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
Verena f German, Late Roman
Possibly related to Latin verus "true". This might also be a Coptic form of the Ptolemaic name Berenice. Saint Verena was a 3rd-century Egyptian-born nurse who went with the Theban Legion to Switzerland. After the legion was massacred she settled near Zurich.
Blanca f Spanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan cognate of Blanche.
Wilbert m Dutch
Means "bright will", derived from the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and beraht "bright".
Jayesh m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "lord of victory" from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory, conquest" and ईश (īśa) meaning "lord, ruler".
Jovian m Ancient Roman (Anglicized)
From Latin Iovianus, a Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Iovis (see Jove). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor.
Léonide m & f French (Rare)
French masculine and feminine form of Leonidas.
Sixtus m Late Roman
Probably the Latin form of the Greek name Ξύστος (Xystos) meaning "scraped, polished". This name was borne by five popes. The first pope by this name was the sixth to serve after Saint Peter, so there is a possibility that this name is in fact derived from Latin sextus "sixth".
Philipp m German
German form of Philip.
Georgiana f English, Romanian
Feminine form of George. This form of the name has been in use in the English-speaking world since the 18th century.
Simin f Persian
Means "silvery" in Persian.
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.
Signe f Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Estonian, Latvian
Modern Scandinavian form of Signý.
Nichole f English
Variant of Nicole.
Fiorella f Italian
From Italian fiore "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Mirabelle f French (Rare), English (Rare)
Derived from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful". This name was coined during the Middle Ages, though it eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Kalpana f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Means "imagining, fantasy" in Sanskrit.
Montgomery m English
From an English surname meaning "Gumarich's mountain" in Norman French. A notable bearer of this surname was Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976), a British army commander during World War II.
Benita f Spanish
Feminine form of Benito.
Eugênia f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Eugenia.
Pema m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
Tibetan form of Padma.
Lydie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lydia.
Prudencia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Prudentius.
Ilana f Hebrew
Feminine form of Ilan.
Yvonne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Yvon. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Anani m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "my cloud" in Hebrew, a possessive form of עָנָן (ʿanan) meaning "cloud". This name is mentioned in the Old Testament as belonging to a descendant of King David.
Hendrick m Dutch (Archaic)
Dutch variant of Hendrik.
Sybille f German, French
German and French form of Sibyl.
Ælfheah m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and heah "high". This was the name of an 11th-century archbishop of Canterbury, a saint and martyr, who is commonly known as Alphege or Elphege.
Safira f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Sapphira. It coincides with the Portuguese word for "sapphire".
Emerald f English (Modern)
From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek σμάραγδος (smaragdos).
Katrine f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian contracted form of Katherine.
Lía f Galician
Galician form of Leah.
Cecilie f Norwegian, Danish, Czech
Norwegian and Danish form of Cecilia, as well as a Czech variant of Cecílie.
Gabrielle f French, English
French feminine form of Gabriel. This was the real name of French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).
Estrella f Spanish
Spanish form of Stella 1, coinciding with the Spanish word meaning "star".
Mélissa f French
French form of Melissa.
Clíona f Irish
Variant of Clíodhna.
Vasilios m Greek
Modern Greek form of Basil 1.
Iole f Greek Mythology
Means "violet" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a woman beloved by Herakles.
Lynne f English
Variant of Lynn.
Fay f & m English
In part from the English word fay meaning "fairy", derived from Middle English faie meaning "magical, enchanted", ultimately (via Old French) from Latin fata meaning "the Fates". It appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's chronicles in the name of Morgan le Fay. In some cases it may be used as a short form of Faith. It has been used as a feminine given name since the 19th century.... [more]
Aurora f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Romanian, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Roman Mythology
Means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning. It has occasionally been used as a given name since the Renaissance.
Ariana f Portuguese, English (Modern)
Portuguese form of Ariadne. This name steadily grew in popularity in America in the last few decades of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the American pop singer Ariana Grande (1993-).
Caitlin f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Caitlín.
Glendower m Welsh
Anglicized form of Glyndwr.
Christoph m German
German form of Christopher.
Taisiya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Thaïs (referring to the saint).
Patroclus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Πάτροκλος (Patroklos) meaning "glory of the father", derived from πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός) and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek legend he was one of the heroes who fought against the Trojans. His death at the hands of Hector drew his friend Achilles back into the war.
Sophy f English (Rare)
Variant of Sophie or a diminutive of Sophia.
Loretta f English, Italian
Perhaps a variant of Lauretta or Loreto, or a diminutive of names beginning with Lor. A famous bearer was the American actress Loretta Young (1913-2000), whose birth name was Gretchen.
Frida 2 f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Derived from Old Norse fríðr meaning "beautiful, beloved".
Zahari m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Zechariah.
Liubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Alfons m German, Dutch, Catalan
German, Dutch and Catalan form of Alfonso.
Clemency f English (Rare)
Medieval variant of Clemence. It can also simply mean "clemency, mercy" from the English word, ultimately from Latin clemens "merciful".
Giuditta f Italian
Italian form of Judith.
Rosaura f Spanish
Means "golden rose", derived from Latin rosa "rose" and aurea "golden". This name was (first?) used by Pedro Calderón de la Barca for a character in his play Life Is a Dream (1635).
Katinka f German, Hungarian, Dutch
German diminutive of Katharina, a Hungarian diminutive of Katalin and a Dutch diminutive of Catharina.
Léandre m French
French form of Leander.
Aemilia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Thaís f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese (especially Brazilian) form of Thaïs.
Aurea f Late Roman
Late Latin name that was derived from aureus "golden". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Ostia (near Rome), as well as an 11th-century Spanish saint.
Magali f French, Occitan
Occitan form of Magdalene.
Anina f German
Diminutive of Anna.
Katriina f Finnish
Short form of Katariina.
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.
Síomha f Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish form of Síthmaith.
Serafim m Greek, Portuguese, Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina) in various languages.
Devi f Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil
Derived from Sanskrit देवी (devī) meaning "goddess". This name can be used to refer to Mahadevi.
Gwendolyn f English
Variant of Gwendolen. This is the usual spelling in the United States.
Jocelyn f & m English, French
From a Frankish masculine name, variously written as Gautselin, Gauzlin, along with many other spellings. It was derived from the Germanic element *gautaz, which was from the name of the Germanic tribe the Geats, combined with a Latin diminutive suffix. The Normans brought this name to England in the form Goscelin or Joscelin, and it was common until the 14th century. It was revived in the 20th century primarily as a feminine name, perhaps an adaptation of the surname Jocelyn (a medieval derivative of the given name). In France this is a masculine name only.
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.
Eugenia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Feminine form of Eugenius (see Eugene). It was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century saint who escaped persecution by disguising herself as a man. The name was occasionally found in England during the Middle Ages, but it was not regularly used until the 19th century.
Eloísa f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Eloise.
Oswin m English (Rare)
From the Old English elements os "god" and wine "friend". Saint Oswin was a 7th-century king of Northumbria. After the Norman Conquest this name was used less, and it died out after the 14th century. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Halyna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Galina.
Lara 1 f Russian, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian
Russian short form of Larisa. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965). Between 1965 and 1969 it increased by almost 2,000 percent in the United States, however it is currently much more popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany. Another famous fictional bearer is Lara Croft, first appearing in video games in 1996 and movies in 2001.
Felícia f Hungarian, Portuguese
Hungarian and Portuguese form of Felicia.
Wilton m English
From a surname that was derived from the names of several English towns. The town names mean variously "willow town", "well town" or "town on the River Wylye" in Old English. The river name is itself of Celtic origin, possibly meaning "tricky".
Judite f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Judith.
Justine f French, English
French form of Iustina (see Justina). This is the name of the heroine in the novel Justine (1791) by the Marquis de Sade.
Lia 2 f Italian, Dutch, German
Short form of Rosalia, Julia and other names ending in lia.
Lysander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λύσανδρος (Lysandros), derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a notable 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.
Fabrice m French
French form of the Roman family name Fabricius, which was derived from Latin faber meaning "craftsman". Gaius Fabricius Luscinus was a 3rd-century BC Roman general and statesman.
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.
Mneme f Greek Mythology
Means "memory" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of memory.
Cassandra f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κασσάνδρα (Kassandra), possibly derived from κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.... [more]
Mairwen f Welsh
Combination of Mair and Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed".
Sarah f English, French, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שָׂרָה (Sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament this is the name of Abraham's wife, considered the matriarch of the Jewish people. She was barren until she unexpectedly became pregnant with Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally Sarai, but God changed it at the same time Abraham's name was changed (see Genesis 17:15).... [more]
Florinda f Spanish, Portuguese
Elaborated form of Spanish or Portuguese flor meaning "flower".
Szilvia f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Silvia.
Luna f Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English
Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.
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]
Máximo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Maximus.
Stephan m German, Dutch
German and Dutch form of Stephen.
Eulàlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Eulalia.
Serafin m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina).
Thea f German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English
Short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other names with a similar sound.
Petronella f Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian
Dutch, Swedish and Hungarian form of Petronilla.
Noreen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Nóirín.
Marinka f Croatian, Slovene
Croatian and Slovene diminutive of Marina.
Julien m French
French form of Iulianus (see Julian).
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.
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.
Pier m Italian, Dutch
Italian and Dutch variant form of Peter. In Italian, this form is often used in combination with another name.
Matías m Spanish
Spanish form of Matthias.
Grania f Irish
Latinized form of Gráinne.
Elisabet f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, Spanish, Biblical Greek
Scandinavian and Finnish form of Elizabeth. It is also used in Spain alongside the traditional form Isabel.
Savva m Russian
Russian form of Sabas.
Seanán m Irish
Modern Irish form of Senán.
Eos f Greek Mythology
Means "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.
Silviya f Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Silvia.
Stella 2 f Greek
Diminutive of Styliani, with the spelling influenced by that of Stella 1.
Godwine m Anglo-Saxon
Means "friend of god", derived from Old English god combined with wine "friend". This was the name of the powerful 11th-century Earl of Wessex, the father of King Harold II of England.
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".
Elsa f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Finnish, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English
Short form of Elisabeth, typically used independently. In medieval German tales Elsa von Brabant was the lover of the hero Lohengrin. Her story was expanded by Richard Wagner for his opera Lohengrin (1850). The name had a little spike in popularity after the 2013 release of the animated Disney movie Frozen, which featured a magical princess by this name.
Alisa f Russian, Ukrainian, Bosnian, Finnish, Georgian
Form of Alice used in several languages.
Louane f French
Combination of Lou and Anne 1.
Nikhil m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit निखिल (nikhila) meaning "whole, entire".
Calixta f Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Calixtus.
Rosabel f English (Rare)
Combination of Rosa 1 and the common name suffix bel, inspired by Latin bella "beautiful". This name was created in the 18th century.
Photine f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)). This is the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (see John 4:7). She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Church.
Caoilfhionn f Irish
Derived from the Old Irish elements cáel "slender" and finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Amabilis m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "lovable". Saint Amabilis was a 5th-century priest in Riom, central France.
Margalit f Hebrew
Means "pearl" in Hebrew, ultimately from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites).
Ilenia f Italian
Meaning unknown, possibly an elaborated variant of Elena.
Carole f French
French feminine form of Carolus.
Aimee f English
Variant of Amy, influenced by French Aimée.
Longina f Polish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Longinus.
Amala f Tamil, Malayalam
Derived from Sanskrit अमल (amala) meaning "clean, pure".
Rahela f Romanian, Croatian, Serbian
Romanian, Croatian and Serbian form of Rachel.
Madalyn f English
Variant of Madeline.
Evaline f English
Variant of Evelyn.
Avonlea f English (Rare)
Created by L. M. Montgomery as the setting for her novel Anne of Green Gables (1908). She may have based the name on the Arthurian island of Avalon, though it also resembles the river name Avon and leah "woodland, clearing".
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.
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".
Evita f Spanish, Latvian
Diminutive of Eva.
Eulalia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.
Ansel m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Anselm. A famous bearer was American photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984).
Cupid m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Cupido meaning "desire". This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of Venus and Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows, which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was Eros.
Lorrie f English
Variant of Lori.
Ingrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, German, Dutch
From the Old Norse name Ingríðr meaning "Ing is beautiful", derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with fríðr "beautiful, beloved". A famous bearer was the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982).
Charline f French
French feminine diminutive of Charles.
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.
Jacqueline f French, English
French feminine form of Jacques, also commonly used in the English-speaking world.
Katya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian diminutive of Yekaterina.
Liesbeth f Dutch
Dutch variant of Elisabeth.
Pallavi f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil
Feminine form of Pallav.
Democritus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Δημόκριτος (Demokritos), a Greek name meaning "judge of the people" from the elements δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people" and κριτής (krites) meaning "judge, critic". This was the name of a Greek philosopher, the creator of the atomic theory.
Nicoleta f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of Nicholas.
Augusta f Italian, Portuguese, English, German, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Augustus. It was introduced to Britain when King George III, a member of the German House of Hanover, gave this name to his second daughter in 1768.
Athenais f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Athena.
Michelle f French, English, Dutch
French feminine form of Michel. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the former American first lady Michelle Obama (1964-).
Anabel f Spanish
Spanish form of Annabel, also commonly used as a contraction of Ana Isabel.
Nikolaus m German
German form of Nicholas.
Dorina 2 f Hungarian
Elaboration of Dóra.
Jure m Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of George.
Anaiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has answered" in Hebrew, from עָנָה (ʿana) meaning "to answer" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Alis f Welsh
Welsh form of Alice.
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]
Elisaveta f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Elizabeth.
Mairead f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Margaret.
Elio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Aelius. This is also the Italian form of Helios.
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.
Pranay m Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit प्रणय (praṇaya) meaning "leader, guidance, love".
Vespasien m French (Rare)
French form of Vespasianus (see Vespasian).
Janene f English
Variant of Janine.
Moira f Irish, Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Máire. It also coincides with Greek Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.
Signy f Norwegian
Norwegian variant form of Signý.
Felinus m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "cat-like". This was the name of a possibly legendary saint who was martyred with Gratian in the 3rd century.
Yasaman f Persian
Variant of Yasamin.
Cece f English
Diminutive of Cecilia and other names containing a similar sound.
Juliette f French
French diminutive of Julie.
Sunitha f Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam
Southern Indian form of Sunita.
Nicol 2 f Spanish (Latin American), Czech
Spanish and Czech form of Nicole.
Florian m German, French, Romanian, Polish, History
From the Roman cognomen Florianus, a derivative of Florus. This was the name of a short-lived Roman emperor of the 3rd century, Marcus Annius Florianus. It was also borne by Saint Florian, a martyr of the 3rd century, the patron saint of Poland and Upper Austria.
Eudora f Greek Mythology
Means "good gift" in Greek, from the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
Hieronymus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), German (Archaic), Dutch (Rare)
Latin form of Jerome, formerly common in Germany and the Netherlands. Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516) was a Dutch painter known for his depictions of the torments of hell.
Maddalena f Italian
Italian form of Magdalene.
Deborah f English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name דְּבוֹרָה (Devora) meaning "bee". In the Old Testament Book of Judges, Deborah is a heroine and prophetess who leads the Israelites when they are threatened by the Canaanites. She forms an army under the command of Barak, and together they destroy the army of the Canaanite commander Sisera. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of the nurse of Rebecca.... [more]
Clifford m English
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "ford by a cliff" in Old English.
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.
Feliciana f Spanish, Italian, Late Roman
Feminine form of Felicianus (see Feliciano).
Antonin m French
French form of Antoninus. This name was borne by the French playwright Antonin Artaud (1896-1948).
Izabela f Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene
Polish, Czech, Slovak and Slovene form of Isabella.
Natalie f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
From the Late Latin name Natalia, which meant "Christmas Day" from Latin natale domini. This was the name of the wife of the 4th-century martyr Saint Adrian of Nicomedia. She is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, and the name has traditionally been more common among Eastern Christians than those in the West. It was popularized in America by actress Natalie Wood (1938-1981), who was born to Russian immigrants.
Agostina f Italian
Italian feminine form of Augustinus (see Augustine 1).
Alenka f Slovene
Slovene diminutive of Alena 1.
Godelieve f Flemish
Dutch (Flemish) form of Godeliva.
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".
Laetitia f Late Roman, French
Original Latin form of Letitia, as well as a French variant. This name began rising in popularity in France around the same time that Serge Gainsbourg released his 1963 song Elaeudanla Téïtéïa (this title is a phonetic rendering of the letters in the name Lætitia). It peaked in 1982 as the fourth most common name for girls.
Mentor m Greek Mythology
Possibly related to Greek μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force". In Greek legend Mentor was the son of Alkimos. When Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War he entrusted Mentor with the care of his palace and the guardianship of his son Telemachos. When the goddess Athena visited Telemachos she took the guise of Mentor.
Celsus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name meaning "tall" in Latin. This was the name of a 2nd-century philosopher who wrote against Christianity. It was also borne by an early saint martyred with Nazarius in Milan.
Josseline f French
French feminine variant of Jocelyn.
Naomhán m Irish
Means "little saint", derived from Irish naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Serafina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Seraphina.
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.
Ofélia f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Ophelia.
Aurelius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from Latin aureus meaning "golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.
Amelia f English, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Medieval French
Variant of Amalia, though it is sometimes confused with Emilia, which has a different origin. The name became popular in England after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century — it was borne by daughters of both George II and George III. The author Henry Fielding used it for the title character in his novel Amelia (1751). Another famous bearer was Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), the first woman to make a solo flight over the Atlantic Ocean.... [more]
Pasha m Russian
Diminutive of Pavel.
Therese f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
German and Scandinavian variant of Theresa.
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.
Faina f Russian
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from Phaenna.
Lucius m Ancient Roman, Biblical, English
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Dionne f English
Feminine form of Dion.
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).
Lilyana f Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Lillian.
Adrienne f French, English
French feminine form of Adrian.
Berengaria f Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized feminine form of Berengar. This name was borne by a 13th-century queen of Castile.
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-).
Liberty f & m English
Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism).
Aliona f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Алёна or Ukrainian Альона (see Alyona).
Eleanora f English
Latinate form of Eleanor.
Leda f Greek Mythology, Italian
Meaning unknown. In Greek myth she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra by the god Zeus, who came upon her in the form of a swan.
Halina f Polish, Belarusian
Polish and Belarusian form of Galina.
Elisedd m Old Welsh
Derived from Welsh elus meaning "kind, benevolent". This was the name of two kings of Powys in Wales.
Elina f Finnish, Estonian, Swedish
Finnish, Estonian and Swedish form of Helen.
Timotheus m Biblical Latin, German (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Latinized form of Timotheos (see Timothy).
Aubert m French
French variant of Albert.
Fina f Italian, Spanish
Short form of Serafina. Saint Fina, also known as Saint Serafina, was a 13th-century girl from the town of San Gimignano in Italy.
Niles m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Neil.
Bonita f English
Means "pretty" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin bonus "good". It has been used as a name in the English-speaking world since the beginning of the 20th century.
Maryam f Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Indonesian, Bashkir, Tatar
Arabic form of Miryam (see Mary) appearing in the Quran. It is also the form used in several other languages. In Iran it is also the name of a flower, the tuberose, which is named after the Virgin Mary.
Zoë f Dutch, English
Dutch form and English variant of Zoe.
Vana f Macedonian
Short form of Ivana or Jovana.
Áine f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Anne.
Etel f Hungarian
Short form of Etelka.
Nousha f Persian (Rare)
Means "sweet, pleasant" in Persian.
Myrrhine f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μύρρα (myrrha) meaning "myrrh". This is the name of a character in the comedy Lysistrata by the Greek playwright Aristophanes.
Constance f English, French
Medieval form of Constantia. The Normans introduced this name to England (it was the name of a daughter of William the Conqueror).
Josefiina f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Joseph.
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-).
William m English
From the Germanic name Willehelm meaning "will helmet", composed of the elements willo "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". An early saint by this name was the 8th-century William of Gellone, a cousin of Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England in the 11th century. From then until the modern era it has been among the most common of English names (with John, Thomas and Robert).... [more]
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).
Patricia f English, Spanish, German, French, Dutch, Late Roman
Feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick). In medieval England this spelling appears in Latin documents, but this form was probably not used as the actual name until the 18th century, in Scotland.
Ysabel f Spanish (Archaic)
Medieval Spanish form of Isabel.
Pépin m French
French form of Pepin.
Suzette f French
French diminutive of Suzanne.
Sive f Irish
Anglicized form of Sadhbh.
Tehila f Hebrew
Means "praise" in Hebrew, from the root הָלַל (halal) meaning "to praise, to shine".
Emelia f English
Variant of Amelia.
Amalthea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀμάλθεια (Amaltheia), derived from μαλθάσσω (malthasso) meaning "to soften, to soothe". In Greek myth she was a nymph (in some sources a goat) who nursed the infant Zeus.
Willemina f Dutch
Feminine form of Willem.
Heitor m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Hector.
Yusra f Arabic
Means "wealth, ease" in Arabic, a derivative of يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich".
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.
Jahan m Persian
Means "world" in Persian. This name was borne by Shah Jahan, a 17th-century Mughal emperor who is best known as the builder of the Taj Mahal.
Philomela f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Φιλομήλη (Philomele), derived from φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and μῆλον (melon) meaning "fruit". The second element has also been interpreted as Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song". In Greek myth Philomela was the sister-in-law of Tereus, who raped her and cut out her tongue. Prokne avenged her sister by killing her son by Tereus, after which Tereus attempted to kill Philomela. However, the gods intervened and transformed her into a nightingale.
Amethyst f English (Rare)
From the name of the purple semi-precious stone, which is derived from the Greek negative prefix (a) and μέθυστος (methystos) meaning "intoxicated, drunk", as it was believed to be a remedy against drunkenness. It is the traditional birthstone of February.
Romi f Hebrew
Means "my height, my exaltation" in Hebrew.
Mailys f French
Variant of Maylis.
Nélida f Literature, Spanish
Created by French author Marie d'Agoult for her semi-autobiographical novel Nélida (1846), written under the name Daniel Stern. It was probably an anagram of her pen name Daniel.
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-).
Esperanza f Spanish
Spanish form of the Late Latin name Sperantia, which was derived from spero "to hope".
Jocelyne f French
French feminine form of Joscelin (see Jocelyn).
Léonce m & f French
French form of Leontios, also used as a feminine name.
Aquilina f Ancient Roman, Spanish
Feminine form of Aquilinus. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Byblos.
Eunomia f Greek Mythology
Means "good order" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νόμος (nomos) meaning "law, custom". Eunomia was a Greek goddess, one of the Ὥραι (Horai), presiding over law.
Theseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by Aegeus or by the god Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.... [more]
Piran m Cornish
Possibly derived from Ciarán. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish monk who founded a monastery in Cornwall. He is the patron saint of Cornwall.
Susannah f Biblical
Form of Susanna found in some versions of the Old Testament.
Lenka f Czech, Slovak
Originally a diminutive of Magdaléna or Helena. It is now used as an independent name.
Sidonie f French
French feminine form of Sidonius.
Édith f French
French form of Edith. A notable bearer was the French cabaret singer Édith Piaf (1915-1963).
Neve f Irish
Anglicized form of Niamh.
Evy f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Diminutive of Eva or Evelina.
Eliott m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Elliott.
Aizere f Kazakh
Means "golden moon" from Kazakh ай (ay) meaning "moon" and Persian زر (zar) meaning "gold".
Flore f French
French form of Flora.
Lily-Rose f English
Combination of Lily and Rose.
Katie f English
Diminutive of Kate.
Nevena f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian
Derived from South Slavic neven meaning "marigold".