Names Categorized "fathers"

Abd Allah m Arabic
Means "servant of Allah" from Arabic عبد ('abd) meaning "servant" combined with الله (Allah). This was the name of the Prophet Muhammad's father. He died before his son's birth.

Abegail f English (Rare)
Variant of Abigail.

Abiathar m Biblical
From Hebrew אֶבְיָתָר ('Evyatar) meaning "my father abounds" or "my father excels". In the Old Testament Abiathar was a high priest during the reign of King David.

Abidan m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Means "my father is judge" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is a Benjamite prince.

Abidemi m & f Western African, Yoruba
Means "born in my absence" in Yoruba. It is typically given to children born when the father is away.

Abiel m Biblical
Means "God is my father" in Hebrew. This was the name of the grandfather of Saul in the Old Testament.

Abigaëlle f French
Variant of Abigaïl.

Abigaia f Biblical Greek
Greek form of Abigail.

Abigaïl f Biblical French
French form of Abigail.

Abigail f English, Biblical, Biblical German, Biblical Italian, Biblical Portuguese, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name אֲבִיגָיִל ('Avigayil) meaning "my father is joy", derived from the roots אָב ('av) meaning "father" and גִּיל (gil) meaning "joy". In the Old Testament this is the name of Nabal's wife. After Nabal's death she became the third wife of King David.... [more]

Abigél f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Abigail.

Abimael m Biblical, Biblical Greek
Meaning uncertain, though the first element is likely Hebrew אָב ('av) meaning "father". In the Old Testament he is listed as a descendant of Shem.

Abishai m Biblical
Means "my father is a gift" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is one of King David's heroes.

Abner m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Means "my father is a light" in Hebrew, from אָב ('av) meaning "father" and נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light". In the Old Testament, Abner was a cousin of Saul and the commander of his army. After he killed Asahel he was himself slain by Asahel's brother Joab.... [more]

Abramo m Italian
Italian form of Abraham.

Aeson m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Αἰσών (Aison), which is of unknown meaning. Aeson was the father of Jason in Greek mythology.

Aitor m Basque, Spanish
Possibly means "good fathers" from Basque aita "father" and on "good". This was the name of a legendary ancestor of the Basques.

Álmos m Hungarian
Possibly from Hungarian álom "dream", though perhaps of Turkic origin meaning "bought". This was the name of the semi-legendary father of Árpád, the founder of the Hungarian state. Álmos's mother Emese supposedly had a dream in which a turul bird impregnated her and foretold that her son would be the father of a great nation.

Alphaeus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Ἀλφαῖος (Alphaios), the Greek form of a Hebrew name that meant "changing". In the New Testament this is the name of the fathers of the apostles James and Levi.

An 2 m Sumerian Mythology
Means "heaven, sky" in Sumerian. An was the supreme Sumerian god of the heavens, the father of Enlil and Enki. His cuneiform sign 𒀭 (dingir) was prefixed to the names of other deities in writing, though it was not pronounced.

Antipater m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀντίπατρος (Antipatros), which meant "like the father" from Greek ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός). This was the name of an officer of Alexander the Great who became the regent of Macedon during Alexander's absence.

Antipatros m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Antipater.

Apikalia f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Abigail.

Aulus m Ancient Roman
Possibly from Latin avulus meaning "little grandfather", though it could be from the Etruscan name Aule, which was possibly derived from avils meaning "years". This was a Roman praenomen, or given name. Folk etymology connects it to Latin aula meaning "palace".

Avenir m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Abner.

Avi m Hebrew
Means "my father" in Hebrew. It is also a diminutive of Avraham or Aviram.

Avigail f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Abigail.

'Avigayil f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Abigail.

Avishai m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Abishai.

Babatunde m Western African, Yoruba
Means "father has come again" in Yoruba.

Bethuel m Biblical
Possibly means "God destroys" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Rebecca.

Brychan m Old Welsh
Derived from Welsh brych meaning "speckled, freckled" combined with a diminutive suffix. Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary Welsh king, said to be Irish by birth, the founder of the kingdom of Brycheiniog in central Wales. He reputedly fathered dozens of children, many of whom are regarded as saints.

Cleopas m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Shortened form of the Greek name Kleopatros (see Cleopatra). In the New Testament Cleopas is a disciple who sees Jesus after his resurrection.

Cleopatra f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κλεοπάτρα (Kleopatra) meaning "glory of the father", derived from κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" combined with πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός). This was the name of queens of Egypt from the Ptolemaic royal family, including Cleopatra VII, the mistress of both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. After being defeated by Augustus she committed suicide (according to popular belief, by allowing herself to be bitten by a venomous asp). Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra (1606) tells the story of her life.

Cléopâtre f Ancient Greek (Gallicized)
French form of Cleopatra.

Cronus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κρόνος (Kronos), possibly derived from the Indo-European root *(s)ker- meaning "to cut". Cronus was the Titan who fathered the Greek gods. As his wife Rhea gave birth to the gods, Cronus swallowed them fearing the prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his children. However Rhea hid Zeus, her last child, who eventually forced his father to disgorge his siblings. Cronus and the rest of the Titans were then defeated by the gods and exiled.

Dyaus Pita m Hinduism
Form of Dyaus suffixed with the Sanskrit epithet पितृ (pitr) meaning "father".

Elkanah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God has purchased" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Samuel.

Enyinnaya m Western African, Igbo
Means "his father's friend" in Igbo.

Fionn m Irish, Irish Mythology
From the Old Irish name Finn, derived from finn meaning "white, blessed". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of Oisín and grandfather of Oscar.

Geb m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian 𓎼𓃀𓃀 (gbb) meaning "earth". In Egyptian mythology he was the god of the earth and crops. His consort was his sister the sky goddess Nut.

Géza m Hungarian
From Gyeücsa, possibly derived from a diminutive form of the Hungarian noble title gyevü or gyeü, itself from Turkic jabgu. This was the name of a 10th-century leader of the Hungarians, the father of the first king István.

Giove m Roman Mythology (Italianized)
Italian form of Iovis (see Jove). This is the Italian name for the Roman god Jupiter.

Hyperion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.

Iapetos m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἰάπτω (iapto) meaning "to wound, to pierce". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan, the father of Atlas, Prometheus and Epimetheus.

Iovianus m Ancient Roman
Older form of Jovian.

Iovis m Roman Mythology
Older form of Jove.

Iuppiter m Roman Mythology
Latin form of Jupiter.

Janaka m Sanskrit, Sinhalese
Means "father" in Sanskrit. This was the name of an ancient Indian king of Videha. In the Hindu epic the Ramayana he is the father of Sita.

Joash m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹאָשׁ (Yo'ash), possibly meaning "fire of Yahweh". In the Old Testament this name was borne by several characters including the father of Gideon, a king of Judah, and a son of King Ahab of Israel.

Jove m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From Latin Iovis, the genitive case of Iuppiter (see Jupiter). Though this form is grammatically genitive, post-classically it has been used nominatively as another name for Jupiter.

Jovian m Ancient Roman (Anglicized)
From Latin Iovianus, a Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Iovis (see Jove). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor.

Júpiter m Roman Mythology (Hispanicized, Portuguese-style)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Jupiter.

Jupiter m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From Latin Iuppiter, which was ultimately derived from the vocative form of Indo-European *Dyēws-pətēr, composed of the elements Dyēws (see Zeus) and pətēr "father". Jupiter was the supreme god in Roman mythology. He presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. This is also the name of the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.

Kleopas m Biblical Greek
Greek form of Cleopas.

Kleopatra f Ancient Greek
Greek form of Cleopatra.

Kleopatros m Ancient Greek
Greek masculine form of Cleopatra.

Mamuka m Georgian
Means "little father" in Georgian.

Methuselah m Biblical
Means "man of the dart" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the father of Lamech and the grandfather of Noah. He lived to age 969, making him the longest-lived person in the Bible.

Nahor m Biblical
Means "snorting" in Hebrew. Nahor is the name of both the grandfather and a brother of Abraham in the Old Testament.

Neriah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "lamp of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of the father of Baruch in the Old Testament.

Nnamdi m Western African, Igbo
Means "my father is alive" in Igbo. This name is given to a child when it is believed that he is a reincarnation of his grandfather.

Nnenna f Western African, Igbo
Means "father's mother" in Igbo. This name is given in honour of the child's paternal grandmother.

Numitor m Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Roman mythology Numitor was the king of Alba Longa and the father of Rhea Silvia. He was overthrown by his brother Amulius, but reinstated by his grandsons Romulus and Remus.

Obinna m Western African, Igbo
Means "heart of the father" in Igbo, from óbì "heart, mind" and ńnà "father".

Priam m Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Greek Πρίαμος (Priamos), possibly meaning "redeemed". In Greek legend Priam was the king of Troy during the Trojan War and the father of many children including Hector and Paris.

Puabi f Akkadian
Means "word of my father", from Akkadian pû meaning "mouth" and abu meaning "father". Puabi was a 26th-century BC Akkadian noblewoman who was buried in the Sumerian city of Ur.

Rangi m Maori, Polynesian Mythology
Means "sky" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Rangi or Ranginui was a god of the sky, husband of the earth goddess Papa. They were locked in a crushing embrace but were eventually separated by their children, the other gods.

Saturn m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Saturnus, which is of unknown meaning. In Roman mythology he was the father of Jupiter, Juno and others, and was also the god of agriculture. This is also the name of the ringed sixth planet in the solar system.

Seraiah m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "Yahweh is ruler" in Hebrew. This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament, including the father of Ezra.

Talmai m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "furrowed" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is borne by both a giant and also the father of King David's wife Maacah.

Terah m Biblical
Possibly means "station" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Terah is the father of Abraham. He led his people out of Ur and towards Canaan, but died along the way.

Uchenna m & f Western African, Igbo
Means "wisdom of the father, sense of the father" in Igbo.

Uther m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
From the Welsh name Uthyr, derived from Welsh uthr meaning "terrible". In Arthurian legend Uther was the father of King Arthur. He appears in some early Welsh texts, but is chiefly known from the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth.

Zal m Persian Mythology
Means "albino" in Persian. According to the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh this was the name of a white-haired warrior, the father of Rostam.