Names Deemed "serious"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is serious.
gender
usage
impression
Hjörtur m Icelandic
Means "deer" in Icelandic.
Honor f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Honour, using the American spelling.
Honora f Irish, English
Variant of Honoria. It was brought to England and Ireland by the Normans.
Honorata f Late Roman, Polish
Feminine form of Honoratus.
Honoré m French
French form of Honoratus or Honorius. A notable bearer was the French author Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850).
Honorine f French
French form of Honorina, a feminine form of the Roman name Honorinus, a derivative of Honorius. Saint Honorina was a 4th-century martyr from the Normandy region in France.
Honorius m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "honour, esteem, dignity". This was the name of an emperor of the Western Roman Empire. It was also borne by a few early saints and four popes.
Honour f & m English (Rare)
From the English word honour, which is of Latin origin. This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It can also be viewed as a form of Honoria or Honorata, which are ultimately derived from the same source.
Horacio m Spanish
Spanish form of Horatius.
Horatia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Horatius.
Horatio m English
Variant of Horatius. Shakespeare used it for a character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600). It was borne by the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805), famous for his defeat of Napoleon's forces in the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he was himself killed. Since his time the name has been occasionally used in his honour.
Horațiu m Romanian
Romanian form of Horatius.
Horatius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin hora meaning "hour, time, season", though the name may actually be of Etruscan origin. A famous bearer was Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a Roman lyric poet of the 1st century BC who is better known as Horace in the English-speaking world.
Horus m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ὧρος (Horos), the Greek form of Egyptian ḥrw (reconstructed as Heru and other forms) possibly from ḥr "above, over" or ḥrj "distant". In Egyptian mythology Horus was a god of the sky and light, often depicted as a man with the head of a falcon. In some versions of the mythology he was the son of Osiris and Isis, and avenged his father's murder by killing his uncle Seth.
Hosanna f Biblical
From the Aramaic religious expression הושע נא (Hoshaʿ na) meaning "deliver us" in Hebrew. In the New Testament this is exclaimed by those around Jesus when he first enters Jerusalem.
Hosea m Biblical
Variant English form of Hoshea, though the name is spelled the same in the Hebrew text. Hosea is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Hosea. Written in the northern kingdom, it draws parallels between his relationship with his unfaithful wife and the relationship between God and his people.
Hossein m Persian
Persian form of Husayn.
Houssam m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسام (see Husam).
Hovhannes m Armenian
Armenian form of Iohannes (see John).
Howard m English
From an English surname that can derive from several different sources: the Anglo-Norman given name Huard, which was from the Germanic name Hughard; the Anglo-Scandinavian given name Haward, from the Old Norse name Hávarðr; or the Middle English term ewehirde meaning "ewe herder". This is the surname of a British noble family, members of which have held the title Duke of Norfolk from the 15th century to the present. A famous bearer of the given name was the American industrialist Howard Hughes (1905-1976).
Howell m Welsh
Anglicized form of Hywel.
Hozan m & f Kurdish
Means "poet, intellect" in Kurdish.
Hristina f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian
Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian form of Christina.
Hroðulf m Anglo-Saxon
From Old English hroð "fame, glory" and wulf "wolf", making it a cognate of Hrodulf (see Rudolf). This name appears in Beowulf belonging to the nephew of Hroðgar.
Huang m & f Chinese
From Chinese (huáng) meaning "bright, shining, luminous" (which is usually only masculine) or (huáng) meaning "phoenix" (usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.
Huanglong m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (huáng) meaning "yellow" and (lóng) meaning "dragon". This is the Chinese name for the Yellow Dragon, who is considered the animal form of the mythical Yellow Emperor Huangdi.
Hugh m English
From the Germanic name Hugo, derived from Old Frankish hugi or Old High German hugu meaning "mind, thought, spirit" (Proto-Germanic *hugiz). It was common among Frankish and French nobility, being borne by Hugh Capet, a 10th-century king of France who founded the Capetian dynasty. The Normans brought the name to England and it became common there, even more so after the time of the 12th-century bishop Saint Hugh of Lincoln, who was known for his charity. This was also the name of kings of Cyprus and the crusader kingdom of Jerusalem. The name is used in Ireland and Scotland as the Anglicized form of Aodh and Ùisdean.
Huld f Norse Mythology
Old Norse variant of Hulda 1.
Humaira f Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic حميراء (see Humayra), as well as the usual Urdu transcription.
Humberto m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Humbert.
Hunor m Hungarian
Derived from the ethnic term Hun, which refers to the nomadic people from Central Asia who expanded into Europe in the 4th century. The word Hun is from Latin Hunnus, which is possibly of Turkic origin. According to medieval Hungarian legend, the brothers Hunor and Magor were the ancestors of the Huns and the Magyars (Hungarians) respectively.
Husayn m Arabic
Diminutive of Hasan. Husayn ibn Ali (also commonly transliterated Hussein) was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. His older brother was named Hasan. The massacre of Husayn and his family was a major event in the split between Shia and Sunni Muslims, which continues to this day. In more recent times this was the name of a king of Jordan (1935-1999).
Husni m Arabic
Derived from Arabic حسْن (ḥusn) meaning "beauty, excellence, goodness".
Hussain m Arabic, Urdu, Dhivehi
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسين (see Husayn), as well as the usual Urdu and Dhivehi transcription.
Hyacinthus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ὑάκινθος (Hyakinthos), which was derived from the name of the hyacinth flower. In Greek legend Hyakinthos was accidentally killed by the god Apollo, who mournfully caused this flower to arise from his blood. The name was also borne by several early saints, notably a 3rd-century martyr who was killed with his brother Protus.
Hyeon-Jeong f Korean
From Sino-Korean (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or (hyeon) meaning "shine, glitter" combined with (jeong) meaning "courtyard" or (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Hypatia f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ὕπατος (hypatos) meaning "highest, supreme". Hypatia of Alexandria was a 5th-century philosopher and mathematician, daughter of the mathematician Theon.
Hyperion m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning "over". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan who presided over the sun and light. By Theia he was the father of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.
Hyun m & f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul (see Hyeon).
Iacob m Romanian, Biblical Latin
Romanian form of Jacob (or James). This is also the form of Jacob found in the Latin Old Testament (and the New Testament when referring to the patriarch).
Iah m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian jꜥḥ meaning "moon". In Egyptian mythology this was the name of a god of the moon, later identified with Thoth.
Iakovos m Greek
Modern Greek form of Jacob (or James).
Iancu m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of John.
Ianthe f Greek Mythology
Means "violet flower", derived from Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This was the name of an ocean nymph in Greek mythology.
Iapetos m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἰάπτω (iapto) meaning "to wound, to pierce". In Greek mythology this was the name of a Titan, the father of Atlas, Prometheus and Epimetheus.
Iben f Danish, Norwegian
Possibly a feminine form of Ib. It is associated with Danish ibenholt meaning "ebony".
Ibragim m Chechen, Ossetian, Kyrgyz
Chechen, Ossetian and Kyrgyz form of Ibrahim. This is also a Russian form, used to Russify native versions of the name in countries that were once part of the Soviet Union.
Ibraheem m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إبراهيم (see Ibrahim).
Ibrahim m Arabic, Malay, Indonesian, Pashto, Urdu, Kazakh, Tatar, Bashkir, Avar, Bosnian, Dhivehi, Albanian, Hausa, Swahili
Arabic form of Abraham, also used in several other languages. This form appears in the Quran.
Ibtihaj f Arabic
Means "joy" in Arabic, from the root بهج (bahija) meaning "to be happy, to rejoice in".
Icarus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἴκαρος (Ikaros), of unknown meaning. In Greek myth Icarus was the son of Daedalus, locked with his father inside the Labyrinth by Minos. They escaped from the maze using wings devised from wax, but Icarus flew too close to the sun and the wax melted, plunging him to his death.
Idan m Hebrew
Means "era" in Hebrew.
Idella f English
Elaboration of Ida.
Idonea f English (Archaic)
Medieval English name, probably a Latinized form of Iðunn. The spelling may have been influenced by Latin idonea "suitable". It was common in England from the 12th century.
Idony f English (Archaic)
Medieval English vernacular form of Idonea.
Idril f Literature
Means "sparkle brilliance" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Idril was the daughter of Turgon, the king of Gondolin. She escaped the destruction of that place with her husband Tuor and sailed with him into the west.
Idris 1 m Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Possibly means "interpreter, teacher" in Arabic, related to the root درس (darasa) meaning "to study, to learn". According to the Quran this was the name of an ancient prophet. He is traditionally equated with the Hebrew prophet Enoch.
Idris 2 m Welsh
Means "ardent lord" from Old Welsh iudd "lord" combined with ris "ardent, enthusiastic". This name was borne by Idris the Giant, a 7th-century king of Meirionnydd.
Idun f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian
Modern Scandinavian form of Iðunn.
Iefan m Welsh (Rare)
Older Welsh form of Ifan.
Ignaas m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch form of Ignatius.
Ignác m Hungarian, Slovak, Czech
Hungarian, Slovak and Czech form of Ignatius.
Ignace m French
French form of Ignatius.
Ignacia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Ignatius.
Ignacij m Slovene
Slovene form of Ignatius.
Ignacio m Spanish
Spanish form of Ignatius.
Ignat m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Ignatius.
Ignatia f Late Roman
Feminine form of Ignatius.
Ignatius m Late Roman
From the Roman family name Egnatius, meaning unknown, of Etruscan origin. The spelling was later altered to resemble Latin ignis "fire". This was the name of several saints, including the third bishop of Antioch who was thrown to wild beasts by Emperor Trajan, and by Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), founder of the Jesuits, whose real birth name was in fact Íñigo.
Igor m Russian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Italian, Portuguese, Basque
Russian form of the Old Norse name Yngvarr (see Ingvar). The Varangians brought it with them when they began settling in Eastern Europe in the 9th century. It was borne by two grand princes of Kyiv, notably Igor I the son of Rurik and the husband of Saint Olga. Other famous bearers include Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), a Russian composer known for The Rite of Spring, and Igor Sikorsky (1889-1972), the Russian-American designer of the first successful helicopter.
Igraine f Arthurian Cycle
Meaning unknown, from Igerna, the Latinized form of Welsh Eigyr. In Arthurian legend she is the mother of King Arthur by Uther Pendragon and the mother of Morgan le Fay by Gorlois. The Welsh form Eigyr or Eigr was rendered into Latin as Igerna by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth.
Ihab m Arabic
Means "gift" in Arabic, derived from وهب (wahaba) meaning "to give".
Ihintza f Basque
From Basque ihintz meaning "dew". It is a Basque equivalent of Rocío.
Ihsan m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian
Means "charity, good deed" in Arabic, from the root حسن (ḥasuna) meaning "to be good".
Iker m Basque
Means "visitation" in Basque. It is an equivalent of the Spanish name Visitación, coined by Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Ilarion m Bulgarian (Rare), Macedonian (Rare)
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Hilarion.
İlayda f Turkish
Possibly derived from the name of a Turkish water sprite.
Ildefonso m Spanish
Spanish form of the Visigothic name *Hildifuns, which meant "battle ready", derived from the Gothic elements hilds "battle" and funs "ready". This was the name of a 7th-century saint, an archbishop of Toledo.
Ildikó f Hungarian
Possibly a form of Hilda. This name was borne by the last wife of Attila the Hun.
Ilham f & m Arabic, Indonesian, Uyghur
Means "inspiration" in Arabic.
Iliana f Greek, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Ilias (Greek) or Iliya (Bulgarian).
Ilina f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Feminine form of Iliya.
Ilinca f Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Elena.
Iliya m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Elijah.
İlker m Turkish
Means "first man" in Turkish, derived from ilk "first" and er "man, hero, brave".
İlkin m Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "first" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Illarion m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Hilarion.
Ilma 1 f Finnish (Rare)
Means "air" in Finnish.
Ilmar m Estonian
Estonian form of Ilmarinen.
Ilmarinen m Finnish Mythology
Derived from Finnish ilma meaning "air". Ilmarinen is an immortal smith in Finnish mythology, the creator of the sky and the magic mill known as the Sampo. He is one of the main characters in the Finnish epic the Kalevala.
Ilse f German, Dutch
German and Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth, used independently.
Ilta f Finnish
Means "evening" in Finnish.
Ilyas m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian, Kazakh, Chechen, Tatar, Bashkir
Arabic form of Elijah, also used in several other languages.
Imam m Arabic, Indonesian
Means "leader" in Arabic.
Iman f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Indonesian, Malay
Means "faith" in Arabic, derived from أمن (ʾamuna) meaning "to be faithful". It is typically feminine in Arabic and masculine in Persian.
Imanol m Basque
Basque form of Emmanuel.
Imeda m Georgian
Derived from Georgian იმედი (imedi) meaning "hope".
Imelda f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Irmhild. The Blessed Imelda Lambertini was a young 14th-century nun from Bologna.
Imhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian jj-m-ḥtp meaning "he comes in peace". This was the name of a 27th-century BC architect, priest, physician and chief minister to the pharaoh Djoser. Imhotep apparently designed the step pyramid at Saqqara, near Memphis.
Immaculada f Catalan
Catalan cognate of Inmaculada.
Immanuel m Hebrew, German (Rare), Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Form of Emmanuel used in most translations of the Old Testament. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) was a German philosopher of the Enlightenment who is sometimes called the father of modern philosophy.
Imre m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Emmerich. This was the name of an 11th-century Hungarian saint, the son of Saint Istvan. He is also known as Emeric.
In'am f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إنعام (see Inam).
Inderpal m & f Indian (Sikh)
Means "protector of Indra" from the name of the god Indra combined with Sanskrit पाल (pāla) meaning "protector".
Indira f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
Means "beauty" in Sanskrit. This is another name of Lakshmi, the wife of the Hindu god Vishnu. A notable bearer was India's first female prime minister, Indira Gandhi (1917-1984).
Indra m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, Indonesian
Means "possessing drops of rain" from Sanskrit इन्दु (indu) meaning "a drop" and (ra) meaning "acquiring, possessing". Indra is the name of the ancient Hindu warrior god of the sky and rain, frequently depicted riding the elephant Airavata. He is the chief god in the Rigveda.
Indrajit m Hinduism, Bengali, Hindi
Means "conqueror of Indra" from the name of the god Indra combined with Sanskrit जिति (jiti) meaning "victory, conquering". In the Hindu epic the Ramayana this is another name of Meghanada, the son of Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. He was given this name by Brahma after he defeated Indra.
Indrani f Hinduism, Bengali, Hindi
Means "wife of Indra" in Sanskrit. This is a Vedic Hindu goddess who is the wife of Indra. She is associated with beauty and jealousy.
Inés f Spanish
Spanish form of Agnes.
Inès f French
French form of Inés.
Inês f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Agnes.
Inessa f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Inés.
Ingeborg f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Old Norse name Ingibjǫrg, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with bjǫrg meaning "help, save, rescue". This name was borne by a Danish princess who married Philip II of France in the 12th century.
Ingegerd f Swedish
From the Old Norse name Ingigerðr, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with garðr meaning "enclosure, yard".
Ingmar m Swedish
Variant of Ingemar. This name was borne by the Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman (1918-2007).
Ingomar m German (Rare), Germanic
From the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with Old German mari "famous", making it a cognate of Ingemar. Ingomar (or Inguiomer) was a 1st-century leader of the Cherusci, a Germanic tribe.
Ingram m Germanic, English (Rare)
Germanic name composed of either the element angil, from the name of the Germanic tribe of the Angles, or engil meaning "angel" combined with hram meaning "raven". This name was brought to England by the Normans, though it died out after the medieval era. These days it is usually inspired by the surname that was derived from the medieval name.
Ingrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, German, Dutch
From the Old Norse name Ingríðr meaning "Ing is beautiful", derived from the name of the Germanic god Ing combined with fríðr "beautiful, beloved". A famous bearer was the Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982).
Ingvar m Swedish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Yngvarr, which was derived from the name of the Germanic god Yngvi combined with herr meaning "army, warrior".
Innes m Scottish
Anglicized form of Aonghas.
Intan f Indonesian, Malay
Means "diamond" in Malay and Indonesian.
Io f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Io was a princess loved by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer in order to hide her from Hera. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.
Ioan m Romanian, Welsh, Bulgarian
Romanian and Welsh form of John. This is also an alternate transcription of Bulgarian Йоан (see Yoan 2).
Ioannes m Biblical Greek
Biblical Greek form of Yoḥanan (see John).
Ioannis m Greek
Modern Greek form of Ἰωάννης (see John).
Iolanthe f Various (Rare)
Probably a variant of Yolanda influenced by the Greek words ἰόλη (iole) meaning "violet" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was (first?) used by Gilbert and Sullivan in their comic opera Iolanthe (1882).
Iole f Greek Mythology
Means "violet" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a woman beloved by Herakles.
Iolyn m Welsh (Rare)
Diminutive of Iorwerth.
Iomhar m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Ivor.
Ion 2 m Greek Mythology
Of unknown etymology, possibly Pre-Greek. According to Greek mythology he was a son of Creusa and Xuthus (or alternatively the god Apollo). He was said to be the ancestor of the Greek tribe of the Ionians.
Iona 1 f English, Scottish
From the name of the island off Scotland where Saint Columba founded a monastery. The name of the island is Old Norse in origin, and apparently derives simply from ey meaning "island".
Ionas m Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin
Form of Jonah used in the Greek Bible. It is also the form used in the Latin New Testament.
Ionatán m Irish
Irish form of Jonathan.
Ione f Greek Mythology, English
From Ancient Greek ἴον (ion) meaning "violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.
Iorwerth m Welsh, Old Welsh
Means "worthy lord" from Old Welsh ior "lord" and gwerth "value, worth". This name was used by medieval Welsh royalty, including the prince Iorwerth Goch of Powys, who is mentioned in the tale the Dream of Rhonabwy. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Edward.
Iosif m Russian, Romanian, Greek
Russian, Romanian and Greek form of Joseph.
Iphigeneia f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἴφιος (iphios) meaning "strong, stout" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". In Greek myth Iphigenia was the daughter of King Agamemnon. When her father offended Artemis it was divined that the only way to appease the goddess was to sacrifice Iphigenia. Just as Agamemnon was about to sacrifice his daughter she was magically transported to the city of Taurus.... [more]
Iqbal m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay
Means "fortunate" in Arabic. Allama Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) was a poet, philosopher, and scholar from Pakistan.
Iqra f Urdu
From Arabic اقْرأ (iqraʾ) meaning "read, recite, confess". This is another name of the 96th chapter of the Quran.
Iracema f Tupi
Means "honey lips" in Tupi, from yra "honey" and tembe "lips". This is the name of an 1865 novel by José de Alencar, about the relationship between a Tupi woman and a Portuguese man during the early colonial period. Alencar may have constructed the name so that it would be an anagram of America.
Iraklis m Greek
Modern Greek form of Herakles.
Irene f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.... [more]
Ireneusz m Polish
Polish form of Irenaeus.
Irida f Greek
Greek variant of Iris, from the genitive form Ἴριδος (Iridos).
Irina f Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Romanian, Georgian, Finnish, Estonian
Form of Irene in several languages.
Irine f Georgian
Georgian form of Irene.
Irit f Hebrew
Means "asphodel (flower)" in Hebrew.
Irja f Finnish
Possibly a Finnish diminutive of Irina.
Irmgard f German
German contracted form of Ermengard.
Irmtraud f German
German contracted form of Ermendrud.
Iryna f Ukrainian, Belarusian
Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Irene.
Isaak m Greek, Russian (Rare), German (Rare), Biblical Greek
Greek, Russian and German form of Isaac.
Isabeau f Medieval French, French (Rare), Dutch (Modern)
Medieval French variant of Isabel. A famous bearer of this name was Isabeau of Bavaria (1385-1422), wife of the French king Charles VI.
Isabella f Italian, German, English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Romanian
Latinate form of Isabel. This name was borne by many medieval royals, including queens consort of England, France, Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire and Hungary, as well as the powerful ruling queen Isabella of Castile (properly called Isabel).... [more]
Isadora f English, Portuguese
Variant of Isidora. A famous bearer was the American dancer Isadora Duncan (1877-1927).
Isadore m English
Variant of Isidore.
Isagani m Tagalog
Possibly from Tagalog masaganang ani meaning "bountiful harvest". This is the name of a character in the novel El Filibusterismo (1891) by José Rizal.
Isaia m Italian, Old Church Slavic
Italian form of Isaiah, as well as the Old Church Slavic form.
Isaías m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Isaiah.
Isaias m Biblical
Late Latin form of Isaiah used in some versions of the Bible.
'Isam m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عصام (see Isam).
Isamu m Japanese
From Japanese (isamu) meaning "brave" or other kanji having the same pronunciation.
Isaura f Portuguese, Spanish, Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "from Isauria". Isauria was the name of a region in Asia Minor.
Isaurus m Late Roman
Masculine form of Isaura. This was the name of an early saint who was martyred in Macedon.
Iseul f & m Korean
Means "dew" in Korean.
Iseult f Arthurian Cycle
The origins of this name are uncertain, though some Celtic roots have been suggested. It is possible that the name is ultimately Germanic, from a hypothetical name like *Ishild, composed of the elements is "ice" and hilt "battle".... [more]
Ishmael m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishmaʿel) meaning "God will hear", from the roots שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Abraham. He is the traditional ancestor of the Arab people. Also in the Old Testament, it is borne by a man who assassinates Gedaliah the governor of Judah. The author Herman Melville later used this name for the narrator in his novel Moby-Dick (1851).
Ishtar f Semitic Mythology
From the Semitic root ʿṯtr, which possibly relates to the Evening Star. Ishtar was an Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian goddess who presided over love, war and fertility. She was cognate with the Canaanite and Phoenician Ashtoreth, and she was also identified with the Sumerian goddess Inanna. Her name in Akkadian cuneiform 𒀭𒈹 was the same as the Sumerian cuneiform for Inanna.
Isibéal f Irish
Irish form of Isabel.
Isidor m German (Rare), Russian (Rare)
German and Russian form of Isidore.
Isidora f Spanish, Serbian, Portuguese (Rare), Italian (Rare), English (Rare), Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Isidore. This was the name of a 4th-century Egyptian saint and hermitess.
Isidore m English, French, Georgian (Rare), Jewish
From the Greek name Ἰσίδωρος (Isidoros) meaning "gift of Isis", derived from the name of the Egyptian goddess Isis combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Isidore of Seville was a 6th-century archbishop, historian and theologian.... [more]
Isidro m Spanish
Spanish variant of Isidore.
Isis f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ꜣst (reconstructed as Iset, Aset or Ueset), possibly from st meaning "throne". In Egyptian mythology Isis was the goddess of the sky and nature, the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus. She was originally depicted wearing a throne-shaped headdress, but in later times she was conflated with the goddess Hathor and depicted having the horns of a cow on her head. She was also worshipped by people outside of Egypt, such as the Greeks and Romans.
Iskandar m Arabic, Indonesian, Malay
Arabic, Indonesian and Malay form of Alexander.
İskender m Turkish
Turkish form of Alexander.
Iskra f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian
Means "spark" in South Slavic.
Islwyn m Welsh
From the name of a mountain in Wales that means "below the forest" from Welsh is "below" and llwyn "forest, grove".
Ismaël m French
French form of Ishmael.
Ismael m Spanish, Portuguese, Biblical Greek
Spanish and Portuguese form of Ishmael. This is also the form used in the Greek Old Testament.
İsmail m Turkish
Turkish form of Ishmael.
Ismail m Arabic, Malay, Indonesian, Urdu, Bengali, Uyghur, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Chechen, Avar, Albanian, Dhivehi
Arabic form of Ishmael, also used in several other languages. According to the Quran and Islamic tradition Ismail was a prophet and the founder of the Arab people.
'Ismat m & f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عصمت (see Ismat).
Ismene f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek ἰσμή (isme) meaning "knowledge". This was the name of the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta in Greek legend.
Isocrates m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἰσοκράτης (Isokrates) meaning "equal power", derived from ἴσος (isos) meaning "equal" and κράτος (kratos) meaning "power". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian orator.
Isolda f Arthurian Cycle
Latinate form of Iseult.
Isolde f German, Arthurian Cycle
German form of Iseult, appearing in the 13th-century German poem Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg. In 1865 the German composer Richard Wagner debuted his popular opera Tristan und Isolde and also used the name for his first daughter.
Isra f Arabic
Means "nocturnal journey" in Arabic, derived from سرى (sarā) meaning "to travel by night". According to Islamic tradition, the Isra was a miraculous journey undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad.
Israa f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إسراء (see Isra).
Israfil m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Meaning unknown. In Islamic tradition this is the name of the angel who will blow the trumpet that signals the coming of Judgement Day. He is sometimes equated with the angels Raphael or Uriel from Judeo-Christian tradition.
Issachar m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly means "man of hire" or "there is reward", from Hebrew שָׁכַר (shaḵar) meaning "hire, wage, reward". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve sons of Jacob (by Leah) and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. A justification for the name's meaning is given in Genesis 30:18.
Issur m Yiddish (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Yiddish איסר (see Iser).
István m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Stephen. This was the name of the first king of Hungary. Ruling in the 11th century, he encouraged the spread of Christianity among his subjects and is considered the patron saint of Hungary.
Italus m Roman Mythology
Means "of Italy" in Latin. In Roman legend Italus was the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. He supposedly gave his name to the region known as Italia or Italy (in fact the region may have gotten its name from Oscan Víteliú meaning "land of bulls").
Itamar m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Hebrew form of Ithamar, also used in Brazil.
Ithai m Biblical
Variant of Ittai.
Ithamar m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אִיתָמָר (ʾIṯamar) meaning "date palm island", derived from אִי (ʾi) meaning "island" and תָּמָר (tamar) meaning "date palm". This is the name of a son of Aaron in the Old Testament.
Ithel m Welsh
From the Old Welsh name Iudhail, cognate of Old Breton Iudicael (see Judicaël).
Ithiel m Biblical
Possibly means "God is with me" in Hebrew. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Iðunn f Norse Mythology, Old Norse, Icelandic
Probably derived from the Old Norse prefix ið- "again, repeated" and unna "to love". In Norse mythology Iðunn was the goddess of spring and immortality whose responsibility it was to guard the gods' apples of youth.
Itzal f Basque
Means "shadow, protection" in Basque.
Itzhak m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew יִצְחָק (see Yitzhak).
Iúile f Irish (Rare)
Irish form of Julia.
Iulian m Romanian
Romanian form of Iulianus (see Julian).
Iuliana f Romanian, Ancient Roman
Latin and Romanian form of Juliana.
Iuno f Roman Mythology
Latin form of Juno.
Iva 1 f Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian
Means "willow tree" in South Slavic.
Iva 2 f Czech, Slovak, Slovene
Short form of Ivana.
Ivanna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian feminine form of Ivan.
Ivano m Italian
Italian form of Ivan.
Ivar m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian
Scandinavian form of Ivor.
Ivayla f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Ivaylo.
Iver m Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Ivar.
Ives m History (Ecclesiastical)
English form of Yves, used to refer to Saint Ives (also called Ivo) of Huntingdonshire, a semi-legendary English bishop.
Iveta f Czech, Slovak, Latvian
Czech, Slovak and Latvian form of Yvette.
Ivette f Catalan
Catalan form of Yvette.
Ivo 1 m German, Dutch, Czech, Italian, Portuguese, Estonian, Latvian, Germanic
Germanic name, originally a short form of names beginning with the element iwa meaning "yew". Alternative theories suggest that it may in fact be derived from a cognate Celtic element. This was the name of saints (who are also commonly known as Saint Yves or Ives), hailing from Cornwall, France, and Brittany.
Ivona f Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Form of Yvonne in several languages.
Ivonne f German, Dutch
German and Dutch variant of Yvonne.
Ivor m Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English (British)
From the Old Norse name Ívarr, which was probably derived from the elements ýr "yew tree, bow" and herr "army, warrior". During the Middle Ages it was brought to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders, and it was adopted in Ireland (Irish Íomhar), Scotland (Scottish Gaelic Iomhar) and Wales (Welsh Ifor).
Iwona f Polish
Polish feminine form of Yvon.
Ixchel f Mayan Mythology, Mayan
Possibly means "rainbow lady", from Classic Maya ix "lady" and chel "rainbow". Ixchel was a Maya goddess associated with the earth, jaguars, medicine and childbirth. She was often depicted with a snake in her hair and crossbones embroidered on her skirt.
Izabela f Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene
Polish, Czech, Slovak and Slovene form of Isabella.
Izabella f Hungarian, Polish
Hungarian and Polish form of Isabella.
Izar f & m Basque
Means "star" in Basque.
Izdihar f Arabic
Means "blossoming, prospering" in Arabic, a derivative of زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine, to bloom".
Izidor m Slovene
Slovene form of Isidore.
Izolda f Georgian, Russian, Hungarian, Polish (Rare)
Georgian, Russian, Hungarian and Polish form of Iseult.
Jáchym m Czech
Czech form of Joachim.
Jacinta f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Hyacinthus.
Jacinthe f French (Rare)
French cognate of Hyacinth 2.
Jacira f Tupi
Means "honey moon" in Tupi, from îasy "moon" and yra "honey".
Jacobine f Norwegian (Archaic), Dutch (Rare)
Norwegian and Dutch feminine form of Jacob.
Jacqueline f French, English
French feminine form of Jacques, also commonly used in the English-speaking world.
Jacques m French
French form of Iacobus, the New Testament Latin form of James.
Jacquette f French (Rare)
Feminine diminutive of Jacques.
Jae-Seong m Korean
From Sino-Korean (jae) meaning "located at, exist" or (jae) meaning "kill, rule" combined with (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or (seong) meaning "sincere, honest, true". Other hanja combinations are possible.
Jahan m Persian
Means "world" in Persian. This name was borne by Shah Jahan, a 17th-century Mughal emperor who is best known as the builder of the Taj Mahal.
Jaidev m Hindi
Modern form of Jayadeva.
Jair m Biblical, Biblical Portuguese, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese (Brazilian)
Means "he shines" in Hebrew, a derivative of אוֹר (ʾor) meaning "to shine". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a son of Manasseh and one of the ruling judges of the Israelites.
Jákob m Hungarian (Rare), Czech (Rare)
Hungarian and Czech form of Iacob (see Jacob).
Jalal m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali
Means "greatness" in Arabic, from the root جلّ (jalla) meaning "to be great".
Jaleh f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian ژاله (see Zhaleh).
Jalil m Arabic, Persian
Means "important, exalted" in Arabic, from the root جلّ (jalla) meaning "to be great".
James m English, Biblical
English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus, a variant of the Biblical Latin form Iacobus, from the Hebrew name Yaʿaqov (see Jacob). This was the name of two apostles in the New Testament. The first was Saint James the Greater, the apostle John's brother, who was beheaded under Herod Agrippa in the Book of Acts. The second was James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. Another James (known as James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible as being the brother of Jesus.... [more]
Jamil m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay
Means "beautiful" in Arabic, from the root جمل (jamala) meaning "to be beautiful".
Jamshed m Urdu, Tajik
Urdu and Tajik form of Jamshid.
Janan f Arabic
Means "heart" or "soul" in Arabic, a derivative of جنّ (janna) meaning "to cover, to hide".
Jane f English
Medieval English form of Jehanne, an Old French feminine form of Iohannes (see John). This became the most common feminine form of John in the 17th century, surpassing Joan. In the first half of the 20th century Joan once again overtook Jane for a few decades in both the United States and the United Kingdom.... [more]
Janet f English
Medieval diminutive of Jane. This was a popular name throughout the English-speaking world in the 20th century, especially the 1930s to the 60s. Its popularity has since faded.
Janetta f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Janet.
Janette f English
Variant of Janet.
Jankin m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Jan 3.
Jannat f Bengali, Urdu
Means "paradise, garden" in Bengali and Urdu, derived from Arabic جنّة (janna).
János m Hungarian
Hungarian form of John.
Janus m Roman Mythology
Means "archway" in Latin. Janus was the Roman god of gateways and beginnings, often depicted as having two faces looking in opposite directions. The month of January is named for him.
Japheth m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יֶפֶת (Yefeṯ) meaning "enlarged". In the Old Testament he is one of the three sons of Noah, along with Shem and Ham. He was the ancestor of the peoples of Europe and northern Asia.
Jarlath m Irish
Anglicized form of Iarlaithe.
Jaromír m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements jarŭ "fierce, energetic" and mirŭ "peace, world". This name was borne by an 11th-century duke of Bohemia.
Jaroslav m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Yaroslav.
Jarosław m Polish
Polish form of Yaroslav.
Jasna f Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian
Derived from South Slavic jasno meaning "clearly, obviously".
Jaswinder m & f Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit यशस् (yaśas) meaning "fame, praise, glory" combined with the name of the Hindu god Indra.
Javaid m Urdu
Alternate transcription of Urdu جاوید (see Javed).
Javed m Persian, Urdu
Means "eternal" in Persian.
Javier m Spanish
Spanish form of Xavier.
Javiera f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Xavier.
Jean-Baptiste m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Baptiste, referring to Saint John the Baptist.
Jean-Charles m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Charles.
Jean-Claude m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Claude.
Jean-François m French
Combination of Jean 1 and François.
Jean-Jacques m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Jacques. This name was borne by the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778).
Jean-Luc m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Luc. A famous bearer is the French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard (1930-2022).
Jean-Marie m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Marie.
Jean-Pierre m French
Combination of Jean 1 and Pierre.
Jeconiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh will establish" in Hebrew, from the roots כּוּן (kun) meaning "to establish" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is another name (with the same meaning) of the Judean king Jehoiachin.
Jędrzej m Polish
Old Polish form of Andrew.
Jefferson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Jeffrey". It is usually given in honour of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), the third president of the United States and the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.
Jehiel m Biblical
Means "God will live" in Hebrew, from חָיָה (ḥaya) meaning "to live" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of several people in the Old Testament, including one of King David's lute players.
Jehoash m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹאָשׁ (Yehoʾash), an extended form of יוֹאָשׁ (see Joash). According to the Old Testament, this was the name of a king of Israel. He probably reigned in the 8th century BC.
Jehoiakim m Biblical
Means "Yahweh raises up" in Hebrew, from the roots יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and קוּם (qum) meaning "to raise". In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah. He lived in the 7th century BC, and was the son of Josiah and the father of Jehoiachin.
Jehoram m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹרָם (Yehoram) meaning "exalted by Yahweh", derived from יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt". In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah and a king of Israel, both of whom ruled at about the same time in the 9th century BC.
Jehovah m Theology
Form of Yahweh used in older translations of the Bible, produced by blending the letters of the Tetragrammaton with the vowels from Adonai.
Jehu m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is he" in Hebrew, from the roots יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and הוּא (hu) meaning "he". In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Israel. He ruled in the 9th century BC, coming to power by overthrowing Jehoram. This was also the name of a prophet during the reign of the king Baasha.
Jelena f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Estonian, Lithuanian
Form of Yelena in several languages. In Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia it is also associated with the South Slavic words jelen meaning "deer, stag" and jela meaning "fir tree".