Aafje f DutchShort form of names beginning with the Old German element
alb "elf".
Aali m ArabicMeans
"high, lofty, sublime" in Arabic, from the root
علا (ʿalā) meaning "to be high".
Aamir 1 m Arabic, UrduMeans
"prosperous, substantial, populated" in Arabic, related to the root
عمر (ʿamara) meaning "to live long, to thrive".
Aang m Popular CultureThe hero of the American animated television series
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008). When his name is shown in written form, it is composed of the Chinese characters
安 (ān) meaning "peace, quiet" and
昂 (áng) meaning "raise, lift".
Aarni m FinnishFinnish form of
Arne 1, also associated with the archaic word
aarni meaning
"treasure".
Aaron m English, French, German, Finnish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
אַהֲרֹן (ʾAharon), which is most likely of unknown Egyptian origin. Other theories claim a Hebrew derivation, and suggest meanings such as
"high mountain" or
"exalted". In the Old Testament this name is borne by the older brother of
Moses. He acted as a spokesman for his brother when they appealed to the pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Aaron's rod produced miracles and plagues to intimidate the pharaoh. After the departure from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, God installed Aaron as the first high priest of the Israelites and promised that his descendants would become the priesthood.
... [more] Aarre m FinnishMeans
"treasure" in Finnish. It may also be used as a variant of the uncommon older name
Aaretti, itself from a Low German form of
Arnold.
Aatto m FinnishFinnish form of
Adolf. It also means
"eve, evening before" in Finnish, as the day before an important holiday.
Abaddon m BiblicalMeans
"ruin, destruction" in Hebrew. In Revelation in the New Testament this is another name of the angel of the abyss.
Abbán m Old IrishMeans
"little abbot", derived from Irish
abb "abbot" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint, the son of King Cormac of Leinster.
Abd al-Aziz m ArabicMeans
"servant of the powerful" from Arabic
عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with
عزيز (ʿazīz) meaning "powerful". This was the name of the first king of modern Saudi Arabia.
Abd al-Hamid m ArabicMeans
"servant of the praiseworthy" from Arabic
عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with
حميد (ḥamīd) meaning "praiseworthy". This was the name of two sultans of the Ottoman Empire.
Abd Allah m ArabicMeans
"servant of Allah" from Arabic
عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with
الله (Allah). This was the name of the Prophet
Muhammad's father. He died before his son's birth.
Abd al-Malik m ArabicMeans
"servant of the king" from Arabic
عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with
ملك (malik) meaning "king". This was the name of the fifth Umayyad caliph, who made Arabic the official language of the empire.
Abd al-Qadir m ArabicMeans
"servant of the capable, servant of the powerful" from Arabic
عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with
قادر (qādir) meaning "capable, powerful". This was the name of a 19th-century Algerian resistance leader.
Abd ar-Rahman m ArabicMeans
"servant of the merciful" from Arabic
عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with
رحْمن (raḥman) meaning "merciful". This was the name of two early caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty in Spain.
Abdastartus m Phoenician (Latinized)From the Greek form
Ἀβδάσταρτος (Abdastartos) of the Phoenician name
𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤏𐤔𐤕𐤓𐤕 (ʿAbdʿashtart) meaning
"servant of Ashtoreth", derived from
𐤏𐤁𐤃 (ʿabd) meaning "servant, slave" combined with the name of the goddess
Ashtoreth. This was the name of a 10th-century BC king of Tyre, as recorded by the historian Josephus.
Abdiel m Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"servant of God" in Hebrew, from
עֶבֶד (ʿeveḏ) meaning "servant, slave" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament, this is the name of a member of the tribe of Gad. In John Milton's
Paradise Lost (1667), this is the name of a seraph who withstands Satan when he urges the angels to revolt.
Abdolhossein m PersianMeans
"servant of al-Husayn" from Arabic
عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with
حسین (Ḥoseyn), the Persian form of Arabic
Husayn. This name refers to Husayn ibn Ali, the son of Ali.
Abdolreza m PersianMeans
"servant of al-Rida" from Arabic
عبد (ʿabd) meaning "servant" combined with
رضا (Reẕā), the Persian form of Arabic
Rida. This name refers to the 9th-century Shia imam Ali al-Rida.
Abednego m BiblicalMeans
"servant of Nebo" in Akkadian,
Nebo being the Babylonian god of wisdom. In the Old Testament Abednego is the Babylonian name given to
Azariah, one of the three men cast into a blazing furnace but saved from harm by God, as told in the Book of Daniel.
Abel m English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
הֶבֶל (Hevel) meaning
"breath". In the Old Testament he is the second son of
Adam and
Eve, murdered out of envy by his brother
Cain. In England, this name came into use during the Middle Ages, and it was common during the Puritan era.
Abeni f YorubaMeans
"we prayed and we received" in Yoruba.
Abiathar m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אֶבְיָתָר (ʾEvyaṯar) meaning
"my father abounds" or
"my father excels", derived from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
יָתַר (yaṯar) meaning "to abound, to excel". According to the Old Testament Abiathar was a high priest during the reign of King
David.
Abidemi m & f YorubaMeans
"born in my absence" in Yoruba. It is typically given to children born when the father is away.
Abiel m BiblicalMeans
"God is my father" in Hebrew, from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the name of the grandfather of
Saul according to the Old Testament.
Abihu m BiblicalMeans
"he is my father" in Hebrew, from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
הוּא (hu) meaning "he". This is the name of a son of
Aaron in the Old Testament. He and his brother
Nadab were killed by God because they presented him with unauthorized fire.
Abijah m & f BiblicalMeans
"my father is Yahweh" in Hebrew, from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of several characters, both male and female, including the second king of Judah (also known as
Abijam).
Abilene f Various (Rare)From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew
אָבֵל (ʾavel) meaning "meadow, grassy area". It has occasionally been used as a given name in modern times.
Abiram m BiblicalMeans
"my father is exalted" in Hebrew, derived from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt". In the Old Testament, Abiram is swallowed by an earthquake after rebelling against the leadership of
Moses.
Abishag f BiblicalMeans
"my father strays" in Hebrew, from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
שָׁגָה (shaḡa) meaning "to stray, to err". In the Old Testament Abishag is a young woman who tends King
David in his old age.
Abishai m BiblicalMeans
"my father is a gift" in Hebrew, from the roots
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
שַׁי (shai) meaning "gift". In the Old Testament he is one of King
David's heroes.
Abital f BiblicalMeans
"my father is dew" in Hebrew, from the roots
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
טַל (ṭal) meaning "dew". She is the fifth wife of
David in the Old Testament.
Abla f ArabicMeans
"full-figured" in Arabic. The 7th-century Arab poet Antara dedicated much of his poetry to a woman named Abla.
Abner m English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
אַבְנֵר (ʾAvner) meaning
"my father is a light", derived from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light". In the Old Testament, Abner was a cousin of
Saul and the commander of his army. After he killed Asahel he was himself slain by Asahel's brother
Joab.
... [more] Abosede f YorubaMeans
"comes with the start of the week" in Yoruba, given when the child is born on Sunday.
Abraham m English, Hebrew, Spanish, French, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical German, Biblical Swedish, Biblical Norwegian, Biblical Danish, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
אַבְרָהָם (ʾAvraham), which may be viewed either as meaning
"father of many" or else as a contraction of
Abram 1 and
הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning "many, multitude". The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but God changed his name (see
Genesis 17:5). With his father
Terah, he led his wife
Sarah, his nephew
Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son
Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son
Ishmael.
... [more] Abrar f & m Arabic, Urdu, BengaliMeans
"virtuous" in Arabic. It is typically feminine in the Arab world, and typically masculine in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.
Absalom m Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
אַבְשָׁלוֹם (ʾAvshalom) meaning
"father is peace", derived from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". In the Old Testament he is a son of King
David. He avenged his sister
Tamar by arranging the murder of her rapist, their half-brother
Amnon. He later led a revolt against his father. While fleeing on the back of a mule he got his head caught in a tree and was killed by
Joab.
Abu m ArabicMeans
"father of" in Arabic. This is commonly used as an element in a kunya, which is a type of Arabic nickname. The element is combined with the name of one of the bearer's children (usually the eldest son). In some cases the kunya is figurative, not referring to an actual child, as in the case of the Muslim caliph
Abu Bakr.
Abu Bakr m ArabicCombination of
Abu and
Bakr. Abu Bakr was a companion and father-in-law of the Prophet
Muhammad and the first caliph of the Muslim world. His name was in fact a kunya (a nickname) formed using
Abu; his real name was
Abd Allah. Shia Muslims hold a more negative view of Abu Bakr, hence this name is more widely used among Sunnis.
Abundius m Late RomanFrom Latin
abundus meaning
"abundant, plentiful". This was the name of several early saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Como.
Acacia f English (Rare)From the name of a type of tree, ultimately derived from Greek
ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".
Ace 1 m EnglishFrom the English word meaning
"highest rank". More commonly a nickname, it is occasionally used as a given name.
Achan m BiblicalPossibly a variation of the Hebrew word
עֲכָר (ʿaḵar) meaning
"trouble". In the Old Testament, Achan is stoned to death because he steals forbidden items during the assault on Jericho.
Achelous m Greek Mythology (Latinized)From Greek
Ἀχελώιος (Acheloios), which is of unknown meaning, possibly of Semitic origin. This was the name of a Greek god of water and rivers, in particular the Achelous River in western Greece. He fought with (and was defeated by)
Herakles for the hand of
Deianeira.
Achilles m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)From the Greek
Ἀχιλλεύς (Achilleus), which is of unknown meaning, perhaps derived from Greek
ἄχος (achos) meaning
"pain" or else from the name of the Achelous River. This was the name of a warrior in Greek legend, one of the central characters in
Homer's
Iliad. The bravest of the Greek heroes in the war against the Trojans, he was eventually killed by an arrow to his heel, the only vulnerable part of his body.
... [more] Achim 2 m BiblicalPossibly from a Hebrew name meaning
"he will establish". In the New Testament this name is listed as an ancestor of
Jesus.
Achlys f Greek MythologyMeans
"mist, darkness" in Greek. According to a poem by Hesiod, she was one of the figures portrayed on the shield of
Herakles. She is described as a wraithlike woman personifying death and sorrow.
Achsah f BiblicalMeans
"anklet, bangle" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of
Caleb.
Adad-Nirari m Ancient AssyrianMeans
"Adad is my helper", from the god's name
Adad combined with Akkadian
nērāru meaning "helper". This name was borne by three kings of the Assyrian Empire.
Adaeze f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of the king" in Igbo.
Adah f BiblicalMeans
"adornment, ornament" in Hebrew. This is the name of the wives of both
Lamech and
Esau in the Old Testament.
Adaiah m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
עֲדָיָה (ʿAḏaya) meaning
"Yahweh has adorned", derived from
עָדָה (ʿaḏa) meaning "to adorn" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters, including the father of
Jedidah.
Adalhard m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
adal "noble" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Saint Adalhard or Adalard was a cousin of
Charlemagne who became an abbot of Corbie.
Adalia m BiblicalMeaning unknown, possibly of Persian origin. In Book of Esther in the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Haman the Agagite.
Adallinda f GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
adal "noble" and
lind "soft, flexible, tender". Adallinda (or Adalindis or Ethelind) was the name of one of the concubines of
Charlemagne, with whom she had at least two children.
Adam m English, French, German, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Malay, Indonesian, Dhivehi, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewThis is the Hebrew word for
"man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew
אדם (ʾaḏam) meaning
"to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian
adamu meaning
"to make".
... [more] Adanna f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of the father" in Igbo.
Adannaya f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of her father" in Igbo.
Addison f & m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Adam". Its recent popularity as a feminine name stems from its similarity in sound to
Madison.
Addolorata f ItalianMeans
"grieving" in Italian, from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Maria Addolorata. It is most common in southern Italy. It is the equivalent of Spanish
Dolores.
Ade 1 m & f YorubaFrom Yoruba
adé meaning
"crown", also a short form of other names beginning with this element.
Ade 2 m FrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
adal meaning
"noble".
Adegoke m YorubaMeans
"the crown has ascended the mountain" in Yoruba.
Adei m BasqueMeans
"respect, consideration, grace" in Basque.
Adela f English, Spanish, Romanian, Polish, Slovak, GermanicOriginally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element
adal meaning
"noble" (Proto-Germanic *
aþalaz). Saint Adela was a 7th-century Frankish princess who founded a monastery at Pfazel in France. This name was also borne by a daughter of William the Conqueror.
Adelaide f English, Italian, PortugueseMeans
"nobleness, nobility", from the French form of the Germanic name
Adalheidis, which was composed of
adal "noble" and the suffix
heit "kind, sort, type". It was borne in the 10th century by Saint Adelaide, the wife of the Holy Roman emperor Otto the Great.
... [more] Adeola f & m YorubaMeans
"the crown of wealth" in Yoruba. It is also a surname.
Adhara f AstronomyDerived from Arabic
عذارى (ʿadhārā) meaning
"maidens". This is the name of the second brightest star (after
Sirius) in the constellation Canis Major.
Adi 2 m Indonesian, JavaneseMeans
"first" in Indonesian and
"beautiful, good, valuable" in Javanese, both ultimately from Sanskrit
आदि (ādi) meaning "first, prime".
Adin m BosnianMeaning unknown, possibly from Turkish
ad meaning
"name".
Adir m HebrewMeans
"strong, mighty" in Hebrew. This word is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe God.
Adisa m & f YorubaMeans
"bundled up and set to dry" in Yoruba.
Aditi f Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, KannadaMeans
"boundless, entire" or
"freedom, security" in Sanskrit, derived from the negative prefix
अ (a) and
दिति (diti) meaning "giving". This is the name of a Hindu goddess of the cosmos, motherhood and fertility. According to the Vedas she is the mother of several of the gods.
Admir m Bosnian, AlbanianMeaning uncertain. It might be a variant of
Amir 1 or it could be derived from Latin
admiror meaning
"admire".
Adolf m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Hungarian, Polish, GermanicFrom the Old German name
Adalwolf, which meant
"noble wolf" from the elements
adal "noble" and
wolf. It was borne by several Swedish kings as a first or second name, most notably by Gustav II Adolf in the 17th century. Association with Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), the leader of the Nazi party in Germany during World War II, has lessened the use of this name.
Adonai m TheologyMeans
"my lord" in Hebrew. This was the title used to refer to the God of the Israelites,
Yahweh, whose name was forbidden to be spoken.
Adonijah m BiblicalMeans
"my lord is Yahweh" in Hebrew, from
אָדוֹן (ʾaḏon) meaning "lord, master" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of King
David's sons in the Old Testament. Though he was the eldest surviving son of David, he was passed over as heir to the throne in favour of
Solomon.
Adonis m Greek MythologyFrom Phoenician
𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning
"lord, master". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by
Aphrodite,
Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see
Dumuzi).
Adoración f SpanishMeans
"adoration" in Spanish. This name refers to the event that is known in Christian tradition as the Adoration of the Magi, which is when the three Magi presented gifts to the infant
Jesus and worshipped him.
Adrastos m Greek MythologyMeans
"not inclined to run away" in Greek, from the negative prefix
ἀ (a) and
διδράσκω (didrasko) meaning "to run away". This was the name of a king of Argos in Greek legend.
Adva f HebrewMeans
"small wave, ripple" in Hebrew.
Aegeus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Αἰγεύς (Aigeus), probably derived from Greek
αἴξ (aix) meaning
"goat" (genitive
αἰγός). The plural of this word,
αἶγες, additionally means
"waves". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a king of Athens. Believing his son
Theseus to have been killed by the Minotaur, he threw himself into the sea and was drowned. The sea was henceforth known as the Aegean.
Ægir m Norse MythologyMeans
"sea, ocean" in Old Norse. According to Norse mythology Ægir was a god or giant (jǫtunn) who lived under the ocean. His wife was
Rán.
Aegle f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek
Αἴγλη (Aigle), which meant
"light, radiance, glory". This was the name of several characters in Greek myth, including one of the Heliades and one of the Hesperides.
Ælfheah m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ælf "elf" and
heah "high". This was the name of an 11th-century archbishop of Canterbury, a saint and martyr, who is commonly known as Alphege or Elphege.
Ælfric m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ælf "elf" and
ric "ruler, king" (making it a cognate of
Alberich). This was the name of a 10th-century archbishop of Canterbury, sometimes considered a saint.
Ælfwine m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ælf "elf" and
wine "friend". This name was not commonly used after the Norman Conquest.
Ælfwynn f Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ælf "elf" and
wynn "joy". This name was borne by a daughter of
Æðelflæd who ruled Mercia briefly in the 10th century.
Aelius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was possibly derived from the Greek word
ἥλιος (helios) meaning
"sun". This was the family name of the Roman emperor Hadrian.
Aella f Greek MythologyMeans
"whirlwind" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of an Amazon warrior killed by
Herakles during his quest for Hippolyta's girdle.
Aeneas m Roman MythologyLatin form of the Greek name
Αἰνείας (Aineias), derived from Greek
αἴνη (aine) meaning
"praise". In Greek legend he was a son of
Aphrodite and was one of the chief heroes who defended Troy from the Greeks. The Roman poet
Virgil continued his story in the
Aeneid, in which Aeneas travels to Italy and founds the Roman state.
Aenoheso m CheyenneMeans
"little hawk", from Cheyenne
aénohe "hawk" and the diminutive suffix
-so.
Aeron m & f WelshFrom the name of the Welsh river Aeron, itself probably derived from the hypothetical Celtic goddess
Agrona. Alternatively, the name could be taken from Welsh
aeron meaning
"berries".
Æsc m Anglo-SaxonMeans
"ash tree" in Old English. This was the nickname of a 5th-century king of Kent, whose birth name was Oeric.
Aesop m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)From the Greek
Αἴσωπος (Aisopos), which is of unknown meaning. This was the name of a Greek fabulist of the 6th century BC, famous for such tales as
The Tortoise and the Hare. Though his existence is uncertain, he was later said to have been a slave on the island of Samos.
Æþelbeorht m Anglo-SaxonOld English cognate of
Adalbert (see
Albert). This was the name of a Saxon king of England and two kings of Kent, one of whom was a saint. It became unused after the Normans introduced their form of
Adalbert after their invasion.
Æðelflæd f Anglo-SaxonOld English name composed of the elements
æðele "noble" and
flæd, possibly meaning "beauty". This was the name of a 10th-century ruler of Mercia (a daughter of
Alfred the Great).
Æðelfrið m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
friþ "peace". The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
Æðelmær m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
mære "famous". A famous bearer was the 11th-century English monk Æðelmær of Malmesbury who attempted to fly with a gliding apparatus (breaking his legs in the process).
Æðelræd m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
ræd "counsel, advice". This was the name of two Saxon kings of England including Æðelræd II "the Unready" whose realm was overrun by the Danes in the early 11th century. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
Æðelric m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
ric "ruler, king". This was the name of several early Anglo-Saxon kings.
Æðelstan m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
stan "stone". This was the name of a 10th-century English king, the first to rule all of England. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, though it enjoyed a modest revival (as
Athelstan) in the 19th century.
Æðelwine m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
wine "friend". This was the name of a few Anglo-Saxon saints, including a 7th-century bishop of Lindsey. The name became rare after the Norman Conquest.
Æðelwulf m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
æðele "noble" and
wulf "wolf" (making it a cognate of
Adolf). This name was borne by a 9th-century king of Wessex.
Aether m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Αἰθήρ (Aither) meaning
"ether, heaven", derived from
αἴθω (aitho) meaning "to burn, to ignite". In Greek mythology this was the name of the god of light and the upper sky.
Aetius m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen that was probably derived from Greek
ἀετός (aetos) meaning
"eagle". A famous bearer was the 5th-century Roman general Flavius Aetius, who defeated
Attila the Hun at the Battle of Chalons.
Afaf f ArabicMeans
"chastity" in Arabic, from the root
عفّ (ʿaffa) meaning "to refrain, to be chaste".
Afërdita f AlbanianMeans
"daybreak, morning" in Albanian, from
afër "nearby, close" and
ditë "day". It is also used as an Albanian form of
Aphrodite.
Affan m ArabicMeans
"chaste, modest, pure" in Arabic, from the root
عفّ (ʿaffa) meaning "to refrain, to be chaste". This was the name of the father of the caliph
Uthman.
Afif m ArabicMeans
"chaste" in Arabic, from the root
عفّ (ʿaffa) meaning "to refrain, to be chaste".
Afnan f ArabicMeans
"tree branches" in Arabic, the plural form of
فنن (fanan). It is given in reference to verse
55:48 in the Quran.
Afon f & m Welsh (Rare)Means
"river" in Welsh. This is a Welsh name of recent origin.
Afra 1 f Late Roman, ItalianOriginally used by the Romans as a nickname for a woman from Africa. This was the name of two early saints.
África f SpanishSpanish form of
Africa 1. It is usually taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de África, the patron saint of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa.
Africa 1 f African American (Rare)From the name of the continent, which is of Latin origin, possibly from the Afri people who lived near Carthage in North Africa. This rare name is used most often by African-American parents.
Africanus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen derived from the place name
Africa, which in Roman times referred only to North Africa. This was the agnomen of the 3rd-century BC Roman general Scipio Africanus, who was honoured with it after his victory over Carthage in the Second Punic War. His descendants used it as a cognomen.
Afua f AkanMeans
"born on Friday" in Akan.
Afzal m Arabic, UrduMeans
"better, superior" in Arabic, a derivative of the root
فضل (faḍala) meaning "to be in excess, to excel".
Ağa m AzerbaijaniFrom a Turkic title (usually rendered
agha in English) meaning
"lord, master".
Agapito m Spanish, Italian (Rare)From the Late Latin name
Agapitus or
Agapetus, which was derived from the Greek name
Ἀγαπητός (Agapetos) meaning
"beloved". The name Agapetus was borne by two popes.
Agatha f English, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Ἀγαθή (Agathe), derived from Greek
ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning
"good". Saint Agatha was a 3rd-century martyr from Sicily who was tortured and killed after spurning the advances of a Roman official. The saint was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). The mystery writer Agatha Christie (1890-1976) was a famous modern bearer of this name.
Agathangelos m Ancient GreekMeans
"bearer of good news", derived from Greek
ἀγαθός (agathos) meaning "good" and
ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger, angel". Saint Agathangelus of Rome was a 4th-century deacon who was martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian.
Agaue f Greek MythologyMeans
"illustrious, noble" in Greek. This was the mother of Pentheus in Greek myth.
Agenor m Greek MythologyDerived from the poetic Greek word
ἀγήνωρ (agenor) meaning
"very manly, heroic", a derivative of
ἄγαν (agan) "very much" and
ἀνήρ (aner) "man". This is the name of multiple characters in Greek mythology, including a king of the Phoenician city of Tyre. He was a son of
Poseidon and
Libya and the father of
Europa,
Cadmus and several other children.
Agilulf m GermanicOld German name derived from the elements
agil meaning "edge, blade" and
wolf meaning "wolf". This name was borne by a 6th-century king of the Lombards and by an 8th-century saint (a bishop of Cologne).
Aglaia f Greek Mythology, GreekMeans
"splendour, beauty" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the three Graces or
Χάριτες (Charites). This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Rome.
Agnes f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Estonian, Late Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Ἅγνη (Hagne), derived from Greek
ἁγνός (hagnos) meaning
"chaste". Saint Agnes was a virgin martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian. The name became associated with Latin
agnus "lamb", resulting in the saint's frequent depiction with a lamb by her side. Due to her renown, the name became common in Christian Europe.
... [more] Agni 1 m Hinduism, HindiMeans
"fire" in Sanskrit. This is the name of the Vedic Hindu fire god, typically depicted as red-skinned with three legs, seven arms, and two faces, and riding on the back of a ram.
Ago m GermanicFrom the Old High German element
ekka, Old Saxon
eggia meaning
"edge, blade" (Proto-Germanic *
agjō). Alternatively it could be from Old High German
egi meaning
"fear" (Proto-Germanic *
agaz). This was the name of a 7th-century Duke of Friuli.
Agrippa m & f Ancient Roman, BiblicalRoman cognomen of unknown meaning, possibly from a combination of Greek
ἄγριος (agrios) meaning "wild" and
ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse" or alternatively of Etruscan origin. It was also used as a praenomen, or given name, by the Furia and Menenia families. In the New Testament this name was borne by Herod Agrippa (a grandson of Herod the Great), the king of Israel who put the apostle James to death. It was also borne by the 1st-century BC Roman general Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.
Agron m AlbanianProbably of Illyrian origin, maybe related to Albanian
ag meaning
"dawn". Alternatively it might be connected to Greek
ἀγρός (agros) meaning
"field". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Illyrian king, the husband of
Teuta.
Agrona f Celtic Mythology (Hypothetical)Perhaps derived from the old Celtic root *
agro- meaning
"battle, slaughter". This is possibly the name of a Brythonic goddess for whom the River Ayr in Scotland and River Aeron in Wales were named.
Agurne f BasqueFrom Basque
agur meaning
"greeting, salutation".
Agurtzane f BasqueFrom Basque
agurtza meaning
"worship, reverence" and
"rosary". It was proposed by Sabino Arana in 1910 as an equivalent of the Spanish name
Rosario.
Ah m & f ChineseFrom the Chinese character
阿 (ā), which has no distinct meaning. It is not normally given as a name, but it can be prefixed to another name to make it a diminutive.
Ahab m Biblical, Biblical LatinMeans
"uncle" in Hebrew, from the combination of
אָח (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" and
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father". This was the name of a king of Israel, the husband of
Jezebel, as told in the Old Testament. He was admonished by
Elijah for his sinful behaviour. Herman Melville later used this name in his novel
Moby-Dick (1851), where it belongs to a sea captain obsessively hunting for a white whale.
Ahenobarbus m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman cognomen meaning
"bronze beard" in Latin. This name was borne by a series of consuls of the late Roman Republic.
Ahinoam f BiblicalMeans
"my brother is pleasant" in Hebrew, derived from
אָח (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" and
נָעַם (naʿam) meaning "to be pleasant". In the Old Testament this is the name of wives of both
Saul and
David.
Ahmose m & f Ancient Egyptian (Anglicized)From Egyptian
jꜥḥ-ms meaning
"born of Iah", derived from the name of the Egyptian god
Iah combined with
msj meaning "be born". This was the name of the first pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (16th century BC). He defeated the Hyksos and drove them from Egypt. It was also borne by others among Egyptian royalty from the same era, including several queens consort.
Aholibamah f BiblicalMeans
"tent of the high place" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is one of the wives of
Esau, possibly the same as
Judith.
Ahtahkakoop m Cree (Anglicized)From Cree
ᐊᑖᐦᑲᑯᐦᑊ (Atâhkakohp) meaning
"star blanket", derived from
ᐊᑖᕁ (atâhk) "star" and
ᐊᑯᐦᑊ (akohp) "blanket". This was the name of an early 19th-century chief of a Plains Cree people.
Ahuludegi m CherokeeMeans
"he throws away the drum" from Cherokee
ᎠᎱᎵ (ahuli) "drum" and
ᎤᏕᎦ (udega) "throw". This was the name of a 19th-century Cherokee chief, also known as John Jolly.
Ahura Mazda m Persian MythologyMeans
"lord of wisdom", from Avestan
𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬭𐬀 (ahura) meaning "lord" and
𐬨𐬀𐬰𐬛𐬁 (mazdā) meaning "wisdom". In Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda was the supreme creator, and the god of light, truth, and goodness.
Ai 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection",
藍 (ai) meaning "indigo", or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Ai 2 f ChineseFrom Chinese
爱 (ài) meaning "love, affection",
蔼 (ǎi) meaning "friendly, lush", or other characters that are pronounced similarly.
Aibek m Kazakh, KyrgyzDerived from Kazakh and Kyrgyz
ай (ay) meaning "moon" combined with the Turkic military title
beg meaning "chieftain, master".
Aidan m Irish, English (Modern)Anglicized form of
Aodhán. In the latter part of the 20th century it became popular in America due to its sound, since it shares a sound with such names as
Braden and
Hayden. It peaked ranked 39th for boys in 2003.
Aidana f KazakhMeans
"wise moon" in Kazakh, from
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and
дана (dana) meaning "wise".
Aiday f KazakhMeans
"moon-like" in Kazakh, from
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and the suffix
дай (day) meaning "like".
Aifric f IrishFrom Old Irish
Affraic, possibly from
Afraicc, the Old Irish name of the continent of Africa (see
Africa 1). Alternatively, it could be from *
Aithbrecc, an unattested earlier form of
Aithbhreac. This was the name of two abbesses of Kildare in the 8th and 9th centuries. It was also borne by a 12th-century daughter of the king of the Isle of Mann who married the Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy.
Aigar m EstonianPossibly from the Finnic root
aika meaning
"time" (Estonian
aeg).
Aigerim f KazakhFrom Kazakh
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and
керім (kerim) meaning "wonderful, amazing". It was created by the 19th-century Kazakh poet Abai Qunanbaiuly as a nickname for his wife Shukiman.
Aija f LatvianOf uncertain meaning, possibly related to Latvian
aijāt meaning
"to rock, to lull". It was used by the Latvian writer Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš for the title character of his novel
Aija (1911).
Aike m FrisianDiminutive of names beginning with the Old German element
ekka meaning
"edge, blade" or
adal meaning
"noble".
Aiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and
子 (ko) meaning "child", as well as other character combinations.
Aikorkem f KazakhMeans
"elegant moon", derived from Kazakh
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and
көркем (korkem) meaning "beautiful, elegant".
Ailbhe f & m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Ailbe, possibly derived from the Celtic root *
albiyo- "world, light, white" or Old Irish
ail "rock". In Irish legend this was the name of a female warrior of the Fianna. It was also the name of a 6th-century male saint, the founder of a monastery at Emly.
Ailill m Old Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"elf" in Irish. This name was borne by several early Irish kings. It also occurs frequently in Irish legend, borne for example by the husband of Queen
Medb. It was also the name of two saints, both bishops of Armagh in the 6th century.
Aiman 1 f KazakhPossibly means
"my moon" in Kazakh, from
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and the Persian possessive
من (man) meaning "my". Aiman and
Sholpan are sisters in a 19th-century Kazakh epic poem, later adapted into the 1934 play
Aiman-Sholpan by Mukhtar Auezov.
Aimi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Aina 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens", as well as other character combinations.
Áine f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"radiance, brilliance" in Irish. This was the name of a goddess of love and fertility in Irish legend, thought to dwell at the hill of Cnoc Áine in Limerick. It has sometimes been Anglicized as
Anne.
Ainhoa f BasqueFrom the name of a town in southwestern France where there is a famous image of the Virgin
Mary.