Names Starting with C

gender
usage
Casper m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Dutch and Scandinavian form of Jasper. This is the name of a friendly ghost in an American series of cartoons and comic books (beginning 1945).
Caspian m Literature
Used by author C. S. Lewis for a character in his Chronicles of Narnia series, first appearing in 1950. Prince Caspian first appears in the fourth book, where he is the rightful king of Narnia driven into exile by his evil uncle Miraz. Lewis probably based the name on the Caspian Sea, which was named for the city of Qazvin, which was itself named for the ancient Cas tribe.
Cass f & m English
Short form of Cassandra, Cassidy and other names beginning with Cass.
Cassander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κάσσανδρος (Kassandros), the masculine form of Cassandra. This was the name of a 3rd-century BC king of Macedon.
Cassandra f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κασσάνδρα (Kassandra), possibly derived from κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.... [more]
Cassandre f French
French variant of Cassandra.
Cassarah f English (Rare)
Recently created name intended to mean "what will be, will be". It is from the title of the 1956 song Que Sera, Sera, which was taken from the Italian phrase che sarà sarà. The phrase que sera, sera is not grammatically correct in any Romance language.
Cássia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Cassius.
Cassia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cassius.
Cassian m Ancient Roman (Anglicized)
From the Roman family name Cassianus, which was derived from Cassius. This was the name of several saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Tangier who is the patron saint of stenographers and a 5th-century mystic who founded a monastery in Marseille.
Cassianus m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Cassian.
Cassidy f & m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Caiside), which is derived from the byname Caiside. Very rare as a given name before the 1970s, it established itself in the 80s and then surged in popularity during the 90s.
Cassie f English
Diminutive of Cassandra and other names beginning with Cass.
Cassiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
From Hebrew קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftsiʾel), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include "leap of God", "drawn together by God" or "wrath of God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.
Cássio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Cassius.
Cassio m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Cassius. This is the surname of Othello's lieutenant Michael Cassio in Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603).
Cassiopeia f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κασσιόπεια (Kassiopeia) or Κασσιέπεια (Kassiepeia), possibly meaning "cassia juice". In Greek myth Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. She was changed into a constellation and placed in the northern sky after she died.
Cassius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin cassus meaning "empty, vain". This name was borne by several early saints. In modern times, it was the original first name of boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who was named after his father Cassius Clay, who was himself named after the American abolitionist Cassius Clay (1810-1903).
Cassy f English
Diminutive of Cassandra and other names beginning with Cass.
Castiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend, Popular Culture
Possibly a variant of Cassiel. It is the name of an angel in the grimoire the Heptameron, a work that is sometimes (probably incorrectly) attributed to the 13th-century philosopher Pietro d'Abano. It was also the name of a character (an angel) on the American television series Supernatural (2005-2020). The creator Eric Kripke chose it after an internet search revealed that Castiel was an angel associated with Thursdays, the day the show aired.
Castor m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κάστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" (pluperfect κέκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word κάστωρ (kastor) meaning "beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.
Cəsur m Azerbaijani
Means "bold, brave" in Azerbaijani.
Cat f & m English
Diminutive of Catherine. It can also be a nickname from the English word for the animal.
Catahecassa m Shawnee
Means "black hoof" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee warrior and chief.
Cataleya f Various (Rare)
Variant of cattleya, a genus of orchids native to Central and South America, which were named for the British horticulturist William Cattley. This name was popularized by the main character from the movie Colombiana (2011).
Cătălin m Romanian
Romanian masculine form of Katherine.
Cătălina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
Catalina f Spanish, Corsican
Spanish and Corsican form of Katherine.
Catarina f Portuguese, Occitan, Galician
Portuguese, Occitan and Galician form of Katherine.
Cate f English (Rare)
Variant of Kate. A famous bearer is Australian actress Cate Blanchett (1969-).
Cateline f Medieval French
Medieval French form of Katherine.
Catell m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Cadell.
Catello m Italian
Italian form of Catellus.
Catellus m Late Roman
Probably from Latin catulus meaning "young dog, puppy". Saint Catellus was a 9th-century bishop of Castellammare, Italy.
Caterina f Italian, Catalan
Italian and Catalan form of Katherine.
Catguocaun m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Cadwgan.
Cathair m Irish
Variant of Cathaoir.
Cathal m Irish, Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish cath "battle" and fal "rule". This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint. It was also borne by several Irish kings. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Charles.
Cathalán m Old Irish
Diminutive of Cathal.
Cathán m Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish cath "battle" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Cathán was a 6th-century Irish monk, a missionary to the Isle of Bute.
Cathaoir m Irish (Rare)
Irish Gaelic form of Cahir.
Catharina f Dutch, Swedish
Dutch and Swedish form of Katherine.
Cathassach m Old Irish
Means "vigilant" in Irish.
Catherine f French, English
French form of Katherine, and also a common English variant.
Cathie f English
Diminutive of Catherine.
Cathrin f German
German short form of Katharina.
Cathrine f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Scandinavian contracted form of Katherine.
Cathy f English
Diminutive of Catherine.
Cátia f Portuguese
Diminutive of Catarina.
Catia f Italian
Italian diminutive of Caterina.
Catina f Romanian (Rare)
Contracted form of Cătălina.
Cato 1 m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "wise" in Latin. This name was bestowed upon Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato), a 2nd-century BC Roman statesman, author and censor, and was subsequently inherited by his descendants, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.
Cato 2 f Dutch
Diminutive of Catharina.
Catrin f Welsh, German
Welsh form of Katherine, as well as a German short form of Katharina.
Catrina f Scottish
Anglicized form of Caitrìona.
Catrine f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian contracted form of Katherine.
Catrinel f Romanian
Diminutive of Ecaterina.
Catriona f Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Caitríona (Irish) or Caitrìona (Scottish Gaelic).
Catuxa f Galician
Diminutive of Catarina.
Cauã m Tupi
From Tupi kaûã meaning "hawk, falcon".
Cauan m Tupi
Variant of Cauã.
Cavad m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Jawad.
Cavan m English
Either from the name of the Irish county, which is derived from Irish cabhán "hollow", or else from the Irish surname Cavan.
Cavid m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Javed.
Cayetana f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).
Cayetano m Spanish
Spanish form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).
Ceadda m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Chad.
Ceallach m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Cellach, of uncertain origin, traditionally said to mean "bright-headed". Alternatively it could be derived from Old Irish cellach "war, strife" or cell "church". This name was borne by several early Irish kings and by a 12th-century saint, an archbishop of Armagh.
Cearbhall m Irish
From Old Irish Cerball, probably from cerb meaning "pointed, sharp, cutting". This was the name of a few medieval Irish kings.
Cebrail m Turkish
Turkish form of Gabriel.
Cebrián m Spanish (Rare)
Spanish form of Cyprianus (see Cyprian).
Cece f English
Diminutive of Cecilia and other names containing a similar sound.
Cecelia f English
Variant of Cecilia.
Cecil m English
From the Roman name Caecilius. Though it was in use during the Middle Ages in England, it did not become common until the 19th century when it was given in honour of the noble Cecil family, who had been prominent since the 16th century. Their surname was derived from the Welsh given name Seisyll, which was derived from the Roman name Sextilius, a derivative of Sextus.
Cécile f French
French form of Cecilia.
Cécilia f French
French form of Cecilia.
Cecília f Portuguese, Catalan, Slovak, Hungarian
Portuguese, Catalan, Slovak and Hungarian form of Cecilia.
Cecilia f English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Romanian, Finnish
Latinate 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]
Cecílie f Czech
Czech form of Cecilia.
Cecilie f Norwegian, Danish, Czech
Norwegian and Danish form of Cecilia, as well as a Czech variant of Cecílie.
Cecilija f Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian
Slovene, Croatian and Sorbian form of Cecilia.
Cecílio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Caecilius.
Cecilio m Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Spanish and Italian form of Caecilius.
Cecily f English
English form of Cecilia. This was the usual English form during the Middle Ages.
Cecylia f Polish
Polish form of Cecilia.
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.
Čedomir m Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Derived from Slavic čędo "child" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Cédric m French
French form of Cedric.
Cedric m English
Invented 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).
Ceel m Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Marcellus.
Cees m Dutch
Variant of Kees.
Ceferino m Spanish
Spanish form of Zephyrinus (see Zeferino).
Cefin m Welsh
Welsh form of Kevin.
Céibhfhionn f Irish Mythology
Means "fair-haired", from Old Irish ciab "locks, hair" and finn "white, blessed". In Irish legend this was the name of one of the three daughters of Bec mac Buain.
Ceinwen f Welsh
Derived 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.
Celal m Turkish, Kurdish
Turkish and Kurdish form of Jalal.
Celandine f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived from Greek χελιδών (chelidon) meaning "swallow (bird)".
Céleste f & m French
French feminine and masculine form of Caelestis.
Celeste f & m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, English
Italian feminine and masculine form of Caelestis. It is also the Portuguese, Spanish and English feminine form.
Célestin m French
French form of Caelestinus.
Celestina f Spanish, Italian
Latinate feminine form of Caelestinus.
Célestine f French
French feminine form of Caelestinus.
Celestine f & m English
English form of Caelestinus. It is more commonly used as a feminine name, from the French feminine form Célestine.
Celestino m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Caelestinus.
Celestyn m Polish
Polish form of Caelestinus.
Celestyna f Polish
Polish feminine form of Caelestinus.
Célia f Portuguese, French
Portuguese and French form of Celia.
Cèlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Celia.
Celia f English, Spanish
Feminine 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.
Çelik m Turkish
Means "steel" in Turkish.
Celina f Polish, Portuguese, German
Feminine form of Caelinus. This name can also function as a short form of Marcelina.
Celinda f English (Rare)
Probably a blend of Celia and Linda. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
Céline f French
French feminine form of Caelinus. This name can also function as a short form of Marceline.
Celino m Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Italian and Spanish form of Caelinus or a short form of Marcelino.
Célio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Caelius.
Celio m Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Italian and Spanish form of Caelius.
Cellach m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Ceallach.
Cellachán m Old Irish
Diminutive of Cellach. This name was borne by a 10th-century king of Munster.
Celso m Portuguese, Galician, Spanish, Italian
Portuguese, Galician, Spanish and Italian form of Celsus.
Celsus m Ancient Roman
Roman 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 Welsh
Means "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.
Cem m Turkish
Turkish form of Jam.
Cemal m Turkish
Turkish form of Jamal.
Cemil m Turkish
Turkish form of Jamil.
Cemile f Turkish
Turkish form of Jamila.
Cemre f Turkish
From a term used in Turkish folklore referring to the warming of temperature at the end of winter, thought to occur in three stages affecting air, water, then earth.
Čeněk m Czech
Diminutive of Vincenc.
Cengiz m Turkish
Turkish form of Genghis.
Cenhelm m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Kenelm.
Cenk m Turkish
Means "battle, war" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.
Cennet f Turkish
Means "paradise, garden" in Turkish, derived from Arabic جنّة (janna).
Cennétig m Old Irish
Old Irish byname meaning either "armoured head" or "misshapen head" (Old Irish cenn "head" and étiud "armour, clothing" or étig "ugly, misshapen"). This was the name of an Irish king, the father of Brian Boru.
Cenric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cene "bold" and ric "ruler, king".
Ċensu m Maltese
Maltese form of Vincent.
Ceolmund m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ceol "keel" and mund "protection".
Cephalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κέφαλος (Kephalos), which was derived from κεφαλή (kephale) meaning "head". In Greek legend he remained faithful to his wife Procris even though he was pursued by the goddess Eos.
Cephas m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Means "rock" in Aramaic. The apostle Simon was called Cephas by Jesus because he was to be the rock upon which the Christian church was to be built. In most versions of the New Testament Cephas is translated into Greek Πέτρος (Petros) (in English Peter).
Cepheus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κηφεύς (Kepheus), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek legend he was a king of Ethiopia, the husband of Cassiopeia. After he died he was made into a constellation and placed in the sky.
Cerball m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Cearbhall.
Cerberus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κέρβερος (Kerberos), which possibly meant "spotted". In Greek myth this was the name of the three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to Hades.
Cerdic m Anglo-Saxon
Earlier form of Cedric, possibly of Brythonic origin.
Ceren f Turkish
Means "gazelle" in Turkish (probably of Mongolian origin, originally referring to the Mongolian gazelle, the zeren).
Ceres f Roman Mythology
Derived 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 Welsh
Meaning 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 Welsh
Possibly 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]
Cerise f French
Means "cherry" in French.
Cernunnos m Gaulish Mythology (Latinized)
Means "great horned one", from Celtic *karnos "horn" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on. This was the name of the Celtic god of fertility, animals, wealth, and the underworld. He was usually depicted having antlers, and was identified with the Roman god Mercury.
Cerridwen f Welsh
Variant of Ceridwen.
Cerys f Welsh
Variant of Carys.
César m French, Spanish, Portuguese
French, Spanish and Portuguese form of Caesar. A famous bearer was the American labour organizer César Chávez (1927-1993).
Cesare m Italian
Italian form of Caesar.
Cesária f Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese feminine form of Caesarius.
Cesarina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Cesare.
Cesarino m Italian
Diminutive of Cesare.
Cesário m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Caesarius.
Cesc m Catalan
Short form of Francesc.
Čestmír m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements čĭstĭ "honour" and měrŭ "great, famous" or mirŭ "peace, world".
Çetin m Turkish
Means "harsh, hard" in Turkish.
Cevahir f & m Turkish
Turkish form of Jawahir.
Cevdet m Turkish
Turkish form of Jawdat.
Ceyhun m Turkish, Azerbaijani
From Arabic جيحون (Jayḥūn), from Hebrew גִּיחוֹן (Giḥon), which in the Old Testament is a river originating in the Garden of Eden. The river's name itself is derived from Hebrew גִּיחַ (giyaḥ) meaning "to burst forth". In Islamic tradition it is identified with the Amu Darya, a river in central Asia.
Ceylan f Turkish
Means "gazelle" in Turkish, of Persian origin.
Cézar m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese variant of César.
Cezar m Romanian, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Romanian form of Caesar, as well as a Brazilian Portuguese variant of César.
Cezara f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of Caesar.
Cezário m Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Brazilian Portuguese variant of Cesário.
Cezary m Polish
Polish form of Caesar.
Chaac m Mayan Mythology
From Classic Maya cháak meaning "rain". This was the name of the Maya god of the rain and storms.
Chad m English
From the Old English name Ceadda, which is of unknown meaning, possibly based on Old Welsh cat "battle". This was the name of a 7th-century English saint. Borne primarily by Catholics, it was a rare name until the 1960s when it started to become more common amongst the general population. This is also the name of a country in Africa, though it originates from a different source.
Chadwick m English
From a surname that was derived from the name of towns in England, meaning "settlement belonging to Chad" in Old English.
Chae-Won f Korean
From Sino-Korean (chae) meaning "collect, gather, pluck" or (chae) meaning "colour" combined with (won) meaning "source, origin, beginning". Other hanja combinations can also form this name.
Chae-Yeong f Korean
From Sino-Korean (chae) meaning "colour" combined with (yeong) meaning "glory, honour" or (yeong) meaning "jade". This name can be formed using other hanja combinations as well.
Chae-Young f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 채영 (see Chae-Yeong).
Chagatai m History
Usual English spelling of Çağatay.
Chaggai m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Haggai.
Chaggit f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Haggith.
Chaim m Hebrew
Derived from the Hebrew word חַיִּים (chayim) meaning "life". It has been used since medieval times.
Chalchiuhtlicue f Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "jade skirt" in Nahuatl, from chālchiuhtli "jade, precious stone" and cuēitl "skirt". This was the name of the Aztec goddess of water and rivers, the wife of Tlaloc.
Chaleb m Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Caleb used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Chalice f English (Rare)
Means simply "chalice, goblet" from the English word, derived from Latin calix.
Chalkis f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek χαλκός (chalkos) meaning "copper, bronze". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a naiad, said to be the namesake of the city of Chalkis on Euboia.
Cham m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Ham.
Chaminda m Sinhalese
Meaning unknown.
Chan m & f Khmer
Means "moon" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra).
Chana f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Hannah.
Chanaan m Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin
Greek and Latin form of Canaan.
Chanah f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַנָּה (see Chana).
Chanan m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Hanan 1.
Chance m English
Originally a diminutive of Chauncey. It is now usually given in reference to the English word chance meaning "luck, fortune" (ultimately derived from Latin cadens "falling").
Chand m Hindi
Modern masculine form of Chanda.
Chanda f & m Hinduism, Hindi
Means "fierce, hot, passionate" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the feminine form चण्डा (an epithet of the Hindu goddess Durga) and the masculine form चण्ड (the name of a demon).
Chandan m Hindi, Bengali, Odia
Derived from Sanskrit चन्दन (candana) meaning "sandalwood".
Chandana f & m Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Bengali, Sinhalese
Feminine form of Chandan, as well as the Sinhala masculine form.
Chander m Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi चन्द्र or चन्द्रा (see Chandra).
Chandler m & f English
From an occupational surname that meant "candle seller" or "candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately from Latin candela via Old French. It surged in popularity after the 1994 debut of the American sitcom Friends, featuring a character by this name.
Chandra m & f Hinduism, Bengali, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Means "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from चन्द (cand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of both the masculine form चण्ड (the god of the moon personified) as well as the feminine form चण्डा (spelled with a long final vowel).
Chandrakant m Marathi, Hindi
Means "beloved by the moon", derived from Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra) meaning "moon" and कान्त (kānta) meaning "desired, beloved". This is another name for the moonstone.
Chandrakanta f Hindi
Feminine form of Chandrakant.
Chandrashekhar m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Odia
Means "crown of the moon", derived from Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra) meaning "moon" and शेखर (śekhara) meaning "crest, peak, crown". This is an epithet of the Hindu god Shiva.
Chanel f English
From a French surname that meant either "channel", indicating a person who lived near a channel of water, or "jug, jar, bottle", indicating a manufacturer of jugs. It has been used as an American given name since 1970s, influenced by the Chanel brand name (a line of women's clothing and perfume), which was named for French fashion designer Coco Chanel (1883-1971).
Chang m & f Chinese
From Chinese (chāng) meaning "flourish, prosper, good, sunlight" (which is usually only masculine), (chàng) meaning "smooth, free, unrestrained" or (cháng) meaning "long". Other Chinese characters are also possible.
Chang'e f Chinese Mythology
Means "beautiful Chang", from Chinese (Chang), a character that refers to the goddess herself, combined with (é) meaning "beautiful, good". In Chinese mythology this is the name of a goddess of the moon, the wife of the archer Hou Yi. Her original name 姮娥 (Heng'e) was changed to avoid the taboo of sharing a homophonic character with the 2nd-century BC Emperor Wen of Han (personal name Heng).
Channa f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Hannah.
Channary f Khmer
Means "moon-faced girl" from Khmer ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".
Channing m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname of uncertain origin.
Chanokh m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Enoch.
Chantal f French, English, Dutch
From a French surname that was derived from a place name meaning "stony". It was originally given in honour of Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal, the founder of the Visitation Order in the 17th century. It has become associated with French chant "song".
Chanté f African American (Modern)
From French chanter meaning "sing". This spelling corresponds with the past participle, meaning "sung".
Chantel f English
Variant of Chantal.
Chantrea f & m Khmer
Means "moonlight" in Khmer.
Chao m & f Chinese
From Chinese (chāo) meaning "surpass, leap over" (which is usually only masculine), (cháo) meaning "tide, flow, damp", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Chara f Greek
Means "happiness, joy" in Greek.
Charalambos m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Χαράλαμπος (see Charalampos).
Charalampos m Greek
Means "to shine from happiness" from Greek χαρά (chara) meaning "happiness" combined with λάμπω (lampo) meaning "to shine".
Chares m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian general. It was also borne by the sculptor who crafted the Colossus of Rhodes.
Charibert m Germanic
Old German (Frankish) variant of Haribert. This name was borne by two Merovingian kings of the Franks (6th and 7th centuries).
Charikleia f Greek, Ancient Greek
From Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This is the name of the heroine of the 3rd-century novel Aethiopica, about the love between Charikleia and Theagenes, written by Heliodorus of Emesa.
Chariklia f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Charikleia.
Charilaos m Ancient Greek, Greek
Means "grace of the people", derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness" and λαός (laos) meaning "people".
Chariovalda m Old Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of Hariwald. This was the name of 1st-century Batavian chief mentioned by Tacitus.
Charis f & m Ancient Greek, Greek
Ancient Greek feminine form of Chares. This was the word (in the singular) for one of the three Graces (plural Χάριτες).... [more]
Charisma f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "personal magnetism", ultimately derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness".
Charissa f English, Dutch
Elaborated form of Charis. Edmund Spencer used it in his epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).
Charisse f English
From a French surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in honour of American actress and dancer Cyd Charisse (1921-2008).
Charita f Various
Latinate form of Charity.
Chariton m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness". This was the name of a 1st-century Greek novelist.
Charity f English
From 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.
Charizard m Popular Culture
From a blend of the English words char and lizard. This is the name of a dragon-like creature in the Pokémon series of video games starting 1996. Technically the name of the species, it is used as a given name for the creature in some contexts. It is called リザードン (Rizādon) in Japan.
Charla f English
Feminine form of Charles.
Charlee f English (Modern)
Feminine variant of Charlie.
Charleigh f English (Modern)
Strictly feminine variant of Charlie.
Charlemagne m History
From Old French Charles le Magne meaning "Charles the Great". This is the name by which the Frankish king Charles the Great (742-814) is commonly known.
Charlène f French
French form of Charlene.
Charlene f English
Feminine diminutive of Charles.
Charles m English, French
French 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]
Charley m & f English
Diminutive or feminine form of Charles.
Charli f English
Variant of Charlie, typically feminine.
Charlie m & f English
Diminutive 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.
Charline f French
French feminine diminutive of Charles.
Charlize f Afrikaans
Feminine form of Charles using the popular Afrikaans name suffix ize. This name was popularized by South African actress Charlize Theron (1975-), who was named after her father Charles.
Charlot m French
French diminutive of Charles.
Charlotta f Swedish
Swedish variant of Charlotte.
Charlotte f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
French 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]
Charlton m English
From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning "settlement of free men" in Old English.
Charly m & f English
Variant of Charlie.
Charmaine f English
Meaning unknown, perhaps a combination of Charmian or the English word charm with the aine suffix from Lorraine. It was (first?) used for a character in the play What Price Glory (1924), which was made into a popular movie in 1926.
Charmian f Literature
Form of Charmion used by Shakespeare in his play Antony and Cleopatra (1606).
Charmion f Ancient Greek (Rare)
Greek name derived from χάρμα (charma) meaning "delight". This was the name of one of Cleopatra's servants, as recorded by Plutarch.
Charna f Yiddish (Rare)
From a Slavic word meaning "black".
Charnette f English (Rare)
Probably an invented name.
Charo f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Rosario.
Charon m Greek Mythology
Possibly means "fierce brightness" in Greek. In Greek mythology Charon was the operator of the ferry that brought the newly dead over the River Acheron into Hades.
Chas m English
Diminutive of Charles.
Chase m English
From an English surname meaning "chase, hunt" in Middle English, originally a nickname for a huntsman.
Chasity f English
Variant of Chastity.
Chaska m Sioux
From Lakota or Dakota čhaské meaning "firstborn son".
Chastity f English
From the English word chastity, which is ultimately from Latin castus "pure". It was borne by the child of Sonny Bono and Cher, which probably led to the name's increase in popularity during the 1970s.
Chatzkel m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of Ezekiel.
Châu f & m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (châu) meaning "pearl, gem".
Chauncey m English
From a Norman surname of unknown meaning. It was used as a given name in America in honour of Harvard president Charles Chauncey (1592-1672).
Chausiku f Swahili
Means "born at night" in Swahili.
Chava f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Eve.
Chavaqquq m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Habakkuk.
Chavdar m Bulgarian
Derived from a Persian word meaning "leader, dignitary".
Chawwa f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Eve.
Chaya f Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew חָיָה (ḥaya) meaning "living", considered a feminine form of Chaim.
Chayim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).