Godzilla m Popular CultureFrom Japanese
ゴジラ (Gojira), a blend of
ゴリラ (gorira) meaning "gorilla" and
鯨 (kujira) meaning "whale". This is the name of a massive reptilian monster from a series of Japanese movies, starting 1954.
Goemon m HistoryMeaning unknown. His name is composed of the kanji
五 (go) meaning "five",
右 (not pronounced) meaning "right-hand, west",
衛 (e) meaning "guard, protect", and
門 (mon) meaning "gate, door". This was the name of a semi-legendary 16th-century samurai who stole from the rich to give to the poor. After a failed assassination attempt on the daimyo Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he was boiled alive.
Gofannon m Welsh MythologyFrom Welsh
gof meaning
"smith". This was the name of a smith in Welsh legends. He is possibly a later development of an earlier Celtic god (seen also in Gaulish
Gobannos and Irish
Goibniu).
Gohar f & m Persian, Armenian, UrduFrom Persian
گوهر (gōhar) meaning
"jewel, gemstone". This name is typically feminine in Iran and Armenia, but masculine in Pakistan.
Goibniu m Irish MythologyDerived from Old Irish
gobae meaning
"smith". In Irish mythology this was the name of a divine metalsmith and weapon maker of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He also provided them with feasts that protected them from old age. He may be derived from an earlier Celtic smith god (seen also in Gaulish
Gobannos and Welsh
Gofannon).
Goizeder f & m BasqueDerived from Basque
goiz "morning" and
eder "beautiful".
Gökhan m TurkishFrom Turkish
gök meaning "sky" and
han, which is from the title
khan meaning "leader".
Goku m Literature, Popular CultureJapanese calque of
Wukong, referring to the Monkey King. Starting in 1984 it was used by Akira Toriyama for the hero in the
Dragon Ball manga, and subsequently in several animated television series and video games.
Goldilocks f FolkloreFrom the English words
gold and
locks, referring to blond hair. This is best known as the name of the trespassing girl in the English fairy tale
Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Golnar f PersianMeans
"pomegranate flower", derived from Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower" and
نار (nār) meaning "pomegranate".
Golzar m & f PersianDerived from Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and the suffix
زار (zār) meaning "place abounding in, field, garden".
Gonggong m Chinese MythologyMeaning unknown, though usually spelled using the Chinese characters
共 (gòng) meaning "together" and
工 (gōng) meaning "work". This is the name of a Chinese water god, depicted as a serpent with a human head. He damaged the heavenly pillar Mount Buzhou, making the sky tilt to the northwest and the earth tilt to the southeast. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for him in 2019.
Gonzalo m SpanishFrom the medieval name
Gundisalvus, which was the Latin form of a Germanic (possibly Visigothic or Suebi) name composed of
gunda "war" and maybe
salba "salve, ointment",
salo "dark, dusky" or
sal "house, hall" (with the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin
salvus "safe"). Saint Gonzalo was an 11th-century bishop of Mondoñedo in Galicia, Spain.
Gopala m HinduismMeans
"cow protector" from Sanskrit
गो (go) meaning "cow" and
पाल (pāla) meaning "guard, protector". This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna. It was also borne by the 8th-century founder of the Pala Empire in Bengal.
Gordan m Serbian, CroatianDerived from South Slavic
gord meaning
"proud". This name and the feminine form Gordana were popularized by the publication of Croatian author Marija Jurić Zagorka's novel
Gordana (1935).
Gordon m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Berwickshire, itself derived from Brythonic elements meaning
"spacious fort". It was originally used in honour of Charles George Gordon (1833-1885), a British general who died defending the city of Khartoum in Sudan.
... [more] Gormlaith f Old IrishDerived from Old Irish
gorm "blue" or "illustrious" and
flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of several medieval Irish royals, including the wife of the 11th-century king
Brian Boru.
Gorō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
五 (go) meaning "five" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This was traditionally a name for the fifth son. Different combinations of kanji are also possible.
Gotama m HinduismMeans
"the best ox" from Sanskrit
गो (go) meaning "ox, cow" and
तम (tama) meaning "best". It is best known in its patronymic form
Gautama (with the initial vowel lengthened), which was borne by the
Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. In Hindu texts this is also the name of one of the Saptarshis, or seven sages. Additionally it was borne by an early Indian philosopher who wrote the Nyaya Sutras.
Gottfried m GermanGerman form of
Godfrey. This name was borne by the 13th-century German poet Gottfried von Strassburg and the German philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), one of the inventors of calculus.
Gotthilf m German (Rare)Derived from German
Gott "God" and
hilf "help". This name was created in the 17th century.
Gotthold m German (Rare)Derived from German
Gott "God" and
hold "gracious, graceful, loyal". This name was created in the 17th century.
Gottlob m German (Rare)Derived from German
Gott "God" and
lob "praise". This name was created in the 17th century.
Gottschalk m German (Archaic)Derived from the Old German elements
got "god" and
scalc "servant". Saint Gottschalk was a (perhaps spurious) 11th-century prince of the Wends who was martyred by his brother-in-law.
Goyaałé m ApacheMeans
"one who yawns" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the real name of the Apache leader
Geronimo (1829-1909), who fought against Mexican and American expansion into his territory.
Grace f EnglishFrom the English word
grace, which ultimately derives from Latin
gratia. This was one of the virtue names created in the 17th century by the Puritans. The actress Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was a famous bearer.
... [more] Graeme m Scottish, EnglishFrom a surname that was a variant of
Graham. This particular spelling for the given name has been most common in Scotland, New Zealand and Australia.
Graham m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname, originally derived from the English place name
Grantham, which probably meant
"gravelly homestead" in Old English. The surname was first taken to Scotland in the 12th century by the Norman baron William de Graham. A famous bearer of the surname was Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor who devised the telephone. A famous bearer of the given name was the British author Graham Greene (1904-1991).
... [more] Gráinne f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPossibly derived from Old Irish
grán meaning
"grain" or
gráin meaning
"hatred, fear". In the Irish legend
The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Gráinne she escaped from her arranged marriage to
Fionn mac Cumhaill by fleeing with her lover
Diarmaid. Another famous bearer was the powerful 16th-century Irish landowner and seafarer Gráinne Ní Mháille (known in English as Grace O'Malley), who was sometimes portrayed as a pirate queen in later tales.
Grant m English, ScottishFrom an English and Scottish surname that was derived from Norman French
grand meaning
"great, large". A famous bearer of the surname was Ulysses Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War who later served as president. In America the name has often been given in his honour.
Grayson m English (Modern)From an English surname meaning
"son of the steward", derived from Middle English
greyve "steward". It became common towards the end of the 20th century because of its similarity to popular names like
Jason,
Mason and
Graham.
Gregor m German, Scottish, Slovak, SloveneGerman, Scottish, Slovak and Slovene form of
Gregorius (see
Gregory). A famous bearer was Gregor Mendel (1822-1884), a Czech monk and scientist who did experiments in genetics.
Gregory m EnglishEnglish form of Latin
Gregorius, which was from the Late Greek name
Γρηγόριος (Gregorios), derived from
γρήγορος (gregoros) meaning
"watchful, alert". This name was popular among early Christians, being borne by a number of important saints including Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus (3rd century), Saint Gregory the Illuminator (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nyssa (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (4th century), and Saint Gregory of Tours (6th century). It was also borne by the 6th-century pope Saint Gregory I the Great, a reformer and Doctor of the Church, as well as 15 subsequent popes.
... [more] Griffin m EnglishLatinized form of
Gruffudd. This name can also be inspired by the English word
griffin, a creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, ultimately from Greek
γρύψ (gryps).
Griselda f English, Spanish, LiteraturePossibly derived from the Old German elements
gris "grey" and
hilt "battle". It is not attested as a Germanic name. This was the name of a patient wife in medieval folklore, adapted into tales by Boccaccio (in
The Decameron) and Chaucer (in
The Canterbury Tales).
Guadalupe f & m SpanishFrom a Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, meaning "Our Lady of Guadalupe". Guadalupe is a Spanish place name, the site of a famous convent, derived from Arabic
وادي (wādī) meaning "valley, river" possibly combined with Latin
lupus meaning "wolf". In the 16th century Our Lady of Guadalupe supposedly appeared in a vision to a native Mexican man, and she is now regarded as a patron saint of the Americas.
Guanyin f BuddhismMeans
"one who observes sounds", from Chinese
观 (guān) meaning "to observe, to see" and
音 (yīn) meaning "sound, tone", referring to prayers. This is the Chinese name of
Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion (who is regarded as female in China). It originated as a calque of Sanskrit
अवलोकितस्वर (Avalokitasvara), an earlier form of Avalokiteshvara's name.
Gudbrand m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Guðbrandr meaning
"god's sword", derived from the elements
guð "god" and
brandr "fire, torch, sword".
Gudrun f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, GermanFrom the Old Norse name
Guðrún meaning
"god's secret lore", derived from the elements
guð "god" and
rún "secret lore, rune". In Norse legend Gudrun was the wife of
Sigurd. After his death she married
Atli, but when he murdered her brothers, she killed her sons by him, fed him their hearts, and then slew him. Her story appears in Norse literature such as the
Eddas and the
Völsungasaga. She is called
Kriemhild in German versions of the tale. This is also an unrelated character in the medieval German epic
Kudrun.
Guido m Italian, GermanLatinized form of
Wido. Notable bearers include the music theorist Guido d'Arezzo (c. 991-1033), poet Guido Cavalcanti (c. 1250-1300), and Baroque painter Guido Reni (1575-1642).
Guinevere f Arthurian CycleFrom the Norman French form of the Welsh name
Gwenhwyfar meaning
"white phantom", ultimately from the old Celtic roots *
windos meaning "white" (modern Welsh
gwen) and *
sēbros meaning "phantom, magical being". In Arthurian legend she was the beautiful wife of King
Arthur. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, she was seduced by
Mordred before the battle of Camlann, which led to the deaths of both Mordred and Arthur. According to the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes, she engaged in an adulterous affair with Sir
Lancelot.
... [more] Guiomar f & m Portuguese, Spanish, Arthurian CyclePossibly derived from the Germanic name
Wigmar, which was formed of the elements
wig "war, battle" and
mari "famous". In the medieval
Lancelot-Grail Cycle he plays a minor role as a cousin of Guinevere, who banishes him after he becomes a lover of Morgan le Fey. In modern Portugal and Spain it is a feminine name.
Guiscard m Medieval FrenchNorman French form of the Norman name
Wischard, from Old Norse
vizkr "wise" and the Old French pejorative suffix
-ard (from Old Frankish
hard "hard, firm, brave, hardy"). This was the byname of Robert Guiscard, an 11th-century Norman conqueror of Sicily.
Gul m & f Urdu, PashtoMeans
"flower, rose" in Urdu and Pashto, ultimately from Persian.
Gula f Sumerian MythologyMeans
"the great" in Sumerian. This may have originally been a title rather then a name. Gula was a Sumerian and Akkadian goddess of healing, medicine and midwifery. She was often depicted alongside dogs. In later periods she was equated with other healing goddesses such as
Ninisina.
Gülay f Turkish, AzerbaijaniMeans
"rose moon" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, derived from
gül, ultimately Persian
گل (gol), meaning "rose" combined with
ay meaning "moon".
Gülnur f TurkishMeans
"rose light" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and Arabic
نور (nūr) meaning "light".
Gülten f TurkishMeans
"rose skin" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and
تن (tan) meaning "body, skin".
Gumersindo m SpanishFrom the medieval name
Gomesendus, the Latin form of a Germanic (Visigothic or Suebian) name probably composed of
guma "man" and
sinþs "time". This was the name of a 9th-century martyr from Córdoba.
Gunborg f SwedishFrom the Old Norse name
Gunnbjǫrg, derived from the elements
gunnr "war" and
bjǫrg "help, save, rescue".
Gunther m German, Germanic MythologyFrom the Old German name
Gundahar, derived from the elements
gunda "war" and
heri "army" (making it a cognate of
Gunnar). This was the name of a semi-legendary 5th-century Burgundian king. He appears in the medieval German saga the
Nibelungenlied, which has him wooing the Icelandic queen
Brunhild. He wins her hand in marriage with the help of the hero
Siegfried. He ultimately betrays Siegfried, but Siegfried's widow
Kriemhild (Gunther's sister) takes her revenge upon him.
... [more] Guntram m GermanMeans
"war raven" from the Old German elements
gunda "war" and
hram "raven". This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish king, sometimes called Gontrand, who is considered a saint.
Gurgen m Armenian, GeorgianDerived from Middle Persian
𐭢𐭥𐭫𐭢 (gurg) meaning
"wolf" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several Georgian kings and princes.
Gustav m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German, CzechPossibly means
"staff of the Geats", derived from the Old Norse elements
gautr meaning "Geat" and
stafr meaning "staff". However, the root name
Gautstafr is not well attested in the Old Norse period. Alternatively, it might be derived from the Old Slavic name
Gostislav.
... [more] Guy 1 m English, FrenchOld French form of
Wido. The Normans introduced it to England, where it was common until the time of Guy Fawkes (1570-1606), a revolutionary who attempted to blow up the British parliament. The name was revived in the 19th century, due in part to characters in the novels
Guy Mannering (1815) by Walter Scott and
The Heir of Redclyffe (1854) by C. M. Yonge.
Gwalchmai m Welsh MythologyDerived from Welsh
gwalch "hawk", possibly combined with
Mai "May (month)" or
mai "field, plain". This is the name of a character in Welsh legend (appearing in
Culhwch and Olwen for example). He is probably the antecedent of
Gawain from later Arthurian romance.
Gwenaël m French, BretonMeans
"blessed and generous" from Breton
gwenn meaning "white, blessed" and
hael meaning "generous". Saint Gwenhael was a 6th-century abbot of Brittany.
Gwenda f Welsh, EnglishDerived from the Welsh elements
gwen meaning "white, blessed" and
da meaning "good". This name was created in the 19th century.
Gwendal m BretonDerived from Breton
gwenn meaning "white, blessed" and
tal meaning "brow, forehead".
Gwenddoleu m Welsh MythologyFrom Old Welsh
Guendoleu, possibly derived from
gwyn meaning "white, blessed" and
dol (plural
dolau) meaning "meadow". This was the name of a semi-legendary 6th-century king of Arfderydd in Cumbria. His defeat at the Battle of Arfderydd caused his bard
Myrddin to go mad with grief.
Gwenddydd f Welsh MythologyDerived from Welsh
gwen meaning "white, blessed" and
dydd meaning "day". In medieval Welsh tales this is the name of
Myrddin's sister. Geoffrey of Monmouth calls her
Ganieda and also makes her the wife of
Rhydderch Hael.
Gwendolen f WelshPossibly means
"white ring", derived from Welsh
gwen meaning "white, blessed" and
dolen meaning "ring, loop". This name appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century chronicles, written in the Latin form
Guendoloena, where it belongs to an ancient queen of the Britons who defeats her ex-husband in battle. Geoffrey later used it in
Vita Merlini for the wife of the prophet
Merlin. An alternate theory claims that the name arose from a misreading of the masculine name
Guendoleu by Geoffrey.
... [more] Gwenllian f WelshDerived from the Welsh elements
gwen meaning "white, blessed" and possibly
lliain meaning "flaxen, made of linen" or
lliant meaning "flow, flood". This name was used by medieval Welsh royalty, notably by a 12th-century princess of Deheubarth who died in battle with the Normans. It was also borne by the 13th-century daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last prince of Gwynedd.
Gwrtheyrn m Old Welsh (Modernized)From Old Welsh
Guorthigirn meaning
"supreme king", from
guor meaning "over" and
tigirn meaning "king, monarch". It is possible that this is not a name, but a title. According to medieval chroniclers, Gwrtheyrn (also known as Vortigern) was a 5th-century king of the Britons. It was he who invited the brothers
Hengist and
Horsa to Britain, which eventually led to the Anglo-Saxon conquest of England.
Gwydion m Welsh, Welsh MythologyProbably means
"born of trees" from Old Welsh
guid "trees" and the suffix
gen "born of". In the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi, Gwydion is the nephew of King
Math of Gwynedd, and like him a powerful magician. In an elaborate plot to give his brother a chance to rape his uncle's footbearer, he arranged a war between Gwynedd and the neighbouring kingdom of Dyfed. Gwydion himself killed King
Pryderi of Dyfed at the end of the war. In punishment for the rape, Math transformed Gwydion and his brother into different animals over the course of three years. Gwydion was the uncle of
Lleu Llaw Gyffes, whom he fostered. Math and Gwydion fashioned Lleu a wife,
Blodeuwedd, out of flowers and they later aided him after her betrayal. Gwydion also appears in older Welsh poetry such as the
Book of Taliesin.
Gwyn m Welsh, Welsh MythologyMeans
"white, blessed" in Welsh. In Welsh legend Gwyn was a king of the Otherworld and the leader of the Wild Hunt. He appears in the Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen, where he is one of the many who help
Culhwch hunt the monstrous boar Trwyth. The story also tells of his rivalry with
Gwythyr for the beautiful
Creiddylad.
Gwythyr m Welsh MythologyWelsh form of
Victor. This name appears in the Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen belonging to the rival of
Gwyn for the maiden
Creiddylad. Seeking peace between the two, King
Arthur declared that Gwyn and Gwythyr shall only fight once each year on May Day.
Gyeong-Hui f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
敬 (gyeong) meaning "respect, honour" and
姬 (hui) meaning "beauty". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Gyeong-Suk f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
京 (gyeong) meaning "capital city" and
淑 (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Gyöngyvér f HungarianMeans
"sister of pearl", from Hungarian
gyöngy "pearl" and
testvér "sibling". This name was created by the Hungarian poet János Arany for a character in his poem
The Death of King Buda (1864).
Gytha f English (Archaic)From
Gyða, an Old Norse diminutive of
Guðríðr. It was borne by a Danish noblewoman who married the English lord Godwin of Wessex in the 11th century. The name was used in England for a short time after that, and was revived in the 19th century.
Hachirō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
八 (hachi) meaning "eight" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This was traditionally a name for the eighth son. Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Hadad m Semitic MythologyDerived from a Semitic root meaning
"thunder". Hadad was a Western Semitic (Levantine) god of thunder and storms, often called
Ba'al. He was imported to Mesopotamia by the Amorites, where he was known as
Adad to the Assyrians and Babylonians.
Hades m Greek MythologyFrom Greek
Ἅιδης (Haides), derived from
ἀϊδής (aides) meaning
"unseen". In Greek mythology Hades was the dark god of the underworld, a place that also came to be called Hades. His brothers were
Zeus and
Poseidon and his wife was
Persephone, whom he had abducted.
Hadrian m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Hadrianus, which meant
"from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria was the name of two Roman settlements. The first (modern Adria) is in northern Italy and was an important Etruscan port town. The second (modern Atri) is in central Italy and was named after the northern town. The Adriatic Sea is also named after the northern town.
... [more] Hafiz m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, MalayMeans
"preserver, guardian, keeper" in Arabic, a derivative of
حفظ (ḥafiẓa) meaning "to preserve, to protect". This transcription represents two related yet distinct Arabic names:
حافظ, in which the first vowel is long, and
حفيظ, in which the second vowel is long. In Islamic tradition
الحفيظ (al-Ḥafīẓ) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Hafsa f Arabic, Urdu, TurkishMeans
"gathering" in Arabic. This was the name of the daughter of
Umar, the second caliph, and a wife of
Muhammad. It was also borne by the influential mother of
Süleyman the Magnificent.
Hagar f Biblical, Biblical German, Biblical HebrewPossibly means
"flight" in Hebrew, though it could also be of unknown Egyptian origin. According to the Old Testament she was the second wife of
Abraham and the mother of
Ishmael, the founder of the Arab people. After Abraham's first wife
Sarah finally gave birth to a child, she had Hagar and Ishmael expelled into the desert. However, God heard their crying and saved them.
Hagen m German, Germanic MythologyDerived from the Old German element
hag meaning
"enclosure" (Proto-Germanic *
hagô). In the medieval German saga the
Nibelungenlied he is the cunning half-brother of
Gunther. He killed the hero
Siegfried by luring him onto a hunting expedition and then stabbing him with a javelin in his one vulnerable spot.
Hailey f English (Modern)Variant of
Hayley. This is currently the most common spelling in the United States, surpassing
Haley in 2001 and attaining a high rank of 19th in 2010.
Hajar f Arabic, PersianArabic form of
Hagar. According to Islamic tradition she was a daughter of the king of Egypt, who became the second wife of
Ibrahim and the mother of
Ismail.
Håkon m NorwegianModern Norwegian form of the Old Norse name
Hákon, derived from the element
hár "high" or
hǫð "battle, combat" combined with and
konr "son, descendant". This was the name of seven kings of Norway.
Halfdan m Norwegian, DanishFrom the Old Norse name
Hálfdan meaning
"half Danish", composed of the elements
hálfr "half" and
Danr "Dane", originally a nickname for a person who was half Danish.
Ham m BiblicalMeans
"hot, warm" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Ham is one of
Noah's three sons, along with
Shem and
Japheth. He was the ancestor of the Egyptians and Canaanites.
Hamilcar m Phoenician (Latinized), HistoryPossibly means
"brother of Melqart", derived from Phoenician
𐤀𐤇 (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" combined with the name of the god
Melqart. This was a common Punic name. Among the notable bearers was Hamilcar Barca, a 3rd-century BC Carthaginian general who was the father of
Hannibal and
Hasdrubal.
Hamilton m EnglishFrom a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Old English
hamel "crooked, mutilated" and
dun "hill". The surname was originally taken from the name of a town in Leicestershire, England (which no longer exists). A famous bearer of the surname was Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), a founding father of the United States who was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr.
Hamutal f BiblicalMeans
"father-in-law is dew" in Hebrew, derived from
חָם (ḥam) meaning "father-in-law" and
טַל (ṭal) meaning "dew". In the Old Testament this is the name of a wife of King
Josiah of Judah.
Hanako f JapaneseFrom Japanese
花 (hana) meaning "flower" and
子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Hannibal m Phoenician (Latinized), HistoryFrom the Punic name
𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋 meaning
"my grace is Ba'al", derived from Phoenician
𐤇𐤍𐤍 (ḥann) meaning "grace, favour" combined with the name of the god
Ba'al. This name occurs often in Carthaginian history. It was most notably borne by the famed general and tactician Hannibal Barca, who threatened Rome during the Second Punic War in the 3rd century BC. It is also associated with the fictional villain Hannibal Lecter from the books by Thomas Harris (debuting 1981) and subsequent movie adaptations.
Hans m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishGerman short form of
Johannes, now used independently. This name has been very common in German-speaking areas of Europe since the late Middle Ages. From an early period it was transmitted to the Low Countries and Scandinavia. Two famous bearers were Hans Holbein (1497-1543), a German portrait painter, and Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), a Danish writer of fairy tales.
Hansel m LiteratureAnglicized form of
Hänsel. This is the name of a boy in a German fairy tale, recorded in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm with the title
Hänsel und Gretel. In the tale Hansel and his sister
Gretel are abandoned in the woods by their parents, then taken captive by a witch.
Hanuman m HinduismProbably derived from Sanskrit
हनु (hanu) meaning
"cheek, jaw". In the Hindu epic the
Ramayana this is the name of a monkey god who helps
Rama. He was the son of
Anjana and
Vayu.
Hanzō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
半 (han) meaning "half" and
蔵 (zō) meaning "to hide". This name was borne by the noted samurai Hattori Hanzou (1542-1596). The name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.
Hari m Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, NepaliMeans
"brown, yellow, tawny" in Sanskrit, and by extension
"monkey, horse, lion". This is another name of the Hindu god
Vishnu, and sometimes of his avatar
Krishna. In this context it is sometimes considered a derivative of Sanskrit
हृ (hṛ) meaning "to take away", referring to the removal of sins.
Harley m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English
hara "hare" or
hær "rock, heap of stones" and
leah "woodland, clearing". An American name for boys since the 19th century, it began to be used for girls after a character with the name began appearing on the soap opera
Guiding Light in 1987.
Harold m EnglishFrom the Old English name
Hereweald, derived from the elements
here "army" and
weald "powerful, mighty". The Old Norse cognate
Haraldr was also common among Scandinavian settlers in England. This was the name of five kings of Norway and three kings of Denmark. It was also borne by two kings of England, both of whom were from mixed Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon backgrounds, including Harold II who lost the Battle of Hastings (and was killed in it), which led to the Norman Conquest. After the conquest the name died out, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century.
Harper f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally belonged to a person who played or made harps (Old English
hearpe). A notable bearer was the American author Harper Lee (1926-2016), who wrote
To Kill a Mockingbird. It rapidly gained popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, entering the American top ten for girls in 2015.
Harriet f EnglishEnglish form of
Henriette, and thus a feminine form of
Harry. It was first used in the 17th century, becoming very common in the English-speaking world by the 18th century. Famous bearers include the Americans Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), the author of
Uncle Tom's Cabin, and the abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913).
Harrison m EnglishFrom an English surname that meant
"son of Harry". This was the surname of two American presidents, William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) and his grandson Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901). As a given name it reached a low point in America in 1977 before it was revived by the career of actor Harrison Ford (1942-), who starred in such movies as
Star Wars in 1977 and
Indiana Jones in 1984.
Harry m EnglishMedieval English form of
Henry. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both
Henry and names beginning with
Har. Famous bearers include the American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), who was named after his uncle Harrison, and the British royal Prince Harry (1984-), who is actually named Henry. It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's
Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Hartley m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English
heorot "hart, male deer" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
Hartmut m German, GermanicMeans
"brave mind", derived from the Old German elements
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and
muot "mind, spirit". This is the kidnapper of
Gudrun in the medieval German epic
Kudrun.
Harumi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other kanji combinations that are read the same way.
Harvey m EnglishFrom the Breton given name
Haerviu, which meant
"battle worthy", from
haer "battle" and
viu "worthy". This was the name of a 6th-century Breton hermit who is the patron saint of the blind. Settlers from Brittany introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. During the later Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Hasan m Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay, Albanian, BosnianMeans
"handsome" in Arabic, from the root
حسن (ḥasuna) meaning "to be beautiful, to be good". Hasan was the son of
Ali and the grandson of the Prophet
Muhammad. He was poisoned by one of his wives and is regarded as a martyr by Shia Muslims. This was also the name of two kings of Morocco. It is sometimes transcribed as
Hassan, though this is a distinct name in Arabic.
Hashim m Arabic, Urdu, MalayMeans
"crusher, breaker" in Arabic, derived from the root
هشم (hashama) meaning "to crush, to destroy". This was the nickname of a great-grandfather of the Prophet
Muhammad. He acquired this nickname because of his practice of crumbling bread and giving it to pilgrims.
Haukea f HawaiianMeans
"white snow" from Hawaiian
hau "snow" and
kea "white".
Haumea f Polynesian MythologyMeans
"red ruler", from Hawaiian
hau "ruler" and
mea "reddish brown". Haumea is the Hawaiian goddess of fertility and childbirth. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for her in 2008.
Haunani f HawaiianMeans
"beautiful snow" from Hawaiian
hau "snow" and
nani "beauty, glory".
Haurvatat f Persian MythologyMeans
"health, perfection, wholeness" in Avestan. This was the name of a Zoroastrian goddess (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with health and water. She was often mentioned with
Ameretat.
Havilah m BiblicalProbably means
"to dance, to circle, to twist" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is both a place name and a masculine personal name.
Hawise f Medieval EnglishEnglish form of a medieval French name appearing in various spellings such as
Haueis or
Haouys, which were derived from
Hadewidis. The name was borne by a number of Norman and Anglo-Norman noblewomen from the 11th to 13th centuries.
Hayat f & m Arabic, Persian, UrduMeans
"life" in Arabic, from
حيي (ḥayiya) meaning "to live". In Arabic and Persian it is a feminine name, while in Urdu it is masculine.
Hayato m JapaneseFrom Japanese
隼 (haya) meaning "falcon" (using a nanori reading) and
人 (to) meaning "person". Other kanji combinations can also make up this name.
Haydée f Spanish, French (Rare)Spanish and French form of
Haidee, from Lord Byron's
Don Juan (1819). It was later used by Alexander Dumas for a character in
The Count of Monte Cristo (1844).
Hayden m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from place names meaning either
"hay valley" or
"hay hill", derived from Old English
heg "hay" and
denu "valley" or
dun "hill". Its popularity at the end of the 20th century was due to the sound it shared with other trendy names of the time, such as
Braden and
Aidan.
Hayley f English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town (meaning "hay clearing" from Old English
heg "hay" and
leah "clearing"). It was brought to public attention as a given name, especially in the United Kingdom, by the British child actress Hayley Mills (1946-).
... [more] Hazael m BiblicalMeans
"God sees" in Hebrew, from
חָזָה (ḥaza) meaning "to see" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of a king of Aram in the Old Testament.
Hazel f EnglishFrom the English word
hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English
hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.
Hebe f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ἥβη (hebe) meaning
"youth". In Greek mythology Hebe was the daughter of
Zeus and
Hera. She was a goddess of youth who acted as the cupbearer to the gods.
Heber 2 m BiblicalMeans
"comrade" in Hebrew, derived from the root
חָבַר (ḥavar) meaning "to join". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a great-grandson of
Jacob and also by the husband of
Jael.
Hecate f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Ἑκάτη (Hekate), possibly derived from
ἑκάς (hekas) meaning
"far off". In Greek mythology Hecate was a goddess associated with witchcraft, crossroads, tombs, demons and the underworld.
Hector m English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Arthurian CycleLatinized form of Greek
Ἕκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from
ἕκτωρ (hektor) meaning
"holding fast", ultimately from
ἔχω (echo) meaning "to hold, to possess". In Greek legend Hector was one of the Trojan champions who fought against the Greeks. After he killed
Achilles' friend
Patroclus in battle, he was himself brutally slain by Achilles, who proceeded to tie his dead body to a chariot and drag it about. This name also appears in Arthurian legends where it belongs to King
Arthur's foster father.
... [more] Heddwyn m WelshDerived 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.
Hedwig f German, DutchFrom 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.
Heidrun f Norse Mythology, GermanDerived 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.
Heimdall m Norse MythologyFrom 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.
Heirani f TahitianFrom Tahitian
hei "crown, garland" and
raʻi "heaven, sky".
Heledd f WelshMeaning 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.
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] Heli 1 m Biblical, Biblical LatinLatin 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.
Helle 2 f Greek MythologyMeaning 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").
Hengist m Anglo-Saxon MythologyMeans
"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.
Henry m EnglishFrom 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] 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.
Hera f Greek MythologyUncertain 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.
Herais f Ancient GreekAncient 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.
Herakles m Greek MythologyMeans
"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.
Herbert m English, German, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, FrenchDerived 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] Hereward m Anglo-SaxonDerived 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.
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.
Herman m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Slovene, GermanicMeans
"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.
Hermenegildo m Spanish, PortugueseSpanish 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.
Hermes m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, SpanishProbably 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] Hermione f Greek MythologyDerived 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.
Hero 1 f Greek MythologyDerived 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 BiblicalFrom 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.
Herodias f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFeminine 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 GreekDerivative 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.
Hestia f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ἑστία (hestia) meaning
"hearth, fireside". In Greek mythology Hestia was the goddess of the hearth and domestic activity.
Hetepheres f Ancient EgyptianFrom 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).
Hezekiah m BiblicalFrom 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.
Hideaki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" and
明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear", as well as other combinations of kanji.
Hidemi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.
Hideyoshi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" combined with
良 (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" or
吉 (yoshi) meaning "good luck". Other kanji combinations are possible. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Hideyoshi
秀吉 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.
Hifumi m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
一 (hi) meaning "one",
二 (fu) meaning "two" and
三 (mi) meaning "three".
Hiʻiaka f Polynesian MythologyMeans
"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.
Hilal m & f Arabic, TurkishMeans
"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.
Hilarius m Ancient RomanRoman name derived from Latin
hilaris meaning
"cheerful". Alternatively, it could be derived from the Greek name
Ἱλαρός (Hilaros) also meaning "cheerful" (the Greek word
ἱλαρός was the source of the Latin word
hilaris). Saint Hilarius was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Poitiers. This was also the name of a 5th-century pope.
Hilary f & m EnglishMedieval English form of
Hilarius or
Hilaria. During the Middle Ages it was primarily a masculine name. It was revived in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century as a predominantly feminine name. In America, this name and the variant
Hillary seemed to drop in popularity after Hillary Clinton (1947-) became the first lady in 1993. Famous bearers include American actresses Hilary Swank (1974-) and Hilary Duff (1987-).
Hilda f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Spanish, Hungarian, Anglo-Saxon (Latinized), GermanicOriginally a short form of names containing the Old Frankish element
hildi, Old High German
hilt, Old English
hild meaning
"battle" (Proto-Germanic *
hildiz). The short form was used for both Old English and continental Germanic names. Saint Hilda (or Hild) of Whitby was a 7th-century English saint and abbess. The name became rare in England during the later Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century.
Hildebert m German (Rare)Means
"bright battle" from the Old German elements
hilt "battle" and
beraht "bright". This name was borne by four early Frankish kings, usually called
Childebert.
Hildegard f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
hilt "battle" and
gart "enclosure, yard". This was the name of the second wife of
Charlemagne (8th century). Also, Saint Hildegard was a 12th-century mystic from Bingen in Germany who was famous for her writings and poetry and also for her prophetic visions.
Hilderic m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
hilt "battle" and
rih "ruler, king". Hilderic was a 6th-century king of the Vandals. This name was also borne by three early Merovingian Frankish kings, though their name is usually spelled as
Childeric.
Hildred f & m EnglishPossibly from the Old English masculine name
Hildræd, which was composed of the elements
hild "battle" and
ræd "counsel, advice". This name was revived in the late 19th century, probably because of its similarity to the popular names
Hilda and
Mildred.