Ami 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Ami 4 m HebrewMeans
"my people" or
"my nation" in Hebrew.
Amice f Medieval EnglishMedieval name derived from Latin
amicus meaning
"friend". This was a popular name in the Middle Ages, though it has since become uncommon.
Amika f EsperantoMeans
"friendly" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin
amicus "friend".
Amina 1 f Arabic, Bosnian, Tatar, Bashkir, Chechen, Ingush, Kazakh, Urdu, Swahili, HausaDerived from Arabic
أمن (ʾamina) meaning
"safe, secure". This was the name of the Prophet
Muhammad's mother, who died when he was young.
Amir 1 m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Kazakh, Tatar, Bashkir, Malay, Indonesian, BosnianMeans
"commander, prince" in Arabic. This was originally a title, which has come into English as the Arabic loanword
emir.
Amiran m Georgian, LiteratureVariant of
Amirani. This is the name of the central character in the medieval Georgian romance
Amiran-Darejaniani by Moses of Khoni. The author was inspired by the mythical Amirani and the stories surrounding him, and loosely based his tale on them.
Amirani m Georgian MythologyMeaning unknown, probably of Proto-Kartvelian origin. This is the name of a hero from Georgian mythology whose story is similar to that of
Prometheus from Greek mythology.
Amista f ChamorroMeans
"loyalty" in Chamorro, derived from Spanish
amistad "friendship".
Amit 1 m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, NepaliFrom Sanskrit
अमित (amita) meaning
"immeasurable, infinite".
Amitabh m HindiFrom Sanskrit
अमिताभ (amitābha) meaning
"immeasurable splendour". A famous bearer is Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan (1942-).
Amity f English (Rare)From the English word meaning
"friendship", ultimately deriving from Latin
amicitia.
Ammar m Arabic, Urdu, MalayMeans
"one who lives a long life, one who builds" in Arabic, from the root
عمر (ʿamara) meaning "to live long, to thrive". Ammar ibn Yasir was an early companion of the Prophet
Muhammad. After Muhammad's death he supported
Ali.
Ammiel m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"God is my kinsman" in Hebrew, from the roots
עַם (ʿam) meaning "people, nation, kinsman" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of one of the spies sent out by
Moses in the Old Testament.
Amogelang m & f TswanaDerived from Tswana
amogela meaning
"welcome, accept".
Amon m Egyptian Mythology (Anglicized)From
Ἄμμων (Ammon), the Greek form of Egyptian
jmn (reconstructed as
Yamanu) meaning
"the hidden one". In early Egyptian mythology he was a god of the air, creativity and fertility, who was particularly revered in Thebes. Later, during the Middle Kingdom, his attributes were combined with those of the god
Ra and he was worshipped as the supreme solar deity
Amon-Ra.
Amonet f Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
jmnt (reconstructed as
Yamanut), the feminine form of
Amon. In Egyptian mythology she was a primordial goddess, a consort of Amon. She was later overshadowed by
Mut.
Amos m English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewFrom Hebrew
עָמַס (ʿamas) meaning
"load, burden". Amos is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Amos, which speaks against greed, corruption and oppression of the poor. Written about the 8th century BC, it is among the oldest of the prophetic books. As an English name,
Amos has been used since the Protestant Reformation, and was popular among the Puritans.
Amparo f SpanishMeans
"protection, shelter, refuge" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora del Amparo, meaning "Our Lady of Refuge".
Ampelio m ItalianItalian form of
Ampelius, the Latin form of the Greek name
Ἀμπέλιος (Ampelios), which was derived from
ἄμπελος (ampelos) meaning
"vine". Saint Ampelius was a 7th-century bishop of Milan.
Amphelise f Medieval EnglishMeaning unknown. It is attested from the 12th century in the Latin form
Amphelisia and the vernacular form
Anflis.
Amphitrite f Greek MythologyPossibly means
"the surrounding sea" or
"the surrounding third", from Greek
ἀμφίς (amphis) meaning "surrounding, around, between" and the same root found in the name of
Triton. In Greek mythology she was a goddess of the sea and salt water, the wife of
Poseidon and the mother of Triton.
Amporn f ThaiDerived from Thai
อํา (am) meaning "to hide" and
พร (phon) meaning "blessing".
Amr m ArabicMeans
"life" in Arabic, from
عمر (ʿamara) meaning "to live long, to thrive". The final
و is generally not pronounced in this name.
Amrit m HindiMeans
"immortal" from Sanskrit
अ (a) meaning "not" and
मृत (mṛta) meaning "dead". In Hindu texts it refers to a drink that gives immortality.
Amse m FrisianOriginally a short form of
Adelmar (and other names starting with the Old German element
adal "noble" and a second element beginning with
m).
Amulius m Roman MythologyMeaning unknown. In Roman mythology Amulius overthrew his brother Numitor, king of Alba Longa, but was eventually deposed by Numitor's grandsons
Romulus and
Remus.
Amund m NorwegianDerived from the Old Norse name
Agmundr, from the element
egg "edge of a sword" or
agi "awe, fear" combined with
mundr "protection".
Amy f EnglishEnglish form of the Old French name
Amée meaning
"beloved" (modern French
aimée), a vernacular form of the Latin
Amata. As an English name, it was in use in the Middle Ages (though not common) and was revived in the 19th century.
Amyas m English (Rare)Meaning unknown, perhaps a derivative of
Amis. Alternatively, it may come from a surname that originally indicated that the bearer was from the city of Amiens in France. Edmund Spenser used this name for a minor character in his epic poem
The Faerie Queene (1590).
Andromeda f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive
ἀνδρός) combined with one of the related words
μέδομαι (medomai) meaning "to be mindful of, to provide for, to think on" or
μέδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". In Greek mythology Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess rescued from sacrifice by the hero
Perseus. A constellation in the northern sky is named for her. This is also the name of a nearby galaxy, given because it resides (from our point of view) within the constellation.
Angra Mainyu m Persian MythologyMeans
"evil spirit", from Avestan
𐬀𐬢𐬭𐬀 (angra) meaning "evil, destructive" and
𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬎 (mainiiu) meaning "spirit, mind". In Zoroastrianism Angra Mainyu was the god of darkness, death and destruction, the enemy of
Ahura Mazda.
Anima 1 f HindiMeans
"minuteness" from Sanskrit
अणिमन (aṇiman). In yoga texts, this is the name of the ability to make oneself infinitely small so to be invisible.
Anima 2 f English (Rare)Means
"soul, spirit" in Latin. In Jungian psychology the anima is an individual's true inner self, or soul.
Animikii m Ojibwe, New World MythologyMeans
"thunder, thunderer" in Ojibwe. In Anishinaabe mythology this is the name of the thunderbird, an immense flying creature that makes thunder with its flapping wings.
Ankhesenamun f Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
ꜥnḫ-s-n-jmn meaning
"her life is of Amon", derived from
ꜥnḫ "life" combined with the name of the god
Amon. This was the name of a 14th-century BC queen of Egypt, the wife of
Tutankhamun.
Anselm m German, English (Rare), GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
ansi "god" and
helm "helmet, protection". This name was brought to England in the late 11th century by Saint Anselm, who was born in northern Italy. He was archbishop of Canterbury and a Doctor of the Church.
Anthelm m GermanicFrom the Old German element
anto meaning "zeal" combined with
helm meaning "helmet, protection". Saint Anthelm was a 12th-century bishop of Belley in France.
Antiman m MapucheMeans
"condor of the sun" in Mapuche, from
antü "sun" and
mañku "condor".
Aram 2 m ArmenianMeaning uncertain. According to the 5th-century Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi this was the name of an ancient ancestor of the Armenian people. A famous bearer was the composer Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978).
Aramazd m Armenian MythologyArmenian form of
Ahura Mazda. This was the name of the supreme creator god in pre-Christian Armenian mythology. He and other Zoroastrian deities were introduced to Armenia during the period of Iranian domination in the 1st millenium BC.
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.
Aramis m LiteratureThe surname of one of the musketeers in
The Three Musketeers (1844) by Alexandre Dumas. Dumas based the character on the 17th-century Henri d'Aramitz, whose surname was derived from the French village of Aramits (itself from Basque
aran meaning "valley").
Araylym f KazakhMeans
"my beautiful" in Kazakh, from
арайлы (arayly) meaning "beautiful, like the dawn" combined with a possessive suffix.
Archimedes m Ancient GreekDerived from the Greek elements
ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and
μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician, astronomer and inventor.
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-).
Armas m FinnishMeans
"beloved" in Finnish (an archaic poetic word).
Armel m Breton, FrenchBreton and French form of the Old Welsh name
Arthmail, which was composed of the elements
arth "bear" and
mael "prince, chieftain". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who founded abbeys in Brittany.
Armida f Italian, Spanish (Latin American)Probably created by the 16th-century Italian poet Torquato Tasso for his epic poem
Jerusalem Delivered (1580). In the poem Armida is a beautiful enchantress who bewitches many of the crusaders.
Armide f LiteratureFrench form of
Armida. This is the name of operas by Jean-Baptiste Lully (in 1686) and Christoph Willibald Gluck (in 1777), both of which were based on
Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso.
Arminius m Old Germanic (Latinized)Latinized form of a Germanic name, possibly derived from the element *
ermunaz meaning
"whole, universal". Other theories claim that it is related to
Herman, or that it is not Germanic at all. Arminius was a 1st-century chief of the Germanic tribe of the Cherusci. Raised in Rome as a hostage, he eventually became a citizen and joined the army. However, he turned against the Empire, leading the Germans in a surprise attack in the Teutoburg Forest and driving the Romans from Germania.
Artemidoros m Ancient GreekMeans
"gift of Artemis" from the name of the goddess
Artemis combined with Greek
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a Greek author of the 2nd century who wrote about the interpretation of dreams.
Artemios m Ancient GreekDerived from the name of the Greek goddess
Artemis. This was the name of a 4th-century general in the Roman army who is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church.
Artemis f Greek Mythology, GreekMeaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek
ἀρτεμής (artemes) meaning
"safe" or
ἄρταμος (artamos) meaning
"a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of
Apollo and the daughter of
Zeus and
Leto. She was known as
Diana to the Romans.
Artemisia f Ancient GreekFeminine form of
Artemisios. This was the name of the 4th-century BC builder of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. She built it in memory of her husband, the Carian prince Mausolus.
Asami f JapaneseFrom Japanese
麻 (asa) meaning "hemp" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Asma f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, MalayMeans
"supreme, higher" in Arabic, a derivative of the root
سما (samā) meaning "to be high". This was the name of a daughter of
Abu Bakr, the first caliph of the Muslims.
Asylym f KazakhMeans
"my dear" in Kazakh, derived from
асыл (asyl) meaning "precious, noble" and the possessive suffix
ым (ym).
Atum m Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
jtm or
tmw, derived from
tm meaning
"completion, totality". This was the name of an Egyptian creator god. He was first prominently worshipped in Heliopolis during the Old Kingdom.
Aucaman m MapucheMeans
"wild condor" in Mapuche, from
awka- "wild" and
mañke "condor".
Autumn f EnglishFrom the name of the season, ultimately from Latin
autumnus. This name has been in general use since the 1960s.
Ayame f JapaneseFrom Japanese
菖蒲 (ayame) meaning "iris (flower)". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Ayaulym f KazakhMeans
"my beloved, my dear" in Kazakh, derived from
аяулы (ayauly) meaning "beloved, dear" and the possessive suffix
ым (ym).
Ayman m ArabicMeans
"right-handed, blessed, lucky" in Arabic, a derivative of
يمين (yamīn) meaning "right hand".
Aysima f TurkishDerived from Turkish
ay meaning "moon" and
sima meaning "face" (of Persian origin).
Ayumi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
歩 (ayumi) meaning "walk, step". It can also be from
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with
由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Otherwise it can be written with different combinations of kanji, or with the hiragana writing system.
Ayumu m JapaneseFrom Japanese
歩 (ayu) meaning "walk, step" and
夢 (mu) meaning "dream, vision". It can also be written with
歩 alone, or with other combinations of kanji.
Ayym f KazakhMeans
"my moon" in Kazakh, derived from
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and the possessive suffix
ым (ym).
Ba'al Hammon m Semitic MythologyFrom Phoenician
𐤁𐤏𐤋 (baʿl) meaning "lord" prefixing another word of uncertain meaning. This was the name of the supreme god worshipped in the Phoenician city of Carthage, alongside his consort
Tanith.
Bademus m History (Ecclesiastical)Latinized form of a Persian name of unknown meaning. Saint Bademus was a 4th-century Persian martyr who was a victim of Shapur II's persecutions.
Bahman m Persian, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Avestan
𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬎 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬵 (Vohu Manah) meaning
"good mind". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with domestic animals. The eleventh month of the Iranian calendar was named for him.
Bahram m Persian, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Avestan
𐬬𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬖𐬥𐬀 (Vərəthraghna) meaning
"victory over resistance". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with victory and war. It was also borne by several Sasanian emperors. It is also the Persian name for the planet Mars.
Balam m MayanMeans
"jaguar" in Mayan (Yucatec Maya
báalam; K'iche' Maya
balam).
Balarama m HinduismFrom Sanskrit
बल (bala) meaning "strength, might" combined with the name
Rama 1. According to the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata he was the elder brother of
Krishna. He was associated with agriculture and used a plough as a weapon.
Bambi f EnglishDerived 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.
Barlaam m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendMeaning unknown. In Christian legends Barlaam (recorded as Greek
Βαρλαάμ) was a 3rd-century hermit who converted Josaphat, the son of an Indian king, to Christianity. The story is based on that of the Buddha. This name was also borne by two saints.
Bartholomew m English, BiblicalEnglish form of
Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaios), which was the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning
"son of Talmai". In the New Testament
Bartholomew is the byname of an apostle, possibly the same person as the apostle
Nathanael. According to tradition he was a missionary to India before returning westward to Armenia, where he was martyred by flaying. Due to the popularity of this saint the name became common in England during the Middle Ages.
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-).
Begüm f TurkishFrom a royal title, a feminine form of the Turkic
beg meaning "chieftain" (modern Turkish
bey).
Benjamin m English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning
"son of the south" or
"son of the right hand", from the roots
בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and
יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of
Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named
בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-ʾoni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother
Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see
Genesis 35:18).
... [more] Bertram m English, German, GermanicMeans
"bright raven", derived from the Old German element
beraht "bright" combined with
hram "raven". This name has long been conflated with
Bertrand. The Normans introduced it to England, and Shakespeare used it in his play
All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Bhima m HinduismMeans
"terrible, formidable" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of the second son of
Pandu, and thus one of the five Pandavas. His true father was the wind god
Vayu. He was known for his terrific strength and skill as a warrior.
Bhishma m HinduismMeans
"terrible, dreadful, formidable" in Sanskrit. According to the
Mahabharata he was a son of
Shantanu and the river goddess
Ganga. He was originally named
Devavrata. He became an advisor to the kings of Kuru, and was renowned for his wisdom. He reluctantly helped lead the Kauravas in their war with the Pandavas, during which he was killed by the Pandava brother
Arjuna.
Bhumi f HinduismMeans
"earth, soil" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu earth goddess. She is the wife of
Varaha, an avatar of
Vishnu.
Blossom f EnglishFrom the English word
blossom, ultimately from Old English
blóstm. It came into use as a rare given name in the 19th century.