Aafje f DutchShort form of names beginning with the Old German element
alb "elf".
Aaliyah f Arabic, English (Modern), African American (Modern)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.
Aang m Popular CultureThe hero of the American animated television series
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008). When his name is shown in written form, it is composed of the Chinese characters
安 (ān) meaning "peace, quiet" and
昂 (áng) meaning "raise, lift".
Aaron m English, French, German, Finnish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
אַהֲרֹן (ʾAharon), which is most likely of unknown Egyptian origin. Other theories claim a Hebrew derivation, and suggest meanings such as
"high mountain" or
"exalted". In the Old Testament this name is borne by the older brother of
Moses. He acted as a spokesman for his brother when they appealed to the pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Aaron's rod produced miracles and plagues to intimidate the pharaoh. After the departure from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, God installed Aaron as the first high priest of the Israelites and promised that his descendants would become the priesthood.
... [more] Abel m English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
הֶבֶל (Hevel) meaning
"breath". In the Old Testament he is the second son of
Adam and
Eve, murdered out of envy by his brother
Cain. In England, this name came into use during the Middle Ages, and it was common during the Puritan era.
Abeni f YorubaMeans
"we prayed and we received" in Yoruba.
Abiel m BiblicalMeans
"God is my father" in Hebrew, from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the name of the grandfather of
Saul according to the Old Testament.
Abilene f Various (Rare)From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew
אָבֵל (ʾavel) meaning "meadow, grassy area". It has occasionally been used as a given name in modern times.
Abiram m BiblicalMeans
"my father is exalted" in Hebrew, derived from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt". In the Old Testament, Abiram is swallowed by an earthquake after rebelling against the leadership of
Moses.
Abishai m BiblicalMeans
"my father is a gift" in Hebrew, from the roots
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
שַׁי (shai) meaning "gift". In the Old Testament he is one of King
David's heroes.
Abraham m English, Hebrew, Spanish, French, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical German, Biblical Swedish, Biblical Norwegian, Biblical Danish, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
אַבְרָהָם (ʾAvraham), which may be viewed either as meaning
"father of many" or else as a contraction of
Abram 1 and
הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning "many, multitude". The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but God changed his name (see
Genesis 17:5). With his father
Terah, he led his wife
Sarah, his nephew
Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son
Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son
Ishmael.
... [more] Acacia f English (Rare)From the name of a type of tree, ultimately derived from Greek
ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".
Ada 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Finnish, GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names such as
Adelaide or
Adelina that begin with the element
adal meaning "noble". Saint Ada was a 7th-century Frankish abbess at Le Mans. This name was also borne by Augusta Ada King (1815-1852), the Countess of Lovelace (known as Ada Lovelace), a daughter of Lord Byron. She was an assistant to Charles Babbage, the inventor of an early mechanical computer.
Adah f BiblicalMeans
"adornment, ornament" in Hebrew. This is the name of the wives of both
Lamech and
Esau in the Old Testament.
Adalia m BiblicalMeaning unknown, possibly of Persian origin. In Book of Esther in the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Haman the Agagite.
Adam m English, French, German, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Malay, Indonesian, Dhivehi, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewThis is the Hebrew word for
"man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew
אדם (ʾaḏam) meaning
"to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian
adamu meaning
"to make".
... [more] Adanna f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of the father" in Igbo.
Adannaya f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of her father" in Igbo.
Addolorata f ItalianMeans
"grieving" in Italian, from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Maria Addolorata. It is most common in southern Italy. It is the equivalent of Spanish
Dolores.
Adela f English, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, Slovak, GermanicOriginally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element
adal meaning
"noble" (Proto-Germanic *
aþalaz). Saint Adela was a 7th-century Frankish princess who founded a monastery at Pfazel in France. This name was also borne by a daughter of William the Conqueror.
Adelaide f English, Italian, PortugueseMeans
"nobleness, nobility", from the French form of the Germanic name
Adalheidis, which was composed of
adal "noble" and the suffix
heit "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great.
... [more] Adele f German, English, ItalianForm of
Adela used in several languages. A famous bearer was the dancer and actress Adele Astaire (1896-1981). It was also borne by the British singer Adele Adkins (1988-), known simply as Adele. Shortly after she released her debut album in 2008 the name reentered the American top 1000 chart after a 40-year absence.
Adélie f FrenchElaborated form of
Adèle. Adélie Land in Antarctica was named in 1840 by the French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville in honour of his wife Adèle (who was sometimes called Adélie).
Adeola f & m YorubaMeans
"the crown of wealth" in Yoruba. It is also a surname.
Adhara f AstronomyDerived from Arabic
عذارى (ʿadhārā) meaning
"maidens". This is the name of the second brightest star (after
Sirius) in the constellation Canis Major.
Aditi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, KannadaMeans
"boundless, entire" or
"freedom, security" in Sanskrit, derived from the negative prefix
अ (a) and
दिति (diti) meaning "giving". This is the name of a Hindu goddess of the cosmos, motherhood and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of several of the gods.
Adonai m TheologyMeans
"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.
Adva f HebrewMeans
"small wave, ripple" in Hebrew.
Ælfheah m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ælf "elf" and
heah "high". This was the name of an 11th-century archbishop of Canterbury, a saint and martyr, who is commonly known as Alphege or Elphege.
Aelita f Literature, Russian, LatvianCreated by Russian author Aleksey Tolstoy for his science fiction novel
Aelita (1923), where it belongs to a Martian princess. In the book, the name is said to mean "starlight seen for the last time" in the Martian language.
Aelius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was possibly derived from the Greek word
ἥλιος (helios) meaning
"sun". This was the family name of the Roman emperor Hadrian.
Aella f Greek MythologyMeans
"whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by
Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.
Aeneas m Roman MythologyLatin form of the Greek name
Αἰνείας (Aineias), derived from Greek
αἴνη (aine) meaning
"praise". In Greek legend he was a son of
Aphrodite and was one of the chief heroes who defended Troy from the Greeks. The Roman poet
Virgil continued his story in the
Aeneid, in which Aeneas travels to Italy and founds the Roman state.
Aether m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Αἰθήρ (Aither) meaning
"ether, heaven", derived from
αἴθω (aitho) meaning "to burn, to ignite". In Greek mythology this was the name of the god of light and the upper sky.
Afërdita f AlbanianMeans
"daybreak, morning" in Albanian, from
afër "nearby, close" and
ditë "day". It is also used as an Albanian form of
Aphrodite.
Aglaia f Greek Mythology, GreekMeans
"splendour, beauty" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the three Graces or
Χάριτες (Charites). This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Rome.
Agnes f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Estonian, Late Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Ἅγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek
ἁγνός (hagnos) meaning
"chaste". Saint Agnes was a virgin martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The name became associated with Latin
agnus "lamb", resulting in the saint's frequent depiction with a lamb by her side. Due to her renown, the name became common in Christian Europe.
... [more] Ahinoam f BiblicalMeans
"my brother is pleasant" in Hebrew, derived from
אָח (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" and
נָעַם (naʿam) meaning "to be pleasant". In the Old Testament this is the name of wives of both
Saul and
David.
Ai 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection",
藍 (ai) meaning "indigo", or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Aiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and
子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other character combinations.
Ailbhe f & m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Ailbe, possibly derived from the Celtic root *
albiyo- "world, light, white" or Old Irish
ail "rock". In Irish legend this was the name of a female warrior of the Fianna. It was also the name of a 6th-century male saint, the founder of a monastery at Emly.
Ailsa f ScottishFrom
Ailsa Craig, the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland, which is of uncertain derivation.
Aiman 1 f KazakhPossibly means
"my moon" in Kazakh, from
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and the Persian possessive
من (man) meaning "my". Aiman and
Sholpan are sisters in a 19th-century Kazakh epic poem, later adapted into the 1934 play
Aiman-Sholpan by Mukhtar Auezov.
Aimé m FrenchFrom Old French
Amé, the masculine form of
Amée (see
Amy).
Aimi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Áine f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as
Anne.
Ainhoa f BasqueFrom the name of a town in southwestern France where there is a famous image of the Virgin
Mary.
Ainsley f & m Scottish, English (Modern)From an English surname that was from a place name: either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire. The place names themselves derive from Old English
anne "alone, solitary" or
ansetl "hermitage" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
... [more] Airi 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" combined with
莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or
梨 (ri) meaning "pear". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Airi 2 f FinnishFrom Finnish
airut meaning
"messenger, herald", also influenced by place names beginning with the same sound.
Aisling f IrishMeans
"dream" or
"vision" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Aitana f SpanishFrom the name of a mountain range in Valencia, eastern Spain. The Spanish poet Rafael Alberti used it for his daughter in 1941.
Aiza f UrduMeaning unknown, possibly of Arabic origin.
Akari f JapaneseFrom Japanese
明 (aka) meaning "bright" or
朱 (aka) meaning "vermilion red" combined with
里 (ri) meaning "village" or
莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Akemi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
明 (ake) meaning "bright" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Aki 2 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal",
明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or
秋 (aki) meaning "autumn". It can also come from
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with
希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name too.
Akiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal",
明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or
秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Alan m English, Scottish, Breton, French, PolishThe meaning of this name is not known for certain. It was used in Brittany at least as early as the 6th century, and it possibly means either
"little rock" or
"handsome" in Breton. Alternatively, it may derive from the tribal name of the Alans, an Iranian people who migrated into Europe in the 4th and 5th centuries.
... [more] Alanis f English (Rare)Feminine form of
Alan. Canadian musician Alanis Morissette (1974-) was named after her father Alan. Her parents apparently decided to use this particular spelling after seeing this word in a Greek newspaper.
Alannah f Irish, English (Modern)Variant of
Alana. It has been influenced by the affectionate Anglo-Irish word
alannah, from the Irish Gaelic phrase
a leanbh meaning "O child".
Alazne f BasqueFrom Basque
alatz meaning
"miracle". It is an equivalent of
Milagros, proposed by Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Alba 1 f Italian, Spanish, CatalanThis name is derived from two distinct names,
Alba 2 and
Alba 3, with distinct origins, Latin and Germanic. Over time these names have become confused with one another. To further complicate the matter,
alba means "dawn" in Italian, Spanish and Catalan. This may be the main inspiration behind its use in Italy and Spain.
Alba 3 f GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
alb meaning
"elf" (Proto-Germanic *
albaz).
Alban m German, French, Albanian, English (Rare)From the Roman cognomen
Albanus, which meant
"from Alba". Alba (from Latin
albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.
... [more] Albert m English, German, French, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Romanian, Hungarian, Albanian, GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Adalbert meaning
"noble and bright", composed of the elements
adal "noble" and
beraht "bright". This name was common among medieval German royalty. The Normans introduced it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Æþelbeorht. Though it became rare in England by the 17th century, it was repopularized in the 19th century by the German-born Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.
... [more] Albina f Russian, Ukrainian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Slovene, Polish, German, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Albinus. This was the name of a few early saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Caesarea.
Aled m WelshFrom the name of a Welsh river, of uncertain meaning.
Alejandro m SpanishSpanish form of
Alexander. This was the most popular name for boys in Spain from the 1990s until 2006 (and again in 2011).
Aleksandra f Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Serbian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Croatian, Macedonian, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, GeorgianForm of
Alexandra in several languages.
Alessandro m ItalianItalian form of
Alexander. A famous bearer was Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), the Italian physicist who invented the battery.
Alethea f EnglishDerived from Greek
ἀλήθεια (aletheia) meaning
"truth". This name was coined in the 16th century.
Alexander m English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant
"defending men" from Greek
ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, help" and
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive
ἀνδρός). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero
Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.
... [more] Alfred m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Dutch, AlbanianMeans
"elf counsel", derived from the Old English name
Ælfræd, composed of the elements
ælf "elf" and
ræd "counsel, advice". Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeastern England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.
... [more] Algirdas m LithuanianPossibly means
"all-hearing", from the Lithuanian roots
al- "all, every" and
gird- "to hear". This was the name of a 14th-century Grand Duke of Lithuania.
Ali 1 m Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Pashto, Indonesian, Malay, Avar, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, Dhivehi, Albanian, BosnianMeans
"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.
... [more] Alice f English, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Czech, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, DutchFrom the Old French name
Aalis, a short form of
Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name
Adalheidis (see
Adelaide). This name became popular in France and England in the 12th century. It was among the most common names in England until the 16th century, when it began to decline. It was revived in the 19th century.
... [more] Alin m RomanianPossibly a Romanian masculine form of
Alina. Alternatively it may derive from Romanian
alina "to soothe".
Alison 1 f English, FrenchNorman French diminutive of
Aalis (see
Alice). It was common in England, Scotland and France in the Middle Ages, and was later revived in England in the 20th century via Scotland. Unlike most other English names ending in
son, it is not derived from a surname.
Allegra f Italian, English (Rare)Means
"cheerful, lively" in Italian. It was borne by a short-lived illegitimate daughter of Lord Byron (1817-1822).
Allen m EnglishVariant of
Alan, or from a surname that was derived from this same name. A famous bearer of this name was Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997), an American beat poet. Another is the American film director and actor Woody Allen (1935-), who took the stage name Allen from his real first name.
Allison f & m EnglishFrom the middle of the 20th century this has primarily been used as a variant of the feminine name
Alison 1. However, prior to that it was used as an uncommon masculine name, derived from the English and Scottish surname
Allison.
Alma 1 f English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Albanian, Slovene, CroatianThis name became popular after the Battle of Alma (1854), which took place near the River Alma in Crimea and ended in a victory for Britain and France. However, the name was in rare use before the battle; it was probably inspired by Latin
almus "nourishing". It also coincides with the Spanish word meaning
"the soul".
Almudena f SpanishDerived from Arabic
المدينة (al-mudayna) meaning
"the citadel", a diminutive form of the word
مدينة (madīna) meaning "city". According to legend, it was in a building by this name that a concealed statue of the Virgin
Mary was discovered during the Reconquista in Madrid. The Virgin of Almudena, that is Mary, is the patron saint of Madrid.
Alta f VariousPossibly from Latin
altus or Italian/Spanish
alto meaning
"high".
Altagracia f Spanish (Caribbean)Means
"high grace", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, meaning "Our Lady of High Grace". She is considered the patron saint of the Dominican Republic, and it is there that this name is most often used.
Althea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Ἀλθαία (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek
ἄλθος (althos) meaning
"healing". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.
Alyssa f EnglishVariant of
Alicia. The spelling has probably been influenced by that of the alyssum flower, the name of which is derived from Greek
ἀ (a), a negative prefix, combined with
λύσσα (lyssa) meaning "madness, rabies", since it was believed to cure madness.
Amaia f BasqueMeans
"the end" in Basque. This is the name of a character in the historical novel
Amaya, or the Basques in the 8th century (1879) by Francisco Navarro-Villoslada (
Amaya in the Spanish original;
Amaia in the Basque translation).
Amalia f Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Greek, Finnish, Swedish, Dutch, German, Germanic (Latinized)Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
amal. This element means
"unceasing, vigorous, brave", or it can refer to the Gothic dynasty of the Amali (derived from the same root).
... [more] Amanda f English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian, Latvian, Late RomanIn part this is a feminine form of
Amandus. However, it was not used during the Middle Ages. In the 17th century it was recreated by authors and poets who based it directly on Latin
amanda meaning
"lovable, worthy of love". Notably, the playwright Colley Cibber used it for a character in his play
Love's Last Shift (1696). It came into regular use during the 19th century.
Amandus m Late RomanDerived from Latin
amanda meaning
"lovable, worthy of love". Saint Amandus was a 5th-century bishop of Bordeaux. It was also borne by a 7th-century French saint who evangelized in Flanders.
Amani f ArabicMeans
"wishes" in Arabic, related to the root
منا (manā) meaning "to tempt, to put to the test".
Amaryllis f LiteratureDerived from Greek
ἀμαρύσσω (amarysso) meaning
"to sparkle". This is the name of a character appearing in
Virgil's pastoral poems
Eclogues. The amaryllis flower is named for her.
Ambrose m EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Ambrosius, which was derived from the Greek name
Ἀμβρόσιος (Ambrosios) meaning
"immortal". Saint Ambrose was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Milan, who is considered a Doctor of the Church. Due to the saint, the name came into general use in Christian Europe, though it was never particularly common in England.
Amelia f English, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Medieval FrenchVariant of
Amalia, though it is sometimes confused with
Emilia, which has a different origin. The name became popular in England after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century — it was borne by daughters of both George II and George III. The author Henry Fielding used it for the title character in his novel
Amelia (1751). Another famous bearer was Amelia Earhart (1897-1937), the first woman to make a solo flight over the Atlantic Ocean.
... [more] Amerigo m ItalianMedieval Italian form of
Emmerich. Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) was the Italian explorer who gave the continent of America its name (from
Americus, the Latin form of his name).
Amethyst f English (Rare)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.
Ami 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Amice f Medieval EnglishMedieval name derived from Latin
amicus meaning
"friend". This was a popular name in the Middle Ages, though it has since become uncommon.