ACHILLESmGreek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek
Αχιλλευς (Achilleus) which is of unknown meaning, perhaps derived from Greek
αχος (achos) "pain" or else from the name of the Achelous River. This was the name of a warrior in Greek legend, one of the central characters in
Homer's 'Iliad'. The bravest of the Greek heroes in the war against the Trojans, he was eventually killed by an arrow to his heel, the only vulnerable part of his body.
... [more] ADITIfHinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, KannadaMeans "boundless, entire" or "freedom, security" in Sanskrit. This is the name of an ancient Hindu goddess of the sky and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of the gods.
ADONISmGreek MythologyFrom Phoenician
Adonai which means "lord". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by
Aphrodite,
Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see
Dumuzi).
ADRASTOSmGreek MythologyMeans "not inclined to run away" in Greek. This was the name of a king of Argos in Greek legend.
AEGLEfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Αιγλη (Aigle) which meant "light, radiance, glory". This was the name of several characters in Greek myth, including one of the Heliades and one of the Hesperides.
AELLAfGreek MythologyMeans "whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by
Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.
AENEASmRoman MythologyLatin form of the Greek name
Αινειας (Aineias), derived from Greek
αινη (aine) meaning "praise". In Greek legend he was a son of
Aphrodite and was one of the chief heroes who defended Troy from the Greeks. The Roman poet
Virgil continued his story in the 'Aeneid', in which Aeneas travels to Italy and founds the Roman state.
AGAMEMNONmGreek MythologyPossibly meaning "very steadfast" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was the brother of
Menelaus. He led the Greek expedition to Troy to recover his brother's wife
Helen. After the Trojan War Agamemnon was killed by his wife
Clytemnestra.
AGAUEfGreek MythologyMeans "illustrious, noble" in Greek. This was the mother of Pentheus in Greek myth.
AGLAIAfGreek Mythology, GreekMeans "splendour, beauty" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the three Graces or
Χαριτες (Charites). This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Rome.
AGNImHinduism, Indian, HindiMeans "fire" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the ancient Hindu fire god, usually depicted as red-skinned with three legs, seven arms, and two faces.
AGRONAfCeltic MythologyDerived from the old Celtic element
agro meaning "battle, slaughter". This was the name of the Brythonic goddess of war and death.
AHURA MAZDAmPersian MythologyMeans "lord of wisdom" in Avestan. In Persian mythology Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.
AILILLmIrish, Irish MythologyMeans "elf" in Irish Gaelic. This name occurs frequently in Irish legend, borne for example by the husband of Queen
Medb.
AINOfFinnish, Finnish MythologyMeans "the only one" in Finnish. In the Finnish epic the 'Kalevala' this is the name of a girl who drowns herself when she finds out she must marry the old man
Väinämöinen.
AIOLOSmGreek MythologyMeans "quick-moving, nimble" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek god of the winds.
AJAXmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Αιας (Aias), perhaps deriving from Greek
αιαστης (aiastes) "mourner" or
αια (aia) "earth, land". In Greek mythology this was the name of two of the heroes who fought for the Greeks in the Trojan War, the son of Telamon and the son of Oileus. When the armour of the slain hero
Achilles was not given to Ajax Telamonian, he became mad with jealousy and killed himself.
ALBERICHmAncient Germanic, Germanic MythologyDerived from the Germanic elements
alf "elf" and
ric "power". Alberich was the name of the sorcerer king of the dwarfs in Germanic mythology. He also appears in the 'Nibelungenlied' as a dwarf who guards the treasure of the Nibelungen.
ALCYONEfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Αλκυονη (Alkyone), derived from the word
αλκυων (alkyon) meaning "kingfisher". In Greek myth this name belonged to a daughter of Aeolus and the wife of Ceyx. After her husband was killed in a shipwreck she threw herself into the water, but the gods saved her and turned them both into kingfishers. This is also the name of the brightest of the Pleiades, the seven stars in the constellation Taurus.
ALEXANDERmEnglish, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Αλεξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek
αλεξω (alexo) "to defend, help" and
ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive
ανδρος). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero
Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.
... [more] ALEXANDRAfEnglish, German, Dutch, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Catalan, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFeminine form of
ALEXANDER. In Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess
Hera, and an alternate name of
Cassandra. It was borne by several early Christian saints, and also by the wife of Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia. She was from Germany and had the birth name
Alix, but was renamed
Александра (Aleksandra) upon joining the Russian Church.
ALF (1)mSwedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norse MythologyDerived from Old Norse
alfr "elf". In Norse legend this was the name of king, the suitor of a reluctant maiden named Alfhild. She avoided marrying him by disguising herself as a warrior, but when they fought she was so impressed by his strength that she changed her mind.
ALTHEAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Αλθαια (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek
αλθος (althos) "healing". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.
ALVISmNorse MythologyMeans "all wise" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf who was to marry
Thor's daughter Thrud. Thor was not pleased with this so he tricked Alvis by asking him questions until the sun rose, at which time the dwarf was turned into stone.
AMATERASUfFar Eastern MythologyMeans "shining over heaven", from Japanese
天 (ama) meaning "heaven, sky" and
照 (terasu) meaning "shine". This was the name of the Japanese sun goddess, the ruler of the heavens. At one time the Japanese royal family claimed descent from her.
AMERETATfPersian MythologyMeans "immortality" in Avestan. This was the name of a Zoroastrian goddess (one of the Amesha Spenta) of plants and long life.
AMIRANImGeorgian MythologyMeaning unknown, probably of Proto-Kartvelian origin. This is the name of a hero from Georgian mythology whose story is similar to that of
Prometheus from Greek mythology.
AMONmEgyptian Mythology (Anglicized)From
Αμμων (Ammon), the Greek form of Egyptian
Ymn (reconstructed as
Yamanu) which meant "the hidden one". In early Egyptian mythology he was a god of the air, creativity and fertility, who was particularly revered in Thebes. Later, during the Middle Kingdom, his attributes were combined with those of the god
Ra and he was worshipped as the supreme solar deity
Amon-Ra.
AMULIUSmRoman MythologyMeaning unknown. In Roman mythology Amulius overthrew his brother Numitor, king of Alba Longa, but was eventually deposed by Numitor's grandsons
Romulus and
Remus.
AN (2)mSumerian MythologyMeans "heaven, sky" in Sumerian. An was the supreme Sumerian god of the heavens, the father of
Enlil and
Enki. His cuneiform sign
𒀭 (dingir) was prefixed to the names of other deities in writing, though it was not pronounced.
ANAT (1)fSemitic MythologyPossibly derived from a Semitic root meaning "water spring". Anat was a goddess of fertility, hunting and war worshipped by the Semitic peoples of the Levant. She was the sister and consort of the god
Hadad.
ANDROMEDAfGreek MythologyMeans "to be mindful of a man" from the Greek element
ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive
ανδρος) combined with
μεδομαι (medomai) "to be mindful of". In Greek mythology Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess rescued from sacrifice by the hero
Perseus. A constellation in the northern sky is named for her. This is also the name of a nearby galaxy, given because it resides (from our point of view) within the constellation.
ANGERONAfRoman MythologyPossibly from Latin
angor "strangulation, torment" or
angustus "narrow, constricted". Angerona was the Roman goddess of the winter solstice, death, and silence.
ANILmHinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, NepaliDerived from Sanskrit
अनिल (anila) "air, wind". This is another name of
Vayu, the Hindu god of the wind.
ANTIGONEfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
αντι (anti) "against, compared to, like" and
γονη (gone) "birth, offspring". In Greek legend Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. King Creon of Thebes declared that her slain brother Polynices was to remain unburied, a great dishonour. She disobeyed and gave him a proper burial, and for this she was sealed alive in a cave.
ANTIOPEfGreek MythologyDerived from the Greek elements
αντι (anti) "against, compared to, like" and
οψ (ops) "voice". This was the name of several figures in Greek mythology, including a daughter of
Ares who was one of the queens of the Amazons. She was kidnapped and married by
Theseus.
ANUBISmEgyptian Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of
Ανουβις (Anoubis), the Greek form of Egyptian
Inpw (reconstructed as
Anapa) which possibly meant "royal child". Anubis was the Egyptian god who led the dead to the underworld. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a jackal.
AODHmIrish, Scottish, Irish MythologyFrom the old Irish name
Áed, which meant "fire". This was a very popular name in early Ireland, being borne by numerous figures in Irish mythology and several high kings. It has been traditionally Anglicized as
Hugh.
AODHÁNmIrish, Scottish, Irish MythologyFrom the old Irish name
Áedán, a diminutive of
Áed (see
AODH). This was the name of an Irish monk and saint of the 7th century. It was also borne by several characters in Irish mythology.
AOIDEfGreek MythologyMeans "song" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of song.
AOIFEfIrish, Irish MythologyMeans "beauty" from the Gaelic word
aoibh. In Irish legend Aoife was a warrior princess. In war against her sister Scathach, she was defeated in single combat by the hero
Cúchulainn. Eventually she was reconciled with her sister and became the lover of Cúchulainn. This name is sometimes used as a Gaelic form of
EVE or
EVA.
AONGHUSmIrish, Scottish, Irish MythologyPossibly meaning "one strength" derived from Irish
óen "one" and
gus "force, strength, energy". Aonghus (sometimes surnamed
Mac Og meaning "young son") was the Irish god of love and youth. The name was also borne by an 8th-century Pictish king and several Irish kings.
APHRODITEfGreek MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess
Venus. She was the wife of
Hephaestus and the mother of
Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with
αφρος (aphros) "foam", resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as
Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and
Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess
Inanna.
APOLLOmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Απολλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to Indo-European *
apelo "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb
απολλυμι (apollymi) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of
Zeus and
Leto and the twin of
Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.
ARAmArmenian, Armenian MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly of Sumerian origin. In Armenian legend this was the name of an Armenian king who was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis went to war to capture him. During the war Ara was slain.
ARACHNEfGreek MythologyMeans "spider" in Greek. In Greek myth Arachne was a mortal woman who defeated
Athena in a weaving contest. After this Arachne hanged herself, but Athena brought her back to life in the form of a spider.
ARASHmPersian, Persian MythologyPossibly means either "truthfulness" or "bright" in Persian. In Persian legend Arash was a Persian archer who was ordered by the Turans to shoot an arrow, the landing place of which would determine the new location of the Persian-Turan border. Arash climbed a mountain and fired his arrow with such strength that it flew for several hours and landed on the banks of the far-away Oxus River.
ARAWNmWelsh MythologyMeaning unknown. This was the name of the god of the underworld, called Annwfn, in Welsh mythology.
ARESmGreek MythologyPerhaps from either Greek
αρη (are) "bane, ruin" or
αρσην (arsen) "male". The name first appears as
a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the blood-thirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of
Zeus and
Hera.
ARGUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Αργος (Argos), derived from
αργος (argos) meaning "glistening, shining". In Greek myth this name belonged to both the man who built the Argo and a man with a hundred eyes.
ARIADNEfGreek MythologyMeans "most holy", composed of the Cretan Greek elements
αρι (ari) "most" and
αδνος (adnos) "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King
Minos. She fell in love with
Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god
Dionysus.
ARIANRHODfWelsh, Welsh MythologyPossibly means "silver wheel" or "round wheel" in Welsh. In Welsh myth Arianrhod was the mother of the brothers
Dylan and
Lleu Llaw Gyffes. In earlier myths she was a goddess of the moon.
ARIESmRoman MythologyMeans "ram" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the first sign of the zodiac. Some Roman legends state that the ram in the constellation was the one who supplied the Golden Fleece sought by
Jason.
ARJUNAmHinduismMeans "white, clear" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hero in Hindu texts, the son of the god
Indra and the princess Kunti.
ARTHURmEnglish, French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian RomanceThe meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements
artos "bear" combined with
viros "man" or
rigos "king". Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name
Artorius. Arthur is the name of the central character in Arthurian legend, a 6th-century king of the Britons who resisted Saxon invaders. He may or may not have been a real person. He first appears in Welsh poems and chronicles (some possibly as early as the 7th century) but his character was not developed until the chronicles of the 12th-century Geoffrey of Monmouth.
... [more] ARUNDHATIfHinduism, Indian, HindiThe name of a star (also called Alcor), which was named after a type of climbing plant, possibly meaning "not restrained" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief it is the name of the sage Vasishtha's wife, who is identified with the star.
ASHERAHfSemitic MythologyPerhaps derived from Semitic roots meaning "she who walks in the sea". This was the name of a Semitic mother goddess. She was worshipped by the Israelites before the advent of monotheism.
ASHURmSemitic MythologyFrom the name of the city of
ASHUR, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, which is of unknown meaning. Ashur was the patron deity of the city and the chief god of Assyria.
ASKmNorse MythologyDerived from Old Norse
askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife
Embla were the first humans created by the gods.
ASKLEPIOSmGreek MythologyPossibly means "cut up" in Greek. Asklepios (Aesculapius to the Romans) was the god of healing and medicine in Greek mythology.
ASTRAEAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Αστραια (Astraia), derived from Greek
αστηρ (aster) meaning "star". Astraea was a Greek goddess of justice and innocence. After wickedness took root in the world she left the earth and became the constellation Virgo.
ATALANTAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Αταλαντη (Atalante) meaning "equal in weight", derived from
αταλαντος (atalantos), a word related to
ταλαντον (talanton) meaning "a scale, a balance". In Greek legend she was a fast-footed maiden who refused to marry anyone who could not beat her in a race. She was eventually defeated by Hippomenes, who dropped three golden apples during the race causing her to stop to pick them up.
ATHENAfGreek Mythology, EnglishMeaning unknown. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. It is likely that her name is derived from that of the city, not vice versa. The earliest mention of her seems to be a 15th-century BC Mycenaean Greek inscription from Knossos on Crete.
... [more] ATLASmGreek MythologyPossibly means "enduring" from Greek
τλαω (tlao) meaning "to endure". In Greek mythology he was a Titan punished by
Zeus by being forced to support the heavens on his shoulders.
ATONmEgyptian MythologyMeans "solar disk" in Egyptian. Aton was an Egyptian god of the sun, depicted as a solar disk with long rays extending downwards. The worship of Aton was especially extensive during the reign of the pharaoh
Akhenaton, who proclaimed Aton was the only god.
ATROPOSfGreek MythologyMeans "inevitable, inflexible" in Greek, derived from the negative prefix
α (a) combined with
τροπος (tropos) "direction, manner, fashion". Atropos was one of the three Fates or
Μοιραι (Moirai) in Greek mythology. When her sister Lachesis decided that a person's life was at an end, Atropos would choose the manner of death and cut the person's life thread.
ATUMmEgyptian MythologyMeans "completion" in Egyptian. This was the name of an Egyptian creator god. He was first prominently worshipped in Heliopolis during the Old Kingdom.
AZRAELmJudeo-Christian LegendVariant of
AZRIEL. This was the name of an angel in Jewish and Muslim tradition who separated the soul from the body upon death. He is sometimes referred to as the Angel of Death.
BA'ALmSemitic Mythology, Biblical HebrewHebrew form of Semitic
ba'l meaning "lord, master, possessor". This was the title of various deities, often associated with storms and fertility, who were worshipped by the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and other peoples of the ancient Near East. It was particularly applied to the god
Hadad.
BA'AL HAMMONmSemitic MythologyFrom Semitic
ba'l meaning "lord" prefixing another word of uncertain meaning. This was the name of the supreme god worshipped in the Phoenician city of Carthage, alongside his consort
Tanith.
BAHMANmPersian, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Avestan
Vohu Manah meaning "good mind". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with domestic animals. It is also the name of the eleventh month in the Iranian calendar.
BAHRAMmPersian, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Avestan
Verethragna meaning "victory over resistance". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with victory and war. This name was borne by several Sassanid emperors. It is also the Persian name for the planet Mars.
BALA (1)m & fHinduism, TamilMeans "young" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form
बाल and the feminine form
बाला (a minor Hindu goddess).
BALADEVAmHinduismMeans "god of strength" from Sanskrit
बल (bala) meaning "strength" combined with
देव (deva) meaning "god". Baladeva (also called Balarama) is the name of the older brother of the Hindu god
Krishna.
BALDERmNorse MythologyMeans "prince" from Old Norse. In Norse mythology Balder was the son of
Odin and
Frigg. Because of the disturbing dreams he had when he was young, his mother extracted an oath from every thing in the world that it would not harm him. However the evil fire god
Loki learned that she had overlooked mistletoe. Being jealous, he tricked the blind god Hoder into throwing a branch of mistletoe at Balder, which killed him.
BALTHAZARmJudeo-Christian LegendVariant of
BELSHAZZAR. Balthazar is the name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who visited the newborn
Jesus. He was said to have come from Arabia.
BARLAAMmJudeo-Christian LegendMeaning unknown. In Christian legends Barlaam (recorded as Greek
Βαρλααμ) was a 3rd-century hermit who converted Josaphat, the son of an Indian king, to Christianity. The story is based on that of the Buddha. This name was also borne by two saints.
BASTfEgyptian MythologyPossibly means "fire, heat" or "ointment jar" in Egyptian. In Egyptian mythology Bast was a goddess of cats, fertility and the sun who was considered a protector of Lower Egypt. She was often depicted with the head of a lioness or a house cat. As her role in the Egyptian pantheon diminished, she was called
Bastet.
BASTETfEgyptian MythologyVariant of
BAST. This form of the name, a diminutive, was given to her after the similar goddess Sekhmet (protector of Upper Egypt) became more important.
BATRAZmOssetian, Caucasian MythologyPossibly from Turkic
bagatur meaning "hero, warrior, brave". This is the name of the leader of the superhuman Narts in Caucasian mythology.
BÉBINNfIrish, Irish MythologyMeans "fair lady" in Irish Gaelic. This name was borne by several characters in Irish mythology, including a goddess of childbirth.
BEDIVEREmWelsh Mythology, Arthurian RomanceFrom the Welsh name
Bedwyr, which is of unknown meaning. In Arthurian legends Bedivere was one of the original companions of King
Arthur. He first appears in early Welsh tales, and his story was later expanded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century. He is the one who throws the sword Excalibur into the lake at the request of the dying Arthur.
BELENUSmCeltic MythologyProbably from a Celtic word meaning "bright, brilliant". This was the name of a Gaulish solar god who was often equated with
Apollo.
BELImWelsh MythologyProbably a Welsh derivative of
BELENUS. Beli Mawr was a Welsh ancestor deity who established several royal lines in Wales.
BELIALmBiblical, Biblical Latin, Judeo-Christian LegendMeans "worthless" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this term is used to refer to various wicked people. In the New Testament, Paul uses it as a name for Satan. In later Christian tradition Belial became an evil angel associated with lawlessness and lust.
BELLONAfRoman MythologyDerived from Latin
bellare meaning "to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war, a companion of
Mars.
BEOWULFmAnglo-Saxon MythologyPossibly means "bee wolf" (in effect equal to "bear") from Old English
beo "bee" and
wulf "wolf". Alternatively, the first element may be
beadu "battle". This is the name of the main character in the anonymous 8th-century epic poem 'Beowulf'. Set in Denmark, the poem tells how he slays the monster Grendel and its mother at the request of King
Hroðgar. After this Beowulf becomes the king of the Geats. The conclusion of the poem tells how Beawulf, in his old age, slays a dragon but is himself mortally wounded in the act.
BHARATAmHinduismMeans "being maintained" in Sanskrit. This is one of the names of
Agni, the Hindu god of fire, and is also the name of the brother of
Rama in the Hindu epic the 'Ramayana'. It was also borne by a legendary king, the son of
Dushyanta and
Shakuntala. The official name of the country of India, Bharat, derives from him.
BHASKARAmHinduismMeans "shining", derived from a combination of Sanskrit
भास (bhasa) meaning "light" and
कर (kara) meaning "maker". This is another name of the sun and the Hindu god
Shiva. It was additionally borne by a 12th-century Indian astronomer, also known as Bhaskaracharya.
BHIMAmHinduismMeans "terrible, formidable" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the 'Mahabharata' this is the name of the second son of Pandu, and thus one of the five Pandavas. He was known for his terrific strength and skill as a warrior.
BHUMIfHinduismMeans "earth, soil" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu earth goddess. She is the wife of Varaha, an avatar of Vishnu.
BILEmIrish MythologyPossibly an Irish form of
BELENUS, though it may derive from an Irish word meaning "hero". In Irish mythology this was the name of one of the Milesians who was drowned while invading Ireland.
BLÁTHNATfIrish, Irish MythologyMeans "little flower" from the Irish word
blath "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend she was a maiden abducted and married by Cú Roí. She was rescued by
Cúchulainn, who killed her husband, but she was in turn murdered by one of Cú Roí's loyal servants.
BLODEUWEDDfWelsh, Welsh MythologyMeans "face of flowers" in Welsh. In a story in the Mabinogion, she is created out of flowers by
Gwydion to be the wife of his nephew
Lleu Llaw Gyffes. She is eventually changed into an owl for her infidelity.
BRAHMAmHinduismMeans "growth, expansion, creation" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Brahma is the creator and director of the universe, the balance between the opposing forces of
Vishnu and
Shiva. He is often depicted with four heads and four arms.
BRAN (2)mWelsh, Welsh MythologyMeans "raven" in Welsh. In Welsh legend Bran the Blessed (called also Bendigeid Vran) was the son of the god
Llyr. Later Welsh legends describe him as a king of Britain who was killed attacking Ireland.
BRANWENfWelsh, Welsh MythologyMeans "beautiful raven" from Welsh
bran "raven" and
gwen "fair, white, blessed". In the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth, she is the sister of the British king
Bran and the wife of the Irish king Matholwch.
BRIDGETfIrish, English, Irish MythologyAnglicized form of the Irish name
Brighid which means "exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form
Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.
BRIJESHAmHinduismMeans "ruler of Brij" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna, Brij being a region associated with him.
BRISEISfGreek MythologyPatronymic derived from
Βρισευς (Briseus), a Greek name of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology Briseis (real name Hippodameia) was the daughter of Briseus. She was captured during the Trojan War by
Achilles. After
Agamemnon took her away from him, Achilles refused to fight in the war.
BRONTESmGreek MythologyMeans "thunderer" in Greek. In Greek mythology (according to Hesiod), this was the name of one of the three Cyclopes, who were the sons of
Uranus and
Gaia.
BRÜNHILDfGerman, Germanic MythologyDerived from the Germanic elements
brun "armour, protection" and
hild "battle". It is cognate with the Old Norse name
Brynhildr (from the elements
bryn and
hildr). In Norse legend
Brynhildr was the queen of the Valkyries who was rescued by the hero
Sigurd. In the Germanic saga the 'Nibelungenlied' she was a queen of Iceland and the wife of
Günther. Both of these characters were probably inspired by the eventful life of the 6th-century Frankish queen Brunhilda (of Visigothic birth).
BRYNHILDRfNorse Mythology, Ancient ScandinavianOld Norse cognate of
BRÜNHILD. In the Norse legend the 'Volsungasaga' Brynhildr was rescued by the hero
Sigurd in the guise of
Gunnar. Brynhildr and Gunnar were married, but when Sigurd's wife
Gudrun let slip that it was in fact Sigurd who had rescued her, Brynhildr plotted against him. She accused Sigurd of taking her virginity, spurring Gunnar to arrange Sigurd's murder.
BYELOBOGmSlavic MythologyMeans "the white god" from Slavic
byelo "white" and
bogu "god". This was the name of the Slavic god of the sun, happiness and fortune.
CADMUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Καδμος (Kadmos), of uncertain meaning. In Greek mythology Cadmus was the son of the Phoenician king Agenor. He was sent by his father to rescue his sister
Europa, who had been abducted by
Zeus, although he did not succeed in retrieving her. According to legend, Cadmus founded the city of Thebes and introduced the alphabet to Greece.
CÁELmIrish MythologyFrom Gaelic
caol "slender". In Irish legend Cáel was a warrior of the Fianna and the lover of Créd.
CALYPSOfGreek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Καλυψω (Kalypso) which probably meant "she that conceals", derived from
καλυπτω (kalypto) "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with
Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until
Zeus ordered her to release him.
CARDEAfRoman MythologyDerived from Latin
cardo meaning "hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.
CASSANDRAfEnglish, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Κασσανδρα (Kassandra), derived from possibly
κεκασμαι (kekasmai) "to excel, to shine" and
ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive
ανδρος). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of
Priam and
Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by
Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.
... [more] CASSIOPEIAfGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κασσιοπεια (Kassiopeia) or
Κασσιεπεια (Kassiepeia), possibly meaning "cassia juice". In Greek myth Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. She was changed into a constellation and placed in the northern sky after she died.
CEPHALUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Κεφαλος (Kephalos), which was derived from
κεφαλη (kephale) meaning "head". In Greek legend he remained faithful to his wife Procris even though he was pursued by the goddess Eos.
CEPHEUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Κηφευς (Kepheus), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek legend he was a king of Ethiopia, the husband of Cassiopeia. After he died he was made into a constellation and placed in the sky.
CERESfRoman MythologyDerived from the Indo-European root *
ker meaning "to grow". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess
Demeter.
CERNUNNOSmCeltic Mythology (Latinized)Means "horned" in Celtic. This was the name of the Celtic god fertility, animals, wealth, and the underworld. He was usually depicted having antlers, and was identified with the Roman god
Mercury.
CHANDAm & fHinduism, Indian, HindiMeans "fierce, hot, passionate" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form
चण्ड and the feminine form
चण्डा (an epithet of the Hindu goddess
Durga).
CHANDRAm & fHinduism, Bengali, Indian, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, NepaliMeans "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from
चन्द (chand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of the masculine form
चण्ड (a name of the moon in Hindu texts which is often personified as a deity) as well as the feminine form
चण्डा.
CHARONmGreek MythologyPossibly means "fierce brightness" in Greek. In Greek mythology Charon was the operator of the ferry that brought the newly dead over the River Acheron into Hades.
CHERNOBOGmSlavic MythologyMeans "the black god" from Slavic
cherno "black" and
bogu "god". Chernobog was the Slavic god of darkness, evil and grief.
CHI (2)m & fMythology, Western African, IgboMeans "god, spirtual being" in Igbo, referring to the personal spiritual guardian that each person is believed to have. Christian Igbo people use it as a name for the personal Christian god. This can also be a short form of the many Igbo names that begin with this element.
CHLORISfGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
χλωρος (chloros) meaning "pale green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.
CHRYSEISfGreek MythologyPatronymic derived from
CHRYSES. In Greek legend she was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of
Apollo. After she was taken prisoner by the Greeks besieging Troy, Apollo sent a plague into their camp, forcing the Greeks to release her.
CHUKWUmMythologyDerived from Igbo
chi "god, spirtual being" and
ukwu "great". In Igbo mythology Chukwu is the supreme god who created the universe. Christian Igbo people use this name for the Christian god.
CIANmIrish, Irish MythologyMeans "ancient" in Gaelic. This was the name of the mythical ancestor of the Cianachta in Irish legend. Cian was also the name of a son-in-law of
Brian Boru.
CLÍODHNAfIrish, Irish MythologyPossibly means "shapely" in Irish Gaelic. In Irish legend this was the name of a beautiful goddess. She fell in love with a mortal named Ciabhan and left the Land of Promise with him, but when she arrived on the other shore she was swept to sea by a great wave.
CONALLmIrish, Scottish, Irish MythologyMeans "strong wolf" in Gaelic. This is the name of several characters in Irish legend including the hero Conall Cernach ("Conall of the victories"), a member of the Red Branch of Ulster, who avenged
Cúchulainn's death by killing Lugaid.
CONLAOCHmIrish MythologyPossibly derived from Gaelic
conn "chief" and
flaith "lord". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend including a son of
Cúchulainn who was accidentally killed by his father.
CONORmIrish, English, Irish MythologyAnglicized form of the Gaelic name
Conchobhar, derived from Old Irish
con "hound, dog, wolf" and
cobar "desiring". It has been in use in Ireland for centuries and was the name of several Irish kings. It was also borne by the legendary Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa, known for his tragic desire for
Deirdre.
CONSUSmRoman MythologyPossibly derived from Latin
conserere meaning "to sow, to plant". Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.
CORAfEnglish, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of
KORE. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel 'The Last of the Mohicans' (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of
CORDULA,
CORINNA or other names beginning with a similar sound.
CRONUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Κρονος (Kronos), possibly derived from the Indo-European root *
ker- meaning "to cut". Cronus was the Titan who fathered the Greek gods. As his wife
Rhea gave birth to the gods, Cronus swallowed them fearing the prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his children. However Rhea hid
Zeus, her last child, who eventually forced his father to disgorge his siblings. Cronus and the rest of the Titans were then defeated by the gods and exiled.
CÚCHULAINNmIrish MythologyMeans "hound of Culann" in Irish. This was the usual name of the warrior hero who was named Sétanta at birth, given to him because he took the place of one of Culann's hounds after he accidentally killed it. Irish legend tells of Cúchulainn's many adventures, including his single-handed defense of Ulster against the army of Queen
Medb.
CULHWCHmWelsh, Welsh MythologyMeans "hiding place of the pig" in Welsh. In Welsh legend he was the lover of
Olwen the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Before the giant would allow Culhwch to marry his daughter, he insisted that Culhwch complete a series of extremely difficult tasks. Culhwch managed to complete them, and he returned to marry Olwen and kill the giant. This tale appears in the Mabinogion, a collection of tales from Welsh myth.
CUPIDmRoman Mythology (Anglicized)From the Latin
Cupido meaning "desire". This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of
Venus and
Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was
Eros.
CYBELEfNear Eastern Mythology (Hellenized)Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
CYNTHIAfEnglish, Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κυνθια (Kynthia) which means "woman from Kynthos". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess
Artemis, given because Kynthos was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother
Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century.
DAEDALUSmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Δαιδαλος (Daidalos) which was derived from
δαιδαλλω (daidallo) meaning "to work cunningly". In Greek myth Daedalus was an Athenian inventor who was banished to Crete. There he designed the Labyrinth for King
Minos, but he and his son
Icarus were eventually imprisoned inside it because he had aided
Theseus in his quest against the Minotaur. Daelalus and Icarus escaped using wings fashioned from wax, but Icarus fell from the sky to his death.
DAGDAmIrish MythologyMeans "good god" in Celtic. In Irish myth Dagda (called also The Dagda) was the powerful god of the earth, knowledge, magic, abundance and treaties, a leader of the Tuatha De Danann. He was skilled in combat and healing and possessed a huge club, the handle of which could revive the dead.
DAGONmSemitic MythologyPerhaps related to Ugaritic
dgn meaning "grain". This was the name of a Semitic god of agriculture, usually depicted with the body of a fish.
DÁIREmIrish, Irish MythologyMeans "fruitful, fertile" in Irish Gaelic. This name is borne by many figures in Irish legend, including the Ulster chief who reneged on his promise to loan the Brown Bull of Cooley to
Medb, starting the war between Connacht and Ulster as told in the Irish epic 'The Cattle Raid of Cooley'.
DALIA (2)fLithuanian, Baltic MythologyMeans "fate, luck" in Lithuanian. This was the name of the Lithuanian goddess of weaving, fate and childbirth, often associated with Laima.
DAMAYANTIfHinduismMeans "subduing" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the 'Mahabharata' this is the name of a beautiful princess, the wife of Nala.
DAMOCLESmGreek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Δαμοκλης (Damokles), which was derived from
δαμος (damos) "the people", a Doric Greek variant of
δημος (demos), and
κλεος (kleos) "glory". In Greek legend Damocles was a member of the court of Dionysius the Elder, the king of Syracuse. Damocles expressed envy of the king's station so Dionysius offered to switch roles with him for a day. To illustrate to Damocles the peril of a man in his position he suspended a sword over the throne.
DAMODARAmHinduismMeans "rope around the belly", derived from Sanskrit
दाम (dama) meaning "rope" and
उदर (udara) meaning "belly". This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna, given to him because his foster-mother tied him to a large urn.
DAMONmGreek Mythology, EnglishDerived from Greek
δαμαζω (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.
DANAËfGreek MythologyFrom
Δαναοι (Danaoi), a word used by
Homer to designate the Greeks. In Greek mythology Danaë was the daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. It had been prophesized to her father that he would one day be killed by Danaë's son, so he attempted to keep his daughter childless. However,
Zeus came to her in the form of a shower of gold, and she became the mother of
Perseus. Eventually the prophecy was fulfilled and Perseus killed Acrisius, albeit accidentally.
DAPHNEfGreek 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.
DAZHDBOGmSlavic MythologyPossibly means "the giving god" in Slavic. He was a Slavic god of the sun and light, a son of Svarog. In some myths he is the ancestor of the Russian people.
DEIMOSmGreek MythologyMeans "terror" in Greek. This was one of the sons of the Greek god
Ares. Also, a moon of Mars bears this name.
DEIRDREfEnglish, 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] DELIA (1)fEnglish, 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.
DEMETER (1)fGreek MythologyPossibly means "earth mother", derived from Greek
δα (da) "earth" and
μητηρ (meter) "mother". In Greek mythology Demeter was the goddess of agriculture, the daughter of
Cronus, the sister of
Zeus, and the mother of
Persephone. She was an important figure in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites performed at Eleusis near Athens.
DESPOINAfGreek Mythology, GreekMeans "mistress, lady" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon. She was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at Eleusis near Athens.
DIANAfEnglish, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, Polish, 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] DIARMAIDmIrish, Irish MythologyPerhaps means "without envy" in Irish. In Irish mythology this was the name of a warrior who became the lover of
Gráinne. It was also the name of several ancient Irish kings.
DIDOfRoman MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly "virgin" in Phoenician. Dido, also called
Elissa, was the queen of Carthage in
Virgil's 'Aeneid'. She burned herself to death after Aeneas left her.
DIKEfGreek MythologyMeans "justice" in Greek. In Greek mythology Dike was the goddess of justice, one of the
‘Ωραι (Horai).
DILIPAmHinduismMeans "protector of Delhi" from Sanskrit
दिल्ली (see
DELHI) combined with
प (pa) meaning "protecting". This is the name of several kings in Hindu texts.
DINESHAmHinduismMeans "day lord" from Sanskrit
दिन (dina) meaning "day" and
ईश (isha) meaning "lord". In Hindu texts this is used as a name of the sun.
DIOMEDESmGreek MythologyDerived from Greek
Διος (Dios) meaning "of
ZEUS" and
μηδομαι (medomai) meaning "to think, to plan". In Greek legend Diomedes was one of the greatest heroes who fought against the Trojans. With
Odysseus he entered Troy and stole the Palladium. After the Trojan War he founded the cities of Brindisi and Arpi in Italy.
DIONE (1)fGreek MythologyFrom Greek
Διος (Dios) meaning "of
ZEUS". By extension, it means "goddess". This was the name of an obscure Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of
Aphrodite.
DIONYSOSmGreek MythologyFrom Greek
Διος (Dios) meaning "of
ZEUS" combined with
NYSA, the name of the region where young Dionysos was said to have been raised. In Greek mythology Dionysos was the god of wine, revelry, fertility and dance. He was the son of
Zeus and
Semele.
DIPAKAmHinduismMeans "inflaming, exciting" in Sanskrit. This is another name of
Kama, the Hindu god of love.