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
Vespera f Esperanto
Means "of the evening", derived from Esperanto vespero "evening", ultimately from Latin vesper.
Clémence f French
French feminine form of Clementius (see Clement).
Kiaran m English (Rare)
Anglicized form of Ciarán.
Bahram m Persian, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬬𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬖𐬥𐬀 (Vərəthraghna) meaning "victory over resistance". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with victory and war. It was also borne by several Sasanian emperors. It is also the Persian name for the planet Mars.
Angelus m Late Roman
Latin form of Angel.
Jozef m Slovak, Dutch, Albanian
Slovak, Dutch and Albanian form of Joseph.
Neela f Tamil, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Tamil நீலா or Hindi नीला (see Nila).
Athelstan m English (Archaic)
Modern form of Æðelstan. This name was revived in Britain the latter half of the 19th century.
Theodorus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of the Greek name Theodoros (see Theodore). As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Theodoor is typically used in daily life.
Stacey f & m English
Variant of Stacy.
Denise f French, English, Dutch
French feminine form of Denis.
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.
Tamanna f Hindi, Bengali
Means "wish, desire" in Hindi, from Persian تمنّا (tamannā), ultimately from Arabic.
Vered f Hebrew
Means "rose" in Hebrew, originally a borrowing from an Iranian language.
Iola f English
Probably a variant of Iole.
Salina f English
Perhaps an invented name based on similar-sounding names such as Selina.
Honour f & m English (Rare)
From the English word honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of Honoria or Honorata, which are ultimately derived from the same source.
Zvezdana f Serbian, Slovene
Serbian and Slovene form of Zvjezdana.
Carmela f Italian, Spanish, Galician
Italian, Spanish and Galician form of Carmel.
Philippe m French
French form of Philip.
Teja f Slovene
Short form of Doroteja or Mateja 1.
Mindy f English
Diminutive of Melinda.
Mehrdad m Persian
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and داد (dād) meaning "given". Since مهر is also the Modern Persian form of Mithra, this name can also function as a modern form of Mithridates.
Jerome m English
From the Greek name Ἱερώνυμος (Hieronymos) meaning "sacred name", derived from ἱερός (hieros) meaning "sacred" and ὄνυμα (onyma) meaning "name". Saint Jerome was responsible for the creation of the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible, in the 5th century. He is regarded as a Doctor of the Church. The name was used in his honour in the Middle Ages, especially in Italy and France, and has been used in England since the 12th century.
Martina f German, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Hungarian, English, Swedish, Dutch, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Martinus (see Martin). Saint Martina was a 3rd-century martyr who is one of the patron saints of Rome.
Eilís f Irish
Irish Gaelic form of Elizabeth (or sometimes of Alice).
Jacobine f Norwegian (Archaic), Dutch (Rare)
Norwegian and Dutch feminine form of Jacob.
Catharina f Dutch, Swedish
Dutch and Swedish form of Katherine.
Yvonne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Yvon. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Talya f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew טַלְיָה or טַלְיָא (see Talia 1).
Carlyle m English
Variant of Carlisle.
Lalita f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Thai
Means "playful, charming, desirable" in Sanskrit. According to the Puranas this was the name of one of the gopis, who were milkmaids devoted to the young Krishna. Additionally, in Shaktism, this is the name of a goddess who is also called Tripura Sundari.
Phyllida f English (Rare)
From Φυλλίδος (Phyllidos), the genitive form of Phyllis. This form was used in 17th-century pastoral poetry.
Liina f Estonian, Finnish
Short form of Karoliina.
Neil m Irish, Scottish, English
From the Irish name Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly connected to the old Celtic root *nītu- "fury, passion" or the (possibly related) Old Irish word nia "hero". A derivation from Old Irish nél "cloud" has also been suggested. This was the name of a few early Irish kings, notably Niall of the Nine Hostages, a semi-legendary high king of the 4th or 5th century.... [more]
Hildebert m German (Rare)
Means "bright battle" from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and beraht "bright". This name was borne by four early Frankish kings, usually called Childebert.
Felícia f Hungarian, Portuguese
Hungarian and Portuguese form of Felicia.
Raffaele m Italian
Italian form of Raphael.
Gala 2 f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Gallus.
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.
Federico m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Frederick. Spanish poet Federico García Lorca (1898-1936) and Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini (1920-1993) are famous bearers of this name.
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.
Nilda f Spanish, Portuguese
Short form of Brunilda.
Liisa f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian short form of Elisabet or Eliisabet.
Vitaliy m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Phillipa f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Philip.
Giuseppe m Italian
Italian form of Joseph. Two noteworthy bearers were Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), a military leader who united Italy, and Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), a composer of operas.
Amala f Tamil, Malayalam
Derived from Sanskrit अमल (amala) meaning "clean, pure".
Eudora f Greek Mythology
Means "good gift" in Greek, from the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
Claudine f French
French diminutive of Claude.
Tiitus m Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Titus.
Yasemin f Turkish
Turkish form of Jasmine.
Cybele f Near Eastern Mythology (Latinized)
Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
Quincey m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Quincy.
Lucetta f Italian
Diminutive of Luce. Shakespeare used this name for a character in his play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
Cicero m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from Latin cicer meaning "chickpea". Marcus Tullius Cicero (now known simply as Cicero) was a statesman, orator and author of the 1st century BC. He was a political enemy of Mark Antony, who eventually had him executed.
Gizella f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Giselle.
Sanjana f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit सञजन (sañjana) meaning "uniting, joining".
Findlay m Scottish
Anglicized form of Fionnlagh.
Solveig f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
From an Old Norse name, which was derived from the elements sól "sun" and veig "strength". This is the name of the heroine in Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt (1876).
Baptist m German
German form of Baptiste. It is often paired with the name Johann, in honour of Saint John the Baptist.
Sille f Danish
Danish diminutive of Cecilia.
Sevastian m Russian (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Russian Севастьян (see Sevastyan).
Wyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
Myles 2 m Greek Mythology
Probably from Greek μύλη (myle) meaning "mill". This was the name of a king of Laconia in Greek mythology.
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.
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]
Elaina f English
Variant of Elaine.
Maëlle f French, Breton
Feminine form of Maël.
Oliwer m Polish
Polish form of Oliver.
Maxime m French
French form of Maximus.
Leonore f German
German short form of Eleanor.
Colombina f Italian (Rare), Theatre
Italian feminine diminutive of Columba. In traditional Italian theatre (commedia dell'arte) this is the name of a stock character, a female servant who was often the lover of Arlecchino (Harlequin). This is also the Italian word for the columbine flower.
Gethsemane f Various (Rare)
From a biblical place name, the garden where Jesus was arrested, located on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem. It is derived from Γεθσημανί (Gethsemani), the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning "oil vat". It is very rarely used as a given name.
Caterina f Italian, Catalan
Italian and Catalan form of Katherine.
Alessio m Italian
Italian form of Alexius.
Quintillus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from the given name Quintus.
Véronique f French
French form of Veronica.
Sofía f Spanish, Galician
Spanish and Galician form of Sophia.
Jovian m Ancient Roman (Anglicized)
From Latin Iovianus, a Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Iovis (see Jove). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor.
Lynn f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of Linda or names that end in lyn or line.
Eydís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements ey "good fortune" or "island" and dís "goddess".
Jonas 2 m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, French, Biblical
From Ἰωνᾶς (Ionas), the Greek form of Jonah. This spelling is used in some English translations of the New Testament.
Ileana f Romanian, Spanish, Italian
Possibly a Romanian variant of Elena. In Romanian folklore this is the name of a princess kidnapped by monsters and rescued by a heroic knight.
Lucie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lucia.
Sariah f Mormon
Possibly from an alternate reading of Hebrew שׂריה (see Seraiah). In the Book of Mormon this is the name of Lehi's wife.
Gillian f English
Medieval English feminine form of Julian. This spelling has been in use since the 13th century, though it was not declared a distinct name from Julian until the 17th century.
Amalia f Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Greek, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch, German, Germanic (Latinized)
Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element amal. This element means "unceasing, vigorous, brave", or it can refer to the Gothic dynasty of the Amali (derived from the same root).... [more]
Areli m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Possibly means "lion of God, hero" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Gad in the Old Testament.
Evelien f Dutch
Dutch 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.
Álex m Spanish
Short form of Alejandro.
Lia 2 f Italian, Dutch, German
Short form of Rosalia, Julia and other names ending in lia.
Sindri m Norse Mythology, Old Norse, Icelandic
Means "sparkle" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf, also named Eitri. With his brother Brokkr he made several magical items for the gods, including Odin's ring Draupnir and Thor's hammer Mjölnir.
Rosina f Italian
Italian diminutive of Rosa 1. This is the name of a character in Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville (1816).
Photine f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)). This is the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (see John 4:7). She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Church.
Jennifer f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish
From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (see Guinevere). This name has only been common outside of Cornwall since the beginning of the 20th century, after it was featured in George Bernard Shaw's play The Doctor's Dilemma (1906). It barely ranked in the United until the late 1930s, when it began steadily growing in popularity, accelerating into the early 1970s. It was the most popular name for girls in America between 1970 and 1984, though it was not as common in the United Kingdom.... [more]
Ayna f Kazakh
Alternate transcription of Kazakh Айна (see Aina 5).
Caecilius m Ancient Roman
Original Latin masculine form of Cecilia. Saint Caecilius was a 1st-century missionary to Granada, Spain. It was also part of the full name of Saint Cyprian, Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus.
Euclid m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Εὐκλείδης (Eukleides), derived from Greek εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician from Alexandria who made numerous contributions to geometry.
Carroll m Irish
Anglicized form of Cearbhall. A famous bearer of the surname was Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a British author known for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Caderina f Sardinian
Sardinian form of Katherine.
Mirja f Finnish
Finnish form of Miriam.
Cenric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cene "bold" and ric "ruler, king".
Magali f French, Occitan
Occitan form of Magdalene.
Chrysanthos m Greek, Ancient Greek
Means "golden flower" from Greek χρύσεος (chryseos) meaning "golden" combined with ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century Egyptian saint.
Anastasie f & m French, Romanian (Rare)
French form of Anastasia (feminine) and Romanian form of Anastasius (masculine).
Vivian m & f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Latin name Vivianus, which was derived from Latin vivus "alive". Saint Vivian was a French bishop who provided protection during the Visigoth invasion of the 5th century. It has been occasionally used as an English (masculine) name since the Middle Ages. In modern times it is also used as a feminine name, in which case it is either an Anglicized form of Bébinn or a variant of Vivien 2.
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.
Amaranta f Spanish (Rare), Italian (Rare)
Spanish and Italian form of Amarantha.
Roselle f Various
Diminutive of Rose. This is the name of a type of flowering shrub (species Hibiscus sabdariffa) native to Africa but now grown in many places, used to make hibiscus tea.
Handan f Turkish
From Persian خندان (khandān) meaning "laughing, smiling".
Lyda f English
Perhaps a variant of Lydia.
Catherine f French, English
French form of Katherine, and also a common English variant.
Nikhil m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit निखिल (nikhila) meaning "whole, entire".
Bertalan m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Bartholomew.
Eliina f Finnish
Finnish form of Helen.
Carolyn f English
Variant of Caroline.
Rupinder m & f Indian (Sikh)
Means "greatest beauty" from Sanskrit रूप (rūpa) meaning "beauty, form" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "greatest".
Susana f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Susanna.
Prudentia f Late Roman
Feminine form of Prudentius.
Elwyn m English
Variant of Alvin.
Rohese f Medieval English
Norman French form of Hrodohaidis.
Michelle f French, English, Dutch
French feminine form of Michel. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the former American first lady Michelle Obama (1964-).
Placida f Late Roman, Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Placidus (see Placido).
Junius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from the name of the Roman goddess Juno. It was borne by Lucius Junius Brutus, the founder of the Roman Republic in the 6th century BC. It was also borne by the 1st-century BC Roman politician Marcus Junius Brutus, commonly known as Brutus, who was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar.
Katinka f German, Hungarian, Dutch
German diminutive of Katharina, a Hungarian diminutive of Katalin and a Dutch diminutive of Catharina.
Nicoline f Dutch, Danish
Diminutive of Nicole.
Lynna f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lynn.
Philibert m French, Germanic
Early variant of Filibert altered by association with Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover". A famous bearer was Philibert de l'Orme (1510-1570), a French Renaissance architect.
Anselm m German, English (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements ansi "god" and helm "helmet, protection". This name was brought to England in the late 11th century by Saint Anselm, who was born in northern Italy. He was archbishop of Canterbury and a Doctor of the Church.
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Cyprien m French
French form of Cyprianus (see Cyprian).
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.
Clotilda f English (Rare)
English form of Clotilde.
Beatriu f Catalan
Catalan form of Beatrix.
Ciril m Slovene
Slovene form of Cyril.
Love 2 f English
Simply from the English word love, derived from Old English lufu.
Pranav m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
This is the Sanskrit word referring to ओम् (om), the Hindu sacred syllable.
Silvius m Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin silva meaning "wood, forest". This was the family name of several of the legendary kings of Alba Longa. It was also the name of an early saint martyred in Alexandria.
Mererid f Welsh
Means "pearl, gem" in Welsh, derived from Latin margarita.
Frosina f Macedonian
Macedonian form of Euphrosyne.
Muiris m Irish
Irish form of Maurice.
Luciano m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Lucianus.
Sofiya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Sophia.
Teresia f Swedish
Swedish variant of Teresa.
Evangelia f Greek
Feminine form of Evangelos.
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.
Camille f & m French, English
French feminine and masculine form of Camilla. It is also used in the English-speaking world, where it is generally only feminine.
Horacio m Spanish
Spanish form of Horatius.
Ieva f Lithuanian, Latvian
Lithuanian and Latvian form of Eve. This is also the Lithuanian and Latvian word for a type of cherry tree (species Prunus padus).
Otilia f Romanian, Spanish
Romanian and Spanish form of Odilia.
Oriana f Italian, Spanish
Possibly derived from Latin aurum "gold" or from its derivatives, Spanish oro or French or. In medieval legend Oriana was the daughter of a king of England who married the knight Amadis.
Leda f Greek Mythology, Italian
Meaning unknown. In Greek myth she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra by the god Zeus, who came upon her in the form of a swan.
Alenka f Slovene
Slovene diminutive of Alena 1.
Karoline f German, Danish, Norwegian
Feminine form of Carolus.
Éloïse f French
French form of Eloise.
Hestia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἑστία (hestia) meaning "hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.
Vianne f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown, perhaps a combination of Vi and Anne 1 or a short form of Vivianne.
Lucy f English
English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.
Sonje f German (Rare)
German variant of Sonja.
Kalpana f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Means "imagining, fantasy" in Sanskrit.
Jelena f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Estonian, Lithuanian
Form of Yelena in several languages. In Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia it is also associated with the South Slavic words jelen meaning "deer, stag" and jela meaning "fir tree".
Rosaleen f English (Rare), Irish
Variant of Rosaline. James Clarence Mangan used it as a translation for Róisín in his poem Dark Rosaleen (1846).
Shanti f Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
From Sanskrit शान्ती (śāntī) meaning "quiet, peace, tranquility".
Dieudonné m French
Means "given by God" in French, used as a French form of Deusdedit. It is currently much more common in French-speaking Africa than it is in France.
Emilija f Lithuanian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Rosica f Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Росица (see Rositsa).
Aristide m French, Italian
French and Italian form of Aristides.
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.
Juliane f German, French
German and French feminine form of Julian.
Levana 1 f & m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Lebanah. In modern Hebrew it is typically a feminine name.
Maurice m French, English
From the Roman name Mauritius, a derivative of Maurus. Saint Maurice was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Egypt. He and the other Christians in his legion were supposedly massacred on the orders of Emperor Maximian for refusing to worship Roman gods. Thus, he is the patron saint of infantry soldiers.... [more]
Zahari m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Zechariah.
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]
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.
Pru f English
Short form of Prudence.
Marciano m Portuguese, Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Portuguese, Spanish and Italian form of Marcianus.
Iulia f Romanian, Ancient Roman
Latin and Romanian form of Julia.
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]
Thais f Ancient Greek, Spanish
Alternate transcription of Ancient Greek Θαΐς (see Thaïs), as well as the usual Spanish form.
Rosangela f Italian
Combination of Rosa 1 and Angela.
Bronwyn f English
Variant of Bronwen used in the English-speaking world (especially Australia and New Zealand).
Miléna f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Milena.
Aimée f French
French form of Amy.
Séafra m Irish
Irish form of Geoffrey.
Amalthea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀμάλθεια (Amaltheia), derived from μαλθάσσω (malthasso) meaning "to soften, to soothe". In Greek myth she was a nymph (in some sources a goat) who nursed the infant Zeus.
Caiaphas m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of Greek Καϊάφας (Kaiaphas), probably of Aramaic origin. In the New Testament this is the name of the Jewish high priest who condemns Jesus.
Vinay m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit विनय (vinaya) meaning "leading, guidance, modesty".
Alfons m German, Dutch, Catalan
German, Dutch and Catalan form of Alfonso.
Vasia f Greek
Diminutive of Vasiliki.
Marie f & m French, Czech, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Albanian
French and Czech form of Maria. It has been very common in France since the 13th century. At the opening of the 20th century it was given to approximately 20 percent of French girls. This percentage has declined steadily over the course of the century, and it dropped from the top rank in 1958.... [more]
Solomiya f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Salome.
Lillias f Scottish
Variant of Lilias.
Ann f English, Manx
English and Manx form of Anne 1. In the English-speaking world, both this spelling and Anne have been used since the late Middle Ages. Currently Ann is less popular than Anne (and both are less popular than their relatives Anna and Hannah).
Ève f French
French form of Eve.
Camila f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Camilla.
Angeline f French
French diminutive of Angela.
Thibault m French
French form of Theobald.
Eemil m Finnish
Finnish form of Emil.
Suzette f French
French diminutive of Suzanne.
Mária f Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak form of Maria.
Cintia f Spanish, Hungarian
Spanish and Hungarian form of Cynthia.
Nithya f Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Nitya.
Enea m Italian
Italian form of Aeneas.
Regulus m Ancient Roman, Astronomy
Roman cognomen meaning "prince, little king", a diminutive of Latin rex "king". This was the cognomen of several 3rd-century BC consuls from the gens Atilia. It was also the name of several early saints. A star in the constellation Leo bears this name as well.
Elisedd m Old Welsh
Derived from Welsh elus meaning "kind, benevolent". This was the name of two kings of Powys in Wales.
Giorgina f Italian
Diminutive of Giorgia.
Sláine f & m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish slán meaning "health, safety". This was the name of a legendary high king of Ireland, one of the Fir Bolg. It was also the name of a daughter of the 11th-century high king Brian Boru.
Laure f French
French form of Laura.
Margherita f Italian
Italian form of Margaret. This is also the Italian word for the daisy flower (species Bellis perennis, Leucanthemum vulgare and others).
Calista f English, Portuguese (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Feminine form of Callistus. As an English name it might also be a variant of Kallisto.
Chayyim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).
Leolin m Welsh
Anglicized form of Llywelyn influenced by Latin leo "lion".
Modestine f French
French diminutive of Modestus.
Salathiel m Biblical, Biblical Greek
Greek form of Shealtiel. This form is also used in some English translations of the Bible (including the King James Version).
Délia f Portuguese, French, Hungarian
Portuguese, French and Hungarian form of Delia 1.
Anita 1 f Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, Slovene, English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Latvian, Hungarian
Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian and Slovene diminutive of Ana.
Oles m Ukrainian
Short form of Oleksandr or Oleksiy.
Amabel f English (Rare)
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis.
Ella 1 f English
Norman name, originally a short form of Germanic names containing the element alles meaning "other" (Proto-Germanic *aljaz). It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).
Alexey m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алексей (see Aleksey).
Benedict m English
From the Late Latin name Benedictus, which meant "blessed". Saint Benedict was an Italian monk who founded the Benedictines in the 6th century. After his time the name was common among Christians, being used by 16 popes. In England it did not come into use until the 12th century, at which point it became very popular. This name was also borne by the American general Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), who defected to Britain during the American Revolution.
Cassia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cassius.
Martha f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
From Aramaic מַרְתָּא (marta) meaning "the lady, the mistress", feminine form of מַר (mar) meaning "master". In the New Testament this is the name of the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany (who is sometimes identified with Mary Magdalene). She was a witness to Jesus restoring her dead brother to life.... [more]
Aseem m Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi असीम (see Asim 2).
Fabricia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Fabricius (see Fabrice).
Kiera f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Ciara 1.
Eulàlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Eulalia.
Sinclair m & f English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from a Norman French town called "Saint Clair". A notable bearer was the American author Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951).
Serina f English
Variant of Serena.
Vicente m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Vincent.
Leocadia f Spanish, Late Roman
Late Latin name that might be derived from the name of the Greek island of Leucadia or from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, clear, white" (which is also the root of the island's name). Saint Leocadia was a 3rd-century martyr from Spain.
Orietta f Italian
Diminutive of Oria.
Nichole f English
Variant of Nicole.
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.
Chandan m Hindi, Bengali, Odia
Derived from Sanskrit चन्दन (candana) meaning "sandalwood".
Juliana f Dutch, German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Slovak, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian). This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr from Nicomedia, and also of the Blessed Juliana of Norwich, also called Julian, a 14th-century mystic and author. The name was also borne by a 20th-century queen of the Netherlands. In England, this form has been in use since the 18th century, alongside the older form Gillian.
Sunniva f Norwegian
Scandinavian form of the Old English name Sunngifu, which meant "sun gift" from the Old English elements sunne "sun" and giefu "gift". This was the name of a legendary English saint who was shipwrecked in Norway and killed by the inhabitants.
Andrea 2 f English, German, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Dutch, Croatian, Serbian
Feminine form of Andrew. As an English name, it has been used since the 17th century, though it was not common until the 20th century.
Orla 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Órlaith.
Alexandrie f French (Rare)
French variant of Alexandra.
Filbert m Eastern African
Possibly a form of Philibert. It is particularly used in Tanzania due to track star Filbert Bayi (1953-), who set a world record running the 1500 meter in 1974.
Olena f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Helen.
Nahid f Persian Mythology, Persian, Bengali
Modern Persian form of Anahita. This is also the Persian name for the planet Venus.
Tobiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name טוֹבִיָּה (Ṭoviyya) meaning "Yahweh is good", from the elements טוֹב (ṭov) meaning "good" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This was the name of an Ammonite in the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
Milou f Dutch
Short form of Marie-Louise. This is the name of a (male) dog in the French-language Belgian comic series The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé, first appearing in 1929. He is named Snowy in the English version and Bobbie in the Dutch version.
Iuliana f Romanian, Ancient Roman
Latin and Romanian form of Juliana.
Antoinette f French
Feminine diminutive of Antoine. This name was borne by Marie Antoinette, the queen of France during the French Revolution. She was executed by guillotine.
Cleo f & m English
Short form of Cleopatra, Cleon or Cleopas.
Kateri f History
From the Mohawk pronunciation of Katherine. This was the name adopted by the 17th-century Mohawk saint Tekakwitha upon her baptism.
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.
Mari 1 f Estonian, Finnish, Welsh, Breton, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Georgian, Armenian
Estonian, Finnish, Welsh and Breton form of Maria, as well as a Hungarian diminutive of Mária. It is also a Scandinavian, Georgian and Armenian form of the French name Marie.
Noemi f Italian, Czech, Polish, Romanian, German, Biblical Latin
Form of Naomi 1 in several languages.
Jonáš m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Jonah.
Mathieu m French
French variant form of Matthew.
Maura 2 f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Máire. It has also been associated with Irish mór meaning "great". This was the name of an obscure 5th-century Irish martyr.
Pradip m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रदीप (pradīpa) meaning "light, lantern".
Cécile f French
French form of Cecilia.
Eevi f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Eva.
Marianela f Spanish
Combination of María and Estela.
Mónika f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Monica.
Koralia f Greek, Late Greek
Derived from Ancient Greek κοράλλιον (korallion) meaning "coral" (in Modern Greek κοράλλι). This was the name of an obscure 4th-century saint and martyr from Thrace.
Madelina f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Madeline.
Timaeus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latinized form of the Greek name Τίμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". This is the name of one of Plato's dialogues, featuring Timaeus and Socrates. Timaeus is also the name of a person mentioned briefly in the New Testament (Mark 10:46).
Aubrey m & f English
From Auberi, an Old French form of Alberich brought to England by the Normans. It was common in the Middle Ages, and was revived in the 19th century. Since the mid-1970s it has more frequently been given to girls, due to Bread's 1972 song Aubrey along with its similarity to the established feminine name Audrey.
Dorothea f German, Dutch, English, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of the Greek name Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant "gift of god" from Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
Brigid f Irish, Irish Mythology
Irish variant of Brighid (see Bridget).
Mary Jane f English
Combination of Mary and Jane.
Tiana f English
Short form of Tatiana or Christiana. It was rare in the United States until it jumped in popularity in 1975, perhaps due to the Vietnamese-American actress Tiana Alexandra (1956-), who had some exposure at that time. It was used as the name of the princess in the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog (2009).
Honor f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Honour, using the American spelling.
Eudocia f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐδοκία (Eudokia), derived from the word εὐδοκέω (eudokeo) meaning "to be well pleased, to be satisfied", itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δοκέω (dokeo) meaning "to think, to imagine, to suppose". This name was common among Byzantine royalty. Saint Eudocia was the wife of the 5th-century emperor Theodosius II.
Divina f Spanish (Philippines), Portuguese (Brazilian)
From Spanish or Portuguese divina meaning "divine, godlike".
Valeriana f Spanish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Valerianus (see Valerian).
Célia f Portuguese, French
Portuguese and French form of Celia.
Lys f French (Rare)
Diminutive of Élisabeth. It is also the French word for "lily".
Lovisa f Swedish
Swedish feminine form of Louis.
Desideria f Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of Desiderio. This was the Latin name of a 19th-century queen of Sweden, the wife of Karl XIV. She was born in France with the name Désirée.