Names Deemed "serious"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is serious.
gender
usage
impression
Sviatoslav m Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Ukrainian Святослав (see Svyatoslav).
Svitlana f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Svetlana.
Svjetlana f Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Svetlana.
Svyatoslav m Russian, Ukrainian
Derived from the Slavic elements svętŭ "sacred, holy" and slava "glory". This was the name of a 10th-century ruler of Kievan Rus, the son of Igor and Olga, and the first to have a name of Slavic origin instead of Old Norse.
Swanhild f German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements swan "swan" and hilt "battle". Swanhild (or Swanachild) was the second wife of the Frankish ruler Charles Martel in the 8th century.
Swaran m & f Punjabi
Punjabi form of Swarna.
Swiðhun m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Swithin.
Swithin m History
From the Old English name Swiðhun or Swiþhun, derived from swiþ "strong" and perhaps hun "bear cub". Saint Swithin was a 9th-century bishop of Winchester.
Swithun m History
Variant of Swithin.
Sybil f English
Variant of Sibyl. This spelling variation has existed since the Middle Ages.
Sybilla f Polish, Late Roman
Polish form and Latin variant of Sibylla.
Sybille f German, French
German and French form of Sibyl.
Syed m Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali
Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali form of Sayyid.
Syeda f Urdu
Urdu form of Sayyida.
Sylvain m French
French form of Silvanus.
Sylvaine f French
French feminine form of Silvanus.
Sylvan m English
Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".
Sylvana f Various
Variant of Silvana.
Sylvestre m French
French form of Silvester.
Sylvi f Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish
Norwegian and Swedish variant of Solveig. It is also used as a short form of Sylvia.
Sylvia f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Variant of Silvia. This has been the most common English spelling since the 19th century.
Sylviane f French
Variant of Sylvaine.
Symon m Ukrainian (Rare)
Ukrainian form of Simon 1 (mostly ecclesiastical usage).
Synnöve f Swedish
Swedish form of Sunniva.
Synnøve f Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Sunniva.
Syntyche f Biblical, Biblical Greek, Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from συντυχία (syntychia) meaning "occurrence, event". This is the name of a woman mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Philippians in the New Testament.
Szabolcs m Hungarian
Meaning unknown, possibly from a Slavic word meaning "marten". It was borne by a leader of the Magyars at the time of Árpád. This is now the name of a region in Hungary.
Szilvia f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Silvia.
Szonja f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Sonya.
Szymon m Polish
Polish form of Simon 1.
Tacitus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "silent, mute" in Latin. This was the name of a 1st-century Roman historian, known for writing the Histories and the Annals.
Tadej m Slovene
Slovene form of Thaddeus.
Tadeusz m Polish
Polish form of Thaddeus. This name is borne by Tadeusz Soplica, the title character in Adam Mickiewicz's epic poem Pan Tadeusz (1834), which is considered to be the national epic of Poland.
Tahir m Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Bosnian
Means "virtuous, pure, chaste" in Arabic.
Táhirih f History
Variant of Tahira. This was the title of Fatemeh Baraghani (1814-1852), a Persian poet, theologian and reformer.
Tahmina f Persian Mythology, Tajik, Bengali
Derived from Persian تهم (tahm) meaning "brave, valiant". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh. She is a daughter of the king of Samangan who marries the warrior hero Rostam and eventually bears him a son, whom they name Sohrab.
Tahvo m Finnish (Archaic)
Old Finnish form of Stephen.
Taisiya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Thaïs (referring to the saint).
Tajana f Croatian, Serbian
Derived from Croatian and Serbian tajiti "to keep secret".
Tajddigt f Berber
Means "flower" in Tamazight.
Takako f Japanese
From Japanese (taka) meaning "filial piety" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.
Takashi m Japanese
From Japanese (takashi) meaning "filial piety", (takashi) meaning "noble, prosperous" or (takashi) meaning "esteem, honour, venerate", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that result in the same pronunciation.
Takeshi m Japanese
From Japanese (takeshi) meaning "military, martial", (takeshi) meaning "strong, healthy", or other kanji having the same reading.
Takuma m Japanese
From Japanese (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" and (ma) meaning "real, genuine". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Talin f Armenian
From the name of an Armenian town (meaning unknown), which is home to a famous 7th-century cathedral.
Taline f Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Թալին (see Talin).
Tamar f Hebrew, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "date palm" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah and later his wife. This was also the name of a daughter of King David. She was raped by her half-brother Amnon, leading to his murder by her brother Absalom. The name was borne by a 12th-century ruling queen of Georgia who presided over the kingdom at the peak of its power.
Tamás m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Thomas.
Tancred m Old Norman
Norman form of the Germanic name Thancrat meaning "thought and counsel", derived from the elements thank meaning "thought, consideration, thanks" (Old High German danc, Old Frankish þank) and rat meaning "counsel, advice". This name was common among the medieval Norman nobility of southern Italy, being the name of the founder of the Hauteville family. It was borne by a leader of the First Crusade, described by Torquato Tasso in his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580).
Tancredi m Italian
Italian form of Tancred appearing in the epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580) by Torquato Tasso. The tale was adapted by Gioachino Rossini for his opera Tancredi (1813).
Tāne m Maori, Polynesian Mythology
Means "man" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Tāne was the god of forests and light. He was the son of the sky god Rangi and the earth goddess Papa, who were locked in an embrace and finally separated by their son. He created the tui bird and, by some accounts, man.
Tanith f Semitic Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the Phoenician goddess of love, fertility, the moon and the stars. She was particularly associated with the city of Carthage, being the consort of Ba'al Hammon.
Tarana f Azerbaijani
Alternate transcription of Azerbaijani Təranə.
Taranis m Gaulish Mythology
Derived from the old Celtic root *toranos meaning "thunder", cognate with Þórr (see Thor). This was the name of the Gaulish thunder god, who was often identified with the Roman god Jupiter.
Taras m Ukrainian, Russian, Belarusian
Ukrainian, Russian and Belarusian form of the Greek name Ταράσιος (Tarasios), which possibly means "from Taras". Taras was an Italian city, now called Taranto, which was founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BC and was named for the Greek mythological figure Taras, a son of Poseidon. Saint Tarasios was an 8th-century bishop of Constantinople. It was also borne by the Ukrainian writer and artist Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861).
Tarek m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic طارق (see Tariq).
Tariq m Arabic, Urdu
Means "visitor, knocker at the door" in Arabic, from طرق (ṭaraqa) meaning "to knock". This is the Arabic name of the morning star. Tariq ibn Ziyad was the Islamic general who conquered Spain for the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century.
Tariro f Shona
Means "hope" in Shona.
Tarja f Finnish
Finnish form of Daria.
Taron m Armenian
From the name of a region in historic Armenia (now in Turkey).
Tarquin m History
From Tarquinius, a Roman name of unknown meaning, possibly Etruscan in origin. This was the name of two early kings of Rome.
Taskill m Scottish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Tasgall.
Tatiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, French, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, Georgian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman name Tatianus, a derivative of the Roman name Tatius. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Rome under the emperor Alexander Severus. She was especially venerated in Orthodox Christianity, and the name has been common in Russia (as Татьяна) and Eastern Europe. It was not regularly used in the English-speaking world until the 1980s.
Tatienne f French (Rare)
French form of Tatiana.
Tatius m Roman Mythology, Ancient Roman
Roman family name of unknown meaning, possibly of Sabine origin. According to Roman legend, Titus Tatius was an 8th-century BC king of the Sabines who came to jointly rule over the Romans and Sabines with the Roman king Romulus.
Tatjana f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, German, Latvian, Lithuanian, Finnish, Estonian
Form of Tatiana in several languages, in some cases via Russian Татьяна (Tatyana).
Tauno m Finnish, Estonian
Means "peaceful, modest" in Karelian Finnish.
Tawfiq m Arabic
Means "success, good fortune" in Arabic, derived from وفق (wafiqa) meaning "to be successful".
T'Challa m Popular Culture
The real name of the superhero Black Panther from Marvel comic books, debuting in 1966. In a 2018 issue it was revealed that his name means "he who put the knife where it belonged" in the fictional Wakandan language.
Teàrlach m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Toirdhealbhach. It is sometimes Anglicized as Charles.
Tecumseh m Shawnee
Means "panther passing across" in Shawnee. This name was borne by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh (1768-1813), who resisted American expansion along with his brother the spiritual leader Tenskwatawa.
Tegid m Welsh
Possibly derived from Welsh teg "beautiful, handsome", or possibly from the Roman name Tacitus. This is the name of a lake in Wales, called Bala Lake in English. It also occurs in medieval Welsh legends as the husband of Ceridwen.
Temperance f English
From the English word meaning "moderation" or "restraint". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It experienced a modest revival in the United States during the run of the television series Bones (2005-2017), in which the main character bears this name.
Tempest f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "storm". It appears in the title of William Shakespeare's play The Tempest (1611).
Temujin m History
Means "of iron" in Mongolian, derived ultimately from the Turkic word temür "iron". This was the original name of the Mongolian leader better known by the title Genghis Khan. Born in the 12th century, he managed to unite the tribes of Mongolia and then conquer huge areas of Asia and Eastern Europe.
Tennyson m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "son of Tenney", Tenney being a medieval form of Denis. A notable bearer of the surname was the British poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), commonly called Lord Tennyson after he became a baron in 1884.
Tenskwatawa m Shawnee
Means "open door" in Shawnee. This name was borne by the Shawnee prophet Tenskwatawa (1775-1836). With his brother Tecumseh he urged resistance against American expansion.
Teodóra f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Theodore.
Teodoro m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Theodoros (see Theodore).
Teodors m Latvian
Latvian form of Theodoros (see Theodore).
Tera f English
Variant of Tara 1.
Terah m Biblical
Possibly means "station" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Terah is the father of Abraham. He led his people out of Ur and towards Canaan, but died along the way.
Terence m English
From the Roman family name Terentius, which is of unknown meaning. Famous bearers include Publius Terentius Afer, a Roman playwright, and Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar. It was also borne by several early saints. The name was used in Ireland as an Anglicized form of Toirdhealbhach, but it was not found as an English name until the late 19th century. It attained only a moderate level of popularity in the 20th century, though it has been common as an African-American name especially since the 1970s.
Teresa f Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Catalan, Polish, Lithuanian, Finnish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
Form of Theresa used in several languages. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a 16th-century Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelite monasteries and wrote several spiritual books. It was also borne by the Albanian missionary Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), better known as Mother Teresa, who worked with the poor in India. She adopted the name in honour of the French saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron of missionaries.
Terese f Basque, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Basque and Scandinavian form of Theresa.
Teréz f Hungarian
Hungarian short form of Terézia.
Terezinha f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese diminutive of Tereza.
Terhi f Finnish
Short form of Terhenetär, which was derived from Finnish terhen meaning "mist". In the Finnish epic the Kalevala Terhenetär is a sprite associated with mist and forests.
Terminus m Roman Mythology
Means "limit, boundary, end" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman god of boundaries.
Terra f English
Variant of Tara 1, perhaps influenced by the Latin word terra meaning "land, earth".
Tetiana f Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian Тетяна (see Tetyana).
Teuta f Albanian
Possibly from an Illyrian word or title meaning "queen, lady of the people". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Illyrian queen. After the death of her husband Agron, she ruled as the regent for his young son Pinnes.
Tewodros m Amharic
Amharic form of Theodore.
Thaddaeus m Biblical Latin, Biblical
Usual Latin form of Thaddeus, as well as the form used in most English versions of the New Testament.
Thaddeus m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name תַדַּי (Ṯaddai). It is possibly derived from Aramaic תַּד (taḏ) meaning "heart, breast", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as Θεόδωρος (see Theodore). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.
Thaïs f Ancient Greek, French
Possibly means "bandage" in Greek. This was the name of a companion of Alexander the Great. It was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Alexandria, a wealthy socialite who became a Christian convert, though in her case the name may have had a distinct Coptic origin. She has been a popular subject of art and literature, including an 1891 novel by Anatole France and an 1894 opera by Jules Massenet.
Thais f Ancient Greek, Spanish
Alternate transcription of Ancient Greek Θαΐς (see Thaïs), as well as the usual Spanish form.
Thaleia f Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Thalia.
Thales m Ancient Greek, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Derived from Greek θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". Thales of Miletus was a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher and mathematician.
Thanasis m Greek
Modern Greek short form of Athanasios.
Thanatos m Greek Mythology
Means "death" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek god of death who resided with Hades in the underworld.
Thandiwe f Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele
Means "loving one" in Xhosa, Zulu and Ndebele, from thanda "to love".
Thane m English (Rare)
From the Scottish and English noble title, which was originally from Old English thegn.
Thanos m Greek
Diminutive of Athanasios.
Thatcher m English (Modern)
From an English surname that referred to a person who thatched roofs by attaching straw to them, derived from Old English þæc "thatch". The surname was borne by British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).
Theda f German
Short form of Theodora. A famous bearer was actress Theda Bara (1885-1955), who was born Theodosia Goodman.
Theia f Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan goddess of light, glittering and glory. She was the wife of Hyperion and the mother of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.
Thelma f English
Meaning unknown. It was a rare name when British author Marie Corelli used it for the Norwegian heroine of her novel Thelma (1887). The name became popular around the end of the 19th century after the novel was published. It is sometimes claimed to derive from Greek θέλημα (thelema) meaning "will", though this seems unlikely.
Thelonius m Various (Rare)
Latinized form of Tielo (see Till). A famous bearer was jazz musician Thelonious Monk (1917-1982).
Themis f Greek Mythology
Means "law of nature, divine law, custom" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan who presided over custom and natural law. She was often depicted blindfolded and holding a pair of scales. By Zeus she was the mother of many deities, including the three Μοῖραι (Moirai) and the three Ὥραι (Horai).
Themistocles m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεμιστοκλῆς (Themistokles) meaning "glory of the law", from θέμις (themis) meaning "law of nature, divine law, custom" (genitive θέμιστος) and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of an Athenian statesman and general who was victorious over the Persians in the Battle of Salamis.
Themistoklis m Greek
Modern Greek form of Themistocles.
Théo m French
Short form of Théodore.
Theocritus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Θεόκριτος (Theokritos), a Greek name meaning "judge of god" from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and κριτής (krites) meaning "judge, critic". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek poet.
Theodor m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Romanian
German form of Theodore, as well as a Scandinavian, Czech and Romanian variant of Teodor. A famous bearer was American children's book creator Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), better known as Dr. Seuss.
Theodora f English, Greek, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Theodore. This name was common in the Byzantine Empire, being borne by several empresses including the influential wife of Justinian in the 6th century.
Théodore m French
French form of Theodore.
Theodore m English
From the Greek name Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant "gift of god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.... [more]
Theodoric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Þiudareiks meaning "ruler of the people", derived from the elements þiuda "people" and reiks "ruler, king". It was notably borne by Theodoric the Great, a 6th-century king of the Ostrogoths who eventually became the ruler of Italy. By Theodoric's time the Ostrogoths were partially Romanized and his name was regularly recorded as Theodoricus. This was also the name of two earlier (5th century) Visigothic kings.
Theodorus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of the Greek name Theodoros (see Theodore). As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Theodoor is typically used in daily life.
Theodosius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεοδόσιος (Theodosios) meaning "giving to god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δόσις (dosis) meaning "giving". Saint Theodosius of Palestine was a monk who founded a monastery near Bethlehem in the 5th century. This also was the name of emperors of the Eastern Roman and Byzantine Empires.
Theodotus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόδοτος (Theodotos) meaning "given to god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δοτός (dotos) meaning "given". This name belonged to several early saints and martyrs.
Theodulus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόδουλος (Theodoulos) meaning "servant of god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δοῦλος (doulos) meaning "slave, servant". This name was borne by several early saints.
Theophanes m Ancient Greek
Means "manifestation of God" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". This name was borne by a few saints, including an 8th-century chronicler from Constantinople and a 19th-century Russian Orthodox saint, Theophanes the Recluse, who is Феофан (Feofan) in Russian. Another famous bearer was a 14th-century Byzantine icon painter active in Moscow.
Theophilus m Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόφιλος (Theophilos) meaning "friend of god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φίλος (philos) meaning "friend". In the New Testament the evangelist Luke addresses his gospel and the Book of Acts to a man named Theophilus.
Theophylaktos m Ancient Greek
Means "watched by god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φυλακτέος (phylakteos) meaning "to be watched". Saint Theophylaktos was a 9th-century bishop of Nicomedia who was banished to Caria.
Theotimus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεότιμος (Theotimos) meaning "honouring god", derived from the elements θεός (theos) meaning "god" and τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". Saint Theotimus was a 4th-century bishop of Tomi in Scythia.
Thera f Dutch
Diminutive of Theresia.
Therapon m Late Greek
Means "servant" or "worshipper" in Greek.
Therasia f Late Roman
Earliest recorded form of Theresa.
Theresa f English, German
From the Spanish and Portuguese name Teresa. It was first recorded as Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek θέρος (theros) meaning "summer", from Greek θερίζω (therizo) meaning "to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).... [more]
Therese f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
German and Scandinavian variant of Theresa.
Theresia f German, Dutch
German and Dutch form of Theresa.
Theron m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek θηράω (therao) meaning "to hunt".
Thersa f Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Tirzah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Theseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by Aegeus or by the god Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.... [more]
Thibault m French
French form of Theobald.
Thijmen m Dutch
Dutch form of the Germanic name Theotman, derived from the elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Dutch thiad) and man meaning "person, man".
Thirza f Dutch
Dutch form of Tirzah.
Thor m Norse Mythology, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
From the Old Norse Þórr meaning "thunder", ultimately from Proto-Germanic *Þunraz. In Norse mythology Thor is a god of storms, thunder, war and strength, a son of Odin. He is portrayed as red-bearded, short-tempered, armed with a powerful hammer called Mjölnir, and wearing an enchanted belt called Megingjörð that doubles his strength. During Ragnarök, the final battle at the end of the world, it is foretold that Thor will slay the monstrous sea serpent Jörmungandr but be fatally poisoned by its venom.
Thora f Norwegian, Danish
Modern form of Þóra.
Thorben m Danish, German
Variant of Torben.
Thorburn m English (Rare)
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from the Norse name Þórbjǫrn (see Torbjörn).
Þórfríðr f Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements Þórr (see Thor) and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Þórir m Icelandic, Old Norse
Means "Thor's warrior" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with Old Norse vir "warrior, fighter".
Thornton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "thorn town" in Old English.
Þórsteinn m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Torsten.
Thoth m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ḏḥwtj (reconstructed as Djehuti), which is of uncertain meaning. In Egyptian mythology Thoth was the god of the moon, science, magic, speech and writing. He was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis.
Thracius m Ancient Roman
From a Roman name meaning "of Thracia". Thracia was a region in southeastern Europe, now divided between Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey.
Thulile f Zulu
Means "quiet, peaceful" in Zulu.
Thyra f Swedish, Danish
Variant of Tyra.
Tiare f Tahitian
Means "flower" in Tahitian, also specifically referring to the species Gardenia taitensis.
Tiarnach m Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish form of Tighearnach.
Tiberiu m Romanian
Romanian form of Tiberius.
Tiberius m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "of the Tiber" in Latin. The Tiber is the river that runs through Rome. Tiberius was the second Roman emperor, the stepson of Emperor Augustus. He was born Tiberius Claudius Nero, but was renamed Tiberius Julius Caesar after he was designated as the heir of Augustus.
Tibor m Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Hungarian, Czech and Slovak form of Tiburtius (see Tiburcio).
Tiernan m Irish
Anglicized form of Tighearnán.
Tigernán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Tighearnán.
Tighearnán m Medieval Irish
From Old Irish Tigernán meaning "little lord", from tigerna "lord" combined with a diminutive suffix. It was borne by a 6th-century saint who founded a monastery at Errew. It was also the name of a 12th-century king of Breifne.
Tihomir m Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene
Derived from the Slavic elements tixŭ "quiet" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Tiitus m Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Titus.
Tikhon m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Tychon.
Tikva f Hebrew
Means "hope" in Hebrew.
Timaeus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latinized form of the Greek name Τίμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". This is the name of one of Plato's dialogues, featuring Timaeus and Socrates. Timaeus is also the name of a person mentioned briefly in the New Testament (Mark 10:46).
Tímea f Hungarian
Created by the Hungarian author Mór Jókai for a character in his novel The Golden Man (1873). The name is apparently based on the Greek word εὐθυμία (euthymia) meaning "good spirits, cheerfulness".
Timon m Ancient Greek, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Dutch
Derived from Greek τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour, to esteem". According to ancient writers, this was the name of a wealthy man of Athens who grew to hate humanity after he lost his riches and his friends deserted him. His story is related in Shakespeare's tragedy Timon of Athens (1607). This name is also mentioned in the New Testament as belonging to one of the original seven deacons of the church, considered a saint.
Timotej m Slovene, Macedonian, Slovak
Slovene, Macedonian and Slovak form of Timothy.
Timothea f Ancient Greek, Greek
Feminine form of Timothy.
Timotheus m Biblical Latin, German (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Latinized form of Timotheos (see Timothy).
Timur m Tatar, Chechen, Kazakh, Uzbek, Turkish, Russian, History
From the Turkic and Mongol name Temür meaning "iron". This was the name of several Mongol, Turkic and Yuan leaders. A notable bearer was Timur, also known as Tamerlane (from Persian تیمور لنگ (Tīmūr e Lang) meaning "Timur the lame"), a 14th-century Turkic leader who conquered large areas of western Asia.
Tinashe m & f Shona
Means "we are with God", from Shona ti "we", na "with" and ishe "lord, God".
Tinúviel f Literature
Means "daughter of twilight, nightingale" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tinuviel was another name of Lúthien, the daughter of Thingol the elf king. She was the beloved of Beren, who with her help retrieved one of the Silmarils from the iron crown of Morgoth.
Tiras m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From Hebrew תִּירָס (Tiras), meaning unknown. Tiras is a grandson of Noah in the Old Testament. This is also a modern Hebrew word meaning "corn".
Tiriaq f & m Inuit
Means "ermine, weasel" in Inuktitut.
Tiril f Norwegian
Possibly inspired by the Norwegian poem Lokkende Toner (1859) by Johan Sebastian Welhaven, which features the folk heroine Tirilil Tove.
Tirzah f Biblical
From the Hebrew name תִּרְצָה (Tirtsa) meaning "favourable". Tirzah is the name of one of the daughters of Zelophehad in the Old Testament. It also occurs in the Old Testament as a place name, the early residence of the kings of the northern kingdom.
Tisiphone f Greek Mythology
Means "avenging murder" in Greek, derived from τίσις (tisis) meaning "vengeance" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. She killed Cithaeron with the bite of one of the snakes on her head.
Tivadar m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Theodore.
Tjaša f Slovene
Diminutive of Tatjana.
Tjeerd m Frisian, Dutch
Frisian form of Theodoard or Theodard.
Tobiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name טוֹבִיָּה (Ṭoviyya) meaning "Yahweh is good", from the elements טוֹב (ṭov) meaning "good" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This was the name of an Ammonite in the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
Tobias m Biblical, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Greek form of Tobiah. This is the name of the hero of the apocryphal Book of Tobit, which appears in many English versions of the Old Testament. It relates how Tobit's son Tobias, with the help of the angel Raphael, is able to drive away a demon who has plagued Sarah, who subsequently becomes his wife. This story was popular in the Middle Ages, and the name came into occasional use in parts of Europe at that time. In England it became common after the Protestant Reformation.
Tobiasz m Polish
Polish form of Tobias.
Todor m Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian
Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Theodore.
Tòmas m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Thomas.
Tomaso m Italian
Variant of Tommaso.
Tomasz m Polish
Polish form of Thomas.
Tomaž m Slovene
Slovene form of Thomas.
Tomislav m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Bulgarian
Probably derived from the Slavic element tomiti "to torment" combined with slava "glory". This was the name of the first king of Croatia (10th century).
Tommaso m Italian
Italian form of Thomas.
Tomyris f History
Hellenized form of a Scythian name, possibly from an Iranian root meaning "family". This was the name of a 6th-century BC queen of the Massagetae (a Scythian people) who defeated Cyrus the Great during his invasion of Central Asia.
Tondra f Esperanto
Means "thunderous", from Esperanto tondro meaning "thunder".
Tor m Norwegian, Swedish
Modern Scandinavian form of Þórr (see Thor). It was not used as a personal name until the 18th century. It is sometimes used as a short form of names of Old Norse origin that begin with the element Tor, which is also a derivative of Þórr.
Tora f Swedish, Norwegian
Modern form of Þóra.
Torben m Danish, German
Danish form of Torbjörn.
Tore 1 m Norwegian, Swedish
Modern Scandinavian form of Þórir.
Tore 2 m Italian
Short form of Salvatore.
Torgeir m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Þórgeirr, which meant "Thor's spear" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with geirr "spear".
Torhild f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Þórhildr, which meant "Thor's battle" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with hildr "battle".
Torin m English (Modern)
Meaning unknown. It has been suggested that it is of Irish origin, though no suitable derivation can be found.
Torstein m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Torsten.
Torsten m Swedish, Danish, German
From the Old Norse name Þórsteinn, which meant "Thor's stone" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with steinn "stone".
Torvald m Swedish, Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Þórvaldr, which meant "Thor's ruler" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with valdr "ruler".
Toussaint m French
Means "all saints" in French. This is the name of a Christian festival celebrated on November 1 (All Saints' Day).
Tova 1 f Hebrew
Means "good" in Hebrew.
Tova 2 f Swedish
Swedish variant of Tove.
Tovia m & f Hebrew
Hebrew form of Tobiah, also used as a feminine form.
Trafford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "fish-trap ford" in Old English.
Traian m Romanian
Romanian form of Traianus (see Trajan 1).
Trajan 1 m History
From the Roman cognomen Traianus, which is of unknown meaning. The Roman emperor Trajan (full name Marcus Ulpius Traianus) is considered among the most capable men to have led the empire. His military accomplishments include victories over Dacia and Parthia.
Traugott m German (Rare)
Derived from German trau "trust" and Gott "God". This name was created in the 17th century.
Trine f Danish
Danish short form of Katrine.
Truman m English
From a surname that meant "trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).
Trygve m Norwegian
Derived from Old Norse tryggr meaning "trustworthy".
Tryphena f Biblical
From the Greek name Τρύφαινα (Tryphaina), derived from Greek τρυφή (tryphe) meaning "softness, delicacy". This name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament.
Trystan m Welsh
Variant of Tristan.
Tsering m & f Tibetan
Alternate transcription of Tibetan ཚེ་རིང (see Tshering).
Tsisia f Georgian
Derived from Georgian ცის (tsis) meaning "of the sky", the genitive case of ცა (tsa) meaning "sky, heaven".
Tsubaki f Japanese
From Japanese 椿 (tsubaki) meaning "camellia (flower)", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Tsukuyomi m Japanese Mythology
From Japanese (tsuku) meaning "moon" and (yomi) meaning "to read". In Japanese mythology Tsukuyomi was the god of the moon, the sibling of Amaterasu and Susanoo.
Tsveta f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Tsvetan.
Tsvetan m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian цвет (tsvet) meaning "flower, blossom".
Tsvetanka f Bulgarian
Feminine diminutive of Tsvetan.
Tuor m Literature
Means "strength vigour" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tuor was the mortal man who came to the hidden city of Gondolin to warn of its imminent doom. When Gondolin was attacked and destroyed he escaped with his wife Idril and son Eärendil, and sailed into the west.
Turin m Literature
Means "victory mood" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Turin was a cursed hero, the slayer of the dragon Glaurung. He was also called Turambar, Mormegil, and other names. This is also the Anglicized name of the city of Torino in Italy.
Turlough m Irish
Anglicized form of Toirdhealbhach.
Tycho m History, Dutch
Latinized form of Tyge. This name was used by the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), who was born as Tyge.
Tygo m Dutch
Dutch form of Tyge.
Tymoteusz m Polish
Polish form of Timothy.
Tytus m Polish
Polish form of Titus.
Uhtric m Anglo-Saxon (Hypothetical)
Derived from the Old English elements uhta "pre-dawn" and ric "ruler, king".
Uilleam m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of William.
Uliana f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Ульяна or Ukrainian Уляна (see Ulyana).
Ulisses m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Ulysses.
Ulric m English (Rare)
Middle English form of the Old English name Wulfric. When it is used in modern times, it is usually as a variant of Ulrich.
Ulrich m German, Germanic
From the Old German name Odalric, derived from the element uodil "heritage" combined with rih "ruler, king". This was the name of two German saints. Another famous bearer was Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), also known as Huldrych, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland.
Ulrik m Danish, Swedish, Norwegian
Scandinavian form of Ulrich.
Ulrika f Swedish
Swedish feminine form of Ulrich. This was the name of two queens of Sweden.
Ulrike f German
German feminine form of Ulrich.
Ulrikke f Norwegian, Danish
Norwegian and Danish feminine form of Ulrich.
Ultán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "of Ulster" in Irish. Ulster is a region in the north of Ireland. This name was borne by two 7th-century Irish saints.
Ulvi m Turkish
Means "exalted, high" in Turkish, from Arabic علْويّ (ʿulwīy).
Ulyana f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Juliana.
Ulyssa f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Ulysses.
Ulysses m Roman Mythology, English
Latin form of Odysseus. It was borne by Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War, who went on to become an American president. Irish author James Joyce used it as the title of his book Ulysses (1922), which loosely parallels Homer's epic the Odyssey.
Unai m Basque
Means "cowherd" in Basque.
Unathi m & f Xhosa
Means "he or she is with us" in Xhosa, from the prefix u- meaning "he, she" and nathi meaning "with us".
Undine f Literature
Derived from Latin unda meaning "wave". The word undine was created by the 16th-century Swiss author Paracelsus, who used it for female water spirits.
Uriel m Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name אוּרִיאֵל (ʾUriʾel) meaning "God is my light", from אוּר (ʾur) meaning "light, flame" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Uriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition. He is mentioned only in the Apocrypha, for example in the Book of Enoch where he warns Noah of the coming flood.
Urijah m Biblical
Form of Uriah used in some English versions of the Old Testament (for a character in the Book of Jeremiah).
Uroš m Serbian, Slovene
Serbian form of an old Hungarian name, possibly from úr meaning "man, lord" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of five Serbian kings.
Ursa f Late Roman
Feminine form of Ursus. This is the name of two constellations in the northern sky: Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.
Ursula f English, Swedish, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Late Roman
Means "little bear", derived from a diminutive form of the Latin word ursa "she-bear". Saint Ursula was a legendary virgin princess of the 4th century who was martyred by the Huns while returning from a pilgrimage. In England the saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and the name came into general use at that time.
Ursus m Ancient Roman
Latin form of Urs.
Usman m Urdu, Indonesian, Hausa
Urdu, Indonesian and Hausa form of Uthman.
Usoa f Basque
Means "dove" in Basque.
Uther m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
From the Welsh name Uthyr, derived from Welsh uthr meaning "terrible". In Arthurian legend Uther was the father of King Arthur. He appears in some early Welsh texts, but is chiefly known from the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth.
Uyanga f Mongolian
Means "melody" in Mongolian.
Václav m Czech, Slovak
Contracted form of an older Czech name Veceslav, derived from the Slavic elements vęťĭjĭ "more, greater" and slava "glory". Saint Václav (known as Wenceslas or Wenceslaus in English) was a 10th-century Duke of Bohemia murdered by his brother. He is the patron saint of the Czech Republic. This was also the name of several Bohemian kings.
Vadik m Russian
Diminutive of Vadim.
Vahagn m Armenian Mythology, Armenian
Armenian form of Vərəthraghna (see Bahram). In Armenian mythology this was the name of the heroic god of war.
Vahan m Armenian
Means "shield" in Armenian.
Valda f Latvian
Feminine form of Valdis.
Valdemar m Danish, Swedish, Finnish
Scandinavian form of Waldemar, also used as a translation of the Slavic cognate Vladimir. This was the name of four kings of Denmark and a king of Sweden. It was introduced to Scandinavia by the 12th-century Danish king Valdemar I who was named after his mother's grandfather: Vladimir II, a grand prince of Kievan Rus.
Valdís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Derived from Old Norse valr meaning "the dead, the slain" and dís meaning "goddess".
Valdis m Latvian
Short form of Voldemārs and other Latvian names containing the Baltic/Germanic element vald "rule".
Vale f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "wide river valley".
Valencia f Various
From the name of cities in Spain and Venezuela, both derived from Latin valentia meaning "strength, vigour".
Valens m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen (see Valentine 1). This name was borne by a 4th-century Roman emperor.
Valent m Croatian
Croatian short form of Valentin.
Valentin m French, Romanian, German, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Croatian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish
Form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1) in several languages.
Valentine 2 f French
French feminine form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Valentino m Italian
Italian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Valentyn m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Valère m French
French form of Valerius.
Valeri m Bulgarian, Georgian, Russian
Bulgarian and Georgian form of Valerius, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Валерий (see Valeriy).
Valéria f Portuguese, Hungarian, Slovak
Portuguese, Hungarian and Slovak form of Valeria.
Valeria f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, German, Russian, Ukrainian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Valerius. This was the name of a 2nd-century Roman saint and martyr.