Names Deemed "strange"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is strange.
gender
usage
impression
Elkan m Hebrew
Variant of Elkanah.
Elkanah m Biblical
Means "God has purchased" in Hebrew, from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and קָנָה (qana) meaning "to acquire, to purchase". In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Samuel.
Elke 2 f Yiddish
Yiddish feminine form of Elkanah.
Ellar m Scottish
Anglicized form of Ealar.
Ellery m & f English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the medieval masculine name Hilary.
Ellil m Semitic Mythology
Akkadian form of Enlil.
Elmar m German
Modern German form of Adelmar or Egilmar.
Elmas f Turkish
Means "diamond" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.
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).
Elmo m Italian, English, Finnish, Estonian
Originally a short form of names ending with the Old German element helm meaning "helmet, protection", such as Guglielmo or Anselmo. It is also a derivative of Erasmus, via the old Italian short form Ermo. Saint Elmo, also known as Saint Erasmus, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron of sailors. Saint Elmo's fire is said to be a sign of his protection.... [more]
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.
Elodia f Spanish
Spanish form of Alodia.
Elodie f English
English form of Élodie.
Elof m Swedish
From the Old Norse name Eileifr, which was derived from the elements ei "ever, always" and leif "inheritance, legacy".
Éloi m French
French form of Eligius.
Eloi m Catalan
Catalan form of Eligius.
Eloísa f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Eloise.
Éloïse f French
French form of Eloise.
Elon m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "oak tree" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament this was the name of one of the ruling judges of the Israelites. A notable modern bearer is the entrepreneur Elon Musk (1971-), who was born in South Africa and also holds Canadian and American citizenship (he is not Jewish).
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.
Eloy m Spanish
Spanish form of Eligius.
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.
Elric m Medieval English
Middle English form of either of the Old English names Ælfric or Æðelric. Both were rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
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.
Elsdon m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Elli's valley" in Old English.
Else f Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
Short form of Elisabeth, used independently.
Elspet f Scottish
Scottish form 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).
Eluf m Danish (Rare)
Danish form of Elof.
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.
Elvin 1 m English
Variant of Alvin.
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.
Elvis m English
Meaning unknown. It could possibly be a derivative of Alvis or Elwin. More likely, it is from the rare surname Elvis, a variant of Elwes, which is ultimately derived from the given name Eloise. The name was brought to public attention by the singer Elvis Presley (1935-1977), whose name came from his father's middle name.... [more]
Elwin m English
Variant of Alvin.
Elwira f Polish, Tatar, Bashkir
Polish, Tatar and Bashkir form of Elvira.
Elwood m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "elder tree forest" in Old English.
Elwyn m English
Variant of Alvin.
Elžbieta f Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Elizabeth.
Elżbieta f Polish
Polish form of Elizabeth.
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.
Ember f English (Modern)
From the English word ember, ultimately from Old English æmerge.
Emberly f English (Modern)
Elaboration of Ember, influenced by the spelling of Kimberly.
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.
Emeka m Igbo
Short form of Chukwuemeka and other Igbo names ending with the same element.
Émeline f French
French form of Emmeline.
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).
Émeric m French
French form of Emmerich.
Emersyn f English
Feminine variant of Emerson.
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.
Emidio m Italian
From the Late Latin name Emygdius, which was possibly a Latinized form of a Gaulish name (of unknown meaning). Saint Emygdius was a 3rd-century bishop and martyr, the patron saint against earthquakes.
Emigdia f Spanish (Rare)
Spanish feminine form of Emygdius (see Emidio).
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).
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.
Émilien m French
French form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Émilienne f French
French feminine form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
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.
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.
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.
Emmet m English
Variant of Emmett. It is used in Ireland in honour of the nationalist and rebel Robert Emmet (1778-1803).
Emmitt m English
Variant of Emmett. The American football player Emmitt Smith (1969-) is a famous bearer.
Emmylou f English (Rare)
Combination of Emmy and Lou.
Emory m & f English
Variant of Emery.
Emperatriz f Spanish
Means "empress" in Spanish.
Emre m Turkish
Means "friend, brother" in Turkish. This name was borne by the 13th-century Turkish poet Yunus Emre.
Emrik m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian form of Emmerich.
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.
Enara f Basque
Means "swallow (bird)" in Basque.
Encarna f Spanish
Short form of Encarnación.
Encarnación f Spanish
Means "incarnation" in Spanish. This is given in reference to the Incarnation of Jesus in the womb of the Virgin Mary.
Enda m Irish
Anglicized form of Éanna.
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).
Ender m Turkish
Means "very rare" in Turkish.
Endika m Basque
Basque form of Heinrich (see Henry).
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.
Enéas m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Aeneas.
Enfys f Welsh
Means "rainbow" in Welsh. This name was first used in the 19th century.
Engel m & f Germanic, German (Rare)
Originally this may have been a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element angil, referring to the Germanic tribe known in English as the Angles. However, from early times it has been strongly associated with the Old German word engil meaning "angel" (of Latin and Greek origin).
Engelbert m German, Germanic
Old German name composed of either the element angil, from the name of the Germanic tribe of the Angles, or engil meaning "angel" combined with beraht meaning "bright". Saint Engelbert was a 13th-century archbishop of Cologne murdered by assassins.
Engin m Turkish
Means "vast" in Turkish.
Enheduanna f Sumerian
From Sumerian En-hedu-anna, derived from 𒂗 (en) meaning "lady, high priestess" combined with 𒃶𒌌 (hedu) meaning "ornament" and the god's name An 2. This was the Sumerian title of a 23rd-century BC priestess and poet, identified as a daughter of Sargon of Akkad. Presumably she had an Akkadian birth name, but it is unrecorded. She is regarded as one of the earliest known poets.
Enid f Welsh, English, Arthurian Cycle
Probably derived from Welsh enaid meaning "soul, spirit, life". In Arthurian tales she first appears in the 12th-century French poem Erec and Enide by Chrétien de Troyes, where she is the wife of Erec. In later adaptations she is typically the wife of Geraint. The name became more commonly used after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian poem Enid in 1859, and it was fairly popular in Britain in the first half of the 20th century.
Enikő f Hungarian
Created by the Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty in the 19th century. He based it on the name of the legendary mother of the Hungarian people, Enéh, of Turkic origin meaning "young hind" (modern Hungarian ünő).
Eniola f & m Yoruba
Means "person of wealth" in Yoruba.
Enis m Turkish, Bosnian
Turkish and Bosnian form of Anis.
Enise f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of Anis.
Enitan m & f Yoruba
Means "person with a story, storied person" in Yoruba.
Enkhtuya f Mongolian
Means "ray of peace" in Mongolian, from энх (enkh) meaning "peace, calm" and туяа (tuyaa) meaning "ray, beam".
Enki m Sumerian Mythology
From Sumerian 𒂗 (en) meaning "lord" and 𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth, ground" (though maybe originally from 𒆳 (kur) meaning "underworld, mountain"). Enki, called Ea by the Akkadians, Assyrians and Babylonians, was the Sumerian god of water and wisdom and the keeper of the Me, the divine laws.
Enlil m Sumerian Mythology, Semitic Mythology
From Sumerian 𒂗 (en) meaning "lord" and possibly 𒆤 (lil) meaning "wind". Enlil was the Sumerian god of the wind and storms, the son of An and Ki. He was later worshipped by the Akkadians, Assyrians, Babylonians, and other Mesopotamian peoples.
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.
Ennio m Italian
Italian form of the Roman family name Ennius, which is of unknown meaning. Quintus Ennius was an early Roman poet.
Enobarbus m Literature
Form of Ahenobarbus used by Shakespeare in his play Antony and Cleopatra (1606).
Enoch m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name חֲנוֹך (Ḥanoḵ) meaning "dedicated". In Genesis in the Old Testament this is the name of the son of Cain. It is also the name of a son of Jared and the father of Methuselah, who was the supposed author of the apocryphal Books of Enoch.
Enola f English
Meaning unknown. This name first appeared in the late 19th century. It is the name of the main character in the novel Enola; or, her Fatal Mistake (1886) by Mary Young Ridenbaugh. The aircraft that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was named Enola Gay after the mother of the pilot, who was herself named for the book character.
Enos m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Enosh used in some versions of the Bible (including the King James Version).
Enosh m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "man, person, mortal" in Hebrew. He was a son of Seth and a grandson of Adam according to the genealogies in Genesis in the Old Testament.
Enrico m Italian
Italian form of Heinrich (see Henry). Enrico Fermi (1901-1954) was an Italian physicist who did work on the development of the nuclear bomb.
Enrique m Spanish
Spanish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Ensio m Finnish
Derived from Finnish ensi meaning "first".
Enu m & f Akan
Means "fifth born child" in Akan.
Enver m Turkish, Bosnian, Albanian
Turkish, Bosnian and Albanian form of Anwar.
Enya f Irish
Anglicized form of Eithne.
Enyinnaya m Igbo
Means "his father's friend" in Igbo.
Enyo f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. She was a bloodthirsty Greek war goddess and a companion of Ares.
Eoforhild f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements eofor "boar" and hild "battle". This name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
Eoforwine m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements eofor "boar" and wine "friend" (a cognate of Eberwin). This name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
Eoghan m Irish, Irish Mythology
Possibly means "born from the yew tree", from Old Irish "yew" and the suffix gan "born". Alternatively, it might be derived from the Latin name Eugenius. It was borne by several legendary or semi-legendary Irish figures, including a son of the king Niall of the Nine Hostages.
Eoin m Irish
Irish form of Iohannes (see John) used in the Bible.
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.
Epaphras m Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek
Shortened form of Epaphroditos. In the New Testament this is the name of one of Paul's co-workers.
Epaphroditos m Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek
Means "lovely, charming", derived from Greek ἐπί (epi) meaning "on" combined with the name of the Greek love goddess Aphrodite. It appears in the epistle to the Philippians in the New Testament (as Epaphroditus, the Latinized form, in the English version).
Ephesius m Late Roman
Latin form of Efisio.
Ephraim m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶפְרָיִם (ʾEfrayim) meaning "fruitful". In the Old Testament Ephraim is a son of Joseph and Asenath and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This name was also borne by two early saints: Ephraim or Ephrem the Syrian, a 4th-century theologian, and Ephraim of Antioch, a 6th-century patriarch of Antioch.
Ephrath f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Means "fruitful place" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is borne by one of the wives of Caleb. Also in the Bible, it is the name of the place where Rachel was buried.
Epifanio m Spanish, Italian
From the Latin name Epiphanius, which was from the Greek name Ἐπιφάνιος (Epiphanios), itself derived from the Greek word ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia) meaning "appearance, manifestation". This name was borne by a few early saints. It is associated with the event known in English as the Epiphany (Spanish Epifanía, Italian Epifania, Latin Epiphania), the coming of the three Magi to visit the infant Jesus.
Epiktetos m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name meaning "newly acquired". This was the name of a 1st-century Greek stoic philosopher.
Epimetheus m Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἐπιμήθεια (epimetheia) meaning "hindsight, hindthought". In Greek mythology he was a Titan, the brother of the god of forethought Prometheus.
Epiphanes m Ancient Greek
Means "appearing, manifesting" in Greek. This was an epithet of two 2nd-century BC Hellenistic rulers: the Seleucid king Antiochus IV and the Ptolemaic king Ptolemy V.
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".
Epona f Gaulish Mythology
Derived from Gaulish epos meaning "horse" with the divine or augmentative suffix -on. This was the name of a Gaulish goddess of horses and fertility. She was worshipped not only in Gaul, but elsewhere in the Roman Empire.
Eponine f Literature
English form of Éponine.
Era f Albanian
Derived from Albanian erë meaning "wind".
Eran m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Hebrew
Means "watchful, vigilant" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is a grandson of Ephraim.
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.
Erastus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἔραστος (Erastos) meaning "beloved, lovely". This was the name of an assistant of Paul mentioned in Acts and two epistles in the New Testament.
Erasyl m Kazakh
Means "noble hero" in Kazakh, from ер (er) meaning "man, hero" and асыл (asyl) meaning "precious, noble".
Erato f Greek Mythology
Means "lovely" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, the muse of lyric poetry.
Erazem m Slovene
Slovene form of Erasmus.
Ercan m Turkish
From Turkish er meaning "man, hero, brave" and can meaning "soul, life".
Ercole m Italian
Italian form of Hercules.
Erdem 1 m Turkish
Means "virtue" in Turkish.
Erebus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἔρεβος (Erebos), which means "nether darkness". Erebus was the personification of the primordial darkness in Greek mythology.
Eren m Turkish
Means "saint, holy person" in Turkish.
Ereshkigal f Sumerian Mythology
Means "lady of the great earth", from Sumerian 𒊩𒌆 (ereš) meaning "lady, queen" combined with 𒆠 (ki) meaning "earth" and 𒃲 (gal) meaning "great, big". In Sumerian mythology she was the goddess of death and the underworld.
Erez m Hebrew
Means "cedar" in Hebrew.
Erfan m Persian
Persian form of Irfan.
Erhard m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element era "honour, respect" combined with hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Saint Erhard was a 7th-century bishop of Regensburg in Bavaria.
Erich m German
German form of Eric. The German novelist Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970) was the author of All Quiet on the Western Front.
Erikas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Eric.
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.
Erkan m Turkish
From Turkish er "man, hero, brave" combined with either kan "blood" or han "khan, leader".
Erland m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Erlendr, which was derived from ørlendr meaning "foreigner".
Erlantz m Basque
Means "glow, shine" in Basque.
Erle 2 m English
Variant of Earl.
Erlea f Basque (Rare)
Means "bee" in Basque.
Erlend m Norwegian
Variant of Erland.
Erling m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Means "descendant of the jarl", a derivative of the Old Norse word jarl meaning "chieftain, nobleman, earl".
Ermanno m Italian
Italian form of Herman.
Ermenegilda f Italian
Feminine form of Ermenegildo.
Ermenegildo m Italian
Italian form of Hermenegildo.
Ermengard f Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements irmin meaning "whole, great" and gart meaning "enclosure, yard". This name was borne by the wife of the Frankish king Louis the Pious (9th century). This was also the name of one of her granddaughters, an abbess of Frauenwörth who is regarded as a saint.
Ermete m Italian
Derived from Hermetis, the Latin genitive form of Hermes, the name of the Greek messenger god.
Erminia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Herminius.
Erminio m Italian
Italian form of Herminius.
Ermintrude f English (Archaic)
English form of Ermendrud. It was occasionally used until the 19th century.
Ermolai m Russian (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Russian Ермолай (see Yermolay).
Ernesta f Italian, Lithuanian
Feminine form of Ernest.
Ernestina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Ernest.
Ernestine f French, German, English
Feminine form of Ernest.
Ernesto m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Ernest.
Ernő m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Ernest.
Erol m Turkish
Means "brave" in Turkish.
Eros m Greek Mythology
Means "love" in Greek. In Greek mythology he was a young god, the son of Aphrodite, who was armed with arrows that caused the victim to fall in love.
Erramun m Basque
Basque form of Raymond.
Errol m English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from village by this name in Perthshire. It was popularized as a given name by the Australian actor Errol Flynn (1909-1959).
Ersilia f Italian
Italian form of Hersilia.
Erskine m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of a town near Glasgow. The town's name possibly means "projecting height" in Gaelic. A famous bearer was the Irish novelist and nationalist Erskine Childers (1870-1922).
Ervin m Hungarian, Albanian, Croatian, Estonian
Hungarian, Albanian, Croatian and Estonian form of Erwin.
Esaias m Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Form of Isaiah used in the Greek and Latin Bibles, as well as some English translations of the New Testament.
Esau m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name עֵשָׂו (ʿEsaw), which possibly meant "hairy". In the Old Testament Esau is the elder of the twin sons of Isaac and Rebecca. Once when he was very hungry he sold his birthright to his twin Jacob for a bowl of stew. Later Jacob disguised himself as Esau and received the elder son's blessing from the blind Isaac. Esau, also called Edom, was the ancestor of the Edomites.
Esdras m Biblical, Biblical Greek
Greek form of Ezra. This spelling is used in parts of the Old Testament Apocrypha.
Eseld f Cornish
Cornish form of Iseult.
Esen f & m Turkish
Means "the wind" in Turkish.
Eseoghene m & f Urhobo
Means "God's gift" in Urhobo.
Eser f & m Turkish
Means "product, achievement" in Turkish.
Esfir f Russian
Russian form of Esther.
Esha f Hindi
Means "desire, wish" in Sanskrit.
Esi f Akan
Means "born on Sunday" in Akan.
Esin f Turkish
Means "inspiration" in Turkish.
Eskandar m Persian
Persian form of Alexander.
Eskarne f Basque (Rare)
Means "mercy" in Basque. It was coined by Sabino Arana in 1910 as an equivalent of the Spanish name Mercedes.
Eskil m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Modern Scandinavian form of Ásketill.
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.
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.
Espen m Norwegian
Variant of Asbjørn.
Esperanta f Esperanto
Means "hoping" in Esperanto.
Esperanza f Spanish
Spanish form of the Late Latin name Sperantia, which was derived from sperare "to hope".
Esra f Turkish
Turkish form of Isra.
Essence f English (Modern)
From the English word essence, which means either "odour, scent" or else "fundamental quality". Ultimately it derives from Latin esse "to be".
Esta f English
Diminutive of Esther.
Estebe m Basque
Basque form of Stephen.
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.
Estefanía f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Stephen.
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).
Estera f Polish, Slovak, Romanian, Lithuanian
Polish, Slovak, Romanian and Lithuanian form of Esther.
Esteri f Finnish
Finnish form of Esther.
Estevão m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Stephen.
Estevo m Galician
Galician form of Stephen.
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".
Esyllt f Welsh
Welsh form of Iseult.
Eszter f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Esther.
Eszti f Hungarian
Diminutive of Eszter.
Étaín f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Possibly derived from Old Irish ét meaning "jealousy, passion". In Irish legend she is the subject of the 9th-century tale The Wooing of Étaín. She was the wife of Midir, but his jealous first wife Fuamnach transformed her into a fly. She was accidentally swallowed, and then reborn to the woman who swallowed her. After she grew again to adulthood she married the Irish high king Eochaid Airem, having no memory of Midir. Midir and Étaín were eventually reunited after Midir defeated Eochaid in a game of chess.... [more]
Etel f Hungarian
Short form of Etelka.
Etelka f Hungarian
Feminine form of Etele created by the Hungarian writer András Dugonics for the main character in his novel Etelka (1788).
Etelvina f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Adalwin.
Eteri f Georgian
Form of Eter with the nominative suffix, used when the name is written stand-alone.
Ethelbert m English (Archaic)
Middle English form of Æþelbeorht. The name was very rare after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived briefly in the 19th century.
Etheldred f Medieval English
Middle English form of Æðelþryð.
Etheldreda f Medieval English
Middle English form of Æðelþryð.
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.
Ethelred m English (Archaic)
Middle English form of Æðelræd. The name was very rare after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived briefly in the 19th century.
Ethelyn f English
Diminutive of Ethel.
Étienne m French
French form of Stephen.
Étiennette f French
French feminine form of Stephen.
Etna f Various
From the name of an active volcano on the island of Sicily, Italy.
Etsuko f Japanese
From Japanese (etsu) meaning "joy, pleased" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Ettore m Italian
Italian form of Hector.
Etzel m Germanic Mythology
Form of Attila used in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied. In the story Etzel is a fictional version of Attila the Hun.
Eua f Biblical Greek
Form of Ḥawwa (see Eve) used in the Greek Bible. Ḥawwa is also translated as Zoe in the Greek Old Testament.
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".
Eufemia f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Euphemia.
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.
Eugênio m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Eugenius (see Eugene).
Eugenio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Eugenius (see Eugene).
Eugenios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Eugene.
Eukene f Basque
Basque form of Eugenia.
Eula f English
Short form of Eulalia.
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.
Eumelia f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὐμέλεια (eumeleia) meaning "melody".
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-Jeong f Korean
From Sino-Korean (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" or (eun) meaning "careful, anxious, attentive" combined with (jeong) meaning "courtyard" or (jeong) meaning "pretty, graceful". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
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.
Euphranor m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὐφραίνω (euphraino) meaning "to delight, to cheer". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian artist.
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.
Euphrosyne f Greek Mythology
Means "mirth, merriment, cheerfulness" in Greek, a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φρήν (phren) meaning "mind, heart". She was one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites) in Greek mythology.
Euri f Basque (Rare)
Means "rain" in Basque.
Eurig m Welsh
Derived from Welsh aur meaning "gold" combined with a diminutive suffix.
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.
Europa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Εὐρώπη (Europe), which meant "wide face" from εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted and taken to Crete by Zeus in the guise of a bull. She became the first queen of Crete, and later fathered Minos by Zeus. The continent of Europe said to be named for her, though it is more likely her name is from that of the continent. This is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.
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.