AGE (1) m FrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
agil meaning
"edge (of a sword), blade".
AGILULF m Ancient GermanicGermanic name derived from the elements
agil "edge (of a sword), blade" and
wulf "wolf". This name was borne by a 6th-century king of the Lombards and by an 8th-century bishop of Cologne and saint.
AIKE m FrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
agil meaning
"edge (of a sword), blade".
ALDEBRAND m Ancient GermanicGermanic name derived from the elements
ald meaning "old" and
brand meaning "sword" or "fire". Saint Aldebrand was a 12th-century bishop of Fossombrone in Italy.
ALGAR m English (Rare)Means
"elf spear" from Old English
ælf "elf" and
gar "spear". This Old English name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, being absorbed by similar-sounding names and Norman and Scandinavian cognates. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
AMUND m NorwegianDerived from the Old Norse name
Agmundr, from the element
egg "edge of a sword" or
agi "awe, terror" combined with
mundr "protection".
ASGER m DanishFrom the Old Norse name
Ásgeirr, derived from the elements
áss meaning "god" and
geirr meaning "spear".
BERENGAR m Ancient GermanicGermanic name derived from the elements
bern "bear" and
ger "spear". This was the name of two medieval kings of Italy and a Holy Roman emperor.
BRENDA f EnglishPossibly 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.
CARROLL m IrishAnglicized form of
CEARBHALL. A famous bearer of the surname was Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, the author of
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
CHOBIN m HistoryFrom Persian
چوبین (Chubin) meaning
"spear-like". Bahram Chobin was a 6th-century Sasanian general and, for a short period, the king. He received this nickname because he was tall and thin. He appears in the 10th-century Persian epic the
Shahnameh.
COLT m EnglishFrom the English word for a young male horse or from the surname of the same origin. It may be given in honour of the American industrialist Samuel Colt (1814-1862) or the firearms company that bears his name.
EDGAR m English, French, Portuguese, GermanDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
gar "spear". This was the name of a 10th-century English king, Edgar the Peaceful. The name did not survive long after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 18th century, in part due to a character by this name in Sir Walter Scott's novel
The Bride of Lammermoor (1819), which tells of the tragic love between Edgar Ravenswood and Lucy Ashton. Famous bearers include author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), French impressionist painter Edgar Degas (1834-1917), and author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950).
EGBERT m English, DutchMeans
"bright edge" from the Old English elements
ecg "edge of a sword" and
beorht "bright". This was the name of kings of Kent and Wessex as well as two English saints. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest but was revived in the 19th century.
EGON m GermanDerived from the Germanic element
ag, which means
"edge of a sword".
ELMAR m GermanDescended from various Germanic names such as
Agilmar, which was derived from the elements
agil "edge (of a sword), blade" and
mari "famous".
FERRUCCIO m ItalianDerived from the Late Latin name
Ferrutius, a derivative of
ferrum meaning
"iron, sword". Saint Ferrutius was a 3rd-century martyr with his brother Ferreolus.
FLETCHER m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"maker of arrows" in Middle English, ultimately from Old French
flechier.
FRANCIS m & f English, FrenchEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Franciscus meaning
"Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used. This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.
... [more] FRANK m English, German, Dutch, FrenchFrom a Germanic name that referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They possibly derived their tribal name from the name of a type of spear that they used. From medieval times, the various forms of this name have been commonly conflated with the various forms of
Francis. In modern times it is sometimes used as a short form of
Francis or
Franklin.
... [more] GARRETT m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the given name
GERALD or
GERARD. A famous bearer of the surname was Pat Garrett (1850-1908), the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid.
GARY m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a Norman given name, which was itself originally a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element
ger meaning
"spear". This name was popularized in the late 1920s the American actor Gary Cooper (1901-1961), who took his stage name from the city of Gary in Indiana where his agent was born.
GERALD m English, GermanFrom a Germanic name meaning
"rule of the spear", from the elements
ger meaning "spear" and
wald meaning "rule". The Normans brought this name to Britain. Though it died out in England during the Middle Ages, it remained common in Ireland. It was revived in the English-speaking world in 19th century.
GERALDINE f EnglishFeminine form of
GERALD. This name was created by the poet Henry Howard for use in a 1537 sonnet praising Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald, whom he terms
The Geraldine.
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.
GERBEN m DutchDerived from the Germanic elements
ger meaning "spear" and
bern meaning "bear".
GERLINDE f German, DutchDerived from the Germanic element
ger meaning "spear" combined with
lind meaning "soft, tender, flexible".
GERTRUDE f English, Dutch, FrenchMeans
"spear of strength", derived from the Germanic elements
ger "spear" and
thrud "strength". Saint Gertrude the Great was a 13th-century nun and mystic writer. It was probably introduced to England by settlers from the Low Countries in the 15th century. Shakespeare used the name in his play
Hamlet (1600) for the mother of the title character. Another famous bearer was the American writer Gertrude Stein (1874-1946).
GERVASIUS m Ancient 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.
GISBERT m German, Ancient GermanicFrom a Germanic name in which the second element is
beraht "bright". The first element is probably a shortened form of
gisil "pledge, hostage" (making it a variant of
GILBERT), though it could be related to Gallo-Celtic
gaiso "spear".
GUSTAV m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, CzechPossibly means
"staff of the Geats", derived from the Old Norse elements
gautr "Geat, 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.
HJÖRDIS f SwedishSwedish form of the Old Norse name
Hjǫrdís meaning
"sword goddess", derived from the elements
hjǫrr "sword" and
dís "goddess".
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.
HROÐGAR m Anglo-SaxonOld English cognate of
Hrodger (see
ROGER). The name became unused after the Normans introduced
Hrodger after their invasion. In the Old English poem
Beowulf this is the name of the Danish king.
HUSAM m ArabicMeans
"sword" in Arabic, a derivative of the verb
حسم (hasama) meaning "to sever, to finish, to decide".
IVOR m Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English (British)From the Old Norse name
Ívarr, which was derived from the elements
yr "yew, bow" and
arr "warrior". During the Middle Ages it was brought to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders, and it was adopted in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
KUNTI f HinduismMeans
"spear" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of the mother of the Pandavas.
LANCE m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Lanzo, originally a short form of names that began with the element
landa meaning
"land". During the Middle Ages it became associated with Old French
lance "spear, lance". A famous bearer is American cyclist Lance Armstrong (1971-).
LUDGER m German, DutchFrom the Germanic name
Leudagar, which was derived from the elements
leud "people" and
ger "spear". Saint Ludger was an 8th-century Frisian Benedictine bishop who founded a monastery at Munster.
MAJOR m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from the given name
Mauger, an Old French form of the Germanic name
Malger meaning "council spear". The name can also be given in reference to the English word
major.
METHUSELAH m BiblicalMeans
"man of the dart" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the father of
Lamech and the grandfather of
Noah. He lived to age 969, making him the longest-lived person in the Bible.
ODDVAR m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Oddvarr, derived from the elements
oddr "point of a sword" and
varr "vigilant, cautious".
OLEGARIO m SpanishSpanish form of a Germanic name, possibly
Aldegar, derived from the elements
ald "old" and
ger "spear". This was the name of a 12th-century saint, a bishop of Barcelona.
ORVAR m Swedish, Norse MythologyMeans
"arrow" in Old Norse. Orvar Odd is a legendary Norse hero who is the subject of a 13th-century Icelandic saga.
OVE m Swedish, Norwegian, DanishProbably a modern form of the Old Danish name
Aghi, originally a short form of names that contain the Old Norse element
egg "edge of a sword" or
agi "terror".
PEREDUR m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian RomancePossibly means
"hard spears" in Welsh. This was the name of several figures from Welsh mythology. It was later used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth in his Arthurian tales. The character of
Percival was probably based on him.
QUIRINUS m Roman Mythology, Late RomanPossibly derived from the Sabine word
quiris meaning
"spear". Quirinus was a Sabine and Roman god, sometimes identified with
Romulus. He declined in importance after the early Republican era. The name was also borne by several early saints.
REMBRANDT m DutchFrom a Germanic name that was composed of the elements
ragin "advice" and
brand "sword". This name belonged to the 17th-century Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn.
REMINGTON m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the name of the town of Rimington in Lancashire, itself meaning
"settlement on the Riming stream". It may be given in honour of the American manufacturer Eliphalet Remington (1793-1861) or his sons, founders of the firearms company that bears their name.
RHONDA f EnglishProbably intended to mean "good spear" from Welsh
rhon "spear" and
da "good", but possibly influenced by the name of the Rhondda Valley in South Wales, which means "noisy". It has been in use only since the 20th century. Its use may have been partially inspired by Margaret Mackworth, Viscountess Rhondda (1883-1956), a British feminist.
RHONWEN f WelshWelsh form of
ROWENA, appearing in medieval Welsh poems and stories. It also coincides with Welsh
rhon "spear" and
gwen "fair, white, blessed".
ROGER m English, French, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, German, DutchMeans
"famous spear" from the Germanic elements
hrod "fame" and
ger "spear". The Normans brought this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Hroðgar (the name of the Danish king in the Anglo-Saxon epic
Beowulf). It was a common name in England during the Middle Ages. By the 18th century it was rare, but it was revived in following years. The name was borne by the Norman lords Roger I, who conquered Sicily in the 11th century, and his son Roger II, who ruled Sicily as a king.
SASKIA f Dutch, GermanFrom the Germanic element
sahs "Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word
sahs meaning "knife".
SAXON m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from the name of the Germanic tribe the Saxons, ultimately deriving from the Germanic word
sahs meaning "knife". This name can also be given in direct reference to the tribe.
SHAMGAR m BiblicalPossibly means
"sword" in Hebrew. Shamgar was one of the Old Testament judges.
TORGEIR m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Þórgeirr, which meant
"Thor's spear" from the name of the Norse god
Þórr (see
THOR) combined with
geirr "spear".
TYR m Norse MythologyNorse form of the name of the Germanic god
Tiwaz, related to Indo-European
dyeus (see
ZEUS). In Norse mythology Tyr was the god of war and justice, the son of the god
Odin. He carried a spear in his left hand, since his right hand was bitten off by the wolf Fenrir. At the time of the end of the world, the Ragnarok, Tyr will slay and be slain by the giant hound Garm.
YUMI f JapaneseFrom Japanese
弓 (yumi) meaning "archery bow". It can also come from
由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause",
友 (yu) meaning "friend" or a nanori reading of
弓 (yu) meaning "archery bow" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji or kanji combinations are also possible.
YUMIKO f JapaneseFrom Japanese
弓 (yumi) meaning "archery bow" or
由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.