Erdal m TurkishFrom Turkish
er meaning "man, hero, brave" and
dal meaning "branch".
Erdmann m German (Archaic)Variant of
Hartmann. It can also be interpreted as meaning "earth man" from German
Erde "earth", and thus was sometimes used as a translation of
Adam.
Erdoğan m TurkishFrom Turkish
er meaning "man, hero, brave" and
doğan meaning "falcon".
Ereshkigal f Sumerian MythologyMeans
"lady of the great earth", from Sumerian
𒊩𒌆 (ereš) meaning "lady, queen" combined with
𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth" and
𒃲 (gal) meaning "great, big". In Sumerian mythology she was the goddess of death and the underworld.
Erhan m TurkishFrom Turkish
er meaning "man, hero, brave" and
han, which is from the title
khan meaning "leader".
Erhard m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German element
era "honour, respect" combined with
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Saint Erhard was a 7th-century bishop of Regensburg in Bavaria.
Erika f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, English, ItalianFeminine form of
Erik. It also coincides with the word for
"heather" in some languages.
Erkan m TurkishFrom Turkish
er "man, hero, brave" combined with either
kan "blood" or
han "khan, leader".
Erma f EnglishVariant of
Irma. It began to be used in the English-speaking world in the 19th century, along with
Irma.
Ermal m AlbanianMeans
"mountain wind", from Albanian
erë "wind" and
mal "mountain".
Ermengard f GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
irmin meaning "whole, great" and
gart meaning "enclosure, yard". This name was borne by the wife of the Frankish king Louis the Pious (9th century). This was also the name of one of her granddaughters, an abbess of Frauenwörth who is regarded as a saint.
Esmeralda f Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian, LiteratureMeans
"emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.
Esperanza f SpanishSpanish form of the Late Latin name
Sperantia, which was derived from
spero "to hope".
Eudora f Greek MythologyMeans
"good gift" in Greek, from the elements
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
Eugraphios m Ancient GreekFrom Greek
εὐγραφής (eugraphes) meaning
"well-drawn" or
"well-written", itself from
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
γραφή (graphe) meaning "drawing, writing". Saint Eugraphios or Eugraphos was a 3rd or 4th-century martyr from Alexandria.
Euphranor m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
εὐφραίνω (euphraino) meaning
"to delight, to cheer". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian artist.
Euphrasia f Ancient GreekMeans
"good cheer" in Greek, a derivative of
εὐφραίνω (euphraino) meaning
"to delight, to cheer". This name was borne by a 5th-century saint from Constantinople.
Europa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Εὐρώπη (Europe), which meant
"wide face" from
εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and
ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted and taken to Crete by
Zeus in the guise of a bull. She became the first queen of Crete, and later fathered
Minos by Zeus. The continent of Europe said to be named for her, though it is more likely her name is from that of the continent. This is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.
Everard m English (Rare)From
Everardus, the Latinized form of
Eberhard. The Normans introduced it to England, where it joined the Old English cognate
Eoforheard. It has only been rarely used since the Middle Ages. Modern use of the name may be inspired by the surname
Everard, itself derived from the medieval name.
Ezra m English, Hebrew, BiblicalMeans
"help" in Hebrew. Ezra is a prophet of the Old Testament and the author of the Book of Ezra. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation. The American poet Ezra Pound (1885-1972) was a famous bearer.
Fajra f EsperantoMeans
"fiery" in Esperanto, from
fajro meaning "fire".
Farag m ArabicAlternate transcription of Arabic
فرج (see
Faraj). This corresponds more closely with the Egyptian Arabic pronunciation of the name.
Farai m & f ShonaFrom Shona
fara meaning
"rejoice, be happy".
Faramund m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
fara "journey" and
munt "protection". This was the name of a semi-legendary 5th-century king of the Franks.
Farhad m PersianFrom Parthian
𐭐𐭓𐭇𐭕 (Frahat) meaning
"gained, earned". This was the name of several rulers of the Parthian Empire. Their names are often spelled
Phraates after the Hellenized form
Φραάτης.
Faroald m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
fara "journey" and
walt "power, authority". This name was borne by the first Duke of Spoleto, a 6th-century Lombard.
Fearchar m Scottish GaelicScottish Gaelic form of the Old Irish name
Ferchar, from
fer "man" and
carae "friend". This was the name of early kings of Dál Riata (sometimes as
Ferchar).
Febronia f Late RomanPossibly from
Februa, a Roman purification festival that was held during the month of February (and which gave the month its name). The festival was derived from Latin
februum meaning "purging, purification". This name was borne by Saint Febronia of Nisibis, a 4th-century martyr.
Ferdinand m German, French, Dutch, English, Slovak, Czech, Slovene, CroatianFrom
Fredenandus, the Latinized form of a Gothic name composed of the elements
friþus "peace" (or perhaps
farþa "journey") and
nanþa "boldness, daring". The Visigoths brought the name to the Iberian Peninsula, where it entered into the royal families of Spain and Portugal. From there it became common among the Habsburg royal family of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria, starting with the Spanish-born Ferdinand I in the 16th century. A notable bearer was Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521), called Fernão de Magalhães in Portuguese, who was the leader of the first expedition to sail around the earth.
Fergal m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"man of valour", derived from the Old Irish elements
fer "man" and
gal "valour". This was the name of an 8th-century king of Ireland. As well as the Old Irish form of the name, this is the usual Anglicization of the Modern Irish form
Fearghal.
Fernão m Portuguese (Archaic)Portuguese form of
Ferdinand. This name was borne by the Portuguese explorer Fernão de Magalhães (1480-1521), better known in English as Ferdinand Magellan.
Fiachra m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Fiachrae, possibly from
fiach "raven" or
fích "battle" combined with
rí "king". This was the name of several legendary figures, including one of the four children of
Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners: a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France, usually called Saint Fiacre.
Fiorella f ItalianFrom Italian
fiore "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Fırat m TurkishFrom the Turkish name of the Euphrates River, which was derived (via Persian and Arabic) from Elamite or Sumerian.
Flora f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Albanian, Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
flos meaning
"flower" (genitive case
floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of
Fionnghuala.
Florian m German, French, Romanian, Polish, HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Florianus, a derivative of
Florus. This was the name of a short-lived Roman emperor of the 3rd century, Marcus Annius Florianus. It was also borne by Saint Florian, a martyr of the 3rd century, the patron saint of Poland and Upper Austria.
Florica f RomanianDerived from Romanian
floricea, itself a diminutive of
floare "flower".
Fortuna f Roman MythologyMeans
"luck" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the personification of luck.
Fortunato m Italian, Spanish, PortugueseItalian, Spanish and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name
Fortunatus meaning
"fortunate, blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints and martyrs.
France 1 f FrenchFrom the name of the country of
France, sometimes considered a feminine form of
Frank or short form of
Françoise, both of which are ultimately related to the name of the country.
France 2 m SloveneSlovene form of
Francis. This name was borne by the Slovene poet France Prešeren (1800-1849).
Frances f EnglishFeminine form of
Francis. The distinction between
Francis as a masculine name and
Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century. A notable bearer was Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), a social worker and the first American to be canonized.
Francesco m ItalianItalian form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374) was an Italian Renaissance poet, usually known in English as Petrarch.
Francis m & f English, FrenchEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Franciscus meaning
"Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *
frankô). This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.
... [more] Francisco m Spanish, PortugueseSpanish and Portuguese form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). This is the Spanish name of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Other notable bearers include the Spanish painter and engraver Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) and the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975).
François m FrenchFrench form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). François Villon (1431-1463) was a French lyric poet. This was also the name of two kings of France.
Frank m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, FrenchFrom an Old German name that referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France, Belgium and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They possibly derived their tribal name from a type of spear that they used, from Proto-Germanic *
frankô. From medieval times, the various forms of this name have been commonly conflated with the various forms of
Francis. In modern times it is sometimes used as a short form of
Francis or
Franklin.
... [more] Frankenstein m Popular CultureFrom the surname
Frankenstein, used by Mary Shelley in her 1818 novel of the same name for the scientist Victor Frankenstein. The monster that Frankenstein created, which has no name in the novel, is sometimes called Frankenstein in modern speech, as if it were his given name.
Franklin m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Middle English
frankelin "freeman". A famous bearer of the surname was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher. The name has commonly been given in his honour in the United States. It also received a boost during the term of American president Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
Franz m GermanGerman form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). This name was borne by the Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828), the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and the Austrian-Czech author Franz Kafka (1883-1924), whose works include
The Trial and
The Castle. It was also the name of rulers of Austria and the Holy Roman Empire.
Frauke f GermanMeans
"little lady", derived from German
frau combined with a diminutive suffix.
Frediano m Italian (Rare)Italian form of the Roman name
Frigidianus, which was derived from Latin
frigidus "cold". This was the name of a 6th-century Irish bishop who made a pilgrimage to Rome and settled as a hermit on Mount Pisano.
Freeman m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"free man". It originally denoted a person who was not a serf.
Freya f Norse Mythology, English (Modern), GermanFrom Old Norse
Freyja meaning
"lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother
Freyr and father
Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess
Frigg.
... [more] Frida 1 f German, GermanicOriginally a short form of names containing the Old German element
fridu meaning
"peace" (Proto-Germanic *
friþuz). A famous bearer was the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).
Friday m English (African)From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English
frigedæg meaning "
Frig's day". Daniel Defoe used it for a character in his novel
Robinson Crusoe (1719). As a given name, it is most often found in parts of Africa, such as Nigeria and Zambia.
Fruma f YiddishFrom Yiddish
פֿרום (frum) meaning
"pious". This is the name of a character (appearing as a ghost) in the musical
Fiddler on the Roof (1964).
Fulgora f Roman MythologyFrom Latin
fulgur meaning
"lightning", derived from
fulgeo "to flash, to shine". In Roman mythology this was the name of a goddess who presided over lightning, equivalent to the Greek goddess
Astrape.
Furiosa f Popular CultureMeans
"full of rage, furious" in Latin. This is the name of a warrior who turns against the evil Immortan Joe in the movie
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).
Furqan m Arabic, UrduMeans
"criterion between right and wrong" or
"proof" in Arabic. This is the name of the 25th chapter (surah al-Furqan) of the Quran.