Æsc m Anglo-SaxonMeans
"ash tree" in Old English. This was the nickname of a 5th-century king of Kent, whose birth name was Oeric.
Ainsley f & m Scottish, English (Modern)From an English surname that was from a place name: either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire. The place names themselves derive from Old English
anne "alone, solitary" or
ansetl "hermitage" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
... [more] Alder m English (Rare)From the English word for the tree (comprising the genus Alnus), derived from Old English
alor.
Ametz m BasqueMeans
"Pyrenean oak" in Basque (species Quercus pyrenaica).
Ascelin m GermanicDerived from a diminutive of the Old German element
asc meaning
"ash tree" (Proto-Germanic *
askaz).
Ash m & f EnglishShort form of
Ashley. It can also come directly from the English word denoting either the tree or the residue of fire.
Ashley f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from place names meaning
"ash tree clearing", from a combination of Old English
æsc and
leah. Until the 1960s it was more commonly given to boys in the United States, but it is now most often used on girls. It reached its height of popularity in America in 1987, but it did not become the highest ranked name until 1991, being overshadowed by the likewise-popular
Jessica until then. In the United Kingdom it is still more common as a masculine name.
Ashton m & f English (Modern)From an English surname, itself derived from a place name meaning
"ash tree town" in Old English. This was a rare masculine name until the 1980s, when it gradually began becoming more common for both genders. Inspired by the female character Ashton Main from the 1985 miniseries
North and South, parents in America gave it more frequently to girls than boys from 1986 to 1997. Since then it has been overwhelmingly masculine once again, perhaps due in part to the fame of the actor Ashton Kutcher (1978-).
Ask m Norse MythologyDerived from Old Norse
askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife
Embla were the first humans created by the gods.
Asse m FrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the elements
asc meaning
"ash tree" or
ansi meaning
"god".
Bai m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
白 (bái) meaning "white, pure",
百 (bǎi) meaning "one hundred, many" or
柏 (bǎi) meaning "cypress tree, cedar" (which is usually only masculine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. This name was borne in the 8th century by the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai, whose given was
白.
Barclay m English (Rare)From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from the English place name
Berkeley, itself from Old English
beorc "birch" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
Basajaun m Basque MythologyMeans
"lord of the woods" from Basque
baso "woods" and
jaun "lord". This is the name of a character in Basque folklore, the Old Man of the Woods.
Bedivere m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian CycleFrom the Welsh name
Bedwyr, possibly from
bedwen "birch" and
gwr "man". In Arthurian legends Bedivere was one of the original companions of King
Arthur. He first appears in early Welsh tales, and his story was later expanded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century. He is the one who throws the sword Excalibur into the lake at the request of the dying Arthur.
Bentley m EnglishFrom a surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English
beonet "bent grass" and
leah "woodland, clearing". Various towns in England bear this name.
Bessarion m Late GreekMeaning uncertain, possibly from Greek
βῆσσα (bessa) meaning
"wooded valley". This was the name of a 5th-century Egyptian hermit who was a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great. It was later adopted by the scholar Basilios Bessarion (1403-1472), a Greek born in Byzantine Anatolia who became a Roman Catholic bishop.
Bile m Irish MythologyPossibly an Irish form of
Belenus, though it may derive from an Irish word meaning
"sacred tree, scion, hero". In Irish mythology this was the name of one of the Milesians who was drowned while invading Ireland.
Birkir m IcelandicFrom Icelandic
birki meaning
"birch", specifically the downy birch (species Betula pubescens).
Bor m SloveneMeans
"pine tree" in Slovene. It is also a short form of names containing
bor, such as
Borislav or
Boris.
Boyce m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Old French
bois "wood".
Briscoe m English (Rare)From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"birch wood" in Old Norse.
Călin m RomanianFrom Romanian
călin meaning
"viburnum tree" (of Slavic origin).
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.
Celyn m & f WelshMeans
"holly" in Welsh. It appears briefly in the Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen, belonging to a son of Caw, but was not typically used as a given name until the 20th century.
Cochise m Apache (Anglicized)Meaning uncertain, possibly from Apache
go-chizh "his firewood" or
go-chįh "his nose". This was the name of a 19th-century chief of the Chiricahua Apache.
Codrin m RomanianFrom Romanian
codru meaning
"forest", a word of uncertain origin.
Cyprian m Polish, History (Ecclesiastical)From the Roman family name
Cyprianus, which meant
"from Cyprus". Saint Cyprian was a 3rd-century bishop of Carthage who was martyred under the Roman emperor Valerian.
Daiki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness",
樹 (ki) meaning "tree" or
貴 (ki) meaning "valuable". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Deforest m EnglishFrom a French surname meaning
"from the forest". It was originally given in honour of American author John Deforest (1826-1906).
Diklah m BiblicalPossibly means
"palm grove" in Hebrew or Aramaic. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Joktan.
Dionysos m Greek MythologyFrom Greek
Διός (Dios) meaning "of
Zeus" combined with
Nysa, the name of the region where young Dionysos was said to have been raised. In Greek mythology Dionysos was the god of wine, revelry, fertility and dance. He was the son of
Zeus and
Semele.
Elah m BiblicalMeans
"terebinth tree" in Hebrew. This was the name of the fourth king of Israel, as told in the Old Testament. He was murdered by
Zimri, who succeeded him.
Elmer m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the Old English name
Æðelmær. In the United States it is sometimes given in honour of brothers Jonathan (1745-1817) and Ebenezer Elmer (1752-1843), who were active in early American politics.
Elon m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"oak tree" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament this was the name of one of the ruling judges of the Israelites. A notable modern bearer is the entrepreneur Elon Musk (1971-), who was born in South Africa and also holds Canadian and American citizenship (he is not Jewish).
Elwood m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"elder tree forest" in Old English.
Eoghan m Irish, Irish MythologyPossibly means
"born from the yew tree", from Old Irish
eó "yew" and the suffix
gan "born". Alternatively, it might be derived from the Latin name
Eugenius. It was borne by several legendary or semi-legendary Irish figures, including a son of the king
Niall of the Nine Hostages.
Forrest m EnglishFrom 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.
Garrick m EnglishFrom an English surname, of French Huguenot origin, that was derived from Occitan
garric meaning
"oak tree grove".
Grover m EnglishFrom an English surname derived from Old English
graf meaning
"grove of trees". A famous bearer was the American president Grover Cleveland (1837-1908), who popularized the name in the United States at the end of the 19th century. The name is now associated with a muppet character from the children's television program
Sesame Street.
Gwydion m Welsh, Welsh MythologyProbably means
"born of trees" from Old Welsh
guid "trees" and the suffix
gen "born of". In the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi, Gwydion is the nephew of King
Math of Gwynedd, and like him a powerful magician. In an elaborate plot to give his brother a chance to rape his uncle's footbearer, he arranged a war between Gwynedd and the neighbouring kingdom of Dyfed. Gwydion himself killed King
Pryderi of Dyfed at the end of the war. In punishment for the rape, Math transformed Gwydion and his brother into different animals over the course of three years. Gwydion was the uncle of
Lleu Llaw Gyffes, whom he fostered. Math and Gwydion fashioned Lleu a wife,
Blodeuwedd, out of flowers and they later aided him after her betrayal. Gwydion also appears in older Welsh poetry such as the
Book of Taliesin.
Hideki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or
英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Hiroki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (hiro) meaning "big, great" and
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Hollis m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Middle English
holis "holly trees". It was originally given to a person who lived near a group of those trees.
Huxley m English (Modern)From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Cheshire. The final element is Old English
leah "woodland, clearing", while the first element might be
hux "insult, scorn". A famous bearer of the surname was the British author Aldous Huxley (1894-1963).
Islwyn m WelshFrom the name of a mountain in Wales that means "below the forest" from Welsh
is "below" and
llwyn "forest, grove".
Itsuki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
樹 (itsuki) meaning "tree", using the kanji's nanori reading. Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Ivo 1 m German, Dutch, Czech, Italian, Portuguese, Estonian, Latvian, GermanicGermanic name, originally a short form of names beginning with the element
iwa meaning
"yew". Alternative theories suggest that it may in fact be derived from a cognate Celtic element. This was the name of saints (who are also commonly known as Saint
Yves or
Ives), hailing from Cornwall, France, and Brittany.
Ivor m Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English (British)From the Old Norse name
Ívarr, which was probably derived from the elements
ýr "yew tree, bow" and
herr "army, warrior". During the Middle Ages it was brought to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders, and it was adopted in Ireland (Irish
Íomhar), Scotland (Scottish Gaelic
Iomhar) and Wales (Welsh
Ifor).
Jinan m & f ArabicMeans
"garden" or
"paradise" in Arabic, ultimately from the root
جنّ (janna) meaning "to cover, to hide".
Junípero m Various (Rare)This was the name assumed by the 18th-century Spanish Franciscan monk Miguel José Serra, a missionary to California. He named himself after one of Saint Francis's companions, who was named from Latin
iuniperus "juniper".
Kaede f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
楓 (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Kauri m MaoriFrom the name of a type of tree found in New Zealand (species Agathis australis).
Kazuki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
一 (kazu) meaning "one" or
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness",
希 (ki) meaning "hope" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.
Keith m English, ScottishFrom a Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of a place in East Lothian, itself possibly derived from the Celtic root *
kayto- meaning
"wood". This was the surname of a long line of Scottish nobles. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, becoming fairly common throughout the English-speaking world in the 20th century.
Kekoa m HawaiianMeans
"the warrior" from Hawaiian
ke, a definite article, and
koa "warrior, koa tree".
Kingsley m & f English (Modern)From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"king's wood" in Old English. This name may have received a minor boost in popularity after the release of the 2007 movie
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, featuring the character Kingsley Shacklebolt.
Kyo m & f JapaneseAlternate transcription of Japanese Kanji
協 or
京 or
郷 or
杏 (see
Kyō).
Kyou m & f JapaneseAlternate transcription of Japanese Kanji
協 or
京 or
郷 or
杏 (see
Kyō).
Lauren f & m EnglishVariant or feminine form of
Laurence 1. Originally a masculine name, it was first popularized as a feminine name by actress Betty Jean Perske (1924-2014), who used Lauren Bacall as her stage name.
Laurence 1 m EnglishFrom the Roman cognomen
Laurentius, which meant
"from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably deriving from Latin
laurus "laurel". Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome. According to tradition he was roasted alive on a gridiron because, when ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the sick and poor. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in the Christian world (in various spellings).
... [more] Laurianus m Late RomanRoman name that was derived from
Laurus. This was the name of a 6th-century saint, a bishop of Seville, who was martyred by the Arian Ostrogoths.
Laverne f & m EnglishFrom a French surname that was derived from a place name, ultimately from the Gaulish word
vern "alder". It is sometimes associated with the Roman goddess
Laverna or the Latin word
vernus "of spring".
Lennox m & f English (Modern)From a Scottish surname that was derived from the name of a district in Scotland. The district, called
Leamhnachd in Gaelic, possibly means "place of elms". This name steadily rose in popularity in the 2000s, at the same time as the similar-sounding (but unrelated) names
Lennon and
Knox.
Leslie f & m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from a place in Aberdeenshire, probably from Gaelic
leas celyn meaning
"garden of holly". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In America it was more common as a feminine name after the 1940s.
Lin m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
林 (lín) meaning "forest" or
琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.
Linden m & f EnglishFrom a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German
linta meaning
"linden tree".
Linford m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally taken from place names meaning either "flax ford" or "linden tree ford" in Old English.
Linton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from place names meaning either "flax town" or "linden tree town" in Old English.
Linwood m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"stream forest" in Old English.
Loreto f & m Spanish, ItalianFrom the name of a town in Italy, originally called
Lauretum in Latin, meaning "laurel grove". Supposedly in the 13th century the house of the Virgin
Mary was miraculously carried by angels from Nazareth to the town. In Spain it is a feminine name, from the Marian title
Nuestra Señora de Loreto, while in Italy it is mostly masculine.
Lyndon m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"linden tree hill" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973).
Macdara m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"son of oak" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara.
Marley f & m English (Modern)From an English surname that was taken from a place name meaning either "pleasant wood", "boundary wood" or "marten wood" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the Jamaican musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).
Mu m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
牧 (mù) meaning "shepherd",
木 (mù) meaning "tree, wood", or other characters with similar pronunciations.
Mwenya f & m ChewaFrom the Chewa word for a type of flowering tree (species Breonadia salicina).
Naoki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
直 (nao) meaning "straight, direct" and
樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of different kanji with the same pronunciations.
Nash m English (Modern)From an English surname that was derived from the Middle English phrase
atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer of the surname was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015).
... [more] Nīkau m MaoriFrom the name of a type of palm tree found in New Zealand (species Rhopalostylis sapida).
Norwood m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning
"north wood" in Old English.
Oakley m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was from various place names meaning
"oak clearing" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the American sharpshooter Annie Oakley (1860-1926).
Ogden m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"oak valley" in Old English. A famous bearer was the humorous American poet Ogden Nash (1902-1971).
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] Palmer m & f EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"pilgrim". It is ultimately from Latin
palma "palm tree", since pilgrims to the Holy Land often brought back palm fronds as proof of their journey.
Palmiro m ItalianMeans
"pilgrim" in Italian. In medieval times it denoted one who had been a pilgrim to Palestine. It is ultimately from the word
palma meaning "palm tree", because of the custom of pilgrims to bring palm fronds home with them. The name is sometimes given to a child born on Palm Sunday.
Perry m EnglishFrom a surname that is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English
perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh
ap Herry, meaning "son of
Herry". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.
Pinocchio m LiteratureMeans
"pine eye" from Italian
pino and
occhio. It was created by the Italian author Carlo Collodi for his novel
The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883), about a boy made out of wood whose nose grows longer every time he lies. The story was later adapted into a 1940 Disney movie.
Roscoe m EnglishFrom an English surname, originally derived from a place name, itself derived from Old Norse
rá "roebuck" and
skógr "wood, forest".
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).
Selby m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that was from a place name meaning
"willow farm" in Old Norse.
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.
Shaw m English (Rare)From a surname. As an English surname it is derived from Old English
sceaga meaning
"thicket". As a Scottish surname it is derived from the Gaelic byname
Sitheach meaning
"wolf".
Shelby m & f EnglishFrom an English surname, which was possibly a variant of
Selby. Though previously in use as a rare masculine name, it was popularized as a feminine name by the main character in the movie
The Woman in Red (1935). It was later reinforced by the movie
Steel Magnolias (1989) in which Julia Roberts played a character by this name.
Sherwood m EnglishFrom 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.
Silvester m Slovak, Slovene, Serbian, German, English, Late RomanFrom a Latin name meaning
"wooded, wild", derived from
silva "wood, forest". This was the name of three popes, including Saint Silvester I who supposedly baptized the first Christian Roman emperor,
Constantine the Great. As an English name,
Silvester (or
Sylvester) has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it became less common after the Protestant Reformation.
Silvinus m Ancient RomanRoman 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 MythologyDerived 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.
Sly m EnglishShort form of
Sylvester. The actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-) is a well-known bearer of this nickname.
Sylvan m EnglishEither a variant of
Silvanus or directly from the Latin word
silva meaning
"wood, forest".
Sylvester m English, German, DanishMedieval variant of
Silvester. This is currently the usual English spelling of the name. A famous bearer is the American actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-).
Taiki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (tai) meaning "big, great" and
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Tāne m Maori, Polynesian MythologyMeans
"man" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Tāne was the god of forests and light. He was the son of the sky god
Rangi and the earth goddess
Papa, who were locked in an embrace and finally separated by their son. He created the tui bird and, by some accounts, man.
Tyrone m English, African AmericanFrom the name of a county in Northern Ireland, which is derived from Irish Gaelic
Tir Eoghain meaning "land of
Eoghan". This name was popularized by American actor Tyrone Power (1914-1958), who was named after his great-grandfather, an Irish actor.
Urmas m EstonianPossibly from the dialectal Estonian word
urm meaning
"frost" or
"catkin".
Vere m English (Rare)From a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, which was itself derived from a Gaulish word meaning
"alder".
Vernon m EnglishFrom a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, ultimately derived from the Gaulish word
vern meaning
"alder".
Vide m SwedishMeans
"willow" in Swedish, from Old Norse
víðir.
Waverly f & m EnglishFrom the rare English surname
Waverley, derived from the name of a place in Surrey, itself possibly from Old English
wæfre "flickering, wavering" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
... [more] Wido m GermanicOriginally a short form of names beginning with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element
widu, Old High German
witu, meaning
"wood" (Proto-Germanic *
widuz). This was the name of two 11th-century saints, one from Belgium and one from northern Italy, both commonly called
Guido or
Guy. From early times this name has been confused with the Latin name
Vitus.
Widukind m GermanicOld Saxon name composed of the elements
widu "wood" and
kind "child". This was the name of an 8th-century Saxon leader who fought against the Franks, in the end unsuccessfully.
Wilford m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"willow ford" in Old English.
Willoughby m & f English (Rare)From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"willow town" in Old English.
Wilt m EnglishShort form of
Wilton. This name was borne by basketball player Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999).
Wilton m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the names of several English towns. The town names mean variously "willow town", "well town" or "town on the River Wylye" in Old English. The river name is itself of Celtic origin, possibly meaning "tricky".
Woodrow m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"row of houses by a wood" in Old English. It was borne by the American president Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), who was given his mother's maiden name as his middle name (his first name was Thomas). During his candidacy and presidency (1912-1921) the name became popular, reaching the 44th rank in 1913, though it quickly declined after that.
Woody m EnglishEither a diminutive of names containing
wood such as
Woodrow, or else from a nickname derived from the English word
wood. Famous bearers include the folk singer Woodrow "Woody" Guthrie (1912-1967), the comedian and film director Heywood "Woody" Allen (1935-; born as Allan Stewart Konigsberg), and the actor Woodrow "Woody" Harrelson (1961-). It is also borne by the cartoon characters Woody Woodpecker (debuting 1940) and Woody from the
Toy Story movies (beginning 1995).
Yasen m BulgarianMeans both
"ash tree" and
"clear, serene" in Bulgarian.
York m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from York, the name of a city in northern England. The city name was originally
Eburacon, Latinized as
Eboracum, meaning "yew" in Brythonic. In the Anglo-Saxon period it was corrupted to
Eoforwic, as if from Old English
eofor "boar" and
wic "village". This was rendered as
Jórvík by the Vikings and eventually reduced to
York.
Yves m FrenchMedieval French form of
Ivo 1. This was the name of two French saints: an 11th-century bishop of Chartres and a 13th-century parish priest and lawyer, also known as Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of Brittany.