Linwood m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"stream forest" in Old English.
Lir m Irish MythologyPossibly from the patronymic
Manannán mac Lir, in which case
Lir is the genitive case of the name
Ler. The medieval Irish legend the
Children of Lir tells how Lir of the Tuatha Dé Danann had his children transformed into swans by his third wife
Aoife. The legendary characters Lir and Ler seem to be distinct.
Lisakhanya f & m Xhosa, ZuluMeans
"still shining" in Xhosa and Zulu, from the roots
sa "still, continuing" and
khanya "to shine".
Liv 1 f Norwegian, Swedish, DanishDerived from the Old Norse name
Hlíf meaning
"protection". Its use has been influenced by the modern Scandinavian word
liv meaning
"life".
Livius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that may be related to either Latin
liveo "to envy" or
lividus "blue, envious". Titus Livius, also known as Livy, was a Roman historian who wrote a history of the city of Rome.
Ljubinka f SerbianFrom the Slavic element
ľuby meaning
"love" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Ljubiša m SerbianFrom the Slavic element
ľuby meaning
"love" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Ljudevit m CroatianMeans
"master of the people" from the Slavic elements
ľudŭ "people" and
vitŭ "master, lord". This name was borne by a 9th-century leader of the Slavs in Lower Pannonia who fought against Frankish rule.
Llinos f WelshMeans
"linnet, finch" in Welsh. The linnet (species Linaria cannabina) is a small European bird in the finch family.
Lloyd m EnglishFrom a Welsh surname that was derived from
llwyd meaning
"grey". The composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948-) is a famous bearer of this name.
Llŷr m Welsh MythologyMeans
"the sea" in Welsh. According to the
Mabinogi he was the father of
Brân,
Branwen and
Manawydan. His name is cognate with Irish
Ler, and it is typically assumed that Llŷr may have originally been regarded as a god of the sea. He might also be the basis for the legendary King
Leir of the Britons.
Lochlainn m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"Viking, Scandinavian" from Old Irish
Lochlann, a name for Scandinavia. It means "land of the lakes", derived from
loch "lake".
Lóegaire m Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"calf herder", derived from Old Irish
lóeg "calf". In Irish legend Lóegaire Búadach was an Ulster warrior. He saved the life of the poet
Áed, but died in the process. This was also the name of several Irish high kings.
Logan m & f EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Ayrshire meaning
"little hollow" (from Gaelic
lag "hollow, pit" combined with a diminutive suffix). This name started slowly rising on the American popularity charts in the mid-1970s, perhaps partly inspired by the movie
Logan's Run (1976). The comic book character Wolverine, alias Logan, was also introduced around the same time.
... [more] Lois 1 f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekPossibly derived from Greek
λωίων (loion) meaning
"more desirable" or
"better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of
Eunice and the grandmother of
Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.
Loki m Norse MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly derived from the Germanic root *
luką meaning
"lock". In Norse mythology Loki was a trickster god associated with magic and shape shifting. Loki's children include the wolf
Fenrir, the sea serpent
Jörmungandr, and the queen of the dead
Hel. After he orchestrated the death of
Balder, the other gods tied him to a rock below a snake that dripped venom onto his face. It is told that he will break free during Ragnarök, the final battle, and slay and be slain by
Heimdall.
Lommán m Old IrishMeans
"little bare one", derived from Old Irish
lomm "bare" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a nephew of Saint
Patrick.
Lonán m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"little blackbird", derived from Old Irish
lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.
London f & m English (Modern)From the name of the capital city of the United Kingdom, the meaning of which is uncertain. As a surname it was borne by the American author Jack London (1876-1916).
Long m Chinese, VietnameseFrom Chinese
龙 (lóng) meaning "dragon" or
隆 (lóng) meaning "prosperous, abundant", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Longinus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen derived from Latin
longus "long". According to Christian legend Saint Longinus was the name of the Roman soldier who pierced
Jesus' side with a spear, then converted to Christianity and was martyred. The name was also borne by the 3rd-century Greek philosopher Cassius Longinus.
Longwang m Chinese MythologyFrom Chinese
龙 (lóng) meaning "dragon" and
王 (wáng) meaning "king". This is the Chinese name of the Dragon King, a god associated with water and rain.
Lorcán m IrishMeans
"little fierce one", derived from Old Irish
lorcc "fierce" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Lorcán was a 12th-century archbishop of Dublin.
Lorelei f Literature, EnglishFrom German
Loreley, the name of a rock headland on the Rhine River. It is of uncertain meaning, though the second element is probably old German
ley meaning "rock" (of Celtic origin). German romantic poets and songwriters, beginning with Clemens Brentano in 1801, tell that a maiden named the Lorelei lives on the rock and lures boaters to their death with her song.
... [more] Loreto f & m Spanish, ItalianFrom the name of a town in Italy, originally called
Lauretum in Latin, meaning "laurel grove". Supposedly in the 13th century the house of the Virgin
Mary was miraculously carried by angels from Nazareth to the town. In Spain it is a feminine name, from the Marian title
Nuestra Señora de Loreto, while in Italy it is mostly masculine.
Lorna f EnglishCreated by the author R. D. Blackmore for the title character in his novel
Lorna Doone (1869), set in southern England, which describes the dangerous love between John Ridd and Lorna Doone. Blackmore may have based the name on the Scottish place name
Lorne or on the title
Marquis of Lorne (see
Lorne).
Lorne m EnglishFrom the title
Marquis of Lorne, which was based on the Scottish place name
Lorne, itself possibly derived from the name of the legendary king of Dál Riata, Loarn mac Eirc. This was the title of the first Governor General of Canada, where it has since been most frequently used as a given name. A famous bearer was the Canadian actor Lorne Greene (1915-1987).
Lorraine f EnglishFrom the name of a region in eastern France, originally meaning "kingdom of
Lothar". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of
Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called
Lorraine, or in German
Lothringen (from Latin
Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with
Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.
Lo-Ruhamah f BiblicalMeans
"not loved, not pitied" in Hebrew, from
לֹא (lo) meaning "not" and
רָחַם (raḥam) meaning "to pity, to love". In the Old Testament the prophet
Hosea was told by God, who was displeased with the people of Israel, to name his daughter this.
Lot 1 m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"covering, veil" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a nephew of
Abraham. Before Sodom was destroyed by God, he was directed to flee the city without looking back. However, his wife looked back on the destruction and was turned into a pillar of salt.
Lot 2 m Arthurian CycleFrom the name of the region of
Lothian in southern Scotland, of unknown meaning. A king of Lothian by this name appears in early Latin and Welsh texts (as
Leudonus and
Lewdwn respectively). He was inserted into Arthurian legend by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, who makes him the father of
Gawain.
Lothar m German, GermanicFrom the Germanic name
Hlothar meaning
"famous army", derived from the elements
hlut "famous, loud" and
heri "army". This was the name of medieval Frankish rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and France. It was also borne by four earlier Merovingian kings of the Franks, though their names are usually spelled as
Chlothar.
Lotus f English (Rare)From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek
λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.
Loup m FrenchFrench form of the Roman name
Lupus meaning
"wolf". Lupus was the name of several early saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Troyes who apparently convinced
Attila to spare the city.
Lourdes f Spanish, PortugueseFrom the name of a French town. It became a popular center of pilgrimage after a young girl from the town had visions of the Virgin
Mary in a nearby grotto.
Love 2 f EnglishSimply from the English word
love, derived from Old English
lufu.
Lovemore m Southern AfricanFrom the English words
love and
more. This name is most common in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the south of Africa.
Lowell m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a Norman French nickname, from
lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).
Loyalty f English (Modern)From the English word, which was originally borrowed from Old French
loiauté, a derivative of
loial "loyal", itself derived from Latin
legalis "legal".
Luann f EnglishEither a combination of
Lou and
Ann or a variant of
Luana. It was popularized in the 1950s by the singer Lu Ann Simms (1933-2003).
Lubanzi m & f Xhosa, ZuluMeans
"it is wide" in Xhosa and Zulu, from the phrase
uthando lubanzi "love is wide".
Lubbert m DutchDutch form of the Old German name
Leutbert, derived from the elements
liut "people" and
beraht "bright". Liutbert (or Liutpert) was an 8th-century Lombard king.
Lubna f Arabic, Urdu, BengaliMeans
"storax tree" in Arabic. According to a 7th-century Arabic tale Lubna and Qays were a couple forced to divorce by Qays's father.
Luboš m CzechOriginally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element
ľuby meaning
"love".
Lucan m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Lucanus, which was derived from the name of the city of Luca in Tuscany (modern Lucca). Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.
Lucasta f LiteratureThis name was first used by the poet Richard Lovelace for a collection of poems called
Lucasta (1649). The poems were dedicated to Lucasta, a nickname for the woman he loved Lucy Sacheverel, whom he called
lux casta "pure light".
Lucifer m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendMeans
"bringing light", derived from Latin
lux "light" and
ferre "to bring". In Latin this name originally referred to the morning star, Venus, but later became associated with the chief angel who rebelled against God's rule in heaven (see
Isaiah 14:12). In later literature, such as the
Divine Comedy (1321) by Dante and
Paradise Lost (1667) by John Milton, Lucifer became associated with Satan himself.
Lucina f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
lucus meaning
"grove", but later associated with
lux meaning
"light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
Lucius m Ancient Roman, Biblical, EnglishRoman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin
lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Lucky m & f English, HindiFrom a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of
Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).
Lucretia f Ancient Roman, Roman MythologyFeminine form of the Roman family name
Lucretius, possibly from Latin
lucrum meaning
"profit, wealth". According Roman legend Lucretia was a maiden who was raped by the son of the king of Rome. This caused a great uproar among the Roman citizens, and the monarchy was overthrown. This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida, Spain.
Ludger m GermanFrom the Old German name
Leutgar, which was derived from the elements
liut "people" and
ger "spear". Saint Ludger was an 8th-century Frisian Benedictine bishop who founded a monastery at Munster.
Ludmila f Czech, Latvian, RussianMeans
"favour of the people" from the Slavic elements
ľudŭ "people" and
milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.
... [more] Ludolf m German (Rare), GermanicFrom the Old German name
Hludolf, which was composed of the elements
hlut meaning "famous, loud" and
wolf meaning "wolf". Saint Ludolf (or Ludolph) was a 13th-century bishop of Ratzeburg.
Ludwig m GermanFrom the Germanic name
Hludwig meaning
"famous in battle", composed of the elements
hlut "famous, loud" and
wig "war, battle". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks (though their names are usually spelled as
Clovis) as well as several Carolingian kings and Holy Roman emperors (names often spelled in the French form
Louis). Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.
Luena f PortugueseMeaning unknown, possibly from the name of a city in Angola. It was popularized in Portugal by a character on the telenovela
A Única Mulher (2015-2017).
Luigsech f Old IrishProbably derived from the name of the mythological figure
Lugh. This was the name of an obscure early Irish saint, mentioned in the martyrologies of Tallaght and Gorman.
Luitgard f GermanFrom the Old German name
Leutgard, which was derived from the elements
liut "people" and
gart "enclosure, yard". It was borne by
Charlemagne's fifth and last wife. This was also the name of a 13th-century Flemish nun, the patron saint of easy deliveries.
Luján f Spanish (Latin American)From a Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de Luján, meaning "Our Lady of Luján". This is the name of a city in Argentina near Buenos Aires. Our Lady of Luján is a 17th-century statue of Mary. Supposedly the horses transporting the statue further into Argentina refused to pull the cart past Luján, so a shrine was built at the spot. She is regarded as a patron saint of Argentina.
Luke m English, BiblicalEnglish form of Latin
Lucas, from the Greek name
Λουκᾶς (Loukas), probably a shortened form of
Λουκανός (Loukanos) meaning
"from Lucania", Lucania being a region in southern Italy. Luke was a doctor who travelled in the company of the apostle
Paul. According to tradition, he was the author of the third gospel and Acts in the New Testament. He was probably of Greek ethnicity. He is considered a saint by many Christian denominations.
... [more] Luljeta f AlbanianMeans
"flower of life" in Albanian, from
lule "flower" and
jetë "life".
Lulzim m AlbanianFrom Albanian
lulëzim meaning
"blooming, flowering, prosperity".
Luminița f RomanianMeans
"little light", derived from Romanian
lumina "light" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Lumír m CzechMeaning unknown, though possibly related to the Slavic element
mirŭ meaning "peace, world". In Czech legend this is the name of a bard.
Lur f & m BasqueMeans
"earth, ground" in Basque.
Luther m EnglishFrom a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name
Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).
Lux f & m VariousDerived from Latin
lux meaning
"light".
Luz f SpanishMeans
"light" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora de la Luz, meaning "Our Lady of Light".
Lydia f English, German, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekMeans
"from Lydia" in Greek. Lydia was a region on the west coast of Asia Minor, said to be named for the legendary king
Lydos. In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint
Paul. In the modern era the name has been in use since the Protestant Reformation.
Lydos m Ancient GreekMeaning unknown. This was the name of the semi-legendary king who gave his name to the region of
Lydia in Asia Minor.
Lykke f DanishMeans
"good fortune, happiness" in Danish.
Lyle m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Norman French
l'isle meaning
"island".
Lyndon m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"linden tree hill" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973).
Lynn f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Welsh
llyn meaning
"lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of
Linda or names that end in
lyn or
line.
Lyonesse f Arthurian CycleMeans
"lioness" in Middle English. In Thomas Malory's 15th-century tale
Le Morte d'Arthur this is the name of a woman trapped in a castle by the Red Knight. Her sister
Lynet gains the help of the knight
Gareth in order to save her.
Lyonors f Arthurian CycleProbably from Middle English
lyon meaning
"lion". It appears in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends
Le Morte d'Arthur, belonging to a woman who had a child with Arthur. Alfred Tennyson used the name in his poem
Gareth and Lynette (1872) for the sister of
Lynette (this character is called
Lyonesse in Malory's version of the story).
Lysistrate f Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and
στρατός (stratos) meaning "army". This is the name of a comedy by the Greek playwright Aristophanes, also called by its Latinized form
Lysistrata. In the play Lysistrate attempts to end the Peloponnesian War by persuading the women from both sides to withhold sex from men.
Lysithea f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and
θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". This was the name of a lover of
Zeus in Greek mythology. A small moon of Jupiter is named after her.
Lyssa 2 f Greek MythologyMeans
"rage, fury, anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Lyssa is a goddess associated with uncontrolled rage.
Maacah f & m BiblicalDerived from Hebrew
מָעַך (maʿaḵ) meaning
"to press, to crush". This name is borne by both male and female characters in the Old Testament.
Maalik m ArabicMeans
"owner, possessor, master" in Arabic, a derivative of
ملك (malaka) meaning "to acquire, to possess".
Maat f Egyptian MythologyFrom Egyptian
mꜣꜥt meaning
"truth, virtue, justice". Maat (or Ma'at) was the Egyptian goddess who personified truth and balance. She was the consort of
Thoth.
Mabyn f CornishPossibly from Old Cornish
mab meaning
"son". This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the children of
Brychan Brycheiniog. She is now regarded as a woman, but some early sources describe her as a man.
Macarena f SpanishFrom the name of a barrio (district) in Seville, which got its name from a temple that may have been named for a person named
Macarius (see
Macario). The Virgin of Macarena, that is
Mary, is widely venerated in Seville.
Macario m SpanishSpanish form of the Latin name
Macarius, derived from the Greek name
Μακάριος (Makarios), which was in turn derived from Greek
μάκαρ (makar) meaning
"blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints.
Macaulay m English (British)From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Amhalghaidh, itself derived from
Amhalghadh, a given name of unknown meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1861), a British Whig politician and noted historian. The given name is borne by the American former child actor Macaulay Culkin (1980-), who was named after the British politician.
Macbeth m HistoryAnglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic given name
Mac Beatha meaning
"son of life", implying holiness. This was the name of an 11th-century Scottish king who came to power after defeating and killing King
Duncan in battle. Years later he was himself slain in battle with Duncan's son
Malcolm. Shakespeare based his play
Macbeth (1606) loosely on this king's life, drawing from the tales related in
Holinshed's Chronicles (1587).
Macdara m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"son of oak" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara.
Mack 1 m EnglishFrom a surname, originally a shortened form of various Irish and Scottish surnames beginning with
Mac or
Mc (from Irish
mac meaning "son"). It is also used as a generic slang term for a man.
Mackenzie f & m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic
Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name
Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy
One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.
Macy f EnglishFrom an English surname that was from various towns called
Massy in France. The towns themselves were originally derived from a Gallo-Roman personal name that was Latinized as
Maccius. The name was brought to public attention in 1989 when the character Macy Alexander was introduced to the soap opera
The Bold and the Beautiful. It is also notable as the name of a chain of American department stores founded by Rowland Hussey Macy in 1858.
Madai m BiblicalMeans
"Medes" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Japheth said to be the ancestor of the Medes, an ancient people related to the Persians.
Madana m HinduismMeans
"intoxicating, maddening" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu love god
Kama.
Maddox m English (Modern)From a Welsh surname meaning
"son of Madoc". It was brought to public attention when the actress Angelina Jolie gave this name to her adopted son in 2002.
Made m & f BalineseFrom Sanskrit
मध्य (madhya) meaning
"middle". This name is traditionally given to the family's second-born child.
Madhava m Hinduism, SanskritMeans
"sweet, vernal, of the springtime" in Sanskrit, a derivative of
मधु (madhu) meaning "honey, sweet". This was the name of a 14th-century Indian scholar from Sangamagrama. This is also an epithet of the Hindu deity
Krishna, given because he was a descendant of a Yadava king named Madhu.
Madina f Tajik, Uzbek, Kazakh, Avar, ChechenFrom the name of the city of Medina, Arabic
المدينة (al-Madīna), which means "the city". The Saudi city is considered an Islamic holy site because the Prophet
Muhammad was based there for a period.
Madison f & m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Maud". It was not commonly used as a feminine name until after the movie
Splash (1984), in which the main character adopted it as her name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York City. It was ranked second for girls in the United States by 2001. This rise from obscurity to prominence in only 18 years represents an unprecedented 550,000 percent increase in usage.
... [more] Madoc m Welsh (Rare)From the Old Welsh name
Matauc, derived from
mad meaning
"good, fortunate" combined with a diminutive suffix. This is the name of a warrior mentioned in the 7th-century Welsh poem
Y Gododdin. It was also borne by several medieval rulers, including the 12th-century Madoc ap Maredudd, the last prince of Powys. Another bearer, according to later folklore, was a son of the 12th-century
Owain the Great who sailed to the Americas.
Madonna f EnglishFrom a title of the Virgin
Mary meaning "my lady" in Italian. A famous bearer of the name is American singer Madonna Ciccone (1958-), known simply as Madonna.
Máedóc m Old IrishMeaning unknown. Saint Máedóc (also known as Áedán) of Ferns was a 7th-century Irish bishop.
Maël m French, BretonFrench form of Breton
Mael meaning
"prince, chieftain, lord". Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.
Maelgwn m Medieval WelshFrom Old Welsh
Mailcun, from a Brythonic name *
Maglocunos meaning
"chief of hounds", derived from Celtic *
maglos "chief" and *
kū "dog, hound" (genitive *
kunos). This was the name of several early Welsh rulers, notably Maelgwn Gwynedd, a 6th-century king of Gwynedd.
Máel Máedóc m Old IrishMeans
"disciple of Saint Máedóc" in Irish. Saint Máel Máedóc (also known as Malachy) was a 12th-century archbishop of Armagh.
Máel Sechnaill m Old IrishMeans
"disciple of Saint Seachnall" in Irish. This was the name of two Irish high kings: Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid who ruled all of Ireland in the 9th century; and Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill (called Malachy) who defeated the Norse of Dublin in the 10th century.
Maeva f Tahitian, FrenchMeans
"welcome" in Tahitian. It gained popularity in France during the 1980s.
Maeve f Irish, English, Irish MythologyAnglicized form of the Irish name
Medb meaning
"intoxicating". In Irish legend this was the name of a warrior queen of Connacht. She and her husband
Ailill fought against the Ulster king
Conchobar and the hero
Cúchulainn, as told in the Irish epic
The Cattle Raid of Cooley.
Ma'evehpota'e f CheyenneMeans
"red leaf woman", from Cheyenne
ma'e- "red" and
vehpȯtse "leaf" combined with the feminine suffix
-e'é.
Magdalene f German, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom a title meaning
"of Magdala".
Mary Magdalene, a character in the New Testament, was named thus because she was from Magdala — a village on the Sea of Galilee whose name meant "tower" in Hebrew. She was cleaned of evil spirits by
Jesus and then remained with him during his ministry, witnessing the crucifixion and the resurrection. She was a popular saint in the Middle Ages, and the name became common then. In England it is traditionally rendered
Madeline, while
Magdalene or
Magdalen is the learned form.
Magnar m NorwegianFrom the Old Norse elements
magn "power, strength" and
herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Magnhild f NorwegianDerived from Old Norse
magn "power, strength" and
hildr "battle". This was the name of an 1877 novel by the Norwegian author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson.
Magnolia f EnglishFrom the English word
magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.
Magnus m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"great". It was borne by a 7th-century saint who was a missionary in Germany. It became popular in Scandinavia after the time of the 11th-century Norwegian king Magnus I, who was said to have been named after
Charlemagne, or Carolus Magnus in Latin (however there was also a Norse name
Magni). The name was borne by six subsequent kings of Norway as well as three kings of Sweden. It was imported to Scotland and Ireland during the Middle Ages.
Maha f ArabicMeans
"oryx" in Arabic. The oryx is a variety of antelope that is said to represent beauty.
Mahatma m HistoryFrom the Indian title
महात्मा (Mahātmā) meaning
"great soul", derived from Sanskrit
महा (mahā) meaning "great" and
आत्मन् (ātman) meaning "soul, spirit, life". This title was given to, among others, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948).
Mahavira m SanskritMeans
"great hero" in Sanskrit, from
महा (mahā) meaning "great" and
वीर (vīra) meaning "hero, man". Mahavira (or Mahāvīra) was the 6th-century BC founder of Jainism.
Mahendra m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, SanskritFrom Sanskrit
महा (mahā) meaning "great" combined with the name of the Hindu god
Indra. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor
Ashoka, also called
Mahinda. He is credited with introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
Mahershala m Various (Rare)From the longer name
Mahershalalhashbaz, which appears in the Old Testament at
Isaiah 8:1 in reference to
Isaiah's symbolic son. It is written in Hebrew as
מַהֵר שָׁלָל חָשׁ בַּז, and is composed of the two-word phrases
מַהֵר שָׁלָל (maher shalal) and
חָשׁ בַּז (ḥash baz), which both mean
"hurry to the plunder". A famous bearer is the American actor Mahershala Ali (1974-), whose full name is Mahershalalhashbaz.
Mahfuz m ArabicMeans
"safeguarded, preserved" in Arabic, a derivative of
حفظ (ḥafiẓa) meaning "to preserve, to protect".
Mahlah f & m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
מַחְלָה (Maḥla), derived from
חָלָה (ḥala) meaning
"weak, sick". This name is used in the Old Testament as both a feminine and masculine name. In some versions of the Bible the masculine name is spelled
Mahalah.
Mahli m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
מַחְלִי (Maḥli), derived from
חָלָה (ḥala) meaning
"weak, sick". This is the name of two characters mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Mahnaz f PersianFrom Persian
مه (mah) meaning "moon" and
ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort".
Mahpiya m & f SiouxFrom Dakota or Lakota
maȟpíya meaning
"cloud, sky". This is the first part of the names of the Dakota chief Mahpiya Wicasta (1780-1863), known as Cloud Man, and the Lakota chiefs Mahpiya Luta (1822-1909), known as Red Cloud, and Mahpiya Iyapato (1838-1905), known as Touch the Clouds.
Mähri f TurkmenPossibly derived from Persian
مه (mah) meaning
"moon" or
مهر (mehr) meaning
"friendship, love, kindness".
Mai 1 f VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
梅 (mai) meaning
"plum, apricot" (refers specifically to the species Prunus mume).
Mai 2 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
舞 (mai) meaning "dance" or
麻衣 (mai) meaning "linen robe". It can also come from
真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Mai 4 f ArabicMeans
"water" in Arabic, a dialectal variant of
ماء (māʾ).
Maia 2 f Roman MythologyProbably from Latin
maior meaning
"greater". This was the name of a Roman goddess of spring, a companion (sometimes wife) of
Vulcan. She was later conflated with the Greek goddess
Maia. The month of May is named for her.
Maiara f TupiFrom Tupi
maya arya meaning
"great-grandmother".
Maider f BasqueFrom the name of the goddess
Mari 3 combined with Basque
eder meaning "beautiful".
Maile f HawaiianFrom the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.
Maimu f EstonianMeans
"little" in Estonian. This is the name of a girl in the story
Maimu (1889) by the Estonian writer August Kitzberg.
Maina m KikuyuMeans
"sing, dance" in Kikuyu. Kikuyu males were traditionally organized into age sets or generations, each lasting about 30 years. The
Maina generation occupied the last part of the 19th century.
Mainchín m IrishMeans
"little monk", derived from Old Irish
manach "monk" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by two early saints.
Maira f Greek MythologyFrom Greek
μαρμαίρω (marmairo) meaning
"sparkle, gleam, flash". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology, including one of the Nereids.
Maitland m & f English (Rare)From an English surname that was from a Norman French place name possibly meaning
"inhospitable".
Majdi m ArabicMeans
"glorious, praiseworthy" in Arabic, from the root
مجد (majada) meaning "to be glorious".
Majid m Arabic, Persian, UrduMeans
"glorious, magnificent" in Arabic, from the root
مجد (majada) meaning "to be glorious". This transcription represents two related yet distinct Arabic names:
مجيد, in which the second vowel is long, and
ماجد, in which the first vowel is long.
Major m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from the given name
Mauger, a Norman French form of the Germanic name
Malger meaning
"council spear". The name can also be given in reference to the English word
major.
Majvor f SwedishFrom Swedish
maj meaning "May (month)" combined with
vår meaning "spring" or the Old Norse name element
vǫr meaning "vigilant, cautious". This name was first used in the early 20th century.
Mak m BosnianMeans
"poppy (flower)" in Bosnian. It is most often given in honour of the Bosnian poet Mehmedalija Dizdar (1917-1971), whose pseudonym was Mak.
Makara m & f KhmerMeans
"January" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit
मकर (makara), referring to the constellation Capricornus.
Makeda f HistoryPossibly means
"greatness" in Ethiopic. This was the name of an Ethiopian queen of the 10th-century BC. She is probably the same person as the Queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon in the Old Testament.
Makoto m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
誠 (makoto) meaning "sincerity", as well as other kanji or kanji combinations.
Malachi m Hebrew, English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
מַלְאָכִי (Malʾaḵi) meaning
"my messenger" or
"my angel", derived from a possessive form of
מַלְאָךְ (malʾaḵ) meaning "messenger, angel". This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Malachi, which some claim foretells the coming of Christ. In England the name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Malai f ThaiMeans
"garland of flowers" in Thai.
Malalai f PashtoMeans
"sad, grieved" in Pashto. This was the name of a Pashtun woman who encouraged the Afghan forces during the 1880 Battle of Maiwand against the British.
Malaysia f English (Modern)From the name of the country in southeastern Asia, the home of the Malay people. Their ethnic name is of uncertain origin, though it is possibly from the name of a river, itself derived from Malay
melaju or Javanese
mlayu meaning "to run, to go fast".
Malcolm m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of Scottish Gaelic
Máel Coluim, which means
"disciple of Saint Columba". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing
Macbeth, the usurper who had defeated his father
Duncan. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy
Macbeth (1606) is loosely based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.
Maldwyn m WelshFrom
Maldwyn, another name for the old Welsh county of Montgomeryshire. It is so called from
Trefaldwyn, the Welsh name for the county town of Montgomery, misinterpreting it as if meaning "town of Maldwyn". In fact it means "town of
Baldwin" (in Welsh both
m and
b mutate to
f).
Maleficent f Popular CultureFrom an English word meaning
"harmful, evil", derived from Latin
maleficens. This is the name of the villain in the animated Disney film
Sleeping Beauty (1959).
Malger m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
mahal meaning "meeting, assembly, court" and
ger meaning "spear".
Malkhaz m GeorgianPossibly means
"beautiful, elegant, youthful" in Georgian.
Mallory f English (Modern)From an English surname was derived from Old French
maleüré meaning
"unfortunate". It first became common in the 1980s due to the American sitcom
Family Ties (1982-1989), which featured a character by this name.
Malo m BretonMeans
"bright pledge", derived from Old Breton
mach "pledge, hostage" and
lou "bright, brilliant". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint, supposedly a companion of Saint
Brendan on his trans-Atlantic journey. He later went to Brittany, where he founded the monastic settlement of Saint-Malo.
Malone m & f English (Rare)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Maoil Eoin meaning
"descendant of a disciple of Saint John".
Malvina f Literature, English, Italian, FrenchCreated by the Scottish poet James MacPherson in the 18th century for a character in his Ossian poems. He probably intended it to mean
"smooth brow", from Scottish Gaelic
mala "brow" and
mìn "smooth, fine" (lenited to
mhìn and pronounced with a
v sound).
Malvolio m LiteratureMeans
"ill will" in Italian. This name was invented by Shakespeare for pompous character in his comedy
Twelfth Night (1602).
Mami f JapaneseFrom Japanese
真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or
麻 (ma) meaning "flax" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Manal f ArabicMeans
"achievement, attainment" in Arabic, from the root
نال (nāla) meaning "to get, to reach".
Manami f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (mana) meaning "love, affection" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful" or
海 (mi) meaning "sea, ocean". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Manana f GeorgianMeans both
"heather" and
"manna, divine food" in Georgian.
Manannán m Irish MythologyProbably from the name of the Isle of Man, itself possibly from the Celtic root *
moniyo- meaning "mountain". In Irish mythology Manannán mac Lir was a god of the sea and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann.