DAMIAN m English, Polish, DutchFrom the Greek name
Δαμιανός (Damianos), which was derived from Greek
δαμάζω (damazo) meaning
"to tame". Saint Damian was martyred with his twin brother
Cosmas in Syria early in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in Christian Europe. Another saint by this name was Peter Damian, an 11th-century cardinal and theologian from Italy.
DAMON m Greek Mythology, EnglishDerived from Greek
δαμάζω (damazo) meaning
"to tame". According to Greek legend, Damon and Pythias were friends who lived on Syracuse in the 4th century BC. When Pythias was sentenced to death, he was allowed to temporarily go free on the condition that Damon take his place in prison. Pythias returned just before Damon was to be executed in his place, and the king was so impressed with their loyalty to one another that he pardoned Pythias. As an English given name, it has only been regularly used since the 20th century.
DANA (2) m & f EnglishFrom a surname that originally belonged to a person who was Danish. It was originally given in honour of American lawyer Richard Henry Dana (1815-1882), the author of
Two Years Before the Mast.
DANE m EnglishFrom an English surname that was either a variant of the surname
DEAN or else an ethnic name referring to a person from Denmark.
DANICA f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Slovak, Macedonian, EnglishFrom a Slavic word meaning
"morning star, Venus". This name occurs in Slavic folklore as a personification of the morning star. It has sometimes been used in the English-speaking world since the 1970s.
DANIEL m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning
"God is my judge", from the roots
דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.
... [more] DANIELA f Italian, German, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Portuguese, Spanish, Bulgarian, Macedonian, EnglishFeminine form of
DANIEL.
DANIELLE f French, EnglishFrench feminine form of
DANIEL. It has been commonly used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.
DAPHNE f Greek Mythology, English, DutchMeans
"laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of
Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.
DARBY m & f EnglishFrom an English surname, which was derived from the name of the town of
Derby, meaning "deer town" in Old Norse.
DARCY f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Norman French
d'Arcy, originally denoting one who came from Arcy in France. This was the surname of a character in Jane Austen's novel
Pride and Prejudice (1813).
DARIN m EnglishVariant of
DARREN. This was the adopted surname of the singer Bobby Darin (1936-1973), who was born Robert Cassotto and chose his stage name from a street sign.
DARIUS m English, Lithuanian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical LatinRoman form of
Δαρεῖος (Dareios), which was the Greek form of the Persian name
Dārayavahush meaning
"possessing goodness", composed of the elements
dâraya "to possess" and
vahu "good". Three ancient kings of Persia bore this name, including Darius the Great who expanded the Achaemenid Empire to its greatest extent. His forces invaded Greece but were defeated in the Battle of Marathon.
... [more] DARLENE f EnglishFrom the English word
darling combined with the popular name suffix
lene. This name has been in use since the beginning of the 20th century.
DARNELL m EnglishFrom a surname, possibly derived from Old French
darnel, a type of grass. Alternatively it may be derived from Old English
derne "hidden" and
halh "nook".
DARRELL m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Norman French
d'Airelle, originally denoting one who came from Airelle in France.
DARREN m EnglishThe meaning of this name is not known for certain. It could be from a rare Irish surname or it could be an altered form of
DARRELL. It was first brought to public attention in the late 1950s by the American actor Darren McGavin (1922-2006). It was further popularized in the 1960s by the character Darrin Stephens from the television show
Bewitched.
DARWIN m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the Old English given name
DEORWINE. The surname was borne by the English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882), the man who first proposed the theory of natural selection and subsequently revolutionized biology.
DASHIELL m English (Rare)In the case of American author Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) it was from his mother's surname, which was possibly an Anglicized form of French
de Chiel, of unknown meaning.
DAVID m English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
דָּוִד (Dawid), which was derived from Hebrew
דּוֹד (dod) meaning
"beloved" or
"uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of
Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament,
Jesus was descended from him.
... [more] DAVIS m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the given name
DAVID. A famous bearer of the surname was Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), the only president of the Confederate States of America.
DAWN f EnglishFrom the English word
dawn, ultimately derived from Old English
dagung.
DAWSON m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"son of DAVID". This name was popularized in the late 1990s by the television drama
Dawson's Creek.
DAX m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived either from the town of Dax in France or else from the Old English given name
Dæcca (of unknown meaning).
DAYTON m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name, which possibly meant either
"dairy town" or
"ditch town" in Old English.
DEACON m English (Modern)Either from the occupational surname
Deacon or directly from the vocabulary word
deacon, which refer to a cleric in the Christian church (ultimately from Greek
διάκονος (diakonos) meaning "servant").
DEANNA f EnglishEither a variant of
DIANA or a feminine form of
DEAN. This name was popularized by the Canadian actress and singer Deanna Durbin (1921-), whose birth name was Edna. Her stage name was a rearrangement of the letters of her real name.
DEBORAH f English, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
דְּבוֹרָה (Devorah) meaning
"bee". In the Old Testament Book of Judges, Deborah is a heroine and prophetess who leads the Israelites when they are threatened by the Canaanites. She forms an army under the command of
Barak, and together they destroy the army of the Canaanite commander Sisera. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of the nurse of Rebecca.
... [more] DEE f & m EnglishShort form of names beginning with
D. It may also be given in reference to the
Dee River in Scotland.
DEEMER m English (Rare)From an English and Scottish surname meaning
"judge", from Old English
demere.
DEFOREST m EnglishFrom a French surname meaning
"from the forest". It was originally given in honour of American author John Deforest (1826-1906).
DEIRDRE f English, Irish, Irish MythologyFrom the older Gaelic form
Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from Old Irish
der meaning
"daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after
Conchobhar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover
Naoise.
... [more] DELANO m EnglishFrom a surname, recorded as
de la Noye in French, indicating that the bearer was from a place called La Noue (ultimately Gaulish meaning "wetland, swamp"). It has been used in honour of American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), whose middle name came from his mother's maiden name.
DELBERT m EnglishShort form of
ADELBERT. As an American name it was first used in the New York area by people of Dutch ancestry.
DELIA (1) f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Greek MythologyMeans
"of Delos" in Greek. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess
Artemis, given because she and her twin brother
Apollo were born on the island of Delos. The name appeared in several poems of the 16th and 17th centuries, and it has occasionally been used as a given name since that time.
DELICIA f English (Rare)Either from Latin
deliciae "delight, pleasure" or a variant of the English word
delicious. It has only been used since the 20th century (rarely).
DELILAH f Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, EnglishMeans
"delicate, weak, languishing" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament she is the lover of
Samson, whom she betrays to the Philistines by cutting his hair, which is the source of his power. Despite her character flaws, the name began to be used by the Puritans in the 17th century. It has been used occasionally in the English-speaking world since that time.
DELL m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived in a dell or valley.
DELMAR m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Norman French
de la mare meaning
"from the pond".
DELPHIA f EnglishPossibly from the name of the Greek city of Delphi, the site of an oracle of
Apollo, which is possibly related to Greek
δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". It was used in the play
The Prophetess (1647), in which it belongs to the title prophetess.
DELTA f EnglishFrom the name of the fourth letter in the Greek alphabet,
Δ. It is also the name for an island formed at the mouth of a river.
DEMELZA f English (British)From a Cornish place name meaning
"fort of Maeldaf". It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the British television series
Poldark, which was set in Cornwall.
DENA f EnglishPossibly a short form of names ending with
dena. It has also been used as a variant of
DEANNA.
DENHOLM m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning
"valley island" in Old English.
DENIS m French, Russian, English, German, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Romanian, CroatianFrom
Denys or
Denis, the medieval French forms of
DIONYSIUS. Saint Denis was a 3rd-century missionary to Gaul and the first bishop of Paris. He was martyred by decapitation, after which legend says he picked up his own severed head and walked for a distance while preaching a sermon. He is credited with converting the Gauls to Christianity and is considered the patron saint of France.
... [more] DENTON m EnglishFrom a surname, originally from a place name, which meant
"valley town" in Old English.
DENVER m EnglishFrom an English surname that was from a place name meaning
"Dane ford" in Old English. This is the name of the capital city of Colorado, which was named for the politician James W. Denver (1817-1892).
DENZEL m English (Modern)Possibly a variant of
DENZIL. This spelling of the name was popularized by American actor Denzel Washington (1954-), who was named after his father.
DENZIL m EnglishFrom a surname that originally denoted a person from the manor of Denzell in Cornwall. This given name was borne by several members of the noble Holles family starting in the 16th century, notably the statesman Denzil Holles (1599-1680). They were named for John Denzel, an ancestor whose home was Denzell.
DEREK m EnglishFrom the older English name
Dederick, which was in origin a Low German form of
THEODORIC. It was imported to England from the Low Countries in the 15th century.
DESIREE f EnglishEnglish form of
DÉSIRÉE. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the movie
Désirée (1954).
DESMOND m English, IrishFrom an Irish surname that was derived from
Deasmhumhain meaning
"South Munster", originally indicating a person who came from that region in Ireland.
DESTINY f EnglishMeans simply
"destiny, fate" from the English word, ultimately from Latin
destinare "to determine", a derivative of
stare "to stand". It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world only since the last half of the 20th century.
DEVEREUX m English (Rare)From an English surname, of Norman French origin, meaning
"from Evreux". Evreux is a town in France.
DEVON m & f EnglishVariant of
DEVIN. It may also be partly inspired by the name of the county of Devon in England, which got its name from the Dumnonii, a Celtic tribe.
DEXTER m EnglishFrom an occupational surname meaning
"one who dyes" in Old English. It also coincides with the Latin word
dexter meaning
"right-handed, skilled".
DIAMOND f English (Modern)From the English word
diamond for the clear colourless precious stone, the birthstone of April. It is derived from Late Latin
diamas, from Latin
adamas, which is of Greek origin meaning "invincible, untamed".
DIANA f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Roman MythologyProbably derived from an old Indo-European root meaning
"heavenly, divine", related to
dyeus (see
ZEUS). Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests, and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess
Artemis.
... [more] DICK (1) m EnglishMedieval diminutive of
RICHARD. The change in the initial consonant is said to have been caused by the way the trilled Norman
R was pronounced by the English.
DIGBY m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from the name of an English town, itself derived from a combination of Old English
dic "dyke, ditch" and Old Norse
byr "farm, town".
DIGGORY m English (Rare)Probably an Anglicized form of
Degaré. Sir Degaré was the subject of a medieval poem set in Brittany. The name may mean "lost one" from French
égaré.
DILLON m EnglishVariant of
DYLAN based on the spelling of the surname
Dillon, which has an unrelated origin.
DION m Ancient Greek, EnglishShort form of
DIONYSIOS and other Greek names beginning with the Greek element
Διός (Dios) meaning "of
ZEUS". This was the name of a 4th-century BC tyrant of Syracuse. It has been used as an American given name since the middle of the 20th century.
DIRK m Dutch, German, EnglishShort form of
DIEDERIK. The name was popularized in the English-speaking world by actor Dirk Bogarde (1921-1999), who had some Dutch ancestry. This is also the Scots word for a type of dagger.
DIXIE f EnglishFrom the term that refers to the southern United States, used by Daniel D. Emmett in his song
Dixie in 1859. The term may be derived from French
dix "ten", which was printed on ten-dollar bills issued from a New Orleans bank.
DOLLY f EnglishDiminutive of
DOROTHY.
Doll and
Dolly were used from the 16th century, and the common English word
doll (for the plaything) is derived from them. In modern times this name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of
DOLORES.
DOLORES f Spanish, EnglishMeans
"sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary María de los Dolores, meaning "Mary of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
DOMINIC m EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Dominicus meaning
"of the Lord". This name was traditionally given to a child born on Sunday. Several saints have borne this name, including the 13th-century founder of the Dominican order of friars. It was in this saint's honour that the name was first used in England, starting around the 13th century. It is primarily used by Catholics.
DONALD m Scottish, EnglishFrom the Gaelic name
Domhnall meaning
"ruler of the world", composed of the old Celtic elements
dumno "world" and
val "rule". This was the name of two 9th-century kings of the Scots and Picts. It has traditionally been very popular in Scotland, and during the 20th century it became common in the rest of the English-speaking world. This is the name of one of Walt Disney's most popular cartoon characters, Donald Duck. It was also borne by Australian cricket player Donald Bradman (1908-2001).
DONNA f EnglishFrom Italian
donna meaning
"lady". It is also used as a feminine form of
DONALD.
DOREEN f EnglishCombination of
DORA and the name suffix
een. The name was (first?) used by novelist Edna Lyall in her novel
Doreen (1894).
DORIAN m English, FrenchThe name was first used by Oscar Wilde in his novel
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), which tells the story of a man whose portrait ages while he stays young. Wilde may have taken it from the name of the ancient Greek tribe the Dorians.
DORINDA f EnglishCombination of
DORA and the name suffix
inda. It was apparently coined by the English writers John Dryden and William D'Avenant for their play
The Enchanted Island (1667). In the play, a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's
The Tempest, Dorinda is the sister of Miranda.
DORIS f English, German, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFrom the Greek name
Δωρίς (Doris), which meant
"Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
DOROTHEA f German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, English, Late GreekFeminine form of the Late Greek name
Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant
"gift of God" from Greek
δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and
θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name
Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
DOROTHY f EnglishUsual English form of
DOROTHEA. It has been in use since the 16th century. The author L. Frank Baum used it for the central character in his fantasy novel
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and several of its sequels.
DOUGLAS m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Scottish surname
Dubhghlas, meaning
"dark river" from Gaelic
dubh "dark" and
glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to
glas "grey, green"). Douglas was originally a place name (for example, a tributary of the River Clyde), which then became a Scottish clan name borne by a powerful line of earls. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.
DOVE f EnglishFrom the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.
DRAKE m EnglishFrom an English surname derived from the Old Norse byname
Draki or the Old English byname
Draca both meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greek
δράκων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent". This name coincides with the unrelated English word
drake meaning "male duck".
DRISCOLL m English (Rare), IrishFrom an Irish surname that was an Anglicized form of
Ó Eidirsceóil meaning
"descendant of the messenger".
DROGO m English (Archaic)Norman name, possibly derived from Gothic
dragen meaning
"to carry" or Saxon
drog meaning
"ghost". Alternatively, it could be from the Slavic element
dragu meaning
"precious, dear". The Normans introduced this name to England.
DRUMMOND m English (Rare)From a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves derived from Gaelic
druim meaning
"ridge".
DUANE m English, IrishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname
Ó Dubhán meaning
"descendant of DUBHÁN".
DUDLEY m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"Dudda's clearing" in Old English. The surname was borne by a British noble family.
DUKE m EnglishFrom the noble title
duke, which was originally derived from Latin
dux "leader".
DULCIBELLA f English (Archaic)From Latin
dulcis "sweet" and
bella "beautiful". The usual medieval spelling of this name was
Dowsabel, and the Latinized form
Dulcibella was revived in the 18th century.
DULCIE f EnglishFrom Latin
dulcis meaning
"sweet". It was used in the Middle Ages in the spellings
Dowse and
Duce, and was recoined in the 19th century.
DUNCAN m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Gaelic name
Donnchadh, derived from Gaelic
donn "brown" and
cath "battle". This was the name of two kings of Scotland, including the one who was featured in Shakespeare's play
Macbeth (1606).
DUNSTAN m English (Rare), Anglo-SaxonFrom the Old English elements
dunn "dark" and
stan "stone". This name was borne by a 10th-century saint, the archbishop of Canterbury. It was occasionally used in the Middle Ages, though it died out after the 16th century. It was revived by the Tractarian movement in the 19th century.
DURWARD m EnglishFrom an occupational surname meaning
"door guard" in Middle English.
DUSTIN m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name
Þórsteinn (see
TORSTEN). The name was popularized by the actor Dustin Hoffman (1937-), who was apparently named after the earlier silent movie star Dustin Farnum (1874-1929).
DUSTY m & f EnglishFrom a nickname originally given to people perceived as being dusty. It is also used a diminutive of
DUSTIN. A famous bearer was British singer Dusty Springfield (1939-1999), who acquired her nickname as a child.
DUTCH m EnglishFrom a nickname given to Americans of German descent. It is related to
deutsch, the German word for "German".
DWIGHT m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the medieval feminine name
Diot, a diminutive of
Dionysia, the feminine form of
DIONYSIUS. In America it was sometimes given in honour of Yale president Timothy Dwight (1752-1817). A famous bearer was the American president Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969).
EARL m EnglishFrom the aristocratic title, which derives from Old English
eorl "nobleman, warrior". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
EARTHA f EnglishCombination of the English word
earth with the feminine name suffix
a. It has been used in honour of African-American philanthropist Eartha M. M. White (1876-1974). Another famous bearer was American singer and actress Eartha Kitt (1927-2008).
EASTER f EnglishFrom the English name of the Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of
Jesus. It was ultimately named for the Germanic spring goddess Eostre. It was traditionally given to children born on Easter, though it is rare in modern times.
EASTON m English (Modern)From an English surname that was derived from place names meaning
"east town" in Old English.
EBBA (2) f EnglishFrom the Old English name
Æbbe, meaning unknown, perhaps a contracted form of a longer name. Saint Ebba was a 7th-century daughter of King Æthelfrith of Bernicia and the founder of monasteries in Scotland. Another saint named Ebba was a 9th-century abbess and martyr who mutilated her own face so that she would not be raped by the invading Danes.
EBONY f EnglishFrom the English word
ebony for the black wood that comes from the ebony tree. It is ultimately from the Egyptian word
hbnj. In America this name is most often used by black parents.
EDGAR m English, French, Portuguese, GermanDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
gar "spear". This was the name of a 10th-century English king, Edgar the Peaceful. The name did not survive long after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 18th century, in part due to a character by this name in Sir Walter Scott's novel
The Bride of Lammermoor (1819), which tells of the tragic love between Edgar Ravenswood and Lucy Ashton. Famous bearers include author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), French impressionist painter Edgar Degas (1834-1917), and author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950).
EDISON m EnglishFrom an English surname that meant either
"son of EDA (2)" or
"son of ADAM". A famous bearer of the surname was the inventor Thomas Edison (1847-1931).
EDITH f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, DutchFrom the Old English name
Eadgyð, derived from the elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
gyð "war". It was popular among Anglo-Saxon royalty, being borne for example by Saint Eadgyeth;, the daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. The name remained common after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 15th century, but was revived in the 19th century.
EDMUND m English, German, PolishMeans
"rich protection", from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
mund "protection". This was the name of two Anglo-Saxon kings of England. It was also borne by two saints, including a 9th-century king of East Anglia who, according to tradition, was shot to death with arrows after refusing to divide his Christian kingdom with an invading pagan Danish leader. This Old English name remained in use after the Norman Conquest (even being used by King Henry III for one of his sons), though it became less common after the 15th century.
... [more] EDRIC m English (Rare)From the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
ric "ruler". After the Norman Conquest this Old English name was not commonly used. It has occasionally been revived in modern times.
EDWARD m English, PolishMeans
"rich guard", derived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
weard "guard". This was the name of several Anglo-Saxon kings, the last being Saint Edward the Confessor shortly before the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. He was known as a just ruler, and because of his popularity his name remained in use after the conquest when most other Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. The 13th-century Plantagenet king Henry III named his son and successor after the saint, and seven subsequent kings of England were also named Edward.
... [more] EDWIN m English, DutchMeans
"rich friend", from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
wine "friend". This was the name of a 7th-century Northumbrian king, regarded as a saint. After the Norman Conquest the name was not popular, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century. A notable bearer was the astronaut Edwin Aldrin (1930-), also known as Buzz, the second man to walk on the moon.
EGBERT m English, DutchMeans
"bright edge" from the Old English elements
ecg "edge of a sword" and
beorht "bright". This was the name of kings of Kent and Wessex as well as two English saints. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest but was revived in the 19th century.
EGLANTINE f English (Rare)From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It is derived via Old French from Vulgar Latin *
aquilentum meaning "prickly". It was early used as a given name (in the form
Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story
The Prioress's Tale.
EILEEN f Irish, EnglishAnglicized form of
EIBHLÍN. It is also sometimes considered an Irish form of
HELEN. It first became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland near the end of the 19th century.
ELAINE f English, Arthurian RomanceFrom an Old French form of
HELEN. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation
Le Morte d'Arthur Elaine was the daughter of Pelleas, the lover of
Lancelot, and the mother of
Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the appearance of Tennyson's Arthurian epic
Idylls of the King (1859).
ELDON m EnglishFrom a surname that was from a place name meaning
"Ella's hill" in Old English.
ELEA f EnglishShort form of
ELEANOR. This was also the name of an ancient Italian town (modern Velia) that is well known for being the home of the philosopher Parmenides and his student Zeno of Elea, who was famous for his paradoxes.
ELEANOR f EnglishFrom the Old French form of the Occitan name
Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named
Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase
alia Aenor "the other AENOR" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.
... [more] ELENA f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovak, Lithuanian, Russian, Greek, German, English, Medieval SlavicForm of
HELEN used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian
Елена (see
YELENA).
ELFLEDA f English (Archaic)Middle English form of both the Old English names
ÆÐELFLÆD and
ÆLFFLÆD. These names became rare after the Norman Conquest, but
Elfleda was briefly revived in the 19th century.
ELFREDA f EnglishMiddle English form of the Old English name
Ælfþryð meaning
"elf strength", derived from the element
ælf "elf" combined with
þryð "strength".
Ælfþryð was common amongst Anglo-Saxon nobility, being borne for example by the mother of King Æðelræd the Unready. This name was rare after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
ELI (1) m English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewMeans
"ascension" in Hebrew. In the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament he is a high priest of the Israelites. He took the young
Samuel into his service and gave him guidance when God spoke to him. Because of the misdeeds of his sons, Eli and his descendants were cursed to die before reaching old age.
... [more] ELIAS m Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Dutch, Greek, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekForm of
ELIJAH used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament.
ELIJAH m English, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִיָּהוּ ('Eliyyahu) meaning
"my God is YAHWEH", derived from the elements
אֵל ('el) and
יָה (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. He was active in the 9th century BC during the reign of King
Ahab of Israel and his Phoenician-born queen
Jezebel. Elijah confronted the king and queen over their idolatry of the Canaanite god
Ba'al and other wicked deeds. At the end of his life he was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and was succeeded by
Elisha. In the New Testament, Elijah and
Moses appear next to
Jesus when he is transfigured.
... [more] ELIOT m EnglishFrom a surname that was a variant of
ELLIOTT. A famous bearer of the surname was T. S. Eliot (1888-1965), an Anglo-American poet and dramatist, the writer of
The Waste Land. As a given name, it was borne by the American mob-buster Eliot Ness (1903-1957).