mairinn's Personal Name List

Derived from the given name Abel.

Italian form of Abel.

Patronymic surname derived from Abel or a diminutive of Albert.

From the given name Abele.

Means "son of Abel".

Diminutive of Abigail (typically British).

Hungarian form of Abigail.

Originally a short form of Germanic names such as Adelaide or Adelina that begin with the element adal meaning "noble". Saint Ada was a 7th-century Frankish abbess at Le Mans. This name was also borne by Augusta Ada King (1815-1852), the Countess of Lovelace (known as Ada Lovelace), a daughter of Lord Byron. She was an assistant to Charles Babbage, the inventor of an early mechanical computer.

Variant of Adeline using the popular name suffix lyn.

Variant of Adeline using the popular name suffix lynn.

Means "noble" in Hebrew.

Variant of Adhara.

Diminutive of Adelaide, Adeline, Addison and other names containing the same sound.

French variant of Alexandra.

Elaborated form of Alexandra. This was the first name of Queen Victoria; her middle name was Victoria.

French diminutive of Alexandra. This was the name of a Danish queen, the wife of King Christian X.

Greek form of Alexander.

Alternate transcription of Russian Алексей (see Aleksey).

Feminine form of Alexis.

Feminine form of Alex, or a diminutive of Alexis.

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.

Diminutive of Alison 1, Alexandra and other names beginning with the same sound.

From the Old French name Aalis, a short form of Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name Adalheidis (see Adelaide). This name became popular in France and England in the 12th century. It was among the most common names in England until the 16th century, when it began to decline. It was revived in the 19th century.

This name was borne by the heroine of Lewis Carroll's novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking Glass (1871).

Derived from Greek ἀμαρύσσω (amarysso) meaning "to sparkle". This is the name of a character appearing in Virgil's pastoral poems Eclogues [1]. The amaryllis flower is named for her.

From the English word amber that denotes either the gemstone, which is formed from fossil resin, or the orange-yellow colour. The word ultimately derives from Arabic عنبر ('anbar). It began to be used as a given name in the late 19th century, but it only became popular after the release of Kathleen Winsor's novel Forever Amber (1944).

Bosnian masculine form of Amal 1.

Alternate transcription of Arabic أمال (see Amaal) chiefly used in North Africa.

Kashubian form of Amelia.

Bosnian feminine form of Amal 1.

Variant of Amalia, though it is sometimes confused with Emilia, which has a different origin. The name became popular in England after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century — it was borne by daughters of both George II and George III. The author Henry Fielding used it for the title character in his novel Amelia (1751). Another famous bearer was Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), the first woman to make a solo flight over the Atlantic Ocean.

This name experienced a rise in popularity at the end of the 20th century. It was the most popular name for girls in England and Wales from 2011 to 2015.

French form of Amelia.

German variant of Amelia.

Finnish, Estonian and Swedish form of Annelie, as well as a German variant.

German diminutive of Anna or short form of Anneliese.

Combination of Anna and lien (from names such as Carolien).

Combination of Anne 1 and Liese.

French diminutive of Anne 1. It has also been widely used in the English-speaking world, and it became popular in America in the late 1950s due to the fame of actress Annette Funicello (1942-2013).

Diminutive of Anne 1.

Swedish diminutive of Anna.

Old German form of Anselm.

Derived from the given name Anselm.

Derived from the Old German elements ansi "god" and helm "helmet, protection". This name was brought to England in the late 11th century by Saint Anselm, who was born in northern Italy. He was archbishop of Canterbury and a Doctor of the Church.

Feminine form of Anselm.

French form of Anselm.

Means "son of Anselmetto", a diminutive of Anselmo.

Means "son of Anselmo".

Finnish form of Anselm.

Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Anselm.

Yiddish form of Anselm, used as a vernacular form of Asher.

English form of the Roman family name Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin. The most notable member of the Roman family was the general Marcus Antonius (called Mark Antony in English), who for a period in the 1st century BC ruled the Roman Empire jointly with Augustus. When their relationship turned sour, he and his mistress Cleopatra were attacked and forced to commit suicide, as related in Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra (1606).

The name became regularly used in the Christian world due to the fame of Saint Anthony the Great, a 4th-century Egyptian hermit who founded Christian monasticism. Its popularity was reinforced in the Middle Ages by the 13th-century Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of Portugal. It has been commonly (but incorrectly) associated with Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower", which resulted in the addition of the h to this spelling in the 17th century.

Diminutive of Archibald. This name is borne by Archie Andrews, an American comic-book character created in 1941. It was also used by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for the name of their son born 2019.

Means "lion" in Hebrew.

Means "song, melody" in Italian (literally means "air"). An aria is an elaborate vocal solo, the type usually performed in operas. As an English name, it has only been in use since the 20th century, its rise in popularity accelerating after the 2010 premier of the television drama Pretty Little Liars, featuring a character by this name. It is not traditionally used in Italy.

Means "most holy", composed of the Greek prefix ἀρι (ari) meaning "most" combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos. She fell in love with Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god Dionysus.

Italian form of Ariadne.

Means "lion of God" in Hebrew, from אֲרִי ('ari) meaning "lion" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare utilized it for a spirit in his play The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1712), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film The Little Mermaid (1989).

Hebrew variant of Ariella, Polish feminine form of Ariel, Italian feminine form of Ariele as well as a Croatian and Albanian borrowing of the Italian name.

Strictly feminine form of Ariel.

Dutch form of Arielle.

French feminine form of Ariel, as well as an English variant.

Means "noble maiden" in the fictional language Sindarin. In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Arwen was the daughter of Elrond and the lover of Aragorn.

Latinate form of Arwen.

In the case of Norwegian-Trinidadian electronic singer Ary, it is short form of Ariadne.

Variant of Erin or Aaron (See also Aaryn and Arin).

Short form of Old Norse feminine names beginning with the element áss "god".

Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and dís "goddess".

Faroese younger form of Ásdís.

Younger form of Ásdís.

Short form of Ashley. It can also come directly from the English word denoting either the tree or the residue of fire.

From an English surname that was originally derived from place names meaning "ash tree clearing", from a combination of Old English æsc and leah. Until the 1960s it was more commonly given to boys in the United States, but it is now most often used on girls. It reached its height of popularity in America in 1987, but it did not become the highest ranked name until 1991, being overshadowed by the likewise-popular Jessica until then. In the United Kingdom it is still more common as a masculine name.

Combination of Ashley and the popular name suffix lyn.

Variant of Ashlyn.

From the name of the continent, which is perhaps derived from Akkadian asu, meaning "east".

Old Norse and Icelandic form of Aslaug.

Derived from the Old Norse elements áss meaning "god" and laug possibly meaning "vowed, promised, bound in oath".

Icelandic younger form of Áshildr.

Modern Scandinavian form of Ástríðr. This name was borne by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), the author of Pippi Longstocking. It was also borne by a Swedish princess (1905-1935) who became the queen of Belgium as the wife of Leopold III.

Croatian and Slovak form of Beatrice.

Italian form of Beatrix. Beatrice Portinari (1266-1290) was the woman who was loved by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. She serves as Dante's guide through paradise in his epic poem the Divine Comedy (1321). This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing (1599), in which Beatrice and Benedick are fooled into confessing their love for one another.

Short form of Rebecca.

Diminutive of Rebecca.

Irish diminutive of Bridget.

Short form of Beatrix and other names beginning with B.

Spanish form of Bethlehem, the name of the town in Judah where King David and Jesus were born. The town's name is from Hebrew בֵּית־לֶחֶם (Beit-lechem) meaning "house of bread".

Variant of Belenky.

Variant of Bloomfield.

This interesting surname is of early medieval English origin, and is a locational name from either of the two places thus called in England, one in Staffordshire, and the other in Somerset, or it may be a dialectal variant of Blonville (-sur-Mer) in Calvados, Normandy, and hence a Norman habitation name. The English places are most likely named with the Middle English "blom, blome", ultimately from the Old Norse "blom", flower, blossom, and "feld", pasture, open country. The first element of Blonville, Normandy, is an Old Norse personal name, and the second is the Old French "ville", settlement. Locational surnames were originally given to the lord of the manor, and as a means of identification to those who left their place of birth to settle elsewhere. The surname has long been associated with Norfolk; one John de Blomevile was noted in the 1249 Feet of Fines of that county, and on September 17th 1575, Jane Bloomfield and George Brown were married in Bedingham, Norfolk. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Blunuill, which was dated 1207, in the "Curia Regis Rolls of Suffolk", during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216.

From the English word for the colour, derived via Norman French from a Frankish word (replacing the native Old English cognate blaw). Despite the fact that this name was used by the American musicians Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2012 for their first daughter, it has not come into general use in the United States.

From Yiddish בלום (blum) meaning "flower".

Means "pretty" from the Scottish word bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.

From Welsh ap Owain meaning "son of Owain".

From a Welsh surname, derived from ap Owain meaning "son of Owain".

Means "white raven" from Old Welsh bran "raven" and gwen "white, blessed". According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi [1] she was the daughter of Llŷr. After she was mistreated by her husband Matholwch, the king of Ireland, she managed to get a message to her brother Brân, the king of Britain. Brân launched a costly invasion to rescue her, but she died of grief shortly after her return.

Manx form of Bridget.

From Brendanus, the Latinized form of the Old Irish name Bréanainn, which was derived from Old Welsh breenhin meaning "king, prince". Saint Brendan was a 6th-century Irish abbot who, according to legend, crossed the Atlantic and reached North America with 17 other monks.

From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Braonáin) that was derived from the byname Braonán, itself from Irish braon meaning "rain, moisture, drop" combined with a diminutive suffix. As a given name, it has been used since the 1960s as an alternative to Brendan or Brandon, though it has not been as popular as them.

From Irish Ó Braonáin meaning "descendant of Braonán", a byname meaning "rain, moisture, drop" (with a diminutive suffix).

Variant of Brierley.

Short form of Gabriella.

Short form of Gabrielle. This is also the name of towns in the Netherlands and New Jersey, though their names derive from a different source.

Diminutive of Birgitta.

From Britannia, the Latin name for the island of Great Britain, the land of the Britons. It derives from the name of the Britons, recorded in Greek in the 4th century BC as Πρεττανική (Prettanike), and reconstructed as Proto-Brythonic *Pritanī, possibly meaning "tattooed people".

German, Swedish and Danish form of Britain.

Variant of Brook. The name came into use in the 1950s, probably influenced by American socialite Brooke Astor (1902-2007). It was further popularized by actress Brooke Shields (1965-).

Diminutive of Bruno. This is the name of a Saracen thief in the Italian epic Orlando poems (1483 and 1532) by Boiardo and Ariosto.

Variant of Bride.

From the name of a type of Eurasian vine, formerly used as medicine. It ultimately derives from Greek βρύω (bryo) meaning "to swell".

Arabic form of Paul.

Late Latin name, a derivative of Caelestis. This name was borne by five popes (usually spelled Celestine in English).

Late Latin name meaning "of the sky, heavenly".

Feminine form of Caelius.

Variant of Kaylee.

Roman family name that was itself derived from the Roman family name Caelius.

Roman family name that was derived from Latin caelum meaning "heaven".

Variant of Kaylyn.

Short form of Caitríona.

Diminutive of Caitlin and Catherine.

Irish form of Cateline, the Old French form of Katherine.

Anglicized form of Caitlín.

Variant of Caitlin.

Variant of Kajsa.

Variant of Callie.

Feminine form of Callistus. As an English name it might also be a variant of Kallisto.

Portuguese and Spanish form of Callistus.

Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Calixtus.

French form of Calixtus.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Calixtus.

Variant of Callistus, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin calix "wine cup". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).

Variant of Callie.

Diminutive of Caroline, or sometimes of names beginning with Cal.

Latinized form of Kalliope.

Variant of Calista.

Italian form of Callistus.

Latinized form of Kallisto. A moon of Jupiter bears this name.

Late Latin name that was derived from the Greek name Κάλλιστος (Kallistos) meaning "most beautiful". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callixtus), including the 3rd-century Callistus I who is regarded as a saint.

Variant of Callistus, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin calix "wine cup". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).

Spanish and Portuguese form of Camilla.

Feminine form of Camillus. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volsci, as told by Virgil in the Aeneid. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Fanny Burney's novel Camilla (1796).

French feminine and masculine form of Camilla. It is also used in the English-speaking world, where it is generally only feminine.

Italian form of Camillus.

Roman cognomen, which is probably of Etruscan origin and unknown meaning. It is probably not related to Latin camillus "a youth employed in religious services". This name was borne by the 16th-century Italian monk Saint Camillus de Lellis.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Camillus.

Diminutive of Camilla.

From a Scottish surname meaning "crooked mouth" from Gaelic cam "crooked" and beul "mouth".

From a Gaelic nickname cam beul meaning "wry or crooked mouth". The surname was later represented in Latin documents as de bello campo meaning "of the fair field".

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

Dutch form of Charles.

Means "charity" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Caridad, meaning "Our Lady of Charity". This is the name of the patron saint of Cuba, with a shrine located in the town of El Cobre.

Late Latin name derived from cara meaning "dear, beloved". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr. It is also the name of a constellation in the southern sky, though in this case it means "keel" in Latin, referring to a part of Jason's ship the Argo.

Variant of Casey and Cassie.

Malagasy form of Dahlia.

Form of Delilah used in the Latin Old Testament, as well as in French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.

From the Greek name Δαμιανός (Damianos), which was derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". Saint Damian was martyred with his twin brother Cosmas in Syria early in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in Christian Europe. Another saint by this name was Peter Damian, an 11th-century cardinal and theologian from Italy.

French form of Damian.

Basque form of Daniel.

From a Slavic word meaning "morning star, Venus". This name occurs in Slavic folklore as a personification of the morning star. It has sometimes been used in the English-speaking world since the 1970s.

From a surname, see Dean 1 and Dean 2. The actor James Dean (1931-1955) was a famous bearer of the surname.

Derived from Middle English dene meaning "valley".

Anglicized form of Eibhlín. It is also sometimes considered an Irish form of Helen. It first became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland near the end of the 19th century.

Variant of Eluned.

Derived from Welsh eilun meaning "image, likeness, idol". This was the name of a legendary 5th-century Welsh saint, also known as Eiliwedd, one of the supposed daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.

Variant of Amelia.

French form of Emmeline.

Variant of Emmeline, or else a combination of Emma and the fashionable name suffix lyn.

From Old French Emeline, a diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element amal meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave". The Normans introduced this name to England.

Originally this may have been a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element angil, referring to the Germanic tribe known in English as the Angles. However, from early times it has been strongly associated with the Old German word engil meaning "angel" (of Latin and Greek origin).

Irish form of Iohannes (see John) used in the Bible.

Portuguese and Spanish form of Estelle.

Latinate form of Estelle. This is the name of the heroine, Estella Havisham, in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).

From an Old French name meaning "star", ultimately derived from Latin stella. It was rare in the English-speaking world in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due to the character Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).

Spanish form of Stella 1, coinciding with the Spanish word meaning "star".

Variant of Evelyn.

Variant of Evelyn.

Either a diminutive of Eve or a variant of Evelyn.

Elaborated form of Eva.

Dutch form of Evelina.

Latinate form of Aveline. It was revived by the author Fanny Burney for the heroine of her first novel Evelina (1778). It is often regarded as a variant of the related name Evelyn or an elaboration of Eve.

Variant of Evelina.

From an English surname that was derived from the given name Aveline. In the 17th century when it was first used as a given name it was more common for boys, but it is now regarded as almost entirely feminine, probably in part because of its similarity to Eve and Evelina.

This name was popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 20th century. It staged a comeback in the early 21st century, returning to the American top ten in 2017.

Variant of Evelyn.

Spanish form of Felicitas. It also means "happiness" in Spanish.

Portuguese form of Felicitas. It also means "happiness" in Portuguese.

Italian form of Felicitas. It also coincides closely with Italian felicità "happiness".

Hungarian form of Felicitas.

Latin 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.

French form of Felicitas.

From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name Felicitas. This name jumped in popularity in the United States after the premiere of the television series Felicity in 1998. It is more common in the United Kingdom.

Polish form of Felicitas.

German variant of Felicitas.

Diminutive of Joséphine and other names containing the same sound.

Diminutive of Jozefina.

From the Hebrew name גַבְרִיאֵל (Gavri'el) meaning "God is my strong man", derived from גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of John to Zechariah and Jesus to Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to Muhammad.

This name has been used occasionally in England since the 12th century. It was not common in the English-speaking world until the end of the 20th century.

Probably from the ethno-linguistic term Gael, which refers to speakers of Gaelic languages.

Italian form of Jasmine.

From the medieval name Genovefa, which is of uncertain origin. It could be derived from the Germanic elements *kunją "clan, family, lineage" and *wībą "wife, woman". Alternatively it could be of Gaulish origin, from the related Celtic element *genos "kin, family" combined with a second element of unknown meaning. This name was borne by Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, who inspired the city to resist the Huns in the 5th century.

English form of Geneviève.

Medieval English feminine form of Julian. This spelling has been in use since the 13th century, though it was not declared a distinct name from Julian until the 17th century [1].

Diminutive of Geneviève.

Variant of Hayley. This is currently the most common spelling in the United States, surpassing Haley in 2001 and attaining a high rank of 19th in 2010.

Old German form of Ludwig.

From the English word hope, ultimately from Old English hopian. This name was first used by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian form of Christopher.

Scottish Gaelic form of Iohannes (see John).

Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Iain, itself from Latin Iohannes (see John). It became popular in the United Kingdom outside of Scotland in the first half of the 20th century, but did not begin catching on in America until the 1960s.

Finnish form of Iris.

Strictly feminine form of Inge.

From the Old Norse name Ingibjǫrg, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with bjǫrg meaning "help, save, rescue". This name was borne by a Danish princess who married Philip II of France in the 12th century.

Variant of Ingjäl.

Originally a diminutive of Ingrid and Inge. Its use as a given name in its own right may have been influenced by Estonian ingel "angel".

Variant of Engel as well as a short form of related names that start with Ingel-, such as Ingelbert, Ingelhard and Ingeltrud. Also compare the West Frisian word ingel meaning "angel".

In some cases, this name is used instead of Engel as a short form of names that start with Engel-, such as Engelbert. This might be done in order to avoid association with the Dutch word engel meaning "angel".

Old variant of Ingegerd. It can also be considered a diminutive of other names beginning with Ing.

From the Old Norse name Ingríðr meaning "Ing is beautiful", derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with fríðr "beautiful, beloved". A famous bearer was the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982).

Finnish and Frisian feminine form of Inge.

Romanian diminutive of John.

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.

Medieval English form of Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see John). This became the most common feminine form of John in the 17th century, surpassing Joan. In the first half of the 20th century Joan once again overtook Jane for a few decades in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Famous bearers include the uncrowned English queen Lady Jane Grey (1536-1554), who ruled for only nine days, British novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817), who wrote Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, British primatologist Jane Goodall (1934-), and American actress Jane Fonda (1937-). This is also the name of the central character in Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre (1847), which tells of Jane's sad childhood and her relationship with Edward Rochester.

Variant of Janelle.

Variant of Janelle.

Variant of Janelle.

Diminutive of Jane. It has been in use only since the 20th century.

German and Finnish form of Jasmine, as well as an English variant.

Form of Jasmine in several languages.

From the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived via Arabic from Persian یاسمین (yasamin), which is also a Persian name. In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity from the 1970s, especially among African Americans [1]. It reached a peak in the early 1990s shortly after the release of the animated Disney movie Aladdin (1992), which featured a princess by this name.

Croatian diminutive of Jasmina.

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.

Latvian form of Yelena.

Short form of Gillian.

Variant of Gillian.

Diminutive of Jill.

Unaccented form of José used mainly in America and the Philippines.

Spanish 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).

French feminine form of Joseph. A notable bearer of this name was the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763-1814).

English, German and Dutch form of Joséphine.

Diminutive of Josephine.

Simply from the English word joy, ultimately derived from Norman French joie, Latin gaudium. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.

Feminine form of the Roman family name Julius. Among the notable women from this family were Julia Augusta (also known as Livia Drusilla), the wife of Emperor Augustus, and Julia the Elder, the daughter of Augustus and the wife of Tiberius. A person by this name has a brief mention in the New Testament. It was also borne by a few early saints and martyrs, including the patron saint of Corsica. Additionally, Shakespeare used it in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).

It has been common as a given name in the English-speaking world only since the 18th century. A famous modern bearer is American actress Julia Roberts (1967-).

From the Roman name Iulianus, which was derived from Julius. This was the name of the last pagan Roman emperor, Julian the Apostate (4th century). It was also borne by several early saints, including the legendary Saint Julian the Hospitaller. This name has been used in England since the Middle Ages, at which time it was also a feminine name (from Juliana, eventually becoming Gillian).

Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian).

Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian).

Anglicized form of Giulietta or Juliette. This spelling was used for the ill-fated lover of Romeo in the play Romeo and Juliet (1596) by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare based his story on earlier Italian tales such as Giulietta e Romeo (1524) by Luigi Da Porto.

French diminutive of Julie.

Latvian form of Julia.

Slovene, Croatian and Lithuanian form of Julia.

Slovene, Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Juliana.

Alternate transcription of Russian Юлия or Ukrainian Юлія (see Yuliya).

From the name of the month, which was originally derived from the name of the Roman goddess Juno. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.

Polish form of Jasper.

Variant of Kaylee.

Variant of Kaylee.

Variant of Kaylyn.

Variant of Kaylyn.

Variant of Caitlin.

Variant of Caitlin.

Swedish diminutive of Karl. It is used in Finland and Estonia as a full name.

Variant of Kaylyn.

Dutch, Czech and Slovene form of Charles.

Elaborated form of Karin.

German and Scandinavian form of Charles. This was the name of seven rulers of the Franks and the Holy Roman Empire. It was also borne by a beatified emperor of Austria (1887-1922), as well as ten kings of Sweden. Other famous bearers include the German philosophers Karl Marx (1818-1883), one of the developers of communism, and Karl Jaspers (1883-1969), an existentialist and psychiatrist.

Feminine form of Karl, Karel or Karlo.

Feminine form of Carolus.

Dutch form of Katherine, used especially in Flanders.

Dutch form of Katherine, used especially in Flanders.

Variant of Caitlin.

Breton form of Katherine.

Variant of Caitlin.

Variant of Caitlin.

From the Greek name Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from an earlier Greek name Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess Hecate; it could be related to Greek αἰκία (aikia) meaning "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρός (katharos) meaning "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this.

The name was borne by a semi-legendary 4th-century saint and martyr from Alexandria who was tortured on a spiked wheel. The saint was initially venerated in Syria, and returning crusaders introduced the name to Western Europe. It has been common in England since the 12th century in many different spellings, with Katherine and Catherine becoming standard in the later Middle Ages. To this day both spellings are regularly used in the English-speaking world. In the United States the spelling Katherine has been more popular since 1973.

Famous bearers of the name include Catherine of Siena, a 14th-century mystic, and Catherine de' Medici, a 16th-century French queen. It was also borne by three of Henry VIII's wives, including Katherine of Aragon, and by two empresses of Russia, including Catherine the Great.

Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Katariina and a Hungarian diminutive of Katalin.

Croatian, Slovene and Hungarian diminutive of Katherine.

Diminutive of Kate.

Greek contracted form of Katerina. This name had a spike in popularity in America in 1972 when it was used for a newborn baby on the soap opera Where the Heart Is.

Variant of Caitlin.

Combination of the popular phonetic elements kay and lyn.

Variant of Kaylyn.

Diminutive of Christopher or Katherine. A notable bearer was Kit Carson (1809-1868), an American frontiersman and explorer.

German, Scandinavian, Polish and Slovene form of Conrad.

Short form of Kristian, Kristoffer and other names beginning with Kris.

Form of Christina in several languages. It is also an English variant of Christina and a Bulgarian variant of Hristina.

Croatian and Albanian form of Christopher.

Variant of Christopher.

Czech form of Christopher.

Variant of Layla.

Feminine form of the Late Latin name Laurus, which meant "laurel". This meaning was favourable, since in ancient Rome the leaves of laurel trees were used to create victors' garlands. The name was borne by the 9th-century Spanish martyr Saint Laura, who was a nun thrown into a vat of molten lead by the Moors. It was also the name of the subject of poems by the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch.

As an English name, Laura has been used since the 13th century. Famous bearers include Laura Secord (1775-1868), a Canadian heroine during the War of 1812, and Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957), an American author who wrote the Little House on the Prairie series of novels.

Italian diminutive of Laura.

Means "night" in Arabic. Layla was the love interest of the poet Qays (called Majnun) in an old Arab tale, notably retold by the 12th-century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in his poem Layla and Majnun. This story was a popular romance in medieval Arabia and Persia. The name became used in the English-speaking world after the 1970 release of the song Layla by Derek and the Dominos, the title of which was inspired by the medieval story.

Alternate transcription of Lila 1.

Finnish and Estonian short form of Helena or Matleena.

Variant of Leila.

Means "play, amusement" in Sanskrit.

Variant of Leila.

Originally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (Proto-Germanic *linþaz). It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word linda meaning "beautiful". In the English-speaking world this name experienced a spike in popularity beginning in the 1930s, peaking in the late 1940s, and declining shortly after that. It was the most popular name for girls in the United States from 1947 to 1952.

Dutch variant of Linda.

From an English and Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of the eastern English region of Lindsey, which means "Lincoln island" in Old English. As a given name it was typically masculine until the 1960s (in Britain) and 70s (in America) when it became popular for girls, probably due to its similarity to Linda and because of American actress Lindsay Wagner (1949-) [1].

Originally this was a masculine name, coming into use in America in 1927 when the dance called the Lindy Hop became popular. The dance was probably named for aviator Charles Lindbergh. Later this name was used as a diminutive of Linda.

Either a variant of Lynette or else from the name of the small bird, a type of finch.

Diminutive of Linda and other names beginning with Lin.

Catalan form of Louis.

Catalan feminine form of Louis.

Variant of Laura.

From the name of a town in Italy, originally called Lauretum in Latin, meaning "laurel grove". Supposedly in the 13th century the house of the Virgin Mary was miraculously carried by angels from Nazareth to the town. In Spain it is a feminine name, from the Marian title Nuestra Señora de Loreto, while in Italy it is mostly masculine.

Perhaps a variant of Lauretta or Loreto. A famous bearer was the American actress Loretta Young (1913-2000), whose birth name was Gretchen.

Possibly a variant of Loreto.

Short form of Louise or Louis. Famous bearers include the baseball player Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) and the musician Lou Reed (1942-2013).

Combination of Lou and the popular name suffix ella.

Latinate feminine form of Louis. A famous bearer was the American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the author of Little Women.

French feminine form of Louis.

Diminutive of Louise.

Finnish feminine form of Louis.

Swedish feminine form of Louis.

Italian and French variant of Lucia. This also means "light" in Italian.

Portuguese and Hungarian form of Lucia.

Feminine form of Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings Lucy or Luce.

French and Czech form of Lucia.

Latin diminutive of Lucia. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint martyred in Rome.

An elaboration of Lucia created by Cervantes for his novel Don Quixote (1605). It was subsequently used by Molière in his play The Doctor in Spite of Himself (1666).

French form of Lucinda.

Portuguese form of Lucius.

Italian and Spanish form of Lucius.

Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.

Polish form of Lucius.

English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.

Swedish diminutive of Ludvig.

Diminutive of Ludvík and other names beginning with Lud.

Short form of Ludovicus or Ludolf.

From the Old German name Hludolf, which was composed of the elements hlut meaning "famous, loud" and wolf meaning "wolf". Saint Ludolf (or Ludolph) was a 13th-century bishop of Ratzeburg.

French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of an 1833 opera by the French composer Fromental Halévy.

Latinized form of Hludwig (see Ludwig). This form is also used as a baptismal name by Dutch and Flemish speakers, though it is commonly rendered Lodewijk in daily life.

Scandinavian form of Ludwig.

Czech form of Ludwig.

Slovene form of Ludwig.

From the Germanic name Hludwig meaning "famous in battle", composed of the elements hlut "famous, loud" and wig "war, battle". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks (though their names are usually spelled as Clovis) as well as several Carolingian kings and Holy Roman emperors (names often spelled in the French form Louis). Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.

Variant of Louella.

German form of Louise.

Diminutive of Louise and names that begin with Lu.

Diminutive of names beginning with Lou or Lu, such as Louise or Lucinda.

Form of Lunete used in the Welsh tale Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain (which was based on Chrétien's poem).

Form of Eluned used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes in his poem Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. In the poem she is a servant of the Lady of the Fountain who aids the knight Yvain.

German diminutive of Ludwig.

Portuguese and German form of Lucia.

Variant of Lynn.

Variant of Lina 2.

Variant of Linda.

Variant of Lindy.

Form of Lynet used by Alfred Tennyson in his 1872 poem Gareth and Lynette [1]. According to Tennyson, Gareth and Lynette were eventually married. In modern times it is also regarded as a diminutive of Lynn.

From an English surname that was derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of Linda or names that end in lyn or line.

Elaborated form of Lynn.

Variant of Lynn.

Variant of Lynette.

Dutch form of Matilda.

Variant of Madeline.

Variant of Madeline.

French form of Magdalene.

Latinate form of Madeline.

English form of Madeleine. This is the name of the heroine in a series of children's books by the Austrian-American author Ludwig Bemelmans, first published 1939.

French diminutive of Madeleine, now more common as a Dutch name.

Variant of Madeline.

Variant of Madeline.

Variant of Madeline.

Variant of Madeline.

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.

Originally a medieval Portuguese form of Matilda. This name was borne by the wife of Afonso, the first king of Portugal. In modern times it was the name of the titular character in a popular Argentine comic strip (published from 1964 to 1973) by Quino.

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.

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.

Irish form of Maria (see Mary). The form Muire is used to refer to the Virgin Mary.

Form of Maia 1 in various languages.

Means "queen" in Arabic, the feminine form of Malik 1.

Swedish and Norwegian short form of Magdalene.

Diminutive of Amanda.

Diminutive of Amanda.

Originally a French diminutive of Marie. It is also considered a combination of Marie and Anne 1. Shortly after the formation of the French Republic in 1792, a female figure by this name was adopted as the symbol of the state.

German diminutive of Maria.

Dutch form of Mariella.

Italian diminutive of Maria.

French diminutive of Marie.

Italian form of Maximilian.

From the Germanic name Mahthilt meaning "strength in battle", from the elements maht "might, strength" and hilt "battle". Saint Matilda was the wife of the 10th-century German king Henry I the Fowler. The name was common in many branches of European royalty in the Middle Ages. It was brought to England by the Normans, being borne by the wife of William the Conqueror himself. Another notable royal by this name was a 12th-century daughter of Henry I of England, known as the Empress Matilda because of her first marriage to the Holy Roman emperor Henry V. She later invaded England, laying the foundations for the reign of her son Henry II.

The name was very popular until the 15th century in England, usually in the vernacular form Maud. Both forms were revived by the 19th century. This name appears in the popular Australian folk song Waltzing Matilda, written in 1895.

From the Roman name Maximilianus, which was derived from Maximus. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr. In the 15th century the Holy Roman emperor Frederick III gave this name to his son and eventual heir. In this case it was a blend of the names of the Roman generals Fabius Maximus and Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus (see Emiliano), whom Frederick admired. It was subsequently borne by a second Holy Roman emperor, two kings of Bavaria, and a short-lived Habsburg emperor of Mexico.

Variant of Maximilian.

Feminine form of Max. It has been commonly used only since the beginning of the 20th century.

Derived from the name of the month of May, which derives from Maia, the name of a Roman goddess. May is also another name of the hawthorn flower. It is also used as a diminutive of Mary, Margaret or Mabel.

Variant of Maia 1. This name can also be given in reference to the Maya, an indigenous people of southern Mexico and parts of Central America whose civilization flourished between the 3rd and 8th centuries. A famous bearer was the American poet and author Maya Angelou (1928-2014).

Dutch form of Matilda.

Short form of Melvin, Melanie, Melissa and other names beginning with Mel.

From Mélanie, the French form of the Latin name Melania, derived from Greek μέλαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity in the 5th century. Her grandmother was also a saint with the same name.

The name was common in France during the Middle Ages, and was introduced from there to England, though it eventually became rare. Interest in it was revived by the character Melanie Wilkes from the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939).

Probably a combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the suffix antha (from Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). John Dryden used this name in his play Marriage a la Mode (1672).

Variant of Melanie.

Means "song" in Hawaiian. This is also the Hawaiian, Tongan and Samoan form of Mary.

Turkish form of Malik 1.

Turkish form of Malika.