Names Categorized "women"

This is a list of names in which the categories include women.
gender
usage
Alma 2 f Hebrew
Means "young woman" in Hebrew.
Ameohne'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "walks along woman", from Cheyenne ame- "along, by" and -ehné "walk" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Anangikwe f Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "star woman" in Ojibwe, derived from anang "star" and ikwe "woman".
Ananta m & f Hinduism
Means "infinite, endless" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form अनन्त / अनंत (an epithet of the Hindu god Vishnu) and the feminine form अनन्ता / अनंता (an epithet of the goddess Parvati).
Andréa f French, Portuguese (Brazilian)
French and Portuguese feminine form of Andrew.
Andriana f Greek, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Andreas (Greek) or Andrey (Bulgarian).
Anong f Thai
Means "beautiful woman" in Thai.
Aphrodite f Greek Mythology
Meaning 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 ἀφρός (aphros) meaning "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.
Arnaq f Indigenous American, Greenlandic, Inuit
Means "woman" in Greenlandic and Inuktitut.
Artemis f Greek Mythology, Greek
Meaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek ἀρτεμής (artemes) meaning "safe" or ἄρταμος (artamos) meaning "a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She was known as Diana to the Romans.
Asdzáán Nádleehé f New World Mythology
Means "changing woman", from Navajo asdzáán "woman" and nádleeh "become, change". In Navajo mythology this is the name of a being who created humans from parts of her body.
Ashtoreth f Biblical, Semitic Mythology
From עַשְׁתֹרֶת ('Ashtoret), the Hebrew form of the name of a Phoenician goddess of love, war and fertility. Her name is cognate to that of the East Semitic goddess Ishtar.
Áslaug f Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Aslaug.
Aslaug f Norwegian
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss meaning "god" and laug possibly meaning "vowed, promised, bound in oath".
Bai m & f Chinese
From Chinese (bái) meaning "white, pure", (bǎi) meaning "one hundred, many" or (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 .
Bala 1 m & f Hinduism, Tamil
Means "young" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form बाल and the feminine form बाला (a minor Hindu goddess).
Banu f Turkish, Azerbaijani
From Persian بانو (banu) meaning "lady".
Baxter m English
From an occupational surname that meant "(female) baker", from Old English bæcere and a feminine agent suffix.
Bébinn f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "white woman", from Old Irish "woman" and finn "white, blessed". This name was borne by several characters in Irish mythology, including the mother of the hero Fráech.
Berjouhi f Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Պերճուհի (see Perchuhi).
Cailin f English (Rare)
Variant of Kaylyn. It also coincides with the Irish word cailín meaning "girl".
Ceridwen f Welsh
Possibly from cyrrid "bent, crooked" (a derivative of Old Welsh cwrr "corner") combined with ben "woman" or gwen "white, blessed". According to the medieval Welsh legend the Tale of Taliesin (recorded by Elis Gruffyd in the 16th century) this was the name of a sorceress 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.... [more]
Chanda m & f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Means "fierce, hot, passionate" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form चण्ड and the feminine form चण्डा (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga).
Channary f Khmer
Means "moon-faced girl" from Khmer ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".
Chi 2 m & f Igbo Mythology, Western African, Igbo
Means "god, spiritual being" in Igbo, referring to the personal spiritual guardian that each person is believed to have. Christian Igbo people use it as a name for the personal Christian god (as opposed to the omnipresent Chukwu, though the names are used synonymously in some contexts). This can also be a short form of the many Igbo names that begin with this element.
Cholpon f Kyrgyz
Means "Venus (planet)" in Kyrgyz.
Colleen f English
Derived from the Irish word cailín meaning "girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.
Corinna f German, Italian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Κορίννα (Korinna), which was derived from κόρη (kore) meaning "maiden". This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet Ovid used it for the main female character in his book Amores. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem Corinna's going a-Maying.
Dámaris f Spanish
Spanish form of Damaris.
Damaris f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Probably means "calf, heifer, girl" from Greek δάμαλις (damalis). In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul.
Demeter 1 f Greek Mythology
Possibly means "earth mother", derived from Greek δᾶ (da) meaning "earth" and μήτηρ (meter) meaning "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.
Despina f Greek
Modern Greek form of Despoina.
Despoina f Greek Mythology, Greek
Means "mistress, lady" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon. She was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at Eleusis near Athens.
Diana f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman Mythology
Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.... [more]
Divina f Spanish (Philippines), Portuguese (Brazilian)
From Spanish or Portuguese divina meaning "divine, godlike".
Divya f Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Means "divine, heavenly" in Sanskrit.
Dona f English
Variant of Donna.
Donna f English
From Italian donna meaning "lady". It is also used as a feminine form of Donald.
Durga f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Nepali, Telugu
Means "unattainable" in Sanskrit. Durga is a Hindu warrior goddess, the fierce, twelve-armed, three-eyed form of the wife of Shiva. She is considered an incarnation of Parvati.
Ece f Turkish
Means "queen" or "beautiful woman" in Turkish.
Enheduanna f Akkadian
From Sumerian En-hedu-anna, derived from 𒂗 (en) meaning "lady, high priestess" combined with 𒃶𒌌 (hedu) meaning "ornament" and the god's name An 2. This was the Sumerian title of a 23rd-century BC priestess and poet, identified as a daughter of Sargon of Akkad. Presumably she had an Akkadian birth name, but it is unrecorded. She is regarded as one of the earliest known poets.
Eos f Greek Mythology
Means "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.
Ereshkigal f Sumerian Mythology
Means "lady of the great earth", from Sumerian 𒊩𒌆 (ereš) meaning "lady, queen" combined with 𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth" and 𒃲 (gal) meaning "great, big". In Sumerian mythology she was the goddess of death and the underworld.
Ešeeva'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "day woman" in Cheyenne.
Fauna f Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Faunus. Fauna was a Roman goddess of fertility, women and healing, a daughter and companion of Faunus.
Femke f Frisian, Dutch
Diminutive of Femme.
Fortuna f Roman Mythology
Means "luck" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the personification of luck.
Frauke f German
Means "little lady", derived from German frau combined with a diminutive suffix.
Freya f Norse Mythology, English (Modern), German
From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.... [more]
Frigg f Norse Mythology
Means "beloved", from Proto-Germanic *Frijjō, derived from the root *frijōną meaning "to love". In Norse mythology she was the wife of Odin and the mother of Balder. Some scholars believe that she and the goddess Freya share a common origin (though their names are not linguistically related).
Ghada f Arabic
Means "graceful woman" in Arabic.
Giiwedinokwe f Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Means "woman of the north" in Ojibwe, derived from giiwedin "north" and ikwe "woman".
Giunone f Roman Mythology (Italianized)
Italian form of Iuno (see Juno).
Gormlaith f Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish gorm "blue" or "illustrious" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of several medieval Irish royals, including the wife of the 11th-century king Brian Boru.
Góyąń f Indigenous American, Apache
Means "wise" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century Apache warrior woman.
Gulmira f Kyrgyz, Kazakh
From Kyrgyz and Kazakh гүл (gul) meaning "flower", ultimately from Persian گل (gol), combined with Arabic أميرة (amira) meaning "princess".
Guðlaug f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements guð meaning "god" and laug possibly meaning "vowed, promised, bound in oath".
Hằng f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (hằng) meaning "lady".
Hera f Greek Mythology
Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "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.
Hine f Maori
Means "girl" in Maori.
Huang m & f Chinese
From Chinese (huáng) meaning "bright, shining, luminous" (which is usually only masculine) or (huáng) meaning "phoenix" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.
Iara f Indigenous American, Tupi
Means "lady of the water" in Tupi, from y "water" and îara "lady, mistress". In Brazilian folklore this is the name of a beautiful river nymph who would lure men into the water. She may have been based upon earlier Tupi legends.
Inanna f Sumerian Mythology
Possibly derived from Sumerian nin-an-a(k) meaning "lady of the heavens", from 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒀭 (an) meaning "heaven, sky". Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and war. She descended into the underworld where the ruler of that place, her sister Ereshkigal, had her killed. The god Enki interceded, and Inanna was allowed to leave the underworld as long as her husband Dumuzi took her place.... [more]
Íris f Portuguese, Icelandic
Portuguese and Icelandic form of Iris.
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Ishtar f Semitic Mythology
From the Semitic root 'ṯtr, which possibly relates to the Evening Star. Ishtar was an Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian goddess who presided over love, war and fertility. She was cognate with the Canaanite and Phoenician Ashtoreth, and she was also identified with the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
Itzel f Indigenous American, Mayan
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Classic Maya itz meaning "resin, nectar, dew, liquid, enchanted". Otherwise, it might be a variant of Ixchel.
Iuno f Roman Mythology
Latin form of Juno.
Ixchel f Mayan Mythology, Indigenous American, Mayan
Possibly means "rainbow lady", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and chel "rainbow". Ixchel was a Maya goddess associated with the earth, jaguars, medicine and childbirth. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.
Iyabo f Western African, Yoruba
Means "mother has returned" in Yoruba.
Jaya f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Indian, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory". This is a transcription of both the feminine form जया (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga) and the masculine form जय (borne by several characters in Hindu texts). As a modern personal name, this transcription is both feminine and masculine in southern India, but typically only feminine in the north.
Jayanti f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Feminine form of Jayanta. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.
Jehoaddan f Biblical
Means "Yahweh delights" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament she was the wife of King Joash of Judah, and the mother of his successor King Amaziah.
Ji-Won f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" combined with (won) meaning "beautiful woman" or (won) meaning "first, origin". This name can also be formed from many other hanja combinations.
Jolánka f Hungarian (Rare)
Created by the Hungarian writer András Dugonics for the main character in his novel Jólánka, Etelkának Leánya (1803). He may have based it on Hungarian jóleán meaning "good girl" or possibly on the name Yolanda.
Joo-Won m & f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 주원 (see Ju-Won).
Juno f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly related to an Indo-European root meaning "young", 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.
Junon f Roman Mythology (Gallicized)
French form of Iuno (see Juno).
Ju-Won m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (ju) meaning "circumference" combined with (won) meaning "first, origin" or (won) meaning "beautiful woman". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Kali 1 f & m Hinduism, Bengali, Tamil
Means "the black one" in Sanskrit. The Hindu goddess Kali is the fierce destructive form of the wife of Shiva. She is usually depicted with black skin and four arms, holding a severed head and brandishing a sword. As a personal name, it is generally masculine in India.
Kamala f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Indian, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Nepali
Means "lotus" or "pale red" in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form कमला and the masculine form कमल, though in modern languages it is only a feminine form. This is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades, in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.
Kanti f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Bengali
Means "beauty" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form कान्ती (another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi) and the masculine form कान्ति.
Kanya f Thai
Means "young woman" in Thai.
Kaur f Indian (Sikh)
Means "princess", ultimately from Sanskrit कुमारी (kumari) meaning "girl". This surname was assigned to all female Sikhs in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh. It is now used as a surname or a middle name by most female Sikhs. The male equivalent is Singh.
Khatuna f Georgian
From the Turkic title khatun meaning "lady, woman", a feminine form of khan.
Korinna f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Corinna.
Kun f & m Chinese
From Chinese (kūn) meaning "earth, female", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Lakshmi f & m Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Odia
Means "sign, mark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Hindu goddess of prosperity, good luck, and beauty. She is the wife of Vishnu and her symbol is the lotus flower, with which she is often depicted.
Lalit m Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Masculine form of Lalita.
Lalita f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Thai
Means "playful, charming, desirable" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is the name of one of the playmates of the young Krishna. It is also another name of the goddess Parvati.
Lalitha f Tamil, Indian, Malayalam, Telugu
Southern Indian form of Lalita.
Lavern m & f English
Variant of Laverne.
Laverna f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Laverna was the Roman goddess of thieves and thievery.
Laverne f & m English
From a French surname that was derived from a place name, ultimately from the Gaulish word vern "alder". It is sometimes associated with the Roman goddess Laverna or the Latin word vernus "of spring".
Laxmi f & m Indian, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi, Nepali
Alternate transcription of Telugu లక్ష్మి or Marathi/Hindi लक्ष्मी (see Lakshmi), as well as the most common Nepali transcription.
Leda f Greek Mythology, Italian
Meaning unknown. In Greek myth she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra by the god Zeus, who came upon her in the form of a swan.
Lhamo f & m Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "goddess" in Tibetan.
Líadain f Irish
Variant of Líadan.
Líadan f Irish (Rare)
Possibly from Old Irish líath meaning "grey". According to an Irish tale this was the name of a poet who became a nun, but then missed her lover Cuirithir so much that she died of grief. The name was also borne by a 5th-century saint, the mother of Saint Ciarán the Elder.
Ludmila f Czech, Latvian, Russian
Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements lyudu "people" and milu "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.... [more]
Lyudmila f Russian, Bulgarian, Medieval Slavic
Russian and Bulgarian form of Ludmila. This was the name of a character in Aleksandr Pushkin's poem Ruslan and Lyudmila (1820).
Mabyn f Cornish
Possibly from Old Cornish mab meaning "son". This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the children of Brychan Brycheiniog. She is now regarded as a woman, but some early sources describe her as a man.
Mädchen f Various
Means "girl" in German. It is not used as a name in Germany itself.
Madona f Georgian
Georgian form of Madonna.
Madonna f English
From a title of the Virgin Mary meaning "my lady" in Italian. A famous bearer of the name is American singer Madonna Ciccone (1958-), known simply as Madonna.
Ma'evehpota'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "red leaf woman", from Cheyenne ma'e- "red" and vehpȯtse "leaf" combined with the feminine suffix -e'é.
Martha f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Greek, Biblical, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From Aramaic מַרְתָּא (marta') meaning "the lady, the mistress", feminine form of מַר (mar) meaning "master". In the New Testament this is the name of the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany (who is sometimes identified with Mary Magdalene). She was a witness to Jesus restoring her dead brother to life.... [more]
Marthese f Maltese
Maltese form of Martha.
Matrona 1 f Russian (Rare), Late Roman
Means "lady" in Late Latin, a derivative of Latin mater "mother". This was the name of three early saints.
Meinir f Welsh
Means "tall and slender, beautiful maiden" in Welsh (a compound of main "slender" and hir "tall").
Metrodora f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother" (genitive μητρός) and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr who was killed with her sisters Menodora and Nymphodora.
Mitrodora f Macedonian
Macedonian form of Metrodora.
Mokee'e f Indigenous American, Cheyenne
Means "little woman" in Cheyenne.
Mokosh f Slavic Mythology
Derived from Slavic mok meaning "wet, moist". Mokosh was a Slavic goddess of weaving, women, water and fertility. She was often depicted as a woman with a large head and long arms.
Mona 1 f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Muadhnait. It is also associated with Greek monos "one" and Leonardo da Vinci's painting the Mona Lisa (in which case it is a contraction of Italian ma donna meaning "my lady").
Myfanwy f Welsh
From the Welsh prefix my- meaning "my, belonging to me" (an older form of fy) combined with either manwy meaning "fine, delicate" or banwy meaning "woman" (a variant of banw). This was the name of an 1875 Welsh song composed by Joseph Parry.
Nephthys f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian nbt-ḥwt (reconstructed as Nebet-Hut) meaning "lady of the house", derived from nbt "lady" and ḥwt "house". This was the name of an Egyptian goddess associated with the air, death and mourning. She was wife of the desert god Seth.
Nerys f Welsh
Probably a feminized form of Welsh nêr meaning "lord".
Nikephoros m & f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "carrying victory" from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and φέρω (phero) meaning "to carry, to bear". This name was borne by several Byzantine emperors, including the 10th-century Nikephoros II Phokas. Besides being a masculine personal name, it was also a title borne by the goddess Athena.
Nina 1 f Russian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Short form of names that end in nina, such as Antonina or Giannina. It was imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. This name also nearly coincides with the Spanish word niña meaning "little girl". A famous bearer was the American musician Nina Simone (1933-2003).
Ningal f Sumerian Mythology
Means "great lady", from Sumerian 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and 𒃲 (gal) meaning "big, great". This was the name of a goddess of reeds in Sumerian mythology. She was the daughter of Enki and the wife of Nanna.
Ninhursag f Sumerian Mythology
Means "lady of the mountain", from Sumerian 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and 𒉺𒂅 (hursaĝ) meaning "mountain". This was the name of the Sumerian mother and fertility goddess, the primary consort of Enki.
Ninlil f Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
Derived from Sumerian 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and possibly 𒆤 (lil) meaning "wind". This was the name of a Sumerian, Akkadian and Babylonian goddess, the consort of Enlil.
Ninsun f Sumerian Mythology
From Sumerian nin-sumun-a(k) meaning "lady of the wild cow", derived from 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒄢 (sumun) meaning "wild cow". In Sumerian mythology Ninsun was the divine mother of Gilgamesh.
Niviarsiaq f Indigenous American, Greenlandic
Means "young girl" in Greenlandic. This is the name of a variety of flower that grows on Greenland, the dwarf fireweed (species Chamaenerion latifolium).
Nkauj f Hmong
Means "woman, girl" in Hmong.
Nona 1 f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin nonus meaning "ninth", referring to the nine months of pregnancy. This was the name of a Roman goddess of pregnancy. She was also one of the three Fates (or Parcae).
Nonhelema f Indigenous American, Shawnee
Possibly means "not a man" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief, the sister of Hokolesqua.
Ntombi f Southern African, Zulu
Means "girl" in Zulu.
Ntombifuthi f Southern African, Zulu
Means "a girl again" in Zulu.
Ntombizodwa f Southern African, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "only girls", from Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele intombi "girl" and zodwa "only".
Nyx f Greek Mythology
Means "night" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the night, the daughter of Khaos and the wife of Erebos.
Ólaug f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Olaug.
Olaug f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Ólaug, derived from the elements anu "ancestor" and laug possibly meaning "vowed, promised, bound in oath".
Padma f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form पद्मा and the masculine form पद्म. According to Hindu tradition a lotus holding the god Brahma arose from the navel of the god Vishnu. The name Padma is used in Hindu texts to refer to several characters, including the goddess Lakshmi and the hero Rama.
Parthenope f Greek Mythology
Means "maiden's voice", derived from Greek παρθένος (parthenos) meaning "maiden, virgin" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "voice". In Greek legend this is the name of one of the Sirens who enticed Odysseus.
Pax f Roman Mythology
Means "peace" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the goddess of peace.
Perchuhi f Armenian
Means "elegant lady", from Armenian պերճ (perch) meaning "elegant, splendid" and the feminine suffix ուհի (uhi).
Phượng f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (phượng) meaning "phoenix". This refers to the mythological creature known as the Chinese phoenix or the Fenghuang.
Priya f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali
Means "beloved" in Sanskrit. In Hindu legend this is the name of a daughter of King Daksha.
Qing f & m Chinese
From Chinese (qīng) meaning "blue, green, young", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.
Radha f & m Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi
Means "success, prosperity" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the favourite consort of the Hindu god Krishna. She is associated with beauty and compassion, and is considered an avatar of Lakshmi.
Rama 2 f Hinduism
Means "wife" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the goddess Lakshmi.
Ramadevi f Indian, Hindi
From the name of the Hindu goddess Rama 2 (referring to Lakshmi) combined with Sanskrit देवी (devi) meaning "goddess".
Rati f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Means "rest, pleasure" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the wife of the Hindu god of love Kama.
Rayhana f Arabic
Means "basil" in Arabic. This was the name of a wife of the Prophet Muhammad.
Reyhan f Turkish, Uyghur
Turkish and Uyghur form of Rayhana.
Reyhangül f Uyghur
Uyghur elaboration of Reyhan using the suffix گۇل (gul) meaning "flower, rose".
Rhian f Welsh
Derived from Welsh rhiain meaning "maiden, young woman".
Rihanna f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic رَيحانة (see Rayhana). This name is borne by the Barbadian singer Robyn Rihanna Fenty (1988-), known simply as Rihanna. In the United States it jumped in popularity between the years 2005 and 2008, when Rihanna was releasing her first albums. It quickly declined over the next few years.
Sacagawea f Indigenous American
Probably from Hidatsa tsakáka wía meaning "bird woman". Alternatively it could originate from the Shoshone language and mean "boat puller". This name was borne by a Native American woman who guided the explorers Lewis and Clark. She was of Shoshone ancestry but had been abducted in her youth and raised by a Hidatsa tribe.
Sarah f English, French, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "lady, princess, noblewoman" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of Abraham's wife, considered the matriarch of the Jewish people. She was barren until she unexpectedly became pregnant with Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally Sarai, but God changed it at the same time Abraham's name was changed (see Genesis 17:15).... [more]
Sashi m & f Indian, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Kannada ಶಶಿ (see Shashi).
Saulė f Lithuanian, Baltic Mythology
Means "sun" in Lithuanian. This was the name of the Lithuanian sun goddess.
Sayyida f Arabic
Means "lady, mistress" in Arabic.
Scáthach f Irish Mythology
Means "shadowy" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior woman. She instructed Cúchulainn in the arts of war, and he in turn helped her defeat her rival Aoife.
Seeta f Indian, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi सीता (see Sita).
Seetha f Tamil
Tamil form of Sita. The name of the mythological figures is சீதை, while சீதா is the spelling used for people.
Shakti f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Means "power" in Sanskrit. In Hinduism a shakti is the female counterpart of a god. The name Shakti is used in particular to refer to the female counterpart of Shiva, also known as Parvati among many other names.
Shannon f & m English
From the name of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, called an tSionainn in Irish. It is associated with the legendary figure Sionann and is sometimes said to be named for her. However it is more likely she was named after the river, which may be related to Old Irish sen "old, ancient". As a given name, it first became common in America after the 1940s.
Shashi m & f Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu
Traditional name for the moon, it literally means "having a hare" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form शशि and the feminine form शशी.
Shinta f Javanese
Javanese form of Sita.
Shri f Hinduism
Means "diffusing light, radiance, beauty" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. This word is also commonly used as a title of respect in India.
Sinta f Javanese
Javanese form of Sita.
Sionann f Irish Mythology
In Irish legend this was the name of a granddaughter of the sea god Lir who went to Connla's Well, which was forbidden. The well burst and drowned her, leaving her body in the river thereafter known as the Sionainn (see Shannon).
Sita f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Nepali
Means "furrow" in Sanskrit. Sita is the name of the Hindu goddess of the harvest in the Rigveda. This is also the name of the wife of Rama (and an avatar of Lakshmi) in the Hindu epic the Ramayana. In this story Sita is rescued by her husband from the demon king Ravana.
Siti f Malay, Indonesian
Malay form of Sita.
Sitti f Filipino, Maguindanao, Tausug, Malay, Indonesian
Maguindanao and Tausug form of Siti, as well as a Malay and Indonesian variant.
Siv f Swedish, Norwegian, Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Sif, which meant "bride, kinswoman". In Norse mythology she was the wife of Thor. After the trickster Loki cut off her golden hair, an angry Thor forced him to create a replacement.
Sushila f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "good-tempered, well-disposed", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with शील (shila) meaning "conduct, disposition". This is a transcription of both the feminine form सुशीला and the masculine form सुशील. This name is borne by wives of the Hindu gods Krishna and Yama.
Syeda f Urdu
Urdu form of Sayyida.
Talita f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of Talitha, popular in Brazil.
Talitha f Biblical
Means "little girl" in Aramaic. The name is taken from the phrase talitha cumi meaning "little girl arise" spoken by Jesus in order to restore a young girl to life (see Mark 5:41).
Tanith f Semitic Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Phoenician goddess of love, fertility, the moon and the stars. She was particularly associated with the city of Carthage, being the consort of Ba'al Hammon.
Tanvi f Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "slender woman" in Sanskrit.
Taweret f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian tꜣ-wrt meaning "O great female". In Egyptian mythology Taweret was a goddess of childbirth and fertility. She was typically depicted as an upright hippopotamus.
Vanda f Portuguese, Italian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Latvian
Form of Wanda in several languages.
Varduhi f Armenian
Means "rose lady", from Armenian վարդ (vard) meaning "rose" and the feminine suffix ուհի (uhi).
Vartouhi f Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Վարդուհի (see Varduhi).
Venus f Roman Mythology
Means "love, sexual desire" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of love and sex. Her character was assimilated with that of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. As the mother of Aeneas she was considered an ancestor of the Roman people. The second planet from the sun is named after her.
Veslemøy f Norwegian
Means "little girl" from Norwegian vesle "little" and møy "girl". This name was created by Norwegian writer Arne Garborg for the main character in his poem Haugtussa (1895).
Vijaya m & f Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi
Means "victory" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form विजय and the feminine form विजया, both of which are used frequently in Hindu texts. It is the name of a grandson of Indra, a son of Krishna and it is another name of the goddess Durga. This was also the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century BC king of Sri Lanka.
Virgo f Astronomy
Means "maiden, virgin" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the sixth sign of the zodiac.
Wati f Indonesian, Malay
From a suffix meaning "woman" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit.
Xquic f Mayan Mythology
Means "lady blood", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and k'ik' "blood". In K'iche' Maya legend this was the name of the mother of Xbalanque and Hunahpu.
Yaritza f Spanish (Latin American)
Elaborated form of Yara 1 or Yara 2 (using the same suffix as Maritza).
Yin f & m Chinese
From Chinese (yín) meaning "silver, money", (yīn) meaning "sound, tone" or (yīn) meaning "shade, shelter, protect", as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.
Zita 1 f Italian, Portuguese, German, Czech, Slovak, Lithuanian, Latvian
Means "little girl" in Tuscan Italian. This was the name of a 13th-century saint, the patron saint of servants.