Names Categorized "actions"

This is a list of names in which the categories include actions.
gender
usage
Abhishek m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "anointing" in Sanskrit.
Abishag f Biblical
Means "my father strays" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Abishag is a young woman who tends King David in his old age.
Achim 2 m Biblical
Possibly means "he will establish" in Hebrew. In the New Testament this name is listed as an ancestor of Jesus.
Adawosgi m Cherokee
Means "he is swimming" in Cherokee, from ᎠᏓᏬᏍᎬ (adawosgun) meaning "swimming".
Adegoke m Yoruba
Means "the crown has ascended the mountain" in Yoruba.
Adenike f Yoruba
Means "the crown is to be cared for" in Yoruba.
Admir m Bosnian, Albanian
Meaning uncertain. It might be a variant of Amir 1 or it could be derived from Latin admiror meaning "admire".
Afrim m Albanian
Means "approach" in Albanian.
Ahuludegi m Cherokee
Means "he throws away the drum" from Cherokee ᎠᎱᎵ (ahuli) "drum" and ᎤᏕᎦ (udega) "throw". This was the name of a 19th-century Cherokee chief, also known as John Jolly.
Aija f Latvian
Of uncertain meaning, possibly related to Latvian aijāt meaning "to rock, to lull". It was used by the Latvian writer Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš for the title character of his novel Aija (1911).
Algirdas m Lithuanian
Possibly means "all-hearing", from the Lithuanian roots al- "all, every" and gird- "to hear". This was the name of a 14th-century Grand Duke of Lithuania.
Amalthea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀμάλθεια (Amaltheia), derived from μαλθάσσω (malthasso) meaning "to soften, to soothe". In Greek myth she was a nymph (in some sources a goat) who nursed the infant Zeus.
Amaziah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh strengthens" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters, including a king of Judah.
Ameohne'e f Cheyenne
Means "walks along woman", from Cheyenne ame- "along, by" and -ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Anacletus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀνάκλητος (Anakletos), derived from ἀνάκλητος (anakletos) meaning "invoked". This was the name of the third pope.
Anah f & m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "answer" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name belongs to one female character and two male characters.
Anath 1 m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Means "answer" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Shamgar.
Aparecida f Portuguese
Means "appeared" in Portuguese, taken from the Brazilian title of the Virgin Mary Nossa Senhora da Conceição Aparecida, meaning "Our Lady of the Conception Who Appeared". It refers to a statue of the Virgin Mary that was said to have been pulled from a river by fishermen in the 18th century. Our Lady of Aparecida is regarded as the patron saint of Brazil.
Archana f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "honouring, praising" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu ritual.
Aritra m Bengali
From Sanskrit अरित्र (aritra) meaning "propelling, an oar".
Arsinoe f Ancient Greek
Means "raising of the mind", from Greek ἄρσις (arsis) "raising" and νόος (noos) "mind, thought". This name was borne by Egyptian queens from the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Ascensión f Spanish
Means "ascension" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the Ascension of Jesus into heaven.
Asherah f Semitic Mythology
Perhaps derived from Semitic roots meaning "she who walks in the sea". This was the name of a Semitic mother goddess. She was worshipped by the Israelites before the advent of monotheism.
Aspasia f Ancient Greek, Greek
Derived from Greek ἀσπάσιος (aspasios) meaning "welcome, embrace". This was the name of the lover of Pericles (5th century BC).
Austėja f Lithuanian, Baltic Mythology
Means "to weave" in Lithuanian. This was the name of the Lithuanian goddess of bees.
Avalokiteshvara m Buddhism
Means "the lord who looks down" in Sanskrit, derived from अवलोक् (avalok) meaning "to look down" and ईश्वर (ishvara) meaning "lord, god". The original form of the name may have been अवलोकितस्वर (Avalokitasvara), with the final element being स्वर (svara) meaning "sound, tone" (as evidenced by the Chinese form Guanyin). In Buddhist belief this is the name of a bodhisattva associated with compassion.
Ayele m Amharic
Means "become strong, become powerful" in Amharic.
Ayrat m Tatar, Bashkir
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Arabic خيرات (khayrat) meaning "good deeds". Alternatively it could be from the name of the Oirat people, a western Mongol tribe.
Azarel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God has helped" in Hebrew. This is the name of several minor Old Testament characters.
Bamidele m & f Yoruba
Means "follow me home" in Yoruba.
Baqir m Arabic
Means "to rip open" in Arabic. Muhammad al-Baqir was the fifth imam of the Shia Muslims.
Basim m Arabic
Means "smiling" in Arabic, from the root بسم (basama) meaning "to smile".
Bellerophon m Greek Mythology
From Βελλεροφόντης (Bellerophontes), possibly from Greek βέλος (belos) meaning "dart" and the suffix φόντης (phontes) meaning "slayer of". Alternatively the first element might come from a defeated foe named Belleros, who is otherwise unattested. In Greek legend Bellerophon or Bellerophontes was a hero who tamed Pegasus and killed the monstrous Chimera. He was killed by Zeus when he attempted to ride Pegasus to Mount Olympus.
Benaiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name בְּנָיָה (Benayah) meaning "Yahweh has built". This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters.
Berislav m Croatian
Derived from Slavic bĭrati "to take, to gather" (in an inflected form) and slava "glory".
Bethuel m Biblical
Possibly means "God destroys" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Rebecca.
Bharata m Hinduism
Means "being maintained" in Sanskrit. This is one of the names of Agni, the Hindu god of fire, and is also the name of the brother of Rama in the Hindu epic the Ramayana. It was also borne by a legendary king, the son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala. The official name of the country of India, Bharat, derives from him.
Bilal m Arabic, Turkish, Urdu
Means "wetting, moistening" in Arabic. This was the name of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad.
Buse f Turkish
Means "kiss" in Turkish, from Persian بوسه (buseh).
Carme 2 f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κάρμη (Karme), which was derived from κείρω (keiro) meaning "to shear". This was the name of a Cretan goddess of the harvest.
Casimir m English, French
English form of the Polish name Kazimierz, derived from the Slavic element kaziti "to destroy" combined with mirŭ "peace, world". Four kings of Poland have borne this name, including Casimir III the Great, who greatly strengthened the Polish state in the 14th century. It was also borne Saint Casimir, a 15th-century Polish prince and a patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. The name was imported into Western Europe via Germany, where it was borne by some royalty.
Cassiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
From Hebrew קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftzi'el), 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.
Ceyhun m Turkish, Azerbaijani
From Arabic جيحون (Jayhun), from Hebrew גיחון (Gichon), which in the Old Testament is a river originating in the Garden of Eden. The river's name itself is derived from Hebrew גּיחַ (giyach) meaning "to burst forth". In Islamic tradition it is identified with the Amu Darya, a river in central Asia.
Chae-Won f Korean
From Sino-Korean (chae) meaning "collect, gather, pluck" or (chae) meaning "colour" combined with (won) meaning "source, origin, beginning". Other hanja combinations can also form this name.
Chinasa f Igbo
Means "God is answering" in Igbo.
Christopher m English
From the Late Greek name Χριστόφορος (Christophoros) meaning "bearing Christ", derived from Χριστός (Christos) combined with φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.... [more]
Consus m Roman Mythology
Possibly derived from Latin conserere meaning "to sow, to plant". Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.
Crescens m Late Roman, Biblical Latin
Latin name that was derived from crescere "to grow". This name is mentioned briefly in one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament.
Cuauhtemoc m Nahuatl
Means "descending eagle" in Nahuatl, from cuāuhtli "eagle" and temo "descend". This was the name of the last Aztec emperor, ruling until he was captured and executed by the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés in the year 1525.
Damir 1 m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Possibly derived from the Slavic elements danŭ "given" and mirŭ "peace, world". Otherwise, it might be of Turkic or Russian origin (see Damir 2). It was popularized by a character from Marija Jurić Zagorka's novel Gordana (1935).
Damon m Greek Mythology, English
Derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". According to Greek legend, Damon and Pythias were friends who lived on Syracuse in the 4th century BC. When Pythias was sentenced to death, he was allowed to temporarily go free on the condition that Damon take his place in prison. Pythias returned just before Damon was to be executed in his place, and the king was so impressed with their loyalty to one another that he pardoned Pythias. As an English given name, it has only been regularly used since the 20th century.
Dardanos m Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek δαρδάπτω (dardapto) meaning "to devour". In Greek mythology Dardanos was a son of Zeus and Electra. He was the founder of the city of Dardania in Asia Minor.
Dasoda-hae m Apache
Means "he just sits there" in Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Tchihende Apache, also known by the Spanish nickname Mangas Coloradas meaning "red sleeves".
Degataga m Cherokee
Derived from Cherokee ᎦᏙᎦ (gadoga) meaning "standing". This was the name of a Cherokee chief, also called Stand Watie (1806-1871).
Dejan m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
From one of the related Slavic roots dějati "to do" or dějanĭje "deed, action".
Delaiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has drawn up" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Desimir m Serbian
Derived from Slavic elements, possibly desiti "to find, to encounter" or desętĭ "ten", combined with mirŭ "peace, world".
Dezba f Navajo
Means "going raiding" in Navajo, derived from baa' meaning "raid".
Diksha f Hindi
Means "preparation for a religious ceremony" in Sanskrit.
Django m Popular Culture
The name of Romani-French musician Django Reinhardt (1910-1953), whose real name was Jean. It is possibly from a Romani word meaning "I awake", though it might in fact be derived from the name Jean 1. This is the name of the title character in the Italian western movie Django (1966), as well as numerous subsequent films.
Dovilas m Lithuanian (Rare)
From the Lithuanian root do- "to give" combined with viltis "hope".
Drogo m English (Archaic)
Norman name, possibly derived from Gothic dragan meaning "to carry, to pull" or Old Saxon drog meaning "ghost, illusion". Alternatively, it could be related to the Slavic element dorgŭ meaning "precious, dear". The Normans introduced this name to England.
Dumisani m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "praise" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Durdy m Turkmen
From Turkmen durmak meaning "stop, stand".
Eindride m Norwegian (Rare)
Derived from the Old Norse name Eindriði, possibly from the elements einn "one, alone" and ríða "to ride".
Ekwueme m Igbo
Means "one says, one does" in Igbo, indicating a person who is truthful about his behaviour.
Eliakim m Biblical
Means "God rises" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the master of Hezekiah's household.
Eliana 2 f Hebrew
Means "my God has answered" in Hebrew.
Eligius m Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from Latin eligere "to choose". The 7th-century Saint Eligius is the patron saint of metalworkers.
Elkanah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God has purchased" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Samuel.
Endymion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning "to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess Selene, who asked Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.
Enzokuhle m & f Zulu, Xhosa
Means "to do good" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots enza "to do" and hle "beautiful, good".
Epaphus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Derived from Greek ἐπαφή (epaphe) meaning "touch". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a king of Egypt. He was the son of Zeus and Io, who became pregnant when Zeus touched her with his hand.
Ergash m Uzbek
Means "to follow" in Uzbek.
Esperanta f Esperanto
Means "hoping" in Esperanto.
Ezekiel m Biblical, English
From the Hebrew name יְחֶזְקֵאל (Yechezqel) meaning "God will strengthen", from the roots חָזַק (chazaq) meaning "to strengthen" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Ezekiel is a major prophet of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Ezekiel. He lived in Jerusalem until the Babylonian conquest and captivity of Israel, at which time he was taken to Babylon. The Book of Ezekiel describes his vivid symbolic visions that predict the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. As an English given name, Ezekiel has been used since the Protestant Reformation.
Faunus m Roman Mythology
Possibly means "to befriend" from Latin. Faunus was a Roman god of fertility, forests, and agriculture.
Fungai m & f Shona
From Shona funga meaning "think, judge".
Funmilayo f Yoruba
Means "give me joy" in Yoruba, also a short form of Olufunmilayo or Oluwafunmilayo.
Fuxi m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese () meaning "prostrate, lying down" and (), a character that refers to the god himself. In Chinese mythology Fuxi is the twin brother and husband of Nüwa. He is said to have taught humans how to hunt and cook, as well as devising the trigrams. He is sometimes depicted with the body of a snake.
Gentius m Albanian
Possibly means "to beget" in Illyrian. This was the name of a 2nd-century BC Illyrian king who went to war with Rome.
Gideon m Biblical, Hebrew, English, Dutch
Means "feller, hewer" in Hebrew. Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. He led the vastly outnumbered Israelites against the Midianites, defeated them, and killed their two kings. In the English-speaking world, Gideon has been used as a given name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.
Gonggong m Chinese Mythology
Meaning unknown, though usually spelled using the Chinese characters (gòng) meaning "together" and (gōng) meaning "work". This is the name of a Chinese water god, depicted as a serpent with a human head. He damaged the heavenly pillar Mount Buzhou, making the sky tilt to the northwest and the earth tilt to the southeast. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for him in 2019.
Gotarzes m Parthian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Parthian 𐭂𐭅𐭕𐭓𐭆 (Gowtarz), from an Old Iranian name *Gautarza meaning "ox crusher". This name was borne by two kings of Parthia.
Govinda m Hinduism, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada
Means "cow finder", derived from Sanskrit गो (go) meaning "cow" combined with विन्द (vinda) meaning "finding". This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna.
Goyaałé m Apache
Means "one who yawns" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the real name of the Apache leader Geronimo (1829-1909), who fought against Mexican and American expansion into his territory.
Gülçin f Turkish
Means "rose picking, rose growing" in Turkish.
Guwisti f Cherokee
Derived from Cherokee ᎬᏫᏍᏓᏗ (gunwisdadi) meaning "sift, sieve".
Hafsa f Arabic, Urdu, Turkish
Means "gathering" in Arabic. This was the name of the daughter of Umar, the second caliph, and a wife of Muhammad. It was also borne by the influential mother of Süleyman the Magnificent.
Ha-o-zinne f Apache
Means "standing up straight" in Apache. This was the name of a wife of the Chiricahua Apache chief Naiche.
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.
Hauzini f Apache
Variant spelling of Ha-o-zinne.
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.
Hector m English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Arthurian Cycle
Latinized form of Greek Ἕκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from ἕκτωρ (hektor) meaning "holding fast", ultimately from ἔχω (echo) meaning "to hold, to possess". In Greek legend Hector was one of the Trojan champions who fought against the Greeks. After he killed Achilles' friend Patroclus in battle, he was himself brutally slain by Achilles, who proceeded to tie his dead body to a chariot and drag it about. This name also appears in Arthurian legends where it belongs to King Arthur's foster father.... [more]
Hektor m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hector.
Hezekiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name חִזְקִיָהוּ (Chizqiyahu), which means "Yahweh strengthens", from the roots חָזַק (chazaq) meaning "to strength" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name was borne by a powerful king of Judah who reigned in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of an ancestor of the prophet Zephaniah.
Hiawatha m History, Iroquois (Anglicized)
Meaning uncertain, of Iroquois origin, possibly meaning "he who combs". This was the name of a Mohawk or Onondaga leader who founded the Iroquois Confederacy around the 15th century. He was later the subject of a fictionalized 1855 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Hiʻiaka f Polynesian Mythology
Means "held essence", derived from Hawaiian hiʻi meaning "hold, carry" and aka meaning "essence, image, embryo". This is the name of a Hawaiian goddess, the youngest sister of the volcano goddess Pele. To help her sister, Hiʻiaka volunteered to retrieve Pele's lover Lohiʻau from a neighbouring island, as long as Pele promised to protect her sacred grove of trees and her lover Hōpoe in her absence. The task took longer than expected and Pele grew impatient, destroying Hiʻiaka's grove and killing her lover.
Hlengiwe f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Swazi
Means "helped, rescued, redeemed" in Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi.
Hranislav m Serbian
Derived from the Slavic element xorniti (Serbo-Croatian hraniti) meaning "to feed, to protect" combined with slava meaning "glory".
Hugleikr m Old Norse
Old Norse name derived from hugr "mind, thought, mood" and leikr "play".
Ida f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, French, Polish, Finnish, Hungarian, Slovak, Slovene, Germanic
Derived from the Germanic element id possibly meaning "work, labour" (Proto-Germanic *idiz). The Normans brought this name to England, though it eventually died out there in the Middle Ages. It was strongly revived in the 19th century, in part due to the heroine in Alfred Tennyson's poem The Princess (1847), which was later adapted into the play Princess Ida (1884) by Gilbert and Sullivan.... [more]
Ifeanyichukwu m Igbo
Means "we can do anything with God" in Igbo.
Igon m Basque (Rare)
Masculine form of Igone.
Igone f Basque
Means "ascension" in Basque. It is an equivalent of Ascensión coined by the Basque writer Sabino Arana in 1910.
Ilai m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Possibly from the Hebrew root עָלָה ('alah) meaning "to ascend". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of King David's mighty men.
Imants m Latvian
Possibly from Livonian (a Finnic language that was spoken in Latvia) im "miracle" and and "to give".
Iminathi f Zulu
Means "he stands with us" in Zulu.
Iqbi-Damiq f Semitic Mythology
Means "she said: it is good", derived from Akkadian qabû "to say" and damqu "good, fine". This was the name of a goddess worshipped in Kish and Ashur.
Iqra f Urdu
From Arabic إقرا (iqra) meaning "read, recite, confess". This is another name of the 96th chapter of the Quran.
Israel m Jewish, English, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) meaning "God contends", from the roots שָׂרָה (sarah) meaning "to contend, to fight" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament, Israel (who was formerly named Jacob; see Genesis 32:28) wrestles with an angel. The ancient and modern states of Israel took their names from him.
Itai 2 m & f Shona
From Shona ita meaning "do, act, perform".
Izanagi m Japanese Mythology
Probably means "male who invites" in Japanese, from (izana) meaning "invite, lure, attract". In Japanese mythology the god Izanagi was the husband of Izanami. When she died he unsuccessfully journeyed to the underworld to retrieve her. In the purifying rites that followed his return, the gods of the sun, moon and wind were created.
Jachin m Biblical
Means "he establishes" in Hebrew. 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.
Jahleel m Biblical
Means "God waits" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Jahzeel m Biblical
Means "God will divide" in Hebrew. This is the son of Naphtali in the Old Testament.
Jasiel m Biblical, Biblical Spanish
Variant of Jaasiel appearing in some versions of the Old Testament (notably the King James Version).
Jasone f Basque
From Basque jaso meaning "to lift up, to raise". It was coined by Sabino Arana in 1910 as an equivalent of the Spanish name Asunción.
Jeconiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh will establish" in Hebrew. This is another name (with the same meaning) of the Judean king Jehoiachin.
Jehoiachin m Biblical
Means "Yahweh will establish" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah. Also known as Jeconiah, he was imprisoned in Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar after a brief reign in the early 6th century BC.
Jephthah m Biblical
Means "he opens" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name belongs to a ruling judge. He successfully defended Israel from the Ammonites, but was then obliged to sacrifice his daughter because of a vow he had made.
Jeremiah m English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmiyahu) meaning "Yahweh will exalt", from the roots רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of the major prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations (supposedly). He lived to see the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC.... [more]
Jeriah m Biblical
Means "taught by Yahweh" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Jeriah is a descendant of Hebron.
Jezebel f Biblical
From Hebrew אִיזֶבֶל ('Izevel), probably from a Phoenician name, possibly containing the Semitic root zbl meaning "to exalt, to dwell". According to one theory it might be an altered form of the Phoenician name 𐤁𐤏𐤋𐤀𐤆𐤁𐤋 (Baʿlʾizbel) meaning "Ba'al exalts" with the first element removed or replaced.... [more]
Jianhong m Chinese
From Chinese (jiàn) meaning "build, establish" combined with (hóng) meaning "wide, spacious, great, vast". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Jorah m Biblical, Literature
From the Hebrew name יוֹרָה (Yorah) meaning either "he teaches" or "rain". This name is mentioned briefly in the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament. It was used by George R. R. Martin for a character in his fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire (first published 1996) and the television adaptation Game of Thrones (2011-2019). It is not known if Martin took the name from the Bible.
Jordan m & f English, French, Macedonian, Serbian
From the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is יַרְדֵן (Yarden), and it is derived from יָרַד (yarad) meaning "descend" or "flow down". In the New Testament John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.... [more]
Joseph m English, French, German, Biblical
From Ioseph, the Latin form of Greek Ἰωσήφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning "he will add", from the root יָסַף (yasaf). In the Old Testament Joseph is the eleventh son of Jacob and the first with his wife Rachel. Because he was the favourite of his father, his older brothers sent him to Egypt and told their father that he had died. In Egypt, Joseph became an advisor to the pharaoh, and was eventually reconciled with his brothers when they came to Egypt during a famine. This name also occurs in the New Testament, belonging to Saint Joseph the husband of Mary, and to Joseph of Arimathea.... [more]
Kanata m & f Japanese
From Japanese (kana) meaning "play music, complete" and (ta) meaning "many", as well as other combinations of kanji that have the same pronunciation.
Kaneonuskatew m Cree (Anglicized)
Means "he who walks on four claws" in Cree, derived from ᓀᐅᐧ (newo) "four" and the root ᐊᐢᑲᓯᕀ (askasiy) "claw". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan, also known as George Gordon.
Karabo m & f Sotho, Tswana
Means "answer" in Sotho and Tswana.
Karesinda f Esperanto
Means "worthy of a caress" in Esperanto.
Kawisenhawe f Mohawk
Means "she holds the ice" in Mohawk, from ka- "she", ówise "ice" and -hawe "hold, have".
Kelechi m & f Igbo
Means "thank God" in Igbo.
Kemuel m Biblical
From the Hebrew name קְמוּאֵל (Qemu'el) meaning "raised by God". This is the name of a nephew of Abraham in the Old Testament.
Kenaniah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh establishes" in Hebrew. This was the name of two minor Old Testament characters.
Kęstutis m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian kęsti meaning "to cope, to endure" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 14th-century ruler of Lithuania.
Khayrat m & f Arabic
Means "good deeds" in Arabic, plural of خير (khayr).
Kirtida f Hindi
Means "one who bestows fame" in Sanskrit.
Klotho f Greek Mythology
Means "spinner" in Greek. In Greek mythology Klotho was one of the three Fates or Μοῖραι (Moirai). She was responsible for spinning the thread of life.
Lachesis f Greek Mythology
Means "apportioner" in Greek. She was one of the three Fates or Μοῖραι (Moirai) in Greek mythology. She was responsible for deciding how long each person had to live.
Lady f Spanish (Latin American)
From the English noble title Lady, derived from Old English hlæfdige, originally meaning "bread kneader". This name grew in popularity in Latin America after the marriage of Diana Spencer, known as Lady Di, to Prince Charles in 1981 and her death in 1997.
Laertes m Greek Mythology
Means "gatherer of the people" in Greek. This is the name of the father of Odysseus in Greek mythology. It was later utilized by Shakespeare for a character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600), in which he is the son of Polonius. His ultimate duel with Hamlet leads to both of their deaths.
Lalawethika m Shawnee
Means "he makes noise" in Shawnee. This was another name of the Shawnee leader Tenskwatawa (1775-1836).
Lamech m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly means "to make low" in Hebrew. This is the name of two characters in Genesis in the Old Testament, the first being a descendant of Cain, and the second being a descendant of Seth and the father of Noah.
Lebogang m & f Tswana
Means "be thankful" in Tswana.
Lebohang m & f Sotho
Means "be thankful" in Sotho.
Leida f Estonian
Meaning unknown. It was popularized by a character in Estonian writer Andres Saal's historical stories Vambola (1889) and Aita (1891). Saal associated it with Estonian leidma "to find".
Lethokuhle f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "bring goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots letha "to bring" and hle "beautiful, good".
Levana 2 f Roman Mythology
From Latin levare meaning "to raise, to lift". This was the name of a Roman goddess associated with newborn babies and the rituals of childbirth.
Lila 1 f Hindi
Means "play, amusement" in Sanskrit.
Limbikani m Chewa
Means "work hard" in Chewa.
Lucifer m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Means "bringing light", derived from Latin lux "light" and ferre "to bring". In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus, but later became associated with the chief angel who rebelled against God's rule in heaven (see Isaiah 14:12). In later literature, such as the Divine Comedy (1321) by Dante and Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton, Lucifer became associated with Satan himself.
Maaseiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name מַעֲשֵׂיָה (Ma'aseyah) meaning "work of Yahweh". This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters (mostly minor).
Manasseh m Biblical
Means "causing to forget" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the oldest son of Joseph and Asenath and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was also borne by a 7th-century BC king of Judah, condemned in the Bible for allowing the worship of other gods.
Maqsud m Arabic, Urdu
Means "intention, aim" in Arabic.
Maytham m Arabic (Rare)
Possibly means "crushing" in Arabic. This was the name of a companion of Ali, the fourth caliph.
Melete f Greek Mythology
Means "practice, exercise" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of meditation.
Melokuhle f & m Xhosa, Zulu
Means "stand for goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots mela "to stand for, to represent" and hle "beautiful, good".
Melpomene f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek μέλπω (melpo) meaning "to sing, to celebrate with song". This was the name of one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, the muse of tragedy.
Meona'hane m Cheyenne
Means "morning killer" in Cheyenne, derived from méo- "morning" and -na'hané "kill, coup".
Mephistopheles m Literature
Meaning uncertain. It might be based on Hebrew מֵפִיץ (mefitz) "scatterer, disperser" and טָפַל (tafal) "liar", or on Greek μή (me) "not", φῶς (phos) "light" and φίλος (philos) "friend, lover". Many other etymologies have been proposed. In a German legend, notably retold by Goethe, this is the name of a demon who makes a deal with Faust to exchange his soul for magical powers.
Methoataske f Shawnee
Means "turtle laying its eggs" in Shawnee.
Minali f Hindi
Means "fish catcher" in Sanskrit.
Mindaugas m Lithuanian
Possibly from Lithuanian mintis "thought" or minti "to remember" combined with daug "much". This was the name of a 13th-century ruler of Lithuania.
Mnason m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Ancient Greek
Possibly means "reminding" in Greek. In Acts in the New Testament Paul stays in Jerusalem with a man named Mnason, a Jew who was originally from Cyprus.
Mojisola f Yoruba
Means "I wake up to wealth" in Yoruba.
Motecuhzoma m Nahuatl
Means "he becomes angry like a lord" in Nahuatl, from mo- "himself", tēcu- "lord" and zōma "become angry, frown". This name was borne by two emperors of the Aztec Empire.
Mukami f Kikuyu
Possibly means "the one who milks the cows" in Kikuyu.
Mumbi f Kikuyu
Means "she who shapes" in Kikuyu. In Kikuyu mythology Mumbi was the wife of Gikuyu and the mother of his nine daughters.
Mu'tamid m Arabic
Means "relying on, leaning on" in Arabic. Al-Mu'tamid was a 9th-century Abbasid caliph. This was also the name of an 11th-century Abbadid ruler of Seville, who was a patron of the arts and a poet.
Naiche m Apache
Means "mischief maker" in Apache. This name was borne by a 19th-century Chiricahua Apache chief, the son of Cochise.
Namrata f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "bowing, humility" in Sanskrit.
Nanabah f Navajo
Means "returning warrior" in Navajo, derived from nááná "again" and baa' "warrior, heroine, raid, battle".
Natsumi f Japanese
From Japanese (natsu) meaning "summer" and (mi) meaning "beautiful". It can also come from (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and (tsumi) meaning "pick, pluck". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Nausicaa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ναυσικάα (Nausikaa) meaning "burner of ships". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of a daughter of Alcinous who helps Odysseus on his journey home.
Neohne'e f Cheyenne
Means "walks toward woman", from Cheyenne nėh- "toward" and -ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Nîga f Kurdish
Means "look, gaze" in Kurdish, of Persian origin.
Nikephoros m & f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "carrying victory" from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and φέρω (phero) meaning "to carry, to bear". This name was borne by several Byzantine emperors, including the 10th-century Nikephoros II Phokas. Besides being a masculine personal name, it was also a title borne by the goddess Athena.
Noah 2 f Biblical
From the Hebrew name נֹעָה (No'ah) meaning "motion". In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Zelophehad. In English this name is typically spelled the same as the name of the male biblical character Noah, though in Hebrew they are written distinctly.
Noboru m Japanese
From Japanese (noboru) meaning "rise, ascend" or other kanji pronounced in the same way.
Nodens m Celtic Mythology
Possibly from the old Celtic root *snowdo- meaning "mist, haze". Alternatively it might be related to the Indo-European root *neud- meaning "to acquire, to use". This is the name of a Celtic god associated with healing, hunting and fishing. He is known from a shrine excavated at Gloucestershire, where the name is only found in the dative forms Nodenti and Nodonti. He probably forms the basis for the legendary figures of Nuada (Irish) and Nudd (Welsh).
Obed m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Means "serving, worshipping" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters including the grandfather of David.
Oded m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "to restore" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a prophet from Samaria.
Odelia 2 f Hebrew
Means "I will thank Yahweh" in Hebrew. This is a modern Hebrew name probably inspired by Odelia 1.
Olusegun m Yoruba
Means "God conquers" in Yoruba.
Omphile f & m Tswana, Sotho
Means "he has given" in Tswana and Sotho.
Ophiuchus m Astronomy
Latinized form of Greek Ὀφιοῦχος (Ophiouchos) meaning "serpent bearer". This is the name of an equatorial constellation that depicts the god Asklepios holding a snake.
Orinthia f Literature
Possibly related to Greek ὀρίνω (orino) meaning "to excite, to agitate". George Bernard Shaw used this name in his play The Apple Cart (1929).
Osamu m Japanese
From Japanese (osamu) meaning "discipline, study", as well as other kanji that have the same pronunciation.
Ọṣun f Yoruba Mythology
Possibly related to ṣán meaning "flow". In traditional Yoruba belief this is the name of the patron goddess of the Osun River, also associated with wealth, beauty and love.
Pachakutiq m Quechua
Means "changer of the world" in Quechua, derived from pacha "world, time" and kutiy "to return, to change" combined with the agentive suffix -q "doer". This name was borne by a 15th-century (precontact) ruler of the Inca Empire.
Paltiel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God is my deliverance" in Hebrew, derived from פָּלַט (palat) meaning "to deliver, to rescue, to escape" combined with אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This is the name of two Israelites in the Old Testament.
Paraskeve f Late Greek
Derived from Greek παρασκευή (paraskeue) meaning "preparation" or "Friday" (being the day of preparation). This was the name of a 2nd-century saint who was martyred in Rome.
Penjani m & f Tumbuka
Means "seek for, look for" in Tumbuka.
Penuel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "facing God" in Hebrew. This is the name of two minor characters in the Old Testament.
Persefoni f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Persephone.
Persephone f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, probably of Pre-Greek origin, but perhaps related to Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She was abducted to the underworld by Hades, but was eventually allowed to return to the surface for part of the year. The result of her comings and goings is the changing of the seasons. With her mother she was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at the city of Eleusis near Athens.
Perseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Perseus was a hero who was said to have founded the ancient city of Mycenae. He was the son of Zeus and Danaë. Mother and child were exiled by Danaë's father Acrisius, and Perseus was raised on the island of Seriphos. The king of the island compelled Perseus to kill the Gorgon Medusa, who was so ugly that anyone who gazed upon her was turned to stone. After obtaining winged sandals and other tools from the gods, he succeeded in his task by looking at Medusa in the reflection of his shield and slaying her in her sleep. On his return he defeated a sea monster in order to save Andromeda, who became his wife.
Philoctetes m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Derived from φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and‎ κτάομαι (ktaomai) meaning "to acquire". In Greek legend this was the name of a hero who was stranded on the island of Lemnos on his way to the Trojan War.
Pitikwahanapiwiyin m Cree (Anglicized)
From Cree ᐲᐦᑐᑲᐦᐊᓇᐱᐏᔨᐣ (Pîhtokahanapiwiyin) meaning "sits at the buffalo pound", derived from ᐲᐦᑐᑲᐦᐋᐣ (pîhtokahân) "buffalo pound, buffalo corral" and ᐊᐱᐤ (apiw) "sit". This was the name of a Plains Cree chief, also known as Poundmaker (1842-1886).
Praxidike f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek πρᾶξις (praxis) meaning "action, exercise" and δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of lawful punishment. This is also the name of a small moon of Jupiter.
Praxis f Greek Mythology
Means "action, sex" in Greek. This was another name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Prochorus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Πρόχορος (Prochoros) meaning "leader of the dance". Saint Prochorus was one of the original seven deacons of the church, as told in Acts in the New Testament.
Prokopios m Greek, Late Greek
Derived from Greek προκοπή (prokope) meaning "progress, advance". Saint Prokopios was an early Christian martyr who was beheaded in Palestine during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian.
Pythios m Greek Mythology
From the Greek place name Πυθώ (Pytho), an older name of the city of Delphi, which was probably derived from Greek πύθω (pytho) meaning "to rot". This was an epithet of Apollo.
Rani 2 m & f Hebrew
From Hebrew רַן (ran) meaning "to sing".
Raniya f Arabic
Means "looking at", derived from Arabic رنا (rana) meaning "to gaze".
Raphael m German, English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name רָפָאֵל (Rafa'el) meaning "God heals", from the roots רָפָא (rafa') meaning "to heal" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In Hebrew tradition Raphael is the name of an archangel. He appears in the Book of Tobit, in which he disguises himself as a man named Azarias and accompanies Tobias on his journey to Media, aiding him along the way. In the end he cures Tobias's father Tobit of his blindness. He is not mentioned in the New Testament, though tradition identifies him with the angel troubling the water in John 5:4.... [more]
Reumah f Biblical
Means "elevated, exalted" in Hebrew, derived רָאַם (ra'am) meaning "to rise". In the Old Testament, Reumah was a concubine of Nahor and by him the mother of four sons.
Reva f Hinduism, Hindi
Means "one that moves" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Rati.
Ritika f Hindi
Means either "movement, stream" or "brass" in Sanskrit.
Rodomonte m Carolingian Cycle
Used by Matteo Maria Boiardo for a Saracen warrior king in his epic poem Orlando Innamorato (1483). It could be related to Italian rotolare "to roll" and monte "mountain". He also appears in Ludovico Ariosto's continuation Orlando Furioso (1532).
Rogatus m Late Roman
From Latin rogatus meaning "request, entreaty", in turn derived from rogo meaning "to ask, to request". This name was borne by several early and relatively obscure martyrs and saints.
Rohan 1 m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada
Derived from Sanskrit रोहण (rohana) meaning "ascending".
Ruqayyah f Arabic
Derived either from Arabic رقى (ruqia) meaning "rise, ascent" or from رقية (ruqyah) meaning "spell, charm, incantation". This was the name of one of the daughters of the Prophet Muhammad. She became a wife of Uthman, the third caliph of the Muslims. The name was also borne by daughters of Ali and Husayn.
Sacagawea f Indigenous American
Probably from Hidatsa tsakáka wía meaning "bird woman". Alternatively it could originate from the Shoshone language and mean "boat puller". This name was borne by a Native American woman who guided the explorers Lewis and Clark. She was of Shoshone ancestry but had been abducted in her youth and raised by a Hidatsa tribe.
Saddam m Arabic
Means "one who confronts" in Arabic. It was borne by the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein (1937-2006).
Saima 1 f Urdu
From Arabic صائم (sa'im) meaning "fasting".
Sajjad m Arabic
Means "kneeling in prayer, prostration" in Arabic.
Salik m Greenlandic
Means "clean, wipe, scrape" in Greenlandic.
Sanjar m Uzbek, Medieval Turkic
Turkic name meaning "he who pierces, he who thrusts". Ahmad Sanjar was an 11th-century sultan of the Seljuq Empire.
Sarita 2 f Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "flowing" in Sanskrit.
Saul m Biblical, Jewish, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name שָׁאוּל (Sha'ul) meaning "asked for, prayed for". This was the name of the first king of Israel, as told in the Old Testament. Before the end of his reign he lost favour with God, and after a defeat by the Philistines he was succeeded by David as king. In the New Testament, Saul was the original Hebrew name of the apostle Paul.
Savitr m Hinduism
Means "rouser, stimulator" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu sun god, sometimes identified with Surya.
Seble f Amharic
Means "harvest" in Amharic.
Segun m Yoruba
Means "conquer" in Yoruba, also a short form of Olusegun or Oluwasegun.
Shadrach m Biblical
Means "command of Aku" in Akkadian, Aku being the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Old Testament Shadrach is the Babylonian name of Hananiah, one of the three men cast into a fiery furnace but saved by God.
Shemaiah m Biblical
Means "heard by Yahweh" in Hebrew. This name is borne by many characters in the Old Testament including a prophet in the reign of Rehoboam.
Shimei m Biblical
From Hebrew שָׁמַע (shama') meaning "to hear, to listen". This is the name of many characters in the Old Testament.
Shukri m Arabic
Means "thanking" in Arabic.
Simran f & m Punjabi, Hindi, Marathi
Means "meditation", derived from Sanskrit स्मरण (smarana) meaning "recollection".
Siyabonga m Zulu, Ndebele
Means "we thank you" in Zulu and Ndebele.
Skanda m Hinduism
Means "hopping, spurting, spilling" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is the name of the god of war, also known as Kartikeya or Murugan. He is worshipped especially by the Tamils in southern India.
Socorro f Spanish
Means "succour, help, relief" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary María del Socorro meaning "Mary of Perpetual Succour".
Soudeh f Persian
Means "touched" or "painted" in Persian.
Stribog m Slavic Mythology
Possibly from Old Slavic sterti "to extend, to spread" and bogŭ "god". Alternatively it could come from strybati "to flow, to move quickly". Stribog was a Slavic god who was possibly associated with the wind.
Tabassum m & f Arabic
Means "smiling" in Arabic.
Tahmid m Arabic
Means "praising" in Arabic.
Tarhunna m Hittite Mythology
From Hittite or Luwian tarh meaning "to cross, to conquer". This was the name of the Hittite god of the weather, storms, and the sky, and the slayer of the dragon Illuyanka. He was closely identified with the Hurrian god Teshub, and sometimes with the Semitic god Hadad.
Tariq m Arabic, Urdu
Means "visitor, knocker at the door" in Arabic, from طرق (taraqa) "to knock". This is the Arabic name of the morning star. Tariq ibn Ziyad was the Islamic general who conquered Spain for the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century.
Tatenda m & f Shona
Means "thank you" in Shona, from tenda meaning "thank".
Tecumseh m Shawnee
Means "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.
Tekakwitha f Mohawk
Means "she who bumps into things" or "she who puts things in place" in Mohawk. Tekakwitha, also named Kateri, was a 17th-century Mohawk woman who has become the first Native American Catholic saint.
Telemachus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Τηλέμαχος (Telemachos), derived from a Greek word meaning "fighting from afar", itself from τῆλε (tele) meaning "afar, far off" and μάχη (mache) meaning "battle". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of the son of Odysseus. It was also borne by a 4th-century saint who was martyred when trying to stop a gladiatorial fight.
Tendai m & f Shona
From Shona tenda meaning "be thankful, thank".
Tenzin m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
From Tibetan བསྟན་འཛིན (bstan-'dzin) meaning "upholder of teachings". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).
Terpsichore f Greek Mythology
Means "enjoying the dance" from Greek τέρψις (terpsis) meaning "delight" and χορός (choros) meaning "dance". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of dance and dramatic chorus, one of the nine Muses.
Terrell m English, African American
From an English surname that was probably derived from the Norman French nickname tirel "to pull", referring to a stubborn person. It may sometimes be given in honour of civil rights activist Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954). It was common in the African-American community from the 1970s to the 1990s, typically stressed on the second syllable. A famous bearer is American football player Terrell Owens (1973-).
Theophylaktos m Ancient Greek
Means "watched by god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φυλακτέος (phylakteos) meaning "to be watched". Saint Theophylaktos was a 9th-century bishop of Nicomedia who was banished to Caria.
Theotimus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεότιμος (Theotimos) meaning "honouring god", derived from the elements θεός (theos) meaning "god" and τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". Saint Theotimus was a 4th-century bishop of Tomi in Scythia.
Thetis f Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek θέτης (thetes) meaning "one who places", a derivative of τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". This was the name of one of the Nereids in Greek mythology. With Peleus she was the mother of Achilles.
Tindra f Swedish (Modern)
Means "to twinkle, to sparkle" in Swedish.
Tionge f & m Chewa, Tumbuka
Means "we thank" in Chewa and Tumbuka.
Tisiphone f Greek Mythology
Means "avenging murder" in Greek, derived from τίσις (tisis) meaning "vengeance" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. She killed Cithaeron with the bite of one of the snakes on her head.
Toccara f African American (Modern)
From the name of a 1981 Avon perfume, derived from the Italian verb toccare "to touch".
Tollak m Norwegian (Rare)
From the Old Norse name Þórleikr, which meant "Thor's play" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with leikr "play, game (involving weapons)".
Tránsito f & m Spanish
Means "transit, travel" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the movement of the Virgin Mary into heaven.
Tripp m English (Modern)
From a surname derived from Middle English trippen "to dance". It could also be inspired by the English word trip "journey, stumble".
Tsukuyomi m Japanese Mythology
From Japanese (tsuku) meaning "moon" and (yomi) meaning "to read". In Japanese mythology Tsukuyomi was the god of the moon, the sibling of Amaterasu and Susanoo.
Vahagn m Armenian Mythology, Armenian
Armenian form of Vərəthraghna (see Bahram). In Armenian mythology this was the name of the heroic god of war.
Varuna m Hinduism
Probably from Sanskrit वृ (vr) meaning "to surround, to restrain". In Hindu mythology Varuna is a god of water and the celestial ocean surrounding the world. He is one of the chief gods in the Rigveda.
Vellamo f Finnish Mythology
From Finnish velloa "to surge, to swell". This was the name of a Finnish goddess of the sea, the wife of Ahti.
Verdandi f Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Verðandi meaning "becoming, happening". Verdandi was one of the three Norns, or goddesses of destiny, in Norse mythology. She was responsible for the present.
Vratislav m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements vortiti (Czech vrátit) meaning "to return" and slava meaning "glory". This was the name of two dukes of Bohemia (the second later a king).
Vural m Turkish
Possibly from Turkish vur meaning "strike, hit".
Vüsal m Azerbaijani
Means "meeting, joining" in Azerbaijani.
Waverly f & m English
From the rare English surname Waverley, derived from the name of a place in Surrey, itself possibly from Old English wæfre "flickering, wavering" and leah "woodland, clearing".... [more]
Xiadani f Zapotec
Meaning uncertain, said to mean "the flower that arrived" in Zapotec.
Xystos m Late Greek
Greek form of Sixtus.
Yamikani m & f Chewa
Means "be grateful, praise" in Chewa.
Yeong-Gi m Korean
From Sino-Korean (yeong) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper" and (gi) meaning "rise, stand up, begin". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Yonaguska m Cherokee
Means "drowning bear" from Cherokee ᏲᎾ (yona) "bear" and possibly ᎫᏂᏍᎧ (guniska) "drown". This was the name of a 19th-century Eastern Cherokee chief.
Yuzuru m Japanese
From Japanese (yuzuru) meaning "allow, permit, yield, concede", as well as other kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.
Zbigniew m Polish
Derived from the Slavic elements jĭzbyti "to dispel" and gněvŭ "anger". This was the name of a 12th-century duke of Poland.
Zebidah f Biblical
Derived from Hebrew זָבַד (zavad) meaning "to give". In the Old Testament she is a wife of King Josiah of Judah and the mother of Jehoiakim. Her name is spelled as Zebudah in some translations.
Zechariah m Biblical, English
From the Hebrew name זְכַרְיָה (Zekharyah) meaning "Yahweh remembers", from זָכַר (zakhar) meaning "to remember" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many characters in the Old Testament, including the prophet Zechariah, the author of the Book of Zechariah. The name also appears in the New Testament belonging to the father of John the Baptist, who was temporarily made dumb because of his disbelief. He is regarded as a saint by Christians. In some versions of the New Testament his name is spelled in the Greek form Zacharias or the English form Zachary. As an English given name, Zechariah has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation.
Zerachiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Possibly means "command of God" in Hebrew. The Book of Enoch names him as one of the seven archangels. His name is sometimes rendered as Sarakiel.