ABmEnglish (American) Short form of names beginning with "Ab-" such as Abner, Abraham and Abbott among others. It is occasionally used as a standalone name.
ABBAfAfrican American Short form of Abena. This was used by early slaves in the American south. Attested in the 1730's in South Carolina. It was later westernized as Abby.
ABERDEENf & mEnglish A city in northern Scotland. Its name was originally Aberdon, a Celtic name meaning "mouth of the (River) Don". There are numerous cities in the United States named after Aberdeen in Scotland.
ABLEmEnglish Either a variant of Abel, or from the English word able, "having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to do something", ultimately from Latin habere "to hold".
ABSOLOMmEnglish (Rare) Variant of Absalom, possibly influenced by its French form Absolon. A known bearer of this name was Absolom M. West (1818-1894), an American Confederate general and state politician.
ABSTINENCEfEnglish (Puritan, Rare) From the English word abstinence, referring to the act of abstaining from sin. This name was used by the Puritans.
ABUNDANCEfEnglish (Puritan, Rare) From the English word, ultimately from Latin abundantia "fullness, plenty". This name was used in the 17th century by Puritans, referring to the abundance of God's blessings.
ABUSE-NOTfEnglish (Puritan) In reference to 1 Corinthians 9:18, "What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my right in the gospel."
ACADIAfAmerican (Rare), Spanish (Mexican, Rare) From the name of a colony in New France in North America, derived from Arcadia and coinciding with Mi'kmaq suffix -akadie, meaning "place of abundance". This is also the name of a National Park in Maine.
ACESONmEnglish (Modern, Rare) Either a modern, phonetic respelling of Aeson or, more likely, an elaboration of Ace by modelling it on surnames like Jackson, etc. Possibly from the surname Acheson, an Anglo-Scots origin name with Norman antecedents... [more]
ACHAEAfEnglish From a region of Greece that has existed since ancient times.
ACHAIAfEnglish (Rare) Means "grief, trouble". It is the name of a biblical place, derived from the Greek name Achaeus. In the New Testament this was one of the two provinces into which the Romans divided Greece when it fell under their dominion, Macedonia being the other; 'hence Achaia and Macedonia are frequently mentioned together in the New Testament to indicate all Greece.'
ACHSAHfBiblical, English (Puritan) Means "anklet, bangle" in Hebrew (presumably echoic of the click of a moving anklet). In the Old Testament, Achsah is the daughter of Caleb. It has occasionally been used as an English Christian name since the Protestant Reformation.
ADALAEfEnglish (Rare) Diminutive of Adelaide. This spelling, used for the title of a 2006 pop punk song by The Pink Spiders, was given to 17 girls born in the United States in 2011.
ADAMANTINEfFrench (Gallicized), English Means "of unyielding quality" or "diamond like". From the Latin adamantinus meaning 'incorruptible, inflexible', itself from the Greek adamantinos (ἀδαμάντινος) of the same meaning, with the Greek or Latin suffix of -ine meaning 'like', 'made of', or 'of the nature of'... [more]
ADDINGTONmEnglish, South African From a surname which comes from either of the Old English place names Eaddingtūn, meaning "Eadda's town", or Æddingtūn, "Æddi's town".
ADELPHIAfEnglish Either a short form of Philadelphia or else from the name of a district in London ("the site of a popular theater c.1882-1900, which gave its name to a style of performance"), which derives from the same Greek source: adelphos "brother" (literally "from the same womb", from the copulative prefix a- "together with" and delphys "womb").
ADMIRALmAmerican (Rare), Medieval English From the English word admiral meaning "a commander of a fleet or naval squadron, or a naval officer of very high rank".
ADNISmAfrican American Adnis Reeves is the father of Rapper Jay Z born Sean Corey Carter. It was said that Adnis abandoned Jay Z and his siblings when he was eleven or twelve. They later met in 2003 before Adnis's death. Adnis can also be spelled Adnes.
ADONAIAfAfrican American (Rare, Archaic) From the word Adonai used by ancient Israelites to refer to their God Yahweh, whose name was forbidden to be spoken. The name means "The Lord is my God."
ADREAMfEnglish (Modern) Simply from the english words "a dream". Primarily used for girls in modern usage, historically it has been used rarely for both genders.