Melanie f English, German, DutchFrom
Mélanie, the French form of the Latin name
Melania, derived from Greek
μέλαινα (melaina) meaning
"black, dark". This was the name of a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity in the 5th century. Her grandmother was also a saint with the same name.
... [more] Melina f English, GreekElaboration of
Mel, either from names such as
Melissa or from Greek
μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". A famous bearer was Greek-American actress Melina Mercouri (1920-1994), who was born Maria Amalia Mercouris.
Melinda f English, HungarianCombination of
Mel (from names such as
Melanie or
Melissa) with the popular name suffix
inda. It was created in the 18th century, and may have been inspired by the similar name
Belinda. In Hungary, the name was popularized by the 1819 play
Bánk Bán by József Katona.
Melissa f English, Dutch, Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyMeans
"bee" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a daughter of Procles, as well as an epithet of various Greek nymphs and priestesses. According to the early Christian writer Lactantius this was the name of the sister of the nymph
Amalthea, with whom she cared for the young
Zeus. Later it appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem
Orlando Furioso belonging to the fairy who helps
Ruggiero escape from the witch
Alcina. As an English given name,
Melissa has been used since the 18th century.
Melody f EnglishFrom the English word
melody, which is derived (via Old French and Late Latin) from Greek
μέλος (melos) meaning "song" combined with
ἀείδω (aeido) meaning "to sing".
Memphis m & f English (Modern)From the name of an important city of ancient Egypt, or the city in Tennessee that was named after it. It is derived from a Greek form of Egyptian
mn-nfr meaning "enduring beauty".
Mercedes f SpanishMeans
"mercies" (that is, the plural of mercy), from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, meaning "Our Lady of Mercies". It is ultimately from the Latin word
merces meaning "wages, reward", which in Vulgar Latin acquired the meaning "favour, pity".
Meredith m & f Welsh, EnglishFrom the Welsh name
Maredudd or
Meredydd, from Old Welsh forms such as
Margetud, possibly from
mawredd "greatness, magnificence" combined with
iudd "lord". The Welsh forms of this name were well used through the Middle Ages. Since the mid-1920s it has been used more often for girls than for boys in English-speaking countries, though it is still a masculine name in Wales. A famous bearer of this name as surname was the English novelist and poet George Meredith (1828-1909).
Mererid f WelshMeans
"pearl, gem" in Welsh, derived from Latin
margarita.
Merle m & f English, EstonianFrom the English word
merle or the French surname
Merle, which both mean
"blackbird" (from Latin
merula). It was borne by the devious character Madame Merle (in fact her surname) in Henry James' novel
The Portrait of a Lady (1880).
... [more] Merritt m & f EnglishFrom an English surname, originally from a place name, which meant
"boundary gate" in Old English.
Meryl f EnglishVariant of
Muriel. A famous bearer is American actress Meryl Streep (1949-), whose real name is Mary Louise Streep.
Mía f SpanishSpanish form of
Mia, also coinciding with the Spanish word
mía meaning
"mine".
Michal 2 f Biblical, HebrewPossibly means
"brook" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of
Saul. She was married to
David, but after David fled from Saul he remarried her to someone else. Later, when David became king, he ordered her returned to him.
Michelle f French, English, DutchFrench feminine form of
Michel. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the former American first lady Michelle Obama (1964-).
Mickey m & f EnglishDiminutive or feminine form of
Michael. This was the name that Walt Disney gave to Ub Iwerks' cartoon character Mickey Mouse (debuting 1928), who was called Mortimer Mouse while being developed. Another famous bearer was the American baseball player Mickey Mantle (1931-1995).
Mika 2 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" combined with
香 (ka) meaning "fragrance" or
加 (ka) meaning "increase". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Miki f JapaneseFrom Japanese
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and
紀 (ki) meaning "chronicle". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Milagros f SpanishMeans
"miracles" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de los Milagros, which means "Our Lady of Miracles".
Mildred f EnglishFrom the Old English name
Mildþryð meaning
"gentle strength", derived from the elements
milde "gentle" and
þryþ "strength". Saint Mildred was a 7th-century abbess, the daughter of the Kentish princess Saint Ermenburga. After the Norman Conquest this name became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Milena f Serbian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, ItalianFeminine form of
Milan. It began to be used in Italy in honour of Milena Vukotić (1847-1923), mother of Helen of Montenegro, the wife of the Italian king Victor Emmanuel III. In Italy it can also be considered a combination of
Maria and
Elena.
Miley f English (Modern)In the case of actress and singer Miley Cyrus (1992-), it is a shortened form of the nickname
Smiley, given to her by her father because she often smiled. Although it was not at all common before she brought it to public attention, there are some examples of its use before her time, most likely as a diminutive of
Miles.
Millicent f EnglishFrom the Gothic name *
Amalaswinþa, composed of the elements
amals "unceasing, vigorous, brave" and
swinþs "strong". Amalaswintha was a 6th-century queen of the Ostrogoths. The Normans introduced this name to England in the form
Melisent or
Melisende. Melisende was a 12th-century queen of Jerusalem, the daughter of Baldwin II.
Ming m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
明 (míng) meaning "bright, light, clear" or
铭 (míng) meaning "inscribe, engrave", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Minnie f EnglishDiminutive of
Wilhelmina. This name was used by Walt Disney for the cartoon character Minnie Mouse, introduced 1928.
Miranda f English, DutchDerived from Latin
mirandus meaning
"admirable, worthy of being admired". The name was created by Shakespeare for the heroine in his play
The Tempest (1611), in which Miranda and her father
Prospero are stranded on an island. It did not become a common English given name until the 20th century. This is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, named after the Shakespearean character.
Mireille f French, DutchFrom the Occitan name
Mirèio, which was first used by the poet Frédéric Mistral for the main character in his poem
Mirèio (1859). He probably derived it from the Occitan word
mirar meaning
"to admire". It is spelled
Mirèlha in classical Occitan orthography. A notable bearer is the French singer Mireille Mathieu (1946-).
Miriam f Hebrew, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Slovak, Polish, BiblicalForm of
Mary used in the Old Testament, where it belongs to the elder sister of
Moses and
Aaron. She watched over the infant Moses as the pharaoh's daughter drew him from the Nile. The name has long been popular among Jews, and it has been used as an English Christian name (alongside
Mary) since the Protestant Reformation.
Mischa m & f Dutch, GermanDutch and German form of
Misha. It is occasionally used as a feminine name in Dutch.
Misty f EnglishFrom the English word
misty, ultimately derived from Old English. The jazz song
Misty (1954) by Erroll Garner may have helped popularize the name.
Mitra 1 m & f Hinduism, HindiMeans
"friend" in Sanskrit, a cognate of
Mithra. This is the name of a Vedic god (
मित्र) who is associated with friendship and contracts and is frequently paired with the god
Varuna. The feminine form
मित्रा (spelled with a final long vowel) is also transcribed as
Mitra.
Mitra 2 f PersianModern variant of
Mithra used as a feminine name. The true Modern Persian form of
Mithra is in fact
Mehr.
Moe 2 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
萌 (moe) meaning "bud, sprout". Other kanji with the same reading can also form this name.
Moira f Irish, Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of
Máire. It also coincides with Greek
Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of
Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.
Molly f EnglishMedieval diminutive of
Mary, now often used independently. It developed from
Malle and
Molle, other medieval diminutives. James Joyce used this name in his novel
Ulysses (1922), where it belongs to Molly Bloom, the wife of the main character.
Momoko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
百 (momo) meaning "hundred" or
桃 (momo) meaning "peach" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". This name can be constructed from other kanji combinations as well.
Mona 1 f Irish, EnglishAnglicized form of
Muadhnait. It is also associated with Greek
monos "one" and Leonardo da Vinci's painting the
Mona Lisa (in which case it is a contraction of Italian
ma donna meaning "my lady").
Monet f & m VariousFrom a French surname that was derived from either
Hamon or
Edmond. This was the surname of the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).
Monica f English, Italian, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Late RomanMeaning unknown, most likely of Berber or Phoenician origin. In the 4th century this name was borne by a North African saint, the mother of Saint
Augustine of Hippo, whom she converted to Christianity. Since the Middle Ages it has been associated with Latin
moneo "advisor" and Greek
μονός (monos) "one, single".
... [more] Monika f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian, LatvianForm of
Monica used in various languages.
Monroe m & f EnglishFrom a Scottish surname meaning
"from the mouth of the Roe". The Roe is a river in Northern Ireland. Two famous bearers of the surname were American president James Monroe (1758-1831) and American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).
... [more] Moon 2 f & m English (Rare)From the English word for Earth's natural satellite, ultimately from Old English
mona.
Morgan 1 m & f Welsh, English, FrenchFrom the Old Welsh masculine name
Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh
mor "sea" and
cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America
Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of
Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).
Morgan 2 f Arthurian CycleModern form of
Morgen, which was used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century for the Arthurian sorceress Morgan le Fay, who was unnamed in earlier stories. Geoffrey probably did not derive it from the Welsh masculine name
Morgan, which would have been spelled
Morcant in his time. It is likely from Old Welsh
mor "sea" and the suffix
gen "born of".
Morwenna f Cornish, WelshFrom Old Cornish
moroin meaning
"maiden, girl" (related to the Welsh word
morwyn). This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the daughters of
Brychan Brycheiniog.
Muriel f English, French, Irish, Scottish, Medieval Breton (Anglicized)Anglicized form of Irish
Muirgel and Scottish
Muireall. A form of this name was also used in Brittany, and it was first introduced to medieval England by Breton settlers in the wake of the Norman Conquest. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel
John Halifax, Gentleman (1856).
Myra f EnglishCreated by the 17th-century poet Fulke Greville. He possibly based it on Latin
myrra meaning "myrrh" (a fragrant resin obtained from a tree). Otherwise, he may have simply rearranged the letters from the name
Mary. Although unrelated etymologically, this is also the name of an ancient city of Anatolia.
Myrna f Irish (Rare), EnglishAnglicized form of
Muirne. The popularity of this name spiked in the United States in the 1930s due to the fame of the actress Myrna Loy (1905-1993).
Myrtle f EnglishSimply from the English word
myrtle for the evergreen shrub, ultimately from Greek
μύρτος (myrtos). It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
Na f ChineseFrom Chinese
娜 (nà) meaning "elegant, graceful, delicate" or other characters pronounced similarly.
Nada 1 f ArabicFrom Arabic
نَدًى (nadan) meaning
"dew, moisture, generosity", a derivative of
ندي (nadiya) meaning "to be moist, to be damp".
Nan f EnglishOriginally a diminutive of
Ann. It may have originated with the affectionate phrase
mine Ann, which was later reinterpreted as
my Nan. It is now also used as a short form of
Nancy.
Nana 2 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and/or
奈 (na), a phonetic character. The characters can be in either order or the same character can be duplicated, as indicated by the symbol
々. Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also be used to form this name.
Nana 3 f GeorgianMeaning unknown. This was the name of a 4th-century queen consort of Georgia who is regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church.
Nana 4 m & f AkanFrom an Akan word used as a title of a monarch.
Nancy f EnglishPreviously a medieval diminutive of
Annis, though since the 18th century it has been a diminutive of
Ann. It is now usually regarded as an independent name. During the 20th century it became very popular in the United States. A city in the Lorraine region of France bears this name, though it derives from a different source.
Naomi 1 f English, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
נָעֳמִי (Naʿomi) meaning
"my pleasantness", a derivative of
נָעַם (naʿam) meaning "to be pleasant". In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother-in-law of
Ruth. After the death of her husband and sons, she returned to Bethlehem with Ruth. There she declared that her name should be
Mara because of her misfortune (see
Ruth 1:20).
... [more] Naomi 2 f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
直 (nao) meaning "straight, direct" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" (usually feminine) or
己 (mi) meaning "self" (usually masculine). Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Natalia f Polish, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, English, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Greek, Georgian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Late RomanLatinate form of
Natalia (see
Natalie).
Natalie f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, NorwegianFrom the Late Latin name
Natalia, which meant
"Christmas Day" from Latin
natale domini. This was the name of the wife of the 4th-century martyr Saint Adrian of Nicomedia. She is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, and the name has traditionally been more common among Eastern Christians than those in the West. It was popularized in America by actress Natalie Wood (1938-1981), who was born to Russian immigrants.
Natasha f Russian, Belarusian, EnglishRussian diminutive of
Natalya. This is the name of a character in Leo Tolstoy's novel
War and Peace (1865). It has been used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.
Naz f TurkishMeans
"coy" in Turkish, of Persian origin.
Nélida f Literature, SpanishCreated by French author Marie d'Agoult for her semi-autobiographical novel
Nélida (1846), written under the name Daniel Stern. It was probably an anagram of her pen name
Daniel.
Nell f EnglishMedieval diminutive of names beginning with
El, such as
Eleanor,
Ellen 1 or
Helen. It may have arisen from the medieval affectionate phrase
mine El, which was later reinterpreted as
my Nel.
Nia 1 f WelshWelsh form of
Niamh. The Welsh poet T. Gwynn Jones used it in his long poem
Tir na n-Óg (1916), referring to the lover of
Oisín.
Niamh f Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"bright" in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god
Manannán mac Lir in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet
Oisín, the son of
Fionn mac Cumhaill. It has been used as a given name for people only since the early 20th century.
Nichelle f African AmericanCombination of
Nicole and
Michelle. This name spiked in popularity in the late 1960s when the actress Nichelle Nichols (1932-2022) portrayed Nyota Uhura on the
Star Trek television series. Nichols was given the name Grace at birth but it was changed at a young age.
Nicole f French, English, Dutch, GermanFrench feminine form of
Nicholas, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).
Nina 1 f Russian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, BelarusianShort form of names that end in
nina, such as
Antonina or
Giannina. It was imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. This name also nearly coincides with the Spanish word
niña meaning
"little girl" (the word is pronounced differently than the name).
... [more] Noa 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
乃 (no), a possessive particle, and
愛 (a) meaning "love, affection". This name can also be constructed from other kanji or kanji combinations.
Noah 2 f BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
נֹעָה (Noʿa) meaning
"motion". In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of
Zelophehad. In English this name is typically spelled the same as the name of the male biblical character
Noah, though in Hebrew they are written distinctly.
Noam m & f Hebrew, FrenchMeans
"pleasantness" in Hebrew. A famous bearer is Noam Chomsky (1928-), an American linguist and philosopher.
Noel m & f EnglishEnglish form of
Noël or
Noëlle (rarely). It was fairly popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand in the middle of the 20th century. It is occasionally written with a diaeresis, like in French. A famous bearer is British musician Noel Gallagher (1967-).
Nonna f Late Greek, RussianFeminine form of
Nonnos. This was the name of a 4th-century saint from Nazianzus in Cappadocia. She was the mother of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus.
Norma f English, Italian, LiteratureCreated by Felice Romani for the main character in the opera
Norma (1831). He may have based it on Latin
norma "rule". This name is also frequently used as a feminine form of
Norman.
Nurgül f TurkishMeans
"radiant rose" in Turkish, ultimately from Arabic
نور (nūr) meaning "light" and Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
Odessa f VariousFrom the name of a Ukrainian city that sits on the north coast of the Black Sea, which was named after the ancient Greek city of
Ὀδησσός (Odessos), of uncertain meaning. This name can also be used as a feminine form of
Odysseus.
Odette f FrenchFrench diminutive of
Oda or
Odilia. This is the name of a princess who has been transformed into a swan in the ballet
Swan Lake (1877) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Olga f Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovene, Serbian, Bulgarian, GreekRussian form of the Old Norse name
Helga. The 10th-century Saint Olga was the wife of
Igor I, the ruler of Kievan Rus (a state based around the city of Kyiv). Like her husband she was probably a Varangian, who were Norse people who settled in Eastern Europe beginning in the 9th century. Following Igor's death she ruled as regent for her son
Svyatoslav for 18 years. After she was baptized in Constantinople she attempted to convert her subjects to Christianity, though this goal was only achieved by her grandson
Vladimir.
Olive f English, FrenchFrom the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin
oliva.
Olivia f English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, DutchThis name was used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy
Twelfth Night (1602). This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time that may have been based on
Oliva or
Oliver, or directly on the Latin word
oliva meaning
"olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman wooed by Duke
Orsino. Instead she falls in love with his messenger Cesario, who is actually
Viola in disguise.
... [more] Olwen f Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian CycleMeans
"white footprint" from Welsh
ol "footprint, track" and
gwen "white, blessed". In the Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen she was a beautiful maiden, the lover of
Culhwch and the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Her father insisted that Culhwch complete several seemingly impossible tasks before he would allow them to marry.
Oprah f Various (Rare)In the case of television personality Oprah Winfrey (1954-), it was a childhood mispronunciation of her real name
Orpah that became permanent.
Ornella f ItalianCreated by the Italian author Gabriele d'Annunzio for his novel
La Figlia di Jorio (1904). It is derived from Tuscan Italian
ornello meaning "flowering ash tree".
Orpah f BiblicalMeans
"back of the neck" in Hebrew. Orpah is
Naomi's second daughter-in-law in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament.
Paige f EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"servant, page" in Middle English. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek
παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".
... [more] Pamela f EnglishThis name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Philip Sidney for use in his romance
Arcadia (1593). He possibly intended it to mean
"all sweetness" from Greek
πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and
μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel
Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.
Paris 2 f VariousFrom the name of the capital city of France, which got its name from the Gaulish tribe known as the Parisii. In America the popularity of this name spiked up and then down between 2003 and 2006, around the time that the television personality and socialite Paris Hilton (1981-) was at the height of her fame.
Parker m & f EnglishFrom an English occupational surname that meant
"keeper of the park".
Pat m & f EnglishShort form of
Patrick or
Patricia. A famous bearer of this name was Pat Garrett (1850-1908), the sheriff who shot Billy the Kid.
Patty f EnglishOriginally a variant of
Matty, a 17th-century diminutive of
Martha. It is now commonly used as a diminutive of
Patricia.
Paula f German, English, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Croatian, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Paulus (see
Paul). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman saint who was a companion of Saint
Jerome.
Paz 1 f SpanishMeans
"peace" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de la Paz, meaning "Our Lady of Peace".
Pearl f EnglishFrom the English word
pearl for the concretions formed in the shells of some mollusks, ultimately from Late Latin
perla. Like other gemstone names, it has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century. The pearl is the traditional birthstone for June, and it supposedly imparts health and wealth.
Peggy f EnglishMedieval variant of
Meggy, a diminutive of
Margaret. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.
Pelin f TurkishMeans
"wormwood, absinthe" in Turkish, referring to the plant species Artemisia absinthium.
Penelope f Greek Mythology, EnglishProbably derived from Greek
πηνέλοψ (penelops), a type of duck. Alternatively it could be from
πήνη (pene) meaning "threads, weft" and
ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In
Homer's epic the
Odyssey this is the name of the wife of
Odysseus, forced to fend off suitors while her husband is away fighting at Troy.
... [more] Penny f EnglishDiminutive of
Penelope. It can also be given in reference to the copper coin (a British pound or an American dollar are worth 100 of them), derived from Old English
penning.
Perdita f LiteratureDerived from Latin
perditus meaning
"lost". Shakespeare created this name for the daughter of
Hermione and
Leontes in his play
The Winter's Tale (1610). Abandoned as an infant by her father the king, she grows up to be a shepherdess and falls in love with with
Florizel.
Petra f German, Dutch, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Swedish, Finnish, EnglishFeminine form of
Peter. This was also the name of an ancient city in the region that is now Jordan.
Petula f English (Rare)Meaning unknown, created in the 20th century. The name is borne by the British singer Petula Clark (1932-), whose name was invented by her father.
Peyton f & m EnglishFrom an English surname, originally a place name meaning
"Pæga's town". This was a rare masculine name until the 1990s. In 1992 it was used for a female character in the movie
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and, despite the fact that it was borne by the villain, the name began to rise in popularity for girls as well as boys.
... [more] Philomena f English, German, Ancient Greek (Latinized)From Greek
Φιλουμένη (Philoumene) meaning
"to be loved", an inflection of
φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love". This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr. The name came to public attention in 1802 after a tomb seemingly marked with the name
Filumena was found in Rome, supposedly belonging to another martyr named Philomena. This may have in fact been a representation of the Greek word
φιλουμένη, not a name.
Phoebe f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical LatinLatinized form of the Greek name
Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant
"bright, pure" from Greek
φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess
Artemis. The name appears in
Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.
... [more] Phyllis f Greek Mythology, EnglishMeans
"foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with
Felicia.
Ping m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
平 (píng) meaning "level, even, peaceful". Other characters can also form this name.
Pip m & f EnglishDiminutive of
Philip or
Philippa. This is the name of the main character in
Great Expectations (1860) by Charles Dickens.
Piper f English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute). It was popularized as a given name by a character from the television series
Charmed, which debuted in 1998.