colters's Personal Name List

Old French form of Alice.

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

Means "nobleness, nobility", from the French form of the Germanic name Adalheidis, which was composed of adal "noble" and the suffix heit "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great.

In Britain the parallel form Alice, derived via Old French, has historically been more common than Adelaide, though this form did gain some currency in the 19th century due to the popularity of the German-born wife of King William IV, for whom the city of Adelaide in Australia was named in 1836.

Short form of Adoración.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ἁγνή (Hagne), derived from Greek ἁγνός (hagnos) meaning "chaste". Saint Agnes was a virgin martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The name became associated with Latin agnus "lamb", resulting in the saint's frequent depiction with a lamb by her side. Due to her renown, the name became common in Christian Europe.

As an English name it was highly popular from the Middle Ages until the 17th century. It was revived in the 19th century and was common into the 20th, but it fell into decline after the 1930s. It last appeared on the American top 1000 rankings in 1972.

Derived from Kazakh and Kyrgyz ай (ay) meaning "moon" combined with the Turkic military title beg meaning "chieftain, master".

Diminutive of names beginning with the Old German element ekka meaning "edge, blade" or adal meaning "noble".

From Old Irish Ailbe, possibly derived from the old Celtic root *albiyo- "world, light, white" or Old Irish ail "rock". In Irish legend this was the name of a female warrior of the Fianna. It was also the name of a 6th-century masculine saint, the founder of a monastery at Emly.

Means "elf" in Irish. This name was borne by several early Irish kings. It also occurs frequently in Irish legend, borne for example by the husband of Queen Medb. It was also the name of two saints, both bishops of Armagh in the 6th century.

Means "the hand of God" in Igbo.

From Japanese 昭 (akira) meaning "bright", 明 (akira) meaning "bright" or 亮 (akira) meaning "clear". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name. A famous bearer was the Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998), given name written 明.

Possibly of Turkic origin meaning "white falcon". This was the name of a medieval Hungarian clan.

From the Gothic name *Alareiks meaning "ruler of all", derived from the element alls "all" combined with reiks "ruler, king". This was the name of a king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century.

Variant of Aldric.

Variant of Etheldred.

Finnish, Bulgarian and Georgian form of Alexius.

Czech and Slovak form of Alexius.

Greek form of Alexius.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξιος (Alexios), a derivative of Ἄλεξις (see Alexis). This was the name of five Byzantine emperors. It was also borne by a 5th-century Syrian saint who is especially venerated in the Eastern Church.

German, Dutch and Catalan form of Alfonso.

Originally a Norman French nickname, derived from aux gernons "having a moustache", which was applied to William de Percy, a companion of William the Conqueror. It was first used a given name in the 15th century (for a descendant of William de Percy). This name was borne by a character (a mouse) in the short story Flowers for Algernon (1958) and novel of the same title (1966) by the American author Daniel Keyes.

Anglicized form of Alasdair.

Greek form of Alcaeus.

Latinized form of Aloys, an old Occitan form of Louis. This was the name of an Italian saint, Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591). The name has been in occasional use among Catholics since his time.

Middle English form of Ælfheah.

Means "the flyer" in Arabic. This is the name of a star in the constellation Aquila.

Means "golden rose" in Mongolian, from алтан (altan) meaning "golden" and сарнай (sarnai) meaning "rose".

Means "love of God", derived from Latin amare "to love" and Deus "God". A famous bearer was the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who was actually born Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart but preferred the Latin translation of his Greek middle name. This name was also assumed as a middle name by the German novelist E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), who took it in honour of Mozart.

From the Greek Ἀμάλθεια (Amaltheia), derived from μαλθάσσω (malthasso) meaning "to soften, to soothe". In Greek myth she was a nymph (in some sources a goat) who nursed the infant Zeus.

Greek form of Amalthea.

Means "snake" in Quechua. It was borne by Tupaq Amaru and Tupaq Amaru II, two Inca leaders after the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (in the 16th and 18th centuries).

From the Late Latin name Ambrosius, which was derived from the Greek name Ἀμβρόσιος (Ambrosios) meaning "immortal". Saint Ambrose was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Milan, who is considered a Doctor of the Church. Due to the saint, the name came into general use in Christian Europe, though it was never particularly common in England.

Means "dream" in Basque.

Meaning uncertain, possibly a derivative of Anne 1 or Agnès. It was used in Jean-Henri Guy's opera Anacréon chez Polycrate (1798), where it is borne by the daughter (otherwise unnamed in history) of the 6th-century BC tyrant Polycrates of Samos. Guy could have adapted it from a classical name such as Anaitis or Athénaïs.

A famous bearer was the Cuban-French writer Anaïs Nin (1903-1977), known for her diaries.

Basque form of Andreas (see Andrew).

Scandinavian form of Andreas (see Andrew). A famous bearer was the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström (1814-1874).

English form of André.

Ancient Greek and Latin form of Andrew. It is also the form used in Modern Greek, German and Welsh.

Derived from Greek ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) combined with one of the related words μέδομαι (medomai) meaning "to be mindful of, to provide for, to think on" or μέδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". In Greek mythology Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess rescued from sacrifice by the hero Perseus. A constellation in the northern sky is named for her. This is also the name of a nearby galaxy, given because it resides (from our point of view) within the constellation.

Means "minuteness" from Sanskrit अणिमन (animan). In yoga texts, this is the name of the ability to make oneself infinitely small so to be invisible.

Means "soul, spirit" in Latin. In Jungian psychology the anima is an individual's true inner self, or soul.

Spanish, Portuguese, Croatian and Slovene diminutive of Ana.

Means "first joy" in Mongolian, from анх (ankh) meaning "first" and баяр (bayar) meaning "joy".

Feminine form of Ankit.

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.

From Greek Ἀντάρης (Antares), traditionally said to mean "opposing Ares". This is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius.

Means "worship" in Sanskrit.

Means "lion of God, hero" in Hebrew. This was the name of a son of Gad in the Old Testament.

Dutch and German variant of Arnold. This is also the Dutch word for "eagle".

Perhaps from either Greek ἀρή (are) meaning "bane, ruin" or ἄρσην (arsen) meaning "male". The name first appears as a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Hera.

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.

Means "lion" in Hebrew, an animal particularly associated with the tribe of Judah (see Genesis 49:9). This is the name of an officer of King Pekahiah in the Old Testament.

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).

Means "ram" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the first sign of the zodiac. Some Roman legends state that the ram in the constellation was the one who supplied the Golden Fleece sought by Jason.

Derived from Greek ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "the best".

Short form of names beginning with the Old German element arn meaning "eagle".

Possibly related to the name of the Armenian god Aramazd or the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda. In pre-Christian Georgian mythology Armazi was the supreme god.

Originally an Old Norse short form of names beginning with the element ǫrn meaning "eagle".

Diminutive of Arnold.

French form of Arsenios.

Means "virile" in Greek. Saint Arsenius was a 5th-century deacon who was tutor to the two sons of the Roman emperor Theodosius. The two sons, Arcadius and Honorius, divided the empire into eastern and western halves upon their father's death.

Russian and Ukrainian form of Arsenios.

The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from the Celtic elements *artos "bear" (Old Welsh arth) combined with *wiros "man" (Old Welsh gur) or *rīxs "king" (Old Welsh ri). Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius.

Arthur is the name of the central character in Arthurian legend, a 6th-century king of the Britons who resisted Saxon invaders. He may or may not have been based on a real person. He first appears in Welsh poems and chronicles (perhaps briefly in the 7th-century poem Y Gododdin and more definitively and extensively in the 9th-century History of the Britons [1]). However, his character was not developed until the chronicles of the 12th-century Geoffrey of Monmouth [2]. His tales were later taken up and expanded by French and English writers.

The name came into general use in England in the Middle Ages due to the prevalence of Arthurian romances, and it enjoyed a surge of popularity in the 19th century. Famous bearers include German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), mystery author and Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), and science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008).

The name of a star (also called Alcor), which was named after a type of climbing plant, possibly meaning "not restrained" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief it is the name of the sage Vasishtha's wife, who is identified with the star.

Possibly from Arabic أسي (asy) meaning "distressed, grieved". According to Islamic tradition this was the name of the wife of the pharaoh at the time of Moses. She took care of the infant Moses and later accepted monotheism.

Derived from Old Norse askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife Embla were the first humans created by the gods.

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.

Possibly means "enduring" from Greek τλάω (tlao) meaning "to endure". In Greek mythology he was a Titan punished by Zeus by being forced to support the heavens on his shoulders.

German, Polish, Scandinavian and Catalan form of Augustus. This was the name of three Polish kings.

As an English name it can also derive from the month of August, which was named for the Roman emperor Augustus.

From the name of the island paradise to which King Arthur was brought after his death. The name of this island is perhaps related to Welsh afal meaning "apple", a fruit that was often linked with paradise.

Created by L. M. Montgomery as the setting for her novel Anne of Green Gables (1908). She may have based the name on the Arthurian island of Avalon, though it also resembles the river name Avon and leah "woodland, clearing".

Diminutive of Barbara.

From a surname probably meaning "quarrelsome, deceptive" in Middle English, originally given to a quarrelsome person.

Means "strong jewel" in Mongolian, from бат (batu) meaning "strong, firm" and эрдэнэ (erdene) meaning "jewel, treasure".

From an occupational surname that meant "(female) baker", from Old English bæcere and a feminine agent suffix.

Chiefly British diminutive of Barry or Basil 1.

From the Welsh name Bedwyr, possibly from bedwen "birch" and gwr "man". In Arthurian legends Bedivere was one of the original companions of King Arthur. He first appears in early Welsh tales, and his story was later expanded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century. He is the one who throws the sword Excalibur into the lake at the request of the dying Arthur.

Short form of Beatrix and other names beginning with B.

French form of Bathsheba.

Short form of Beverly.

From a surname that was derived from Middle English brigge, Old English brycg meaning "bridge".

Roman cognomen meaning "heavy" in Latin. Famous bearers include Lucius Junius Brutus, the traditional founder of the Roman Republic, and Marcus Junius Brutus, the statesman who conspired to assassinate Julius Caesar.

From an English nickname meaning simply "buck, male deer", ultimately from Old English bucc.

Somali form of Abd ar-Rahman.

Means "whelp, young dog" in Scottish Gaelic. This name was borne by Cailean Mór, a 13th-century Scottish lord and ancestor of Clan Campbell.

From the name of the city in Egypt, called القاهرة (al-Qahirah) in Arabic, meaning "the victorious".

Irish byname meaning "curly haired", from Irish cas "twisted, curly".

Most likely related to Hebrew כֶּלֶב (kelev) meaning "dog". An alternate theory connects it to Hebrew כָּל (kal) meaning "whole, all of" and לֵב (lev) meaning "heart". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve spies sent by Moses into Canaan. Of the Israelites who left Egypt with Moses, Caleb and Joshua were the only ones who lived to see the Promised Land.

As an English name, Caleb came into use after the Protestant Reformation. It was common among the Puritans, who introduced it to America in the 17th century.

Means "little boot" in Latin. This was a nickname for the 1st-century Roman emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus given to him in his youth by his father's soldiers.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name, perhaps meaning "enclosed valley" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English historian William Camden (1551-1623).

From the name of the picturesque Italian island of Capri. It is likely from Greek κάπρος (kapros) meaning "wild boar", though it could also be of Etruscan origin or from Latin capri meaning "goats".

Variant of Caradog.

Derived from Latin cardo meaning "hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.

From an English surname that meant "wood carver".

From an English occupational surname for a box maker, derived from Norman French casse meaning "case", from Latin capsa. It coincides with the English word cash meaning "money" (derived from the same French and Latin roots). A famous bearer of the surname was American musician Johnny Cash (1932-2003).

English form of the Polish name Kazimierz, derived from the Slavic element kaziti "to destroy" combined with mirŭ "peace, world". Four kings of Poland have borne this name, including Casimir III the Great, who greatly strengthened the Polish state in the 14th century. It was also borne Saint Casimir, a 15th-century Polish prince and a patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. The name was imported into Western Europe via Germany, where it was borne by some royalty.

Latinized form of Greek Κάσσανδρος (Kassandros), the masculine form of Cassandra. This was the name of a 3rd-century BC king of Macedon.

From the Roman family name Cassianus, which was derived from Cassius. This was the name of several saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Tangier who is the patron saint of stenographers and a 5th-century mystic who founded a monastery in Marseille.

From Hebrew קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftzi'el), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include "leap of God", "drawn together by God" or "wrath of God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.

Roman cognomen meaning "wise" in Latin. This name was bestowed upon Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato), a 2nd-century BC Roman statesman, author and censor, and was subsequently inherited by his descendants, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.

Either from the name of the Irish county, which is derived from Irish cabhán "hollow", or else from the Irish surname Cavan.

From the Roman name Caecilius (see Cecilia). This was the name of a 3rd-century saint, a companion of Saint Cyprian. Though it was in use during the Middle Ages in England, it did not become common until the 19th century when it was given in honour of the noble Cecil family, who had been prominent since the 16th century. Their surname was derived from the Welsh given name Seisyll, which was derived from the Roman name Sextilius, a derivative of Sextus.

Derived from Old English cene "bold" and ric "ruler, king".

Italian form of Caesar.

From a French surname that was derived from a place name meaning "stony". It was originally given in honour of Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal, the founder of the Visitation Order in the 17th century. It has become associated with French chant "song".

From Old French Charles le Magne meaning "Charles the Great". This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.

Old German variant of Lothar.

Means "golden flower" from Greek χρύσεος (chryseos) meaning "golden" combined with ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century Egyptian saint.

Means "ancient, enduring" in Irish. In Irish mythology this was the name of the father of Lugh Lámfada. It was also borne by the mythical ancestor of the Ciannachta and by a son-in-law of Brian Boru.

Feminine form of Ciar. This is another name for Saint Ciar.

From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Mac Fhlannchaidh), derived from the given name Flannchadh meaning "red warrior".

From the English word for a young male horse or from the surname of the same origin. It may be given in honour of the American industrialist Samuel Colt (1814-1862) or the firearms company that bears his name. It was brought to public attention in 1981 by the main character on the television series The Fall Guy [1].

Late Latin name meaning "constant, steadfast". This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor, a son of Constantine the Great.

From the Latin name Constantinus, a derivative of Constans. Constantine the Great (272-337), full name Flavius Valerius Constantinus, was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).

Possibly means "little spear" from Irish corra "spear" and a diminutive suffix.

Derived from the Slavic elements čĭstĭ "honour" and radŭ "happy, willing". In Czech legend this was the name of one of the men tricked by Šárka.

Irish byname meaning "helpful" (cuidigh means "help").

French form of Cyril, sometimes used as a feminine form.

Latin form of Greek Κῦρος (Kyros), from the Old Persian name 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 (Kuruš), possibly meaning "young" or "humiliator (of the enemy)" [1]. Alternatively it could be of Elamite origin. The name has sometimes been associated with Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord".

The most notable bearer of the name was Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire in the 6th century BC. He is famous in the Old Testament for freeing the captive Jews and allowing them to return to Israel after his conquest of Babylon. As an English name, it first came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation.

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name in Cumbria, of Brythonic origin meaning "trickling stream".

Perhaps related to Ugaritic dgn meaning "grain". This was the name of a Semitic god of agriculture, usually depicted with the body of a fish.

From a surname that could either be of Old English origin meaning "valley house" or of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "meadow dwelling". A city in Texas bears this name, probably in honour of American Vice President George M. Dallas (1792-1864).

From an English surname that was either a variant of the surname Dean or else an ethnic name referring to a person from Denmark.

Diminutive of Daniel.

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

From an English surname, which was derived either from the town of Dax in France or from the Old English given name Dæcca (of unknown meaning). The name was brought to public attention by the main character in the 1966 novel The Adventurers and its 1970 movie adaptation. It became popular in the 2010s due to its similarity to other names like Max and Jax.

Ancient Greek name derived from δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people".

Derived from Greek δυσδαίμων (dysdaimon) meaning "ill-fated". This is the name of the wife of Othello in Shakespeare's play Othello (1603).

Means "joy" in Amharic.

Medieval diminutive of Richard. The change in the initial consonant is said to have been caused by the way the trilled Norman R was pronounced by the English [1].

Catalan form of Didacus.

Short form of Dionysios and other Greek names beginning with the Greek element Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus". This was the name of a 4th-century BC tyrant of Syracuse. It has been used as an American given name since the middle of the 20th century.

Dutch and Low German short form of Diederik. This name was borne by several counts of Frisia and Holland, beginning in the 10th century. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by actor Dirk Bogarde (1921-1999), who had some Dutch ancestry. This is also the Scots word for a type of dagger.

Means "bear" in Hebrew.

From a surname (of unknown meaning) that was used in the movie The Crow (1994).

Derived from the Old English elements eald "old" and guð "battle" (a cognate of Old German Aldegund).

Feminine variant of Eder 2.

Originally a short form of Ekkehard and other names beginning with the Old High German element ekka, Old Saxon eggia meaning "edge, blade". This name was borne by Eike of Repgow, who compiled the law book the Sachsenspiegel in the 13th century.

Derived from the Old Norse name Eindriði, possibly from the elements einn "one, alone" and ríða "to ride".

Possibly from Old Irish etne meaning "kernel, grain". In Irish mythology Eithne or Ethniu was a Fomorian and the mother of Lugh Lámfada. It was borne by several other legendary and historical figures, including a few early saints.

Means "storm" in Basque.

Dutch variant of names beginning with Eli, such as Elijah or Elisabeth.

Derived from Welsh elus meaning "kind, benevolent". This was the name of two kings of Powys in Wales.

Short form of Elizabeth. It was borne by the character Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion (1913) and the subsequent musical adaptation My Fair Lady (1956).

Spanish form of Eligius.

Middle English form of either of the Old English names Ælfric or Æðelric. Both were rarely used after the Norman Conquest.

Short form of Elisabeth.

Welsh form of Ambrose. Emrys Wledig (or Ambrosius Aurelianus) was a Romano-British military leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century. Tales of his life were used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth to help shape the early character of Merlin, whom he called Merlinus Ambrosius in Latin.

Means "king, lord" in Welsh.

Anglicized form of Endelienta, the Latin form of a Welsh or Cornish name. It was borne by a 5th or 6th-century Cornish saint whose birth name is lost. According to some traditions she was a daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog (identifying her with Cynheiddon).

Means "very rare" in Turkish.

Celt-iberic god in ancient Portugal and spain, probabily an important deity due to its meaning, from celtic Ende, "more", and Vell, "better", "more" and "better" would thus have the same meaning as Optimus, that is, "Excellent". It was found also in spanish stone inscriptions with slight spelling variations such as Indobelicus, Andovel and more.

Norwegian short form of Eindride.

Derived from Greek ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning "to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess Selene, who asked Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.

Possibly derived from Basque ene "my" and ko, a diminutive suffix. This was the name of the first king of Pamplona or Navarre (9th century), whose name is usually rendered as Íñigo.

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).

Probably derived from Welsh enaid meaning "soul, spirit, life". In Arthurian tales she first appears in the 12th-century French poem Erec and Enide by Chrétien de Troyes, where she is the wife of Erec. In later adaptations she is typically the wife of Geraint. The name became more commonly used after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian poem Enid in 1859, and it was fairly popular in Britain in the first half of the 20th century.

Created by the Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty in the 19th century. He based it on the name of the legendary mother of the Hungarian people, Enéh, of Turkic origin meaning "young hind" (modern Hungarian ünő).

Means "lady of the great earth", from Sumerian 𒊩𒌆 (ereš) meaning "lady, queen" combined with 𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth" and 𒃲 (gal) meaning "great, big". In Sumerian mythology she was the goddess of death and the underworld.

Means "bee" in Basque.

Amharic form of Alexander.

Modern Scandinavian form of Ásketill.

Feminine form of Esmé.

Form of Attila used in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied. In the story Etzel is a fictional version of Attila the Hun.

Variant of Evandrus, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὔανδρος (Euandros) meaning "good of man", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan War who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.

Bulgarian and Georgian form of Eugene, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Евгений (see Yevgeniy).

This name was used by Victor Hugo for the mother of Cosette in his novel Les Misérables (1862). The name was given to her by a passerby who found the young orphan on the street. Hugo may have intended it to be a derivative of the French word enfant "child".

Means "horseman, knight" in Arabic.

French form of Faro. As an English name, it is probably from a French surname that was derived from the given name.

From a German surname that was derived from the Latin name Faustus. This is the name of a character in German legends about a man who makes a pact with the devil, via his representative Mephistopheles. He is believed to be based on the character of Dr. Johann Faust (1480-1540). His story was adapted by writers such as Christopher Marlowe and Goethe.

Means "little raven" from Old Irish fiach "raven" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an Irish saint of the 7th century, the founder of the monastery at Fore. He died of the yellow plague.

Originally a Frisian short form of Ferdinand (and other names starting with the Old German element fridu "peace" and a second element beginning with n [1]).

Feminine form of Fen 2.

Diminutive of Fiamma.

Older form of Fionnlagh.

From Persian پیروز (piruz) or فیروز (firuz) meaning "victorious". This name was borne by Firuz Shah Tughlaq, a 14th-century sultan of Delhi who did much to build the city's infrastructure.

Means "little fish" in Yiddish, a diminutive of פֿיש (fish) meaning "fish".

Short form of various given names that are derived from surnames beginning with Norman French fitz meaning "son of" (for example Fitzroy).

Diminutive of Felicity. In some cases it can be a nickname from the English word flick.

From an English surname that has several different origins: see Foster 1, Foster 2, Foster 3 and Foster 4.

Variant of Freyr.

German feminine form of Frederick.

German diminutive of Friedrich.

Variant of Fulk.

Short form of Gabriel.

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.

From Chinese 刚 (gāng) meaning "hard, rigid, strong", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.

Meaning unknown, possibly related to the Basque word hartz meaning "bear". This was the name of several medieval kings of Navarre and Leon.

Hebrew form of Gabriel.

Derived from the Old Norse element geirr meaning "spear".

Polish form of Gervasius.

From an English surname meaning "triangular" (from Old English gara), originally referring to someone who lived on a triangular piece of land. A famous bearer was American writer Gore Vidal (1925-2012).

Possibly derived from Old Irish grán meaning "grain" or gráin meaning "hatred, fear". In the Irish legend The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne she escaped from her arranged marriage to Fionn mac Cumhaill by fleeing with her lover Diarmaid. Another famous bearer was the powerful 16th-century Irish landowner and seafarer Gráinne Ní Mháille (known in English as Grace O'Malley), who was sometimes portrayed as a pirate queen in later tales.

From the Roman cognomen Hadrianus, which meant "from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria was the name of two Roman settlements. The first (modern Adria) is in northern Italy and was an important Etruscan port town. The second (modern Atri) is in central Italy and was named after the northern town. The Adriatic Sea is also named after the northern town.

A famous bearer of the name was Publius Aelius Hadrianus, better known as Hadrian, a 2nd-century Roman emperor who built a wall across northern Britain. His family came from the town of Atri in central Italy.

Means "festive" in Hebrew, from the root חָגַג (chagag). This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. He was the author of the Book of Haggai, which urges the exiles returning from Babylonia to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

Means "beginning" in Japanese, written with kanji having the same or similar meanings, such as 肇, 一 or 元, as well others.

Turkish form of Hala.

Combination of Hanne 1 and Eleonore.

From Japanese 半 (han) meaning "half" and 蔵 (zō) meaning "to hide". This name was borne by the noted samurai Hattori Hanzou (1542-1596). The name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.

Means "altar, mountain of God" in Hebrew. In the Hebrew Bible this word is applied to the altar in the temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 43:15).

From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English hara "hare" or hær "rock, heap of stones" and leah "woodland, clearing". An American name for boys since the 19th century, it began to be used for girls after a character with the name began appearing on the soap opera Guiding Light in 1987.

From a surname, either Hayes 1 or Hayes 2. It was borne by American president Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893).

Low German diminutive of Henrike or Henrik.

Means "winebearer, dispenser" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi [1] he was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's invasion of Ireland.

Diminutive of Henrik.

Means "pretty, favourable" in Burmese.

Variant English form of Hoshea, though the name is spelled the same in the Hebrew text. Hosea is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Hosea. Written in the northern kingdom, it draws parallels between his relationship with his unfaithful wife and the relationship between God and his people.

From an English surname that can derive from several different sources: the Anglo-Norman given name Huard, which was from the Germanic name Hughard; the Anglo-Scandinavian given name Haward, from the Old Norse name Hávarðr; or the Middle English term ewehirde meaning "ewe herder". This is the surname of a British noble family, members of which have held the title Duke of Norfolk from the 15th century to the present. A famous bearer of the given name was the American industrialist Howard Hughes (1905-1976).

Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.

Variant of Hiram.

Means "possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and र (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain. He is the chief god in the Rigveda.

Derived from Jackin (earlier Jankin), a medieval diminutive of John [1]. There could be some early influence from the unrelated French name Jacques [2]. It is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man", as seen in the terms jack-o'-lantern, jack-in-the-box, lumberjack and so on. It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack and Jill, Little Jack Horner, and Jack Sprat.

American writers Jack London (1876-1916) and Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) were two famous bearers of this name. It is also borne by the actor Jack Nicholson (1937-) and the golfer Jack Nicklaus (1940-). Apart from Nicklaus, none of these famous bearers were given the name Jack at birth.

In the United Kingdom this form has been bestowed more frequently than John since the 1990s, being the most popular name for boys from 1996 to 2008.

Variant of Jankin.

Modern French form of Jehan, the Old French form of Iohannes (see John). Since the 12th century it has consistently been the most common male name in France. It finally dropped from the top rank in 1958, unseated by Philippe.

The French theologian Jean Calvin (1509-1564) and the philosophers Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) and Jean-Paul Sartre (1905-1980) are well-known bearers of this name. It was also borne by the German-French Dadaist artist Jean Arp (1886-1966).

Old French form of Iohannes (see John).

Danish form of John.

From Ἰεσσαί (Iessai), the Greek form of the Hebrew name יִשַׁי (Yishai), which possibly means "gift". In the Old Testament Jesse is the father of King David. It began to be used as an English given name after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was Jesse James (1847-1882), an American outlaw who held up banks and stagecoaches. He was eventually shot by a fellow gang member for a reward. Another famous bearer was the American athlete Jesse Owens (1913-1980), whose real name was James Cleveland (or J. C.) Owens.

Diminutive of Julia or Julian.

Polish form of Jasper.

Turkish form of Qadir.

Means "beautiful, lovely, auspicious" in Sanskrit.

Means "beautiful, lovely, auspicious" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of one of the Krittikas, or Pleiades. It is also another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati.

Means "perfection" in Arabic.

From Japanese 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" and 音 (non) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.

Means "black, dark" in Turkish. This was sometimes used as a byname by Ottoman officials, figuratively meaning "courageous".

From Sanskrit कृत्तिका (krttika), the name for the constellation of the Pleiades, ultimately from कृत् (krt) meaning "to cut, to divide". This is another name for the Hindu god Skanda.

Greek form of Castor.

Means "she holds the ice" in Mohawk, from ka- "she", ówise "ice" and -hawe "hold, have".

Diminutive of Kazimierz.

Means "the fire" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and ahi "fire".

Derived from Finnish keiju meaning "elf, fairy".

Possibly derived from Old Norse kildr meaning "a spring".

From a Brythonic name in which the second element is Celtic *tigernos "lord, ruler". The first element may be *kentus "first" or *kū "dog, hound" (genitive *kunos). This was the name of a 6th-century saint from the Kingdom of Strathclyde. He is the patron saint of Glasgow.

From Japanese 謙 (ken) meaning "humble", 健 (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" or 賢 (ken) meaning "wise" combined with 三 (zō) meaning "three". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Transferred use of the surname Keston.

However, there is one other possible etymology for the surname: one source claims that it was derived from an Old French form of the given name Christian, which had been introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. This seems possible in theory, if only for the visual similarities between Keston and Christian.

With that said, known bearers of Keston as a given name include the British poet Keston Sutherland (b. 1976), the Trinidadian sprint athlete Keston Bledman (b. 1988) and the Guyanese-Sint Maartener cricketer Keston Dornick (b. 1988).

From the name of the bird of prey, ultimately derived from Old French crecelle "rattle", which refers to the sound of its cry.

Means "man" in Nenets.

Means "charitable" in Arabic.

From the English vocabulary word king, ultimately derived from Old English cyning. This was also a surname, derived from the same source, a famous bearer being the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "church settlement" in Old Norse. This name briefly spiked in popularity for American girls in 1982 after the character Kirby Anders Colby was introduced to the soap opera Dynasty.

From an English and Scottish surname meaning "church" from Old Norse kirkja, ultimately from Greek κυριακόν (kyriakon). A famous bearer was American actor Kirk Douglas (1916-2020), whose birth name was Issur Danielovitch.

German short form of Nicholas, now used independently.

Means "bright" in Hawaiian.

Means "ember moon" in Turkish.

Bulgarian and Macedonian diminutive of Konstantin.

Serbian, Croatian, Slovene and Macedonian form of Christian.

From Japanese 協 (kyō) meaning "unite, cooperate", 京 (kyō) meaning "capital city", 郷 (kyō) meaning "village", 杏 (kyō) meaning "apricot", or other kanji with the same pronunciation.

From medieval Latin Laloecen, possibly related to Welsh llallo meaning "brother, friend". This name appears in medieval tales about Saint Kentigern, borne by a prophetic madman at the court of Rhydderch Hael. He may form a basis for Myrddin, who is addressed as llallogan by his sister Gwenddydd in the Red Book of Hergest.

Means "playful, charming, desirable" in Sanskrit. In Hindu belief this is the name of one of the playmates of the young Krishna. It is also another name of the goddess Parvati.

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-).

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.

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.

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

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

French form of Leontios, also used as a feminine name.

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.

Means "lion" in Russian, functioning as a vernacular form of Leo. This was the real Russian name of both author Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) and revolutionary Leon Trotsky (1879-1940).

Means "heart" in Hebrew.

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.

Irish short form of William. It became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, and elsewhere in Europe and the Americas after that. It was the top ranked name for boys in the United States beginning in 2017. Famous bearers include British actor Liam Neeson (1952-), British musician Liam Gallagher (1972-), and Australian actor Liam Hemsworth (1990-).

Czech diminutive of Ludmila.

Russian diminutive of Lidiya.

Means "happiness" in Tagalog.

Hungarian form of Lillian.

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-).

Form of Livius used to refer to the Roman historian Titus Livius.

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.

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

Limburgish short form of Laurens.

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 name of a region in eastern France, originally meaning "kingdom of Lothar". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called Lorraine, or in German Lothringen (from Latin Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.

Means "covering, veil" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a nephew of Abraham. Before Sodom was destroyed by God, he was directed to flee the city without looking back. However, his wife looked back on the destruction and was turned into a pillar of salt.

English form of Lothar.

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.

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.

Russian and Ukrainian form of Lucianus.

Greek form of Lycus.

From the Old Welsh name Matauc, derived from mad meaning "good, fortunate" combined with a diminutive suffix. This is the name of a warrior mentioned in the 7th-century Welsh poem Y Gododdin. It was also borne by several medieval rulers, including the 12th-century Madoc ap Maredudd, the last prince of Powys. Another bearer, according to later folklore, was a son of the 12th-century Owain the Great who sailed to the Americas.

Danish short form of Mathias.

From Old Welsh Mailcun, from a Brythonic name *Maglocunos meaning "chief of hounds", derived from Celtic *maglos "chief" and *kū "dog, hound" (genitive *kunos). This was the name of several early Welsh rulers, notably Maelgwn Gwynedd, a 6th-century king of Gwynedd.

Derived from the Old English elements mære "famous" and wine "friend".

Medieval French form of Mathilde.

From an English surname that was originally derived from the given name Mauger, a Norman French form of the Germanic name Malger meaning "council spear". The name can also be given in reference to the English word major.

Means "January" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit मकर (makara), referring to the constellation Capricornus.

Means "king" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الملك (al-Malik) is one of the 99 names of Allah. This can also be another way of transcribing the name مالك (see Maalik).

Means "deer" in Mongolian, Azerbaijani, Armenian and Turkmen, referring to the Caspian Red Deer.

Form of Marcellus used in several languages. Notable bearers include the French author Marcel Proust (1871-1922) and the French artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968).

French form of Mordecai.

Croatian and Serbian diminutive of Marin.

Bulgarian form of Marianus.

Czech form of Margaret.

Greek form of Marcus (see Mark).

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.

From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with 弓 (yumi) meaning "archery bow" or 由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". This name can also be constructed from other kanji combinations.

Means "tender, soft, modest" in Tagalog.

Hebrew form of Mehetabel.

Welsh form of Michael.

Originally a Frisian short form of names beginning with the Old German element megin meaning "power, strength" (Proto-Germanic *mageną).

Italian form of Melchior.

Means "mercies" (that is, the plural of mercy), from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, meaning "Our Lady of Mercies". It is ultimately from the Latin word merces meaning "wages, reward", which in Vulgar Latin acquired the meaning "favour, pity" [1].

Hungarian form of Mercedes.

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 Egyptian mryt-jts meaning "loved by her father". This name was borne by several Egyptian royals, including a wife and a daughter of the pharaoh Khufu.

From the name of a village in Andorra where there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The name of the village may derive from Latin meridies meaning "midday".

From the English word merle or the French surname Merle, which both mean "blackbird" (from Latin merula). It was borne by the devious character Madame Merle (in fact her surname) in Henry James' novel The Portrait of a Lady (1880).

This name is also common for girls in Estonia, though a connection to the English-language name is uncertain.

Old Welsh form of Merfyn.

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

Polish form of Methodius.

From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el) meaning "who is like God?". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.

The popularity of the saint led to the name being used by nine Byzantine emperors, including Michael VIII Palaeologus who restored the empire in the 13th century. It has been common in Western Europe since the Middle Ages, and in England since the 12th century. It has been borne (in various spellings) by rulers of Russia (spelled Михаил), Romania (Mihai), Poland (Michał), and Portugal (Miguel).

In the United States, this name rapidly gained popularity beginning in the 1930s, eventually becoming the most popular male name from 1954 to 1998. However, it was not as overwhelmingly common in the United Kingdom, where it never reached the top spot.

Famous bearers of this name include the British chemist/physicist Michael Faraday (1791-1867), musician Michael Jackson (1958-2009), and basketball player Michael Jordan (1963-).

Possibly derived from the Slavic elements mečĭ "sword" and slava "glory".

Hungarian form of Michael.

Turkish form of Michael.

Hungarian form of Nicholas.

Diminutive and feminine form of Meine.

Means "prince" from Persian میرزا (mirza), earlier امیرزاده (amirzadeh), which is ultimately from Arabic أمير (amir) meaning "commander" combined with Persian زاده (zadeh) meaning "offspring".

Short form of Maureen, Maurice, Morris and other names beginning with a similar sound.

From Tupi moasy meaning "pain, regret". This is the name of the son of Iracema and Martim in the novel Iracema (1865) by José de Alencar.

From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English mona "moon" and dæg "day". This can be given to children born on Monday, especially in Nigeria.

From the name of a mountain near Barcelona, the site of a monastery founded in the 10th century. The mountain gets its name from Latin mons serratus meaning "jagged mountain".

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-).

Swedish diminutive of Maria.

From the Welsh prefix my- meaning "my, belonging to me" (an older form of fy) combined with either manwy meaning "fine, delicate" or banwy meaning "woman" (a variant of banw). This was the name of an 1875 Welsh song composed by Joseph Parry.

Possibly a short form of Nathanaël or Gwenaël.

Means "lord of snakes" from Sanskrit नाग (naga) meaning "snake" (also "elephant") combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for Vasuki, the king of snakes, in Hindu mythology.

Short form of Fernando or Ferdinando.

Meaning unknown, presumably of Irish origin. In Irish legend he was the young man who fled to Scotland with Deirdre, who was due to marry Conchobar the king of Ulster. Conchobar eventually succeeded in capturing Deirdre and killing Naoise, which caused Deirdre to die of grief.

Means "sun hero" in Mongolian, from наран (naran) meaning "sun" and баатар (baatar) meaning "hero".

Possibly from Zapotec nadxiie lii meaning "I love you" or nayele' meaning "open".

Welsh form of Neptune.

Nenets diminutive of Aleksey.

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.

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

Means "nobody" in Latin. This was the name used by author Jules Verne for the captain of the Nautilus in his novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870). It was later used for the title character (a fish) in the 2003 animated movie Finding Nemo.

Derived from Greek νέος (neos) meaning "new".

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

Dutch short form of Cornelius.

Form of Nicholas in several languages. Note, in Czech this is also a feminine name (see Nikola 2). A famous bearer was the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla (1856-1943).

Scandinavian form of Nicholas.

From Navajo nizhóní meaning "beautiful" [1].

Derived from Old Norse oddr meaning "point of a sword".

French form of Odilo.

French and Dutch form of Oliver. This is also a French word meaning "olive tree".

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

French form of Onesimus.

Means "pine tree" in Hebrew.

Meaning uncertain, but possibly related to Greek ὅριον (horion) meaning "boundary, limit". Alternatively it may be derived from Akkadian Uru-anna meaning "light of the heavens". This is the name of a constellation, which gets its name from a legendary Greek hunter who was killed by a scorpion sent by the earth goddess Gaia.

Old English form of Oswin.

Means "resembling lotuses", derived from the Sanskrit word पद्म (padma) meaning "lotus" combined with वती (vati) meaning "resemblance". This is the name of the foster-mother of the god Hindu Skanda. This was also the name of a semi-legendary 14th-century queen of Mewar.

Spanish form of Pamphilos.

Latvian form of Paul.

French form of Pepin.

From the Late Latin name Peregrinus, which meant "traveller". This was the name of several early saints.

Medieval form of Peter. This is the name of the main character in the 14th-century poem Piers Plowman [1] by William Langland.

Means "feathered snake" in Nahuatl, derived from quetzalli "quetzal feather, precious thing" and cōātl "snake" [1]. In Aztec and other Mesoamerican mythology he was the god of the sky, wind, and knowledge, also associated with the morning star. According to one legend he created the humans of this age using the bones of humans from the previous age and adding his own blood.

Originally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element radŭ meaning "happy, willing". In Poland it is usually a diminutive of Radosław.

Means "lord of the full moon" from Sanskrit राका (raka) meaning "full moon" and ईश (isha) meaning "lord, ruler".

From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning either "red clearing" or "roe deer clearing" in Old English. A city in North Carolina bears this name, after the English courtier, poet and explorer Walter Raleigh (1552-1618).

Variant of Ramesses.

Means "watered, luxuriant" in Arabic. According to Islamic tradition this is the name of one of the gates of paradise.

Means "secret" in Hebrew.

From a French surname meaning "ruler" in Occitan. This name is often given in honour of Saint Jean-François Régis (1597-1640), a French Jesuit priest.

Turkish form of Rais.

Latinate feminine form of René.

Means "one that moves" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu goddess Rati.

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

Diminutive of Marinus, Marina or Catharina.

Diminutive of Róis or the Irish word rós meaning "rose" (of Latin origin). It appears in the 17th-century song Róisín Dubh.

From the Late Latin name Romanus meaning "Roman". This name was borne by several early saints including a 7th-century bishop of Rouen, as well as medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv and Moldavia.

Originally a Norman French form of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis meaning "famous type", composed of the elements hruod "fame" and heit "kind, sort, type". The Normans introduced it to England in the forms Roese and Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower rose (derived from Latin rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind.

From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "horse spring".

Anglicized form of Ruadh. A notable bearer was the Scottish outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy (1671-1734). It is often associated with French roi "king".

Means "spirit" in Arabic.

Old Norse, Icelandic and Faroese feminine form of Rune.

Derived from Old Norse rún meaning "secret lore, rune".

Old Norse and Faroese form of Rune.

From a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Riain. This patronymic derives from the given name Rian, which is of uncertain meaning. It is traditionally said to mean "little king", from Irish rí "king" combined with a diminutive suffix.

In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity through the 1950s and 60s. It shot up the charts after the release of the 1970 movie Ryan's Daughter. Within a few years it was in the top 20 names, where it would stay for over three decades. Famous bearers include the Canadian actors Ryan Reynolds (1976-) and Ryan Gosling (1980-).

Dutch form of Sabina.

Feminine form of Sabinus, a Roman cognomen meaning "a Sabine" in Latin. The Sabines were an ancient people who lived in central Italy, their lands eventually taken over by the Romans after several wars. According to legend, the Romans abducted several Sabine women during a raid, and when the men came to rescue them, the women were able to make peace between the two groups. This name was borne by several early saints.

From a now extinct English surname that was derived from a Norman place name. It was occasionally given in honour of the English preacher Henry Sacheverell (1674-1724), especially by the Sitwell noble family.

Derived from the Old English elements sæ "sea" and wine "friend".

Means "witness" in Sanskrit.

Greek form of Shealtiel. This form is also used in some English versions of the Bible (including the King James Version).

Means "safe", derived from Arabic سلم (salima) meaning "to be safe".

Means "coral" in Japanese. This name is used in the Japanese comic book and television show InuYasha.

Short form of Santiago or a variant of Santo.

Means "Saint James", derived from Spanish santo "saint" combined with Yago, an old Spanish form of James, the patron saint of Spain. It is the name of the main character in the novella The Old Man and the Sea (1951) by Ernest Hemingway. This also is the name of the capital city of Chile, as well as several other cities in the Spanish-speaking world.

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

From a phrase used by members of the Candomblé religion (an African religion that was taken to Brazil by African slaves), which means "good luck".

Means "the moon" in Thai (a poetic word).

From the Old German element sahso meaning "a Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642) was the wife of the Dutch painter Rembrandt.

Means "relating to the sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a hymn dedicated to Savitr, a Hindu sun god, and it is also the name of his daughter. It is borne by several other characters in Hindu epics, including a wife of Brahma, a wife of Shiva, and a daughter of Daksha. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata it is borne by King Satyavan's wife, who successfully pleas with Yama, the god of death, to restore her husband to life.

Meaning uncertain, possibly a derivative of Mapuche ayün "love".

Anglicized form of Shahrazad.

Old Welsh form of Sextilius. This name was borne by a 7th-century king of Ceredigion.

From a Roman cognomen derived from Latin senectus meaning "old". This was the name of both a Roman orator (born in Spain) and also of his son, a philosopher and statesman.

This name also coincides with that of the Seneca, a Native American tribe that lived near the Great Lakes, whose name meant "place of stones".

From Sino-Korean 成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or 星 (seong) meaning "star, planet" combined with 鎭 (jin) meaning "town, marketplace" or 震 (jin) meaning "shake, tremor, excite". Other hanja character combinations are also possible.

Means "Yahweh is ruler" in Hebrew. This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament, including the father of Ezra.

French form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina).

From the name of the largest lake in Armenia, which may be from the Urartian word suinia simply meaning "lake".

French form of Severus.

French feminine form of Severinus.

Persian form of Avestan 𐬯𐬌𐬌𐬁𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬱𐬀𐬥 (Siiāuuarshan) meaning "possessing black stallions". This was the name of a virtuous prince in Iranian mythology. He appears briefly in the Avesta, with a longer account recorded in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.

Feminine form of Sidonius. This name was in use in the Middle Ages, when it became associated with the word sindon (of Greek origin) meaning "linen", a reference to the Shroud of Turin.

Welsh form of Geoffrey.

Feminine diminutive of Siet.

Old Norse, Danish and Icelandic form of Siv.

Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element sigu meaning "victory".

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).

German and Dutch diminutive of Celia or Cecilia.

From the English word meaning genuine or heartfelt.

Means "sparkle" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf, also named Eitri. With his brother Brokkr he made several magical items for the gods, including Odin's ring Draupnir and Thor's hammer Mjölnir.

Means "elf, sprite" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.

Welsh form of John.

Tongan and Samoan form of John.

Welsh form of George.

Means "peaceful" or "fairy-like" in Irish, from Old Irish síd. Alternatively, it could be from sídach "wolf".

Variant of Sixt which likely came about due to sloppy pronunciation.

From the Old Norse name Sigsteinn, which was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and steinn "stone".

French feminine form of Sixtus.

From an English surname that was derived from Old English slæd meaning "valley".

Short form of Sylvester. The actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-) is a well-known bearer of this nickname.

French form of the Late Latin name Sollemnia, which was derived from Latin sollemnis "religious". This was the name of a French shepherdess who became a saint after she was killed by her master.