ABILENE f English (Rare)From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew
אָבֵל ('avel) meaning "meadow, grassy area". It has occasionally been used as a given name in modern times.
ACACIA f English (Rare)From the name of a type of tree, ultimately derived from Greek
ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".
AINA (3) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens", as well as other character combinations.
AIRI (1) f JapaneseFrom 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.
AMARANTHA f VariousFrom the name of the amaranth flower, which is derived from Greek
ἀμάραντος (amarantos) meaning "unfading".
Ἀμάραντος (Amarantos) was also an Ancient Greek given name.
AMARYLLIS f LiteratureDerived from Greek
ἀμαρύσσω (amarysso) meaning
"to sparkle". This was the name of a heroine in
Virgil's epic poem
Eclogues. The amaryllis flower is named for her.
AMPELIO m ItalianItalian form of
Ampelius, the Latin form of the Greek name
Ἀμπέλιος (Ampelios), which was derived from
ἄμπελος (ampelos) meaning
"vine". Saint Ampelius was a 7th-century bishop of Milan.
ANARA f Kazakh, KyrgyzFrom Kazakh and Kyrgyz
анар (anar) meaning
"pomegranate", a word ultimately derived from Persian.
ARTEMISIA f Ancient GreekFeminine form of
ARTEMISIOS. This was the name of the 4th-century BC builder of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. She built it in memory of her husband, the Carian prince Mausolus.
ASAMI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
麻 (asa) meaning "hemp" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
ASH m & f EnglishShort form of
ASHLEY. It can also come directly from the English word denoting either the tree or the residue of fire.
ASK m Norse MythologyDerived from Old Norse
askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife
Embla were the first humans created by the gods.
AVELINE f English (Rare)From the Norman French form of the Germanic name
Avelina, a diminutive of
AVILA. The Normans introduced this name to Britain. After the Middle Ages it became rare as an English name, though it persisted in America until the 19th century.
AZAHAR f SpanishMeans
"orange blossom" in Spanish, ultimately from Arabic
زهرة (zahrah) meaning "flower". It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora del Azahar, meaning "Our Lady of the Orange Blossom", because of the citrus trees that surround a church devoted to her near Murcia.
AZALEA f English (Modern)From the name of the flower (shrubs of the genus Rhododendron), ultimately derived from Greek
ἀζαλέος (azaleos) meaning "dry".
BAHARGÜL f TurkmenDerived from Turkmen
bahar meaning "spring" and
gül meaning "flower, rose" (both roots ultimately of Persian origin).
BASIL (1) m EnglishFrom the Greek name
Βασίλειος (Basileios), which was derived from
βασιλεύς (basileus) meaning
"king". Saint Basil the Great was a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea and one of the fathers of the early Christian church. Due to him, the name (in various spellings) has come into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors.
BENTLEY m EnglishFrom a surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English
beonet "bent grass" and
leah "woodland, clearing". Various towns in England bear this name.
BENTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name, composed of Old English
beonet "bent grass" and
tun "enclosure".
BERRY (2) f English (Rare)From the English word referring to the small fruit. It is ultimately derived from Old English
berie. This name has only been in use since the 20th century.
BLÁTHNAT f Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"little flower" from the Irish word
blath "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend she was a maiden abducted and married by Cú Roí. She was rescued by
Cúchulainn, who killed her husband, but she was in turn murdered by one of Cú Roí's loyal servants.
BLOSSOM f EnglishFrom the English word
blossom, ultimately from Old English
blóstm. It came into use as a rare given name in the 19th century.
BOYCE m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from Old French
bois "wood".
BRIALLEN f WelshDerived from Welsh
briallu meaning
"primrose". This is a modern Welsh name.
CALLA f EnglishFrom the name of a type of lily, of Latin origin. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek
κάλλος (kallos) meaning
"beauty".
CAMELLIA f English (Rare)From the name of the flowering shrub, which was named for the botanist and missionary Georg Josef Kamel.
CEDAR f & m English (Rare)From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
κέδρος (kedros).
CELINDA f English (Rare)Probably a blend of
CELIA and
LINDA. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
CHERRY f EnglishSimply 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.
CICERO m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen derived from Latin
cicer meaning
"chickpea". Marcus Tullius Cicero (now known simply as Cicero) was a statesman, orator and author of the 1st century BC. He was a political enemy of Mark Antony, who eventually had him executed.
CLEMATIS f English (Rare)From the English word for a type of flowering vine, ultimately derived from Greek
κλήμα (klema) meaning "twig, branch".
CLOVER f English (Rare)From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English
clafre.
CORIANDER f English (Rare)From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
CYPRIAN m Polish, English (Rare)From the Roman family name
Cyprianus, which meant
"from Cyprus". Saint Cyprian was a 3rd-century bishop of Carthage and a martyr under the emperor Valerian.
DAISY f EnglishSimply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English
dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
DAPHNE f Greek Mythology, English, DutchMeans
"laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of
Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.
DARNELL m EnglishFrom a surname, possibly derived from Old French
darnel, a type of grass. Alternatively it may be derived from Old English
derne "hidden" and
halh "nook".
EBONY f EnglishFrom the English word
ebony for the black wood that comes from the ebony tree. It is ultimately from the Egyptian word
hbnj. In America this name is most often used by black parents.
EGLANTINE f English (Rare)From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It is derived via Old French from Vulgar Latin *
aquilentum meaning "prickly". It was early used as a given name (in the form
Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story
The Prioress's Tale.
ELAH m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"terebinth tree" in Hebrew. This was the name of the fourth king of Israel, as told in the Old Testament. He was murdered by
Zimri, who succeeded him.
ELANOR f LiteratureMeans
"star sun" in Sindarin. In
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien this is Sam's eldest daughter, named after a type of flower.
EMA (2) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or
江 (e) meaning "bay, inlet" combined with
麻 (ma) meaning "flax". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
FARLEY m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"fern clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer of this name was Canadian author Farley Mowat (1921-2014).
FERN f EnglishFrom the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English
fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.
FLORIMOND m Literature, FrenchPossibly from Latin
florens meaning "prosperous, flourishing" combined with the Germanic element
mund meaning "protection". This is the name of the prince in some versions of the fairy tale
Sleeping Beauty.
FU m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
富 (fù) meaning "abundant, rich, wealthy",
芙 (fú) meaning "hibiscus, lotus" or
甫 (fǔ) meaning "begin, man, father", in addition to other characters with a similar pronunciation. A famous bearer was the 8th-century Tang dynasty poet Du Fu, whose given name was
甫.
GARDENIA f English (Rare)From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).
GARLAND m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"triangle land" from Old English
gara and
land. The surname originally belonged to a person who owned a triangle-shaped piece of land.
GARRICK m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from Occitan
garric meaning
"oak tree grove".
GENTIAN m AlbanianFrom the name of the flowering plant called the gentian, the roots of which are used to create a tonic. It is derived from the name of the Illyrian king
GENTIUS, who supposedly discovered its medicinal properties.
GINGER f EnglishFrom 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.
GOLNAR f PersianDerived from Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and
انار (anar) meaning "pomegranate".
GUL m & f Urdu, PashtoMeans
"flower, rose" in Urdu and Pashto, ultimately from Persian.
HAZEL f EnglishFrom 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.
HE f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
河 (hé) meaning "river, stream",
和 (hé) meaning "harmony, peace", or
荷 (hé) meaning "lotus, water lily" (which is usually only feminine). Other characters can form this name as well. A famous bearer was the 15th-century explorer Zheng He.
HEATH m EnglishFrom an English surname that denoted one who lived on a heath. It was popularized as a given name by the character Heath Barkley from the 1960s television series
The Big Valley.
HEATHER f EnglishFrom the English word
heather for the variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers, which commonly grow in rocky areas. It is derived from Middle English
hather. It was first used as a given name in the late 19th century, though it did not become popular until the last half of the 20th century.
HIDEKI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or
英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
HOLLIS m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Middle English
holis "holly trees". It was originally given to a person who lived near a group of those trees.
HOLLY f EnglishFrom the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English
holen.
HUỆ f VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
慧 (huệ) meaning
"bright, intelligent" or
蕙 (huệ) meaning
"tuberose (flower)".
HYACINTHUS m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Ὑάκινθος (Hyakinthos), which was derived from the name of the hyacinth flower. In Greek legend Hyakinthos was accidentally killed by the god
Apollo, who mournfully caused this flower to arise from his blood. The name was also borne by several early saints, notably a 3rd-century martyr who was killed with his brother Protus.
INDIGO f & m English (Rare)From the English word
indigo for the purplish-blue dye or the colour. It is ultimately derived from Greek
Ἰνδικὸν (Indikon) meaning "Indic, from India".
IONE f Greek Mythology, EnglishFrom Ancient Greek
ἴον (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, Catalan, Italian, GreekMeans
"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.
IVOR m Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English (British)From the Old Norse name
Ívarr, which was derived from the elements
yr "yew, bow" and
arr "warrior". During the Middle Ages it was brought to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders, and it was adopted in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
IVY f EnglishFrom the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English
ifig.
JADE f & m English, FrenchFrom 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.
JARAH m BiblicalMeans
"honeycomb" and
"honeysuckle" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a descendant of
Saul.
JASMINE f English, FrenchFrom the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived via Arabic from Persian
یاسمین (yasamin), which is also a Persian name.
JI-U f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
芝 (ji) meaning "sesame" or
志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" combined with
雨 (u) meaning "rain" or
宇 (u) meaning "house, eaves, universe". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
JI-YEONG f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
知 (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend" combined with
英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" or
榮 (yeong) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
JONQUIL f English (Rare)From the English word for the type of flower, derived ultimately from Latin
iuncus "reed".
KAEDE f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
楓 (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
KAMALA f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Indian, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, NepaliMeans
"lotus" or
"pale red" in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form
कमला and the masculine form
कमल, though in modern languages it is only a feminine form. This is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades, in the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess
Lakshmi.
KASUMI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
霞 (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from
花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with
澄 (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
KLYTIË f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
κλυτός (klytos) meaning
"famous, noble". In Greek myth Klytië was an ocean nymph who loved the sun god Helios. Her love was not returned, and she pined away staring at him until she was transformed into a heliotrope flower, whose head moves to follow the sun.
KUNALA m SanskritMeans
"lotus" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor Ashoka.
LAELIA f Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Laelius, a Roman family name of unknown meaning. This is also the name of a type of flower, an orchid found in Mexico and Central America.
LALE f TurkishMeans
"tulip" in Turkish, of Persian origin.
LALKA f BulgarianFrom Bulgarian
лале (lale) meaning
"tulip". It is derived via Turkish from Persian
لاله (laleh).
LAN (1) f & m Chinese, VietnameseFrom Chinese
兰 (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant" (which is usually only feminine) or
岚 (lán) meaning "mountain mist". Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. As a Vietnamese name, it is derived from Sino-Vietnamese
蘭 meaning "orchid".
LAUREL f EnglishFrom the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin
laurus.
LAURENCE (1) m EnglishFrom the Roman cognomen
Laurentius, which meant
"from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably deriving from Latin
laurus "laurel". Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome. According to tradition he was roasted alive on a gridiron because, when ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the sick and poor. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in the Christian world (in various spellings).
... [more] LAVERNE f & m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a French place name, ultimately derived from the Gaulish word
vern meaning
"alder". It is sometimes associated with the Roman goddess
Laverna or the Latin word
vernus "of spring".
LAYTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from the name of English towns meaning
"town with a leek garden" in Old English.
LEI (2) m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
磊 (lěi) meaning "pile of stones" (which is typically masculine) or
蕾 (lěi) meaning "bud" (typically feminine). Other characters can also form this name.
LEILANI f & m HawaiianMeans
"heavenly flowers" or
"royal child" from Hawaiian
lei "flowers, lei, child" and
lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
LESLIE f & m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from a Scottish place name, probably derived from Gaelic
leas celyn meaning
"garden of holly". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In America it was more common as a feminine name after the 1940s.
LILAC f English (Rare)From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers. It is derived via Arabic from Persian.
LILLIAN f EnglishProbably originally a diminutive of
ELIZABETH. It may also be considered an elaborated form of
LILY, from the Latin word for "lily"
lilium. This name has been used in England since the 16th century.
LILY f EnglishFrom the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin
lilium.
LIN m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
林 (lín) meaning "forest" or
琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.
LINDEN m EnglishFrom a German surname that was derived from Old High German
linta meaning
"linden tree".
LINFORD m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally taken from place names meaning either "flax ford" or "linden tree ford" in Old English.
LINNÉA f SwedishFrom the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favourite flower.
LINTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from place names meaning either "flax town" or "linden tree town" in Old English.
LOTUS f English (Rare)From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek
λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.
LUCINA f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
lucus meaning
"grove", but later associated with
lux "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
MAGNOLIA f EnglishFrom the English word
magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.
MAI (1) f VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
梅 (mai) meaning
"plum, apricot" (refers specifically to the species Prunus mume).
MAILE f HawaiianFrom the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.
MAMI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or
麻 (ma) meaning "flax" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
MAPLE f EnglishFrom the English word for the tree, derived from Old English
mapul. This is the name of a girl in Robert Frost's poem
Maple (1923) who wonders about the origin of her unusual name.
MARGARET f EnglishDerived from Latin
Margarita, which was from Greek
μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning
"pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.
... [more] MARGRIET f DutchDutch form of
MARGARET. This is also the Dutch word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
MARGUERITE f FrenchFrench form of
MARGARET. This is also the French word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
MARWA f ArabicFrom the Arabic name of a fragrant plant. Al-Marwa is the name of one of the two sacred hills near Mecca.
MARYAM f Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bashkir, TatarArabic, Persian, Urdu, Bashkir and Tatar form of
Miryam (see
MARY). In Iran it is also the name of a flower, the tuberose, which is named after the Virgin Mary.
MAYLIS f FrenchFrom the name of a town in southern France, possibly derived from Occitan
mair "mother" and French
lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of
MARIE and
lys.
MEI (1) f ChineseFrom Chinese
美 (měi) meaning "beautiful" or
梅 (méi) meaning "Chinese plum" (species Prunus mume), as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
MEI (2) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
芽 (me) meaning "bud, sprout" combined with
依 (i) meaning "rely on",
生 (i) meaning "life" or
衣 (i) meaning "clothing, garment". Other kanji combinations are possible.
MELIA f Greek MythologyMeans
"ash tree" in Greek, a derivative of
μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". This was the name of a nymph in Greek myth, the daughter of the Greek god Okeanos.
MIHO (2) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and
穂 (ho) meaning "grain". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
MIO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with
桜 (o) meaning "cherry blossom" or
緒 (o) meaning "thread". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
MISAKI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and
咲 (saki) meaning "blossom". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji as well.
MIYU f JapaneseFrom Japanese
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or
実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth" combined with
優 (yu) meaning "excellence, superiority, gentleness" or
結 (yu) meaning "tie, bind" or
夕 (yu) meaning "evening". Other kanji combinations are possible.
MOMOKA f JapaneseFrom Japanese
百 (momo) meaning "hundred" or
桃 (momo) meaning "peach" combined with
花 (ka) meaning "flower" or
香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Other kanji combinations are possible.
MU m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
慕 (mù) meaning "admire, desire",
木 (mù) meaning "tree, wood", or other characters with similar pronunciations.
MÜGE f TurkishMeans
"lily of the valley" in Turkish (species Convallaria majalis).
MYRTLE f EnglishSimply from the English word
myrtle for the evergreen shrub, ultimately from Greek
μύρτος (myrtos). It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
NANAMI f JapaneseFrom 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.
NASH m English (Modern)From a surname that was derived from the Middle English phrase
atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer of the surname was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015). The name was popularized in the 1990s by the television series
Nash Bridges.
NURIT f HebrewMeans
"buttercup flower" in Hebrew (genus Ranunculus).
NYSSA f VariousFrom the name of an ancient town of Asia Minor where Saint Gregory was bishop in the 4th century. Nyssa is also the genus name of a type of tree, also called the Tupelo.
ODELL m & f EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from an English place name, itself derived from Old English
wad "woad" (a plant that produces a blue dye) and
hyll "hill".
OGDEN m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"oak valley" in Old English. A famous bearer was the humorous American poet Ogden Nash (1902-1971).
OLIVE f English, FrenchFrom the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin
oliva.
OLIVER m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, SlovakFrom
Olivier, a Norman French form of a Germanic name such as
ALFHER or an Old Norse name such as
Áleifr (see
OLAF). The spelling was altered by association with Latin
oliva "olive tree". In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic
La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier was a friend and advisor of the hero Roland.
... [more] OLIVIA f English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishThis name was used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy
Twelfth Night (1602). This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time that may have been based on
OLIVA or
OLIVER, or directly from the Latin word
oliva meaning
"olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman who is wooed by Duke Orsino but instead falls in love with his messenger Cesario.
... [more] OMER m & f HebrewMeans
"sheaf of wheat" in Hebrew.
ORNELLA f ItalianCreated by the Italian author Gabriele d'Annunzio for his novel
La Figlia di Jorio (1904). It is derived from Tuscan Italian
ornello meaning "flowering ash tree".
PADMA f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, TeluguMeans
"lotus" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form
पद्मा and the masculine form
पद्म. According to Hindu tradition a lotus holding the god
Brahma arose from the navel of the god
Vishnu. The name Padma is used in Hindu texts to refer to several characters, including the goddess
Lakshmi and the hero
Rama.
PADMAVATI f HinduismMeans
"resembling lotuses", derived from the Sanskrit word
पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus" combined with
वती (vati) meaning "resemblance". This is the name of the foster-mother of the god Hindu Skanda.
PANKAJA m HinduismMeans
"born of mud", referring to the lotus flower, derived from Sanskrit
पङ्क (panka) meaning "mud" and
ज (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu god
Brahma.
PANSY f EnglishFrom the English word for a type of flower, ultimately deriving from Old French
pensee "thought".
PEONY f English (Rare)From the English word for the type of flower. It was originally believed to have healing qualities, so it was named after the Greek medical god
Pæon.
PERRY m EnglishFrom a surname that is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English
perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh
ap Herry, meaning "son of
HERRY". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.
PETUNIA f English (Rare)From the name of the flower, derived ultimately from a Tupi (South American) word.
PHYLLIS f Greek Mythology, EnglishMeans
"foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with
Felicia.
POSY f EnglishDiminutive of
JOSEPHINE. It can also be inspired by the English word
posy for a bunch of flowers.
PRIMROSE f English (Rare)From the English word for the flower, ultimately deriving from Latin
prima rosa "first rose".
PRIMULA f English (Rare)From the name of a genus of several species of flowers, including the primrose. It is derived from the Latin word
primulus meaning "very first".
PRUNELLA f English (Rare)From the English word for the type of flower, also called self-heal, ultimately a derivative of the Latin word
pruna "plum".
RAMSEY m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"wild-garlic island" in Old English.
RAN f JapaneseFrom Japanese
蘭 (ran) meaning "orchid" or other kanji pronounced in the same way.
REN m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus",
恋 (ren) meaning "love", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
RHODA f Biblical, EnglishDerived from Greek
ῥόδον (rhodon) meaning
"rose". In the New Testament this name was borne by a maid in the house of Mary the mother of John Mark. As an English given name,
Rhoda came into use in the 17th century.
RILEY m & f EnglishFrom a surname that comes from two distinct sources. As an Irish surname it is a variant of
REILLY. As an English surname it is derived from a place name meaning
"rye clearing" in Old English.
ROSALBA f ItalianItalian name meaning
"white rose", derived from Latin
rosa "rose" and
alba "white". A famous bearer was the Venetian painter Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757).
ROSAMUND f English (Rare)Derived from the Germanic elements
hros "horse" and
mund "protection". The Normans introduced this name to England. It was subsequently influenced by the Latin phrase
rosa munda "pure rose". This was the name of the mistress of Henry II, the king of England in the 12th century. She was possibly murdered by his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine.
ROSAURA f SpanishMeans
"golden rose", derived from Latin
rosa "rose" and
aurea "golden". This name was (first?) used by Pedro Calderón de la Barca for a character in his play
Life Is a Dream (1635).
ROSCOE m EnglishFrom an English surname, originally derived from a place name, itself derived from Old Norse
rá "roebuck" and
skógr "wood, forest".
ROSE f English, FrenchOriginally a Norman form of the Germanic name
Hrodohaidis meaning
"famous type", composed of the elements
hrod "fame" and
heid "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.
ROSEMARY f EnglishCombination of
ROSE and
MARY. This name can also be given in reference to the herb, which gets its name from Latin
ros marinus meaning "dew of the sea". It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.
ROTEM m & f HebrewFrom the name of a desert plant (species Retama raetam), possibly derived from Hebrew
רְתֹם (retom) meaning "to bind".
ROWAN m & f Irish, English (Modern)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Ruadháin meaning
"descendant of RUADHÁN". This name can also be given in reference to the rowan tree.
SAFFRON f English (Rare)From the English word that refers either to a spice, the crocus flower from which it is harvested, or the yellow-orange colour of the spice. It is derived via Old French from Arabic
زعفران (za'faran), itself probably from Persian meaning "gold leaves".
SAGE f & m English (Modern)From the English word
sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.
SELBY m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that was from a place name meaning
"willow farm" in Old Norse.
SEQUOIA f & m English (Rare)From the name of huge trees that grow in California. The tree got its name from the 19th-century Cherokee scholar
Sequoyah (also known as George Guess), the inventor of the Cherokee writing system.
SOMA m HungarianFrom Hungarian
som meaning
"dogwood, cornel tree".
SORREL f English (Rare)From the name of the sour tasting plant, which may ultimately derive from Germanic
sur "sour".
SUSANNA f Italian, Catalan, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Dutch, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Church SlavicFrom
Σουσάννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name
שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshannah). This was derived from the Hebrew word
שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning
"lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means
"rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian
sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet
Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to
Jesus.
... [more] TAKEHIKO m JapaneseFrom Japanese
武 (take) meaning "military, martial" or
竹 (take) meaning "bamboo" combined with
彦 (hiko) meaning "boy, prince". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
TAMARA f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Hungarian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Lithuanian, GeorgianRussian form of
TAMAR. Russian performers such as Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978), Tamara Drasin (1905-1943), Tamara Geva (1907-1997) and Tamara Toumanova (1919-1996) introduced it to the English-speaking world. It was also borne by the Polish cubist painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980).
TANSY f English (Rare)From the name of the flower, which is derived via Old French from Late Latin
tanacita.
TOMOMI f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
智 (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
朋 (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or
実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
TSUBAKI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
椿 (tsubaki) meaning "camellia flower", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.
TUBA f Arabic, TurkishFrom the name of a type of tree that is believed to grow in heaven in Islamic tradition. It means "blessedness" in Arabic.
TYRONE m EnglishFrom the name of a county in Northern Ireland, which is derived from Irish Gaelic
Tir Eoghain meaning "land of
EOGHAN". This name was popularized by American actor Tyrone Power (1914-1958), who was named after his great-grandfather, an Irish actor.
UMA f Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, HindiMeans
"flax" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess
Parvati. In Hindu texts it is said to derive from the Sanskrit exclamation
उ मा (u ma) meaning "O (child), do not (practice austerities)!", which was addressed to Parvati by her mother.
VALERIAN m Russian, Georgian, Romanian, HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Valerianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name
VALERIUS. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor. Several saints also had this name, including a 2nd-century martyr of Lyons.
VALLI f HinduismMeans
"creeping plant" in Dravidian. In Dravidian mythology the goddess Valli was the wife of Murunga.
VERBENA f VariousFrom the name of the verbena plant, which is derived from Latin
verbena meaning "leaves, twigs".
VERE m English (Rare)From a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, which was itself derived from a Gaulish word meaning
"alder".
VERED f HebrewMeans
"rose" in Hebrew, originally a borrowing from an Iranian language.
VERNON m EnglishFrom a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, ultimately derived from the Gaulish word
vern meaning
"alder".
VERONICA f English, Italian, Romanian, Late RomanLatin alteration of
BERENICE, the spelling influenced by the ecclesiastical Latin phrase
vera icon meaning
"true image". This was the name of a legendary saint who wiped
Jesus' face with a towel and then found his image imprinted upon it. Due to popular stories about her, the name was occasionally used in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. It was borne by the 17th-century Italian saint and mystic Veronica Giuliani. As an English name, it was not common until the 19th century, when it was imported from France and Scotland.
VIOLET f EnglishFrom the English word
violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin
viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.
VIOREL m RomanianDerived from
viorea, the Romanian word for the alpine squill flower (species Scilla bifolia) or the sweet violet flower (species Viola odorata). It is derived from Latin
viola "violet".
WIDO m Ancient GermanicOriginally a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element
witu "wood" or
wit "wide". From early times this name has been confused with the Latin name
Vitus.
WILFORD m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"willow ford" in Old English.
YAARA f HebrewMeans
"honeycomb" and
"honeysuckle" in Hebrew.
YASEN m BulgarianMeans both
"ash tree" and
"clear, serene" in Bulgarian.
YEONG-HO m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero",
映 (yeong) meaning "reflect light" or
泳 (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with
浩 (ho) meaning "great, numerous, vast" or
皓 (ho) meaning "bright, luminous, clear, hoary". Other hanja combinations are possible.
YEONG-HUI f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" or
泳 (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with
姬 (hui) meaning "beauty" or
嬉 (hui) meaning "enjoy, play". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
YUINA f JapaneseFrom Japanese
結 (yui) meaning "tie, bind" and
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
YURI (2) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
百合 (yuri) meaning "lily". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can also form this name.