Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the meaning contains the keywords elf or elves or sprite or nymph or fairy.
gender
usage
meaning
Aafje f Dutch
Short form of names beginning with the Old German element alb "elf".
Ælfflæd f Anglo-Saxon
Old English name composed of the elements ælf "elf" and flæd, possibly meaning "beauty".
Ælfgifu f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and giefu "gift". This was the name of the first wife of the English king Æðelræd II.
Ælfheah m Anglo-Saxon
Derived 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.
Ælfnoð m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English element ælf "elf" combined with noð "boldness, daring".
Ælfric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived 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.
Ælfsige m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and sige "victory".
Ælfstan m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and stan "stone".
Ælfswiþ f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English element ælf "elf" combined with swiþ "strong".
Ælfweard m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and weard "guardian".
Ælfwig m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and wig "war, battle".
Ælfwine m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ælf "elf" and wine "friend". This name was not commonly used after the Norman Conquest.
Ælfwynn f Anglo-Saxon
Derived 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.
Ailill m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "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.
Alba 3 f Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element alb meaning "elf" (Proto-Germanic *albaz).
Albarīks m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Alberich, Ælfric and Alfríkr.
Albaweniz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Ælfwine, Alboin and Alfvin.
Alberich m Germanic, Germanic Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements alb "elf" and rih "ruler, king". It was borne by two Lombard dukes of Spoleto in the 10th century. It was also the name of a 12th-century French saint who helped found the Cistercian Order.... [more]
Alboin m Germanic
From the Old German elements alb "elf" and wini "friend". It is a cognate of Ælfwine. This was the name of a 6th-century king of the Lombards who began the Lombard conquest of Italy.
Alf 1 m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norse Mythology
Derived from Old Norse alfr meaning "elf". In Norse legend this was the name of king, the suitor of a reluctant maiden named Alfhild. She avoided marrying him by disguising herself as a warrior, but when they fought she was so impressed by his strength that she changed her mind.
Alfbern m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements alb "elf" and bern "bear".
Alfhard m Germanic
Old German name composed of the elements alb "elf" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Alfher m Germanic
Old German name composed of the elements alb "elf" and heri "army" (making it a cognate of Alvar).
Alfhild f Norwegian, Swedish
From the Old Norse name Alfhildr, which was composed of the elements alfr "elf" and hildr "battle". In Scandinavian legend Alfhild was a maiden who disguised herself as a warrior in order to avoid marriage to King Alf. Her life was perhaps based on that of a 9th-century Viking pirate.
Alfred m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Dutch, Albanian
Means "elf counsel", derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf "elf" and ræd "counsel, advice". Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeastern England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.... [more]
Alfríkr m Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements alfr "elf" and ríkr "ruler, king" (making it a cognate of Alberich).
Alfvin m Old Norse
From the Old Norse elements alfr "elf" and vinr "friend". It is a cognate of Ælfwine.
Algar m English (Rare)
Means "elf spear" from Old English ælf "elf" and gar "spear". This Old English name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, being absorbed by similar-sounding names and Norman and Scandinavian cognates. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Algautr m Old Norse
From the Old Norse elements alfr meaning "elf" and gautr meaning "Geat" (a North Germanic tribe).
Alvar m Swedish, Estonian
From the Old Norse name Alfarr, formed of the elements alfr "elf" and herr "army, warrior".
Elfreda f English
Middle 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.
Fay f & m English
In part from the English word fay meaning "fairy", derived from Middle English faie meaning "magical, enchanted", ultimately (via Old French) from Latin fata meaning "the Fates". It appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's chronicles in the name of Morgan le Fay. In some cases it may be used as a short form of Faith. It has been used as a feminine given name since the 19th century.... [more]
Gandalf m Norse Mythology, Literature
Means "wand elf" in Old Norse, from the elements gandr "wand, staff, magic, monster" and alfr "elf". This name belongs to a dwarf (Gandálfr) in the Völuspá, a 13th-century Scandinavian manuscript that forms part of the Poetic Edda. The author J. R. R. Tolkien borrowed the name for a wizard in his novels The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954).
Huriya f Arabic (Rare)
Means "nymph, heavenly maiden" in Arabic, referring to the houris, who are beautiful maidens who dwell in the Islamic afterlife.
Keijo m Finnish
Derived from Finnish keiju meaning "elf, fairy".
Masal f Turkish (Modern)
From Turkish masal meaning "fairy tale, story".
Nerissa f Literature
Created by Shakespeare for a character in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). He possibly took it from Greek Νηρηΐς (Nereis) meaning "nymph, sea sprite", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Nymphe f Ancient Greek
Means "bride, nymph" in Greek.
Nymphodoros m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νύμφη (nymphe) meaning "bride, nymph" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift".
Pari f Persian
Means "fairy" in Persian.
Parisa f Persian
Means "like a fairy" in Persian, derived from پری (parī) meaning "fairy, sprite, supernatural being".
Saga f Norse Mythology, Swedish, Icelandic
From Old Norse Sága, possibly meaning "seeing one", derived from sjá "to see". This is the name of a Norse goddess, possibly connected to Frigg. As a Swedish and Icelandic name, it is also derived from the unrelated word saga "story, fairy tale, saga".
Satu f Finnish
Means "fairy tale, fable" in Finnish.
Síofra f Irish
Means "elf, sprite" in Irish. This name was created in the 20th century.
Sítheach m Medieval Irish
Means "peaceful" or "fairy-like" in Irish, from Old Irish síd. Alternatively, it could be from sídach "wolf".
Síthmaith f Old Irish
From Old Irish síd meaning "peace" or "fairy mound, tumulus" and maith meaning "good".
Tiên f Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (tiên) meaning "immortal, transcendent, celestial being, fairy".
Tünde f Hungarian
Derived from Hungarian tündér meaning "fairy". The Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty created this name in the 19th century.
Tündér f Hungarian (Rare)
Means "fairy" in Hungarian.