Swarna m & f Telugu, HindiMeans
"good colour" or
"golden", a contraction of the Sanskrit prefix
सु (su) meaning "good" and
वर्ण (varṇa) meaning "colour". This is a transcription of both the masculine form
स्वर्ण and the feminine form
स्वर्णा (spelled with a long final vowel).
Sycorax f LiteratureCreated by Shakespeare for a witch character in his play
The Tempest (1611). The character has died by the time the play begins, so she is only spoken of and not seen. The name's meaning is unknown, though it might have been inspired by Latin
corax or Greek
κόραξ (korax) meaning
"raven", referring to the 5th-century BC Greek rhetorician Corax of Syracuse. One of the moons of Uranus bears this name in the character's honour.
Tahmuras m Persian MythologyPersian form of Avestan
𐬙𐬀𐬑𐬨𐬀⸱𐬎𐬭𐬎𐬞𐬌 (Taxma Urupi), derived from
𐬙𐬀𐬑𐬨𐬀 (taxma) meaning "strong" and
𐬎𐬭𐬎𐬞𐬌 (urupi) meaning "fox". Taxma Urupi is a hero mentioned in the
Avesta who later appears in the 10th-century Persian epic the
Shahnameh.
Takara m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
宝 (takara) meaning "treasure, jewel", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.
Tamara f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Hungarian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Lithuanian, GeorgianRussian form of
Tamar. Russian performers such as Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978), Tamara Drasin (1905-1943), Tamara Geva (1907-1997) and Tamara Toumanova (1919-1996) introduced it to the English-speaking world. It rapidly grew in popularity in the United States starting in 1957. Another famous bearer was the Polish cubist painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980).
Tangaroa m Polynesian MythologyMeaning unknown. In Polynesian mythology he was the god of the sea, the son of
Rangi and
Papa. He separated his parents' embrace, creating the earth and the sky.
Tara 1 f EnglishAnglicized form of the Irish place name
Teamhair, which possibly means
"elevated place". This was the name of the sacred hill near Dublin where the Irish high kings resided. It was popularized as a given name by the novel
Gone with the Wind (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939), in which it is the name of the O'Hara plantation.
Tara 2 f Hinduism, Buddhism, Hindi, NepaliMeans
"star" in Sanskrit. Tara is the name of a Hindu astral goddess, the wife of Brhaspati. She was abducted by
Chandra, the god of the moon, leading to a great war that was only ended when
Brahma intervened and released her. This name also appears in the epic the
Ramayana belonging to the wife of Vali and, after his death, his younger brother Sugriva. In Buddhist belief this is the name of a bodhisattva associated with salvation and protection.
Taran m Welsh Mythology, PictishMeans
"thunder" in Welsh, from the old Celtic root *
toranos. It appears briefly in the Second Branch of the
Mabinogi. The name is cognate to that of the Gaulish god
Taranis. It was also borne by the 7th-century Pictish king Taran mac Ainftech.
Taranis m Gaulish MythologyDerived from the old Celtic root *
toranos meaning
"thunder", cognate with
Þórr (see
Thor). This was the name of the Gaulish thunder god, who was often identified with the Roman god
Jupiter.
Taras m Ukrainian, Russian, BelarusianUkrainian, Russian and Belarusian form of the Greek name
Ταράσιος (Tarasios), which possibly means
"from Taras". Taras was an Italian city, now called Taranto, which was founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BC and was named for the Greek mythological figure Taras, a son of
Poseidon. Saint Tarasios was an 8th-century bishop of Constantinople. It was also borne by the Ukrainian writer and artist Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861).
Tarhunna m Hittite MythologyFrom Hittite or Luwian
tarh meaning
"to cross, to conquer". This was the name of the Hittite god of the weather, storms, and the sky, and the slayer of the dragon Illuyanka. He was closely identified with the Hurrian god
Teshub, and sometimes with the Semitic god
Hadad.
Tarzan m LiteratureCreated by Edgar Rice Burroughs for the main character in his novel
Tarzan of the Apes (1912). In the novel Tarzan is the ape name of the baby John Clayton, who was adopted by the animals after his parents died in the African jungle. The name is said to mean
"white skin" in the fictional Mangani ape language.
Teimuraz m GeorgianGeorgian form of
Tahmuras. This was the name of several kings who ruled over kingdoms located in what is now modern Georgia.
Temperance f EnglishFrom the English word meaning
"moderation" or
"restraint". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It experienced a modest revival in the United States during the run of the television series
Bones (2005-2017), in which the main character bears this name.
Terah m BiblicalPossibly means
"station" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Terah is the father of
Abraham. He led his people out of Ur and towards Canaan, but died along the way.
Teresa f Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Catalan, Polish, Lithuanian, Finnish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, EnglishForm of
Theresa used in several languages. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a 16th-century Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelite monasteries and wrote several spiritual books. It was also borne by the Albanian missionary Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), better known as Mother Teresa, who worked with the poor in India. She adopted the name in honour of the French saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron of missionaries.
Terra f EnglishVariant of
Tara 1, perhaps influenced by the Latin word
terra meaning
"land, earth".
Theodora f English, Greek, Ancient GreekFeminine form of
Theodore. This name was common in the Byzantine Empire, being borne by several empresses including the influential wife of Justinian in the 6th century.
Theresa f English, GermanFrom the Spanish and Portuguese name
Teresa. It was first recorded as
Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek
θέρος (theros) meaning
"summer", from Greek
θερίζω (therizo) meaning
"to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).
... [more] Þóra f Old Norse, IcelandicEither a feminine form of
Þórr (see
Thor) or else a short form of the various Old Norse names beginning with the element
Þór. In Norse myth Thora was the wife of the Danish king Ragnar Lodbrok.
Thracius m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman name meaning
"of Thracia". Thracia was a region in southeastern Europe, now divided between Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.
Thrasyboulos m Ancient GreekFrom a Greek word meaning
"bold in counsel", itself from
θρασύς (thrasys) "bold" and
βουλή (boule) "counsel, advice". A notable bearer was a 5th-century BC Athenian general who fought to maintain democratic government in the city-state.
Thurayya f ArabicMeans
"the Pleiades" in Arabic. The Pleiades are a group of stars in the constellation Taurus.
Tighearnach m Medieval IrishFrom Old Irish
Tigernach, derived from
tigerna meaning
"lord". This was the name of an Irish saint, the founder of the monastery at Clones in the 6th century. According to some tales of his life, he was taken by British pirates to the monastery of Rosnat in his youth, but he escaped and returned to Ireland.
Tighearnán m Medieval IrishFrom Old Irish
Tigernán meaning
"little lord", from
tigerna "lord" combined with a diminutive suffix. It was borne by a 6th-century saint who founded a monastery at Errew. It was also the name of a 12th-century king of Breifne.
Tigranes m Ancient Armenian (Hellenized)Greek form of the Old Armenian name
Տիգրան (Tigran), from Old Iranian *
Tigrāna, of uncertain meaning. It was recorded as
𒋾𒅅𒊏 (Tiigra) in Elamite and
𒋾𒅅𒊏𒀪 (Tiigra') in Akkadian. Tigranes was the name of a number of kings of Armenia, notably Tigranes II the Great who expanded the kingdom in the 1st century BC.
Tirzah f BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
תִּרְצָה (Tirtsa) meaning
"favourable". Tirzah is the name of one of the daughters of
Zelophehad in the Old Testament. It also occurs in the Old Testament as a place name, the early residence of the kings of the northern kingdom.
Toirdhealbhach m Irish (Rare)From Old Irish
Tairdelbach meaning
"instigator", derived from
tairdelb "prompting". This name was borne by several medieval Irish kings.
Tondra f EsperantoMeans
"thunderous", from Esperanto
tondro meaning "thunder".
Torquatus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen derived from Latin
torquis meaning
"twisted neck chain, collar", a derivative of
torqueo "to twist". This name was borne by Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus, a noted Roman consul and dictator of the 4th century BC. It was also the name of the 1st-century saint Torquatus of Acci.
Torvald m Swedish, NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Þórvaldr, which meant
"Thor's ruler" from the name of the Norse god
Þórr (see
Thor) combined with
valdr "ruler".
Tracy f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was taken from a Norman French place name meaning
"domain belonging to Thracius". Charles Dickens used it for a male character in his novel
The Pickwick Papers (1837). It was later popularized as a feminine name by the main character Tracy Lord in the movie
The Philadelphia Story (1940). This name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of
Theresa.
Trafford m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"fish-trap ford" in Old English.
Trahaearn m Medieval WelshMeans
"very much like iron", derived from Welsh
tra "very, over" prefixed to
haearn "iron". This name was borne by an 11th-century king of Gwynedd.
Trajan 1 m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Traianus, which is of unknown meaning. The Roman emperor Trajan (full name Marcus Ulpius Traianus) is considered among the most capable men to have led the empire. His military accomplishments include victories over Dacia and Parthia.
Trajan 2 m Macedonian, SerbianMeans
"enduring, permanent" in South Slavic. This also coincides with the Macedonian and Serbian form of the Roman emperor's name
Trajan 1, which may also factor into the name's usage.
Tránsito f & m SpanishMeans
"transit, travel" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the movement of the Virgin
Mary into heaven.
Traugott m German (Rare)Derived from German
trau "trust" and
Gott "God". This name was created in the 17th century.
Travis m EnglishFrom the English surname
Travis, derived from Old French
traverser meaning
"to cross". It was used in America in honour of William Travis (1809-1836), the commander of the Texan forces at the Battle of the Alamo.
Treasa f IrishPossibly from Irish
treise meaning
"strength" or
treas meaning
"battle". It is also used as an Irish form of
Theresa.
Trevelyan m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a Cornish place name meaning
"homestead on the hill".
Triantafyllos m GreekMeans
"rose" in Greek, derived from
τριάντα (trianta) "thirty" and
φύλλον (fyllon) "leaf". This was the name of a 17th-century Greek saint and martyr.
Trinidad f & m SpanishMeans
"trinity" in Spanish, referring to the Holy Trinity. An island in the West Indies bears this name.
Tristan m English, French, Arthurian CycleProbably from the Celtic name
Drustan, a diminutive of
Drust, which occurs as
Drystan in a few Welsh sources. As
Tristan, it first appears in 12th-century French tales, probably altered by association with Old French
triste "sad". According to the tales Tristan was sent to Ireland by his uncle King Mark of Cornwall in order to fetch
Iseult, who was to be the king's bride. On the way back, Tristan and Iseult accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Later versions of the tale make Tristan one of King
Arthur's knights. His tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since then.
Truman m EnglishFrom a surname that meant
"trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).
Tryphena f BiblicalFrom the Greek name
Τρύφαινα (Tryphaina), derived from Greek
τρυφή (tryphe) meaning
"softness, delicacy". This name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament.
Turan m & f Turkish, AzerbaijaniFrom Persian
توران (Tūrān), a historical region in Central Asia, originally inhabited by nomadic Iranian peoples. It is traditionally said to mean
"land of Tur". The place is mentioned frequently in the 10th-century Persian epic the
Shahnameh.
Türkan f TurkishPossibly from the old title
tarkhan (spelled
tarkan in Turkish), which was used in Central Asia and is of uncertain origin (possibly Iranian or Mongolian).
Tyra f Swedish, English, African AmericanFrom the Old Norse name
Þýri, a variant of the Norse names
Þórví or
Þórveig. Use of the name in the English-speaking world (especially among African Americans) may be in part from the Swedish name, though it is probably also viewed as a feminine form of
Tyrone or
Tyree. A famous bearer is the American model and actress Tyra Banks (1973-).
Ubirajara m TupiMeans
"lord of the spear" in Tupi, from
ybyra "wood, stick, spear" and
îara "lord, master". This is the name of an 1874 novel by José de Alencar.
Umran m ArabicMeans
"flourishing, thriving" in Arabic, derived from the root
عمر (ʿamara) meaning "to live long, to thrive".
Ural m Bashkir, TurkishFrom the name of the Ural Mountains, of uncertain meaning, possibly from Turkic
aral meaning "island, boundary". This is the name of the title character in the Bashkir epic
Ural-batyr.
Uranus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Οὐρανός (Ouranos), the name of the husband of
Gaia and the father of the Titans in Greek mythology. His name is derived from
οὐρανός (ouranos) meaning
"the heavens". This is also the name of the seventh planet in the solar system.
Uria m & f HebrewModern Hebrew form of
Uriah, also used as a feminine name.
Uriah m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אוּרִיָה (ʾUriya) meaning
"Yahweh is my light", from the roots
אוּר (ʾur) meaning "light, flame" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a Hittite warrior in King
David's army, the first husband of
Bathsheba. David desired Bathsheba so he placed Uriah in the forefront of battle so he would be killed.
Urijah m BiblicalForm of
Uriah used in some English versions of the Old Testament (for a character in the Book of Jeremiah).
Urmas m EstonianPossibly from the dialectal Estonian word
urm meaning
"frost" or
"catkin".
Ursa f Late RomanFeminine form of
Ursus. This is the name of two constellations in the northern sky: Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.
Ursula f English, Swedish, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Late RomanMeans
"little bear", derived from a diminutive form of the Latin word
ursa "she-bear". Saint Ursula was a legendary virgin princess of the 4th century who was martyred by the Huns while returning from a pilgrimage. In England the saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and the name came into general use at that time.
Urvashi f Hinduism, HindiPossibly means
"widely spreading", derived from Sanskrit
उरु (uru) meaning "wide" and
अश् (aś) meaning "to pervade". According to Hindu scripture this was the name of an apsara (a type of female spirit) who was the wife of Pururavas.
Uttara m & f Hinduism, MarathiMeans
"north" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form
उत्तर and the feminine form
उत्तरा (spelled with a long final vowel), both of which occur in the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata belonging to the son and daughter of King Virata.
Valerian m Russian, Georgian, Romanian, HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Valerianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name
Valerius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Publius Licinius Valerianus) who was captured by the Persians. Several saints have also borne this name, including a 2nd-century martyr of Lyons.
Varaha m HinduismMeans
"boar, hog" in Sanskrit. This is the name of one of the avatars of the Hindu god
Vishnu, who appears as a wild boar to slay the demon Hiranyaksha.
Vardan m ArmenianDerived from Armenian
վարդ (vard) meaning
"rose", ultimately from an Iranian language.
Varuna m HinduismProbably from Sanskrit
वृ (vṛ) meaning
"to surround, to encompass". In Hindu mythology Varuna is a god of water and the ocean, also associated with the sky and law. He appears frequently in the Vedas, often paired with the god
Mitra.
Vatroslav m CroatianDerived from Croatian
vatra "fire" combined with the Slavic element
slava "glory". It was coined (or revived from an unattested name) in the 19th century.
Venera 2 f ItalianDerived from the Latin name
Veneranda, from
venerandus meaning
"venerable, worthy of veneration". This was the name of a 2nd-century saint who was martyred in Rome or Sicily.
Vera 1 f Russian, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Belarusian, GeorgianMeans
"faith" in Russian, though it is sometimes associated with the Latin word
verus "true". It has been in general use in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Verbena f Various (Rare)From the name of the verbena plant, which is derived from Latin
verbena meaning "leaves, twigs".
Verdandi f Norse MythologyFrom Old Norse
Verðandi meaning
"becoming, happening". Verdandi was one of the three Norns, or goddesses of destiny, in Norse mythology. She was responsible for the present.
Verena f German, Late RomanPossibly related to Latin
verus "true". This might also be a Coptic form of the Ptolemaic name
Berenice. Saint Verena was a 3rd-century Egyptian-born nurse who went with the Theban Legion to Switzerland. After the legion was massacred she settled near Zurich.
Veritas f Roman MythologyMeans "truth" in Latin, a derivative of
verus "true". The Roman goddess Veritas was the personification of truth.
Verna f EnglishFeminine form of
Vernon, sometimes associated with the Latin word
vernus "spring". It has been in use since the 19th century.
Verona f VariousFrom the name of the city in Italy, which is itself of unknown meaning.
Veronica f English, Italian, Romanian, Late RomanLatin alteration of
Berenice, the spelling influenced by the ecclesiastical Latin phrase
vera icon meaning
"true image". This was the name of a legendary saint who wiped
Jesus' face with a towel and then found his image imprinted upon it. Due to popular stories about her, the name was occasionally used in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. It was borne by the Italian saint and mystic Veronica Giuliani (1660-1727). As an English name, it was not common until the 19th century, when it was imported from France and Scotland.
Veronika f Russian, Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, German, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Croatian, Macedonian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Lithuanian, LatvianForm of
Veronica in several languages.
Věroslav m CzechCombination of the Czech name
Věra or word
víra (both meaning "faith") with the Slavic element
slava meaning "glory".
Vespera f EsperantoMeans
"of the evening", derived from Esperanto
vespero "evening", ultimately from Latin
vesper.
Victoria f English, Spanish, Romanian, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, French, Late Roman, Roman MythologyMeans
"victory" in Latin, being borne by the Roman goddess of victory. It is also a feminine form of
Victorius. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from North Africa.
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