Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Bošnjak Croatian, SerbianDerived from "Bošnjak", for someone who has their roots in Bosnia. This surname is rare in Bosnian Muslims.
Boso ItalianFrom the medieval personal name Boso, from a Germanic personal name derived from a pejorative nickname meaning ‘leader’, ‘nobleman’, or ‘arrogant person’. Compare Dutch Boos.
Bosoy RussianDerived from Russian босой
(bosoy) meaning "barefoot". This may have been a nickname for a low-class person.
Boss EnglishFrom an originally French term meaning "hunchback".
Bossier FrenchOccupational name for a cooper, from an agent derivative of Old French
bosse 'barrel'.
Bosso ItalianDerived from Italian
bosso "box tree", probably applied as a topographic name but possibly also as a metonymic occupational name for a wood carver or turner.
Bostan RomanianNickname from Romanian
bostan meaning "pumpkin, melon".
Bostan Turkish, Persian, ArabicDerived from Persian بوستان
(bostan) meaning "garden". Perhaps someone who works or lives near a garden or an orchard.
Bostock EnglishFrom the name of a village in Cheshire, England, meaning "Bota’s place", derived from the Old English given name
Bota combined with
stoc "place, dwelling".
Boston EnglishHabitational name from the town Boston in Lincolnshire, England. The name means "
Botwulf’s stone".... [
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Boström SwedishCombination of Swedish
bo "dwelling, home" and
ström "stream, river".
Boswell French (Anglicized)The name Boswell is an Anglicization of the name of a French village: Boseville (Beuzeville). This was a village of 1400 inhabitants near Yvetot, in Normandy. (from 'A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames', by Charles W. Bardsley, New York, 1901)... [
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Botelho Portuguese, Portuguese (Brazilian)From the Portuguese word
botelho, which can denote a measure of grain, a grain sack, or seaweed, and was probably applied as an occupational name for a grain dealer or a gatherer of kelp or seaweed.
Botkin RussianThis was the surname of
Evgeniy Botkin ( 1865 - 1918) who was the Russian court physician. He remained loyal to the family of Tsar Nicholas II Romanov when the revolution occurred and followed them into exile in Siberia... [
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Botticelli ItalianEtymology uncertain. It can derive from the Italian word
botte meaning "barrel" and from the occupation
bottaio meaning "cooper". In the case of Sandro Botticelli it has probably another origin... [
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Bottom EnglishTopographic name for someone who lived at the bottom of a valley, derived from Middle English
botme "dell, valley".
Bottomley EnglishEnglish (Yorkshire and Lancashire): habitational name from a place in West Yorkshire named Bottomley, from Old English botm ‘broad valley’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.
Bouazizi Arabic (Maghrebi)Means "father of
Aziz" in Arabic (chiefly Maghrebi). A notable bearer was Mohamed Bouazizi (1984-2011), a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire... [
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Bouchareb Arabic (Maghrebi)Means "father of the moustache" or "father of the drinker" from Arabic أَبُو
(ʾabū) meaning "father" and شَارِب
(šārib) meaning "moustache" or "drinker".
Boudreaux FrenchVariant of
Beaudreau. Originated in ancient area known as Languedoc, where the family was established. Comes from having lived in Languedoc, where the name was found since the early Middle Ages.
Bouhired Arabic (Maghrebi)Meaning unknown. A notable bearer is
Djamila Bouhired (1935-), an Algerian militant and nationalist who opposed the French rule over Algeria.
Bouhouche Berber, Northern AfricanKabyle name possibly derived from Arabic أَبُو
(ʾabū) meaning "father" and حَوْش
(ḥawš) meaning "courtyard, enclosure, farm" (chiefly Algerian).
Boujettif Northern African (Archaic)Meaning, "The family of the son of the Clever Head" or "One Whom Possess a Clever Head."
Bou (normally used in the North African Regions of the Maghrib Countries) has 2 possible derivative meanings both originating from the Arabic language, "Son of..." or an Arabic word
Tho meaning, "One Who Possess A Quality."
Jettif is a variance of
Jettef,
Jeif or
Ji'f which is derived from the ancient Tamazight or Imazighen (popularly known as Berber) and is pronounced "j-ixf" which means Clever, head, or brain."
Boukouras GreekName of Dacian/Illyrian or Thracian origin. It means "happy". Also, see the Romanian surname
Bukur Boulahrouz Arabic (Maghrebi), BerberMeans "father of Lahrouz", possibly an Arabic given name of unknown meaning. It is chiefly used in Algeria and Morocco. The retired Dutch soccer player Khalid Boulahrouz (1981-) is a famous bearer of this name.
Boulier FrenchOccupational name for a maker of balls or the organizer of a game of boules, from French
boule meaning "ball".
Boulton EnglishMeans "district" characterized by bends from the Old English words boga and land.
Boumediene Arabic (Maghrebi)Means "father of
Midian" in Arabic (chiefly Algerian). A notable bearer was
Houari Boumediene (1932-1978), born as
Mohamed ben Brahim Boukharouba, an Algerian revolutionary who served as the second President of Algeria from 1976-1978.
Bounpaseuth LaoFrom Lao ບຸນ
(boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" and ປະເສີດ
(pasoet) meaning "excellent, magnificent".
Bounvilay LaoFrom Lao ບຸນ
(boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" and ວິໄລ
(vilay) meaning "splendid, beautiful".
Bounyavong LaoFrom Lao ບຸນ
(boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" and ວົງ
(vong) meaning "lineage, family".
Bouras Arabic (Maghrebi)Means "father of the head" from Arabic أبو
(abu) meaning "father" and رأس
(ras) meaning "head, leader, chief".
Bouras GreekDerived from Albanian
burrë meaning "man, husband".
Bourassa IndianSeems to be an Indian name. I am in touch with a relative whose family were Pottawatomi Indians in Oklahoma. This name comes from that reservation.
Bourbon FrenchThe Bourbons were one of the most important ruling houses of Europe . Its members were descended from Louis I, duc de Bourbon from 1327 to 1342, the grandson of the French king Louis IX (ruled 1226-70)... [
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Bourbon Frenchhabitational name from a village in Allier the site of the (now ruined) castle of Bourbon or from another place called (Le) Bourbon mainly in the southern part of France. The placename is derived from a Celtic and pre-Celtic element borb- denoting a hot spring.
Bourget FrenchPossibly meaning "from the city, town" or given to wealthy families, (from bourgeois)
Bourguignon FrenchOriginally denoted a person from Burgundy (called
Bourgogne in French), a historical region of east-central France.
Bourque French (Quebec)Unknown history. A famous bearer is Raymond Bourque (B.-1960), a Quebec born professional ice hockey player from 1979-2001.
Bousquet OccitanOriginally a name for someone living or working in a wooded area.
Bouteflika Arabic (Maghrebi)Possibly means "one who makes things explode" in Algerian Arabic. A famous bearer is Abdelaziz Bouteflika (1937-), who served as president of Algeria from 1999 to 2019.
Bouteiller Frenchoccupational name for a wine steward or butler usually the chief servant of a medieval household or for a maker of bottles from
bouteiller an agent derivative of
bouteille "bottle"... [
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Boutella Arabic (Maghrebi, Rare)Means "father of the mountain" or "father of the hill", from Arabic أَبُو
(ʾabū) meaning "father (of)" and تَلّ
(tall) meaning "hill, foothill". Two notable bearers include father and daughter
Safy (1950-) and
Sofia (1982-) Boutella, an Algerian singer and an Algerian-French actress, respectively.
Boutet Frenchfrom a pet form of the ancient Germanic personal name
Boto a short form of any of various names composed with the element
bod "messenger"... [
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Bovary FrenchIt is the surname of the famous fictional character Emma Bovary protagonist of Gustave Flaubert's novel.
Bow English, ScottishHabitational name from any of various minor places called with Old English
boga, meaning "bow, arch, bend".
Bowden EnglishHabitational name from any of several places called Bowden or Bowdon, most of them in England. From Old English
boga "bow" and
dun "hill", or from Old English personal names
Buga or
Bucge combined with
dun.... [
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Bowdler EnglishFrom Dutch
de Boelare meaning "from Boelare", the name of a town in the Netherlands. Alternatively, it could derive from English
buddler, an occupational name for someone who washes crushed ore.
Bowdoin French (Huguenot)Americanized form of French Baudouin or Baudoin. Both the French form of Baldwin. A famous bearer of this surname was James Bowdoin II (1726-1790) Who was the second governor of Massachusetts and political rival of John Hancock.
Bowe Medieval English, English, Irish (Anglicized)There are three possible sources of this surname, the first being that it is a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of bows, a vital trade in medieval times before the invention of gunpowder, and a derivative of the Old English
boga "bow", from
bugan "to bend"... [
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Bowell EnglishOf Norman origin; habitational name from Bouelles, Seine-Maritime, France, which is from Old Norman French "boelle" meaning "enclosure, dwelling".
Bowker EnglishA surname of French origin, from the occupational term for 'butcher' (boucher). Some theories have it that it derives from OE 'bocer', meaning a scribe, but the former is more likely and is more widely affirmed.
Bowland EnglishFrom any variety of places in England with this name. These places are likely from with Old English boga ‘bow’ (in the sense of a bend in a river) and land ‘land’.
Bowser EnglishNickname from the Norman term of address beu sire ‘fine sir’, given either to a fine gentleman or to someone who made frequent use of this term of address.
Bowyer EnglishEnglish: occupational name for a maker or seller of bows (see
Bow), as opposed to an archer. Compare
Bowman.
Boyajyan ArmenianMeans "son of the painter" from Armenian պոյաճի
(poyači) meaning "dyer, painter".
Boycott EnglishIt indicates familial origin from any location called
Boycott, ultimately derived from either from an Old English name, or from an occupation, both derived from the Old English word
boia meaning "boy, servant" and
cot meaning "cottage, small house".
Boydston ScottishHabitational name from a place called Boydston near Glasgow. This surname is no longer found in the British Isles.
Boykins English (American)Americanized form of Dutch Boeijkens: patronymic from the personal name Boye with the diminutive element -ken and genitive -s. Compare the English cognate Boykin and North German Boyken.... [
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Boyo NigerianOriginated from the Itsekiri tribe of the Warri Kingdom and literally translates to "he came with royalty".
Boys EnglishFrom the Old French word
bois, which means "wood," indicates that the original bearer lived near a wooded area, such as a forest.
Bozan TurkishMeans "witherer, expunger, spoiler" in Turkish.
Bozkurt TurkishMeans "grey wolf" from Turkish
boz meaning "grey" and
kurt meaning "wolf".
Braafheid Dutch, Dutch (Surinamese)Means "braveness" in Dutch, derived from
braaf meaning "brave, well-behaved, obedient" and the suffix -
heid denoting a condition or state of being. This was originally a nickname for a strong or brave person... [
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Braaksma Frisian (Dutchified, Modern, Rare)Topographic name for someone who lived by a piece of wasteland or newly cultivated land, from Frisian, Dutch braak ‘fallow’, ‘waste’ + Frisian ma ‘man’. The suffix -ma indicating that it is of Frisian origin.
Bracamontes SpanishProbably a habitational name from the French town of Bracquemont near Dieppe.
Bracco ItalianEither a nickname derived from Calabrian
braccu meaning "small, chubby", or probably for someone thought to resemble a hunting dog, from Italian
bracco literally meaning "hunting dog, bloodhound"... [
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Bracken IrishFrom Irish Ó Breacáin meaning "descendant of Breacán", a personal name from a diminutive of breac 'speckled', 'spotted', which was borne by a 6th-century saint who lived at Ballyconnel, County Cavan, and was famous as a healer; St... [
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Bradfield Englishhabitational name from any of the places in Berkshire Devon Essex Suffolk South Yorkshire and elsewhere named
Bradfield from Old English
brad "broad" and
feld "open country" meaning "wide field".
Bradstreet EnglishA notable bearer is Anne Bradstreet, essentially known as America's first famous poet.
Braff AmericanJewish (from Poland): probably an ornamental name from German brav 'good', 'upright'. Swedish: an old spelling of Brav, possibly a soldier's name.
Braga PortugueseThe first man to own this name was a feudal lord on Portugal, near to the region of Coimbra. Could also come from the other surname "Bragança".
Bragança PortugueseFrom the city of Bragança in Portugal. It's also the name of the Royal House that ruled Portugal from 1640 to 1910.
Bräger GermanHabitational name for someone from Bräg in Bavaria.
Brager Norwegian (Rare)From the name of any of the various farmsteads in eastern Norway, which may have derived their name from a river name meaning "roaring", "thundering".
Bragg English, WelshFrom a nickname for a cheerful or lively person, derived from Middle English
bragge meaning "lively, cheerful, active", also "brave, proud, arrogant".
Braham EnglishFrom the name of a town called Braham, probably derived from Old English
brom meaning "broom (a type of plant)" and
ham meaning "home, settlement" or
hamm meaning "river meadow".
Brahe Danish (Rare), Swedish (Rare)Danish and Swedish noble family with roots in Scania and Halland, southern Sweden (both provinces belonged to Denmark when the family was founded). A notable bearer was Danish astronomer
Tycho Brahe (1546-1601).
Brailey EnglishHabitational name for a person from Brayley Barton in Devon, which is derived from the name of the Bray river (a back formation from High Bray which is from Celtic
bre meaning "hill" or Old English
brǣg "brow") combined with Old English
leah "woodland, clearing".
Braille FrenchBraille is a writing system used by people with vision impairment. It was named after its inventor
Louis Braille (1809-1852).
Brainin JewishMeans "son of Brayne",
Brayne being a short form of the Yiddish feminine name
Brayndl, literally "little brown one" (cf.
Breindel).