Céibhfhionn f Irish MythologyMeans
"fair-haired", from Old Irish
ciab "locks, hair" and
finn "white, blessed". In Irish legend this was the name of one of the three daughters of Bec mac Buain.
Ceinwen f WelshDerived from Welsh
cain "good, lovely" and
gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint also known as
Cain or
Keyne.
Celestine f & m EnglishEnglish form of
Caelestinus. It is more commonly used as a feminine name, from the French feminine form
Célestine.
Celia f English, SpanishFeminine form of the Roman family name
Caelius. Shakespeare used it in his play
As You Like It (1599), which introduced the name to the English-speaking public at large. It is sometimes used as a short form of
Cecilia.
Celinda f English (Rare)Probably a blend of
Celia and
Linda. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
Celsus m Ancient RomanRoman family name meaning
"tall" in Latin. This was the name of a 2nd-century philosopher who wrote against Christianity. It was also borne by an early saint martyred with Nazarius in Milan.
Celyn m & f WelshMeans
"holly" in Welsh. It appears briefly in the Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen, belonging to a son of Caw, but was not typically used as a given name until the 20th century.
Cemre f TurkishFrom a term used in Turkish folklore referring to the warming of temperature at the end of winter, thought to occur in three stages affecting air, water, then earth.
Cennétig m Old IrishOld Irish byname meaning either
"armoured head" or
"misshapen head" (Old Irish
cenn "head" and
étiud "armour, clothing" or
étig "ugly, misshapen"). This was the name of an Irish king, the father of
Brian Boru.
Cephalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Κέφαλος (Kephalos), which was derived from
κεφαλή (kephale) meaning
"head". In Greek legend he remained faithful to his wife Procris even though he was pursued by the goddess Eos.
Cephas m Biblical, Biblical LatinMeans
"rock" in Aramaic. The apostle
Simon was called Cephas by
Jesus because he was to be the rock upon which the Christian church was to be built. In most versions of the New Testament
Cephas is translated into Greek
Πέτρος (Petros) (in English
Peter).
Cepheus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Κηφεύς (Kepheus), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek legend he was a king of Ethiopia, the husband of
Cassiopeia. After he died he was made into a constellation and placed in the sky.
Ceren f TurkishMeans
"gazelle" in Turkish (probably of Mongolian origin, originally referring to the Mongolian gazelle, the zeren).
Ceres f Roman MythologyDerived from the Indo-European root *
ker- meaning
"grow, increase". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess
Demeter.
Ceri f & m WelshMeaning uncertain. It could come from the name of the Ceri River in Ceredigion, Wales; it could be a short form of
Ceridwen; it could be derived from Welsh
caru meaning "to love".
Ceridwen f WelshPossibly from
cyrrid "bent, crooked" (a derivative of Old Welsh
cwrr "corner") combined with
ben "woman" or
gwen "white, blessed". According to the medieval Welsh legend the
Tale of Taliesin (recorded by Elis Gruffyd in the 16th century) this was the name of a sorceress who created a potion that would grant wisdom to her son Morfan. The potion was instead consumed by her servant Gwion Bach, who was subsequently reborn as the renowned bard
Taliesin.
... [more] Cernunnos m Gaulish Mythology (Latinized)Means
"great horned one", from Celtic *
karnos "horn" and the divine or augmentative suffix
-on. This was the name of the Celtic god of fertility, animals, wealth, and the underworld. He was usually depicted having antlers, and was identified with the Roman god
Mercury.
Ceyhun m Turkish, AzerbaijaniFrom Arabic
جيحون (Jayḥūn), from Hebrew
גִּיחוֹן (Giḥon), which in the Old Testament is a river originating in the Garden of Eden. The river's name itself is derived from Hebrew
גִּיחַ (giyaḥ) meaning "to burst forth". In Islamic tradition it is identified with the Amu Darya, a river in central Asia.
Chaac m Mayan MythologyFrom Classic Maya
cháak meaning
"rain". This was the name of the Maya god of the rain and storms.
Chad m EnglishFrom the Old English name
Ceadda, which is of unknown meaning, possibly based on Old Welsh
cat "battle". This was the name of a 7th-century English saint. Borne primarily by Catholics, it was a rare name until the 1960s when it started to become more common amongst the general population. This is also the name of a country in Africa, though it originates from a different source.
Chadwick m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the name of towns in England, meaning
"settlement belonging to Chad" in Old English.
Chalkis f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
χαλκός (chalkos) meaning
"copper, bronze". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a naiad, said to be the namesake of the city of Chalkis on Euboia.
Chance m EnglishOriginally a diminutive of
Chauncey. It is now usually given in reference to the English word
chance meaning "luck, fortune" (ultimately derived from Latin
cadens "falling").
Chanda f & m Hinduism, HindiMeans
"fierce, hot, passionate" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form
चण्डा (an epithet of the Hindu goddess
Durga) and the masculine form
चण्ड (the name of a demon).
Chandler m & f EnglishFrom an occupational surname that meant
"candle seller" or
"candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately from Latin
candela via Old French. It surged in popularity after the 1994 debut of the American sitcom
Friends, featuring a character by this name.
Chanel f EnglishFrom a French surname that meant either
"channel", indicating a person who lived near a channel of water, or
"jug, jar, bottle", indicating a manufacturer of jugs. It has been used as an American given name since 1970s, influenced by the Chanel brand name (a line of women's clothing and perfume), which was named for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).
Chang'e f Chinese MythologyMeans
"beautiful Chang", from Chinese
嫦 (Chang), a character that refers to the goddess herself, combined with
娥 (é) meaning "beautiful, good". In Chinese mythology this is the name of a goddess of the moon, the wife of the archer Hou Yi. Her original name
姮娥 (Heng'e) was changed to avoid the taboo of sharing a homophonic character with the 2nd-century BC Emperor Wen of Han (personal name
Heng).
Chantal f French, English, DutchFrom a French surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"stony". It was originally given in honour of Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal, the founder of the Visitation Order in the 17th century. It has become associated with French
chant "song".
Chares m Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
χάρις (charis) meaning
"grace, kindness". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian general. It was also borne by the sculptor who crafted the Colossus of Rhodes.
Charibert m GermanicOld German (Frankish) variant of
Haribert. This name was borne by two Merovingian kings of the Franks (6th and 7th centuries).
Charikleia f Greek, Ancient GreekFrom Greek
χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness" and
κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This is the name of the heroine of the 3rd-century novel
Aethiopica, about the love between Charikleia and Theagenes, written by Heliodorus of Emesa.
Charisse f EnglishFrom a French surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in honour of American actress and dancer Cyd Charisse (1921-2008).
Charity f EnglishFrom the English word
charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin
caritas "generous love", from Latin
carus "dear, beloved".
Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name
Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Charizard m Popular CultureFrom a blend of the English words
char and
lizard. This is the name of a dragon-like creature in the Pokémon series of video games starting 1996. Technically the name of the species, it is used as a given name for the creature in some contexts. It is called
リザードン (Rizādon) in Japan.
Charles m English, FrenchFrench and English form of
Carolus, the Latin form of the Germanic name
Karl, which was derived from a word meaning
"man" (Proto-Germanic *
karlaz). However, an alternative theory states that it is derived from the common Germanic name element *
harjaz meaning "army".
... [more] Charlie m & f EnglishDiminutive or feminine form of
Charles. A famous bearer was the British comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977). It is also borne by Charlie Brown, the main character in the comic strip
Peanuts by Charles Schulz.
Charlize f AfrikaansFeminine form of
Charles using the popular Afrikaans name suffix
ize. This name was popularized by South African actress Charlize Theron (1975-), who was named after her father Charles.
Charlotte f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, DutchFrench feminine diminutive of
Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of
Jane Eyre and
Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel
Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.
... [more] Charlton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"settlement of free men" in Old English.
Charmaine f EnglishMeaning unknown, perhaps a combination of
Charmian or the English word
charm with the
aine suffix from
Lorraine. It was (first?) used for a character in the play
What Price Glory (1924), which was made into a popular movie in 1926.
Charon m Greek MythologyPossibly means
"fierce brightness" in Greek. In Greek mythology Charon was the operator of the ferry that brought the newly dead over the River Acheron into Hades.
Chastity f EnglishFrom the English word
chastity, which is ultimately from Latin
castus "pure". It was borne by the child of Sonny Bono and Cher, which probably led to the name's increase in popularity during the 1970s.
Chauncey m EnglishFrom a Norman surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in America in honour of Harvard president Charles Chauncey (1592-1672).
Chelsea f EnglishFrom the name of a district in London, originally derived from Old English and meaning
"landing place for chalk or limestone". It has been in general use as an English given name since the 1970s.
Chen 1 m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
晨 (chén) or
辰 (chén), both meaning "morning". The character
辰 also refers to the fifth Earthly Branch (7 AM to 9 AM), which is itself associated with the dragon of the Chinese zodiac. This name can be formed from other characters as well.
Chenaniah m BiblicalVariant of
Kenaniah used in several translations of the Old Testament (including the King James Version).
Cher f EnglishShort form of
Cheryl. In the case of the American musician Cher (1946-), it is short for her real name
Cherilyn.
Chernobog m Slavic MythologyMeans
"the black god" from Old Slavic
čĭrnŭ "black" and
bogŭ "god". According to a few late sources, Chernobog was a Slavic god of misfortune.
Cherokee f & m English (Rare)Probably derived from the Creek word
tciloki meaning "people of a different speech". This is the name of a Native American people who live in the east of North America.
Cherry f EnglishSimply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit, derived from Latin
cerasium, Greek
κεράσιον (kerasion). It can also be a diminutive of
Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.
Cheryl f EnglishElaboration of
Cherie, perhaps influenced by
Beryl. This name was very rare before the 20th century. It seems to have been popularized in America by the actress Cheryl Walker (1918-1971), who had a prominent role in the 1943 movie
Stage Door Canteen. After peaking in the 1950s the name has subsequently faded from the popularity charts.
Chester m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally belonged to a person who came from Chester, an old Roman settlement in Britain. The name of the settlement came from Latin
castrum "camp, fortress".
Chewbacca m Popular CultureThe name of a Wookiee (a tall shaggy alien) in the
Star Wars series of movies, beginning in 1977. Creator George Lucas invented the name by experimenting with different combinations of sounds. It is explained in a later companion book that the name means
"honoured friend" in the Wookiee language.
Cheyenne f EnglishDerived from the Lakota word
šahiyena meaning "red speakers". This is the name of a Native American people of the Great Plains. The name was supposedly given to the Cheyenne by the Lakota because their language was unrelated to their own. As a given name, it has been in use since the 1950s.
Chi 2 m & f Igbo Mythology, IgboMeans
"god, spiritual being" in Igbo, referring to the personal spiritual guardian that each person is believed to have. Christian Igbo people use it as a name for the personal Christian god (as opposed to the omnipresent
Chukwu, though the names are used synonymously in some contexts). This can also be a short form of the many Igbo names that begin with this element.
Chiara f ItalianItalian form of
Clara. Saint Chiara (commonly called
Clare in English) was a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Chidi m & f IgboMeans
"God exists" in Igbo, derived from
Chi 2, referring to God, and
dị meaning "is". It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with
Chidi.
Chiharu f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
千 (chi) meaning "thousand" combined with
春 (haru) meaning "spring". Other combinations of kanji characters can form this name as well.
Chihiro f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
千 (chi) meaning "thousand" and
尋 (hiro) meaning "fathom, armspan", as well as other kanji combinations. This is the name of the main character in the Japanese animated movie
Spirited Away (2001).
Chikara m JapaneseFrom Japanese
力 (chikara) meaning "power, capability, influence". This name can also be formed by other kanji or combinations of kanji.
Childebert m GermanicOld German (Frankish) form of
Hildebert. This name was borne by four Merovingian Frankish kings (between the 6th and 8th centuries).
China f English (Modern)From the name of the Asian country, ultimately derived from
Qin, the name of a dynasty that ruled there in the 3rd century BC.
Chinwe f IgboMeans
"God possesses" in Igbo. It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with
Chinwe.
Chione f Greek MythologyFrom Greek
χιών (chion) meaning
"snow". In Greek mythology this is the name of a daughter of the north wind
Boreas. Another figure by this name is the daughter of the naiad
Callirrhoe who was transformed into a snow cloud.
Chip m EnglishDiminutive of
Charles or
Christopher. It can also be from a nickname given in reference to the phrase
a chip off the old block, used of a son who is similar to his father.
Chiyoko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
千 (chi) meaning "thousand" and
代 (yo) meaning "generation" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Chizuko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
千 (chi) meaning "thousand" and
鶴 (tsu) meaning "crane (bird)" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Chloris f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
χλωρός (chloros) meaning
"pale green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.
Chrétien m French (Archaic)Medieval French form of
Christian. A famous bearer of this name was the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, known for his Arthurian romances.
Chrissy f EnglishDiminutive of
Christine or
Christina. This name briefly jumped in popularity after the 1977 premiere of the American sitcom
Three's Company, featuring a character by this name.
Christabel f English (Rare)Combination of
Christina and the name suffix
bel (inspired by Latin
bella "beautiful"). This name occurs in medieval literature, and was later used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his 1816 poem
Christabel.
Christian m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishFrom the medieval Latin name
Christianus meaning
"a Christian" (see
Christos 1 for further etymology). In England it has been in use since the Middle Ages, during which time it was used by both males and females, but it did not become common until the 17th century. In Denmark the name has been borne by ten kings since the 15th century.
... [more] Christina f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, GreekFrom
Christiana, the Latin feminine form of
Christian. This was the name of an early, possibly legendary, saint who was tormented by her pagan father. It was also borne by a 17th-century Swedish queen and patron the arts who gave up her crown in order to become a Roman Catholic.
... [more] Christopher m EnglishFrom the Late Greek name
Χριστόφορος (Christophoros) meaning
"bearing Christ", derived from
Χριστός (Christos) combined with
φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young
Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.
... [more] Christos 1 m Theology, GreekFrom Greek
Χριστός (Christos) meaning
"anointed", derived from
χρίω (chrio) meaning "to anoint". This was a name applied to
Jesus by early Greek-speaking Christians. It is a translation of the Hebrew word
מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyaḥ), commonly spelled in English
messiah, which also means "anointed".
... [more] Christy f & m English, IrishDiminutive of
Christine,
Christina,
Christopher and other names beginning with
Christ. In Ireland this name is typically masculine, though elsewhere in the English-speaking world it is more often feminine (especially the United States and Canada).
Chrysanta f English (Rare)Shortened form of the word
chrysanthemum, the name of a flowering plant, which means "golden flower" in Greek.
Chryseis f Greek MythologyPatronymic derived from
Chryses. In Greek legend she was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of
Apollo. After she was taken prisoner by the Greeks besieging Troy, Apollo sent a plague into their camp, forcing the Greeks to release her.
Chrysostomos m GreekMeans
"golden mouth", from Greek
χρυσός (chrysos) meaning "gold" and
στόμα (stoma) meaning "mouth". This was an epithet applied to eloquent orators, notably Saint John Chrysostom, a 4th-century archbishop of Constantinople.
Chthonia f Greek MythologyMeans
"of the earth, underground" in Greek, a derivative of
χθών (chthon) meaning "earth, ground, soil". This was an epithet of the Greek goddess
Demeter.
Chuck m EnglishDiminutive of
Charles. It originated in America in the early 20th century. Two famous bearers of this name were pilot Chuck Yeager (1923-2020), the first man to travel faster than the speed of sound, and the musician Chuck Berry (1926-2017), one of the pioneers of rock music.