FLORENCEf & mEnglish, 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] FLORIANmGerman, Polish, FrenchFrom the Roman name
Florianus, a derivative of
FLORUS. Saint Florian, a martyr of the 3rd century, is the patron saint of Poland and Upper Austria.
FRANCEfFrenchFrom the name of the country, sometimes considered a feminine form of
FRANK (1) or short form of
FRANÇOISE, both of which are ultimately related to the name of the country.
FRANCISm & fEnglish, FrenchEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Franciscus which meant "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] FRANÇOISmFrenchFrench form of
Franciscus (see
FRANCIS). François Villon was a French lyric poet of the 15th century. This was also the name of two kings of France.
FRANK (1)mEnglish, German, Dutch, FrenchFrom a Germanic name which 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 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] GABRIELmFrench, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, 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 Qur'an to
Muhammad.
... [more] GAËLmFrench, BretonMeaning uncertain. It possibly derives from the ethno-linguistic term
Gael, which refers to speakers of Gaelic languages. Alternatively it may be a variant of
GWENAËL.
GASTONmFrenchPossibly from a Germanic name derived from the element
gast meaning "stranger, guest". This is the usual French name for Saint
Vedastus, called
Vaast in Flemish, and alternatively the name may be connected to it. The name was also borne by several counts of Foix-Béarn, beginning in the 13th century.
GENEVIÈVEfFrenchFrom the medieval name
Genovefa, which is of uncertain origin. It could be derived from the Germanic elements
kuni "kin, family" and
wefa "wife, woman". Alternatively it could be of Gaulish origin, from the related Celtic element
genos "kin, family" combined with a second element of unknown meaning. This name was borne by Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, who inspired the city to resist the Huns in the 5th century.
GEOFFREYmEnglish, 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] GEORGESmFrenchFrench form of
GEORGE. This name was borne by the French artists Georges Seurat (1859-1891) and Georges Braque (1882-1963).
GERMAINEfFrenchFrench feminine form of
GERMAIN. Saint Germaine was a 16th-century peasant girl from France.
GHISLAINmFrenchFrench form of
Gislenus, a Latinized form of the Germanic name
Gislin, derived from the element
gisil meaning "hostage" or "pledge". This was the name of a 7th-century Belgian saint.
GILBERTmEnglish, 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.
GISELLEfFrench, English (Modern)Derived from the Germanic word
gisil meaning "hostage, pledge". This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. It was borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. The name was popular in France during the Middle Ages (the more common French form is
Gisèle). Though it became known in the English-speaking world due to Adolphe Adam's ballet 'Giselle' (1841), it was not regularly used until the 20th century.
GUSTAVEmFrenchFrench form of
GUSTAV. This name was borne by the French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883).
GUYmEnglish, FrenchNorman French form of
WIDO. The Normans introduced it to England, where it was common until the time of Guy Fawkes (1570-1606), a revolutionary who attempted to blow up the British parliament. The name was revived in the 19th century, due in part to characters in the novels 'Guy Mannering' (1815) by Sir Walter Scott and 'The Heir of Redclyffe' (1854) by C. M. Yonge.
GWENAËLmFrench, BretonMeans "blessed and generous" from Breton
gwenn meaning "white, fair, blessed" and
hael meaning "generous". Saint Gwenhael was a 6th-century abbot of Brittany.
GWENNEGmBretonDerived from Breton
gwenn meaning "white, fair, blessed" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Gwenneg was an 8th-century monk of Brittany.
HANNAHfEnglish, Hebrew, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Arabic, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
חַנָּה (Channah) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root
חָנַן (chanan). In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of
Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife
Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from
Eli she finally became pregnant with
Samuel.
... [more] HAYDÉEfSpanish, French (Rare)Spanish and French form of
HAIDEE, from Byron's 'Don Juan' (1819). It was later used by Alexander Dumas for a character in 'The Count of Monte Cristo' (1844).
HECTORmEnglish, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Arthurian RomanceLatinized form of Greek
‘Εκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from
‘εκτωρ (hektor) "holding fast", ultimately from
εχω (echo) meaning "to hold, to possess". In Greek legend Hector was one of the Trojan champions who fought against the Greeks. After he killed
Achilles' friend
Patroclus in battle, he was himself brutally slain by Achilles, who proceeded to tie his dead body to a chariot and drag it about. This name also appears in Arthurian legends belonging to King
Arthur's foster father.
... [more] HERBERTmEnglish, German, Dutch, French, SwedishDerived from the Germanic elements
hari "army" and
beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate
Herebeorht. In the course of the Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
HONORINEfFrenchFrench form of
Honorina, a feminine form of the Roman name
Honorinus, a derivative of
HONORIUS. Saint Honorina was a 4th-century martyr from the Normandy region in France.
HORACEmEnglish, FrenchEnglish and French form of
HORATIUS, and the name by which the Roman poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus is commonly known those languages. In the modern era it has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, in honour of the poet.
HUBERTmEnglish, German, Dutch, French, Polish, Ancient GermanicMeans "bright heart", derived from the Germanic elements
hug "heart, mind" and
beraht "bright". Saint Hubert was an 8th-century bishop of Maastricht who is considered the patron saint of hunters. The Normans brought the name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate
Hygebeorht. It died out during the Middle Ages but was revived in the 19th century.
HUGOmSpanish, Portuguese, English, Dutch, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Ancient Germanic (Latinized)Latinized form of
HUGH. As a surname it has belonged to the French author Victor Hugo (1802-1885), the writer of 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' and 'Les Misérables'.
HUMBERTmFrench, German (Rare), English (Rare), Ancient GermanicMeans "bright warrior", derived from the Germanic elements
hun "warrior, bear cub" and
beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it has always been uncommon there. It was borne by two kings of Italy (called Umberto in Italian), who ruled in the 19th and 20th centuries.
IRISfGreek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, GreekMeans "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
ISABELfSpanish, Portuguese, English, French, GermanMedieval Occitan form of
ELIZABETH. It spread throughout Spain, Portugal and France, becoming common among the royalty by the 12th century. It grew popular in England in the 13th century after Isabella of Angoulême married the English king John, and it was subsequently bolstered when Isabella of France married Edward II the following century.
... [more] JADEf & mEnglish, FrenchFrom the name of the precious stone that is often used in carvings. It is derived from Spanish
(piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) flank", relating to the belief that jade could cure renal colic. As a given name, it came into general use during the 1970s. It was initially unisex, though it is now mostly feminine.
JASMINEfEnglish, FrenchFrom the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers which is used for making perfumes. It is derived from Persian
یاسمن (yasamen) (which is also a Persian name).
JASONmEnglish, French, Greek Mythology (Anglicized), BiblicalFrom the Greek name
Ιασων (Iason), which was derived from Greek
ιασθαι (iasthai) "to heal". In Greek mythology Jason was the leader of the Argonauts. After his uncle Pelias overthrew his father
Aeson as king of Iolcos, Jason went in search of the Golden Fleece in order to win back the throne. During his journeys he married the sorceress
Medea, who helped him gain the fleece and kill his uncle, but who later turned against him when he fell in love with another woman.
... [more] JEAN (1)mFrenchFrench form of
Jehan, the Old French form of
Iohannes (see
JOHN). The French philosophers Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) and Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980) were two well-known bearers of this name. It was also borne by the German-French Dadaist artist Jean Arp (1886-1966).
JEANNEfFrench, EnglishModern French form of
Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of
Iohannes (see
JOHN). Joan of Arc is known as Jeanne d'Arc in France.
JESSICAfEnglish, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian, SpanishThis name was first used in this form by Shakespeare in his play 'The Merchant of Venice' (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name
ISCAH, which would have been spelled
Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).
JOCELYNf & mEnglish, FrenchFrom a Germanic masculine name, variously written as
Gaudelenus,
Gautselin,
Gauzlin, along with many other spellings. It was derived from the Germanic element
Gaut, which was from the name of the Germanic tribe the Goths, combined with a Latin diminutive suffix. The Normans brought this name to England in the form
Goscelin or
Joscelin, and it was common until the 14th century. It was revived in the 20th century primarily as a feminine name, perhaps an adaptation of the surname
Jocelyn (a medieval derivative of the given name). In France this is a masculine name only.
JONATHANmEnglish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְהוֹנָתָן (Yehonatan), contracted to
יוֹנָתָן (Yonatan), meaning "
YAHWEH has given", derived from the roots
יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and
נָתַן (natan) meaning "to give". According to the Old Testament, Jonathan was the eldest son of
Saul. His relationship with his father was strained due to his close friendship with his father's rival
David. Along with Saul he was killed in battle with the Philistines.
... [more] JORDANm & fEnglish, French, MacedonianFrom the name of the river which flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is
יַרְדֵן (Yarden), and it is derived from
יָרַד (yarad) meaning "descend" or "flow down". In the New Testament
John the Baptist baptizes
Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Germanic name
JORDANES, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.
... [more] JOSEPHmEnglish, French, German, BiblicalFrom
Ioseph, the Latin form of Greek
Ιωσηφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name
יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning "he will add", from the root
יָסַף (yasaf). In the Old Testament Joseph is the eleventh son of
Jacob and the first with his wife
Rachel. Because he was the favourite of his father, his older brothers sent him to Egypt and told their father that he had died. In Egypt, Joseph became an advisor to the pharaoh, and was eventually reconciled with his brothers when they came to Egypt during a famine. This name also occurs in the New Testament, belonging to Saint Joseph the husband of
Mary, and to Joseph of Arimathea.
... [more] JOSÉPHINEfFrenchFrench feminine form of
JOSEPH. A notable bearer of this name was the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763-1814).
JUDICAËLmFrench, BretonFrench form of the Old Breton name
Iudicael, derived from the elements
iud "lord, prince" and
cael "generous". This was the name of a 7th-century Breton king, also regarded as a saint.
JUDITHfEnglish, Jewish, French, German, Spanish, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְהוּדִית (Yehudit) meaning "Jewish woman", feminine of
יְהוּדִי (yehudi), ultimately referring to a person from the tribe of
Judah. In the Old Testament Judith is one of the Hittite wives of
Esau. This is also the name of the main character of the apocryphal Book of Judith. She killed Holofernes, an invading Assyrian commander, by beheading him in his sleep.
... [more] JULES (1)mFrenchFrench form of
JULIUS. A notable bearer of this name was the French novelist Jules Verne (1828-1905), author of 'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea' and other works of science fiction.
JULIEfFrench, Danish, Norwegian, Czech, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, PortugueseFrench, Danish, Norwegian and Czech form of
JULIA. It has spread to many other regions as well. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the early 20th century.
JUSTINmEnglish, French, SloveneFrom the Latin name
Iustinus, which was derived from
JUSTUS. This was the name of several early saints including Justin Martyr, a Christian philosopher of the 2nd century who was beheaded in Rome. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors. As an English name, it has occasionally been used since the late Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the 20th century. Famous modern bearers include pop stars Justin Timberlake (1981-) and Justin Bieber (1994-).
KEVINmEnglish, Irish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishAnglicized form of the Irish name
Caoimhín, derived from the older Irish
Cóemgein, composed of the Old Irish elements
cóem "kind, gentle, handsome" and
gein "birth". Saint Caoimhín established a monastery in Glendalough, Ireland in the 6th century and is the patron saint of Dublin. It became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland in the 20th century.
LARA (1)fRussian, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, CroatianRussian short form of
LARISA. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel 'Doctor Zhivago' (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965).
LILOUfFrenchEither a diminutive of French names containing the sound
lee or a combination of
LILI and
LOUISE.
LINDAfEnglish, Dutch, German, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, French, Latvian, Finnish, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Ancient GermanicOriginally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element
lind meaning "flexible, soft, mild". It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word
linda meaning "beautiful".
LOUf & mEnglish, FrenchShort form of
LOUISE or
LOUIS. Famous bearers include the baseball player Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) and the musician Lou Reed (1942-2013).
LOUISmFrench, English, DutchFrench form of
Ludovicus, the Latinized form of
LUDWIG. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of
Charlemagne. Others include Louis IX (Saint Louis) who led two crusades and Louis XIV (called the Sun King) who was the ruler of France during the height of its power, the builder of the Palace of Versailles, and the longest reigning monarch in the history of Europe. It was also borne by kings of Germany (as
Ludwig), Hungary (as
Lajos), and other places.
... [more] LOUPmFrenchFrench form of the Late Latin name
Lupus which meant "wolf". Lupus was the name of several early saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Troyes who apparently convinced
Attila to spare the city.
LUDIVINEfFrenchPossibly from a feminine form of
LEUTWIN. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the television miniseries 'Les Gens de Mogador'.
LUDOVICmFrenchMedieval Latinized form of
LUDWIG. This was the name of an 1833 opera by the French composer Fromental Halévy.
MADELINEfEnglish, FrenchEnglish form of
MAGDALENE. This is the name of the heroine in a series of children's books by Ludwig Bemelmans, first published 1939.
MAËLmFrench, BretonFrench form of Breton
Mael, which was derived from a Celtic word meaning "chief" or "prince". Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.
MAEVAfTahitian, FrenchMeans "welcome" in Tahitian. It gained popularity in France during the 1980s.
MANUELmSpanish, Portuguese, German, English, Italian, French, Romanian, Late Greek (Latinized)Spanish and Portuguese form of
EMMANUEL. In the spelling
Μανουηλ (Manouel) it was also used in the Byzantine Empire, notably by two emperors. It is possible this form of the name was transmitted to Spain and Portugal from Byzantium, since there were connections between the royal families (king Ferdinand III of Castile married Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen, who had Byzantine roots, and had a son named Manuel). The name has been used in Iberia since at least the 13th century and was borne by two kings of Portugal.
MARGAUXfFrenchVariant of
MARGOT influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from
Margot.
MARGUERITEfFrenchFrench form of
MARGARET. This is also the French word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
MARI (1)fWelsh, Breton, Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishWelsh, Breton, Estonian and Finnish form of
MARIA, as well as a Hungarian diminutive of
MÁRIA. It is also a Scandinavian form of
MARIE.
MARIEf & mFrench, Czech, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishFrench and Czech form of
MARIA. A notable bearer of this name was Marie Antoinette, a queen of France who was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. Another was Marie Curie (1867-1934), a physicist and chemist who studied radioactivity with her husband Pierre.
... [more] MARIUSmAncient Roman, Romanian, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, FrenchRoman family name which was derived either from
MARS, the name of the Roman god of War, or else from the Latin root
mas, maris meaning "male". Gaius Marius was a famous Roman consul of the 2nd century BC. Since the start of the Christian era, it has occasionally been used as a masculine form of
MARIA.
MARTINmEnglish, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, FinnishFrom the Roman name
Martinus, which was derived from
Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god
MARS. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.
... [more] MAUDfEnglish, French, DutchUsual medieval form of
MATILDA. Though it became rare after the 14th century, it was revived and once more grew popular in the 19th century, perhaps due to Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem 'Maud' (1855).
MAURICEmEnglish, FrenchFrom the Roman name
Mauritius, a derivative of
MAURUS. Saint Maurice was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Egypt. He and the other Christians in his legion were supposedly massacred on the orders of Emperor Maximian for refusing to worship Roman gods. Thus, he is the patron saint of infantry soldiers.
... [more] MAXENCEmFrenchFrench form of the Roman name
Maxentius, a derivative of Latin
maximus "greatest". This was the agnomen of an early 4th-century Roman emperor, a rival of
Constantine. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint from Agde in France.