Jessamine f English (Rare)From a variant spelling of the English word
jasmine (see
Jasmine), used also to refer to flowering plants in the cestrum family.
Jesse m English, Dutch, Finnish, BiblicalFrom
Ἰεσσαί (Iessai), the Greek form of the Hebrew name
יִשַׁי (Yishai). This could be a derivative of the word
שַׁי (shai) meaning
"gift" or
יֵשׁ (yesh) meaning
"existence". In the Old Testament Jesse is the father of King
David. It began to be used as an English given name after the Protestant Reformation.
... [more] Jeunesse f VariousMeans
"youth" in French. It is not used as a given name in France itself.
Jie m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
杰 (jié) meaning "heroic, outstanding" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Ji-Hye f KoreanFrom a Sino-Korean compound meaning "wisdom", formed of the hanja characters
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" and
慧 (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Joe m EnglishShort form of
Joseph. Five famous sports figures who have had this name are boxers Joe Louis (1914-1981) and Joe Frazier (1944-2011), baseball player Joe DiMaggio (1914-1999), and football quarterbacks Joe Namath (1943-) and Joe Montana (1956-). It is also borne by the American president Joe Biden (1942-).
Jolene f EnglishFormed from
Jo and the common name suffix
lene. This name was created in the early 20th century. It received a boost in popularity after the release of Dolly Parton's 1973 song
Jolene.
Jolie f EnglishMeans
"pretty" in French. This name was popularized by American actress Angelina Jolie (1975-), whose surname was originally her middle name. It is not used as a given name in France.
José m & f Spanish, Portuguese, FrenchSpanish and Portuguese form of
Joseph, as well as a French variant. In Spanish and Portuguese-speaking regions it is occasionally used as a feminine middle name (or the second part of a double name), often paired with
María. This was the most popular name for boys in Spain for the first half of the 20th century. A famous bearer was the Portuguese novelist José Saramago (1922-2010).
Joséphine f FrenchFrench feminine form of
Joseph. A notable bearer of this name was the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, Joséphine de Beauharnais (1763-1814).
Jove m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)From Latin
Iovis, the genitive case of
Iuppiter (see
Jupiter). Though this form is grammatically genitive, post-classically it has been used nominatively as another name for Jupiter.
Joyce f & m EnglishFrom the medieval masculine name
Josse, which was derived from the earlier
Iudocus, which was a Latinized form of the Breton name
Judoc meaning
"lord". The name belonged to a 7th-century Breton saint, and Breton settlers introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 14th century, but was later revived as a feminine name, perhaps because of similarity to the Middle English word
joise "to rejoice". This given name also became a surname, as in the case of the Irish novelist James Joyce (1882-1941).
Jude 1 m English, BiblicalVariant of
Judas. It is used in many English versions of the New Testament to denote the second apostle named Judas, in order to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. He was supposedly the author of the Epistle of Jude. In the English-speaking world,
Jude has occasionally been used as a given name since the time of the Protestant Reformation.
June f EnglishFrom the name of the month, which was originally derived from the name of the Roman goddess
Juno. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
Jūratė f LithuanianFrom Lithuanian
jūra meaning
"sea". This is the name of a sea goddess who falls in love with a fisherman in the Lithuanian folktale
Jūratė and Kastytis.
Justice m & f EnglishFrom an occupational surname meaning
"judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word
justice.
Justine f French, EnglishFrench form of
Iustina (see
Justina). This is the name of the heroine in the novel
Justine (1791) by the Marquis de Sade.
Kaede f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
楓 (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Kalliope f Greek MythologyMeans
"beautiful voice" from Greek
κάλλος (kallos) meaning "beauty" and
ὄψ (ops) meaning "voice". In Greek mythology she was a goddess of epic poetry and eloquence, one of the nine Muses.
Kanye m African American (Modern)Meaning uncertain. It could be from the name of a town in Botswana (of Tswana origin). Yoruba, Igbo, Xhosa and Fula meanings have also been suggested. It is borne by the American rapper Kanye West (1977-), and the name briefly appeared on the United States top 1000 list in 2004 when he released his debut album.
Karine 3 f ArmenianProbably from
Կարին (Karin), the Armenian name for the city of Erzurum in eastern Turkey. It was an Armenian city in classical times.
Kate f English, CroatianShort form of
Katherine, often used independently. It is short for
Katherina in Shakespeare's play
The Taming of the Shrew (1593). It has been used in England since the Middle Ages. A famous bearer is the British actress Kate Winslet (1975-).
Katherine f EnglishFrom the Greek name
Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from an earlier Greek name
Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from
ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning
"each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess
Hecate; it could be related to Greek
αἰκία (aikia) meaning
"torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning
"my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek
καθαρός (katharos) meaning
"pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from
Katerina to
Katharina to reflect this.
... [more] Kawacatoose m Cree (Anglicized)From Cree
ᑲᐋᐧᐦᑲᑐᐢ (Kawâhkatos) meaning
"poor man, weak from hunger". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan.
Kawisenhawe f MohawkMeans
"she holds the ice" in Mohawk, from
ka- "she",
ówise "ice" and
-hawe "hold, have".
Kayce m & f English (Modern)Variant of
Casey or
Case (depending on the pronunciation). It was popularized by the character Kayce Dutton (pronounced like Casey) from the television series
Yellowstone (2018-).
Kaylee f English (Modern)Combination of the popular phonetic elements
kay and
lee. This name, in various spellings, steadily rose in popularity starting in the 1980s. This particular spelling peaked in America in 2009, ranked 26th, and has since declined.
Kazue f JapaneseFrom Japanese
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" or
一 (kazu) meaning "one" combined with
枝 (e) meaning "branch" or
恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit". Other combinations of kanji characters can potentially form this name.
Keefe m English (Rare)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Caoimh, derived from the given name or byname
Caomh.
Kefilwe m & f TswanaMeans
"I was given" in Tswana, derived from
filwe "given".
Kehinde m & f YorubaMeans
"comes last" in Yoruba. It is typically given to the second of twins.
Keitumetse f & m TswanaMeans
"I am happy" in Tswana, from
itumetse meaning "happy".
Kelebogile f & m TswanaMeans
"I am thankful" in Tswana, derived from
leboga "to be thankful, to thank".
Kende m HungarianFrom the Hungarian royal title
kende or
kündü, which referred to the ceremonial Magyar king (who ruled together with the military leader the
gyula in the period before the Magyars settled in Hungary).
Keone m & f HawaiianMeans
"the homeland" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
one "sand, homeland".
Khloe f English (Modern)Variant of
Chloe. This particular variant was popularized by the television personality Khloé Kardashian (1984-) after she began appearing with her family on the reality show
Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2007.
Kleonike f Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" and
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". This name was used by the Greek playwright Aristophanes for a character in his comedy
Lysistrata.
Klytië f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
κλυτός (klytos) meaning
"famous, noble". In Greek myth Klytië was an ocean nymph who loved the sun god Helios. Her love was not returned, and she pined away staring at him until she was transformed into a heliotrope flower, whose head moves to follow the sun.
Kobe 2 m VariousFrom the name of the city in Japan. The parents of basketball player Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) chose this name after seeing Kobe beef (which is from the Japanese city) on a menu.
Kore f Greek MythologyMeans
"maiden" in Greek. This was another name for the Greek goddess Persephone.
Kōsuke m JapaneseFrom Japanese
康 (kō) meaning "peace",
孝 (kō) meaning "filial piety, obedience" or
浩 (kō) meaning "prosperous" combined with
介 (suke) meaning "help, assist". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Kotone f JapaneseFrom Japanese
琴 (koto), which refers to a type of musical instrument similar to a harp, combined with
音 (ne) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Krystle f English (Modern)Variant of
Crystal. This particular spelling was popularized by the character Krystle Carrington from the American soap opera
Dynasty (1981-1989).
Kunigunde f German (Rare)Derived from the Old German element
kunni "clan, family" (or the related prefix
kuni "royal") combined with
gunda "war". It was borne by a 4th-century Swiss saint, a companion of Saint
Ursula. Another saint by this name was the 11th-century wife of the Holy Roman emperor Henry II.
Kwame m AkanMeans
"born on Saturday" in Akan.
Kyle m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves from Gaelic
caol meaning
"narrows, channel, strait". As a given name it was rare in the first half of the 20th century. It rose steadily in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, entering the top 50 in most places by the 1990s. It has since declined in all regions.
Kylie f EnglishThis name arose in Australia, where it is said to mean "boomerang" in the Australian Aboriginal language Nyungar. An early bearer was the author Kylie Tennant (1912-1988). It was among the most popular names in Australia in the 1970s and early 80s. It can also be considered a feminine form of
Kyle, or a combination of the popular sounds
ky and
lee, and it is likely in those capacities that it began to be used in America in the late 1970s. A famous bearer is the Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue (1968-).
Kyrie 2 f English (Modern)From the name of a Christian prayer, also called the
Kyrie eleison meaning "Lord, have mercy". It is ultimately from Greek
κύριος (kyrios) meaning
"lord".
Lake m & f English (Rare)From the English word
lake, for the inland body of water. It is ultimately derived from Latin
lacus.
Lalage f LiteratureDerived from Greek
λαλαγέω (lalageo) meaning
"to babble, to prattle". The Roman poet Horace used this name in one of his odes.
Lale f TurkishMeans
"tulip" in Turkish, of Persian origin.
Lance m EnglishFrom the Germanic name
Lanzo, originally a short form of names that began with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element
land, Old High German
lant meaning
"land" (Proto-Germanic *
landą). During the Middle Ages it became associated with Old French
lance meaning "spear, lance". A famous bearer is American cyclist Lance Armstrong (1971-).
Lane m EnglishFrom an English surname, meaning
"lane, path", which originally belonged to a person who lived near a lane.
Laodice f Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Λαοδίκη (Laodike) meaning
"justice of the people", derived from Greek
λαός (laos) meaning "people" and
δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order". In Greek mythology this was the name of several women, notably the daughter of King
Priam of Troy. It was also common among the royal family of the Seleucid Empire, being borne by the mother of Seleucus himself (4th century BC).
Laoise f IrishPossibly a newer form of
Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of
Lucy or
Louise.
Lassie f LiteratureFrom a diminutive of the northern English word
lass meaning
"young girl", a word probably of Norse origin. This name was used by the author Eric Knight for a collie dog in his novel
Lassie Come-Home (1940), later adapted into a popular film and television series.
Laudine f Arthurian CyclePossibly a derivative of
Lot 2 (or derived from the same place name). It was used by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for a character in his romance
Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Also called the Lady of the Fountain, Laudine married
Yvain after he killed her husband.
Launce m LiteratureShort form of
Launcelot, a variant of
Lancelot. This was the name of a clownish character in Shakespeare's play
The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
Laurence 1 m EnglishFrom the Roman cognomen
Laurentius, which meant
"from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably deriving from Latin
laurus "laurel". Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome. According to tradition he was roasted alive on a gridiron because, when ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the sick and poor. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in the Christian world (in various spellings).
... [more] Laverne f & m EnglishFrom a French surname that was derived from a place name, ultimately from the Gaulish word
vern "alder". It is sometimes associated with the Roman goddess
Laverna or the Latin word
vernus "of spring".
Lawrence m EnglishVariant of
Laurence 1. This spelling of the name is now more common than
Laurence in the English-speaking world, probably because
Lawrence is the usual spelling of the surname. The surname was borne by the author and poet D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), as well as the revolutionary T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935), who was known as Lawrence of Arabia.
Leatrice f EnglishPossibly a combination of
Leah and
Beatrice. This name was first brought to public attention by the American actress Leatrice Joy (1893-1985).
Lee m & f EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from Old English
leah meaning
"clearing". The surname belonged to Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), commander of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In his honour, it has been used as a given name in the American South. It is common as a middle name.
Lenore f EnglishShort form of
Eleanor. This is the name of the departed love of the narrator in Edgar Allan Poe's poem
The Raven (1845).
Leofwine m Anglo-SaxonMeans
"dear friend", derived from the Old English elements
leof "dear, beloved" and
wine "friend". This was the name of an 8th-century English saint, also known as
Lebuin, who did missionary work in Frisia.
Leslie f & m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from a place in Aberdeenshire, probably from Gaelic
leas celyn meaning
"garden of holly". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In America it was more common as a feminine name after the 1940s.
Lethokuhle f & m Xhosa, ZuluMeans
"bring goodness" in Zulu and Xhosa, from the roots
letha "to bring" and
hle "beautiful, good".