Ea 1 m Semitic MythologyMeaning unknown, perhaps from Sumerian meaning
"house of water", or perhaps of Akkadian or Hurrian origin. This was the Akkadian, Assyrian, Hurrian and Babylonian name of the Sumerian water god
Enki.
Eachann m Scottish GaelicFrom the Old Irish name
Echdonn meaning
"brown horse", from
ech "horse" and
donn "brown". This name was historically common among the chiefs of Clan MacLean. It has sometimes been Anglicized as
Hector.
Eadberht m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
beorht "bright". This was the name of an 8th-century king of Northumbria and three kings of Kent.
Eadwald m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
weald "powerful, mighty". This was the name of an 8th-century king of East Anglia.
Eadwig m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
wig "war". This was the name of a Saxon king of England in the 10th century. The name fell out of use after the Norman Conquest.
Eadwulf m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
wulf "wolf". This name fell out of use after the Norman Conquest.
Ealdhelm m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
eald "old" and
helm "helmet, protection". This was the name of a 7th-century English saint (commonly called
Aldhelm).
Ealdræd m Anglo-SaxonFrom the Old English elements
eald "old" and
ræd "counsel, advice". This name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
Éamon m IrishVariant of
Éamonn. This name was borne by American-born Irish president Éamon de Valera (1882-1975), whose birth name was Edward.
Earl m EnglishFrom the aristocratic title, which derives from Old English
eorl "nobleman, warrior". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
Eartha f EnglishCombination of the English word
earth with the feminine name suffix
a. It has been used in honour of African-American philanthropist Eartha M. M. White (1876-1974). Another famous bearer was American singer and actress Eartha Kitt (1927-2008).
Easter f EnglishFrom the English name of the Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of
Jesus. It was ultimately named for the Germanic spring goddess Eostre. It was traditionally given to children born on Easter, though it is rare in modern times.
Easton m English (Modern)From an English surname that was derived from place names meaning
"east town" in Old English.
Ebba 2 f English (Rare)From the Old English name
Æbbe, meaning unknown, perhaps a contracted form of a longer name. Saint Ebba was a 7th-century daughter of King Æthelfrith of Bernicia and the founder of monasteries in Scotland. Another saint named Ebba was a 9th-century abbess and martyr who mutilated her own face so that she would not be raped by the invading Danes.
Ebenezer m Literature, EnglishFrom the name of a monument erected by
Samuel in the Old Testament, from Hebrew
אֶבֶן הָעָזֶר (ʾEven Haʿazer) meaning
"stone of help". Charles Dickens used it for the miserly character Ebenezer Scrooge in his novel
A Christmas Carol (1843). Currently the name is most common in parts of English-influenced Africa, such as Ghana.
Eber m Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"region beyond" in Hebrew, derived from the root
עָבַר (ʿavar) meaning "to pass over, to cross". In the Old Testament he is a descendant of
Shem said to be the ancestor of the Hebrews.
Eberhard m German, GermanicOld German name meaning
"brave boar", derived from the elements
ebur "wild boar" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by an influential 9th-century Duke of Friuli. It was also the name of a 12th-century German saint, an archbishop of Salzburg.
Ebony f African AmericanFrom the English word
ebony for the black wood that comes from the ebony tree. It is ultimately from the Egyptian word
hbnj. In America this name is most often used in the black community.
Ebru f TurkishMeans
"paper marbling" in Turkish. Paper marbling is the art of creating colourful patterns on paper.
Ece f TurkishMeans
"queen" or
"beautiful woman" in Turkish.
Echidna f Greek MythologyMeans
"viper, snake" in Greek, a variant of
ἔχις (echis). In Greek mythology this was the name of a monster who was half woman and half snake. By Typhon she was the mother of
Cerberus, the Hydra, the Chimera, and other monsters.
Echo f Greek MythologyFrom the Greek word
ἠχώ (echo) meaning
"echo, reflected sound", related to
ἠχή (eche) meaning "sound". In Greek mythology Echo was a nymph given a speech impediment by
Hera, so that she could only repeat what others said. She fell in love with
Narcissus, but her love was not returned, and she pined away until nothing remained of her except her voice.
Ecrin f TurkishMeaning unknown, possibly from an Arabic word meaning
"reward".
Edda 2 f Icelandic, Old NorsePossibly from Old Norse meaning
"great-grandmother". This was the name of two 13th-century Icelandic literary works: the
Poetic Edda and the
Prose Edda. This is also the name of a character in the
Poetic Edda, though it is unclear if her name is connected to the name of the collection.
Edel f IrishIn Ireland this name is given in honour of the Irish missionary Edel Quinn (1907-1944). She was named after the edelweiss flower (species Leontopodium alpinum), which is derived from German
edel "noble" and
weiß "white".
Edelgard f GermanFrom an Old German name, which was derived from the elements
adal "noble" and
gart "enclosure, yard".
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew
עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian
𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people,
Adam and
Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Edgar m English, French, Portuguese, GermanDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
gar "spear". This was the name of a 10th-century English king, Edgar the Peaceful. The name did not survive long after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 18th century, in part due to a character by this name in Walter Scott's novel
The Bride of Lammermoor (1819), which tells of the tragic love between Edgar Ravenswood and Lucy Ashton. Famous bearers include author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), French impressionist painter Edgar Degas (1834-1917), and author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950).
Edina f HungarianPossibly a diminutive of names beginning with the Old German element
adal meaning
"noble".
Édith f FrenchFrench form of
Edith. A notable bearer was the French cabaret singer Édith Piaf (1915-1963).
Edith f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, DutchFrom the Old English name
Eadgyð, derived from the elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
guð "battle". It was popular among Anglo-Saxon royalty, being borne for example by Saint Eadgyeth;, the daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. It was also borne by the Anglo-Saxon wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. The name remained common after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 15th century, but was revived in the 19th century.
Edmao m LimburgishLimburgish form of
Edmund. Its spelling has been influenced by the French pronunciation of Edmond.
Edmond m French, AlbanianFrench and Albanian form of
Edmund. A notable bearer was the English astronomer Edmond Halley (1656-1742), for whom Halley's comet is named.
Edmund m English, German, PolishMeans
"rich protection", from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
mund "protection". This was the name of two Anglo-Saxon kings of England. It was also borne by two saints, including a 9th-century king of East Anglia who, according to tradition, was shot to death with arrows after refusing to divide his Christian kingdom with an invading pagan Danish leader. This Old English name remained in use after the Norman Conquest (even being used by King Henry III for one of his sons), though it became less common after the 15th century.
... [more] Edna f English, Hebrew, BiblicalMeans
"pleasure" in Hebrew, a derivative of
עָדַן (ʿaḏan) meaning "to delight". This name appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha, for instance in the Book of Tobit belonging to the wife of
Raguel. It was borne by the American poet Edna Dean Proctor (1829-1923). It did not become popular until the second half of the 19th century, after it was used for the heroine in the successful 1866 novel
St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans. It peaked around the turn of the century and has declined steadily since then, falling off the American top 1000 list in 1992.
Edom m Biblical, Biblical HebrewFrom Hebrew
אָדֹם (ʾaḏom) meaning
"red". According to the Old Testament,
Esau, who is described as having red skin, was given this name because he traded his birthright for a helping of red broth. The bible goes on to tell that Esau was the founder of the ancient nation of Edom, located to the south of the kingdom of Judah.
Edric m English (Rare)From the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
ric "ruler, king". After the Norman Conquest this Old English name was not commonly used. It has occasionally been revived in modern times.
Edsel m VariousVariant of
Etzel notably borne by Edsel Ford (1893-1943), the son of the American industrialist Henry Ford.
Eduard m German, Russian, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Catalan, Dutch, Estonian, Romanian, Georgian, ArmenianForm of
Edward in various languages.
Edurne f BasqueMeans
"snow" in Basque, from
edur, a variant of
elur "snow". It is an equivalent of
Nieves, proposed by the writer Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Edward m English, PolishMeans
"rich guard", derived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
weard "guard". This was the name of several Anglo-Saxon kings, the last being Saint Edward the Confessor shortly before the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. He was known as a just ruler, and because of his popularity his name remained in use after the conquest when most other Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. The 13th-century Plantagenet king Henry III named his son and successor after the saint, and seven subsequent kings of England were also named Edward.
... [more] Edwin m English, DutchMeans
"rich friend", from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
wine "friend". This was the name of a 7th-century Northumbrian king, regarded as a saint. After the Norman Conquest the name was not popular, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century. A notable bearer was the astronaut Edwin Aldrin (1930-), also known as
Buzz, the second man to walk on the moon.
Eero m Finnish, EstonianFinnish and Estonian form of
Eric. A famous bearer was the architect Eero Saarinen (1910-1961).
Efisio m ItalianFrom the Latin byname
Ephesius, which originally belonged to a person who was from the city of Ephesus in Ionia. This was the name of a saint martyred on Sardinia in the 4th century.
Egbert m English, DutchMeans
"bright edge" from the Old English elements
ecg "edge, blade" and
beorht "bright". This was the name of kings of Kent and Wessex as well as two English saints. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest but was revived in the 19th century.
Egil m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Egill, a diminutive of names that began with the element
agi "awe, fear". This was the name of a semi-legendary 10th-century Viking, described in the Icelandic
Egill's Saga.
Egilhard m GermanicOld German name derived from the elements
agil "edge, blade" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Usually called Eilhart, this was a medieval German poet who wrote an early version of the Tristan and Iseult tale.
Egilmar m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
agil "edge, blade" and
mari "famous". Egilmar (or Elimar) was the name of two counts of Oldenburg in the 12th century.
Eglantine f English (Rare)From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It is derived via Old French from Vulgar Latin *
aquilentum meaning "prickly". It was early used as a given name (in the form
Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story
The Prioress's Tale (one of
The Canterbury Tales).
Eglė f LithuanianMeans
"spruce tree" in Lithuanian. In a Lithuanian folktale Eglė is a young woman who marries a grass snake. At the end of the tale she turns herself into a spruce.
Egon m GermanFrom the Old German name
Egino, derived from the element
agin meaning
"edge, blade" (from Proto-Germanic *
agjō). Saint Egino was a 12th-century abbot from Augsburg.
Egypt f & m English (Modern)From the name of the North African country, which derives from Greek
Αἴγυπτος (Aigyptos), itself probably from Egyptian
ḥwt-kꜣ-ptḥ meaning
"the house of the soul of Ptah", the name of the temple to the god
Ptah in Memphis.
Egzon m AlbanianPossibly a derivative of Albanian
gëzoj "to enjoy".
Ehud m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical HebrewMeaning unknown, possibly related to Hebrew
אָחַד (ʾaḥaḏ) meaning
"to unite" or
הוֹד (hoḏ) meaning
"glory". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the biblical judges. He killed Eglon, the king of Moab, and freed the city of Jericho from Moabite rule.
Éibhear m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Éber, meaning uncertain. According to Irish legend this name belonged to two of the sons of Míl, Éibhear Dunn and Éibhear Finn, the first of the Gaels to conquer Ireland.
Eifion m WelshFrom an Old Welsh given name of unknown meaning, the source of the place name Eifionydd (also called Eifion) in northwestern Wales. This name was revived in the 19th century, probably via the place name.
Eija f FinnishPossibly from the Finnish happy exclamation
eijaa.
Eiji m JapaneseFrom Japanese
英 (ei) meaning "excellent, fine" or
栄 (ei) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper" combined with
二 (ji) meaning "two" or
治 (ji) meaning "govern, administer". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Eike m & f Low German, GermanOriginally a short form of
Ekkehard and other names beginning with the Old High German element
ekka, Old Saxon
eggia meaning
"edge, blade". This name was borne by Eike of Repgow, who compiled the law book the
Sachsenspiegel in the 13th century.
Eiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
栄 (ei) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper" or
英 (ei) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Eila f FinnishMeaning uncertain, possibly a variant of
Aila or a rare Norwegian diminutive of
Elin. It was used by the Finnish author Väinö Kataja for a character in his novel
Tuskaa (1907), and it became fairly popular in Finland in the first half of the 20th century.
Eileen f Irish, EnglishAnglicized form of
Eibhlín. It is also sometimes considered an Irish form of
Helen. It first became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland near the end of the 19th century.
Eilonwy f LiteratureFrom Welsh
eilon meaning
"deer, stag" or
"song, melody". This name was used by Lloyd Alexander in his book series
The Chronicles of Prydain (1964-1968) as well as the Disney film adaptation
The Black Cauldron (1985).
Eilwen f WelshPerhaps means
"white brow", derived from Welsh
ael "brow" and
gwen "white, blessed". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Eimantas m LithuanianFrom the Lithuanian root
ei- "to go" combined with
mantus "intelligent" or
manta "property, wealth".
Éimhín m IrishFrom Old Irish
éim meaning
"swift, prompt". This was the name of a 7th-century saint, the founder of a monastery in Kildare.
Einion m WelshFrom the Old Welsh name
Enniaun, probably from the Latin name
Ennianus, a derivative of
Ennius (see
Ennio). It is also a modern Welsh word meaning "anvil". This was the name of a few early Welsh rulers including Einion Frenin (5th century), who is considered a saint in some Christian traditions.
Eira 1 f WelshMeans
"snow" in Welsh. This is a recently created name.
Éireann f Irish (Rare)From
Éireann, the genitive case of Irish Gaelic
Éire, meaning "Ireland". It is commonly Anglicized as
Erin.
Eirwen f WelshMeans
"white snow" from the Welsh elements
eira "snow" and
gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the early 20th century.