Browse Submitted Names

Herrad f History (Ecclesiastical)
Herrad of Landsberg (c. 1130 – 1195) was a 12th-century Alsatian nun and abbess of Hohenburg Abbey in the Vosges mountains. She was known as the author of the pictorial encyclopedia Hortus deliciarum (The Garden of Delights in English).

Heurippa f Greek Mythology
Means "horse finder", derived from Greek εὑρίσκειν (heuriskein) meaning "to find; find out, discover; get, gain, procure" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse"... [more]

Heyman m Medieval Dutch, Dutch (Rare)
Medieval Dutch form of Hagiman. In that era, Heyman was sometimes also used as a pet form of Hendrick.... [more]

Hieronimu m Sardinian (Archaic)
Sardinian form of Hieronymus. Hieronimu Araolla, (Sassari, 1542 - Rome, 1615) was a Sardinian poet and priest.

Hikolana m Dagbani
when a child was born denoting the owner to have to brought blessing, luck and authority in a family in northern dagombi speaking family .

Hilmano m Dutch (Surinamese, Rare)
Combination of a name that starts with Hil- (such as Hilario) with a name that ends in -mano, such as Germano and Romano... [more]

Hippoliet m Dutch (Archaic), Flemish (Archaic)
Dutch form of Hippolytos via its French form Hippolyte 2. Known bearers of this name include the Belgian physician and playwright Hippoliet Van Peene (1811-1864) and the Belgian writer and poet Hippoliet Ledeganck (1846-1903).

Hippolochus m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Latinized form of Hippolochos. This name was borne by a Macedonian writer from the early 3rd century BC.... [more]

Hipponax m Ancient Greek
Means "master of the horse(s)", derived from Greek ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse" and ἄναξ (anax) meaning "master, lord, king".... [more]

Hironobu m Japanese
Hiro can mean "Widespread,Broad", "Ocean", "Abundance", "Generous,Tolerant", or "Prosperous" + Nobu meaning "Stretch,Prolong" or "Trust". So,it could mean "Broad Stretch", "Prosperous Stretch", & so on... [more]

Hisaki m & f Japanese
From Japanese 寿 (hisa) meaning "longevity, long life", 久 (hisa) meaning "long time", 尚 (hisa) meaning "still, as always", 火 (hi) meaning "fire" (for males), 日 (hi) meaning "day, sun, Japan", 緋 (hi) meaning "scarlet", 百 (hi) meaning "hundred", 姫 (hi) meaning "princess" or 陽 (hi) meaning "light, sun, male" (for females) combined with 輝 (ki) meaning "brightness", 貴 (ki) meaning "expensive, worthful, precious", 亀 (ki) meaning "tortoise, turtle", 紀 (ki) meaning "chronicle", 崎 (saki) meaning "small peninsula, cape" (for males) or 咲 (saki) meaning "blossom" (for females)... [more]

Hispan m Spanish
Hispan is a mythological character of Antiquity, who would derive the name Hispania, according to some ancient writers.

Hoimar m German (Rare)
A dithematic name formed from the Germanic name element hugu "mind, thought, heart, spirit" and mari "famous".... [more]

Homeer m Dutch (Rare), Flemish (Rare)
Dutch form of Homer. It was mostly used in the 17th and 18th century, usually in order to refer to the Greek epic poet.

Homerus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Dutch (Rare)
Latinized form of Homeros (see Homer). It is chiefly by this form that the Greek epic poet is known in the Dutch-speaking world (such as Flanders and the Netherlands).

Hone m Maori
Maori form of John. Hone Tūwhare (21 October 1922 – 16 January 2008) was a noted Māori New Zealand poet.

Hosato m & f Japanese
From Japanese 浦 (ho) meaning "riverbank, shore", 帆 (ho) meaning "sail" or 穂 (ho) meaning "grain" combined with 里 (sato) or 郷 (sato) which both mean "village". Other kanji combinations are possible... [more]

Howl m Literature, English (American, Modern)
In the case of the wizard Howl in the fantasy novel 'Howl's Moving Castle' (1986) by British author Diana Wynne Jones, it was a variant of Howell (the character's birth name).

Hrachya m & f Armenian
Modern form of the Old Armenian name Հրաչեայ (Hračʿeay), which was derived from Old Armenian հուր (hur) meaning "fire" and աչք (ačʿkʿ) "eyes, sight" (literally, "fire-eyed" or "eyes of fire")... [more]

Hunydd f Medieval Welsh
Old Welsh name of uncertain derivation, possibly from Welsh hun "sleep" or huan "sun". It was the name of a sweetheart of the 12th-century poet and soldier Hywel ap Owain.

Hurrish m Irish, Literature
Irish dialectical variant of Horatio, according to the Anglo-Irish writer Emily Lawless in her novel 'Hurrish' (1886).

Hyōe m Japanese
This name combines 兵 (hyou, hei, tsuwamono) meaning "army, soldier" and 衛 (ei, e) meaning "defense, protection."... [more]

Ia m Georgian (Rare)
Short form of Iakob and Ilia. In some cases, it might also be derived from the Arabic name Yahya, which is written as იაჰია (Iahia) in Georgian.... [more]

Iasyr m Dungan
Dungan form of Yasir. A notable bearer was Iasyr (Yasir) Shivaza (1906 - 1988), a Soviet poet and scholar of Dungan nationality.

Ibbeltje f Dutch
Ibbeltje is a character created by Dutch author Annie M.G. Schmidt, in her series by the same name. It is a diminutive of Isabel.

Idgie f English (Rare), Popular Culture
Diminutive of Imogen or Imogene.... [more]

Idonae f English (Archaic)
An Old English name that later became Idonea, possibly to feminise it. 19th century author Charlotte Mary Yonge writes that the derivation of Idonae from Iðunn is almost certain, noting that although Idonae may be "the feminine of the Latin idoneus (fit), its absence in the Romance countries may be taken as an indication that it was a mere classicalizing of the northern goddess of the apples of youth.

Ierne f English (Rare)
Anglicized form of Eireann (compare Erin, Ériu). This was the middle name of Dolly Wilde (1895-1941), niece of the Irish writer Oscar Wilde.

Ignaty m Russian
Variant transcription of Ignatiy. A known bearer of this name was Russian writer and playwright Ignaty Potapenko (1856-1929).

Ignjat m Serbian, Croatian
Croatian and Serbian form of Ignatius. A bearer of this name was the Croatian poet Ignjat Ðurđević.

Ignotus m Literature
Means "unknown" in Latin. This was the pen name of the Hungarian writer Hugó Veigelsberg (1869-1949), and was also borne by his son, writer Pál Ignotus (1901-1978​). It was later employed by author J. K. Rowling for a character in her Harry Potter series of books.... [more]

Ilarie m Romanian
Romanian form of Hilarius. This name was borne by Ilarie Voronca (1903-1946), the pen name of Romanian-French avant-garde poet and essayist Eduard Marcus.

Ilil f Hebrew (Modern, Rare)
The Israeli poet Shaul Tchernichovsky wrote a love song where he calls his lover by the name he invented: Ilil.

Ilma f Hungarian
Coined by Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty for a character in his pantomime 'Csongor és Tünde' (1831). The origin and meaning of this name are uncertain, however theories include a truncated form of Vilma and a contraction of Ilona and Vilma.

Ilyos m Tajik, Uzbek
Tajik and Uzbek form of Ilyas. Known bearers of this name include the Uzbek soccer player Ilyos Zeytullayev (b. 1984) and Ilyos Mallayev (1936-2008), an Uzbek musician and poet.

Imekanu f Ainu
Ainu female name, borne most notably by a mythologist and poet (Japanese name: Kannari Matsu (金成 マツ)) credited with preserving numerous Ainu epics (Yukar).

Imlac m Literature
Transferred use of the surname Imlac, derived from the Old Gaelic imeallach or imleach, meaning "marginal land" or "marshy shore-land."... [more]

Immaculée f French (African, Rare)
French cognate of Inmaculada. A known bearer is Rwandan writer Immaculée Ilibagiza (1972-), a survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Imme f & m West Frisian (Rare), East Frisian (Rare), North Frisian (Rare)
Variant form of Ime 2. This given name is more commonly found on females than on males.... [more]

Imola f Hungarian, Literature
Directly taken from Hungarian imola "centaury, knapweed, starthistle". This name was first used by Hungarian writer Mór Jókai in his novel 'Bálványosi vár'.

Imperia f Medieval Italian, Literature, English (American, Modern, Rare)
Derived from Latin imperium meaning "command; authority; rule, power; empire". This was the name of an obscure saint, who was venerated in Mauprévoir, France (also known as Impère and Impérie)... [more]

Inachia f Literature
Used by the 1st-century BC Roman poet Horace. It was possibly intended to be a reference to the Greek mythological figure Io, whose father was named Inachus.

Inana f German (Rare), Arabic (Mashriqi)
Variant of Inanna.... [more]

Indro m Indian, Italian
Possibly a form of Indra. In was popularized in Italy as well by Indro Montanelli (1909-2001), Italian journalist, historian and writer.

Indulis m Latvian, Theatre
Originally a diminutive of Indriķis, now used as a given name in its own right. Latvian poet and playwright Rainis used this name on the titular character of his play Indulis un Ārija (1911).

Ingvelde f German (Rare), Literature
The name is probably an invention by the Austrian writer Joseph Christian Von Zedlitz (1790–1862) who wrote a novel titled "Ingvelde Schönwang".... [more]

Intizar m & f Arabic, Kazakh, Turkmen, Urdu
Derived from the Arabic noun انتظار (intizar) meaning "wait" as well as "anticipation" and "expectation".... [more]

Iorek m Literature
Meaning unknown. Author Philip Pullman used this name for one of his main characters Iorek Byrnison, an armored polar bear, in his His Dark Materials series, first released in 1995. While the Dutch name Yorick sounds the same, it is unknown whether Pullman based his character's name on it.

Iori m & f Japanese
This name can be used as 庵 (an, iori, io) meaning "hermitage, retreat" (masculine) or it can combine 一 (ichi, hito.tsu, i) meaning "one," 伊 (i, kare) meaning "that one," 衣 (i, e, kinu, koromo) meaning "clothes, garment," 依 (i, e, yo.ru) meaning "depend, rely," 唯 (i, yui, tada) meaning "merely, only, simply, solely" or 惟 (i, yui, omo.uni, kore) meaning "consider, think" with 織 (o.ri) meaning "fabric, weave."... [more]

Isagel f Swedish (Rare), Literature, Astronomy
Isagel is a fictional character and spaceship pilot appearing in Swedish author Harry Martinson's poem of science fiction 'Aniara', published in 1956. Isagel is also the name of an exoplanet (HD 102956 b) orbiting the star Aniara (HD 102956).

Ischa m & f Dutch
Possibly derived from Isaac. A famous Dutch bearer was Ischa Meijer, a Jewish journalist, author, actor and television presenter. In his case, Ischa was short for Israel.

Isengrim m Literature, Folklore, Germanic
A variant form of Isangrim. This is the name of a wolf found in many medieval stories, most notably in the French folktale of Reynard the Fox. The author J. R. R. Tolkien used it as a hobbit name in 'The Lord of the Rings' (1954).

İsfəndiyar m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Isfandiyar (see Esfandiar). A notable bearer of this name was the singer and poet İsfəndiyar Bərxu (1929-1991).

Isidoor m Dutch (Rare), Flemish (Rare)
Dutch form of Isidore. Known bearers of this name include Belgian author Isidoor Teirlinck (1851-1934), Belgian athlete Isidoor Van de Wiele (1924-2010) and Belgian cyclist Isidoor De Ryck (1926-2009).

Isola f English (Rare), Italian (Rare)
Popularly claimed to be derived from the Italian word isola "island", this name might actually rather be a variant of Isolda.... [more]

Issa f Pet
During the 1st century, the Roman poet Martial addressed an epigram (or poem) to a lap dog named Issa owned by his friend Publius. The dog's name means "lady, mistress of the house" in Latin, a vulgar, assimilated form of the pronoun ipsa which often had a colloquial sense of "lady, mistress".

Iszi f Obscure
Alternate spelling of Izzy. Iszi Lawrence is a British author, comedian, podcaster, and history presenter.

Itthidet m Thai
From Thai อิทธิ (itthi) meaning "power, might" and เดช (det) meaning "power, might, authority".

Iyeoka f Western African, Yoruba
Means "mother who speaks the word" in Yoruba.... [more]

Ižota f Belarusian, Literature, Arthurian Cycle
Belarusian form of Iseult that was used in the Old Belarusian translation of Tristan and Iseult called Apoviesć pra Tryščana (translates The Tale of Tristan into English) that was made in the XVI century by an unknown author.

Jacint m Catalan, Lengadocian, Provençal
Catalan. Languedocian and Provençal form of Hyacinthus. Jacint Verdaguer i Santaló (1845 – 1902) was a writer, regarded as one of the greatest poets of Catalan literature and a prominent literary figure of the Renaixença, a cultural revival movement of the late Romantic era... [more]

Jadine f English (Rare)
Elaborated form or diminutive of Jade, or perhaps a blend of the popular phonetic element jay with Nadine... [more]

Jaehaerys m Literature
Created by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire". In the series, Jaehaerys Targaryen, also known as Jaehaerys the Conciliator, is the longest-reigning monarch in the history of Westeros who is later succeeded by his grandson Viserys.

Jae-hyun m Korean
Jae(재) means "respect" and Hyun(현) means "virtuous". Jae-Hyun(재현) could be written "才鉣" , "在賢" , "宰賢" , "載賢" and more forms in Hanja. Meaning can change depending on how it is written... [more]

Jancis f English (Rare)
Blend of Jan 2 and Francis. This name is most notably borne by Jancis Robinson (b. 1950), an English wine critic, journalist and author who has won multiple awards for her work.

Janka m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Ioannes (see John), diminutive of Jan 1. A notable bearer is Ivan Daminikavič Lucevič, the Belarusian poet and writer better known by his pen name Janka Kupala (1882-1942)... [more]

Janosch m German (Modern), Transylvanian Saxon
German borrowing of János. Today it is mostly known as the pseudonym of the German children's book author and illustrator Horst Eckert (creator of Tigerente).

Jaqen m Literature
Created by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire" and the television adaptation "Game of Thrones". In the series, Jaqen H'ghar is a criminal from the Free Cities in Essos who is arrested and recruited to join the Night's Watch.

Jarifa f Literature
Meaning unknown, although it is likely taken from Spanish jarifa meaning "healthy; attractive", which is ultimately derived from Classical Arabic šarīf "noble" and thus be connected to the Arabic name Sharifah... [more]

Jarom m Mormon
A prophet from The Book of Mormon, Jarom was one of many authors and has his own book, The Book of Jarom. He was the son of Enos and father of Omni.

Jaskier m Literature
Jaskier (also known as Dandelion) is a character in the series of fantasy novels called The Witcher written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. Jaskier is a poet, minstrel, bard, & the best friend of the main character, Geralt of Rivia... [more]

Jautrīte f Latvian
Variant of Jautra. This name was used by Latvian poet and playwright Aspazija in her play Sidraba Šķidrauts (1905; The Silver Veil in English).

Jella f West Frisian (Rare), North Frisian (Rare), Dutch (Rare), German (Rare), Hungarian (Rare, Archaic)
Frisian feminine form of Jelle and German short form of Gabriella as well as a Hungarian borrowing of both names.... [more]

Jeod m Popular Culture
Meaning unknown; invented by American author Christopher Paolini. Jeod Longshanks is a character in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle novels, a friend to Brom and Eragon.

Jeong-gwon m Korean
From Sino-Korean 廷 "court", 重 "heavy, weighty; double" or 正 "right, proper, correct" (jeong) and 權 "power, right, authority" (gwon).

Jephro m English, Literature
Variant of Jethro, used by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' published in 1892.

Jeran m English
1. Westernised version of the Middle Eastern name "Jaron" (JAR-ON) meaning "cry of rejoicing".... [more]

Jérômée f French (Archaic)
Feminine form of Jérôme, perhaps via its other feminine form Jérômie.... [more]

Jéromette f French (Archaic), Literature
Feminine form of Jérôme, which is the modern French form of Hieronymos (see Jerome).... [more]

Jerotej m Serbian (Rare)
Serbian form of Hierotheos. A notable bearer of this name was the Serbian writer Jerotej Račanin (born c. 1650, died after 1727).

Jěwa f Sorbian
Sorbian form of Eve. Jěwa-Marja Čornakec (German: Eva-Maria Zschornack), born 1959, is a well-known Sorbian writer and translator.

Jilaqata m Aymara
Means "boss, authority" in Aymara.

Jilïri m Aymara
Means "authority, power" in Aymara.

Jincy f English (Rare)
A diminutive of Jane, rarely used. The name is also used in India.... [more]

Jodelle f English
Possibly a variant of Joelle, or an elaboration of Jodie with the name suffix -elle, or a combination of Jo and Dell, or from the French surname of unknown meaning.... [more]

Johari m Malay, Indonesian, Filipino, Maguindanao, Maranao
From the name of Turkic lexicographer Abu Nasr al-Jawhari, who authored an Arabic dictionary. His name was probably derived from Arabic جوهر (jawhar) meaning "jewels, precious stones, gems".

Jonathas m Biblical (All), Literature, Popular Culture, English (Archaic), French (Archaic), German (Archaic), Dutch (Rare), Portuguese (Brazilian)
This is a form of Jonathan that is used in older translations of the Bible. It ultimately comes from Ionathas, which is the form found in both the Septuagint and the Vulgate.... [more]

Jonuel m Spanish (Caribbean), Spanish (Latin American)
Combination of José or Josué with any name ending in -uel, such as Manuel and Miguel... [more]

Joracy m Tupi (Rare), Brazilian (Rare)
Variant of Joraci. This name was borne by Joracy Camargo (1898-1973), a Brazilian journalist and playwright.

Josann f English (Modern)
Combination of Josie and Ann. This is the first name of author Josann McGibbon.

Josuah m English (Rare, ?)
Variant of Joshua used by the English poet Josuah Sylvester (1563-1618) who translated a scriptual epic written by Guillaume de Salluste du Bartas (1544-1590) into English heroic couplets.

Jouko f Japanese
From Japanese 祥 (jou) meaning "happiness" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.... [more]

Juan f Japanese
From Japanese 珠 (ju) meaning "pearl", 寿 (ju) meaning "longevity, long life" or 樹 (ju) meaning "tree; plant" combined with 杏 (an) meaning "apricot", 安 (an) meaning "peace", 庵 (an) meaning "hermitage; retreat" or 愛 (an) meaning "love, affection"... [more]

Julika f German, Literature, Estonian, Croatian, Serbian, Hungarian, Slovene
Hungarian and Slovene diminutive of Julia. Swiss author Max Frisch used this name on one of his characters in his novel 'I'm not Stiller', published in 1954.

Junda f Baltic Mythology (Archaic), Lithuanian (Archaic), Literature
Fictional character used by the Lithuanian writer Skomantas in his book 'Jundos Lemtis,' (English: The Faith of Junda).... [more]

Jung f Chinese
It means "army" in Chinese refered to a traditional and ancient type of war. This is the name of famous writer Jung Chang who wrote Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China edited in 1991.

Junot m Spanish (Caribbean)
Junot Díaz (1968-) is a Dominican-American writer, professor, and editor. Possibly the masculine form of Juno, it is of Latin origin, meaning "young."

Justinus m Ancient Roman
From the Latin name Iustinus, which was derived from Justus.... [more]

Juvencio m Spanish
Spanish form of Iuventius (see Juventius). A known bearer of this name was the Chilean poet Juvencio Valle (1900-1999).

Jyd f Cornish (Rare), Literature
First appeared in children's book "The Doll Who Came Alive" by Cornish author Enys Tregarthen (AKA Nellie Sloggett, Nellie Cornwall.) Jyd Trewerry is a little orphan girl living with her stepmother in a small harbour town in the west of Cornwall.

Kadlin f Scandinavian
Transliteration of the Old Norse name Kaðlín.... [more]

Kahlan f Literature, Popular Culture, English
Created by American author Terry Goodkind for his epic fantasy book series 'The Sword of Truth'. Kahlan Amnell is one of the main protagonists and the love interest of Richard Cypher/Rahl, the main protagonist... [more]

Kaikhosro m Georgian (Rare)
Georgian form of Kay Khosrow, which is the name of a legendary king from the 10th-century Persian epic Shahnameh written by the poet Ferdowsi.... [more]

Kalokyros m Late Greek
Means "beautiful authority", derived from the Greek adjective καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful, lovely, fair" combined with the Greek noun κῦρος (kyros) meaning "supreme power, authority".... [more]

Kamiel m Dutch, Flemish
Variant of Camiel. This name is less common in Belgium and The Netherlands than Camiel is. Known bearers of this name include the Dutch retired athlete Kamiel Maase (b... [more]

Kamui m Japanese (Modern, Rare)
This name can be used as 可夢偉, 華夢衣, 華夢威, 夏夢生, 加夢意 or 嘉夢威 with 可 (ka, kou, -be.ki, -be.shi) meaning "can, passable, possible," 華 (ka, ke, hana) meaning "flower," 夏 (ka, ga, ge, natsu) meaning "summer", 加 (ka, kuwa.eru, kuwa.waru) meaning "add, include, join," 嘉 (ka, yoi, yomi.suru) meaning "applaud, esteem, praise," 夢 (bou, mu, kura.i, yume, yume.miru) meaning "dream, illusiom, vision," 偉 (i, era.i) meaning "excellent, greatness, distinguished," 衣 (i, e, kinu, -gi, koromo) meaning "clothes, garment," 威 (i, odo.kasu, odo.shi, odo.su) meaning "dignity, majesty, authority," 生 (shou, sei, i.kiru, i.keru, -u, u.mare, o.u, ki, na.ru, ha.eru) meaning "birth, genuine, life" and 意 (i) meaning "intention, mind, will, thought."... [more]

Kanzou m Japanese
From Japanese 乾 (kan) meaning "drought, dry, dessicate, drink up, heaven, emperor", 侃 (kan) meaning "strong, just, righteous, peace-loving", 寒 (kan) meaning "cold", 勘 (kan) meaning "intuition, perception, check, compare, sixth sense", 喚 (kan) meaning "yell, cry, call, scream, summon", 堪 (kan) meaning "withstand, endure, support, resist", 完 (kan) meaning "perfect, completion, end", 官 (kan) meaning "bureaucrat, the government, organ", 寛 (kan) meaning "tolerant, leniency, generosity, relax, feel at home, be at ease, broadminded", 干 (kan) meaning "dry, parch, ebb, recede, interfere, intercede", 幹 (kan) meaning "tree trunk", 柑 (kan) meaning "citrus, orange", 歓 (kan) meaning "delight, joy", 甘 (kan) meaning "sweet, coax, pamper, be content, sugary", 看 (kan) meaning "watch over, see", 緩 (kan) meaning "slacken, loosen, relax, lessen, be moderate, ease", 莞 (kan) meaning "smiling, reed used to cover tatami", 観 (kan) meaning "outlook, look, appearance, condition, view", 諌 (kan) meaning "admonish, dissuade", 貫 (kan) meaning "pierce, penetrate, brace", 関 (kan) meaning "connection, barrier, gateway, involve, concerning", 韓 (kan) meaning "Korea", 翫 (kan) meaning "take pleasure in, play instrument" or 神 (kan) meaning "gods, mind, soul" combined with 三 (zou) meaning "three", 蔵 (zou) meaning "storehouse, hide, own, have, possess" or 造 (zou) meaning "create, make, structure, physique"... [more]

Karana f Literature
Used by American author Scott O'Dell in his children's novel 'Island of the Blue Dolphins' (1960). Karana is 'secret' name of the main character, a young Native American girl stranded for years on an island off the California coast... [more]

Karja f Literature, German (Modern, Rare)
A fictional Mixtec woman in the works of the German writer Karl May. She occurs in two books and two films.

Karkinos m Ancient Greek
Derived from the Greek noun καρκίνος (karkinos) meaning "crab" as well as "Cancer" (as in, the zodiac sign).... [more]

Karlton m American
Variant of Carlton. Notable bearer, journalist and author, Karlton Jerome "Jerry" Rosholt (1923–2008) was of Norwegian ancestry.

Kashyapa m Hinduism
Means "turtle, tortoise" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu rishi (sage) who is believed to be the author of several hymns of the Rigveda.

Kathinka f Dutch, German (Rare)
Variant spelling of Katinka.... [more]

Käthiruth f German (Swiss)
Combination of Käthi and Ruth 1... [more]

Kato m Norwegian, Literature
Norwegian variant of Cato 1. This is the name of the main antagonist in Swedish author Astrid Lindgren's fantasy book 'Mio, min Mio' (1954).

Katrya f Ukrainian
Diminutive of Kateryna. Katrya Hrynevycheva (1875-1947) was an Ukrainian writer and activist.

Kavindra m & f Hinduism, Indian
It is name given to poet's who are highly talented or who have created master piece... [more]

Kawasa m Sundanese
Means "powerful" in Sundanese, from Old Javanese kawaśa, from Sanskrit वश (vaśa) meaning “authority, power, control, dominion”.

Keimo m Finnish (Rare)
Invented by Finnish author Aleksis Kivi (1834-1872) who was inspired by the place name Keimola which is of uncertain etymology.

Keito m & f Japanese
From Japanese 佳 (kei) meaning "excellent, beautiful, good, pleasing, skilled", 花 (ke) or 華 (ke) both meaning "flower", 馨 (kei) meaning "fragrant, balmy, favourable", 京 (kei) meaning "capital", 啓 (kei) meaning "disclose, open, say", 圭 (kei) meaning "square jewel, corner, angle, edge", 恵 (kei, ke) meaning "favor, blessing, grace, kindness", 慶 (kei) meaning "jubilation, congratulate, rejoice, be happy", 慧 (kei) meaning "wise", 敬 (kei) meaning "awe, respect, honor, revere", 景 (kei) meaning "scenery, view", 桂 (kei) meaning "Japanese Judas-tree, cinnamon tree", 渓 (kei) meaning "mountain stream, valley", 蛍 (kei) meaning "firefly", 計 (kei) meaning "plot, plan, scheme, measure" or 奎 (kei) meaning "star, god of literature", 依 (i) meaning "reliant, depend on, consequently, therefore, due to", 衣 (i) meaning "garment, clothes, dressing" or 伊 (i) meaning "Italy, that one" combined with 音 (to) meaning "sound", 都 (to) meaning "metropolis, capital, all, everything", 兎 (ito) meaning "rabbit, hare", 灯 (to) meaning "lamp, a light, light", 愛 (to) meaning "love, affection", 十 (to) meaning "ten", 綸 (to) meaning "thread, silk cloth", 人 (to) meaning "person", 杜 (to) meaning "woods, grove", 登 (to) meaning "ascend, climb up", 絲 (to) meaning "thread", 斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, 冬 (to) meaning "winter", 友 (to) meaning "friend", 士 (to) meaning "gentleman, scholar, samurai", 叶 (to) meaning "grant, answer" or 朋 (to) meaning "companion, friend"... [more]

Keladry f Literature
Apparently invented by author Tamora Pierce for the heroine of her Protector of the Small series.

Kenizé f Arabic (Rare, ?)
Perhaps derived from Arabic كنز (kenz) "treasure" (see Kenza). Bearer Kenizé Mourad (1939-) is a French writer of Turkish and Indian origin.

Kenzaburō m Japanese
From Japanese kanji 健 (ken) meaning "strong; healthy" combined with 三 (zabu) meaning "three; third" and 郎 (rō) meaning "son".... [more]

Keston m & f English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Keston.... [more]

Kéthévane f Georgian (Gallicized)
French form of Ketevan. A known bearer of this name is the French writer and journalist Kéthévane Davrichewy (b. 1965), who is of Georgian descent.

Ketti f Luxembourgish
Diminutive of Katharina. 'D’Maus Ketti' (Ketti, the mouse in English) (1936) is a children's book by Luxembourgish writer Auguste Liesch.

Kettly f Haitian Creole
Of unknown meaning.... [more]

Kex m Arthurian Cycle
Form of Kay 2 used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes in his Arthurian romances.

Khatia f Georgian, Literature
Derived from the Georgian noun ხატი (khati) meaning "icon" (as in, a religious painting). For this particular context, compare names like Ikon and Ikonija.... [more]

Khawisara f Thai
Possibly means "great poet", deriving from จอม (jom), meaning "top, highest point, peak" and กวี (gà-wee), meaning "poet, bard".

Khetag m Ossetian
From a first element with an unknown meaning combined with the Ossetian suffix -аг (-ag) used for ethonyms (of Hittite origin). This was the name of an Ossetian knight and prince who accepted Christianity in the historical poem ‘Khetag’ by Ossetian poet Kosta Khetagurov.

Khione f Greek Mythology, Literature
Variant of Chione. In American author Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series, Khione appears as an antagonist with powers over ice and snow.

Khogai m Literature
Meaning unknown. This is the name of a character from the 1937 novel ხოგაის მინდია (Khogais Mindia) written by the Georgian author Konstantine Gamsakhurdia (1893-1975), which is inspired by the tale of Mindia, a character from Khevsur folklore.

Khongdet m Thai
From Thai คง (khong) meaning "endure, last, remain" and เดช (det) meaning "power, might, authority".

Khushal m Pashto, Urdu, Indian, Marathi, Hindi
Derived from Persian خوشحال (xošhâl) meaning "happy, merry". Alternatively, it could also be a variant of Kushal. It is most likely given in honour of Khushal Khan Khattak (1613-1689), a Pashtun poet and freedom fighter.

Khvicha m Mingrelian, Georgian, Literature, Popular Culture
Derived from a Mingrelian word that means "bright, brilliant, glittering, sparkling".... [more]

Kikue f Japanese
From Japanese 喜 (ki) meaning "rejoice", 久 (ku) meaning "long time" combined with 絵 (e) meaning "picture, painting, drawing, sketch". Other kanji combinations are possible. ... [more]

Kikuo m Japanese
From Japanese 喜 (ki) meaning "rejoice", 久 (ku) meaning "long time" combined with 夫 (o) meaning "man, husband", 雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly" or 男 (o) meaning "male". Other kanji combinations are possible.... [more]

Kilmeny f Literature, English
From the name of a village on the island of Islay, Scotland, in which the first element is from Gaelic cille meaning "church, cell". It is thought to mean "monastery" or "church of Saint Eithne"... [more]

Kinga m Japanese (Rare, Archaic)
This name combines 金 (kin, kon, gon, kana-, kane, -gane) meaning "gold" with 峨 (ga, kewa.shii) meaning "steep" or 鵞 (ga) meaning "goose."... [more]

Kinji m Japanese
From Japanese 勤 (kin) meaning "industrious, diligent, attentive" combined with 次 (ji) meaning "next, secondary". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name. ... [more]

Kinvara f English (British, Rare)
Apparently from an Irish place name, which meant "head of the sea" in Gaelic. Lady Kinvara Balfour (1975-) is an English playwright and novelist.

Kipcha f Literature
Meaning unknown. Kipcha is a female wolf in British author David Clement-Davies' series 'The Sight'. Clement-Davies likely invented the name for his novels.

Kirkpatrick m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Kirkpatrick. It is borne by author Kirkpatrick Hill.

Kissa f English (Rare, Archaic)
Possibly a diminutive of names such as Christina, Charissa or, more likely, Keziah (compare Keziah's diminutive Kizzie), influenced by the word kiss (or perhaps Finnish kissa "cat").... [more]

Kivi m Finnish (Archaic)
Ancient Finnish name that means "stone" or "rock". Now used extremely rarely. As a surname Kivi is more common, Finland's national author Aleksis Kivi (born Alexis Stenvall) being the most famous bearer.

Klinta f Latvian
Derived from Latvian klints "rock; cliff". This name was used by Latvian writer Ilze Indrāne in her novel Ūdensnesējs (1971).

Kniertje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Cunera. Popularized by a character in the 1900 play Op Hoop van Zegen by Dutch playwright Herman Heijermans.

Kobi m Bengali
Means "poet" in Bengali, derived from Kavi.

Kointilianos m Ancient Roman (Hellenized)
Hellenized form of Quintilianus (see Quintilian). This name was borne by a Greek author who lived sometime between the 2nd century AD and the 3rd century AD.

Kointos m Ancient Roman (Hellenized)
Hellenized form of Quintus.... [more]

Kolau m Georgian (Archaic)
Diminutive of Nikoloz. A notable bearer of this name was the Georgian poet Nikoloz "Kolau" Nadiradze (1895-1990).

Komachi f Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) "little" and 町 (machi) "town." A famous bearer includes the Japanese waka poet Ono no Komachi (c. 825 - c. 900).

Korney m Russian
Contracted form of Korneliy. Also compare Corné, which this name could be considered to be a cognate of.... [more]

Kossola m Yoruba
Means "I do not lose my fruits anymore" or "my children do not die any more" in Yoruba.... [more]

Křesćan m Sorbian
Sorbian form of Christian. Křesćan Krawc (German: Christian Schneider), born 1938, is a Sorbian writer.

Kriangdet m Thai
Means "great power" from Thai เกรียง (kriang) meaning "great" and เดช (det) meaning "power, might, authority".

Křišťan m Medieval Czech
Medieval variant of Kristián. Křišťan z Prachatic (Christian of Prachatice in English) was a medieval Bohemian astronomer, mathematician and former Catholic priest who converted to the Hussite movement... [more]

Krusmynta f Swedish (Rare), Literature
From the Swedish name for a type of mint, known as curly mint in English. This is one of the middle names of Pippi Långstrump (English: Pippi Longstocking), full name Pippilotta Viktualia Rullgardina Krusmynta Efraimsdotter Långstrump, a character invented by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren.

Kulaib m Arabic
This name comes from the word "كلب" or "kalb" which means "dog". Kulaib means "small dog" or "tiny dog" and was a name used by Kulaib ibn Rabiah, who was an Arabian Poet.

Kunotas m Lithuanian, Literature
Derived from old Lithuanian kunoti meaning "to fight, to battle, to combat". Also compare the modern Lithuanian noun kūnas meaning "body".... [more]

Kurōdo m Japanese
This name is used as 蔵人 with 蔵 (sou, zou, osa.meru, kaku.reru, kura, kurou) meaning "own, possess, storehouse" and 人 (jin, nin, -to, hito, -ri) meaning "person."... [more]

Kutlu m Turkish
Derived from the Turkish adjective kutlu meaning "blessed, auspicious" as well as "happy". As such, this name is basically the modern Turkish form of Qutluğ... [more]

Kvasir m Norse Mythology, Icelandic (Modern, Rare)
Derived from the name given to the fermented juice of berries. In Norse mythology Kvasir was the wisest of all beings. The dwarfs Fjalarr and Galarr killed him, poured his blood into the vessels Boðn, Són and Óðrœrir, and mixed it with honey to make the skaldic mead, which would make whoever drank it a poet.

Kyoung-ja f Korean
Variant transcription of Gyeong-Ja.... [more]

Kyrion m Late Greek
Derived from either the Greek noun κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord, master" or the Greek adjective κύριος (kyrios) meaning "ruling, governing, having power".... [more]

Kyung-ju m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean 景 (kyung) meaning "scenery; view" combined with 珠 (ju) meaning "pearl". Other hanja character combinations are possible. ... [more]

Lafcadio m English (Anglicized)
An anglicized form of Lefkada (Λευκάδα), the Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of Greece. ... [more]

Laimonis m Latvian (Rare), Lithuanian (Rare), Literature
As a Latvian given name, this name is derived from the Latvian noun laime meaning "luck" (see Laima) combined with Latvian aplaimot meaning "to make happy".... [more]

Lakis m Greek
Short form of Greek diminutives that end in -λάκης (-lakis), such as Angelakis, Apostolakis, Nikolakis, Pantelakis and Vasilakis.... [more]

Lamara f Literature, Svan, Georgian
This is a relatively new name, as it was invented by the Georgian writer and playwright Grigol Robakidze (1880-1962) for his famous play Lamara (1928). He took the name from უშგულის ლამარია (Ushgulis Lamaria), the name of a medieval church in the Ushguli community in the Georgian region of Svaneti... [more]

Lamartine m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Means “dweller by the sea” in French. Alphonse de Lamartine was a French writer and politician in the Second Republic of France.

Lamira f English (American), Literature, Theatre
This name was used (possibly invented) by Jacobean-era dramatist John Fletcher for characters in his plays The Honest Man's Fortune (c.1613) and The Little French Lawyer (1647). It does not appear to have been used in England; it came into use in the early United States, occurring as early as the 1780s in New York, perhaps influenced by the similar-sounding name Almira 1.

Lancel m Literature
Created by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire" and the television adaptation "Game of Thrones". In the series, Lancel Lannister is the son of Kevan and a squire to King Robert Baratheon.

Lascelles m English
Transferred use of the surname Lascelles. A notable bearer was the poet Lascelles Abercrombie (1881-1938).

Layamon m History, Medieval English
Medieval form of the Old Norse Lǫgmaðr meaning "lawyer", derived from lǫg "law" and maðr "man". This was the name of an early 13th-century English poet and chronicler known for authoring 'Brut', the first English-language work to feature King Arthur.

Lazarillo m Spanish (Rare), Literature
Diminutive of Lázaro.... [more]

Leco m Dutch (Rare)
The meaning of this name is uncertain, but it may possibly be of Dutch or Frisian origin (compare Remco). A known bearer of this name is Leco van Zadelhoff (b... [more]

Legoshi m Popular Culture
Legoshi is the name of the main protagonist in the manga/anime Beastars. His name is derived from Bela Lugosi, an actor who played Dracula in old movies. The author of the series borrowed from it because it sounded "mysterious and elegant."

Leino m Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian name of uncertain origin and meaning. Theories include a derivation from the pen name of Eino Leino (Armas Einar Leopold Lönnbohm), Finnish poet and journalist (1878-1926).

Lelde f Latvian, Theatre
1920s phonetic coinage which was first used in the play Spēlēju, dancoju (1915) by Latvian poet and playwright Rainis.

Lelija f Croatian
Croatian form of Laelia. There is a poem from the famous Croatian poet Dragutin Tadijanović (1905.-2007.) named "Lelija".

Lella f English (Rare), American (South), Italian, Medieval Italian
Medieval Italian diminutive of names ending in ella. It can also be used as a diminutive of Elena and other names beginning with or containing el. This was borne by Italian opera singer Adelaide 'Lella' Ricci (1850-1871) as well as Italian actress Elena 'Lella' Fabrizi (1915-1993), Italian designer Elena 'Lella' Vignelli (1934-2016) and Italian racing driver Maria Grazia 'Lella' Lombardi (1941-1992).... [more]

Lemony m Popular Culture
Used by American author Daniel Handler (1970-) as a pen name. He claimed that, not wanting to give his real name, he spontaneously blurted out "Lemony Snicket" over the phone one day. It may be a play on the name Lemoine or the word lemon.

Lenina f Literature, Spanish (Latin American)
This name was invented by the British author Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), who apparently intended it to be a feminine form of the surname Lenin, Lenin being the founder of the former Soviet state... [more]

Leonoor f Dutch, Literature
Short form of Eleonoor, comparable to Leonora and Leonore. A bearer of this name is Leonoor Voskamp (b... [more]

Léonora f French, French (African)
French form of Leonora. This name is borne by Léonora Miano (1973-), an award-winning Cameroonian writer.

Leovenath m Medieval English
Variant spelling of the Anglo-Saxon name Leofnoth. Leovenath was the father of the early English poet and chronicler Layamon.

Lepha f American (Rare)
Possibly a feminine form of Leo. Notable bearer is Lepha Eliza Bailey (1845-1924), an American author who supported prohibition and women's legal right to vote.

Les m Ukrainian
Variant of Oles. A notable bearer is Les Poderevianskyi, modern counter-culture writer and painter, who is famous for his absurdist and obscene dramas.

Lesbia f Literature, Spanish (Latin American)
Means "woman from Lesbos" in Latin, Lesbos being a Greek island in the northeastern Aegean Sea which was home to a circle of young girl lovers including Sappho... [more]

Leslea f English (American, Rare)
Rare feminine variant of Leslie. A notable bearer is American author Lesléa Newman (1955-), whose birth name is Leslie.

Leucippe f Greek Mythology (Latinized), Literature
Latinized form of Leukippe. This is the name of several characters in Greek mythology.... [more]

Leucius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Leukios. This name was borne by a martyr and saint from the 3rd century AD and by Leucius Charinus, the author of the so-called "Leucian Acts".

Leucosia f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Λευκωσια (Leukosia), possibly derived from λευκος (leukos) meaning "bright, clear, white" and οὐσία (ousia) "being" or "substance, essence". According to some writers, there were three Sirens: Leucosia, Parthenope and Ligeia.

Leuntje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Apollonia. Also see the related name Pleuntje.... [more]

Lewalevu f Polynesian Mythology
The name of a fertility goddess in Fijian mythology, derived from lewa meaning "authority" and levu meaning "big, large".

Leyn m Medieval Dutch, Dutch (Rare)
Short form of Gisleyn. This medieval name has survived into modern times, but barely. In 2010, there were less than 10 bearers in all of The Netherlands... [more]

Libatius m Literature
From "libation," the pouring of a liquid offering as a religious ritual or an intoxicating beverage.... [more]

Licida m Italian (Archaic), Theatre
Italian form of Lycidas. It is chiefly used in the opera libretto L'Olimpiade (1733), which was written by the Italian poet and librettist Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782).

Licinianus m Late Roman
Roman cognomen which was derived from Licinius. Known bearers of this name include the Roman author Granius Licinianus (2nd century AD) and the Roman usurper Julius Valens Licinianus (3rd century AD).

Lidian f English (Rare)
In the case of Lidian Emerson (1802-1892), the second wife of philosopher-poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, it was an elaboration of Lydia, her original name, changed by her at her husband's request, allegedly to avoid the hiatus between Lydia and Emerson.

Liesma f Latvian
Directly taken from Latvian liesma "flame, blaze". This name was used by the Latvian poet and playwright Aspazija in her play Ragana (1895).

Liir m Literature
Possibly intended as a variant of Llyr, this is the name of Elphaba's child in American author Gregory Maguire's 'Wicked' series.

Lilace f English (American, Rare)
Possibly a variant of Lillis. This is borne by American author and educator Lilace Mellin Guignard.

Lindi f English (Rare)
A spelling variation of Lindy.... [more]

Lindolfo m Spanish (Latin American, Rare), Portuguese (Brazilian)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lindolf. The Uruguayan writer Horacio Quiroga was born in San Lindolfo, a place named for the saint by this name.

Linmanuel m Spanish (Latin American, Rare)
Possibly a combination of Lin and Manuel.... [more]

Liodor m Russian (Rare)
Variant (and shorter) form of Iliodor. A known bearer of this name was the Russian poet, translator and journalist Liodor Palmin (1841-1891).

Liothan m Literature, German (Modern, Rare)
From the Wedora series of books by the German fantasy writer Markus Heitz.

Llio f Welsh
Originally a diminutive of Gwenllian, now sometimes used independently. The 15th-century Welsh poet Dafydd Nanmor sang poems to a girl called Llio. It was revived in the early 20th century.

Llywarch m Medieval Welsh, Welsh
Possibly a Welsh form of the hypothetic old Celtic name *Lugumarcos meaning "horse of Lugus", derived from the name of the Celtic god Lugus combined with Welsh march "horse", but perhaps the first element is Welsh llyw "leader"... [more]

Lobelia f Literature
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.

Lohrasp m Persian, Persian Mythology, Literature
Persian form of the Avestan compound name Aurvataspa or Arvataspa, which consists of Avestan aurva meaning "swift" and Avestan aspa meaning "horse". As such, the meaning of this name is basically "swift horse" or "one who has a swift horse".... [more]

Loli f Spanish
Diminutive of Dolores. Also compare Lola, Lolita and Loles... [more]

Lollie f English (Archaic)
Diminutive of Charlotte and Laura. This was borne by Laura Isabelle 'Lollie Belle' Wylie (1858-1923), an American writer.

Longinos m Ancient Roman (Hellenized)
Hellenized form of Longinus. This name was borne by a Greek literary critic and writer from the 1st century AD and also by a Greek rhetorician and critic from the 3rd century AD.

Loptr m Old Norse, Norse Mythology
Possibly from Old Norse lopt "air". This is an alternative name for the Norse god Loki, used in the epic works 'Poetic Edda' and 'Prose Edda' by Snorri Sturluson... [more]

Lorca m & f English (American, Modern, Rare)
The name Lorca originated as a place name from the region of Navarre in Spain. Also famous as the surname of legendary Spanish playwright and poet Federico Garcia Lorca, who was also the inspiration for legendary folksinger Leonard Cohen to name his now-grown up daughter Lorca.

Loreley f Germanic Mythology, Spanish
Older German form of Lorelei. This was the pen name of Mexican writer María Luisa Garza (1887-1980). It is also borne by Argentine model and actress Luisana Loreley Lopilato (1987-), the wife of Canadian singer Michael Bublé.

Lorian f English (American, Rare)
Possibly a variant of Lorraine influenced by Marian 1. A notable bearer is American author Lorian Hemingway (1951-), a granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway.

Loudon m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Loudon. Known bearers of Loudon as a given name include the American author Loudon Wainwright, Jr... [more]

Loula f English, Greek
Variant of Lula 1, as well as a Greek diminutive of various names. This was borne by Greek playwright Angeliki-Theano 'Loula' Anagnostaki (1928-2017).

Louwrens m Dutch (Rare), West Frisian (Rare)
Variant of Louwerens, though it can also easily be a variant spelling of Lourens in some instances.... [more]

Lu f & m English, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Various
Short form of names beginning with Lu, such as Lucy, Luis or Luisa. Known bearers include Luciana 'Lu' Andrade (1978-), a Brazilian singer; Luzerne 'Lu' Blue (1897-1958), an American baseball player; Maria Luisa 'Lu' Colombo (1952-), an Italian singer; Lucien 'Lu' Gambino (1923-2003), an American football player; Lucy 'Lu' Rees (1901-1983), an Australian book collector and children's literature advocate; and Luis 'Lu' Senarens (1863-1939), an American science fiction writer.

Lubina f Sorbian
Derived from Proto-Germanic *leubh- or *lubh- "to like; to love; to desire; love". Lubina Hajduk-Veljkovićowa (German: Lubina Hajduk-Veljković), born 1976, is a Sorbian writer and translator.

Lucebert m Dutch (Rare)
Derived from Lucebert, the pseudonym of the Dutch poet and painter Lubertus Jacobus Swaanswijk (1924-1994).... [more]

Lucerys m Literature
Created by American author George R. R. Martin for a character in his fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire" and the television adaptation "House of the Dragon". In the series, Lucerys Velaryon is a prince of the Targaryen dynasty of Westeros during the later years of the reign of his grandfather Viserys I.

Lucifero m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Lucifer. Known bearers of this name include the Italian writer and poet Lucifero Martini (1916-2001) and the medieval Italian bishop Lucifero di Cagliari (known in English as Lucifer of Cagliari), who is venerated as a saint in Sardinia.

Lucillius m Ancient Roman
Variant spelling of Lucilius. This name was borne by a satirical poet who lived under the Roman emperor Nero in the first century AD.

Ludovia f French (Caribbean), French (Quebec, Rare, Archaic), English (Rare, Archaic)
Derived from ludovia, the name of a genus of plants first described as a genus in 1861 by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon. This name was borne by Marguerite Ludovia Dale (née Hume; 1883 – 1963), an Australian playwright and feminist.

Luhsun m Chinese
chinese revolutionary writer... [more]

Lukhum m Georgian, Literature
This name is commonly used in the Georgian highlands. Georgian sources state that the etymology of Lukhum is unknown, but a Russian source connects it to Turkish delight, which was known as لوقوم (lokum) in Ottoman Turkish... [more]

Lupin m English (Modern, Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Lupin. Fictional bearers of the surname are Arsène Lupin, a gentleman thief turned detective extraordinaire in novels by French writer Maurice Leblanc (introduced in 1905), and Remus Lupin, a werewolf in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling (introduced in 1999).

Lurana f English (American, Archaic)
Possibly an early American alteration of Lorena 2. This name was borne by Lurana W. Sheldon (1862-1945), an author and newspaper editor who fought for women's legal right to vote in the United States.

Luria f Literature
Invented by Austrian author Ursula Poznanski for her Eleria series, first released in 2012. She was named after American microbiologist Salvador Edward Luria and mostly goes by Lu.

Luriri m Aymara
Means "author" in Aymara.

Lurtz m Popular Culture
This is the name of an original character in Peter Jackson's film adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings', created by Jackson or his co-writers from the style of Tolkien's Orkish language... [more]

Lycoris f Literature
Supposedly related to Greek λυκοφως (lykophos) "twilight" or λυκαυγές (lykauges) "morning twilight, dawn", derived from λυκος (lykos) "wolf" and αυγη (auge) "dawn, daylight"... [more]

Lykera f Ukrainian
Ukrainian folk form of Glykeria. A notable bearer was Lykera Polusmakova, the last love and fiancée of Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko, who dedicated several poems to her.

Lynceus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Λυγκεύς (Lynkeus), though technically Lygkeus is the correct spelling. The name is a more elaborate form of Lynkos (see Lyncus)... [more]

Lyndall f & m English, South African
Transferred use of the surname Lyndall. This was (first?) used as a given name by the South African author, political activist and feminist Olive Schreiner (1855-1920) for the heroine in her most famous novel, The Story of an African Farm (1883)... [more]

Lytle m English (American, Rare)
Lytle W Robinson (1877-1945) was an initiate of esoteric science and an author who published several books about Edgar Cayce. The name could be a variation of Lyle or transferred use of the surname Little.

Lytton m English
From an Old English place name which meant "settlement on the hill". A famous bearer is author Lytton Strachey.

Maanape m Literature
Maanape is a character in the 1928 novel Macunaíma, o herói sem nenhum caráter (Macunaíma in English) by Brazilian writer Mário de Andrade. The novel is considered one of the founding texts of Brazilian modernism.

Macedonio m Spanish (Rare), Italian (Rare)
This name is derived from Latin Macedonius meaning "Macedonian," which is derived from Greek Makedones. That word literally means "highlanders" or "the tall ones," which is related to makednos meaning "long, tall" and makros "long, large."... [more]

Machon m Ancient Greek
Derived from the Greek noun μάχη (mache) meaning "battle". Also compare the related name Machaon.... [more]

Macunaíma m Literature
Macunaíma is the main character in the 1928 novel Macunaíma, o herói sem nenhum caráter (Macunaíma in English) by Brazilian writer Mário de Andrade. The novel is considered one of the founding texts of Brazilian modernism.

Madleńka f Sorbian
Variant of Madlenka. Madleńka Šołćic is a Sorbian writer, editorial journalist and dramatic advisor.

Maegor m Literature
Created by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series "A Song of Ice and Fire". In the series, Maegor Targaryen is the third Targaryen monarch and one of the most tyrannical rulers of Westeros.

Magdaleen f Dutch (Rare), Afrikaans (Rare)
Dutch and Afrikaans variant of Magdalene. This name is borne by South African author Magdaleen Van Wyk.

Magdalenus m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch masculine form of Magdalene. A notable bearer is Dutch author and illustrator Hendrik Magdalenus Bruna (1927-2017), better known as Dick Bruna.

Magserannguaq m & f Greenlandic
Derived from Greenlandic massippoq meaning "rising half up from a horizontal position" and the suffix -nnguaq "sweet, dear", with the implied meaning "flower which is raised up by the heat of the sun, whilst small pieces of ice are still above it" (according to the Greenlandic author Karl Siegstad).... [more]

Maija f Latvian
Contracted form of Marija. Latvian playwright Anna Brigadere used this name on the titular character of her play Maija un Paija.

Maisri f Literature
Probably an invented name, formed using elements from similar-sounding Scottish names such as Maisie, Mairead, Marsaili and Màiri... [more]

Maive f Irish (Rare)
Variant of Maeve. A notable bearer was Indian-born author Maive Stokes (1866-1961), who was of Irish descent. She is best known for compiling a collection of Indian fairy tales that were told to her by her caretakers.

Majgull f Swedish
Combination of Maj 2 and Gull. The second element could be also influenced by the Scandinavian word gull meaning "gold" or also a contraction of gullig, a Swedish word meaning "sweetie; cute".... [more]

Majsiej m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Moses. A notable bearer of this name was the Belarusian poet Majsiej Tejf (1904-1966).

Maka f Georgian
Short form of feminine Georgian names that start with Ma-, such as Makrine, Margalita and Mariam.... [more]

Makaveli m English (American, Modern, Rare)
Derived from the surname of Florentine author and philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli. This spelling was popularized by American rapper Tupac Shakur (1971-1996) after being used for one of his albums in 1996.

Makepeace m & f English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Makepeace. A famous bearer is William Makepeace Thakeray, English novelist and author of Vanity Fair.

Malamhìn f Scottish Gaelic
Most likely coined by James Macpherson (1736-1796), the Scottish antiquarian poet who published works allegedly translated from the ancient Gaelic bard Ossian. Macpherson seems to have based the name on Scottish Gaelic mala "brow, eyebrow" and mìn "smooth, soft", intending it to mean "smooth brow"... [more]

Malidoma m Western African
According to the Burkinabé writer Malidoma Patrice Somé (1956-2021), his name means "he who befriends the enemy" or "friend of the stranger" in the Dagaare language.

Malkat f Northern African, Muslim
Possibly means "queen of the house", deriving from the Arabic element malaka ("queen"). Name borne by a prominent Sudanese author known for her realist novel The Wide Void.

Malla f Finnish, Swedish
Short form of various names including Amalia, Maria, Magdalena and Matilda... [more]

Malyen m Literature
Invented by author Leigh Bardugo for her "Shadow and Bone" book series, first released in 2012. It is the Ravkan version of Malcolm.... [more]

Mamiko f Japanese
From Japanese 麻 (ma) meaning "flax" or 真, 眞 (ma) meaning "real, genuine", 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.... [more]

Manelich m Theatre, Spanish (Mexican, Rare)
Catalan diminutive of Manel 1. This was used by Àngel Guimerà for a character in his Catalan-language play Terra baixa (1896)... [more]

Manelick m Spanish (Mexican, Rare)
Variant of Manelich. Known bearers include Manelick "Mane" de la Parra Borja (1982-), a Mexican singer, and his father, Mexican writer and editor Manelick de la Parra Vargas.

Manthia m Western African
Manthia Diawara (born December 19, 1953) is a Malian writer, filmmaker, scholar, cultural theorist, and art historian. Meaning unknown.

Marden f & m English
The author Marden Fitzpatrick Nichols is a famous bearer of this name.

Margalo f English (Rare)
In the case of English-born American actress Margalo Gillmore (1897-1986), it appears to be a combination of Margaret and Lorraine, her given names (compare Marga, Lo)... [more]

Marganore m Carolingian Cycle, Literature
This is the name of a tyrant in the 16th-century Italian epic poem Orlando Furioso written by the Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533). It was invented by the author, who used as a base the Greek verb μαργαίνω (margaino) meaning "to rage, to be mad"... [more]

Marghanita f Hebrew
Hebrew. The name of famous British writer Marghanita Laski, whose father, a lawyer and Zionist leader, named her after the scarlet pimpernel flower he had seen growing in the land of Israel.

Marília f Portuguese (Brazilian), Literature
Poetic variant form of Maria. It was introduced by the Lusitan-Brazilian poet Tomás Antônio Gonzaga (1744-1810), who invented the name for his lyric poem "Marília de Dirceu", which he wrote under the pseudonym of Dirceu... [more]

Markolf m German (Rare)
German form of Marculf. A known bearer of this name is the German biophysicist and author Markolf Niemz (b. 1964).

Marlitt f German (Rare)
This was assumed as a surname by the 19th-century German writer Eugenie John, who used the pen name E. Marlitt. She may have invented it, perhaps basing it on Marlene or Marlies.... [more]

Marullus m Ancient Roman
The name of a Ancient Roman senator who was among the Senators who feared that Julius Caesar was becoming too powerful. In the play that playwright and poet William Shakespeare wrote based on the last days of Caesar, he and Flavius force citizens praising Caesar off the streets and taking decorations off statues in about the beginning of the play.

Masih f Obscure
Masih is Persian for "anointed" or "Messiah".... [more]

Materne f Danish (Rare)
Feminine form of Maternus.... [more]

Maugrim m Literature
Possibly based on Middle English maugre meaning "ill-will". This was used by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his novel 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' (1950). Maugrim is a talking wolf and the captain of the White Witch's Secret Police.

Mazo f English (Canadian)
Of unknown origin and meaning.... [more]

Medardus m Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of Machthard. However, it should be noted that there are sources that have something different to say about the Germanic name that lies at the root of Medardus... [more]

Meddyf f Welsh
Etymology uncertain, perhaps from medd meaning "mead" and yf meaning "drinks" or from medd meaning "power, authority".

Medguistl f Medieval Cornish
Old Cornish name, in which the second element is Welsh gwystl "hostage" (Cornish cognate gostel). The first element may be Welsh medd "mead" (Cornish medh) or Welsh medd "power, authority".

Medoro m Carolingian Cycle, Literature, Theatre
Used by the poet Ariosto in his 16th-century epic Orlando Furioso, where it belongs to a Saracen or Moorish knight who falls in love with the princess Angelica.

Meggin f English (Rare)
Variant of Megan. This is the first name of American author Meg Cabot (1967-).

Meghann f English (Modern)
Variant of Megan. This name was used by the Australian author Colleen McCullough in her novel The Thorn Birds (1977), which in 1983 was adapted as a TV mini-series.

Melanippides m Ancient Greek
Means "son of Melanippos" in Greek, derived from the name Melanippos combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides).... [more]

Melchisédech m French (Rare, Archaic), Biblical French
French form of Melchizedek. This name was borne by French author Melchisédech Thévenot (c. 1620 - 1692)

Melissanthe f Greek (Rare)
Composed of Greek μελισσα (melissa) "honeybee" and ανθος (anthos) "flower". It is used as a Graecized form of Mélisande (e.g., the 12th-century queen Melisende of Jerusalem is known as Melissanthe in Greek)... [more]

Meljean f American (Modern, Rare), Filipino
Of unknown origin and meaning.... [more]

Mellida f Theatre, English
Likely coined by the playwright John Marston for his plays 'Antonio and Mellida'(1599) and 'Antonio's Revenge' (1601). It was presumably intended as a cross between Melissa and Phyllida.

Melussina f Literature
Apparently a variant of Melusine, used by Danish author Lene Kaaberbøl in her fantasy novel Skammerens Datter (2000; English: The Shamer's Daughter).

Memoir m & f English, African American
The word “memoir” itself means memory or remembrance. In the field of literature, a memoir is a collection of the events that happened in the author's life, tied together by a certain theme.

Mendanbar m Literature
The name of a character in American author Patricia Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles series of young adult fantasy novels.

Menecrates m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Menekrates. This name was borne by several ancient Greeks, such as the poet Menecrates of Ephesus (3rd century BC).

Menna f Welsh, Frisian, East Frisian
Variant of Mena in countries where that name is used (i.e., Germany, Netherlands, Mena being a German/Dutch diminutive of various names beginning with Mein, such as Meinhild, where the meaning is "strength"), but Menna is also used regularly in Wales in modern times... [more]

Mensje f West Frisian, Dutch (Rare)
Feminine form of Mense, perhaps via its variant form Mens. This name is often mistakenly believed to be derived from Dutch mensje meaning "little human being", usually by non-Frisians in the Netherlands.... [more]

Meridel f English
This was the name of communist and feminist writer Meridel le Sueur (1900 - 1996), possibly taken from her mother's nickname "Mary Del."