Hopeful's Personal Name List

This name is derived from two distinct names, Alba 2 and Alba 3, with distinct origins, Latin and Germanic. Over time these names have become confused with one another. To further complicate the matter, alba means "dawn" in Italian, Spanish and Catalan. This may be the main inspiration behind its use in Italy and Spain.

Diminutive of Bill. It is also used as a feminine form of William.

Short form of Cleopatra, Cleon or Cleopas.

From an English surname, which was derived from the name of the town of Derby, meaning "deer town" in Old Norse.

From the Greek word ἠχώ (echo) meaning "echo, reflected sound", related to ἠχή (eche) meaning "sound". In Greek mythology Echo was a nymph given a speech impediment by Hera, so that she could only repeat what others said. She fell in love with Narcissus, but her love was not returned, and she pined away until nothing remained of her except her voice.

From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.

Possibly a shortened form of Genevieve. It could also be inspired by the name of the city in Switzerland. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.

English form of Henriette, and thus a feminine form of Harry. It was first used in the 17th century, becoming very common in the English-speaking world by the 18th century. Famous bearers include the Americans Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and the abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913).

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

From an occupational surname meaning "judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word justice.

From an English surname that was derived from the given name Cynesige. This name is borne by Kinsey Millhone, the heroine in a series of mystery novels by author Sue Grafton, beginning in 1982.

From the English word lake, for the inland body of water. It is ultimately derived from Latin lacus.

From the English word for the tree, derived from Old English mapul. This is the name of a girl in Robert Frost's poem Maple (1923) who wonders about the origin of her unusual name.

Derived from Latin novellus meaning "new, young, novel", a diminutive of novus "new". This name was borne by the 14th-century Italian scholar Novella d'Andrea, who taught law at the University of Bologna.

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

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

Diminutive of Rosemary.

Variant of Sibyl. This spelling variation has existed since the Middle Ages.

This is the name of waterfalls in Georgia. Popularly claimed to mean "leaping waters" in the Choctaw language, it may actually mean "town" in the Creek language. It was borne by American actress Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968), who was named after her grandmother, who may have been named after the waterfalls.

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

Variant of Winifred.

Meaning unknown, possibly an invented name. It arose in the 19th century.