Ancient Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Ancient.
gender
usage
origin
McKenna f English (Modern)
From an Irish and Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Cionaodha, itself derived from the given name Cionaodh. As a given name, it was very rare before 1980. It rapidly increased in popularity during the 1990s, likely because it was viewed as an even more feminine alternative to Mackenzie.
McKinley f & m English
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Fhionnlaigh, from the given name Fionnlagh. A famous bearer of the surname was the American president William McKinley (1843-1901).... [more]
Méabh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Medb (see Maeve).
Meadhbh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Medb (see Maeve).
Meagan f English
Variant of Megan.
Meaghan f English
Variant of Megan.
Meallán m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Mellán, derived from mell meaning either "pleasant, delightful" or "lump, ball" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a few early saints.
Meave f Irish
Variant of Maeve.
Mechteld f Dutch
Dutch form of Matilda.
Mechthild f German
German form of Matilda.
Mečislovas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Mieczysław.
Medad m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Possibly means "that which is beloved" in Hebrew, a derivative of יָדִיד (yaḏiḏ) meaning "beloved". In the Old Testament Medad is one of the elders (along with Eldad) who prophesies in the camp of the Israelites after the flight from Egypt.
Medb f Irish Mythology
Original Irish form of Maeve.
Medea f Greek Mythology (Latinized), Georgian
From Greek Μήδεια (Medeia), derived from μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek mythology Medea was a sorceress from Colchis (modern Georgia) who helped Jason gain the Golden Fleece. They were married, but eventually Jason left her for another woman. For revenge Medea slew Jason's new lover and also had her own children by Jason killed.
Medeia f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Medea.
Medusa f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Μέδουσα (Medousa), which was derived from μέδω (medo) meaning "to protect, to rule over". In Greek myth this was the name of one of the three Gorgons, ugly women who had snakes for hair. She was so hideous that anyone who gazed upon her was turned to stone, so the hero Perseus had to look using the reflection in his shield in order to slay her.
Meena f Hindi, Marathi, Tamil
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीना or Tamil மீனா (see Mina 2).
Meenakshi f Hinduism, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Alternate transcription of Sanskrit मीनाक्षी (see Minakshi).
Meera f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi मीरा, Malayalam മീര, Tamil மீரா or Kannada ಮೀರಾ (see Mira 1).
Mees m Dutch
Diminutive of Bartholomeus.
Meg f English
Medieval diminutive of Margaret. It is now also used as a short form of the related name Megan.
Mega f & m Indonesian
Means "cloud" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit मेघ (megha).
Megaera f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Μέγαιρα (Megaira), which was derived from μεγαίρω (megairo) meaning "to grudge". This was the name of one of the Furies or Ἐρινύες (Erinyes) in Greek mythology. The name is used as a word in several European languages to denote a shrewish, ill-tempered woman (for example, French mégère and Italian megera).
Megan f Welsh, English
Welsh diminutive of Margaret. In the English-speaking world outside of Wales it has only been regularly used since the middle of the 20th century.
Mégane f French (Modern)
French form of Megan. This name rapidly climbed in popularity beginning in the late 1980s, though it fell out of favour after the French car company Renault used it for one of their vehicles in 1995.
Meggy f Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of Margaret.
Meghan f English
Variant of Megan. A notable bearer is Meghan Markle (1981-), the American-born wife of the British royal Prince Harry.
Meghanada m Hinduism
Means "cloud roar, thunder" from Sanskrit मेघ (megha) meaning "cloud" and नाद (nāda) meaning "sound, roar". This is the name of a powerful son of the demon king Ravana in the Hindu epic the Ramayana, where he is also called Indrajit.
Meginfrid m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements megin "power, strength" and fridu "peace".
Meginhard m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements megin "power, strength" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of a 12th-century saint, a bishop of Livonia.
Meginrat m Germanic
Old German form of Meinrad.
Mehetabel f Biblical
From the Hebrew name םְהֵיטַבְאֵל (Meheṭavʾel) meaning "God makes happy", derived from the roots יָטַב (yaṭav) meaning "to be happy" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Mehr m & f Persian, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Mithra. As a Persian vocabulary word it means "friendship, love, kindness". It is also the name of the seventh month of the Persian calendar. All of these derive from the same source: the Indo-Iranian root *mitra meaning "oath, covenant, agreement".
Mehrab m Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and آب (āb) meaning "water". This is the name of the king of Kabul in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Mehrdad m Persian
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and داد (dād) meaning "given". Since مهر is also the Modern Persian form of Mithra, this name can also function as a modern form of Mithridates.
Mehrnaz f Persian, Persian Mythology
From Persian مهر (mehr) meaning "sun" or "friendship" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort". This is the name of a character in the 10th-century Persian epic the Shahnameh.
Mehtap f Turkish
Turkish form of Mahtab.
Mehveş f Turkish
Turkish form of Mahvash.
Meical m Welsh
Welsh form of Michael.
Meike f German, Dutch
German and Dutch diminutive of Maria.
Meinard m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch variant form of Meginhard.
Meindert m Dutch
Dutch form of Meginhard.
Meine m Frisian, Dutch
Originally a Frisian short form of names beginning with the Old German element megin meaning "power, strength" (Proto-Germanic *mageną).
Meinhard m German, Germanic
German form of Meginhard.
Meinir f Welsh
Means "tall and slender, beautiful maiden" in Welsh (a compound of main "slender" and hir "tall").
Meino m Germanic
Old German form of Meine.
Meinrad m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements megin "power, strength" and rat "counsel, advice". Saint Meinrad was a 9th-century hermit who founded the Benedictine abbey at Einsiedeln in Switzerland.
Meint m Dutch
Variant of Meine.
Meintje f Dutch
Feminine form of Meine.
Meinwen f Welsh
Means "slender and beautiful maiden" from a Welsh compound of main "slender" and gwen "white, blessed".
Meir m Hebrew
Means "giving light" in Hebrew.
Meira f Hebrew
Feminine form of Meir.
Meirion m Welsh
From the name of the Welsh county of Meirionnydd, formerly a part of the kingdom of Gwynedd. It is probably derived from the Roman name Marianus.
Meiriona f Welsh
Feminine form of Meirion.
Meirit f Hebrew
Feminine form of Meir.
Mel m & f English
Short form of Melvin, Melanie, Melissa and other names beginning with Mel.
Melaina f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek μέλαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a nymph in Greek mythology.
Melánia f Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak form of Melania (see Melanie).
Melania f Italian, Spanish, Polish, Romanian, Late Roman
Italian, Spanish, Polish and Romanian form of Melanie.
Mélanie f French
French form of Melanie.
Melánie f Czech (Rare)
Czech form of Melanie.
Melanie f English, German, Dutch
From Mélanie, the French form of the Latin name Melania, derived from Greek μέλαινα (melaina) meaning "black, dark". This was the name of a Roman saint who gave all her wealth to charity in the 5th century. Her grandmother was also a saint with the same name.... [more]
Melanija f Serbian, Macedonian, Slovene, Latvian, Lithuanian
Form of Melanie used in various languages.
Melaniya f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Melania (see Melanie).
Melano f Georgian
Georgian form of Melanie.
Melantha f English (Rare)
Probably a combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the suffix antha (from Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). John Dryden used this name in his play Marriage a la Mode (1672).
Melanthios m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μέλας (melas) meaning "black, dark" and ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". In Homer's epic the Odyssey this is the name of an insolent goatherd killed by Odysseus.
Melati f Indonesian, Malay
Means "jasmine flower" in Malay and Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit मालती (mālatī).
Melcha f Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Milcah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Melchol f Biblical Greek
Biblical Greek form of Michal 2.
Mele f Hawaiian, Tongan, Samoan
Means "song" in Hawaiian. This is also the Hawaiian, Tongan and Samoan form of Mary.
Melech m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Means "king" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Micah (not the prophet).
Melek 1 m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew מֶלֶך (see Melech).
Melete f Greek Mythology
Means "practice, exercise" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was one of the original three muses, the muse of meditation.
Melia f Greek Mythology
Means "ash tree" in Greek, a derivative of μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". This was the name of a nymph in Greek myth, the daughter of the Greek god Okeanos.
Melik m Turkish
Turkish form of Malik 1.
Melika f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Melissa.
Melike f Turkish
Turkish form of Malika.
Mélina f French
French form of Melina.
Melina f English, Greek
Elaboration of Mel, either from names such as Melissa or from Greek μέλι (meli) meaning "honey". A famous bearer was Greek-American actress Melina Mercouri (1920-1994), who was born Maria Amalia Mercouris.
Melinda f English, Hungarian
Combination of Mel (from names such as Melanie or Melissa) with the popular name suffix inda. It was created in the 18th century, and may have been inspired by the similar name Belinda. In Hungary, the name was popularized by the 1819 play Bánk Bán by József Katona.
Méline f French
French form of Melina.
Melinoe f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek μήλινος (melinos) meaning "quince-coloured, yellow", a derivative of μῆλον (melon) meaning "fruit, apple". According to Greek mythology she was a chthonic nymph or goddess, often described as a daughter of Persephone and Zeus.
Melis f Turkish
Turkish form of Melissa.
Melisa f Spanish, Bosnian, Albanian, Turkish, Azerbaijani
Spanish, Bosnian, Albanian, Turkish and Azerbaijani form of Melissa.
Mélisande f French (Rare)
French form of Millicent used by Maurice Maeterlinck in his play Pelléas et Mélisande (1893). The play was later adapted by Claude Debussy into an opera (1902).
Melisende f Medieval French
Old French form of Millicent.
Mélissa f French
French form of Melissa.
Melissa f English, Dutch, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "bee" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a daughter of Procles, as well as an epithet of various Greek nymphs and priestesses. According to the early Christian writer Lactantius this was the name of the sister of the nymph Amalthea, with whom she cared for the young Zeus. Later it appears in Ludovico Ariosto's 1532 poem Orlando Furioso belonging to the fairy who helps Ruggiero escape from the witch Alcina. As an English given name, Melissa has been used since the 18th century.
Melissza f Hungarian (Rare)
Hungarian form of Melissa.
Melita f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Melite. However, in the case of Queen Victoria's granddaughter Princess Victoria Melita (1876-1936), it was derived from Melita, the Latin name of the island country of Malta where she was born.
Melite f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μέλι (meli) meaning "honey" (genitive μέλιτος). This is the name of several figures from Greek mythology, including a nymph who was the mother of Hyllus by Herakles.
Meliton m Ancient Greek, Georgian
Derived from Greek μέλι (meli) meaning "honey" (genitive μέλιτος). This was the name of a 2nd-century bishop of Sardis who is regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church.
Melitta f Ancient Greek, German
Ancient Attic Greek variant of Melissa.
Mellán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Meallán.
Mellan m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Meallán.
Melle m Dutch
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element mahal meaning "meeting, assembly, court" (Proto-Germanic *maþlą).
Mélodie f French
French cognate of Melody.
Mélody f French
French variant of Melody.
Melody f English
From the English word melody, which is derived (via Old French and Late Latin) from Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song" combined with ἀείδω (aeido) meaning "to sing".
Melpomene f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek μέλπω (melpo) meaning "to sing, to celebrate with song". This was the name of one of the nine Muses in Greek mythology, the muse of tragedy.
Melpomeni f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Melpomene.
Melqart m Semitic Mythology
Means "king of the city", from Phoenician 𐤌𐤋𐤊 (milk) meaning "king" and 𐤒𐤓𐤕 (qart) meaning "city". This was the name of a Phoenician god worshipped especially in the city of Tyre.
Memphis m & f English (Modern)
From the name of an important city of ancient Egypt, or the city in Tennessee that was named after it. It is derived from a Greek form of Egyptian mn-nfr meaning "enduring beauty".
Menahem m Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name םְנַחֵם (Menaḥem) meaning "comforter", a derivative of נָחַם (naḥam) meaning "to comfort". This was the name of a king of Israel, appearing in the Old Testament. His reign was noted for its brutality.
Menander m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Μένανδρος (Menandros), derived from either μένω (meno) meaning "to stay, to last" or μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force" combined with ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a 4th-century BC Greek dramatist. It was also borne by a 2nd-century BC Indo-Greek king who expanded the realm to its greatest extent.
Menashe m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Manasseh.
Menashshe m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Manasseh.
Mendel m Yiddish
Originally this was probably a Yiddish diminutive of Manno. It is now used as a diminutive of Menahem.
Menelaus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Μενέλαος (Menelaos), derived either from μένω (meno) meaning "to stay, to last" or μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force" combined with λαός (laos) meaning "people". In Greek legend he was a king of Sparta and the husband of Helen. When his wife was taken by Paris, the Greeks led by his brother Agamemnon besieged the city of Troy in an effort to get her back. After the war Menelaus and Helen settled down to a happy life.
Menes m Ancient Egyptian (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian mnj probably meaning "he who endures", derived from mn "to endure". According to tradition, Menes was the Egyptian pharaoh who first united Upper and Lower Egypt around the 31st century BC. He is probably the same as the pharaoh known as Narmer; Menes could have been his throne name.
Mennatullah f Arabic (Egyptian)
Means "grace of Allah", from Arabic منّة (minna) meaning "favour, grace" combined with الله (Allah).
Menno m Dutch
Diminutive of Meine.
Menodora f Ancient Greek
Means "gift of the moon", derived from Greek μήνη (mene) meaning "moon" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who was martyred with her sisters Metrodora and Nymphodora.
Mentor m Greek Mythology
Possibly related to Greek μένος (menos) meaning "mind, strength, force". In Greek legend Mentor was the son of Alkimos. When Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War he entrusted Mentor with the care of his palace and the guardianship of his son Telemachos. When the goddess Athena visited Telemachos she took the guise of Mentor.
Mentuhotep m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian mnṯw-ḥtp meaning "Montu is satisfied", derived from the name of the Egyptian god Montu combined with ḥtp "peace, satisfaction". This was the name of several pharaohs, including Mentuhotep II who reunited Egypt into what is now called the Middle Kingdom in the 21st century BC.
Merab 1 f Biblical
Means "abundant" in Hebrew. This is the name of a daughter of Saul in the Old Testament.
Merab 2 m Georgian
Georgian form of Mehrab.
Meral f Turkish
Turkish form of Maral.
Merari m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "bitter" in Hebrew. This is the name of the youngest son of Levi in the Old Testament.
Mercè f Catalan
Catalan form of Mercedes.
Mercedes f Spanish
Means "mercies" (that is, the plural of mercy), from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes, meaning "Our Lady of Mercies". It is ultimately from the Latin word merces meaning "wages, reward", which in Vulgar Latin acquired the meaning "favour, pity".
Mercédesz f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Mercedes.
Merche f Spanish
Diminutive of Mercedes.
Mercia f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Mercy. This was also the name of an old Anglo-Saxon kingdom, though it has a different origin.
Mercurio m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Mercury.
Mercury m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Mercurius, probably derived from Latin mercari "to trade" or merces "wages". This was the name of the Roman god of trade, merchants, and travellers, later equated with the Greek god Hermes. This is also the name of the first planet in the solar system and a metallic chemical element, both named for the god.
Mercutio m Literature
Most famously used by William Shakespeare in his tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596), where it belongs to a friend of Romeo. He appears as Marcuccio (a diminutive of Marco) in the earlier Italian novella Giulietta e Romeo (1524) by Luigi Da Porto. Later adaptations changed the character's name to Mercutio, probably alluding to the god Mercury.
Mercy f English
From the English word mercy, ultimately from Latin merces "wages, reward", a derivative of merx "goods, wares". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Mere f Maori, Fijian
Maori and Fijian form of Mary.
Meredith m & f Welsh, English
From the Welsh name Maredudd or Meredydd, from Old Welsh forms such as Margetud, possibly from mawredd "greatness, magnificence" combined with iudd "lord". The Welsh forms of this name were well used through the Middle Ages. Since the mid-1920s it has been used more often for girls than for boys in English-speaking countries, though it is still a masculine name in Wales. A famous bearer of this name as surname was the English novelist and poet George Meredith (1828-1909).
Meredydd m Welsh
Welsh form of Meredith.
Merel f Dutch
Means "blackbird" in Dutch.
Mererid f Welsh
Means "pearl, gem" in Welsh, derived from Latin margarita.
Meresankh f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian mrs-ꜥnḫ meaning "she loves life". This name was borne by several Egyptian royals during the 4th-dynasty period.
Merete f Danish, Norwegian
Medieval Danish variant of Margrethe.
Merfyn m Welsh
From an Old Welsh name (recorded variously as Mermin, Merhin or Merwin), of uncertain meaning. It is possibly from mer "bone marrow" or mor "sea" with the second element possibly mynawg "eminent, noble", mynnu "wish, desire" or myn "young goat, kid". This was the name of a 9th-century king of Gwynedd, Merfyn Frych.
Meri 2 f Georgian, Armenian, Greek
Georgian, Armenian and Greek form of the English name Mary.
Merida f Popular Culture
The name of the main character in the Disney/Pixar movie Brave (2012) about a medieval Scottish princess. The meaning of her name is unexplained, though it could be based on the Spanish city of Mérida, derived from Latin Emerita Augusta meaning "veterans of Augustus", so named because it was founded by the emperor Augustus as a colony for his veterans.
Meriem f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic مريم (see Maryam) chiefly used in North Africa.
Merilyn f English
Variant of Marilyn.
Merit 1 m & f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Merritt or else simply from the English word merit, ultimately from Latin meritus "deserving".
Merit 2 f Estonian, Swedish (Rare)
Variant of Maret (Estonian) or Marit (Swedish).
Merita 1 f Albanian
Derived from Albanian meritë meaning "merit".
Merita 2 f Esperanto
Means "meritorious, worthy" in Esperanto.
Meritites f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian mryt-jts meaning "loved by her father". This name was borne by several Egyptian royals, including a wife and a daughter of the pharaoh Khufu.
Merjem f Bosnian
Bosnian form of Miriam (see Mary).
Merjema f Bosnian
Bosnian variant form of Miriam (see Mary).
Merle m & f English, Estonian
From the English word merle or the French surname Merle, which both mean "blackbird" (from Latin merula). It was borne by the devious character Madame Merle (in fact her surname) in Henry James' novel The Portrait of a Lady (1880).... [more]
Merletta f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Merle.
Merlin m Arthurian Cycle, English
Form of the Welsh name Myrddin used by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his 12th-century chronicle. Writing in Latin, he likely chose the form Merlinus over Merdinus in order to prevent associations with French merde "excrement".... [more]
Merlyn m & f English
Variant of Merlin, sometimes used as a feminine form. It has perhaps been influenced by the Welsh word merlyn meaning "pony".
Mermin m Old Welsh
Old Welsh form of Merfyn.
Merob f Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Merab 1 used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Merope f Greek Mythology
From Greek μέρος (meros) meaning "share, part" and ὄψ (ops) meaning "face, eye". This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology, including the seventh of the Pleiades and the foster mother of Oedipus.
Meropi f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Merope.
Merrick m English (Modern)
From a Welsh surname that was originally derived from the given name Meurig.
Merrill m English
From an English surname that was derived either from the given name Muriel or from place names meaning "pleasant hill".
Merry 1 f English
From the English word merry, ultimately from Old English myrige. This name appears in Charles Dickens' novel Martin Chuzzlewit (1844), where it is a diminutive of Mercy.
Merten m German (Rare)
Medieval Low German variant of Martin.
Merv m English
Short form of Mervyn.
Mervin m English
Variant of Mervyn or Marvin.
Mervyn m Welsh, English
Welsh variant of Merfyn, as well as the usual Anglicized form.
Meryem f Turkish, Uyghur
Turkish and Uyghur form of Miriam (see Mary).
Meryl f English
Variant of Muriel. A famous bearer is American actress Meryl Streep (1949-), whose real name is Mary Louise Streep.
Meshulam m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew transcription of Meshullam.
Meshullam m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "friend, ally" in Hebrew, derived from שָׁלַם (shalam) meaning "to be complete, to be at peace". This is the name of many characters in the Old Testament.
Meshullemet f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Meshullemeth.
Meshullemeth f Biblical
Means "friend, ally" in Hebrew, a feminine form of Meshullam. In the Old Testament, she is mentioned as the one of the queens of Judah, the wife of Manasseh.
Messiah m Theology, English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "saviour", ultimately from Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (mashiyaḥ) meaning "anointed". The word appears in the Old Testament referring to a future king of the Jewish people. In the New Testament it is translated as Christ and is used as a title of Jesus.
Meta f German, Danish, Swedish, Slovene
German, Scandinavian and Slovene short form of Margaret.
Methodius m Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Μεθόδιος (Methodios), derived from Greek μέθοδος (methodos) meaning "pursuit" or "method", ultimately from μετά (meta) meaning "with" and ὁδός (hodos) meaning "road, way, journey". Saint Methodius was a Greek missionary to the Slavs who developed the Cyrillic alphabet (with his brother Cyril) in order to translate the Bible into Slavic.
Methuselah m Biblical
Means "man of the dart" in Hebrew, from מַת (maṯ) meaning "man" and שֶׁלַח (shelaḥ) meaning "dart, weapon". In the Old Testament he is the father of Lamech and the grandfather of Noah. He lived to age 969, making him the longest-lived person in the Bible.
Metis f Greek Mythology
Means "wisdom, skill, cunning" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a Titan. Because it was prophesied that her children would be wiser than Zeus, he swallowed her after he had impregnated her. However, their daughter Athena eventually burst from his head fully grown.
Metod m Slovene, Slovak
Slovene and Slovak form of Methodius.
Metoděj m Czech
Czech form of Methodius.
Metodij m Macedonian
Macedonian form of Methodius.
Metodija m Macedonian
Macedonian form of Methodius.
Metody m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Methodius.
Metrodora f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother" (genitive μητρός) and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". This was the name of a 4th-century saint and martyr who was killed with her sisters Menodora and Nymphodora.
Metrophanes m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek μήτηρ (meter) meaning "mother" (genitive μητρός) and φανής (phanes) meaning "appearing". Saint Metrophanes was the first bishop of Byzantium (4th century).
Mette f Danish, Norwegian
Danish diminutive of Margaret.
Metztli f & m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl
Means "moon" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec god (or goddess) of the moon.
Meuric m Welsh
Variant of Meurig.
Meurig m Welsh
From Old Welsh Mouric, possibly a Welsh form of the Latin name Mauritius (see Maurice). This was the name of a few early Welsh kings (such as the 5th-century Meurig ap Tewdrig).
Meyer m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew מֵאִיר (see Meir). It also coincides with a German surname meaning "mayor, leader".
Mhairi f Scottish
Anglicized form of a Mhàiri, the vocative case of Màiri.
Mía f Spanish
Spanish form of Mia, also coinciding with the Spanish word mía meaning "mine".
Mia f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, English
Diminutive of Maria. It coincides with the Italian word mia meaning "mine".... [more]
Mica f English
Short form of Michaela.
Micael m Swedish, Portuguese
Swedish and Portuguese variant form of Michael.
Micah m Biblical, English
Contracted form of Micaiah. Micah is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. He authored the Book of Micah, which alternates between prophesies of doom and prophesies of restoration. This is also the name of a separate person in the Book of Judges, the keeper of an idol. It was occasionally used as an English given name by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation, but it did not become common until the end of the 20th century.
Micaiah m & f Biblical
Means "who is like Yahweh?" in Hebrew, derived from the interrogative pronoun מִי (mi) combined with ךְּ (ke) meaning "like" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name occurs in the Old Testament in a variety of Hebrew spellings, belonging to both males and females. It is the full name of Micah, both the prophet and the man from the Book of Judges. As a feminine name it belongs to the mother of King Abijah (at 2 Chronicles 13:2), though her name is listed as Maacah in other passages.
Micajah m & f Biblical
Variant of Micaiah.
Micha 1 m Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, German, Dutch
Form of Micah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament (when referring to the man from the Book of Judges). It is also the German and Dutch form.
Micha 2 m German, Dutch
Short form of Michael.
Michaeas m Biblical Latin
Latin form of Micaiah, also used in the Vulgate to denote the prophet Micah.
Michaël m Dutch, French
Dutch and French form of Michael.
Michael m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Miḵaʾel) meaning "who is like God?", derived from the interrogative pronoun מִי (mi) combined with ךְּ (ke) meaning "like" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.... [more]
Michahel m Biblical Latin
Form of Michael used in some versions of the Vulgate.
Michaiah m & f Biblical
Form of Micaiah in some versions of the Old Testament.
Michaias m Biblical Greek
Greek form of Micaiah. It is used in the Greek Old Testament when referring to the prophet Micah.
Michail m Greek, Russian
Modern Greek transcription of Michael. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Михаил (see Mikhail).
Michal 1 m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Michael.
Michal 2 f Biblical, Hebrew
Possibly means "brook" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of Saul. She was married to David, but after David fled from Saul he remarried her to someone else. Later, when David became king, he ordered her returned to him.
Michał m Polish
Polish form of Michael.
Michala f Czech
Czech feminine form of Michal 1.
Michalina f Polish
Polish feminine form of Michael.
Michalis m Greek
Modern Greek variant of Michael.
Mícheál m Irish
Irish form of Michael.
Mìcheal m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Michael.
Micheal m English
Variant of Michael.
Mìcheil m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic variant of Mìcheal.
Michel m French, German, Dutch
French form of Michael. Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), also known as Nostradamus, was a French astrologer who made predictions about future world events. Another famous bearer is the retired French soccer player Michel Platini (1955-). This is also the German diminutive form of Michael.
Michela f Italian
Italian feminine form of Michael.
Michelangelo m Italian
Combination of Michael and Angelo, referring to the archangel Michael. The Renaissance painter and sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), from Florence, was the man who created such great works of art as the statue of David and the mural on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. This name was also borne by the Baroque artist Michelangelo Merisi (1571-1610), better known as Caravaggio.
Michèle f French
French feminine form of Michel.
Michele 1 m Italian
Italian form of Michael.
Michelina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Michele 1.
Micheline f French
French feminine diminutive of Michel.
Michelle f French, English, Dutch
French feminine form of Michel. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the former American first lady Michelle Obama (1964-).
Michi 2 m & f German
German diminutive of Michael or Michaela.
Michiel m Dutch
Dutch form of Michael.
Michol f Biblical Latin
Biblical Latin form of Michal 2.
Miĉjo m Esperanto
Esperanto diminutive of Michael.
Mick m English, Dutch
Short form of Michael. This name has become a slang term for an Irishman.
Mickaël m French
French variant form of Michael.
Mickey m & f English
Diminutive or feminine form of Michael. This was the name that Walt Disney gave to Ub Iwerks' cartoon character Mickey Mouse (debuting 1928), who was called Mortimer Mouse while being developed. Another famous bearer was the American baseball player Mickey Mantle (1931-1995).
Micky m English
Diminutive of Michael.
Micol f Italian
Italian variant form of Michal 2 (the Italian biblical form being Mikal). This is the name of the heroine in Giorgio Bassani's novel The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1962).
Mictlantecuhtli m Aztec and Toltec Mythology
Means "lord of Mictlan" in Nahuatl. In Aztec mythology he was the skeletal ruler of Mictlan, the realm of the dead, with his wife Mictecacihuatl.
Midas m Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek myth Midas was a king of Phrygia in Asia Minor. He was granted a wish by the god Dionysos — that everything he touch be turned to gold.
Mie f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian diminutive of Marie.
Mieczysław m Polish
Possibly derived from the Slavic elements mečĭ "sword" and slava "glory".
Mieczysława f Polish
Feminine form of Mieczysław.
Mieke f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Maria.
Miela f Esperanto
Means "sweet" in Esperanto, derived from mielo "honey", ultimately from Latin mel.
Mien f Dutch
Dutch short form of Wilhelmina.
Miep f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Maria.
Miervaldis m Latvian
Means "ruling with peace", from Latvian miers "peace" and valdīt "to rule".
Mies f & m Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Maria or Bartholomeus.
Mieszko m Polish
Probably an old diminutive form of Mieczysław. This was the name of three rulers of Poland including Mieszko I, the first Christian ruler (10th century).
Miguel m Spanish, Portuguese, Galician
Spanish, Portuguese and Galician form of Michael. A notable bearer of this name was Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616), the Spanish novelist and poet who wrote Don Quixote.
Miguel Ángel m Spanish
Spanish cognate of Michelangelo.
Miha m Slovene
Short form of Mihael.
Mihael m Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Michael.
Miĥaelo m Esperanto
Original Esperanto form of Michael.
Mihai m Romanian
Romanian form of Michael. Mihai the Brave was a prince of Wallachia who united Romania in the early 17th century.
Mihail m Romanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek
Romanian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Michael. This is also an alternate transcription of Greek Μιχαήλ (see Michail).
Mihailo m Serbian
Serbian form of Michael.
Mihails m Latvian
Latvian form of Michael.
Mihăiță m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Michael.
Mihajlo m Serbian
Serbian form of Michael.
Mihalis m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Μιχάλης (see Michalis).
Mihály m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Michael.
Mihangel m Welsh (Rare)
Welsh name of the archangel Michael, formed from a contraction of Michael and angel.
Mihkel m Estonian
Estonian form of Michael.