ABD AL-MALIKmArabicMeans "servant of the king" from Arabic
عبد ال ('abd al) meaning "servant of the" combined with
ملك (malik) meaning "king". This was the name of the fifth Umayyad caliph, who made Arabic the official language of the empire.
ADOLFmGerman, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Hungarian, Ancient GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Adalwolf, which meant "noble wolf" from the Germanic elements
adal "noble" and
wulf. It was borne by several Swedish kings as a first or second name, most notably by Gustav II Adolf in the 17th century. Association with Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), the leader of the Nazi party in Germany during World War II, has lessened the use of this name.
ÆÐELSTANmAnglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðel "noble" and
stan "stone". This was the name of an early king of England. The name was rarely used after the Norman conquest.
AGRIPPAm & fAncient Roman, BiblicalRoman cognomen of unknown meaning, possibly from Greek
αγριος (agrios) "wild" and
‘ιππος (hippos) "horse" or possibly of Etruscan origin. It was also used as a praenomen, or given name, by the Furia and Menenia families. In the New Testament this name was borne by Herod Agrippa (a grandson of Herod the Great), the king of Israel who put the apostle James to death. It was also borne by the 1st-century BC Roman general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.
AL-AMIRmArabic (Rare)Means "the commander, the prince" in Arabic. This was the name of a 10th-century Fatimid imam.
ALARICmAncient GermanicFrom the Gothic name
Alareiks which meant "ruler of all", derived from the Germanic element
ala "all" combined with
ric "ruler, power". This was the name of a king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century.
ALDEBRANDmAncient GermanicGermanic name derived from the elements
ald meaning "old" and
brand meaning "sword" or "fire". Saint Aldebrand was a 12th-century bishop of Fossombrone in Italy.
ALDONAfLithuanian, PolishMeaning unknown. This was the name of a 14th-century Polish queen, the daughter of a Grand Duke of Lithuania.
ALLEGRAfItalian, English (Rare)Means "cheerful, lively" in Italian. It was borne by a short-lived illegitimate daughter of Lord Byron (1817-1822).
AMALRICmAncient GermanicGermanic name derived from the elements
amal meaning "work, labour" and
ric meaning "power". This was the name of a 6th-century king of the Visigoths, as well as two 12th-century rulers of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
ANSELMmGerman, English (Rare), Ancient GermanicDerived from the Germanic elements
ans "god" and
helm "helmet, protection". This name was brought to England in the late 11th century by Saint Anselm, who was born in northern Italy. He was archbishop of Canterbury and a Doctor of the Church.
ARETHAfEnglishPossibly derived from Greek
αρετη (arete) meaning "virtue". This name was popularized in the 1960s by American singer Aretha Franklin (1942-).
ARTEMISIAfAncient GreekFeminine form of
ARTEMISIOS. This was the name of the 4th-century BC builder of the Mausoleum, one of the seven wonders of the world. She built it in memory of her husband, the Carian prince Mausolus.
ASPASIAfAncient GreekDerived from Greek
ασπασιος (aspasios) meaning "welcome, embrace". This was the name of the lover of Pericles (5th century BC).
ATTILAmHistory, HungarianPossibly means "little father" from Gothic
atta "father" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century leader of the Huns, a nomadic people from Central Asia who had expanded into Eastern Europe by the 4th century.
Attila was the name given to him by his Gothic-speaking subjects in Eastern Europe; his real name may have been Avithohol.
AURELIUSmAncient RomanRoman 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.
BAHRAMmPersian, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Avestan
Verethragna meaning "victory over resistance". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with victory and war. This name was borne by several Sassanid emperors. It is also the Persian name for the planet Mars.
BEDEmHistoryModern form of the Old English name
Baeda, possibly related to Old English
bed "prayer". Saint Bede, called the Venerable Bede, was an 8th-century historian, scholar and Doctor of the Church.
BENEDICTmEnglishFrom 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.
BENITOmSpanish, ItalianSpanish form of
BENEDICT. This name was borne by Mexican president Benito Juárez, and also by Benito Mussolini (who was named after Juárez), the fascist dictator of Italy during World War II.
BENJAMINmEnglish, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) which means "son of the south" or "son of the right hand", from the roots
בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and
יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament is the twelfth and youngest son of
Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named
בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-'oni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother
Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see Genesis 35:18).
... [more] BERENICEfEnglish, Italian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of
Βερενικη (Berenike), the Macedonian form of the Greek name
Φερενικη (Pherenike), which meant "bringing victory" from
φερω (phero) "to bring" and
νικη (nike) "victory". This name was common among the Ptolemy ruling family of Egypt, a dynasty which was originally from Macedon. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament (in most English Bibles it is spelled
Bernice) belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II. As an English name,
Berenice came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
BERTHAfGerman, English, Ancient GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
beraht meaning "bright, famous". It was borne by the mother of
Charlemagne in the 8th century, and it was popularized in England by the Normans. It died out as an English name after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century. The name also appears in southern Germanic legends (often spelled
Perchta or
Berchta) belonging to a goddess of animals and weaving.
BESSARIONmLate GreekMeaning uncertain, possibly from Greek
βησσα (bessa) "wooded valley". This was the name of a 5th-century Egyptian hermit who was a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great. It was later adopted by the scholar Basilios Bessarion (1403-1472), a Greek born in Byzantine Anatolia who became a Roman Catholic bishop.
BLANCHEfFrench, EnglishFrom 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.
BOLESŁAWmPolishDerived from the Slavic elements
bolye "more, greater" and
slava "glory". This was the name of kings of Poland, starting in the 11th century with the first Polish king Bolesław the Brave.
BOUDICCAfAncient Celtic (Latinized)Derived from Brythonic
boud meaning "victory". This was the name of a 1st-century queen of the Iceni who led the Britons in revolt against the Romans. Eventually her forces were defeated and she committed suicide. Her name is first recorded in Roman histories, as
Boudicca by Tacitus and
Βουδουικα (Boudouika) by Cassius Dio.
CARATACOSmAncient CelticDerived from the Celtic element
car meaning "love". This was the name of a 1st-century British chieftain who rebelled against Roman rule.
CASSIUSmAncient RomanRoman family name which was possibly derived from Latin
cassus "empty, vain". This name was borne by several early saints. In modern times, it was the original first name of boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who was named after his father Cassius Clay, who was himself named after the American abolitionist Cassius Clay (1810-1903).
CHARESmAncient GreekDerived from Greek
χαρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian general. It was also borne by the sculptor who crafted the Colossus of Rhodes.
CHARLEMAGNEmHistoryFrom Old French
Charles le Magne meaning "
CHARLES the Great". This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.
CHRISTOPHERmEnglishFrom the Late Greek name
Χριστοφορος (Christophoros) meaning "bearing
CHRIST", derived from
Χριστος (Christos) combined with
φερω (phero) "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young
Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.
... [more] CONFUCIUSmHistoryAnglicized form of the Chinese name
Kong Fuzi. The surname
孔 (Kong) means "hole, opening" and the title
夫子 (Fuzi) means "master". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Chinese philosopher. His given name was
Qiu.
CORETTAfEnglishDiminutive of
CORA. It was borne by Coretta Scott King (1927-2006), the wife of Martin Luther King.
CORNELIAfGerman, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
CORNELIUS. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
CYRANOmLiteraturePossibly derived from the name of the ancient Greek city of Cyrene, which was located in North Africa. Edmond Rostand used this name in his play 'Cyrano de Bergerac' (1897). He based his character upon a real person, Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac, a French satirist of the 17th century.
DAFYDDmWelshWelsh form of
DAVID. This name was borne by Dafydd ap Gruffydd, a 13th-century Welsh ruler, and Dafydd ap Gwilym, a 14th-century poet.
DRUSUSmAncient RomanRoman family name, also sometimes used as a praenomen, or given name, by the Claudia family. Apparently the name was first assumed by a Roman warrior who killed a Gallic chieftain named Drausus in single combat.
Drausus possibly derives from a Celtic element meaning "strong".
ELIOTmEnglishFrom a surname which was a variant of
ELLIOTT. A famous bearer of the surname was T. S. Eliot (1888-1965), an Anglo-American poet and dramatist, the writer of 'The Waste Land'. As a given name, it was borne by the American mob-buster Eliot Ness (1903-1957).
ELVISmEnglishMeaning unknown. It could possibly be a derivative of
ALVIS or
ELWIN. More likely, it is from the rare surname
Elvis, which is ultimately derived from the given name
ELOISE. The name was brought to public attention by the singer Elvis Presley (1935-1977), whose name came from his father's middle name.
EMMAfEnglish, French, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Dutch, German, Ancient GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element
ermen meaning "whole" or "universal". It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called
Hemma.
... [more] ERIKmSwedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Hungarian, German, Dutch, EnglishScandinavian form of
ERIC. This was the name of kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. King Erik IX of Sweden (12th century) is the patron saint of that country.
ERZSÉBETfHungarianHungarian form of
ELIZABETH. This is the native name of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. It was also borne by the infamous Erzsébet Báthory, a 16th-century countess and murderer.
ESTHERfEnglish, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekPossibly means "star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess
ISHTAR. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor
Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin
Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was
Hadassah.
... [more] FIACHRAmIrish, Irish MythologyDerived from Gaelic
fiach meaning "raven". In Irish legend Fiachra was one of the four children of
Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners, a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France.
FLORENCEf & mEnglish, FrenchFrom the Latin name
Florentius or the feminine form
Florentia, which were derived from
florens "prosperous, flourishing".
Florentius was borne by many early Christian saints, and it was occasionally used in their honour through the Middle Ages. In modern times it is mostly feminine.
... [more] FRIEDRICHmGermanGerman form of
FREDERICK. This was the name of kings of Germany. The socialist Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) and the philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) are two famous bearers of this name.
FYODORmRussianRussian form of
THEODORE. It was borne by three tsars of Russia. Another notable bearer was Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821-1881), the Russian author of such works as 'Crime and Punishment' and 'The Brothers Karamazov'.
GALENmEnglishModern form of the Greek name
Γαληνος (Galenos), which meant "calm" from Greek
γαληνη (galene). It was borne by a 2nd-century BC Greco-Roman physician who contributed to anatomy and medicine. In modern times the name is occasionally given in his honour.
GARRETTmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from the given name
GERALD or
GERARD. A famous bearer of the surname was Pat Garrett (1850-1908), the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid.
GENGHISmHistoryFrom the title
Genghis (or
Chinggis)
Khan, meaning "universal ruler", which was adopted by the Mongol Empire founder
Temujin in the late 12th century. Remembered both for his military brilliance and his brutality towards civilians, he went on to conquer huge areas of Asia and Eastern Europe.
GENTIUSmAlbanianPossibly means "to beget" in Illyrian. This was the name of a 2nd-century BC Illyrian king who went to war with Rome.
GEORGESmFrenchFrench form of
GEORGE. This name was borne by the French artists Georges Seurat (1859-1891) and Georges Braque (1882-1963).
GERONIMOmHistoryFrom
Gerónimo, a Spanish form of
JEROME. This is the better-known name of the Apache leader
Goyathlay (1829-1909). It was given to him by the Mexicans, his enemies.
GODIVAfAnglo-Saxon (Latinized)Latinized form of the Old English name
Godgifu meaning "gift of god", from the elements
god and
giefu "gift". Lady Godiva was an 11th-century English noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry to protest the high taxes imposed by her husband upon the townspeople.
GRUFFUDDmWelshFrom the Old Welsh name
Griphiud, the second element deriving from Welsh
udd "lord, prince" but the first element being of uncertain meaning (possibly
cryf "strong"). This was a common name among medieval Welsh royalty. Gruffudd (or Gruffydd) ap Llywelyn was an 11th-century Welsh ruler who fought against England.
GWENLLIANfWelshDerived 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.
HADRIANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Hadrianus, which meant "from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria was the name of two Roman settlements. The first (modern Adria) is in northern Italy and was an important Etruscan port town. The second (modern Atri) is in central Italy and was named after the northern town. The Adriatic Sea is also named after the northern town.
... [more] HILARYf & mEnglishMedieval English form of
HILARIUS or
HILARIA. During the Middle Ages it was primarily a masculine name. It was revived in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century as a predominantly feminine name. In America, this name and the variant
Hillary seemed to drop in popularity after Hillary Clinton (1947-) became the first lady.
HITOMIfJapaneseFrom Japanese
瞳 (hitomi) meaning "pupil of the eye". It can also come from
史 (hito) meaning "history" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other kanji combinations. This name is often written with the hiragana writing system.
HOMERmEnglish, Ancient Greek (Anglicized)From the Greek name
‘Ομηρος (Homeros), derived from
‘ομηρος (homeros) meaning "hostage, pledge". Homer was the Greek epic poet who wrote the 'Iliad', about the Trojan War, and the 'Odyssey', about
Odysseus's journey home after the war. There is some debate about when he lived, or if he was even a real person, though most scholars place him in the 8th century BC. In the modern era,
Homer has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world (chiefly in America) since the 18th century. This name is borne by the cartoon father on the television series 'The Simpsons'.
HORATIOmEnglishVariant of
HORATIUS. It was borne by the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805), famous for his defeat of Napoleon's forces in the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he was himself killed. Since his time the name has been occasionally used in his honour.
HYPATIAfAncient GreekDerived from Greek
‘υπατος (hypatos) meaning "highest, supreme". Hypatia of Alexandria was a 5th-century philosopher and mathematician, daughter of the mathematician Theon.
HYWELmWelshMeans "eminent" in Welsh. This was the name of a 10th-century king of Wales.
ISABELfSpanish, Portuguese, English, French, GermanMedieval Occitan form of
ELIZABETH. It spread throughout Spain, Portugal and France, becoming common among the royalty by the 12th century. It grew popular in England in the 13th century after Isabella of Angoulême married the English king John, and it was subsequently bolstered when Isabella of France married Edward II the following century.
... [more] ISABELLAfItalian, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, RomanianLatinate form of
ISABEL. This name was borne by many medieval royals, including queen consorts of England, France, Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire and Hungary, as well as the powerful ruling queen Isabella of Castile (properly called
Isabel).
ISAGANImFilipino, TagalogMeaning unknown. This is the name of a character in the novel 'El Filibusterismo' (1891) by José Rizal.
JANEfEnglishMedieval English form of
Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of
Iohannes (see
JOHN). This became the most common feminine form of
John in the 17th century, surpassing
Joan.
... [more] JAYADEVAmSanskritMeans "divine victory" from Sanskrit
जय (jaya) meaning "victory" and
देव (deva) meaning "god". This was the name of a 13th-century Indian poet.
JEANNEfFrench, EnglishModern French form of
Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of
Iohannes (see
JOHN). Joan of Arc is known as Jeanne d'Arc in France.
JEBmEnglishSometimes a diminutive of
JACOB. This name may have also resulted from a nickname of James Ewell Brown Stuart (1833-1864), a Confederate general in the American Civil War, which was formed from the initial letters of his three given names.
JESSEmEnglish, Dutch, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יִשַׁי (Yishai) which possibly means "gift". In the Old Testament Jesse is the father of King
David. It began to be used as an English given name after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was Jesse James (1847-1882), an American outlaw who held up banks and stagecoaches. He was eventually shot by a fellow gang member for a reward. Another famous bearer was the American athlete Jesse Owens (1913-1980), whose real name was James Cleveland (or J. C.) Owens.
JOAN (1)fEnglishMedieval English form of
Johanne, an Old French form of
Iohanna (see
JOANNA). This was the usual English feminine form of
John in the Middle Ages, but it was surpassed in popularity by
Jane in the 17th century.
... [more] JOSEPHmEnglish, French, German, BiblicalFrom
Ioseph, the Latin form of Greek
Ιωσηφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name
יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning "he will add", from the root
יָסַף (yasaf). In the Old Testament Joseph is the eleventh son of
Jacob and the first with his wife
Rachel. Because he was the favourite of his father, his older brothers sent him to Egypt and told their father that he had died. In Egypt, Joseph became an advisor to the pharaoh, and was eventually reconciled with his brothers when they came to Egypt during a famine. This name also occurs in the New Testament, belonging to Saint Joseph the husband of
Mary, and to Joseph of Arimathea.
... [more] JOSEPHUSmDutch, HistoryLatin form of
JOSEPH. This form is used by Dutch Catholics. In English, it is used primarily to refer to the 1st-century Jewish historian Titus Flavius Josephus.
LEONIDASmGreek, Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
λεων (leon) meaning "lion" combined with the patronymic suffix
ιδης (ides). Leonidas was a Spartan king of the 5th century BC who sacrificed his life and his army defending the pass of Thermopylae from the Persians. This was also the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr, the father of Origen, from Alexandria.
LLYWELYNmWelshPossibly a Welsh form of the old Celtic name
Lugubelenus, a combination of the names of the gods
LUGUS and
BELENUS. Alternatively it may be derived from Welsh
llyw "leader". This was the name of several Welsh rulers, notably the 13th-century Llywelyn the Great who fought against England.
LORENZOmItalian, SpanishItalian and Spanish form of
Laurentius (see
LAURENCE (1)). Lorenzo de' Medici (1449-1492), known as the Magnificent, was a ruler of Florence during the Renaissance. He was also a great patron of the arts who employed Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and other famous artists.
LUCANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Lucanus, which was derived from the name of the city of Luca in Tuscany (modern Lucca). Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.
MAHATMAmHistoryFrom the Indian title
महात्मा (Mahatma) meaning "great soul", derived from Sanskrit
महा (maha) meaning "great" and
आत्मन् (atman) meaning "soul, spirit, life". This title was given to, among others, Mohandas Karamchand, also known as Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948).
MANFREDmGerman, Dutch, PolishDerived from the Germanic elements
magan "strength" and
frid "peace". This is the name of the main character in Byron's drama 'Manfred' (1817). This name was also borne by Manfred von Richthofen (1892-1918), the German pilot in World War I who was known as the Red Baron.
MARIAN (1)fEnglishVariant of
MARION (1). This name was borne in English legend by Maid Marian, Robin Hood's love. It is sometimes considered a combination of
MARY and
ANN.
MARIEf & mFrench, Czech, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishFrench and Czech form of
MARIA. A notable bearer of this name was Marie Antoinette, a queen of France who was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. Another was Marie Curie (1867-1934), a physicist and chemist who studied radioactivity with her husband Pierre.
... [more] MARIUSmAncient Roman, Romanian, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, FrenchRoman family name which was derived either from
MARS, the name of the Roman god of War, or else from the Latin root
mas, maris meaning "male". Gaius Marius was a famous Roman consul of the 2nd century BC. Since the start of the Christian era, it has occasionally been used as a masculine form of
MARIA.
MARTIALmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Martialis, which was derived from the name of the Roman god
MARS. The name was borne by Marcus Valerius Martialis, now commonly known as Martial, a Roman poet of the 1st century.
MERIWETHERmEnglish (Rare)From a surname meaning "happy weather" in Middle English, originally belonging to a cheery person. A notable bearer of the name was Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), who, with William Clark, explored the west of North America.
MILTIADESmAncient GreekDerived 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.
MIRCEAmRomanianRomanian form of
MIRČE. This name was borne by a 14th-century ruler of Wallachia.
MOHANDASmIndian, HindiMeans "servant of Mohana" from the name of the Hindu god
MOHANA combined with Sanskrit
दास (dasa) meaning "servant". A famous bearer of this name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), also known as Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian leader who struggled peacefully for independence from Britain.
MUIREDACHmIrishMeans "lord" in Irish. This was the name of several legendary and historical kings of Ireland.
NEFERTARIfAncient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
Nfrt-jrj meaning "the most beautiful". This was the name of an Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom, the favourite wife of Rameses II.
NEFERTITIfAncient EgyptianFrom Egyptian
Nfrt-jytj meaning "the beautiful one has come". Nefertiti was a powerful Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom, the principal wife of
Akhenaton, the pharaoh that briefly imposed a monotheistic religion centered around the sun god
Aton.
NEILmIrish, Scottish, EnglishFrom the Gaelic name
Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly meaning "champion" or "cloud". This was the name of a semi-legendary 4th-century Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages.
... [more] NERO (1)mAncient RomanRoman cognomen, which was probably of Sabine origin meaning "strong, vigourous". It was borne most infamously by a tyrannical Roman emperor of the 1st century.
NIKIASmAncient GreekDerived from Greek
νικη (nike) meaning "victory". This was the name of an Athenian general who fought in the Peloponnesian war.
NYSSAfVariousFrom the name of an ancient town of Asia Minor where Saint Gregory was bishop. Nyssa is also the genus name of a type of tree, also called the Tupelo.
ODOVACARmAncient GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Audovacar meaning "wealthy and vigilant", derived from the elements
aud "wealth" and
wacar "vigilant". Odovacar, also called Odoacer, was a 5th-century Gothic leader who overthrew the last Western Roman emperor and became the first barbarian king of Italy.
ORVILLEmEnglishThis name was invented by the 18th-century writer Fanny Burney, who perhaps intended it to mean "golden city" in French. Orville Wright (1871-1948), together with his brother Wilbur, invented the first successful airplane.
OSMANmTurkishTurkish form of
UTHMAN. This was the name of the founder of the Ottoman Empire (14th century).
PANCHOmSpanishSpanish diminutive of
FRANCISCO. This name was borne by Pancho Villa (1878-1923), a Mexican bandit and revolutionary.
PATTONmEnglish (Rare)From an English surname which was derived from a diminutive of
PATRICK. A notable bearer of the surname was the American World War II general George S. Patton (1885-1945), who played an important part in the allied offensive in France.
PEYTONm & fEnglishFrom an English surname, originally a place name meaning "
PÆGA's town". A famous bearer was Peyton Randolph (1721-1775), the first president of the Continental Congress. It is also borne by American football quarterback Peyton Manning (1976-).
PLATOmAncient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Πλατων (Platon) which was derived from Greek
πλατυς (platys) meaning "broad-shouldered". Plato was one of the most important of the Greek philosophers. He was a pupil of
Socrates and a teacher of
Aristotle. He constructed the theory of Forms and wrote several works, including the 'Republic'.
POCAHONTASfNative American, PowhatanMeans "playful one" in Powhatan, an Algonquian language. This was the name of a 17th-century Powhatan woman, a daughter of the powerful chief
Wahunsenacawh. She married the white colonist John Rolfe and travelled with him to England, but died of illness before returning.
PRUDENTIUSmLate RomanLate Latin name derived from
prudens "prudence, good judgement". This was the name of a 9th-century bishop of Troyes. He is considered a local saint there.
PTOLEMYmHistoryFrom the Greek name
Πτολεμαιος (Ptolemaios), derived from Greek
πολεμηιος (polemeios) meaning "aggressive, warlike". Ptolemy was the name of several Greco-Egyptian rulers of Egypt, all descendants of Ptolemy I, one of the generals of Alexander the Great. This was also the name of a Greek astronomer.
QIUm & fChineseFrom Chinese
秋 (qiū) meaning "autumn",
丘 (qiū) meaning "hill, mound", or other characters with a similar pronunciation. The given name of the philosopher
Confucius was
丘.
QUENTINmFrench, EnglishFrench form of the Roman name
QUINTINUS. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a missionary who was martyred in Gaul. The Normans introduced this name to England. In America it was brought to public attention by president Theodore Roosevelt's son Quentin Roosevelt (1897-1918), who was killed in World War I.
RODNEYmEnglishFrom a surname, originally derived from a place name, which meant "Hroda's island" in Old English (where
Hroda is a Germanic given name meaning "fame"). It was first used as a given name in honour of the British admiral Lord Rodney (1719-1792).
ROLLOmEnglishLatinized form of
Roul, the Old French form of
ROLF. Rollo (or Rolf) the Ganger was an exiled Viking who, in the 10th century, became the first Duke of Normandy. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
ROSAMUNDfEnglish (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.
ROWENAfEnglishMeaning uncertain, possibly a Latinized form of a Germanic name derived from the elements
hrod "fame" and
wunn "joy, bliss". According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, this was the name of a daughter of the Saxon chief Hengist. Alternatively, Geoffrey may have based it on a Welsh name. It was popularized by Sir Walter Scott, who used it for a character in his novel 'Ivanhoe' (1819).
RUADHmIrish, ScottishGaelic byname meaning "red", often a nickname for one with red hair. This was the nickname of the Scottish outlaw Raibeart Ruadh MacGregor (1671-1734), known as Rob Roy in English.
SAGAfNorse Mythology, Swedish, IcelandicPossibly means "seeing one" in Old Norse. This was the name of the Norse goddess of poetry and history, sometimes identified with the goddess
Frigg. This is also a modern Swedish word meaning "story, fairy tale".
SCHUYLERmEnglishFrom a Dutch surname meaning "scholar". Dutch settlers brought the surname to America, where it was subsequently adopted as a given name in honour of the American general and senator Philip Schuyler (1733-1804).
SENECAmAncient RomanFrom a Roman cognomen which meant "old" from Latin
senectus. This was the name of both a Roman orator (born in Spain) and also of his son, a philosopher and statesman. This name also coincides with that of the
Seneca, a Native American tribe that lived near the Great Lakes, whose name meant "place of stones".
SEQUOYAHmNative American, CherokeePossibly from Cherokee
siqua meaning "hog". This was the name of the Cherokee man (also known as George Guess) who devised the Cherokee writing system in the 19th century.
SIGMUNDmGerman, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, EnglishDerived from the Germanic elements
sigu "victory" and
mund "protector" (or in the case of the Scandinavian cognate, from the Old Norse elements
sigr "victory" and
mundr "protector"). In Norse mythology this was the name of the hero
Sigurd's father, the bearer of the powerful sword Gram. A notable bearer was the Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the creator of the revolutionary theory of psychoanalysis.
SOLONmAncient GreekPossibly from Greek
σολος (solos) meaning "lump of iron". This was the name of an Athenian statesman who reformed the laws and government of the city.
SPARTACUSmHistoryMeans "from the city of Sparta" in Latin. Spartacus was the name of a Thracian-born Roman slave who led a slave revolt in Italy in the 1st century BC. He was eventually killed in battle and many of his followers were crucified.
SWITHINmHistoryFrom the Old English name
Swiðhun or
Swiþhun, derived from
swiþ "strong" and perhaps
hun "bear cub". Saint Swithin was a 9th-century bishop of Winchester.
TACITUSmAncient RomanRoman cognomen which meant "silent, mute" in Latin. This was the name of a 1st-century Roman historian.
TARIQmArabicMeans "he who knocks at the door" in Arabic. This is the Arabic name of the morning star. Tariq ibn Ziyad was the Islamic general who conquered Spain for the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century.
TARQUINmHistoryFrom the Roman name
Tarquinius which is of unknown meaning, possibly Etruscan in origin. This was the name of two early kings of Rome.
TIGHEARNÁNmIrishMeans "little lord" from Irish Gaelic
tigern "lord" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 12th-century king of Breifne in Ireland.
TULLYmHistoryForm of
Tullius (see
TULLIO) used to refer to the Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero.
UMARmArabic, UrduMeans "populous, flourishing", derived from Arabic
عمر ('umr) meaning "life". Umar was a companion and strong supporter of
Muhammad who became the second caliph of the Muslims. He is considered to be one of the great founders of the Muslim state. The name was also borne by a 12th-century poet from Persia, Umar Khayyam.
VIRGINIAfEnglish, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Romanian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of the Roman family name
Verginius or
Virginius which is of unknown meaning, but long associated with Latin
virgo "maid, virgin". According to a legend, it was the name of a Roman woman killed by her father so as to save her from the clutches of a crooked official.
... [more] VIRIATOmPortugueseFrom the Latin name
Viriathus or
Viriatus, which was derived from
viriae "bracelets" (of Celtic origin). Viriathus was a leader of the Lusitani (a tribe of Portugal) who rebelled against Roman rule in the 2nd century BC.
WALLISm & fEnglish (Rare)From a surname which was a variant of
WALLACE. Wallis Simpson (1895-1986) was the divorced woman whom Edward VIII married, which forced him to abdicate the British throne.
WRIGHTmEnglishFrom an occupational surname meaning "craftsman", ultimately from Old English
wyrhta. Famous bearers of the surname were the Wright brothers (Wilbur 1867-1912 and Orville 1871-1948), the inventors of the first successful airplane, and Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), an American architect.
WYATTmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from the medieval given name
WYOT. Wyatt Earp (1848-1929) was an American lawman and gunfighter involved in the famous shootout at the OK Corral.
XANTHIPPEfAncient GreekFeminine form of
XANTHIPPOS. This was the name of the wife of
Socrates. Because of her supposedly argumentative nature, the name has been adopted (in the modern era) as a word for a scolding, ill-tempered woman.
YAMATOmJapaneseFrom
YAMATO, an ancient name for Japan. It can also refer to the Yamato period in Japanese history, which lasted into the 8th century. The individual kanji are
大 meaning "great" and
和 meaning "harmony".
ZEDONGm & fChineseFrom Chinese
泽 (zé) meaning "moist, grace, brilliance" combined with
东 (dōng) meaning "east", as well as other character combinations. A notable bearer was the founder of the People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong (1893-1976).
ZENOBIAfAncient GreekMeans "life of Zeus", derived from Greek
Ζηνο (Zeno), a prefix form of the name of
ZEUS, combined with
βιος (bios) "life". This was the name of a 3rd-century queen of Palmyra. After claiming the title 'Queen of the East' and expanding her realm into Roman territory she was defeated by Emperor Aurelian. Her Greek name was used as an approximation of her native Aramaic name.