All Names

gender
usage
Hecuba f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἑκάβη (Hekabe), which is of uncertain meaning. According to Greek mythology this was the name of the primary wife of King Priam of Troy. By him she was the mother of Hector, Paris, Cassandra and many others.
Hed m & f Hebrew
Means "echo" in Hebrew.
Hedda f Norwegian, Swedish
Diminutive of Hedvig. This is the name of the heroine of the play Hedda Gabler (1890) by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen.
Heddwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh hedd "peace" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name has been given in honour of the poet Ellis Humphrey Evans (1887-1917), who used Hedd Wyn as his bardic name.
Hédi 1 f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Hedvig.
Hédi 2 m Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic هادي (see Hadi) chiefly used in Tunisia (using French-influenced orthography).
Hedieh f Persian
Persian form of Hadia 1.
Hediye f Turkish
Turkish form of Hadia 1.
Hedley m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather clearing" in Old English.
Hedvig f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Scandinavian, Finnish and Hungarian form of Hedwig.
Hedviga f Slovak
Slovak form of Hedwig.
Hedvika f Czech, Slovene
Czech and Slovene form of Hedwig.
Hedwig f German, Dutch
From the Old German name Hadewig, derived from the Old German elements hadu "battle, combat" and wig "war". This was the name of a 13th-century German saint, the wife of the Polish duke Henry the Bearded. It was subsequently borne by a 14th-century Polish queen (usually known by her Polish name Jadwiga) who is now also regarded as a saint.
Hedy f German, Dutch
Diminutive of Hedwig.
Hefin m Welsh
Means "summer" in Welsh, a poetic form of Haf.
Hefina f Welsh
Feminine form of Hefin.
Hege f Norwegian
Norwegian diminutive of Helga.
Heida f German
German diminutive of Adelheid.
Heide f German
German diminutive of Adelheid. It also coincides with the German word meaning "heath".
Heidemarie f German
Combination of Heide and Marie.
Heidi f German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, English
German diminutive of Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.
Heidrich m Germanic
Derived from the Old German element (possibly) heida "heath, heather" combined with rih "ruler, king".
Heidrun f Norse Mythology, German
Derived from Old Norse heiðr meaning "bright, clear" and rún meaning "secret lore, rune". In Norse mythology this was the name of a goat that would eat the leaves from the tree of life and produce mead in her udder.
Heike f & m Low German, German
Low German diminutive of Henrike or Henrik.
Heiki m Estonian
Estonian form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Heikki m Finnish
Finnish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Heiko m Low German, German, Frisian
Low German and Frisian diminutive of Henrik.
Heilfrid m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements heil "healthy, whole" and fridu "peace".
Heilwig f German (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements heil "healthy, whole" and wig "war".
Heilyn m Welsh Mythology
Means "winebearer, dispenser" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi he was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's invasion of Ireland.
Heimdall m Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Heimdallr, derived from Old Norse heimr "home, house" and dallr, possibly meaning "glowing, shining". In Norse mythology he is the god who guards the Bifröst, the bridge that connects Asgard to the other worlds. It is foretold that he will blow the Gjallarhorn to wake the gods for the final battle at the end of the world, Ragnarök. During this battle, he will fight Loki and they will slay one another.
Heimdallr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Heimdall.
Heimir m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
From Old Norse heimr meaning "home" (a cognate of Hama). In the Völsungasaga he is a king of Hlymdalir.
Heimirich m Germanic
Old German form of Henry.
Hein 1 m Dutch
Short form of Hendrik.
Hein 2 m Burmese
Means "great, grand, large" in Burmese.
Heiner m German
Diminutive of Heinrich.
Heino m German, Finnish, Estonian
German form of Haimo (see Hamo).
Heinrich m German, Germanic
German form of Henry. This was the name of several German kings.
Heinrike f German (Rare)
Feminine form of Heinrich.
Heintje f & m Dutch
Feminine and masculine diminutive of Hendrik.
Heinz m German
Diminutive of Heinrich.
Heirani f Tahitian
From Tahitian hei "crown, garland" and raʻi "heaven, sky".
Heiðdís f Icelandic
Derived from Old Norse heiðr "honour" and dís "goddess".
Heiðrún f Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Heidrun.
Heitiare f Tahitian
From Tahitian hei "crown, garland" and tiare "flower".
Heitor m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Hector.
Hekabe f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hecuba.
Hekate f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hecate.
Hekla f Icelandic
From the name of an active Icelandic volcano, derived from Old Norse hekla meaning "cloak".
Hektor m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hector.
Hel f Norse Mythology
In Norse mythology this was the name of the daughter of Loki. She got her name from the underworld, also called Hel, where she ruled, which meant "to conceal, to cover" in Old Norse (related to the English word hell).
Helah f Biblical
Means "rust" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is mentioned as one of the wives of Ashur.
Hélder m Portuguese
Meaning uncertain. It was borne by the Brazilian archbishop Dom Hélder Câmara (1909-1999) who was noted for his charity. It could be from the name of the Dutch town of Den Helder (possibly meaning "hell's door" in Dutch).
Heledd f Welsh
Meaning unknown. This is the narrator of the medieval poem Canu Heledd, which laments the loss of her family, including her brother Prince Cynddylan, and the destruction of the kingdom of Powys in the 7th century.
Heleen f Dutch
Dutch variant of Helen.
Heleena f Finnish
Finnish variant of Helena.
Heleentje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Helen.
Helen f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.... [more]
Heléna f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Helen.
Helēna f Latvian
Latvian form of Helen.
Helena f German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Hélène f French
French form of Helen.
Helene f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Helen, as well as the modern Scandinavian and German form.
Helenka f Czech, Polish
Czech and Polish diminutive of Helena.
Helfried m German
Modern German form of Heilfrid, also a variant of Helmfried.
Helge m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German, Finnish
From the Old Norse name Helgi, derived from heilagr meaning "holy, blessed".
Helgi m Icelandic, Old Norse
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Helge.
Heli 1 m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Eli 1 used in the Old and New Testament. This form of the name is used in most English versions of the New Testament to refer to the father of Joseph (husband of Mary) in the genealogy in the Gospel of Luke.
Heli 2 f Finnish, Estonian
Diminutive of Helena. In Estonian this coincides with the word heli meaning "sound".
Hélia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Helios.
Helias m Biblical Latin
Latin form of Elijah used in some versions of the Vulgate.
Hélier m French (Rare)
French form of Helier.
Helier m History (Ecclesiastical)
Meaning uncertain. This is the name of the patron saint of the island of Jersey in the English Channel. He was a 6th-century hermit whose name was recorded in Latin as Helerius.
Helihel m Biblical Latin
Form of Eliel used in the Vulgate.
Hélio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Helios.
Helio m Spanish
Spanish form of Helios.
Heliodoro m Spanish, Portuguese
From the Greek name Ἡλιόδωρος (Heliodoros), derived from the elements ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Heliodoro was a 4th-century bishop of Altino.
Helios m Greek Mythology
Means "sun" in Greek. This was the name of the young Greek sun god, a Titan, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses. His sister was the moon goddess Selene.
Helka f Finnish
Finnish variant of Helga.
Hella f German, Danish
Diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Hellä f Finnish
Means "gentle, tender" in Finnish.
Helladius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Late Greek name Ἑλλάδιος (Helladios), which was derived from Ἑλλάδος (Hellados) meaning "of Greece". Saint Helladius was a 7th-century archbishop of Toledo.
Helle 1 f Danish, Norwegian, Estonian
Danish diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Helle 2 f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Helle was the daughter of Athamus and Nephele. She and her brother Phrixus escaped sacrifice by fleeing on the back of a golden ram, but during their flight she fell off and drowned in the strait that connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara, which was thereafter called the Hellespont ("the sea of Helle").
Hellen f English
Variant of Helen.
Helma f German, Dutch
Short form of Wilhelmina.
Helmfrid m Germanic
Old German form of Helmfried.
Helmfried m German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements helm "helmet" and fridu "peace".
Helmi f Finnish, Swedish
Diminutive of Vilhelmiina or Vilhelmina. It also means "pearl" in Finnish.
Helmine f German
Short form of Wilhelmine.
Helmo m Germanic
Short form of Germanic names that began with the element helm meaning "helmet, protection" (Proto-Germanic *helmaz).
Helmold m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements helm "helmet" and walt "power, authority".
Helmut m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element helm "helmet" (or perhaps heil "healthy, whole") combined with muot "mind, spirit".
Helmuth m German
Variant of Helmut.
Heloísa f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Eloise.
Héloïse f French
French form of Eloise.
Helve f Estonian
Means "flake, snowflake" in Estonian.
Helvi f Finnish
Finnish vernacular form of Hedvig.
Helvia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Helvius.
Helvius m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from either Latin helvus meaning "honey-yellow, blond" or from the name of the Helvii, a Celtic tribe who lived west of the Rhône river. Gaius Helvius Cinna was a Roman poet of the 1st century BC.
Hema f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada
Means "golden" in Sanskrit.
Hemera f Greek Mythology
Means "day" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified the daytime. According to Hesiod she was the daughter of Nyx, the personification of the night.
Hemi m Maori
Maori form of James.
Hemingr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Hemming.
Hemming m Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare)
Perhaps derived from Old Norse hamr "shape", and possibly originally a nickname for a person believed to be a shape changer.
Henadz m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Gennadius.
Hend f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هند (see Hind).
Henda f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of Hannah.
Hendel f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Hannah.
Henderson m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "son of Henry".
Hendrick m Dutch (Archaic)
Dutch variant of Hendrik.
Hendricus m Dutch
Variant of Henricus.
Hendrik m Dutch, German, Estonian
Dutch and Estonian cognate of Heinrich (see Henry).
Hendrika f Dutch
Feminine form of Hendrik.
Hendrikje f Dutch
Feminine form of Hendrik.
Hendrikus m Dutch
Variant of Henricus.
Hendrina f Dutch
Feminine form of Hendrik.
Hendrix m English (Modern)
From a Dutch surname that was derived from the given name Hendrik. A famous bearer of the surname was the American rock musician Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970).
Hendry m Scots
Scots form of Henry.
Hene f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of Hannah.
Heng m & f Chinese
From Chinese (héng) meaning "constant, persistent", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation. Lui Heng, known as Wen of Han, was a 2nd-century BC emperor of the Han dynasty.
Hengist m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Means "stallion" in Old English or Old Saxon. According to medieval histories (recorded by Bede in the 8th century), Hengist and his brother Horsa were the leaders of the first Saxon settlers in Britain. Hengist established a kingdom in Kent in the 5th century.
Henk m Dutch
Dutch short form of Hendrik.
Henna f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Hennadiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Gennadius.
Hennie m & f Dutch
Dutch diminutive and feminine form of Hendrik.
Henny f & m Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Diminutive of Henriette, Hendrika and other names containing hen. In Dutch it can also be masculine as a diminutive of Hendrik.
Henok m Tigrinya, Amharic
Tigrinya and Amharic form of Enoch.
Henri m French, Finnish
French form of Heinrich (see Henry). A notable bearer was the French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954).
Henrich m Slovak
Slovak form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henricus m Germanic (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of Heinrich. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Hendrik is typically used in daily life.
Henrietta f English, Hungarian, Finnish, Swedish
Latinate form of Henriette. It was introduced to England by Henriette Marie, the wife of the 17th-century English king Charles I. The name Henriette was also Anglicized as Harriet, a form that was initially more popular.
Henriëtte f Dutch
Dutch form of Henriette.
Henriette f French, German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian
French feminine diminutive of Henri.
Henriikka f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henrik m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Low German, German, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Armenian
Form of Heinrich (see Henry) in several languages. A famous bearer was the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906).
Henrika f Lithuanian, Swedish (Rare)
Lithuanian and Swedish feminine form of Henrik.
Henrikas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henrike f German
German feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henrikki m Finnish
Finnish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henrique m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Heinrich (see Henry). This was the name of a 15th-century Portuguese naval explorer (known as Henry the Navigator in English).
Henry m English
From the Germanic name Heimirich meaning "home ruler", composed of the elements heim "home" and rih "ruler". It was later commonly spelled Heinrich, with the spelling altered due to the influence of other Germanic names like Haganrich, in which the first element is hag "enclosure".... [more]
Henryk m Polish
Polish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henryka f Polish
Polish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henye f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of Hannah.
Heorhiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of George.
Hephaestus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἥφαιστος (Hephaistos), meaning unknown. It probably shares its origin with the Minoan city of Φαιστός (Phaistos), which is of Pre-Greek origin. In Greek mythology Hephaestus was the god of fire and forging, the husband of the unfaithful Aphrodite. It was said that when he was born Hera, his mother, was so displeased with his physical deformities that she hurled him off the top of Mount Olympus.
Hephzibah f Biblical
From the Hebrew name חֶפְצִי־בָּה (Ḥeftsi-ba) meaning "my delight is in her". In the Old Testament she is the wife of King Hezekiah of Judah and the mother of Manasseh. The meaning of her name is explained in Isaiah 62:4.
Hera f Greek Mythology
Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.
Heracles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Herakles. However, the spelling used by the Romans was Hercules.
Heraclio m Spanish
Spanish form of Heraclius.
Heraclitus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἡράκλειτος (Herakleitos) meaning "glory of Hera", derived from the name of the goddess Hera combined with κλειτός (kleitos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher from Ephesus.
Heraclius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek personal name Ἡράκλειος (Herakleios), which was derived from the name of the Greek hero Herakles. This was the name of a 7th-century Byzantine emperor, known for his victories over the Sasanian Persian Empire. This name was also borne by two early saints.
Herais f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was probably derived from the name of the Greek goddess Hera. It was borne by a saint and martyr from Alexandria who was killed during the early 4th-century persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian.
Herakleides m Ancient Greek
Means "son of Herakles" in Greek, derived from the name of the mythic hero Herakles combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek astronomer who theorized the rotation of the earth.
Herakles m Greek Mythology
Means "glory of Hera" from the name of the goddess Hera combined with Greek κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a hero in Greek and Roman mythology, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. After being driven insane by Hera and killing his own children, Herakles completed twelve labours in order to atone for his crime and become immortal.
Herb m English
Short form of Herbert.
Herbert m English, German, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, French
Derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and beraht "bright". It was borne by two Merovingian Frankish kings, usually called Charibert. The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Herebeorht. In the course of the Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.... [more]
Herberto m Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Herbert.
Herbie m English
Diminutive of Herbert.
Hercule m French
French form of Hercules. It was used by the British writer Agatha Christie for the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, the protagonist in many of her mystery novels (debuting 1920).
Heremoana m Tahitian
From Tahitian here "loved, dear" and moana "ocean".
Herenui f Tahitian
From Tahitian here "loved, dear" and nui "big".
Hereward m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements here "army" and weard "guard". This was the name of an 11th-century Anglo-Saxon leader who rebelled against Norman rule.
Hereweald m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Harold.
Heribert m German
German form of Herbert.
Heriberto m Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Herbert.
Herk m Various (Rare)
Short form of Hercules or other similar names.
Herkus m Lithuanian
Short form of Henrikas.
Herla m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Meaning uncertain, though connections to various Germanic words have been proposed. According to the 12th-century author Walter Map, who was likely expanding on older Germanic tales, Herla was a king of the Britons who became the leader of the Wild Hunt.
Herleif f & m Old Norse, Norwegian (Rare)
Old Norse feminine form and modern Scandinavian masculine form of Herleifr.
Herleifr m Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements herr "army, warrior" and leif "inheritance, legacy".
Herlequin m Folklore
The name of a demon in medieval tales, first attested in a report by the 12th-century monk Orderic Vitalis, and later appearing in French passion plays. His name is possibly related to that of King Herla from Germanic legend (in Old English Herla Cyning).
Herleva f Germanic (Latinized)
Possibly from the Old German elements heri "army" and leiba "remainder, remnant, legacy" (or the Old Norse cognates herr and leif, see Herleif). This was the name of the mother of William the Conqueror, who, according to tradition, was a commoner.
Hermagoras m Ancient Greek
From the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek ἀγορά (agora) meaning "assembly, marketplace". Saint Hermagoras (3rd century) was the first bishop of Aquileia in Italy.
Heřman m Czech
Czech form of Herman.
Herman m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Slovene, Germanic
Means "army man", derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and man "person, man". It was introduced to England by the Normans, died out, and was revived in the English-speaking world in the 19th century. It was borne by an 18th-century Russian missionary to Alaska who is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, though in his case the name is an alternate transcription of German. Another famous bearer was the American writer Herman Melville (1819-1891), the author of Moby-Dick.
Hermann m German
German form of Herman. A famous bearer was the German author Hermann Hesse (1877-1962).
Hermanni m Finnish
Finnish form of Herman.
Hermanus m Dutch, Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of Herman. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates, with the form Herman typically used in daily life.
Hermenegildo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of a Visigothic name, from the Gothic elements airmans "great, immense" and gild "payment, tribute, compensation". It was borne by a 6th-century saint, the son of Liuvigild the Visigothic king of Hispania.
Hermenegildus m Gothic (Latinized)
Latinized (Old Spanish) form of Airmanagild.
Hermes m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Spanish
Probably from Greek ἕρμα (herma) meaning "cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker". Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeus and the other gods. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.... [more]
Hermia f Literature
Feminine form of Hermes. Shakespeare used this name in his comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).
Hermína f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Hermine.
Hermina f Dutch, Slovene, Hungarian, Croatian
Dutch, Slovene, Hungarian and Croatian form of Hermine.
Hermine f German, French
German feminine form of Herman.
Hermínia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Herminius.
Hermínio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Herminius.
Herminio m Spanish
Spanish form of Herminius.
Herminius m Ancient Roman
Roman name that was possibly of unknown Etruscan origin, but could also be derived from the name of the god Hermes. In Roman legend this was the name of a companion of Aeneas.
Hermione f Greek Mythology
Derived from the name of the Greek messenger god Hermes. In Greek myth Hermione was the daughter of Menelaus and Helen. This is also the name of the wife of Leontes in Shakespeare's play The Winter's Tale (1610). It is now closely associated with the character Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Hermógenes m Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Hermogenes.
Hermogenes m Ancient Greek
Means "born of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek γενής (genes) meaning "born".
Hermokrates m Ancient Greek
Means "power of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek κράτος (kratos) meaning "power".
Hermolaos m Ancient Greek
Means "the people of Hermes" from the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek λαός (laos) meaning "people".
Hernán m Spanish
Short form of Hernando.
Hernando m Spanish
Medieval Spanish form of Ferdinand. A famous bearer of this name was the Spanish conquistador Hernando (or Hernán) Cortés (1485-1547).
Hero 1 f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero". In Greek legend she was the lover of Leander, who would swim across the Hellespont each night to meet her. He was killed on one such occasion when he got caught in a storm while in the water, and when Hero saw his dead body she drowned herself. This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing (1599).
Herod m Biblical
From the Greek name Ἡρῴδης (Herodes), which probably means "song of the hero" from ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior" combined with ᾠδή (ode) meaning "song, ode". This was the name of several rulers of Judea during the period when it was part of the Roman Empire. This includes two who appear in the New Testament: Herod the Great, the king who ordered the slaughter of the children, and his son Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist beheaded.
Herodes m Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Latin form of Herod, as well as the usual Biblical Greek transcription of Ἡρῴδης: after the classical period, the ι in the sequence ωι (often written as a subscript like ) was not pronounced.
Herodias f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Feminine form of Herod. This was the name of a member of the Herodian ruling family of Judea, a sister of Herod Agrippa and the wife of Herod Antipas. She appears in the New Testament, where she contrives to have her husband Antipas imprison and execute John the Baptist.
Herodion m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Derivative of the Greek name Herodes (see Herod). This name is mentioned briefly in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament. According to tradition he was a bishop of Patras, Greece, and was later martyred in Rome with Saint Peter.
Herodotus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἡρόδοτος (Herodotos), derived from the name of the goddess Hera combined with δοτός (dotos) meaning "given, granted". Herodotus was a Greek historian of the 5th century BC who wrote the Histories, a detailed account of the Greco-Persian Wars. He is known as the Father of History.
Heroides m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Herod.
Heron m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero". This was the name of a 1st-century Greek inventor (also known as Hero) from Alexandria.
Herry m Medieval English
Medieval English form of Henry. Unlike Harry, this form is no longer used.
Hersh m Yiddish
Alternate transcription of Yiddish הירש (see Hirsh).
Hershel m American, Yiddish
Yiddish diminutive of Hirsh. As a non-Jewish American name (somewhat common around the end of the 19th century), it was likely inspired by the German surname Herschel, borne for instance by the British-German astronomer William Herschel (1738-1822).
Hersilia f Roman Mythology
Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Greek ἕρση (herse) meaning "dew". In Roman legend this was the name of a Sabine woman who became the wife of Romulus.
Herta f German
Variant of Hertha.
Hertha f German
Form of Nerthus. The spelling change from N to H resulted from a misreading of Tacitus's text.
Hertta f Finnish
Finnish form of Hertha. This is also the Finnish word for the card suit hearts.
Heru m Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Horus.
Herut f Hebrew
Means "freedom" in Hebrew.
Herve m Breton
Breton form of Harvey.
Hervé m French
French form of Harvey.
Hervey m English
Variant of Harvey.
Hesekiel m Biblical Swedish, Biblical Finnish, Biblical German
Form of Ezekiel found in Swedish and Finnish Bibles, as well as in German Protestant Bibles.
Hesham m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هشام (see Hisham).
Heshel m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Yehoshua.
Hesiod m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ἡσίοδος (Hesiodos), which probably meant "to throw song" from ἵημι (hiemi) meaning "to throw, to speak" and ᾠδή (ode) meaning "song, ode". This was the name of an 8th-century BC Greek poet.
Hesiodos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Hesiod.
Hesperos m Ancient Greek
Means "evening" in Greek. This was the name of the personification of the Evening Star (the planet Venus) in Greek mythology.
Hester f English, Dutch, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Esther. Like Esther, it has been used in England since the Protestant Reformation. Nathaniel Hawthorne used it for the heroine of his novel The Scarlet Letter (1850), Hester Prynne, a Puritan woman forced to wear a red letter A on her chest after giving birth to a child out of wedlock.
Hestia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἑστία (hestia) meaning "hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.
Hesychios m Late Greek
Means "still, quiet, at rest" in Greek. This name was borne by a noted grammarian from Alexandria, who is thought to have lived in the 5th or 6th century. It was also the name of a few early saints.
Heta f Finnish
Finnish vernacular form of Hedvig.
Hetepheres f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ḥtp-ḥrs meaning "satisfied is her face", from ḥtp "peace, satisfaction" and ḥr "face". This was the name of queens consort and princesses from the Egyptian 4th dynasty (26th century BC).
Hettie f English
Diminutive of Henrietta or Hester.
Heulwen f Welsh
Means "sunshine" in Welsh (a compound of haul "sun" and gwen "white, blessed").
Hevel m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Abel.
Heydər m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Haidar.
Heydar m Persian
Persian form of Haidar.
Hezekiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name חִזְקִיָהוּ (Ḥizqiyahu), which means "Yahweh strengthens", from the roots חָזַק (ḥazaq) meaning "to strength" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name was borne by a powerful king of Judah who reigned in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of an ancestor of the prophet Zephaniah.
Hiacynta f Polish
Polish feminine form of Hyacinthus.
Hiawatha m History, Iroquois (Anglicized)
Meaning uncertain, of Iroquois origin, possibly meaning "he who combs". This was the name of a Mohawk or Onondaga leader who founded the Iroquois Confederacy around the 15th century. He was later the subject of a fictionalized 1855 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Hiba f Arabic
Means "gift" in Arabic, a derivative of وهب (wahaba) meaning "to give".
Hibiki m & f Japanese
From Japanese (hibiki) meaning "sound, echo".
Hibo f Somali
Somali form of Hiba.
Hicham m Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic هشام (see Hisham) chiefly used in North Africa.
Hicran f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "separation, parting" in Turkish and Azerbaijani (of Arabic origin).
Hidayət m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Hidayat.
Hidayat m Arabic, Indonesian
Means "guidance" in Arabic, from the root هدى (hadā) meaning "to lead the right way, to guide".
Hidde m Frisian
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element hilt meaning "battle".
Hideaki m Japanese
From Japanese (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" and (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear", as well as other combinations of kanji.
Hideki m Japanese
From Japanese (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Hideko f Japanese
From Japanese (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with (ko) meaning "child". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Hidemi m Japanese
From Japanese (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" and (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.
Hideo m Japanese
From Japanese (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" or (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" combined with (o) meaning "hero, manly" or (o) meaning "husband, man". Other kanji combinations can also form this name. A famous bearer is the video game developer Hideo Kojima (1963-).
Hideyoshi m Japanese
From Japanese (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" combined with (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" or (yoshi) meaning "good luck". Other kanji combinations are possible. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Hideyoshi being his given name) was a 16th-century daimyo who unified Japan and attempted to conquer Korea. He also banned the ownership of weapons by the peasantry, and banished Christian missionaries.
Hienadz m Belarusian
Alternate transcription of Belarusian Генадзь (see Henadz).
Hieronim m Polish
Polish form of Hieronymos (see Jerome).
Hieronym m Slovak
Slovak form of Hieronymos (see Jerome).
Hieronymos m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Jerome.
Hieronymus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), German (Archaic), Dutch (Archaic)
Latin form of Jerome, formerly common in Germany and the Netherlands. Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516) was a Dutch painter known for his depictions of the torments of hell.
Hiếu m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (hiếu) meaning "filial piety, obedience".
Hieu m Biblical Latin
Latin form of Jehu.
Hiezecihel m Biblical Latin
Biblical Latin form of Ezekiel.
Hifumi m & f Japanese
From Japanese (hi) meaning "one", (fu) meaning "two" and (mi) meaning "three".
Higini m Catalan (Rare)
Catalan form of Hyginus.
Higinio m Spanish
Spanish form of Hyginus.
Higuel m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Hywel.
Hiʻiaka f Polynesian Mythology
Means "held essence", derived from Hawaiian hiʻi meaning "hold, carry" and aka meaning "essence, image, embryo". This is the name of a Hawaiian goddess, the youngest sister of the volcano goddess Pele. To help her sister, Hiʻiaka volunteered to retrieve Pele's lover Lohiʻau from a neighbouring island, as long as Pele promised to protect her sacred grove of trees and her lover Hōpoe in her absence. The task took longer than expected and Pele grew impatient, destroying Hiʻiaka's grove and killing her lover.
Hikari f & m Japanese
From Japanese (hikari) meaning "light". Other kanji can also form this name. It is often written with the hiragana writing system.
Hikaru m & f Japanese
From Japanese (hikaru) meaning "light" or (hikaru) meaning "brightness". Other kanji can also form this name.
Hikmat m & f Arabic
Means "wisdom" in Arabic, related to the root حكم (ḥakama) meaning "to pass judgement, to decide".
Hikmet m Turkish
Turkish form of Hikmat.
Hila f Hebrew
Means "halo, aura" in Hebrew, from the root הָלַל (halal) meaning "to praise, to shine".
Hilaire m French
French form of Hilarius.
Hilal m & f Arabic, Turkish
Means "crescent moon" in Arabic, also referring to the new moon on the Islamic calendar. As a given name it is typically masculine in Arabic and feminine in Turkish.