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
Galen m English
Modern form of the Greek name Γαληνός (Galenos), which meant "calm" from Greek γαλήνη (galene). It was borne by a 2nd-century BC Greco-Roman physician who contributed to anatomy and medicine. In modern times the name is occasionally given in his honour.
Aeliana f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aelianus.
Pascale f French
Feminine form of Pascal.
Asherah f Semitic Mythology
Perhaps derived from Semitic roots meaning "she who walks in the sea". This was the name of a Semitic mother goddess. She was worshipped by the Israelites before the advent of monotheism.
Donatello m Italian
Diminutive of Donato. The Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Bette Bardi (1386-1466) was better known as Donatello.
Thierry m French
French form of Theodoric. It was very popular in France from the 1950s, peaking in the mid-1960s before falling away. A famous bearer is the French former soccer player Thierry Henry (1977-).
Marsaili f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Marcella, now also associated with Marjorie.
Angelien f Dutch
Dutch form of Angeline.
Cyrielle f French
French feminine form of Cyril.
Wilhelmine f German
German feminine form of Wilhelm.
Vipin m Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam
From Sanskrit विपिन (vipina) meaning "forest".
Thérèse f French
French form of Theresa. It was borne by the French nun Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), who is regarded as a Doctor of the Church.
Lucille f French, English
French form of Lucilla. A famous bearer was American comedienne Lucille Ball (1911-1989).
Adrienn f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Adrian.
Ariadne f Greek Mythology
Means "most holy", composed of the Greek prefix ἀρι (ari) meaning "most" combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos. She fell in love with Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god Dionysus.
Paraskeve f Late Greek
Derived from Greek παρασκευή (paraskeue) meaning "preparation" or "Friday" (being the day of preparation). This was the name of a 2nd-century saint who was martyred in Rome.
Tamara f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Hungarian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Lithuanian, Georgian
Russian form of Tamar. Russian performers such as Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978), Tamara Drasin (1905-1943), Tamara Geva (1907-1997) and Tamara Toumanova (1919-1996) introduced it to the English-speaking world. It rapidly grew in popularity in the United States starting in 1957. Another famous bearer was the Polish cubist painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980).
Francesco m Italian
Italian form of Franciscus (see Francis). Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374) was an Italian Renaissance poet, usually known in English as Petrarch.
Jacomina f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of Iacomus (see James).
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.
Ayelet f Hebrew
Means "doe, female deer, gazelle". It is taken from the Hebrew phrase אַיֶלֶת הַשַׁחַר (ʾayeleṯ hashaḥar), literally "gazelle of dawn", which is a name of the morning star.
Irénée m & f French
French form of Irenaeus, also occasionally a feminine form.
Margarit f Armenian
Armenian form of Margaret, also meaning "pearl" in Armenian.
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.
Magdaléna f Slovak, Czech, Hungarian
Slovak and Czech form of Magdalene, as well as a Hungarian variant form.
Antonette f English
Diminutive of Antonia.
Massimo m Italian
Italian form of Maximus.
Anatole m French
French form of Anatolius.
Maryanne f English
Combination of Mary and Anne 1.
Áile f Sami
Sami form of Helga.
Flávio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Flavius.
Claretta f Italian
Diminutive of Clara.
Jocasta f Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ἰοκάστη (Iokaste), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology she was the mother Oedipus by the Theban king Laius. In a case of tragic mistaken identity, she married her own son.
Adelheid f German, Dutch (Rare)
German and Dutch form of Adelaide.
Savitri f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi
Means "of the sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hymn in the Rigveda dedicated to Savitr, a sun god. This is also the name of Savitr's daughter, a wife of Brahma, considered an aspect of Saraswati. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata it is borne by King Satyavan's wife, who successfully pleas with Yama, the god of death, to restore her husband to life.
Regina f English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Lithuanian, Estonian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late Roman
Means "queen" in Latin (or Italian). It was in use as a Christian name from early times, and was borne by a 2nd-century saint. In England it was used during the Middle Ages in honour of the Virgin Mary, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A city in Canada bears this name, in honour of Queen Victoria.
Lucjan m Polish
Polish form of Lucianus.
Montague m English (Rare)
From an aristocratic English surname meaning "sharp mountain", from Old French mont agu. In Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596) this is the surname of Romeo and his family.
Vasyl m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Basil 1.
Ophélie f French
French form of Ophelia.
Pierrette f French
Feminine diminutive of Pierre.
Amé m Medieval French
Old French form of Aimé.
Candice f English
Variant of Candace.
Eleuterio m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Eleutherius.
Bianca f Italian, Romanian
Italian cognate of Blanche. Shakespeare had characters named Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew (1593) and Othello (1603). The German singer Freddy Breck's 1973 song Bianca boosted the name's popularity elsewhere in Europe.
Iolanthe f Various (Rare)
Probably a variant of Yolanda influenced by the Greek words ἰόλη (iole) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was (first?) used by Gilbert and Sullivan in their comic opera Iolanthe (1882).
Romola f Italian (Rare)
Italian feminine form of Romulus.
Mailys f French
Variant of Maylis.
Caoilfhionn f Irish
Derived from the Old Irish elements cáel "slender" and finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Camilla f English, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, German, Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Camillus. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volsci, as told by Virgil in the Aeneid. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Fanny Burney's novel Camilla (1796).
Dionne f English
Feminine form of Dion.
Joye f English
Variant of Joy.
Devi f Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil
Derived from Sanskrit देवी (devī) meaning "goddess". This name can be used to refer to Mahadevi.
Mercè f Catalan
Catalan form of Mercedes.
Reima m Finnish
Finnish form of Raymond.
Elfriede f German
German form of Elfreda.
Theodoor m Dutch
Dutch form of Theodore.
Roberts m Latvian
Latvian form of Robert.
Zareen f Urdu
Variant of Zarina.
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.
Marzia f Italian
Italian form of Marcia.
Younes m Arabic (Maghrebi), Persian
North African and Persian form of Yunus.
Korinna f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Corinna.
Angèle f French
French feminine form of Angelus (see Angel).
Leonida m Italian
Italian form of Leonidas.
Pius m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "pious, dutiful". This was the name of twelve popes.
Ninon f French
French diminutive of Anne 1.
Safira f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Sapphira. It coincides with the Portuguese word for "sapphire".
Lorita f Italian (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Loreto.
Morgaine f Arthurian Cycle
Variant of Morgan 2, from a French form.
Simone 1 f French, English, German, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese
French feminine form of Simon 1. A famous bearer was Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), a French feminist and philosopher. This name is also borne by the American gymnast Simone Biles (1997-).
Narendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu
Means "lord of men" from Sanskrit नर (nara) meaning "man" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord".
Seymour m English
From a Norman surname that originally belonged to a person coming from the French town of Saint Maur (which means "Saint Maurus").
Calanthe f English (Rare)
From the name of a type of orchid, ultimately meaning "beautiful flower", derived from Greek καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower".
Henna f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Valya f & m Russian, Bulgarian
Diminutive of Valentina or Valentin.
Tipene m Maori
Maori form of Stephen.
Rosalind f English
Derived from the Old German elements hros meaning "horse" and lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it was not common. During the Middle Ages its spelling was influenced by the Latin phrase rosa linda "beautiful rose". The name was popularized by Edmund Spencer, who used it in his poetry, and by William Shakespeare, who used it for the heroine in his comedy As You Like It (1599).
Marcellin m French
French form of Marcellinus.
Lisanne f Dutch
Combination of Lisa and Anne 1.
Eliot m English
From a surname that was a variant of Elliott. A famous bearer of the surname was T. S. Eliot (1888-1965), an Anglo-American poet and dramatist, the writer of The Waste Land. As a given name, it was borne by the American mob-buster Eliot Ness (1903-1957).
Brielle f English (Modern)
Short form of Gabrielle. This is also the name of towns in the Netherlands and New Jersey, though their names derive from a different source.
Eleanore f English
Variant of Eleanor.
India f English, Spanish (Modern)
From the name of the country of India, which is itself derived from the name of the Indus River. The river's name is ultimately from Sanskrit सिन्धु (Sindhu) meaning "body of trembling water, river". India Wilkes is a character in the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) by Margaret Mitchell.
Lisandro m Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lysander.
Gwendolyn f English
Variant of Gwendolen. This is the usual spelling in the United States.
Léopold m French
French form of Leopold.
Eryk m Polish
Polish form of Eric.
Niina f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish short form of Anniina, or a Finnish and Estonian form of Nina 1.
Oriane f French
French form of Oriana.
Iliya m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Elijah.
Ástríðr f Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Lala f Bulgarian (Rare)
From Bulgarian лале (lale) meaning "tulip" (of Persian origin).
Howell m Welsh
Anglicized form of Hywel.
Astrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, English
Modern Scandinavian form of Ástríðr. This name was borne by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), the author of Pippi Longstocking. It was also borne by a Swedish princess (1905-1935) who became the queen of Belgium as the wife of Leopold III.
Margaux f French
Variant of Margot influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from Margot.
Ippolito m Italian
Italian form of Hippolytos.
Wynne 2 m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Wine.
Sarpedon m Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek legend Sarpedon was the son of Zeus and Laodamia, and the king of the Lycians. He was one of the chief warriors who fought against the Greeks in defence of Troy, but he was killed by Patroclus. Another Sarpedon was the son of Zeus and Europa.
Mele f Hawaiian, Tongan, Samoan
Means "song" in Hawaiian. This is also the Hawaiian, Tongan and Samoan form of Mary.
Giulietta f Italian
Diminutive of Giulia.
Gizella f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Giselle.
Stephanie f English, German
Feminine form of Stephen.
Zvonimir m Croatian
Derived from the Slavic elements zvonŭ "sound, chime" and mirŭ "peace, world". Dmitar Zvonimir was an 11th-century Croatian king.
Delphinus m Late Roman
Masculine form of Delphina. Saint Delphinus was a 4th-century bishop of Bordeaux.
Sidony f English (Archaic)
Feminine form of Sidonius. This name was in use in the Middle Ages, when it became associated with the word sindon (of Greek origin) meaning "linen", a reference to the Shroud of Turin.
Vibeke f Danish, Norwegian
Danish form of Wiebke. It was borne by an influential mistress of Christian IV of Denmark (17th century).
Dolores f Spanish, English
Means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
Lucija f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Lucia.
Friederike f German
German feminine form of Frederick.
Athanasia f Greek, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Athanasios (see Athanasius).
Love 1 m Swedish
Swedish form of Louis.
Coralie f French
Either a French form of Koralia, or a derivative of Latin corallium "coral" (see Coral).
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]
Serafina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Seraphina.
Raina f Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Райна (see Rayna 1).
Angelica f English, Italian, Romanian, Carolingian Cycle
Derived from Latin angelicus meaning "angelic", ultimately related to Greek ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger". The poets Boiardo and Ariosto used this name in their Orlando poems (1483 and 1532), where she is the love interest of both Orlando and Rinaldo. It has been used as a given name since the 18th century.
Orianne f French
French form of Oriana.
Cintia f Spanish, Hungarian
Spanish and Hungarian form of Cynthia.
Erin f English, Irish
Anglicized form of Éireann. It was initially used by people of Irish heritage in America, Canada and Australia. It was rare until the mid-1950s.
Giannina f Italian
Diminutive of Giovanna.
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.
Myriam f French
French form of Miriam.
Marlène f French
French form of Marlene.
Pridon m Georgian
Georgian form of Fereydoun. It appears in the 12th-century Georgian epic poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin, in which Pridon (fully Nuradin-Pridon) is a friend of Avtandil and Tariel.
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.
Aditi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Means "boundless, entire" or "freedom, security" in Sanskrit, derived from the negative prefix (a) and दिति (diti) meaning "giving". This is the name of a Hindu goddess of the cosmos, motherhood and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of several of the gods.
Flavius m Ancient Roman, Romanian
Roman family name meaning "golden" or "yellow-haired" from Latin flavus "yellow, golden". Flavius was the family name of the 1st-century Roman emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. It was used as a personal name by several later emperors, notably by Constantine.
Sinjin m English (British, Rare)
Phonetic variant of St John.
Selim m Turkish, Albanian
Turkish and Albanian form of Salim. This was the name of three Ottoman sultans, including the father of Süleyman the Magnificent.
Beatriz f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Beatrix.
Nicol 2 f Spanish (Latin American), Czech
Spanish and Czech form of Nicole.
Hermine f German, French
German feminine form of Herman.
Hera f Greek Mythology
Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.
Josiane f French
Diminutive of Joséphine.
Timotei m Romanian, Bulgarian (Rare)
Romanian and Bulgarian form of Timothy.
Esteri f Finnish
Finnish form of Esther.
Lior m & f Hebrew
Means "my light" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and אוֹר (ʾor) "light".
Briseis f Greek Mythology
Patronymic derived from Βρισεύς (Briseus), a Greek name of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology Briseis (real name Hippodameia) was the daughter of Briseus. She was captured during the Trojan War by Achilles. After Agamemnon took her away from him, Achilles refused to fight in the war.
Susanna f Italian, Catalan, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, English, Armenian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
From Σουσάννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshanna). This was derived from the Hebrew word שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to Jesus.... [more]
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.
Whitaker m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "white field" in Old English.
Arthur m English, French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements *artos "bear" (Old Welsh arth) combined with *wiros "man" (Old Welsh gur) or *rīxs "king" (Old Welsh ri). Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius.... [more]
Dionisia f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish feminine form of Dionysius.
Bethany f English
From the name of a biblical town, Βηθανία (Bethania) in Greek, which is probably of Aramaic or Hebrew origin, possibly meaning "house of affliction" or "house of figs". In the New Testament the town of Bethany is the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. It has been in use as a rare given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, in honour of Mary of Bethany. In America it became moderately common after the 1950s.
Florus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). It was borne by a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with Laurus in Illyricum.
Aphrodite f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess Venus. She was the wife of Hephaestus and the mother of Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with ἀφρός (aphros) meaning "foam", resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
Nikhil m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit निखिल (nikhila) meaning "whole, entire".
Live f Norwegian
Variant of Liv 1.
Ami 1 m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "trustworthy, reliable" in Hebrew. This is the name of a servant of King Solomon in the Old Testament.
Fabian m German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.
Sybilla f Polish, Late Roman
Polish form and Latin variant of Sibylla.
Saundra f English
Variant of Sondra.
Thibault m French
French form of Theobald.
Giovanna f Italian
Italian form of Iohanna (see Joanna), making it the feminine form of Giovanni.
Amaranta f Spanish (Rare), Italian (Rare)
Spanish and Italian form of Amarantha.
Doireann f Irish, Irish Mythology
Possibly from the Old Irish prefix der "daughter" and finn "white, blessed". Alternatively it may be derived from Irish doireann "sullen, tempestuous". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a daughter of Bodb Derg who poisoned Fionn mac Cumhaill after he spurned her advances.
Sìne f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Jeanne or Jane.
Amancio m Spanish
Spanish form of Amantius.
Antonietta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Antonia.
Placida f Late Roman, Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Placidus (see Placido).
Annelien f Dutch
Combination of Anna and lien (from names such as Carolien).
Elva 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Ailbhe.
Eirwen f Welsh
Means "white snow" from the Welsh elements eira "snow" and gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the early 20th century.
Alya 2 f Russian
Diminutive of Aleksandra, Albina and other names beginning with Ал.
Cate f English (Rare)
Variant of Kate. A famous bearer is Australian actress Cate Blanchett (1969-).
Cornelia f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cornelius. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
Samantha f English, Italian, Dutch
Perhaps intended to be a feminine form of Samuel, using the name suffix antha (possibly inspired by Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). It originated in America in the 18th century but was fairly uncommon until 1964, when it was popularized by the main character on the television show Bewitched.
Alban m German, French, Albanian, English (Rare)
From the Roman cognomen Albanus, which meant "from Alba". Alba (from Latin albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.... [more]
Arik m Hebrew
Diminutive of Ariel or Arieh.
Deianeira f Greek Mythology
From Greek δηιόω (deioo) meaning "to slay" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". In Greek mythology this was the name of the wife of Herakles. She unwittingly poisoned her husband by giving him the Shirt of Nessus.
Harding m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Heard. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).
Lilianne f French
Variant of Liliane.
Pradip m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit प्रदीप (pradīpa) meaning "light, lantern".
Albertus m Germanic (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of Albert. This is the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but commonly rendered Albert in daily life.
Astraea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἀστραία (Astraia), derived from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star". Astraea was a Greek goddess of justice and innocence. After wickedness took root in the world she left the earth and became the constellation Virgo.
Delara f Persian
Means "adorning the heart", from Persian دل (del) meaning "heart" and آرا (ārā) meaning "decorate, adorn".
Iovita m & f Ancient Roman
Latin masculine and feminine form of Jovita.
Monte m English, Armenian
Either a diminutive of Montgomery or from the Spanish or Italian vocabulary word meaning "mountain". Its use as an Armenian name is inspired by the Armenian-American revolutionary Monte Melkonian (1957-1993).
Beverley f English
Variant of Beverly.
Dalimil m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements dalĭ "distance" and milŭ "gracious, dear".
Aurore f French
French form of Aurora.
Lesia f English
Short form of Alesia.
Lucette f French
Diminutive of Lucie.
Elisabeth f German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
German and Dutch form of Elizabeth. It is also a variant English form, reflecting the spelling used in the Authorized Version of the New Testament.
Valentine 1 m English
From the Roman cognomen Valentinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Valens meaning "strong, vigorous, healthy" in Latin. Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century martyr. His feast day was the same as the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which resulted in the association between Valentine's Day and love.... [more]
Olalla f Galician, Spanish
Galician variant of Eulalia.
Esperanza f Spanish
Spanish form of the Late Latin name Sperantia, which was derived from spero "to hope".
Glædwine m Anglo-Saxon
Old English name derived from the elements glæd "bright, cheerful, glad" and wine "friend". This name was not actually recorded in the Old English era, though it is attested starting in the 11th century.
Lorraine f English
From the name of a region in eastern France, originally meaning "kingdom of Lothar". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called Lorraine, or in German Lothringen (from Latin Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.
Sophronius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Σωφρόνιος (Sophronios), which was derived from Greek σώφρων (sophron) meaning "self-controlled, sensible". Saint Sophronius was a 7th-century patriarch of Jerusalem.
Antonie 1 f Czech
Czech form of Antonia.
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.
Sylvaine f French
French feminine form of Silvanus.
Elwira f Polish, Tatar, Bashkir
Polish, Tatar and Bashkir form of Elvira.
Lynne f English
Variant of Lynn.
Alia 2 f Germanic
Old German form of Ella 1.
Vítor m Portuguese, Galician
Portuguese and Galician form of Victor.
Samara f English (Modern), Portuguese (Brazilian)
Possibly derived from the name of the city of Samarra (in Iraq) or Samara (in Russia). The former appears in the title of the novel Appointment in Samarra (1934) by John O'Hara, which refers to an ancient Babylonian legend about a man trying to evade death. Alternatively, this name could be derived from the word for the winged seeds that grow on trees such as maples and elms.... [more]
Stacey f & m English
Variant of Stacy.
Jovana f Serbian, Macedonian
Serbian and Macedonian feminine form of John.
Fionola f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Fionnuala.
Joceline f French
French feminine form of Joscelin (see Jocelyn).
Ostap m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eustathius.
Anjali f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit अञ्जलि (añjali) meaning "salutation".
Melánia f Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak form of Melania (see Melanie).
Clément m French
French form of Clemens (see Clement).
Elysia f Various
From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Finnian m Irish
Derived from Old Irish finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints, including the founders of monasteries at Clonard and Movilla (both 6th century).
Susie f English
Diminutive of Susan.
Leela f Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Lila 1.
Bria f English
Short form of Brianna, Gabriella and other names containing bri.
Luciano m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Lucianus.
Lubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Havryil m Ukrainian (Rare)
Ukrainian form of Gabriel.
Mila f Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovene, Ukrainian, Russian
From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names containing that element.
Hebe f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥβη (hebe) meaning "youth". In Greek mythology Hebe was the daughter of Zeus and Hera. She was a goddess of youth who acted as the cupbearer to the gods.
Catina f Romanian (Rare)
Contracted form of Cătălina.
Eibhlín f Irish
Irish form of Aveline.
Callistus m Late Roman
Late Latin name that was derived from the Greek name Κάλλιστος (Kallistos) meaning "most beautiful". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callixtus), including the 3rd-century Callistus I who is regarded as a saint.
Mélodie f French
French cognate of Melody.
Ena 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Eithne.
Ciprian m Romanian
Romanian form of Cyprianus (see Cyprian).
Serafeim m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Σεραφείμ (see Serafim).
Alexios m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Alexius.
Plinio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Plinius (see Pliny).
Jacobine f Norwegian (Archaic), Dutch (Rare)
Norwegian and Dutch feminine form of Jacob.
Benoît m French
French form of Benedict.
Adaline f English
Variant of Adelina.
Matilda f English, Swedish, Finnish, Slovak, Slovene
From the Germanic name Mahthilt meaning "strength in battle", from the elements maht "might, strength" and hilt "battle". Saint Matilda was the wife of the 10th-century German king Henry I the Fowler. The name was common in many branches of European royalty in the Middle Ages. It was brought to England by the Normans, being borne by the wife of William the Conqueror himself. Another notable royal by this name was a 12th-century daughter of Henry I of England, known as the Empress Matilda because of her first marriage to the Holy Roman emperor Henry V. She later invaded England, laying the foundations for the reign of her son Henry II.... [more]
Shiva 2 f Persian
Means "charming, eloquent" in Persian.
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.
Valéry m French
Derived from the Old German elements walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and rih "ruler, king". It has been frequently confused with the name Valère. Saint Walaric (or Valery) was a 7th-century Frankish monk who founded an abbey near Leuconaus at the mouth of the Somme River.
Anna-Liisa f Finnish
Combination of Anna and Liisa.
Giosuè m Italian
Italian form of Joshua.
Ambrosine f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Ambrose.
Yaara f Hebrew
Means "honeycomb" and "honeysuckle" in Hebrew.
Jean-Luc m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Luc. A famous bearer is the French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard (1930-2022).
Venera 1 f Russian, Bulgarian, Albanian
Form of Venus, from the genitive form Veneris.
Catia f Italian
Italian diminutive of Caterina.
Eulália f Portuguese, Slovak
Portuguese and Slovak form of Eulalia.
Mæja f Icelandic
Icelandic diminutive of María.
Marián m Slovak, Czech, Hungarian (Rare)
Slovak, Czech and Hungarian form of Marianus.
Niccolò m Italian
Italian form of Nicholas. Famous bearers include Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), a Florentine political philosopher, and Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), a Genoese composer and violinist.
Rosine f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Aella f Greek Mythology
Means "whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.
Netuno m Roman Mythology (Portuguesified)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Neptune.
Lilian f & m English, French, Romanian
English variant of Lillian, as well as a French and Romanian masculine form.
Bea f English, Hungarian, Dutch
Short form of Beatrix or Beáta.
Oran m Irish
Anglicized form of Odhrán.
Cleo f & m English
Short form of Cleopatra, Cleon or Cleopas.
Lale f Turkish
Means "tulip" in Turkish, of Persian origin.
Timothée m French
French form of Timothy.
Aliona f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алёна or Ukrainian Альона (see Alyona).
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").
Marlena f Polish, English
Latinate form of Marlene.
Lizette f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Suzanne f French, English, Dutch
French form of Susanna.
Merit 2 f Estonian, Swedish (Rare)
Variant of Maret (Estonian) or Marit (Swedish).
Charlemagne m History
From Old French Charles le Magne meaning "Charles the Great". This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.
Donelle f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Don.
Seneca m Ancient Roman
From a Roman cognomen derived from Latin senectus meaning "old". This was the name of both a Roman orator (born in Spain) and also of his son, a philosopher and statesman.... [more]
Marjorie f English
Medieval variant of Margery, influenced by the name of the herb marjoram. After the Middle Ages this name was rare, but it was revived at the end of the 19th century.
Maria f & m Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.... [more]
Rachelle f English, French
Variant of Rachel. In the English-speaking world it has likely been influenced by the spelling of Rochelle.
Margriet f Dutch
Dutch form of Margaret. This is also the Dutch word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
Melisa f Spanish, Bosnian, Albanian, Turkish, Azerbaijani
Spanish, Bosnian, Albanian, Turkish and Azerbaijani form of Melissa.
Westley m English
From a surname that was a variant of Wesley.
Sonje f German (Rare)
German variant of Sonja.
Lynna f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lynn.
Thea f German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English
Short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other names with a similar sound.
Jean-Claude m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Claude.
Fioralba f Italian (Rare)
Combination of Italian fiore "flower" (Latin flos) and alba "dawn".
Laurence 2 f French
French feminine form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Euryalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
From Greek Εὐρύαλος (Euryalos) meaning "broad". This name was borne by several figures in Greek legend. In Virgil's Aeneid it belongs to the friend of Nisus, with whom he is killed while raiding the Rutuli.
Letitia f English
From the Late Latin name Laetitia meaning "joy, happiness". This was the name of an obscure saint, who is revered mainly in Spain. It was in use in England during the Middle Ages, usually in the spelling Lettice, and it was revived in the 18th century.
Arwyn m Welsh
From the Welsh intensifying prefix ar- and gwyn meaning "white, blessed".
Arlette f French
French form of Herleva.
Velvel m Yiddish (Rare)
Means "little wolf" in Yiddish, a diminutive of װאָלףֿ (volf) meaning "wolf". This is a vernacular form of Zeev.
Adelina f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Germanic (Latinized)
From a Germanic name that was derived from the element adal meaning "noble" (Proto-Germanic *aþalaz).
Justinian m History
From the Latin name Iustinianus, which was derived from Iustinus (see Justin). This was the name of a 6th-century Byzantine emperor who attempted to restore the borders of the Roman Empire.
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).
Remiel m Biblical
Variant of Jeremiel appearing in some versions of the Old Testament.
Atalia f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew transcription of Athaliah.
Virgil m English, Romanian
From the Roman family name Vergilius, which is of unknown meaning. This name was borne by the 1st-century BC Roman poet Publius Vergilius Maro, commonly called Virgil, who was the writer of the Aeneid. Due to him, Virgil has been in use as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.