LorelaifEnglish (Modern) Variant of Lorelei. This name featured on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) where it was borne by the two main characters (the younger one went by the nickname Rory).
Lorena 2fEnglish Latinized form of Lauren. This name was first brought to public attention in America by the song Lorena (1856), written by Joseph Webster, who was said to have created the name as an anagram of Lenore (from the character in Poe's poem The Raven).
LorettafEnglish, Italian Perhaps a variant of Lauretta or Loreto, or a diminutive of names beginning with Lor. A famous bearer was the American actress Loretta Young (1913-2000), whose birth name was Gretchen.
LouhifFinnish Mythology Variant of Loviatar. In Finnish mythology Louhi was another name of the death goddess Loviatar. She appears in the Finnish epic the Kalevala as a witch ruling the northern area known as Pohjola. She is the primary antagonist to the hero Väinämöinen.
LunedfWelsh, Arthurian Cycle Form of Lunete used in the Welsh tale Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain (which was based on Chrétien's poem).
LunetefArthurian Cycle Form of Eluned used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes in his poem Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. In the poem she is a servant of the Lady of the Fountain who aids the knight Yvain.
MārafLatvian, Baltic Mythology This was the name of a Latvian mother goddess. Her name is possibly derived from Maria, identifying her with the Virgin Mary. In modern times this name is used as a variant of Marija.
MargauxfFrench Variant of Margot influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from Margot.
MariahfEnglish Variant of Maria. It is usually pronounced in a way that reflects an older English pronunciation of Maria. The name was popularized in the early 1990s by the American singer Mariah Carey (1970-).
MariamnefHistory From Μαριάμη (Mariame), the form of Maria used by the historian Josephus when referring to the wife of King Herod.
Marian 1fEnglish Variant of Marion 1. This name was borne in English legend by Maid Marian, Robin Hood's love. It is sometimes considered a combination of Mary and Ann.... [more]
MarjoriefEnglish Medieval variant of Margery, influenced by the name of the herb marjoram. After the Middle Ages this name was rare, but it was revived at the end of the 19th century.
MatthiasmGerman, French, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek From Greek Ματθίας (Matthias), a variant of Ματθαῖος (see Matthew). This form appears in the New Testament as the name of the apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot. This was also the name of kings of Hungary (spelled Mátyás in Hungarian), including Matthias I who made important reforms to the kingdom in the 15th century.
MaudfEnglish, French, Dutch, Swedish Medieval English and French form of Matilda. Though it became rare after the 14th century, it was revived and once more grew popular in the 19th century, perhaps due to Alfred Tennyson's 1855 poem Maud.
MckaylafEnglish (Modern) Variant of Michaela, often spelled as McKayla with the third letter capitalized, as if it were an Irish or Scottish surname beginning with Mc.
MeghanfEnglish Variant of Megan. A notable bearer is Meghan Markle (1981-), the American-born wife of the British royal Prince Harry.
MeghannfEnglish Variant of Megan. This is the name of one of the central characters in Australian author Colleen McCullough's novel The Thorn Birds (1977), which was adapted into an American miniseries in 1983.
MilanifEnglish (Modern) From the name of the Italian city of Milan, as in the name of the American cosmetics company founded in 2002. It could also a variant of Melanie.
NapoleonmHistory, English From the old Italian name Napoleone, used most notably by the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who was born on Corsica. The etymology is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from Old German Nibelungen meaning "sons of mist", a name used in Germanic legend to refer to the keepers of a hoard of treasure, often identified with the Burgundians. Alternatively, it could be connected to the name of the Italian city of Napoli (Naples).
NeferusobekfAncient Egyptian From Egyptian nfrw-sbk meaning "beauty of Sobek", derived from nfrw "beauty, perfection" combined with the name of the god Sobek. This is the name of the earliest known female pharaoh of Egypt, ruling in the 12th dynasty (19th century BC). Her name is typically found with the hieroglyphs in reverse order, as Sobekneferu, though it is assumed this was only done to place the god's name first in writing.
NicolausmGerman, Ancient Greek (Latinized) Latinized form of Nikolaos (see Nicholas). This form is also used in Germany as a variant of Nikolaus. A notable bearer was the German-speaking Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543). This was his Latin name; his German name was recorded in various spellings such as Niklas Koppernigk.
Noah 1mEnglish, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch (Modern), French (Modern), Biblical From the Hebrew name נֹחַ (Noaḥ) meaning "rest, repose", derived from the root נוּחַ (nuaḥ). According to the Old Testament, Noah was the builder of the Ark that allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the Great Flood. After the flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. He was the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.... [more]
NyahfEnglish (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).
NymphafAncient Greek, Biblical Greek, Biblical Variant 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.
OberonmLiterature Variant 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.
OssianmLiterature Variant of Oisín used by James Macpherson in his 18th-century poems, which he claimed to have based on early Irish legends. In the poems Ossian is the son of Fingal, and serves as the narrator.
OtmarmGerman, Czech, Germanic From the Germanic name Audamar, which was derived from Old Frankish aud or Old High German ot meaning "wealth, fortune" combined with mari meaning "famous". This was the name of an 8th-century Swiss saint, an abbot of Saint Gall.