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.
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.
Aki 2 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal",
明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or
秋 (aki) meaning "autumn". It can also come from
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with
希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name too.
Ascelin m GermanicDerived from a diminutive of the Old German element
asc meaning
"ash tree" (Proto-Germanic *
askaz).
Ashley f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from place names meaning
"ash tree clearing", from a combination of Old English
æsc and
leah. Until the 1960s it was more commonly given to boys in the United States, but it is now most often used on girls. It reached its height of popularity in America in 1987, but it did not become the highest ranked name until 1991, being overshadowed by the likewise-popular
Jessica until then. In the United Kingdom it is still more common as a masculine name.
Ashton m & f English (Modern)From an English surname, itself derived from a place name meaning
"ash tree town" in Old English. This was a rare masculine name until the 1980s, when it gradually began becoming more common for both genders. Inspired by the female character Ashton Main from the 1985 miniseries
North and South, parents in America gave it more frequently to girls than boys from 1986 to 1997. Since then it has been overwhelmingly masculine once again, perhaps due in part to the fame of the actor Ashton Kutcher (1978-).
Ask m Norse MythologyDerived from Old Norse
askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife
Embla were the first humans created by the gods.
Asse m FrisianOriginally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the elements
asc meaning
"ash tree" or
ansi meaning
"god".
Bai m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
白 (bái) meaning "white, pure",
百 (bǎi) meaning "one hundred, many" or
柏 (bǎi) meaning "cypress tree, cedar" (which is usually only masculine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. This name was borne in the 8th century by the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai, whose given was
白.
Basajaun m Basque MythologyMeans
"lord of the woods" from Basque
baso "woods" and
jaun "lord". This is the name of a character in Basque folklore, the Old Man of the Woods.
Bile m Irish MythologyPossibly an Irish form of
Belenus, though it may derive from an Irish word meaning
"sacred tree, scion, hero". In Irish mythology this was the name of one of the Milesians who was drowned while invading Ireland.
Bor m SloveneMeans
"pine tree" in Slovene. It is also a short form of names containing
bor, such as
Borislav or
Boris.
Codrin m RomanianFrom Romanian
codru meaning
"forest", a word of uncertain origin.
Codruț m RomanianFrom Romanian
codru meaning
"forest", a word of uncertain origin.
Daiki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness",
樹 (ki) meaning "tree" or
貴 (ki) meaning "valuable". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Deforest m EnglishFrom a French surname meaning
"from the forest". It was originally given in honour of American author John Deforest (1826-1906).
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.
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.
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).
Elowen f CornishMeans
"elm tree" in Cornish. This is a recently coined Cornish name.
Elwood m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"elder tree forest" in Old English.
Eoghan m Irish, Irish MythologyPossibly means
"born from the yew tree", from Old Irish
eó "yew" and the suffix
gan "born". Alternatively, it might be derived from the Latin name
Eugenius. It was borne by several legendary or semi-legendary Irish figures, including a son of the king
Niall of the Nine Hostages.
Forrest m EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"forest", originally belonging to a person who lived near a forest. In America it has sometimes been used in honour of the Confederate Civil War general Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821-1877). This name was borne by the title character in the movie
Forrest Gump (1994) about a loveable simpleton. Use of the name increased when the movie was released, but has since faded away.
Garrick m EnglishFrom an English surname, of French Huguenot origin, that was derived from Occitan
garric meaning
"oak tree grove".
Haruki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather" or
陽 (haru) meaning "light, sun, male" combined with
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or
生 (ki) meaning "living". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Haywood m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"fenced wood" in Old English.
Hideki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or
英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Hiroki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (hiro) meaning "big, great" and
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Itsuki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
樹 (itsuki) meaning "tree", using the kanji's nanori reading. Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Ivor m Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English (British)From the Old Norse name
Ívarr, which was probably derived from the elements
ýr "yew tree, bow" and
herr "army, warrior". During the Middle Ages it was brought to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders, and it was adopted in Ireland (Irish
Íomhar), Scotland (Scottish Gaelic
Iomhar) and Wales (Welsh
Ifor).
Kauri m MaoriFrom the name of a type of tree found in New Zealand (species Agathis australis).
Kazuki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
一 (kazu) meaning "one" or
和 (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness",
希 (ki) meaning "hope" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of kanji characters.
Kiri f MaoriMeans
"skin of a tree or fruit" in Maori. This name has been brought to public attention by New Zealand opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa (1944-).
Lin m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
林 (lín) meaning "forest" or
琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.
Lina 1 f ArabicMeans
"soft, tender" in Arabic, derived from
لان (lāna) meaning "to be soft". It can also be from Arabic
لينة (līna), a type of palm tree, likely derived from the same root.
Linden m & f EnglishFrom a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German
linta meaning
"linden tree".
Linwood m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"stream forest" in Old English.
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.
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).
Masaki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
正 (masa) meaning "right, proper" and
樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of kanji having the same reading.
Melia f Greek MythologyMeans
"ash tree" in Greek, a derivative of
μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". This was the name of a nymph in Greek myth, the daughter of the Greek god Okeanos.
Moriko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
森 (mori) meaning "forest" and
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Mu m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
牧 (mù) meaning "shepherd",
木 (mù) meaning "tree, wood", or other characters with similar pronunciations.
Mulan f Chinese MythologyFrom Chinese
木兰 (mùlán) meaning
"magnolia". This is the name of a legendary female warrior who disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father's place when he is conscripted into the army.
Naoki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
直 (nao) meaning "straight, direct" and
樹 (ki) meaning "tree", as well as other combinations of different kanji with the same pronunciations.
Nash m English (Modern)From an English surname that was derived from the Middle English phrase
atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer of the surname was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015).
... [more] Norwood m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning
"north wood" in Old English.
Oliver m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian CycleFrom Old French
Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin
oliva "olive tree". Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse
Áleifr (see
Olaf) or Frankish
Alawar (see
Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic
La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero
Roland.
... [more] Perry m EnglishFrom a surname that is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English
perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh
ap Herry, meaning "son of
Herry". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.
Pihla f FinnishDerived from Finnish
pihlaja meaning
"rowan tree".
Pinocchio m LiteratureMeans
"pine eye" from Italian
pino and
occhio. It was created by the Italian author Carlo Collodi for his novel
The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883), about a boy made out of wood whose nose grows longer every time he lies. The story was later adapted into a 1940 Disney movie.
Pomona f Roman MythologyFrom Latin
pomus "fruit tree". This was the name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees.
Sherwood m EnglishFrom an English place name (or from a surname that was derived from it) meaning
"bright forest". This was the name of the forest in which the legendary outlaw Robin Hood made his home.
Silvinus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen that was a variant of
Silvanus. This name was borne by an 8th-century saint who evangelized in northern France.
Silvius m Late Roman, Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
silva meaning
"wood, forest". This was the family name of several of the legendary kings of Alba Longa. It was also the name of an early saint martyred in Alexandria.
Sylvan m EnglishEither a variant of
Silvanus or directly from the Latin word
silva meaning
"wood, forest".
Taiki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
大 (tai) meaning "big, great" and
輝 (ki) meaning "brightness" or
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Taimi f Finnish, EstonianFrom Finnish
taimi meaning
"sapling, young tree" or Estonian
taim meaning
"plant" (words from a common origin).
Tuba f Arabic, TurkishFrom the name of a type of tree that is believed to grow in heaven in Islamic tradition. It means "blessedness" in Arabic.
Walton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally taken from various Old English place names meaning
"stream town",
"wood town", or
"wall town".
Widukind m GermanicOld Saxon name composed of the elements
widu "wood" and
kind "child". This was the name of an 8th-century Saxon leader who fought against the Franks, in the end unsuccessfully.
Woodrow m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"row of houses by a wood" in Old English. It was borne by the American president Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), who was given his mother's maiden name as his middle name (his first name was Thomas). During his candidacy and presidency (1912-1921) the name became popular, reaching the 44th rank in 1913, though it quickly declined after that.
Yasen m BulgarianMeans both
"ash tree" and
"clear, serene" in Bulgarian.