Belphoebe's Personal Name List

Originally a short form of Terézia and, to a lesser extent, Ambrózia and Hortenzia, now occasionally used as a given name in its own right.

Short form of Griselda. This is the name of a princess in the Legend of Zelda video games, debuting in 1986 and called ゼルダ (Zeruda) in Japanese. According to creator Shigeru Miyamoto she was named after the American socialite Zelda Fitzgerald (1900-1948).

Combination of the popular phonetic elements zay and lee, modelled on similar names such as Kaylee, Hayley and Bailey. In some cases it could be an anglicized form of Zélie or a short form of Azalea.

Variant of Zarina.

Used by Paul Claudel for a character in his play 'Partage de midi' (1906). Perhaps it is derivative of Yseult.

Alternate transcription of Arabic ياسمين or Urdu یاسمین (see Yasmin).

Feminine form of Xavier.

Variant of Wyn.

Meaning uncertain, perhaps from a German surname, or perhaps from the English word wild. It has been in use since the 19th century.

Feminine form of Vivianus (see Vivian). Saint Viviana (also known as Bibiana) was a Roman saint and martyr of the 4th century.

Swedish form of Vibeke.

Derived from Romanian viorea (see Viorel).

Italian, Russian and Hungarian form of Violet.

French form of Victoria.

Invented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem Cadenus and Vanessa [1]. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.

Coined in the Disney animated film 'Wreck-It Ralph' (2013), telling the story of the eponymous arcade game villain who rebels against his role and dreams of becoming a hero. He travels between games in the arcade and eventually meets Vanellope von Schweetz (the second protagonist), a glitchy character from the in-universe video game 'Sugar Rush', a candy themed kart-racing game. Her name is a combination of Vanilla and Penelope.

From the English word meaning "wide river valley".

Diminutive of Charlotte.

Anglicized form of Tighearnach.

Diminutive of Edward or Theodore, sometimes a feminine form.

Variant of Théa.

From a surname, itself derived from the name of numerous English towns, of Old English origin meaning "south town".

From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English springan "to leap, to burst forth".

Feminine form of Sophronius. Torquato Tasso used it in his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580), in which it is borne by the lover of Olindo.

Means "wisdom" in Greek. This was the name of an early, probably mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Legends about her probably arose as a result of a medieval misunderstanding of the phrase Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom", which is the name of a large basilica in Constantinople.

This name was common among continental European royalty during the Middle Ages, and it was popularized in Britain by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century. It was the name of characters in the novels Tom Jones (1749) by Henry Fielding and The Vicar of Wakefield (1766) by Oliver Goldsmith.

In the United States this name was only moderately common until the 1990s when it began rising in popularity, eventually becoming the most popular for girls from 2011 to 2013. A famous bearer is the Italian actress Sophia Loren (1934-).

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Sluaghadháin, itself derived from the given name Sluaghadhán.

Elaboration of Sky using the popular name suffix lyn.

Variant of Skyler. Originally more common for boys during the 1980s, it was popularized as a name for girls after it was used on the American soap opera The Young and the Restless in 1989 and the movie Good Will Hunting in 1997 [1]. Its sharp rise in the United States in 2011 might be attributed to the character Skyler White from the television series Breaking Bad (2008-2013) or the singer Skylar Grey (1986-), who adopted this name in 2010 after previously going by Holly Brook.

Variant of Skyla.

From a Scottish surname that was derived from a Norman French town called "Saint Clair". A notable bearer was the American author Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951).

Probably inspired by the French word chérie meaning "darling" or the English word sherry, a type of fortified wine named from the Spanish town of Jerez. This name came into popular use during the 1920s, inspired by other similar-sounding names and by Collette's novels Chéri (1920, English translation 1929) and The Last of Chéri (1926, English translation 1932), in which it is a masculine name.

This also coincides with an Irish surname (an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Mac Searraigh), derived from the byname Searrach meaning "foal".

Variant of Skenandoa, or from the name of the Shenandoah River (names that may or may not be connected). The traditional American folk song Oh Shenandoah may refer to the Oneida chief Skenandoa or to the river; it is unclear.

Diminutive of Scott, also used as a feminine form.

Alternate transcription of Arabic سليم or سالم (see Salim).

From the English word, ultimately from Latin sanctus "holy, saintly".

Transferred use of the surname Sailor or directly from the English vocabulary word sailor, denoting one who works on a ship.

Variant of Sage.

Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Румяна (see Rumyana).

From the name of the bitter medicinal herb, ultimately deriving from Greek ῥυτή (rhyte). This is also sometimes used as a short form of Ruth 1.

French form of Rosamund.

Combination of Rose and Mary. This name can also be given in reference to the herb, which gets its name from Latin ros marinus meaning "dew of the sea". It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.

Variant of Rosemary.

Of uncertain origin and meaning. Theories include a contraction of Rose and Aimée via the form Amée.

Combination of Rosa 1 and Beth.

Variant of Rosabel.

Variant of Rosabel.

Combination of Rosa 1 and the common name suffix bel, inspired by Latin bella "beautiful". This name was created in the 18th century.

Short form of Rochus as well as of its variant forms Rocus and Rokus. This name is not to be confused with rook, the Dutch word for "smoke".

Feminine form of Robert.

Short form of names ending in -rielle.

From the English word meaning "daydream, fanciful musing", derived from Old French resverie, itself from resver meaning "to dream, to rave".

French form of the Latin name Remigius, which was derived from Latin remigis "oarsman, rower". Saint Rémy was a 5th-century bishop who converted and baptized Clovis, king of the Franks.

Means "queen" in French, ultimately from Latin regina.

Means "queen" in Spanish.

Short form of Marie and other names containing the same sound. A known bearer of the nickname is Ann Marie "Ree" Drummond (1969-), host of the Food Network show 'The Pioneer Woman'. It was also used for the central character in the film 'Winter's Bone' (2010).

From the Hebrew name רִבְקָה (Rivqah), probably from a Semitic root meaning "join, tie, snare". This is the name of the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob in the Old Testament. It came into use as an English Christian name after the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular with the Puritans in the 17th century. It has been consistently used since then, becoming especially common in the second half of the 20th century.

This name is borne by a Jewish woman in Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), as well as the title character (who is deceased and unseen) in Daphne du Maurier's novel Rebecca (1938).

Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Райна (see Rayna 1).

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

Diminutive of Queen.

Means "the soul", derived from Greek ψύχω (psycho) meaning "to breathe". The Greeks thought that the breath was the soul. In Greek mythology Psyche was a beautiful maiden who was beloved by Eros (or Cupid in Roman mythology). She is the subject of Keats's poem Ode to Psyche (1819).

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest clearing" (Old English preost and leah). This surname was borne by musician Elvis Presley (1935-1977).

From Latin pomus "fruit tree". This was the name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees.

Variant form of Pomelline. This name is best known for being one of the middle names of Charlotte Casiraghi (b. 1986), who is the daughter of Princess Caroline of Hanover (formerly of Monaco). She was given this middle name in honour of her ancestor Pomellina Fregoso (c. 1387-1468), a Genovese noblewoman who was the wife of Jean I of Monaco (c. 1382-1454). Her name had been gallicized to Pomelline in Monaco, as it was (and still is) predominantly a French-speaking country.

Medieval variant of Molly. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.

East Prussian German short form of Philippine.

Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)). This is the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (see John 4:7). She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Church.

Meaning unknown, probably of Pre-Greek origin, but perhaps related to Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She was abducted to the underworld by Hades, but was eventually allowed to return to the surface for part of the year. The result of her comings and goings is the changing of the seasons. With her mother she was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at the city of Eleusis near Athens.

Derived from Greek πασιφαής (pasiphaēs) meaning "shining on all", which is ultimately derived from Greek πᾶς (pas) meaning "all, for all, of all" combined with Greek φάος (phaos) meaning "light" (related to Greek φῶς (phos) "light"). In mythology, Pasiphaë was the daughter of Helios, the sun god, and Perse, the oldest daughter of Oceanus and Tethys.

Means "maiden's voice", derived from Greek παρθένος (parthenos) meaning "maiden, virgin" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "voice". In Greek legend this is the name of one of the Sirens who enticed Odysseus.

Derived from Greek παρθένος (parthenos) meaning "maiden, virgin". This was the name of one of the mares of Marmax in Greek mythology.

From an English occupational surname that meant "keeper of the park".

Italian feminine form of Paul.

This name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Philip Sidney for use in his romance Arcadia (1593). He possibly intended it to mean "all sweetness" from Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.

Diminutive of Ottilie. A famous bearer was the British socialite Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873-1938).

German form of Odilia.

From the English word opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".

Feminine form of Oliver.

This name was used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy Twelfth Night (1602). This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time [1] that may have been based on Oliva or Oliver, or directly from the Latin word oliva meaning "olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman who is wooed by Duke Orsino but instead falls in love with his messenger Cesario, who is actually Viola in disguise.

Olivia has been used in the English-speaking world since the 18th century, though it did not become overly popular until the last half of the 20th century. Its rise in popularity in the 1970s may have been inspired by a character on the television series The Waltons (1972-1982) [2] or the singer Olivia Newton-John (1948-2022). In 1989 it was borne by a young character on The Cosby Show, which likely accelerated its growth. It reached the top rank in England and Wales by 2008 and in the United States by 2019.

A famous bearer was the British-American actress Olivia de Havilland (1916-2020).

Feminine form of Oliver. This was the name of the title character in the French opera Les noces d'Olivette (1879) by Edmond Audran.

Feminine form of Oliver.

French diminutive of Oda or Odilia. This is the name of a princess who has been transformed into a swan in the ballet Swan Lake (1877) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Variant of Odalis.

Feminine form of Octavius. Octavia was the wife of Mark Antony and the sister of the Roman emperor Augustus. In 19th-century England it was sometimes given to the eighth-born child.

From Japanese 乃 (no), a possessive particle, and 愛 (a) meaning "love, affection". This name can also be constructed from other kanji or kanji combinations.

Short form of names that end in nina, such as Antonina or Giannina. It was imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. This name also nearly coincides with the Spanish word niña meaning "little girl" (the word is pronounced differently than the name).

A famous bearer was the American jazz musician Nina Simone (1933-2003).

French feminine form of Nicholas, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).

Welsh form of Niamh. The Welsh poet T. Gwynn Jones used it in his long poem Tir na n-Óg (1916), referring to the lover of Oisín.

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

Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.

Variant of Nell.

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.

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

From the name of the American state, which is derived from Latin montanus "mountainous".

From Japanese 桃 (momo) meaning "peach".

From the name of an important city of ancient Egypt, or the city in Tennessee that was named after it. It is derived from a Greek form of Egyptian mn-nfr meaning "enduring beauty".

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).

Medieval diminutive of Margaret. It is now also used as a short form of the related name Megan.

Transferred use of the surname Mayfair.

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.

Form of Maryam common in West Africa.

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.

Diminutive of Margaret.

Short form of Alyssa.

Means "snow" in Finnish.

Transferred use of the surname Loxley.

Medieval form of the Old English name Leofdæg, literally "beloved day". According to medieval English custom, a love day or dies amoris was a day for disputants to come together to try to resolve their differences amicably. Mainly a feminine name, with some male usage. Known textual examples date from the 11th century. It seems to have been most common in Cornwall and Devon, according to the British births, deaths and marriages index. Currently very rare.

The novel Coming Home (1995) by Rosamunde Pilcher, set in 1930s Cornwall, has a character called Loveday. Loveday Minette is a fictional character in the children's fantasy novel The Little White Horse (1946) by Elizabeth Goudge (in the novel's film adaptation, she is known as Loveday de Noir). Also, a character in Poldark.

Short form of Charlotta.

From the name of the flowering herb, which was named for the Belgian botanist Matthias de Lobel (1538-1616). It was used by the author J. R. R. Tolkien in his novel 'The Lord of the Rings' (1954), in which it belongs to the hobbit Lobelia Sackville-Baggins.

Derived from Icelandic and Faroese lóa "golden plover (bird)".

Variant of Linnéa.

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

German diminutive of Elisabeth.

German and Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth.

Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism) [1].

From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.

Scandinavian and Finnish form of Láilá.

Variant of Kyrie 1.

Diminutive of Katherine.

From an English surname that comes from the name of the city of Kendale in northwestern England meaning "valley on the river Kent". Originally mostly masculine, the name received a boost in popularity for girls in 1993 when the devious character Kendall Hart began appearing on the American soap opera All My Children.

Variant of Keely.

Contraction of Kathy and Anne 1. This name is borne by a character in Erskine Caldwell's novel Place Called Estherville (1949).

Possibly taken from the Japanese adjective 辛い (karai) meaning "spicy, hot; strict, harsh, severe," belonging to a fictional (female) character in various installments of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics and related media, introduced in 1993, and a (male) character in the anime 'Naruto Shippūden' who first appeared in episode 286 (broadcast in 2012 in Japan).

The former of the two characters led to the usage of Karai as a feminine name in the United States, particularly after 2014 (though first debuting in the SSA data in 2007).

Diminutive of Katarina or Katariina.

Swedish and Norwegian cognate of June.

French diminutive of Julie.

Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian). This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr from Nicomedia, and also of the Blessed Juliana of Norwich, also called Julian, a 14th-century mystic and author. The name was also borne by a 20th-century queen of the Netherlands. In England, this form has been in use since the 18th century, alongside the older form Gillian.

Cornish form of George.

Short form of Marjorie.

Feminine form of Jordan.

From the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is יַרְדֵן (Yarden), and it is derived from יָרַד (yarad) meaning "descend" or "flow down". In the New Testament John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.

This name died out after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century. In America and other countries it became fairly popular in the second half of the 20th century. A famous bearer of the surname is former basketball star Michael Jordan (1963-).

Means "pretty" in French. This name was popularized by American actress Angelina Jolie (1975-), whose surname was originally her middle name. It is not used as a given name in France.

Formed from Jo and the common name suffix lene. This name was created in the early 20th century. It received a boost in popularity after the release of Dolly Parton's 1973 song Jolene.

Diminutive of Joan 1.

In part from the English word jewel, a precious stone, derived from Old French jouel, which was possibly related to jeu "game". It is also in part from the surname Jewel or Jewell (a derivative of the Breton name Judicaël), which was sometimes used in honour of the 16th-century bishop of Salisbury John Jewel. It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.

Modern French form of Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see John). This has been the most reliably popular French name for girls since the 13th century. Joan of Arc is known as Jeanne d'Arc in France.

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

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

Feminine form of James.

An invented name, using the popular den suffix sound found in such names as Braden, Hayden and Aidan. This name first became common in America in the 1990s when similar-sounding names were increasing in popularity. The spelling Jayden has been more popular since 2003. It is sometimes considered a variant of the biblical name Jadon.

Diminutive of Jacqueline.

Possibly from Greek ἰσμή (isme) meaning "knowledge". This was the name of the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta in Greek legend.

Variant of Ireland using the popular name suffix lyn.

Diminutive of Isabel.

From an English occupational surname for a hunter, derived from Old English hunta. A famous bearer was the eccentric American journalist Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005).

Variant of Hope-still.

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

Variant of Honour, using the American spelling.

From Japanese 穂 (ho) meaning "grain" combined with 三 (mi) meaning "three" or 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

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 the name of geographic places called Holland 1, or transferred usage of the surname Holland 1.

Transferred use of the surname Hill.

Transferred use of the surname Hastings.

Transferred use of the surname Harvester.
This name has been in occasional use since the 1800s.

Short form of Augusta.

Diminutive of Augusta.

German diminutive of Margareta.

From an English surname meaning "grey", originally given to a person who had grey hair or clothing.

Variant of Grayson influenced by Grace.

Elaboration of Grace using the popular name suffix lyn.

From a nickname for a person with blond hair, from the English word gold.

English translation of German Gottlieb, which in turn 'is for the most part a translation of Greek Theophilos ("one who loves God") that became very popular in the 17th and 18th centuries with the rise of the Pietist movement' (second edition of Dictionary of American Family Names, 2022). This was borne by Godlove Stein Orth (1817-1882), an American politician of German ancestry.

Latinized form of the Old English name Godgifu meaning "gift of god", from the elements god and giefu "gift". Lady Godiva was an 11th-century English noblewoman who, according to legend, rode naked through the streets of Coventry to protest the high taxes imposed by her husband upon the townspeople.

Elaborated form of Latin gloria meaning "glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.

Feminine form of Giuliano.

Italian feminine form of George, as well as a Greek variant form.

Feminine form of George. This form of the name has been in use in the English-speaking world since the 18th century.

Combination of George and Anne 1.

Variant of Georgiana.

Feminine form of Frederico or Frederick.

Italian and Catalan feminine form of Franciscus (see Francis).

Contracted form of Francesca.

Feminine form of Florianus (see Florian).

French feminine form of Faustinus (see Faustino).

Simply from the English word faith, ultimately from Latin fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.

From an English surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English eofor "boar" and leah "woodland, clearing". Notable bearers of the surname were the musical duo the Everly Brothers, Don (1937-2021) and Phil (1939-2014).

This name began rising on the American popularity charts in 2008, slowly until 2012 and then rapidly after that. This might have been triggered by the folk band Everly (not associated with the Everly Brothers), which had music featured on the television series One Tree Hill in that period. It also might have simply been inspired by similar-sounding names like Everett, Evelyn and Beverly.

Means "good cheer" in Greek.

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

Variant of Esmé.

Diminutive of Emma or Emily.

Diminutive of Emma or Emily.

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

Combination of Emma and Lise, or else an elaboration of Emma.

English feminine form of Aemilius (see Emil). In the English-speaking world it was not common until after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century; the princess Amelia Sophia (1711-1786) was commonly known as Emily in English, even though Amelia is an unrelated name.

This name was moderately popular through most of the 20th century, and became very popular around the turn of the 21st century. It was the highest ranked name for girls in the United States from 1996 to 2007, attaining similar levels in other English-speaking countries around the same time.

Famous bearers include the British author Emily Brontë (1818-1848), known for the novel Wuthering Heights, and the American poet Emily Dickinson (1830-1886).

Feminine form of Emiliano.

Norman French form of Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.

From an English surname meaning "son of Emery". The surname was borne by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American writer and philosopher who wrote about transcendentalism.

French form of Emmeline.

Probably an invented name. This is the name of an infant girl in the fantasy movie Willow (1988). Since the release of the movie the name has been steadily used, finally breaking into the top 1000 in the United States in 2015.

Catalan form of Elmo, as well as a short form of Elmer. The name may also be taken directly from the English word elm, a type of tree.

Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth or an English variant of Ellie.

Diminutive of Eleanor and other names beginning with El. This name can also be given in reference to the French pronoun elle meaning "she".

Already growing in popularity due to Australian model Elle Macpherson (1964-), this name received a boost in the United States after the release of the 2001 movie Legally Blonde featuring the main character Elle Woods. In the United Kingdom the name was already fairly common at the time the movie came out, and it actually started declining there shortly afterwards. A famous bearer is American actress Elle Fanning (1998-).

German and Dutch form of Elizabeth. It is also a variant English form, reflecting the spelling used in the Authorized Version of the New Testament.

Feminine form of Elior.

Modern Greek form of Helen.

Form of Helen used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Елена (see Yelena).

Possibly derived from Greek ἄλαρα (alara) meaning "hazelnut, spear-shaft". In Greek mythology Elara was one of Zeus's mortal lovers and by him the mother of the giant Tityos. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.

From the Old English name Æbbe, meaning unknown, perhaps a contracted form of a longer name. Saint Ebba was a 7th-century daughter of King Æthelfrith of Bernicia and the founder of monasteries in Scotland. Another saint named Ebba was a 9th-century abbess and martyr who mutilated her own face so that she would not be raped by the invading Danes.

Short form of names ending in ea.

From the Welsh prefix dy meaning "to, toward" and llanw meaning "tide, flow". According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi [1], Dylan was a son of Arianrhod and the twin brother of Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Immediately after he was baptized he took to the sea, where he could swim as well as a fish. He was slain accidentally by his uncle Gofannon. According to some theories the character might be rooted in an earlier and otherwise unattested Celtic god of the sea.

Famous bearers include the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (1914-1953) and the American musician Bob Dylan (1941-), real name Robert Zimmerman, who took his stage surname from the poet's given name. Due to those two bearers, use of the name has spread outside of Wales in the last half of the 20th century. It received a further boost in popularity in the 1990s due to a character on the television series Beverly Hills 90210.

From a nickname originally given to people perceived as being dusty. It is also used a diminutive of Dustin. A famous bearer was British singer Dusty Springfield (1939-1999), who acquired her nickname as a child.

From the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.

Diminutive of Dorothy.

Diminutive of Dorothy.

Italian feminine form of Dominicus (see Dominic).

Diminutive of Dorothy. Doll and Dolly were used from the 16th century, and the common English word doll (for the plaything) is derived from them. In modern times this name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Dolores.

Diminutive of Dorothy and Dorcas.

Means "judged" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament, Dinah was a daughter of Jacob and Leah who was abducted by Shechem. It has been used as an English given name since after the Protestant Reformation.

Possibly from the name of the Greek city of Delphi, the site of an oracle of Apollo, which is possibly related to Greek δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". It was used in the play The Prophetess (1647), in which it belongs to the title prophetess.

Modern Greek transcription of Danaë.

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 the Old Norse name Dagmær, derived from the elements dagr "day" and mær "maid". This was the name adopted by the popular Bohemian wife of the Danish king Valdemar II when they married in 1205. Her birth name was Markéta.

Originally a diminutive of Christina and Christine.

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.

Feminine form of Corey.

Feminine form of Colby. A known bearer is the American singer-songwriter Colbie Caillat (1985-).

Variant of Claudine.

From the Clodiagh, a small river in County Waterford, Ireland. It was first used as a given name by Clodagh Beresford (1879-1957), daughter of the Marquess of Waterford.

Short form of Cleopatra, Cleon or Cleopas.

Short form of Cléopâtre.

From an English surname meaning "cleric" or "scribe", from Old English clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. As a first name it was borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), as well as the comic book character Clark Kent, the mild-mannered alter ego of Superman, first created 1938.

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.

From the traditionally English and French topographic surname for someone who lived by or in an oak wood, from the Old French chesnai "oak grove", from chesne 'oak tree'.

Diminutive of Isabel.

Possibly derived from Ceraelia, the name of the ancient Roman festival dedicated to the agricultural goddess Ceres.

Feminine form of the Roman family name Caelius. Shakespeare used it in his play As You Like It (1599), which introduced the name to the English-speaking public at large. It is sometimes used as a short form of Cecilia.

Italian feminine and masculine form of Caelestis. It is also the Portuguese, Spanish and English feminine form.

English form of Cecilia. This was the usual English form during the Middle Ages.

Variant of Kate. A famous bearer is Australian actress Cate Blanchett (1969-).

From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Caiside), which is derived from the byname Caiside. Very rare as a given name before the 1970s, it established itself in the 80s and then surged in popularity during the 90s.

Means "nasturtium" in French. This was the stage name of the French actress and model Capucine (1928-1990).

Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Calixtus.

Variant of Kaylee.

From a surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Ó Proinntigh, itself derived from the given name Proinnteach, probably from Irish bronntach meaning "generous". The Brontë sisters — Charlotte, Emily, and Anne — were 19th-century English novelists. Their father changed the spelling of the family surname from Brunty to Brontë, possibly to make it coincide with Greek βροντή meaning "thunder".

Anglicized form of Brónach.

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

Boo is a diminutive of Baby and Babe.

Transferred use of the surname Bliss or from Old English blīths, bliss, of Germanic origin; related to blithe. See also Blythe.

Diminutive of Bertha, Bernice and other names with a similar sound, or sometimes simply from the English word bird.

Diminutive of Elizabeth.

Diminutive of Elizabeth.

Diminutive of Elizabeth.

Short form of Beatrix and other names beginning with B.

A banner is a symbol-bearing flag.

Variant of Audrey.

Romanian diminutive of Aurelia.

Feminine form of Augustus. It was introduced to Britain when King George III, a member of the German House of Hanover, gave this name to his second daughter in 1768.

Possibly means "flowing" from a prosthetic aleph (Hebrew: א) and the Hebrew verb שבל (shobel) "to flow forth" (the source of Shobal), or possibly derived from the noun אֵשׁ ('esh) "fire" and the verb בעל (ba'al) "to be lord (over), to own, to control". In the Old Testament this name belonged to the second son of Benjamin. A known bearer was American pioneer physician Ashbel Smith (1805-1886), a leader in the development of Texas.

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.

Alternate transcription of Persian آرزو (see Arezou).

Greek form of a Hebrew name that possibly meant "increasing". This is a name mentioned in Paul's epistle to Philemon in the New Testament.

Swedish diminutive of Anna.

Diminutive of Anne 1.

Combination of Anna and Beth.

This name was first brought to public attention in 1966 by the child actress Anissa Jones (1958-1976) [1]. In her case it was a transcription of the Arabic name أنيسة (see Anisa), given to honour her Lebanese heritage. Other parents who have since used this name may view it simply as an elaboration of Anna using the popular name suffix issa.

Variant of Annalise.

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.

Old German form of Emmeline.

Feminine form of Ambrosios (see Ambrose).

Diminutive of Adelaide.

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.

Feminine form of Adriel.

Feminine form of Adrian. A famous bearer is the Brazilian model Adriana Lima (1981-).