ari 2 m Old Norse, Icelandic, Finnish
Old Norse byname meaning "eagle".
Aelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aelius.
Alba 1 f Italian, Spanish, Catalan
This name is derived from two distinct names, Alba 2 and Alba 3, with distinct origins, Latin and Germanic. Over time these names have become confused with one another. To further complicate the matter, alba means "dawn" in Italian, Spanish and Catalan. This may be the main inspiration behind its use in Italy and Spain.
Crescens m Late Roman, Biblical Latin
Latin name that was derived from cresco "to grow". This name is mentioned briefly in one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament.
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.
Hebe f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥβη (hebe) meaning "youth". In Greek mythology Hebe was the daughter of Zeus and Hera. She was a goddess of youth who acted as the cupbearer to the gods.
Eléonore f French
French form of Eleanor.
Nausicaa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ναυσικάα (Nausikaa) meaning "burner of ships". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of a daughter of Alcinous who helps Odysseus on his journey home.
Ophelia f English, Literature, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ὠφέλεια (opheleia) meaning "help, advantage". This was a rare ancient Greek name, which was either rediscovered or recreated by the poet Jacopo Sannazaro for a character in his poem Arcadia (1480). It was borrowed by Shakespeare for his play Hamlet (1600), in which it belongs to the daughter of Polonius and the potential love interest of Hamlet. She eventually goes insane and drowns herself after Hamlet kills her father. In spite of this negative association, the name has been in use since the 19th century.
Glædwine m Anglo-Saxon
Old English name derived from the elements glæd "bright, cheerful, glad" and wine "friend". This name was not actually recorded in the Old English era, though it is attested starting in the 11th century.
Emil m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Icelandic, English
From the Roman family name Aemilius, which was derived from Latin aemulus meaning "rival". A notable bearer was the Czech long-distance runner Emil Zátopek (1922-2000).
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.
Pavlina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek, Slovene
Bulgarian, Macedonian and Greek form of Paulina.
Nora 1 f English, Irish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
Short form of Honora or Eleanor. Henrik Ibsen used it for a character in his play A Doll's House (1879).
Oriane f French
French form of Oriana.
Amálie f Czech
Czech form of Amalia.
Aristaeus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀρισταῖος (Aristaios), derived from ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best". This was the name of a minor Greek god of agriculture, hunting and cattle. He was the son of Apollo and the mortal Cyrene.