Browse Names

Ace 1 m English
From the English word meaning "highest rank". More commonly a nickname, it is occasionally used as a given name.

Aether m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Αἰθήρ (Aither) meaning "ether, heaven", derived from αἴθω (aitho) meaning "to burn, to ignite". In Greek mythology this was the name of the god of light and the upper sky.

Alastor m Greek Mythology
Means "avenger" in Greek. This was an epithet of Zeus, as well as the name of several other characters from Greek mythology.

Albino m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Albinus.

Alder m English (Rare)
From the English word for the tree (comprising the genus Alnus), derived from Old English alor.

Alpha f & m English
From the name of the first letter in the Greek alphabet, Α.

Amour m & f French (Rare)
French form of Amor.

Angel m & f English, Bulgarian, Macedonian
From the medieval Latin masculine name Angelus, which was derived from the name of the heavenly creature (itself derived from the Greek word ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger"). It has never been very common in the English-speaking world, where it is sometimes used as a feminine name in modern times.

Ante 2 m Frisian
Short form of names beginning with the Old German element anto "zeal".

Ants m Estonian
Estonian form of Hans.

Archer m English
From an English surname meaning "bowman, archer", of Old French origin. Although already slowly growing in popularity, this name accelerated its rise after the premiere of the American television series Archer in 2009.

Art m English
Short form of Arthur.

Ash m & f English
Short form of Ashley. It can also come directly from the English word denoting either the tree or the residue of fire.

Ashanti f & m Various
From the name of an African people who reside in southern Ghana. It possibly means "warlike" in the Twi language.

Aster f & m English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived via Latin from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star".

Asterion m Greek Mythology
Means "of the stars", derived from Greek ἀστήρ (aster) "star". This is the name of several figures in Greek mythology, including a river god.

Atlas m Greek Mythology
Possibly means "enduring" from Greek τλάω (tlao) meaning "to endure". In Greek mythology he was a Titan punished by Zeus by being forced to support the heavens on his shoulders.

August m German, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English
German, Polish, Scandinavian and Catalan form of Augustus. This was the name of three Polish kings.... [more]

Axel m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German, French, English
Medieval Danish form of Absalom.

Azure f & m English (Rare)
From the English word that means "sky blue". It is ultimately (via Old French, Latin and Arabic) from Persian لاجورد (lājvard) meaning "azure, lapis lazuli".

Babe m & f English
From a nickname meaning "baby", also a slang term meaning "attractive person". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a diminutive of Barbara.

Banks m English (Modern)
From an English surname that that was given to a person who lived near a hillside or a bank of land.

Baptist m German
German form of Baptiste. It is often paired with the name Johann, in honour of Saint John the Baptist.

Baron m English
From the noble title, derived from Latin baro (genitive baronis) meaning "man, freeman", probably ultimately of Frankish origin.

Basil 1 m English
From the Greek name Βασίλειος (Basileios), which was derived from βασιλεύς (basileus) meaning "king". Saint Basil the Great was a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea and one of the fathers of the early Christian church. Due to him, the name (in various spellings) has come into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors.

Bear m English (Modern)
From the English word for the animal, derived from Old English bera, probably derived from a root meaning "brown".

Beau m & f English, Dutch (Modern)
Means "beautiful, handsome" in French. It has been used as a given name since the middle of the 20th century. In Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind (1936) this is the name of Ashley and Melanie's son.... [more]

Benedict m English
From the Late Latin name Benedictus, which meant "blessed". Saint Benedict was an Italian monk who founded the Benedictines in the 6th century. After his time the name was common among Christians, being used by 16 popes. In England it did not come into use until the 12th century, at which point it became very popular. This name was also borne by the American general Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), who defected to Britain during the American Revolution.

Bent 2 m Frisian
Frisian variant of Ben 2.

Berk m Turkish
Means "solid, firm, strong" in Turkish.

Bill m English
Short form of William. This spelling was not commonly used before the 19th century. The change in the initial consonant may have been influenced by an earlier Irish pronunciation of the name. Famous bearers include basketball player Bill Russell (1934-2022), comedian Bill Cosby (1937-), American president Bill Clinton (1946-), and Microsoft founder Bill Gates (1955-), all of whom were born with the name William.

Bishop m English
Either from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer".

Blaze m English (Modern)
Modern variant of Blaise influenced by the English word blaze.

Blessing m & f English (African)
From the English word blessing, of Old English origin. This name is most common in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.

Blue m & f English (Rare)
From the English word for the colour, derived via Norman French from a Frankish word (replacing the native Old English cognate blaw). Despite the fact that this name was used by the American musicians Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2012 for their first daughter, it has not come into general use in the United States.

Booker m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "maker of books". A famous bearer was Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an African-American leader.

Bora 1 m Turkish
Means "storm, squall" in Turkish, ultimately related to Greek Βορέας (Boreas), the name of the god of the north wind.

Bran 1 m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "raven" in Irish. In Irish legend Bran mac Febail was a mariner who was involved in several adventures on his quest to find the Otherworld.

Brand m English (Rare)
From a surname, a variant of Brant.

Briar m & f English (Modern)
From the English word for the thorny plant.

Brook m & f English
From an English surname that denoted one who lived near a brook.

Buck m English
From an English nickname meaning simply "buck, male deer", ultimately from Old English bucc.

Bud m English
Short form of Buddy.

Buddy m English
From the English word meaning "friend". It probably originated as a nursery form of the word brother.

Bugs m Popular Culture
From the slang term bugs meaning "crazy, unstable". Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon rabbit originally developed in the 1930s by staff at Leon Schlesinger Productions. He was named for the animator Ben "Bugs" Hardaway.

Buster m English
Originally a nickname denoting a person who broke things, from the word bust, a dialectal variant of burst. A famous bearer was the American silent movie star Buster Keaton (1895-1966), whose real first name was Joseph.

Butch m English
From the English slang word butch meaning "manly, masculine", itself from the word butcher. This is typically a nickname. A famous bearer was the American outlaw Butch Cassidy (1866-1908), born Robert LeRoy Parker.

Buzz m English
From a nickname derived from the onomatopoeic word buzz meaning "buzz, hum, murmur". A notable bearer is American astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin (1930-), one of the first people to walk on the moon. The character Buzz Lightyear from the movie Toy Story (1995) was named after Aldrin.

Can m Turkish
Means "soul, life" or by extension "darling, sweetheart" in Turkish, from Persian جان (jān).

Cannon m English
From an English surname, which was derived from Middle English canon, referring to a church official or servant who worked in a clergy house. This name may also be used in reference to the vocabulary word for the large gun, derived from Italian cannone "large tube", from Latin canna "cane, reed".

Carmine m Italian
Italian masculine form of Carmen.

Carol 1 f & m English
Short form of Caroline. It was formerly a masculine name, derived from Carolus. The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means "song" or "hymn".

Carver m English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "wood carver".

Cash m English
From an English occupational surname for a box maker, derived from Norman French casse meaning "case", from Latin capsa. It coincides with the English word cash meaning "money" (derived from the same French and Latin roots). A famous bearer of the surname was American musician Johnny Cash (1932-2003).

Cat f & m English
Diminutive of Catherine. It can also be a nickname from the English word for the animal.

Cedar f & m English (Rare)
From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κέδρος (kedros). Besides the true cedars from the genus Cedrus, it is also used to refer to some tree species in the cypress family.

Celeste f & m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, English
Italian feminine and masculine form of Caelestis. It is also the Portuguese, Spanish and English feminine form.

Chance m English
Originally a diminutive of Chauncey. It is now usually given in reference to the English word chance meaning "luck, fortune" (ultimately derived from Latin cadens "falling").

Chase m English
From an English surname meaning "chase, hunt" in Middle English, originally a nickname for a huntsman.

Chip m English
Diminutive of Charles or Christopher. It can also be from a nickname given in reference to the phrase a chip off the old block, used of a son who is similar to his father.

Christmas m & f English (Rare)
From the name of the holiday, which means "Christ festival".

Clay m English
From an English surname that originally referred to a person who lived near or worked with clay. This name can also be a short form of Clayton.

Cliff m English
Short form of Clifford or Clifton.

Colt m English (Modern)
From the English word for a young male horse or from the surname of the same origin. It may be given in honour of the American industrialist Samuel Colt (1814-1862) or the firearms company that bears his name. It was brought to public attention in 1981 by the main character on the television series The Fall Guy.

Colter m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally given to a keeper of horses, derived from Middle English colt.

Concetto m Italian
Masculine form of Concetta.

Constant m French, Dutch (Rare), English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Constans. It was also used by the Puritans as a vocabulary name, from the English word constant.

Cord m German
German contracted form of Conrad.

Cove m & f English (Rare)
From the English vocabulary word cove, which refers to a small coastal inlet.

Crew m English (Modern)
Either from a surname that was derived from the English town of Crewe (from Old Welsh criu meaning "weir"), or from the English vocabulary word for a group of people.

Cupid m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Cupido meaning "desire". This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of Venus and Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows, which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was Eros.

Cyan f & m English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "greenish blue, cyan", ultimately derived from Greek κύανος (kyanos).

Dag m Norwegian, Swedish
Derived from Old Norse dagr meaning "day".

Dale m & f English
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who lived near a dale or valley.

Dash m English (Modern)
Probably inspired by the English word dash meaning "run, sprint". In some cases it can be a short form of Dashiell, as in the animated movie The Incredibles (2004) where it belongs to a speedy young superhero.

Deacon m English (Modern)
Either from the occupational surname Deacon or directly from the vocabulary word deacon, which refers to a cleric in the Christian church (ultimately from Greek διάκονος (diakonos) meaning "servant").

Dean m English
From a surname, see Dean 1 and Dean 2. The actor James Dean (1931-1955) was a famous bearer of the surname.

Deemer m English (Rare)
From an English and Scottish surname meaning "judge", from Old English demere.

Dell m & f English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived in a dell or valley.

Demon m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people".

Den m English
Short form of Dennis.

Derby m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was a variant of Darby.

Drake m English
From an English surname derived from the Old Norse byname Draki or the Old English byname Draca both meaning "dragon", both via Latin from Greek δράκων (drakon) meaning "dragon, serpent". This name coincides with the unrelated English word drake meaning "male duck". A famous bearer is the Canadian actor and rapper Drake (1986-), who was born as Aubrey Drake Graham.

Duke m English
From the noble title duke, which was originally derived from Latin dux "leader".

Dutch m English
From a nickname given to Americans of German descent (though nowadays it refers to a person from the Netherlands). It is related to deutsch, the German word meaning "German".

Earl m English
From the aristocratic title, which derives from Old English eorl "nobleman, warrior". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.

Eddy m English, French, Dutch
Diminutive of Edward, Edmund and other names beginning with Ed.

Egypt f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the North African country, which derives from Greek Αἴγυπτος (Aigyptos), itself probably from Egyptian ḥwt-kꜣ-ptḥ meaning "the house of the soul of Ptah", the name of the temple to the god Ptah in Memphis.

Elder m Portuguese
Variant of Hélder.

Ender m Turkish
Means "very rare" in Turkish.

Fang f & m Chinese
From Chinese 芳 (fāng) meaning "fragrant, virtuous, beautiful" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.

Favour m & f English (African)
From the English word favour, ultimately from Latin faveo "to favour". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Femme m Frisian
Originally a Frisian short form of Fridumar or Friduman (and other names starting with the Old German element fridu "peace" and a second element beginning with m).

Fen 2 m Frisian
Originally a Frisian short form of Ferdinand (and other names starting with the Old German element fridu "peace" and a second element beginning with n).

Fife m Scottish (Rare)
From a Scottish place name that was formerly the name of a kingdom in Scotland. It is said to be named for a Pictish kingdom called Fib.

Fisher m English
From an English surname meaning "fisherman".

Fletcher m English
From a surname meaning "maker of arrows" in Middle English, ultimately from Old French flechier.

Flint m English
From the English vocabulary word, from Old English flint.

Flip m Dutch
Diminutive of Filip.

Floor m & f Dutch
Dutch form of Florentius (see Florence) or Flora.

Ford m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "ford" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the American industrialist Henry Ford (1863-1947).

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

Fortune m & f French, English (Rare)
Simply from the word fortune, ultimately from Latin fortuna, a derivative of fors "luck".

Fox m English (Modern)
Either from the English word fox or the surname Fox, which originally given as a nickname. The surname was borne by George Fox (1624-1691), the founder of the Quakers.

Frank m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, French
From an Old German name that referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France, Belgium and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They possibly derived their tribal name from a type of spear that they used, from Proto-Germanic *frankô. From medieval times, the various forms of this name have been commonly conflated with the various forms of Francis. In modern times it is sometimes used as a short form of Francis or Franklin.... [more]

Friday m English (African)
From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English frigedæg meaning "Frig's day". Daniel Defoe used it for a character in his novel Robinson Crusoe (1719). As a given name, it is most often found in parts of Africa, such as Nigeria and Zambia.

Gage m English (Modern)
From an English surname of Old French origin meaning either "measure", originally denoting one who was an assayer, or "pledge", referring to a moneylender. It was popularized as a given name by a character from the book Pet Sematary (1983) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1989).

Gale 2 m English
From a surname that was derived from Middle English gaile "jovial". It also coincides with the English word gale meaning "storm".

Gall m History (Ecclesiastical)
Form of Gallus used to refer to the saint.

Gang m Chinese
From Chinese 刚 (gāng) meaning "hard, rigid, strong", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.

Garland m English
From a surname meaning "triangle land" from Old English gara and land. The surname originally belonged to a person who owned a triangle-shaped piece of land.

Gene m English
Short form of Eugene.

Gift m & f English (African)
From the English word gift, of Old Norse origin. This name is most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Glen m English
Variant of Glenn.

Gore m English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "triangular" (from Old English gara), originally referring to someone who lived on a triangular piece of land. A famous bearer was American writer Gore Vidal (1925-2012).

Grant m English, Scottish
From an English and Scottish surname that was derived from Norman French grand meaning "great, large". A famous bearer of the surname was Ulysses Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War who later served as president. In America the name has often been given in his honour.

Gray m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "grey", originally given to a person who had grey hair or clothing.

Grey m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Gray.

Griffin m English
Latinized form of Gruffudd. This name can also be inspired by the English word griffin, a creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle, ultimately from Greek γρύψ (gryps).

Grinch m Popular Culture
Possibly from French grincheux meaning "grumpy". This is the name of a grumpy green character created by the American author Dr. Seuss for his children's book How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957). His name is almost always preceded by the definite article the.

Gunner m English (Modern)
English variant of Gunnar, influenced by the vocabulary word gunner.

Guy 1 m English, French
Old French form of Wido. The Normans introduced it to England, where it was common until the time of Guy Fawkes (1570-1606), a revolutionary who attempted to blow up the British parliament. The name was revived in the 19th century, due in part to characters in the novels Guy Mannering (1815) by Walter Scott and The Heir of Redclyffe (1854) by C. M. Yonge.

Hall m English
From a surname that was derived from Old English heall "manor, hall", originally belonging to a person who lived or worked in a manor.

Ham m Biblical
Means "hot, warm" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Ham is one of Noah's three sons, along with Shem and Japheth. He was the ancestor of the Egyptians and Canaanites.

Harlequin m Theatre
From Old French Herlequin, the name of a demon in French passion plays. In traditional Italian theatre (commedia dell'arte) the stock character Harlequin, called Arlecchino in Italian, is a mischievous and acrobatic servant who is usually dressed in colourful clothing.

Harper f & m English
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who played or made harps (Old English hearpe). A notable bearer was the American author Harper Lee (1926-2016), who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. It rapidly gained popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, entering the American top ten for girls in 2015.

Haul m Welsh (Rare)
Means "sun" in Welsh. This is a modern Welsh name.

Haven f & m English
From the English word for a safe place, derived ultimately from Old English hæfen.

Haze m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Hayes, sometimes used as a short form of Hazel.

Heath m English
From an English surname that denoted one who lived on a heath. It was popularized as a given name by the character Heath Barkley from the 1960s television series The Big Valley.

Herb m English
Short form of Herbert.

Heron m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero". This was the name of a 1st-century Greek inventor (also known as Hero) from Alexandria.

Honour f & m English (Rare)
From the English word honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of Honoria or Honorata, which are ultimately derived from the same source.

Hunter m & f English
From an English occupational surname for a hunter, derived from Old English hunta. A famous bearer was the eccentric American journalist Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005).

Indigo f & m English (Modern)
From the English word indigo for the purplish-blue dye or the colour. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ἰνδικόν (Indikon) meaning "Indic, from India".

Innocent m History (Ecclesiastical), English (African)
From the Late Latin name Innocentius, which was derived from innocens "innocent". This was the name of several early saints. It was also borne by 13 popes including Innocent III, a politically powerful ruler and organizer of the Fourth Crusade.... [more]

Ion 2 m Greek Mythology
Of unknown etymology, possibly Pre-Greek. According to Greek mythology he was a son of Creusa and Xuthus (or alternatively the god Apollo). He was said to be the ancestor of the Greek tribe of the Ionians.

Ivory m & f African American
From the English word for the hard, creamy-white substance that comes from elephant tusks and was formerly used to produce piano keys.

Jack m English
Derived from Jackin (earlier Jankin), a medieval diminutive of John. There could be some early influence from the unrelated French name Jacques. It is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man", as seen in the terms jack-o'-lantern, jack-in-the-box, lumberjack and so on. It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack and Jill, Little Jack Horner, and Jack Sprat.... [more]

Jade f & m English, French
From the name of the precious stone that is often used in carvings. It is derived from Spanish (piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) flank", relating to the belief that jade could cure renal colic. As a given name, it came into general use during the 1970s. It was initially unisex, though it is now mostly feminine.

Jagger m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "carter, peddler". It is used as a given name in honour of the British musician Mick Jagger (1943-), the lead vocalist of the Rolling Stones.

Jam m Persian Mythology
Persian form of Avestan 𐬫𐬌𐬨𐬀 (Yima) meaning "twin" (related to Sanskrit Yama). This was the name of a mythological king, more commonly called Jamshid.

Jarl m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Norse Mythology, Old Norse
Means "chieftain, nobleman" in Old Norse (a cognate of the English word earl). In the Norse poem Rígsþula Jarl is the son of the god Ríg and the founder of the race of warriors.

Jasper m English, Dutch, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
From Latin Gaspar, perhaps from the Biblical Hebrew word גִּזְבָּר (gizbar) meaning "treasurer", derived from Old Persian ganzabarah. This name was traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since the Middle Ages. The name can also be given in reference to the English word for the gemstone.

Jess m & f English
Short form of Jesse or Jessica.

Jewel f & m English
In part from the English word jewel, a precious stone, derived from Old French jouel, which was possibly related to jeu "game". It is also in part from the surname Jewel or Jewell (a derivative of the Breton name Judicaël), which was sometimes used in honour of the 16th-century bishop of Salisbury John Jewel. It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.

Job m Biblical, Biblical French, Dutch
From the Hebrew name אִיּוֹב (ʾIyyov), which means "persecuted, hated". In the Book of Job in the Old Testament he is a righteous man who is tested by God, enduring many tragedies and hardships while struggling to remain faithful.

Jock m Scottish
Scots form of Jack. Among the English, this is a slang term for a Scotsman.

Joey m & f English
Diminutive of Joseph. It is occasionally used as a feminine diminutive of Josephine or Johanna.

July f & m English (Rare)
From the name of the month, which was originally named for Julius Caesar.

Junior m English
From a nickname that was originally used for a boy who had the same name as his father.

Justice m & f English
From an occupational surname meaning "judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word justice.

Kaiser m Various
German form of the Roman title Caesar (see Caesar). It is not used as a given name in Germany itself.

Karma m & f Bhutanese
From the Sanskrit word कर्म (karma) meaning "action, deed, fate".

King m English
From the English vocabulary word king, ultimately derived from Old English cyning. This was also a surname, derived from the same source, a famous bearer being the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

Kip m English
From a nickname, probably from the English word kipper meaning "male salmon".

Kit m & f English
Diminutive of Christopher or Katherine. A notable bearer was Kit Carson (1809-1868), an American frontiersman and explorer.

Lake m & f English (Rare)
From the English word lake, for the inland body of water. It is ultimately derived from Latin lacus.

Lance m English
From the Germanic name Lanzo, originally a short form of names that began with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element land, Old High German lant meaning "land" (Proto-Germanic *landą). During the Middle Ages it became associated with Old French lance meaning "spear, lance". A famous bearer is American cyclist Lance Armstrong (1971-).

Lane m English
From an English surname, meaning "lane, path", which originally belonged to a person who lived near a lane.

Law m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Laurence 1.

Lee m & f English
From a surname that was derived from Old English leah meaning "clearing". The surname belonged to Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), commander of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In his honour, it has been used as a given name in the American South. It is common as a middle name.

Lefty m English
From a nickname, in most cases given to a left-handed person.

Legacy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word, meaning "something inherited from a predecessor, heritage". It is derived from Old French legacie, itself from Latin legatum "bequest, legacy".

Legend m English (Modern)
From the English word, referring to a story about the past (or by extension, a heroic character in such a story), ultimately from Latin legere "to read".

Liberty f & m English
Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism).

Linden m & f English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".

Link m English
Short form of Lincoln. This is the name of the hero in the Legend of Zelda video game series (first appearing in 1986), derived from the English word link meaning "link, connection". He is called リンク (Rinku) in Japanese.

Lupus m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Loup.

Lyric f & m English (Modern)
Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).

Major m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the given name Mauger, a Norman French form of the Germanic name Malger meaning "council spear". The name can also be given in reference to the English word major.

Mark m English, Russian, Belarusian, Dutch, Danish, Armenian, Biblical
Form of Latin Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark was the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Though the author's identity is not certain, some traditions hold him to be the same person as the John Mark who appears in the Book of Acts. He is the patron saint of Venice, where he is supposedly buried. Though in use during the Middle Ages, Mark was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when it began to be used alongside the classical form Marcus.... [more]

Marks m Latvian
Latvian form of Marcus (see Mark).

Marlin m English
Possibly a variant of Merlin.

Marquis m African American
From a noble title that derives from the Old French word marche meaning "march, borderland". The title originally referred to someone who ruled on the borderlands of a realm.

Marquise m African American (Modern)
Variant of Marquis. Technically, marquise is the feminine form of the title marquis.

Mars m Roman Mythology
Possibly related to Latin mas meaning "male" (genitive maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.

Marshal m English
Variant of Marshall.

Marten m Dutch
Dutch form of Martinus (see Martin).

Mason m English
From an English surname (or vocabulary word) meaning "stoneworker", derived from an Old French word of Frankish origin (akin to Old English macian "to make"). In the United States this name began to increase in popularity in the 1980s, likely because of its fashionable sound. It jumped in popularity after 2009 when Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their son, as featured on their reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2010. It peaked as the second most popular name for boys in 2011.

Math m Welsh Mythology
Possibly from the old Celtic root *matus meaning "bear". According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, Math ap Mathonwy was a king of Gwynedd and a magician. Whenever he was not at war, it was required that he rest his feet in the lap of a virgin. He was the uncle of the hero Gwydion, with whom he shared most of his adventures.

Maverick m English
Derived from the English word maverick meaning "independent". The word itself is derived from the surname of a 19th-century Texas rancher who did not brand his calves.

Maxim m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech
Alternate transcription of Russian Максим or Belarusian Максім (see Maksim) or Ukrainian Максим (see Maksym). This is also the Czech form.

Mentor m Greek Mythology
Possibly related to Greek μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force". In Greek legend Mentor was the son of Alkimos. When Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War he entrusted Mentor with the care of his palace and the guardianship of his son Telemachos. When the goddess Athena visited Telemachos she took the guise of Mentor.

Mercury m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Mercurius, probably derived from Latin mercari "to trade" or merces "wages". This was the name of the Roman god of trade, merchants, and travellers, later equated with the Greek god Hermes. This is also the name of the first planet in the solar system and a metallic chemical element, both named for the god.

Merit 1 m & f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Merritt or else simply from the English word merit, ultimately from Latin meritus "deserving".

Merle m & f English, Estonian
From 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]

Merlin m Arthurian Cycle, English
Form of the Welsh name Myrddin used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 12th-century chronicle. Writing in Latin, he likely chose the form Merlinus over Merdinus in order to prevent associations with French merde "excrement".... [more]

Messiah m Theology, English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "saviour", ultimately from Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyaḥ) meaning "anointed". The word appears in the Old Testament referring to a future king of the Jewish people. In the New Testament it is translated as Christ and is used as a title of Jesus.

Miles m English
From the Germanic name Milo, introduced by the Normans to England in the form Miles. The meaning is not known for certain. It is possibly connected to the Slavic name element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear". From an early date it was associated with Latin miles meaning "soldier".... [more]

Miller m & f English
From an English occupational surname for a miller, derived from Middle English mille "mill".

Mittens m & f Pet
From the plural of the English word mitten. This is a common name for cats, given because of a distinctive colouration of the paws.

Monday m & f English (African)
From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English mona "moon" and dæg "day". This can be given to children born on Monday, especially in Nigeria.

Moon 2 f & m English (Rare)
From the English word for Earth's natural satellite, ultimately from Old English mona.

Moss m English (Archaic), Jewish
Medieval form of Moses.

Motel m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Mordecai. This is the name of a character in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (1964).

Nail m Arabic, Turkish, Tatar
Means "attainer" in Arabic.

Navy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "sea force, fleet, armed forces of the sea". It is derived from Old French navie, from Latin navigia, the plural of navigium "boat, vessel". It also refers to a shade of dark blue, a colour traditionally associated with naval uniforms.

Neon m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νέος (neos) meaning "new".

Nevada f & m English
From the name of the American state, which means "snow-capped" in Spanish.

Newt m English
Short form of Newton.

Nick m English, Dutch
Short form of Nicholas. It is borne by the comic character Nick Bottom in Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).

Noble m English
From an English surname meaning "noble, high-born". The name can also be given in direct reference to the English word noble.

Norm m English
Short form of Norman.

Ocean f & m English (Modern)
Simply from the English word ocean for a large body of water. It is ultimately derived from Greek Ὠκεανός (Okeanos), the name of the body of water thought to surround the Earth.

Octave m French
French form of Octavius.

Ode m Medieval English
Medieval English form of Odo.

Omega m & f Various
From the name of the last letter in the Greek alphabet, Ω. It is often seen as a symbol of completion.

Onyx m & f English
From the English word for the gemstone (a variety of chalcedony), which can be black, red or other colours. It is derived from Greek ὄνυξ (onyx) meaning "claw, nail".

Pace m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the Middle English word pace meaning "peace".

Page m & f English
From a surname that was a variant of Paige.

Pal m Albanian
Albanian form of Paul.

Pan m Greek Mythology
Possibly from the Indo-European root *peh- meaning "shepherd, protect". In Greek mythology Pan was a half-man, half-goat god associated with shepherds, flocks and pastures.

Panther m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name meaning "panther".

Parker m & f English
From an English occupational surname that meant "keeper of the park".

Pastor m Spanish, Late Roman
From a Late Latin name meaning "shepherd". This was the name of at least three saints.

Pepper f & m English (Modern)
From the English word for the spice, which is prepared from the dried berries of the pepper plant. The word is derived from Latin piper, ultimately from an Indo-Aryan source. In popular culture, Pepper is the nickname of Virginia Potts from the Iron Man series of comic books and movies, created 1963.

Peregrine m English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Peregrinus, which meant "traveller". This was the name of several early saints.

Philander m English (Archaic), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Φίλανδρος (Philandros) meaning "friend of man" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). It was the name of a son of Apollo with the nymph Acalle. In the 18th century this was coined as a word meaning "to womanize", and the name subsequently dropped out of use.

Phoenix m & f English (Modern)
From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοῖνιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".

Pier m Italian, Dutch
Italian and Dutch variant form of Peter. In Italian, this form is often used in combination with another name.

Piers m English (British), Medieval French
Medieval form of Peter. This is the name of the main character in the 14th-century poem Piers Plowman by William Langland.

Porter m English
From an occupational English surname meaning "doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French porte "door", from Latin porta.

Praise f & m English (African)
From the English word praise, which is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Late Latin preciare, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth". This name is most common in English-speaking Africa.

Price m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from ap Rhys meaning "son of Rhys".

Prince m English
From the English word prince, a royal title, which comes ultimately from Latin princeps. This name was borne by the American musician Prince Rogers Nelson (1958-2016), who is known simply as Prince.

Promise f & m English (African)
From the English word promise, from Latin promissum. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Prudence f & m English, French
Medieval English form of Prudentia, the feminine form of Prudentius. In France it is both the feminine form and a rare masculine form. In England it was used during the Middle Ages and was revived in the 17th century by the Puritans, in part from the English word prudence, ultimately of the same source.

Rain 1 f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word rain, derived from Old English regn.

Raja 2 m Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi, Indonesian
Means "king, ruler", from Sanskrit राजन् (rājan).

Raven f & m English
From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English hræfn. The raven is revered by several Native American groups of the west coast. It is also associated with the Norse god Odin.

Ray m English
Short form of Raymond, often used as an independent name. It coincides with an English word meaning "beam of light". Science-fiction author Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) and musician Ray Charles (1930-2004) are two notable bearers of the name.

Red m English
From the English word for the colour, ultimately derived from Old English read. This is typically a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

Reed m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English read meaning "red", originally a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion. Unconnected, this is also the English word for tall grass-like plants that grow in marshes.

Reign f & m English (Modern)
From the English word reign, derived from Latin regnum "royal power".

Rein m Frisian, Dutch, Estonian
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element regin meaning "advice, counsel, decision" (Proto-Germanic *raginą).

Ridge m English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word denoting a continuous elevated mountain crest, or from the English surname derived from the word.

River m & f English (Modern)
From the English word that denotes a flowing body of water. The word is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Latin ripa "riverbank".

Roan m Frisian
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element hraban meaning "raven".

Roar m Norwegian
Modern Norwegian form of Hróarr.

Robin m & f English, French, Dutch, Swedish, Czech
Medieval English diminutive of Robert, now usually regarded as an independent name. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor. In modern times it has also been used as a feminine name, and it may sometimes be given in reference to the red-breasted bird.

Rod m English
Short form of Roderick or Rodney.

Roman m Russian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, Slovene, Croatian, Estonian, German, English
From the Late Latin name Romanus meaning "Roman". This name was borne by several early saints including a 7th-century bishop of Rouen, as well as medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv and Moldavia.

Rover m & f Pet
From an English word, the agent noun of the verb rove meaning "roam, wander". This a stereotypical name for a dog.

Rowan m & f Irish, English (Modern)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).

Royal m & f English
From the English word royal, derived (via Old French) from Latin regalis, a derivative of rex "king". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century.

Rune m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Derived from Old Norse rún meaning "secret lore, rune".

Sage f & m English (Modern)
From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.

Saint m English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately from Latin sanctus "holy, saintly".

Satchel m English (Rare)
From an English surname derived from Old English sacc meaning "sack, bag", referring to a person who was a bag maker. A famous bearer was the American baseball player Satchel Paige (1906-1982). In his case it was a childhood nickname acquired because he sold bags.

Scorpius m Astronomy
From a Latin variant of Scorpio. This is the name of a zodiacal constellation said to have the shape of a scorpion. According to Greek and Roman legend it was the monster that was sent to kill Orion.

Scout f & m English (Modern)
From the English word scout meaning "one who gathers information covertly", which is derived from Old French escouter "to listen". Harper Lee used this name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).

Sequoia f & m English (Rare)
From the name of huge trees that grow in California. The tree got its name from the 19th-century Cherokee scholar Sequoyah (also known as George Guess), the inventor of the Cherokee writing system.

Seven m & f English (Modern)
From the English word for the number, derived from Old English seofon (from an Indo-European root shared by Latin septem and Greek ἑπτά (hepta)).

Shepherd m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "sheep herder, shepherd".

Shin m Japanese
From Japanese 真 (shin) meaning "real, genuine" or other kanji with the same pronunciation.

Silver m & f English (Rare)
From the English word for the precious metal or the colour, ultimately derived from Old English seolfor.

Sin m Semitic Mythology
From earlier Akkadian Su'en, of unknown meaning. This was the name of the Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian god of the moon. He was closely identified with the Sumerian god Nanna.

Sky f & m English (Modern)
Simply from the English word sky, which was ultimately derived from Old Norse ský "cloud".

Smith m English
From an English surname meaning "metal worker, blacksmith", derived from Old English smitan "to smite, to hit". It is the most common surname in most of the English-speaking world.

Sonny m English
From a nickname that is commonly used to denote a young boy, derived from the English word son.

Sparrow m & f English (Rare)
From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English spearwa.

Spike m English
From a nickname that may have originally been given to a person with spiky hair.

Stamen m Bulgarian, Macedonian
Derived from Bulgarian and Macedonian стамен (stamen) meaning "firm".

Sterling m English
From a Scots surname that was derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning. The name can also be given in reference to the English word sterling meaning "excellent". In this case, the word derives from sterling silver, which was so named because of the emblem that some Norman coins bore, from Old English meaning "little star".

Stew m English
Short form of Stewart.

Stone m English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English stan.

Storm m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern), Danish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern)
From the vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English or Old Dutch storm, or in the case of the Scandinavian name, from Old Norse stormr. It is unisex as an English name, but typically masculine elsewhere.

Sultan m & f Arabic, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Urdu, Bengali, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Avar, Indonesian
Means "ruler, king, sultan" in Arabic. In the Arab world this name is typically masculine, but Turkey it is given to both boys and girls.

Sunday m & f English
From the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English sunnandæg, which was composed of the elements sunne "sun" and dæg "day". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

Sunny f & m English
From the English word meaning "sunny, cheerful".

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

Talon m English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "talon, claw", ultimately derived (via Norman French) from Latin talus "anklebone".

Tanner m English
From an English surname meaning "one who tans hides".

Teddy m English
Diminutive of Edward or Theodore.

Telamon m Greek Mythology
From a Greek word meaning "broad leather strap". According to Greek mythology he was a king of Salamis and the father of the heroes Ajax and Teucer.

Temple m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who was associated with the Knights Templar, a medieval religious military order.

Terminus m Roman Mythology
Means "limit, boundary, end" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman god of boundaries.

Thane m English (Rare)
From the Scottish and English noble title, which was originally from Old English thegn.

Tiger m English (Rare)
From the name of the large striped cat, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek τίγρις (tigris), ultimately of Iranian origin. A famous bearer is American golfer Tiger Woods (1975-).

Tit m Slovene, Russian (Rare)
Slovene and Russian form of Titus.

Tucker m English (Modern)
From an occupational surname for a cloth fuller, derived from Old English tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.

Turner m English
From an English surname for one who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English turnian "to turn", of Latin origin.

Valentine 1 m English
From the Roman cognomen Valentinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Valens meaning "strong, vigorous, healthy" in Latin. Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century martyr. His feast day was the same as the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which resulted in the association between Valentine's Day and love.... [more]

Valerian m Russian, Georgian, Romanian, History
From the Roman cognomen Valerianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name Valerius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Publius Licinius Valerianus) who was captured by the Persians. Several saints have also borne this name, including a 2nd-century martyr of Lyons.

Van m English
Short form of names containing van, such as Vance or Ivan.

Vesper m & f Roman Mythology, Dutch (Modern)
Latin cognate of Hesperos. This name was used by the British author Ian Fleming for a female character, a love interest of James Bond, in his novel Casino Royale (1953). She also appears in the film adaptations of 1967 and 2006.

Victor m English, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late Roman
Roman name meaning "victor, conqueror" in Latin. It was common among early Christians, and was borne by several early saints and three popes. It was rare as an English name during the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the French writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885), who authored The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables.

Viking m Swedish
From the Old Norse name Víkingr meaning "viking, raider", ultimately from vík "cove, inlet".

Wail m Arabic
Possibly means "refuge, shelter" in Arabic.

Walker m English
From an English surname that referred to the medieval occupational of a walker, also known as a fuller. Walkers would tread on wet, unprocessed wool in order to clean and thicken it. The word ultimately derives from Old English wealcan "to walk".

Ward 1 m English
From an occupational surname for a watchman, derived from Old English weard "guard".

Warner m English
From a Norman surname that was derived from the given name Werner.

Wells m English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived near a well or spring, from Middle English wille.

Will m English
Short form of William and other names beginning with Will. A famous bearer is American actor Will Smith (1968-), whose full name is Willard.

Win m & f Burmese
Means "bright, radiant, brilliant" in Burmese.

Wine m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English wine "friend".

Wisdom f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word, a derivative of Old English wis "wise".

Wolf m German, Jewish, English (Rare), Germanic
Short form of Wolfgang, Wolfram and other names containing the Old German element wolf meaning "wolf" (Proto-Germanic *wulfaz). It can also be simply from the German or English word. As a Jewish name it can be considered a vernacular form of Zeev.

Young f & m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 영 (see Yeong).