Ancient Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Ancient.
gender
usage
origin
Lo-Ruhamah f Biblical
Means "not loved, not pitied" in Hebrew, from לֹא (lo) meaning "not" and רָחַם (raḥam) meaning "to pity, to love". In the Old Testament the prophet Hosea was told by God, who was displeased with the people of Israel, to name his daughter this.
Lot 1 m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "covering, veil" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a nephew of Abraham. Before Sodom was destroyed by God, he was directed to flee the city without looking back. However, his wife looked back on the destruction and was turned into a pillar of salt.
Lot 2 m Arthurian Cycle
From the name of the region of Lothian in southern Scotland, of unknown meaning. A king of Lothian by this name appears in early Latin and Welsh texts (as Leudonus and Lewdwn respectively). He was inserted into Arthurian legend by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, who makes him the father of Gawain.
Lot 3 f Dutch
Short form of Charlotte or Liselotte.
Lotario m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Lothar.
Lothair m History
English form of Lothar.
Lothaire m French
French form of Lothar.
Lothar m German, Germanic
From the Germanic name Hlothar meaning "famous army", derived from the elements hlut "famous, loud" and heri "army". This was the name of medieval Frankish rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and France. It was also borne by four earlier Merovingian kings of the Franks, though their names are usually spelled as Chlothar.
Lotta f Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Charlotta.
Lou f & m English, French
Short form of Louise or Louis. Famous bearers include the baseball player Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) and the musician Lou Reed (1942-2013).
Louane f French
Combination of Lou and Anne 1.
Louella f English
Combination of Lou and the popular name suffix ella.
Loui m Swedish, Danish
Swedish and Danish variant of Louie.
Louie m English
Diminutive of Louis.
Louis m French, English, Dutch
French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of Charlemagne. Others include Louis IX (Saint Louis) who led two crusades and Louis XIV (called the Sun King) who was the ruler of France during the height of its power, the builder of the Palace of Versailles, and the longest reigning monarch in the history of Europe. It was also borne by kings of Germany (as Ludwig), Hungary (as Lajos), and other places.... [more]
Louisa f English, German, Dutch
Latinate feminine form of Louis. A famous bearer was the American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), the author of Little Women.
Louise f French, English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Louis.
Louisette f French
Diminutive of Louise.
Louison f & m French
French diminutive of both Louise and Louis.
Louiza f Greek
Greek feminine form of Louis.
Louka m French (Modern)
French form of Luca 1.
Loukas m Biblical Greek, Greek
Original Greek form of Luke.
Loup m French
French form of the Roman name Lupus meaning "wolf". Lupus was the name of several early saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Troyes who apparently convinced Attila to spare the city.
Lourenço m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lourens m Frisian, Dutch
Frisian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Louwis m Walloon
Walloon form of Louis.
Lova f Swedish
Short form of Lovisa.
Love 1 m Swedish
Swedish form of Louis.
Love 2 f English
Simply from the English word love, derived from Old English lufu.
Lovel m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.
Lovell m English
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.
Loviisa f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Louis.
Loviise f Estonian
Estonian feminine form of Louis.
Lovis f Swedish
Variant of Lovisa.
Lovisa f Swedish
Swedish feminine form of Louis.
Lovise f Norwegian
Norwegian feminine form of Louis.
Lovre m Croatian
Short form of Lovrenco.
Lovrenc m Slovene
Slovene form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lovrenco m Croatian (Rare)
Croatian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lovro m Slovene, Croatian
Short form of Lovrenc.
Lowe m Swedish
Variant of Love 1.
Lowell m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman French nickname, from lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).
Lowie m Dutch
Dutch form of Louis.
Lowri f Welsh
Welsh form of Laura.
m Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Lugh.
Lúa f Galician
Galician form of Luna.
Luann f English
Either a combination of Lou and Ann or a variant of Luana. It was popularized in the 1950s by the singer Lu Ann Simms (1933-2003).
Luanna f English (Rare)
Either a combination of Lou and Anna or a variant of Luana.
Luanne f English
Variant of Luann.
Ľuba f Slovak
Slovak form of Ljuba.
Luba f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Ukrainian Люба (see Lyuba).
Lubbert m Dutch
Dutch form of the Old German name Leutbert, derived from the elements liut "people" and beraht "bright". Liutbert (or Liutpert) was an 8th-century Lombard king.
Luben m Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Любен (see Lyuben).
Ľubica f Slovak
Slovak form of Ljubica.
Ľubomír m Slovak
Slovak form of Lubomír.
Lubomír m Czech
Derived from the Slavic elements ľuby "love" and mirŭ "peace, world".
Lubomir m Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Bulgarian Любомир (see Lyubomir).
Ľubomíra f Slovak
Slovak feminine form of Lubomír.
Lubomíra f Czech
Feminine form of Lubomír.
Ľubomirŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Lubomír.
Ľubor m Slovak
Slovak form of Lubor.
Lubor m Czech
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Ľuboš m Slovak
Slovak form of Luboš.
Luboš m Czech
Originally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Lubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Ļubova f Latvian
Latvian form of Lyubov.
Luc m French, Welsh
French and Welsh form of Lucas (see Luke).
Luca 1 m Italian, Romanian
Italian and Romanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This name was borne by Luca della Robbia, a Renaissance sculptor from Florence.
Luca 2 f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Lucia.
Lucan m History
From the Roman cognomen Lucanus, which was derived from the name of the city of Luca in Tuscany (modern Lucca). Marcus Annaeus Lucanus, commonly called Lucan, was a 1st-century Roman poet.
Lucanus m Ancient Roman
Latin form of Lucan.
Lúcás m Irish
Irish form of Lucas (see Luke).
Lucas m English, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Greek Λουκᾶς (see Luke), as well as the form used in several other languages.... [more]
Luce f Italian, French
Italian and French variant of Lucia. This also means "light" in Italian.
Lucero f & m Spanish (Mexican), Spanish (Latin American)
Means "light source, bright star, morning star" in Spanish, a derivative of luz "light". Occasionally it is used as a diminutive of the name Luz. It is most common in Mexico and Colombia.
Lucetta f Italian
Diminutive of Luce. Shakespeare used this name for a character in his play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594).
Lucette f French
Diminutive of Lucie.
Lucho m Spanish
Diminutive of Luis.
Lúcia f Portuguese, Hungarian
Portuguese and Hungarian form of Lucia.
Lucía f Spanish
Spanish form of Lucia. This is the most popular name for girls in Spain beginning in 2003.
Lucia f Italian, German, Dutch, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, Slovak, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings Lucy or Luce.
Lucian m Romanian, English
Romanian and English form of Lucianus. Lucian is the usual name of Lucianus of Samosata in English.
Luciano m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Lucianus.
Lucianus m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was derived from the Roman praenomen Lucius. Lucianus (or Λουκιανός in his native Greek) of Samosata was a 2nd-century satirist and author. This name was also borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Beauvais and a 4th-century saint and martyr from Antioch.
Lucie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lucia.
Lucien m French
French form of Lucianus.
Lucienne f French
Feminine form of Lucien.
Lūcija f Latvian
Latvian form of Lucia.
Lucija f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Lucia.
Lucijan m Croatian
Croatian form of Lucian.
Lucila f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Lucilla.
Lucília f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Lucilius.
Lucilia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Lucilius.
Lucilio m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Lucilius.
Lucilius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was a derivative of the given name Lucius. This was the family name of the 2nd-century BC Roman satirist Gaius Lucilius.
Lucilla f Italian, Ancient Roman
Latin diminutive of Lucia. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint martyred in Rome.
Lucille f French, English
French form of Lucilla. A famous bearer was American comedienne Lucille Ball (1911-1989).
Lucina f Roman Mythology
Derived from Latin lucus meaning "grove", but later associated with lux meaning "light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
Lucinda f English, Portuguese, Literature
An elaboration of Lucia created by Cervantes for his novel Don Quixote (1605). It was subsequently used by Molière in his play The Doctor in Spite of Himself (1666).
Lucinde f French (Rare)
French form of Lucinda.
Lúcio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Lucius.
Lucio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Lucius.
Lucius m Ancient Roman, Biblical, English
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Łucja f Polish
Polish form of Lucia.
Łucjan m Polish (Archaic)
Older Polish form of Lucianus.
Lucjan m Polish
Polish form of Lucianus.
Luĉjo m Esperanto
Esperanto diminutive of Ludwig.
Lucjusz m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Lucius.
Lucky m & f English, Hindi
From a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Lucrécia f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Lucretia.
Lucrecia f Spanish
Spanish form of Lucretia.
Lucretia f Ancient Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of the Roman family name Lucretius, possibly from Latin lucrum meaning "profit, wealth". According Roman legend Lucretia was a maiden who was raped by the son of the king of Rome. This caused a great uproar among the Roman citizens, and the monarchy was overthrown. This name was also borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida, Spain.
Lucretius m Ancient Roman
Masculine form of Lucretia. This name was borne by 1st-century BC Roman poet Titus Lucretius Carus.
Lucrezia f Italian
Italian form of Lucretia.
Lucy f English
English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.
Lucyna f Polish
Polish form of Lucina.
Ludde m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Ludvig.
Luděk m Czech
Diminutive of Ludvík and other names beginning with Lud.
Ludger m German
From the Old German name Leutgar, which was derived from the elements liut "people" and ger "spear". Saint Ludger was an 8th-century Frisian Benedictine bishop who founded a monastery at Munster.
Ludis m Latvian
Latvian form of Ludwig.
Ludivine f French
Possibly from a feminine form of Leutwin. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the French miniseries Les Gens de Mogador.
Ludmiła f Polish
Polish form of Ludmila.
Ludmila f Czech, Latvian, Russian
Means "favour of the people" from the Slavic elements ľudŭ "people" and milŭ "gracious, dear". Saint Ludmila was a 10th-century duchess of Bohemia, the grandmother of Saint Václav. She was murdered on the orders of her daughter-in-law Drahomíra.... [more]
Ludmilla f Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Людмила (see Lyudmila).
Ludo m Flemish
Short form of Ludovicus or Ludolf.
Ludolf m German (Rare), Germanic
From the Old German name Hludolf, which was composed of the elements hlut meaning "famous, loud" and wolf meaning "wolf". Saint Ludolf (or Ludolph) was a 13th-century bishop of Ratzeburg.
Ludovic m French
French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of an 1833 opera by the French composer Fromental Halévy.
Ludovica f Italian
Italian feminine form of Ludwig.
Ludovico m Italian
Italian form of Ludwig.
Ludovicus m Germanic (Latinized), Dutch
Latinized form of Hludwig (see Ludwig). This form is also used as a baptismal name by Dutch and Flemish speakers, though it is commonly rendered Lodewijk in daily life.
Ludoviko m Esperanto
Esperanto form of Ludwig. This is the Esperanto name of the philologist Ludwig Zamenhof (1859-1917), the creator of the Esperanto language.
Ľudovít m Slovak
Possibly originally a form of Ljudevit, though it is now considered to be the Slovak form of Ludwig.
Ľudŭmila f Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Ludmila.
Ľudŭmilŭ m Old Slavic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Slavic reconstruction of Lyudmil.
Ludvig m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Ludwig.
Ludvigs m Latvian
Latvian form of Ludwig.
Ludvík m Czech
Czech form of Ludwig.
Ludvik m Slovene
Slovene form of Ludwig.
Ludwig m German
From the Germanic name Hludwig meaning "famous in battle", composed of the elements hlut "famous, loud" and wig "war, battle". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks (though their names are usually spelled as Clovis) as well as several Carolingian kings and Holy Roman emperors (names often spelled in the French form Louis). Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.
Ludwik m Polish
Polish form of Ludwig.
Ludwika f Polish
Polish feminine form of Ludwig.
Luella f English
Variant of Louella.
Lug m Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Lugh.
Lugalbanda m Sumerian Mythology
From Sumerian lugal "king" and banda "young, wild, fierce". This was the name of a legendary king of Uruk who was said to be the father of Gilgamesh in Sumerian mythology.
Lugh m Irish Mythology
Probably an Irish form of Lugus. In Irish mythology Lugh Lámfada was a divine hero who led the Tuatha Dé Danann against his grandfather Balor and the Fomorians. Lugh killed Balor by shooting a stone into his giant eye.
Lughaidh m Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Lugaid, a combination of the name of the mythological figure Lugh and Old Irish dech "honour, better". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including the king Lugaid mac Con.
Lugus m Gaulish Mythology (Hypothetical)
Possibly from one of the Indo-European roots *lewk- "light, brightness", *lewg- "dark" or *lewgh- "oath". This was the name of a Celtic (Gaulish) god of commerce and craftsmanship, who was equated by the Romans with Mercury. He probably forms the basis for the characters and names of Lugh (Irish) and Lleu (Welsh).
Luigi m Italian
Italian form of Louis. It has been borne by five prime ministers of Italy since the 19th century. This is also the name of Mario's brother in Nintendo video games (debuting 1983), called ルイージ (Ruīji) in Japanese.
Luigia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Louis.
Luigina f Italian
Diminutive of Luigia.
Luigino m Italian
Diminutive of Luigi.
Luigsech f Old Irish
Probably derived from the name of the mythological figure Lugh. This was the name of an obscure early Irish saint, mentioned in the martyrologies of Tallaght and Gorman.
Luís m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Louis.
Luis m Spanish
Spanish form of Louis.
Luísa f Portuguese
Feminine form of Luís.
Luisa f Spanish, Italian
Feminine form of Luis.
Luis Ángel m Spanish
Combination of Luis and Ángel.
Luise f German
German form of Louise.
Luisella f Italian
Diminutive of Luisa.
Luisina f Spanish
Diminutive of Luisa.
Luisinho m Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of Luís or Luiz.
Luisita f Spanish
Diminutive of Luisa.
Luisito m Spanish
Diminutive of Luis.
Luitgard f German
From the Old German name Leutgard, which was derived from the elements liut "people" and gart "enclosure, yard". It was borne by Charlemagne's fifth and last wife. This was also the name of a 13th-century Flemish nun, the patron saint of easy deliveries.
Luitpold m German (Archaic)
German variant of Leopold.
Luiz m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Louis.
Luiza f Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Romanian
Polish, Portuguese and Romanian feminine form of Louis.
Luīze f Latvian
Latvian form of Louise.
Lujza f Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak feminine form of Louis.
Luka m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Russian, Georgian, Old Church Slavic
Form of Lucas (see Luke) in several languages.
Lukács m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Lucas (see Luke).
Lukáš m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Lucas (see Luke).
Lukas m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Lithuanian
German, Scandinavian, Dutch and Lithuanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This was the most popular name for boys in Germany, Austria and Lithuania in some years of the 1990s and 2000s.
Lūkass m Latvian
Latvian form of Lucas.
Łukasz m Polish
Polish form of Lucas (see Luke).
Luke m English, Biblical
English form of Latin Lucas, from the Greek name Λουκᾶς (Loukas), probably a shortened form of Λουκανός (Loukanos) meaning "from Lucania", Lucania being a region in southern Italy. Luke was a doctor who travelled in the company of the apostle Paul. According to tradition, he was the author of the third gospel and Acts in the New Testament. He was probably of Greek ethnicity. He is considered a saint by many Christian denominations.... [more]
Luken m Basque
Basque form of Lucianus.
Luksa f Esperanto
Means "luxurious" in Esperanto.
Lukyan m Russian (Archaic), Ukrainian (Archaic)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Lucianus.
Lula 1 f English
Diminutive of Louise and names that begin with Lu.
Lulu 1 f English, German
Diminutive of names beginning with Lou or Lu, such as Louise or Lucinda.
Luna f Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English
Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.
Lupus m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Loup.
Lutgard f Flemish
Variant of Lutgarde.
Lutgarde f Flemish
Dutch (Flemish) form of Luitgard.
Lutgardis f Germanic (Latinized), Flemish
Latinized form of Leutgard (see Luitgard). In Flanders this form of the name is common on birth certificates, but it is usually rendered Lutgarde in daily life.
Luther m English
From a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).
Lúðvík m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Ludwig.
Lutz m German
German diminutive of Ludwig.
Luuk m Dutch
Dutch short form of Lucas.
Luukas m Finnish
Finnish form of Lucas (see Luke).
Luus f Dutch (Rare)
Dutch variant of Lucia.
Luvenia f English
Possibly a form of Lavinia. It has been used in America since the 19th century.
Luvinia f English
Variant of Luvenia.
Lux f & m Various
Derived from Latin lux meaning "light".
Luz f Spanish
Means "light" in Spanish. It is taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Luz, meaning "Our Lady of Light".
Luzia f Portuguese, German
Portuguese and German form of Lucia.
Lya f French (Modern)
Variant of Léa.
Lyam m French (Modern)
French variant of Liam.
Lycurgus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λυκοῦργος (Lykourgos), derived from λύκος (lykos) meaning "wolf" and ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work, deed". In Greek legend this was the name of a king who was driven mad by the gods because of his impiety. This was also the name of a Spartan legislator of the 9th century BC.
Lycus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λύκος (Lykos) meaning "wolf". This name was borne by several characters in Greek mythology including a legendary ruler of Thebes.
Lyda f English
Perhaps a variant of Lydia.
Lýdia f Slovak, Faroese
Slovak and Faroese form of Lydia.
Lydia f English, German, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Means "from Lydia" in Greek. Lydia was a region on the west coast of Asia Minor, said to be named for the legendary king Lydos. In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. In the modern era the name has been in use since the Protestant Reformation.
Lýdie f Czech
Czech variant of Lydie.
Lydie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lydia.
Lydos m Ancient Greek
Meaning unknown. This was the name of the semi-legendary king who gave his name to the region of Lydia in Asia Minor.
Lylou f French
Variant of Lilou.
Lyn f English
Variant of Lynn.
Lynda f English
Variant of Linda.
Lyndon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "linden tree hill" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973).
Lynette f English, Arthurian Cycle
Form of Lynet used by Alfred Tennyson in his 1872 poem Gareth and Lynette. According to Tennyson, Gareth and Lynette were eventually married. In modern times it is also regarded as a diminutive of Lynn.
Lynn f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of Linda or names that end in lyn or line.
Lynna f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lynn.
Lynne f English
Variant of Lynn.
Lynnette f English
Variant of Lynette.
Lynwood m English
Variant of Linwood.
Lyonesse f Arthurian Cycle
Means "lioness" in Middle English. In Thomas Malory's 15th-century tale Le Morte d'Arthur this is the name of a woman trapped in a castle by the Red Knight. Her sister Lynet gains the help of the knight Gareth in order to save her.
Lyonors f Arthurian Cycle
Probably from Middle English lyon meaning "lion". It appears in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends Le Morte d'Arthur, belonging to a woman who had a child with Arthur. Alfred Tennyson used the name in his poem Gareth and Lynette (1872) for the sister of Lynette (this character is called Lyonesse in Malory's version of the story).
Lyosha m Russian
Diminutive of Aleksey.
Lys f French (Rare)
Diminutive of Élisabeth. It is also the French word for "lily".
Lysander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λύσανδρος (Lysandros), derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a notable 5th-century BC Spartan general and naval commander.
Lysandra f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Lysandros (see Lysander).
Lysanne f Dutch
Variant of Lisanne.
Lysiane f French
Combination of Lys and Anne 1.
Lysimachus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Λυσίμαχος (Lysimachos), derived from λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and μάχη (mache) meaning "battle". This was the name of one of the generals under Alexander the Great. After Alexander's death Lysimachus took control of Thrace.
Lysistrate f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and στρατός (stratos) meaning "army". This is the name of a comedy by the Greek playwright Aristophanes, also called by its Latinized form Lysistrata. In the play Lysistrate attempts to end the Peloponnesian War by persuading the women from both sides to withhold sex from men.
Lysithea f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek λύσις (lysis) meaning "a release, loosening" and θεά (thea) meaning "goddess". This was the name of a lover of Zeus in Greek mythology. A small moon of Jupiter is named after her.
Lyssa 1 f English
Short form of Alyssa.
Lyssa 2 f Greek Mythology
Means "rage, fury, anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Lyssa is a goddess associated with uncontrolled rage.
Lyuba f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Lyubov, and a Bulgarian form of Ljuba.
Lyuben m Bulgarian
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Lyubomir m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Lubomír.
Lyubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Lyudmil m Bulgarian
Bulgarian masculine form of Ludmila.
Lyudmila f Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Ludmila. This was the name of a character in Aleksandr Pushkin's poem Ruslan and Lyudmila (1820).
Lyudmyla f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Ludmila.
Lyusi f Armenian
Probably an Armenian form of Lucie.
Lyydia f Finnish (Rare)
Finnish variant of Lydia.
Lyyti f Finnish (Rare)
Finnish diminutive of Lydia.
Maacah f & m Biblical
Derived from Hebrew מָעַך (maʿaḵ) meaning "to press, to crush". This name is borne by both male and female characters in the Old Testament.
Maachah f & m Biblical
Form of Maacah in some versions of the Old Testament.
Maaike f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Maria.
Ma'akha f & m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Maacah.
Maala f Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Mahlah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Maalik m Arabic
Means "owner, possessor, master" in Arabic, a derivative of ملك (malaka) meaning "to acquire, to possess".
Maan m Limburgish
Limburgish short form of Herman.
Maaria f Finnish
Finnish form of Maria.
Maarika f Estonian, Finnish
Diminutive of Maarja (Estonian) or Maaria (Finnish).
Maarit f Finnish
Finnish form of Margaret.
Maarja f Estonian
Estonian form of Maria.
Maarten m Dutch
Dutch form of Martin.
Maartje f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of Martin.
Maas m Dutch
Dutch short form of Thomas.
Maaseiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name מַעֲשֵׂיָה (Maʿaseya) meaning "work of Yahweh", from the roots מַעֲשֶׂה (maʿase) meaning "deed, work" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters (mostly minor).
Maat f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian mꜣꜥt meaning "truth, virtue, justice". Maat (or Ma'at) was the Egyptian goddess who personified truth and balance. She was the consort of Thoth.
Maata f Maori
Maori form of Martha.
Mab f Literature
Used by William Shakespeare for the queen of the fairies in his play Romeo and Juliet (1596). Of uncertain origin, it is possibly derived from Mabel or the Irish name Medb. After being used by Shakespeare, the name subsequently appeared in other literary works such as Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem Queen Mab (1813).
Mabel f English
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis. This spelling and Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel The Heir of Redclyffe, which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
Mabella f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Mabel.
Mabelle f English
Variant of Mabel. It also coincides with the French phrase ma belle meaning "my beautiful".
Mable f English
Variant of Mabel.
Mabon m Welsh Mythology
Later Welsh form of Maponos. In the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen he is a prisoner freed by Arthur's warriors in order to help hunt the great boar Trwyth. His mother is Modron.
Mabyn f Cornish
Possibly from Old Cornish mab meaning "son". This was the name of a 6th-century Cornish saint, said to be one of the children of Brychan Brycheiniog. She is now regarded as a woman, but some early sources describe her as a man.
Mac m English
Variant of Mack 1.
Macarena f Spanish
From the name of a barrio (district) in Seville, which got its name from a temple that may have been named for a person named Macarius (see Macario). The Virgin of Macarena, that is Mary, is widely venerated in Seville.
Macaria f Spanish
Feminine form of Macario.
Macario m Spanish
Spanish form of the Latin name Macarius, derived from the Greek name Μακάριος (Makarios), which was in turn derived from Greek μάκαρ (makar) meaning "blessed, happy". This was the name of several early saints.