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
Ilyas m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian, Kazakh, Chechen, Tatar, Bashkir
Arabic form of Elijah, also used in several other languages.
Nikolaus m German
German form of Nicholas.
Christabel f English (Rare)
Combination of Christina and the name suffix bel (inspired by Latin bella "beautiful"). This name occurs in medieval literature, and was later used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his 1816 poem Christabel.
Emmalyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Emmeline, or else a combination of Emma and the fashionable name suffix lyn.
Lucila f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lucilla.
Clelia f Italian
Italian form of Cloelia.
Minerva f Roman Mythology, English, Spanish
Possibly derived from Latin mens meaning "intellect", but more likely of Etruscan origin. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since after the Renaissance.
Élodie f French
French form of Alodia.
Valentine 1 m English
From 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]
Liwia f Polish
Polish form of Livia 1.
Meryl f English
Variant of Muriel. A famous bearer is American actress Meryl Streep (1949-), whose real name is Mary Louise Streep.
Valente m Italian, Spanish (Mexican), Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Valens.
Amerigo m Italian
Medieval Italian form of Emmerich. Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) was the Italian explorer who gave the continent of America its name (from Americus, the Latin form of his name).
Dorothée f French
French form of Dorothea.
Alden m English
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Ealdwine.
Leone 2 f English
Variant of Leona.
Mairead f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Margaret.
Rina 2 f Hebrew
Means "joy, singing" in Hebrew.
Casandra f Spanish, Romanian
Spanish and Romanian form of Cassandra.
Avis f English
Probably a Latinized form of the Germanic name Aveza, which was derived from the element awi, of unknown meaning. The Normans introduced this name to England and it became moderately common during the Middle Ages, at which time it was associated with Latin avis "bird".
Anya f Russian, English
Russian diminutive of Anna.
Romeo m Italian, Romanian
Italian form of the Late Latin Romaeus or Late Greek Ρωμαῖος (Romaios), which meant "from Rome" or "Roman". Romeo is best known as the lover of Juliet in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596). Shakespeare based his play on earlier Italian stories by Luigi Da Porto (1524) and Matteo Bandello (1554), which both featured characters named Giulietta and Romeo.
Suman m & f Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali
Means "well-disposed, good mind", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with मनस् (manas) meaning "mind".
Gracia f Spanish
Means "grace" in Spanish, making it a cognate of Grace.
Mélanie f French
French form of Melanie.
Azalaïs f Occitan
Occitan form of Adelais.
Signy f Norwegian
Norwegian variant form of Signý.
Reynold m English
From the Germanic name Raginald, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and walt "power, authority". The Normans (who used forms like Reinald or Reinold) brought the name to Britain, where it reinforced rare Old English and Norse cognates already in existence. It was common during the Middle Ages, but became more rare after the 15th century.
Millicent f English
From the Gothic name *Amalaswinþa, composed of the elements amals "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and swinþs "strong". Amalaswintha was a 6th-century queen of the Ostrogoths. The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Melisent or Melisende. Melisende was a 12th-century queen of Jerusalem, the daughter of Baldwin II.
Antía f Galician
Galician feminine form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Shoshana f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Susanna.
Katarine f German (Rare)
German variant form of Katherine.
Ugène m Norman
Norman form of Eugenius (see Eugene).
Calixta f Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Calixtus.
Eugênia f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Eugenia.
Roseanne f English
Variant of Rosanne.
Rosine f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Lilou f French
Either a diminutive of French names containing the sound lee or a combination of Lili and Louise.
Émeline f French
French form of Emmeline.
Rhiannon f Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.... [more]
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.
Valéry m French
Derived from the Old German elements walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and rih "ruler, king". It has been frequently confused with the name Valère. Saint Walaric (or Valery) was a 7th-century Frankish monk who founded an abbey near Leuconaus at the mouth of the Somme River.
Annamaria f Italian
Combination of Anna and Maria.
Mélina f French
French form of Melina.
Narine f Armenian
Probably from Persian نار (nār) meaning "pomegranate", considered a sacred fruit in Armenian culture. Alternately, it could be derived from Arabic نار (nār) meaning "fire".
Josey m & f English
Diminutive of Joseph or Josephine.
Sidonius m Late Roman
Latin name meaning "of Sidon". Sidon was an ancient Phoenician city corresponding to modern-day Saida in Lebanon. This name was borne by the 5th-century saint Sidonius Apollinaris, a 5th-century bishop of Clermont.
Elián m Various (Rare)
In the case of Elián Gonzalez (1993-) it is a combination of Elizabeth and Juan 1, the names of his parents.
Naenia f Roman Mythology
Means "incantation, dirge" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of funerals.
Naevius m Ancient Roman
Latin form of Nevio.
Panna f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Anna.
Penelope f Greek Mythology, English
Probably 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]
Renard m French (Rare)
French form of Reynard. Because of the medieval character Reynard the Fox, renard became a French word meaning "fox".
Nes f Dutch (Rare)
Dutch short form of Agnes.
Palle m Danish
Danish diminutive of Paul.
Madhuri f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada
From Sanskrit माधुर (mādhura) meaning "sweetness", a derivative of मधु (madhu) meaning "honey, sweet".
Isaia m Italian, Old Church Slavic
Italian form of Isaiah, as well as the Old Church Slavic form.
Denisa f Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Albanian
Feminine form of Denis.
Anina f German
Diminutive of Anna.
Vendelín m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Wendelin.
Giselle f French, English (Modern)
Derived from the Old German element gisal meaning "hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. This was the name of both a sister and daughter of Charlemagne. It was also borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. Another notable bearer was the 11th-century Gisela of Swabia, wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II.... [more]
Hilary f & m English
Medieval English form of Hilarius or Hilaria. During the Middle Ages it was primarily a masculine name. It was revived in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century as a predominantly feminine name. In America, this name and the variant Hillary seemed to drop in popularity after Hillary Clinton (1947-) became the first lady in 1993. Famous bearers include American actresses Hilary Swank (1974-) and Hilary Duff (1987-).
Elizabeth f English, Biblical
From Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע (ʾElishevaʿ) meaning "my God is an oath", derived from the roots אֵל (ʾel) referring to the Hebrew God and שָׁבַע (shavaʿ) meaning "oath". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist.... [more]
Petrina f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Petra.
Laurence 2 f French
French feminine form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Serina f English
Variant of Serena.
Gwenllian f Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, blessed" and possibly lliain meaning "flaxen, made of linen" or lliant meaning "flow, flood". This name was used by medieval Welsh royalty, notably by a 12th-century princess of Deheubarth who died in battle with the Normans. It was also borne by the 13th-century daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of Gwynedd.
Ophir m & f Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name אוֹפִיר (ʾOfir), meaning unknown. This is the name of a son of Joktan in the Old Testament (where it is also used as a place name).
Idun f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian
Modern Scandinavian form of Iðunn.
Alícia f Catalan, Portuguese
Catalan form of Alice, as well as a Portuguese variant.
Theda f German
Short form of Theodora. A famous bearer was actress Theda Bara (1885-1955), who was born Theodosia Goodman.
Lawson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Laurence 1".
Lilijana f Slovene, Lithuanian
Slovene and Lithuanian form of Lillian.
Mahendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Sanskrit
From Sanskrit महा (mahā) meaning "great" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor Ashoka, also called Mahinda. He is credited with introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
Soleil f Various
Means "sun" in French. It is not commonly used as a name in France itself.
Tehila f Hebrew
Means "praise" in Hebrew, from the root הָלַל (halal) meaning "to praise, to shine".
Sudhir m Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu
Derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with धीर (dhīra) meaning "wise, considerate".
Ilse f German, Dutch
German and Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth, used independently.
Levana 1 f & m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Lebanah. In modern Hebrew it is typically a feminine name.
Dilay f Turkish
Derived from Persian دل (del) meaning "heart" and Turkish ay meaning "moon".
Morgane f French
French, either a form of Morgan 2 or a feminine form of Morgan 1.
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.
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.
Thaddeus m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name תַדַּי (Ṯaddai). It is possibly derived from Aramaic תַּד (taḏ) meaning "heart, breast", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as Θεόδωρος (see Theodore). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.
Vitaliya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian feminine form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Silvija f Latvian, Lithuanian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian
Form of Silvia in several languages.
Henna f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Belén f Spanish
Spanish form of Bethlehem, the name of the town in Judah where King David and Jesus were born. The town's name is from Hebrew בֵּית־לֶחֶם (Beṯ-leḥem) meaning "house of bread".
Aditi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Means "boundless, entire" or "freedom, security" in Sanskrit, derived from the negative prefix (a) and दिति (diti) meaning "giving". This is the name of a Hindu goddess of the cosmos, motherhood and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of several of the gods.
Lisandro m Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lysander.
Winslow m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "hill belonging to Wine". A famous bearer of this name was American painter Winslow Homer (1836-1910).
Virginia f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Greek, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman family name Verginius or Virginius, which is of unknown meaning, but long associated with Latin virgo "maid, virgin". According to a legend, it was the name of a Roman woman killed by her father so as to save her from the clutches of a crooked official.... [more]
Frances f English
Feminine form of Francis. The distinction between Francis as a masculine name and Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century. A notable bearer was Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), a social worker and the first American to be canonized.
Mie f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian diminutive of Marie.
Astra f English (Rare)
Means "star", ultimately from Greek ἀστήρ (aster). This name has only been (rarely) used since the 20th century.
Orel m Hebrew
Means "light of God" in Hebrew.
Katina f Greek, Macedonian, Bulgarian
Greek contracted form of Katerina. This name had a spike in popularity in America in 1972 when it was used for a newborn baby on the soap opera Where the Heart Is.
Tali f Hebrew
Means "my dew" in Hebrew.
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)
From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian 𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Sixtus m Late Roman
Probably the Latin form of the Greek name Ξύστος (Xystos) meaning "scraped, polished". This name was borne by five popes. The first pope by this name was the sixth to serve after Saint Peter, so there is a possibility that this name is in fact derived from Latin sextus "sixth".
Aris 2 m Dutch
Diminutive of Adriaan.
Cassiopeia f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κασσιόπεια (Kassiopeia) or Κασσιέπεια (Kassiepeia), possibly meaning "cassia juice". In Greek myth Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. She was changed into a constellation and placed in the northern sky after she died.
Septima f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Septimus.
Alessio m Italian
Italian form of Alexius.
'Efrayim m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Ephraim.
Cezara f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of Caesar.
Aliénor f French
French form of Eleanor.
Muireall f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Muirgel.
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]
Tillie f English
Diminutive of Matilda.
Arete f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "virtue" in Greek. In Greek mythology Arete was the personification of virtue and excellence.
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.
Bénédicte f French
French feminine form of Benedict.
Madalena f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Magdalena.
Noreen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Nóirín.
Anežka f Czech
Czech form of Agnes.
Narges f Persian
Means "daffodil, narcissus" in Persian, ultimately derived from Greek (see Narcissus).
Elsie f English, Swedish
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Melinda f English, Hungarian
Combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the popular name suffix inda. It was created in the 18th century, and may have been inspired by the similar name Belinda. In Hungary, the name was popularized by the 1819 play Bánk Bán by József Katona.
Hermine f German, French
German feminine form of Herman.
Delilah f Biblical, English
Means "delicate, weak, languishing" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament she is the lover of Samson, whom she betrays to the Philistines by cutting his hair, which is the source of his power. Despite her character flaws, the name began to be used by the Puritans in the 17th century. It has been used occasionally in the English-speaking world since that time.
Annalee f English (Modern)
Combination of Anna and Lee.
Tullia f Italian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Tullius (see Tullio).
Eliott m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Elliott.
Cianán m Irish, Old Irish
Diminutive of Cian. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish saint.
Liana f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, English, Georgian
Short form of Juliana, Liliana and other names that end in liana. This is also the word for a type of vine that grows in jungles.
Nahid f Persian Mythology, Persian, Bengali
Modern Persian form of Anahita. This is also the Persian name for the planet Venus.
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Saoirse f Irish
Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.
Antoine m French, African American
French form of Antonius (see Anthony). A famous bearer was the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944), the author of The Little Prince.
Chrysanthi f Greek
Modern Greek feminine form of Chrysanthos.
Autumn f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Latin autumnus. This name has been in general use since the 1960s.
Ava 1 f English
Variant of Eve. A famous bearer was the American actress Ava Gardner (1922-1990). This name became very popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 21st century, entering the top ten for girls in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It began to rise sharply after 1997, possibly inspired by the actress Heather Locklear and musician Richie Sambora when they used it for their baby daughter that year.
Lara 1 f Russian, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian
Russian short form of Larisa. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965). Between 1965 and 1969 it increased by almost 2,000 percent in the United States, however it is currently much more popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany. Another famous fictional bearer is Lara Croft, first appearing in video games in 1996 and movies in 2001.
Arlette f French
French form of Herleva.
Shabnam f Persian, Urdu
Means "dew" in Persian and Urdu.
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.
Fidelis m Late Roman
Original form of Fidel.
Stella 2 f Greek
Diminutive of Styliani, with the spelling influenced by that of Stella 1.
Àngel m Catalan
Catalan form of Angelus (see Angel).
Simon 2 m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek σιμός (simos) meaning "flat-nosed". According to Greek mythology this was the name of one of the Telchines, demigods who were the original inhabitants of Rhodes.
Aliona f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алёна or Ukrainian Альона (see Alyona).
Ayna f Kazakh
Alternate transcription of Kazakh Айна (see Aina 5).
Flore f French
French form of Flora.
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.
María Luisa f Spanish
Combination of María and Luisa.
Davide m Italian
Italian form of David.
Alia 2 f Germanic
Old German form of Ella 1.
Eilionoir f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Eleanor.
Ecaterina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
Viera f Slovak, Belarusian
Slovak form of Vera 1, as well as an alternate transcription of Belarusian Вера (see Vera 1).
Eliška f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak diminutive of Elizabeth.
Darina 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Dáirine.
Sarina f German, Dutch, English (Modern)
Diminutive of Sara, or sometimes a variant of Serena.
Sarita 1 f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Sara.
Benjamine f French
French feminine form of Benjamin.
Orestes m Greek Mythology
Means "of the mountains", derived from Greek ὄρος (oros) meaning "mountain" and ἵστημι (histemi) meaning "to stand". In Greek myth he was the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. He killed his mother and her lover Aegisthus after they killed his father.
Nima 2 m Persian
Persian name of uncertain meaning, possibly "just, fair" or "half moon".
Fabienne f French
French feminine form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Melle m Dutch
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element mahal meaning "meeting, assembly, court" (Proto-Germanic *maþlą).
Clifton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "settlement by a cliff" in Old English.
Maureen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Máirín.
Miri f Hebrew
Hebrew diminutive of Miriam.
Amélia f Portuguese, French
Portuguese and French form of Amelia.
Deirdre f English, Irish, Irish Mythology
From the Old Irish name Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from der meaning "daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after Conchobar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover Naoise.... [more]
Carolina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Swedish
Latinate feminine form of Carolus. This is the name of two American states: North and South Carolina. They were named for Charles I, king of England.
Evangelos m Greek
Means "bringing good news" from the Greek word εὐάγγελος (euangelos), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger".
Rachelle f English, French
Variant of Rachel. In the English-speaking world it has likely been influenced by the spelling of Rochelle.
Adah f Biblical
Means "adornment, ornament" in Hebrew. This is the name of the wives of both Lamech and Esau in the Old Testament.
Balthazar m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Variant of Belshazzar. Balthazar is the name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who visited the newborn Jesus. He was said to have come from Arabia. This name was utilized by Shakespeare for minor characters in The Comedy of Errors (1594) and The Merchant of Venice (1596).
Alexina f English
Feminine form of Alex, or a diminutive of Alexis.
Ambrosine f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Ambrose.
Joasia f Polish
Polish diminutive of Joanna.
Françoise f French
Feminine form of François.
Marcel m French, Catalan, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, German
Form of Marcellus used in several languages. Notable bearers include the French author Marcel Proust (1871-1922), French artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968) and Austrian alpine skier Marcel Hirscher (1989-).
Mabel f English
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis. This spelling and Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel The Heir of Redclyffe, which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
Liberia f Late Roman
Feminine form of Liberius.
Ahava f Hebrew
Means "love" in Hebrew.
Cayetana f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).
Mariabella f English (Rare)
Combination of Maria and Bella.
Katie f English
Diminutive of Kate.
Harsha m Kannada, Telugu, Sanskrit
Means "happiness" in Sanskrit. Harsha (or Harṣa, also called Harshavardhana) was a 7th-century emperor of northern India. He was also noted as an author.
Sumit m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi
From Sanskrit सुमित (sumita) meaning "well measured".
Matthieu m French
Variant of Mathieu.
Antonette f English
Diminutive of Antonia.
Joelle f English
Feminine form of Joel.
Raphaela f German
Feminine form of Raphael.
Marija f Croatian, Slovene, Serbian, Macedonian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Maltese
Form of Maria in several languages.
Lolita f Spanish
Diminutive of Lola. This is the name of a 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov.
Valens m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen (see Valentine 1). This name was borne by a 4th-century Roman emperor.
Lucienne f French
Feminine form of Lucien.
Kalyna f Ukrainian (Rare)
From the Ukrainian word for a type of shrub, also called the guelder rose (species Viburnum opulus).
Alvina f English
Feminine form of Alvin.
Elisha m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From 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.
Eevi f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Eva.
Hamilton m English
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Old English hamel "crooked, mutilated" and dun "hill". The surname was originally taken from the name of a town in Leicestershire, England (which no longer exists). A famous bearer of the surname was Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), a founding father of the United States who was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr.
Anabela f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Annabel.
Cressida f Literature
Form of Criseida used by Shakespeare in his play Troilus and Cressida (1602).
Niobe f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Niobe was the daughter of Tantalos, a king of Asia Minor. Because she boasted that she was superior to Leto, Leto's children Apollo and Artemis killed her 14 children with poison arrows. In grief, Niobe was turned to stone by Zeus.
Liljana f Macedonian, Slovene, Albanian
Macedonian, Slovene and Albanian form of Lillian.
Bonaventura m Italian, Catalan
Means "good fortune" in Italian, from Latin bonus "good" and venturas "the things that will come, the future". Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
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.
Preston m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest town" (Old English preost and tun).
Vilde 1 f Norwegian
Short form of Alvilde.
Carol 1 f & m English
Short form of Caroline. It was formerly a masculine name, derived from Carolus. The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means "song" or "hymn".
Mair f Welsh
Welsh form of Maria (see Mary).
Tihomir m Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene
Derived from the Slavic elements tixŭ "quiet" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Essa m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عيسى (see Isa 1).
Anne 1 f French, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, German, Dutch, Basque
French form of Anna. It was imported to England in the 13th century, but it did not become popular until three centuries later. The spelling variant Ann was also commonly found from this period, and is still used to this day.... [more]
Máximo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Maximus.
Akhil m Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam
From Sanskrit अखिल (akhila) meaning "whole, complete".
Lonán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "little blackbird", derived from Old Irish lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.
Wynn m Welsh
Variant of Wyn.
Lenore f English
Short form of Eleanor. This is the name of the departed love of the narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven (1845).
Ludwig m German
From the Germanic name Hludwig meaning "famous in battle", composed of the elements hlut "famous, loud" and wig "war, battle". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks (though their names are usually spelled as Clovis) as well as several Carolingian kings and Holy Roman emperors (names often spelled in the French form Louis). Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.
Massimo m Italian
Italian form of Maximus.
Faina f Russian
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from Phaenna.
Archibald m Scottish, English
Derived from the Germanic name Ercanbald, composed of the elements erkan meaning "pure, holy, genuine" and bald meaning "bold, brave". The first element was altered due to the influence of Greek names beginning with the element ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master". The Normans brought this name to England. It first became common in Scotland in the Middle Ages (sometimes used to Anglicize the Gaelic name Gilleasbuig, for unknown reasons).
Nahum m Biblical
Means "comforter" in Hebrew, from the root נָחַם (naḥam) meaning "to comfort, to console". Nahum is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. He authored the Book of Nahum in which the downfall of Nineveh is foretold.
Susie f English
Diminutive of Susan.
Róisín f Irish
Diminutive of Róis or the Irish word rós meaning "rose" (of Latin origin). It appears in the 17th-century song Róisín Dubh.
Athina f Greek
Modern Greek form of Athena.
Myroslava f Ukrainian
Ukrainian feminine form of Miroslav.
Lale f Turkish
Means "tulip" in Turkish, of Persian origin.
Leocadio m Spanish
Masculine form of Leocadia.
Marilynn f English
Variant of Marilyn.
Jocelyn f & m English, French
From a Frankish masculine name, variously written as Gautselin, Gauzlin, along with many other spellings. It was derived from the Germanic element *gautaz, which was from the name of the Germanic tribe the Geats, combined with a Latin diminutive suffix. The Normans brought this name to England in the form Goscelin or Joscelin, and it was common until the 14th century. It was revived in the 20th century primarily as a feminine name, perhaps an adaptation of the surname Jocelyn (a medieval derivative of the given name). In France this is a masculine name only.
Monica f English, Italian, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Late Roman
Meaning unknown, most likely of Berber or Phoenician origin. In the 4th century this name was borne by a North African saint, the mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, whom she converted to Christianity. Since the Middle Ages it has been associated with Latin moneo "advisor" and Greek μονός (monos) "one, single".... [more]
Luca 1 m Italian, Romanian
Italian and Romanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This name was borne by Luca della Robbia, a Renaissance sculptor from Florence.
Magalie f French
Variant of Magali.
Vienna f English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of Austria, Vienna.
Tiitus m Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Titus.
Saúl m Spanish
Spanish form of Saul.
Paris 1 m Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Luwian or Hittite origin. In Greek mythology he was the Trojan prince who kidnapped Helen and began the Trojan War. Though presented as a somewhat of a coward in the Iliad, he did manage to slay the great hero Achilles. He was himself eventually slain in battle by Philoctetes.
Eulàlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Eulalia.
Janel f English
Variant of Janelle.
Zéphyrine f French (Rare)
French feminine form of Zephyrinus (see Zeferino).
Adelheid f German, Dutch (Rare)
German and Dutch form of Adelaide.
Italia f Italian
From the Italian name of the country of Italy, Italia (see Italus).
Silvia f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, German, Dutch, English, Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Silvius. Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. This was also the name of a 6th-century saint, the mother of the pope Gregory the Great. It has been a common name in Italy since the Middle Ages. It was introduced to England by Shakespeare, who used it for a character in his play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594). It is now more commonly spelled Sylvia in the English-speaking world.
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).
Laurentius m Ancient Roman, Dutch
Latin form of Laurence 1. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Laurens is typically used in daily life.
Amálie f Czech
Czech form of Amalia.
Sence f Medieval Spanish
Old variant of Sancha.
Inès f French
French form of Inés.
Iulia f Romanian, Ancient Roman
Latin and Romanian form of Julia.
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.
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".
Kian 1 m Persian
Means "king, foundation, symbol of pride" in Persian.
Grace f English
From the English word grace, which ultimately derives from Latin gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.... [more]
Cäcilia f German
German form of Cecilia.
Erzsébet f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Elizabeth. This is the native name of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. It was also borne by the infamous Erzsébet Báthory (1560-1614), a countess and alleged murderer.
Celestyna f Polish
Polish feminine form of Caelestinus.
Alfons m German, Dutch, Catalan
German, Dutch and Catalan form of Alfonso.
Mozelle f English
Possibly a feminine form of Moses.
Laia f Catalan
Catalan diminutive of Eulalia.
Xián m Galician
From Xulián, the Galician form of Julian.
Eloise f English
From the Old French name Héloïse, which was probably from the Germanic name Helewidis, composed of the elements heil meaning "healthy, whole" and wit meaning "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" or the name Louise, though there is no etymological connection. This name was borne by the 12th-century French scholar and philosopher Héloïse. Secretly marrying the theologian Peter Abelard at a young age, she became a nun (and eventually an abbess) after Abelard was violently castrated by order of her uncle Fulbert.... [more]
Clair m French, English
French form of Clarus (see Clara).
Émilien m French
French form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Zaharina f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian feminine form of Zechariah.
Magdaléna f Slovak, Czech, Hungarian
Slovak and Czech form of Magdalene, as well as a Hungarian variant form.
Adriana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Polish, Slovak, Czech, Bulgarian, English, Dutch
Feminine form of Adrian. A famous bearer is the Brazilian model Adriana Lima (1981-).
Blandine f French
French form of the Roman name Blandina, which was the feminine form of Blandinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Blandus. Saint Blandina was a 2nd-century slave from Lyons who was martyred by being thrown to wild beasts.
Eithne f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Possibly from Old Irish etne meaning "kernel, grain". In Irish mythology Eithne or Ethniu was a Fomorian and the mother of Lugh Lámfada. It was borne by several other legendary and historical figures, including a few early saints.
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-).
Maria Grazia f Italian
Combination of Maria and Grazia.
Nadine f French, German, English, Dutch
French diminutive of Nadia 1.
Eliana 2 f Hebrew
Means "my God has answered" in Hebrew.
Euthalia f Late Greek
Means "flower, bloom" from the Greek word εὐθάλεια (euthaleia), itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". This name was borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Sicily.
Heidi f German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, English
German diminutive of Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.
Drusilla f Biblical, Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin
Feminine diminutive of the Roman family name Drusus. In Acts in the New Testament Drusilla is the wife of Felix.
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.
Simone 1 f French, English, German, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese
French feminine form of Simon 1. A famous bearer was Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), a French feminist and philosopher. This name is also borne by the American gymnast Simone Biles (1997-).
Valeri m Bulgarian, Georgian, Russian
Bulgarian and Georgian form of Valerius, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Валерий (see Valeriy).
Erasmus m Late Greek (Latinized)
Derived from Greek ἐράσμιος (erasmios) meaning "beloved, desired". Saint Erasmus, also known as Saint Elmo, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron saint of sailors. Erasmus was also the name of a Dutch scholar of the Renaissance period.
Silvanus m Roman Mythology, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Roman cognomen meaning "of the woods", derived from Latin silva meaning "wood, forest". Silvanus was the Roman god of forests. This name appears in the New Testament belonging to one of Saint Paul's companions, also called Silas.
Sunday m & f English
From the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English sunnandæg, which was composed of the elements sunne "sun" and dæg "day". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Ulisse m Italian
Italian form of Ulysses.