Cecilia f English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Romanian, FinnishLatinate feminine form of the Roman family name
Caecilius, which was derived from Latin
caecus meaning
"blind". Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.
... [more] Cedar f & m English (Rare)From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
κέδρος (kedros). Besides the true cedars from the genus Cedrus, it is also used to refer to some tree species in the cypress family.
Cedric m EnglishInvented by Walter Scott for a character in his novel
Ivanhoe (1819). Apparently he based it on the actual name
Cerdic, the name of the semi-legendary founder of the kingdom of Wessex in the 6th century. The meaning of
Cerdic is uncertain, but it does not appear to be Old English in origin. It could be connected to the Brythonic name
Caratācos. The name was also used by Frances Hodgson Burnett for the main character in her novel
Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886).
Ceinwen f WelshDerived from Welsh
cain "good, lovely" and
gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint also known as
Cain or
Keyne.
Celia f English, SpanishFeminine form of the Roman family name
Caelius. Shakespeare used it in his play
As You Like It (1599), which introduced the name to the English-speaking public at large. It is sometimes used as a short form of
Cecilia.
Celsus m Ancient RomanRoman family name meaning
"tall" in Latin. This was the name of a 2nd-century philosopher who wrote against Christianity. It was also borne by an early saint martyred with Nazarius in Milan.
Celyn m & f WelshMeans
"holly" in Welsh. It appears briefly in the Welsh tale
Culhwch and Olwen, belonging to a son of Caw, but was not typically used as a given name until the 20th century.
Ceres f Roman MythologyDerived from the Indo-European root *
ker- meaning
"grow, increase". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess
Demeter.
Ceri f & m WelshMeaning uncertain. It could come from the name of the Ceri River in Ceredigion, Wales; it could be a short form of
Ceridwen; it could be derived from Welsh
caru meaning "to love".
Ceridwen f WelshPossibly from
cyrrid "bent, crooked" (a derivative of Old Welsh
cwrr "corner") combined with
ben "woman" or
gwen "white, blessed". According to the medieval Welsh legend the
Tale of Taliesin (recorded by Elis Gruffyd in the 16th century) this was the name of a sorceress who created a potion that would grant wisdom to her son Morfan. The potion was instead consumed by her servant Gwion Bach, who was subsequently reborn as the renowned bard
Taliesin.
... [more] Chadwick m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the name of towns in England, meaning
"settlement belonging to Chad" in Old English.
Chae-Yeong f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
彩 (chae) meaning "colour" combined with
榮 (yeong) meaning "glory, honour" or
瑛 (yeong) meaning "jade". This name can be formed using other hanja combinations as well.
Charity f EnglishFrom the English word
charity, ultimately derived from Late Latin
caritas "generous love", from Latin
carus "dear, beloved".
Caritas was in use as a Roman Christian name. The English name
Charity came into use among the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Charles m English, FrenchFrench and English form of
Carolus, the Latin form of the Germanic name
Karl, which was derived from a word meaning
"man" (Proto-Germanic *
karlaz). However, an alternative theory states that it is derived from the common Germanic name element *
harjaz meaning "army".
... [more] Charlie m & f EnglishDiminutive or feminine form of
Charles. A famous bearer was the British comic actor Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977). It is also borne by Charlie Brown, the main character in the comic strip
Peanuts by Charles Schulz.
Charlotte f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, DutchFrench feminine diminutive of
Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of
Jane Eyre and
Villette. A famous fictional bearer is the spider in the children's novel
Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.
... [more] Chelsea f EnglishFrom the name of a district in London, originally derived from Old English and meaning
"landing place for chalk or limestone". It has been in general use as an English given name since the 1970s.
Chen 1 m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
晨 (chén) or
辰 (chén), both meaning "morning". The character
辰 also refers to the fifth Earthly Branch (7 AM to 9 AM), which is itself associated with the dragon of the Chinese zodiac. This name can be formed from other characters as well.
Cherie f EnglishDerived from French
chérie meaning
"darling". In America,
Cherie came into use shortly after the variant
Sherry, and has not been as common.
Cheryl f EnglishElaboration of
Cherie, perhaps influenced by
Beryl. This name was very rare before the 20th century. It seems to have been popularized in America by the actress Cheryl Walker (1918-1971), who had a prominent role in the 1943 movie
Stage Door Canteen. After peaking in the 1950s the name has subsequently faded from the popularity charts.
Chiaki f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
千 (chi) meaning "thousand" combined with
秋 (aki) meaning "autumn",
晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal" or
明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear". This name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.
Chiara f ItalianItalian form of
Clara. Saint Chiara (commonly called
Clare in English) was a follower of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Chihiro f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
千 (chi) meaning "thousand" and
尋 (hiro) meaning "fathom, armspan", as well as other kanji combinations. This is the name of the main character in the Japanese animated movie
Spirited Away (2001).
Chinatsu f JapaneseFrom Japanese
千 (chi) meaning "thousand" and
夏 (natsu) meaning "summer", as well as other kanji combinations.
Chinwe f IgboMeans
"God possesses" in Igbo. It is also a short form of Igbo names beginning with
Chinwe.
Chinyere f IgboMeans
"God gave" in Igbo, derived from
Chi 2, referring to God, and
nyè meaning "give".
Chioma f IgboMeans
"good God" in Igbo, derived from
Chi 2, referring to God, and
ọ́má meaning "good, beautiful".
Chiyoko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
千 (chi) meaning "thousand" and
代 (yo) meaning "generation" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Chloris f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
χλωρός (chloros) meaning
"pale green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.
Chōko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
蝶 (chō) meaning "butterfly" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can be possible.
Christabel f English (Rare)Combination of
Christina and the name suffix
bel (inspired by Latin
bella "beautiful"). This name occurs in medieval literature, and was later used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in his 1816 poem
Christabel.
Christian m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishFrom the medieval Latin name
Christianus meaning
"a Christian" (see
Christos 1 for further etymology). In England it has been in use since the Middle Ages, during which time it was used by both males and females, but it did not become common until the 17th century. In Denmark the name has been borne by ten kings since the 15th century.
... [more] Christina f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, GreekFrom
Christiana, the Latin feminine form of
Christian. This was the name of an early, possibly legendary, saint who was tormented by her pagan father. It was also borne by a 17th-century Swedish queen and patron the arts who gave up her crown in order to become a Roman Catholic.
... [more] Christopher m EnglishFrom the Late Greek name
Χριστόφορος (Christophoros) meaning
"bearing Christ", derived from
Χριστός (Christos) combined with
φέρω (phero) meaning "to bear, to carry". Early Christians used it as a metaphorical name, expressing that they carried Christ in their hearts. In the Middle Ages, literal interpretations of the name's etymology led to legends about a Saint Christopher who carried the young
Jesus across a river. He has come to be regarded as the patron saint of travellers.
... [more] Christos 1 m Theology, GreekFrom Greek
Χριστός (Christos) meaning
"anointed", derived from
χρίω (chrio) meaning "to anoint". This was a name applied to
Jesus by early Greek-speaking Christians. It is a translation of the Hebrew word
מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyaḥ), commonly spelled in English
messiah, which also means "anointed".
... [more] Ĉiela f EsperantoMeans
"heavenly, from the sky" in Esperanto, from
ĉielo "sky", ultimately derived from Latin
caelum.
Cinderella f LiteratureMeans
"little ashes", in part from the French name
Cendrillon. This is the main character in the folktale
Cinderella about a maltreated young woman who eventually marries a prince. This old story is best known in the English-speaking world from the French author Charles Perrault's 1697 version. She has other names in other languages, usually with the meaning "ashes", such as German
Aschenputtel and Italian
Cenerentola.
Claire f French, EnglishFrench form of
Clara. This was a common name in France throughout the 20th century, though it has since been eclipsed there by
Clara. It was also very popular in the United Kingdom, especially in the 1970s.
Clara f German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Catalan, Romanian, English, Swedish, Danish, Late RomanFeminine form of the Late Latin name
Clarus, which meant
"clear, bright, famous". The name
Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called
Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.
... [more] Clare f EnglishMedieval English form of
Clara. The preferred spelling in the English-speaking world is now the French form
Claire, though
Clare has been fairly popular in the United Kingdom and Australia.
... [more] Clarence m EnglishFrom the Latin title
Clarensis, which belonged to members of the British royal family. The title ultimately derives from the name of the town of Clare in Suffolk. As a given name it has been in use since the 19th century.
Claribel f EnglishCombination of
Clara and the common name suffix
bel, from Latin
bella "beautiful". This name was used by Edmund Spenser in his poem
The Faerie Queene (1590; in the form
Claribell) and by Shakespeare in his play
The Tempest (1611). Alfred Tennyson also wrote a poem entitled
Claribel (1830).
Clarice f EnglishMedieval vernacular form of the Late Latin name
Claritia, which was a derivative of
Clara.
Clarinda f EnglishCombination of
Clara and the popular name suffix
inda. It was first used by Edmund Spenser in his epic poem
The Faerie Queene (1590).
Clarissa f English, ItalianLatinate form of
Clarice. This is the name of the title character in a 1748 novel by Samuel Richardson. In the novel Clarissa Harlowe is a virtuous woman who is tragically exploited by her family and her lover. Another literary character by this name is Clarissa Dalloway from the novel
Mrs. Dalloway (1925) by Virginia Woolf.
Clarity f English (Rare)Simply means "clarity, lucidity" from the English word, ultimately from Latin
clarus "clear".
Clark m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"cleric" or
"scribe", from Old English
clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. As a first name it was borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), as well as the comic book character Clark Kent, the mild-mannered alter ego of Superman, first created 1938.
Clay m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally referred to a person who lived near or worked with clay. This name can also be a short form of
Clayton.
Clayton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from various English place names, all meaning
"clay settlement" in Old English.
Cledwyn m WelshPossibly derived from Welsh
caled "rough, hard" and
gwyn "white, blessed". This is the name of a small river (Cledwen) in Conwy, Wales.
Clemence f EnglishFeminine form of
Clementius (see
Clement). It has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it became rare after the 17th century.
Clemency f English (Rare)Medieval variant of
Clemence. It can also simply mean "clemency, mercy" from the English word, ultimately from Latin
clemens "merciful".
Clement m EnglishEnglish form of the Late Latin name
Clemens (or sometimes of its derivative
Clementius), which meant
"merciful, gentle". This was the name of 14 popes, including Saint Clement I, the third pope, one of the Apostolic Fathers. Another saint by this name was Clement of Alexandria, a 3rd-century theologian and church father who attempted to reconcile Christian and Platonic philosophies. It has been in general as a given name in Christian Europe (in various spellings) since early times. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Clifford m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"ford by a cliff" in Old English.
Clifton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"settlement by a cliff" in Old English.
Clive m EnglishFrom an English surname derived from Old English
clif meaning
"cliff", originally belonging to a person who lived near a cliff.
Clodagh f IrishFrom the Clodiagh, a small river in County Waterford, Ireland. It was first used as a given name by Clodagh Beresford (1879-1957), daughter of the Marquess of Waterford.
Cloelia f Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Cloelius. In Roman legend Cloelia was a maiden who was given to an Etruscan invader as a hostage. She managed to escape by swimming across the Tiber, at the same time helping some of the other captives to safety.
Clotilde f French, Italian, Portuguese, SpanishFrench form of
Chrodechildis, the Latin form of a Frankish name composed of the elements
hruod "fame, glory" and
hilt "battle". Saint Clotilde (whose name was originally recorded in forms such as
Chrodechildis or
Chrotchildis in Latin sources) was the wife of the Frankish king Clovis, whom she converted to Christianity. It was also borne by others in the Merovingian royal family. In the Middle Ages this name was confused with
Chlodechilda, in which the first element is
hlut "famous, loud".
Clover f English (Modern)From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English
clafre.
Cole m EnglishFrom an English surname, itself originally derived from either a medieval short form of
Nicholas or the byname
Cola. A famous bearer was the songwriter Cole Porter (1891-1964), while a bearer of the surname was the musician Nat King Cole (1919-1965).
... [more] Colette f FrenchShort form of
Nicolette. Saint Colette was a 15th-century French nun who gave her money to the poor. This was also the pen name of the French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954).
Colleen f EnglishDerived from the Irish word
cailín meaning
"girl". It is not commonly used in Ireland itself, but has been used in America since the early 20th century.
Columba m & f Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"dove". The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit in Christianity. This was the name of several early saints both masculine and feminine, most notably the 6th-century Irish monk Saint Columba (or Colum) who established a monastery on the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. He is credited with the conversion of Scotland to Christianity.
Colwyn m WelshFrom the name of a bay and seaside town in Conwy, Wales.
Conrad m English, German, GermanicMeans
"brave counsel", derived from the Old German elements
kuoni "brave" and
rat "counsel, advice". This was the name of a 10th-century saint and bishop of Konstanz, in southern Germany. It was also borne by several medieval German kings and dukes, notably Conrad II, the first of the Holy Roman Emperors from the Salic dynasty. In England it was occasionally used during the Middle Ages, but has only been common since the 19th century when it was reintroduced from Germany.
Consolata f ItalianMeans
"consoled" in Italian. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Maria Consolata.
Cora f English, German, Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of
Kore. It was not used as a given name in the English-speaking world until after it was employed by James Fenimore Cooper for a character in his novel
The Last of the Mohicans (1826). In some cases it may be a short form of
Cordula,
Corinna and other names beginning with a similar sound.
Coral f English, SpanishFrom the English and Spanish word
coral for the underwater skeletal deposits that can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
κοράλλιον (korallion).
Cordell m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"maker of cord" or
"seller of cord" in Middle English.
Corentin m Breton, FrenchFrench form of the Breton name
Kaourintin, possibly from
korventenn meaning
"hurricane, storm". Alternatively, it could be connected to the Brythonic root *
karid meaning
"love" (modern Breton
karout). This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.
Coretta f EnglishDiminutive of
Cora. It was borne by Coretta Scott King (1927-2006), the wife of Martin Luther King Jr.
Coriander f English (Rare)From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
Corinna f German, Italian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Κόριννα (Korinna), which was derived from
κόρη (kore) meaning
"maiden". This was the name of a Greek lyric poet of the 5th century BC. The Roman poet
Ovid used it for the main female character in his book
Amores. In the modern era it has been in use since the 17th century, when Robert Herrick used it in his poem
Corinna's going a-Maying.
Cornelia f German, Romanian, Italian, Dutch, English, Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Cornelius. In the 2nd century BC it was borne by Cornelia Scipionis Africana (the daughter of the military hero Scipio Africanus), the mother of the two reformers known as the Gracchi. After her death she was regarded as an example of the ideal Roman woman. The name was revived in the 18th century.
Corwin m EnglishFrom an English surname, derived from Old French
cordoan "leather", ultimately from the name of the Spanish city of
Cordova.
Cosette f French, LiteratureFrom French
chosette meaning
"little thing". This is the nickname of the illegitimate daughter of Fantine in Victor Hugo's novel
Les Misérables (1862). Her real name is
Euphrasie, though it is seldom used. In the novel young Cosette is the ward of the cruel Thénardiers until she is retrieved by Jean Valjean.
Crescentius m Late RomanLatin name that was a derivative of the name
Crescens. This was the name of a few early saints, including a child martyred in Rome during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the early 4th century.
Crofton m English (Rare)From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"town with a small enclosed field" in Old English.
Csaba m HungarianPossibly means either
"shepherd" or
"gift" in Hungarian. According to legend this was the name of a son of
Attila the Hun.
Cyriacus m Late RomanLatinized form of the Greek name
Κυριακός (Kyriakos), which meant
"of the lord" (derived from Greek
κύριος (kyrios) meaning "lord"). This was the name of a few early saints.
Daffodil f English (Rare)From the name of the flower, ultimately derived from Dutch
de affodil meaning "the asphodel".
Dafna f HebrewMeans
"laurel" in Hebrew, of Greek origin.
Daichi m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with
地 (chi) meaning "earth, land" or
智 (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Daiki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness",
樹 (ki) meaning "tree" or
貴 (ki) meaning "valuable". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Daisuke m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (dai) meaning "big, great" and
輔 (suke) meaning "help". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Daisy f EnglishSimply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English
dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
... [more] Dale m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that originally belonged to a person who lived near a dale or valley.
Dalia 2 f Lithuanian, Baltic MythologyFrom Lithuanian
dalis meaning
"portion, share". This was the name of the Lithuanian goddess of weaving, fate and childbirth, often associated with
Laima.
Damayanti f HinduismMeans
"subduing" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of a beautiful princess, the wife of
Nala.
Dana 2 m & f EnglishFrom a surname that is of unknown origin. It was originally given in honour of American lawyer Richard Henry Dana Jr. (1815-1882), the author of the memoir
Two Years Before the Mast.
Danaë f Greek MythologyFrom
Δαναοί (Danaoi), a word used by
Homer to designate the Greeks. In Greek mythology Danaë was the daughter of the Argive king Acrisius. It had been prophesied to her father that he would one day be killed by Danaë's son, so he attempted to keep his daughter childless. However,
Zeus came to her in the form of a shower of gold, and she became the mother of
Perseus. Eventually the prophecy was fulfilled and Perseus killed Acrisius, albeit accidentally.
Daniel m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning
"God is my judge", from the roots
דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.
... [more] Daniela f Italian, German, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Portuguese, Spanish, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Hebrew, EnglishFeminine form of
Daniel.
Daphne f Greek Mythology, English, DutchMeans
"laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of
Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.
Darlene f EnglishFrom the English word
darling combined with the common name suffix
lene. This name has been in use since the beginning of the 20th century.
Darren m EnglishThe meaning of this name is not known for certain. In the spelling
Daren, it was used by the novelist Zane Grey for the central character in his novel
The Day of the Beast (1922). Grey may have based it on a rare Irish surname, or perhaps created it as a variant of
Darrell. It was brought to public attention in the late 1950s by the American actor Darren McGavin (1922-2006; born as William Lyle Richardson). It was further popularized in the 1960s by the character Darrin Stephens from the television show
Bewitched.
Darryl m English, African AmericanVariant of
Darrell. In the United States, this spelling was more popular than
Darrell from 1960 to 1966, being especially well-used in the African-American community.
David m English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
דָּוִד (Dawiḏ), which was derived from
דּוֹד (doḏ) meaning
"beloved" or
"uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of
Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament,
Jesus was descended from him.
... [more] Davis m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the given name
David. A famous bearer of the surname was Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), the only president of the Confederate States of America.
Dawn f EnglishFrom the English word
dawn, ultimately derived from Old English
dagung.
Dawson m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of David". As a given name, it was popularized in the late 1990s by the central character on the television drama
Dawson's Creek (1998-2003). In the United States the number of boys receiving the name increased tenfold between 1997 and 1999. It got another boost in 2014 after it was used for a main character in the movie
The Best of Me.
Deborah f English, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
דְּבוֹרָה (Devora) meaning
"bee". In the Old Testament Book of Judges, Deborah is a heroine and prophetess who leads the Israelites when they are threatened by the Canaanites. She forms an army under the command of
Barak, and together they destroy the army of the Canaanite commander Sisera. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of the nurse of Rebecca.
... [more] Deepak m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, NepaliAlternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi/Nepali
दीपक, Bengali
দীপক, Gujarati
દીપક, Gurmukhi
ਦੀਪਕ, Malayalam
ദീപക്, Kannada
ದೀಪಕ್, Tamil
தீபக் or Telugu
దీపక్ (see
Dipak).
Deirdre f English, Irish, Irish MythologyFrom the Old Irish name
Derdriu, meaning unknown, possibly derived from
der meaning
"daughter". This was the name of a tragic character in Irish legend who died of a broken heart after
Conchobar, the king of Ulster, forced her to be his bride and killed her lover
Naoise.
... [more] Delara f PersianMeans
"adorning the heart", from Persian
دل (del) meaning "heart" and
آرا (ārā) meaning "decorate, adorn".
Delbert m EnglishShort form of
Adelbert. As an American name it was first used in the New York area by people of Dutch ancestry.
Delia 1 f English, Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Greek MythologyMeans
"of Delos" in Greek. This was an epithet of the Greek goddess
Artemis, given because she and her twin brother
Apollo were born on the island of Delos. The name appeared in several poems of the 16th and 17th centuries, and it has occasionally been used as a given name since that time.
Delphia f EnglishPossibly from the name of the Greek city of Delphi, the site of an oracle of
Apollo, which is possibly related to Greek
δελφύς (delphys) meaning "womb". It was used in the play
The Prophetess (1647), in which it belongs to the title prophetess.
Delshad m & f Persian (Rare)Means
"happy heart, cheerful" in Persian, from
دل (del) meaning "heart" and
شاد (shād) meaning "happy".
Delwyn m WelshFrom Welsh
del "pretty" combined with
gwyn "white, blessed". It has been used as a given name since the start of the 20th century.
Delyth f WelshFrom an elaboration of Welsh
del "pretty". This is a recently created name.
Derya f TurkishMeans
"sea, ocean" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.
Desideratus m Late RomanDerived from Latin
desideratum meaning
"desired". This was the name of a 6th-century French saint.
Desmond m English, IrishAnglicized form of Irish
Deasmhumhain meaning "south Munster", referring to the region of Desmond in southern Ireland, formerly a kingdom. It can also come from the related surname (an Anglicized form of
Ó Deasmhumhnaigh), which indicated a person who came from that region. A famous bearer is the South African archbishop and activist Desmond Tutu (1931-2021).
Diana f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman MythologyMeans
"divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin
dia or
diva meaning
"goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *
dyew- found in
Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess
Artemis.
... [more] Dilbert m Popular CultureMeaning unknown. The ending is probably intended to mimic the common Germanic name element
bert meaning "bright" (Old High German
beraht). This is the title character in a comic strip by Scott Adams.
Dilys f WelshMeans
"genuine" in Welsh. It has been used since the late 19th century.
Dinah f Biblical, EnglishMeans
"judged" in Hebrew, derived from
דִּין (din) meaning "to judge". According to the Old Testament, Dinah was a daughter of
Jacob and
Leah who was abducted by Shechem. It has been used as an English given name since after the Protestant Reformation.
Diomedes m Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
Διός (Dios) meaning "of
Zeus" and
μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek legend Diomedes was one of the greatest heroes who fought against the Trojans. With
Odysseus he entered Troy and stole the Palladium. After the Trojan War he founded the cities of Brindisi and Arpi in Italy.
Dione 1 f Greek MythologyFrom Greek
Διός (Dios) meaning
"of Zeus". By extension, it means
"goddess". This was the name of a Greek goddess who, according to some legends, was the mother of
Aphrodite. A moon of Saturn is named after her.