Vilma f Spanish, Portuguese, Finnish, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, CroatianForm of
Wilma in several languages.
Vincent m English, French, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, SlovakFrom the Roman name
Vincentius, which was derived from Latin
vincere meaning
"to conquer". This name was popular among early Christians, and it was borne by many saints. As an English name,
Vincent has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the 19th century. Famous bearers include the French priest Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) and the Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890).
Vinicio m Italian, SpanishItalian and Spanish form of the Roman family name
Vinicius, which was possibly derived from Latin
vinum "wine".
Vinícius m PortuguesePortuguese form of
Vinicius (see
Vinicio). It gained popularity in Brazil due to the poet and musician Vinícius de Moraes (1913-1980).
Viola f English, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Czech, SlovakMeans
"violet" in Latin. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's comedy
Twelfth Night (1602). In the play she is the survivor of a shipwreck who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Working as a messenger for Duke
Orsino, she attempts to convince
Olivia to marry him. Instead Viola falls in love with the duke.
Violet f EnglishFrom the English word
violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin
viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.
Viorel m RomanianDerived from
viorea, the Romanian word for the alpine squill flower (species Scilla bifolia) or the sweet violet flower (species Viola odorata). It is derived from Latin
viola "violet".
Virgil m English, RomanianFrom the Roman family name
Vergilius, which is of unknown meaning. This name was borne by the 1st-century BC Roman poet Publius Vergilius Maro, commonly called Virgil, who was the writer of the
Aeneid. Due to him,
Virgil has been in use as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
Virginia f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Greek, Ancient RomanFeminine form of the Roman family name
Verginius or
Virginius, which is of unknown meaning, but long associated with Latin
virgo "maid, virgin". According to a legend, it was the name of a Roman woman killed by her father so as to save her from the clutches of a crooked official.
... [more] Vitale m ItalianItalian form of the Late Latin name
Vitalis, which was derived from Latin
vitalis meaning
"of life, vital". Vitalis was the name of several early saints and martyrs.
Vitalianus m Late RomanRoman cognomen that was derived from
Vitalis. This was the name of a 7th-century pope who is considered a saint.
Vito 1 m Italian, SpanishItalian and Spanish form of
Vitus. A notable fictional bearer is Vito Corleone from
The Godfather novel (1969) and movie (1972).
Vitus m Ancient RomanRoman name that was derived from Latin
vita "life". Saint Vitus was a child martyred in Sicily in the early 4th century. From an early date this name was confused with the Germanic name
Wido.
Vivian m & f English, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishFrom the Latin name
Vivianus, which was derived from Latin
vivus "alive". Saint Vivian was a French bishop who provided protection during the Visigoth invasion of the 5th century. It has been occasionally used as an English (masculine) name since the Middle Ages. In modern times it is also used as a feminine name, in which case it is either an Anglicized form of
Bébinn or a variant of
Vivien 2.
Vivien 2 f Literature, HungarianUsed by Alfred Tennyson as the name of the Lady of the Lake in his Arthurian epic
Idylls of the King (1859). Tennyson may have based it on
Vivienne, but it possibly arose as a misreading of
Ninian. A famous bearer was British actress Vivien Leigh (1913-1967), who played Scarlett O'Hara in
Gone with the Wind.
Vjollca f AlbanianDerived from Albanian
vjollcë meaning
"violet", referring to both the flower and the colour.
Voldemort m LiteratureInvented by author J.K. Rowling, apparently based on French
vol de mort meaning
"flight of death" or
"theft of death". This is the name of the primary villain in Rowling's
Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997. The books explain that he created his name by anagramming his birth name Tom Marvolo Riddle into
I am Lord Voldemort.
Vulcan m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)From the Latin
Vulcanus, possibly related to
fulgere meaning
"to flash", but more likely of pre-Latin origin. In Roman mythology Vulcan was the god of fire. He was later equated with the Greek god
Hephaestus.
Wace m Old NormanNorman form of
Wazo. This name was borne by a 12th-century Norman poet from the island of Jersey.
Walburga f GermanMeans
"power of the fortress" from Old German
walt meaning "power, authority" and
burg meaning "fortress" (or perhaps from Old English cognates, though as an Old English name it is unattested). This was the name of an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon saint who did missionary work in Germany.
Waldebert m GermanicGermanic name composed of the elements
walt "power, authority" and
beraht "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century Frankish saint from Luxeuil (called
Valbert or
Gaubert in French).
Waldo 2 m GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names containing the Old Frankish element
wald or Old High German element
walt meaning
"power, authority" (Proto-Germanic *
waldaz). This was the name of an 8th-century abbot of Reichenau. It was also borne by the 12th-century French merchant Peter Waldo, who founded the religious order of the Waldensians.
Walt m EnglishShort form of
Walter. A famous bearer was the American animator and filmmaker Walt Disney (1901-1966).
Wálter m Spanish, PortugueseSpanish and Portuguese variant form of
Walter, more common in South America than Europe. It is often written without the diacritic.
Walter m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Italian, GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Waltheri meaning
"power of the army", from the elements
walt "power, authority" and
heri "army". In medieval German tales (notably
Waltharius by Ekkehard of Saint Gall) Walter of Aquitaine is a heroic king of the Visigoths. The name was also borne by an 11th-century French saint, Walter of Pontoise. The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Wealdhere.
... [more] Walton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from various Old English place names meaning
"stream town",
"wood town", or
"wall town".
Waltraud f GermanFrom the Old German elements
walt "power, authority" and
drud "strength". This name was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint who founded a convent near Mons, Belgium.
Warin m GermanicOld German name derived from the element
war meaning
"aware, cautious" (Proto-Germanic *
waraz, and the related verbs *
warjaną "to ward off" and *
warnōną "to ward off").
Wario m Popular CultureCombination of
Mario and Japanese
悪い (warui) meaning "bad, evil". This is the name of Mario's evil counterpart in Nintendo video games, first appearing 1992.
Warwick m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from the name of a town in England, itself from Old English
wer "weir, dam" and
wic "settlement".
Watson m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Wat". A famous fictional bearer of the surname was Dr. Watson, the assistant to Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's mystery stories beginning in 1887.
Wazo m GermanicOriginally a short form of names beginning with Old Frankish
waddi or Old High German
wetti meaning
"pledge" (Proto-Germanic *
wadją), or alternatively
war meaning
"aware, cautious" (Proto-Germanic *
waraz).
Wenche f NorwegianNorwegian variant of
Wenke. A famous bearer is the Norwegian singer Wenche Myhre (1947-), known as
Wencke in some countries so as to avoid pronunciation confusion.
Wendel m & f Dutch (Rare), German (Rare), Portuguese (Brazilian)Old short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
wentil meaning
"a Vandal". The Vandals were a Germanic tribe who invaded Spain and North Africa in the 5th century. Their tribal name, which may mean "wanderer", has often been confused with that of the Wends, a Slavic people living between the Elbe and the Oder.
... [more] Wendell m EnglishFrom a German and Dutch surname that was derived from the given name
Wendel. In America this name has been given in honour of the poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894) and his son the Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935). The elder's middle name came from his mother's maiden name (which had been brought to America by a Dutch ancestor in the form
Wendel, with the extra
l added later).
Wenilo m GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with Old Frankish
wani or Old High German
wan meaning
"hope, expectation".
Wenke f Low GermanLow German diminutive of Germanic names containing the element
wini meaning
"friend".
Werner m German, DutchFrom an Old German name derived from the element
warin, related to
war meaning "aware, cautious", combined with
heri meaning "army". This was the name of a 13th-century boy from Oberwesel, Germany who was formerly regarded as a saint. He is no longer recognized as such by the Church. Another famous bearer was the German physicist Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976).
Werther m German (Rare)Derived from the Old German elements
werd "worthy" and
heri "army". Goethe used this name in his novel
The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774).
Wido m GermanicOriginally a short form of names beginning with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element
widu, Old High German
witu, meaning
"wood" (Proto-Germanic *
widuz). This was the name of two 11th-century saints, one from Belgium and one from northern Italy, both commonly called
Guido or
Guy. From early times this name has been confused with the Latin name
Vitus.
Widukind m GermanicOld Saxon name composed of the elements
widu "wood" and
kind "child". This was the name of an 8th-century Saxon leader who fought against the Franks, in the end unsuccessfully.
Wiebe m Frisian, DutchOriginally a Frisian short form of
Wigberht (and other names starting with the Old German element
wig meaning "war" and a second element beginning with
b).
Wigberht m Anglo-Saxon, GermanicDerived from the Old English elements
wig "battle" and
beorht "bright". This is also a continental Germanic equivalent, derived from the Old German elements
wig and
beraht. The name was borne by an 8th-century English saint who did missionary work in Frisia and Germany.
Wilhelm m German, Polish, GermanicGerman cognate of
William. This was the name of two German emperors. It was also the middle name of several philosophers from Germany: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), who was also a notable mathematician. Another famous bearer was the physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845-1923).
Wilhelmus m DutchLatinized form of
Wilhelm. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but not commonly in daily life.
Wilkie m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a diminutive of the given name
William.
Will m EnglishShort form of
William and other names beginning with
Will. A famous bearer is American actor Will Smith (1968-), whose full name is Willard.
Willard m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old German given name
Willihard (or the Old English cognate
Wilheard).
Willehad m GermanicOld German or Old English name derived from the elements
willo "will, desire" and
hadu "battle, combat". This was the name of an 8th-century Northumbrian saint active in Frisia and Saxony.
Willem m DutchDutch form of
William. Willem the Silent, Prince of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain that brought about the independence of the Netherlands. He is considered the founder of the Dutch royal family. In English he is commonly called William of Orange.
William m EnglishFrom 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] Williamina f ScottishFeminine form of
William. A famous bearer of this name was Williamina Fleming (1857-1911), a Scottish astronomer.
Willibald m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
willo "will, desire" and
bald "bold, brave". Saint Willibald was an 8th-century bishop of Eichstätt, Bavaria.
Willie m & f EnglishMasculine or feminine diminutive of
William. Notable bearers include the retired American baseball player Willie Mays (1931-) and the musician Willie Nelson (1933-).
Wiltrud f GermanDerived from the Old German elements
willo "will, desire" and
drud "strength". This name was borne by a 10th-century German saint from Bergen.
Winnetou m LiteratureCreated by the German author Karl May for an Apache chief, first appearing in his 1875 novel
Old Firehand and subsequently in several other works.
Wobbe m FrisianOriginally a Frisian short form of
Waldebert (and other names starting with the Old German element
walt meaning "power, authority" and a second element beginning with
b).
Wolfgang m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
wolf meaning "wolf" and
gang meaning "path, way". Saint Wolfgang was a 10th-century bishop of Regensburg. Two other famous bearers of this name were Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and German novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).
Wolfhard m GermanDerived from the Old German element
wolf meaning "wolf" combined with
hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Wolfram m GermanDerived from the Old German element
wolf meaning "wolf" combined with
hram meaning "raven". Saint Wolfram (or Wulfram) was a 7th-century archbishop of Sens. This name was also borne by the 13th-century German poet Wolfram von Eschenbach, the author of
Parzival.
Wukong m LiteratureMeans
"awakened to emptiness", from Chinese
悟 (wù) meaning "enlightenment, awakening" and
空 (kōng) meaning "empty, hollow, sky". This is the name of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, in the 16th-century Chinese novel
Journey to the West.
Yolanda f Spanish, EnglishFrom the medieval French name
Yolande, which was probably a form of the name
Violante, which was itself a derivative of Latin
viola "violet". Alternatively it could be of Germanic origin.
... [more] Yolande f FrenchFrench form of
Yolanda. A notable bearer of the 15th century was Yolande of Aragon, who acted as regent for the French king Charles VII, her son-in-law. She was a supporter of Joan of Arc.
Yvelise f FrenchFeminine form of
Yves (or an elaboration using
Élise). It was (first?) borne by the title character in the Italian novel
Yvelise (1923) by Guido da Verona. It later appeared in the photonovel
Yvelise devant l'amour published in the French magazine
Nous Deux in 1950.
Yves m FrenchMedieval French form of
Ivo 1. This was the name of two French saints: an 11th-century bishop of Chartres and a 13th-century parish priest and lawyer, also known as Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of Brittany.
Zelda 2 f EnglishShort form of
Griselda. This is the name of a princess in the
Legend of Zelda video games, debuting in 1986 and called
ゼルダ (Zeruda) in Japanese. According to creator Shigeru Miyamoto she was named after the American socialite Zelda Fitzgerald (1900-1948).
Zélie f FrenchShort form of
Azélie. This is another name of Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin (1831-1877).