sponinsanity's Personal Name List

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.

Anglicized form of Lachlann, the Scottish Gaelic form of Lochlainn. In the English-speaking world, this name was especially popular in Australia towards the end of the 20th century.

Means "of God" in Hebrew. This is the name of the father of Eliasaph in the Old Testament. It is misspelled as Δαήλ (Dael) in the Greek translation, the Septuagint.

Feminine form of Laelius, a Roman family name of unknown meaning. This is also the name of a type of flower, an orchid found in Mexico and Central America.

Masculine form of Laelia.

Means "lark" in Danish.

Catalan diminutive of Eulalia.

From a Scottish surname meaning "landowner" in Scots.

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.

From the Germanic name Lanzo, originally a short form of names that began with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element land, Old High German lant meaning "land" (Proto-Germanic *landą). During the Middle Ages it became associated with Old French lance meaning "spear, lance". A famous bearer is American cyclist Lance Armstrong (1971-).

Germanic name derived from the elements lant "land" and rih "ruler, king".

French form of Landric. This name was borne by a few French saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Sées and a 7th-century bishop of Paris.

Transferred use of the surname Langley 1.

From an English surname, itself from a place name, derived from Old English lang "long" and stan "stone". A famous bearer was the American author Langston Hughes (1901-1967).

Russian short form of Larisa. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965). Between 1965 and 1969 it increased by almost 2,000 percent in the United States, however it is currently much more popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany. Another famous fictional bearer is Lara Croft, first appearing in video games in 1996 and movies in 2001.

Variant of Larunda.

An early mention of the name "Laren" was seen in a small newspaper from the 1920's referencing a toddler boy. It is more commonly found now as a female name, though the number of males bearing the same name is not much smaller. Most parents giving the name to their child have made up the name or used a combination of other names to create "Laren".

From the English word for the type of songbird.

Medieval diminutive of Laurence 1.

Medieval diminutive of Laura. This name was used for a character in the French series of science fiction comics Valérian et Laureline (1967-2010) as well as the 2017 movie adaptation Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.

English, French, Provençal and Romanian form of Laurianus.

Latinized form of Λάζαρος (Lazaros), a Greek form of Eleazar used in the New Testament. Lazarus was a man from Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha, who was restored to life by Jesus.

At present this name is most commonly used in English-speaking Africa.

Derived from Old English lēof "dear, beloved".

From the Hebrew name לֵאָה (Le'ah), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word לְאָה (le'ah) meaning "weary". Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian littu meaning "cow". In the Old Testament Leah is the first wife of Jacob and the mother of seven of his children. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister Rachel, whom he preferred. Leah later offered Jacob her handmaid Zilpah in order for him to conceive more children.

Although this name was used by Jews in the Middle Ages, it was not typical as an English Christian name until after the Protestant Reformation, being common among the Puritans.

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.

Feminine form of Leander.

Possibly a combination of Leah and Beatrice. This name was first brought to public attention by the American actress Leatrice Joy (1893-1985).

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.

Transferred use of the surname Ledger.

From the Old Norse name Leifr meaning "descendant, heir". Leif Eriksson was a Norse explorer who reached North America in the early 11th century. He was the son of Erik the Red.

Variant of Layton. It jumped in popularity as a feminine name after 2007, when actress Leighton Meester (1986-) began appearing on the television series Gossip Girl.

From a surname, originally from the name of a Scottish town (now a district of Edinburgh), which is derived from Gaelic lìte "wet, damp". It is also the name of the river that flows though Edinburgh.

Of uncertain origin and meaning. Theories include a Danish and English variant of Lena (in the case of the English name the spelling mimicks the pronunciation of Lena in various European languages), a Danish diminutive of Leonharda and a modern English feminine form of Lennon.

From an Irish surname, derived from the Irish byname Leannán meaning "lover". The surname was borne by musician and Beatle member John Lennon (1940-1980), and it may be used as a given name in his honour. In America it is now more common as a feminine name, possibly inspired in part by the singer Lennon Stella (1999-), who began appearing on the television series Nashville in 2012 [1].

From a Scottish surname that was derived from the name of a district in Scotland. The district, called Leamhnachd in Gaelic, possibly means "place of elms". This name steadily rose in popularity in the 2000s, at the same time as the similar-sounding (but unrelated) names Lennon and Knox.

Derived from Latin leo meaning "lion", a cognate of Leon. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of 13 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), name spelled Лев in Russian, whose works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Leo is also a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.

Late Latin name that might be derived from the name of the Greek island of Leucadia or from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, clear, white" (which is also the root of the island's name). Saint Leocadia was a 3rd-century martyr from Spain.

Latinized form of Leokrates. This name was borne by an Athenian general from the 5th century BC.

The first element of this name is either derived from Greek λεων (leon) meaning "lion" or from Attic Greek λεώς (leos) meaning "the people" (see Leos). The second element is derived from Greek κρατος (kratos) meaning "power".

Feminine form of Leo.

Anglicized form of Llywelyn influenced by Latin leo "lion".

Medieval Anglicization of Llywelyn which has been documented from the 13th century onwards. (Cf. Leolin.) It was borne by Welsh politician Sir Leoline Jenkins (1625-1685). In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem 'Christabel' (1797-1801) this name belongs to Christabel's father, Sir Leoline, Baron of Langdale Hall.

Due to similar-looking names like Leontine and Caroline, it has also been used as a feminine name from at least the mid-1800s onwards.

Feminine form of Leon.

Feminine form of Leonidas.

Derived from Greek λέων (leon) meaning "lion" combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). Leonidas was a Spartan king of the 5th century BC who sacrificed his life and his army defending the pass of Thermopylae from the Persians. This was also the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr, the father of Origen, from Alexandria.

German and Dutch feminine form of Leonius.

Diminutive of Leona.

Latinized form of Leon. Leonis is also the brightest star in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest stars in the night sky.

Late Latin name that was derived from Leo.

The first element of this name is derived from Greek λεων (leon) meaning "lion". The second element is uncertain, but it might possibly have been derived from the Greek noun γνάθος (gnathos) meaning "jaw". If that is indeed the case, then the name as a whole means "jaw of a lion", as a sort of reference to physical strength. Also, it is tempting to think that this name might actually be a hellenized form of a Latin name that consists of the Latin elements leo "lion" and natus, which can mean "birth" as well as "born". This seems unlikely, as known bearers of the name don't appear to have any clear connections to the Romans or the Latin language. This name was borne by a Macedonian officer of Alexander the Great (4th century BC), who was a member of the royal house of Lyncestis.

Italian short form of Eleanor.

Feminine form of Leontius.

Derived from Greek λέοντος (leontos), the genitive case of λέων (leon) meaning "lion". This was the name of various early saints and martyrs. It was also borne by a 7th-century Byzantine emperor.

The first element of this name is derived from either the Attic Greek noun λεώς (leos) meaning "the people" (see Leos) or from the Greek noun λέων (leon) meaning "lion". The second element is derived from the Greek adjective φαντός (phantos) meaning "visible". Also compare the Greek verb φαντάζω (phantazo) meaning "to make visible".

Leophantos was the name of a philosopher from ancient Greece, who was sometimes counted to be among the Seven Sages of Greece.

Derived from the Old German elements liut "people" and bald "bold, brave". The spelling was altered due to association with Latin leo "lion". This name was common among German royalty, first with the Babenbergs and then the Habsburgs. Saint Leopold was a 12th-century Babenberg margrave of Austria, who is now considered the patron of that country. It was also borne by two Habsburg Holy Roman emperors, as well as three kings of Belgium. Since the 19th century this name has been occasionally used in England, originally in honour of Queen Victoria's uncle, a king of Belgium, after whom she named one of her sons. It was later used by James Joyce for the main character, Leopold Bloom, in his novel Ulysses (1922).

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.

Possibly means "joined, attached" in Hebrew. As told in the Old Testament, Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of the Israelites, known as the Levites. This was the tribe that formed the priestly class of the Israelites. The brothers Moses and Aaron were members. This name also occurs in the New Testament, where it is another name for the apostle Matthew.

As an English Christian name, Levi came into use after the Protestant Reformation.

Armenian form of Leon. This was the name of several kings of Cilician Armenia, including the first king Levon I the Magnificent.

From an English surname that was derived from the given name Leofwine.

Short form of Alexandra or Alexa.

Possibly from Old Irish líath meaning "grey". According to an Irish tale this was the name of a poet who became a nun, but then missed her lover Cuirithir so much that she died of grief. The name was also borne by a 5th-century saint, the mother of Saint Ciarán the Elder.

German diminutive of Elisabeth.

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).

Irish form of Lily.

Feminine diminutive of Latin lilium "lily". This name belonged to an Iberian Christian woman martyred in Córdoba, Andalusia c.852 under Emir Abd ar-Rahman II, along with her husband Felix, his cousin Aurelius and Aurelius' wife Natalia.

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.

Hungarian diminutive of Lívia or Lídia.

Short form of Lillian or an elaborated form of Lily.

Probably originally a diminutive of Elizabeth. It may also be considered an elaborated form of Lily, from the Latin word for "lily" lilium. This name has been used in England since the 16th century.

Transferred use of the surname Lillis.

Lillis was Bing Crosby's middle name. (He was born Harold Lillis Crosby.)

From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).

From an English surname that was originally from the name of an English city, called Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic lindo "lake, pool" and Latin colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.

From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".

Transferred use of the English surname Lindley (see also Linley).

From the word for the type of flower, also called the twinflower (see Linnéa).

From the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favourite flower.

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

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.

Variant of Leo.

Venetian and Ligurian form of Leone 1.

French diminutive of Léon. It appears in Arthurian legend in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle, belonging to a knight who was the brother of Sir Bors. A notable modern bearer is the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi (1987-).

Means "my light" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and אוֹר ('or) "light".

Strictly feminine form of Lior.

Short form of Elisabet.

Feminine form of Livius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Augustus, Livia Drusilla.

Roman diminutive of Livia 1. It was a family nickname for the elder sister of the Roman emperor Claudius, Livia Julia (c.13 BC-31 AD), apparently called Livilla "little Livia" in order to distinguish her from her grandmother and namesake, Livia (wife of Augustus).

Transferred use of the surname Livingston.

Roman family name that may be related to either Latin liveo "to envy" or lividus "blue, envious". Titus Livius, also known as Livy, was a Roman historian who wrote a history of the city of Rome.

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

Feminine form of Llywelyn.

Variant of Llywelyn influenced by the Welsh word llew "lion".

Means "linnet, finch" in Welsh. The linnet (species Linaria cannabina) is a small European bird in the finch family.

Unaccented variant of Llŷr.

Probably a Welsh form of an unattested old Celtic name *Lugubelinos, a combination of the names of the gods Lugus and Belenus, or a compound of Lugus and a Celtic root meaning "strong". Alternatively it may be derived from Welsh llyw "leader". This was the name of several Welsh rulers, notably the 13th-century Llywelyn the Great who fought against the English.

Anglicization of the Icelandic name for the English golden plover.

Feminine form of Elouan.

Means "the eye" in Sanskrit.

Means "Viking, Scandinavian" from Old Irish Lochlann, a name for Scandinavia. It means "land of the lakes", derived from loch "lake".

Transferred use of the surname Locke.

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.

Transferred use of the surname Loel. See also Lowell. Known bearers of this name include British philanthropist Loel Guinness (b. 1957) and his grandfather, the British politician Thomas "Loel" Guinness (1906-1988).

From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Ayrshire meaning "little hollow" (from Gaelic lag "hollow, pit" combined with a diminutive suffix). This name started slowly rising on the American popularity charts in the mid-1970s, perhaps partly inspired by the movie Logan's Run (1976). The comic book character Wolverine, alias Logan, was also introduced around the same time.

The name has been very common throughout the English-speaking world since end of the 20th century. In the United States it reached a high point in 2017, when it ranked as the fifth most popular name for boys.

Breton form of Louis.

Possibly derived from Greek λωίων (loion) meaning "more desirable" or "better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of Eunice and the grandmother of Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.

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.

Variant of Lommán.

Means "little bare one", derived from Old Irish lomm "bare" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a nephew of Saint Patrick.

Means "little blackbird", derived from Old Irish lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.

Means "little fierce one", derived from Old Irish lorcc "fierce" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Lorcán was a 12th-century archbishop of Dublin.

German contracted form of Eleonore.

Means "flower" in Basque.

Variant of Lore 2.

Used by the French author George Sand for a character in her novel Mattea (1833) and later by the Italian author Luciano Zuccoli in his novel L'amore de Loredana (1908). It was possibly based on the Venetian surname Loredan, which was derived from the place name Loreo.

Variant of Lorelei. This name featured on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) where it was borne by the two main characters (the younger one went by the nickname Rory).

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.

Variant of Loren.

From the title Marquis of Lorne, which was based on the Scottish place name Lorne, itself possibly derived from the name of the legendary king of Dál Riata, Loarn mac Eirc. This was the title of the first Governor General of Canada, where it has since been most frequently used as a given name. A famous bearer was the Canadian actor Lorne Greene (1915-1987).

From the Germanic name Hlothar meaning "famous army", derived from the elements hlut "famous, loud" and heri "army". This was the name of medieval Frankish rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and France. It was also borne by four earlier Merovingian kings of the Franks, though their names are usually spelled as Chlothar.

From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.

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.

From 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.

Transferred use of the surname Lovelace.

From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.

Possibly coined as a feminine form of Lovell.

From an English surname that was derived from a Norman French nickname, from lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).

Transferred use of the surname Loxley.

The name of one of the Hyperborian nymphs who accompanied Artemis. The name is ultimately derived from the word λοξος (loxos) meaning "slant, trajectory".

In Roman mythology, Lua was a goddess to whom soldiers sacrificed captured weapons. Her name is thought to be derived from Latin luo "to set free".
As a given name, Lua has been in occasional use in the English-speaking world since the 1800s.

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.

Romanian and English form of Lucianus. Lucian is the usual name of Lucianus of Samosata in English.

Feminine form of Lucianus.

Roman family name that was derived from the Roman praenomen Lucius. Lucianus (or Λουκιανός in his native Greek) of Samosata was a 2nd-century satirist and author. This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from Antioch.

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.

Feminine form of Lucilius.

Feminine form of Lucilianus.

Roman cognomen which was derived from the Roman nomen gentile Lucilius. Bearers of this name were Egnatius Lucilianus, a governor of Britannia Inferior (between AD 238 and 244) and Claudius Lucilianus, a Roman prefect from the 2nd century AD. Saint Lucilianus was a Coptic saint.

Roman family name that was a derivative of the given name Lucius. This was the family name of the 2nd-century BC Roman satirist Gaius Lucilius.

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

French form of Lucilla. A famous bearer was American comedienne Lucille Ball (1911-1989).

Variant of Lucilia.

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

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.

Italian form of Lucretia.

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

Possibly from a feminine form of Leutwin. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the French miniseries Les Gens de Mogador.

Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.

As a Russian name, this is an alternate transcription of Людмила (usually rendered Lyudmila).

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).

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.

Derived from French lune "moon", making it a cognate of Luna.

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

Possibly a form of Laura.

Possibly an elaboration of Lura by way of combining it with the name suffix -illa.

Used by Erin Hunter in the Seekers series of novels. It means, "Midnight".

Derived from Latin luscinia "nightingale". This was an epithet of the Roman goddess Minerva. As an English name, it has been used sparingly since the 19th century.

From Armenian լուսին (lusin) meaning "moon".

From a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".

From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Liulfr (which was derived in part from úlfr "wolf").

Latinized form of Lykaon.

Supposedly related to Greek λυκοφως (lykophos) "twilight" or λυκαυγές (lykauges) "morning twilight, dawn", derived from λυκος (lykos) "wolf" and αυγη (auge) "dawn, daylight". It was used by Latin poet Cornelius Gallus as a pseudonym for the actress-courtesan (Volumnia) Cytheris. A genus of flowering plants in the Amaryllis family is named after her.

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.

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.

Means "from Lydia" in Greek. Lydia was a region on the west coast of Asia Minor, said to be named for the legendary king Lydos. In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. In the modern era the name has been in use since the Protestant Reformation.

Meaning unknown. This was the name of the semi-legendary king who gave his name to the region of Lydia in Asia Minor.

Means "good fortune, happiness" in Danish.

From an English surname that was derived from Norman French l'isle meaning "island".

Transferred use of the surname Lyndall. This was (first?) used as a given name by the South African author, political activist and feminist Olive Schreiner (1855-1920) for the heroine in her most famous novel, The Story of an African Farm (1883). It was the maiden name of Schreiner's mother, Rebecca Schreiner née Lyndall. Known bearers South African politician Lyndall Shope-Mafole (1957/8-), South African-born British author and academic Lyndall Gordon (1941-), South African model and television presenter Lyndall Jarvis (1983-), and American painter Lyndall Bass (1952-). A male bearer was Lyndall Fownes Urwick (1891-1983), a pioneering business management thinker from the United Kingdom.

Transferred use of the surname Lynley.

Lynx is a constellation in the northern sky, introduced in the 17th century by Johannes Hevelius. It is named after the lynx, a genus of cats.

Means "lioness" in Middle English. In Thomas Malory's 15th-century tale Le Morte d'Arthur this is the name of a woman trapped in a castle by the Red Knight. Her sister Lynet gains the help of the knight Gareth in order to save her.

Appears in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends 'Le Morte d'Arthur', belonging to the daughter of Earl Sanam. Lyonors had an affair with Arthur and bore him a son, Borre. Alfred Lord Tennyson used the name in his poem 'Gareth and Lynette' (1872) for the sister of Lynette, a character usually called Lyonesse in medieval versions of the story.

The name of the constellation in the northern sky containing the star Vega. It is said to be shaped after the lyre of Orpheus. This is the name of the main character in the His Dark Materials series of books by Philip Pullman (beginning 1995).

Lyris is occasionally listed among the Oceanids of Greek mythology. As such, the name first appears in Hyginus's Fabulae.
However, said text is corrupted in places, meaning that some of the names are only partially legible. Lyris is such a name and thus usually rendered as *lyris (with the * representing an unknown name element).

Latinized form of the Greek name Λύσανδρος (Lysandros), derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a notable 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.

Feminine form of Lysandros (see Lysander).

Means "a release of a horse", derived from Greek λυσις (lysis) "a release, loosening" combined with Greek ‘ιππος (hippos) "horse". This was the name of a Greek sculptor from the 4th century BC, noted as being one of the best sculptors of the ancient world.

From Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening". This was borne by a Greek philosopher, Lysis of Taras, who was said to have been a friend and disciple of Pythagoras, as well as the title character in a Socratic dialogue of Plato.

Variant of Lys.

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

From a Welsh surname meaning "son of Madoc". It was brought to public attention when the actress Angelina Jolie gave this name to her adopted son in 2002.

Feminine form of Maël.

Feminine form of Maël.

Feminine form of Maesus. A bearer of this name was the Roman woman Julia Maesa, who was the maternal grandmother of Roman Emperors Elagabalus and Alexander Severus.

Roman nomen gentile that was derived from Maesus. This was one of the names of Lollianus Mavortius, a Roman politician from the 4th century AD.

Roman praenomen, of which the meaning is uncertain. It is possibly related to (or even derived from) Latin maereo "to grieve, to mourn, to be sad" (also compare Latin maestus "sad, dejected, gloomy").

Means "welcome" in Tahitian. It gained popularity in France during the 1980s.

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.

From a title meaning "of Magdala". Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament, was named thus because she was from Magdala — a village on the Sea of Galilee whose name meant "tower" in Hebrew. She was cleaned of evil spirits by Jesus and then remained with him during his ministry, witnessing the crucifixion and the resurrection. She was a popular saint in the Middle Ages, and the name became common then. In England it is traditionally rendered Madeline, while Magdalene or Magdalen is the learned form.

Late Latin name meaning "great". It was borne by a 7th-century saint who was a missionary in Germany. It became popular in Scandinavia after the time of the 11th-century Norwegian king Magnus I, who was said to have been named after Charlemagne, or Carolus Magnus in Latin (however there was also a Norse name Magni). The name was borne by six subsequent kings of Norway as well as three kings of Sweden. It was imported to Scotland and Ireland during the Middle Ages.

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.

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

From an English surname that was from a Norman French place name possibly meaning "inhospitable".

A rare masculine name from England's north; it means "little warrior".
It is very scarce outside of the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield and its surrounding towns, however, within this range, it was far more widely used - never common, but present nonetheless. Note that this name has no connection with the Scandinavian girl's name Malin, which is a short form of the French Madeleine.

Means "causing to forget" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the oldest son of Joseph and Asenath and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was also borne by a 7th-century BC king of Judah, condemned in the Bible for allowing the worship of other gods.

Roman praenomen, or given name, which was possibly derived from Latin manus "good".

Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin mane "morning". Marcus Manlius Capitolinus was a Roman consul who saved Rome from the Gauls in the 4th century BC.

Feminine form of Marcellus.

French feminine form of Marcellus.

Feminine form of Marcellinus.

French feminine form of Marcellinus.

Roman family name that was originally a diminutive of Marcus. This was the name of two popes.

Variant of Marceline.

Welsh form of Margaret.

Danish diminutive of Marina or Maria.

Variant of Margot influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from Margot.

Possibly a diminutive of Mary or a variant of Amaryllis. More common in the 19th century, this name was borne by the American suffragist Marilla Ricker (1840-1920). It is also the name of the adoptive mother of Anne in L. M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables (1908).

Medieval French diminutive of Marie.

Means "of the sea", taken from the Latin title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea".

Means "marjoram" in French, from Latin maiorana. Marjoram is a minty herb.

Dutch cognate of Marjolaine.

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.

Polish form of Morana.

From an English surname (or vocabulary word) meaning "stoneworker", derived from an Old French word of Frankish origin (akin to Old English macian "to make"). In the United States this name began to increase in popularity in the 1980s, likely because of its fashionable sound. It jumped in popularity after 2009 when Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their son, as featured on their reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2010. It peaked as the second most popular name for boys in 2011.

Variant of Mathgamain.

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.

Italian feminine form of Matthew.

Variant of Maeve.

An invented name, possibly blending Mavis or Maven with Avery.

From the name of the type of bird, also called the song thrush, derived from Old French mauvis, of uncertain origin. It was first used as a given name by the British author Marie Corelli, who used it for a character in her novel The Sorrows of Satan (1895).

French form of the Roman name Maxentius, a derivative of Latin maximus "greatest". This was the agnomen of an early 4th-century Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius, a rival of Constantine. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint from Agde in France.

French form of Maximus.

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

From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.

Greek form of Medea.

Latinized form of Greek Μέγαιρα (Megaira), which was derived from μεγαίρω (megairo) meaning "to grudge". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. The name is used as a word in several European languages to denote a shrewish, ill-tempered woman (for example, French mégère and Italian megera).

Likely derived from Megara.

In Greeky mythology, Megareus of Onchestus was King of Onchestus, Boeotia, and father of Hippomenes, while Megareus (sometimes called Menoeceus) of Thebes was a son of Eurydice of Thebes and defended Thebes against the Seven Against Thebes, committing suicide to save his city.

Derived from Greek μέλας (melas) meaning "black, dark" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of an insolent goatherd killed by Odysseus.

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

Name of a minor figure in Greek mythology, spelled Μηλινοη (Mêlinoê) or Μειλινοη (Meilinoê), possibly derived from Greek μήλινος (mêlinos) "of a quince-yellow, having the colour of quince", quince being a type of fruit, the yellowish-green colour of which allegedly "evoked the pallor of illness or death for the Greeks." If originally spelled Meilinoe, it may be derived from Greek μείλια (meilia) "propitiations, offerings to the dead".
In Greek legend she was a chthonic nymph or goddess, often given as the daughter of Persephone and Zeus, and occasionally suggested to be the daughter of Hades (in his role as a kind of "underground or chthonic Zeus"). Melinoe presided over the propitiations offered to the ghosts of the dead and was depicted with her limbs black on one side and white on the other. As a divinity she seems to have been worshipped only in the Orphic mysteries.

Means "bee" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a daughter of Procles, as well as an epithet of various Greek nymphs and priestesses. According to the early Christian writer Lactantius [2] this was the name of the sister of the nymph Amalthea, with whom she cared for the young Zeus. Later it appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem Orlando Furioso [3] belonging to the fairy who helps Ruggiero escape from the witch Alcina. As an English given name, Melissa has been used since the 18th century.

Derived from Greek μέλι (meli) meaning "honey" (genitive μέλιτος). This was the name of a 2nd-century bishop of Sardis who is regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church.

Derived from Greek μέλπω (melpo) meaning "to sing, to celebrate with song". This was the name of one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, the muse of tragedy.

Means "king of the city", from Phoenician 𐤌𐤋𐤊 (milk) meaning "king" and 𐤒𐤓𐤕 (qart) meaning "city". This was the name of a Phoenician god worshipped especially in the city of Tyre.

Meaning unknown. In European folklore Melusine was a water fairy who turned into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She made her husband, Raymond of Poitou, promise that he would never see her on that day, and when he broke his word she left him forever.

From the Greek name Μενέλαος (Menelaos), derived either from μένω (meno) meaning "to stay, to last" or μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force" combined with λαός (laos) meaning "people". In Greek legend he was a king of Sparta and the husband of Helen. When his wife was taken by Paris, the Greeks led by his brother Agamemnon besieged the city of Troy in an effort to get her back. After the war Menelaus and Helen settled down to a happy life.

Means "gift of the moon", derived from Greek μήνη (mene) meaning "moon" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Metrodora and Nymphodora.

Meaning unknown, perhaps based on Cornish mor "sea".

Transferred use of the surname Mercer.

Latin form of Mercury.

From the Latin Mercurius, probably derived from Latin mercari "to trade" or merces "wages". This was the name of the Roman god of trade, merchants, and travellers, later equated with the Greek god Hermes. This is also the name of the first planet in the solar system and a metallic chemical element, both named for the god.

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.

From the Welsh name Maredudd or Meredydd, from Old Welsh forms such as Margetud, possibly from mawredd "greatness, magnificence" combined with iudd "lord". The Welsh forms of this name were well used through the Middle Ages. Since the mid-1920s it has been used more often for girls than for boys in English-speaking countries, though it is still a masculine name in Wales. A famous bearer of this name as surname was the English novelist and poet George Meredith (1828-1909).

Means "pearl, gem" in Welsh, derived from Latin margarita.

From a surname meaning "happy weather" in Middle English, originally belonging to a cheery person. A notable bearer of the name was Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), who, with William Clark, explored the west of North America.

From a Welsh surname that was originally derived from the given name Meurig.

From an English surname that was derived either from the given name Muriel or from place names meaning "pleasant hill".

Although the exact origin and meaning of this name are unknown, many modern-day academics believe this name to be the (possibly Anglicized) Cornish form of Morien.

Its variant Merryn was the name of a Cornish saint.

In the English-speaking world, all forms have been occasionally used from the 19th century onwards.

From an English surname, originally from a place name, which meant "boundary gate" in Old English.

Meaning unknown. This was the name of an early Cornish (male) saint.

Roman cognomen derived from Latin merula "blackbird".

From Middle English midnight (also as middelniȝte), from Old English midniht, middeniht, middeneaht, (also as midderneaht and middelniht), from Proto-Germanic *midjanahts, equivalent to mid- +‎ night.

From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names containing that element.

From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names that began with that element. It was originally used in Czech, Slovak, and the South Slavic languages, though it has recently become popular elsewhere in Europe.

A city in Italy bears this name, though in this case it originates from Latin Mediolanum, perhaps ultimately of Celtic origin meaning "middle of the plain". In some cases the city name may be an influence on the use of the given name.

From the Old English name Mildþryð meaning "gentle strength", derived from the elements milde "gentle" and þryþ "strength". Saint Mildred was a 7th-century abbess, the daughter of the Kentish princess Saint Ermenburga. After the Norman Conquest this name became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.

From an occupational English surname meaning "guardian of the mill" in Old English.

From an English occupational surname for a miller, derived from Middle English mille "mill".

From the Gothic name *Amalaswinþa, composed of the elements amals "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and swinþs "strong". Amalaswintha was a 6th-century queen of the Ostrogoths. The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Melisent or Melisende. Melisende was a 12th-century queen of Jerusalem, the daughter of Baldwin II.

Diminutive of Mildred, Millicent and other names containing the same sound.

Possibly derived from Latin mens meaning "intellect", but more likely of Etruscan origin. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since after the Renaissance.

Means "compassion, mercy" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin miser "poor, wretched" and cor "heart". It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen de la Misericordia, meaning "The Virgin of Compassion".

From the English word, which derives from Latin miseria "wretchedness". It was used as a given name in the book 'Misery' (1987) by Stephen King, about the author of a popular series of romance novels set in Victorian times, the heroine of which is named Misery Chastain.

Possibly means "reminding" in Greek. In Acts in the New Testament Paul stays in Jerusalem with a man named Mnason, a Jew who was originally from Cyprus.

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

Means "remembrance" in Greek. In Greek mythology Mnemosyne was a Titan goddess of memory. She was the mother by Zeus of the nine Muses.

From a French surname that was derived from either Hamon or Edmond. This was the surname of the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).

From a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". The Roe is a river in Northern Ireland. Two famous bearers of the surname were American president James Monroe (1758-1831) and American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).

As a given name it was mostly masculine in America until around 2009. It was already rising in popularity for girls when singer Mariah Carey gave it to her daughter born 2011 (though this probably helped accelerate it).

From an aristocratic English surname meaning "sharp mountain", from Old French mont agu. In Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596) this is the surname of Romeo and his family.

From Old Slavic morŭ meaning "death, plague" [1]. In Slavic mythology this was the name of a goddess associated with winter and death.

Old Welsh form of Morgan 1.

Means "servant of Marduk" in Persian. In the Old Testament Mordecai is the cousin and foster father of Esther. He thwarted a plot to kill the Persian king, though he made an enemy of the king's chief advisor Haman.

Medieval Judeo-Provençal variant of Mordechai.

From Welsh Medraut, possibly from Latin moderatus meaning "controlled, moderated". In Arthurian legend Mordred was the illegitimate son (in some versions nephew) of King Arthur. Mordred first appears briefly (as Medraut) in the 10th-century Annales Cambriae [1], but he was not portrayed as a traitor until the chronicles of the 12th-century Geoffrey of Monmouth. While Arthur is away he seduces his wife Guinevere and declares himself king. This prompts the battle of Camlann, which leads to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur.

Means "mulberry tree" in Greek. In Greek mythology, Morea is the name of a hamadryad (a type of dryad, or wood nymph).

Variant of Morgan 2, from a French form.

From the Old Welsh masculine name Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh mor "sea" and cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).

Feminine form of Morgan 1.

French, either a form of Morgan 2 or a feminine form of Morgan 1.

The name of a witch in Arthurian romance. Morgause, Queen of the Orkneys, is Arthur's half-sister with whom, in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation 'Le Morte d'Arthur', he engages in a brief affair, producing Mordred. She is also the mother of Gawain and Gareth. The earliest forms of her name are Orcades - the earliest known name of the Orkney Islands, probably derived from Celtic *forko- meaning "piglet" (cf. Orcadia) - and Morcades. Orcades probably mutated into the forms Morcades and Morgause through confusion with Morgan 2.

Earlier form of Morgan 2.

Meant "sacred olive tree" in Greek, referring to a type of olive tree in ancient Greece that was believed to have 'been propagated from the original olive which Athena herself had caused to spring up on the Acropolis'; uprooting one of the sacred μορίαι (moriai) was an offense punishable by dispossession and banishment.

Though the etymology is probably unrelated, this is the name of a naiad in Greek mythology, whose story 'appears to be a Lydian version of the tale of Pelops, the boy restored to life by the Moirai' (when her brother was killed by a monstrous serpent, Moria brought him back to life using a magical herb). In this case it is perhaps related to Greek μόρος (moros) meaning "fate, destiny, doom".

Transferred use of the surname Moriarty.

Meaning unknown. In Arthurian Romance, Morien was the son of Sir Aglovale and a Moorish princess.

From a surname that was originally from an Old English place name meaning "marsh clearing".

Means either "demon queen" or "great queen", derived from Old Irish mor "demon, evil spirit" or mór "great, big" combined with rígain "queen". In Irish mythology Morrígan (called also The Morrígan) was a goddess of war and death who often took the form of a crow.

From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Normandy, itself meaning "dead water, still water" in Old French.

Means "pearl" in Persian.

From the name of a region in western Scotland, also called Morvern or in Gaelic A' Mhorbhairne, meaning "the big gap". This is the location of Fingal's kingdom in James Macpherson's 18th-century poems.

Variant of Morwenna.

From Old Cornish moroin meaning "maiden, girl" (related to the Welsh word morwyn [1]). This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.

German form of Moses.

From the Hebrew name מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh), which is most likely derived from Egyptian mes meaning "son", but could also possibly mean "deliver" in Hebrew. The meaning suggested in the Old Testament of "drew out" from Hebrew משה (mashah) is probably an invented etymology (see Exodus 2:10).

The biblical Moses was drawn out of the Nile by the pharaoh's daughter and adopted into the royal family, at a time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. With his brother Aaron he demanded the pharaoh release the Israelites, which was only done after God sent ten plagues upon Egypt. Moses led the people across the Red Sea and to Mount Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments from God. After 40 years of wandering in the desert the people reached Canaan, the Promised Land, but Moses died just before entering it.

In England, this name has been commonly used by Christians since the Protestant Reformation, though it had long been popular among Jews.

From the name of a town in northern Wales, which is probably derived from Old English elements meaning "moss town".

From a Scottish surname, derived from Scots muir meaning "moor, fen". This name could also be inspired by Scottish Gaelic muir meaning "sea".

Means "born of the sea" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a woman (originally named Lí Ban) who was transformed into a mermaid. After 300 years she was brought to shore, baptized, and transformed back into a woman.

Derived from Greek μύρρα (myrrha) meaning "myrrh". This is the name of a character in the comedy Lysistrata by the Greek playwright Aristophanes.

Meaning "Something secret or unexplainable; an unknown", "Someone or something with an obscure or puzzling nature". From Middle English mysterie, from Anglo-Norman misterie, from Old French mistere, from Latin mysterium, from Ancient Greek μυστήριον ‎(mustḗrion, "a mystery, a secret, a secret rite"), from μύστης ‎(mústēs, "initiated one"), from μυέω ‎(muéō, "I initiate"), from μύω ‎(múō, "I shut").

Variant of Nadya 1 used in Western Europe, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name. It began to be used in France in the 19th century [1]. The name received a boost in popularity from the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci (1961-) [2].

French diminutive of Nadia 1.

Means "incantation, dirge" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of funerals.

Means "wave, sea foam" in Basque.

From the Basque name of the Spanish city of Nájera, which is Arabic in origin. In the 12th century there was a reported apparition of the Virgin Mary in a nearby cave.

Meaning uncertain, possibly derived from Greek Ναϊάς (Naias), a type of water nymph in Greek mythology (plural Ναϊάδες). Alternatively it might be related to Persian Nahid.

Nais was a naiad-nymph of the springs of the town of Pyrrhichus on the Malean peninsular of Lakedaimonia (southern Greece). She was the wife of the old rustic-god Silenus.

Means "stem" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a king of the Nishadha people in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata.

Greek form of Nanaya.

Previously a medieval diminutive of Annis, though since the 18th century it has been a diminutive of Ann. It is now usually regarded as an independent name. During the 20th century it became very popular in the United States. A city in the Lorraine region of France bears this name, though it derives from a different source.

Means "holy" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.

Means "little saint", derived from Irish naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.

From Ancient Greek ναύς meaning "ship". It is a traditional name of the star Zeta Puppis. The star originally belonged to the former constellation Argo Navis, depicting the mythical ship of the Argonauts, but the ship has now been divided into three distinct constellations, with Puppis representing the stern of the ship.

Means "sun light" in Mongolian, from наран (naran) meaning "sun" and гэрэл (gerel) meaning "light".

Feminine form of Narcissus.

Latinized form of Greek Νάρκισσος (Narkissos), possibly derived from νάρκη (narke) meaning "sleep, numbness". Narkissos was a beautiful youth in Greek mythology who stared at his own reflection for so long that he eventually died and was turned into the narcissus flower.

This name appears briefly in the epistles in the New Testament and was also borne by a few early saints, including a 2nd-century patriarch of Jerusalem. It has been used to the present, especially in Catholic regions, usually in honour of the saint as opposed to the mythological character.

Means "wild rose" in Persian.

Latinate form of Natalia (see Natalie).

From the Late Latin name Natalia, which meant "Christmas Day" from Latin natale domini. This was the name of the wife of the 4th-century martyr Saint Adrian of Nicomedia. She is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, and the name has traditionally been more common among Eastern Christians than those in the West. It was popularized in America by actress Natalie Wood (1938-1981), who was born to Russian immigrants.

Greek form of Natalius.

Means "birth" in Latin. It's also the Polish masculine form of Natalia.

Masculine form of Natalia (see Natalie).

Short form of Nathan or Nathaniel.

Derived from Icelandic nátt "night" and mǫrðr "marten".

Latinized form of Greek Ναυσικάα (Nausikaa) meaning "burner of ships". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of a daughter of Alcinous who helps Odysseus on his journey home.

From the English word meaning "sea force, fleet, armed forces of the sea". It is derived from Old French navie, from Latin navigia, the plural of navigium "boat, vessel". It also refers to a shade of dark blue, a colour traditionally associated with naval uniforms.

Means "found", derived from Bulgarian найда (nayda) meaning "to find".

From Nazareth, the town in Galilee where Jesus lived. This name is primarily feminine in Spanish and primarily masculine in Armenian.

Means "new rising" from Greek νέος (neos) meaning "new, fresh" as well as "young, youthful" and αἴρω (airo) "lift, raise up". In Greek mythology this name belonged to a nymph of Thrinakia, a mythical island, who was loved by the sun god Helios. Her name may be descriptive of the dawn sun, and she was probably the personification of the sun's risings. This name was also borne by a 4th-century BC Greek hetaira.

Latinized form of Neandros. However, in modern times, this name is best known as a surname - the most prominent bearer of which is the German theologian and hymn writer Joachim Neander (1650-1680). His paternal grandfather had translated the family's surname of Neumann (which literally means "new man") to Greek and then romanized it.

From Old Irish Ness, meaning uncertain. In Irish legend she was the mother of Conchobar. She installed her son as king of Ulster by convincing Fergus mac Róich (her husband and Conchobar's stepfather) to give up his throne to the boy for a year and then helping him rule so astutely that the Ulstermen demanded that he remain as king. According to some versions of the legend she was originally named Assa "gentle", but was renamed Ní-assa "not gentle" after she sought to avenge the murders of her foster fathers.

Irish name of uncertain meaning, possibly from a Celtic root meaning "damp" (cognate with Neptune). In Irish mythology Nechtan was the husband of Boann, the goddess of the River Boyne. He is sometimes identified with Nuada. This name was borne by the 5th-century Saint Nectan of Hartland in Devon, who was supposedly born in Ireland. It was also the name of several kings of the Picts (described mostly from Gaelic sources, this may represent a Pictish cognate).

Welsh form of Neptune.

Variant of Aneirin.

Greek form of Egyptian nt, possibly from nt "water" or nrw "fear, dread". This was the name of an early Egyptian goddess of weaving, hunting and war. Her character may have some correspondences with the goddesses Tanith, Anat or Athena.

Medieval diminutive of names beginning with El, such as Eleanor, Ellen 1 or Helen. It may have arisen from the medieval affectionate phrase mine El, which was later reinterpreted as my Nel.

Short form of Antonella.

From an English surname meaning "son of Neil". It was originally given in honour of the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). His most famous battle was the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he destroyed a combined French and Spanish fleet, but was himself killed. Another notable bearer was the South African statesman Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). Mandela's birth name was Rolihlahla; as a child he was given the English name Nelson by a teacher.

In Irish Mythology, Nemain is the fairy spirit of the frenzied havoc of war, and possibly an aspect of Morrígan. Nemain can mean "venomous" relating it to the Proto-Celtic "nemi" meaning "dose of poison," or the Old Irish "nem" or "neimi" meaning "poison."

Extended form of Nemesius. This name was borne by a Roman poet from the 3rd century AD.

Means "distribution of what is due, righteous anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Nemesis was the personification of vengeance and justice.

From a prefix meaning "new", ultimately from Greek νέος (neos).

In the film series beginning with The Matrix (1999), this is the main character's screen alias and the name he later goes by in the real world. The character is also called The One, one being an anagram of Neo.

From Japanese 光 (ne) meaning "light", 夕 (ne) meaning "evening", 寧 (ne) meaning "rather, preferably, peaceful, quiet, tranquility", 希 (ne) meaning "hope, beg, request, rare", 弥 (ne) meaning "all the more, increasingly", 心 (ne) meaning "heart, soul, mind", 愛 (ne) meaning "love, affection", 明 (ne) meaning "bright, light", 永 (ne) meaning "eternity, long, lengthy", 碧 (ne) meaning "blue, green", 祈 (ne) meaning "pray, wish", 祢 (ne) or 禰 (ne) both meaning "ancestral shrine", 羽 (ne) meaning "feathers", 菜 (ne) meaning "vegetables, greens", 虹 (ne) meaning "rainbow", 輝 (ne) meaning "brightness", 錬 (ne) meaning "tempering, refine, drill, train, polish", 音 (ne) meaning "sound" or 願 (ne) meaning "petition, request, vow, wish, hope", 碧 (o) meaning "blue, green" combined with 音 (on) meaning "sound", 姫 (on) meaning "princess", 穏 (on) meaning "calm, quiet, moderation", 暖 (on) meaning "warmth", 遠 (on) meaning "distant, far", 恩 (on) meaning "grace, kindness, goodness, favor, mercy, blessing, benefit", 桜 (on) meaning "cherry blossom", 温 (on) meaning "warm", 織 (on) meaning "weave, fabric" or 苑 (on) meaning "garden, farm, park". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Derived from the Greek νεώρεον (neoreon) meaning "to be overseer of a dockyard".

From Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud". In Greek legend Nephele was created from a cloud by Zeus, who shaped the cloud to look like Hera in order to trick Ixion, a mortal who desired her. Nephele was the mother of the centaurs by Ixion, and was also the mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamus.

Greek form of Egyptian nbt-ḥwt (reconstructed as Nebet-Hut) meaning "lady of the house", derived from nbt "lady" and ḥwt "house". This was the name of an Egyptian goddess associated with the air, death and mourning. She was wife of the desert god Seth.

From the Latin Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Indo-European root *nebh- "wet, damp, clouds". Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.

Derived from the name of the Greek sea god Neptune, used by the Roman poet Catullus to refer to the nymph Thetis, because she was a granddaughter of Poseidon (Neptune).

Feminine form of Nereo.

Derived from Greek Νηρηΐδες (Nereides) meaning "nymphs, sea sprites", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.

Derived from Greek νηρός (neros) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a god of the sea, the father of the Nereids. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament, belonging to a Christian in Rome. This was also the name of a Roman saint of the 1st century, a member of the army, who was martyred with his companion Achilleus because they refused to execute Christians.

Probably from Greek Νηρηΐδες (see Nereida). This name was used by Torquato Tasso for a character in his play Aminta (1573), and subsequently by Giacomo Leopardi in his poem Le Ricordanze (1829).

Created by Shakespeare for a character in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). He possibly took it from Greek Νηρηΐς (Nereis) meaning "nymph, sea sprite", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.

Roman cognomen, which was probably of Sabine origin meaning "strong, vigorous". It was used by a prominent branch of the gens Claudia starting from the 3rd century BC. It was borne most famously by a Roman emperor of the 1st century, remembered as a tyrant. His birth name was Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, but after he was adopted as the heir of Claudius his name became Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus.

Latinized form of Germanic *Nerþuz, which is also the root of the Old Norse god's name Njǫrðr (see Njord). Nerthus was a Germanic goddess of fertility as described by the Roman historian Tacitus in the 1st century.

Probably a feminized form of Welsh nêr meaning "lord".

Derived from Greek νῆσος (nêsos) meaning "island". In Greek mythology this name was borne by one of the Nereids. A moon of Neptune bears this name in her honour.