DianUK's Personal Name List

Feminine form of Zosimos (see Zosimus).

Means "happiness" in Basque.

Diminutive of Kreszenz.

Found in occasional use as a given name from 17th century onwards, Zeal is part virtue name and part a transfer of the English surname.
While the surname is derived from a number of places in England (and thus ultimately from Old English sealh "sallow-tree"), the English word zeal is derived from Greek zêlos, used in the Bible to mean "ardent feeling; fervor" referring to any kind of strong emotion.

Means "peace" in Zulu.

Means "hospitality" in Greek, a derivative of ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest". This was the name of a 5th-century saint who is venerated in the Eastern Church.

Variant of Winsome.

Means "desiring peace" from Old English willa "will, desire" and friþ "peace". Saint Wilfrid was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon bishop. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.

Meaning uncertain, perhaps from a German surname, or perhaps from the English word wild. It has been in use since the 19th century.

Swiss diminutive of Verena.

Means "gentle" in Finnish.

Simply from the English word, which is ultimately from Latin victoria (itself from the past participle stem of vincere "to conquer", making it a (distant) relative of Vincent). For Puritans, the name was given in reference to 1 Corinthians 15:55, "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"
A male bearer was Victory Birdseye (1782-1853), a U.S. Representative from New York.

From the English word meaning "verity, truth", from Latin verus "true, real". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Possibly related to Latin verus "true". This might also be a Coptic form of the Ptolemaic name Berenice. Saint Verena was a 3rd-century Egyptian-born nurse who went with the Theban Legion to Switzerland. After the legion was massacred she settled near Zurich.

Derived from Albanian verë meaning "summer".

Roman family name meaning "versatile" in Latin. Varius Rufus was a Roman epic poet of the 1st century BC.

Variant of Valerie.

Means "valuable" in Esperanto.

From the English word valor meaning "bravery, courage". From the Latin valor "value".

Derived from Arabic وَفَاء (wafāʾ) meaning "loyalty, faithfulness".

Latin form of Urs.

Feminine form of Ursus. This is the name of two constellations in the northern sky: Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

From the English word unity, which is ultimately derived from Latin unitas.

Diminutive of Victoria or Custodia used among Hispanic Americans.

Means "law of nature, divine law, custom" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan who presided over custom and natural law. She was often depicted blindfolded and holding a pair of scales. By Zeus she was the mother of many deities, including the three Μοῖραι (Moirai) and the three Ὥραι (Horai).

Meaning unknown, perhaps related to Old Norse stilling "calm", or perhaps of German origin.

From a nickname that is commonly used to denote a young boy, derived from the English word son.

From the English word, solace.

Means "protection, comfort, joy" in Sanskrit.

Means "guardian, protector" in Hebrew, from the root שָׁמַר (shamar) "to guard, to watch".

Feminine form of Salvator.

From an Aramaic name that was related to the Hebrew word שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". According to the historian Josephus this was the name of the daughter of Herodias (the consort of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee). In the New Testament, though a specific name is not given, it was a daughter of Herodias who danced for Herod and was rewarded with the head of John the Baptist, and thus Salome and the dancer have traditionally been equated.

As a Christian given name, Salome has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation. This was due to a second person of this name in the New Testament: one of the women who witnessed the crucifixion and later discovered that Jesus' tomb was empty. It is used in Georgia due to the 4th-century Salome of Ujarma, who is considered a saint in the Georgian Church.

Means "calmness, peace" in Arabic.

From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.

From Old Welsh Ris, probably meaning "ardour, enthusiasm". Several Welsh rulers have borne this name, including the 12th-century Rhys ap Gruffydd who fought against the invading Normans.

From the Old French rebelle, from the Latin rebellis 'waging war again; insurgent', from rebellō 'I wage war again, fight back', from re- 'again, back' and bellō 'I wage war'.

From the Latin name Prosperus, which meant "fortunate, successful". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a supporter of Saint Augustine. It has never been common as an English name, though the Puritans used it, partly because it is identical to the English word prosper.

From the English word peace, ultimately derived from Latin pax. This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Variant of Pezaine, a corruption of Perseveranda, which in turn is derived from the Latin verb perseverare meaning "to persevere". This was the name of a French saint who died in 726, a sister of Saints Macrina and Columba.

Elaborated form of Pamela.

Alternate transcription of Ukrainian/Russian Оксана (see Oksana).

Uzbek feminine name meaning "female teacher", "a woman who reads mystic poetry at traditional gatherings", "an educated woman", or refering to an epithet for distinguished women.

Means "happiness" in Hebrew.

Possibly related to Greek ὀρίνω (orino) meaning "to excite, to agitate". George Bernard Shaw used this name in his play The Apple Cart (1929).

Derived from Turkish or, of uncertain meaning, possibly from a Turkic root meaning "place", and han meaning "khan, ruler, leader". This was the name of a 14th-century sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

Medieval Italian name directly taken from the noun onestà "honesty" or the (feminine) adjective onesta "honest; sincere".

Possibly means "life" or "servant" in Hebrew (or a related Semitic language). This was the name of a 9th-century BC military commander who became king of Israel. He appears in the Old Testament, where he is denounced as being wicked.

Means "hope" in Persian.

Derived from Hebrew אָמַר ('amar) meaning "speak, say". This is the name of a son of Eliphaz in the Old Testament.

Spanish and Italian form of Ophelia.

Possibly derived from Serbian obradovati meaning "to make happy".

From an English surname meaning "noble, notable". The name can also be given in direct reference to the English word noble.

Means "pleasantness" in Hebrew. A famous bearer is Noam Chomsky (1928-), an American linguist and philosopher.

Means "good listener" in Persian.

Meaning "nerve, courage, pep, daring, spirit". A relatively modern American slang term that came around c. 1925-30 after 'Moxie', a brand of soft drink. The term fell into common usage following an aggressive marketing campaign associating the brand name Moxie with the traits that now define the term. It began gaining popularity as a given name after magician Penn Jillette used it for his daughter in 2005.

Possibly derived from the Slavic word mir meaning "peace" or Romanian mira meaning "to wonder, to astound".

From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear".

Means "meritorious, worthy" in Esperanto.

Either a variant of Merritt or else simply from the English word merit, ultimately from Latin meritus "deserving".

From the English word mercy, ultimately from Latin merces "wages, reward", a derivative of merx "goods, wares". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Latinate form of Mercy. This was also the name of an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom, though it has a different origin.

Derived from Latin melior meaning "better".

Means "practice, exercise" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of meditation.

From the English word "loyal" meaning "firm in allegiance, faithful, to a person, cause, or institution". From the Old French loial, leal, from the Latin lēgālis 'legal, law'.

Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism) [1].

From the Late Latin name Laetitia meaning "joy, happiness". This was the name of an obscure saint, who is revered mainly in Spain. It was in use in England during the Middle Ages, usually in the spelling Lettice, and it was revived in the 18th century.

Derived from the Old English element leof "dear, beloved" combined with ric "ruler, king".

Latin name meaning "just". This name was borne by at least eight saints.

French form of Iustina (see Justina). This is the name of the heroine in the novel Justine (1791) by the Marquis de Sade.

From Latin Iustina, the feminine form of Iustinus (see Justin). This name was borne by several early saints and martyrs.

An elaborated form of the English word justice. Justicia is also a genus of flowering plants in the bear's breeches family, Acanthaceae. The genus name honors the Scottish horticulturist James Justice.

From an occupational surname meaning "judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word justice.

French form of Justus.

Form of Irene in several languages.

Notably used for Sir Integra Hellsing in the Hellsing manga by Kouta Hirano.

Italian feminine form of Hilarius.

Welsh form of Justin. This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint.

Variant of Honoria. It was brought to England and Ireland by the Normans.

Possibly from the Old German elements heri "army" and leiba "remainder, remnant, legacy" (or the Old Norse cognates herr and leif, see Herleif). This was the name of the mother of William the Conqueror, who, according to tradition, was a commoner.

From the English word for a safe place, derived ultimately from Old English hæfen.

Means "brave friend" from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and wini "friend".

From the English word harmony, ultimately deriving from Greek ἁρμονία (harmonia).

Alternate transcription of Greek Χάρης or Χάρις (see Charis).

Polish and Belarusian form of Galina.

From the Roman name Gratianus, which meant "grace" from Latin gratus. Saint Gratian was the first bishop of Tours (4th century). This was also the name of a Roman emperor.

Feminine form of Graciano.

Originally a short form of names containing the Old German element fridu meaning "peace" (Proto-Germanic *friþuz). A famous bearer was the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).

From Greek εὐδοξία (eudoxia) meaning "good repute, good judgement", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δόξα (doxa) meaning "notion, reputation, honour".

Diminutive of Ethel.

Spanish form of the Late Latin name Sperantia, which was derived from sperare "to hope".

Means "hoping" in Esperanto.

Variant of Emmett. It is used in Ireland in honour of the nationalist and rebel Robert Emmet (1778-1803).

Means "revolution" in Turkish.

Means "joy" in Amharic.

Latin form of Greek Δαρεῖος (Dareios), from the Old Persian name 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎢𐏁 (Darayauš), shortened from 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 (Darayavauš). It means "possessing goodness", composed of 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹 (daraya) meaning "to possess, to hold" and 𐎺𐎢 (vau) meaning "good" [1]. Three ancient kings of Persia bore this name, including Darius the Great who expanded the Achaemenid Empire to its greatest extent. His forces invaded Greece but were defeated in the Battle of Marathon.

It has never been very common as a given name in the English-speaking world, though it rose in popularity after the middle of the 20th century. In the United States it is frequently an African-American name. In Lithuania it may be given in honour of the Lithuanian-American aviator Steponas Darius (1896-1933), who died attempting to fly nonstop from New York to Lithuania. His surname was an Americanized form of the original Darašius.

Feminine form of Darius. Saint Daria was a 3rd-century woman who was martyred with her husband Chrysanthus under the Roman emperor Numerian. It has never been a particularly common English given name. As a Russian name, it is more commonly transcribed Darya.

Medieval short form of Durante. The most notable bearer of this name was Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), the Italian poet who wrote the Divine Comedy.

Means "guardian" in Spanish, from Latin custodia "protection, safekeeping".

Feminine form of Custodio.

Spanish form of Crescentia.

Variant of Consuelo.

Spanish form of Constantia.

Feminine form of the Late Latin name Constantius, which was itself derived from Constans.

Medieval form of Constantia. The Normans introduced this name to England (it was the name of a daughter of William the Conqueror).

Means "harmony" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of harmony and peace.

From the English word comfort, ultimately from Latin confortare "to strengthen greatly", a derivative of fortis "strong". It was used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It is now most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Feminine form of Clemens or Clementius (see Clement). In Roman mythology this was the name of the personification of mercy and clemency.

English form of the Late Latin name Clemens (or sometimes of its derivative Clementius), which meant "merciful, gentle". This was the name of 14 popes, including Saint Clement I, the third pope, one of the Apostolic Fathers. Another saint by this name was Clement of Alexandria, a 3rd-century theologian and church father who attempted to reconcile Christian and Platonic philosophies. It has been in general as a given name in Christian Europe (in various spellings) since early times. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, though it was revived in the 19th century.

Feminine form of Clementius (see Clement). It has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it became rare after the 17th century.

Simply means "clarity, lucidity" from the English word, ultimately from Latin clarus "clear".

From the English word meaning "to treasure".

From the English word charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin caritas "generous love", from Latin carus "dear, beloved". Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Elaborated form of Charis. Edmund Spencer used it in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).

From the English word meaning "personal magnetism", ultimately derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness".

Ancient Greek feminine form of Chares. This was the word (in the singular) for one of the three Graces (plural Χάριτες).

This is also a Modern Greek transcription of the masculine form Chares.

Means "happiness, joy" in Greek.

Derived from the Indo-European root *ker- meaning "grow, increase". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess Demeter.

Derived from Irish caomh meaning "dear, beloved, gentle".

Means "valiant, brave" in Esperanto.

Russian variant of Irina.

Possibly derived from Greek ἀρετή (arete) meaning "virtue". This name was popularized in the 1960s by American singer Aretha Franklin (1942-2018).

Medieval English variant of Honora.

Old Welsh name, possibly from the Latin name Honorius [1]. This was the name of a 6th-century Brythonic poet, also known as Neirin or Aneurin [2], who is said to be the author of the poem Y Gododdin.

From the English word meaning "friendship", ultimately deriving from Latin amicitia.

Means "loyalty" in Chamorro, derived from Spanish amistad "friendship".

Means "friendly" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin amicus "friend".

From 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.

In the English-speaking world this name is more commonly given to girls. This is due to the American actress Alexis Smith (1921-1993), who began appearing in movies in the early 1940s. It got a boost in popularity in the 1980s from a character on the soap opera Dynasty.

Derived from Greek ἀλήθεια (aletheia) meaning "truth". This name was coined in the 16th century.

Means "creative" in Akan.

Means "justice" in Kyrgyz and Kazakh, ultimately from Arabic عدل ('adala) meaning "to act justly".

Means "justice" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic عدل ('adala) meaning "to act justly".