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
Camila f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Camilla.
Miren f Basque
Basque form of Maria.
Rígán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Ríoghán.
Adán m Spanish
Spanish form of Adam.
Sylvan m English
Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".
Norina f Italian
Italian diminutive of Nora 1.
Kalyani f Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Hindi
Means "beautiful, lovely, auspicious" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.
Aelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aelius.
Anatoly m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Анатолий (see Anatoliy).
Minoo f Persian
Means "heaven, paradise" in Persian.
Natálie f Czech
Czech form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Castor m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κάστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" (pluperfect κέκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word κάστωρ (kastor) meaning "beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.
Eastmund m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Esmond.
Senja f Finnish
Finnish form of Xenia.
Ksenija f Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene, Latvian
Form of Xenia in several languages.
Chayyim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).
Rosalia f Italian, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from rosa "rose". This was the name of a 12th-century Sicilian saint.
Ivonne f German, Dutch
German and Dutch variant of Yvonne.
Stelios m Greek
Variant of Stylianos.
Phoebus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοῖβος (Phoibos), which meant "bright, pure". This was an epithet of the Greek god Apollo.
Evander 1 m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Variant of Evandrus, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὔανδρος (Euandros) meaning "good of man", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan War who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.
Serafina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Seraphina.
Vítor m Portuguese, Galician
Portuguese and Galician form of Victor.
Maddalena f Italian
Italian form of Magdalene.
Athanaric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Aþanareiks, derived from the element aþn meaning "year" combined with reiks meaning "ruler, king". Athanaric was a 4th-century ruler of the Visigoths.
Marlin m English
Possibly a variant of Merlin.
Ariadna f Spanish, Catalan, Russian, Polish
Spanish, Catalan, Russian and Polish form of Ariadne.
Izabela f Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene
Polish, Czech, Slovak and Slovene form of Isabella.
Sylvia f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Variant of Silvia. This has been the most common English spelling since the 19th century.
Robertas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Robert.
Paraskeve f Late Greek
Derived from Greek παρασκευή (paraskeue) meaning "preparation" or "Friday" (being the day of preparation). This was the name of a 2nd-century saint who was martyred in Rome.
Ivona f Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Form of Yvonne in several languages.
Maurits m Dutch
Dutch form of Maurice.
Miriana f Italian
Italian variant of Miriam.
Aenor f Germanic (Latinized)
Probably a Latinized form of a Germanic name of unknown meaning. This was the name of the mother of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Kasimira f German (Archaic)
Feminine form of Kasimir.
Nathalie f French, Dutch, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
French form of Natalie, as well as a Dutch, German and Scandinavian variant.
Lucette f French
Diminutive of Lucie.
Philippina f German (Rare)
Elaborated form of Philippa.
Augustine 2 f French
French feminine form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1).
Eurwen f Welsh
Derived from Welsh aur "gold" and gwen "white, blessed".
Nelly f English, Swedish, French, German
Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.
Léandre m French
French form of Leander.
Clemency f English (Rare)
Medieval variant of Clemence. It can also simply mean "clemency, mercy" from the English word, ultimately from Latin clemens "merciful".
Anđela f Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Angela.
Love 1 m Swedish
Swedish form of Louis.
Sibyl f English
From Greek Σίβυλλα (Sibylla), meaning "prophetess, sibyl". In Greek and Roman legend the sibyls were female prophets who practiced at different holy sites in the ancient world. In later Christian theology, the sibyls were thought to have divine knowledge and were revered in much the same way as the Old Testament prophets. Because of this, the name came into general use in the Christian world during the Middle Ages. The Normans imported it to England, where it was spelled both Sibyl and Sybil. It became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps helped by Benjamin Disraeli's novel Sybil (1845).
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.
Dolores f Spanish, English
Means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
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]
Minke m & f Frisian, Dutch
Diminutive and feminine form of Meine.
Tihomir m Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene
Derived from the Slavic elements tixŭ "quiet" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Nicolás m Spanish
Spanish form of Nicholas.
Naomhán m Irish
Means "little saint", derived from Irish naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Jean-Paul m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Paul. A famous bearer was the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980).
Sébastien m French
French form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Thierry m French
French form of Theodoric. It was very popular in France from the 1950s, peaking in the mid-1960s before falling away. A famous bearer is the French former soccer player Thierry Henry (1977-).
Katerina f Macedonian, Albanian, Russian, Bulgarian, Greek, Late Roman
Macedonian and Albanian form of Katherine, a Russian short form of Yekaterina, a Bulgarian short form of Ekaterina, and a Greek variant of Aikaterine.
Muireall f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Muirgel.
Florizel m Literature
From 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).
Amália f Hungarian, Portuguese, Slovak
Hungarian, Portuguese and Slovak form of Amalia.
Èlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Aelia.
Eustacia f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Eustace.
Mélodie f French
French cognate of Melody.
Bernadette f French, English, German, Dutch
French feminine form of Bernard. Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879) was a young woman from Lourdes in France who claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary. She was declared a saint in 1933.
Elpidius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἐλπίδιος (Elpidios), which was derived from ἐλπίς (elpis) meaning "hope". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who spent twenty years in a cave in Cappadocia.
Rubina f Portuguese, Italian (Rare)
Derived from Portuguese rubi or Italian rubino meaning "ruby", ultimately from Latin ruber "red".
Katrien f Dutch
Dutch (especially Flemish) form of Katherine.
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.
Anthea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἄνθεια (Antheia), derived from ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera.
Jayant m Hindi, Marathi
Modern form of Jayanta.
Filipa f Portuguese
Feminine form of Philip.
Punit m Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit पुनीत (punīta) meaning "cleaned, purified".
Christopher m English
From the Late Greek name Χριστόφορος (Christophoros) meaning "bearing Christ", derived from Χριστός (Christos) combined with φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.... [more]
Clelia f Italian
Italian form of Cloelia.
Désiré m French
Masculine form of Désirée.
Cherilyn f English
Combination of Cheryl and the popular name suffix lyn.
Angeline f French
French diminutive of Angela.
Liliya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian cognate of Lily.
Winifred f English, Welsh
From Latin Winifreda, possibly from a Welsh name Gwenfrewi (maybe influenced by the Old English masculine name Winfred). Saint Winifred was a 7th-century Welsh martyr, probably legendary. According to the story, she was decapitated by a prince after she spurned his advances. Where her head fell there arose a healing spring, which has been a pilgrimage site since medieval times. Her story was recorded in the 12th century by Robert of Shrewsbury, and she has been historically more widely venerated in England than in Wales. The name has been used in England since at least the 16th century.
Prudentius m Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from prudens "prudent, wise, skilled". This was the name of a 9th-century bishop of Troyes. He is considered a local saint there.
Lucija f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Lucia.
Faustin m French
French form of Faustinus (see Faustino). It is currently more common in French-speaking Africa and the French Caribbean than it is in France. A famous bearer was Faustin Soulouque (1782-1867), a president and then emperor of Haiti.
Monet f & m Various
From a French surname that was derived from either Hamon or Edmond. This was the surname of the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
Olwyn f Welsh
Variant of Olwen.
Milani f English (Modern)
From the name of the Italian city of Milan, as in the name of the American cosmetics company founded in 2002. It could also a variant of Melanie.
Anatolius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀνατόλιος (Anatolios), derived from ἀνατολή (anatole) meaning "sunrise". Saint Anatolius was a 3rd-century philosopher from Alexandria.
Vasyl m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Basil 1.
Teresia f Swedish
Swedish variant of Teresa.
Ignacio m Spanish
Spanish form of Ignatius.
Tanvi f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "slender woman", derived from Sanskrit तनु (tanu) meaning "slender".
Jacomina f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of Iacomus (see James).
Cäcilia f German
German form of Cecilia.
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.
Leonzio m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Leontios.
Italia f Italian
From the Italian name of the country of Italy, Italia (see Italus).
Alisa f Russian, Ukrainian, Bosnian, Finnish, Georgian
Form of Alice used in several languages.
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.
Petronia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Petronius.
Pasha m Russian
Diminutive of Pavel.
Olle m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Olaf or Oliver.
Amadeus m Late Roman
Means "love of God", derived from Latin amo "to love" and Deus "God". A famous bearer was the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who was actually born Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart but preferred the Latin translation of his Greek middle name. This name was also assumed as a middle name by the German novelist E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), who took it in honour of Mozart.
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).
Gio m Georgian
Short form of Giorgi.
Natasa f Greek
Greek diminutive of Anastasia.
Reshmi f Hindi, Bengali
Means "silky", from Hindi रेशम (resham) meaning "silk", ultimately of Persian origin.
Dipti f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada
From Sanskrit दीपति (dīpti) meaning "brightness, light".
Gianmaria m Italian
Combination of Gianni and Maria.
Maybelline f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Mabel. This is an American cosmetics company, which was named after the founder's sister Mabel in 1915.
Abilene f Various (Rare)
From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew אָבֵל (ʾavel) meaning "meadow, grassy area". It has occasionally been used as a given name in modern times.
Eustace m English
English form of Eustachius or Eustathius, two names of Greek origin that have been conflated in the post-classical period. Saint Eustace, who is known under both spellings, was a 2nd-century Roman general who became a Christian after seeing a vision of a cross between the antlers of a stag he was hunting. He was burned to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods and is now regarded as the patron saint of hunters. Due to him, this name was common in England during the Middle Ages, though it is presently rare.
Mélisande f French (Rare)
French form of Millicent used by Maurice Maeterlinck in his play Pelléas et Mélisande (1893). The play was later adapted by Claude Debussy into an opera (1902).
Charissa f English, Dutch
Elaborated form of Charis. Edmund Spencer used it in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
Ottilia f Swedish
Swedish form of Odilia.
Alessia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Alexius.
Apollinaire m French (Rare)
French form of Apollinaris. It was adopted as a surname by the Polish-French poet Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918), who based it on his Polish middle name Apolinary.
Florine f French
French feminine form of Florinus.
Lía f Galician
Galician form of Leah.
Adelheid f German, Dutch (Rare)
German and Dutch form of Adelaide.
Snow f English (Rare)
From the English word, derived from Old English snāw.
Beverley f English
Variant of Beverly.
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.
Marianus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name, which was itself derived from the Roman name Marius. This was the name of a few early saints.
Madhu f & m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu
From Sanskrit मधु (madhu) meaning "honey, sweet". This is another name of Chaitra, the first month of the Hindu year (which occurs in March and April).
Mattin m Basque
Basque form of Martinus (see Martin).
Nereida f Spanish
Derived from Greek Νηρηΐδες (Nereides) meaning "nymphs, sea sprites", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Katelijne f Flemish
Dutch form of Katherine, used especially in Flanders.
Gabriëlle f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of Gabriel.
Ahava f Hebrew
Means "love" in Hebrew.
Márta f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Martha.
Miša m & f Serbian, Slovene
Serbian diminutive of Mihailo, Miroslav and other names beginning with a similar sound. In Slovenia it is typically feminine.
Synnøve f Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Sunniva.
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".
Mindy f English
Diminutive of Melinda.
Esther f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶסְתֵר (ʾEsṯer), which possibly means "star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was Hadassah.... [more]
Anjali f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit अञ्जलि (añjali) meaning "salutation".
Julienne f French
French feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian).
Yuliy m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Julius.
Caoilfhionn f Irish
Derived from the Old Irish elements cáel "slender" and finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Mary f English, Biblical
Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριάμ (Mariam) and Μαρία (Maria) — the spellings are interchangeable — which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".... [more]
Aviel m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Abiel.
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.
Julian m English, Polish, German
From the Roman name Iulianus, which was derived from Julius. This was the name of the last pagan Roman emperor, Julian the Apostate (4th century). It was also borne by several early saints, including the legendary Saint Julian the Hospitaller. This name has been used in England since the Middle Ages, at which time it was also a feminine name (from Juliana, eventually becoming Gillian).
Lára f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Laura.
Caitrìona f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Katherine.
Aili f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Áile.
Priam m Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Greek Πρίαμος (Priamos), possibly meaning "redeemed". In Greek legend Priam was the king of Troy during the Trojan War and the father of many children including Hector and Paris.
Vienne f Various (Rare)
From the French name for Vienna, the capital city of Austria.
Aithan m Biblical Greek
Form of Ethan used in the Greek Old Testament.
Phelan m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Faolán.
Yelysaveta f Ukrainian
Traditional Ukrainian form of Elizabeth.
Theano f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology, Greek
From Greek θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". Theano was a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher associated with Pythagoras. The name was also borne by several figures from Greek mythology.
Fiore f & m Italian
Means "flower" in Italian. It can also be considered an Italian form of the Latin names Flora and Florus.
Estrella f Spanish
Spanish form of Stella 1, coinciding with the Spanish word meaning "star".
Euryalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
From Greek Εὐρύαλος (Euryalos) meaning "broad". This name was borne by several figures in Greek legend. In Virgil's Aeneid it belongs to the friend of Nisus, with whom he is killed while raiding the Rutuli.
Anastazja f Polish
Polish form of Anastasia.
Opal f English
From the English word opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".
Léonard m French
French form of Leonard.
Natália f Portuguese, Slovak, Hungarian
Portuguese, Slovak and Hungarian form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Laoise f Irish
Possibly a newer form of Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of Lucy or Louise.
Cătălina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
Linn f Swedish, Norwegian
Short form of Linnéa and other names containing the same sound.
Cyril m English, French, Czech, Slovak
From the Greek name Κύριλλος (Kyrillos), which was derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord", a word used frequently in the Greek Bible to refer to God or Jesus.... [more]
Anani m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "my cloud" in Hebrew, a possessive form of עָנָן (ʿanan) meaning "cloud". This name is mentioned in the Old Testament as belonging to a descendant of King David.
Radulf m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements rat "counsel, advice" and wolf "wolf", making it a cognate of Ráðúlfr.
Aemilia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Katarína f Slovak
Slovak form of Katherine.
Narendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu
Means "lord of men" from Sanskrit नर (nara) meaning "man" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord".
Liisi f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Elisabet or Eliisabet.
Alfred m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Dutch, Catalan, Albanian
Means "elf counsel", derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel, advice". Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeastern England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.... [more]
Anaiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has answered" in Hebrew, from עָנָה (ʿana) meaning "to answer" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Naphtali m Biblical
Means "my struggle, my strife" in Hebrew, a derivative of פָּתַל (paṯal) meaning "to twist, to struggle, to wrestle". In the Old Testament he is a son of Jacob by Rachel's servant Bilhah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Soroush m Persian Mythology, Persian
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬯𐬭𐬀𐬊𐬱𐬀 (Sraosha) meaning "obedience". In Zoroastrianism this was the name of a Yazata (a holy being), later equated with the angel Gabriel.
Catia f Italian
Italian diminutive of Caterina.
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.
Adele f German, English, Italian
Form 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.
Anika 1 f German, Dutch, Danish, Polish, Slovene
Diminutive of Anna or Ana.
Valérie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Valeria.
Bertille f French
French form of Berthild.
Enora f Breton, French
Breton form of Honoria, or directly from Breton enor "honour" (a word of Latin origin). This was the name of a 6th-century saint, the wife of Saint Efflamm.
Gauthier m French
French form of Walter.
Ildi f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Ildikó.
Nasrin f Persian, Bengali
Means "wild rose" in Persian.
Lothaire m French
French form of Lothar.
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.
Irina f Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Romanian, Georgian, Finnish, Estonian
Form of Irene in several languages.
Aimee f English
Variant of Amy, influenced by French Aimée.
Chetana f Marathi, Hindi
Feminine form of Chetan.
Ámbar f Spanish (Modern)
Spanish cognate of Amber.
Kalpana f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Means "imagining, fantasy" in Sanskrit.
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).
Auguste 1 m French
French form of Augustus. A notable bearer was the philosopher Auguste Comte (1798-1857).
Farzaneh f Persian
Means "wise, intelligent" in Persian.
Justinian m History
From the Latin name Iustinianus, which was derived from Iustinus (see Justin). This was the name of a 6th-century Byzantine emperor who attempted to restore the borders of the Roman Empire.
Neha f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu
Possibly from Sanskrit स्नेह (sneha) meaning "love, tenderness".
Phyllida f English (Rare)
From Φυλλίδος (Phyllidos), the genitive form of Phyllis. This form was used in 17th-century pastoral poetry.
Flavio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Flavius.
Eeva f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Eva.
Faye f English
Variant of Fay.
Asal f Persian
Means "honey" in Persian (of Arabic origin).
Arwyn m Welsh
From the Welsh intensifying prefix ar- and gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
Tatiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, French, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, Georgian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ancient Roman
Feminine 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.
Yulianna f Russian
Russian variant form of Juliana.
Hema f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada
Means "golden" in Sanskrit.
Ciril m Slovene
Slovene form of Cyril.
Ángela f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Angelus (see Angel).
Ilya m Russian, Belarusian
Russian and Belarusian form of Elijah.
Edite f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Edith.
Laboni f Bengali
Means "saline, salted, tasteful, graceful", derived from Sanskrit लवण (lavaṇa) meaning "salt".
Anatoli m Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian
Alternate transcription of Russian Анатолий or Ukrainian Анатолій (see Anatoliy), as well as the Georgian form.
Sanjiv m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Kannada
Derived from Sanskrit संजीव (saṃjīva) meaning "living, reviving".
Philipa f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Philip.
Alphonse m French
French form of Alfonso.
Annelie f German, Swedish
German diminutive of Anna or short form of Anneliese.
Stuart m English, Scottish
From a Scottish occupational surname originally belonging to a person who was a steward. It is ultimately derived from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". As a given name, it arose in 19th-century Scotland in honour of the Stuart royal family, which produced several kings and queens of Scotland and Britain between the 14th and 18th centuries.
Charity f English
From the English word charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin caritas "generous love", from Latin carus "dear, beloved". Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Ástríðr f Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Jocelyne f French
French feminine form of Joscelin (see Jocelyn).
Giovanni m Italian
Italian form of Iohannes (see John). This name has been very common in Italy since the late Middle Ages, as with other equivalents of John in Europe. The Renaissance writer Giovanni Boccaccio (1313-1375), the painter Giovanni Bellini (1430-1516) and the painter and sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) were famous bearers of the name.
Emmalyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Emmeline, or else a combination of Emma and the fashionable name suffix lyn.
Énna m Old Irish
Possibly from Old Irish én meaning "bird". This was the name of several Irish kings and heroes. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint who built the monastery of Killeany on Aran.
Cecil m English
From the Roman name Caecilius. Though it was in use during the Middle Ages in England, it did not become common until the 19th century when it was given in honour of the noble Cecil family, who had been prominent since the 16th century. Their surname was derived from the Welsh given name Seisyll, which was derived from the Roman name Sextilius, a derivative of Sextus.
Maya 1 f Hinduism, Buddhism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "illusion, magic" in Sanskrit. In Buddhist tradition this is the name of the mother of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). This is also another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.
Oliwer m Polish
Polish form of Oliver.
Valentino m Italian
Italian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Phillipa f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Philip.
Mihajlo m Serbian
Serbian form of Michael.
Ilyas m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian, Kazakh, Chechen, Tatar, Bashkir
Arabic form of Elijah, also used in several other languages.
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Emanuela f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Italian, Portuguese and Romanian feminine form of Emmanuel.
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.
Miela f Esperanto
Means "sweet" in Esperanto, derived from mielo "honey", ultimately from Latin mel.
Wiktoria f Polish
Polish form of Victoria.
Artem m Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian form of Artemios. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Артём (see Artyom).
Callistus m Late Roman
Late Latin name that was derived from the Greek name Κάλλιστος (Kallistos) meaning "most beautiful". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callixtus), including the 3rd-century Callistus I who is regarded as a saint.
Linda f English, German, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, French, Latvian, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Germanic
Originally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (Proto-Germanic *linþaz). It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word linda meaning "beautiful". In the English-speaking world this name experienced a spike in popularity beginning in the 1930s, peaking in the late 1940s, and declining shortly after that. It was the most popular name for girls in the United States from 1947 to 1952.
Edita f Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Lithuanian
Form of Edith in several languages.
Adamina f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Adam.
Kamilla f Russian, Hungarian, Polish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Russian and Hungarian form of Camilla, as well as a Polish and Scandinavian variant. This is also the Hungarian word for the chamomile flower (species Matricaria chamomilla).
Adelyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Adeline using the popular name suffix lyn.
Étiennette f French
French feminine form of Stephen.
Séphora f French
French form of Zipporah.
Stéphane m French
French form of Stephen.
Sapphira f Biblical
From the Greek name Σαπφείρη (Sappheire), which was from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros) meaning "sapphire" or "lapis lazuli" (ultimately derived from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir)). Sapphira is a character in Acts in the New Testament who is killed by God for lying.
Crescencia f Spanish
Spanish form of Crescentia.
Maryann f English
Combination of Mary and Ann.
Vitalia f Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Vitale.
Pénélope f French
French form of Penelope.
Glory f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word glory, ultimately from Latin gloria.
Sumit m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi
From Sanskrit सुमित (sumita) meaning "well measured".
Galina f Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian feminine form of Galenos (see Galen).
Rosie f English
Diminutive of Rose.
Danne m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Daniel or Dan 3.
Balbina f Spanish, Portuguese (Rare), Polish (Rare), Italian (Rare), Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Balbinus. Saint Balbina was a 2nd-century Roman woman martyred with her father Quirinus.
Cornelia f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cornelius. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
Pradip m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रदीप (pradīpa) meaning "light, lantern".
Victor m English, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late Roman
Roman name meaning "victor, conqueror" in Latin. It was common among early Christians, and was borne by several early saints and three popes. It was rare as an English name during the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the French writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885), who authored The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables.
Diane f French, English
French form of Diana, also regularly used in the English-speaking world.
Phile f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Philon (see Philo).
Regan f & m Literature, English
Meaning unknown. In the chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth it is the name of a treacherous daughter of King Leir. Shakespeare adapted the story for his tragedy King Lear (1606). In the modern era it has appeared in the horror movie The Exorcist (1973) belonging to a girl possessed by the devil. This name can also be used as a variant of Reagan.
Ignacy m Polish
Polish form of Ignatius.
Pierrette f French
Feminine diminutive of Pierre.
Annette f French, English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch
French diminutive of Anne 1. It has also been widely used in the English-speaking world, and it became popular in America in the late 1950s due to the fame of actress Annette Funicello (1942-2013).
Hans m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
German short form of Johannes, now used independently. This name has been very common in German-speaking areas of Europe since the late Middle Ages. From an early period it was transmitted to the Low Countries and Scandinavia. Two famous bearers were Hans Holbein (1497-1543), a German portrait painter, and Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), a Danish writer of fairy tales.
Leia f Biblical Greek, Portuguese, Popular Culture
Form of Leah used in the Greek Old Testament, as well as a Portuguese form. This is the name of a princess in the Star Wars movies by George Lucas, who probably based it on Leah.
Cynthia f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κυνθία (Kynthia), which means "woman from Cynthus". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, given because Cynthus was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century. It reached a peak of popularity in the United States in 1957 and has declined steadily since then.
Crescens m Late Roman, Biblical Latin
Latin name that was derived from cresco "to grow". This name is mentioned briefly in one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament.
Gratiana f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Gratianus (see Gratian).
Hande f Turkish
From Persian خنده (khandeh) meaning "laughter, smile".
Wilson m English, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese
From an English surname meaning "son of William". The surname was borne by Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), the American president during World War I.
Lýdia f Slovak, Faroese
Slovak and Faroese form of Lydia.
Josey m & f English
Diminutive of Joseph or Josephine.