ACHILLESmGreek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek
Αχιλλευς (Achilleus) which is of unknown meaning, perhaps derived from Greek
αχος (achos) "pain" or else from the name of the Achelous River. This was the name of a warrior in Greek legend, one of the central characters in
Homer's 'Iliad'. The bravest of the Greek heroes in the war against the Trojans, he was eventually killed by an arrow to his heel, the only vulnerable part of his body.
... [more] ADALIAmBiblicalMeaning unknown, possibly of Persian origin. In Book of Esther in the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Haman the Agagite.
AELIUSmAncient RomanRoman family name which was possibly derived from the Greek word
‘ηλιος (helios) meaning "sun". This was the family name of the Roman emperor Hadrian.
AFËRDITAfAlbanianMeans "daybreak, morning" in Albanian, from
afër "nearby, close" and
ditë "day".
AGAMEMNONmGreek MythologyPossibly meaning "very steadfast" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was the brother of
Menelaus. He led the Greek expedition to Troy to recover his brother's wife
Helen. After the Trojan War Agamemnon was killed by his wife
Clytemnestra.
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.
AILSAfScottishFrom
Ailsa Craig, the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland, which is of uncertain derivation.
AITORmBasquePossibly means "good fathers" from Basque
aita "father" and
on "good". This was the name of a legendary ancestor of the Basques.
AJAXmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Αιας (Aias), perhaps deriving from Greek
αιαστης (aiastes) "mourner" or
αια (aia) "earth, land". In Greek mythology this was the name of two of the heroes who fought for the Greeks in the Trojan War, the son of Telamon and the son of Oileus. When the armour of the slain hero
Achilles was not given to Ajax Telamonian, he became mad with jealousy and killed himself.
ALANmEnglish, Scottish, Breton, FrenchThe meaning of this name is not known for certain. It was used in Brittany at least as early as the 6th century, and it possibly means either "little rock" or "handsome" in Breton. Alternatively, it may derive from the tribal name of the Alans, an Iranian people who migrated into Europe in the 4th and 5th centuries.
... [more] ALBENAfBulgarianCreated by Bulgarian writer Yordan Yovkov for the heroine in his drama 'Albena' (1930). He may have based it on
ablen, the name of a type of peony (a flowering plant).
ALDONAfLithuanian, PolishMeaning unknown. This was the name of a 14th-century Polish queen, the daughter of a Grand Duke of Lithuania.
ALDOUSmEnglish (Rare)Probably a diminutive of names beginning with the Old English element
eald "old". It has been in use as an English given name since the Middle Ages, mainly in East Anglia. The British author Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) was a famous bearer of this name.
ALODIAfAncient Germanic (Latinized)Possibly from a Visigothic name derived from the Germanic elements
alja "other, foreign" and
aud "riches, wealth". Saint Alodia was a 9th-century Spanish martyr with her sister Nunilo.
ALPINmScottishAnglicized form of the Gaelic name
Ailpein, possibly derived from a Pictish word meaning "white". This was the name of two kings of Dál Riata and two kings of the Picts in the 8th and 9th centuries.
ANAKINmPopular CultureMeaning unknown. This is the name of a character (also known as Darth Vader) in the 'Star Wars' movie saga, created by George Lucas. Lucas may have based it on the surname of his friend and fellow director Ken Annakin.
ANTHONYmEnglishEnglish form of the Roman family name
Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin. The most notable member of the Roman family was the general Marcus Antonius (called Mark Antony in English), who for a period in the 1st century BC ruled the Roman Empire jointly with Augustus. When their relationship turned sour, he and his mistress Cleopatra were attacked and forced to commit suicide, as related in Shakespeare's tragedy 'Antony and Cleopatra' (1606).
... [more] ANUBISmEgyptian Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of
Ανουβις (Anoubis), the Greek form of Egyptian
Inpw (reconstructed as
Anapa) which possibly meant "royal child". Anubis was the Egyptian god who led the dead to the underworld. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a jackal.
ANZORmGeorgian, ChechenPossibly derived from the Georgian noble title
აზნაური (aznauri), ultimately from Middle Persian
aznawar meaning "noble".
AONGHUSmIrish, Scottish, Irish MythologyPossibly meaning "one strength" derived from Irish
óen "one" and
gus "force, strength, energy". Aonghus (sometimes surnamed
Mac Og meaning "young son") was the Irish god of love and youth. The name was also borne by an 8th-century Pictish king and several Irish kings.
APHRODITEfGreek MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess
Venus. She was the wife of
Hephaestus and the mother of
Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with
αφρος (aphros) "foam", resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as
Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and
Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess
Inanna.
APPHIAfBiblicalGreek form of a Hebrew name which possibly meant "increasing". This is a name mentioned in
Paul's epistle to
Philemon in the New Testament.
ARAmArmenian, Armenian MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly of Sumerian origin. In Armenian legend this was the name of an Armenian king who was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis went to war to capture him. During the war Ara was slain.
ARAMINTAfEnglish (Rare)Meaning unknown. This name was (first?) used by William Congreve in his comedy 'The Old Bachelor' (1693) and later by Sir John Vanbrugh in his comedy 'The Confederacy' (1705). This was the real name of abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913), who was born Araminta Ross.
ARAWNmWelsh MythologyMeaning unknown. This was the name of the god of the underworld, called Annwfn, in Welsh mythology.
ARLOmEnglishMeaning uncertain. It was perhaps inspired by the fictional place name Arlo Hill from the poem 'The Faerie Queene' (1590) by Edmund Spenser. Spenser probably got Arlo by altering the real Irish place name Aherlow, which is Gaelic meaning "between two highlands".
ARLOTTOmMedieval ItalianMedieval Italian name, recorded in Latin as
Arlotus. It is possibly from Old French
herlot meaning "vagabond, tramp".
ARTHURmEnglish, French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian RomanceThe meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements
artos "bear" combined with
viros "man" or
rigos "king". Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name
Artorius. Arthur is the name of the central character in Arthurian legend, a 6th-century king of the Britons who resisted Saxon invaders. He may or may not have been a real person. He first appears in Welsh poems and chronicles (some possibly as early as the 7th century) but his character was not developed until the chronicles of the 12th-century Geoffrey of Monmouth.
... [more] ASENmBulgarianMeaning unknown, probably of Turkic origin. This was the name of a 12th-century Bulgarian emperor (Ivan Asen I) and several of his successors.
ASLAUGfNorwegianDerived from the Old Norse elements
áss meaning "god" and
laug possibly meaning "betrothed woman".
ASTONm & fEnglish (Rare)From a surname which was originally derived from either a place name meaning "east town" in Old English or from the given name
ÆÐELSTAN.
ATLASmGreek MythologyPossibly means "enduring" from Greek
τλαω (tlao) meaning "to endure". In Greek mythology he was a Titan punished by
Zeus by being forced to support the heavens on his shoulders.
AVA (3)fGerman, Ancient GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
avi, of unknown meaning, possibly "desired". This was the name of a 9th-century Frankish saint. It was also borne by a 12th-century poet from Melk, Austria.
AVEfEstonianPossibly from the name of the prayer
Ave Maria, in which
Ave is Latin meaning "greetings, salutations".
AVILAfAncient GermanicDerived from the Germanic element
avi, of unknown meaning, possibly "desired". This name is also given in honour of the 16th-century mystic Saint Teresa of Ávila,
Ávila being the name of the town in Spain where she was born.
AVISfEnglishProbably a Latinized form of the Germanic name
Aveza, which was derived from the element
avi, of unknown meaning, possibly "desired". The Normans introduced this name to England and it became moderately common during the Middle Ages, at which time it was associated with Latin
avis "bird".
BARNABASmGerman (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.
BASTfEgyptian MythologyPossibly means "fire, heat" or "ointment jar" in Egyptian. In Egyptian mythology Bast was a goddess of cats, fertility and the sun who was considered a protector of Lower Egypt. She was often depicted with the head of a lioness or a house cat. As her role in the Egyptian pantheon diminished, she was called
Bastet.
BASTETfEgyptian MythologyVariant of
BAST. This form of the name, a diminutive, was given to her after the similar goddess Sekhmet (protector of Upper Egypt) became more important.
BATRAZmOssetian, Caucasian MythologyPossibly from Turkic
bagatur meaning "hero, warrior, brave". This is the name of the leader of the superhuman Narts in Caucasian mythology.
BECKETTmEnglish (Modern)From an English surname which could be derived from various sources, including from Middle English
beke meaning "beak" or
bekke meaning "stream, brook".
BEDIVEREmWelsh Mythology, Arthurian RomanceFrom the Welsh name
Bedwyr, which is of unknown meaning. In Arthurian legends Bedivere was one of the original companions of King
Arthur. He first appears in early Welsh tales, and his story was later expanded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century. He is the one who throws the sword Excalibur into the lake at the request of the dying Arthur.
BELENUSmCeltic MythologyProbably from a Celtic word meaning "bright, brilliant". This was the name of a Gaulish solar god who was often equated with
Apollo.
BELINDAfEnglishThe meaning of this name is not known for certain. The first element could be related to Italian
bella "beautiful". The second element could be Germanic
lind meaning "flexible, soft, tender" (and by extension "snake, serpent"). This name first arose in the 17th century, and was subsequently used by Alexander Pope in his poem 'The Rape of the Lock' (1712).
BEOWULFmAnglo-Saxon MythologyPossibly 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.
BERATmTurkishPossibly from Turkish
berat meaning "letters patent".
BERLINfVariousFrom the name of the city in Germany, which is of uncertain meaning.
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.
BORISmBulgarian, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Georgian, GermanFrom the Turkic name
Bogoris, perhaps meaning "short" or "wolf" or "snow leopard". It was borne by the 9th-century King Boris I of Bulgaria who converted his country to Christianity, as well as two later Bulgarian emperors. The name was popularized in the Slavic world due to the 11th-century Saint Boris, who was a Russian prince martyred with his brother Gleb. His mother may have been Bulgarian. Another famous bearer was the 16th-century Russian emperor Boris Godunov, later the subject of a play of that name by Aleksandr Pushkin.
BRÁDACHmIrishPossibly derived from a Gaelic word meaning "large-chested".
BRENDAfEnglishPossibly a feminine form of the Old Norse name
Brandr, meaning "sword", which was brought to Britain in the Middle Ages. This name is sometimes used as a feminine form of
BRENDAN.
BRENTmEnglishFrom an English surname, originally taken from various place names, perhaps derived from a Celtic word meaning "hill".
BRIANmEnglish, Irish, Ancient IrishThe meaning of this name is not known for certain but it is possibly related to the old Celtic element
bre meaning "hill", or by extension "high, noble". It was borne by the semi-legendary Irish king Brian Boru, who thwarted Viking attempts to conquer Ireland in the 11th century. He was slain in the Battle of Clontarf, though his forces were decisively victorious. The name was common in Ireland before his time, and even more so afterwards. It came into use in England in the Middle Ages, introduced by Breton settlers. It subsequently became rare, but was revived in the 20th century.
BRICEmFrench, EnglishFrom the name
Bricius, which was probably a Latinized form of a Gaulish name meaning "speckled". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a disciple of Saint Martin of Tours.
BRODYmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally derived from a place in Moray, Scotland. It probably means "ditch, mire" in Gaelic.
CALEBmEnglish, BiblicalMost likely related to Hebrew
כֶּלֶב (kelev) meaning "dog". An alternate theory connects it to Hebrew
כָּל (kal) meaning "whole, all of" and
לֵב (lev) meaning "heart". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve spies sent by
Moses into Canaan. Of the Israelites who left Egypt with Moses, Caleb and
Joshua were the only ones who lived to see the Promised Land.
... [more] CAMILLUSmAncient RomanRoman cognomen, which is probably of Etruscan origin and unknown meaning. It is probably not related to Latin
camillus "a youth employed in religious services". This name was borne by the 16th-century Italian monk Saint Camillus de Lellis.
CARSONm & fScottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname of uncertain meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was the American scout Kit Carson (1809-1868).
CASSANDRAfEnglish, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κασσανδρα (Kassandra), derived from possibly
κεκασμαι (kekasmai) "to excel, to shine" and
ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive
ανδρος). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of
Priam and
Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by
Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.
... [more] 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).
CAVANmEnglishEither from the name of the Irish county, which is derived from Irish
cabhán "hollow", or else from the Irish surname
CAVAN.
CEALLACHmIrishIrish name of uncertain origin, traditionally said to mean "bright-headed". Alternatively it could be derived from Old Irish
ceallach "war, strife" or
ceall "church".
CELINDAfEnglish (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).
CERI (1)mWelshPossibly derived from Welsh
caru meaning "to love".
CERIDWENfWelshPossibly from Welsh
cyrrid "bent" or
cerdd "poetry" combined with
ven "woman" or
gwen "white, fair, blessed". According to medieval Welsh legend this was the name of a sorceress or goddess who created a potion that would grant wisdom to her son Morfan. The potion was instead consumed by her servant Gwion Bach, who was subsequently reborn as the renowned bard
Taliesin.
CHADmEnglishFrom the Old English name
Ceadda which is of unknown meaning, possibly based on Welsh
cad "battle". This was the name of a 7th-century English saint. Borne primarily by Catholics, it was a rare name until the 1960s when it started to become more common amongst the general population. This is also the name of a country in Africa, though it originates from a different source.
CHARMAINEfEnglishMeaning unknown, perhaps a combination of
CHARMIAN or the English word
charm with the
aine suffix from
LORRAINE. It was (first?) used for a character in the play 'What Price Glory' (1924), which was made into a popular movie in 1926.
CHAUNCEYmEnglishFrom a Norman surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in American in honour of Harvard president Charles Chauncey (1592-1672).
CILLIANmIrishProbably from Gaelic
ceall "church" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint who evangelized in Franconia. He was martyred in Würzburg.
CLAUDIUSmAncient RomanFrom a Roman family name which was possibly derived from Latin
claudus meaning "lame, crippled". This was the name of a patrician family prominent in Roman politics. The ancestor of the family was said to have been a 6th-century BC Sabine leader named Attius Clausus, who adopted the name Appius Claudius upon becoming a Roman citizen. The family produced several Roman emperors of the 1st century, including the emperor known simply as Claudius. He was poisoned by his wife Agrippina in order to bring her son Nero (Claudius's stepson) to power. The name was later borne by several early saints, including a 7th-century bishop of Besançon.
CLÍODHNAfIrish, Irish MythologyPossibly means "shapely" in Irish Gaelic. In Irish legend this was the name of a beautiful goddess. She fell in love with a mortal named Ciabhan and left the Land of Promise with him, but when she arrived on the other shore she was swept to sea by a great wave.
CLYDEmEnglishFrom the name of the River Clyde in Scotland, which is of unknown origin. It became a common given name in America in the middle of the 19th century, perhaps in honour of Sir Colin Campbell (1792-1863) who was given the title Baron Clyde in 1858.
CONWAYmEnglishFrom a surname which was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means "holy water" in Welsh.
CORDELIAfEnglishFrom
Cordeilla, possibly a Celtic name of unknown meaning. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Cordeilla was the youngest of the three daughters of King Lear and the only one to remain loyal to her father. When adapting the character for his play 'King Lear' (1606), Shakespeare altered the spelling to
Cordelia.
COREYmEnglishFrom a surname which was derived from the Old Norse given name
Kóri, of unknown meaning. This name became popular in the 1960s due to the character Corey Baker on the television series 'Julia'.
CORMACmIrishPossibly derived from Irish Gaelic
corb "raven" or "wheel" and
mac "son". This was the name of a 3rd-century king of Ireland.
COURTNEYf & mEnglishFrom an aristocratic English surname which was derived either from the French place name
Courtenay (originally a derivative of the personal name
Curtenus, itself derived from Latin
curtus "short") or else from a Norman nickname meaning "short nose". As a feminine name in America, it first became popular during the 1970s.
CYBELEfNear Eastern Mythology (Hellenized)Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
CYRUSmEnglish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek (Latinized)From
Κυρος (Kyros), the Greek form of the Persian name
Kūrush, which may mean "far sighted" or "young". The name is sometimes associated with Greek
κυριος (kyrios) "lord". It was borne by several kings of Persia, including Cyrus the Great, who conquered Babylon. He is famous in the Old Testament for freeing the captive Jews and allowing them to return to Israel. As an English name, it first came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation.
DARNELLmEnglishFrom a surname, possibly derived from Old French
darnel, a type of grass. Alternatively it may be derived from Old English
derne "hidden" and
halh "nook".
DARRENmEnglishThe meaning of this name is not known for certain. It could be from a rare Irish surname or it could be an altered form of
DARRELL. It was first brought to public attention in the late 1950s by the American actor Darren McGavin (1922-2006). It was further popularized in the 1960s by the character Darrin Stephens from the television show 'Bewitched'.
DASHIELLmEnglish (Rare)In the case of American author Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961), it is an Anglicized form of his mother's surname
De Chiel, which is of unknown meaning.
DATHANmBiblicalPossibly means "fountain" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the conspirators against
Moses.
DAVIDmEnglish, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
דָּוִד (Dawid), which was derived from Hebrew
דּוֹד (dod) meaning "beloved" or "uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of
Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament,
Jesus was descended from him.
... [more] DAXmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived either from the town of Dax in France or else from the Old English given name
Dæcca (of unknown meaning).
DECLANmIrishAnglicized form of Irish
Deaglán, which is of unknown meaning. Saint Declan was a 5th-century missionary to Ireland.
DEIRDREfEnglish, Irish, Irish MythologyFrom the older Gaelic form
Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from Old Irish
der meaning "daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after
Conchobhar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover
Naoise.
... [more] DELPHIAfEnglishPossibly from the name of the Greek city of Delphi, the site of an oracle of
Apollo, which is possibly related to Greek
δελφυς (delphys) "womb". It was used in the play 'The Prophetess' (1647), in which it belongs to the title prophetess.
DELPHINAfLate RomanFeminine form of the Latin name
Delphinus, which meant "of Delphi". Delphi was a city in ancient Greece, the name of which is possibly related to Greek
δελφυς (delphys) "womb". The Blessed Delphina was a 14th-century Provençal nun.
DEMETER (1)fGreek MythologyPossibly means "earth mother", derived from Greek
δα (da) "earth" and
μητηρ (meter) "mother". In Greek mythology Demeter was the goddess of agriculture, the daughter of
Cronus, the sister of
Zeus, and the mother of
Persephone. She was an important figure in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites performed at Eleusis near Athens.
DIARMAIDmIrish, Irish MythologyPerhaps means "without envy" in Irish. In Irish mythology this was the name of a warrior who became the lover of
Gráinne. It was also the name of several ancient Irish kings.
DIEGOmSpanishPossibly a shortened form of
SANTIAGO. In medieval records
Diego was Latinized as
Didacus, and it has been suggested that it in fact derives from Greek
διδαχη (didache) "teaching". Saint Didacus (or Diego) was a 15th-century Franciscan brother based in Alcalá, Spain. Other famous bearers of this name include Mexican muralist Diego Rivera (1886-1957) and Argentine soccer player Diego Maradona (1960-).
DIGGORYmEnglish (Rare)Probably an Anglicized form of
Degaré. Sir Degaré was the subject of a medieval poem set in Brittany. The name may mean "lost one" from French
égaré.
DOMITIUSmAncient RomanRoman family name which was probably derived from Latin
domitus meaning "having been tamed".
DORIANmEnglish, FrenchThe name was first used by Oscar Wilde in his novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' (1891), which tells the story of a man whose portrait ages while he stays young. Wilde may have taken it from the name of the ancient Greek tribe the Dorians, or from the surname
DORAN.
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".
EA (1)mSemitic MythologyMeaning unknown, perhaps from Sumerian meaning "house of water", or perhaps of Akkadian or Hurrian origin. This was the Akkadian, Assyrian, Hurrian and Babylonian name of the Sumerian water god
Enki.
EBBA (2)fEnglishFrom the Old English name
Æbbe, meaning unknown, perhaps a contracted form of a longer name. Saint Ebba was a 7th-century daughter of King Æthelfrith of Bernicia and the founder of monasteries in Scotland. Another saint named Ebba was a 9th-century abbess and martyr who mutilated her own face so that she would not be raped by the invading Danes.
EDDA (2)fIcelandic, Ancient ScandinavianPossibly from Old Norse meaning "great-grandmother". This was the name of two 13th-century Icelandic literary works: the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda. This is also the name of a character in the Poetic Edda, though it is unclear if her name is connected to the name of the collection.
EINOmFinnishMeaning unknown, possibly a Finnish form of a Scandinavian name.
ELAINEfEnglish, Arthurian RomanceFrom an Old French form of
HELEN. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation 'Le Morte d'Arthur' Elaine was the daughter of Pelleas, the lover of
Lancelot, and the mother of
Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the appearance of Tennyson's Arthurian epic 'Idylls of the King' (1859).
ELAMmBiblicalPossibly means either "hidden" or "eternity" in Hebrew. This was the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including a son of
Shem who was the ancestor of the Elamite peoples.
ELEANORfEnglishFrom the Old French form of the Occitan name
Aliénor. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named
Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase
alia Aenor "the other
AENOR" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.
... [more] ELERIfWelshMeaning unknown. In Welsh legend she was the daughter of the chieftain Brychan.
ELIDIfVariousMeaning unknown, possibly of Greek or Welsh origin. It may have been inspired by the name of the
Ηληδα (Ilida) Valley in western Greece.
ELOISEfEnglishFrom the Old French name
Héloïse, which is probably from the Germanic name
Helewidis, composed of the elements
heil "hale, healthy" and
wid "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word
‘ηλιος (helios) "sun" or the name
Louise, though there is not likely an etymological connection. This name was borne in the 12th century by Saint Eloise, the wife of the French theologian Peter Abelard. She became a nun after her husband was castrated by her uncle.
... [more] EMERfIrish, Irish MythologyPossibly from Gaelic
eimh "swift". In Irish legend she was the wife of
Cúchulainn. She was said to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, needlework, wisdom and chastity.
EMLYNmWelshProbably from the name of an ancient region in Wales, its name meaning "around the valley". It has also been suggested that this name is a Welsh form of
Aemilianus (see
EMILIANO).
EMMERICHmGerman, Ancient GermanicGermanic name, in which the second element is
ric meaning "power". The first element may be
ermen "whole, universal" (making it a relative of
Ermenrich),
amal "work, labour" (making it a relative of
Amalric) or
heim "home" (making it a relative of
Henry). It is likely that several forms merged into a single name.
ENOLAfEnglishMeaning unknown. This name first appeared in the late 19th century. The aircraft that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was named 'Enola Gay' after the mother of the pilot.
ÉRIUfIrish MythologyFrom the name of an Irish goddess, who according to legend gave her name to Ireland (which is called
Éire in Irish). In reality, the goddess probably got her name from that of the island, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.
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] ÉTAÍNfIrish, Irish MythologyPossibly derived from Old Irish
ét "jealousy". In Irish mythology she was a sun and horse goddess who was the lover of Midir.
EVADNEfGreek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Ευαδνη (Euadne), from
ευ (eu) meaning "good" possibly combined with Cretan Greek
αδνος (adnos) meaning "holy". In Greek legend Evadne was the wife of Capaneus. After Capaneus was killed by a lightning bolt sent from
Zeus she committed suicide by throwing herself onto his burning body.
FRASERmScottish, English (Rare)From a Scottish surname which is of unknown meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was Simon Fraser (1776-1862), a Canadian explorer.
GAËLmFrench, BretonMeaning uncertain. It possibly derives from the ethno-linguistic term
Gael, which refers to speakers of Gaelic languages. Alternatively it may be a variant of
GWENAËL.
GAIUSmAncient Roman, Biblical Latin, BiblicalRoman praenomen, or given name, of uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from Latin
gaudere "to rejoice", though it may be of unknown Etruscan origin. This was a very common Roman praenomen, the most famous bearers being Gaius Julius Caesar, the great leader of the Roman Republic, and his adopted son Gaius Octavius (later known as Augustus), the first Roman emperor. This name also appears in the New Testament belonging to a bishop of Ephesus who is regarded as a saint.
GALAHADmArthurian RomanceMeaning unknown. In Arthurian legend Sir Galahad was the son of
Lancelot and
Elaine. He was the most pure of the Knights of the Round Table, and he was the only one to succeed in finding the Holy Grail. He first appears in the medieval French 'Lancelot-Grail' cycle.
GARETHmWelsh, English (British), Arthurian RomanceMeaning unknown. It first appears in this form in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends 'Le Morte d'Arthur', in which Gareth was a Knight of the Round Table, the brother of Sir
Gawain. Malory based the name on
Gahariet, which was the name of a similar Arthurian character in French sources. It may ultimately have a Welsh origin, possibly related to
gwaredd meaning "gentleness".
GARSEAmMedieval SpanishMeaning unknown, possibly related to the Basque word
hartz meaning "bear". This was the name of several medieval kings of Navarre and Leon.
GAWAINmWelsh, Arthurian RomanceMeaning uncertain, from the Latin form
Walganus used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth. This was the name of a nephew of King
Arthur and one of the Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He can be identified with the earlier Welsh hero Gwalchmei, and it is likely that the name derives from
GWALCHMEI. Alternatively it may have a different Celtic or even a Germanic origin. Gawain was a popular hero in medieval stories such as the 14th-century romantic poem 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'.
GENTIUSmAlbanianPossibly means "to beget" in Illyrian. This was the name of a 2nd-century BC Illyrian king who went to war with Rome.
GERAmBiblicalPossibly means "a grain" in Hebrew. This was the name of several members of the tribe of Benjamin in the Old Testament.
GERSHOMmBiblical, Biblical HebrewProbably means "exile" in Hebrew, though the Bible explains that it derives from
גֵּר שָׁם (ger sham) meaning "a stranger there" (see Exodus 18:3). This is the name of a son of
Moses in the Old Testament.
GERVASIUSmAncient Germanic (Latinized)Probably a Latinized form of a Germanic name with a first element deriving from
ger "spear". Saint Gervasius was an early martyr from Milan whose remains were discovered in the 4th century.
GILGAMESHmSumerian Mythology, Semitic MythologyPossibly means "the ancestor is a hero", from Sumerian
𒉋𒂵 (bilga) meaning "ancestor" and
𒈩 (mes) meaning "hero, young man". This was the name of a Sumerian hero, later appearing in the Akkadian poem the 'Epic of Gilgamesh'. Gilgamesh, with his friend Enkidu, battled the giant Humbaba and stopped the rampage of the Bull of Heaven, besides other adventures. Gilgamesh was probably based on a real person: a king of Uruk who ruled around the 27th century BC.
GIOTTOmItalianPossibly from
Ambrogiotto, a diminutive of
AMBROGIO, or
Angiolotto, a diminutive of
ANGIOLO. This name was borne by Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337), an Italian painter and architect.
GRAHAMmScottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname, originally derived from the English place name
Grantham, which probably meant "gravelly homestead" in Old English. The surname was first taken to Scotland in the 12th century by the Norman baron William de Graham. A famous bearer was Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor who devised the telephone.
GRÁINNEfIrish, Irish MythologyPossibly derived from Gaelic
grán meaning "grain". This was the name of an ancient Irish grain goddess. The name also belonged to the fiancée of
Fionn mac Cumhail and the lover of
Diarmaid in later Irish legend, and it is often associated with
gráidh "love".
GRISELDAfEnglish, Scottish, Spanish, LiteraturePossibly derived from the Germanic elements
gris "grey" and
hild "battle". It is not attested as a Germanic name. This was the name of a patient wife in medieval tales by Boccaccio and Chaucer.
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.
GUSTAVmSwedish, Norwegian, Danish, GermanPossibly means "staff of the Goths", derived from the Old Norse elements
Gautr "Goth" and
stafr "staff". However, the root name
Gautstafr is not well attested in the Old Norse period. Alternatively, it might be derived from the Slavic name
GOSTISLAV. This name has been borne by six kings of Sweden, including the 16th-century Gustav I Vasa.
HAIDEEfLiteraturePerhaps intended to derive from Greek
αιδοιος (aidoios) "modest, reverent". This name was created by Byron for a character in his poem 'Don Juan' (1819).
HAMANmBiblical, Biblical HebrewMeaning uncertain, of Persian origin. In the Book of Esther in the Old Testament Haman, called the Agagite, is an adviser to the Persian king. He plots to have all the Jews in the realm executed, but is foiled by Queen
Esther.
HAVILAHmBiblicalProbably means "to dance, to circle, to twist" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is both a place name and a masculine personal name.
HAYKmArmenianProbably from the Armenian word
հայ (hay) meaning "Armenian", although some hold that the ethnic name is in fact derived from the given name. This was the name of the legendary forefather of the Armenian people, supposedly a great-great-grandson of
Noah.
HEMMINGmSwedish, Norwegian, DanishPerhaps derived from Old Norse
hamr "shape", and possibly originally a nickname for a person believed to be a shape changer.
HERAfGreek MythologyUncertain meaning, possibly from either Greek
‘ηρως (heros) "hero, warrior";
‘ωρα (hora) "period of time"; or
‘αιρεω (haireo) "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of
Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.
HERLEVAfAncient GermanicGermanic name, possibly a derivative of
hari "army",
era "honour", or
erla "noble" (or their Old Norse cognates). This was the name of the mother of William the Conqueror, who, according to tradition, was a commoner.
HERSILIAfRoman MythologyMeaning unknown. In Roman legend this was the name of a Sabine woman who became the wife of Romulus.
HIRAMmBiblical, Biblical Hebrew, EnglishProbably of Phoenician origin, though it could be from Hebrew meaning "exalted brother". This was the name of a king of Tyre in the Old Testament. As an English given name,
Hiram came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where it gained some currency.
HORATIUSmAncient RomanRoman family name which was possibly derived from Latin
hora "hour, time, season", though the name may actually be of Etruscan origin. A famous bearer was Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Roman lyric poet of the 1st century BC who is better known as Horace in the English-speaking world.
HORSTmGermanMeans "wood, thicket" in German. Alternatively, it may derive from the Germanic element
hros or
hors meaning "horse".
ICARUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Ικαρος (Ikaros), of unknown meaning. In Greek myth Icarus was the son of
Daedalus, locked with his father inside the Labyrinth by
Minos. They escaped from the maze using wings devised from wax, but Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wax melted, plunging him to his death.
IDONEAfEnglish (Archaic)Medieval English name, probably a Latinized form of
IÐUNN. The spelling may have been influenced by Latin
idonea "suitable". It was common in England from the 12th century.
IGNATIUSmLate RomanFrom the Roman family name
Egnatius, meaning unknown, of Etruscan origin. The spelling was later altered to resemble Latin
ignis "fire". This was the name of several saints, including the third bishop of Antioch who was thrown to wild beasts by Emperor Trajan, and by Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), founder of the Jesuits, whose real birth name was in fact Íñigo.
IGRAINEfArthurian RomanceMeaning unknown, from
Igerna, the Latinized form of Welsh
Eigyr. In Arthurian legend she is the mother of King
Arthur by Uther Pendragon and the mother of
Morgan le Fay by Gorlois. The Welsh form
Eigyr or
Eigr was rendered into Latin as
Igerna by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth.
ILEANAfRomanian, 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.
IOfGreek MythologyMeaning unknown. In Greek mythology Io was a princess loved by
Zeus, who changed her into a heifer in order to hide her from
Hera. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.
IRELANDfEnglish (Modern)From the name of the European island country, derived from Irish Gaelic
Éire, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.
ISAGANImFilipino, TagalogMeaning unknown. This is the name of a character in the novel 'El Filibusterismo' (1891) by José Rizal.
ISOLDEfEnglish (Rare), German, Arthurian RomanceThe origins of this name are uncertain, though some Celtic roots have been suggested. It is possible that the name is ultimately Germanic, perhaps from a hypothetic name like
Ishild, composed of the elements
is "ice, iron" and
hild "battle".
... [more] ISSACHARmBiblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekPossibly means "man of hire" or "there is reward", from Hebrew
שָׁכַר (shakhar) meaning "hire, wage, reward". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve sons of
Jacob and
Leah and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. A justification for the name's meaning is given in Genesis 30:18.
IVAYLOmBulgarianPerhaps derived from an old Bulgar name meaning "wolf". This was the name of a 13th-century emperor of Bulgaria. It is possible that this spelling was the result of a 15th-century misreading of his real name
Vulo from historical documents.
IVO (1)mGerman, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Ancient GermanicGermanic name, originally a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element
iv meaning "yew". Alternative theories suggest that it may in fact be derived from a cognate Celtic element. This was the name of several saints (who are also commonly known as Saint
Yves or
Ives).
JACOBmEnglish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Jewish, BiblicalFrom the Latin
Iacobus, which was from the Greek
Ιακωβος (Iakobos), which was from the Hebrew name
יַעֲקֹב (Ya'aqov). In the Old Testament Jacob (later called
Israel) is the son of
Isaac and
Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother
Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning "holder of the heel" or "supplanter", because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see Genesis 27:36). Other theories claim that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like
יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Ya'aqov'el) meaning "may God protect".
... [more] JERICHOmEnglish (Modern)From the name of a city in Israel which is mentioned several times in the Old Testament. The meaning of the city's name is uncertain, but it may be related to the Hebrew word
יָרֵחַ (yareach) meaning "moon", or otherwise to the Hebrew word
רֵיחַ (reyach) meaning "fragrant".
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.
JUNOfRoman MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly related to an Indo-European root meaning "youth", or possibly of Etruscan origin. In Roman mythology Juno was the wife of
Jupiter and the queen of the heavens. She was the protectress of marriage and women, and was also the goddess of finance.
KATHERINEfEnglishFrom the Greek name
Αικατερινη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from the earlier Greek name
‘Εκατερινη (Hekaterine), which came from
‘εκατερος (hekateros) "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess
HECATE; it could be related to Greek
αικια (aikia) "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek
καθαρος (katharos) "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from
Katerina to
Katharina to reflect this.
... [more] KAY (2)mWelsh Mythology, Arthurian RomanceFrom the Welsh name
Cai or
Cei, possibly a form of the Roman name
GAIUS. Sir Kay was one of the Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He first appears in Welsh tales as a brave companion of Arthur. In later medieval tales, notably those by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, he is portrayed as an unrefined boor.
KEITHmEnglish, ScottishFrom a Scottish surname which was originally derived from a place name, itself probably derived from the Brythonic element
cet meaning "wood". This was the surname of a long line of Scottish nobles. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
KENANmBiblicalPossibly means "possession" in Hebrew. He is a son of
Enosh and a great-grandson of
Adam in the Old Testament.
KENTmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally derived from
Kent, the name of a county in England, which may be derived from a Brythonic word meaning "coastal district".
KYLERmEnglish (Modern)Probably a variant of
KYLE, blending it with
TYLER. It also coincides with the rare surname
Kyler, an Anglicized form of Dutch
Cuyler, which is of uncertain meaning.
KYLIEfEnglishThis name arose in Australia, where it is said to mean "boomerang" in an Australian Aboriginal language. It is more likely a feminine form of
KYLE, and it is in this capacity that it began to be used in America in the 1970s. A famous bearer is the Australian singer Kylie Minogue (1968-).
LAMECHmBiblicalPossibly means "to make low" in Hebrew. This is the name of two characters in Genesis in the Old Testament: a descendant of
Cain and the father of
Noah.
LANCELOTmArthurian RomanceMeaning unknown, possibly an Old French diminutive of
Lanzo (see
LANCE). In Arthurian legend Lancelot was the bravest of the Knights of the Round Table. He became the lover of
Arthur's wife
Guinevere. His earliest appearance is in the works of the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes.
LARISAfRussian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Latvian, Greek MythologyPossibly derived from the name of the ancient city of Larisa in Thessaly, which meant "citadel". In Greek legends, the nymph Larisa was either a daughter or mother of Pelasgus, the ancestor of the mythical Pelasgians. This name was later borne by a 4th-century Greek martyr who is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Church. The name (of the city, nymph and saint) is commonly Latinized as
Larissa, with a double
s.
LAVINIAfRoman Mythology, RomanianMeaning unknown, probably of Etruscan origin. In Roman legend Lavinia was the daughter of King Latinus, the wife of
Aeneas, and the ancestor of the Roman people. According to the legend Aeneas named the town of Lavinium in honour of his wife.
LEMMINKÄINENmFinnish MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly related to Finnish
lempi "love". In the Finnish epic the 'Kalevala' this is the name of an arrogant hero. After he was killed his mother fetched his body from the River of Death and restored him to life. He is sometimes identified with the god
Ahti.
LESTATmLiteratureName used by author Anne Rice for a character in her 'Vampire Chronicles' series of novels, first released in 1976, where it belongs to the French vampire Lestat de Lioncourt. Rice possibly intended the name to appear derived from Old French or Occitan
l'estat "state, status", though apparently her husband's name
Stan was inspiration.
LEVImHebrew, English, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical LatinPossibly means "joined, attached" in Hebrew. As told in the Old Testament, Levi was the third son of
Jacob and
Leah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of the Israelites, known as the Levites. This was the tribe that formed the priestly class of the Israelites. The brothers
Moses and
Aaron were members. In the New Testament this is another name for the apostle
Matthew. As an English Christian name,
Levi came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
LILLIANfEnglishProbably originally a diminutive of
ELIZABETH. It may also be considered an elaborated form of
LILY, from the Latin word for "lily"
lilium. This name has been used in England since the 16th century.
LIVIUSmAncient RomanRoman family name which may be related to either Latin
liveo "to envy" or
lividus "blue, envious". Titus Livius, also known as Livy, was a Roman historian who wrote a history of the city of Rome.
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.
LOIS (1)fEnglish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekPossibly derived from Greek
λωιων (loion) meaning "more desirable" or "better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of
Eunice and the grandmother of
Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.
LOKImNorse MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly derived from the Indo-European root *
leug meaning "to break". In Norse legend Loki was a trickster god associated with magic and fire. Over time he became more and more evil, and he was eventually chained to a rock by the other gods.
LONDONf & mEnglish (Modern)From the name of the capital city of the United Kingdom, the meaning of which is uncertain. As a surname it was borne by the American author Jack London (1876-1916).
LOT (2)mArthurian RomanceFrom the name of the region of Lothian in southern Scotland, of unknown meaning. A king of Lothian by this name appears in early Latin and Welsh texts (as
Leudonus and
Lewdwn respectively). He was inserted into Arthurian legend by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, who makes him the father of
Gawain.
LUDIVINEfFrenchPossibly from a feminine form of
LEUTWIN. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the television miniseries 'Les Gens de Mogador'.
LUKEmEnglish, BiblicalEnglish form of the Greek name
Λουκας (Loukas) which meant "from Lucania", Lucania being a region in southern Italy (of uncertain meaning). Luke was a doctor who travelled in the company of the apostle
Paul. According to tradition, he was the author of the third gospel and Acts in the New Testament. He was probably of Greek ethnicity. He is considered a saint by many Christian denominations.
... [more] MAHLAHf & mBiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
מַחְלָה (Machlah), possibly from
חָלָה (chalah) meaning "weak, sick". This name is used in the Old Testament as both a feminine and masculine name. In some versions of the Bible the masculine name is spelled
Mahalah.
MAHULENAfCzechPossibly inspired by
MAGDALENA. The Czech author Julius Zeyer created it for a character in his play 'Radúz and Mahulena' (1898).
MANIUSmAncient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, which was possibly derived from Old Latin
manus "good".
MARDUKmSemitic MythologyProbably from Sumerian
amar-Utuk meaning "calf of Utu", derived from
amar combined with the name of the sun god
UTU. This was the name of the chief Babylonian god, presiding over heaven, light, sky, battle, and fertility. After killing the dragon
Tiamat, who was an old enemy of the gods, he created the world and sky from the pieces of her body.
MARLONmEnglishMeaning unknown. This name was popularized by the American actor Marlon Brando (1924-2004), who was named after his father.
MARNIEfEnglishPossibly a diminutive of
MARINA. This name was brought to public attention by Alfred Hitchcock's movie 'Marnie' (1964), itself based on a 1961 novel by Winston Graham.
MARSmRoman MythologyPossibly related to Latin
mas "male" (genitive
maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god
Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.
MARYfEnglish, BiblicalUsual English form of
Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names
Μαριαμ (Mariam) and
Μαρια (Maria) - the spellings are interchangeable - which were from Hebrew
מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of
Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from
mry "beloved" or
mr "love".
... [more] MATHmWelsh MythologyPossibly from Celtic
matu meaning "bear". According to the Mabinogion, Math ap Mathonwy was a king of Gwynedd and a magician. He was the uncle of the hero
Gwydion.
MELUSINEfMythologyMeaning unknown. In European folklore Melusine was a water fairy who turned into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She made her husband, Raymond of Poitou, promise that he would never see her on that day, and when he broke his word she left him forever.
MERAUDfCornishMeaning unknown, perhaps based on Cornish
mor "sea".
MERLEf & mEnglishVariant of
MERRILL or
MURIEL. The spelling has been influenced by the word
merle meaning "blackbird" (via French, from Latin
merula).
MERYLfEnglishVariant of
MURIEL, influenced by the spelling of the name
CHERYL. A famous bearer is American actress Meryl Streep (1949-), whose real name is Mary Louise Streep.
MESHACHmBiblicalPossibly means "who is what Aku is?" in Akkadian,
Aku being the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament this is the Babylonian name of Mishael, one of the three men cast into a blazing furnace but saved from harm by God.
MICHAL (2)fBiblical, HebrewPossibly means "brook" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament she is 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.
MILESmEnglishFrom the Germanic name
Milo, introduced by the Normans to England in the form
Miles. The meaning is not known for certain. It is possibly connected to the Slavic name element
milu meaning "gracious". From an early date it was associated with Latin
miles "soldier".
MINERVAfRoman Mythology, EnglishPossibly derived from Latin
mens meaning "intellect", but more likely of Etruscan origin. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess
Athena. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since after the Renaissance.
MINOSmGreek MythologyPossibly from a Cretan word or title meaning "king". This was the name of a king of Crete in Greek mythology. He was the son of
Zeus and
Europa. Because Minos had refused to sacrifice a certain bull to
Poseidon, the god had caused his wife Pasiphaë to mate with the bull, which produced the half-bull creature called the Minotaur. Minos had
Daedalus construct the Labyrinth to house the beast, but it was eventually slain by
Theseus.
MIRIAMfHebrew, English, German, Biblical, Biblical HebrewOriginal Hebrew form of
MARY. It is used in the Old Testament, where it belongs to the elder sister of
Moses and
Aaron. She watched over the infant Moses as the pharaoh's daughter drew him from the Nile. The name has long been popular among Jews, and it has been used as an English Christian name since the Protestant Reformation.
MIRSADmBosnianMeaning unknown, possibly derived from Arabic meaning "watchtower" or Persian meaning "ambush".
MIRUNAfRomanianPossibly derived from the Slavic word
mir meaning "peace".
MONICAfEnglish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Late RomanMeaning unknown, most likely of North African or Phoenician origin. In the 4th century this name was borne by the North African saint Monica of Hippo, the mother of Saint Augustine, whom she converted to Christianity. Since the Middle Ages it has been associated with Latin
moneo "advisor" and Greek
monos "one". As an English name,
Monica has been in general use since the 18th century.
MORDREDmWelsh Mythology, Arthurian RomanceFrom Welsh
Medraut, possibly from Latin
moderatus meaning "controlled, moderated". In Arthurian legend Mordred was the illegitimate son (in some versions nephew) of King
Arthur. Mordred first appears briefly (as
Medraut) in the 10th-century 'Annales Cambriae', but he was not portrayed as a traitor until the chronicles of the 12th-century Geoffrey of Monmouth. While Arthur is away he seduces his wife
Guinevere and declares himself king. This prompts the battle of Camlann, which leads to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur.
MORGAN (2)fArthurian RomanceModern form of
Morgen, which was used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century for the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay, who was unnamed in earlier stories. Geoffrey probably did not derive it from the Welsh masculine name
Morgan, which would have been spelled
Morcant in his time. He may have based it on the Irish name
MUIRGEN.
MOSESmEnglish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh) which is most likely derived from Egyptian
mes meaning "son", but could also possibly mean "deliver" in Hebrew. The meaning suggested in the Old Testament of "drew out" from Hebrew
משה (mashah) is probably an invented etymology (see Exodus 2:10). The biblical Moses was drawn out of the Nile by the pharaoh's daughter and adopted into the royal family, at a time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. With his brother
Aaron he demanded the pharaoh release the Israelites, which was only done after God sent ten plagues upon Egypt. Moses led the people across the Red Sea and to Mount Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments from God. After 40 years of wandering in the desert the people reached Canaan, the Promised Land, but Moses died just before entering it.
... [more] MURIELfEnglish, French, IrishMedieval English form of a Celtic name which was probably related to the Irish name
MUIRGEL. The Normans brought it to England from Brittany. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel 'John Halifax, Gentleman' (1856).
NABUmSemitic MythologyPossibly from a Semitic root meaning "to announce". This was the name of an Assyrian and Babylonian god of wisdom, letters and writing.
NAPOLEONmHistory, EnglishFrom the old Italian name
Napoleone, used most notably by the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who was born on Corsica. The etymology is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from the Germanic
Nibelungen meaning "sons of mist", a name used in Germanic mythology to refer to the keepers of a hoard of treasure (often identified with the Burgundians). Alternatively, it could be connected to the name of the Italian city of Napoli (Naples).
NEASAfIrish, Irish MythologyMeaning uncertain. In Irish legend she was the mother of
Conchobhar, king of Ulster. According to some versions of the legend she was originally named
Assa meaning "gentle", but was renamed
Ni-assa "not gentle" after she sought to avenge the murders of her foster fathers.
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] NEPTUNEmRoman Mythology (Anglicized)From the Latin
Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Indo-European root *
nebh "wet, damp, clouds". Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god
Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.
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.
NERYSfWelshPerhaps an elaboration of Welsh
ner "lord", with the intended meaning of "lady".
NIMRODmBiblicalMeaning unknown, possibly of Akkadian origin or possibly meaning "rebel" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Nimrod is a renowned hunter, the great-grandson of
Noah. He was the founder of Babylon.
... [more] NIMUEfArthurian RomanceMeaning unknown. In Arthurian legends this is the name of a sorceress, also known as the Lady of the Lake, Vivien, or Niniane. Various versions of the tales have
Merlin falling in love with her and becoming imprisoned by her magic. She first appears in the medieval French 'Lancelot-Grail' cycle.
NINIANmScottish, Irish, Ancient CelticMeaning unknown. It appears in a Latinized form
Niniavus, which could be from the Welsh name
NYNNIAW. This was the name of a 5th-century British saint who was apparently responsible for many miracles and cures. He is known as the Apostle to the Picts.
NIOBEfGreek MythologyMeaning unknown. In Greek mythology Niobe was the daughter of Tantalos, a king of Asia Minor. Because she boasted that she was superior to
Leto, Leto's children
Apollo and
Artemis killed her 14 children with poison arrows. In grief, Niobe was turned to stone by
Zeus.
NUNOmPortuguese, Medieval PortugueseMedieval Portuguese and Spanish name, possibly from Latin
nonus "ninth" or
nunnus "grandfather". Saint Nuno was a 14th-century Portuguese general who defeated a Castilian invasion.
NYNNIAWmAncient CelticMeaning unknown, presumably of Welsh origin. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, this was the name of a Welsh prince who fought against the invading forces of Julius Caesar. It was also borne by an 8th-century Welsh historian, usually known by the Latinized form
Nennius.