Cosmo m Italian, EnglishItalian variant of
Cosimo. It was introduced to Britain in the 18th century by the second Scottish Duke of Gordon, who named his son and successor after his friend Cosimo III de' Medici. On the American sitcom
Seinfeld (1989-1998) this was the seldom-used first name of Jerry's neighbour Kramer.
Custodio m SpanishMeans
"guardian" in Spanish, from Latin
custodia "protection, safekeeping".
Cyrano m LiteraturePossibly derived from the name of the ancient Greek city of Cyrene, which was located in North Africa. Edmond Rostand used this name in his play
Cyrano de Bergerac (1897). He based his character upon a real person, the French satirist Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-1655).
Daigo m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with
悟 (go) meaning "enlightenment" or
吾 (go) meaning "I, me". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Delano m EnglishFrom a surname, recorded as
de la Noye in French, indicating that the bearer was from a place called La Noue (ultimately Gaulish meaning "wetland, swamp"). It has been used in honour of American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), whose middle name came from his mother's maiden name.
Diego m Spanish, ItalianSpanish name, possibly a shortened form of
Santiago. In medieval records
Diego was Latinized as
Didacus, and it has been suggested that it in fact derives from Greek
διδαχή (didache) meaning
"teaching". Saint Didacus (or Diego) was a 15th-century Franciscan brother based in Alcalá, Spain.
... [more] Diogo m PortuguesePortuguese form of
Diego. This name was borne by the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão (1452-1486).
Django m Popular CultureThe name of Romani-French musician Django Reinhardt (1910-1953), whose real name was Jean. It is possibly from a Romani word meaning
"I awake", though it might in fact be derived from the name
Jean 1. This is the name of the title character in the Italian western movie
Django (1966), as well as numerous subsequent films.
Domenico m ItalianItalian form of
Dominicus (see
Dominic). Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.
Donatello m ItalianDiminutive of
Donato. The Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Bette Bardi (1386-1466) was better known as Donatello.
Donato m Italian, Spanish, PortugueseFrom the Late Latin name
Donatus meaning
"given". Several early saints had this name. The name was also borne by two Renaissance masters: the sculptor Donato di Niccolo di Bette Bardi (also known as Donatello), and the architect Donato Bramante.
Draco m Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek name
Δράκων (Drakon), which meant
"dragon, serpent". This was the name of a 7th-century BC Athenian legislator. This is also the name of a constellation in the northern sky.
Draško m Serbian, CroatianOriginally a diminutive of names containing the Slavic element
dorgŭ (South Slavic
drag) meaning
"precious".
Drogo m English (Archaic)Norman name, possibly derived from Gothic
dragan meaning
"to carry, to pull" or Old Saxon
drog meaning
"ghost, illusion". Alternatively, it could be related to the Slavic element
dorgŭ meaning
"precious, dear". The Normans introduced this name to England.
Duilio m Italian, SpanishFrom the Roman name
Duilius, which is possibly derived from Latin
duellum "war". This was the name of a Roman consul who defeated the Carthaginians in a naval battle.
Edmao m LimburgishLimburgish form of
Edmund. Its spelling has been influenced by the French pronunciation of Edmond.
Eero m Finnish, EstonianFinnish and Estonian form of
Eric. A famous bearer was the architect Eero Saarinen (1910-1961).
Efisio m ItalianFrom the Latin byname
Ephesius, which originally belonged to a person who was from the city of Ephesus in Ionia. This was the name of a saint martyred on Sardinia in the 4th century.
Elmo m Italian, English, Finnish, EstonianOriginally a short form of names ending with the Old German element
helm meaning
"helmet, protection", such as
Guglielmo or
Anselmo. It is also a derivative of
Erasmus, via the old Italian short form
Ermo. Saint Elmo, also known as Saint Erasmus, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron of sailors. Saint Elmo's fire is said to be a sign of his protection.
... [more] Emidio m ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Emygdius, which was possibly a Latinized form of a Gaulish name (of unknown meaning). Saint Emygdius was a 3rd-century bishop and martyr, the patron saint against earthquakes.
Emiliano m Spanish, Italian, PortugueseSpanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Roman cognomen
Aemilianus, which was itself derived from the family name
Aemilius (see
Emil). This was the name of a 6th-century Spanish saint.
Eneko m BasquePossibly derived from Basque
ene "my" and
ko, a diminutive suffix. This was the name of the first king of Pamplona or Navarre (9th century), whose name is usually rendered as
Íñigo.
Ennio m ItalianItalian form of the Roman family name
Ennius, which is of unknown meaning. Quintus Ennius was an early Roman poet.
Enrico m ItalianItalian form of
Heinrich (see
Henry). Enrico Fermi (1901-1954) was an Italian physicist who did work on the development of the nuclear bomb.
Enzo m Italian, FrenchThe meaning of this name is uncertain. In some cases it seems to be an old Italian form of
Heinz, though in other cases it could be a variant of the Germanic name
Anzo. In modern times it is also used as a short form of names ending in
enzo, such as
Vincenzo or
Lorenzo.
... [more] Epifanio m Spanish, ItalianFrom the Latin name
Epiphanius, which was from the Greek name
Ἐπιφάνιος (Epiphanios), itself derived from the Greek word
ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia) meaning
"appearance, manifestation". This name was borne by a few early saints. It is associated with the event known in English as the Epiphany (Spanish
Epifanía, Italian
Epifania, Latin
Epiphania), the coming of the three Magi to visit the infant
Jesus.
Eustorgio m Italian (Rare)From
Eustorgius, the Latin form of the Greek name
Εὐστόργιος (Eustorgios), which was from the word
εὔστοργος (eustorgos) meaning
"content", a derivative of
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
στέργω (stergo) meaning "to love, to be content". Saint Eustorgius was a 6th-century bishop of Milan.
Facundo m Spanish (Latin American)From the Late Latin name
Facundus, which meant
"eloquent". This was the name of a few early saints, including a 3rd-century Spanish martyr.
Faro m GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names containing the element
fara meaning "journey" (Proto-Germanic *
farō). This was the name of a 7th-century Burgundian bishop of Meaux, France.
Faustino m Spanish, Italian, PortugueseSpanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Roman cognomen
Faustinus, which was itself derived from the Roman name
Faustus. Faustinus was the name of several early saints.
Federico m Spanish, ItalianSpanish and Italian form of
Frederick. Spanish poet Federico García Lorca (1898-1936) and Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini (1920-1993) are famous bearers of this name.
Feliciano m Spanish, Portuguese, ItalianSpanish, Portuguese and Italian form of the Roman name
Felicianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name
Felix. It was borne by a number of early saints, including a 3rd-century bishop of Foligno.
Fernão m Portuguese (Archaic)Portuguese form of
Ferdinand. This name was borne by the Portuguese explorer Fernão de Magalhães (1480-1521), better known in English as Ferdinand Magellan.
Ferruccio m ItalianDerived from the Late Latin name
Ferrutius, a derivative of
ferrum meaning
"iron, sword". Saint Ferrutius was a 3rd-century martyr with his brother Ferreolus.
Fido m & f PetFrom Latin
fidus meaning
"faithful". This a stereotypical name for dogs.
Figaro m LiteratureCreated by playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais for the central character in his plays
The Barber of Seville (1775),
The Marriage of Figaro (1784) and
The Guilty Mother (1792). Beaumarchais may have based the character's name on the French phrase
fils Caron meaning
"son of Caron", which was his own nickname and would have been pronounced in a similar way. In modern French the word
figaro has acquired the meaning "barber", reflecting the character's profession.
Fortunato m Italian, Spanish, PortugueseItalian, Spanish and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name
Fortunatus meaning
"fortunate, blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints and martyrs.
Francesco m ItalianItalian form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374) was an Italian Renaissance poet, usually known in English as Petrarch.
Francisco m Spanish, PortugueseSpanish and Portuguese form of
Franciscus (see
Francis). This is the Spanish name of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Other notable bearers include the Spanish painter and engraver Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) and the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975).
Frediano m Italian (Rare)Italian form of the Roman name
Frigidianus, which was derived from Latin
frigidus "cold". This was the name of a 6th-century Irish bishop who made a pilgrimage to Rome and settled as a hermit on Mount Pisano.
Friso m FrisianRefers to a member of the ethnic group, the Frisians, a Germanic tribe of northwestern Europe. Friesland in the Netherlands is named for them.
Frodo m LiteratureDerived from Old English
froda meaning
"wise". This is the name of the hobbit hero in
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, who used Old English to translate some hobbit names (Frodo's true hobbit-language name is
Maura). In the novel Frodo Baggins is the bearer of the One Ring on the quest to destroy it in Mount Doom.
Fulgencio m SpanishSpanish form of the Late Latin name
Fulgentius, which meant
"shining" from Latin
fulgens. Saint Fulgentius was a 6th-century bishop from Tunisia who was a friend of Saint
Augustine.
Fulvio m ItalianItalian form of the Roman family name
Fulvius, which was derived from Latin
fulvus "yellow, tawny".
Fumihito m JapaneseFrom Japanese
文 (fumi) meaning "writing" and
仁 (hito) meaning "compassionate". A notable bearer is the Japanese crown prince Fumihito (1965-), the younger brother of Emperor
Naruhito. This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji.
Fumio m JapaneseFrom Japanese
文 (fumi) meaning "writing" combined with
雄 (o) meaning "hero, manly" or
夫 (o) meaning "husband, man". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Gaetano m ItalianItalian form of the Latin name
Caietanus, which meant
"from Caieta". Caieta (now called Gaeta) was a town in ancient Italy, its name deriving either from
Kaiadas, the name a Greek location where prisoners were executed, or else from
Caieta, the name of the nurse of Aeneas. Saint Gaetano was a 16th-century Italian priest who founded the Theatines.
Galileo m Italian (Rare)Medieval Italian name derived from Latin
galilaeus meaning
"Galilean, from Galilee". Galilee is a region in northern Israel, mentioned in the New Testament as the site of several of
Jesus's miracles. It is derived from the Hebrew root
גָּלִיל (galil) meaning "district, roll".
... [more] Gavino m ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Gabinus, which possibly referred to the ancient city of Gabii in central Italy. Saint Gavino was martyred in Sardinia in the 3rd century.
Gero m German, GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with Old Frankish
gair or Old High German
ger meaning
"spear" (Proto-Germanic *
gaizaz).
Geronimo m HistoryFrom
Gerónimo, a Spanish form of
Hieronymos (see
Jerome). This is the better-known name of the Apache leader
Goyathlay (1829-1909). It was given to him by the Mexicans, his enemies.
Giacomo m ItalianItalian form of
Iacomus (see
James). Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) was an Italian composer of operas.
Gino m ItalianItalian short form of names ending in
gino.
Gioachino m ItalianItalian form of
Joachim. A famous bearer was the Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868).
Giordano m ItalianItalian form of
Jordan. A notable bearer was the cosmologist Giordano Bruno (1548-1600), who was burned at the stake by the Inquisition.
Giotto m Italian (Rare)Possibly from
Ambrogiotto, a diminutive of
Ambrogio, or
Angiolotto, a diminutive of
Angiolo. This name was borne by Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337), an Italian painter and architect.
Gláucio m PortuguesePortuguese form of the Roman cognomen
Glaucia, which was derived from Latin
glaucus "bluish grey", ultimately from Greek.
Gonzalo m SpanishFrom the medieval name
Gundisalvus, which was the Latin form of a Germanic (possibly Visigothic or Suebi) name composed of
gunda "war" and maybe
salba "salve, ointment",
salo "dark, dusky" or
sal "house, hall" (with the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin
salvus "safe"). Saint Gonzalo was an 11th-century bishop of Mondoñedo in Galicia, Spain.
Gorō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
五 (go) meaning "five" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This was traditionally a name for the fifth son. Different combinations of kanji are also possible.
Gozzo m GermanicOriginally a diminutive of names beginning with the Old German element
goz, which was from the name of the Germanic tribe the Geats (Proto-Germanic *
gautaz).
Guido m Italian, GermanLatinized form of
Wido. Notable bearers include the music theorist Guido d'Arezzo (c. 991-1033), poet Guido Cavalcanti (c. 1250-1300), and Baroque painter Guido Reni (1575-1642).
Gumersindo m SpanishFrom the medieval name
Gomesendus, the Latin form of a Germanic (Visigothic or Suebian) name probably composed of
guma "man" and
sinþs "time". This was the name of a 9th-century martyr from Córdoba.
Guo m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
国 (guó) meaning "country" or other Chinese characters pronounced in a similar way.
Gyatso m TibetanFrom Tibetan
རྒྱ་མཚོ (rgya-mtsho) meaning
"ocean". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).
Hachirō m JapaneseFrom Japanese
八 (hachi) meaning "eight" and
郎 (rō) meaning "son". This was traditionally a name for the eighth son. Other kanji combinations are also possible.