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
Rosine f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Giuditta f Italian
Italian form of Judith.
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 Slavic
Latin 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]
Maryse f French
French diminutive of Marie.
Hypatia f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ὕπατος (hypatos) meaning "highest, supreme". Hypatia of Alexandria was a 5th-century philosopher and mathematician, daughter of the mathematician Theon.
Irina f Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Romanian, Georgian, Finnish, Estonian
Form of Irene in several languages.
Alessio m Italian
Italian form of Alexius.
Godfrey m English
From the Germanic name Godefrid, which meant "peace of god" from the Old German elements got "god" and fridu "peace". The Normans brought this name to England, where it became common during the Middle Ages. A notable bearer was Godfrey of Bouillon, an 11th-century leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Livia 1 f Italian, Romanian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Livius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Augustus, Livia Drusilla.
Mariette f French
French diminutive of Marie.
Fiorella f Italian
From Italian fiore "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Ptolemy m History
From the Greek name Πτολεμαῖος (Ptolemaios), derived from Greek πολεμήϊος (polemeios) meaning "aggressive, warlike". Ptolemy was the name of several Greco-Egyptian rulers of Egypt, all descendants of Ptolemy I Soter, one of the generals of Alexander the Great. This was also the name of a 2nd-century Greek astronomer.
Eleonore f German
German form of Eleanor.
Cecília f Portuguese, Catalan, Slovak, Hungarian
Portuguese, Catalan, Slovak and Hungarian form of Cecilia.
Lael m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "of God" in Hebrew. This is the name of the father of Eliasaph in the Old Testament. It is misspelled as Δαήλ (Dael) in the Greek translation, the Septuagint.
Silvana f Italian
Italian feminine form of Silvanus.
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.
Rohit m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit रोहित (rohita) meaning "red".
Aliona f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алёна or Ukrainian Альона (see Alyona).
Jocasta f Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ἰοκάστη (Iokaste), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology she was the mother Oedipus by the Theban king Laius. In a case of tragic mistaken identity, she married her own son.
Saoirse f Irish
Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.
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.
Ligeia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek λιγύς (ligys) meaning "clear-voiced, shrill, whistling". This was the name of one of the Sirens in Greek legend. It was also used by Edgar Allan Poe in his story Ligeia (1838).
Patricia f English, Spanish, German, French, Dutch, Late Roman
Feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick). In medieval England this spelling appears in Latin documents, but this form was probably not used as the actual name until the 18th century, in Scotland.
Nieves f Spanish
Means "snows" in Spanish, derived from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows".
Raginald m Germanic
Old German form of Reynold.
Marceau m French
Old French variant of Marcel. A famous bearer of the surname was the French general François Séverin Marceau (1769-1796).
Ève f French
French form of Eve.
Liliya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian cognate of Lily.
Eustacia f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Eustace.
Vitalis m Late Roman
Latin form of Vitale.
Kimi m Finnish
Diminutive of Kim 2.
Heilyn m Welsh Mythology
Means "winebearer, dispenser" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi he was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's invasion of Ireland.
Muirenn f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish muir "sea" and finn "white, blessed". This is another name of Muirne, the mother of the legendary hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Manisha f Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Feminine form of Manish.
Horatius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin hora meaning "hour, time, season", though the name may actually be of Etruscan origin. A famous bearer was Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Roman lyric poet of the 1st century BC who is better known as Horace in the English-speaking world.
Lenka f Czech, Slovak
Originally a diminutive of Magdaléna or Helena. It is now used as an independent name.
Angelus m Late Roman
Latin form of Angel.
Valent m Croatian
Croatian short form of Valentin.
Terence m English
From the Roman family name Terentius, which is of unknown meaning. Famous bearers include Publius Terentius Afer, a Roman playwright, and Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar. It was also borne by several early saints. The name was used in Ireland as an Anglicized form of Toirdhealbhach, but it was not found as an English name until the late 19th century. It attained only a moderate level of popularity in the 20th century, though it has been common as an African-American name especially since the 1970s.
Gabriele 1 m Italian
Italian form of Gabriel.
Avonlea f English (Rare)
Created by L. M. Montgomery as the setting for her novel Anne of Green Gables (1908). She may have based the name on the Arthurian island of Avalon, though it also resembles the river name Avon and leah "woodland, clearing".
Béatrice f French
French form of Beatrix.
Ambrosia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Ambrosios (see Ambrose).
Felicita f Italian
Italian form of Felicitas. It also coincides closely with Italian felicità "happiness".
Filippa f Greek, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Italian
Greek, Scandinavian and Italian feminine form of Philip.
Johannes m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Late Roman
Latin form of Greek Ioannes (see John). Notable bearers include the inventor of the printing press Johannes Gutenberg (1398-1468), astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), painter Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675), and composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897).
Valarie f English
Variant of Valerie.
Vittoria f Italian
Italian form of Victoria.
Neville m English (British)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Norman French. As a given name it is chiefly British and Australian.
Adelle f English
Variant of Adele.
Évelyne f French
French form of Evelina.
Anissa f English
This name was first brought to public attention in 1966 by the child actress Anissa Jones (1958-1976). In her case it was a transcription of the Arabic name أنيسة (see Anisa), given to honour her Lebanese heritage. Other parents who have since used this name may view it simply as an elaboration of Anna using the popular name suffix issa.
Sela f English (Rare)
From the name of a city, the capital of Edom, which appears in the Old Testament. It means "rock" in Hebrew.
Prudentia f Late Roman
Feminine form of Prudentius.
Regina f English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Lithuanian, Estonian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late Roman
Means "queen" in Latin (or Italian). It was in use as a Christian name from early times, and was borne by a 2nd-century saint. In England it was used during the Middle Ages in honour of the Virgin Mary, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A city in Canada bears this name, in honour of Queen Victoria.
Roosevelt m English
From the Dutch surname Roosevelt meaning "rose field". This name is often given in honour of American presidents Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) or Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
Efthalia f Greek
Modern Greek form of Euthalia.
Klemens m German, Polish
German and Polish form of Clemens (see Clement). Prince Klemens Metternich (1773-1859) was an Austrian chancellor who guided the Austrian Empire to victory in the Napoleonic Wars.
Amélia f Portuguese, French
Portuguese and French form of Amelia.
Marianne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Combination of Marie and Anne 1, though it could also be considered a variant of Mariana or Mariamne. Shortly after the formation of the French Republic in 1792, a female figure by this name was adopted as the symbol of the state.
Divina f Spanish (Philippines), Portuguese (Brazilian)
From Spanish or Portuguese divina meaning "divine, godlike".
Breanna f English
Variant of Briana.
Davide m Italian
Italian form of David.
Helene f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Helen, as well as the modern Scandinavian and German form.
Clementine f English
English form of Clémentine.
Kazimiera f Polish, Lithuanian
Feminine form of Kazimierz (Polish) or Kazimieras (Lithuanian).
Adrianne f English
Feminine form of Adrian.
Esmeralda f Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian, Literature
Means "emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.
Giosetta f Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Josette.
Serina f English
Variant of Serena.
Juni f & m Swedish, Norwegian, Indonesian
Swedish, Norwegian and Indonesian cognate of June. In Indonesian it is a unisex name.
Gratian m History
From the Roman name Gratianus, which was derived from Latin gratus meaning "grateful". Saint Gratian was the first bishop of Tours (4th century). This was also the name of a Roman emperor.
Catriona f Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Caitríona (Irish) or Caitrìona (Scottish Gaelic).
Melisende f Medieval French
Old French form of Millicent.
Clark m English
From an English surname meaning "cleric" or "scribe", from Old English clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. As a first name it was borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), as well as the comic book character Clark Kent, the mild-mannered alter ego of Superman, first created 1938.
Gladwin m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Glædwine.
Robyn f English
Feminine variant of Robin.
Lovisa f Swedish
Swedish feminine form of Louis.
Fabiola f Italian, Spanish, Ancient Roman
Latin diminutive of Fabia. This was the name of a 4th-century saint from Rome.
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.
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.
Ewelina f Polish
Polish form of Evelina.
Avigail f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Abigail.
Albertine f French
French feminine form of Albert.
Maddalena f Italian
Italian form of Magdalene.
Christoph m German
German form of Christopher.
Maryana f Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian form of Marianna, and a Russian variant.
Jarah m Biblical
Means "honeycomb" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a descendant of Saul.
Asha 1 f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
Derived from Sanskrit आशा (āśā) meaning "wish, desire, hope".
Glaphyra f Ancient Greek
From Greek γλαφυρός (glaphyros) meaning "polished, subtle".
Sunita f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "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.
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 Slavic
Form 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]
Gelsomina f Italian
Italian form of Jasmine.
Ludmila f Czech, Latvian, Russian
Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.... [more]
Julija f Slovene, Croatian, Lithuanian
Slovene, Croatian and Lithuanian form of Julia.
Constantia f Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Constantius, which was itself derived from Constans.
Avery m & f English
From an English surname that was itself derived from the Norman French form of the given names Alberich or Alfred.... [more]
Shahin m Persian, Arabic, Bengali
Means "falcon" in Persian, referring more specifically to the Barbary falcon (species Falco pelegrinoides). The bird's name is a derivative of Persian شاه (shāh) meaning "king".
Montgomery m English
From an English surname meaning "Gumarich's mountain" in Norman French. A notable bearer of this surname was Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976), a British army commander during World War II.
Adina 1 m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name עֲדִינָא (ʿAḏina), derived from עָדִין (ʿaḏin) meaning "delicate". This name is borne by a soldier in the Old Testament.... [more]
Willemina f Dutch
Feminine form of Willem.
Konrad m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Slovene
German, Scandinavian, Polish and Slovene form of Conrad.
Gala 1 f Russian
Short form of Galina.
Theodore m English
From the Greek name Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant "gift of god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.... [more]
Camila f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Camilla.
Aureliano m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Aurelianus.
Philippe m French
French form of Philip.
Bhavana f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
From Sanskrit भावन (bhāvana) meaning "producing, manifesting, thought, emotion".
Narcís m Catalan
Catalan form of Narcissus. This is also the Catalan word for the narcissus flower.
Tricia f English
Short form of Patricia.
Amrita f Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali
Feminine form of Amrit.
Albertina f Italian, Portuguese
Feminine diminutive of Albert.
Freda f English
Short form of names ending in freda or fred, such as Winifred or Alfreda.
Arabella f English
Medieval Scottish name, probably a variant of Annabel. It has long been associated with Latin orabilis meaning "invokable, yielding to prayer", and the name was often recorded in forms resembling this.... [more]
Hyperion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.
Sylvan m English
Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".
Azariah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name עֲזַרְיָה (ʿAzarya) meaning "Yahweh has helped", derived from עָזַר (ʿazar) meaning "help" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many Old Testament characters including of one of the three men the Babylonian king ordered cast into a fiery furnace. His Babylonian name was Abednego.
Fauna f Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Faunus. Fauna was a Roman goddess of fertility, women and healing, a daughter and companion of Faunus.
Délia f Portuguese, French, Hungarian
Portuguese, French and Hungarian form of Delia 1.
Signý f Old Norse, Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Old Norse name that was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and nýr "new". In Norse legend she was the twin sister of Sigmund and the wife of Siggeir.
Willem m Dutch
Dutch form of William. Willem the Silent, Prince of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain that brought about the independence of the Netherlands. He is considered the founder of the Dutch royal family. In English he is commonly called William of Orange.
Feodora f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Theodora.
Evgenia f Greek, Russian, Bulgarian
Modern Greek form of Eugenia. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Евгения (see Yevgeniya) or Bulgarian Евгения (see Evgeniya).
Erin f English, Irish
Anglicized form of Éireann. It was initially used by people of Irish heritage in America, Canada and Australia. It was rare until the mid-1950s.
Anhelina f Ukrainian, Belarusian
Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Angelina.
Francesco m Italian
Italian form of Franciscus (see Francis). Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374) was an Italian Renaissance poet, usually known in English as Petrarch.
Letizia f Italian
Italian form of Letitia. It was borne by Napoleon Bonaparte's mother.
Levana 1 f & m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Lebanah. In modern Hebrew it is typically a feminine name.
Zvezdana f Serbian, Slovene
Serbian and Slovene form of Zvjezdana.
Florus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). It was borne by a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with Laurus in Illyricum.
Carina 1 f English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from cara meaning "dear, beloved". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr. It is also the name of a constellation in the southern sky, though in this case it means "keel" in Latin, referring to a part of Jason's ship the Argo.
Elnathan m Biblical
From the Hebrew name אֶלְנָתָן (ʾElnaṯan) meaning "God has given", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a grandfather of King Jehoiachin and a son of Akbor.
Tea f Croatian, Slovene, Finnish, Georgian
Short form of Dorothea, Theodora and other names containing a similar sound.
Illuminata f Late Roman
Means "illuminated, brightened, filled with light" in Latin. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint from Todi, Italy.
Eirlys f Welsh
Means "snowdrop (flower)" in Welsh, a compound of eira "snow" and llys "plant".
Finola f Irish
Anglicized form of Fionnuala.
Ascelin m Germanic
Derived from a diminutive of the Old German element asc meaning "ash tree" (Proto-Germanic *askaz).
Ilan m Hebrew
Means "tree" in Hebrew.
Clément m French
French form of Clemens (see Clement).
Livius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that may be related to either Latin liveo "to envy" or lividus "blue, envious". Titus Livius, also known as Livy, was a Roman historian who wrote a history of the city of Rome.
Ora 2 f Hebrew
Strictly feminine form of Or.
Merit 2 f Estonian, Swedish (Rare)
Variant of Maret (Estonian) or Marit (Swedish).
Minke m & f Frisian, Dutch
Diminutive and feminine form of Meine.
Demetrio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Demetrius.
Andrea 1 m Italian
Italian form of Andreas (see Andrew). A notable bearer of this name was Andrea Verrocchio, a Renaissance sculptor who taught Leonardo da Vinci and Perugino.
Amaranta f Spanish (Rare), Italian (Rare)
Spanish and Italian form of Amarantha.
Wilfred m English
Means "desiring peace" from Old English willa "will, desire" and friþ "peace". Saint Wilfrid was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon bishop. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Pradip m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रदीप (pradīpa) meaning "light, lantern".
Truman m English
From a surname that meant "trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).
Cveta f Serbian
Feminine form of Cvetko.
Primula f English (Rare), Italian (Rare)
From the name of a genus of several species of flowers, including the primrose. It is derived from the Latin word primulus meaning "very first".
Andreina f Italian
Feminine form of Andrea 1.
Serena f English, Italian, Late Roman
From a Late Latin name that was derived from Latin serenus meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". This name was borne by an obscure early saint. Edmund Spenser also used it in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590). A famous bearer from the modern era is tennis player Serena Williams (1981-).
Lizette f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Maryann f English
Combination of Mary and Ann.
Antonella f Italian
Diminutive of Antonia.
Gisela f German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese
German, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese form of Giselle.
Senja f Finnish
Finnish form of Xenia.
Miriam f Hebrew, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Biblical
Form of Mary used in the Old Testament, where it belongs to the elder sister of Moses and Aaron. She watched over the infant Moses as the pharaoh's daughter drew him from the Nile. The name has long been popular among Jews, and it has been used as an English Christian name (alongside Mary) since the Protestant Reformation.
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.
Emelia f English
Variant of Amelia.
Emma f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Latvian, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning "whole" or "great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.... [more]
Embla f Norse Mythology, Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian
Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Old Norse almr "elm". In Norse mythology Embla and her husband Ask were the first humans. They were created by three of the gods from two trees.
Euphrasia f Ancient Greek
Means "good cheer" in Greek, a derivative of εὐφραίνω (euphraino) meaning "to delight, to cheer". This name was borne by a 5th-century saint from Constantinople.
Ella 2 f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. It can also be a short form of names ending in ella.
Signy f Norwegian
Norwegian variant form of Signý.
Dionne f English
Feminine form of Dion.
Gloriana f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Latin gloria meaning "glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.
Lovise f Norwegian
Norwegian feminine form of Louis.
Marceline f French
French feminine form of Marcellinus.
Eris f Greek Mythology
Means "strife, discord" in Greek. In Greek mythology Eris was the goddess of discord. She was the sister and companion of Ares.
Ina f German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, English, Slovene, Latvian
Short form of names ending with or otherwise containing ina, such as Martina, Christina and Carolina.
Feidhlim m Irish
Modern Irish Gaelic form of Feidlimid.
Amée f Medieval French
Old French form of Aimée.
Selim m Turkish, Albanian
Turkish and Albanian form of Salim. This was the name of three Ottoman sultans, including the father of Süleyman the Magnificent.
Azalaïs f Occitan
Occitan form of Adelais.
Quincey m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Quincy.
María del Carmen f Spanish
Means "Mary of Mount Carmel" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary (see Carmen).
Lucien m French
French form of Lucianus.
Florin m Romanian
Romanian form of Florinus.
Aeliana f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aelianus.
Georgia f English, Greek
Latinate feminine form of George. This is the name of an American state, which was named after the British king George II. The country of Georgia has an unrelated etymology. A famous bearer was the American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).
Soleil f Various
Means "sun" in French. It is not commonly used as a name in France itself.
Senta f German
Diminutive of Kreszentia.
August m German, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English
German, Polish, Scandinavian and Catalan form of Augustus. This was the name of three Polish kings.... [more]
Rosalie f French, German, Dutch, English
French, German and Dutch form of Rosalia. In the English-speaking this name received a boost after the release of the movie Rosalie (1938), which was based on an earlier musical.
Perceval m Arthurian Cycle
Old French form of Percival used by Chrétien de Troyes.
Agostino m Italian
Italian form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1).
Synne f Norwegian
Short form of Synnøve.
Vincente f French
French feminine form of Vincent.
Astrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, English
Modern Scandinavian form of Ástríðr. This name was borne by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), the author of Pippi Longstocking. It was also borne by a Swedish princess (1905-1935) who became the queen of Belgium as the wife of Leopold III.
Nancy f English
Previously a medieval diminutive of Annis, though since the 18th century it has been a diminutive of Ann. It is now usually regarded as an independent name. During the 20th century it became very popular in the United States. A city in the Lorraine region of France bears this name, though it derives from a different source.
Idony f English (Archaic)
Medieval English vernacular form of Idonea.
Polyxena f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Πολυξένη (Polyxene), which was from the word πολύξενος (polyxenos) meaning "entertaining many guests, very hospitable", itself derived from πολύς (polys) meaning "many" and ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest". In Greek legend she was a daughter of Priam and Hecuba, beloved by Achilles. After the Trojan War, Achilles' son Neoptolemus sacrificed her.
Ofeliya f Azerbaijani, Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare), Bulgarian (Rare)
Azerbaijani, Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Ophelia.
Niloufar f Persian
Means "water lily" in Persian.
Liesl f German
German short form of Elisabeth.
Bria f English
Short form of Brianna, Gabriella and other names containing bri.
Ennio m Italian
Italian form of the Roman family name Ennius, which is of unknown meaning. Quintus Ennius was an early Roman poet.
Amalie f Norwegian, Danish, German (Rare)
Norwegian, Danish and German form of Amalia.
Samira 2 f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Feminine form of Samir 2.
Bartholomeus m Dutch, Biblical Latin
Dutch and Latin form of Bartholomew.
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.
Judith f English, Jewish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Spanish, French, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוּדִית (Yehuḏiṯ) meaning "Jewish woman", feminine of יְהוּדִי (yehuḏi), ultimately referring to a person from the tribe of Judah. In the Old Testament Judith is one of the Hittite wives of Esau. This is also the name of the main character of the apocryphal Book of Judith. She killed Holofernes, an invading Assyrian commander, by beheading him in his sleep.... [more]
Justine f French, English
French form of Iustina (see Justina). This is the name of the heroine in the novel Justine (1791) by the Marquis de Sade.
Erna 2 f Norse Mythology, Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Means "brisk, vigorous, hale" in Old Norse. This was the name of the wife of Jarl in Norse legend.
Luella f English
Variant of Louella.
Vitaliya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian feminine form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Elodie f English
English form of Élodie.
Teresia f Swedish
Swedish variant of Teresa.
Wilton m English
From 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".
Rosanna f Italian, English
Combination of Rosa 1 and Anna.
Darina 2 f Slovak, Czech, Bulgarian, Russian
Derived from the Slavic word darŭ meaning "gift". It is sometimes used as a diminutive of names beginning with Dar.
Fidelma f Irish
Latinized form of Fedelm.
Nessa 3 f Irish, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of Neasa.
Cateline f Medieval French
Medieval French form of Katherine.
Eline f Norwegian, Dutch, Danish
Norwegian and Dutch variant form of Helen. This is the name of the title character in the novel Eline Vere (1889) by the Dutch writer Louis Couperus.
Cecelia f English
Variant of Cecilia.
Cherry f English
Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit, derived from Latin cerasium, Greek κεράσιον (kerasion). It can also be a diminutive of Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.
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.
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).
Alphonse m French
French form of Alfonso.
Maritta f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Maria.
Lucy f English
English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.
Yasir m Arabic, Urdu
Means "easy, wealthy" in Arabic, derived from the root يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich". This was the name of an early Islamic martyr. It was also borne by Yasir Arafat (1929-2004), a leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Laurits m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lucius m Ancient Roman, Biblical, English
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Mae f English
Variant of May. A famous bearer was the American actress Mae West (1893-1980), whose birth name was Mary.
Lily f English
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).
Colette f French
Short form of Nicolette. Saint Colette was a 15th-century French nun who gave her money to the poor. This was also the pen name of the French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954).
Mariya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Maria, as well as an alternate transcription of Belarusian Марыя (see Maryia).
Alodia f Gothic (Latinized)
Possibly from a Visigothic name, maybe from Gothic elements such as alls "all" or aljis "other" combined with auds "riches, wealth". Saint Alodia was a 9th-century Spanish martyr with her sister Nunilo.
Diogenes m Ancient Greek
Means "born of Zeus" from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of a Greek Cynic philosopher.
Edana f History (Ecclesiastical)
Latinized form of Étaín. This was the name of an early Irish saint.
Jani m Finnish, Hungarian
Finnish form of Iohannes (see John), as well as a Hungarian diminutive form.
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Lene f Danish, Norwegian, German
Danish, Norwegian and German short form of Helene or Magdalene.
Arielle f French, English
French feminine form of Ariel, as well as an English variant.
Marie-France f French
Combination of Marie and France 1.
Rosette f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Stefanos m Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Στέφανος (see Stephen).
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.
Candice f English
Variant of Candace.
Annora f English (Rare)
Medieval English variant of Honora.
Adamina f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Adam.
Dulcie f English
From Latin dulcis meaning "sweet". It was used in the Middle Ages in the spellings Dowse and Duce, and was recoined in the 19th century.
Pernille f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian short form of Petronilla.
Atanas m Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Athanasius.
Anne-Marie f French
Combination of Anne 1 and Marie.
Janine f French, English, Dutch, German
Variant of Jeannine. It has only been in use since the 20th century.
Wilhelmine f German
German feminine form of Wilhelm.
Carmelita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Carmel.
Idelle f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Ida.
Alida f Dutch, German, Hungarian
Diminutive of Adelaide.
Valeri m Bulgarian, Georgian, Russian
Bulgarian and Georgian form of Valerius, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Валерий (see Valeriy).
Reina 1 f Spanish
Means "queen" in Spanish.
Nella f Italian
Short form of Antonella.
Iuno f Roman Mythology
Latin form of Juno.
Vassily m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Василий (see Vasiliy).
Meera f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीरा, Malayalam മീര, Tamil மீரா or Kannada ಮೀರಾ (see Mira 1).
Cyprien m French
French form of Cyprianus (see Cyprian).
Lucrecia f Spanish
Spanish form of Lucretia.
Isidora f Spanish, Serbian, Portuguese (Rare), Italian (Rare), English (Rare), Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Isidore. This was the name of a 4th-century Egyptian saint and hermitess.
Portia f English
Variant of Porcia, the feminine form of the Roman family name Porcius, used by William Shakespeare for the heroine of his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). In the play Portia is a woman who disguises herself as a man in order to defend Antonio in court. It is also the name of a moon of Uranus, after the Shakespearean character.
Cătălin m Romanian
Romanian masculine form of Katherine.
Frida 2 f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Derived from Old Norse fríðr meaning "beautiful, beloved".
Aneirin m Old Welsh, Welsh
Old Welsh name, possibly from the Latin name Honorius. This was the name of a 6th-century Brythonic poet, also known as Neirin or Aneurin, who is said to be the author of the poem Y Gododdin.
Agathangelos m Ancient Greek
Means "bearer of good news", derived from Greek ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good" and ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger, angel". Saint Agathangelus of Rome was a 4th-century deacon who was martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian.
Niki 1 f Greek
Modern Greek form of Nike.
Caerwyn m Welsh
Derived from the Welsh elements caer "fortress" and gwyn "white, blessed".
Endymion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning "to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess Selene, who asked Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.
Marybeth f English
Combination of Mary and Beth.
Elpis f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "hope" in Greek. In Greek mythology Elpis was the personification of hope. She was the last spirit to remain in the jar after Pandora unleashed the evils that were in it.