Ancient Egyptian Names - Behind the Name

Ahmose m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
From Egyptian jꜥḥ-ms meaning "born of Iah", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Iah combined with msj meaning "be born". This was the name of the first pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. He defeated the Hyksos and drove them from Egypt.

Akhenaten m Ancient Egyptian
Variant of Akhenaton.

Akhenaton m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ꜣḫ-n-jtn meaning "effective for Aton". Akhenaton was a 14th-century BC Egyptian pharaoh of the New Kingdom, who is best known for promoting the monotheistic worship of the sun god Aton. He changed his name from Amenhotep IV in order to honour the god. After his death, polytheism resumed.

Amenemhat m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian jmn-m-ḥꜣt meaning "Amon is foremost". This was the name of four Egyptian pharaohs, including the founder of the 12th dynasty.

Amenemhet m Ancient Egyptian
Variant of Amenemhat.

Amenhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian jmn-ḥtp meaning "peace of Amon", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Amon combined with ḥtp meaning "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of four pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Amenhotep III, known as the Magnificent, who ruled over Egypt during a time of great prosperity.

Amosis m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Ahmose.

Cheops m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Khufu.

Djehutimesu m Ancient Egyptian (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Thutmose.

Djehutimose m Ancient Egyptian (Hypothetical)
Variant of Djehutimesu.

Hatshepsut f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ḥꜣt-špswt meaning "foremost of noble women". This was the name of a pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. She may have been the first woman to take the title of Pharaoh.

Iahmesu m Ancient Egyptian (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Ahmose.

Imhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian jj-m-ḥtp meaning "he comes in peace". This was the name of the architect, priest, physician and chief minister to the pharaoh Djoser. Imhotep apparently designed the step pyramid at Saqqara, near Memphis.

Khafra m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ḫꜥf-rꜥ meaning "he appears as Ra". This was the name of the 4th-dynasty Egyptian pharaoh who built the second largest of the pyramids at Giza. He is also known as Chephren, from the Greek form of his name.

Khnum-Khufu m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ẖnmw-ḫwfw meaning "Khnum protects me". This was the full name of the pharaoh Khufu.

Khufu m Ancient Egyptian
Shortened form of the longer Egyptian name Khnum-Khufu. This was the name of an Egyptian pharaoh of the 4th dynasty, the builder of the largest of the pyramids. He used both the full and shortened versions of his name in his lifetime, and is also known to history by the Greek form of his name Cheops.

Menes m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian mnj, possibly derived from mn "to endure". Menes was an Egyptian king who united Upper and Lower Egypt around 3000 BC. He is also known as Narmer; Menes was probably his funeral name.

Meresankh f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian mrs-ꜥnḫ meaning "she loves life". This name was borne by several Egyptian royals during the 4th-dynasty period.

Meritites f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian mryt-jts meaning "loved by her father". This name was borne by several Egyptian royals, including a wife and a daughter of the pharaoh Khufu.

Neferkare m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfr-kꜣ-rꜥ meaning "the soul of Ra is beautiful", from nfr "beautiful, perfect" combined with kꜣ "soul" combined with the name of the god Ra. This name was borne by several Egyptian pharaohs.

Nefertari f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfrt-jrj meaning "the most beautiful". This was the name of an Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom, the favourite wife of Rameses II.

Nefertiti f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfrt-jjtj meaning "the beautiful one has come". Nefertiti was a powerful Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom, the principal wife of Akhenaton, the pharaoh that briefly imposed a monotheistic religion centered around the sun god Aton.

Paphnoutios m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Paphnutius.

Paphnutius m Ancient Egyptian (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Παφνούτιος (Paphnoutios), derived from Egyptian pꜣj-pꜣ-nṯr meaning "the one of God". This was the name of several saints, including the 4th-century bishop Paphnutius of Thebes.

Rameses m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
From Ῥαμέσσης (Rhamesses), the Greek form of Egyptian rꜥ-ms-sw meaning "born of Ra", composed of the name of the supreme god Ra combined with the root msj "be born". Rameses was the name of eleven Egyptian kings of the New Kingdom. The most important of these were Rameses II the Great who campaigned against the Hittites and also built several great monuments, and Rameses III who defended Egypt from the Libyans and Sea Peoples.

Ramesses m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
Variant of Rameses.

Ramessu m Ancient Egyptian (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Rameses.

Ramses m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized, Latinized)
Variant of Rameses.

Rhamesses m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Hellenized form of Egyptian rꜥ-ms-sw (see Rameses).

Seti m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian stẖj meaning "of Seth 2". This was the name of two pharaohs of the 19th dynasty.

Thutmose m Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)
From Τούθμωσις (Touthmosis), the Greek form of Egyptian ḏḥwtj-ms meaning "born of Thoth", itself composed of the name of the Egyptian god Thoth combined with msj "be born". Thutmose was the name of four Egyptian pharaohs of the New Kingdom, including Thutmose III who conquered Syria and Nubia.

Touthmosis m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Thutmose.

Tutankhamon m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian twt-ꜥnḫ-jmn meaning "image of the life of Amon", derived from twt "image" combined with ꜥnḫ "life" combined with the name of the god Amon. This was the name of an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, most famous because of the treasures found in his tomb.

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