Agrippina f Ancient Roman, SicilianFeminine derivative of
Agrippa. This name was borne by the scheming mother of the Roman emperor
Nero, who eventually had her killed. This was also the name of a 3rd-century Roman saint who is venerated in Sicily.
Alannah f Irish, English (Modern)Variant of
Alana. It has been influenced by the affectionate Anglo-Irish word
alannah, from the Irish Gaelic phrase
a leanbh meaning "O child".
Alban m German, French, Albanian, English (Rare)From the Roman cognomen
Albanus, which meant
"from Alba". Alba (from Latin
albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.
... [more] Alexandria f EnglishFeminine form of
Alexander. Alexander the Great founded several cities by this name (or renamed them) as he extended his empire eastward. The most notable of these is Alexandria in Egypt, founded by Alexander in 331 BC.
Amaziah m BiblicalMeans
"Yahweh strengthens" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters, including a king of Judah.
Annunziata f ItalianMeans
"announced" in Italian, referring to the event in the New Testament in which the angel Gabriel tells the Virgin
Mary of the imminent birth of
Jesus.
Antonio m Spanish, Italian, CroatianSpanish and Italian form of
Antonius (see
Anthony). This has been a common name in Italy since the 14th century. In Spain it was the most popular name for boys in the 1950s and 60s.
... [more] Athaliah f & m BiblicalPossibly means
"Yahweh is exalted" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is both a feminine and masculine name. It was borne by the daughter of
Ahab and
Jezebel, who later came to rule Judah as a queen.
Auberon m LiteratureFrom 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.
Ayn f Various (Rare)This name was assumed by Ayn Rand (1905-1982), originally named Alice Rosenbaum, a Russian-American writer and philosopher. She apparently based it on a Finnish name she had heard, but never seen written.
Beatrix f German, Hungarian, Dutch, English, Late RomanProbably from
Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name
Viator meaning
"voyager, traveller". It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin
beatus "blessed, happy". Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of Diocletian.
... [more] Benigno m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Rare)Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name
Benignus, which meant
"kind, friendly". This was the name of several saints including a 5th-century disciple of Saint
Patrick who later became the archbishop of Armagh.
Bertha f German, English, GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element
berht, Old High German
beraht meaning
"bright" (Proto-Germanic *
berhtaz). This was the name of a few early saints, including a 6th-century Frankish princess who married and eventually converted King
Æþelbeorht of Kent. It was also borne by the mother of
Charlemagne in the 8th century (also called
Bertrada), 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.
... [more] Blessing m & f English (African)From the English word
blessing, of Old English origin. This name is most common in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.
Boris m Bulgarian, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, German, FrenchFrom a Bulgar Turkic name, also recorded as
Bogoris, perhaps meaning
"short" or
"wolf" or
"snow leopard". It was borne by the 9th-century Boris I of Bulgaria, who converted his realm to Christianity and is thus regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church. To the north in Kievan Rus it was the name of another saint, a son of
Vladimir the Great who was murdered with his brother
Gleb in the 11th century. His mother may have been Bulgarian.
... [more] Brittany f EnglishFrom the name of the region of
Brittany in the northwest of France, called in French
Bretagne. It was named for the Britons who settled there after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the invasions of the Anglo-Saxons.
... [more] Buffy f EnglishDiminutive of
Elizabeth, from a child's pronunciation of the final syllable. It is now associated with the main character from the television series
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003).
Cato 1 m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen meaning
"wise" in Latin. This name was bestowed upon Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato), a 2nd-century BC Roman statesman, author and censor, and was subsequently inherited by his descendants, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.
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).
Christabel f English (Rare)Combination of
Christina and the name suffix
bel (inspired by Latin
bella "beautiful"). This name occurs in medieval literature, and was later used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his 1816 poem
Christabel.
Cielo f SpanishMeans
"sky, heaven" in Spanish. In Mexico this name was popularized by a character named María del Cielo, called Cielo, on the telenovela
Por tu amor (1999).
Clover f English (Modern)From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English
clafre.
Colleen f EnglishDerived from the Irish word
cailín meaning
"girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.
Condoleezza f Various (Rare)In the case of the former American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (1954-), it is derived from the Italian musical term
con dolcezza meaning
"with sweetness".
Dae-Jung m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
大 (dae) meaning "big, great, vast, large, high" combined with
中 (jung) meaning "middle". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well. A notable bearer was South Korean president Kim Dae-jung (1924-2009).
Daniel m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning
"God is my judge", from the roots
דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.
... [more] Davinia f English (Rare), Spanish (Modern)Probably an elaboration of
Davina. About 1980 this name jumped in popularity in Spain, possibly due to the main character on the British television series
The Foundation (1977-1979), which was broadcast in Spain as
La Fundación.
Dawn f EnglishFrom the English word
dawn, ultimately derived from Old English
dagung.
Delano m EnglishFrom a surname, recorded as
de la Noye in French, indicating that the bearer was from a place called La Noue (ultimately Gaulish meaning "wetland, swamp"). It has been used in honour of American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), whose middle name came from his mother's maiden name.
Delyth f WelshFrom an elaboration of Welsh
del "pretty". This is a recently created name.
Donald m Scottish, EnglishFrom the Scottish Gaelic name
Dòmhnall meaning
"ruler of the world", composed of the Old Irish elements
domun "world" and
fal "rule". This was the name of two 9th-century kings of the Scots and Picts. It has traditionally been very popular in Scotland, and during the 20th century it became common in the rest of the English-speaking world. This is the name of one of Walt Disney's most popular cartoon characters, Donald Duck, introduced 1931. It was also borne by Australian cricket player Donald Bradman (1908-2001) and former American president Donald Trump (1946-).
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFrom the Greek name
Δωρίς (Doris), which meant
"Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
Edna f English, Hebrew, BiblicalMeans
"pleasure" in Hebrew. This name appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha, for instance in the Book of Tobit belonging to the wife of
Raguel. It was borne by the American poet Edna Dean Proctor (1829-1923). It did not become popular until the second half of the 19th century, after it was used for the heroine in the successful 1866 novel
St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans. It peaked around the turn of the century and has declined steadily since then, falling off the American top 1000 list in 1992.
Elfreda f EnglishMiddle 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.
Elizabeth f English, BiblicalFrom
Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name
אֱלִישֶׁבַע ('Elisheva') meaning
"my God is an oath", derived from the roots
אֵל ('el) referring to the Hebrew God and
שָׁבַע (shava') meaning "oath". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of
Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of
John the Baptist.
... [more] Elmer m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the Old English name
Æðelmær. In the United States it is sometimes given in honour of brothers Jonathan (1745-1817) and Ebenezer Elmer (1752-1843), who were active in early American politics.
Eustace m EnglishEnglish form of
Eustachius or
Eustathius, two names of Greek origin that have been conflated in the post-classical period. Saint Eustace, who is known under both spellings, was a 2nd-century Roman general who became a Christian after seeing a vision of a cross between the antlers of a stag he was hunting. He was burned to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods and is now regarded as the patron saint of hunters. Due to him, this name was common in England during the Middle Ages, though it is presently rare.
Ewart m English (Rare)From an English and Scottish surname that was either based on a Norman form of
Edward, or else derived from a place name of unknown meaning.
Faustin m FrenchFrench form of
Faustinus (see
Faustino). It is currently more common in French-speaking Africa and the French Caribbean than it is in France. A famous bearer was Faustin Soulouque (1782-1867), a president and then emperor of Haiti.
Feliciano m Spanish, Portuguese, ItalianSpanish, Portuguese and Italian form of the Roman name
Felicianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name
Felix. It was borne by a number of early saints, including a 3rd-century bishop of Foligno.
Ferdinand m German, French, Dutch, English, Slovak, Czech, Slovene, CroatianFrom
Fredenandus, the Latinized form of a Gothic name composed of the elements
friþus "peace" (or perhaps
farþa "journey") and
nanþa "boldness, daring". The Visigoths brought the name to the Iberian Peninsula, where it entered into the royal families of Spain and Portugal. From there it became common among the Habsburg royal family of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria, starting with the Spanish-born Ferdinand I in the 16th century. A notable bearer was Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521), called Fernão de Magalhães in Portuguese, who was the leader of the first expedition to sail around the earth.
Francis m & f English, FrenchEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Franciscus meaning
"Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *
frankô). This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.
... [more] Friday m English (African)From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English
frigedæg meaning "
Frig's day". Daniel Defoe used it for a character in his novel
Robinson Crusoe (1719). As a given name, it is most often found in parts of Africa, such as Nigeria and Zambia.
Friedrich m GermanGerman form of
Frederick. This was the name of several rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Austria and Prussia. The philosophers Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) are two other famous bearers of this name.
Gardenia f English (Rare)From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).
George m English, Romanian, Indian (Christian)From the Greek name
Γεώργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word
γεωργός (georgos) meaning
"farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements
γῆ (ge) meaning "earth" and
ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Cappadocia who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.
... [more] Geraldine f EnglishFeminine form of
Gerald. This name was created by the poet Henry Howard for use in a 1537 sonnet praising Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald, whom he terms
The Geraldine.
Gillian f EnglishMedieval English feminine form of
Julian. This spelling has been in use since the 13th century, though it was not declared a distinct name from
Julian until the 17th century.
Gladys f Welsh, English, French, SpanishFrom the Old Welsh name
Gwladus, probably derived from
gwlad meaning
"country". Alternatively, it may have been adopted as a Welsh form of
Claudia. Saint Gwladus or Gwladys was the mother of Saint
Cadoc. She was one of the daughters of
Brychan Brycheiniog. This name became popular outside of Wales after it was used in Ouida's novel
Puck (1870).
Glenys f WelshProbably an elaboration of the Welsh word
glân "pure, clean, holy" or
glyn "valley". This name was created in the late 19th century.
Gloria f English, Spanish, Italian, GermanMeans
"glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin
Mary Maria da Glória and
María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.
... [more] Gloriana f English (Rare)Elaborated form of Latin
gloria meaning
"glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem
The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.
Golda f YiddishFrom Yiddish
גאָלד (gold) meaning
"gold". This is the name of Tevye's wife in the musical
Fiddler on the Roof (1964). It was also borne by the Israeli prime minister Golda Meir (1898-1978).
Guadalupe f & m SpanishFrom a Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, meaning "Our Lady of Guadalupe". Guadalupe is a Spanish place name, the site of a famous convent, derived from Arabic
وادي (wadi) meaning "valley, river" possibly combined with Latin
lupus meaning "wolf". In the 16th century Our Lady of Guadalupe supposedly appeared in a vision to a native Mexican man, and she is now regarded as a patron saint of the Americas.
Gwenllian f WelshDerived from the Welsh elements
gwen meaning "white, blessed" and possibly
lliain meaning "flaxen, made of linen" or
lliant meaning "flow, flood". This name was used by medieval Welsh royalty, notably by a 12th-century princess of Deheubarth who died in battle with the Normans. It was also borne by the 13th-century daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of Gwynedd.
Harry m EnglishMedieval English form of
Henry. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both
Henry and names beginning with
Har. Famous bearers include the American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), who was named after his uncle Harrison, and the British royal Prince Harry (1984-), who is actually named Henry. It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's
Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Harvey m EnglishFrom the Breton given name
Haerviu, which meant
"battle worthy", from
haer "battle" and
viu "worthy". This was the name of a 6th-century Breton hermit who is the patron saint of the blind. Settlers from Brittany introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. During the later Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Hernando m SpanishMedieval Spanish form of
Ferdinand. A famous bearer of this name was the Spanish conquistador Hernando (or Hernán) Cortés (1485-1547).
Hillary f EnglishVariant of
Hilary. A famous bearer of the surname was Edmund Hillary (1919-2008), the first man to climb Mount Everest. It is borne by the American politician Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947-). The name dropped in popularity in 1993 after she became the first lady as the wife of Bill Clinton.
Horea m RomanianFrom Romanian
horă, a type of circle dance. This was the nickname of Vasile Ursu Nicola (1731-1785), a leader of a peasant rebellion in Romania. He was eventually captured, tortured and executed.
Ileana f Romanian, Spanish, ItalianPossibly a Romanian variant of
Elena. In Romanian folklore this is the name of a princess kidnapped by monsters and rescued by a heroic knight.
Íñigo m SpanishMedieval Spanish form of
Eneko. This was the birth name of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who changed it in honour of Saint Ignatius of Antioch. As such, this name is sometimes regarded as a form of
Ignatius.
Isagani m TagalogPossibly from Tagalog
masaganang ani meaning
"bountiful harvest". This is the name of a character in the novel
El Filibusterismo (1891) by José Rizal.
Ishmael m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishma'el) meaning
"God will hear", from the roots
שָׁמַע (shama') meaning "to hear" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Abraham. He is the traditional ancestor of the Arab people. Also in the Old Testament, it is borne by a man who assassinates
Gedaliah the governor of Judah. The author Herman Melville later used this name for the narrator in his novel
Moby-Dick (1851).
Jabari m African American (Modern)Means
"almighty, powerful" in Swahili, ultimately from Arabic
جبّار (jabbar). It started to be used by African-American parents after it was featured in a 1973 nation-wide newspaper article about African baby names.
Justine f French, EnglishFrench form of
Iustina (see
Justina). This is the name of the heroine in the novel
Justine (1791) by the Marquis de Sade.
Khaing f & m BurmeseMeans
"firm, strong" in Burmese, possibly of Shan origin.
Laima f Lithuanian, Latvian, Baltic MythologyFrom Latvian
laime and Lithuanian
laima, which mean
"luck, fate". This was the name of the Latvian and Lithuanian goddess of fate, luck, pregnancy and childbirth. She was the sister of the goddesses Dēkla and Kārta, who were also associated with fate.
Landon m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning
"long hill" (effectively meaning
"ridge"). Use of the name may have been inspired in part by the actor Michael Landon (1936-1991).
Leatrice f EnglishPossibly a combination of
Leah and
Beatrice. This name was first brought to public attention by the American actress Leatrice Joy (1893-1985).
Leland m EnglishFrom a surname, originally from an English place name, which meant
"fallow land" in Old English. A famous bearer was the politician, businessman and Stanford University founder Leland Stanford (1824-1893).
Levar m African AmericanPopularized by the American actor LeVar Burton (1957-) after he starred in the popular American miniseries
Roots (1977). His birth name was Levardis, after his father, of unknown meaning. It can be spelled
Levar or with a capitalized third letter as
LeVar.
Luzviminda f FilipinoBlend of
Luzon,
Visayas and
Mindanao, the names of the three main island groups of the Philippines.
Marjolaine f FrenchMeans
"marjoram" in French, from Latin
maiorana. Marjoram is a minty herb.
Marlen 1 m RussianBlend of
Marx and
Lenin. This name was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names.
Marvin m English, German, DutchFrom an English surname that was derived from the Welsh given name
Merfyn or the Old English name
Mærwine. As an American given name, it steadily rose in popularity through the beginnings of the 20th century and peaked in the early 1930s (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated name
Melvin). A famous bearer was the American musician Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).
Masashi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
政 (masa) meaning "government" or
雅 (masa) meaning "elegant, graceful" combined with
志 (shi) meaning "will, purpose". Many other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Michal 2 f Biblical, HebrewPossibly means
"brook" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of
Saul. She was married to
David, but after David fled from Saul he remarried her to someone else. Later, when David became king, he ordered her returned to him.
Mikhail m Russian, Belarusian, BulgarianRussian and Belarusian form of
Michael, and an alternate transcription of Bulgarian
Михаил (see
Mihail). This was the name of two Russian tsars. Other notable bearers include the Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841), the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022), and the Latvian-Russian-American dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov (1948-).
Milagrosa f SpanishMeans
"miraculous" in Spanish. It is taken from the phrase
medalla milagrosa meaning "miraculous medal", referring to the devotional medal made by Adrien Vachette based on Saint Catherine Labouré's visions of the Virgin
Mary in Paris in 1830.
Modestus m Late RomanMeans
"moderate, restrained" in Late Latin. This was the name of several saints.
Muriel f English, French, Irish, Scottish, Medieval Breton (Anglicized)Anglicized form of Irish
Muirgel and Scottish
Muireall. A form of this name was also used in Brittany, and it was first introduced to medieval England by Breton settlers in the wake of the Norman Conquest. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel
John Halifax, Gentleman (1856).
Myra f EnglishCreated by the 17th-century poet Fulke Greville. He possibly based it on Latin
myrra meaning "myrrh" (a fragrant resin obtained from a tree). Otherwise, he may have simply rearranged the letters from the name
Mary. Although unrelated etymologically, this is also the name of an ancient city of Anatolia.
Napoleone m Italian (Rare)Italian form of
Napoleon. Besides the French emperor, it was borne by the Italian cardinal Napoleone Orsini (1263-1342) and the writer and politician Napoleone Colajanni (1847-1921).
Nerissa f LiteratureCreated by Shakespeare for a character in his play
The Merchant of Venice (1596). He possibly took it from Greek
Νηρηΐς (Nereis) meaning "nymph, sea sprite", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god
Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Niccolò m ItalianItalian form of
Nicholas. Famous bearers include Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), a Florentine political philosopher, and Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), a Genoese composer and violinist.
Nikias m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
νίκη (nike) meaning
"victory". This was the name of an Athenian general who fought in the Peloponnesian war.
Norma f English, Italian, LiteratureCreated by Felice Romani for the main character in the opera
Norma (1831). He may have based it on Latin
norma "rule". This name is also frequently used as a feminine form of
Norman.