This is a list of names in which the number of syllables is 3.
Suharto m JavaneseFrom Sanskrit
सु (su) meaning "good" and
अर्थ (artha) meaning "wealth, property" (borrowed into Indonesian as
harta). This was the name of an Indonesian general (1921-2008) who seized power to become the country's second president.
Suijin m Japanese MythologyFrom Japanese
水 (sui) meaning "water" and
神 (jin) meaning "god, spirit". This is the name of the god (or gods) of water, lakes and pools in Japanese mythology.
Sukarno m JavaneseFrom the Sanskrit prefix
सु (su) meaning "good" combined with the name of the mythological hero
Karna. Sukarno (1901-1970), who did not have a surname, was the first president of Indonesia.
Süleyman m Turkish, AzerbaijaniTurkish form of
Solomon. Süleyman the Magnificent was a sultan of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. He expanded Ottoman territory into Europe and Persia, reformed the government, and completed several great building projects.
Sullivan m English, FrenchFrom an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Súileabháin, itself from the given name
Súileabhán, which was derived from Irish
súil "eye" and
dubh "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name has achieved a moderate level of popularity in France since the 1970s. In the United States it was rare before the 1990s, after which it began climbing steadily. A famous fictional bearer of the surname was James P. Sullivan from the animated movie
Monsters, Inc. (2001).
Sumayya f ArabicMeans
"high above" in Arabic. This was the name of the first martyr for Islam.
Sumiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
澄 (sumi) meaning "clear" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Sumire f JapaneseFrom Japanese
菫 (sumire) meaning "violet (flower)". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.
Summanus m Roman MythologyMeans
"before the morning", derived from Latin
sub "under, before" and
mane "morning". Summanus was the Roman god of the night sky and night lightning, a nocturnal counterpart to
Jupiter.
Sunčana f CroatianFrom Croatian
sunčan meaning
"sunny", a derivative of
sunce meaning "sun".
Susanna f Italian, Catalan, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, English, Armenian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Church SlavicFrom
Σουσάννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name
שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshannah). This was derived from the Hebrew word
שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning
"lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means
"rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian
sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet
Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to
Jesus.
... [more] Susanoo m Japanese MythologyOf Japanese origin, possibly meaning
"wild male, impetuous male". In Japanese mythology he was the god of storms and the sea, as well as the brother and adversary of the goddess
Amaterasu. He was born when
Izanagi washed his nose after returning from the underworld. After he was banished from the heavens, he descended to earth and slew an eight-headed dragon.
Susumu m JapaneseFrom Japanese
進 (susumu) meaning "advance, make progress", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations having the same pronunciation.
Suzume f Japanese (Rare)From Japanese
雀 (suzume) meaning "sparrow", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that are pronounced the same way.
Svatava f CzechDerived from Czech
svatý meaning
"sacred, holy", ultimately from Old Slavic *
svętŭ.
Svatopluk m CzechMeans
"sacred people", derived from the Slavic elements
svętŭ "sacred, holy" and
pŭlkŭ "people, host, army". Svatopluk the Great was a 9th-century ruler of Great Moravia, a region centered around the modern Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Svetlana f Russian, Slovak, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Armenian, GeorgianDerived from Russian
свет (svet) meaning
"light, world". It was popularized by the poem
Svetlana (1813) by the poet Vasily Zhukovsky. It is sometimes used as a translation of
Photine.
Svyatoslav m Russian, UkrainianDerived from the Slavic elements
svętŭ "sacred, holy" and
slava "glory". This was the name of a 10th-century ruler of Kievan Rus, the son of
Igor and
Olga, and the first to have a name of Slavic origin instead of Old Norse.
Sycorax f LiteratureCreated by Shakespeare for a witch character in his play
The Tempest (1611). The character has died by the time the play begins, so she is only spoken of and not seen. The name's meaning is unknown, though it might have been inspired by Latin
corax or Greek
κόραξ (korax) meaning
"raven", referring to the 5th-century BC Greek rhetorician Corax of Syracuse. One of the moons of Uranus bears this name in the character's honour.
Sylvester m English, German, DanishMedieval variant of
Silvester. This is currently the usual English spelling of the name. A famous bearer is the American actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-).
Tabea f GermanGerman short form of
Tabitha. This form was used in earlier editions of the Luther Bible.
Tabitha f English, Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"gazelle" in Aramaic. Tabitha in the New Testament was a woman restored to life by Saint
Peter. Her name is translated into Greek as
Dorcas (see
Acts 9:36). As an English name,
Tabitha became common after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 1960s by the television show
Bewitched, in which Tabitha (sometimes spelled Tabatha) is the daughter of the main character.
Tacitus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen meaning
"silent, mute" in Latin. This was the name of a 1st-century Roman historian, known for writing the
Histories and the
Annals.
Tadashi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
正 (tadashi) meaning "right, correct, true" or
忠 (tadashi) meaning "loyalty, devotion", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that result in the same pronunciation.
Tadeusz m PolishPolish form of
Thaddeus. This name is borne by Tadeusz Soplica, the title character in Adam Mickiewicz's epic poem
Pan Tadeusz (1834), which is considered to be the national epic of Poland.
Taichi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
太 (ta) meaning "thick, big, great" and
一 (ichi) meaning "one", in addition to other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Taiki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (tai) meaning "big, great" and
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Takako f JapaneseFrom Japanese
孝 (taka) meaning "filial piety" and
子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.
Takara m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
宝 (takara) meaning "treasure, jewel", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.
Takashi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
孝 (takashi) meaning "filial piety",
隆 (takashi) meaning "noble, prosperous" or
崇 (takashi) meaning "esteem, honour, venerate", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that result in the same pronunciation.
Takeo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
武 (take) meaning "military, martial" combined with
夫 (o) meaning "man, husband" or
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Takeshi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
武 (takeshi) meaning "military, martial",
健 (takeshi) meaning "strong, healthy", or other kanji having the same reading.
Takuma m JapaneseFrom Japanese
拓 (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" and
真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Takumi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
匠 (takumi) meaning "artisan" or
巧 (takumi) meaning "skillful". It can also come from
拓 (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" combined with
海 (mi) meaning "sea, ocean" or
実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". This name can also be formed of other kanji combinations.
Takuto m JapaneseFrom Japanese
拓 (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" combined with
斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or
人 (to) meaning "person". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Takuya m JapaneseFrom Japanese
拓 (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" combined with
也 (ya) meaning "also" or
哉 (ya), an exclamation. This name can be formed with other kanji combinations as well.
Taliesin m Welsh, Welsh MythologyMeans
"shining brow", derived from Welsh
tal "brow, head" and
iesin "shining, radiant". This was the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century Welsh poet and bard, supposedly the author of the collection of poems the
Book of Taliesin. He appears briefly in the Welsh legend
Culhwch and Olwen and the Second Branch of the
Mabinogi. He is the central character in the
Tale of Taliesin, a medieval legend recorded in the 16th century, which tells how
Ceridwen's servant Gwion Bach was reborn to her as Taliesin; how he becomes the bard for Elffin; and how Taliesin defends Elffin from the machinations of the king
Maelgwn Gwynedd.
Talitha f BiblicalMeans
"little girl" in Aramaic. The name is taken from the phrase
talitha cumi meaning "little girl arise" spoken by
Jesus in order to restore a young girl to life (see
Mark 5:41).
Tallulah f English (Rare)This is the name of waterfalls in Georgia. Popularly claimed to mean "leaping waters" in the Choctaw language, it may actually mean "town" in the Creek language. It was borne by American actress Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968), who was named after her grandmother, who may have been named after the waterfalls.
Talvikki f Finnish (Rare)Derived from Finnish
talvi meaning
"winter". This is also the Finnish word for the wintergreen plant (genus Pyrola).
Tamara f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Hungarian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Lithuanian, GeorgianRussian form of
Tamar. Russian performers such as Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978), Tamara Drasin (1905-1943), Tamara Geva (1907-1997) and Tamara Toumanova (1919-1996) introduced it to the English-speaking world. It rapidly grew in popularity in the United States starting in 1957. Another famous bearer was the Polish cubist painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980).
Tamari f GeorgianForm of
Tamar with the nominative suffix, used in Georgian when the name is written stand-alone.
Tamia f African American (Modern)An invented name, using the initial sound found in names such as
Tamika. It was popularized by the Canadian singer Tamia Hill (1975-), who is known simply as Tamia.
Tamika f EnglishVariant of
Tamiko, inspired by the American jazz singer Tamiko Jones (1945-) or the American movie
A Girl Named Tamiko (1963).
Tamiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
多 (ta) meaning "many",
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Tanisha f African AmericanPopularized by the African-American actress Ta-Tanisha (1953-), born Shirley Cummings. The name spiked in popularity in the early 1970s, when she was featured on the television series
Room 222. She apparently took her stage name from Swahili
tatanisha meaning
"puzzle, tangle, confuse". The name probably resonated with parents because of its similarity to other names such as
Tamika and
Natasha.
Tatiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, French, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, Georgian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of the Roman name
Tatianus, a derivative of the Roman name
Tatius. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Rome under the emperor Alexander Severus. She was especially venerated in Orthodox Christianity, and the name has been common in Russia (as
Татьяна) and Eastern Europe. It was not regularly used in the English-speaking world until the 1980s.
Tatsuo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
達 (tatsu) meaning "achieve" combined with
夫 (o) meaning "man, husband". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Tatsuya m JapaneseFrom Japanese
達 (tatsu) meaning "achieve" combined with
也 (ya) meaning "to be". Other kanji combinations having the same reading are also possible.
Tecumseh m ShawneeMeans
"panther passing across" in Shawnee. This name was borne by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh (1768-1813), who resisted American expansion along with his brother the spiritual leader
Tenskwatawa.
Tellervo f Finnish MythologyMeaning unknown. Tellervo was a Finnish forest goddess. She is variously described as either the wife or daughter of Tapio.
Temperance f EnglishFrom the English word meaning
"moderation" or
"restraint". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It experienced a modest revival in the United States during the run of the television series
Bones (2005-2017), in which the main character bears this name.
Tennyson m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that meant
"son of Tenney",
Tenney being a medieval form of
Denis. A notable bearer of the surname was the British poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), commonly called Lord Tennyson after he became a baron in 1884.
Teodor m Romanian, Bulgarian, Slovak, Czech, Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Swedish, NorwegianForm of
Theodore used in various languages.
Tercero m Spanish (Rare)Means
"third" in Spanish. This name was traditionally given to the third child born.
Teresa f Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Catalan, Polish, Lithuanian, Finnish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, EnglishForm of
Theresa used in several languages. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a 16th-century Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelite monasteries and wrote several spiritual books. It was also borne by the Albanian missionary Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), better known as Mother Teresa, who worked with the poor in India. She adopted the name in honour of the French saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron of missionaries.
Tertius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, BiblicalThis was both a Roman praenomen and a cognomen meaning
"third" in Latin. It is mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament as the name of the person who wrote the letter (while Paul dictated it).
Tetsuya m JapaneseFrom Japanese
哲 (tetsu) meaning "philosophy" combined with
也 (ya) meaning "to be". Other combinations of kanji with the same reading can form this name as well.
Thaddeus m English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom
Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name
Thaddai. It is possibly derived from a word meaning
"heart", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as
Θεόδωρος (see
Theodore). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and
Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.
Thalassa f Greek MythologyMeans
"sea" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the personification of the sea. A small moon of Neptune is named for her.
Theobald m English (Rare), GermanicMeans
"bold people", derived from the Old German elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Frankish
þeoda) and
bald meaning "bold, brave". It was borne by a 6th-century Frankish king of Austrasia. The Normans brought the name to England, where it joined an existing Old English cognate. The medieval forms
Tibald and
Tebald were commonly Latinized as
Theobaldus. It was rare by the 20th century.
Theodore m EnglishFrom the Greek name
Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant
"gift of god" from Greek
θεός (theos) meaning "god" and
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name
Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.
... [more] Theresa f English, GermanFrom the Spanish and Portuguese name
Teresa. It was first recorded as
Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek
θέρος (theros) meaning
"summer", from Greek
θερίζω (therizo) meaning
"to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).
... [more] Theseus m Greek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
τίθημι (tithemi) meaning
"to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by
Aegeus or by the god
Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king
Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter
Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.
... [more] Thurayya f ArabicMeans
"the Pleiades" in Arabic. The Pleiades are a group of stars in the constellation Taurus.
Thutmose m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)From
Τούθμωσις (Touthmosis), the Greek form of Egyptian
ḏḥwtj-ms meaning "born of Thoth", itself composed of the name of the Egyptian god
Thoth combined with
msj "be born". Thutmose was the name of four Egyptian pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Thutmose III who conquered Syria and Nubia in the 15th century BC.
Tiamat f Semitic MythologyFrom Akkadian
tâmtu meaning
"sea". In Babylonian myth Tiamat was the personification of the sea, appearing in the form of a huge dragon. By Apsu she gave birth to the first of the gods. Later, the god
Marduk (her great-grandson) defeated her, cut her in half, and used the pieces of her body to make the earth and the sky.
Tiana f EnglishShort form of
Tatiana or
Christiana. It was rare in the United States until it jumped in popularity in 1975, perhaps due to the Vietnamese-American actress Tiana Alexandra (1956-), who had some exposure at that time. It was used as the name of the princess in the Disney movie
The Princess and the Frog (2009).
Tiburcio m SpanishSpanish form of the Roman cognomen
Tiburtius meaning
"of Tibur". Tibur (now called Tivoli) was a resort town near Rome. Saint Tiburtius was a 3rd-century martyr from Rome.
Tiffany f EnglishMedieval form of
Theophania. This name was traditionally given to girls born on the Epiphany (January 6), the festival commemorating the visit of the Magi to the infant
Jesus. The name died out after the Middle Ages, but it was revived by the movie
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), the title of which refers to the Tiffany's jewelry store in New York.
Tímea f HungarianCreated by the Hungarian author Mór Jókai for a character in his novel
The Golden Man (1873). The name is apparently based on the Greek word
εὐθυμία (euthymia) meaning
"good spirits, cheerfulness".
Timothy m English, BiblicalEnglish form of the Greek name
Τιμόθεος (Timotheos) meaning
"honouring God", derived from
τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour" and
θεός (theos) meaning "god". Saint Timothy was a companion of
Paul on his missionary journeys and was the recipient of two of Paul's epistles that appear in the New Testament. He was of both Jewish and Greek ancestry. According to tradition, he was martyred at Ephesus after protesting the worship of
Artemis. As an English name,
Timothy was not used until after the Protestant Reformation.
Tinatin f Georgian, LiteraturePossibly related to Georgian
სინათლე (sinatle) meaning
"light". The name was devised by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic poem
The Knight in the Panther's Skin, in which Tinatin is the ruler of Arabia and the lover of
Avtandil.
Tinker Bell f LiteratureCreated by the writer J. M. Barrie for a fairy character, first introduced in his 1904 play
Peter Pan. Her name refers to the fact that she is a mender of pots and kettles (a tinker) with a voice like a tinkling bell.
Tiziano m ItalianItalian form of the Roman cognomen
Titianus, which was derived from the Roman praenomen
Titus. A famous bearer was the Venetian Renaissance painter Tiziano Vecellio (1488-1576), known in English as Titian.
Tobiah m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
טוֹבִיָּה (Toviyyah) meaning
"Yahweh is good", from the elements
טוֹב (tov) meaning "good" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This was the name of an Ammonite in the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
Tobias m Biblical, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekGreek form of
Tobiah. This is the name of the hero of the apocryphal Book of Tobit, which appears in many English versions of the Old Testament. It relates how
Tobit's son Tobias, with the help of the angel
Raphael, is able to drive away a demon who has plagued Sarah, who subsequently becomes his wife. This story was popular in the Middle Ages, and the name came into occasional use in parts of Europe at that time. In England it became common after the Protestant Reformation.
Tomiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
富 (tomi) meaning "wealth, abundance" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Tomoko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
智 (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
朋 (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed of other kanji characters as well.
Tomomi f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
智 (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
朋 (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or
実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Tomyris f HistoryHellenized form of a Scythian name, possibly from an Iranian root meaning
"family". This was the name of a 6th-century BC queen of the Massagetae (a Scythian people) who defeated Cyrus the Great during his invasion of Central Asia.
Toribio m SpanishSpanish form of the Latin name
Turibius, of unknown meaning. This name has been borne by three Spanish saints, from the 5th, 6th and 16th centuries (the latter being an archbishop of Lima).
Tornike m GeorgianGeorgian form of Greek
Τορνίκιος (Tornikios) or
Τορνίκης (Tornikes), the name of a prominent Byzantine family that was of Armenian or Georgian descent. The family name may be derived from Armenian
թոռնիկ (tornik), a diminutive of
թոռն (torn) meaning
"grandchild". Usage as a given name probably began in honour of the family, a notable member of which was a saint.
Toshiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
敏 (toshi) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji characters can also form this name.
Toshirō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
俊 (toshi) meaning "talented, handsome" or
敏 (toshi) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" combined with
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Toyoko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
豊 (toyo) meaning "luxuriant, lush, bountiful" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji characters can also form this name.
Trevelyan m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a Cornish place name meaning
"homestead on the hill".
Trinidad f & m SpanishMeans
"trinity" in Spanish, referring to the Holy Trinity. An island in the West Indies bears this name.
Trinity f EnglishFrom the English word
Trinity, given in honour of the Christian belief that God has one essence, but three distinct expressions of being: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It has only been in use as a given name since the 20th century.
Tsisana f GeorgianProbably derived from Georgian
ცის (tsis) meaning
"of the sky", the genitive case of
ცა (tsa) meaning "sky, heaven". This is also an alternative Georgian word for the forget-me-not flower.
Tsiuri f GeorgianMeans
"heavenly, celestial" in Georgian, a derivative of
ცა (tsa) meaning "sky, heaven".
Tsubaki f JapaneseFrom Japanese
椿 (tsubaki) meaning "camellia (flower)", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Tsubasa m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
翼 (tsubasa) meaning "wing", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.
Tsukasa m JapaneseFrom Japanese
司 (tsukasa) meaning "director, boss". This name can also be formed by other kanji or combinations of kanji.
Tsukiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
月 (tsuki) meaning "moon" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji are possible.
Tsuneo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
恒 (tsune) meaning "constant, persistent" combined with
夫 (o) meaning "man, husband",
男 (o) meaning "male, man" or
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Tsuyoshi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
剛 (tsuyoshi) meaning "hard, rigid, strong". It can also come from an alternate reading of
剛 (tsuyo) combined with
史 (shi) meaning "history" or
志 (shi) meaning "will, purpose". Other kanji and kanji combinations can also form this name.
Tuulikki f Finnish, Finnish MythologyMeans
"little wind" in Finnish, derived from
tuuli "wind". This was the name of a Finnish forest goddess, the daughter of Tapio.
Ulysses m Roman Mythology, EnglishLatin form of
Odysseus. It was borne by Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War, who went on to become an American president. Irish author James Joyce used it as the title of his book
Ulysses (1922), which loosely parallels
Homer's epic the
Odyssey.
Umeko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
梅 (ume) meaning "apricot, plum" (referring to the species Prunus mume) and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Unity f English (Rare)From the English word
unity, which is ultimately derived from Latin
unitas.
Uranus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Οὐρανός (Ouranos), the name of the husband of
Gaia and the father of the Titans in Greek mythology. His name is derived from
οὐρανός (ouranos) meaning
"the heavens". This is also the name of the seventh planet in the solar system.
Uriah m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אוּרִיָה ('Uriyah) meaning
"Yahweh is my light", from the roots
אוּר ('ur) meaning "light, flame" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a Hittite warrior in King
David's army, the first husband of
Bathsheba. David desired Bathsheba so he placed Uriah in the forefront of battle so he would be killed.
Uriel m Biblical, HebrewFrom the Hebrew name
אוּרִיאֵל ('Uri'el) meaning
"God is my light", from
אוּר ('ur) meaning "light, flame" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Uriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition. He is mentioned only in the Apocrypha, for example in the Book of Enoch where he warns
Noah of the coming flood.
Ursula f English, Swedish, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Late RomanMeans
"little bear", derived from a diminutive form of the Latin word
ursa "she-bear". Saint Ursula was a legendary virgin princess of the 4th century who was martyred by the Huns while returning from a pilgrimage. In England the saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and the name came into general use at that time.
Usagi f Popular CultureMeans
"rabbit" in Japanese. This name was used on the Japanese television show
Sailor Moon, which first aired in the 1990s.
Uxue f BasqueFrom the Basque name of the Spanish town of Ujué where there is a church dedicated to the Virgin
Mary. Its name is derived from Basque
usoa "dove".
Uzziah m BiblicalMeans
"my power is Yahweh" in Hebrew, from the roots
עֹז ('oz) meaning "strength, power" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters including a king of Judah.
Uzziel m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"my power is God" in Hebrew, from the roots
עֹז ('oz) meaning "strength, power" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.
Valdemar m Danish, Swedish, FinnishScandinavian form of
Waldemar, also used as a translation of the Slavic cognate
Vladimir. This was the name of four kings of Denmark and a king of Sweden. It was introduced to Scandinavia by the 12th-century Danish king Valdemar I who was named after his mother's grandfather: Vladimir II, a grand prince of Kievan Rus.
Valencia f VariousFrom the name of cities in Spain and Venezuela, both derived from Latin
valentia meaning "strength, vigour".
Valentin m French, Romanian, German, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Croatian, Swedish, Danish, FinnishForm of
Valentinus (see
Valentine 1) in several languages.
Valentine 1 m EnglishFrom the Roman cognomen
Valentinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen
Valens meaning
"strong, vigorous, healthy" in Latin. Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century martyr. His feast day was the same as the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which resulted in the association between Valentine's day and love.
... [more] Valéry m FrenchDerived from the Old German elements
walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and
rih "ruler, king". It has been frequently confused with the name
Valère. Saint Walaric (or Valery) was a 7th-century Frankish monk who founded an abbey near Leuconaus at the mouth of the Somme River.
Valkyrie f Various (Rare)Means
"chooser of the slain", derived from Old Norse
valr "the slain" and
kyrja "chooser". In Norse myth the Valkyries were maidens who led heroes killed in battle to Valhalla.
Vanessa f English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German, DutchInvented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem
Cadenus and Vanessa. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of
Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.