Names Deemed "strange"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is strange.
gender
usage
impression
Colum m Irish, Old Irish
Irish form of Columba. The Old Irish word columb or colum also means "dove", derived from Latin columba.
Columba m & f Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "dove". The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. This was the name of several early saints both masculine and feminine, most notably the 6th-century Irish monk Saint Columba (or Colum) who established a monastery on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. He is credited with the conversion of Scotland to Christianity.
Columbán m Old Irish
Possibly an Irish diminutive of Columba. Alternatively, it may be derived from Old Irish colum "dove" and bán "white". The 7th-century Saint Columbán of Leinster was the founder of several monasteries in Europe.
Columbine f English (Rare), Theatre
From the name of a variety of flower. It is also an English form of Colombina, the theatre character.
Colwyn m Welsh
From the name of a bay and seaside town in Conwy, Wales.
Côme m French
French form of Cosmas.
Comfort f English (African)
From the English word comfort, ultimately from Latin confortare "to strengthen greatly", a derivative of fortis "strong". It was used as a given name after the Protestant Reformation. It is now most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Comgán m Irish (Rare)
Old Irish form of Comhghán.
Comhghall m Irish (Rare)
Means "fellow hostage" from Old Irish com "with, together" and gíall "hostage". This was the name of a 6th-century saint, the founder of a monastery at Bangor, Ireland.
Comhghán m Irish (Rare)
Means "born together" from Old Irish com "with, together" and gan "born". Saint Comgán was the founder of a monastery at Killeshin in the 6th or 7th century.
Conall m Irish, Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "rule of a wolf", from Old Irish "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive con) and fal "rule". This is the name of several characters in Irish legend including the hero Conall Cernach ("Conall of the victories"), a member of the Red Branch of Ulster, who avenged Cúchulainn's death by killing Lugaid.
Conan m Irish
Means "little wolf" or "little hound" from Irish "wolf, hound" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early saints, including a 7th-century bishop of the Isle of Man. It appears in Irish legend as a companion Fionn mac Cumhaill. A famous bearer of it as a middle name was Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), the author of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories. It is also the name of the hero of the Conan the Barbarian series of books, comics and movies, debuting 1932.
Concetta f Italian
Means "conceived" in Italian, referring to the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.
Concetto m Italian
Masculine form of Concetta.
Conchobar m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Derived from Old Irish "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive con) and cobar "desiring". It has been in use in Ireland for centuries and was the name of several Irish rulers. It was borne by the Ulster king Conchobar mac Nessa, one of the central characters in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology, known for his tragic desire for Deirdre and his war with Queen Medb of Connacht.
Conchobhar m Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Conchobar.
Conchúr m Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Conchobar.
Concordia f Roman Mythology
Means "harmony" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of harmony and peace.
Condoleezza f Various (Rare)
In the case of the former American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (1954-), it is derived from the Italian musical term con dolcezza meaning "with sweetness".
Confucius m History
Anglicized form of the Chinese name Kong Fuzi. The surname (Kong) means "hole, opening" and the title 夫子 (Fuzi) means "master". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Chinese philosopher. His given name was Qiu.
Conleth m Irish
Anglicized form of the Old Irish name Conláed, possibly meaning "constant fire" from cunnail "prudent, constant" and áed "fire". Saint Conláed was a 5th-century bishop of Kildare.
Connla m Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Conláech, derived from "hound, dog, wolf" (genitive con) and láech "warrior". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend including the son of Cúchulainn and Aoife. When he finally met his father they fought because Connla would not identify himself, and the son was slain.
Conrad m English, German, Germanic
Means "brave counsel", derived from the Old German elements kuoni "brave" and rat "counsel, advice". This was the name of a 10th-century saint and bishop of Konstanz, in southern Germany. It was also borne by several medieval German kings and dukes, notably Conrad II, the first of the Holy Roman Emperors from the Salic dynasty. In England it was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, but has only been common since the 19th century when it was reintroduced from Germany.
Conrí m Old Irish
Means "king of hounds" in Irish.
Constanța f Romanian
Romanian form of Constantia.
Constantijn m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch form of Constantinus (see Constantine).
Constantin m Romanian, French
Romanian and French form of Constantinus (see Constantine).
Constantina f Late Roman, Romanian
Feminine form of Constantinus (see Constantine).
Constantine m History
From the Latin name Constantinus, a derivative of Constans. Constantine the Great (272-337), full name Flavius Valerius Constantinus, was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
Constanza f Spanish
Spanish form of Constantia.
Constanze f German
German form of Constantia.
Consuelo f Spanish
Means "consolation" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, meaning "Our Lady of Consolation".
Consus m Roman Mythology
Possibly derived from Latin conserere meaning "to sow, to plant". Consus was a Roman god of the harvest and grain.
Conway m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from the name of the River Conwy, which possibly means "foremost water" in Welsh.
Coos m Dutch
Diminutive of Jacob.
Coral f English, Spanish
From the English and Spanish word coral for the underwater skeletal deposits that can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek κοράλλιον (korallion).
Coralie f French
Either a French form of Koralia, or a derivative of Latin corallium "coral" (see Coral).
Coraline f Literature, French
Created by the French composer Adolphe Adam for one of the main characters in his opera Le Toréador (1849). He probably based it on the name Coralie. It was also used by the author Neil Gaiman for the young heroine in his novel Coraline (2002). Gaiman has stated that in this case the name began as a typo of Caroline.
Cordelia f Literature, English
From Cordeilla, a name appearing in the 12th-century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth, borne by the youngest of the three daughters of King Leir and the only one to remain loyal to her father. Geoffrey possibly based her name on that of Creiddylad, a character from Welsh legend.... [more]
Cordell m English
From an English surname meaning "maker of cord" or "seller of cord" in Middle English.
Cordula f German
Late Latin name meaning "heart" from Latin cor (genitive cordis). Saint Cordula was one of the 4th-century companions of Saint Ursula.
Corentin m Breton, French
French form of the Breton name Kaourintin, possibly from korventenn meaning "hurricane, storm". Alternatively, it could be connected to the Brythonic root *karid meaning "love" (modern Breton karout). This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.
Coretta f English
Diminutive of Cora. It was borne by Coretta Scott King (1927-2006), the wife of Martin Luther King Jr.
Coriander f English (Rare)
From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
Corina f Romanian, Spanish, Portuguese, German
Romanian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Corinna, as well as a German variant.
Corinna f German, Italian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Κόριννα (Korinna), which was derived from κόρη (kore) meaning "maiden". This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet Ovid used it for the main female character in his book Amores. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem Corinna's going a-Maying.
Corné m Dutch
Diminutive of Cornelis.
Cornelia f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cornelius. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
Cornelio m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Cornelius.
Cornelis m Dutch
Dutch form of Cornelius.
Cornelius m Ancient Roman, English, Dutch, German, Biblical
Roman family name that possibly derives from the Latin element cornu meaning "horn". In Acts in the New Testament Cornelius is a centurion who is directed by an angel to seek Peter. After speaking with Peter he converts to Christianity, and he is traditionally deemed the first gentile convert. The name was also borne by a few early saints, including a 3rd-century pope. In England it came into use in the 16th century, partly due to Dutch influence.
Corona f Late Roman, Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Means "crown" in Latin, as well as Italian and Spanish. This was the name of a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with her companion Victor.
Corradino m Italian
Diminutive of Corrado.
Corwin m English
From an English surname, derived from Old French cordoan "leather", ultimately from the name of the Spanish city of Cordova.
Cosette f French, Literature
From French chosette meaning "little thing". This is the nickname of the illegitimate daughter of Fantine in Victor Hugo's novel Les Misérables (1862). Her real name is Euphrasie, though it is seldom used. In the novel young Cosette is the ward of the cruel Thénardiers until she is retrieved by Jean Valjean.
Cosima f Italian
Italian feminine form of Cosimo.
Cosimo m Italian
Italian form of Cosmas. A famous bearer was Cosimo de' Medici (1389-1464), the founder of Medici rule in Florence, who was a patron of the Renaissance and a successful merchant. Other members of the Medici family have also borne this name.
Coşkun m Turkish
Means "enthusiastic" in Turkish.
Cosma m Italian
Italian form of Cosmas.
Cosmas m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κοσμᾶς (Kosmas), which was derived from κόσμος (kosmos) meaning "order, world, universe". Saint Cosmas was martyred with his twin brother Damian in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians.
Cosme m Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Cosmas.
Cosmin m Romanian
Romanian form of Cosmas.
Cosmina f Romanian
Feminine form of Cosmin.
Cosmo m Italian, English
Italian variant of Cosimo. It was introduced to Britain in the 18th century by the second Scottish Duke of Gordon, who named his son and successor after his friend Cosimo III de' Medici. On the American sitcom Seinfeld (1989-1998) this was the seldom-used first name of Jerry's neighbour Kramer.
Costantino m Italian
Italian form of Constantinus (see Constantine).
Costanza f Italian
Italian feminine form of Constans.
Costel m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Constantin.
Costică m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Constantin.
Costin m Romanian
Romanian short form of Constantin.
Cowal m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Comhghall.
Cowessess m Ojibwe (Anglicized)
From an Ojibwe or Cree name recorded as Kiwisance, said to mean "little child", possibly related to Ojibwe gwiiwizens meaning "boy" or Cree ᐊᐋᐧᓯᐢ (awâsis) meaning "child". This was the name of a late 19th-century chief of a mixed band of Plains Cree and Saulteaux people.
Coy m English
From a surname that meant "quiet, shy, coy" from Middle English coi.
Crawford m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "crow ford" in Old English.
Cree m & f English (Rare)
From the name of a Native American tribe of central Canada. Their name derives via French from the Cree word kiristino.
Creighton m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name, originally from Gaelic crioch "border" combined with Old English tun "town".
Crescencia f Spanish
Spanish form of Crescentia.
Crescens m Late Roman, Biblical Latin
Latin name that was derived from crescere "to grow". This name is mentioned briefly in one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament.
Crescentia f German (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of Crescentius. Saint Crescentia was a 4th-century companion of Saint Vitus. This is also the name of the eponymous heroine of a 12th-century German romance.
Crescentius m Late Roman
Latin name that was a derivative of the name Crescens. This was the name of a few early saints, including a child martyred in Rome during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.
Crescenzo m Italian
Italian form of Crescentius.
Cressida f Literature
Form of Criseida used by Shakespeare in his play Troilus and Cressida (1602).
Crina f Romanian
Derived from Romanian crin meaning "lily".
Crispian m English (Archaic)
Medieval variant of Crispin.
Crispin m English (Rare)
From the Roman cognomen Crispinus, which was derived from the name Crispus. Saint Crispin was a 3rd-century Roman who was martyred with his twin brother Crispinian in Gaul. They are the patrons of shoemakers. They were popular saints in England during the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since that time.
Cristiana f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Italian, Portuguese and Romanian form of Christina.
Cristóbal m Spanish
Spanish form of Christopher.
Crocifissa f Italian (Rare)
Means "crucifix" in Italian, derived from Latin crucifixus "fixed to a cross", from crux "cross" and fixus "fixed, fastened".
Cronus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κρόνος (Kronos), possibly derived from the Indo-European root *(s)ker- meaning "to cut". Cronus was the Titan who fathered the Greek gods. As his wife Rhea gave birth to the gods, Cronus swallowed them fearing the prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his children. However Rhea hid Zeus, her last child, who eventually forced his father to disgorge his siblings. Cronus and the rest of the Titans were then defeated by the gods and exiled.
Črt m Slovene
Short form of Črtomir.
Cruella f Popular Culture
From the English word cruel, ultimately from Latin crudelis "hard, severe, cruel". This is the name of the antagonist, Cruella de Vil, in the 1961 Disney movie 101 Dalmatians, based on a 1956 novel by Dodie Smith.
Cruz f & m Spanish, Portuguese
Means "cross" in Spanish or Portuguese, referring to the cross of the crucifixion.
Cruzita f Spanish (Rare)
Diminutive of Cruz.
Csaba m Hungarian
Possibly means either "shepherd" or "gift" in Hungarian. According to legend this was the name of a son of Attila the Hun.
Csenge f Hungarian
Possibly derived from Hungarian cseng meaning "to ring, to clang".
Csilla f Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian csillag meaning "star". This name was created by the Hungarian author András Dugonics for an 1803 novel and later used and popularized by the poet Mihály Vörösmarty.
Cthulhu m Literature
Created by author H. P. Lovecraft for a gigantic, horrible, octopus-like god, first introduced in the short story The Call of Cthulhu (1926). Lovecraft may have based the name on the word chthonic meaning "under the earth, subterranean", a derivative of Greek χθών (chthon) meaning "earth, ground, soil".
Ctibor m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements čĭstĭ "honour" and borti "battle".
Ctirad m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements čĭstĭ "honour" and radŭ "happy, willing". In Czech legend this was the name of one of the men tricked by Šárka.
Cuauhtemoc m Nahuatl
Means "descending eagle" in Nahuatl, from cuāuhtli "eagle" and temo "descend". This was the name of the last Aztec emperor, ruling until he was captured and executed by the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés in the year 1525.
Cúchulainn m Irish Mythology
Means "hound of Culann" in Irish. This was the usual name of the warrior hero who was named Sétanta at birth, given to him because he took the place of one of Culann's hounds after he accidentally killed it. The Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology tells of Cúchulainn's many adventures, including his single-handed defence of Ulster against the army of Queen Medb.
Cuidightheach m Medieval Irish
Irish byname meaning "helpful" (cuidigh means "help").
Culhwch m Arthurian Cycle, Welsh Mythology
Means "hiding place of the pig" in Welsh. In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen he was the lover of Olwen, the daughter of the giant Yspaddaden. Before the giant would allow Culhwch to marry his daughter, he insisted that Culhwch complete a series of extremely difficult tasks. Culhwch managed to complete the tasks with the help of his cousin King Arthur, and he returned to marry Olwen and kill the giant.
Cumhur m Turkish
Means "public, people" in Turkish.
Cunégonde f French (Rare)
French form of Kunigunde. Voltaire used this name in his novel Candide (1759).
Cüneyt m Turkish
Turkish form of Junayd.
Cunobelinus m Brythonic (Latinized)
Latinized form of a Brythonic name, possibly from old Celtic * "dog, hound" (genitive *kunos) combined with either the name of the god Belenus or another Celtic root meaning "strong". This was the name of a 1st-century king of southeastern Britain. He is known from Roman historians such as Suetonius and medieval Welsh histories, as well as from coins bearing his name.
Cupid m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Cupido meaning "desire". This was the name of the Roman god of love, the son of Venus and Mars. He was portrayed as a winged, blindfolded boy, armed with a bow and arrows, which caused the victim to fall in love. His Greek equivalent was Eros.
Custodia f Spanish
Feminine form of Custodio.
Custodio m Spanish
Means "guardian" in Spanish, from Latin custodia "protection, safekeeping".
Cuthberht m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Cuthbert.
Cveta f Serbian
Feminine form of Cvetko.
Cvetka f Slovene
Feminine form of Cvetko.
Cvetko m Slovene, Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian
Derived from South Slavic cvet meaning "blossom, flower".
Cvijeta f Croatian, Serbian
Feminine form of Cvetko.
Cvita f Croatian
Croatian feminine form of Cvetko.
Cyan f & m English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "greenish blue, cyan", ultimately derived from Greek κύανος (kyanos).
Cybele f Near Eastern Mythology (Latinized)
Meaning unknown, possibly from Phrygian roots meaning either "stone" or "hair". This was the name of the Phrygian mother goddess associated with fertility and nature. She was later worshipped by the Greeks and Romans.
Cybill f English (Rare)
Variant of Sibyl. This name was borne by actress Cybill Shepherd (1950-), who was named after her grandfather Cy and her father Bill.
Cymbeline m Literature
Form of Cunobelinus used by Shakespeare in his play Cymbeline (1609).
Cynbel m Medieval Welsh
Medieval Welsh name of uncertain meaning.
Cynebald m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and beald "bold, brave".
Cyneburg f Anglo-Saxon
Means "royal fortress" from Old English cyne "royal" and burg "fortress". Saint Cyneburga, a daughter of a king of Mercia, was the founder of an abbey at Castor in the 7th century.
Cynefrið m Anglo-Saxon
Means "royal peace" from Old English cyne "royal" and friþ "peace".
Cyneheard m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and heard "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Cynemær m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and mære "famous".
Cyneric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and ric "ruler, king".
Cynesige m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and sige "victory".
Cyneweard m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cyne "royal" and weard "guard".
Cynwrig m Old Welsh
Derived from Old Welsh cynt meaning "first, chief" and gur meaning "man", plus the suffix ig indicating "has the quality of".
Cyprian m Polish, History (Ecclesiastical)
From the Roman family name Cyprianus, which meant "from Cyprus". Saint Cyprian was a 3rd-century bishop of Carthage who was martyred under the Roman emperor Valerian.
Cyprianus m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Cyprian.
Cyprien m French
French form of Cyprianus (see Cyprian).
Cyra f History (Ecclesiastical)
Meaning unknown. Saint Cyra was a 5th-century Syrian hermit who was martyred with her companion Marana.
Cyrano m Literature
Possibly derived from the name of the ancient Greek city of Cyrene, which was located in North Africa. Edmond Rostand used this name in his play Cyrano de Bergerac (1897). He based his character upon a real person, the French satirist Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac (1619-1655).
Cyriaca f Late Roman
Feminine form of Cyriacus.
Cyriacus m Late Roman
Latinized form of the Greek name Κυριακός (Kyriakos), which meant "of the lord" (derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord"). This was the name of a few early saints.
Cyrielle f French
French feminine form of Cyril.
Cyril m English, French, Czech, Slovak
From the Greek name Κύριλλος (Kyrillos), which was derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord", a word used frequently in the Greek Bible to refer to God or Jesus.... [more]
Cyrilla f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Cyril.
Cyrille m & f French
French form of Cyril, sometimes used as a feminine form.
Cyrus m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Persian (Latinized)
Latin form of Greek Κῦρος (Kyros), from the Old Persian name 𐎤𐎢𐎽𐎢𐏁 (Kuruš), possibly meaning "young" or "humiliator (of the enemy)". Alternatively it could be of Elamite origin. The name has sometimes been associated with Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord".... [more]
Cyryl m Polish
Polish form of Cyril.
Cystennin m Welsh
Welsh form of Constantine.
Czcibor m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Ctibor.
Czesław m Polish
Derived from the Slavic elements čĭstĭ "honour" and slava "glory".
Czesława f Polish
Feminine form of Czesław.
Da m & f Chinese
From Chinese () meaning "achieve, arrive at, intelligent" (which is usually only masculine), () meaning "big, great, vast, high", or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Dacian m Romanian
Derived from Dacia, the old Roman name for the region that is now Romania and Moldova.
Daciana f Romanian
Feminine form of Dacian.
Dacre m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name in Cumbria, of Brythonic origin meaning "trickling stream".
Dada m & f Yoruba
Means "curly hair" in Yoruba.
Daedalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Δαίδαλος (Daidalos), which was derived from δαιδάλλω (daidallo) meaning "to work cunningly". In Greek myth Daedalus was an Athenian inventor who was banished to Crete. There he designed the Labyrinth for King Minos, but he and his son Icarus were eventually imprisoned inside it because he had aided Theseus in his quest against the Minotaur. Daedalus and Icarus escaped using wings fashioned from wax, but Icarus fell from the sky to his death.
Dae-Jung m Korean
From Sino-Korean (dae) meaning "big, great, vast, large, high" combined with (jung) meaning "middle". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well. A notable bearer was South Korean president Kim Dae-jung (1924-2009).
Daenerys f Literature
Created by author George R. R. Martin for a character in his series A Song of Ice and Fire, first published 1996, and the television adaptation Game of Thrones (2011-2019). An explanation for the meaning of her name is not provided, though it is presumably intended to be of Valyrian origin. In the series Daenerys Targaryen is a queen of the Dothraki and a claimant to the throne of Westeros.
Daffodil f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, ultimately derived from Dutch de affodil meaning "the asphodel".
Dafina f Albanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Means "laurel" in Albanian, Bulgarian and Macedonian, of Greek origin.
Dafna f Hebrew
Means "laurel" in Hebrew, of Greek origin.
Dafne f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Daphne.
Dafydd m Welsh
Welsh form of David. This name was borne by Dafydd ap Gruffydd, a 13th-century Welsh ruler, and Dafydd ap Gwilym, a 14th-century poet.
Dagda m Irish Mythology
Means "the good god" from the Old Irish prefix dag- "good" and día "god". In Irish myth Dagda (called also The Dagda) was the powerful god of the earth, knowledge, magic, abundance and treaties, a leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He was skilled in combat and healing and possessed a huge club, the handle of which could revive the dead.
Dagfinn m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Dagfinnr, which was composed of the elements dagr "day" and finnr "Sámi, person from Finland".
Dagfinnr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Dagfinn.
Dagmar f Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, German, Czech, Slovak
From the Old Norse name Dagmær, derived from the elements dagr "day" and mær "maid". This was the name adopted by the popular Bohemian wife of the Danish king Valdemar II when they married in 1205. Her birth name was Markéta.
Dagmara f Polish
Polish form of Dagmar.
Dagny f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Dagný, which was derived from the elements dagr "day" and nýr "new".
Dagon m Semitic Mythology
Perhaps related to Ugaritic dgn meaning "grain". This was the name of a Semitic god of agriculture, usually depicted with the body of a fish.
Dagr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Dag.
Dagrun f Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Dagrún, which was derived from the Old Norse elements dagr "day" and rún "secret lore, rune".
Dahlia f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which was named for the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl.
Dai m Welsh
Welsh diminutive of Dafydd.
Daichi m Japanese
From Japanese (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with (chi) meaning "earth, land" or (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Daiki m Japanese
From Japanese (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with (ki) meaning "brightness", (ki) meaning "tree" or (ki) meaning "valuable". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Daina f Lithuanian, Latvian
Means "song" in Lithuanian and Latvian.
Dáire m Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "fruitful, fertile" in Irish. This name is borne by many figures in Irish legend, including the Ulster chief Dáire mac Fiachna who reneged on his promise to loan the Brown Bull of Cooley to Medb, starting the war between Connacht and Ulster as told in the Irish epic The Cattle Raid of Cooley.
Dáirine f Irish, Irish Mythology
Possibly derived from Dáire. This was the name of the daughter of the legendary Irish king Túathal Techtmar.
Daisuke m Japanese
From Japanese (dai) meaning "big, great" and (suke) meaning "help". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Dáithí m Irish
Means "swiftness, nimbleness" in Irish. This was the name of a semi-legendary high king of Ireland, also called Nathí. It is sometimes Anglicized as David.
Daithí m Irish
Variant of Dáithí.
Daiva f Lithuanian
Created by the Lithuanian writer Vydūnas, who possibly derived it from a Sanskrit word meaning "destiny".
Daividh m Scottish (Rare)
Partially Anglicized variant of Dàibhidh.
Dakarai m Shona
Means "rejoice" in Shona.
Dakila m Tagalog
Means "great" in Tagalog.
Dalal f Arabic
Means "coquettishness" in Arabic.
Daleyza f American (Hispanic, Modern)
Meaning uncertain, perhaps an elaboration of Dalia 1. This name was used by Mexican-American musician Larry Hernandez for his daughter born 2010.
Dalia 3 f Hebrew
Means "hanging branch" in Hebrew.
Dalibor m Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Derived from the Slavic elements dalĭ "distance" and borti "to fight".
Dalila f French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Biblical Latin
Form of Delilah used in the Latin Old Testament, as well as in French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.
Dalimil m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements dalĭ "distance" and milŭ "gracious, dear".
Dalisay f Tagalog
Means "pure" in Tagalog.
Dalitso m & f Chewa
Means "blessing" in Chewa.
Dallas m & f English
From a surname that could either be of Old English origin meaning "valley house" or of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "meadow dwelling". A city in Texas bears this name, probably in honour of American Vice President George M. Dallas (1792-1864).
Dalya f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew דַּלְיָה (see Dalia 3).
Damaris f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Probably means "calf, heifer, girl" from Greek δάμαλις (damalis). In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul.
Damayanti f Hinduism
Means "subduing" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of a beautiful princess, the wife of Nala.
Damhán m Irish
From Old Irish Damán meaning "calf, fawn", derived from dam "ox, deer" and a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an early Irish saint, a brother of Saint Abbán.
Damhnait f Irish
From Old Irish Damnat meaning "calf, fawn", a combination of dam "ox, deer" and a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by a 6th-century saint from Monaghan, as well as the 7th-century saint commonly called Dymphna.
Damiaan m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch form of Damian.
Damian m English, Polish, Romanian, Dutch (Modern)
From the Greek name Δαμιανός (Damianos), which was derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". Saint Damian was martyred with his twin brother Cosmas in Syria early in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in Christian Europe. Another saint by this name was Peter Damian, an 11th-century cardinal and theologian from Italy.
Damiana f Italian
Italian feminine form of Damian.
Damianos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Damian.
Damien m French
French form of Damian.
Damijana f Slovene
Slovene feminine form of Damian.
Damion m English
Variant of Damian.
Damir 1 m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Possibly derived from the Slavic elements danŭ "given" and mirŭ "peace, world". Otherwise, it might be of Turkic or Russian origin (see Damir 2). It was popularized by a character from Marija Jurić Zagorka's novel Gordana (1935).
Damjan m Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Slovene, Croatian, Serbian and Macedonian form of Damian.
Damla f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "water drop" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Damocles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Δαμοκλῆς (Damokles), which was derived from δᾶμος (damos) meaning "the people", a Doric Greek variant of δῆμος (demos), and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". In Greek legend Damocles was a member of the court of Dionysius the Elder, the king of Syracuse. Damocles expressed envy of the king's station so Dionysius offered to switch roles with him for a day. To illustrate to Damocles the peril of a man in his position he suspended a sword over the throne.
Damodar m Hindi
Modern form of Damodara.
Damodara m Hinduism
Means "rope around the belly", derived from Sanskrit दाम (dāma) meaning "rope" and उदर (udara) meaning "belly". This is another name of the Hindu god Krishna, given to him because his foster mother Yashoda tied him to a large urn.
Damon m Greek Mythology, English
Derived from Greek δαμάζω (damazo) meaning "to tame". According to Greek legend, Damon and Pythias were friends who lived on Syracuse in the 4th century BC. When Pythias was sentenced to death, he was allowed to temporarily go free on the condition that Damon take his place in prison. Pythias returned just before Damon was to be executed in his place, and the king was so impressed with their loyalty to one another that he pardoned Pythias. As an English given name, it has only been regularly used since the 20th century.
Danaë f Greek Mythology
From Δαναοί (Danaoi), a word used by Homer to designate the Greeks. In Greek mythology Danaë was the daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. It had been prophesied to her father that he would one day be killed by Danaë's son, so he attempted to keep his daughter childless. However, Zeus came to her in the form of a shower of gold, and she became the mother of Perseus. Eventually the prophecy was fulfilled and Perseus killed Acrisius, albeit accidentally.
Danai 2 f Shona
From Shona dana meaning "call, summon".
Danail m Bulgarian
Bulgarian variant form of Daniel.
Dania 2 f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic دانية (see Daniya).
Danica f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Slovak, Macedonian, English
From a Slavic word meaning "morning star, Venus". This name occurs in Slavic folklore as a personification of the morning star. It has sometimes been used in the English-speaking world since the 1970s.
Danièle f French
French feminine form of Daniel.
Danielius m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Daniel.
Danihel m Biblical Latin
Form of Daniel used in the Latin Bible.
Danique f Dutch (Modern)
Feminine form of Daniël.
Danish m Urdu
From Persian دانش (dānesh) meaning "knowledge, learning".
Danita f English
Feminine diminutive of Daniel.
Daniyah f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic دانية (see Daniya).
Daniyyel m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Daniel.
Danko m Croatian, Serbian
Diminutive of Gordan, Danilo or Danijel.
Danne m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Daniel or Dan 3.
Dante m Italian
Medieval short form of Durante. The most notable bearer of this name was Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), the Italian poet who wrote the Divine Comedy.
Danuše f Czech
Diminutive of Dana 1.
Dănuț m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Dan 2.
Danya 2 f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic دانية (see Daniya).
Danylo m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Daniel.
Daphne f Greek Mythology, English, Dutch
Means "laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.
Daphné f French
French form of Daphne.
Daphnée f French (Rare)
French variant form of Daphne.
Daquan m African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements da and quan. It can be spelled Daquan or with a capitalized third letter as DaQuan.
Dar f & m Hebrew
Means "mother-of-pearl, nacre" in Hebrew.
Dara 2 m & f Khmer
Means "star" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit तारा (tārā).
Darach m Irish
Means "of oak" in Irish, from the genitive case of dair.
Daragh m Irish
Anglicized form of Dáire or Darach.
Darayavaush m Old Persian
Old Persian form of Darius.
Darby m & f English
From an English surname, which was derived from the name of the town of Derby, itself from Old Norse djúr "animal" and býr "farm, settlement".
D'Arcy f & m English
Variant of Darcy.
Dardana f Albanian
Feminine form of Dardan.
Darden m English (Rare)
From an English surname of unknown meaning, possibly from a place name.
Dareia f Greek (Rare)
Greek form of Daria.
Darian m & f English
Probably an elaborated form of Darren.
Darien m English
Variant of Darian.
Darina 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Dáirine.
Darío m Spanish
Spanish form of Darius.
Darius m English, Lithuanian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Persian (Latinized)
Latin form of Greek Δαρεῖος (Dareios), from the Old Persian name 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎢𐏁 (Darayauš), shortened from 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 (Darayavauš). It means "possessing goodness", composed of 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹 (daraya) meaning "to possess, to hold" and 𐎺𐎢 (vau) meaning "good". Three ancient kings of Persia bore this name, including Darius the Great who expanded the Achaemenid Empire to its greatest extent. His forces invaded Greece but were defeated in the Battle of Marathon.... [more]
Dariusz m Polish
Polish form of Darius.
Dariya f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Daria.
Darko m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian
From the Slavic element darŭ meaning "gift", originally a diminutive of names containing that element.
Darma m Indonesian
Means "good deed" or "duty" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit धर्म (dharma).
Darragh m Irish
Anglicized form of Dáire or Darach.
Darshana f Marathi
Feminine form of Darshan.
D'Artagnan m Literature
Means "from Artagnan" in French, Artagnan being a town in southwestern France. This was the name of a character in the novel The Three Musketeers (1884) by Alexandre Dumas. In the novel D'Artagnan is an aspiring musketeer who first duels with the three title characters and then becomes their friend.
Darwin m English
From a surname that was derived from the Old English given name Deorwine. The surname was borne by the British naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-1882), the man who first proposed the theory of natural selection and subsequently revolutionized biology.
Daryna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Darina 2.
Daryush m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian داریوش (see Dariush).
Dash m English (Modern)
Probably inspired by the English word dash meaning "run, sprint". In some cases it can be a short form of Dashiell, as in the animated movie The Incredibles (2004) where it belongs to a speedy young superhero.
Dasha f Russian
Russian diminutive of Darya 1.
Dashiell m English (Rare)
In the case of American author Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) it was from his mother's surname, which was possibly an Anglicized form of French de Chiel, of unknown meaning.
Dathan m Biblical
Possibly means "fountain" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the conspirators against Moses.
Daud m Urdu, Indonesian, Malay, Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic داوود or داود (see Dawud), as well as the usual Urdu, Indonesian and Malay form.
Daumantas m Lithuanian
From Lithuanian daug "much" combined with mantus "intelligent" or manta "property, wealth". This name was borne by a 13th-century Lithuanian ruler of Pskov who is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Daveth m Cornish
Cornish form of David.
Davida f English (Rare)
Feminine form of David.
Davinia f English (Rare), Spanish (Modern)
Probably an elaboration of Davina. About 1980 this name jumped in popularity in Spain, possibly due to the main character on the British television series The Foundation (1977-1979), which was broadcast in Spain as La Fundación.
Davion m African American (Modern)
Recently created name, based on the sounds found in names such as David and Darian.
Davor m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Meaning uncertain, possibly from an old Slavic exclamation expressing joy or sorrow. This was the name of a supposed Slavic war god. His name was the basis for the word davorije, a type of patriotic war song popular in the 19th century.
Davud m Persian, Azerbaijani, Bosnian
Persian, Azerbaijani and Bosnian form of David.
Dawa m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "moon, month" in Tibetan.
Dawood m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic داوود or داود (see Dawud).
Dax m English
From an English surname, which was derived either from the town of Dax in France or from the Old English given name Dæcca (of unknown meaning). The name was brought to public attention by the main character in the 1966 novel The Adventurers and its 1970 movie adaptation. It became popular in the 2010s due to its similarity to other names like Max and Jax.