Names Deemed "wholesome"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is wholesome.
gender
usage
impression
Soňa f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Sonya.
Sondra f English
Variant of Sandra. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by a character in Theodore Dreiser's novel An American Tragedy (1925) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1931).
Sonya f Russian, English
Russian diminutive of Sophia. This is the name of a character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace (1869, English translation 1886).
Sophea f & m Khmer
Means "judge, lawyer" in Khmer.
Sophia f English, Greek, German, Ancient Greek
Means "wisdom" in Greek. This was the name of an early, probably mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Legends about her probably arose as a result of a medieval misunderstanding of the phrase Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom", which is the name of a large basilica in Constantinople.... [more]
Sophie f French, English, German, Dutch
French form of Sophia.
Sophronia f Literature, Late Greek
Feminine form of Sophronius. Torquato Tasso used it in his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580), in which it is borne by the lover of Olindo.
Sophronius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Σωφρόνιος (Sophronios), which was derived from Greek σώφρων (sophron) meaning "self-controlled, sensible". Saint Sophronius was a 7th-century patriarch of Jerusalem.
Sophus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Σόφος (Sophos) meaning "skilled, clever".
Sophy f English (Rare)
Variant of Sophie or a diminutive of Sophia.
Sora f & m Japanese
From Japanese (sora) or (sora) both meaning "sky". Other kanji with the same pronunciations can also form this name.
Soraya f Persian, Spanish, French, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Persian form of Thurayya. It became popular in some parts of Europe because of the fame of Princess Soraya (1932-2001), wife of the last Shah of Iran, who became a European socialite.
Sorina f Romanian
Feminine form of Sorin.
Soroush m Persian Mythology, Persian
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬯𐬭𐬀𐬊𐬱𐬀 (Sraosha) meaning "obedience". In Zoroastrianism this was the name of a Yazata (a holy being), later equated with the angel Gabriel.
Sosigenes m Ancient Greek
Means "born safely" from Greek σῶς (sos) meaning "safe, whole, unwounded" and γενής (genes) meaning "born". This was the name of an astronomer from Alexandria employed by Julius Caesar to correct the Roman calendar.
Spring f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English springan "to leap, to burst forth".
Ssanyu f Ganda
Means "joy" in Luganda.
Stacey f & m English
Variant of Stacy.
Staci f English
Feminine variant of Stacy.
Stacy f & m English
As a feminine name it is commonly considered a diminutive of Anastasia, though it was originally used independently of that name, which was rare in America in the 1950s when Stacy began becoming popular. It had earlier been in use as an uncommon masculine name, borrowed from the surname Stacy or Stacey (derived from Stace, a medieval form of Eustace).
Stafford m English
From a surname that was from a place name meaning "landing-place ford" in Old English.
Stanford m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "stone ford" in Old English.
Star f English
From the English word for the celestial body, ultimately from Old English steorra.
Starla f English
Elaborated form of Star.
Stefan m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Polish, Bulgarian, Serbian, Macedonian
Form of Stephen used in several languages. Famous bearers include the Serbian rulers Stefan Nemanja, Stefan Nemanjić, and Stefan Lazarević, who are all considered saints in the Orthodox Church.
Stefania f Italian, Polish, Greek
Italian, Polish and Greek feminine form of Stephen.
Stefaniya f Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Russian, Bulgarian and Ukrainian feminine form of Stephen.
Stefanos m Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Στέφανος (see Stephen).
Steffan m Welsh
Welsh form of Stephen.
Steffen m Low German, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch
Low German and Danish form of Stephen.
Steffi f German
Diminutive of Stephanie.
Stela f Romanian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak
Form of Stella 1 in several languages, derived from Latin stella meaning "star" (modern Romanian stea).
Stelara f Esperanto
From Esperanto stelaro meaning "constellation", ultimately from Latin stella "star".
Stelios m Greek
Variant of Stylianos.
Stella 1 f English, Italian, Dutch, German
Means "star" in Latin. This name was created by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney for the subject of his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella. It was a nickname of a lover of Jonathan Swift, real name Esther Johnson (1681-1728), though it was not commonly used as a given name until the 19th century. It appears in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), belonging to the sister of Blanche DuBois and the wife of Stanley Kowalski.
Stellan m Swedish
Meaning unknown, perhaps related to Old Norse stilling "calm", or perhaps of German origin.
Sten m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Estonian
Derived from the Old Norse name Steinn meaning "stone".
Stepan m Russian, Ukrainian, Armenian
Russian, Ukrainian and Armenian form of Stephanos (see Stephen).
Stéphanie f French
French feminine form of Stephen.
Stephanie f English, German
Feminine form of Stephen.
Stephanos m Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek, Greek
Greek form of Stephen. In Modern Greek it is usually transcribed Stefanos.
Steren f Cornish
Means "star" in Cornish.
Sterling m English
From a Scots surname that was derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning. The name can also be given in reference to the English word sterling meaning "excellent". In this case, the word derives from sterling silver, which was so named because of the emblem that some Norman coins bore, from Old English meaning "little star".
Stetson m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of the village of Stidston in Devon, meaning "Stithweard's town". This is a type of wide-brimmed hat, originally made by the John B. Stetson Company.
Steven m English, Dutch
Medieval English variant of Stephen, and a Dutch variant of Stefan. The filmmaker Steven Spielberg (1946-), director of E.T. and Indiana Jones, is a famous bearer of this name.
Stian m Norwegian
Modern Norwegian form of Stígandr.
St John m English (British, Rare)
From the title and name of Saint John the Baptist or Saint John the Evangelist (see John).
Stoyan m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian стоя (stoya) meaning "to stand, to stay".
Su 1 f Turkish
Means "water" in Turkish.
Su-Bin f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (su) meaning "luxuriant, beautiful, elegant, outstanding" combined with (bin) meaning "refined". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Sudhir m Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, Telugu
Derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with धीर (dhīra) meaning "wise, considerate".
Sue f English
Short form of Susanna.
Suha f Arabic
Means "forgotten, overlooked" in Arabic. Al-Suha (also called Alcor) is the name of a star in the constellation Ursa Major.
Suhail m Arabic, Urdu
Derived from Arabic سهل (sahl) meaning "level, even, smooth". This is the Arabic name of the second brightest star in the sky, known in the western world as Canopus. It is also the official (IAU) name of the third brightest star in the constellation Vela.
Suhaila f & m Arabic, Malay
Feminine form of Suhail.
Su-Jin f Korean
From Sino-Korean (su) meaning "gather, harvest" or (su) meaning "long life, lifespan" combined with (jin) meaning "real, genuine" or (jin) meaning "precious, rare". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Suki f English
Diminutive of Susanna or Susan.
Suman m & f Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali
Means "well-disposed, good mind", derived from the Sanskrit prefix सु (su) meaning "good" combined with मनस् (manas) meaning "mind".
Sumayya f Arabic
Means "high, elevated, lofty" in Arabic, derived from سما (samā) meaning "to be high". This was the name of the first martyr for Islam.
Sumiko f Japanese
From Japanese (sumi) meaning "clear" and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Sumire f Japanese
From Japanese (sumire) meaning "violet (flower)". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well. It is often written using the hiragana writing system.
Summer f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English sumor. It has been in use as a given name since the 1970s.
Sundara m Hinduism
Derived from Sanskrit सुन्दर (sundara) meaning "beautiful". This is the name of several minor characters in Hindu texts, and is also another name of the Hindu god Kama.
Sunday m & f English
From the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English sunnandæg, which was composed of the elements sunne "sun" and dæg "day". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Sunil m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
From Sanskrit सु (su) meaning "good, very" combined with नील (nīla) meaning "dark blue".
Sunniva f Norwegian
Scandinavian form of the Old English name Sunngifu, which meant "sun gift" from the Old English elements sunne "sun" and giefu "gift". This was the name of a legendary English saint who was shipwrecked in Norway and killed by the inhabitants.
Sunny f & m English
From the English word meaning "sunny, cheerful".
Sunshine f English
From the English word, ultimately from Old English sunne "sun" and scinan "shine".
Suraj m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Nepali
Means "sun" in several northern Indian languages, derived from Sanskrit सूर्य (sūrya).
Suresha m Hinduism
Means "ruler of the gods" from Sanskrit सुर (sura) meaning "god" and ईश (īśa) meaning "ruler, lord". This is another name of the Hindu gods Indra, Shiva or Vishnu.
Surya m Hinduism, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Indonesian
Means "sun" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Vedic Hindu god of the sun who rides a chariot across the sky.
Susan f English
English variant of Susanna. This has been most common spelling since the 18th century. It was especially popular both in the United States and the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1960s. A notable bearer was the American feminist Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906).
Susana f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Susanna.
Susann f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
German and Scandinavian short form of Susanne.
Susanna f Italian, Catalan, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, English, Armenian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
From Σουσάννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshanna). This was derived from the Hebrew word שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to Jesus.... [more]
Susannah f Biblical
Form of Susanna found in some versions of the Old Testament.
Susanne f German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, English
German and Scandinavian form of Susanna.
Susie f English
Diminutive of Susan.
Suzanna f English
Variant of Susanna.
Suzanne f French, English, Dutch
French form of Susanna.
Suzette f French
French diminutive of Suzanne.
Suzu f Japanese
From Japanese (suzu) meaning "bell" or other kanji having the same pronunciation.
Svana f Icelandic
Short form of Svanhildur.
Svea f Swedish
From a personification of the country of Sweden, in use since the 17th century. It is a derivative of Svear, the Swedish name for the North Germanic tribe the Swedes. The Swedish name of the country of Sweden is Sverige, a newer form of Svear rike meaning "the realm of the Svear".
Sveinn m Icelandic, Old Norse
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Sven.
Sven m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, German, Dutch
From the Old Norse byname Sveinn meaning "boy". This was the name of kings of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
Svenja f German
German feminine form of Sven.
Sveva f Italian
Possibly from the name of the Germanic tribe of the Suebi (svevo in Italian).
Sviatoslav m Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Ukrainian Святослав (see Svyatoslav).
Svitlana f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Svetlana.
Syed m Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali
Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali form of Sayyid.
Syeda f Urdu
Urdu form of Sayyida.
Sylvain m French
French form of Silvanus.
Sylvan m English
Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".
Sylvi f Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish
Norwegian and Swedish variant of Solveig. It is also used as a short form of Sylvia.
Sylvia f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Variant of Silvia. This has been the most common English spelling since the 19th century.
Sylviane f French
Variant of Sylvaine.
Sylvie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Silvia.
Symphony f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word, ultimately deriving from Greek σύμφωνος (symphonos) meaning "concordant in sound".
Synne f Norwegian
Short form of Synnøve.
Synnöve f Swedish
Swedish form of Sunniva.
Synnøve f Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Sunniva.
Szabolcs m Hungarian
Meaning unknown, possibly from a Slavic word meaning "marten". It was borne by a leader of the Magyars at the time of Árpád. This is now the name of a region in Hungary.
Szilvia f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Silvia.
Szonja f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Sonya.
Tabea f German
German short form of Tabitha. This form was used in earlier editions of the Luther Bible.
Tabitha f English, Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means "gazelle" in Aramaic. Tabitha in the New Testament was a woman restored to life by Saint Peter. Her name is translated into Greek as Dorcas (see Acts 9:36). As an English name, Tabitha became common after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 1960s by the television show Bewitched, in which Tabitha (sometimes spelled Tabatha) is the daughter of the main character.
Tacita f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Tacitus.
Tafadzwa m & f Shona
Means "we are pleased" in Shona, from fadza meaning "please, make happy".
Tage m Danish, Swedish
From the medieval Danish byname Taki, derived from Old Norse taka meaning "to take, to capture".
Taha m Arabic
From the Arabic letters ط (called ta) and ه (called ha). These letters begin the 20th chapter of the Quran (surah Ta Ha).
Tahir m Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Azerbaijani, Bosnian
Means "virtuous, pure, chaste" in Arabic.
Tahira f Arabic, Urdu
Feminine form of Tahir.
Táhirih f History
Variant of Tahira. This was the title of Fatemeh Baraghani (1814-1852), a Persian poet, theologian and reformer.
Tahmina f Persian Mythology, Tajik, Bengali
Derived from Persian تهم (tahm) meaning "brave, valiant". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh. She is a daughter of the king of Samangan who marries the warrior hero Rostam and eventually bears him a son, whom they name Sohrab.
Taisiya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian form of Thaïs (referring to the saint).
Tajana f Croatian, Serbian
Derived from Croatian and Serbian tajiti "to keep secret".
Takashi m Japanese
From Japanese (takashi) meaning "filial piety", (takashi) meaning "noble, prosperous" or (takashi) meaning "esteem, honour, venerate", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations that result in the same pronunciation.
Takumi m Japanese
From Japanese (takumi) meaning "artisan" or (takumi) meaning "skillful". It can also come from (taku) meaning "expand, open, support" combined with (mi) meaning "sea, ocean" or (mi) meaning "fruit, good result, truth". This name can also be formed of other kanji combinations.
Tali f Hebrew
Means "my dew" in Hebrew.
Talia 1 f Hebrew
Means "dew from God" in Hebrew, from טַל (ṭal) meaning "dew" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
Talia 2 f English (Australian)
From the name of a town in South Australia, perhaps meaning "near water" in an Australian Aboriginal language.
Taline f Armenian
Alternate transcription of Armenian Թալին (see Talin).
Talita f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese form of Talitha, popular in Brazil.
Talitha f Biblical
Means "little girl" in Aramaic. The name is taken from the phrase talitha cumi meaning "little girl arise" spoken by Jesus in order to restore a young girl to life (see Mark 5:41).
Talulla f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of the Old Irish name Taileflaith, Tuileflaith or Tuilelaith, probably from tuile "abundance" and flaith "ruler, sovereign, princess". This was the name of an early saint, an abbess of Kildare.
Talya f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew טַלְיָה or טַלְיָא (see Talia 1).
Tam 2 m & f Hebrew
Means "honest, innocent" in Hebrew.
Tamandani m & f Chewa
Means "exalt, praise" in Chewa.
Tamás m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Thomas.
Tàmhas m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Thomas.
Tamia f African American (Modern)
An invented name, using the initial sound found in names such as Tamika. It was popularized by the Canadian singer Tamia Hill (1975-), who is known simply as Tamia.
Tamya f Quechua
Means "rain" in Quechua.
Tancredi m Italian
Italian form of Tancred appearing in the epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580) by Torquato Tasso. The tale was adapted by Gioachino Rossini for his opera Tancredi (1813).
Tāne m Maori, Polynesian Mythology
Means "man" in Maori. In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Tāne was the god of forests and light. He was the son of the sky god Rangi and the earth goddess Papa, who were locked in an embrace and finally separated by their son. He created the tui bird and, by some accounts, man.
Tansy f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived via Old French from Late Latin tanacita.
Tanvi f Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Means "slender woman", derived from Sanskrit तनु (tanu) meaning "slender".
Tao m Chinese
From Chinese (tāo) meaning "large waves", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Tapiwa f Shona
Means "given" in Shona.
Tara 1 f English
Anglicized form of the Irish place name Teamhair, which possibly means "elevated place". This was the name of the sacred hill near Dublin where the Irish high kings resided. It was popularized as a given name by the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939), in which it is the name of the O'Hara plantation.
Tariel m Literature, Georgian
Created by the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli for his 12th-century epic The Knight in the Panther's Skin. He may have based it on Persian تاجور (tājvar) meaning "king" or تار (tār) meaning "dark, obscure" combined with یل (yal) meaning "hero". In the poem Tariel, the titular knight who wears a panther skin, is an Indian prince who becomes a companion of Avtandil.
Tariro f Shona
Means "hope" in Shona.
Taru f Finnish
Means "legend, myth" in Finnish. It is also used as a diminutive of Tarja.
Tasnim f Arabic
From the name of a water spring in paradise, according to Islamic tradition.
Tawny f English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately deriving from Old French tané, which means "light brown".
Taylan m Turkish
Means "tall" in Turkish.
T'Challa m Popular Culture
The real name of the superhero Black Panther from Marvel comic books, debuting in 1966. In a 2018 issue it was revealed that his name means "he who put the knife where it belonged" in the fictional Wakandan language.
Tecumseh m Shawnee
Means "panther passing across" in Shawnee. This name was borne by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh (1768-1813), who resisted American expansion along with his brother the spiritual leader Tenskwatawa.
Teddie m & f English
Diminutive of Edward or Theodore, sometimes a feminine form.
Tekla f Swedish, Latvian, Georgian, Hungarian, Polish (Archaic)
Form of Thekla in several languages.
Temitope f & m Yoruba
Means "mine is worthy of gratitude" in Yoruba.
Temperance f English
From the English word meaning "moderation" or "restraint". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It experienced a modest revival in the United States during the run of the television series Bones (2005-2017), in which the main character bears this name.
Tena f Croatian
Diminutive of Terezija.
Tendai m & f Shona
From Shona tenda meaning "be thankful, thank".
Tenzin m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
From Tibetan བསྟན་འཛིན (bstan-'dzin) meaning "upholder of teachings". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).
Teodóra f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Theodore.
Teófilo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Theophilus.
Terah m Biblical
Possibly means "station" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Terah is the father of Abraham. He led his people out of Ur and towards Canaan, but died along the way.
Terence m English
From the Roman family name Terentius, which is of unknown meaning. Famous bearers include Publius Terentius Afer, a Roman playwright, and Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar. It was also borne by several early saints. The name was used in Ireland as an Anglicized form of Toirdhealbhach, but it was not found as an English name until the late 19th century. It attained only a moderate level of popularity in the 20th century, though it has been common as an African-American name especially since the 1970s.
Teresa f Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Catalan, Polish, Lithuanian, Finnish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
Form of Theresa used in several languages. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a 16th-century Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelite monasteries and wrote several spiritual books. It was also borne by the Albanian missionary Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), better known as Mother Teresa, who worked with the poor in India. She adopted the name in honour of the French saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron of missionaries.
Teresia f Swedish
Swedish variant of Teresa.
Teresita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Teresa. It is most common in the Philippines and Latin America.
Teréz f Hungarian
Hungarian short form of Terézia.
Terhi f Finnish
Short form of Terhenetär, which was derived from Finnish terhen meaning "mist". In the Finnish epic the Kalevala Terhenetär is a sprite associated with mist and forests.
Terrence m English
Variant of Terence.
Tessa f English, Dutch
Contracted form of Theresa.
Tessie f English
Diminutive of Theresa.
Tetiana f Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian Тетяна (see Tetyana).
Tevye m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish form of Tobiah. This is the name of the central character in stories written by the Yiddish author Sholem Aleichem in the late 19th century, as well as the later musical adaptation Fiddler on the Roof (1964).
Tewodros m Amharic
Amharic form of Theodore.
Thaïs f Ancient Greek, French
Possibly means "bandage" in Greek. This was the name of a companion of Alexander the Great. It was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Alexandria, a wealthy socialite who became a Christian convert, though in her case the name may have had a distinct Coptic origin. She has been a popular subject of art and literature, including an 1891 novel by Anatole France and an 1894 opera by Jules Massenet.
Thais f Ancient Greek, Spanish
Alternate transcription of Ancient Greek Θαΐς (see Thaïs), as well as the usual Spanish form.
Thaleia f Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Thalia.
Thales m Ancient Greek, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Derived from Greek θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". Thales of Miletus was a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher and mathematician.
Thalia f Greek Mythology (Latinized), Greek
From the Greek name Θάλεια (Thaleia), derived from θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, presiding over comedy and pastoral poetry. This was also the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).
Thamina f Arabic
Means "valuable, precious, priceless" in Arabic.
Thanasis m Greek
Modern Greek short form of Athanasios.
Thanh f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (thanh) meaning "blue, green, young" or (thanh) meaning "sound, voice, tone".
Thea f German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English
Short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other names with a similar sound.
Theia f Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". In Greek myth this was the name of a Titan goddess of light, glittering and glory. She was the wife of Hyperion and the mother of the sun god Helios, the moon goddess Selene, and the dawn goddess Eos.
Thelma f English
Meaning unknown. It was a rare name when British author Marie Corelli used it for the Norwegian heroine of her novel Thelma (1887). The name became popular around the end of the 19th century after the novel was published. It is sometimes claimed to derive from Greek θέλημα (thelema) meaning "will", though this seems unlikely.
Thema f Akan
Means "queen" in Akan.
Themba m Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele
Means "trust, hope" in Zulu, Xhosa and Ndebele.
Themistoklis m Greek
Modern Greek form of Themistocles.
Theodoor m Dutch
Dutch form of Theodore.
Theodor m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Romanian
German form of Theodore, as well as a Scandinavian, Czech and Romanian variant of Teodor. A famous bearer was American children's book creator Theodor Seuss Geisel (1904-1991), better known as Dr. Seuss.
Theodora f English, Greek, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Theodore. This name was common in the Byzantine Empire, being borne by several empresses including the influential wife of Justinian in the 6th century.
Théodore m French
French form of Theodore.
Theodore m English
From the Greek name Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant "gift of god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.... [more]
Theodoric m Gothic (Anglicized)
From the Gothic name *Þiudareiks meaning "ruler of the people", derived from the elements þiuda "people" and reiks "ruler, king". It was notably borne by Theodoric the Great, a 6th-century king of the Ostrogoths who eventually became the ruler of Italy. By Theodoric's time the Ostrogoths were partially Romanized and his name was regularly recorded as Theodoricus. This was also the name of two earlier (5th century) Visigothic kings.
Theodorus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of the Greek name Theodoros (see Theodore). As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Theodoor is typically used in daily life.
Theophilus m Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόφιλος (Theophilos) meaning "friend of god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φίλος (philos) meaning "friend". In the New Testament the evangelist Luke addresses his gospel and the Book of Acts to a man named Theophilus.
Thera f Dutch
Diminutive of Theresia.
Theresa f English, German
From the Spanish and Portuguese name Teresa. It was first recorded as Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek θέρος (theros) meaning "summer", from Greek θερίζω (therizo) meaning "to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).... [more]
Therese f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
German and Scandinavian variant of Theresa.
Theresia f German, Dutch
German and Dutch form of Theresa.
Theseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek τίθημι (tithemi) meaning "to set, to place". Theseus was a heroic king of Athens in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aethra, either by Aegeus or by the god Poseidon. According to legend, every seven years the Cretan king Minos demanded that Athens supply Crete with seven boys and seven girls to be devoured by the Minotaur, a half-bull creature that was the son of Minos's wife Pasiphaë. Theseus volunteered to go in place of one of these youths in order to slay the Minotaur in the Labyrinth where it lived. He succeeded with the help of Minos's daughter Ariadne, who provided him with a sword and a roll of string so he could find his way out of the maze.... [more]
Thi f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (thi) meaning "poetry, poem, verse".
Thijs m Dutch
Short form of Matthijs.
Thirza f Dutch
Dutch form of Tirzah.
Thisbe f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology
From the name of an ancient Greek town in Boeotia, itself supposedly named after a nymph. In a Greek legend (the oldest surviving version appearing in Latin in Ovid's Metamorphoses) this is the name of a young woman from Babylon. Believing her to be dead, her lover Pyramus kills himself, after which she does the same to herself. The splashes of blood from their suicides is the reason mulberry fruit are red.
Thomas m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Greek form of the Aramaic name תְּאוֹמָא (Teʾoma) meaning "twin". In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle. When he heard that Jesus had risen from the dead he initially doubted the story, until Jesus appeared before him and he examined his wounds himself. According to tradition he was martyred in India. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world.... [more]
Thomasina f English
Medieval feminine form of Thomas.
Þórdís f Old Norse, Icelandic
Means "Thor's goddess" from the name of the Norse god Þórr (see Thor) combined with Old Norse dís "goddess".
Þórsteinn m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Torsten.
Tiare f Tahitian
Means "flower" in Tahitian, also specifically referring to the species Gardenia taitensis.
Tiberiu m Romanian
Romanian form of Tiberius.
Tihana f Croatian, Serbian
Derived from the Slavic element tixŭ (Serbo-Croatian tih) meaning "quiet".
Tihomir m Bulgarian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene
Derived from the Slavic elements tixŭ "quiet" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Tiitus m Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Titus.
Tikva f Hebrew
Means "hope" in Hebrew.
Tilda f English, Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Matilda.
Tilen m Slovene
Slovene form of Aegidius (see Giles).
Tillie f English
Diminutive of Matilda.
Tilly f English
Diminutive of Matilda.
Tim m English, German, Dutch, Slovene, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Timothy or (in Germany) Dietmar. It is borne by the fictional character Tiny Tim, the ill son of Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol (1843).
Timaeus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical Latin, Biblical
Latinized form of the Greek name Τίμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour". This is the name of one of Plato's dialogues, featuring Timaeus and Socrates. Timaeus is also the name of a person mentioned briefly in the New Testament (Mark 10:46).
Tímea f Hungarian
Created by the Hungarian author Mór Jókai for a character in his novel The Golden Man (1873). The name is apparently based on the Greek word εὐθυμία (euthymia) meaning "good spirits, cheerfulness".
Timotei m Romanian, Bulgarian (Rare)
Romanian and Bulgarian form of Timothy.
Timoteo m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Timothy.
Timothy m English, Biblical
English form of the Greek name Τιμόθεος (Timotheos) meaning "honouring God", derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour" and θεός (theos) meaning "god". Saint Timothy was a companion of Paul on his missionary journeys and was the recipient of two of Paul's epistles that appear in the New Testament. He was of both Jewish and Greek ancestry. According to tradition, he was martyred at Ephesus after protesting the worship of Artemis. As an English name, Timothy was not used until after the Protestant Reformation.
Tinashe m & f Shona
Means "we are with God", from Shona ti "we", na "with" and ishe "lord, God".
Tine 1 f Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Kristine.
Tinkara f Slovene
Elaboration of Tina.
Tinúviel f Literature
Means "daughter of twilight, nightingale" in the fictional language Sindarin. In the Silmarillion (1977) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Tinuviel was another name of Lúthien, the daughter of Thingol the elf king. She was the beloved of Beren, who with her help retrieved one of the Silmarils from the iron crown of Morgoth.
Tobiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name טוֹבִיָּה (Ṭoviyya) meaning "Yahweh is good", from the elements טוֹב (ṭov) meaning "good" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This was the name of an Ammonite in the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
Tobias m Biblical, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Greek form of Tobiah. This is the name of the hero of the apocryphal Book of Tobit, which appears in many English versions of the Old Testament. It relates how Tobit's son Tobias, with the help of the angel Raphael, is able to drive away a demon who has plagued Sarah, who subsequently becomes his wife. This story was popular in the Middle Ages, and the name came into occasional use in parts of Europe at that time. In England it became common after the Protestant Reformation.
Tobin m English
From an English surname that was itself derived from the given name Tobias.
Tobit m Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Greek Τωβίθ (Tobith), from the Hebrew name טוֹבִיה (Ṭovi) meaning "my good", a possessive form of טוֹב (ṭov) meaning "good". The apocryphal Book of Tobit, which is canonical in many Christian traditions but not in Judaism, tells the story of Tobit's son Tobias. He is sent by his father to collect money in Media, aided by the angel Raphael in the guise of a man. At the end of the story Tobit's blindness is cured.
Toby m & f English
Medieval form of Tobias. It was sometimes used as a feminine name in the 1930s and 40s due to the influence of American actress Toby Wing (1915-2001).
Todd m English
From an English surname meaning "fox", derived from Middle English todde. As a given name it was rare before 1930. It peaked in popularity in most parts of the English-speaking world in the 1960s or 70s, but it has since declined.
Toma 2 m Romanian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Georgian
Form of Thomas used in several languages.
Tòmas m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Thomas.
Tomaso m Italian
Variant of Tommaso.
Tomasz m Polish
Polish form of Thomas.
Tomislav m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Bulgarian
Probably derived from the Slavic element tomiti "to torment" combined with slava "glory". This was the name of the first king of Croatia (10th century).
Tommaso m Italian
Italian form of Thomas.
Tommy m English
Diminutive of Thomas.
Tomoko f Japanese
From Japanese (tomo) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or (tomo) meaning "friend" combined with (ko) meaning "child". This name can be formed of other kanji characters as well.
Tonje f Norwegian
Variant of Torny.
Topʉsana f Comanche
Means "prairie flower" in Comanche.
Tora f Swedish, Norwegian
Modern form of Þóra.
Tōru m Japanese
From Japanese (tōru) meaning "pierce, penetrate", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.
Toshiko f Japanese
From Japanese (toshi) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji characters can also form this name.
Tova 1 f Hebrew
Means "good" in Hebrew.
Tova 2 f Swedish
Swedish variant of Tove.
Tove f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Modern form of the Old Norse name Tófa, a short form of Þórfríðr.
Tovia m & f Hebrew
Hebrew form of Tobiah, also used as a feminine form.
Tracie f English
Feminine variant of Tracy.
Treasa f Irish
Possibly from Irish treise meaning "strength" or treas meaning "battle". It is also used as an Irish form of Theresa.
Trees f Dutch
Dutch short form of Theresia.
Tricia f English
Short form of Patricia.
Triinu f Estonian
Diminutive of Katariina.
Tristan m English, French, Arthurian Cycle
Probably from the Celtic name Drustan, a diminutive of Drust, which occurs as Drystan in a few Welsh sources. As Tristan, it first appears in 12th-century French tales, probably altered by association with Old French triste "sad". According to the tales Tristan was sent to Ireland by his uncle King Mark of Cornwall in order to fetch Iseult, who was to be the king's bride. On the way back, Tristan and Iseult accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Later versions of the tale make Tristan one of King Arthur's knights. His tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since then.
Trudy f English, Dutch
Diminutive of Gertrude.
Truman m English
From a surname that meant "trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).
Trygve m Norwegian
Derived from Old Norse tryggr meaning "trustworthy".
Tsiuri f Georgian
Means "heavenly, celestial" in Georgian, a derivative of ცა (tsa) meaning "sky, heaven".
Tsubaki f Japanese
From Japanese 椿 (tsubaki) meaning "camellia (flower)", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Tsubame f Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese (tsubame) meaning "swallow (bird)" or other kanji that have the same pronunciation.
Tsubasa m & f Japanese
From Japanese (tsubasa) meaning "wing", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations with the same pronunciation.
Tsvetan m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian цвет (tsvet) meaning "flower, blossom".
Tudor 2 m Romanian
Variant of Teodor.
Tuğba f Turkish
Turkish variant form of Tuba.
Tülay f Turkish
Means "tulle moon" in Turkish.
Tumelo m & f Sotho, Tswana
Means "faith" in Sotho and Tswana.
Tünde f Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian tündér meaning "fairy". The Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty created this name in the 19th century.
Tuomo m Finnish
Finnish form of Thomas.
Tuula f Finnish
Variant of Tuuli.
Tuule f Estonian (Rare)
Estonian variant of Tuuli.
Tuuli f Finnish, Estonian
Means "wind" in Finnish and Estonian.
Twila f English
Meaning unknown. Perhaps based on the English word twilight, or maybe from a Cajun pronunciation of French étoile "star". It came into use as an American given name in the late 19th century.
Tzeitel f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Sarah. This is the name of Tevye's oldest daughter in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (1964), based on Sholem Aleichem's stories from the late 19th century.
Ujarak m & f Greenlandic
Means "stone" in Greenlandic.
Uliana f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Ульяна or Ukrainian Уляна (see Ulyana).
Ulrika f Swedish
Swedish feminine form of Ulrich. This was the name of two queens of Sweden.
Ulrike f German
German feminine form of Ulrich.
Ulrikke f Norwegian, Danish
Norwegian and Danish feminine form of Ulrich.
Ulvi m Turkish
Means "exalted, high" in Turkish, from Arabic علْويّ (ʿulwīy).
Ulyana f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Juliana.
Ume f Japanese
From Japanese (ume) meaning "Japanese apricot, plum" (refers specifically to the species Prunus mume). In Japan the ume blossom is regarded as a symbol of spring and a ward against evil. Different kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Umeko f Japanese
From Japanese (ume) meaning "apricot, plum" (referring to the species Prunus mume) and (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Una f English
Anglicized form of Irish Úna or Scottish Ùna. It is also associated with Latin una, feminine form of unus meaning "one". The name features in Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
Unathi m & f Xhosa
Means "he or she is with us" in Xhosa, from the prefix u- meaning "he, she" and nathi meaning "with us".
Uri m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Hebrew
Means "my light" in Hebrew, a possessive form of אוּר (ʾur) meaning "light". This is the name of the father of Bezalel in the Old Testament.
Uriah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name אוּרִיָה (ʾUriya) meaning "Yahweh is my light", from the roots אוּר (ʾur) meaning "light, flame" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a Hittite warrior in King David's army, the first husband of Bathsheba. David desired Bathsheba so he placed Uriah in the forefront of battle so he would be killed.
'Uri'el m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Uriel.
Uriel m Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name אוּרִיאֵל (ʾUriʾel) meaning "God is my light", from אוּר (ʾur) meaning "light, flame" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Uriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition. He is mentioned only in the Apocrypha, for example in the Book of Enoch where he warns Noah of the coming flood.
Usagi f Popular Culture
Means "rabbit" in Japanese. This name was used on the Japanese television show Sailor Moon, which first aired in the 1990s.
Usoa f Basque
Means "dove" in Basque.