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
Vivianne f French
Variant of Viviane.
Neela f Tamil, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Tamil நீலா or Hindi नीला (see Nila).
Fernand m French
French form of Ferdinand.
Lúcia f Portuguese, Hungarian
Portuguese and Hungarian form of Lucia.
Tova 1 f Hebrew
Means "good" in Hebrew.
Florinda f Spanish, Portuguese
Elaborated form of Spanish or Portuguese flor meaning "flower".
Morgane f French
French, either a form of Morgan 2 or a feminine form of Morgan 1.
Roshni f Marathi, Hindi
From Hindi and Marathi रौशनी (raushanī) meaning "light, brightness", ultimately of Persian origin.
Felina f Late Roman
Feminine form of Felinus.
Mercurio m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Mercury.
Calixta f Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Calixtus.
Timotheus m Biblical Latin, German (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Latinized form of Timotheos (see Timothy).
Angelique f Dutch
Dutch form of Angélique.
Pépin m French
French form of Pepin.
Benita f Spanish
Feminine form of Benito.
Aelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aelius.
Mattea f Italian
Italian feminine form of Matthew.
Simin f Persian
Means "silvery" in Persian.
Frédéric m French
French form of Frederick. A famous bearer was the Polish composer Fryderyk or Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849).
Sóley f Icelandic
Means "buttercup (flower)" in Icelandic (genus Ranunculus), derived from sól "sun" and ey "island".
Prasad m Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Odia, Bengali, Nepali
From Sanskrit प्रसाद (prasāda) meaning "brightness, clearness, graciousness, offering". This is a word referring to an offering of food made to a deity.
Filippa f Greek, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Italian
Greek, Scandinavian and Italian feminine form of Philip.
Julius m Ancient Roman, English, German, Finnish, Lithuanian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech
From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Greek ἴουλος (ioulos) meaning "downy-bearded". Alternatively, it could be related to the name of the Roman god Jupiter. This was a prominent patrician family of Rome, who claimed descent from the mythological Julus, son of Aeneas. Its most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, who gained renown as a military leader for his clever conquest of Gaul. After a civil war he became the dictator of the Roman Republic, but was eventually stabbed to death in the senate.... [more]
Lavina f English
Variant of Lavinia.
Jules 1 m French
French form of Julius. A notable bearer of this name was the French novelist Jules Verne (1828-1905), author of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and other works of science fiction.
Talulla f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of the Old Irish name Taileflaith, Tuileflaith or Tuilelaith, probably from tuile "abundance" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of an early saint, an abbess of Kildare.
Zéphyrine f French (Rare)
French feminine form of Zephyrinus (see Zeferino).
Ecaterina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
Purnima f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada
From Sanskrit पूर्णिमा (pūrṇimā) meaning "full moon".
Ulisse m Italian
Italian form of Ulysses.
Whitaker m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "white field" in Old English.
Elvira f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian, Russian
Spanish form of a Visigothic name, recorded from the 10th century in forms such as Geloyra or Giluira. It is of uncertain meaning, possibly composed of the Gothic element gails "happy" or gails "spear" combined with wers "friendly, agreeable, true". The name was borne by members of the royal families of León and Castille. This is also the name of a character in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni (1787).
Aeronwen f Welsh (Rare)
Combination of Aeron and the Welsh element gwen meaning "white, blessed".
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".
Cyrilla f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Cyril.
Nikola 1 m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Czech, Basque
Form of Nicholas in several languages. Note, in Czech this is also a feminine name (see Nikola 2). A famous bearer was the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla (1856-1943).
Murielle f French
French variant of Muriel.
Mariana f Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Czech, Bulgarian, Ancient Roman
Roman feminine form of Marianus. After the classical era it was sometimes interpreted as a combination of Maria and Ana. In Portuguese it is further used as a form of Mariamne.
Clarissa f English, Italian
Latinate form of Clarice. This is the name of the title character in a 1748 novel by Samuel Richardson. In the novel Clarissa Harlowe is a virtuous woman who is tragically exploited by her family and her lover. Another literary character by this name is Clarissa Dalloway from the novel Mrs. Dalloway (1925) by Virginia Woolf.
Leocádia f Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese form of Leocadia.
Galene f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek feminine form of Galenos (see Galen). This was the name of a minor Greek goddess who personified calm seas.
Felicie f German (Rare)
German form of Felicia.
Gaby f & m French, Spanish, English
Diminutive of Gabrielle or Gabriel.
Rina 1 f Italian, Dutch
Short form of Caterina or Catharina as well as other names ending in rina.
Yuliy m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Julius.
Preeti f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Alternate transcription of Hindi प्रीति or प्रीती, Marathi प्रीती or Gujarati પ્રીતિ (see Priti).
Asa m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Possibly means "healer" in Hebrew. This name was borne by the third king of Judah, as told in the Old Testament.
Aleksandro m Esperanto
Esperanto form of Alexander.
Jean-Baptiste m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Baptiste, referring to Saint John the Baptist.
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]
Rosaria f Italian
Italian feminine form of Rosario.
Desiree f English
English form of Désirée. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the movie Désirée (1954).
Alena 1 f German, Czech, Slovak, Slovene
Short form of Magdalena or Helena. This was the name of a saint, possibly legendary, who was martyred near Brussels in the 7th century.
Ildi f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Ildikó.
Margot f French
French short form of Margaret.
Josseline f French
French feminine variant of Jocelyn.
Kathlyn f English
Anglicized form of Caitlín.
Katrīna f Latvian
Latvian form of Katherine.
Philomela f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Φιλομήλη (Philomele), derived from φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and μῆλον (melon) meaning "fruit". The second element has also been interpreted as Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song". In Greek myth Philomela was the sister-in-law of Tereus, who raped her and cut out her tongue. Prokne avenged her sister by killing her son by Tereus, after which Tereus attempted to kill Philomela. However, the gods intervened and transformed her into a nightingale.
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)
From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian 𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Lenora f English
Short form of Elenora.
Minerva f Roman Mythology, English, Spanish
Possibly derived from Latin mens meaning "intellect", but more likely of Etruscan origin. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since after the Renaissance.
Sylvan m English
Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".
Pelagia f Ancient Greek, Greek, Polish (Rare)
Feminine form of Pelagius. This was the name of a few early saints, including a young 4th-century martyr who threw herself from a rooftop in Antioch rather than lose her virginity.
Erwin m German, Dutch, Polish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German name Hariwini, composed of the elements heri "army" and wini "friend". It may have merged somewhat with the name Eberwin. A notable bearer was Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961), an Austrian physicist who made contributions to quantum theory.
Katsiaryna f Belarusian
Belarusian form of Katherine.
Lucero f & m Spanish (Mexican), Spanish (Latin American)
Means "light source, bright star, morning star" in Spanish, a derivative of luz "light". It is most common in Mexico and Colombia.
Valentino m Italian
Italian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Ionel m Romanian
Diminutive of Ion 1.
Shashi m & f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu
Traditional name for the moon, it literally means "having a hare" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form शशि and the feminine form शशी (spelled with a long final vowel).
Theda f German
Short form of Theodora. A famous bearer was actress Theda Bara (1885-1955), who was born Theodosia Goodman.
Sunil m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with नील (nīla) meaning "dark blue".
Meera f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीरा, Malayalam മീര, Tamil மீரா or Kannada ಮೀರಾ (see Mira 1).
Emílie f Czech
Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Cosmas m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κοσμᾶς (Kosmas), which was derived from κόσμος (kosmos) meaning "order, world, universe". Saint Cosmas was martyred with his twin brother Damian in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians.
Mariasole f Italian
Combination of Maria and Sole.
Josephina f English (Rare)
Latinate variant of Joséphine.
Kornelia f German, Polish
German and Polish form of Cornelia.
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.
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.
Ean m Manx
Manx form of John.
Meave f Irish
Variant of Maeve.
Ansehelm m Germanic
Old German form of Anselm.
Alastair m Scottish
Anglicized form of Alasdair.
Joasia f Polish
Polish diminutive of Joanna.
Pallas 1 f Greek Mythology
Probably derived from a Greek word meaning "maiden, young woman". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Athena. According to some legends it was originally the name of a friend of the goddess. Athena accidentally killed her while sparring, so she took the name in honour of her friend.
Silvano m Italian
Italian form of Silvanus.
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.
Piran m Cornish
Possibly derived from Ciarán. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish monk who founded a monastery in Cornwall. He is the patron saint of Cornwall.
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).
Agostina f Italian
Italian feminine form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1).
Maiken f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian diminutive of Maria.
Denice f English
Variant of Denise.
Annachiara f Italian
Combination of Anna and Chiara.
Lyubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Ilia m Georgian, Russian, Bulgarian, Belarusian, Old Church Slavic
Georgian form of Elijah. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Илья or Belarusian Ілья (see Ilya) or Bulgarian Илия (see Iliya).
Ellen 1 f English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Estonian
Medieval English form of Helen. This was the usual spelling of the name until the 19th century, when the form Helen also became common.
Světlana f Czech
Czech form of Svetlana.
Orabela f Esperanto
Means "golden-beautiful" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin aurea "gold" and bella "beautiful".
Adrianne f English
Feminine form of Adrian.
Lynette f English, Arthurian Cycle
Form of Lynet used by Alfred Tennyson in his 1872 poem Gareth and Lynette. According to Tennyson, Gareth and Lynette were eventually married. In modern times it is also regarded as a diminutive of Lynn.
Hemera f Greek Mythology
Means "day" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified the daytime. According to Hesiod she was the daughter of Nyx, the personification of the night.
Priyanka f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali
From Sanskrit प्रियंकर (priyaṃkara) meaning "agreeable, amiable".
Olle m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Olaf or Oliver.
Josiane f French
Diminutive of Joséphine.
Stefán m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Stephen.
Alberte 1 m Galician
Galician form of Albert.
Gwenaëlle f French, Breton
Feminine form of Gwenaël.
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.
Clemence f English
Feminine form of Clementius (see Clement). It has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it became rare after the 17th century.
Rozália f Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak form of Rosalia.
Leone 1 m Italian
Italian form of Leo and Leon.
Adelle f English
Variant of Adele.
Loviisa f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Louis.
Corina f Romanian, Spanish, Portuguese, German
Romanian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Corinna, as well as a German variant.
Celestine f & m English
English form of Caelestinus. It is more commonly used as a feminine name, from the French feminine form Célestine.
Snow f English (Rare)
From the English word, derived from Old English snāw.
Ekaterina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Katherine, and an alternate transcription of Russian Екатерина (see Yekaterina).
Thais f Ancient Greek, Spanish
Alternate transcription of Ancient Greek Θαΐς (see Thaïs), as well as the usual Spanish form.
Siv f Swedish, Norwegian, Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Sif, which meant "bride, kinswoman". In Norse mythology she was the wife of Thor. After the trickster Loki cut off her golden hair, an angry Thor forced him to create a replacement.
Sophy f English (Rare)
Variant of Sophie or a diminutive of Sophia.
Theodor m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Romanian
German form of Theodore, as well as a Scandinavian, Czech and Romanian variant of Teodor. A famous bearer was American children's book creator Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), better known as Dr. Seuss.
Dominique f & m French
French feminine and masculine form of Dominicus (see Dominic).
Émile m French
French form of Aemilius (see Emil). This name was borne by the author Émile Zola (1840-1902) and the sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858-1917).
Zareen f Urdu
Variant of Zarina.
Rohit m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit रोहित (rohita) meaning "red".
Pauline f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Paulinus (see Paulino).
Alissa f English
Variant of Alyssa.
Calypso f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant "she that conceals", derived from καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until Zeus ordered her to release him.
Cyprien m French
French form of Cyprianus (see Cyprian).
Terese f Basque, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Basque and Scandinavian form of Theresa.
Alba 1 f Italian, Spanish, Catalan
This name is derived from two distinct names, Alba 2 and Alba 3, with distinct origins, Latin and Germanic. Over time these names have become confused with one another. To further complicate the matter, alba means "dawn" in Italian, Spanish and Catalan. This may be the main inspiration behind its use in Italy and Spain.
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]
Mitra 2 f Persian
Modern variant of Mithra used as a feminine name. The true Modern Persian form of Mithra is in fact Mehr.
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.
Muireall f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Muirgel.
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.
Annalise f Danish, English (Modern)
Combination of Anna and Lise.
Feodora f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Theodora.
Xiomara f Spanish
Possibly a Spanish form of Guiomar.
Niobe f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Niobe was the daughter of Tantalos, a king of Asia Minor. Because she boasted that she was superior to Leto, Leto's children Apollo and Artemis killed her 14 children with poison arrows. In grief, Niobe was turned to stone by Zeus.
Eustacia f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Eustace.
Rosalia f Italian, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from rosa "rose". This was the name of a 12th-century Sicilian saint.
Kaloyan m Bulgarian
From Greek καλός Ἰωάννης (kalos Ioannes) meaning "handsome John", the nickname of a 13th-century emperor of Bulgaria. He successfully defended the empire from the Fourth Crusade.
Isolde f German, Arthurian Cycle
German form of Iseult, appearing in the 13th-century German poem Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg. In 1865 the German composer Richard Wagner debuted his popular opera Tristan und Isolde and also used the name for his first daughter.
Janene f English
Variant of Janine.
Grenville m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Granville.
Donella f Scottish
Feminine form of Donald.
Emerald f English (Modern)
From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek σμάραγδος (smaragdos).
Marceline f French
French feminine form of Marcellinus.
Nova f English, Swedish (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
Derived from Latin novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.
Carwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru "to love" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name was created in the 20th century.
James m English, Biblical
English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus, a variant of the Biblical Latin form Iacobus, from the Hebrew name Yaʿaqov (see Jacob). This was the name of two apostles in the New Testament. The first was Saint James the Greater, the apostle John's brother, who was beheaded under Herod Agrippa in the Book of Acts. The second was James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. Another James (known as James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible as being the brother of Jesus.... [more]
Gracie f English
Diminutive of Grace.
Julieta f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Juliet.
Sheila f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Síle.
Eleanor f English
From the Old French form of the Occitan name Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase alia Aenor "the other Aenor" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.... [more]
Orpheus m Greek Mythology
Perhaps related to Greek ὄρφνη (orphne) meaning "the darkness of night". In Greek mythology Orpheus was a poet and musician who went to the underworld to retrieve his dead wife Eurydice. He succeeded in charming Hades with his lyre, and he was allowed to lead his wife out of the underworld on the condition that he not look back at her until they reached the surface. Unfortunately, just before they arrived his love for her overcame his will and he glanced back at her, causing her to be drawn back to Hades.
Lillia f English
Short form of Lillian or an elaborated form of Lily.
Monroe m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". The Roe is a river in Northern Ireland. Two famous bearers of the surname were American president James Monroe (1758-1831) and American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).... [more]
Euphemia f Ancient Greek, English (Archaic)
Means "to use words of good omen" from Greek εὐφημέω (euphemeo), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φημί (phemi) meaning "to speak, to declare". Saint Euphemia was an early martyr from Chalcedon.
Aviel m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Abiel.
Aura f English, Italian, Spanish, Finnish
From the word aura (derived from Latin, ultimately from Greek αὔρα meaning "breeze") for a distinctive atmosphere or illumination.
Lazarus m Biblical, Biblical Latin, English (African)
Latinized form of Λάζαρος (Lazaros), a Greek form of Eleazar used in the New Testament. Lazarus was a man from Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha, who was restored to life by Jesus.... [more]
Tamanna f Hindi, Bengali
Means "wish, desire" in Hindi, from Persian تمنّا (tamannā), ultimately from Arabic.
Vienne f Various (Rare)
From the French name for Vienna, the capital city of Austria.
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.
Rishi m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Nepali
From Sanskrit ऋषि (ṛṣi) meaning "sage, poet", perhaps ultimately deriving from a root meaning "to see".
Stelara f Esperanto
From Esperanto stelaro meaning "constellation", ultimately from Latin stella "star".
Franz m German
German form of Franciscus (see Francis). This name was borne by the Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828), the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and the Austrian-Czech author Franz Kafka (1883-1924), whose works include The Trial and The Castle. It was also the name of rulers of Austria and the Holy Roman Empire.
Dione 1 f Greek Mythology
From Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus". By extension, it means "goddess". This was the name of a Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of Aphrodite. A moon of Saturn is named after her.
Ianthe f Greek Mythology
Means "violet flower", derived from Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This was the name of an ocean nymph in Greek mythology.
Benoît m French
French form of Benedict.
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).
Mathieu m French
French variant form of Matthew.
Agustín m Spanish
Spanish form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1).
Maite 1 f Spanish
Combination of María and Teresa.
Rosalinda f Spanish, Italian
Latinate form of Rosalind.
Pru f English
Short form of Prudence.
Rosanna f Italian, English
Combination of Rosa 1 and Anna.
Anett f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Annette.
Adella f English
Variant of Adela.
Aikaterine f Ancient Greek (Rare)
Ancient Greek form of Katherine.
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.
Oshea m Biblical
Variant of Hoshea used in some versions of the Bible.
Hyacinth 2 f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower (or the precious stone that also bears this name), ultimately from Greek hyakinthos (see Hyacinthus).
Mira 2 f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Polish
Short form of Miroslava and other names beginning with Mir (often the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world").
Rosie f English
Diminutive of Rose.
Ève f French
French form of Eve.
Nicol 2 f Spanish (Latin American), Czech
Spanish and Czech form of Nicole.
Otilia f Romanian, Spanish
Romanian and Spanish form of Odilia.
Mahendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Sanskrit
From Sanskrit महा (mahā) meaning "great" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor Ashoka, also called Mahinda. He is credited with introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
Cora f English, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Kore. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel The Last of the Mohicans (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of Cordula, Corinna and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Rafaela f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Raphael.
Irina f Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Romanian, Georgian, Finnish, Estonian
Form of Irene in several languages.
Rajnish m Hindi
Means "lord of the night" from Sanskrit रजनी (rajanī) meaning "night" and ईश (īśa) meaning "lord, ruler". This is another name for the moon in Hindu texts.
Elva 2 f Danish, Icelandic
Feminine form of Alf 1.
Serafim m Greek, Portuguese, Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina) in various languages.
Serafin m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina).
Amedeo m Italian
Italian form of Amadeus. A notable bearer of this name was Amedeo Avogadro (1776-1856), an Italian chemist most famous for the constant that now bears his name: Avogadro's Number. Another famous bearer was the Italian painter and sculptor Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920).
Eira 1 f Welsh
Means "snow" in Welsh. This is a recently created name.
Camila f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Camilla.
Clement m English
English form of the Late Latin name Clemens (or sometimes of its derivative Clementius), which meant "merciful, gentle". This was the name of 14 popes, including Saint Clement I, the third pope, one of the Apostolic Fathers. Another saint by this name was Clement of Alexandria, a 3rd-century theologian and church father who attempted to reconcile Christian and Platonic philosophies. It has been in general as a given name in Christian Europe (in various spellings) since early times. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Hilde f German, Dutch, Norwegian
German, Dutch and Norwegian variant of Hilda.
Anastasia f Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, English, Spanish, Italian, Georgian, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Anastasius. This was the name of a 4th-century Dalmatian saint who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Due to her, the name has been common in Eastern Orthodox Christianity (in various spellings). As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the youngest daughter of the last Russian tsar Nicholas II, who was rumoured to have escaped the execution of her family in 1918.
Vendela f Swedish
Swedish feminine form of Wendel.
Thalia f Greek Mythology (Latinized), Greek
From the Greek name Θάλεια (Thaleia), derived from θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, presiding over comedy and pastoral poetry. This was also the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).
Ciara 1 f Irish
Feminine form of Ciar. This is another name for Saint Ciar.
Danail m Bulgarian
Bulgarian variant form of Daniel.
Leonie f German, Dutch
German and Dutch feminine form of Leonius.
Lucretia f Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of the Roman family name Lucretius, possibly from Latin lucrum meaning "profit, wealth". According Roman legend Lucretia was a maiden who was raped by the son of the king of Rome. This caused a great uproar among the Roman citizens, and the monarchy was overthrown. This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida, Spain.
Hania 1 f Polish
Polish diminutive of Hanna 1.
Lauretta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Laura. This is the name of one of the narrators in Boccaccio's book The Decameron (1350).
Indrani f Hinduism, Bengali, Hindi
Means "wife of Indra" in Sanskrit. This is a Vedic Hindu goddess who is the wife of Indra. She is associated with beauty and jealousy.
Emmi f Finnish
Short form of names beginning with Em.
Ksenia f Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Polish form of Xenia, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Ксения or Ukrainian/Belarusian Ксенія (see Kseniya).
Alexandra f English, German, Dutch, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Catalan, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Feminine form of Alexander. In Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess Hera, and an alternate name of Cassandra. It was borne by several early Christian saints, and also by the wife of Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia. She was from Germany and had the birth name Alix, but was renamed Александра (Aleksandra) upon joining the Russian Church.
Aimee f English
Variant of Amy, influenced by French Aimée.
Martine f French, Dutch, Norwegian
French, Dutch and Norwegian form of Martina.
Marcelo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Marcellus.
Jessamine f English (Rare)
From a variant spelling of the English word jasmine (see Jasmine), used also to refer to flowering plants in the cestrum family.
Ostap m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eustathius.
Beatriz f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Beatrix.
Josey m & f English
Diminutive of Joseph or Josephine.
Halina f Polish, Belarusian
Polish and Belarusian form of Galina.
Madelina f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Madeline.
Lena f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Polish, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, English, Italian, Portuguese, Greek, Georgian, Armenian
Short form of names ending in lena, such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena. It is often used independently.
Katarin f Breton
Breton form of Katherine.
Matild f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Matilda.
Keila f Portuguese (Brazilian), English (Modern)
Variant of Kayla. It could also be inspired by the name of the town of Keilah from the Old Testament.
Veronica f English, Italian, Romanian, Late Roman
Latin alteration of Berenice, the spelling influenced by the ecclesiastical Latin phrase vera icon meaning "true image". This was the name of a legendary saint who wiped Jesus' face with a towel and then found his image imprinted upon it. Due to popular stories about her, the name was occasionally used in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. It was borne by the Italian saint and mystic Veronica Giuliani (1660-1727). As an English name, it was not common until the 19th century, when it was imported from France and Scotland.
Geneva f English
Possibly a shortened form of Genevieve. It could also be inspired by the name of the city in Switzerland. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
Johan m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Scandinavian and Dutch form of Iohannes (see John). A famous bearer was the Dutch soccer player Johan Cruyff (1947-2016).
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Áine f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Anne.
Freda f English
Short form of names ending in freda or fred, such as Winifred or Alfreda.
Lijsbeth f Dutch
Dutch form of Elizabeth.
Iola f English
Probably a variant of Iole.
Auberon m Carolingian Cycle
From a diminutive form of Auberi, an Old French form of Alberich. It is the name of the fairy king in the 13th-century epic Huon de Bordeaux.
Fabian m German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.
Lilyana f Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Lillian.
Vincente f French
French feminine form of Vincent.
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".
Sophie f French, English, German, Dutch
French form of Sophia.
Dior f & m English (Modern)
From a French surname, possibly from doré meaning "golden". As a given name it has been inspired by the French luxury fashion house Dior, founded by the designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).
Viviane f French, Portuguese
French form of Viviana, as well as a Portuguese variant. It is also the French form of Vivien 2.
Vendelín m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Wendelin.
Avi m Hebrew
Means "my father" in Hebrew. It is also a diminutive of Avraham or Aviram.
Valya f & m Russian, Bulgarian
Diminutive of Valentina or Valentin.
Jacques m French
French form of Iacobus, the New Testament Latin form of James.
Linde f Dutch
Dutch variant of Linda.
Melinda f English, Hungarian
Combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the popular name suffix inda. It was created in the 18th century, and may have been inspired by the similar name Belinda. In Hungary, the name was popularized by the 1819 play Bánk Bán by József Katona.
Maritta f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Maria.
William m English
From the Germanic name Willehelm meaning "will helmet", composed of the elements willo "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". An early saint by this name was the 8th-century William of Gellone, a cousin of Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England in the 11th century. From then until the modern era it has been among the most common of English names (with John, Thomas and Robert).... [more]
Clémentine f French
French feminine form of Clement. This is also the name of a variety of orange (fruit).
Joye f English
Variant of Joy.
Timothée m French
French form of Timothy.
Ippolito m Italian
Italian form of Hippolytos.
Cressida f Literature
Form of Criseida used by Shakespeare in his play Troilus and Cressida (1602).
Winston m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Wynnstan. A famous bearer was Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the British prime minister during World War II. This name was also borne by the fictional Winston Smith, the protagonist in George Orwell's 1949 novel 1984.
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]
Rhiannon f Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.... [more]
Sarika f Hindi, Marathi
From a Sanskrit word referring to a type of thrush (species Turdus salica) or myna bird (species Gracula religiosa).
Kateri f History
From the Mohawk pronunciation of Katherine. This was the name adopted by the 17th-century Mohawk saint Tekakwitha upon her baptism.
Joy f English
Simply from the English word joy, ultimately derived from Norman French joie, Latin gaudium. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Eirene f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Irene.
Caitria f Irish (Rare)
Possibly a form of Caitríona.
Radomila f Czech (Rare)
Feminine form of Radomil.
Joanna f English, Polish, Biblical
English and Polish form of Latin Iohanna, which was derived from Greek Ἰωάννα (Ioanna), the feminine form of Ioannes (see John). This is the spelling used in the English New Testament, where it belongs to a follower of Jesus who is regarded as a saint. In the Middle Ages in England it was used as a Latinized form of Joan (the usual feminine form of John) and it became common as a given name in the 19th century.
Aurélia f Slovak, Hungarian, Portuguese, French
Slovak, Hungarian and Portuguese feminine form of Aurelius, as well as a French variant of Aurélie.
Adonis m Greek Mythology
From Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning "lord, master". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by Aphrodite, Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see Dumuzi).
Florentia f Late Roman
Original feminine form of Florence.
Dalimil m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements dalĭ "distance" and milŭ "gracious, dear".
Findlay m Scottish
Anglicized form of Fionnlagh.
Edwin m English, Dutch
Means "rich friend", from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and wine "friend". This was the name of a 7th-century Northumbrian king, regarded as a saint. After the Norman Conquest the name was not popular, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century. A notable bearer was the astronaut Edwin Aldrin (1930-), also known as Buzz, the second man to walk on the moon.
Lolicia f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lola.
Vibeke f Danish, Norwegian
Danish form of Wiebke. It was borne by an influential mistress of Christian IV of Denmark (17th century).