ACE (1)mEnglishFrom the English word meaning "highest rank". More commonly a nickname, it is occasionally used as a given name.
AGNESfEnglish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
‘Αγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek
‘αγνος (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, being especially popular in England in the Middle Ages.
ALmEnglishShort form of
ALBERT and other names beginning with
Al. A notable bearer is American actor Al Pacino (1940-).
ALFONSOmSpanish, ItalianSpanish and Italian form of a Visigothic Germanic name, probably meaning "noble and ready", from the element
adal "noble" combined with
funs "ready". Other theories claim the first element is
hadu or
hild (see
ILDEFONSO), both of which mean "battle". It is possible that two or more names merged into a single form. This was the name of six kings of Portugal and kings of several ancient regions of Spain.
ALICEfEnglish, French, Portuguese, ItalianFrom the Old French name
Aalis, a short form of
Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name
Adalheidis (see
ADELAIDE). This name became popular in France and England in the 12th century. It was borne by the heroine of Lewis Carroll's 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' (1865) and 'Through the Looking Glass' (1871).
ALLIfFinnishFinnish diminutive of names beginning with
Al. This is also the Finnish word for a type of duck.
AMELIAfEnglish, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Dutch, German, Ancient GermanicVariant of
AMALIA, though it is sometimes confused with
EMILIA, which has a different origin. The name became popular in England after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century - it was borne by daughters of George II and George III. Another famous bearer was Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), the first woman to make a solo flight over the Atlantic Ocean.
ANTONIOmSpanish, Italian, CroatianSpanish and Italian form of
Antonius (see
ANTHONY). A famous bearer was the Italian Renaissance painter Antonio Pisanello (c. 1395-1455). It is also the name of the main character in 'The Merchant of Venice' (1596) by William Shakespeare.
APOLLOmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Απολλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to Indo-European *
apelo "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb
απολλυμι (apollymi) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of
Zeus and
Leto and the twin of
Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.
AVA (1)fEnglishVariant of
EVE. A famous bearer was the American actress Ava Gardner (1922-1990).
AZIZmArabic, Persian, Urdu, UzbekMeans "powerful, respected, beloved", derived from Arabic
عزّ ('azza) meaning "to be powerful" or "to be cherished". In Islamic tradition
العزيز (al-'Aziz) is one of the 99 names of Allah. A notable bearer of the name was Al-'Aziz, a 10th-century Fatimid caliph.
BEAUmEnglishMeans "beautiful" in French. It has been occasionally used as an American given name since the late 19th century. It appears in Margaret Mitchell's novel 'Gone with the Wind' (1936) as the name of Ashley and Melanie's son.
BELLAfEnglishShort form of
ISABELLA and other names ending in
bella. It is also associated with the Italian word
bella meaning "beautiful".
BELLEfEnglishShort form of
ISABELLA or names ending in
belle. It is also associated with the French word
belle meaning "beautiful". A famous bearer was Belle Starr (1848-1889), an outlaw of the American west, whose real given name was Maybelle.
BENEDICTmEnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Benedictus which meant "blessed". Saint Benedict was an Italian monk who founded the Benedictines in the 6th century. After his time the name was common among Christians, being used by 16 popes. In England it did not come into use until the 12th century, at which point it became very popular. This name was also borne by the American general Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), who defected to Britain during the American Revolution.
BENJAMINmEnglish, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) which means "son of the south" or "son of the right hand", from the roots
בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and
יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament is the twelfth and youngest son of
Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named
בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-'oni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother
Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see Genesis 35:18).
... [more] BERTHAfGerman, English, Ancient GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
beraht meaning "bright, famous". It was borne by the mother of
Charlemagne in the 8th century, and it was popularized in England by the Normans. It died out as an English name after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century. The name also appears in southern Germanic legends (often spelled
Perchta or
Berchta) belonging to a goddess of animals and weaving.
BIANCAfItalian, RomanianItalian cognate of
BLANCHE. Shakespeare used characters named Bianca in 'Taming of the Shrew' (1593) and 'Othello' (1603).
BIFFmEnglish (Rare)From a nickname which was based on the English word
biff, which means "punch, hit, strike".
BILLmEnglishShort form of
WILLIAM. This spelling was first used in the 19th century. The change in the initial consonant may have been influenced by an earlier Irish pronunciation of the name. Famous bearers include basketball player Bill Russell (1934-), comedian Bill Cosby (1937-), American president Bill Clinton (1946-), and Microsoft founder Bill Gates (1955-).
BILLYmEnglishDiminutive of
BILL. A notable bearer was the American outlaw Billy the Kid (1859-1881), whose real name was William H. Bonney.
BLANCHEfFrench, EnglishFrom a medieval French nickname meaning "white, fair". This name and its cognates in other languages are ultimately derived from the Germanic word
blanc. An early bearer was the 12th-century Blanca of Navarre, the wife of Sancho III of Castile. Her granddaughter of the same name married Louis VIII of France, with the result that the name became more common in France.
BOBmEnglish, DutchShort form of
ROBERT. It arose later than
Dob,
Hob and
Nob, which were medieval rhyming nicknames of Robert. It was borne by the character Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens' novel 'A Christmas Carol' (1843). Other famous bearers include American folk musician Bob Dylan (1941-) and Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).
BOOKERmEnglishFrom an English occupational surname meaning "maker of books". A famous bearer was Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an African-American leader.
BORISmBulgarian, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Georgian, GermanFrom the Turkic name
Bogoris, perhaps meaning "short" or "wolf" or "snow leopard". It was borne by the 9th-century King Boris I of Bulgaria who converted his country to Christianity, as well as two later Bulgarian emperors. The name was popularized in the Slavic world due to the 11th-century Saint Boris, who was a Russian prince martyred with his brother Gleb. His mother may have been Bulgarian. Another famous bearer was the 16th-century Russian emperor Boris Godunov, later the subject of a play of that name by Aleksandr Pushkin.
BOYDmScottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname which was possibly derived from the name of the island of Bute.
BRUCEmScottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname, of Norman origin, which probably originally referred to the town of Brix in France. The surname was borne by Robert the Bruce, a Scottish hero of the 14th century who achieved independence from England and became the king of Scotland. It has been in use as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century. A notable bearer is the American musician Bruce Springsteen (1949-).
BUCKmEnglishFrom an English nickname meaning simply "buck, male deer", ultimately from Old English
bucc.
CELIAfEnglish, SpanishFeminine form of the Roman family name
CAELIUS. Shakespeare used it in his play 'As You Like It' (1599), which introduced the name to the English-speaking public at large. It is sometimes used as a short form of
CECILIA.
CHELSEAfEnglishFrom the name of a district in London, originally derived from Old English and meaning "landing place for chalk or limestone". It has been in general use as an English given name since the 1970s.
CHERRYfEnglishSimply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit. It can also be a diminutive of
CHARITY. It has been in use since the late 19th century.
CHESTERmEnglishFrom a surname which originally belonged to a person who came from Chester, an old Roman settlement in Britain. The name of the settlement came from Latin
castrum "camp, fortress".
CHIPmEnglishDiminutive of
CHARLES or
CHRISTOPHER. It can also be from a nickname given in reference to the phrase
a chip off the old block, used of a son who is similar to his father.
CHUCKmEnglishDiminutive of
CHARLES. It originated in America in the early 20th century. Two famous bearers of this name were pilot Chuck Yeager (1923-), the first man to travel faster than the speed of sound, and the musician Chuck Berry (1926-2017), one of the pioneers of rock music.
CLAUDEm & fFrench, EnglishFrench masculine and feminine form of
CLAUDIUS. In France the masculine name has been common since the Middle Ages due to the 7th-century Saint Claude of Besançon. It was imported to Britain in the 16th century by the aristocratic Hamilton family, who had French connections. A famous bearer of this name was the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
CLAYmEnglishFrom an English surname that originally referred to a person who lived near or worked with clay. This name can also be a short form of
CLAYTON.
CLYDEmEnglishFrom the name of the River Clyde in Scotland, which is of unknown origin. It became a common given name in America in the middle of the 19th century, perhaps in honour of Sir Colin Campbell (1792-1863) who was given the title Baron Clyde in 1858.
COCOfVariousDiminutive of names beginning with
Co, influenced by the word
cocoa. However, this was not the case for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (real name Gabrielle), whose nickname came from the name of a song she performed while working as a cabaret singer.
COLEmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally derived from the Old English byname
COLA.
CYRANOmLiteraturePossibly derived from the name of the ancient Greek city of Cyrene, which was located in North Africa. Edmond Rostand used this name in his play 'Cyrano de Bergerac' (1897). He based his character upon a real person, Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac, a French satirist of the 17th century.
CYRUSmEnglish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek (Latinized)From
Κυρος (Kyros), the Greek form of the Persian name
Kūrush, which may mean "far sighted" or "young". The name is sometimes associated with Greek
κυριος (kyrios) "lord". It was borne by several kings of Persia, including Cyrus the Great, who conquered Babylon. He is famous in the Old Testament for freeing the captive Jews and allowing them to return to Israel. As an English name, it first came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation.
DAISYfEnglishSimply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English
dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
DEIRDREfEnglish, Irish, Irish MythologyFrom the older Gaelic form
Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from Old Irish
der meaning "daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after
Conchobhar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover
Naoise.
... [more] DIANAfEnglish, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Polish, Roman MythologyProbably derived from an old Indo-European root meaning "heavenly, divine", related to
dyeus (see
ZEUS). Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests, and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess
Artemis.
... [more] DIGBYmEnglish (Rare)From a surname which was derived from the name of an English town, itself derived from a combination of Old English
dic "dyke, ditch" and Old Norse
byr "farm, town".
DRAKEmEnglishFrom an English surname derived from the Old Norse byname
Draki or the Old English byname
Draca both meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greek
δρακων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent". This name coincides with the unrelated English word
drake meaning "male duck".
EGBERTmEnglish, DutchMeans "bright edge" from the Old English elements
ecg "edge of a sword" and
beorht "bright". This was the name of kings of Kent and Wessex as well as two English saints. The name was rarely used after the Norman conquest but was revived in the 19th century.
ELMERmEnglishFrom a surname which was derived from the Old English name
ÆÐELMÆR. In the United States it is sometimes given in honour of brothers Jonathan (1745-1817) and Ebenezer Elmer (1752-1843), who were active in early American politics.
ELOISEfEnglishFrom the Old French name
Héloïse, which is probably from the Germanic name
Helewidis, composed of the elements
heil "hale, healthy" and
wid "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word
‘ηλιος (helios) "sun" or the name
Louise, though there is not likely an etymological connection. This name was borne in the 12th century by Saint Eloise, the wife of the French theologian Peter Abelard. She became a nun after her husband was castrated by her uncle.
... [more] ELVISmEnglishMeaning unknown. It could possibly be a derivative of
ALVIS or
ELWIN. More likely, it is from the rare surname
Elvis, which is ultimately derived from the given name
ELOISE. The name was brought to public attention by the singer Elvis Presley (1935-1977), whose name came from his father's middle name.
EMERALDfEnglish (Modern)From the word for the green precious stone, which is the birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek
σμαραγδος (smaragdos).
EPONAfCeltic MythologyDerived from Gaulish
epos meaning "horse". This was the name of the Celtic goddess of horses.
ERIKmSwedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Hungarian, German, Dutch, EnglishScandinavian form of
ERIC. This was the name of kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. King Erik IX of Sweden (12th century) is the patron saint of that country.
EUGENEmEnglishEnglish form of
Eugenius, the Latin form of the Greek name
Ευγενιος (Eugenios) which was derived from the Greek word
ευγενης (eugenes) meaning "well born". It is composed of the elements
ευ (eu) "good" and
γενης (genes) "born". This was the name of several saints and four popes.
... [more] FAITHfEnglishSimply from the English word
faith, ultimately from Latin
fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
FANGf & mChineseFrom Chinese
芳 (fāng) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
FARLEYmEnglish (Rare)From a surname which was originally from a place name meaning "fern clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer of this name is Canadian author Farley Mowat (1921-).
FAUNAfRoman MythologyFeminine form of
FAUNUS. Fauna was a Roman goddess of fertility, women and healing, a daughter and companion of Faunus.
FELICITYfEnglishFrom the English word
felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin
felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name
FELICITAS. This name was revived in the late 1990s after the appearance of the television series 'Felicity'.
FILBERTmEastern AfricanVariant of
FILIBERT. It is particularly used in Tanzania due to track star Filbert Bayi (1953-), who set a world record running the 1500 meter in 1974.
FLORAfEnglish, German, Italian, Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
flos meaning "flower". Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of
Fionnghuala.
FRANK (1)mEnglish, German, Dutch, FrenchFrom a Germanic name which referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They derived their tribal name from the name of a type of spear that they used. From medieval times, the various forms of this name have been commonly conflated with the various forms of
Francis.
... [more] FRANKLINmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from Middle English
frankelin "freeman". A famous bearer of the surname was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher. The name has commonly been given in his honour in the United States. It also received a boost during the term of American president Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
FREYAfNorse Mythology, English (British, Modern), GermanFrom Old Norse
Freyja meaning "lady". This was the name of the goddess of love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claimed half of the heroes who were slain in battle and brought them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother
Freyr and father
Njord, she was one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess
Frigg.
... [more] GASTONmFrenchPossibly from a Germanic name derived from the element
gast meaning "stranger, guest". This is the usual French name for Saint
Vedastus, called
Vaast in Flemish, and alternatively the name may be connected to it. The name was also borne by several counts of Foix-Béarn, beginning in the 13th century.
GIOVANNImItalianItalian form of
Iohannes (see
JOHN). The Renaissance painter Giovanni Bellini (1430-1516) and the painter and sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) were two famous bearers of this name.
GLADYSfWelsh, EnglishFrom the old Welsh name
Gwladus, possibly derived from
gwlad "country". It has historically been used as a Welsh form of
CLAUDIA. This name became popular outside of Wales after it was used in Ouida's novel 'Puck' (1870).
GLORIAfEnglish, Spanish, Italian, GermanMeans "glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin
Mary Maria da Glória and
María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.
... [more] GRAHAMmScottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname, originally derived from the English place name
Grantham, which probably meant "gravelly homestead" in Old English. The surname was first taken to Scotland in the 12th century by the Norman baron William de Graham. A famous bearer was Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor who devised the telephone.
GWENfWelsh, EnglishFrom Welsh
gwen, the feminine form of
gwyn meaning "white, fair, blessed". It can also be a short form of
GWENDOLEN,
GWENLLIAN, and other names beginning with
Gwen.
HAMLETmLiterature, ArmenianAnglicized form of the Danish name
Amleth. Shakespeare used this name for the Prince of Denmark in his play 'Hamlet' (1600), which he based upon earlier Danish tales.
HANKmEnglishOriginally a short form of
Hankin which was a medieval diminutive of
JOHN. Since the 17th century in the United States this name has also been used as a diminutive of
HENRY, probably under the influence of the Dutch diminutive
HENK. A famous bearer is the American former baseball player Hank Aaron (1934-).
HANSmGerman, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishGerman, Dutch and Scandinavian short form of
JOHANNES. Two famous bearers were Hans Holbein (1497-1543), a Renaissance portrait painter from Germany, and Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), a Danish writer of fairy tales.
HARRIETfEnglishEnglish form of
HENRIETTE, and thus a feminine form of
HARRY. It was first used in the 17th century, becoming very common in the English-speaking world by the 18th century. A famous bearer was Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), the American author who wrote 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'.
HARRYmEnglishMedieval English form of
HENRY. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both
Henry and
HAROLD. A famous bearer was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's 'Harry Potter' series of books, first released in 1997.
HARVEYmEnglishFrom the Breton given name
Haerviu, which meant "battle worthy", from
haer "battle" and
viu "worthy". This was the name of a 6th-century Breton hermit who is the patron saint of the blind. Settlers from Brittany introduced it to England after the Norman conquest. During the later Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
HAZELfEnglishFrom the English word
hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English
hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century.
HECTORmEnglish, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Arthurian RomanceLatinized form of Greek
‘Εκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from
‘εκτωρ (hektor) "holding fast", ultimately from
εχω (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 belonging to King
Arthur's foster father.
... [more] HENRYmEnglishFrom the Germanic name
Heimirich which meant "home ruler", composed of the elements
heim "home" and
ric "power, ruler". It was later commonly spelled
Heinrich, with the spelling altered due to the influence of other Germanic names like
Haganrich, in which the first element is
hagan "enclosure".
... [more] HOLDENmEnglish (Modern)From a surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "deep valley" in Old English. This is the name of the main character in J. D. Salinger's novel 'The Catcher in the Rye' (1951), Holden Caufield.
HUGHmEnglishFrom the Germanic element
hug, meaning "heart, mind, spirit". It was common among Frankish and French nobility, being borne by Hugh Capet, a 10th-century king of France who founded the Capetian dynasty. The Normans brought the name to England and it became common there, even more so after the time of the 12th-century bishop Saint Hugh of Lincoln, who was known for his charity. This was also the name of kings of Cyprus and the crusader kingdom of Jerusalem. The name is used in Ireland and Scotland as the Anglicized form of
Aodh and
Ùisdean.
IKEmEnglishDiminutive of
ISAAC. This was the nickname of the American president Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969), based on the initial sound of his surname.
JACKmEnglishDerived from
Jackin (earlier
Jankin), a medieval diminutive of
JOHN. It is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man". It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as 'Jack and the Beanstalk', 'Little Jack Horner', and 'Jack Sprat'. American writers Jack London (1876-1916) and Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) were two famous bearers of this name. It is also borne by American actor Jack Nicholson (1937-).
JACOBmEnglish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Jewish, BiblicalFrom the Latin
Iacobus, which was from the Greek
Ιακωβος (Iakobos), which was from the Hebrew name
יַעֲקֹב (Ya'aqov). In the Old Testament Jacob (later called
Israel) is the son of
Isaac and
Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother
Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning "holder of the heel" or "supplanter", because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see Genesis 27:36). Other theories claim that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like
יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Ya'aqov'el) meaning "may God protect".
... [more] JANEfEnglishMedieval English form of
Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of
Iohannes (see
JOHN). This became the most common feminine form of
John in the 17th century, surpassing
Joan.
... [more] JAY (1)mEnglishShort form of names beginning with the sound
J, such as
JAMES or
JASON. It was originally used in America in honour of founding father John Jay (1749-1825), whose surname was derived from the jaybird.
JEREMIAHmEnglish, BiblicalFrom 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] JOAN (1)fEnglishMedieval English form of
Johanne, an Old French form of
Iohanna (see
JOANNA). This was the usual English feminine form of
John in the Middle Ages, but it was surpassed in popularity by
Jane in the 17th century.
... [more] JULIAfEnglish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Spanish, Polish, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Roman, BiblicalFeminine form of the Roman family name
JULIUS. Among the notable women from this family were Julia Augusta (also known as Livia Drusilla), the wife of Emperor Augustus, and Julia the Elder, the daughter of Augustus and the wife of Tiberius. A person by this name has a brief mention in the New Testament. It was also borne by a few early saints and martyrs, including the patron saint of Corsica. Additionally, Shakespeare used it in his comedy 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona' (1594).
... [more] JULIANmEnglish, Polish, GermanFrom the Roman name
Iulianus, which was derived from
JULIUS. This was the name of the last pagan Roman emperor, Julian the Apostate (4th century). It was also borne by several early saints, including the legendary Saint Julian the Hospitaller. This name has been used in England since the Middle Ages, at which time it was also a feminine name (from
Juliana, eventually becoming
Gillian).
JUNEfEnglishFrom the name of the month, which was originally derived from the name of the Roman goddess
Juno. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
KEVINmEnglish, Irish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishAnglicized form of the Irish name
Caoimhín, derived from the older Irish
Cóemgein, composed of the Old Irish elements
cóem "kind, gentle, handsome" and
gein "birth". Saint Caoimhín established a monastery in Glendalough, Ireland in the 6th century and is the patron saint of Dublin. It became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland in the 20th century.
KNOXmEnglishFrom a Scottish surname which was derived from Old English
cnocc "round hill".
KYLEmEnglishFrom a Scottish surname which was derived from Gaelic
caol meaning "narrows, channel, strait".
LEIFmSwedish, Norwegian, DanishFrom the Old Norse name
Leifr meaning "descendant, heir". Leif Eriksson was a Norse explorer who reached North America in the early 11th century. He was the son of Erik the Red.
LEILAfArabic, Persian, English, GeorgianVariant of
LAYLA. This spelling was used by Lord Byron for characters in 'The Giaour' (1813) and 'Don Juan' (1819), and it is through him that the name was introduced to the English-speaking world.
LEILANIf & mHawaiianMeans "heavenly flowers" or "royal child" from Hawaiian
lei "flowers, lei, child" and
lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
LEONARDOmItalian, Spanish, PortugueseItalian, Spanish and Portuguese form of
LEONARD. A notable bearer was Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), an Italian artist and scientist of the Renaissance. He is also known as the inventor of several contraptions, including flying machines, as well as the painter of the 'Mona Lisa'. Another famous bearer was Leonardo Fibonacci, a 13th-century Italian mathematician. A more recent bearer is American actor Leonardo DiCaprio (1974-).
LEOPOLDmGerman, Dutch, English, Slovene, PolishDerived from the Germanic elements
leud "people" and
bald "bold". The spelling was altered due to association with Latin
leo "lion". This name was common among German royalty, first with the Babenbergs and then the Habsburgs. Saint Leopold was a 12th-century Babenberg margrave of Austria, who is now considered the patron of that country. It was also borne by two Habsburg Holy Roman emperors, as well as three kings of Belgium. Since the 19th century this name has been occasionally used in England, originally in honour of Queen Victoria's uncle, a king of Belgium, after whom she named one of her sons. It was later used by James Joyce for the main character, Leopold Bloom, in his novel 'Ulysses' (1920).
LILYfEnglishFrom the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin
lilium.
LIZfEnglishShort form of
ELIZABETH. This is the familiar name of actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-).
LYLEmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from Norman French
l'isle "island".
MABELfEnglishMedieval feminine form of
AMABILIS. This spelling and
Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's novel 'The Heir of Redclyffe' (1854), which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
MARINAfItalian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Georgian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
MARINUS.
MELBAfEnglishFrom the surname of the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba (1861-1931). This was a stage name that she got from the name of the city Melbourne, where she was born.
MERRY (1)fEnglishFrom the English word
merry, ultimately from Old English
myrge. This name appears in Charles Dickens' novel 'Martin Chuzzlewit' (1844), where it is a diminutive of
MERCY.
MIRANDAfEnglish, DutchDerived from Latin
mirandus meaning "admirable, wonderful". The name was created by Shakespeare for the heroine in his play 'The Tempest' (1611), about a father and daughter stranded on an island. It did not become a common English given name until the 20th century. This is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, named after the Shakespearian character.
MOLLYfEnglishDiminutive of
MARY. It developed from
Malle and
Molle, other medieval diminutives. James Joyce used this name in his novel 'Ulysses' (1920), where it belongs to Molly Bloom, the wife of the main character.
NANfEnglishOriginally a diminutive of
ANN. It may have originated with the affectionate phrase
mine Ann, which was later reinterpreted as
my Nan. It is now also used as a short form of
NANCY.
NAOMI (1)fEnglish, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
נָעֳמִי (Na'omi) meaning "pleasantness". In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother-in-law of
Ruth. After the death of her husband and sons, she returned to Bethlehem with Ruth. There she declared that her name should be
Mara (see Ruth 1:20).
... [more] NORMAfEnglish, Italian, LiteratureCreated by Felice Romani for the main character in the opera 'Norma' (1831). He may have based it on Latin
norma "rule". This name is also frequently used as a feminine form of
NORMAN.
OCTAVIANmHistory, RomanianFrom the Roman name
Octavianus, which was derived from the name
OCTAVIUS. After Gaius Octavius (later the Roman emperor
Augustus) was adopted by Julius Caesar he took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus.
OLAFmNorwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, PolishFrom the Old Norse name
Áleifr meaning "ancestor's descendant", derived from the elements
anu "ancestor" and
leifr "descendant". This was the name of five kings of Norway, including Saint Olaf (Olaf II).
OLIVEfEnglish, FrenchFrom the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin
oliva.
OLIVIAfEnglish, Italian, Spanish, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishThis name was first used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy 'Twelfth Night' (1602). Shakespeare may have based it on
OLIVER or
OLIVA, or perhaps directly on the Latin word
oliva meaning "olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman who is wooed by Duke Orsino but instead falls in love with his messenger Cesario.
... [more] OPALfEnglishFrom the English word
opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit
उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".
OTISmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from the medieval given name
Ode, a cognate of
OTTO. In America it has been used in honour of the revolutionary James Otis (1725-1783).
PAOLOmItalianItalian form of
Paulus (see
PAUL). Paolo Uccello and Paolo Veronese were both Italian Renaissance painters.
PASCALmFrench, German, DutchFrom the Late Latin name
Paschalis, which meant "relating to Easter" from Latin
Pascha "Easter", which was in turn from Hebrew
פֶּסַח (pesach) meaning "Passover". Passover is the ancient Hebrew holiday celebrating the liberation from Egypt. Because it coincided closely with the later Christian holiday of Easter, the same Latin word was used for both. The name Pascal can also function as a surname, as in the case of Blaise Pascal, the French philosopher, mathematician and inventor.
PATTYfEnglishOriginally a variant of
Matty, a 17th-century diminutive of
MARTHA. It is now commonly used as a diminutive of
PATRICIA.
PAULAfGerman, English, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Croatian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Paulus (see
PAUL). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman saint who was a companion of Saint Jerome.
PEGGYfEnglishMedieval variant of
Meggy, a diminutive of
MARGARET. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.
PENELOPEfGreek Mythology, EnglishPossibly derived from Greek
πηνελοψ (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be from
πηνη (pene) "threads, weft" and
ωψ (ops) "face, eye". In
Homer's epic the 'Odyssey' this is the name of the wife of
Odysseus, forced to fend off suitors while her husband is away fighting at Troy. It has occasionally been used as an English given name since the 16th century.
PHILmEnglishShort form of
PHILIP and various other names beginning with
Phil, often a Greek element meaning "friend, dear, beloved".
PHOEBEfEnglish, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical LatinLatinized form of the Greek name
Φοιβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek
φοιβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess
Artemis. The name appears in
Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae. In England, it began to be used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. A moon of Saturn bears this name (in honour of the Titan).
PHYLLISfGreek Mythology, English, GermanMeans "foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with
Felicia.
PIETROmItalianItalian form of
PETER. Pietro was the given name of the Renaissance painter known as Perugino.
PIPERfEnglish (Modern)From a surname which was originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute). It was popularized as a given name by a character from the television series 'Charmed', which debuted in 1998.
PORTERmEnglishFrom an occupational English surname meaning "doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French
porte "door", from Latin
porta.
PORTIAfEnglishVariant of
Porcia, the feminine form of the Roman family name
PORCIUS, used by William Shakespeare for the heroine of his play 'The Merchant of Venice' (1596). In the play Portia is a woman who disguises herself as a man in order to defend
Antonio in court. It is also the name of a moon of Uranus, after the Shakespearian character.
PRINCEmEnglishFrom the English word
prince, a royal title, which comes ultimately from Latin
princeps. This name was borne by the American musician Prince Rogers Nelson (1958-2016), who is known simply as Prince.
PUCKm & fAnglo-Saxon Mythology, DutchMeaning unknown, from Old English
puca. It could ultimately be of either Germanic or Celtic origin. In English legend this was the name of a mischievous spirit, also known as Robin Goodfellow. He appears in Shakespeare's play 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' (1600).
REXmEnglishFrom Latin
rex "king". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
RHODAfBiblical, EnglishDerived from Greek
‘ροδον (rhodon) meaning "rose". In the New Testament this name was borne by a maid in the house of Mary the mother of John Mark. As an English given name,
Rhoda came into use in the 17th century.
RHONDAfEnglishProbably intended to mean "good spear" from Welsh
rhon "spear" and
da "good", but possibly influenced by the name of the Rhondda Valley in South Wales, which means "noisy". It has been in use only since the 20th century. Its use may have been partially inspired by Margaret Mackworth, Viscountess Rhondda (1883-1956), a British feminist.
RILLAfEnglishMeaning unknown, perhaps a short form of names ending in
rilla.
RIO (1)mVariousMeans "river" in Spanish or Portuguese. A city in Brazil bears this name. Its full name is Rio de Janeiro, which means "river of January", so named because the first explorers came to the harbour in January and mistakenly thought it was a river mouth.
ROALDmNorwegianModern form of the Old Norse name
Hróðvaldr or
Hróaldr, composed of the elements
hróðr "fame" and
valdr "ruler". This name was borne by the children's author Roald Dahl (1916-1990).
ROBINm & fEnglish, Dutch, SwedishMedieval diminutive of
ROBERT. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor. In modern times it has also been used as a feminine name, and it may sometimes be given in reference to the red-breasted bird.
ROCCOmItalian, Ancient GermanicGermanic name derived from the element
hrok meaning "rest". This was the name of a 14th-century French saint who nursed victims of the plague but eventually contracted the disease himself. He is the patron saint of the sick.
RODNEYmEnglishFrom a surname, originally derived from a place name, which meant "Hroda's island" in Old English (where
Hroda is a Germanic given name meaning "fame"). It was first used as a given name in honour of the British admiral Lord Rodney (1719-1792).
ROLFmGerman, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Hrolf (or its Old Norse cognate
Hrólfr), a contracted form of
Hrodulf (see
RUDOLF). The Normans introduced this name to England but it soon became rare. In the modern era it has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world as a German import.
ROLLOmEnglishLatinized form of
Roul, the Old French form of
ROLF. Rollo (or Rolf) the Ganger was an exiled Viking who, in the 10th century, became the first Duke of Normandy. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
ROSCOEmEnglishFrom an English surname, originally derived from a place name, itself derived from Old Norse
rá "roebuck" and
skógr "wood, forest".
ROWANm & fIrish, English (Modern)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Ruadháin meaning "descendant of
RUADHÁN". This name can also be given in reference to the rowan tree.
RUBYfEnglishSimply from the name of the precious stone (which ultimately derives from Latin
ruber "red"), which is the birthstone of July. It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.
SABLEfEnglish (Modern)From the English word meaning "black", derived from the name of the black-furred mammal native to Northern Asia, ultimately of Slavic origin.
SAMSONmBiblical, English, French, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
שִׁמְשׁוֹן (Shimshon), derived from
שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh) meaning "the sun". Samson was an Old Testament hero granted exceptional strength by God. His mistress
Delilah betrayed him and cut his hair, stripping him of his power. Thus he was captured by the Philistines, blinded, and brought to their temple. However, in a final act of strength, he pulled down the pillars of the temple upon himself and his captors.
... [more] SAVANNAHfEnglishFrom the English word for the large grassy plain, ultimately deriving from the Taino (Native American) word
zabana. It came into use as a given name in America in the 19th century. It was revived in the 1980s by the movie 'Savannah Smiles' (1982).
SERENAfEnglish, Italian, Late RomanFrom a Late Latin name which was derived from Latin
serenus meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". This name was borne by an obscure early saint. Edmund Spenser also used it in his poem 'The Faerie Queene' (1590).
SHELDONmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "valley with steep sides" in Old English. Sheldon is the name of several locations in England.
SIMON (1)mEnglish, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, Romanian, Macedonian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom
Σιμων (Simon), the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name
שִׁמְעוֹן (Shim'on) which meant "he has heard". This name is spelled
Simeon, based on Greek
Συμεων, in many translations of the Old Testament, where it is borne by the second son of
Jacob. The New Testament spelling may show influence from the otherwise unrelated Greek name
SIMON (2).
... [more] SKYEfEnglish (Modern)From the name of the Isle of Skye off the west coast of Scotland. It is sometimes considered a variant of
SKY.
SLYmEnglishShort form of
SYLVESTER. The actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-) is a well-known bearer of this nickname.
SOLEILfVariousMeans "sun" in French. It is not commonly used as a name in France itself.
SPIKEmEnglish (Rare)From a nickname which may have originally been given to a person with spiky hair.
STELLA (1)fEnglish, Italian, Dutch, GermanMeans "star" in Latin. This name was created by the 16th-century poet Sir Philip Sidney for the subject of his collection of sonnets 'Astrophel and Stella'. It was a nickname of a lover of Jonathan Swift, real name Esther Johnson (1681-1728), though it was not commonly used as a given name until the 19th century. It appears in Tennessee Williams' play 'A Streetcar Named Desire' (1947), belonging to the sister of Blanche DuBois and the wife of Stanley Kowalski.
STERLINGmEnglishFrom a Scottish surname which was derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning. The name can also be given in reference to the English word
sterling meaning "excellent". In this case, the word derives from sterling silver, which was so named because of the emblem that some Norman coins bore, from Old English meaning "little star".
SYDNEYf & mEnglishFrom a surname which was a variant of the surname
SIDNEY. This is the name of the largest city in Australia, which was named for Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney in 1788. Since the 1990s this name has been mainly feminine.
TEXmEnglishFrom a nickname which denoted a person who came from the state of Texas. A famous bearer was the American animator Tex Avery (1908-1980), real name Frederick, who was born in Texas.
THOMASmEnglish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekGreek form of the Aramaic name
תָּאוֹמָא (Ta'oma') which meant "twin". In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle. When he heard that
Jesus had risen from the dead he initially doubted the story, until Jesus appeared before him and he examined his wounds himself. According to tradition he was martyred in India. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world.
... [more] TIAfEnglishShort form of names ending with
tia. It has been suggested that its use since the 1950s is the result of the brand name for the coffee liqueur Tia Maria. In the brand name,
Tia is not a given name; rather, it means "aunt" in Spanish or Portuguese.
TIFFANYfEnglishMedieval 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.
TIMOTHYmEnglish, BiblicalEnglish form of the Greek name
Τιμοθεος (Timotheos) meaning "honouring God", derived from
τιμαω (timao) "to honour" and
θεος (theos) "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.
TOBYm & fEnglishMedieval form of
TOBIAS. It was sometimes used as a feminine name in the 1930s and 40s due to the influence of American actress Toby Wing (1915-2001).
TOM (1)mEnglish, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Danish, SwedishShort form of
THOMAS. Tom Sawyer was the main character in several of Mark Twain's novels, first appearing in 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' (1876). Other famous bearers include American actors Tom Hanks (1956-) and Tom Cruise (1962-).
TUCKERmEnglish (Modern)From an occupational surname derived from Old English
tucian meaning "one who fulls cloth".
TYBALTmLiteratureMedieval form of
THEOBALD. This is the name of a cousin of Juliet killed by Romeo in Shakespeare's drama 'Romeo and Juliet' (1596).
VELMAfEnglishProbably a variant of
WILMA, the spelling with an
e perhaps due to the influence of
SELMA. This name has been in use since the 19th century.
VESTAfRoman MythologyProbably a Roman cognate of
HESTIA. Vesta was the Roman goddess of the hearth. A continuous fire, tended by the Vestal Virgins, was burned in the Temple of Vesta in Rome.
VIOLETfEnglishFrom the English word
violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin
viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.
VIVIANm & fEnglish, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishFrom the Latin name
Vivianus which was derived from Latin
vivus "alive". Saint Vivian was a French bishop who provided protection during the Visigoth invasion of the 5th century. It has been occasionally used as an English (masculine) name since the Middle Ages. In modern times it is also used as a feminine name, in which case it is either an Anglicized form of
BÉBINN or a variant of
VIVIEN (2).