ANITA (1) f Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian, Slovene, English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, LatvianSpanish, Portuguese, Croatian and Slovene diminutive of
ANA.
ANNA f English, Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Icelandic, Faroese, Catalan, Occitan, Breton, Biblical, Old Church Slavic, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekForm of
Channah (see
HANNAH) used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament. Many later Old Testament translations, including the English, use the
Hannah spelling instead of
Anna. The name appears briefly in the New Testament belonging to a prophetess who recognized
Jesus as the Messiah. It was a popular name in the Byzantine Empire from an early date, and in the Middle Ages it became common among Western Christians due to veneration of Saint Anna (usually known as Saint Anne in English), the name traditionally assigned to the mother of the Virgin
Mary. In the English-speaking world, this form came into general use in the 18th century, joining
Ann and
Anne.
... [more] IEVA f Lithuanian, LatvianLithuanian and Latvian form of
EVE. This is also the Lithuanian and Latvian word for a type of cherry tree (species Prunus padus).
LAIMA f Lithuanian, Latvian, Baltic MythologyFrom Latvian
laime and Lithuanian
laima which mean "luck, fate". This was the name of the Latvian and Lithuanian goddess of fate, luck, pregnancy and childbirth. She was the sister of the goddesses Dekla and Karta, who were also associated with fate.
LARISA f Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Latvian, Greek MythologyPossibly derived from the name of the ancient city of Larisa in Thessaly, which meant "citadel". In Greek legends, the nymph Larisa was either a daughter or mother of Pelasgus, the ancestor of the mythical Pelasgians. This name was later borne by a 4th-century Greek martyr who is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Church. The name (of the city, nymph and saint) is commonly Latinized as
Larissa, with a double
s.
LAUMA f Latvian, Baltic MythologyMeaning unknown. In Latvian mythology this is the name of a forest spirit sometimes associated with childbirth and weaving.
LAURA f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Lithuanian, Latvian, Late RomanFeminine form of the Late Latin name
Laurus, which meant "laurel". This meaning was favourable, since in ancient Rome the leaves of laurel trees were used to create victors' garlands. The name was borne by the 9th-century Spanish martyr Saint Laura, who was a nun thrown into a vat of molten lead by the Moors. It was also the name of the subject of poems by the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch.
... [more] LINDA f English, 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".
MADARA f LatvianFrom the Latvian name for a type of flowering plant, known as cleavers or bedstraw in English.
MARTA f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Russian, Swedish, Icelandic, Latvian, GeorgianCognate of
MARTHA.
MIERVALDIS m LatvianLatvian name derived from the Baltic elements
mier "peace" and
vald "rule".
MONIKA f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Lithuanian, LatvianForm of
MONICA.
MONTA f LatvianModern Latvian name, possibly from Latin
mons "mountain".
OLGA f Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Latvian, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovene, Serbian, Bulgarian, GreekRussian form of
HELGA. The Varangians brought it from Scandinavia to Russia. The 10th-century Saint Olga was the wife of Igor I, grand prince of Kievan Rus (a state based around the city of Kiev). Following his death she ruled as regent for her son for 18 years. After she was baptized in Constantinople she attempted to convert her subjects to Christianity.
SANDRA f Italian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, RomanianShort form of
ALESSANDRA. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by author George Meredith, who used it for the heroine in his novel 'Emilia in England' (1864) and the reissued version 'Sandra Belloni' (1887). A famous bearer is the American actress Sandra Bullock (1964-).
VALDA f LatvianModern coinage from Germanic
wald meaning "power, rule". It has been in use only since the 20th century.
VERONIKA f Russian, Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, German, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Croatian, Macedonian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Lithuanian, LatvianCognate of
VERONICA.
VISVALDIS m LatvianLatvian name derived from the Baltic elements
vis "all" and
vald "rule". It is thus a cognate of the Slavic
VSEVOLOD.