Augustus m Ancient Roman, Dutch (Rare)Means
"exalted, venerable", derived from Latin
augere meaning "to increase". Augustus was the title given to
Octavian, the first Roman emperor. He was an adopted son of Julius Caesar who rose to power through a combination of military skill and political prowess. In 26 BC the senate officially gave him the name
Augustus, and after his death it was used as a title for subsequent emperors. This was also the name of three kings of Poland (called
August in Polish).
Aulus m Ancient RomanPossibly from Latin
avulus meaning
"little grandfather", though it could be from the Etruscan name
Aule, which was possibly derived from
avils meaning "years". This was a Roman praenomen, or given name. Folk etymology connects it to Latin
aula meaning "palace".
Aurea f Late RomanLate Latin name that was derived from
aureus "golden". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Ostia (near Rome), as well as an 11th-century Spanish saint.
Aurelius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was derived from Latin
aureus meaning
"golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.
Aureole f English (Rare)From the English word meaning
"radiant halo", ultimately derived from Latin
aureolus "golden".
Auster m Roman MythologyMeans
"south" in Latin (descended from the Indo-European root *
hews- meaning "dawn", making it related to the English word
east). Auster was the Roman god of the south wind.
Avalon f English (Rare)From the name of the island paradise to which King
Arthur was brought after his death. The name of this island is perhaps related to Welsh
afal meaning "apple", a fruit that was often linked with paradise.
Aveline f English (Rare)From the Norman French form of the Germanic name
Avelina, a diminutive of
Avila. The Normans introduced this name to Britain. After the Middle Ages it became rare as an English name, though it persisted in America until the 19th century.
Avila f GermanicDerived from the Old German element
awi, of unknown meaning. Rarely, this name may be given in honour of the 16th-century mystic Saint Teresa of Ávila,
Ávila being the name of the town in Spain where she was born.
Avis f EnglishProbably a Latinized form of the Germanic name
Aveza, which was derived from the element
awi, of unknown meaning. The Normans introduced this name to England and it became moderately common during the Middle Ages, at which time it was associated with Latin
avis "bird".
Avitus m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman family name that meant
"ancestral" in Latin. This was the name of an emperor who briefly reigned over the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century. It was also the name of several saints, including a 6th-century bishop of Vienne.
Avonlea f English (Rare)Created by L. M. Montgomery as the setting for her novel
Anne of Green Gables (1908). She may have based the name on the Arthurian island of
Avalon, though it also resembles the river name
Avon and
leah "woodland, clearing".
Avtandil m Georgian, LiteratureCreated by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic
The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Rustaveli based it on Persian
آفتاب (āftāb) meaning "sunshine" and
دل (del) meaning "heart". In the poem Avtandil is a knight who is sent by
Tinatin to search for the mysterious knight of the title.
Ayaka f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour" combined with
花 (ka) or
華 (ka) both meaning "flower". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Ayane f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour",
綾 (aya) meaning "design" or
絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with
音 (ne) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Ayelet f HebrewMeans
"doe, female deer, gazelle". It is taken from the Hebrew phrase
אַיֶלֶת הַשַׁחַר (ʾayeleṯ hashaḥar), literally "gazelle of dawn", which is a name of the morning star.
Aysel f Turkish, AzerbaijaniMeans
"moon flood" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, derived from
ay "moon" and
sel "flood, stream" (of Arabic origin).
Ayumi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
歩 (ayumi) meaning "walk, step". It can also be from
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with
由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Otherwise it can be written with different combinations of kanji, or with the hiragana writing system.
Azahar f Spanish (Rare)Means
"orange blossom" in Spanish, ultimately from Arabic
زهْرة (zahra) meaning "flower". It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora del Azahar, meaning "Our Lady of the Orange Blossom", because of the citrus trees that surround a church devoted to her near Murcia.
Azalea f English (Modern)From the name of the flower (shrubs of the genus Rhododendron), ultimately derived from Greek
ἀζαλέος (azaleos) meaning "dry".
Azariah m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
עֲזַרְיָה (ʿAzarya) meaning
"Yahweh has helped", derived from
עָזַר (ʿazar) meaning "help" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many Old Testament characters including of one of the three men the Babylonian king ordered cast into a fiery furnace. His Babylonian name was
Abednego.
Azazel m BiblicalMeans
"scapegoat" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, this is the name of the recipient of a sacrificial goat. The identity of Azazel is not clear; it may in fact be the name of the place where the goat is to be sacrificed, or it may be the name of some sort of evil desert demon.
Azélie f French (Rare)Perhaps a form of
Azalaïs. It was borne by Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin (1831-1877), also called Zélie, the mother of Thérèse of Lisieux.
Azrael m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendVariant of
Azarel. This is the name of an angel in Jewish and Islamic tradition who separates the soul from the body upon death. He is sometimes referred to as the Angel of Death.
Azriel m BiblicalMeans
"my help is God" in Hebrew, derived from
עֶזְרָה (ʿezra) meaning "help" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.
Azure f & m English (Rare)From the English word that means "sky blue". It is ultimately (via Old French, Latin and Arabic) from Persian
لاجورد (lājvard) meaning "azure, lapis lazuli".
Bademus m History (Ecclesiastical)Latinized form of a Persian name of unknown meaning. Saint Bademus was a 4th-century Persian martyr who was a victim of Shapur II's persecutions.
Bahram m Persian, Persian MythologyModern Persian form of Avestan
𐬬𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬖𐬥𐬀 (Vərəthraghna) meaning
"victory over resistance". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with victory and war. It was also borne by several Sasanian emperors. It is also the Persian name for the planet Mars.
Baldwin m English, GermanicMeans
"bold friend", derived from the Old German elements
bald "bold, brave" and
wini "friend". In the Middle Ages this was a popular name in Flanders and among the Normans, who brought it to Britain. It was borne by one of the leaders of the First Crusade, an 11th-century nobleman from Flanders. After the crusaders conquered Jerusalem, he was crowned as the king of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Balthazar m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendVariant of
Belshazzar. Balthazar is the name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who visited the newborn
Jesus. He was said to have come from Arabia. This name was utilized by Shakespeare for minor characters in
The Comedy of Errors (1594) and
The Merchant of Venice (1596).
Baptiste m FrenchMeans
"baptist" in French, originally deriving from Greek
βάπτω (bapto) meaning "to dip". This name is usually given in honour of Saint John the Baptist, and as such it is often paired with the name
Jean.
Baran f & m Persian, Turkish, KurdishMeans
"rain" in Persian. It is typically feminine in Persian and masculine in Turkish and Kurdish.
Barclay m English (Rare)From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from the English place name
Berkeley, itself from Old English
beorc "birch" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
Barrett m EnglishFrom a surname probably meaning
"quarrelsome, deceptive" in Middle English, originally given to a quarrelsome person.
Bartholomew m English, BiblicalEnglish form of
Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaios), which was the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning
"son of Talmai". In the New Testament
Bartholomew is the byname of an apostle, possibly the same person as the apostle
Nathanael. According to tradition he was a missionary to India before returning westward to Armenia, where he was martyred by flaying. Due to the popularity of this saint the name became common in England during the Middle Ages.
Basajaun m Basque MythologyMeans
"lord of the woods" from Basque
baso "woods" and
jaun "lord". This is the name of a character in Basque folklore, the Old Man of the Woods.
Basil 1 m EnglishFrom the Greek name
Βασίλειος (Basileios), which was derived from
βασιλεύς (basileus) meaning
"king". Saint Basil the Great was a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea and one of the fathers of the early Christian church. Due to him, the name (in various spellings) has come into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors.
Bastet f Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
bꜣstt, which was possibly derived from
bꜣs meaning
"ointment jar" and a feminine
t suffix. In Egyptian mythology Bastet was a goddess of cats, fertility and the sun who was considered a protector of Lower Egypt. In early times she was typically depicted with the head of a lioness. By the New Kingdom period she was more associated with domestic cats, while the similar cat goddess
Sekhmet took on the fierce lioness aspect.
Bathsheba f BiblicalMeans
"daughter of the oath" in Hebrew, derived from
בַּת (baṯ) meaning "daughter" and
שָׁבַע (shavaʿ) meaning "oath". According to the Old Testament, this was the name of a woman married to
Uriah the Hittite. She became pregnant by King
David, so he arranged to have her husband killed in battle and then married her. She was the mother of
Solomon.
Batul f ArabicMeans
"virgin" in Arabic. This is an Arabic epithet of the Virgin
Mary.
Bayard m Carolingian CycleDerived from Old French
baiart meaning
"bay coloured". In medieval French poetry Bayard was a bay horse owned by Renaud de Montauban and his brothers. The horse could magically adjust its size to carry multiple riders.
Beatrice f Italian, English, Swedish, RomanianItalian form of
Beatrix. Beatrice Portinari (1266-1290) was the woman who was loved by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. She serves as Dante's guide through paradise in his epic poem the
Divine Comedy (1321). This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's comedy
Much Ado About Nothing (1599), in which Beatrice and
Benedick are fooled into confessing their love for one another.
Beatrix f German, Hungarian, Dutch, English, Late RomanProbably from
Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name
Viator meaning
"voyager, traveller". It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin
beatus "blessed, happy". Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of Diocletian.
... [more] Bedivere m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian CycleFrom the Welsh name
Bedwyr, possibly from
bedwen "birch" and
gwr "man". In Arthurian legends Bedivere was one of the original companions of King
Arthur. He first appears in early Welsh tales, and his story was later expanded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century. He is the one who throws the sword Excalibur into the lake at the request of the dying Arthur.
Belenus m Gaulish MythologyLatinized form of Gaulish
Belenos or
Belinos, possibly from Celtic roots meaning either
"bright, brilliant" (from Indo-European *
bhel-) or
"strong" (from Indo-European *
bel-). This was the name of a Gaulish god who was often equated with
Apollo. He is mostly known from Gallo-Roman inscriptions and was especially venerated in Aquileia in northern Italy.
Belial m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendMeans
"worthless" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this term is used to refer to various wicked people. In the New Testament, Paul uses it as a name for Satan. In later Christian tradition Belial became an evil angel associated with lawlessness and lust.
Bellatrix f AstronomyMeans
"female warrior" in Latin. This is the name of the star that marks the left shoulder of the constellation Orion.
Belle f EnglishShort form of
Isabella or names ending in
belle. It is also associated with the French word
belle meaning "beautiful". A famous bearer was Belle Starr (1848-1889), an outlaw of the American west, whose real given name was Maybelle.
Bellona f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
bellare meaning
"to fight". This was the name of the Roman goddess of war, a companion of
Mars.
Belphoebe f LiteratureCombination of Old French
bele "beautiful" and the name
Phoebe. This name was first used by Edmund Spenser in his poem
The Faerie Queene (1590).
Belshazzar m Babylonian (Anglicized), BiblicalFrom
בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר (Belshatstsar), the Hebrew form of the Akkadian name
Bel-sharra-usur meaning "
Bel protect the king". This was the name of the son of Nabonidus, the last king of the Babylonian Empire before the Persians conquered it in the 6th century BC. In the Old Testament Book of Daniel Belshazzar is the last king of Babylon who sees the mystical handwriting on the wall, which is interpreted by Daniel to portend the end of the empire.
Bendegúz m HungarianHungarian variant of the Turkic name
Mundzuk, possibly from
mončuq meaning
"jewel, bead". This was the name of
Attila the Hun's father.
Benedict m EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Benedictus, which meant
"blessed". Saint Benedict was an Italian monk who founded the Benedictines in the 6th century. After his time the name was common among Christians, being used by 16 popes. In England it did not come into use until the 12th century, at which point it became very popular. This name was also borne by the American general Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), who defected to Britain during the American Revolution.
Benigno m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese (Rare)Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name
Benignus, which meant
"kind, friendly". This was the name of several saints including a 5th-century disciple of Saint
Patrick who later became the archbishop of Armagh.
Benvolio m LiteratureMeans
"good will" in Italian. This name appears in William Shakespeare's play
Romeo and Juliet (1596) belonging to a friend of
Romeo. The character had been created earlier by the Italian writer Matteo Bandello, whose story
Giulietta e Romeo (1554) was one of Shakespeare's sources.
Beowulf m Anglo-Saxon MythologyPossibly means
"bee wolf" (in effect equal to "bear") from Old English
beo "bee" and
wulf "wolf". Alternatively, the first element may be
beadu "battle". This is the name of the main character in the anonymous 8th-century epic poem
Beowulf. Set in Denmark, the poem tells how he slays the monster Grendel and its mother at the request of King
Hroðgar. After this Beowulf becomes the king of the Geats. The conclusion of the poem tells how Beowulf, in his old age, slays a dragon but is himself mortally wounded in the act.
Berengar m GermanicOld German name derived from the elements
bern "bear" and
ger "spear". This was the name of two medieval kings of Italy and a Holy Roman emperor.
Berenice f English, Italian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of
Βερενίκη (Berenike), the Macedonian form of the Greek name
Φερενίκη (Pherenike), which meant
"bringing victory" from
φέρω (phero) meaning "to bring" and
νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". This name was common among the Ptolemy ruling family of Egypt, a dynasty that was originally from Macedon. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament (in most English Bibles it is spelled
Bernice) belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II. As an English name,
Berenice came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Bernadette f French, English, German, DutchFrench feminine form of
Bernard. Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879) was a young woman from Lourdes in France who claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin
Mary. She was declared a saint in 1933.
Bernard m English, French, Dutch, Polish, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, GermanicDerived from the Old German element
bern "bear" combined with
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate
Beornheard. This was the name of several saints, including Saint Bernard of Menthon who built hospices in the Swiss Alps in the 10th century, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. Other famous bearers include the Irish playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and the British World War II field marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976).
Berthold m GermanMeans
"bright power" from the Old German element
beraht "bright" combined with
walt "power, authority".
Bertram m English, German, GermanicMeans
"bright raven", derived from the Old German element
beraht "bright" combined with
hram "raven". This name has long been conflated with
Bertrand. The Normans introduced it to England, and Shakespeare used it in his play
All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Bertrand m French, English, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
beraht meaning "bright" and
rant meaning "rim (of a shield)". From an early date it has been confused with
Bertram and the two names have merged to some degree. Saint Bertrand was an 11th-century bishop of Comminges in France. Another famous bearer was the English philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).
Betelgeuse m AstronomyThe name of the star that marks the right shoulder of the constellation Orion. It is derived from Arabic
يد الجوزا (yad al-Jawzā) meaning
"the hand of Jawza".
جوزا (Jawzā) meaning "central one" was the old Arabic name for the constellation Orion (also for Gemini).
Bethuel m BiblicalPossibly means
"destruction of God" in Hebrew, from
בָּתָה (baṯa) meaning "destruction" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of
Rebecca.
Bhaskara m HinduismMeans
"shining, light maker", derived from Sanskrit
भास (bhāsa) meaning "light" and
कर (kara) meaning "maker". This is another name of Hindu sun god
Surya. It was additionally borne by a 12th-century Indian astronomer, also known as Bhaskaracharya.
Bianca f Italian, RomanianItalian cognate of
Blanche. Shakespeare had characters named Bianca in
The Taming of the Shrew (1593) and
Othello (1603). The German singer Freddy Breck's 1973 song
Bianca boosted the name's popularity elsewhere in Europe.
Bishop m EnglishEither from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek
ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer".
Bithiah f BiblicalMeans
"daughter of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from the roots
בַּת (baṯ) meaning "daughter" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Pharaoh. She is traditionally equated with the pharaoh's daughter who drew
Moses from the Nile.
Blaise m FrenchFrom the Roman name
Blasius, which was derived from Latin
blaesus meaning
"lisping". Saint Blaise was a 4th-century Armenian martyr. A famous bearer was the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).
Blanche f French, EnglishFrom a medieval French nickname meaning
"white, fair-coloured". This word and its cognates in other languages are ultimately derived from the Germanic word *
blankaz. An early bearer was the 12th-century Blanca of Navarre, the wife of Sancho III of Castile. Her granddaughter of the same name married Louis VIII of France, with the result that the name became more common in France.
Blodeuwedd f Welsh MythologyMeans
"face of flowers" in Welsh. According to the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi, she was created out of flowers by
Gwydion to be the wife of his nephew
Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Originally she was named
Blodeuedd meaning simply "flowers". She was eventually transformed into an owl by Gwydion after she and her lover
Gronw attempted to murder Lleu, at which point he renamed her
Blodeuwedd.
Blodwen f WelshMeans
"white flowers" from Welsh
blodau "flowers" combined with
gwen "white, blessed". This is the name of an 1878 Welsh opera by Joseph Parry.
Bolívar m Spanish (Latin American)From a surname that was taken from the Basque place name
Bolibar, which was derived from
bolu "mill" and
ibar "riverside". A famous bearer of the surname was Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), a South American revolutionary leader, after whom the country of Bolivia is named.
Bonaventura m Italian, CatalanMeans
"good fortune" in Italian, from Latin
bonus "good" and
venturas "the things that will come, the future". Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
Boniface m French, English (Rare)From the Late Latin name
Bonifatius, which meant
"good fate" from
bonum "good" and
fatum "fate, destiny". This was the name of nine popes and also several saints, including an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (originally named
Winfrið) who is now regarded as the patron saint of that country. It came into use in England during the Middle Ages, but became rare after the Protestant Reformation.
Boudicca f Brythonic (Latinized)Derived from Brythonic
boud meaning
"victory". This was the name of a 1st-century queen of the Iceni who led the Britons in revolt against the Romans. Eventually her forces were defeated and she committed suicide. Her name is first recorded in Roman histories, as
Boudicca by Tacitus and
Βουδουῖκα (Boudouika) by Cassius Dio.
Bradamante f Carolingian CycleUsed by Matteo Maria Boiardo for a female knight in his epic poem
Orlando Innamorato (1483). He possibly intended it to derive from Italian
brado "wild, untamed, natural" and
amante "loving" or perhaps Latin
amantis "lover, sweetheart, mistress", referring to her love for the Saracen
Ruggiero. Bradamante also appears in Ludovico Ariosto's poem
Orlando Furioso (1532) and Handel's opera
Alcina (1735).
Bradán m Medieval IrishMeans
"salmon" in Irish. It could also be formed from Irish
brad "thief" and a diminutive suffix.
Bradford m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally came from a place name that meant
"broad ford" in Old English.
Brennus m Gaulish (Latinized)Latinized form of a Celtic name (or title) that possibly meant either
"king, prince" or
"raven". Brennus was a Gallic leader of the 4th century BC who attacked and sacked Rome.
Briar Rose f LiteratureEnglish translation of German
Dornröschen. This is the name of the fairy tale character Sleeping Beauty in the Brothers Grimm version of the story.
Brigham m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally derived from place names meaning
"bridge settlement" in Old English.
Briseis f Greek MythologyPatronymic derived from
Βρισεύς (Briseus), a Greek name of unknown meaning. In Greek mythology Briseis (real name Hippodameia) was the daughter of Briseus. She was captured during the Trojan War by
Achilles. After
Agamemnon took her away from him, Achilles refused to fight in the war.
Britannia f English (Rare)From the Latin name of the island of
Britain, in occasional use as an English given name since the 18th century. This is also the name of the Roman female personification of Britain pictured on some British coins.
Britton m EnglishDerived from a Middle English surname meaning
"a Briton" (a Celt of England) or
"a Breton" (an inhabitant of Brittany). Both ethnonyms are related to the place name
Britain.
Bronte m & f English (Rare)From a surname, an Anglicized form of Irish
Ó Proinntigh, itself derived from the given name
Proinnteach, probably from Irish
bronntach meaning "generous". The Brontë sisters — Charlotte, Emily, and Anne — were 19th-century English novelists. Their father changed the spelling of the family surname from
Brunty to
Brontë, possibly to make it coincide with Greek
βροντή meaning "thunder".
Bronwen f WelshSeemingly derived from Welsh
bron "breast" and
gwen "white, blessed", though it has sometimes occurred as a variant spelling of the legendary name
Branwen. It has been used as a given name in Wales since the 19th century. It is borne by a character in Richard Llewellyn's 1939 novel
How Green Was My Valley, as well as the 1941 movie adaptation.
Brynhildr f Norse Mythology, Old NorseOld Norse cognate of
Brunhild. In the Norse epic the
Völsungasaga Brynhildr was rescued by the hero
Sigurd in the guise of
Gunnar. Brynhildr and Gunnar were married, but when Sigurd's wife
Gudrun let slip that it was in fact Sigurd who had rescued her, Brynhildr plotted against him. She accused Sigurd of taking her virginity, spurring Gunnar to arrange Sigurd's murder.
Brynmor m WelshFrom the Welsh place name
Brynmawr meaning
"great hill".
Burgundy f English (Rare)This name can refer either to the region in France, the wine (which derives from the name of the region), or the colour (which derives from the name of the wine).
Byron m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"place of the cow sheds" in Old English. This was the surname of the romantic poet Lord Byron (1788-1824), the writer of
Don Juan and many other works.
Bysshe m English (Rare)From an English surname, a variant of the surname
Bush, which originally indicated a person who lived near a bush. This was the middle name of the romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822).
Cadeyrn m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catigirn meaning
"battle king", derived from
cat "battle" and
tigirn "king, monarch". This was the name of a 5th-century king of Powys in Wales, the son of
Vortigern.
Cadfael m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catmail meaning
"battle prince", from
cat "battle" and
mael "prince". This was apparently the birth name of Saint Cadoc. It was used by the British author Ellis Peters for the main character in her books
The Cadfael Chronicles, first released in 1977.
Cadmus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κάδμος (Kadmos), of uncertain meaning. In Greek mythology Cadmus was the son of the Phoenician king
Agenor. He was sent by his father to rescue his sister
Europa, who had been abducted by
Zeus, although he did not succeed in retrieving her. According to legend, Cadmus founded the city of Thebes and introduced the alphabet to Greece.
Cadwgan m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catguocaun (and many other spellings) meaning
"glory in battle", from
cat "battle" and
guocaun "glory, honour". It appears briefly in the medieval Welsh tale
The Dream of Rhonabwy.
Caecilius m Ancient RomanOriginal Latin masculine form of
Cecilia. Saint Caecilius was a 1st-century missionary to Granada, Spain. It was also part of the full name of Saint
Cyprian, Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus.
Caedmon m History (Ecclesiastical)Meaning unknown, though the first element is likely connected to Brythonic
kad meaning "battle". Saint Caedmon was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon poet who supposedly received his poetic inspiration from a dream. Our only knowledge of him is through the 8th-century writings of the historian Bede.
Caelestis m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"of the sky, heavenly", a derivative of Latin
caelum "heaven, sky".
Caesar m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman cognomen that possibly meant
"hairy", from Latin
caesaries "hair". Julius Caesar and his adopted son Julius Caesar Octavianus (commonly known as Augustus) were both rulers of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC.
Caesar was used as a title by the emperors that came after them.
Caeso m Ancient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from Latin
caesius meaning
"blue-grey". This praenomen was only used by a few families.
Caligula m HistoryMeans
"little boot" in Latin. This was a nickname for the 1st-century Roman emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus given to him in his youth by his father's soldiers.
Calixtus m Late RomanVariant of
Callistus, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin
calix "wine cup". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).
Calla f EnglishFrom the name of two types of plants, the true calla (species Calla palustris) and the calla lily (species Calla aethiopica), both having white flowers and growing in marshy areas. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek
κάλλος (kallos) meaning
"beauty".
Callistus m Late RomanLate Latin name that was derived from the Greek name
Κάλλιστος (Kallistos) meaning
"most beautiful". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callixtus), including the 3rd-century Callistus I who is regarded as a saint.
Callixtus m Late RomanVariant of
Callistus, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin
calix "wine cup". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).
Calogero m ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Calogerus meaning
"beautiful elder", from Greek
καλός (kalos) meaning "beautiful" and
γέρων (geron) meaning "old man, elder". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a hermit of Sicily.
Calypso f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Καλυψώ (Kalypso), which probably meant
"she that conceals", derived from
καλύπτω (kalypto) meaning "to cover, to conceal". In Greek myth this was the name of the nymph who fell in love with
Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on her island of Ogygia. When he refused to stay with her she detained him for seven years until
Zeus ordered her to release him.
Cambria f Various (Rare)Latin form of the Welsh
Cymru, the Welsh name for the country of Wales, derived from
cymry meaning "the people". It is occasionally used as a given name in modern times.
Cambyses m Old Persian (Latinized), HistoryLatin form of
Καμβύσης (Kambyses), the Greek form of the Old Persian name
𐎣𐎲𐎢𐎪𐎡𐎹 (Kabujiya), which is of uncertain meaning, possibly related to the geographical name
Kamboja, a historical region in Central Asia. Two Persian kings bore this name, including Cambyses II, the second ruler of the Achaemenid Empire, who conquered Egypt.
Camellia f English (Rare)From the name of the flowering shrub, which was named for the botanist and missionary Georg Josef Kamel.
Camille f & m French, EnglishFrench feminine and masculine form of
Camilla. It is also used in the English-speaking world, where it is generally only feminine.
Camillus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen, which is probably of Etruscan origin and unknown meaning. It is probably not related to Latin
camillus "a youth employed in religious services". This name was borne by the 16th-century Italian monk Saint Camillus de Lellis.
Candelaria f SpanishMeans
"Candlemas" in Spanish, ultimately derived from Spanish
candela "candle". This name is given in honour of the church festival of Candlemas, which commemorates the presentation of Christ in the temple and the purification of the Virgin
Mary.
Capucine f FrenchMeans
"nasturtium" in French. This was the stage name of the French actress and model Capucine (1928-1990).
Caratacus m Brythonic (Latinized)Latinized form of the Brythonic name *
Caratācos meaning
"loved", derived from the old Celtic root *
karu "to love". According to Roman writers, this was the name of a 1st-century British chieftain who rebelled against Roman rule.
Cardea f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
cardo meaning
"hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.
Carlisle m & f English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from the name of a city in northern England. The city was originally called by the Romans
Luguvalium meaning "stronghold of
Lugus". Later the Brythonic element
ker "fort" was appended to the name of the city.
Carloman m GermanicFrom an Old German name derived from
karl meaning "man" and
man meaning "person, man". This was the name of several Frankish rulers, including the 8th-century Carloman I who ruled jointly with his brother
Charlemagne for a time.