Names Deemed "wholesome"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is wholesome.
gender
usage
impression
Doina f Romanian
Means "folk song", from Romanian doină.
Doireann f Irish, Irish Mythology
Possibly from the Old Irish prefix der "daughter" and finn "white, blessed". Alternatively it may be derived from Irish doireann "sullen, tempestuous". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a daughter of Bodb Derg who poisoned Fionn mac Cumhaill after he spurned her advances.
Dolly f English
Diminutive of Dorothy. Doll and Dolly were used from the 16th century, and the common English word doll (for the plaything) is derived from them. In modern times this name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Dolores.
Dolores f Spanish, English
Means "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
Domen m Slovene
Slovene form of Dominicus (see Dominic).
Domenico m Italian
Italian form of Dominicus (see Dominic). Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.
Domhnall m Irish
Irish form of Donald.
Domingos m Portuguese, Galician
Portuguese and Galician form of Dominicus (see Dominic).
Domitille f French
French form of Domitilla.
Dona f English
Variant of Donna.
Donagh m Irish
Anglicized form of Donnchadh (see Duncan).
Donatus m Late Roman
Latin form of Donato.
Donella f Scottish
Feminine form of Donald.
Donelle f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Don.
Donnchadh m Irish, Scottish Gaelic
Irish and Scottish Gaelic form of Duncan.
Dóra f Hungarian, Icelandic
Short form of Dorottya and names that end in dóra, such as Teodóra or Halldóra.
Doreen f English
Combination of Dora and the name suffix een. This name first appeared in the 19th century. It was used by the novelist Edna Lyall in her novel Doreen (1894).
Dori m Hebrew
Means "my generation" in Hebrew.
Doriano m Italian
Italian form of Dorian.
Dorina 2 f Hungarian
Elaboration of Dóra.
Dorinda f English, Galician
Combination of Dora and the name suffix inda. It was apparently coined by the English writers John Dryden and William D'Avenant for their play The Enchanted Island (1667). In the play, a loose adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest, Dorinda is the sister of Miranda.
Dorine f English
Variant of Doreen.
Doris f English, German, Swedish, Danish, Croatian, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
From the Greek name Δωρίς (Doris), which meant "Dorian woman". The Dorians were a Greek tribe who occupied the Peloponnese starting in the 12th century BC. In Greek mythology Doris was a sea nymph, one of the many children of Oceanus and Tethys. It began to be used as an English name in the 19th century. A famous bearer is the American actress Doris Day (1924-2019).
Dorothea f German, Dutch, English, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of the Greek name Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant "gift of god" from Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.
Dorothée f French
French form of Dorothea.
Dorothy f English
Usual English form of Dorothea. It has been in use since the 16th century. The author L. Frank Baum used it for the central character, Dorothy Gale, in his fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and several of its sequels.
Dorris f English
Variant of Doris.
Dorthe f Danish
Danish form of Dorothy.
Dorthy f English
Variant of Dorothy.
Dory f English
Diminutive of Dorothy or Doris. This is the name of a fish in the animated film Finding Nemo (2003).
Dottie f English
Diminutive of Dorothy.
Douglas m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means "dark river", derived from Gaelic dubh "dark" and glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is Dùghlas or Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.
Douglass m English
Variant of Douglas.
Dove f English
From the English word for the variety of bird, seen as a symbol of peace.
Duarte m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Edward. This name was borne by a 15th-century king of Portugal, who was named after his maternal ancestor Edward III of England.
Dulcie f English
From Latin dulcis meaning "sweet". It was used in the Middle Ages in the spellings Dowse and Duce, and was recoined in the 19th century.
Dulcinea f Literature
Derived from Spanish dulce meaning "sweet". This name was (first?) used by Miguel de Cervantes in his novel Don Quixote (1605), where it belongs to the love interest of the main character, though she never actually appears in the story.
Dunja f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene
Means "quince" in the South Slavic languages, a quince being a type of fruit similar to a pear.
Dušan m Slovak, Czech, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
Derived from Slavic duša meaning "soul, spirit".
Duygu m & f Turkish
Means "emotion, sensation" in Turkish.
Dwi m & f Indonesian
Means "two, second" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit द्वि (dvi).
Dymphna f History (Ecclesiastical), Irish
Form of Damhnait. According to legend, Saint Dymphna was a young 7th-century woman from Ireland who was martyred by her father in the Belgian town of Geel. She is the patron saint of the mentally ill.
Ea 2 f Danish, Norwegian
Short form of names ending in ea.
Éabha f Irish
Irish form of Eve.
Ealasaid f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Elizabeth.
Éamonn m Irish
Irish form of Edmund.
Ean m Manx
Manx form of John.
Éanna m Irish
Modern Irish form of Énna.
Eanraig m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Henry.
Earnest m English
Variant of Ernest influenced by the spelling of the English word earnest.
Eartha f English
Combination of the English word earth with the feminine name suffix a. It has been used in honour of African-American philanthropist Eartha M. M. White (1876-1974). Another famous bearer was American singer and actress Eartha Kitt (1927-2008).
Ebba 2 f English (Rare)
From the Old English name Æbbe, meaning unknown, perhaps a contracted form of a longer name. Saint Ebba was a 7th-century daughter of King Æthelfrith of Bernicia and the founder of monasteries in Scotland. Another saint named Ebba was a 9th-century abbess and martyr who mutilated her own face so that she would not be raped by the invading Danes.
Ebele f Igbo
Variant of Ebere.
Eben m English
Short form of Ebenezer.
Ebru f Turkish
Means "paper marbling" in Turkish. Paper marbling is the art of creating colourful patterns on paper.
Ecaterina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
Ece f Turkish
Means "queen" or "beautiful woman" in Turkish.
Edan m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew עִידָן (see Idan).
Edda 2 f Icelandic, Old Norse
Possibly from Old Norse meaning "great-grandmother". This was the name of two 13th-century Icelandic literary works: the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda. This is also the name of a character in the Poetic Edda, though it is unclear if her name is connected to the name of the collection.
Edelmira f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Adelmar.
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)
From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian 𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Edi 1 m Croatian, German, Slovene
Croatian and German diminutive of Eduard, and a Slovene diminutive of Edvard.
Edison m English, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish (Latin American), Albanian
From an English surname that meant either "son of Eda 2" or "son of Adam". A famous bearer of the surname was the American inventor Thomas Edison (1847-1931).
Edit f Hungarian, Swedish
Hungarian and Swedish form of Edith.
Edita f Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Lithuanian
Form of Edith in several languages.
Édith f French
French form of Edith. A notable bearer was the French cabaret singer Édith Piaf (1915-1963).
Edith f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
From the Old English name Eadgyð, derived from the elements ead "wealth, fortune" and guð "battle". It was popular among Anglo-Saxon royalty, being borne for example by Saint Eadgyeth;, the daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. It was also borne by the Anglo-Saxon wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. The name remained common after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 15th century, but was revived in the 19th century.
Edmund m English, German, Polish
Means "rich protection", from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and mund "protection". This was the name of two Anglo-Saxon kings of England. It was also borne by two saints, including a 9th-century king of East Anglia who, according to tradition, was shot to death with arrows after refusing to divide his Christian kingdom with an invading pagan Danish leader. This Old English name remained in use after the Norman Conquest (even being used by King Henry III for one of his sons), though it became less common after the 15th century.... [more]
Edna f English, Hebrew, Biblical
Means "pleasure" in Hebrew, a derivative of עָדַן (ʿaḏan) meaning "to delight". This name appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha, for instance in the Book of Tobit belonging to the wife of Raguel. It was borne by the American poet Edna Dean Proctor (1829-1923). It did not become popular until the second half of the 19th century, after it was used for the heroine in the successful 1866 novel St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans. It peaked around the turn of the century and has declined steadily since then, falling off the American top 1000 list in 1992.
Édouard m French
French form of Edward.
Edric m English (Rare)
From the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and ric "ruler, king". After the Norman Conquest this Old English name was not commonly used. It has occasionally been revived in modern times.
Edward m English, Polish
Means "rich guard", derived from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and weard "guard". This was the name of several Anglo-Saxon kings, the last being Saint Edward the Confessor shortly before the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. He was known as a just ruler, and because of his popularity his name remained in use after the conquest when most other Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. The 13th-century Plantagenet king Henry III named his son and successor after the saint, and seven subsequent kings of England were also named Edward.... [more]
Edwin m English, Dutch
Means "rich friend", from the Old English elements ead "wealth, fortune" and wine "friend". This was the name of a 7th-century Northumbrian king, regarded as a saint. After the Norman Conquest the name was not popular, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century. A notable bearer was the astronaut Edwin Aldrin (1930-), also known as Buzz, the second man to walk on the moon.
Edyta f Polish
Polish form of Edith.
Eef m & f Dutch
Short form of names beginning with Ev, such as Eva or Evert.
Eeva f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Eva.
Efa f Welsh
Welsh form of Eva.
Effie f English, Scottish
Diminutive of Euphemia. In Scotland it has been used as an Anglicized form of Oighrig.
'Efrayim m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Ephraim.
Efthalia f Greek
Modern Greek form of Euthalia.
Egbert m English, Dutch
Means "bright edge" from the Old English elements ecg "edge, blade" and beorht "bright". This was the name of kings of Kent and Wessex as well as two English saints. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest but was revived in the 19th century.
Eglantine f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It is derived via Old French from Vulgar Latin *aquilentum meaning "prickly". It was early used as a given name (in the form Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story The Prioress's Tale (one of The Canterbury Tales).
Eha f Estonian
Means "dusk" in Estonian.
Ehsan m Persian, Urdu
Persian form of Ihsan, as well as an alternate Urdu transcription.
Eibhlín f Irish
Irish form of Aveline.
Eidel f Yiddish (Rare)
Means "delicate" in Yiddish.
Eider f Basque
Feminine form of Eder 2.
Eija f Finnish
Possibly from the Finnish happy exclamation eijaa.
Eiji m Japanese
From Japanese (ei) meaning "excellent, fine" or (ei) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper" combined with (ji) meaning "two" or (ji) meaning "govern, administer". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Eike m & f Low German, German
Originally a short form of Ekkehard and other names beginning with the Old High German element ekka, Old Saxon eggia meaning "edge, blade". This name was borne by Eike of Repgow, who compiled the law book the Sachsenspiegel in the 13th century.
Eileen f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Eibhlín. It is also sometimes considered an Irish form of Helen. It first became popular in the English-speaking world outside of Ireland near the end of the 19th century.
Eilert m Low German, Norwegian, Swedish
Low German and Scandinavian form of Egilhard.
Eilidh f Scottish Gaelic
Diminutive of Eilionoir, also taken to be a Gaelic form of Helen.
Eilionoir f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Eleanor.
Eilís f Irish
Irish Gaelic form of Elizabeth (or sometimes of Alice).
Eilonwy f Literature
From Welsh eilon meaning "deer, stag" or "song, melody". This name was used by Lloyd Alexander in his book series The Chronicles of Prydain (1964-1968) as well as the Disney film adaptation The Black Cauldron (1985).
Eilwen f Welsh
Perhaps means "white brow", derived from Welsh ael "brow" and gwen "white, blessed". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Einar m Norwegian, Icelandic, Swedish, Danish, Estonian
From the Old Norse name Einarr, derived from the elements einn "one, alone" and herr "army, warrior". This name shares the same roots as einherjar, the word for the slain warriors in Valhalla.
Eino m Finnish, Estonian
Meaning unknown, possibly a Finnish form of a Scandinavian name.
Einrí m Irish
Irish form of Henry.
Eira 1 f Welsh
Means "snow" in Welsh. This is a recently created name.
Eira 2 f Swedish, Norwegian
Modern form of Eir.
Eirene f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Irene.
Eirian f & m Welsh
Means "bright, beautiful" in Welsh.
Eiríkur m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Eiríkr (see Eric).
Eirini f Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Ειρήνη (see Irini).
Eirlys f Welsh
Means "snowdrop (flower)" in Welsh, a compound of eira "snow" and llys "plant".
Eirwen f Welsh
Means "white snow" from the Welsh elements eira "snow" and gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the early 20th century.
Eitan m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Ethan.
Eithne f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Possibly from Old Irish etne meaning "kernel, grain". In Irish mythology Eithne or Ethniu was a Fomorian and the mother of Lugh Lámfada. It was borne by several other legendary and historical figures, including a few early saints.
Eka 1 m & f Indonesian
Means "one, first" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit एक (eka).
Ekaterine f Georgian
Georgian form of Katherine.
Ekaterini f Greek
Modern Greek form of Katherine.
Ekene m & f Igbo
Means "thanks, gratitude" in Igbo.
Ela 2 f Turkish
Means "hazel (colour)" in Turkish.
Elah m Biblical
Means "terebinth tree" in Hebrew. This was the name of the fourth king of Israel, as told in the Old Testament. He was murdered by Zimri, who succeeded him.
Elaheh f Persian
Means "goddess" in Persian.
Elain f Welsh
Means "fawn" in Welsh. This name was created in the 19th century.
Elaina f English
Variant of Elaine.
Elaine f English, Arthurian Cycle
From an Old French form of Helen. It appears in Arthurian legend; in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation Le Morte d'Arthur Elaine was the daughter of Pelles, the lover of Lancelot, and the mother of Galahad. It was not commonly used as an English given name until after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian epic Idylls of the King (1859).
Elam m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Possibly means either "hidden" or "eternity" in Hebrew. This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including a son of Shem who was the ancestor of the Elamite peoples.
Elanor f Literature
Means "star sun" in the fictional language Sindarin. In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien this is Sam's eldest daughter, named after a type of flower.
Elara f Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek ἄλαρα (alara) meaning "hazelnut, spear-shaft". In Greek mythology Elara was one of Zeus's mortal lovers and by him the mother of the giant Tityos. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.
Elbert m Dutch
Dutch variant of Adelbert.
Elda f Italian
Italian form of Hilda.
Eldad m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Hebrew
Possibly means "God is beloved" in Hebrew, from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and דּוֹד (doḏ) meaning "beloved". In the Old Testament he is one of the two elders (along with Medad) who prophesies in the Israelite camp.
Eldar m Azerbaijani, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Georgian
From Turkic el meaning "country, society" combined with the Persian suffix دار (dār) meaning "possessor".
Eldon m English
From a surname that was from a place name meaning "Ella's hill" in Old English.
Elea f English
Short form of Eleanor. This was also the name of an ancient Italian town (modern Velia) that is well known for being the home of the philosopher Parmenides and his student Zeno of Elea, who was famous for his paradoxes.
Eleanor f English
From the Old French form of the Occitan name Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase alia Aenor "the other Aenor" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.... [more]
Eleanora f English
Latinate form of Eleanor.
Eleanore f English
Variant of Eleanor.
Eleazar m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶלְעָזָר (ʾElʿazar) meaning "God has helped", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and עָזַר (ʿazar) meaning "to help". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the sons of Aaron. The name also appears in the New Testament belonging to one of the ancestors of Jesus in the genealogy in the Gospel of Matthew.
Eleftheria f Greek
Feminine form of Eleftherios.
Elena f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Lithuanian, Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Greek, German, English
Form of Helen used in various languages, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Елена (see Yelena).
Elene f Georgian, Sardinian, Basque
Georgian, Sardinian and Basque form of Helen.
Elenora f English
Variant of Eleanor.
Eleonor f Swedish
Swedish variant of Eleanor.
Eléonore f French
French form of Eleanor.
Eleonore f German
German form of Eleanor.
Eleri f Welsh
From the name of a Welsh river, also called the Leri, of unknown meaning. This was also the name of a 7th-century Welsh saint (masculine).
Elettra f Italian
Italian form of Electra.
Eli 1 m English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
Means "ascension" in Hebrew, a derivative of עָלָה (ʿala) meaning "to ascend". In the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament he is a high priest of the Israelites. He took the young Samuel into his service and gave him guidance when God spoke to him. Because of the misdeeds of his sons, Eli and his descendants were cursed to die before reaching old age.... [more]
Elia m Italian
Italian form of Elijah.
Eliana 1 f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English (Modern)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Éliane.
Eliana 2 f Hebrew
Means "my God has answered" in Hebrew.
Éliane f French
Probably from Aeliana, the feminine form of the Roman name Aelianus, which was derived from the Roman family name Aelius. This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr from Amasea.
Elias m Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, English, Dutch, Greek, Amharic, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Elijah used in several languages. This is also the form used in the Greek New Testament, as well as some English translations.
Élie m French
French form of Elijah.
Eliel m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, Finnish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Means "my God is God" in Hebrew. This name is borne by a number of characters in the Old Testament.
Elif f Turkish
Turkish form of Alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, ا. It also means "slender", from the Turkish phrase elif gibi, literally "shaped like elif".
Eligio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Eligius.
Elihu m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, English (Archaic)
Means "my God is he" in Hebrew, from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and הוּא (hu) meaning "he". This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament including one of the friends of Job.
Eliina f Finnish
Finnish form of Helen.
Eliisa f Finnish
Finnish short form of Elisabet.
Elijah m English, Hebrew, Biblical
From the Hebrew name אֱלִיָּהוּ (ʾEliyyahu) meaning "my God is Yahweh", derived from the roots אֵל (ʾel) and יָהּ (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. He was active in the 9th century BC during the reign of King Ahab of Israel and his Phoenician-born queen Jezebel. Elijah confronted the king and queen over their idolatry of the Canaanite god Ba'al and other wicked deeds. At the end of his life he was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and was succeeded by Elisha. In the New Testament, Elijah and Moses appear next to Jesus when he is transfigured.... [more]
Elina f Finnish, Estonian, Swedish
Finnish, Estonian and Swedish form of Helen.
Eline f Norwegian, Dutch, Danish
Norwegian and Dutch variant form of Helen. This is the name of the title character in the novel Eline Vere (1889) by the Dutch writer Louis Couperus.
Elinor f English
Variant of Eleanor.
Elio m Italian
Italian form of Aelius or Helios.
Elior m Hebrew
Means "my God is my light" in Hebrew.
Eliora f Hebrew
Feminine form of Elior.
Eliot m English
From a surname that was a variant of Elliott. A famous bearer of the surname was T. S. Eliot (1888-1965), an Anglo-American poet and dramatist, the writer of The Waste Land. As a given name, it was borne by the American mob-buster Eliot Ness (1903-1957).
Elis m Swedish, Medieval English
Swedish variant of Elias, as well as a medieval English form.
Elisabet f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, Spanish, Biblical Greek
Scandinavian and Finnish form of Elizabeth. It is also used in Spain alongside the traditional form Isabel.
Elisabeta f Romanian
Romanian form of Elizabeth.
Elisabete f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Elizabeth. This more recent form is used alongside the traditional Portuguese form Isabel.
Élisabeth f French
French form of Elizabeth.
Elisabeth f German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
German and Dutch form of Elizabeth. It is also a variant English form, reflecting the spelling used in the Authorized Version of the New Testament.
Elisabetta f Italian
Italian form of Elizabeth.
Elisavet f Greek
Modern Greek form of Elizabeth.
Elisaveta f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Elizabeth.
Élise f French
French short form of Élisabeth.
Eliseo m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Elisha.
Elisha m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name אֱלִישַׁע (ʾElishaʿ), a contracted form of אֱלִישׁוּעַ (ʾElishuaʿ) meaning "my God is salvation", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save, to deliver". According to the Old Testament, Elisha was a prophet and miracle worker. He was the attendant of Elijah and succeeded him after his ascension to heaven.
Elisie m Macedonian
Macedonian form of Elisha.
Eliška f Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak diminutive of Elizabeth.
Elissa 1 f Roman Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly Phoenician in origin. This is another name of Dido, the legendary queen of Carthage.
Elita f Latvian
Meaning unknown.
Eliud m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Eastern African
From a Greek form of a Hebrew name meaning "God is grandeur". The Gospel of Matthew lists him as an ancestor of Jesus. This name is popular in Kenya.
'Eliyyahu m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Elijah.
Eliza f English, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian, Hungarian, Georgian
Short form of Elizabeth. It was borne by the character Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion (1913) and the subsequent musical adaptation My Fair Lady (1956).
Elizabeta f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Elizabeth.
Elizabete f Latvian, Portuguese
Latvian form of Elizabeth, as well as a Portuguese variant of Elisabete.
Elizabeth f English, Biblical
From Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע (ʾElishevaʿ) meaning "my God is an oath", derived from the roots אֵל (ʾel) referring to the Hebrew God and שָׁבַע (shavaʿ) meaning "oath". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist.... [more]
Elke 1 f Low German, Frisian, German, Dutch
Low German and Frisian diminutive of Adelheid.
Elke 2 f Yiddish
Yiddish feminine form of Elkanah.
Ella 1 f English
Norman name, originally a short form of Germanic names containing the element alles meaning "other" (Proto-Germanic *aljaz). It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).
Ella 2 f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. It can also be a short form of names ending in ella.
Elle f English (Modern)
Diminutive of Eleanor and other names beginning with El. This name can also be given in reference to the French pronoun elle meaning "she".... [more]
Ellen 1 f English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Estonian
Medieval English form of Helen. This was the usual spelling of the name until the 19th century, when the form Helen also became common.
Ellery m & f English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the medieval masculine name Hilary.
Ellie f English
Diminutive of Eleanor, Ellen 1 and other names beginning with El. This name became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, being ranked second for girls in 2003.
Ellington f & m English (Rare)
Derived from the English surname Ellington.
Ellinor f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Eleanor.
Elliot m & f English
From a surname that was a variant of Elliott.
Elliott m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of the medieval name Elias.
Ellis m & f English, Welsh
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Elis, a medieval vernacular form of Elias. This name has also functioned as an Anglicized form of Welsh Elisedd.
Elmer m English
From a surname that was derived from the Old English name Æðelmær. In the United States it is sometimes given in honour of brothers Jonathan (1745-1817) and Ebenezer Elmer (1752-1843), who were active in early American politics.
Elna f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian short form of Helena.
Elnathan m Biblical
From the Hebrew name אֶלְנָתָן (ʾElnaṯan) meaning "God has given", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a grandfather of King Jehoiachin and a son of Akbor.
Elnora f English
Contracted form of Eleanora.
Élodie f French
French form of Alodia.
Elodie f English
English form of Élodie.
Elof m Swedish
From the Old Norse name Eileifr, which was derived from the elements ei "ever, always" and leif "inheritance, legacy".
Eloi m Catalan
Catalan form of Eligius.
Eloísa f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Eloise.
Eloisa f Italian
Italian form of Eloise.
Éloïse f French
French form of Eloise.
Eloise f English
From the Old French name Héloïse, which was probably from the Germanic name Helewidis, composed of the elements heil meaning "healthy, whole" and wit meaning "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" or the name Louise, though there is no etymological connection. This name was borne by the 12th-century French scholar and philosopher Héloïse. Secretly marrying the theologian Peter Abelard at a young age, she became a nun (and eventually an abbess) after Abelard was violently castrated by order of her uncle Fulbert.... [more]
Elora f Popular Culture, English (Modern)
Probably an invented name. This is the name of an infant girl in the fantasy movie Willow (1988). Since the release of the movie the name has been steadily used, finally breaking into the top 1000 in the United States in 2015.
Elouan m Breton, French
Possibly from a Breton word meaning "light". This name was borne by an obscure 6th-century saint who is now venerated mainly in Brittany and Cornwall.
Elowen f Cornish
Means "elm tree" in Cornish. This is a recently coined Cornish name.
Elpida f Greek
Modern Greek form of Elpis.
Elpidius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἐλπίδιος (Elpidios), which was derived from ἐλπίς (elpis) meaning "hope". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who spent twenty years in a cave in Cappadocia.
Elpis f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "hope" in Greek. In Greek mythology Elpis was the personification of hope. She was the last spirit to remain in the jar after Pandora unleashed the evils that were in it.
Elrond m Literature
Means "star dome" in the fictional language Sindarin. In The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Elrond was the elven ruler of Rivendell.
Els f Dutch
Short form of Elisabeth.
Elsa f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Finnish, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English
Short form of Elisabeth, typically used independently. In medieval German tales Elsa von Brabant was the lover of the hero Lohengrin. Her story was expanded by Richard Wagner for his opera Lohengrin (1850). The name had a little spike in popularity after the 2013 release of the animated Disney movie Frozen, which featured a magical princess by this name.
Elsdon m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Elli's valley" in Old English.
Else f Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
Short form of Elisabeth, used independently.
Elsie f English, Swedish
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Elspeth f Scottish
Scottish form of Elizabeth.
Eluned f Welsh
Derived from Welsh eilun meaning "image, likeness, idol". This was the name of a legendary 5th-century Welsh saint, also known as Eiliwedd, one of the supposed daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog.
Elva 1 f Irish
Anglicized form of Ailbhe.
Elva 2 f Danish, Icelandic
Feminine form of Alf 1.
Elwin m English
Variant of Alvin.
Elwood m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "elder tree forest" in Old English.
Elwyn m English
Variant of Alvin.
Elyse f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth. It was popularized in the early 1980s by a character from the television comedy Family Ties.
Elysia f Various
From Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Elžbieta f Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Elizabeth.
Elżbieta f Polish
Polish form of Elizabeth.
Eman f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic إيمان (see Iman).
Emanuela f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian
Italian, Portuguese and Romanian feminine form of Emmanuel.
Emanuele m Italian
Italian form of Emmanuel.
Embla f Norse Mythology, Icelandic, Swedish, Norwegian
Meaning uncertain, perhaps related to Old Norse almr "elm". In Norse mythology Embla and her husband Ask were the first humans. They were created by three of the gods from two trees.
Emeka m Igbo
Short form of Chukwuemeka and other Igbo names ending with the same element.
Emel f Turkish
Means "desire" in Turkish, ultimately of Arabic origin, making this name a relative of Amal.
Emelia f English
Variant of Amelia.
Emelie f Swedish
Swedish feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Émeline f French
French form of Emmeline.
Emer f Irish Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Irish legend she was the wife of Cúchulainn. She was said to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, needlework, wisdom and chastity.
Emery m & f English
Norman French form of Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.
Emi f Japanese
From Japanese (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or (e) meaning "picture, painting" combined with (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Emil m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Icelandic, English
From the Roman family name Aemilius, which was derived from Latin aemulus meaning "rival".
Émile m French
French form of Aemilius (see Emil). This name was borne by the author Émile Zola (1840-1902) and the sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858-1917).
Emília f Portuguese, Slovak, Hungarian
Portuguese, Slovak and Hungarian feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emilia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Finnish, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Greek, Bulgarian
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily). In Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603) this is the name of the wife of Iago.
Emiliano m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Roman cognomen Aemilianus, which was itself derived from the family name Aemilius (see Emil). This was the name of a 6th-century Spanish saint.
Émilie f French
French feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emílie f Czech
Czech feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Émilienne f French
French feminine form of Aemilianus (see Emiliano).
Emilija f Lithuanian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emilio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Aemilius (see Emil).
Emiliya f Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Russian
Bulgarian, Ukrainian and Russian feminine form of Aemilius (see Emily).
Emily f English
English feminine form of Aemilius (see Emil). In the English-speaking world it was not common until after the German House of Hanover came to the British throne in the 18th century; the princess Amelia Sophia (1711-1786) was commonly known as Emily in English, even though Amelia is an unrelated name.... [more]
Emina f Bosnian
Bosnian form of Amina 2.
Emma f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Latvian, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning "whole" or "great" (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.... [more]
Emmalyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Emmeline, or else a combination of Emma and the fashionable name suffix lyn.
Emmanuel m Biblical, French, English
From the Hebrew name עִמָּנוּאֵל (ʿImmanuʾel) meaning "God is with us", from the roots עִם (ʿim) meaning "with" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings Emmanuel and Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings Manuel and Manoel).
Emmeline f English
From Old French Emeline, a diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element amal meaning "unceasing, vigorous, brave". The Normans introduced this name to England.
Emmerich m German, Germanic
Germanic name, in which the second element is rih "ruler, king". The first element may be irmin "whole, great" (making it a relative of Ermenrich), amal "unceasing, vigorous, brave" (making it a relative of Amalric) or heim "home" (making it a relative of Henry). It is likely that several forms merged into a single name.
Emmett m English
From an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of the feminine given name Emma.
Emmie f English
Diminutive of Emma or Emily.
Emmylou f English (Rare)
Combination of Emmy and Lou.
Emory m & f English
Variant of Emery.
Emre m Turkish
Means "friend, brother" in Turkish. This name was borne by the 13th-century Turkish poet Yunus Emre.
Emrys m Welsh
Welsh form of Ambrose. Emrys Wledig (or Ambrosius Aurelianus) was a Romano-British military leader who fought against the invading Anglo-Saxons in the 5th century. Tales of his life were used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth to help shape the early character of Merlin, whom he called Merlinus Ambrosius in Latin.
Emy f French
Diminutive of Emma or Émilie.
Enara f Basque
Means "swallow (bird)" in Basque.
Enda m Irish
Anglicized form of Éanna.
Endellion f History (Ecclesiastical)
Anglicized form of Endelienta, the Latin form of a Welsh or Cornish name. It was borne by a 5th or 6th-century Cornish saint whose birth name is lost. According to some traditions she was a daughter of Brychan Brycheiniog (identifying her with Cynheiddon).
Endzela f Georgian
Means "snowdrop (flower)" in Georgian (genus Galanthus).
Enea m Italian
Italian form of Aeneas.
Enéas m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Aeneas.
Enfys f Welsh
Means "rainbow" in Welsh. This name was first used in the 19th century.
Engel m & f Germanic, German (Rare)
Originally this may have been a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element angil, referring to the Germanic tribe known in English as the Angles. However, from early times it has been strongly associated with the Old German word engil meaning "angel" (of Latin and Greek origin).
Enikő f Hungarian
Created by the Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty in the 19th century. He based it on the name of the legendary mother of the Hungarian people, Enéh, of Turkic origin meaning "young hind" (modern Hungarian ünő).
Eniola f & m Yoruba
Means "person of wealth" in Yoruba.
Enise f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of Anis.
Enni f Finnish
Feminine form of Eino.
Ennio m Italian
Italian form of the Roman family name Ennius, which is of unknown meaning. Quintus Ennius was an early Roman poet.