Names Categorized "colors"

ADAMmEnglish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
This is the Hebrew word for "man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew אדם ('adam) meaning "to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian adamu meaning "to make".... [more]

AFRA (2)fArabic
Means "whitish red" in Arabic.

AI (1)fJapanese
From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection", 藍 (ai) meaning "indigo", or other kanji with the same pronunciation.

AILBHEf & mIrish
Possibly derived from the old Gaelic root albho meaning "white". In Irish legend this was the name of a female warrior of the Fianna. It was also the name of a 6th-century masculine saint.

AINA (3)fJapanese
From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens", as well as other character combinations.

AIRIfJapanese
From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" combined with 莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or 梨 (ri) meaning "pear". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.

AKANEfJapanese
From Japanese 茜 (akane) meaning "deep red, dye from the rubia plant". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name as well.

ALBA (2)fAncient Roman
Feminine form of ALBUS.

ALBUSmAncient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "white, bright" in Latin.

ALPINmScottish
Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ailpein, possibly derived from a Pictish word meaning "white". This was the name of two kings of Dál Riata and two kings of the Picts in the 8th and 9th centuries.

ALTANmTurkish
Means "red dawn" in Turkish.

AMBERfEnglish, Dutch
From the English word amber that denotes either the gemstone, which is formed from fossil resin, or the orange-yellow colour. The word ultimately derives from Arabic عنبر ('anbar). It began to be used as a given name in the late 19th century, but it only became popular after the release of Kathleen Winsor's novel 'Forever Amber' (1944).

AMETHYSTfEnglish (Rare)
From the name of the purple semi-precious stone, which is derived from the Greek negative prefix α (a) and μεθυστος (methystos) meaning "intoxicated, drunk", as it was believed to be a remedy against drunkenness.

ANARAfKazakh, Kyrgyz
Means "pomegranate" in Kazakh and Kyrgyz, ultimately from Persian.

ANARGYROSmGreek
From the Greek term αναργυρος (anargyros) meaning "poor, incorruptible", derived from Greek α (a), a negative prefix, combined with αργυρος (argyros) "silver". This term referred to saints who did not accept payment for their services.

AOIf & mJapanese
From Japanese 葵 (aoi) meaning "hollyhock, althea" or an adjectival form of 碧 (ao) meaning "green, blue". Other kanji with the same reading can form this name as well.

ARGYRISmGreek
Modern Greek form of ARGYROS.

ARGYROSmAncient Greek
Means "silver" in Greek.

ARIANRHODfWelsh, Welsh Mythology
Possibly means "silver wheel" or "round wheel" in Welsh. In Welsh myth Arianrhod was the mother of the brothers Dylan and Lleu Llaw Gyffes. In earlier myths she was a goddess of the moon.

ARJUNAmHinduism
Means "white, clear" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hero in Hindu texts, the son of the god Indra and the princess Kunti.

ARUNmIndian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi
Modern form of ARUNA.

ARUNAm & fHinduism, Indian, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi
Means "reddish brown" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Aruna (अरुणा) is the charioteer who drives the sun god Surya across the sky. The feminine form अरुणा is transcribed the same way. The modern masculine form is Arun.

ASHm & fEnglish
Short form of ASHLEY. It can also come directly from the English word denoting either the tree or the residue of fire.

AURELIUSmAncient Roman
Roman family name which was derived from Latin aureus "golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.

AUREOLEfEnglish (Rare)
From the English word meaning "radiant halo", ultimately derived from Latin aureolus "golden".

AYAfJapanese
From Japanese 彩 (aya) meaning "colour", 綾 (aya) meaning "design", or other kanji characters with the same pronunciation.

AYAKAfJapanese
From Japanese 彩 (aya) meaning "colour" combined with 花 (ka) or 華 (ka) which both mean "flower". Other kanji combinations are possible.

AYAKOfJapanese
From Japanese 彩 (aya) meaning "colour", 綾 (aya) meaning "design" or 絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are also possible.

AYAMEfJapanese
From Japanese 菖蒲 (ayame) meaning "iris". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can also form this name.

AYANEfJapanese
From Japanese 彩 (aya) meaning "colour", 綾 (aya) meaning "design" or 絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with 音 (ne) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are possible.

AZURAfEnglish (Rare)
Elaboration of AZURE.

AZUREfEnglish (Rare)
From the English word that means "sky blue". It is ultimately (via Old French, Latin and Arabic) from Persian لاجورد (lajvard) meaning "azure, lapis lazuli".

AZZURRAfItalian
Means "azure, sky blue" in Italian.

BAILAfYiddish
Means "white" in Yiddish.

BERYLfEnglish
From the English word for the clear or pale green precious stone, ultimately deriving from Sanskrit. As a given name, it first came into use in the 19th century.

BIANCAfItalian, Romanian
Italian cognate of BLANCHE. Shakespeare used characters named Bianca in 'Taming of the Shrew' (1593) and 'Othello' (1603).

BÍCHfVietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 碧 (bích) meaning "bluish green".

BLAINEmEnglish
From a Scottish surname which was derived from the given name Bláán, which meant "yellow" in Gaelic. Saint Bláán was a 6th-century missionary to the Picts.

BLAKEmEnglish
From a surname which was derived from Old English blæc "black" or blac "pale". A famous bearer of the surname was the poet and artist William Blake (1757-1827).

BLANCAfSpanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan cognate of BLANCHE.

BLANCHEfFrench, English
From 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.

BLERTAfAlbanian
Derived from Albanian blertë meaning "green".

BLODWENfWelsh
Means "white flowers" from Welsh blodau "flowers" combined with gwen "white, fair, blessed".

BLONDIEfEnglish (Rare)
From a nickname for a person with blond hair. This is the name of the title character in a comic strip by Chic Young.

BORA (2)fAlbanian
Derived from Albanian borë meaning "snow".

BORA (3)fKorean
Means "purple" in Korean.

BROENmLimburgish
Limburgish form of BRUNO.

BRUNAfItalian, Portuguese, Croatian
Feminine form of BRUNO.

BRUNELLAfItalian
Feminine diminutive of BRUNO.

BRUNOmGerman, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Croatian, Polish, Ancient Germanic
Derived from the Germanic element brun "armour, protection" or brun "brown". Saint Bruno of Cologne was a German monk of the 11th century who founded the Carthusian Order. The surname has belonged Giordano Bruno, a philosopher burned at the stake by the Inquisition.

BURGUNDYfEnglish (Rare)
This name can refer either to the region in France, the wine (which derives from the name of the region), or the colour (which derives from the name of the wine).

CAM (1)fVietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 柑 (cam) meaning "orange (fruit)".

CANDIDAfLate Roman, English
Late Latin name derived from candidus meaning "white". This was the name of several early saints, including a woman supposedly healed by Saint Peter. As an English name, it came into use after George Bernard Shaw's play 'Candida' (1898).

CAOILFHIONNfIrish
Derived from the Gaelic elements caol "slender" and fionn "fair". This was the name of several Irish saints.

CARMINEmItalian
Italian masculine form of CARMEN.

CARWYNmWelsh
Means "blessed love" from Welsh caru "love" and gwyn "white, fair, blessed".

CATAHECASSAmNative American, Shawnee
Means "black hoof" in Shawnee. This was the name of a Shawnee warrior and chief of the 18th century.

CATALINAfSpanish
Spanish form of KATHERINE.

CERIDWENfWelsh
Possibly from Welsh cyrrid "bent" or cerdd "poetry" combined with ven "woman" or gwen "white, fair, blessed". According to medieval Welsh legend this was the name of a sorceress or goddess who created a potion that would grant wisdom to her son Morfan. The potion was instead consumed by her servant Gwion Bach, who was subsequently reborn as the renowned bard Taliesin.

CERISEfFrench
Means "cherry" in French.

CHALCHIUHTICUEfAztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "jade skirt" in Nahuatl. She was the Aztec goddess of water and rivers, the wife of Tlaloc.

CHARNAfYiddish
From a Slavic word meaning "black".

CHERNOBOGmSlavic Mythology
Means "the black god" from Slavic cherno "black" and bogu "god". Chernobog was the Slavic god of darkness, evil and grief.

CHERRYfEnglish
Simply 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.

CHEYANNEfEnglish (Modern)
Variant of CHEYENNE probably influenced by the name ANNE (1).

CHEYENNEf & mEnglish
Derived from the Dakota word shahiyena meaning "red speakers". This is the name of a Native American people of the Great Plains. The name was supposedly given to the Cheyenne by the Dakota because their language was unrelated to their own. As a given name, it has been in use since the 1950s.

CHLOEfEnglish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "green shoot" in Greek, referring to new plant growth in the spring. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Demeter. The name is also mentioned by Paul in one of his epistles in the New Testament. As an English name, Chloe has been in use since the Protestant Reformation.

CHLOÉfFrench
French form of CHLOE.

CHLORISfGreek Mythology
Derived from Greek χλωρος (chloros) meaning "pale green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.

CHRYSANTAfEnglish (Rare)
Shortened form of the word chrysanthemum, the name of a flowering plant, which means "golden flower" in Greek.

CHRYSANTHEfAncient Greek
Feminine form of CHRYSANTHOS.

CHRYSANTHIfGreek
Modern Greek feminine form of CHRYSANTHOS.

CHRYSANTHOSmGreek, Ancient Greek
Means "golden flower" from Greek χρυσεος (chryseos) "golden" combined with ανθος (anthos) "flower". This name was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century Egyptian saint.

CHRYSESmGreek Mythology
Derived from Greek χρυσεος (chryseos) meaning "golden". In Greek mythology Chryses was the father of Chryseis, a woman captured by Agamemnon during the Trojan War.

CHRYSSAfGreek
Feminine form of CHRYSANTHOS.

CIARmIrish
Derived from Irish ciar meaning "black".

CIARA (1)fIrish
Feminine form of CIAR. Saint Ciara was an Irish nun who established a monastery at Kilkeary in the 7th century.

CIARÁNmIrish
Diminutive of CIAR. This was the name of two Irish saints: Saint Ciarán the Elder, the patron of the Kingdom of Munster, and Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise, the founder of a monastery in the 6th century.

CIARDHAmIrish
Derived from Irish ciar "black".

CINDERELLAfLiterature
From the French name Cendrillon which means "little ashes". This is best known as the main character in the fairy tale 'Cinderella'.

CLANCYmIrish, English (Rare)
From the Irish surname Mac Fhlannchaidh which means "son of Flannchadh". The Gaelic name Flannchadh means "red warrior".

CLOEfSpanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of CHLOE.

CLOÉfPortuguese, French
Portuguese form and French variant of CHLOE.

COLBYmEnglish
From a surname, originally from various English place names, derived from the Old Norse nickname Koli (meaning "coal, dark") and býr "town".

CORALfEnglish, Spanish
From the English and Spanish word coral for the underwater skeletal deposits which can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κοραλλιον (korallion).

CORALIEfFrench
Either a French form of KORALIA, or a derivative of Latin corallium "coral" (see CORAL).

CORBINmEnglish
From a French surname which was derived from corbeau "raven", originally denoting a person who had dark hair. The name was probably popularized in America by actor Corbin Bernsen (1954-).

CYANf & mEnglish (Rare)
From the English word meaning "greenish blue", ultimately derived from Greek κυανος (kyanos).

DONAGHmIrish
Anglicized form of Donnchadh (see DUNCAN).

DONNCHADmAncient Irish
Older Gaelic form of DUNCAN.

DONNCHADHmIrish, Scottish
Gaelic form of DUNCAN.

DONNDUBHÁNmAncient Irish
Composed of the Gaelic element donn "brown" combined with dubh "dark" and a diminutive suffix.

DOUGALmScottish, Irish
Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Dubhghall, which meant "dark stranger" from dubh "dark" and gall "stranger".

DUANEmEnglish, Irish
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Ó Dubhán meaning "descendant of DUBHÁN".

DUBHÁNmIrish
Irish name derived from dubh "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix.

DUBHSHLÁINEmAncient Irish
Old Irish name derived from dubh "dark, black" and either slán "defiance" or Sláine, the Gaelic name of the River Slaney.

DUBHTHACHmAncient Irish
Old Irish name derived from dubh "dark, black" in combination with a second element of unknown meaning.

DUNCANmScottish, English
Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Donnchadh, derived from Gaelic donn "brown" and cath "battle". This was the name of two kings of Scotland, including the one who was featured in Shakespeare's play 'Macbeth' (1606).

EACHANNmScottish, Irish
Means "brown horse" from Gaelic each "horse" and donn "brown". It was sometimes Anglicized as Hector.

EBONYfEnglish
From the English word ebony for the black wood which comes from the ebony tree. It is ultimately from the Egyptian word hbnj. In America this name is most often used by black parents.

EDOMmBiblical
Means "red" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament, Esau was given this name because he traded his birthright for a helping of red broth. The bible goes on to tell that Esau was the founder of the ancient nation of Edom, located to the south of the kingdom of Judah.

EIRWENfWelsh
Means "white snow" from the Welsh elements eira "snow" and gwen "white, blessed".

ELECTRAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ηλεκτρα (Elektra), derived from ηλεκτρον (elektron) meaning "amber". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra and the sister of Orestes. She helped her brother kill their mother and her lover Aegisthus in vengeance for Agamemnon's murder. Also in Greek mythology, this name was borne by one of the Pleiades, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione.

ELVA (1)fIrish
Anglicized form of AILBHE.

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).

ESMERALDAfSpanish, Portuguese, English, Literature
Means "emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Gypsy girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.

EUNm & fKorean
From Sino-Korean 恩 (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" or 銀 (eun) meaning "silver, money", as well as other hanja characters which are pronounced in the same way. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.

FARRANmEnglish (Rare)
From an English surname which was derived from Old French ferrant meaning "iron grey".

FAWNfEnglish
From the English word fawn for a young deer.

FERRERmVarious
From a surname which meant "blacksmith" in Catalan. This name is often given in honour of Saint Vicente Ferrer, a 14th-century missionary who is the patron saint of builders.

FIDDAfArabic
Means "silver" in Arabic.

FINGALmScottish
From Scottish Gaelic Fionnghall meaning "white stranger", derived from fionn "white, fair" and gall "stranger". This was the name of the hero in James Macpherson's epic poem 'Fingal' (1762), which he claimed to have based on early Gaelic legends about Fionn mac Cumhail.

FINNIANmIrish
Derived from Old Irish finn "white". This was the name of several Irish saints.

FINTANmIrish, Irish Mythology
Possibly means either "white fire" or "white bull" in Irish. According to legend this was the name of the only Irish person to survive the great flood. This name was also borne by many Irish saints.

FIONNmIrish, Irish Mythology
From Irish fionn (older Irish finn) meaning "fair" or "white". Fionn mac Cumhail was a legendary Irish hero who became all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon. He fought against the giant Fomors with his son Oisín and grandson Oscar.

FIONNUALAfIrish, Irish Mythology
Means "white shoulder" from Irish fionn "white, fair" and guala "shoulder". In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for a period of 900 years.

FIZZAfArabic
Variant transcription of FIDDA.

FLANAGANmEnglish (Rare)
From an Irish surname which was derived from Ó Flannagáin meaning "descendant of Flannagán". The given name Flannagán is derived from Irish flann "red" and a diminutive suffix.

FLANNm & fIrish
Means "red" in Irish Gaelic. This was the name of a 9th-century king of Tara in Ireland.

FLANNÁNm & fIrish
Diminutive of FLANN.

FLANNERYf & mEnglish (Rare)
From an Irish surname which was derived from Ó Flannghaile meaning "descendant of Flannghal". The given name Flannghal means "red valour". A famous bearer was American author Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964).

FLAVIAfItalian, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of FLAVIUS.

FLÁVIOmPortuguese
Portuguese form of FLAVIUS.

FLAVIOmItalian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of FLAVIUS.

FLAVIUmRomanian
Romanian form of FLAVIUS.

FLAVIUSmAncient Roman
Roman family name which meant "golden" or "yellow-haired" from Latin flavus "yellow, golden". Flavius was the family name of the 1st-century Roman emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. It was used as a personal name by several later emperors, notably by Constantine.

FLOYDmEnglish
Variant of LLOYD.

FORRESTmEnglish
From an English surname meaning "forest", originally belonging to a person who lived near a forest. In America it has sometimes been used in honour of the Confederate Civil War general Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821-1877). This name was borne by the title character in the movie 'Forrest Gump' (1994) about a loveable simpleton. Use of the name increased when the movie was released, but has since faded away.

FULVIAfItalian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Fulvius (see FULVIO).

FÚLVIOmPortuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of Fulvius (see FULVIO).

FULVIOmItalian
Italian form of the Roman family name Fulvius, which was derived from Latin fulvus "yellow, tawny".

FULVIUSmAncient Roman
Latin form of FULVIO.

GARNET (1)fEnglish
From the English word garnet for the precious stone, the birthstone of January. The word is derived from Middle English gernet meaning "dark red".

GARNETTEfEnglish (Rare)
Variant of GARNET (1).

GILROYmIrish, Scottish
From an Irish surname, either Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means "son of the red-haired servant", or Mac Giolla Rí, which means "son of the king's servant".

GINGERfEnglish
From the English word ginger for the spice or the reddish-brown colour. It can also be a diminutive of VIRGINIA, as in the case of actress and dancer Ginger Rogers (1911-1995), by whom the name was popularized.

GLÁUCIAfPortuguese
Feminine form of GLÁUCIO.

GLAUCIAm & fAncient Roman
Latin form of GLÁUCIO.

GLÁUCIOmPortuguese
Portuguese form of the Roman cognomen Glaucia, which was derived from Latin glaucus "bluish grey", ultimately from Greek.

GLAUCOmItalian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of GLAUCUS.

GLAUCUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Γλαυκος (Glaukos), a name meaning "bluish grey". This was the name of a Greek sea god, as well as other characters in Greek legend.

GLAUKOSmGreek Mythology
Greek form of GLAUCUS.

GOLNARfPersian
Derived from Persian گل (gol) "flower, rose" and انار (anar) "pomegranate".

GORMFLAITHfIrish
Variant of GORMLAITH.

GORMLAITHfIrish, Scottish
Derived from Irish gorm "blue" or "illustrious" and flaith "princess, lady". This was the name of a wife of the 11th-century Irish ruler Brian Boru.

GRAYm & fEnglish
From an English surname meaning "grey", originally given to a person who had grey hair or clothing.

GREYm & fEnglish (Modern)
Variant of GRAY.

GRISELDAfEnglish, Scottish, Spanish, Literature
Possibly derived from the Germanic elements gris "grey" and hild "battle". It is not attested as a Germanic name. This was the name of a patient wife in medieval tales by Boccaccio and Chaucer.

GRIZELfScottish
Scottish variant of GRISELDA.

GWENfWelsh, English
From 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.

GWENAËLmFrench, Breton
Means "blessed and generous" from Breton gwenn meaning "white, fair, blessed" and hael meaning "generous". Saint Gwenhael was a 6th-century abbot of Brittany.

GWENDAfWelsh, English
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, fair, blessed" and da meaning "good". This name was created in the 20th century.

GWENDOLENfWelsh
Means "white ring", derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, fair, blessed" and dolen meaning "ring, loop". This was the name of a mythical queen of the Britons who defeated her husband in battle, as told by Geoffrey of Monmouth.

GWENLLIANfWelsh
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, fair, blessed" and llian meaning "flaxen". This name was popular among medieval Welsh royalty. It was borne by the 14th-century daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.

HARImHinduism, Indian, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali
Means "brown, yellow, tawny" in Sanskrit, and by extension "monkey, horse, lion". This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu, and sometimes of Krishna. It is also borne by the son of the Garuda, the bird-like mount of Vishnu.

HARUNAfJapanese
From Japanese 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather", 遥 (haru) meaning "distant, remote" or 春 (haru) meaning "spring" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

HAUKEAfHawaiian
Means "white snow" from Hawaiian hau "snow" and kea "white".

HAZEfEnglish (Rare)
Short form of HAZEL.

HAZELfEnglish
From 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.

HINAfJapanese
From Japanese 陽 (hi) meaning "light, sun, male" or 日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" combined with 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.

HỒNGfVietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 紅 (hồng) meaning "pink, red".

HRAFNmIcelandic, Ancient Scandinavian
Means "raven" in Old Norse.

HUMAIRAfArabic, Urdu
Variant transcription of HUMAYRA.

HUMAYRAfArabic
Means "red" in Arabic. This was a name given by the Prophet Muhammad to his wife Aisha.

HUNTERm & fEnglish
From an occupational English surname for a hunter, derived from Old English hunta. A famous bearer was the eccentric American journalist Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005).

HƯỜNGfVietnamese
Variant of HỒNG.

IANTHEfGreek Mythology
Means "violet flower", derived from Greek ιον (ion) "violet" and ανθος (anthos) "flower". This was the name of an ocean nymph in Greek mythology.

INDIGOf & mEnglish (Rare)
From the English word indigo for the purplish-blue dye or the colour. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ινδικον (Indikon) "Indic, from India".

IOLAfEnglish
Probably a variant of IOLE.

IOLANDAfItalian, Portuguese, Romanian
Italian, Portuguese and Romanian form of YOLANDA.

IOLANTHEfVarious
Probably a variant of YOLANDA influenced by the Greek words ιολη (iole) "violet" and ανθος (anthos) "flower". This name was (first?) used by Gilbert and Sullivan in their comic opera 'Iolanthe' (1882).

IOLEfGreek Mythology
Means "violet" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a woman beloved by Herakles.

IONEfGreek Mythology, English
From Greek ιον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.

IRISfGreek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.

IRVINmEnglish
From a surname which was a variant of either IRVING or IRWIN.

IRVINEmEnglish, Scottish
Variant of IRVING.

IRVINGmEnglish, Scottish, Jewish
From a Scottish surname which was in turn derived from a Scottish place name meaning "green water". Historically this name has been relatively common among Jews, who have used it as an American-sounding form of Hebrew names beginning with I such as Isaac, Israel and Isaiah. A famous bearer was the Russian-American songwriter and lyricist Irving Berlin (1888-1989), whose birth name was Israel Beilin.

IVORYm & fAfrican American
From the English word for the hard, creamy-white substance which comes from elephant tusks and was formerly used to produce piano keys.

JADEf & mEnglish, French
From the name of the precious stone that is often used in carvings. It is derived from Spanish (piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) flank", relating to the belief that jade could cure renal colic. As a given name, it came into general use during the 1970s. It was initially unisex, though it is now mostly feminine.

JETfDutch
Short form of HENRIËTTE or MARIËTTE.

JETTmEnglish (Modern)
From the English word jet, which denotes either a jet aircraft or an intense black colour (the words derive from different sources).

JOLANAfCzech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of YOLANDA.

JOLANDAfDutch, Slovene, Croatian, Italian
Dutch, Slovene and Croatian form of YOLANDA, as well as an Italian variant of IOLANDA.

JOLANTAfPolish, Lithuanian
Polish and Lithuanian form of YOLANDA.

JONQUILfEnglish (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower, derived ultimately from Latin iuncus "reed".

KAHURANGIf & mMaori
From the name of a type of green gemstone found in New Zealand, meaning "sky blue" in Maori.

KALIf & mHinduism, Bengali, Tamil
Means "the black one" in Sanskrit. The Hindu goddess Kali is the fierce destructive form of the wife of Shiva. She is usually depicted with black skin and four arms, holding a severed head and brandishing a sword. As a personal name, it is generally masculine in India.

KALTRINAfAlbanian
Possibly from Albanian kaltër meaning "blue".

KAMAL (2)mIndian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Modern masculine form of KAMALA.

KAMALAf & mHinduism, Tamil, Indian, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Nepali
Means "lotus" or "pale red" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form कमला and the masculine form कमल. This is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades, in Hindu epic the 'Mahabharata'. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

KANNANmTamil
Tamil form of KRISHNA.

KAPILmIndian, Hindi, Marathi
Modern form of KAPILA.

KAPILAmHinduism
Means "reddish brown" in Sanskrit, derived from कपि (kapi) "monkey". In the Hindu epic the 'Mahabharata' this is the name of a sage who founded Samkhya philosophy and is identified with the god Vishnu.

KARA (2)mTurkish
Means "black, dark" in Turkish.

KEARAfEnglish (Modern)
Variant of CIARA (1).

KEIRAfEnglish (Modern)
Variant of CIARA (1). This spelling was popularized by British actress Keira Knightley (1985-).

KEIRANmEnglish (Rare)
Variant of KIERAN.

KELLYm & fIrish, English
Anglicized form of the Irish given name CEALLACH or the surname derived from it Ó Ceallaigh. As a surname, it has been borne by actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).

KESHETm & fHebrew
Means "rainbow" in Hebrew.

KHAJAGmArmenian
Variant transcription of KHAZHAK.

KHAZHAKmArmenian
Means "blue-eyed" in Armenian.

KHLOEfEnglish (Modern)
Variant of CHLOE.

KIARAfEnglish (Modern)
Variant of CIARA (1) or CHIARA. This name was brought to public attention in 1988 after the singing duo Kiara released their song 'This Time'. It was further popularized by a character in the animated movie 'The Lion King II' (1998).

KIARANmEnglish (Rare)
Anglicized form of CIARÁN.

KIARRAfEnglish (Modern)
Variant of KIARA.

KIERAfIrish, English
Anglicized form of CIARA (1).

KIERANmIrish, English
Anglicized form of CIARÁN.

KIERONmIrish, English
Anglicized form of CIARÁN.

KIERRAfEnglish (Modern)
Variant of KIARA influenced by the spelling of SIERRA.

KIM (3)fVietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 金 (kim) meaning "gold, metal".

KIRA (2)fEnglish
Variant of CIARA (1).

KISHANmIndian, Hindi, Gujarati
Possibly a variant of KRISHNA.

KOHAKUf & mJapanese
From Japanese 琥珀 (kohaku) meaning "amber".

KRISHNAmHinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "black, dark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu god believed to be an incarnation of the god Vishnu. He was the youngest of King Vasudeva's eight children, six of whom were killed by King Kamsa because of a prophecy that a child of Vasudeva would kill Kamsa. Krishna however was saved and he eventually killed the king as well as performing many other great feats. In some Hindu traditions, Krishna is regarded as the supreme deity. He is usually depicted with blue skin.

KRISNAmIndonesian
Indonesian form of KRISHNA.

KUROmJapanese
Variant transcription of KUROU.

KYRAfEnglish
Variant of KIRA (2), sometimes considered a feminine form of CYRUS.

KYRANmIrish
Variant of KIERAN.

LABANmBiblical
Derived from Hebrew לָבָן (lavan) meaning "white". In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Rachel and Leah.

LAVENDERfEnglish (Rare)
From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.

LEGOLASmLiterature
Means "green leaves" in Sindarin, from laeg "green" combined with go-lass "collection of leaves". In 'The Lord of the Rings' (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Legolas is the son of the elf lord Thranduil and a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.

LI (1)f & mChinese
From Chinese 理 (lǐ) meaning "reason, logic", 立 (lì) meaning "stand, establish", 黎 (lí) meaning "black, dawn", 力 (lì) meaning "power, capability, influence" (which is usually only masculine) or 丽 (lì) meaning "beautiful" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.

LÍADÁINfIrish
Variant of LÍADAN.

LÍADANfIrish
Means "grey lady" in Irish Gaelic. In Irish legend she was a poetess who became a nun, but then missed her lover Cuirithir so much that she died of grief.

LIBERTYfEnglish
Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism).

LILACfEnglish (Rare)
From the name of the shrub with purple or white flowers. It is derived via Arabic from Persian.

LILLAfHungarian
Hungarian diminutive of LÍVIA or LÍDIA.

LINm & fChinese
From Chinese 林 (lín) meaning "forest" or 琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.

LÍVIAfPortuguese, Hungarian, Slovak
Portuguese, Hungarian and Slovak form of LIVIA (1).

LIVIA (1)fItalian, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of LIVIUS. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Augustus.

LIVIANAfItalian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman family name Livianus, which was itself derived from the family name LIVIUS.

LIVIANUSmAncient Roman
Latin masculine form of LIVIANA.

LIVIEfFrench, Czech
French and Czech feminine form of LIVIUS.

LIVIOmItalian
Italian form of LIVIUS.

LIVIUmRomanian
Romanian form of LIVIUS.

LIVIUSmAncient Roman
Roman family name which may be related to either Latin liveo "to envy" or lividus "blue, envious". Titus Livius, also known as Livy, was a Roman historian who wrote a history of the city of Rome.

LIVYmHistory
Form of LIVIUS used to refer to the Roman historian Titus Livius.

LIWIAfPolish
Polish form of LIVIA (1).

LJUBICAfSerbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene
From the Slavic element lyuby meaning "love" combined with a diminutive suffix. It can also come from Serbo-Croatian ljubicica meaning "violet".

LLOYDmEnglish
From a surname which was derived from Welsh llwyd meaning "grey". The composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948-) is a famous bearer of this name.

LONÁNmIrish
Means "little blackbird", derived from Irish Gaelic lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix.

LOYDmEnglish
Variant of LLOYD.

LUJAYNfArabic
Means "silver" in Arabic.

MAKVALAfGeorgian
Derived from Georgian მაყვალი (maqvali) meaning "blackberry".

MALINDAfEnglish
Variant of MELINDA.

MARIGOLDfEnglish (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of MARY and the English word gold.

MELm & fEnglish
Short form of MELVIN, MELANIE, MELISSA, and other names beginning with Mel.

MELAINAfGreek Mythology
Derived from Greek μελαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology.

MELÁNIAfHungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak form of MELANIE.

MELANIAfItalian, Spanish, Polish, Late Roman
Italian, Spanish and Polish form of MELANIE.

MÉLANIEfFrench
French form of MELANIE.

MELÁNIEfCzech
Czech form of MELANIE.

MELANIEfEnglish, German, Dutch
From Mélanie, the French form of the Latin name Melania, derived from Greek μελαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity in the 5th century. Her grandmother was also a saint with the same name.... [more]

MELANIJAfSerbian, Macedonian, Slovene, Latvian, Lithuanian
Form of MELANIE.

MELANTHAfEnglish (Rare)
Probably a combination of Mel (from names such as MELANIE or MELISSA) with the suffix antha (from Greek ανθος (anthos) "flower"). John Dryden used this name in his play 'Marriage a la Mode' (1672).

MELANTHIOSmGreek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μελας (melas) "black, dark" and ανθος (anthos) "flower". In Homer's epic the 'Odyssey' this is the name of an insolent goatherd killed by Odysseus.

MELANYfEnglish (Modern)
Variant of MELANIE.

MELINAfEnglish, Greek
Elaboration of Mel, either from names such as MELISSA or from Greek μελι (meli) meaning "honey". A famous bearer was Greek-American actress Melina Mercouri (1920-1994), who was born Maria Amalia Mercouris.

MELINDAfEnglish, Hungarian
Combination of Mel (from names such as MELANIE or MELISSA) with the popular name suffix inda. It was created in the 18th century, and may have been inspired by the similar name Belinda. In Hungary, the name was popularized by the 1819 play 'Bánk Bán' by József Katona.

MELLONYfEnglish (Rare)
Variant of MELANIE.

MERLEf & mEnglish
Variant of MERRILL or MURIEL. The spelling has been influenced by the word merle meaning "blackbird" (via French, from Latin merula).

MIDORIfJapanese
From Japanese 緑 (midori) meaning "green", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations which have the same pronunciation.

MILLARAYfNative American, Mapuche
Means "golden flower" in Mapuche.

MILTIADESmAncient Greek
Derived from Greek μιλτος (miltos) meaning "red earth" and the patronymic suffix ιδης (ides). This was the name of the general who led the Greek forces to victory against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon.

MINDYfEnglish
Diminutive of MELINDA.

MOSSmEnglish (Archaic), Jewish
Medieval form of MOSES.

NANA (2)fJapanese
From Japanese 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and/or 奈 (na), a phonetic character. The characters can be in either order or the same character can be duplicated, as indicated by the symbol 々. Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also be used to form this name.

NANAKOfJapanese
From Japanese 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" duplicated and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.

NANAMIfJapanese
From Japanese 七 (nana) meaning "seven" and 海 (mi) meaning "sea". It can also come from 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" duplicated and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

NATSUKIfJapanese
From Japanese 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and 月 (tsuki) meaning "moon". Alternatively, it can come from 夏 (natsu) meaning "summer" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.

NATSUMIfJapanese
From Japanese 夏 (natsu) meaning "summer" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". It can also come from 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and 摘 (tsumi) meaning "pick, pluck". Other kanji combinations are possible.

NEELAfTamil, Indian, Hindi
Variant transcription of NILA.

NEELAMf & mIndian, Hindi, Marathi
Variant transcription of NILAM.

NEELIMAfIndian, Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Variant transcription of NILIMA.

NGAIREfMaori
Possibly means "flaxen" in Maori.

NIGELmEnglish
From Nigellus, a medieval Latinized form of NEIL. It was commonly associated with Latin niger "black". It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to Sir Walter Scott's novel 'The Fortunes of Nigel' (1822).

NIGELLAfEnglish (Rare)
Feminine form of NIGEL.

NIGELLUSmEnglish (Archaic)
Latin form of NIGEL.

NILAfTamil, Indian, Hindi
Means "dark blue" in Sanskrit.

NILAMf & mIndian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "dark blue, sapphire" in Sanskrit.

NILIMAfIndian, Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Means "dark blue" in Sanskrit.

NONIEfEnglish
Diminutive of IONE or NORA.

NTSUABfHmong
Means "green" in Hmong.

NUBIAfVarious
From the name of the ancient region and kingdom in Africa, south of Egypt. It possibly derives from the Egyptian word nbw meaning "gold".

ODHARNAITfIrish
Means "little pale green one", derived from Irish odhra "pale green, sallow" combined with a diminutive suffix.

ODHRÁNmIrish
Means "little pale green one", derived from Irish odhra "pale green, sallow" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a saint who travelled with Saint Columba through Scotland.

ODRANmIrish
Anglicized form of ODHRÁN.

OLIVEfEnglish, French
From the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin oliva.

ORANmIrish
Anglicized form of ODHRÁN.

ORIAfItalian
Italian form of AUREA.

ORIANAfItalian, Spanish
Possibly derived from Latin aurum "gold" or from its derivatives, Spanish oro or French or. In medieval legend Oriana was the daughter of a king of England who married the knight Amadis.

ORNA (1)fIrish
Anglicized form of ODHARNAIT.

ORNATfIrish
Anglicized form of ODHARNAIT.

ORRINmIrish
Anglicized form of ODHRÁN.

PAZ (2)f & mHebrew
Means "gold" in Hebrew.

PEARLfEnglish
From the English word pearl for the concretions formed in the shells of some mollusks, ultimately from Late Latin perla. Like other gemstone names, it has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century. The pearl is the birthstone for June, and it supposedly imparts health and wealth.

PEMBEfTurkish
Means "pink" in Turkish.

PHOENIXm & fEnglish (Modern)
From the name of a beautiful immortal bird which appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοινιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".

PIRIfHungarian
Diminutive of PIROSKA.

PIROSKAfHungarian
Hungarian form of PRISCA, influenced by the Hungarian word piros meaning "red".