GoodchildEnglish Nickname derived from Middle English god "good" and cild "child". In some cases, it might have instead derived from godchild and been a nickname for someone who was the godchild of a prominent member of the community.
GoodenoughEnglish From a medieval nickname probably applied either to someone of average abilities or to an easily satisfied person; also, perhaps from a medieval nickname meaning "good servant".
GoodfellowEnglish Generally explained as a nickname meaning 'good fellow' or 'good companion'.
GoodfriendEnglish Nickname for a reliable friend or neighbor, from Middle English gode meaning "good", and frend meaning "friend". It is an English translation and cognate of German Gutfreund, from Middle High German guot meaning "good" and vriunt meaning "friend".
GoodsonEnglish Nickname for a dutiful son, from Middle English gode ‘good’ + sone ‘son’.
GoodwillEnglish Nickname for a friendly or amiable person; from Middle English god(e), gud(e)goud(e), meaning "good" and wil(le), meaning "will, volition".
GoodyMedieval English From Middle English god dai ‘good day’, possibly applied as a nickname for someone who frequently used this greeting.... [more]
GoodyearEnglish Probably a nickname from Middle English expression gode ‘good’ (Old English gōd) + year, yere ‘year’ commonly used as an intensifier in questions e.g. ‘What the good year?’... [more]
GooseEnglish, Norman Occupational name for a goose-herd (a person who tends to geese) or a medieval nickname for a person who resembled a goose in some way. It could also be a English (of Norman French origins) cognate of Gosse.
GóraPolish A Polish and Jewish name that means; ‘mountain’, ‘hill’, hence a topographic name for someone who lived on a hillside or in a mountainous district, or perhaps a nickname for a large person
GorbachenkoRussian From Russian горбач (gorbach) meaning "hunchback, humpback"
GorbachevRussian From Russian горбач (gorbach) meaning "hunchback, humpback". A notable bearer is Mikhail Gorbachev (1931-), a former Soviet politician.
GorgaItalian Topographic name from Sicilian gorga, Catalan gorg(a) ‘place where water collects’, ‘mill pond’, ‘gorge’.
GoscinnyPolish Derived from Polish adjective gościnny from word gość meaning 'guest'.
GossEnglish Derived from the Old English word gos meaning "goose."
GoswamiIndian, Bengali, Hindi, Assamese Derived from Sanskrit गोस्वामिन् (gosvamin) meaning "religious mendicant" (literally "owner of cows" or "lord of cows"), from गो (go) meaning "cow" and स्वामिन् (svamin) meaning "owner, lord, master".
GottsteinGerman Topographic name from a field name meaning literally "God's rock" derived from the elements got "god" and stein "stone"... [more]
GötzGerman Originally a hypocorism of Gottfried, which is derived from an Old High German given name. Variants include the surnames Getz and Goetz, as well as the given name Götz.
GouChinese From Chinese 苟 (gǒu) meaning "careless, casual, indifferent".
GoudDutch, Afrikaans Means "gold" in Dutch, an occupational name for a goldsmith, or possibly a nickname for a person with blonde hair. It could also be a variant form of Gott.
GoudeauGermanic (Rare, Archaic), French Possible variant of the surname Goethe. It also possibly derives from the diminutive Old French of "gode", meaning "happy-go-lucky, debauched".
GouezBreton From Breton meaning "wild, fierce, savage".
GoupilFrench nickname for someone with red hair or for a cunning person from Old French goupil "fox" Late Latin vulpiculus a diminutive of classical Latin vulpes a distant cognate of Wolf . This was replaced as a vocabulary word during the Middle Ages by Renard originally a personal name.
GourkuñvBreton Breton combination of gour and kuñv meaning "a charming, affable, gentle or conciliatory man". The digraph -ff was introduced by Middle Ages' authors to indicate a nasalized vowel.
GourmandFrench, Walloon From French gourmandise meaning "gluttony, greedy eating". Perhaps a nickname for someone who eats a lot.
GovorovmRussian Denoted a talkative person or a storyteller, from Russian говорит (govorit) meaning "to speak".
GozonFilipino From Min Nan 五孫 (gō͘-sun) or 五孙 (gō͘-sun) meaning "fifth grandchild".
GrandjeanFrench, French (Swiss) Derived from French grand meaning "tall, large" and the given name Jean 1, hence possibly a nickname for a tall or large person.
GrawertLow German, German (East Prussian) As a Low German name, Grawert is derived from Middle High German grā and Old High German grāo "gray" (originally "shimmery, gleaming"). As a surname, it was a nickname given to someone with gray hair.... [more]
GrbavacCroatian Derived from grbavo, meaning "bumpy" or "hunchbacked".
GreayEnglish (Rare) The name Greay originated when a family matriarch changed the name to differentiate between the two families with the same name Grey. There was a wedding between the two families and it was easier if the name was changed.
GreeleyEnglish, Norman English (of Norman origin): nickname for someone with a pock-marked face, from Old Northern French greslé ‘pitted’, ‘scarred’ (from gresle ‘hailstone’, of Germanic origin).
GreenleafEnglish From Old English grēne "green" and lēaf "leaf", presumably applied as a nickname, the significance of which is now lost.
GreifGerman Means "Griffin" in German. From the mythological creature.
GreinerUpper German, German (Swiss) Nickname for a quarrelsome or cantankerous person, derived from Middle High German grīner meaning "squabbler, quarreler" (ultimately an agent derivative of grīn meaning "loud, cry, screaming, shouting")... [more]
GrellGerman Nickname for an irritable or irascible person, from Middle High German, Middle Low German grellen "to be angry".
GriffioenDutch Dutch cognate of Griffin 2. Could be a habitational name referring to a sign depicting a griffin, or derived from a coat of arms.
GriffoItalian From grifo "gryphon" (Latin gryphus, Greek gryps, of Assyrian origin), hence a nickname for someone thought to resemble the mythical beast.
GriffonFrench From a diminutive of Old French griffe "claw", hence a nickname for a grasping or vicious person, or perhaps for someone with a deformed or otherwise remarkable hand.
GrignonFrench From French 'grignard' meaning "angry" and "contemptuous", and Old French (of Germanic origin) 'grignier' "to grit the teeth" or "curl the lips".
GrillGerman From a nickname for a cheerful person, from Middle High German grille "cricket" (Old High German grillo, from Late Latin grillus, Greek gryllos). The insect is widely supposed to be of a cheerful disposition, no doubt because of its habit of infesting hearths and warm places... [more]
GrinerGerman (Anglicized), Jewish Americanised form of German Greiner. It could also denote a person who came from various German places called Grüna or Grünau. In Jewish, it is a topographic name for someone who lived in a green of leafy area, derived from Yiddish grin meaning "green" or Middle High German gruene meaning "greenery".
GrinfelderCroatian Derived from German grün, "green", and feld, "field".
GrischottRomansh Variant of Grisch by way of combining it with the diminutive suffix -ott.
GriselFrench, French (Swiss) Derived from the Old French adjective grisel, a variant of gris meaning "grey". It was a nickname for a person with grey hair a grey complexion or who habitually wore grey.
GrissomEnglish From a diminutive of Grice, which was originally a nickname for a grey-haired man, derived from Middle English grice, gris meaning "grey" (itself from Old French gris, apparently of Germanic origin).
GrobGerman A nickname for a strong, heavy man, or for a lout, from Middle High German g(e)rop "coarse".
GroschGerman Either a metonymic occupational name for a moneyer or possibly a nickname for an avaricious person from Middle High German Middle Low German grosche "groschen" a medieval thick silver coin its name ultimately derived from medieval Latin denariusgrossus literally "thick coin".
GrosjeanFrench, French (Belgian) Derived from French gros "large" and the given name Jean 1. As a nickname, it is sometimes applied to a person who is perceived as stupid.
GrotiusDutch (Latinized) Latinized form of De Groot. This name was used by the Dutch humanist, theologian and jurist Hugo Grotius (1583-1645), born as either Huig de Groot or Hugo de Groot... [more]
GruberJewish A nickname from an inflected form of Yiddish dialect grub meaning ‘rude' or 'impolite’.
GrullonDominican, Mexican, French Possibly from a derivative of Spanish grulla "crane (bird)" presumably applied as a nickname for tall thin person; in Mexico however grulla denotes a crafty person
GrumpyEnglish, English (American) Grumpy was english name possibly origin of Germanic languages and other spoken languages or other European languages
GuChinese From Chinese 辜 (gū) meaning "crime, wrong, sin".
GuancheSpanish (Canarian), Berber, Guanche Derived from the name of the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands before the Spanish conquest. The Guanche people were a Berber-speaking people who arrived in the Canary Islands in the 5th century AD... [more]
GuerzoniItalian From guercio "cross-eyed, one-eyed; blind in one eye".
GuestEnglish Nickname for a stranger or newcomer to a community, from Middle English g(h)est meaning "guest", "visitor" (from Old Norse gestr, absorbing the cognate Old English giest).
GuijarroSpanish Spanish: nickname from guijarro 'pebble' perhaps applied to a man who sold pebbles (used for paving the streets).
GuilbeauFrench Possibly from Ancient Germanic wil, meaning "will, power", and Latin bellus, meaning "beautiful".
GülerTurkish Means "laughing, smiling" in Turkish.
GulliverEnglish From a medieval nickname for a greedy person (from Old French goulafre "glutton"). Jonathan Swift used it in his satire 'Gulliver's Travels' (1726), about the shipwrecked ship's surgeon Lemuel Gulliver, whose adventures "offer opportunities for a wide-ranging and often savage lampooning of human stupidity and vice."
GültekinTurkish From Turkish gül meaning "rose" combined with the title tekin meaning "prince".
GummEnglish From a nickname or byname from Middle English gome, Old English guma "man".
GunasekaraSinhalese From Sanskrit गुण (guna) meaning "talent, virtue, quality, merit" and शेखर (shekhara) meaning "crest, peak, top".
GunawardanaSinhalese Derived from Sanskrit गुण (guna) meaning "quality, property, attribute" and वर्धन (vardhana) meaning "increasing, strengthening, growing".
GurungNepali From the name of the Gurung (Tamu) people of Nepal, itself an exonym probably of Tibetan origin.
GusevRussian Derived from Russian гусь (gus) meaning "goose".
GushikenOkinawan, Japanese Means "strong-willed" from Japanese 具 (gu) meaning "tool, utensil, means", 志 (shi) meaning "intention, will", and 堅 (ken) meaning "hard, resolute, unyielding".
GutangFilipino, Cebuano Means "cracked heels, cracked calluses of the feet" in Cebuano.
GutfreundGerman From the words gut freund, which means "good friend."
GutherzGerman, Jewish Nickname for a kindly or righteous person. Derived from Middle High German guot meaning "good" and herz meaning "heart".
GutjahrGerman, German (Swiss) nickname for someone born on New Year's Day from a New Year's greeting meaning "Good year".
GüvenTurkish Means "trust, confidence" in Turkish, perhaps designating a trustworthy person or one who trusts in others readily.
GüzelTurkish Meaning "beutiful" or "pretty" in Turkish.
GwizdalaPolish Nickname for someone noted for his cheerful whistling, from a derivative of gwizdac ‘to whistle’.
GyökeresHungarian From a nickname meaning "rooted, radical, drastic" in Hungarian. A famous bearer is Viktor Gyökeres (1998-), a Swedish soccer player of Hungarian descent.
HagelsteinGerman nickname for a hot-headed irascible man from Middle High German hagelstein "hailstone" derived from the elements hagel "hail" and stein "stone"
HaghighiPersian Means "real, actual, true" in Persian, ultimately from Arabic حقيقي (ḥaqīqiyy).
HajArabic Refers to a person who has participated in the حج (hajj), the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia that Muslims must undertake at least once in their lifetimes.
HajianPersian From Persian حاجی (haji) meaning "hajji" (of Arabic origin), referring to a person who has participated in the حج (hajj), the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia that Muslims must undertake at least once in their lifetimes.
HajizadehPersian Means "son of the pilgrim" from Arabic حَاجِيّ (ḥājiyy) meaning "pilgrim" and the Persian suffix -زاده (-zâde) meaning "offspring".
HajjArabic Alternate transcription of Arabic حاج (see Haj).
HaleviHebrew Means "The Levite" in Hebrew, from the word ha which means "the", and the surname Levi.
HalfpennyEnglish Nickname probably for a tenant whose feudal obligations included a regular payment in cash or kind (for example bread or salt) of a halfpenny. From Old English healf "half" (from proto Germanic halbaz) and penning "penny" meaning "half penny".
HaliliTagalog Means "successor, substitute, replacement" in Tagalog, originally used to denote a vice-chief or a chief's successor.
HallEstonian Hall is an Estonian surname meaning both "grey" and "frost".
HallmarkEnglish From Middle English halfmark ‘half a mark’, probably a nickname or status name for someone who paid this sum in rent.
HamillEnglish Nickname for a scarred or maimed person, from Middle English, Old English hamel "mutilated", "crooked".
HamillIrish According to MacLysaght, a shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hÁdhmaill "descendant of Ádhmall", which he derives from ádhmall "active".
HammerGerman, English, Jewish From Middle High German hamer, Yiddish hamer, a metonymic occupational name for a maker or user of hammers, for example in a forge, or nickname for a forceful person.
HaringtonEnglish Variant spelling of Harrington. A famous bearer is English actor Kit Harington (1986-).
HarjoCreek From Creek Ha'chō meaning "crazy brave; recklessly brave".
HarkawayEnglish From a sporting phrase used to guide and incite hunting dogs.
HarlessEnglish, German English: probably a variant spelling of Arliss, a nickname from Middle English earles ‘earless’, probably denoting someone who was deaf rather than one literally without ears.
HarmaFinnish, Estonian Anglicized form of either Härma or Haarma. The former is a toponymic surname referring to several places in Estonia and Finland, probably derived from the given name Herman... [more]
HašekCzech (?) Meaning "Pure" or "Chaste" from Latin Castus, a shortening of Castulus. Diminutive of the personal name Haštal. Noteable people with this surname include Dominik Hašek, a Czech ice hockey Goal-tender and Jaroslav Hašek, a Czech satirist and Journalist, most known for his satirical novel, 'The Good Soldier Švejk'.
HässliGerman (Swiss), French (Rare) Swiss German diminutive form of Haas. This is a French surname via Alsace-Lorraine. A notable bearer is French footballer (soccer player) Eric Hassli (1981-).
HasumiJapanese From Japanese 蓮 (hasu) meaning "lotus" and 見 (mi) meaning "look, appearance".
HatzisGreek Hatzis is the modern form of the Greek khatzis 'a pilgrim to Jerusalem' (either Christian or Muslim), considered a high social distinction. The Greek term is Semitic in origin and is cognate with Arabic hajj 'pilgrimage (to Mecca).'
HaworthEnglish Literally means "enclosure with a hedge," from the Old English words haga + worth.
HazardEnglish, French Nickname for an inveterate gambler, a crafty person, or a brave or foolhardy man prepared to run risks, from Middle English hasard via Old French hasart "dice game, game of chance", later used metaphorically of other uncertain enterprises... [more]
HazarikaIndian, Assamese From a military title used during the Ahom Kingdom that indicated an official who commanded over 1,000 soldiers. The title itself is derived from Assamese হাজাৰ (hazar) meaning "thousand".
HeaEstonian Hea is an Estonian surname meaning "good".
HechtGerman Means "pike (fish)" in German, generally a nickname for a rapacious and greedy person. In some instances it may have been a metonymic occupational name for a fisher, and in others it may be a habitational name from a house distinguished by a sign depicting this fish.
HeenanOld Irish Thought to be a nickname or metonymic, and to owe its derivation from the early Gaelic word ean meaning a "bird". The derivation is from the ancient name O'hEeanchain, which loosely translates as The descendant of the son of the Bird.
HeintzelmanGerman From a pet form of Heinrich, with the addition of -mann ‘man’.
HeitmeyerGerman German: distinguishing nickname for a farmer whose land included heathland, from Middle Low German heide ‘heath’, ‘wasteland’ + Meyer 1.
HeldGerman, Jewish, Dutch Means "hero" in German, ultimately derived from Middle High German helt. This name was bestowed upon a person either in its literal meaning or else in an ironic sense.
HeldeEstonian Helde is an Estonian surname meaning "big-hearted".
HellatEstonian Hellat is an Estonian surname derived from "hellalt", meaning "affectionately".
HellerGerman Nickname from the small medieval coin known as the häller or heller because it was first minted (in 1208) at the Swabian town of (Schwäbisch) Hall.
HemKhmer From Khmer ហេម (hem) meaning "gold", ultimately from Sanskrit हेम (hema).
HematiPersian Derived from Persian همت (hemat) meaning "aspiration, ambition, zeal".
HenaresSpanish Derived from the Celtic form of "brave". Also is the name of many towns (Alcala de Henares, Espinosa de Henares, Tortola de Henares...) and a river
HengstGerman, Dutch metonymic occupational name for someone who worked with or bred horses or a nickname for a brave strong man from Middle High German and Middle Dutch hengest "stallion" also "gelding" derived from Old Germanic hangist "stallion"... [more]
HeppEstonian Hepp is an Estonian surname meaning "lively".
HerbstGerman, Jewish Nickname from Middle High German herbest "harvest". The modern German word herbst has come to mean "fall" the time of year when the harvest takes place... [more]
HerdDutch Comes from Middle Dutch hert, herte ‘hart’, ‘stag’; probably a nickname for someone who was fleet of foot, or a habitational name for someone who lived at a house distinguished by the sign of a deer; variant of Heard.