BÉBINNfIrish, Irish Mythology Means "fair lady" in Irish. This name was borne by several characters in Irish mythology, including a goddess of childbirth.
CHANNARYfKhmer Means "moon-faced girl" from Khmer ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".
COLLEENfEnglish 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.
DAMARISfBiblical, 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.
DESPOINAfGreek 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.
DONNAfEnglish From Italian donna meaning "lady". It is also used as a feminine form of DONALD.
ENHEDUANNAfAkkadian 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.
ERESHKIGALfSumerian 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.
FEMKEfDutch, Frisian Diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element frid "peace". It also coincides with a Frisian word meaning "little girl".
FREYAfNorse Mythology, English (Modern), German From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This was the name of the goddess of love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claimed half of the heroes who were slain in battle and brought them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she was one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.... [more]
GORMLAITHfIrish, Scottish Derived from Irish gorm "blue" or "illustrious" and flaith "princess, lady". This was the name of a wife of the 11th-century Irish ruler Brian Boru.
IARAfIndigenous American, Tupi Means "lady of the water", from Tupi 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.
INANNAfSumerian Mythology Possibly derived from Sumerian nin-an-a(k) meaning "lady of the heavens", from 𒊩𒌆 (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]
IXCHELfMayan Mythology, Indigenous American, Mayan Means "rainbow lady" in Mayan. Ixchel was the Maya goddess of the earth, the moon, and medicine. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.
JOLÁNKAfHungarian (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.
KAURfIndian (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.
KHATUNAfGeorgian From the Turkic title khatun meaning "lady, woman", a feminine form of khan.
LÍADANfIrish Means "grey lady" in Irish Gaelic. In Irish legend she was a poetess who became a nun, but then missed her lover Cuirithir so much that she died of grief.
MÄDCHENfVarious Means "girl" in German. It is not used as a name in Germany itself.
MADONNAfEnglish 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.
METRODORAfAncient 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.
MOKOSHfSlavic 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)fIrish, 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").
MYFANWYfWelsh Means "my woman" from the Welsh prefix my "my" combined with banw "woman".
NEPHTHYSfEgyptian 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.
NERYSfWelsh Perhaps an elaboration of Welsh ner "lord", with the intended meaning of "lady".
NINGALfSumerian Mythology Means "great lady", from Sumerian 𒊩𒌆 (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.
NINHURSAGfSumerian Mythology Means "lady of the mountain", from Sumerian 𒊩𒌆 (nin) meaning "lady" and 𒉺𒂅 (hursaĝ) meaning "mountain". This was the name of the Sumerian mother and fertility goddess, the primary consort of Enki.
NINLILfSumerian Mythology Derived from Sumerian 𒊩𒌆 (nin) meaning "lady" and possibly 𒆤 (lil) meaning "wind". This was the name of a Sumerian goddess, the consort of Enlil.
NINSUNfSumerian Mythology From Sumerian nin-sumun-a(k) meaning "lady of the wild cow", derived from 𒊩𒌆 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒄢 (sumun) meaning "wild cow". In Sumerian mythology Ninsun was the divine mother of Gilgamesh.
OLAUGfNorwegian From the Old Norse name Ólaug, derived from the elements anu "ancestor" and laug possibly meaning "betrothed woman".
PERCHUHIfArmenian Means "elegant lady", from Armenian պերճ (perch) meaning "elegant, splendid" and the feminine suffix ուհի (uhi).
RHIANfWelsh Derived from Welsh rhiain meaning "maiden".
SACAGAWEAfIndigenous 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.
SARAHfEnglish, French, German, 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]
TALITHAfBiblical 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).
TANITHfSemitic Mythology Derived from Semitic roots meaning "serpent lady". 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.
VESLEMØYfNorwegian 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).
WATIfIndonesian, Malay From a suffix meaning "woman" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit.