Æðelræd m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðel "noble" and
ræd "counsel". This was the name of two Saxon kings of England including Æðelræd II "the Unready" whose realm was overrun by the Danes in the early 11th century. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
Ahura Mazda m Persian MythologyMeans
"lord of wisdom" in Avestan. In Persian mythology Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.
Alfred m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, DutchMeans
"elf counsel", derived from the Old English name
Ælfræd, composed of the elements
ælf "elf" and
ræd "counsel". Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeast England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.
... [more] Alvis m Norse Mythology, LatvianFrom the Old Norse
Alvíss meaning
"all wise". In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf who was to marry
Thor's daughter
Thrud. Thor was not pleased with this so he tricked Alvis by asking him questions until the sun rose, at which time the dwarf was turned into stone.
Aqil m ArabicMeans
"intelligent, wise" in Arabic. This transcription represents two different Arabic spellings.
Athena f Greek Mythology, EnglishMeaning unknown. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. It is likely that her name is derived from that of the city, not vice versa. The earliest mention of her seems to be a 15th-century BC Mycenaean Greek inscription from Knossos on Crete.
... [more] Bahman m Persian, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Avestan
Vohu Manah meaning
"good mind". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with domestic animals. It is also the name of the eleventh month in the Iranian calendar.
Basir m ArabicMeans
"wise" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition
البصير (al-Basir) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Bridget f Irish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Irish name
Brighid, Old Irish
Brigit, from old Celtic *
Brigantī meaning
"the exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god
Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form
Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.
Cadoc m Old WelshFrom an Old Welsh name, recorded in Latinized forms such as
Catocus, derived from
cat meaning
"battle". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who was martyred by the Saxons.
Cato 1 m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen meaning
"wise" in Latin. This name was bestowed upon Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato), a 2nd-century BC Roman statesman, author and censor, and was subsequently inherited by his descendants, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.
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.
Conrad m English, German, Ancient GermanicMeans
"brave counsel", derived 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.
Dagda m Irish MythologyMeans
"the good god" from the Old Irish prefix
dag "good" and
día "god". In Irish myth Dagda (called also The Dagda) was the powerful god of the earth, knowledge, magic, abundance and treaties, a leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He was skilled in combat and healing and possessed a huge club, the handle of which could revive the dead.
Dagrun f NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Dagrún, which was derived from the Old Norse elements
dagr "day" and
rún "secret lore".
Daichi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with
地 (chi) meaning "earth, land" or
智 (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Danish m UrduFrom Persian
دانش (danesh) meaning
"knowledge, learning".
Ealdræd m Anglo-SaxonFrom the Old English elements
eald "old" and
ræd "counsel". This name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
Emer f Irish MythologyMeaning unknown. 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.
Enki m Sumerian MythologyFrom Sumerian
𒂗 (en) meaning "lord" and
𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth, ground" (though maybe originally from
𒆳 (kur) meaning "underworld, mountain"). Enki, called
Ea by the Akkadians, Assyrians and Babylonians, was the Sumerian god of water and wisdom and the keeper of the Me, the divine laws.
Epimetheus m Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ἐπιμήθεια (epimetheia) meaning
"hindsight, hindthought". In Greek mythology he was a Titan, the brother of the god of forethought Prometheus.
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.
Fikri m Arabic, TurkishMeans
"intellectual" in Arabic, a derivative of
فكر (fakara) meaning "to think, to reflect".
Fionn m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom the Old Irish name
Finn, derived from
finn meaning
"fair, white". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as
Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of
Oisín and grandfather of
Oscar.
Frode m Norwegian, DanishFrom the Old Norse name
Fróði, which was derived from
fróðr meaning
"learned, wise".
Frodo m LiteratureDerived from Old English
froda meaning
"wise". This is the name of the hobbit hero in
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, who used Old English to translate some hobbit names (Frodo's true hobbit-language name is
Maura). In the novel Frodo Baggins is the bearer of the One Ring on the quest to destroy it in Mount Doom.
Galadriel f LiteratureMeans
"maiden crowned with a radiant garland" in the fictional language Sindarin. Galadriel was a Noldorin elf princess renowned for her beauty and wisdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels. The elements are
galad "radiant" and
riel "garlanded maiden".
Alatáriel is the Quenya form of her name.
Ganesha m HinduismMeans
"lord of hordes" from Sanskrit
गण (gana) meaning "horde, multitude" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler". This is the name of the Hindu god of wisdom and good luck, the son of
Shiva and
Parvati. He is often depicted as a stout man with the head of an elephant.
Guiscard m Medieval FrenchNorman French form of the Norman name
Wischard, from Old Norse
vizkr "wise" and the Old French pejorative suffix
-ard (from Frankish
hard "brave, hardy"). This was the byname of Robert Guiscard, an 11th-century Norman conqueror of Sicily.
Hakim m ArabicMeans
"wise" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition
الحكيم (al-Hakim) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Hildred f & m EnglishPossibly from the Old English masculine name
Hildræd, which was composed of the elements
hild "battle" and
ræd "counsel". This name was revived in the late 19th century, probably because of its similarity to the popular names
Hilda and
Mildred.
Ismene f Greek MythologyPossibly from Greek
ἰσμή (isme) meaning
"knowledge". This was the name of the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta in Greek legend.
Jada 2 m BiblicalMeans
"he knows" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Jada is a son of Onam.
Ji m & f Korean (Rare)From Sino-Korean
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. Although it does appear rarely as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character.
Ji-Ho m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" and
鎬 (ho) meaning "stove, bright" or
昊 (ho) meaning "summer, sky, heaven". This name can also be formed by other hanja character combinations.
Ji-Hun m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" combined with
勛 (hun) meaning "meritorious deed, rank". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
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.
Ji-Su f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" or
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" combined with
秀 (su) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Ji-Won f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" combined with
媛 (won) meaning "beautiful woman" or
元 (won) meaning "first, origin". This name can also be formed from many other hanja combinations.
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.
Ji-Yu f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" and
裕 (yu) meaning "abundant, rich, plentiful". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Kavi m Indian, HindiFrom a title for a poet, meaning
"wise man, sage, poet" in Sanskrit.
Kenzō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
謙 (ken) meaning "humble",
健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" or
賢 (ken) meaning "wise" combined with
三 (zō) meaning "three". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Major m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from the given name
Mauger, a Norman French form of the Germanic name
Malger meaning "council spear". The name can also be given in reference to the English word
major.
Manoj m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, KannadaModern form of
Manoja.
Manoja m HinduismMeans
"born of the mind", from Sanskrit
मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and
ज (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu god
Kama.
Manu 1 m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, KannadaMeans
"thinking, wise" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is a title of Svayambhuva, the progenitor of the human race, as well as several of his descendants.
Medea f Greek Mythology (Latinized), GeorgianFrom Greek
Μήδεια (Medeia), derived from
μήδεα (medea) meaning
"plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek mythology Medea was a sorceress from Colchis (modern Georgia) who helped
Jason gain the Golden Fleece. They were married, but eventually Jason left her for another woman. For revenge Medea slew Jason's new lover and also had her own children by Jason killed.
Mentor m Greek MythologyPossibly related to Greek
μένος (menos) meaning
"mind, strength, force". In Greek legend Mentor was the son of Alkimos. When
Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War he entrusted Mentor with the care of his palace and the guardianship of his son Telemachos. When the goddess
Athena visited Telemachos she took the guise of Mentor.
Metis f Greek MythologyMeans
"wisdom, skill, cunning" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a Titan. Because it was prophesized that her children would be wiser than
Zeus, he swallowed her after he had impregnated her. However, their daughter
Athena eventually burst from his head fully grown.
Michiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful",
智 (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be comprised of other combinations of kanji.
Minerva f Roman Mythology, English, SpanishPossibly 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.
Min-Ji f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
敏 (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" combined with
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
知 (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Monica f English, Italian, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Late RomanMeaning unknown, most likely of Berber or Phoenician origin. In the 4th century this name was borne by a North African saint, the mother of Saint
Augustine of Hippo, whom she converted to Christianity. Since the Middle Ages it has been associated with Latin
moneo "advisor" and Greek
monos "one".
... [more] Nabu m Semitic MythologyPossibly from a Semitic root meaning
"to announce". This was the name of an Assyrian and Babylonian god of wisdom, letters and writing.
Najib m ArabicMeans
"noble" or
"intelligent" in Arabic.
Nestor m Greek Mythology, RussianMeans
"returner, homecomer" in Greek, from
νέομαι (neomai) meaning "to return". In
Homer's
Iliad this was the name of the king of Pylos, famous for his great wisdom and longevity, who acted as a counselor to the Greek allies.
Nikomedes m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and
μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, a priest beaten to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods.
Odin m Norse Mythology, English (Modern)Anglicized form of Old Norse
Óðinn, which was derived from
óðr meaning
"inspiration, rage, frenzy". It ultimately developed from the early Germanic *
Woðanaz. The name appears as
Woden in Anglo-Saxon sources (for example, as the founder of several royal lineages in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle) and in forms such as
Wotan,
Wuotan or
Wodan in continental Europe, though he is best known from Norse sources.
... [more] Prudence f & m English, FrenchMedieval English form of
Prudentia, the feminine form of
Prudentius. In France it is both the feminine form and a rare masculine form. In England it was used during the Middle Ages and was revived in the 17th century by the Puritans, in part from the English word
prudence, ultimately of the same source.
Prudentius m Late RomanLate Latin name derived from
prudens "prudent, wise, skilled". This was the name of a 9th-century bishop of Troyes. He is considered a local saint there.
Quetzalcoatl m Aztec and Toltec MythologyMeans
"feathered snake" in Nahuatl, derived from
quetzalli "feather" and
cōātl "snake". In Aztec and other Mesoamerican mythology he was the god of the sky, wind, and knowledge, also associated with the morning star. According to one legend he created the humans of this age using the bones of humans from the previous age and adding his own blood.
Radboud m DutchDerived from the Germanic elements
rad meaning "counsel" and
bodo meaning "command, order".
Rafe m EnglishVariant of
Ralph. This form became common during the 17th century, reflecting the usual pronunciation.
Ralph m English, German, SwedishContracted form of the Old Norse name
Ráðúlfr (or its Norman form
Radulf). Scandinavian settlers introduced it to England before the Norman Conquest, though afterwards it was bolstered by Norman influence. In the Middle Ages it was usually spelled
Ralf, but by the 17th century it was most commonly
Rafe, reflecting the normal pronunciation. The
Ralph spelling appeared in the 18th century. A famous bearer of the name was Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American poet and author who wrote on transcendentalism.
Ramiro m Spanish, PortugueseSpanish and Portuguese form of
Ramirus, a Latinized form of a Visigothic name derived from the Germanic elements
ragin "advice" and
mari "famous". Saint Ramirus was a 6th-century prior of the Saint Claudius Monastery in Leon. He and several others were executed by the Arian Visigoths, who opposed orthodox Christianity. This name was subsequently borne by kings of León, Asturias and Aragon.
Rashid m ArabicMeans
"rightly guided" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition
الرشيد (al-Rashid) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
... [more] Raymond m English, FrenchFrom the Germanic name
Raginmund, composed of the elements
ragin "advice" and
mund "protector". The Normans introduced this name to England in the form
Reimund. It was borne by several medieval (mostly Spanish) saints, including Saint Raymond Nonnatus, the patron of midwives and expectant mothers, and Saint Raymond of Peñafort, the patron of canonists.
Rayner m English (Archaic)From the Germanic name
Raganhar, composed of the elements
ragin "advice" and
hari "army". The Normans brought this name to England where it came into general use, though it was rare by the end of the Middle Ages.
Reina 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
怜 (rei) meaning "wise" and
奈 (na), a phonetic character. This name can also be formed by other combinations of kanji.
Rembrandt m Dutch (Rare)From 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.
Renaud m FrenchFrench form of
Reynold. This name was used in medieval French literature for the hero Renaud de Montauban, a young man who flees with his three brothers from the court of
Charlemagne after killing the king's nephew. Charlemagne pardons the brothers on the condition that they enter the Crusades.
Reynard m English (Rare)From the Germanic name
Raginhard, composed of the elements
ragin "advice" and
hard "brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England in the form
Reinard, though it never became very common there. In medieval fables the name was borne by the sly hero Reynard the Fox (with the result that
renard has become a French word meaning "fox").
Reynold m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Raginald, composed of the elements
ragin "advice" and
wald "rule". The Normans (who used forms like
Reinald or
Reinold) brought the name to Britain, where it reinforced rare Old English and Norse cognates already in existence. It was common during the Middle Ages, but became more rare after the 15th century.
Rhett m EnglishFrom a surname, an Anglicized form of the Dutch
de Raedt, derived from
raet "advice, counsel". Margaret Mitchell used this name for the character Rhett Butler in her novel
Gone with the Wind (1936).
Ronald m Scottish, English, Dutch, GermanScottish form of
Ragnvaldr, a name introduced to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders. It became popular outside Scotland during the 20th century. A famous bearer was the American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004). It is also associated with Ronald McDonald, the clown mascot for the McDonald's chain of restaurants, first appearing in 1963.
Sage f & m English (Modern)From the English word
sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.
Satomi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
里 (sato) meaning "village" or
聡 (sato) meaning "intelligent, clever, bright" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Schuyler m & f EnglishFrom a Dutch surname meaning
"scholar". Dutch settlers brought the surname to America, where it was subsequently adopted as a given name in honour of the American general and senator Philip Schuyler (1733-1804).
Sofia f Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Finnish, Estonian, Slovak, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian, BulgarianForm of
Sophia used in various languages.
Sophia f English, Greek, German, Ancient GreekMeans
"wisdom" in Greek. This was the name of an early, probably mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Legends about her probably arose as a result of a medieval misunderstanding of the phrase
Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom", which is the name of a large basilica in Constantinople.
... [more] Sophron m Ancient GreekMeans
"self-controlled, sensible" in Greek. This name was borne by the 5th-century BC writer Sophron of Syracuse.
Sumati f Hinduism, Indian, HindiMeans
"wise, good mind", derived from Sanskrit
सु (su) meaning "good" and
मति (mati) meaning "mind, thought". In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of King Sagara's second wife, who bore him 60,000 children.
Sunita f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, NepaliMeans
"well conducted, wise", derived from the Sanskrit prefix
सु (su) meaning "good" combined with
नीत (nita) meaning "conducted, led". In Hindu legend this is the name of the daughter of King Anga of Bengal.
Talib m ArabicMeans
"seeker of knowledge, student" in Arabic. Abu Talib was an uncle of the Prophet
Muhammad who raised him after his parents and grandparents died. His name was in fact a kunya (a nickname) formed using
Abu; his real name may have been
Imran.
Tammaro m ItalianItalian form of the Germanic name
Thancmar, which was composed of the elements
thank "thought" and
mari "famous". This was the name of 5th-century saint, a bishop of Atella in Campania, Italy.
Tancred m Old NormanNorman form of a Germanic name meaning
"thought and counsel", derived from the elements
thank "thought" and
rad "counsel". This name was common among the medieval Norman nobility of southern Italy. It was borne by a leader of the First Crusade, described by Torquato Tasso in his epic poem
Jerusalem Delivered (1580).
Tomoko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
智 (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
朋 (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed of other kanji characters as well.
Tomomi f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
智 (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
朋 (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or
実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Vivek m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, BengaliMeans
"wisdom, distinction, discrimination" in Sanskrit.
Wasi m ArabicMeans
"broad-minded, liberal, learned" in Arabic.
Yeong-Cheol m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
永 (yeong) meaning "perpetual, eternal" combined with
哲 (cheol) meaning "wise, sage". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Zhi m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
志 (zhì) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" or
智 (zhì) meaning "wisdom, intellect", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Zhihao m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
志 (zhì) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" or
智 (zhì) meaning "wisdom, intellect" combined with
豪 (háo) meaning "brave, heroic, chivalrous". Many other character combinations are possible.