Ancient Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Ancient.
gender
usage
origin
Canan f Turkish
Means "sweetheart, beloved" in Turkish.
Candace f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the hereditary title of the queens of Ethiopia, as mentioned in Acts in the New Testament. It is apparently derived from Cushitic kdke meaning "queen mother". In some versions of the Bible it is spelled Kandake, reflecting the Greek spelling Κανδάκη. It was used as a given name by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 20th century by a character in the 1942 movie Meet the Stewarts.
Candi f English
Variant of Candy.
Candice f English
Variant of Candace.
Cándida f Spanish
Spanish form of Candida.
Cândida f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Candida.
Candida f Late Roman, English
Late Latin name derived from candidus meaning "white". This was the name of several early saints, including a woman supposedly healed by Saint Peter. As an English name, it came into use after George Bernard Shaw's play Candida (1898).
Candide m & f French (Rare), Literature
French form of Candidus or Candida. The French philosopher and author Voltaire used this name for the main character (a male) in his satire Candide (1759). In French candide also means "naive", which is descriptive of the book's protagonist.
Cándido m Spanish
Spanish form of Candidus.
Cândido m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Candidus.
Candido m Italian
Italian form of Candidus.
Candidus m Late Roman
Masculine form of Candida. This name was borne by a few early saints and martyrs.
Candis f English
Variant of Candace.
Candy f English
Diminutive of Candace. It is also influenced by the English word candy.
Candyce f English
Variant of Candace.
Caner m Turkish
From Turkish can meaning "soul, life" and er meaning "man, hero, brave".
Cansel f Turkish
Derived from Turkish can meaning "soul, life" and sel meaning "flood, stream".
Cansu f Turkish
From Turkish can meaning "soul, life" and su meaning "water".
Canute m History
Anglicized form of Knut.
Caoilfhionn f Irish
Derived from the Old Irish elements cáel "slender" and finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Caoimhe f Irish
Derived from Irish caomh meaning "dear, beloved, gentle".
Caoimhín m Irish
Irish form of Kevin.
Caolán m Irish
From Irish caol meaning "slender" combined with the diminutive suffix -án.
Caomh m Irish (Rare)
Means "dear, beloved, gentle" in Irish.
Caomhán m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Cóemán, derived from cóem "dear, beloved, gentle" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several early Irish saints.
Cara f English
From an Italian word meaning "beloved" or an Irish word meaning "friend". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, though it did not become popular until after the 1950s.
Caracalla m Ancient Roman
From Latin caracalla, which referred to a type of hooded tunic worn by the Gauls. This was the agnomen, or nickname, of a 3rd-century Roman emperor.
Caradog m Welsh, Arthurian Cycle
From the Old Welsh name Caratauc, a Welsh form of Caratācos. This is the name of several figures in Welsh history and legend, including an 8th-century king of Gwynedd, a 12th-century saint, and a son of Brân the Blessed. In Arthurian romance Caradog is a Knight of the Round Table. He first appears in Welsh poems, with his story expanded by French authors such as Chrétien de Troyes.
Caratācos m Brythonic (Hypothetical)
Possible Brythonic form of Caratacus.
Caratacus m Brythonic (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Brythonic name *Caratācos meaning "loved", derived from the old Celtic root *karu "to love". According to Roman writers, this was the name of a 1st-century British chieftain who rebelled against Roman rule.
Caratauc m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Caradog.
Cardea f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin cardo meaning "hinge, axis". This was the name of the Roman goddess of thresholds, door pivots, and change.
Carel m Dutch
Dutch form of Charles.
Caren f English
Variant of Karen 1.
Carey m & f English
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Ciardha, which is a patronymic derived from the given name Ciardha.
Cari f English
Variant of Carrie.
Caridad f Spanish
Means "charity" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Caridad, meaning "Our Lady of Charity". This is the name of the patron saint of Cuba, with a shrine located in the town of El Cobre.
Carin f Swedish
Variant of Karin.
Carina 1 f English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from cara meaning "dear, beloved". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr. It is also the name of a constellation in the southern sky, though in this case it means "keel" in Latin, referring to a part of Jason's ship the Argo.
Carine f French
French form of Carina 1. It can also function as a short form of Catherine, via Swedish Karin.
Carissa f English
Variant of Charissa.
Carita f Swedish
Derived from Latin caritas meaning "dearness, esteem, love".
Carl m German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English
German and Scandinavian variant of Karl (see Charles). Noteworthy bearers of the name include the Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), who founded modern taxonomy, the German mathematician Carl Gauss (1777-1855), who made contributions to number theory and algebra as well as physics and astronomy, and the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961), who founded analytical psychology. It was imported to America in the 19th century by German immigrants.
Carlene f English
Feminine diminutive of Carl.
Carles m Catalan
Catalan form of Charles.
Carlie f English
Variant of Carly.
Carlijn f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of Carel.
Carlinhos m Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of Carlos.
Carlisa f English (Rare)
Combination of Carla and Lisa.
Carlisle m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of a city in northern England. The city was originally called by the Romans Luguvalium meaning "stronghold of Lugus". Later the Brythonic element ker "fort" was appended to the name of the city.
Carlman m Germanic
Old German variant of Carloman.
Carlo m Italian
Italian form of Charles.
Carloman m Germanic
From an Old German name derived from karl meaning "man" and man meaning "person, man". This was the name of several Frankish rulers, including the 8th-century Carloman I who ruled jointly with his brother Charlemagne for a time.
Carlos m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Charles.
Carlota f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Charlotte.
Carlotta f Italian
Italian form of Charlotte.
Carlu m Corsican
Corsican form of Charles.
Carly f English
Feminine form of Carl. A famous bearer is the American singer Carly Simon (1945-), who inspired a rise in popularity in this name in the 1970s.
Carlyle m English
Variant of Carlisle.
Carlyn f English
Contracted variant of Caroline.
Carme 1 f Galician, Catalan
Galician and Catalan form of Carmel.
Carme 2 f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κάρμη (Karme), which was derived from κείρω (keiro) meaning "to shear". This was the name of a Cretan goddess of the harvest.
Carmel f & m English, Jewish
From the title of the Virgin Mary Our Lady of Mount Carmel. כַּרְמֶל (Karmel) (meaning "garden" in Hebrew) is a mountain in Israel mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the site of several early Christian monasteries. As an English given name, it has mainly been used by Catholics. As a Jewish name it is unisex.
Carmela f Italian, Spanish, Galician
Italian, Spanish and Galician form of Carmel.
Carmelita f Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Carmel.
Carmella f English
Latinized form of Carmel.
Carmelo m Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian masculine form of Carmel.
Carmem f Portuguese
Portuguese variant of Carmen.
Carmen f Spanish, English, Italian, Portuguese, French, Romanian, German
Medieval Spanish form of Carmel, appearing in the devotional title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Carmen meaning "Our Lady of Mount Carmel". The spelling has been altered through association with the Latin word carmen meaning "song". This was the name of the main character in George Bizet's opera Carmen (1875).
Carmine m Italian
Italian masculine form of Carmen.
Carminho f Portuguese
Diminutive of Carmo. It has been popularized in Portugal by the singer simply known as Carminho (1984-).
Carmo m & f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Carmel.
Carol 1 f & m English
Short form of Caroline. It was formerly a masculine name, derived from Carolus. The name can also be given in reference to the English vocabulary word, which means "song" or "hymn".
Carol 2 m Romanian
Romanian form of Carolus. This was the name of two Romanian kings.
Carola f Italian, German, Dutch, Swedish
Feminine form of Carolus.
Carolann f English
Combination of Carol 1 and Ann.
Carole f French
French feminine form of Carolus.
Carolien f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of Carolus.
Carolin f German
German feminine form of Carolus.
Carolina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Swedish
Latinate feminine form of Carolus. This is the name of two American states: North and South Carolina. They were named for Charles I, king of England.
Carolyn f English
Variant of Caroline.
Carpus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latin form of the Greek name Καρπός (Karpos), which meant "fruit, profits". The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament in the second epistle of Timothy.
Carreen f English (Rare)
Used by Margaret Mitchell in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936), where it is a combination of Caroline and Irene.
Carrie f English
Diminutive of Caroline. This name declined in use shortly after the 1976 release of the horror movie Carrie, which was based on a 1974 novel by Stephen King.
Carrol m & f English
Variant of Carroll (masculine) or Carol 1 (feminine).
Carroll m Irish
Anglicized form of Cearbhall. A famous bearer of the surname was Lewis Carroll (1832-1898), whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a British author known for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Carry f English
Diminutive of Caroline.
Carthach m Old Irish
Means "loving" in Irish. This was the name of two Irish saints, from the 6th and 7th centuries.
Carwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru "to love" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name was created in the 20th century.
Cary m & f English
Variant of Carey. A famous bearer was the British-American actor Cary Grant (1904-1986).
Caryl f English
Variant of Carol 1.
Caryn f English
Variant of Karen 1.
Carys f Welsh
Derived from Welsh caru meaning "love". This is a relatively modern Welsh name, in common use only since the middle of the 20th century.
Casandra f Spanish, Romanian
Spanish and Romanian form of Cassandra.
Case m English (Modern)
Short form of Casey.
Casey m & f English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Cathasaigh, a patronymic derived from the given name Cathassach. This name can be given in honour of Casey Jones (1863-1900), a train engineer who sacrificed his life to save his passengers. In his case, Casey was a nickname acquired because he was raised in the town of Cayce, Kentucky.
Cash m English
From an English occupational surname for a box maker, derived from Norman French casse meaning "case", from Latin capsa. It coincides with the English word cash meaning "money" (derived from the same French and Latin roots). A famous bearer of the surname was American musician Johnny Cash (1932-2003).
Casimir m English, French
English form of the Polish name Kazimierz, derived from the Slavic element kaziti "to destroy" combined with mirŭ "peace, world". Four kings of Poland have borne this name, including Casimir III the Great, who greatly strengthened the Polish state in the 14th century. It was also borne Saint Casimir, a 15th-century Polish prince and a patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. The name was imported into Western Europe via Germany, where it was borne by some royalty.
Casimiro m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Casimir.
Cason m English (Modern)
An invented name, based on the sound of names such as Mason and Jason. It also coincides with the English surname Cason.
Cass f & m English
Short form of Cassandra, Cassidy and other names beginning with Cass.
Cassander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κάσσανδρος (Kassandros), the masculine form of Cassandra. This was the name of a 3rd-century BC king of Macedon.
Cassandra f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κασσάνδρα (Kassandra), possibly derived from κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.... [more]
Cassandre f French
French variant of Cassandra.
Cássia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Cassius.
Cassia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Cassius.
Cassian m Ancient Roman (Anglicized)
From the Roman family name Cassianus, which was derived from Cassius. This was the name of several saints, including a 3rd-century martyr from Tangier who is the patron saint of stenographers and a 5th-century mystic who founded a monastery in Marseille.
Cassianus m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Cassian.
Cassie f English
Diminutive of Cassandra and other names beginning with Cass.
Cássio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Cassius.
Cassio m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Cassius. This is the surname of Othello's lieutenant Michael Cassio in Shakespeare's tragedy Othello (1603).
Cassiopeia f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κασσιόπεια (Kassiopeia) or Κασσιέπεια (Kassiepeia), possibly meaning "cassia juice". In Greek myth Cassiopeia was the wife of Cepheus and the mother of Andromeda. She was changed into a constellation and placed in the northern sky after she died.
Cassius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin cassus meaning "empty, vain". This name was borne by several early saints. In modern times, it was the original first name of boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), who was named after his father Cassius Clay, who was himself named after the American abolitionist Cassius Clay (1810-1903).
Cassy f English
Diminutive of Cassandra and other names beginning with Cass.
Castor m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κάστωρ (Kastor), possibly related to κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning "to excel, to shine" (pluperfect κέκαστο). Alternatively it could be derived from the Greek word κάστωρ (kastor) meaning "beaver", though the legends about Castor do not mention beavers, which were foreign animals to the Greeks. In Greek myth Castor was a son of Zeus and the twin brother of Pollux. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.
Cat f & m English
Diminutive of Catherine. It can also be a nickname from the English word for the animal.
Cătălin m Romanian
Romanian masculine form of Katherine.
Cătălina f Romanian
Romanian form of Katherine.
Catalina f Spanish, Corsican
Spanish and Corsican form of Katherine.
Catarina f Portuguese, Occitan, Galician
Portuguese, Occitan and Galician form of Katherine.
Cate f English (Rare)
Variant of Kate. A famous bearer is Australian actress Cate Blanchett (1969-).
Cateline f Medieval French
Medieval French form of Katherine.
Catell m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Cadell.
Catello m Italian
Italian form of Catellus.
Catellus m Late Roman
Probably from Latin catulus meaning "young dog, puppy". Saint Catellus was a 9th-century bishop of Castellammare, Italy.
Caterina f Italian, Catalan
Italian and Catalan form of Katherine.
Catguocaun m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Cadwgan.
Cathair m Irish
Variant of Cathaoir.
Cathal m Irish, Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish cath "battle" and fal "rule". This was the name of a 7th-century Irish saint. It was also borne by several Irish kings. It has sometimes been Anglicized as Charles.
Cathalán m Old Irish
Diminutive of Cathal.
Cathán m Old Irish
Derived from Old Irish cath "battle" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Cathán was a 6th-century Irish monk, a missionary to the Isle of Bute.
Cathaoir m Irish (Rare)
Irish Gaelic form of Cahir.
Catharina f Dutch, Swedish
Dutch and Swedish form of Katherine.
Cathassach m Old Irish
Means "vigilant" in Irish.
Catherine f French, English
French form of Katherine, and also a common English variant.
Cathie f English
Diminutive of Catherine.
Cathrin f German
German short form of Katharina.
Cathrine f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Scandinavian contracted form of Katherine.
Cathy f English
Diminutive of Catherine.
Cátia f Portuguese
Diminutive of Catarina.
Catia f Italian
Italian diminutive of Caterina.
Catina f Romanian (Rare)
Contracted form of Cătălina.
Cato 1 m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen meaning "wise" in Latin. This name was bestowed upon Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato), a 2nd-century BC Roman statesman, author and censor, and was subsequently inherited by his descendants, including his great-grandson Cato the Younger (Marcus Porcius Cato Uticencis), a politician and philosopher who opposed Julius Caesar.
Cato 2 f Dutch
Diminutive of Catharina.
Catrin f Welsh, German
Welsh form of Katherine, as well as a German short form of Katharina.
Catrina f Scottish
Anglicized form of Caitrìona.
Catrine f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian contracted form of Katherine.
Catrinel f Romanian
Diminutive of Ecaterina.
Catriona f Irish, Scottish
Anglicized form of Caitríona (Irish) or Caitrìona (Scottish Gaelic).
Catuxa f Galician
Diminutive of Catarina.
Cavan m English
Either from the name of the Irish county, which is derived from Irish cabhán "hollow", or else from the Irish surname Cavan.
Cavid m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Javed.
Cayetana f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).
Cayetano m Spanish
Spanish form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).
Ceadda m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Chad.
Ceallach m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Cellach, of uncertain origin, traditionally said to mean "bright-headed". Alternatively it could be derived from Old Irish cellach "war, strife" or cell "church". This name was borne by several early Irish kings and by a 12th-century saint, an archbishop of Armagh.
Cearbhall m Irish
From Old Irish Cerball, probably from cerb meaning "pointed, sharp, cutting". This was the name of a few medieval Irish kings.
Cebrail m Turkish
Turkish form of Gabriel.
Cebrián m Spanish (Rare)
Spanish form of Cyprianus (see Cyprian).
Cece f English
Diminutive of Cecilia and other names containing a similar sound.
Cecelia f English
Variant of Cecilia.
Cecil m English
From the Roman name Caecilius. Though it was in use during the Middle Ages in England, it did not become common until the 19th century when it was given in honour of the noble Cecil family, who had been prominent since the 16th century. Their surname was derived from the Welsh given name Seisyll, which was derived from the Roman name Sextilius, a derivative of Sextus.
Cécile f French
French form of Cecilia.
Cécilia f French
French form of Cecilia.
Cecília f Portuguese, Catalan, Slovak, Hungarian
Portuguese, Catalan, Slovak and Hungarian form of Cecilia.
Cecilia f English, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Romanian, Finnish
Latinate feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, which was derived from Latin caecus meaning "blind". Saint Cecilia was a semi-legendary 2nd or 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she was beheaded. She was later regarded as the patron saint of music and musicians.... [more]
Cecílie f Czech
Czech form of Cecilia.
Cecilie f Norwegian, Danish, Czech
Norwegian and Danish form of Cecilia, as well as a Czech variant of Cecílie.
Cecilija f Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian
Slovene, Croatian and Sorbian form of Cecilia.
Cecílio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Caecilius.
Cecilio m Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Spanish and Italian form of Caecilius.
Cecily f English
English form of Cecilia. This was the usual English form during the Middle Ages.
Cecylia f Polish
Polish form of Cecilia.
Čedomir m Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian
Derived from Slavic čędo "child" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Cédric m French
French form of Cedric.
Cedric m English
Invented by Walter Scott for a character in his novel Ivanhoe (1819). Apparently he based it on the actual name Cerdic, the name of the semi-legendary founder of the kingdom of Wessex in the 6th century. The meaning of Cerdic is uncertain, but it does not appear to be Old English in origin. It could be connected to the Brythonic name Caratācos. The name was also used by Frances Hodgson Burnett for the main character in her novel Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886).
Ceel m Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Marcellus.
Cees m Dutch
Variant of Kees.
Ceferino m Spanish
Spanish form of Zephyrinus (see Zeferino).
Cefin m Welsh
Welsh form of Kevin.
Céibhfhionn f Irish Mythology
Means "fair-haired", from Old Irish ciab "locks, hair" and finn "white, blessed". In Irish legend this was the name of one of the three daughters of Bec mac Buain.
Ceinwen f Welsh
Derived from Welsh cain "good, lovely" and gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint also known as Cain or Keyne.
Céleste f & m French
French feminine and masculine form of Caelestis.
Celeste f & m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, English
Italian feminine and masculine form of Caelestis. It is also the Portuguese, Spanish and English feminine form.
Célestin m French
French form of Caelestinus.
Celestina f Spanish, Italian
Latinate feminine form of Caelestinus.
Célestine f French
French feminine form of Caelestinus.
Celestine f & m English
English form of Caelestinus. It is more commonly used as a feminine name, from the French feminine form Célestine.
Celestino m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Caelestinus.
Celestyn m Polish
Polish form of Caelestinus.
Celestyna f Polish
Polish feminine form of Caelestinus.
Célia f Portuguese, French
Portuguese and French form of Celia.
Cèlia f Catalan
Catalan form of Celia.
Celia f English, Spanish
Feminine form of the Roman family name Caelius. Shakespeare used it in his play As You Like It (1599), which introduced the name to the English-speaking public at large. It is sometimes used as a short form of Cecilia.
Celina f Polish, Portuguese, German
Feminine form of Caelinus. This name can also function as a short form of Marcelina.
Celinda f English (Rare)
Probably a blend of Celia and Linda. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
Céline f French
French feminine form of Caelinus. This name can also function as a short form of Marceline.
Celino m Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Italian and Spanish form of Caelinus or a short form of Marcelino.
Célio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Caelius.
Celio m Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Italian and Spanish form of Caelius.
Cellach m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Ceallach.
Cellachán m Old Irish
Diminutive of Cellach. This name was borne by a 10th-century king of Munster.
Celso m Portuguese, Galician, Spanish, Italian
Portuguese, Galician, Spanish and Italian form of Celsus.
Celsus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name meaning "tall" in Latin. This was the name of a 2nd-century philosopher who wrote against Christianity. It was also borne by an early saint martyred with Nazarius in Milan.
Cem m Turkish
Turkish form of Jam.
Čeněk m Czech
Diminutive of Vincenc.
Cenhelm m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Kenelm.
Cennétig m Old Irish
Old Irish byname meaning either "armoured head" or "misshapen head" (Old Irish cenn "head" and étiud "armour, clothing" or étig "ugly, misshapen"). This was the name of an Irish king, the father of Brian Boru.
Cenric m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English cene "bold" and ric "ruler, king".
Ċensu m Maltese
Maltese form of Vincent.
Ceolmund m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements ceol "keel" and mund "protection".
Cephalus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κέφαλος (Kephalos), which was derived from κεφαλή (kephale) meaning "head". In Greek legend he remained faithful to his wife Procris even though he was pursued by the goddess Eos.
Cephas m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Means "rock" in Aramaic. The apostle Simon was called Cephas by Jesus because he was to be the rock upon which the Christian church was to be built. In most versions of the New Testament Cephas is translated into Greek Πέτρος (Petros) (in English Peter).
Cepheus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κηφεύς (Kepheus), which is of unknown meaning. In Greek legend he was a king of Ethiopia, the husband of Cassiopeia. After he died he was made into a constellation and placed in the sky.
Cerball m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Cearbhall.
Cerberus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Κέρβερος (Kerberos), which possibly meant "spotted". In Greek myth this was the name of the three-headed dog that guarded the entrance to Hades.
Cerdic m Anglo-Saxon
Earlier form of Cedric, possibly of Brythonic origin.
Ceres f Roman Mythology
Derived from the Indo-European root *ker- meaning "grow, increase". In Roman mythology Ceres was the goddess of agriculture, equivalent to the Greek goddess Demeter.
Ceri f & m Welsh
Meaning uncertain. It could come from the name of the Ceri River in Ceredigion, Wales; it could be a short form of Ceridwen; it could be derived from Welsh caru meaning "to love".
Cernunnos m Gaulish Mythology (Latinized)
Means "great horned one", from Celtic *karnos "horn" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on. This was the name of the Celtic god of fertility, animals, wealth, and the underworld. He was usually depicted having antlers, and was identified with the Roman god Mercury.
Cerys f Welsh
Variant of Carys.
César m French, Spanish, Portuguese
French, Spanish and Portuguese form of Caesar. A famous bearer was the American labour organizer César Chávez (1927-1993).
Cesare m Italian
Italian form of Caesar.
Cesária f Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese feminine form of Caesarius.
Cesarina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Cesare.
Cesarino m Italian
Diminutive of Cesare.
Cesário m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Caesarius.
Cesc m Catalan
Short form of Francesc.
Čestmír m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements čĭstĭ "honour" and měrŭ "great, famous" or mirŭ "peace, world".
Cevahir f & m Turkish
Turkish form of Jawahir.
Ceyhun m Turkish, Azerbaijani
From Arabic جيحون (Jayḥūn), from Hebrew גִּיחוֹן (Giḥon), which in the Old Testament is a river originating in the Garden of Eden. The river's name itself is derived from Hebrew גִּיחַ (giyaḥ) meaning "to burst forth". In Islamic tradition it is identified with the Amu Darya, a river in central Asia.
Cézar m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese variant of César.
Cezar m Romanian, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Romanian form of Caesar, as well as a Brazilian Portuguese variant of César.
Cezara f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of Caesar.
Cezário m Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Brazilian Portuguese variant of Cesário.
Cezary m Polish
Polish form of Caesar.
Chaac m Mayan Mythology
From Classic Maya cháak meaning "rain". This was the name of the Maya god of the rain and storms.
Chad m English
From the Old English name Ceadda, which is of unknown meaning, possibly based on Old Welsh cat "battle". This was the name of a 7th-century English saint. Borne primarily by Catholics, it was a rare name until the 1960s when it started to become more common amongst the general population. This is also the name of a country in Africa, though it originates from a different source.
Chadwick m English
From a surname that was derived from the name of towns in England, meaning "settlement belonging to Chad" in Old English.
Chaggai m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Haggai.
Chaggit f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Haggith.
Chaim m Hebrew
Derived from the Hebrew word חַיִּים (chayim) meaning "life". It has been used since medieval times.
Chalchiuhtlicue f Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "jade skirt" in Nahuatl, from chālchiuhtli "jade, precious stone" and cuēitl "skirt". This was the name of the Aztec goddess of water and rivers, the wife of Tlaloc.
Chaleb m Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Caleb used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Chalkis f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek χαλκός (chalkos) meaning "copper, bronze". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a naiad, said to be the namesake of the city of Chalkis on Euboia.
Cham m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Ham.
Chan m & f Khmer
Means "moon" in Khmer, ultimately from Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra).
Chana f Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Hannah.
Chanaan m Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin
Greek and Latin form of Canaan.
Chanah f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַנָּה (see Chana).
Chanan m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Hanan 1.
Chandan m Hindi, Bengali, Odia
Derived from Sanskrit चन्दन (candana) meaning "sandalwood".
Chandana f & m Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Bengali, Sinhalese
Feminine form of Chandan, as well as the Sinhala masculine form.
Chander m Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi चन्द्र or चन्द्रा (see Chandra).
Chandra m & f Hinduism, Bengali, Assamese, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Nepali
Means "moon" in Sanskrit, derived from चन्द (cand) meaning "to shine". This is a transcription of both the masculine form चण्ड (the god of the moon personified) as well as the feminine form चण्डा (spelled with a long final vowel).
Chandrakant m Marathi, Hindi
Means "beloved by the moon", derived from Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra) meaning "moon" and कान्त (kānta) meaning "desired, beloved". This is another name for the moonstone.
Chandrakanta f Hindi
Feminine form of Chandrakant.
Chandrashekhar m Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Odia
Means "crown of the moon", derived from Sanskrit चन्द्र (candra) meaning "moon" and शेखर (śekhara) meaning "crest, peak, crown". This is an epithet of the Hindu god Shiva.
Channa f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Hannah.
Channary f Khmer
Means "moon-faced girl" from Khmer ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".
Chanokh m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Enoch.
Chara f Greek
Means "happiness, joy" in Greek.
Charalambos m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Χαράλαμπος (see Charalampos).
Charalampos m Greek
Means "to shine from happiness" from Greek χαρά (chara) meaning "happiness" combined with λάμπω (lampo) meaning "to shine".
Chares m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness". This was the name of a 4th-century BC Athenian general. It was also borne by the sculptor who crafted the Colossus of Rhodes.
Charibert m Germanic
Old German (Frankish) variant of Haribert. This name was borne by two Merovingian kings of the Franks (6th and 7th centuries).
Charikleia f Greek, Ancient Greek
From Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This is the name of the heroine of the 3rd-century novel Aethiopica, about the love between Charikleia and Theagenes, written by Heliodorus of Emesa.