sponinsanity's Personal Name List

Means "night" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the night, the daughter of Khaos and the wife of Erebos.

From the name of an ancient town of Asia Minor where Saint Gregory was bishop in the 4th century. Nyssa is also the genus name of a type of tree, also called the Tupelo.

Possibly from an archaic Greek word meaning "tree". In Greek mythology Nysa was the mountainous region where young Dionysos was raised.

Possibly from an archaic Greek word meaning "tree". In Greek mythology Nysa was a daughter of Aristaeus, who was believed to have brought up the infant god Dionysus, and from whom one of the many towns of the name of Nysa was believed to have derived its name.

Used by British author Edward Bulwer-Lytton for a blind flower-seller in his novel The Last Days of Pompeii (1834). He perhaps based it on Latin nidus "nest".

Means "night" in Latin. Nox is the Roman goddess of the night, the equivalent of the Greek goddess Nyx.

From the Latin word novem, meaning "nine". November was the ninth month of the Roman calendar before January and February were added around 713 BC. It is now the eleventh month of the year.

This is the name of one of the main adult female characters in Catherynne M. Valente's adult fantasy novel "Palimpsest" (2009). In the novel November remembers having read a book called "The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making" when she was a child, and the heroine of that book was called September. Valente later wrote that book as a crowd-funded work. It became the first volume in her bestselling "Fairyland" series.

From the English word novel, a type of literature.

From Borrowing from Old French novel (“new, fresh, recent, recently made or done, strange, rare”) (modern nouvel), from Latin novellus (“new, fresh, young, modern”), diminutive of novus (“new”).

From Serbian нов (nov) meaning "new". A notable bearer is the Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic (1987-).

Derived from Latin novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.

This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek poet.

Diminutive of Nora 1. It was used by Patricia Reilly Giff for the central character in her children's novel Nory Ryan's Song (2000).

From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "north wood" in Old English.

Transferred use of the surname Norville. The character Shaggy, of Scooby-Doo fame, bears this name.

Derived from the surname Norval, which is an Anglo-Scottish variant of Norville, a Norman French surname that was brought to Great Britain during or after the Norman Conquest. It was originally a locational surname that referred to either the village of Norville (located in what is nowadays northern France) or to one of the three separate villages named Normanville (also in northern France). The etymological meaning of the name of all the villages is basically "town of the Normans", so when it comes to purely the meaning itself, it doesn't matter all that much which of the villages is the one that truly lies at the root of the surname. Lastly, you might want to compare Orville and Orval, which have had the same transition from -ville to -val.

Known bearers of Norval as a given name include the American football coach Norval "Norv" Turner (b. 1952), the Canadian politician Norval Horner (1930-2014) and the Aboriginal Canadian artist Norval Morrisseau (1932-2007).

From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "north town" in Old English.

Simply means "northern" from the English word. This name was used briefly in the middle of the twentieth century. Five males were given it in 1955, the last year in which it qualified to be counted by SSA data. The first year, 1921, it was used 8 times. It was also used in between.

English name for the French region of Normandie.

French form of Norman.

From an old Germanic byname meaning "northman", referring to a Scandinavians. The Normans were Vikings who settled on the coast of France, in the region that became known as Normandy. In England the name Norman or Normant was used before the Norman Conquest, first as a nickname for Scandinavian settlers and later as a given name. After the Conquest it became more common, but died out around the 14th century. It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to a character by this name in C. M. Yonge's 1856 novel The Daisy Chain [2]. Famous bearers include the American painter Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) and the American author Norman Mailer (1923-2007).

Quasi-Latinization of names containing the Old Norse name element norðr "north".

Italian diminutive of Nora 1.

Derived from Swedish nord "north" or nor "small strait".

Variant transliteration of نورية (see Nouria).

From Japanese 儀 (nori) meaning "ceremony, rites" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.

From Japanese 乃 (no), a possessive particle combined with 恋 (ren) meaning "love", 漣 (ren) meaning "ripples" or 蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus". Other kanji combinations are possible.

The usage of this name is, most likely, influenced by the name Nolan.

Elaborated form of Nora 1, perhaps influenced by Linnéa.

Combination of the Old Norse name element norðr "north" and Dina 1. This name was first recorded in the mid-19th century.

Variant spelling of Nordahl.

Derived from Armenian nor "new" combined with Armenian ayr "man".

Combination of the Old Norse name elements norðr "north" and alfr "elf". The name was created in the late 19th century.

Variant of Nora 1.

Short form of Honora or Eleanor. Henrik Ibsen used it for a character in his play A Doll's House (1879).

Alternate transcription of Arabic/Urdu نور (see Nur).

Dutch short form of Eleonora.

Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "ninth" in Latin. This was a rare praenomen.

Derived from Latin nonus meaning "ninth", referring to the nine months of pregnancy. This was the name of a Roman goddess of pregnancy. She was also one of the three Fates (or Parcae).

From the Breton phrase Noyal Gwenn meaning "holy one from Noyal". This was the epithet of a 6th-century saint and martyr from Brittany.

Means "Christmas" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century as a translation of Noël.

Medieval diminutive of Oliver.

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.

Irish diminutive of Nora 1.

Short form of names beginning in Nor- like Norbert.

Means "brightness" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of King David in the Old Testament.

Means "heavenly mist" from Hawaiian noe "mist" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".

Form of Noah 1 used in the Greek and Latin Bibles. This is also the Georgian form.

From an English surname meaning "noble, high-born". The name can also be given in direct reference to the English word noble.

Means "pleasantness" in Hebrew. A famous bearer is Noam Chomsky (1928-), an American linguist and philosopher.

Swedish form of Noah 1.

From the Hebrew name נֹחַ (Noaḥ) meaning "rest, repose", derived from the root נוּחַ (nuaḥ). According to the Old Testament, Noah was the builder of the Ark that allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the Great Flood. After the flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. He was the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

As an English Christian name, Noah has been used since the Protestant Reformation, being common among the Puritans. In the United States it was not overly popular in the 19th and 20th centuries, but it began slowly growing in the 1970s. Starting 1994 it increased rapidly — this was when actor Noah Wyle (1971-) began starring on the television series ER. A further boost in 2004 from the main character in the movie The Notebook helped it eventually become the most popular name for boys in America between 2013 and 2016. At the same time it has also been heavily used in other English-speaking countries, as well as Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and France.

A famous bearer was the American lexicographer Noah Webster (1758-1843).

From the Hebrew name נֹעָה (Noʿa) meaning "motion". In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Zelophehad. In English this name is typically spelled the same as the name of the male biblical character Noah, though in Hebrew they are written distinctly.

Hebrew, German and Dutch form of Noah 1.

Modern Hebrew form of Noah 2, the daughter of Zelophehad in the Bible. It is also the form used in several other languages, as well as the spelling used in some English versions of the Old Testament.

From Japanese 乃 (no), a possessive particle, and 愛 (a) meaning "love, affection". This name can also be constructed from other kanji or kanji combinations.

From Old Norse Njǫrðr, derived from Proto-Germanic *Nerþuz. It might derive from the Indo-European root *hnerto- meaning "strong, vigorous". Njord was the Norse god associated with the sea, sailing, fishing and fertility. With his children Freyr and Freya he was a member of the Vanir gods.

Anglicized form of Naomhán.

Possibly from the Irish name of the fifth letter of the Ogham alphabet, an Early Medieval alphabet used to write the early Irish language and later the Old Irish language.

From the name of a 5th-century British saint, known as the Apostle to the Picts, who was apparently responsible for many miracles and cures. He first appears briefly in the 8th-century Latin writings of the historian Bede, though his name is only written in the ablative case Nynia [1]. This may represent a Brythonic name *Ninniau [2][3].

Reversal of the surname Lenin. Lenin was the founder of the former Soviet state. This name was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names.

Meaning unknown. In Arthurian legends this is the name of a sorceress, also known as the Lady of the Lake, Vivien, or Niniane. Various versions of the tales have Merlin falling in love with her and becoming imprisoned by her magic. She first appears in the medieval French Lancelot-Grail Cycle.

Means "victory" in Greek. Nike was the Greek goddess of victory.

Latin form of Nigel.

Feminine form of Nigel.

From Nigellus, a medieval Latinized form of Neil. It was commonly associated with Latin niger "black". It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to Walter Scott's novel The Fortunes of Nigel (1822).

Means "snows" in Spanish, derived from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows".

Diminutive of Nicolaus.

Diminutive of Nicole.

Feminine form of Nicholas. In the English-speaking world this name is more common outside of America, where Nicole is more usual.

From the Greek name Νικόδημος (Nikodemos) meaning "victory of the people", derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people". This is the name of a character in the New Testament who helps Joseph of Arimathea entomb Jesus.

Feminine form of Nicasius.

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.

Irish form of Neil.

Welsh form of Niamh. The Welsh poet T. Gwynn Jones used it in his long poem Tir na n-Óg (1916), referring to the lover of Oisín.

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Norman French. As a given name it is chiefly British and Australian.

Derived from South Slavic neven meaning "marigold".

Anglicized form of Naomhán.

Anglicized form of Neasa.

Old Irish form of Neasa.

Derived from Greek νῆσος (nêsos) meaning "island". In Greek mythology this name was borne by one of the Nereids. A moon of Neptune bears this name in her honour.

Probably a feminized form of Welsh nêr meaning "lord".

Latinized form of Germanic *Nerþuz, which is also the root of the Old Norse god's name Njǫrðr (see Njord). Nerthus was a Germanic goddess of fertility as described by the Roman historian Tacitus in the 1st century.

Roman cognomen, which was probably of Sabine origin meaning "strong, vigorous". It was used by a prominent branch of the gens Claudia starting from the 3rd century BC. It was borne most famously by a Roman emperor of the 1st century, remembered as a tyrant. His birth name was Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, but after he was adopted as the heir of Claudius his name became Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus.

Created by Shakespeare for a character in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). He possibly took it from Greek Νηρηΐς (Nereis) meaning "nymph, sea sprite", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.

Probably from Greek Νηρηΐδες (see Nereida). This name was used by Torquato Tasso for a character in his play Aminta (1573), and subsequently by Giacomo Leopardi in his poem Le Ricordanze (1829).

Derived from Greek νηρός (neros) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a god of the sea, the father of the Nereids. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament, belonging to a Christian in Rome. This was also the name of a Roman saint of the 1st century, a member of the army, who was martyred with his companion Achilleus because they refused to execute Christians.

Derived from Greek Νηρηΐδες (Nereides) meaning "nymphs, sea sprites", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.

Feminine form of Nereo.

Derived from the name of the Greek sea god Neptune, used by the Roman poet Catullus to refer to the nymph Thetis, because she was a granddaughter of Poseidon (Neptune).

From the Latin Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Indo-European root *nebh- "wet, damp, clouds". Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.

Greek form of Egyptian nbt-ḥwt (reconstructed as Nebet-Hut) meaning "lady of the house", derived from nbt "lady" and ḥwt "house". This was the name of an Egyptian goddess associated with the air, death and mourning. She was wife of the desert god Seth.

From Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud". In Greek legend Nephele was created from a cloud by Zeus, who shaped the cloud to look like Hera in order to trick Ixion, a mortal who desired her. Nephele was the mother of the centaurs by Ixion, and was also the mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamus.

Derived from the Greek νεώρεον (neoreon) meaning "to be overseer of a dockyard".

From Japanese 光 (ne) meaning "light", 夕 (ne) meaning "evening", 寧 (ne) meaning "rather, preferably, peaceful, quiet, tranquility", 希 (ne) meaning "hope, beg, request, rare", 弥 (ne) meaning "all the more, increasingly", 心 (ne) meaning "heart, soul, mind", 愛 (ne) meaning "love, affection", 明 (ne) meaning "bright, light", 永 (ne) meaning "eternity, long, lengthy", 碧 (ne) meaning "blue, green", 祈 (ne) meaning "pray, wish", 祢 (ne) or 禰 (ne) both meaning "ancestral shrine", 羽 (ne) meaning "feathers", 菜 (ne) meaning "vegetables, greens", 虹 (ne) meaning "rainbow", 輝 (ne) meaning "brightness", 錬 (ne) meaning "tempering, refine, drill, train, polish", 音 (ne) meaning "sound" or 願 (ne) meaning "petition, request, vow, wish, hope", 碧 (o) meaning "blue, green" combined with 音 (on) meaning "sound", 姫 (on) meaning "princess", 穏 (on) meaning "calm, quiet, moderation", 暖 (on) meaning "warmth", 遠 (on) meaning "distant, far", 恩 (on) meaning "grace, kindness, goodness, favor, mercy, blessing, benefit", 桜 (on) meaning "cherry blossom", 温 (on) meaning "warm", 織 (on) meaning "weave, fabric" or 苑 (on) meaning "garden, farm, park". Other kanji combinations are possible.

From a prefix meaning "new", ultimately from Greek νέος (neos).

In the film series beginning with The Matrix (1999), this is the main character's screen alias and the name he later goes by in the real world. The character is also called The One, one being an anagram of Neo.

Means "distribution of what is due, righteous anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Nemesis was the personification of vengeance and justice.

Extended form of Nemesius. This name was borne by a Roman poet from the 3rd century AD.

In Irish Mythology, Nemain is the fairy spirit of the frenzied havoc of war, and possibly an aspect of Morrígan. Nemain can mean "venomous" relating it to the Proto-Celtic "nemi" meaning "dose of poison," or the Old Irish "nem" or "neimi" meaning "poison."

From an English surname meaning "son of Neil". It was originally given in honour of the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). His most famous battle was the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he destroyed a combined French and Spanish fleet, but was himself killed. Another notable bearer was the South African statesman Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). Mandela's birth name was Rolihlahla; as a child he was given the English name Nelson by a teacher.

Short form of Antonella.

Medieval diminutive of names beginning with El, such as Eleanor, Ellen 1 or Helen. It may have arisen from the medieval affectionate phrase mine El, which was later reinterpreted as my Nel.

Greek form of Egyptian nt, possibly from nt "water" or nrw "fear, dread". This was the name of an early Egyptian goddess of weaving, hunting and war. Her character may have some correspondences with the goddesses Tanith, Anat or Athena.

Variant of Aneirin.

Welsh form of Neptune.

Irish name of uncertain meaning, possibly from a Celtic root meaning "damp" (cognate with Neptune). In Irish mythology Nechtan was the husband of Boann, the goddess of the River Boyne. He is sometimes identified with Nuada. This name was borne by the 5th-century Saint Nectan of Hartland in Devon, who was supposedly born in Ireland. It was also the name of several kings of the Picts (described mostly from Gaelic sources, this may represent a Pictish cognate).

From Old Irish Ness, meaning uncertain. In Irish legend she was the mother of Conchobar. She installed her son as king of Ulster by convincing Fergus mac Róich (her husband and Conchobar's stepfather) to give up his throne to the boy for a year and then helping him rule so astutely that the Ulstermen demanded that he remain as king. According to some versions of the legend she was originally named Assa "gentle", but was renamed Ní-assa "not gentle" after she sought to avenge the murders of her foster fathers.

Latinized form of Neandros. However, in modern times, this name is best known as a surname - the most prominent bearer of which is the German theologian and hymn writer Joachim Neander (1650-1680). His paternal grandfather had translated the family's surname of Neumann (which literally means "new man") to Greek and then romanized it.

Means "new rising" from Greek νέος (neos) meaning "new, fresh" as well as "young, youthful" and αἴρω (airo) "lift, raise up". In Greek mythology this name belonged to a nymph of Thrinakia, a mythical island, who was loved by the sun god Helios. Her name may be descriptive of the dawn sun, and she was probably the personification of the sun's risings. This name was also borne by a 4th-century BC Greek hetaira.

From Nazareth, the town in Galilee where Jesus lived. This name is primarily feminine in Spanish and primarily masculine in Armenian.

Means "found", derived from Bulgarian найда (nayda) meaning "to find".

From the English word meaning "sea force, fleet, armed forces of the sea". It is derived from Old French navie, from Latin navigia, the plural of navigium "boat, vessel". It also refers to a shade of dark blue, a colour traditionally associated with naval uniforms.

Latinized form of Greek Ναυσικάα (Nausikaa) meaning "burner of ships". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of a daughter of Alcinous who helps Odysseus on his journey home.

Derived from Icelandic nátt "night" and mǫrðr "marten".

Short form of Nathan or Nathaniel.

Masculine form of Natalia (see Natalie).

Means "birth" in Latin. It's also the Polish masculine form of Natalia.

Greek form of Natalius.

From the Late Latin name Natalia, which meant "Christmas Day" from Latin natale domini. This was the name of the wife of the 4th-century martyr Saint Adrian of Nicomedia. She is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, and the name has traditionally been more common among Eastern Christians than those in the West. It was popularized in America by actress Natalie Wood (1938-1981), who was born to Russian immigrants.

Latinate form of Natalia (see Natalie).

Means "wild rose" in Persian.

Latinized form of Greek Νάρκισσος (Narkissos), possibly derived from νάρκη (narke) meaning "sleep, numbness". Narkissos was a beautiful youth in Greek mythology who stared at his own reflection for so long that he eventually died and was turned into the narcissus flower.

This name appears briefly in the epistles in the New Testament and was also borne by a few early saints, including a 2nd-century patriarch of Jerusalem. It has been used to the present, especially in Catholic regions, usually in honour of the saint as opposed to the mythological character.

Feminine form of Narcissus.

Means "sun light" in Mongolian, from наран (naran) meaning "sun" and гэрэл (gerel) meaning "light".

From Ancient Greek ναύς meaning "ship". It is a traditional name of the star Zeta Puppis. The star originally belonged to the former constellation Argo Navis, depicting the mythical ship of the Argonauts, but the ship has now been divided into three distinct constellations, with Puppis representing the stern of the ship.

Means "little saint", derived from Irish naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.

Means "holy" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.

Previously a medieval diminutive of Annis, though since the 18th century it has been a diminutive of Ann. It is now usually regarded as an independent name. During the 20th century it became very popular in the United States. A city in the Lorraine region of France bears this name, though it derives from a different source.

Greek form of Nanaya.

Means "stem" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a king of the Nishadha people in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata.

Nais was a naiad-nymph of the springs of the town of Pyrrhichus on the Malean peninsular of Lakedaimonia (southern Greece). She was the wife of the old rustic-god Silenus.

Meaning uncertain, possibly derived from Greek Ναϊάς (Naias), a type of water nymph in Greek mythology (plural Ναϊάδες). Alternatively it might be related to Persian Nahid.

From the Basque name of the Spanish city of Nájera, which is Arabic in origin. In the 12th century there was a reported apparition of the Virgin Mary in a nearby cave.

Means "wave, sea foam" in Basque.

Means "incantation, dirge" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of funerals.

French diminutive of Nadia 1.

Variant of Nadya 1 used in Western Europe, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name. It began to be used in France in the 19th century [1]. The name received a boost in popularity from the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci (1961-) [2].

Meaning "Something secret or unexplainable; an unknown", "Someone or something with an obscure or puzzling nature". From Middle English mysterie, from Anglo-Norman misterie, from Old French mistere, from Latin mysterium, from Ancient Greek μυστήριον ‎(mustḗrion, "a mystery, a secret, a secret rite"), from μύστης ‎(mústēs, "initiated one"), from μυέω ‎(muéō, "I initiate"), from μύω ‎(múō, "I shut").

Derived from Greek μύρρα (myrrha) meaning "myrrh". This is the name of a character in the comedy Lysistrata by the Greek playwright Aristophanes.

Means "born of the sea" in Irish. In Irish legend this was the name of a woman (originally named Lí Ban) who was transformed into a mermaid. After 300 years she was brought to shore, baptized, and transformed back into a woman.

From a Scottish surname, derived from Scots muir meaning "moor, fen". This name could also be inspired by Scottish Gaelic muir meaning "sea".

From the name of a town in northern Wales, which is probably derived from Old English elements meaning "moss town".

From the Hebrew name מֹשֶׁה (Moshe), which is most likely derived from Egyptian mes meaning "son". The meaning suggested in the Old Testament of "drew out" from Hebrew מָשָׁה (masha) is probably an invented etymology (see Exodus 2:10).

The biblical Moses was drawn out of the Nile by the pharaoh's daughter and adopted into the royal family, at a time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. With his brother Aaron he demanded the pharaoh release the Israelites, which was only done after God sent ten plagues upon Egypt. Moses led the people across the Red Sea and to Mount Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments from God. After 40 years of wandering in the desert the people reached Canaan, the Promised Land, but Moses died just before entering it.

In England, this name has been commonly used by Christians since the Protestant Reformation, though it had long been popular among Jews.

German form of Moses.

From Old Cornish moroin meaning "maiden, girl" (related to the Welsh word morwyn [1]). This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.

Variant of Morwenna.

From the name of a region in western Scotland, also called Morvern or in Gaelic A' Mhorbhairne, meaning "the big gap". This is the location of Fingal's kingdom in James Macpherson's 18th-century poems.

Means "pearl" in Persian.

From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Normandy, itself meaning "dead water, still water" in Old French.

Means either "demon queen" or "great queen", derived from Old Irish mor "demon, evil spirit" or mór "great, big" combined with rígain "queen". In Irish mythology Morrígan (called also The Morrígan) was a goddess of war and death who often took the form of a crow.

From a surname that was originally from an Old English place name meaning "marsh clearing".

Meaning unknown. In Arthurian Romance, Morien was the son of Sir Aglovale and a Moorish princess.

Transferred use of the surname Moriarty.

Meant "sacred olive tree" in Greek, referring to a type of olive tree in ancient Greece that was believed to have 'been propagated from the original olive which Athena herself had caused to spring up on the Acropolis'; uprooting one of the sacred μορίαι (moriai) was an offense punishable by dispossession and banishment.

Though the etymology is probably unrelated, this is the name of a naiad in Greek mythology, whose story 'appears to be a Lydian version of the tale of Pelops, the boy restored to life by the Moirai' (when her brother was killed by a monstrous serpent, Moria brought him back to life using a magical herb). In this case it is perhaps related to Greek μόρος (moros) meaning "fate, destiny, doom".

Earlier form of Morgan 2.

The name of a witch in Arthurian romance. Morgause, Queen of the Orkneys, is Arthur's half-sister with whom, in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation 'Le Morte d'Arthur', he engages in a brief affair, producing Mordred. She is also the mother of Gawain and Gareth. The earliest forms of her name are Orcades - the earliest known name of the Orkney Islands, probably derived from Celtic *forko- meaning "piglet" (cf. Orcadia) - and Morcades. Orcades probably mutated into the forms Morcades and Morgause through confusion with Morgan 2.

French, either a form of Morgan 2 or a feminine form of Morgan 1.

Feminine form of Morgan 1.

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-).

Variant of Morgan 2, from a French form.

Means "mulberry tree" in Greek. In Greek mythology, Morea is the name of a hamadryad (a type of dryad, or wood nymph).

From Welsh Medraut, possibly from Latin moderatus meaning "controlled, moderated". In Arthurian legend Mordred was the illegitimate son (in some versions nephew) of King Arthur. Mordred first appears briefly (as Medraut) in the 10th-century Annales Cambriae [1], but he was not portrayed as a traitor until the chronicles of the 12th-century Geoffrey of Monmouth. While Arthur is away he seduces his wife Guinevere and declares himself king. This prompts the battle of Camlann, which leads to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur.

Medieval Judeo-Provençal variant of Mordechai.

Means "servant of Marduk" in Persian. In the Old Testament Mordecai is the cousin and foster father of Esther. He thwarted a plot to kill the Persian king, though he made an enemy of the king's chief advisor Haman.

Old Welsh form of Morgan 1.

From Old Slavic morŭ meaning "death, plague" [1]. In Slavic mythology this was the name of a goddess associated with winter and death.

From an aristocratic English surname meaning "sharp mountain", from Old French mont agu. In Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596) this is the surname of Romeo and his family.

From a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". The Roe is a river in Northern Ireland. Two famous bearers of the surname were American president James Monroe (1758-1831) and American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).

As a given name it was mostly masculine in America until around 2009. It was already rising in popularity for girls when singer Mariah Carey gave it to her daughter born 2011 (though this probably helped accelerate it).

From a French surname that was derived from either Hamon or Edmond. This was the surname of the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).

Means "remembrance" in Greek. In Greek mythology Mnemosyne was a Titan goddess of memory. She was the mother by Zeus of the nine Muses.

Means "memory" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of memory.

Possibly means "reminding" in Greek. In Acts in the New Testament Paul stays in Jerusalem with a man named Mnason, a Jew who was originally from Cyprus.

From the English word, which derives from Latin miseria "wretchedness". It was used as a given name in the book 'Misery' (1987) by Stephen King, about the author of a popular series of romance novels set in Victorian times, the heroine of which is named Misery Chastain.

Means "compassion, mercy" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin miser "poor, wretched" and cor "heart". It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen de la Misericordia, meaning "The Virgin of Compassion".

Possibly derived from Latin mens meaning "intellect", but more likely of Etruscan origin. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since after the Renaissance.

Diminutive of Mildred, Millicent and other names containing the same sound.

From the Gothic name *Amalaswinþa, composed of the elements amals "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and swinþs "strong". Amalaswintha was a 6th-century queen of the Ostrogoths. The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Melisent or Melisende. Melisende was a 12th-century queen of Jerusalem, the daughter of Baldwin II.

From an English occupational surname for a miller, derived from Middle English mille "mill".

From an occupational English surname meaning "guardian of the mill" in Old English.

From the Old English name Mildþryð meaning "gentle strength", derived from the elements milde "gentle" and þryþ "strength". Saint Mildred was a 7th-century abbess, the daughter of the Kentish princess Saint Ermenburga. After the Norman Conquest this name became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.

From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names that began with that element. It was originally used in Czech, Slovak, and the South Slavic languages, though it has recently become popular elsewhere in Europe.

A city in Italy bears this name, though in this case it originates from Latin Mediolanum, perhaps ultimately of Celtic origin meaning "middle of the plain". In some cases the city name may be an influence on the use of the given name.

From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names containing that element.

From Middle English midnight (also as middelniȝte), from Old English midniht, middeniht, middeneaht, (also as midderneaht and middelniht), from Proto-Germanic *midjanahts, equivalent to mid- +‎ night.

Roman cognomen derived from Latin merula "blackbird".

Meaning unknown. This was the name of an early Cornish (male) saint.

From an English surname, originally from a place name, which meant "boundary gate" in Old English.

Although the exact origin and meaning of this name are unknown, many modern-day academics believe this name to be the (possibly Anglicized) Cornish form of Morien.

Its variant Merryn was the name of a Cornish saint.

In the English-speaking world, all forms have been occasionally used from the 19th century onwards.

From an English surname that was derived either from the given name Muriel or from place names meaning "pleasant hill".

From a Welsh surname that was originally derived from the given name Meurig.

From a surname meaning "happy weather" in Middle English, originally belonging to a cheery person. A notable bearer of the name was Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), who, with William Clark, explored the west of North America.

Means "pearl, gem" in Welsh, derived from Latin margarita.

From the Welsh name Maredudd or Meredydd, from Old Welsh forms such as Margetud, possibly from mawredd "greatness, magnificence" combined with iudd "lord". The Welsh forms of this name were well used through the Middle Ages. Since the mid-1920s it has been used more often for girls than for boys in English-speaking countries, though it is still a masculine name in Wales. A famous bearer of this name as surname was the English novelist and poet George Meredith (1828-1909).

From the English word mercy, ultimately from Latin merces "wages, reward", a derivative of merx "goods, wares". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.

From the Latin Mercurius, probably derived from Latin mercari "to trade" or merces "wages". This was the name of the Roman god of trade, merchants, and travellers, later equated with the Greek god Hermes. This is also the name of the first planet in the solar system and a metallic chemical element, both named for the god.

Latin form of Mercury.

Transferred use of the surname Mercer.

Meaning unknown, perhaps based on Cornish mor "sea".

Means "gift of the moon", derived from Greek μήνη (mene) meaning "moon" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Metrodora and Nymphodora.

From the Greek name Μενέλαος (Menelaos), derived either from μένω (meno) meaning "to stay, to last" or μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force" combined with λαός (laos) meaning "people". In Greek legend he was a king of Sparta and the husband of Helen. When his wife was taken by Paris, the Greeks led by his brother Agamemnon besieged the city of Troy in an effort to get her back. After the war Menelaus and Helen settled down to a happy life.

Meaning unknown. In European folklore Melusine was a water fairy who turned into a serpent from the waist down every Saturday. She made her husband, Raymond of Poitou, promise that he would never see her on that day, and when he broke his word she left him forever.

Means "king of the city", from Phoenician 𐤌𐤋𐤊 (milk) meaning "king" and 𐤒𐤓𐤕 (qart) meaning "city". This was the name of a Phoenician god worshipped especially in the city of Tyre.

Derived from Greek μέλπω (melpo) meaning "to sing, to celebrate with song". This was the name of one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, the muse of tragedy.

Derived from Greek μέλι (meli) meaning "honey" (genitive μέλιτος). This was the name of a 2nd-century bishop of Sardis who is regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church.

Means "bee" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a daughter of Procles, as well as an epithet of various Greek nymphs and priestesses. According to the early Christian writer Lactantius [2] this was the name of the sister of the nymph Amalthea, with whom she cared for the young Zeus. Later it appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem Orlando Furioso [3] belonging to the fairy who helps Ruggiero escape from the witch Alcina. As an English given name, Melissa has been used since the 18th century.

Possibly from Greek μήλινος (melinos) meaning "quince-coloured, yellow", a derivative of μῆλον (melon) meaning "fruit, apple". According to Greek mythology she was a chthonic nymph or goddess, often described as a daughter of Persephone and Zeus.

Means "practice, exercise" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of meditation.

Derived from Greek μέλας (melas) meaning "black, dark" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of an insolent goatherd killed by Odysseus.

Likely derived from Megara.

In Greeky mythology, Megareus of Onchestus was King of Onchestus, Boeotia, and father of Hippomenes, while Megareus (sometimes called Menoeceus) of Thebes was a son of Eurydice of Thebes and defended Thebes against the Seven Against Thebes, committing suicide to save his city.

Latinized form of Greek Μέγαιρα (Megaira), which was derived from μεγαίρω (megairo) meaning "to grudge". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. The name is used as a word in several European languages to denote a shrewish, ill-tempered woman (for example, French mégère and Italian megera).

Greek form of Medea.

From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.

Feminine form of Max. It has been commonly used only since the beginning of the 20th century.

French form of Maximus.

French form of the Roman name Maxentius, a derivative of Latin maximus "greatest". This was the agnomen of an early 4th-century Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius, a rival of Constantine. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint from Agde in France.

From the name of the type of bird, also called the song thrush, derived from Old French mauvis, of uncertain origin. It was first used as a given name by the British author Marie Corelli, who used it for a character in her novel The Sorrows of Satan (1895).

An invented name, possibly blending Mavis or Maven with Avery.

Variant of Maeve.

Italian feminine form of Matthew.

From the Germanic name Mahthilt meaning "strength in battle", from the elements maht "might, strength" and hilt "battle". Saint Matilda was the wife of the 10th-century German king Henry I the Fowler. The name was common in many branches of European royalty in the Middle Ages. It was brought to England by the Normans, being borne by the wife of William the Conqueror himself. Another notable royal by this name was a 12th-century daughter of Henry I of England, known as the Empress Matilda because of her first marriage to the Holy Roman emperor Henry V. She later invaded England, laying the foundations for the reign of her son Henry II.

The name was very popular until the 15th century in England, usually in the vernacular form Maud. Both forms were revived by the 19th century. This name appears in the popular Australian folk song Waltzing Matilda, written in 1895.

Variant of Mathgamain.

From an English surname (or vocabulary word) meaning "stoneworker", derived from an Old French word of Frankish origin (akin to Old English macian "to make"). In the United States this name began to increase in popularity in the 1980s, likely because of its fashionable sound. It jumped in popularity after 2009 when Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their son, as featured on their reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2010. It peaked as the second most popular name for boys in 2011.

Polish form of Morana.

Possibly related to Latin mas meaning "male" (genitive maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.

Dutch cognate of Marjolaine.

Means "marjoram" in French, from Latin maiorana. Marjoram is a minty herb.

Means "of the sea", taken from the Latin title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea".

Medieval French diminutive of Marie.

Possibly a diminutive of Mary or a variant of Amaryllis. More common in the 19th century, this name was borne by the American suffragist Marilla Ricker (1840-1920). It is also the name of the adoptive mother of Anne in L. M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables (1908).

Variant of Margot influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from Margot.

Danish diminutive of Marina or Maria.

Welsh form of Margaret.

Variant of Marceline.

Roman family name that was originally a diminutive of Marcus. This was the name of two popes.

French feminine form of Marcellinus.

Feminine form of Marcellinus.

French feminine form of Marcellus.

Feminine form of Marcellus.

Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin mane "morning". Marcus Manlius Capitolinus was a Roman consul who saved Rome from the Gauls in the 4th century BC.

Roman praenomen, or given name, which was possibly derived from Latin manus "good".

From the Hebrew name םְנַשֶּׁה (Menashshe) meaning "causing to forget", a derivative of נָשָׁה (nasha) meaning "to forget" [1]. In the Old Testament this is the name of the oldest son of Joseph and Asenath and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. It was also borne by a 7th-century BC king of Judah, condemned in the Bible for allowing the worship of other gods.

A rare masculine name from England's north; it means "little warrior".
It is very scarce outside of the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield and its surrounding towns, however, within this range, it was far more widely used - never common, but present nonetheless. Note that this name has no connection with the Scandinavian girl's name Malin, which is a short form of the French Madeleine.

From an English surname that was from a Norman French place name possibly meaning "inhospitable".

From Greek μαρμαίρω (marmairo) meaning "sparkle, gleam, flash". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids.

From Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning "good mother, dame, foster mother", perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.

Probably from Latin maior meaning "greater". This was the name of a Roman goddess of spring, a companion (sometimes wife) of Vulcan. She was later conflated with the Greek goddess Maia. The month of May is named for her.

Late Latin name meaning "great". It was borne by a 7th-century saint who was a missionary in Germany. It became popular in Scandinavia after the time of the 11th-century Norwegian king Magnus I, who was said to have been named after Charlemagne, or Carolus Magnus in Latin (however there was also a Norse name Magni). The name was borne by six subsequent kings of Norway as well as three kings of Sweden. It was imported to Scotland and Ireland during the Middle Ages.

From a title meaning "of Magdala". Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament, was named thus because she was from Magdala — a village on the Sea of Galilee whose name meant "tower" in Hebrew. She was cleaned of evil spirits by Jesus and then remained with him during his ministry, witnessing the crucifixion and the resurrection. She was a popular saint in the Middle Ages, and the name became common then. In England it is traditionally rendered Madeline, while Magdalene or Magdalen is the learned form.

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.

Means "welcome" in Tahitian. It gained popularity in France during the 1980s.

Roman praenomen, of which the meaning is uncertain. It is possibly related to (or even derived from) Latin maereo "to grieve, to mourn, to be sad" (also compare Latin maestus "sad, dejected, gloomy").

Roman nomen gentile that was derived from Maesus. This was one of the names of Lollianus Mavortius, a Roman politician from the 4th century AD.

Feminine form of Maesus. A bearer of this name was the Roman woman Julia Maesa, who was the maternal grandmother of Roman Emperors Elagabalus and Alexander Severus.

Feminine form of Maël.

Feminine form of Maël.

From a Welsh surname meaning "son of Madoc". It was brought to public attention when the actress Angelina Jolie gave this name to her adopted son in 2002.

Means "rage, fury, anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Lyssa is a goddess associated with uncontrolled rage.

Variant of Lys.

From Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening". This was borne by a Greek philosopher, Lysis of Taras, who was said to have been a friend and disciple of Pythagoras, as well as the title character in a Socratic dialogue of Plato.

Means "a release of a horse", derived from Greek λυσις (lysis) "a release, loosening" combined with Greek ‘ιππος (hippos) "horse". This was the name of a Greek sculptor from the 4th century BC, noted as being one of the best sculptors of the ancient world.

Derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening".

Feminine form of Lysandros (see Lysander).

Latinized form of the Greek name Λύσανδρος (Lysandros), derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a notable 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.

Lyris is occasionally listed among the Oceanids of Greek mythology. As such, the name first appears in Hyginus's Fabulae.
However, said text is corrupted in places, meaning that some of the names are only partially legible. Lyris is such a name and thus usually rendered as *lyris (with the * representing an unknown name element).

The name of the constellation in the northern sky containing the star Vega. It is said to be shaped after the lyre of Orpheus. This is the name of the main character in the His Dark Materials series of books by Philip Pullman (beginning 1995).

Appears in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends 'Le Morte d'Arthur', belonging to the daughter of Earl Sanam. Lyonors had an affair with Arthur and bore him a son, Borre. Alfred Lord Tennyson used the name in his poem 'Gareth and Lynette' (1872) for the sister of Lynette, a character usually called Lyonesse in medieval versions of the story.

Means "lioness" in Middle English. In Thomas Malory's 15th-century tale Le Morte d'Arthur this is the name of a woman trapped in a castle by the Red Knight. Her sister Lynet gains the help of the knight Gareth in order to save her.

Lynx is a constellation in the northern sky, introduced in the 17th century by Johannes Hevelius. It is named after the lynx, a genus of cats.

Transferred use of the surname Lynley.

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). It was the maiden name of Schreiner's mother, Rebecca Schreiner née Lyndall. Known bearers South African politician Lyndall Shope-Mafole (1957/8-), South African-born British author and academic Lyndall Gordon (1941-), South African model and television presenter Lyndall Jarvis (1983-), and American painter Lyndall Bass (1952-). A male bearer was Lyndall Fownes Urwick (1891-1983), a pioneering business management thinker from the United Kingdom.

From an English surname that was derived from Norman French l'isle meaning "island".

Means "good fortune, happiness" in Danish.

Meaning unknown. This was the name of the semi-legendary king who gave his name to the region of Lydia in Asia Minor.

Means "from Lydia" in Greek. Lydia was a region on the west coast of Asia Minor, said to be named for the legendary king Lydos. In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. In the modern era the name has been in use since the Protestant Reformation.

Latinized form of the Greek name Λύκος (Lykos) meaning "wolf". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology including a legendary ruler of Thebes.

Latinized form of the Greek name Λυκοῦργος (Lykourgos), derived from λύκος (lykos) meaning "wolf" and ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work, deed". In Greek legend this was the name of a king who was driven mad by the gods because of his impiety. This was also the name of a Spartan legislator of the 9th century BC.

Supposedly related to Greek λυκοφως (lykophos) "twilight" or λυκαυγές (lykauges) "morning twilight, dawn", derived from λυκος (lykos) "wolf" and αυγη (auge) "dawn, daylight". It was used by Latin poet Cornelius Gallus as a pseudonym for the actress-courtesan (Volumnia) Cytheris. A genus of flowering plants in the Amaryllis family is named after her.

Latinized form of Lykaon.

From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Liulfr (which was derived in part from úlfr "wolf").

Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".

From a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

From Armenian լուսին (lusin) meaning "moon".

Derived from Latin luscinia "nightingale". This was an epithet of the Roman goddess Minerva. As an English name, it has been used sparingly since the 19th century.

Used by Erin Hunter in the Seekers series of novels. It means, "Midnight".

Possibly an elaboration of Lura by way of combining it with the name suffix -illa.

Possibly a form of Laura.

Form of Lunete used in the Welsh tale Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain (which was based on Chrétien's poem).

Derived from French lune "moon", making it a cognate of Luna.

Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.

Possibly from one of the Indo-European roots *lewk- "light, brightness", *lewg- "dark" or *lewgh- "oath". This was the name of a Celtic (Gaulish) god of commerce and craftsmanship, who was equated by the Romans with Mercury. He probably forms the basis for the characters and names of Lugh (Irish) and Lleu (Welsh).

Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.

As a Russian name, this is an alternate transcription of Людмила (usually rendered Lyudmila).

Possibly from a feminine form of Leutwin. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the French miniseries Les Gens de Mogador.

English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.

Italian form of Lucretia.

Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.

Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux meaning "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.

Variant of Lucilia.

French form of Lucilla. A famous bearer was American comedienne Lucille Ball (1911-1989).

Latin diminutive of Lucia. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint martyred in Rome.

Roman family name that was a derivative of the given name Lucius. This was the family name of the 2nd-century BC Roman satirist Gaius Lucilius.

Roman cognomen which was derived from the Roman nomen gentile Lucilius. Bearers of this name were Egnatius Lucilianus, a governor of Britannia Inferior (between AD 238 and 244) and Claudius Lucilianus, a Roman prefect from the 2nd century AD. Saint Lucilianus was a Coptic saint.

Feminine form of Lucilianus.

Feminine form of Lucilius.

Means "bringing light", derived from Latin lux "light" and ferre "to bring". In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus, but later became associated with the chief angel who rebelled against God's rule in heaven (see Isaiah 14:12). In later literature, such as the Divine Comedy (1321) by Dante and Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton, Lucifer became associated with Satan himself.

Roman family name that was derived from the Roman praenomen Lucius. Lucianus (or Λουκιανός in his native Greek) of Samosata was a 2nd-century satirist and author. This name was also borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Beauvais and a 4th-century saint and martyr from Antioch.

Feminine form of Lucianus.

Romanian and English form of Lucianus. Lucian is the usual name of Lucianus of Samosata in English.

Feminine form of Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings Lucy or Luce.

In Roman mythology, Lua was a goddess to whom soldiers sacrificed captured weapons. Her name is thought to be derived from Latin luo "to set free".
As a given name, Lua has been in occasional use in the English-speaking world since the 1800s.

The name of one of the Hyperborian nymphs who accompanied Artemis. The name is ultimately derived from the word λοξος (loxos) meaning "slant, trajectory" or "indirect, ambiguous".

Transferred use of the surname Loxley.

From an English surname that was derived from a Norman French nickname, from lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).

Possibly coined as a feminine form of Lovell.

From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.

Transferred use of the surname Lovelace.

From the name of a French town. It became a popular center of pilgrimage after a young girl from the town had visions of the Virgin Mary in a nearby grotto.

French feminine form of Louis.

Latinate feminine form of Louis. A famous bearer was the American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the author of Little Women.

From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.

From the Germanic name Hlothar meaning "famous army", derived from the elements hlut "famous, loud" and heri "army". This was the name of medieval Frankish rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and France. It was also borne by four earlier Merovingian kings of the Franks, though their names are usually spelled as Chlothar.

From the title Marquis of Lorne, which was based on the Scottish place name Lorne, itself possibly derived from the name of the legendary king of Dál Riata, Loarn mac Eirc. This was the title of the first Governor General of Canada, where it has since been most frequently used as a given name. A famous bearer was the Canadian actor Lorne Greene (1915-1987).

Variant of Loren.

Perhaps a variant of Lauretta or Loreto. A famous bearer was the American actress Loretta Young (1913-2000), whose birth name was Gretchen.

From the name of a town in Italy, originally called Lauretum in Latin, meaning "laurel grove". Supposedly in the 13th century the house of the Virgin Mary was miraculously carried by angels from Nazareth to the town. In Spain it is a feminine name, from the Marian title Nuestra Señora de Loreto, while in Italy it is mostly masculine.

Variant of Lorelei. This name featured on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) where it was borne by the two main characters (the younger one went by the nickname Rory).

Used by the French author George Sand for a character in her novel Mattea (1833) and later by the Italian author Luciano Zuccoli in his novel L'amore de Loredana (1908). It was possibly based on the Venetian surname Loredan, which was derived from the place name Loreo.

Variant of Lore 2.

German contracted form of Eleonore.

Means "flower" in Basque.

Means "little fierce one", derived from Old Irish lorcc "fierce" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Lorcán was a 12th-century archbishop of Dublin.

Means "little blackbird", derived from Old Irish lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.

Means "little bare one", derived from Old Irish lomm "bare" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a nephew of Saint Patrick.

Variant of Lommán.

Meaning unknown, possibly derived from the Germanic root *luką meaning "lock". In Norse mythology Loki was a trickster god associated with magic and shape shifting. Loki's children include the wolf Fenrir, the sea serpent Jörmungandr, and the queen of the dead Hel. After he orchestrated the death of Balder, the other gods tied him to a rock below a snake that dripped venom onto his face. It is told that he will break free during Ragnarök, the final battle, and slay and be slain by Heimdall.

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.

Breton form of Louis.

From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Ayrshire meaning "little hollow" (from Gaelic lag "hollow, pit" combined with a diminutive suffix). This name started slowly rising on the American popularity charts in the mid-1970s, perhaps partly inspired by the movie Logan's Run (1976). The comic book character Wolverine, alias Logan, was also introduced around the same time.

The name has been very common throughout the English-speaking world since end of the 20th century. In the United States it reached a high point in 2017, when it ranked as the fifth most popular name for boys.

Transferred use of the surname Loel. See also Lowell. Known bearers of this name include British philanthropist Loel Guinness (b. 1957) and his grandfather, the British politician Thomas "Loel" Guinness (1906-1988).

Means "calf herder", derived from Old Irish lóeg "calf". In Irish legend Lóegaire Búadach was an Ulster warrior. He saved the life of the poet Áed, but died in the process. This was also the name of several Irish high kings.

Transferred use of the surname Locke.

Means "Viking, Scandinavian" from Old Irish Lochlann, a name for Scandinavia. It means "land of the lakes", derived from loch "lake".

Means "the eye" in Sanskrit.

Feminine form of Elouan.

Anglicization of the Icelandic name for the English golden plover.

Probably a Welsh form of an unattested old Celtic name *Lugubelinos, a combination of the names of the gods Lugus and Belenus, or a compound of Lugus and a Celtic root meaning "strong". Alternatively it may be derived from Welsh llyw "leader". This was the name of several Welsh rulers, notably the 13th-century Llywelyn the Great who fought against the English.

Unaccented variant of Llŷr.

Means "linnet, finch" in Welsh. The linnet (species Linaria cannabina) is a small European bird in the finch family.

Variant of Llywelyn influenced by the Welsh word llew "lion".

Feminine form of Llywelyn.

Variant of Lleu. It can also be a short form of Llewelyn. It coincides with the Welsh word llew meaning "lion".

Roman family name that may be related to either Latin liveo "to envy" or lividus "blue, envious". Titus Livius, also known as Livy, was a Roman historian who wrote a history of the city of Rome.

Transferred use of the surname Livingston.

Roman diminutive of Livia 1. It was a family nickname for the elder sister of the Roman emperor Claudius, Livia Julia (c.13 BC-31 AD), apparently called Livilla "little Livia" in order to distinguish her from her grandmother and namesake, Livia (wife of Augustus).

Feminine form of Livius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Augustus, Livia Drusilla.

Short form of Elisabet.

Strictly feminine form of Lior.

Means "my light" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and אוֹר (ʾor) "light".

French diminutive of Léon. It appears in Arthurian legend in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle, belonging to a knight who was the brother of Sir Bors. A notable modern bearer is the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi (1987-).

Venetian and Ligurian form of Leone 1.

Variant of Leo.

From the Greek name Λίνος (Linos) meaning "flax". In Greek legend he was the son of the god Apollo, who accidentally killed him in a contest. Another son of Apollo by this name was the music teacher of Herakles. The name was also borne by the second pope, serving after Saint Peter in the 1st century. In modern times this was the name of a character in Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.

Either a variant of Lynette or else from the name of the small bird, a type of finch.

From the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favourite flower.

From the word for the type of flower, also called the twinflower (see Linnéa).

Transferred use of the English surname Lindley (see also Linley).

From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".

From an English surname that was originally from the name of an English city, called Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic lindo "lake, pool" and Latin colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.

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-).

Transferred use of the surname Lillis.

Lillis was Bing Crosby's middle name. (He was born Harold Lillis Crosby.)

Probably originally a diminutive of Elizabeth. It may also be considered an elaborated form of Lily, from the Latin word for "lily" lilium. This name has been used in England since the 16th century.