Names Deemed "wholesome"

This is a list of names in which the community's impression is wholesome.
gender
usage
impression
Ennis m English
From an Irish surname that was derived from inis meaning "island".
Enora f Breton, French
Breton form of Honoria, or directly from Breton enor "honour" (a word of Latin origin). This was the name of a 6th-century saint, the wife of Saint Efflamm.
Enos m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Enosh used in some versions of the Bible (including the King James Version).
Enric m Catalan
Catalan form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Enya f Irish
Anglicized form of Eithne.
Eoin m Irish
Irish form of Iohannes (see John) used in the Bible.
Éowyn f Literature
Means "horse joy" in Old English. This name was invented by J. R. R. Tolkien who used Old English to represent the Rohirric language. In his novel The Lord of the Rings (1954) Eowyn is the niece of King Theoden of Rohan. She slays the Lord of the Nazgul in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Ephraim m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶפְרָיִם (ʾEfrayim) meaning "fruitful". In the Old Testament Ephraim is a son of Joseph and Asenath and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This name was also borne by two early saints: Ephraim or Ephrem the Syrian, a 4th-century theologian, and Ephraim of Antioch, a 6th-century patriarch of Antioch.
Ephrath f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Means "fruitful place" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is borne by one of the wives of Caleb. Also in the Bible, it is the name of the place where Rachel was buried.
Epona f Gaulish Mythology
Derived from Gaulish epos meaning "horse" with the divine or augmentative suffix -on. This was the name of a Gaulish goddess of horses and fertility. She was worshipped not only in Gaul, but elsewhere in the Roman Empire.
Erasmus m Late Greek (Latinized)
Derived from Greek ἐράσμιος (erasmios) meaning "beloved, desired". Saint Erasmus, also known as Saint Elmo, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron saint of sailors. Erasmus was also the name of a Dutch scholar of the Renaissance period.
Erasyl m Kazakh
Means "noble hero" in Kazakh, from ер (er) meaning "man, hero" and асыл (asyl) meaning "precious, noble".
Erez m Hebrew
Means "cedar" in Hebrew.
Erfan m Persian
Persian form of Irfan.
Erin f English, Irish
Anglicized form of Éireann. It was initially used by people of Irish heritage in America, Canada and Australia. It was rare until the mid-1950s.
Ériu f Irish Mythology
From the name of an Irish goddess, who according to legend gave her name to Ireland (which is called Éire in Irish). In reality, the goddess probably got her name from that of the island, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.
Erland m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Erlendr, which was derived from ørlendr meaning "foreigner".
Erlea f Basque (Rare)
Means "bee" in Basque.
Erlend m Norwegian
Variant of Erland.
Erling m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Means "descendant of the jarl", a derivative of the Old Norse word jarl meaning "chieftain, nobleman, earl".
Erma f English
Variant of Irma. It began to be used in the English-speaking world in the 19th century, along with Irma.
Ermelinda f Italian, Portuguese
Italian and Portuguese form of Ermelinde.
Erminia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Herminius.
Ernest m English, French, Catalan, Polish, Slovak, Slovene
Derived from Old High German ernust meaning "serious, earnest". It was introduced to England by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century, though it did not become common until the following century. The American author and adventurer Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) was a famous bearer of the name. It was also used by Oscar Wilde for a character in his comedy The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).
Ernestine f French, German, English
Feminine form of Ernest.
Ernesto m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Ernest.
Erwin m German, Dutch, Polish, Germanic
Derived from the Old German name Hariwini, composed of the elements heri "army" and wini "friend". It may have merged somewhat with the name Eberwin. A notable bearer was Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961), an Austrian physicist who made contributions to quantum theory.
Eryk m Polish
Polish form of Eric.
Esen f & m Turkish
Means "the wind" in Turkish.
Eskil m Norwegian, Swedish, Danish
Modern Scandinavian form of Ásketill.
Esko m Finnish
Finnish form of Ásketill.
Esme f & m English
Variant of Esmé.
Esmé f & m English
Means "esteemed" or "loved" in Old French. It was first recorded in Scotland, being borne by the first Duke of Lennox in the 16th century. It is now more common as a feminine name.
Esmond m English (Rare)
Derived from the Old English elements est "grace" and mund "protection". This Old English name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest. It was occasionally revived in the 19th century.
Espen m Norwegian
Variant of Asbjørn.
Esperanta f Esperanto
Means "hoping" in Esperanto.
Esperanza f Spanish
Spanish form of the Late Latin name Sperantia, which was derived from sperare "to hope".
Essa m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عيسى (see Isa 1).
Essie f English
Diminutive of Estelle or Esther.
Esta f English
Diminutive of Esther.
Estee f Jewish
Diminutive of Esther. A famous bearer was the American businesswoman Estée Lauder (1908-2004), founder of the cosmetics company that bears her name. Her birth name was Josephine Esther Mentzer. Apparently she added the accent to her name Estee in order to make it appear French.
Estela f Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese and Spanish form of Estelle.
Estella f English
Latinate form of Estelle. This is the name of the heroine, Estella Havisham, in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).
Estelle f English, French
From an Old French name meaning "star", ultimately derived from Latin stella. It was rare in the English-speaking world in the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps due to the character Estella Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel Great Expectations (1860).
'Ester f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Esther.
Esther f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶסְתֵר (ʾEsṯer), which possibly means "star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was Hadassah.... [more]
Esti 1 f Basque (Rare)
Means "sweet, honey", from Basque ezti.
Esyllt f Welsh
Welsh form of Iseult.
Eszti f Hungarian
Diminutive of Eszter.
Etelka f Hungarian
Feminine form of Etele created by the Hungarian writer András Dugonics for the main character in his novel Etelka (1788).
Ethan m English, French, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name אֵיתָן (ʾEṯan) meaning "solid, enduring, firm". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a few minor characters, including the wise man Ethan the Ezrahite, supposedly the author of Psalm 89.... [more]
Ethel f English
Short form of names beginning with the Old English element æðele meaning "noble". It was coined in the 19th century, when many Old English names were revived. It was popularized by the novels The Newcomes (1855) by William Makepeace Thackeray and The Daisy Chain (1856) by C. M. Yonge. A famous bearer was American actress and singer Ethel Merman (1908-1984).
Ethelbert m English (Archaic)
Middle English form of Æþelbeorht. The name was very rare after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived briefly in the 19th century.
Ethelinda f English (Archaic)
English form of the Germanic name Adallinda. The name was very rare in medieval times, but it was revived in the early 19th century.
Ethelred m English (Archaic)
Middle English form of Æðelræd. The name was very rare after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived briefly in the 19th century.
Ethelyn f English
Diminutive of Ethel.
Etsuko f Japanese
From Japanese (etsu) meaning "joy, pleased" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other kanji combinations.
Etta f English
Short form of Henrietta and other names that end with etta. A famous bearer was the American singer Etta James (1938-2012), who took her stage name from her real given name Jamesetta.
Ettie f English
Diminutive of Henrietta and other names ending with etta or ette.
Euan m Scottish
Anglicized form of Eòghann.
Euanthe f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek εὐανθής (euanthes) meaning "blooming, flowery", a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". According to some sources, this was the name of the mother of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites) in Greek mythology.
Eudora f Greek Mythology
Means "good gift" in Greek, from the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a nymph, one of the Hyades, in Greek mythology.
Eugen m German, Romanian, Slovak, Croatian
Form of Eugenius (see Eugene) in several languages.
Eugène m French
French form of Eugenius (see Eugene). A notable bearer was the French painter Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863).
Eugênia f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Eugenia.
Eugenia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Feminine form of Eugenius (see Eugene). It was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century saint who escaped persecution by disguising herself as a man. The name was occasionally found in England during the Middle Ages, but it was not regularly used until the 19th century.
Eugenio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Eugenius (see Eugene).
Eugenios m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Eugene.
Eula f English
Short form of Eulalia.
Eulàlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Eulalia.
Eulalia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, English, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning "sweetly-speaking", itself from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.
Eumelia f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek εὐμέλεια (eumeleia) meaning "melody".
Eun f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" or (eun) meaning "silver, money", as well as other hanja characters that are pronounced in the same way. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
Eunice f Biblical, English, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐνίκη (Eunike) meaning "good victory", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". The New Testament mentions her as the mother of Timothy. As an English name, it was first used after the Protestant Reformation.
Eun-Jeong f Korean
From Sino-Korean (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" or (eun) meaning "careful, anxious, attentive" combined with (jeong) meaning "courtyard" or (jeong) meaning "pretty, graceful". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Eun-Ji f Korean
From Sino-Korean (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" combined with (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or (ji) meaning "earth, soil, ground". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Eun-Yeong f Korean
From Sino-Korean (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" and (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Euphemia f Ancient Greek, English (Archaic)
Means "to use words of good omen" from Greek εὐφημέω (euphemeo), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and φημί (phemi) meaning "to speak, to declare". Saint Euphemia was an early martyr from Chalcedon.
Euphrasia f Ancient Greek
Means "good cheer" in Greek, a derivative of εὐφραίνω (euphraino) meaning "to delight, to cheer". This name was borne by a 5th-century saint from Constantinople.
Euphrasie f French
French form of Euphrasia.
Euri f Basque (Rare)
Means "rain" in Basque.
Europa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Εὐρώπη (Europe), which meant "wide face" from εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". In Greek mythology Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted and taken to Crete by Zeus in the guise of a bull. She became the first queen of Crete, and later fathered Minos by Zeus. The continent of Europe said to be named for her, though it is more likely her name is from that of the continent. This is also the name of a moon of Jupiter.
Eurwen f Welsh
Derived from Welsh aur "gold" and gwen "white, blessed".
Eurydice f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Εὐρυδίκη (Eurydike) meaning "wide justice", derived from εὐρύς (eurys) meaning "wide" and δίκη (dike) meaning "justice, custom, order". In Greek myth she was the wife of Orpheus. Her husband tried to rescue her from Hades, but he failed when he disobeyed the condition that he not look back upon her on their way out.
Eusebia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Eusebius.
Euterpe f Greek Mythology
Means "delight" in Greek, ultimately from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and τέρπω (terpo) meaning "to satisfy, to cheer". In Greek mythology she was one of the nine Muses, the muse of music and joy. She was said to have invented the double flute.
Euthalia f Late Greek
Means "flower, bloom" from the Greek word εὐθάλεια (euthaleia), itself derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". This name was borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Sicily.
Euthymia f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Euthymius.
Euthymius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐθύμιος (Euthymios) meaning "in good spirits, generous", derived from the word εὔθυμος (euthymos), which was composed of the elements εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and θυμός (thymos) meaning "soul, spirit". This was the name of several early saints.
Éva f Hungarian, French
Hungarian form of Eve, as well as a French variant of Ève.
Eva f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English, Czech, Slovak, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, Danish, Icelandic, Faroese, Romanian, Greek, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Russian, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
Form of Eve used in various languages. This form is used in the Latin translation of the New Testament, while Hava is used in the Latin Old Testament. A notable bearer was the Argentine first lady Eva Perón (1919-1952), the subject of the musical Evita. The name also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) belonging to the character Little Eva, whose real name is in fact Evangeline.... [more]
Evadne f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Εὐάδνη (Euadne), from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" possibly combined with Cretan Greek ἀδνός (adnos) meaning "holy". This name was borne by several characters in Greek legend, including the wife of Capaneus. After Capaneus was killed by a lightning bolt sent from Zeus she committed suicide by throwing herself onto his burning body.
Evaline f English
Variant of Evelyn.
Evan m Welsh, English
Anglicized form of Ifan, a Welsh form of John.
Evander 1 m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Variant of Evandrus, the Latin form of the Greek name Εὔανδρος (Euandros) meaning "good of man", derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Roman mythology Evander was an Arcadian hero of the Trojan War who founded the city of Pallantium near the spot where Rome was later built.
Evangelia f Greek
Feminine form of Evangelos.
Evangelina f Spanish, English
Latinate form of Evangeline.
Evangeline f English
Means "good news" from Greek εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελμα (angelma) meaning "news, message". It was (first?) used by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his 1847 epic poem Evangeline. It also appears in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852) as the full name of the character Eva.
Evangeliya f Bulgarian (Rare)
Bulgarian feminine form of Evangelos.
Evangelos m Greek
Means "bringing good news" from the Greek word εὐάγγελος (euangelos), a derivative of εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger".
Évariste m French
French form of Evaristus.
Evaristus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Εὐάριστος (Euaristos) meaning "well pleasing" from the Greek word εὐάρεστος (euarestos), derived from εὖ (eu) meaning "good, well" and ἀρεστός (arestos) meaning "pleasing". This was the name of the fifth pope, supposedly martyred under Emperor Hadrian.
Eve f English, Estonian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name חַוָּה (Ḥawwa), which was derived from the Hebrew word חָוָה (ḥawa) meaning "to breathe" or the related word חָיָה (ḥaya) meaning "to live". According to the Old Testament Book of Genesis, Eve and Adam were the first humans. God created her from one of Adam's ribs to be his companion. At the urging of a serpent she ate the forbidden fruit and shared some with Adam, causing their expulsion from the Garden of Eden.... [more]
Evelina f English, Italian, Swedish, Lithuanian, Greek, Russian, Bulgarian
Latinate form of Aveline. It was revived by the author Fanny Burney for the heroine of her first novel Evelina (1778). It is often regarded as a variant of the related name Evelyn or an elaboration of Eve.
Evelyn f & m English, German
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Aveline. In the 17th century when it was first used as a given name it was more common for boys, but it is now regarded as almost entirely feminine, probably in part because of its similarity to Eve and Evelina.... [more]
Even m Norwegian
Variant of Øyvind.
Everest m & f English (Modern)
From the English name for the world's highest mountain, itself named after the British surveyor George Everest (1790-1866).
Everett m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Everard.
Everild f History (Ecclesiastical)
Latinized form of Eoforhild. This was the name of a 7th-century English saint.
Evgenia f Greek, Russian, Bulgarian
Modern Greek form of Eugenia. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Евгения (see Yevgeniya) or Bulgarian Евгения (see Evgeniya).
Evi f Greek, Dutch, German
Modern Greek form of Eve, as well as a Dutch and German diminutive.
Evie f English
Diminutive of Eve or Evelyn.
Evonne f English
Variant of Yvonne.
Évrard m French
French form of Everard.
Evy f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Diminutive of Eva or Evelina.
Ewa f Polish
Polish form of Eve.
Ewald m German, Dutch, Germanic
From an Old German name that was composed of the elements ewa "law, custom" and walt "power, authority". This name was borne by two 7th-century saints from Northumbria who were martyred in Saxony.
Ewan m Scottish
Anglicized form of Eòghann.
Ewelina f Polish
Polish form of Evelina.
Ezgi f Turkish
Means "melody" in Turkish.
Fabian m German, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, English
From the Roman cognomen Fabianus, which was derived from Fabius. Saint Fabian was a 3rd-century pope.
Fabienne f French
French feminine form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Fábio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Fabius.
Fabrice m French
French form of the Roman family name Fabricius, which was derived from Latin faber meaning "craftsman". Gaius Fabricius Luscinus was a 3rd-century BC Roman general and statesman.
Fabrício m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Fabricius (see Fabrice).
Fadi m Arabic
Means "saviour" in Arabic. This is an Arabic name of Jesus.
Fadia f Arabic
Feminine form of Fadi.
Fadila f Arabic
Feminine form of Fadil.
Fáelán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Faolán.
Fahima f Arabic
Feminine form of Fahim.
Faith f English
Simply from the English word faith, ultimately from Latin fidere "to trust". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Faivish m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish form of Phoebus, apparently used as a translation of Shimshon (see Samson).
Farah f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Malay
Means "joy, happiness" in Arabic, from the root فرح (fariḥa) meaning "to be happy".
Farai m & f Shona
From Shona fara meaning "rejoice, be happy".
Faramund m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements fara "journey" and munt "protection". This was the name of a semi-legendary 5th-century king of the Franks.
Fareeha f Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic فريحة or Urdu فریحہ (see Fariha).
Farhan m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Malay, Indonesian
Means "happy, cheerful" in Arabic, a derivative of فرح (fariḥa) meaning "to be happy".
Farid m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali
Means "unique, precious" in Arabic, derived from فرد (farada) meaning "to be unique, to be alone". This was the name of a 13th-century Persian poet.
Fariha f Arabic, Urdu
Means "happy" in Arabic, from the root فرح (fariḥa) meaning "to be happy".
Farzaneh f Persian
Means "wise, intelligent" in Persian.
Fatemah f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic فاطمة (see Fatima).
Fatemeh f Persian
Persian form of Fatima.
Fathi m Arabic
Means "conqueror" in Arabic.
Fatima f Arabic, Urdu, Bosnian
Derived from Arabic فطم (faṭama) meaning "to abstain, to wean". Fatima was a daughter of the Prophet Muhammad and the wife of Ali, the fourth caliph. She is regarded as the exemplary Muslim woman, especially among Shias.
Fatimah f Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Alternate transcription of Arabic فاطمة (see Fatima), as well as the usual Malay and Indonesian form.
Fauna f Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Faunus. Fauna was a Roman goddess of fertility, women and healing, a daughter and companion of Faunus.
Faustina f Ancient Roman, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Feminine form of Faustinus (see Faustino).
Fawn f English
From the English word fawn for a young deer.
Faye f English
Variant of Fay.
Fayiz m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic فائز or فايز (see Faiz 1).
Faysal m Arabic, Turkish, Bengali, Urdu
Means "a judge, arbiter" in Arabic.
Fayvel m Yiddish (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Yiddish פֿייװל (see Feivel).
Fe f Spanish
Means "faith" in Spanish, derived from Latin fides.
Federica f Italian
Italian feminine form of Frederick.
Federico m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Frederick. Spanish poet Federico García Lorca (1898-1936) and Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini (1920-1993) are famous bearers of this name.
Feliciana f Spanish, Italian, Late Roman
Feminine form of Felicianus (see Feliciano).
Felicidad f Spanish
Spanish form of Felicitas. It also means "happiness" in Spanish.
Félicie f French
French form of Felicia.
Felicie f German (Rare)
German form of Felicia.
Félicien m French
French form of Felicianus (see Feliciano).
Felicita f Italian
Italian form of Felicitas. It also coincides closely with Italian felicità "happiness".
Felicitas f Late Roman, Roman Mythology, German, Spanish
Latin name meaning "good luck, fortune". In Roman mythology the goddess Felicitas was the personification of good luck. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a slave martyred with her master Perpetua in Carthage.
Felicity f English
From the English word felicity meaning "happiness", which ultimately derives from Latin felicitas "good luck". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans around the 17th century. It can sometimes be used as an English form of the Latin name Felicitas. This name jumped in popularity in the United States after the premiere of the television series Felicity in 1998. It is more common in the United Kingdom.
Femi m Yoruba
Short form of Olufemi.
Femke f Frisian, Dutch
Diminutive of Femme.
Fen 1 f & m Chinese
From Chinese (fēn) meaning "fragrance, aroma, perfume" (which is usually only feminine) or (fèn) meaning "strive, exert" (usually only masculine). Other Chinese characters are also possible.
Fenella f Scottish
Form of Fionnuala used by Walter Scott for a character in his novel Peveril of the Peak (1823).
Fenna f Frisian, Dutch
Feminine form of Fen 2.
Fenton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "marsh town" in Old English.
Fergus m Irish, Scottish, Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "man of vigour", derived from the Old Irish elements fer "man" and guss "vigour, strength, force". This was the name of several early rulers of Ireland and Dál Riata, as well as many characters from Irish legend. Notably it was borne by the hero Fergus mac Róich, who was tricked into giving up the kingship of Ulster to Conchobar. However, he remained loyal to the new king until Conchobar betrayed Deirdre and Naoise, at which point he defected to Connacht in anger. The name was also borne by an 8th-century saint, a missionary to Scotland.... [more]
Fern f English
From the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Fernando m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Ferdinand.
Ferne f English
Variant of Fern.
Ferruccio m Italian
Derived from the Late Latin name Ferrutius, a derivative of ferrum meaning "iron, sword". Saint Ferrutius was a 3rd-century martyr with his brother Ferreolus.
Ffion f Welsh
Means "foxglove" in Welsh (species Digitalis purpurea). This is a recently created Welsh name.
Fiadh f Irish (Modern)
Means "wild, wild animal, deer" (modern Irish fia) or "respect" in Irish.
Fidan f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "sapling" in Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Fidda f Arabic
Means "silver" in Arabic.
Fidelia f Spanish (Latin American)
Feminine form of Fidel. It appears in the epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590) belonging to the sister of Speranza.
Fidelis m Late Roman
Original form of Fidel.
Fidelma f Irish
Latinized form of Fedelm.
Fieke f Dutch
Diminutive of Sofie or Josephine.
Fien f Dutch
Short form of Josefien and other names ending with a similar sound.
Fihr m Arabic
Means "stone pestle" in Arabic. This was the name of an ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad.
Filbert m Eastern African
Possibly a form of Philibert. It is particularly used in Tanzania due to track star Filbert Bayi (1953-), who set a world record running the 1500 meter in 1974.
Filibert m Germanic
Means "much brightness" from the Old German elements filu "much" and beraht "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century Frankish saint, commonly called Philibert.
Filipa f Portuguese
Feminine form of Philip.
Filippa f Greek, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Italian
Greek, Scandinavian and Italian feminine form of Philip.
Filippo m Italian
Italian form of Philip.
Filomena f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Lithuanian
Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Lithuanian form of Philomena.
Fina f Italian, Spanish
Short form of Serafina. Saint Fina, also known as Saint Serafina, was a 13th-century girl from the town of San Gimignano in Italy.
Finella f Scottish
Variant of Fenella.
Finley m & f English
Variant of Finlay. This is by far the preferred spelling in the United States, where it has lately been more common as a feminine name.
Finn 1 m Irish Mythology, Old Irish, Irish, English, Dutch, German
Old Irish form of Fionn, as well as the usual Anglicized spelling (with the Irish hero's name Anglicized as Finn McCool). As a surname it is borne by Huckleberry Finn, a character in Mark Twain's novels.
Finola f Irish
Anglicized form of Fionnuala.
Fíona f Irish
Derived from Irish fíon meaning "wine".
Fiona f Scottish, English
Feminine form of Fionn. This name was (first?) used by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in his poem Fingal (1761), in which it is spelled as Fióna.
Fionn m Irish, Irish Mythology
From the Old Irish name Finn, derived from finn meaning "white, blessed". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of Oisín and grandfather of Oscar.
Fionnbharr m Irish (Rare)
Modern Irish Gaelic form of Finbar.
Fionnlagh m Scottish Gaelic
Means "white warrior", derived from Old Irish finn "white, blessed" and láech "warrior". An earlier form was Findláech — this was the name of the father of the 11th-century Scottish king Macbeth.
Fionnuala f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "white shoulder" from Old Irish finn "white, blessed" and gúala "shoulder". In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of Lir who were transformed into swans for a period of 900 years.
Fioralba f Italian (Rare)
Combination of Italian fiore "flower" (Latin flos) and alba "dawn".
Fiore f & m Italian
Means "flower" in Italian. It can also be considered an Italian form of the Latin names Flora and Florus.
Fiorella f Italian
From Italian fiore "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Fiorenza f Italian
Italian feminine form of Florentius (see Florence).
Firdaus m & f Arabic, Indonesian, Malay, Urdu
Derived from Arabic فردوس (firdaws) meaning "paradise", ultimately from an Iranian language, akin to Avestan 𐬞𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌⸱𐬛𐬀𐬉𐬰𐬀 (pairi daēza) meaning "garden, enclosure".
Firdos m & f Urdu
Alternate transcription of Urdu فردوس (see Firdaus).
Flannery f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Flannghaile, derived from the given name Flannghal meaning "red valour". A famous bearer was American author Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964).
Flavian m History (Ecclesiastical)
From the Roman family name Flavianus, which was derived from Flavius. This was the name of several early saints including a 5th-century patriarch of Constantinople who was beaten to death.
Fletcher m English
From a surname meaning "maker of arrows" in Middle English, ultimately from Old French flechier.
Fleur f French, Dutch, English (British)
Means "flower" in French. Saint Fleur of Issendolus (Flor in Gascon) was a 14th-century nun from Maurs, France. This was also the name of a character in John Galsworthy's novels The Forsyte Saga (1922).
Flóra f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Flora.
Flora f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Albanian, Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of Fionnghuala.
Flore f French
French form of Flora.
Florence f & m English, French
From the Latin name Florentius or the feminine form Florentia, which were derived from florens "prosperous, flourishing". Florentius was borne by many early Christian saints, and it was occasionally used in their honour through the Middle Ages. In modern times it is mostly feminine.... [more]
Florencia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Florentius (see Florence).
Florent m French
French masculine form of Florentius (see Florence).
Florentine f French
French form of Florentina.
Floretta f English
Latinate diminutive of Flora.
Florette f French (Rare)
French diminutive of Flora.
Florian m German, French, Romanian, Polish, History
From the Roman cognomen Florianus, a derivative of Florus. This was the name of a short-lived Roman emperor of the 3rd century, Marcus Annius Florianus. It was also borne by Saint Florian, a martyr of the 3rd century, the patron saint of Poland and Upper Austria.
Floriana f Italian, Romanian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Florianus (see Florian).
Floriane f French
French feminine form of Florian.
Floriano m Italian
Italian form of Florian.
Florin m Romanian
Romanian form of Florinus.
Florinda f Spanish, Portuguese
Elaborated form of Spanish or Portuguese flor meaning "flower".
Florine f French
French feminine form of Florinus.
Floris m Dutch
Dutch form of Florentius (see Florence).
Florizel m Literature
From Latin floris, the genitive case of flos meaning "flower". This name was used by Shakespeare for the prince of Bohemia and the lover of Perdita in his play The Winter's Tale (1610).
Floro m Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Florus.
Florrie f English
Diminutive of Florence or Flora.
Florry f English
Diminutive of Florence or Flora.
Florus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was derived from Latin flos meaning "flower" (genitive case floris). It was borne by a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with Laurus in Illyricum.
Flossie f English
Diminutive of Florence.
Flower f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word flower for the blossoming plant. It is derived (via Old French) from Latin flos.
Forest m English
Variant of Forrest, or else directly from the English word forest.
Forrest m English
From an English surname meaning "forest", originally belonging to a person who lived near a forest. In America it has sometimes been used in honour of the Confederate Civil War general Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821-1877). This name was borne by the title character in the movie Forrest Gump (1994) about a loveable simpleton. Use of the name increased when the movie was released, but has since faded away.
Fortunato m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of the Late Latin name Fortunatus meaning "fortunate, blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints and martyrs.
Foster 1 m English
From an English surname that has several different origins: see Foster 1, Foster 2, Foster 3 and Foster 4.
Fouad m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic فؤاد (see Fuad).
Frances f English
Feminine form of Francis. The distinction between Francis as a masculine name and Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century. A notable bearer was Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), a social worker and the first American to be canonized.
Francesca Pia f Italian
Combination of Francesca and Pia.
Francesco m Italian
Italian form of Franciscus (see Francis). Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374) was an Italian Renaissance poet, usually known in English as Petrarch.
Francis m & f English, French
English form of the Late Latin name Franciscus meaning "Frenchman", ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *frankô). This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.... [more]
Francisca f Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Late Roman
Feminine form of Franciscus (see Francis).
Francisco m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Franciscus (see Francis). This is the Spanish name of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Other notable bearers include the Spanish painter and engraver Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) and the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975).
Francisco Javier m Spanish
Combination of Francisco and Javier, referring to Saint Francis Xavier.
Frančiška f Slovene
Slovene feminine form of Franciscus (see Francis).
Franciska f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of Franciscus (see Francis).
Franck m French
French form of Frank.
François m French
French form of Franciscus (see Francis). François Villon (1431-1463) was a French lyric poet. This was also the name of two kings of France.
Françoise f French
Feminine form of François.
Frank m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, French
From an Old German name that referred to a member of the Germanic tribe, the Franks. The Franks settled in the regions now called France, Belgium and the Netherlands in the 3rd and 4th century. They possibly derived their tribal name from a type of spear that they used, from Proto-Germanic *frankô. From medieval times, the various forms of this name have been commonly conflated with the various forms of Francis. In modern times it is sometimes used as a short form of Francis or Franklin.... [more]
Franka 1 f German, Dutch
German and Dutch feminine form of Frank.
Franklin m English
From an English surname that was derived from Middle English frankelin "freeman". A famous bearer of the surname was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher. The name has commonly been given in his honour in the United States. It also received a boost during the term of American president Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).
Frans m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Dutch, Scandinavian and Finnish form of Franciscus (see Francis).
František m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Franciscus (see Francis).
Franz m German
German form of Franciscus (see Francis). This name was borne by the Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828), the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and the Austrian-Czech author Franz Kafka (1883-1924), whose works include The Trial and The Castle. It was also the name of rulers of Austria and the Holy Roman Empire.
Fred m English, Dutch, German, French, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian
Short form of Frederick and other names containing the same element. A famous bearer was the American actor and dancer Fred Astaire (1899-1987). It was also borne by the cartoon caveman Fred Flintstone on the television series The Flintstones (1960-1966).
Freda f English
Short form of names ending in freda or fred, such as Winifred or Alfreda.
Frédéric m French
French form of Frederick. A famous bearer was the Polish composer Fryderyk or Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849).
Frederick m English
English form of an Old German name meaning "peaceful ruler", derived from fridu "peace" and rih "ruler, king". This name has long been common in continental Germanic-speaking regions, being borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, and Prussia. Notables among these rulers include the 12th-century Holy Roman emperor and crusader Frederick I Barbarossa, the 13th-century emperor and patron of the arts Frederick II, and the 18th-century Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great.... [more]
Frederikke f Danish
Danish feminine form of Frederick.
Fredrik m Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish
Swedish and Norwegian form of Frederick. This was the name of an 18th-century king of Sweden.
Freeman m English
From an English surname meaning "free man". It originally denoted a person who was not a serf.
Freida f English
Variant of Frieda.
Freja f Danish, Swedish
Danish and Swedish form of Freya.
Freya f Norse Mythology, English (Modern), German
From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.... [more]
Freyde f Yiddish (Rare)
From Yiddish פֿרייד (freid) meaning "joy".
Freyja f Icelandic, Norse Mythology
Icelandic and Old Norse form of Freya.
Freyr m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Means "lord" in Old Norse, derived from the Germanic root *fraujô. This is the name of a Norse god. He may have originally been called Yngvi, with the name Freyr being his title. Freyr is associated with fertility, sunlight and rain, and is the husband of the giantess Gerd. With his twin sister Freya and father Njord he is one of the group of deities called the Vanir.
Frida 1 f German, Germanic
Originally a short form of names containing the Old German element fridu meaning "peace" (Proto-Germanic *friþuz). A famous bearer was the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).
Frida 2 f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Derived from Old Norse fríðr meaning "beautiful, beloved".
Friede f German
Variant of Frida 1.
Friederike f German
German feminine form of Frederick.
Friedhelm m German
Derived from the Old German elements fridu "peace" and helm "helmet, protection".
Friedrich m German
German form of Frederick. This was the name of several rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Austria and Prussia. The philosophers Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) are two other famous bearers of this name.
Fríða f Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse form of Frida 2.
Frosina f Macedonian
Macedonian form of Euphrosyne.
Frøya f Norwegian
Norwegian form of Freya.
Fuad m Arabic, Azerbaijani, Indonesian, Malay
Means "heart" in Arabic.
Fuyuko f Japanese
From Japanese (fuyu) meaning "winter" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other combinations of kanji.
Gabinus m Late Roman
Latin form of Gavino.
Gabriel m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name גַבְרִיאֵל (Ḡavriʾel) meaning "God is my strong man", derived from גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of John to Zechariah and Jesus to Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to Muhammad.... [more]