Names Categorized "English verbs"

This is a list of names in which the categories include English verbs.
gender
usage
Ace 1 m English
From the English word meaning "highest rank". More commonly a nickname, it is occasionally used as a given name.
Age 1 m Frisian
Frisian form of Ago.
Ask m Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife Embla were the first humans created by the gods.
Autumn f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Latin autumnus. This name has been in general use since the 1960s.
Banks m English (Modern)
From an English surname that that was given to a person who lived near a hillside or a bank of land.
Barb f English
Short form of Barbara.
Bear m English (Modern)
From the English word for the animal, derived from Old English bera, probably derived from a root meaning "brown".
Beat m German (Swiss)
Swiss German form of Beatus.
Benedict m English
From 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.
Bent 1 m Danish
Danish form of Benedict.
Bent 2 m Frisian
Frisian variant of Ben 2.
Bet f Frisian, Limburgish
Frisian and Limburgish short form of Elisabeth.
Biff m English (Rare)
From a nickname that was based on the English word biff, which means "punch, hit, strike".
Bill m English
Short 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 (1934-2022), comedian Bill Cosby (1937-), American president Bill Clinton (1946-), and Microsoft founder Bill Gates (1955-).
Blanch f English
Variant of Blanche.
Blaze m English (Modern)
Modern variant of Blaise influenced by the English word blaze.
Blossom f English
From the English word blossom, ultimately from Old English blóstm. It came into use as a rare given name in the 19th century.
Bob m English, Dutch
Short 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).
Brand m English (Rare)
From a surname, a variant of Brant.
Brook m & f English
From an English surname that denoted one who lived near a brook.
Buck m English
From an English nickname meaning simply "buck, male deer", ultimately from Old English bucc.
Bud m English
Short form of Buddy.
Bugs m Popular Culture
From the slang term bugs meaning "crazy, unstable". Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon rabbit originally developed in the 1930s by staff at Leon Schlesinger Productions. He was named for the animator Ben "Bugs" Hardaway.
Buzz m English
From a nickname derived from the onomatopoeic word buzz meaning "buzz, hum, murmur". A notable bearer is American astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin (1930-), one of the first people to walk on the moon. The character Buzz Lightyear from the movie Toy Story (1995) was named after Aldrin.
Can m Turkish
Means "soul, life" or by extension "darling, sweetheart" in Turkish, from Persian جان (jan).
Candy f English
Diminutive of Candace. It is also influenced by the English word candy.
Cannon m English
From an English surname, which was derived from Middle English canon, referring to a church official or servant who worked in a clergy house. This name may also be used in reference to the vocabulary word for the large gun, derived from Italian cannone "large tube", from Latin canna "cane, reed".
Carry f English
Diminutive of Caroline.
Cash m English
From an English occupational surname for a box maker, derived from Norman French casse meaning "case". A famous bearer of the surname was American musician Johnny Cash (1932-2003).
Chance m English
Originally a diminutive of Chauncey. It is now usually given in reference to the English word chance meaning "luck, fortune" (ultimately derived from Latin cadens "falling").
Chase m English
From an English surname meaning "chase, hunt" in Middle English, originally a nickname for a huntsman.
Cherish f English
From the English word meaning "to treasure".
Chip m English
Diminutive 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.
Chuck m English
Diminutive of Charles. It originated in America in the early 20th century. Two famous bearers of this name were pilot Chuck Yeager (1923-2020), 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.
Comfort f English (African)
From the English word comfort, ultimately from Latin confortare "to strengthen greatly", a derivative of fortis "strong". It was used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It is now most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Crew m English (Modern)
Either from a surname that was derived from the English town of Crewe (from Old Welsh criu meaning "weir"), or from the English vocabulary word for a group of people.
Dag m Norwegian, Swedish
Derived from Old Norse dagr meaning "day".
Dawn f English
From the English word dawn, ultimately derived from Old English dagung.
Deforest m English
From a French surname meaning "from the forest". It was originally given in honour of American author John Deforest (1826-1906).
Delight f English (Rare)
Means simply "delight, happiness" from the English word.
Den m English
Short form of Dennis.
Dick 1 m English
Medieval diminutive of Richard. The change in the initial consonant is said to have been caused by the way the trilled Norman R was pronounced by the English.
Don m English
Short form of Donald.
Dot f English
Diminutive of Dorothy.
Dove f English
From the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.
Dream f English (Modern)
From the English word dream referring to imaginary events seen in the mind while sleeping or a hope or wish.
Drew m English
Short form of Andrew.
Dries m Dutch
Short form of Andries.
Duke m English
From the noble title duke, which was originally derived from Latin dux "leader".
Dye f Medieval English
Medieval short form of Dionysia.
Echo f Greek Mythology
From the Greek word ἠχώ (echo) meaning "echo, reflected sound", related to ἠχή (eche) meaning "sound". In Greek mythology Echo was a nymph given a speech impediment by Hera, so that she could only repeat what others said. She fell in love with Narcissus, but her love was not returned, and she pined away until nothing remained of her except her voice.
Eddy m English, French, Dutch
Diminutive of Edward, Edmund and other names beginning with Ed.
Edit f Hungarian, Swedish
Hungarian and Swedish form of Edith.
Even m Norwegian
Variant of Øyvind.
Fancy f English (Rare)
From the English word fancy, which means either "like, love, inclination" or "ornamental". It is derived from Middle English fantasie, which comes (via Norman French and Latin) from Greek φαίνω (phaino) meaning "to show, to appear".
Favour m & f English (African)
From the English word favour, ultimately from Latin faveo "to favour". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Fawn f English
From the English word fawn for a young deer.
Fester m Popular Culture
From the English word fester meaning "rot, rankle". This is the name of the uncle on the Addams Family television series (1964-1966) and subsequent adaptations. The character was created by the cartoonist Charles Addams in the 1930s, though he was not named.
Flick f & m English (Rare)
Diminutive of Felicity. In some cases it can be a nickname from the English word flick.
Flip m Dutch
Diminutive of Filip.
Flower f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word flower for the blossoming plant. It is derived (via Old French) from Latin flos.
Ford m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "ford" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the American industrialist Henry Ford (1863-1947).
Forest m English
Variant of Forrest, or else directly from the English word forest.
Fortune m & f French, English (Rare)
Simply from the word fortune, ultimately from Latin fortuna, a derivative of fors "luck".
Foster 1 m English
From an English surname that has several different origins: see Foster 1, Foster 2, Foster 3 and Foster 4.
Fritz m German
German diminutive of Friedrich.
Gage m English (Modern)
From an English surname of Old French origin meaning either "measure", originally denoting one who was an assayer, or "pledge", referring to a moneylender. It was popularized as a given name by a character from the book Pet Sematary (1983) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1989).
Gall m History (Ecclesiastical)
Form of Gallus used to refer to the saint.
Gore m English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "triangular" (from Old English gara), originally referring to someone who lived on a triangular piece of land. A famous bearer was American writer Gore Vidal (1925-2012).
Grace f English
From the English word grace, which ultimately derives from Latin gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.... [more]
Grant m English, Scottish
From an English and Scottish surname that was derived from Norman French grand meaning "great, large". A famous bearer of the surname was Ulysses Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War who later served as president. In America the name has often been given in his honour.
Gray m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "grey", originally given to a person who had grey hair or clothing.
Greet f Dutch
Dutch short form of Margaret.
Grey m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Gray.
Gry f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Means "to dawn" in Norwegian, Danish and Swedish.
Gun f Swedish
Modern form of Gunnr.
Halo f English (Modern)
From the English word halo meaning "luminous disc or ring", derived from Greek ἅλως (halos). Haloes often appear in religious art above the heads of holy people.
Ham m Biblical
Means "hot, warm" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Ham is one of Noah's three sons, along with Shem and Japheth. He was the ancestor of the Egyptians and Canaanites.
Harm m Dutch
Dutch short form of Herman.
Harry m English
Medieval English form of Henry. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both Henry and names beginning with Har. Famous bearers include the American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), who was named after his uncle Harrison, and the British royal Prince Harry (1984-), who is actually named Henry. It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Haul m Welsh (Rare)
Means "sun" in Welsh. This is a modern Welsh name.
Heard m Anglo-Saxon
Short form of various Old English names containing the element heard meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Henna f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Honour f English (Rare)
From the English word honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of Honoria or Honorata, which are ultimately derived from the same source.
Hope f English
From the English word hope, ultimately from Old English hopian. This name was first used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Hug m Catalan (Rare)
Catalan form of Hugh.
Jack m English
Derived from Jackin (earlier Jankin), a medieval diminutive of John. There could be some early influence from the unrelated French name Jacques. 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.... [more]
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.
Jam m Persian Mythology
Persian form of Avestan 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀 (Yima) meaning "twin" (related to Sanskrit Yama). This was the name of a mythological king, more commonly called Jamshid.
Jarred m English
Variant of Jared.
Jerk m Swedish (Rare)
Old Swedish variant of Erik.
Jess m & f English
Short form of Jesse or Jessica.
Jet f Dutch
Short form of Henriëtte or Mariëtte.
Journey f English (Modern)
From the English word, derived via Old French from Latin diurnus "of the day".
Kip m English
From a nickname, probably from the English word kipper meaning "male salmon".
Kit m & f English
Diminutive of Christopher or Katherine. A notable bearer was Kit Carson (1809-1868), an American frontiersman and explorer.
Lance m English
From the Germanic name Lanzo, originally a short form of names that began with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element land, Old High German lant meaning "land" (Proto-Germanic *landą). During the Middle Ages it became associated with Old French lance meaning "spear, lance". A famous bearer is American cyclist Lance Armstrong (1971-).
Lies f German, Dutch
German and Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth.
Line f Danish, Norwegian, French
Short form of Caroline and other names ending in line.
Link m English
Short form of Lincoln. This is the name of the hero in the Legend of Zelda video game series (first appearing in 1986), derived from the English word link meaning "link, connection". He is called リンク (Rinku) in Japanese.
Live f Norwegian
Variant of Liv 1.
Lot 1 m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "covering, veil" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a nephew of Abraham. Before Sodom was destroyed by God, he was directed to flee the city without looking back. However, his wife looked back on the destruction and was turned into a pillar of salt.
Love 2 f English
Simply from the English word love, derived from Old English lufu.
Lug m Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Lugh.
Made m & f Balinese
From Sanskrit मध्य (madhya) meaning "middle". This name is traditionally given to the family's second-born child.
Mar f Spanish, Catalan
Means "sea" in Spanish and Catalan. It is from a devotional title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Mar "Our Lady of the Sea", the patron saint of the Spanish province of Almería.
Mark m English, Russian, Belarusian, Dutch, Danish, Armenian, Biblical
Form of Latin Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark was the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Though the author's identity is not certain, some traditions hold him to be the same person as the John Mark who appears in the Book of Acts. He is the patron saint of Venice, where he is supposedly buried. Though in use during the Middle Ages, Mark was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when it began to be used alongside the classical form Marcus.... [more]
Marks m Latvian
Latvian form of Marcus (see Mark).
Mars m Roman Mythology
Possibly related to Latin mas meaning "male" (genitive maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.
Marshal m English
Variant of Marshall.
Marvel f English
From the English word meaning "a miracle, a wonder", derived from Old French merveille, from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful".
Mentor m Greek Mythology
Possibly related to Greek μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force". In Greek legend Mentor was the son of Alkimos. When Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War he entrusted Mentor with the care of his palace and the guardianship of his son Telemachos. When the goddess Athena visited Telemachos she took the guise of Mentor.
Merit 1 m English (Rare)
Either a variant of Merritt or else simply from the English word merit, ultimately from Latin meritus "deserving".
Nail m Arabic, Turkish, Tatar
Means "attainer" in Arabic.
Nanny f English
Diminutive of Anne 1.
Nest f Welsh
Medieval Welsh diminutive of Agnes.
Nick m English, Dutch
Short form of Nicholas. It is borne by the comic character Nick Bottom in Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).
Pace m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the Middle English word pace meaning "peace".
Page m & f English
From a surname that was a variant of Paige.
Pal m Albanian
Albanian form of Paul.
Pan m Greek Mythology
Possibly from the Indo-European root *peh- meaning "shepherd, protect". In Greek mythology Pan was a half-man, half-goat god associated with shepherds, flocks and pastures.
Pastor m Spanish, Late Roman
From a Late Latin name meaning "shepherd". This was the name of at least three saints.
Pat m & f English
Short form of Patrick or Patricia. A famous bearer of this name was Pat Garrett (1850-1908), the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid.
Peg f English
Short form of Peggy.
Pepper f & m English (Modern)
From the English word for the spice, which is prepared from the dried berries of the pepper plant. The word is derived from Latin piper, ultimately from an Indo-Aryan source. In popular culture, Pepper is the nickname of Virginia Potts from the Iron Man series of comic books and movies, created 1963.
Petal f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower part, derived from Greek πέταλον (petalon) meaning "leaf".
Peter m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Slovene, Slovak, Biblical
Derived from Greek Πέτρος (Petros) meaning "stone". This is a translation used in most versions of the New Testament of the name Cephas, meaning "stone" in Aramaic, which was given to the apostle Simon by Jesus (compare Matthew 16:18 and John 1:42). Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus' ministry and is often considered the first pope.... [more]
Philander m English (Archaic), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Φίλανδρος (Philandros) meaning "friend of man" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). It was the name of a son of Apollo with the nymph Acalle. In the 18th century this was coined as a word meaning "to womanize", and the name subsequently dropped out of use.
Pierce m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Piers. In America this name slowly started to grow in popularity in 1982 when actor Pierce Brosnan (1953-) began starring on the television series Remington Steele.
Praise f & m English (African)
From the English word praise, which is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Late Latin preciare, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth". This name is most common in English-speaking Africa.
Price m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from ap Rhys meaning "son of Rhys".
Promise f & m English (African)
From the English word promise, from Latin promissum. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Prosper m French, English
From the Latin name Prosperus, which meant "fortunate, successful". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a supporter of Saint Augustine. It has never been common as an English name, though the Puritans used it, partly because it is identical to the English word prosper.
Prune f French
Means "plum" in French.
Psyche f Greek Mythology
Means "the soul", derived from Greek ψύχω (psycho) meaning "to breathe". The Greeks thought that the breath was the soul. In Greek mythology Psyche was a beautiful maiden who was beloved by Eros (or Cupid in Roman mythology). She is the subject of Keats's poem Ode to Psyche (1819).
Rain 1 f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word rain, derived from Old English regn.
Ram 1 m Biblical
Means "exalted" in Hebrew. This was a son of Hezron in the Old Testament.
Ran f Japanese
From Japanese (ran) meaning "orchid" or other kanji pronounced in the same way.
Read m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Reed.
Reign f & m English (Modern)
From the English word reign, derived from Latin regnum "royal power".
Rein m Frisian, Dutch, Estonian
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element regin meaning "advice, counsel, decision" (Proto-Germanic *raginą).
Rim f Arabic
Means "white antelope" in Arabic.
Roar m Norwegian
Modern Norwegian form of Hróarr.
Rob m English, Dutch
Short form of Robert.
Rose f English, French
Originally a Norman French form of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis meaning "famous type", composed of the elements hruod "fame" and heit "kind, sort, type". The Normans introduced it to England in the forms Roese and Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower rose (derived from Latin rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind.
Rosy f English
Diminutive of Rose.
Rue f English
From the name of the bitter medicinal herb, ultimately deriving from Greek ῥυτή (rhyte). This is also sometimes used as a short form of Ruth 1.
Saint m English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately from Latin sanctus "holy, saintly".
Sang m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (sang) meaning "common, frequent, regular" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Scout f & m English (Modern)
From the English word scout meaning "one who gathers information covertly", which is derived from Old French escouter "to listen". Harper Lee used this name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).
Shaked f & m Hebrew
Means "almond" in Hebrew.
Shepherd m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "sheep herder, shepherd".
Shin m Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "real, genuine" or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Shun 1 f & m Chinese
From Chinese (shùn) meaning "obey, submit" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Shun 2 f & m Japanese
From Japanese 駿 (shun) meaning "fast", (shun) meaning "talented", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Sin m Semitic Mythology
From earlier Akkadian Su'en, of unknown meaning. This was the name of the Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian god of the moon. He was closely identified with the Sumerian god Nanna.
Spike m English
From a nickname that may have originally been given to a person with spiky hair.
Spirit f English (Rare)
From the English word spirit, ultimately from Latin spiritus "breath, energy", a derivative of spirare "to blow".
Spring f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English springan "to leap, to burst forth".
Star f English
From the English word for the celestial body, ultimately from Old English steorra.
Stew m English
Short form of Stewart.
Stone m English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English stan.
Storm m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern), Danish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern)
From the vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English or Old Dutch storm, or in the case of the Scandinavian name, from Old Norse stormr.
Sue f English
Short form of Susanna.
Sung m & f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul (see Seong).
Ties m Dutch
Diminutive of Matthijs, Diederik and other names beginning with the Old High German element diota, Old Frankish þeoda meaning "people".
Tone 1 m Slovene
Short form of Anton.
Tone 2 f Norwegian
Newer form of Torny.
Trace m English
Short form of Tracy.
Treasure f English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately from Greek θησαυρός (thesauros) meaning "treasure, collection".
Tucker m English (Modern)
From an occupational surname for a cloth fuller, derived from Old English tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.
Veer f Limburgish
Limburgish short form of Vera 1.
Wade m English
From an English surname, either Wade 1 or Wade 2.
Wail m Arabic
Possibly means "refuge, shelter" in Arabic.
Ward 1 m English
From an occupational surname for a watchman, derived from Old English weard "guard".
Will m English
Short form of William and other names beginning with Will. A famous bearer is American actor Will Smith (1968-), whose full name is Willard.
Wilt m English
Short form of Wilton. This name was borne by basketball player Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999).
Win m & f Burmese
Means "bright, radiant, brilliant" in Burmese.