Masculine Names

gender
usage
Bidzina m Georgian
From Georgian ბიძა (bidza) meaning "uncle". This was the name of a 17th-century Georgian saint and martyr.
Bieito m Galician
Galician form of Benedict.
Biel m Catalan
Catalan short form of Gabriel.
Biff m English (Rare)
From a nickname that was based on the English word biff, which means "punch, hit, strike".
Bijay m Bengali
Bengali form of Vijaya.
Bijou f & m French (African)
Means "jewel" in French. It is mostly used in French-speaking Africa.
Bijoy m Bengali
Alternate transcription of Bengali বিজয় (see Bijay).
Bikendi m Basque
Basque form of Vincent.
Bilal m Arabic, Turkish, Urdu
Means "wetting, moistening" in Arabic. This was the name of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad.
Bilbo m Literature
This is the name of the hero of The Hobbit (1937) by J. R. R. Tolkien. His real hobbit name is Bilba, which is of unknown meaning, but this was altered by Tolkien in order to use the more masculine o ending. In the novel Bilbo Baggins is recruited by the wizard Gandalf to join the quest to retake Mount Erebor from the dragon Smaug.
Bile m Irish Mythology
Possibly an Irish form of Belenus, though it may derive from an Irish word meaning "sacred tree, scion, hero". In Irish mythology this was the name of one of the Milesians who was drowned while invading Ireland.
Bilge m & f Turkish
Means "wise" in Turkish.
Bilgüün m Mongolian
Means "wise" in Mongolian.
Bill m English
Short form of William. This spelling was not commonly used before the 19th century. The change in the initial consonant may have been influenced by an earlier Irish pronunciation of the name. Famous bearers include basketball player Bill Russell (1934-2022), comedian Bill Cosby (1937-), American president Bill Clinton (1946-), and Microsoft founder Bill Gates (1955-), all of whom were born with the name William.
Billie m & f English
Diminutive of Bill. It is also used as a feminine form of William.
Billy m English
Diminutive of Bill. A notable bearer was the American outlaw Billy the Kid (1859-1881), whose real name was William H. Bonney. Others include filmmaker Billy Wilder (1906-2002), actor Billy Crystal (1948-), and musician Billy Joel (1949-).
Bima m Indonesian
Indonesian form of Bhima.
Binay m Bengali
Bengali form of Vinay.
Bine 2 m Slovene
Diminutive of Albin.
Bình m & f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (bình) meaning "level, even, peaceful".
Binyamin m Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew and Arabic form of Benjamin.
Bion m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from βίος (bios) meaning "life".
Bipin m Marathi, Hindi
Variant of Vipin.
Bira m Tupi
Short form of Ubirajara.
Birger m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Birgir, probably derived from bjarga meaning "help, save, rescue".
Birgir m Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Birger.
Birk m German, Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Burkhard. This is the name of a character in Astrid Lindgren's book Ronia the Robber's Daughter (1981).
Birkir m Icelandic
From Icelandic birki meaning "birch", specifically the downy birch (species Betula pubescens).
Birûsk m Kurdish
Means "lightning" in Kurdish.
Bishal m Nepali, Bengali
Nepali and Bengali form of Vishal.
Bishan m Hindi
Variant of Vishnu.
Bishop m English
Either from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer".
Bitrus m Hausa
Hausa form of Peter.
Bittor m Basque
Basque form of Victor.
Bjarke m Danish
Danish diminutive of Bjørn.
Bjarki m Icelandic
Masculine form of Björk.
Bjarne m Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Modern form of Bjarni.
Bjarni m Old Norse, Icelandic, Faroese
Old Norse diminutive of Bjǫrn and other names containing the element bjǫrn meaning "bear".
Bjarte m Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Bjartr, which meant "bright".
Bjartr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bjarte.
Bjartur m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Bjartr (see Bjarte).
Bjoern m German (Rare)
German variant of Björn. The Scandinavian names Björn and Bjørn are occasionally written with the digraph oe.
Björn m Swedish, Icelandic, German
From an Old Norse byname derived from bjǫrn meaning "bear".
Bjørn m Norwegian, Danish
Danish and Norwegian form of Björn.
Bjǫrn m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Björn.
Bjørnar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements bjǫrn "bear" and herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Björne m Swedish
Diminutive of Björn.
Bláán m Old Irish
From Old Irish blá meaning "yellow" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of 6th-century Irish saint, a bishop of Kingarth on the Isle of Bute in Scotland.
Blago m Croatian, Bulgarian
Croatian form of Blagoy, as well as a Bulgarian variant.
Blagoj m Macedonian
Macedonian form of Blagoy.
Blagoje m Serbian
Serbian form of Blagoy.
Blagovest m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good" and вест (vest) meaning "message, news".
Blagoy m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good".
Blagun m Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good".
Blahoslav m Czech
Derived from the Slavic element bolgŭ (Czech blahý) meaning "good, pleasant" combined with slava meaning "glory".
Blai m Catalan
Catalan form of Blasius (see Blaise).
Blaine m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Irish given name Bláán.
Blair m & f Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic blàr meaning "plain, field, battlefield". In Scotland this name is typically masculine.... [more]
Blaise m French
From the Roman name Blasius, which was derived from Latin blaesus meaning "lisping". Saint Blaise was a 4th-century Armenian martyr. A famous bearer was the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).
Blake m & f English
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.
Blanchard m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements blanc meaning "white" and hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of an obscure (perhaps legendary) 7th-century French saint.
Blandinus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Blandus.
Blandus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "charming" in Latin.
Blas m Spanish
Spanish form of Blaise.
Blasius m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Blaise.
Blaž m Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Blaise.
Blaže m Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian блажен (blažen) meaning "blissful, blessed", ultimately from Old Slavic bolgŭ "good, pleasant".
Blaze m English (Modern)
Modern variant of Blaise influenced by the English word blaze.
Błażej m Polish
Polish form of Blaise.
Blažej m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Blaise, also associated with the word blažený meaning "blissful, happy, blessed".
Blaženko m Croatian
Diminutive of Blaž.
Blazhe m Macedonian
Alternate transcription of Macedonian Блаже (see Blaže).
Bleda m History
Possibly from a Turkic root meaning "wise". According to other theories the name was of Gothic origin, or was a Gothicized form of a Hunnic name. This was the name of the brother of Attila.
Bleddyn m Welsh
From Welsh blaidd "wolf" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an 11th-century king of Gwynedd and Powys.
Blerim m Albanian
Means "greenery, vegetation" in Albanian.
Blessing m & f English (African)
From the English word blessing, of Old English origin. This name is most common in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.
Blong m Hmong
Means "leaf" in Hmong.
Blue m & f English (Rare)
From the English word for the colour, derived via Norman French from a Frankish word (replacing the native Old English cognate blaw). Despite the fact that this name was used by the American musicians Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2012 for their first daughter, it has not come into general use in the United States.
Blythe f & m English (Rare)
From a surname meaning "cheerful" in Old English.
Bo 1 m Swedish, Danish
From the Old Norse byname Búi, which was derived from Old Norse bua meaning "to live".
Bo 2 m & f Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "wave", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Boaventura m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Bonaventura.
Boaz m Biblical, Hebrew, Dutch, Biblical Hebrew
Means "swiftness" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the man who marries Ruth. This was also the name of one of the two pillars that stood outside Solomon's Temple (with Jachin).
Bob m English, Dutch
Short form of Robert. It arose later than Dob, Hob and Nob, which were medieval rhyming nicknames of Robert. It is borne by the character Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol (1843). Other famous bearers include American folk musician Bob Dylan (1941-) and Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).
Boban m Serbian, Macedonian
Diminutive of Bogdan or Slobodan.
Bobbie f & m English
Variant of Bobby. As a feminine name it can be a diminutive of Roberta or Barbara.
Bobby m English
Diminutive of Bob. Hockey greats Bobby Hull (1939-2023) and Bobby Orr (1948-) have borne this name.
Bobur m Uzbek
Uzbek form of Babur.
Bode m Low German
From the Germanic name Bodo, derived from the Old High German element bot, Old Saxon bod meaning "command, order" (Proto-Germanic *budą). Saint Bodo, also called Leudinus, was a 7th-century bishop of Toul in northern France.
Bodhi m English (Modern)
From a term referring to enlightenment in Buddhism, derived from Sanskrit बोधि (bodhi).
Bodo m Germanic
Old German form of Bode.
Boele m Dutch (Rare)
Possibly a Dutch form of Baldo.
Bogdan m Polish, Russian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Romanian
Means "given by God" from the Slavic elements bogŭ "god" and danŭ "given". This pre-Christian name was later used as a translation of Theodotus.
Boghos m Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Poghos.
Bogodanŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bogdan.
Bogomil m Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Bogumił.
Bogomilŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bogumił.
Bogomir m Slovene
Slovene form of Bohumír.
Bogoslavŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bogusław.
Bogumił m Polish
Means "favoured by God" from the Slavic elements bogŭ "god" and milŭ "gracious, dear".
Bogumir m Medieval Slavic
Earlier form of Bohumír.
Bogusław m Polish
Means "glory of God" from the Slavic elements bogŭ "god" and slava "glory". This name was borne by several dukes of Pomerania, beginning in the 12th century.
Bogusz m Polish
Diminutive of Bogusław.
Bohdan m Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, Polish
Czech, Slovak and Ukrainian form of Bogdan, as well as a Polish variant.
Bohort m Arthurian Cycle
French form of Bors.
Bohumil m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Bogumił.
Bohumír m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements bogŭ "god" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Bohuslav m Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian
Czech, Slovak and Ukrainian form of Bogusław.
Boipelo m & f Tswana
Means "joy, rejoicing" in Tswana, from ipela meaning "to rejoice".
Boitumelo f & m Tswana
Means "joy" in Tswana, from itumela meaning "to be happy".
Bojan m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
Derived from Old Slavic bojĭ meaning "battle". This was the name of a 9th-century Bulgarian saint and martyr, also called Enravota, a son of the Bulgarian khan Omurtag.
Bojidar m Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Божидар (see Bozhidar).
Bolat m Kazakh
From a Turkic word meaning "steel", ultimately from Persian.
Boldizsár m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Balthazar.
Bolek m Polish
Diminutive of Bolesław.
Boleslav m Czech
Czech form of Bolesław.
Boľeslavŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bolesław.
Bolesław m Polish
Derived from Slavic boľe "more, greater" and slava "glory". This was the name of kings of Poland, starting in the 11th century with the first Polish king Bolesław the Brave.
Bolívar m Spanish (Latin American)
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.
Bomilcar m Phoenician (Latinized)
From the Punic name 𐤁𐤃𐤌𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤕 (Bodmilqart), from Phoenician 𐤁𐤃 (bod) meaning "on behalf of" or perhaps from 𐤏𐤁𐤃 (ʿabd) meaning "servant, slave" combined with the name of the god Melqart. This name was borne by a few figures from Carthaginian history.
Bonaccorso m Medieval Italian
Medieval Italian name derived from bono "good" and accorso "haste, rush, help".
Bonaventura m Italian, Catalan
Means "good fortune" in Italian, from Latin bonus "good" and venturas "the things that will come, the future". Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
Bonaventure m French, History (Ecclesiastical)
French and English form of Bonaventura. As a French name it is most common in Francophone Africa, while as an English name it is mostly used in reference to the saint.
Bongani m Zulu
Means "grateful, thankful" in Zulu.
Bonifaas m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonifác m Czech (Rare), Hungarian (Rare)
Czech and Hungarian form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Boniface m French, English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Bonifatius, which meant "good fate" from bonum "good" and fatum "fate, destiny". This was the name of nine popes and also several saints, including an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (originally named Winfrið) who is now regarded as the patron saint of that country. It came into use in England during the Middle Ages, but became rare after the Protestant Reformation.
Bonifácio m Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonifacio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonifacy m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonifaz m German (Rare)
German form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonitus m Late Roman
Derived from a diminutive of Latin bonus meaning "good". This was the name of a 7th-century century saint, a bishop of Auvergne.
Bonizzone m Medieval Italian
Medieval Italian name derived from bono "good".
Booker m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "maker of books". A famous bearer was Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an African-American leader.
Boone m English
From an English surname that was either derived from Old French bon meaning "good" or from the name of the town of Bohon, France.
Boos m Biblical Greek
Form of Boaz used in some versions of the Greek Bible.
Booz m Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin
Form of Boaz used in the Greek and Latin Bibles.
Bor m Slovene
Means "pine tree" in Slovene. It is also a short form of names containing bor, such as Borislav or Boris.
Bora 1 m Turkish
Means "storm, squall" in Turkish, ultimately related to Greek Βορέας (Boreas), the name of the god of the north wind.
Boran m Turkish
Means "thunderstorm" in Turkish.
Boreas m Greek Mythology
Means "north wind" in Greek. Boreas was the Greek god of the north wind.
Bořek m Czech
Diminutive of Bořivoj, now used independently.
Boris m Bulgarian, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, German, French
From a Bulgar Turkic name, also recorded as Bogoris, perhaps meaning "short" or "wolf" or "snow leopard". It was borne by the 9th-century Boris I of Bulgaria, who converted his realm to Christianity and is thus regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church. To the north in Kievan Rus it was the name of another saint, a son of Vladimir the Great who was murdered with his brother Gleb in the 11th century. His mother may have been Bulgarian.... [more]
Borislav m Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Russian
Derived from the Slavic element borti "battle" combined with slava "glory".
Borislavŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Borislav.
Boriss m Latvian
Latvian form of Boris.
Borisŭ m Medieval Slavic
Old East Slavic form of Boris, probably ultimately of Bulgar Turkic origin.
Bořivoj m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements borti "battle" and vojĭ "soldier". This name was borne by a 9th-century Duke of Bohemia.
Borivoj m Serbian, Croatian
Serbian and Croatian form of Bořivoj.
Borivoje m Serbian
Serbian form of Bořivoj.
Borivojĭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bořivoj.
Borja m Spanish
From a Spanish surname, used as a given name in honour of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Borja (1510-1572). The surname, also spelled Borgia, is derived from the name of a Spanish town, ultimately from Arabic بُرْج (burj) meaning "tower".
Börje m Swedish
Variant of Birger.
Borko m Serbian, Macedonian
Diminutive of Borislav, Borivoje, and other names starting with Bor. It is sometimes used independently.
Borna m Croatian
Derived from the Slavic element borti meaning "fight, battle". This was the name of a 9th-century duke of Croatia.
Bornimirŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Branimir.
Bornislavŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bronisław.
Boro m Croatian, Serbian
Diminutive of Borislav, Boris, and other names starting with Bor.
Bors m Arthurian Cycle
From French Bohort, probably from Old French behort or bohort meaning "jousting" or "jousting lance". First appearing in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle, Bors was one of Arthur's knights who quested for the Holy Grail. His father, the king of Gaunnes, was also named Bors.
Borut m Slovene
Diminutive of Boris.
Borya m Russian
Diminutive of Boris.
Borys m Polish, Ukrainian
Polish and Ukrainian form of Boris.
Boško m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene
Originally a diminutive of Božidar.
Bosse m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Bo 1.
Boštjan m Slovene
Short form of Sebastjan.
Boston m English
From the American city of Boston in Massachusetts, itself named after a town in Lincolnshire, England. The town's name is said to mean "Botwulf's stone".
Botond m Hungarian
Means "stick, mace" in Hungarian.
Botros m Arabic, Coptic
Alternate transcription of Arabic بطرس (see Butrus).
Botum f & m Khmer
From Pali paduma meaning "lotus", from Sanskrit पद्म (padma).
Botwulf m Anglo-Saxon
From Old English bot meaning "improvement" and wulf meaning "wolf". Saint Botwulf was a 7th-century English abbot. He may be the person after whom Boston is named.
Boudewijn m Dutch
Dutch form of Baldwin.
Boulos m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic بولس (see Bulus).
Bounmy m & f Lao
Means "happy", from Lao ບຸນ (boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" combined with ມີ (mi) meaning "to have".
Boutros m Arabic, Coptic
Alternate transcription of Arabic بطرس (see Butrus).
Bowen m English (Modern)
From a Welsh surname, derived from ap Owain meaning "son of Owain".
Bowie m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
From a Scottish surname, derived from Gaelic buidhe meaning "yellow". It has been used as a given name in honour of the British musician David Bowie (1947-2016), born David Robert Jones, who took his stage name from the American pioneer James Bowie (1796-1836), though with a different pronunciation.
Boyan m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Bojan.
Boyce m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old French bois "wood".
Boyd m English
From a Scottish surname that was possibly derived from the name of the island of Bute (Bód in Gaelic).
Boyko m Bulgarian
Originally a diminutive of names containing the Slavic element bojĭ meaning "battle".
Boža m Serbian
Diminutive of Božidar.
Bozhidar m Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian form of Božidar, as well as an alternate transcription for Macedonian.
Božidar m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Sorbian
Means "divine gift" from the Slavic elements božĭjĭ "divine" and darŭ "gift". This is a Slavic translation of Theodore.
Božo m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Diminutive of Božidar, now often used independently.
Bożydar m Polish
Polish cognate of Božidar.
Braam m Afrikaans
Afrikaans short form of Abraham.
Brad m English
Short form of Bradley, Bradford and other names beginning with Brad. A famous bearer is American actor Brad Pitt (1963-).
Brádach m Medieval Irish
Irish byname, possibly derived from bradach meaning "thieving, roguish, spirited".
Bradán m Medieval Irish
Means "salmon" in Irish. It could also be formed from Irish brad "thief" and a diminutive suffix.
Braden m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Bradáin, which was in turn derived from the byname Bradán. Like other similar-sounding names such as Hayden and Aidan, it and its variant Brayden became popular in America at the end of the 20th century.
Bradford m English
From an English surname that originally came from a place name that meant "broad ford" in Old English.
Bradley m English
From an English surname that originally came from a place name meaning "broad clearing" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the World War II American general Omar Bradley (1893-1981).
Brady m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Brádaigh, itself derived from the byname Brádach. A famous bearer of the surname is the American football quarterback Tom Brady (1977-). It was also borne by a fictional family on the television series The Brady Bunch (1969-1974).
Brage m Norse Mythology, Norwegian
Modern Scandinavian form of Bragi.
Bragi m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Derived from Old Norse bragr meaning "first, foremost" or "poetry". In Norse mythology Bragi is the god of poetry and the husband of Iðunn.
Brahim m Arabic (Maghrebi)
North African short form of Ibrahim.
Brahma m Hinduism
Means "growth, expansion, creation" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Brahma is the creator and director of the universe, the balance between the opposing forces of Vishnu and Shiva. He is often depicted with four heads and four arms.
Braidy m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Brady.
Brais m Galician
Galician form of Blaise.
Braith m English (Australian, Rare)
Meaning uncertain, perhaps from Welsh brith, braith meaning "speckled".
Brajan m Polish (Modern)
Polish form of Brian.
Bram m English, Dutch
Short form of Abraham. This name was borne by Bram Stoker (1847-1912), the Irish author who wrote Dracula.
Brân m Welsh Mythology
Means "raven" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi, Brân the Blessed (called Bendigeidfran) was a giant king of Britain. He was the son of the divine figure Llŷr. After his sister Branwen was mistreated by her husband the Irish king Matholwch, Brân led an attack on Ireland (the text says that he was so big he was able to wade there). Although victorious, the British lost all except seven men with Brân being mortally wounded by a poisoned spear. He asked the survivors to cut of his head and return with it to Britain. The head continued to speak for many years until it was buried in London.
Bran 1 m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "raven" in Irish. In Irish legend Bran mac Febail was a mariner who was involved in several adventures on his quest to find the Otherworld.
Bran 2 m Welsh Mythology
Unaccented variant of Brân. This is also the Middle Welsh form.
Brand m English (Rare)
From a surname, a variant of Brant.
Brandán m Galician
Galician form of Brendan.
Branden m English
Variant of Brandon.
Brando m Germanic
Germanic name derived from the element brant meaning "fire, torch, sword".
Brandon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "hill covered with broom" in Old English.... [more]
Brandr m Old Norse
Old Norse byname meaning "fire, torch, sword".
Brandt m English
From a surname, a variant of Brant.
Branimir m Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Slovene
Derived from the Slavic element borna "protection" combined with mirŭ "peace, world".
Branislav m Serbian, Slovak, Czech, Slovene, Croatian, Macedonian
Form of Bronisław in several languages.
Branko m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
Originally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element borna (South Slavic brana) meaning "protection".
Brannon m English
From an Irish surname, a variant of Brennan.
Branson m English (Modern)
From an English surname that meant "son of Brandr".
Brant m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Brandr. This is also the name for a variety of wild geese.
Brantley m English (Modern)
From a surname, an Americanized form of the German surname Brändle, ultimately from Old High German brant "fire".
Brás m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Blaise.
Bratislav m Serbian
Derived from the Slavic elements bratŭ "brother" and slava "glory".
Bratumił m Polish (Rare)
Derived from the Slavic elements bratŭ "brother" and milŭ "gracious, dear".
Braxton m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Bracca's town" in Old English. In some cases it is given in honour of the Confederate general Braxton Bragg (1817-1876).
Brayan m Spanish (Modern)
Spanish form of Brian.
Brayden m English (Modern)
Variant of Braden. This is currently the more popular spelling of the name.
Braylon m English (Modern)
An invented name, using the same sounds found in names such as Braden and Jalen.
Bréanainn m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Brendan.
Breandán m Irish
Irish Gaelic form of Brendan.
Brecht m Dutch
Short form of names containing brecht, often derived from the Old German element beraht meaning "bright".
Breixo m Galician
Galician form of Veríssimo.
Brendan m Irish, English, Breton
From Brendanus, the Latinized form of the Old Irish name Bréanainn, which was derived from Old Welsh breenhin meaning "king, prince". Saint Brendan was a 6th-century Irish abbot who, according to legend, crossed the Atlantic and reached North America with 17 other monks.
Brendanus m Old Irish (Latinized)
Latinized form of Bréanainn (see Brendan).
Brenden m English
Variant of Brendan.
Brendon m English
Variant of Brendan.
Brennan m English
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Braonáin) that was derived from the byname Braonán, itself from Irish braon meaning "rain, moisture, drop" combined with a diminutive suffix. As a given name, it has been used since the 1960s as an alternative to Brendan or Brandon, though it has not been as popular as them.
Brennus m Gaulish (Latinized)
Latinized form of a Celtic name (or title) that possibly meant either "king, prince" or "raven". Brennus was a Gallic leader of the 4th century BC who attacked and sacked Rome.
Breno m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Brennus.
Brent m English
From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, perhaps derived from a Celtic word meaning "hill".
Brenton m English
From a surname that was derived from an English place name meaning "Bryni's town". Bryni was an Old English name meaning "fire".
Bret m English
Variant of Brett.
Břetislav m Czech
Possibly from Slavic bręcati "to make a sound, to buzz" combined with slava "glory". This name was borne by three medieval dukes of Bohemia.
Brett m English
From a Middle English surname meaning "a Breton", referring to an inhabitant of Brittany. A famous bearer is the American football quarterback Brett Favre (1969-).
Brian m English, Irish, Old Irish
Meaning uncertain, possibly related to the old Celtic root *brixs "hill, high" (Old Irish brií) or the related *brigā "might, power" (Old Irish briíg). It was borne by the Irish king Brian Boru, who thwarted Viking attempts to conquer Ireland in the 11th century. He was slain in the Battle of Clontarf, though his forces were decisively victorious. This name was common in Ireland after his time, and it was introduced to northern England by Norse-Gael settlers. It was also used in Brittany, and was brought to England by Bretons in the wake of the Norman Conquest. Though it eventually became rare in the English-speaking world, it was strongly revived in the 20th century, becoming a top-ten name for boys in most regions.
Briar m & f English (Modern)
From the English word for the thorny plant.
Brice m French, English
From the name Bricius, which was probably a Latinized form of a Gaulish name meaning "speckled". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a disciple of Saint Martin of Tours.
Bricius m Gaulish (Latinized)
Latin form of Brice, probably ultimately of Gaulish origin.
Bridger m English (Modern)
From an English surname that originally indicated a person who lived near or worked on a bridge.
Briggs m English (Modern)
From a surname that was derived from Middle English brigge, Old English brycg meaning "bridge".
Brigham m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from place names meaning "bridge settlement" in Old English.
Brijesha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of Brij" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, Brij being a region associated with him.
Brin m Slovene
Means "juniper" in Slovene.
Brion m English
Variant of Brian.
Briscoe m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "birch wood" in Old Norse.
Britton m English
Derived from a Middle English surname meaning "a Briton" (a Celt of England) or "a Breton" (an inhabitant of Brittany). Both ethnonyms are related to the place name Britain.
Broccán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Brogán.
Broccomaglos m Brythonic (Hypothetical)
Possible Brythonic form of Brochfael.
Brochfael m Medieval Welsh
From Old Welsh Brochmail, from a Brythonic name *Broccomaglos, derived from Celtic *brokkos "badger" and *maglos "chief". This was the name of a 6th-century king of Powys, also known as Brochwel.
Brochmail m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Brochfael.
Brock m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English brocc meaning "badger".
Brody m English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Moray, Scotland. It probably means "ditch, mire" in Gaelic.
Broen m Limburgish
Limburgish form of Bruno.
Brogán m Irish (Rare)
From the Old Irish name Broccán, derived from bróc "shoe, sandal, greave" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several Irish saints, including Saint Patrick's scribe.
Brokkr m Norse Mythology
Means "badger" in Old Norse. In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf, the brother and assistant of Sindri.
Bronislav m Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian
Czech, Slovak, Russian and Ukrainian form of Bronisław.
Bronisław m Polish
Derived from the Slavic elements borna "protection" and slava "glory". A famous Polish anthropologist, Bronisław Malinowski (1884-1942), has borne this name.
Bronislovas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Bronisław.
Bronson m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of the brown one".
Bronte m & f English (Rare)
From a surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Ó Proinntigh, itself derived from the given name Proinnteach, probably from Irish bronntach meaning "generous". The Brontë sisters — Charlotte, Emily, and Anne — were 19th-century English novelists. Their father changed the spelling of the family surname from Brunty to Brontë, possibly to make it coincide with Greek βροντή meaning "thunder".
Brontes m Greek Mythology
Means "thunderer" in Greek. In Greek mythology (according to Hesiod), this was the name of one of the three Cyclopes, who were the sons of Uranus and Gaia.
Brook m & f English
From an English surname that denoted one who lived near a brook.
Brooklyn f & m English (Modern)
From the name of a borough of New York City, originally named after the Dutch town of Breukelen, itself meaning either "broken land" (from Dutch breuk) or "marsh land" (from Dutch broek). It can also be viewed as a combination of Brook and the popular name suffix lyn. It is considered a feminine name in the United States, but is more common as a masculine name in the United Kingdom.
Brooks m English
From an English surname, a variant of Brook.
Broos m Dutch
Dutch short form of Ambroos.
Bror m Swedish
From the Old Norse name Bróðir meaning "brother".
Bróðir m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bror.
Bruce m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname, of Norman origin, which probably originally referred to the town of Brix in France. The surname was borne by Robert the Bruce, a Scottish hero of the 14th century who achieved independence from England and became the king of Scotland. It has been in use as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in the 1940s and 50s. Notable bearers include Chinese-American actor Bruce Lee (1940-1973), American musician Bruce Springsteen (1949-), and American actor Bruce Willis (1955-). It is also the real name of the comic book superheroes Batman (Bruce Wayne), created 1939, and the Hulk (Bruce Banner), created 1962.
Brunello m Italian, Carolingian Cycle
Diminutive of Bruno. This is the name of a Saracen thief in the Italian epic Orlando poems (1483 and 1532) by Boiardo and Ariosto.
Bruno m German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Croatian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Latvian, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element brunna meaning "armour, protection" (Proto-Germanic *brunjǭ) or brun meaning "brown" (Proto-Germanic *brūnaz). Saint Bruno of Cologne was a German monk of the 11th century who founded the Carthusian Order. The surname has belonged to Giordano Bruno, a philosopher burned at the stake by the Inquisition. A modern bearer is the American singer Bruno Mars (1985-), born Peter Gene Hernandez.
Brutus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "heavy" in Latin. Famous bearers include Lucius Junius Brutus, the traditional founder of the Roman Republic, and Marcus Junius Brutus, the statesman who conspired to assassinate Julius Caesar.
Bryan m English
Variant of Brian, based on the usual spelling of the surname that is derived from the name.
Bryant m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Brian.
Bryce m English
Variant of Brice.
Brychan m Old Welsh
Derived from Welsh brych meaning "speckled, freckled" combined with a diminutive suffix. Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary Welsh king, said to be Irish by birth, the founder of the kingdom of Brycheiniog in central Wales. He reputedly fathered dozens of children, many of whom are regarded as saints.
Bryn m & f Welsh, English (Modern)
Means "hill, mound" in Welsh. In Wales it is almost always a masculine name, though elsewhere in the English-speaking world it can be unisex (see Brynn).
Brynjar m Norwegian, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements brynja "armour" and herr "army, warrior".
Brynjarr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Brynjar.