English Origin Names

Aaralyn f English (Rare)
Feminine elaboration of Aaron using the popular name suffix lyn.

Abaddon m Biblical
Means "ruin, destruction" in Hebrew. In Revelation in the New Testament this is another name of the angel of the abyss.

Abednego m Biblical
Means "servant of Nebo" in Akkadian, Nebo being the Babylonian god of wisdom. In the Old Testament Abednego is the Babylonian name given to Azariah, one of the three men cast into a blazing furnace but saved from harm by God, as told in the Book of Daniel.

Acacia f English (Rare)
From the name of a type of tree, ultimately derived from Greek ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".

Ace 1 m English
From the English word meaning "highest rank". More commonly a nickname, it is occasionally used as a given name.

Achan m Biblical
Possibly a variation of the Hebrew word עֲכָר ('akhar) meaning "trouble". In the Old Testament, Achan is stoned to death because he steals forbidden items during the assault on Jericho.

Achim 2 m Biblical
Possibly means "he will establish" in Hebrew. In the New Testament this name is listed as an ancestor of Jesus.

Adair m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Edgar.

Addie f English
Diminutive of Adelaide, Adeline, Addison and other names containing the same sound.

Addison f & m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Adam". Its recent popularity as a feminine name stems from its similarity in sound to Madison.

Addy 1 f English
Diminutive of Adelaide, Adeline, Addison and other names containing the same sound.

Addyson f English (Modern)
Feminine variant of Addison.

Aden m English (Modern)
Variant of Aidan.

Adino m Biblical
Means "ornament" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of King David's mighty men.

Adler m English (Modern)
From a German surname meaning "eagle".

Aidan m Irish, English (Modern)
Anglicized form of Aodhán. In the latter part of the 20th century it became popular in America due to its sound, since it shares a sound with such names as Braden and Hayden. It peaked ranked 39th for boys in 2003.

Aiden m English (Modern)
Variant of Aidan.

Ainslee f English (Rare)
Variant of Ainsley.

Ainsley f & m Scottish, English (Modern)
From an English surname that was from a place name: either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire. The place names themselves derive from Old English anne "alone, solitary" or ansetl "hermitage" and leah "woodland, clearing".... [more]

Ainslie f English (Rare)
Variant of Ainsley.

Alden m English
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Ealdwine.

Alger m English
From a surname that was derived from the given name Algar.

Algernon m English
Originally a Norman French nickname, derived from aux gernons "having a moustache", which was applied to William de Percy, a companion of William the Conqueror. It was first used a given name in the 15th century (for a descendant of William de Percy). This name was borne by a character (a mouse) in the short story Flowers for Algernon (1958) and novel of the same title (1966) by the American author Daniel Keyes.

Alison 2 m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Variant of Alisson.

Alisson m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Possibly a Brazilian variant of Allison. A notable bearer is the Brazilian soccer goalkeeper Alisson Ramses Becker (1992-), commonly known simply as Alisson.

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.

Allon m Biblical
Means "oak" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.

Alma 1 f English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Albanian, Slovene, Croatian
This name became popular after the Battle of Alma (1854), which took place near the River Alma in Crimea and ended in a victory for Britain and France. However, the name was in rare use before the battle; it was probably inspired by Latin almus "nourishing". It also coincides with the Spanish word meaning "the soul".

Alpha f & m English
From the name of the first letter in the Greek alphabet, Α.

Alton m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town at the source of the river" in Old English.

Alva 2 m English
Variant of Alvah. A famous bearer of this name was the inventor Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931).

Alvah m Biblical
Means "his highness" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned in the Old Testament as belonging to a descendant of Esau.

Amal 2 m Biblical
Means "work" in Hebrew. This was the name of an Asherite in the Old Testament.

Amber f English, Dutch
From the English word amber that denotes either the gemstone, which is formed from fossil resin, or the orange-yellow colour. The word ultimately derives from Arabic عنبر ('anbar). It began to be used as a given name in the late 19th century, but it only became popular after the release of Kathleen Winsor's novel Forever Amber (1944).

Amberly f English (Modern)
Elaboration of Amber, influenced by the spelling of the name Kimberly.

Amberlynn f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Amber using the popular name suffix lyn.

America f English
In the English-speaking world, this name is usually given in reference to the United States of America (see Amerigo). It came into use as an American name in the 19th century.

Amethyst f English (Rare)
From the name of the purple semi-precious stone, which is derived from the Greek negative prefix ἀ (a) and μέθυστος (methystos) meaning "intoxicated, drunk", as it was believed to be a remedy against drunkenness. It is the traditional birthstone of February.

Ami 1 m Biblical
Means "trustworthy, reliable" in Hebrew. This was the name of a servant of King Solomon in the Old Testament.

Amity f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "friendship", ultimately deriving from Latin amicitia.

Amphelise f Medieval English
Meaning unknown. It is attested from the 12th century in the Latin form Amphelisia and the vernacular form Anflis.

Anabel f Spanish
Spanish form of Annabel, also commonly used as a contraction of Ana Isabel.

Anabela f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Annabel.

Anabella f English (Modern)
Variant of Annabel.

Anabelle f English (Modern)
Variant of Annabel.

Anaya f English (Modern)
Meaning unknown, possibly from the Spanish surname Anaya (itself from the name of a Spanish town), used because of its similarity to Amaya.

Anderson m English
From a surname meaning "son of Andrew".

Anemone f English (Rare)
From the name of the anemone flower, which is derived from Greek ἄνεμος (anemos) meaning "wind".

Anima 2 f English (Rare)
Means "soul, spirit" in Latin. In Jungian psychology the anima is an individual's true inner self, or soul.

Anise f English (Rare)
From the English word for the herb, also called aniseed.

Aniya f African American (Modern)
Variant of Aniyah.

Aniyah f African American (Modern)
An invented name, probably based on the sounds found in names such as Anita and Aaliyah.

Annabel f English, Dutch
Variant of Amabel, with the spelling altered as if it were a combination of Anna and French belle "beautiful". This name appears to have arisen in Scotland in the Middle Ages.

Annabella f Italian, English (Modern)
Latinate form of Annabel. It can also be interpreted as a combination of Anna and Latin/Italian bella "beautiful".

Annabelle f English, French
Variant of Annabel. It can also be interpreted as a combination of Anna and French belle "beautiful".

Annabeth f English (Rare)
Combination of Anna and Beth.

Annalee f English (Modern)
Combination of Anna and Lee.

Anona f English
Meaning unknown. It was possibly inspired by an American song by this name written by Vivian Grey in 1903 and recorded by musician Vess Ossman. The lyrics tell of a Native American woman named Anona from Arizona.

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).

Ansley f English (Modern)
Variant of Ainsley.

Anson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Agnes".

Apphia f Biblical
Greek form of a Hebrew name that possibly meant "increasing". This is a name mentioned in Paul's epistle to Philemon in the New Testament.

Apple f English (Rare)
From the English word for the fruit, derived from Middle English appel, Old English æppel. The American actress Gwenyth Paltrow and British musician Chris Martin gave this name to their daughter in 2004.

April f English
From the name of the month, probably originally derived from Latin aperire "to open", referring to the opening of flowers. It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 1940s.

Arabella f English
Medieval Scottish name, probably a variant of Annabel. It has long been associated with Latin orabilis meaning "invokable, yielding to prayer", and the name was often recorded in forms resembling this.... [more]

Araminta f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown. This name was (first?) used by William Congreve in his comedy The Old Bachelor (1693) and later by John Vanbrugh in his comedy The Confederacy (1705). This was the original given name of abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913), who was born Araminta Ross.

Archer m English
From an English surname meaning "bowman, archer", of Old French origin. Although already slowly growing in popularity, this name accelerated its rise after the premiere of the American television series Archer in 2009.

Ardath f English
From the name of a plain that appears in the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras (verse 9:26) in some versions of the Old Testament. This place name was used by Marie Corelli for the title of an 1889 novel, which is probably the reason it gained some currency as a given name just after this time.

Arden m & f English
From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, which were derived from a Celtic word meaning "high".

Ardith f English
Variant of Ardath.

Areli m Biblical
Means "lion of God, hero" in Hebrew. This was the name of a son of Gad in the Old Testament.

Aretas m Biblical
Greek form of an Aramaic name, of unknown meaning. This was the name of four Nabataean kings of Petra in Jordan, including the first king (2nd century BC). King Aretas IV is mentioned briefly in the New Testament.

Aria 1 f English (Modern)
Means "song, melody" in Italian (literally means "air"). An aria is an elaborate vocal solo, the type usually performed in operas. As an English name, it has only been in use since the 20th century, its rise in popularity accelerating after the 2010 premier of the television drama Pretty Little Liars, featuring a character by this name. It is not traditionally used in Italy.

Ariah f English (Modern)
Variant of Aria 1.

Aridai m Biblical
Meaning uncertain, possibly of Persian origin. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the ten sons of Haman killed by the Jews.

Ariyah f English (Modern)
Variant of Aria 1.

Arleen f English
Variant of Arline.

Arlen m English
Meaning unknown, possibly from a surname.

Arlene f English, Filipino
Variant of Arline. Since the onset of the 20th century, this is the most common spelling of this name.

Arlie f & m English
Diminutive of Arline and other names beginning with Arl.

Arline f English
Meaning unknown, possibly invented by Michael William Balfe for the main character in his opera The Bohemian Girl (1843).

Arlo m English
Meaning uncertain. It was perhaps inspired by the fictional place name Arlo Hill from the poem The Faerie Queene (1590) by Edmund Spenser. Spenser probably got Arlo by altering the real Irish place name Aherlow, meaning "between two highlands".

Armani m & f English (Modern)
From an Italian surname meaning "son of Ermanno". It has been used as a given name due to the fashion company Armani, which was founded by the clothing designer Giorgio Armani (1934-).

Ash m & f English
Short form of Ashley. It can also come directly from the English word denoting either the tree or the residue of fire.

Ashlea f English (Modern)
Feminine variant of Ashley.

Ashlee f English (Modern)
Feminine variant of Ashley.

Ashleigh f English (Modern)
Feminine variant of Ashley.

Ashley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from place names meaning "ash tree clearing", from a combination of Old English æsc and leah. Until the 1960s it was more commonly given to boys in the United States, but it is now most often used on girls. It reached its height of popularity in America in 1987, but it did not become the highest ranked name until 1991, being overshadowed by the likewise-popular Jessica until then. In the United Kingdom it is still more common as a masculine name.

Ashlie f English (Modern)
Feminine variant of Ashley.

Ashlyn f English (Modern)
Combination of Ashley and the popular name suffix lyn.

Ashlynn f English (Modern)
Variant of Ashlyn.

Ashton m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname, itself derived from a place name meaning "ash tree town" in Old English. This was a rare masculine name until the 1980s, when it gradually began becoming more common for both genders. Inspired by the female character Ashton Main from the 1985 miniseries North and South, parents in America gave it more frequently to girls than boys from 1986 to 1997. Since then it has been overwhelmingly masculine once again, perhaps due in part to the fame of the actor Ashton Kutcher (1978-).

Ashtyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Ashton.

Asia 1 f English (Modern), Italian (Modern)
From the name of the continent, which is perhaps derived from Akkadian asu, meaning "east".

Aspen f English (Modern)
From the English word for a variety of deciduous trees in the genus Populus, derived from Old English æspe. It is also the name of a ski resort in Colorado.

Aspyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Aspen.

Aster f & m English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived via Latin from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star".

Aston m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from either a place name meaning "east town" in Old English or from the given name Æðelstan.

Astor m English (Rare)
From a German and French surname derived from Occitan astur meaning "hawk". The wealthy and influential Astor family, prominent in British and American society, originated in the Italian Alps.

Astoria f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Astor. This is also the name of several American towns, after the businessman John Jacob Astor.

Audie m & f English
In the case of the famed American soldier Audie Murphy (1925-1971), it is of uncertain meaning. As a feminine name, it can be a diminutive of Audrey.

Audley m English
From a surname that was taken from a place name meaning "Ealdgyð's clearing" in Old English.

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.

Aureole f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "radiant halo", ultimately derived from Latin aureolus "golden".

Autumn f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Latin autumnus. This name has been in general use since the 1960s.

Avalon f English (Rare)
From the name of the island paradise to which King Arthur was brought after his death. The name of this island is perhaps related to Welsh afal meaning "apple", a fruit that was often linked with paradise.

Averie f English (Modern)
Variant of Avery.

Averill m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was originally derived from the feminine given name Eoforhild.

Avery m & f English
From an English surname that was itself derived from the Norman French form of the given names Alberich or Alfred.... [more]

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".

Aydan 2 m English (Modern)
Variant of Aidan.

Ayden m English (Modern)
Variant of Aidan.

Ayla 3 f Literature, English (Modern)
Created for the novel Clan of the Cave Bear (1980) by author Jean M. Auel. In the novel Ayla is an orphaned Cro-Magnon girl adopted by Neanderthals. Ayla is the Neanderthal pronunciation of her real name, which is not given.... [more]

Aylmer m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was a variant of Elmer.

Azalea f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower (shrubs of the genus Rhododendron), ultimately derived from Greek ἀζαλέος (azaleos) meaning "dry".

Azazel m Biblical
Means "scapegoat" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, this is the name of the recipient of a sacrificial goat. The identity of Azazel is not clear; it may in fact be the name of the place where the goat is to be sacrificed, or it may be the name of some sort of evil desert demon.

Azel m Biblical
Means "reserved" in Hebrew. This is both the name of a minor character and a place name in the Old Testament.

Azubah f Biblical
Means "forsaken" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of Caleb's wife.

Azura f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Azure.

Azure f & m English (Rare)
From the English word that means "sky blue". It is ultimately (via Old French, Latin and Arabic) from Persian لاجورد (lajvard) meaning "azure, lapis lazuli".

Babe m & f English
From a nickname meaning "baby", also a slang term meaning "attractive person". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a diminutive of Barbara.

Bailee f English (Modern)
Variant of Bailey.

Bailey m & f English
From an English surname derived from Middle English baili meaning "bailiff", originally denoting one who was a bailiff.... [more]

Baker m English (Modern)
From an English occupational surname derived from Old English bakere meaning "baker".

Balfour m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname, originally from various place names, themselves derived from Gaelic baile "village" and pòr "pasture, crop, cropland".

Bambi f English
Derived from Italian bambina meaning "young girl". The American novelist Marjorie Benton Cooke used it in her novel Bambi (1914). This was also the name of a male deer in a cartoon by Walt Disney, which was based on a 1923 novel by Swiss author Felix Salten.

Banks m English (Modern)
From an English surname that that was given to a person who lived near a hillside or a bank of land.

Barclay m English (Rare)
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from the English place name Berkeley, itself from Old English beorc "birch" and leah "woodland, clearing".

Barret m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Barrett.

Barrett m English
From a surname probably meaning "quarrelsome, deceptive" in Middle English, originally given to a quarrelsome person.

Baxter m English
From an occupational surname that meant "(female) baker", from Old English bæcere and a feminine agent suffix.

Baylee f English (Modern)
Variant of Bailey.

Bayley m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Bailey.

Baylor m & f English (Modern)
From a surname, possibly an Americanized form of the German surname Beiler, derived from Middle High German beile meaning "measuring stick".

Bear m English (Modern)
From the English word for the animal, derived from Old English bera, probably derived from a root meaning "brown".

Beauden m English (New Zealand, Modern)
Elaboration of French beau "beautiful" using the popular phonetic suffix den, found in such names as Hayden and Aidan. This name has become popular in New Zealand due to rugby player Beauden Barrett (1991-).

Beaumont m English (Rare)
From a French surname meaning "beautiful mountain".

Beauregard m English (Rare)
From a French surname meaning "beautiful outlook".

Beavis m Popular Culture
Variant of Bevis. This name was used in the animated television program Beavis and Butthead.

Beck m & f English (Rare)
From a surname of English, German or Scandinavian origins, all derived from related words meaning "stream". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a short form of Rebecca. A noted bearer is the American rock musician Beck Hansen (1970-), born Bek David Campbell, who goes by the stage name Beck.

Beckett m English (Modern)
From an English surname that could be derived from various sources, including from Middle English bec meaning "beak" or bekke meaning "stream, brook".

Beckham m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "Becca's homestead". The Old English byname Becca meant "pickaxe". A famous bearer of the surname is retired English soccer player David Beckham (1975-).

Belinda f English
The meaning of this name is not known for certain. The first element could be related to Italian bella meaning "beautiful". The second element could be Old German lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (and by extension "snake, serpent"). This name first arose in the 17th century, and was subsequently used by Alexander Pope in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1712).

Bella f English
Short form of Isabella and other names ending in bella. It is also associated with the Italian word bella meaning "beautiful". It was used by the American author Stephenie Meyer for the main character in her popular Twilight series of novels, first released 2005, later adapted into a series of movies beginning 2008.

Bellamy f & m English (Modern)
From an English surname derived from Old French bel ami meaning "beautiful friend".

Benson m English
From an English surname that originally meant "son of Benedict".

Bentley m English
From a surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English beonet "bent grass" and leah "woodland, clearing". Various towns in England bear this name.

Benton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name, composed of Old English beonet "bent grass" and tun "enclosure".

Berry 2 f English (Rare)
From the English word referring to the small fruit. It is ultimately derived from Old English berie. This name has only been in use since the 20th century.

Beryl f English
From the English word for the clear or pale green precious stone, ultimately deriving from Sanskrit. As a given name, it first came into use in the 19th century.

Beth f English
Short form of Elizabeth, or sometimes Bethany.

Bethanie f English
Variant of Bethany.

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, used primarily by Catholics in honour of Mary of Bethany. In America it became moderately common after the 1950s.

Bethel f English
From an Old Testament place name meaning "house of God" in Hebrew. This was a town north of Jerusalem, where Jacob saw his vision of the stairway. It is occasionally used as a given name.

Bethney f English (Rare)
Variant of Bethany.

Betony f English (Rare)
From the name of the minty medicinal herb.

Bev f English
Short form of Beverly.

Bevan m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from ap Evan meaning "son of Evan". As a given name, it is particularly common in New Zealand and Australia.

Beverley f English
Variant of Beverly.

Beverly f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of a Yorkshire city, itself from Old English beofor "beaver" and (possibly) licc "stream". It came into use as a masculine given name in the 19th century, then became common as an American feminine name after the publication of George Barr McCutcheon's 1904 novel Beverly of Graustark. It was most popular in the 1930s, and has since greatly declined in use.

Bevis m English (Rare)
From an English surname that is possibly derived from the name of the French town Beauvais.

Biff m English (Rare)
From a nickname that was based on the English word biff, which means "punch, hit, strike".

Bindy f English
Diminutive of Belinda.

Bishop m English
Either from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer".

Blaine m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Irish given name Bláán.

Blair m & f Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic blàr meaning "plain, field, battlefield". In Scotland this name is typically masculine.... [more]

Blaire f English (Modern)
Variant of Blair.

Blake m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English blæc "black" or blac "pale". A famous bearer of the surname was the poet and artist William Blake (1757-1827). It was originally a mainly masculine name but in 2007 actress Blake Lively (1987-) began starring in the television series Gossip Girl, after which time it increased in popularity for girls.

Blakely f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from Old English blæc "black" and leah "woodland clearing".

Blaze m English (Modern)
Modern variant of Blaise influenced by the English word blaze.

Blessing m & f English (African)
From the English word blessing, of Old English origin. This name is most common in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.

Blondie f English (Rare)
From a nickname for a person with blond hair. This is the name of the title character in a comic strip by Chic Young.

Blossom f English
From the English word blossom, ultimately from Old English blóstm. It came into use as a rare given name in the 19th century.

Blue m & f English (Rare)
From the English word for the colour, derived via Norman French from a Frankish word (replacing the native Old English cognate blaw). Despite the fact that this name was used by the American musicians Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2012 for their first daughter, it has not come into general use in the United States.

Blythe f & m English (Rare)
From a surname meaning "cheerful" in Old English.

Bodhi m English (Modern)
From a term referring to enlightenment in Buddhism, derived from Sanskrit बोधि (bodhi).

Bodie m English (Modern)
Variant of Bodhi.

Bonnie f English
Means "pretty" from the Scottish word bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.

Booker m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "maker of books". A famous bearer was Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an African-American leader.

Boone m English
From an English surname that was either derived from Old French bon meaning "good" or from the name of the town of Bohon, France.

Boston m English
From the American city of Boston in Massachusetts, itself named after a town in Lincolnshire, England. The town's name is said to mean "Botwulf's stone".

Bowen m English (Modern)
From a Welsh surname, derived from ap Owain meaning "son of Owain".

Bowie m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
From a Scottish surname, derived from Gaelic buidhe meaning "yellow". It has been used as a given name in honour of the British musician David Bowie (1947-2016), born David Robert Jones, who took his stage name from the American pioneer James Bowie (1796-1836), though with a different pronunciation.

Boyce m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old French bois "wood".

Boyd m English
From a Scottish surname that was possibly derived from the name of the island of Bute (Bód in Gaelic).

Brad m English
Short form of Bradley, Bradford and other names beginning with Brad. A famous bearer is American actor Brad Pitt (1963-).

Braden m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Bradáin, which was in turn derived from the byname Bradán. Like other similar-sounding names such as Hayden and Aidan, it and its variant Brayden became popular in America at the end of the 20th century.

Bradford m English
From an English surname that originally came from a place name that meant "broad ford" in Old English.

Bradley m English
From an English surname that originally came from a place name meaning "broad clearing" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the World War II American general Omar Bradley (1893-1981).

Brady m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Brádaigh, itself derived from the byname Brádach. A famous bearer of the surname is the American football quarterback Tom Brady (1977-). It was also borne by a fictional family on the television series The Brady Bunch (1969-1974).

Braeden m English (Modern)
Variant of Braden.

Braelyn f English (Modern)
A recently created name, formed using the popular name suffix lyn.

Braelynn f English (Modern)
Variant of Braelyn.

Braiden m English (Modern)
Variant of Braden.

Braidy m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Brady.

Braith m English (Australian, Rare)
Meaning uncertain, perhaps from Welsh brith, braith meaning "speckled".

Brand m English (Rare)
From a surname, a variant of Brant.

Branda f English (Rare)
Perhaps a variant of Brandy or a feminine form of Brand.

Brande f English
Variant of Brandy.

Brandee f English
Variant of Brandy.

Branden m English
Variant of Brandon.

Brandi f English
Variant of Brandy.

Brandie f English
Variant of Brandy.

Brandon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "hill covered with broom" in Old English.... [more]

Brandt m English
From a surname, a variant of Brant.

Brandy f English
From the English word brandy for the alcoholic drink. It is ultimately from Dutch brandewijn "burnt wine". It has been in use as a given name since the 1960s.

Brannon m English
From an Irish surname, a variant of Brennan.

Branson m English (Modern)
From an English surname that meant "son of Brandr".

Brant m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Brandr. This is also the name for a variety of wild geese.

Brantley m English (Modern)
From a surname, an Americanized form of the German surname Brändle, ultimately from Old High German brant "fire".

Braxton m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Bracca's town" in Old English. In some cases it is given in honour of the Confederate general Braxton Bragg (1817-1876).

Brayden m English (Modern)
Variant of Braden. This is currently the more popular spelling of the name.

Braylen m English (Modern)
Variant of Braylon.

Braylon m English (Modern)
An invented name, using the same sounds found in names such as Braden and Jalen.

Brenna f English
Possibly a variant of Brenda or a feminine form of Brennan.

Brennan m English
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Braonáin) that was derived from the byname Braonán, itself from Irish braon meaning "rain, moisture, drop" combined with a diminutive suffix. As a given name, it has been used since the 1960s as an alternative to Brendan or Brandon, though it has not been as popular as them.

Brent m English
From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, perhaps derived from a Celtic word meaning "hill".

Brenton m English
From a surname that was derived from an English place name meaning "Bryni's town". Bryni was an Old English name meaning "fire".

Bret m English
Variant of Brett.

Brett m English
From a Middle English surname meaning "a Breton", referring to an inhabitant of Brittany. A famous bearer is the American football quarterback Brett Favre (1969-).

Briar m & f English (Modern)
From the English word for the thorny plant.

Bridger m English (Modern)
From an English surname that originally indicated a person who lived near or worked on a bridge.

Briggs m English (Modern)
From a surname that was derived from Middle English brigge, Old English brycg meaning "bridge".

Brigham m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from place names meaning "bridge settlement" in Old English.

Briley f English (Modern)
Modern name, probably based on the sounds found in other names such as Bryson and Riley. It also coincides with the surname Briley.

Brinley f English (Modern)
Combination of Bryn and the popular phonetic suffix lee. It also coincides with an English surname, which was derived from the name of a town meaning "burned clearing" in Old English.

Briony f English (Rare)
Variant of Bryony.

Briscoe m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "birch wood" in Old Norse.

Bristol f English (Modern)
From the name of the city in southwestern England that means "the site of the bridge".

Britannia f English (Rare)
From the Latin name of the island of Britain, in occasional use as an English given name since the 18th century. This is also the name of the Roman female personification of Britain pictured on some British coins.

Britney f English (Modern)
Variant of Brittany. This name is borne by the American pop singer Britney Spears (1981-).

Brittani f English (Modern)
Variant of Brittany.

Brittania f English (Rare)
Variant of Britannia.

Brittany f English
From the name of the region of Brittany in the northwest of France, called in French Bretagne. It was named for the Britons who settled there after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the invasions of the Anglo-Saxons.... [more]

Brittney f English (Modern)
Variant of Brittany.

Brittni f English (Modern)
Variant of Brittany.

Brittny f English (Modern)
Variant of Brittany.

Britton m English
Derived from a Middle English surname meaning "a Briton" (a Celt of England) or "a Breton" (an inhabitant of Brittany). Both ethnonyms are related to the place name Britain.

Brock m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English brocc meaning "badger".

Brodie m English (Modern)
Variant of Brody.

Brody m English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Moray, Scotland. It probably means "ditch, mire" in Gaelic.

Bronson m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of the brown one".

Bronte m & f English (Rare)
From a surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Ó Proinntigh, itself derived from the given name Proinnteach, probably from Irish bronntach meaning "generous". The Brontë sisters — Charlotte, Emily, and Anne — were 19th-century English novelists. Their father changed the spelling of the family surname from Brunty to Brontë, possibly to make it coincide with Greek βροντή meaning "thunder".

Brook m & f English
From an English surname that denoted one who lived near a brook.

Brooke f English
Variant of Brook. The name came into use in the 1950s, probably influenced by American socialite Brooke Astor (1902-2007). It was further popularized by actress Brooke Shields (1965-).

Brooklyn f & m English (Modern)
From the name of a borough of New York City, originally named after the Dutch town of Breukelen, itself meaning either "broken land" (from Dutch breuk) or "marsh land" (from Dutch broek). It can also be viewed as a combination of Brook and the popular name suffix lyn. It is considered a feminine name in the United States, but is more common as a masculine name in the United Kingdom.

Brooklynn f English (Modern)
Variant of Brooklyn.

Brooks m English
From an English surname, a variant of Brook.

Bruce m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname, of Norman origin, which probably originally referred to the town of Brix in France. The surname was borne by Robert the Bruce, a Scottish hero of the 14th century who achieved independence from England and became the king of Scotland. It has been in use as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in the 1940s and 50s. Notable bearers include Chinese-American actor Bruce Lee (1940-1973), American musician Bruce Springsteen (1949-), and American actor Bruce Willis (1955-). It is also the real name of the comic book superheroes Batman (Bruce Wayne), created 1939, and the Hulk (Bruce Banner), created 1962.

Bryant m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Brian.

Brycen m English (Modern)
Variant of Bryson.

Brylee f English (Modern)
Variant of Briley.

Brynlee f English (Modern)
Variant of Brinley.

Bryony f English (Rare)
From the name of a type of Eurasian vine, formerly used as medicine. It ultimately derives from Greek βρύω (bryo) meaning "to swell".

Bryson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Brice". Starting in the 1970s this name began steadily growing in popularity, likely because it features the same popular sounds found in other names such as Brice and Tyson.

Buck m English
From an English nickname meaning simply "buck, male deer", ultimately from Old English bucc.

Bud m English
Short form of Buddy.

Buddy m English
From the English word meaning "friend". It probably originated as a nursery form of the word brother.

Bugs m Popular Culture
From the slang term bugs meaning "crazy, unstable". Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon rabbit originally developed in the 1930s by staff at Leon Schlesinger Productions. He was named for the animator Ben "Bugs" Hardaway.

Bugsy m English
From a nickname derived from the slang term bugsy meaning "crazy, unstable". It was notably borne by the American gangster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel (1906-1947).

Burgundy f English (Rare)
This name can refer either to the region in France, the wine (which derives from the name of the region), or the colour (which derives from the name of the wine).

Burke m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English burg meaning "fortress".

Burt m English
Short form of Burton.

Burton m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "fortified town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was Richard Burton (1821-1890), an explorer of Africa and Asia.

Buster m English
Originally a nickname denoting a person who broke things, from the word bust, a dialectal variant of burst. A famous bearer was the silent movie star Buster Keaton (1895-1966).

Buz m Biblical
Means "contempt" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Abraham's brother Nahor in the Old Testament.

Buzz m English
From a nickname derived from the onomatopoeic word buzz meaning "buzz, hum, murmur". A notable bearer is American astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin (1930-), one of the first people to walk on the moon. The character Buzz Lightyear from the movie Toy Story (1995) was named after Aldrin.

Byrne m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Broin, which was derived from the given name Bran 1.

Byron m English
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "place of the cow sheds" in Old English. This was the surname of the romantic poet Lord Byron (1788-1824), the writer of Don Juan and many other works.

Bysshe m English (Rare)
From an English surname, a variant of the surname Bush, which originally indicated a person who lived near a bush. This was the middle name of the romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822).

Cade m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a nickname meaning "round" in Old English.

Caden m English (Modern)
Sometimes explained as deriving from the Irish surname Caden, which is an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Mac Cadáin, itself from the given name Cadán (of unknown meaning). In actuality, the popularity of this name in America beginning in the 1990s is due to its sound — it shares its fashionable den suffix sound with other trendy names like Hayden, Aidan and Braden.

Cadence f English (Modern)
From an English word meaning "rhythm, flow". It has been in use only since the 20th century.

Caelie f English (Rare)
Variant of Kaylee.

Caiden m English (Modern)
Variant of Caden.

Caileigh f English (Rare)
Variant of Kayleigh.

Cailin f English (Rare)
Variant of Kaylyn. It also coincides with the Irish word cailín meaning "girl".

Cailyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Kaylyn.

Cairo m English (Modern)
From the name of the city in Egypt, called القاهرة (al-Qahirah) in Arabic, meaning "the victorious".

Cal m English
Short form of Calvin and other names beginning with Cal.

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".

Calanthia f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Calanthe.

Caleigh f English (Modern)
Variant of Kayleigh or Callie.

Calla f English
From the name of two types of plants, the true calla (species Calla palustris) and the calla lily (species Calla aethiopica), both having white flowers and growing in marshy areas. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek κάλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty".

Callahan m English
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Ceallacháin, itself from the given name Cellachán.

Callan m English
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Cathaláin, derived from the given name Cathalán.

Calvin m English
Derived from the French surname Cauvin, which was derived from chauve meaning "bald". The surname was borne by Jean Cauvin (1509-1564), a theologian from France who was one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. His surname was Latinized as Calvinus (based on Latin calvus "bald") and he is known as John Calvin in English. It has been used as a given name in his honour since the 19th century.... [more]

Cam 2 m & f English
Short form of Cameron.

Camden m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, perhaps meaning "enclosed valley" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English historian William Camden (1551-1623).

Camellia f English (Rare)
From the name of the flowering shrub, which was named for the botanist and missionary Georg Josef Kamel.

Cameron m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning "crooked nose" from Gaelic cam "crooked" and sròn "nose". As a given name it is mainly used for boys. It got a little bump in popularity for girls in the second half of the 1990s, likely because of the fame of actress Cameron Diaz (1972-). In the United States, the forms Camryn and Kamryn are now more popular than Cameron for girls.

Campbell m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning "crooked mouth" from Gaelic cam "crooked" and beul "mouth".

Camron m English (Modern)
Variant of Cameron.

Camryn f & m English (Modern)
Variant (typically feminine) of Cameron.

Cannon m English
From an English surname, which was derived from Middle English canon, referring to a church official or servant who worked in a clergy house. This name may also be used in reference to the vocabulary word for the large gun, derived from Italian cannone "large tube", from Latin canna "cane, reed".

Capri f English (Modern)
From the name of the picturesque Italian island of Capri. It is likely from Greek κάπρος (kapros) meaning "wild boar", though it could also be of Etruscan origin or from Latin capri meaning "goats".

Caprice f English
From the English word meaning "impulse", ultimately (via French) from Italian capriccio.

Capricia f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Caprice.

Carey m & f English
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Ciardha, which is a patronymic derived from the given name Ciardha.

Carissa f English
Variant of Charissa.