These
names are used primarily to refer to historical persons. They are not
commonly used by other people.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Crovan m HistoryMeaning uncertain, perhaps from Middle Irish
crobh bhan "white hand". This was the byname of Godred Crovan (d. 1095), an 11th-century Norse conqueror who ruled the Isle of Man. It has been interpreted as a mocking reference to Godred's supposed habit of wearing white gauntlets into battle and aversion to getting his hands dirty in combat.
Čučimir m Serbian (Archaic), History, Medieval SerbianMedieval Serbian name of which the first element is of uncertain origin. It may possibly have been derived from Slavic
chucha or
chusha, which may signify something small. An other possibility may be Slavic
chuzh "foreign, alien, strange" - compare modern Russian
chuzhoy, Polish
cudzy and Slovak
cudzí, all of which mean "foreign, alien, strange"... [
more]
Cyaxares m Old Persian (Latinized), HistoryLatinized form of
Kyaxares, which is the hellenized form of the Old Persian male name
Hvakhshathra or
Uvakhšatara. The meaning of the name is uncertain. This was the name of a Median king from the 6th century BC.
Cyrenia f HistoryFeminine form of
Cyrenius. This was the name of a saint from the Roman province of Cilicia in southern Anatolia, who was martyred by burning in 306 at Tarsus, in persecutions of Galerius.
Dabius m HistorySt. Dabius, or Davius, Confessor, was an Irish missionary to Scotland. He was part of the great monastic missionary effort in the British Isles, and then in Europe.
Dandara f Brazilian, HistoryDandara was an Afro-Brazilian warrior of the colonial period of Brazil and was part of the Quilombo dos Palmares, a settlement of Afro-Brazilian people who freed themselves from enslavement, in the present-day state of Alagoas... [
more]
Dangerose f HistoryPossibly a Latinized form of a Germanic name. This was borne by the maternal grandmother of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Dasius m Ancient Greek (Latinized), History (Ecclesiastical)Probably derived from δασύς
(dasys) meaning "shaggy, hairy". There were several saints of this name, the most notable of whom are two martyrs, both persecuted under Diocletian: Dasius of Durostorum, a soldier, and Dasius of Nicomedia, a servant who was martyred together with Zoticus and Gaius.
Defendens m History (Ecclesiastical), Late RomanDerived from Late Latin
defendere meaning "to defend, to protect". The soldier-saint Defendens of Thebes (Italian:
San Defendente di Tebe) was, according to Christian tradition, a member of the Theban Legion, and thus martyred at Agaunum... [
more]
Delyan m History, BulgarianMeans "business, work" from Old Church Slavonic дѣлати
(dělati) "to work, to do". A famous bearer was Peter II (Delyan), a Tsar of Bulgaria.
Demetre m Georgian, HistoryGeorgian form of
Demetrios (see
Demetrius). This name is less common in Georgia than the Russian name
Dimitri, which is probably due to the influence that Russia has had on the country (Georgia had been under Russian rule for nearly two centuries).... [
more]
Derwa f Cornish, History (Ecclesiastical)Likely derived from Cornish
derow "oak trees" (ultimately from Proto-Celtic
*daru "tree"). Saint Derwa is the patron saint of
Menadarva (
Merther Derwa in Cornish, translating to
grave of St Derwa in English) in the parish of Camborne, Cornwall... [
more]
Derwan m History, Medieval SlavicDerwan was an early duke of the Sorbs (fl. 615–636). He is mentioned by
Fredegar in his Latin chronicle as
dux gente Surbiorum que ex genere Sclavinorum: "ruler of the people of the Surbi"... [
more]
Devota f History (Ecclesiastical), LigurianSaint Devota (died ca. 303 AD) is the patron saint of Corsica and Monaco. She is sometimes identified with another Corsican saint named
Julia, who was described in Latin as
Deo devota ("devoted to God")... [
more]
Dir m HistoryLikely derived from Old Norse
Dyr.
Askold and Dir (died in 882) were princes of Kiev and founders of the first Vikings' state in the Dnieper... [
more]
Do m Korean, HistoryMeaning unknown. This was the personal name of Sejong the Great (1397-1450), fourth king of the Joseon dynasty.
Dobrodeia f Medieval Ukrainian, HistoryDobrodeia of Kiev (died 16 November 1131), was a Rus' princess, spouse of the Byzantine co-emperor Alexios Komnenos, and author on medicine.
Domald m HistoryThis name was most notably borne by Domald of Sidraga (c. 1160-1243), a powerful Dalmatian nobleman and feudal lord who for several years was Prince of the city of Split, which was (and is) located in what is nowadays Croatia... [
more]
Donalbain m Theatre, HistoryAnglicized form of Gaelic
Domnall Bán meaning "
Domnall the Fair", a nickname of Donald III, King of Scots, the second known son of Duncan I. This was the form used by Shakespeare in his tragic play 'Macbeth' (1606) for a character based on the historical figure, who allegorically represents moral order.
Donyarth m Medieval Cornish, HistoryDonyarth (died 875) was the last recorded king of Cornwall. He was probably an under-king, paying tribute to the West Saxons. According to the
Annales Cambriae, he drowned in 875. His death may have been an accident, but it was recorded in Ireland as a punishment for collaboration with the Vikings, who were harrying the West Saxons and briefly occupied Exeter in 876.
Drosis f History (Ecclesiastical)Variant of
Drusa via the form
Drosa. According to Orthodox Christian ecclesiastical traditions St. Drosis was the daughter of the Emperor Trajan (98-117 AD)... [
more]
Dyr m HistoryVariant of
Dir recorded in the
Nikon Chronicle. The name is likely derived from Old Norse
dýr "deer, wild animal" or
dýrr "dear, precious".
Dysmenziane f History, Thracian (Hellenized, ?)Etymology uncertain, possibly a Hellenized form (or corruption) of a Thracian name. This was one of the names attributed to the mother of the Byzantine emperor
Phocas, whose family were likely of Thraco-Roman origin.
Ebrulf m History (Ecclesiastical)Ebrulf (517–596) was a Frankish saint, hermit, and abbot. A Merovingian courtier at the court of Childebert I, he was a cup-bearer to the king and an administrator of the royal palace.
Edeyrn m History (Ecclesiastical)Saint Edeyrn (c. 6th century) was a pre-congregational saint of Wales, related to Vortigern and the royal house of Powys and the brother of Saint Aerdeyrn and Elldeyrn. Edeyrn is the patron saint of Lannédern in France and Llanedeyrn in Wales, where he founded a monastery of over 300 people.
Egipcíaca f History (Ecclesiastical, Hispanicized)From Latin
Aegyptiaca meaning "Egyptian woman" or "woman from Egypt". Saint Mary of Egypt (c. 344-c. 421), a patron saint of penitents, is known as Maria Aegyptiaca in Latin and María Egipcíaca in Spanish.
Elessa f Greek (Rare), History (Ecclesiastical)The Holy Martyr Elessa of Kythira was a young woman from the Peloponnese who lived in the latter half of the fourth century. She was martyred by her father who objected to her becoming a Christian. St... [
more]
Elfin m Medieval English, HistoryThis was the name of an obscure local saint venerated in medieval Warrington, a town in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia. It is allegedly a British derivative of Latin
Alpinus (see
Alpin; also
Elphin,
Alvin).
Elidius m History (Ecclesiastical)This name is best known for being one of the names that the 8th-century Cornish hermit saint
Lide (also known as
Elid,
Elida,
Elide,
Lyda and
Lyde) was known by... [
more]
Elwen m Cornish, Welsh, History (Ecclesiastical)Saint Elwen was an early saint venerated in Cornwall and Brittany. A chapel at Porthleven in Sithney parish, Cornwall, dedicated to Elwen, existed from the 13th century until 1549, and in Brittany several sites and placenames are associated with possibly related figures.
Emeterius m Late Roman, History (Ecclesiastical)This name is best known for being the name of a Roman legionary who was martyred with his fellow soldier
Celedonius around 300 AD. They have since become saints, venerated in both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church.... [
more]
Émiland m French (Archaic), History (Ecclesiastical)Variant of
Émilien. Saint Émiland de Nantes, also known as Émilien de Nantes (
Émilien of Nantes in English), was a French religious leader who was canonized by the church as a martyr for dying in a fight against the Saracens in Burgundy in 725 AD.
Emmeram m German (Rare), History (Ecclesiastical)Germanic name, in which the second element is
hramn meaning "raven". The first element is often said to be
heim meaning "home" (which would thus make this name a relative of
Heimeran), but it could also be
amal meaning "work, labour" or
ermen meaning "whole, universal"... [
more]
Ennatha f History (Ecclesiastical)Possibly a Hellenized form of a name derived from Syriac
anafat meaning "pride" or
ennaf,
annaf meaning "good, benefit". This was borne by a Christian saint from Gaza who was martyred in Caesarea, Palestine in 309 AD along with Saint Valentina... [
more]
Ephigenia f History (Ecclesiastical)Variant of
Iphigenia. Saint Ephigenia of Ethiopia (also known as Iphigenia of Ethiopia; 1st century), is a folk saint whose life is told in the
Golden Legend as a virgin converted to Christianity and then consecrated to God by St... [
more]
Epponina f Old Celtic, HistoryLikely derived from the Celtic element
epo(s) "horse", and perhaps a derivative of the name of the Brythonic and Gaulish goddess
Epona. Epponina or Eponina was the virtuous wife of the 1st-century Gallo-Roman rebel Julius Sabinus.
Eraric m Germanic, English, HistoryDerived from Old High German
êra "honour, respect" combined with
rîcja "powerful, strong, mighty." The second element is also closely related to Celtic
rîg or
rix and Gothic
reiks, which all mean "king, ruler." Eraric was the name of a king of the Ostrogoths who had gotten to reign only briefly; he was murdered a few months after being crowned king in 541 AD.
Erelieva f Gothic, HistoryDerived from Old High German
era "honour, respect" and Old High German
liob "dear, beloved". Erelieva was the wife of Theodemir, king of the Ostrogoths (in the 5th century AD), and mother of Theodoric the Great.
Ermenberga f Germanic, HistoryVariant of
Erminburg. Ermenberga was the daughter of Witteric (a 7th-century king of the Visigoths in Hispania) and wife of Theuderic II (king of Burgundy and Austrasia).
Eryxo f Ancient Greek, HistoryThought to be derived from the Greek verb ἐρεύγομαι
(ereugomai) meaning "to disgorge, blurt out, belch out" (and presumably cognate with
Eryx, the name of the eponymous hero of Mount Eryx, a volcano in Sicily)... [
more]
Eteander m Ancient Greek (Latinized), HistoryLatinized form of the given name Ἐτέανδρος
(Eteandros). This was the name of a king of the city-kingdom of Paphos (located on the Greek island of Cyprus), who lived in the early 7th century BC... [
more]
Eulabios m Late Greek, History (Ecclesiastical)Derived from the Greek noun εὐλάβεια
(eulabeia) meaning "discretion, caution" (see
Eulabeia). Also compare the Greek adjective εὐλαβής
(eulabes) meaning "taking hold well, holding fast, clinging" as well as "discreet, cautious, undertaking prudently".
Euric m Germanic, HistoryDerived from Old High German
êwa "time, age, law" combined with
rîcja "powerful, strong, mighty." The second element is also closely related to Celtic
rîg or
rix and Gothic
reiks, which all mean "king, ruler." However, this name can also be a short form of
Eburic... [
more]
Eurysthenes m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology, HistoryDerived from the Greek adjective εὐρύς
(eurys) meaning "wide, broad" combined with the Greek noun σθένος
(sthenos) meaning "vigour, strength". This name was borne by a Spartan king from the 10th century BC.... [
more]
Eutharic m Germanic, HistoryThe meaning and origin of the first element is rather uncertain: we know that it comes from
eutha, but we don't exactly know where
eutha itself comes from. But there are a few possibilities... [
more]
Evellius m History (Ecclesiastical)Evellius (died 66 AD) was an early Christian martyr. He was a counselor to Nero, but was eventually martyred at Pisa after he converted to Christianity.
Expeditus m Late Roman, HistoryFrom the Latin past participle of
expidere "make fit or ready, prepare", literally "free the feet from fetters". This was the name of an obscure, semi-legendary saint, who is invoked against procrastination.
Farabert m Germanic, HistoryDerived from Langobardic
fara "family, line, kind" or Gothic
faran "to travel" combined with Old High German
beraht "bright." Farabert was King of the Franks in the 2nd century AD.
Fatimeja f HistoryAlbanian form of
Fatimah used in reference to Fatimah al-Zahra, the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and Khadijah.
Fingar m History (Ecclesiastical)The name of an obscure Irish saint. According to legend, Fingar and his sister Piala were children of an Irish king. They were converted by Saint Patrick, driven into exile by their father, and landed first in Brittany, where they were well received, before moving on to Cornwall where they died at the hand of Tewdrick, king of Dumnonia... [
more]