Achelous m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Ἀχελώιος (Acheloios), which is of unknown meaning, possibly of Semitic origin. This was the name of a Greek god of water and rivers, in particular the Achelous River in western Greece. He fought with (and was defeated by)
Herakles for the hand of
Deianeira.
Aegeus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Αἰγεύς (Aigeus), probably derived from Greek
αἴξ (aix) meaning
"goat" (genitive
αἰγός). The plural of this word,
αἶγες, additionally means
"waves". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a king of Athens. Believing his son
Theseus to have been killed by the Minotaur, he threw himself into the sea and was drowned. The sea was henceforth known as the Aegean.
Ægir m Norse MythologyMeans
"sea, ocean" in Old Norse. According to Norse mythology Ægir was a god or giant (jǫtunn) who lived under the ocean. His wife was
Rán.
Aeron m & f WelshFrom the name of the Welsh river Aeron, itself probably derived from the hypothetical Celtic goddess
Agrona. Alternatively, the name could be taken from Welsh
aeron meaning
"berries".
Afon f & m Welsh (Rare)Means
"river" in Welsh. This is a Welsh name of recent origin.
Aled m WelshFrom the name of a Welsh river, of uncertain meaning.
Alton m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"town at the source of the river" in Old English.
Alwyn m WelshFrom the name of the River Alwen in northern Wales (a tributary of the River Dee).
Appius m Ancient RomanThis was a Roman praenomen, or given name, used predominantly by the Claudia family. Its etymology is unknown. A famous bearer of this name was Appius Claudius Caecus, a Roman statesman of the 3rd century BC. He was responsible for the Aqua Appia (the first Roman aqueduct) and the Appian Way (a road between Rome and Capua), both of which were named for him.
Baptiste m FrenchMeans
"baptist" in French, originally deriving from Greek
βάπτω (bapto) meaning "to dip". This name is usually given in honour of Saint John the Baptist, and as such it is often paired with the name
Jean.
Baran f & m Persian, Turkish, KurdishMeans
"rain" in Persian. It is typically feminine in Persian and masculine in Turkish and Kurdish.
Beck m & f English (Rare)From a surname of English, German or Scandinavian origins, all derived from related words meaning
"stream". As a feminine name, in some cases it is a short form of
Rebecca. A noted bearer is the American rock musician Beck Hansen (1970-), born Bek David Campbell, who goes by the stage name Beck.
Beckett m English (Modern)From an English surname that could be derived from various sources, including from Middle English
bec meaning
"beak" or
bekke meaning
"stream, brook".
Beverly f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from the name of a Yorkshire city, itself from Old English
beofor "beaver" and (possibly)
licc "stream". It came into use as a masculine given name in the 19th century, then became common as an American feminine name after the publication of George Barr McCutcheon's 1904 novel
Beverly of Graustark. It was most popular in the 1930s, and has since greatly declined in use.
Bo 2 m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
波 (bō) meaning "wave", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Bradán m Medieval IrishMeans
"salmon" in Irish. It could also be formed from Irish
brad "thief" and a diminutive suffix.
Brennan m EnglishFrom an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic
Ó Braonáin) that was derived from the byname
Braonán, itself from Irish
braon meaning "rain, moisture, drop" combined with a diminutive suffix. As a given name, it has been used since the 1960s as an alternative to
Brendan or
Brandon, though it has not been as popular as them.
Brody m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Moray, Scotland. It probably means "ditch, mire" in Gaelic.
Brook m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that denoted one who lived near a brook.
Caspian m LiteratureUsed by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his
Chronicles of Narnia series, first appearing in 1950. Prince Caspian first appears in the fourth book, where he is the rightful king of Narnia driven into exile by his evil uncle Miraz. Lewis probably based the name on the Caspian Sea, which was named for the city of Qazvin, which was itself named for the ancient Cas tribe.
Chaac m Mayan MythologyFrom Classic Maya
cháak meaning
"rain". This was the name of the Maya god of the rain and storms.
Chao m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
超 (chāo) meaning "surpass, leap over" (which is usually only masculine),
潮 (cháo) meaning "tide, flow, damp", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Clinton m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from towns named
Glinton, of uncertain meaning, or
Glympton, meaning
"settlement on the River Glyme". A famous bearer of the surname is former American president Bill Clinton (1946-).
Colwyn m WelshFrom the name of a bay and seaside town in Conwy, Wales.
Conway m EnglishFrom a Welsh surname that was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means "foremost water" in Welsh.
Corentin m Breton, FrenchFrench form of the Breton name
Kaourintin, possibly from
korventenn meaning
"hurricane, storm". Alternatively, it could be connected to the Brythonic root *
karid meaning
"love" (modern Breton
karout). This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.
Crawford m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"crow ford" in Old English.
Dacre m English (Rare)From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name in Cumbria, of Brythonic origin meaning
"trickling stream".
Dathan m BiblicalPossibly means
"fountain" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the conspirators against
Moses.
Dee f & m EnglishShort form of names beginning with
D. It may also be given in reference to the
Dee River in Scotland.
Delano m EnglishFrom a surname, recorded as
de la Noye in French, indicating that the bearer was from a place called La Noue (ultimately Gaulish meaning "wetland, swamp"). It has been used in honour of American president Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), whose middle name came from his mother's maiden name.
Delmar m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Norman French
de la mare meaning
"from the pond".
Denver m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was from a place name meaning
"Dane ford" in Old English. This is the name of the capital city of Colorado, which was named for the politician James W. Denver (1817-1892).
Douglas m Scottish, EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means
"dark river", derived from Gaelic
dubh "dark" and
glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to
glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is
Dùghlas or
Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.
Dubhshláine m Old IrishDerived from Old Irish
dub "dark, black" and either
slán "challenge, defiance" or
Sláine, the Irish name of the River Slaney.
Dylan m Welsh, English, Welsh MythologyFrom the Welsh prefix
dy meaning "to, toward" and
llanw meaning "tide, flow". According to the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi, Dylan was a son of
Arianrhod and the twin brother of
Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Immediately after he was baptized he took to the sea, where he could swim as well as a fish. He was slain accidentally by his uncle
Gofannon. According to some theories the character might be rooted in an earlier and otherwise unattested Celtic god of the sea.
... [more] Ea 1 m Semitic MythologyMeaning unknown, perhaps from Sumerian meaning
"house of water", or perhaps of Akkadian or Hurrian origin. This was the Akkadian, Assyrian, Hurrian and Babylonian name of the Sumerian water god
Enki.
Endymion m Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning
"to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess
Selene, who asked
Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.
Enki m Sumerian MythologyFrom Sumerian
𒂗 (en) meaning "lord" and
𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth, ground" (though maybe originally from
𒆳 (kur) meaning "underworld, mountain"). Enki, called
Ea by the Akkadians, Assyrians and Babylonians, was the Sumerian god of water and wisdom and the keeper of the Me, the divine laws.
Erasmus m Late Greek (Latinized)Derived from Greek
ἐράσμιος (erasmios) meaning
"beloved, desired". Saint Erasmus, also known as Saint
Elmo, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron saint of sailors. Erasmus was also the name of a Dutch scholar of the Renaissance period.
Fenrir m Norse MythologyFrom Old Norse
fen meaning
"marsh, fen". In Norse mythology Fenrir was a ferocious wolf, one of the offspring of
Loki and the giantess
Angrboða. Because it was foretold he would bring about disaster, the gods bound him with a magical fetter, though in the process
Tyr's hand was bitten off. At the time of Ragnarök, the end of the world, it is told that he will break free and kill
Odin.
Fenton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning
"marsh town" in Old English.
Ford m EnglishFrom 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).
Fu m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
富 (fù) meaning "abundant, rich, wealthy",
芙 (fú) meaning "hibiscus, lotus" or
甫 (fǔ) meaning "begin, man, father", in addition to other characters with a similar pronunciation. A famous bearer was the 8th-century Tang dynasty poet Du Fu, whose given name was
甫.
Glyndwr m WelshGiven in honour of Owain Glyndwr (or
Glyn Dŵr, Anglicized as
Glendower), a 14th-century Welsh patriot who led a revolt against England. His byname means
"valley water", and was probably inspired by the name of his estate at Glyndyfrdwy (meaning "valley of the River
Dee").
Gonggong m Chinese MythologyMeaning unknown, though usually spelled using the Chinese characters
共 (gòng) meaning "together" and
工 (gōng) meaning "work". This is the name of a Chinese water god, depicted as a serpent with a human head. He damaged the heavenly pillar Mount Buzhou, making the sky tilt to the northwest and the earth tilt to the southeast. A dwarf planet in the outer solar system was named for him in 2019.
Guadalupe f & m SpanishFrom a Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, meaning "Our Lady of Guadalupe". Guadalupe is a Spanish place name, the site of a famous convent, derived from Arabic
وادي (wādī) meaning "valley, river" possibly combined with Latin
lupus meaning "wolf". In the 16th century Our Lady of Guadalupe supposedly appeared in a vision to a native Mexican man, and she is now regarded as a patron saint of the Americas.
Gyatso m TibetanFrom Tibetan
རྒྱ་མཚོ (rgya-mtsho) meaning
"ocean". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).
Hadrian m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Hadrianus, which meant
"from Hadria" in Latin. Hadria was the name of two Roman settlements. The first (modern Adria) is in northern Italy and was an important Etruscan port town. The second (modern Atri) is in central Italy and was named after the northern town. The Adriatic Sea is also named after the northern town.
... [more] Hai m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
海 (hǎi) meaning "sea, ocean" or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
He f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
河 (hé) meaning "river, stream",
和 (hé) meaning "harmony, peace", or
荷 (hé) meaning "lotus, water lily" (which is usually only feminine). Other characters can form this name as well. A famous bearer was the Ming dynasty explorer Zheng He (1371-1433).
Hudson m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Hudde". A famous bearer of the surname was the English explorer Henry Hudson (1570-1611).
Hyeon-U m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
賢 (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or
顯 (hyeon) meaning "manifest, clear" combined with
祐 (u) meaning "divine intervention, protection" or
雨 (u) meaning "rain". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Indra m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, IndonesianMeans
"possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit
इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and
र (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain, frequently depicted riding the elephant Airavata. He is the chief god in the
Rigveda.
Irving m English, JewishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from the town of Irvine in North Ayrshire, itself named for the River Irvine, which is derived from Brythonic elements meaning
"green water". Historically this name has been relatively common among Jews, who have used it as an American-sounding form of Hebrew names beginning with
I such as
Isaac,
Israel and
Isaiah. A famous bearer was the Russian-American songwriter and lyricist Irving Berlin (1888-1989), whose birth name was Israel Beilin.
Isa 3 m GermanicShort form of Germanic names beginning with the element
is meaning
"ice" (Proto-Germanic *
īsą).
Jafar m Arabic, PersianMeans
"stream" in Arabic. Jafar ibn Abi Talib was a cousin of the Prophet
Muhammad who was killed fighting against Byzantium in the 7th century. Another notable bearer was Jafar al-Sadiq, the sixth Shia imam.
Jiang m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
江 (jiāng) meaning "river, Yangtze", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Ji-U f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
芝 (ji) meaning "sesame" or
志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" combined with
雨 (u) meaning "rain" or
宇 (u) meaning "house, universe". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Jorah m Biblical, LiteratureFrom the Hebrew name
יוֹרָה (Yora), derived from the root
יָרָה (yara) meaning variously
"to teach, to throw, to rain". This name is mentioned briefly in the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament. It was used by George R. R. Martin for a character in his fantasy series
A Song of Ice and Fire (first published 1996) and the television adaptation
Game of Thrones (2011-2019). It is not known if Martin took the name from the Bible.
Jordan m & f English, French, Macedonian, SerbianFrom the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is
יַרְדֵן (Yarḏen), and it is derived from
יָרַד (yaraḏ) meaning
"descend, flow down". In the New Testament
John the Baptist baptizes
Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name
Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.
... [more] Jubal m BiblicalMeans
"stream" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned in Genesis in the Old Testament as belonging to the first person to be a musician.
Kaimana m & f HawaiianFrom Hawaiian
kai "ocean, sea" and
mana "power". It is also Hawaiian meaning "diamond", derived from the English word
diamond.
Kaito m JapaneseFrom Japanese
海 (kai) meaning "sea, ocean" combined with
斗 (to), which refers to a Chinese constellation, or
翔 (to) meaning "soar, fly". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Kamala f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, NepaliMeans
"lotus" or
"pale red" in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form
कमला and the masculine form
कमल, though in modern languages it is only a feminine form. In Tantric Hinduism and Shaktism this is the name of a goddess, also identified with the goddess
Lakshmi.
Kellen m English (Modern)Possibly from a German surname, itself derived from Middle Low German
kel "swampy area". This name began to be used in the United States in the early 1980s after the American football player Kellen Winslow (1957-) began his professional career.
Kelvin m EnglishFrom the name of a Scottish river, perhaps meaning
"narrow water". As a title it was borne by the Irish-Scottish physicist William Thomson, Lord Kelvin (1824-1907), who acquired his title from the river.
Kendall m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that comes from the name of the city of Kendale in northwestern England meaning
"valley on the river Kent". Originally mostly masculine, the name received a boost in popularity for girls in 1993 when the devious character Kendall Hart began appearing on the American soap opera
All My Children.
Kent m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from
Kent, the name of a county in England, which may be derived from a Brythonic word meaning "coastal district".
Kerr m ScottishFrom a Scots surname that was derived from a word meaning
"thicket, marsh", ultimately from Old Norse
kjarr.
Khnum m Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
ẖnmw (reconstructed as
Khenmu or
Khnemu), derived from
ẖnm meaning
"to unite". This was the name of an early Egyptian god associated with fertility, water and the Nile. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a ram, sometimes with a potter's wheel.
Kunala m SanskritMeans
"lotus" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor
Ashoka.
Kyle m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves from Gaelic
caol meaning
"narrows, channel, strait". As a given name it was rare in the first half of the 20th century. It rose steadily in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, entering the top 50 in most places by the 1990s. It has since declined in all regions.
Lachlan m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of
Lachlann, the Scottish Gaelic form of
Lochlainn. In the English-speaking world, this name was especially popular in Australia towards the end of the 20th century.
Lake m & f English (Rare)From the English word
lake, for the inland body of water. It is ultimately derived from Latin
lacus.
Lamar m English, African AmericanFrom a French and English surname, originally from a place name in Normandy, which was derived from Old French
la mare meaning
"the pool". In the second half of the 20th century this name has been well-used in the African-American community, probably because of its popular phonetic components
la and
mar.
Lan 1 f & m Chinese, VietnameseFrom Chinese
兰 (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant" (which is usually only feminine) or
岚 (lán) meaning "mountain mist". Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. As a Vietnamese name, it is derived from Sino-Vietnamese
蘭 meaning "orchid".
Lanford m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"long ford" in Old English.
Leander m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Λέανδρος (Leandros), derived from
λέων (leon) meaning "lion" and
ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive
ἀνδρός). In Greek legend Leander was the lover of Hero. Every night he swam across the Hellespont to meet her, but on one occasion he was drowned when a storm arose. When Hero saw his dead body she threw herself into the waters and perished.
Ler m Irish MythologyMeans
"the sea" in Old Irish. Ler was probably an Irish god or personification of the sea, best known as the father of
Manannán mac Lir.
Lester m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the name of the city of Leicester, originally denoting a person who was from that place. The city's name is derived from the river name
Ligore combined with Latin
castra "camp".
Lincoln m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally from the name of an English city, called
Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic
lindo "lake, pool" and Latin
colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.
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.
Llŷr m Welsh MythologyMeans
"the sea" in Welsh. According to the
Mabinogi he was the father of
Brân,
Branwen and
Manawydan. His name is cognate with Irish
Ler, and it is typically assumed that Llŷr may have originally been regarded as a god of the sea. He might also be the basis for the legendary King
Leir of the Britons.
Lochlainn m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"Viking, Scandinavian" from Old Irish
Lochlann, a name for Scandinavia. It means "land of the lakes", derived from
loch "lake".
Longwang m Chinese MythologyFrom Chinese
龙 (lóng) meaning "dragon" and
王 (wáng) meaning "king". This is the Chinese name of the Dragon King, a god associated with water and rain.
Lynn f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Welsh
llyn meaning
"lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of
Linda or names that end in
lyn or
line.
Mahendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, SanskritFrom Sanskrit
महा (mahā) meaning "great" combined with the name of the Hindu god
Indra. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor
Ashoka, also called
Mahinda. He is credited with introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
Marinus m Ancient Roman, DutchFrom the Roman family name
Marinus, which derives either from the name
Marius or from the Latin word
marinus "of the sea". Saint Marinus was a 4th-century stonemason who built a chapel on Monte Titano, in the country that is today known as San Marino.
Marlowe f & m English (Modern)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"remnants of a lake" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593).
Marvin m English, German, DutchFrom an English surname that was derived from the Welsh given name
Merfyn or the Old English name
Mærwine. As an American given name, it steadily rose in popularity through the beginnings of the 20th century and peaked in the early 1930s (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated name
Melvin). A famous bearer was the American musician Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).
Maxwell m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname meaning
"Mack's stream", from the name
Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name
Magnus, combined with Old English
wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.
... [more] Mehrab m Persian, Persian MythologyFrom Persian
مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and
آب (āb) meaning "water". This is the name of the king of Kabul in the 10th-century Persian epic the
Shahnameh.
Merfyn m WelshFrom an Old Welsh name (recorded variously as
Mermin,
Merhin or
Merwin), of uncertain meaning. It is possibly from
mer "bone marrow" or
mor "sea" with the second element possibly
mynawg "eminent, noble",
mynnu "wish, desire" or
myn "young goat, kid". This was the name of a 9th-century king of Gwynedd, Merfyn Frych.
Merlin m Arthurian Cycle, EnglishForm 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] Merrill m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived either from the given name
Muriel or from place names meaning "pleasant hill".
Merton m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"town on a lake" in Old English.
Milburn m EnglishFrom an English surname that was from a place name meaning
"mill stream" in Old English.
Milford m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from various place names all meaning
"ford by a mill" in Old English.
Minato m & f Japanese (Rare)From Japanese
港 (minato) meaning "harbour", as well as other combinations of kanji having the same pronunciation.
Moray m ScottishFrom the name of the area of Moray in Scotland or the surname derived from it (see
Moray).
Morgan 1 m & f Welsh, English, FrenchFrom the Old Welsh masculine name
Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh
mor "sea" and
cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America
Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of
Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).
Mortimer m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Normandy, itself meaning
"dead water, still water" in Old French.
Muir m ScottishFrom a Scottish surname, derived from Scots
muir meaning
"moor, fen". This name could also be inspired by Scottish Gaelic
muir meaning
"sea".
Myrddin m Welsh Mythology, WelshOriginal Welsh form of
Merlin. It is probably ultimately from the name of the Romano-British settlement
Moridunum, derived from Celtic *
mori "sea" and *
dūnom "rampart, hill fort". Prefixed with Welsh
caer "fort", this town has been called Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen in English) from medieval times. It is thought that
Caerfyrddin may have mistakenly been interpreted as meaning "fort of Myrddin", as if
Myrddin were a personal name instead of a later development of
Moridunum.
... [more] Napoleon m History, EnglishFrom the old Italian name
Napoleone, used most notably by the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who was born on Corsica. The etymology is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from Old German
Nibelungen meaning
"sons of mist", a name used in Germanic legend to refer to the keepers of a hoard of treasure, often identified with the Burgundians. Alternatively, it could be connected to the name of the Italian city of Napoli (Naples).
Nechtan m Irish Mythology, Old IrishIrish name of uncertain meaning, possibly from a Celtic root meaning
"damp" (cognate with
Neptune). In Irish mythology Nechtan was the husband of
Boann, the goddess of the River Boyne. He is sometimes identified with
Nuada. This name was borne by the 5th-century Saint Nectan of Hartland in Devon, who was supposedly born in Ireland. It was also the name of several kings of the Picts (described mostly from Gaelic sources, this may represent a Pictish cognate).
Neil m Irish, Scottish, EnglishFrom the Irish name
Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly connected to the old Celtic root *
nītu- "fury, passion" or the (possibly related) Old Irish word
nia "hero". A derivation from Old Irish
nél "cloud" has also been suggested. This was the name of a few early Irish kings, notably Niall of the Nine Hostages, a semi-legendary high king of the 4th or 5th century.
... [more] Neptune m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)From the Latin
Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Indo-European root *
nebh- "wet, damp, clouds". Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god
Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.
Nereus m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekDerived from Greek
νηρός (neros) meaning
"water". In Greek myth this was the name of a god of the sea, the father of the Nereids. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament, belonging to a Christian in Rome. This was also the name of a Roman saint of the 1st century, a member of the army, who was martyred with his companion Achilleus because they refused to execute Christians.
Nu m Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
nnw meaning
"primeval water". In Egyptian mythology this was the name of the god who personified the primeval waters from which the earth was born.
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.
Okeanos m Greek MythologyFrom the name of the river or body of water thought by the ancient Greeks to surround the Earth. In Greek mythology Okeanos was the Titan who personified this body of water.
Pegasus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek
Πήγασος (Pegasos), possibly either from
πηγός (pegos) meaning
"strong" or
πηγαῖος (pegaios) meaning
"from a water spring". In Greek mythology Pegasus was the winged horse that sprang from the blood of Medusa after she was killed by
Perseus. There is a constellation in the northern sky named after the horse.
Pelagius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Πελάγιος (Pelagios), which was derived from
πέλαγος (pelagos) meaning
"the sea". This was the name of several saints and two popes. It was also borne by a 4th-century British theologian whose teachings were eventually declared heretical.
Pelayo m SpanishSpanish form of
Pelagius. This was the name of the founder of the kingdom of Asturias in the 8th century.
Pontius m Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, BiblicalRoman family name. The family had Samnite roots so the name probably originated from the Oscan language, likely meaning
"fifth" (a cognate of Latin
Quintus). Alternatively, it could be derived from the name of the ancient province of
Pontus in Asia Minor, itself probably from Greek
πόντος (pontos) meaning
"sea". A notable bearer of this name was Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea who appears in the New Testament.
Poseidon m Greek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
πόσις (posis) meaning "husband, lord" and
δᾶ (da) meaning "earth". The name first appears in Mycenaean Greek inscriptions as
po-se-da-o. In Greek mythology Poseidon was the unruly god of the sea and earthquakes, the brother of
Zeus. He was often depicted carrying a trident and riding in a chariot drawn by white horses.
Raeburn m English (Rare)From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"stream where deer drink" (from Scots
rae "roe deer" and
burn "stream"). A famous bearer of the surname was Scottish portrait painter Henry Raeburn (1756-1823).
Rafferty m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, itself derived from the given name
Rabhartach meaning "flood tide".
Raine f & m English (Rare)From a surname derived from the Old French nickname
reine meaning
"queen". A famous bearer was the British socialite Raine Spencer (1929-2016), the stepmother of Princess Diana. In modern times it is also considered a variant of
Rain 1.
Rayyan m & f ArabicMeans
"watered, luxuriant" in Arabic. According to Islamic tradition this is the name of one of the gates of paradise.
Rémy m FrenchFrench form of the Latin name
Remigius, which was derived from Latin
remigis "oarsman, rower". Saint Rémy was a 5th-century bishop who converted and baptized Clovis, king of the Franks.
Ren m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus",
恋 (ren) meaning "romantic love", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Rhydian m WelshPossibly a derivative of Welsh
rhyd meaning
"ford". Saint Rhydian or Rhidian was a companion of Saint
Illtyd.
Rio 1 m & f VariousMeans
"river" in Spanish or Portuguese. A city in Brazil bears this name. Its full name is Rio de Janeiro, which means "river of January", so named because the first explorers came to the harbour in January and mistakenly thought it was a river mouth.
Rivaldo m Portuguese (Brazilian)Meaning uncertain, possibly a variant of
Rinaldo, possibly influenced by Portuguese
rio, Latin
rivus meaning "river". A famous bearer is the Brazilian former soccer player Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira (1972-), who is usually known by only his first name.
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".
Rostam m Persian, Persian MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly from Iranian roots *
rautas "river" and *
taxma "strong". Rostam was a warrior hero in Persian legend. The 10th-century Persian poet Ferdowsi recorded his tale in the
Shahnameh.
Roswell m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning
"horse spring".
Ruarc m IrishFrom Old Irish
Ruarcc. It was possibly an early borrowing from the Old Norse name
Hrǿríkr. Alternatively it might be derived from Old Irish elements such as
rúad "red" and
arg "hero, champion". This was the name of a 9th-century king of Leinster.
Rudyard m English (Rare)From a place name meaning
"red yard" in Old English. This name was borne by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), the author of
The Jungle Book and other works, who was named after Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire.
Sevan f & m ArmenianFrom the name of the largest lake in Armenia, which may be from the Urartian word
suinia simply meaning "lake".
Sganyodaiyo m SenecaMeans
"handsome lake" in Seneca, from
sganyodeo "lake" and the suffix
-iyo "good". This name was borne by an 18th-century Seneca prophet.
Shannon f & m EnglishFrom the name of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, called
an tSionainn in Irish. It is associated with the legendary figure
Sionann and is sometimes said to be named for her. However it is more likely she was named after the river, which may be related to Old Irish
sen "old, ancient". As a given name, it first became common in America after the 1940s.
Shui m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
水 (shuǐ) meaning "water", as well as other characters pronounced in a similar way.
Si-U m & f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
始 (si) meaning "begin, start" combined with
祐 (u) meaning "divine intervention, protection" or
雨 (u) meaning "rain". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Sohrab m Persian, Persian MythologyFrom Persian
سهر (sohr) meaning "red" and
آب (āb) meaning "water". In the 10th-century Persian epic the
Shahnameh this is the name of the son of the hero
Rostam. He was tragically slain in battle by his father, who was unaware he was fighting his own son.
Stanford m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"stone ford" in Old English.
Suijin m Japanese MythologyFrom Japanese
水 (sui) meaning "water" and
神 (jin) meaning "god, spirit". This is the name of the god (or gods) of water, lakes and pools in Japanese mythology.
Susanoo m Japanese MythologyOf Japanese origin, possibly meaning
"wild male, impetuous male". In Japanese mythology he was the god of storms and the sea, as well as the brother and adversary of the goddess
Amaterasu. He was born when
Izanagi washed his nose after returning from the underworld. After he was banished from the heavens, he descended to earth and slew an eight-headed dragon.
Takumi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
匠 (takumi) meaning "artisan" or
巧 (takumi) meaning "skillful". It can also come from
拓 (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" combined with
海 (mi) meaning "sea, ocean" or
実 (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". This name can also be formed of other kanji combinations.
Tao m ChineseFrom Chinese
涛 (tāo) meaning "large waves", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Tegid m WelshPossibly derived from Welsh
teg "beautiful, handsome", or possibly from the Roman name
Tacitus. This is the name of a lake in Wales, called Bala Lake in English. It also occurs in medieval Welsh legends as the husband of
Ceridwen.
Tiberius m Ancient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, meaning
"of the Tiber" in Latin. The Tiber is the river that runs through Rome. Tiberius was the second Roman emperor, the stepson of Emperor
Augustus. He was born Tiberius Claudius Nero, but was renamed Tiberius Julius Caesar after he was designated as the heir of Augustus.
Trent m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally denoted someone who lived by the River
Trent. A famous bearer is the American musician Trent Reznor (1965-).
... [more] Triton m Greek MythologyMeaning uncertain. It is possibly related to a root meaning
"the sea" (cognate with Old Irish
trethan). Alternatively it could be connected to Greek
τρεῖς (treis) meaning
"three" (ordinal form
τρίτος). In Greek mythology Triton was the son of
Poseidon and
Amphitrite. He was often depicted as a merman, half-human and half-fish. The largest of Neptune's moons is named after him.
Väinämöinen m Finnish MythologyDerived from Finnish
väinä meaning
"wide and slow-flowing river". In Finnish mythology Väinämöinen was a wise old magician, the son of the primal goddess
Ilmatar. He is the hero of the Finnish epic the
Kalevala.
Vance m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Old English
fenn meaning
"marsh, fen".
Varuna m HinduismProbably from Sanskrit
वृ (vṛ) meaning
"to surround, to encompass". In Hindu mythology Varuna is a god of water and the ocean, also associated with the sky and law. He appears frequently in the Vedas, often paired with the god
Mitra.
Viracocha m Inca MythologyPossibly from Quechua
wira "fat, thick" and
qucha "lake". This is the name of the creator god in Inca mythology.
Wafula m LuhyaMeans
"born during the rainy season", from Luhya
ifula meaning "rainy season".
Walton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from various Old English place names meaning
"stream town",
"wood town", or
"wall town".
Warwick m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from the name of a town in England, itself from Old English
wer "weir, dam" and
wic "settlement".
Weldon m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"hill near a spring" in Old English.
Wells m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived near a well or spring, from Middle English
wille.
Wilburn m EnglishFrom an English surname that was probably originally derived from an unknown place name. The second element corresponds with Old English
burne "stream".
Wilford m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"willow ford" in Old English.
Yam m Semitic MythologyMeans
"sea" in Ugaritic. Yam was the Ugaritic god of the sea, also associated with chaos, storms and destruction. He was a son of the chief god
El.
Yang m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
洋 (yáng) meaning "ocean" or
阳 (yáng) meaning "light, sun, male" (which is typically only masculine), as well as other Chinese characters pronounced similarly.
Yeong-Ho m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero",
映 (yeong) meaning "reflect light" or
泳 (yeong) meaning "dive, swim" combined with
浩 (ho) meaning "great, numerous, vast" or
皓 (ho) meaning "bright, luminous, clear, hoary". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Yonaguska m CherokeeMeans
"drowning bear" from Cherokee
ᏲᎾ (yona) "bear" and possibly
ᎫᏂᏍᎧ (guniska) "drown". This was the name of a 19th-century Eastern Cherokee chief.
Yu f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
玉 (yù) meaning "jade, precious stone, gem",
愉 (yú) meaning "pleasant, delightful" or
雨 (yǔ) meaning "rain". Other characters can form this name as well.
Yunuen f & m Spanish (Mexican)Meaning unknown, probably of indigenous (maybe Purépecha) origin. This is the name of an island on Lake Pátzcuaro in Mexico.
Zaire m African American (Modern)From the name of a country in Africa from 1971 to 1997, now called the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is said to be derived from Kikongo
nzadi o nzere meaning
"river swallowing rivers", referring to the Congo River.
Zedong m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
泽 (zé) meaning "moist, grace, brilliance" combined with
东 (dōng) meaning "east", as well as other character combinations. A notable bearer was the founder of the People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong (1893-1976).