Ancient Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Ancient.
gender
usage
origin
Hansel m Literature
Anglicized form of Hänsel. This is the name of a boy in a German fairy tale, recorded in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm with the title Hänsel und Gretel. In the tale Hansel and his sister Gretel are abandoned in the woods by their parents, then taken captive by a witch.
Hans-Günter m German
Combination of Hans and Günter.
Hans-Günther m German
Combination of Hans and Günther.
Hansjörg m German
Combination of Hans and Jörg.
Hans-Jürgen m German
Combination of Hans and Jürgen.
Hans-Peter m German
Combination of Hans and Peter.
Hanspeter m German
Combination of Hans and Peter.
Hanuš m Czech
Czech form of Hannes.
Haoua f Western African
Form of Hawa used in parts of French-influenced West Africa.
Hapi m Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Apis.
Haralambi m Bulgarian
Bulgarian variant of Charalampos.
Haralampi m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Charalampos.
Harald m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German
Scandinavian and German cognate of Harold, from the Old Norse elements herr and valdr and the Old German elements heri and walt. This was the name of several kings of Norway and Denmark.
Haraldr m Old Norse
Old Norse cognate of Harold.
Haralds m Latvian
Latvian form of Harold.
Haraldur m Icelandic
Icelandic cognate of Harold.
Haran m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Possibly means "hill, mountain" in Hebrew. This is the name of the brother of Abraham and father of Lot in the Old Testament.
Hardeep m Indian (Sikh)
From the name of the Hindu god Hari and Sanskrit दीप (dīpa) meaning "lamp, light".
Harding m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Heard. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).
Hardman m Germanic
Old German form of Hartmann.
Hardmod m Germanic
Old German form of Hartmut.
Hardwic m Germanic
Old German variant of Hartwig.
Hardwin m Germanic
Old German form of Hartwin.
Hardy 1 m English
From a surname that was derived from Middle English hardi "bold, hardy".
Hardy 2 m German
Diminutive of names containing the Old German element hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Harel m Hebrew
Means "altar, mountain of God" in Hebrew. In the Hebrew Bible this word is applied to the altar in the temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 43:15).
Harendra m Hindi
Combination of the names of the Hindu gods Hari (referring to Vishnu) and Indra.
Hari m Hinduism, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali
Means "brown, yellow, tawny" in Sanskrit, and by extension "monkey, horse, lion". This is another name of the Hindu god Vishnu, and sometimes of his avatar Krishna. In this context it is sometimes considered a derivative of Sanskrit हृ (hṛ) meaning "to take away", referring to the removal of sins.
Haribert m Germanic
Old German form of Herbert.
Hariman m Germanic
Old German form of Herman.
Harinder m & f Indian (Sikh)
Variant of Harendra used by Sikhs.
Haris 2 m & f Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Χάρης or Χάρις (see Charis).
Harish m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
From the name Hari (an epithet of Vishnu) combined with Sanskrit ईश (īśa) meaning "lord".
Harisha m & f Kannada, Telugu
Variant and feminine form of Harish.
Hariwald m Germanic
Old German form of Harold.
Hariwini m Germanic
Old German form of Erwin.
Harjaberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Haribert.
Harjamannô m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Herman.
Harjawaldaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Hereweald, Haraldr and Hariwald.
Harlan m English
From a surname that was from a place name meaning "hare land" in Old English. In America it has sometimes been given in honour of Supreme Court justice John Marshall Harlan (1833-1911).
Harland m English
From a surname that was a variant of Harlan.
Harley m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English hara "hare" or hær "rock, heap of stones" and leah "woodland, clearing". An American name for boys since the 19th century, it began to be used for girls after a character with the name began appearing on the soap opera Guiding Light in 1987.
Harlow f & m English
From an English surname derived from a place name, itself derived from Old English hær "rock, heap of stones" or here "army", combined with hlaw "hill". As a name for girls, it received some attention in 2008 when the American celebrity Nicole Richie used it for her daughter.
Harm m Dutch
Dutch short form of Herman.
Harmon m English
From a surname that was derived from the given name Herman.
Harmonia f Greek Mythology
Means "harmony, agreement" in Greek. She was the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, given by Zeus to Cadmus to be his wife.
Harold m English
From the Old English name Hereweald, derived from the elements here "army" and weald "powerful, mighty". The Old Norse cognate Haraldr was also common among Scandinavian settlers in England. This was the name of five kings of Norway and three kings of Denmark. It was also borne by two kings of England, both of whom were from mixed Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon backgrounds, including Harold II who lost the Battle of Hastings (and was killed in it), which led to the Norman Conquest. After the conquest the name died out, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century.
Haroldo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Harold.
Haron m Eastern African
Variant of Harun found in East Africa.
Haroon m Urdu
Urdu form of Harun.
Haroun m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هارون (see Harun).
Harouna m Western African
Form of Harun used in parts of West Africa.
Harpreet m & f Indian (Sikh)
From the name of the Hindu god Hari and Sanskrit प्रीति (prīti) meaning "pleasure, joy, love".
Harri m Finnish, Estonian, Welsh
Finnish, Estonian and Welsh form of Harry.
Harriet f English
English form of Henriette, and thus a feminine form of Harry. It was first used in the 17th century, becoming very common in the English-speaking world by the 18th century. Famous bearers include the Americans Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and the abolitionist Harriet Tubman (1820-1913).
Harriett f English
Variant of Harriet.
Harris m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Harry.
Harrison m English
From an English surname that meant "son of Harry". This was the surname of two American presidents, William Henry Harrison (1773-1841) and his grandson Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901). As a given name it reached a low point in America in 1977 before it was revived by the career of actor Harrison Ford (1942-), who starred in such movies as Star Wars in 1977 and Indiana Jones in 1984.
Harry m English
Medieval English form of Henry. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both Henry and names beginning with Har. Famous bearers include the American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), who was named after his uncle Harrison, and the British royal Prince Harry (1984-), who is actually named Henry. It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Harsh m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Modern northern Indian form of Harsha.
Harsha m Kannada, Telugu, Sanskrit
Means "happiness" in Sanskrit. Harsha (or Harṣa, also called Harshavardhana) was a 7th-century emperor of northern India. He was also noted as an author.
Harshad m Hindi, Marathi
Derived from Sanskrit हर्ष (harṣa) meaning "happiness".
Harshada f Hindi, Marathi
Feminine form of Harshad.
Harshal m Marathi, Gujarati
Derived from Sanskrit हर्ष (harṣa) meaning "happiness".
Harta m Indonesian
Means "wealth, treasure, property" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit अर्थ (artha).
Hartley m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English heorot "hart, male deer" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Hartmann m German (Rare)
Means "brave man", derived from the Old German element hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" combined with man.
Hartmut m German, Germanic
Means "brave mind", derived from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and muot "mind, spirit". This is the kidnapper of Gudrun in the medieval German epic Kudrun.
Hartwig m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and wig "battle".
Hartwin m German (Rare), Germanic
Means "brave friend" from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and wini "friend".
Harun m Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian, Indonesian, Malay, Bengali
Arabic form of Aaron. Harun ar-Rashid was a 9th-century Abbasid caliph featured in the stories of The 1001 Nights.
Haruna 2 m Hausa, Fula
Hausa and Fula form of Harun.
Hasdrubal m Phoenician (Latinized), History
Means "Ba'al helps", derived from Phoenician 𐤏𐤆𐤓 (ʿazru) meaning "to help" combined with the name of the god Ba'al. This name was borne by several figures from Carthaginian history, including the 3rd-century BC general Hasdrubal Barca (brother of Hannibal) who fought in the Second Punic War.
Haskel m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of Ezekiel.
Hasse m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Hans.
Hasso m German, Germanic
Germanic name, possibly referring to a member of the Germanic tribe of the Hessians, called the Chatti in antiquity.
Hathor f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ḥwt-ḥrw (reconstructed as Hut-Heru) meaning "the house of Horus", derived from Egyptian ḥwt "house" combined with the god Horus. In Egyptian mythology she was the goddess of love, often depicted with the head of a cow.
Haþufuns m Gothic (Hypothetical)
Derived from the Gothic elements haþus "battle, combat" and funs "ready" (see also Alfonso).
Hatshepsut f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian ḥꜣt-špswt meaning "foremost of noble women". This was the name of a pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (15th century BC), among the first women to take this title.
Hattie f English
Diminutive of Harriet.
Hatty f English
Diminutive of Harriet.
Hauke m Frisian, German
Frisian short form of Old German given names containing the element hugu meaning "mind, thought, spirit".
Haul m Welsh (Rare)
Means "sun" in Welsh. This is a modern Welsh name.
Haurvatat f Persian Mythology
Means "health, perfection, wholeness" in Avestan. This was the name of a Zoroastrian goddess (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with health and water. She was often mentioned with Ameretat.
Hauwa f Hausa
Hausa form of Hawa.
Hauwa'u f Hausa
Hausa form of Hawa.
Hava f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַוָּה (see Chava).
Håvard m Norwegian
Norwegian form of Hávarðr.
Hávarðr m Old Norse
From the Old Norse element hár "high" or hǫð "battle, combat" combined with vǫrðr "guard, guardian".
Havel m Czech (Rare), Slovak (Rare)
Czech and Slovak form of Gallus.
Havryil m Ukrainian (Rare)
Ukrainian form of Gabriel.
Həvva f Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Eve (via Arabic Ḥawāʾ).
Havva f Turkish
Turkish form of Eve (via Arabic Ḥawāʾ).
Hawa f Arabic, Swahili
Arabic form of Eve.
Hawise f Medieval English
English form of a medieval French name appearing in various spellings such as Haueis or Haouys, which were derived from Hadewidis. The name was borne by a number of Norman and Anglo-Norman noblewomen from the 11th to 13th centuries.
Haxamanish m Old Persian
Old Persian form of Achaemenes.
Hayat f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu
Means "life" in Arabic, from حيي (ḥayiya) meaning "to live". In Arabic and Persian it is a feminine name, while in Urdu it is masculine.
Hayden m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from place names meaning either "hay valley" or "hay hill", derived from Old English heg "hay" and denu "valley" or dun "hill". Its popularity at the end of the 20th century was due to the sound it shared with other trendy names of the time, such as Braden and Aidan.
Hayes m English
From a surname, either Hayes 1 or Hayes 2. It was borne by American president Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893).
Hayim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).
Hayley f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town (meaning "hay clearing" from Old English heg "hay" and leah "clearing"). It was brought to public attention as a given name, especially in the United Kingdom, by the British child actress Hayley Mills (1946-).... [more]
Haywood m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "fenced wood" in Old English.
Hayyim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).
Hazael m Biblical
Means "God sees" in Hebrew, from חָזָה (ḥaza) meaning "to see" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of a king of Aram in the Old Testament.
Haze m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Hayes, sometimes used as a short form of Hazel.
Heard m Anglo-Saxon
Short form of various Old English names containing the element heard meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Heath m English
From an English surname that denoted one who lived on a heath. It was popularized as a given name by the character Heath Barkley from the 1960s television series The Big Valley.
Heaven f English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word meaning "paradise". It is derived via Middle English hevene from Old English heofon "sky".
Heavenly f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "of the heavens, celestial, divine".
Hebe f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥβη (hebe) meaning "youth". In Greek mythology Hebe was the daughter of Zeus and Hera. She was a goddess of youth who acted as the cupbearer to the gods.
Hebel m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew הֶבֶל (see Hevel).
Heber 1 m Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of Éibhear.
Heber 2 m Biblical
Means "comrade" in Hebrew, derived from the root חָבַר (ḥavar) meaning "to join". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a great-grandson of Jacob and also by the husband of Jael.
Heber 3 m Biblical
Form of Eber used in some versions of the New Testament (in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke).
Hecate f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Ἑκάτη (Hekate), possibly derived from ἑκάς (hekas) meaning "far off". In Greek mythology Hecate was a goddess associated with witchcraft, crossroads, tombs, demons and the underworld.
Heck m Scottish
Scottish short form of Hector.
Heckie m Scottish
Scottish diminutive of Hector.
Héctor m Spanish
Spanish form of Hector.
Hèctor m Catalan
Catalan form of Hector.
Hector m English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Arthurian Cycle
Latinized form of Greek Ἕκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from ἕκτωρ (hektor) meaning "holding fast", ultimately from ἔχω (echo) meaning "to hold, to possess". In Greek legend Hector was one of the Trojan champions who fought against the Greeks. After he killed Achilles' friend Patroclus in battle, he was himself brutally slain by Achilles, who proceeded to tie his dead body to a chariot and drag it about. This name also appears in Arthurian legends where it belongs to King Arthur's foster father.... [more]
Hecuba f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἑκάβη (Hekabe), which is of uncertain meaning. According to Greek mythology this was the name of the primary wife of King Priam of Troy. By him she was the mother of Hector, Paris, Cassandra and many others.
Hedda f Norwegian, Swedish
Diminutive of Hedvig. This is the name of the heroine of the play Hedda Gabler (1890) by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen.
Heddwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh hedd "peace" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name has been given in honour of the poet Ellis Humphrey Evans (1887-1917), who used Hedd Wyn as his bardic name.
Hédi 1 f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Hedvig.
Hedley m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather clearing" in Old English.
Hedvig f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Scandinavian, Finnish and Hungarian form of Hedwig.
Hedviga f Slovak
Slovak form of Hedwig.
Hedvika f Czech, Slovene
Czech and Slovene form of Hedwig.
Hedwig f German, Dutch
From the Old German name Hadewig, derived from the Old German elements hadu "battle, combat" and wig "war". This was the name of a 13th-century German saint, the wife of the Polish duke Henry the Bearded. It was subsequently borne by a 14th-century Polish queen (usually known by her Polish name Jadwiga) who is now also regarded as a saint.
Hedy f German, Dutch
Diminutive of Hedwig.
Hefin m Welsh
Means "summer" in Welsh, a poetic form of Haf.
Hefina f Welsh
Feminine form of Hefin.
Hege f Norwegian
Norwegian diminutive of Helga.
Heida f German
German diminutive of Adelheid.
Heide f German
German diminutive of Adelheid. It also coincides with the German word meaning "heath".
Heidemarie f German
Combination of Heide and Marie.
Heidi f German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, English
German diminutive of Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.
Heidrich m Germanic
Derived from the Old German element (possibly) heida "heath, heather" combined with rih "ruler, king".
Heidrun f Norse Mythology, German
Derived from Old Norse heiðr meaning "bright, clear" and rún meaning "secret lore, rune". In Norse mythology this was the name of a goat that would eat the leaves from the tree of life and produce mead in her udder.
Heike f & m Low German, German
Low German diminutive of Henrike or Henrik.
Heiki m Estonian
Estonian form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Heikki m Finnish
Finnish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Heiko m Low German, German, Frisian
Low German and Frisian diminutive of Henrik.
Heilfrid m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements heil "healthy, whole" and fridu "peace".
Heilwig f German (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements heil "healthy, whole" and wig "war".
Heilyn m Welsh Mythology
Means "winebearer, dispenser" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi he was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's invasion of Ireland.
Heimdall m Norse Mythology
From Old Norse Heimdallr, derived from Old Norse heimr "home, house" and dallr, possibly meaning "glowing, shining". In Norse mythology he is the god who guards the Bifröst, the bridge that connects Asgard to the other worlds. It is foretold that he will blow the Gjallarhorn to wake the gods for the final battle at the end of the world, Ragnarök. During this battle, he will fight Loki and they will slay one another.
Heimdallr m Norse Mythology
Old Norse form of Heimdall.
Heimir m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
From Old Norse heimr meaning "home" (a cognate of Hama). In the Völsungasaga he is a king of Hlymdalir.
Heimirich m Germanic
Old German form of Henry.
Hein 1 m Dutch
Short form of Hendrik.
Heiner m German
Diminutive of Heinrich.
Heino m German, Finnish, Estonian
German form of Haimo (see Hamo).
Heinrich m German, Germanic
German form of Henry. This was the name of several German kings.
Heinrike f German (Rare)
Feminine form of Heinrich.
Heintje f & m Dutch
Feminine and masculine diminutive of Hendrik.
Heinz m German
Diminutive of Heinrich.
Heiðrún f Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Heidrun.
Heitor m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Hector.
Hekabe f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hecuba.
Hekate f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hecate.
Hektor m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hector.
Hel f Norse Mythology
In Norse mythology this was the name of the daughter of Loki. She got her name from the underworld, also called Hel, where she ruled, which meant "to conceal, to cover" in Old Norse (related to the English word hell).
Heleen f Dutch
Dutch variant of Helen.
Heleena f Finnish
Finnish variant of Helena.
Heleentje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Helen.
Helen f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.... [more]
Heléna f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Helen.
Helēna f Latvian
Latvian form of Helen.
Helena f German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Portuguese, Catalan, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Sorbian, English, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinate form of Helen. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Hélène f French
French form of Helen.
Helene f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Helen, as well as the modern Scandinavian and German form.
Helenka f Czech, Polish
Czech and Polish diminutive of Helena.
Helfried m German
Modern German form of Heilfrid, also a variant of Helmfried.
Helge m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German, Finnish
From the Old Norse name Helgi, derived from heilagr meaning "holy, blessed".
Helgi m Icelandic, Old Norse
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Helge.
Heli 1 m Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Eli 1 used in the Old and New Testament. This form of the name is used in most English versions of the New Testament to refer to the father of Joseph (husband of Mary) in the genealogy in the Gospel of Luke.
Heli 2 f Finnish, Estonian
Diminutive of Helena. In Estonian this coincides with the word heli meaning "sound".
Hélia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Helios.
Helias m Biblical Latin
Latin form of Elijah used in some versions of the Vulgate.
Helihel m Biblical Latin
Form of Eliel used in the Vulgate.
Hélio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Helios.
Helio m Spanish
Spanish form of Helios.
Heliodoro m Spanish, Portuguese
From the Greek name Ἡλιόδωρος (Heliodoros), derived from the elements ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Heliodoro was a 4th-century bishop of Altino.
Helios m Greek Mythology
Means "sun" in Greek. This was the name of the young Greek sun god, a Titan, who rode across the sky each day in a chariot pulled by four horses. His sister was the moon goddess Selene.
Helka f Finnish
Finnish variant of Helga.
Hella f German, Danish
Diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Helladius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Late Greek name Ἑλλάδιος (Helladios), which was derived from Ἑλλάδος (Hellados) meaning "of Greece". Saint Helladius was a 7th-century archbishop of Toledo.
Helle 1 f Danish, Norwegian, Estonian
Danish diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Helle 2 f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Helle was the daughter of Athamus and Nephele. She and her brother Phrixus escaped sacrifice by fleeing on the back of a golden ram, but during their flight she fell off and drowned in the strait that connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara, which was thereafter called the Hellespont ("the sea of Helle").
Hellen f English
Variant of Helen.
Helma f German, Dutch
Short form of Wilhelmina.
Helmfrid m Germanic
Old German form of Helmfried.
Helmfried m German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements helm "helmet" and fridu "peace".
Helmi f Finnish, Swedish
Diminutive of Vilhelmiina or Vilhelmina. It also means "pearl" in Finnish.
Helmine f German
Short form of Wilhelmine.
Helmo m Germanic
Short form of Germanic names that began with the element helm meaning "helmet, protection" (Proto-Germanic *helmaz).
Helmold m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements helm "helmet" and walt "power, authority".
Helmut m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element helm "helmet" (or perhaps heil "healthy, whole") combined with muot "mind, spirit".
Helmuth m German
Variant of Helmut.
Heloísa f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Eloise.
Héloïse f French
French form of Eloise.
Helvi f Finnish
Finnish vernacular form of Hedvig.
Helvia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Helvius.
Helvius m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from either Latin helvus meaning "honey-yellow, blond" or from the name of the Helvii, a Celtic tribe who lived west of the Rhône river. Gaius Helvius Cinna was a Roman poet of the 1st century BC.
Hema f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada
Means "golden" in Sanskrit.
Hemera f Greek Mythology
Means "day" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified the daytime. According to Hesiod she was the daughter of Nyx, the personification of the night.
Hemi m Maori
Maori form of James.
Hemingr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Hemming.
Hemming m Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare), Danish (Rare)
Perhaps derived from Old Norse hamr "shape", and possibly originally a nickname for a person believed to be a shape changer.
Henadz m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Gennadius.
Henda f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of Hannah.
Hendel f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Hannah.
Henderson m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "son of Henry".
Hendrick m Dutch (Archaic)
Dutch variant of Hendrik.
Hendricus m Dutch
Variant of Henricus.
Hendrik m Dutch, German, Estonian
Dutch and Estonian cognate of Heinrich (see Henry).
Hendrika f Dutch
Feminine form of Hendrik.
Hendrikje f Dutch
Feminine form of Hendrik.
Hendrikus m Dutch
Variant of Henricus.
Hendrina f Dutch
Feminine form of Hendrik.
Hendrix m English (Modern)
From a Dutch surname that was derived from the given name Hendrik. A famous bearer of the surname was the American rock musician Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970).
Hendry m Scots
Scots form of Henry.
Hene f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of Hannah.
Hengist m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Means "stallion" in Old English or Old Saxon. According to medieval histories (recorded by Bede in the 8th century), Hengist and his brother Horsa were the leaders of the first Saxon settlers in Britain. Hengist established a kingdom in Kent in the 5th century.
Henk m Dutch
Dutch short form of Hendrik.
Henna f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Hennadiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Gennadius.
Hennie m & f Dutch
Dutch diminutive and feminine form of Hendrik.
Henny f & m Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Diminutive of Henriette, Hendrika and other names containing hen. In Dutch it can also be masculine as a diminutive of Hendrik.
Henri m French, Finnish
French form of Heinrich (see Henry). A notable bearer was the French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954).
Henrich m Slovak
Slovak form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henricus m Germanic (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of Heinrich. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Hendrik is typically used in daily life.
Henrietta f English, Hungarian, Finnish, Swedish
Latinate form of Henriette. It was introduced to England by Henriette Marie, the wife of the 17th-century English king Charles I. The name Henriette was also Anglicized as Harriet, a form that was initially more popular.
Henriëtte f Dutch
Dutch form of Henriette.
Henriette f French, German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian
French feminine diminutive of Henri.
Henriikka f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henrik m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Low German, German, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Armenian
Form of Heinrich (see Henry) in several languages. A famous bearer was the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906).
Henrika f Lithuanian, Swedish (Rare)
Lithuanian and Swedish feminine form of Henrik.
Henrikas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henrike f German
German feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henrikki m Finnish
Finnish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henrique m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Heinrich (see Henry). This was the name of a 15th-century Portuguese naval explorer (known as Henry the Navigator in English).
Henry m English
From the Germanic name Heimirich meaning "home ruler", composed of the elements heim "home" and rih "ruler". It was later commonly spelled Heinrich, with the spelling altered due to the influence of other Germanic names like Haganrich, in which the first element is hag "enclosure".... [more]
Henryk m Polish
Polish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henryka f Polish
Polish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henye f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of Hannah.
Heorhiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of George.
Hephaestus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἥφαιστος (Hephaistos), meaning unknown. It probably shares its origin with the Minoan city of Φαιστός (Phaistos), which is of Pre-Greek origin. In Greek mythology Hephaestus was the god of fire and forging, the husband of the unfaithful Aphrodite. It was said that when he was born Hera, his mother, was so displeased with his physical deformities that she hurled him off the top of Mount Olympus.
Hephzibah f Biblical
From the Hebrew name חֶףְצִי־בָּה (Ḥeftsi-ba) meaning "my delight is in her". In the Old Testament she is the wife of King Hezekiah of Judah and the mother of Manasseh. The meaning of her name is explained in Isaiah 62:4.
Hera f Greek Mythology
Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.
Heracles m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Herakles. However, the spelling used by the Romans was Hercules.
Heraclio m Spanish
Spanish form of Heraclius.
Heraclitus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἡράκλειτος (Herakleitos) meaning "glory of Hera", derived from the name of the goddess Hera combined with κλειτός (kleitos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 6th-century BC Greek philosopher from Ephesus.
Heraclius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek personal name Ἡράκλειος (Herakleios), which was derived from the name of the Greek hero Herakles. This was the name of a 7th-century Byzantine emperor, known for his victories over the Sasanian Persian Empire. This name was also borne by two early saints.
Herais f Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek personal name that was probably derived from the name of the Greek goddess Hera. It was borne by a saint and martyr from Alexandria who was killed during the early 4th-century persecutions of the Roman emperor Diocletian.
Herakleides m Ancient Greek
Means "son of Herakles" in Greek, derived from the name of the mythic hero Herakles combined with the patronymic suffix ἴδης (ides). This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek astronomer who theorized the rotation of the earth.
Herakles m Greek Mythology
Means "glory of Hera" from the name of the goddess Hera combined with Greek κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a hero in Greek and Roman mythology, the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Alcmene. After being driven insane by Hera and killing his own children, Herakles completed twelve labours in order to atone for his crime and become immortal.
Herb m English
Short form of Herbert.
Herbert m English, German, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, French
Derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and beraht "bright". It was borne by two Merovingian Frankish kings, usually called Charibert. The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Herebeorht. In the course of the Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.... [more]
Herberto m Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Herbert.
Herbie m English
Diminutive of Herbert.
Hercule m French
French form of Hercules. It was used by the British writer Agatha Christie for the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, the protagonist in many of her mystery novels (debuting 1920).
Hereward m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements here "army" and weard "guard". This was the name of an 11th-century Anglo-Saxon leader who rebelled against Norman rule.
Hereweald m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Harold.
Heribert m German
German form of Herbert.
Heriberto m Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Herbert.
Herk m Various (Rare)
Short form of Hercules or other similar names.
Herkus m Lithuanian
Short form of Henrikas.
Herleif f & m Old Norse, Norwegian (Rare)
Old Norse feminine form and modern Scandinavian masculine form of Herleifr.
Herleifr m Old Norse
Derived from the Old Norse elements herr "army, warrior" and leif "inheritance, legacy".
Herleva f Germanic (Latinized)
Possibly from the Old German elements heri "army" and leiba "remainder, remnant, legacy" (or the Old Norse cognates herr and leif, see Herleif). This was the name of the mother of William the Conqueror, who, according to tradition, was a commoner.
Hermagoras m Ancient Greek
From the name of the messenger god Hermes combined with Greek ἀγορά (agora) meaning "assembly, marketplace". Saint Hermagoras (3rd century) was the first bishop of Aquileia in Italy.
Heřman m Czech
Czech form of Herman.
Herman m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Slovene, Germanic
Means "army man", derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and man "person, man". It was introduced to England by the Normans, died out, and was revived in the English-speaking world in the 19th century. It was borne by an 18th-century Russian missionary to Alaska who is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, though in his case the name is an alternate transcription of German. Another famous bearer was the American writer Herman Melville (1819-1891), the author of Moby-Dick.
Hermann m German
German form of Herman. A famous bearer was the German author Hermann Hesse (1877-1962).
Hermanni m Finnish
Finnish form of Herman.