This is a list of submitted names in which the usage is English or American.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Perenelle f French, English, Literature, Medieval FrenchOld French form of
Petronilla borne by Perenelle Flamel (1320-1402), wife and fellow alchemist of Nicolas Flamel. They are known for their quest to discover the philosopher's stone, a legendary substance said to turn any metal into gold and to make its owner immortal.... [
more]
Perian f English (Rare), American (South)Combination of
Perry and
Ann. It was brought to some public attention in 1959 by Perian Conerly, a Mississippi-born sports columnist for
The New York Times and the wife of New York Giants quarterback Charlie Conerly; in late 1959, she appeared as a contestant on the American game show
What's My Line?... [
more]
Peridot f & m English (Rare)Taken from the name of the gemstone, whose name is of uncertain origin and meaning. A current theory, however, derives it from Anglo-Norman
pedoretés, ultimately from Greek
paiderôs (via Latin
paederos):
pais "child" and
erôs "love".... [
more]
Periwinkle f English (Rare)From the English word for the color "periwinkle", from Middle English
parwynke, referring to a "light blue and purple shade". It's also the name of a flower.
Pernie f American (South)This appears sporadically outside the U.S. Top 1000 and was found mainly in Southern States. My speculation is that it is an offshoot of
Calpurnia, but I cannot verify if this is the source of the name.
Perrie f & m English (Rare)Variant of
Perry and
Perri. It can also be used as a diminutive of names that begin with Per- and have the 'per' sound within the name and at the ending of the name... [
more]
Perseverance f English (Puritan)From the English word meaning "steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success", referring to persevering through the trials and tribulations that may come as a believer of Christ.
Pershing m English (American)Most likely used as a first name due to John Joseph Pershing, General of the Armies for the United States at the end of World War I. His paternal ancestors were of German descent, and the original spelling was likely Pfoersching... [
more]
Persia f English (Rare)From the name of the Middle Eastern country
Persia, now referred to as Iran. Its name is derived from Avestan
Parsa, the ancient tribal name of the people ruled by Cyrus the Great.... [
more]
Persimmon m & f English (Rare)From the name of the Persimmon, a brightly colored fruit. The word persimmon is derived from Powhatan, an Algonquian language of the eastern United States, meaning "a dry fruit".... [
more]
Petrarch m English (Anglicized, Rare, Archaic)The anglicized mononym of the Renaissance Tuscan Italian poet and scholar, Francesco Petrarca. It originates from his last name, which ultimately is a latinized form of his original surname, Petracco.
Petrichor f English (Canadian)The earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. The word is constructed from Greek petra (πέτρα), meaning "stone", and īchōr (ἰχώρ), the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology.... [
more]
Petrova f English, LiteratureRussian patronymic last name. Petrova is the name of one of the Fossil sisters in the book (and movie) 'Ballet Shoes' by Noel Streatfeild.
Pettifleur f EnglishA female English name. It is the first name of Real Housewife of Melbourne Pettifleur Berenger (1964-).
Peyote m EnglishMid 19th century from Latin American Spanish, from Nahuatl
peyotl, meaning "glisten" or "glistening". Other sources translate the Nahuatl word as "Divine Messenger"
Pharaoh m English, Mormon, African AmericanPharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the rulers of all Ancient Egyptian dynasties. Historically, however, "pharaoh" only started being used as a title for the king during the New Kingdom, specifically during the middle of the eighteenth dynasty, after the reign of
Hatshepsut... [
more]
Pheraby f American (South, Archaic)Apparently a Southern U.S. invention. First appears in the mid-1700s in Virginia and North Carolina. Could be a variation of
Phoebe, although it is also curiously similar to the Arabic name
Fariba.... [
more]
Phila f EnglishFrom Ancient Greek φιλος
(philos) meaning "lover, friend", or a shortened form of names beginning with
Phila.
Philian m English, GermanDerived from
Philianus, which is the latinized form of Greek
Philianos. It is ultimately derived from Greek
philos "friend" or
phileo "to love". Compare also
Philon... [
more]
Phlox f English (Rare)Taken from the name of the flower, whose name is derived from Greek
phlox "flame". As a given name, it has been in occasional use in the English-speaking world from the late 19th century onwards.
Phronsie f EnglishDiminutive of Sophronia, the name of the youngest child in Margaret Sydney's "Five Little Peppers"
Phthisis m EnglishSimply from the English word (of Greek origin) which means "wasting, consumption". 'Not a name in frequent use, but a Phthisis Smith was named in Britain in 1915.'
Piercy m & f English (British, Rare)A variant of Piers, a Middle English form of Peter. Peter is derived from the Greek petros, meaning "stone" or "rock".
Pike m EnglishTransferred use of the surname
Pike. May also be used in reference to the various species of fish.
Pilot m English (Rare)Either from the surname
Pilot, which is derived from
Pilate, or directly from the vocabulary word
pilot, which is derived from either Greek πηδον
(pedon) "steering oar" or πλωτης
(plotes) "sailor"... [
more]
Pimpernel f Literature, English (Rare), Dutch (Rare)From the flower Scarlet Pimpernel, a low growing annual plant. It is well known for being the emblem of the fictional hero of the same name. Tolkien used the name for one of the Took sisters.
Pioneer m EnglishFrom early 16th century (as a military term denoting a member of the infantry) from French
pionnier ‘foot soldier, pioneer’, Old French
paonier, from
paon, from Latin
pedo, pedon-.
Pirate m & f English (Rare)From the English word
pirate, from Latin
pirata, from Greek
peiratēs, from
peirein ‘to attempt, attack’ (from
peira ‘an attempt’).
Pistol m EnglishFrom mid 16th century: from obsolete French
pistole, from German
Pistole, from Czech
pišt'ala, of which the original meaning was ‘whistle’, hence ‘a firearm’ by the resemblance in shape.
Pitt m English (Rare)Transferred use of the surname
Pitt. A fictional bearer was Sir Pitt Crawley in William Makepeace Thackeray's satirical novel 'Vanity Fair' (1848), a character apparently named in honour of the 18th-century British statesman William Pitt, nicknamed "The Great Commoner" (for whom the U.S. city of Pittsburgh was also named).
Pixie f EnglishFrom the English word
pixie, referring to a playful sprite or elf/fairy-like creature, originating from Devon and Cornwall.
Platinum f English (American, Rare)From the metal
platinum, derived from Spanish
platina, a diminutive of
plata "silver". It can also be taken from the color
platinum, derived from the metal.
Plavka f American (Rare)In the case of American singer Plavka Coleridge (née Lonich) the name was derived from a Croatian worn meaning "blondie". It is not used as a name in Croatia.
Pleasure f & m English (African, Rare)From the English word
pleasrue meaning "A state of being pleased or contented; gratification." This name is most common in African countries like Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Uganda.
Plum f & m EnglishFrom Middle English
ploume, from Old English
plume "plum, plum tree," from an early Germanic borrowing (Middle Dutch
prume, Dutch
pruim, Old High German
pfluma, pfruma, German
Pflaume) from Vulgar Latin
*pruna, from Latin
prunum "plum," from Greek
prounon, a later form of
proumnon, a word of unknown origin, which is probably, like the tree itself, of Anatolian origin.
Plutina f American (South, Archaic)Probably an invented name, used primarily in the Southern United States in the 19th century. Plutina Cox is the heroine of Waldron Baily's novel 'The Heart of the Blue Ridge' (1915), set in Wilkes County, North Carolina.
Poem m & f EnglishFrom French
poème or Latin
poema, from Greek
poēma, early variant of
poiēma ‘fiction, poem,’ from
poiein ‘create.’ See also
Poema.
Poesy f American (South, Rare, Archaic)Originally a variant of
Posy, this name was sometimes associated with
poetry, from Old French
poesie, ultimately from Greek
poesis "composition, poetry," from
poein "to make or compose"
Poet f & m English (American, Modern, Rare)From the English word meaning "someone who writes poems". From the Old French
poete, from Latin
poēta 'poet, author', from Ancient Greek
poiētēs (ποιητής) 'creator, maker, author, poet', from
poieō (poieō) 'I make, compose'.
Poinsettia f English (Rare)From the flower
Euphorbia pulcherrima, which was named for an American Minister to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, who discovered the flower in 1828.
Pop m & f English (Rare)Diminutive of
Poppy and nickname derived from
pop, shortened variation of papa "father," in use in American English as early as 1838.
Poppet f & m EnglishFrom the Middle English
popet, meaning "a small child or doll." Used in specifically British and formerly British controlled countries.
Portland f English (Rare)Meaning, "land surrounding the water" and used in reference to the place of Portland, Oregon which itself is named after Portland, Maine, which is thusly named after the Isle of Portland, England. This name was borne by comedienne, actress, and dancer, Portland Hoffa.
Prairie f American (Rare)From the English word for a flat treeless grassland, taken from French
prairie "meadow". This was used by Thomas Pynchon for a character in his novel 'Vineland' (1990).
Praise-God m English (Puritan)From the English phrase
praise God, referring to giving God glory. A known bearer was Praise-God Barebone (or Barbon; c. 1598-1679), an English preacher and Fifth Monarchist after whom Barebone's Parliament of 1653 was named... [
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Prathia f African AmericanThe Rev. Dr. Prathia Hall, a theologian and ethicist, was active in SNCC and a prominent civil rights movement speaker—she was said to have influenced Dr. King’s ‘I have a dream’ speech, having used the phrase repeatedly in a speech he heard in 1962.
Prayer f & m EnglishMiddle English from Old French
preiere, based on Latin
precarius ‘obtained by entreaty,’ from
prex, prec- prayer.’
Pres m EnglishShort form of Preston, Prescott, or other names beginning with "Pres". Preston "Pres" Dillard is a character in the 1938 film "Jezebel."
Preshea f EnglishA notable fictional bearer of this name is Preshea Villentia, née Buss from Gail Carriger’s Finishing School book series. A notable bearer of a variant of this name is gospel singer Preashea Hilliard.