humblebee's Personal Name List

From the Hebrew name אַהֲרֹן (ʾAharon), which is most likely of unknown Egyptian origin. Other theories claim a Hebrew derivation, and suggest meanings such as "high mountain" or "exalted". In the Old Testament this name is borne by the older brother of Moses. He acted as a spokesman for his brother when they appealed to the pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Aaron's rod produced miracles and plagues to intimidate the pharaoh. After the departure from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, God installed Aaron as the first high priest of the Israelites and promised that his descendants would form the priesthood.

As an English name, Aaron has been in use since the Protestant Reformation. This name was borne by the American politician Aaron Burr (1756-1836), notable for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel.

Combination of the prefix a and Brielle, or a variant of Aubrielle.

Derived from Arabic ākhir an-nahr, meaning "the end of the river". This is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Eridanus.

Derived from Greek ἄχεα ῥέων (áchea rhéōn) meaning "the stream of woe". Also compare Greek αχος (achos) meaning "pain". Some consider the aforementioned meaning to be folk etymology, saying that instead the name might be derived from Greek acherousai meaning "marsh-like water". In Greek mythology, the Acheron was a branch of the underworld river of Styx, which newly dead souls needed to cross in order to get into Hades.

Means "mist, darkness" in Greek. According to a poem by Hesiod, she was one of the figures portrayed on the shield of Herakles. She is described as a wraithlike woman personifying death and sorrow.

From Guanche aqqoran, derived from *āhɣuran "God", literally "the Celestial", from *ahɣur "firmament, vault of heaven, sky". This was the name of the supreme god in the mythology of the Guanches indigenous to Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands.

Originally a short form of Germanic names such as Adelaide or Adelina that begin with the element adal meaning "noble". Saint Ada was a 7th-century Frankish abbess at Le Mans. This name was also borne by Augusta Ada King (1815-1852), the Countess of Lovelace (known as Ada Lovelace), a daughter of Lord Byron. She was an assistant to Charles Babbage, the inventor of an early mechanical computer.

Combination of Ada 1 and Iris.

Form of Adela used in several languages. A famous bearer was the dancer and actress Adele Astaire (1896-1981). It was also borne by the British singer Adele Adkins (1988-), known simply as Adele. Shortly after she released her debut album in 2008 the name reentered the American top 1000 chart after a 40-year absence.

Derived from Kazakh ай (ay) meaning "moon" combined with Arabic نَار (nār) meaning "fire, flame, light" or Persian نار (nâr) meaning "pomegranate" (or also, "fire").

Short form of Alexander.

Dutch and Spanish short form of Adelaide.

Combination of Anna and Beth.

Medieval English variant of Honora.

From an English surname meaning "bowman, archer", of Old French origin. Although already slowly growing in popularity, this name accelerated its rise after the premiere of the American television series Archer in 2009.

From an English surname that was originally derived from the feminine given name Eoforhild.

From an English occupational surname derived from Old English bakere meaning "baker".

Coined by Sabino Arana Goiri and Koldo Elizalde as a Basque form of Valeriana and Valériane.

From a surname, possibly an Americanized form of the German surname Beiler, derived from Middle High German beile meaning "measuring stick".

From an English surname that could be derived from various sources, including from Middle English bec meaning "beak" or bekke meaning "stream, brook".

From an Old French form of the Germanic name Belissendis, possibly composed of the elements bili "suitable, proper, fitting, decent, amiable" (cf. Biligard) and swind "strong, brave, powerful".

The form Belisent belongs to a legendary daughter of Charlemagne in the poems 'Ami et Amile' (c.1200) and 'Otinel' or 'Otuel a Knight' (c.1330). In the late 13th-century Arthurian tale 'Arthour and Merlin', Belisent is Arthur's half-sister, the wife of Lot and mother of Gareth; Alfred Lord Tennyson also used the form Belicent in his Arthurian epic 'Gareth and Lynette'.

From the English word blessing, of Old English origin. This name is most common in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.

Transferred use of the surname Bliss or simply from the English word "bliss".

Means "pretty" from the Scottish word bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.

Anglicized form of Boisil.

From a Welsh surname, derived from ap Owain meaning "son of Owain".

Derived from Irish brecc "freckled, speckled" combined with a diminutive suffix, making it a cognate of Brychan. This was a common name in early Ireland, borne by at least 13 saints.

Anglicized form of the Irish name Brighid, Old Irish Brigit, from old Celtic *Brigantī meaning "the exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.

Previously a short form of Briseida, though it is now regarded as an independent name directly from the Spanish word brisa "breeze". In Mexico this name was popularized by a character named Brisa (played by actress Margarita Magaña) on the telenovela "Por tu amor" (1999).

Feminine variant of Bryn. It was brought to limited public attention in 1978 when the actress Brynn Thayer (1949-) began appearing on the American soap opera One Life to Live [1].

The name 'Cabot' comes from the fifteenth century Italian explorer Giovanni Caboto who was commissioned by the Kingdom of England to discover North America. When Caboto arrived in England is name was changed to John Cabot to sound more English. The name also comes from the famous Cabot family who were very powerful in the Massachusetts Bay area around present day Boston.

While nowadays generally considered a phonetic spelling of Katie or a diminutive of Cadence, Cady was originally derived from a surname which was either a variant of Cade or an Anglicized form of Ó Ceadaigh ("descendant of Céadach"), with Ceadach being a byname derived from Irish ceadach "talkative".

A known bearer of the surname was the American feminist Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902). It was also used for the central character in the film 'Mean Girls' (2004).

The name of a faint constellation in the southern sky, which is from Latin caelum meaning "heaven, sky" (compare Caelius) or (allegedly) "burin" (a tool for engraving on copper or other metals).

Invented by the Italian writer Marco Girolamo Vida as a goddess of chess in 1527. It was reused in the poem Caïssa (1763) by William Jones. Since then, the name was sporadically given to girls. It is also a popular name for chess clubs.

Allegedly from Hebrew כַּלָּה (kallah) meaning "bride", a word sometimes used as a metaphor for the Sabbath (hence, "Shabbat bride"), though it is uncertain whether this is truly used as a Jewish name.

Considering the submitted pronunciation is "cayla", this may be a variant of the Yiddish name Kaila (which was fairly popular in the 19th century among Ashkenazim Jews).

Transferred use of the surname Calder.

Most likely related to Hebrew כֶּלֶב (kelev) meaning "dog" [1]. An alternate theory connects it to Hebrew כֹּל (kol) meaning "whole, all of" [2] and לֵב (lev) meaning "heart" [3]. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve spies sent by Moses into Canaan. Of the Israelites who left Egypt with Moses, Caleb and Joshua were the only ones who lived to see the Promised Land.

As an English name, Caleb came into use after the Protestant Reformation. It was common among the Puritans, who introduced it to America in the 17th century.

From the English word calico referring to something having a pattern of red and contrasting areas, specially the tri-coloured cat, resembling the color of calico cloth, a kind of rough cloth often printed with a bright pattern. Derived from Calicut, an Anglicized form of Kozhikode (from Malayalam കോഴിക്കോട് (kōḻikkōṭ), koyil "palace" combined with kota "fort, fortified palace"), the name of a city in southwestern India from where the cloth was originally exported.

A noted bearer is John Rackham (1682 – 1720), commonly known as Calico Jack, an English pirate captain operating in the Bahamas and in Cuba during the early 18th century, his nickname derived from the calico clothing he wore.

Combination of Cambria with the popular suffix ree.

It is of Italian and Middle French origin, and the meaning is "skin". From Italian cammeo which refers to a gem portrait carved in relief.

From the name of the ancient city of Cana as mentioned in the New Testament, John 2:1-11, relating the story of Jesus's first miracle.

Medieval Spanish form of Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word carmen meaning "song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera Carmen (1875).

Variant of Carey. A famous bearer was the British-American actor Cary Grant (1904-1986).

Possibly a variant of Casimira or Kashmira.

Recently created name intended to mean "what will be, will be". It is from the title of the 1956 song Que Sera, Sera, which was taken from the Italian phrase che sarà sarà. The phrase que sera, sera is not grammatically correct in any Romance language.

French form of Katherine, and also a common English variant.

Latinate feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, which was derived from Latin caecus meaning "blind". Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.

Due to the popularity of the saint, the name became common in the Christian world during the Middle Ages. The Normans brought it to England, where it was commonly spelled Cecily — the Latinate form Cecilia came into use in the 18th century.

Derived from Welsh cain "good, lovely" and gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint also known as Cain or Keyne.

Means "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from चन्द (cand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of both the masculine form चण्ड (the god of the moon personified) as well as the feminine form चण्डा (spelled with a long final vowel).

French and English form of Carolus, the Latin form of the Germanic name Karl, which was derived from a word meaning "man" (Proto-Germanic *karlaz). However, an alternative theory states that it is derived from the common Germanic name element *harjaz meaning "army".

The popularity of the name in continental Europe was due to the fame of Charles the Great (742-814), commonly known as Charlemagne, a king of the Franks who came to rule over most of Europe. His grandfather Charles Martel had also been a noted leader of the Franks. It was subsequently the name of several Holy Roman emperors, as well as rulers of France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden and Hungary (in various spellings). After Charlemagne, his name was adopted as a word meaning "king" in many Eastern European languages, for example Czech král, Hungarian király, Russian король (korol), and Turkish kral.

The name did not become common in Britain until the 17th century when it was borne by the Stuart king Charles I. It had been introduced into the Stuart royal family by Mary Queen of Scots, who had been raised in France. Two other kings of the United Kingdom have borne this name, including the current monarch.

Other famous bearers include naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882) who revolutionized biology with his theory of evolution, novelist Charles Dickens (1812-1870) who wrote such works as Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities, French statesman Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970), and American cartoonist Charles Schulz (1922-2000), the creator of the Peanuts comic strip.

This name can be used as 千亜理, 千亜里, 千愛里, 智愛梨 or 知愛利 with 千 (sen, chi) meaning "thousand," 智 (chi) meaning "intellect, wisdom," 知 (chi, shi.raseru, shi.ru) meaning "know, wisdom," 亜 (a, tsu.gu) meaning "Asia, come after, rank next," 愛 (ai, ito.shii, o.shimu, kana.shii, mana, me.deru, a) meaning "affection, love," 理 (ri, kotowari) meaning "justice, logic, reason, truth," 里 (ri, sato) meaning "parent's home, ri (unit of distance - equal to 3.927 km), village," 梨 (ri, nashi) meaning "pear tree" and 利 (ri, ki.ku) meaning "advantage, benefit, profit, gain."

This name is rarely given to girls, if given at all.

Alternate transcription of Greek Χρύσα (see Chrysa).

Old French form of Claremunda, which may have been derived from Latin clarus "clear, bright" and Germanic mund "protector".

Feminine form of Clarence. This was the title character of a 1796 novel of manners written by Sarah Burney, younger half-sister of Frances Burney.

From an English surname meaning "cleric" or "scribe", from Old English clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. As a first name it was borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), as well as the comic book character Clark Kent, the mild-mannered alter ego of Superman, first created 1938.

Latinate form of Cleo apparently coined by British novelist Lawrence Durrell for a character in his Alexandria Quartet. A known bearer is American actress Clea DuVall (1977-).

Variant of Cléanthe.
This name appears in the play Tartuffe (1664) by Molière.

Italian form of Cloelia.

English form of the Late Latin name Clemens (or sometimes of its derivative Clementius), which meant "merciful, gentle". This was the name of 14 popes, including Saint Clement I, the third pope, one of the Apostolic Fathers. Another saint by this name was Clement of Alexandria, a 3rd-century theologian and church father who attempted to reconcile Christian and Platonic philosophies. It has been in general as a given name in Christian Europe (in various spellings) since early times. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, though it was revived in the 19th century.

From an English surname that was originally given to a keeper of horses, derived from Middle English colt.

French form of Quirinus.

Meaning uncertain, from the name of a character in medieval legend, possibly first recorded by Spanish writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo. Perhaps it was derived from an older form of Spanish corazón "heart" (e.g., Old Spanish coraçon; ultimately from Latin cor "heart", with the hypothetic Vulgar Latin root *coratione, *coraceone) or the Greek name Chrysanthe. As a nickname it was used by a mistress of King Henry IV of France: Diane d'Andoins (1554-1620), la Belle Corisande. Some usage may be generated by Jean-Baptiste Lully's opera Amadis (1684; based on Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo), in which it belongs to the lover of the prince Florestan. The name was also used by Benjamin Disraeli for a character in his play Lothair (1870).

Latinized form of the Greek name Κοσμία (Kosmia), which meant "orderly, decent".

From the English word "creed" meaning "that which is believed, a set of beliefs, particularly religious, or any set of principals adhered to; a manifesto of religious or spiritual beliefs; or the fact of believing, as in belief, faith". From the Old English credo, creda, from the Latin credo 'I believe', from credere 'to believe'.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Corraidhín, itself from the given name Corraidhín.

From an English surname that was either a variant of the surname Dean or else an ethnic name referring to a person from Denmark.

Variant of Darian.

In the case of American author Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) it was from his mother's surname, which was possibly an Anglicized form of French de Chiel, of unknown meaning.

From the Old English dæġ, from the Proto-Germanic dagaz, from the Proto-Indo-European dʰegʷʰ- meaning 'to burn'.

From a surname, see Dean 1 and Dean 2. The actor James Dean (1931-1955) was a famous bearer of the surname.

Anglicized form of Irish Deasmhumhain meaning "south Munster", referring to the region of Desmond in southern Ireland, formerly a kingdom. It can also come from the related surname (an Anglicized form of Ó Deasmhumhnaigh), which indicated a person who came from that region. A famous bearer is the South African archbishop and activist Desmond Tutu (1931-2021).

English form of Destrier, a French surname derived from the Anglo-Norman word destrer meaning "warhorse". This name was popularized by the western novel 'Destry Rides Again' (1930, by Max Brand) and two subsequent identically-named film adaptations (1932 and 1939).

Transferred use of the surname Devlin.

Combination of Diana and Alexandra or Sandra.

A well-known bearer of this name is Diandra Luker (b. 1957), the ex-wife of the American actor Michael Douglas (b. 1944).

Croatian and Slovene short form of Edita and Croatian short form of Judita.

Transferred use of the surname Dolan.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Donndubháin, itself derived from the given name Donndubán. This name is borne by the Scottish folk musician Donovan Leitch (1946-), known simply as Donovan.

Meaning unknown, probably of Celtic origin. This is the name of the faithful wife in 'The Franklin's Tale', one of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

From a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means "dark river", derived from Gaelic dubh "dark" and glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is Dùghlas or Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.

From the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.

Transferred use of the surname Dugan.

Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name Donnchadh, derived from Old Irish donn "brown" and cath "battle". This was the name of two kings of Scotland, including the one who was featured in Shakespeare's play Macbeth (1606).

Old French variant of Adelina. It was borne by Edeline Thwenge, a 14th-century heiress of Ripley Castle in North Yorkshire, England. The Edeline Islands of Western Australia are named for Lady Edeline Sackville-West (1870-1918), the wife of Gerald Strickland, 1st Baron Strickland.

Feminine form of Edmé.

Polish form of Edith.

Variant of Edith, in use in the English-speaking world since the 1200s.

Italian feminine form of Egidio and Polish feminine form of Egidiusz.

From Welsh eilon meaning "deer, stag" or "song, melody". This name was used by Lloyd Alexander in his book series The Chronicles of Prydain (1964-1968) as well as the Disney film adaptation The Black Cauldron (1985).

Provençal form of Elizabeth.

Possibly derived from Greek ἄλαρα (alara) meaning "hazelnut, spear-shaft". In Greek mythology Elara was one of Zeus's mortal lovers and by him the mother of the giant Tityos. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.

A medieval English form of Eulalia.
The name came about due to a confusion of the second L with R in the local dialect of the West Country. The cult of St Eulalia spread from Spain and France to the English West Country, where, like Ellery (a corruption of Eulalie) for girls, Elaria seems to have been used the most.

Derived from Cornish elester meaning "iris flower". This is a recently coined Cornish name.

Means "ascension" in Hebrew, a derivative of עָלָה (ʿala) meaning "to ascend". In the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament he is a high priest of the Israelites. He took the young Samuel into his service and gave him guidance when God spoke to him. Because of the misdeeds of his sons, Eli and his descendants were cursed to die before reaching old age.

Eli has been used as an English Christian given name since the Protestant Reformation. A notable bearer was the American inventor of the cotton gin Eli Whitney (1765-1825).

Means "God's people" in Hebrew, derived from Hebrew el "God" and am "people". Eliam was the name of a biblical character listed in the Books of Samuel as one of "The Thirty."

Finnish, Estonian and Swedish form of Helen.

Short form of Elizabeth. It was borne by the character Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion (1913) and the subsequent musical adaptation My Fair Lady (1956).

From a surname that was a variant of Elliott.

Of uncertain origin and meaning. It might be a variant of Elora or an adoption of the name of the Ellora Caves of India, an ancient network of caverns containing hieroglyphic writings archeologists still have not deciphered the meaning of.

Derived from Basque elorri "hawthorn". In Basque folklore, the hawthorn has been considered a sacred plant.

Ulster Scots variant of Elspeth and German contracted form of Elisabeth.

Contraction of Emily and Elizabeth. Embeth Davidtz (1965-) is a South African actress.

Transferred use of the surname Embry. It was used by Stephenie Meyer for a character in her 'Twilight' series of books.

Japanese feminine name derived from 英 (ei) meaning "flower, petal, leaf, fine, bright" or 絵 (e) meaning "sketch, paint, draw" and 美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", with the suffix 里 (ri) meaning "village".

Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning "whole" or "great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.

After the Norman Conquest this name became common in England. It was revived in the 18th century, perhaps in part due to Matthew Prior's 1709 poem Henry and Emma [2]. It was also used by Jane Austen for the central character, the matchmaker Emma Woodhouse, in her novel Emma (1816).

In the United States, it was third in rank in 1880 (behind only the ubiquitous Mary and Anna). It declined steadily over the next century, beginning another rise in the 1980s and eventually becoming the most popular name for girls in 2008. At this time it also experienced similar levels of popularity elsewhere, including the United Kingdom (where it began rising a decade earlier), Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Scandinavia and the Netherlands. Famous bearers include the actresses Emma Thompson (1959-), Emma Stone (1988-) and Emma Watson (1990-).

Doric Greek form of Herse, the Greek goddess of dew whose name ultimately derives from Ἑρση (herse) meaning "dew".

Perhaps derived from Old French esmer meaning "to like, love, respect". This was the name of an enchanted queen of Wales in Le Bel Inconnu (ca. 1185-90), an Old French Arthurian poem by Renaut de Bâgé. In the poem, Blonde Esmeree is transformed from a serpent back into a maiden by the hero Guinglain, also known as the Fair Unknown.

Polish, Slovak, Romanian and Lithuanian form of Esther.

Anglicized form of Eòghann.

Either the feminine form of Evan and a combination of Eva and Anna.

A famous bearer is Irish actress Evanna Lynch (1991-) known for her role as Luna Lovegood in the movie adaptation of 'Harry Potter' saga.

Latinized form of Euanthe.

Dutch form of Evelina.

French form of Evelina.

From the English word, evening, the last part of the day.

Simply from the English word ever, derived from Old English æfre.

Variant of Everly.

An occupational name for a blacksmith or ironworker, ultimately derived from Latin faber "artisan, creator, craftsman, smith".

Derived from the word for a succinct story, in prose or verse, that features animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature which are given human qualities, and that illustrates a moral lesson.
The word "fable" comes from the Latin fabula (a "story"), itself derived from fari ("to speak") with the -ula suffix that signifies "little".

A character from the novel The Journey to the Forest of Temptation by George Harpen.

A transferred use of the surname Fairlight used as far back as the 1800's in England and the States.

Simply from the English word faith, ultimately from Latin fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.

From the English word fawn for a young deer.

Transferred use of the surname Fenimore, an English surname which was originally a nickname derived from Old French fin "fine, splendid" and amour "love".

From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.

Greenlandic form of Fia.

Diminutive of Fiamma. This is the name of a character appearing in several works by the 14th-century Italian author Boccaccio. She was probably based on the Neapolitan noblewoman Maria d'Aquino.

Transferred use of the surname Field.

Old Norse feminine form of Finnr.

Transferred from the originally German surname Fischer "fisher".

Originally a short form of names containing the Old German element fridu meaning "peace" (Proto-Germanic *friþuz). A famous bearer was the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).

Transferred use of the surname Frost or from the English word.

Transferred use of the surname Gable.

Latinized form of Greek Γαλάτεια (Galateia), probably derived from γάλα (gala) meaning "milk". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology including a sea nymph who was the daughter of Doris and Nereus and the lover of Acis. According to some sources, this was also the name of the ivory statue carved by Pygmalion that came to life.

Of uncertain origin and meaning. One theory, however, tries to connect this name to Latin Gallus, Galla "inhabitant of Gallia".

Transferred use of the surname Gannon.

From an English surname that was derived from the given name Gerald or Gerard. A famous bearer of the surname was Pat Garrett (1850-1908), the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid.

Transferred use of the surname Gatsby.

French form of Walter.

Transferred use of the surname Gelsey.

From Seneca fen-nis'-hee-yo "the beautiful valley". It is also the name of many locations in the United States.

Medieval English feminine form of Julian. This spelling has been in use since the 13th century, though it was not declared a distinct name from Julian until the 17th century [1].

Presumably a feminine form of Glendower.

From the English word grace, which ultimately derives from Latin gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.

This name was very popular in the English-speaking world at the end of the 19th century. Though it declined in use over the next 100 years, it staged a successful comeback at the end of the 20th century. The American sitcom Will and Grace (1998-2006) may have helped, though the name was already strongly rising when it premiered. It was the top name for girls in England and Wales in 2006.

Transferred use of the surname Grayden.

Transferred use of the surname Green.

Transferred use of the surname Greenlee.

English form of Latin Gregorius, which was from the Late Greek name Γρηγόριος (Gregorios), derived from γρήγορος (gregoros) meaning "watchful, alert". This name was popular among early Christians, being borne by a number of important saints including Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus (3rd century), Saint Gregory the Illuminator (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nyssa (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (4th century), and Saint Gregory of Tours (6th century). It was also borne by the 6th-century pope Saint Gregory I the Great, a reformer and Doctor of the Church, as well as 15 subsequent popes.

Due to the renown of the saints by this name, Gregory (in various spellings) has remained common in the Christian world through the Middle Ages and to the present day. It has been used in England since the 12th century. A famous bearer from the modern era was American actor Gregory Peck (1916-2003).

Latinate form of Guinevere.

Masculine and feminine variant of Gwellaouen.

Variant of Hadar.

Perhaps intended to derive from Greek αἰδοῖος (aidoios) meaning "modest, reverent". This name was created by Lord Byron for a character (written as Haidée) in his 1819 poem Don Juan [1].

From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "nook, retreat" from Old English healh.

From Japanese 花 (hana) or 華 (hana) both meaning "flower". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.

Combination of Hanne 1 and Liese.

Possibly a religious themed named from the word Hark, meaning "listen," a popular word used in the Bible.

Transferred use of the surname Harvester.
This name has been in occasional use since the 1800s.

Derived from Hélianthe, the French name for Helianthus, which is a genus of plants. It is ultimately derived from Greek helianthos meaning "sun-flower", from Greek helios "sun" and anthos "flower".

Said to mean "knowing" from Greek ἡσο (heso). In Greek mythology this was an epithet of Pronoia, the Titan goddess of foresight and wife of the Titan Prometheus; it was also borne by a legendary Trojan princess, a daughter of King Laomedon and sister to Priam. George Bernard Shaw used the name for a character (Hesione Hushabye) in his 1916 play 'Heartbreak House'.

Derived from Greek hesperos "evening" (see Hesperos). In Greek myth this was the name of one of the three Hesperides, goddesses of the evening and sunsets. Hesperia was also a Greek name of Italy, meaning "the land where the sun sets" (as in the case of asteroid 69 Hesperia).

Transferred use of the surname Holiday.

From a Scottish surname meaning "Hugh's town". The original Houston is in Scotland near Glasgow, but this is also the name of a city in Texas, named after the Texas president Sam Houston (1793-1863).

From an English surname meaning "son of Hudde". A famous bearer of the surname was the English explorer Henry Hudson (1570-1611).

Possibly from Greek Ἰάν (Ian), a variant of Ἴων (Ion) meaning "Ionian", the Ionians being a Greek tribe. The name Ianeira was borne by a few characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids and one of the Oceanids.

Possibly a Romanian variant of Elena. In Romanian folklore this is the name of a princess kidnapped by monsters and rescued by a heroic knight.

Latinized form of Ilione, as well as the Italian, French, Russian and Ukrainian form. Alternatively, it might be spelled Ἰλίωνα (Iliona) in Greek. In Greek myth Iliona or Ilione was a Trojan princess, a daughter of Priam and Hecuba and wife of Polymestor, a king in Thrace.

Feminine form of Illyrios.

Ancient Basque name that was first found on inscriptions in Aquitaine dating back to the 1st to 3rd centuries.
Its origin and meaning are uncertain; there is, however, a theory that it might be derived from the Basque adjective ilun (illun in Old Basque, ilunn in Aquitain), meaning "darkness; dark; sombre; gloomy; mysterious; obscure".

Polish and Sorbian form of Ilse and Brazilian Portuguese variant of Ilsa.

Variant of Inaara. It was popularized in the United States by character Inara Serra on the space Western TV show Firefly (2002), although in her case her name may have been an invention.

Diminutive of Indiana. This is the nickname of the hero of the Indiana Jones movies, starring Harrison Ford.

From the Old Norse name Ingríðr meaning "Ing is beautiful", derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with fríðr "beautiful, beloved". A famous bearer was the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982).

Probably derived from Old Irish ingen meaning "daughter" or "girl" (see Imogen).
This was the form of Ignoge used by Milton. (According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Ignoge was the name of a princess who was given in marriage by her father, King Pandrasus of Greece, to the Trojan exile Brutus in exchange for Pandrasus' freedom. In Britain, she became the mother of Locrine, Albanact and Humber.)
The spelling Inogen was used by Richard Hole in his prose Arthur (1789), where the name belonged to the daughter of Merlin, later the wife of Arthur.

By way of French Aiouez, from the Dakota word ayúxba/ayuxwe and named after the Iowa tribe. The name seems to have no further known etymology though some give it the meaning "sleepy ones".

French form of Irenaeus, also occasionally a feminine form.

Form of Irene in several languages.

Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.

Cognate of Iris.

Variant of Isemay, an Anglo-Norman name of uncertain origin and meaning. It was also recorded in medieval Ireland on women born into Anglo-Norman families.

Spanish form of Yvelise, especially used in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

Transferred use of the surname Jacoby.

From an English surname meaning "carter, peddler". It is used as a given name in honour of the British musician Mick Jagger (1943-), the lead vocalist of the Rolling Stones.

The name of the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa in the Star Wars expanded universe.

English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus, a variant of the Biblical Latin form Iacobus, from the Hebrew name Yaʿaqov (see Jacob). This was the name of two apostles in the New Testament. The first was Saint James the Greater, the apostle John's brother, who was beheaded under Herod Agrippa in the Book of Acts. The second was James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. Another James (known as James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible as being the brother of Jesus.

This name has been used in England since the 13th century, though it became more common in Scotland where it was borne by several kings. In the 17th century the Scottish king James VI inherited the English throne, becoming the first ruler of all Britain, and the name grew much more popular. In American name statistics (recorded since 1880) this name has never been out of the top 20, making it arguably the era's most consistently popular name. It was the top ranked name for boys in the United States from 1940 to 1952.

Famous bearers include the English explorer James Cook (1728-1779), the Scottish inventor James Watt (1736-1819), and the Irish novelist and poet James Joyce (1882-1941). This name has also been borne by six American presidents. A notable fictional bearer is the British spy James Bond, created by author Ian Fleming in 1953.

Medieval English form of Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see John). This became the most common feminine form of John in the 17th century, surpassing Joan. In the first half of the 20th century Joan once again overtook Jane for a few decades in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Famous bearers include the uncrowned English queen Lady Jane Grey (1536-1554), who ruled for only nine days, British novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817), who wrote Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, British primatologist Jane Goodall (1934-), and American actress Jane Fonda (1937-). This is also the name of the central character in Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre (1847), which tells of Jane's sad childhood and her relationship with Edward Rochester.

Polish form of Januarius.

From the Hebrew name יֶפֶת (Yefeṯ) meaning "enlarged". In the Old Testament he is one of the three sons of Noah, along with Shem and Ham. He was the ancestor of the peoples of Europe and northern Asia.

Combination of Jena and the popular suffix lyn.

Feminine form of Jenaro.

Variant of Janet found in medieval documents from England, Scotland and Ireland.

English form of Jeremiah, originally a medieval vernacular form. This is the spelling used in some English versions of the New Testament.

While in modern times this name is sometimes considered a blend of Jessa and Amy, it is actually an old form of Jasmine which was used from the late 1700s onwards.

Feminine form of Joel.

A well-known bearer of this name is British actress Joely Richardson.

Medieval form of Julian. The author John Galsworthy used it for a character in his Forsyte Saga novels (published between 1906 and 1922).

From Ἰωνᾶς (Ionas), the Greek form of Jonah. This spelling is used in some English translations of the New Testament.

From the English word for the type of flower, derived ultimately from Latin iuncus "reed".

From the Hebrew name יֹאשִׁיָהוּ (Yoshiyahu) meaning "Yahweh supports", from אָשְׁיָה (ʾashya) meaning "support" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah famous for his religious reforms. He was killed fighting the Egyptians at Megiddo in the 7th century BC. In England this name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.

From the English word jubilee meaning "season of rejoicing", which is derived from Hebrew יוֹבֵל (yovel) "ram, ram's horn; a jubilee year: a year of rest, prescribed by the Jewish Bible to occur each fiftieth year, after seven cycles of seven years; a period of celebration or rejoicing" (via Late Latin iubilaeus and Greek ἰώβηλος (iobelos)). In Latin, the form of the word was altered by association with the unrelated Latin verb iubilare "to shout with joy".

It may also refer to African-American folk songs known as Jubilees.

In popular culture, Jubilee is the 'mutant' name (a contraction of Jubilation Lee) of one of the protagonists of Marvel's X-Men line of comics.

Latinized form of Iynx, or directly from the English word meaning “wryneck” (a bird used in witchcraft and divination).

Means "reedy, brook of reeds". It is a river, mentioned in the Old Testament, that extends from the Mediterranean to Tappuah.

Japanese feminine name with several possible meanings; 佳南 "good, auspicious, beautiful; south"; 光波 meaning "bright waves" and 奏心 "play music; heart, mind, soul", amongst many others.

Derived from the given name Zechariah.

Contracted form of Kasimira.

From the Mohawk pronunciation of Katherine. This was the name adopted by the 17th-century Mohawk saint Tekakwitha upon her baptism.

Means "the crowned Lord" (or possibly "crown of God") in Hebrew. From the Hebrew keter (כֶּתֶר) "crown" and el (אֵל) "god".

Feminine form of Kazimierz (Polish) or Kazimieras (Lithuanian).

Variant (typically feminine) of Kellen.

Feminine form of Kenneth.

From the name of a city "in Benjamin" which is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, derived from Hebrew כְּפִיר (kephir), which meant both "village" (as covered in by walls) and "(young) lion" (perhaps as covered with a mane; compare Kfir).

The name of a character in Star Trek, as well as the name of Billy's kestrel in the play Kes.

Medieval German diminutive of Katharina.

Derived from Gaelic ceann "top, head" and either caithe "pass" or catha "battle". Kincaid is a famous Scottish Clan.
The clan's name was used in the Strathclyde Kingdom and then by people who lived at Kincaid in the county of Stirlingshire, Scotland.

Possibly an elaboration of Kiri or Kira 2. It seems to have been brought to attention in Australia in the 1970s by the actress Kirrily Nolan.

Possibly a form of Kynon, the legendary son of Clydno in the Mabinogion. Means "Chief."

French form of Landric. This name was borne by a few French saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Sées and a 7th-century bishop of Paris.

From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.

Hebrew form of Lebanah. In modern Hebrew it is typically a feminine name.

Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism) [1].

French form of Lillian.

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

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-).

A combination of Love 2 and Joy, which possibly originated as a given name with the Puritans.

This name also exists as a surname (see Lovejoy), in which case it is said to be derived from a Middle English nickname for a joyous person.

Transferred use of the surname Loxley.

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.

Welsh form of Mabel. It was coined circa 1900.

Transferred use of the surname Mabry.

Derived from the Japanese kanji 萬 (ma) meaning "ten thousand" or 麻 (ma) meaning "hemp, flax" or 真 (ma) meaning "truth; pure; genuine" combined with 千 (chi) meaning "thousand" or 知 (chi) meaning "wisdom".

Using the kanji 町 or 街 (machi) this is a vocabulary word meaning "city, town, street".

Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Derived from Gothic mathl "meeting place" combined with Old Norse grîma "mask."

Transferred use of the Irish surname Madigan or from the Gaelic given name Madagán or Madadhán means "little dog".

It is the name of a primary character, Madigan "Maddie" Kinnick in Lauren Myracle's 'ttyl' series of young adult novels.

Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, which means "disciple of Saint Columba". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing Macbeth, the usurper who had defeated his father Duncan. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth (1606) is loosely based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.

From the English word for the tree (comprising the genus Acer), derived from Old English mapul. This is the name of a girl in Robert Frost's poem Maple (1923) who wonders about the origin of her unusual name.

From the name of the month, which was derived from the name of the Roman god Mars.

Derived from Latin Margarita, which was from Greek μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning "pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.

As an English name it has been very popular since the Middle Ages. It was the top name for girls in England and Wales in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, but it declined in the latter half of the 20th century.

Other saints by this name include a queen of Scotland and a princess of Hungary. It was also borne by Queen Margaret I of Denmark, who united Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the 14th century. Famous literary bearers include American writer Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), the author of Gone with the Wind, and Canadian writer Margaret Atwood (1939-). Others include American anthropologist Margaret Mead (1901-1978) and British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).

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).

Old Norse name of unknown meaning, perhaps related to Marcibilia.

From Aramaic מַרְתָּא (marta) meaning "the lady, the mistress", feminine form of מַר (mar) meaning "master". In the New Testament this is the name of the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany (who is sometimes identified with Mary Magdalene). She was a witness to Jesus restoring her dead brother to life.

The name was not used in England until after the Protestant Reformation. A notable bearer was Martha Washington (1731-1802), the wife of the first American president George Washington. It is also borne by the media personality Martha Stewart (1941-).

Variant of Marijn.

Baltic and Slavic goddess associated with seasonal agrarian rites based on the idea of death and rebirth of nature, Marzana is often referred to as a goddess of death.

In medieval (Christian) written sources, she is mentioned as early as the 9th century, although her exact function seems to be somewhat disputed. The medieval encyclopedical dictionary Mater Verborum (also called Glosa Salomonis), written around 1240, compares her to the Greek goddess Hecate, associating her with sorcery, while 15th-century Polish chronicler Jan Długosz likened her to Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.
Either way, to this day in some regions of Poland, there is a festival held where an effigy of Marzanna is made in the month of March, and is burned to symbolize the triumph of springtime over winter. This is known as The Burning and Drowning Ritual of Marzanna.

The origin and meaning of her name is also a source of dispute.
Some scholars derive her name from the same Indo-European root word that gave us Latin mors "death" and Russian mor "pestilence", emphasizing the death aspect of the goddess.
Others argue that her name might be related to a Slavic root word meaning "to freeze" or "frozen", in accordance with her function as a goddess of winter, while some scholars point out that mara is a Russian dialect word meaning "phantom; vision; hallucination", linking her to mare, an evil spirit in Germanic and Slavic folklore, associated with nightmares and sleep paralysis.
Vyacheslav Vsevolodovich Ivanov and Vladimir Toporov, however, supposed that her name was derived from the same root as the name of the Roman god of war Mars, who was originally an agricultural deity (a theory that some academics like to back up by the fact that the Polish word for "(the month of) March" is marzec).

Anglicized form of Máire. It has also been associated with Irish mór meaning "great". This was the name of an obscure 5th-century Irish martyr.

Means "we are grateful" or "many thanks" in Shona.

Roman goddess of wine and health, possibly created to explain the Roman holiday of Meditrinalia (Oct. 11); generally taken to mean 'healer'

Created by Lord Byron for a character in his poem The Corsair (1814). It is not known what inspired Byron to use this name. The year the poem was published, it was used as the middle name of Elizabeth Medora Leigh (1814-1849), a niece and rumoured daughter of Byron.

Means "great strength", derived from Greek μέγας (megas) "great, large, huge" combined with Greek σθενος (sthenos) "vigour, strength." This name was borne by a Greek ethnographer and explorer from the 3rd century BC.

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.

Polish form of Mélisande.

From the name of an important city of ancient Egypt, or the city in Tennessee that was named after it. It is derived from a Greek form of Egyptian mn-nfr meaning "enduring beauty".

The name of the heroine in Anne McCaffrey's The Harper Hall trilogy.

Transferred use of the surname Mercer.

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.

The name of the main character in the Disney/Pixar movie Brave (2012) about a medieval Scottish princess. The meaning of her name is unexplained, though it could be based on the Spanish city of Mérida, derived from Latin Emerita Augusta meaning "veterans of Augustus", so named because it was founded by the emperor Augustus as a colony for his veterans.

From the English word, which is directly from Latin meridianus meaning "of midday, of noon, southerly, to the south". It was used by Alice Walker for the heroine of her novel 'Meridian' (1976).

Feminine diminutive of the Roman family name Messalla, which was originally an agnomen derived from the place name Messana, applied to the 3rd-century BC Roman general Manius Valerius Maximus Corvinus to commemorate his victory at the city of Messana in Sicily. The city's name is a Mycenaean Greek form of Messene (Greek: Μεσσήνη), which is of uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek μέσος (mesos) "middle". Messalina was the third wife of the Roman emperor Claudius, who was eventually executed for conspiring against her weak husband.

A thousand generations of beauty
Three thousand generations

"Mi"=beauty or "Mi"=ocean and "haru"= clear or "haru"= Sun(light) or "haru"=spring. Mostly feminine.
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Means "beautiful clear sky".

From the kanji 美 (mi)- "beautiful, combined with 貴 (ki)- "honour, respect" and 子 (ko)- "child"; alternatively, 幹 (miki)- "tree trunk" and 子 (ko)- "child",as well as other kanji or kanji combinations which have the same reading.

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

Derived from Old Norse mímir "memory", which is related to Old English gemimor "well-known", modern Dutch mijmeren "to muse, to ponder" and Latin memor "mindful, remembering." In Norse mythology, Mímir was a god who had omniscient wisdom and knowledge and who was keeper of the Well of Wisdom in Jotunheim (the world of the Giants).

From the Japanese kanji 美 (mi) meaning "beauty, beautiful", 海 (mi) meaning "sea" or 三 (mi) meaning "three" combined with 沙 (sa) meaning "fine sand" or 幸 (sa) meaning "happiness".

Other Kanji combinations available.

Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 문 (see Mun).

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

Polish form of Narcissa.

Russian form of Natalia (see Natalie).

Variant of Nathanael. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation. This has been the most popular spelling, even though the spelling Nathanael is found in most versions of the New Testament. The American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), author of The Scarlet Letter, was a famous bearer of this name.

From the name of the historic Royaume de Navarre, a kingdom in the West Pyrenees mountains which is divided today between Spain and France. It is either derived from the Basque nabar, meaning "brownish" or "multicolor" (which would be a contrast with the green mountain lands north of the original County of Navarre); or from the Basque naba, "valley" or "plain", and herri, "land" or "people".

Means "my seedling" from Hebrew נֶטַע (neta) "seedling, plant" (see Neta) combined with לִי (li) "for me, to me" or "I have". This is a modern Hebrew name often given to girls born on Tu B'Shevat, the Jewish Arbor Day or Holiday of Trees.

Feminine form of Nir.

Latinized form of Nurtia. This was the name of the Etruscan goddess of fate and fortune. Her attribute is a large nail and at the beginning of the New Year a nail was driven into a wall in her sanctuary. This is variously explained as a fertility rite, an expiation rite, or symbolizing the conclusion of the year just past. Her temple was located in Volsini, the center of the Etruscan federation (currently the Italian city Bolsena).

Topographic surname for someone who lived near an oak tree or in an oak wood, from Middle English oke "oak".

French form of Octavia.

Diminutive or elaborated form of Olive, or directly from the English and French word olivine that denotes a type of gemstone, whose name ultimately goes back to Latin oliva "olive" (so named in the late 18th century for its olive green color).

Transferred use of the surname Parsley.

Sinhalese form of Padma.

Short form of Patience.

From the English word for the spice, which is prepared from the dried berries of the pepper plant. The word is derived from Latin piper, ultimately from an Indo-Aryan source. In popular culture, Pepper is the nickname of Virginia Potts from the Iron Man series of comic books and movies, created 1963.

From the English word for the flower part, derived from Greek πέταλον (petalon) meaning "leaf".

Derived from Greek Πέτρος (Petros) meaning "stone". This is a translation used in most versions of the New Testament of the name Cephas, meaning "stone" in Aramaic, which was given to the apostle Simon by Jesus (compare Matthew 16:18 and John 1:42). Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus' ministry and is often considered the first pope.

Due to the renown of the apostle, this name became common throughout the Christian world (in various spellings). In England the Normans introduced it in the Old French form Piers, which was gradually replaced by the spelling Peter starting in the 15th century [1].

Besides the apostle, other saints by this name include the 11th-century reformer Saint Peter Damian and the 13th-century preacher Saint Peter Martyr. It was also borne by rulers of Aragon, Portugal, and Russia, including the Russian tsar Peter the Great (1672-1725), who defeated Sweden in the Great Northern War. Famous fictional bearers include Peter Rabbit from Beatrix Potter's children's books, Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up in J. M. Barrie's 1904 play, and Peter Parker, the real name of the comic book superhero Spider-Man.

Feminine form of Peter. This was also the name of an ancient city in the region that is now Jordan.

Derived 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. A known bearer of this name is the American actor Ethan Embry, who carries Philian as a middle name.

From the Greek name Φίλιππος (Philippos) meaning "friend of horses", composed of the elements φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This was the name of five kings of Macedon, including Philip II the father of Alexander the Great. The name appears in the New Testament belonging to two people who are regarded as saints. First, one of the twelve apostles, and second, an early figure in the Christian church known as Philip the Deacon.

This name was initially more common among Eastern Christians, though it came to the West by the Middle Ages. It was borne by six kings of France and five kings of Spain. It was regularly used in England during the Middle Ages, although the Spanish king Philip II, who attempted an invasion of England, helped make it less common by the 17th century. It was revived in the English-speaking world in the 19th century. Famous bearers include the Elizabethan courtier and poet Philip Sidney (1554-1586) and the American science fiction novelist Philip K. Dick (1928-1982).

Feminine form of Philotheos.

Means "friend of god" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and θεός (theos) meaning "god".

Means "lime tree, linden tree" in Greek. In Greek mythology Philyra was one of the 3,000 Oceanids, water nymph daughters of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. She was loved by the Titan Cronus. 'When his wife Rhea came upon their rendezvous, he quickly transformed himself into a horse to escape detection. As a result, Philyra birthed a half-horse, half-man hybrid, the centaur Chiron. To ease her shame, Cronus transformed her into a lime-tree.'

Variant of Phinehas used in some English versions of the Old Testament.

Anglicized form of Pindaros. This was the name of a Greek lyric poet from Thebes (died around 438 AD).

From 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.

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"

As an East Frisian name, Poet is a short form of names containing the element boto "messenger", for example Boeterich.

This name was in use as a strictly masculine name during the 1700s and 1800s.

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).

Derived from the English word denoting "a manifestation of divine care or direction; an instance of divine intervention".

Feminine of Pyrrhos.

In Greek mythology, Pyrrha and her husband, Deucalion, built an arc to survive a great flood created by Zeus. When they reached land, they threw rocks over their shoulders, and the rocks became men and women.

From the name of Apollo's master priestess at Delphi, who was also known as the Oracle of Delphi. The name is derived from Πυθώ (Pytho), which is the old name of the city of Delphi. In turn, the city's old name is ultimately derived from the Greek verb πυθώ (putho) or (pytho) meaning "to rot, to decay". Also see Python.

Reduced form of Mcquaid.

From an Irish surname, itself derived from the given name Rabhartach meaning "flood tide".

Diminutive of Rayna 1 or Raisa 1.

Puritanical name.

Either a short form of names ending in -risa or a transferred use of the surname.

Transferred use of the surname Rogan.

From an English surname that was derived from the name of various Norman towns, themselves from the given name Romilius.

Short form of Rochus as well as of its variant forms Rocus and Rokus. This name is not to be confused with rook, the Dutch word for "smoke".

Combination of Rosa 1 and Anna.

Presumably an altered form of Rhodanthe, using the Latin element rosa (compare Rose) as opposed to the Greek rhodon (compare Rhoda). The name was (first?) used by Welsh writer Ann Julia Hatton for a character in her popular Gothic novel 'Deeds of Olden Times' (1826). It was also used by Eliza Rennie in her poetic sketch 'The Myrtle Branch' (1828).

Italian form of Roxana.

Bulgarian, Croatian, French, Provençal, Polish, Russian and Serbian form of Rufinus.

A water nymph in Slavic Mythology. Also the name of an opera written by the Czech writer Antonín Dvorák.

Croatian, Polish and German short form of Sabina.

From the word "sabbath," referring to the day of rest (Saturday).

Derived from English sabbath, the name of the holy day of the week in Judeo-Christian tradition, which derives from Hebrew shabbath, properly "day of rest", from shabath "he rested". Alternatively it could be a feminine form of Sabbatai (Hebrew: שַׁבְּתַי), a Jewish name related to sabbath.

Tennessee Williams used this for the title character in his short story Sabbatha and Solitude (1973).

Sabrael is a male angel of hebrew origin.

From Japanese 幸 (sachi) meaning "happiness, good luck" and 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Latin form of Sapphira.

Variant of Sage.

The use of this extremely rare name was inspired by a character from the 1992 book "Ik ook van jou" (English: "I love you too" - the literal translation is "I also of you"), who is featured much more prominently in the 2000 sequel "Ik omhels je met duizend armen" (English: "I embrace you with a thousand arms"). Both books were written by Dutch author Ronald Giphart (b. 1965) and both have been made into films. The author has stated that he derived the name from Samarinda, a major city on the Indonesian island Borneo. The city derives its name from Indonesian samarenda meaning "equal in height", which was a term originally used in reference to the way in which the Bugis people constructed their houses.

From the Old German element sahso meaning "a Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642) was the wife of the Dutch painter Rembrandt.

Either derived from the English word season, and thus ultimately from Latin satio "sowing; planting" (which later came to be understood as "time of planting"), or a transferred use of the surname Season. It has been occasionally used as a feminine given name from the 1800s onwards.

Roman family name meaning "stern" in Latin. This name was borne by several early saints including a 6th-century patriarch of Antioch.

From an Old Testament place name possibly meaning "tranquil" in Hebrew. It is also used prophetically in the Old Testament to refer to a person, often understood to be the Messiah (see Genesis 49:10). This may in fact be a mistranslation.

This name was brought to public attention after actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt gave it to their daughter in 2006.

Elaboration of Sibylle.

Feminine form of Sidonius. This name was in use in the Middle Ages, when it became associated with the word sindon (of Greek origin) meaning "linen", a reference to the Shroud of Turin.

Means "order, sequence" in Hebrew. It refers to a weekly reading portion of the Torah, so the whole Torah is completed every year. This name is typical of North African Jewry.

From the English word meaning "orange-red". It is ultimately from the name of the city of Siena in Italy, because of the colour of the clay there.

Derived from Latin solsticium and thus ultimately from sol "sun" and stito "to stand still". The English word solstice refers to two times of the year when the sun's apparent position in the sky reaches its northernmost or southernmost extremes.

Lionel Shriver (born Margaret Shriver), used Solstice for a character in her novel 'Big Brother' (2013).

Diminutive of Italian sonetto - song, sound; little song. Also the term for a short lyric poem, usually with eight line stanzas, followed by six line
stanzas.

The sonnets of William Shakespeare, on the other hand, are typically three Sicilian quatrains, followed by an heroic couplet.

From the English word for the type of bird. It is commonly associated with the name Star.

It is the original name of children's illustrator Tasha Tudor.

From Middle English storie, storye, from Anglo-Norman estorie, from Late Latin storia meaning "history."

Polish form and Latin variant of Sibylla.

Means "gazelle" in Aramaic. Tabitha in the New Testament was a woman restored to life by Saint Peter. Her name is translated into Greek as Dorcas (see Acts 9:36). As an English name, Tabitha became common after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 1960s by the television show Bewitched, in which Tabitha (sometimes spelled Tabatha) is the daughter of the main character.

Variant of Tacey. In the Betsy-Tacy series of children's books by American writer Maud Hart Lovelace (1892-1980), it is a diminutive of Anastacia.

Latinized form of the Etruscan name Thanchvil which meant "gift of Thana 1", composed of the name of the goddess Thana and cvil meaning "gift". This was the name of the wife of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth king of Rome in the 7th century BC. In modern times it was borne by prima ballerina Tanaquil Le Clercq (1929-2000).

Means "white fire" from Welsh tan "fire" (compare Tanguy) combined with gwen "white, fair, blessed". This is a modern Welsh name, first used in the 1960s.

Feminine form of Taurus or variant of Tara 1.

From the name of the state located in the Southeastern region of the United States, possibly derived from Cherokee ᏔᎾᏏ (tanasi), believed to mean "winding river", which was originally the name of a village in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee. Alternatively, it could be derived from Yuchi Tana-tsee-dgee, meaning "place of brother waters" or "where the waters meet".

Short form of Theresa. This is the name of the main character in Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891).

Apparently a blend of Tessa and Sarah.

From Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name תַדַּי (Ṯaddai). It is possibly derived from Aramaic תַּד (taḏ) meaning "heart, breast", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as Θεόδωρος (see Theodore). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.

Means "sea" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the personification of the sea. A small moon of Neptune is named for her.

From the Greek name Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant "gift of god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.

This was a common name in classical Greece, and, due to both the saints who carried it and the favourable meaning, it came into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was however rare in Britain before the 19th century. Famous bearers include three tsars of Russia (in the Russian form Fyodor) and American president Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919).

Thessaly is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. This name is borne by Thessaly Lerner, American stage, film and voice actress.

Possibly derived from Greek θέτης (thetes) meaning "one who places", a derivative of τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". This was the name of one of the Nereids in Greek mythology. With Peleus she was the mother of Achilles.

From the name of an ancient Greek town in Boeotia, itself supposedly named after a nymph. In a Greek legend (the oldest surviving version appearing in Latin in Ovid's Metamorphoses) this is the name of a young woman from Babylon. Believing her to be dead, her lover Pyramus kills himself, after which she does the same to herself. The splashes of blood from their suicides is the reason mulberry fruit are red.

From Old French thym, from Latin thymum, from Ancient Greek θύμον (thúmon).

Of debated origin and meaning. Theories include a derivation from the name of the river flowing through Ukraine, Romania, Hungary and Serbia and a derivation from tisa "yew tree".

Roman praenomen, or given name, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to Latin titulus "title of honour". It is more likely of Oscan origin, since it was borne by the legendary Sabine king Titus Tatius.

This name appears in the New Testament belonging to a companion of Saint Paul. He became the first bishop of Crete and was the recipient of one of Paul's epistles. This was also the praenomen of all three Roman emperors of the 1st-century Flavian dynasty, and it is the name by which the second of them is commonly known to history. Shakespeare later used it for the main character in his tragedy Titus Andronicus (1593). As an English name, Titus has been occasionally used since the Protestant Reformation.

Contracted form of Theresa. It may also be associated with the English word tress meaning "long lock of hair".

The name of the titular character in George Du Maurier's 1894 novel 'Trilby', about an tone-deaf model who is hypnotized to become a talented singer. The name became a (now obsolete) colloquial term for a foot, as the character's feet were objects of admiration. The word is still associated with a style of hat.

Probably from the Celtic name Drustan, a diminutive of Drust, which occurs as Drystan in a few Welsh sources. As Tristan, it first appears in 12th-century French tales, probably altered by association with Old French triste "sad". According to the tales Tristan was sent to Ireland by his uncle King Mark of Cornwall in order to fetch Iseult, who was to be the king's bride. On the way back, Tristan and Iseult accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Later versions of the tale make Tristan one of King Arthur's knights. His tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since then.

Combination of Trude and Liese.

From the English word true, itself from Old English trīewe meaning "trusty, faithful".

From the English word for the day of the week, which derives from Old English tiwesdæg meaning "Tiw's day".

From the name of the flower. Ultimately from Persian dulband, "turban", from the shape of the opened flower.

As a given name, it has been occasionally used from the 19th century onwards.

Variation of the transferred use of the surname Tuíneán.

Valenka is a Bond girl in the James Bond film 'Casino Royale'.

Invented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem Cadenus and Vanessa [1]. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.

From the name of the verbena plant, which is derived from Latin verbena meaning "leaves, twigs".

Latin cognate of Hesperos. This name was used by the British author Ian Fleming for a female character, a love interest of James Bond, in his novel Casino Royale (1953). She also appears in the film adaptations of 1967 and 2006.

Derived from vinca, the Latin name for the "periwinkle", ultimately from Latin vincio "to bind". This name has been in use since the 20th century.

From the Roman name Vincentius, which was derived from Latin vincere meaning "to conquer". This name was popular among early Christians, and it was borne by many saints. As an English name, Vincent has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the 19th century. Famous bearers include the French priest Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) and the Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890).

Derived from the Latin color word viridis "green".
As a given name, Viridis was intended to refer to the colour of growing foliage and thus acquired the transferred meaning of "young; youthful; fresh; lively; blooming".

A known bearer is Viridis della Scala (died 1394), daughter of Mastino II della Scala, lord of Verona, and wife of Niccolò II d'Este, lord of Ferrara, Modena and Parma.
Her niece Viridis Visconti later went on to marry Duke Leopold III of Austria.

Feminine form of Vivianus (see Vivian). Saint Viviana (also known as Bibiana) was a Roman saint and martyr of the 4th century.

Place name from Old English: “wooded valley”.

Most famous as the name of Walden Pond in Massachusetts where philosopher Henry David Thoreau wrote his book “Walden”.

Used as a male name by J.K. Rowling in the "Harry Potter" books.

From an English surname meaning "son of Wat". A famous fictional bearer of the surname was Dr. Watson, the assistant to Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's mystery stories beginning in 1887.

From the rare English surname Waverley, derived from the name of a place in Surrey, itself possibly from Old English wæfre "flickering, wavering" and leah "woodland, clearing".

The surname was borne by the title character in the novel Waverley (1814) by Walter Scott. Streets in New York and San Francisco have been named Waverly after the novel, and a female character in Amy Tan's novel The Joy Luck Club (1989) is named after the San Francisco street. The name received a small boost in popularity for girls after the 1993 release of the novel's movie adaptation, and it rose further after the debut of the television series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-2012).

Early Cornish form of Gwen. It was borne by two 5th-century Cornish saints.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself meaning "west meadow" from Old English west "west" and leah "woodland, clearing". It has been sometimes given in honour of John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism.

From the English word, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European *wes-pero- "evening, night". It may also be considered transferred use of the surname West or a short form of Weston.

From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "white field" in Old English.

Means "firstborn daughter" in Dakota or Lakota. According to folklore, this was the name of a daughter of a Dakota chief (possibly Wapasha III) who leapt from a cliff to her death rather than marry a man she hated. Numerous places in the United States have been named after her. The actress Winona Ryder (1971-) was named after the city in Minnesota where she was born.

From the name of the flowering plant, which was named for the American anatomist Caspar Wistar.

Transferred use of the surname Yarrow, and/or from the word for the flowering plant (Achillea millefolium).

It is most probable that it is the feminine form of the name Yvain. Though, it is commonly thought of as a combination of Yvonne and Elaine.

The name is most popularly recognized as the name of the fallen star in Neil Gaiman's novella 'Stardust'.

French feminine form of Yves.

From an English surname of unknown meaning. It was introduced as a given name by American author Zane Grey (1872-1939). Zane was in fact his middle name — it had been his mother's maiden name.