ALPHONSUSmHistoryLatinized form of
ALFONSO. This name was borne by Saint Alphonsus Liguori, an 18th-century Italian bishop who is regarded as a Doctor of the Church.
ALWILDAfHistoryLatinized form of
ALFHILD. This was the name of a legendary female Scandinavian pirate, also called Awilda.
ATTILAmHistory, HungarianPossibly means "little father" from Gothic
atta "father" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century leader of the Huns, a nomadic people from Central Asia who had expanded into Eastern Europe by the 4th century.
Attila was the name given to him by his Gothic-speaking subjects in Eastern Europe; his real name may have been Avithohol.
AURANGZEBmHistoryMeans "honouring the throne" in Persian. This was the name of a 17th-century Mughal emperor of India.
BADEMUSmHistoryLatinized form of a Persian name of unknown meaning. Saint Bademus was a 4th-century Persian martyr who was a victim of Shapur II's persecutions.
BEDEmHistoryModern form of the Old English name
Baeda, possibly related to Old English
bed "prayer". Saint Bede, called the Venerable Bede, was an 8th-century historian, scholar and Doctor of the Church.
BLEDAmHistoryPossibly from a Turkic root meaning "wise". According to other theories the name was of Gothic origin, or was a Gothicized form of a Hunnic name. This was the name of the brother of Attila.
BUDDHAmHistoryMeans "enlightened" in Sanskrit. This is a title applied to Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, as well as to a handful of other enlightened individuals.
CAEDMONmHistoryMeaning unknown, though the first element is likely connected to Brythonic
caed meaning "battle". Saint Caedmon was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon poet who supposedly received his poetic inspiration from a dream. Our only knowledge of him is through the historian Bede.
CALIGULAmHistoryMeans "little boot" in Latin. This was a nickname for the Roman emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus given to him in his youth by his father's soldiers.
CAMBYSESmHistoryFrom
Καμβυσης (Kambyses), the Greek form of the Old Persian name
Kambujiya, which is of unknown meaning. Two Persian kings bore this name, including Cambyses II who conquered Egypt.
CHARLEMAGNEmHistoryFrom Old French
Charles le Magne meaning "
CHARLES the Great". This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.
CONFUCIUSmHistoryAnglicized form of the Chinese name
Kong Fuzi. The surname
孔 (Kong) means "hole, opening" and the title
夫子 (Fuzi) means "master". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Chinese philosopher. His given name was
Qiu.
CONSTANTINEmHistoryFrom the Latin name
Constantinus, a derivative of
CONSTANS. Constantine the Great (272-337) was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
CYRAfHistoryMeaning unknown. Saint Cyra was a 5th-century Syrian hermit who was martyred with her companion Marana.
DIOCLETIANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Diocletianus, a derivative of
DIOKLES. This was the name of a Roman emperor of the 3rd and 4th centuries. He is remembered for persecuting Christians, but he also reformed and stabilized the crumbling Empire.
DOMITIANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Domitianus, itself derived from the family name
DOMITIUS. This was the name of a 1st-century Roman emperor, Titus Flavius Domitianus.
FLAVIANmHistoryFrom the Roman family name
Flavianus, which was derived from
FLAVIUS. This was the name of several early saints including a 5th-century patriarch of Constantinople who was beaten to death.
FRIDESWIDEfHistoryModern form of the Old English name
Friðuswiþ, formed of the elements
friþ "peace" and
swiþ "strong". Saint Frideswide was an 8th-century English princess who became a nun. She is credited with establishing Christ Church in Oxford.
GENGHISmHistoryFrom the title
Genghis (or
Chinggis)
Khan, meaning "universal ruler", which was adopted by the Mongol Empire founder
Temujin in the late 12th century. Remembered both for his military brilliance and his brutality towards civilians, he went on to conquer huge areas of Asia and Eastern Europe.
GERONIMOmHistoryFrom
Gerónimo, a Spanish form of
JEROME. This is the better-known name of the Apache leader
Goyathlay (1829-1909). It was given to him by the Mexicans, his enemies.
GORDIANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Gordianus which meant "from Gordium", Gordium being the capital of Phrygia in Asia Minor. This is the name by which three Roman emperors are known.
GRATIANmHistoryFrom the Roman name
Gratianus, which meant "grace" from Latin
gratus. Saint Gratian was the first bishop of Tours (4th century). This was also the name of a Roman emperor.
HADRIANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Hadrianus, which meant "from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria was the name of two Roman settlements. The first (modern Adria) is in northern Italy and was an important Etruscan port town. The second (modern Atri) is in central Italy and was named after the northern town. The Adriatic Sea is also named after the northern town.
... [more] HANNIBALmPhoenician (Latinized), HistoryMeans "grace of Ba'al" from Phoenician
hann "grace" combined with the name of the god
BA'AL. Hannibal was the Carthaginian general who threatened Rome during the Second Punic War in the 3rd century BC.
HIAWATHAmHistory, Native American, IroquoisFrom the Iroquoian name
Haio-went-ha meaning "he who combs". This was the name of a Mohawk or Onondaga leader who founded the Iroquois Confederacy, possibly in the 15th century. He was later the subject of a fictionalized 1855 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
HYACINTHAfHistoryLatinate feminine form of
HYACINTHUS, used to refer to the 17th-century Italian saint Hyacintha Mariscotti (real name Giacinta).
INNOCENTmHistoryFrom the Late Latin name
Innocentius which was derived from
innocens "innocent". This was the name of several early saints. It was also borne by 13 popes including Innocent III, a politically powerful ruler and organizer of the Fourth Crusade.
IRNERIUSmHistoryPossibly from
Wernerius, a Latinized form of the Germanic name
WERNER. This was the name of a 12th-century Italian scholar and jurist.
IVESmHistoryEnglish form of
YVES, used to refer to Saint Ives (also called Ivo) of Huntingdonshire, a semi-legendary English bishop.
JOSEPHUSmDutch, HistoryLatin form of
JOSEPH. This form is used by Dutch Catholics. In English, it is used primarily to refer to the 1st-century Jewish historian Titus Flavius Josephus.
JULITTAfHistoryDiminutive of
JULIA. This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred in Tarsus with her young son Quiricus.
JUSTINIANmHistoryFrom the Latin name
Iustinianus, which was derived from
Iustinus (see
JUSTIN). This was the name of a 6th-century Byzantine emperor who attempted to restore the borders of the Roman Empire.
JUVENALmHistory, PortugueseFrom the Roman cognomen
Iuvenalis which meant "youthful" in Latin. Juvenal was a Roman satirist of the 1st century.
KATERIfHistoryFrom the Mohawk pronunciation of
KATHERINE. This was the name adopted by the 17th-century Mohawk woman
Tekakwitha upon her baptism. She has been beatified by the Catholic Church.
KREKAfHistoryMeaning unknown, possibly of Turkic or Germanic origin. This name was borne by the most powerful of Attila's wives.
LUCANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Lucanus, which was derived from the name of the city of Luca in Tuscany (modern Lucca). Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.
MACBETHmHistoryAnglicized form of the Gaelic given name
Mac Beatha meaning "son of life", implying holiness. This was the name of an 11th-century Scottish king. Shakespeare based his play 'Macbeth' loosely on this king's life.
MAHATMAmHistoryFrom the Indian title
महात्मा (Mahatma) meaning "great soul", derived from Sanskrit
महा (maha) meaning "great" and
आत्मन् (atman) meaning "soul, spirit, life". This title was given to, among others, Mohandas Karamchand, also known as Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948).
MAKEDAfHistoryPossibly means "greatness" in Ethiopic. This was the name of an Ethiopian queen of the 10th-century BC. She is probably the same person as the Queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon in the Old Testament.
MARTIALmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Martialis, which was derived from the name of the Roman god
MARS. The name was borne by Marcus Valerius Martialis, now commonly known as Martial, a Roman poet of the 1st century.
MILBURGAfHistoryDerived from the Old English elements
milde "gentle" and
burg "fortress". Saint Milburga, the sister of Saint Mildred, was a daughter of a 7th-century Mercian king. She was supposedly in possession of magical powers.
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).
OCTAVIANmHistory, RomanianFrom the Roman name
Octavianus, which was derived from the name
OCTAVIUS. After Gaius Octavius (later the Roman emperor
Augustus) was adopted by Julius Caesar he took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus.
ORIGENmHistoryFrom the Greek name
Ωριγενης (Origenes), which was possibly derived from the name of the Egyptian god
HORUS combined with
γενης (genes) "born". Origen was a 3rd-century theologian from Alexandria. Long after his death some of his writings were declared heretical, hence he is not regarded as a saint.
OVIDmHistoryFrom the Roman family name
Ovidius, which was possibly derived from Latin
ovis "a sheep". Alternatively, it could have a Sabellic origin. Publius Ovidius Naso, better known as Ovid, was a 1st-century BC Roman poet who often wrote on the subjects of love and mythology. He was sent into exile by Emperor Augustus for no apparent reason.
PÉPINmHistoryFrankish name of unknown meaning. It possibly means "awe-inspiring" from Frankish
bib- "to tremble". This was the name of three majordomos of Austrasia including Pépin III the Short, who became the first Carolingian king of the Franks. He was the father of
Charlemagne.
PLINYmHistoryFrom the Roman family name
Plinius, which is of unknown meaning. Two 1st-century Romans are known by this name: Gaius Plinius Secundus (called Pliny the Elder), a scientist and historian who died during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius; and Caius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (called Pliny the Younger), an author and statesman.
POMPEYmHistoryModern form of the Roman family name
Pompeius, which was probably derived from a Sabellic word meaning "five". A notable bearer was the 1st-century BC Roman general Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey the Great.
PTOLEMYmHistoryFrom the Greek name
Πτολεμαιος (Ptolemaios), derived from Greek
πολεμηιος (polemeios) meaning "aggressive, warlike". Ptolemy was the name of several Greco-Egyptian rulers of Egypt, all descendants of Ptolemy I, one of the generals of Alexander the Great. This was also the name of a Greek astronomer.
QUINTILIANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Quintilianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name
QUINTILLUS. A notable bearer was the 1st-century rhetorician Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, simply known as Quintilian in English.
ROXELANAfHistoryFrom a Turkish nickname meaning "Ruthenian". This referred to the region of Ruthenia, covering Belarus, Ukraine and western Russia. Roxelana (1502-1558), also known by the name Hürrem, was a slave and then concubine of Süleyman the Magnificent, sultan of the Ottoman Empire. She eventually became his wife and produced his heir, Selim II.
SARGONmHistory, Biblical, Biblical HebrewFrom the Hebrew form
סַרְגּוֹן (Sargon) of the Akkadian name
Sharru-ukin, from
šarru meaning "king" and
kīnu meaning "legitimate, true". This was the name of the first king of the Akkadian Empire, beginning in the 24th century BC. It was also borne by the 8th-century BC Assyrian king Sargon II, who appears briefly in the Old Testament. The usual English spelling of the name is based on this biblical mention, applied retroactively to the earlier king.
SPARTACUSmHistoryMeans "from the city of Sparta" in Latin. Spartacus was the name of a Thracian-born Roman slave who led a slave revolt in Italy in the 1st century BC. He was eventually killed in battle and many of his followers were crucified.
SWITHINmHistoryFrom the Old English name
Swiðhun or
Swiþhun, derived from
swiþ "strong" and perhaps
hun "bear cub". Saint Swithin was a 9th-century bishop of Winchester.
TÁHIRIHfHistoryVariant of
TAHIRA. This was the title of Fatimah Baraghani, a 19th-century Persian poet, theologian and reformer.
TARQUINmHistoryFrom the Roman name
Tarquinius which is of unknown meaning, possibly Etruscan in origin. This was the name of two early kings of Rome.
TEMUJINmHistoryMeans "of iron" in Mongolian, derived ultimately from the Turkic word
temür "iron". This was the original name of the Mongolian leader better known by the title
Genghis Khan. Born in the 12th century, he managed to unite the tribes of Mongolia and then conquer huge areas of Asia and Eastern Europe.
THEODORICmHistoryFrom a Germanic name meaning "ruler of the people", derived from the elements
theud "people" and
ric "power, ruler". It was notably borne by Theodoric the Great, a 6th-century king of the Ostrogoths who eventually became the ruler of Italy. By Theodoric's time the Ostrogoths were partially Romanized and his name was regularly recorded as
Theodoricus. The Gothic original may have been
Þiudreiks.
TIMURmTatar, Chechen, Kazakh, Uzbek, Russian, HistoryFrom the Turkic name
Temür meaning "iron". Timur, also known as
Tamerlane (from Persian
تیمور لنگ (Timur e Lang) meaning "Timur the lame"), was a 14th-century Turkic leader who conquered large areas of Western Asia.
TRAJANmHistory, MacedonianFrom the Roman cognomen
Traianus, which is of unknown meaning. The Roman emperor Trajan (full name Marcus Ulpius Traianus) is considered among the most capable men to have led the empire. His military accomplishments include victories over Dacia and Parthia.
TULLYmHistoryForm of
Tullius (see
TULLIO) used to refer to the Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero.
VEDASTUSmHistoryPossibly a Latinized form of a Germanic or Celtic name, possibly Germanic
WIDOGAST. This was the name of a 6th-century saint who helped to convert the Frankish king Clovis to Christianity.
VESPASIANmHistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Vespasianus, derived either from Latin
vesper meaning "west" or "evening" or
vespa meaning "wasp". This was the name of a 1st-century Roman emperor, Titus Flavius Vespasianus, the founder of the Flavian dynasty.
XERXESmHistoryGreek form of the Persian name
Khshayarsha which meant "ruler over heroes". This was a 5th-century BC king of Persia, the son of Darius the Great. He attempted an invasion of Greece, which ended unsuccessfully at the battle of Salamis.
ZARATHUSTRAmHistoryPossibly means "golden camel" in Old Iranian, derived from
zarat meaning "golden" combined with
ushtra meaning "camel". Zarathustra was the Persian prophet who founded the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism about the 10th century BC.