Israella's Personal Name List

Variation of Abbe.

Variant of Abela.

French feminine form of Abel.

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

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.

This name was brought to some public attention by the American actress Acquanetta (1921-2004), born Mildred Davenport. Though she claimed her stage name meant "laughing water" or "deep water" in Arapaho, it appears to be an invented name, possibly an elaboration of Italian acqua "water" using Netta 1.

Means "noble, gentle, delicate" in Hebrew.

Elaborated form of Adela.

Medieval English and Old Swedish form of Adelais. The second wife of Henry I of England bore this name.

Feminine form of Adolf.

Italian form of Adonis.

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).

This name can be a derivation of the Latin adjective adorabilis meaning "adorable, worthy of adoration" as well as be a combination of the names Adora and Bella.

Means "adored" in French. It is not commonly used as a name in France itself. Bearer Adorée Villany (born 1891) was a French dancer and dance theorist.

Variant of Dorestine.

Means "adorable" in Esperanto.

Derived from Greek ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good".

Derived from Latin Alemannia "Germany".

Most likely a corruption of Wilhelmina.

Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element alb meaning "elf" (Proto-Germanic *albaz).

Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Albus. Saint Albinus (also called Aubin) was a 6th-century bishop of Angers in Brittany.

Diminutive of Alemande.

Italian form of Alexandria.

From the genus name of a bell-shaped flower also known as colic root, blazing star, unicorn root, or stargrass. Its roots have medicinal properties and are used to aid digestive and muscle problems. Its name derives from Greek ἀλετρίς (aletris) meaning "corn grinder, female slave who grinds corn" (a derivative of ἀλέω (aleo) "to grind, to pound") because of the mealy texture of the flowers.

From the name of a chrysoberyl that displays a colour change depending on the light source, named after the Russian tsar Alexander II of Russia (1818-1881).

Variant of Alafare. It was borne by a victim of the American Hatfield–McCoy feud: Alifair McCoy (1858-1888), daughter of feud patriarch Randolph "Ole Ran'l" McCoy.

Means "young woman" in Hebrew.

Possibly a diminutive form of Alma 1 or a variant form of Elmina. This name was borne by the English aristocrat Almina, Countess of Carnarvon (1876-1969) - she was the wife of George Herbert, Earl of Carnarvon (1866-1923), who was involved in the discovery and excavation of the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Variant of Almund.

Of debated origin and meaning. Theories include a variant of Alemande, a contraction of Alemandina and a derivation from Middle English almond, almaund and Old French almande "almond" (seeing as almonds were considered "things of value", naming a daughter after them would fit the naming conventions of the time). This name was recorded in England's Jewish and Judeo-Anglo-Norman communities between the 11th and 13th centuries.

German and Czech form of Aloysius.

Possibly from Latin altus or Italian/Spanish alto meaning "high".

Feminine form of Alter.

Possibly from the (medieval) Hebrew word אֲלוּמָה (aluma) meaning "strong, brave" (which, in modern Hebrew, sounds like the word אֲלֻמָּה (alma) "sheaf"). It is sometimes associated with the word עלמה (alma) "a young girl, a damsel".

From a medieval form of any of the Old English names Ælfwine, Æðelwine or Ealdwine. It was revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the Old English names. As a Scandinavian name it is derived from Alfvin, an Old Norse cognate of Ælfwine.

Elaboration of Amabel or variant of Amabilia, used by Neil Gaiman for a character (one of the ghosts) in his children's novel 'The Graveyard Book' (2010).

Late Latin name meaning "lovable". Saint Amabilis was a 5th-century priest in Riom, central France.

French form of Amabilis.

Feminine form of Amadore (Italian) and Amador (Spanish, Galician, Portuguese).

Greek form of Amalthea.

Means "labour of Yahweh" in Hebrew. This name could also be used as a Yiddish feminine form of Amal 2.

French form of Amarantha.

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.

An epithet or title of the Greek goddess Artemis meaning "of Amarynthus", Amarynthus being a town in Euboea (according to Stephanus of Byzantium, Euboea itself). The place name may be related to the Greek personal name Amarantos (see Amarantha). Under the surname Amarysia or Amarynthia, Artemis was worshipped in Amarynthus and also in Attica.

Meaning, "rears, nurses."

This is the name of a Frankish queen who succeeded the Anglo-Saxon Balthild and preceded Bilichild of Austrasia. Not much is known of her, though it's known that she was the wife of Chlothar III.

Variant of Hamelin.

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.

This is the latinized name of Merlin in the novel "The Last Legion" written by Valerio Massimo Manfredi (b. 1943), but also in the 2007 film based on the book. In the novel, his full name is Meridius Ambrosinus (while his original Gaelic name is Myrddin Emrys), but he is usually referred to as simply Ambrosinus.

Italian feminine form of Amadeus.

Combination of Amalia and Elisabeth recorded in the 17th century.

From the name of the purple semi-precious stone, which is derived from the Greek negative prefix ἀ (a) and μέθυστος (methystos) meaning "intoxicated, drunk", as it was believed to be a remedy against drunkenness. It is the traditional birthstone of February.

Lithuanian form of Amethyst.

Derived from the name of the Egyptian god Ammon combined with the suffix -αρία (-aria). Alternatively it may be a Latinized form of Ammonarion. Also compare Ammonia, which was an epithet of the Greek goddess Hera. This name was borne by a young girl who was martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Decius (3rd century). It also appears in Gustave Flaubert's novel The Temptation of Saint Anthony (1874), where Ammonaria is a friend of Anthony's sister.

Feminine form of Ammon. In Greek mythology, Ammonia is an epithet of the goddess Hera.

Italian form of Amor.

Latinate form of Amoret, from Edmund Spenser's epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).

Variant of Amoret; see also Amoretta.

Feminine form of Ampeliusz.

Meaning uncertain, probably from Scythian. This was the name of a Scythian prince and philosopher from the 6th century BC, included among the Seven Sages of Greece. It is also self-given name of the French revolutionary and anarchist Anacharsis Cloots (1755–1794).

Latinized form of the Greek Ἀνακτορία (Anaktoria), derived from ἀνακτόρῐος (anaktorios) "royal", literally "belonging to a king, a lord" from ἀνάκτωρ (anaktor) "lord", from αναξ (anax) "lord". This name was mentioned in a poem by the 7th-century BC lyric poet Sappho as a female lover of hers.

Means "answer" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name belongs to one female character and two male characters.

Derived from the Greek noun ἄνασσα (anassa) meaning "queen, lady". In other words, one could say that this name is the feminine form of Anax.

Contraction of Anastasia and Asteria.

Name of the fictional character Ananthema Device from the show Good Omens inspired by Terry Pratchett Neil Gaiman's book. The name is derived from the word meaning "someone who is disliked" or "a curse by a pope or minister of the church", which makes sense as the character is an occultist.

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.

Lithuanian form of Angel.

Feminine form of Aniceto.

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 Greek Ἀντάρης (Antares), traditionally said to mean "opposing Ares". This is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius.

Variant of Antera.

Feminine form of Apollonios. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Alexandria.

From the English word for the fruit, derived from Middle English appel, Old English æppel. The American actress Gwenyth Paltrow and British musician Chris Martin gave this name to their daughter in 2004.

From a Roman cognomen meaning "eagle" in Latin. In Acts in the New Testament Paul lives with Aquila and his wife Priscilla (or Prisca) for a time.

Variant of Aquila.

Medieval Scottish name, probably a variant of Annabel. It has long been associated with Latin orabilis meaning "invokable, yielding to prayer", and the name was often recorded in forms resembling this.

Unrelated, this was an older name of the city of Irbid in Jordan, from Greek Ἄρβηλα (Arbela).

Variant of Arabella.

From the Greek name Ἀριστοτέλης (Aristoteles) meaning "the best purpose", derived from ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best" and τέλος (telos) meaning "purpose, result, completion". This was the name of a Greek philosopher of the 4th century BC who made lasting contributions to Western thought, including the fields of logic, metaphysics, ethics and biology.

A feminine form of Asmodeus.

It is the name of a super-villain in the German formula fiction series 'Geisterjäger John Sinclair' "Demon Hunter John Sinclair".

Lithuanian and Croatian feminine form of Asterios.

Latinized form of Greek Ἀστέριος (Asterios) meaning "starry", a derivative of ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star". This is the name of several figures from Greek mythology. It was also borne by a few early saints.

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.

Latinized form of Astymedousa, which is the feminine form of Astymedon. In some Greek myths this name belongs to a princess of Mycenae who is a later wife of Oedipus.

Variant of Atalia.

Feminine form of Atenodoro.

French diminutive of Aude.

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

Derived from Greek αὔρα (aura) "breeze". In Greek mythology, Aura is the goddess of the morning breeze. According to Nonnus, Aura was the daughter of the Titan Lelantos and the mother, by Dionysus, of Iacchus.

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

Azelia was first recorded in the 19th century. Its origin is uncertain and highly debated; some scholars argue that it might be a feminization of the biblical name Azel. Others theorize that it might be a belated resurrection of the Puritan name Azaliah which, while originally a biblical male name, was in use as a feminine name in the English-speaking world of the 17th century. Others again claim that it might have been influenced by, if not derived from, the Greek term azélia "freedom from jealousy", while yet another group of academics conclude a derivation from the name Azalea and, in the case of the French name Azélie that appeared around the same time, a possible derivation from Azalaïs.

Diminutive of Balsamia.

Possibly an adoption of the Italian title baronetta, the feminine form of baronetto, "baronetess; female baronet".

The latinised name of the German state of Bayern.

Officially admitted as a name in Germany.

Means "worthless" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this term is used to refer to various wicked people. In the New Testament, Paul uses it as a name for Satan. In later Christian tradition Belial became an evil angel associated with lawlessness and lust.

The meaning of this name is not known for certain. The first element could be related to Italian bella meaning "beautiful". The second element could be Old German lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (and by extension "snake, serpent"). This name first arose in the 17th century, and was subsequently used by Alexander Pope in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1712).

From old Slavic bělъ meaning "white", possibly also idiomatically "good", and slava meaning "glory".

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

Variant form of Belislav.

Feminine form of Beloslav. Beloslava of Bulgaria was a Bulgarian princess and Queen consort of Serbia between 1234 and 1243. She was the wife of king Stefan Vladislav I.

Latinized form of Βερενίκη (Berenike), the Macedonian form of the Greek name Φερενίκη (Pherenike), which meant "bringing victory" from φέρω (phero) meaning "to bring" and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". This name was common among the Ptolemy ruling family of Egypt, a dynasty that was originally from Macedon. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament (in most English bibles it is spelled Bernice) belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II. As an English name, Berenice came into use after the Protestant Reformation.

From the name of the city in Germany, which is of uncertain meaning.

Basque form of Veronica.

Form of Bertha in several languages.

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

Bliss with the suffix -ity.

Derived from Slavic bor "battle" combined with Slavic mir "peace". A known bearer of this name is Borimir Perković (b. 1967), a former Croatian soccer player.

From a Scottish surname, derived from Gaelic buidhe meaning "yellow". It has been used as a given name in honour of the British musician David Bowie (1947-2016), born David Robert Jones, who took his stage name from the American pioneer James Bowie (1796-1836), though with a different pronunciation.

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

Scandinavian short form of Birgitta.

Variant of Britannia.

Roman cognomen meaning "heavy" in Latin. Famous bearers include Lucius Junius Brutus, the traditional founder of the Roman Republic, and Marcus Junius Brutus, the statesman who conspired to assassinate Julius Caesar.

From the Latin name of Scotland, which may be derived from Caledones, the Latin name of a tribe that inhabited the region during the Roman era, which is of unknown origin, though some Celtic roots have been suggested; it is possible that the exonym means "tough person" from Brythonic caled "hard, tough" and a suffix (unknown to me) meaning either "great" or "person". The name Caledonia has been applied poetically to Scotland since the 18th century.

Perhaps derived from Greek kallos "beauty" and doron "gift". It was used by Edmund Spenser in his poem 'The Faerie Queene' (1596), where Sir Calidore, the Knight of Courtesy, is the hero of Book VI who tames the Blatant Beast as requested by Queen Gloriana.

Variant of Calum.

From the hereditary title of the queens of Ethiopia, as mentioned in Acts in the New Testament. It is apparently derived from Cushitic kdke meaning "queen mother". In some versions of the Bible it is spelled Kandake, reflecting the Greek spelling Κανδάκη. It was used as a given name by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 20th century by a character in the 1942 movie Meet the Stewarts [1].

Means "Candlemas" in Spanish, ultimately derived from Spanish candela "candle". This name is given in honour of the church festival of Candlemas, which commemorates the presentation of Christ in the temple and the purification of the Virgin Mary.

Feminine form of Capitolinus.

Rare variant transcription of Karima.

Used by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his Chronicles of Narnia series, first appearing in 1950. Prince Caspian first appears in the fourth book, where he is the rightful king of Narnia driven into exile by his evil uncle Miraz. Lewis probably based the name on the Caspian Sea, which was named for the city of Qazvin, which was itself named for the ancient Cas tribe.

Latinized form of Greek Κάσσανδρος (Kassandros), the masculine form of Cassandra. This was the name of a 3rd-century BC king of Macedon.

Variant of Casilda. It appears in 'The King in Yellow' (1895), a book of short stories by American writer Robert W. Chambers.

Latinized form of the Greek Κασταλία (Kastalia), which is of uncertain origin, possibly related to Greek καθαρός (katharos) meaning "clean, spotless, pure" or κασσύω (kassuô) "to stitch". This was the name of a nymph of the prophetic springs of the Delphic oracle on Mount Parnassos. She may be the same as the nymph Κασσωτίς (Kassôtis) (see Cassotis).

Derived From the Italian word castello meaning "castle". It could also be a diminutive of Castellana.

Directly taken from Latin castellana "a (female) castellan; a damsel" as well as "of or pertaining to a castle".

Possibly a variant of Cassiel. It is the name of an angel in the grimoire the Heptameron, a work that is sometimes (probably incorrectly) attributed to the 13th-century philosopher Pietro d'Abano. It was also the name of a character (an angel) on the American television series Supernatural (2005-2020). The creator Eric Kripke chose it after an internet search revealed that Castiel was an angel associated with Thursdays, the day the show aired [1].

Feminine form of Castricius.

Variant of Charisse.

Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit. It can also be a diminutive of Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.

Presumably a variant of Griselda, influenced by names beginning with "Chris-", such as Christine.

A name coined from the name elements Christ "Christus" and *Frid* "peace" by German pietists in the 18th century.

Derived from the archaic German noun Christ meaning "Christ" combined with the German adjective lieb meaning "dear, sweet" (ultimately from ancient Germanic leub meaning "dear, beloved"). In other words, you could say that this name is a German calque of Christophilus.

Means "moonlight" in french, this name is common but also rare in the island country of the Philippines.

From the Latin title Clarensis, which belonged to members of the British royal family. The title ultimately derives from the name of the town of Clare in Suffolk. As a given name it has been in use since the 19th century.

Variant of Claremonde. La Morte amoureuse (in English: "The Dead Woman in Love") is a short story written by Théophile Gautier and published in La Chronique de Paris in 1836. It tells the story of a priest named Romuald who falls in love with Clarimonde, a beautiful woman who turns out to be a vampire.

Latinate form of Clarice. This is the name of the title character in a 1748 novel by Samuel Richardson. In the novel Clarissa Harlowe is a virtuous woman who is tragically exploited by her family and her lover. Another literary character by this name is Clarissa Dalloway from the novel Mrs. Dalloway (1925) by Virginia Woolf.

French masculine and feminine form of Claudius. In France the masculine name has been common since the Middle Ages due to the 7th-century Saint Claude of Besançon. It was imported to Britain in the 16th century by the aristocratic Hamilton family, who had French connections. A famous bearer of this name was the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).

French feminine form of Claudius.

Feminine form of Claudius. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament. As a Christian name it was very rare until the 16th century.

From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin claudus meaning "lame, crippled". This was the name of a patrician family prominent in Roman politics. The ancestor of the family was said to have been a 6th-century BC Sabine leader named Attius Clausus, who adopted the name Appius Claudius upon becoming a Roman citizen. The family produced several Roman emperors of the 1st century, including the emperor known simply as Claudius (birth name Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus). He was poisoned by his wife Agrippina in order to bring her son Nero (Claudius's stepson) to power.

This name was later borne by several early saints, including a 7th-century bishop of Besançon. It is also the name of the primary antagonist in Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet (1600).

A rare feminine form of Clemens.

It is used as a monastic name by nuns in Germany.

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

Derived from Spanish clementísima meaning "most clement".

Short form of Clinton. A notable bearer is American actor Clint Eastwood (1930-), who became famous early in his career for his western movies.

Meaning unknown. Clovia is a character in the "Gasoline Alley" comic strips, first released in 1918, one of the longest running comic strips of all time in the US.

Contemporary spelling, via the Latinized form Clodovicus, of the Germanic name Hludwig (see Ludwig). Clovis was a Frankish king who united the Franks under his rule in the 5th century. The name was subsequently borne by two further Merovingian kings.

A character in the 'Poldark' series of historic novels by Winston Graham. The name is probably transferred from the name of an estate in Crowan , Cornwall.

Latinized form of Greek Κλυταιμνήστρα (Klytaimnestra) and Κλυταιμήστρα (Klytaimestra), in which the first element is κλυτός (klytos) meaning "famous, noble". The spelling Klytaimnestra would suggest the second element is μνηστήρ (mnester) meaning "courter, wooer", while Klytaimestra would suggest a connection to μήδομαι (medomai) meaning "to plan, to intend". There is debate over which spelling is earlier or more authentic [1], since the ancient texts seem to make puns based on both etymologies. Klytaimestra appears in the works of the Greek tragedians such as Aeschylus, while Klytaimnestra appears in Homer's poems (the earliest extant copy dating from the post-classical period).

In Greek legend Clytemnestra was the wife of Agamemnon and the mother of Orestes and Electra. While her husband was away during the Trojan War she took a lover, and upon his return she had Agamemnon murdered. She was subsequently killed by her son Orestes.

Derived from Latin comitissa "countess".

From the aristocratic title, derived from Latin comitissa "countess". More commonly a word, it was occasionally used as a medieval given name.

Latinized form of Kore. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel The Last of the Mohicans (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of Cordula, Corinna and other names beginning with a similar sound.

Elaboration of Corabel.

Combination of Cora and Stella 1.

Variant of Korbinian.

From Cordeilla, a name appearing in the 12th-century chronicles [1] of Geoffrey of Monmouth, borne by the youngest of the three daughters of King Leir and the only one to remain loyal to her father. Geoffrey possibly based her name on that of Creiddylad, a character from Welsh legend.

The spelling was later altered to Cordelia when Geoffrey's story was adapted by others, including Edmund Spenser in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590) and Shakespeare in his tragedy King Lear (1606).

Late Latin name meaning "heart" from Latin cor (genitive cordis). Saint Cordula was one of the 4th-century companions of Saint Ursula.

Feminine form of Crescentius. Saint Crescentia was a 4th-century companion of Saint Vitus. This is also the name of the eponymous heroine of a 12th-century German romance.

Derived from Anglo-Norman crestre, ultimately from Old French croistre "to increase; to augment".

From the peninsula Crimea in the Black Sea. Use as a given name in the 19th century was probably influenced by news coverage of the Crimean war (1853–1856).

From the English word for the purplish-red color. It originally meant the color of the kermes dye produced from a scale insect, Kermes vermilio, but the name is now sometimes also used as a generic term for slightly bluish-red colors that are between red and rose.

The word came from Late Middle English cremesyn, which came from obsolete French cramoisin or Old Spanish cremesin, which by itself came from Arabic قِرْمِز‎ (qirmiz), ultimately from Persian کرمست‎ (kirmist), which came from Middle Persian; related to Proto-Indo-Iranian *kŕ̥miš. Cognate with Sanskrit कृमिज (kṛmija).

According to the USA Social Security Administration, 70 girls and 44 boys were named Crimson in 2016. Also in 2012, 59 girls and 32 boys in the USA were named Crimsion.

A dithematic name formed from the Greek name element christos "anointed" and the Germanic name element wald "to rule".

This name is known in southern Italy for a popular tale: "The legend of Cristalda and Pizzomunno", a tragic love story which inspired also a song by Max Gazzè.

Means "laurel" in Hebrew, of Greek origin.

Feminine form of Dalmacio.

From Latin Dalmatius meaning "Dalmatian, of Dalmatia". This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor who was a nephew of Constantine. It was also borne by several early saints.

French form of Damasus.

Feminine form of Damase.

Feminine form of Damir 1.

Derived from the Latin word decem, meaning "ten". December is the twelfth month on the Gregorian calendar. This name is used regularly in America, mostly on females.

From Greek δηιόω (deioo) meaning "to slay" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". In Greek mythology this was the name of the wife of Herakles. She unwittingly poisoned her husband by giving him the Shirt of Nessus.

Diminutive of Adela or Adelaide. A famous bearer was American actress and singer Della Reese (1931-2017).

Feminine form of Demetrius.

Ancient Greek form of Demetrius, as well as an alternate transcription of the Modern Greek form Dimitrios.

Means "army of the people", derived from the Greek elements δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people" and στρατός (stratos) meaning "army".

Derived from Greek δυσδαίμων (dysdaimon) meaning "ill-fated". This is the name of the wife of Othello in Shakespeare's play Othello (1603).

French form of Desiderata. In part it is directly from the French word meaning "desired, wished".

Diminutive of Odessa, Desiree or other names containing des.

Diminutive of Odessa.

Diminutive of names ending in dette. In the book So B. It by Sarah Weeks, Heidi's mother calls Heidi's next door neighbour, Bernadette, "Dette".

Hebrew form of Deborah.

Variant of Diamond.

Directly from the Italian word diamante meaning "diamond".

Derived from Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek legend Diomedes was one of the greatest heroes who fought against the Trojans. With Odysseus he entered Troy and stole the Palladium. After the Trojan War he founded the cities of Brindisi and Arpi in Italy.

From Italian diva (“diva, goddess”), from Latin dīva (“goddess”), female of dīvus (“divine, divine one; notably a deified mortal”).

From the term that refers to the southern United States, used by Daniel D. Emmett in his song Dixie in 1859. The term may be derived from French dix "ten", which was printed on ten-dollar bills issued from a New Orleans bank. Alternatively it may come from the term Mason-Dixon Line, the boundary between Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Derived from Italian dolce "sweet" (compare Dulcie).

Italian form of Latin name Dulcissima, meaning "sweetest", "very sweet" (superlative adjective from dulcis - "sweet"). Saint Dolcissima is a virgin and martyr, a patron saint of Sutri.

Means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.

Derived from Gothic dôms (which is cognate with Old High German tuom) meaning "judgement" combined with Old High German beraht meaning "bright".

Feminine form of Dominic.

Feminine diminutive of the Roman family name Domitius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasian and the mother of emperors Titus and Domitian.

French form of Domitilla.

Elaboration of Dora.

Slovene, Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Dorothea.

Feminine diminutive of the Roman family name Drusus. In Acts in the New Testament Drusilla is the wife of Felix.

From Latin dulcis "sweet" and bella "beautiful". The usual medieval spelling of this name was Dowsabel, and the Latinized form Dulcibella was revived in the 18th century.

Derived from Spanish dulce meaning "sweet". This name was (first?) used by Miguel de Cervantes in his novel Don Quixote (1605), where it belongs to the love interest of the main character, though she never actually appears in the story.

Transferred use of the surname Ebert.

Possibly from Old Norse meaning "great-grandmother". This was the name of two 13th-century Icelandic literary works: the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda. This is also the name of a character in the Poetic Edda, though it is unclear if her name is connected to the name of the collection.

Diminutive of Edvárd or Eduárd.

The common flower name for Leontopodium alpinum, it's derived from the German elements edel "noble" and weiß "white." The name of the flower is spelled Edelweiß in German; Edelweiss is an Anglicized spelling.

A contracted form of the Yiddish Edel "noble."

Means "pleasure" in Hebrew. This name appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha, for instance in the Book of Tobit belonging to the wife of Raguel. It was borne by the American poet Edna Dean Proctor (1829-1923). It did not become popular until the second half of the 19th century, after it was used for the heroine in the successful 1866 novel St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans [1]. It peaked around the turn of the century and has declined steadily since then, falling off the American top 1000 list in 1992.

Means "snow" in Basque, from edur, a variant of elur "snow". It is an equivalent of Nieves, proposed by the writer Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.

Perhaps a combination of Elnora and Dora. This is the name of a small former mining town in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, which was originally named El Dorado.

Latinate form of Eleanor.

Latinized form of Greek Ἠλέκτρα (Elektra), derived from ἤλεκτρον (elektron) meaning "amber". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra and the sister of Orestes. She helped her brother kill their mother and her lover Aegisthus in vengeance for Agamemnon's murder. Also in Greek mythology, this name was borne by one of the Pleiades, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione.

Latinized form of the Greek name Ἐλευθέριος (Eleutherios), which meant "free". This was the name of a 2nd-century pope, as well as several saints.

Short form of Wilhelmine or names ending in elma, such as Anselma. It has also been recorded as a combination of Elizabeth and Mary, as in the case of the 19th-century daughter of the Earl of Elgin, who was named using her mother's first and middle names [1].

Possibly derived from Finno-Ugric eme meaning "mother". In Hungarian legend this was the name of the grandmother of Árpád, founder of the Hungarian state.

Middle English (especially representing the title given to the head of the Roman Empire) from Old French emperere, from Latin imperator ‘military commander’, from imperare ‘to command’, from in- ‘towards’ + parare ‘prepare, contrive’.

Based on the biblical place name Endor, which is of uncertain meaning (see Endor). It was used for a character in the American television series 'Bewitched' (1964-1972), in which case it was presumably an allusion to the biblical Witch of Endor whom Saul consulted, according to the first Book of Samuel in the Old Testament. This name was later used in the American television series 'Passions' (1999-2008), where it belongs to the witch Endora Lenox.

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

Spanish form of the Late Latin name Sperantia, which was derived from sperare "to hope".

Old French form of Odo.

Italian and Spanish form of Euphemia.

Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.

Means "good order" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νόμος (nomos) meaning "law, custom". Eunomia was a Greek goddess, one of the Ὥραι (Horai), presiding over law.

Latinized form of Greek Εὐρώπη (Europe), which meant "wide face" from εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted and taken to Crete by Zeus in the guise of a bull. She became the first queen of Crete, and later fathered Minos by Zeus. The continent of Europe said to be named for her, though it is more likely her name is from that of the continent. This is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.

Variant of Everilda.

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

Latvian borrowing of Fanny.

Originally a Frisian short form of Fridumar or Friduman (and other names starting with the Old German element fridu "peace" and a second element beginning with m [1]).

From Fredenandus, the Latinized form of a Gothic name composed of the elements friþus "peace" (or perhaps farþa "journey" [1]) and nanþa "boldness, daring". The Visigoths brought the name to the Iberian Peninsula, where it entered into the royal families of Spain and Portugal. From there it became common among the Habsburg royal family of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria, starting with the Spanish-born Ferdinand I in the 16th century. A notable bearer was Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521), called Fernão de Magalhães in Portuguese, who was the leader of the first expedition to sail around the earth.

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.

Feminine form of Florentinus.

Possibly from Latin florens meaning "prosperous, flourishing" combined with the Old German element munt meaning "protection". This is the name of the prince in some versions of the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty.

Feminine form of Forest.

Feminine form of Forrest.

English form of the Late Latin name Franciscus meaning "Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *frankô). This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.

Due to the renown of the saint, this name became widespread in Western Europe during the Middle Ages. However, it was not regularly used in Britain until the 16th century. Famous bearers include Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), a missionary to East Asia, the philosopher and scientist Francis Bacon (1561-1626), the explorer and admiral Francis Drake (1540-1595), and Pope Francis (1936-).

In the English-speaking world this name is occasionally used for girls, as a variant of the homophone Frances.

From the Hebrew name גַבְרִיאֵל (Gavri'el) meaning "God is my strong man", derived from גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of John to Zechariah and Jesus to Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to Muhammad.

This name has been used occasionally in England since the 12th century. It was not common in the English-speaking world until the end of the 20th century.

Means "maiden crowned with a radiant garland" in the fictional language Sindarin. Galadriel was a Noldorin elf princess renowned for her beauty and wisdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels. The elements are galad "radiant" and riel "garlanded maiden". Alatáriel is the Quenya form of her name.

Galaxia is a variation of the name Galaxy.

The name means "galaxy" and "the physic."

From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).

Feminine form of Gaudentius. This name was most notably borne by a virgin martyr and saint, who was put to death (along with three others) during the early persecution of Christians.

Short form of Gerhard.

Elaboration of Germana.

Means "spear of strength", derived from the Old German elements ger "spear" and drud "strength". Saint Gertrude the Great was a 13th-century nun and mystic writer from Thuringia. It was probably introduced to England by settlers from the Low Countries in the 15th century. Shakespeare used the name in his play Hamlet (1600) for the mother of Hamlet. Another famous bearer was the American writer Gertrude Stein (1874-1946).

Originally an Italian short form of Ermenegilda and other names containing the Old German element gelt meaning "payment, tribute, compensation". This is the name of a character in Verdi's opera Rigoletto (1851). It is also the name of a 1946 American movie, starring Rita Hayworth in the title role.

Old German form of Gilbert.

From the name of the flowering plant gladiolus, literally meaning "small sword" from Latin gladius "sword" (a reference to its sword-shaped leaves). Gladiola Josephine "Glady Joe" is a character in the novel 'How to Make an American Quilt' (1991) and subsequent film adaptation (1995).

From the Old Welsh name Gwladus, probably derived from gwlad meaning "country". Alternatively, it may have been adopted as a Welsh form of Claudia. Saint Gwladus or Gwladys was the mother of Saint Cadoc. She was one of the daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog. This name became popular outside of Wales after it was used in Ouida's novel Puck (1870).

Variant of Golda.

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

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

Means "harmony, agreement" in Greek. She was the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, given by Zeus to Cadmus to be his wife.

Derived from Old High German heil "happy, hearty, healthy" and Old High German beraht "bright."

Dutch, Slovene, Hungarian and Croatian form of Hermine.

Feminine form of Herminius.

Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element hilt meaning "battle".

Feminine form of Honorius. This name was borne by the sister of the Western Roman emperor Valentinian III. After her brother had her engaged to a man she did not like, she wrote to Attila the Hun asking for help. Attila interpreted this as a marriage proposal and subsequently invaded.

Spanish form of Horatia.

Combination of Ida and Belle, perhaps influenced by Isabelle.

Probably from a Germanic name derived from the element idal, an extended form of id possibly meaning "work, labour" [1]. Unrelated, this was also an epithet of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, given because the city of Idalion on Cyprus was a center of her cult.

This name was borne by the heroine of the Polish writer Juliusz Słowacki's play Fantazy (1841, published 1866).

Possibly means "interpreter" in Arabic. According to the Quran this was the name of an ancient prophet. He is traditionally equated with the Hebrew prophet Enoch.

Norman French form of Hildebert.

Norwegian dialectal variant of Hilde, recorded in the Sunnmøre area, as well as an Italian variant of Ilda.

Variant of Hildebert.

Italian and Spanish form of Irmhild. The Blessed Imelda Lambertini was a young 14th-century nun from Bologna.

From the name of the American state, which means "land of the Indians". This is the name of the hero in the Indiana Jones series of movies, starring Harrison Ford.

Russian and Ukrainian form of Inés.

Means "watchful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of King David's priest. As an English Christian given name, Ira began to be used after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where remained moderately common into the 20th century.

Variant of Isidora. A famous bearer was the American dancer Isadora Duncan (1877-1927).

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.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Ishmael. This is also the form used in the Greek Old Testament.

German form of Iseult, appearing in the 13th-century German poem Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg. In 1865 the German composer Richard Wagner debuted his popular opera Tristan und Isolde and also used the name for his first daughter.

Means "nocturnal journey", derived from Arabic سرى (sara) meaning "to travel at night".

Newer form of the Old Church Slavic name Іѡаннъ (Ioannŭ), which was derived from Greek Ioannes (see John). This was the name of six Russian rulers, including the 15th-century Ivan III the Great and 16th-century Ivan IV the Terrible, the first tsar of Russia. It was also borne by nine emperors of Bulgaria. Other notable bearers include the Russian author Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883), who wrote Fathers and Sons, and the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), who is best known for his discovery of the conditioned reflex.

Means "wren" or "little wild goose" from djida, a word in Noongar, spoken in South West Region, Western Australia.

Jedda is the name of the Aboriginal main character in the 1955 Australian film 'Jedda' by Charles Chauvel.

Slovak, Dutch and Albanian form of Joseph.

From a Roman family name that was possibly derived from Greek ἴουλος (ioulos) meaning "downy-bearded". Alternatively, it could be related to the name of the Roman god Jupiter. This was a prominent patrician family of Rome, who claimed descent from the mythological Julus, son of Aeneas. Its most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, who gained renown as a military leader for his clever conquest of Gaul. After a civil war he became the dictator of the Roman Republic, but was eventually stabbed to death in the senate.

Although this name was borne by several early saints, including a pope, it was rare during the Middle Ages. It was revived in Italy and France during the Renaissance, and was subsequently imported to England.

Macedonian form of Clementina.

Variant of Kriemhild.

Variant of Crimea.

The name of a Slavic fertility goddess, derived from Old Slavic lada "wife" [1]. It can also be a diminutive of Vladislava or Vladimira.

Derived from the Old German elements lant "land" and beraht "bright". Saint Lambert of Maastricht was a 7th-century bishop who was martyred after denouncing Pepin II for adultery. The name was also borne by a 9th-century king of Italy who was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.

Dutch extended form of Lamberta.

Feminine form of Lando as well as a short form of feminine names that start with Land- or end in -landa (such as Orlanda).

From the Roman cognomen Laurentius, which meant "from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably deriving from Latin laurus "laurel". Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome. According to tradition he was roasted alive on a gridiron because, when ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the sick and poor. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in the Christian world (in various spellings).

In the Middle Ages this name was common in England, partly because of a second saint by this name, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury. Likewise it has been common in Ireland due to the 12th-century Saint Laurence O'Toole (whose real name was Lorcán). Since the 19th century the spelling Lawrence has been more common, especially in America. A famous bearer was the British actor Laurence Olivier (1907-1989).

French form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).

Feminine form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).

Feminine form of Laurentinus.

Italian and Romansh form of Laurentia.

Variant of Lavinia.

Variant of Lemantina.

Late Latin name that might be derived from the name of the Greek island of Leucadia or from Greek λευκός (leukos) meaning "bright, clear, white" (which is also the root of the island's name). Saint Leocadia was a 3rd-century martyr from Spain.

Means "brave lion", derived from the Old German elements lewo "lion" (of Latin origin) and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish saint from Noblac who is the patron of prisoners and horses. The Normans brought this name to England, where it was used steadily through the Middle Ages, becoming even more common in the 20th century.

Feminine form of Leonardo.

German short form of Eleanor.

Variant of Levana 2.

The first element of this name is derived from Old High German lind or lindi "soft, tender." The second element is derived from gardan "to hedge in, to enclose, to fence in" or from Gothic gards "house, garden, (court)yard."

Variant of Lorraine.

Feminization of Lorenz influenced by names such as Florentine and Leontine.

Diminutive of Lourdes.

From the English words love and more. This name is most common in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in Southern Africa.

Variant of Lavinia.

From Croatian lovor meaning "laurel tree".

Short form of Lovrenco.

The first element of this name is derived from Polish lud "people", which is ultimately derived from Slavic lyud and Proto-Slavic ljudъ "people". The second element is derived from Slavic mir "peace". In other words, one could say that this name is a shorter form (or a variant form) of Ludzimir.

From the Old German name Leutgard, which was derived from the elements liut "people" and gart "enclosure, yard". It was borne by Charlemagne's fifth and last wife. This was also the name of a 13th-century Flemish nun, the patron saint of easy deliveries.

Possibly a Judeo-Spanish form of Ludmila.

Combination of Luna and Beth.

French form of Magdalene.

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

From the English word magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.

Means "queen" in Hebrew.

Feminine form of Marcius. It was borne by a few very minor saints. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 18th century [1].

From the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god Mars. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.

An influential bearer of the name was Martin Luther (1483-1546), the theologian who began the Protestant Reformation. The name was also borne by five popes (two of them more commonly known as Marinus). Other more recent bearers include the German philosopher Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), and the American filmmaker Martin Scorsese (1942-).

Variant of Mahthilt.

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

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

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

From the English word melody, which is derived (via Old French and Late Latin) from Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song" combined with ἀείδω (aeido) meaning "to sing".

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

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

From the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world", originally a diminutive of names containing that element.

Derived from the Slavic elements mirŭ "peace, world" and slava "glory". This was the name of a 10th-century king of Croatia who was deposed by one of his nobles after ruling for four years.

Russian form of Modestus.

From the American English word mortician meaning "undertaker, funeral director", ultimately derived from Latin mortis meaning "death". This name was created for the mother on the Addams Family television series (1964-1966). She was based on an unnamed recurring character in cartoons by Charles Addams, starting 1938.

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

Feminine form of Narcissus.

French masculine and feminine form of Narcissus. This is also the French word for the narcissus flower.

From the English word nightmare referring to a bad dream seen in the mind while sleeping. This is the name of a character in Marvel Comics.

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

Variant of Norbert.

Variant of Nordine.

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

Younger form of Nóri, an Old Norse name meaning either "north" (derived from norðr) or "small person" (derived from nóri). Swedish writer Esaias Tegnér used the name in a 1814 poem celebrating the union between Sweden and Norway. In the poem, Nore is the personification of Norway.

Created by Felice Romani for the main character in the opera Norma (1831). He may have based it on Latin norma "rule". This name is also frequently used as a feminine form of Norman.

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

Elaborated form of Norma.

Variant of Nymphe (as well as the usual Latinized form). This name is mentioned briefly by Paul in his epistle to the Colossians in the New Testament, though it is uncertain whether it refers to a woman Nympha or a man Nymphas. The name was later borne by an obscure 4th-century saint possibly from Palermo, Sicily.

Variant of Nymphodora used by J. K. Rowling in her 'Harry Potter' series of books, where it belongs to a minor character, a Metamorphmagus who despises her name.

Feminine form of Nymphidios (see Nymphidius). A bearer of this name was the mother of Gaius Nymphidius Sabinus, a Prefect of the Roman Praetorian Guard from the 1st century AD. In literature, the poet Michael Drayton used the name for a fairy in his epic 'Nimphidia' (1627).

Feminine form of Nymphodoros. This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Menodora and Metrodora.

From the English word obedience, the act of obeying.

Elaboration of Oceana.

Variant of Oceana.

French form of Octavius.

Feminine form of Octavius. Octavia was the wife of Mark Antony and the sister of the Roman emperor Augustus. In 19th-century England it was sometimes given to the eighth-born child.

From the Roman name Octavianus, which was derived from the name Octavius. After Gaius Octavius (later the Roman emperor Augustus) was adopted by Julius Caesar he took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus.

From the name of the tenth month. It is derived from Latin octo meaning "eight", because it was originally the eighth month of the Roman year.

Means "I will thank Yahweh" in Hebrew. This is a modern Hebrew name probably inspired by Odelia 1.

From the name of a Ukrainian city that sits on the north coast of the Black Sea, which was named after the ancient Greek city of Ὀδησσός (Odessos), of uncertain meaning. This name can also be used as a feminine form of Odysseus.

Derived from Russian октябрь (oktyabr) meaning "October". This name was created by Communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names, and was used in order to commemorate the October Revolution of 1917 and the creation of the (now former) Soviet state in 1922.

Derived from Russian октябрь (oktyabr) meaning "October". This name was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names and commemorate the October Revolution of 1917.

The name Oleander originated as an Greek name. In Greek, the name Oleander means "an evergreen tree."
The origin of the name was said to have come from a young man whose ardour to his Lady Love ended in a tragedy. The young man was named Leander, and his precious lady longing for his love shouting with such forlorn “O Leander!”, “O Leander!” in the banks, until finally he was found. And clasped in his hands were sweet flowers, who have become a symbol of everlasting love, known as oleanders.

Possibly taken from the plant family, Nerium oleander (flowering shrub known as oleanders), Cascabela thevetia (yellow oleander), Acacia neriifolia (oleander wattle); or a species of moth, Daphnis nerii (oleander hawk-moth).

In the complex language of love practiced during the time of Queen Victoria, the Oleander flower means caution.

A diminutive use of Oleander could be Ollie, Lee, Lee-Ann, or Anders.

Form of Olympias in several languages.

Russian and Ukrainian form of Olympias.

Russian form of Olympiodora.

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).

Feminine form of Olympos.

Feminine form of Olympos. This was the name of the mother of Alexander the Great. It was also borne by a 4th-century saint.

From a Greek personal name that was derived from the place name Olympos, the name of the mountain home of the Greek gods.

Coined as a diminutive of Italian ombra "shade; shadow", this name first came into usage after Antonio Fogazzaro used it for a character in his novel Piccolo mondo antico (The Little World of the Past in English) (1895).

Derived from Greek ὠφέλεια (opheleia) meaning "help, advantage". This was a rare ancient Greek name, which was either rediscovered or recreated by the poet Jacopo Sannazaro for a character in his poem Arcadia (1480). It was borrowed by Shakespeare for his play Hamlet (1600), in which it belongs to the daughter of Polonius and the potential love interest of Hamlet. She eventually goes insane and drowns herself after Hamlet kills her father. In spite of this negative association, the name has been in use since the 19th century.

Alternate transcription of Hebrew אוֹפִירָה (see Ofira).

Perhaps related to Greek ὄρφνη (orphne) meaning "the darkness of night". In Greek mythology Orpheus was a poet and musician who went to the underworld to retrieve his dead wife Eurydice. He succeeded in charming Hades with his lyre, and he was allowed to lead his wife out of the underworld on the condition that he not look back at her until they reached the surface. Unfortunately, just before they arrived his love for her overcame his will and he glanced back at her, causing her to be drawn back to Hades.

Caló form of Mary, used in reference to the Virgin Mary.

Created by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his poem Perceval, the Story of the Grail. Chrétien may have derived the name from Old French perce val "pierce the valley", or he may have based it loosely on the Welsh name Peredur [1]. In the poem Perceval is a boy from Wales who hopes to become a knight under King Arthur. Setting out to prove himself, he eventually comes to the castle of the Fisher King and is given a glimpse of the Grail.

Variant of Perle.

French and Yiddish cognate of Pearl. It is also used as a Yiddish vernacular form of Margalit.

From the medieval name Plaisance, which meant "pleasant" in Old French.

Variant of Porcia, the feminine form of the Roman family name Porcius, used by William Shakespeare for the heroine of his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). In the play Portia is a woman who disguises herself as a man in order to defend Antonio in court. It is also the name of a moon of Uranus, after the Shakespearean character.

From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English hræfn. The raven is revered by several Native American groups of the west coast. It is also associated with the Norse god Odin.

Variant of Raisa 2.

Variant of Raisel.

German, Dutch and Norwegian feminine form of Renatus.

From the Germanic name Hrodebert meaning "bright fame", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, where it replaced the rare Old English cognate Hreodbeorht. It has been consistently among the most common English names from the 13th to 20th century. In the United States it was the most popular name for boys between 1924 and 1939 (and again in 1953).

This name has been borne by two kings of the Franks, two dukes of Normandy, and three kings of Scotland, including Robert the Bruce who restored the independence of Scotland from England in the 14th century. Several saints have also had the name, the earliest known as Saint Rupert, from an Old German variant. The author Robert Browning (1812-1889) and poets Robert Burns (1759-1796) and Robert Frost (1874-1963) are famous literary namesakes. Other bearers include Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), the commander of the Confederate army during the American Civil War, and American actors Robert Redford (1936-), Robert De Niro (1943-) and Robert Downey Jr. (1965-).

Feminine form of Romed, Romedio, or Romedius.

Means "my height, my exaltation" in Hebrew.

Means "famous battle" from the Germanic elements hruom "fame, glory" and hilt "battle".

Possibly a variant of Romana.

Variant of Rosabel.

French form of Rosamund.

Croatian diminutive of Rozalija.

Polish form of Roswitha.

Derived from Old Norse rún meaning "secret lore, rune".

From the genus name of sage, an herb formerly used as medicine, which comes from Latin salvus "healthy, safe" (related to salvere "to save, to be saved"), referring to the plant's supposed healing properties. The Latin salvia was corrupted to sauja and sauge (the Old French form), which eventually became the modern English sage (see Sage).
In the English-speaking world, this name has been occasionally used since the 19th century.

Short form of Aleksandrs, now used as a given name in its own right.

From the Greek name Σαπφείρη (Sappheire), which was from Greek σάπφειρος (sappheiros) meaning "sapphire" or "lapis lazuli" (ultimately derived from the Hebrew word סַפִּיר (sappir)). Sapphira is a character in Acts in the New Testament who is killed by God for lying.

Italian feminine form of Xavier.

Feminine form of the Late Latin name Seraphinus, derived from the biblical word seraphim, which was Hebrew in origin and meant "fiery ones". The seraphim were an order of angels, described by Isaiah in the Bible as having six wings each.

This was the name of a 13th-century Italian saint who made clothes for the poor. As an English name, it has never been common.

From the English word meaning "serenity, tranquility", ultimately from Latin serenus meaning "clear, calm".

Old German form of Ségolène.

Probably from Latin silva meaning "wood, forest" (compare Silvanus, Silvester and Silvius). This name was borne by a 6th-century pope who served for less than a year but is considered a saint.

Derived from Albanian smerald and Italian smeraldo "emerald", making it a cognate of Esmeralda. This name was borne by the mother of Botticelli.

From the Hebrew name שְׁלֹמֹה (Shelomoh), which was derived from Hebrew שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". As told in the Old Testament, Solomon was a king of Israel, the son of David and Bathsheba. He was renowned for his wisdom and wealth. Towards the end of his reign he angered God by turning to idolatry. Supposedly, he was the author of the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.

This name has never been overly common in the Christian world, and it is considered typically Jewish. It was however borne by an 11th-century Hungarian king.

Derived from the Jewish surname Solomonica. A known bearer of this name is the Dutch writer Solomonica de Winter (b. 1997), daughter of Dutch writers Leon de Winter (b. 1954) and Jessica Durlacher (b. 1961). Both of her parents come from Jewish families. She was named after her maternal great-grandmother Erna Solomonica (1905-1945), who was of Romanian descent.

Means "witty, lively" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin spiritus "breath, energy".

Derived from Dutch ster meaning "star".

Variant of Susse.

Short form of names beginning with the element Swan-, such as Swanhild.

Variant of Swanhild.

Feminine form of Symphoros and its latinized form Symphorus. Also compare the Greek noun συμφορά (symphora) meaning "a bringing together, collecting, contribution" as well as "misfortune, tragedy".

In modern times, there may be cases where this name is a short form or contraction of Symphoriana, Symphorina and Symphorosa.

A well-known bearer of this name is the French sportswoman Symphora Béhi (b. 1986).

Variant of Theresa.

Variant of Tara 1, perhaps influenced by the Latin word terra meaning "land, earth".

Variant of Terence.

Feminine form of Tertius.

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

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

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

Silesian German diminutive of Ottilie and occasionally of Mathilde and Slovene diminutive of Matilda, Otilija and Klotilda. As a Slovene name, it is also considered the feminine form of Tilen.

Modern Scandinavian form of Þórir.

Truncated form of Evalda.

Latinized variant of Waldetrudis. Saint Waltrude (known as Valdetrudis in Spanish and Latin) was a 7th-century Frankish noblewoman and nun.

From the name of cities in Spain and Venezuela, both derived from Latin valentia meaning "strength, vigour".

Form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1) in several languages.

From the Roman cognomen Valerianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name Valerius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Publius Licinius Valerianus) who was captured by the Persians. Several saints have also borne this name, including a 2nd-century martyr of Lyons.

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

Diminutive of Vasiliki.

Alternate transcription of Russian Василий (see Vasiliy).

Bulgarian and Macedonian feminine diminutive of Basil 1.

Derived from the Slavic elements velĭ "great" and mirŭ "peace, world".

Transferred use of the surname Vendetta or from the word vendetta, from Italian vendetta "a feud, blood feud," from Latin vindicta "vengeance, revenge."

Latinized form of a Germanic name, probably Waramunt, derived from either war "aware, cautious" or war "true" combined with munt "protection". This was the name of a 5th-century king of Galicia (from the Germanic tribe of the Suebi). It was later the name of kings of Asturias and León, though their names are usually spelled in the Spanish form Bermudo.

From the name of the city in Italy, which is itself of unknown meaning.

Means "of the evening", derived from Esperanto vespero "evening", ultimately from Latin vesper.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Vincent.

Derived from place name Viena, which is the Spanish name for the city of Vienna.

Derived from the Slavic element vila meaning "fairy".

Medieval Latin name meaning "farmhand", a derivative of villa "country house, farm". It was borne by an Italian Catholic saint of the 13th century.

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

A feminine form to Vincent.

It was the name of the storm that flooded Hamburg in 1962.

French form of Violet.

Feminine form of the Roman family name Verginius or Virginius, which is of unknown meaning, but long associated with Latin virgo "maid, virgin". According to a legend, it was the name of a Roman woman killed by her father so as to save her from the clutches of a crooked official.

This was the name of the first English baby born in the New World: Virginia Dare in 1587 on Roanoke Island. Perhaps because of this, the name has generally been more popular in America than elsewhere in the English-speaking world, though in both Britain and America it was not often used until the 19th century. The baby was named after the Colony of Virginia, which was itself named for Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen. A more recent bearer was the English novelist Virginia Woolf (1882-1941).

Italian form of Victor.

Roman name that was derived from Latin vita "life". Saint Vitus was a child martyred in Sicily in the early 4th century. From an early date this name was confused with the Germanic name Wido.

French form of Viviana.

Old Church Slavic form of Vladimir.

From the Old Slavic name *Voldiměrŭ, derived from the elements volděti meaning "to rule" and měrŭ meaning "great, famous". The second element has also been associated with mirŭ meaning "peace, world".

This was the name of a 9th-century ruler of Bulgaria. It was also borne by an 11th-century grand prince of Kyiv, Vladimir the Great, who is venerated as a saint because of his efforts to Christianize his realm. Other notable bearers include the revolutionary and first leader of the Soviet state Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924), the Russian author Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977), and the Russian president and prime minister Vladimir Putin (1952-).

From the Old Slavic name *Voldislavŭ, derived from the elements volděti "to rule" and slava "glory". This name has been borne by kings, princes and dukes of Croatia, Serbia, Bohemia, Poland and Wallachia.

Feminine form of Vlastimil.

A dithematic German name formed from the Germanic name elements folk "people" and beraht "bright".

Derived from Old English folc meaning "people, nation" and gifu meaning "gift".

Short form of names with the name element walt "to rule".

From the Old German elements walt "power, authority" and mari "famous", also used as a translation of the Slavic cognate Vladimir.

Possibly from a Germanic name meaning "a Wend", referring to the Slavic people who inhabited eastern Germany. In Polish legends this was the name of the daughter of King Krak, the legendary founder of Krakow. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by the author Ouida, who used it for the heroine in her novel Wanda (1883).

From the name of the tree, which is ultimately derived from Old English welig.

From the English word for the small songbird. It is ultimately derived from Old English wrenna.

Form of Wulfrun sometimes used in reference to the 10th-century noblewoman.

Czech form of Sigmund.

Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian form of Zenaida.