AALI m ArabicMeans "high, lofty, sublime" in Arabic.
AALIYAH f Arabic, English (Modern)Feminine form of
AALI. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001), who was known simply as Aaliyah.
ABD AL-RAHMAN m ArabicMeans "servant of the merciful" from Arabic
عبد ال ('abd al) meaning "servant of the" combined with
رحمن (rahman) meaning "merciful". This was the name of two early caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain.
ADALET f TurkishMeans "justice" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic.
AGNES f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
‘Αγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek
‘αγνος (hagnos) meaning "chaste". Saint Agnes was a virgin martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The name became associated with Latin
agnus "lamb", resulting in the saint's frequent depiction with a lamb by her side. Due to her renown, the name became common in Christian Europe, being especially popular in England in the Middle Ages.
AI (1) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection",
藍 (ai) meaning "indigo", or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
AI (2) f ChineseFrom Chinese
爱 (ài) meaning "love, affection",
蔼 (ǎi) meaning "friendly, lush", or other characters which are pronounced similarly.
AITOR m BasquePossibly means "good fathers" from Basque
aita "father" and
on "good". This was the name of a legendary ancestor of the Basques.
AKI (2) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal",
明 (aki) meaning "bright" or
秋 (aki) meaning "autumn". It can also come from
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with
希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name too.
ALETHEA f EnglishDerived from Greek
αληθεια (aletheia) meaning "truth". This name was coined in the 16th century.
AMI (1) m BiblicalMeans "trustworthy, reliable" in Hebrew. This was the name of a servant of King
Solomon in the Old Testament.
AMIN m Arabic, Persian, UrduDerived from Arabic
امين (amin) meaning "truthful". This was the name of the sixth Abbasid caliph.
AMITY f English (Rare)From the English word meaning "friendship", ultimately deriving from Latin
amicitia.
AN (1) m & f Chinese, VietnameseFrom Chinese
安 (ān) meaning "peace, quiet" or other characters with a similar pronunciation. As a Vietnamese name, it is derived from Sino-Vietnamese
安 meaning "safe, secure".
AUGUSTUS m Ancient Roman, DutchMeans "great" or "venerable", derived from Latin
augere "to increase". Augustus was the title given to
Octavian, the first Roman emperor. He was the adopted son of Julius Caesar who rose to power through a combination of military skill and political prowess. This was also the name of three kings of Poland.
BAI m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
白 (bái) meaning "white, pure",
百 (bǎi) meaning "one hundred, many" or
柏 (bǎi) meaning "cypress tree, cedar" (which is usually only masculine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. This name was borne in the 8th century by the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai, whose given was
白.
BAO f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
宝 (bǎo) meaning "treasure, jewel, precious, rare",
褒 (bāo) meaning "praise, honour" or
苞 (bāo) meaning "bud" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are possible as well.
BASIR m ArabicMeans "wise" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition
البصير (al-Basir) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
BELINDA f EnglishThe 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).
BERNARD m English, French, Dutch, Polish, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Ancient GermanicDerived from the Germanic element
bern "bear" combined with
hard "brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Beornheard. This was the name of several saints, including Saint Bernard of Menthon who built hospices in the Swiss Alps in the 10th century, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. Other famous bearers include the Irish playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and the British World War II field marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976).
BONNIE f EnglishMeans "pretty" from the Scottish word
bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French
bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie 'Gone with the Wind' (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.
CARITA f SwedishDerived from Latin
caritas meaning "dearness, esteem, love".
CHANG m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
昌 (chāng) meaning "flourish, prosper, good, sunlight" (which is usually only masculine),
畅 (chàng) meaning "smooth, free, unrestrained" or
长 (cháng) meaning "long". Other Chinese characters are also possible.
CHARES m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
χαρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian general. It was also borne by the sculptor who crafted the Colossus of Rhodes.
CHARISSA f EnglishElaborated form of
CHARIS. Edmund Spencer used it in his epic poem 'The Faerie Queene' (1590).
CHARITY f EnglishFrom the English word
charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin
caritas meaning "generous love", from Latin
carus "dear, beloved".
Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name
Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation.
CHASTITY f EnglishFrom the English word
chastity, which is ultimately from Latin
castus "pure". It was borne by the daughter of Sonny Bono and Cher, which probably led to the name's increase in popularity during the 1970s.
CHENG m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
成 (chéng) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or
诚 (chéng) meaning "sincere, honest, true", as well as other characters which are pronounced similarly.
CHIKA (2) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
千 (chi) meaning "thousand",
智 (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
散 (chi) meaning "scatter" combined with
佳 (ka) meaning "good, beautiful" or
花 (ka) meaning "flower". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
CLEMENCE f EnglishFeminine form of
Clementius (see
CLEMENT). It has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it became rare after the 17th century.
CLEMENCY f English (Rare)Medieval variant of
CLEMENCE. It can also simply mean "clemency, mercy" from the English word, ultimately from Latin
clemens "merciful".
CLEMENT m EnglishEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Clemens (or sometimes of its derivative
Clementius) which meant "merciful, gentle". This was the name of 14 popes, including Saint Clement I, the third pope, one of the Apostolic Fathers. Another saint by this name was Clement of Alexandria, a 3rd-century theologian and church father who attempted to reconcile Christian and Platonic philosophies. It has been in general as a given name in Christian Europe (in various spellings) since early times. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, though it was revived in the 19th century.
CODY m EnglishFrom the Irish surname
Ó Cuidighthigh, which means "descendant of
CUIDIGHTHEACH". A famous bearer of the surname was the American frontiersman and showman Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917).
CONLETH m IrishModern form of the old Irish name
Conláed, possibly meaning "chaste fire" from Gaelic
connla "chaste" and
aodh "fire". Saint Conláed was a 5th-century bishop of Kildare.
CONRAD m English, German, Ancient GermanicDerived from the Germanic elements
kuoni "brave" and
rad "counsel". This was the name of a 10th-century saint and bishop of Konstanz, in southern Germany. It was also borne by several medieval German kings and dukes. In England it was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, but has only been common since the 19th century when it was reintroduced from Germany.
CONSTANS m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning "constant, steadfast". This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor, a son of
Constantine the Great.
COSMAS m Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κοσμας (Kosmas), which was derived from
κοσμος (kosmos) meaning "order, decency". Saint Cosmas was martyred with his twin brother Damian in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians.
CURTIS m EnglishFrom an English surname which originally meant "courteous" in Old French.
DARIUS m English, Lithuanian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical LatinRoman form of
Δαρειος (Dareios), which was the Greek form of the Persian name
Dārayavahush, which was composed of the elements
dâraya "to possess" and
vahu "good". Three ancient kings of Persia bore this name, including Darius the Great who expanded the Achaemenid Empire to its greatest extent. His forces invaded Greece but were defeated in the Battle of Marathon.
... [more] DECEBAL m RomanianMeans "powerful, brave" in Dacian. This was the name adopted by Diurpaneus, a 1st-century king of Dacia. For many years he successfully resisted Roman expansion into his territory but was finally defeated by the forces of Emperor Trajan in 106.
DIKE f Greek MythologyMeans "justice" in Greek. In Greek mythology Dike was the goddess of justice, one of the
‘Ωραι (Horai).
EMER f Irish, 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.
ESMOND m English (Rare)Derived from the Old English elements
east "grace" and
mund "protection". This Old English name was rarely used after the Norman conquest. It was occasionally revived in the 19th century.
EUDORA f Greek MythologyMeans "good gift" in Greek, from the elements
ευ (eu) "good" and
δωρον (doron) "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
EUGENE m EnglishEnglish form of
Eugenius, the Latin form of the Greek name
Ευγενιος (Eugenios) which was derived from the Greek word
ευγενης (eugenes) meaning "well born". It is composed of the elements
ευ (eu) "good" and
γενης (genes) "born". This was the name of several saints and four popes.
... [more] EUN m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
恩 (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" or
銀 (eun) meaning "silver, money", as well as other hanja characters which are pronounced in the same way. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
EUN-JI f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
恩 (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" combined with
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
地 (ji) meaning "earth, soil, ground". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
EUN-YEONG f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
恩 (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" and
英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
EURYDICE f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Ευρυδικη (Eurydike) which meant "wide justice", derived from
ευρυς (eurys) "wide" and
δικη (dike) "justice". In Greek myth she was the wife of Orpheus. Her husband tried to rescue her from Hades, but he failed when he disobeyed the condition that he not look back upon her on their way out.
EUSTORGIO m ItalianFrom
Eustorgius, the Latin form of the Greek name
Ευστοργιος (Eustorgios), which was from the word
ευστοργος (eustorgos) meaning "content", a derivative of
ευ (eu) "good" and
στεργω (stergo) "to love, to be content". Saint Eustorgius was a 6th-century bishop of Milan.
EUTERPE f Greek MythologyMeans "delight" in Greek, ultimately from
ευ (eu) "good" and
τερπω (terpo) "to satisfy, to cheer". In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, the muse of music and joy. She was said to have invented the double flute.
EVADNE f Greek 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.
EVERARD m English (Rare)Means "brave boar", derived from the Germanic elements
ebur "wild boar" and
hard "brave, hardy". The Normans introduced it to England, where it joined the Old English cognate
Eoforheard. It has only been rarely used since the Middle Ages. Modern use of the name may be inspired by the surname
Everard, itself derived from the medieval name.
FAITH f EnglishSimply from the English word
faith, ultimately from Latin
fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
FANG f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
芳 (fāng) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
FELICITY f EnglishFrom the English word
felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin
felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name
FELICITAS. This name was revived in the late 1990s after the appearance of the television series 'Felicity'.
FEMKE f Dutch, FrisianDiminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element
frid "peace". It also coincides with a Frisian word meaning "little girl".
FERDINAND m German, French, Dutch, English, Czech, Slovene, Ancient GermanicFrom
Ferdinando, the old Spanish form of a Germanic name composed of the elements
fardi "journey" and
nand "daring, brave". 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.
FIDEL m SpanishFrom the Late Latin name
Fidelis which meant "faithful". A famous bearer was revolutionary leader Fidel Castro (1926-2016), the former president of Cuba.
FREDERICK m EnglishEnglish form of a Germanic name meaning "peaceful ruler", derived from
frid "peace" and
ric "ruler, power". This name has long been common in continental Germanic-speaking regions, being borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, and Prussia. Notables among these rulers include the 12th-century Holy Roman emperor and crusader Frederick I Barbarossa, the 13th-century emperor and patron of the arts Frederick II, and the 18th-century Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great.
... [more] GALEN m EnglishModern form of the Greek name
Γαληνος (Galenos), which meant "calm" from Greek
γαληνη (galene). It was borne by a 2nd-century BC Greco-Roman physician who contributed to anatomy and medicine. In modern times the name is occasionally given in his honour.
GARETH m Welsh, 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".
GERARD m English, Dutch, Catalan, PolishDerived from the Germanic element
ger meaning "spear" combined with
hard meaning "brave, hardy". The Normans introduced this name to Britain. It was initially much more common than the similar name
Gerald, with which it was often confused, but it is now less common.
GERLINDE f German, DutchDerived from the Germanic element
ger meaning "spear" combined with
lind meaning "soft, tender, flexible".
GLENDA f Welsh, EnglishA name created in the 20th century from the Welsh elements
glân "pure, clean" and
da "good".
GLENYS f WelshElaboration of the Welsh word
glân meaning "pure, clean, holy". 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] GRACE f EnglishFrom the English word
grace, which ultimately derives from Latin
gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.
GRATIAN m HistoryFrom the Roman name
Gratianus, which meant "grace" from Latin
gratus. Saint Gratian was the first bishop of Tours (4th century). This was also the name of a Roman emperor.
GUIYING m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
桂 (guì) meaning "laurel, cassia, cinnamon" combined with
英 (yīng) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". This name can be formed from other character combinations as well.
GWENAËL m French, BretonMeans "blessed and generous" from Breton
gwenn meaning "white, fair, blessed" and
hael meaning "generous". Saint Gwenhael was a 6th-century abbot of Brittany.
GWENDA f Welsh, EnglishDerived from the Welsh elements
gwen meaning "white, fair, blessed" and
da meaning "good". This name was created in the 20th century.
GYEONG m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
京 (gyeong) meaning "capital city",
景 (gyeong) meaning "scenery, view",
敬 (gyeong) meaning "respect, honour", or other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
HAIDEE f LiteraturePerhaps intended to derive from Greek
αιδοιος (aidoios) "modest, reverent". This name was created by Byron for a character in his poem 'Don Juan' (1819).
HALIM m ArabicMeans "patient, tolerant, mild" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition
الحليم (al-Halim) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
HANNAH f English, Hebrew, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Arabic, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
חַנָּה (Channah) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root
חָנַן (chanan). In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of
Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife
Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from
Eli she finally became pregnant with
Samuel.
... [more] HARDY m EnglishFrom a surname which was derived from Middle English
hardi "brave, hardy".
HARTMANN m GermanMeans "brave man", derived from the Germanic element
hard "brave, hardy" combined with
man.
HASAN m Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, IndonesianMeans "handsome", derived from Arabic
حسن (hasuna) meaning "to be beautiful, to be good". Hasan was the son of
Ali and the grandson of the Prophet
Muhammad. He was poisoned by one of his wives and is regarded as a martyr by Shia Muslims. This was also the name of two kings of Morocco. It is sometimes transcribed as
Hassan, though this is a distinct name in Arabic.
HE f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
河 (hé) meaning "river, stream",
和 (hé) meaning "harmony, peace", or
荷 (hé) meaning "lotus, water lily" (which is usually only feminine). Other characters can form this name as well. A famous bearer was the 15th-century explorer Zheng He.
HIROSHI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
寛 (hiroshi) meaning "tolerant, generous",
浩 (hiroshi) meaning "prosperous", or other kanji and kanji combinations which are read the same way.
HONOKA f JapaneseFrom Japanese
和 (hono) meaning "harmony" (using an obscure nanori reading) and
花 (ka) meaning "flower", as well as other combinations of kanji which have the same pronunciation. Very often it is written using the hiragana writing system.
HONORINE f FrenchFrench form of
Honorina, a feminine form of the Roman name
Honorinus, a derivative of
HONORIUS. Saint Honorina was a 4th-century martyr from the Normandy region in France.
HONORIUS m Late RomanLate Latin name which meant "honour". This was the name of an emperor of the Western Roman Empire. It was also borne by a few early saints and four popes.
HONOUR f English (Rare)From the English word
honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of
HONORIA or
HONORATA, which are ultimately derived from the same source.
HOPE f EnglishFrom the English word
hope, ultimately from Old English
hopian. This name was first used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
HRÓARR m Ancient ScandinavianOld Norse name, derived from the element
hróðr "fame" combined with either
geirr "spear" (making it a relation of
HRÓÐGEIRR),
arr "warrior" or
varr "vigilant, cautious". This is the name of a legendary Danish king, the same one who is featured in the Anglo-Saxon poem 'Beowulf' with the name
Hroðgar.
HUMPHREY m EnglishMeans "peaceful warrior" from the Germanic elements
hun "warrior, bear cub" and
frid "peace". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Hunfrith, and it was regularly used through the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the American actor Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957), who starred in 'The Maltese Falcon' and 'Casablanca'.
HYEON-JEONG f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or
炫 (hyeon) meaning "shine, glitter" combined with
廷 (jeong) meaning "court" or
貞 (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
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.
HYEON-U m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or
顯 (hyeon) meaning "manifest, clear" combined with
祐 (u) meaning "divine intervention, protection" or
雨 (u) meaning "rain". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
IDONEA f English (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.
IRA (1) m Biblical, English, HebrewMeans "watchful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of King
David's priest. As an English Christian given name,
Ira began to be used after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where remained moderately common into the 20th century.
ISAMU m JapaneseFrom Japanese
勇 (isamu) meaning "brave" or other kanji having the same pronunciation.
JEONG f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
靜 (jeong) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" or
貞 (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal", as well as other characters which are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
JEONG-SUK f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
貞 (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal" or
正 (jeong) meaning "right, proper, correct" combined with
淑 (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja combinations are possible.
JI-MIN f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" or
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" combined with
旼 (min) meaning "gentle, affable",
敏 (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" or
珉 (min) meaning "jade, stone resembling jade". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
JING m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
静 (jìng) meaning "quiet, still, gentle",
精 (jīng) meaning "essence, spirit",
晶 (jīng) meaning "clear, crystal" or
京 (jīng) meaning "capital city". Other characters can also form this name.
JINGYI m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
静 (jìng) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" combined with
怡 (yí) meaning "joy, harmony". Other character combinations are possible as well.
JI-YEONG f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
知 (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend" combined with
英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" or
榮 (yeong) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
JOY f EnglishSimply from the English word
joy, ultimately derived from Norman French
joie, Latin
gaudia. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.
JUDA m ArabicMeans "goodness, excellence", derived from Arabic
جاد (jada) "to be excellent".
JUNKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
順 (jun) meaning "obedience" or
純 (jun) meaning "pure" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are also possible.
JUSTICE m & f EnglishFrom an occupational surname which meant "judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word
justice.
JUSTIN m English, French, SloveneFrom the Latin name
Iustinus, which was derived from
JUSTUS. This was the name of several early saints including Justin Martyr, a Christian philosopher of the 2nd century who was beheaded in Rome. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors. As an English name, it has occasionally been used since the late Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the 20th century. Famous modern bearers include pop stars Justin Timberlake (1981-) and Justin Bieber (1994-).
KAREEM m ArabicAlternate transcription of Arabic
كريم (see
KARIM). A famous bearer of this name is basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1947-).
KARIM m Arabic, PersianMeans "generous, noble" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition
الكريم (al-Karim) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
KASUMI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
霞 (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from
花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with
澄 (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
KAVI m Indian, HindiFrom a title for a a poet, meaning "wise man, sage, poet" in Sanskrit.
KAZUKI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
一 (kazu) meaning "one" or
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness",
希 (ki) meaning "hope" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.
KIYOKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
清 (kiyo) meaning "clear, pure, clean" or
聖 (kiyo) meaning "holy" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
KOUKI m JapaneseFrom Japanese
光 (kou) meaning "light" or
幸 (kou) meaning "happiness, good luck" combined with
希 (ki) meaning "hope" or
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji characters as well.
KYO m & f JapaneseAlternate transcription of Japanese Kanji
協 or
京 or
郷 or
杏 (see
KYOU).
KYOU m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
協 (kyou) meaning "unite, cooperate",
京 (kyou) meaning "capital city",
郷 (kyou) meaning "village",
杏 (kyou) meaning "apricot", or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
LATIF m ArabicMeans "gentle, kind" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition
اللطيف (al-Latif) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
LEOFWINE m Anglo-SaxonMeans "dear friend", derived from the Old English elements
leof "dear, agreeable, beloved" and
wine "friend". This was the name of an 8th-century English saint, also known as Lebuin, who did missionary work in Frisia.
LEONARD m English, Dutch, German, Ancient GermanicMeans "brave lion", derived from the Germanic elements
lewo "lion" (of Latin origin) and
hard "brave, hardy". This was the name of a 5th-century Frankish saint from Noblac who is the patron of prisoners and horses. The Normans brought this name to England, though it did not become common there until the 19th century.
LEONARDO m Italian, Spanish, PortugueseItalian, Spanish and Portuguese form of
LEONARD. A notable bearer was Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), an Italian artist and scientist of the Renaissance. He is also known as the inventor of several contraptions, including flying machines, as well as the painter of the 'Mona Lisa'. Another famous bearer was Leonardo Fibonacci, a 13th-century Italian mathematician. A more recent bearer is American actor Leonardo DiCaprio (1974-).
LEONHARD m GermanGerman form of
LEONARD. Leonhard Euler was a Swiss mathematician who made many important contributions to calculus, number theory, geometry and theoretical physics.
LEOPOLD m German, Dutch, English, Slovene, PolishDerived from the Germanic elements
leud "people" and
bald "bold". The spelling was altered due to association with Latin
leo "lion". This name was common among German royalty, first with the Babenbergs and then the Habsburgs. Saint Leopold was a 12th-century Babenberg margrave of Austria, who is now considered the patron of that country. It was also borne by two Habsburg Holy Roman emperors, as well as three kings of Belgium. Since the 19th century this name has been occasionally used in England, originally in honour of Queen Victoria's uncle, a king of Belgium, after whom she named one of her sons. It was later used by James Joyce for the main character, Leopold Bloom, in his novel 'Ulysses' (1920).
LETITIA f EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Laetitia which meant "joy, happiness". This was the name of an obscure saint, who is revered mainly in Spain. It was in use in England during the Middle Ages, usually in the spelling
Lettice, and it was revived in the 18th century.
LIBERTY f EnglishSimply from the English word
liberty, derived from Latin
libertas, a derivative of
liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism).
LILY f EnglishFrom the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin
lilium.
LOVE (2) f EnglishSimply from the English word
love, derived from Old English
lufu.
LUCASTA f LiteratureThis name was first used by the poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems called 'Lucasta' (1649). The poems were dedicated to Lucasta, a nickname for the woman he loved Lucy Sacheverel, who he called
lux casta "pure light".
MACARIO m SpanishSpanish form of the Latin name
Macarius, derived from the Greek name
Μακαριος (Makarios), which was in turn derived from Greek
μακαρ (makar) meaning "blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints.
MAI (2) f JapaneseFrom Japanese
舞 (mai) meaning "dance" or
麻衣 (mai) meaning "linen robe". It can also come from
真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
MAKOTO m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
誠 (makoto) meaning "sincerity", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations.
MANFRED m German, Dutch, PolishDerived from the Germanic elements
magan "strength" and
frid "peace". This is the name of the main character in Byron's drama 'Manfred' (1817). This name was also borne by Manfred von Richthofen (1892-1918), the German pilot in World War I who was known as the Red Baron.
MANIUS m Ancient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, which was possibly derived from Old Latin
manus "good".
MERCEDES f SpanishMeans "mercies" (that is, the plural of mercy), from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
María de las Mercedes, meaning "Mary of Mercies". It is ultimately from the Latin word
merces meaning "wages, reward", which in Vulgar Latin acquired the meaning "favour, pity".
MERCY f EnglishFrom the English word
mercy, ultimately from Latin
merces "wages, reward", a derivative of
merx "goods, wares". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
MILAN m Czech, Slovak, Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, MacedonianFrom the Slavic element
milu meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names that began with that element. A city in Italy bears this name, though it originates from a different source.
MILES m EnglishFrom 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".
MIN m & f Chinese, KoreanFrom
敏 (mǐn) meaning "quick, clever, sharp",
民 (mín) meaning "people, citizens", or other Chinese/Sino-Korean characters which are pronounced similarly.