Names Sounding like _a*

This is a list of names in which the sound is _a*.
gender
usage
sound
Hakob m Armenian
Armenian form of Jacob (or James).
Hal m English
Medieval diminutive of Harry. In Shakespeare's two historical plays about Henry IV, Prince Hal is the name of the future King Henry V.
Hala f Arabic
Means "halo around the moon" in Arabic. This was the name of a sister-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad.
Halcyon f Various (Rare)
From the name of a genus of kingfisher birds, derived from Greek ἀλκυών (from the same source as Alcyone).
Hale 1 f Turkish
Turkish form of Hala.
Hale 2 m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "nook, retreat" from Old English healh.
Haley f English (Modern)
Variant of Hayley. This spelling gained some popularity in the United States in 1977, possibly due to the author Alex Haley, whose book Roots was adapted into a popular miniseries that year. This was the most common American spelling from then to 2001, when it was eclipsed by Hailey.
Halim m Arabic, Turkish, Indonesian, Malay
Means "patient, tolerant, mild" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الحليم (al-Ḥalīm) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Halima f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Hausa, Swahili
Feminine form of Halim. Halima was the name of the foster mother of the Prophet Muhammad.
Halimah f Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic حليمة (see Halima), as well as the usual form in Malay and Indonesian.
Halit m Turkish, Albanian
Turkish and Albanian form of Khalid.
Hall m English
From a surname that was derived from Old English heall "manor, hall", originally belonging to a person who lived or worked in a manor.
Hallam m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning either "at the rocks" or "at the nook" in Old English.
Halldór m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Haldor.
Halle 2 f English (Modern)
In the case of American actress Halle Berry (1966-), it is from the name of a department store in Cleveland where she was born (the store was founded by brothers bearing the German surname Halle, a cognate of Hall).
Hallie f English
Diminutive of Harriet.
Halo f English (Modern)
From the English word halo meaning "luminous disc or ring", derived from Greek ἅλως (halos). Haloes often appear in religious art above the heads of holy people.
Ham m Biblical
Means "hot, warm" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Ham is one of Noah's three sons, along with Shem and Japheth. He was the ancestor of the Egyptians and Canaanites.
Hamad m Arabic
Means "praise" in Arabic, derived from the root حمد (ḥamida) meaning "to praise".
Hamada m Arabic
Means "praising" in Arabic, from the root حمد (ḥamida) meaning "to praise".
Hamdi m Arabic, Turkish
Means "praise" in Arabic, derived from حمد (ḥamida) meaning "to praise".
Hamed m Arabic, Persian
Alternate transcription of Arabic حامد (see Hamid 2), as well as the usual Persian transcription.
Hameed m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic حميد or Urdu حمید (see Hamid 1).
Hamid 1 m Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Urdu, Uzbek, Malay, Bosnian
Means "praiseworthy" in Arabic, from the root حمد (ḥamida) meaning "to praise". In Islamic tradition الحميد (al-Ḥamīd) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Hamid 2 m Arabic
Means "praiser" in Arabic.
Hamida f Arabic, Bengali
Feminine form of Hamid 1.
Hamidah f Arabic, Indonesian, Malay
Alternate transcription of Arabic حميدة (see Hamida), as well as the usual form in Indonesian and Malay.
Hamide f Persian, Turkish
Persian and Turkish feminine form of Hamid 1.
Hamideh f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian حمیده (see Hamide).
Hamilcar m Phoenician (Latinized), History
Possibly means "brother of Melqart", derived from Phoenician 𐤀𐤇 (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" combined with the name of the god Melqart. This was a common Punic name. Among the notable bearers was Hamilcar Barca, a 3rd-century BC Carthaginian general who was the father of Hannibal and Hasdrubal.
Hamilton m English
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Old English hamel "crooked, mutilated" and dun "hill". The surname was originally taken from the name of a town in Leicestershire, England (which no longer exists). A famous bearer of the surname was Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), a founding father of the United States who was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr.
Hamish m Scottish
Anglicized form of a Sheumais, the vocative case of Seumas.
Hamlet m Literature, Armenian
Anglicized form of the Danish name Amleth. Shakespeare used this name for the main character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600), which he based upon earlier Danish tales. In the play, Hamlet is a prince of Denmark seeking to avenge the death of his father (also named Hamlet) at the hands of his uncle Claudius.
Hammond m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from either the Norman given name Hamo or the Old Norse given name Hámundr.
Hammurabi m Babylonian (Anglicized), History
From Akkadian Hammu-rapi, probably derived from Amorite, another Semitic language. Various meanings, such as "uncle is a healer", have been suggested.... [more]
Hampus m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Hans.
Hamza m Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian
Means "lion" in Arabic, a derivative of حمز (ḥamuza) meaning "strong, sturdy". This was the name of an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad who was killed in battle.
Hana 1 f Arabic, Bosnian
Means "bliss, happiness" in Arabic, from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Hana 2 f Hebrew, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Sorbian
Form of Hannah in several languages.
Hana 3 f Japanese
From Japanese (hana) or (hana) both meaning "flower". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Hana 4 f Korean
Means "one" in Korean.
Hanaa f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هناء (see Hana 1).
Hanae f Japanese
From Japanese (hana) or (hana), which both mean "flower", combined with (e) meaning "picture" or (e) meaning "favour, benefit". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Hanako f Japanese
From Japanese (hana) meaning "flower" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Hanan 1 m Biblical
Means "gracious" in Hebrew. This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.
Hanan 2 f Arabic
Means "mercy, compassion" in Arabic, derived from the root حنّ (ḥanna) meaning "to sympathize, to pity".
Hanane f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic حنان (see Hanan 2) chiefly used in North Africa.
Hananiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is gracious" in Hebrew, from חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name appears frequently in the Old Testament. It is the Hebrew name of Shadrach.
Haneef m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic حنيف or Urdu حنیف (see Hanif).
Haneul m & f Korean
Means "heaven, sky" in Korean.
Hằng f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (hằng) meaning "lady".
Hanga f Hungarian
Means "heather" in Hungarian.
Hani m Arabic
Means "happy, delighted" in Arabic, from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Hania 2 f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هنيّة (see Haniyya).
Hanif m Arabic, Urdu
Means "true, upright" in Arabic.
Hanifa f Arabic
Feminine form of Hanif.
Haniya f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هنيّة (see Haniyya).
Haniyah f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هنيّة (see Haniyya).
Haniyya f Arabic
From Arabic هنيء (hanīʾ) meaning "pleasant, beneficial", from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Hank m English
Originally a short form of Hankin, which was a medieval diminutive of John. Since the 17th century in the United States this name has also been used as a diminutive of Henry, probably under the influence of the Dutch diminutive Henk. A famous bearer is the American former baseball player Hank Aaron (1934-2021).
Hanke f Dutch (Rare)
Dutch diminutive of Johanna.
Hannah f English, Hebrew, German, Dutch, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Ḥanna) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from Eli she finally became pregnant with Samuel.... [more]
Hanne 1 f & m Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
Danish and Norwegian short form of Johanne, or a German and Dutch short form of Johanna. This can also be a Dutch short form of Johannes (masculine).
Hannele f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Johanna or Hannah.
Hannelore f German
Combination of Hanne 1 and Eleonore.
Hannibal m Phoenician (Latinized), History
From the Punic name 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋 meaning "my grace is Ba'al", derived from Phoenician 𐤇𐤍𐤍 (ḥann) meaning "grace, favour" combined with the name of the god Ba'al. This name occurs often in Carthaginian history. It was most notably borne by the famed general and tactician Hannibal Barca, who threatened Rome during the Second Punic War in the 3rd century BC. It is also associated with the fictional villain Hannibal Lecter from the books by Thomas Harris (debuting 1981) and subsequent movie adaptations.
Hannie f Dutch
Diminutive of Johanna.
Hannu m Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Johannes.
Hans m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
German short form of Johannes, now used independently. This name has been very common in German-speaking areas of Europe since the late Middle Ages. From an early period it was transmitted to the Low Countries and Scandinavia. Two famous bearers were Hans Holbein (1497-1543), a German portrait painter, and Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), a Danish writer of fairy tales.
Hansel m Literature
Anglicized form of Hänsel. This is the name of a boy in a German fairy tale, recorded in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm with the title Hänsel und Gretel. In the tale Hansel and his sister Gretel are abandoned in the woods by their parents, then taken captive by a witch.
Hanuš m Czech
Czech form of Hannes.
Hany m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هانئ (see Hani).
Hanzō m Japanese
From Japanese (han) meaning "half" and () meaning "to hide". This name was borne by the noted samurai Hattori Hanzou (1542-1596). The name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.
Hanzou m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 半蔵 (see Hanzō).
Happy f & m English (Rare)
From the English word happy, derived from Middle English hap "chance, luck", of Old Norse origin.
Harald m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German
Scandinavian and German cognate of Harold, from the Old Norse elements herr and valdr and the Old German elements heri and walt. This was the name of several kings of Norway and Denmark.
Harding m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Heard. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).
Hardy 1 m English
From a surname that was derived from Middle English hardi "bold, hardy".
Haris 1 m Bosnian, Urdu, Indonesian, Malay, Arabic
Bosnian, Urdu, Indonesian and Malay form of Harith, as well as an alternate transcription of the Arabic name.
Harith m Arabic, Malay
Means "plowman, cultivator" in Arabic.
Harlan m English
From a surname that was from a place name meaning "hare land" in Old English. In America it has sometimes been given in honour of Supreme Court justice John Marshall Harlan (1833-1911).
Harland m English
From a surname that was a variant of Harlan.
Harlequin m Theatre
From Old French Herlequin, the name of a demon in French passion plays. In traditional Italian theatre (commedia dell'arte) the stock character Harlequin, called Arlecchino in Italian, is a mischievous and acrobatic servant who is usually dressed in colourful clothing.
Harley m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English hara "hare" or hær "rock, heap of stones" and leah "woodland, clearing". An American name for boys since the 19th century, it began to be used for girls after a character with the name began appearing on the soap opera Guiding Light in 1987.
Harlow f & m English
From an English surname derived from a place name, itself derived from Old English hær "rock, heap of stones" or here "army", combined with hlaw "hill". As a name for girls, it received some attention in 2008 when the American celebrity Nicole Richie used it for her daughter.
Harm m Dutch
Dutch short form of Harmen.
Harmen m Dutch
Dutch variant of Herman.
Harmon m English
From a surname that was derived from the given name Herman.
Harmonia f Greek Mythology
Means "harmony, agreement" in Greek. She was the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, given by Zeus to Cadmus to be his wife.
Harmony f English
From the English word harmony, ultimately deriving from Greek ἁρμονία (harmonia).
Harold m English
From the Old English name Hereweald, derived from the elements here "army" and weald "powerful, mighty". The Old Norse cognate Haraldr was also common among Scandinavian settlers in England. This was the name of five kings of Norway and three kings of Denmark. It was also borne by two kings of England, both of whom were from mixed Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon backgrounds, including Harold II who lost the Battle of Hastings (and was killed in it), which led to the Norman Conquest. After the conquest the name died out, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century.
Haroon m Urdu
Urdu form of Harun.
Haroun m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هارون (see Harun).
Harper f & m English
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who played or made harps (Old English hearpe). A notable bearer was the American author Harper Lee (1926-2016), who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. It rapidly gained popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, entering the American top ten for girls in 2015.
Harri m Finnish, Estonian, Welsh
Finnish, Estonian and Welsh form of Harry.
Harriet f English
English form of Henriette, and thus a feminine form of Harry. It was first used in the 17th century, becoming very common in the English-speaking world by the 18th century. Famous bearers include the Americans Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and the abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913).
Harriett f English
Variant of Harriet.
Harris m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Harry.
Harrison m English
From an English surname that meant "son of Harry". This was the surname of two American presidents, William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) and his grandson Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901). As a given name it reached a low point in America in 1977 before it was revived by the career of actor Harrison Ford (1942-), who starred in such movies as Star Wars in 1977 and Indiana Jones in 1984.
Harry m English, Dutch, Swedish, German
Medieval English form of Henry. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both Henry and names beginning with Har. Famous bearers include the American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), who was named after his uncle Harrison, and the British royal Prince Harry (1984-), who is actually named Henry. It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Harta m Indonesian
Means "wealth, treasure, property" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit अर्थ (artha).
Hartley m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English heorot "hart, male deer" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Hartmann m German (Rare)
Means "brave man", derived from the Old German element hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" combined with man.
Hartmut m German, Germanic
Means "brave mind", derived from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and muot "mind, spirit". This is the kidnapper of Gudrun in the medieval German epic Kudrun.
Hartwig m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and wig "battle".
Hartwin m German (Rare), Germanic
Means "brave friend" from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and wini "friend".
Haru m & f Japanese
From Japanese (haru) meaning "light, sun, male", (haru) meaning "spring" or (haru) meaning "clear weather". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Haruka f & m Japanese
From Japanese (haruka) meaning "distant, remote". It can also come from (haru) meaning "spring" or (haru) meaning "clear weather" combined with (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" or (ka) meaning "fragrance". Additionally, other kanji combinations can form this name.
Haruki m Japanese
From Japanese (haru) meaning "clear weather" or (haru) meaning "light, sun, male" combined with (ki) meaning "brightness" or (ki) meaning "living". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Haruko f Japanese
From Japanese (haru) meaning "spring" or (haru) meaning "light, sun, male" combined with (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Harumi f Japanese
From Japanese (haru) meaning "clear weather" and (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other kanji combinations that are read the same way.
Harun m Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian, Indonesian, Malay, Bengali
Arabic form of Aaron. Harun ar-Rashid was a 9th-century Abbasid caliph featured in the stories of The 1001 Nights.
Haruna 1 f Japanese
From Japanese (haru) meaning "clear weather", (haru) meaning "distant, remote" or (haru) meaning "spring" combined with (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Harut m Armenian
Short form of Harutyun.
Haruto m Japanese
From Japanese (haru) meaning "light, sun, male", (haru) meaning "distant, remote" or (haru) meaning "clear weather" combined with (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or (to) meaning "soar, fly". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Harutyun m Armenian
Means "resurrection" in Armenian.
Harve m English
Short form of Harvey.
Harvey m English
From the Breton given name Haerviu, which meant "battle worthy", from haer "battle" and viu "worthy". This was the name of a 6th-century Breton hermit who is the patron saint of the blind. Settlers from Brittany introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. During the later Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Harvie m English
Variant of Harvey.
Hasan m Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay, Albanian, Bosnian, Uzbek, Tajik
Means "handsome" in Arabic, from the root حسن (ḥasuna) meaning "to be beautiful, to be good". Hasan was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He was poisoned by one of his wives and is regarded as a martyr by Shia Muslims. This was also the name of two kings of Morocco. It is sometimes transcribed as Hassan, though this is a distinct name in Arabic.
Hasdrubal m Phoenician (Latinized), History
Means "Ba'al helps", derived from Phoenician 𐤏𐤆𐤓 (ʿazru) meaning "to help" combined with the name of the god Ba'al. This name was borne by several figures from Carthaginian history, including the 3rd-century BC general Hasdrubal Barca (brother of Hannibal) who fought in the Second Punic War.
Haseeb m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسيب or Urdu حسیب (see Hasib).
Hashem m Persian
Persian form of Hashim.
Hashim m Arabic, Urdu, Malay
Means "crusher, breaker" in Arabic, derived from the root هشم (hashama) meaning "to crush, to destroy". This was the nickname of a great-grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad. He acquired this nickname because of his practice of crumbling bread and giving it to pilgrims.
Hasib m Arabic, Urdu
Means "noble, respected" in Arabic.
Hasim m Arabic
Means "decisive" in Arabic, derived from حسم (ḥasama) meaning "to sever, to finish, to decide".
Hasmik f Armenian
Means "jasmine" in Armenian.
Hasna f Arabic
Means "beauty" in Arabic, a derivative of حسن (ḥasuna) meaning "to be beautiful, to be good".
Hasnaa f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسناء (see Hasna).
Hassan m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Malay, Dhivehi
Most commonly this is a variant of the Arabic name حسن, which is typically transcribed Hasan.... [more]
Hasse m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Hans.
Hatem m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حاتم (see Hatim).
Hathor f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ḥwt-ḥrw (reconstructed as Hut-Heru) meaning "the house of Horus", derived from Egyptian ḥwt "house" combined with the god Horus. In Egyptian mythology she was the goddess of love, often depicted with the head of a cow.
Hatice f Turkish
Turkish form of Khadija.
Hatim m Arabic
Means "determined, decisive" in Arabic, derived from حتم (ḥatama) meaning "to decree, to decide".
Hatshepsut f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ḥꜣt-špswt meaning "foremost of noble women". This was the name of a pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (15th century BC), among the first women to take this title.
Hatsue f Japanese
From Japanese (hatsu) meaning "first, original, beginning" combined with (e) meaning "picture". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Hattie f English
Diminutive of Harriet.
Hatty f English
Diminutive of Harriet.
Havel m Czech (Rare), Slovak (Rare)
Czech and Slovak form of Gallus.
Haven f & m English
From the English word for a safe place, derived ultimately from Old English hæfen.
Havilah m Biblical
Probably means "to dance, to circle, to twist" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is both a place name and a masculine personal name.
Hawa f Arabic, Swahili
Arabic form of Eve.
Haya f Arabic
Means "hurry, come quickly" in Arabic.
Hayat f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu
Means "life" in Arabic, from حيي (ḥayiya) meaning "to live". In Arabic and Persian it is a feminine name, while in Urdu it is masculine.
Hayate m Japanese
From Japanese (hayate) meaning "sudden, sound of the wind". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name.
Hayato m Japanese
From Japanese (haya) meaning "falcon" (using a nanori reading) and (to) meaning "person". Other kanji combinations can also make up this name.
Hayden m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from place names meaning either "hay valley" or "hay hill", derived from Old English heg "hay" and denu "valley" or dun "hill". Its popularity at the end of the 20th century was due to the sound it shared with other trendy names of the time, such as Braden and Aidan.
Hayes m English
From a surname, either Hayes 1 or Hayes 2. It was borne by American president Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893).
Hayley f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town (meaning "hay clearing" from Old English heg "hay" and leah "clearing"). It was brought to public attention as a given name, especially in the United Kingdom, by the British child actress Hayley Mills (1946-).... [more]
Ha-Yoon f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 하윤 (see Ha-Yun).
Ha-Yun f Korean
From Sino-Korean (ha) meaning "summer, name" combined with (yun) meaning "sunlight". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Haywood m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "fenced wood" in Old English.
Hazael m Biblical
Means "God sees" in Hebrew, from חָזָה (ḥaza) meaning "to see" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of a king of Aram in the Old Testament.
Hazal f Turkish
Possibly from Kurdish xezal meaning "gazelle, antelope" (of Arabic origin). It is also associated with Turkish hazan meaning "autumn" (of Persian origin).
Haze m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Hayes, sometimes used as a short form of Hazel.
Hazel f English
From the English word hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.
Hazem m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حازم (see Hazim).
Hazim m Arabic, Bosnian
Means "firm, resolute" in Arabic.
Heidi f German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, English
German diminutive of Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.
Heiki m Estonian
Estonian form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Heikki m Finnish
Finnish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Hein 1 m Dutch
Short form of Hendrik.
Hein 2 m Burmese
Means "great, grand, large" in Burmese.
Heino m German, Finnish, Estonian
German form of Haimo (see Hamo).
Heintje f & m Dutch
Feminine and masculine diminutive of Hendrik.
Herbert m English, German, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, French
Derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and beraht "bright". It was borne by two Merovingian Frankish kings, usually called Charibert. The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Herebeorht. In the course of the Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.... [more]
Heulwen f Welsh
Means "sunshine" in Welsh (a compound of haul "sun" and gwen "white, blessed").
Heydər m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Haidar.
Heydar m Persian
Persian form of Haidar.
Hjalmar m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Hjálmarr meaning "helmeted warrior" from the element hjalmr "helmet" combined with herr "army, warrior".
Hla m & f Burmese
Means "pretty, favourable" in Burmese.
Hoa f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (hoa) meaning "flower".
Hobson m English (Rare)
From the English surname Hobson meaning "son of Hob".
Holger m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Carolingian Cycle
From the Old Norse name Hólmgeirr, derived from the elements holmr "small island" and geirr "spear". In Scandinavia and Germany this is the usual name for the hero Ogier the Dane from medieval French romance.
Hollie f English
Variant of Holly.
Hollis m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from Middle English holis "holly trees". It was originally given to a person who lived near a group of those trees.
Holly f English
From the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English holen. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.
Hopkin m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Hob.
Horace m English, French
English and French form of Horatius, and the name by which the Roman poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus is commonly known those languages. In the modern era it has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, in honour of the poet.
Horst m German
Means "wood, thicket" in Low German. Alternatively, it may derive from Horsa. This name was popular in the first half of the 20th century but has since become uncommon. It is now a German slang word for an unintelligent person.
Hortense f French, English
French form of Hortensia.
Horus m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ὧρος (Horos), the Greek form of Egyptian ḥrw (reconstructed as Heru and other forms) possibly from ḥr "above, over" or ḥrj "distant". In Egyptian mythology Horus was a god of the sky and light, often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon. In some versions of the mythology he was the son of Osiris and Isis, and avenged his father's murder by killing his uncle Seth.
Hosee m Biblical Greek
Form of Hoshea (and Hosea) used in the Greek Bible.
Hovhannes m Armenian
Armenian form of Iohannes (see John).
Hovik m Armenian
Diminutive of Hovhannes.
Hovo m Armenian
Diminutive of Hovhannes.
Hovsep m Armenian
Armenian form of Joseph.
Hrafn m Icelandic, Old Norse
Means "raven" in Old Norse.
Huệ f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (huệ) meaning "bright, intelligent" or (huệ) meaning "tuberose (flower)".
Hyacinthe m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Hyacinthus.
Iacopo m Italian
Italian form of Iacobus (see James).
Iago m Welsh, Galician, Portuguese
Welsh and Galician form of Iacobus (see James). This was the name of two early Welsh kings of Gwynedd. It is also the name of the villain in Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603).
Ianto m Welsh
Diminutive of Ifan.
Ianus m Roman Mythology
Latin form of Janus.
Iasmim f Portuguese (Brazilian, Modern)
Portuguese (mainly Brazilian) variant of Yasmin.
Ieuan m Welsh
Medieval Welsh form of Iohannes (see John), revived in the 19th century.
Ioan m Romanian, Welsh, Bulgarian
Romanian and Welsh form of John. This is also an alternate transcription of Bulgarian Йоан (see Yoan 2).
Jaak m Estonian, Flemish
Estonian form of Jacob or James, and a Flemish short form of Jacob.
Jaakkima m Finnish (Rare)
Finnish form of Joachim.
Jaakko m Finnish
Finnish form of Jacob (or James).
Jaakoppi m Finnish (Rare)
Finnish form of Jacob (or James).
Jaan m Estonian
Estonian form of John.
Jaana 1 f Finnish
Short form of Marjaana and other names ending in jaana.
Jaap m Dutch
Short form of Jacob.
Jabbar m Arabic
Means "powerful" in Arabic, a derivative of جبر (jabara) meaning "to force, to compel". In Islamic tradition الجبّار (al-Jabbār) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Jabez m Biblical
Means "sorrow" in Hebrew. This is the name of a character in the Old Testament who is blessed by God.
Jabin m Biblical
Means "perceptive" in Hebrew. This name was borne by two kings of Hazor according to the Old Testament.
Jabir m Arabic
Means "comforter, setter of bones" in Arabic, from the root جبر (jabara) meaning "to restore, to console, to set a bone".
Jabr m Arabic
Means "force, compulsion, setting of bones" in Arabic, from the root جبر (jabara) meaning "to force, to compel, to set a bone".
Jace m English
Short form of Jason, sometimes used independently. It was brought to limited attention in America by the lead character in the western television series Tales of the Texas Rangers (1955-1958). Towards the end of the 20th century it began steadily increasing in popularity, reaching the 66th spot for boys in the United States in 2013.
Jacek m Polish
Modern form of Jacenty.
Jacenty m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Hyacinthus. Saint Jacenty was a 13th-century Dominican monk from Krakow who was said to have taken missionary journeys throughout Northern Europe and Asia.
Jacey f & m English (Modern)
An invented name, using the popular phonetic element jay and the same sound found in names such as Casey and Macy.
Jachin m Biblical
Means "he establishes" in Hebrew, derived from כּוּן (kun) meaning "to establish". This was the name of a son of Simeon in the Old Testament. It was also the name of one of the two pillars that stood outside Solomon's Temple, Boaz being the other.
Jáchym m Czech
Czech form of Joachim.
Jácint m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Hyacinthus.
Jacinth f English (Rare)
From the English word for the orange precious stone, originating from the same source as Hyacinth.
Jacintha f Dutch (Rare)
Latinate form of Jacinthe.
Jack m English
Derived from Jackin (earlier Jankin), a medieval diminutive of John. There could be some early influence from the unrelated French name Jacques. It is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man", as seen in the terms jack-o'-lantern, jack-in-the-box, lumberjack and so on. It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack and Jill, Little Jack Horner, and Jack Sprat.... [more]
Jacki f English
Diminutive of Jacqueline.
Jackie m & f English
Diminutive of Jack or Jacqueline. A notable bearer was baseball player Jackie Robinson (1919-1972), the first African American to play in Major League Baseball.
Jackson m English
From the English surname Jackson meaning "son of Jack". Famous bearers of the surname were American president Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) and American musician Michael Jackson (1958-2009).
Jaclyn f English
Contracted variant of Jacqueline.
Jacob m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Jewish, Biblical
From the Latin Iacob, which was from the Greek Ἰακώβ (Iakob), which was from the Hebrew name יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿaqov). In the Old Testament Jacob (later called Israel) is the son of Isaac and Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning "holder of the heel" or "supplanter", because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see Genesis 27:36). Other theories claim that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Yaʿaqovʾel) meaning "may God protect".... [more]
Jacoba f Dutch
Feminine form of Jacob.
Jacobina f Dutch (Rare)
Feminine form of Jacob.
Jacobine f Norwegian (Archaic), Dutch (Rare)
Norwegian and Dutch feminine form of Jacob.
Jacobus m Dutch, Late Roman
Latin form of Jacob, also used in Dutch.
Jacomina f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of Iacomus (see James).
Jacopo m Italian
Italian form of Iacobus (see James).
Jacqueline f French, English
French feminine form of Jacques, also commonly used in the English-speaking world.
Jad m Arabic
Means "serious" in Arabic. This name is most common in Lebanon.
Jada 1 f English
Elaborated form of Jade. This name came into general use in the 1960s, and was popularized in the 1990s by actress Jada Pinkett Smith (1971-).
Jade f & m English, French
From the name of the precious stone that is often used in carvings. It is derived from Spanish (piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) flank", relating to the belief that jade could cure renal colic. As a given name, it came into general use during the 1970s. It was initially unisex, though it is now mostly feminine.
Jaden m & f English (Modern)
An invented name, using the popular den suffix sound found in such names as Braden, Hayden and Aidan. This name first became common in America in the 1990s when similar-sounding names were increasing in popularity. The spelling Jayden has been more popular since 2003. It is sometimes considered a variant of the biblical name Jadon.
Jadis f Literature
Used by the author C. S. Lewis as the proper name of the White Witch, the antagonist in his novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950). He may have based it on French jadis meaning "long ago, of old" or Persian جادو (jādū) meaning "magic, witch".
Jadon m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יָדוֹן (Yaḏon), of uncertain meaning. It might mean "thankful" from the root יָדָה (yaḏa), or it could mean "he will judge" from the root דִּין (din). This name is borne by a minor character in the Old Testament.
Jadwiga f Polish
Polish form of Hedwig. This was the name of a 14th-century ruling queen of Poland who has recently been canonized as a saint.
Jadyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Jaden.
Jadzia f Polish
Diminutive of Jadwiga.
Jae 2 m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Jay 1.
Jaeden m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Jaden.
Jael f Biblical, Biblical Portuguese
From the Hebrew name יָעֵל (Yaʿel) meaning "ibex, mountain goat". This name appears in the Old Testament belonging to the wife of Heber the Kenite. After Sisera, the captain of the Canaanite army, was defeated in battle by Deborah and Barak he took refuge in Heber's tent. When he fell asleep Jael killed him by hammering a tent peg into his head.
Jafar m Arabic, Persian
Means "stream" in Arabic. Jafar ibn Abi Talib was a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad who was killed fighting against Byzantium in the 7th century. Another notable bearer was Jafar al-Sadiq, the sixth Shia imam.
Jaffar m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic جعفر (see Jafar).
Jaffer m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic جعفر (see Jafar).
Jagger m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "carter, peddler". It is used as a given name in honour of the British musician Mick Jagger (1943-), the lead vocalist of the Rolling Stones.
Jagienka f Polish
Diminutive of Jagna.
Jagna f Polish
Originally a diminutive of Agnieszka, Agata or Jadwiga. It is now used independently.
Jagoda f Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Polish
Means "strawberry" in South Slavic, and "berry" in Polish. Also in Poland, this can be a diminutive of Jadwiga.
Jagusia f Polish (Rare)
Diminutive of Jaga.
Jahan m Persian
Means "world" in Persian. This name was borne by Shah Jahan, a 17th-century Mughal emperor who is best known as the builder of the Taj Mahal.
Jahangir m Persian, Urdu
Means "world conqueror, world seizer" in Persian, from جهان (jahān) meaning "world" and گیر (gīr) meaning "catch, seize, conquer". This was the name of a 17th-century Mughal emperor.
Jahid m Arabic, Bengali
Means "diligent, striving" in Arabic, from the root جهد (jahada) meaning "to struggle, to strive".
Jahleel m Biblical
Means "God waits" in Hebrew, from יָחַל (yaḥal) meaning "to wait" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Jai 2 m English (Modern)
Variant of Jay 1. In some cases it is pronounced to rhyme with names such as Kai or Ty.
Jaiden m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Jaden.
Jaidyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Jaden.
Jaime 2 f English
Variant of Jamie. The character Jaime Sommers from the television series The Bionic Woman (1976-1978) helped to popularize the name. It can sometimes be given in reference to the French phrase j'aime meaning "I love", though it is pronounced differently.
Jaimie f English
Variant of Jamie.
Jakab m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Iacobus, the New Testament Latin form of James.
Jake m English
Medieval variant of Jack. It is also sometimes used as a short form of Jacob.
Jakes m Basque
Basque form of Jacob (or James).
Jákob m Hungarian (Rare), Czech (Rare)
Hungarian and Czech form of Iacob (see Jacob).
Jakob m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Dutch, Slovene
Form of Jacob (or James) used in several languages.
Jakša m Croatian, Serbian
Diminutive of Jakov.
Jakub m Polish, Czech, Slovak
Polish, Czech and Slovak form of Jacob (or James). In Polish and Slovak this refers to both the Old Testament patriarch and the New Testament apostles, while in Czech this is used only for the apostles (with Jákob for the patriarch).
Jalal m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali
Means "greatness" in Arabic, from the root جلّ (jalla) meaning "to be great".
Jalal ad-Din m Arabic
Means "greatness of the faith" from Arabic جلال (jalāl) meaning "greatness, splendour" and دين (dīn) meaning "religion, faith". Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, commonly called just Rumi, was a 13th-century Persian poet.
Jalen m African American (Modern)
An invented name. In America it was popularized in the 1990s by basketball player Jalen Rose (1973-), whose name was a combination of those of his father James and maternal uncle Leonard.
Jalil m Arabic, Persian
Means "important, exalted" in Arabic, from the root جلّ (jalla) meaning "to be great".
Jalila f Arabic
Feminine form of Jalil.
Jalmari m Finnish
Finnish form of Hjalmar.
Jalo m Finnish
Means "noble, gracious" in Finnish.
Jam m Persian Mythology
Persian form of Avestan 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀 (Yima) meaning "twin" (related to Sanskrit Yama). This was the name of a mythological king, more commonly called Jamshid.
Jamaal m Arabic, African American
Alternate transcription of Arabic جمال (see Jamal).
Jamal m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian, Malay, African American
Means "beauty" in Arabic, from the root جمل (jamala) meaning "to be beautiful".