Browse Names - Behind the Name

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Aoi f & m Japanese
From Japanese 葵 (aoi) meaning "hollyhock, althea" or an adjectival form of 碧 (ao) meaning "green, blue". Other kanji with the same reading can form this name as well.

Astrit m Albanian
Means "green whip snake, dragon" in Albanian.

Bích f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 碧 (bích) meaning "bluish green, cyan".

Codrin m Romanian
From Romanian codru meaning "forest", a word of uncertain origin.

Codruț m Romanian
From Romanian codru meaning "forest", a word of uncertain origin.

Deforest m English
From a French surname meaning "from the forest". It was originally given in honour of American author John Deforest (1826-1906).

Elwood m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "elder tree forest" in Old English.

Forest m English
Variant of Forrest, or else directly from the English word forest.

Forrest m English
From an English surname meaning "forest", originally belonging to a person who lived near a forest. In America it has sometimes been used in honour of the Confederate Civil War general Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821-1877). This name was borne by the title character in the movie Forrest Gump (1994) about a loveable simpleton. Use of the name increased when the movie was released, but has since faded away.

Foster 1 m English
From an English surname that has several different origins: see Foster 1, Foster 2, Foster 3 and Foster 4.

Irvine m English, Scottish
From a surname that was a variant of Irving.

Irving m English, Jewish
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the town of Irvine in North Ayrshire, itself named for the River Irvine, which is derived from Brythonic elements meaning "green water". Historically this name has been relatively common among Jews, who have used it as an American-sounding form of Hebrew names beginning with I such as Isaac, Israel and Isaiah. A famous bearer was the Russian-American songwriter and lyricist Irving Berlin (1888-1989), whose birth name was Israel Beilin.

Legolas m Literature
Means "green leaves" in the fictional language Sindarin, from laeg "green" combined with go-lass "collection of leaves". In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Legolas is the son of the elf lord Thranduil and a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.

Lin m & f Chinese
From Chinese 林 (lín) meaning "forest" or 琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.

Linwood m English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.

Oihan m Basque
Means "forest" in Basque.

Qing f & m Chinese
From Chinese 青 (qīng) meaning "blue, green, young", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.

Qinglong m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese 青 (qīng) meaning "blue, green" and 龙 (lóng) meaning "dragon". This is the Chinese name of the Azure Dragon, associated with the east and the spring season.

Sherwood m English
From an English place name (or from a surname that was derived from it) meaning "bright forest". This was the name of the forest in which the legendary outlaw Robin Hood made his home.

Silverius m Late Roman
Probably from Latin silva meaning "wood, forest" (compare Silvanus, Silvester and Silvius). This name was borne by a 6th-century pope who served for less than a year but is considered a saint.

Silvinus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a variant of Silvanus. This name was borne by an 8th-century saint who evangelized in northern France.

Silvius m Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin silva meaning "wood, forest". This was the family name of several of the legendary kings of Alba Longa. It was also the name of an early saint martyred in Alexandria.

Sylvan m English
Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".

Thanh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese 青 (thanh) meaning "blue, green, young" or 聲 (thanh) meaning "sound, voice, tone".

Uaithne m Medieval Irish
Possibly from Old Irish úaine meaning "green". Alternatively, it may come from the name of the Irish tribe the Uaithni.

Vipin m Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam
From Sanskrit विपिन (vipina) meaning "forest".

Walton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from various Old English place names meaning "stream town", "wood town", or "wall town".

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