Charlie1977's Personal Name List
Kale
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: KA-leh
Rating: 33% based on 15 votes
Keane
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: KEEN
Rating: 31% based on 15 votes
From an Irish surname, a variant of
Kane.
Keanu
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hawaiian
Pronounced: keh-A-noo
Rating: 29% based on 15 votes
Means "the cool breeze" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and anu "coolness". This name is now associated with Canadian actor Keanu Reeves (1964-).
Keaton
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: KEE-tən
Rating: 44% based on 16 votes
From an English surname that was derived from a few different place names (see the surname
Keaton).
Keegan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KEE-gən
Rating: 39% based on 16 votes
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic
Mac Aodhagáin, which was derived from the given name
Aodhagán, a double
diminutive of
Aodh.
Keir
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish
Rating: 46% based on 13 votes
From a surname that was a variant of
Kerr.
Keith
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Scottish
Pronounced: KEETH(English)
Rating: 61% based on 7 votes
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of a place in East Lothian, itself possibly derived from the Celtic root *kayto- meaning "wood". This was the surname of a long line of Scottish nobles. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, becoming fairly common throughout the English-speaking world in the 20th century.
Kendrick
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KEHN-drik
Rating: 46% based on 14 votes
From a surname that has several different origins. It could be from the Old English given names
Cyneric "royal power" or
Cenric "bold power", or from the Welsh name
Cynwrig "chief hero". It can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname
Mac Eanraig meaning "son of
Henry".
As an American given name, it got a boost in popularity in 2012 after the rapper Kendrick Lamar (1987-) released his debut album.
Kenneth
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish, English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
Pronounced: KEHN-əth(English)
Rating: 48% based on 4 votes
Anglicized form of both
Coinneach and
Cináed. This name was borne by the Scottish king Kenneth (Cináed) mac Alpin, who united the Scots and Picts in the 9th century. It was popularized outside of Scotland by Walter Scott, who used it for the hero in his 1825 novel
The Talisman [1]. A famous bearer was the British novelist Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932), who wrote
The Wind in the Willows.
Kenton
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KEHN-tən
Rating: 34% based on 13 votes
From a surname that was derived from an English place name meaning either "town on the River Kenn" or "royal town" in Old English.
Kermit
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KUR-mit(American English) KU-mit(British English)
Rating: 34% based on 5 votes
From a rare (Americanized) Manx surname, a variant of the Irish surname
Mac Diarmada, itself derived from the given name
Diarmaid. This was the name of a son of Theodore Roosevelt born in 1889. He was named after a relative of his mother, Robert Kermit. The name is now associated with Kermit the Frog, a Muppet created by puppeteer Jim Henson in 1955.
Kęstutis
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Lithuanian
Pronounced: kya-STUW-tyis
Rating: 26% based on 8 votes
From Lithuanian
kęsti meaning
"to cope, to endure" combined with a
diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 14th-century ruler of Lithuania.
Kevan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Rating: 33% based on 4 votes
Kian 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Persian
Other Scripts: کیان(Persian)
Rating: 33% based on 4 votes
Means "king, foundation, symbol of pride" in Persian.
Kian 2
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Rating: 38% based on 14 votes
Kieran
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: KIR-ən(English) KIR-awn(English)
Rating: 60% based on 14 votes
Kieron
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: KIR-ən(English) KIR-awn(English)
Rating: 25% based on 4 votes
Killian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, French
Rating: 53% based on 15 votes
Anglicized form of
Cillian, also used in France.
Kingsley
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: KINGZ-lee
Rating: 34% based on 16 votes
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "king's wood" in Old English. This name may have received a minor boost in popularity after the release of the 2007 movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, featuring the character Kingsley Shacklebolt.
Kirill
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Кирилл(Russian)
Pronounced: kyi-RYEEL
Rating: 37% based on 14 votes
Knight
Usage: English
Pronounced: NIET
Rating: 13% based on 4 votes
From Old English cniht meaning "knight", a tenant serving as a mounted soldier.
Kolya
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian
Other Scripts: Коля(Russian)
Pronounced: KO-lyə
Rating: 34% based on 14 votes
Konstantin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, German, Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian
Other Scripts: Константин(Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: kən-stun-TYEEN(Russian) KAWN-stan-teen(German) KON-stahn-teen(Finnish) KON-shtawn-teen(Hungarian)
Rating: 58% based on 14 votes
Kyle
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: KIEL, KIE-əl
Rating: 37% based on 16 votes
From a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves from Gaelic caol meaning "narrows, channel, strait". As a given name it was rare in the first half of the 20th century. It rose steadily in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, entering the top 50 in most places by the 1990s. It has since declined in all regions.
Lambert
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch, French, English, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: LAM-behrt(German) LAHM-bərt(Dutch) LAHN-BEHR(French) LAM-bərt(American English) LAM-bət(British English)
Rating: 36% based on 5 votes
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.
Lance
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LANS
Rating: 43% based on 4 votes
From the Germanic name
Lanzo, originally a short form of names that began with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element
land, Old High German
lant meaning
"land" (Proto-Germanic *
landą). During the Middle Ages it became associated with Old French
lance meaning "spear, lance". A famous bearer is American cyclist Lance Armstrong (1971-).
Landon
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LAN-dən
Rating: 55% based on 4 votes
From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "long hill" (effectively meaning "ridge"). Use of the name may have been inspired in part by the actor Michael Landon (1936-1991).
László
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hungarian
Pronounced: LAS-lo
Rating: 57% based on 14 votes
Hungarian form of
Vladislav.
Saint László was an 11th-century king of Hungary, looked upon as the embodiment of Christian virtue and bravery.
Lawrence
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LAWR-əns(American English, British English)
Rating: 56% based on 15 votes
Variant of
Laurence 1. This spelling of the name is now more common than
Laurence in the English-speaking world, probably because
Lawrence is the usual spelling of the surname. The surname was borne by the author and poet D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), as well as the revolutionary T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935), who was known as Lawrence of Arabia.
Lee
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LEE
Rating: 29% based on 14 votes
From a surname that was derived from Old English
leah meaning
"clearing". The surname belonged to Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), commander of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In his honour, it has been used as a given name in the American South. It is common as a middle name.
Leonid
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian, Ukrainian
Other Scripts: Леонид(Russian) Леонід(Ukrainian)
Pronounced: lyi-u-NYEET(Russian)
Rating: 43% based on 13 votes
Leroy
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LEE-roi
Rating: 40% based on 13 votes
From the French nickname
le roi meaning
"the king". It has been common as an English given name since the 19th century. Since 1920 in the United States it has been mainly used by African Americans
[1].
Lewis
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LOO-is
Rating: 59% based on 14 votes
Medieval English form of
Louis. A famous bearer was Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), the author of
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. This was also the surname of C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), the author of the
Chronicles of Narnia series.
Llyr
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh Mythology
Rating: 44% based on 13 votes
Unaccented variant of
Llŷr.
Logan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LO-gən
Rating: 54% based on 17 votes
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Ayrshire meaning
"little hollow" (from Gaelic
lag "hollow, pit" combined with a
diminutive suffix). This name started slowly rising on the American popularity charts in the mid-1970s, perhaps partly inspired by the movie
Logan's Run (1976). The comic book character Wolverine, alias Logan, was also introduced around the same time.
The name has been very common throughout the English-speaking world since end of the 20th century. In the United States it reached a high point in 2017, when it ranked as the fifth most popular name for boys.
Lorcán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: LAWR-kan
Rating: 57% based on 16 votes
Means
"little fierce one", derived from Old Irish
lorcc "fierce" combined with a
diminutive suffix.
Saint Lorcán was a 12th-century archbishop of Dublin.
Lorenzo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian, Spanish
Pronounced: lo-REHN-tso(Italian) lo-REHN-tho(European Spanish) lo-REHN-so(Latin American Spanish)
Rating: 51% based on 15 votes
Italian and Spanish form of
Laurentius (see
Laurence 1). Lorenzo de' Medici (1449-1492), known as the Magnificent, was a ruler of Florence during the Renaissance. He was also a great patron of the arts who employed Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and other famous artists.
Lothar
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: LO-tar(German)
Rating: 41% based on 14 votes
From the Germanic name
Hlothar meaning
"famous army", derived from the elements
hlut "famous, loud" and
heri "army". This was the name of medieval Frankish rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and France. It was also borne by four earlier Merovingian kings of the Franks, though their names are usually spelled as
Chlothar.
Loxley
English: habitational name from any of various minor places named Loxley, as for example one in Warwickshire, which is named with the Old English personal name Locc + leah ‘woodland clearing’.
Lucas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Biblical Latin
Pronounced: LOO-kəs(English) LUY-kahs(Dutch) LUY-KA(French) LOO-kush(European Portuguese) LOO-kus(Brazilian Portuguese) LOO-kas(Spanish, Swedish, Latin)
Rating: 57% based on 19 votes
Latin form of Greek
Λουκᾶς (see
Luke), as well as the form used in several other languages.
This name became very popular in the second half of the 20th century. It reached the top ten names for boys in France (by 1997), Belgium (1998), Denmark (2003), Canada (2008), the Netherlands (2009), New Zealand (2009), Australia (2010), Scotland (2013), Spain (2015) and the United States (2018).
Lucian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Romanian, English
Pronounced: LOO-chyan(Romanian) LOO-shən(English)
Rating: 65% based on 17 votes
Romanian and English form of
Lucianus. Lucian is the usual name of Lucianus of Samosata in English.
Ludo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Flemish
Pronounced: LUY-do
Rating: 33% based on 15 votes
Ludoviko
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Esperanto
Pronounced: loo-do-VEE-ko
Esperanto form of
Ludwig. This is the Esperanto name of the philologist Ludwig Zamenhof (1859-1917), the creator of the Esperanto language.
Ludwig
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German
Pronounced: LOOT-vikh
Rating: 34% based on 10 votes
From the Germanic name
Hludwig meaning
"famous in battle", composed of the elements
hlut "famous, loud" and
wig "war, battle". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks (though their names are usually spelled as
Clovis) as well as several Carolingian kings and Holy Roman emperors (names often spelled in the French form
Louis). Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.
Lutz
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German
Pronounced: LUWTS
Rating: 38% based on 15 votes
Lyle
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: LIEL, LIE-əl
Rating: 30% based on 3 votes
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French l'isle meaning "island".
Maël
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, Breton
Pronounced: MA-EHL(French)
Rating: 53% based on 15 votes
French form of Breton
Mael meaning
"prince, chieftain, lord".
Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.
Major
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAY-jər(American English) MAY-jə(British English)
Rating: 27% based on 13 votes
From an English surname that was originally derived from the given name Mauger, a Norman French form of the Germanic name Malger meaning "council spear". The name can also be given in reference to the English word major.
Malcolm
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: MAL-kəm(English)
Rating: 64% based on 16 votes
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic
Máel Coluim, which means
"disciple of Saint Columba". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing
Macbeth, the usurper who had defeated his father
Duncan. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy
Macbeth (1606) is loosely based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.
Mannix
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Rating: 35% based on 13 votes
Mantas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Lithuanian
Rating: 18% based on 4 votes
From Lithuanian mantus meaning "intelligent, clever" or manta meaning "property, wealth". Herkus Mantas was a 13th-century Prussian hero who fought against the Teutonic Knights.
Marc
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, Catalan, Welsh
Pronounced: MARK(French, Catalan)
Rating: 45% based on 15 votes
French, Catalan and Welsh form of
Marcus (see
Mark). This name was borne by the Russian-French artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985).
Marcel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, Catalan, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, German
Pronounced: MAR-SEHL(French) mər-SEHL(Catalan) mar-CHEHL(Romanian) MAR-tsehl(Polish, Czech, Slovak) mahr-SEHL(Dutch) mar-SEHL(German)
Rating: 36% based on 13 votes
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).
Marcus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Pronounced: MAR-koos(Latin) MAHR-kəs(American English) MAH-kəs(British English) MAR-kuys(Swedish)
Rating: 61% based on 16 votes
Roman
praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from the name of the Roman god
Mars. This was among the most popular of the Roman praenomina. Famous bearers include Marcus Tullius Cicero (known simply as Cicero), a 1st-century BC statesman and orator, Marcus Antonius (known as Mark Antony), a 1st-century BC politician, and Marcus Aurelius, a notable 2nd-century emperor. This was also the name of a pope of the 4th century. This spelling has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world, though the traditional English form
Mark has been more common.
Marshall
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAHR-shəl(American English) MAH-shəl(British English)
Rating: 48% based on 13 votes
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who was a marshal. The word marshal originally derives from Latin mariscalcus, itself from Germanic roots akin to Old High German marah "horse" and scalc "servant". A famous bearer is the American rapper Marshall Mathers (1972-), who performs under the name Eminem.
Masterman
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: MAS-tər-mən(American English) MAS-tə-mən(British English)
Rating: 22% based on 6 votes
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who worked as a servant.
Maurice
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: MAW-REES(French) maw-REES(American English) MAWR-is(British English)
Rating: 39% based on 14 votes
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.
Maurizio
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: mow-REET-tsyo
Rating: 40% based on 14 votes
Italian form of
Mauritius (see
Maurice).
Maverick
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAV-ə-rik
Rating: 43% based on 16 votes
Derived from the English word maverick meaning "independent". The word itself is derived from the surname of a 19th-century Texas rancher who did not brand his calves.
Maxim
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech
Other Scripts: Максим(Russian, Ukrainian) Максім(Belarusian)
Pronounced: muk-SYEEM(Russian) MAK-sim(Czech)
Rating: 48% based on 14 votes
Maximilian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, English, Swedish, Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare)
Pronounced: mak-see-MEE-lee-an(German) mak-sə-MIL-yən(English)
Rating: 69% based on 17 votes
From the Roman name
Maximilianus, which was derived from
Maximus. It was borne by a 3rd-century
saint and martyr. In the 15th century the Holy Roman emperor Frederick III gave this name to his son and eventual heir. In this case it was a blend of the names of the Roman generals Fabius Maximus and Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus (see
Emiliano), whom Frederick admired. It was subsequently borne by a second Holy Roman emperor, two kings of Bavaria, and a short-lived Habsburg emperor of Mexico.
Maxton
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: MAKS-tən
Rating: 17% based on 3 votes
Elaboration of
Max using the popular name suffix
ton.
Maxwell
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAKS-wehl
Rating: 60% based on 16 votes
From a Scottish surname meaning
"Mack's stream", from the name
Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name
Magnus, combined with Old English
wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.
As a given name it has increased in popularity starting from the 1980s, likely because it is viewed as a full form of Max [1].
Meriwether
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: MEHR-i-wedh-ər(American English) MEHR-i-wedh-ə(British English)
Rating: 41% based on 15 votes
From a surname meaning "happy weather" in Middle English, originally belonging to a cheery person. A notable bearer of the name was Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), who, with William Clark, explored the west of North America.
Merrill
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MEHR-əl
Rating: 34% based on 13 votes
From an English surname that was derived either from the given name
Muriel or from place names meaning "pleasant hill".
Michael
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Other Scripts: מִיכָאֵל(Hebrew) Μιχαήλ(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: MIE-kəl(English) MI-kha-ehl(German, Czech) MEE-kal(Danish) MEE-ka-ehl(Swedish) MEE-kah-ehl(Norwegian) mee-KA-ehl(Latin)
Rating: 54% based on 14 votes
From the Hebrew name
מִיכָאֵל (Miḵaʾel) meaning
"who is like God?", derived from the interrogative pronoun
מִי (mi) combined with
ךְּ (ke) meaning "like" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the
Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see
Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the
New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron
saint of soldiers in Christianity.
The popularity of the saint led to the name being used by nine Byzantine emperors, including Michael VIII Palaeologus who restored the empire in the 13th century. It has been common in Western Europe since the Middle Ages, and in England since the 12th century. It has been borne (in various spellings) by rulers of Russia (spelled Михаил), Romania (Mihai), Poland (Michał), and Portugal (Miguel).
In the United States, this name rapidly gained popularity beginning in the 1930s, eventually becoming the most popular male name from 1954 to 1998. However, it was not as overwhelmingly common in the United Kingdom, where it never reached the top spot.
Famous bearers of this name include the British chemist/physicist Michael Faraday (1791-1867), musician Michael Jackson (1958-2009), and basketball player Michael Jordan (1963-).
Michelangelo
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: mee-keh-LAN-jeh-lo(Italian) mie-kə-LAN-jə-lo(English)
Rating: 42% based on 14 votes
Combination of
Michael and
Angelo, referring to the archangel Michael. The Renaissance painter and sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), from Florence, was the man who created such great works of art as the statue of
David and the mural on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This name was also borne by the Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi (1571-1610), better known as Caravaggio.
Miguel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese, Galician
Pronounced: mee-GHEHL(Spanish) mee-GEHL(European Portuguese) mee-GEW(Brazilian Portuguese)
Rating: 52% based on 13 votes
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.
Mike
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MIEK
Rating: 28% based on 6 votes
Mikhail
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian, Belarusian, Bulgarian
Other Scripts: Михаил(Russian, Bulgarian) Міхаіл(Belarusian)
Pronounced: myi-khu-EEL(Russian)
Rating: 47% based on 14 votes
Russian and Belarusian form of
Michael, and an alternate transcription of Bulgarian
Михаил (see
Mihail). This was the name of two Russian tsars. Other notable bearers include the Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841), the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-2022), and the Latvian-Russian-American dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov (1948-).
Miquel
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Catalan
Pronounced: mee-KEHL
Rating: 31% based on 13 votes
Miran
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Slovene
Pronounced: MEE-ran
Rating: 28% based on 4 votes
Derived from the Slavic element
mirŭ meaning
"peace" or
"world".
Mitchell
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MICH-əl
Rating: 41% based on 13 votes
From an English surname, itself derived from the given name
Michael or in some cases from Middle English
michel meaning "big, large".
Montgomery
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: mənt-GUM-ə-ree, mənt-GUM-ree
Rating: 53% based on 15 votes
From an English surname meaning
"Gumarich's mountain" in Norman French. A notable bearer of this surname was Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976), a British army commander during World War II.
Morley
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: MAWR-lee(American English) MAW-lee(British English)
Rating: 38% based on 13 votes
From a surname that was originally from an Old English place name meaning "marsh clearing".
Morris
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Medieval English
Pronounced: MAWR-is(American English, British English)
Rating: 44% based on 14 votes
Morton
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: MAWR-tən(American English) MAW-tən(British English)
Rating: 35% based on 14 votes
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "moor town" in Old English.
Murdoch
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish
Pronounced: MUR-dahk(American English) MU-dawk(British English)
Rating: 34% based on 8 votes
Myron
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Ukrainian, Ancient Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Мирон(Ukrainian) Μύρων(Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: MIE-rən(English) MUY-RAWN(Classical Greek)
Rating: 43% based on 4 votes
Derived from Greek
μύρον (myron) meaning
"sweet oil, perfume". Myron was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek sculptor.
Saints bearing this name include a 3rd-century bishop of Crete and a 4th-century martyr from Cyzicus who was killed by a mob. These saints are more widely revered in the Eastern Church, and the name has generally been more common among Eastern Christians. As an English name, it has been used since the 19th century.
Nagendra
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hinduism, Kannada, Telugu
Other Scripts: नागेन्द्र, नागेंद्र(Sanskrit) ನಾಗೇಂದ್ರ(Kannada) నాగేంద్ర(Telugu)
Rating: 15% based on 2 votes
Means
"lord of snakes" from Sanskrit
नाग (nāga) meaning "snake" (also "elephant") combined with the name of the Hindu god
Indra, used here to mean "lord". This is another name for Vasuki, the king of snakes, in Hindu
mythology.
Neville
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (British)
Pronounced: NEHV-əl(English)
Rating: 44% based on 5 votes
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Norman French. As a given name it is chiefly British and Australian.
Nicholas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: NIK-ə-ləs, NIK-ləs
Rating: 78% based on 16 votes
From the Greek name
Νικόλαος (Nikolaos) meaning
"victory of the people", derived from Greek
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and
λαός (laos) meaning "people".
Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop from Anatolia who, according to legend, saved the daughters of a poor man from lives of prostitution. He is the patron saint of children, sailors and merchants, as well as Greece and Russia. He formed the basis for the figure known as Santa Claus (created in the 19th century from Dutch
Sinterklaas), the bringer of Christmas presents.
Due to the renown of the saint, this name has been widely used in the Christian world. It has been common in England since the 12th century, though it became a bit less popular after the Protestant Reformation. The name has been borne by five popes and two tsars of Russia.
Nishant
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Other Scripts: निशान्त, निशांत(Hindi) निशांत(Marathi) નિશાંત(Gujarati)
Rating: 25% based on 2 votes
Obsidian
Gender: Masculine
Usage: American (Modern, Rare), Popular Culture
Pronounced: ahb-SID-ee-yən
Rating: 20% based on 4 votes
Derived from
obsidian, the English name for a specific type of volcanic glass. The name is ultimately derived from Latin
obsidianus meaning "of Obsidius", after the Roman (also called Obsius in some instances) who supposedly was the first to discover this type of volcanic glass. The name Obsidius is possibly a corruption of
Opsidius, which is apparently a very obscure Roman nomen gentile.** Etymologically, Opsidius may be a more elaborate form of
Opsius. It could also be Oscan in origin, in which case it may have been derived from Oscan
úpsed meaning "worked, laboured" (which would thus make the name related to
Oppius). Last but not least, if the discoverer's name was Obsius rather than Obsidius, then his name was probably a corruption of
Opsius. In either case the etymology is very similar. Finally, in popular culture, Obsidian is the name of a character in the "Transformers" franchise as well as a character in a comic published by DC Comics.
** Please see page 638 of the book "The Italic Dialects" written by Robert Seymour Conway.
Oliver
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian Cycle
Other Scripts: Оливер(Serbian, Macedonian)
Pronounced: AHL-i-vər(American English) AWL-i-və(British English) O-lee-vu(German) O-lee-vehr(Finnish) oo-lee-BEH(Catalan) O-li-vehr(Czech) AW-lee-vehr(Slovak)
Rating: 74% based on 18 votes
From Old French
Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin
oliva "olive tree" [1]. Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse
Áleifr (see
Olaf) or Frankish
Alawar (see
Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic
La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero
Roland.
In England Oliver was a common medieval name, however it became rare after the 17th century because of the military commander Oliver Cromwell, who ruled the country following the civil war. The name was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due in part to the title character in Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist (1838), about a poor orphan living on the streets of London. It became very popular at the beginning of the 21st century, reaching the top rank for boys in England and Wales in 2009 and entering the top ten in the United States in 2017.
Onyx
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AHN-iks(American English) AWN-iks(British English)
Rating: 33% based on 4 votes
From the English word for the gemstone (a variety of chalcedony), which can be black, red or other colours. It is derived from Greek
ὄνυξ (onyx) meaning "claw, nail".
Orville
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AWR-vil(American English) AW-vil(British English)
Rating: 39% based on 8 votes
This name was invented by the 18th-century writer Fanny Burney, who perhaps intended it to mean "golden city" in French. Orville Wright (1871-1948), together with his brother Wilbur, invented the first successful airplane.
Osbourne
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: AHZ-bawrn(American English) AWZ-bawn(British English)
Rating: 31% based on 13 votes
From a surname that was a variant of
Osborn.
Oscar
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Irish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, Irish Mythology
Pronounced: AHS-kər(American English) AWS-kə(British English) AWS-kar(Italian, Swedish) AWS-kahr(Dutch) AWS-KAR(French)
Rating: 54% based on 16 votes
Possibly means
"deer friend", derived from Old Irish
oss "deer" and
carae "friend". Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name
Osgar or its Old Norse
cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. In Irish legend Oscar was the son of the poet
Oisín and the grandson of the hero
Fionn mac Cumhaill.
This name was popularized in continental Europe by the works of the 18th-century Scottish poet James Macpherson [1]. Napoleon was an admirer of Macpherson, and he suggested Oscar as the second middle name of his godson, who eventually became king of Sweden as Oscar I. Other notable bearers include the Irish writer and humorist Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) and the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer (1907-2012).
Oswald
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, German
Pronounced: AHZ-wawld(American English) AWZ-wawld(British English) AWS-valt(German)
Rating: 49% based on 14 votes
Derived from the Old English elements
os "god" and
weald "powerful, mighty".
Saint Oswald was a king of Northumbria who introduced Christianity to northeastern England in the 7th century before being killed in battle. There was also an Old Norse
cognate Ásvaldr in use in England, being borne by the 10th-century Saint Oswald of Worcester, who was of Danish ancestry. Though the name had died out by the end of the Middle Ages, it was revived in the 19th century.
Otis
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: O-tis
Rating: 20% based on 5 votes
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name
Ode, a
cognate of
Otto. In America it has been used in honour of the revolutionary James Otis (1725-1783).
Oz 1
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AWZ
Rating: 35% based on 6 votes
Short form of
Oswald,
Osborn and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Ozzie
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: AWZ-ee
Rating: 25% based on 13 votes
Paddy
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Rating: 20% based on 4 votes
Pádraig
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: PA-drəg
Rating: 48% based on 15 votes
Panagiotis
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Παναγιώτης(Greek)
From the Greek title of the Virgin
Mary Παναγία (Panagia) meaning
"all holy", derived from
πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" combined with
ἅγιος (hagios) meaning "devoted to the gods, sacred".
Parker
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: PAHR-kər(American English) PAH-kə(British English)
Rating: 28% based on 13 votes
From an English occupational surname that meant "keeper of the park".
Patrick
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English, French, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Pronounced: PAT-rik(English) PA-TREEK(French) PA-trik(German)
Rating: 59% based on 16 votes
From the Latin name
Patricius, which meant
"nobleman". This name was adopted in the 5th-century by
Saint Patrick, whose birth name was Sucat. He was a Romanized Briton who was captured and enslaved in his youth by Irish raiders. After six years of servitude he escaped home, but he eventually became a bishop and went back to Ireland as a missionary. He is traditionally credited with Christianizing the island, and is regarded as Ireland's patron saint. He is called
Pádraig in Irish.
In England and elsewhere in Europe during the Middle Ages this name was used in honour of the saint. However, it was not generally given in Ireland before the 17th century because it was considered too sacred for everyday use. It has since become very common there.
Petruccio
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Medieval Italian
Rating: 23% based on 4 votes
Phillip
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: FIL-ip
Rating: 60% based on 9 votes
Variant of
Philip, inspired by the usual spelling of the surname.
Phineas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical
Other Scripts: פִּינְחָס(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: FIN-ee-əs(English)
Rating: 60% based on 4 votes
Pierce
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: PIRS(American English) PEEYS(British English)
Rating: 53% based on 14 votes
From an English surname that was derived from the given name
Piers. In America this name slowly started to grow in popularity in 1982 when actor Pierce Brosnan (1953-) began starring on the television series
Remington Steele.
Pierrick
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Breton, French
Rating: 35% based on 13 votes
Piotr
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Polish, Belarusian
Other Scripts: Пётр(Belarusian)
Pronounced: PYAWTR(Polish)
Rating: 34% based on 13 votes
Polish and Belarusian form of
Peter.
Placido
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Italian
Pronounced: PLA-chee-do
Rating: 26% based on 8 votes
Italian form of the Late Latin name
Placidus meaning
"quiet, calm".
Saint Placidus was a 6th-century Italian saint, a disciple of Saint Benedict.
Primus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Late Roman
Pronounced: PREE-moos(Latin)
Rating: 26% based on 5 votes
Original Latin form of
Primo.
Quentin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, English
Pronounced: KAHN-TEHN(French) KWEHN-tən(English)
Rating: 60% based on 15 votes
French form of the Roman name
Quintinus. It was borne by a 3rd-century
saint, a missionary who was martyred in Gaul. The
Normans introduced this name to England. In America it was brought to public attention by president Theodore Roosevelt's son Quentin Roosevelt (1897-1918), who was killed in World War I. A famous bearer is the American movie director Quentin Tarantino (1963-).
Radek
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Czech, Polish
Pronounced: RA-dehk(Czech)
Rating: 27% based on 13 votes
Originally a
diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element
radŭ meaning
"happy, willing". In Poland it is usually a diminutive of
Radosław.
Raeburn
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: RAY-bərn(American English) RAY-bən(British English)
Rating: 24% based on 13 votes
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "stream where deer drink" (from Scots rae "roe deer" and burn "stream"). A famous bearer of the surname was Scottish portrait painter Henry Raeburn (1756-1823).
Rafferty
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAF-ər-tee(American English) RAF-ə-tee(British English)
Rating: 37% based on 6 votes
From an Irish surname, itself derived from the given name Rabhartach meaning "flood tide".
Raleigh
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAW-lee, RAH-lee
Rating: 13% based on 3 votes
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning either "red clearing" or "roe deer clearing" in Old English. A city in North Carolina bears this name, after the English courtier, poet and explorer Walter Raleigh (1552-1618).
Ranald
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish
Rating: 32% based on 13 votes
Randall
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAN-dəl
Rating: 39% based on 14 votes
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name
Randel.
Raphael
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, English, Biblical
Other Scripts: רָפָאֵל, רְפָאֵל(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: RA-fa-ehl(German) RAF-ee-əl(English) RAF-ay-ehl(English) rah-fie-EHL(English)
Rating: 67% based on 15 votes
From the Hebrew name
רָפָאֵל (Rafaʾel) meaning
"God heals", from the roots
רָפָא (rafa) meaning "to heal" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In Hebrew tradition Raphael is the name of an archangel. He appears in the Book of Tobit, in which he disguises himself as a man named
Azarias and accompanies
Tobias on his journey to Media, aiding him along the way. In the end he cures Tobias's father
Tobit of his blindness. He is not mentioned in the
New Testament, though tradition identifies him with the angel troubling the water in
John 5:4.
This name has never been common in the English-speaking world, though it has been well-used elsewhere in Europe. A famous bearer was the Italian Renaissance master Raffaello Sanzio (1483-1520), usually known simply as Raphael in English.
Ray
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAY
Rating: 45% based on 8 votes
Short form of
Raymond, often used as an independent name. It coincides with an English word meaning "beam of light". Science-fiction author Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) and musician Ray Charles (1930-2004) are two notable bearers of the name.
Rémy
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French
Pronounced: REH-MEE
Rating: 63% based on 16 votes
French form of the Latin name
Remigius, which was derived from Latin
remigis "oarsman, rower".
Saint Rémy was a 5th-century bishop who converted and baptized Clovis, king of the Franks.
Renwick
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (American, Rare)
Rating: 30% based on 4 votes
Transferred use of the surname
Renwick.
Reyes
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish
Pronounced: REH-yehs
Rating: 37% based on 13 votes
Means
"kings" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
La Virgen de los Reyes, meaning "The Virgin of the Kings". According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to King Ferdinand III of Castile and told him his armies would defeat those of the Moors in Seville.
Reynold
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: REHN-əld
Rating: 44% based on 14 votes
From the Germanic name
Raginald, composed of the elements
regin "advice, counsel, decision" and
walt "power, authority". The
Normans (who used forms like
Reinald or
Reinold) brought the name to Britain, where it reinforced rare Old English and Norse cognates already in existence. It was common during the Middle Ages, but became more rare after the 15th century.
Rhys
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh, English
Pronounced: REES
Rating: 68% based on 17 votes
From Old Welsh
Ris, probably meaning
"ardour, enthusiasm". Several Welsh rulers have borne this name, including the 12th-century Rhys ap Gruffydd who fought against the invading
Normans.
Richard
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic [1]
Pronounced: RICH-ərd(American English) RICH-əd(British English) REE-SHAR(French) RI-khart(German, Czech) REE-khart(Slovak) REE-shahrt(Dutch)
Rating: 47% based on 15 votes
Means
"brave ruler", derived from the Old German elements
rih "ruler, king" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of three early dukes of Normandy. The
Normans introduced it to England when they invaded in the 11th century, and it has been very common there since that time. It was borne by three kings of England including the 12th-century Richard I the Lionheart, one of the leaders of the Third Crusade.
During the late Middle Ages this name was typically among the five most common for English males (with John, William, Robert and Thomas). It remained fairly popular through to the modern era, peaking in the United States in the 1940s and in the United Kingom a bit later, and steadily declining since that time.
Famous bearers include two German opera composers, Richard Wagner (1813-1883) and Richard Strauss (1864-1949), as well as British explorer Richard Burton (1821-1890), American president Richard Nixon (1913-1994), American physicist Richard Feynman (1918-1988), British actor Richard Burton (1925-1984) and American musician Little Richard (1932-2020).
Riordan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Rating: 41% based on 14 votes
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic
Ó Ríoghbhárdáin), which was derived from the given name
Rígbarddán.
Robert
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Albanian, Romanian, Catalan, Germanic [1]
Other Scripts: Роберт(Russian)
Pronounced: RAHB-ərt(American English) RAWB-ət(British English) RAW-BEHR(French) RO-beht(Swedish) RO-behrt(German, Finnish, Czech) RO-bərt(Dutch) RAW-bərt(Dutch) RAW-behrt(Polish) RO-byirt(Russian) roo-BEHRT(Catalan)
Rating: 64% based on 17 votes
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-).
Rockwell
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: RAHK-wel
Rating: 20% based on 4 votes
Transferred use of the surnaem
Rockwell. A notable bearer of this name was Rockwell Kent, an American painter, printmaker, illustrator, and writer.
Rodney
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAHD-nee(American English) RAWD-nee(British English)
Rating: 41% based on 15 votes
From an English surname, originally derived from a place name, which meant "Hroda's island" in Old English (where Hroda is an Old English given name meaning "fame"). It was first used as a given name in honour of the British admiral Lord Rodney (1719-1792).
Roger
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
Pronounced: RAHJ-ər(American English) RAWJ-ə(British English) RAW-ZHEH(French) roo-ZHEH(Catalan) RO-gu(German) ro-ZHEH(Dutch)
Rating: 56% based on 5 votes
From the Germanic name
Hrodger meaning
"famous spear", derived from the elements
hruod "fame" and
ger "spear". The
Normans brought this name to England, where it replaced the Old English
cognate Hroðgar (the name of the Danish king in the Anglo-Saxon epic
Beowulf). It was a common name in England during the Middle Ages. By the 18th century it was rare, but it was revived in following years. The name was borne by the Norman lords Roger I, who conquered Sicily in the 11th century, and his son Roger II, who ruled Sicily as a king.
This name was very popular in France in the first half of the 20th century. In the English-speaking world it was popular especially from the 1930s to the 50s. Famous bearers include British actor Roger Moore (1927-2017) and Swiss tennis player Roger Federer (1981-).
Roman
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, Slovene, Croatian, Estonian, German, English
Other Scripts: Роман(Russian, Ukrainian)
Pronounced: ru-MAN(Russian) RAW-man(Polish, Slovak) RO-man(Czech, German) RO-mən(English)
Rating: 66% based on 14 votes
From the Late Latin name
Romanus meaning
"Roman". This name was borne by several early
saints including a 7th-century bishop of Rouen, as well as medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv and Moldavia.
Ronald
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish, English, Dutch, German
Pronounced: RAHN-əld(American English) RAWN-əld(British English) RO-nahlt(Dutch)
Rating: 45% based on 15 votes
Scottish form of
Ragnvaldr, a name introduced to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders. It became popular outside Scotland during the 20th century. A famous bearer was the American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004). It is also associated with Ronald McDonald, the clown mascot for the McDonald's chain of restaurants, first appearing in 1963.
Rónán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, Old Irish [1]
Pronounced: RO-nan(Irish)
Rating: 70% based on 16 votes
Means
"little seal", derived from Old Irish
rón "seal" combined with a
diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early Irish
saints, including a pilgrim to Brittany who founded the hermitage at Locronan in the 6th century.
Ronne
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Frisian
Rating: 30% based on 4 votes
Ross
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish, English
Pronounced: RAWS(English)
Rating: 32% based on 5 votes
From a Scottish and English surname that originally indicated a person from a place called Ross (such as the region of Ross in northern Scotland), derived from Gaelic ros meaning "promontory, headland". A famous bearer of the surname was James Clark Ross (1800-1862), an Antarctic explorer.
Roswell
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RAHZ-wehl(American English) RAWZ-wehl(British English)
Rating: 38% based on 15 votes
From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "horse spring".
Roy
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Scottish, English, Dutch
Pronounced: ROI(English, Dutch)
Rating: 40% based on 5 votes
Anglicized form of
Ruadh. A notable bearer was the Scottish outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy (1671-1734). It is often associated with French
roi "king".
Royston
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (British)
Pronounced: ROIS-tən
Rating: 25% based on 15 votes
From a surname that was originally taken from an Old English place name meaning
"town of Royse". The given name
Royse was a medieval variant of
Rose.
Rupert
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, English
Pronounced: ROO-pehrt(German) ROO-pərt(American English) ROO-pət(British English)
Rating: 58% based on 16 votes
German variant form of
Robert, from the Old German variant
Hrodperht. It was borne by the 7th century
Saint Rupert of Salzburg and the 8th-century Saint Rupert of Bingen. The military commander Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a nephew of Charles I, introduced this name to England in the 17th century. A notable bearer is the Australian-American businessman Rupert Murdoch (1931-).
Ryan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: RIE-ən
Rating: 57% based on 17 votes
From a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Riain. This patronymic derives from the given name
Rian, which is of uncertain meaning. It is traditionally said to mean
"little king", from Irish
rí "king" combined with a
diminutive suffix.
In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity through the 1950s and 60s. It shot up the charts after the release of the 1970 movie Ryan's Daughter. Within a few years it was in the top 20 names, where it would stay for over three decades. Famous bearers include the Canadian actors Ryan Reynolds (1976-) and Ryan Gosling (1980-).
Samson
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Biblical, English, French, Biblical Latin
Other Scripts: שִׁמְשׁוֹן(Ancient Hebrew)
Pronounced: SAM-sən(English) SAHN-SAWN(French)
Rating: 58% based on 5 votes
From the Hebrew name
שִׁמְשׁוֹן (Shimshon), derived from
שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh) meaning "sun". Samson was an
Old Testament hero granted exceptional strength by God. His mistress
Delilah betrayed him and cut his hair, stripping him of his power. Thus he was captured by the Philistines, blinded, and brought to their temple. However, in a final act of strength, he pulled down the pillars of the temple upon himself and his captors.
This name was known among the Normans due to the Welsh bishop Saint Samson, who founded monasteries in Brittany and Normandy in the 6th century. In his case, the name may have been a translation of his true Celtic name. As an English name, Samson was common during the Middle Ages, having been introduced by the Normans. It is currently most common in Africa, especially in countries that have an British colonial past.
Séamus
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Pronounced: SHEH-məs
Rating: 65% based on 16 votes
Sean
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: SHAWN(English)
Rating: 68% based on 15 votes
Anglicized form of
Seán. This name name, along with variants
Shawn and
Shaun, began to be be used in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland around the middle of the 20th century.
Sergei
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Russian, Bulgarian
Other Scripts: Сергей(Russian, Bulgarian)
Pronounced: syir-GYAY(Russian)
Rating: 47% based on 13 votes
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian
Сергей (see
Sergey).
Shane
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish, English
Pronounced: SHAYN(English)
Rating: 41% based on 14 votes
Anglicized form of
Seán. It came into general use in America after the release of the western movie
Shane (1953).
Shinichiro
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 伸一郎, 伸一朗, 進一郎, 進一朗, etc.(Japanese Kanji)
Pronounced: SHEEN-EE-CHEE-ṘO:
Rating: 35% based on 2 votes
From Japanese 伸 (
shin) meaning "lengthen" or 進 (
shin) meaning "advance, make progress", 一 (
ichi) meaning "one" combined with 郎 (
rou) meaning "son" or 朗 (
rou) meaning "bright, clear". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Famous bearers of this name are Japanese baseball player Shinichiro Kawabata and Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher Shinichiro Koyama.
Siegfried
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Germanic Mythology
Pronounced: ZEEK-freet(German)
Rating: 40% based on 13 votes
Derived from the Old German elements
sigu "victory" and
fridu "peace". Siegfried was a hero from German legend, the chief character in the
Nibelungenlied. He secretly helped the Burgundian king
Gunther overcome the challenges set out by the Icelandic queen
Brunhild so that Gunther might win her hand. In exchange, Gunther consented to the marriage of Siegfried and his sister
Kriemhild. Years later, after a dispute between Brunhild and Kriemhild, Siegfried was murdered by
Hagen with Gunther's consent. He was stabbed in his one vulnerable spot on the small of his back, which had been covered by a leaf while he bathed in dragon's blood. He is a parallel to the Norse hero
Sigurd. The story was later adapted by Richard Wagner to form part of his opera
The Ring of the Nibelung (1876).
Sikandar
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Urdu, Pashto
Other Scripts: سکندر(Urdu, Pashto)
Rating: 13% based on 4 votes
Silas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Greek, Danish, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Σίλας(Greek)
Pronounced: SIE-ləs(English)
Rating: 43% based on 16 votes
The name of a companion of
Saint Paul in the
New Testament. It is probably a short form of
Silvanus, a name that Paul calls him by in the epistles. It is possible that
Silvanus and
Silas were Latin and Greek forms of the Hebrew name
Saul (via Aramaic).
As an English name it was not used until after the Protestant Reformation. It was utilized by George Eliot for the title character in her novel Silas Marner (1861).
Somerled
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Old Norse (Anglicized)
Rating: 34% based on 5 votes
Anglicized form of the Old Norse name Sumarliði meaning "summer traveller". This was the name of a 12th-century Norse-Gaelic king of Mann and the Scottish Isles.
Spencer
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: SPEHN-sər(American English) SPEHN-sə(British English)
Rating: 41% based on 17 votes
From an English surname that meant "dispenser of provisions", derived from Middle English spense "larder, pantry". A famous bearer was American actor Spencer Tracy (1900-1967). It was also the surname of Princess Diana (1961-1997).
Spyridon
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek, Late Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Σπυρίδων(Greek)
Rating: 32% based on 13 votes
Late Greek name derived from Greek
σπυρίδιον (spyridion) meaning
"basket" or Latin
spiritus meaning
"spirit".
Saint Spyridon was a 4th-century sheep farmer who became the bishop of Tremithus and suffered during the persecutions of Diocletian.
Stavros
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek
Other Scripts: Σταύρος(Greek)
Pronounced: STAV-ros
Rating: 15% based on 4 votes
Means "cross" in Greek, referring to the cross of the crucifixion.
Stephan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German, Dutch
Pronounced: SHTEH-fan(German) STEH-fahn(Dutch)
Rating: 46% based on 14 votes
Stone
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: STON
Rating: 28% based on 4 votes
From the English vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English stan.
Stoyan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Bulgarian
Other Scripts: Стоян(Bulgarian)
Rating: 32% based on 13 votes
Derived from Bulgarian
стоя (stoya) meaning
"to stand, to stay".
Stylianos
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Greek, Late Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Στυλιανός(Greek)
Rating: 15% based on 4 votes
Derived from Greek
στῦλος (stylos) meaning
"pillar".
Saint Stylianos was a 7th-century hermit from Adrianopolis in Asia Minor who is regarded as a patron saint of children.
Sullivan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French
Pronounced: SUL-i-vən(English)
Rating: 51% based on 14 votes
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Súileabháin, itself from the given name
Súileabhán, which was derived from Irish
súil "eye" and
dubh "dark, black" combined with a
diminutive suffix. This name has achieved a moderate level of popularity in France since the 1970s. In the United States it was rare before the 1990s, after which it began climbing steadily. A famous fictional bearer of the surname was James P. Sullivan from the animated movie
Monsters, Inc. (2001).
Sunil
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Other Scripts: सुनील(Hindi, Marathi) সুনীল(Bengali, Assamese) સુનીલ(Gujarati) ਸੁਨੀਲ(Gurmukhi) సునీల్(Telugu) சுனில்(Tamil) ಸುನಿಲ್(Kannada) സുനിൽ(Malayalam) सुनिल, सुनील(Nepali)
Rating: 30% based on 13 votes
From Sanskrit
सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with
नील (nīla) meaning "dark blue".
Takashi
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 孝, 隆, 崇, 尊, etc.(Japanese Kanji) たかし(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: TA-KA-SHEE
Rating: 32% based on 9 votes
From Japanese
孝 (takashi) meaning "filial piety",
隆 (takashi) meaning "noble, prosperous" or
崇 (takashi) meaning "esteem, honour, venerate", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that result in the same pronunciation.
Takuya
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Japanese
Other Scripts: 拓也, 拓哉, etc.(Japanese Kanji) たくや(Japanese Hiragana)
Pronounced: TA-KOO-YA
Rating: 33% based on 4 votes
From Japanese
拓 (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" combined with
也 (ya) meaning "also" or
哉 (ya), an exclamation. This name can be formed with other kanji combinations as well.
Tate
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TAYT
Rating: 55% based on 14 votes
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name
Tata.
Tecwyn
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Welsh, History (Ecclesiastical)
Pronounced: TEHK-win(Welsh)
Rating: 25% based on 4 votes
Derived from Welsh teg "beautiful; fair" and gwyn "white; fair; blessed". Saint Tecwyn is the patron saint and founder of Llandecwyn in the Welsh county of Gwynedd.
Terrence
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TEHR-əns
Rating: 39% based on 15 votes
Tevin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: TEHV-in
Rating: 20% based on 3 votes
Invented name, probably inspired by
Kevin and
Devin. This name was popularized by the American singer Tevin Campbell (1976-).
Tharindu
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Sinhalese
Other Scripts: තාරිඳු(Sinhala)
Means "moon" in Sinhala.
Thelonius
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Various (Rare)
Latinized form of
Tielo (see
Till). A famous bearer was jazz musician Thelonious Monk (1917-1982).
Thomas
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek [1]
Other Scripts: Θωμάς(Greek) Θωμᾶς(Ancient Greek) തോമസ്(Malayalam)
Pronounced: TAHM-əs(American English) TAWM-əs(British English) TAW-MA(French) TO-mas(German) TO-mahs(Dutch) tho-MAS(Greek)
Rating: 60% based on 5 votes
Greek form of the Aramaic name
תְּאוֹמָא (Teʾoma) meaning
"twin". In the
New Testament this is the name of an apostle. When he heard that
Jesus had risen from the dead he initially doubted the story, until Jesus appeared before him and he examined his wounds himself. According to tradition he was martyred in India. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world.
In England the name was used by the Normans and became very popular due to Saint Thomas Becket, a 12th-century archbishop of Canterbury and martyr. It was reliably among the top five most common English names for boys from the 13th to the 19th century, and it has remained consistently popular to this day.
Another notable saint by this name was the 13th-century Italian philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas, who is regarded as a Doctor of the Church. Other famous bearers include philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), American president Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), novelist Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), and inventor Thomas Edison (1847-1931).
Tiernan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Irish
Rating: 48% based on 14 votes
Tighearnán
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Medieval Irish
Pronounced: TYEEYR-nan
Rating: 33% based on 13 votes
From Old Irish
Tigernán meaning
"little lord", from
tigerna "lord" combined with a
diminutive suffix. It was borne by a 6th-century
saint who founded a monastery at Errew. It was also the name of a 12th-century king of Breifne.
Timothy
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, Biblical
Pronounced: TIM-ə-thee(English)
Rating: 52% based on 15 votes
English form of the Greek name
Τιμόθεος (Timotheos) meaning
"honouring God", derived from
τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour" and
θεός (theos) meaning "god".
Saint Timothy was a companion of
Paul on his missionary journeys and was the recipient of two of Paul's epistles that appear in the
New Testament. He was of both Jewish and Greek ancestry. According to tradition, he was martyred at Ephesus after protesting the worship of
Artemis. As an English name,
Timothy was not used until after the
Protestant Reformation.
Tobin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TO-bin
Rating: 36% based on 14 votes
From an English surname that was itself derived from the given name
Tobias.
Todd
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TAHD(American English) TAWD(British English)
Rating: 42% based on 15 votes
From an English surname meaning "fox", derived from Middle English todde. As a given name it was rare before 1930. It peaked in popularity in most parts of the English-speaking world in the 1960s or 70s, but it has since declined.
Tolly
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Archaic)
Rating: 18% based on 4 votes
Tony
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TO-nee
Rating: 42% based on 9 votes
Short form of
Anthony. Famous bearers include singer Tony Bennett (1926-2023) and skateboarder Tony Hawk (1968-). It is also the real name of the comic book superhero Iron Man (Tony Stark), created 1963, and two antihero criminal characters: Tony Montana from the movie
Scarface (1983) and Tony Soprano from the television series
The Sopranos (1999-2007).
Torin
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Rating: 47% based on 15 votes
Meaning unknown. It has been suggested that it is of Irish origin, though no suitable derivation can be found.
Trace
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TRAYS
Rating: 24% based on 14 votes
Trahaearn
Gender: Masculine
Usage: Medieval Welsh
Rating: 20% based on 4 votes
Means "very much like iron", derived from Welsh tra "very, over" prefixed to haearn "iron". This name was borne by an 11th-century king of Gwynedd.
Trenton
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TREHN-tən
Rating: 34% based on 13 votes
From the name of a New Jersey city established in the 17th century by William Trent. It means "
Trent's town".
Trevelyan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Rare)
Pronounced: tri-VEHL-yən
Rating: 32% based on 13 votes
From a surname that was derived from a Cornish place name meaning "homestead on the hill".
Tristan
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, Arthurian Cycle
Pronounced: TRIS-tən(English) TREES-TAHN(French)
Rating: 72% based on 19 votes
Probably from the Celtic name
Drustan, a
diminutive of
Drust, which occurs as
Drystan in a few Welsh sources. As
Tristan, it first appears in 12th-century French tales, probably altered by association with Old French
triste "sad". According to the tales Tristan was sent to Ireland by his uncle King Mark of Cornwall in order to fetch
Iseult, who was to be the king's bride. On the way back, Tristan and Iseult accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Later versions of the tale make Tristan one of King
Arthur's knights. His tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since then.
Troy
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TROI
Rating: 36% based on 8 votes
Originally from a surname that denoted a person from the city of Troyes in France. It is now more likely used in reference to the ancient city of Troy that was besieged by the Greeks in
Homer's
Iliad. The city's name, from Greek
Τροία (Troia), is said to derive from its mythical founder
Τρώς (Tros), but is more likely of Luwian or Hittite origin. This name was popularized in the 1960s by the actor Troy Donahue (1936-2001)
[1], who took his
stage name from that of the ancient city.
Tucker
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English (Modern)
Pronounced: TUK-ər(American English) TUK-ə(British English)
Rating: 39% based on 16 votes
From an occupational surname for a cloth fuller, derived from Old English tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.
Tye
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TIE
Rating: 25% based on 4 votes
From a surname meaning "pasture" in Middle English.
Tyler
Gender: Masculine
Usage: English
Pronounced: TIE-lər(American English) TIE-lə(British English)
Rating: 43% based on 16 votes
From an English surname meaning "tiler of roofs", derived from Old English tigele "tile". The surname was borne by American president John Tyler (1790-1862).
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