Names Deemed "refined"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is refined.
gender
usage
impression
Elliot m & f English
From a surname that was a variant of Elliott.
Elliott m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of the medieval name Elias.
Ellis m & f English, Welsh
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Elis, a medieval vernacular form of Elias. This name has also functioned as an Anglicized form of Welsh Elisedd.
Elmira 1 f Literature
Possibly a shortened form of Edelmira. It appears in the play Tartuffe (1664) by the French playwright Molière (often spelled in the French style Elmire).
Elna f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian short form of Helena.
Elnathan m Biblical
From the Hebrew name אֶלְנָתָן (ʾElnaṯan) meaning "God has given", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a grandfather of King Jehoiachin and a son of Akbor.
Elnora f English
Contracted form of Eleanora.
Elodia f Spanish
Spanish form of Alodia.
Élodie f French
French form of Alodia.
Elodie f English
English form of Élodie.
Eloísa f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Eloise.
Eloisa f Italian
Italian form of Eloise.
Éloïse f French
French form of Eloise.
Eloise f English
From the Old French name Héloïse, which was probably from the Germanic name Helewidis, composed of the elements heil meaning "healthy, whole" and wit meaning "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" or the name Louise, though there is no etymological connection. This name was borne by the 12th-century French scholar and philosopher Héloïse. Secretly marrying the theologian Peter Abelard at a young age, she became a nun (and eventually an abbess) after Abelard was violently castrated by order of her uncle Fulbert.... [more]
Elora f Popular Culture, English (Modern)
Probably an invented name. This is the name of an infant girl in the fantasy movie Willow (1988). Since the release of the movie the name has been steadily used, finally breaking into the top 1000 in the United States in 2015.
Elouan m Breton, French
Possibly from a Breton word meaning "light". This name was borne by an obscure 6th-century saint who is now venerated mainly in Brittany and Cornwall.
Elowen f Cornish
Means "elm tree" in Cornish. This is a recently coined Cornish name.
Elpida f Greek
Modern Greek form of Elpis.
Elpidius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἐλπίδιος (Elpidios), which was derived from ἐλπίς (elpis) meaning "hope". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who spent twenty years in a cave in Cappadocia.
Elpis f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "hope" in Greek. In Greek mythology Elpis was the personification of hope. She was the last spirit to remain in the jar after Pandora unleashed the evils that were in it.
Elrond m Literature
Means "star dome" in the fictional language Sindarin. In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Elrond was the elven ruler of Rivendell.
Elsa f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Finnish, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English
Short form of Elisabeth, typically used independently. In medieval German tales Elsa von Brabant was the lover of the hero Lohengrin. Her story was expanded by Richard Wagner for his opera Lohengrin (1850). The name had a little spike in popularity after the 2013 release of the animated Disney movie Frozen, which featured a magical princess by this name.
Elsie f English, Swedish
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Elspeth f Scottish
Scottish form of Elizabeth.
Elton m English, Portuguese (Brazilian), Albanian, Swedish (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "Ella's town". A famous bearer of this name is British musician Elton John (1947-), born Reginald Dwight, who adopted his stage name in honour of his former bandmate Elton Dean (1945-2006).
Eluned f Welsh
Derived from Welsh eilun meaning "image, likeness, idol". This was the name of a legendary 5th-century Welsh saint, also known as Eiliwedd, one of the supposed daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.
Elva 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Ailbhe.
Elva 2 f Danish, Icelandic
Feminine form of Alf 1.
Elvira f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian, Russian
Spanish form of a Visigothic name, recorded from the 10th century in forms such as Geloyra or Giluira. It is of uncertain meaning, possibly composed of the Gothic element gails "happy" or gails "spear" combined with wers "friendly, agreeable, true". The name was borne by members of the royal families of León and Castille. This is also the name of a character in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni (1787).
Elvire f French
French form of Elvira.
Elwin m English
Variant of Alvin.
Elwira f Polish, Tatar, Bashkir
Polish, Tatar and Bashkir form of Elvira.
Elwyn m English
Variant of Alvin.
Elyse f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth. It was popularized in the early 1980s by a character from the television comedy Family Ties.
Elysia f Various
From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Eman f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إيمان (see Iman).
Emánuel m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Emmanuel.
Emanuela f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Italian, Portuguese and Romanian feminine form of Emmanuel.
Emanuele m Italian
Italian form of Emmanuel.
Embla f Norse Mythology, Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian
Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Old Norse almr "elm". In Norse mythology Embla and her husband Ask were the first humans. They were created by three of the gods from two trees.
Emelia f English
Variant of Amelia.
Emelie f Swedish
Swedish feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emelina f Spanish
Spanish form of Emmeline.
Émeline f French
French form of Emmeline.
Emer f Irish Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Irish legend she was the wife of Cúchulainn. She was said to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, needlework, wisdom and chastity.
Emerald f English (Modern)
From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek σμάραγδος (smaragdos).
Emerson m & f English
From an English surname meaning "son of Emery". The surname was borne by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American writer and philosopher who wrote about transcendentalism.
Emery m & f English
Norman French form of Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.
Emese f Hungarian
Possibly derived from Finno-Ugric eme meaning "mother". In Hungarian legend this was the name of the grandmother of Árpád, founder of the Hungarian state.
Emi f Japanese
From Japanese (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or (e) meaning "picture, painting" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Emil m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Icelandic, English
From the Roman family name Aemilius, which was derived from Latin aemulus meaning "rival".
Émile m French
French form of Aemilius (see Emil). This name was borne by the author Émile Zola (1840-1902) and the sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858-1917).
Emília f Portuguese, Slovak, Hungarian
Portuguese, Slovak and Hungarian feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emilia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Finnish, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Greek, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily). In Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603) this is the name of the wife of Iago.
Emilian m Romanian, Polish
Romanian and Polish form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Emiliano m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Roman cognomen Aemilianus, which was itself derived from the family name Aemilius (see Emil). This was the name of a 6th-century Spanish saint.
Émilie f French
French feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emílie f Czech
Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emilie f German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Czech
German, Scandinavian and Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Émilien m French
French form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Émilienne f French
French feminine form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Emilija f Lithuanian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emiliya f Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Russian
Bulgarian, Ukrainian and Russian feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emily f English
English feminine form of Aemilius (see Emil). In the English-speaking world it was not common until after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century; the princess Amelia Sophia (1711-1786) was commonly known as Emily in English, even though Amelia is an unrelated name.... [more]
Emina f Bosnian
Bosnian form of Amina 2.
Emir m Turkish, Bosnian
Turkish form and Bosnian variant of Amir 1.
Emlyn m Welsh
From the name of an ancient region of southwestern Wales, its name meaning "around the valley" from Welsh am "around" and glyn "valley". It has also been suggested that this name is a Welsh form of Latin Aemilianus (see Emiliano), though this appears to be unfounded.
Emma f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Latvian, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning "whole" or "great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.... [more]
Emmalyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Emmeline, or else a combination of Emma and the fashionable name suffix lyn.
Emmanuel m Biblical, French, English
From the Hebrew name עִמָּנוּאֵל (ʿImmanuʾel) meaning "God is with us", from the roots עִם (ʿim) meaning "with" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings Emmanuel and Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings Manuel and Manoel).
Emmanuelle f French
French feminine form of Emmanuel.
Emmeline f English
From Old French Emeline, a diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element amal meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave". The Normans introduced this name to England.
Emmerich m German, Germanic
Germanic name, in which the second element is rih "ruler, king". The first element may be irmin "whole, great" (making it a relative of Ermenrich), amal "unceasing, vigorous, brave" (making it a relative of Amalric) or heim "home" (making it a relative of Henry). It is likely that several forms merged into a single name.
Emmi f Finnish
Short form of names beginning with Em.
Emmylou f English (Rare)
Combination of Emmy and Lou.
Emory m & f English
Variant of Emery.
Emre m Turkish
Means "friend, brother" in Turkish. This name was borne by the 13th-century Turkish poet Yunus Emre.
Emrys m Welsh
Welsh form of Ambrose. Emrys Wledig (or Ambrosius Aurelianus) was a Romano-British military leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century. Tales of his life were used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth to help shape the early character of Merlin, whom he called Merlinus Ambrosius in Latin.
Emyr m Welsh
Means "king, lord" in Welsh.
Ena 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Eithne.
Ena 2 f Croatian
Short form of Irena.
Enara f Basque
Means "swallow (bird)" in Basque.
Endellion f History (Ecclesiastical)
Anglicized form of Endelienta, the Latin form of a Welsh or Cornish name. It was borne by a 5th or 6th-century Cornish saint whose birth name is lost. According to some traditions she was a daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog (identifying her with Cynheiddon).
Endymion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning "to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess Selene, who asked Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.
Endzela f Georgian
Means "snowdrop (flower)" in Georgian (genus Galanthus).
Enea m Italian
Italian form of Aeneas.
Enfys f Welsh
Means "rainbow" in Welsh. This name was first used in the 19th century.
Engin m Turkish
Means "vast" in Turkish.
Eniola f & m Yoruba
Means "person of wealth" in Yoruba.
Enise f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of Anis.
Énna m Old Irish
Possibly from Old Irish én meaning "bird". This was the name of several Irish kings and heroes. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint who built the monastery of Killeany on Aran.
Enni f Finnish
Feminine form of Eino.
Ennio m Italian
Italian form of the Roman family name Ennius, which is of unknown meaning. Quintus Ennius was an early Roman poet.
Enora f Breton, French
Breton form of Honoria, or directly from Breton enor "honour" (a word of Latin origin). This was the name of a 6th-century saint, the wife of Saint Efflamm.
Enya f Irish
Anglicized form of Eithne.
Eos f Greek Mythology
Means "dawn" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess of the dawn.
Éowyn f Literature
Means "horse joy" in Old English. This name was invented by J. R. R. Tolkien who used Old English to represent the Rohirric language. In his novel The Lord of the Rings (1954) Eowyn is the niece of King Theoden of Rohan. She slays the Lord of the Nazgul in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Ephesius m Late Roman
Latin form of Efisio.
Epiphany f English (Rare)
From the name of the Christian festival (January 6) that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. It is also an English word meaning "sudden appearance" or "sudden perception", ultimately deriving from Greek ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia) meaning "manifestation".
Erasmus m Late Greek (Latinized)
Derived from Greek ἐράσμιος (erasmios) meaning "beloved, desired". Saint Erasmus, also known as Saint Elmo, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron saint of sailors. Erasmus was also the name of a Dutch scholar of the Renaissance period.
Erasyl m Kazakh
Means "noble hero" in Kazakh, from ер (er) meaning "man, hero" and асыл (asyl) meaning "precious, noble".
Erin f English, Irish
Anglicized form of Éireann. It was initially used by people of Irish heritage in America, Canada and Australia. It was rare until the mid-1950s.
Eris f Greek Mythology
Means "strife, discord" in Greek. In Greek mythology Eris was the goddess of discord. She was the sister and companion of Ares.
Ériu f Irish Mythology
From the name of an Irish goddess, who according to legend gave her name to Ireland (which is called Éire in Irish). In reality, the goddess probably got her name from that of the island, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.
Erland m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Erlendr, which was derived from ørlendr meaning "foreigner".
Ermelinda f Italian, Portuguese
Italian and Portuguese form of Ermelinde.
Ernest m English, French, Catalan, Polish, Slovak, Slovene
Derived from Old High German ernust meaning "serious, earnest". It was introduced to England by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century, though it did not become common until the following century. The American author and adventurer Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was a famous bearer of the name. It was also used by Oscar Wilde for a character in his comedy The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).
Ernestine f French, German, English
Feminine form of Ernest.
Erwin m German, Dutch, Polish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German name Hariwini, composed of the elements heri "army" and wini "friend". It may have merged somewhat with the name Eberwin. A notable bearer was Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961), an Austrian physicist who made contributions to quantum theory.
Eryk m Polish
Polish form of Eric.
Erzsébet f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Elizabeth. This is the native name of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. It was also borne by the infamous Erzsébet Báthory (1560-1614), a countess and alleged murderer.
Esen f & m Turkish
Means "the wind" in Turkish.
Esfir f Russian
Russian form of Esther.
Esha f Hindi
Means "desire, wish" in Sanskrit.
Esmae f English (Modern)
Feminine form of Esmé.
Esme f & m English
Variant of Esmé.
Esmé f & m English
Means "esteemed" or "loved" in Old French. It was first recorded in Scotland, being borne by the first Duke of Lennox in the 16th century. It is now more common as a feminine name.
Esmée f English (British), Dutch
Feminine form of Esmé.
Esmee f English (British), Dutch
Feminine form of Esmé.
Esmeralda f Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian, Literature
Means "emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.
Esmond m English (Rare)
Derived from the Old English elements est "grace" and mund "protection". This Old English name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest. It was occasionally revived in the 19th century.
Esperanza f Spanish
Spanish form of the Late Latin name Sperantia, which was derived from sperare "to hope".
Essa m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عيسى (see Isa 1).
Essie f English
Diminutive of Estelle or Esther.
Estee f Jewish
Diminutive of Esther. A famous bearer was the American businesswoman Estée Lauder (1908-2004), founder of the cosmetics company that bears her name. Her birth name was Josephine Esther Mentzer. Apparently she added the accent to her name Estee in order to make it appear French.
Estela f Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Estelle.
Estella f English
Latinate form of Estelle. This is the name of the heroine, Estella Havisham, in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).
Estelle f English, French
From an Old French name meaning "star", ultimately derived from Latin stella. It was rare in the English-speaking world in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due to the character Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).
'Ester f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Esther.
Estera f Polish, Slovak, Romanian, Lithuanian
Polish, Slovak, Romanian and Lithuanian form of Esther.
Esteri f Finnish
Finnish form of Esther.
Esther f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶסְתֵר (ʾEsṯer), which possibly means "star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was Hadassah.... [more]
Esti 1 f Basque (Rare)
Means "sweet, honey", from Basque ezti.
Estienne m Medieval French
Medieval French form of Stephen.
Estrella f Spanish
Spanish form of Stella 1, coinciding with the Spanish word meaning "star".
Etel f Hungarian
Short form of Etelka.
Etelvina f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Adalwin.
Ethelinda f English (Archaic)
English form of the Germanic name Adallinda. The name was very rare in medieval times, but it was revived in the early 19th century.
Étienne m French
French form of Stephen.
Étiennette f French
French feminine form of Stephen.
Etsuko f Japanese
From Japanese (etsu) meaning "joy, pleased" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Euanthe f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek εὐανθής (euanthes) meaning "blooming, flowery", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". According to some sources, this was the name of the mother of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites) in Greek mythology.
Euclid m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Εὐκλείδης (Eukleides), derived from Greek εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory" with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician from Alexandria who made numerous contributions to geometry.
Eudes m Medieval French
Old French form of Odo.
Eudocia f Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐδοκία (Eudokia), derived from the word εὐδοκέω (eudokeo) meaning "to be well pleased, to be satisfied", itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δοκέω (dokeo) meaning "to think, to imagine, to suppose". This name was common among Byzantine royalty. Saint Eudocia was the wife of the 5th-century emperor Theodosius II.
Eudora f Greek Mythology
Means "good gift" in Greek, from the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
Eudoxia f Ancient Greek
From Greek εὐδοξία (eudoxia) meaning "good repute, good judgement", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δόξα (doxa) meaning "notion, reputation, honour".
Eugène m French
French form of Eugenius (see Eugene). A notable bearer was the French painter Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863).
Eugene m English
English form of Eugenius, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὐγένιος (Eugenios), which was derived from the Greek word εὐγενής (eugenes) meaning "well born". It is composed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of several saints and four popes.... [more]
Eugênia f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Eugenia.
Eugenia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Feminine form of Eugenius (see Eugene). It was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century saint who escaped persecution by disguising herself as a man. The name was occasionally found in England during the Middle Ages, but it was not regularly used until the 19th century.
Eugénie f French
French form of Eugenia. This was the name of the wife of Napoleon III.
Eugenio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Eugenius (see Eugene).
Eugenios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Eugene.
Eulália f Portuguese, Slovak
Portuguese and Slovak form of Eulalia.
Eulàlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Eulalia.
Eulalia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.
Eulalie f French
French form of Eulalia.
Eun f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" or (eun) meaning "silver, money", as well as other hanja characters that are pronounced in the same way. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
Eunice f Biblical, English, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐνίκη (Eunike) meaning "good victory", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". The New Testament mentions her as the mother of Timothy. As an English name, it was first used after the Protestant Reformation.
Eun-Ji f Korean
From Sino-Korean (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" combined with (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or (ji) meaning "earth, soil, ground". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Eunomia f Greek Mythology
Means "good order" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νόμος (nomos) meaning "law, custom". Eunomia was a Greek goddess, one of the Ὥραι (Horai), presiding over law.
Eun-Yeong f Korean
From Sino-Korean (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" and (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Euodia f Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek, Biblical
Derived from Greek εὐοδία (euodia) meaning "a good journey", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ὁδός (hodos) meaning "road, way, journey". This name is mentioned briefly in Paul's epistle to the Philippians in the New Testament (though some translations assume it belongs to a man named Euodias).
Euphemia f Ancient Greek, English (Archaic)
Means "to use words of good omen" from Greek εὐφημέω (euphemeo), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φημί (phemi) meaning "to speak, to declare". Saint Euphemia was an early martyr from Chalcedon.
Euphrasia f Ancient Greek
Means "good cheer" in Greek, a derivative of εὐφραίνω (euphraino) meaning "to delight, to cheer". This name was borne by a 5th-century saint from Constantinople.
Euphrasie f French
French form of Euphrasia.
Euri f Basque (Rare)
Means "rain" in Basque.
Euripides m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek Εὔριπος (Euripos), referring to the strait between Euboea and Boeotia, combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek tragic poet.
Europe f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Europa.
Eurwen f Welsh
Derived from Welsh aur "gold" and gwen "white, blessed".
Euryalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
From Greek Εὐρύαλος (Euryalos) meaning "broad". This name was borne by several figures in Greek legend. In Virgil's Aeneid it belongs to the friend of Nisus, with whom he is killed while raiding the Rutuli.
Eurydice f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Εὐρυδίκη (Eurydike) meaning "wide justice", derived from εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order". In Greek myth she was the wife of Orpheus. Her husband tried to rescue her from Hades, but he failed when he disobeyed the condition that he not look back upon her on their way out.
Eustace m English
English form of Eustachius or Eustathius, two names of Greek origin that have been conflated in the post-classical period. Saint Eustace, who is known under both spellings, was a 2nd-century Roman general who became a Christian after seeing a vision of a cross between the antlers of a stag he was hunting. He was burned to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods and is now regarded as the patron saint of hunters. Due to him, this name was common in England during the Middle Ages, though it is presently rare.
Eustacia f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Eustace.
Euthalia f Late Greek
Means "flower, bloom" from the Greek word εὐθάλεια (euthaleia), itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". This name was borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Sicily.
Euthymia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Euthymius.
Euthymius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐθύμιος (Euthymios) meaning "in good spirits, generous", derived from the word εὔθυμος (euthymos), which was composed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θυμός (thymos) meaning "soul, spirit". This was the name of several early saints.
Eutimio m Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Spanish and Italian form of Euthymius.
Eutropia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Eutropios (see Eutropius).
Éva f Hungarian, French
Hungarian form of Eve, as well as a French variant of Ève.
Eva f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, Danish, Icelandic, Faroese, Romanian, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Form of Eve used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. A notable bearer was the Argentine first lady Eva Perón (1919-1952), the subject of the musical Evita. The name also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.... [more]
Evadne f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Εὐάδνη (Euadne), from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" possibly combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". This name was borne by several characters in Greek legend, including the wife of Capaneus. After Capaneus was killed by a lightning bolt sent from Zeus she committed suicide by throwing herself onto his burning body.
Evaline f English
Variant of Evelyn.
Evander 1 m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Variant of Evandrus, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὔανδρος (Euandros) meaning "good of man", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan War who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.
Evangelia f Greek
Feminine form of Evangelos.
Evangelina f Spanish, English
Latinate form of Evangeline.
Evangeline f English
Means "good news" from Greek εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελμα (angelma) meaning "news, message". It was (first?) used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his 1847 epic poem Evangeline. It also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) as the full name of the character Eva.
Evangeliya f Bulgarian (Rare)
Bulgarian feminine form of Evangelos.
Evangelos m Greek
Means "bringing good news" from the Greek word εὐάγγελος (euangelos), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger".
Évariste m French
French form of Evaristus.
Evaristus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐάριστος (Euaristos) meaning "well pleasing" from the Greek word εὐάρεστος (euarestos), derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good, well" and ἀρεστός (arestos) meaning "pleasing". This was the name of the fifth pope, supposedly martyred under Emperor Hadrian.
Ève f French
French form of Eve.
Eve f English, Estonian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name חַוָּה (Ḥawwa), which was derived from the Hebrew word חָוָה (ḥawa) meaning "to breathe" or the related word חָיָה (ḥaya) meaning "to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis, Eve and Adam were the first humans. God created her from one of Adam's ribs to be his companion. At the urging of a serpent she ate the forbidden fruit and shared some with Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.... [more]
Evelia f Spanish
Elaborated form of Eva.
Evelien f Dutch
Dutch form of Evelina.
Eveliina f Finnish
Finnish form of Evelina.
Evelin f German, Estonian, Hungarian
German, Estonian and Hungarian form of Evelina.
Evelina f English, Italian, Swedish, Lithuanian, Greek, Russian, Bulgarian
Latinate form of Aveline. It was revived by the author Fanny Burney for the heroine of her first novel Evelina (1778). It is often regarded as a variant of the related name Evelyn or an elaboration of Eve.
Evelyn f & m English, German
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Aveline. In the 17th century when it was first used as a given name it was more common for boys, but it is now regarded as almost entirely feminine, probably in part because of its similarity to Eve and Evelina.... [more]
Évelyne f French
French form of Evelina.
Even m Norwegian
Variant of Øyvind.
Everard m English (Rare)
From Everardus, the Latinized form of Eberhard. The Normans introduced it to England, where it joined the Old English cognate Eoforheard. It has only been rarely used since the Middle Ages. Modern use of the name may be inspired by the surname Everard, itself derived from the medieval name.
Everett m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Everard.
Everild f History (Ecclesiastical)
Latinized form of Eoforhild. This was the name of a 7th-century English saint.
Evette f English
Variant of Yvette.
Evgenia f Greek, Russian, Bulgarian
Modern Greek form of Eugenia. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Евгения (see Yevgeniya) or Bulgarian Евгения (see Evgeniya).
Evi f Greek, Dutch, German
Modern Greek form of Eve, as well as a Dutch and German diminutive.
Evie f English
Diminutive of Eve or Evelyn.
Evita f Spanish, Latvian
Diminutive of Eva.
Evren m & f Turkish
Means "cosmos, the universe" in Turkish. In Turkic mythology the Evren is a gigantic snake-like dragon.
Evy f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Diminutive of Eva or Evelina.
Ewelina f Polish
Polish form of Evelina.
Eydís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from the Old Norse elements ey "good fortune" or "island" and dís "goddess".
Eylül f Turkish
Means "September" in Turkish.
Eytan m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew אֵיתָן (see Eitan).
Fábia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Fabius.
Fabián m Spanish
Spanish form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Fabian m German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.
Fabiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Fabien m French
French form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Fabienne f French
French feminine form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Fabio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Fabius.
Fabiola f Italian, Spanish, Ancient Roman
Latin diminutive of Fabia. This was the name of a 4th-century saint from Rome.
Fabrice m French
French form of the Roman family name Fabricius, which was derived from Latin faber meaning "craftsman". Gaius Fabricius Luscinus was a 3rd-century BC Roman general and statesman.
Fabricia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Fabricius (see Fabrice).
Fadi m Arabic
Means "saviour" in Arabic. This is an Arabic name of Jesus.
Fadila f Arabic
Feminine form of Fadil.
Fae f English
Variant of Fay.
Fáelán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Faolán.
Fahima f Arabic
Feminine form of Fahim.
Faina f Russian
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from Phaenna.
Faisal m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic فيصل (see Faysal), as well as the form in several other languages.
Faith f English
Simply from the English word faith, ultimately from Latin fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Faiza f Arabic, Urdu
Feminine form of Faiz 1.
Fanni f Finnish, Hungarian
Finnish diminutive of Francisca and a Hungarian diminutive of Franciska or Stefánia.
Fantine f Literature
This name was used by Victor Hugo for the mother of Cosette in his novel Les Misérables (1862). The name was given to her by a passerby who found the young orphan on the street. Hugo may have intended it to be a derivative of the French word enfant "child".
Farah f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Malay
Means "joy, happiness" in Arabic, from the root فرح (fariḥa) meaning "to be happy".
Fareeha f Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic فريحة or Urdu فریحہ (see Fariha).
Farhan m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Malay, Indonesian
Means "happy, cheerful" in Arabic, a derivative of فرح (fariḥa) meaning "to be happy".
Farid m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali
Means "unique, precious" in Arabic, derived from فرد (farada) meaning "to be unique, to be alone". This was the name of a 13th-century Persian poet.
Fariha f Arabic, Urdu
Means "happy" in Arabic, from the root فرح (fariḥa) meaning "to be happy".
Faris m Arabic, Bosnian, Malay, Indonesian
Means "horseman, knight" in Arabic.
Farzaneh f Persian
Means "wise, intelligent" in Persian.
Fatemeh f Persian
Persian form of Fatima.
Fátima f Portuguese, Spanish
From the name of a town in Portugal, which was derived from the Arabic feminine name Fatima, apparently after a Moorish princess who converted to Christianity during the Reconquista. The town became an important Christian pilgrimage center after 1917 when three local children reported witnessing repeated apparitions of the Virgin Mary.
Fatima f Arabic, Urdu, Bosnian
Derived from Arabic فطم (faṭama) meaning "to abstain, to wean". Fatima was a daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and the wife of Ali, the fourth caliph. She is regarded as the exemplary Muslim woman, especially among Shias.
Fauna f Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Faunus. Fauna was a Roman goddess of fertility, women and healing, a daughter and companion of Faunus.
Faustin m French
French form of Faustinus (see Faustino). It is currently more common in French-speaking Africa and the French Caribbean than it is in France. A famous bearer was Faustin Soulouque (1782-1867), a president and then emperor of Haiti.
Faustina f Ancient Roman, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Feminine form of Faustinus (see Faustino).
Faustus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "auspicious, lucky" in Latin. It was also occasionally used as a praenomen, or given name. This was the name of several early Christian saints.
Favour m & f English (African)
From the English word favour, ultimately from Latin faveo "to favour". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Fawn f English
From the English word fawn for a young deer.
Fay f & m English
In part from the English word fay meaning "fairy", derived from Middle English faie meaning "magical, enchanted", ultimately (via Old French) from Latin fata meaning "the Fates". It appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's chronicles in the name of Morgan le Fay. In some cases it may be used as a short form of Faith. It has been used as a feminine given name since the 19th century.... [more]
Faye f English
Variant of Fay.
Faysal m Arabic, Turkish, Bengali, Urdu
Means "a judge, arbiter" in Arabic.
Fayza f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic فائزة (see Faiza).
Fe f Spanish
Means "faith" in Spanish, derived from Latin fides.
Federica f Italian
Italian feminine form of Frederick.
Federico m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Frederick. Spanish poet Federico García Lorca (1898-1936) and Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini (1920-1993) are famous bearers of this name.
Feidhlim m Irish
Modern Irish Gaelic form of Feidlimid.
Felice m Italian
Italian form of Felix.
Felícia f Hungarian, Portuguese
Hungarian and Portuguese form of Felicia.
Felicia f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Latin name Felicius, a derivative of Felix. As an English name, it has occasionally been used since the Middle Ages.
Feliciana f Spanish, Italian, Late Roman
Feminine form of Felicianus (see Feliciano).
Feliciano m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of the Roman name Felicianus, which was itself derived from the Roman name Felix. It was borne by a number of early saints, including a 3rd-century bishop of Foligno.
Félicie f French
French form of Felicia.
Felicie f German (Rare)
German form of Felicia.
Félicien m French
French form of Felicianus (see Feliciano).
Félicienne f French
French feminine form of Felicianus (see Feliciano).
Felicita f Italian
Italian form of Felicitas. It also coincides closely with Italian felicità "happiness".
Felicitas f Late Roman, Roman Mythology, German, Spanish
Latin name meaning "good luck, fortune". In Roman mythology the goddess Felicitas was the personification of good luck. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a slave martyred with her master Perpetua in Carthage.
Félicité f French
French form of Felicitas.
Felicity f English
From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name Felicitas. This name jumped in popularity in the United States after the premiere of the television series Felicity in 1998. It is more common in the United Kingdom.
Felim m Irish
Anglicized form of Feidhlim.
Felina f Late Roman
Feminine form of Felinus.
Felinus m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "cat-like". This was the name of a possibly legendary saint who was martyred with Gratian in the 3rd century.
Felix m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From a Roman cognomen meaning "lucky, successful" in Latin. It was acquired as an agnomen, or nickname, by the 1st-century BC Roman general Sulla. It also appears in the New Testament belonging to the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint Paul.... [more]
Femke f Frisian, Dutch
Diminutive of Femme.
Fenella f Scottish
Form of Fionnuala used by Walter Scott for a character in his novel Peveril of the Peak (1823).
Fenton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "marsh town" in Old English.
Feodora f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Theodora.
Fern f English
From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Fernand m French
French form of Ferdinand.