AnsbertmGermanic Composed of the Old German elements ansi "god" and beraht "bright". It is a cognate of Osbert. This name was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint, a bishop of Rouen.
AuberonmLiterature From a diminutive form of Auberi, an Old French form of Alberich. It is the name of the fairy king in the 13th-century epic Huon de Bordeaux.
AvelinefEnglish (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.
BradamantefLiterature Used by Matteo Maria Boiardo for a female knight in his epic poem Orlando Innamorato (1483). He possibly intended it to derive from Italian brado "wild, untamed, natural" and amante "loving" or perhaps Latin amantis "lover, sweetheart, mistress", referring to her love for the Saracen Ruggiero. Bradamante also appears in Ludovico Ariosto's poem Orlando Furioso (1532) and Handel's opera Alcina (1735).
CharibertmGermanic Old German (Frankish) variant of Haribert. This name was borne by two Merovingian kings of the Franks (6th and 7th centuries).
DidofRoman Mythology, Greek Mythology Meaning unknown, probably of Phoenician origin. Dido, also called Elissa, was the queen of Carthage in Virgil's Aeneid. She threw herself upon a funeral pyre after Aeneas left her. Virgil based the story on earlier Greco-Roman accounts.
EberhardmGerman, Germanic Old German name meaning "brave boar", derived from the elements ebur "wild boar" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by an influential 9th-century Duke of Friuli. It was also the name of a 12th-century German saint, an archbishop of Salzburg.
ElfredafEnglish Middle English form of the Old English name Ælfþryð meaning "elf strength", derived from the element ælf "elf" combined with þryþ "strength". Ælfþryð was common amongst Anglo-Saxon nobility, being borne for example by the mother of King Æðelræd the Unready. This name was rare after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
EmmafEnglish, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Germanic Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning "whole" or "great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). 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]
EuropafGreek Mythology (Latinized) Latinized form of Greek Εὐρώπη (Europe), which meant "wide face" from εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted and taken to Crete by Zeus in the guise of a bull. She became the first queen of Crete, and later fathered Minos by Zeus. The continent of Europe said to be named for her, though it is more likely her name is from that of the continent. This is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.
FaroaldmGermanic Derived from the Old German elements fara "journey" and walt "power, authority". This name was borne by the first Duke of Spoleto, a 6th-century Lombard.
GerulfmGermanic Derived from Old German ger meaning "spear" and wolf meaning "wolf". This was the name of an 8th-century saint and martyr from Drongen, Belgium.
HildebertmGerman (Rare) Means "bright battle" from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and beraht "bright". This name was borne by four early Frankish kings, usually called Childebert.
HildegardfGerman, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic Derived from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and gart "enclosure, yard". This was the name of the second wife of Charlemagne (8th century). Also, Saint Hildegard was a 12th-century mystic from Bingen in Germany who was famous for her writings and poetry and also for her prophetic visions.
LeofwinemAnglo-Saxon Means "dear friend", derived from the Old English elements leof "dear, beloved" and wine "friend". This was the name of an 8th-century English saint, also known as Lebuin, who did missionary work in Frisia.
PolyxenafGreek Mythology (Latinized) Latinized form of Greek Πολυξένη (Polyxene), which was from the word πολύξενος (polyxenos) meaning "entertaining many guests, very hospitable", itself derived from πολύς (polys) meaning "many" and ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest". In Greek legend she was a daughter of Priam and Hecuba, beloved by Achilles. After the Trojan War, Achilles' son Neoptolemus sacrificed her.
Rainef & mEnglish (Rare) Possibly based on the French word reine meaning "queen". A famous bearer was the British socialite Raine Spencer (1929-2016), the stepmother of Princess Diana. In modern times it can also be used as a variant of Rain 1 or a short form of Lorraine.
RichardisfGermanic (Latinized) Germanic name, possibly a feminine form of Ricohard, though it is likely the second element is gart "enclosure" (being more common as a second element in feminine names). This was the name of the 9th-century wife of the Frankish emperor Charles the Fat. She is regarded as a saint.
SidoniafLate Roman, Georgian Feminine form of Sidonius. This is the name of a legendary saint from Georgia. She and her father Abiathar were supposedly converted by Saint Nino from Judaism to Christianity.
SilviusmLate Roman, Roman Mythology Derived from Latin silva meaning "wood, forest". This was the family name of several of the legendary kings of Alba Longa. It was also the name of an early saint martyred in Alexandria.
TancredmOld Norman Norman form of the Germanic name Thancrat meaning "thought and counsel", derived from the elements thank meaning "thought, consideration, thanks" (Old High German danc, Old Frankish þank) and rat meaning "counsel, advice". This name was common among the medieval Norman nobility of southern Italy, being the name of the founder of the Hauteville family. It was borne by a leader of the First Crusade, described by Torquato Tasso in his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580).
TarzanmLiterature Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs for the main character in his novel Tarzan of the Apes (1912). In the novel Tarzan is the ape name of the baby John Clayton, who was adopted by the animals after his parents died in the African jungle. The name is said to mean "white skin" in the fictional Mangani ape language.