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
Cătălina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
Cveta f Serbian
Feminine form of Cvetko.
Lancelot m Arthurian Cycle
Possibly an Old French diminutive of Lanzo (see Lance). In Arthurian legend Lancelot was the bravest of the Knights of the Round Table. He became the lover of Arthur's wife Guinevere, ultimately causing the destruction of Arthur's kingdom. His earliest appearance is in the works of the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes: briefly in Erec and Enide and then as a main character in Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart.
Tzeitel f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Sarah. This is the name of Tevye's oldest daughter in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (1964), based on Sholem Aleichem's stories from the late 19th century.
Viviette f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Vivienne. William John Locke used this name for the title character in his novel Viviette (1910).
Rahel f Biblical Latin, German, Estonian
Biblical Latin form of Rachel, as well as a German and Estonian form.
Lata f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit लता (latā) meaning "vine, creeping plant".
Elisabeta f Romanian
Romanian form of Elizabeth.
Lauretta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Laura. This is the name of one of the narrators in Boccaccio's book The Decameron (1350).
Sandra f Italian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Romanian
Short form of Alessandra. It was introduced to the English-speaking world (where it is usually used independently of Alexandra) by author George Meredith, who used it for the heroine in his novel Emilia in England (1864) and the reissued version Sandra Belloni (1887). A famous bearer is the American actress Sandra Bullock (1964-).
Kazimiera f Polish, Lithuanian
Feminine form of Kazimierz (Polish) or Kazimieras (Lithuanian).
Félicie f French
French form of Felicia.
Daryna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Darina 2.
Natale m Italian
Masculine form of Natalia.
Béatrice f French
French form of Beatrix.
Arlet f Catalan
Catalan form of Arlette.
Malinda f English
Variant of Melinda.
Mélodie f French
French cognate of Melody.
Giannina f Italian
Diminutive of Giovanna.
Évariste m French
French form of Evaristus.
Ástríðr f Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Olena f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Helen.
Rosalia f Italian, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from rosa "rose". This was the name of a 12th-century Sicilian saint.
Araceli f Spanish
Means "altar of the sky" from Latin ara "altar" and coeli "sky". This is an epithet of the Virgin Mary in her role as the patron saint of Lucena, Spain.
Evaline f English
Variant of Evelyn.
Angel m & f English, Bulgarian, Macedonian
From the medieval Latin masculine name Angelus, which was derived from the name of the heavenly creature (itself derived from the Greek word ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger"). It has never been very common in the English-speaking world, where it is sometimes used as a feminine name in modern times.
Mathieu m French
French variant form of Matthew.
Nadya 1 f Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian diminutive of Nadezhda.
Vivien 1 m French
French form of Vivianus (see Vivian).
Tomislav m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Bulgarian
Probably derived from the Slavic element tomiti "to torment" combined with slava "glory". This was the name of the first king of Croatia (10th century).
Perpetua f Spanish, Late Roman
Derived from Latin perpetuus meaning "continuous". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint martyred with another woman named Felicity.
Deanna f English
Either a variant of Diana or a feminine form of Dean. This name was popularized by the Canadian actress and singer Deanna Durbin (1921-2013), whose birth name was Edna. Her stage name was a rearrangement of the letters of her real name.
Eudoxia f Ancient Greek
From Greek εὐδοξία (eudoxia) meaning "good repute, good judgement", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δόξα (doxa) meaning "notion, reputation, honour".
Lída f Czech
Czech diminutive of Ludmila.
Charlotte f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
French feminine diminutive of Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of Jane Eyre and Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.... [more]
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.
Éliane f French
Probably from Aeliana, the feminine form of the Roman name Aelianus, which was derived from the Roman family name Aelius. This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr from Amasea.
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.
Giorgio m Italian
Italian form of George.
Eulália f Portuguese, Slovak
Portuguese and Slovak form of Eulalia.
Rosita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Rosa 1.
Janae f English (Modern)
Elaborated form of Jane.
Kae f English (Rare)
Variant of Kay 1.
Louisa f English, German, Dutch
Latinate feminine form of Louis. A famous bearer was the American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the author of Little Women.
Mabella f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Mabel.
Iola f English
Probably a variant of Iole.
Veselin m Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian
Derived from South Slavic vesel meaning "cheerful".
Belle f English
Short form of Isabella or names ending in belle. It is also associated with the French word belle meaning "beautiful". A famous bearer was Belle Starr (1848-1889), an outlaw of the American west, whose real given name was Maybelle.
Nerea f Basque, Spanish
Possibly from Basque nere, a dialectal variant of nire meaning "mine". Alternatively, it could be a feminine form of Nereus. This name arose in Basque-speaking regions of Spain in the first half of the 20th century, though it is now popular throughout the country.
Peregrine m English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Peregrinus, which meant "traveller". This was the name of several early saints.
Talia 1 f Hebrew
Means "dew from God" in Hebrew, from טַל (ṭal) meaning "dew" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
Heitor m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Hector.
Máirín f Irish
Irish diminutive of Mary.
Gratiana f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Gratianus (see Gratian).
Xanthe f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ξανθός (xanthos) meaning "yellow, blond, fair-haired". This was the name of a few minor figures in Greek mythology.
Mahalia f English
Variant of Mahala.
Cecilie f Norwegian, Danish, Czech
Norwegian and Danish form of Cecilia, as well as a Czech variant of Cecílie.
Elio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Aelius. This is also the Italian form of Helios.
Wright m English
From an occupational surname meaning "craftsman", ultimately from Old English wyrhta. Famous bearers of the surname were the Wright brothers (Wilbur 1867-1912 and Orville 1871-1948), the inventors of the first successful airplane, and Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), an American architect.
Carissa f English
Variant of Charissa.
Adria f English
Short form of Adriana.
Francisco m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Franciscus (see Francis). This is the Spanish name of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Other notable bearers include the Spanish painter and engraver Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) and the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975).
Lilias f Scottish
Form of Lillian found in Scotland from about the 16th century.
Erasmus m Late Greek (Latinized)
Derived from Greek ἐράσμιος (erasmios) meaning "beloved, desired". Saint Erasmus, also known as Saint Elmo, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron saint of sailors. Erasmus was also the name of a Dutch scholar of the Renaissance period.
Rain 2 m Estonian
Variant of Rein.
Eleanora f English
Latinate form of Eleanor.
Annalise f Danish, English (Modern)
Combination of Anna and Lise.
Mitra 1 m & f Hinduism, Hindi
Means "friend" in Sanskrit, a cognate of Mithra. This is the name of a Vedic god (मित्र) who is associated with friendship and contracts and is frequently paired with the god Varuna. The feminine form मित्रा (spelled with a final long vowel) is also transcribed as Mitra.
Avani f Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi
From Sanskrit अवनी (avanī) meaning "earth".
Carole f French
French feminine form of Carolus.
Marcelline f French
French feminine form of Marcellinus.
Johann m German
German form of Iohannes (see John). Famous bearers include German composer Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), German novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), and Austrian composers Johann Strauss the Elder (1804-1849) and his son Johann Strauss the Younger (1825-1899).
Rina 2 f Hebrew
Means "joy, singing" in Hebrew.
Sebastian m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Finnish, Romanian, Czech
From the Latin name Sebastianus, which meant "from Sebaste". Sebaste was the name a town in Asia Minor, its name deriving from Greek σεβαστός (sebastos) meaning "venerable" (a translation of Latin Augustus, the title of the Roman emperors). According to Christian tradition, Saint Sebastian was a 3rd-century Roman soldier martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian. After he was discovered to be a Christian, he was tied to a stake and shot with arrows. This however did not kill him. Saint Irene of Rome healed him and he returned to personally admonish Diocletian, whereupon the emperor had him beaten to death.... [more]
Oliwer m Polish
Polish form of Oliver.
Helmold m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements helm "helmet" and walt "power, authority".
Mykhailo m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Michael.
Giles m English
From the Late Latin name Aegidius, which is derived from Greek αἰγίδιον (aigidion) meaning "young goat". Saint Giles was an 8th-century miracle worker who came to southern France from Greece. He is regarded as the patron saint of the crippled. In Old French the name Aegidius became Gidie and then Gilles, at which point it was imported to England. Another famous bearer was the 13th-century philosopher and theologian Giles of Rome (Egidio in Italian).
Eutropia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Eutropios (see Eutropius).
Lucette f French
Diminutive of Lucie.
Devika f Hindi
Means "little goddess" from Sanskrit देवी (devī) meaning "goddess" and (ka) meaning "little".
Orion m Greek Mythology
Meaning uncertain, but possibly related to Greek ὅριον (horion) meaning "boundary, limit". Alternatively it may be derived from Akkadian 𒌋𒊒𒀭𒈾 (Uru-anna) meaning "light of the heavens". This is the name of a constellation, which gets its name from a legendary Greek hunter who was killed by a scorpion sent by the earth goddess Gaia.
Odile f French
French form of Odilia.
Carmelita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Carmel.
Franklin m English
From an English surname that was derived from Middle English frankelin "freeman". A famous bearer of the surname was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher. The name has commonly been given in his honour in the United States. It also received a boost during the term of American president Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
Donella f Scottish
Feminine form of Donald.
Noble m English
From an English surname meaning "noble, high-born". The name can also be given in direct reference to the English word noble.
Marcello m Italian
Italian form of Marcellus.
Cecilija f Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian
Slovene, Croatian and Sorbian form of Cecilia.
Agustín m Spanish
Spanish form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1).
Eunice f Biblical, English, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐνίκη (Eunike) meaning "good victory", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". The New Testament mentions her as the mother of Timothy. As an English name, it was first used after the Protestant Reformation.
Marlyn f & m English
Variant of Marilyn (feminine) or Marlin (masculine).
Jacqueline f French, English
French feminine form of Jacques, also commonly used in the English-speaking world.
Dulcibella f English (Archaic)
From Latin dulcis "sweet" and bella "beautiful". The usual medieval spelling of this name was Dowsabel, and the Latinized form Dulcibella was revived in the 18th century.
Mìcheal m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Michael.
María f & m Spanish, Galician, Icelandic
Spanish, Galician and Icelandic form of Maria.... [more]
Everett m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Everard.
Ludovica f Italian
Italian feminine form of Ludwig.
Evelin f German, Estonian, Hungarian
German, Estonian and Hungarian form of Evelina.
Linwood m English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.
Vana f Macedonian
Short form of Ivana or Jovana.
Caoilfhionn f Irish
Derived from the Old Irish elements cáel "slender" and finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Theocritus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Θεόκριτος (Theokritos), a Greek name meaning "judge of god" from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and κριτής (krites) meaning "judge, critic". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek poet.
Kiaran m English (Rare)
Anglicized form of Ciarán.
Madhuri f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada
From Sanskrit माधुर (mādhura) meaning "sweetness", a derivative of मधु (madhu) meaning "honey, sweet".
Liesel f German
German diminutive of Elisabeth.
Antonette f English
Diminutive of Antonia.
Katyusha f Russian
Diminutive of Yekaterina. This is the name of a 1938 Soviet song, which became popular during World War II.
Josefine f Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German
Scandinavian and German form of Joséphine.
Rébecca f French
French form of Rebecca.
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.
Melaniya f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Melania (see Melanie).
Françoise f French
Feminine form of François.
Édith f French
French form of Edith. A notable bearer was the French cabaret singer Édith Piaf (1915-1963).
Lucia f Italian, German, Dutch, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, Slovak, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings Lucy or Luce.
Fiorella f Italian
From Italian fiore "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Elaheh f Persian
Means "goddess" in Persian.
Isidore m English, French, Georgian (Rare), Jewish
From the Greek name Ἰσίδωρος (Isidoros) meaning "gift of Isis", derived from the name of the Egyptian goddess Isis combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Isidore of Seville was a 6th-century archbishop, historian and theologian.... [more]
Nicoline f Dutch, Danish
Diminutive of Nicole.
Adrian m English, Romanian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Russian
Form of Hadrianus (see Hadrian) used in several languages. Several saints and six popes have borne this name, including the only English pope, Adrian IV, and the only Dutch pope, Adrian VI. As an English name, it has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it was not popular until modern times.
Maryse f French
French diminutive of Marie.
Gianmaria m Italian
Combination of Gianni and Maria.
Liberatore m Italian (Rare)
Means "liberator" in Italian.
Benedetta f Italian
Italian feminine form of Benedict.
Donatus m Late Roman
Latin form of Donato.
Augustine 1 m English
From the Roman name Augustinus, itself derived from the Roman name Augustus. Saint Augustine of Hippo was a 5th-century Christian theologian and author from North Africa. For his contributions to Christian philosophy he is known as a Doctor of the Church. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world. It became popular in England in the Middle Ages partly because of a second saint by this name, Augustine of Canterbury, a 6th-century Italian monk sent to England to convert the Anglo-Saxons.
Nahid f Persian Mythology, Persian, Bengali
Modern Persian form of Anahita. This is also the Persian name for the planet Venus.
Venetia f English (Rare), Greek
From the Latin name of the Italian region of Veneto and the city of Venice (see the place name Venetia). This name was borne by the celebrated English beauty Venetia Stanley (1600-1633), though in her case the name may have been a Latinized form of the Welsh name Gwynedd. Benjamin Disraeli used it for the heroine of his novel Venetia (1837).
Archimedes m Ancient Greek
Derived from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician, astronomer and inventor.
Devi f Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil
Derived from Sanskrit देवी (devī) meaning "goddess". This name can be used to refer to Mahadevi.
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.
Elene f Georgian, Sardinian, Basque
Georgian, Sardinian and Basque form of Helen.
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.
Negin f Persian
Means "gemstone" in Persian.
Cressida f Literature
Form of Criseida used by Shakespeare in his play Troilus and Cressida (1602).
Yuli m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Юлий (see Yuliy).
Světlana f Czech
Czech form of Svetlana.
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).
Kimberly f English
From the name of the city of Kimberley in South Africa, which was named after Lord Kimberley (1826-1902). The city came to prominence in the late 19th century during the Boer War. Kimberly has been used as a given name since the mid-20th century, eventually becoming very popular as a feminine name.
Delia 2 f English
Short form of Adelia or Bedelia.
Józef m Polish
Polish form of Joseph.
Othello m Literature
Perhaps a diminutive of Otho. William Shakespeare used this name in his tragedy Othello (1603), where it belongs to a Moor who is manipulated by Iago into killing his wife Desdemona.
Melanija f Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene, Latvian, Lithuanian
Form of Melanie used in various languages.
Rosaline f English
Medieval variant of Rosalind. This is the name of characters in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (1594) and Romeo and Juliet (1596).
Mariel f Spanish (Latin American), Spanish (Philippines), English (American)
Diminutive of Maria. In the case of the American actress Mariel Hemingway (1961-), the name was inspired by the Cuban town of Mariel.
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.
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.
Hendrick m Dutch (Archaic)
Dutch variant of Hendrik.
Justina f English, Spanish, Portuguese, Slovene, Lithuanian, Late Roman
From Latin Iustina, the feminine form of Iustinus (see Justin). This name was borne by several early saints and martyrs.
Charmian f Literature
Form of Charmion used by Shakespeare in his play Antony and Cleopatra (1606).
Jarah m Biblical
Means "honeycomb" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a descendant of Saul.
Roberts m Latvian
Latvian form of Robert.
Ormond m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Ruaidh, derived from the given name Ruadh.
Celestyna f Polish
Polish feminine form of Caelestinus.
Nikomedes m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, a priest beaten to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods.
Karine 1 f French
French form of Carina 1. It can also function as a short form of Catherine, via Swedish Karin.
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".
Elizabete f Latvian, Portuguese
Latvian form of Elizabeth, as well as a Portuguese variant of Elisabete.
Sylviane f French
Variant of Sylvaine.
Neriah m Biblical
Means "lamp of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of the father of Baruch in the Old Testament.
Sámuel m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Samuel.
Robyn f English
Feminine variant of Robin.
Alberto m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Albert.
Sonya f Russian, English
Russian diminutive of Sophia. This is the name of a character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace (1869, English translation 1886).
Lionel m French, English, Arthurian Cycle
French diminutive of Léon. It appears in Arthurian legend in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle, belonging to a knight who was the brother of Sir Bors. A notable modern bearer is the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi (1987-).
Salacia f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin sal meaning "salt". This was the name of the Roman goddess of salt water.
Chrysanthi f Greek
Modern Greek feminine form of Chrysanthos.
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.
Vérène f French (Rare)
French form of Verena.
Imke f Frisian, Dutch, Low German
Diminutive of Ime 2.
Florencia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Florentius (see Florence).
Helen f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.... [more]
Oberon m Literature
Variant of Auberon. Oberon and Titania are the king and queen of the fairies in Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595). A moon of Uranus bears this name in his honour.
Alia 2 f Germanic
Old German form of Ella 1.
Raphael m German, English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name רָפָאֵל (Rafaʾel) meaning "God heals", from the roots רָפָא (rafa) meaning "to heal" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In Hebrew tradition Raphael is the name of an archangel. He appears in the Book of Tobit, in which he disguises himself as a man named Azarias and accompanies Tobias on his journey to Media, aiding him along the way. In the end he cures Tobias's father Tobit of his blindness. He is not mentioned in the New Testament, though tradition identifies him with the angel troubling the water in John 5:4.... [more]
Aishwarya f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit ऐश्वर्य (aiśvarya) meaning "prosperity, wealth". A famous bearer is the Indian actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (1973-).
Minnie f English
Diminutive of Wilhelmina. This name was used by Walt Disney for the cartoon character Minnie Mouse, introduced 1928.
Sophus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Σόφος (Sophos) meaning "skilled, clever".
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.
Belén f Spanish
Spanish form of Bethlehem, the name of the town in Judah where King David and Jesus were born. The town's name is from Hebrew בֵּית־לֶחֶם (Beṯ-leḥem) meaning "house of bread".
Akilina f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of the Roman name Aquilina, a feminine derivative of Aquila.
Hanan 2 f Arabic
Means "mercy, compassion" in Arabic, derived from the root حنّ (ḥanna) meaning "to sympathize, to pity".
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.
Liron m & f Hebrew
Means "my song, my joy" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and רֹן (ron) "joy, song".
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).
Márta f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Martha.
Valeriana f Spanish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Valerianus (see Valerian).
Clément m French
French form of Clemens (see Clement).
Iolyn m Welsh (Rare)
Diminutive of Iorwerth.
Liana f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, English, Georgian
Short form of Juliana, Liliana and other names that end in liana. This is also the word for a type of vine that grows in jungles.
Nicole f French, English, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Nicholas, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).
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.
Cătălin m Romanian
Romanian masculine form of Katherine.
Brigitte f French, German, Dutch
French and German form of Bridget. A famous bearer is the French model and actress Brigitte Bardot (1934-).
Katelijne f Flemish
Dutch form of Katherine, used especially in Flanders.
Elisabetĭ f Old Church Slavic
Old Church Slavic form of Elizabeth.
Gigi f & m French, Italian, Romanian, Georgian
Diminutive of names containing the letters or sound gi, such as French Georgine or Virginie, Italian Luigi, Romanian George and Georgian Giorgi.
Nona 1 f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin nonus meaning "ninth", referring to the nine months of pregnancy. This was the name of a Roman goddess of pregnancy. She was also one of the three Fates (or Parcae).
Llewella f Welsh
Feminine form of Llywelyn.
Anahera f Maori
Means "angel" in Maori.
Reine f French
Means "queen" in French, ultimately from Latin regina.
Pio m Italian, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian and Portuguese form of Pius.
Theresa f English, German
From the Spanish and Portuguese name Teresa. It was first recorded as Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek θέρος (theros) meaning "summer", from Greek θερίζω (therizo) meaning "to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).... [more]
Paola f Italian
Italian feminine form of Paul.
Gala 1 f Russian
Short form of Galina.
Evie f English
Diminutive of Eve or Evelyn.
Bernarda f Slovene, Croatian, Spanish
Feminine form of Bernard.
Theodore m English
From the Greek name Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant "gift of god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.... [more]
Dmytro m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Demetrius.
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.
Valérie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Valeria.
Caitrìona f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Katherine.
Flavian m History (Ecclesiastical)
From the Roman family name Flavianus, which was derived from Flavius. This was the name of several early saints including a 5th-century patriarch of Constantinople who was beaten to death.
Lídia f Portuguese, Catalan, Hungarian
Portuguese, Catalan and Hungarian form of Lydia.
Mădălina f Romanian
Romanian form of Magdalene.
Johanan m Biblical
Form of Yoḥanan (see John) used in the English Old Testament, where is borne by several people including a military leader in the time of the prophet Jeremiah.
Maribel f Spanish
Short form of María Isabel.
Angelina f Italian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Armenian
Latinate diminutive of Angela. A famous bearer is American actress Angelina Jolie (1975-).
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.
Viviane f French, Portuguese
French form of Viviana, as well as a Portuguese variant. It is also the French form of Vivien 2.
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.
Amerigo m Italian
Medieval Italian form of Emmerich. Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) was the Italian explorer who gave the continent of America its name (from Americus, the Latin form of his name).
Diomedes m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek legend Diomedes was one of the greatest heroes who fought against the Trojans. With Odysseus he entered Troy and stole the Palladium. After the Trojan War he founded the cities of Brindisi and Arpi in Italy.
Chione f Greek Mythology
From Greek χιών (chion) meaning "snow". In Greek mythology this is the name of a daughter of the north wind Boreas. Another figure by this name is the daughter of the naiad Callirrhoe who was transformed into a snow cloud.
Gizella f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Giselle.
Antonietta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Antonia.
Felicitas f Late Roman, Roman Mythology, German, Spanish
Latin name meaning "good luck, fortune". In Roman mythology the goddess Felicitas was the personification of good luck. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a slave martyred with her master Perpetua in Carthage.
Emery m & f English
Norman French form of Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.
Carys f Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru meaning "love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.
Channary f Khmer
Means "moon-faced girl" from Khmer ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".
Purnima f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada
From Sanskrit पूर्णिमा (pūrṇimā) meaning "full moon".
Modestine f French
French diminutive of Modestus.
Semiramis f Ancient Assyrian (Hellenized)
Probably from a Greek form of the name Shammuramat. According to ancient Greek and Armenian sources, Semiramis (Շամիրամ (Shamiram) in Armenian) was an Assyrian queen who conquered much of Asia. Though the tales are legendary, she might be loosely based on the real Assyrian queen.
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]
Imanol m Basque
Basque form of Emmanuel.
Otilia f Romanian, Spanish
Romanian and Spanish form of Odilia.
Constantia f Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Constantius, which was itself derived from Constans.
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.
Milan m Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Dutch (Modern), German (Modern), French (Modern)
From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names that began with that element. It was originally used in Czech, Slovak, and the South Slavic languages, though it has recently become popular elsewhere in Europe.... [more]
Janette f English
Variant of Janet.
Beatriz f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Beatrix.
Émilie f French
French feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Rachael f English
Variant of Rachel, the spelling probably influenced by that of Michael.
Caetano m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).
Nitya f & m Hinduism, Hindi
Means "always, eternal" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form नित्या (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga) and the masculine form नित्य.
Seanán m Irish
Modern Irish form of Senán.
Lígia f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Ligeia.
Eirene f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Irene.
Maryann f English
Combination of Mary and Ann.
Ghislaine f French
Feminine form of Ghislain.
Punit m Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit पुनीत (punīta) meaning "cleaned, purified".
Petronella f Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian
Dutch, Swedish and Hungarian form of Petronilla.
Inês f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Agnes.
Junia f Biblical, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Junius. This is the name of an early Christian mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament (there is some debate about whether the name belongs to a woman Junia or a man Junias).
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.
Liv 1 f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Derived from the Old Norse name Hlíf meaning "protection". Its use has been influenced by the modern Scandinavian word liv meaning "life".
Mariasole f Italian
Combination of Maria and Sole.
Yasir m Arabic, Urdu
Means "easy, wealthy" in Arabic, derived from the root يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich". This was the name of an early Islamic martyr. It was also borne by Yasir Arafat (1929-2004), a leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Éva f Hungarian, French
Hungarian form of Eve, as well as a French variant of Ève.
Vanya m & f Russian, Bulgarian
Diminutive of Ivan (Russian, masculine) or Ivana (Bulgarian, feminine).
Adah f Biblical
Means "adornment, ornament" in Hebrew. This is the name of the wives of both Lamech and Esau in the Old Testament.
Eleonor f Swedish
Swedish variant of Eleanor.
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Nataliya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Winfred m English
Means "friend of peace" from the Old English elements wine "friend" and friþ "peace". This was the birth name of the 8th-century missionary Saint Boniface. It became rare after the Norman Conquest, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Valentino m Italian
Italian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Clifford m English
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "ford by a cliff" in Old English.
Marinus m Ancient Roman, Dutch
From the Roman family name Marinus, which derives either from the name Marius or from the Latin word marinus "of the sea". Saint Marinus was a 4th-century stonemason who built a chapel on Monte Titano, in the country that is today known as San Marino.
Seema f Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi सीमा (see Sima 2).
Merlyn m & f English
Variant of Merlin, sometimes used as a feminine form. It has perhaps been influenced by the Welsh word merlyn meaning "pony".
Berengaria f Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized feminine form of Berengar. This name was borne by a 13th-century queen of Castile.
Pierina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Piero.
Calanthia f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Calanthe.
Massimiliano m Italian
Italian form of Maximilian.
Floriana f Italian, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Florianus (see Florian).
Alvina f English
Feminine form of Alvin.