rhia_07's Personal Name List

Variant of Adelina.

Variant of Alana.

Name of the fictional character Ananthema Device from the show Good Omens inspired by Terry Pratchett Neil Gaiman's book. The name is derived from the word meaning "someone who is disliked" or "a curse by a pope or minister of the church", which makes sense as the character is an occultist.

Diminutive of Andrew or Andrea 2.

Medieval English form of Agnes.

Derived from Welsh arian "silver" and gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint, one of the supposed daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.

Aziraphale is the name of a the angel in the Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett collaboration, Good Omens. The authors state that though the name is made up of real elements, it's made up.

Elaboration of French beau "beautiful" using the popular phonetic suffix den, found in such names as Hayden and Aidan. This name has become popular in New Zealand due to rugby player Beauden Barrett (1991-).

Derived from Welsh brych meaning "speckled, freckled" combined with a diminutive suffix. Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary Welsh king, said to be Irish by birth, the founder of the kingdom of Brycheiniog in central Wales. He reputedly fathered dozens of children, many of whom are regarded as saints.

Feminine form of Caelius.

From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κέδρος (kedros).

Means "God exists" in Igbo, derived from Chi 2, referring to God, and dị meaning "is". It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with Chidi.

Feminine form of the Late Latin name Clarus, which meant "clear, bright, famous". The name Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.

As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages, originally in the form Clare, though the Latinate spelling Clara overtook it in the 19th century and became very popular. It declined through most of the 20th century (being eclipsed by the French form Claire in English-speaking countries), though it has since recovered somewhat.

From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "settlement by a cliff" in Old English.

From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English clafre.

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

Transferred use of the surname Crowley.

Means "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.

Feminine variant of Darcy.

Probably an elaborated form of Darren.

In the case of American guitarist Dweezil Zappa (1969-), this was his father's affectionate nickname for his mother's pinkie toe.

Form of Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament.

This feminine name is predominantly found in Latin America. I am not entirely certain about the meaning and origin of this name, but it may possibly be a variant spelling of Enid.

Means "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.

Feminine form of Eric. It was first used in the 18th century. It also coincides with the Latin word for "heather".

Feminine form of Ernest.

Means "good news" from Greek εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελμα (angelma) meaning "news, message". It was (first?) used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his 1847 epic poem Evangeline [1][2]. It also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) as the full name of the character Eva.

Means "joy, happiness" in Arabic.

Diminutive of Frederick or Freda. A noteworthy bearer was the musician Freddie Mercury (1946-1991), born Farrokh Bulsara, the lead vocalist of the British rock band Queen.

Anglicized form of Gruffudd.

From the Old Welsh name Grifud, the second element deriving from Old Welsh iudd "lord, prince" but the first element being of uncertain meaning (possibly cryf "strong"). This was a common name among medieval Welsh royalty. Gruffudd (or Gruffydd) ap Llywelyn was an 11th-century Welsh ruler who fought against England.

Diminutive of Guglielmu.

Derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" combined with another element of uncertain meaning. It could possibly be Welsh ffreu meaning "stream, flow" [1] or the obscure word ffrewi meaning "pacify, quell, reconcile" [2]. This may be the original form of Winifred. In any case, it is the Welsh name for the saint.

From Greek Ἅιδης (Haides), derived from ἀϊδής (aides) meaning "unseen". In Greek mythology Hades was the dark god of the underworld, a place that also came to be called Hades. His brothers were Zeus and Poseidon and his wife was Persephone, whom he had abducted.

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

From Old Welsh Higuel meaning "eminent, prominent" (literally "well-seen"). This was the name of a few Welsh kings, including the 10th-century Hywel the Good who was known for establishing laws.

Diminutive of Ifan.

Diminutive of Isabel.

Derived from the Germanic element id possibly meaning "work, labour" (Proto-Germanic *idiz). The Normans brought this name to England, though it eventually died out there in the Middle Ages. It was strongly revived in the 19th century, in part due to the heroine in Alfred Tennyson's poem The Princess (1847), which was later adapted into the play Princess Ida (1884) by Gilbert and Sullivan.

Though the etymology is unrelated, this is the name of a mountain on the island of Crete where, according to Greek myth, the god Zeus was born.

German form of Iseult, appearing in the 13th-century German poem Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg. In 1865 the German composer Richard Wagner debuted his popular opera Tristan und Isolde and also used the name for his first daughter.

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.

Danish form of Jasper.

Medieval English form of Johanne, an Old French form of Iohanna (see Joanna). This was the usual English feminine form of John in the Middle Ages, but it was surpassed in popularity by Jane in the 17th century. It again became quite popular in the first half of the 20th century, entering the top ten names for both the United States and the United Kingdom, though it has since faded.

This name (in various spellings) has been common among European royalty, being borne by ruling queens of Naples, Navarre and Castile. Another famous bearer was Joan of Arc, a patron saint of France (where she is known as Jeanne d'Arc). She was a 15th-century peasant girl who, after claiming she heard messages from God, was given leadership of the French army. She defeated the English in the battle of Orléans but was eventually captured and burned at the stake.

Other notable bearers include the actress Joan Crawford (1904-1977) and the comedian Joan Rivers (1933-2014), both Americans.

Feminine variant of Jody.

Latinate form of Greek Ioanna (see Joanna).

English, German and Dutch form of Joséphine.

Diminutive of Josephine.

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

From a nickname, probably from the English word kipper meaning "male salmon".

Diminutive of Kirsteen or Kirstin.

German and Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth.

English variant of Lillian, as well as a French and Romanian masculine form.

Form of Lillian found in Scotland from about the 16th century [1].

German, Scandinavian, Dutch and Lithuanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This was the most popular name for boys in Germany, Austria and Lithuania in some years of the 1990s and 2000s.

Form of Mahalath used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.

Usual English form of Maria, the Latin form of the New Testament Greek names Μαριάμ (Mariam) and Μαρία (Maria) — the spellings are interchangeable — which were from Hebrew מִרְיָם (Miryam), a name borne by the sister of Moses in the Old Testament. The meaning is not known for certain, but there are several theories including "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness", and "wished for child". However it was most likely originally an Egyptian name, perhaps derived in part from mry "beloved" or mr "love".

This is the name of several New Testament characters, most importantly Mary the mother of Jesus. According to the gospels, Jesus was conceived in her by the Holy Spirit while she remained a virgin. This name was also borne by Mary Magdalene, a woman cured of demons by Jesus. She became one of his followers and later witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection.

Due to the Virgin Mary this name has been very popular in the Christian world, though at certain times in some cultures it has been considered too holy for everyday use. In England it has been used since the 12th century, and it has been among the most common feminine names since the 16th century. In the United States in 1880 it was given more than twice as often as the next most popular name for girls (Anna). It remained in the top rank in America until 1946 when it was bumped to second (by Linda). Although it regained the top spot for a few more years in the 1950s it was already falling in usage, and has since dropped out of the top 100 names.

This name has been borne by two queens of England, as well as a queen of Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots. Another notable bearer was Mary Shelley (1797-1851), the author of Frankenstein. A famous fictional character by this name is Mary Poppins from the children's books by P. L. Travers, first published in 1934.

The Latinized form of this name, Maria, is also used in English as well as in several other languages.

Variant of Maud.

Anglicized form of Máirín.

From the surname of the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba (1861-1931). This was a stage name that she got from the name of the city Melbourne, where she was born.

Variant of Maya 2.

Anglicized form of Irish Muirgel and Scottish Muireall. A form of this name was also used in Brittany, and it was first introduced to medieval England by Breton settlers in the wake of the Norman Conquest. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel John Halifax, Gentleman (1856).

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.

Medieval Welsh diminutive of Agnes.

Diminutive of Nicole.

Derived from Latin noctis "of the night". This is the name of a character in Final Fantasy XIII Versus.

Derived from Greek ὠφέλεια (opheleia) meaning "help, advantage". This was a rare ancient Greek name, which was either rediscovered or recreated by the poet Jacopo Sannazaro for a character in his poem Arcadia (1480). It was borrowed by Shakespeare for his play Hamlet (1600), in which it belongs to the daughter of Polonius and the potential love interest of Hamlet. She eventually goes insane and drowns herself after Hamlet kills her father. In spite of this negative association, the name has been in use since the 19th century.

From a French and English surname that meant "little page" (see Paige).

From an English surname meaning "servant, page" in Middle English. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".

As a given name for girls, it received some public attention from a character in the 1958 novel Parrish and the 1961 movie adaptation [1]. It experienced a larger surge in popularity in the 1980s, probably due to the character Paige Matheson from the American soap opera Knots Landing.

From Welsh pryder meaning "care, worry" (or perhaps from a derivative word *pryderi meaning "loss" [1]). Appearing in Welsh legend in all four branches of the Mabinogi, Pryderi was the son of Pwyll and Rhiannon, eventually succeeding his father as the king of Dyfed. He was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's tragic invasion of Ireland, and later had several adventures with Manawydan. He was ultimately killed in single combat with Gwydion during the war between Dyfed and Gwynedd.

Short form of Rachel. It can also be used as a feminine form of Ray.

Variant of Rhea, Ria, Rhiannon, or Rhian.

Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi [1] as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.

As an English name, it became popular due to the Fleetwood Mac song Rhiannon (1976), especially in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Derived from the Old German elements hros meaning "horse" and lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it was not common. During the Middle Ages its spelling was influenced by the Latin phrase rosa linda "beautiful rose". The name was popularized by Edmund Spencer, who used it in his poetry, and by William Shakespeare, who used it for the heroine in his comedy As You Like It (1599).

Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).

From the English word meaning "black", derived from the name of the black-furred mammal native to northern Asia, ultimately of Slavic origin.

Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.

Feminine form of the Late Latin name Seraphinus, derived from the biblical word seraphim, which was Hebrew in origin and meant "fiery ones". The seraphim were an order of angels, described by Isaiah in the Bible as having six wings each.

This was the name of a 13th-century Italian saint who made clothes for the poor. As an English name, it has never been common.

Diminutive of Siân.

The name of a companion of Saint Paul in the New Testament. It is probably a short form of Silvanus, a name that Paul calls him by in the epistles. It is possible that Silvanus and Silas were Latin and Greek forms of the Hebrew name Saul (via Aramaic).

As an English name it was not used until after the Protestant Reformation. It was utilized by George Eliot for the title character in her novel Silas Marner (1861).

Arabic name derived from the word تهاني (t·hāny), meaning "congratulations".

From the name of an ancient Greek town in Boeotia, itself supposedly named after a nymph. In a Greek legend (the oldest surviving version appearing in Latin in Ovid's Metamorphoses) this is the name of a young woman from Babylon. Believing her to be dead, her lover Pyramus kills himself, after which she does the same to herself. The splashes of blood from their suicides is the reason mulberry fruit are red.

Possibly inspired by the Norwegian poem Lokkende Toner (1859) by Johan Sebastian Welhaven, which features the folk heroine Tirilil Tove.

Means "gentle; happy" in Welsh.

While this name appears as a male name in Welsh mythology, it is mostly used for girls now (with the occasional masculine use).

Means "chooser of the slain", derived from Old Norse valr "the slain" and kyrja "chooser". In Norse myth the Valkyries were maidens who led heroes killed in battle to Valhalla.

French form of Viviana.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself meaning "west meadow" from Old English west "west" and leah "woodland, clearing". It has been sometimes given in honour of John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism.

Latinization of Winifred.

From Latin Winifreda, possibly from a Welsh name Gwenfrewi (maybe influenced by the Old English masculine name Winfred). Saint Winifred was a 7th-century Welsh martyr, probably legendary. According to the story, she was decapitated by a prince after she spurned his advances. Where her head fell there arose a healing spring, which has been a pilgrimage site since medieval times. Her story was recorded in the 12th century by Robert of Shrewsbury, and she has been historically more widely venerated in England than in Wales. The name has been used in England since at least the 16th century.

From the English word for the small songbird. It is ultimately derived from Old English wrenna.

Usual English form of Zacharias, used in some English versions of the New Testament. This form has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until after the Protestant Reformation. It was borne by American military commander and president Zachary Taylor (1784-1850).

From the Greek Ζέφυρος (Zephyros) meaning "west wind". Zephyros was the Greek god of the west wind.