Alexis m & f French, English, Greek, Spanish, Ancient GreekFrom the Greek name
Ἄλεξις (Alexis) meaning
"helper" or
"defender", derived from Greek
ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, to help". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek comic poet, and also of several saints. It is used somewhat interchangeably with the related name
Ἀλέξιος or
Alexius, borne by five Byzantine emperors.
... [more] Alfonso m Spanish, ItalianSpanish and Italian form of
Alphonsus, the Latin form of the Visigothic name *
Aþalafuns meaning
"noble and ready", derived from the Gothic elements
aþals "noble" and
funs "ready". This was the name of several kings of Spain (Asturias, León, Castile and Aragon) and Portugal, starting with Alfonso I of Asturias in the 8th century. His name was sometimes recorded in the Latin spelling
Adefonsus, and on that basis it is theorized that first element might be from another source (perhaps
haþus meaning "battle"). It is possible that two or more names merged into a single form.
Anastasia f Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, English, Spanish, Italian, Georgian, Ancient GreekFeminine form of
Anastasius. This was the name of a 4th-century Dalmatian saint who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor
Diocletian. Due to her, the name has been common in Eastern Orthodox Christianity (in various spellings). As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the youngest daughter of the last Russian tsar Nicholas II, who was rumoured to have escaped the execution of her family in 1918.
Ángeles f SpanishMeans
"angels", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles, meaning "Our Lady the Queen of the Angels".
Angustias f SpanishMeans
"anguishes", taken from a Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de las Angustias, meaning "Our Lady of Anguishes". She is the patron saint of Granada, Spain.
Ascensión f SpanishMeans
"ascension" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the Ascension of
Jesus into heaven.
Asunción f SpanishMeans
"assumption" in Spanish. This name is given in reference to the assumption of the Virgin
Mary into heaven.
Casilda f SpanishMeaning uncertain. This is the name of the 11th-century patron saint of Toledo, Spain. It might have an Arabic origin (Saint Casilda was a Moorish princess), perhaps from
قصيدة (qaṣīda) meaning
"poem". Alternatively it could be derived from a Visigothic name in which the second element is
hilds meaning "battle".
Consolación f SpanishMeans
"consolation" in Spanish. It is taken from a title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Consolación, meaning "Our Lady of Consolation".
Consuelo f SpanishMeans
"consolation" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, meaning "Our Lady of Consolation".
Custodio m SpanishMeans
"guardian" in Spanish, from Latin
custodia "protection, safekeeping".
Desamparados f SpanishMeans
"helpless, defenceless, forsaken" in Spanish. It is taken from an epithet of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados, meaning "Our Lady of the Helpless". She is the patron saint of Valencia, Spain.
Dinis m PortuguesePortuguese form of
Denis, used mainly in Portugal as opposed to Brazil (where
Dênis is more common). This name was borne by a well-regarded Portuguese king of the 13th and 14th centuries.
Dolores f Spanish, EnglishMeans
"sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Spanish, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyFrom the Greek name
Δωρίς (Doris), which meant
"Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
Elias m Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Dutch, Greek, Amharic, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekForm of
Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament, as well as some English translations.
Elsa f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Finnish, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, EnglishShort form of
Elisabeth, typically used independently. In medieval German tales Elsa von Brabant was the lover of the hero
Lohengrin. Her story was expanded by Richard Wagner for his opera
Lohengrin (1850). The name had a little spike in popularity after the 2013 release of the animated Disney movie
Frozen, which featured a magical princess by this name.
Esmeralda f Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian, LiteratureMeans
"emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.
Esperanza f SpanishSpanish form of the Late Latin name
Sperantia, which was derived from
spero "to hope".
Ester f Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Italian, Czech, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Estonian, HebrewForm of
Esther used in several languages.
Esther f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
אֶסְתֵר (ʾEsṯer), which possibly means
"star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess
Ishtar. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor
Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin
Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was
Hadassah.
... [more] Estíbaliz f SpanishFrom a Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Estíbaliz, meaning "Our Lady of Estíbaliz". Estíbaliz is a sanctuary in Álava, Spain. It may be derived from Latin
aestivalis "pertaining to the summer", a derivative of
aestas "summer". Folk etymology connects it to Basque
ezti "honey" and
balitz "as if it were".
Evangelista m & f Italian, Spanish, PortugueseMeans
"evangelist, preacher" in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, derived from Latin, ultimately from Greek
εὐάγγελος (euangelos) meaning "bringing good news". It is often used in honour of the Four Evangelists (the authors of the gospels in the New Testament:
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke and
John). It is traditionally masculine, though occasionally given to girls. A famous bearer was the Italian physicist and mathematician Evangelista Torricelli (1608-1647), who invented the barometer.
Faustino m Spanish, Italian, PortugueseSpanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Roman cognomen
Faustinus, which was itself derived from the Roman name
Faustus. Faustinus was the name of several early saints.
Felicitas f Late Roman, Roman Mythology, German, SpanishLatin name meaning
"good luck, fortune". In Roman mythology the goddess Felicitas was the personification of good luck. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a slave martyred with her master Perpetua in Carthage.
Francisco m Spanish, PortugueseSpanish and Portuguese form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). This is the Spanish name of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Other notable bearers include the Spanish painter and engraver Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) and the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975).
Fuensanta f SpanishFrom Spanish
fuente santa meaning
"holy fountain, holy spring". This is a title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de la Fuensanta, meaning "Our Lady of the Holy Fountain". She is the patron saint of the city of Murcia in Spain.
Gisele f PortuguesePortuguese (especially Brazil) form of
Giselle. A famous bearer is Brazilian model Gisele Bündchen (1980-).
Gladys f Welsh, English, French, SpanishFrom the Old Welsh name
Gwladus, probably derived from
gwlad meaning
"country". Alternatively, it may have been adopted as a Welsh form of
Claudia. Saint Gwladus or Gwladys was the mother of Saint
Cadoc. She was one of the daughters of
Brychan Brycheiniog. This name became popular outside of Wales after it was used in Ouida's novel
Puck (1870).
Griselda f English, Spanish, LiteraturePossibly derived from the Old German elements
gris "grey" and
hilt "battle". It is not attested as a Germanic name. This was the name of a patient wife in medieval folklore, adapted into tales by Boccaccio (in
The Decameron) and Chaucer (in
The Canterbury Tales).
Gumersindo m SpanishFrom the medieval name
Gomesendus, the Latin form of a Germanic (Visigothic or Suebian) name probably composed of
guma "man" and
sinþs "time". This was the name of a 9th-century martyr from Córdoba.
Hermes m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, SpanishProbably 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] Ildefonso m SpanishSpanish form of the Visigothic name *
Hildifuns, which meant
"battle ready", derived from the Gothic elements
hilds "battle" and
funs "ready". This was the name of a 7th-century saint, an archbishop of Toledo.
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, GreekMeans
"rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Isaac m English, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, French, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
יִצְחָק (Yitsḥaq) meaning
"he will laugh, he will rejoice", derived from
צָחַק (tsaḥaq) meaning "to laugh". The Old Testament explains this meaning, by recounting that
Abraham laughed when God told him that his aged wife
Sarah would become pregnant with Isaac (see
Genesis 17:17), and later Sarah laughed when overhearing the same prophecy (see
Genesis 18:12). When Isaac was a boy, God tested Abraham's faith by ordering him to sacrifice his son, though an angel prevented the act at the last moment. Isaac went on to become the father of
Esau and
Jacob with his wife
Rebecca.
... [more] Isabel f Spanish, Portuguese, English, French, German, DutchMedieval Occitan form of
Elizabeth. It spread throughout Spain, Portugal and France, becoming common among the royalty by the 12th century. It grew popular in England in the 13th century after Isabella of Angoulême married the English king John, and it was subsequently bolstered when Isabella of France married Edward II the following century.
... [more] Jessica f English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, SpanishThis name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play
The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of
Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name
Iscah, which would have been spelled
Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the United States in 1987, and was the top ranked name for girls between 1985 and 1995, excepting 1991 and 1992 (when it was unseated by
Ashley). Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).
Jesus m Theology, Biblical, PortugueseEnglish form of
Ἰησοῦς (Iesous), which was the Greek form of the Aramaic name
יֵשׁוּעַ (Yeshuaʿ).
Yeshuaʿ is itself a contracted form of
Yehoshuaʿ (see
Joshua). Yeshua ben Yoseph, better known as Jesus Christ, is the central figure of the New Testament and the source of the Christian religion. The four gospels state that he was the son of God and the Virgin
Mary who fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. He preached for three years before being crucified in Jerusalem.
José m & f Spanish, Portuguese, FrenchSpanish and Portuguese form of
Joseph, as well as a French variant. In Spanish and Portuguese-speaking regions it is occasionally used as a feminine middle name (or the second part of a double name), often paired with
María. This was the most popular name for boys in Spain for the first half of the 20th century. A famous bearer was the Portuguese novelist José Saramago (1922-2010).
Lourdes f Spanish, PortugueseFrom the name of a French town. It became a popular center of pilgrimage after a young girl from the town had visions of the Virgin
Mary in a nearby grotto.
Maravillas f SpanishMeans
"marvels, wonders", from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas, meaning "Our Lady of Wonders".