Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the usage is Ancient Greek or Ancient Roman or Anglo-Saxon or Anglo-Saxon Mythology or Arthurian Cycle or Astronomy or Biblical or Breton or Celtic Mythology or Cornish or Dutch or English or Flemish or French or Frisian or German or Germanic or Germanic Mythology or Greek Mythology or History or Hungarian or Irish or Judeo-Spanish or Late Greek or Late Roman or Limburgish or Literature or Low German or Luxembourgish or Manx or Medieval English or Occitan or Old Celtic or Old Germanic or Old Irish or Old Norse or Old Welsh or Roman Mythology or Romani or Romansh or Scottish or Various or Walloon or Welsh; and the order is random.
gender
usage
Hédi 1 f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Hedvig.
Deiniol m Welsh
Welsh form of Daniel.
Amabilis m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "lovable". Saint Amabilis was a 5th-century priest in Riom, central France.
Valerianus m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Valerian.
Daphnée f French (Rare)
French variant form of Daphne.
Bathsheba f Biblical
Means "daughter of the oath" in Hebrew, derived from בַּת (baṯ) meaning "daughter" and שָׁבַע (shavaʿ) meaning "oath". According to the Old Testament, this was the name of a woman married to Uriah the Hittite. She became pregnant by King David, so he arranged to have her husband killed in battle and then married her. She was the mother of Solomon.
Gayla f English
Elaborated form of Gail.
Arlie f & m English
Diminutive of Arline and other names beginning with Arl.
Cyrilla f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Cyril.
Orla 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Órlaith.
Teagan f English (Modern)
Variant of Tegan. It also coincides with a rare Irish surname Teagan. This name rose on the American popularity charts in the 1990s, probably because of its similarity to names like Megan and Reagan.
Stáli m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Ståle.
Albane f French
French feminine form of Alban.
Rambert m Germanic
Variant of Hrambert or Raginbert. These names have become confused with one another and merged together. Saint Rambert, also called Ragnebert, was martyred near Lyon in the 7th century.
Heidemarie f German
Combination of Heide and Marie.
Adria f English
Short form of Adriana.
Goliath m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name גָּלְיָת (Golyaṯ), possibly derived from גָּלָה (gala) meaning "uncover, reveal". This is the name of the giant Philistine who is slain by David in the Old Testament.
Olwen f Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
Means "white footprint" from Welsh ol "footprint, track" and gwen "white, blessed". In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen she was a beautiful maiden, the lover of Culhwch and the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Her father insisted that Culhwch complete several seemingly impossible tasks before he would allow them to marry.
Ulfilas m Gothic (Latinized)
Latinized form of Wulfila.
Rhosyn f Welsh (Rare)
Means "rose" in Welsh. This is a modern Welsh name.
Marciana f Ancient Roman, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Feminine form of Marcianus. This was the name of a young woman martyred in North Africa during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.
Obadiah m Biblical
Means "servant of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from עָבַד (ʿavaḏ) meaning "to serve, to worship" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets, the author of the Book of Obadiah, which predicts the downfall of the nation of Edom. This is also the name of several other biblical characters.
Rainier m French (Rare)
French form of Rayner.
Jennifer f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish
From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (see Guinevere). This name has only been common outside of Cornwall since the beginning of the 20th century, after it was featured in George Bernard Shaw's play The Doctor's Dilemma (1906). It barely ranked in the United until the late 1930s, when it began steadily growing in popularity, accelerating into the early 1970s. It was the most popular name for girls in America between 1970 and 1984, though it was not as common in the United Kingdom.... [more]
Huldah f Biblical
Means "weasel, mole" in Hebrew. This name appears in the Old Testament belonging to a prophetess.
Amhlaidh m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Olaf.
Pelles m Arthurian Cycle
Possibly from the Welsh name Beli. In the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle of Arthurian romance this was the name of the Fisher King, the son of Pellehan. He was also the father of Elaine and grandfather of Galahad.
Colombe f French
French feminine form of Columba.
Godeliva f Germanic (Latinized)
Feminine form of Goteleib. This was the name of an 11th-century Flemish saint who was murdered on her husband's orders.
Timo 1 m Finnish, Estonian, German, Dutch
Finnish, Estonian, German and Dutch short form of Timotheus (see Timothy).
Mary Lou f English
Combination of Mary and Lou.
Pépin m French
French form of Pepin.
Þórveig f Old Norse
Derived from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with veig "strength".
Amaziah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh strengthens" in Hebrew, derived from אָמֵץ (ʾamets) meaning "to strengthen" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters, including a king of Judah.
Gaspard m French
French form of Jasper.
Ophrah m Biblical
Means "fawn" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of both a man mentioned in genealogies and a city in Manasseh.
Frigidianus m Late Roman
Original Latin form of Frediano.
Meirion m Welsh
From the name of the Welsh county of Meirionnydd, formerly a part of the kingdom of Gwynedd. It is probably derived from the Roman name Marianus.
Ulick m Irish
Anglicized form of Uilleag.
Hildebert m German (Rare)
Means "bright battle" from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and beraht "bright". This name was borne by four early Frankish kings, usually called Childebert.
Belenus m Gaulish Mythology
Latinized form of Gaulish Belenos or Belinos, possibly from Celtic roots meaning either "bright, brilliant" (from Indo-European *bhel-) or "strong" (from Indo-European *bel-). This was the name of a Gaulish god who was often equated with Apollo. He is mostly known from Gallo-Roman inscriptions and was especially venerated in Aquileia in northern Italy.
Alcestis f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἄλκηστις (Alkestis), derived from ἀλκηστής (alkestes) meaning "brave, valiant", a derivative of ἀλκή (alke) meaning "strength, prowess". In Greek mythology she was the wife of King Admetus. She offered to die in place of her husband, though she was eventually rescued from the underworld by Herakles. This story was told by the Greek playwright Euripides in his 5th-century BC tragedy Alcestis.
Harrison m English
From an English surname that meant "son of Harry". This was the surname of two American presidents, William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) and his grandson Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901). As a given name it reached a low point in America in 1977 before it was revived by the career of actor Harrison Ford (1942-), who starred in such movies as Star Wars in 1977 and Indiana Jones in 1984.
Ermintrude f English (Archaic)
English form of Ermendrud. It was occasionally used until the 19th century.
Gillis m Swedish (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Swedish and Dutch form of Gilles.
Saxon m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the name of the Germanic tribe the Saxons, ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". This name can also be given in direct reference to the tribe.
Ninian m Scottish
From the name of a 5th-century British saint, known as the Apostle to the Picts, who was apparently responsible for many miracles and cures. He first appears briefly in the 8th-century Latin writings of the historian Bede, though his name is only written in the ablative case Nynia. This may represent a Brythonic name *Ninniau.
Benoît m French
French form of Benedict.
Katarine f German (Rare)
German variant form of Katherine.
Phoebe f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.... [more]
Arnoud m Dutch
Dutch form of Arnold.
Anath 1 m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Probably means "answer" in Hebrew, a derivative of עָנָה (ʿana) meaning "to answer". In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Shamgar.
Adrián m Spanish, Hungarian, Slovak
Spanish, Hungarian and Slovak form of Hadrianus (see Hadrian).
Earline f English
Feminine form of Earl.
Deorwine m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements deore "dear" and wine "friend".
Kendal m & f English (Modern)
From a surname that was a variant of Kendall.
Hillel m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew הָלַל (halal) meaning "praise". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament as the father of the judge Abdon. It was also borne by the 1st-century BC Jewish scholar Hillel the Elder.
Ève f French
French form of Eve.
Jeana f English
Variant of Jean 2 or Gina.
Jan 1 m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, Catalan, Sorbian
Form of Johannes used in various languages. This name was borne by the Czech church reformer Jan Hus (1370-1415), the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck (1390-1441), and the Dutch painters Jan Steen (1626-1679) and Jan Vermeer (1632-1675).
Archippos m Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek
Means "master of horses" from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". In the New Testament it is borne by a man mentioned in the epistles (spelled as Archippus, the Latinized form, in the English version).
Charnette f English (Rare)
Probably an invented name.
Heulwen f Welsh
Means "sunshine" in Welsh (a compound of haul "sun" and gwen "white, blessed").
Angelique f Dutch
Dutch form of Angélique.
Alfríkr m Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements alfr "elf" and ríkr "ruler, king" (making it a cognate of Alberich).
Aurelianus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was originally derived from the Roman family name Aurelius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Lucius Domitius Aurelianus) who reconquered the breakaway Gallic and Palmyrene Empires.
Milton m English, Spanish (Latin American)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "mill town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was John Milton (1608-1674), the poet who wrote Paradise Lost.
Honorata f Late Roman, Polish
Feminine form of Honoratus.
Cornelius m Ancient Roman, English, Dutch, German, Biblical
Roman family name that possibly derives from the Latin element cornu meaning "horn". In Acts in the New Testament Cornelius is a centurion who is directed by an angel to seek Peter. After speaking with Peter he converts to Christianity, and he is traditionally deemed the first gentile convert. The name was also borne by a few early saints, including a 3rd-century pope. In England it came into use in the 16th century, partly due to Dutch influence.
Odalgar m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements uodil "heritage" and ger "spear".
Cindy f English
Diminutive of Cynthia or Lucinda. Like Cynthia, it peaked in popularity in the United States in 1957.
Gaufrid m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements gawi "territory, region" and fridu "peace".
Red m English
From the English word for the colour, ultimately derived from Old English read. This is typically a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion.
Gréagóir m Irish
Irish form of Gregory.
Catrin f Welsh, German
Welsh form of Katherine, as well as a German short form of Katharina.
Gabrielle f French, English
French feminine form of Gabriel. This was the real name of French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).
Gozzo m Germanic
Originally a diminutive of names beginning with the Old German element goz, which was from the name of the Germanic tribe the Geats (Proto-Germanic *gautaz).
Misi m Hungarian
Diminutive of Mihály.
Emyr m Welsh
Means "king, lord" in Welsh.
Audie m & f English
In the case of the famed American soldier Audie Murphy (1925-1971), it is of uncertain meaning. As a feminine name, it can be a diminutive of Audrey.
Gilroy m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, either Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means "son of the red-haired servant", or Mac Giolla Rí, which means "son of the king's servant".
Edric m English (Rare)
From the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and ric "ruler, king". After the Norman Conquest this Old English name was not commonly used. It has occasionally been revived in modern times.
Nolen m Hungarian (Modern)
Possibly a Hungarian form of Nolan.
Allon m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "oak" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Dewey m English
Probably a variant of Dewi 1.
Andeolus m Late Roman
Meaning unknown. This was the name of a saint who was martyred in southern Gaul (at the town now known as Bourg-Saint-Andéol) in 3rd century.
Primus m Late Roman
Original Latin form of Primo.
Loherangrin m Arthurian Cycle
Form of Lohengrin used by the 13th-century German poet Wolfram von Eschenbach.
Adam m English, French, German, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Malay, Indonesian, Dhivehi, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
This is the Hebrew word for "man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew אדם (ʾaḏam) meaning "to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian adamu meaning "to make".... [more]
Nudd m Welsh Mythology
Welsh cognate of Nuada. This is the name of a figure in Welsh legend, appearing in early poetry and in Culhwch and Olwen as the father of Gwyn.
Shiphrah f Biblical
Means "beautiful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the midwives (the other being Puah) who disobeys the Pharaoh's order to kill any Hebrew boys they deliver.
Veer f Limburgish
Limburgish short form of Vera 1.
Abimael m Biblical, Biblical Greek
Meaning uncertain, though the first element is likely Hebrew אָב (ʾav) meaning "father". In the Old Testament he is listed as a descendant of Shem.
Ælfweard m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and weard "guardian".
Asse m Frisian
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the elements asc meaning "ash tree" or ansi meaning "god".
Nydia f English (Rare), Spanish, Literature
Used by British author Edward Bulwer-Lytton for a blind flower-seller in his novel The Last Days of Pompeii (1834). He perhaps based it on Latin nidus "nest".
Winnie f English
Diminutive of Winifred. Winnie-the-Pooh, a stuffed bear in children's books by A. A. Milne, was named after a real bear named Winnipeg who lived at the London Zoo.
Macie f English
Variant of Macy.
Chthonia f Greek Mythology
Means "of the earth, underground" in Greek, a derivative of χθών (chthon) meaning "earth, ground, soil". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Demeter.
Goswin m Dutch (Archaic)
From the Germanic name Gautwin, derived from the elements *gautaz "Geat" (a North Germanic tribe) and wini "friend".
Josef m German, Czech, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
German, Czech and Scandinavian form of Joseph.
Mervyn m Welsh, English
Welsh variant of Merfyn, as well as the usual Anglicized form.
Vibiana f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Vibianus.
Germund m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements ger "spear" and munt "protection".
Ceolmund m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ceol "keel" and mund "protection".
Basileios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Basil 1.
Cale m English
Short form of Caleb.
Felicie f German (Rare)
German form of Felicia.
Grenville m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Granville.
Tinúviel f Literature
Means "daughter of twilight, nightingale" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tinuviel was another name of Lúthien, the daughter of Thingol the elf king. She was the beloved of Beren, who with her help retrieved one of the Silmarils from the iron crown of Morgoth.
Noèle f French
Feminine variant form of Noël.
Wallis m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Wallace. Wallis Simpson (1895-1986) was the divorced woman whom Edward VIII married, which forced him to abdicate the British throne.
Ruairi m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Ruaidhrí.
Sawney m Scots
Scots diminutive of Alexander.
Lawson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Laurence 1".
Jerold m English
Variant of Gerald.
Diodotus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Διόδοτος (Diodotos), a Greek name meaning "given by Zeus" from Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and δοτός (dotos) meaning "given".
Danny m English, Dutch
Diminutive of Daniel.
Theun m Dutch
Dutch short form of Antonius.
Draco m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Δράκων (Drakon), which meant "dragon, serpent". This was the name of a 7th-century BC Athenian legislator. This is also the name of a constellation in the northern sky.
Carmen f Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, French, Romanian, German
Medieval Spanish form of Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word carmen meaning "song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera Carmen (1875).
Adriana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Polish, Slovak, Czech, Bulgarian, English, Dutch
Feminine form of Adrian. A famous bearer is the Brazilian model Adriana Lima (1981-).
Maximiliane f German
German feminine form of Maximilian.
Editha f German, English (Rare)
Latinate form of Edith.
Frazier m English
Variant of Fraser.
Thorburn m English (Rare)
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from the Norse name Þórbjǫrn (see Torbjörn).
Maurie m & f English
Diminutive of Maurice or Maureen.
Oran m Irish
Anglicized form of Odhrán.
Petunia f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, derived ultimately from a Tupi (South American) word.
Donnchad m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Donnchadh (see Duncan).
Hunfrid m Germanic
Old German form of Humphrey.
Diodorus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Διόδωρος (Diodoros) meaning "gift of Zeus", derived from the elements Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 1st-century BC Greek historian.
Louane f French
Combination of Lou and Anne 1.
Eléonore f French
French form of Eleanor.
Gautier m French
French form of Walter.
Marylou f English
Combination of Mary and Lou.
Emil m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Icelandic, English
From the Roman family name Aemilius, which was derived from Latin aemulus meaning "rival".
Yoan 1 m French
French form of Johann.
Reuben m Biblical, Hebrew, English
Means "behold, a son" in Hebrew, derived from רָאָה (raʾa) meaning "to see" and בֵּן (ben) meaning "son". In the Old Testament he is the eldest son of Jacob and Leah and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Reuben was cursed by his father because he slept with Jacob's concubine Bilhah. It has been used as a Christian name in Britain since the Protestant Reformation.
Carolina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Swedish
Latinate feminine form of Carolus. This is the name of two American states: North and South Carolina. They were named for Charles I, king of England.
Nikolasz m Hungarian (Modern)
Hungarian form of Nicholas. This form is a modern adaptation (based on the spelling in English or another foreign language), as opposed to the traditional form Miklós.
Mortimer m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Normandy, itself meaning "dead water, still water" in Old French.
Octave m French
French form of Octavius.
Poppy f English
From the word for the red flower, derived from Old English popæg.
Caoimhe f Irish
Derived from Irish caomh meaning "dear, beloved, gentle".
Théa f French
French form of Thea.
Irving m English, Jewish
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the town of Irvine in North Ayrshire, itself named for the River Irvine, which is derived from Brythonic elements meaning "green water". Historically this name has been relatively common among Jews, who have used it as an American-sounding form of Hebrew names beginning with I such as Isaac, Israel and Isaiah. A famous bearer was the Russian-American songwriter and lyricist Irving Berlin (1888-1989), whose birth name was Israel Beilin.
Drest m Pictish
Variant of Drust.
Stefánia f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Stephen.
Goretti f Various
From the surname of Maria Goretti, a 20th-century Italian saint who forgave her murderer on her deathbed. Her surname was derived from the given name Gregorio.
Broen m Limburgish
Limburgish form of Bruno.
Anthelme m French (Rare)
French form of Anthelm.
Phoenix m & f English (Modern)
From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοῖνιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".
Romée f French (Rare), Dutch (Modern)
French feminine form of Romeo.
Joleen f English
Variant of Jolene.
Elysia f Various
From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Navy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "sea force, fleet, armed forces of the sea". It is derived from Old French navie, from Latin navigia, the plural of navigium "boat, vessel". It also refers to a shade of dark blue, a colour traditionally associated with naval uniforms.
Indiana f & m English
From the name of the American state, which means "land of the Indians". This is the name of the hero in the Indiana Jones series of movies, starring Harrison Ford.
Jude 2 f English
Short form of Judith.
Ami 1 m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "trustworthy, reliable" in Hebrew. This is the name of a servant of King Solomon in the Old Testament.
Smaragdos m Ancient Greek
Means "emerald" in Greek, of Semitic origin. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman martyr and saint, better known by the Latinized form of his name Smaragdus.
Andreas m German, Greek, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Welsh, Ancient Greek, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Ancient Greek and Latin form of Andrew. It is also the form used in Modern Greek, German and Welsh.
Rúni m Old Norse, Faroese
Old Norse and Faroese form of Rune.
Sheree f English
Variant of Sherry or Cherie. This particular spelling was popularized by American actress Sheree North (1932-2005), who was born Dawn Shirley Crang.
Lucius m Ancient Roman, Biblical, English
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Ossie m English
Short form of Oscar, Oswald and other names beginning with Os.
Zanna f English
Short form of Suzanna.
Bjarni m Old Norse, Icelandic, Faroese
Old Norse diminutive of Bjǫrn and other names containing the element bjǫrn meaning "bear".
Hermes m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Spanish
Probably from Greek ἕρμα (herma) meaning "cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker". Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeus and the other gods. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.... [more]
Didi m German
Diminutive of Dieter.
Dione 2 f English
Feminine form of Dion.
Juliet f English
Anglicized form of Giulietta or Juliette. This spelling was used for the ill-fated lover of Romeo in the play Romeo and Juliet (1596) by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare based his story on earlier Italian tales such as Giulietta e Romeo (1524) by Luigi Da Porto.
Delora f English
Altered form of Dolores.
Frances f English
Feminine form of Francis. The distinction between Francis as a masculine name and Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century. A notable bearer was Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), a social worker and the first American to be canonized.
François m French
French form of Franciscus (see Francis). François Villon (1431-1463) was a French lyric poet. This was also the name of two kings of France.
Ine f Norwegian, Dutch
Short form of names ending with ine, such as Martine, Christine and Caroline.
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).
Hamutal f Biblical
Means "father-in-law is dew" in Hebrew, derived from חָם (ḥam) meaning "father-in-law" and טַל (ṭal) meaning "dew". In the Old Testament this is the name of a wife of King Josiah of Judah.
Terri f English
Either a feminine variant of Terry 1 or a diminutive of Theresa.
Lamar m English, African American
From a French and English surname, originally from a place name in Normandy, which was derived from Old French la mare meaning "the pool". In the second half of the 20th century this name has been well-used in the African-American community, probably because of its popular phonetic components la and mar.
Ilar m Welsh
Welsh form of Hilarius. This is the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint.
Gardenia f English (Rare)
From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).
Shea m & f Irish
Anglicized form of Séaghdha, sometimes used as a feminine name.
Sieghild f German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and hilt "battle".
Mary Anne f English
Combination of Mary and Anne 1.
Thornton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "thorn town" in Old English.
Trish f English
Short form of Patricia.
Marlene f German, English
Blend of Maria and Magdalene. It refers, therefore, to Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament. The name was popularized by the German actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992), whose real name was Maria Magdalene Dietrich.
Criseyde f Literature
Form of Criseida used by the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer in his 14th-century epic poem Troilus and Criseyde.
Jem m English
Diminutive of Jeremy (and formerly of James).
Chauncey m English
From a Norman surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in America in honour of Harvard president Charles Chauncey (1592-1672).
Otwin m German (Rare)
German form of Audowin.
Farquhar m Scottish
Anglicized form of Fearchar.
Galenos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Galen.
Morpheus m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek μορφή (morphe) meaning "shape", referring to the shapes seen in dreams. In Greek mythology Morpheus was the god of dreams.
Remigius m Late Roman
Latin form of Rémy.
Ethelinda f English (Archaic)
English form of the Germanic name Adallinda. The name was very rare in medieval times, but it was revived in the early 19th century.
Fergie m Scottish
Diminutive form of Fergus.
Eoforhild f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements eofor "boar" and hild "battle". This name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
József m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Joseph.
Wardell m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "watch hill" in Old English.
Laios m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Laius.
Keir m Scottish
From a surname that was a variant of Kerr.
Donatianus m Late Roman
Derivative of Donatus (see Donato). This was the name of a few early saints.
Gaby f & m French, Spanish, English
Diminutive of Gabrielle or Gabriel.
Benedictus m Late Roman, Dutch (Rare)
Original Latin form of Benedict. This is also the official Dutch form, used on birth certificates but not typically in daily life.
Helena f German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Jephthah m Biblical
Means "he opens" in Hebrew, derived from the root פָּתַח (paṯaḥ) meaning "to open". In the Old Testament this is the name of a ruling judge. He successfully defended Israel from the Ammonites, but was then obliged to sacrifice his daughter because of a vow he had made.
Beaumont m English (Rare)
From a French surname meaning "beautiful mountain".
Diethelm m German
Derived from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and helm meaning "helmet, protection".
Wolfgang m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements wolf meaning "wolf" and gang meaning "path, way". Saint Wolfgang was a 10th-century bishop of Regensburg. Two other famous bearers of this name were Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and German novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).
Deidra f English
Variant of Deirdre.
Hudde m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Hugh or possibly Richard.
Clodagh f Irish
From the Clodiagh, a small river in County Waterford, Ireland. It was first used as a given name by Clodagh Beresford (1879-1957), daughter of the Marquess of Waterford.
Fiachra m Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Fiachrae, possibly from fiach "raven" or fích "battle" combined with "king". This was the name of several legendary figures, including one of the four children of Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners: a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France, usually called Saint Fiacre.
Sevyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Seven.
Ragnarr m Old Norse
From the Old Norse elements regin "advice, counsel" and herr "army, warrior". It is a cognate of Rayner. This name was borne by the legendary Viking hero Ragnar Lodbrok.
Ade 2 m Frisian
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element adal meaning "noble".
Hildegard f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hilt "battle" and gart "enclosure, yard". This was the name of the second wife of Charlemagne (8th century). Also, Saint Hildegard was a 12th-century mystic from Bingen in Germany who was famous for her writings and poetry and also for her prophetic visions.
Mina 1 f English, Dutch
Short form of Wilhelmina and other names ending in mina. This was the name of a character in the novel Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker.
Scheherazade f Literature
Anglicized form of Shahrazad.
Garrick m English
From an English surname, of French Huguenot origin, that was derived from Occitan garric meaning "oak tree grove".
Heilyn m Welsh Mythology
Means "winebearer, dispenser" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi he was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's invasion of Ireland.
Ross m Scottish, English
From a Scottish and English surname that originally indicated a person from a place called Ross (such as the region of Ross in northern Scotland), derived from Gaelic ros meaning "promontory, headland". A famous bearer of the surname was James Clark Ross (1800-1862), an Antarctic explorer.
Johan m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Scandinavian and Dutch form of Iohannes (see John). A famous bearer was the Dutch soccer player Johan Cruyff (1947-2016).
Maylis f French
From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.
Zeno m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Italian
From the Greek name Ζήνων (Zenon), which was derived from the name of the Greek god Zeus (the poetic form of his name being Ζήν). Zeno was the name of two famous Greek philosophers: Zeno of Elea and Zeno of Citium, the founder of the Stoic school in Athens.
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.
Halle 2 f English (Modern)
In the case of American actress Halle Berry (1966-), it is from the name of a department store in Cleveland where she was born (the store was founded by brothers bearing the German surname Halle, a cognate of Hall).
Martinus m Ancient Roman, Dutch
Original Latin form of Martin. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but commonly rendered Maarten or Marten in daily life.
Klytios m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek κλυτός (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". This is the name of several minor characters in Greek mythology.
Kory m English
Variant of Corey.
Sammie f & m English
Diminutive of Samuel, Samson or Samantha.
Kal-El m Popular Culture, English (Modern)
Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 as the birth name of the comic book hero Superman, who came from the distant planet Krypton. The original spelling Kal-L was changed to Kal-El in the 1940s. Some have theorized that El is inspired by the common Hebrew name element אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Although Siegel and Shuster were Jewish, there is no evidence that they had this connection in mind, and it seems possible they simply made it up. Superman's other name, Clark Kent, was given to him by his adoptive parents.... [more]
Myrtie f English
Diminutive of Myrtle.
Glyndwr m Welsh
Given in honour of Owain Glyndwr (or Glyn Dŵr, Anglicized as Glendower), a 14th-century Welsh patriot who led a revolt against England. His byname means "valley water", and was probably inspired by the name of his estate at Glyndyfrdwy (meaning "valley of the River Dee").
Lennox m & f English (Modern)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the name of a district in Scotland. The district, called Leamhnachd in Gaelic, possibly means "place of elms". This name steadily rose in popularity in the 2000s, at the same time as the similar-sounding (but unrelated) names Lennon and Knox.
Meiriona f Welsh
Feminine form of Meirion.
September f English (Rare)
From the name of the ninth month (though it means "seventh month" in Latin, since it was originally the seventh month of the Roman year), which is sometimes used as a given name for someone born in September.
Eleonore f German
German form of Eleanor.
Samo m Slovene, History
Meaning uncertain. This was the name of a 7th-century ruler of the Slavs, who established a kingdom including parts of modern Slovenia, Austria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. He was possibly of Frankish origin.
Blessing m & f English (African)
From the English word blessing, of Old English origin. This name is most common in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.
Mo f & m English
Short form of Maureen, Maurice, Morris and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Azure f & m English (Rare)
From the English word that means "sky blue". It is ultimately (via Old French, Latin and Arabic) from Persian لاجورد (lājvard) meaning "azure, lapis lazuli".
Leonard m English, Dutch, German, Polish, Romanian, Germanic
Means "brave lion", derived from the Old German elements lewo "lion" (of Latin origin) and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish saint from Noblac who is the patron of prisoners and horses. The Normans brought this name to England, where it was used steadily through the Middle Ages, becoming even more common in the 20th century.
Clarissa f English, Italian
Latinate form of Clarice. This is the name of the title character in a 1748 novel by Samuel Richardson. In the novel Clarissa Harlowe is a virtuous woman who is tragically exploited by her family and her lover. Another literary character by this name is Clarissa Dalloway from the novel Mrs. Dalloway (1925) by Virginia Woolf.
Margarete f German
German form of Margaret.
Neal m English
Variant of Neil.
Luca 2 f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Lucia.
Reynaud m French (Rare)
French variant of Renaud.
Jaak m Estonian, Flemish
Estonian form of Jacob or James, and a Flemish short form of Jacob.
Eleri f Welsh
From the name of a Welsh river, also called the Leri, of unknown meaning. This was also the name of a 7th-century Welsh saint (masculine).
Lúcás m Irish
Irish form of Lucas (see Luke).
Sally f English
Diminutive of Sarah, often used independently.
Benson m English
From an English surname that originally meant "son of Benedict".
Roibeárd m Irish
Irish form of Robert.
Emerson m & f English
From an English surname meaning "son of Emery". The surname was borne by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American writer and philosopher who wrote about transcendentalism.
Sable f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "black", derived from the name of the black-furred mammal native to northern Asia, ultimately of Slavic origin.
Philipa f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Philip.
Baruch m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name בָּרוּך (Baruḵ) meaning "blessed". In the Old Testament this is the name of a companion of the prophet Jeremiah, acting as his scribe and assistant. The deuterocanonical Book of Baruch was supposedly written by him. A famous bearer was Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), a Dutch-Jewish rationalist philosopher.
Jasmijn f Dutch
Dutch form of Jasmine.
Sietske f Frisian
Feminine diminutive of Siet.
Arnviðr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Arvid.