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
Corrine f English
Variant of Corinne.
Nalini f Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi
From Sanskrit नलिनी (nalinī) meaning "lotus".
Isibéal f Irish
Irish form of Isabel.
Florizel m Literature
From Latin floris, the genitive case of flos meaning "flower". This name was used by Shakespeare for the prince of Bohemia and the lover of Perdita in his play The Winter's Tale (1610).
Vergil m English
Variant of Virgil.
Eira 2 f Swedish, Norwegian
Modern form of Eir.
Padma f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form पद्मा and the masculine form पद्म.... [more]
Adella f English
Variant of Adela.
Wiesława f Polish
Feminine form of Wielisław.
Roosevelt m English
From the Dutch surname Roosevelt meaning "rose field". This name is often given in honour of American presidents Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) or Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
Katsiaryna f Belarusian
Belarusian form of Katherine.
Veniamin m Russian, Greek
Russian and Greek form of Benjamin.
Theophanes m Ancient Greek
Means "manifestation of God" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". This name was borne by a few saints, including an 8th-century chronicler from Constantinople and a 19th-century Russian Orthodox saint, Theophanes the Recluse, who is Феофан (Feofan) in Russian. Another famous bearer was a 14th-century Byzantine icon painter active in Moscow.
Melle m Dutch
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element mahal meaning "meeting, assembly, court" (Proto-Germanic *maþlą).
Connie f & m English
Diminutive of Constance and other names beginning with Con. It is occasionally a masculine name, a diminutive of Cornelius or Conrad.
Drusilla f Biblical, Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin
Feminine diminutive of the Roman family name Drusus. In Acts in the New Testament Drusilla is the wife of Felix.
Sinjin m English (British, Rare)
Phonetic variant of St John.
Thaleia f Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Thalia.
Anđela f Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Angela.
Isaia m Italian, Old Church Slavic
Italian form of Isaiah, as well as the Old Church Slavic form.
Matej m Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Macedonian
Slovak form of Matthias, used to refer to the apostle chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. Also the Slovene, Croatian and Macedonian form of Matthew, used to refer to the evangelist and apostle also known as Levi.
Ella 2 f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. It can also be a short form of names ending in ella.
Lolita f Spanish
Diminutive of Lola. This is the name of a 1955 novel by Vladimir Nabokov.
Liesel f German
German diminutive of Elisabeth.
Eryk m Polish
Polish form of Eric.
Agustín m Spanish
Spanish form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1).
Maiken f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian diminutive of Maria.
Signe f Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Estonian, Latvian
Modern Scandinavian form of Signý.
Stacey f & m English
Variant of Stacy.
Levan m Georgian
Georgian form of Leon.
Theodorus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of the Greek name Theodoros (see Theodore). As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Theodoor is typically used in daily life.
Emmalyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Emmeline, or else a combination of Emma and the fashionable name suffix lyn.
Idony f English (Archaic)
Medieval English vernacular form of Idonea.
Lommán m Old Irish
Means "little bare one", derived from Old Irish lomm "bare" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a nephew of Saint Patrick.
Dorothea f German, Dutch, English, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of the Greek name Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant "gift of god" from Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
Jayesh m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "lord of victory" from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory, conquest" and ईश (īśa) meaning "lord, ruler".
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.
Fifi f French
Diminutive of Joséphine and other names containing the same sound.
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.
Judit f Hungarian, Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German (Rare)
Form of Judith used in several languages.
Marybeth f English
Combination of Mary and Beth.
Pandora f Greek Mythology
Means "all gifts", derived from a combination of Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". In Greek mythology Pandora was the first mortal woman. Zeus gave her a jar containing all of the troubles and ills that mankind now knows, and told her not to open it. Unfortunately her curiosity got the best of her and she opened it, unleashing the evil spirits into the world.
Vinicio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of the Roman family name Vinicius, which was possibly derived from Latin vinum "wine".
Zara 2 f Bulgarian
Diminutive of Zaharina.
Patricie f Czech
Czech feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Sébastien m French
French form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Hira 1 f & m Urdu, Nepali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi
Derived from Sanskrit हीर (hīra) meaning "diamond". It is typically feminine in Pakistan and unisex in India and Nepal.
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.
Lodovico m Italian
Italian form of Ludwig.
Jerome m English
From the Greek name Ἱερώνυμος (Hieronymos) meaning "sacred name", derived from ἱερός (hieros) meaning "sacred" and ὄνυμα (onyma) meaning "name". Saint Jerome was responsible for the creation of the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible, in the 5th century. He is regarded as a Doctor of the Church. The name was used in his honour in the Middle Ages, especially in Italy and France, and has been used in England since the 12th century.
Katriina f Finnish
Short form of Katariina.
Naphtali m Biblical
Means "my struggle, my strife" in Hebrew, a derivative of פָּתַל (paṯal) meaning "to twist, to struggle, to wrestle". In the Old Testament he is a son of Jacob by Rachel's servant Bilhah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Adriel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "flock of God" in Hebrew, from עֵדֶר (ʿeḏer) meaning "flock, herd" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a man who married Saul's daughter Merab.
Leonel m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lionel.
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).
Myroslava f Ukrainian
Ukrainian feminine form of Miroslav.
Audra 2 f English
Variant of Audrey, used since the 19th century. It jumped in popularity in the United States after the debut of the television series The Big Valley (1965-1969), which featured the character Audra Barkley.
Lucjan m Polish
Polish form of Lucianus.
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.
Minke m & f Frisian, Dutch
Diminutive and feminine form of Meine.
Charissa f English, Dutch
Elaborated form of Charis. Edmund Spencer used it in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
Adrianna f English, Polish
Feminine form of Adrian.
August m German, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English
German, Polish, Scandinavian and Catalan form of Augustus. This was the name of three Polish kings.... [more]
Élisabeth f French
French form of Elizabeth.
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).
Livius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that may be related to either Latin liveo "to envy" or lividus "blue, envious". Titus Livius, also known as Livy, was a Roman historian who wrote a history of the city of Rome.
Athina f Greek
Modern Greek form of Athena.
Nathanaël m French
French form of Nathanael.
Eloise f English
From the Old French name Héloïse, which was probably from the Germanic name Helewidis, composed of the elements heil meaning "healthy, whole" and wit meaning "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" or the name Louise, though there is no etymological connection. This name was borne by the 12th-century French scholar and philosopher Héloïse. Secretly marrying the theologian Peter Abelard at a young age, she became a nun (and eventually an abbess) after Abelard was violently castrated by order of her uncle Fulbert.... [more]
Paola f Italian
Italian feminine form of Paul.
Beatrix f German, Hungarian, Dutch, English, Late Roman
Probably from Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator meaning "voyager, traveller". It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin beatus "blessed, happy". Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of Diocletian.... [more]
Pratima f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit प्रतिमा (pratimā) meaning "image, likeness, reflection".
Allison f & m English
From the middle of the 20th century this has primarily been used as a variant of the feminine name Alison 1. However, prior to that it was used as an uncommon masculine name, derived from the English and Scottish surname Allison.
Édith f French
French form of Edith. A notable bearer was the French cabaret singer Édith Piaf (1915-1963).
Pascal m French, German, Dutch
From the Late Latin name Paschalis, which meant "relating to Easter" from Latin Pascha "Easter", which was in turn from Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesaḥ) meaning "Passover". Passover is the ancient Hebrew holiday celebrating the liberation from Egypt. Because it coincided closely with the later Christian holiday of Easter, the same Latin word was used for both. The name Pascal can also function as a surname, as in the case of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the French philosopher, mathematician and inventor.
Filipa f Portuguese
Feminine form of Philip.
Herbert m English, German, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, French
Derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and beraht "bright". It was borne by two Merovingian Frankish kings, usually called Charibert. The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Herebeorht. In the course of the Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.... [more]
Glenys f Welsh
Probably an elaboration of the Welsh word glân "pure, clean, holy" or glyn "valley". This name was created in the late 19th century.
Alva 1 f Swedish, Norwegian
Feminine form of Alf 1.
Filbert m Eastern African
Possibly a form of Philibert. It is particularly used in Tanzania due to track star Filbert Bayi (1953-), who set a world record running the 1500 meter in 1974.
Renato m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Croatian
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Renatus.
Álex m Spanish
Short form of Alejandro.
Constantin m Romanian, French
Romanian and French form of Constantinus (see Constantine 1).
Iryna f Ukrainian, Belarusian
Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Irene.
Brigitte f French, German, Dutch
French and German form of Bridget. A famous bearer is the French model and actress Brigitte Bardot (1934-).
Novella f Italian
Derived from Latin novellus meaning "new, young, novel", a diminutive of novus "new". This name was borne by the 14th-century Italian scholar Novella d'Andrea, who taught law at the University of Bologna.
Otilia f Romanian, Spanish
Romanian and Spanish form of Odilia.
Camila f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Camilla.
Renáta f Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Hungarian, Czech and Slovak feminine form of Renatus.
Aizere f Kazakh
Means "golden moon" from Kazakh ай (ay) meaning "moon" and Persian زر (zar) meaning "gold".
Lucrecia f Spanish
Spanish form of Lucretia.
Zinaida f Russian, Belarusian, Ukrainian
Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian form of Zenaida.
Oliver m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian Cycle
From Old French Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin oliva "olive tree". Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse Áleifr (see Olaf) or Frankish Alawar (see Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero Roland.... [more]
Roald m Norwegian
Modern form of the Old Norse name Hróðvaldr or Hróaldr, composed of the elements hróðr "praise, fame" and valdr "ruler". This name was borne by the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen (1872-1928) and the British children's author Roald Dahl (1916-1990), who was born to Norwegian parents.
Julien m French
French form of Iulianus (see Julian).
Alis f Welsh
Welsh form of Alice.
Loreto f & m Spanish, Italian
From the name of a town in Italy, originally called Lauretum in Latin, meaning "laurel grove". Supposedly in the 13th century the house of the Virgin Mary was miraculously carried by angels from Nazareth to the town. In Spain it is a feminine name, from the Marian title Nuestra Señora de Loreto, while in Italy it is mostly masculine.
Amice f Medieval English
Medieval name derived from Latin amicus meaning "friend". This was a popular name in the Middle Ages, though it has since become uncommon.
Sence f Medieval Spanish
Old variant of Sancha.
Siiri f Estonian, Finnish
Estonian and Finnish diminutive of Sigrid.
Adélie f French
Elaborated form of Adèle. Adélie Land in Antarctica was named in 1840 by the French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville in honour of his wife Adèle (who was sometimes called Adélie).
Sariah f Mormon
Possibly from an alternate reading of Hebrew שׂריה (see Seraiah). In the Book of Mormon this is the name of Lehi's wife.
Bethan f Welsh
Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth.
Kore f Greek Mythology
Means "maiden" in Greek. This was another name for the Greek goddess Persephone.
Paris 1 m Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Luwian or Hittite origin. In Greek mythology he was the Trojan prince who kidnapped Helen and began the Trojan War. Though presented as a somewhat of a coward in the Iliad, he did manage to slay the great hero Achilles. He was himself eventually slain in battle by Philoctetes.
Alfred m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Dutch, Catalan, Albanian
Means "elf counsel", derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel, advice". Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeastern England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.... [more]
Hilary f & m English
Medieval English form of Hilarius or Hilaria. During the Middle Ages it was primarily a masculine name. It was revived in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century as a predominantly feminine name. In America, this name and the variant Hillary seemed to drop in popularity after Hillary Clinton (1947-) became the first lady in 1993. Famous bearers include American actresses Hilary Swank (1974-) and Hilary Duff (1987-).
Tiffany f English
Medieval form of Theophania. This name was traditionally given to girls born on the Epiphany (January 6), the festival commemorating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. The name died out after the Middle Ages, but it was revived by the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), the title of which refers to the Tiffany's jewelry store in New York.
Lucija f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Lucia.
Maricela f Spanish
Combination of María and Celia.
Viona f English (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Fiona influenced by Viola.
Adah f Biblical
Means "adornment, ornament" in Hebrew. This is the name of the wives of both Lamech and Esau in the Old Testament.
Susie f English
Diminutive of Susan.
Stefan m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Polish, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian
Form of Stephen used in several languages. Famous bearers include the Serbian rulers Stefan Nemanja, Stefan Nemanjić, and Stefan Lazarević, who are all considered saints in the Orthodox Church.
Ada 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Finnish, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names such as Adelaide or Adelina that begin with the element adal meaning "noble". Saint Ada was a 7th-century Frankish abbess at Le Mans. This name was also borne by Augusta Ada King (1815-1852), the Countess of Lovelace (known as Ada Lovelace), a daughter of Lord Byron. She was an assistant to Charles Babbage, the inventor of an early mechanical computer.
Octave m French
French form of Octavius.
Katinka f German, Hungarian, Dutch
German diminutive of Katharina, a Hungarian diminutive of Katalin and a Dutch diminutive of Catharina.
Miren f Basque
Basque form of Maria.
Jarah m Biblical
Means "honeycomb" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a descendant of Saul.
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.
Yulianna f Russian
Russian variant form of Juliana.
Jessica f English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
This name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name Iscah, which would have been spelled Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the United States in 1987, and was the top ranked name for girls between 1985 and 1995, excepting 1991 and 1992 (when it was unseated by Ashley). Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).
Alissa f English
Variant of Alyssa.
Marilynn f English
Variant of Marilyn.
Scheherazade f Literature
Anglicized form of Shahrazad.
Naenia f Roman Mythology
Means "incantation, dirge" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of funerals.
Sabine f French, German, Dutch, Danish
French, German, Dutch and Danish form of Sabina.
Cecylia f Polish
Polish form of Cecilia.
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]
Giulia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Julius.
Marinella f Italian
Diminutive of Marina.
Gracja f Polish
Polish form of Gracia.
Anabela f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Annabel.
Howell m Welsh
Anglicized form of Hywel.
Arminius m Old Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of a Germanic name, possibly derived from the element *ermunaz meaning "whole, universal". Other theories claim that it is related to Herman, or that it is not Germanic at all. Arminius was a 1st-century chief of the Germanic tribe of the Cherusci. Raised in Rome as a hostage, he eventually became a citizen and joined the army. However, he turned against the Empire, leading the Germans in a surprise attack in the Teutoburg Forest and driving the Romans from Germania.
Bautista m Spanish
Spanish form of Baptiste.
Leela f Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Lila 1.
Viera f Slovak, Belarusian
Slovak form of Vera 1, as well as an alternate transcription of Belarusian Вера (see Vera 1).
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".
Wincenty m Polish
Polish form of Vincent.
Annalise f Danish, English (Modern)
Combination of Anna and Lise.
Samira 2 f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Feminine form of Samir 2.
Katelijne f Flemish
Dutch form of Katherine, used especially in Flanders.
Ariston m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "the best".
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).
Emílie f Czech
Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Lawrence m English
Variant of Laurence 1. This spelling of the name is now more common than Laurence in the English-speaking world, probably because Lawrence is the usual spelling of the surname. The surname was borne by the author and poet D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), as well as the revolutionary T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935), who was known as Lawrence of Arabia.
Freja f Danish, Swedish
Danish and Swedish form of Freya.
Juliana f Dutch, German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Slovak, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian). This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr from Nicomedia, and also of the Blessed Juliana of Norwich, also called Julian, a 14th-century mystic and author. The name was also borne by a 20th-century queen of the Netherlands. In England, this form has been in use since the 18th century, alongside the older form Gillian.
Tomaso m Italian
Variant of Tommaso.
'Efrayim m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Ephraim.
Padmini f Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Means "multitude of lotuses", a derivative of Sanskrit पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus".
Anjali f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit अञ्जलि (añjali) meaning "salutation".
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.
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.
Tobiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name טוֹבִיָּה (Ṭoviyya) meaning "Yahweh is good", from the elements טוֹב (ṭov) meaning "good" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This was the name of an Ammonite in the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
Lovell m English
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.
Radulf m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements rat "counsel, advice" and wolf "wolf", making it a cognate of Ráðúlfr.
Olena f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Helen.
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).
Amália f Hungarian, Portuguese, Slovak
Hungarian, Portuguese and Slovak form of Amalia.
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).
Colombina f Italian (Rare), Theatre
Italian feminine diminutive of Columba. In traditional Italian theatre (commedia dell'arte) this is the name of a stock character, a female servant who was often the lover of Arlecchino (Harlequin). This is also the Italian word for the columbine flower.
Izabella f Hungarian, Polish
Hungarian and Polish form of Isabella.
Livia 1 f Italian, Romanian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Livius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Augustus, Livia Drusilla.
Julianna f Hungarian, Polish, English
Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian). It can also be considered a combination of Julia and Anna.
Aloysius m English
Latinized form of Aloys, an old Occitan form of Louis. This was the name of an Italian saint, Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591). The name has been in occasional use among Catholics since his time.
Amanda f English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Latvian, Late Roman
In part this is a feminine form of Amandus. However, it was not used during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century it was recreated by authors and poets who based it directly on Latin amanda meaning "lovable, worthy of love". Notably, the playwright Colley Cibber used it for a character in his play Love's Last Shift (1696). It came into regular use during the 19th century.
Glenda f English
Probably a feminine form of Glenn using the suffix da (from names such as Linda and Wanda). This name was not regularly used until the 20th century.
Magali f French, Occitan
Occitan form of Magdalene.
Oliwer m Polish
Polish form of Oliver.
Stephan m German, Dutch
German and Dutch form of Stephen.
Lia 2 f Italian, Dutch, German
Short form of Rosalia, Julia and other names ending in lia.
Marianne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Combination of Marie and Anne 1, though it could also be considered a variant of Mariana or Mariamne. Shortly after the formation of the French Republic in 1792, a female figure by this name was adopted as the symbol of the state.
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.
Caderina f Sardinian
Sardinian form of Katherine.
Eira 1 f Welsh
Means "snow" in Welsh. This is a recently created name.
Leoncio m Spanish
Spanish form of Leontios.
Catrin f Welsh, German
Welsh form of Katherine, as well as a German short form of Katharina.
Kalpana f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Means "imagining, fantasy" in Sanskrit.
Aimée f French
French form of Amy.
Maybelle f English
Variant of Mabel.
Júlia f Portuguese, Catalan, Hungarian, Slovak
Portuguese, Catalan, Hungarian and Slovak form of Julia.
Opaline f English (Rare), French (Rare)
Elaborated form of Opal. This is also an English and French word meaning "resembling an opal".
Cátia f Portuguese
Diminutive of Catarina.
Indu f Hindi
Means "bright drop" in Sanskrit. This is a name for the moon.
Arezou f Persian
Means "desire" in Persian.
Tatienne f French (Rare)
French form of Tatiana.
Jeremi m Polish
Polish form of Jeremiah.
Ludovic m French
French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of an 1833 opera by the French composer Fromental Halévy.
Domitille f French
French form of Domitilla.
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.
Caoimhe f Irish
Derived from Irish caomh meaning "dear, beloved, gentle".
Cezara f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of Caesar.
Handan f Turkish
From Persian خندان (khandān) meaning "laughing, smiling".
Alessio m Italian
Italian form of Alexius.
Elizabete f Latvian, Portuguese
Latvian form of Elizabeth, as well as a Portuguese variant of Elisabete.
Cerise f French
Means "cherry" in French.
Rupert m German, English
German variant form of Robert, from the Old German variant Hrodperht. It was borne by the 7th century Saint Rupert of Salzburg and the 8th-century Saint Rupert of Bingen. The military commander Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a nephew of Charles I, introduced this name to England in the 17th century. A notable bearer is the Australian-American businessman Rupert Murdoch (1931-).
Andriy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Andrew.
Xiana f Galician
From Xuliana, the Galician form of Juliana.
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".
Tabitha f English, Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means "gazelle" in Aramaic. Tabitha in the New Testament was a woman restored to life by Saint Peter. Her name is translated into Greek as Dorcas (see Acts 9:36). As an English name, Tabitha became common after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 1960s by the television show Bewitched, in which Tabitha (sometimes spelled Tabatha) is the daughter of the main character.
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.
Josefine f Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German
Scandinavian and German form of Joséphine.
Ilana f Hebrew
Feminine form of Ilan.
Konstancja f Polish
Polish form of Constantia.
Brigid f Irish, Irish Mythology
Irish variant of Brighid (see Bridget).
Rupinder m & f Indian (Sikh)
Means "greatest beauty" from Sanskrit रूप (rūpa) meaning "beauty, form" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "greatest".
Theresia f German, Dutch
German and Dutch form of Theresa.
Alexandrie f French (Rare)
French variant of Alexandra.
Fáelán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Faolán.
Inés f Spanish
Spanish form of Agnes.
Jonas 2 m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, French, Biblical
From Ἰωνᾶς (Ionas), the Greek form of Jonah. This spelling is used in some English translations of the New Testament.
Ellis m & f English, Welsh
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Elis, a medieval vernacular form of Elias. This name has also functioned as an Anglicized form of Welsh Elisedd.
Reyna f Spanish
Variant of Reina 1.
Francesco m Italian
Italian form of Franciscus (see Francis). Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374) was an Italian Renaissance poet, usually known in English as Petrarch.
Madelina f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Madeline.
Ligeia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek λιγύς (ligys) meaning "clear-voiced, shrill, whistling". This was the name of one of the Sirens in Greek legend. It was also used by Edgar Allan Poe in his story Ligeia (1838).
Gaël m French, Breton
Form of Gael using French orthography.
Claude m & f French, English
French masculine and feminine form of Claudius. In France the masculine name has been common since the Middle Ages due to the 7th-century Saint Claude of Besançon. It was imported to Britain in the 16th century by the aristocratic Hamilton family, who had French connections. A famous bearer of this name was the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
Malka f Hebrew
Means "queen" in Hebrew.
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]
Liljana f Macedonian, Slovene, Albanian
Macedonian, Slovene and Albanian form of Lillian.
Ludmila f Czech, Latvian, Russian
Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.... [more]
Ayna f Kazakh
Alternate transcription of Kazakh Айна (see Aina 5).
Tahmina f Persian Mythology, Tajik, Bengali
Derived from Persian تهم (tahm) meaning "brave, valiant". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh. She is a daughter of the king of Samangan who marries the warrior hero Rostam and eventually bears him a son, whom they name Sohrab.
Leontiy m Russian
Russian form of Leontios.
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.
Amandine f French
French diminutive of Amanda.
Lucienne f French
Feminine form of Lucien.
Annalee f English (Modern)
Combination of Anna and Lee.
Malika f Arabic
Means "queen" in Arabic, the feminine form of Malik 1.
Célia f Portuguese, French
Portuguese and French form of Celia.
Sona 1 f Hindi
Means "gold" in Hindi, derived from Sanskrit सुवर्ण (suvarṇa) meaning literally "good colour".
Niamh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "bright" in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet Oisín, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill. It has been used as a given name for people only since the early 20th century.
Linus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized), Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Greek name Λίνος (Linos) meaning "flax". In Greek legend he was the son of the god Apollo, who accidentally killed him in a contest. Another son of Apollo by this name was the music teacher of Herakles. The name was also borne by the second pope, serving after Saint Peter in the 1st century. In modern times this was the name of a character in Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.
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.
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.
Elpis f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "hope" in Greek. In Greek mythology Elpis was the personification of hope. She was the last spirit to remain in the jar after Pandora unleashed the evils that were in it.
Miina f Finnish
Short form of Vilhelmiina.
Prudencia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Prudentius.
Elfriede f German
German form of Elfreda.
Esmeralda f Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian, Literature
Means "emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.
Cara f English
From an Italian word meaning "beloved" or an Irish word meaning "friend". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, though it did not become popular until after the 1950s.
Polina f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Greek
Either a Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Greek form of Paulina or a short form of Apollinariya.
Annelie f German, Swedish
German diminutive of Anna or short form of Anneliese.
Nahid f Persian Mythology, Persian, Bengali
Modern Persian form of Anahita. This is also the Persian name for the planet Venus.
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.
Illarion m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Hilarion.
Aletha f English
Variant of Alethea.
Clémence f French
French feminine form of Clementius (see Clement).
Evangelos m Greek
Means "bringing good news" from the Greek word εὐάγγελος (euangelos), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger".
Eulàlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Eulalia.
Alastair m Scottish
Anglicized form of Alasdair.
Signy f Norwegian
Norwegian variant form of Signý.
'Ester f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Esther.
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).
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.
Archibald m Scottish, English
Derived from the Germanic name Ercanbald, composed of the elements erkan meaning "pure, holy, genuine" and bald meaning "bold, brave". The first element was altered due to the influence of Greek names beginning with the element ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master". The Normans brought this name to England. It first became common in Scotland in the Middle Ages (sometimes used to Anglicize the Gaelic name Gilleasbuig, for unknown reasons).
Clifford m English
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "ford by a cliff" in Old English.
Anniina f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Anna.
Marzia f Italian
Italian form of Marcia.
Paula f German, English, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Croatian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Paulus (see Paul). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman saint who was a companion of Saint Jerome.
Dipti f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada
From Sanskrit दीपति (dīpti) meaning "brightness, light".
Iuliana f Romanian, Ancient Roman
Latin and Romanian form of Juliana.
Elsie f English, Swedish
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Avi m Hebrew
Means "my father" in Hebrew. It is also a diminutive of Avraham or Aviram.
Rosine f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Ilyas m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian, Kazakh, Chechen, Tatar, Bashkir
Arabic form of Elijah, also used in several other languages.
Pépin m French
French form of Pepin.
Ariel m & f Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Polish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means "lion of God" in Hebrew, from אֲרִי (ʾari) meaning "lion" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare utilized it for a spirit in his play The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1712), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film The Little Mermaid (1989).
Domenico m Italian
Italian form of Dominicus (see Dominic). Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.