ELIZABETH f English, BiblicalFrom
Ελισαβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name
אֱלִישֶׁבַע ('Elisheva') meaning
"my God is an oath", derived from the roots
אֵל ('el) referring to the Hebrew God and
שָׁבַע (shava') meaning "oath". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of
Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of
John the Baptist.
... [more] ELLA (1) f EnglishNorman form of the Germanic name
Alia, which was a short form of names containing the Germanic element
alja meaning
"other". It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).
ELLE f English (Modern)Diminutive of
ELEANOR and other names beginning with
El. This name can also be given in reference to the French pronoun
elle meaning "she".
ELLEN (1) f EnglishMedieval English form of
HELEN. This was the usual spelling of the name until the 19th century, when the form
Helen also became common.
ELLERY m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from the medieval masculine name
HILARY.
ELLIOTT m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of the medieval name
ELIAS.
ELMA f Dutch, German, EnglishShort form of
WILHELMINE or names ending in
elma, such as
ANSELMA. It has also been recorded as a combination of
ELIZABETH and
MARY, as in the case of the 19th-century daughter of the Earl of Elgin, who was named using her mother's first and middle names.
ELMER m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the Old English name
ÆÐELMÆR. In the United States it is sometimes given in honour of brothers Jonathan (1745-1817) and Ebenezer Elmer (1752-1843), who were active in early American politics.
ELMO m English, German, ItalianOriginally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element
helm meaning
"helmet, protection". It is also a derivative of
ERASMUS, via the old Italian diminutive
Ermo. Saint Elmo, also known as Saint Erasmus, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron of sailors. Saint Elmo's fire is said to be a sign of his protection.
ELOISE f EnglishFrom the Old French name
Héloïse, which is probably from the Germanic name
Helewidis, composed of the elements
heil meaning "hale, healthy" and
wid meaning "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word
‘ηλιος (helios) meaning "sun" or the name
Louise, though there is not likely an etymological connection. This name was borne in the 12th century by Saint Eloise, the wife of the French theologian Peter Abelard. She became a nun after her husband was castrated by her uncle.
... [more] ELROY m EnglishAltered form of
LEROY, using the Spanish definite article
el as opposed to the French
le.
ELSDON m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"Elli's valley" in Old English.
ELTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"Ella's town" in Old English. A famous bearer of this name is British musician Elton John (1947-), born Reginald Dwight, who adopted his stage name in honour of his former bandmate Elton Dean (1945-2006).
ELVIS m EnglishMeaning unknown. It could possibly be a derivative of
ALVIS or
ELWIN. More likely, it is from the rare surname
Elvis, a variant of
Elwes, which is ultimately derived from the given name
ELOISE. The name was brought to public attention by the singer Elvis Presley (1935-1977), whose name came from his father's middle name.
... [more] ELWOOD m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"elder tree forest" in Old English.
ELYSE f EnglishDiminutive of
ELIZABETH. It was popularized in the early 1980s by a character from the television comedy
Family Ties.
EMERALD f English (Modern)From the word for the green precious stone, which is the birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek
σμαραγδος (smaragdos).
EMERSON m & f EnglishFrom 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.
EMERY m & f EnglishNorman form of
EMMERICH. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, it is likely inspired by the surname
Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.
EMIL m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Icelandic, EnglishFrom the Roman family name
Aemilius, which was derived from Latin
aemulus meaning
"rival".
EMILIA f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Finnish, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, BulgarianFeminine form of
Aemilius (see
EMIL).
EMILY f EnglishEnglish feminine form of
Aemilius (see
EMIL). In the English-speaking world it was not common until after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century; the princess Amelia Sophia (1711-1786) was commonly known as
Emily in English, even though
Amelia is an unrelated name.
... [more] EMMA f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Ancient GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element
ermen meaning
"whole" or
"universal". It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called
Hemma.
... [more] EMMANUEL m Biblical, French, EnglishFrom the Hebrew name
עִמָּנוּאֵל ('Immanu'el) meaning
"God is with us", from the roots
עִם ('im) meaning "with" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings
Emmanuel and
Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings
Manuel and
Manoel).
EMMELINE f EnglishFrom an Old French form of the Germanic name
Amelina, originally a diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element
amal meaning
"work". The Normans introduced this name to England.
EMMET m EnglishVariant of
EMMETT. It is used in Ireland in honour of the nationalist and rebel Robert Emmet (1778-1803).
EMMETT m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of the feminine given name
EMMA.
ENNIS m EnglishFrom an Irish surname that was derived from
inis meaning
"island".
ENOLA f EnglishMeaning unknown. This name first appeared in the late 19th century. It is the name of the main character in the novel
Enola; or, her Fatal Mistake (1886) by Mary Young Ridenbaugh. The aircraft that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was named
Enola Gay after the mother of the pilot, who was herself named for the book character.
EPIPHANY f English (Rare)From the name of the Christian festival (January 6) that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant
Jesus. It is also an English word meaning "sudden appearance" or "sudden perception", ultimately deriving from Greek
επιφανεια (epiphaneia) meaning "manifestation".
ERIC m English, Swedish, German, SpanishMeans
"ever ruler", from the Old Norse name
Eiríkr, derived from the elements
ei "ever, always" and
ríkr "ruler, mighty". A notable bearer was Eiríkr inn Rauda (Eric the Red in English), a 10th-century navigator and explorer who discovered Greenland. This was also the name of several early kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
... [more] ERIK m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Hungarian, German, Dutch, EnglishScandinavian form of
ERIC. This was the name of kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. King Erik IX of Sweden (12th century) is the patron saint of that country.
ERIKA f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, English, ItalianFeminine form of
ERIK. It also coincides with the word for "heather" in some languages.
ERIN f English, IrishAnglicized form of
EIREANN. It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century.
ERMA f EnglishVariant of
IRMA. It began to be used in the English-speaking world in the 19th century, along with
Irma.
ERNEST m English, French, Catalan, PolishDerived from Germanic
eornost meaning
"serious". It was introduced to England by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century, though it did not become common until the following century. The American author and adventurer Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was a famous bearer of the name. It was also used by Oscar Wilde for a character in his comedy
The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).
ERROL m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a Scottish place name. It was popularized as a given name by the Australian actor Errol Flynn (1909-1959).
ERSKINE m Scottish, Irish, English (Rare)From a surname that was originally derived from the name of a Scottish town meaning
"projecting height" in Gaelic. A famous bearer of the name was the Irish novelist and nationalist Erskine Childers (1870-1922).
ESMÉ m & f English (British)Means
"esteemed" or
"loved" in Old French. It was first recorded in Scotland, being borne by the first Duke of Lennox in the 16th century. It is now more common as a feminine name.
ESMERALDA f Spanish, Portuguese, English, LiteratureMeans
"emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Gypsy girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.
ESMOND m English (Rare)Derived from the Old English elements
east "grace" and
mund "protection". This Old English name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest. It was occasionally revived in the 19th century.
ESSENCE f English (Modern)From the English word
essence, which means either
"odour, scent" or else
"fundamental quality". Ultimately it derives from Latin
esse "to be".
ESTELLA f EnglishLatinate form of
ESTELLE. This was the name of the heroine, Estella Havisham, in Charles Dickens' novel
Great Expectations (1860).
ESTELLE f English, FrenchFrom an Old French name meaning
"star", ultimately derived from Latin
stella. It was rare in the English-speaking world in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due to the character Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel
Great Expectations (1860).
ESTHER f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekPossibly means
"star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess
ISHTAR. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor
Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin
Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was
Hadassah.
... [more] ETHAN m English, French, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
אֵיתָן ('Eitan) meaning
"solid, enduring, firm". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a few minor characters, including the wise man Ethan the Ezrahite, supposedly the author of Psalm 89.
... [more] ETHEL f EnglishShort form of names beginning with the Old English element
æðel meaning
"noble". It was coined in the 19th century, when many Old English names were revived. It was popularized by the novels
The Newcomes (1855) by William Makepeace Thackeray and
The Daisy Chain (1856) by C. M. Yonge. A famous bearer was American actress and singer Ethel Merman (1908-1984).
ETTA f EnglishShort form of
HENRIETTA and other names that end with
etta. A famous bearer was the American singer Etta James (1938-2012), who took her stage name from her real given name Jamesetta.
EUGENE m EnglishEnglish form of
Eugenius, the Latin form of the Greek name
Ευγενιος (Eugenios), which was derived from the Greek word
ευγενης (eugenes) meaning
"well born". It is composed of the elements
ευ (eu) meaning "good" and
γενης (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of several saints and four popes.
... [more] EUNICE f Biblical, English, Biblical LatinLatinized form of the Greek name
Ευνικη (Eunike) meaning
"good victory", derived from
ευ (eu) meaning "good" and
νικη (nike) meaning "victory". The New Testament mentions her as the mother of
Timothy. As an English name, it was first used after the Protestant Reformation.
EUSTACE m EnglishEnglish form of
EUSTACHIUS or
EUSTATHIUS, two names of Greek origin that have been conflated in the post-classical period. Saint Eustace, whose is known under both spellings, was a 2nd-century Roman general who became a Christian after seeing a vision of a cross between the antlers of a stag he was hunting. He was burned to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods and is now regarded as the patron saint of hunters. Due to him, this name was common in England during the Middle Ages, though it is presently rare.
EVA f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Croatian, Russian, Georgian, Old Church Slavic, Biblical LatinForm of
EVE used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while
Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. The name appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.
... [more] EVANGELINE f EnglishMeans
"good news" from Greek
ευ (eu) meaning "good" and
αγγελμα (angelma) meaning "news, message". It was (first?) used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his epic poem
Evangeline (1847). It also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) as the full name of the character Eva.
EVE f English, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
חַוָּה (Chawwah), which was derived from the Hebrew word
חָוָה (chawah) meaning
"to breathe" or the related word
חָיָה (chayah) meaning
"to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis, Eve and
Adam were the first humans. God created her from one of Adam's ribs to be his companion. At the urging of a serpent she ate the forbidden fruit and shared some with Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of
Eden.
... [more] EVELYN f & m English, GermanFrom an English surname that was derived from the given name
AVELINE. In the 17th century when it was first used as a given name it was more common for boys, but it is now regarded as mainly feminine due to association with the related name
Evelina.
EVERARD m English (Rare)Means
"brave boar", derived from the Germanic elements
ebur "wild boar" and
hard "brave, hardy". The Normans introduced it to England, where it joined the Old English cognate
Eoforheard. It has only been rarely used since the Middle Ages. Modern use of the name may be inspired by the surname
Everard, itself derived from the medieval name.
EWART m EnglishFrom an English and Scottish surname that was either based on a Norman form of
EDWARD, or else derived from a place name of unknown meaning.
EZEKIEL m Biblical, EnglishFrom the Hebrew name
יְחֶזְקֵאל (Yechezqel) meaning
"God will strengthen", from the roots
חָזַק (chazaq) meaning "to strengthen" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Ezekiel is a major prophet of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Ezekiel. He lived in Jerusalem until the Babylonian conquest and captivity of Israel, at which time he was taken to Babylon. The Book of Ezekiel describes his vivid symbolic visions that predict the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. As an English given name,
Ezekiel has been used since the Protestant Reformation.
EZRA m Biblical, English, HebrewMeans
"help" in Hebrew. Ezra is a prophet of the Old Testament and the author of the Book of Ezra. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation. The American poet Ezra Pound (1885-1972) was a famous bearer.
FAITH f EnglishSimply from the English word
faith, ultimately from Latin
fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
FALLON f English (Modern)From an Irish surname that was derived from
Ó Fallamhain meaning
"descendant of Fallamhan". The given name
Fallamhan meant "leader". It was popularized in the 1980s by a character on the soap opera
Dynasty.
FANCY f English (Rare)From the English word
fancy, which means either
"like, love, inclination" or
"ornamental". It is derived from Middle English
fantasie, which comes (via Norman French and Latin) from Greek
φαινω (phaino) meaning "to show, to appear".
FARLEY m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"fern clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer of this name was Canadian author Farley Mowat (1921-2014).
FARON m EnglishFrom a French surname that was derived from the Germanic given name
Faro.
FARRAN m English (Rare)From an English surname that was derived from Old French
ferrant meaning
"iron grey".
FAWN f EnglishFrom the English word
fawn for a young deer.
FAY f EnglishDerived from Middle English
faie meaning
"fairy", ultimately (via Old French) from Latin
fata meaning "the Fates". It appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Arthurian legends in the name of Morgan le Fay. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In some cases it may be used as a short form of
FAITH.
FELICITY f EnglishFrom the English word
felicity meaning
"happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin
felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name
FELICITAS. This name was revived in the late 1990s after the appearance of the television series
Felicity.
FELIX m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom a Roman cognomen meaning
"lucky, successful" in Latin. It was acquired as an agnomen, or nickname, by the 1st-century BC Roman general Sulla. It also appears in the New Testament belonging to the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint
Paul.
... [more] FENTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning
"marsh town" in Old English.
FERDINAND m German, French, Dutch, English, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Ancient GermanicFrom
Ferdinando, the old Spanish form of a Germanic name composed of the elements
fardi "journey" and
nand "daring, brave". The Visigoths brought the name to the Iberian Peninsula, where it entered into the royal families of Spain and Portugal. From there it became common among the Habsburg royal family of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria, starting with the Spanish-born Ferdinand I in the 16th century. A notable bearer was Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521), called Fernão de Magalhães in Portuguese, who was the leader of the first expedition to sail around the earth.
FERN f EnglishFrom the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English
fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.
FINNEGAN m Irish, English (Modern)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Fionnagáin meaning
"descendant of Fionnagán". The name
Fionnagán is a diminutive of
FIONN. This was the name of a character in James Joyce's novel
Finnegans Wake (1939), the title of which was based on a 19th-century Irish ballad called
Finnegan's Wake.
FIONA f Scottish, EnglishFeminine form of
FIONN. This name was (first?) used by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in his poem
Fingal (1762), in which it is spelled as
Fióna.
FITZ m English (Rare)Short form of various given names that are derived from surnames beginning with Norman French
fitz meaning
"son of" (for example
FITZROY).
FITZROY m English (Rare)From an English surname meaning
"son of the king" in Old French, originally given to illegitimate sons of monarchs.
FLANAGAN m English (Rare)From an Irish surname that was derived from
Ó Flannagáin meaning
"descendant of Flannagán". The given name
Flannagán is derived from Irish
flann "red" and a diminutive suffix.
FLANNERY f & m English (Rare)From an Irish surname that was derived from
Ó Flannghaile meaning
"descendant of Flannghal". The given name
Flannghal means "red valour". A famous bearer was American author Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964).
FLETCHER m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"maker of arrows" in Middle English, ultimately from Old French
flechier.
FLINT m EnglishFrom the English vocabulary word, from Old English
flint.
FLORENCE f & m English, FrenchFrom the Latin name
Florentius or the feminine form
Florentia, which were derived from
florens "prosperous, flourishing".
Florentius was borne by many early Christian saints, and it was occasionally used in their honour through the Middle Ages. In modern times it is mostly feminine.
... [more] FLOWER f English (Rare)Simply from the English word
flower for the blossoming plant. It is derived (via Old French) from Latin
flos.
FLYNN m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Floinn meaning
"descendant of FLANN".
FORD m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"ford" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the American industrialist Henry Ford (1863-1947).
FORREST m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"forest", originally belonging to a person who lived near a forest. In America it has sometimes been used in honour of the Confederate Civil War general Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821-1877). This name was borne by the title character in the movie
Forrest Gump (1994) about a loveable simpleton. Use of the name increased when the movie was released, but has since faded away.
FORTUNE f English (Rare)Simply from the English word
fortune, ultimately from Latin
fortuna, a derivative of
fors "luck".
FOX m English (Modern)Either from the English word
fox or the surname
Fox, which originally given as a nickname. The surname was borne by George Fox (1624-1691), the founder of the Quakers.
FRANCES f EnglishFeminine 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.
FRANCIS m & f English, FrenchEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Franciscus meaning
"Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used. This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.
... [more] FRANK (1) m English, German, Dutch, FrenchFrom a Germanic name that referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They possibly derived their tribal name from the name of a type of spear that they used. From medieval times, the various forms of this name have been commonly conflated with the various forms of
Francis.
... [more] FRANKLIN m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Middle English
frankelin "freeman". A famous bearer of the surname was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher. The name has commonly been given in his honour in the United States. It also received a boost during the term of American president Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
FRASER m Scottish, English (Rare)From a Scottish surname that is of unknown meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was Simon Fraser (1776-1862), a Canadian explorer.
FREDERICK m EnglishEnglish form of a Germanic name meaning
"peaceful ruler", derived from
frid "peace" and
ric "ruler, mighty". This name has long been common in continental Germanic-speaking regions, being borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, and Prussia. Notables among these rulers include the 12th-century Holy Roman emperor and crusader Frederick I Barbarossa, the 13th-century emperor and patron of the arts Frederick II, and the 18th-century Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great.
... [more] FREEMAN m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"free man". It originally denoted a person who was not a serf.
FREYA f Norse Mythology, English (British, Modern), GermanFrom Old Norse
Freyja meaning
"lady". This was the name of the goddess of love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claimed half of the heroes who were slain in battle and brought them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother
Freyr and father
Njord, she was one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess
Frigg.
... [more] FULK m English (Archaic)From the Germanic name
Fulco, a short form of various names beginning with the element
fulc "people". The Normans brought this name to England, though it is now very rare.
FULTON m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the name of the town of Foulden in Norfolk, itself meaning
"bird hill" in Old English.
GABRIEL m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
גַבְרִיאֵל (Gavri'el) meaning
"God is my strong man", derived from
גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet
Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of
John to
Zechariah and
Jesus to
Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to
Muhammad.
... [more] GAEL f English (Modern)Variant of
GAIL, also coinciding with the ethno-linguistic term
Gael, which refers to speakers of Gaelic languages.
GAGE m English (Modern)From an English surname of Old French origin meaning either "measure", originally denoting one who was an assayer, or "pledge", referring to a moneylender. It was popularized as a given name by a character from the book
Pet Sematary (1983) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1989).
GALE (2) m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Middle English
gaile "jovial".
GALEN m EnglishModern form of the Greek name
Γαληνος (Galenos), which meant
"calm" from Greek
γαληνη (galene). It was borne by a 2nd-century BC Greco-Roman physician who contributed to anatomy and medicine. In modern times the name is occasionally given in his honour.
GARDENIA f English (Rare)From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).
GARETH m Welsh, English (British), Arthurian RomanceMeaning unknown. It first appears in this form in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends
Le Morte d'Arthur, in which Gareth was a Knight of the Round Table, the brother of Sir
Gawain. Malory based the name on
Gahariet, which was the name of a similar Arthurian character in French sources. It may ultimately have a Welsh origin, possibly related to
gwaredd meaning
"gentleness".
GARFIELD m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"triangle field" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president James A. Garfield (1831-1881). It is now associated with the cat in Jim Davis's cartoon strip
Garfield.
GARLAND m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"triangle land" from Old English
gara and
land. The surname originally belonged to a person who owned a triangle-shaped piece of land.
GARNET (1) f EnglishFrom the English word
garnet for the precious stone, the birthstone of January. The word is derived from Middle English
gernet meaning "dark red".
GARNET (2) m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that either referred to a person who made hinges (Old French
carne) or was derived from the Norman name
GUARIN.
GARRETT m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the given name
GERALD or
GERARD. A famous bearer of the surname was Pat Garrett (1850-1908), the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid.
GARRICK m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from Occitan
garric meaning
"oak tree grove".
GARTH m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"garden" in Old Norse, originally denoting one who lived near or worked in a garden.
GARY m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a Norman given name, which was itself originally a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element
ger meaning
"spear". This name was popularized in the late 1920s the American actor Gary Cooper (1901-1961), who took his stage name from the city of Gary in Indiana where his agent was born.
GAVIN m English, ScottishMedieval form of
GAWAIN. Though it died out in England, it was reintroduced from Scotland in the 20th century.
GAY f EnglishFrom the English word
gay meaning
"gay, happy". By the mid-20th century the word had acquired the additional meaning of "homosexual", and the name has subsequently dropped out of use.
GAYLORD m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Old French
gaillard "high-spirited, boisterous". This name was rarely used after the mid-20th century, when the word
gay acquired the slang meaning "homosexual".
GENESIS f English (Modern)Means
"birth, origin" in Greek. This is the name of the first book of the Old Testament in the Bible. It tells of the creation of the world, the expulsion of
Adam and
Eve,
Noah and the great flood, and the three patriarchs.
GENEVA f EnglishPossibly a shortened form of
GENEVIEVE. It could also be inspired by the name of the city in Switzerland. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
GEOFFREY m English, FrenchFrom a Norman French form of a Germanic name. The second element is Germanic
frid "peace", but the first element may be either
gawia "territory",
walha "foreign" or
gisil "hostage". It is possible that two or more names merged into a single form. In the later Middle Ages
Geoffrey was further confused with the distinct name
Godfrey.
... [more] GEORGE m English, RomanianFrom the Greek name
Γεωργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word
γεωργος (georgos) meaning
"farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements
γη (ge) meaning "earth" and
εργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Palestine who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.
... [more] GEORGIA f English, GreekLatinate feminine form of
GEORGE. This is the name of an American state, which was named after the British king George II. A famous bearer was the American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).
GERALD m English, GermanFrom a Germanic name meaning
"rule of the spear", from the elements
ger meaning "spear" and
wald meaning "rule". The Normans brought this name to Britain. Though it died out in England during the Middle Ages, it remained common in Ireland. It was revived in the English-speaking world in 19th century.
GERALDINE f EnglishFeminine form of
GERALD. This name was created by the poet Henry Howard for use in a 1537 sonnet praising Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald, whom he terms
The Geraldine.
GERARD m English, Dutch, Catalan, PolishDerived from the Germanic element
ger meaning "spear" combined with
hard meaning "brave, hardy". The Normans introduced this name to Britain. It was initially much more common than the similar name
Gerald, with which it was often confused, but it is now less common.
GERTRUDE f English, DutchMeans
"spear of strength", derived from the Germanic elements
ger "spear" and
thrud "strength". Saint Gertrude the Great was a 13th-century nun and mystic writer. It was probably introduced to England by settlers from the Low Countries in the 15th century. Shakespeare used the name in his play
Hamlet (1600) for the mother of the title character. A famous bearer was the American writer Gertrude Stein (1874-1946).
GIDEON m Biblical, English, HebrewMeans
"feller, hewer" in Hebrew. Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. He led the vastly outnumbered Israelites against the Midianites, defeated them, and killed their two kings. In the English-speaking world,
Gideon has been used as a given name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.
GILBERT m English, French, Dutch, German, Ancient GermanicMeans
"bright pledge", derived from the Germanic elements
gisil "pledge, hostage" and
beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it was common during the Middle Ages. It was borne by a 12th-century British saint, the founder of the religious order known as the Gilbertines.
GILES m EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Aegidius, which is derived from Greek
αιγιδιον (aigidion) meaning
"young goat". Saint Giles was an 8th-century miracle worker who came to southern France from Greece. He is regarded as the patron saint of the crippled. In Old French the name
Aegidius became
Gidie and then
Gilles, at which point it was imported to England.