Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the gender is feminine; and the usage is English; and the ending sequence is a.
gender
usage
ends with
Fiona f Scottish, English
Feminine form of Fionn. This name was (first?) used by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in his poem Fingal (1761), in which it is spelled as Fióna.
Floella f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Flo.
Flora f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Albanian, Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala.
Floretta f English
Latinate diminutive of Flora.
Freda f English
Short form of names ending in freda or fred, such as Winifred or Alfreda.
Freida f English
Variant of Frieda.
Freya f Norse Mythology, English (Modern), German
From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.... [more]
Gaila f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Gail.
Gardenia f English (Rare)
From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).
Gayla f English
Elaborated form of Gail.
Gemma f Italian, Catalan, English (British), Dutch
Medieval Italian nickname meaning "gem, precious stone". It was borne by the wife of the 13th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri.
Gena 1 f English
Variant of Gina.
Geneva f English
Possibly a shortened form of Genevieve. It could also be inspired by the name of the city in Switzerland. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.
Georgetta f English
Feminine form of George.
Georgia f English, Greek
Latinate feminine form of George. This is the name of an American state, which was named after the British king George II. The country of Georgia has an unrelated etymology. A famous bearer was the American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).
Georgiana f English, Romanian
Feminine form of George. This form of the name has been in use in the English-speaking world since the 18th century.
Georgina f English, Spanish, Hungarian
Feminine form of George.
Gianna f Italian, Greek, English (Modern)
Italian short form of Giovanna and a Modern Greek variant of Ioanna.... [more]
Gina f Italian, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Georgina, Regina, Luigina and other names ending in gina. It can also be used as a diminutive of Virginia or Eugenia. It was popularized in the 1950s by Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida (1927-2023), whose birth name was Luigina.
Glenda f English
Probably a feminine form of Glenn using the suffix da (from names such as Linda and Wanda). This name was not regularly used until the 20th century.
Glenna f English
Feminine form of Glenn.
Gloria f English, Spanish, Italian, German
Means "glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin Mary Maria da Glória and María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.... [more]
Gloriana f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Latin gloria meaning "glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.
Greta f German, Italian, Swedish, Lithuanian, Polish, English
Short form of Margareta. A famous bearer of this name was the Swedish actress Greta Garbo (1905-1990).
Gretta f English
Variant of Greta.
Griselda f English, Spanish, Literature
Possibly derived from the Old German elements gris "grey" and hilt "battle". It is not attested as a Germanic name. This was the name of a patient wife in medieval folklore, adapted into tales by Boccaccio (in The Decameron) and Chaucer (in The Canterbury Tales).
Gwenda f Welsh, English
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, blessed" and da meaning "good". This name was created in the 19th century.
Gytha f English (Archaic)
From Gyða, an Old Norse diminutive of Guðríðr. It was borne by a Danish noblewoman who married the English lord Godwin of Wessex in the 11th century. The name was used in England for a short time after that, and was revived in the 19th century.
Helena f German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Henrietta f English, Hungarian, Finnish, Swedish
Latinate form of Henriette. It was introduced to England by Henriette Marie, the wife of the 17th-century English king Charles I. The name Henriette was also Anglicized as Harriet, a form that was initially more popular.
Hilda f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Spanish, Hungarian, Anglo-Saxon (Latinized), Germanic
Originally a short form of names containing the Old Frankish element hildi, Old High German hilt, Old English hild meaning "battle" (Proto-Germanic *hildiz). The short form was used for both Old English and continental Germanic names. Saint Hilda (or Hild) of Whitby was a 7th-century English saint and abbess. The name became rare in England during the later Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century.
Honora f Irish, English
Variant of Honoria. It was brought to England and Ireland by the Normans.
Ida f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, French, Polish, Finnish, Hungarian, Slovak, Slovene, Germanic
Derived from the Germanic element id possibly meaning "work, labour" (Proto-Germanic *idiz). The Normans brought this name to England, though it eventually died out there in the Middle Ages. It was strongly revived in the 19th century, in part due to the heroine in Alfred Tennyson's poem The Princess (1847), which was later adapted into the play Princess Ida (1884) by Gilbert and Sullivan.... [more]
Idella f English
Elaboration of Ida.
Idonea f English (Archaic)
Medieval English name, probably a Latinized form of Iðunn. The spelling may have been influenced by Latin idonea "suitable". It was common in England from the 12th century.
Ina f German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, English, Slovene, Latvian
Short form of names ending with or otherwise containing ina, such as Martina, Christina and Carolina.
India f English, Spanish (Modern)
From the name of the country, which is itself derived from the name of the Indus River. The river's name is ultimately from Sanskrit सिन्धु (Sindhu) meaning "body of trembling water, river". India Wilkes is a character in the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) by Margaret Mitchell.
Indiana f & m English
From the name of the American state, which means "land of the Indians". This is the name of the hero in the Indiana Jones series of movies, starring Harrison Ford.
Iola f English
Probably a variant of Iole.
Iona 1 f English, Scottish
From the name of the island off Scotland where Saint Columba founded a monastery. The name of the island is Old Norse in origin, and apparently derives simply from ey meaning "island".
Irma f German, English, Dutch, Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Spanish, Italian, Georgian, Lithuanian, Hungarian, Slovene, Germanic
German short form of names beginning with the Old German element irmin meaning "whole, great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It is thus related to Emma. It began to be regularly used in the English-speaking world in the 19th century.
Isabella f Italian, German, English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Romanian
Latinate form of Isabel. This name was borne by many medieval royals, including queens consort of England, France, Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire and Hungary, as well as the powerful ruling queen Isabella of Castile (properly called Isabel).... [more]
Isadora f English, Portuguese
Variant of Isidora. A famous bearer was the American dancer Isadora Duncan (1877-1927).
Isidora f Spanish, Serbian, Portuguese (Rare), Italian (Rare), English (Rare), Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Isidore. This was the name of a 4th-century Egyptian saint and hermitess.
Isla f Scottish, English
Variant of Islay, typically used as a feminine name. It also coincides with the Spanish word isla meaning "island".
Jacquetta f English (British)
Feminine diminutive of Jacques.
Jada 1 f English
Elaborated form of Jade. This name came into general use in the 1960s, and was popularized in the 1990s by actress Jada Pinkett Smith (1971-).
Janeka f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Jane.
Janessa f English (Modern)
Elaborated form of Jane, influenced by Vanessa.
Janetta f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Janet.
Janna f Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, English
Feminine form of Jan 1. As an English name, it is an elaboration of Jan 2.
Jayla f English (Modern)
An invented name, using the phonetic elements jay and la, and sharing a sound with other popular names such as Kayla.
Jeana f English
Variant of Jean 2 or Gina.
Jeanna f English
Variant of Jean 2 or Gina.
Jemima f Biblical, English
Traditionally said to mean "dove", it may actually be related to Hebrew יוֹמָם (yomam) meaning "daytime". This was the oldest of the three daughters of Job in the Old Testament. As an English name, Jemima first became common during the Puritan era.
Jena f English
Diminutive of Jennifer.
Jenessa f English (Rare)
Combination of Jen and the popular name suffix essa.
Jenna f English, Finnish, French
Variant of Jenny. Use of the name was popularized in the 1980s by the character Jenna Wade on the television series Dallas.
Jennica f English (Rare)
Combination of Jennifer and Jessica.
Jessa f English
Diminutive of Jessica.
Jessica f English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
This name was first used in this form by William Shakespeare in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596), where it belongs to the daughter of Shylock. Shakespeare probably based it on the biblical name Iscah, which would have been spelled Jescha in his time. It was not commonly used as a given name until the middle of the 20th century. It reached its peak of popularity in the United States in 1987, and was the top ranked name for girls between 1985 and 1995, excepting 1991 and 1992 (when it was unseated by Ashley). Notable bearers include actresses Jessica Tandy (1909-1994) and Jessica Lange (1949-).
Jessika f German, Swedish, English (Modern)
German, Swedish and English variant of Jessica.
Joandra f English (Rare)
Combination of Joanne and Andrea 2.
Joanna f English, Polish, Biblical
English and Polish form of Latin Iohanna, which was derived from Greek Ἰωάννα (Ioanna), the feminine form of Ioannes (see John). This is the spelling used in the English New Testament, where it belongs to a follower of Jesus who is regarded as a saint. In the Middle Ages in England it was used as a Latinized form of Joan (the usual feminine form of John) and it became common as a given name in the 19th century.
Joella f English
Feminine form of Joel.
Joetta f English
Elaborated form of Jo.
Johanna f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian, English, Late Roman
Latinate form of Greek Ioanna (see Joanna).
Johna f English (Rare)
Feminine form of John.
Johnna f English
Feminine form of John.
Josephina f English (Rare)
Latinate variant of Joséphine.
Julia f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Spanish, Polish, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Roman, Biblical
Feminine form of the Roman family name Julius. Among the notable women from this family were Julia Augusta (also known as Livia Drusilla), the wife of Emperor Augustus, and Julia the Elder, the daughter of Augustus and the wife of Tiberius. A person by this name has a brief mention in the New Testament. It was also borne by a few early saints and martyrs, including the patron saint of Corsica. Additionally, Shakespeare used it in his comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).... [more]
Juliana f Dutch, German, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Slovak, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian). This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr from Nicomedia, and also of the Blessed Juliana of Norwich, also called Julian, a 14th-century mystic and author. The name was also borne by a 20th-century queen of the Netherlands. In England, this form has been in use since the 18th century, alongside the older form Gillian.
Julianna f Hungarian, Polish, English
Feminine form of Iulianus (see Julian). It can also be considered a combination of Julia and Anna.
Justina f English, Spanish, Portuguese, Slovene, Lithuanian, Late Roman
From Latin Iustina, the feminine form of Iustinus (see Justin). This name was borne by several early saints and martyrs.
Kara 1 f English
Variant of Cara.
Karena f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Karen 1, possibly influenced by Carina 1.
Karissa f English
Variant of Charissa.
Kasandra f English (Modern), Polish
English variant and Polish form of Cassandra.
Kassandra f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, English (Modern)
Greek form of Cassandra, as well as a modern English variant.
Katherina f English (Rare), German
Latinate form of Katherine. This is the name of the woman whom Petruchio marries and tries to tame in Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew (1593).
Katrina f Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Caitrìona.
Kaya 2 f English (Modern)
Possibly from the Scandinavian name Kaia, or simply an invented name based on the sounds found in other names such as Maya.
Kayla f English
Combination of the popular phonetic elements kay and la. Use of the name greatly increased after 1982 when the character Kayla Brady began appearing on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives.
Keila f Portuguese (Brazilian), English (Modern)
Variant of Kayla. It could also be inspired by the name of the town of Keilah from the Old Testament.
Keira f English (Modern)
Variant of Ciara 1. This spelling was popularized by British actress Keira Knightley (1985-).
Keitha f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Keith.
Kelda f English (Rare)
Possibly derived from Old Norse kildr meaning "a spring".
Kelia f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown, perhaps an invented name.
Kelsea f English (Modern)
Variant of Kelsey, with the spelling influenced by Chelsea.
Kendra f English
Feminine form of Ken 1 or Kendrick.
Kenya f English, African American
From the name of the African country. The country is named for Mount Kenya, which in the Kikuyu language is called Kĩrĩnyaga meaning "the one having stripes". It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 1960s.
Kiana 1 f Hawaiian, English
Hawaiian form of Diana. It was brought to wider attention in the late 1980s, likely by the Hawaiian fitness instructor Kiana Tom (1965-), who had a television show on ESPN beginning in 1988.
Kiara f English (Modern)
Variant of Ciara 1 or Chiara. This name was brought to public attention in 1988 after the singing duo Kiara released their song This Time. It was further popularized by a character in the animated movie The Lion King II (1998).
Kiera f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Ciara 1.
Kierra f English (Modern)
Variant of Kiara influenced by the spelling of Sierra.
Kira 2 f English
Variant of Ciara 1.
Kristina f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Russian, German, Slovene, Czech, Lithuanian, Serbian, Croatian, Albanian, Faroese, English, Bulgarian
Form of Christina in several languages. It is also an English variant of Christina and a Bulgarian variant of Hristina.
Kyla f English
Feminine form of Kyle, or a combination of the popular phonetic elements ky and la.
Kyra f English
Variant of Kira 2, sometimes considered a feminine form of Cyrus.
Lalia f English (Rare)
Short form of Eulalia.
Lana f English, Russian, Croatian, Slovene, Georgian
Short form of Alana (English) or Svetlana (Russian). In the English-speaking world it was popularized by actress Lana Turner (1921-1995), who was born Julia Jean Turner.
Lara 1 f Russian, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian
Russian short form of Larisa. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by a character from Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago (1957) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1965). Between 1965 and 1969 it increased by almost 2,000 percent in the United States, however it is currently much more popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany. Another famous fictional bearer is Lara Croft, first appearing in video games in 1996 and movies in 2001.
Larissa f English, German, Portuguese (Brazilian), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Variant of Larisa. It has been commonly used as an English given name only since the 20th century, as a borrowing from Russian. In 1991 this name was given to one of the moons of Neptune, in honour of the mythological character.
Laura f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, French, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Lithuanian, Latvian, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Laurus, which meant "laurel". This meaning was favourable, since in ancient Rome the leaves of laurel trees were used to create victors' garlands. The name was borne by the 9th-century Spanish martyr Saint Laura, who was a nun thrown into a vat of molten lead by the Moors. It was also the name of the subject of poems by the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch.... [more]
Laurena f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Lauren.
Lauressa f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Laura.
Laurissa f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Laura.
Lavina f English
Variant of Lavinia.
Layla f Arabic, English
Means "night" in Arabic. Layla was the love interest of the poet Qays (called Majnun) in an old Arab tale, notably retold by the 12th-century Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi in his poem Layla and Majnun. This story was a popular romance in medieval Arabia and Persia. The name became used in the English-speaking world after the 1970 release of the song Layla by Derek and the Dominos, the title of which was inspired by the medieval story.
Leanna f English
Probably this was originally a variant of Liana. It is now often considered a combination of Lee and Anna.
Leesa f English
Variant of Lisa.
Leila f Persian, Arabic, Kurdish, English, French, Georgian
Variant of Layla, and the usual Persian transcription.... [more]
Lela 2 f English
Variant of Leila.
Lena f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Polish, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, English, Italian, Portuguese, Greek, Georgian, Armenian
Short form of names ending in lena, such as Helena, Magdalena or Yelena. It is often used independently.
Lenora f English
Short form of Elenora.
Leola f English
Feminine form of Leo.
Leona f English, Czech
Feminine form of Leon.
Lesia f English
Short form of Alesia.
Leta f English
Possibly derived from Latin laetus meaning "glad". Otherwise, it could be a short form of names ending in leta.
Letha f English
Possibly a short form of Aletha.
Letitia f English
From the Late Latin name Laetitia meaning "joy, happiness". This was the name of an obscure saint, who is revered mainly in Spain. It was in use in England during the Middle Ages, usually in the spelling Lettice, and it was revived in the 18th century.
Lexa f English
Short form of Alexandra or Alexa.
Lexia f English
Short form of Alexia.
Leyla f Turkish, Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Persian, Arabic, English (Modern)
Variant of Leila, and the usual Turkish, Azerbaijani and Kurdish form.
Liana f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, English, Georgian
Short form of Juliana, Liliana and other names that end in liana. This is also the word for a type of vine that grows in jungles.
Lila 2 f English
Variant of Leila.
Lillia f English
Short form of Lillian or an elaborated form of Lily.
Linda f English, German, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, French, Latvian, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Germanic
Originally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (Proto-Germanic *linþaz). It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word linda meaning "beautiful". In the English-speaking world this name experienced a spike in popularity beginning in the 1930s, peaking in the late 1940s, and declining shortly after that. It was the most popular name for girls in the United States from 1947 to 1952.
Linnaea f English (Rare)
From the word for the type of flower, also called the twinflower (see Linnéa).
Lisa f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian
Short form of Elizabeth (though often used independently) and its cognates in other languages. This is the name of the subject of one of the world's most famous paintings, the Mona Lisa, the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo by Leonardo da Vinci.... [more]
Lisha f English
Short form of Alicia, Felicia and other names ending with the same sound.
Lissa f English
Short form of Melissa.
Lita f English
Short form of names ending in lita. This name was brought to the public eye in the 1920s due to Lita Grey (1908-1995), who was the second wife of Charlie Chaplin. Her birth name was Lillita Louise MacMurray.
Livia 2 f English
Short form of Olivia.
Liza f English, Russian, Greek, Georgian
Short form of Elizabeth (English), Yelizaveta (Russian), Elisavet (Greek) or Elisabed (Georgian).
Lola f Spanish, English, French
Spanish diminutive of Dolores. A famous bearer was Lola Montez (1821-1861; birth name Eliza Gilbert), an Irish-born dancer, actress and courtesan.
Lolicia f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lola.
Lora f English
Variant of Laura.
Lorena 2 f English
Latinized form of Lauren. This name was first brought to public attention in America by the song Lorena (1856), written by Joseph Webster, who was said to have created the name as an anagram of Lenore (from the character in Poe's poem The Raven).
Loretta f English, Italian
Perhaps a variant of Lauretta or Loreto. A famous bearer was the American actress Loretta Young (1913-2000), whose birth name was Gretchen.
Lorinda f English
Elaboration of Lori with the popular name suffix inda.
Lorna f English
Created by the author R. D. Blackmore for the title character in his novel Lorna Doone (1869), set in southern England, which describes the dangerous love between John Ridd and Lorna Doone. Blackmore may have based the name on the Scottish place name Lorne or on the title Marquis of Lorne (see Lorne).
Louella f English
Combination of Lou and the popular name suffix ella.
Louisa f English, German, Dutch
Latinate feminine form of Louis. A famous bearer was the American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the author of Little Women.
Luana f English, Italian, Portuguese
From the movie Bird of Paradise (1932), in which it was borne by the main character, a Polynesian girl. The movie was based on a 1912 play of the same name set in Hawaii.
Luanna f English (Rare)
Either a combination of Lou and Anna or a variant of Luana.
Lucia f Italian, German, Dutch, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, Slovak, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings Lucy or Luce.
Lucinda f English, Portuguese, Literature
An elaboration of Lucia created by Cervantes for his novel Don Quixote (1605). It was subsequently used by Molière in his play The Doctor in Spite of Himself (1666).
Luella f English
Variant of Louella.
Lula 1 f English
Diminutive of Louise and names that begin with Lu.
Luna f Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English
Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.
Luvenia f English
Possibly a form of Lavinia. It has been used in America since the 19th century.
Luvinia f English
Variant of Luvenia.
Lyda f English
Perhaps a variant of Lydia.
Lydia f English, German, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Means "from Lydia" in Greek. Lydia was a region on the west coast of Asia Minor, said to be named for the legendary king Lydos. In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. In the modern era the name has been in use since the Protestant Reformation.
Lyla f English
Variant of Leila.
Lynda f English
Variant of Linda.
Lynna f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lynn.
Lyssa 1 f English
Short form of Alyssa.
Mabella f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Mabel.
Madelina f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Madeline.
Madonna f English
From a title of the Virgin Mary meaning "my lady" in Italian. A famous bearer of the name is American singer Madonna Ciccone (1958-), known simply as Madonna.
Magnolia f English
From the English word magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.
Mahala f English
Variant of Mahalah or Mahalath. It has occasionally been used as an English Christian name since the Protestant Reformation.
Mahalia f English
Variant of Mahala.
Malandra f English (Rare)
Invented name using the popular name suffix andra, from names such as Sandra or Alexandra.
Malaysia f English (Modern)
From the name of the country in southeastern Asia, the home of the Malay people. Their ethnic name is of uncertain origin, though it is possibly from the name of a river, itself derived from Malay melaju or Javanese mlayu meaning "to run, to go fast".
Malia f Hawaiian, English (Modern)
Hawaiian form of Maria. This name experienced a spike in popularity in 2009, due to the eldest daughter (born 1998) of the new American president Barack Obama.
Malinda f English
Variant of Melinda.
Malvina f Literature, English, Italian, French
Created by the Scottish poet James MacPherson in the 18th century for a character in his Ossian poems. He probably intended it to mean "smooth brow", from Scottish Gaelic mala "brow" and mìn "smooth, fine" (lenited to mhìn and pronounced with a v sound).
Marcia f English, Spanish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Marcius. It was borne by a few very minor saints. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 18th century.
Margaretta f English
Latinate form of Margaret.
Maria f & m Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Occitan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Faroese, Dutch, Frisian, Greek, Polish, Romanian, English, Finnish, Estonian, Corsican, Sardinian, Basque, Armenian, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Latin form of Greek Μαρία, from Hebrew מִרְיָם (see Mary). Maria is the usual form of the name in many European languages, as well as a secondary form in other languages such as English (where the common spelling is Mary). In some countries, for example Germany, Poland and Italy, Maria is occasionally used as a masculine middle name.... [more]
Mariabella f English (Rare)
Combination of Maria and Bella.
Marianna f Italian, Hungarian, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Russian, Greek, English
Combination of Maria and Anna. It can also be regarded as a variant of the Roman name Mariana, or as a Latinized form of Mariamne.
Marilla f English (Archaic)
Possibly a diminutive of Mary or a variant of Amaryllis. More common in the 19th century, this name was borne by the American suffragist Marilla Ricker (1840-1920). It is also the name of the adoptive mother of Anne in L. M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables (1908).
Marina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Greek, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Georgian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Marinus. This name was borne by a few early saints. This is also the name by which Saint Margaret of Antioch is known in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Marinda f English
Either a diminutive of Mary or a variant of Miranda.
Marisa f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese combination of Maria and Luisa.
Marissa f English, Dutch
Variant of Marisa.
Marla f English
Variant of Marlene using the suffix la.
Marlena f Polish, English
Latinate form of Marlene.
Marsha f English
Variant of Marcia.
Martha f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
From Aramaic מַרְתָּא (marta) meaning "the lady, the mistress", feminine form of מַר (mar) meaning "master". In the New Testament this is the name of the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany (who is sometimes identified with Mary Magdalene). She was a witness to Jesus restoring her dead brother to life.... [more]
Martina f German, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Hungarian, English, Swedish, Dutch, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Martinus (see Martin). Saint Martina was a 3rd-century martyr who is one of the patron saints of Rome.
Marva f English
Feminine form of Marvin.
Matilda f English, Swedish, Finnish, Slovak, Slovene
From the Germanic name Mahthilt meaning "strength in battle", from the elements maht "might, strength" and hilt "battle". Saint Matilda was the wife of the 10th-century German king Henry I the Fowler. The name was common in many branches of European royalty in the Middle Ages. It was brought to England by the Normans, being borne by the wife of William the Conqueror himself. Another notable royal by this name was a 12th-century daughter of Henry I of England, known as the Empress Matilda because of her first marriage to the Holy Roman emperor Henry V. She later invaded England, laying the foundations for the reign of her son Henry II.... [more]
Maura 2 f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Máire. It has also been associated with Irish mór meaning "great". This was the name of an obscure 5th-century Irish martyr.
Maya 2 f English
Variant of Maia 1. This name can also be given in reference to the Maya, an indigenous people of southern Mexico and parts of Central America whose civilization flourished between the 3rd and 8th centuries. A famous bearer was the American poet and author Maya Angelou (1928-2014).
Mckayla f English (Modern)
Variant of Michaela, often spelled as McKayla with the third letter capitalized, as if it were an Irish or Scottish surname beginning with Mc.
McKenna f English (Modern)
From an Irish and Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Cionaodha, itself derived from the given name Cionaodh. As a given name, it was very rare before 1980. It rapidly increased in popularity during the 1990s, likely because it was viewed as an even more feminine alternative to Mackenzie.
Melantha f English (Rare)
Probably a combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the suffix antha (from Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). John Dryden used this name in his play Marriage a la Mode (1672).
Melba f English
From the surname of the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba (1861-1931). This was a stage name that she got from the name of the city Melbourne, where she was born.
Melesina f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown, perhaps a form of Millicent. It was borne by the Irish writer and socialite Melesina Trench (1768-1827).
Melina f English, Greek
Elaboration 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, Hungarian
Combination 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 Mythology
Means "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.
Melva f English
Perhaps a feminine form of Melvin.
Mercia f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Mercy. This was also the name of an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom, though it has a different origin.
Merletta f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Merle.
Mia f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, English
Diminutive of Maria. It coincides with the Italian word mia meaning "mine".... [more]
Mica f English
Short form of Michaela.
Mikhaila f English (Rare)
Variant of Michaela, possibly influenced by the spelling of Mikhail.
Mina 1 f English, Dutch
Short form of Wilhelmina and other names ending in mina. This was the name of a character in the novel Dracula (1897) by Bram Stoker.
Minerva f Roman Mythology, English, Spanish
Possibly derived from Latin mens meaning "intellect", but more likely of Etruscan origin. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and war, approximately equivalent to the Greek goddess Athena. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since after the Renaissance.
Minta f English
Short form of Araminta.
Miranda f English, Dutch
Derived 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.
Moira f Irish, Scottish, English
Anglicized 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.
Mona 1 f Irish, English
Anglicized 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").
Monica f English, Italian, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Late Roman
Meaning 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]
Monna f English
Variant of Mona 1.
Montana f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the American state, which is derived from Latin montanus "mountainous".
Morgana f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Morgan 1.
Myla f English (Modern)
Possibly a feminine form of Miles, influenced by similar-sounding names such as Kyla.
Myra f English
Created 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), English
Anglicized 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).
Nadia 1 f French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Variant of Nadya 1 used in Western Europe, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name. It began to be used in France in the 19th century. The name received a boost in popularity from the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci (1961-).
Natasha f Russian, Belarusian, English
Russian 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.
Nelda f English
Possibly an elaboration of Nell using the popular phonetic suffix da.
Nena f English
Variant of Nina 1, also coinciding with the Spanish word nena meaning "baby girl".
Nessa 1 f English
Short form of Vanessa and other names ending in nessa.
Netta 1 f English
Short form of names ending in netta.
Neva f English
Short form of Geneva. This is also the name of a river in Russia.
Nevada f & m English
From the name of the American state, which means "snow-capped" in Spanish.
Nia 3 f English, Georgian
Short form of Antonia, Sidonia and other names ending in nia.
Nichola f English (British)
Feminine form of Nicholas (chiefly used in Britain).
Nicola 2 f German, English
Feminine form of Nicholas. In the English-speaking world this name is more common outside of America, where Nicole is more usual.
Nigella f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Nigel.
Nina 1 f Russian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Short 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]
Nita 1 f English
Short form of Anita 1 and other names ending in nita.
Nola f English
Meaning uncertain, possibly a feminine form of Noll inspired by Lola. It has been most common in Australia and New Zealand, especially in the first half of the 20th century.
Nona 2 f English, Ancient Roman (Rare)
Feminine form of Nonus. It was also used in 19th-century England, derived directly from Latin nonus "ninth" and traditionally given to the ninth-born child.
Nora 1 f English, Irish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish
Short form of Honora or Eleanor. Henrik Ibsen used it for a character in his play A Doll's House (1879).
Norma f English, Italian, Literature
Created 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.
Normina f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Norma.
Nova f English, Swedish (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
Derived from Latin novus meaning "new". It was first used as a name in the 19th century.