Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the gender is feminine; and the pattern is *is.
gender
usage
pattern
Aalis f Medieval French
Old French form of Alice.
Aignéis f Irish
Irish form of Agnes.
Ailís f Irish
Irish form of Alice.
Ailis f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Alice.
Alanis f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Alan. Canadian musician Alanis Morissette (1974-) was named after her father Alan. Her parents apparently decided to use this particular spelling after seeing this word in a Greek newspaper.
Alcestis f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἄλκηστις (Alkestis), derived from ἀλκηστής (alkestes) meaning "brave, valiant", a derivative of ἀλκή (alke) meaning "strength, prowess". In Greek mythology she was the wife of King Admetus. She offered to die in place of her husband, though she was eventually rescued from the underworld by Herakles. This story was told by the Greek playwright Euripides in his 5th-century BC tragedy Alcestis.
Alexis m & f French, English, Greek, Spanish, Ancient Greek
From the Greek name Ἄλεξις (Alexis) meaning "helper" or "defender", derived from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, to help". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek comic poet, and also of several saints. It is used somewhat interchangeably with the related name Ἀλέξιος or Alexius, borne by five Byzantine emperors.... [more]
Alis f Welsh
Welsh form of Alice.
Amaryllis f Literature
Derived from Greek ἀμαρύσσω (amarysso) meaning "to sparkle". This is the name of a character appearing in Virgil's pastoral poems Eclogues. The amaryllis flower is named for her.
Anaís f Catalan, Spanish
Catalan and Spanish form of Anaïs.
Anaïs f French
Meaning uncertain, possibly a derivative of Anne 1 or Agnès. It was used in Jean-Henri Guy's opera Anacréon chez Polycrate (1798), where it is borne by the daughter (otherwise unnamed in history) of the 6th-century BC tyrant Polycrates of Samos. Guy could have adapted it from a classical name such as Anaitis or Athénaïs.... [more]
Annis f English
Medieval English form of Agnes.
Artemis f Greek Mythology, Greek
Meaning unknown, possibly related either to Greek ἀρτεμής (artemes) meaning "safe" or ἄρταμος (artamos) meaning "a butcher". Artemis was the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting, the twin of Apollo and the daughter of Zeus and Leto. She was known as Diana to the Romans.
Ásdís f Icelandic, Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements áss "god" and dís "goddess".
Athénaïs f French
French form of Athenais.
Athenais f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek goddess Athena.
Avis f English
Probably a Latinized form of the Germanic name Aveza, which was derived from the element awi, of unknown meaning. The Normans introduced this name to England and it became moderately common during the Middle Ages, at which time it was associated with Latin avis "bird".
Azalaïs f Occitan
Occitan form of Adelais.
Balqis f Arabic
Variant of Bilqis.
Beitris f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Beatrice.
Bilqis f Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Meaning uncertain. According to Islamic tradition this was the name of the Queen of Sheba. She (but not her name) appears in the Quran.
Briseis f Greek Mythology
Patronymic 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.
Bryndís f Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements brynja "armour" and dís "goddess".
Candis f English
Variant of Candace.
Chalkis f Greek Mythology
Derived 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.
Charis f & m Ancient Greek, Greek
Ancient Greek feminine form of Chares. This was the word (in the singular) for one of the three Graces (plural Χάριτες).... [more]
Chloris f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek χλωρός (chloros) meaning "pale green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.
Chris m & f English, Dutch, German, Danish
Short form of Christopher, Christian, Christine and other names that begin with Chris.
Chrodechildis f Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized Frankish form of Clotilde.
Chryseis f Greek Mythology
Patronymic derived from Chryses. In Greek legend she was the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo. After she was taken prisoner by the Greeks besieging Troy, Apollo sent a plague into their camp, forcing the Greeks to release her.
Clematis f English (Rare)
From the English word for a type of flowering vine, ultimately derived from Greek κλήμα (klema) meaning "twig, branch".
Clothildis f Germanic (Latinized)
Medieval Latin form of Chrodechildis and Chlodechilda (see Clotilde).
Dámaris f Spanish
Spanish form of Damaris.
Damaris f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Probably means "calf, heifer, girl" from Greek δάμαλις (damalis). In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul.
Deloris f English
Variant of Dolores.
Dóris f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Doris.
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
From the Greek name Δωρίς (Doris), which meant "Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
Dorris f English
Variant of Doris.
Dylis f Welsh
Variant of Dilys.
Eilís f Irish
Irish Gaelic form of Elizabeth (or sometimes of Alice).
Ellis m & f English, Welsh
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Elis, a medieval vernacular form of Elias. This name has also functioned as an Anglicized form of Welsh Elisedd.
Elpis f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "hope" in Greek. In Greek mythology Elpis was the personification of hope. She was the last spirit to remain in the jar after Pandora unleashed the evils that were in it.
Eris f Greek Mythology
Means "strife, discord" in Greek. In Greek mythology Eris was the goddess of discord. She was the sister and companion of Ares.
Eydís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements ey "good fortune" or "island" and dís "goddess".
Francis m & f English, French
English form of the Late Latin name Franciscus meaning "Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *frankô). This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.... [more]
Genesis f English (Modern)
Means "birth, origin" in Greek. This is the name of the first book of the Old Testament in the Bible. It tells of the creation of the world, the expulsion of Adam and Eve, Noah and the great flood, and the three patriarchs.
Gertrudis f Germanic (Latinized), Spanish, Dutch
Latinized form of Gertrude, also used in Spanish. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Geertruida is typically used in daily life.
Glennis f Welsh
Anglicized form of Glenys.
Glynis f Welsh
Variant of Glenys.
Hadewidis f Germanic (Latinized)
Germanic name derived from the elements hadu meaning "battle, combat" and wit meaning "wide".
Hafdís f Icelandic
Derived from Old Norse haf "sea, ocean" and dís "goddess".
Haris 2 m & f Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Χάρης or Χάρις (see Charis).
Heiðdís f Icelandic
Derived from Old Norse heiðr "honour" and dís "goddess".
Herais f Ancient Greek
Ancient 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.
Hjördís f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Hjördis.
Hjördis f Swedish
Swedish form of the Old Norse name Hjǫrdís meaning "sword goddess", derived from the elements hjǫrr "sword" and dís "goddess".
Hjørdis f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Hjördis.
Hjǫrdís f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Hjördis.
Hollis m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from Middle English holis "holly trees". It was originally given to a person who lived near a group of those trees.
Hrodohaidis f Germanic
Old German form of Rose.
Iiris f Finnish
Finnish form of Iris.
Íris f Portuguese, Icelandic
Portuguese and Icelandic form of Iris.
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, Greek
Means "rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Ísis f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Isis.
Isis f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ꜣst (reconstructed as Iset, Aset or Ueset), possibly from st meaning "throne". In Egyptian mythology Isis was the goddess of the sky and nature, the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She was originally depicted wearing a throne-shaped headdress, but in later times she was conflated with the goddess Hathor and depicted having the horns of a cow on her head. She was also worshipped by people outside of Egypt, such as the Greeks and Romans.
Jadis f Literature
Used by the author C. S. Lewis as the proper name of the White Witch, the antagonist in his novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950). He may have based it on French jadis meaning "long ago, of old" or Persian جادو (jādū) meaning "magic, witch".
Janis f English
Variant of Janice.
Jördis f German (Rare)
German form of Hjördis.
Koronis f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek κορώνη (korone) meaning "crow". This was the name of several figures from Greek mythology, including the mother of the god Asklepios.
Kris m & f English, Flemish, Danish
Short form of Kristian, Kristoffer and other names beginning with Kris.
Lachesis f Greek Mythology
Means "apportioner" in Greek. She was one of the three Fates or Μοῖραι (Moirai) in Greek mythology. She was responsible for deciding how long each person had to live.
Lamis f Arabic
Means "soft" in Arabic.
Liis f Estonian
Estonian short form of Eliisabet.
Lis f Danish, Swedish
Short form of Elisabet.
Lois 1 f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly derived from Greek λωίων (loion) meaning "more desirable" or "better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of Eunice and the grandmother of Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.
Lovis f Swedish
Variant of Lovisa.
Lutgardis f Germanic (Latinized), Flemish
Latinized form of Leutgard (see Luitgard). In Flanders this form of the name is common on birth certificates, but it is usually rendered Lutgarde in daily life.
Maris 1 f Estonian
Diminutive of Maria.
Maris 2 f English (Rare)
Means "of the sea", taken from the Latin title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea".
Marlis f German
Combination of Maria and Liese.
Mavis f English
From the name of the type of bird, also called the song thrush, derived from Old French mauvis, of uncertain origin. It was first used as a given name by the British author Marie Corelli, who used it for a character in her novel The Sorrows of Satan (1895).
Maylis f French
From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.
Melis f Turkish
Turkish form of Melissa.
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".
Metis f Greek Mythology
Means "wisdom, skill, cunning" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a Titan. Because it was prophesied that her children would be wiser than Zeus, he swallowed her after he had impregnated her. However, their daughter Athena eventually burst from his head fully grown.
Nargis f Bengali, Urdu, Tajik
Bengali, Urdu and Tajik form of Narges.
Nemesis f Greek Mythology
Means "distribution of what is due, righteous anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Nemesis was the personification of vengeance and justice.
Nergis f Turkish
Means "daffodil, narcissus" in Turkish, ultimately derived from Greek (see Narcissus).
Nindaanis f Ojibwe
Means "my daughter" in Ojibwe.
Nokomis f New World Mythology
From Ojibwe nookomis meaning "my grandmother". In Anishinaabe legend this is the name of Nanabozho's grandmother. It was used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for the grandmother of Hiawatha in his 1855 poem The Song of Hiawatha.
Odalis f & m Spanish (Latin American)
Possibly an elaboration of Odilia used in Latin America. In most countries it is a feminine name, but in the Dominican Republic it is commonly masculine.
Øydis f Norwegian (Rare)
Norwegian form of Eydís.
Paris 2 f Various
From 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.
Parris m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who came from the French city of Paris (see Paris 2).
Parysatis f Old Persian (Hellenized)
Greek form of the Old Persian name *𐎱𐎽𐎢𐏁𐎹𐎠𐎫𐎡𐏁 (Parušyatiš) meaning "much prosperity". This was the name of the wife of the Persian king Darius II (5th century BC). It was also borne by Parysatis II, a daughter of Artaxerxes III and a wife of Alexander the Great (4th century BC).
Persis f Biblical, Biblical Greek
Greek name meaning "Persian woman". This is the name of a woman mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament.
Pharaildis f Germanic (Latinized)
Derived from the Old German elements fara "journey" and hilt "battle". This was the name of an 8th-century saint from Ghent, Belgium.
Phillis f English
Variant of Phyllis.
Phyllis f Greek Mythology, English
Means "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.
Pistis f Greek Mythology
Means "trust, faith" in Greek. In Greek mythology Pistis was the personification of trust.
Praxis f Greek Mythology
Means "action, sex" in Greek. This was another name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Pris f English
Short form of Priscilla.
Ptolemais f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Ptolemaios (see Ptolemy).
Rhodopis f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ῥόδον (rhodon) meaning "rose" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". According to Herodotus this was the name of a prostitute who was a slave with Aesop on Samos. The same figure appears in the 1st-century BC writings of Strabo, which recount the tale of a slave named Rhodopis who marries the Egyptian pharaoh after he finds her sandal and has his men locate the owner. Some sources spell her name as Rhodope.
Richardis f Germanic (Latinized)
Germanic name, possibly a feminine form of Ricohard, though it is likely the second element is gart "enclosure" (being more common as a second element in feminine names). This was the name of the 9th-century wife of the Frankish emperor Charles the Fat. She is regarded as a saint.
Róis f Irish (Rare)
Irish form of Rose, or directly from the Irish word rós meaning "rose" (genitive róis; of Latin origin).
Saldís f Old Norse
From the Old Norse elements salr "room, hall" and dís "goddess".
Semiramis f Ancient Assyrian (Hellenized)
Probably from a Greek form of the name Shammuramat. According to ancient Greek and Armenian sources, Semiramis (Շամիրամ (Shamiram) in Armenian) was an Assyrian queen who conquered much of Asia. Though the tales are legendary, she might be loosely based on the real Assyrian queen.
Snædís f Icelandic
Means "snow goddess", derived from the Old Norse elements snær "snow" and dís "goddess".
Sóldís f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Saldís.
Thaís f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese (especially Brazilian) form of Thaïs.
Thaïs f Ancient Greek, French
Possibly means "bandage" in Greek. This was the name of a companion of Alexander the Great. It was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Alexandria, a wealthy socialite who became a Christian convert, though in her case the name may have had a distinct Coptic origin. She has been a popular subject of art and literature, including an 1891 novel by Anatole France and an 1894 opera by Jules Massenet.
Thais f Ancient Greek, Spanish
Alternate transcription of Ancient Greek Θαΐς (see Thaïs), as well as the usual Spanish form.
Themis f Greek Mythology
Means "law of nature, divine law, custom" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan who presided over custom and natural law. She was often depicted blindfolded and holding a pair of scales. By Zeus she was the mother of many deities, including the three Μοῖραι (Moirai) and the three Ὥραι (Horai).
Thetis f Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek θέτης (thetes) meaning "one who places", a derivative of τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". This was the name of one of the Nereids in Greek mythology. With Peleus she was the mother of Achilles.
Þórdís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Means "Thor's goddess" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with Old Norse dís "goddess".
Tomiris f Kazakh, Tajik
Kazakh and Tajik form of Tomyris.
Tomyris f History
Hellenized form of a Scythian name, possibly from an Iranian root meaning "family". This was the name of a 6th-century BC queen of the Massagetae (a Scythian people) who defeated Cyrus the Great during his invasion of Central Asia.
Tordis f Norwegian
Modern form of Þórdís.
Valdís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from Old Norse valr meaning "the dead, the slain" and dís meaning "goddess".
Vanadís f Norse Mythology
Means "goddess of the Vanir" in Old Norse. This was an epithet of the Norse goddess Freya, given because she was a member of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir).
Vígdís f Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements víg "war" and dís "goddess".
Vigdís f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Vígdís.
Vigdis f Norwegian
Norwegian form of Vígdís.
Wallis m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Wallace. Wallis Simpson (1895-1986) was the divorced woman whom Edward VIII married, which forced him to abdicate the British throne.
Zenais f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek variant of Zenaida.