MICKEYm & fEnglishDiminutive or feminine form of
MICHAEL. This was the name that Walt Disney gave to Ub Iwerks' cartoon character Mickey Mouse, who was originally named Mortimer Mouse. Another famous bearer was the American baseball player Mickey Mantle (1931-1995).
MILBURNmEnglishFrom an English surname which was from a place name meaning "mill stream" in Old English.
MILDREDfEnglishFrom the Old English name
Mildþryð meaning "gentle strength", derived from the elements
milde "gentle" and
þryð "strength". Saint Mildred was a 7th-century abbess, the daughter of the Kentish princess Saint Ermenburga. After the Norman conquest this name became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
MILESmEnglishFrom the Germanic name
Milo, introduced by the Normans to England in the form
Miles. The meaning is not known for certain. It is possibly connected to the Slavic name element
milu meaning "gracious". From an early date it was associated with Latin
miles "soldier".
MILEYfEnglish (Modern)In the case of actress and singer Miley Cyrus (1992-), it is a shortened form of the nickname
Smiley, given to her by her father because she often smiled. Although it was not at all common before she brought it to public attention, there are some examples of its use before her time, most likely as a diminutive of
MILES.
MILFORDmEnglishFrom an English surname which was originally derived from various place names all meaning "ford by a mill" in Old English.
MILLARDmEnglishFrom an occupational English surname which meant "guardian of the mill" in Old English.
MILLICENTfEnglishFrom the Germanic name
Amalasuintha, composed of the elements
amal "work, labour" and
swinth "strong". Amalasuintha was a 6th-century queen of the Ostrogoths. The Normans introduced this name to England in the form
Melisent or
Melisende. Melisende was a 12th-century queen of Jerusalem, the daughter of Baldwin II.
MILOmEnglish, Ancient GermanicOld Germanic form of
MILES, as well as the Latinized form. This form of the name was used in official documents during the Middle Ages, and it has been used independently since the 19th century.
MILTONmEnglishFrom an English surname which was 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'.
MINERVAfRoman Mythology, EnglishPossibly 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.
MIRABELLEfFrench (Rare), English (Rare)Derived from Latin
mirabilis "wonderful". This name was coined during the Middle Ages, though it eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
MIRACLEfEnglish (Modern)From the English word
miracle for an extraordinary event, ultimately deriving from Latin
miraculum "wonder, marvel".
MIRANDAfEnglish, DutchDerived from Latin
mirandus meaning "admirable, wonderful". The name was created by Shakespeare for the heroine in his play 'The Tempest' (1611), about a father and daughter stranded on an island. It did not become a common English given name until the 20th century. This is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, named after the Shakespearian character.
MIRIAMfHebrew, English, German, Biblical, Biblical HebrewOriginal Hebrew form of
MARY. It is used in the Old Testament, where it belongs to the elder sister of
Moses and
Aaron. She watched over the infant Moses as the pharaoh's daughter drew him from the Nile. The name has long been popular among Jews, and it has been used as an English Christian name since the Protestant Reformation.
MISTYfEnglishFrom the English word
misty, ultimately derived from Old English. The jazz song 'Misty' (1954) by Erroll Garner may have helped popularize the name.
MITCHELLmEnglishFrom a surname, itself derived from the given name
MICHAEL or in some cases from Middle English
michel meaning "big, large".
MODESTYfEnglish (Rare)From the English word
modesty, ultimately from Latin
modestus "moderate", a derivative of
modus "measure".
MOIRAfIrish, Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of
MÁIRE. It also coincides with Greek
Μοιρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of
Μοιραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.
MOLLYfEnglishDiminutive of
MARY. It developed from
Malle and
Molle, other medieval diminutives. James Joyce used this name in his novel 'Ulysses' (1920), where it belongs to Molly Bloom, the wife of the main character.
MONA (1)fIrish, EnglishAnglicized 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").
MONDAYfEnglish (Rare)From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English
mona "moon" and
dæg "day". This was formerly given to girls born on Monday.
MONICAfEnglish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Late RomanMeaning unknown, most likely of North African or Phoenician origin. In the 4th century this name was borne by the North African saint Monica of Hippo, the mother of Saint Augustine, whom she converted to Christianity. Since the Middle Ages it has been associated with Latin
moneo "advisor" and Greek
monos "one". As an English name,
Monica has been in general use since the 18th century.
MONROEmScottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". The Roe is a river in Ireland. Two famous bearers of the surname were American president James Monroe (1758-1831) and American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).
MONTANAf & mEnglish (Modern)From the name of the American state, which is derived from Latin
montanus "mountainous".
MONTEmEnglishEither a diminutive of
MONTGOMERY or from the Spanish or Italian vocabulary word meaning "mountain".
MONTGOMERYmEnglishFrom an English surname meaning "
GUMARICH's mountain" in Norman French. A notable bearer of this surname was Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976), a British army commander during World War II.
MORGAN (1)m & fWelsh, English, FrenchFrom the Old Welsh masculine name
Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh
mor "sea" and
cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America
Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of
Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).
MORIAHfEnglish (Modern)From Hebrew
מֹרִיָה (Moriyah) possibly meaning "seen by
YAHWEH". This is a place name in the Old Testament, both the land where
Abraham is to sacrifice
Isaac and the mountain upon which
Solomon builds the temple. They may be the same place. Since the 1980s it has occasionally been used as a feminine given name in America.
MORLEYmEnglish (Rare)From a surname which was originally from an Old English place name meaning "marsh clearing".
MORTIMERmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from a place name meaning "still water" in Old French.
MORTONmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally from a place name meaning "moor town" in Old English.
MOSESmEnglish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh) which is most likely derived from Egyptian
mes meaning "son", but could also possibly mean "deliver" in Hebrew. The meaning suggested in the Old Testament of "drew out" from Hebrew
משה (mashah) is probably an invented etymology (see Exodus 2:10). The biblical Moses was drawn out of the Nile by the pharaoh's daughter and adopted into the royal family, at a time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. With his brother
Aaron he demanded the pharaoh release the Israelites, which was only done after God sent ten plagues upon Egypt. Moses led the people across the Red Sea and to Mount Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments from God. After 40 years of wandering in the desert the people reached Canaan, the Promised Land, but Moses died just before entering it.
... [more] MURIELfEnglish, French, IrishMedieval English form of a Celtic name which was probably related to the Irish name
MUIRGEL. The Normans brought it to England from Brittany. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel 'John Halifax, Gentleman' (1856).
MYRAfEnglishCreated by the 17th-century poet Fulke Greville. He possibly based it on Latin
myrra meaning "myrrh" (a fragrant resin obtained from a tree). Otherwise, he may have simply rearranged the letters from the name
MARY. Although unrelated etymologically, this is also the name of an ancient city of Anatolia.
MYRONmEnglish, Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
μυρον (myron) meaning "sweet oil, perfume". Myron was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek sculptor. Saints bearing this name include a 3rd-century bishop of Crete and a 4th-century martyr from Cyzicus who was killed by a mob. These saints are more widely revered in the Eastern Church, and the name has generally been more common among Eastern Christians. As an English name, it has been used since the 19th century.
MYRTLEfEnglishSimply from the English word
myrtle for the evergreen shrub, ultimately from Greek
μυρτος (myrtos). It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
NANfEnglishOriginally a diminutive of
ANN. It may have originated with the affectionate phrase
mine Ann, which was later reinterpreted as
my Nan. It is now also used as a short form of
NANCY.
NANCYfEnglishPreviously a medieval diminutive of
ANNIS, though since the 18th century it has been a diminutive of
ANN. It is now usually regarded as an independent name. During the 20th century it became very popular in the United States. A city in the Lorraine region of France bears this name, though it derives from a different source.
NAOMI (1)fEnglish, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
נָעֳמִי (Na'omi) meaning "pleasantness". In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother-in-law of
Ruth. After the death of her husband and sons, she returned to Bethlehem with Ruth. There she declared that her name should be
Mara (see Ruth 1:20).
... [more] NAPIERmEnglish (Rare)From an English and Scots surname which meant "linen keeper" in Middle English, from Old French
nappe "table cloth".
NAPOLEONmHistory, EnglishFrom the old Italian name
Napoleone, used most notably by the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who was born on Corsica. The etymology is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from the Germanic
Nibelungen meaning "sons of mist", a name used in Germanic mythology to refer to the keepers of a hoard of treasure (often identified with the Burgundians). Alternatively, it could be connected to the name of the Italian city of Napoli (Naples).
NARELLEfEnglish (Australian)Meaning unknown. It was borne by the wife of Umbarra, who was a 19th-century leader of the Yuin, an Aboriginal people.
NASHmEnglish (Modern)From a surname which was derived from the Middle English phrase
atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer of the surname was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015). The name was popularized in the 1990s by the television series 'Nash Bridges'.
NATALIAfPolish, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, English, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Greek, Georgian, Russian, Ukrainian, Late RomanLatinate form of
Natalia (see
NATALIE).
NATALIEfEnglish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, NorwegianFrom the Late Latin name
Natalia, which meant "Christmas Day" from Latin
natale domini. This was the name of the wife of the 4th-century martyr Saint Adrian of Nicomedia. She is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, and the name has traditionally been more common among Eastern Christians than those in the West. It was popularized in America by actress Natalie Wood (1938-1981), who was born to Russian immigrants.
NATASHAfRussian, EnglishRussian diminutive of
NATALYA. This is the name of a character in Leo Tolstoy's novel 'War and Peace' (1865). It has been used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.
NATHANIELmEnglish, BiblicalVariant of
NATHANAEL. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation. This has been the most popular spelling, even though the spelling
Nathanael is found in most versions of the New Testament. The American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), author of 'The Scarlet Letter', was a famous bearer of this name.
NEDmEnglishDiminutive of
EDWARD or
EDMUND. It has been used since the 14th century, and may have had root in the medieval affectionate phrase
mine Ed, which was later reinterpreted as
my Ned.
NEELYmEnglishFrom a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of
Mac an Fhilidh meaning "son of the poet" in Gaelic.
NEILmIrish, Scottish, EnglishFrom the Gaelic name
Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly meaning "champion" or "cloud". This was the name of a semi-legendary 4th-century Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages.
... [more] NELLfEnglishMedieval diminutive of names beginning with
El, such as
ELEANOR,
ELLEN (1) or
HELEN. It may have arisen from the medieval affectionate phrase
mine El, which was later reinterpreted as
my Nel.
NELSONmEnglishFrom an English surname meaning "son of
NEIL". It was originally given in honour of the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). His most famous battle was the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he destroyed a combined French and Spanish fleet, but was himself killed. Another notable bearer was the South African statesman Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). Mandela's birth name was
Rolihlahla; as a child he was given the English name
Nelson by a teacher.
NEVADAfEnglishFrom the name of the American state, which means "snow-capped" in Spanish.
NEVAEHfEnglish (Modern)The word
heaven spelled backwards. It became popular after the musician Sonny Sandoval from the rock group P.O.D. gave it to his daughter in 2000.
NEVILLEmEnglish (British)From an English surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Norman French. As a given name it is chiefly British and Australian.
NEWTONmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
NICHOLASmEnglishFrom the Greek name
Νικολαος (Nikolaos) which meant "victory of the people" from Greek
νικη (nike) "victory" and
λαος (laos) "people". Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop from Anatolia who, according to legend, saved the daughters of a poor man from lives of prostitution. He is the patron saint of children, sailors and merchants, as well as Greece and Russia. He formed the basis for the figure known as Santa Claus (created in the 19th century from Dutch
Sinterklaas), the bringer of Christmas presents.
... [more] NICOLEfFrench, English, Dutch, GermanFrench feminine form of
NICHOLAS, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).
NIGELmEnglishFrom
Nigellus, a medieval Latinized form of
NEIL. It was commonly associated with Latin
niger "black". It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to Sir Walter Scott's novel 'The Fortunes of Nigel' (1822).
NINA (1)fRussian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, SerbianShort 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".
NOAH (1)mEnglish, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
נֹחַ (Noach) meaning "rest, repose", derived from the root
נוּחַ (nuach). According to the Old Testament, Noah was the builder of the Ark that allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the great Flood. After the Flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. He was the father of
Shem,
Ham and
Japheth.
... [more] NOBLEmEnglishFrom an English surname meaning "noble, notable". The name can also be given in direct reference to the English word
noble.
NOLANmIrish, EnglishFrom an Irish surname which was derived from
Ó Nualláin meaning "descendant of
NUALLÁN". The baseball player Nolan Ryan (1947-) is a famous bearer of this name.
NORMAfEnglish, Italian, LiteratureCreated by Felice Romani for the main character in the opera 'Norma' (1831). He may have based it on Latin
norma "rule". This name is also frequently used as a feminine form of
NORMAN.
NORMANmEnglish, Ancient GermanicFrom an old Germanic byname meaning "northman", referring to a Viking. The Normans were Vikings who settled on the coast of France, in the region that became known as Normandy. In England the name
Norman or
Normant was used before the Norman conquest, first as a nickname for Scandinavian settlers and later as a given name. After the Conquest it became more common, but died out around the 14th century. It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to a character by this name in C. M. Yonge's novel 'The Daisy Chain' (1856).
NORTONmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "north town" in Old English.
NORWOODmEnglishFrom a surname which was originally taken from a place name meaning "north wood" in Old English.
NOVAfEnglishDerived from Latin
novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.
NYDIAfEnglish (Rare), Spanish, LiteratureUsed 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".
OCEANm & fEnglish (Rare)Simply from the English word
ocean for a large body of water. It is ultimately derived from Greek
Ωκεανος (Okeanos), the name of the body of water thought to surround the Earth.
OCTAVIAfEnglish, Spanish, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
OCTAVIUS. Octavia was the wife of Mark Antony and the sister of the Roman emperor Augustus. In 19th-century England it was sometimes given to the eighth-born child.
ODELLm & fEnglishFrom a surname which was originally from a place name meaning "woad hill" in Old English. A woad is a herb used for dyeing.
ODINmNorse Mythology, English (Modern)Anglicized form of Old Norse
Óðinn, which was derived from
óðr "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. However Odin is most known from Norse mythology, as the highest of the gods, presiding over art, war, wisdom and death. He resided in Valhalla, where warriors went after they were slain.
OGDENmEnglishFrom a surname which was derived from a place name meaning "oak valley" in Old English. A famous bearer was the humourous American poet Ogden Nash (1902-1971).
OLIVEfEnglish, FrenchFrom the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin
oliva.
OLIVERmEnglish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, SlovakFrom
Olivier, a Norman French form of a Germanic name such as
ALFHER or an Old Norse name such as
Áleifr (see
OLAF). The spelling was altered by association with Latin
oliva "olive tree". In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic 'La Chanson de Roland', in which Olivier was a friend and advisor of the hero Roland.
... [more] OLIVIAfEnglish, Italian, Spanish, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishThis name was first used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy 'Twelfth Night' (1602). Shakespeare may have based it on
OLIVER or
OLIVA, or perhaps directly on the Latin word
oliva meaning "olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman who is wooed by Duke Orsino but instead falls in love with his messenger Cesario.
... [more] OMAR (1)mArabic, English, SpanishVariant transcription of
UMAR. This is the usual English spelling of the 12th-century poet Umar Khayyam's name. In his honour it has sometimes been used in the English-speaking world, notably for the American general Omar Bradley (1893-1981).
ONEIDAfEnglishFrom the name of a Native American tribe, perhaps meaning "standing rock".
OPALfEnglishFrom the English word
opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit
उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".
OPHELIAfEnglish, LiteratureDerived from Greek
οφελος (ophelos) meaning "help". This name was probably created by the 15th-century poet Jacopo Sannazaro for a character in his poem 'Arcadia'. It was borrowed by Shakespeare for his play 'Hamlet' (1600), in which it belongs to
Hamlet's lover who eventually goes insane and drowns herself. In spite of this, the name has been used since the 19th century.
ORA (1)f & mEnglishPerhaps based on Latin
oro "to pray". It was first used in America in the 19th century.
ORALmEnglishMeaning uncertain. This name was borne by the influential American evangelist Oral Roberts (1918-2009), who was apparently named by his cousin.
ORINDAfEnglish (Rare)Probably an elaboration of Spanish
oro "gold". This was the pseudonym of the English poet Katherine Philips (1631-1664).
ORRELLmEnglish (Rare)From a surname which was derived from a place name meaning "ore hill" in Old English.
ORSONmEnglishFrom an English surname which was originally a nickname meaning "bear cub", from a diminutive of Norman French
ors "bear", ultimately from Latin
ursus. American actor and director Orson Welles (1915-1985) was a famous bearer of this name.
ORVILLEmEnglishThis name was invented by the 18th-century writer Fanny Burney, who perhaps intended it to mean "golden city" in French. Orville Wright (1871-1948), together with his brother Wilbur, invented the first successful airplane.
OSBERTmEnglish (Rare)Derived from the Old English elements
os "god" and
beorht "bright". After the Norman conquest, this Old English name was merged with its Norman cognate. It was rare in the Middle Ages, and eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
OSBORNmEnglishDerived from the Old English elements
os "god" and
beorn "bear". During the Anglo-Saxon period there was also a Norse cognate
Ásbjörn used in England, and after the Norman conquest the Norman cognate
Osbern was introduced. It was occasionally revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the given name.
OSCARmEnglish, Irish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, Irish MythologyPossibly means "deer friend", derived from Gaelic
os "deer" and
cara "friend". Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name
OSGAR or its Old Norse cognate
ÁSGEIRR, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. In Irish legend Oscar was the son of the poet
Oisín and the grandson of the hero
Fionn mac Cumhail.
... [more] OSMONDmEnglish (Rare)From the Old English elements
os "god" and
mund "protection". During the Anglo-Saxon period a Norse cognate
Ásmundr was also used in England, and another version was imported by the Normans. Saint Osmund was an 11th-century Norman nobleman who became an English bishop. Though it eventually became rare, it was revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the given name.
OSWALDmEnglish, German, Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
os "god" and
weald "power, ruler". Saint Oswald was a king of Northumbria who introduced Christianity to northeast England in the 7th century before being killed in battle. There was also an Old Norse cognate
Ásvaldr in use in England, being borne by the 10th-century Saint Oswald of Worcester, who was of Danish ancestry. Though the name had died out by the end of the Middle Ages, it was revived in the 19th century.
OSWINmEnglish (Rare)From the Old English elements
os "god" and
wine "friend". Saint Oswin was a 7th-century king of Northumbria. After the Norman conquest this name was used less, and it died out after the 14th century. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
OTISmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from the medieval given name
Ode, a cognate of
OTTO. In America it has been used in honour of the revolutionary James Otis (1725-1783).
OTTOmGerman, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Ancient GermanicLater German form of
Audo or
Odo, originally a short form of various names beginning with the Germanic element
aud meaning "wealth, fortune". This was the name of four kings of Germany, starting in the 10th century with Otto I, the first Holy Roman emperor, who was known as Otto the Great. This name was also borne by a 19th-century king of Greece who was originally from Bavaria. Another notable bearer was the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898).
PACEmEnglish (Rare)From an English surname which was derived from the Middle English word
pace meaning "peace".
PACEYmEnglish (Rare)From an English surname which was derived from the French place name
Pacy, itself derived from Gaulish given name of unknown meaning.
PAIGEfEnglishFrom an English surname meaning "servant, page" in Middle English. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek
παιδιον (paidion) meaning "little boy".
PAISLEYfEnglish (Modern)From a Scottish surname, originally from the name of a town, which may ultimately be derived from Latin
basilica "church". This is also a word (derived from the name of that same town) for a type of pattern commonly found on fabrics.
PALMERmEnglishFrom an English surname meaning "pilgrim". It is ultimately from Latin
palma "palm tree", since pilgrims to the Holy Land often brought back palm fronds as proof of their journey.
PAMELAfEnglishThis name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Sir Philip Sidney for use in his poem 'Arcadia'. He possibly intended it to mean "all sweetness" from Greek
παν (pan) "all" and
μελι (meli) "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel 'Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded' (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.
PANCRASmEnglish (Archaic)Medieval English form of
PANCRATIUS. The relics of the 4th-century saint Pancratius were sent to England by Pope Gregory the Great, leading to the saint's veneration there.
PANSYfEnglishFrom the English word for a type of flower, ultimately deriving from Old French
pensee "thought".
PARKERm & fEnglishFrom an English occupational surname which meant "keeper of the park".
PARNELfEnglish (Archaic)Contracted form of
PETRONEL. In the later Middle Ages it became a slang term for a promiscuous woman, and the name subsequently fell out of use.
PATm & fEnglishShort form of
PATRICK or
PATRICIA. A famous bearer of this name was Pat Garrett (1850-1908), the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid.
PATIENCEfEnglishFrom the English word
patience, ultimately from Latin
patientia, a derivative of
pati "to suffer". This was one of the virtue names coined by the Puritans in the 17th century.
PATRICIAfEnglish, Spanish, German, Late RomanFeminine form of
Patricius (see
PATRICK). In medieval England this spelling appears in Latin documents, but this form was probably not used as the actual name until the 18th century, in Scotland.
PATRICKmIrish, English, French, GermanFrom the Latin name
Patricius, which meant "nobleman". This name was adopted in the 5th-century by Saint Patrick, whose birth name was Sucat. He was a Romanized Briton who was captured and enslaved in his youth by Irish raiders. After six years of servitude he escaped home, but he eventually became a bishop and went back to Ireland as a missionary. He is traditionally credited with Christianizing the island, and is regarded as Ireland's patron saint.
... [more] PATTONmEnglish (Rare)From an English surname which was derived from a diminutive of
PATRICK. A notable bearer of the surname was the American World War II general George S. Patton (1885-1945), who played an important part in the allied offensive in France.
PATTYfEnglishOriginally a variant of
Matty, a 17th-century diminutive of
MARTHA. It is now commonly used as a diminutive of
PATRICIA.
PAULmEnglish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, BiblicalFrom the Roman family name
Paulus, which meant "small" or "humble" in Latin. Paul was an important leader of the early Christian church. According to Acts in the New Testament, he was a Jewish Roman citizen who converted to Christianity after the resurrected
Jesus appeared to him. After this he travelled the eastern Mediterranean as a missionary. His original Hebrew name was
Saul. Many of the epistles in the New Testament were authored by him.
... [more] PAULAfGerman, English, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Croatian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Paulus (see
PAUL). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman saint who was a companion of Saint Jerome.
PAXTONmEnglish (Modern)From a surname which was derived from an English place name meaning "Pœcc's town".
Pœcc is an Old English name of unknown meaning.
PEARLfEnglishFrom the English word
pearl for the concretions formed in the shells of some mollusks, ultimately from Late Latin
perla. Like other gemstone names, it has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century. The pearl is the birthstone for June, and it supposedly imparts health and wealth.
PEGGYfEnglishMedieval variant of
Meggy, a diminutive of
MARGARET. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.
PENELOPEfGreek Mythology, EnglishPossibly derived from Greek
πηνελοψ (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be from
πηνη (pene) "threads, weft" and
ωψ (ops) "face, eye". In
Homer's epic the 'Odyssey' this is the name of the wife of
Odysseus, forced to fend off suitors while her husband is away fighting at Troy. It has occasionally been used as an English given name since the 16th century.
PEONYfEnglish (Rare)From the English word for the type of flower. It was originally believed to have healing qualities, so it was named after the Greek medical god
Pæon.
PERCIVALmArthurian Romance, EnglishCreated by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his poem 'Perceval, the Story of the Grail'. In the poem Perceval was one of King
Arthur's Knights of the Round Table who was given a glimpse of the Holy Grail. The character (and probably the name) of Perceval was based on that of the Welsh hero
PEREDUR. The spelling was perhaps altered under the influence of Old French
percer val "to pierce the valley".
PERCYmEnglishFrom an English surname which was derived from the name of a Norman town
Perci, which was itself perhaps derived from a Gaulish given name which was Latinized as
Persius. The surname was borne by a noble English family, and it first used as a given name in their honour. A famous bearer was Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), an English romantic poet whose works include 'Adonais' and 'Ozymandias'. This name can also be used as a short form of
PERCIVAL.
PEREGRINEmEnglish (Rare)From the Late Latin name
Peregrinus, which meant "traveller". This was the name of several early saints.
PERRYmEnglishFrom a surname which is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English
perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh
ap Herry, meaning "son of
HERRY". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.
PETERmEnglish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Slovene, Slovak, BiblicalDerived from the Greek
Πετρος (Petros) meaning "stone". This is a translation used in most versions of the New Testament of the name
Cephas, meaning "stone" in Aramaic, which was given to the apostle
Simon by
Jesus (compare Matthew 16:18 and John 1:42). Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus' ministry and is often considered the first pope.
... [more] PETULAfEnglish (Rare)Meaning unknown, created in the 20th century. The name is borne by the British singer Petula Clark (1932-), whose name was invented by her father.
PEYTONm & fEnglishFrom an English surname, originally a place name meaning "
PÆGA's town". A famous bearer was Peyton Randolph (1721-1775), the first president of the Continental Congress. It is also borne by American football quarterback Peyton Manning (1976-).
PHILmEnglishShort form of
PHILIP and various other names beginning with
Phil, often a Greek element meaning "friend, dear, beloved".
PHILADELPHIAfEnglish (Rare)From the name of a city in Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation in the New Testament. The name of the city meant "brotherly love" from Greek
φιλεω (phileo) "to love" and
αδελφος (adelphos) "brother". It is also the name of a city in the United States.
PHILIPmEnglish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, BiblicalFrom the Greek name
Φιλιππος (Philippos) which means "friend of horses", composed of the elements
φιλος (philos) "friend, lover" and
‘ιππος (hippos) "horse". This was the name of five kings of Macedon, including Philip II the father of Alexander the Great. The name appears in the New Testament belonging to two people who are regarded as saints. First, one of the twelve apostles, and second, an early figure in the Christian church known as Philip the Deacon.
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