Ancient Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Ancient.
gender
usage
origin
Berto m Italian, Spanish
Short form of Roberto, Alberto and other names containing berto (often derived from the Old German element beraht meaning "bright").
Bertók m Hungarian (Rare)
Hungarian diminutive of Bertalan and other names beginning with Bert.
Bertoldo m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Berthold.
Bertram m English, German, Germanic
Means "bright raven", derived from the Old German element beraht "bright" combined with hram "raven". This name has long been conflated with Bertrand. The Normans introduced it to England, and Shakespeare used it in his play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Bertrand m French, English, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements beraht meaning "bright" and rant meaning "rim (of a shield)". From an early date it has been confused with Bertram and the two names have merged to some degree. Saint Bertrand was an 11th-century bishop of Comminges in France. Another famous bearer was the English philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).
Berwyn m Welsh
Means "white top" from the Welsh elements barr "top, head" and gwyn "white, blessed". This is the name of a mountain range in Wales.
Beryl f English
From the English word for the clear or pale green precious stone, ultimately deriving from Sanskrit. As a given name, it first came into use in the 19th century.
Besarion m Georgian
Georgian form of Bessarion.
Beso m Georgian
Short form of Besarion.
Bess f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bessarion m Late Greek
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Greek βῆσσα (bessa) meaning "wooded valley". This was the name of a 5th-century Egyptian hermit who was a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great. It was later adopted by the scholar Basilios Bessarion (1403-1472), a Greek born in Byzantine Anatolia who became a Roman Catholic bishop.
Bessie f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bet f Frisian, Limburgish
Frisian and Limburgish short form of Elisabeth.
Beth f English
Short form of Elizabeth, or sometimes Bethany.
Bethan f Welsh
Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bethânia f Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Portuguese variant form of Bethany.
Bethania f Spanish (Latin American)
Spanish variant form of Bethany.
Bethanie f English
Variant of Bethany.
Bethany f English
From the name of a biblical town, Βηθανία (Bethania) in Greek, which is probably of Aramaic or Hebrew origin, possibly meaning "house of affliction" or "house of figs". In the New Testament the town of Bethany is the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha. It has been in use as a rare given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, in honour of Mary of Bethany. In America it became moderately common after the 1950s.
Bethari f Javanese
Javanese form of Batari.
Bethel f English
From an Old Testament place name meaning "house of God" in Hebrew. This was a town north of Jerusalem, where Jacob saw his vision of the stairway. It is occasionally used as a given name.
Bethsabee f Biblical Latin
Form of Bathsheba used in the Latin Bible.
Bethuel m Biblical
Possibly means "destruction of God" in Hebrew, from בָּתָה (baṯa) meaning "destruction" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Rebecca.
Beti f Macedonian
Macedonian diminutive of Elisaveta.
Betje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth.
Betrys f Welsh
Welsh form of Beatrice.
Betsy f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bette f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth. A famous bearer was American actress Bette Davis (1908-1989).
Bettie f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bettina f German, Italian, Hungarian
Diminutive of Elisabeth (German), Benedetta or Elisabetta (Italian), or Erzsébet (Hungarian).
Bettino m Italian
Diminutive of Benedetto.
Betty f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bettye f English
Variant of Betty.
Be'ula f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Beulah.
Beulah f Biblical, English
Means "married" in Hebrew. The name is used in the Old Testament to refer to the land of Israel (Isaiah 62:4). As an English given name, Beulah has been used since the Protestant Reformation.
Bev f English
Short form of Beverly.
Bevan m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from ap Evan meaning "son of Evan". As a given name, it is particularly common in New Zealand and Australia.
Beverley f English
Variant of Beverly.
Beverly f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of a Yorkshire city, itself from Old English beofor "beaver" and (possibly) licc "stream". It came into use as a masculine given name in the 19th century, then became common as an American feminine name after the publication of George Barr McCutcheon's 1904 novel Beverly of Graustark. It was most popular in the 1930s, and has since greatly declined in use.
Bevin f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Bébinn.
Beyle f Yiddish (Rare)
From a Slavic word meaning "white".
Beylke f Yiddish (Rare)
Diminutive of Beyle. This is the name of a daughter of Tevye in late 19th-century Yiddish stories by Sholem Aleichem, on which the musical Fiddler on the Roof was based.
Bhaltair m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Walter.
Bhaskara m Hinduism
Means "shining, light maker", derived from Sanskrit भास (bhāsa) meaning "light" and कर (kara) meaning "maker". This is another name of Hindu sun god Surya. It was additionally borne by a 12th-century Indian astronomer, also known as Bhaskaracharya.
Bhàtair m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Walter.
Bhavana f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
From Sanskrit भावन (bhāvana) meaning "producing, manifesting, thought, emotion".
Bhavna f Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi भावना, Kannada ಭಾವನಾ or Malayalam ഭാവന (see Bhavana).
Bhim m Hindi, Nepali
Modern form of Bhima.
Bhima m Hinduism
Means "terrible, formidable" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the Mahabharata this is the name of the second son of Pandu, and thus one of the five Pandavas. His true father was the wind god Vayu. He was known for his terrific strength and skill as a warrior.
Bhishma m Hinduism
Means "terrible, dreadful, formidable" in Sanskrit. According to the Mahabharata he was a son of Shantanu and the river goddess Ganga. He was originally named Devavrata. He became an advisor to the kings of Kuru, and was renowned for his wisdom. He reluctantly helped lead the Kauravas in their war with the Pandavas, during which he was killed by the Pandava brother Arjuna.
Bia f Portuguese
Diminutive of Beatriz.
Biagino m Italian (Rare)
Diminutive of Biagio.
Biagio m Italian
Italian form of Blaise.
Bianca f Italian, Romanian
Italian cognate of Blanche. Shakespeare had characters named Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew (1593) and Othello (1603).
Biancamaria f Italian
Combination of Bianca and Maria.
Bianka f German, Hungarian, Polish
German, Hungarian and Polish form of Bianca.
Bibek m Nepali, Bengali
Nepali and Bengali form of Vivek.
Bibiána f Slovak
Slovak form of Bibiana.
Bibiana f Spanish, Italian, Late Roman
Possibly an early variant of Viviana. Alternatively, it may be a feminine derivative of the earlier Roman cognomen Vibianus.
Bice f Italian
Short form of Beatrice.
Biddy f Irish, English
Diminutive of Bridget.
Bidelia f Irish (Rare)
Diminutive of Bridget.
Bieito m Galician
Galician form of Benedict.
Biel m Catalan
Catalan short form of Gabriel.
Bikendi m Basque
Basque form of Vincent.
Bila f Biblical Italian
Italian form of Bilhah.
Bile m Irish Mythology
Possibly 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.
Bilha f Biblical Hebrew, Biblical German, Biblical French, Biblical Spanish, Biblical Dutch
Biblical Hebrew form of Bilhah, as well as the form in several other languages.
Bilhah f Biblical
Means "bashful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the handmaid given to Jacob by his wife Rachel. By him she was the mother of Dan and Naphtali.
Biljana f Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian, Slovene
From the South Slavic word биље (bilje) meaning "herb".
Bill m English
Short form of William. This spelling was not commonly used before the 19th century. The change in the initial consonant may have been influenced by an earlier Irish pronunciation of the name. Famous bearers include basketball player Bill Russell (1934-2022), comedian Bill Cosby (1937-), American president Bill Clinton (1946-), and Microsoft founder Bill Gates (1955-), all of whom were born with the name William.
Billie m & f English
Diminutive of Bill. It is also used as a feminine form of William.
Billy m English
Diminutive of Bill. A notable bearer was the American outlaw Billy the Kid (1859-1881), whose real name was William H. Bonney. Others include filmmaker Billy Wilder (1906-2002), actor Billy Crystal (1948-), and musician Billy Joel (1949-).
Bilyana f Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Biljana.
Bima m Indonesian
Indonesian form of Bhima.
Binay m Bengali
Bengali form of Vinay.
Bine 1 f Danish
Short form of Sabine and other names ending in bine.
Bine 2 m Slovene
Diminutive of Albin.
Binyamin m Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew and Arabic form of Benjamin.
Bion m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek name derived from βίος (bios) meaning "life".
Bipin m Marathi, Hindi
Variant of Vipin.
Birdie f English
Diminutive of Bertha, Bernice and other names with a similar sound, or sometimes simply from the English word bird.
Birger m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Birgir, probably derived from bjarga meaning "help, save, rescue".
Birgir m Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Birger.
Birgit f Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, German
Scandinavian variant of Birgitta.
Birgitta f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish
Most likely a Scandinavian form of Bridget via the Latinized form Brigitta. Alternatively it could be a feminine derivative of Birger. This is the name of the patron saint of Europe, Birgitta of Sweden, the 14th-century founder of the Bridgettine nuns. Her father's name was Birger.
Birgitte f Danish, Norwegian
Danish form of Birgitta.
Birita f Faroese
Faroese form of Bridget.
Birk m German, Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Burkhard. This is the name of a character in Astrid Lindgren's book Ronia the Robber's Daughter (1981).
Birkir m Icelandic
From Icelandic birki meaning "birch", specifically the downy birch (species Betula pubescens).
Birta f Icelandic
Icelandic diminutive of Birgitta.
Birte f Danish
Danish diminutive of Birgitta.
Birthe f Danish
Danish diminutive of Birgitta.
Bishal m Nepali, Bengali
Nepali and Bengali form of Vishal.
Bishop m English
Either from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer".
Bistra f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Means "clean, pure" in Bulgarian and Macedonian, from Old Slavic bystrŭ.
Bithiah f Biblical
Means "daughter of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from the roots בַּת (baṯ) meaning "daughter" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Pharaoh. She is traditionally equated with the pharaoh's daughter who drew Moses from the Nile.
Bitrus m Hausa
Hausa form of Peter.
Bittor m Basque
Basque form of Victor.
Bitya f Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Bithiah.
Bjarke m Danish
Danish diminutive of Bjørn.
Bjarki m Icelandic
Masculine form of Björk.
Bjarne m Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Modern form of Bjarni.
Bjarni m Old Norse, Icelandic, Faroese
Old Norse diminutive of Bjǫrn and other names containing the element bjǫrn meaning "bear".
Bjarte m Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Bjartr, which meant "bright".
Bjartr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bjarte.
Bjartur m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Bjartr (see Bjarte).
Bjoern m German (Rare)
German variant of Björn. The Scandinavian names Björn and Bjørn are occasionally written with the digraph oe.
Björg f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Bjørg.
Bjørg f Norwegian
Derived from Old Norse bjǫrg meaning "help, save, rescue".
Bjǫrg f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bjørg.
Björk f Icelandic
Means "birch tree" in Icelandic.
Björn m Swedish, Icelandic, German
From an Old Norse byname derived from bjǫrn meaning "bear".
Bjørn m Norwegian, Danish
Danish and Norwegian form of Björn.
Bjǫrn m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Björn.
Bjørnar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements bjǫrn "bear" and herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Björne m Swedish
Diminutive of Björn.
Bláán m Old Irish
From Old Irish blá meaning "yellow" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of 6th-century Irish saint, a bishop of Kingarth on the Isle of Bute in Scotland.
Blaanid f Manx
Manx form of Bláthnat.
Blaga f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Blagoy.
Blagica f Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Blago m Croatian, Bulgarian
Croatian form of Blagoy, as well as a Bulgarian variant.
Blagoj m Macedonian
Macedonian form of Blagoy.
Blagoje m Serbian
Serbian form of Blagoy.
Blagovest m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good" and вест (vest) meaning "message, news".
Blagovesta f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Blagovest.
Blagoy m Bulgarian
Derived from Bulgarian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good".
Blagun m Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian благ (blag) meaning "sweet, pleasant, good".
Blaguna f Macedonian
Feminine form of Blagun.
Blahoslav m Czech
Derived from the Slavic element bolgŭ (Czech blahý) meaning "good, pleasant" combined with slava meaning "glory".
Blai m Catalan
Catalan form of Blasius (see Blaise).
Blaine m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Irish given name Bláán.
Blaise m French
From the Roman name Blasius, which was derived from Latin blaesus meaning "lisping". Saint Blaise was a 4th-century Armenian martyr. A famous bearer was the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).
Bláithín f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Bláthíne.
Blake m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English blæc "black" or blac "pale". A famous bearer of the surname was the poet and artist William Blake (1757-1827). It was originally a mainly masculine name but in 2007 actress Blake Lively (1987-) began starring in the television series Gossip Girl, after which time it increased in popularity for girls.
Blakely f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from Old English blæc "black" and leah "woodland clearing".
Blanca f Spanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan cognate of Blanche.
Blanch f English
Variant of Blanche.
Blanchard m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements blanc meaning "white" and hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of an obscure (perhaps legendary) 7th-century French saint.
Blanche f French, English
From a medieval French nickname meaning "white, fair-coloured". This word and its cognates in other languages are ultimately derived from the Germanic word *blankaz. An early bearer was the 12th-century Blanca of Navarre, the wife of Sancho III of Castile. Her granddaughter of the same name married Louis VIII of France, with the result that the name became more common in France.
Blandine f French
French form of the Roman name Blandina, which was the feminine form of Blandinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Blandus. Saint Blandina was a 2nd-century slave from Lyons who was martyred by being thrown to wild beasts.
Blandinus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen that was a derivative of Blandus.
Blandus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "charming" in Latin.
Blanid f Irish
Anglicized form of Bláthnat.
Blanka f Czech, Slovak, Polish, Hungarian, Croatian, Slovene
Form of Blanche in several languages.
Blas m Spanish
Spanish form of Blaise.
Blasius m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Blaise.
Bláthíne f Irish Mythology
Variant of Bláthnat using a different diminutive suffix, used in some versions of the legend.
Bláthnaid f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Bláthnat.
Bláthnat f Irish Mythology
Means "little flower" from Irish bláth "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend she was a maiden abducted and married by Cú Roí. She was rescued by Cúchulainn, who killed her husband, but was in turn murdered by one of Cú Roí's loyal servants.
Blaž m Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Blaise.
Blaže m Macedonian
Derived from Macedonian блажен (blažen) meaning "blissful, blessed", ultimately from Old Slavic bolgŭ "good, pleasant".
Blaze m English (Modern)
Modern variant of Blaise influenced by the English word blaze.
Błażej m Polish
Polish form of Blaise.
Blažej m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Blaise, also associated with the word blažený meaning "blissful, happy, blessed".
Blažena f Czech, Slovak
Derived from Czech and Slovak blažený meaning "blissful, happy, blessed", ultimately from Old Slavic *bolgŭ "good, pleasant".
Blaženka f Croatian
Croatian feminine form of Blaž.
Blaženko m Croatian
Diminutive of Blaž.
Blazhe m Macedonian
Alternate transcription of Macedonian Блаже (see Blaže).
Bleddyn m Welsh
From Welsh blaidd "wolf" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an 11th-century king of Gwynedd and Powys.
Blodeuedd f Welsh Mythology
Means "flowers" in Welsh. This was the original name of Blodeuwedd.
Blodeuwedd f Welsh Mythology
Means "face of flowers" in Welsh. According to the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, she was created out of flowers by Gwydion to be the wife of his nephew Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Originally she was named Blodeuedd meaning simply "flowers". She was eventually transformed into an owl by Gwydion after she and her lover Gronw attempted to murder Lleu, at which point he renamed her Blodeuwedd.
Blodeuyn f Welsh (Rare)
Means "flower" in Welsh.
Blodwen f Welsh
Means "white flowers" from Welsh blodau "flowers" combined with gwen "white, blessed". This is the name of an 1878 Welsh opera by Joseph Parry.
Blue m & f English (Rare)
From the English word for the colour, derived via Norman French from a Frankish word (replacing the native Old English cognate blaw). Despite the fact that this name was used by the American musicians Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2012 for their first daughter, it has not come into general use in the United States.
Bo 1 m Swedish, Danish
From the Old Norse byname Búi, which was derived from Old Norse bua meaning "to live".
Boadicea f Brythonic (Latinized)
Medieval variant of Boudicca, possibly arising from a scribal error.
Boann f Irish Mythology
Possibly from Old Irish "cow" and finn "white, blessed". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of the River Boyne, which is named for her. She was the wife of Nechtan and the father of Aonghus (by Dagda).
Boaventura m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Bonaventura.
Boaz m Biblical, Hebrew, Dutch, Biblical Hebrew
Means "swiftness" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the man who marries Ruth. This was also the name of one of the two pillars that stood outside Solomon's Temple (with Jachin).
Bob m English, Dutch
Short form of Robert. It arose later than Dob, Hob and Nob, which were medieval rhyming nicknames of Robert. It is borne by the character Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol (1843). Other famous bearers include American folk musician Bob Dylan (1941-) and Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).
Boban m Serbian, Macedonian
Diminutive of Bogdan or Slobodan.
Bobbi f English
Diminutive of Roberta or Barbara.
Bobbie f & m English
Variant of Bobby. As a feminine name it can be a diminutive of Roberta or Barbara.
Bobby m English
Diminutive of Bob. Hockey greats Bobby Hull (1939-2023) and Bobby Orr (1948-) have borne this name.
Bode m Low German
From the Germanic name Bodo, derived from the Old High German element bot, Old Saxon bod meaning "command, order" (Proto-Germanic *budą). Saint Bodo, also called Leudinus, was a 7th-century bishop of Toul in northern France.
Bodil f Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
From the Old Norse name Bóthildr, derived from bót "remedy" and hildr "battle".
Bodo m Germanic
Old German form of Bode.
Boel f Swedish
From Boeld, a medieval form of the Old Norse name Bóthildr (see Bodil).
Boele m Dutch (Rare)
Possibly a Dutch form of Baldo.
Bogdan m Polish, Russian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Romanian
Means "given by God" from the Slavic elements bogŭ "god" and danŭ "given". This pre-Christian name was later used as a translation of Theodotus.
Boghos m Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Poghos.
Bogna f Polish
Originally a diminutive of Bogdana and other names beginning with Bog.
Bogodanŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bogdan.
Bogomil m Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Bogumił.
Bogomilŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bogumił.
Bogomir m Slovene
Slovene form of Bohumír.
Bogoslavŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bogusław.
Bogumił m Polish
Means "favoured by God" from the Slavic elements bogŭ "god" and milŭ "gracious, dear".
Bogumiła f Polish
Feminine form of Bogumił.
Bogumir m Medieval Slavic
Earlier form of Bohumír.
Bogusław m Polish
Means "glory of God" from the Slavic elements bogŭ "god" and slava "glory". This name was borne by several dukes of Pomerania, beginning in the 12th century.
Bogusława f Polish
Feminine form of Bogusław.
Bogusz m Polish
Diminutive of Bogusław.
Bohdan m Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, Polish
Czech, Slovak and Ukrainian form of Bogdan, as well as a Polish variant.
Bohdana f Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian
Czech, Slovak and Ukrainian feminine form of Bogdan.
Bohumil m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Bogumił.
Bohumila f Czech
Czech feminine form of Bogumił.
Bohumír m Czech, Slovak
Derived from the Slavic elements bogŭ "god" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Bohumíra f Czech
Feminine form of Bohumír.
Bohunka f Czech
Diminutive of Bohumila or Bohuslava.
Bohuslav m Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian
Czech, Slovak and Ukrainian form of Bogusław.
Bohuslava f Czech, Ukrainian
Feminine form of Bohuslav.
Bóinn f Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Boann.
Bojan m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
Derived from Old Slavic bojĭ meaning "battle". This was the name of a 9th-century Bulgarian saint and martyr, also called Enravota, a son of the Bulgarian khan Omurtag.
Bojidar m Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Божидар (see Bozhidar).
Bolat m Kazakh
From a Turkic word meaning "steel", ultimately from Persian.
Boldizsár m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Balthazar.
Bolek m Polish
Diminutive of Bolesław.
Boleslav m Czech
Czech form of Bolesław.
Boleslava f Czech (Rare)
Czech feminine form of Bolesław.
Boľeslavŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bolesław.
Bolesław m Polish
Derived from Slavic boľe "more, greater" and slava "glory". This was the name of kings of Poland, starting in the 11th century with the first Polish king Bolesław the Brave.
Bomilcar m Phoenician (Latinized)
From the Punic name 𐤁𐤃𐤌𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤕 (Bodmilqart), from Phoenician 𐤁𐤃 (bod) meaning "on behalf of" or perhaps from 𐤏𐤁𐤃 (ʿabd) meaning "servant, slave" combined with the name of the god Melqart. This name was borne by a few figures from Carthaginian history.
Bonaccorso m Medieval Italian
Medieval Italian name derived from bono "good" and accorso "haste, rush, help".
Bonaventura m Italian, Catalan
Means "good fortune" in Italian, from Latin bonus "good" and venturas "the things that will come, the future". Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
Bonaventure m French, History (Ecclesiastical)
French and English form of Bonaventura. As a French name it is most common in Francophone Africa, while as an English name it is mostly used in reference to the saint.
Bonifaas m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonifác m Czech (Rare), Hungarian (Rare)
Czech and Hungarian form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Boniface m French, English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Bonifatius, which meant "good fate" from bonum "good" and fatum "fate, destiny". This was the name of nine popes and also several saints, including an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (originally named Winfrið) who is now regarded as the patron saint of that country. It came into use in England during the Middle Ages, but became rare after the Protestant Reformation.
Bonifacia f Spanish
Feminine form of Bonifacio.
Bonifácio m Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonifacio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonifacy m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonifaz m German (Rare)
German form of Bonifatius (see Boniface).
Bonita f English
Means "pretty" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin bonus "good". It has been used as a name in the English-speaking world since the beginning of the 20th century.
Bonitus m Late Roman
Derived from a diminutive of Latin bonus meaning "good". This was the name of a 7th-century century saint, a bishop of Auvergne.
Bonizzone m Medieval Italian
Medieval Italian name derived from bono "good".
Bonnie f English
Means "pretty" from the Scottish word bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.
Boone m English
From an English surname that was either derived from Old French bon meaning "good" or from the name of the town of Bohon, France.
Boos m Biblical Greek
Form of Boaz used in some versions of the Greek Old Testament.
Booz m Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin
Form of Boaz used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Bopha f Khmer
From Pali puppha meaning "flower", written as បុប្ផ (bop) in Khmer, from Sanskrit पुष्प (puṣpa).
Bor m Slovene
Means "pine tree" in Slovene. It is also a short form of names containing bor, such as Borislav or Boris.
Borbála f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Barbara.
Boreas m Greek Mythology
Means "north wind" in Greek. Boreas was the Greek god of the north wind.
Bořek m Czech
Diminutive of Bořivoj, now used independently.
Borghild f Norwegian, Norse Mythology
Derived from the Old Norse elements borg "fortress" and hildr "battle". In the Norse Völsungasaga she is the wife of Sigmund.
Borghildur f Icelandic
Icelandic form of Borghild.
Borislav m Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Russian
Derived from the Slavic element borti "battle" combined with slava "glory".
Borislavŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Borislav.
Bořivoj m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements borti "battle" and vojĭ "soldier". This name was borne by a 9th-century Duke of Bohemia.
Borivoj m Serbian, Croatian
Serbian and Croatian form of Bořivoj.
Borivoje m Serbian
Serbian form of Bořivoj.
Borivojĭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bořivoj.
Börje m Swedish
Variant of Birger.
Borko m Serbian, Macedonian
Diminutive of Borislav, Borivoje, and other names starting with Bor. It is sometimes used independently.
Borna m Croatian
Derived from the Slavic element borti meaning "fight, battle". This was the name of a 9th-century duke of Croatia.
Bornimirŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Branimir.
Bornislavŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Bronisław.
Boro m Croatian, Serbian
Diminutive of Borislav, Boris, and other names starting with Bor.
Boróka f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Borbála. It also means "juniper" in Hungarian.
Boško m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene
Originally a diminutive of Božidar.
Bosmat f Hebrew
Hebrew variant of Basemath.
Bosse m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Bo 1.
Boštjan m Slovene
Short form of Sebastjan.
Boston m English
From the American city of Boston in Massachusetts, itself named after a town in Lincolnshire, England. The town's name is said to mean "Botwulf's stone".
Bóthildr f Old Norse
Old Norse form of Bodil.
Botros m Arabic, Coptic
Alternate transcription of Arabic بطرس (see Butrus).
Botum f & m Khmer
From Pali paduma meaning "lotus", from Sanskrit पद्म (padma).
Botwulf m Anglo-Saxon
From Old English bot meaning "improvement" and wulf meaning "wolf". Saint Botwulf was a 7th-century English abbot. He may be the person after whom Boston is named.
Boudewijn m Dutch
Dutch form of Baldwin.
Boudicca f Brythonic (Latinized)
Derived from Brythonic boud meaning "victory". This was the name of a 1st-century queen of the Iceni who led the Britons in revolt against the Romans. Eventually her forces were defeated and she committed suicide. Her name is first recorded in Roman histories, as Boudicca by Tacitus and Βουδουῖκα (Boudouika) by Cassius Dio.
Boulos m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic بولس (see Bulus).
Boutros m Arabic, Coptic
Alternate transcription of Arabic بطرس (see Butrus).
Bowen m English (Modern)
From a Welsh surname, derived from ap Owain meaning "son of Owain".
Boyan m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Bojan.
Boyana f Bulgarian
Bulgarian feminine form of Bojan.
Boyce m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old French bois "wood".
Boyka f Bulgarian
Feminine form of Boyko.
Boyko m Bulgarian
Originally a diminutive of names containing the Slavic element bojĭ meaning "battle".
Boža m Serbian
Diminutive of Božidar.
Božena f Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian
Derived from the Slavic element božĭjĭ meaning "divine". This name was borne by a wife of Duke Oldřich of Bohemia (11th century).
Bożena f Polish
Polish cognate of Božena.
Bozhidar m Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian form of Božidar, as well as an alternate transcription for Macedonian.
Bozhidara f Bulgarian
Bulgarian feminine form of Božidar.
Božica f Croatian
Derived from the Slavic element božĭjĭ meaning "divine". It also means "goddess" in Croatian.
Božidar m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Sorbian
Means "divine gift" from the Slavic elements božĭjĭ "divine" and darŭ "gift". This is a Slavic translation of Theodore.
Božidarka f Serbian
Feminine form of Božidar.
Božo m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Diminutive of Božidar, now often used independently.