Meinwen f WelshMeans
"slender and beautiful maiden" from a Welsh compound of
main "slender" and
gwen "white, blessed".
Meirion m WelshFrom the name of the Welsh county of Meirionnydd, formerly a part of the kingdom of Gwynedd. It is probably derived from the Roman name
Marianus.
Mekan m TurkmenMeans
"place, town, edge" in Turkmen, ultimately from Arabic
مكان (makān) meaning "place, position".
Melvin m English, SwedishFrom a Scots surname that was a variant of
Melville. This name has been used in America since the 19th century. It became popular in the early 20th century and reached a peak in the late 1920s, but has steadily declined since then (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated names
Marvin and
Alvin).
Memphis m & f English (Modern)From the name of an important city of ancient Egypt, or the city in Tennessee that was named after it. It is derived from a Greek form of Egyptian
mn-nfr meaning "enduring beauty".
Menelaus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Μενέλαος (Menelaos), derived either from
μένω (meno) meaning "to stay, to last" or
μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force" combined with
λαός (laos) meaning "people". In Greek legend he was a king of Sparta and the husband of
Helen. When his wife was taken by
Paris, the Greeks led by his brother
Agamemnon besieged the city of Troy in an effort to get her back. After the war Menelaus and Helen settled down to a happy life.
Menes m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)Greek form of Egyptian
mnj probably meaning
"he who endures", derived from
mn "to endure". According to tradition, Menes was the Egyptian pharaoh who first united Upper and Lower Egypt around the 31st century BC. He is probably the same as the pharaoh known as
Narmer; Menes could have been his throne name.
Mephistopheles m LiteratureMeaning uncertain. It might be based on Hebrew
מֵפִיץ (mefits) "scatterer, disperser" and
טָפַל (ṭafal) "liar", or on Greek
μή (me) "not",
φῶς (phos) "light" and
φίλος (philos) "friend, lover". Many other etymologies have been proposed. In a German legend, notably retold by Goethe, this is the name of a demon who makes a deal with
Faust to exchange his soul for magical powers.
Mercedes f SpanishMeans
"mercies" (that is, the plural of mercy), from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, meaning "Our Lady of Mercies". It is ultimately from the Latin word
merces meaning "wages, reward", which in Vulgar Latin acquired the meaning "favour, pity".
Merfyn m WelshFrom an Old Welsh name (recorded variously as
Mermin,
Merhin or
Merwin), of uncertain meaning. It is possibly from
mer "bone marrow" or
mor "sea" with the second element possibly
mynawg "eminent, noble",
mynnu "wish, desire" or
myn "young goat, kid". This was the name of a 9th-century king of Gwynedd, Merfyn Frych.
Meritites f Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
mryt-jts meaning
"loved by her father". This name was borne by several Egyptian royals, including a wife and a daughter of the pharaoh
Khufu.
Merlin m Arthurian Cycle, EnglishForm of the Welsh name
Myrddin used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 12th-century chronicle. Writing in Latin, he likely chose the form
Merlinus over
Merdinus in order to prevent associations with French
merde "excrement".
... [more] Merlyn m & f EnglishVariant of
Merlin, sometimes used as a feminine form. It has perhaps been influenced by the Welsh word
merlyn meaning "pony".
Merryn f CornishMeaning unknown. This was the name of an early Cornish (male) saint.
Merton m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"town on a lake" in Old English.
Metehan m TurkishCombination of
Mete and Turkish
han meaning "khan, ruler, leader", referring to the 3rd-century BC Xiongnu ruler Modu Chanyu.
Methodius m Late Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Μεθόδιος (Methodios), derived from Greek
μέθοδος (methodos) meaning
"pursuit" or
"method", ultimately from
μετά (meta) meaning "with" and
ὁδός (hodos) meaning "road, way, journey". Saint Methodius was a Greek missionary to the Slavs who developed the Cyrillic alphabet (with his brother Cyril) in order to translate the Bible into Slavic.
Metis f Greek MythologyMeans
"wisdom, skill, cunning" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a Titan. Because it was prophesied that her children would be wiser than
Zeus, he swallowed her after he had impregnated her. However, their daughter
Athena eventually burst from his head fully grown.
Midas m Greek MythologyMeaning unknown. In Greek myth Midas was a king of Phrygia in Asia Minor. He was granted a wish by the god
Dionysos — that everything he touch be turned to gold.
Miervaldis m LatvianMeans
"ruling with peace", from Latvian
miers "peace" and
valdīt "to rule".
Mignon f LiteratureMeans
"cute, darling" in French. This is the name of a character in Ambroise Thomas's opera
Mignon (1866), which was based on Goethe's novel
Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship (1796).
Milagros f SpanishMeans
"miracles" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, which means "Our Lady of Miracles".
Milan m Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Dutch (Modern), German (Modern), French (Modern)From the Slavic element
milŭ meaning
"gracious, dear", originally a short form of names that began with that element. It was originally used in Czech, Slovak, and the South Slavic languages, though it has recently become popular elsewhere in Europe.
... [more] Milburn m EnglishFrom an English surname that was from a place name meaning
"mill stream" in Old English.
Miles m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Milo, introduced by the Normans to England in the form
Miles. The meaning is not known for certain. It is possibly connected to the Slavic name element
milŭ meaning
"gracious, dear". From an early date it was associated with Latin
miles meaning
"soldier".
... [more] Miloš m Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Slovene, Croatian, MacedonianOriginally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element
milŭ meaning
"gracious, dear". This was the name of a 14th-century Serbian hero who apparently killed the Ottoman sultan Murad I at the Battle of Kosovo.
Miltiades m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
μίλτος (miltos) meaning "red earth" and the patronymic suffix
ἴδης (ides). This was the name of the general who led the Greek forces to victory against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon.
Milton m English, Spanish (Latin American)From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"mill town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was John Milton (1608-1674), the poet who wrote
Paradise Lost.
Min 1 m & f Chinese, KoreanFrom
敏 (mǐn) meaning "quick, clever, sharp",
民 (mín) meaning "people, citizens", or other Chinese/Sino-Korean characters that are pronounced similarly.
Mindaugas m LithuanianPossibly from Lithuanian
mintis "thought" or
minti "to remember" combined with
daug "much". This was the name of a 13th-century ruler of Lithuania.
Min-Jun m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
敏 (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" or
旼 (min) meaning "gentle, affable" combined with
俊 (jun) meaning "talented, handsome". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Minos m Greek MythologyPossibly from a Cretan word or title meaning
"king". This was the name of a king of Crete in Greek mythology. He was the son of
Zeus and
Europa. Because Minos had refused to sacrifice a certain bull to
Poseidon, the god had caused his wife Pasiphaë to mate with the bull, which produced the half-bull creature called the Minotaur. Minos had
Daedalus construct the Labyrinth to house the beast, but it was eventually slain by
Theseus.
Miras m KazakhMeans
"legacy, inheritance" in Kazakh, from Arabic
ميراث (mīrāth) via Turkish.
Miron 2 m HebrewFrom the name of the highest mountain in Israel, Mount Meron. It is also the name of a village on its slopes, thought to be on the same site as the ancient Canaanite city of Merom.
Mistawasis m Cree (Anglicized)Means
"big child" in Cree, derived from
ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ (mistahi) "big, great" and
ᐊᐋᐧᓯᐢ (awâsis) "child". This was the name of a prominent 19th-century Cree chief.
Mittens m & f PetFrom the plural of the English word
mitten. This is a common name for cats, given because of a distinctive colouration of the paws.
Modestus m Late RomanMeans
"moderate, restrained" in Late Latin. This was the name of several saints.
Mohandas m HindiMeans
"servant of Mohana" from the name of the Hindu god
Mohana (an epithet of
Krishna) combined with Sanskrit
दास (dāsa) meaning "servant". A famous bearer of this name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), also known as Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian leader who struggled peacefully for independence from Britain.
Moon 2 f & m English (Rare)From the English word for Earth's natural satellite, ultimately from Old English
mona.
Morandus m Late RomanMedieval Latin name of uncertain meaning. It could be derived from a Germanic name. Alternatively it might be from Latin
demorandus meaning
"lasting, staying" or
Maurus meaning
"North African, Moorish".
Morgan 1 m & f Welsh, English, FrenchFrom the Old Welsh masculine name
Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh
mor "sea" and
cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America
Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of
Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).
Morgan 2 f Arthurian CycleModern form of
Morgen, which was used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century for the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay, who was unnamed in earlier stories. Geoffrey probably did not derive it from the Welsh masculine name
Morgan, which would have been spelled
Morcant in his time. It is likely from Old Welsh
mor "sea" and the suffix
gen "born of".
Morpheus m Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
μορφή (morphe) meaning
"shape", referring to the shapes seen in dreams. In Greek mythology Morpheus was the god of dreams.
Morrígan f Irish MythologyMeans either
"demon queen" or
"great queen", derived from Old Irish
mor "demon, evil spirit" or
mór "great, big" combined with
rígain "queen". In Irish mythology Morrígan (called also The Morrígan) was a goddess of war and death who often took the form of a crow.
Morton m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"moor town" in Old English.
Morven f ScottishFrom the name of a region in western Scotland, also called
Morvern or in Gaelic
A' Mhorbhairne, meaning
"the big gap". This is the location of Fingal's kingdom in James Macpherson's 18th-century poems.
Mostyn m WelshFrom the name of a town in northern Wales, which is probably derived from Old English elements meaning
"moss town".
Mubin m ArabicMeans
"clear, distinct" in Arabic, a derivative of
بان (bāna) meaning "to be plain, to be evident".
Muchen m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
沐 (mù) meaning "bathe, wash" combined with
宸 (chén) meaning "mansion, palace" or
辰 (chén) meaning "morning". This name can also be formed from other combinations of similar-sounding characters.
Muirgen f Irish MythologyMeans
"born of the sea" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a woman (originally named
Lí Ban) who was transformed into a mermaid. After 300 years she was brought to shore, baptized, and transformed back into a woman.
Mulan f Chinese MythologyFrom Chinese
木兰 (mùlán) meaning
"magnolia". This is the name of a legendary female warrior who disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father's place when he is conscripted into the army.
Mumin m ArabicMeans
"believer" in Arabic, ultimately related to
أمن (ʾamuna) meaning "to be faithful".
Mun m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
文 (mun) meaning "writing" or other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. It usually occurs in combination with another character.
Murron f Popular CultureUsed in the 1995 movie
Braveheart for William Wallace's wife, who is murdered early in the film. In reality, Wallace may have been married to a woman named
Marion.
Murugan m Hinduism, TamilFrom a Tamil word meaning
"young". This was the name of a Tamil war god who is now identified with
Skanda.
Muscowequan m Ojibwe (Anglicized)From Ojibwe
Maskawigwan meaning
"hard quill", derived from
mashkawaa "hard" and
gaaway "quill". This was the name of a 19th-century Saulteaux chief.
Myles 2 m Greek MythologyProbably from Greek
μύλη (myle) meaning
"mill". This was the name of a king of Laconia in Greek mythology.
Myrddin m Welsh Mythology, WelshOriginal Welsh form of
Merlin. It is probably ultimately from the name of the Romano-British settlement
Moridunum, derived from Celtic *
mori "sea" and *
dūnom "rampart, hill fort". Prefixed with Welsh
caer "fort", this town has been called Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen in English) from medieval times. It is thought that
Caerfyrddin may have mistakenly been interpreted as meaning "fort of Myrddin", as if
Myrddin were a personal name instead of a later development of
Moridunum.
... [more] Myron m English, Ukrainian, Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
μύρον (myron) meaning
"sweet oil, perfume". Myron was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek sculptor. Saints bearing this name include a 3rd-century bishop of Crete and a 4th-century martyr from Cyzicus who was killed by a mob. These saints are more widely revered in the Eastern Church, and the name has generally been more common among Eastern Christians. As an English name, it has been used since the 19th century.
Nəfəs f AzerbaijaniMeans
"breath" in Azerbaijani, derived from Arabic
نفس (nafas), ultimately related to the root
نفس (nafusa) meaning "to be precious".
Nan f EnglishOriginally a diminutive of
Ann. It may have originated with the affectionate phrase
mine Ann, which was later reinterpreted as
my Nan. It is now also used as a short form of
Nancy.
Naomhán m IrishMeans
"little saint", derived from Irish
naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Napoleon m History, EnglishFrom the old Italian name
Napoleone, used most notably by the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who was born on Corsica. The etymology is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from Old German
Nibelungen meaning
"sons of mist", a name used in Germanic legend to refer to the keepers of a hoard of treasure, often identified with the Burgundians. Alternatively, it could be connected to the name of the Italian city of Napoli (Naples).
Naram-Sin m AkkadianMeans
"beloved of Sin", from Akkadian
narāmu and the god's name
Sin. This was the name of a 23rd-century BC ruler of the Akkadian Empire, the grandson of
Sargon.
Narin f TurkishMeans
"slender, delicate, fragile" in Turkish.
Narses m Middle Persian (Hellenized)Hellenized form of the Middle Persian name
𐭭𐭥𐭮𐭧𐭩 (Narseh), which was derived from Avestan
Nairyosangha. This name was borne by a 3rd-century ruler of the Persian Sasanian Empire. It was also borne by a Byzantine general of Armenian and Parthian descent who helped restore Italy to the Roman Empire during the reign of Justinian I in the 6th century.
Nazarius m Late RomanLatin name meaning
"from Nazareth". Nazareth was the town in Galilee where
Jesus lived. This name was borne by several early saints, including a man martyred with Celsus in Milan.
Nechtan m Irish Mythology, Old IrishIrish name of uncertain meaning, possibly from a Celtic root meaning
"damp" (cognate with
Neptune). In Irish mythology Nechtan was the husband of
Boann, the goddess of the River Boyne. He is sometimes identified with
Nuada. This name was borne by the 5th-century Saint Nectan of Hartland in Devon, who was supposedly born in Ireland. It was also the name of several kings of the Picts (described mostly from Gaelic sources, this may represent a Pictish cognate).
Nelson m English, SpanishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Neil". It was originally given in honour of the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). His most famous battle was the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he destroyed a combined French and Spanish fleet, but was himself killed. Another notable bearer was the South African statesman Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). Mandela's birth name was
Rolihlahla; as a child he was given the English name
Nelson by a teacher.
Nemesis f Greek MythologyMeans
"distribution of what is due, righteous anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Nemesis was the personification of vengeance and justice.
Nemesius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Νεμέσιος (Nemesios), derived from the name of the Greek goddess
Nemesis. This name was borne by a 4th-century Christian philosopher. It was also borne by an early saint and martyr.
Nennius m HistoryMeaning unknown, presumably a Latinized form of a Brythonic name (perhaps
Nynniaw). According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, this was the name of a British prince who fought against the invading forces of Julius Caesar. It was also borne by a 9th-century Welsh monk, traditionally credited with authoring the
History of the Britons.
Nephthys f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)Greek form of Egyptian
nbt-ḥwt (reconstructed as
Nebet-Hut) meaning
"lady of the house", derived from
nbt "lady" and
ḥwt "house". This was the name of an Egyptian goddess associated with the air, death and mourning. She was wife of the desert god
Seth.
Nereus m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekDerived from Greek
νηρός (neros) meaning
"water". In Greek myth this was the name of a god of the sea, the father of the Nereids. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament, belonging to a Christian in Rome. This was also the name of a Roman saint of the 1st century, a member of the army, who was martyred with his companion Achilleus because they refused to execute Christians.
Nerses m ArmenianArmenian form of Middle Persian
Narseh (see
Narses). Saint Nerses was a 4th-century patriarch of the Armenian Church.
Nerthus f Germanic Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Germanic *
Nerþuz, which is also the root of the Old Norse god's name
Njǫrðr (see
Njord). Nerthus was a Germanic goddess of fertility as described by the Roman historian Tacitus in the 1st century.
Nerys f WelshProbably a feminized form of Welsh
nêr meaning
"lord".
Neslihan f TurkishFrom Turkish
nesl meaning "lineage" and
han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".
Nestan-Darejan f LiteratureCreated by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for a character in his 12th-century epic
The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Rustaveli derived it from the Persian phrase
نیست اندر جهان (nīst andar jahān) meaning
"unlike any other in the world" or
"unique". In the poem Nestan-Darejan is a princess loved by
Tariel.
Newton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"new town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
Nicasius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Νικάσιος (Nikasios), a derivative of
νίκη (nike) meaning
"victory". This was the name of a few early saints, including Nicasius of Die (4th century) and Nicasius of Rheims (5th century).
Nicholas m EnglishFrom the Greek name
Νικόλαος (Nikolaos) meaning
"victory of the people", derived from Greek
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and
λαός (laos) meaning "people". Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop from Anatolia who, according to legend, saved the daughters of a poor man from lives of prostitution. He is the patron saint of children, sailors and merchants, as well as Greece and Russia. He formed the basis for the figure known as Santa Claus (created in the 19th century from Dutch
Sinterklaas), the bringer of Christmas presents.
... [more] Nicolaus m German, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of
Nikolaos (see
Nicholas). This form is also used in Germany as a variant of
Nikolaus. A notable bearer was the German-speaking Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543). This was his Latin name; his German name was recorded in various spellings such as
Niklas Koppernigk.
Niels 1 m DanishDanish form of
Nicholas. A famous bearer was Niels Bohr (1885-1962), a Danish physicist who investigated the structure of atoms.
Nieves f SpanishMeans
"snows" in Spanish, derived from the title of the Virgin
Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows".
Nikandros m Ancient GreekMeans
"victory of a man" from the Greek elements
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive
ἀνδρός). This was the name of a 2nd-century BC Greek poet and grammarian from Colophon.
Nikephoros m & f Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyMeans
"carrying victory" from Greek
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and
φέρω (phero) meaning "to carry, to bear". This name was borne by several Byzantine emperors, including the 10th-century Nikephoros II Phokas. Besides being a masculine personal name, it was also a title borne by the goddess
Athena.
Niketas m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
νικητής (niketes) meaning
"winner, victor". Saint Niketas was a 4th-century bishop of Remesiana in Serbia. He is a patron saint of Romania.
Nikias m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
νίκη (nike) meaning
"victory". This was the name of an Athenian general who fought in the Peloponnesian war.
Nikomachos m Ancient GreekMeans
"battle of victory" from Greek
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and
μάχη (mache) meaning "battle". This was the name of both the father and son of the Greek philosopher Aristotle. It was also borne by a 2nd-century Greek mathematician.
Nikomedes m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and
μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, a priest beaten to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods.
Niles m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the given name
Neil.
Ninian m ScottishFrom the name of a 5th-century British saint, known as the Apostle to the Picts, who was apparently responsible for many miracles and cures. He first appears briefly in the 8th-century Latin writings of the historian Bede, though his name is only written in the ablative case
Nynia. This may represent a Brythonic name *
Ninniau.
Ninos m Ancient Assyrian (Hellenized)Probably from the name of the ancient city of
Nineveh in Assyria. According to Greek historians this was the name of the husband of
Semiramis and the founder of Nineveh. In actuality he does not correspond to any known Assyrian king, and is likely a composite character named after the city.
Ninsun f Sumerian MythologyFrom Sumerian
nin-sumun-a(k) meaning
"lady of the wild cow", derived from
𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of
𒄢 (sumun) meaning "wild cow". In Sumerian mythology Ninsun was the divine mother of
Gilgamesh.
Nisus m Roman MythologyMeaning unknown. According to
Virgil's
Aeneid, this was the name of the son of the Trojan Hyrtacus (himself mentioned in the
Iliad, though Nisus is not). In the
Aeneid Nisus is the friend of
Euryalus. After Euryalus is captured by the Rutuli, both are slain when Nisus attempts to save him.
Nixon m English (Modern)From an English surname meaning
"son of Nick". It was borne by the American president Richard Nixon (1913-1994).
Nodens m Celtic MythologyPossibly from the old Celtic root *
snowdo- meaning "mist, haze". Alternatively it might be related to the Indo-European root *
neud- meaning
"to acquire, to use". This is the name of a Celtic god associated with healing, hunting and fishing. He is known from a shrine excavated at Gloucestershire, where the name is only found in the dative forms
Nodenti and
Nodonti. He probably forms the basis for the legendary figures of
Nuada (Irish) and
Nudd (Welsh).
Nokomis f New World MythologyFrom Ojibwe
nookomis meaning
"my grandmother". In Anishinaabe legend this is the name of
Nanabozho's grandmother. It was used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for the grandmother of
Hiawatha in his 1855 poem
The Song of Hiawatha.
Nolan m English, French (Modern)From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Nualláin, itself derived from the given name
Nuallán. The baseball player Nolan Ryan (1947-) is a famous bearer. This name has climbed steadily in popularity since the 1970s.