Cadell m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catell, derived from
cat "battle" and a diminutive suffix. This was the name of two early kings of Powys in Wales.
Cadfael m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catmail meaning
"battle prince", from
cat "battle" and
mael "prince". This was apparently the birth name of Saint Cadoc. It was used by the British author Ellis Peters for the main character in her books
The Cadfael Chronicles, first released in 1977.
Cadwaladr m WelshFrom Old Welsh
Catgualatr (also recorded in many other spellings) meaning
"leader of the battle", from
cat "battle" and
gwaladr "leader". This was the name of a 7th-century king of Gwynedd. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth he was the last king of all of the Britons. This name was also borne by a 7th-century Welsh saint.
Caecilius m Ancient RomanOriginal Latin masculine form of
Cecilia. Saint Caecilius was a 1st-century missionary to Granada, Spain. It was also part of the full name of Saint
Cyprian, Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus.
Cáel m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
cáel meaning
"slender". In Irish legend Cáel was a warrior of the Fianna and the lover of Créd.
Caelestis m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"of the sky, heavenly", a derivative of Latin
caelum "heaven, sky".
Cailean m Scottish GaelicMeans
"whelp, young dog" in Scottish Gaelic. This name was borne by Cailean Mór, a 13th-century Scottish lord and ancestor of Clan Campbell.
Calafia f LiteratureProbably invented by the 16th-century Spanish writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, who likely based it on
califa, the Spanish form of Arabic
خليفة (khalīfa), an Islamic title meaning
"successor" (see
Khalifa). In Montalvo's novel
The Adventures of Esplandián it is borne by the queen of the island of California (the inspiration for the name of the American and Mexican states).
Caleb m English, BiblicalMost likely related to Hebrew
כֶּלֶב (kelev) meaning
"dog". An alternate theory connects it to Hebrew
כֹּל (kol) meaning "whole, all of" and
לֵב (lev) meaning "heart". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve spies sent by
Moses into Canaan. Of the Israelites who left Egypt with Moses, Caleb and
Joshua were the only ones who lived to see the Promised Land.
... [more] Caliban m LiteratureCreated by Shakespeare for the monstrous son of
Sycorax in his play
The Tempest (1611). It has been suggested that it is a variant or anagram of the Spanish word
caníbal "cannibal".
Caligula m HistoryMeans
"little boot" in Latin. This was a nickname for the 1st-century Roman emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus given to him in his youth by his father's soldiers.
Călin m RomanianFrom Romanian
călin meaning
"viburnum tree" (of Slavic origin).
Calixtus m Late RomanVariant of
Callistus, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin
calix "wine cup". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).
Calla f EnglishFrom the name of two types of plants, the true calla (species Calla palustris) and the calla lily (species Calla aethiopica), both having white flowers and growing in marshy areas. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek
κάλλος (kallos) meaning
"beauty".
Callan m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Cathaláin, derived from the given name
Cathalán.
Callistus m Late RomanLate Latin name that was derived from the Greek name
Κάλλιστος (Kallistos) meaning
"most beautiful". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callixtus), including the 3rd-century Callistus I who is regarded as a saint.
Callixtus m Late RomanVariant of
Callistus, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin
calix "wine cup". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).
Calogero m ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Calogerus meaning
"beautiful elder", from Greek
καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful" and
γέρων (geron) meaning "old man, elder". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a hermit of Sicily.
Calvin m EnglishDerived from the French surname
Cauvin, which was derived from
chauve meaning
"bald". The surname was borne by Jean Cauvin (1509-1564), a theologian from France who was one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. His surname was Latinized as
Calvinus (based on Latin
calvus "bald") and he is known as John Calvin in English. It has been used as a given name in his honour since the 19th century.
... [more] Calypso f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant
"she that conceals", derived from
καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with
Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until
Zeus ordered her to release him.
Camellia f English (Rare)From the name of the flowering shrub, which was named for the botanist and missionary Georg Josef Kamel.
Camille f & m French, EnglishFrench feminine and masculine form of
Camilla. It is also used in the English-speaking world, where it is generally only feminine.
Camillus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen, which is probably of Etruscan origin and unknown meaning. It is probably not related to Latin
camillus "a youth employed in religious services". This name was borne by the 16th-century Italian monk Saint Camillus de Lellis.
Campbell m & f EnglishFrom a Scottish surname meaning
"crooked mouth" from Gaelic
cam "crooked" and
beul "mouth".
Candelaria f SpanishMeans
"Candlemas" in Spanish, ultimately derived from Spanish
candela "candle". This name is given in honour of the church festival of Candlemas, which commemorates the presentation of Christ in the temple and the purification of the Virgin
Mary.
Cansel f TurkishDerived from Turkish
can meaning "soul, life" and
sel meaning "flood, stream, torrent", ultimately derived from Persian
جان (jān) and Arabic
سيل (sayl).
Caoilfhionn f IrishDerived from the Old Irish elements
cáel "slender" and
finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Caolán m IrishFrom Irish
caol meaning
"slender" combined with the diminutive suffix
-án.
Caracalla m Ancient RomanFrom Latin
caracalla, which referred to a type of hooded tunic worn by the Gauls. This was the agnomen, or nickname, of a 3rd-century Roman emperor.
Carl m German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, EnglishGerman and Scandinavian variant of
Karl (see
Charles). Noteworthy bearers of the name include the Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), who founded modern taxonomy, the German mathematician Carl Gauss (1777-1855), who made contributions to number theory and algebra as well as physics and astronomy, and the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961), who founded analytical psychology. It was imported to America in the 19th century by German immigrants.
Carlisle m & f English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from the name of a city in northern England. The city was originally called by the Romans
Luguvalium meaning "stronghold of
Lugus". Later the Brythonic element
ker "fort" was appended to the name of the city.
Carloman m GermanicFrom an Old German name derived from
karl meaning "man" and
man meaning "person, man". This was the name of several Frankish rulers, including the 8th-century Carloman I who ruled jointly with his brother
Charlemagne for a time.
Carly f EnglishFeminine form of
Carl. A famous bearer is the American singer Carly Simon (1945-), who inspired a rise in popularity in this name in the 1970s.
Carmel f & m English, JewishFrom the title of the Virgin
Mary Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
כַּרְמֶל (Karmel) (meaning "garden" in Hebrew) is a mountain in Israel mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the site of several early Christian monasteries. As an English given name, it has mainly been used by Catholics. As a Jewish name it is unisex.
Carol 1 f & m EnglishShort form of
Caroline. It was formerly a masculine name, derived from
Carolus. The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means "song" or "hymn".
Carroll m IrishAnglicized form of
Cearbhall. A famous bearer of the surname was Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a British author known for
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Casilda f SpanishMeaning uncertain. This is the name of the 11th-century patron saint of Toledo, Spain. It might have an Arabic origin (Saint Casilda was a Moorish princess), perhaps from
قصيدة (qaṣīda) meaning
"poem". Alternatively it could be derived from a Visigothic name in which the second element is
hilds meaning "battle".
Cassiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendFrom Hebrew
קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftsiʾel), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include
"leap of God",
"drawn together by God" or
"wrath of God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.
Castiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend, Popular CulturePossibly a variant of
Cassiel. It is the name of an angel in the grimoire the
Heptameron, a work that is sometimes (probably incorrectly) attributed to the 13th-century philosopher Pietro d'Abano. It was also the name of a character (an angel) on the American television series
Supernatural (2005-2020). The creator Eric Kripke chose it after an internet search revealed that Castiel was an angel associated with Thursdays, the day the show aired.
Cataleya f Various (Rare)Variant of
cattleya, a genus of orchids native to Central and South America, which were named for the British horticulturist William Cattley. This name was popularized by the main character from the movie
Colombiana (2011).
Catellus m Late RomanProbably from Latin
catulus meaning
"young dog, puppy". Saint Catellus was a 9th-century bishop of Castellammare, Italy.
Cathal m Irish, Old IrishDerived from Old Irish
cath "battle" and
fal "rule". This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint. It was also borne by several Irish kings. It has sometimes been Anglicized as
Charles.
Ceallach m Irish (Rare)From Old Irish
Cellach, of uncertain origin, traditionally said to mean
"bright-headed". Alternatively it could be derived from Old Irish
cellach "war, strife" or
cell "church". This name was borne by several early Irish kings and by a 12th-century saint, an archbishop of Armagh.
Cearbhall m IrishFrom Old Irish
Cerball, probably from
cerb meaning
"pointed, sharp, cutting". This was the name of a few medieval Irish kings.
Cecil m EnglishFrom the Roman name
Caecilius. Though it was in use during the Middle Ages in England, it did not become common until the 19th century when it was given in honour of the noble Cecil family, who had been prominent since the 16th century. Their surname was derived from the Welsh given name
Seisyll, which was derived from the Roman name
Sextilius, a derivative of
Sextus.
Cecilia f English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Romanian, FinnishLatinate feminine form of the Roman family name
Caecilius, which was derived from Latin
caecus meaning
"blind". Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.
... [more] Celestine f & m EnglishEnglish form of
Caelestinus. It is more commonly used as a feminine name, from the French feminine form
Célestine.
Celia f English, SpanishFeminine form of the Roman family name
Caelius. Shakespeare used it in his play
As You Like It (1599), which introduced the name to the English-speaking public at large. It is sometimes used as a short form of
Cecilia.
Celinda f English (Rare)Probably a blend of
Celia and
Linda. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
Celsus m Ancient RomanRoman family name meaning
"tall" in Latin. This was the name of a 2nd-century philosopher who wrote against Christianity. It was also borne by an early saint martyred with Nazarius in Milan.
Celyn m & f WelshMeans
"holly" in Welsh. It appears briefly in the Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen, belonging to a son of Caw, but was not typically used as a given name until the 20th century.
Cephalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Κέφαλος (Kephalos), which was derived from
κεφαλή (kephale) meaning
"head". In Greek legend he remained faithful to his wife Procris even though he was pursued by the goddess Eos.
Chalkis f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
χαλκός (chalkos) meaning
"copper, bronze". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a naiad, said to be the namesake of the city of Chalkis on Euboia.
Chandler m & f EnglishFrom an occupational surname that meant
"candle seller" or
"candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately from Latin
candela via Old French. It surged in popularity after the 1994 debut of the American sitcom
Friends, featuring a character by this name.
Chanel f EnglishFrom a French surname that meant either
"channel", indicating a person who lived near a channel of water, or
"jug, jar, bottle", indicating a manufacturer of jugs. It has been used as an American given name since 1970s, influenced by the Chanel brand name (a line of women's clothing and perfume), which was named for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).
Chantal f French, English, DutchFrom a French surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"stony". It was originally given in honour of Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal, the founder of the Visitation Order in the 17th century. It has become associated with French
chant "song".
Charikleia f Greek, Ancient GreekFrom Greek
χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness" and
κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This is the name of the heroine of the 3rd-century novel
Aethiopica, about the love between Charikleia and Theagenes, written by Heliodorus of Emesa.
Charlemagne m HistoryFrom Old French
Charles le Magne meaning
"Charles the Great". This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.
Charles m English, FrenchFrench and English form of
Carolus, the Latin form of the Germanic name
Karl, which was derived from a word meaning
"man" (Proto-Germanic *
karlaz). However, an alternative theory states that it is derived from the common Germanic name element *
harjaz meaning "army".
... [more] Charlie m & f EnglishDiminutive or feminine form of
Charles. A famous bearer was the British comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977). It is also borne by Charlie Brown, the main character in the comic strip
Peanuts by Charles Schulz.
Charlize f AfrikaansFeminine form of
Charles using the popular Afrikaans name suffix
ize. This name was popularized by South African actress Charlize Theron (1975-), who was named after her father Charles.
Charlotte f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, DutchFrench feminine diminutive of
Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of
Jane Eyre and
Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel
Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.
... [more] Charlton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"settlement of free men" in Old English.
Chelsea f EnglishFrom the name of a district in London, originally derived from Old English and meaning
"landing place for chalk or limestone". It has been in general use as an English given name since the 1970s.
Cheryl f EnglishElaboration of
Cherie, perhaps influenced by
Beryl. This name was very rare before the 20th century. It seems to have been popularized in America by the actress Cheryl Walker (1918-1971), who had a prominent role in the 1943 movie
Stage Door Canteen. After peaking in the 1950s the name has subsequently faded from the popularity charts.
Chesley m & f English (Rare)From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"camp meadow" in Old English.
Childebert m GermanicOld German (Frankish) form of
Hildebert. This name was borne by four Merovingian Frankish kings (between the 6th and 8th centuries).
Chlodomer m GermanicFrankish name derived from the elements
hlut "famous, loud" and
mari "famous". This was the name of a 6th-century king of the Franks (a son of
Clovis).
Chloris f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
χλωρός (chloros) meaning
"pale green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.
Christabel f English (Rare)Combination of
Christina and the name suffix
bel (inspired by Latin
bella "beautiful"). This name occurs in medieval literature, and was later used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his 1816 poem
Christabel.