Names Deemed "strong"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is strong.
gender
usage
impression
Alfréd m Hungarian, Slovak, Czech
Hungarian, Slovak and Czech form of Alfred.
Alfred m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Dutch, Albanian
Means "elf counsel", derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel, advice". Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeastern England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.... [more]
Alfredo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Alfred.
Algar m English (Rare)
Means "elf spear" from Old English ælf "elf" and gar "spear". This Old English name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, being absorbed by similar-sounding names and Norman and Scandinavian cognates. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Algernon m English
Originally a Norman French nickname, derived from aux gernons "having a moustache", which was applied to William de Percy, a companion of William the Conqueror. It was first used a given name in the 15th century (for a descendant of William de Percy). This name was borne by a character (a mouse) in the short story Flowers for Algernon (1958) and novel of the same title (1966) by the American author Daniel Keyes.
Algirdas m Lithuanian
Possibly means "all-hearing", from the Lithuanian roots al- "all, every" and gird- "to hear". This was the name of a 14th-century Grand Duke of Lithuania.
Ali 1 m Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Pashto, Indonesian, Malay, Avar, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, Dhivehi, Albanian, Bosnian
Means "lofty, sublime" in Arabic, from the root علا (ʿalā) meaning "to be high". Ali ibn Abi Talib was a cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the fourth caliph to rule the Muslim world. His followers were the original Shia Muslims, who regard him as the first rightful caliph.... [more]
Alikhan m Kazakh
Combination of the name Ali 1 and the Turkic title khan meaning "ruler, leader".
Alisher m Uzbek, Kazakh, Tajik
From the given name Ali 1 combined with Persian شیر (shīr) meaning "lion". It was borne by the Timurid poet Ali-Shir Nava'i (1441-1501), who wrote in the Chagatai Turkic language.
Alistair m Scottish
Anglicized form of Alasdair.
Alister m Scottish
Anglicized form of Alasdair.
Aljaž m Slovene
Derived from a Slovene surname, which is of unknown meaning.
Allan m English, Scottish, Danish, Swedish, Estonian
Variant of Alan. The American author Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) got his middle name from the surname of the parents who adopted him.
Alma 2 f Hebrew
Means "young woman" in Hebrew.
Almir 1 m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian variant of Almiro.
Almog m & f Hebrew
Means "coral" in Hebrew.
Alojzija f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian feminine form of Aloysius.
Alojzy m Polish
Polish form of Aloysius.
Alon 1 m Hebrew
Means "oak tree" in Hebrew.
Alon 2 m Tagalog
Means "wave" in Tagalog.
Alondra f Spanish (Latin American)
Derived from Spanish alondra meaning "lark".
Alonso m Spanish
Spanish variant of Alfonso.
Alonzo m English (American)
Variant of Alonso in use in America.
Alp m Turkish
Means "hero" in Turkish.
Alparslan m Turkish, Azerbaijani
From Turkish alp meaning "brave" and arslan meaning "lion", referring to the 11th-century Seljuk sultan Alp Arslan, who expanded the Seljuk Empire into Anatolia.
Alpha f & m English
From the name of the first letter in the Greek alphabet, Α.
Alphaeus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Ἀλφαῖος (Alphaios), the Greek form of a Hebrew name that meant "exchange". In the New Testament this is the name of the fathers of the apostles James the Lesser and Levi.
Alphege m History (Ecclesiastical)
Middle English form of Ælfheah.
Alphonse m French
French form of Alfonso.
Alphonso m English
Variant of Alfonso.
Altagracia f Spanish (Caribbean)
Means "high grace", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, meaning "Our Lady of High Grace". She is considered the patron saint of the Dominican Republic, and it is there that this name is most often used.
Altair m Astronomy, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Means "the flyer" in Arabic. This is the name of a star in the constellation Aquila.
Altan 1 m Turkish
Means "red dawn" in Turkish.
Altansarnai f Mongolian
Means "golden rose" in Mongolian, from алтан (altan) meaning "golden" and сарнай (sarnai) meaning "rose".
Altantsetseg f Mongolian
Means "golden flower" in Mongolian, from алтан (altan) meaning "golden" and цэцэг (tsetseg) meaning "flower".
Alte 1 f Yiddish (Rare)
Feminine form of Alter.
Alton m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town at the source of the river" in Old English.
Alun m Welsh
Welsh form of Alan. It is also the name of two rivers in Wales.
Alva 2 m English
Variant of Alvah. A famous bearer of this name was the inventor Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931).
Alvar m Swedish, Estonian
From the Old Norse name Alfarr, formed of the elements alfr "elf" and herr "army, warrior".
Álvaro m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish form of Alvarus, the Latinized form of a Visigothic name, possibly derived from the elements alls "all" and wars "aware, cautious" or wards "guard". Álvar Fáñez was an 11th-century military commander and duke of Toledo, who appears as a general of El Cid in the epic poem El Cantar de mio Cid. Verdi also used the name in his opera The Force of Destiny (1862).
Alvilda f Danish (Rare)
Danish form of Alfhild.
Alvin m English, Swedish
From a medieval form of any of the Old English names Ælfwine, Æðelwine or Ealdwine. It was revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the Old English names. As a Scandinavian name it is derived from Alfvin, an Old Norse cognate of Ælfwine.
Alvis m Norse Mythology, Latvian
From the Old Norse Alvíss meaning "all wise". In Norse mythology this was the name of a dwarf who was to marry Thor's daughter Thrud. Thor was not pleased with this so he tricked Alvis by asking him questions until the sun rose, at which time the dwarf was turned into stone.
Alwin m German, Dutch, Germanic
Contracted form of Adalwin.
Alyx f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Alex.
Amadeo m Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Spanish form of Amadeus, as well as an Italian variant. This was the name of a 19th-century king of Spain (born in Italy).
Amadeus m Late Roman
Means "love of God", derived from Latin amare "to love" and Deus "God". A famous bearer was the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), who was actually born Wolfgang Theophilus Mozart but preferred the Latin translation of his Greek middle name. This name was also assumed as a middle name by the German novelist E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), who took it in honour of Mozart.
Amado m Spanish
Spanish form of Amatus.
Amador m Spanish
Spanish form of Amator.
Amal 1 f & m Arabic
Means "hope, aspiration" in Arabic, from the root أمل (ʾamala) meaning "to hope for".
Amalric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Visigothic name *Amalareiks, derived from the Gothic element amals meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave", also referring to the royal dynasty of the Amali, combined with reiks meaning "ruler, king". This was the name of a 6th-century king of the Visigoths, as well as two 12th-century rulers of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Amalrich m Germanic
Old German form of Amalric.
Amantius m Late Roman
Means "loving" in Latin. This was the name of several early saints. It has sometimes been confused with the name Amandus.
Amar 2 m Arabic, Urdu, Bosnian
Alternate transcription of Arabic/Urdu عمّار (see Ammar), as well as the usual Bosnian form.
Amariah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has said" in Hebrew, derived from the roots אָמַר (ʾamar) meaning "to say" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Amaru m Quechua
Means "snake" in Quechua. It was borne by Tupaq Amaru and Tupaq Amaru II, two Inca leaders after the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire (in the 16th and 18th centuries).
Amata f Late Roman
Feminine form of Amatus.
Amato m Italian
Italian form of Amatus.
Amator m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "lover (of God)". Saint Amator was a 5th-century bishop of Auxerre.
Amatore m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Amator.
Ambrogio m Italian
Italian form of Ambrosius (see Ambrose).
Ambrose m English
From the Late Latin name Ambrosius, which was derived from the Greek name Ἀμβρόσιος (Ambrosios) meaning "immortal". Saint Ambrose was a 4th-century theologian and bishop of Milan, who is considered a Doctor of the Church. Due to the saint, the name came into general use in Christian Europe, though it was never particularly common in England.
Ambroży m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Ambrosius (see Ambrose).
Ambrus m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Ambrosius (see Ambrose).
Ameqran m Berber
Means "large, great" in Tamazight.
Ameretat f Persian Mythology
Means "immortality" in Avestan. This was the name of a Zoroastrian goddess (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with plants and long life. She was often mentioned with Haurvatat.
América f Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Amerigo.
America f English
In the English-speaking world, this name is usually given in reference to the United States of America (see Amerigo). It came into use as an American name in the 19th century.
Américo m Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Amerigo.
Amerigo m Italian
Medieval Italian form of Emmerich. Amerigo Vespucci (1451-1512) was the Italian explorer who gave the continent of America its name (from Americus, the Latin form of his name).
Amhlaidh m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Olaf.
Amichai m Hebrew
Means "my people are alive" in Hebrew.
Amílcar m Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Hamilcar.
Amilcare m Italian
Italian form of Hamilcar.
Amir 1 m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Kazakh, Tatar, Bashkir, Malay, Indonesian, Bosnian
Means "commander, prince" in Arabic. This was originally a title, which has come into English as the Arabic loanword emir.
Amir 2 m Hebrew
Means "treetop" in Hebrew.
Amit 1 m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Nepali
From Sanskrit अमित (amita) meaning "immeasurable, infinite".
Amittai m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "my truth" in Hebrew, a possessive form of אֱמֶת (ʾemeṯ) meaning "truth". In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of the prophet Jonah.
Amjad m Arabic, Urdu
Means "more glorious" in Arabic (a comparative form of Majid).
Ammar m Arabic, Urdu, Malay
Means "one who lives a long life, one who builds" in Arabic, from the root عمر (ʿamara) meaning "to live long, to thrive". Ammar ibn Yasir was an early companion of the Prophet Muhammad. After Muhammad's death he supported Ali.
Ammon m Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian Yamanu (see Amon).
Amnon m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Hebrew
Means "faithful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the eldest son of King David. He was killed by his half-brother Absalom in revenge for the rape of his sister Tamar.
Amon m Egyptian Mythology (Anglicized)
From Ἄμμων (Ammon), the Greek form of Egyptian jmn (reconstructed as Yamanu) meaning "the hidden one". In early Egyptian mythology he was a god of the air, creativity and fertility, who was particularly revered in Thebes. Later, during the Middle Kingdom, his attributes were combined with those of the god Ra and he was worshipped as the supreme solar deity Amon-Ra.
Amos m English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
From Hebrew עָמַס (ʿamas) meaning "load, burden". Amos is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Amos, which speaks against greed, corruption and oppression of the poor. Written about the 8th century BC, it is among the oldest of the prophetic books. As an English name, Amos has been used since the Protestant Reformation, and was popular among the Puritans.
Amparo f Spanish
Means "protection, shelter, refuge" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Amparo, meaning "Our Lady of Refuge".
Amram m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Hebrew, Hebrew
Means "exalted nation" in Hebrew, from עַם (ʿam) meaning "people, nation" and רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt". In the Old Testament, Amram is the father of Moses.
Amrit m Hindi
Means "immortal" from Sanskrit (a) meaning "not" and मृत (mṛta) meaning "dead". In Hindu texts it refers to a drink that gives immortality.
Amrita f Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali
Feminine form of Amrit.
Amse m Frisian
Originally a short form of Adelmar (and other names starting with the Old German element adal "noble" and a second element beginning with m).
Amulius m Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Roman mythology Amulius overthrew his brother Numitor, king of Alba Longa, but was eventually deposed by Numitor's grandsons Romulus and Remus.
Amyntas m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἀμύντωρ (amyntor) meaning "defender". This was the name of several kings of Macedon.
Anacleto m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Anacletus.
Anakin m Popular Culture
Meaning unknown. This is the name of a character (also known as Darth Vader) in the Star Wars movie saga, created by George Lucas. Lucas may have based it on the surname of his friend and fellow director Ken Annakin.
Anakoni m Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Anthony.
Ananth m Tamil, Telugu, Kannada
Southern Indian form of Ananta.
Anargul f Kazakh
Means "blooming pomegranate tree" in Kazakh.
Anargyros m Greek
From the Greek term ἀνάργυρος (anargyros) meaning "poor, incorruptible", derived from Greek (a), a negative prefix, combined with ἄργυρος (argyros) meaning "silver". This term referred to saints who did not accept payment for their services.
Anas m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian, Malay
Means "friendliness" in Arabic, a derivative of أنس (ʾanisa) meaning "to be friendly". Anas ibn Malik was one of the Prophet Muhammad's companions.
Anastas m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Anastasius.
Anastasio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Anastasius.
Anat 1 f Semitic Mythology
Possibly derived from a Semitic root meaning "water spring". Anat was a goddess of fertility, hunting and war worshipped by the Semitic peoples of the Levant. She was the sister and consort of the god Hadad.
Anatolius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἀνατόλιος (Anatolios), derived from ἀνατολή (anatole) meaning "sunrise". Saint Anatolius was a 3rd-century philosopher from Alexandria.
Anatoliy m Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Anatolius.
Anaxagoras m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἄναξ (anax) meaning "master, lord" and ἀγορά (agora) meaning "assembly, marketplace". This name was borne by a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher.
Andebert m Germanic
From the Old German element anto meaning "zeal" combined with beraht meaning "bright".
Anđelka f Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Angela.
Anđelko m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Angel.
Ander m Basque
Basque form of Andreas (see Andrew).
Anders m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Andreas (see Andrew). A famous bearer was the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström (1814-1874).
Anderson m English
From a surname meaning "son of Andrew".
Andoni m Basque
Basque form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Andor 1 m Norwegian
From the Old Norse name Arnþórr, derived from the element ǫrn "eagle" combined with the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor).
Andra 2 f Romanian
Short form of Alexandra.
Andrada f Romanian
Possibly a feminine form of Andrei.
Andraste f Celtic Mythology (Hellenized)
Possibly means "invincible" in Celtic. According to the Greco-Roman historian Cassius Dio, this was the name of a Briton goddess of victory who was invoked by Boudicca before her revolt.
André m French, Portuguese, Galician, German, Dutch
French, Portuguese and Galician form of Andreas (see Andrew).
Andreas m German, Greek, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Welsh, Ancient Greek, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Ancient Greek and Latin form of Andrew. It is also the form used in Modern Greek, German and Welsh.
Andrei m Romanian, Russian, Bulgarian, Belarusian, Old Church Slavic
Romanian form of Andrew, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Андрей or Belarusian Андрэй (see Andrey).
Andrej m Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Form of Andrew in several languages.
Andrejs m Latvian
Latvian form of Andrew.
Andrés m Spanish, Icelandic
Spanish and Icelandic form of Andrew.
Andres m Estonian
Estonian form of Andrew.
Andrew m English, Biblical
English form of the Greek name Ἀνδρέας (Andreas), which was derived from ἀνδρεῖος (andreios) meaning "manly, masculine", a derivative of ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". In the New Testament the apostle Andrew, the first disciple to join Jesus, is the brother of Simon Peter. According to tradition, he later preached in the Black Sea region, with some legends saying he was crucified on an X-shaped cross. Andrew, being a Greek name, was probably only a nickname or a translation of his real Hebrew name, which is not known.... [more]
Andrey m Russian, Bulgarian, Belarusian
Russian, Bulgarian and Belarusian form of Andrew.
Andrija m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Andrew.
Andrijana f Croatian, Serbian
Feminine form of Andrija.
Andris m Latvian, Hungarian
Latvian form and Hungarian diminutive of Andrew.
Andrius m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Andrew.
Andriy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Andrew.
Andro m Croatian, Georgian
Croatian form of Andrew, as well as a Georgian short form of Andria.
Androcles m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἀνδροκλῆς (Androkles) meaning "glory of a man", derived from ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a man who pulled a thorn from a lion's paw in one of Aesop's fables.
Andromache f Greek Mythology
Derived from the Greek elements ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) and μάχη (mache) meaning "battle". In Greek legend she was the wife of the Trojan hero Hector. After the fall of Troy Neoptolemus killed her son Astyanax and took her as a concubine.
Andromeda f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) combined with one of the related words μέδομαι (medomai) meaning "to be mindful of, to provide for, to think on" or μέδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". In Greek mythology Andromeda was an Ethiopian princess rescued from sacrifice by the hero Perseus. A constellation in the northern sky is named for her. This is also the name of a nearby galaxy, given because it resides (from our point of view) within the constellation.
Andronicus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latinized form of Greek Ἀνδρόνικος (Andronikos) meaning "victory of a man", from ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός) and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". This name is mentioned briefly in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament. Shakespeare later used it in his play Titus Andronicus (1593).
Andrus m Estonian
Estonian form of Andrew.
Andrzej m Polish
Polish form of Andrew.
Angelo m Italian
Italian form of Angelus (see Angel).
Angharad f Welsh, Old Welsh (Modernized), Welsh Mythology
From an Old Welsh name recorded in various forms such as Acgarat and Ancarat. It means "much loved", from the intensive prefix an- combined with a mutated form of caru "to love". In the medieval Welsh romance Peredur son of Efrawg, Angharad Golden-Hand is the lover of the knight Peredur.
Angra Mainyu m Persian Mythology
Means "evil spirit", from Avestan 𐬀𐬢𐬭𐬀 (angra) meaning "evil, destructive" and 𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬎 (mainiiu) meaning "spirit, mind". In Zoroastrianism Angra Mainyu was the god of darkness, death and destruction, the enemy of Ahura Mazda.
Angus m Scottish, Irish, English
Anglicized form of Aonghus.
Anicetus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀνίκητος (Aniketos) meaning "unconquerable". This was the name of an early pope.
Anıl m Turkish
Means "to be remembered" in Turkish.
Anil m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit अनिल (anila) meaning "air, wind".
Aniruddha m Hinduism, Bengali, Marathi, Hindi
Means "unobstructed, ungovernable" in Sanskrit. According to the Puranas this was the name of a grandson of the Hindu deity Krishna and his wife Rukmini. He is sometimes considered to be an avatar of Vishnu.
Anish m Hindi, Marathi
Means "supreme, paramount, without a ruler", from the Sanskrit negative prefix (a) and ईश (īśa) meaning "ruler, lord".
Ankit m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali
From Sanskrit अङ्कित (aṅkita) meaning "marked".
Ankur m Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit अङ्कुर (aṅkura) meaning "sapling, sprout, shoot".
Anniken f Norwegian
Norwegian diminutive of Anna.
Annunziata f Italian
Means "announced" in Italian, referring to the event in the New Testament in which the angel Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary of the imminent birth of Jesus.
Ansbert m Germanic
Composed of the Old German elements ansi "god" and beraht "bright". It is a cognate of Osbert. This name was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint, a bishop of Rouen.
Ansehelm m Germanic
Old German form of Anselm.
Ansel m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Anselm. A famous bearer was American photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984).
Anselm m German, English (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements ansi "god" and helm "helmet, protection". This name was brought to England in the late 11th century by Saint Anselm, who was born in northern Italy. He was archbishop of Canterbury and a Doctor of the Church.
Anselmo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Anselm.
Ansgar m German, Norwegian, Swedish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements ansi "god" and ger "spear". Saint Ansgar was a 9th-century Frankish missionary who tried to convert the Danes and Norwegians.
Anso m Germanic
Short form of Germanic names beginning with the element ansi meaning "god" (Proto-Germanic *ansuz).
Anson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Agnes".
Antares m Astronomy
From Greek Ἀντάρης (Antares), traditionally said to mean "opposing Ares". This is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius.
Anthelm m Germanic
From the Old German element anto meaning "zeal" combined with helm meaning "helmet, protection". Saint Anthelm was a 12th-century bishop of Belley in France.
Anthony m English
English form of the Roman family name Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin. The most notable member of the Roman family was the general Marcus Antonius (called Mark Antony in English), who for a period in the 1st century BC ruled the Roman Empire jointly with Augustus. When their relationship turned sour, he and his mistress Cleopatra were attacked and forced to commit suicide, as related in Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra (1606).... [more]
Antigone f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and γονή (gone) meaning "birth, offspring". In Greek legend Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta. King Creon of Thebes declared that her slain brother Polynices was to remain unburied, a great dishonour. She disobeyed and gave him a proper burial, and for this she was sealed alive in a cave.
Antigonus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀντίγονος (Antigonos), derived from ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and γόνος (gonos) meaning "offspring, race, stock". This was the name of one of Alexander the Great's generals. After Alexander died, he took control of most of Asia Minor.
Antiman m Mapuche
Means "condor of the sun" in Mapuche, from antü "sun" and mañku "condor".
Antinanco m Mapuche
Means "eagle of the sun" in Mapuche, from antü "sun" and ñamko "eagle, hawk, buzzard".
Antipater m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀντίπατρος (Antipatros), which meant "like the father" from Greek ἀντί (anti) meaning "against, compared to, like" and πατήρ (pater) meaning "father" (genitive πατρός). This was the name of an officer of Alexander the Great who became the regent of Macedon during Alexander's absence.
Antje f Frisian, Dutch, Low German
Frisian, Dutch and Low German diminutive of Anna.
Anto m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antón m Galician, Spanish
Galician form and Spanish variant of Antonius (see Anthony).
Anton m German, Russian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Dutch, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Slovene, Slovak, Macedonian, Croatian, Romanian, Estonian, Finnish, Georgian, English
Form of Antonius (see Anthony) used in various languages. A notable bearer was the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov (1860-1904).
Antonino m Italian
Italian form of Antoninus. This name was borne by several Roman and Italian saints.
António m Portuguese (European)
European Portuguese form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antônio m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Antonius (see Anthony).
Antonio m Spanish, Italian, Croatian
Spanish and Italian form of Antonius (see Anthony). This has been a common name in Italy since the 14th century. In Spain it was the most popular name for boys in the 1950s and 60s.... [more]
Antonius m Ancient Roman, Dutch
Latin form of Anthony. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but commonly rendered Anton or Antoon in daily life.
Antti m Finnish
Finnish form of Andrew.
Anubis m Egyptian Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ἄνουβις (Anoubis), the Greek form of Egyptian jnpw (reconstructed as Anapa and other forms), which coincided with a word meaning "royal child, prince". However, it might alternatively be derived from the root jnp meaning "to decay". Anubis was the Egyptian god who led the dead to the underworld. He was often depicted as a man with the head of a jackal. The Greeks equated him with their god Hermes.
Anuj m Hindi, Marathi
From Sanskrit अनुज (anuja) meaning "born later, younger". This name is sometimes given to the younger sibling of an older child.
Anunciación f Spanish
Means "annunciation" in Spanish, referring to the event in the New Testament in which the angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will give birth to Jesus.
Anupam m Hindi, Bengali
From Sanskrit अनुपम (anupama) meaning "incomparable, matchless".
Anupama f Hindi
Feminine form of Anupam.
Anush f Armenian
Means "sweet" in Armenian. This was the name of an 1890 novel by the Armenia writer Hovhannes Tumanyan. It was adapted into an opera in 1912 by Armen Tigranian.
Anwar m Arabic, Urdu, Indonesian
Means "brighter, more luminous" in Arabic, related to نور (nūr) meaning "light". This name was borne by Egyptian president Anwar Sadat (1918-1981), who was assassinated three years after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Anxo m Galician
Galician form of Angelus (see Angel).
Anže m Slovene
Variant of Janez.
Anzo m Germanic
Derived from the Old German element enz meaning "giant".
Anzor m Georgian, Chechen
Possibly derived from the Georgian noble title აზნაური (aznauri), ultimately from Middle Persian 𐭠𐭦𐭭𐭠𐭥𐭫 (aznawar) meaning "noble".
Aodh m Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Áed, which meant "fire". This was a very popular name in early Ireland, being borne by numerous figures in Irish mythology and several high kings. It has been traditionally Anglicized as Hugh.
Aodhán m Irish
From the Old Irish name Áedán meaning "little fire", a diminutive of Áed (see Aodh). This name was borne by a 6th-century king of Dál Riata. It was also the name of a few early Irish saints, including a 6th-century bishop of Ferns and a 7th-century bishop of Lindisfarne.
Aonghas m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Aonghus.
Aonghus m Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Óengus, possibly meaning "one strength" from óen "one" and guss "force, strength". Aonghus (sometimes surnamed Mac Og meaning "young son") was an Irish god of love and youth, one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He was the son of Dagda and Boann. The name was also borne by an 8th-century Pictish king, several Irish kings, and a few saints, including a 9th-century bishop of Tallaght.
Aparajita f Bengali, Hindi
From Sanskrit अपराजित (aparājita) meaning "unconquered".
Aparna f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Bengali
Means "leafless" in Sanskrit, from the negative prefix (a) and पर्ण (parṇa) meaning "leaf". This is another name of the Hindu goddess Parvati, given because she would not eat even leaves while practicing austerity.
Aphra f Various (Rare)
Meaning uncertain; possibly a variant of Afra 1, or possibly a variant of Aphrah, a biblical place name meaning "dust". This name was borne by the English writer Aphra Behn (1640-1689).
Apolinar m Spanish
Spanish form of Apollinaris.
Apollinaris m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from the name of the god Apollo. This was the name of several early saints and martyrs, including a bishop of Ravenna and a bishop of Hierapolis.
Apollo m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀπόλλων (Apollon), which is of unknown meaning, though perhaps related to the Indo-European root *apelo- meaning "strength". Another theory states that Apollo can be equated with Appaliunas, an Anatolian god whose name possibly means "father lion" or "father light". The Greeks later associated Apollo's name with the Greek verb ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis. He was the god of prophecy, medicine, music, art, law, beauty, and wisdom. Later he also became the god of the sun and light.
Apollodoros m Ancient Greek
Means "gift of Apollo" from the name of the god Apollo combined with Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift".
Apollonios m Ancient Greek
From an ancient Greek personal name that was derived from the name of the Greek god Apollo. It was borne by a Greek poet of the 3rd century BC. Several saints have also had this name.
Apostol m Bulgarian, Macedonian, Romanian (Rare)
Bulgarian, Macedonian and Romanian form of Apostolos.
Apostolos m Greek
Means "messenger, apostle" in Greek.
Aputsiaq m Greenlandic
Means "snowflake" in Greenlandic.
Aquila m & f Biblical, Ancient Roman
From a Roman cognomen meaning "eagle" in Latin. In Acts in the New Testament Paul lives with Aquila and his wife Priscilla (or Prisca) for a time.
Aquilinus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Aquila.
Ara m Armenian, Armenian Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly of Sumerian origin. In Armenian legend this was the name of an Armenian king who was so handsome that the Assyrian queen Semiramis went to war to capture him. During the war Ara was slain.
Arachne f Greek Mythology
Means "spider" in Greek. In Greek myth Arachne was a mortal woman who defeated Athena in a weaving contest. After this Arachne hanged herself, but Athena brought her back to life in the form of a spider.
Aradhana f Hindi
Means "worship" in Sanskrit.
Aragorn m Literature
Meaning unexplained, though the first element is presumably Sindarin ara "noble, kingly". This is the name of a character in The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien. In the book Aragorn is the heir of the Dúnedain kings of the north.
Aram 1 m Kurdish
Means "calm" in Kurdish.
Aram 2 m Armenian
Meaning uncertain. According to the 5th-century Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi this was the name of an ancient ancestor of the Armenian people. A famous bearer was the composer Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978).
Aran 1 m & f Irish
From the name of the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland.
Aranka f Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian arany meaning "gold". It is used as a vernacular form of Aurélia.
Arantzazu f Basque
From the name of a place near the Spanish town of Oñati where there is a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its name is derived from Basque arantza "thornbush".
Ararat m Armenian
From the name of a mountain in eastern Turkey (formerly part of Armenia), the place where Noah's Ark came to rest according to the Old Testament.
Aras m Lithuanian
Means "eagle" in Lithuanian (a poetic word).
Arash m Persian, Persian Mythology
From Avestan 𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬑𐬱𐬀 (Ərəxsha), of uncertain meaning, possibly from a root meaning "bear". In Iranian legend Arash was an archer who was ordered by the Turans to shoot an arrow, the landing place of which would determine the new location of the Iran-Turan border. Arash climbed a mountain and fired his arrow with such strength that it flew for several hours and landed on the banks of the far-away Oxus River.
Arastoo m Persian
Persian form of Aristotle.
Aravind m Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit अरविन्द (aravinda) meaning "lotus".
Arawn m Welsh Mythology
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the god of the underworld, called Annwfn, in Welsh mythology.
Arax f Armenian
From the name of an Armenian river, also called the Aras.
Arcangelo m Italian
Means "archangel" in Italian.
Archana f Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil
From Sanskrit अर्चन (arcana) meaning "honouring, praising". This is the name of a Hindu ritual.
Archelaus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀρχέλαος (Archelaos), which meant "master of the people" from ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and λαός (laos) meaning "people". This was the name of a son of Herod the Great. He ruled over Judea, Samaria and Idumea.
Archembald m Germanic
Old German form of Ercanbald.
Archer m English
From an English surname meaning "bowman, archer", of Old French origin. Although already slowly growing in popularity, this name accelerated its rise after the premiere of the American television series Archer in 2009.
Archibald m Scottish, English
Derived from the Germanic name Ercanbald, composed of the elements erkan meaning "pure, holy, genuine" and bald meaning "bold, brave". The first element was altered due to the influence of Greek names beginning with the element ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master". The Normans brought this name to England. It first became common in Scotland in the Middle Ages (sometimes used to Anglicize the Gaelic name Gilleasbuig, for unknown reasons).
Archimedes m Ancient Greek
Derived from the Greek elements ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek mathematician, astronomer and inventor.
Arcturus m Astronomy
From Ancient Greek Ἀρκτοῦρος (Arktouros), the name of the fourth brightest star in the sky, part of the constellation Boötes. It means "guardian of the bear", derived from ἄρκτος (arktos) meaning "bear" and οὖρος (ouros) meaning "guardian", referring to the star's position close to the constellations Ursa Minor and Ursa Major.
Arda m Turkish
Possibly means "marker, stake" in Turkish.
Ardal m Irish
Anglicized form of Ardghal.
Ardalion m Late Greek, Georgian (Rare), Russian (Rare)
Probably derived from Greek ἀρδάλιον (ardalion) meaning "water pot". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr from Asia Minor.
Ardashir m Middle Persian
Middle Persian form of Old Persian Artaxšaça (see Artaxerxes). This was the name of a 3rd-century king of Persia who defeated the Parthians and founded the Sasanian Empire. He also reestablished Zoroastrianism as the state religion.
Arden m & f English
From an English surname, originally taken from various place names, which were derived from a Celtic word meaning "high".
Ardeshir m Persian
Modern Persian form of Ardashir.
Ardghal m Irish (Rare)
Means "high valour", derived from the Old Irish elements ard "high" and gal "valour".
Ardith f English
Variant of Ardath.
Ardito m Italian (Rare)
Derived from medieval Italian ardito meaning "bold".
Arend m Dutch, German (Rare)
Dutch and German variant of Arnold. This is also the Dutch word for "eagle".
Ares m Greek Mythology
Perhaps from either Greek ἀρή (are) meaning "bane, ruin" or ἄρσην (arsen) meaning "male". The name first appears as a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Hera.
Aretha f English
Possibly derived from Greek ἀρετή (arete) meaning "virtue". This name was popularized in the 1960s by American singer Aretha Franklin (1942-2018).
Arethusa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Ἀρέθουσα (Arethousa) meaning "quick water", which is possibly derived from ἄρδω (ardo) meaning "water" and θοός (thoos) meaning "quick, nimble". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology who was transformed into a fountain.
Arevig f Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Arevik.
Arevik f Armenian
Means "like the sun" in Armenian.
Argi m Basque
Means "light" in Basque.
Argider m Basque
Derived from Basque argi "light" and eder "beautiful".
Argus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἄργος (Argos), derived from ἀργός (argos) meaning "glistening, shining". This name was borne by several characters from Greek myth, including the man who built the Argo and a giant with one hundred eyes.
Argyris m Greek
Modern Greek form of Argyros.
Argyros m Ancient Greek
Means "silver" in Greek.
Ari 1 m Hebrew
Means "lion" in Hebrew.
Aric m English
Variant of Eric.
Arieh m Biblical, Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew אֲרִי (ʾari) meaning "lion", an animal particularly associated with the tribe of Judah (see Genesis 49:9). This is the name of an officer of King Pekahiah in the Old Testament.
Aries m Astronomy
Means "ram" in Latin. This is the name of a constellation and the first sign of the zodiac. Some Roman legends state that the ram in the constellation was the one who supplied the Golden Fleece sought by Jason.
Arif m Arabic, Indonesian, Malay, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu, Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "learned, knowing, expert" in Arabic.
Arik m Hebrew
Diminutive of Ariel or Arieh.
Aristarchus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Ἀρίσταρχος (Aristarchos), derived from ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best" and ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master". This name was borne by Aristarchus of Samos, a 3rd-century BC Greek astronomer and mathematician.
Aristarkh m Russian
Russian form of Aristarchus.
Aristides m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Portuguese
From the Greek name Ἀριστείδης (Aristeides), derived from ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best" and the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This name was borne by the 5th-century BC Athenian statesman Aristides the Just, who was renowned for his integrity. It was also the name of a 2nd-century saint.
Aristodemos m Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from the Greek elements ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best" and δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people". This was the name of a descendant of Herakles in Greek legend.
Aristomache f Ancient Greek
Derived from the Greek elements ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best" and μάχη (mache) meaning "battle".
Ariston m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "the best".
Aristophanes m Ancient Greek
Derived from the Greek elements ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best" and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Athenian playwright.
Aristotelis m Greek
Modern Greek form of Aristotle.
Aristotle m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Ἀριστοτέλης (Aristoteles) meaning "the best purpose", derived from ἄριστος (aristos) meaning "best" and τέλος (telos) meaning "purpose, result, completion". This was the name of a Greek philosopher of the 4th century BC who made lasting contributions to Western thought, including the fields of logic, metaphysics, ethics and biology.
Arisztid m Hungarian (Rare)
Hungarian form of Aristides.
Arja f Finnish
Variant of Irja. The Finnish poet Eino Leino used it in his poem Arja and Selinä (1916), though belonging to a male character.
Arjan m Dutch
Dutch form of Adrian.
Arjuna m Hinduism
Means "white, clear" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of one of the five Pandavas, the sons of Pandu. He was actually fathered by the god Indra and Pandu's wife Kunti. Arjuna was known as a skilled archer.... [more]
Arkadios m Ancient Greek
From an ancient Greek name meaning "of Arcadia". Arcadia was a region in Greece, its name deriving from ἄρκτος (arktos) meaning "bear". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint and martyr.
Arkadiusz m Polish
Polish form of Arkadios.
Arkadiy m Russian
Russian form of Arkadios. This is the name of one of the main characters in Ivan Turgenev's Fathers and Sons (1862).
Arkady m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Аркадий (see Arkadiy).
Arkaitz m Basque
Means "rock" in Basque.
Arkhip m Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Archippos.
Arlen m English
Meaning unknown, possibly from a surname.
Arman 1 m Persian, Kazakh
Means "wish, hope" in Persian.
Arman 2 m Armenian
Variant of Armen.
Armand m French, Catalan
French and Catalan form of Herman.
Armando m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Herman.
Armani m & f English (Modern)
From an Italian surname meaning "son of Ermanno". It has been used as a given name due to the fashion company Armani, which was founded by the clothing designer Giorgio Armani (1934-).
Armas m Finnish
Means "beloved" in Finnish (an archaic poetic word).
Armen m Armenian
Derived from the name of the country of Armenia (which is in fact named Հայաստան (Hayastan) in Armenian).