BeowulfmAnglo-Saxon Mythology Possibly means "bee wolf" (in effect equal to "bear") from Old English beo "bee" and wulf "wolf". Alternatively, the first element may be beadu "battle". This is the name of the main character in the anonymous 8th-century epic poem Beowulf. Set in Denmark, the poem tells how he slays the monster Grendel and its mother at the request of King Hroðgar. After this Beowulf becomes the king of the Geats. The conclusion of the poem tells how Beawulf, in his old age, slays a dragon but is himself mortally wounded in the act.
BugsmPopular 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.
BugsymEnglish From a nickname derived from the slang term bugsy meaning "crazy, unstable". It was notably borne by the American gangster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel (1906-1947).
Candidem & fFrench (Rare), Literature French form of Candidus or Candida. The French philosopher and author Voltaire used this name for the main character (a male) in his satire Candide (1759). In French candide also means "naive", which is descriptive of the book's protagonist.
DeborahfEnglish, Biblical From the Hebrew name דְּבוֹרָה (Devorah) meaning "bee". In the Old Testament Book of Judges, Deborah is a heroine and prophetess who leads the Israelites when they are threatened by the Canaanites. She forms an army under the command of Barak, and together they destroy the army of the Canaanite commander Sisera. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of the nurse of Rebecca.... [more]
LunafRoman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.
MarquismAfrican American From a noble title that derives from the Old French word marche meaning "march, borderland". The title originally referred to someone who ruled on the borderlands of a realm.
MelanthafEnglish (Rare) Probably a combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the suffix antha (from Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). John Dryden used this name in his play Marriage a la Mode (1672).
MelinafEnglish, Greek Elaboration of Mel, either from names such as Melissa or from Greek μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". A famous bearer was Greek-American actress Melina Mercouri (1920-1994), who was born Maria Amalia Mercouris.
MelindafEnglish, Hungarian Combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the popular name suffix inda. It was created in the 18th century, and may have been inspired by the similar name Belinda. In Hungary, the name was popularized by the 1819 play Bánk Bán by József Katona.
MelissafEnglish, Dutch, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology Means "bee" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a daughter of Procles, as well as an epithet of various Greek nymphs and priestesses. According to the early Christian writer Lactantius this was the name of the sister of the nymph Amalthea, with whom she cared for the young Zeus. Later it appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1516 poem Orlando Furioso belonging to the fairy who helps Ruggiero escape from the witch Alcina. As an English given name, Melissa has been used since the 18th century.
MiillaaraqfIndigenous American, Greenlandic Possibly from Greenlandic millalaarpoq meaning "drone, hum (of an insect)" combined with the diminutive suffix -araq.
ScorpiomAstronomy Means "scorpion" in Latin, from Greek σκορπίος (skorpios). This is the name of the eighth sign of the zodiac, associated with the constellation Scorpius.
ScorpiusmAstronomy From a Latin variant of Scorpio. This is the name of a zodiacal constellation said to have the shape of a scorpion. According to Greek and Roman legend it was the monster that was sent to kill Orion.
SerketfEgyptian Mythology From Egyptian srqt, possibly meaning "she who lets throats breathe", from srq meaning "to open the windpipe, to breathe" and a feminine t suffix. In Egyptian mythology she was the goddess of scorpions as well as the healing of poisonous stings and bites. Eventually she came to be identified with Isis, becoming an aspect of her over time.
VanessafEnglish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Dutch Invented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem Cadenus and Vanessa. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.
VespasianmHistory From the Roman cognomen Vespasianus, derived either from Latin vesper meaning "west" or "evening" or vespa meaning "wasp". This was the name of a 1st-century Roman emperor, Titus Flavius Vespasianus, the founder of the Flavian dynasty.