APHRODITE f Greek 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.
CORAL f English, SpanishFrom the English and Spanish word
coral for the underwater skeletal deposits which can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
κοραλλιον (korallion).
DAR f & m HebrewMeans "mother-of-pearl, nacre" in Hebrew.
GRETEL f GermanDiminutive of
GRETE. This name is well-known as the character in Grimm's fairy tale who is captured, with her brother Hansel, by a witch.
HYEON-JU f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" and
珠 (ju) meaning "jewel, pearl". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
JONAH m English, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יוֹנָה (Yonah) meaning "dove". This was the name of a prophet swallowed by a fish, as told in the Old Testament Book of Jonah. Jonah was commanded by God to preach in Nineveh, but instead fled by boat. After being caught in a storm, the other sailors threw Jonah overboard, at which point he was swallowed. He emerged from the fish alive and repentant three days later.
... [more] KORALIA f Greek, Late GreekDerived from Ancient Greek
κοραλλιον (korallion) meaning "coral" (in Modern Greek
κοραλλι). This was the name of an obscure 4th-century saint and martyr from Thrace.
LEIMOMI f HawaiianMeans "pearl lei" or "pearl child" from Hawaiian
lei "flowers, lei, child" and
momi "pearl".
MARGARET f EnglishDerived from Latin
Margarita, which was from Greek
μαργαριτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", probably ultimately a borrowing from Sanskrit
मञ्यरी (manyari). Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.
... [more] MARGAUX f FrenchVariant of
MARGOT influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from
Margot.
MARGHERITA f ItalianItalian form of
MARGARET. This is also the Italian word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
MARGRIET f DutchDutch form of
MARGARET. This is also the Dutch word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
MARGUERITE f FrenchFrench form of
MARGARET. This is also the French word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
MARJORIE f EnglishMedieval variant of
MARGERY, influenced by the name of the herb
marjoram. After the Middle Ages this name was rare, but it was revived at the end of the 19th century.
MAY f EnglishDerived from the name of the month of May, which derives from
Maia, the name of a Roman goddess. May is also another name of the hawthorn flower. It is also used as a diminutive of
MARY,
MARGARET or
MABEL.
MEGAN f Welsh, EnglishWelsh diminutive of
MARGARET. In the English-speaking world outside of Wales it has only been regularly used since the middle of the 20th century.
MUIRGEN f Irish, Irish MythologyMeans "born of the sea" in Gaelic. In Irish legend this was the name of a woman (originally named
Líban) who was transformed into a mermaid. After 300 years she was brought to shore, baptized, and transformed back into a woman.
PEARL f EnglishFrom the English word
pearl for the concretions formed in the shells of some mollusks, ultimately from Late Latin
perla. Like other gemstone names, it has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century. The pearl is the birthstone for June, and it supposedly imparts health and wealth.
PEGGY f EnglishMedieval variant of
Meggy, a diminutive of
MARGARET. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.
PENINNAH f BiblicalMeans "precious stone, pearl" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the wives of
Elkanah, the other being
Hannah.
SADAF f ArabicMeans "seashell, mother-of-pearl" in Arabic.
SANGO f Popular CultureMeans "coral" in Japanese. This name is used in the Japanese comic book and television show 'InuYasha'.
SHELL f EnglishShort form of
MICHELLE or
SHELLEY. It can also be simply from the English word
shell (ultimately from Old English
sciell).
YEONG-HO m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero",
映 (yeong) meaning "reflect light" or
泳 (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with
浩 (ho) meaning "great, numerous, vast" or
皓 (ho) meaning "bright, luminous, clear, hoary". Other hanja combinations are possible.
YEONG-HUI f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" or
泳 (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with
姬 (hui) meaning "beauty" or
嬉 (hui) meaning "enjoy, play". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.