Browse Names

Shanta f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "pacified, calm" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Ramayana this is the name of a princess of Anga who marries Rishyasringa.

Shantanu m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Means "wholesome" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of a king of Hastinapura.

Shapur m History, Persian
From Middle Persian 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩 (Shahpuhr) meaning "son of the king". This was the name of three Sasanian emperors.

Shealtiel m Biblical
Means "I have asked of God" in Hebrew, from the roots שָׁאַל (shaʾal) meaning "to ask" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". According to the Old Testament this was the name of the father of Zerubbabel. It was also borne by a son of King Jeconiah of Judah (he is called Salathiel in some translations).

Sheba m Biblical
Probably from the name of the Sabaean people, who had a kingdom in the southern Arabian Peninsula and eastern Ethiopia. Sheba is a place name in the Old Testament, famous as the home of the Queen of Sheba, who visited King Solomon after hearing of his wisdom. This name is also borne by several male characters in the Bible.

Sherah f Biblical
Variant of Sheerah used in the King James Version of the Old Testament.

Shimeath f Biblical
From Hebrew שֵׁמַע (shemaʿ) meaning "report, news, fame". In the Old Testament Shimeath is the mother of one of the assassins of King Joash of Judah.

Siavash m Persian, Persian Mythology
Persian form of Avestan 𐬯𐬌𐬌𐬁𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬭𐬱𐬀𐬥 (Siiāuuarshan) meaning "possessing black stallions". This was the name of a virtuous prince in Iranian mythology. He appears briefly in the Avesta, with a longer account recorded in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.

Siegfried m German, Germanic Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and fridu "peace". Siegfried was a hero from German legend, the chief character in the Nibelungenlied. He secretly helped the Burgundian king Gunther overcome the challenges set out by the Icelandic queen Brunhild so that Gunther might win her hand. In exchange, Gunther consented to the marriage of Siegfried and his sister Kriemhild. Years later, after a dispute between Brunhild and Kriemhild, Siegfried was murdered by Hagen with Gunther's consent. He was stabbed in his one vulnerable spot on the small of his back, which had been covered by a leaf while he bathed in dragon's blood. He is a parallel to the Norse hero Sigurd. The story was later adapted by Richard Wagner to form part of his opera The Ring of the Nibelung (1876).

Sigeberht m Anglo-Saxon
Means "bright victory", derived from Old English sige "victory" and beorht "bright" (a cognate of Siegbert). This was the name of a king of Wessex. The name fell out of use after the Norman Conquest.

Sigismund m German (Rare), Germanic
Form of Sigmund in which the first element is sigis, an extended form of sigu. Saint Sigismund was a 6th-century king of the Burgundians. This was also the name of kings of Poland and a ruler of the Holy Roman Empire.

Sigmund m German, Norwegian, English, Norse Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and munt "protection" (or in the case of the Scandinavian cognate, from Old Norse sigr and mundr). An early variant of this name was Sigismund, borne by a 6th-century saint and king of the Burgundians. In the Norse Völsungasaga Sigmund is the hero Sigurd's father, the bearer of the powerful sword Gram. A notable bearer was the Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the creator of the revolutionary theory of psychoanalysis.

Silvester m Slovak, Slovene, Serbian, German, English, Late Roman
From a Latin name meaning "wooded, wild", derived from silva "wood, forest". This was the name of three popes, including Saint Silvester I who supposedly baptized the first Christian Roman emperor, Constantine the Great. As an English name, Silvester (or Sylvester) has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it became less common after the Protestant Reformation.

Simba 2 m Swahili
Means "lion" in Swahili. This is the name of the main character in the Disney movie The Lion King (1994), about a lion cub who exiles himself after his father is murdered.

Sita f Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali
Means "furrow" in Sanskrit. Sita is the name of the Hindu goddess of the harvest in the Rigveda. This is also the name of the wife of Rama (and an avatar of Lakshmi) in the Hindu epic the Ramayana. In this story Sita is abducted by the demon king Ravana, with her husband and his allies attempting to rescue her.

Sláine f & m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish slán meaning "health, safety". This was the name of a legendary high king of Ireland, one of the Fir Bolg. It was also the name of a daughter of the 11th-century high king Brian Boru.

Solomon m Biblical, English, Jewish, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name שְׁלֹמֹה (Shelomo), which was derived from שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". As told in the Old Testament, Solomon was a king of Israel, the son of David and Bathsheba. He was renowned for his wisdom and wealth. Towards the end of his reign he angered God by turning to idolatry. Supposedly, he was the author of the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.... [more]

Somerled m Old Norse (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of the Old Norse name Sumarliði meaning "summer traveller". This was the name of a 12th-century Norse-Gaelic king of Mann and the Scottish Isles.

Sophia f English, Greek, German, Ancient Greek
Means "wisdom" in Greek. This was the name of an early, probably mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Legends about her probably arose as a result of a medieval misunderstanding of the phrase Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom", which is the name of a large basilica in Constantinople.... [more]

Sophonisba f Phoenician (Latinized), History
From the Punic name 𐤑𐤐𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋 (Ṣapanbaʿl) probably meaning "Ba'al conceals", derived from Phoenician 𐤑𐤐𐤍 (ṣapan) possibly meaning "to hide, to conceal" combined with the name of the god Ba'al. Sophonisba was a 3rd-century BC Carthaginian princess who killed herself rather than surrender to the Romans. Her name was recorded in this form by Roman historians such as Livy. She later became a popular subject of plays from the 16th century onwards.

Soraya f Persian, Spanish, French, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Persian form of Thurayya. It became popular in some parts of Europe because of the fame of Princess Soraya (1932-2001), wife of the last Shah of Iran, who became a European socialite.

Spencer m English
From an English surname that meant "dispenser of provisions", derived from Middle English spense "larder, pantry". A famous bearer was American actor Spencer Tracy (1900-1967). It was also the surname of Princess Diana (1961-1997).

Stephen m English, Biblical
From the Greek name Στέφανος (Stephanos) meaning "crown, wreath", more precisely "that which surrounds". Saint Stephen was a deacon who was stoned to death, as told in Acts in the New Testament. He is regarded as the first Christian martyr. Due to him, the name became common in the Christian world. It was popularized in England by the Normans.... [more]

Suibhne m Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Suibne, possibly derived from subae meaning "joy, pleasure". This was the name of several figures from early Irish history, including a 7th-century high king and an 8th-century saint. It also appears in the Irish legend Buile Suibhne (meaning "The Madness of Suibhne") about a king who goes insane after being cursed by Saint Rónán Finn.

Sultan m & f Arabic, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Urdu, Bengali, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Avar, Indonesian
Means "ruler, king, sultan" in Arabic. In the Arab world this name is typically masculine, but Turkey it is given to both boys and girls.

Sumati f Hinduism, Hindi
Means "wise, good mind", derived from Sanskrit सु (su) meaning "good" and मति (mati) meaning "mind, thought". According to Hindu tradition this was the name of King Sagara's second wife, who bore him 60,000 children.

Sunita f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Means "well conducted, wise", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with नीत (nīta) meaning "conducted, led". In Hindu legend this is the name of the wife of King Anga of Bengal and the mother of Vena.

Tadhg m Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Tadg meaning "poet". This was the name of an 11th-century king of Connacht, as well as several other kings and chieftains of medieval Ireland. According to Irish mythology it was the name of the grandfather of Fionn mac Cumhaill.

Tafari m Amharic (Rare)
Possibly means "he who inspires awe" in Amharic. This name was borne by Lij Tafari Makonnen (1892-1975), also known as Haile Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarians (Ras Tafari meaning "king Tafari") revere him as the earthly incarnation of God.

Taguhi f Armenian
Means "queen" in Armenian.

Tahmina f Persian Mythology, Tajik, Bengali
Derived from Persian تهم (tahm) meaning "brave, valiant". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh. She is a daughter of the king of Samangan who marries the warrior hero Rostam and eventually bears him a son, whom they name Sohrab.

Tahpenes f Biblical
Probably of Egyptian origin, possibly meaning "the wife of the king", derived from the feminine determiner tꜣ and ḥmt "woman, wife" combined with the masculine determiner pꜣ and nsw "king". Queen Tahpenes was a wife of an Egyptian pharaoh according to the Book of Kings in the Old Testament.

Takehiko m Japanese
From Japanese 武 (take) meaning "military, martial" or 竹 (take) meaning "bamboo" combined with 彦 (hiko) meaning "boy, prince". Other kanji combinations are also possible.

Taliesin m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Means "shining brow", derived from Welsh tal "brow, head" and iesin "shining, radiant". This was the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century Welsh poet and bard, supposedly the author of the collection of poems the Book of Taliesin. He appears briefly in the Welsh legend Culhwch and Olwen and the Second Branch of the Mabinogi. He is the central character in the Tale of Taliesin, a medieval legend recorded in the 16th century, which tells how Ceridwen's servant Gwion Bach was reborn to her as Taliesin; how he becomes the bard for Elffin; and how Taliesin defends Elffin from the machinations of the king Maelgwn Gwynedd.

Talmai m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "furrowed" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is borne by both a giant and also the father of King David's wife Maacah.

Talulla f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of the Old Irish name Taileflaith, Tuileflaith or Tuilelaith, probably from tuile "abundance" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of an early saint, an abbess of Kildare.

Tamar f Hebrew, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "date palm" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah and later his wife. This was also the name of a daughter of King David. She was raped by her half-brother Amnon, leading to his murder by her brother Absalom. The name was borne by a 12th-century ruling queen of Georgia who presided over the kingdom at the peak of its power.

Taran m Welsh Mythology, Pictish
Means "thunder" in Welsh, from the old Celtic root *toranos. It appears briefly in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi. The name is cognate to that of the Gaulish god Taranis. It was also borne by the 7th-century Pictish king Taran mac Ainftech.

Tariel m Literature, Georgian
Created by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic The Knight in the Panther's Skin. He may have based it on Persian تاجور (tājvar) meaning "king" or تار (tār) meaning "dark, obscure" combined with یل (yal) meaning "hero". In the poem Tariel, the titular knight who wears a panther skin, is an Indian prince who becomes a companion of Avtandil.

Tatiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, French, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, Georgian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman name Tatianus, a derivative of the Roman name Tatius. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Rome under the emperor Alexander Severus. She was especially venerated in Orthodox Christianity, and the name has been common in Russia (as Татьяна) and Eastern Europe. It was not regularly used in the English-speaking world until the 1980s.

Tatius m Roman Mythology, Ancient Roman
Roman family name of unknown meaning, possibly of Sabine origin. According to Roman legend, Titus Tatius was an 8th-century BC king of the Sabines who came to jointly rule over the Romans and Sabines with the Roman king Romulus.

Telamon m Greek Mythology
From a Greek word meaning "broad leather strap". According to Greek mythology he was a king of Salamis and the father of the heroes Ajax and Teucer.

Teucer m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Τεῦκρος (Teukros), of uncertain origin, possibly related to the name of the Hittite god Tarhunna. According to Homer's Iliad he was a son of King Telamon of Salamis. A renowned archer, he fought against the Trojans with his half-brother Ajax and the other Greeks. After the war he went to Cyprus where he founded the city of Salamis, naming it after his home island.

Teuta f Albanian
Possibly from an Illyrian word or title meaning "queen, lady of the people". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Illyrian queen. After the death of her husband Agron, she ruled as the regent for his young son Pinnes.

Thema f Akan
Means "queen" in Akan.

Theobald m English (Rare), Germanic
Means "bold people", derived from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and bald meaning "bold, brave". It was borne by a 6th-century Frankish king of Austrasia. The Normans brought the name to England, where it joined an existing Old English cognate. The medieval forms Tibald and Tebald were commonly Latinized as Theobaldus. It was rare by the 20th century.

Theodemir m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Þiudamers, derived from the elements þiuda "people" and mers "famous". This was the name of a 5th-century king of the Ostrogoths, the father of Theodoric the Great. It was also borne by a 6th-century king of the Suebi in Galicia. There was also a saint by this name, a 9th-century Benedictine monk who was martyred at Córdoba.

Theodora f English, Greek, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Theodore. This name was common in the Byzantine Empire, being borne by several empresses including the influential wife of Justinian in the 6th century.

Theodoric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Þiudareiks meaning "ruler of the people", derived from the elements þiuda "people" and reiks "ruler, king". It was notably borne by Theodoric the Great, a 6th-century king of the Ostrogoths who eventually became the ruler of Italy. By Theodoric's time the Ostrogoths were partially Romanized and his name was regularly recorded as Theodoricus. This was also the name of two earlier (5th century) Visigothic kings.

Theodosius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεοδόσιος (Theodosios) meaning "giving to god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δόσις (dosis) meaning "giving". Saint Theodosius of Palestine was a monk who founded a monastery near Bethlehem in the 5th century. This also was the name of emperors of the Eastern Roman and Byzantine Empires.

Theresa f English, German
From the Spanish and Portuguese name Teresa. It was first recorded as Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek θέρος (theros) meaning "summer", from Greek θερίζω (therizo) meaning "to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).... [more]

Theseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by Aegeus or by the god Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.... [more]

Theudemer m Germanic
Old German form of Theodemir. Theudemer (or Theodemer) was a 5th-century king of the Franks.

Þóra f Old Norse, Icelandic
Either a feminine form of Þórr (see Thor) or else a short form of the various Old Norse names beginning with the element Þór. In Norse myth Thora was the wife of the Danish king Ragnar Lodbrok.

Tiana f English
Short form of Tatiana or Christiana. It was rare in the United States until it jumped in popularity in 1975, perhaps due to the Vietnamese-American actress Tiana Alexandra (1956-), who had some exposure at that time. It was used as the name of the princess in the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog (2009).

Tiberius m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "of the Tiber" in Latin. The Tiber is the river that runs through Rome. Tiberius was the second Roman emperor, the stepson of Emperor Augustus. He was born Tiberius Claudius Nero, but was renamed Tiberius Julius Caesar after he was designated as the heir of Augustus.

Tigerlily f English (Rare)
From tiger lily, a name that has been applied to several orange varieties of lily (such as the species Lilium lancifolium). Tiger Lily is also the name of the Native American princess in J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan (1904).

Tighearnán m Medieval Irish
From Old Irish Tigernán meaning "little lord", from tigerna "lord" combined with a diminutive suffix. It was borne by a 6th-century saint who founded a monastery at Errew. It was also the name of a 12th-century king of Breifne.

Tinúviel f Literature
Means "daughter of twilight, nightingale" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tinuviel was another name of Lúthien, the daughter of Thingol the elf king. She was the beloved of Beren, who with her help retrieved one of the Silmarils from the iron crown of Morgoth.

Titania f Literature
Perhaps based on Latin Titanius meaning "of the Titans". This name was (first?) used by William Shakespeare in his comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595) where it belongs to the queen of the fairies, the wife of Oberon. This is also a moon of Uranus, named after the Shakespearean character.

Titus m Ancient Roman, English, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Roman praenomen, or given name, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to Latin titulus "title of honour". It is more likely of Oscan origin, since it was borne by the legendary Sabine king Titus Tatius.... [more]

Tomislav m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Bulgarian
Probably derived from the Slavic element tomiti "to torment" combined with slava "glory". This was the name of the first king of Croatia (10th century).

Tomyris f History
Hellenized form of a Scythian name, possibly from an Iranian root meaning "family". This was the name of a 6th-century BC queen of the Massagetae (a Scythian people) who defeated Cyrus the Great during his invasion of Central Asia.

Trahaearn m Medieval Welsh
Means "very much like iron", derived from Welsh tra "very, over" prefixed to haearn "iron". This name was borne by an 11th-century king of Gwynedd.

Trajan 1 m History
From the Roman cognomen Traianus, which is of unknown meaning. The Roman emperor Trajan (full name Marcus Ulpius Traianus) is considered among the most capable men to have led the empire. His military accomplishments include victories over Dacia and Parthia.

Trajan 2 m Macedonian, Serbian
Means "enduring, permanent" in South Slavic. This also coincides with the Macedonian and Serbian form of the Roman emperor's name Trajan 1, which may also factor into the name's usage.

Tristan m English, French, Arthurian Cycle
Probably from the Celtic name Drustan, a diminutive of Drust, which occurs as Drystan in a few Welsh sources. As Tristan, it first appears in 12th-century French tales, probably altered by association with Old French triste "sad". According to the tales Tristan was sent to Ireland by his uncle King Mark of Cornwall in order to fetch Iseult, who was to be the king's bride. On the way back, Tristan and Iseult accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Later versions of the tale make Tristan one of King Arthur's knights. His tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since then.

Troilus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Literature
Latinized form of Greek Τρωΐλος (Troilos), from the Greek name of the city of Troy Τροία (Troia). In Greek legend this was a son of king Priam killed by Achilles. His story was greatly expanded by medieval European writers such as Boccaccio and Chaucer, who make him the lover of Criseida. Shakespeare based his play Troilus and Cressida (1602) on these tales.

Trym m Norse Mythology, Norwegian
From Old Norse Þrymr meaning "noise, uproar". In Norse mythology he was a king of the giants who stole Mjölnir, Thor's hammer. Trym demanded that he wed the beautiful Freya in exchange for it, so Thor disguised himself in a wedding dress and killed the giant.

Tuathflaith f Old Irish
From Old Irish túath "people, country" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess".

Tukulti-Ninurta m Ancient Assyrian
Means "my trust is in Ninurta", from Akkadian tukultu meaning "trust, faith" and the god's name Ninurta. This was the name of a 13th-century BC king of the Assyrian Empire.

Tupaq m Quechua
Means "royal, noble" in Quechua. This was the name of a 15th-century (precontact) Inca emperor, Tupaq Inka Yupanki. After the Spanish conquest it was borne by a 16th-century ruler of the Neo-Inca State at Vilcabamba, and in the 18th century it was borne by a descendant who led a rebellion against Spanish rule. Both of them were named Tupaq Amaru, and both were executed by the Spanish.

Turnus m Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. According to Virgil's Aeneid, Turnus was a king of the Rutuli. He led the Latins in war against the Trojans led by Aeneas. At the end of the book he is killed by Aeneas in a duel.

Tybalt m Literature
The name of a cousin of Juliet killed by Romeo in William Shakespeare's drama Romeo and Juliet (1596). The character earlier appears as Tebaldo, an Italian form of Theobald, in Luigi Da Porto's novella Giulietta e Romeo (1524), one of Shakespeare's sources. Shakespeare was also inspired by the character of Tybalt the Cat (from Thibault the French form of Theobald) in medieval fables of Reynard the Fox (evidenced by Mercutio calling Tybalt the "prince of cats").

Uhtric m Anglo-Saxon (Hypothetical)
Derived from the Old English elements uhta "pre-dawn" and ric "ruler, king".

Ulrich m German, Germanic
From the Old German name Odalric, derived from the element uodil "heritage" combined with rih "ruler, king". This was the name of two German saints. Another famous bearer was Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), also known as Huldrych, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland.

Uriah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name אוּרִיָה (ʾUriya) meaning "Yahweh is my light", from the roots אוּר (ʾur) meaning "light, flame" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a Hittite warrior in King David's army, the first husband of Bathsheba. David desired Bathsheba so he placed Uriah in the forefront of battle so he would be killed.

Urias m Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latin form of Uriah. This form is also used in some English translations of the New Testament (such as the King James Version).

Urien m Arthurian Cycle
From the Old Welsh name Urbgen, possibly from the Celtic root *orbo- "heir" and the suffix gen "born of". This was the name of a 6th-century king of Rheged. Passing into Arthurian tales, he became the king of Gore, the husband of Morgan le Fay, and the father of Owain.

Ursula f English, Swedish, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Late Roman
Means "little bear", derived from a diminutive form of the Latin word ursa "she-bear". Saint Ursula was a legendary virgin princess of the 4th century who was martyred by the Huns while returning from a pilgrimage. In England the saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and the name came into general use at that time.

Usha f Hinduism, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali
Variant of Ushas. According to the Hindu text the Bhagavata Purana this was the name of a daughter of the demon king Bana who married Aniruddha, the grandson of the Hindu deity Krishna.

Uther m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
From the Welsh name Uthyr, derived from Welsh uthr meaning "terrible". In Arthurian legend Uther was the father of King Arthur. He appears in some early Welsh texts, but is chiefly known from the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth.

Uttara m & f Hinduism, Marathi
Means "north" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form उत्तर and the feminine form उत्तरा (spelled with a long final vowel), both of which occur in the Hindu epic the Mahabharata belonging to the son and daughter of King Virata.

Uzziah m Biblical
Means "my power is Yahweh" in Hebrew, from the roots עֹז (ʿoz) meaning "strength, power" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters including a king of Judah.

Václav m Czech, Slovak
Contracted form of an older Czech name Veceslav, derived from the Slavic elements vęťĭjĭ "more, greater" and slava "glory". Saint Václav (known as Wenceslas or Wenceslaus in English) was a 10th-century Duke of Bohemia murdered by his brother. He is the patron saint of the Czech Republic. This was also the name of several Bohemian kings.

Vahe m Armenian
Possibly from Old Persian 𐎺𐎢 (vahu) meaning "good". This was the name of a semi-legendary 4th-century BC Armenian king.

Valdemar m Danish, Swedish, Finnish
Scandinavian form of Waldemar, also used as a translation of the Slavic cognate Vladimir. This was the name of four kings of Denmark and a king of Sweden. It was introduced to Scandinavia by the 12th-century Danish king Valdemar I who was named after his mother's grandfather: Vladimir II, a grand prince of Kievan Rus.

Valens m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen (see Valentine 1). This name was borne by a 4th-century Roman emperor.

Valentinian m History
English form of Valentinianus, used to refer to the Roman emperor.

Valentinianus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a derivative of the cognomen Valentinus (see Valentine 1). This name was borne by three Roman emperors.

Valerian m Russian, Georgian, Romanian, History
From the Roman cognomen Valerianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name Valerius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Publius Licinius Valerianus) who was captured by the Persians. Several saints have also borne this name, including a 2nd-century martyr of Lyons.

Valéry m French
Derived from the Old German elements walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and rih "ruler, king". It has been frequently confused with the name Valère. Saint Walaric (or Valery) was a 7th-century Frankish monk who founded an abbey near Leuconaus at the mouth of the Somme River.

Vashti f Biblical
Probably of Persian origin, possibly a superlative form of 𐎺𐎢 (vahu) meaning "good". According to the Old Testament this was the name of the first wife of King Ahasuerus of Persia before he married Esther.

Vedastus m History (Ecclesiastical)
Possibly a Latinized form of a Germanic or Celtic name, possibly Germanic Widogast. This was the name of a 6th-century saint who helped to convert the Frankish king Clovis to Christianity. He is called Gaston in French and Vaast in Flemish.

Vena m Hinduism
Means "yearning, desire" in Sanskrit. According to Hindu scripture this was the name of an evil and irreligious king.

Vercingetorix m Gaulish
Means "king over warriors" from Gaulish wer "on, over" combined with kingeto "marching men, warriors" and rix "king". This name was borne by a 1st-century BC chieftain of the Gaulish tribe the Arverni. He led the resistance against Julius Caesar's attempts to conquer Gaul, but he was eventually defeated, brought to Rome, and executed.

Veremund m Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of a Germanic name, probably Waramunt, derived from either war "aware, cautious" or war "true" combined with munt "protection". This was the name of a 5th-century king of Galicia (from the Germanic tribe of the Suebi). It was later the name of kings of Asturias and León, though their names are usually spelled in the Spanish form Bermudo.

Veríssimo m Portuguese
From the Latin name Verissimus meaning "very true". Saint Verissimus was a Portuguese martyr executed during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.

Vespasian m History
From the Roman cognomen Vespasianus, derived either from Latin vesper meaning "west" or "evening" or vespa meaning "wasp". This was the name of a 1st-century Roman emperor, Titus Flavius Vespasianus, the founder of the Flavian dynasty.

Victoria f English, Spanish, Romanian, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, French, Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Means "victory" in Latin, being borne by the Roman goddess of victory. It is also a feminine form of Victorius. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from North Africa.... [more]

Vijaya m & f Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Hindi
Means "victory" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form विजय and the feminine form विजया, both of which occur as names or epithets in Hindu scripture. This was also the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century BC king of Sri Lanka.... [more]

Vikrama m Hinduism
Means "stride, pace" or "valour" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu. This was also the name of a semi-legendary 1st-century BC king (full name Vikramaditya) of Ujjain in India.

Viola f English, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Means "violet" in Latin. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night (1602). In the play she is the survivor of a shipwreck who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Working as a messenger for Duke Orsino, she attempts to convince Olivia to marry him. Instead Viola falls in love with the duke.

Virginia f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Greek, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman family name Verginius or Virginius, which is of unknown meaning, but long associated with Latin virgo "maid, virgin". According to a legend, it was the name of a Roman woman killed by her father so as to save her from the clutches of a crooked official.... [more]

Vivien 2 f Literature, Hungarian
Used by Alfred Tennyson as the name of the Lady of the Lake in his Arthurian epic Idylls of the King (1859). Tennyson may have based it on Vivienne, but it possibly arose as a misreading of Ninian. A famous bearer was British actress Vivien Leigh (1913-1967), who played Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind.

Vlad m Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian
Old short form of Vladislav and other names beginning with the Slavic element volděti (Church Slavic vladati) meaning "to rule, to control". This name was borne by several princes of Wallachia (in Romania) including the 15th-century Vlad III Dracula, who was Bram Stoker's inspiration for the name of his vampire Count Dracula.

Vladimir m Russian, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovene, Albanian
From the Old Slavic name *Voldiměrŭ, derived from the elements volděti meaning "to rule" and měrŭ meaning "great, famous". The second element has also been associated with mirŭ meaning "peace, world".... [more]

Vladislav m Russian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian
From the Old Slavic name *Voldislavŭ, derived from the elements volděti "to rule" and slava "glory". This name has been borne by kings, princes and dukes of Croatia, Serbia, Bohemia, Poland and Wallachia.

Vlastimir m Serbian
Derived from the Slavic element volstĭ (Serbian vlast) meaning "power, rule, sovereignty" combined with mirŭ meaning "peace, world". This was the name of a 9th-century prince of Serbia.

Vratislav m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements vortiti (Czech vrátit) meaning "to return" and slava meaning "glory". This was the name of two dukes of Bohemia (the second later a king).

Vsevolod m Russian, Ukrainian
Derived from the Slavic elements vĭśĭ "all" and volděti "to rule". This was the name of an 11th-century grand prince of Kyiv.

Vytautas m Lithuanian
From the Lithuanian root vyd- "to see" or vyti "to chase, to drive away" combined with tauta "people, nation". This was the name of a 15th-century Grand Duke of Lithuania, revered as a national hero in that country.

Walter m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Italian, Germanic
From the Germanic name Waltheri meaning "power of the army", from the elements walt "power, authority" and heri "army". In medieval German tales (notably Waltharius by Ekkehard of Saint Gall) Walter of Aquitaine is a heroic king of the Visigoths. The name was also borne by an 11th-century French saint, Walter of Pontoise. The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Wealdhere.... [more]

Wanda f Polish, English, German, French
Possibly from a Germanic name meaning "a Wend", referring to the Slavic people who inhabited eastern Germany. In Polish legends this was the name of the daughter of King Krak, the legendary founder of Krakow. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by the author Ouida, who used it for the heroine in her novel Wanda (1883).

Wayland m English, Anglo-Saxon Mythology
From Old English Weland, probably derived from the Germanic root *wīlą meaning "craft, cunning". In Germanic legend Weland (called Vǫlundr in Old Norse) was a master smith and craftsman. He was captured and hamstrung by King Niðhad, but took revenge by killing the king's sons.

Wen m & f Chinese
From Chinese 文 (wén) meaning "literature, culture, writing", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation. A famous bearer was the 2nd-century BC Emperor Wen of Han (posthumous name).

Wihtburg f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements wiht "creature, being" and burg "fortress". This was the name of an 8th-century saint, said to be the youngest daughter of King Anna of East Anglia.

Wilhelm m German, Polish, Germanic
German cognate of William. This was the name of two German emperors. It was also the middle name of several philosophers from Germany: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), who was also a notable mathematician. Another famous bearer was the physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845-1923).

Wilhelmina f Dutch, German (Rare), English
Dutch and German feminine form of Wilhelm. This name was borne by a queen of the Netherlands (1880-1962).

Willem m Dutch
Dutch form of William. Willem the Silent, Prince of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain that brought about the independence of the Netherlands. He is considered the founder of the Dutch royal family. In English he is commonly called William of Orange.

William m English
From the Germanic name Willehelm meaning "will helmet", composed of the elements willo "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". An early saint by this name was the 8th-century William of Gellone, a cousin of Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England in the 11th century. From then until the modern era it has been among the most common of English names (with John, Thomas and Robert).... [more]

Williric m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements willo "will, desire" and rih "ruler, king".

Winifred f English, Welsh
From Latin Winifreda, possibly from a Welsh name Gwenfrewi (maybe influenced by the Old English masculine name Winfred). Saint Winifred was a 7th-century Welsh martyr, probably legendary. According to the story, she was decapitated by a prince after she spurned his advances. Where her head fell there arose a healing spring, which has been a pilgrimage site since medieval times. Her story was recorded in the 12th century by Robert of Shrewsbury, and she has been historically more widely venerated in England than in Wales. The name has been used in England since at least the 16th century.

Wu m & f Chinese
From Chinese 武 (wǔ) meaning "military, martial" (which is generally only masculine) or 务 (wù) meaning "affairs, business", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly. This was the name of several Chinese rulers, including the 2nd-century BC emperor Wu of Han (a posthumous name, spelled 武) who expanded the empire and made Confucianism the state philosophy.

Wukong m Literature
Means "awakened to emptiness", from Chinese 悟 (wù) meaning "enlightenment, awakening" and 空 (kōng) meaning "empty, hollow, sky". This is the name of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, in the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West.

Wulfric m Anglo-Saxon
Old English name meaning "wolf ruler", from the elements wulf "wolf" and ric "ruler, king".

Xena f Popular Culture
Probably a variant of Xenia. This was the name of the main character in the 1990s television series Xena: Warrior Princess.

Xerxes m Old Persian (Hellenized), History
Greek form of the Old Persian name 𐎧𐏁𐎹𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎠 (Xšayarša), which meant "ruler over heroes". This was the name of a 5th-century BC king of Persia, the son of Darius the Great. He attempted an invasion of Greece, which ended unsuccessfully at the battle of Salamis.

Xochipilli m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "flower prince" in Nahuatl, from xōchitl "flower" and pilli "noble child, prince". Xochipilli was the Aztec god of love, flowers, song and games, the twin brother of Xochiquetzal.

Yaroslav m Russian, Ukrainian
Means "fierce and glorious", derived from the Slavic elements jarŭ "fierce, energetic" and slava "glory". Yaroslav the Wise was an 11th-century grand prince of Kyiv who expanded Kievan Rus to its greatest extent.

Yekaterina f Russian
Russian form of Katherine. This name was adopted by the German princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst in 1744 shortly before she married the future Russian emperor Peter III. She later overthrew her husband and ruled as empress, known as Catherine the Great in English.

Yelizaveta f Russian
Russian form of Elizabeth. This was the name of an 18th-century Russian empress.

Yevpraksiya f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Eupraxia. This was the name of a daughter of Vsevolod I, grand prince of Kyiv, who became the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Henry IV.

Yijun m & f Chinese
From Chinese 怡 (yí) meaning "joy, harmony" combined with 君 (jūn) meaning "king, ruler". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.

Yolanda f Spanish, English
From the medieval French name Yolande, which was probably a form of the name Violante, which was itself a derivative of Latin viola "violet". Alternatively it could be of Germanic origin.... [more]

Yolande f French
French form of Yolanda. A notable bearer of the 15th century was Yolande of Aragon, who acted as regent for the French king Charles VII, her son-in-law. She was a supporter of Joan of Arc.

Yuriy m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of George. This name was borne by Yuriy Dolgorukiy, a 12th-century grand prince of Kyiv. The Soviet cosmonaut Yuriy (or Yuri) Gagarin (1934-1968), the first man to travel to space, was another famous bearer of this name.

Zabel f Armenian
Armenian form of Isabel. A 13th-century ruling queen of Cilician Armenia bore this name.

Zachariah m English, Biblical
Variant of Zechariah. This spelling is used in the King James Version of the Old Testament to refer to one of the kings of Israel (called Zechariah in other versions).

Zaida f Arabic (Rare), Spanish
Feminine form of Zayd. This was the name of a Muslim princess who took refuge at the court of (and perhaps married) Alfonso VI of León and Castile in the 11th century.

Zara 1 f Literature, English
Used by William Congreve for a character in his tragedy The Mourning Bride (1697), where it belongs to a captive North African queen. Congreve may have based it on the Arabic name Zahra 1. In 1736 the English writer Aaron Hill used it to translate Zaïre for his popular adaptation of Voltaire's French play Zaïre (1732).... [more]

Zarina f Uzbek, Kazakh, Tajik, Urdu, Malay
From Persian زرین (zarīn) meaning "golden". According to the 5th-century BC Greek historian Ctesias, this was the name of a Scythian queen.

Zaynab f Arabic
Meaning uncertain. It is possibly related to Arabic زين (zayn) meaning "beauty"; it could be from the name of a fragrant flowering tree; or it could be an Arabic form of Zenobia, a name borne by a pre-Islamic queen of Palmyra. Zaynab was the name of a daughter, a granddaughter, and two wives of the Prophet Muhammad.

Zbigniew m Polish
Derived from the Slavic elements jĭzbyti "to dispel" and gněvŭ "anger". This was the name of a 12th-century duke of Poland.

Zdeslav m Croatian (Rare)
Croatian form of Zdzisław. This name was borne by a 9th-century duke of Croatia.

Zebidah f Biblical
Derived from Hebrew זָבַד (zavaḏ) meaning "to give". In the Old Testament she is a wife of King Josiah of Judah and the mother of Jehoiakim. Her name is spelled as Zebudah in some translations.

Zebudah f Biblical
Variant of Zebidah found in some versions of the Old Testament (including the King James Version).

Zedekiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name צִדְקִיָּהוּ (Tsiḏqiyyahu) meaning "Yahweh is righteousness", from צֶדֶק (tseḏeq) meaning "justice, righteousness" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of the last king of Judah.

Zelda 2 f English
Short form of Griselda. This is the name of a princess in the Legend of Zelda video games, debuting in 1986 and called ゼルダ (Zeruda) in Japanese. According to creator Shigeru Miyamoto she was named after the American socialite Zelda Fitzgerald (1900-1948).

Zenobia f Ancient Greek
Means "life of Zeus", derived from Greek Ζηνός (Zenos) meaning "of Zeus" and βίος (bios) meaning "life". This was the name of the queen of the Palmyrene Empire, which broke away from Rome in the 3rd-century and began expanding into Roman territory. She was eventually defeated by the emperor Aurelian. Her Greek name was used as an approximation of her native Aramaic name.

Zeruiah f Biblical
From Hebrew צֳרִי (tsori) meaning "balm, salve". In the Old Testament this name belongs to the sister of King David and the mother of Abishai, Joab and Asahel.

Zibiah f Biblical
Means "female gazelle" in Hebrew, the feminine form of the word צְבִי (tsevi). In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother of King Joash of Judah.

Ziemowit m Polish
From an old Polish name derived from the elements sěmĭja "family" and vitŭ "master, lord". This was the name of a semi-legendary duke of Poland. It was also borne by several other Piast rulers of Masovia.

Zimri m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Probably means "my music" in Hebrew, a possessive form of זִמְרָה (zimra) meaning "music, song". This was the name of a king of Israel according to the Old Testament. He ruled for only seven days, when he was succeeded by the commander of the army Omri. Another Zimri in the Old Testament was the lover of the Midianite woman Cozbi.

Zoe f English, Italian, Spanish, German, Czech, Ancient Greek
Means "life" in Greek. From early times it was adopted by Hellenized Jews as a translation of Eve. It was borne by two early Christian saints, one martyred under Emperor Hadrian, the other martyred under Diocletian. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, being borne by a ruling empress of the 11th century.... [more]

Zoilus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ζωΐλος (Zoilos), derived from ζωή (zoe) meaning "life". This name was borne by a 4th-century BC Greek philosopher known as a critic of Homer, and also by two Indo-Greek kings. Saint Zoilus was martyred at Córdoba, Spain during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.

Zoltán m Hungarian, Slovak
Possibly related to the Turkish title sultan meaning "king, sultan". This was the name of a 10th-century ruler of Hungary, also known as Zsolt.

Zopyros m Ancient Greek
Means "glowing" in Greek. This was the name of a Persian nobleman who aided his king Darius in the capture of Babylon. He did this by mutilating himself and then going to the Babylonians claiming that it had been Darius who did it to him. After gaining their trust he betrayed them.

Zvonimir m Croatian
Derived from the Slavic elements zvonŭ "sound, chime" and mirŭ "peace, world". Dmitar Zvonimir was an 11th-century Croatian king.