Dianna475's Personal Name List

Abi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Diminutive of Abigail (typically British).
Adelaide
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Italian, Portuguese
Pronounced: A-də-layd(English) a-deh-LIE-deh(Italian) a-di-LIE-di(European Portuguese) a-di-LIED(European Portuguese) a-deh-LIE-dee(Brazilian Portuguese)
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.

Ailís
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: A-lyeesh
Irish form of Alice.
Aimi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 愛美, etc.(Japanese Kanji) あいみ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: A-EE-MEE
From Japanese (ai) meaning "love, affection" and (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Áine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: A-nyə(Irish)
Means "radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Anne.
Aisling
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: ASH-lyən
Means "dream" or "vision" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Alaina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: ə-LAYN-ə
Variant of Alana, probably influenced by Elaine.
Alannah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English (Modern)
Pronounced: ə-LAN-ə(English)
Variant of Alana. It has been influenced by the affectionate Anglo-Irish word alannah, from the Irish Gaelic phrase a leanbh meaning "O child".
Alastríona
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: ə-ləs-TRYEE-nə, A-ləs-tryee-nə
Feminine form of Alastar.
Alexis
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English, Greek, Spanish, Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Αλέξης(Greek) Ἄλεξις(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: A-LEHK-SEE(French) ə-LEHK-sis(English)
From the Greek name Ἄλεξις (Alexis) meaning "helper" or "defender", derived from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, to help". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek comic poet, and also of several saints. It is used somewhat interchangeably with the related name Ἀλέξιος or Alexius, borne by five Byzantine emperors.

In the English-speaking world this name is more commonly given to girls. This is due to the American actress Alexis Smith (1921-1993), who began appearing in movies in the early 1940s. It got a boost in popularity in the 1980s from a character on the soap opera Dynasty.

Alondra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Spanish (Latin American)
Pronounced: a-LON-dra
Derived from Spanish alondra meaning "lark".
Alžběta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Czech
Pronounced: ALZH-byeh-ta
Czech form of Elizabeth.
Annette
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch
Pronounced: A-NEHT(French) ə-NEHT(English) a-NEH-tə(German)
French diminutive of Anne 1. It has also been widely used in the English-speaking world, and it became popular in America in the late 1950s due to the fame of actress Annette Funicello (1942-2013).
Ashleigh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: ASH-lee
Feminine variant of Ashley.
Aurora
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Romanian, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Roman Mythology
Pronounced: ow-RAW-ra(Italian) ow-RO-ra(Spanish, Latin) ə-RAWR-ə(English) OW-ro-rah(Finnish)
Means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning. It has occasionally been used as a given name since the Renaissance.
Avalon
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: AV-ə-lahn
From the name of the island paradise to which King Arthur was brought after his death. The name of this island is perhaps related to Welsh afal meaning "apple", a fruit that was often linked with paradise.
Avery
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AY-və-ree, AYV-ree
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).

Ayano
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 彩乃, 綾乃, etc.(Japanese Kanji) あやの(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: A-YA-NO
From Japanese (aya) meaning "colour" or (aya) meaning "design" combined with (no), a possessive particle. Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Bailee
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: BAY-lee
Variant of Bailey.
Bailey
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BAY-lee
From an English surname derived from Middle English baili meaning "bailiff", originally denoting one who was a bailiff.

Already an uncommon masculine name, it slowly grew in popularity for American girls beginning in 1978 after the start of the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, which featured a character with this name. Though it remained more common as a feminine name, it got a boost for boys in 1994 from another television character on the drama Party of Five. In the United Kingdom and Australia it has always been more popular for boys.

Blair
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: BLEHR(English)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic blàr meaning "plain, field, battlefield". In Scotland this name is typically masculine.

In the United States it became more common for girls in the early 1980s, shortly after the debut of the television sitcom The Facts of Life (1979-1988), which featured a character named Blair Warner. The name left the American top 1000 rankings two decades later, but was resurrected by another television character, this time Blair Waldorf from the series Gossip Girl (2007-2012).

Bláthnat
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish Mythology
Means "little flower" from Irish bláth "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend she was a maiden abducted and married by Cú Roí. She was rescued by Cúchulainn, who killed her husband, but was in turn murdered by one of Cú Roí's loyal servants.
Brady
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BRAY-dee
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Brádaigh, itself derived from the byname Brádach. A famous bearer of the surname is the American football quarterback Tom Brady (1977-). It was also borne by a fictional family on the television series The Brady Bunch (1969-1974).
Brayden
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: BRAY-dən
Variant of Braden. This is currently the more popular spelling of the name.
Bree
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BREE
Anglicized form of Brígh. It can also be a short form of Brianna, Gabriella and other names containing bri.
Brennan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: BREHN-ən
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Braonáin) that was derived from the byname Braonán, itself from Irish braon meaning "rain, moisture, drop" combined with a diminutive suffix. As a given name, it has been used since the 1960s as an alternative to Brendan or Brandon, though it has not been as popular as them.
Brian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Irish, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: BRIE-ən(English) BRYEEN(Irish)
Meaning uncertain, possibly related to the old Celtic root *brixs "hill, high" (Old Irish brií) or the related *brigā "might, power" (Old Irish briíg). It was borne by the Irish king Brian Boru, who thwarted Viking attempts to conquer Ireland in the 11th century. He was slain in the Battle of Clontarf, though his forces were decisively victorious. This name was common in Ireland after his time, and it was introduced to northern England by Norse-Gael settlers. It was also used in Brittany, and was brought to England by Bretons in the wake of the Norman Conquest. Though it eventually became rare in the English-speaking world, it was strongly revived in the 20th century, becoming a top-ten name for boys in most regions.
Briana
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: bree-AN-ə, bree-AHN-ə, brie-AN-ə
Feminine form of Brian. It appears in Edmund Spenser's epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590). The name was not commonly used until the 1970s, when it rapidly became popular in the United States.
Brianna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: bree-AN-ə, bree-AHN-ə
Variant of Briana. This is currently the more popular spelling of the name.
Bridget
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: BRIJ-it(English)
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.
Brigit
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Old Irish [1], Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Bridget.
Caitlín
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KAT-lyeen
Irish form of Cateline, the Old French form of Katherine.
Caoilfhionn
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KEEL-in, KEEL-uwn, KEEL-oon
Derived from the Old Irish elements cáel "slender" and finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Caoilinn
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Variant of Caoilfhionn.
Caoimhe
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KEE-vyə
Derived from Irish caomh meaning "dear, beloved, gentle".
Chevonne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: shə-VAHN
Variant of Shavonne.
Ciannait
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Feminine form of Cian.
Ciara 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KEE-rə
Feminine form of Ciar. This is another name for Saint Ciar.
Colton
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: KOL-tən
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Cola's town". It started being used as a given name in the 1980s. Likely in some cases it was viewed as an elaborated or full form of Cole or Colt.
Concepta
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Latinate form of Concetta, used especially in Ireland.
Cúchulainn
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish Mythology
Means "hound of Culann" in Irish. This was the usual name of the warrior hero who was named Sétanta at birth, given to him because he took the place of one of Culann's hounds after he accidentally killed it. The Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology tells of Cúchulainn's many adventures, including his single-handed defence of Ulster against the army of Queen Medb.
DeAndre
Gender: Masculine
Usage: African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Andre.
Deborah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Biblical
Other Scripts: דְּבוֹרָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: DEHB-ə-rə(English) DEHB-rə(English)
From the Hebrew name דְּבוֹרָה (Devorah) meaning "bee". In the Old Testament Book of Judges, Deborah is a heroine and prophetess who leads the Israelites when they are threatened by the Canaanites. She forms an army under the command of Barak, and together they destroy the army of the Canaanite commander Sisera. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of the nurse of Rebecca.

Long a common Jewish name, Deborah was first used by English Christians after the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.

Deirbhile
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: DYEHR-ə-vyə-lyə
Means "daughter of a poet" from Old Irish der "daughter" and fili "poet" (genitive filed). This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint, also called Dervla.
Deirdre
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: DIR-drə(English) DIR-dree(English) DYEHR-dryə(Irish)
From the Old Irish name Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from der meaning "daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after Conchobar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover Naoise.

It has only been commonly used as a given name since the 20th century, influenced by two plays featuring the character: William Butler Yeats' Deirdre (1907) and J. M. Synge's Deirdre of the Sorrows (1910).

Denise
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English, Dutch
Pronounced: DU-NEEZ(French) də-NEES(English) deh-NEE-zə(Dutch)
French feminine form of Denis.
Désirée
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, Dutch, German
Pronounced: DEH-ZEE-REH(French)
French form of Desiderata. In part it is directly from the French word meaning "desired, wished".
Destinee
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: DEHS-ti-nee
Variant of Destiny.
Eilís
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: EH-lyeesh
Irish Gaelic form of Elizabeth (or sometimes of Alice).
Éireann
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Pronounced: EH-ryən
From Éireann, the genitive case of Irish Gaelic Éire, meaning "Ireland". It is commonly Anglicized as Erin.
Elizabeth
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: i-LIZ-ə-bəth(English)
From Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע ('Elisheva') meaning "my God is an oath", derived from the roots אֵל ('el) referring to the Hebrew God and שָׁבַע (shava') meaning "oath". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist.

Among Christians, this name was originally more common in Eastern Europe. It was borne in the 12th century by Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a daughter of King Andrew II who used her wealth to help the poor. In medieval England it was occasionally used in honour of the saint, though the form Isabel (from Occitan and Spanish) was more common. It has been very popular in England since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century. In American name statistics (as recorded since 1880) it has never ranked lower than 30, making it the most consistently popular name for girls in the United States.

Besides Elizabeth I, this name has been borne (in various spellings) by many other European royals, including a ruling empress of Russia in the 18th century. Famous modern bearers include the British queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) and actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011).

Ennis
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
From an Irish surname that was derived from inis meaning "island".
Éowyn
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Literature
Pronounced: AY-ə-win(English)
Means "horse joy" in Old English. This name was invented by J. R. R. Tolkien who used Old English to represent the Rohirric language. In his novel The Lord of the Rings (1954) Eowyn is the niece of King Theoden of Rohan. She slays the Lord of the Nazgul in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Erin
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Irish
Pronounced: EHR-in(English)
Anglicized form of Éireann. It was initially used by people of Irish heritage in America, Canada and Australia. It was rare until the mid-1950s.
Ethna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Anglicized form of Eithne.
Ethne
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish Mythology
Variant of Eithne.
Etsuko
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 悦子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) えつこ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: EH-TSOO-KO
From Japanese (etsu) meaning "joy, pleased" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Fallon
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
From an Irish surname that was an Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic Ó Fallamháin, itself derived from the given name Fallamhán meaning "leader". It was popularized in the 1980s by a character on the soap opera Dynasty.
Fionnghuala
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Variant of Fionnuala.
Gabrielle
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: GA-BREE-YEHL(French) gab-ree-EHL(English)
French feminine form of Gabriel. This was the real name of French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).
Geneviève
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: ZHU-NU-VYEHV, ZHUN-VYEHV
From the medieval name Genovefa, which is of uncertain origin. It could be derived from the Germanic elements *kunją "clan, family, lineage" and *wībą "wife, woman". Alternatively it could be of Gaulish origin, from the related Celtic element *genos "kin, family" combined with a second element of unknown meaning. This name was borne by Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, who inspired the city to resist the Huns in the 5th century.
Hadley
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HAD-lee
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather field" in Old English.
Haleigh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: HAY-lee
Variant of Hayley.
Hannah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Hebrew, German, Dutch, Arabic, Biblical
Other Scripts: חַנָּה(Hebrew) حنّة(Arabic)
Pronounced: HAN-ə(English) HA-na(German) HAH-na(Dutch) HAN-nah(Arabic)
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.

Hikaru
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 光, 輝, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ひかる(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: KHEE-KA-ROO
From Japanese (hikaru) meaning "light" or (hikaru) meaning "brightness". Other kanji can also form this name.
Hillary
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: HIL-ə-ree
Variant of Hilary. A famous bearer of the surname was Edmund Hillary (1919-2008), the first man to climb Mount Everest. It is borne by the American politician Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947-). The name dropped in popularity in 1993 after she became the first lady as the wife of Bill Clinton.
Iain
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish Gaelic [1]
Pronounced: EE-an
Scottish Gaelic form of Iohannes (see John).
Indigo
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: IN-di-go
From the English word indigo for the purplish-blue dye or the colour. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ἰνδικόν (Indikon) meaning "Indic, from India".
Isla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: IE-lə
Variant of Islay, typically used as a feminine name. It also coincides with the Spanish word isla meaning "island".
Jacqueline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: ZHAK-LEEN(French) JAK-ə-lin(English) JAK-wə-lin(English) JAK-ə-leen(English)
French feminine form of Jacques, also commonly used in the English-speaking world.
Jasmine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: JAZ-min(English) ZHAS-MEEN(French)
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.
Kaleigh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: KAY-lee, KAL-ee
Variant of Kayleigh or Callie.
Kathleen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: kath-LEEN(English)
Anglicized form of Caitlín.
Katie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KAY-tee
Diminutive of Kate.
Kay 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KAY
Short form of Katherine and other names beginning with K.
Kayleigh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: KAY-lee
Variant of Kaylee. This particular spelling was popularized by a 1985 song by the British band Marillion.
Keegan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KEE-gən
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Mac Aodhagáin, which was derived from the given name Aodhagán, a double diminutive of Aodh.
Keelan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: KEE-lən(English)
Anglicized form of Caolán.
Kelly
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: KEHL-ee(English)
Anglicized form of the Irish given name Ceallach or the surname derived from it Ó Ceallaigh. As a surname, it has been borne by actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).

As a given name it was mostly masculine before 1940, but it rose in popularity as a name for girls during the 40s and 50s, probably due both to Grace Kelly (who married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956) and a female character on the 1957 television series Bachelor Father [1]. By the end of the 1970s it was on the decline.

Kelsi
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: KEHL-see
Variant of Kelsey.
Kerry
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KEHR-ee
From the name of the Irish county, called Ciarraí in Irish Gaelic, which means "Ciar's people".
Kyleigh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: KIE-lee
Variant of Kylie.
Kylie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KIE-lee
This name arose in Australia, where it is said to mean "boomerang" in the Australian Aboriginal language Nyungar. An early bearer was the author Kylie Tennant (1912-1988). It was among the most popular names in Australia in the 1970s and early 80s. It can also be considered a feminine form of Kyle, or a combination of the popular sounds ky and lee, and it is likely in those capacities that it began to be used in America in the late 1970s. A famous bearer is the Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue (1968-).
Laoise
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: LEE-shə
Possibly a newer form of Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of Lucy or Louise.
Lavina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Variant of Lavinia.
Leah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Other Scripts: לֵאָה(Hebrew)
Pronounced: LEE-ə(English)
From the Hebrew name לֵאָה (Le'ah), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word לְאָה (le'ah) meaning "weary". Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian littu meaning "cow". In the Old Testament Leah is the first wife of Jacob and the mother of seven of his children. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister Rachel, whom he preferred. Leah later offered Jacob her handmaid Zilpah in order for him to conceive more children.

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

Lily
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIL-ee
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).
Lois 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: Λωΐς(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: LO-is(English)
Possibly derived from Greek λωίων (loion) meaning "more desirable" or "better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of Eunice and the grandmother of Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.
Lyric
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: LIR-ik
Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).
Madeline
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAD-ə-lin, MAD-lin, MAD-ə-lien
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.
Maeleachlainn
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Old Irish
Variant of Máel Sechlainn.
Maeve
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: MAYV(English)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Medb meaning "intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband Ailill fought against the Ulster king Conchobar and the hero Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.
Máire
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: MA-ryə
Irish form of Maria (see Mary). The form Muire is used to refer to the Virgin Mary.
Mairenn
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Old Irish [1]
Variant of Muirenn.
Máirín
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: MA-ryeen
Irish diminutive of Mary.
Mallaidh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Irish form of Molly.
Mao
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 真央, 真緒, 舞桜, etc.(Japanese Kanji) まお(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: MA-O
From Japanese (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or (mai) meaning "dance" combined with (o) meaning "center", (o) meaning "thread" or (o) meaning "cherry blossom". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Maria
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Other Scripts: Μαρία(Greek) Մարիա(Armenian) Мария(Russian, Bulgarian) Марія(Ukrainian) Маріа(Church Slavic)
Pronounced: ma-REE-a(Italian, German, Swedish, Dutch, Greek, Romanian, Basque) mu-REE-u(European Portuguese) ma-REE-u(Brazilian Portuguese) mə-REE-ə(Catalan, English) mah-REE-ah(Norwegian, Danish) MAR-ya(Polish) MAH-ree-ah(Finnish) mu-RYEE-yə(Russian) mu-RYEE-yu(Ukrainian)
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.

Mariko
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 真里子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) まりこ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: MA-REE-KO
From Japanese (ma) meaning "real, genuine", (ri) meaning "village" and (ko) meaning "child". Many different combinations of kanji characters can form this name.
Maura 2
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: MAWR-ə(English)
Anglicized form of Máire. It has also been associated with Irish mór meaning "great". This was the name of an obscure 5th-century Irish martyr.
Maureen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: maw-REEN(English)
Anglicized form of Máirín.
Maurene
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: maw-REEN
Variant of Maureen.
Maurine
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: maw-REEN
Variant of Maureen.
Mave
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Variant of Maeve.
Mavourneen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish (Rare)
Derived from the Irish phrase mo mhúirnín meaning "my darling".
McKenna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: mə-KEHN-ə
From an Irish and Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Cionaodha, itself derived from the given name Cionaodh. As a given name, it was very rare before 1980. It rapidly increased in popularity during the 1990s, likely because it was viewed as an even more feminine alternative to Mackenzie [1].
Méabh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: MYEW(Irish) MYEHV(Irish)
Modern Irish form of Medb (see Maeve).
Meadhbh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: MYEW(Irish) MYEHV(Irish)
Modern Irish form of Medb (see Maeve).
Meaghan
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MEHG-ən
Variant of Megan.
Meave
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Variant of Maeve.
Medb
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish Mythology
Pronounced: MEDHV(Old Irish)
Original Irish form of Maeve.
Midori
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: , etc.(Japanese Kanji) みどり(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: MEE-DO-REE
From Japanese (midori) meaning "green", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that have the same pronunciation.
Mio
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 美桜, 美緒, etc.(Japanese Kanji) みお(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: MEE-O
From Japanese (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with (o) meaning "cherry blossom" or (o) meaning "thread". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Moira
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Scottish, English
Pronounced: MOI-rə(English)
Anglicized form of Máire. It also coincides with Greek Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.
Molly
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAHL-ee
Medieval diminutive of Mary, now often used independently. It developed from Malle and Molle, other medieval diminutives. James Joyce used this name in his novel Ulysses (1922), where it belongs to Molly Bloom, the wife of the main character.
Moreen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: maw-REEN(English) MAWR-een(English)
Anglicized form of Móirín. It is sometimes used as a variant of Maureen.
Morgan 1
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Welsh, English, French
Pronounced: MAWR-gən(English) MAWR-GAN(French)
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-).
Moyra
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Scottish
Variant of Moira.
Naomh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: NEEW, NEEV, NEHV
Means "holy" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Naomi 1
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English, Hebrew, Biblical
Other Scripts: נָעֳמִי(Hebrew)
Pronounced: nay-O-mee(English) nie-O-mee(English)
From the Hebrew name נָעֳמִי (Na'omi) meaning "pleasantness". In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother-in-law of Ruth. After the death of her husband and sons, she returned to Bethlehem with Ruth. There she declared that her name should be Mara because of her misfortune (see Ruth 1:20).

Though long common as a Jewish name, Naomi was not typically used as an English Christian name until after the Protestant Reformation. A notable bearer is the British model Naomi Campbell (1970-).

Naomi 2
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 直美, 直己, etc.(Japanese Kanji) なおみ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: NA-O-MEE
From Japanese (nao) meaning "straight, direct" and (mi) meaning "beautiful" (usually feminine) or (mi) meaning "self" (usually masculine). Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Niamh
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: NYEEW(Irish) NYEEV(Irish)
Means "bright" in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet Oisín, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill. It has been used as a given name for people only since the early 20th century.
Nola
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: NO-lə
Meaning uncertain, possibly a feminine form of Noll inspired by Lola. It has been most common in Australia and New Zealand, especially in the first half of the 20th century.
Nonna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Late Greek, Russian
Other Scripts: Νόννα(Ancient Greek) Нонна(Russian)
Feminine form of Nonnos. This was the name of a 4th-century saint from Nazianzus in Cappadocia. She was the mother of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus.
Noreen
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: naw-REEN(English)
Anglicized form of Nóirín.
Nuala
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: NWU-lə
Short form of Fionnuala.
Ophrah
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: עָפְרָה(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: AWF-rə(English)
Means "fawn" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of both a man mentioned in genealogies and a city in Manasseh.
Oprah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Various (Rare)
Pronounced: OP-rə(English)
In the case of television personality Oprah Winfrey (1954-), it was a childhood mispronunciation of her real name Orpah that became permanent.
Quintella
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Feminine diminutive of Quintus.
Quintina
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Quintinus.
Rae
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAY
Short form of Rachel. It can also be used as a feminine form of Ray.
Reagan
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: RAY-gən
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Riagáin, derived from the given name Riagán. This surname was borne by American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004).

As a given name, it took off in popularity during the 1990s. It has been more common for girls in the United States probably because of its similarity to other names such as Megan, Morgan and Regan.

Regan
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Literature, English
Pronounced: REE-gən(English)
Meaning unknown. In the chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth it is the name of a treacherous daughter of King Leir. Shakespeare adapted the story for his tragedy King Lear (1606). In the modern era it has appeared in the horror movie The Exorcist (1973) belonging to a girl possessed by the devil. This name can also be used as a variant of Reagan.
Rhiannon
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Pronounced: ri-AN-awn(Welsh) ree-AN-ən(English)
Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi [1] as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.

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

Rosalind
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAHZ-ə-lind
Derived from the Old German elements hros meaning "horse" and lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it was not common. During the Middle Ages its spelling was influenced by the Latin phrase rosa linda "beautiful rose". The name was popularized by Edmund Spencer, who used it in his poetry, and by William Shakespeare, who used it for the heroine in his comedy As You Like It (1599).
Ryan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RIE-ən
From a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Riain. This patronymic derives from the given name Rian, which is of uncertain meaning. It is traditionally said to mean "little king", from Irish "king" combined with a diminutive suffix.

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

Sadie
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SAY-dee
Diminutive of Sarah.
Sam 1
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English, Literature
Pronounced: SAM(English)
Short form of Samuel, Samson, Samantha and other names beginning with Sam. This is the name of a detective in Dashiell Hammett's novel The Maltese Falcon (1930). In J. R. R. Tolkien's 1954 novel The Lord of the Rings (1954) this is a short form of Samwise.
Saoirse
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SEER-shə
Means "freedom" in Irish Gaelic. It was first used as a given name in the 20th century.
Scarlett
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SKAHR-lit
From an English surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelat)). Margaret Mitchell used it for the main character, Scarlett O'Hara, in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936). Her name is explained as having come from her grandmother. Despite the fact that the book was adapted into a popular movie in 1939, the name was not common until the 21st century. It started rising around 2003, about the time that the career of American actress Scarlett Johansson (1984-) started taking off.
Seán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SHAN
Irish form of John, derived via the Old French form Jehan.
Serenity
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: sə-REHN-ə-tee
From the English word meaning "serenity, tranquility", ultimately from Latin serenus meaning "clear, calm".
Setsuko
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 節子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) せつこ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: SEH-TSOO-KO
From Japanese (setsu) meaning "section, period, verse, melody" and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also be possible.
Shannon
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SHAN-ən
From the name of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, called an tSionainn in Irish. It is associated with the legendary figure Sionann and is sometimes said to be named for her. However it is more likely she was named after the river, which may be related to Old Irish sen "old, ancient" [1]. As a given name, it first became common in America after the 1940s.
Sheridan
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SHEHR-i-dən
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Sirideáin), which was derived from the given name Sirideán possibly meaning "searcher".
Shun 2
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 駿, 俊, etc.(Japanese Kanji) しゅん(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: SHOON
From Japanese 駿 (shun) meaning "fast", (shun) meaning "talented", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Soraya
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Persian, Spanish, French, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Other Scripts: ثریا(Persian)
Pronounced: so-ray-YAW(Persian) so-RA-ya(Spanish)
Persian form of Thurayya. It became popular in some parts of Europe because of the fame of Princess Soraya (1932-2001), wife of the last Shah of Iran, who became a European socialite.
Sydney
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SID-nee
From a surname that was a variant of the surname Sidney. This is the name of the largest city in Australia, which was named for Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney in 1788. Formerly used by both genders, since the 1980s this spelling of the name has been mostly feminine.
Tallulah
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: tə-LOO-lə
This is the name of waterfalls in Georgia. Popularly claimed to mean "leaping waters" in the Choctaw language, it may actually mean "town" in the Creek language. It was borne by American actress Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968), who was named after her grandmother, who may have been named after the waterfalls.
Tavish
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish
Anglicized form of a Thàmhais, vocative case of Tàmhas. Alternatively it could be taken from the Scottish surname McTavish, Anglicized form of Mac Tàmhais, meaning "son of Tàmhas".
Toiréasa
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Irish
Irish form of Theresa.
Tomiko
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 富子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) とみこ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: TO-MEE-KO
From Japanese (tomi) meaning "wealth, abundance" and (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Tomomi
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 智美, 朋美, 智実, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ともみ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: TO-MO-MEE
From Japanese (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful" or (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Twyla
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TWIE-lə
Variant of Twila.
Umeko
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 梅子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) うめこ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: OO-MEH-KO
From Japanese (ume) meaning "apricot, plum" (referring to the species Prunus mume) and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Val
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: VAL
Short form of Valentine 1, Valerie and other names beginning with Val.
Violette
Gender: Feminine
Usage: French
Pronounced: VYAW-LEHT
French form of Violet.
Wendy
Gender: Feminine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WEHN-dee
In the case of the character from J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan (1904), it was created from the nickname fwendy "friend", given to the author by a young friend. However, the name was used prior to the play (rarely), in which case it could be related to the Welsh name Gwendolen and other names beginning with the element gwen meaning "white, blessed". The name only became common after Barrie's play ran.
Whitney
Gender: Feminine & Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: WIT-nee
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).
Yoshi
Gender: Masculine & Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 吉, 義, 良, etc.(Japanese Kanji) よし(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: YO-SHEE
From Japanese (yoshi) meaning "good luck", (yoshi) meaning "righteous", or (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable", as well as other kanji with the same reading.
Yoshiko
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 良子, 芳子, 悦子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) よしこ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: YO-SHEE-KO, YO-SHKO
From Japanese (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable", (yoshi) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or (yoshi) meaning "joy, pleased" combined with (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed from other kanji combinations as well.
Youko
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 陽子, 洋子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ようこ(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: YO-KO
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 陽子 or 洋子 (see Yōko).
Yuuna
Gender: Feminine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 優菜, 優奈, 柚菜, etc.(Japanese Kanji) ゆうな(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: YOO-NA
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 優菜 or 優奈 or 柚菜 (see Yūna).
behindthename.com   ·   Copyright © 1996-2024