Names Deemed "natural"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is natural.
gender
usage
impression
Ivan m Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, English, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian
Newer form of the Old Church Slavic name Іѡаннъ (Ioannŭ), which was derived from Greek Ioannes (see John). This was the name of six Russian rulers, including the 15th-century Ivan III the Great and 16th-century Ivan IV the Terrible, the first tsar of Russia. It was also borne by nine emperors of Bulgaria. Other notable bearers include the Russian author Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883), who wrote Fathers and Sons, and the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), who is best known for his discovery of the conditioned reflex.
Ivar m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian
Scandinavian form of Ivor.
Iver m Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Ivar.
Ivet f Bulgarian, Catalan
Bulgarian and Catalan form of Yvette.
Ivonne f German, Dutch
German and Dutch variant of Yvonne.
Ivory m & f African American
From the English word for the hard, creamy-white substance that comes from elephant tusks and was formerly used to produce piano keys.
Ivy f English
From the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English ifig.
Ixchel f Mayan Mythology, Mayan
Possibly means "rainbow lady", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and chel "rainbow". Ixchel was a Maya goddess associated with the earth, jaguars, medicine and childbirth. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.
Iya f Russian
Meaning unknown. This name was borne by Saint Ia of Persia, a 4th-century martyr who is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Izanami f Japanese Mythology
Probably means "female who invites" in Japanese, from (izana) meaning "invite, lure, attract". In Japanese mythology she was a creator goddess, the wife of Izanagi. She died giving birth to Kagutsuchi, the god of fire.
Izumi f Japanese
From Japanese (izumi) meaning "fountain, spring". This name can also be constructed from other combinations of kanji.
Jacinta f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Hyacinthus.
Jacinthe f French (Rare)
French cognate of Hyacinth 2.
Jacobine f Norwegian (Archaic), Dutch (Rare)
Norwegian and Dutch feminine form of Jacob.
Jadwiga f Polish
Polish form of Hedwig. This was the name of a 14th-century ruling queen of Poland who has recently been canonized as a saint.
Jaga f Croatian, Serbian, Polish
Croatian, Serbian and Polish diminutive of Agatha, Jagoda, Jadwiga and other names containing ja.
Jane f English
Medieval English form of Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see John). This became the most common feminine form of John in the 17th century, surpassing Joan. In the first half of the 20th century Joan once again overtook Jane for a few decades in both the United States and the United Kingdom.... [more]
Janette f English
Variant of Janet.
Janey f English
Diminutive of Jane.
Janie f English
Diminutive of Jane.
Jaromír m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements jarŭ "fierce, energetic" and mirŭ "peace, world". This name was borne by an 11th-century duke of Bohemia.
Jaroslava f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak feminine form of Yaroslav.
Jarosław m Polish
Polish form of Yaroslav.
Jasmine f English, French
From the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived via Arabic from Persian یاسمین (yāsamīn), which is also a Persian name. In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity from the 1970s, especially among African Americans. It reached a peak in the early 1990s shortly after the release of the animated Disney movie Aladdin (1992), which featured a princess by this name.
Jasminka f Croatian
Croatian diminutive of Jasmina.
Jayesh m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "lord of victory" from Sanskrit जय (jaya) meaning "victory, conquest" and ईश (īśa) meaning "lord, ruler".
Jean-Claude m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Claude.
Jean-Luc m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Luc. A famous bearer is the French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard (1930-2022).
Jean-Pierre m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Pierre.
Jed m English
Short form of Jedidiah.
Jehanne f Medieval French
Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see John).
Jelena f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Estonian, Lithuanian
Form of Yelena in several languages. In Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia it is also associated with the South Slavic words jelen meaning "deer, stag" and jela meaning "fir tree".
Jemima f Biblical, English
Traditionally said to mean "dove", it may actually be related to Hebrew יוֹמָם (yomam) meaning "daytime". This was the oldest of the three daughters of Job in the Old Testament. As an English name, Jemima first became common during the Puritan era.
Jennifer f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish
From a Cornish form of the Welsh name Gwenhwyfar (see Guinevere). This name has only been common outside of Cornwall since the beginning of the 20th century, after it was featured in George Bernard Shaw's play The Doctor's Dilemma (1906). It barely ranked in the United until the late 1930s, when it began steadily growing in popularity, accelerating into the early 1970s. It was the most popular name for girls in America between 1970 and 1984, though it was not as common in the United Kingdom.... [more]
Jenny f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, German, Dutch, French, Spanish
Originally a medieval English diminutive of Jane. Since the middle of the 20th century it has been primarily considered a diminutive of Jennifer.
Jeong f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (jeong) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" or (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal", as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
Jeremi m Polish
Polish form of Jeremiah.
Jeremias m German (Rare), Portuguese, Finnish, Biblical
German, Portuguese and Finnish form of Jeremiah. It is also the form used in some English translations of the New Testament.
Jeriah m Biblical
Means "taught by Yahweh" in Hebrew, from יָרָה (yara) meaning "to teach" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament, Jeriah is a descendant of Hebron.
Jessamine f English (Rare)
From a variant spelling of the English word jasmine (see Jasmine), used also to refer to flowering plants in the cestrum family.
Jill f English
Short form of Gillian.
Jimena f Spanish
Variant of Ximena. This form is more popular in Spain itself.
Jing f & m Chinese
From Chinese (jìng) meaning "quiet, still, gentle", (jīng) meaning "essence, spirit", (jīng) meaning "clear, crystal" or (jīng) meaning "capital city". Other characters can also form this name.
Jingyi m & f Chinese
From Chinese (jìng) meaning "quiet, still, gentle" combined with () meaning "joy, harmony". Other character combinations are possible as well.
Joan 1 f English
Medieval English form of Johanne, an Old French form of Iohanna (see Joanna). This was the usual English feminine form of John in the Middle Ages, but it was surpassed in popularity by Jane in the 17th century. It again became quite popular in the first half of the 20th century, entering the top ten names for both the United States and the United Kingdom, though it has since faded.... [more]
Joanna f English, Polish, Biblical
English and Polish form of Latin Iohanna, which was derived from Greek Ἰωάννα (Ioanna), the feminine form of Ioannes (see John). This is the spelling used in the English New Testament, where it belongs to a follower of Jesus who is regarded as a saint. In the Middle Ages in England it was used as a Latinized form of Joan (the usual feminine form of John) and it became common as a given name in the 19th century.
Jóhanna f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Iohanna (see Joanna).
Jóhannes m Icelandic, Faroese
Icelandic and Faroese form of Iohannes (see John).
Joktan m Biblical
Means "small" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Eber in the Old Testament.
Jökull m Icelandic
Means "glacier, ice" in Icelandic.
Jon 1 m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Basque
Scandinavian and Basque form of Iohannes (see John).
Jonah m English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹנָה (Yona) meaning "dove". This was the name of a prophet swallowed by a fish, as told in the Old Testament Book of Jonah. Jonah was commanded by God to preach in Nineveh, but instead fled by boat. After being caught in a storm, the other sailors threw Jonah overboard, at which point he was swallowed. He emerged from the fish alive and repentant three days later.... [more]
Jonáš m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Jonah.
Jonette f English (Rare)
Feminine diminutive of Joan 1.
Jonna f Danish, Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Johanna.
Jonquil f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower, derived ultimately from Latin iuncus "reed".
Jorah m Biblical, Literature
From 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.
Joris m Dutch, Frisian
Dutch and Frisian form of George.
Jorunn f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Jórunnr, derived from the elements jǫfurr "boar" and unna "to love".
Josefina f Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish
Spanish, Portuguese and Swedish feminine form of Joseph.
Josephina f English (Rare)
Latinate variant of Joséphine.
Joses m Biblical
From Ἰωσῆς (Ioses), a Greek variant of Joseph used in the New Testament to distinguish Joseph the brother of James from the many other characters of that name.
Joshua m English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshuaʿ) meaning "Yahweh is salvation", from the roots יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save". As told in the Old Testament, Joshua was a companion of Moses. He went up Mount Sinai with Moses when he received the Ten Commandments from God, and later he was one of the twelve spies sent into Canaan. After Moses died Joshua succeeded him as leader of the Israelites and he led the conquest of Canaan. His original name was Hoshea.... [more]
Jotham m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is perfect" in Hebrew, derived from יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and תָּם (tam) meaning "perfect, complete". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a son of Gideon and a king of Judah.
Jovian m Ancient Roman (Anglicized)
From Latin Iovianus, a Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Iovis (see Jove). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman emperor.
Joy f English
Simply from the English word joy, ultimately derived from Norman French joie, Latin gaudium. It has been regularly used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Józef m Polish
Polish form of Joseph.
Jubal m Biblical
Means "stream" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned in Genesis in the Old Testament as belonging to the first person to be a musician.
Juda m Arabic
Means "goodness, excellence" in Arabic, derived from جاد (jāda) meaning "to be excellent, to be generous".
Judah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוּדָה (Yehuḏa), probably derived from יָדָה (yaḏa) meaning "praise". In the Old Testament Judah is the fourth of the twelve sons of Jacob by Leah, and the ancestor of the tribe of Judah. An explanation for his name is given in Genesis 29:35. His tribe eventually formed the Kingdom of Judah in the south of Israel. King David and Jesus were among the descendants of him and his wife Tamar. This name was also borne by Judah Maccabee, the Jewish priest who revolted against Seleucid rule in the 2nd century BC, as told in the deuterocanonical Books of Maccabees.... [more]
Juho m Finnish
Finnish short form of Juhani, now used independently.
Juliane f German, French
German and French feminine form of Julian.
Julie f French, Danish, Norwegian, Czech, English, German, Dutch
French, Danish, Norwegian and Czech form of Julia. It has spread to many other regions as well. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the early 20th century.
Julieta f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Juliet.
Jumana f Arabic
Means "pearl" in Arabic.
June f English
From the name of the month, which was originally derived from the name of the Roman goddess Juno. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
Juni f Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian cognate of June.
Junia f Biblical, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Junius. This is the name of an early Christian mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament (there is some debate about whether the name belongs to a woman Junia or a man Junias).
Juniper f English (Modern)
From the English word for the type of tree, derived ultimately from Latin iuniperus.
Jyoti f & m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit ज्योतिस् (jyotis) meaning "light". This is a transcription of both the feminine form ज्योती and the masculine form ज्योति.
Jyri m Finnish
Finnish form of Jörg.
Kaede f & m Japanese
From Japanese (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Kahina f Berber
Derived from Arabic الكاهنة (al-Kāhina) meaning "the diviner, the fortuneteller". This was a title applied to the 7th-century Berber queen Dihya, who resisted the Arab expansion into North Africa.
Kahurangi f & m Maori
From the name of a type of green gemstone found in New Zealand, meaning "sky blue" in Maori.
Kaija f Finnish
Diminutive of Katariina.
Kaimana m & f Hawaiian
From Hawaiian kai "ocean, sea" and mana "power". It is also Hawaiian meaning "diamond", derived from the English word diamond.
Kainan m Biblical Greek
Form of Cainan used in the Greek Bible.
Kaipo m & f Hawaiian
Means "the sweetheart" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and ipo "sweetheart".
Kalani m & f Hawaiian
Means "the heavens" from Hawaiian ka "the" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Kalea f Hawaiian
Means "joy, happiness" in Hawaiian.
Kalei m & f Hawaiian
Means "the flowers" or "the child" from Hawaiian ka "the" and lei "flowers, lei, child".
Kaleo m Hawaiian
Means "sound, voice" from Hawaiian ka "the" and leo "sound, voice".
Kalev 2 m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Caleb.
Kalpana f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Nepali
Means "imagining, fantasy" in Sanskrit.
Kalyna f Ukrainian (Rare)
From the Ukrainian word for a type of shrub, also called the guelder rose (species Viburnum opulus).
Kama m Hinduism
Means "love, desire" in Sanskrit. Kama is the Hindu god of love and pleasure, typically depicted as a young man armed with a bow and riding on the back of a giant parrot. His wife is Rati.
Kamakshi f Hinduism, Hindi
From Sanskrit काम (kāma) meaning "love, desire" and अक्षि (akṣi) meaning "eye". This is the name of a Hindu goddess. She is sometimes considered to be an aspect of Parvati.
Kanako f Japanese
From Japanese (ka) meaning "increase" or (ka) meaning "fragrance" combined with (na), a phonetic character, or (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and finished with (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Kanani f Hawaiian
Means "the beauty" from Hawaiian ka "the" and nani "beauty, glory".
Kanchana f Tamil, Thai
From Sanskrit कञ्चन (kañcana) meaning "golden".
Kaneonuskatew m Cree (Anglicized)
Means "he who walks on four claws" in Cree, derived from ᓀᐅᐧ (newo) "four" and the root ᐊᐢᑲᓯᕀ (askasiy) "claw". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan, also known as George Gordon.
Kaori f Japanese
From Japanese (kaori) meaning "fragrance". It can also come from an alternate reading of (ka) combined with (ori) meaning "weaving". Other kanji combinations are possible. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.
Kapono m Hawaiian
Means "the good one" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and pono "good, moral".
Kára f Norse Mythology
Probably from Old Norse kárr meaning "curly, curved". In Norse legend this was the name of a valkyrie.
Kasumi f Japanese
From Japanese (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Kateri f History
From the Mohawk pronunciation of Katherine. This was the name adopted by the 17th-century Mohawk saint Tekakwitha upon her baptism.
Katerina f Macedonian, Albanian, Russian, Bulgarian, Greek, Late Roman
Macedonian and Albanian form of Katherine, a Russian short form of Yekaterina, a Bulgarian short form of Ekaterina, and a Greek variant of Aikaterine.
Kateryna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Katherine.
Katherine f English
From the Greek name Αἰκατερίνη (Aikaterine). The etymology is debated: it could derive from an earlier Greek name Ἑκατερινη (Hekaterine), itself from ἑκάτερος (hekateros) meaning "each of the two"; it could derive from the name of the goddess Hecate; it could be related to Greek αἰκία (aikia) meaning "torture"; or it could be from a Coptic name meaning "my consecration of your name". In the early Christian era it became associated with Greek καθαρός (katharos) meaning "pure", and the Latin spelling was changed from Katerina to Katharina to reflect this.... [more]
Kathleen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Caitlín.
Kathy f English
Diminutive of Katherine.
Katlego m & f Tswana
Means "success, prosperity" in Tswana.
Katniss f Literature
From the English word katniss, the name of a variety of edible aquatic flowering plants (genus Sagittaria). Katniss Everdeen is the protagonist of The Hunger Games series of novels by Suzanne Collins, released 2008 to 2010, about a young woman forced to participate in a violent televised battle.
Katri f Finnish
Short form of Katariina.
Katsumi m & f Japanese
From Japanese (katsu) meaning "overcome" or (katsu) meaning "victory" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful" or (mi) meaning "self". Other kanji combinations having the same pronunciation can also form this name.
Kauʻi f & m Hawaiian
Means "the youthful one" from Hawaiian ka, a definite article, and uʻi "youth, beauty".
Kauko m Finnish
Means "far away" in Finnish.
Keahi f & m Hawaiian
Means "the fire" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and ahi "fire".
Keelan m Irish
Anglicized form of Caolán.
Kefilwe m & f Tswana
Means "I was given" in Tswana, derived from filwe "given".
Keijo m Finnish
Derived from Finnish keiju meaning "elf, fairy".
Kekoa m Hawaiian
Means "the warrior" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and koa "warrior, koa tree".
Kelda f English (Rare)
Possibly derived from Old Norse kildr meaning "a spring".
Kentigern m History (Ecclesiastical)
From a Brythonic name in which the second element is Celtic *tigernos "lord, ruler". The first element may be *kentus "first" or * "dog, hound" (genitive *kunos). This was the name of a 6th-century saint from the Kingdom of Strathclyde. He is the patron saint of Glasgow.
Keshet m & f Hebrew
Means "rainbow" in Hebrew.
Kestrel f English (Rare)
From the name of the bird of prey, ultimately derived from Old French crecelle "rattle", which refers to the sound of its cry.
Ketevan f Georgian
Georgian form of Katayoun. It is sometimes used as a Georgian form of Katherine.
Keturah f Biblical
From the Hebrew name קְטוּרָה (Qeṭura) meaning "incense". In the Old Testament she is Abraham's wife after Sarah dies.
Kfir m Hebrew
Means "lion cub" in Hebrew.
Khulan f Mongolian
Means "onager, wild donkey" in Mongolian. This was the name of a wife of Genghis Khan.
Kibwe m Kongo
Meaning unknown.
Kielo f Finnish
Means "lily of the valley" in Finnish (species Convallaria majalis).
Kim 3 f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (kim) meaning "gold, metal".
Kimimela f Sioux
From Lakota kimímela meaning "butterfly".
Kirsty f Scottish
Diminutive of Kirsteen or Kirstin.
Kisecawchuck m Cree (Anglicized)
From Cree ᑮᓯᑳᐊᐧᒑᕁ (Kîsikâawcâhk) meaning "day star", derived from ᑮᓯᑳᐤ (kîsikâw) "day" and ᐊᑖᕁ (atâhk) "star". This was the name of a 19th-century Plains Cree chief in Saskatchewan.
Kishore m Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi किशोर, Tamil கிஷோர் or Telugu కిశోర్ (see Kishor).
Kjerstin f Norwegian, Swedish
Norwegian and Swedish form of Christina.
Koa m Hawaiian
Means "warrior, koa tree" in Hawaiian.
Kohaku f & m Japanese
From Japanese 琥珀 (kohaku) meaning "amber".
Kohar f Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Gohar.
Koharu f Japanese
From Japanese (ko) meaning "small" or (ko) meaning "heart" combined with (haru) meaning "spring". The compound word 小春 means "late summer". Other combinations of kanji characters can form this name as well.
Kōki m Japanese
From Japanese () meaning "light" or () meaning "happiness, good luck" combined with (ki) meaning "hope" or (ki) meaning "brightness". This name can be formed from other combinations of kanji characters as well.
Kōnane m & f Hawaiian
Means "bright" in Hawaiian.
Koralia f Greek, Late Greek
Derived from Ancient Greek κοράλλιον (korallion) meaning "coral" (in Modern Greek κοράλλι). This was the name of an obscure 4th-century saint and martyr from Thrace.
Kore f Greek Mythology
Means "maiden" in Greek. This was another name for the Greek goddess Persephone.
Korina f Greek
Modern Greek form of Corinna.
Krešimir m Croatian
From the Slavic elements krěsiti "to spark, to flare up, to bring to life, to resurrect" and mirŭ "peace, world". This was the name of four kings of Croatia in the 10th and 11th centuries. Their names were recorded in Latin as Cresimirus.
Kristiāna f Latvian
Latvian form of Christina.
Kristjana f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Christina.
Krystiana f Polish (Rare)
Polish variant of Christina.
Ksyusha f Russian
Diminutive of Kseniya.
Kukka f Finnish
Means "flower" in Finnish.
Kullervo m Finnish, Finnish Mythology
Derived from Finnish kulta "gold". In the Finnish epic the Kalevala this is the name of tragic character, a young man who seeks revenge on his uncle Untamo for destroying his tribe and selling him into slavery.
Kwabena m Akan
Means "born on Tuesday" in Akan.
Kyauta m & f Hausa
Means "gift" in Hausa.
Lachtna m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Lachtnae meaning "milk-coloured", from lacht "milk" (borrowed from Latin). This was the name of a great-grandfather of the Irish king Brian Boru.
Laci 1 m Hungarian
Diminutive of László.
Laelia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Laelius, a Roman family name of unknown meaning. This is also the name of a type of flower, an orchid found in Mexico and Central America.
Lærke f Danish
Means "lark" in Danish.
Lahja f Finnish
Means "gift" in Finnish.
Laia f Catalan
Catalan diminutive of Eulalia.
Laila 2 f Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish
Scandinavian and Finnish form of Láilá.
Laine f Estonian
Means "wave" in Estonian.
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.
Lakshmana m Hinduism
Means "having lucky marks" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Ramayana he is the younger brother and trusted companion of the hero Rama, accompanying him into exile.
Lala f Bulgarian (Rare)
From Bulgarian лале (lale) meaning "tulip" (of Persian origin).
Lalawethika m Shawnee
Means "he makes noise" in Shawnee. This was another name of the Shawnee leader Tenskwatawa (1775-1836).
Lalia f English (Rare)
Short form of Eulalia.
Lalit m Hindi, Marathi
Masculine form of Lalita.
Lamech m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly means "to make low" in Hebrew. This is the name of two characters in Genesis in the Old Testament, the first being a descendant of Cain, and the second being a descendant of Seth and the father of Noah.
Lamia 2 f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek λαιμός (laimos) meaning "throat". In Greek mythology this is the name of a queen of Libya who was a mistress of Zeus. Hera, being jealous, kills Lamia's children, causing her to go mad and transform into a monster that hunts the children of others.
Lamis f Arabic
Means "soft" in Arabic.
Laoise f Irish
Possibly a newer form of Luigsech, or from the name of the county of Laois in central Ireland. It is also used as an Irish form of Lucy or Louise.
Lára f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Laura.
Lark f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of songbird.
Larkin m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Laurence 1.
Lasse m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Scandinavian and Finnish form of Laurence 1.
Laura f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, French, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Lithuanian, Latvian, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Laurus, which meant "laurel". This meaning was favourable, since in ancient Rome the leaves of laurel trees were used to create victors' garlands. The name was borne by the 9th-century Spanish martyr Saint Laura, who was a nun thrown into a vat of molten lead by the Moors. It was also the name of the subject of poems by the 14th-century Italian poet Petrarch.... [more]
Laurel f English
From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.
Laurine f French
Diminutive of Laure.
Laurita f Spanish
Diminutive of Laura.
Lavender f English (Rare)
From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.
Lavi m Hebrew
Means "lion" in Hebrew.
Leah f English, Hebrew, Biblical
From the Hebrew name לֵאָה (Leʾa), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word לָאָה (laʾa) meaning "weary, grieved". Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian littu meaning "cow". In the Old Testament Leah is the first wife of Jacob and the mother of seven of his children. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister Rachel, whom he preferred. Leah later offered Jacob her handmaid Zilpah in order for him to conceive more children.... [more]
Lech m Polish, Slavic Mythology
According to Polish legend this was the name of the founder of the Lechites, a group that includes the Poles. The name probably derives from that of the old Slavic tribe the Lendians, called the Lędzianie in Polish.... [more]
Leda f Greek Mythology, Italian
Meaning unknown. In Greek myth she was a Spartan queen and the mother of Castor, Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra by the god Zeus, who came upon her in the form of a swan.
Leela f Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Lila 1.
Leena f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian short form of Helena or Matleena.
Legolas m Literature
Means "green leaves" in the fictional language Sindarin, from laeg "green" combined with go-lass "collection of leaves". In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Legolas is the son of the elf lord Thranduil and a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.
Lehua f & m Hawaiian
Means "ohia flower" in Hawaiian.
Lei 1 m & f Hawaiian
Means "flowers, lei, child" in Hawaiian.
Lei 2 m & f Chinese
From Chinese (lěi) meaning "pile of stones" (which is typically masculine) or (lěi) meaning "bud" (typically feminine). Other characters can also form this name.
Leif m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Leifr meaning "descendant, heir". Leif Eriksson was a Norse explorer who reached North America in the early 11th century. He was the son of Erik the Red.
Leila f Persian, Arabic, Kurdish, English, French, Georgian
Variant of Layla, and the usual Persian transcription.... [more]
Leilani f & m Hawaiian
Means "heavenly flowers" or "royal child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Leimomi f Hawaiian
Means "pearl lei" or "pearl child" from Hawaiian lei "flowers, lei, child" and momi "pearl".
Lejla f Bosnian
Bosnian form of Layla.
Lela 2 f English
Variant of Leila.
Lelia f Italian
Italian form of Laelia.
Leonas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Leon.
Léonie f French
French feminine form of Leonius.
Leonor f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Eleanor. It was brought to Spain in the 12th-century by Eleanor of England, who married King Alfonso VIII of Castile.
Léopoldine f French
French feminine form of Leopold.
Lera f Russian, Ukrainian
Short form of Valeriya.
Leyla f Turkish, Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Persian, Arabic, English (Modern)
Variant of Leila, and the usual Turkish, Azerbaijani and Kurdish form.
Lía f Galician
Galician form of Leah.
Lia 1 f Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Georgian, Greek, Biblical Latin
Italian, Portuguese, Georgian and Greek form of Leah.
Lia 2 f Italian, Dutch, German
Short form of Rosalia, Julia and other names ending in lia.
Líadain f Irish
Variant of Líadan.
Líadan f Irish (Rare)
Possibly from Old Irish líath meaning "grey". According to an Irish tale this was the name of a poet who became a nun, but then missed her lover Cuirithir so much that she died of grief. The name was also borne by a 5th-century saint, the mother of Saint Ciarán the Elder.
Liana f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, English, Georgian
Short form of Juliana, Liliana and other names that end in liana. This is also the word for a type of vine that grows in jungles.
Lidija f Latvian, Lithuanian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Form of Lydia in several languages.
Lieke f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Angelique or names ending in lia.
Liên f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (liên) meaning "lotus, water lily".
Lien f Dutch
Short form of Carolien and other names ending in lien.
Ligeia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek λιγύς (ligys) meaning "clear-voiced, shrill, whistling". This was the name of one of the Sirens in Greek legend. It was also used by Edgar Allan Poe in his story Ligeia (1838).
Liina f Estonian, Finnish
Short form of Karoliina.
Liisa f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian short form of Elisabet or Eliisabet.
Lila 1 f Hindi
Means "play, amusement" in Sanskrit.
Lila 2 f English
Variant of Leila.
Lilac f English (Rare)
From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers (genus Syringa). It is derived via Arabic from Persian.
Lilach f Hebrew
Means "lilac" in Hebrew.
Lilia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian
Latinate form of Lily, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Лилия or Ukrainian Лілія (see Liliya).
Lilianne f French
Variant of Liliane.
Lilias f Scottish
Form of Lillian found in Scotland from about the 16th century.
Lilibeth f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Lilijana f Slovene, Lithuanian
Slovene and Lithuanian form of Lillian.
Lilith f Semitic Mythology, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Derived from Akkadian lilitu meaning "of the night". This was the name of a demon in ancient Assyrian myths. In Jewish tradition she was Adam's first wife, sent out of Eden and replaced by Eve because she would not submit to him. The offspring of Adam (or Samael) and Lilith were the evil spirits of the world.
Liliya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian cognate of Lily.
Lilja f Icelandic, Faroese, Finnish
Icelandic, Faroese and Finnish cognate of Lily.
Lilla f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Lívia or Lídia.
Lillia f English
Short form of Lillian or an elaborated form of Lily.
Lillian f English
Probably originally a diminutive of Elizabeth. It may also be considered an elaborated form of Lily, from the Latin word for "lily" lilium. This name has been used in England since the 16th century.
Lillias f Scottish
Variant of Lilias.
Lillie f English
Variant of Lily, or a diminutive of Lillian or Elizabeth.
Lilly f English, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
English variant of Lily. It is also used in Scandinavia, as a form of Lily or a diminutive of Elisabeth.
Lily f English
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).
Lilya f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Лилия or Ukrainian Лілія (see Liliya).
Lily-Rose f English
Combination of Lily and Rose.
Lin m & f Chinese
From Chinese (lín) meaning "forest" or (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.
Linda f English, German, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, French, Latvian, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Germanic
Originally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (Proto-Germanic *linþaz). It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word linda meaning "beautiful". In the English-speaking world this name experienced a spike in popularity beginning in the 1930s, peaking in the late 1940s, and declining shortly after that. It was the most popular name for girls in the United States from 1947 to 1952.
Linde f Dutch
Dutch variant of Linda.
Linden m & f English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".
Lindiwe f Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Swazi
Means "waited for, awaited" in Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele and Swazi, from linda "to wait".
Lindsey f & m English
Variant of Lindsay.
Linh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (linh) meaning "spirit, soul".
Linnaea f English (Rare)
From the word for the type of flower, also called the twinflower (see Linnéa).
Linnéa f Swedish
From the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favourite flower.
Liora f Hebrew
Strictly feminine form of Lior.
Lir m Irish Mythology
Possibly from the patronymic Manannán mac Lir, in which case Lir is the genitive case of the name Ler. The medieval Irish legend the Children of Lir tells how Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann had his children transformed into swans by his third wife Aoife. The legendary characters Lir and Ler seem to be distinct.
Liron m & f Hebrew
Means "my song, my joy" in Hebrew, from לִי (li) "for me" and רֹן (ron) "joy, song".
Lisa f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian
Short form of Elizabeth (though often used independently) and its cognates in other languages. This is the name of the subject of one of the world's most famous paintings, the Mona Lisa, the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo by Leonardo da Vinci.... [more]
Liubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Lívia f Portuguese, Hungarian, Slovak
Portuguese, Hungarian and Slovak form of Livia 1.
Ljiljana f Serbian, Croatian
Derived from Serbo-Croatian ljiljan meaning "lily".
Ljubica f Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene
From the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love" combined with a diminutive suffix. It can also come from the Serbian and Croatian word ljubica meaning "violet (flower)".
Ljubomir m Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene
Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Lubomír.
Lleucu f Welsh
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from Lleu. This name appears in the 14th-century poem Marwnad Lleucu Llwyd, written by Llywelyn Goch ap Meurig Hen for his deceased lover Lleucu Llwyd.
Llew m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Variant of Lleu. It can also be a short form of Llewelyn. It coincides with the Welsh word llew meaning "lion".
Llewelyn m Welsh
Variant of Llywelyn influenced by the Welsh word llew "lion".
Llinos f Welsh
Means "linnet, finch" in Welsh. The linnet (species Linaria cannabina) is a small European bird in the finch family.
Lluvia f Spanish (Modern)
Means "rain" in Spanish.
Llyr m Welsh Mythology
Unaccented variant of Llŷr.
Llywelyn m Welsh
Probably a Welsh form of an unattested old Celtic name *Lugubelinos, a combination of the names of the gods Lugus and Belenus, or a compound of Lugus and a Celtic root meaning "strong". Alternatively it may be derived from Welsh llyw "leader". This was the name of several Welsh rulers, notably the 13th-century Llywelyn the Great who fought against the English.
Lochlainn m Irish, Old Irish
Means "Viking, Scandinavian" from Old Irish Lochlann, a name for Scandinavia. It means "land of the lakes", derived from loch "lake".
Lonán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "little blackbird", derived from Old Irish lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.
Lone f Danish
Short form of Abelone.
Lorelai f English (Modern)
Variant of Lorelei. This name featured on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) where it was borne by the two main characters (the younger one went by the nickname Rory).
Lorelei f Literature, English
From German Loreley, the name of a rock headland on the Rhine River. It is of uncertain meaning, though the second element is probably old German ley meaning "rock" (of Celtic origin). German romantic poets and songwriters, beginning with Clemens Brentano in 1801, tell that a maiden named the Lorelei lives on the rock and lures boaters to their death with her song.... [more]
Lorena 1 f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian form of Lorraine.
Lorette f French
Variant of Laurette. This is also the usual French form of Loreto.
Lorna f English
Created by the author R. D. Blackmore for the title character in his novel Lorna Doone (1869), set in southern England, which describes the dangerous love between John Ridd and Lorna Doone. Blackmore may have based the name on the Scottish place name Lorne or on the title Marquis of Lorne (see Lorne).
Lorraine f English
From the name of a region in eastern France, originally meaning "kingdom of Lothar". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called Lorraine, or in German Lothringen (from Latin Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.
Lotus f English (Rare)
From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.
Louisa f English, German, Dutch
Latinate feminine form of Louis. A famous bearer was the American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the author of Little Women.
Louise f French, English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Louis.
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.
Lourenço m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lowri f Welsh
Welsh form of Laura.
m Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Lugh.
Luan m Albanian
Means "lion" in Albanian.
Luann f English
Either a combination of Lou and Ann or a variant of Luana. It was popularized in the 1950s by the singer Lu Ann Simms (1933-2003).
Lubna f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Means "storax tree" in Arabic. According to a 7th-century Arabic tale Lubna and Qays were a couple forced to divorce by Qays's father.