Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the gender is masculine; and the categories include word names.
gender
usage
Izar f & m Basque
Means "star" in Basque.
Izotz m Basque
Means "ice" in Basque.
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]
Jad m Arabic
Means "serious" in Arabic. This name is most common in Lebanon.
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.
Jalo m Finnish
Means "noble, gracious" in Finnish.
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.
Janvier m French
French form of Januarius. Though now rare in France, it is more common in French-speaking parts of Africa.
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.
Jarred m English
Variant of Jared.
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.
Javan m Biblical
Means "Greece" in Hebrew, probably related to Greek Ἴωνες (Iones), the name for the tribe of the Ionians. In the Old Testament this is the name of a grandson of Noah and the ancestor of the Greek peoples.
Jay 1 m English
Short form of names beginning with the sound J, such as James or Jason. It was originally used in America in honour of founding father John Jay (1749-1825), whose surname was derived from the jaybird.
Jengo m Swahili (Rare)
Means "building" in Swahili.
Jerk m Swedish (Rare)
Old Swedish variant of Erik.
Jess m & f English
Short form of Jesse or Jessica.
Jett m English (Modern)
From the English word jet, which denotes either a jet aircraft or an intense black colour (the words derive from different sources).
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.
Jin 2 m Japanese
From Japanese (jin) meaning "compassionate" or other kanji having the same reading.
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.
Jóhonaa'éí m New World Mythology
Means "sun" in Navajo. In Navajo mythology this is the name of the sun god.
Jökull m Icelandic
Means "glacier, ice" in Icelandic.
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.
Kagiso m & f Tswana
Means "peace" in Tswana.
Kaiser m Various
German form of the Roman title Caesar (see Caesar). It is not used as a given name in Germany itself.
Kalju m Estonian
Means "rock, boulder" in Estonian.
Kamen m Bulgarian
Means "stone" in Bulgarian. This is a translation of the Greek name Πέτρος (Petros).
Kamran m Persian, Urdu, Azerbaijani
Means "successful, prosperous, fortunate" in Persian.
Kapena m Hawaiian
Means "captain" in Hawaiian (of English origin).
Kapua f & m Hawaiian
Means "the flower" or "the child" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and pua "flower, offspring".
Karabo m & f Sotho, Tswana
Means "answer" in Sotho and Tswana.
Kåre m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
From the Old Norse name Kári meaning "curly, curved".
Karma m & f Bhutanese
From the Sanskrit word कर्म (karma) meaning "action, deed, fate".
Katashi m Japanese
From Japanese (katashi) meaning "hard, firm" or other kanji and kanji combinations that are pronounced the same way.
Kauko m Finnish
Means "far away" in Finnish.
Keijo m Finnish
Derived from Finnish keiju meaning "elf, fairy".
Kemen m Basque
Means "courage, vigour" in Basque.
Kham m & f Lao
Means "gold" in Lao.
Khamphet m & f Lao
From Lao ຄຳ (kham) meaning "gold" and ເພັດ (phet) meaning "diamond, gem".
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.
Koda m English (Modern)
At least in part inspired by the name of a character from the animated movie Brother Bear (2003). The moviemakers apparently took it from Lakota or Dakota koda meaning "friend, companion".
Koit m Estonian
Means "dawn" in Estonian.
Koralo m Esperanto
Means "coral" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin corallium.
Kulap f & m Thai
Means "rose" in Thai (of Persian origin).
Kusuma m & f Indonesian
Derived from Sanskrit कुसुम (kusuma) meaning "flower".
Lacy f & m English
From a surname that was derived from Lassy, the name of a town in Normandy. The name of the town was Gaulish in origin, perhaps deriving from a personal name that was Latinized as Lascius. Formerly more common for boys in America, this name began to grow in popularity for girls in 1975.
Laird m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname meaning "landowner" in Scots.
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.
Leão m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Leo and Leon.
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".
Lehua f & m Hawaiian
Means "ohia flower" in Hawaiian.
Leib m Yiddish
Means "lion" in Yiddish, from Old High German lewo. This is a vernacular form of Arieh.
Léo 1 m French
French form of Leo.
Leo m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, English, Croatian, Armenian, Late Roman
Derived from Latin leo meaning "lion", a cognate of Leon. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of 13 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), name spelled Лев in Russian, whose works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Leo is also a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.... [more]
Léon m French
French form of Leon (used to refer to the popes named Leo).
León m Spanish
Spanish form of Leo and Leon. This is also the name of a city and province in Spain (see León), though the etymology is unrelated.
Leon m English, German, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Greek, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek λέων (leon) meaning "lion". During the Christian era this Greek name was merged with the Latin cognate Leo, with the result that the two forms are used somewhat interchangeably across European languages. In England during the Middle Ages this was a common name among Jews. A famous bearer was the communist revolutionary Leon Trotsky (1879-1940), whose name is Лев in Russian.
Levent m Turkish
From the Ottoman Turkish term levend, referring to a member of the navy, which is possibly ultimately derived from Italian levante "person from the eastern Mediterranean". The Turkish word has now come to mean "tall, handsome, roguish".
Liberatore m Italian (Rare)
Means "liberator" in Italian.
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).
Liêm m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (liêm) meaning "clean, honest, upright".
Linas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Linus. This is also the Lithuanian word for "flax" (a cognate of the name's root).
Linden m & f English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".
Linh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (linh) meaning "spirit, soul".
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.
Liwen m & f Mapuche
Means "morning" in Mapuche.
Lot 1 m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "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.
Loup m French
French form of the Roman name Lupus meaning "wolf". Lupus was the name of several early saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Troyes who apparently convinced Attila to spare the city.
Lovemore m Southern African
From the English words love and more. This name is most common in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the south of Africa.
Lucky m & f English, Hindi
From a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).
Lug m Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Lugh.
Lwandle m & f Zulu, Xhosa
Means "ocean" in Zulu and Xhosa.
Lyric f & m English (Modern)
Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).
Madana m Hinduism
Means "intoxicating, maddening" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu love god Kama.
Made m & f Balinese
From Sanskrit मध्य (madhya) meaning "middle". This name is traditionally given to the family's second-born child.
Maël m French, Breton
French form of Breton Mael meaning "prince, chieftain, lord". Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.
Mainio m Finnish (Rare)
Means "excellent" in Finnish.
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.
Mak m Bosnian
Means "poppy (flower)" in Bosnian. It is most often given in honour of the Bosnian poet Mehmedalija Dizdar (1917-1971), whose pseudonym was Mak.
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.
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.
Marshall m English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who was a marshal. The word marshal originally derives from Latin mariscalcus, itself from Germanic roots akin to Old High German marah "horse" and scalc "servant". A famous bearer is the American rapper Marshall Mathers (1972-), who performs under the name Eminem.
Marten m Dutch
Dutch form of Martinus (see Martin).
Martial m French, History
From the Roman cognomen Martialis, which was derived from the name of the Roman god Mars. The name was borne by Marcus Valerius Martialis, now commonly known as Martial, a Roman poet of the 1st century.
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.
Masterman m English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who worked as a servant.
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.
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]
Merry 2 m Literature
The name of a hobbit in J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings (1954). His full given name is Meriadoc; Merry is a semi-translation into English of his true hobbit-language name Kali meaning "jolly, merry" (in full Kalimac).
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".
Minik m & f Greenlandic
Means "seal oil" in Greenlandic. A notable bearer was the Inughuit boy Minik (1890-1918), who was among a group brought by the explorer Robert Peary from Greenland to New York in 1897.
Miras m Kazakh
Means "legacy, inheritance" in Kazakh, from Arabic ميراث (mīrāth) via Turkish.
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.
Modesto m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Modestus.
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.
Montana f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the American state, which is derived from Latin montanus "mountainous".
Monte m English, Armenian
Either a diminutive of Montgomery or from the Spanish or Italian vocabulary word meaning "mountain". Its use as an Armenian name is inspired by the Armenian-American revolutionary Monte Melkonian (1957-1993).
Moon 2 f & m English (Rare)
From the English word for Earth's natural satellite, ultimately from Old English mona.
Moran f & m Hebrew
Means "viburnum shrub" in Hebrew.
Moreno m Italian, Spanish
Derived from Italian moro or Spanish moreno meaning "dark-skinned".
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).
Mübariz m Azerbaijani
Means "fighter" in Azerbaijani, derived from Arabic مبارز (mubāriz).
Muslim m Arabic, Urdu, Kazakh, Indonesian, Malay
Name for a follower of Islam, ultimately from Arabic أسْلم (ʾaslama) meaning "to surrender, to submit".
Nabil m Arabic
Means "noble" in Arabic.
Nadir m Arabic, Turkish, Urdu
Means "rare" in Arabic.
Nail m Arabic, Turkish, Tatar
Means "attainer" in Arabic.
Narcisse m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Narcissus. This is also the French word for the narcissus flower.
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.
Nawel m Mapuche
Means "jaguar" in Mapuche.
Nebojša m Serbian, Croatian
Means "fearless" in Serbian and Croatian, from the Old Slavic root nebojĭ.
Nemo m Literature
Means "nobody" in Latin. This was the name used by author Jules Verne for the captain of the Nautilus in his novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870). It was later used for the title character (a fish) in the 2003 animated movie Finding Nemo.
Neo 2 m Various
From a prefix meaning "new", ultimately from Greek νέος (neos).... [more]
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.
Newen m Mapuche
Means "force, strength" in Mapuche.
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.
Noboru m Japanese
From Japanese (noboru) meaning "rise, ascend" or other kanji pronounced in the same way.
Noël m French
Means "Christmas" in French. In the Middle Ages it was used for children born on the holiday. A famous bearer was the English playwright and composer Noël Coward (1899-1973).
Nollaig f & m Irish
Means "Christmas" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century as a translation of Noël.
Nori m Japanese
From Japanese (nori) meaning "ceremony, rites" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
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.
Odd m Norwegian
Derived from Old Norse oddr meaning "point of a sword".
Oddr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Odd.
Ode m Medieval English
Medieval English form of Odo.
Oihan m Basque
Means "forest" in Basque.
Oiva m Finnish
Means "splendid" in Finnish.
Olivier m French, Dutch, Carolingian Cycle
French and Dutch form of Oliver. This is also a French word meaning "olive tree".
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.
Onni m Finnish
Means "happiness, luck" in Finnish.
Or m & f Hebrew
Means "light" in Hebrew.
Oral m English
Meaning uncertain. This name was borne by the influential American evangelist Oral Roberts (1918-2009), who was apparently named by his cousin.
Oroitz m Basque
Means "memory" in Basque.
Ortzi m Basque
Means "sky" in Basque.
Orvar m Swedish (Rare), Norse Mythology
Means "arrow" in Old Norse. Orvar Odd is a legendary Norse hero who is the subject of a 13th-century Icelandic saga.
Otso m Finnish
Means "bear" in Finnish.
Oxalá m Afro-American Mythology
Portuguese form of Oriṣanla, used in Brazil by adherents of Candomblé to refer to Ọbatala. It also coincides with the Portuguese word oxalá meaning "God willing, hopefully", which originates from the Arabic phrase و شاء الله (wa shāʾa Allah).
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.
Páll m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese 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".
Panu m Finnish
Finnish short form of Urbanus (see Urban). This is also an archaic Finnish word meaning "flame, fire". This name was used by the Finnish author Juhani Aho for the main character in his novel Panu (1897).
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.
Patrocinio f & m Spanish
Means "patronage, sponsorship" in Spanish, taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen del Patrocinio, meaning "The Virgin of Patronage".
Patsy f & m English, Irish
Variant of Patty, also used as a diminutive of Patrick.
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.
Petrit m Albanian
Means "falcon" in Albanian.
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.
Pierce m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Piers. In America this name slowly started to grow in popularity in 1982 when actor Pierce Brosnan (1953-) began starring on the television series Remington Steele.
Pino m Italian
Short form of names ending in pino.
Placid m English (Rare)
English form of Placidus (see Placido).
Porter m English
From an occupational English surname meaning "doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French porte "door", from Latin porta.
Prabhat m Hindi
Means "shining forth, morning" in Sanskrit, derived from प्रभा (prabhā) meaning "to shine".
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".
Primo m Italian
Italian form of the Late Latin name Primus, which meant "first". This was the name of three early saints, each of whom was martyred.
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.
Prosper m French, English
From the Latin name Prosperus, which meant "fortunate, successful". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a supporter of Saint Augustine. It has never been common as an English name, though the Puritans used it, partly because it is identical to the English word prosper.
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.
Putra m Indonesian
Means "son" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit पुत्र (putra).
Pwyll m Welsh Mythology
Means "wisdom, reason" in Welsh. In the First Branch of the Mabinogi, Pwyll is a king of Dyfed who pursues and finally marries Rhiannon. Their son was Pryderi.
Pyry m Finnish
Means "snowstorm, blizzard" in Finnish.
Quỳnh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (quỳnh) meaning "deep red". This is also the Vietnamese name for a variety of flowering plant (genus Epiphyllum).
Rain 1 f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word rain, derived from Old English regn.
Raivo m Estonian
Meaning uncertain. It is possibly a diminutive of Raimond or it could be related to the Old Estonian word raivo meaning "fury, rage".
Raja 2 m Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Marathi, Indonesian
Means "king, ruler", from Sanskrit राजन् (rājan).
Ram 1 m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "exalted" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Hezron in the Old Testament.
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.
Read m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Reed.
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".
Reima m Finnish
Finnish form of Raymond.
Rein m Frisian, Dutch, Estonian
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element regin meaning "advice, counsel, decision" (Proto-Germanic *raginą).
Renard m French (Rare)
French form of Reynard. Because of the medieval character Reynard the Fox, renard became a French word meaning "fox".
Rex m English
From Latin rex meaning "king". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
Reyes f & m Spanish
Means "kings" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, La Virgen de los Reyes, meaning "The Virgin of the Kings". According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to King Ferdinand III of Castile and told him his armies would defeat those of the Moors in Seville.
Rich m English
Short form of Richard.
Ridge m English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word denoting a continuous elevated mountain crest, or from the English surname derived from the word.
Rio 1 m & f Various
Means "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.
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.
Rocky m English
Diminutive of Rocco and other names beginning with a similar sound, or else a nickname referring to a tough person. This is the name of the boxer Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone) in the movie Rocky (1976) and its sequels.
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.
Rosaire m French
Means "rosary" in French.
Rosario f & m Spanish, Italian
Means "rosary", and is taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Rosario meaning "Our Lady of the Rosary". This name is feminine in Spanish and masculine in Italian.
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".
Rusty m English
From a nickname that was originally given to someone with a rusty, or reddish-brown, hair colour.
Sage f & m English (Modern)
From the English word sage, which denotes either a type of spice or else a wise person.
Sahil m Azerbaijani, Hindi, Urdu
Means "coast, shore" in Azerbaijani, Hindi and Urdu, in all cases a borrowing from Arabic ساحل (sāḥil).
Saint m English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately from Latin sanctus "holy, saintly".
Salvador m Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan
Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan form of the Late Latin name Salvator, which meant "saviour", referring to Jesus. A famous bearer of this name was the Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dalí (1904-1989).
Salvatore m Italian
Italian cognate of Salvador.
Salvo m Italian
Variant of Salvio (see Salvius) or directly from Italian salvo meaning "safe".
Sandy m & f English
Originally a diminutive of Alexander. As a feminine name it is a diminutive of Alexandra or Sandra. It can also be given in reference to the colour.
Sang m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (sang) meaning "common, frequent, regular" or other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character.
Santo m Italian
Means "saint" in Italian, ultimately from Latin sanctus.
Santos m Spanish
Means "saints" in Spanish. It is used in reference to the Christian festival Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints' Day) celebrated on November 1.
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.
Savio m Italian
Means "wise" in Italian.
Scorpio m Astronomy
Means "scorpion" in Latin, from Greek σκορπίος (skorpios). This is the name of the eighth sign of the zodiac, associated with the constellation Scorpius.
Scott m English, Scottish
From 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.
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).
Sendoa m Basque
Means "strong" in Basque.
Seppo 1 m Finnish, Finnish Mythology
Derived from Finnish seppä meaning "smith". Seppo Ilmarinen ("the smith Ilmarinen") is the name of a master craftsman in the Finnish epic the Kalevala.
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)).
Sévère m French (Rare)
French form of Severus.
Severo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Severus.
Shad 1 m Persian
Means "happy" in Persian.
Shahid 2 m Arabic, Bengali
Means "martyr, witness" in Arabic. This name is related to Shahid 1, though it is spelled distinctly in Arabic.
Shalom m Hebrew
Means "peace" in Hebrew.
Shani 1 f & m Hebrew
Means "red, scarlet" in Hebrew.
Shem m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "name" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Shem is one of Noah's three sons (along with Japheth and Ham) and the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
Shepherd m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "sheep herder, shepherd".
Shin m Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "real, genuine" or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Shun 2 f & m Japanese
From Japanese 駿 (shun) meaning "fast", (shun) meaning "talented", or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Silver m & f English (Rare)
From the English word for the precious metal or the colour, ultimately derived from Old English seolfor.
Silvestre m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Silvester.
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.
Sincere m & f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning genuine or heartfelt.
Sisu m Finnish
Means "willpower, determination, strength" in Finnish.
Sky f & m English (Modern)
Simply from the English word sky, which was ultimately derived from Old Norse ský "cloud".
Slava m & f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Croatian, Slovene
Short form of names containing the Slavic element slava meaning "glory". It is typically masculine in Russia and Belarus, unisex in Ukraine, and feminine the South Slavic countries.
Sly m English
Short form of Sylvester. The actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-) is a well-known bearer of this nickname.
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.
Sokol m Albanian
Means "falcon" in Albanian, a word borrowed from Slavic.
Sonic m Popular Culture
From the English word sonic meaning "related to sound", derived from Latin sonus meaning "sound". It also connotates speediness, or the speed of sound, due to words like supersonic or hypersonic. A notable fictional bearer is the speedy video game character Sonic the Hedgehog, introduced in 1991 by Sega. He is called ソニック (Sonikku) in Japan.
Sonny m English
From a nickname that is commonly used to denote a young boy, derived from the English word son.
Sora f & m Japanese
From Japanese (sora) or (sora) both meaning "sky". Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also form this name.
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".
Steinn m Icelandic, Old Norse
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Sten.
Sten m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Estonian
Derived from the Old Norse name Steinn meaning "stone".
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.
Subhan m Arabic, Urdu
Means "glory, praise" in Arabic.
Sulo m Finnish
Means "charm, grace" in Finnish.
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.
Suman m & f Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali
Means "well-disposed, good mind", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with मनस् (manas) meaning "mind".
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".
Susumu m Japanese
From Japanese (susumu) meaning "advance, make progress", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations having the same pronunciation.
Sylvan m English
Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".
Szilárd m Hungarian
Means "solid, firm" in Hungarian, also used as a Hungarian vernacular form of Constantine.
Taimo m Estonian
From Estonian taim meaning "plant".
Taisto m Finnish
Means "battle" in Finnish.
Takara m & f Japanese
From Japanese (takara) meaning "treasure, jewel", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.
Takumi m Japanese
From Japanese (takumi) meaning "artisan" or (takumi) meaning "skillful". It can also come from (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" combined with (mi) meaning "sea, ocean" or (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". This name can also be formed of other kanji combinations.
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".
Taran m Welsh Mythology, Pictish
Means "thunder" in Welsh, from the old Celtic root *toranos. It appears briefly in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi. The name is cognate to that of the Gaulish god Taranis. It was also borne by the 7th-century Pictish king Taran mac Ainftech.
Tarmo m Estonian, Finnish
Means "vigour, energy, drive" in Estonian and Finnish.
Tauno m Finnish, Estonian
Means "peaceful, modest" in Karelian Finnish.
Taylor m & f English
From an English surname that originally denoted someone who was a tailor, from Norman French tailleur, ultimately from Latin taliare "to cut".... [more]
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.