Bao f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
宝 (bǎo) meaning "treasure, jewel, precious, rare",
褒 (bāo) meaning "praise, honour" or
苞 (bāo) meaning "bud" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are possible as well.
Baran f & m Persian, Turkish, KurdishMeans
"rain" in Persian. It is typically feminine in Persian and masculine in Turkish and Kurdish.
Barbara f English, Italian, French, German, Polish, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late RomanDerived from Greek
βάρβαρος (barbaros) meaning
"foreign, non-Greek". According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning. She is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen. Because of her renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Başak f TurkishMeans
"ear of wheat" in Turkish. This is also the Turkish name for the constellation Virgo.
Bastet f Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
bꜣstt, which was possibly derived from
bꜣs meaning
"ointment jar" and a feminine
t suffix. In Egyptian mythology Bastet was a goddess of cats, fertility and the sun who was considered a protector of Lower Egypt. In early times she was typically depicted with the head of a lioness. By the New Kingdom period she was more associated with domestic cats, while the similar cat goddess
Sekhmet took on the fierce lioness aspect.
Batari f IndonesianMeans
"goddess" in Indonesian, derived from the Sanskrit noble title
भट्टारी (bhaṭṭārī) meaning "noble lady".
Bathilde f French (Rare)Derived from the Old German elements
batu and
hilt, which both mean
"battle". This is another name used to refer to Saint
Balthild. It is also borne by a character in Adolphe Adam's ballet
Giselle (1841).
Bathsheba f BiblicalMeans
"daughter of the oath" in Hebrew, derived from
בַּת (baṯ) meaning "daughter" and
שָׁבַע (shavaʿ) meaning "oath". According to the Old Testament, this was the name of a woman married to
Uriah the Hittite. She became pregnant by King
David, so he arranged to have her husband killed in battle and then married her. She was the mother of
Solomon.
Batul f ArabicMeans
"virgin" in Arabic. This is an Arabic epithet of the Virgin
Mary.
Baylor m & f English (Modern)From a surname, possibly an Americanized form of the German surname
Beiler, derived from Middle High German
beile meaning
"measuring stick".
Beatrix f German, Hungarian, Dutch, English, Late RomanProbably from
Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name
Viator meaning
"voyager, traveller". It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin
beatus "blessed, happy". Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of Diocletian.
... [more] Beau m & f English, Dutch (Modern)Means
"beautiful, handsome" in French. It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. In Margaret Mitchell's novel
Gone with the Wind (1936) this is the name of Ashley and Melanie's son.
... [more] Bébinn f Old Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"white woman", from Old Irish
bé "woman" and
finn "white, blessed". This name was borne by several characters in Irish mythology, including the mother of the hero Fráech.
Beck m & f English (Rare)From a surname of English, German or Scandinavian origins, all derived from related words meaning
"stream". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a short form of
Rebecca. A noted bearer is the American rock musician Beck Hansen (1970-), born Bek David Campbell, who goes by the stage name Beck.
Begoña f Spanish, BasqueFrom a title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Begoña, meaning "Our Lady of Begoña", the patron saint of Biscay, Spain. Begoña is a district and basilica in the city of Bilbao.
Begüm f TurkishFrom a royal title, a feminine form of the Turkic
beg meaning "chieftain" (modern Turkish
bey).
Běla f CzechDerived from the Old Slavic word *
bělŭ meaning
"white".
Belén f SpanishSpanish form of
Bethlehem, the name of the town in Judah where King
David and
Jesus were born. The town's name is from Hebrew
בֵּית־לֶחֶם (Beṯ-leḥem) meaning "house of bread".
Bella f EnglishShort form of
Isabella and other names ending in
bella. It is also associated with the Italian word
bella meaning
"beautiful". It was used by the American author Stephenie Meyer for the main character in her popular
Twilight series of novels, first released 2005, later adapted into a series of movies beginning 2008.
Belladonna f VariousFrom the name of a toxic plant, also called deadly nightshade (species Atropa belladonna). The plant's name is of Italian origin, probably derived from Latin
bladona "mullein plant" and altered through association with the Italian words
bella "beautiful, fair" and
donna "lady".
Bellatrix f AstronomyMeans
"female warrior" in Latin. This is the name of the star that marks the left shoulder of the constellation Orion.
Bellona f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
bellare meaning
"to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war, a companion of
Mars.
Belphoebe f LiteratureCombination of Old French
bele "beautiful" and the name
Phoebe. This name was first used by Edmund Spenser in his poem
The Faerie Queene (1590).
Berenice f English, Italian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of
Βερενίκη (Berenike), the Macedonian form of the Greek name
Φερενίκη (Pherenike), which meant
"bringing victory" from
φέρω (phero) meaning "to bring" and
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". This name was common among the Ptolemy ruling family of Egypt, a dynasty that was originally from Macedon. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament (in most English Bibles it is spelled
Bernice) belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II. As an English name,
Berenice came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Berfîn f KurdishMeans
"snowdrop (flower)" in Kurdish (genus Galanthus).
Berlin f & m VariousFrom the name of the city in Germany, which is of uncertain meaning.
Berry 2 f English (Rare)From the English word referring to the small fruit. It is ultimately derived from Old English
berie. This name has only been in use since the 20th century.
Bertha f German, English, GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element
berht, Old High German
beraht meaning
"bright" (Proto-Germanic *
berhtaz). This was the name of a few early saints, including a 6th-century Frankish princess who married and eventually converted King
Æþelbeorht of Kent. It was also borne by the mother of
Charlemagne in the 8th century (also called
Bertrada), and it was popularized in England by the Normans. It died out as an English name after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century.
... [more] Berthild f GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
beraht "bright" and
hilt "battle". This was the name of a 7th-century saint, an abbess of Chelles in France.
Beryl f EnglishFrom the English word for the clear or pale green precious stone, ultimately deriving from Sanskrit. As a given name, it first came into use in the 19th century.
Bethany f EnglishFrom the name of a biblical town,
Βηθανία (Bethania) in Greek, which is probably of Aramaic or Hebrew origin, possibly meaning "house of affliction" or "house of figs". In the New Testament the town of Bethany is the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. It has been in use as a rare given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, in honour of Mary of Bethany. In America it became moderately common after the 1950s.
Bethel f EnglishFrom an Old Testament place name meaning
"house of God" in Hebrew. This was a town north of Jerusalem, where
Jacob saw his vision of the stairway. It is occasionally used as a given name.
Beulah f Biblical, EnglishMeans
"married" in Hebrew. The name is used in the Old Testament to refer to the land of Israel (
Isaiah 62:4). As an English given name,
Beulah has been used since the Protestant Reformation.
Beverly f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from the name of a Yorkshire city, itself from Old English
beofor "beaver" and (possibly)
licc "stream". It came into use as a masculine given name in the 19th century, then became common as an American feminine name after the publication of George Barr McCutcheon's 1904 novel
Beverly of Graustark. It was most popular in the 1930s, and has since greatly declined in use.
Bhumi f HinduismMeans
"earth, soil" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu earth goddess. She is the wife of
Varaha, an avatar of
Vishnu.
Bianca f Italian, RomanianItalian cognate of
Blanche. Shakespeare had characters named Bianca in
The Taming of the Shrew (1593) and
Othello (1603). The German singer Freddy Breck's 1973 song
Bianca boosted the name's popularity elsewhere in Europe.
Birdie f EnglishDiminutive of
Bertha,
Bernice and other names with a similar sound, or sometimes simply from the English word
bird.
Birutė f LithuanianPossibly from Lithuanian
birti meaning
"to scatter, to pour out" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by the mother of the 15th-century Grand Duke
Vytautas of Lithuania.
Bithiah f BiblicalMeans
"daughter of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from the roots
בַּת (baṯ) meaning "daughter" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Pharaoh. She is traditionally equated with the pharaoh's daughter who drew
Moses from the Nile.
Blagica f MacedonianDerived from Macedonian
благ (blag) meaning
"sweet, pleasant, good" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Blair m & f Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic
blàr meaning
"plain, field, battlefield". In Scotland this name is typically masculine.
... [more] Blake m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Old English
blæc "black" or
blac "pale". A famous bearer of the surname was the poet and artist William Blake (1757-1827). It was originally a mainly masculine name but in 2007 actress Blake Lively (1987-) began starring in the television series
Gossip Girl, after which time it increased in popularity for girls.
Blakely f English (Modern)From an English surname that was derived from Old English
blæc "black" and
leah "woodland clearing".
Blanche f French, EnglishFrom a medieval French nickname meaning
"white, fair-coloured". This word and its cognates in other languages are ultimately derived from the Germanic word *
blankaz. An early bearer was the 12th-century Blanca of Navarre, the wife of Sancho III of Castile. Her granddaughter of the same name married Louis VIII of France, with the result that the name became more common in France.
Bláthnat f Irish MythologyMeans
"little flower" from Irish
bláth "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend she was a maiden abducted and married by Cú Roí. She was rescued by
Cúchulainn, who killed her husband, but was in turn murdered by one of Cú Roí's loyal servants.
Blažena f Czech, SlovakDerived from Czech and Slovak
blažený meaning
"blissful, happy, blessed", ultimately from Old Slavic *
bolgŭ "good, pleasant".
Blessing m & f English (African)From the English word
blessing, of Old English origin. This name is most common in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.
Blodeuwedd f Welsh MythologyMeans
"face of flowers" in Welsh. According to the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi, she was created out of flowers by
Gwydion to be the wife of his nephew
Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Originally she was named
Blodeuedd meaning simply "flowers". She was eventually transformed into an owl by Gwydion after she and her lover
Gronw attempted to murder Lleu, at which point he renamed her
Blodeuwedd.
Blodwen f WelshMeans
"white flowers" from Welsh
blodau "flowers" combined with
gwen "white, blessed". This is the name of an 1878 Welsh opera by Joseph Parry.
Blossom f EnglishFrom the English word
blossom, ultimately from Old English
blóstm. It came into use as a rare given name in the 19th century.
Blue m & f English (Rare)From the English word for the colour, derived via Norman French from a Frankish word (replacing the native Old English cognate
blaw). Despite the fact that this name was used by the American musicians Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2012 for their first daughter, it has not come into general use in the United States.
Bo 2 m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
波 (bō) meaning "wave", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Boann f Irish MythologyPossibly from Old Irish
bó "cow" and
finn "white, blessed". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of the River Boyne, which is named for her. She was the wife of
Nechtan and the father of
Aonghus (by
Dagda).
Boglárka f HungarianMeans
"buttercup (flower)" in Hungarian (genus Ranunculus), derived from the archaic word
boglár meaning "ornament".
Boipelo m & f TswanaMeans
"joy, rejoicing" in Tswana, from
ipela meaning "to rejoice".
Boitumelo f & m TswanaMeans
"joy" in Tswana, from
itumela meaning "to be happy".
Bonita f EnglishMeans
"pretty" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin
bonus "good". It has been used as a name in the English-speaking world since the beginning of the 20th century.
Bonnie f EnglishMeans
"pretty" from the Scottish word
bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French
bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie
Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.
Boudicca f Brythonic (Latinized)Derived from Brythonic
boud meaning
"victory". This was the name of a 1st-century queen of the Iceni who led the Britons in revolt against the Romans. Eventually her forces were defeated and she committed suicide. Her name is first recorded in Roman histories, as
Boudicca by Tacitus and
Βουδουῖκα (Boudouika) by Cassius Dio.
Bounmy m & f LaoMeans
"happy", from Lao
ບຸນ (boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" combined with
ມີ (mi) meaning "to have".
Bowie m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern)From a Scottish surname, derived from Gaelic
buidhe meaning
"yellow". It has been used as a given name in honour of the British musician David Bowie (1947-2016), born David Robert Jones, who took his stage name from the American pioneer James Bowie (1796-1836), though with a different pronunciation.
Božica f CroatianDerived from the Slavic element
božĭjĭ meaning
"divine". It also means
"goddess" in Croatian.
Bradamante f Carolingian CycleUsed by Matteo Maria Boiardo for a female knight in his epic poem
Orlando Innamorato (1483). He possibly intended it to derive from Italian
brado "wild, untamed, natural" and
amante "loving" or perhaps Latin
amantis "lover, sweetheart, mistress", referring to her love for the Saracen
Ruggiero. Bradamante also appears in Ludovico Ariosto's poem
Orlando Furioso (1532) and Handel's opera
Alcina (1735).
Brandy f EnglishFrom the English word
brandy for the alcoholic drink. It is ultimately from Dutch
brandewijn "burnt wine". It has been in use as a given name since the 1960s.
Brankica f Croatian, SerbianDerived from the Slavic element
borna (South Slavic
brana) meaning
"protection" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Branwen f Welsh, Welsh MythologyMeans
"white raven" from Old Welsh
bran "raven" and
gwen "white, blessed". According to the Second Branch of the
Mabinogi she was the daughter of
Llŷr. After she was mistreated by her husband Matholwch, the king of Ireland, she managed to get a message to her brother
Brân, the king of Britain. Brân launched a costly invasion to rescue her, but she died of grief shortly after her return.
Breda 2 f SloveneMeaning unknown. It was used by the Slovene author Ivan Pregelj for the title character in his novel
Mlada Breda (1913).
Brenda f EnglishPossibly a feminine form of the Old Norse name
Brandr, meaning
"fire, torch, sword", which was brought to Britain in the Middle Ages. This name is sometimes used as a feminine form of
Brendan.
Bridget f Irish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Irish name
Brighid, Old Irish
Brigit, from old Celtic *
Brigantī meaning
"the exalted one". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire, poetry and wisdom, the daughter of the god
Dagda. In the 5th century it was borne by Saint Brigid, the founder of a monastery at Kildare and a patron saint of Ireland. Because of the saint, the name was considered sacred in Ireland, and it did not come into general use there until the 17th century. In the form
Birgitta this name has been common in Scandinavia, made popular by the 14th-century Saint Birgitta of Sweden, patron saint of Europe.
Brinley f English (Modern)Combination of
Bryn and the popular phonetic suffix
lee. It also coincides with an English surname, which was derived from the name of a town meaning
"burned clearing" in Old English.
Briseis f Greek MythologyPatronymic derived from
Βρισεύς (Briseus), a Greek name of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology Briseis (real name Hippodameia) was the daughter of Briseus. She was captured during the Trojan War by
Achilles. After
Agamemnon took her away from him, Achilles refused to fight in the war.
Britannia f English (Rare)From the Latin name of the island of
Britain, in occasional use as an English given name since the 18th century. This is also the name of the Roman female personification of Britain pictured on some British coins.
Brittany f EnglishFrom the name of the region of
Brittany in the northwest of France, called in French
Bretagne. It was named for the Britons who settled there after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the invasions of the Anglo-Saxons.
... [more] Brónach f IrishMeans
"sad", derived from Irish
brón meaning "sorrow". Saint Brónach was a 6th-century Irish mystic.
Bronte m & f English (Rare)From a surname, an Anglicized form of Irish
Ó Proinntigh, itself derived from the given name
Proinnteach, probably from Irish
bronntach meaning "generous". The Brontë sisters — Charlotte, Emily, and Anne — were 19th-century English novelists. Their father changed the spelling of the family surname from
Brunty to
Brontë, possibly to make it coincide with Greek
βροντή meaning "thunder".
Bronwen f WelshSeemingly derived from Welsh
bron "breast" and
gwen "white, blessed", though it has sometimes occurred as a variant spelling of the legendary name
Branwen. It has been used as a given name in Wales since the 19th century. It is borne by a character in Richard Llewellyn's 1939 novel
How Green Was My Valley, as well as the 1941 movie adaptation.
Brook m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that denoted one who lived near a brook.
Brooke f EnglishVariant of
Brook. The name came into use in the 1950s, probably influenced by American socialite Brooke Astor (1902-2007). It was further popularized by actress Brooke Shields (1965-).
Brooklyn f & m English (Modern)From the name of a borough of New York City, originally named after the Dutch town of
Breukelen, itself meaning either "broken land" (from Dutch
breuk) or "marsh land" (from Dutch
broek). It can also be viewed as a combination of
Brook and the popular name suffix
lyn. It is considered a feminine name in the United States, but is more common as a masculine name in the United Kingdom.
Brunhild f German, Germanic Mythology, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
brunna "armour, protection" and
hilt "battle". It is cognate with the Old Norse name
Brynhildr (from the elements
brynja and
hildr). In Norse legend Brynhildr was the queen of the valkyries who was rescued by the hero
Sigurd. In the medieval German saga the
Nibelungenlied she was a queen of Iceland and the wife of
Gunther. Both of these characters were probably inspired by the eventful life of the 6th-century Frankish queen Brunhilda (of Visigothic birth).
... [more] Bryn m & f Welsh, English (Modern)Means
"hill, mound" in Welsh. In Wales it is almost always a masculine name, though elsewhere in the English-speaking world it can be unisex (see
Brynn).
Bryony f English (Rare)From the name of a type of Eurasian vine, formerly used as medicine. It ultimately derives from Greek
βρύω (bryo) meaning "to swell".
Buhle f & m Xhosa, NdebeleFrom Xhosa and Ndebele
buhle "beautiful, handsome", from the root
hle.
Buttercup f LiteratureFrom the English word for the yellow flower (genus Ranunculus). Author William Goldman used it for Princess Buttercup in his book
The Princess Bride (1973) and the subsequent film adaptation (1987).
Cadence f English (Modern)From an English word meaning
"rhythm, flow". It has been in use only since the 20th century.
Çağrı m & f TurkishMeans
"invitation" or
"falcon" in Turkish.
Calafia f LiteratureProbably invented by the 16th-century Spanish writer Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, who likely based it on
califa, the Spanish form of Arabic
خليفة (khalīfa), an Islamic title meaning
"successor" (see
Khalifa). In Montalvo's novel
The Adventures of Esplandián it is borne by the queen of the island of California (the inspiration for the name of the American and Mexican states).
Calla f EnglishFrom the name of two types of plants, the true calla (species Calla palustris) and the calla lily (species Calla aethiopica), both having white flowers and growing in marshy areas. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek
κάλλος (kallos) meaning
"beauty".
Calypso f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant
"she that conceals", derived from
καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with
Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until
Zeus ordered her to release him.
Camellia f English (Rare)From the name of the flowering shrub, which was named for the botanist and missionary Georg Josef Kamel.
Cameron m & f EnglishFrom a Scottish surname meaning
"crooked nose" from Gaelic
cam "crooked" and
sròn "nose". As a given name it is mainly used for boys. It got a little bump in popularity for girls in the second half of the 1990s, likely because of the fame of actress Cameron Diaz (1972-). In the United States, the forms
Camryn and
Kamryn are now more popular than
Cameron for girls.
Campbell m & f EnglishFrom a Scottish surname meaning
"crooked mouth" from Gaelic
cam "crooked" and
beul "mouth".
Candace f English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the hereditary title of the queens of Ethiopia, as mentioned in Acts in the New Testament. It is apparently derived from Cushitic
kdke meaning
"queen mother". In some versions of the Bible it is spelled
Kandake, reflecting the Greek spelling
Κανδάκη. It was used as a given name by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 20th century by a character in the 1942 movie
Meet the Stewarts.
Candelaria f SpanishMeans
"Candlemas" in Spanish, ultimately derived from Spanish
candela "candle". This name is given in honour of the church festival of Candlemas, which commemorates the presentation of Christ in the temple and the purification of the Virgin
Mary.
Candida f Late Roman, EnglishLate Latin name derived from
candidus meaning
"white". This was the name of several early saints, including a woman supposedly healed by Saint
Peter. As an English name, it came into use after George Bernard Shaw's play
Candida (1898).
Candide m & f French (Rare), LiteratureFrench form of
Candidus or
Candida. The French philosopher and author Voltaire used this name for the main character (a male) in his satire
Candide (1759). In French
candide also means
"naive", which is descriptive of the book's protagonist.
Cansel f TurkishDerived from Turkish
can meaning "soul, life" and
sel meaning "flood, stream".
Cansu f TurkishFrom Turkish
can meaning "soul, life" and
su meaning "water".
Caoimhe f IrishDerived from Irish
caomh meaning
"dear, beloved, gentle".
Capri f English (Modern)From the name of the picturesque Italian island of Capri. It is likely from Greek
κάπρος (kapros) meaning "wild boar", though it could also be of Etruscan origin or from Latin
capri meaning "goats".
Caprice f EnglishFrom the English word meaning
"impulse", ultimately (via French) from Italian
capriccio.
Capucine f FrenchMeans
"nasturtium" in French. This was the stage name of the French actress and model Capucine (1928-1990).
Cara f EnglishFrom an Italian word meaning
"beloved" or an Irish word meaning
"friend". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, though it did not become popular until after the 1950s.
Cardea f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
cardo meaning
"hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.
Carey m & f EnglishFrom an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of
Ó Ciardha, which is a patronymic derived from the given name
Ciardha.
Caridad f SpanishMeans
"charity" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de la Caridad, meaning "Our Lady of Charity". This is the name of the patron saint of Cuba, with a shrine located in the town of El Cobre.
Carina 1 f English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Late RomanLate Latin name derived from
cara meaning
"dear, beloved". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr. It is also the name of a constellation in the southern sky, though in this case it means "keel" in Latin, referring to a part of
Jason's ship the Argo.
Carita f SwedishDerived from Latin
caritas meaning
"dearness, esteem, love".
Carlisle m & f English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from the name of a city in northern England. The city was originally called by the Romans
Luguvalium meaning "stronghold of
Lugus". Later the Brythonic element
ker "fort" was appended to the name of the city.
Carmel f & m English, JewishFrom the title of the Virgin
Mary Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
כַּרְמֶל (Karmel) (meaning "garden" in Hebrew) is a mountain in Israel mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the site of several early Christian monasteries. As an English given name, it has mainly been used by Catholics. As a Jewish name it is unisex.
Carmen f Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, French, Romanian, GermanMedieval Spanish form of
Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin
Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word
carmen meaning
"song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera
Carmen (1875).
Carol 1 f & m EnglishShort form of
Caroline. It was formerly a masculine name, derived from
Carolus. The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means "song" or "hymn".
Carson m & f EnglishFrom a Scottish surname of uncertain meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was the American scout Kit Carson (1809-1868).
Cary m & f EnglishVariant of
Carey. A famous bearer was the British-American actor Cary Grant (1904-1986).
Carys f WelshDerived from Welsh
caru meaning
"love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.
Casey m & f EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Cathasaigh, a patronymic derived from the given name
Cathassach. This name can be given in honour of Casey Jones (1863-1900), a train engineer who sacrificed his life to save his passengers. In his case,
Casey was a nickname acquired because he was raised in the town of Cayce, Kentucky.
Casilda f SpanishMeaning uncertain. This is the name of the 11th-century patron saint of Toledo, Spain. It might have an Arabic origin (Saint Casilda was a Moorish princess), perhaps from
قصيدة (qaṣīda) meaning
"poem". Alternatively it could be derived from a Visigothic name in which the second element is
hilds meaning "battle".
Cassarah f English (Rare)Recently created name intended to mean
"what will be, will be". It is from the title of the 1956 song
Que Sera, Sera, which was taken from the Italian phrase
che sarà sarà. The phrase
que sera, sera is not grammatically correct in any Romance language.
Cassidy f & m English (Modern)From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic
Ó Caiside), which is derived from the byname
Caiside. Very rare as a given name before the 1970s, it established itself in the 80s and then surged in popularity during the 90s.
Cat f & m EnglishDiminutive of
Catherine. It can also be a nickname from the English word for the animal.
Cecilia f English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Romanian, FinnishLatinate feminine form of the Roman family name
Caecilius, which was derived from Latin
caecus meaning
"blind". Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.
... [more] Cedar f & m English (Rare)From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
κέδρος (kedros). Besides the true cedars from the genus Cedrus, it is also used to refer to some tree species in the cypress family.
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.
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).
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.
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".
Chae-Won f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
采 (chae) meaning "collect, gather, pluck" or
彩 (chae) meaning "colour" combined with
原 (won) meaning "source, origin, beginning". Other hanja combinations can also form this name.
Chae-Yeong f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
彩 (chae) meaning "colour" combined with
榮 (yeong) meaning "glory, honour" or
瑛 (yeong) meaning "jade". This name can be formed using other hanja combinations as well.
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.
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 m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
昌 (chāng) meaning "flourish, prosper, good, sunlight" (which is usually only masculine),
畅 (chàng) meaning "smooth, free, unrestrained" or
长 (cháng) meaning "long". Other Chinese characters are also possible.
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).
Channary f KhmerMeans
"moon-faced girl" from Khmer
ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and
នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".
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".
Chao m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
超 (chāo) meaning "surpass, leap over" (which is usually only masculine),
潮 (cháo) meaning "tide, flow, damp", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
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.
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.
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.