jfifles's Personal Name List

Feminine form of Aali. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001), who was known simply as Aaliyah. This name received a boost in popularity after she released her debut album in 1994, and also in 2001 after her untimely death in an airplane crash.

Means "servant of the truth" from Arabic عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with حقّ (ḥaqq) meaning "truth".

Alternate transcription of Arabic عبد الرحمٰن (see Abd ar-Rahman).

Means "servant of the Messiah" in Arabic.

Means "my lord" in Hebrew. This was the title used to refer to the God of the Israelites, Yahweh, whose name was forbidden to be spoken.

Portuguese form of Adonis.

Brazilian Portuguese 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).

Possibly intended to be a feminine form of Aeneas, or possibly taken from the Latin word aēneus meaning "made of copper, made of bronze; brazen" (feminine aēnea), a derivative of aes "copper, bronze". This was used by the author Dan Simmons in his 'Hyperion' series of science fiction novels, where it belongs to a character who first appears in 1996.

Haitian name meaning "spirit of the sea". In Vodou, and especially in Haiti, Agwé (also spelt Goue, Agoueh, or Agive), is a loa who rules over the sea, fish, and aquatic plants, as well as the patron loa of fishermen and sailors.

Means "uncle" in Hebrew, from the combination of אָח (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" and אָב (ʾav) meaning "father". This was the name of a king of Israel, the husband of Jezebel, as told in the Old Testament. He was admonished by Elijah for his sinful behaviour. Herman Melville later used this name in his novel Moby-Dick (1851), where it belongs to a sea captain obsessively hunting for a white whale.

Means "lord of wisdom", from Avestan 𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬭𐬀 (ahura) meaning "lord" and 𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬁 (mazdā) meaning "wisdom". In Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.

Variant of Akhenaton.

From Egyptian ꜣḫ-n-jtn meaning "effective for Aton". Akhenaton was a 14th-century BC Egyptian pharaoh of the New Kingdom, who is best known for promoting the monotheistic worship of the sun god Aton. He changed his name from Amenhotep in order to honour the god. After his death, polytheism resumed.

From the name of the American state (see Alabama). It was borne by a short-lived daughter of the novelist William Faulkner (11 January 1931-20 January 1931), who was named after his great-aunt Alabama 'Bama' McLean (1874-1968). This was used by Zelda Fitzgerald for the main character in her semi-autobiographical novel Save Me the Waltz (1932). It was also used for one of the main characters in the movie True Romance (1993), played by actress Patricia Arquette. The name may also be given in reference to the popular Southern rock and bluegrass band Alabama, which was formed in Fort Payne, Alabama, in 1969.

The American drummer and television personality Travis Barker used this name for his daughter in 2005. It was also used by actress Drea de Matteo and musician Shooter Jennings for their daughter born 2007.

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

Variant of Alex.

Variant of Alex.

Variant of Alexander.

Variant of Alexandra.

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

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

Derived from Arabic الإله (al-ʾilah) meaning "the deity". It is primarily used to refer to the Islamic God, though it was originally used by pre-Islamic Arabs, and is sometimes used by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews to refer to their god.

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

Variant of America.

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.

From Sanskrit अमिताभ (amitābha) meaning "immeasurable splendour". A famous bearer is Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan (1942-).

Bernese German form of Anna Magdalena.

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.

Derived from Latin aqua meaning "water". It is also used in English in reference to a bluish-green colour.

Spanish form of Archibald.

Of uncertain origin and meaning. Theories include a variant of Ardo and a derivation from Argo, the name of the ship used by Jason and the Argonauts (whose name is said to be derived from Greek άργυρος (argyros) "silver"). The name was first recorded in the early 1960s.

Variant of Arga.

Means "song, melody" in Italian (literally means "air"). An aria is an elaborate vocal solo, the type usually performed in operas. As an English name, it has only been in use since the 20th century, its rise in popularity accelerating after the 2010 premier of the television drama Pretty Little Liars, featuring a character by this name. It is not traditionally used in Italy.

From the name of the state in the Southwestern region of the United States. Its etymology is uncertain; it may be derived from O'odham alĭ ṣonak meaning "small spring", via the Spanish intermediary form Arizonac. Alternatively, it could derive from Basque haritz ona meaning "good oak", brought by Basque settlers.

Presumably a short form or contraction of Artemidoros (compare Zenas, Alexas, Phileas). This name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament, in Saint Paul's letter to Titus. According to George Rippey Stewart in American Given Names (1979): 'It is chiefly remembered from General Artemas Ward, of the Revolution (born 1727). But there are other examples. In the mid-19th century the humorist C. F. Browne took Artemus (thus spelled) as his pseudonym.'

Variant of Arya 1.

Variant of Ariana.

Fijian form of Asenath.

Means "belonging to the goddess Neith" in Ancient Egyptian. In the Old Testament this is the name of Joseph's Egyptian wife. She was the mother of Manasseh and Ephraim.

Spanish and Portuguese form of Athenodorus.

From Greek Athenai (plural because the city had several distinct parts), traditionally derived from Athena, but probably assimilated from a lost name in a pre-Hellenic language.

From Egyptian jtn meaning "solar disk". Aton was an Egyptian god of the sun, depicted as a solar disk with long rays extending downwards. The worship of Aton was especially extensive during the 14th-century BC reign of the pharaoh Akhenaton, who proclaimed Aton was the only god.

From the name of the European country.

Greek form of Hazael, as it first appeared in the Septuagint.

Hebrew form of Semitic root bʿl meaning "lord, master, possessor". This was the title of various deities, often associated with storms and fertility, who were worshipped by the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and other peoples of the ancient Near East. It was particularly applied to the god Hadad.

Variant spelling of Ba'al, and the form used in most translations of the Bible.

means "he who watches over his siblings." This name is usually given to the first son. Bailem is somewhat connected to Bailey.

From Old Norse Baldr meaning "hero, lord, prince", derived from baldr meaning "brave, bold". In Norse mythology Balder was the handsome son of Odin and Frigg. Because of the disturbing dreams he had when he was young, his mother extracted an oath from every thing in the world that it would not harm him. However the devious god Loki learned that she had overlooked mistletoe. Being jealous, he tricked the blind god Hoder into throwing a branch of mistletoe at Balder, which killed him.

Transferred use of the surname Banjo. Occasionally used in homage to various persons using the byname, such as Australian poet Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson or American race car driver Edwin “Banjo” Matthews.

Probably from a medieval corruption of Mahomet. This appears in the Inquisition of the Knights Templar as the name of an alleged Muslim or pagan idol. In the 19th century it became associated with a Western occult symbol drawn by Eliphas Lévi, a "Sabbatic Goat" image depicting a demonic horned god.

From the Hebrew name בַּרְזִלָּי (Barzillai), derived from בַּרְזֶל (barzel) meaning "iron" [2]. This is the name of three different characters in the Old Testament, including Barzillai the Gileadite.

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

Feminine diminutive of Benjamin.

From a biblical place name meaning "house of bread" in Hebrew, the city where Jesus was born (see Bethlehem).

Combination of Bianca and Maria.

Transferred from the German surname von Bismarck.

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

From a surname meaning "cheerful" in Old English.

From a surname that was taken from the Basque place name Bolibar, which was derived from bolu "mill" and ibar "riverside". A famous bearer of the surname was Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), a South American revolutionary leader, after whom the country of Bolivia is named.

Transferred use of the surname Brahms.

Short form of Braxton, popularized by the character Darryl 'Brax' Braxton of the soap opera Home and Away.

Variant of Bronwyn.

Variant of Brunilda.

From Javanese budi meaning "reason, mind, character" and harta meaning "treasure, wealth" (both of Sanskrit origin). Taken together, बुद्धिबुद्धि (buddhiartha) means "money wise" in Sanskrit.

This name can refer either to the region in France, the wine (which derives from the name of the region), or the colour (which derives from the name of the wine).

An "ornamental passage near the close of a song or solo," 1780, from Italian cadenza "conclusion of a movement in music." See also Cadence.

From a Roman cognomen that possibly meant "hairy", from Latin caesaries "hair". Julius Caesar and his adopted son Julius Caesar Octavianus (commonly known as Augustus) were both rulers of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC. Caesar was used as a title by the emperors that came after them.

Latinized form of Greek Καισαρίων (Kaisarion), which in turn was a Hellenized form of Caesar with the Greek diminutive suffix -ιων (-ion) added to it. As such, the name essentially meant "little Caesar". This name was borne (as a nickname or epithet) by the only biological son of Roman dictator Julius Caesar, whom he had with the Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra. The boy was later put to death by his father's adopted son, Octavian (who would go on to become Roman Emperor Augustus).

Derived from the French surname Cauvin, which was derived from chauve meaning "bald". The surname was borne by Jean Cauvin (1509-1564), a theologian from France who was one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. His surname was Latinized as Calvinus (based on Latin calvus "bald") and he is known as John Calvin in English. It has been used as a given name in his honour since the 19th century.

In modern times, this name is borne by American fashion designer Calvin Klein (1942-), as well as one of the main characters from Bill Watterson's comic strip Calvin and Hobbes (published from 1985 to 1995).

Portuguese form of Caelestia. Also compare the masculine counterpart Celéstio.

Feminine form of Caelestius.

Likely an elaboration of Celeste influenced by the word celestial.

From the Old English name Ceadda, which is of unknown meaning, possibly based on Old Welsh cat "battle". This was the name of a 7th-century English saint. Borne primarily by Catholics, it was a rare name until the 1960s when it started to become more common amongst the general population. This is also the name of a country in Africa, though it originates from a different source.

From a surname that was derived from the name of towns in England, meaning "settlement belonging to Chad" in Old English.

Mother of Laertes. Her name, chalcos ("copper") and medousa ("guardian" or "protectress"), identifies her as the protector of Bronze Age metal-working technology.

Transferred use of the surname Charleston.

Diminutive of Charles.

Form of Chadwick with a "z" instead of a d.

Simply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit, derived from Latin cerasium, Greek κεράσιον (kerasion). It can also be a diminutive of Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.

Named for the spicy fruit from Central and South America used in cooking. The word is from the Nahuatl language. Has gained some interest in Australia since restaurateur Pete Evans chose this name for his eldest daughter around 2005.

Means "golden mouth", from Greek χρυσός (chrysos) meaning "gold" and στόμα (stoma) meaning "mouth". This was an epithet applied to eloquent orators, notably Saint John Chrysostom, a 4th-century archbishop of Constantinople.

From a common Jewish surname that was derived from Hebrew כֹּהֵן (kohen) meaning "priest". This surname was traditionally associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical Aaron.

Rare feminine form of Colin 2.

French form of Quirinus.

From the English word meaning "living being", ultimately deriving from Late Latin creatura. In the parish registers of 16th-century England this was used to refer to infants, both male and female, who survived birth only just long enough to be baptized. (In the case of one Creature Cheseman, she survived infancy and bore the name for the rest of her life.)

Spanish and Portuguese form of Chrysostomos.

French form of Cybele.

Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.

Derived from Caesar via its Old Russian cognate tsĭsarĭ (tsar in modern Russian).

Feminine form of Czar.

Transferred use of the surname Darling, or else derived directly from the word.

From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Deorwine. The surname was borne by the British naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882), the man who first proposed the theory of natural selection and subsequently revolutionized biology.

Variant of Deacon or a transferred use of the surname Deakin.

Derived from the name of the country of Denmark. This was borne by Denmark Vesey (c. 1767-1822), a freed slave. In Vesey's case, he was named for the state that ruled his birthplace, the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, in the 19th century.

Slang term for an Australian soldier, with strong patriotic overtones, and links to the Anzac legend. Most often used as a nickname or a middle name.

Upper German and Romansh form of Dionysios.

From Greek Διός (Dios) meaning "of Zeus" combined with Nysa, the name of the region where young Dionysos was said to have been raised. In Greek mythology Dionysos was the god of wine, revelry, fertility and dance. He was the son of Zeus and Semele.

Latin form of Dionysos.

Cognate of Dioscorus.

Transferred use of the surname Disney, given after American filmmaker Walt Disney (1901-1966) and his company.

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

derived from the authority of God, referring to the Scripture. Popular with Puritans

Hungarian form of Demetrius.

Femine form of Duodecimus.

The Latin word duodecimus means "twelfth".

From a Semitic root meaning "god". This was a title applied to several Semitic gods. The Canaanites used it as the name of their chief deity, the father of the gods and mankind. The Hebrews used it to refer to Yahweh.

Variant of Elizabeth, with Beth replaced by Belle

Combination of Ella 2 and Luna.

English place name meaning "swan-stream."

Spanish form of a Visigothic name, recorded from the 10th century in forms such as Geloyra or Giluira. It is of uncertain meaning, possibly composed of the Gothic element gails "happy" or gails "spear" combined with wers "friendly, agreeable, true". The name was borne by members of the royal families of León and Castille. This is also the name of a character in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni (1787).

From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek σμάραγδος (smaragdos).

Derived from the surname Engels. Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) was a German philosopher who coauthored 'The Communist Manifesto' (1848) with Karl Marx. This name was created by Communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names. It was borne by Engelsina Markizova (1928-2004), a Buryat woman who achieved fame as a child after being photographed embracing the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

The name is derived from the name of the sunday 50 days before easter. The Latin words Esto mihi are the first two words of Psalm 31:3 and mean "Thou art to me".

Probably a blend of Euphemia and Iphigenia. This was the name of the title character, played by Robin Williams, in the movie 'Mrs. Doubtfire' (1993).

Combination of Eva and Nova.

In the case of Fannasibilla Temple, baptized 24 May 1602 in Sibbesdon, Leicestershire, England, this was a combination of Frances (via its diminutive Fanny) and Sibyl.

Referring to the trials and tribulations one might endure while living out faith in God.

From the Old Norse element finnr "Sámi, Laplander" combined with the name Jón.

Transferred use of the surname Fitzgerald. This was the middle name of President John F. Kennedy.

Greek form of Franciscus.

Variant of Freyr.

From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.

This is not the usual spelling in any of the Scandinavian languages (in Sweden and Denmark it is Freja and in Norway it is Frøja) but it is the common spelling of the goddess's name in English. In the 2000s it became popular in Britain.

Icelandic and Old Norse form of Freya.

Means "lord" in Old Norse, derived from the Germanic root *fraujô. This is the name of a Norse god. He may have originally been called Yngvi, with the name Freyr being his title. Freyr is associated with fertility, sunlight and rain, and is the husband of the giantess Gerd. With his twin sister Freya and father Njord he is one of the group of deities called the Vanir.

The first element Frey- in part means "lord" (it is derived from Primitive Scandinavian *fraujaR "lord") but also refers to the Norse god Freyr. The second element refers to the Norse god Þórr (see Þór).

Transferred use of the surname Frost or from the English word.

French form of Gaia.

From the Greek word γαῖα (gaia), a parallel form of γῆ (ge) meaning "earth". In Greek mythology Gaia was the mother goddess who presided over the earth. She was the mate of Uranus and the mother of the Titans and the Cyclopes.

Latinized form of Greek Γαλάτεια (Galateia), probably derived from γάλα (gala) meaning "milk". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology including a sea nymph who was the daughter of Doris and Nereus and the lover of Acis. According to some sources, this was also the name of the ivory statue carved by Pygmalion that came to life.

Malayalam form of George, used by Saint Thomas Christians in the Indian state of Kerala (mainly when referring to the saint).

Derived from the Russian noun гелий (geliy) meaning "helium". This name was used by Communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names, in reference to all the scientific progress in the Soviet Union.

A known bearer of this name was the Russian painter Geliy Korzhev (1925-2012).

Male form of Georgina.

Means "melodious tribute".

Transferred use of the surname Grimm.

Means "guardian of the world" in Javanese. It comes from the current ruling royal house of the Yogyakarta Sultanate in Indonesia

Short form of Johannes.

From Old French Herlequin, the name of a demon in French passion plays. In traditional Italian theatre (commedia dell'arte) the stock character Harlequin, called Arlecchino in Italian, is a mischievous and acrobatic servant who is usually dressed in colourful clothing.

From Egyptian ḥꜣt-špswt meaning "foremost of noble women" [1]. This was the name of a pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (15th century BC), among the first women to take this title.

From the English word hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.

From the phrase "He, Her Son", referring to Jesus Christ's position as the son of Mary. A known bearer was Heherson Alvarez (1939-2020), a Filipino politician.

French form of Helios.

Latinized form of Greek Ἥφαιστος (Hephaistos), meaning unknown. It probably shares its origin with the Minoan city of Φαιστός (Phaistos), which is of Pre-Greek origin. In Greek mythology Hephaestus was the god of fire and forging, the husband of the unfaithful Aphrodite. It was said that when he was born Hera, his mother, was so displeased with his physical deformities that she hurled him off the top of Mount Olympus.

Latinized form of Herakleia.

French form of Herakles.

Means "glory of Hera" from the name of the goddess Hera combined with Greek κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a hero in Greek and Roman mythology, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. After being driven insane by Hera and killing his own children, Herakles completed twelve labours in order to atone for his crime and become immortal.

French form of Hercules. It was used by the British writer Agatha Christie for the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, the protagonist in many of her mystery novels (debuting 1920).

Latin form of Herakles.

From Japanese 広 (hiro) meaning "vast, wide" and 島 (shima) meaning "island". This is the name of a city in Japan, as well as the prefecture in which the city is located.

From the German surname Hitler. Despite the strong negative connotations of the name Hitler, it is used as a given name in South America, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Means "if Jesus Christ had not died for your sins, you shall be confined to damnation". This was the baptismal name of the English economist, physician and financial speculator Nicholas Barebone (or Barbon; ca. 1640-1698), who helped reconstruct buildings following the Great Fire of London. His father's name was Praise-God.

Referring to the puritan fear of the imagination and its ability to have free reign beyond scripture.

Possibly derived from Sumerian nin-an-a(k) meaning "lady of the heavens", from 𒎏 (nin) meaning "lady" and the genitive form of 𒀭 (an) meaning "heaven, sky". Inanna was the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and war. She descended into the underworld where the ruler of that place, her sister Ereshkigal, had her killed. The god Enki interceded, and Inanna was allowed to leave the underworld as long as her husband Dumuzi took her place.

Inanna was later conflated with the Semitic (Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian) deity Ishtar.

Variant of Indie.

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.

From the English word indigo for the purplish-blue dye or the colour. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ἰνδικόν (Indikon) meaning "Indic, from India".

Masculine form of Industriya. This name was used by Communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names.

A known bearer of this name was the Russian film director and screenwriter Industriy "Igor" Talankin (1927-2010).

Means "envy" in Latin. This was the Roman goddess of vengeance, equivalent to the Greek goddess Nemesis.

Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.

Greek form of Egyptian ꜣst (reconstructed as Iset, Aset or Ueset), possibly from st meaning "throne". In Egyptian mythology Isis was the goddess of the sky and nature, the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She was originally depicted wearing a throne-shaped headdress, but in later times she was conflated with the goddess Hathor and depicted having the horns of a cow on her head. She was also worshipped by people outside of Egypt, such as the Greeks and Romans.

Italian form of Italus.

Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi जय (see Jay 2), as well as a Tamil masculine form of Jaya.

Variant of Jackson.

An elaborate feminine form of James, borne by famous singer Etta James as her birth name.

Means "archway" in Latin. Janus was the Roman god of gateways and beginnings, often depicted as having two faces looking in opposite directions. The month of January is named for him.

Variant of Jordana.

Feminine form of Jason.

combination of Jay 1 and Joaquin

From an English surname meaning "son of Jeffrey". It is usually given in honour of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the third president of the United States and the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

Form of Yahweh used in older translations of the Bible, produced by blending the letters of the Tetragrammaton with the vowels from Adonai.

Combination of Jesús, José, and María. A notable bearer is Jejomar Binay (1942-), a former Vice President of the Philippines.

Spanish form of Xerxes.

A combination of the name Jermaine and the English word majesty. Possibly inspired by the style of address "your majesty."

From Ἰεσσαί (Iessai), the Greek form of the Hebrew name יִשַׁי (Yishai). This could be a derivative of the word שַׁי (shai) meaning "gift" or יֵשׁ (yesh) meaning "existence". In the Old Testament Jesse is the father of King David. It began to be used as an English given name after the Protestant Reformation.

A famous bearer was Jesse James (1847-1882), an American outlaw who held up banks and stagecoaches. He was eventually shot by a fellow gang member for a reward. Another famous bearer was the American athlete Jesse Owens (1913-1980), whose real name was James Cleveland (or J. C.) Owens.

Feminization of Jesse.

This name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name Iscah, which would have been spelled Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the United States in 1987, and was the top ranked name for girls between 1985 and 1995, excepting 1991 and 1992 (when it was unseated by Ashley). Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).

Feminine form of Jesús.

Referencing 1 Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

From the English word jet, which denotes either a jet aircraft or an intense black colour (the words derive from different sources).

Dutch, Polish and Slovene form of Jesus.

Name given in honour of Australian rugby league footballer, Jharal Yow Yeh. The name was invented by Yow Yeh's grandmother, who arranged the initials of family members James, Harold, Anthony, Reece, Arthur and Linc into a name.

Probably derived from the name of the playing card.

The name is borne by the Philipine politician Joker Arroyo who has a daughter (!) with the same given name.

A contraction of John and Joe.

The name goes back to the Irish football player John Joe Flood who played in Ireland and England.

Today, there are some persons carrying the name Jonjo, e.g., the English football players Jonjo Dickman and Jonjo Shelvey, and the Northern Irish actor Jonjo O'Neill.

Combination of Jón and Þór.

Variant of Georgia.

Contraction of José Rizal, given in honour of the prominent Filipino nationalist (1861-1896).

Variant of Georgia.

From Japanese 丈 (jo) meaning "height", 樹 (shu) meaning "tree; plant" combined with 也 (a) meaning "also". Other kanji combinations are possible. Usage of this name is, most likely, influenced by the name Joshua.

Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of the Roman name Iovita (masculine), which was derived from the name of the god Jove. This was the name of an early saint and martyr, the brother of Faustinus.

From the biblical Greek Ἰούδας οὐχ ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης (Ioudas ouch ho Iskariotes) meaning "Judas not Iscariot", from John 14:22 in the New Testament, which is assumed to refer to Jude the Apostle, son of James (also called Judas Thaddaeus). This was used by Puritans who desired the name Judas but did not want it associated with the betrayer of Jesus, Judas Iscariot.

Meaning unknown, possibly related to an Indo-European root meaning "young", or possibly of Etruscan origin. In Roman mythology Juno was the wife of Jupiter and the queen of the heavens. She was the protectress of marriage and women, and was also the goddess of finance.

From Latin Iuppiter, which was ultimately derived from the vocative form of Indo-European *Dyēws-pətēr, composed of the elements Dyēws (see Zeus) and pətēr "father". Jupiter was the supreme god in Roman mythology. He presided over the heavens and light, and was responsible for the protection and laws of the Roman state. This is also the name of the fifth and largest planet in the solar system.

Variant transcription of Juwayriyyah.

Meaning uncertain. It could figuratively mean "young woman" from Arabic جرى (jara) meaning "to run, to flow" (referring to a girl reaching maturity). Alternatively, it could be derived from ورد جوري (ward juri), the Arabic name for the Damask rose (a type of flower), itself from Persian گور (Gor), which is an old name for the Iranian city of Firuzabad. This was the name of one of the wives of Muhammad.

Either a transferred use of the surname Kingdom or else directly from the English word, perhaps taken from the biblical phrase kingdom of God. A famous bearer was the English engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859), whose middle name was his mother's maiden name.

Transferred use of the surname Kingsford.

Transferred use of the surname Kristofferson.

Combination of Kristján and Þór.

Diminutive of Adelaide.

Combination of Lakshmi and Narasimha meaning "mark of the man-lion".

From Lakṣmīnārāyaṇa, "the lucky mark of the path of man" in Sanskrit. In Hinduism, it is a manifestation of Vishnu.

Indonesian form of Lakshmi as well as a Kannada and Hindi alternate transcription. It is solely used as a feminine name in Indonesia, while it is unisex in India.

Transferred use of the surname Lenin after Vladimir Lenin, Russian revolutionist and founder of the Soviet Union.

This name was invented by the British author Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), who apparently intended it to be a feminine form of the surname Lenin, Lenin being the founder of the former Soviet state. In his novel 'Brave New World' (1932) Lenina Crowne is the central female character.

Used as a given name in Latin America.

Transferred use of the surname Lockyer. Can be given in honour of retired Australian rugby league star Darren Lockyer, or after the Lockyer Valley in Queensland, Australia named after the explorer Edmund Lockyer.

A combination of Love 2 and Joy, which possibly originated as a given name with the Puritans.

This name also exists as a surname (see Lovejoy), in which case it is said to be derived from a Middle English nickname for a joyous person.

Means "light" in French. The name can be recalled from the character in the Disney animated movie "Beauty and the Beast" in which he is transformed into a candelabrum.

Combination of Luna and Rose.

From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.

Variant of Mackenzie.

Transferred use of the surname MacMillan.

In the case of the Tyler Perry character, the name was taken from a phrase (madea or madear) used in the American south meaning "mother dear". It may also be a variant spelling of Medea.

From the Hebrew name מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז (Maher-shalal-hash-baz) which is variously interpreted as meaning "quick to plunder and swift to spoil" or "he has made haste to the plunder!" It is a prophetic name or title which occurs in Isaiah 8:1 in the Old Testament and is a reference to the impending plunder of Samaria and Damascus by the king of Assyria.

This is the full name of American actor Mahershala Ali (1974-).

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.

Transferred use of the surname Maker.

Means "queen" in Hebrew.

Portuguese form of Marius.

Italian and Spanish form of Marius. Famous bearers include American racecar driver Mario Andretti (1940-) and Canadian hockey player Mario Lemieux (1965-). It is also borne by a Nintendo video game character, a moustached Italian plumber, who debuted as the playable hero of Donkey Kong in 1981. Spelled マリオ (Mario) in Japanese Katakana, he was reportedly named after Mario Segale (1934-2018), an American businessman who rented a warehouse to Nintendo.

Greek form of Marius.

Roman family name that was derived either from Mars, the name of the Roman god of War, or else from the Latin root mas, maris meaning "male". Gaius Marius was a famous Roman consul of the 2nd century BC. Since the start of the Christian era, it has occasionally been used as a masculine form of Maria.

Combination of Markús and Þór.

From a noble title that derives from the Old French word marche meaning "march, borderland". The title originally referred to someone who ruled on the borderlands of a realm.

Medieval German and archaic Alsatian and East Frisian short form of Marcus, recorded numerous times in the Rhineland region of what is now Germany in the early 16th century, as well as in East Frisia in the same time period.
As a medieval Jewish name, it was occasionally used to translate Mordechai, probably via the phonetic similarity of the form Mortge.

Combination of the surnames Marx and Lenin used as a feminine given name. This is a revolutionary name used in Cuba used in honor of the German philosopher Karl Marx (1818-1883) and the Russian revolutionist Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924).

Meaning unknown. In Hawaiian mythology Māui was a trickster who created the Hawaiian Islands by having his brothers fish them out of the sea. He was also responsible for binding the sun and slowing its movement.

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.

Dutch form of Maurice.

Variant of Maurits. The "M" in the clothing company H&M's name stands for Mauritz (the original name is Hennes & Mauritz, H&M is an abbreviation).

Probably a combination of Maximilian and William.

From Greek Μήδεια (Medeia), derived from μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek mythology Medea was a sorceress from Colchis (modern Georgia) who helped Jason gain the Golden Fleece. They were married, but eventually Jason left her for another woman. For revenge Medea slew Jason's new lover and also had her own children by Jason killed.

From Indonesian mega meaning "cloud" (of Sanskrit origin) and the feminine suffix -wati. A notable bearer is former Indonesian president Megawati Sukarnoputri (1947-).

From the Latin Mercurius, probably derived from Latin mercari "to trade" or merces "wages". This was the name of the Roman god of trade, merchants, and travellers, later equated with the Greek god Hermes. This is also the name of the first planet in the solar system and a metallic chemical element, both named for the god.

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.

Means "lord of Mictlan" in Nahuatl. In Aztec mythology he was the skeletal ruler of Mictlan, the realm of the dead, with his wife Mictecacihuatl.

Means "mystical" in Portuguese and Spanish. Occasionally used as a given name.

Means "servant of Marduk" in Persian. In the Old Testament Mordecai is the cousin and foster father of Esther. He thwarted a plot to kill the Persian king, though he made an enemy of the king's chief advisor Haman.

Transferred use of the surname Morrison. A famous bearer of the surname was Jim Morrison (1943-1971), lead singer of American rock band The Doors.

From the name of the capital of Russia. Moskow (Moscú) is one of the nine robbers in 2017 Tv-series 'Money Heist' La casa de papel.

Transferred use of the German surname Mozart, most likely in honour of the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Means "my struggle, my strife" in Hebrew, a derivative of פָּתַל (paṯal) meaning "to twist, to struggle, to wrestle". In the Old Testament he is a son of Jacob by Rachel's servant Bilhah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Originally the feminine form of Narcisszusz. Since this name also coincides with Hungarian nárcisz "daffodil", it is now considered a nature name.

From the Romanian word năzdrăvan "super-natural"

Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Nepomuk via its latinized form Nepomucenus.

When this given name first came into use, it was usually given in honour of the medieval saint John of Nepomuk (c. 1345-1393). He was born and raised in the town of Pomuk, which is what Nepomuk refers to. The town was located in what was once Bohemia, but is now located (under the name Nepomuk) in the Plzeň region in the Czech Republic.

Some sources claim that Nepomuk literally means "from Pomuk" or "born in Pomuk" in Czech, but this is probably incorrect, as "from" is z in Czech and "born" is narozený in Czech. Instead, Nepomuk probably literally means "not Pomuk" in Czech, derived from ne meaning "not" or "no" and Pomuk meaning "Pomuk". This unusual meaning is said to originate from the early history of the town, which is as follows: in the beginning, there were two towns in the area, namely Pomuk and Přesanice. Both were located in the near vicinity of the one Cistercian Monastery in the area. Apparently, the two towns were often confused with each other, because at some point, the need arose for people to differentiate the two towns from each other. People informally started calling Přesanice ne Pomuk meaning "not Pomuk", which set it apart from the town of Pomuk in no uncertain terms. Eventually, in 1413, the two towns and the monastery were merged into one town, which was henceforth known under the name Nepomuk.

This early history surrounding the town of Pomuk is plausible by itself, but it seems a bit problematic when you try to relate it to saint John of Nepomuk. After all, he was born long before the merge of the two towns and the monastery. In his day, Pomuk was still a separate and independent town. In addition to that, Nepomuk was the nickname given to Přesanice at the time - it was never a nickname for Pomuk itself. As such, it does not make sense for a Pomuk native such as the saint to refer to themselves as "Nepomuk". The only way in which it would make sense for the saint to refer to himself as such, would be if he was actually born and raised in Přesanice instead of in Pomuk.

All in all, there is some uncertainty and ambiguity surrounding the etymology of Nepomuk. The only thing that we can truly say for certain, is that the name is of Czech (and therefore Slavic) origin.

Finally, a well-known bearer of this name was Johann Nepomuk Hummel, a 19th-century Austrian composer and virtuoso pianist.

From the Latin Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Indo-European root *nebh- "wet, damp, clouds". Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.

Javanese form of Abd al-Rahman.

Possibly from the name of the town of Ngaere in New Zealand, of Maori origin meaning "wetland".

From Old Norse Njǫrðr, derived from Proto-Germanic *Nerþuz. It might derive from the Indo-European root *hnerto- meaning "strong, vigorous". Njord was the Norse god associated with the sea, sailing, fishing and fertility. With his children Freyr and Freya he was a member of the Vanir gods.

Used by Sir Walter Scott for a character in his novel 'The Pirate' (1821). Apparently he based it on Old Norse norn, the name for one of the fate goddesses of Norse mythology, which is related to the Swedish dialect verb norna "to warn, to communicate secretly" (and may ultimately be echoic in origin, i.e., imitative of low murmuring). Swedish botanist Göran Wahlenberg gave the name to a type of orchid in 1826. Its earliest documented usage in Sweden is 1863.

Variant of Norna.

Derived from Russian ноябрь (noyabr) meaning "November". It was coined by communist parents in order to commemorate the October Revolution of 1917, which according to the Gregorian calendar (not in use in Russia at the time) actually took place in November 1917.

From the name of the ancient region and kingdom in Africa, south of Egypt. It possibly derives from the Egyptian word nbw meaning "gold".

The use of the name (particularly as a pet name) in Australia is likely due to the character of Gerald "Nudge" Noritis, a character from the Australian sitcom 'Hey Dad..!'.

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

Anglicized form of Ngaire.

Given in honour of surfer Mark Occhilupo, whose nickname is "Occy", short for his Italian surname, which means "eyes of the wolf". At the same time it is a play on the word "occy straps", short for "octopus straps" - used by surfers to tie their surfboards to a car roof.

Feminine form of Oceanus. As an English name, this was coined in the early 19th century.

Derived from French océan meaning "ocean".

Latinized form of Okeanos.

Americo spelled backwards.

Anciant Roman feminine form of Octavianus and Romanian and Provençal feminine form of Octavian.

Anglicized form of Old Norse Óðinn, which was derived from óðr meaning "inspiration, rage, frenzy". It ultimately developed from Proto-Germanic *Wōdanaz. The name appears as Woden in Anglo-Saxon sources (for example, as the founder of several royal lineages in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle) and in forms such as Wuotan, Wotan or Wodan in continental Europe, though he is best known from Norse sources.

In Norse mythology Odin is the highest of the gods, presiding over war, wisdom and death. He is the husband of Frigg and resides in Valhalla, where warriors go after they are slain. He is usually depicted as a one-eyed older man, carrying two ravens on his shoulders who inform him of all the events of the world. At the time of Ragnarök, the final battle, it is told that he will be killed fighting the great wolf Fenrir.

Perhaps a feminine form of Odin.

Hungarian form of Odysseus.

From the name of the river or body of water thought by the ancient Greeks to surround the Earth. In Greek mythology Okeanos was the Titan who personified this body of water.

Means "October" in Russian.

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.

Croatian, Russian and Serbian form of Olympiodoros.

Russian form of Olympiodora.

Feminine form of Olympiodoros.

Latinized form of Olympiodoros. This name was borne by Olympiodorus the Elder, a Greek philosopher from the 5th century AD.

From the name of the last letter in the Greek alphabet, Ω. It is often seen as a symbol of completion.

Meaning uncertain, but possibly related to Greek ὅριον (horion) meaning "boundary, limit". Alternatively it may be derived from Akkadian Uru-anna meaning "light of the heavens". This is the name of a constellation, which gets its name from a legendary Greek hunter who was killed by a scorpion sent by the earth goddess Gaia.

Greek form of the Egyptian wsjr (reconstructed as Asar, Usir and other forms), which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to wsr "mighty" or jrt "eye". In Egyptian mythology Osiris was the god of fertility, agriculture, and the dead and served as the judge of the underworld. In one tale he was slain by his brother Seth, but restored to life by his wife Isis in order to conceive their son Horus, who would go on to avenge his father.

Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese form of Oswalda.

Feminine form of Oswald.

Variant of Osvaldo.

From the name of the Norse god Óðinn (see Odin; possibly via an Old West Norse byname) combined with the feminine name Disa, a short form of other names containing the element dís "goddess".

Old Norse and Icelandic form of Odin.

Feminine form of Ovidius (see Ovid).

Polish form of Osiris.

Likely given in reference to the Beatles' song Penny Lane.

French form of Perseus.

Meaning unknown, probably of Pre-Greek origin, but perhaps related to Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She was abducted to the underworld by Hades, but was eventually allowed to return to the surface for part of the year. The result of her comings and goings is the changing of the seasons. With her mother she was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at the city of Eleusis near Athens.

Hungarian form of Persephone.

Hungarian form of Perseus.

Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the rulers of all Ancient Egyptian dynasties. Historically, however, "pharaoh" only started being used as a title for the king during the New Kingdom, specifically during the middle of the eighteenth dynasty, after the reign of Hatshepsut. From the Middle English pharao, from the Late Latin pharaō, from the Ancient Greek pharaṓ (φαραώ), from the Hebrew par‘ōh (פַּרְעֹה), ultimately derived from the Ancient Egyptian pr ˤ3 'palace, pharaoh', from pr 'house' and ˤ3 'great, big'.

Noted bearers include Grammy Award winning American jazz saxophonist, Pharoah Sanders, born Farrell Sanders (b.1940), and American rapper Pharoahe Monch, born Troy Donald Jamerson (b.1972).

A nickname from the color pink, or a diminutive of names such as Patrick or Patricia.

Diminutive of Pink. Borne by a character of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

Variant of Pink. Sometimes used for someone with a pink complexion.

Latinized form of Greek Πλούτων (Plouton), derived from πλοῦτος (ploutos) meaning "wealth". This was an alternate name of Hades, the god of the underworld. This is also the name of a dwarf planet (formerly designated the ninth planet) in the solar system.

Hungarian form of Porphyrios (see Porfirio).

Possibly derived from Greek πόσις (posis) meaning "husband, lord" and δᾶ (da) meaning "earth". The name first appears in Mycenaean Greek inscriptions as po-se-da-o. In Greek mythology Poseidon was the unruly god of the sea and earthquakes, the brother of Zeus. He was often depicted carrying a trident and riding in a chariot drawn by white horses.

Hungarian form of Poseidon.

From Egyptian p-di-p-r' meaning "he whom Ra gave", composed of the definite article p- "the one" combined with di "whom he gave" and r', the name of the supreme god Ra. In the Old Testament, Potiphar is a wealthy Egyptian who purchases Joseph as a slave.

Derived from Greek προμήθεια (prometheia) meaning "foresight, forethought". In Greek myth he was the Titan who gave the knowledge of fire to mankind. For doing this he was punished by Zeus, who had him chained to a rock and caused an eagle to feast daily on his liver, which regenerated itself each night. Herakles eventually freed him.

From the English word psalm which refers to a sacred song or poem, especially one of the hymns by David and others which were collected into the Old Testament Book of Psalms. It is ultimately derived from Greek ψαλμός (psalmos) meaning "a song sung to the harp", from ψάλλω (psallo) "to pluck, to play a stringed instrument with the fingers". This name was used by the television personality Kim Kardashian and rapper Kanye West for their son born 2019.

Hungarian form of Pyrrhos (see Pyrrhus).

From the name of the Sunday that follows Easter, called Quasimodo Sunday, which gets its name from the opening words of the Latin chant quasi modo (geniti infantes...) meaning "like the way (that newborn infants do...)". It was used by Victor Hugo for his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Quasimodo is a hunchbacked bellringer at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He was named thus by Archdeacon Frollo because he was abandoned as a baby at the cathedral on Quasimodo Sunday, though Hugo states that Frollo may have been inspired by the alternate meaning for quasi "almost", referring to the almost-complete appearance of the foundling [1].

Variant of Queenie.

From Nahuatl quetzalli, meaning "plumage of the quetzal bird, beautiful feather", figuratively meaning "something precious, something beautiful". Can also be a short form of Quetzalcoatl.

Means "feathered snake" in Nahuatl, derived from quetzalli "quetzal feather, precious thing" and cōātl "snake" [1]. In Aztec and other Mesoamerican mythology he was the god of the sky, wind, and knowledge, also associated with the morning star. According to one legend he created the humans of this age using the bones of humans from the previous age and adding his own blood.

Derived from Latin quietus, -a, -um "quiet". This was the name of a saint.

Latin diminutive of Quinta, which thus makes this name the feminine equivalent of Quintillus.

Dutch form of Quirinus.

German form of Quirinus.

Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Quirinus.

Possibly a variant of Cora. This is the name of several characters in popular culture, including a protagonist in the films 'TRON' and 'TRON: Legacy', and a figure in 'Star Trek'.

Variant form of Radik. Also note that radiy is also the Russian word for radium, an alkaline earth metal. The name was used in the Soviet era in reference to scientific progress.

Derived from the Russian phrase радуйся новой эре (raduysya novoy ere) meaning "hail the new era", referring to communism and the Soviet period. This name was used by Soviet parents who were eager to reject traditional Russian names. A known bearer is Radner Muratov (1928-2004), a Russian film actor of Tatar origin.

From the English word for the arc of multicoloured light that can appear in a misty sky.

Combination of the names of the Hindu deities Rama 1 and Krishna. This name was borne by the Hindu religious teacher Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836-1886).

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.

French feminine form of Raphael.

Variant of Raphaëlle.

From the English word, rarity, "a thing that is rare, especially one having particular value as a result". A My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic character bears this name.

From Japanese 玲 (re) meaning "tinkling of jade", 紅 (be) meaning "crimson" combined with 花 (ka) meaning "flower". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Usage of this name is, most likely, influenced by the name Rebecca.

From the English word for the colour, ultimately derived from Old English read. This is typically a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

Portuguese form of Reginald.

Variant form of Revomir.

Although Rhiann is first and foremost a short form of the name Rhiannon, it is sometimes associated with Welsh rhiain "maiden".

Variant of Rhiannon.

Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi [1] as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.

As an English name, it became popular due to the Fleetwood Mac song Rhiannon (1976), especially in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Derived from the Welsh elements rhos "rose" (cf. Rhosyn) and gwen "white, pure, holy, fair".

Combination of Robin and Hood. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor.

A notable bearer of this name is Robinhood Ferdinand "Robin" Cariño Padilla, a Filipino movie actor and director.

Variant of Robinson.

Derived from Greek ῥόδον (rhodon) meaning "rose" combined with Greek σθενος (sthenos) meaning "vigour, strength".

Probably a simplified spelling of Rommel.

Variant of Rommela and Romella.

Possibly a feminine form of Romel.

Transferred from the German surname Rommel (notable bearers include the German field marshal Erwin Rommel and the city mayor of Stuttgart Manfred Rommel).

Rommel is not admitted as a given name in Germany because of its surname character.

A feminine form of Rommel.

Another form of Romulus.

Probably an Anglicized form of Rhoswen.

Hungarian form of Rostam. A known bearer of this name was the Hungarian jurist and politician Rusztem Vámbéry (1872-1948).

Created from the first syllables of the surnames Sacco and Vanzetti. A notable namesake is the Canadian americanist Sacvan Bercovitch.

Indonesian form of Shakti.

Perhaps intended to be a feminine form of Samuel, using the name suffix antha (possibly inspired by Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). It originated in America in the 18th century but was fairly uncommon until 1964, when it was popularized by the main character on the television show Bewitched.

Means "health, sanity" in French, ultimately from Latin sanus (via sanitas). This was the nickname of the Haitian revolutionary Suzanne Bélair (1781-1805). It was also borne by the first Voodoo Queen in New Orleans, Sanité Dédé, who was born a slave in Haiti.

Means "possessing water" from Sanskrit सरस् (saras) meaning "fluid, water, lake" and वती (vatī) meaning "having". This is the name of a Hindu river goddess, also associated with learning and the arts, who is the wife of Brahma. She appears in the Vedas.

From an English surname meaning "sawer of wood". Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).

Very rare as an American given name before 1980, it increased in popularity in the 1980s and 90s. It got a boost in 2004 after the debut of the television series Lost, which featured a character by this name.

Either a variant of Scarlett or else from the English word for the red colour (both of the same origin, a type of cloth).

Referring to John 5:39, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

From the Latin name Sebastianus, which meant "from Sebaste". Sebaste was the name a town in Asia Minor, its name deriving from Greek σεβαστός (sebastos) meaning "venerable" (a translation of Latin Augustus, the title of the Roman emperors). According to Christian tradition, Saint Sebastian was a 3rd-century Roman soldier martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian. After he was discovered to be a Christian, he was tied to a stake and shot with arrows. This however did not kill him. Saint Irene of Rome healed him and he returned to personally admonish Diocletian, whereupon the emperor had him beaten to death.

Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in medieval Europe, especially in Spain and France. It was also borne by a 16th-century king of Portugal who died in a crusade against Morocco.

Diminutive of Sebastiana.

Meaning unknown. This is the name of the Inuit goddess of the sea, sea animals and the underworld. According to some legends Sedna was originally a beautiful woman thrown into the ocean by her father. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for her in 2004.

Spanish form of Semiramis.

From the name of the 9th sunday before easter. The name of the sunday is derivded from the Latin word for "70th".

Directly from the biblical word seraphim which meant "fiery ones", from Hebrew שרף (saraf) meaning "to burn", referring to an order of angels described in the Book of Isaiah (see Seraphina). A famous bearer of the name was Saint Seraphim of Sarov, a 19th-century Russian mystic, in whose case his name was an anglicization of his actual name Serafim.

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.

Masculine form of Seraphina.

From Indonesian setia meaning "loyal, true" (of Sanskrit origin) combined with the feminine suffix -wati.

Means "power" in Sanskrit. In Hinduism a shakti is the female counterpart of a god. The name Shakti is used in particular to refer to the female counterpart of Shiva, also known as Parvati among many other names.

From the Hebrew word שׁכִינה (sheḵina) meaning "God's manifested glory" or "God's presence". This word does not appear in the Bible, but later Jewish scholars used it to refer to the dwelling place of God, especially the Temple in Jerusalem.

Derived from Sanskrit शिव (śiva) meaning "benign, kind, auspicious". Shiva is the Hindu god of destruction and restoration, the husband of the mother goddess Parvati. Though he does not appear in the Vedas, Shiva nevertheless incorporates elements of Vedic deities such as the storm god Rudra. He is often depicted with four arms and a third eye, and has both fierce and gentle aspects.

In Shaivism, a Hindu denomination, he is regarded as the supreme god. The other major sect, Vaishnavism, views Vishnu and his avatars as supreme.

Combination of Shiva 1 and Ramachandra.

Variant of Sian or anglicized variant of Xiang.

Combination of Old Norse sigr "victory" and the name Jón.

Variant of Sindbad. Sinbad is a sailor from 1001 Arabian Nights.

Combination of Shiva 1 and Ramakrishna

A variant form of Scholastica.

Hungarian form of Scholastica.

Variant of Skyla.

English form of Søren.

From a nickname that may have originally been given to a person with spiky hair.

From the surname of Joseph Stalin (1878-1953), the Russian revolutionist and secretary general of the Communist party of the Soviet Union. Despite the controversial character of the politician, the name is used as a given name in India and Latin America (particularly Ecuador).

Feminization of the surname Stalin, which was adopted by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin (the name itself is derived from Russian сталь (stal) meaning "steel". This name was coined after the Russian Revolution, and it was occasionally given to Russian girls born from the 1920s to the 1950s. At that point, the Soviet government condemned Stalin, and the name Stalina dropped out of use.

Popular Puritan name, derived from the repeated phrase present in the Psalms.

From the title and name of Saint John the Baptist or Saint John the Evangelist (see John).

In Greek mythology the Styx is the river that forms the boundary between the underworld and the world of the living, as well as a goddess and a nymph that represents the river.

Meaning uncertain. In the English-speaking world, the name might perhaps be a combination of the English word sun with the French feminine diminutive suffix -ette, which would essentially give the name the meaning of "little sun". Alternatively, the name could also be a combination of two existing given names, namely Susan (or Susanna) with any name ending in -nette, such as Annette and Jeanette.

In the Netherlands and South Africa (whose national languages are very closely related), the name might perhaps be a variant form of names like Sünne and Sünneke (which tend to be Frisian and Low German in origin, but such names often manage to find their way in their cousin languages, namely Dutch and Afrikaans), but then with the French feminine diminutive suffix -ette added. And in South Africa, there is also the possibility that (at least in some cases) this name could be a (more or less) gallicized form of an African given name - more precisely, a name that is found in the numerous Bantu languages that are spoken in South Africa.

Lastly, it should be noted that this name is quite similar in appearance to the English word sonnet (which is also the same in Dutch and Afrikaans), which is ultimately derived from Old Occitan sonet meaning "little song". Given the difference in pronunciation between sonnet and Sunette, it is probably quite unlikely that Sunette could be derived from sonnet in some cases, but perhaps this possibility shouldn't be entirely discounted, seeing as Sonnet is actually in use as a given name and therefore spelling variations (even non-intuitive ones) of it are very likely to exist.

Known bearers of this given name are the South African cricketer and javelin thrower Sunette Viljoen (b. 1983) and the South African former cricketer Sunette Loubser (b. 1982).

Means "sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Vedic Hindu god of the sun who rides a chariot across the sky.

From Sanskrit स्वस्तिक (svastika) meaning "lucky or auspicious object".

Feminine form of Swastik.

Means "crown" in Arabic.

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.

Masculine form of Tarana.

Soviet-era name derived from the usual Azerbaijani spelling of the surname of the German communist party leader Ernst Thälmann (1886-1944; see Thälmann).

From the English word Testimony: "A solemn declaration or affirmation made for the purpose of establishing or proving some fact".

From Latin testimōnium (“testimony”), from testis (“a witness”).

French form of Theseus.

Icelandic form of Þórr (see Thor).

From the Old Norse Þórr meaning "thunder", ultimately from Proto-Germanic *Þunraz. In Norse mythology Thor is a god of storms, thunder, war and strength, a son of Odin. He is portrayed as red-bearded, short-tempered, armed with a powerful hammer called Mjölnir, and wearing an enchanted belt called Megingjörð that doubles his strength. During Ragnarök, the final battle at the end of the world, it is foretold that Thor will slay the monstrous sea serpent Jörmungandr but be fatally poisoned by its venom.

Anglo-Norman form of Þórvaldr via Norman Théroulde.

German form of Torvald and Swedish variant of Torvald. This name is also used in Flanders (Belgium) and in the Netherlands, but very rarely so.

Greek form of Egyptian ḏḥwtj (reconstructed as Djehuti), which is of uncertain meaning. In Egyptian mythology Thoth was the god of the moon, science, magic, speech and writing. He was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis.

Yiddish form of Theodore. This name was originally used to translate Nathan and Jonathan.

Variant of Torcall.

Anglicized form of Torcall.

Derived from Greek τοξεύς (toxeus) meaning "bowman, archer", which is ultimately derived from Greek τόξον (toxon) meaning "bow". Also compare Greek τοξεύω (toxeuo) "to shoot with the bow" and Greek τοξεία (toxeia) "archery". All of these words are related to the modern English word toxic, as the English word is ultimately derived from Greek τοξικόν (toxikon) meaning "arrow poison". Toxeus is the name of three characters in Greek mythology.

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

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

Feminine form of Latin tridecimus "thirteenth".

Taken directly from the title for a female monarch of Bulgaria, Serbia, or Russia.

From the English word referring to the time of day when the sun is just below the horizon. Ultimately from Old English twi- "half" + līht "light".

As a given name, it has been in rare use from the early 20th century onwards.

From Týr, the Old Norse form of the name of the Germanic god *Tīwaz, related to Indo-European *Dyēws (see Zeus). In Norse mythology he was a god associated with war and justice, by some accounts a son of Odin. While the gods bound the great wolf Fenrir, Tyr placated the beast by placing his right hand in its mouth. After the binding was successful, Fenrir bit off Tyr's hand. At the time of the end of the world, Ragnarök, it is foretold that Tyr will slay and be slain by the giant hound Garm.

Derived from the notable wife of the Tzar and popularized in the newer 21st century due to it's exotic pronunciation. It means "wife of the great Tzar"

Feminine form of Undecimus.

The latin word undecimus means "eleventh".

A variant of If-Jesus-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned.

French form of Urania.

From Greek Οὐρανός (Ouranos), the name of the husband of Gaia and the father of the Titans in Greek mythology. His name is derived from οὐρανός (ouranos) meaning "the heavens". This is also the name of the seventh planet in the solar system.

Armenian form of Vərəthraghna (see Bahram). In Armenian mythology this was the name of the heroic god of war.

Means "chooser of the slain", derived from Old Norse valr "the slain" and kyrja "chooser". In Norse myth the Valkyries were maidens who led heroes killed in battle to Valhalla.

Portuguese form of Valkyrie.

From Old Norse valr "those slain in battle" (also found in the place name Valhalla and the word valkyrja) combined with the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor).

Probably a contraction of the two words van der "from the" occurring as part of Dutch surnames like Van Der Waal promoted to a given name.

Variant of Vanderley.

Feminine form of Vanderley.

From a Brazilian surname, itself derived from the Dutch surname Van Der Leij. One bearer of this name is Brazilian professional footballer or soccer player Vanderley Dias Marinho (1987-), also known as Derley.

This name and its variants Wanderley, Wanderlei and Vanderlei are not uncommon in Brazil. Other bearers of the name include former mixed martial artist Wanderlei Silva (1976-) and former soccer players Wanderley Paiva (1946-) and Vanderlei Luxemburgo (1952-).

Short form of Geevarghese, used independently.

Finnish, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Vashti and Dutch variant of Wasti.

From वेंकटेशा (venkateša) meaning "lord of Venkata hill", a combination of Venkata, the name of a hill in Andhra Pradesh, India (see Venkata), and Sanskrit ईश् (īś) meaning "lord, master" (see Isha). A notable bearer is Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (1952-), an Indian-American structural biologist of Tamil origin who was awarded a Nobel Prize.

Hungarian form of Venus.

Tamil variant of Ganesha.

Possibly a combination of Vignesh and Tamil வர்ணம் (varṇam) or Malayalam വര്‍ണ്ണം (varṇṇaṁ) both meaning "colour", likely derived from Sanskrit वर्ण (varna) which has the same meaning. Alternatively, Vigneshwaran could derive from विघ्नेश्वर (vighneśvara) meaning "lord of obstacles" in Sanskrit, referring to Ganesh's primary function in Hinduism as the master and remover of obstacles.

From Sanskrit विजय (vijaya) meaning "victory" combined with the name of the Hindu god Lakshmi.

From the Old Norse name Víkingr meaning "viking, raider", ultimately from vík "cove, inlet".

From the English word violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.

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).

Probably means "all-pervasive" in Sanskrit, from विष् (viṣ) meaning "to prevade, to spread through". The Hindu god Vishnu is the protector and preserver of the universe, usually depicted as four-armed and blue-skinned. His wife is Lakshmi. Though he appears in the Rigveda, he features more prominently in post-Vedic texts. The great heroes Krishna, Rama, Narasimha and others are regarded as avatars of Vishnu.

Vaishnavism, the largest denomination within Hinduism, views Vishnu and his avatars as the supreme god.

Contraction of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, the name of the founder of the former Soviet state (see Vladimir and Lenin).

Italian and Galician form of Vladimir.

Contraction of Vladimir Lenin, the name of the founder of the former Soviet state (see Vladimir and Lenin).

From the Latin Vulcanus, possibly related to fulgere meaning "to flash", but more likely of pre-Latin origin. In Roman mythology Vulcan was the god of fire. He was later equated with the Greek god Hephaestus.

Transferred from the German surname Wagner.

Feminine form of Wahid.

Arabic alternate transcription of Wahida as well as the Indonesian and Malay form.

Variant of Wanderley. A known bearer is Brazilian-born former mixed martial artist Wanderlei Silva (1976-).

Variant of Vanderleia.

Variant of Vanderley.

From a surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town, itself meaning "settlement belonging to Wassa's people". The given name is usually given in honour of George Washington (1732-1799), commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the first president of the United States.

From the name of the day of the week, which was derived from Old English wodnesdæg meaning "Woden's day". On the Addams Family television series (1964-1966) this was the name of the daughter, based on an earlier unnamed character in Charles Addams' cartoons. Her name was inspired by the popular nursery rhyme line Wednesday's child is full of woe.

From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).

Variant of Widya.

From Javanese widya meaning "knowledge, wisdom", ultimately from Sanskrit विद्या (vidya).

German cognate of William. This was the name of two German emperors. It was also the middle name of several philosophers from Germany: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), who was also a notable mathematician. Another famous bearer was the physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845-1923).

Latinized form of Wilhelm (see William).

Latinized form of Wilhelm. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but not commonly in daily life.

Possibly a combination of Winifred and Jennifer, or a variant of Gwenhwyfar.

From the English word meaning "charming, engaging", derived from the Old English roots wynn "joy" and sum.

Indonesian form of Vishnu.

From the English word, witness, "one who has personal knowledge of something".

Spanish and Portuguese adoption of Wolfgang.

Romanian form of Xavier.

Latinized form of Xavier. In Indonesia, the name is often paired with Fransiskos or Fransiskus, in honour of the Spanish saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552).

Derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) who was born in a village by this name. He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries. His surname has since been adopted as a given name in his honour, chiefly among Catholics.

Portuguese form of Sheherazade.

From Chinese 翔 (xiáng) meaning "soar, glide", 祥 (xiáng) meaning "good luck, good omen", 香 (xiāng) meaning "fragrant" (which is usually only feminine) or 湘 (xiāng), which refers to the Xiang River in southern China. This name can also be formed from other characters.