Coraline f Literature, FrenchCreated by the French composer Adolphe Adam for one of the main characters in his opera
Le Toréador (1849). He probably based it on the name
Coralie. It was also used by the author Neil Gaiman for the young heroine in his novel
Coraline (2002). Gaiman has stated that in this case the name began as a typo of
Caroline.
Maria f & m Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church SlavicLatin form of Greek
Μαρία, from Hebrew
מִרְיָם (see
Mary).
Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is
Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy,
Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.
... [more] Adele f German, English, ItalianForm of
Adela used in several languages. A famous bearer was the dancer and actress Adele Astaire (1896-1981). It was also borne by the British singer Adele Adkins (1988-), known simply as Adele. Shortly after she released her debut album in 2008 the name reentered the American top 1000 chart after a 40-year absence.
Tamara f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Hungarian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Lithuanian, GeorgianRussian form of
Tamar. Russian performers such as Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978), Tamara Drasin (1905-1943), Tamara Geva (1907-1997) and Tamara Toumanova (1919-1996) introduced it to the English-speaking world. It rapidly grew in popularity in the United States starting in 1957. Another famous bearer was the Polish cubist painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980).
Aphrodite f Greek MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess
Venus. She was the wife of
Hephaestus and the mother of
Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with
ἀφρός (aphros) meaning
"foam", resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as
Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and
Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess
Inanna.
Ione f Greek Mythology, EnglishFrom Ancient Greek
ἴον (ion) meaning
"violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name
Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.
Ariadne f Greek MythologyMeans
"most holy", composed of the Greek prefix
ἀρι (ari) meaning "most" combined with Cretan Greek
ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King
Minos. She fell in love with
Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god
Dionysus.
Emerson m & f EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Emery". The surname was borne by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American writer and philosopher who wrote about transcendentalism.
Consolata f ItalianMeans
"consoled" in Italian. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Maria Consolata.
Dione 1 f Greek MythologyFrom Greek
Διός (Dios) meaning
"of Zeus". By extension, it means
"goddess". This was the name of a Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of
Aphrodite. A moon of Saturn is named after her.
Nerissa f LiteratureCreated by Shakespeare for a character in his play
The Merchant of Venice (1596). He possibly took it from Greek
Νηρηΐς (Nereis) meaning "nymph, sea sprite", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god
Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Wilton m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the names of several English towns. The town names mean variously "willow town", "well town" or "town on the River Wylye" in Old English. The river name is itself of Celtic origin, possibly meaning "tricky".
Alison 1 f English, FrenchNorman French diminutive of
Aalis (see
Alice). It was common in England, Scotland and France in the Middle Ages, and was later revived in England in the 20th century via Scotland. Unlike most other English names ending in
son, it is not derived from a surname.
Elioenai m BiblicalMeans
"my eyes look to Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from
אֶל (ʾel) meaning "towards",
יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God, and
עַיִן (ʿayin) meaning "eye". This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.
Anita 1 f Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, Slovene, English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Latvian, HungarianSpanish, Portuguese, Croatian and Slovene diminutive of
Ana.
Clement m EnglishEnglish 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.
Flora f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Albanian, Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
flos meaning
"flower" (genitive case
floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of
Fionnghuala.
Eleonora f Italian, German, Swedish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian, GreekForm of
Eleanor in several languages.
Armani m & f English (Modern)From an Italian surname meaning
"son of Ermanno". It has been used as a given name due to the fashion company Armani, which was founded by the clothing designer Giorgio Armani (1934-).
Bronwyn f EnglishVariant of
Bronwen used in the English-speaking world (especially Australia and New Zealand).
Photine f Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
φῶς (phos) meaning
"light" (genitive
φωτός (photos)). This is the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman
Jesus met at the well (see
John 4:7). She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Church.
Bessarion m Late GreekMeaning uncertain, possibly from Greek
βῆσσα (bessa) meaning
"wooded valley". This was the name of a 5th-century Egyptian hermit who was a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great. It was later adopted by the scholar Basilios Bessarion (1403-1472), a Greek born in Byzantine Anatolia who became a Roman Catholic bishop.
Odo m GermanicVariant of
Otto. This form is typically Frankish, and used when referring to historical bearers from medieval France. It was the name of a 9th-century king of the West Franks. Another notable bearer was Saint Odo, a 10th-century abbot of Cluny.
Alessandro m ItalianItalian form of
Alexander. A famous bearer was Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), the Italian physicist who invented the battery.
Bonita f EnglishMeans
"pretty" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin
bonus "good". It has been used as a name in the English-speaking world since the beginning of the 20th century.
Themis f Greek MythologyMeans
"law of nature, divine law, custom" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan who presided over custom and natural law. She was often depicted blindfolded and holding a pair of scales. By
Zeus she was the mother of many deities, including the three
Μοῖραι (Moirai) and the three
Ὥραι (Horai).
Innocent m History (Ecclesiastical), English (African)From the Late Latin name
Innocentius, which was derived from
innocens "innocent". This was the name of several early saints. It was also borne by 13 popes including Innocent III, a politically powerful ruler and organizer of the Fourth Crusade.
... [more] Tabea f GermanGerman short form of
Tabitha. This form was used in earlier editions of the Luther Bible.
Honorius m Late RomanLate 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.
Caelestis m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"of the sky, heavenly", a derivative of Latin
caelum "heaven, sky".
Eilwen f WelshPerhaps means
"white brow", derived from Welsh
ael "brow" and
gwen "white, blessed". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Penelope f Greek Mythology, EnglishProbably derived from Greek
πηνέλοψ (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be from
πήνη (pene) meaning "threads, weft" and
ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In
Homer's epic the
Odyssey this is the name of the wife of
Odysseus, forced to fend off suitors while her husband is away fighting at Troy.
... [more] Beau m & f English, Dutch (Modern)Means
"beautiful, handsome" in French. It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. In Margaret Mitchell's novel
Gone with the Wind (1936) this is the name of Ashley and Melanie's son.
... [more] Estee f JewishDiminutive of
Esther. A famous bearer was the American businesswoman Estée Lauder (1908-2004), founder of the cosmetics company that bears her name. Her birth name was Josephine Esther Mentzer. Apparently she added the accent to her name
Estee in order to make it appear French.
Áine f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as
Anne.
Ignatius m Late RomanFrom 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.
Marilyn f EnglishCombination of
Mary and the common name suffix
lyn. It was very rare before the start of the 20th century. It was popularized in part by the American stage star Marilyn Miller (1898-1936), who was born Mary Ellen Reynolds and took her stage name from a combination of her birth name and her mother's middle name
Lynn. It became popular in the United States during the 1920s, reaching a high point ranked 13th in 1936. Famous bearers include American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962; real name Norma Jeane Mortenson) and American opera singer Marilyn Horne (1934-).
Zélie f FrenchShort form of
Azélie. This is another name of Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin (1831-1877).
Autumn f EnglishFrom the name of the season, ultimately from Latin
autumnus. This name has been in general use since the 1960s.
Marian 1 f EnglishVariant of
Marion 1. This name was borne in English legend by Maid Marian, Robin Hood's love. It is sometimes considered a combination of
Mary and
Ann.
... [more] Melissa f English, Dutch, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyMeans
"bee" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a daughter of Procles, as well as an epithet of various Greek nymphs and priestesses. According to the early Christian writer Lactantius this was the name of the sister of the nymph
Amalthea, with whom she cared for the young
Zeus. Later it appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem
Orlando Furioso belonging to the fairy who helps
Ruggiero escape from the witch
Alcina. As an English given name,
Melissa has been used since the 18th century.
Eithne f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPossibly 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.
Tatiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, French, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, Georgian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of the Roman name
Tatianus, a derivative of the Roman name
Tatius. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Rome under the emperor Alexander Severus. She was especially venerated in Orthodox Christianity, and the name has been common in Russia (as
Татьяна) and Eastern Europe. It was not regularly used in the English-speaking world until the 1980s.
Aglaia f Greek Mythology, GreekMeans
"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.
Ella 1 f EnglishNorman 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).
Elara f Greek MythologyPossibly 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.
Carys f WelshDerived from Welsh
caru meaning
"love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.
Madeline f EnglishEnglish form of
Madeleine. This is the name of the heroine in a series of children's books by the Austrian-American author Ludwig Bemelmans, first published 1939.
Angel m & f English, Bulgarian, MacedonianFrom the medieval Latin masculine name
Angelus, which was derived from the name of the heavenly creature (itself derived from the Greek word
ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger"). It has never been very common in the English-speaking world, where it is sometimes used as a feminine name in modern times.
Ange m & f FrenchFrench masculine and feminine form of
Angelus (see
Angel).
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.
William m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Willehelm meaning
"will helmet", composed of the elements
willo "will, desire" and
helm "helmet, protection". An early saint by this name was the 8th-century William of Gellone, a cousin of
Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England in the 11th century. From then until the modern era it has been among the most common of English names (with
John,
Thomas and
Robert).
... [more] Valentine 1 m EnglishFrom the Roman cognomen
Valentinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen
Valens meaning
"strong, vigorous, healthy" in Latin. Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century martyr. His feast day was the same as the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which resulted in the association between Valentine's Day and love.
... [more] Siv f Swedish, Norwegian, Norse MythologyFrom Old Norse
Sif, which meant
"bride, kinswoman". In Norse mythology she was the wife of
Thor. After the trickster
Loki cut off her golden hair, an angry Thor forced him to create a replacement.
Elea f EnglishShort form of
Eleanor. This was also the name of an ancient Italian town (modern Velia) that is well known for being the home of the philosopher Parmenides and his student Zeno of Elea, who was famous for his paradoxes.
Conrad m English, German, GermanicMeans
"brave counsel", derived from the Old German elements
kuoni "brave" and
rat "counsel, advice". This was the name of a 10th-century saint and bishop of Konstanz, in southern Germany. It was also borne by several medieval German kings and dukes, notably Conrad II, the first of the Holy Roman Emperors from the Salic dynasty. In England it was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, but has only been common since the 19th century when it was reintroduced from Germany.
Róisín f IrishDiminutive of
Róis or the Irish word
rós meaning
"rose" (of Latin origin). It appears in the 17th-century song
Róisín Dubh.
Paula f German, English, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Croatian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Paulus (see
Paul). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman saint who was a companion of Saint
Jerome.
Basil 1 m EnglishFrom the Greek name
Βασίλειος (Basileios), which was derived from
βασιλεύς (basileus) meaning
"king". Saint Basil the Great was a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea and one of the fathers of the early Christian church. Due to him, the name (in various spellings) has come into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors.
Amelia f English, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Medieval FrenchVariant of
Amalia, though it is sometimes confused with
Emilia, which has a different origin. The name became popular in England after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century — it was borne by daughters of both George II and George III. The author Henry Fielding used it for the title character in his novel
Amelia (1751). Another famous bearer was Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), the first woman to make a solo flight over the Atlantic Ocean.
... [more] Iolanthe f Various (Rare)Probably a variant of
Yolanda influenced by the Greek words
ἰόλη (iole) meaning "violet" and
ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was (first?) used by Gilbert and Sullivan in their comic opera
Iolanthe (1882).
Melle m DutchOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
mahal meaning
"meeting, assembly, court" (Proto-Germanic *
maþlą).
Elfleda f English (Archaic)Middle English form of both the Old English names
Æðelflæd and
Ælfflæd. These names became rare after the Norman Conquest, but
Elfleda was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Menelaus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Μενέλαος (Menelaos), derived either from
μένω (meno) meaning "to stay, to last" or
μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force" combined with
λαός (laos) meaning "people". In Greek legend he was a king of Sparta and the husband of
Helen. When his wife was taken by
Paris, the Greeks led by his brother
Agamemnon besieged the city of Troy in an effort to get her back. After the war Menelaus and Helen settled down to a happy life.
Adelaide f English, Italian, PortugueseMeans
"nobleness, nobility", from the French form of the Germanic name
Adalheidis, which was composed of
adal "noble" and the suffix
heit "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great.
... [more] Kore f Greek MythologyMeans
"maiden" in Greek. This was another name for the Greek goddess Persephone.
Anna f English, Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Armenian, Icelandic, Faroese, Catalan, Occitan, Breton, Scottish Gaelic, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church SlavicForm of
Hannah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament. Many later Old Testament translations, including the English, use the
Hannah spelling instead of
Anna. The name appears briefly in the New Testament belonging to a prophetess who recognized
Jesus as the Messiah. It was a popular name in the Byzantine Empire from an early date, and in the Middle Ages it became common among Western Christians due to veneration of Saint Anna (usually known as Saint Anne in English), the name traditionally assigned to the mother of the Virgin
Mary.
... [more] Odette f FrenchFrench diminutive of
Oda or
Odilia. This is the name of a princess who has been transformed into a swan in the ballet
Swan Lake (1877) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Vashti f BiblicalProbably of Persian origin, possibly a superlative form of
𐎺𐎢 (vahu) meaning
"good". According to the Old Testament this was the name of the first wife of King
Ahasuerus of Persia before he married
Esther.
Fe f SpanishMeans
"faith" in Spanish, derived from Latin
fides.
Louisa f English, German, DutchLatinate feminine form of
Louis. A famous bearer was the American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the author of
Little Women.
Harriet f EnglishEnglish form of
Henriette, and thus a feminine form of
Harry. It was first used in the 17th century, becoming very common in the English-speaking world by the 18th century. Famous bearers include the Americans Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), the author of
Uncle Tom's Cabin, and the abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913).
Timothy m English, BiblicalEnglish form of the Greek name
Τιμόθεος (Timotheos) meaning
"honouring God", derived from
τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour" and
θεός (theos) meaning "god". Saint Timothy was a companion of
Paul on his missionary journeys and was the recipient of two of Paul's epistles that appear in the New Testament. He was of both Jewish and Greek ancestry. According to tradition, he was martyred at Ephesus after protesting the worship of
Artemis. As an English name,
Timothy was not used until after the Protestant Reformation.
Anastasia f Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, English, Spanish, Italian, Georgian, Ancient GreekFeminine form of
Anastasius. This was the name of a 4th-century Dalmatian saint who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor
Diocletian. Due to her, the name has been common in Eastern Orthodox Christianity (in various spellings). As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the youngest daughter of the last Russian tsar Nicholas II, who was rumoured to have escaped the execution of her family in 1918.
Prosper m French, EnglishFrom 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.
Viola f English, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Czech, SlovakMeans
"violet" in Latin. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's comedy
Twelfth Night (1602). In the play she is the survivor of a shipwreck who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Working as a messenger for Duke
Orsino, she attempts to convince
Olivia to marry him. Instead Viola falls in love with the duke.
Mercy f EnglishFrom 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.
Savitri f Hinduism, Hindi, MarathiMeans
"of the sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hymn in the
Rigveda dedicated to
Savitr, a sun god. This is also the name of Savitr's daughter, a wife of
Brahma, considered an aspect of
Saraswati. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata it is borne by King Satyavan's wife, who successfully pleas with
Yama, the god of death, to restore her husband to life.
Teresa f Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Catalan, Polish, Lithuanian, Finnish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, EnglishForm of
Theresa used in several languages. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a 16th-century Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelite monasteries and wrote several spiritual books. It was also borne by the Albanian missionary Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), better known as Mother Teresa, who worked with the poor in India. She adopted the name in honour of the French saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron of missionaries.
Tiffany f EnglishMedieval 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.
Milena f Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, ItalianFeminine 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.
Michelangelo m ItalianCombination 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.
Briseis f Greek MythologyPatronymic derived from
Βρισεύς (Briseus), a Greek name of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology Briseis (real name Hippodameia) was the daughter of Briseus. She was captured during the Trojan War by
Achilles. After
Agamemnon took her away from him, Achilles refused to fight in the war.
Florizel m LiteratureFrom Latin
floris, the genitive case of
flos meaning
"flower". This name was used by Shakespeare for the prince of Bohemia and the lover of
Perdita in his play
The Winter's Tale (1610).
Elisha m Biblical, Biblical HebrewFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִישַׁע (ʾElishaʿ), a contracted form of
אֱלִישׁוּעַ (ʾElishuaʿ) meaning
"my God is salvation", derived from
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and
יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save, to deliver". According to the Old Testament, Elisha was a prophet and miracle worker. He was the attendant of
Elijah and succeeded him after his ascension to heaven.
Allison f & m EnglishFrom the middle of the 20th century this has primarily been used as a variant of the feminine name
Alison 1. However, prior to that it was used as an uncommon masculine name, derived from the English and Scottish surname
Allison.
Honour f & m English (Rare)From the English word
honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of
Honoria or
Honorata, which are ultimately derived from the same source.
Sunita f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, NepaliMeans
"well conducted, wise", derived from the Sanskrit prefix
सु (su) meaning "good" combined with
नीत (nīta) meaning "conducted, led". In Hindu legend this is the name of the wife of King Anga of Bengal and the mother of
Vena.