Aang m Popular CultureThe hero of the American animated television series
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008). When his name is shown in written form, it is composed of the Chinese characters
安 (ān) meaning "peace, quiet" and
昂 (áng) meaning "raise, lift".
Aarni m FinnishFinnish form of
Arne 1, also associated with the archaic word
aarni meaning
"treasure".
Aaron m English, French, German, Finnish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
אַהֲרֹן (ʾAharon), which is most likely of unknown Egyptian origin. Other theories claim a Hebrew derivation, and suggest meanings such as
"high mountain" or
"exalted". In the Old Testament this name is borne by the older brother of
Moses. He acted as a spokesman for his brother when they appealed to the pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Aaron's rod produced miracles and plagues to intimidate the pharaoh. After the departure from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, God installed Aaron as the first high priest of the Israelites and promised that his descendants would become the priesthood.
... [more] Abaddon m BiblicalMeans
"ruin, destruction" in Hebrew. In Revelation in the New Testament this is another name of the angel of the abyss.
Abbán m Old IrishMeans
"little abbot", derived from Irish
abb "abbot" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint, the son of King Cormac of Leinster.
Abd ar-Rahman m ArabicMeans
"servant of the merciful" from Arabic
عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with
رحْمن (raḥman) meaning "merciful". This was the name of two early caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain.
Abdolhossein m PersianMeans
"servant of al-Husayn" from Arabic
عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with
حسین (Ḥoseyn), the Persian form of Arabic
Husayn. This name refers to Husayn ibn Ali, the son of Ali.
Abednego m BiblicalMeans
"servant of Nebo" in Akkadian,
Nebo being the Babylonian god of wisdom. In the Old Testament Abednego is the Babylonian name given to
Azariah, one of the three men cast into a blazing furnace but saved from harm by God, as told in the Book of Daniel.
Abeni f YorubaMeans
"we prayed and we received" in Yoruba.
Abilene f Various (Rare)From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew
אָבֵל (ʾavel) meaning "meadow, grassy area". It has occasionally been used as a given name in modern times.
Abner m English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
אַבְנֵר (ʾAvner) meaning
"my father is a light", derived from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light". In the Old Testament, Abner was a cousin of
Saul and the commander of his army. After he killed Asahel he was himself slain by Asahel's brother
Joab.
... [more] Abundius m Late RomanFrom Latin
abundus meaning
"abundant, plentiful". This was the name of several early saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Como.
Achaemenes m Old Persian (Latinized)Latin form of
Ἀχαιμένης (Achaimenes), the Greek form of the Old Persian name
𐏃𐎧𐎠𐎶𐎴𐎡𐏁 (Haxamaniš), derived from Old Iranian *
haxa "friend, companion, ally" and *
manah "mind, intellect, thought". This was the name of the founder of the Achaemenid dynasty (7th century BC).
Achan m BiblicalPossibly a variation of the Hebrew word
עֲכָר (ʿaḵar) meaning
"trouble". In the Old Testament, Achan is stoned to death because he steals forbidden items during the assault on Jericho.
Adad-Nirari m Ancient AssyrianMeans
"Adad is my helper", from the god's name
Adad combined with Akkadian
nērāru meaning "helper". This name was borne by three kings of the Assyrian Empire.
Adallinda f GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
adal "noble" and
lind "soft, flexible, tender". Adallinda (or Adalindis or Ethelind) was the name of one of the concubines of
Charlemagne, with whom she had at least two children.
Adanna f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of the father" in Igbo.
Adannaya f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of her father" in Igbo.
Addison f & m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Adam". Its recent popularity as a feminine name stems from its similarity in sound to
Madison.
Adin m BosnianMeaning unknown, possibly from Turkish
ad meaning
"name".
Adonai m TheologyMeans
"my lord" in Hebrew. This was the title used to refer to the God of the Israelites,
Yahweh, whose name was forbidden to be spoken.
Adonijah m BiblicalMeans
"my lord is Yahweh" in Hebrew, from
אָדוֹן (ʾaḏon) meaning "lord, master" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of King
David's sons in the Old Testament. Though he was the eldest surviving son of David, he was passed over as heir to the throne in favour of
Solomon.
Adonis m Greek MythologyFrom Phoenician
𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning
"lord, master". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by
Aphrodite,
Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see
Dumuzi).
Adoración f SpanishMeans
"adoration" in Spanish. This name refers to the event that is known in Christian tradition as the Adoration of the Magi, which is when the three Magi presented gifts to the infant
Jesus and worshipped him.
Adrian m English, Romanian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, RussianForm of
Hadrianus (see
Hadrian) used in several languages. Several saints and six popes have borne this name, including the only English pope, Adrian IV, and the only Dutch pope, Adrian VI. As an English name, it has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it was not popular until modern times.
Adrianus m DutchOfficial Dutch form of
Adrian, used on birth certificates but not commonly in daily life.
Ælfwine m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ælf "elf" and
wine "friend". This name was not commonly used after the Norman Conquest.
Ælfwynn f Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ælf "elf" and
wynn "joy". This name was borne by a daughter of
Æðelflæd who ruled Mercia briefly in the 10th century.
Aeneas m Roman MythologyLatin form of the Greek name
Αἰνείας (Aineias), derived from Greek
αἴνη (aine) meaning
"praise". In Greek legend he was a son of
Aphrodite and was one of the chief heroes who defended Troy from the Greeks. The Roman poet
Virgil continued his story in the
Aeneid, in which Aeneas travels to Italy and founds the Roman state.
Aenoheso m CheyenneMeans
"little hawk", from Cheyenne
aénohe "hawk" and the diminutive suffix
-so.
Aeron m & f WelshFrom the name of the Welsh river Aeron, itself probably derived from the hypothetical Celtic goddess
Agrona. Alternatively, the name could be taken from Welsh
aeron meaning
"berries".
Æðelstan m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
stan "stone". This was the name of a 10th-century English king, the first to rule all of England. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, though it enjoyed a modest revival (as
Athelstan) in the 19th century.
Æðelwine m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
wine "friend". This was the name of a few Anglo-Saxon saints, including a 7th-century bishop of Lindsey. The name became rare after the Norman Conquest.
Affan m ArabicMeans
"chaste, modest, pure" in Arabic, from the root
عفّ (ʿaffa) meaning "to refrain, to be chaste". This was the name of the father of the caliph
Uthman.
Afnan f ArabicMeans
"tree branches" in Arabic, the plural form of
فنن (fanan). It is given in reference to verse
55:48 in the Quran.
Afon f & m Welsh (Rare)Means
"river" in Welsh. This is a Welsh name of recent origin.
Africanus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen derived from the place name
Africa, which in Roman times referred only to North Africa. This was the agnomen of the 3rd-century BC Roman general Scipio Africanus, who was honoured with it after his victory over Carthage in the Second Punic War. His descendants used it as a cognomen.
Agathangelos m Ancient GreekMeans
"bearer of good news", derived from Greek
ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good" and
ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger, angel". Saint Agathangelus of Rome was a 4th-century deacon who was martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian.
Agenor m Greek MythologyDerived from the poetic Greek word
ἀγήνωρ (agenor) meaning
"very manly, heroic", a derivative of
ἄγαν (agan) "very much" and
ἀνήρ (aner) "man". This is the name of multiple characters in Greek mythology, including a king of the Phoenician city of Tyre. He was a son of
Poseidon and
Libya and the father of
Europa,
Cadmus and several other children.
Agnes f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Estonian, Late Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Ἅγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek
ἁγνός (hagnos) meaning
"chaste". Saint Agnes was a virgin martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The name became associated with Latin
agnus "lamb", resulting in the saint's frequent depiction with a lamb by her side. Due to her renown, the name became common in Christian Europe.
... [more] Agni 1 m Hinduism, HindiMeans
"fire" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Vedic Hindu fire god, typically depicted as red-skinned with three legs, seven arms, and two faces, and riding on the back of a ram.
Agolant m Carolingian CyclePossibly a Romance language form of Arabic
الأغلب (al-ʾAghlab), a 9th-century emir of Ifriqiya in North Africa, which is derived from
أغلب (ʾaghlab) meaning "predominant, supreme". This is the name of a Saracen king in medieval French tales of
Charlemagne and his knights.
Agrippina f Ancient RomanFeminine derivative of
Agrippa. This name was borne by the scheming mother of the Roman emperor
Nero, who eventually had her killed. This was also the name of a 3rd-century Roman saint who is venerated in Sicily.
Agron m AlbanianProbably of Illyrian origin, maybe related to Albanian
ag meaning
"dawn". Alternatively it might be connected to Greek
ἀγρός (agros) meaning
"field". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Illyrian king, the husband of
Teuta.
Agrona f Celtic Mythology (Hypothetical)Perhaps derived from the old Celtic root *
agro- meaning
"battle, slaughter". This is possibly the name of a Brythonic goddess for whom the River Ayr in Scotland and River Aeron in Wales were named.
Agurne f BasqueFrom Basque
agur meaning
"greeting, salutation".
Agurtzane f BasqueFrom Basque
agurtza meaning
"worship, reverence" and
"rosary". It was proposed by Sabino Arana in 1910 as an equivalent of the Spanish name
Rosario.
Ahenobarbus m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman cognomen meaning
"bronze beard" in Latin. This name was borne by a series of consuls of the late Roman Republic.
Ahinoam f BiblicalMeans
"my brother is pleasant" in Hebrew, derived from
אָח (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" and
נָעַם (naʿam) meaning "to be pleasant". In the Old Testament this is the name of wives of both
Saul and
David.
Aidan m Irish, English (Modern)Anglicized form of
Aodhán. In the latter part of the 20th century it became popular in America due to its sound, since it shares a sound with such names as
Braden and
Hayden. It peaked ranked 39th for boys in 2003.
Aidana f KazakhMeans
"wise moon" in Kazakh, from
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and
дана (dana) meaning "wise".
Aiman 1 f KazakhPossibly means
"my moon" in Kazakh, from
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and the Persian possessive
من (man) meaning "my". Aiman and
Sholpan are sisters in a 19th-century Kazakh epic poem, later adapted into the 1934 play
Aiman-Sholpan by Mukhtar Auezov.
Aina 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens", as well as other character combinations.
Áine f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as
Anne.
Ainhoa f BasqueFrom the name of a town in southwestern France where there is a famous image of the Virgin
Mary.
Ainsley f & m Scottish, English (Modern)From an English surname that was from a place name: either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire. The place names themselves derive from Old English
anne "alone, solitary" or
ansetl "hermitage" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
... [more] Aisling f IrishMeans
"dream" or
"vision" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Aisultan m KazakhDerived from Kazakh
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and
сұлтан (sultan) meaning "sultan, king" (of Arabic origin).
Aitana f SpanishFrom the name of a mountain range in Valencia, eastern Spain. The Spanish poet Rafael Alberti used it for his daughter in 1941.
Akane f JapaneseFrom Japanese
茜 (akane) meaning "deep red, dye from the rubia plant". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Akhenaton m Ancient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
ꜣḫ-n-jtn meaning
"effective for Aton". Akhenaton was a 14th-century BC Egyptian pharaoh of the New Kingdom, who is best known for promoting the monotheistic worship of the sun god
Aton. He changed his name from
Amenhotep in order to honour the god. After his death, polytheism resumed.
Akinyi f LuoMeans
"born in the morning" in Luo.
Ala ad-Din m ArabicMeans
"excellence of religion" from Arabic
علاء (ʿalāʾ) meaning "excellence, elevation" combined with
دين (dīn) meaning "religion, faith". This was the name of several sultans of Delhi.
Aladdin m LiteratureAnglicized form of
Ala ad-Din. This is the name of a mischievous boy in one of the tales of
The 1001 Nights. A magician traps him in a cave, but he escapes with the help of a genie.
Alain m FrenchFrench form of
Alan. A notable bearer is the French actor Alain Delon (1935-2024).
Alan m English, Scottish, Breton, French, PolishThe meaning of this name is not known for certain. It was used in Brittany at least as early as the 6th century, and it possibly means either
"little rock" or
"handsome" in Breton. Alternatively, it may derive from the tribal name of the Alans, an Iranian people who migrated into Europe in the 4th and 5th centuries.
... [more] Alanis f English (Rare)Feminine form of
Alan. Canadian musician Alanis Morissette (1974-) was named after her father Alan. Her parents apparently decided to use this particular spelling after seeing this word in a Greek newspaper.
Alannah f Irish, English (Modern)Variant of
Alana. It has been influenced by the affectionate Anglo-Irish word
alannah, from the Irish Gaelic phrase
a leanbh meaning "O child".
Alazne f BasqueFrom Basque
alatz meaning
"miracle". It is an equivalent of
Milagros, proposed by Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Alban m German, French, Albanian, English (Rare)From the Roman cognomen
Albanus, which meant
"from Alba". Alba (from Latin
albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.
... [more] Albena f BulgarianCreated by Bulgarian writer Yordan Yovkov for the heroine in his drama
Albena (1930). He may have based it on
ablen, the name of a type of peony (a flowering plant).
Albina f Russian, Ukrainian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Slovene, Polish, German, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Albinus. This was the name of a few early saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Caesarea.