Mythology Names

Helena f German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinate form of Helen.

Helene f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Helen, as well as the modern Scandinavian and German form.

Helios m Greek Mythology
Means "sun" in Greek. This was the name of the young Greek sun god, a Titan, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses. His sister was the moon goddess Selene.

Helle 2 f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Helle was the daughter of Athamus and Nephele. She and her brother Phrixus escaped sacrifice by fleeing on the back of a golden ram, but during their flight she fell off and drowned in the strait that connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara, which was thereafter called the Hellespont ("the sea of Helle").

Hemera f Greek Mythology
Means "day" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified the daytime. According to Hesiod she was the daughter of Nyx, the personification of the night.

Hengist m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Means "stallion" in Old English or Old Saxon. According to medieval histories (recorded by Bede in the 8th century), Hengist and his brother Horsa were the leaders of the first Saxon settlers in Britain. Hengist established a kingdom in Kent in the 5th century.

Hephaestus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἥφαιστος (Hephaistos), meaning unknown. It probably shares its origin with the Minoan city of Φαιστός (Phaistos), which is of Pre-Greek origin. In Greek mythology Hephaestus was the god of fire and forging, the husband of the unfaithful Aphrodite. It was said that when he was born Hera, his mother, was so displeased with his physical deformities that she hurled him off the top of Mount Olympus.

Hephaistos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hephaestus.

Hera f Greek Mythology
Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.

Heracles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Herakles. However, the spelling used by the Romans was Hercules.

Herakles m Greek Mythology
Means "glory of Hera" from the name of the goddess Hera combined with Greek κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a hero in Greek and Roman mythology, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. After being driven insane by Hera and killing his own children, Herakles completed twelve labours in order to atone for his crime and become immortal.

Hercules m Roman Mythology
Latin form of Herakles.

Hermes m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Spanish
Probably from Greek ἕρμα (herma) meaning "cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker". Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeus and the other gods. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.... [more]

Hermione f Greek Mythology
Derived from the name of the Greek messenger god Hermes. In Greek myth Hermione was the daughter of Menelaus and Helen. This is also the name of the wife of Leontes in Shakespeare's play The Winter's Tale (1610). It is now closely associated with the character Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.

Hero 1 f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero". In Greek legend she was the lover of Leander, who would swim across the Hellespont each night to meet her. He was killed on one such occasion when he got caught in a storm while in the water, and when Hero saw his dead body she drowned herself. This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing (1599).

Hersilia f Roman Mythology
Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Greek ἕρση (herse) meaning "dew". In Roman legend this was the name of a Sabine woman who became the wife of Romulus.

Heru m Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Horus.

Hestia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἑστία (hestia) meaning "hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.

Hiʻiaka f Polynesian Mythology
Derived from Hawaiian hiʻi meaning "hold, carry" and aka meaning "essence, image, embryo". This is the name of a Hawaiian goddess, the youngest sister of the volcano goddess Pele. To help her sister, Hiʻiaka volunteered to retreive Pele's lover Lohiʻau from a neighbouring island, as long as Pele promised to protect her sacred grove of trees and her lover Hōpoe in her absence. The task took longer than expected and Pele grew impatient, destroying Hiʻiaka's grove and killing her lover.

Hildingr m Old Norse, Norse Mythology
Means "chief, warrior", a derivative of Old Norse hildr "battle". This is the name of a character in the Norse tale Frithiof's Saga.

Hildr f Old Norse, Norse Mythology
From Old Norse hildr meaning "battle", making it a cognate of Hilda. In Norse legend this was the name of a valkyrie.

Hippolyta f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Hippolyte 1. Shakespeare used this name in his comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).

Hippolyte 1 f Greek Mythology
Feminine form of Hippolytos. In Greek legend Hippolyte was the daughter of Ares, and the queen of the Amazons. She was killed by Herakles in order to obtain her magic girdle.

Hippolytos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "freer of horses" from Greek ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse" and λύω (luo) meaning "to loosen". In Greek legend he was the son of Theseus who was tragically loved by his stepmother Phaedra. This was also the name of a 3rd-century theologian, saint and martyr.

Hoder m Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Hǫðr, derived from hǫð meaning "battle". In Norse mythology he was a blind god, tricked by Loki into killing his brother Balder.

Hordad f & m Persian Mythology
Middle Persian form of Haurvatat.

Hormazd m Persian Mythology
Persian variant form of Ahura Mazda.

Hormizd m Persian Mythology, Middle Persian
Middle Persian form of Ahura Mazda. This name was borne by several rulers of the Sasanian Empire. It was also borne by a Christian saint who was martyred in Persia in the 5th century.

Hormoz m Persian Mythology, Persian
Modern Persian form of Ahura Mazda.

Horos m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Heru (see Horus).

Horsa m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
From Old English or Old Saxon hors meaning "horse". According to medieval chronicles, Horsa and his brother Hengist were the leaders of the first Saxon settlers to arrive in Britain. Horsa was said to have died in battle with the Britons. He is first mentioned in the 8th-century writings of the English historian Bede.

Horus m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ὧρος (Horos), the Greek form of Egyptian ḥrw (reconstructed as Heru and other forms) possibly from ḥr "above, over" or ḥrj "distant". In Egyptian mythology Horus was the god of light, often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon. The son Osiris and Isis, he avenged his father's murder by killing Seth.

Hǫðr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Hoder.

Huangdi m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 黄 (huáng) meaning "yellow" and 帝 (dì) meaning "god, emperor". This is the Chinese name for the Yellow Emperor, a mythical ruler and deity who is said to have reigned in the 3rd millennium BC. He is regarded as the ancestor of the Chinese people.

Huanglong m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 黄 (huáng) meaning "yellow" and 龙 (lóng) meaning "dragon". This is the Chinese name for the Yellow Dragon, who is considered the animal form of the mythical Yellow Emperor Huangdi.

Huitzilopochtli m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "left side of the hummingbird" or "southern hummingbird" in Nahuatl, derived from huitzilin "hummingbird" and ōpōchtli "left, south". In Aztec mythology he was the god of the sun and war. He was a patron deity of the city of Tenochtitlan (at the site of modern Mexico City).

Huld f Norse Mythology
Old Norse variant of Hulda 1.

Hulda 1 f Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian, Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse hulda meaning "hiding, secrecy". This was the name of a sorceress in Norse mythology. As a modern name, it can also derive from archaic Swedish huld meaning "gracious, sweet, lovable".

Hunahpu m Mayan Mythology
Possibly means "one blowgunner", from Classic Maya jun "one" and puw "blowgun" (with the agentive prefix aj-). Hunahpu and his twin brother Xbalanque are the central characters of the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the K'iche' Maya.

Hut-Heru f Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Hathor.

Hvare Khshaeta m Persian Mythology
Alternate transcription of Avestan 𐬵𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬆⸱𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀 (see Hvare Xshaeta).

Hvare Xshaeta m Persian Mythology
Avestan form of Khurshid.

Hyacinth 1 m Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of Hyacinthus.

Hyacinthus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ὑάκινθος (Hyakinthos), which was derived from the name of the hyacinth flower. In Greek legend Hyakinthos was accidentally killed by the god Apollo, who mournfully caused this flower to arise from his blood. The name was also borne by several early saints, notably a 3rd-century martyr who was killed with his brother Protus.

Hyakinthos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Greek form of Hyacinthus.

Hydra f Astronomy, Greek Mythology
Means "water serpent" in Greek, related to ὕδωρ (hydor) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a many-headed Lernaean serpent slain by Herakles. It is also the name of a northern constellation, as well as a moon of Pluto.

Hyperion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.

Iacchus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἴακχος (Iakchos), derived from ἰάχω (iacho) meaning "to shout". This was the name of an obscure Greek god worshipped in the Eleusinian mysteries and later identified with Dionysos.

Iah m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian jꜥḥ meaning "moon". In Egyptian mythology this was the name of a god of the moon, later identified with Thoth.

Ianeira f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek Ἰάν (Ian), a variant of Ἴων (Ion) meaning "Ionian", the Ionians being a Greek tribe. The name Ianeira was borne by a few characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids and one of the Oceanids.

Ianthe f Greek Mythology
Means "violet flower", derived from Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This was the name of an ocean nymph in Greek mythology.

Ianus m Roman Mythology
Latin form of Janus.

Iapetos m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἰάπτω (iapto) meaning "to wound, to pierce". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan, the father of Atlas, Prometheus and Epimetheus.

Iapetus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Iapetos. This is the name of one of Saturn's moons.

Iason m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Greek, Georgian
Greek and Georgian form of Jason.

Icarus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἴκαρος (Ikaros), of unknown meaning. In Greek myth Icarus was the son of Daedalus, locked with his father inside the Labyrinth by Minos. They escaped from the maze using wings devised from wax, but Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wax melted, plunging him to his death.

Idalia f Germanic (Latinized), Greek Mythology, Polish (Rare)
Probably from a Germanic name derived from the element idal, an extended form of id possibly meaning "work, labour". Unrelated, this was also an epithet of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, given because the city of Idalion on Cyprus was a center of her cult.... [more]

Idun f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian
Modern Scandinavian form of Iðunn.

Idunn f Norse Mythology, Norwegian
Norwegian variant form of Iðunn.

Iemanjá f Afro-American Mythology
Portuguese form of Yemọja, used in Brazil by adherents of Candomblé. She is identified with Our Lady of Immaculate Conception as well as other aspects of the Virgin Mary.

Ikaros m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Icarus.

Ilithyia f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Εἰλείθυια (Eileithyia), which was derived from εἰλήθυια (eilethyia) meaning "the readycomer". This was the name of the Greek goddess of childbirth and midwifery.

Ilmarinen m Finnish Mythology
Derived from Finnish ilma meaning "air". Ilmarinen is an immortal smith in Finnish mythology, the creator of the sky and the magic mill known as the Sampo. He is one of the main characters in the Finnish epic the Kalevala.

Ilmatar f Finnish Mythology
Derived from Finnish ilma "air" combined with a feminine suffix. In Finnish mythology Ilmatar was a semi-androgynous goddess of the heavens. She was the mother of Ilmarinen, Väinämöinen and Lemminkäinen.

Ilu m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian cognate of El, often used to refer to Anu.

Inanna f Sumerian Mythology
Possibly derived from Sumerian nin-an-a(k) meaning "lady of the heavens", from 𒊩𒌆 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒀭 (an) meaning "heaven, sky". Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and war. She descended into the underworld where the ruler of that place, her sister Ereshkigal, had her killed. The god Enki interceded, and Inanna was allowed to leave the underworld as long as her husband Dumuzi took her place.... [more]

Inari f & m Japanese Mythology
Means "carrying rice" in Japanese, from 稲 (ina) meaning "rice" and 荷 (ri) meaning "carry". This is the name of a Japanese divinity associated with prosperity, rice and foxes, represented as both female and male.

Indira f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
Means "beauty" in Sanskrit. This is another name of Lakshmi, the wife of the Hindu god Vishnu. A notable bearer was India's first female prime minister, Indira Gandhi (1917-1984).

Indra m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Nepali
Means "possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and र (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain. He is the chief god in the Rigveda.

Indrajit m Hinduism, Bengali, Indian, Hindi
Means "conqueror of Indra" from the name of the god Indra combined with Sanskrit जिति (jiti) meaning "victory, conquering". In Hindu legend this is another name of Meghanada, the son of Ravana, the king of Sri Lanka. He was given this name by Brahma after he defeated Indra.

Indrani f Hinduism, Bengali, Indian, Hindi
Means "queen of Indra" in Sanskrit. This is a Hindu goddess of jealousy and beauty, a wife of Indra.

Ing m Germanic Mythology
From the Germanic *Ingwaz, possibly meaning "ancestor". This was the name of an obscure Germanic fertility god who was considered the ancestor of the tribe the Ingaevones. It is possible he was an earlier incarnation of the god Freyr.

Inti m Indigenous American, Quechua, Inca Mythology
Means "sun" in Quechua. This was the name of the Inca god of the sun. He was a son of Viracocha.

Invidia f Roman Mythology
Means "envy" in Latin. This was the Roman goddess of vengeance, equivalent to the Greek goddess Nemesis.

Io f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Io was a princess loved by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer in order to hide her from Hera. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.

Ioachim m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Latin form of Ioakeim.

Ioakeim m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Greek form of Joachim, found in the apocryphal Gospel of James.

Iocasta f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Iokaste (see Jocasta).

Iokaste f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Jocasta.

Iole f Greek Mythology
Means "violet" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a woman beloved by Herakles.

Ion 2 m Greek Mythology
Of unknown etymology, possibly Pre-Greek. According to Greek mythology he was a son of Creusa and Xuthus (or alternatively the god Apollo). He was said to be the ancestor of the Greek tribe of the Ionians.

Ione f Greek Mythology, English
From Ancient Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.

Iovis m Roman Mythology
Older form of Jove.

Iphigeneia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἴφιος (iphios) meaning "strong, stout" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". In Greek myth Iphigenia was the daughter of King Agamemnon. When her father offended Artemis it was divined that the only way to appease the goddess was to sacrifice Iphigenia. Just as Agamemnon was about to sacrifice his daughter she was magically transported to the city of Taurus.... [more]

Iphigenia f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Iphigeneia.

Irene f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.... [more]

Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Greek
Means "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.

Iset f Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Isis.

Isha f & m Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Hinduism
Means "master, lord" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form ईशा and the masculine form ईश (an epithet of the Hindu god Shiva). It is also the name of one of the Upanishads, which are parts of Hindu scripture.

Ishkur m Sumerian Mythology
Meaning unknown, of Sumerian origin. This was the name of a Sumerian storm god, later identified by the Akkadians with Adad.

Ishtar f Semitic Mythology
From the Semitic root ‌'ṯtr, which possibly relates to the Evening Star. Ishtar was an Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian goddess who presided over love, war and fertility. She was cognate with the Canaanite and Phoenician Ashtoreth, and she was also identified with the Sumerian goddess Inanna.

Iside f Egyptian Mythology (Italianized)
Italian form of Isis.

Isis f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ꜣst (reconstructed as Iset, Aset or Ueset), possibly from st meaning "throne". In Egyptian mythology Isis was the goddess of the sky and nature, the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She was originally depicted wearing a throne-shaped headdress, but in later times she was conflated with the goddess Hathor and depicted having the horns of a cow on her head. She was also worshipped by people outside of Egypt, such as the Greeks and Romans.

Ismene f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek ἰσμή (isme) meaning "knowledge". This was the name of the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta in Greek legend.

Israfil m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Meaning unknown. In Islamic tradition this is the name of the angel who will blow the trumpet that signals the coming of Judgement Day. He is sometimes equated with the angels Raphael or Uriel from Judeo-Christian tradition.

Italus m Roman Mythology
Means "of Italy" in Latin. In Roman legend Italus was the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. He supposedly gave his name to the region known as Italia or Italy (in fact the region may have gotten its name from Oscan Víteliú meaning "land of bulls").

Iðunn f Norse Mythology, Old Norse, Icelandic
Probably derived from the Old Norse prefix ið- "again, repeated" and unna "to love". In Norse mythology Iðunn was the goddess of spring and immortality whose responsibility it was to guard the gods' apples of youth.

Itzamna m Mayan Mythology, Indigenous American, Mayan
From Classic Maya itzam, an element found in the names of some Maya gods (possibly from itz "enchanted, nectar" and mam "grandfather"), combined with nah "great". Itzamna was the Maya creator god.

Iuno f Roman Mythology
Latin form of Juno.

Iuppiter m Roman Mythology
Latin form of Jupiter.

Iuturna f Roman Mythology
Latin form of Juturna.

Ixchel f Mayan Mythology, Indigenous American, Mayan
Possibly means "rainbow lady", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and chel "rainbow". Ixchel was a Maya goddess associated with the earth, jaguars, medicine and childbirth. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.

Izanagi m Japanese Mythology
Probably means "male who invites" in Japanese, from 誘 (izana) meaning "invite, lure, attract". In Japanese mythology the god Izanagi was the husband of Izanami. When she died he unsuccessfully journeyed to the underworld to retrieve her. In the purifying rites that followed his return, the gods of the sun, moon and wind were created.

Izanami f Japanese Mythology
Probably means "female who invites" in Japanese, from 誘 (izana) meaning "invite, lure, attract". In Japanese mythology she was a creator goddess, the wife of Izanagi. She died giving birth to Kagutsuchi, the god of fire.

Izrail m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Arabic form of Azrael.

Jagadisha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of the world" from Sanskrit जगत् (jagat) meaning "world" and ईश (isha) meaning "ruler". This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Jagannatha m Hinduism
Means "master of the world" from Sanskrit जगत् (jagat) meaning "world" and नाथ (natha) meaning "master". This is a title of the Hindu gods Vishnu and Krishna.

Jam m Persian Mythology
Persian form of Avestan 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀 (Yima) meaning "twin" (related to Sanskrit Yama). This was the name of a mythological king, more commonly called Jamshid.

Jamshed m Persian, Tajik, Persian Mythology
Alternate transcription of Persian جمشید (see Jamshid), as well as the regular Tajik form.

Jamsheed m Persian, Persian Mythology
Alternate transcription of Persian جمشید (see Jamshid).

Jamshid m Persian, Uzbek, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀⸱𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀 (Yima Xshaēta), which meant "shining Jam". This was the name of a mythological king of Persia who ruled during a golden age. He is known as either Jamshid or Jam, where Jamshid is a combination of his original name and an honourific.

Janaína f Afro-American Mythology, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Variant of Iemanjá.

Janus m Roman Mythology
Means "archway" in Latin. Janus was the Roman god of gateways and beginnings, often depicted as having two faces looking in opposite directions. The month of January is named for him.

Jarl m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Norse Mythology, Old Norse
Means "chieftain, nobleman" in Old Norse (a cognate of the English word earl). In the Norse poem Rígsþula Jarl is the son of the god Ríg and the founder of the race of warriors.

Jason m English, French, Greek Mythology (Anglicized), Biblical
From the Greek name Ἰάσων (Iason) meaning "healer", derived from Greek ἰάομαι (iaomai) meaning "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]

Jasper m English, Dutch, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
From Latin Gaspar, perhaps from the Biblical Hebrew word גִּזְבָּר (gizbar) meaning "treasurer", derived from Persian ganzabara. This name was traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since the Middle Ages. The name can also be given in reference to the English word for the gemstone.

Jaya f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Indian, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory". This is a transcription of both the feminine form जया (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga) and the masculine form जय (borne by several characters in Hindu texts). As a modern personal name, this transcription is both feminine and masculine in southern India, but typically only feminine in the north.

Jayanta m Hinduism, Bengali, Indian, Assamese
Derived from Sanskrit जयन्त (jayanta) meaning "victorious". This is the name of a son of the Hindu god Indra, as well as other figures in Hindu mythology.

Jayanti f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
Feminine form of Jayanta. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.

Jeremiel m Biblical, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
From Latin Hieremihel, probably from the Hebrew name Yerachme'el (see Jerahmeel). Jeremiel (also called Remiel or Uriel) is named as an archangel in some verions of the apocryphal book of 2 Esdras (preserved in Latin) in the Old Testament.

Jimmu m Japanese Mythology
Means "divine warrior", from Japanese 神 (jin) meaning "god" and 武 (mu) meaning "military, martial". In Japanese legend this was the name of the founder of Japan and the first emperor, supposedly ruling in the 7th century BC.

Joachim m German, French, Polish, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Contracted form of Jehoiachin or Jehoiakim. According to the apocryphal Gospel of James, Saint Joachim was the husband of Saint Anne and the father of the Virgin Mary. Due to his popularity in the Middle Ages, the name came into general use in Christian Europe (though it was never common in England).

Jocasta f Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ἰοκάστη (Iokaste), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology she was the mother Oedipus by the Theban king Laius. In a case of tragic mistaken identity, she married her own son.

Jóhonaa'éí m New World Mythology
Means "sun" in Navajo. In Navajo mythology this is the name of the sun god.

Jörmungandr m Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Jǫrmungandr, derived from jǫrmun "great, immense" and gandr "monster, magic, wand". In Norse mythology Jörmungandr was an enormous sea serpent, also known as the World Serpent because he was said to encircle the world. He was one of the offspring of Loki and Angrboða. During Ragnarök, the battle at end of the world, it is said that he will fight his old enemy Thor and both of them will die.

Jǫrmungandr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Jörmungandr.

Joukahainen m Finnish Mythology
Meaning unknown. In the Finnish epic the Kalevala this is the name of a youth who challenges Väinämöinen to a chanting (or spellcasting) duel. Joukahainen loses, and must promise his sister Aino to Väinämöinen.

Jove m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From Latin Iovis, derived from the stem of Iuppiter (see Jupiter). This was another name of the Roman god Jupiter.

Juno f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly related to an Indo-European root meaning "young", or possibly of Etruscan origin. In Roman mythology Juno was the wife of Jupiter and the queen of the heavens. She was the protectress of marriage and women, and was also the goddess of finance.

Junon f Roman Mythology (Gallicized)
French form of Iuno (see Juno).

Júpiter m Roman Mythology (Hispanicized, Portuguese-style)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Jupiter.

Jupiter m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From Latin Iuppiter, which was ultimately derived from the Indo-European *Dyēw-pətēr, composed of the elements Dyēws (see Zeus) and pətēr "father". Jupiter was the supreme god in Roman mythology. He presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. This is also the name of the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.

Juturna f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Juturna was the Roman goddess of fountains and springs. According to Virgil she was the sister of Turnus.

Juventas f Roman Mythology
Means "youth" in Latin. Juventas was the Roman goddess of youth, equivalent to the Greek goddess Hebe.

Kadmos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Cadmus.

Kalervo m Finnish, Finnish Mythology
Possibly a combination of Kaleva and Kullervo. In the Finnish epic the Kalevala this was the name of the father of Kullervo.

Kaleva m Finnish, Finnish Mythology
From the name of the mythological ancestor of the Finns, which is of unknown meaning. The name of the Finnish epic the Kalevala means "the land of Kaleva".

Kalevi m Finnish, Finnish Mythology
Variant of Kaleva.

Kali 1 f & m Hinduism, Bengali, Tamil
Means "the black one" in Sanskrit. The Hindu goddess Kali is the fierce destructive form of the wife of Shiva. She is usually depicted with black skin and four arms, holding a severed head and brandishing a sword. As a personal name, it is generally masculine in India.

Kalliope f Greek Mythology
Means "beautiful voice" from Greek κάλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "voice". In Greek mythology she was a goddess of epic poetry and eloquence, one of the nine Muses.

Kallirrhoe f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Callirrhoe.

Kallisto f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek κάλλιστος (kallistos) meaning "most beautiful", a derivative of καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful". In Greek mythology Kallisto was a nymph who was loved by Zeus. She was changed into a she-bear by Hera, and subsequently became the Great Bear constellation. This was also an ancient Greek personal name.

Kalyani f Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Hindi
Means "beautiful, lovely, auspicious" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.

Kalypso f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Calypso.

Kama m Hinduism
Means "love, desire" in Sanskrit. Kama is the winged Hindu god of love, the son of Lakshmi.

Kamakshi f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi
From Sanskrit काम (kama) meaning "love, desire" and अक्षि (akshi) meaning "eye". This is the name of a Hindu fertility goddess. She is considered to be an incarnation of Parvati.

Kamala f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Indian, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Nepali
Means "lotus" or "pale red" in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form कमला and the masculine form कमल, though in modern languages it is only a feminine form. This is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades, in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

Kāne m Polynesian Mythology
Means "man" in Hawaiian, a cognate of Tāne. In Hawaiian mythology Kāne was the creator god.

Kanti f & m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Bengali
Means "beauty" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form कान्ती (another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi) and the masculine form कान्ति.

Kapila m Hinduism
Means "reddish brown" in Sanskrit, derived from कपि (kapi) meaning "monkey". In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of a sage who founded Samkhya philosophy and is identified with the god Vishnu.

Kára f Norse Mythology
Probably from Old Norse kárr meaning "curly, curved". In Norse legend this was the name of a valkyrie.

Karme f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Carme 2.

Karna m Hinduism
Derived from Sanskrit कर्ण (karna) meaning "ear". This is the name of the son of the Hindu sun god Surya and the goddess Kunti, who gave birth to him through her ear. He was a great warrior who joined the Kauravas to fight against his half-brothers the Pandavas, eventually becoming the king of Anga.

Karthikeyan m Tamil, Hinduism
Tamil form of Kartikeya.

Kartikeya m Hinduism
From Sanskrit कृत्तिका (krittika), the name for the constellation of the Pleiades, ultimately from कृत् (krit) meaning "to cut, to divide". This is another name for the Hindu god Skanda.

Kassandra f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, English (Modern)
Greek form of Cassandra, as well as a modern English variant.

Kassiopeia f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Cassiopeia.

Kastor m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Castor.

Katayoun f Persian, Persian Mythology
Meaning unknown. This is the name of the wife of King Goshtasb in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.

Kausalya f Hinduism
Means "of the Kosala people" in Sanskrit. Kosala was an ancient Indian kingdom that was at its most powerful in the 6th century BC. In Hindu legend Kausalya is the name of the mother of the hero Rama.

Kaveh m Persian, Persian Mythology
Meaning unknown. In the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh Kaveh is a blacksmith who leads a rebellion against the evil ruler Zahhak.

K'awiil m Mayan Mythology
Variant of K'awil.

K'awil m Mayan Mythology
Possibly means "powerful one" in Classic Maya. This was the name of the Maya god of lightning, generations and corn. He was sometimes depicted with one of his legs taking the form of a serpent. His name was also used as a title for other gods.

Kay 2 m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Romance
From the Welsh name Cai or Cei, possibly a form of the Roman name Gaius. Sir Kay was one of the Knights of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He first appears in Welsh tales as a brave companion of Arthur. In later medieval tales, notably those by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, he is portrayed as an unrefined boor.

Kephalos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Cephalus.

Kepheus m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Cepheus.

Kerberos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Cerberus.

Khnum m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian ẖnmw (reconstructed as Khenmu or Khnemu), derived from ẖnm meaning "to unite". This was the name of an early Egyptian god associated with fertility, water and the Nile. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a ram, sometimes with a potter's wheel.

Khonsu m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian ḫnsw meaning "traveller", derived from ḫns meaning "to traverse, to cross". In Egyptian mythology he was a god of the moon, the son of Amon and Mut.

Khordad f & m Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Haurvatat. From the Middle Persian era, this deity was often considered masculine. The third month of the Iranian calendar is named for her.

Khurshid m & f Persian, Urdu, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬵𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬆⸱𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬉𐬙𐬀 (Huuarə Xshaēta) meaning "shining sun". In Zoroastrianism this was the name of a Yazata (a holy being) who was associated with the sun.

Ki f Sumerian Mythology
Means "earth" in Sumerian. This was the name of the Sumerian goddess of the earth, the consort of An.

K'inich m Mayan Mythology
Means "hot, sunny" in Classic Maya, derived from k'in "sun". K'inich Ajaw (ajaw meaning "king, lord") was the Maya god of the sun. K'inich was commonly used as an element in the names of Maya royalty.

Kirke f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Circe.

Kleio f Greek Mythology, Greek
Derived from Greek κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of history and heroic poetry, one of the nine Muses. She was said to have introduced the alphabet to Greece.

Klotho f Greek Mythology
Means "spinner" in Greek. In Greek mythology Klotho was one of the three Fates or Μοῖραι (Moirai). She was responsible for spinning the thread of life.

Klytaimnestra f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Clytemnestra.

Klytië f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek κλυτός (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". In Greek myth Klytië was an ocean nymph who loved the sun god Helios. Her love was not returned, and she pined away staring at him until she was transformed into a heliotrope flower, whose head moves to follow the sun.

Koios m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek κοῖος (koios), also spelled ποῖος (poios), a questioning word meaning approximately "of what kind?". This was the name of a Titan god of intelligence in Greek mythology.

Kore f Greek Mythology
Means "maiden" in Greek. This was another name for the Greek goddess Persephone.

Korë f Greek Mythology
Alternate transcription of Ancient Greek Κόρη (see Kore).

Koronis f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek κορώνη (korone) meaning "crow". This was the name of several figures from Greek mythology, including the mother of the god Asklepios.

Kratos m Greek Mythology, Popular Culture
Means "power, strength" in Greek. In Greek mythology this is the name of one of the children of Styx and Pallas.... [more]

Kreios m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from either Greek κρείων (kreion) meaning "lord, master" or κριός (krios) meaning "ram, male sheep". This was the name of a Titan in Greek mythology.

Kriemhild f German (Rare), Germanic Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements grimo "mask" and hilt "battle". Kriemhild was a beautiful heroine in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied, where she is the sister of Gunther and the wife of Siegfried. After her husband is killed by Hagen with the consent of Gunther, Kriemhild tragically exacts her revenge. She is called Gudrun in Norse versions of the tale.

Krishna m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Means "black, dark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu god believed to be an incarnation of the god Vishnu. He was the youngest of King Vasudeva's eight children, six of whom were killed by King Kamsa because of a prophecy that a child of Vasudeva would kill Kamsa. Krishna however was saved and he eventually killed the king as well as performing many other great feats. In some Hindu traditions, Krishna is regarded as the supreme deity. He is usually depicted with blue skin.

Kronos m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Cronus.

Kshathra Vairya m Persian Mythology
Alternate transcription of Avestan 𐬑𐬱𐬀𐬚𐬭𐬀⸱𐬬𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀 (see Xshathra Vairya).

K'uk'ulkan m Mayan Mythology
Means "feathered serpent", from Classic Maya k'uk' "quetzal, quetzal feather" and kaan "serpent, snake". This was the name of a snake god in Maya mythology, roughly equivalent to the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. This is the Yucatec Maya form — the K'iche' name is Q'uq'umatz (which is only partially cognate).

Kullervo m Finnish, Finnish Mythology
Derived from Finnish kulta "gold". In the Finnish epic the Kalevala this is the name of tragic character, a young man who seeks revenge on his uncle Untamo for destroying his tribe and selling him into slavery.

Kumara m Hinduism
Derived from Sanskrit कुमार (kumara) meaning "boy, son". In Hindu texts this is an epithet of both the fire god Agni and the war god Skanda.

Kumari f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Telugu
Feminine form of Kumara. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata Kumari is the wife of the warrior Bhima. This is also another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.

Kunti f Hinduism
Means "spear" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of the mother of the Pandavas.

Kybele f Near Eastern Mythology (Hellenized)
Ancient Greek form of Cybele.

Kyllikki f Finnish, Finnish Mythology
Derived from Finnish kyllä "abundance" or kyllin "enough". This is the name of a character in the Finnish epic the Kalevala.

Kynthia f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Cynthia.

Kythereia f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Cytherea.

Lachesis f Greek Mythology
Means "apportioner" in Greek. She was one of the three Fates or Μοῖραι (Moirai) in Greek mythology. She was responsible for deciding how long each person had to live.

Lada f Slavic Mythology, Czech, Russian, Croatian
Meaning uncertain. This was the name of a Slavic fertility goddess. It can also be a diminutive of Vladislava or Vladimira.

Laima f Lithuanian, Latvian, Baltic Mythology
From 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 Dēkla and Kārta, who were also associated with fate.

Laios m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Laius.

Laius m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Λάϊος (Laios), which is of unknown meaning. This was the name of a king of Thebes in Greek mythology, the husband of Jocasta. Due to a prophecy that he would be killed by his son, Laius left his infant Oedipus for dead. The boy survived but was ignorant of his true parentage. Years later he unwittingly killed Laius in a quarrel on the road.

Lakshmana m Hinduism
Means "having lucky marks" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Ramayana he is the trusted companion of the hero Rama, accompanying him into exile.

Lakshmi f & m Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi, Odia
Means "sign, mark" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Hindu goddess of prosperity, good luck, and beauty. She is the wife of Vishnu and her symbol is the lotus flower, with which she is often depicted.

Lalita f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Thai
Means "playful, charming, desirable" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is the name of one of the playmates of the young Krishna. It is also another name of the goddess Parvati.

Lamia 2 f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek λαιμός (laimos) meaning "throat". In Greek mythology this is the name of a queen of Libya who was a mistress of Zeus. Hera, being jealous, kills Lamia's children, causing her to go mad and transform into a monster that hunts the children of others.

Laocoön m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Λαοκόων (Laokoon), derived from λαός (laos) meaning "people" and ἀκούω (akouo) meaning "to hear". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Trojan priest who warned against accepting the wooden horse left by the Greeks. He and his sons were strangled by sea serpents sent by the gods.

Laodice f Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Λαοδίκη (Laodike) meaning "justice of the people", derived from Greek λαός (laos) meaning "people" and δίκη (dike) meaning "justice". In Greek mythology this was the name of several women, notably the daughter of King Priam of Troy. It was also common among the royal family of the Seleucid Empire, being borne by the mother of Seleucus himself (4th century BC).

Laodike f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Original Greek form of Laodice.

Laokoon m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Laocoön.

Lara 2 f Roman Mythology
Variant of Larunda.

Larisa f Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Slovene, Greek Mythology
Possibly 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. As a Ukrainian name, it is more commonly transcribed Larysa.

Larissa f English, German, Portuguese (Brazilian), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Variant of Larisa. It has been commonly used as an English given name only since the 20th century, as a borrowing from Russian. In 1991 this name was given to one of the moons of Neptune, in honour of the mythological character.

Larunda f Roman Mythology
Possibly connected to Greek λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk, to chatter", or the Latin term Lares referring to minor guardian gods. In Roman mythology Larunda or Lara was a water nymph who was overly talkative. She revealed to Juno that her husband Jupiter was having an affair with Juturna, so Jupiter had Larunda's tongue removed. By the god Mercury she had two children, who were Lares.

Latona f Roman Mythology
Latin form of Leto.

Lauma f Latvian, Baltic Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Latvian mythology this is the name of a forest spirit sometimes associated with childbirth and weaving.

Laverna f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Laverna was the Roman goddess of thieves and thievery.

Lavinia f Roman Mythology, Romanian, Italian
Meaning unknown, probably of Etruscan origin. In Roman legend Lavinia was the daughter of King Latinus, the wife of Aeneas, and the ancestor of the Roman people. According to the legend Aeneas named the town of Lavinium in honour of his wife.

Leander m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.

Leandros m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Leander.

Lech m Polish, Slavic Mythology
From the name of the Slavic tribe the Lendians, called the Lędzianie in Polish. According to Slavic legend this was the name of the founder of the Polish people. A famous bearer was the Polish president Lech Wałęsa (1943-).

Leda f Greek Mythology, Italian
Meaning unknown. In Greek myth she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra by the god Zeus, who came upon her in the form of a swan.

Leigong m Chinese Mythology
Means "lord of thunder", from Chinese 雷 (léi) meaning "thunder" and 公 (gōng) meaning "lord, prince". This is the name of a Chinese thunder god.

Lemminkäinen m Finnish Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly related to Finnish lempi "love". In the Finnish epic the Kalevala this is the name of an arrogant hero. After he was killed his mother fetched his body from the River of Death and restored him to life. He is sometimes identified with the god Ahti.

Ler m Irish Mythology
Means "the sea" in Old Irish. Ler was probably an Irish god or personification of the sea, best known as the father of Manannán mac Lir.

Leto f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Lycian lada meaning "wife". Other theories connect it to Greek λήθω (letho) meaning "hidden, forgotten". In Greek mythology she was the mother of Apollo and Artemis by Zeus.

Leucippus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Leukippos.

Leukippos m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "white horse", derived from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "white, bright" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This name was borne by a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher, as well as by several characters in Greek mythology.

Levana 2 f Roman Mythology
From Latin levare meaning "to raise, to lift". This was the name of a Roman goddess associated with newborn babies and the rituals of childbirth.

Liber m Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin liber meaning "free". This was the name of a Roman fertility god, often identified with Dionysus.

Libitina f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. Libitina was the Roman goddess of funerals, corpses and death.

Ligeia f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek λιγύς (ligys) meaning "clear-voiced, shrill, whistling". This was the name of one of the Sirens in Greek legend. It was also used by Edgar Allan Poe in his story Ligeia (1838).

Lilith f Semitic Mythology, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Derived from Akkadian lilitu meaning "of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.

Linos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Greek form of Linus.

Linus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized), Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Greek name Λίνος (Linos) meaning "flax". In Greek legend he was the son of the god Apollo, who accidentally killed him in a contest. Another son of Apollo by this name was the music teacher of Herakles. The name was also borne by the second pope, serving after Saint Peter in the 1st century. In modern times this was the name of a character in Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.

Lir m Irish Mythology
Possibly from the patronymic Manannán mac Lir, in which case Lir is the genitive case of the name Ler. The medieval Irish legend the Children of Lir tells how Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann had his children transformed into swans by his third wife Aoife. The legendary characters Lir and Ler seem to be distinct.

Lleu m Welsh Mythology
Probably a Welsh form of Lugus. In the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, Lleu Llaw Gyffes is the son of Arianrhod. He was raised by his uncle Gwydion, who helped him overcome the curses that his mother placed upon him. His wife Blodeuwedd and her lover Gronw conspired to overcome his near invincibility and murder him, but they were not successful. Eventually he became the king of Gwynedd.

Llew m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Variant of Lleu. It can also be a short form of Llewelyn. It coincides with the Welsh word llew meaning "lion".

Lludd m Welsh Mythology
Probably a variant of Nudd altered due to alliterative assimilation with his byname Llaw Ereint meaning "silver hand". Lludd Llaw Ereint is named as the father of Creiddylad in Culhwch and Olwen. He also appears in the Welsh tale Lludd and Llefelys as the king of Britain, the son of Beli Mawr.

Llŷr m Welsh Mythology
Means "the sea" in Welsh. According to the Mabinogi he was the father of Brân, Branwen and Manawydan. His name is cognate with Irish Ler, and it is typically assumed that Llŷr may have originally been regarded as a god of the sea. He might also be the basis for the legendary King Leir of the Britons.

Llyr m Welsh Mythology
Unaccented variant of Llŷr.

Lóegaire m Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "calf herder", derived from Old Irish lóeg "calf". In Irish legend Lóegaire Búadach was an Ulster warrior. He saved the life of the poet Áed, but died in the process. This was also the name of several Irish high kings.

Loke m Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Modern Scandinavian form of Loki.

Loki m Norse Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from the Germanic root *luką meaning "lock". In Norse mythology Loki was a trickster god associated with magic and shape shifting. Loki's children include the wolf Fenrir, the sea serpent Jörmungandr, and the queen of the dead Hel. After he orchestrated the death of Balder, the other gods tied him to a rock below a snake that dripped venom onto his face. It is told that he will break free during Ragnarök, the final battle, and slay and be slain by Heimdall.

Longwang m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 龙 (lóng) meaning "dragon" and 王 (wáng) meaning "king". This is the Chinese name of the Dragon King, a god associated with water and rain.

Louhi f Finnish Mythology
Variant of Loviatar. In Finnish mythology Louhi was another name of the death goddess Loviatar. She appears in the Finnish epic the Kalevala as a witch ruling the northern area known as Pohjola. She is the primary antagonist to the hero Väinämöinen.

Loviatar f Finnish Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Finnish mythology Loviatar, also known as Louhi, was a goddess of death and plague.

Lú m Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Lugh.

Lucifer m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Means "bringing light", derived from Latin lux "light" and ferre "to bring". In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus, but later became associated with the chief angel who rebelled against God's rule in heaven (see Isaiah 14:12). In later literature, such as the Divine Comedy (1321) by Dante and Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton, Lucifer became associated with Satan himself.

Lucina f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux meaning "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.

Lucretia f Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of the Roman family name Lucretius, possibly from Latin lucrum meaning "profit, wealth". According Roman legend Lucretia was a maiden who was raped by the son of the king of Rome. This caused a great uproar among the Roman citizens, and the monarchy was overthrown. This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida, Spain.

Lug m Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Lugh.

Lugaid m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Lughaidh.

Lugalbanda m Sumerian Mythology
From Sumerian lugal "king" and banda "young, wild, fierce". This was the name of a legendary king of Uruk who was said to be the father of Gilgamesh in Sumerian mythology.

Lugh m Irish Mythology
Probably an Irish form of Lugus. In Irish mythology Lugh Lámfada was a divine hero who led the Tuatha Dé Danann against his grandfather Balor and the Fomorians. Lugh killed Balor by shooting a stone into his giant eye.

Lughaidh m Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Lugaid, a combination of the name of the mythological figure Lugh and Old Irish dech "honour, better". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including the king Lugaid mac Con.

Lugos m Gaulish Mythology
Variant of Lugus.

Lugus m Gaulish Mythology (Hypothetical)
Possibly from one of the Indo-European roots *lewk- "light, brightness", *lewg- "dark" or *lewgh- "oath". This was the name of a Celtic (Gaulish) god of commerce and craftsmanship, who was equated by the Romans with Mercury. He probably forms the basis for the characters and names of Lugh (Irish) and Lleu (Welsh).

Luna f Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, English
Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.

Lycurgus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λυκοῦργος (Lykourgos), derived from λύκος (lykos) meaning "wolf" and ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work, deed". In Greek legend this was the name of a king who was driven mad by the gods because of his impiety. This was also the name of a Spartan legislator of the 9th century BC.

Lycus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λύκος (Lykos) meaning "wolf". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology including a legendary ruler of Thebes.

Lykos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Greek form of Lycus.

Lykourgos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Greek form of Lycurgus.

Lysithea f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". This was the name of a lover of Zeus in Greek mythology. A small moon of Jupiter is named after her.

Lyssa 2 f Greek Mythology
Means "rage, fury, anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Lyssa is a goddess associated with uncontrolled rage.

Mabon m Welsh Mythology
Later Welsh form of Maponos. In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen he is a prisoner freed by Arthur's warriors in order to help hunt the great boar Trwyth. His mother is Modron.

Macsen m Welsh Mythology
Welsh form of Maximus. Magnus Maximus (known as Macsen Wledig in Welsh) was a 4th-century co-ruler of the Western Roman Empire. In Wales he was regarded as the founder of several royal lineages. He appears in the medieval Welsh tale The Dream of Macsen.

Madhava m Sanskrit, Hinduism
Means "vernal, of the springtime" in Sanskrit. This is an epithet of several Hindu gods. It was also the name of a 14th-century Hindu scholar.

Madhavi f Hinduism, Indian, Telugu, Marathi, Hindi
Feminine form of Madhava. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.

Maera f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Maira.

Maeve f Irish, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of the Irish name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband Ailill fought against the Ulster king Conchobar and the hero Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.

Magni m Old Norse, Norse Mythology
Derived from the Old Norse element magn meaning "power, strength". In Norse mythology this name is borne by a son of Thor and the giant Járnsaxa.

Mahesha m Hinduism
Means "great lord" from Sanskrit महा (maha) meaning "great" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler". This is another name of the Hindu god Shiva.

Maia 1 f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Portuguese, Georgian
From Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning "good mother, dame, foster mother", perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.

Maia 2 f Roman Mythology
Probably from Latin maior meaning "greater". This was the name of a Roman goddess of spring, a companion (sometimes wife) of Vulcan. She was later conflated with the Greek goddess Maia. The month of May is named for her.

Maira f Greek Mythology
From Greek μαρμαίρω (marmairo) meaning "sparkle, gleam, flash". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids.

Manannán m Irish Mythology
Probably from the name of the Isle of Man, itself possibly from the Celtic root *moniyo- meaning "mountain". In Irish mythology Manannán mac Lir was a god of the sea and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Manawydan m Welsh Mythology
Welsh cognate of Manannán. According to the Mabinogi he was a son of Llŷr, and the brother of Brân and Branwen. He participated in his brother's invasion of Ireland, and was one of only seven warriors to return. Afterwards he became a companion of Pryderi and married his widowed mother Rhiannon.

Mani 1 m Hinduism, Tamil, Indian, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada
Means "jewel" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this name is borne by a serpent and an attendant of Skanda.

Manoja m Hinduism
Means "born of the mind", from Sanskrit मनस् (manas) meaning "mind, intellect, spirit" and ज (ja) meaning "born". This is another name of the Hindu god Kama.

Manu 1 m Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Kannada
Means "thinking, wise" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is a title of Svayambhuva, the progenitor of the human race, as well as several of his descendants.

Maponos m Celtic Mythology
Means "great son", from the Celtic root *makwos meaning "son" (Gaulish and Brythonic mapos) combined with the divine or augmentative suffix -on. This was the name of a god of youth worshipped in Gaul and Britain. He was commonly equated with the Greco-Roman god Apollo.

Māra f Latvian, Baltic Mythology
This was the name of a Latvian mother goddess. Her name is possibly derived from Maria, identifying her with the Virgin Mary. In modern times this name is used as a variant of Marija.

Marama f Polynesian Mythology
Means "moon" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology she was the goddess of the moon and death.

Marduk m Semitic Mythology
Probably from Sumerian amar-Utuk meaning "calf of Utu", derived from amar combined with the name of the sun god Utu. This was the name of the chief Babylonian god, presiding over heaven, light, sky, battle, and fertility. After killing the dragon Tiamat, who was an old enemy of the gods, he created the world and sky from the pieces of her body.

Mari 3 f Basque Mythology
Possibly from Basque emari meaning "donation" or amari meaning "mother". This was the name of a goddess of nature and fertility in Basque mythology.

Mars m Roman Mythology
Possibly related to Latin mas meaning "male" (genitive maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.

Marte 2 m Roman Mythology (Italianized, Hispanicized, Portuguese-style)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Mars.

Marzanna 2 f Slavic Mythology
Polish form of Morana.

Math m Welsh Mythology
Possibly from the old Celtic root *matus meaning "bear". According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, Math ap Mathonwy was a king of Gwynedd and a magician. Whenever he was not at war, it was required that he rest his feet in the lap of a virgin. He was the uncle of the hero Gwydion, with whom he shared most of his adventures.

Matrona 2 f Celtic Mythology
Means "great mother", from Celtic *mātīr meaning "mother" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on. This was the name of a Gaulish and Brythonic mother goddess, the namesake of the River Marne.

Māui m & f Hawaiian, Polynesian Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Hawaiian mythology Māui was a trickster who created the Hawaiian Islands by having his brothers fish them out of the sea. He was also responsible for binding the sun and slowing its movement.

Maximón m Mythology
The name of a trickster folk deity, also called San Simón, worshipped by the Maya people in parts of Guatemala. He is a syncretic figure thought to have arisen during the Spanish conquest, and is typically represented by a man-sized, cigar-smoking, alcohol-drinking wooden effigy. The meaning of the name is uncertain. It could be a blend of Mam, a title of some of the Maya gods meaning "grandfather", and Simón, referring to Saint Peter.

Maya 1 f Hinduism, Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "illusion, magic" in Sanskrit. In Buddhist tradition this is the name of the mother of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). This is also another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.

Méabh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Medb (see Maeve).

Meadhbh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Medb (see Maeve).

Medb f Irish Mythology
Original Irish form of Maeve.

Medea f Greek Mythology (Latinized), Georgian
From Greek Μήδεια (Medeia), derived from μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek mythology Medea was a sorceress from Colchis (modern Georgia) who helped Jason gain the Golden Fleece. They were married, but eventually Jason left her for another woman. For revenge Medea slew Jason's new lover and also had her own children by Jason killed.

Medeia f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Medea.

Medousa f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Medusa.