Names in Northern Ireland

Eulalia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.

Eunice f Biblical, English, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐνίκη (Eunike) meaning "good victory", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". The New Testament mentions her as the mother of Timothy. As an English name, it was first used after the Protestant Reformation.

Euphemia f Ancient Greek, English (Archaic)
Means "to use words of good omen" from Greek εὐφημέω (euphemeo), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φημί (phemi) meaning "to speak, to declare". Saint Euphemia was an early martyr from Chalcedon.

Eurig m Welsh
Derived from Welsh aur meaning "gold" combined with a diminutive suffix.

Eurwen f Welsh
Derived from Welsh aur "gold" and gwen "white, blessed".

Eustace m English
English form of Eustachius or Eustathius, two names of Greek origin that have been conflated in the post-classical period. Saint Eustace, who is known under both spellings, was a 2nd-century Roman general who became a Christian after seeing a vision of a cross between the antlers of a stag he was hunting. He was burned to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods and is now regarded as the patron saint of hunters. Due to him, this name was common in England during the Middle Ages, though it is presently rare.

Eustacia f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Eustace.

Eva f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, Danish, Icelandic, Faroese, Romanian, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Form of Eve used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. A notable bearer was the Argentine first lady Eva Perón (1919-1952), the subject of the musical Evita. The name also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.... [more]

Evaline f English
Variant of Evelyn.

Evalyn f English
Variant of Evelyn.

Evan m Welsh, English
Anglicized form of Ifan, a Welsh form of John.

Evangelina f Spanish, English
Latinate form of Evangeline.

Evangeline f English
Means "good news" from Greek εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελμα (angelma) meaning "news, message". It was (first?) used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his 1847 epic poem Evangeline. It also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) as the full name of the character Eva.

Eve f English, Estonian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name חַוָּה (Ḥawwa), which was derived from the Hebrew word חָוָה (ḥawa) meaning "to breathe" or the related word חָיָה (ḥaya) meaning "to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis, Eve and Adam were the first humans. God created her from one of Adam's ribs to be his companion. At the urging of a serpent she ate the forbidden fruit and shared some with Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.... [more]

Eveleen f English (Rare)
Either a diminutive of Eve or a variant of Evelyn.

Evelina f English, Italian, Swedish, Lithuanian, Greek, Russian, Bulgarian
Latinate form of Aveline. It was revived by the author Fanny Burney for the heroine of her first novel Evelina (1778). It is often regarded as a variant of the related name Evelyn or an elaboration of Eve.

Eveline f English, French, Dutch
Variant of Evelina.

Evelyn f & m English, German
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Aveline. In the 17th century when it was first used as a given name it was more common for boys, but it is now regarded as almost entirely feminine, probably in part because of its similarity to Eve and Evelina.... [more]

Evelynn f English (Modern)
Variant of Evelyn.

Ever m & f English (Modern)
Simply from the English word ever, derived from Old English æfre.

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.

Everest m & f English (Modern)
From the English name for the world's highest mountain, itself named after the British surveyor George Everest (1790-1866).

Everett m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Everard.

Everette m English
Variant of Everett.

Everitt m English (Rare)
Variant of Everett.

Everlee f English (Modern)
Variant of Everly.

Everleigh f English (Modern)
Variant of Everly.

Everly f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English eofor "boar" and leah "woodland, clearing". Notable bearers of the surname were the musical duo the Everly Brothers, Don (1937-2021) and Phil (1939-2014).... [more]

Evette f English
Variant of Yvette.

Evie f English
Diminutive of Eve or Evelyn.

Evonne f English
Variant of Yvonne.

Evvie f English
Diminutive of Eve or Evelyn.

Ewart m English (Rare)
From an English and Scottish surname that was either based on a Norman form of Edward, or else derived from a place name of unknown meaning.

Ezekiel m Biblical, English
From the Hebrew name יְחֶזְקֵאל (Yeḥezqel) meaning "God will strengthen", from the roots חָזַק (ḥazaq) meaning "to strengthen" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Ezekiel is a major prophet of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Ezekiel. He lived in Jerusalem until the Babylonian conquest and captivity of Israel, at which time he was taken to Babylon. The Book of Ezekiel describes his vivid symbolic visions that predict the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. As an English given name, Ezekiel has been used since the Protestant Reformation.

Ezra m English, Hebrew, Biblical
Means "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.

Fabian m German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.

Fae f English
Variant of Fay.

Faith f English
Simply from the English word faith, ultimately from Latin fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Faithe f English (Rare)
Variant of Faith.

Fallon f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname that was an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic Ó Fallamháin, itself derived from the given name Fallamhán meaning "leader". It was popularized in the 1980s by a character on the soap opera Dynasty.

Fancy f English (Rare)
From the English word fancy, which means either "like, love, inclination" or "ornamental". It is derived from Middle English fantasie, which comes (via Norman French and Latin) from Greek φαίνω (phaino) meaning "to show, to appear".

Fannie f English
Variant of Fanny.

Fanny f English, French, Spanish, Swedish
Diminutive of Frances, Françoise or Stéphanie. In the English-speaking world this has been a vulgar slang word since the late 19th century, and the name has subsequently dropped out of common use.

Farley m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "fern clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer of this name was Canadian author Farley Mowat (1921-2014).

Faron m French (Archaic), English
French form of Faro. As an English name, it is probably from a French surname that was derived from the given name.

Farrell m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Fearghail, derived from the given name Fearghal.

Fawn f English
From the English word fawn for a young deer.

Fay f & m English
In part from the English word fay meaning "fairy", derived from Middle English faie meaning "magical, enchanted", ultimately (via Old French) from Latin fata meaning "the Fates". It appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's chronicles in the name of Morgan le Fay. In some cases it may be used as a short form of Faith. It has been used as a feminine given name since the 19th century.... [more]

Faye f English
Variant of Fay.

Felecia f English, African American
Variant of Felicia.

Felicia f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Latin name Felicius, a derivative of Felix. As an English name, it has occasionally been used since the Middle Ages.

Felicity f English
From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name Felicitas. This name jumped in popularity in the United States after the premiere of the television series Felicity in 1998. It is more common in the United Kingdom.

Felisha f English (Modern), African American (Modern)
Variant of Felicia.

Felix m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From a Roman cognomen meaning "lucky, successful" in Latin. It was acquired as an agnomen, or nickname, by the 1st-century BC Roman general Sulla. It also appears in the New Testament belonging to the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint Paul.... [more]

Femie f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Euphemia.

Fenton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "marsh town" in Old English.

Ferdie m English
Diminutive of Ferdinand.

Ferdinand m German, French, Dutch, English, Slovak, Czech, Slovene, Croatian
From 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.

Ferdy m English
Diminutive of Ferdinand.

Fern f English
From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.

Ferne f English
Variant of Fern.

Ffion f Welsh
Means "foxglove" in Welsh (species Digitalis purpurea). This is a recently created Welsh name.

Fflur f Welsh
Welsh form of Flora.

Ffraid f Welsh
Welsh form of Bridget.

Ffransis m Welsh
Welsh form of Francis.

Finlay m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Fionnlagh. This spelling is more common in Scotland, though in England and Wales the variant Finley has been more popular since 2007.

Finley m & f English
Variant of Finlay. This is by far the preferred spelling in the United States, where it has lately been more common as a feminine name.

Finn 1 m Irish Mythology, Old Irish, Irish, English, Dutch, German
Old Irish form of Fionn, as well as the usual Anglicized spelling (with the Irish hero's name Anglicized as Finn McCool). As a surname it is borne by Huckleberry Finn, a character in Mark Twain's novels.

Finnegan m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Fionnagáin, itself derived from the given name Fionnagán, a diminutive of Fionn. This is the surname of a relatively minor character in James Joyce's novel Finnegans Wake (1939), the title of which was based on a 19th-century Irish ballad called Finnegan's Wake.

Finnley m English (Modern)
Variant of Finley.

Fiona f Scottish, English
Feminine form of Fionn. This name was (first?) used by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in his poem Fingal (1761), in which it is spelled as Fióna.

Fisher m English
From an English surname meaning "fisherman".

Fitz m English (Rare)
Short form of various given names that are derived from surnames beginning with Norman French fitz meaning "son of" (for example Fitzroy).

Fitzroy m English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "son of the king" in Old French, originally given to illegitimate sons of monarchs.

Flanagan m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Flannagáin, itself from the given name Flannagán, which was derived from Irish flann "blood red" and a diminutive suffix.

Flannery f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Flannghaile, derived from the given name Flannghal meaning "red valour". A famous bearer was American author Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964).

Fletcher m English
From a surname meaning "maker of arrows" in Middle English, ultimately from Old French flechier.

Fleur f French, Dutch, English (British)
Means "flower" in French. Saint Fleur of Issendolus (Flor in Gascon) was a 14th-century nun from Maurs, France. This was also the name of a character in John Galsworthy's novels The Forsyte Saga (1922).

Fleurette f French (Rare), Dutch (Rare), English (Rare)
Diminutive of Fleur.

Flick f & m English (Rare)
Diminutive of Felicity. In some cases it can be a nickname from the English word flick.

Flint m English
From the English vocabulary word, from Old English flint.

Flo f English
Short form of Florence or Flora.

Floella f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Flo.

Flora f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Albanian, Roman Mythology
Derived 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.

Florence f & m English, French
From the Latin name Florentius or the feminine form Florentia, which were derived from florens "prosperous, flourishing". Florentius was borne by many early Christian saints, and it was occasionally used in their honour through the Middle Ages. In modern times it is mostly feminine.... [more]

Floretta f English
Latinate diminutive of Flora.

Florrie f English
Diminutive of Florence or Flora.

Florry f English
Diminutive of Florence or Flora.

Flossie f English
Diminutive of Florence.

Flower f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word flower for the blossoming plant. It is derived (via Old French) from Latin flos.

Floyd m English
Variant of Lloyd.

Flynn m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Floinn, which was derived from the given name or byname Flann. A famous bearer of the surname was American actor Errol Flynn (1909-1959). As a given name, it grew in popularity after it was featured as a character in the Disney movie Tangled in 2010.

Folant m Welsh (Rare)
Welsh form of Valentine 1.

Ford m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "ford" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the American industrialist Henry Ford (1863-1947).

Forest m English
Variant of Forrest, or else directly from the English word forest.

Forrest m English
From an English surname meaning "forest", originally belonging to a person who lived near a forest. In America it has sometimes been used in honour of the Confederate Civil War general Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821-1877). This name was borne by the title character in the movie Forrest Gump (1994) about a loveable simpleton. Use of the name increased when the movie was released, but has since faded away.

Fortune m & f French, English (Rare)
Simply from the word fortune, ultimately from Latin fortuna, a derivative of fors "luck".

Foster 1 m English
From an English surname that has several different origins: see Foster 1, Foster 2, Foster 3 and Foster 4.

Foster 2 m English
English form of Vaast, referring to Saint Vedastus.

Fox m English (Modern)
Either from the English word fox or the surname Fox, which originally given as a nickname. The surname was borne by George Fox (1624-1691), the founder of the Quakers.

Fran m & f Spanish, English, Croatian, Slovene
Short form of Francis, Frances or related names.

Francene f English (Rare)
English variant of Francine.

Frances f English
Feminine 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.

Francine f French, English
Diminutive of Françoise.

Francis m & f English, French
English 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]

Frank m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, French
From 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]

Frankie m & f English
Diminutive of Frank or Frances.

Franklin m English
From 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).

Franklyn m English
Variant of Franklin.

Frannie f English
Diminutive of Frances.

Franny m & f English
Diminutive of Francis or Frances.

Fraser m Scottish, English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname, originally Norman French de Fresel, possibly from a lost place name in France.

Frazier m English
Variant of Fraser.

Fred m English, Dutch, German, French, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian
Short form of Frederick and other names containing the same element. A famous bearer was the American actor and dancer Fred Astaire (1899-1987). It was also borne by the cartoon caveman Fred Flintstone on the television series The Flintstones (1960-1966).

Freda f English
Short form of names ending in freda or fred, such as Winifred or Alfreda.

Freddie m & f English
Diminutive of Frederick or Freda. A noteworthy bearer was the musician Freddie Mercury (1946-1991), born Farrokh Bulsara, the lead vocalist of the British rock band Queen.

Freddy m English, French, Dutch
Diminutive of Frederick and other names containing the same element. A notable fictional bearer is the horror villain Freddy Krueger from the A Nightmare on Elm Street series of movies, beginning 1984.

Frederica f Portuguese, English
Feminine form of Frederico or Frederick.

Frederick m English
English form of an Old German name meaning "peaceful ruler", derived from fridu "peace" and rih "ruler, king". This name has long been common in continental Germanic-speaking regions, being borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, and Prussia. Notables among these rulers include the 12th-century Holy Roman emperor and crusader Frederick I Barbarossa, the 13th-century emperor and patron of the arts Frederick II, and the 18th-century Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great.... [more]

Fredric m English
Variant of Frederick.

Fredrick m English
Variant of Frederick.

Freeman m English
From an English surname meaning "free man". It originally denoted a person who was not a serf.

Freida f English
Variant of Frieda.

Freya f Norse Mythology, English (Modern), German
From 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]

Frieda f German, English
Variant of Frida 1.

Frona f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Sophronia.

Fulk m English (Archaic)
From the Germanic name Fulco, a short form of various names beginning with Old Frankish fulk or Old High German folk meaning "people" (Proto-Germanic *fulką). The Normans brought this name to England, though it is now very rare.

Fulke m English (Archaic)
Variant of Fulk.

Fulton m English
From a surname that was derived from the name of the town of Foulden in Norfolk, itself meaning "bird hill" in Old English.

Gabby f English
Diminutive of Gabrielle.

Gabe m English
Short form of Gabriel.

Gabriel m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name גַבְרִיאֵל (Ḡavriʾel) meaning "God is my strong man", derived from גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of John to Zechariah and Jesus to Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to Muhammad.... [more]

Gabriella f Italian, Hungarian, English, Swedish
Feminine form of Gabriel.

Gabrielle f French, English
French feminine form of Gabriel. This was the real name of French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).

Gaby f & m French, Spanish, English
Diminutive of Gabrielle or Gabriel.

Gae f English (Rare)
Variant of Gay.

Gael m Breton, English (Modern), Spanish (Modern)
Probably from the ethno-linguistic term Gael, which refers to speakers of Gaelic languages.

Gaenor f Welsh
Welsh variant of Gaynor.

Gage m English (Modern)
From an English surname of Old French origin meaning either "measure", originally denoting one who was an assayer, or "pledge", referring to a moneylender. It was popularized as a given name by a character from the book Pet Sematary (1983) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1989).

Gail f English
Short form of Abigail.

Gaila f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Gail.

Gale 1 f English
Variant of Gail. It also coincides with the English word gale meaning "storm".

Gale 2 m English
From a surname that was derived from Middle English gaile "jovial". It also coincides with the English word gale meaning "storm".

Galen m English
Modern form of the Greek name Γαληνός (Galenos), which meant "calm" from Greek γαλήνη (galene). It was borne by a 2nd-century BC Greco-Roman physician who contributed to anatomy and medicine. In modern times the name is occasionally given in his honour.

Galilea f Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare), English (Modern)
Feminine form of Galileo.

Gallagher m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Gallchobhair, derived from the given name Gallchobhar.

Gardenia f English (Rare)
From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).

Gareth m Welsh, English (British), Arthurian Cycle
Meaning uncertain. It appears in this form in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends Le Morte d'Arthur, in which the knight Gareth (also named Beaumains) is a brother of Gawain. He goes with Lynet to rescue her sister Lyonesse from the Red Knight. Malory based the name on Gaheriet or Guerrehet, which was the name of a similar character in French sources. It may ultimately have a Welsh origin, possibly from the name Gwrhyd meaning "valour" (found in the tale Culhwch and Olwen) or Gwairydd meaning "hay lord" (found in the chronicle Brut y Brenhinedd).

Garey m English
Variant of Gary.

Garfield m English
From a surname meaning "triangle field" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president James A. Garfield (1831-1881). It is now associated with the cat in Jim Davis's cartoon strip Garfield.

Garland m English
From a surname meaning "triangle land" from Old English gara and land. The surname originally belonged to a person who owned a triangle-shaped piece of land.

Garnet 1 f English
From the English word garnet for the precious stone, the birthstone of January. The word is derived from Middle English gernet meaning "dark red".

Garnet 2 m & f English
From an English surname that either referred to a person who made hinges (Old French carne) or was derived from the Norman name Guarin.

Garnett m & f English
Variant of Garnet 2.

Garnette f English (Rare)
Variant of Garnet 1.

Garret m English
From a surname that was a variant of Garrett.

Garrett m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Gerald or Gerard. A famous bearer of the surname was Pat Garrett (1850-1908), the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid.

Garrick m English
From an English surname, of French Huguenot origin, that was derived from Occitan garric meaning "oak tree grove".

Garry m English
Variant of Gary.

Garth m English
From an English surname meaning "garden" in Old Norse, originally denoting one who lived near or worked in a garden.

Gary m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman given name, which was itself originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element ger meaning "spear". This name was popularized in the late 1920s the American actor Gary Cooper (1901-1961), who took his stage name from the city of Gary in Indiana where his agent was born. It was especially popular in the 1940s and 50s, breaking into the American top ten in 1950, though it has since waned.

Gavin m English, Scottish
Medieval form of Gawain. Though it died out in England, it was reintroduced from Scotland in the 20th century.

Gay f English
From the English word gay meaning "gay, happy". By the mid-20th century the word had acquired the additional meaning of "homosexual", and the name has subsequently dropped out of use.

Gaye 1 f English
Variant of Gay.

Gayelord m English (Rare)
Variant of Gaylord.

Gayla f English
Elaborated form of Gail.

Gayle f & m English
Variant of Gail or Gale 2.

Gaylord m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old French gaillard "high-spirited, boisterous". This name was rarely used after the mid-20th century, when the word gay acquired the slang meaning "homosexual".

Gaynor f English (British), Welsh
Medieval form of Guinevere.

Gaz m English (British)
Diminutive of Gary or Gareth.

Geena f English (Rare)
Variant of Gina.

Geffrey m English (Rare)
Variant of Geoffrey.

Gemma f Italian, Catalan, English (British), Dutch
Medieval Italian nickname meaning "gem, precious stone". It was borne by the wife of the 13th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri.

Gena 1 f English
Variant of Gina.

Gene m English
Short form of Eugene.

Genesis f English (Modern)
Means "birth, origin" in Greek. This is the name of the first book of the Old Testament in the Bible. It tells of the creation of the world, the expulsion of Adam and Eve, Noah and the great flood, and the three patriarchs.

Genette f English (Rare)
Variant of Jeannette.

Geneva f English
Possibly a shortened form of Genevieve. It could also be inspired by the name of the city in Switzerland. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.

Genevieve f English
English form of Geneviève.

Genie f English
Diminutive of Eugenia.

Geoff m English
Short form of Geoffrey.

Geoffrey m English, French
From a Norman French form of a Frankish name. The second element is Old German fridu "peace", while the first element could be *gautaz "Geat" (a North Germanic tribe), gawi "territory" or walah "foreigner". It is possible that two or more names merged into a single form. In the later Middle Ages Geoffrey was further confused with the distinct name Godfrey.... [more]

Geordie m English
Diminutive of George.

George m English, Romanian, Indian (Christian)
From the Greek name Γεώργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word γεωργός (georgos) meaning "farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements γῆ (ge) meaning "earth" and ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Cappadocia who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.... [more]

Georgeanna f English
Variant of Georgiana.

Georgene f English
Variant of Georgine.

Georgetta f English
Feminine form of George.

Georgia f English, Greek
Latinate feminine form of George. This is the name of an American state, which was named after the British king George II. The country of Georgia has an unrelated etymology. A famous bearer was the American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).

Georgiana f English, Romanian
Feminine form of George. This form of the name has been in use in the English-speaking world since the 18th century.

Georgianna f English
Variant of Georgiana.

Georgie f & m English
Diminutive of Georgia or George.

Georgina f English, Spanish, Hungarian
Feminine form of George.

Geraint m Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
Meaning unknown, possibly a Welsh form of Gerontius. This was the name of a figure in various Welsh legends. He was also incorporated into Arthurian tales (the romance Geraint and Enid) as one of the Knights of the Round Table and the husband of Enid.

Gerald m English, German, Dutch
From a Germanic name meaning "power of the spear", from the elements ger meaning "spear" and walt meaning "power, authority". The Normans brought it to Britain. Though it died out in England during the Middle Ages, it remained common in Ireland. It was revived in the English-speaking world in 19th century.... [more]

Geraldine f English
Feminine form of Gerald. This name was created by the poet Henry Howard for use in a 1537 sonnet praising Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald, whom he terms The Geraldine.

Gerallt m Welsh
Welsh form of Gerald.

Geralyn f English
Variant of Geraldine or Jerry using the popular name suffix lyn.

Gerard m English, Dutch, Catalan, Polish
Derived from the Old German element ger meaning "spear" combined with hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by saints from Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy. The Normans introduced it to Britain. It was initially much more common there than the similar name Gerald, with which it was often confused, but it is now less common.

Geri f English
Diminutive of Geraldine.

Gerrard m English (Rare)
Variant of Gerard.

Gerri f English
Diminutive of Geraldine.

Gerry m & f English, Dutch
Diminutive of Gerald, Gerard or Geraldine.

Gertie f English, Dutch
Diminutive of Gertrude.

Gertrude f English, French, German
Means "spear of strength", derived from the Old German elements ger "spear" and drud "strength". Saint Gertrude the Great was a 13th-century nun and mystic writer from Thuringia. It was probably introduced to England by settlers from the Low Countries in the 15th century. Shakespeare used the name in his play Hamlet (1600) for the mother of Hamlet. Another famous bearer was the American writer Gertrude Stein (1874-1946).

Gervase m English (Rare)
English form of Gervasius. The Normans introduced this name to England in the Middle Ages, though it has since become rare.

Gethin m Welsh
Means "dark-skinned, swarthy" in Welsh.

Giana f English (Modern)
Variant of Gianna.

Gianna f Italian, Greek, English (Modern)
Italian short form of Giovanna and a Modern Greek variant of Ioanna.... [more]

Gib m English
Medieval diminutive of Gilbert.

Gibson m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of Gib".

Gideon m Biblical, Hebrew, English, Dutch
From the Hebrew name גִּדְעוֹן (Giḏʿon) meaning "feller, hewer", derived from גָּדַע (gaḏaʿ) meaning "to cut, to hew". Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. He led the vastly outnumbered Israelites against the Midianites, defeated them, and killed their two kings. In the English-speaking world, Gideon has been used as a given name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.

Giffard m English (Rare)
From the English and French surname Giffard. Walter Giffard was one of the Norman companions of William the Conqueror.

Gil 2 m English
Short form of Gilbert and other names beginning with Gil.

Gilbert m English, French, Dutch, Germanic
Means "bright pledge", derived from the Old German elements gisal "pledge, hostage" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it was common during the Middle Ages. It was borne by a 12th-century English saint, the founder of the religious order known as the Gilbertines.

Giles m English
From the Late Latin name Aegidius, which is derived from Greek αἰγίδιον (aigidion) meaning "young goat". Saint Giles was an 8th-century miracle worker who came to southern France from Greece. He is regarded as the patron saint of the crippled. In Old French the name Aegidius became Gidie and then Gilles, at which point it was imported to England. Another famous bearer was the 13th-century philosopher and theologian Giles of Rome (Egidio in Italian).

Gill f English
Short form of Gillian.

Gillian f English
Medieval English feminine form of Julian. This spelling has been in use since the 13th century, though it was not declared a distinct name from Julian until the 17th century.

Gilroy m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, either Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means "son of the red-haired servant", or Mac Giolla Rí, which means "son of the king's servant".

Gina f Italian, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Georgina, Regina, Luigina and other names ending in gina. It can also be used as a diminutive of Virginia or Eugenia. It was popularized in the 1950s by Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida (1927-2023), whose birth name was Luigina.

Ginger f English
From the English word ginger for the spice or the reddish-brown colour. It can also be a diminutive of Virginia, as in the case of actress and dancer Ginger Rogers (1911-1995), by whom the name was popularized.

Ginnie f English
Diminutive of Virginia.

Ginny f English
Diminutive of Virginia.

Giselle f French, English (Modern)
Derived from the Old German element gisal meaning "hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. This was the name of both a sister and daughter of Charlemagne. It was also borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. Another notable bearer was the 11th-century Gisela of Swabia, wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II.... [more]

Gisselle f English (Modern)
Variant of Giselle.

Githa f English (Archaic)
Variant of Gytha.

Gladwin m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Glædwine.

Gladwyn m English (Rare)
Variant of Gladwin.

Gladys f Welsh, English, French, Spanish
From the Old Welsh name Gwladus, probably derived from gwlad meaning "country". Alternatively, it may have been adopted as a Welsh form of Claudia. Saint Gwladus or Gwladys was the mother of Saint Cadoc. She was one of the daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog. This name became popular outside of Wales after it was used in Ouida's novel Puck (1870).

Glanville m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was taken from a Norman place name, which possibly meant "domain of (a person named) Gland" in Old French.

Glen m English
Variant of Glenn.

Glenda f English
Probably a feminine form of Glenn using the suffix da (from names such as Linda and Wanda). This name was not regularly used until the 20th century.

Glendower m Welsh
Anglicized form of Glyndwr.

Glenice f Welsh
Anglicized form of Glenys.

Glenn m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic gleann "valley". It was borne by the American actor Glenn Ford (1916-2006), whose birth name was Gwyllyn. A famous bearer of the surname was American astronaut John Glenn (1921-2016). The name peaked in popularity in 1962 when he became the first American to orbit the earth.... [more]

Glenna f English
Feminine form of Glenn.

Glennis f Welsh
Anglicized form of Glenys.

Glenys f Welsh
Probably an elaboration of the Welsh word glân "pure, clean, holy" or glyn "valley". This name was created in the late 19th century.

Gloria f English, Spanish, Italian, German
Means "glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin Mary Maria da Glória and María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.... [more]

Gloriana f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Latin gloria meaning "glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.

Glory f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word glory, ultimately from Latin gloria.

Glyn m Welsh
Means "valley" in Welsh.

Glyndwr m Welsh
Given in honour of Owain Glyndwr (or Glyn Dŵr, Anglicized as Glendower), a 14th-century Welsh patriot who led a revolt against England. His byname means "valley water", and was probably inspired by the name of his estate at Glyndyfrdwy (meaning "valley of the River Dee").

Glynis f Welsh
Variant of Glenys.

Glynn m Welsh
Variant of Glyn.

Goddard m English (Rare)
From an English and French surname that was derived from the Old German given name Godehard.

Godfrey m English
From the Germanic name Godefrid, which meant "peace of god" from the Old German elements got "god" and fridu "peace". The Normans brought this name to England, where it became common during the Middle Ages. A notable bearer was Godfrey of Bouillon, an 11th-century leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Goldie 1 f English
From a nickname for a person with blond hair, from the English word gold.

Goodwin m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Godwine.

Gord m English
Short form of Gordon.

Gorden m English
Variant of Gordon.

Gordie m English
Diminutive of Gordon. A famous bearer was Canadian hockey star Gordie Howe (1928-2016).

Gordon m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Berwickshire, itself derived from Brythonic elements meaning "spacious fort". It was originally used in honour of Charles George Gordon (1833-1885), a British general who died defending the city of Khartoum in Sudan.... [more]

Gordy m English
Diminutive of Gordon.

Gore m English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "triangular" (from Old English gara), originally referring to someone who lived on a triangular piece of land. A famous bearer was American writer Gore Vidal (1925-2012).

Goronwy m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Variant of Gronw. This form appears in the Book of Taliesin. It was borne by the Welsh poet Goronwy Owen (1723-1769).

Grace f English
From the English word grace, which ultimately derives from Latin gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.... [more]

Gracelyn f English (Modern)
Elaboration of Grace using the popular name suffix lyn.

Gracelynn f English (Modern)
Elaboration of Grace using the popular name suffix lyn.

Gracie f English
Diminutive of Grace.

Grady m English
From an Irish surname, itself derived from the byname Gráda meaning "noble, illustrious".

Graeme m Scottish, English
From a surname that was a variant of Graham. This particular spelling for the given name has been most common in Scotland, New Zealand and Australia.

Graham m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname, originally derived from the English place name Grantham, which probably meant "gravelly homestead" in Old English. The surname was first taken to Scotland in the 12th century by the Norman baron William de Graham. A famous bearer of the surname was Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor who devised the telephone. A famous bearer of the given name was the British author Graham Greene (1904-1991).... [more]

Grahame m Scottish, English
From a surname that was a variant of Graham.

Grant m English, Scottish
From an English and Scottish surname that was derived from Norman French grand meaning "great, large". A famous bearer of the surname was Ulysses Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War who later served as president. In America the name has often been given in his honour.

Granville m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman place name Grainville.

Gray m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "grey", originally given to a person who had grey hair or clothing.

Graysen m English (Modern)
Variant of Grayson.

Grayson m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of the steward", derived from Middle English greyve "steward". It became common towards the end of the 20th century because of its similarity to popular names like Jason, Mason and Graham.

Greer f & m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the given name Gregor.

Greg m English
Short form of Gregory.

Gregg m English
Short form of Gregory.

Gregory m English
English form of Latin Gregorius, which was from the Late Greek name Γρηγόριος (Gregorios), derived from γρήγορος (gregoros) meaning "watchful, alert". This name was popular among early Christians, being borne by a number of important saints including Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus (3rd century), Saint Gregory the Illuminator (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nyssa (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (4th century), and Saint Gregory of Tours (6th century). It was also borne by the 6th-century pope Saint Gregory I the Great, a reformer and Doctor of the Church, as well as 15 subsequent popes.... [more]

Grenville m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Granville.

Gresham m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "grazing homestead" in Old English.

Greta f German, Italian, Swedish, Lithuanian, Polish, English
Short form of Margareta. A famous bearer of this name was the Swedish actress Greta Garbo (1905-1990).

Gretchen f German, English
German diminutive of Margareta.

Gretta f English
Variant of Greta.

Grey m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Gray.

Greyson m English (Modern)
Variant of Grayson.

Grier f & m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the given name Gregor.

Griffin m English
Latinized form of Gruffudd. This name can also be inspired by the English word griffin, a creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, ultimately from Greek γρύψ (gryps).

Griffith m Welsh
Anglicized form of Gruffudd.

Griselda f English, Spanish, Literature
Possibly derived from the Old German elements gris "grey" and hilt "battle". It is not attested as a Germanic name. This was the name of a patient wife in medieval folklore, adapted into tales by Boccaccio (in The Decameron) and Chaucer (in The Canterbury Tales).

Grizel f Scots
Scots form of Griselda.

Grosvenor m English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "great hunter" in Norman French.

Grover m English
From an English surname derived from Old English graf meaning "grove of trees". A famous bearer was the American president Grover Cleveland (1837-1908), who popularized the name in the United States at the end of the 19th century. The name is now associated with a muppet character from the children's television program Sesame Street.

Gruffud m Welsh (Rare)
Variant of Gruffudd.

Gruffudd m Welsh
From the Old Welsh name Grifud, the second element deriving from Old Welsh iudd "lord, prince" but the first element being of uncertain meaning (possibly cryf "strong"). This was a common name among medieval Welsh royalty. Gruffudd (or Gruffydd) ap Llywelyn was an 11th-century Welsh ruler who fought against England.

Gruffydd m Welsh
Variant of Gruffudd.

Gunner m English (Modern)
English variant of Gunnar, influenced by the vocabulary word gunner.

Gus 1 m English
Short form of Augustus or Angus.

Gussie f English
Diminutive of Augusta.

Guto m Welsh
Diminutive of Gruffudd.

Guy 1 m English, French
Old French form of Wido. The Normans introduced it to England, where it was common until the time of Guy Fawkes (1570-1606), a revolutionary who attempted to blow up the British parliament. The name was revived in the 19th century, due in part to characters in the novels Guy Mannering (1815) by Walter Scott and The Heir of Redclyffe (1854) by C. M. Yonge.

Gwallter m Welsh
Welsh form of Walter.

Gwawr f Welsh
Means "dawn" in Welsh.

Gwen f Welsh, English
From Welsh gwen, the feminine form of gwyn meaning "white, blessed". It can also be a short form of Gwendolen, Gwenllian and other names beginning with Gwen.

Gwenda f Welsh, English
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, blessed" and da meaning "good". This name was created in the 19th century.

Gwendolen f Welsh
Possibly means "white ring", derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" and dolen meaning "ring, loop". This name appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century chronicles, written in the Latin form Guendoloena, where it belongs to an ancient queen of the Britons who defeats her ex-husband in battle. Geoffrey later used it in Vita Merlini for the wife of the prophet Merlin. An alternate theory claims that the name arose from a misreading of the masculine name Guendoleu by Geoffrey.... [more]

Gwendoline f Welsh, English (British), French
Variant of Gwendolen.