Dulcibella f English (Archaic)From Latin
dulcis "sweet" and
bella "beautiful". The usual medieval spelling of this name was
Dowsabel, and the Latinized form
Dulcibella was revived in the 18th century.
Dulcie f EnglishFrom Latin
dulcis meaning
"sweet". It was used in the Middle Ages in the spellings
Dowse and
Duce, and was recoined in the 19th century.
Dulcinea f LiteratureDerived from Spanish
dulce meaning
"sweet". This name was (first?) used by Miguel de Cervantes in his novel
Don Quixote (1605), where it belongs to the love interest of the main character, though she never actually appears in the story.
Dumnorix m GaulishMeans
"king of the world" from Gaulish
dumnos "world" and
rix "king". This was the name of a 1st-century BC chief of the Gaulish tribe the Aedui.
Dumuzi m Sumerian MythologyFrom Sumerian
𒌉 (dumu) meaning "son, child" and
𒍣 (zid) meaning "true, loyal". This was the name of a Sumerian god of shepherds and vegetation, the husband of
Inanna. He was said to spend half of each year in the underworld, resulting in the yearly cycle of seasons. He was known to the Semitic peoples of Mesopotamia as
Tammuz.
Duncan m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name
Donnchadh, derived from Old Irish
donn "brown" and
cath "battle". This was the name of two kings of Scotland, including the one who was featured in Shakespeare's play
Macbeth (1606).
Dunstan m English (Rare), Anglo-SaxonFrom the Old English elements
dunn "dark" and
stan "stone". This name was borne by a 10th-century saint, the archbishop of Canterbury. It was occasionally used in the Middle Ages, though it died out after the 16th century. It was revived by the Tractarian movement in the 19th century.
Durante m ItalianItalian form of the Late Latin name
Durans, which meant
"enduring".
Durdona f UzbekMeans
"pearl" in Uzbek (a word of Arabic origin).
Durga f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Nepali, TeluguMeans
"unattainable, unassailable" in Sanskrit. Durga is a Hindu warrior goddess, usually depicted with multiple arms and riding on the back of a lion or tiger. The Puranas relate that she came into being to combat the buffalo demon Mahishasura. She is sometimes considered a fierce aspect of
Parvati the wife of
Shiva. In Shaktism she is viewed as a principal aspect of the supreme goddess
Mahadevi.
Duri f & m KoreanMeans
"two" in Korean (Gyeongsang dialect).
Durward m EnglishFrom an occupational surname meaning
"door guard" in Middle English.
Duryodhana m HinduismMeans
"difficult to defeat" from the Sanskrit prefix
दुस् (dus) meaning "difficult, bad" and
योधन (yodhana) meaning "fighting". This is the name of the leader of the Kauravas in the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata, which tells of the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Duryodhana, a powerful warrior, was eventually defeated by the Pandava brother
Bhima.
Dushyanta m HinduismPossibly means
"destroyer of evil" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of a king who is the husband of
Shakuntala and the father of
Bharata. The story was adapted by Kalidasa for the 5th-century play
Abhijnanashakuntalam.
Dustin m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name
Þórsteinn (see
Torsten). The name was popularized by the actor Dustin Hoffman (1937-), who was apparently named after the earlier silent movie star Dustin Farnum (1874-1929).
Dwi m & f IndonesianMeans
"two, second" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit
द्वि (dvi).
Dwight m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the medieval feminine name
Diot, a diminutive of
Dionysia, the feminine form of
Dionysius. In America it was sometimes given in honour of Yale president Timothy Dwight (1752-1817). A famous bearer was the American president Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969).
Dyaus m HinduismFrom Sanskrit
द्यु (dyu) meaning
"sky", ultimately connected to the name of the Indo-European god *
Dyēws. In the
Rigveda he is the sky god, the consort of the earth goddess
Prithvi. He is also called
Dyaus Pita meaning "father sky". His name is cognate with other Indo-European theonyms such as Greek
Zeus and Latin
Jupiter.
Dylan m Welsh, English, Welsh MythologyFrom the Welsh prefix
dy meaning "to, toward" and
llanw meaning "tide, flow". According to the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi, Dylan was a son of
Arianrhod and the twin brother of
Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Immediately after he was baptized he took to the sea, where he could swim as well as a fish. He was slain accidentally by his uncle
Gofannon. According to some theories the character might be rooted in an earlier and otherwise unattested Celtic god of the sea.
... [more] Dzhokhar m ChechenPossibly from Persian
گوهر (gōhar) meaning
"jewel, essence" or
جوهر (jōhar) meaning
"essence, ink" (which comes from the same root, but via a loan to Arabic and retransmission to Persian).
Ea 1 m Semitic MythologyMeaning unknown, perhaps from Sumerian meaning
"house of water", or perhaps of Akkadian or Hurrian origin. This was the Akkadian, Assyrian, Hurrian and Babylonian name of the Sumerian water god
Enki.
Eachann m Scottish GaelicFrom the Old Irish name
Echdonn meaning
"brown horse", from
ech "horse" and
donn "brown". This name was historically common among the chiefs of Clan MacLean. It has sometimes been Anglicized as
Hector.
Eadberht m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
beorht "bright". This was the name of an 8th-century king of Northumbria and three kings of Kent.
Eadwald m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
weald "powerful, mighty". This was the name of an 8th-century king of East Anglia.
Eadwig m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
wig "war". This was the name of a Saxon king of England in the 10th century. The name fell out of use after the Norman Conquest.
Eadwulf m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
wulf "wolf". This name fell out of use after the Norman Conquest.
Ealdhelm m Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
eald "old" and
helm "helmet, protection". This was the name of a 7th-century English saint (commonly called
Aldhelm).
Ealdræd m Anglo-SaxonFrom the Old English elements
eald "old" and
ræd "counsel, advice". This name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest.
Earl m EnglishFrom the aristocratic title, which derives from Old English
eorl "nobleman, warrior". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.
Eartha f EnglishCombination of the English word
earth with the feminine name suffix
a. It has been used in honour of African-American philanthropist Eartha M. M. White (1876-1974). Another famous bearer was American singer and actress Eartha Kitt (1927-2008).
Easter f EnglishFrom the English name of the Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of
Jesus. It was ultimately named for the Germanic spring goddess Eostre. It was traditionally given to children born on Easter, though it is rare in modern times.
Easton m English (Modern)From an English surname that was derived from place names meaning
"east town" in Old English.
Ebba 2 f English (Rare)From the Old English name
Æbbe, meaning unknown, perhaps a contracted form of a longer name. Saint Ebba was a 7th-century daughter of King Æthelfrith of Bernicia and the founder of monasteries in Scotland. Another saint named Ebba was a 9th-century abbess and martyr who mutilated her own face so that she would not be raped by the invading Danes.
Ebenezer m Literature, EnglishFrom the name of a monument erected by
Samuel in the Old Testament, from Hebrew
אֶבֶן הָעָזֶר (ʾEven Haʿazer) meaning
"stone of help". Charles Dickens used it for the miserly character Ebenezer Scrooge in his novel
A Christmas Carol (1843). Currently the name is most common in parts of English-influenced Africa, such as Ghana.
Eber m Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"region beyond" in Hebrew, derived from the root
עָבַר (ʿavar) meaning "to pass over, to cross". In the Old Testament he is a descendant of
Shem said to be the ancestor of the Hebrews.
Eberhard m German, GermanicOld German name meaning
"brave boar", derived from the elements
ebur "wild boar" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by an influential 9th-century Duke of Friuli. It was also the name of a 12th-century German saint, an archbishop of Salzburg.
Ebony f African AmericanFrom the English word
ebony for the black wood that comes from the ebony tree. It is ultimately from the Egyptian word
hbnj. In America this name is most often used in the black community.
Ebru f TurkishMeans
"paper marbling" in Turkish. Paper marbling is the art of creating colourful patterns on paper.
Ece f TurkishMeans
"queen" or
"beautiful woman" in Turkish.
Echidna f Greek MythologyMeans
"viper, snake" in Greek, a variant of
ἔχις (echis). In Greek mythology this was the name of a monster who was half woman and half snake. By Typhon she was the mother of
Cerberus, the Hydra, the Chimera, and other monsters.
Echo f Greek MythologyFrom the Greek word
ἠχώ (echo) meaning
"echo, reflected sound", related to
ἠχή (eche) meaning "sound". In Greek mythology Echo was a nymph given a speech impediment by
Hera, so that she could only repeat what others said. She fell in love with
Narcissus, but her love was not returned, and she pined away until nothing remained of her except her voice.
Ecrin f TurkishMeaning unknown, possibly from an Arabic word meaning
"reward".
Edda 2 f Icelandic, Old NorsePossibly from Old Norse meaning
"great-grandmother". This was the name of two 13th-century Icelandic literary works: the
Poetic Edda and the
Prose Edda. This is also the name of a character in the
Poetic Edda, though it is unclear if her name is connected to the name of the collection.
Edelgard f GermanFrom an Old German name, which was derived from the elements
adal "noble" and
gart "enclosure, yard".
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew
עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian
𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people,
Adam and
Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Edgar m English, French, Portuguese, GermanDerived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
gar "spear". This was the name of a 10th-century English king, Edgar the Peaceful. The name did not survive long after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 18th century, in part due to a character by this name in Walter Scott's novel
The Bride of Lammermoor (1819), which tells of the tragic love between Edgar Ravenswood and Lucy Ashton. Famous bearers include author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), French impressionist painter Edgar Degas (1834-1917), and author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950).
Edin m BosnianMeaning uncertain, possibly related to Arabic
دين (dīn) meaning
"religion".
Edina f HungarianPossibly a diminutive of names beginning with the Old German element
adal meaning
"noble".
Edith f English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, DutchFrom the Old English name
Eadgyð, derived from the elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
guð "battle". It was popular among Anglo-Saxon royalty, being borne for example by Saint Eadgyeth;, the daughter of King Edgar the Peaceful. It was also borne by the Anglo-Saxon wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. The name remained common after the Norman Conquest. It became rare after the 15th century, but was revived in the 19th century.
Edmund m English, German, PolishMeans
"rich protection", from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
mund "protection". This was the name of two Anglo-Saxon kings of England. It was also borne by two saints, including a 9th-century king of East Anglia who, according to tradition, was shot to death with arrows after refusing to divide his Christian kingdom with an invading pagan Danish leader. This Old English name remained in use after the Norman Conquest (even being used by King Henry III for one of his sons), though it became less common after the 15th century.
... [more] Edna f English, Hebrew, BiblicalMeans
"pleasure" in Hebrew, a derivative of
עָדַן (ʿaḏan) meaning "to delight". This name appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha, for instance in the Book of Tobit belonging to the wife of
Raguel. It was borne by the American poet Edna Dean Proctor (1829-1923). It did not become popular until the second half of the 19th century, after it was used for the heroine in the successful 1866 novel
St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans. It peaked around the turn of the century and has declined steadily since then, falling off the American top 1000 list in 1992.
Edom m Biblical, Biblical HebrewFrom Hebrew
אָדֹם (ʾaḏom) meaning
"red". According to the Old Testament,
Esau, who is described as having red skin, was given this name because he traded his birthright for a helping of red broth. The bible goes on to tell that Esau was the founder of the ancient nation of Edom, located to the south of the kingdom of Judah.
Edric m English (Rare)From the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
ric "ruler, king". After the Norman Conquest this Old English name was not commonly used. It has occasionally been revived in modern times.
Edurne f BasqueMeans
"snow" in Basque, from
edur, a variant of
elur "snow". It is an equivalent of
Nieves, proposed by the writer Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Edward m English, PolishMeans
"rich guard", derived from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
weard "guard". This was the name of several Anglo-Saxon kings, the last being Saint Edward the Confessor shortly before the Norman Conquest in the 11th century. He was known as a just ruler, and because of his popularity his name remained in use after the conquest when most other Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. The 13th-century Plantagenet king Henry III named his son and successor after the saint, and seven subsequent kings of England were also named Edward.
... [more] Edwin m English, DutchMeans
"rich friend", from the Old English elements
ead "wealth, fortune" and
wine "friend". This was the name of a 7th-century Northumbrian king, regarded as a saint. After the Norman Conquest the name was not popular, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century. A notable bearer was the astronaut Edwin Aldrin (1930-), also known as
Buzz, the second man to walk on the moon.
Eeyore m LiteratureCreated by the children's author A. A. Milne for a pessimistic stuffed donkey in his
Winnie-the-Pooh books (starting 1926). His name is an onomatopoeic representation of the braying sound (hee-haw) made by a donkey.
Efisio m ItalianFrom the Latin byname
Ephesius, which originally belonged to a person who was from the city of Ephesus in Ionia. This was the name of a saint martyred on Sardinia in the 4th century.
Egbert m English, DutchMeans
"bright edge" from the Old English elements
ecg "edge, blade" and
beorht "bright". This was the name of kings of Kent and Wessex as well as two English saints. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest but was revived in the 19th century.
Egil m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse name
Egill, a diminutive of names that began with the element
agi "awe, fear". This was the name of a semi-legendary 10th-century Viking, described in the Icelandic
Egill's Saga.
Egilhard m GermanicOld German name derived from the elements
agil "edge, blade" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Usually called Eilhart, this was a medieval German poet who wrote an early version of the Tristan and Iseult tale.
Egilmar m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
agil "edge, blade" and
mari "famous". Egilmar (or Elimar) was the name of two counts of Oldenburg in the 12th century.
Eglantine f English (Rare)From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It is derived via Old French from Vulgar Latin *
aquilentum meaning "prickly". It was early used as a given name (in the form
Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story
The Prioress's Tale (one of
The Canterbury Tales).
Eglė f LithuanianMeans
"spruce tree" in Lithuanian. In a Lithuanian folktale Eglė is a young woman who marries a grass snake. At the end of the tale she turns herself into a spruce.
Egon m GermanFrom the Old German name
Egino, derived from the element
agin meaning
"edge, blade" (from Proto-Germanic *
agjō). Saint Egino was a 12th-century abbot from Augsburg.
Egypt f & m English (Modern)From the name of the North African country, which derives from Greek
Αἴγυπτος (Aigyptos), itself probably from Egyptian
ḥwt-kꜣ-ptḥ meaning
"the house of the soul of Ptah", the name of the temple to the god
Ptah in Memphis.
Egzon m AlbanianPossibly a derivative of Albanian
gëzoj "to enjoy".
Ehud m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical HebrewMeaning unknown, possibly related to Hebrew
אָחַד (ʾaḥaḏ) meaning
"to unite" or
הוֹד (hoḏ) meaning
"glory". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the biblical judges. He killed Eglon, the king of Moab, and freed the city of Jericho from Moabite rule.
Éibhear m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Éber, meaning uncertain. According to Irish legend this name belonged to two of the sons of Míl, Éibhear Dunn and Éibhear Finn, the first of the Gaels to conquer Ireland.
Eifion m WelshFrom an Old Welsh given name of unknown meaning, the source of the place name Eifionydd (also called Eifion) in northwestern Wales. This name was revived in the 19th century, probably via the place name.
Eiji m JapaneseFrom Japanese
英 (ei) meaning "excellent, fine" or
栄 (ei) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper" combined with
二 (ji) meaning "two" or
治 (ji) meaning "govern, administer". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Eike m & f Low German, GermanOriginally a short form of
Ekkehard and other names beginning with the Old High German element
ekka, Old Saxon
eggia meaning
"edge, blade". This name was borne by Eike of Repgow, who compiled the law book the
Sachsenspiegel in the 13th century.
Eiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
栄 (ei) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper" or
英 (ei) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Eilonwy f LiteratureFrom Welsh
eilon meaning
"deer, stag" or
"song, melody". This name was used by Lloyd Alexander in his book series
The Chronicles of Prydain (1964-1968) as well as the Disney film adaptation
The Black Cauldron (1985).
Eilwen f WelshPerhaps means
"white brow", derived from Welsh
ael "brow" and
gwen "white, blessed". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Eimantas m LithuanianFrom the Lithuanian root
ei- "to go" combined with
mantus "intelligent" or
manta "property, wealth".
Éimhín m IrishFrom Old Irish
éim meaning
"swift, prompt". This was the name of a 7th-century saint, the founder of a monastery in Kildare.
Eira 1 f WelshMeans
"snow" in Welsh. This is a recently created name.
Éireann f Irish (Rare)From
Éireann, the genitive case of Irish Gaelic
Éire, meaning "Ireland". It is commonly Anglicized as
Erin.
Eirwen f WelshMeans
"white snow" from the Welsh elements
eira "snow" and
gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the early 20th century.
Eithne f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPossibly from Old Irish
etne meaning
"kernel, grain". In Irish mythology Eithne or Ethniu was a Fomorian and the mother of
Lugh Lámfada. It was borne by several other legendary and historical figures, including a few early saints.
Eivor f SwedishFrom the Old Norse name
Eyvǫr, which was derived from the elements
ey "good fortune" or "island" and
vǫr "vigilant, cautious".
Ejder m TurkishMeans
"dragon" in Turkish, of Persian origin.
Ejike m IgboMeans
"one having strength" in Igbo.
Ekene m & f IgboMeans
"thanks, gratitude" in Igbo.
Ekkehard m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
ekka "edge, blade" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Eckhart von Hochheim was a 13th-century Dominican friar, philosopher and mystic who was accused of heresy during the Inquisition.
Ekwueme m IgboMeans
"one says, one does" in Igbo, indicating a person who is truthful about his behaviour.
El m Semitic MythologyFrom a Semitic root meaning
"god". This was a title applied to several Semitic gods. The Canaanites used it as the name of their chief deity, the father of the gods and mankind. The Hebrews used it to refer to
Yahweh.
Elagabalus m Semitic Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of an Arabic name, derived from
إله (ʾilah) meaning "god" and
جبل (jabal) meaning "mountain". This was the name of a sun god worshipped in Emesa, in the Roman province of Syria. A 3rd-century Roman emperor, who served as a priest of this god in his youth in Syria, is known to history by the name Elagabalus. After ruling for four years he was assassinated at the age of 18, in part because he promoted the god to the head of the Roman pantheon.
Elah m BiblicalMeans
"terebinth tree" in Hebrew. This was the name of the fourth king of Israel, as told in the Old Testament. He was murdered by
Zimri, who succeeded him.
Elaia f BasqueDerived from Basque
elai meaning
"swallow (bird)".
Elain f WelshMeans
"fawn" in Welsh. This name was created in the 19th century.
Elam m Biblical, Biblical HebrewPossibly means either
"hidden" or
"eternity" in Hebrew. This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including a son of
Shem who was the ancestor of the Elamite peoples.
Elanor f LiteratureMeans
"star sun" in the fictional language Sindarin. In
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien this is Sam's eldest daughter, named after a type of flower.
Elanur f TurkishMeans
"hazel light", from Turkish
ela meaning "hazel" combined with Arabic
نور (nūr) meaning "light".
Elara f Greek MythologyPossibly derived from Greek
ἄλαρα (alara) meaning
"hazelnut, spear-shaft". In Greek mythology Elara was one of
Zeus's mortal lovers and by him the mother of the giant Tityos. A moon of Jupiter bears this name in her honour.
Elcan m AzerbaijaniMeans
"soul of the people" in Azerbaijani, ultimately derived from Turkic
el meaning "country, society" and Persian
جان (jān) meaning "soul, life".
Eldon m EnglishFrom a surname that was from a place name meaning
"Ella's hill" in Old English.
Eleanor f EnglishFrom the Old French form of the Occitan name
Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named
Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase
alia Aenor "the other Aenor" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.
... [more] Eleri f WelshFrom the name of a Welsh river, also called the Leri, of unknown meaning. This was also the name of a 7th-century Welsh saint (masculine).
Elfreda f EnglishMiddle English form of the Old English name
Ælfþryð meaning
"elf strength", derived from the element
ælf "elf" combined with
þryþ "strength".
Ælfþryð was common amongst Anglo-Saxon nobility, being borne for example by the mother of King
Æðelræd the Unready. This name was rare after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Elhanan m BiblicalMeans
"God is gracious" in Hebrew, from
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and
חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". This is the name of two Old Testament characters.
Eli 1 m English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewMeans
"ascension" in Hebrew, a derivative of
עָלָה (ʿala) meaning "to ascend". In the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament he is a high priest of the Israelites. He took the young
Samuel into his service and gave him guidance when God spoke to him. Because of the misdeeds of his sons, Eli and his descendants were cursed to die before reaching old age.
... [more] Eliab m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִיאָב (ʾEliʾav) meaning
"my God is father", from the roots
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father". This is the name of several people from the Old Testament, including a brother of King
David.
Eliakim m BiblicalMeans
"God raises" in Hebrew, from the roots
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and
קוּם (qum) meaning "to raise". In the Old Testament this is the name of the master of
Hezekiah's household.
Elidi f Various (Rare)Meaning unknown, possibly of Greek or Welsh origin. It may have been inspired by the name of the
Ήλιδα (Ilida) valley and ancient city in western Greece (
Elis in English).
Elif f TurkishTurkish form of
Alif, the name of the first letter of the Arabic alphabet,
ا. It also means
"slender", from the Turkish phrase
elif gibi, literally "shaped like elif".
Eligius m Late RomanLate Latin name derived from Latin
eligere "to choose". The 7th-century Saint Eligius is the patron saint of metalworkers.
Elijah m English, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִיָּהוּ (ʾEliyyahu) meaning
"my God is Yahweh", derived from the roots
אֵל (ʾel) and
יָהּ (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. He was active in the 9th century BC during the reign of King
Ahab of Israel and his Phoenician-born queen
Jezebel. Elijah confronted the king and queen over their idolatry of the Canaanite god
Ba'al and other wicked deeds. At the end of his life he was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and was succeeded by
Elisha. In the New Testament, Elijah and
Moses appear next to
Jesus when he is transfigured.
... [more] Elioenai m BiblicalMeans
"my eyes look to Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from
אֶל (ʾel) meaning "towards",
יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God, and
עַיִן (ʿayin) meaning "eye". This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.
Eliot m EnglishFrom a surname that was a variant of
Elliott. A famous bearer of the surname was T. S. Eliot (1888-1965), an Anglo-American poet and dramatist, the writer of
The Waste Land. As a given name, it was borne by the American mob-buster Eliot Ness (1903-1957).
Eliphelet m BiblicalMeans
"my God is deliverance" in Hebrew, from the roots
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and
פָּלַט (palaṭ) meaning "to deliver, to rescue". This is the name of several people in the Old Testament including a son of
David.
Elisedd m Old WelshDerived from Welsh
elus meaning
"kind, benevolent". This was the name of two kings of Powys in Wales.
Elisha m Biblical, Biblical HebrewFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִישַׁע (ʾElishaʿ), a contracted form of
אֱלִישׁוּעַ (ʾElishuaʿ) meaning
"my God is salvation", derived from
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and
יָשַׁע (yashaʿ) meaning "to save, to deliver". According to the Old Testament, Elisha was a prophet and miracle worker. He was the attendant of
Elijah and succeeded him after his ascension to heaven.
Elissa 1 f Roman MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly Phoenician in origin. This is another name of
Dido, the legendary queen of Carthage.
Elizabeth f English, BiblicalFrom
Ἐλισάβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name
אֱלִישֶׁבַע (ʾElishevaʿ) meaning
"my God is an oath", derived from the roots
אֵל (ʾel) referring to the Hebrew God and
שָׁבַע (shavaʿ) meaning "oath". The Hebrew form appears in the Old Testament where Elisheba is the wife of
Aaron, while the Greek form appears in the New Testament where Elizabeth is the mother of
John the Baptist.
... [more] Elkanah m BiblicalMeans
"God has purchased" in Hebrew, from
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and
קָנָה (qana) meaning "to acquire, to purchase". In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of
Samuel.
Ella 1 f EnglishNorman name, originally a short form of Germanic names containing the element
alles meaning
"other" (Proto-Germanic *
aljaz). It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).
Ellery m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from the medieval masculine name
Hilary.
Elli 3 f Norse MythologyMeans
"old age" in Old Norse. In the
Prose Edda this is the name of an old woman (old age personified) who wrestles with and defeats the god
Thor.
Elliott m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of the medieval name
Elias.
Ellis m & f English, WelshFrom an English surname that was derived from the given name
Elis, a medieval vernacular form of
Elias. This name has also functioned as an Anglicized form of Welsh
Elisedd.
Elmas f TurkishMeans
"diamond" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian.
Elmer m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from the Old English name
Æðelmær. In the United States it is sometimes given in honour of brothers Jonathan (1745-1817) and Ebenezer Elmer (1752-1843), who were active in early American politics.
Elmira 3 f Russian (Rare)Contraction of Russian
электрификация мира (elektrifikatsiya mira) meaning
"electrification of the world". This name was created by communist parents who were eager to reject traditional names.
Elmo m Italian, English, Finnish, EstonianOriginally a short form of names ending with the Old German element
helm meaning
"helmet, protection", such as
Guglielmo or
Anselmo. It is also a derivative of
Erasmus, via the old Italian short form
Ermo. Saint Elmo, also known as Saint Erasmus, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron of sailors. Saint Elmo's fire is said to be a sign of his protection.
... [more] Elnathan m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אֶלְנָתָן (ʾElnaṯan) meaning
"God has given", derived from
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and
נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a grandfather of King Jehoiachin and a son of Akbor.
Elnur m AzerbaijaniMeans
"light of the people" in Azerbaijani, ultimately derived from Turkic
el meaning "country, society" and Arabic
نور (nūr) meaning "light".
Elo f EstonianShort form of names beginning with
El, such as
Eliisabet. It could also be from Estonian
elu meaning
"life".
Elof m SwedishFrom the Old Norse name
Eileifr, which was derived from the elements
ei "ever, always" and
leif "inheritance, legacy".
Eloise f EnglishFrom the Old French name
Héloïse, which was probably from the Germanic name
Helewidis, composed of the elements
heil meaning "healthy, whole" and
wit meaning "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word
ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" or the name
Louise, though there is no etymological connection. This name was borne by the 12th-century French scholar and philosopher Héloïse. Secretly marrying the theologian Peter Abelard at a young age, she became a nun (and eventually an abbess) after Abelard was violently castrated by order of her uncle Fulbert.
... [more] Elon m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"oak tree" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament this was the name of one of the ruling judges of the Israelites. A notable modern bearer is the entrepreneur Elon Musk (1971-), who was born in South Africa and also holds Canadian and American citizenship (he is not Jewish).
Elouan m Breton, FrenchPossibly from a Breton word meaning
"light". This name was borne by an obscure 6th-century saint who is now venerated mainly in Brittany and Cornwall.
Elowen f CornishMeans
"elm tree" in Cornish. This is a recently coined Cornish name.
Elpis f Ancient Greek, Greek MythologyMeans
"hope" in Greek. In Greek mythology Elpis was the personification of hope. She was the last spirit to remain in the jar after
Pandora unleashed the evils that were in it.
Elrond m LiteratureMeans
"star dome" in the fictional language Sindarin. In
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Elrond was the elven ruler of Rivendell.
Elşad m AzerbaijaniFrom Azerbaijani
el meaning "country, society" combined with
şad meaning "happy, glad" (from Persian
شاد).
Elşən m AzerbaijaniFrom Azerbaijani
el meaning "country, society" and
şən meaning "happy, cheerful" (of Armenian origin).
Elsdon m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"Elli's valley" in Old English.
Elton m English, Portuguese (Brazilian), Albanian, Swedish (Modern)From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"Ella's town". A famous bearer of this name is British musician Elton John (1947-), born Reginald Dwight, who adopted his stage name in honour of his former bandmate Elton Dean (1945-2006).
Eluned f WelshDerived from Welsh
eilun meaning
"image, likeness, idol". This was the name of a legendary 5th-century Welsh saint, also known as Eiliwedd, one of the supposed daughters of
Brychan Brycheiniog.
Elvin 2 m AzerbaijaniMeaning uncertain, possibly in part from Azerbaijani
el meaning
"country, society".
Elvira f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian, RussianSpanish form of a Visigothic name, recorded from the 10th century in forms such as
Geloyra or
Giluira. It is of uncertain meaning, possibly composed of the Gothic element
gails "happy" or
gails "spear" combined with
wers "friendly, agreeable, true". The name was borne by members of the royal families of León and Castille. This is also the name of a character in Mozart's opera
Don Giovanni (1787).
Elvis m EnglishMeaning unknown. It could possibly be a derivative of
Alvis or
Elwin. More likely, it is from the rare surname
Elvis, a variant of
Elwes, which is ultimately derived from the given name
Eloise. The name was brought to public attention by the singer Elvis Presley (1935-1977), whose name came from his father's middle name.
... [more] Elwood m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"elder tree forest" in Old English.
Elysia f VariousFrom
Elysium, the name of the realm of the dead in Greek and Roman mythology.
Ema 2 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or
江 (e) meaning "bay, inlet" combined with
麻 (ma) meaning "flax". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Emel f TurkishMeans
"desire" in Turkish, ultimately of Arabic origin, making this name a relative of
Amal.
Emer f Irish MythologyMeaning unknown. In Irish legend she was the wife of
Cúchulainn. She was said to possess the six gifts of womanhood: beauty, voice, speech, needlework, wisdom and chastity.
Emerald f English (Modern)From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek
σμάραγδος (smaragdos).
Emerson m & f EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Emery". The surname was borne by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American writer and philosopher who wrote about transcendentalism.
Emery m & f EnglishNorman French form of
Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname
Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.
Emese f HungarianPossibly derived from Finno-Ugric
eme meaning
"mother". In Hungarian legend this was the name of the grandmother of Árpád, founder of the Hungarian state.
Emi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or
絵 (e) meaning "picture, painting" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Emidio m ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Emygdius, which was possibly a Latinized form of a Gaulish name (of unknown meaning). Saint Emygdius was a 3rd-century bishop and martyr, the patron saint against earthquakes.
Emiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Emil m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Icelandic, EnglishFrom the Roman family name
Aemilius, which was derived from Latin
aemulus meaning
"rival".
Emirhan m TurkishDerived from Turkish
emir meaning "amir, prince" and
han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".
Emlyn m WelshFrom the name of an ancient region of southwestern Wales, its name meaning
"around the valley" from Welsh
am "around" and
glyn "valley". It has also been suggested that this name is a Welsh form of Latin
Aemilianus (see
Emiliano), though this appears to be unfounded.
Emma f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Latvian, Dutch, German, Hungarian, GermanicOriginally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element
irmin meaning
"whole" or
"great" (Proto-Germanic *
ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called
Hemma.
... [more] Emmanuel m Biblical, French, EnglishFrom the Hebrew name
עִמָּנוּאֵל (ʿImmanuʾel) meaning
"God is with us", from the roots
עִם (ʿim) meaning "with" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings
Emmanuel and
Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings
Manuel and
Manoel).
Emmeline f EnglishFrom Old French
Emeline, a diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element
amal meaning
"unceasing, vigorous, brave". The Normans introduced this name to England.
Emmet m EnglishVariant of
Emmett. It is used in Ireland in honour of the nationalist and rebel Robert Emmet (1778-1803).
Emmett m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a diminutive of the feminine given name
Emma.
Emmitt m EnglishVariant of
Emmett. The American football player Emmitt Smith (1969-) is a famous bearer.
Emőke f HungarianDerived from Hungarian
emő meaning
"suckling (baby)".
Emre m TurkishMeans
"friend, brother" in Turkish. This name was borne by the 13th-century Turkish poet Yunus Emre.
Encarnación f SpanishMeans
"incarnation" in Spanish. This is given in reference to the Incarnation of
Jesus in the womb of the Virgin
Mary.
Endla f EstonianFrom the name of an Estonian lake, which often appears in folk poetry. The lake's name is ultimately derived from the medieval personal name
Ent or
Endo.
Endymion m Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
ἐνδύω (endyo) meaning
"to dive into, to enter". In Greek mythology he was an Aeolian mortal loved by the moon goddess
Selene, who asked
Zeus to grant him eternal life. Zeus complied by putting him into an eternal sleep in a cave on Mount Latmos.
Enfys f WelshMeans
"rainbow" in Welsh. This name was first used in the 19th century.
Engel m & f Germanic, German (Rare)Originally this may have been a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
angil, referring to the Germanic tribe known in English as the Angles. However, from early times it has been strongly associated with the Old German word
engil meaning
"angel" (of Latin and Greek origin).
Engelbert m German, GermanicOld German name composed of either the element
angil, from the name of the Germanic tribe of the Angles, or
engil meaning "angel" combined with
beraht meaning "bright". Saint Engelbert was a 13th-century archbishop of Cologne murdered by assassins.
Engratia f Late RomanLatin name meaning
"in (a state of) grace". This was the name of a 4th-century saint martyred in Spain.
Enid f Welsh, English, Arthurian CycleProbably derived from Welsh
enaid meaning
"soul, spirit, life". In Arthurian tales she first appears in the 12th-century French poem
Erec and Enide by Chrétien de Troyes, where she is the wife of Erec. In later adaptations she is typically the wife of
Geraint. The name became more commonly used after the publication of Alfred Tennyson's Arthurian poem
Enid in 1859, and it was fairly popular in Britain in the first half of the 20th century.
Enikő f HungarianCreated by the Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty in the 19th century. He based it on the name of the legendary mother of the Hungarian people,
Enéh, of Turkic origin meaning
"young hind" (modern Hungarian
ünő).