Names Categorized "colors"

ADAM m English, 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) f Arabic
Means "whitish red" in Arabic.

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

AILBHE f & m Irish
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) f Japanese
From Japanese 愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens", as well as other character combinations.

AIRI f Japanese
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.

AKANE f Japanese
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) f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of ALBUS.

ALBUS m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "white, bright" in Latin.

ALPIN m Scottish
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.

ALTAN m Turkish
Means "red dawn" in Turkish.

AMBER f English, 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).

AMETHYST f English (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.

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

ANARGYROS m Greek
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.

AOI f & m Japanese
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.

ARGYRIS m Greek
Modern Greek form of ARGYROS.

ARGYROS m Ancient Greek
Means "silver" in Greek.

ARIANRHOD f Welsh, 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.

ARJUNA m Hinduism
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.

ARUN m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi
Modern form of ARUNA.

ARUNA m & f Hinduism, 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.

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

ÁUREA f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of AUREA.

AUREA f Late Roman
Late Latin name which was derived from aureus "golden". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Ostia (near Rome), as well as an 11th-century Spanish saint.

AURÈLE m French
French form of AURELIUS.

AURELIA f Ancient Roman, Romanian, Italian, Spanish, Polish
Feminine form of AURELIUS.

AURELIANA f Italian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of AURELIANUS.

AURELIANUS m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen which was originally derived from the Roman family name AURELIUS.

AURÉLIE f French
French feminine form of AURELIUS.

AURÉLIEN m French
French form of AURELIANUS.

AURELIUS m Ancient 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.

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

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

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

AYAKO f Japanese
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.

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

AYANE f Japanese
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.

AZURA f English (Rare)
Elaboration of AZURE.

AZURE f English (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".

AZZURRA f Italian
Means "azure, sky blue" in Italian.

BAILA f Yiddish
Means "white" in Yiddish.

BERYL f English
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.

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

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

BLAINE m English
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.

BLAKE m English
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).

BLANCA f Spanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan cognate of BLANCHE.

BLANCHE f French, 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.

BLERTA f Albanian
Derived from Albanian blertë meaning "green".

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

BLONDIE f English (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) f Albanian
Derived from Albanian borë meaning "snow".

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

BROEN m Limburgish
Limburgish form of BRUNO.

BRUNA f Italian, Portuguese, Croatian
Feminine form of BRUNO.

BRUNELLA f Italian
Feminine diminutive of BRUNO.

BRUNO m German, 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.

BURGUNDY f English (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) f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 柑 (cam) meaning "orange (fruit)".

CANDIDA f Late 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).

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

CARMINE m Italian
Italian masculine form of CARMEN.

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

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

CATALINA f Spanish
Spanish form of KATHERINE.

CERIDWEN f Welsh
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.

CERISE f French
Means "cherry" in French.

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

CHARNA f Yiddish
From a Slavic word meaning "black".

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

CHERRY f English
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.

CHEYANNE f English (Modern)
Variant of CHEYENNE probably influenced by the name ANNE (1).

CHEYENNE f & m English
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.

CHLOE f English, 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.

CHLOÉ f French
French form of CHLOE.

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

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

CHRYSANTHE f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of CHRYSANTHOS.

CHRYSANTHI f Greek
Modern Greek feminine form of CHRYSANTHOS.

CHRYSANTHOS m Greek, 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.

CHRYSES m Greek 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.

CHRYSSA f Greek
Feminine form of CHRYSANTHOS.

CIAR m Irish
Derived from Irish ciar meaning "black".

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

CIARÁN m Irish
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.

CIARDHA m Irish
Derived from Irish ciar "black".

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

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

CLOE f Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of CHLOE.

CLOÉ f Portuguese, French
Portuguese form and French variant of CHLOE.

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

CORAL f English, 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).

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

CORBIN m English
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-).

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

DONAGH m Irish
Anglicized form of Donnchadh (see DUNCAN).

DONNCHAD m Ancient Irish
Older Gaelic form of DUNCAN.

DONNCHADH m Irish, Scottish
Gaelic form of DUNCAN.

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

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

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

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

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

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

DUNCAN m Scottish, 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).

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

EBONY f English
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.

EDOM m Biblical
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.

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

ELECTRA f Greek 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) f Irish
Anglicized form of AILBHE.

EMERALD f English (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).

ESMERALDA f Spanish, 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.

EUN m & f Korean
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.

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

FAWN f English
From the English word fawn for a young deer.

FERRER m Various
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.

FIDDA f Arabic
Means "silver" in Arabic.

FINGAL m Scottish
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.

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

FINTAN m Irish, 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.

FIONN m Irish, 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.

FIONNUALA f Irish, 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.

FIZZA f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic فضّة (see FIDDA).

FLANAGAN m English (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.

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

FLANNÁN m & f Irish
Diminutive of FLANN.

FLANNERY f & m English (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).

FLAVIA f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of FLAVIUS.

FLÁVIO m Portuguese
Portuguese form of FLAVIUS.

FLAVIO m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of FLAVIUS.

FLAVIU m Romanian
Romanian form of FLAVIUS.

FLAVIUS m Ancient 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.

FLOYD m English
Variant of LLOYD.

FORREST m English
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.

FULVIA f Italian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Fulvius (see FULVIO).

FÚLVIO m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of Fulvius (see FULVIO).

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

FULVIUS m Ancient Roman
Latin form of FULVIO.

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

GARNETTE f English (Rare)
Variant of GARNET (1).

GILROY m Irish, 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".

GINGER f English
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.

GLÁUCIA f Portuguese
Feminine form of GLÁUCIO.

GLAUCIA m & f Ancient Roman
Latin form of GLÁUCIO.

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

GLAUCO m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of GLAUCUS.

GLAUCUS m Greek 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.

GLAUKOS m Greek Mythology
Greek form of GLAUCUS.

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

GORMFLAITH f Irish
Variant of GORMLAITH.

GORMLAITH f Irish, 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.

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

GREY m & f English (Modern)
Variant of GRAY.

GRISELDA f English, 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.

GRIZEL f Scottish
Scottish variant of GRISELDA.

GWEN f Welsh, 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.

GWENAËL m French, 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.

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

GWENDOLEN f Welsh
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.

GWENLLIAN f Welsh
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.

HARI m Hinduism, 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.

HARUNA f Japanese
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.

HAUKEA f Hawaiian
Means "white snow" from Hawaiian hau "snow" and kea "white".

HAZE f English (Rare)
Short form of HAZEL.

HAZEL f English
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.

HINA f Japanese
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.

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

HRAFN m Icelandic, Ancient Scandinavian
Means "raven" in Old Norse.

HUMAIRA f Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic حميراء (see HUMAYRA).

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

HUNTER m & f English
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).

HƯỜNG f Vietnamese
Variant of HỒNG.

IANTHE f Greek 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.

INDIGO f & m English (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".

IOLA f English
Probably a variant of IOLE.

IOLANDA f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Italian, Portuguese and Romanian form of YOLANDA.

IOLANTHE f Various
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).

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

IONE f Greek 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.

IRIS f Greek 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.

IRVIN m English
From a surname which was a variant of either IRVING or IRWIN.

IRVINE m English, Scottish
Variant of IRVING.

IRVING m English, 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.

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

IXCHEL f Mayan Mythology, Native American, Mayan
Means "rainbow lady" in Mayan. Ixchel was the Maya goddess of the earth, the moon, and medicine. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.

JADE f & m English, 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.

JET f Dutch
Short form of HENRIËTTE or MARIËTTE.

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

JOLANA f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of YOLANDA.

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

JOLÁNKA f Hungarian (Rare)
Created by the Hungarian writer András Dugonics for the main character in his novel 'Jólánka, Etelkának Leánya' (1803). He may have based it on Hungarian jóleán meaning "good girl" or possibly on the name YOLANDA.

JOLANTA f Polish, Lithuanian
Polish and Lithuanian form of YOLANDA.

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

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

KALI f & m Hinduism, 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.

KALTRINA f Albanian
Possibly from Albanian kaltër meaning "blue".

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

KAMALA f & m Hinduism, 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.

KANNAN m Tamil
Tamil form of KRISHNA.

KAPIL m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Modern form of KAPILA.

KAPILA m Hinduism
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) m Turkish
Means "black, dark" in Turkish.

KEARA f English (Modern)
Variant of CIARA (1).

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

KEIRAN m English (Rare)
Variant of KIERAN.

KELLY m & f Irish, 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).

KESHET m & f Hebrew
Means "rainbow" in Hebrew.

KHAJAG m Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Խաժակ (see KHAZHAK).

KHAZHAK m Armenian
Means "blue-eyed" in Armenian.

KHLOE f English (Modern)
Variant of CHLOE.

KIARA f English (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).

KIARAN m English (Rare)
Anglicized form of CIARÁN.

KIARRA f English (Modern)
Variant of KIARA.

KIERA f Irish, English
Anglicized form of CIARA (1).

KIERAN m Irish, English
Anglicized form of CIARÁN.

KIERON m Irish, English
Anglicized form of CIARÁN.

KIERRA f English (Modern)
Variant of KIARA influenced by the spelling of SIERRA.

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

KIRA (2) f English
Variant of CIARA (1).

KISHAN m Indian, Hindi, Gujarati
Possibly a variant of KRISHNA.

KOHAKU f & m Japanese
From Japanese 琥珀 (kohaku) meaning "amber".

KRISHNA m Hinduism, 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.

KRISNA m Indonesian
Indonesian form of KRISHNA.

KURO m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 九郎 (see KUROU).

KYRA f English
Variant of KIRA (2), sometimes considered a feminine form of CYRUS.

KYRAN m Irish
Variant of KIERAN.

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

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

LEGOLAS m Literature
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 & m Chinese
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.

LÍADÁIN f Irish
Variant of LÍADAN.

LÍADAN f Irish
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.

LIBERTY f English
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).

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

LILLA f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of LÍVIA or LÍDIA.

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

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

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

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

LIVIANUS m Ancient Roman
Latin masculine form of LIVIANA.

LIVIE f French, Czech
French and Czech feminine form of LIVIUS.

LIVIO m Italian
Italian form of LIVIUS.

LIVIU m Romanian
Romanian form of LIVIUS.

LIVIUS m Ancient 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.

LIVY m History
Form of LIVIUS used to refer to the Roman historian Titus Livius.

LIWIA f Polish
Polish form of LIVIA (1).

LJUBICA f Serbian, 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".

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

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

LOYD m English
Variant of LLOYD.

LUJAYN f Arabic
Means "silver" in Arabic.

MAKVALA f Georgian
Derived from Georgian მაყვალი (maqvali) meaning "blackberry".

MALINDA f English
Variant of MELINDA.

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

MEL m & f English
Short form of MELVIN, MELANIE, MELISSA, and other names beginning with Mel.

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

MELÁNIA f Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak form of MELANIE.

MELANIA f Italian, Spanish, Polish, Late Roman
Italian, Spanish and Polish form of MELANIE.

MÉLANIE f French
French form of MELANIE.

MELÁNIE f Czech
Czech form of MELANIE.

MELANIE f English, 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]

MELANIJA f Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene, Latvian, Lithuanian
Form of MELANIE.

MELANTHA f English (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).

MELANTHIOS m Greek 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.

MELANY f English (Modern)
Variant of MELANIE.

MELINA f English, 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.

MELINDA f English, 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.

MELLONY f English (Rare)
Variant of MELANIE.

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

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

MILLARAY f Native American, Mapuche
Means "golden flower" in Mapuche.

MILTIADES m Ancient 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.

MINDY f English
Diminutive of MELINDA.

MOSS m English (Archaic), Jewish
Medieval form of MOSES.

NANA (2) f Japanese
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.

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

NANAMI f Japanese
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.

NATSUKI f Japanese
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.

NATSUMI f Japanese
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.

NEELA f Tamil, Indian, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Tamil நீலா or Hindi नीला (see NILA).

NEELAM f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi नीलम (see NILAM).

NEELIMA f Indian, Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Marathi/Hindi नीलिमा or Telugu నీలిమ (see NILIMA).

NGAIRE f Maori
Possibly means "flaxen" in Maori.

NIGEL m English
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).

NIGELLA f English (Rare)
Feminine form of NIGEL.

NIGELLUS m English (Archaic)
Latin form of NIGEL.

NILA f Tamil, Indian, Hindi
Means "dark blue" in Sanskrit.

NILAM f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "dark blue, sapphire" in Sanskrit.

NILIMA f Indian, Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Means "dark blue" in Sanskrit.

NONIE f English
Diminutive of IONE or NORA (1).

NTSUAB f Hmong
Means "green" in Hmong.

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

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

ODHRÁN m Irish
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.

ODRAN m Irish
Anglicized form of ODHRÁN.

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

ORABELA f Esperanto
Means "golden-beautiful" in Esperanto.

ORAN m Irish
Anglicized form of ODHRÁN.