Names Deemed "natural"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is natural.
gender
usage
impression
Nanabozho m New World Mythology
Means "my rabbit" in Ojibwe, derived from waabooz "rabbit". In Anishinaabe legend Nanabozho (also called Wenabozho) is a trickster spirit.
Nanda m & f Hinduism, Buddhism, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Nepali, Burmese, Hindi, Marathi
Means "joy" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form नन्द and the feminine form नन्दा (spelled with a long final vowel).... [more]
Nandag f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic diminutive of Anna.
Nandita f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit नन्द (nanda) meaning "joy".
Nani f Hawaiian
Means "beauty, glory" in Hawaiian.
Nanook m Inuit (Anglicized)
Variant of Nanuq. This was the (fictional) name of the subject of Robert Flaherty's documentary film Nanook of the North (1922).
Nanuk m Inuit
Variant of Nanuq.
Nanuq m Inuit
Means "polar bear" in Inuktitut.
Naoise m Irish, Irish Mythology
Meaning unknown, presumably of Irish origin. In Irish legend he was the young man who fled to Scotland with Deirdre, who was due to marry Conchobar the king of Ulster. Conchobar eventually succeeded in capturing Deirdre and killing Naoise, which caused Deirdre to die of grief.
Naomh f Irish
Means "holy" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Naphtali m Biblical
Means "my struggle, my strife" in Hebrew, a derivative of פָּתַל (paṯal) meaning "to twist, to struggle, to wrestle". In the Old Testament he is a son of Jacob by Rachel's servant Bilhah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Narcís m Catalan
Catalan form of Narcissus. This is also the Catalan word for the narcissus flower.
Narcissa f Late Roman
Feminine form of Narcissus.
Narelle f English (Australian)
Meaning unknown. It was borne by the wife of Umbarra, who was a 19th-century leader of the Yuin, an Australian Aboriginal people.
Nari f Korean
Means "lily" in Korean.
Narine f Armenian
Probably from Persian نار (nār) meaning "pomegranate", considered a sacred fruit in Armenian culture. Alternately, it could be derived from Arabic نار (nār) meaning "fire".
Nasira f Arabic
Feminine form of Nasir.
Nasrin f Persian, Bengali
Means "wild rose" in Persian.
Natálie f Czech
Czech form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Natalina f Italian, Portuguese
Diminutive of Natalia (Italian) or Natália (Portuguese).
Nataliya f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Natalya f Russian
Russian form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Nathália f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of Natalia (see Natalie).
Nathalie f French, Dutch, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
French form of Natalie, as well as a Dutch, German and Scandinavian variant.
Nathanaël m French
French form of Nathanael.
Nathanael m Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name נְתַנְאֵל (Neṯanʾel) meaning "God has given", from the roots נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". It is borne by several minor characters in the Old Testament, typically spelled Nethanel or Nethaneel. In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle, probably another name of the apostle called Bartholomew.
Natsuki f Japanese
From Japanese (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and (tsuki) meaning "moon". Alternatively, it can come from (natsu) meaning "summer" and (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Natsumi f Japanese
From Japanese (natsu) meaning "summer" and (mi) meaning "beautiful". It can also come from (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and (tsumi) meaning "pick, pluck". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Nausicaa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ναυσικάα (Nausikaa) meaning "burner of ships". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of a daughter of Alcinous who helps Odysseus on his journey home.
Nava f Hebrew
Means "beautiful" in Hebrew.
Nawra f Arabic
Means "flower, blossom" in Arabic, a derivative of نوّر (nawwara) meaning "to blossom, to illuminate, to light".
Nayeli f Zapotec (Hispanicized), Spanish (Mexican)
Possibly from Zapotec nadxiie lii meaning "I love you" or nayele' meaning "open".
Nazar m Russian, Ukrainian, Turkmen, Armenian
Russian, Ukrainian, Turkmen and Armenian form of Nazarius.
Neasa f Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Ness, meaning uncertain. In Irish legend she was the mother of Conchobar. She installed her son as king of Ulster by convincing Fergus mac Róich (her husband and Conchobar's stepfather) to give up his throne to the boy for a year and then helping him rule so astutely that the Ulstermen demanded that he remain as king. According to some versions of the legend she was originally named Assa "gentle", but was renamed Ní-assa "not gentle" after she sought to avenge the murders of her foster fathers.
Neela f Tamil, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Tamil நீலா or Hindi नीला (see Nila).
Neha f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu
Possibly from Sanskrit स्नेह (sneha) meaning "love, tenderness".
Nehemiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh comforts" in Hebrew, derived from נָחַם (naḥam) meaning "to comfort" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. According to the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament he was a leader of the Jews who was responsible for the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the return from the Babylonian captivity.
Neirin m Old Welsh
Variant of Aneirin.
Nekane f Basque
Means "sorrows" in Basque. It is an equivalent of Dolores, coined by Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Nelda f English
Possibly an elaboration of Nell using the popular phonetic suffix da.
Nele f German, Flemish, Estonian
Diminutive of Cornelia.
Nelle f English
Variant of Nell.
Nellie f English, Swedish
Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.
Neophytos m Ancient Greek
Greek name meaning "new plant, new child", from a word that was derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new" and φυτόν (phyton) meaning "plant".
Nephele f Greek Mythology
From Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud". In Greek legend Nephele was created from a cloud by Zeus, who shaped the cloud to look like Hera in order to trick Ixion, a mortal who desired her. Nephele was the mother of the centaurs by Ixion, and was also the mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamus.
Nere f Basque
From Basque nere, a dialectal variant of nire meaning "mine".
Nerea f Basque, Spanish
Possibly from Basque nere, a dialectal variant of nire meaning "mine". Alternatively, it could be a feminine form of Nereus. This name arose in Basque-speaking regions of Spain in the first half of the 20th century, though it is now popular throughout the country.
Nereida f Spanish
Derived from Greek Νηρηΐδες (Nereides) meaning "nymphs, sea sprites", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Nergüi m & f Mongolian
Means "no name" in Mongolian. This name was traditionally given in order to mislead bad spirits.
Nerida f Indigenous Australian
Possibly means "water lily" in an Australian Aboriginal language.
Nessa 2 f Hebrew (Rare)
Means "miracle" in Hebrew.
Nettie f English
Diminutive of names ending in nette, such as Annette or Jeanette.
Netuno m Roman Mythology (Portuguese-style)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Neptune.
Neus f Catalan
Catalan cognate of Nieves.
Ngaio f Maori
Maori name that is derived from the name of a type of tree, also called the mousehole tree. This name was borne by New Zealand crime writer Dame Ngaio Marsh (1895-1982).
Ngaire f Maori
Possibly from the name of the town of Ngaere in New Zealand, of Maori origin meaning "wetland".
Ngozi f Igbo
Means "blessing" in Igbo.
Niamh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "bright" in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet Oisín, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill. It has been used as a given name for people only since the early 20th century.
Nicte f Mayan (Hispanicized)
From Yucatec Maya nikte' meaning "flower" or specifically "plumeria flower". It is derived from Classic Maya nich "flower" and te' "tree".
Niki 1 f Greek
Modern Greek form of Nike.
Niki 2 f English
Diminutive of Nicole.
Nikoletta f Hungarian, Greek
Hungarian and Greek form of Nicoletta.
Nikomedes m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, a priest beaten to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods.
Nilda f Spanish, Portuguese
Short form of Brunilda.
Niloofar f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian نیلوفر (see Niloufar).
Nima 1 f & m Arabic
Means "blessing" in Arabic.
Nima 2 m Persian
Persian name of uncertain meaning, possibly "just, fair" or "half moon".
Nimue f Arthurian Cycle
Meaning unknown. In Arthurian legends this is the name of a sorceress, also known as the Lady of the Lake, Vivien, or Niniane. Various versions of the tales have Merlin falling in love with her and becoming imprisoned by her magic. She first appears in the medieval French Lancelot-Grail Cycle.
Nir m Hebrew
Means "plowed field" in Hebrew.
Nirupama f Hindi, Kannada
Means "unequaled, matchless" in Sanskrit.
Nisa f Turkish, Indonesian
From Arabic نساء (nisāʾ) meaning "women". This is the name of the fourth chapter of the Quran (surah an-Nisa).
Nita 2 f Choctaw
Means "bear" in Choctaw.
Nitya f & m Hinduism, Hindi
Means "always, eternal" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form नित्या (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga) and the masculine form नित्य.
Nizhóní f Navajo
From Navajo nizhóní meaning "beautiful".
Nkemdilim f Igbo
Means "that which is mine belongs to me" in Igbo.
Nkosazana f Xhosa
Means "princess" in Xhosa.
Nneka f Igbo
Means "mother is greater" in Igbo.
Nnenna f Igbo
Means "father's mother" in Igbo. This name is given in honour of the child's paternal grandmother.
Noah 1 m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch (Modern), French (Modern), Biblical
From the Hebrew name נֹחַ (Noaḥ) meaning "rest, repose", derived from the root נוּחַ (nuaḥ). According to the Old Testament, Noah was the builder of the Ark that allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the Great Flood. After the flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. He was the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.... [more]
Noah 2 f Biblical
From the Hebrew name נֹעָה (Noʿa) meaning "motion". In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Zelophehad. In English this name is typically spelled the same as the name of the male biblical character Noah, though in Hebrew they are written distinctly.
Noelani f Hawaiian
Means "heavenly mist" from Hawaiian noe "mist" and lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Noèle f French
Feminine variant form of Noël.
Noëlla f French
Feminine variant form of Noël.
Noëlle f French, Dutch
Feminine form of Noël.
Noelle f English
English form of Noëlle.
Nolwenn f Breton
From the Breton phrase Noyal Gwenn meaning "holy one from Noyal". This was the epithet of a 6th-century saint and martyr from Brittany.
Nona 2 f English, Ancient Roman (Rare)
Feminine form of Nonus. It was also used in 19th-century England, derived directly from Latin nonus "ninth" and traditionally given to the ninth-born child.
Nonna f Late Greek, Russian
Feminine form of Nonnos. This was the name of a 4th-century saint from Nazianzus in Cappadocia. She was the mother of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus.
Noora 1 f Finnish
Finnish form of Nora 1.
Noora 2 f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic نورة or نورا (see Nura).
Nóra f Hungarian, Irish
Hungarian and Irish Gaelic form of Nora 1.
Norah 1 f English, Irish
Variant of Nora 1.
Novella f Italian
Derived from Latin novellus meaning "new, young, novel", a diminutive of novus "new". This name was borne by the 14th-century Italian scholar Novella d'Andrea, who taught law at the University of Bologna.
Noy f & m Hebrew
Means "beauty" in Hebrew.
Noya f Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew נוֹי (noi) meaning "beauty, ornament".
Nsia m & f Akan
Means "sixth born child" in Akan.
Ntombi f Zulu
Means "girl" in Zulu.
Nuada m Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Nuadu, probably from Nodens. In Irish mythology he was the first king of the Tuatha Dé Danann. After he lost an arm in battle it was replaced with one made from silver, and he received the byname Airgetlám meaning "silver hand". He was later killed fighting the monstrous Fomorians led by Balor. This name was also borne by a few semi-legendary Irish kings.
Nuala f Irish
Short form of Fionnuala.
Nuha 1 f Arabic
Means "mind, wisdom" in Arabic.
Nuria f Spanish
Spanish form of Núria.
Nurul m & f Arabic, Indonesian, Malay
First part of compound Arabic names beginning with نور ال (Nūr al) meaning "light of the" (such as نور الدين (Nūr al-Dīn) meaning "light of religion").
Nymphodora f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Nymphodoros. This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Menodora and Metrodora.
Nyssa f Various (Rare)
From the name of an ancient town of Asia Minor where Saint Gregory was bishop in the 4th century. Nyssa is also the genus name of a type of tree, also called the Tupelo.
Obadiah m Biblical
Means "servant of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from עָבַד (ʿavaḏ) meaning "to serve, to worship" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets, the author of the Book of Obadiah, which predicts the downfall of the nation of Edom. This is also the name of several other biblical characters.
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.
Océane f French
Derived from French océan meaning "ocean".
Odalis f & m Spanish (Latin American)
Possibly an elaboration of Odilia used in Latin America. In most countries it is a feminine name, but in the Dominican Republic it is commonly masculine.
Odelia 2 f Hebrew
Means "I will thank Yahweh" in Hebrew. This is a modern Hebrew name probably inspired by Odelia 1.
Odhrán m Irish
From Old Irish Odrán, derived from odar "dun-coloured, greyish brown, tan" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a saint who travelled with Saint Columba through Scotland.
Ödi m Hungarian
Diminutive of Ödön.
Odtsetseg f Mongolian
Means "star flower" in Mongolian, from од (od) meaning "star" and цэцэг (tsetseg) meaning "flower".
Oenone f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Οἰνώνη (Oinone), derived from οἶνος (oinos) meaning "wine". In Greek mythology Oenone was a mountain nymph who was married to Paris before he went after Helen.
Ofek m Hebrew
Means "horizon" in Hebrew.
Ofélia f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Ophelia.
Ofra f Hebrew
Means "fawn" in Hebrew.... [more]
Ogechukwukamma f Igbo (Rare)
Means "God's time is greater" in Igbo.
Ognyan m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian огнен (ognen) meaning "fiery".
Oihana f Basque
Feminine form of Oihan.
Oisín m Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "little deer", derived from Old Irish oss "deer, stag" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend Oisín was a warrior hero and a poet, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill and the narrator in many of his tales.
Ojigkwanong m Algonquin
Means "morning star" in Algonquin.
Okonkwo m Igbo
Means "boy (born on) Nkwo" in Igbo, Nkwo being one of the four days of the Igbo week.
Oktawia f Polish
Polish form of Octavia.
Olalla f Galician, Spanish
Galician variant of Eulalia.
Oleksiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Alexius.
Olena f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Helen.
Oles m Ukrainian
Short form of Oleksandr or Oleksiy.
Olha f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Olga.
Olof m Swedish
Swedish form of Olaf.
Oluwaseun m & f Yoruba
Means "God, thank you" in Yoruba.
Olwen f Welsh, Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
Means "white footprint" from Welsh ol "footprint, track" and gwen "white, blessed". In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen she was a beautiful maiden, the lover of Culhwch and the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Her father insisted that Culhwch complete several seemingly impossible tasks before he would allow them to marry.
Olwin f Welsh (Rare)
Variant of Olwen.
Olympe f French
French form of Olympias.
Ömer m Turkish
Turkish form of Umar.
Ona 1 f Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Anna.
Ona 2 f Catalan
Short form of Mariona. It also coincides with a Catalan word meaning "wave".
Ondina f Portuguese, Italian
Portuguese and Italian form of Undine.
Onni m Finnish
Means "happiness, luck" in Finnish.
Onóra f Irish
Irish form of Honora.
Oonagh f Irish
Anglicized form of Úna.
Opal f English
From the English word opal for the iridescent gemstone, the birthstone of October. The word ultimately derives from Sanskrit उपल (upala) meaning "jewel".
Ophelia f English, Literature, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ὠφέλεια (opheleia) meaning "help, advantage". This was a rare ancient Greek name, which was either rediscovered or recreated by the poet Jacopo Sannazaro for a character in his poem Arcadia (1480). It was borrowed by Shakespeare for his play Hamlet (1600), in which it belongs to the daughter of Polonius and the potential love interest of Hamlet. She eventually goes insane and drowns herself after Hamlet kills her father. In spite of this negative association, the name has been in use since the 19th century.
Oren m Hebrew
Means "pine tree" in Hebrew.
Orinthia f Literature
Possibly related to Greek ὀρίνω (orino) meaning "to excite, to agitate". George Bernard Shaw used this name in his play The Apple Cart (1929).
Orla 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Órlaith.
Orlagh f Irish
Anglicized form of Órlaith.
Orna 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Odharnait.
Orrin m Irish
Anglicized form of Odhrán.
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.
Ostap m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Eustathius.
Óðinn m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Odin.
Ourania f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek οὐράνιος (ouranios) meaning "heavenly". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of astronomy and astrology, one of the nine Muses.
Owain m Welsh, Arthurian Cycle
From an Old Welsh name (Ougein, Eugein and other spellings), which was possibly from the Latin name Eugenius. Other theories connect it to the Celtic roots *owi- "sheep", *wesu- "good" or *awi- "desire" combined with the Old Welsh suffix gen "born of". This is the name of several figures from British history, including Owain mab Urien, a 6th-century prince of Rheged who fought against the Angles. The 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes adapted him into Yvain for his Arthurian romance Yvain, the Knight of the Lion. Regarded as one of the Knights of the Round Table, Yvain or Owain has since appeared in many other Arthurian tales, typically being the son of King Urien of Gore, and the errant husband of Laudine, the Lady of the Fountain.... [more]
Oyibo m & f Urhobo
Means "white" in Urhobo.
Özlem f Turkish
Means "yearning" in Turkish.
Paaie f Manx
Manx form of Peggy.
Padma f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu
Means "lotus" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form पद्मा and the masculine form पद्म.... [more]
Pàdraig m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Patrick.
Päivi f Finnish
Derived from Finnish päivä meaning "day".
Pakpao f Thai
Means "kite (flying craft)" in Thai.
Palmiro m Italian
Means "pilgrim" in Italian. In medieval times it denoted one who had been a pilgrim to Palestine. It is ultimately from the word palma meaning "palm tree", because of the custom of pilgrims to bring palm fronds home with them. The name is sometimes given to a child born on Palm Sunday.
Paloma f Spanish
Means "dove, pigeon" in Spanish.
Pamela f English
This name was invented in the late 16th century by the poet Philip Sidney for use in his romance Arcadia (1593). He possibly intended it to mean "all sweetness" from Greek πᾶν (pan) meaning "all" and μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". It was later employed by author Samuel Richardson for the heroine in his novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), after which time it became used as a given name. It did not become popular until the 20th century.
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.
Panna f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Anna.
Pansy f English
From the English word for a type of flower, ultimately deriving from Old French pensee "thought".
Pantelis m Greek
Short form of Panteleimon.
Paora m Maori
Maori form of Paul.
Parisa f Persian
Means "like a fairy" in Persian, derived from پری (parī) meaning "fairy, sprite, supernatural being".
Pasha m Russian
Diminutive of Pavel.
Patricius m Late Roman
Original Latin form of Patrick.
Patroclus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Πάτροκλος (Patroklos) meaning "glory of the father", derived from πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός) and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek legend he was one of the heroes who fought against the Trojans. His death at the hands of Hector drew his friend Achilles back into the war.
Pavlina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek, Slovene
Bulgarian, Macedonian and Greek form of Paulina.
Pawlu m Maltese
Maltese form of Paul.
Paz 1 f Spanish
Means "peace" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Paz, meaning "Our Lady of Peace".
Pekka m Finnish
Finnish form of Peter.
Pekko m Finnish Mythology
Meaning unknown. This is the name of the Finnish god of fields and crops.
Pelageya f Russian
Russian form of Pelagia.
Pelagia f Ancient Greek, Greek, Polish (Rare)
Feminine form of Pelagius. This was the name of a few early saints, including a young 4th-century martyr who threw herself from a rooftop in Antioch rather than lose her virginity.
Pele f Polynesian Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Hawaiian goddess of volcanoes and fire who is said to live in Kilauea. She is considered the creator of the Hawaiian Islands.
Pembe f Turkish
Means "pink" in Turkish.
Pemphero m & f Chewa
Means "prayer" in Chewa.
Peony f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower. It was originally believed to have healing qualities, so it was named after the Greek medical god Pæon.
Pepita f Spanish
Spanish feminine diminutive of Joseph.
Per m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Breton
Scandinavian and Breton form of Peter.
Peregrine m English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Peregrinus, which meant "traveller". This was the name of several early saints.
Peri f Turkish
Turkish form of Pari.
Permelia f English (Archaic)
Meaning unknown, possibly an early American alteration of Pamela.
Persephone f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, probably of Pre-Greek origin, but perhaps related to Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She was abducted to the underworld by Hades, but was eventually allowed to return to the surface for part of the year. The result of her comings and goings is the changing of the seasons. With her mother she was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at the city of Eleusis near Athens.
Perun m Slavic Mythology
From Old Slavic perunŭ meaning "thunder". In Slavic mythology Perun was the god of lightning and the sky, sometimes considered to be the supreme god. Oak trees were sacred to him.
Petal f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower part, derived from Greek πέταλον (petalon) meaning "leaf".
Petunia f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, derived ultimately from a Tupi (South American) word.
Pétur m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Peter.
Phile f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Philon (see Philo).
Philomel f Literature
From an English word meaning "nightingale" (ultimately from Philomela). It has been used frequently in poetry to denote the bird.
Philomena f English, German, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From Greek Φιλουμένη (Philoumene) meaning "to be loved", an inflection of φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love". This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr. The name came to public attention in 1802 after a tomb seemingly marked with the name Filumena was found in Rome, supposedly belonging to another martyr named Philomena. This may have in fact been a representation of the Greek word φιλουμένη, not a name.
Philomène f French
French form of Philomena.
Philotheos m Ancient Greek
Means "friend of god" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and θεός (theos) meaning "god".
Phương f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (phương) meaning "direction, way".
Phyllis f Greek Mythology, English
Means "foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with Felicia.
Piaras m Irish
Irish form of Piers.
Pihla f Finnish
Derived from Finnish pihlaja meaning "rowan tree".
Piia f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Pia.
Pili 1 f Spanish
Diminutive of Pilar.
Piloqutinnguaq f Greenlandic
Means "little leaf" in Greenlandic, from piloqut "leaf" and the diminutive suffix -nnguaq.
Pilvi f Finnish, Estonian
Means "cloud" in Finnish and Estonian.
Pinja f Finnish
Means "stone pine" in Finnish.
Pipaluk f Greenlandic
Means "sweet little thing who belongs to me" in Greenlandic.
Pippi f Literature
Created by the daughter of Swedish author Astrid Lindgren for the main character in her mother's Pippi Longstocking series of stories, first published 1945. In the books Pippi (Swedish name Pippi Långstrump; full first name Pippilotta) is a brash and exceptionally strong young girl who lives in a house by herself.
Pippin 2 m Literature
The name of a hobbit in The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien. His full given name is Peregrin, a semi-translation into English of his true hobbit name Razanur meaning "traveller".
Pitikwahanapiwiyin m Cree (Anglicized)
From Cree ᐲᐦᑐᑲᐦᐊᓇᐱᐏᔨᐣ (Pîhtokahanapiwiyin) meaning "sits at the buffalo pound", derived from ᐲᐦᑐᑲᐦᐋᐣ (pîhtokahân) "buffalo pound, buffalo corral" and ᐊᐱᐤ (apiw) "sit". This was the name of a Plains Cree chief, also known as Poundmaker (1842-1886).
Pocahontas f Powhatan (Anglicized)
Means "little playful one" in Powhatan, an Algonquian language. This was the nickname of a 17th-century Powhatan woman, a daughter of the powerful chief Wahunsenacawh. She married the white colonist John Rolfe and travelled with him to England, but died of illness before returning.
Polina f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Greek
Either a Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Greek form of Paulina or a short form of Apollinariya.
Polly f English
Medieval variant of Molly. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.
Pollyanna f Literature
Combination of Polly and Anna. This was the name of the main character in Eleanor H. Porter's novel Pollyanna (1913).
Polona f Slovene
Short form of Apolonija.
Pomona f Roman Mythology
From Latin pomus "fruit tree". This was the name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees.
Poppy f English
From the word for the red flower, derived from Old English popæg.
Poseidon m Greek Mythology
Possibly 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.
Posy f English
Diminutive of Josephine. It can also be inspired by the English word posy for a bunch of flowers.
Potsʉnakwahipʉ m Comanche
Means "male bison back" in Comanche, derived from potsʉ "male bison" and kwahi "back (body part)". This name was borne by a 19th-century war chief of the Penateka Comanche, also called Buffalo Hump.
Pran m Hindi
From Sanskrit प्राण (prāṇa) meaning "breath".
Pranvera f Albanian
Derived from Albanian pranverë meaning "spring", itself from pranë "nearby, close" and verë "summer".
Pratibha f Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit प्रतिभा (pratibhā) meaning "light, splendour, intelligence".
Praxis f Greek Mythology
Means "action, sex" in Greek. This was another name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite.
Primrose f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower, ultimately deriving from Latin prima rosa "first rose".
Primula f English (Rare), Italian (Rare)
From the name of a genus of several species of flowers, including the primrose. It is derived from the Latin word primulus meaning "very first".
Pritha f Hinduism, Bengali
Means "the palm of the hand" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the legendary Hindu figure Kunti.
Proserpina f Roman Mythology
Means "to emerge" in Latin. She was the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Persephone.
Pryderi m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
From Welsh pryder meaning "care, worry" (or perhaps from a derivative word *pryderi meaning "loss"). Appearing in Welsh legend in all four branches of the Mabinogi, Pryderi was the son of Pwyll and Rhiannon, eventually succeeding his father as the king of Dyfed. He was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's tragic invasion of Ireland, and later had several adventures with Manawydan. He was ultimately killed in single combat with Gwydion during the war between Dyfed and Gwynedd.
Pua f & m Hawaiian
Means "flower, offspring" in Hawaiian.
Puanani f Hawaiian
Means "beautiful flower" or "beautiful offspring" from Hawaiian pua "flower, offspring" and nani "beauty, glory".
Puja f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
From Sanskrit पूजा (pūjā) meaning "honour, worship". This is the name of a Hindu ritual of reverence.
Pyry m Finnish
Means "snowstorm, blizzard" in Finnish.
Qetzi'a f Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Keziah.
Qiu m & f Chinese
From Chinese (qiū) meaning "autumn", (qiū) meaning "hill, mound", or other characters with a similar pronunciation. The given name of the philosopher Confucius was .
Queralt f Catalan
From the name of a Spanish sanctuary (in Catalonia) that is devoted to the Virgin Mary.
Quetzalli f Nahuatl
Means "feather (from the quetzal bird)" or "precious thing" in Nahuatl.
Quintilian m History
From the Roman cognomen Quintilianus, earlier Quinctilianus, which was itself derived from the family name Quinctilius. A notable bearer was the 1st-century rhetorician Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, simply known as Quintilian in English.
Rachel f English, Hebrew, French, Dutch, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name רָחֵל (Raḥel) meaning "ewe". In the Old Testament this is the name of the favourite wife of Jacob. Her father Laban tricked Jacob into marrying her older sister Leah first, though in exchange for seven years of work Laban allowed Jacob to marry Rachel too. Initially barren and facing her husband's anger, she offered her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob to bear him children. Eventually she was herself able to conceive, becoming the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.... [more]
Radomila f Czech (Rare)
Feminine form of Radomil.
Radosław m Polish
Derived from the Slavic elements radŭ "happy, willing" and slava "glory".
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).
Rafiq m Arabic, Azerbaijani, Urdu, Bengali
Means either "friend" or "gentle, kind" in Arabic.
Ragna f Icelandic, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Old Norse
Short form of Old Norse names beginning with the element regin "advice, counsel".
Ragnar m Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Estonian
Modern Scandinavian form of Ragnarr.
Ragnhild f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Ragnhildr, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel" and hildr "battle" (a cognate of Reinhild).
Ragnvaldr m Old Norse
Old Norse name composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel" and valdr "ruler" (making it a cognate of Reynold).
Rain 1 f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word rain, derived from Old English regn.
Raina f Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Райна (see Rayna 1).
Rainbow f English (Rare)
From the English word for the arc of multicoloured light that can appear in a misty sky.
Raisa 3 f Arabic
Feminine form of Rais.
Rajendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Nepali
Means "lord of kings", derived from Sanskrit राज (rāja) meaning "king" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra, used here to mean "lord". This was the name of two 11th-century rulers of the Chola Empire in southern India.
Ramla f Arabic
Means "sand" in Arabic. This was the name of one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad.
Rangi m Maori, Polynesian Mythology
Means "sky" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Rangi or Ranginui was a god of the sky, husband of the earth goddess Papa. They were locked in a crushing embrace but were eventually separated by their children, the other gods.
Rani 2 m & f Hebrew
From Hebrew רַן (ran) meaning "to sing".
Raniya f Arabic
Possibly related to the Arabic root رنا (ranā) meaning "to gaze, to look intently".
Rasa f Lithuanian, Latvian
Means "dew" in Lithuanian and Latvian.
Ratna f & m Hindi, Telugu, Nepali, Indonesian
Derived from Sanskrit रत्न (ratna) meaning "jewel, treasure". This is a transcription of both the feminine form रत्ना and the masculine form रत्न.
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.
Rayhana f Arabic
Means "basil" in Arabic. This was the name of a wife of the Prophet Muhammad.
Rayna 2 f Yiddish
Alternate transcription of Yiddish ריינאַ (see Reina 2).
Raziel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Means "my secret is God" in Hebrew. This is the name of an archangel in Jewish tradition.
Rebecca f English, Italian, Swedish, German, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name רִבְקָה (Rivqa), probably from a Semitic root meaning "join, tie, snare". This is the name of the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob in the Old Testament. It came into use as an English Christian name after the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular with the Puritans in the 17th century. It has been consistently used since then, becoming especially common in the second half of the 20th century.... [more]
Rebecka f Swedish
Swedish variant of Rebecca.
Rebekah f Biblical, English
Form of Rebecca used in some versions of the Bible.
Reem f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic ريم (see Rim).
Reshmi f Hindi, Bengali
Means "silky", from Hindi रेशम (resham) meaning "silk", ultimately of Persian origin.
Rhea f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, perhaps related to ῥέω (rheo) meaning "to flow" or ἔρα (era) meaning "ground". In Greek mythology Rhea was a Titan, the wife of Cronus, and the mother of the Olympian gods Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter and Hestia. Also, in Roman mythology a woman named Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the legendary founders of Rome.
Rhian f Welsh
Derived from Welsh rhiain meaning "maiden, young woman".
Rhiannon f Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.... [more]
Rhodri m Welsh
From the Old Welsh name Rotri, derived from rod "wheel" and ri "king". This name was borne by several medieval Welsh rulers, including Rhodri the Great, a 9th-century king of Gwynedd.
Rhona f Scottish
Possibly derived from the name of either of the two Hebridean islands called Rona, which means "rough island" in Old Norse.
Rhosyn f Welsh (Rare)
Means "rose" in Welsh. This is a modern Welsh name.
Rianne f Dutch
Combination of Ria and Anne 1. It can also be a short form of names ending in rianne.
Rikke f Danish
Danish short form of Frederikke.
Rina 4 f Japanese
From Japanese (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or (ri) meaning "village" combined with (na), a phonetic character, or (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Ríona f Irish
Either a variant of Ríoghnach or a short form of Caitríona.
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".
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.
Robyn f English
Feminine variant of Robin.
Rocío f Spanish
Means "dew" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary María del Rocío meaning "Mary of the Dew".
Rodina f Scottish
Scottish feminine form of Roderick.
Rogelio m Spanish
Spanish form of the Late Latin name Rogellus or Rogelius. This was probably related to the Germanic name Hrodger (see Roger), perhaps a remnant of a Visigothic cognate. It has also been suggested that it could be derived from a diminutive of the Latin name Rogatus. Saint Rogellus was a 9th-century martyr from Córdoba.
Rohan 2 f Literature
From the novel The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, where it is a place name meaning "horse country" in the fictional language Sindarin.
Rohese f Medieval English
Norman French form of Hrodohaidis.
Róisín f Irish
Diminutive of Róis or the Irish word rós meaning "rose" (of Latin origin). It appears in the 17th-century song Róisín Dubh.