Noriaki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
憲 (nori) meaning "law" or
典 (nori) meaning "rule, ceremony" combined with
明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Noriko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
典 (nori) meaning "rule, ceremony" or
紀 (nori) meaning "chronicle" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Norma f English, Italian, LiteratureCreated by Felice Romani for the main character in the opera
Norma (1831). He may have based it on Latin
norma "rule". This name is also frequently used as a feminine form of
Norman.
Norman m English, GermanicFrom an old Germanic byname meaning
"northman", referring to a Scandinavians. The Normans were Vikings who settled on the coast of France, in the region that became known as Normandy. In England the name
Norman or
Normant was used before the Norman Conquest, first as a nickname for Scandinavian settlers and later as a given name. After the Conquest it became more common, but died out around the 14th century. It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to a character by this name in C. M. Yonge's 1856 novel
The Daisy Chain. Famous bearers include the American painter Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) and the American author Norman Mailer (1923-2007).
Norton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"north town" in Old English.
Norwood m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning
"north wood" in Old English.
Nosipho f Zulu, XhosaFrom the Zulu and Xhosa feminine prefix
no- combined with
isipho "gift".
Nosizwe f XhosaFrom the Xhosa feminine prefix
no- combined with
isizwe "nation".
Nostradamus m HistoryLatinized form of the surname of Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), a French astrologer famous for his book of prophecies. The surname, meaning
"our lady" in Old French, was acquired by his father upon his conversion from Judaism to Christianity.
Novak m SerbianFrom Serbian
нов (nov) meaning
"new". A notable bearer is the Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic (1987-).
Novella f ItalianDerived from Latin
novellus meaning
"new, young, novel", a diminutive of
novus "new". This name was borne by the 14th-century Italian scholar Novella d'Andrea, who taught law at the University of Bologna.
Nox f Roman MythologyMeans
"night" in Latin. Nox is the Roman goddess of the night, the equivalent of the Greek goddess
Nyx.
Noxolo f Xhosa, NdebeleFrom the Xhosa and Ndebele feminine prefix
no- combined with
uxolo "peace".
Noyabrina f Russian (Rare)Derived from Russian
ноябрь (noyabr) meaning
"November". It was coined by communist parents in order to commemorate the October Revolution of 1917, which according to the Gregorian calendar (not in use in Russia at the time) actually took place in November 1917.
Nqobile f & m ZuluMeans
"they conquered" in Zulu, from
nqoba "to conquer".
Nsia m & f AkanMeans
"sixth born child" in Akan.
Nu m Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
nnw meaning
"primeval water". In Egyptian mythology this was the name of the god who personified the primeval waters from which the earth was born.
Nuada m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Nuadu, probably from
Nodens. In Irish mythology he was the first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. After he lost an arm in battle it was replaced with one made from silver, and he received the byname
Airgetlám meaning "silver hand". He was later killed fighting the monstrous Fomorians led by
Balor. This name was also borne by a few semi-legendary Irish kings.
Nuallán m Medieval IrishIrish byname derived from
nuall meaning
"famous, loud" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Nuan f ChineseFrom Chinese
暖 (nuǎn) meaning "warm, genial" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Nubia f Spanish (Latin American)From the name of the ancient region and kingdom in Africa, south of Egypt. It possibly derives from the Egyptian word
nbw meaning "gold".
Nudd m Welsh MythologyWelsh cognate of
Nuada. This is the name of a figure in Welsh legend, appearing in early poetry and in
Culhwch and Olwen as the father of
Gwyn.
Nuno m Portuguese, Medieval PortugueseMedieval Portuguese and Spanish name, possibly from Latin
nonus "ninth" or
nunnus "grandfather". Saint Nuno was a 14th-century Portuguese general who defeated a Castilian invasion.
Nurasyl m Kazakh (Rare)From Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" and
асыл (asyl) meaning "precious, noble" (both words ultimately of Arabic origin).
Nurbek m KyrgyzFrom Kyrgyz
нур (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) combined with the Turkic military title
beg meaning "chieftain, master".
Nurcan f TurkishMeans
"bright soul" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
نور (nur) meaning "light" and Persian
jan meaning "soul, life".
Nurdaulet m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" and
дәулет (daulet) meaning "country, government" (both words ultimately of Arabic origin).
Nurgül f TurkishMeans
"radiant rose" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
نور (nur) meaning "light" and Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
Núria f Catalan, PortugueseFrom a Catalan title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nostra Senyora de Núria, meaning "Our Lady of Nuria". Nuria is a sanctuary in Spain in which there is a shrine containing a famous statue of Mary.
Nurislam m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) combined with
Islam, the name of the religion (ultimately from Arabic
إسلام).
Nurit f HebrewMeans
"buttercup (flower)" in Hebrew (genus Ranunculus).
Nursultan m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" and
сұлтан (sultan) meaning "sultan, king" (both words of Arabic origin).
Nurten f TurkishMeans
"radiant skin" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
نور (nur) meaning "light" and Persian
تن (tan) meaning "body".
Nurzhan m KazakhFrom Kazakh
нұр (nur) meaning "light" (of Arabic origin) and
жан (zhan) meaning "soul" (of Persian origin).
Nüwa f Chinese MythologyFrom Chinese
女 (nǚ) meaning "woman, female" and
娲 (wā), a character of uncertain origin that refers to the goddess herself. This is the name of the creator goddess in Chinese mythology, depicted as a snake with a human head. She molded humans from earth or clay with her brother
Fuxi.
Nyah f English (Modern)Meaning unknown, possibly a variant of
Nia 2 or
Nia 3. This name briefly entered the American popularity charts after it was featured in the movie
Mission: Impossible 2 (2000).
Nyala f Various (Rare)From the name of a type of African antelope, ultimately derived from the Bantu word
nyálà.
Nyambura f KikuyuFrom Kikuyu
mbura meaning
"rain". This is the name of one of the nine daughters of
Mumbi in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Nyarai f ShonaFrom Shona
nyara meaning
"be shy, be quiet, be humble".
Nydia f English (Rare), Spanish, LiteratureUsed by British author Edward Bulwer-Lytton for a blind flower-seller in his novel
The Last Days of Pompeii (1834). He perhaps based it on Latin
nidus "nest".
Nyla f EnglishProbably a feminine form of
Niles. It gained popularity in the early 2000s, influenced by similar-sounding names such as
Kyla.
Nympha f Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek, BiblicalVariant of
Nymphe (as well as the usual Latinized form). This name is mentioned briefly by
Paul in his epistle to the Colossians in the New Testament, though it is uncertain whether it refers to a woman
Nympha or a man
Nymphas. The name was later borne by an obscure 4th-century saint possibly from Palermo, Sicily.
Nynniaw m Old WelshProbably a Welsh form of *
Ninniau (see
Ninian). This form is used for
Nennius in
Brut y Brenhinedd, the Middle Welsh translation of the 12th-century Latin chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth. The name also appears in the Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen belonging to a man who is transformed into an ox.
Nyoman m & f BalinesePossibly from a Balinese word meaning
"end, remainder". This name is traditionally bestowed upon the third-born child.
Nyssa f Various (Rare)From the name of an ancient town of Asia Minor where Saint Gregory was bishop in the 4th century. Nyssa is also the genus name of a type of tree, also called the Tupelo.
Nyx f Greek MythologyMeans
"night" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the night, the daughter of Khaos and the wife of Erebos.
Oakley m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was from various place names meaning
"oak clearing" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the American sharpshooter Annie Oakley (1860-1926).
Oanez f BretonDerived from Breton
oan "lamb" (ultimately from Latin
agnus) and used as a Breton form of
Agnes.
Obadiah m BiblicalMeans
"servant of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from
עָבַד ('avad) meaning "to serve, to worship" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets, the author of the Book of Obadiah, which predicts the downfall of the nation of Edom. This is also the name of several other biblical characters.
Ọbatala m Yoruba MythologyMeans
"king of white cloth" in Yoruba, derived from
ọba "king" and
àlà "white cloth". According to traditional Yoruba religion he is the creator of the earth and human beings. He also founded the first Yoruba city, Ife.
Obdulia f SpanishMeaning unknown. This was the name of a saint from Toledo, Spain. The details of her life are unknown.
Obelix m Popular CultureThe name of a character in the
Asterix series of comic books. A friend of the main character
Asterix, Obelix is a heavyset and immensely strong carver of menhirs. His name (
Obélix in the original French) is a pun on the French word
obélisque meaning
"obelisk, stone monument" using the ending
-ix common to the Gauls in the series.
Oberon m LiteratureVariant of
Auberon. Oberon and
Titania are the king and queen of the fairies in Shakespeare's comedy
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595). A moon of Uranus bears this name in his honour.
Obi m & f IgboMeans
"heart" in Igbo.
Obinna m IgboMeans
"heart of the father" in Igbo, from
óbì "heart, mind" and
ńnà "father".
Obrad m SerbianPossibly derived from Serbian
obradovati meaning
"to make happy".
Ocean f & m English (Modern)Simply from the English word
ocean for a large body of water. It is ultimately derived from Greek
Ὠκεανός (Okeanos), the name of the body of water thought to surround the Earth.
Ochieng m LuoMeans
"born when the sun shines", derived from Luo
chieng meaning "sun".
Octavian m History, RomanianFrom the Roman name
Octavianus, which was derived from the name
Octavius. After Gaius Octavius (later the Roman emperor
Augustus) was adopted by Julius Caesar he took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus.
Octavius m Ancient RomanRoman family name derived from Latin
octavus meaning
"eighth". This was the original family name of the emperor Augustus (born Gaius Octavius). It was also rarely used as a Roman praenomen, or given name.
October f English (Rare)From the name of the tenth month. It is derived from Latin
octo meaning "eight", because it was originally the eighth month of the Roman year.
Oda f German, Norwegian, GermanicFeminine form of
Otto. This was the name of a semi-legendary 8th-century saint who lived as a hermit in Brabant in the Netherlands.
Odalis f & m Spanish (Latin American)Possibly an elaboration of
Odilia used in Latin America. In most countries it is a feminine name, but in the Dominican Republic it is commonly masculine.
Oddmund m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse elements
oddr "point of a sword" and
mundr "protection". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Oddrún f Old Norse, Norse MythologyFrom Old Norse
oddr "point of a sword" and
rún "secret lore, rune". This is the name of a woman in the Old Norse poem
Oddrúnargrátr in the
Poetic Edda.
Oddvar m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Oddvarr, derived from the elements
oddr "point of a sword" and
varr "aware, cautious".
Oddveig f NorwegianFrom the Old Norse elements
oddr "point of a sword" and
veig "strength". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Odell m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally from a place name, itself derived from Old English
wad "woad" (a plant that produces a blue dye) and
hyll "hill".
Odeserundiye m MohawkPossibly means
"lightning has struck" in Mohawk. This was the name of an 18th-century Mohawk chief, also called John Deseronto.
Odessa f VariousFrom the name of a Ukrainian city that sits on the north coast of the Black Sea, which was named after the ancient Greek city of
Ὀδησσός (Odessos), of uncertain meaning. This name can also be used as a feminine form of
Odysseus.
Odharnait f Irish (Rare)Derived from
odar "dun-coloured, greyish brown, tan" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an early Irish saint.
Odhrán m IrishFrom Old Irish
Odrán, derived from
odar "dun-coloured, greyish brown, tan" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a saint who travelled with Saint Columba through Scotland.
Odilia f Germanic (Latinized)Derived from the Old German element
uodil meaning
"heritage" or
ot meaning
"wealth, fortune". Saint Odilia (or Odila) was an 8th-century nun who is considered the patron saint of Alsace. She was apparently born blind but gained sight when she was baptized.
Odilo m GermanicMasculine form of
Odilia. Saint Odilo (or Odilon) was an 11th-century abbot of Cluny in France.
Odin m Norse Mythology, English (Modern)Anglicized form of Old Norse
Óðinn, which was derived from
óðr meaning
"inspiration, rage, frenzy". It ultimately developed from Proto-Germanic *
Wōdanaz. The name appears as
Woden in Anglo-Saxon sources (for example, as the founder of several royal lineages in the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle) and in forms such as
Wuotan,
Wotan or
Wodan in continental Europe, though he is best known from Norse sources.
... [more] Odo m GermanicVariant of
Otto. This form is typically Frankish, and used when referring to historical bearers from medieval France. It was the name of a 9th-century king of the West Franks. Another notable bearer was Saint Odo, a 10th-century abbot of Cluny.
Odoacer m Gothic (Latinized)From the Gothic name *
Audawakrs meaning
"wealthy and vigilant", derived from the elements
auds "wealth" and
wakrs "vigilant". Odoacer, sometimes called Odovacar, was a 5th-century Gothic leader who overthrew the last Western Roman emperor and became the first barbarian king of Italy.
Odysseus m Greek MythologyPerhaps derived from Greek
ὀδύσσομαι (odyssomai) meaning
"to hate". In Greek legend Odysseus was one of the Greek heroes who fought in the Trojan War. In the
Odyssey Homer relates Odysseus's misadventures on his way back to his kingdom and his wife
Penelope.
Oedipus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Οἰδίπους (Oidipous), meaning
"swollen foot" from
οἰδέω (oideo) meaning "to swell" and
πούς (pous) meaning "foot". In Greek mythology Oedipus was the son of the Theban king
Laius and his wife
Jocasta. Laius received a prophesy that he would be killed by his son, so he left the newborn to die of exposure. Oedipus was however rescued and raised in the home of the Corinthian king Polybus. After he had grown and learned of the same prophesy, Oedipus left Corinth so that he would not be a danger to Polybus, whom he assumed was his father. On the road to Delphi he chanced upon his real father Laius and slew him in a petty disagreement, thus fulfilling the prophecy. He then correctly answered the Sphinx's riddle, winning the now vacant throne of Thebes and marrying the widowed Queen Jocasta, his own mother. Years later they learned the truth of their relationship, prompting Jocasta to commit suicide and Oedipus to blind himself.
Oenone f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Οἰνώνη (Oinone), derived from
οἶνος (oinos) meaning
"wine". In Greek mythology Oenone was a mountain nymph who was married to Paris before he went after Helen.
Ofer m HebrewMeans
"fawn" in Hebrew. This makes it a modern variant of the Classical Hebrew name
Ophrah.
Ofra m & f HebrewModern Hebrew form of
Ophrah. Originally it was a masculine name, but it is now used for females too.
Ogden m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"oak valley" in Old English. A famous bearer was the humorous American poet Ogden Nash (1902-1971).
Oğuzhan m TurkishFrom
Oğuz, the name of an ancient Turkic people, combined with Turkish
han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".
Ohad m BiblicalMeans
"united" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the third son of
Simeon.
Ohiyesa m SiouxMeans
"winner" in Dakota or Lakota, from
ohíya "winning" and the suffix
s'a "commonly, frequently".
Õie f EstonianDerived from Estonian
õis meaning
"flower".
Oighrig f Scottish GaelicFrom the older Gaelic name
Aithbhreac, derived from the intensive prefix
ath- and
breac "speckled". It has been Anglicized as
Effie,
Euphemia and
Affrica.
Oisín m Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"little deer", derived from Old Irish
oss "deer, stag" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend Oisín was a warrior hero and a poet, the son of
Fionn mac Cumhaill and the narrator in many of his tales.
Okafor m IgboMeans
"boy (born on) Afor" in Igbo,
Afor being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Okeanos m Greek MythologyFrom the name of the river or body of water thought by the ancient Greeks to surround the Earth. In Greek mythology Okeanos was the Titan who personified this body of water.
Okeke m IgboMeans
"boy (born on) Eke" in Igbo,
Eke being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Okonkwo m IgboMeans
"boy (born on) Nkwo" in Igbo,
Nkwo being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Okorie m IgboMeans
"boy (born on) Orie" in Igbo,
Orie being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Oktyabrina f Russian (Rare)Derived from Russian
октябрь (oktyabr) meaning
"October". This name was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names and commemorate the October Revolution of 1917.
Okuhle f & m Zulu, XhosaMeans
"that which is beautiful, that which is good" in Zulu and Xhosa.
Ōkuninushi m Japanese MythologyMeans
"master of the great country", from Japanese
大 (ō) meaning "big, great",
国 (kuni) meaning "country, land" and
主 (nushi) meaning "master". In Japanese myth he was the divine ruler of the lands, until the gods of the heavens seized control and he retreated to the unseen world.
Olaf m Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, PolishFrom the Old Norse name
Áleifr meaning
"ancestor's descendant", derived from the elements
anu "ancestor" and
leif "inheritance, legacy". This was the name of five kings of Norway, including Saint Olaf (Olaf II).
Olaug f NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Ólaug, derived from the elements
anu "ancestor" and
laug possibly meaning "vowed, promised, bound in oath".
Oleg m Russian, GeorgianRussian form of the Old Norse name
Helgi (see
Helge). The Varangians brought this name from Scandinavia to Eastern Europe: it was borne by a 9th-century Varangian ruler who conquered Kyiv and made it the capital of the state of Kievan Rus.
Olegario m SpanishFrom
Olegarius, the Latinized form of a Germanic name, possibly
Aldegar or a metathesized form of
Odalgar. This was the name of a 12th-century saint, a bishop of Barcelona.
Olindo m Literature, ItalianUsed by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso for the lover of
Sophronia in his epic poem
Jerusalem Delivered (1580). It might be a variant of
Olinto, the Italian form of the ancient Greek city
Ὄλυνθος (Olynthos) meaning
"wild fig".
Olive f English, FrenchFrom the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin
oliva.
Oliver m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian CycleFrom Old French
Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin
oliva "olive tree". Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse
Áleifr (see
Olaf) or Frankish
Alawar (see
Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic
La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero
Roland.
... [more] Olivette f LiteratureFeminine form of
Oliver. This was the name of the title character in the French opera
Les noces d'Olivette (1879) by Edmond Audran.
Olivia f English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, DutchThis name was used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy
Twelfth Night (1602). This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time that may have been based on
Oliva or
Oliver, or directly from the Latin word
oliva meaning
"olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman who is wooed by Duke
Orsino but instead falls in love with his messenger Cesario, who is actually
Viola in disguise.
... [more]