sponinsanity's Personal Name List

Means "ruin, destruction" in Hebrew. In Revelation in the New Testament this is another name of the angel of the abyss.

Greek form of Abigail.

From the name of a type of tree, ultimately derived from Greek ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".

Latinized form of Akakios.

From the Greek Ἀχιλλεύς (Achilleus), which is of unknown meaning, perhaps derived from Greek ἄχος (achos) meaning "pain" or else from the name of the Achelous River. This was the name of a warrior in Greek legend, one of the central characters in Homer's Iliad. The bravest of the Greek heroes in the war against the Trojans, he was eventually killed by an arrow to his heel, the only vulnerable part of his body.

This name was sometimes used as a personal name, and was borne by a few early saints, including a Roman soldier martyred with Nereus in the 1st century.

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.

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.

From an English surname that was derived from the given name Edgar.

From the Old German elements adal "noble" and wini "friend" (a cognate of Æðelwine).

Means "of unyielding quality" or "diamond like". From the Latin adamantinus meaning 'incorruptible, inflexible', itself from the Greek adamantinos (ἀδαμάντινος) of the same meaning, with the Greek or Latin suffix of -ine meaning 'like', 'made of', or 'of the nature of'.

Gothic Victorian name used in Great Britain.

Variant of Adamina.

Means "daughter of beauty" in Igbo.

Means "eldest daughter of the father" in Igbo.

From the Latin phrase ad astra "to the stars". It may have been inspired by the similar name Adrasta (see Adrasteia).

Habitational name from any of various places named in Old English as Eaddingtun 'settlement associated with Eadda' or Æddingtun 'settlement associated with Æddi'.

From an English surname meaning "son of Adam". Its recent popularity as a feminine name stems from its similarity in sound to Madison.

Means "nobleness, nobility", from the French form of the Germanic name Adalheidis, which was composed of adal "noble" and the suffix heit "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great.

In Britain the parallel form Alice, derived via Old French, has historically been more common than Adelaide, though this form did gain some currency in the 19th century due to the popularity of the German-born wife of King William IV, for whom the city of Adelaide in Australia was named in 1836.

Shortened form of Adalheidis.

French and English form of Adelina.

Variant of Adeline using the popular name suffix lyn.

Means "bird" in Welsh. This is a modern Welsh name.

Feminine form of Adir.

From a German surname meaning "eagle".

Feminine form of Adnan.

From Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning "lord, master". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by Aphrodite, Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see Dumuzi).

Feminine form of Adrastos. In Greek mythology this name was borne by a nymph who fostered the infant Zeus. This was also another name of the goddess Nemesis.

Means "flock of God" in Hebrew, from עֵדֶר (ʿeḏer) meaning "flock, herd" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a man who married Saul's daughter Merab.

Feminine form of Aelius.

Roman family name that was possibly derived from the Greek word ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun". This was the family name of the Roman emperor Hadrian.

Means "whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.

Probably a Latinized form of a Germanic name of unknown meaning. This was the name of the mother of Eleanor of Aquitaine.

From the Greek name Αἰσχύλος (Aischylos), derived from αἶσχος (aischos) meaning "shame". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Athenian playwright, known for his tragedies.

Variant of Æðelflæd.

Variant of Æðelþryð.

Derived from the Old English element æðele "noble" combined with weard "guardian".

Latinized form of Greek Αιξ (Aix) meaning "goat". In Greek mythology Aex or Aega was a goat nymph who nursed the infant Zeus in Crete, and he afterwards changed her into the constellation Capella. She may be identical with Aix Amaltheia (see Amalthea). It was also borne by the Gorgon Aex, a primordial monster whose skin Zeus crafted into the aegis shield.

Transferred use of the surname Afton. It is also the name of a river in Scotland, and it coincides with the Swedish noun afton meaning "evening".

This name enjoyed a brief revival in the early 1980s, thanks to the character of Afton Cooper from the popular American television series Dallas (1978-1991).

Possibly means "very steadfast" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was the brother of Menelaus. He led the Greek expedition to Troy to recover his brother's wife Helen. After the Trojan War Agamemnon was killed by his wife Clytemnestra.

Means "bearer of good news", derived from Greek ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good" and ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger, angel". Saint Agathangelus of Rome was a 4th-century deacon who was martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian.

Greek masculine form of Agatha.

Means "splendour, beauty" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites). This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Rome.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ἅγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek ἁγνός (hagnos) meaning "chaste". Saint Agnes was a virgin martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The name became associated with Latin agnus "lamb", resulting in the saint's frequent depiction with a lamb by her side. Due to her renown, the name became common in Christian Europe.

As an English name it was highly popular from the Middle Ages until the 17th century. It was revived in the 19th century and was common into the 20th, but it fell into decline after the 1930s. It last appeared on the American top 1000 rankings in 1972.

From Latin Agnetis, which is the genitive of the third declension of Agnes, the latinized form of the Greek name Hagne.

In the Netherlands, this has been used as a Latin form of Agnes (thus basically making it a latinization of a latinization) since at least late medieval times.

A dithematic name composed of ‘αγνος (hagnos)‘αγνος (hagnos) "chaste" and δικη (dike) "justice".

It is the name of the first Greek woman to legally practice medicine.

Perhaps derived from the old Celtic root *agro- meaning "battle, slaughter". This is possibly the name of a Brythonic goddess for whom the River Ayr in Scotland and River Aeron in Wales were named.

Greek form of Ajax.

Means "radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Anne.

Aion comes from the Greek word "Αἰών" meaning century and is the circle encompassing the universe and zodiac. Aion is the god of eternity unlike Chronos (the god of time).

The meaning of this name is not known for certain. It was used in Brittany at least as early as the 6th century, and it possibly means either "little rock" or "handsome" in Breton. Alternatively, it may derive from the tribal name of the Alans, an Iranian people who migrated into Europe in the 4th and 5th centuries.

This was the name of several dukes of Brittany, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. Famous modern bearers include Alan Shepard (1923-1998), the first American in space and the fifth man to walk on the moon, and Alan Turing (1912-1954), a British mathematician and computer scientist.

Feminine form of Alan. Canadian musician Alanis Morissette (1974-) was named after her father Alan. Her parents apparently decided to use this particular spelling after seeing this word in a Greek newspaper.

Variant of Alana. It has been influenced by the affectionate Anglo-Irish word alannah, from the Irish Gaelic phrase a leanbh meaning "O child".

Variant of Adalhard.

From the Gothic name *Alareiks meaning "ruler of all", derived from the element alls "all" combined with reiks "ruler, king". This was the name of a king of the Visigoths who sacked Rome in the 5th century.

The first element of this name is derived from Gothic alls "all" or from Gothic alhs (alah in Old High German) "temple." The second element is derived from Anglo-Saxon ridan "to ride."

Means "avenger" in Greek. This was an epithet of Zeus, as well as the name of several other characters from Greek mythology.

Feminine form of Alastar.

A name given on an inscription at Avignon to a Celtic war god, who may have been Tīwaz (see Tyr) or Teutates (Latinized form of Toutatis). Said to mean "king of the world".

From the English noun alchemy referring to "the causing of any sort of mysterious sudden transmutation" or "the ancient search for a universal panacea, and of the philosopher's stone, that eventually developed into chemistry", which ultimately comes from Greek χυμεία (chymeia) "art of alloying metals, alchemy" via Arabic al-kimiya (the source also of Persian Kimiya).

From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Ealdwine.

A form of Ealdræd recorded in Domesday Book, which was written in Medieval Latin. It is also the form of the name used in the Phillimore translation of Domesday Book.

From a Germanic name, derived from the elements alt "old" and rih "ruler, king". Saint Aldric was a 9th-century bishop of Le Mans.

Medieval variant of Aldous.

Derived from the Old German elements alt "old" and wini "friend". This is a cognate of Old English Ealdwine.

Latinized form of Greek Ἀληκτώ (Alekto), which was derived from ἄληκτος (alektos) meaning "unceasing". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology.

Short form of Alexandra.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, help" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.

The name has been used by kings of Scotland, Poland and Yugoslavia, emperors of Russia, and eight popes. Other notable bearers include English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744), American statesman Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), Scottish-Canadian explorer Alexander MacKenzie (1764-1820), Russian poet Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837), and Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor of the telephone.

Feminine form of Alexander. In Greek mythology this was a Mycenaean epithet of the goddess Hera, and an alternate name of Cassandra. It was borne by several early Christian saints, and also by the wife of Nicholas II, the last tsar of Russia. She was from Germany and had the birth name Alix, but was renamed Александра (Aleksandra) upon joining the Russian Church.

Combination of Alexandra with the suffix -etta.

Feminine form of Alexander. Alexander the Great founded several cities by this name (or renamed them) as he extended his empire eastward. The most notable of these is Alexandria in Egypt, founded by Alexander in 331 BC.

Elaborated form of Alexandra. This was the first name of Queen Victoria; her middle name was Victoria.

French diminutive of Alexandra. This was the name of a Danish queen, the wife of King Christian X.

Greek form of Alexander.

Feminine form of Alexis.

Feminine form of Alexianus.

Feminine form of Alex, or a diminutive of Alexis.

Feminine form of Alexin.

Greek form of Alexius.

From the Greek name Ἄλεξις (Alexis) meaning "helper" or "defender", derived from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, to help". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek comic poet, and also of several saints. It is used somewhat interchangeably with the related name Ἀλέξιος or Alexius, borne by five Byzantine emperors.

In the English-speaking world this name is more commonly given to girls. This is due to the American actress Alexis Smith (1921-1993), who began appearing in movies in the early 1940s. It got a boost in popularity in the 1980s from a character on the soap opera Dynasty.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξιος (Alexios), a derivative of Ἄλεξις (see Alexis). This was the name of five Byzantine emperors. It was also borne by a 5th-century Syrian saint who is especially venerated in the Eastern Church.

Variant of Alboin.

Medieval short form of Adeline. As an English name, in modern times it has sometimes been regarded as a variant of Eileen. This was the name of a popular 1965 song by the French singer Christophe.

Anglicized form of Alasdair.

Medieval French variant of Alice, also sometimes used as a masculine name. This is the name of the hero (a young Gaulish man) of a French comic book series, which debuted in 1948.

Meaning unknown, possibly of German origin.

Variant of Alan. The American author Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) got his middle name from the surname of the parents who adopted him.

Variant of Alan, or from a surname that was derived from this same name. A famous bearer of this name was Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997), an American beat poet. Another is the American film director and actor Woody Allen (1935-), who took the stage name Allen from his real first name.

Variant or feminine form of Alan.

Possibly from a Visigothic name, maybe from Gothic elements such as alls "all" or aljis "other" combined with auds "riches, wealth". Saint Alodia was a 9th-century Spanish martyr with her sister Nunilo.

Latinized form of Aloys, an old Occitan form of Louis. This was the name of an Italian saint, Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591). The name has been in occasional use among Catholics since his time.

From Ἀλφαῖος (Alphaios), the Greek form of a Hebrew name that meant "exchange". In the New Testament this is the name of the fathers of the apostles James the Lesser and Levi.

Combination of elements al meaning "noble" and ric "power, ruler."

Means "the flyer" in Arabic. This is the name of a star in the constellation Aquila.

From the Greek name Ἀλθαία (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek ἄλθος (althos) meaning "healing". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.

Contracted form of Adalwin.

Feminine form of Amado.

Late Roman and German feminine form of Amadeus, Italian and Galician feminine form of Amadeo, Sicilian feminine form of Amadeu, Hungarian and Polish feminine form of Amadeusz and Slovene variant of Amadeja.

Means "love of God", derived from Latin amare "to love" and Deus "God". A famous bearer was the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who was actually born Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart but preferred the Latin translation of his Greek middle name. This name was also assumed as a middle name by the German novelist E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), who took it in honour of Mozart.

Means "freeborn man" in Igbo.

From the name of the amaranth flower, which is derived from Greek αμαραντος (amarantos) meaning "unfading".

From the name of the amaranth flower, which is derived from Greek ἀμάραντος (amarantos) meaning "unfading". Ἀμάραντος (Amarantos) was also an Ancient Greek given name.

Derived from Greek ἀμαρύσσω (amarysso) meaning "to sparkle". This is the name of a character appearing in Virgil's pastoral poems Eclogues [1]. The amaryllis flower is named for her.

Late Latin name meaning "lover (of God)". Saint Amator was a 5th-century bishop of Auxerre.

Late Latin name meaning "beloved". The 7th-century Saint Amatus was the first abbot of Remiremont Abbey.

From the Late Latin name Ambrosius, which was derived from the Greek name Ἀμβρόσιος (Ambrosios) meaning "immortal". Saint Ambrose was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Milan, who is considered a Doctor of the Church. Due to the saint, the name came into general use in Christian Europe, though it was never particularly common in England.

Feminine form of Ambrose.

Variant of Amalia, though it is sometimes confused with Emilia, which has a different origin. The name became popular in England after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century — it was borne by daughters of both George II and George III. The author Henry Fielding used it for the title character in his novel Amelia (1751). Another famous bearer was Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), the first woman to make a solo flight over the Atlantic Ocean.

This name experienced a rise in popularity at the end of the 20th century. It was the most popular name for girls in England and Wales from 2011 to 2015.

Variant of Emery.

Feminine form of Amicus.

Medieval name derived from Latin amicus meaning "friend". This was a popular name in the Middle Ages, though it has since become uncommon.

Means "friend" in Latin.

Medieval name, a masculine form of Amice. It appears in the medieval French poem Amis and Amiles, about two friends who make sacrifices for one another.

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

Origins uncertain. This earlier form of Hamlet appeared in a story published by Danish writer Christiern Pedersen in 1514, based on a legend recorded by Saxo Grammaticus in his 'History of the Danes'.

From Ἄμμων (Ammon), the Greek form of Egyptian jmn (reconstructed as Yamanu) meaning "the hidden one". In early Egyptian mythology he was a god of the air, creativity and fertility, who was particularly revered in Thebes. Later, during the Middle Kingdom, his attributes were combined with those of the god Ra and he was worshipped as the supreme solar deity Amon-Ra.

Transferred use of the surname Amory.

Feminine form of Anastasius. This was the name of a 4th-century Dalmatian saint who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. Due to her, the name has been common in Eastern Orthodox Christianity (in various spellings). As an English name it has been in use since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the youngest daughter of the last Russian tsar Nicholas II, who was rumoured to have escaped the execution of her family in 1918.

Greek form of Anastasius.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀναστάσιος (Anastasios), which meant "resurrection" from Greek ἀνάστασις (anastasis) (composed of the elements ἀνά (ana) meaning "up" and στάσις (stasis) meaning "standing"). This was the name of numerous early saints and martyrs, including a 7th-century monk and writer from Alexandria who is especially venerated in the Eastern Church.

Feminine form of Anatolius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Italian saint and martyr. This is also a place name (from the same Greek origin) referring to the large peninsula that makes up the majority of Turkey.

Feminine form of Anatolianus.

From the Greek Ἀνατόλιος (Anatolios), derived from ἀνατολή (anatole) meaning "sunrise". Saint Anatolius was a 3rd-century philosopher from Alexandria.

Derived from the Greek noun ἄναξ (anax) meaning "master, lord, chief". In ancient Greece, it was a title denoting a tribal king or military leader.

In Greek mythology, Anax was a giant. He was the son of Uranus and Gaia, and father of Asterius. He was king of the town and territory Anactoria ("place of Anax"), which was later seized by a Cretan who killed Asterius and renamed the city Miletus after himself.

Anax was also an epithet of the Greek gods in general, characterizing them as rulers of the world.

Feminine form of Anaxandros. In Greek legend this name was borne by the wife of King Procles of Sparta. It was also the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek painter, who is mentioned in Clement of Alexandria's essay 'Women as Well as Men Capable of Perfection'.

Feminine form of Anaxibios. This name is carried by several characters in Greek mythology.

The name is either a masculine form of Anchoretta (finally going back to the Welsh name Angharad) or used with the literal meaning "anchor".

Latinization of Anchoret.

Meaning uncertain. Its use is probably influenced by the Latin title ancilla Dei meaning "handmaid of God".

In the German-speaking world, the use of Ancilla and Anzilla dates back to at least the 10th century. In 990 AD, the birth of a certain Anzilla von Lenzburg was documented in Switzerland. She was the daughter of Arnold I, Count von Lenzburg, the imperial reeve of Zurich.

In the Netherlands, a known bearer of this name is Ancilla van de Leest (b. 1985), a former model and television presenter who is now a politician on behalf of the Dutch Pirate Party.

French form of Ancilla, which has also been used in non-francophone countries over time. Also compare Ancelle.

The name has always been extremely rare in the French-speaking world, which is probably because the association with the French word ancille "maidservant, handmaid" is too close. It appears that (where the francophone world is concerned) the name is not in use in France itself these days, but predominantly in African countries where French is one of the official national languages, such as Burundi and Rwanda.

Short form of Alexandra.

Possibly a feminine form of Andrei.

Means "patience" in Sindarin. Andreth was a wise-woman of the House of Bëor in J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium.

Derived from Greek ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) combined with one of the related words μέδομαι (medomai) meaning "to be mindful of, to provide for, to think on" or μέδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". In Greek mythology Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess rescued from sacrifice by the hero Perseus. A constellation in the northern sky is named for her. This is also the name of a nearby galaxy, given because it resides (from our point of view) within the constellation.

Latinized form of Greek Ἀνδρόνικος (Andronikos) meaning "victory of a man", from ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". This name is mentioned briefly in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament. Shakespeare later used it in his play Titus Andronicus (1593).

Medieval English form of Agnes.

From an English surname that was derived from the given name Anselm. A famous bearer was American photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984).

Derived from the Old German elements ansi "god" and helm "helmet, protection". This name was brought to England in the late 11th century by Saint Anselm, who was born in northern Italy. He was archbishop of Canterbury and a Doctor of the Church.

From an English surname meaning "son of Agnes".

From the Greek Ἄνθεια (Antheia), derived from ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower, blossom". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera.

In Greek mythology, Anthelia was a water nymph and a dainaid. She is said to be a daughter of Polyxo and the wife of Cisseus.

Possibly derived from Greek άνθος (anthos) meaning "blossom". Anthylla was a sacrificed victim of the Minotaur in Greek mythology.

Derived from Greek ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and γονή (gone) meaning "birth, offspring". In Greek legend Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. King Creon of Thebes declared that her slain brother Polynices was to remain unburied, a great dishonour. She disobeyed and gave him a proper burial, and for this she was sealed alive in a cave.

English form of Antiochus. The capital city of Syria bore this name, an important centre in early Christianity (founded c.300 BC by Seleucus I Nictor and named for his father, Antiochus). The name was used by J. K. Rowling in her 'Harry Potter' series of books, where it belongs a minor character.

From the Greek name Ἀντίοχος (Antiochos), derived from Greek ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and ὀχή (oche) meaning "support". This was the name of several rulers of the Seleucid Empire. It was also borne by a 2nd-century Christian martyr, the patron saint of Sardinia.

Feminine form of Antonius (see Anthony).

Means "very beautiful" in Welsh, from the intensive prefix an- combined with gwen "white, blessed".

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

Feminine form of Apollo. It was used in the "Twitches" novel series by H. B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld.

From Greek Ἀπόλλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to the Indo-European root *apelo- meaning "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.

Greek form of Apollo.

Means "spider" in Greek. In Greek myth Arachne was a mortal woman who defeated Athena in a weaving contest. After this Arachne hanged herself, but Athena brought her back to life in the form of a spider.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀρχέλαος (Archelaos), which meant "master of the people" from ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and λαός (laos) meaning "people". This was the name of a son of Herod the Great. He ruled over Judea, Samaria and Idumea.

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.

Derived from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician, astronomer and inventor.

From Ancient Greek Ἀρκτοῦρος (Arktouros), the name of the fourth brightest star in the sky, part of the constellation Boötes. It means "guardian of the bear", derived from ἄρκτος (arktos) meaning "bear" and οὖρος (ouros) meaning "guardian", referring to the star's position close to the constellations Ursa Minor and Ursa Major.

From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, which were derived from a Celtic word meaning "high".

Variant of Ardath.

Perhaps from either Greek ἀρή (are) meaning "bane, ruin" or ἄρσην (arsen) meaning "male". The name first appears as a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Hera.

From Greek Ἀρέθουσα (Arethousa) meaning "quick water", which is possibly derived from ἄρδω (ardo) meaning "water" and θοός (thoos) meaning "quick, nimble". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology who was transformed into a fountain.

Means "desire" in Persian.

Feminine form of Ari 1.

Means "most holy", composed of the Greek prefix ἀρι (ari) meaning "most" combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos. She fell in love with Theseus and helped him to escape the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, but was later abandoned by him. Eventually she married the god Dionysus.

Derived from Welsh arian "silver" and gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint, one of the supposed daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.

Means "ram" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the first sign of the zodiac. Some Roman legends state that the ram in the constellation was the one who supplied the Golden Fleece sought by Jason.

Modern Greek form of Ares. It is also used as a short form of Aristotelis.

Means "ear of grain" in Latin. This is the name of a star, also known as Spica, in the constellation Virgo.

From the Greek name Ἀρισταῖος (Aristaios), derived from ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best". This was the name of a minor Greek god of agriculture, hunting and cattle. He was the son of Apollo and the mortal Cyrene.

Possibly means "the best life" from the Greek elements αριστος (aristos) "best" and βιος (bios) "life" (compare Aristobios); alternatively, the second element may be Greek βία (bia) meaning "bodily strength, force; act of violence".

Derived from Greek ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "the best".

Meaning unknown, possibly invented by Michael William Balfe for the main character in his opera The Bohemian Girl (1843).

Transferred use of the surname Arlington. Notable bearer the American poet Edwin Arlington Robinson received the name rather unusually when a man from Arlington, Massachusetts was selected to pull a name out of a hat to bestow his first name, Edwin.

Transferred use of the surname Arliss.

Originally a medieval feminine form of Germanic masculine names beginning with the Old High German element arn, Old Norse ǫrn meaning "eagle" (Proto-Germanic *arnuz). This name was in use during the Middle Ages, died out, and was eventually revived in the 19th century.

Feminine form of Arnold.

From the English word arrow, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂érkʷo- "bow, arrow".

Meaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek ἀρτεμής (artemes) meaning "safe" or ἄρταμος (artamos) meaning "a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She was known as Diana to the Romans.

Feminine form of Arthur.

Old Welsh name of unknown meaning.

Means "noble maiden" in the fictional language Sindarin. In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Arwen was the daughter of Elrond and the lover of Aragorn.

From the Welsh intensifying prefix ar- and gwyn meaning "white, blessed".

From Arabic عسل (ʿasal) meaning "honey".

Means "happy, blessed" in Hebrew, derived from אָשַׁר (ʾashar) meaning "to be happy, to be blessed". 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.

Transferred use of the surname Ashland.

From Sanskrit अश्विन् (aśvin) meaning "possessed of horses". The Ashvins are twin Hindu gods of the sunrise and sunset.

From the English word for a variety of deciduous trees in the genus Populus, derived from Old English æspe. It is also the name of a ski resort in Colorado.

Derived from Kurdish stêrk meaning "star".

Feminine form of Astor. This is also the name of several American towns, after the businessman John Jacob Astor.

Means "star", ultimately from Greek ἀστήρ (aster). This name has only been (rarely) used since the 20th century.

Latinized form of the Greek Ἀστραία (Astraia), derived from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star". Astraea was a Greek goddess of justice and innocence. After wickedness took root in the world she left the earth and became the constellation Virgo.

Greek form of Astraea.

Modern Scandinavian form of Ástríðr. This name was borne by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), the author of Pippi Longstocking. It was also borne by a Swedish princess (1905-1935) who became the queen of Belgium as the wife of Leopold III.

Probably intended to mean "star lover", from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star" and φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend". This name was first used by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney in his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella.

Feminine form of Athanasios (see Athanasius).

Meaning unknown. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. It is likely that her name is derived from that of the city, not vice versa. The earliest mention of her seems to be a 15th-century BC Mycenaean Greek inscription from Knossos on Crete.

The daughter of Zeus, she was said to have sprung from his head fully grown after he impregnated and swallowed her mother Metis. Athena is associated with the olive tree and the owl.

Possibly means "enduring" from Greek τλάω (tlao) meaning "to endure". In Greek mythology he was a Titan punished by Zeus by being forced to support the heavens on his shoulders.

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.

From a diminutive form of Auberi, an Old French form of Alberich. It is the name of the fairy king in the 13th-century epic Huon de Bordeaux.

Norwegian form of Auðun.

Feminine form of Augustanus.

From the Roman name Augustinus, itself derived from the Roman name Augustus. Saint Augustine of Hippo was a 5th-century Christian theologian and author from North Africa. For his contributions to Christian philosophy he is known as a Doctor of the Church. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world. It became popular in England in the Middle Ages partly because of a second saint by this name, Augustine of Canterbury, a 6th-century Italian monk sent to England to convert the Anglo-Saxons.

From the word aura (derived from Latin, ultimately from Greek αὔρα meaning "breeze") for a distinctive atmosphere or illumination.

Late Latin name that was derived from aureus "golden". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Ostia (near Rome), as well as an 11th-century Spanish saint.

Feminine form of Aurelius.

Romanian form of Aurelianus, as well as the usual English form when referring to the Roman emperor.

Roman family name that was derived from Latin aureus meaning "golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.

French form of Aurianus.

Means "dawn" in Latin. Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morning. It has occasionally been used as a given name since the Renaissance.

Feminine form of Auxilius. In some cases, the name can also be a short form of Auxiliadora.

Means "aider, first-aider" in Spanish and Portuguese, from Latin auxiliator (compare the related name Auxilius). It is taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary María Auxiliadora meaning "Mary, the Helper", and from the Portuguese title Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora meaning "Our Lady, Help (of Christians)", both referring to the protection and help that the Virgin Mary offers to Christians. A known bearer of this name is the retired Spanish female football player Auxiliadora Jiménez (1975-).

From the name of the island paradise to which King Arthur was brought after his death. The name of this island is perhaps related to Welsh afal meaning "apple", a fruit that was often linked with paradise.

Probably a Latinized form of the Germanic name Aveza, which was derived from the element awi, of unknown meaning. The Normans introduced this name to England and it became moderately common during the Middle Ages, at which time it was associated with Latin avis "bird".

Means "of the moon" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, from Turkic ay "moon".

Means "my help is God" in Hebrew, derived from עֶזְרָה (ʿezra) meaning "help" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.

From an English surname derived from Middle English baili meaning "bailiff", originally denoting one who was a bailiff.

Already an uncommon masculine name, it slowly grew in popularity for American girls beginning in 1978 after the start of the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, which featured a character with this name. Though it remained more common as a feminine name, it got a boost for boys in 1994 from another television character on the drama Party of Five. In the United Kingdom and Australia it has always been more popular for boys.

Probably from Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator meaning "voyager, traveller". It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin beatus "blessed, happy". Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of Diocletian.

In England the name became rare after the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, more commonly in the spelling Beatrice. Famous bearers include the British author and illustrator Beatrix Potter (1866-1943), the creator of Peter Rabbit, and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (1938-).

Means "beautiful, handsome" in French. It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. In Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind (1936) this is the name of Ashley and Melanie's son.

Although this is a grammatically masculine adjective in French, it is given to girls as well as boys in Britain and the Netherlands. In America it is more exclusively masculine. It is not commonly used as a name in France itself.

From a French surname meaning "beautiful outlook".

From an English surname derived from Old French bel ami meaning "beautiful friend".

Means "female warrior" in Latin. This is the name of the star that marks the left shoulder of the constellation Orion.

Derived from Latin bellare meaning "to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war, a companion of Mars.

Italian feminine form of Benedict.

Original Latin form of Benedict. This is also the official Dutch form, used on birth certificates but not typically in daily life.

Medieval form of Benedict. This was the more common spelling in England until the 18th century. Modern use of the name is probably also influenced by the common surname Bennett, itself a derivative of the medieval name.

From an English surname that originally meant "son of Benedict".

From a surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English beonet "bent grass" and leah "woodland, clearing". Various towns in England bear this name.

Short form of Elizabeth, or sometimes Bethany.

Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth.

From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of a Yorkshire city, itself from Old English beofor "beaver" and (possibly) licc "stream". It came into use as a masculine given name in the 19th century, then became common as an American feminine name after the publication of George Barr McCutcheon's 1904 novel Beverly of Graustark [1]. It was most popular in the 1930s, and has since greatly declined in use.

Either from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer".

From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Irish given name Bláán.

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).

From the Roman name Blasius, which was derived from Latin blaesus meaning "lisping". Saint Blaise was a 4th-century Armenian martyr. A famous bearer was the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).

From an English surname that was derived from Old English blæc "black" or blac "pale". A famous bearer of the surname was the poet and artist William Blake (1757-1827). It was originally a mainly masculine name but in 2007 actress Blake Lively (1987-) began starring in the television series Gossip Girl, after which time it increased in popularity for girls.

Transferred use of the surname. This name was borne by British literary scholar Bonamy Dobrée (1891-1974), who was given the name because it was a family surname.

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

Meaning uncertain, perhaps from Welsh brith, braith meaning "speckled".

Short form of Abraham. This name was borne by Bram Stoker (1847-1912), the Irish author who wrote Dracula.

From an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Brandr. This is also the name for a variety of wild geese.

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Bracca's town" in Old English. In some cases it is given in honour of the Confederate general Braxton Bragg (1817-1876).

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

From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Braonáin) that was derived from the byname Braonán, itself from Irish braon meaning "rain, moisture, drop" combined with a diminutive suffix. As a given name, it has been used since the 1960s as an alternative to Brendan or Brandon, though it has not been as popular as them.

Latinized form of a Celtic name (or title) that possibly meant either "king, prince" or "raven". Brennus was a Gallic leader of the 4th century BC who attacked and sacked Rome.

From the English word for the thorny plant.

Means "thunderer" in Greek. In Greek mythology (according to Hesiod), this was the name of one of the three Cyclopes, who were the sons of Uranus and Gaia.

Seemingly derived from Welsh bron "breast" and gwen "white, blessed", though it has sometimes occurred as a variant spelling of the legendary name Branwen [1]. It has been used as a given name in Wales since the 19th century. It is borne by a character in Richard Llewellyn's 1939 novel How Green Was My Valley, as well as the 1941 movie adaptation.

Means "hill, mound" in Welsh. In Wales it is almost always a masculine name, though elsewhere in the English-speaking world it can be unisex (see Brynn).

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].

From the name of a type of Eurasian vine, formerly used as medicine. It ultimately derives from Greek βρύω (bryo) meaning "to swell".

Means "divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin dia or diva meaning "goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *dyew- found in Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess Artemis.

As a given name, Diana has been regularly used since the Renaissance. It became more common in the English-speaking world following Walter Scott's novel Rob Roy (1817), which featured a character named Diana Vernon. It also appeared in George Meredith's novel Diana of the Crossways (1885). A notable bearer was the British royal Diana Spencer (1961-1997), the Princess of Wales.

From Irish fiann meaning "band of warriors".

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.

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

From the Greek name Ἰσίδωρος (Isidoros) meaning "gift of Isis", derived from the name of the Egyptian goddess Isis combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Isidore of Seville was a 6th-century archbishop, historian and theologian.

Though it has never been popular in the English-speaking world among Christians, it has historically been a common name for Jews, who have used it as an Americanized form of names such as Isaac, Israel and Isaiah.

From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.

Medieval English form of Johanne, an Old French form of Iohanna (see Joanna). This was the usual English feminine form of John in the Middle Ages, but it was surpassed in popularity by Jane in the 17th century. It again became quite popular in the first half of the 20th century, entering the top ten names for both the United States and the United Kingdom, though it has since faded.

This name (in various spellings) has been common among European royalty, being borne by ruling queens of Naples, Navarre and Castile. Another famous bearer was Joan of Arc, a patron saint of France (where she is known as Jeanne d'Arc). She was a 15th-century peasant girl who, after claiming she heard messages from God, was given leadership of the French army. She defeated the English in the battle of Orléans but was eventually captured and burned at the stake.

Other notable bearers include the actress Joan Crawford (1904-1977) and the comedian Joan Rivers (1933-2014), both Americans.

Means "of God" in Hebrew. This is the name of the father of Eliasaph in the Old Testament. It is misspelled as Δαήλ (Dael) in the Greek translation, the Septuagint.

Feminine form of Laelius, a Roman family name of unknown meaning. This is also the name of a type of flower, an orchid found in Mexico and Central America.

Roman family name that was derived from Latin maximus "greatest". Saint Maximus was a monk and theologian from Constantinople in the 7th century.

Feminine form of Nadir.

Means "attainer" in Arabic.

From the Latin orabilis "easily entreated".

Anglicized form of Odharnait.

Feminine form of Oren.

Italian form of Hosanna. This was the name of a 15th-century Italian saint and mystic, as well as a 16th-century Montenegrin saint.

Variant of Solange.

From the Old Norse name Þórleikr, which meant "Thor's play" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with leikr "play, game (involving weapons)".

Meaning uncertain, perhaps from a German surname, or perhaps from the English word wild. It has been in use since the 19th century.