Wawatam m OjibwePossibly means
"little goose" in Ojibwe. This was the name of an 18th-century chief of the Ottawa people.
Wayan m & f BalineseFrom Balinese
wayah meaning
"old, mature", ultimately from Sanskrit
वयस् (vayas) meaning "energy, strength, age". This name is traditionally given to the first-born child.
Wayland m English, Anglo-Saxon MythologyFrom Old English
Weland, probably derived from the Germanic root *
wīlą meaning
"craft, cunning". In Germanic legend Weland (called Vǫlundr in Old Norse) was a master smith and craftsman. He was captured and hamstrung by King Niðhad, but took revenge by killing the king's sons.
Waylon m EnglishVariant of
Wayland. This name was popularized by country music singer Waylon Jennings (1937-2002), who was originally named Wayland.
Wayne m EnglishFrom an occupational surname meaning
"wagon maker", derived from Old English
wægn "wagon". Use of it as a given name can be partly attributed to the popularity of the actor John Wayne (1907-1979). Another famous bearer is Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky (1961-), generally considered the greatest player in the history of the sport.
Wazo m GermanicOriginally a short form of names beginning with Old Frankish
waddi or Old High German
wetti meaning
"pledge" (Proto-Germanic *
wadją), or alternatively
war meaning
"aware, cautious" (Proto-Germanic *
waraz).
Webster m EnglishFrom an occupational surname meaning
"weaver", derived from Old English
webba.
Wednesday f Popular CultureFrom the name of the day of the week, which was derived from Old English
wodnesdæg meaning "
Woden's day". On the
Addams Family television series (1964-1966) this was the name of the daughter, based on an earlier unnamed character in Charles Addams' cartoons. Her name was inspired by the popular nursery rhyme line
Wednesday's child is full of woe.
Wei m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
威 (wēi) meaning "power, pomp",
巍 (wēi) meaning "high, lofty, towering" or
伟 (wěi) meaning "great, robust, extraordinary". As a feminine name it can come from
微 (wēi) meaning "small" or
薇 (wēi) meaning "fern". This name can be formed by other Chinese characters besides those shown here.
Weldon m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"hill near a spring" in Old English.
Wells m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived near a well or spring, from Middle English
wille.
Wen m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
文 (wén) meaning "literature, culture, writing", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation. A famous bearer was the 2nd-century BC Emperor Wen of Han (posthumous name).
Wenche f NorwegianNorwegian variant of
Wenke. A famous bearer is the Norwegian singer Wenche Myhre (1947-), known as
Wencke in some countries so as to avoid pronunciation confusion.
Wendel m Dutch (Rare), German (Rare)Old short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
wentil meaning
"a Vandal". The Vandals were a Germanic tribe who invaded Spain and North Africa in the 5th century. Their tribal name, which may mean "wanderer", has often been confused with that of the Wends, a Slavic people living between the Elbe and the Oder.
... [more] Wendell m EnglishFrom a German and Dutch surname that was derived from the given name
Wendel. In America this name has been given in honour of the poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894) and his son the Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935). The elder's middle name came from his mother's maiden name (which had been brought to America by a Dutch ancestor in the form
Wendel, with the extra
l added later).
Wendy f EnglishIn the case of the character from J. M. Barrie's play
Peter Pan (1904), it was created from the nickname
fwendy "friend", given to the author by a young friend. However, the name was used prior to the play (rarely), in which case it could be related to the Welsh name
Gwendolen and other names beginning with the element
gwen meaning "white, blessed". The name only became common after Barrie's play ran.
Wenilo m GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with Old Frankish
wani or Old High German
wan meaning
"hope, expectation".
Wenonah f LiteratureVariant of
Winona. This spelling of the name was used by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for the mother of Hiawatha in his 1855 epic poem
The Song of Hiawatha.
Werner m German, DutchFrom an Old German name derived from the element
warin, related to
war meaning "aware, cautious", combined with
heri meaning "army". This was the name of a 13th-century boy from Oberwesel, Germany who was formerly regarded as a saint. He is no longer recognized as such by the Church. Another famous bearer was the German physicist Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976).
Werther m German (Rare)Derived from the Old German elements
werd "worthy" and
heri "army". Goethe used this name in his novel
The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774).
Wesley m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself meaning
"west meadow" from Old English
west "west" and
leah "woodland, clearing". It has been sometimes given in honour of John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism.
Weston m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English
west "west" and
tun "enclosure, yard, town".
Whitaker m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"white field" in Old English.
Whitney f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).
Wickaninnish m Nuu-chah-nulth (Anglicized)Possibly means
"having no one in front of him in the canoe" in Nuu-chah-nulth. This was the name of a chief of the Clayoquot in the late 18th century, at the time of European contact.
Wido m GermanicOriginally a short form of names beginning with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element
widu, Old High German
witu, meaning
"wood" (Proto-Germanic *
widuz). This was the name of two 11th-century saints, one from Belgium and one from northern Italy, both commonly called
Guido or
Guy. From early times this name has been confused with the Latin name
Vitus.
Widukind m GermanicOld Saxon name composed of the elements
widu "wood" and
kind "child". This was the name of an 8th-century Saxon leader who fought against the Franks, in the end unsuccessfully.
Wigberht m Anglo-Saxon, GermanicDerived from the Old English elements
wig "battle" and
beorht "bright". This is also a continental Germanic equivalent, derived from the Old German elements
wig and
beraht. The name was borne by an 8th-century English saint who did missionary work in Frisia and Germany.
Wihtburg f Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
wiht "creature, being" and
burg "fortress". This was the name of an 8th-century saint, said to be the youngest daughter of King Anna of East Anglia.
Wilbur m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from the nickname
Wildbor meaning
"wild boar" in Middle English. This name was borne by Wilbur Wright (1867-1912), one half of the Wright brothers, who together invented the first successful airplane. Wright was named after the Methodist minister Wilbur Fisk (1792-1839). A famous fictional bearer is the main character (a pig) in the children's novel
Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.
Wilburn m EnglishFrom an English surname that was probably originally derived from an unknown place name. The second element corresponds with Old English
burne "stream".
Wilda f EnglishMeaning uncertain, perhaps from a German surname, or perhaps from the English word
wild. It has been in use since the 19th century.
Wilder m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"wild, untamed, uncontrolled", from Old English
wilde.
Wiley m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from various English place names: towns named
Willey or the River
Wylye.
Wilford m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"willow ford" in Old English.
Wilfred m EnglishMeans
"desiring peace" from Old English
willa "will, desire" and
friþ "peace". Saint Wilfrid was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon bishop. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Wilhelm m German, Polish, GermanicGerman cognate of
William. This was the name of two German emperors. It was also the middle name of several philosophers from Germany: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), who was also a notable mathematician. Another famous bearer was the physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845-1923).
Wilhelmus m DutchLatinized form of
Wilhelm. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but not commonly in daily life.
Wilkie m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a diminutive of the given name
William.
Willard m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old German given name
Willihard (or the Old English cognate
Wilheard).
Willehad m GermanicOld German or Old English name derived from the elements
willo "will, desire" and
hadu "battle, combat". This was the name of an 8th-century Northumbrian saint active in Frisia and Saxony.
Willem m DutchDutch form of
William. Willem the Silent, Prince of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain that brought about the independence of the Netherlands. He is considered the founder of the Dutch royal family. In English he is commonly called William of Orange.
William m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Willehelm meaning
"will helmet", composed of the elements
willo "will, desire" and
helm "helmet, protection". An early saint by this name was the 8th-century William of Gellone, a cousin of
Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England in the 11th century. From then until the modern era it has been among the most common of English names (with
John,
Thomas and
Robert).
... [more] Williamina f ScottishFeminine form of
William. A famous bearer of this name was Williamina Fleming (1857-1911), a Scottish astronomer.
Willibald m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
willo "will, desire" and
bald "bold, brave". Saint Willibald was an 8th-century bishop of Eichstätt, Bavaria.
Willoughby m & f English (Rare)From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"willow town" in Old English.
Wilton m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the names of several English towns. The town names mean variously "willow town", "well town" or "town on the River Wylye" in Old English. The river name is itself of Celtic origin, possibly meaning "tricky".
Wiltrud f GermanDerived from the Old German elements
willo "will, desire" and
drud "strength". This name was borne by a 10th-century German saint from Bergen.
Win m & f BurmeseMeans
"bright, radiant, brilliant" in Burmese.
Windsor m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that was from a place name meaning
"riverbank with a windlass" in Old English (a windlass is a lifting apparatus). This has been the surname of the royal family of the United Kingdom since 1917.
Winfield m EnglishFrom a surname that originated from various English place names, themselves derived from Old English
winn "meadow, pasture" and
feld "field".
Winfred m EnglishMeans
"friend of peace" from the Old English elements
wine "friend" and
friþ "peace". This was the birth name of the 8th-century missionary Saint
Boniface. It became rare after the Norman Conquest, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Winifred f English, WelshFrom Latin
Winifreda, possibly from a Welsh name
Gwenfrewi (maybe influenced by the Old English masculine name
Winfred). Saint Winifred was a 7th-century Welsh martyr, probably legendary. According to the story, she was decapitated by a prince after she spurned his advances. Where her head fell there arose a healing spring, which has been a pilgrimage site since medieval times. Her story was recorded in the 12th century by Robert of Shrewsbury, and she has been historically more widely venerated in England than in Wales. The name has been used in England since at least the 16th century.
Winona f English, SiouxMeans
"firstborn daughter" in Dakota or Lakota. According to folklore, this was the name of a daughter of a Dakota chief (possibly
Wapasha III) who leapt from a cliff to her death rather than marry a man she hated. Numerous places in the United States have been named after her. The actress Winona Ryder (1971-) was named after the city in Minnesota where she was born.
Winslow m & f English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning
"hill belonging to Wine". A famous bearer of this name was American painter Winslow Homer (1836-1910).
Winston m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name
Wynnstan. A famous bearer was Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the British prime minister during World War II. This name was also borne by the fictional Winston Smith, the protagonist in George Orwell's 1949 novel
1984.
Winton m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"enclosure belonging to Wine" in Old English.
Wisteria f English (Rare)From the name of the flowering plant, which was named for the American anatomist Caspar Wistar.
Wojciech m PolishDerived from the Slavic elements
vojĭ "warrior, soldier" and
utěxa "solace, comfort, joy". Saint Wojciech (also known by the Czech form of his name
Vojtěch or his adopted name
Adalbert) was a Bohemian missionary to Hungary, Poland and Prussia, where he was martyred in the 10th century.
Wolfe m English (Rare)Variant of
Wolf, influenced by the spelling of the surname (which is also derived from the animal).
Wolfgang m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
wolf meaning "wolf" and
gang meaning "path, way". Saint Wolfgang was a 10th-century bishop of Regensburg. Two other famous bearers of this name were Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and German novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).
Wolfhard m GermanDerived from the Old German element
wolf meaning "wolf" combined with
hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Wolfram m GermanDerived from the Old German element
wolf meaning "wolf" combined with
hram meaning "raven". Saint Wolfram (or Wulfram) was a 7th-century archbishop of Sens. This name was also borne by the 13th-century German poet Wolfram von Eschenbach, the author of
Parzival.
Woodrow m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"row of houses by a wood" in Old English. It was borne by the American president Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), who was given his mother's maiden name as his middle name (his first name was Thomas). During his candidacy and presidency (1912-1921) the name became popular, reaching the 44th rank in 1913, though it quickly declined after that.
Wren f English (Modern)From the English word for the small songbird. It is ultimately derived from Old English
wrenna.
Wright m EnglishFrom an occupational surname meaning
"craftsman", ultimately from Old English
wyrhta. Famous bearers of the surname were the Wright brothers (Wilbur 1867-1912 and Orville 1871-1948), the inventors of the first successful airplane, and Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), an American architect.
Wu m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
武 (wǔ) meaning "military, martial" (which is generally only masculine) or
务 (wù) meaning "affairs, business", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly. This was the name of several Chinese rulers, including the 2nd-century BC emperor Wu of Han (a posthumous name, spelled
武) who expanded the empire and made Confucianism the state philosophy.
Wukong m LiteratureMeans
"awakened to emptiness", from Chinese
悟 (wù) meaning "enlightenment, awakening" and
空 (kōng) meaning "empty, hollow, sky". This is the name of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, in the 16th-century Chinese novel
Journey to the West.
Wulfila m Gothic (Hypothetical)Means
"little wolf", from a diminutive of the Gothic element
wulfs. This was the name of a 4th-century Gothic bishop and missionary. He translated the New Testament into Gothic.
Wulfnoð m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
wulf "wolf" and
noð "boldness, daring". This name became rare after the Norman Conquest.
Wulfrun f Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
wulf "wolf" and
run "secret lore, rune". This was the name of a 10th-century English noblewoman who founded the city of Wolverhampton.
Wyatt m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name
Wyard or
Wyot, from the Old English name
Wigheard. Wyatt Earp (1848-1929) was an American lawman and gunfighter involved in the famous shootout at the OK Corral.
Wyn m WelshDerived from Welsh
gwyn meaning
"white, blessed".
Wystan m English (Rare)From the Old English name
Wigstan, composed of the elements
wig "battle" and
stan "stone". This was the name of a 9th-century Anglo-Saxon saint. It became rare after the Norman Conquest, and in modern times it is chiefly known as the first name of the British poet W. H. Auden (1907-1973).
Xanthippe f Ancient GreekFeminine form of
Xanthippos. This was the name of the wife of
Socrates. Because of her supposedly argumentative nature, the name has been adopted (in the modern era) as a word for a scolding, ill-tempered woman.
Xavier m English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, SpanishDerived from the Basque place name
Etxeberria meaning
"the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) who was born in a village by this name. He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries. His surname has since been adopted as a given name in his honour, chiefly among Catholics.
Xbalanque m Mayan MythologyPossibly from Classic Maya
balam "jaguar" and
k'in "sun" or
kej "deer". In the
Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the K'iche' Maya, Xbalanque and his twin brother
Hunahpu avenge their father's death at the hands of the underworld gods.
Xena f Popular CultureProbably a variant of
Xenia. This was the name of the main character in the 1990s television series
Xena: Warrior Princess.
Xene f Late GreekVariant of
Xenia. This was occasionally adopted as a monastic name during the Byzantine era.
Xenia f Greek, Spanish, Ancient GreekMeans
"hospitality" in Greek, a derivative of
ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest". This was the name of a 5th-century saint who is venerated in the Eastern Church.
Xenophon m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreign, strange" and
φωνή (phone) meaning "voice". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek military commander and historian. This name was also borne by a 5th-century saint from Constantinople.
Xerxes m Old Persian (Hellenized), HistoryGreek form of the Old Persian name
𐎧𐏁𐎹𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎠 (Xšayarša), which meant
"ruler over heroes". This was the name of a 5th-century BC king of Persia, the son of
Darius the Great. He attempted an invasion of Greece, which ended unsuccessfully at the battle of Salamis.
Xia m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
夏 (xià) meaning "summer, great, grand",
霞 (xiá) meaning "rosy clouds", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Xiadani f ZapotecMeaning uncertain, said to mean
"the flower that arrived" in Zapotec.
Xiang m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
翔 (xiáng) meaning "soar, glide",
祥 (xiáng) meaning "good luck, good omen",
香 (xiāng) meaning "fragrant" (which is usually only feminine) or
湘 (xiāng), which refers to the Xiang River in southern China. This name can also be formed from other characters.
Ximeno m Medieval SpanishMedieval Spanish or Basque name of uncertain meaning. It is possibly a form of
Simon 1, though it may in fact derive from Basque
seme meaning "son".
Xinyi m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
欣 (xīn) meaning "happy, joyous, delighted" or
心 (xīn) meaning "heart, mind, soul" combined with
怡 (yí) meaning "joy, harmony". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Xiu f ChineseFrom Chinese
秀 (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Xiulan f ChineseFrom Chinese
秀 (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with
兰 (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant". This name can be formed of other character combinations as well.
Xiuying f ChineseFrom Chinese
秀 (xiù) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with
英 (yīng) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". Other character combinations are possible.
Xolotl m Aztec and Toltec MythologyMeaning uncertain, of Nahuatl origin, possibly meaning
"servant" or
"cornstalk". In Aztec mythology Xolotl was a monstrous dog-headed god who guided the dead to Mictlan. He was also associated with lightning, fire and the evening star. He was the twin brother of
Quetzalcoatl.
Xquenda f & m ZapotecFrom Zapotec
guenda "spirit, soul, essence" combined with the possessive prefix
x-.
Xue f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
雪 (xuě) meaning "snow" or
学 (xué) meaning "study, learning, school", besides other characters pronounced similarly.
Xun m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
勋 (xūn) meaning "meritorious deed, rank" or
迅 (xùn) meaning "fast, sudden", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.