sttavilla's Personal Name List

From the name of a colony in New France in North America, derived from Arcadia and coinciding with Mi'kmaq suffix -akadie, meaning "place of abundance". This is also the name of a National Park in Maine.

Anglicized form of Áedán as well as a Manx cognate of this name via Manx Ae.

Variant of Alafare.

From Aleut alaxsxaq "object to which the action of the sea is directed" or "mainland". It is the name of a US state.

Diminutive of Alison 1, Alexandra and other names beginning with the same sound.

From the Old French name Aalis, a short form of Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name Adalheidis (see Adelaide). This name became popular in France and England in the 12th century. It was among the most common names in England until the 16th century, when it began to decline. It was revived in the 19th century.

This name was borne by the heroine of Lewis Carroll's novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking Glass (1871).

From the name of the first letter in the Greek alphabet, Α.

Perhaps a feminine form of Alphaeus or Alphonse.

From the English word meaning "friendship", ultimately deriving from Latin amicitia.

English form of the Greek name Ἀνδρέας (Andreas), which was derived from ἀνδρεῖος (andreios) meaning "manly, masculine", a derivative of ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". In the New Testament the apostle Andrew, the first disciple to join Jesus, is the brother of Simon Peter. According to tradition, he later preached in the Black Sea region, with some legends saying he was crucified on an X-shaped cross. Andrew, being a Greek name, was probably only a nickname or a translation of his real Hebrew name, which is not known.

This name has been common (in various spellings) throughout the Christian world, and it became very popular in the Middle Ages. Saint Andrew is regarded as the patron of Scotland, Russia, Greece and Romania. The name has been borne by three kings of Hungary, American president Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), and, more recently, English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948-).

Means "happy, blessed" in Hebrew. Asher in the Old Testament is a son of Jacob by Leah's handmaid Zilpah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The meaning of his name is explained in Genesis 30:13.

Feminine variant of Ashley.

From an English surname that was originally derived from place names meaning "ash tree clearing", from a combination of Old English æsc and leah. Until the 1960s it was more commonly given to boys in the United States, but it is now most often used on girls. It reached its height of popularity in America in 1987, but it did not become the highest ranked name until 1991, being overshadowed by the likewise-popular Jessica until then. In the United Kingdom it is still more common as a masculine name.

Combination of Ashley and the popular name suffix lyn.

Latinized form of Greek Ἀττικός (Attikos) meaning "from Attica", referring to the region surrounding Athens in Greece. This name was borne by a few notable Greeks from the Roman period (or Romans of Greek background). The author Harper Lee used the name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) for an Alabama lawyer who defends a black man accused of raping a white woman.

Transferred use of the surname Berkeley.

From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic blàr meaning "plain, field, battlefield". In Scotland this name is typically masculine.

In the United States it became more common for girls in the early 1980s, shortly after the debut of the television sitcom The Facts of Life (1979-1988), which featured a character named Blair Warner. The name left the American top 1000 rankings two decades later, but was resurrected by another television character, this time Blair Waldorf from the series Gossip Girl (2007-2012).

Famous bearer: American skier Bode Miller

Croatian form of Bonus.

A variant of Bo 1, probably influenced by the word "bow" which is used to shoot with arrows or by the word "bowtie", or a diminutive of Rainbow.

From the English word brandy for the alcoholic drink. It is ultimately from Dutch brandewijn "burnt wine". It has been in use as a given name since the 1960s.

Possibly a variant of Brenda or a feminine form of Brennan.

Transferred use of a surname Brewster.

From the English word for the thorny plant.

From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Moray, Scotland. It probably means "ditch, mire" in Gaelic.

From the Old Irish name Broccán, derived from bróc "shoe, sandal, greave" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several Irish saints, including Saint Patrick's scribe.

From an English surname that denoted one who lived near a brook.

Dutch form of Bruno. It coincides with the Dutch word for "brown". This was also the name of the bear in medieval fables of Reynard the Fox.

Derived from the Old German element brunna meaning "armour, protection" (Proto-Germanic *brunjǭ) or brun meaning "brown" (Proto-Germanic *brūnaz). Saint Bruno of Cologne was a German monk of the 11th century who founded the Carthusian Order. The surname has belonged to Giordano Bruno, a philosopher burned at the stake by the Inquisition. A modern bearer is the American singer Bruno Mars (1985-), born Peter Gene Hernandez.

From an English nickname meaning simply "buck, male deer", ultimately from Old English bucc.

From the English word meaning "friend". It probably originated as a nursery form of the word brother.

Transferred use of the surname Calhoun.

Diminutive of Caroline, or sometimes of names beginning with Cal.

Feminine form of Camillus. This was the name of a legendary warrior maiden of the Volsci, as told by Virgil in the Aeneid. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Fanny Burney's novel Camilla (1796).

Variant of Carly.

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).

From an English surname that meant "one who uses a cart". A famous bearer of the surname is former American president Jimmy Carter (1924-).

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Cathasaigh, a patronymic derived from the given name Cathassach. This name can be given in honour of Casey Jones (1863-1900), a train engineer who sacrificed his life to save his passengers. In his case, Casey was a nickname acquired because he was raised in the town of Cayce, Kentucky.

From an occupational surname that meant "candle seller" or "candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately from Latin candela via Old French. It surged in popularity after the 1994 debut of the American sitcom Friends, featuring a character by this name.

Means "happiness, joy" in Greek.

Form of Charmion used by Shakespeare in his play Antony and Cleopatra (1606).

From an English surname meaning "chase, hunt" in Middle English, originally a nickname for a huntsman.

From the name of a district in London, originally derived from Old English and meaning "landing place for chalk or limestone". It has been in general use as an English given name since the 1970s.

From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "ford by a cliff" in Old English.

From an English surname, originally from various place names, derived from the Old Norse nickname Koli (meaning "coal, dark") and býr "town". As a given name, its popularity spiked in the United States and Canada in 2001 when Colby Donaldson (1974-) appeared on the reality television show Survivor.

From a surname, which is either Irish or English in origin (see Collins 1 and Collins 2). It increased in popularity as a name for girls after it appeared in the movie The Blind Side (2009), which was based on a 2006 biography. As a masculine name, it is currently most common in parts of English-speaking Africa.

Means "king of hounds" in Irish.

From an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Kóri, of unknown meaning. This name became popular in the 1960s due to the character Corey Baker on the television series Julia [1].

From the Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dawid), which was derived from Hebrew דּוֹד (dod) meaning "beloved" or "uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament, Jesus was descended from him.

This name has been used in Britain since the Middle Ages. It has been especially popular in Wales, where it is used in honour of the 5th-century patron saint of Wales (also called Dewi), as well as in Scotland, where it was borne by two kings. Over the last century it has been one of the English-speaking world's most consistently popular names, never leaving the top 30 names for boys in the United States, and reaching the top rank in England and Wales during the 1950s and 60s. In Spain it was the most popular name for boys during the 1970s and 80s.

Famous bearers include empiricist philosopher David Hume (1711-1776), explorer David Livingstone (1813-1873), musician David Bowie (1947-2016), and soccer player David Beckham (1975-). This is also the name of the hero of Charles Dickens' semi-autobiographical novel David Copperfield (1850).

From an English surname meaning "son of David". As a given name, it was popularized in the late 1990s by the central character on the television drama Dawson's Creek (1998-2003). In the United States the number of boys receiving the name increased tenfold between 1997 and 1999. It got another boost in 2014 after it was used for a main character in the movie The Best of Me.

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

Variant of Diggory, used by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his 'Chronicles of Narnia' series.

Short form of Andrew.

From an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Þórsteinn (see Torsten). The name was popularized by the actor Dustin Hoffman (1937-), who was apparently named after the earlier silent movie star Dustin Farnum (1874-1929) [1].

Variant or feminine form of Dustin.

From Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע ('Elisheva') meaning "my God is an oath", derived from the roots אֵל ('el) referring to the Hebrew God and שָׁבַע (shava') meaning "oath". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist.

Among Christians, this name was originally more common in Eastern Europe. It was borne in the 12th century by Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a daughter of King Andrew II who used her wealth to help the poor. In medieval England it was occasionally used in honour of the saint, though the form Isabel (from Occitan and Spanish) was more common. It has been very popular in England since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century. In American name statistics (as recorded since 1880) it has never ranked lower than 30, making it the most consistently popular name for girls in the United States.

Besides Elizabeth I, this name has been borne (in various spellings) by many other European royals, including a ruling empress of Russia in the 18th century. Famous modern bearers include the British queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) and actress Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011).

German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).

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-).

Possibly means "born from the yew tree", from Old Irish eó "yew" and the suffix gan "born". Alternatively, it might be derived from the Latin name Eugenius. It was borne by several legendary or semi-legendary Irish figures, including a son of the king Niall of the Nine Hostages.

Form of Eve used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. A notable bearer was the Argentine first lady Eva Perón (1919-1952), the subject of the musical Evita. The name also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.

This is also an alternate transcription of Russian Ева (see Yeva).

From the English name for the world's highest mountain, itself named after the British surveyor George Everest (1790-1866).

Old Irish form of Fionn, as well as the usual Anglicized spelling (with the Irish hero's name Anglicized as Finn McCool). As a surname it is borne by Huckleberry Finn, a character in Mark Twain's novels.

Created by author Suzanne Collins for a character in the second book of The Hunger Games series, published 2009, later appearing in the 2013 movie adaptation. She may have derived it from the slang word finicky meaning "demanding, fussy".

Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala.

From the Latin name Florentius or the feminine form Florentia, which were derived from florens "prosperous, flourishing". Florentius was borne by many early Christian saints, and it was occasionally used in their honour through the Middle Ages. In modern times it is mostly feminine.

This name can also be given in reference to the city in Italy, as in the case of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), who was born there to British parents. She was a nurse in military hospitals during the Crimean War and is usually considered the founder of modern nursing.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Floinn, which was derived from the given name or byname Flann. A famous bearer of the surname was American actor Errol Flynn (1909-1959). As a given name, it grew in popularity after it was featured as a character in the Disney movie Tangled in 2010.

From an English surname meaning "forest", originally belonging to a person who lived near a forest. In America it has sometimes been used in honour of the Confederate Civil War general Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821-1877). This name was borne by the title character in the movie Forrest Gump (1994) about a loveable simpleton. Use of the name increased when the movie was released, but has since faded away.

From an English surname that has several different origins: see Foster 1, Foster 2, Foster 3 and Foster 4.

Feminine form of Francis. The distinction between Francis as a masculine name and Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century [1]. A notable bearer was Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), a social worker and the first American to be canonized.

Probably from the ethno-linguistic term Gael, which refers to speakers of Gaelic languages.

Short form of Abigail.

From the English word ginger for the spice or the reddish-brown colour. It can also be a diminutive of Virginia, as in the case of actress and dancer Ginger Rogers (1911-1995), by whom the name was popularized.

From an English and Scottish surname that was derived from Norman French grand meaning "great, large". A famous bearer of the surname was Ulysses Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War who later served as president. In America the name has often been given in his honour.

From an English surname meaning "son of the steward", derived from Middle English greyve "steward". It became common towards the end of the 20th century because of its similarity to popular names like Jason, Mason and Graham.

From the Old Norse name Gunnarr, which was derived from the elements gunnr "war" and herr "army, warrior" (making it a cognate of Gunther). In Norse legend Gunnar was the husband of Brynhildr. He had his brother-in-law Sigurd murdered based on his wife's false accusations that Sigurd had taken her virginity.

Diminutive of Constantine, used primarily by Greek expatriates.

From the English word happy, derived from Middle English hap "chance, luck", of Old Norse origin.

From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who played or made harps (Old English hearpe). A notable bearer was the American author Harper Lee (1926-2016), who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. It rapidly gained popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, entering the American top ten for girls in 2015.

Invented by author Suzanne Collins for her 'Hunger Games' novels and used as the first name of Haymitch Abernathy, mentor to main protagonist Katniss Everdeen. It may be an alteration of Hamish, influenced by Mitch.

Form of Heinrich (see Henry) in several languages. A famous bearer was the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906).

Feminine form of Hermes. Shakespeare used this name in his comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).

From the name of geographic places called Holland 1, or transferred usage of the surname Holland 1.

From the Old German elements hun "bear cub" and fridu "peace". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Hunfrith, and it was regularly used through the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the American actor Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957), who starred in The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca.

From an English occupational surname for a hunter, derived from Old English hunta. A famous bearer was the eccentric American journalist Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005).

Medieval diminutive of Hugh.

From the Roman family name Egnatius, meaning unknown, of Etruscan origin. The spelling was later altered to resemble Latin ignis "fire". This was the name of several saints, including the third bishop of Antioch who was thrown to wild beasts by Emperor Trajan, and by Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), founder of the Jesuits, whose real birth name was in fact Íñigo.

From the Hebrew name יִצְחָק (Yitzchaq) meaning "he will laugh, he will rejoice", derived from צָחַק (tzachaq) meaning "to laugh". The Old Testament explains this meaning, by recounting that Abraham laughed when God told him that his aged wife Sarah would become pregnant with Isaac (see Genesis 17:17), and later Sarah laughed when overhearing the same prophecy (see Genesis 18:12). When Isaac was a boy, God tested Abraham's faith by ordering him to sacrifice his son, though an angel prevented the act at the last moment. Isaac went on to become the father of Esau and Jacob with his wife Rebecca.

As an English Christian name, Isaac was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, though it was more common among Jews. It became more widespread after the Protestant Reformation. Famous bearers include the physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton (1643-1727) and the science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov (1920-1992).

An invented name, using the popular phonetic element jay and the same sound found in names such as Casey and Macy.

French feminine form of Jacques, also commonly used in the English-speaking world.

Variant of Jacqueline.

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.

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.

From Latin Gaspar, perhaps from the Biblical Hebrew word גִּזְבָּר (gizbar) meaning "treasurer", derived from Persian ganzabara. This name was traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since the Middle Ages. The name can also be given in reference to the English word for the gemstone.

Variant of Jenny. Use of the name was popularized in the 1980s by the character Jenna Wade on the television series Dallas [1].

From Ἰεσσαί (Iessai), the Greek form of the Hebrew name יִשַׁי (Yishai), which possibly means "gift". In the Old Testament Jesse is the father of King David. It began to be used as an English given name after the Protestant Reformation. A famous bearer was Jesse James (1847-1882), an American outlaw who held up banks and stagecoaches. He was eventually shot by a fellow gang member for a reward. Another famous bearer was the American athlete Jesse Owens (1913-1980), whose real name was James Cleveland (or J. C.) Owens.

From a Frankish masculine name, variously written as Gaudelenus, Gautselin, Gauzlin, along with many other spellings. It was derived from the Germanic element *gautaz, which was from the name of the Germanic tribe the Geats, combined with a Latin diminutive suffix. The Normans brought this name to England in the form Goscelin or Joscelin, and it was common until the 14th century. It was revived in the 20th century primarily as a feminine name, perhaps an adaptation of the surname Jocelyn (a medieval derivative of the given name). In France this is a masculine name only.

From Latin Iovis, the genitive case of Iuppiter (see Jupiter). Though this form is grammatically genitive, post-classically it has been used nominatively as another name for Jupiter.

Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian).

Transferred use of the French surname Juneau.

From the English word for the type of tree, derived ultimately from Latin iuniperus.

From Latin Iuppiter, which was ultimately derived from the vocative form of Indo-European *Dyēws-pətēr, composed of the elements Dyēws (see Zeus) and pətēr "father". Jupiter was the supreme god in Roman mythology. He presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. This is also the name of the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.

Feminine form of Carolus.

Short form of Katherine, often used independently. It is short for Katherina in Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew (1593). It has been used in England since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer is the British actress Kate Winslet (1975-).

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

Anglicized form of Caitlín.

Variant of Kelly.

Variant of Kelly.

Transferred use of the surname Kelty.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Cinnéidigh, itself derived from the given name Cennétig. The name has sometimes been given in honour of assassinated American president John F. Kennedy (1917-1963). It was popularized as a name for girls by Lisa Kennedy Montgomery (1972-), known simply as Kennedy, the host of the television program Alternative Nation on MTV from 1992 to 1997.

Anglicized form of both Coinneach and Cináed. This name was borne by the Scottish king Kenneth (Cináed) mac Alpin, who united the Scots and Picts in the 9th century. It was popularized outside of Scotland by Walter Scott, who used it for the hero in his 1825 novel The Talisman [1]. A famous bearer was the British novelist Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932), who wrote The Wind in the Willows.

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "king's wood" in Old English. This name may have received a boost in popularity after the release of the 2007 movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, featuring the character Kingsley Shacklebolt.

From a surname that was derived from an English place name, itself meaning "clearing belonging to Cyne". The Old English given name Cyne is a short form of longer names beginning with cyne meaning "royal".

As an American name for girls, Kinsley was very rare before 1990. It has steadily grown in popularity since then, perhaps inspired by similar-sounding names such as Kinsey and Ainsley (both of which it has surpassed).

Danish and Norwegian form of Christina.

From a Scots surname that was derived from various places named Knock, from Gaelic cnoc "round hill". It jumped in popularity after the actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had a baby by this name in 2008.

At least in part inspired by the name of a character from the animated movie Brother Bear (2003). The moviemakers apparently took it from Lakota or Dakota koda meaning "friend, companion".

Variant of Cody.

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.

Variant of Layton. It jumped in popularity as a feminine name after 2007, when actress Leighton Meester (1986-) began appearing on the television series Gossip Girl.

Possibly means "joined, attached" in Hebrew. As told in the Old Testament, Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of the Israelites, known as the Levites. This was the tribe that formed the priestly class of the Israelites. The brothers Moses and Aaron were members. This name also occurs in the New Testament, where it is another name for the apostle Matthew.

As an English Christian name, Levi came into use after the Protestant Reformation.

German short form of Elisabeth.

Diminutive of Louiseu.

Italian and Romanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This name was borne by Luca della Robbia, a Renaissance sculptor from Florence.

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.

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.

From an English surname meaning "son of Maud". It was not commonly used as a feminine name until after the movie Splash (1984), in which the main character adopted it as her name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York City. It was ranked second for girls in the United States by 2001. This rise from obscurity to prominence in only 18 years represents an unprecedented 550,000 percent increase in usage.

A famous bearer of the surname was James Madison (1751-1836), one of the authors of the American constitution who later served as president (and after whom Madison Avenue was named).

Diminutive of Margaret.

Possibly a variant of Maina or Majny.

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.

French short form of Margaret.

Variant of Marlene using the suffix la.

From an English surname that was taken from a place name meaning either "pleasant wood", "boundary wood" or "marten wood" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the Jamaican musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).

Variant of Marlowe.

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.

Derived from the English word maverick meaning "independent". The word itself is derived from the surname of a 19th-century Texas rancher who did not brand his calves.

Variant of Megan. A notable bearer is Meghan Markle (1981-), the American-born wife of the British royal Prince Harry.

Contracted form of Micaiah. Micah is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. He authored the Book of Micah, which alternates between prophesies of doom and prophesies of restoration. This is also the name of a separate person in the Book of Judges, the keeper of an idol. It was occasionally used as an English given name by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation, but it did not become common until the end of the 20th century.

Variant of Miika.

Feminine form of Michael.

Scandinavian form of Michal 2.

Diminutive of Melissa. This is also a slang term meaning "young woman".

Variant of Molly.

Variant of Morgan 1.

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.

Transferred use of surname Moseley

From an English surname that was derived from the Middle English phrase atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer of the surname was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015).

As a given name for boys, it gained some popularity in the mid-1990s after the debut of the American television series Nash Bridges. It got more exposure beginning 2005 when a character by this name started appearing on the soap opera One Life to Live.

French feminine form of Nicholas, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).

Diminutive of Ottilie. A famous bearer was the British socialite Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873-1938).

Anglicized form of Eoghan.

From a surname that was a variant of Paige.

Transferred use of the surname Paxson.

From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "Pœcc's town". Pœcc is an Old English given name of unknown meaning.

Variant of Peyton.

From an English surname, originally a place name meaning "Pæga's town". This was a rare masculine name until the 1990s. In 1992 it was used for a female character in the movie The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and, despite the fact that it was borne by the villain, the name began to rise in popularity for girls as well as boys [1].

Famous bearers include Peyton Randolph (1721-1775), the first president of the Continental Congress, and American football quarterback Peyton Manning (1976-).

Latinate feminine form of Philip. As an English name, it is chiefly British.

Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.

In England, it began to be used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It was moderately common in the 19th century. It began to rise in popularity again in the late 1980s, probably helped along by characters on the American television shows Friends (1994-2004) and Charmed (1998-2006). It is currently much more common in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand than the United States.

A moon of Saturn bears this name, in honour of the Titan.

Either from the surname Pilot, which is derived from Pilate, or directly from the vocabulary word pilot, which is derived from either Greek πηδον (pedon) "steering oar" or πλωτης (plotes) "sailor". This name is borne by Pilot Inspektor Lee (2003-), son of American actor Jason Lee.

From the English word for the flower, ultimately deriving from Latin prima rosa "first rose".

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Cuinn, itself derived from the given name Conn. In the United States it was more common as a name for boys until 2010, the year after the female character Quinn Fabray began appearing on the television series Glee.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Riagáin, derived from the given name Riagán. This surname was borne by American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004).

As a given name, it took off in popularity during the 1990s. It has been more common for girls in the United States probably because of its similarity to other names such as Megan, Morgan and Regan.

From an English surname that was derived from Old English read meaning "red", originally a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion. Unconnected, this is also the English word for tall grass-like plants that grow in marshes.

From a surname, a Scots variant of Reed.

From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Raghailligh, derived from the given name Raghailleach, meaning unknown.

From an English surname that was originally derived from various place names meaning either "reed clearing" or "channel clearing" in Old English.

From a surname that comes from two distinct sources. As an Irish surname it is a variant of Reilly. As an English surname it is derived from a place name meaning "rye clearing" in Old English.

Before 1980, this was an uncommon masculine name in America. During the 1980s and 90s this name steadily increased in popularity for both boys and girls, and from 2003 onwards it has been more common for girls in the United States. Elsewhere in the English-speaking world, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, it has remained largely masculine.

Anglicized form of Ruaidhrí. Typically a masculine name, it gained some popularity for girls in the United States after it was used on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007), in this case as a nickname for Lorelai. Despite this, the name has grown more common for boys in America, especially after 2011, perhaps due to Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy (1989-).

Originally a Norman French form of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis meaning "famous type", composed of the elements hruod "fame" and heit "kind, sort, type". The Normans introduced it to England in the forms Roese and Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower rose (derived from Latin rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind.

From a Scottish and English surname that originally indicated a person from a place called Ross (such as the region of Ross in northern Scotland), derived from Gaelic ros meaning "promontory, headland". A famous bearer of the surname was James Clark Ross (1800-1862), an Antarctic explorer.

Diminutive of Robin.

From a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Riain. This patronymic derives from the given name Rian, which is of uncertain meaning. It is traditionally said to mean "little king", from Irish rí "king" combined with a diminutive suffix.

In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity through the 1950s and 60s. It shot up the charts after the release of the 1970 movie Ryan's Daughter. Within a few years it was in the top 20 names, where it would stay for over three decades. Famous bearers include the Canadian actors Ryan Reynolds (1976-) and Ryan Gosling (1980-).

Feminine variant of Ryan.

From an English occupational surname derived from Old English ridere meaning "mounted warrior" or "messenger". It has grown in popularity in the 2000s because it starts with the same sound found in other popular names like Ryan and Riley.

Possibly a variant of the German surname Riker, a derivative of Low German rike "rich". As a modern English name, it has become popular because it shares the same trendy sounds found in other names such as Ryan and Ryder.

From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.

From an English surname that was itself derived from a medieval form of the given name Samson.

Dutch, Estonian, Danish and Norwegian short form of Alexander.

Originally a diminutive of Alexander. As a feminine name it is a diminutive of Alexandra or Sandra. It can also be given in reference to the colour.

From an English surname meaning "sawer of wood". Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).

Very rare as an American given name before 1980, it increased in popularity in the 1980s and 90s. It got a boost in 2004 after the debut of the television series Lost, which featured a character by this name.

From an English surname that was derived from Old French sailleor meaning "acrobat, dancer". As a modern English given name it could also come from the homophone vocabulary word sailor.

From an English surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelat)). Margaret Mitchell used it for the main character, Scarlett O'Hara, in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936). Her name is explained as having come from her grandmother. Despite the fact that the book was adapted into a popular movie in 1939, the name was not common until the 21st century. It started rising around 2003, about the time that the career of American actress Scarlett Johansson (1984-) started taking off.

Derived from Late Latin Scotia, ultimately derived from Scoti or Scotti, a Latin name for the Gaels, first attested in the late 3rd century. At first it referred to all Gaels, whether in Ireland or Great Britain, as did the term Scotia for the lands they inhabited. From the 9th century, its meaning gradually shifted, so that it came to mean only the part of Britain lying north of the Firth of Forth: the Kingdom of Scotland. By the later Middle Ages it had become the fixed Latin term for what in English is called Scotland. The Romans referred to Ireland as "Scotia" around 500 A.D.
In Irish mythology, Scottish mythology and pseudohistory, Scotia is the name given to the mythological daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh. Manuscripts of the Lebor Gabála Érenn contain a legend of a Scotia who was the wife of Goidel's descendant Míl Espáine of ancient Iberia. Scotia is said to have come to Ireland in 1700 BC to avenge the death of her husband, the King, who had been wounded in a previous ambush in south Kerry. She was killed in battle with the legendary Tuatha Dé Danann on the nearby Slieve Mish Mountains. This Scotia's Grave is a famous landmark in Munster, Ireland.
According to Geoffrey Keating's 1634 narrative history of Ireland Foras Feasa ar Éirinn ("Foundation of Knowledge on Ireland" but most often known in English as "The History of Ireland"), the feminine name Scotia is derived from Irish scoṫ or scoth, meaning "blossom".

From the name of the country Scotland, meaning "land of the Scots", from Latin Scoti meaning "Gaelic speaker".

From an English and Scottish surname that referred to a person from Scotland or a person who spoke Scottish Gaelic. It is derived from Latin Scoti meaning "Gael, Gaelic speaker", with the ultimate origin uncertain.

Diminutive of Scott, also used as a feminine form.

Corsican form of Scholastica.

Transferred use of the surname Shadow or simply from the English word shadow.

From the name of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, called an tSionainn in Irish. It is associated with the legendary figure Sionann and is sometimes said to be named for her. However it is more likely she was named after the river, which may be related to Old Irish sen "old, ancient" [1]. As a given name, it first became common in America after the 1940s.

Variant of Shaun.

Anglicized form of Seán. This is the more common spelling in the United Kingdom and Australia, while Shawn is preferred in the United States and Canada (though it got a boost in America after the singer Shaun Cassidy released his debut album in 1976).

Feminine form of Shaun.

Anglicized form of Séaghdha, sometimes used as a feminine name.

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel Shirley (1849). Though the name was already popular in the United States, the child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) gave it a further boost. By 1935 it was the second most common name for girls.

Transferred use of the surname Shrader.

From the English surname Sidney. It was first used as a given name in honour of executed politician Algernon Sidney (1622-1683). Another notable bearer of the surname was the poet and statesman Philip Sidney (1554-1586).

As a given name, it has traditionally been more masculine than feminine. In America however, after the variant Sydney became popular for girls, Sidney was used more for girls than boys between 1993 and 2019.

From the English word for the precious metal or the colour, ultimately derived from Old English seolfor.

Derived from Middle Dutch schipper "boatman, bargeman", which referred to the master of a small ship or boat (like a fishing boat).

Variant of Schuyler, based on the pronunciation of the surname but respelled as if it was a blend of the English word sky with names such as Tyler. It was rare before 1980, and first gained popularity as a name for boys. It is now more common for girls, though it is more evenly unisex than the mostly feminine variant Skylar.

From an English surname that meant "dispenser of provisions", derived from Middle English spense "larder, pantry". A famous bearer was American actor Spencer Tracy (1900-1967). It was also the surname of Princess Diana (1961-1997).

Transferred use of the surname Standish.

Form of Stephen used in several languages. Famous bearers include the Serbian rulers Stefan Nemanja, Stefan Nemanjić, and Stefan Lazarević, who are all considered saints in the Orthodox Church.

Means "star" in Latin. This name was created by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney for the subject of his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella. It was a nickname of a lover of Jonathan Swift, real name Esther Johnson (1681-1728), though it was not commonly used as a given name until the 19th century. It appears in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), belonging to the sister of Blanche DuBois and the wife of Stanley Kowalski.

Meaning unknown, perhaps related to Old Norse stilling "calm", or perhaps of German origin.

Transferred use from the surname Stockard.

The stage name of actress Stockard Channing (born Susan Antonia Williams Stockard), most known for playing Rizzo in Grease.

From the vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English or Old Dutch storm, or in the case of the Scandinavian name, from Old Norse stormr.

Transferred use of the surname Sutter.

Diminutive of Tallulah, Talia 1 and other names that begin with or contain the element "Tal-".

From an English surname meaning "one who tans hides".

From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Tata, of unknown origin.

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Tata's homestead" in Old English. It was brought to public attention by the child actress Tatum O'Neal (1963-) in the 1970s, though it did not catch on. It attained a modest level of popularity after 1996, when it was borne by a character in the movie Scream.

Variant of Taylor.

Short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other names with a similar sound.

Possibly derived from Greek θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan goddess of light, glittering and glory. She was the wife of Hyperion and the mother of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.

From the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English þunresdæg meaning literally "Thor's day", from Þunor (genitive Þunre) and dæg. A known bearer of this name was Thursday October Christian (1790-1831), the first son of the HMS Bounty mutineer Fletcher Christian and his Tahitian wife Mauatua, who was born on a Thursday in October.

This was also an African American name (as with all the other weekdays). Naming children after the weekday on which they were born is common in some African cultures, notably Akan. Early slaves in America continued the day-naming practice with the English translations.

Short form of Tucker.

From an occupational surname for a cloth fuller, derived from Old English tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.

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

From an English surname for one who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English turnian "to turn", of Latin origin.

From an English surname meaning "tiler of roofs", derived from Old English tigele "tile". The surname was borne by American president John Tyler (1790-1862).

From a Welsh surname that was derived from bychan (mutated to fychan) meaning "little".

Derived from Old Norse vón "hope; expectation".

Transferred from the German surname Wagner.

From an English surname that was derived either from Norman French warrene meaning "animal enclosure", or else from the town of La Varenne in Normandy. This name was borne by the American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).

From the name of the day of the week, which was derived from Old English wodnesdæg meaning "Woden's day". On the Addams Family television series (1964-1966) this was the name of the daughter, based on an earlier unnamed character in Charles Addams' cartoons. Her name was inspired by the popular nursery rhyme line Wednesday's child is full of woe.

From an Old German name derived from the element warin, related to war meaning "aware, cautious", combined with heri meaning "army". This was the name of a 13th-century boy from Oberwesel, Germany who was formerly regarded as a saint. He is no longer recognized as such by the Church. Another famous bearer was the German physicist Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976).

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).

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.

Variant of Wolf, influenced by the spelling of the surname (which is also derived from the animal).

Derived from the Old German elements wolf meaning "wolf" and gang meaning "path, way". Saint Wolfgang was a 10th-century bishop of Regensburg. Two other famous bearers of this name were Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and German novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "row of houses by a wood" in Old English. It was borne by the American president Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), who was given his mother's maiden name as his middle name (his first name was Thomas). During his candidacy and presidency (1912-1921) the name became popular, reaching the 44th rank in 1913, though it quickly declined after that.

Derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) who was born in a village by this name. He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries. His surname has since been adopted as a given name in his honour, chiefly among Catholics.

Hebrew form of Jael.

From the Yukon River or Territory, Canada, meaning "Great River" in Gwich’in. Yukon Cornelius is a character in the 1964 Christmas movie, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

Slovak variant of Zdenko.