Archie m Scottish, EnglishDiminutive of
Archibald. This name is borne by Archie Andrews, an American comic-book character created in 1941. It was also used by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for the name of their son born 2019.
Benjamin m English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Slovene, Croatian, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning
"son of the south" or
"son of the right hand", from the roots
בֵּן (ben) meaning "son" and
יָמִין (yamin) meaning "right hand, south". Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of
Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named
בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-ʾoni) meaning "son of my sorrow" by his mother
Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see
Genesis 35:18).
... [more] Bill m EnglishShort 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.
Billy m EnglishDiminutive of
Bill. A notable bearer was the American outlaw Billy the Kid (1859-1881), whose real name was William H. Bonney. Others include filmmaker Billy Wilder (1906-2002), actor Billy Crystal (1948-), and musician Billy Joel (1949-).
Bobby m EnglishDiminutive of
Bob. Hockey greats Bobby Hull (1939-2023) and Bobby Orr (1948-) have borne this name.
Bruno m German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Croatian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Latvian, GermanicDerived from the Old German element
brunna meaning
"armour, protection" (Proto-Germanic *
brunjǭ) or
brun meaning
"brown" (Proto-Germanic *
brūnaz). Saint Bruno of Cologne was a German monk of the 11th century who founded the Carthusian Order. The surname has belonged to Giordano Bruno, a philosopher burned at the stake by the Inquisition. A modern bearer is the American singer Bruno Mars (1985-), born Peter Gene Hernandez.
Buddy m EnglishFrom the English word meaning
"friend". It probably originated as a nursery form of the word
brother.
Buster m EnglishOriginally 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.
Camille f & m French, EnglishFrench feminine and masculine form of
Camilla. It is also used in the English-speaking world, where it is generally only feminine.
Carol 1 f & m EnglishShort 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".
Chance m EnglishOriginally 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").
Charlie m & f EnglishDiminutive or feminine form of
Charles. A famous bearer was the British comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977). It is also borne by Charlie Brown, the main character in the comic strip
Peanuts by Charles Schulz.
Christopher m EnglishFrom the Late Greek name
Χριστόφορος (Christophoros) meaning
"bearing Christ", derived from
Χριστός (Christos) combined with
φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young
Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.
... [more] Cornelius m Ancient Roman, English, Dutch, German, BiblicalRoman family name that possibly derives from the Latin element
cornu meaning
"horn". In Acts in the New Testament Cornelius is a centurion who is directed by an angel to seek
Peter. After speaking with Peter he converts to Christianity, and he is traditionally deemed the first gentile convert. The name was also borne by a few early saints, including a 3rd-century pope. In England it came into use in the 16th century, partly due to Dutch influence.
David m English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
דָּוִד (Dawiḏ), which was derived from
דּוֹד (doḏ) meaning
"beloved" or
"uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of
Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament,
Jesus was descended from him.
... [more] Dick 1 m EnglishMedieval diminutive of
Richard. The change in the initial consonant is said to have been caused by the way the trilled Norman
R was pronounced by the English.
Donald m Scottish, EnglishFrom the Scottish Gaelic name
Dòmhnall meaning
"ruler of the world", composed of the Old Irish elements
domun "world" and
fal "rule". This was the name of two 9th-century kings of the Scots and Picts. It has traditionally been very popular in Scotland, and during the 20th century it became common in the rest of the English-speaking world. This is the name of one of Walt Disney's most popular cartoon characters, Donald Duck, introduced 1931. It was also borne by Australian cricket player Donald Bradman (1908-2001) and former American president Donald Trump (1946-).
Fred m English, Dutch, German, French, Portuguese, Swedish, NorwegianShort form of
Frederick and other names containing the same element. A famous bearer was the American actor and dancer Fred Astaire (1899-1987). It was also borne by the cartoon caveman Fred Flintstone on the television series
The Flintstones (1960-1966).
George m English, Romanian, Indian (Christian)From the Greek name
Γεώργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word
γεωργός (georgos) meaning
"farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements
γῆ (ge) meaning "earth" and
ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Cappadocia who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.
... [more] Giacomo m ItalianItalian form of
Iacomus (see
James). Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) was an Italian composer of operas.
Hank m EnglishOriginally a short form of
Hankin, which was a medieval diminutive of
John. Since the 17th century in the United States this name has also been used as a diminutive of
Henry, probably under the influence of the Dutch diminutive
Henk. A famous bearer is the American former baseball player Hank Aaron (1934-2021).
Harold m EnglishFrom the Old English name
Hereweald, derived from the elements
here "army" and
weald "powerful, mighty". The Old Norse cognate
Haraldr was also common among Scandinavian settlers in England. This was the name of five kings of Norway and three kings of Denmark. It was also borne by two kings of England, both of whom were from mixed Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon backgrounds, including Harold II who lost the Battle of Hastings (and was killed in it), which led to the Norman Conquest. After the conquest the name died out, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century.
Herbert m English, German, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, FrenchDerived from the Old German elements
heri "army" and
beraht "bright". It was borne by two Merovingian Frankish kings, usually called
Charibert. The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate
Herebeorht. In the course of the Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
... [more] Jack m EnglishDerived 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] Jerry m & f EnglishDiminutive of
Jeremy,
Jerome,
Gerald,
Geraldine and other names beginning with the same sound. Notable bearers include the American comedians Jerry Lewis (1926-2017) and Jerry Seinfeld (1954-), as well as the American football player Jerry Rice (1962-).
Jimmy m EnglishDiminutive of
James. This was the usual name of American actor James Stewart (1908-1997). It is also used by the former American president Jimmy Carter (1924-).
Joe m EnglishShort form of
Joseph. Five famous sports figures who have had this name are boxers Joe Louis (1914-1981) and Joe Frazier (1944-2011), baseball player Joe DiMaggio (1914-1999), and football quarterbacks Joe Namath (1943-) and Joe Montana (1956-). It is also borne by the American president Joe Biden (1942-).
John m English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, BiblicalEnglish form of
Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name
Ἰωάννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name
יוֹחָנָן (Yoḥanan). It means
"Yahweh is gracious", from the roots
יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and
חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". The Hebrew form occurs in the Old Testament (spelled
Johanan or
Jehohanan in the English version), but this name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who is considered the forerunner of
Jesus. He baptized Jesus and was later executed by
Herod Antipas. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth gospel and Revelation. With the apostles
Peter and
James (John's brother), he was part of the inner circle of Jesus.
... [more] Jonathan m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְהוֹנָתָן (Yehonaṯan), contracted to
יוֹנָתָן (Yonaṯan), meaning
"Yahweh has given", derived from the roots
יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and
נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give". According to the Old Testament, Jonathan was the eldest son of
Saul. His relationship with his father was strained due to his close friendship with his father's rival
David. Along with Saul he was killed in battle with the Philistines.
... [more] King m EnglishFrom 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).
Lacey f & m EnglishVariant of
Lacy. This is currently the most popular spelling of this name.
Lance m EnglishFrom 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-).
Lawrence m EnglishVariant of
Laurence 1. This spelling of the name is now more common than
Laurence in the English-speaking world, probably because
Lawrence is the usual spelling of the surname. The surname was borne by the author and poet D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930), as well as the revolutionary T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935), who was known as Lawrence of Arabia.
Leonard m English, Dutch, German, Polish, Romanian, GermanicMeans
"brave lion", derived from the Old German elements
lewo "lion" (of Latin origin) and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish saint from Noblac who is the patron of prisoners and horses. The Normans brought this name to England, where it was used steadily through the Middle Ages, becoming even more common in the 20th century.
Lot 1 m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"covering, veil" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a nephew of
Abraham. Before Sodom was destroyed by God, he was directed to flee the city without looking back. However, his wife looked back on the destruction and was turned into a pillar of salt.
Mark m English, Russian, Belarusian, Dutch, Danish, Armenian, BiblicalForm 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] Oliver m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian CycleFrom Old French
Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin
oliva "olive tree". Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse
Áleifr (see
Olaf) or Frankish
Alawar (see
Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic
La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero
Roland.
... [more] Pablo m SpanishSpanish form of
Paulus (see
Paul). Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) and Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) were famous bearers of this name.
Pancho m SpanishSpanish diminutive of
Francisco. This name was borne by Pancho Villa (1878-1923), a Mexican bandit and revolutionary.
Pedro m Spanish, PortugueseSpanish and Portuguese form of
Peter. This was the name of the only two emperors of Brazil, reigning between 1822 and 1889.
Quentin m French, EnglishFrench form of the Roman name
Quintinus. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a missionary who was martyred in Gaul. The Normans introduced this name to England. In America it was brought to public attention by president Theodore Roosevelt's son Quentin Roosevelt (1897-1918), who was killed in World War I. A famous bearer is the American movie director Quentin Tarantino (1963-).
Ralph m English, German, SwedishContracted form of the Old Norse name
Ráðúlfr (or its Norman form
Radulf). Scandinavian settlers introduced it to England before the Norman Conquest, though afterwards it was bolstered by Norman influence. In the Middle Ages it was variously spelled
Rauf,
Rafe or
Ralf reflecting the usual pronunciation. The
Ralph spelling became more common in the 18th century. A famous bearer of the name was Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American poet and author who wrote on transcendentalism.
Sancho m Spanish, PortuguesePossibly a Spanish and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name
Sanctius, which was derived from the word
sanctus meaning
"saintly, holy". Alternatively,
Sancho and
Sanctius may be derived from an older Iberian name. This was the name of a 9th-century saint who was martyred by the Moors at Córdoba. It was also borne by several Spanish and Portuguese kings. Miguel de Cervantes used it in his novel
Don Quixote (1605), where it belongs to the squire of Don Quixote.
Scott m English, ScottishFrom an English and Scottish surname that referred to a person from Scotland or a person who spoke Scottish Gaelic. It is derived from Latin
Scoti meaning "Gael, Gaelic speaker", with the ultimate origin uncertain.
Sebastian m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Finnish, Romanian, CzechFrom the Latin name
Sebastianus, which meant
"from Sebaste". Sebaste was the name a town in Asia Minor, its name deriving from Greek
σεβαστός (sebastos) meaning "venerable" (a translation of Latin
Augustus, the title of the Roman emperors). According to Christian tradition, Saint Sebastian was a 3rd-century Roman soldier martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian. After he was discovered to be a Christian, he was tied to a stake and shot with arrows. This however did not kill him. Saint Irene of Rome healed him and he returned to personally admonish Diocletian, whereupon the emperor had him beaten to death.
... [more] Sonny m EnglishFrom a nickname that is commonly used to denote a young boy, derived from the English word
son.
Stanley m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"stone clearing" (Old English
stan "stone" and
leah "woodland, clearing"). A notable bearer of the surname was the British-American explorer and journalist Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904), the man who found David Livingstone in Africa. As a given name, it was borne by American director Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999), as well as the character Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' play
A Streetcar Named Desire (1947).
Steve m EnglishShort form of
Steven. A notable bearer was American technology entrepreneur Steve Jobs (1955-2011).
Terry 1 m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the medieval name
Thierry, a Norman French form of
Theodoric.
Tom 1 m English, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Danish, SwedishShort form of
Thomas. Tom Sawyer is the main character in several of Mark Twain's novels, first appearing in
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). Other famous bearers include American actors Tom Hanks (1956-) and Tom Cruise (1962-), as well as American football player Tom Brady (1977-).
Tye m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"pasture" in Middle English.
Valentine 1 m EnglishFrom 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] Wolfgang m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
wolf meaning "wolf" and
gang meaning "path, way". Saint Wolfgang was a 10th-century bishop of Regensburg. Two other famous bearers of this name were Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and German novelist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).