BARNABAS m German (Rare), English (Rare), Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekGreek form of an Aramaic name. In Acts in the New Testament the byname Barnabas was given to a man named
Joseph, a Jew from Cyprus who was a companion of
Paul on his missionary journeys. The original Aramaic form is unattested, but it may be from
בּר נביא (bar naviya') meaning "son of the prophet", though in Acts 4:36 it is claimed that the name means "son of encouragement". As an English name, it came into occasional use after the 12th century.
ENGEL m German (Rare), Ancient GermanicOriginally this was a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
angil, referring to the Germanic tribe known in English as the Angles. Since the Middle Ages it has been firmly associated with the German word
engel meaning "angel".
GOTTHILF m German (Rare)Derived from German
Gott "God" and
hilf "help". This name was created in the 17th century.
GOTTHOLD m German (Rare)Derived from German
Gott "God" and
hold "lovely". This name was created in the 17th century.
GOTTLOB m German (Rare)Derived from German
Gott "God" and
lob "praise". This name was created in the 17th century.
GOTTSCHALK m German (Archaic)Derived from the Germanic elements
god "god" and
scalc "servant". Saint Gottschalk was a (perhaps spurious) 11th-century prince of the Wends who was martyred by his brother-in-law.
HILTRUD f GermanMeans "strength in battle", derived from the Germanic elements
hild "battle" and
thrud "strength".
KOLOMAN m German (Rare), SlovakGerman and Slovak form of
COLMÁN. Saint Koloman (also called Coloman or Colman) was an Irish monk who was martyred in Stockerau in Austria.
KRIEMHILD f German (Rare), Germanic MythologyDerived from the Germanic elements
grim "mask" and
hild "battle". Kriemhild was a beautiful heroine in the Germanic saga the 'Nibelungenlied', where she is the sister of
Günther and the wife of
Siegfried. After her husband is killed by
Hagen with the consent of Günther, Kriemhild tragically exacts her revenge.
KUNIGUNDE f German (Rare)Derived from the Germanic element
kuni "clan, family" combined with
gund "war". Saint Kunigunde was the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Henry II.
LEBERECHT m German (Rare)Means "live rightly" from German
lebe "live" and
recht "right". This name was created in the 17th century.
MINNA f German (Archaic), Finnish, SwedishMeans "love" in Old German, specifically medieval courtly love. It is also used as a short form of
WILHELMINA. This is the name of the title character in the play 'Minna von Barnhelm' (1767) by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing.
SERAPHINA f English (Rare), German (Rare), Late RomanFeminine form of the Late Latin name
Seraphinus, derived from the biblical word
seraphim, which was Hebrew in origin and meant "fiery ones". The seraphim were an order of angels, described by Isaiah in the Bible as having six wings each. This was the name of a 13th-century Italian saint who made clothes for the poor. As an English name, it has never been common.
SIGISMUND m German (Rare), Ancient GermanicForm of
SIGMUND in which the first element is
sigis, an older form of
sigu. Saint Sigismund was a 6th-century king of the Burgundians. This was also the name of kings of Poland and a ruler of the Holy Roman Empire.
THEKLA f German (Rare), Greek (Rare), Late GreekFrom the ancient Greek name
Θεοκλεια (Theokleia), which meant "glory of God" from the Greek elements
θεος (theos) meaning "god" and
κλεος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, appearing (as
Θεκλα) in the apocryphal 'Acts of Paul and Thecla'. The story tells how Thecla listens to Paul speak about the virtues of chastity and decides to remain a virgin, angering both her mother and her suitor.
TRAUGOTT m German (Rare)Derived from German
trau "trust" and
Gott "God". This name was created in the 17th century.