Dianatiger's Personal Name List

French feminine form of Abel.

French and Italian form of Achilles.

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

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

Turkish and Albanian feminine form of Adil.

Variant of Adina 2. As a Norwegian name, also possibly a feminine form of Adrian.

Older variant of Eibhlín

Possibly an Irish form of Alan or Ælfwine.

Variant of Amy, influenced by French Aimée.

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.

Means "dream" or "vision" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.

French form of Alan. A notable bearer is the French actor Alain Delon (1935-2024).

French form of Albina.

Italian and French form of Alcides.

Means "lofty, sublime" in Arabic, from the root علا (ʿalā) meaning "to be high". Ali ibn Abi Talib was a cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the fourth caliph to rule the Muslim world. His followers were the original Shia Muslims, who regard him as the first rightful caliph.

This name is borne by the hero in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, the tale of a man who finds the treasure trove of a band of thieves. Another famous bearer was the boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who changed his name from Cassius Clay upon his conversion to Islam.

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.

French form of Alfonso.

Gallicized feminine form of Amel 2, ultimately from the Arabic Amal 1.

French form of Amor.

Means "they have increased" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.

English form of André.

From the English word for the herb, also called aniseed.

French diminutive of Anne 1. It has also been widely used in the English-speaking world, and it became popular in America in the late 1950s due to the fame of actress Annette Funicello (1942-2013).

Possibly meaning "flower" and deriving from the Greek ἄνθος (anthos).

Variant of Antien.

French form of Antonius (see Anthony). A famous bearer was the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944), the author of The Little Prince.

Feminine form of Ardell.

French form of Aristus. It appears in the play Les Femmes Savantes (1672) by the French playwright Molière. A known bearer was Ariste Jacques Trouvé-Chauvel (1805-1883), a French politician.

Variant of Arline. Since the onset of the 20th century, this is the most common spelling of this name.

French form of Herleva.

French and Catalan form of Herman.

Breton and French form of the Old Welsh name Arthmail, which was composed of the elements arth "bear" and mael "prince, chieftain". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who founded abbeys in Brittany.

French form of Arnold.

French form of Arsenios. A notable fictional bearer is Arsène Lupin, a gentleman burglar in novels by Maurice Leblanc, beginning 1907.

Variant of Athena.

French form of Albinus.

French form of Aurora.

French diminutive of Élisabeth or Barbara.

French form of Basil 1.

Derived from Old French baiart meaning "bay coloured". In medieval French poetry Bayard was a bay horse owned by Renaud de Montauban and his brothers. The horse could magically adjust its size to carry multiple riders.

Gallicized form of Belina. It was used by Molière in his play 'The Imaginary Invalid' (1673) ('Le Malade imaginaire' in French), where it belongs to the wife of Argan.

French form of Benedict.

Contracted form of Bernardine. In some cases, it can also be a variant form of Bertine.

Contracted form of Berenice. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II.

Diminutive of Berte as well as a short form of names ending in -bertine.

Feminine form of Bervainas.

Catalan short form of Gabriel.

Variant of Birdie.

Danish form of Birgitta.

Old Norse form of Björn.

French form of the Roman name Blandina, which was the feminine form of Blandinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Blandus. Saint Blandina was a 2nd-century slave from Lyons who was martyred by being thrown to wild beasts.

Feminine form of Brian.

Probably a combination of two names, such as a name starting with B- with René or Renée.

A known bearer of this name is the American research professor and author Dr. Brené Brown (b. 1965).

Feminine form of Brian.

Short form of Gabrielle. This is also the name of towns in the Netherlands and New Jersey, though their names derive from a different source.

French and German form of Bridget. A famous bearer is the French model and actress Brigitte Bardot (1934-).

Variant of Kelis, or an invented name based on the sounds found in names such as Calista, Kaliyah and Alise.

Feminine form of Calvin.

French feminine and masculine form of Camilla. It is also used in the English-speaking world, where it is generally only feminine.

French form of Candidus or Candida. The French philosopher and author Voltaire used this name for the main character (a male) in his satire Candide (1759). In French candide also means "naive", which is descriptive of the book's protagonist.

French form of Carina 1. It can also function as a short form of Catherine, via Swedish Karin.

Variant of Kathleen.

Welsh form of Katherine, as well as a German short form of Katharina.

Diminutive of Cecelia using the French suffix -ette.

French form of Cecilia.

Feminine form of Cecil.

Variant of Cédric. It is also used on females, which makes this name one of the few -que names that are unisex (like Dominique).

Italian feminine and masculine form of Caelestis. It is also the Portuguese, Spanish and English feminine form.

Variant of Céline.

Maybe from Céline, or maybe from "cerise" who mean "cherry". More often pronounced like Sélène but can be pronounced like SEH-Lise

One of the maidens of Viviane, the French Damsel of the Lake, Celise seems to have held a high place in the Damsel’s service. her grasp of magic, while doubtless far short of Viviane’s, Nimue’s, or Morgan’s, was practical and useful.

French form of Ceres.

Means "cherry" in French.

French form of Caesarius.

From a French surname that was derived from a place name meaning "stony". It was originally given in honour of Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal, the founder of the Visitation Order in the 17th century. It has become associated with French chant "song".

From a French surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in honour of American actress and dancer Cyd Charisse (1921-2008).

Feminine diminutive of Charles.

Meaning unknown, perhaps a combination of Charmian or the English word charm with the aine suffix from Lorraine. It was (first?) used for a character in the play What Price Glory (1924), which was made into a popular movie in 1926.

Variant of Charmin.

A variant of Chalice or Chelsea.

Used in a book by Christian Fiction author, Ted Dekker and, is also the name of his daughter.

Variant of Charisse.

Variant of Chestina.

Derived from the Lakota word šahiyena meaning "red speakers". This is the name of a Native American people of the Great Plains. The name was supposedly given to the Cheyenne by the Lakota because their language was unrelated to their own. As a given name, it has been in use since the 1950s.

French diminutive of Christine.

French form of Christina, as well as a variant in other languages. It was used by the French author Gaston Leroux for the heroine, Christine Daaé, in his novel The Phantom of the Opera (1910).

This was a popular name in the 20th century (especially the middle decades) in French, German, and English-speaking countries. In the United States Christina has been more common since 1973, though both forms are currently floundering on the charts.

Means "sky" in French. It is not used as a given name in France itself.

Diminutive of Clara.

French form of Clarice.

Feminine form of Claudel.

French diminutive of Claude.

Feminine form of Clyde.

Short form of Nicolette. Saint Colette was a 15th-century French nun who gave her money to the poor. This was also the pen name of the French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954).

Derived from the Irish word cailín meaning "girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.

French form of Corinna. The French-Swiss author Madame de Staël used it for her novel Corinne (1807).

French form of Cornelius.

Variant of Corinne.

From French chosette meaning "little thing". This is the nickname of the illegitimate daughter of Fantine in Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables (1862). Her real name is Euphrasie, though it is seldom used. In the novel young Cosette is the ward of the cruel Thénardiers until she is retrieved by Jean Valjean.

Variant of Christelle.

French form of Cyril, sometimes used as a feminine form.

French feminine form of Daniel. It has been commonly used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.

From the English word darling combined with the common name suffix lene. This name has been in use since the beginning of the 20th century.

Variant of Deanna.

Means "already" from the French phrase déjà vu meaning "already seen". It received a popularity boost in 1995 when a character named Deja appeared in the movie Higher Learning.

Apparently a later variant of Delice. This occurred in the 1970s. In the United States Delisa, Delesha, Delisiah, Delisha, etc., are found. Delys has occurred in Canada. Names beginning with De are especially fashionable in modern times among black American parents, and forms such as Delisa may simply be Lisa with the favoured prefix.

French form of Delphina.

French form of Diana, also regularly used in the English-speaking world.

This name is derived from the word of the name meaning "eternal, heavenly, holy, godlike" (from Old French devin, which, in turn, derives from Latin divinus meaning "of a God").

Scottish Gaelic form of Aveline.

Irish form of Aveline.

From an Old French form of Helen. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation Le Morte d'Arthur Elaine was the daughter of Pelles, the lover of Lancelot, and the mother of Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian epic Idylls of the King (1859).

Short form of Elizabeth.

Either a combination of Elle with the suffix -ette or a transferred use of the surname Ellette.

Modern German form of Adelmar or Egilmar.

Variant of Elvina.

French form of Elvira.

From the Roman family name Aemilius, which was derived from Latin aemulus meaning "rival".

From an Old French name meaning "star", ultimately derived from Latin stella. It was rare in the English-speaking world in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due to the character Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).

In Arthurian tales, Evaine is the sister of Lancelot's mother Elaine, wife of King Bors of Gaul and mother of Sir Lionel and Sir Bors the Younger. Her character first appears in the Old French prose Lancelot of the Lake (c.1215–20), which was incorporated into the Vulgate Lancelot.

The name suffix -vain appears in this and other Arthurian names such as Yvain and Agravain.

Variant of Everett.

Feminine form of Evin.

Variant of Yvonne.

French form of Fabianus (see Fabian).

Feminine form of Fadil.

Used by Disney and Austrian author Felix Salten for a female roe deer in his novel 'Bambi' (1923).

A Knight of the Round Table related to Erec.

Faram met Galahad in the Uther Pendragon Abbey, where the latter was recuperating from a successful battle against King Mark of Cornwall. As Faram chatted with Galahad, Mark sneaked in and poisoned drinks meant for the two knights. God allowed Galahad to survive, but Faram perished.

French form of Ferdinand.

French feminine form of Ferdinand.

Means "loved one, loving, beloved, dear" in Old English. Also a variant of Faline and Felina.

Diminutive of Fleur.

Variant of Florine.

French diminutive of Flora.

French feminine form of Florinus.

Transferred use of the surname Fontaine.

Feminine diminutive of François.

Diminutive of Françoise.

Feminine form of François.

French form of Frederica.

Armenian form of Karen.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Jasper, as well as the Latin form.

Spanish form of Gaston.

French form of Walter.

French form of Gawain used in the works of Chrétien de Troyes.

Meaning uncertain, from the Latin form Gualguainus used in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth (appearing also as Walganus, Gwalguanus and other spellings in different copies of the text), where he is one of the knights who serve his uncle King Arthur. He can be identified with the earlier Welsh hero Gwalchmai, and it is possible that the name derives from Gwalchmai or a misreading of it.

Gawain was a popular hero in medieval tales such as those by Chrétien de Troyes, where his name appears in the French form Gauvain or Gauvains. He is the main character of the 14th-century anonymous poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, in which he accepts a potentially fatal challenge from the mysterious Green Knight.

Variant of Gawain used by Thomas Malory in his 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends 'Le Morte d'Arthur'.

French feminine form of George.

French feminine form of George.

Meaning unknown, possibly a Welsh form of Gerontius. This was the name of a figure in various Welsh legends. He was also incorporated into Arthurian tales (the romance Geraint and Enid) as one of the Knights of the Round Table and the husband of Enid.

French form of Gerard.

Derived from the Old German element ger meaning "spear" combined with hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by saints from Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy. The Normans introduced it to Britain. It was initially much more common there than the similar name Gerald [1], with which it was often confused, but it is now less common.

French feminine form of Germain. Saint Germaine was a 16th-century peasant girl from France.

Spanish form of Germanus.

English form of Gervasius. The Normans introduced this name to England in the Middle Ages, though it has since become rare.

Provençal, Gascon and Languedocian form of Gerald.

Derived from the Old German element gisal meaning "hostage, pledge" (Proto-Germanic *gīslaz). This name may have originally been a descriptive nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign court. This was the name of both a sister and daughter of Charlemagne. It was also borne by a daughter of the French king Charles III who married the Norman leader Rollo in the 10th century. Another notable bearer was the 11th-century Gisela of Swabia, wife of the Holy Roman emperor Conrad II.

The name was popular in France during the Middle Ages (the more common French form is Gisèle). Though it became known in the English-speaking world due to Adolphe Adam's ballet Giselle (1841), it was not regularly used until the 20th century.

Variant of Gústaf.

French form of Gustav. This name was borne by the French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883) and the French engineer Gustave Eiffel (1832-1923).

Elaborated form of Gwen, using the suffix -ette.

Means "splendour, glory" in Hebrew.

Norman form of Hawise.

Combination of Helen with a feminine name that ends in -aine, such as Elaine and Lorraine.

There might be cases where the name is actually derived from the French surname Hélaine, but these should be few and far between, as the surname is extremely rare in the USA.

French form of Helen.

Ancient Greek form of Helen, as well as the modern Scandinavian and German form.

French form of Heinrich (see Henry). A notable bearer was the French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954).

German feminine form of Herman.

French form of Hilarius.

Form of Jair used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.

French form of Ignatius.

Meaning unknown, from Igerna, the Latinized form of Welsh Eigyr. In Arthurian legend she is the mother of King Arthur by Uther Pendragon and the mother of Morgan le Fay by Gorlois. The Welsh form Eigyr or Eigr was rendered into Latin as Igerna by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth.

French form of Imagina.

From Ancient Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.

From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.

This name has traditionally been more popular among Eastern Christians. In the English-speaking world it was not regularly used until the 19th century.

From Old Saxon, Old High German isarn meaning "iron".

Cognate of Isetta.

Variant of Jaylene.

Means "he shines" in Hebrew, a derivative of אוֹר (ʾor) meaning "to shine". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a son of Manasseh and one of the ruling judges of the Israelites.

Variant of Jeannine. It has only been in use since the 20th century.

French form of Januarius. Though now rare in France, it is more common in French-speaking parts of Africa.

Bosnian and Albanian form of Yasin.

Name of a feminine household god who protects grains and barns.

This goddess is documented in the works of Jakob Brodowski (published in 1730) and Philipp Ruhig who both derive her name from Lithuanian javai "grain; crop".

Variant of Jeannette.

Modern French form of Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see John). This has been the most reliably popular French name for girls since the 13th century. Joan of Arc is known as Jeanne d'Arc in France.

Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see John).

Variant of Jemina.

Combination of Jen and the popular name suffix elle.

French form of Jerome.

Variant of Gesine.

Obsolete variant of Jessamine.

Variant of Joan 1 or Johanne. In some cases it might be considered a combination of Jo and Anne 1.

Unaccented form of Joaquín used mainly in America.

Variant of Jodene.

Feminine form of Joel.

Either a variant of Jolene, or a combination Jo and Elaine. It could also be derived from the French name Marjolaine.

Formed from Jo and the common name suffix lene. This name was created in the early 20th century. It received a boost in popularity after the release of Dolly Parton's 1973 song Jolene.

Means "pretty" in French. This name was popularized by American actress Angelina Jolie (1975-), whose surname was originally her middle name. It is not used as a given name in France.

Elaboration of Joliet.

Variant of Jolene.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Joseph, as well as a French variant. In Spanish and Portuguese-speaking regions it is occasionally used as a feminine middle name (or the second part of a double name), often paired with María. This was the most popular name for boys in Spain for the first half of the 20th century. A famous bearer was the Portuguese novelist José Saramago (1922-2010).

Diminutive of Joséphine.

French form of Iustina (see Justina). This is the name of the heroine in the novel Justine (1791) by the Marquis de Sade.

Variant of Kalina.

Variant of Kelis. Otherwise, it could be a blend of the sounds of Kelly or Kelsey and Elise.

An invented name, blending the popular phonetic prefix la and the name Denise. It can be spelled LaNise or Lanise.

Possibly a newer form of Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of Lucy or Louise.

Variant of Lorraine.

Variant of Larissa.

Possibly a derivative of Lot 2 (or derived from the same place name). It was used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for a character in his romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Also called the Lady of the Fountain, Laudine married Yvain after he killed her husband.

Diminutive of Laura.

Variant of Laurel.

French form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).

French diminutive of Laura.

English feminine form of Laurence 1.

Diminutive of Laure.

Combination of Lee and Anne 1.

Respelling of Linnaea influenced by the English pronunciation of Renée.

Short form of Eleanor. This is the name of the departed love of the narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven (1845).

French form of Leon (used to refer to the popes named Leo).

Derived from Greek λέων (leon) meaning "lion". During the Christian era this Greek name was merged with the Latin cognate Leo, with the result that the two forms are used somewhat interchangeably across European languages. In England during the Middle Ages this was a common name among Jews. A famous bearer was the communist revolutionary Leon Trotsky (1879-1940), whose name is Лев in Russian.

Of debated origin and meaning. Current theories include a feminine form of Levi, a feminine form of Levin and a truncated form of Olevine.

Likely a diminutive of Lily and its various international variants.

Either a diminutive of French names containing the sound lee or a combination of Lili and Louise.

Elaborated form of Linda.

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

Diminutive of Élisabeth.

Diminutive of Elizabeth.

Possibly intended to be a diminutive of Lola.

French variant spelling of Lauranne and Dutch combination of Lore 1 (which is a short form of Eleonore) with Anne 1.

French form of Lothar.

French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of Charlemagne. Others include Louis IX (Saint Louis) who led two crusades and Louis XIV (called the Sun King) who was the ruler of France during the height of its power, the builder of the Palace of Versailles, and the longest reigning monarch in the history of Europe. It was also borne by kings of Germany (as Ludwig), Hungary (as Lajos), and other places.

Apart from royalty, this name was only moderately popular in France during the Middle Ages. After the French Revolution, when Louis XVI was guillotined, it became less common.

The Normans brought the name to England, where it was usually spelled Lewis, though the spelling Louis has been more common in America. Famous bearers include French scientist Louis Pasteur (1822-1895), French actor Louis de Funès (1914-1983), Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), who wrote Treasure Island and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and American jazz musician Louis Armstrong (1901-1971).

French feminine form of Louis.

Variant of Luann.

Diminutive of Lucie.

French form of Lucianus.

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

French form of Lucina.

French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.

Means "little moon" in Medieval French. It is derived from French lune "moon" combined with a diminutive suffix. So, in other words, one could say that this name is the diminutive form of Lune.

English poetic variant of Lorelei. William Vincent Wallace used it for the title character, a nymph of the Rhine River, in his opera Lurline (first performed 1860).

Form of Lynet used by Alfred Tennyson in his 1872 poem Gareth and Lynette [1]. According to Tennyson, Gareth and Lynette were eventually married. In modern times it is also regarded as a diminutive of Lynn.

Probably an elaboration of Lynn (using the same suffix as Renae, Janae, Shanae, etc). There could be some influence from the name Linnaea. Also compare Lynna and Lynette.

Variant of Lisanne.

Variant of Mabel. It also coincides with the French phrase ma belle meaning "my beautiful".

Feminine form of Maël.

Feminine form of Maël.

Feminine form of Maël, possibly influenced by the spelling of Mailys.

Scottish Gaelic form of Margaret.

Variant of Melaina and Melaine.

French form of Malin as well as a Scandinavian variant.

Short form of Marie-Louise.

Diminutive of Marie. In Louisiana, this name was also considered a rhyming variant of Nanette.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Emmanuel. In the spelling Μανουήλ (Manouel) it was also used in the Byzantine Empire, notably by two emperors. It is possible this form of the name was transmitted to Spain and Portugal from Byzantium, since there were connections between the royal families (king Ferdinand III of Castile married Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen, who had Byzantine roots, and had a son named Manuel). The name has been used in Iberia since at least the 13th century and was borne by two kings of Portugal.

Old French variant of Marcel. A famous bearer of the surname was the French general François Séverin Marceau (1769-1796).

Form of Marcellus used in several languages. Notable bearers include the French author Marcel Proust (1871-1922) and the French artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968).

French feminine form of Marcellus.

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.

French and Czech form of Maria. It has been very common in France since the 13th century. At the opening of the 20th century it was given to approximately 20 percent of French girls. This percentage has declined steadily over the course of the century, and it dropped from the top rank in 1958.

A notable bearer of this name was Marie Antoinette, a queen of France who was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution. Another was Marie Curie (1867-1934), a physicist and chemist who studied radioactivity with her husband Pierre.

In France it is occasionally used as a masculine name in pairings such as Jean-Marie.

Romanian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian and French form of Marinus.

French, Armenian and Georgian form of Marina.

French diminutive of Marie.

Blend of Maria and Magdalene. It refers, therefore, to Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament. The name was popularized by the German actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992), whose real name was Maria Magdalene Dietrich.

in french, "martel" means "mallet" or "hammer"
Charles Martel was a Frankish ruler and the founder of the Carolingian dynasty in the middle ages.

French, Dutch and Norwegian form of Martina.

French diminutive of Marie.

Anglicized form of Máirín.

From the Roman name Mauritius, a derivative of Maurus. Saint Maurice was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Egypt. He and the other Christians in his legion were supposedly massacred on the orders of Emperor Maximian for refusing to worship Roman gods. Thus, he is the patron saint of infantry soldiers.

This name was borne by a 6th-century Byzantine emperor. Another notable bearer was Maurice of Nassau (called Maurits in Dutch), a 17th-century prince of Orange who helped establish the Dutch Republic. The name has been used in England since the Norman Conquest, usually in the spelling Morris or Moris.

French and Gascon form of Maurinus.

French form of Melaina.

Etymologically, Melaine shares her roots with Melanie.

In Greek mythology, Melaine was a Naiad, a water nymph, of the springs of Delphoi in Phokis and the daughter of Kephisos, the local river-god. According to some legends, Apollo fell in love with her and fathered her son Delphos. 'Melaine was probably one of the Naiades Korykiai, Nymphs of the sacred Korykian cave, her name "the black" suggesting that she presided over subterranean springs. She appears to have been closely identified with several other Parnassian Nymphs such as Thyia, the mother of Delphos in another tradition, Kleodora, the mother of Parnassos, and Korykia, the mother of Lykoras.'

A well-known modern-day bearer is Melaine Walker, a Jamaican 400 metres hurdler.

Hawaiian form of Merlene.

French form of Melina.

French form of Michael. Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), also known as Nostradamus, was a French astrologer who made predictions about future world events. Another famous bearer is the retired French soccer player Michel Platini (1955-). This is also the German diminutive form of Michael.

French feminine form of Michel. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the former American first lady Michelle Obama (1964-).

Obsolete diminutive of Marguerite. In this day and age the name coincides with the French word miette "crumb" (which is also used as a term of endearment for children).

Means "cute, darling" in French. This is the name of a character in Ambroise Thomas's opera Mignon (1866), which was based on Goethe's novel Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship (1796).

Spanish, Portuguese and Galician form of Michael. A notable bearer of this name was Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616), the Spanish novelist and poet who wrote Don Quixote.

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

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

Short form of Marie-Louise. This is the name of a (male) dog in the French-language Belgian comic series The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé, first appearing in 1929. He is named Snowy in the English version and Bobbie in the Dutch version.

Diminutive of Mina 1 and names containing mine, such as Hermine or Guillaumine. This was also a nickname of Henriette, Duchess of Orléans (daughter of the 17th-century English king Charles I). In French perhaps it can also be taken from a word meaning "(female) kitten" (sometimes used as a term of endearment for a girl). A known bearer is English murder-mystery author Minette Walters (1949-).

From the Occitan name Mirèio, which was first used by the poet Frédéric Mistral for the main character in his poem Mirèio (1859). He probably derived it from the Occitan word mirar meaning "to admire". It is spelled Mirèlha in classical Occitan orthography. A notable bearer is the French singer Mireille Mathieu (1946-).

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

French form of Monica.

Variant of Morgan 2, from a French form.

Modern form of Muirgen.

Diminutive of Nadège.

French diminutive of Nadia 1.

Probably from Persian نار (nār) meaning "pomegranate", considered a sacred fruit in Armenian culture. Alternately, it could be derived from Arabic نار (nār) meaning "fire".

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

Nichette is the name of a character in Alexandre Dumas's (fils) 1848 novel and play named "Camille" (also known as "The Lady of the Camellias"). The name Nichette was also featured in the title of a movie short from 1911 named "The Heart of Nichette". It was also used for a character in the 1917 musical comedy play "Yes, Uncle!". Since Dumas fils is the earliest instance of the aforementioned sources, it is unclear whether Dumas fils independently made the name up, or whether he took it from the highly rare French surname Nichette (also compare the surnames Nichet, Niquet and Niquette) - which is probably a patronymic derived from the first name Nicolas.

Variant of Nicole.

Diminutive of Nina 1.

English form of Noëlle.

Variant of Noreen.

Derived from French océan meaning "ocean".

French form of Octavius.

Variant of Odell and rare form of Odelia 1.

French diminutive of Oda or Odilia. This is the name of a princess who has been transformed into a swan in the ballet Swan Lake (1877) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

French form of Odilia.

Feminine form of Ole.

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

French form of Undine.

Anglicized variant of Órlaith.

French form of Ovid.

Norwegian feminine form of Paul.

Feminine form of Pascal.

Variant of Patricia.

French feminine diminutive of Paul.

French feminine form of Paulinus (see Paulino).

Anglicized form of Perline. Also compare Perlina.

French feminine form of Perrin, a diminutive of Pierre.

French form of Philip.

French form of Peter. This name has been consistently popular in France since the 13th century, but fell out of the top 100 names in 2017. It was borne by the philosopher and theologian Pierre Abélard (1079-1142), the scholar Pierre-Simon Laplace (1749-1827), the impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), and Pierre Curie (1859-1906), a physicist who discovered radioactivity with his wife Marie.

French form of Rayner.

Spanish form of Raymond.

French form of Radulf (see Ralph).

Spanish and Portuguese form of Rachel.

French form of Regina.

German and Norwegian form of Regina.

French form of Renatus. Famous bearers include the French mathematician and rationalist philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650) and the Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte (1898-1967).

English form of Renée.

From the name of the French city La Rochelle, meaning "little rock". It first became commonly used as a given name in America in the 1930s, probably due to the fame of actress Rochelle Hudson (1914-1972) and because of the similarity to the name Rachel.

French form of Roderick.

Diminutive of Róis or the Irish word rós meaning "rose" (of Latin origin). It appears in the 17th-century song Róisín Dubh.

French form of Romanus (see Roman).

French feminine form of Romanus (see Roman).

Means "rosary" in French.

Variant of Rosanne.

Of debated origin and meaning. Theories include a variant of Roselène, a variant of Roseline and a contraction of Rose and Madelaine.

Diminutive of Rose. This is the name of a type of flowering shrub (species Hibiscus sabdariffa) native to Africa but now grown in many places, used to make hibiscus tea.

French diminutive of Rose.

French diminutive of Rose.

Variant of Roxane.

Diminutive of Roxanne.

Variant or feminine form of Russell.

French, German, Dutch and Danish form of Sabina.

French form of Sabrina.

French diminutive of Sandra.

Means "my princess" in Hebrew, a possessive form of שָׂרָה (sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament, this was Sarah's name before God changed it (see Genesis 17:15).

Diminutive of Sarah.

Chuvash form of Zarina.

Derived from satin, the French word for the fabric satin, combined with -e, a French feminine suffix. It was popularized in France after it was used as the name of a character, a courtesan, in the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!.

French form of Septimus and Septimius, as well as the French feminine form of Septima.

A known bearer is French painter Septime Émeric Marie Le Pippre (1833-1871).

From the English word serene, which itself is derived from Latin serenus, which means "clear, calm, tranquil, quiet."

French form of Severus.

Likely a blend of Shelley/Michelle and Elaine.

Alternate transcription of Persian شیرین (see Shirin).

Means "sweet" in Persian. This was the name of a character in Persian and Turkish legend.

Spanish form of Simon 1. This name was borne by the South American revolutionary Simón Bolívar (1783-1830).

From a Scottish surname that was derived from a Norman French town called "Saint Clair". A notable bearer was the American author Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951).

Irish form of Jehanne, a Norman French variant of Jeanne.

From the name of the Sistine Chapel, which is derived from Sisto and named for Pope Sixtus IV, who had it built. This is borne by Sistine Stallone (1998-), a daughter of the actor Sylvester Stallone.

Variant of Solange.

French form of the Late Latin name Sollemnia, which was derived from Latin sollemnis "religious". This was the name of a French shepherdess who became a saint after she was killed by her master.

Variant of Solange.

Variant of Solange.

Welsh form of Stephen.

German and Scandinavian form of Susanna.

French form of Susanna.

Feminine form of Sibbe via the variants Sybel and Sybbe.

French form of Silvanus.

French feminine form of Silvanus.

Diminutive of Sylvie.

French and Czech form of Silvia.

French feminine form of Silvinus.

French form of Symphorus (masculine) and Symphora (feminine). This name has always been predominantly used on men, and today there are no known living female bearers.

It should also be noted that there may be (or have been) cases where this name is (or was) a short form of names like Symphorien (for men) and Symphorienne and Symphorose (for women).

Alternate transcription of Armenian Թալին (see Talin).

Hungarian short form of Terézia.

Possibly means "bandage" in Greek. This was the name of a companion of Alexander the Great. It was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Alexandria, a wealthy socialite who became a Christian convert, though in her case the name may have had a distinct Coptic origin. She has been a popular subject of art and literature, including an 1891 novel by Anatole France and an 1894 opera by Jules Massenet.

French form of Theresa. It was borne by the French nun Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), who is regarded as a Doctor of the Church.

French form of Tiffany.

Catalan form of Thomas.

Means "all saints" in French. This is the name of a Christian festival celebrated on November 1 (All Saints' Day).

French form of Tranquillus.

Historically a Cornish surname meaning "stone settlement", derived from the Cornish 'tre', meaning a homestead or settlement, and 'men', meaning stone.

Famous bearers include retired American basketball player Tremaine Fowlkes and popular American musician Trey Songz, born Tremaine 'Trey' Aldon Neverson.

Gallicized form of Triphina, the name of a 6th-century Breton saint.

Feminine form of Tristan using the popular suffix ine, probably influenced by the sound of Christine. It is borne by American writer Tristine Rainer.

French form of Ulysses.

Derived from Latin unda meaning "wave". The word undine was created by the 16th-century Swiss author Paracelsus, who used it for female water spirits.

Variant of Valère.

French form of Valerius.

From Armenian վարդ (vard) meaning "rose".

Variant of Venice.

Meaning unknown, perhaps a combination of Vi and Anne 1 or a short form of Vivianne.

French form of Victoria.

French form of Violet.

The Vitore is a household deity in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually depicted as a small, colourful and benign golden horned serpent and associated with human destiny and good fortune. The name itself is said to be derived from Albanian vegjë (via vektare and vejtare) "loom", thus meaning "a spinster, a woman who spins", related to the weaving of fate.

French form of Wivina. A known bearer of this name is the Congolese poet and political figure Kavidi Wivine N'Landu.

Hebrew form of Jael.

Alternate transcription of Arabic ياسمين (see Yasmin).

Variant of Yolande or Violaine.

French form of Yolanda. A notable bearer of the 15th century was Yolande of Aragon, who acted as regent for the French king Charles VII, her son-in-law. She was a supporter of Joan of Arc.

Origin unknown, probably unrelated to Ismay. It was used in a 13th-century continuation of Chrétien de Troyes' Perceval, the Story of the Grail, where it belongs to Perceval's cousin who marries the knight Faradien. It also appears in the medieval French Roman de Thèbes in which case it is an Old French form of Ismene.

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

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

French form of Ivan.

Feminine diminutive of Yves.

Feminine form of Yves (or an elaboration using Élise). It was (first?) borne by the title character in the Italian novel Yvelise (1923) by Guido da Verona. It later appeared in the photonovel Yvelise devant l'amour published in the French magazine Nous Deux in 1950.

French feminine form of Yves.