lena_17_11's Personal Name List

From the Hebrew name אֲבִיגָיִל ('Avigayil) meaning "my father is joy", derived from the roots אָב ('av) meaning "father" and גִּיל (gil) meaning "joy". In the Old Testament this is the name of Nabal's wife. After Nabal's death she became the third wife of King David.

As an English name, Abigail first became common after the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans. The biblical Abigail refers to herself as a servant, and beginning in the 17th century the name became a slang term for a servant, especially after the release of the play The Scornful Lady (1616), which featured a character named Abigail. The name went out of fashion at that point, but it was revived in the 20th century.

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

Means "eldest daughter of the father" in Igbo.

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.

Created by Russian author Aleksey Tolstoy for his science fiction novel Aelita (1923), where it belongs to a Martian princess. In the book, the name is said to mean "starlight seen for the last time" in the Martian language.

Probably a Latinized form of a Germanic name of unknown meaning. This was the name of the mother of Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Means "living, alive" in Arabic. This was the name of Muhammad's third wife, the daughter of Abu Bakr. Some time after Muhammad's death she went to war against Ali, the fourth caliph, but was defeated. Her name is used more by Sunni Muslims and less by Shias.

This name began to be used in America in the 1970s, possibly inspired by Princess Aisha of Jordan (1968-), the daughter of King Hussein and his British-born wife. It received a boost in popularity after Stevie Wonder used it for his first daughter in 1975.

From Japanese 茜 (akane) meaning "deep red, dye from the rubia plant". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name as well.

From Japanese 明 (aka) meaning "bright" or 朱 (aka) meaning "vermilion red" combined with 里 (ri) meaning "village" or 莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

From Japanese 晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal", 明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or 秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.

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

Feminine form of Alexander. In Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess Hera, and an alternate name of Cassandra. It was borne by several early Christian saints, and also by the wife of Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia. She was from Germany and had the birth name Alix, but was renamed Александра (Aleksandra) upon joining the Russian Church.

Possibly from Arabic علينا ('alayna) meaning "to us". Alternatively, it could be from Arabic أليناء (alayna), a plural form of ليّن (layyin) meaning "gentle, soft".

Greek form of Alice. It also corresponds with the Greek word άλικη meaning "scarlet".

Medieval French variant of Alice, also sometimes used as a masculine name. This is the name of the hero (a young Gaulish man) of a French comic book series, which debuted in 1948.

From French alizé meaning "trade wind".

Means "cheerful, lively" in Italian. It was borne by a short-lived illegitimate daughter of Lord Byron (1817-1822).

Means "sky, heaven, loftiness" in Arabic.

Originally a Russian diminutive of Yelena. It is now used independently.

Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element amal. This element means "unceasing, vigorous, brave", or it can refer to the Gothic dynasty of the Amali (derived from the same root).

This was another name for the 7th-century saint Amalberga of Maubeuge.

From Japanese 天 (ama) meaning "heaven" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

Means "grace" in Igbo.

French cognate of Amber.

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

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

Derived from Arabic أمن (amina) meaning "feel safe". This was the name of the Prophet Muhammad's mother, who died when he was young.

Apparently a modern coinage based on Latin amor meaning "love".

Feminine form of Anastasius. This was the name of a 4th-century Dalmatian saint who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Due to her, the name has been common in Eastern Orthodox Christianity (in various spellings). As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the youngest daughter of the last Russian tsar Nicholas II, who was rumoured to have escaped the execution of her family in 1918.

Feminine form of Andrew. As an English name, it has been used since the 17th century, though it was not common until the 20th century.

Derived from the Greek elements ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) and μάχη (mache) meaning "battle". In Greek legend she was the wife of the Trojan hero Hector. After the fall of Troy Neoptolemus killed her son Astyanax and took her as a concubine.

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.

Feminine form of Angelus (see Angel). As an English name, it came into use in the 18th century. A notable bearer is the former German chancellor Angela Merkel (1954-).

From the Greek Ἄνθεια (Antheia), derived from ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera.

From Japanese 葵 (aoi) meaning "hollyhock, althea" or an adjectival form of 碧 (ao) meaning "green, blue". Other kanji with the same reading can form this name as well.

Meaning unknown, possibly of Phoenician origin. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love and beauty, identified with the Roman goddess Venus. She was the wife of Hephaestus and the mother of Eros, and she was often associated with the myrtle tree and doves. The Greeks connected her name with ἀφρός (aphros) meaning "foam", resulting in the story that she was born from the foam of the sea. Many of her characteristics are based on the goddess known as Ashtoreth to the Phoenicians and Ishtar to the Mesopotamian Semitic peoples, and on the Sumerian goddess Inanna.

From Greek Ἀπόλλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to the Indo-European root *apelo- meaning "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.

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

Means "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).

Meaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek ἀρτεμής (artemes) meaning "safe" or ἄρταμος (artamos) meaning "a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She was known as Diana to the Romans.

Turkish, Azerbaijani and Uyghur form of Arezou.

From Arabic عَسَل ('asal) meaning "honey".

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

Means "genuine, real" in Turkish.

From the English word for a variety of deciduous trees in the genus Populus, derived from Old English æspe. It is also the name of a ski resort in Colorado.

Means "travel at night" in Arabic. It is related to Isra.

Feminine form of Asterios (see Asterius). In Greek mythology Asteria was a daughter of the Titans Phoebe and Coeus.

Latinized form of the Greek Ἀστραία (Astraia), derived from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star". Astraea was a Greek goddess of justice and innocence. After wickedness took root in the world she left the earth and became the constellation Virgo.

Means "comfortable, quiet" in Turkish.

Feminine form of Athanasios (see Athanasius).

Medieval diminutive of Æðelþryð. This was the name of a 7th-century saint, a princess of East Anglia who founded a monastery at Ely. It was also used by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy As You Like It (1599). At the end of the Middle Ages the name became rare due to association with the word tawdry (which was derived from St. Audrey, the name of a fair where cheap lace was sold), but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).

Slovak, Hungarian and Portuguese feminine form of Aurelius, as well as a French variant of Aurélie.

Means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning. It has occasionally been used as a given name since the Renaissance.

French form of Aurora.

From the name of the season, ultimately from Latin autumnus. This name has been in general use since the 1960s.

Variant of Eve. A famous bearer was the American actress Ava Gardner (1922-1990). This name became very popular throughout the English-speaking world in the early 21st century, entering the top ten for girls in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It began to rise sharply after 1997, possibly inspired by the actress Heather Locklear and musician Richie Sambora when they used it for their baby daughter that year.

Means "hunter" in Turkish.

From an English surname that was itself derived from the Norman French form of the given names Alberich or Alfred.

As a given name, it was used on the American sitcom Murphy Brown (1988-1998) for both the mother and son of the main character. By 1998 it was more popular as a name for girls in the United States, perhaps further inspired by a character from the movie Jerry Maguire (1996).

From Japanese 彩 (aya) meaning "colour", 綾 (aya) meaning "design", or other kanji characters with the same pronunciation.

From Japanese 菖蒲 (ayame) meaning "iris (flower)". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can also form this name.

An alternate spelling of Aybüke, deriving from Turkish ay meaning "moon" combined with büke meaning "queen, woman".

Derived from Turkish ay "moon" and büke "queen, woman".

Alternate transcription of Arabic عائشة or Urdu عائشہ (see Aisha), as well as the usual Bengali form.

Derived from the Turkic elements ay "moon" and gün "sun".

Means "moonlight, halo" in Turkish.

Means "of the moon" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, from Turkic ay "moon".

Means "moonlight" in Turkish, Azerbaijani and Uyghur, ultimately from Turkic ay meaning "moon" and Arabic نور (nur) meaning "light".

Means "moon flood" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, derived from ay "moon" and sel "flood, stream" (of Arabic origin).

Derived from Turkish ay meaning "moon" and taç meaning "crown" (of Persian origin).

From Japanese 愛 (a) meaning "love, affection" combined with 雪 (yuki) meaning "snow". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.

Means "virgin, maiden" in Arabic.

From the English word that means "sky blue". It is ultimately (via Old French, Latin and Arabic) from Persian لاجورد (lajvard) meaning "azure, lapis lazuli".

From Persian بانو (banu) meaning "lady".

Means "rain" in Persian. It is typically feminine in Persian and masculine in Turkish and Kurdish.

Derived from Greek βάρβαρος (barbaros) meaning "foreign". According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning. She is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen. Because of her renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century.

Georgian form of Barbara.

Probably from Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator meaning "voyager, traveller". It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin beatus "blessed, happy". Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of Diocletian.

In England the name became rare after the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, more commonly in the spelling Beatrice. Famous bearers include the British author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866-1943), the creator of Peter Rabbit, and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (1938-).

Means "female warrior" in Latin. This is the name of the star that marks the left shoulder of the constellation Orion.

Turkish form of Batul.

Variant of Blair.

From a nickname for a person with blue eyes or blue clothing.

Feminine form of Bojan.

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

Derived from Old English burna "stream, spring".

From the given name Briar.

From the English word for the thorny plant.

Anglicized form of the Irish name Brighid, Old Irish Brigit, from old Celtic *Brigantī meaning "the exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.

From Turkish can meaning "soul, life" or by extension "darling, sweetheart" combined with Turkish feda meaning "sacrifice".

Medieval Spanish form of Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word carmen meaning "song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera Carmen (1875).

From the Greek name Κασσάνδρα (Kassandra), possibly derived from κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.

In the Middle Ages this name was common in England due to the popularity of medieval tales about the Trojan War. It subsequently became rare, but was revived in the 20th century.

From Sino-Korean 彩 (chae) meaning "colour" combined with 榮 (yeong) meaning "glory, honour" or 瑛 (yeong) meaning "jade". This name can be formed using other hanja combinations as well.

Means "fierce, hot, passionate" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form चण्ड and the feminine form चण्डा (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga).

Means "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from चन्द (chand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of the masculine form चण्ड (a name of the moon in Hindu texts, which is often personified as a deity) as well as the feminine form चण्डा.

Feminine diminutive of Charles.

Variant of Charlie, typically feminine.

French feminine diminutive of Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of Jane Eyre and Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.

This name was fairly common in France, England and the United States in the early 20th century. It became quite popular in France and England at the end of the 20th century, just when it was at a low point in the United States. It quickly climbed the American charts and entered the top ten in 2014.

From Chinese 晨 (chén) or 辰 (chén), both meaning "morning". The character 辰 also refers to the fifth Earthly Branch (7 AM to 9 AM), which is itself associated with the dragon of the Chinese zodiac. This name can be formed from other characters as well.

Derived from French chérie meaning "darling". In America, Cherie came into use shortly after the variant Sherry, and has not been as common.

Elaboration of Cherie, perhaps influenced by Beryl. This name was very rare before the 20th century. It seems to have been popularized in America by the actress Cheryl Walker (1918-1971), who had a prominent role in the 1943 movie Stage Door Canteen. After peaking in the 1950s the name has subsequently faded from the popularity charts.

Italian form of Clara. Saint Chiara (commonly called Clare in English) was a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi.

From Japanese 千 (chi) meaning "thousand", 智 (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or 散 (chi) meaning "scatter" combined with 佳 (ka) meaning "good, beautiful" or 花 (ka) meaning "flower". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Means "green shoot" in Greek, referring to new plant growth in the spring. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Demeter. The name is also mentioned by Paul in one of his epistles in the New Testament.

As an English name, Chloe has been in use since the Protestant Reformation. It started getting more popular in the 1980s in the United Kingdom and then the United States. It was the most popular name for girls in England and Wales from 1997 to 2002. This is one of the few English-language names that is often written with a diaeresis, as Chloë.

French form of Clara. This was a common name in France throughout the 20th century, though it has since been eclipsed there by Clara. It was also very popular in the United Kingdom, especially in the 1970s.

Derived from the Irish word cailín meaning "girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.

Latinized form of the Greek name Κορίννα (Korinna), which was derived from κόρη (kore) meaning "maiden". This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet Ovid used it for the main female character in his book Amores [1]. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem Corinna's going a-Maying [2].

Feminine form of Cornelius. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.

Latinized form of Greek Κυνθία (Kynthia), which means "woman from Cynthus". This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, given because Cynthus was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century. It reached a peak of popularity in the United States in 1957 and has declined steadily since then.

Italian and Spanish form of Daphne.

Simply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.

This name was fairly popular at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th. The American author F. Scott Fitzgerald used it for the character of Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby (1925). The Walt Disney cartoon character Daisy Duck was created in 1940 as the girlfriend of Donald Duck. It was at a low in popularity in the United States in the 1970s when it got a small boost from a character on the television series The Dukes of Hazzard in 1979.

Means "water drop" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.

Means "wise" in Persian.

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

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.

Croatian, Serbian and Slovene form of Daria.

From the English word darling combined with the common name suffix lene. This name has been in use since the beginning of the 20th century.

From the English word dawn, ultimately derived from Old English dagung.

Means "sea" in Turkish.

Means "sea, ocean" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.

Modern Greek form of Despoina.

Meaning unknown, possibly from Persian دیده (dideh) meaning "eye".

Turkish form of Delara.

Means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.

French feminine and masculine form of Dominicus (see Dominic).

Feminine form of Dragan.

Means "from the mountain", from French mont "mountain".

From Old French durant meaning "enduring", ultimately from Latin durans. This was a nickname for a stubborn person.

Derived from Turkish durmak meaning "to stop" or "to remain, to persist".

Means "emotion, sensation" in Turkish.

Means "queen" or "beautiful woman" in Turkish.

Georgian form of Katherine.

From an Old French form of Helen. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation Le Morte d'Arthur Elaine was the daughter of Pelles, the lover of Lancelot, and the mother of Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian epic Idylls of the King (1859).

Means "star sun" in the fictional language Sindarin. In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien this is Sam's eldest daughter, named after a type of flower.

Turkish form of Alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, ا. It also means "slender", from the Turkish phrase elif gibi, literally "shaped like elif".

Means "light of the people" in Azerbaijani, ultimately derived from Turkic el meaning "country, society" and Arabic نور (nur) meaning "light".

Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily). In Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603) this is the name of the wife of Iago.

Turkish form of Aminah 2.

Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning "whole" or "great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.

After the Norman Conquest this name became common in England. It was revived in the 18th century, perhaps in part due to Matthew Prior's 1709 poem Henry and Emma [2]. It was also used by Jane Austen for the central character, the matchmaker Emma Woodhouse, in her novel Emma (1816).

In the United States, it was third in rank in 1880 (behind only the ubiquitous Mary and Anna). It declined steadily over the next century, beginning another rise in the 1980s and eventually becoming the most popular name for girls in 2008. At this time it also experienced similar levels of popularity elsewhere, including the United Kingdom (where it began rising a decade earlier), Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and the Netherlands. Famous bearers include the actresses Emma Thompson (1959-), Emma Stone (1988-) and Emma Watson (1990-).

Means "emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.

Possibly a Turkish form of Asra.

Form of Eter with the nominative suffix, used when the name is written stand-alone.

Diminutive of Eter.

Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.

From Sino-Korean 恩 (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" or 慇 (eun) meaning "careful, anxious, attentive" combined with 廷 (jeong) meaning "courtyard" or 婷 (jeong) meaning "pretty, graceful". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.

Means "to use words of good omen" from Greek εὐφημέω (euphemeo), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φημί (phemi) meaning "to speak, to declare". Saint Euphemia was an early martyr from Chalcedon.

Means "melody" in Turkish.

From Chinese 芳 (fāng) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.

From Chinese 芬 (fēn) meaning "fragrance, aroma, perfume" (which is usually only feminine) or 奋 (fèn) meaning "strive, exert" (usually only masculine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.

From Chinese 凤 (fèng) meaning "phoenix, fire bird, fenghuang".

Means "sapling" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.

Means "sprout, shoot" in Turkish (borrowed from Greek φυλλίς (phyllis)).

Feminine form of Fionn. This name was (first?) used by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in his poem Fingal (1761), in which it is spelled as Fióna.

Turkish form of Firouzeh.

Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala.

Derived from Old French fontane meaning "well, fountain", a derivative of Latin fons.

From the name of the animal. It was originally a nickname for a person with red hair or a crafty person.

From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.

This is not the usual spelling in any of the Scandinavian languages (in Sweden and Denmark it is Freja and in Norway it is Frøja) but it is the common spelling of the goddess's name in English. In the 2000s it became popular in Britain.

Derived from Old Norse fríðr meaning "beautiful, beloved".

Variant of Frida 1.

From Japanese 冬 (fuyu) meaning "winter" and 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other combinations of kanji.

Derived from the Old German element gisal meaning "hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. This was the name of both a sister and daughter of Charlemagne. It was also borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. Another notable bearer was the 11th-century Gisela of Swabia, wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II.

The name was popular in France during the Middle Ages (the more common French form is Gisèle). Though it became known in the English-speaking world due to Adolphe Adam's ballet Giselle (1841), it was not regularly used until the 20th century.

Means "mystery" in Turkish.

Means "glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin Mary Maria da Glória and María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.

The name was introduced to the English-speaking world by E. D. E. N. Southworth's novel Gloria (1891) and George Bernard Shaw's play You Never Can Tell (1898), which both feature characters with a Portuguese background [1]. It was popularized in the early 20th century by American actress Gloria Swanson (1899-1983). Another famous bearer is feminist Gloria Steinem (1934-).

Derived from Georgian გოგონა (gogona) meaning "little girl", which consists of the Georgian noun გოგო (gogo) meaning "girl" and the Georgian diminutive suffix -ონა (-ona).

Turkish form of Golbahar. This was the name of a 16th-century concubine of Süleyman the Magnificent, sultan of the Ottoman Empire. She was also named Mahidevran.

Means "king of roses" from Turkish gül meaning "rose" and şah "king, shah".

From Persian خنده (khandeh) meaning "laughter, smile".

From the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Channah) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root חָנַן (chanan). In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from Eli she finally became pregnant with Samuel.

As an English name, Hannah was not regularly used until after the Protestant Reformation, unlike the vernacular forms Anne and Ann and the Latin form Anna, which were used from the late Middle Ages. In the last half of the 20th century Hannah surged in popularity and neared the top of the name rankings for both the United States and the United Kingdom.

From Japanese 遥 (haruka) meaning "distant, remote". It can also come from 春 (haru) meaning "spring" or 晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" combined with 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" or 香 (ka) meaning "fragrance". Additionally, other kanji combinations can form this name.

Means "red ruler", from Hawaiian hau "ruler" and mea "reddish brown". Haumea is the Hawaiian goddess of fertility and childbirth. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for her in 2008.

Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).

Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.

Derived from Greek ἑστία (hestia) meaning "hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.

From Japanese 光 (hikari) meaning "light". Other kanji can also form this name. It is often written with the hiragana writing system.

Means "crescent moon" in Arabic, also referring to the new moon on the Islamic calendar. As a given name it is typically masculine in Arabic and feminine in Turkish.

From Japanese 緋 (hi) meaning "scarlet, dark red" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, village".

From Japanese 日向 (hinata) meaning "sunny place", 陽向 (hinata) meaning "toward the sun", or a non-standard reading of 向日葵 (himawari) meaning "sunflower". Other kanji compounds are also possible. Because of the irregular readings, this name is often written using the hiragana writing system.

From Japanese 日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" or 火 (hi) meaning "fire" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

From the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English holen. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.

From Chinese 虹 (hóng) meaning "rainbow", 弘 (hóng) meaning "enlarge, expand, great" (which is usually only masculine) or 鸿 (hóng) meaning "wild swan, great, vast" (also usually only masculine). Other characters can also form this name.

From Japanese 星 (hoshi) meaning "star" and 野 (no) meaning "field, wilderness".

From Japanese 蛍 (hotaru) meaning "firefly".

Means "keen, sharp, intelligent" in Burmese.

From Chinese 华 (huá) meaning "splendid, illustrious, Chinese" or 花 (huā) meaning "flower, blossom" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well.

From Chinese 煌 (huáng) meaning "bright, shining, luminous" (which is usually only masculine) or 凰 (huáng) meaning "phoenix" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.

From Chinese 慧 (huì) meaning "intelligent, wise" (which is usually only feminine), 辉 (huī) meaning "brightness", besides other characters that are pronounced similarly.

Turkish form of Humayra.

Derived from Persian خرّم (khorram) meaning "happy, pleasant". This was a name given to Süleyman the Magnificent's concubine and eventual wife Hürrem Sultan (1504-1558), also known as Roxelana.

From Sino-Korean 慧 (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent" or 惠 (hye) meaning "favour, benefit" combined with 珍 (jin) meaning "precious, rare". This name can be formed by a variety of other hanja character combinations as well.

From Sino-Korean 賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.

Derived from Greek ὕπατος (hypatos) meaning "highest, supreme". Hypatia of Alexandria was a 5th-century philosopher and mathematician, daughter of the mathematician Theon.

Means "faith" in Swahili, ultimately of Arabic origin.

Derived from Georgian იმედი (imedi) meaning "hope".

Means "pearl" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.

Means "beauty" in Sanskrit. This is another name of Lakshmi, the wife of the Hindu god Vishnu. A notable bearer was India's first female prime minister, Indira Gandhi (1917-1984).

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

Derived from Cherokee ᎢᏃᎵ (inoli) meaning "black fox".

Derived from the Japanese word 祈り (inori) meaning "prayer".

Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Means "above the well", from Japanese 井 (i) meaning "well, mine shaft, pit", an unwritten possessive marker の (no), and 上 (ue) meaning "above, top, upper".

From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.

This name has traditionally been more popular among Eastern Christians. In the English-speaking world it was not regularly used until the 19th century.

Form of Irene in several languages.

Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.

Medieval Occitan form of Elizabeth. It spread throughout Spain, Portugal and France, becoming common among the royalty by the 12th century. It grew popular in England in the 13th century after Isabella of Angoulême married the English king John, and it was subsequently bolstered when Isabella of France married Edward II the following century.

This is the usual form of the name Elizabeth in Spain and Portugal, though elsewhere it is considered a parallel name, such as in France where it is used alongside Élisabeth. The name was borne by two Spanish ruling queens, including Isabel of Castile, who sponsored the explorations of Christopher Columbus.

Means "spark" in South Slavic.

Means "willow tree" in South Slavic.

From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.

Possibly means "rainbow lady", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and chel "rainbow". Ixchel was a Maya goddess associated with the earth, jaguars, medicine and childbirth. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.

From Japanese 泉 (izumi) meaning "fountain, spring". This name can also be constructed from other combinations of kanji.

From Japanese 泉 (izumi) meaning "spring, fountain".

From Sino-Korean 在 (jae) meaning "located at, exist" or 宰 (jae) meaning "kill, rule" combined with 成 (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or 誠 (seong) meaning "sincere, honest, true". Other hanja combinations are possible.

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

From Sino-Korean 正 (jeong) meaning "right, proper, correct" or 靜 (jeong) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" combined with 姬 (hui) meaning "beauty" or 熙 (hui) meaning "bright, splendid, glorious". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.

From Chinese 佳 (jiā) meaning "good, auspicious, beautiful", 家 (jiā) meaning "home, family", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.

From Sino-Korean 志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" or 智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" combined with 旼 (min) meaning "gentle, affable", 敏 (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" or 珉 (min) meaning "jade, stone resembling jade". Other hanja character combinations are possible.

From Chinese 静 (jìng) meaning "quiet, still, gentle", 精 (jīng) meaning "essence, spirit", 晶 (jīng) meaning "clear, crystal" or 京 (jīng) meaning "capital city". Other characters can also form this name.

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 Japanese 楓 (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and mana "power". It is also Hawaiian meaning "diamond", derived from the English word diamond.

Means "the black one" in Sanskrit. The Hindu goddess Kali is the fierce destructive form of the wife of Shiva. She is usually depicted with black skin and four arms, holding a severed head and brandishing a sword. As a personal name, it is generally masculine in India.

Possibly from Albanian kaltër meaning "blue, azure".

From Japanese 華 (ka) meaning "flower" and 蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus, water lily". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.

From Japanese 華 (ka) meaning "flower" and 鈴 (rin) meaning "bell". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Greek form of Cassandra, as well as a modern English variant.

From Japanese 霞 (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from 花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with 澄 (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Form of Katherine in several languages.

Macedonian and Albanian form of Katherine, a Russian short form of Yekaterina, a Bulgarian short form of Ekaterina, and a Greek variant of Aikaterine.

German form of Katherine.

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

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

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

From Japanese 勝 (katsu) meaning "victory" and 子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.

From Japanese 克 (katsu) meaning "overcome" or 勝 (katsu) meaning "victory" combined with 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or 己 (mi) meaning "self". Other kanji combinations having the same pronunciation can also form this name.

From Japanese 一 (kazu) meaning "one" or 和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.

From Chinese 可 (kě) meaning "can, able to, approve, permit" or 克 (kè) meaning "overcome, win" combined with 心 (xīn) meaning "heart, mind, soul", 新 (xīn) meaning "fresh, new", 欣 (xīn) meaning "happy, joyous, delighted", 信 (xìn) meaning "trust, believe", or 辛 (xīn) meaning "hard, suffering, laborious, tired". Other character combinations can form this name as well.

Means "unafraid, fearless" in Turkish.

Derived from the Old German elements grimo "mask" and hilt "battle". Kriemhild was a beautiful heroine in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied, where she is the sister of Gunther and the wife of Siegfried. After her husband is killed by Hagen with the consent of Gunther, Kriemhild tragically exacts her revenge. She is called Gudrun in Norse versions of the tale.

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

Short form of Kristina.

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

Form of Xenia in several languages.

From Chinese 坤 (kūn) meaning "earth, female", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.

Catalan diminutive of Eulalia.

Means "ruby" in Georgian, of Sanskrit origin.

From Chinese 兰 (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant" (which is usually only feminine) or 岚 (lán) meaning "mountain mist". Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. As a Vietnamese name, it is derived from Sino-Vietnamese 蘭 meaning "orchid".

Short form of Alana (English) or Svetlana (Russian). In the English-speaking world it was popularized by actress Lana Turner (1921-1995), who was born Julia Jean Turner.

Variant of Larisa. It has been commonly used as an English given name only since the 20th century, as a borrowing from Russian. In 1991 this name was given to one of the moons of Neptune, in honour of the mythological character.

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

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

Variant or feminine form of Laurence 1. Originally a masculine name, it was first popularized as a feminine name by actress Betty Jean Perske (1924-2014), who used Lauren Bacall as her stage name.

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

Means "heavenly flowers" or "royal child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Short form of names ending in lena, such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena.

Derived from Greek λέων (leon) meaning "lion". During the Christian era this Greek name was merged with the Latin cognate Leo, with the result that the two forms are used somewhat interchangeably across European languages. In England during the Middle Ages this was a common name among Jews. A famous bearer was the communist revolutionary Leon Trotsky (1879-1940), whose name is Лев in Russian.

Italian short form of Eleanor.

From Chinese 理 (lǐ) meaning "reason, logic", 立 (lì) meaning "stand, establish", 黎 (lí) meaning "black, dawn", 力 (lì) meaning "power, capability, influence" (which is usually only masculine) or 丽 (lì) meaning "beautiful" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.

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.

From Chinese 林 (lín) meaning "forest" or 琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.

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

Unaccented variant of López.

Created by the author R. D. Blackmore for the title character in his novel Lorna Doone (1869), set in southern England, which describes the dangerous love between John Ridd and Lorna Doone. Blackmore may have based the name on the Scottish place name Lorne or on the title Marquis of Lorne (see Lorne).

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.

Portuguese form of Lucretia.

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

Means "snow" in Finnish.

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.

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.

From a nickname derived from Old French and Middle English lion meaning "lion".

Means "spring of water" in Hebrew.

Variant of Madeleine.

Means "blessings" in Chewa.

French form of Magdalene.

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

Variant of Madeline.

Short form of Magdalena.

Derived from Old Norse magn "power, strength" and hildr "battle". This was the name of an 1877 novel by the Norwegian author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson.

From the English word magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.

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 Japanese 誠 (makoto) meaning "sincerity", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations.

From an English word meaning "harmful, evil", derived from Latin maleficens. This is the name of the villain in the animated Disney film Sleeping Beauty (1959).

Variant of Margalit.

Latinate form of Margaret. This is also the Spanish word for the daisy flower (species Bellis perennis, Leucanthemum vulgare and others).

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.

French form of Margaret. This is also the French word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).

From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with 理 (ri) meaning "reason, logic" or 里 (ri) meaning "village". Many other combinations of kanji characters can form this name.

Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.

This was the name of two ruling queens of Portugal. It was also borne by the Habsburg queen Maria Theresa (1717-1780), whose inheritance of the domains of her father, the Holy Roman emperor Charles VI, began the War of the Austrian Succession.

Form of Maria used in the Greek Old Testament, as well as the Georgian, Armenian and Malay form. It is also an alternate transcription of Arabic مريم (see Maryam).

Roman feminine form of Marianus. After the classical era it was frequently interpreted as a combination of Maria and Ana. In Portuguese it is further used as a form of Mariamne.

French and Czech form of Maria. It has been very common in France since the 13th century. At the opening of the 20th century it was given to approximately 20 percent of French girls. This percentage has declined steadily over the course of the century, and it dropped from the top rank in 1958.

A notable bearer of this name was Marie Antoinette, a queen of France who was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. Another was Marie Curie (1867-1934), a physicist and chemist who studied radioactivity with her husband Pierre.

In France it is occasionally used as a masculine name in pairings such as Jean-Marie.

From Japanese 真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine", 里 (ri) meaning "village" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Many different combinations of kanji characters can form this name.

Feminine form of Marinus. This name was borne by a few early saints. This is also the name by which Saint Margaret of Antioch is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

French, Armenian and Georgian form of Marina.

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

Latinate form of Marlene.

Form of Martha used in various languages.

Feminine form of Martinus (see Martin). Saint Martina was a 3rd-century martyr who is one of the patron saints of Rome.

From Japanese 益 (masu) meaning "profit, benefit" and 世 (yo) meaning "world". Other kanji combinations are possible.

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.

Means "illusion, magic" in Sanskrit. In Buddhist tradition this is the name of the mother of Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). This is also another name of the Hindu goddess Durga.

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

Derived from Hebrew מַיִם (mayim) meaning "water".

From Greek Μήδεια (Medeia), derived from μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek mythology Medea was a sorceress from Colchis (modern Georgia) who helped Jason gain the Golden Fleece. They were married, but eventually Jason left her for another woman. For revenge Medea slew Jason's new lover and also had her own children by Jason killed.

From Japanese 恵 (megumi) meaning "favour, benefit" or 愛 (megumi) meaning "love, affection", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that have the same reading. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.

From Chinese 美 (měi) meaning "beautiful" or 梅 (méi) meaning "Chinese plum" (species Prunus mume), as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.

From Japanese 芽 (me) meaning "bud, sprout" combined with 依 (i) meaning "rely on", 生 (i) meaning "life" or 衣 (i) meaning "clothing, garment". Other kanji combinations are possible.

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

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

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.

From the English word melody, which is derived (via Old French and Late Latin) from Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song" combined with ἀείδω (aeido) meaning "to sing".

Means "sea wind" in Turkish.

From Chinese 孟 (mèng) meaning "eldest brother". It was also adopted by descendants of Meng Sun, a prince from the state of Lu that existed during the Zhou dynasty.

The name of the main character in the Disney/Pixar movie Brave (2012) about a medieval Scottish princess. The meaning of her name is unexplained, though it could be based on the Spanish city of Mérida, derived from Latin Emerita Augusta meaning "veterans of Augustus", so named because it was founded by the emperor Augustus as a colony for his veterans.

Means "meritorious, worthy" in Esperanto.

Turkish and Uyghur form of Miriam (see Mary).

Variant of Muriel. A famous bearer is American actress Meryl Streep (1949-), whose real name is Mary Louise Streep.

Means "wisdom, skill, cunning" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a Titan. Because it was prophesied that her children would be wiser than Zeus, he swallowed her after he had impregnated her. However, their daughter Athena eventually burst from his head fully grown.

Means "sun and moon" in Farsi from the word مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" and ماه (mah) meaning "moon".

A famous bearer is the daughter of the Ottoman Empire's Sultan Suleiman I The Magnificent.

Both names Mehr and Mah are also tied with Ancient Persian deities.

The name of a Mughal princess meaning "sun amongst women".

A Japanese battleship built in 1902, named after Mount Wakakusa, aka Mount Mikasa in Nara (literally: “three bamboo hats”). Mikasa Ackerman is a character in Attack on Titan.

From 敏 (mǐn) meaning "quick, clever, sharp", 民 (mín) meaning "people, citizens", or other Chinese/Sino-Korean characters that are pronounced similarly.

Means "azure, enamel" in Persian.

Means "enamel, glaze, verbena" in Turkish.

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.

From Chinese 明 (míng) meaning "bright, light, clear" or 铭 (míng) meaning "inscribe, engrave", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.

From Sino-Korean 敏 (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" combined with 智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or 知 (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend". Other hanja combinations are possible.

From Sino-Korean 民 (min) meaning "people, citizens" or 敏 (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" combined with 徐 (seo) meaning "slowly, calmly, composed, dignified" or 序 (seo) meaning "series, sequence". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and 月 (tsuki) meaning "moon". It can also come from 光 (mitsu) meaning "light" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope", as well as several other kanji combinations.

From Japanese 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", 夜 (ya) meaning "night" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji as well.

From Japanese 瑞 (mizu) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" and 希 (ki) meaning "hope", besides other kanji combinations.

From Sino-Vietnamese 敏 (mẫn) meaning "quick, clever".

Means "mountain" in Italian, from Latin montanus, indicating a person who lived on or near a 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-).

Modern form of Morgen, which was used by Geoffrey of Monmouth [1] in the 12th century for the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay, who was unnamed in earlier stories. Geoffrey probably did not derive it from the Welsh masculine name Morgan, which would have been spelled Morcant in his time. It is likely from Old Welsh mor "sea" and the suffix gen "born of" [2].

From the American English word mortician meaning "undertaker, funeral director", ultimately derived from Latin mortis meaning "death". This name was created for the mother on the Addams Family television series (1964-1966). She was based on an unnamed recurring character in cartoons by Charles Addams, starting 1938.

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 Sino-Korean 明 (myeong) meaning "bright, light, clear" or other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. Although it does appear rarely as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character.

From Chinese 娜 (nà) meaning "elegant, graceful, delicate" or other characters pronounced similarly.

Means "lotus" in Sanskrit.

From Japanese 菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and/or 奈 (na), a phonetic character. The characters can be in either order or the same character can be duplicated, as indicated by the symbol 々. Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also be used to form this name.

Meaning unknown. This was the name of a 4th-century queen consort of Georgia who is regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church.

From an Akan word used as a title of a monarch.

Means "returning warrior" in Navajo, derived from nááná "again" and baa' "warrior, heroine, raid, battle".

Means "beauty, glory" in Hawaiian.

Meaning uncertain. The earliest known attestation of this name occurs in a Svan source from the 13th century AD, so it might possibly be of Svan origin. Also compare the Georgian noun ნანა (nana) meaning "mother" as well as "darling child".

Apart from that, there can also easily be cases where this name is a diminutive or variant of Nana 3, which is also of uncertain meaning and origin (though unlikely to be of Kartvelian origin). Also compare the feminine names Anana, Anano, Manana and Nanuli.

A notable bearer of this name is the Georgian actress and singer Nani Bregvadze (b. 1936).