Ancient Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Ancient.
gender
usage
origin
Navneet m & f Punjabi
From Sanskrit नव (nava) meaning "new, fresh" and नित्य (nitya) meaning "eternal".
Nayden m Bulgarian
Means "found", derived from Bulgarian найда (nayda) meaning "to find".
Naz f Turkish
Means "coy" in Turkish, of Persian origin.
Nazaire m French (Rare)
French form of Nazarius.
Nazanin f Persian
Means "sweetheart, darling" in Persian.
Nazar m Russian, Ukrainian, Turkmen, Armenian
Russian, Ukrainian, Turkmen and Armenian form of Nazarius.
Nazaret f & m Spanish, Armenian
From Nazareth, the town in Galilee where Jesus lived. This name is primarily feminine in Spanish and primarily masculine in Armenian.
Nazario m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Nazarius.
Nazarius m Late Roman
Latin name meaning "from Nazareth". Nazareth was the town in Galilee where Jesus lived. This name was borne by several early saints, including a man martyred with Celsus in Milan.
Nazariy m Ukrainian, Russian (Rare)
Ukrainian and Russian form of Nazarius.
Nazerke f Kazakh
Derived from Persian ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort" and Kazakh ерке (erke) meaning "naughty, spoiled, darling".
Nazgul f Kyrgyz, Kazakh
Derived from Persian ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort" and گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
Nazia f Urdu, Bengali
From Persian نازی (nāzī) meaning "sweet, coy".
Nazli f Persian
Means "delicate, beautiful, coy" in Persian.
Nazlı f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Turkish and Azerbaijani form of Nazli.
Nəzrin f Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Nasrin.
Nazzareno m Italian
Italian form of the Late Latin Nazarenus, which meant "from Nazareth, Nazarene". Nazareth was the town in Galilee where Jesus lived. According to the New Testament, the phrase Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum meaning "Jesus the Nazarene, king of the Jews", was inscribed on the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.
Neacel m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Nicholas.
Neal m English
Variant of Neil.
Neas f Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Neasa.
Neasa f Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Ness, meaning uncertain. In Irish legend she was the mother of Conchobar. She installed her son as king of Ulster by convincing Fergus mac Róich (her husband and Conchobar's stepfather) to give up his throne to the boy for a year and then helping him rule so astutely that the Ulstermen demanded that he remain as king. According to some versions of the legend she was originally named Assa "gentle", but was renamed Ní-assa "not gentle" after she sought to avenge the murders of her foster fathers.
Nebet-Hut f Egyptian Mythology (Hypothetical)
Reconstructed Egyptian form of Nephthys.
Nebo m Biblical
Form of Nabu used in the Old Testament.
Nebojša m Serbian, Croatian
Means "fearless" in Serbian and Croatian, from the Old Slavic root nebojĭ.
Nebrod m Biblical Greek
Form of Nimrod used in the Greek Old Testament.
Nebuchadnezzar m Babylonian (Anglicized), Biblical
From ןְבוּכַדְנֶאצֲּר (Nevuḵaḏnetstsar), the Hebrew form of the Akkadian name Nabu-kudurri-usur meaning "Nabu protect my eldest son", derived from the god's name Nabu combined with kudurru meaning "eldest son" and an imperative form of naṣāru meaning "to protect". This name was borne by a 12th-century BC king of the Babylonian Empire. It was also borne by a 6th-century BC king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire. He captured Jerusalem, and ultimately destroyed the city's temple and deported many of its citizens, as told in the Old Testament.
Nechama f Hebrew
Means "comfort, consolation" in Hebrew.
Nechtan m Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Irish name of uncertain meaning, possibly from a Celtic root meaning "damp" (cognate with Neptune). In Irish mythology Nechtan was the husband of Boann, the goddess of the River Boyne. He is sometimes identified with Nuada. This name was borne by the 5th-century Saint Nectan of Hartland in Devon, who was supposedly born in Ireland. It was also the name of several kings of the Picts (described mostly from Gaelic sources, this may represent a Pictish cognate).
Necoda m Biblical Latin
Form of Nekoda used in the Latin Old Testament.
Neculai m Romanian
Romanian variant form of Nicholas.
Ned m English
Diminutive of Edward or Edmund. It has been used since the 14th century, and may have had root in the medieval affectionate phrase mine Ed, which was later reinterpreted as my Ned.
Nedelcho m Bulgarian
Masculine form of Nedelya.
Nedeljka f Croatian, Serbian
Feminine form of Nedeljko.
Nedeljko m Croatian, Serbian
Derived from Croatian nedjelja and Serbian недеља (nedelja) meaning "Sunday".
Nedelka f Macedonian
Macedonian feminine form of Nedeljko.
Nedelko m Macedonian
Macedonian form of Nedeljko.
Nedelya f Bulgarian
Means "Sunday" in Bulgarian.
Nediljka f Croatian
Feminine form of Nedeljko.
Nedyalka f Bulgarian
Bulgarian feminine form of Nedeljko.
Nedyalko m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Nedeljko.
Neela f Tamil, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Tamil நீலா or Hindi नीला (see Nila).
Neelam f & m Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi नीलम (see Nilam).
Neelima f Marathi, Hindi, Telugu
Alternate transcription of Marathi/Hindi नीलिमा or Telugu నీలిమ (see Nilima).
Neeltje f Dutch
Diminutive of Cornelia.
Neely m & f English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized and reduced form of Gaelic Mac an Fhilidh (or McNeilly) meaning "son of the poet".
Neema f Swahili
Means "divine grace" in Swahili, from Arabic نعمة (niʿma) meaning "blessing".
Neemias m Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Nehemiah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Neer m Limburgish
Short form of Reneer.
Neeraj m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi नीरज or Gujarati નીરજ (see Niraj).
Nefeli f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Nephele.
Neferkare m Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfr-kꜣ-rꜥ meaning "the soul of Ra is beautiful", from nfr "beautiful, good" combined with kꜣ "soul" combined with the name of the god Ra. This name was borne by several Egyptian pharaohs.
Nefertari f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfrt-jrj meaning "the most beautiful". This was the name of an Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom (13th century BC), the favourite wife of Ramesses II.
Nefertiti f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfrt-jjtj meaning "the beautiful one has come". Nefertiti was a powerful Egyptian queen of the New Kingdom (14th century BC), the principal wife of Akhenaton, the pharaoh that briefly imposed a monotheistic religion centered around the sun god Aton.
Neferuptah f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfrw-ptḥ meaning "beauty of Ptah", from nfrw "beauty, perfection" combined with the name of the god Ptah. This was the name of a sister of the pharaoh Neferusobek.
Neferusobek f Ancient Egyptian
From Egyptian nfrw-sbk meaning "beauty of Sobek", derived from nfrw "beauty, perfection" combined with the name of the god Sobek. This is the name of the earliest known female pharaoh of Egypt, ruling in the 12th dynasty (19th century BC). Her name is typically found with the hieroglyphs in reverse order, as Sobekneferu, though it is assumed this was only done to place the god's name first in writing.
Negar f Persian
Means "beloved" in Persian.
Negin f Persian
Means "gemstone" in Persian.
Neha f Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Gujarati, Bengali, Telugu
Possibly from Sanskrit स्नेह (sneha) meaning "love, tenderness".
Nehemiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh comforts" in Hebrew, derived from נָחַם (naḥam) meaning "to comfort" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. According to the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament he was a leader of the Jews who was responsible for the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the return from the Babylonian captivity.
Neifion m Welsh (Rare)
Welsh form of Neptune.
Neil m Irish, Scottish, English
From the Irish name Niall, which is of disputed origin, possibly connected to the old Celtic root *nītu- "fury, passion" or the (possibly related) Old Irish word nia "hero". A derivation from Old Irish nél "cloud" has also been suggested. This was the name of a few early Irish kings, notably Niall of the Nine Hostages, a semi-legendary high king of the 4th or 5th century.... [more]
Neilina f Scottish
Feminine form of Neil.
Neilos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Greek name of the Nile River, possibly of Semitic origin meaning "river". In Greek mythology he was the god of the Nile, the son of Okeanos and Tethys.... [more]
Neirin m Old Welsh
Variant of Aneirin.
Neith f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian nt, possibly from nt "water" or nrw "fear, dread". This was the name of an early Egyptian goddess of weaving, hunting and war. Her character may have some correspondences with the goddesses Tanith, Anat or Athena.
Neizan m Spanish (Modern)
Spanish form of Nathan, reflecting the English pronunciation.
Neja f Slovene
Diminutive of Jerneja.
Nejc m Slovene
Diminutive of Jernej.
Nekoda m Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
Means "marked" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the head of a family of temple servants.
Nektaria f Greek
Feminine form of Nektarios.
Nektarios m Greek, Late Greek
Derived from Greek νέκταρ (nektar) meaning "nectar, drink of the gods".
Nela f Croatian, Slovak, Portuguese, Czech, Polish
Short form of names ending in nela, such as Antonela.
Nelda f English
Possibly an elaboration of Nell using the popular phonetic suffix da.
Nele f German, Flemish, Estonian
Diminutive of Cornelia.
Neli f Bulgarian
Diminutive of Nedelya or Aneliya.
Nélida f Literature, Spanish
Created by French author Marie d'Agoult for her semi-autobiographical novel Nélida (1846), written under the name Daniel Stern. It was probably an anagram of her pen name Daniel.
Nelinha f Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of Manuela.
Nelinho m Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of Manuel.
Nell f English
Medieval diminutive of names beginning with El, such as Eleanor, Ellen 1 or Helen. It may have arisen from the medieval affectionate phrase mine El, which was later reinterpreted as my Nel.
Nella f Italian
Short form of Antonella.
Nelle f English
Variant of Nell.
Nelli f Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, Hungarian
Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish and Hungarian form of Nellie.
Nellie f English, Swedish
Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.
Nello m Italian
Short form of names ending in nello, such as Brunello or Antonello.
Nelly f English, Swedish, French, German
Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.
Nels m Danish (Rare)
Danish variant of Nils.
Nélson m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Nelson.
Nelson m English, Spanish
From an English surname meaning "son of Neil". It was originally given in honour of the British admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). His most famous battle was the Battle of Trafalgar, in which he destroyed a combined French and Spanish fleet, but was himself killed. Another notable bearer was the South African statesman Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). Mandela's birth name was Rolihlahla; as a child he was given the English name Nelson by a teacher.
Nelu m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Ion 1.
Nelya f Russian, Ukrainian
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Nelli.
Nemesia f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Nemesius.
Nemesio m Spanish
Spanish form of Nemesius.
Nemesis f Greek Mythology
Means "distribution of what is due, righteous anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Nemesis was the personification of vengeance and justice.
Nemesius m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Νεμέσιος (Nemesios), derived from the name of the Greek goddess Nemesis. This name was borne by a 4th-century Christian philosopher. It was also borne by an early saint and martyr.
Nena f English
Variant of Nina 1, also coinciding with the Spanish word nena meaning "baby girl".
Nenad m Serbian, Croatian
Means "unexpected" in Serbian and Croatian. In the Serbian folk song Predrag and Nenad this is the name of Predrag's brother.
Nennius m History
Meaning unknown, presumably a Latinized form of a Brythonic name (perhaps Nynniaw). According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, this was the name of a British prince who fought against the invading forces of Julius Caesar. It was also borne by a 9th-century Welsh monk, traditionally credited with authoring the History of the Britons.
Neno m Serbian, Croatian
Diminutive of Nenad.
Nensi f Croatian
Croatian form of Nancy.
Neo 2 m Various
From a prefix meaning "new", ultimately from Greek νέος (neos).... [more]
Neofit m Bulgarian (Rare), Macedonian (Rare)
Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Neophytos.
Neofytos m Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Neophytos.
Neon m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νέος (neos) meaning "new".
Neonila f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Neonilla.
Neonilla f Late Greek, Russian (Rare)
From a Greek name derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new". This was the name of an Orthodox Christian saint, a 3rd-century Syrian woman martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Decius.
Neophytos m Ancient Greek
Greek name meaning "new plant, new child", from a word that was derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new" and φυτόν (phyton) meaning "plant".
Neoptolemus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Νεοπτόλεμος (Neoptolemos) meaning "new war", derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new" combined with an Epic Greek form of πόλεμος (polemos) meaning "war". In Greek legend this was the name of the son of Achilles, brought into the Trojan War because it was prophesied the Greeks could not win it unless he was present. After the war he was slain by Orestes fighting over Hermione.
Nephele f Greek Mythology
From Greek νέφος (nephos) meaning "cloud". In Greek legend Nephele was created from a cloud by Zeus, who shaped the cloud to look like Hera in order to trick Ixion, a mortal who desired her. Nephele was the mother of the centaurs by Ixion, and was also the mother of Phrixus and Helle by Athamus.
Nephthys f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian nbt-ḥwt (reconstructed as Nebet-Hut) meaning "lady of the house", derived from nbt "lady" and ḥwt "house". This was the name of an Egyptian goddess associated with the air, death and mourning. She was wife of the desert god Seth.
Neptune m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Neptunus, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to the Indo-European root *nebh- "wet, damp, clouds". Neptune was the god of the sea in Roman mythology, approximately equivalent to the Greek god Poseidon. This is also the name of the eighth planet in the solar system.
Neptuno m Roman Mythology (Hispanicized, Portuguese-style)
Spanish and European Portuguese form of Neptune.
Nerea f Basque, Spanish
Possibly from Basque nere, a dialectal variant of nire meaning "mine". Alternatively, it could be a feminine form of Nereus. This name arose in Basque-speaking regions of Spain in the first half of the 20th century, though it is now popular throughout the country.
Nereida f Spanish
Derived from Greek Νηρηΐδες (Nereides) meaning "nymphs, sea sprites", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Nereo m Italian, Spanish (Latin American)
Italian and Spanish form of Nereus.
Nereus m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Derived from Greek νηρός (neros) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a god of the sea, the father of the Nereids. It is mentioned briefly in the New Testament, belonging to a Christian in Rome. This was also the name of a Roman saint of the 1st century, a member of the army, who was martyred with his companion Achilleus because they refused to execute Christians.
Nergis f Turkish
Means "daffodil, narcissus" in Turkish, ultimately derived from Greek (see Narcissus).
Neriah m Biblical
Means "lamp of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of the father of Baruch in the Old Testament.
Nerina f Italian
Probably from Greek Νηρηΐδες (see Nereida). This name was used by Torquato Tasso for a character in his play Aminta (1573), and subsequently by Giacomo Leopardi in his poem Le Ricordanze (1829).
Nerio m Italian
Possibly a variant of Nereo.
Nerissa f Literature
Created by Shakespeare for a character in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). He possibly took it from Greek Νηρηΐς (Nereis) meaning "nymph, sea sprite", ultimately derived from the name of the Greek sea god Nereus, who supposedly fathered them.
Neriya m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Neriah.
Nermin m & f Bosnian, Turkish, Arabic (Egyptian)
From Persian نرم (narm) meaning "soft, gentle". It is typically masculine in Bosnian, and feminine in Turkish and Arabic.
Nermina f Bosnian
Bosnian feminine form of Nermin.
Nero 1 m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen, which was probably of Sabine origin meaning "strong, vigorous". It was used by a prominent branch of the gens Claudia starting from the 3rd century BC. It was borne most famously by a Roman emperor of the 1st century, remembered as a tyrant. His birth name was Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, but after he was adopted as the heir of Claudius his name became Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus.
Nero 2 m Italian
Short form of Raniero. It also coincides with the Italian word nero meaning "black".
Nerses m Armenian
Armenian form of Middle Persian Narseh (see Narses). Saint Nerses was a 4th-century patriarch of the Armenian Church.
Nerthus f Germanic Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Germanic *Nerþuz, which is also the root of the Old Norse god's name Njǫrðr (see Njord). Nerthus was a Germanic goddess of fertility as described by the Roman historian Tacitus in the 1st century.
Nerþuz f & m Germanic Mythology (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Nerthus and Njord.
Nerva m Ancient Roman, History
Roman cognomen derived from Latin nervus "strength". This is the name by which the 1st-century Roman emperor Marcus Cocceius Nerva is commonly known.
Nes f Dutch (Rare)
Dutch short form of Agnes.
Neske f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Agnes.
Nesrin f Turkish
Turkish form of Nasrin.
Nesrine f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Arabic (chiefly North African) form of Nasrin.
Ness 1 f Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Neasa.
Nessa 3 f Irish, Irish Mythology
Anglicized form of Neasa.
Nest f Welsh
Medieval Welsh diminutive of Agnes.
Nesta f Welsh
Medieval Welsh diminutive of Agnes.
Néstor m Spanish
Spanish form of Nestor.
Nestor m Greek Mythology, Russian, Portuguese, French
Means "returner, homecomer" in Greek, from νέομαι (neomai) meaning "to return". In Homer's Iliad this was the name of the king of Pylos, famous for his great wisdom and longevity, who acted as a counselor to the Greek allies.
Nestore m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Nestor.
Nestori m Finnish
Finnish form of Nestor.
Netan'el m Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Nathanael.
Netanel m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Nathanael.
Nethaneel m Biblical
Form of Nathanael used in some versions of the Old Testament.
Nethanel m Biblical
Form of Nathanael used in some versions of the Old Testament.
Nethaniah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has given" in Hebrew, derived from נָתַן (naṯan) meaning "to give" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Ishmael (the assassin of Gedaliah), as well as other minor characters.
Netta 1 f English
Short form of names ending in netta.
Nettie f English
Diminutive of names ending in nette, such as Annette or Jeanette.
Netuno m Roman Mythology (Portuguese-style)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Neptune.
Neus f Catalan
Catalan cognate of Nieves.
Neva f English
Short form of Geneva.
Nevaeh f English (Modern)
The word heaven spelled backwards. It became popular after the musician Sonny Sandoval from the rock group P.O.D. gave it to his daughter in 2000. Over the next few years it rapidly climbed the rankings in America, peaking at the 25th rank for girls in 2010.
Nevan m Irish
Anglicized form of Naomhán.
Neve f Irish
Anglicized form of Niamh.
Neven m Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian
Masculine form of Nevena.
Nevena f Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian
Derived from South Slavic neven meaning "marigold".
Neves f Portuguese
Portuguese form of Nieves.
Neville m English (British)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Norman French. As a given name it is chiefly British and Australian.
Nevio m Italian
Italian form of the Roman family name Naevius, which was derived from Latin naevus "mole (on the body)". A famous bearer was the 3rd-century BC Roman poet Gnaeus Naevius.
Newt m English
Short form of Newton.
Newton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "new town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English physicist Isaac Newton (1643-1727).
Neža f Slovene
Slovene form of Agnes.
Nia 1 f Welsh
Welsh form of Niamh. The Welsh poet T. Gwynn Jones used it in his long poem Tir na n-Óg (1916), referring to the lover of Oisín.
Nia 3 f English, Georgian
Short form of Antonia, Sidonia and other names ending in nia.
Niall m Irish, Old Irish
Irish form of Neil.
Níam f Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Niamh.
Niamh f Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "bright" in Irish. She was the daughter of the sea god Manannán mac Lir in Irish legends. She fell in love with the poet Oisín, the son of Fionn mac Cumhaill. It has been used as a given name for people only since the early 20th century.
Nic m English
Short form of Nicholas, or sometimes Dominic.
Nicanor m Ancient Greek (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin, Spanish
From the Greek name Νικάνωρ (Nikanor), which was derived from νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man". This name was borne by several notable officers from ancient Macedon. It is also mentioned in the New Testament as belonging to one of the original seven deacons of the church, considered a saint.
Niccolò m Italian
Italian form of Nicholas. Famous bearers include Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), a Florentine political philosopher, and Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840), a Genoese composer and violinist.
Nichelle f African American
Combination of Nicole and Michelle. This name spiked in popularity in the late 1960s when the actress Nichelle Nichols (1932-2022) portrayed Nyota Uhura on the Star Trek television series. Nichols was given the name Grace at birth but it was changed at a young age.
Nichola f English (British)
Feminine form of Nicholas (chiefly used in Britain).
Nicholas m English
From the Greek name Νικόλαος (Nikolaos) meaning "victory of the people", derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and λαός (laos) meaning "people". Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop from Anatolia who, according to legend, saved the daughters of a poor man from lives of prostitution. He is the patron saint of children, sailors and merchants, as well as Greece and Russia. He formed the basis for the figure known as Santa Claus (created in the 19th century from Dutch Sinterklaas), the bringer of Christmas presents.... [more]
Nichole f English
Variant of Nicole.
Niĉjo m Esperanto
Esperanto diminutive of Nicholas.
Nick m English, Dutch
Short form of Nicholas. It is borne by the comic character Nick Bottom in Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595).
Nicki f English
Diminutive of Nicole.
Nicky m & f English
Diminutive of Nicholas or Nicole.
Nico m Italian, Dutch, German, Spanish, Portuguese
Short form of Nicholas (or sometimes Nicodemus).
Nicodemo m Italian, Spanish (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Nicodemus.
Nicodemus m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Νικόδημος (Nikodemos) meaning "victory of the people", derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people". This is the name of a character in the New Testament who helps Joseph of Arimathea entomb Jesus.
Nicol 1 m Medieval English, Scottish
Medieval English and Scottish form of Nicholas. This was the middle name of a character in the novel Rob Roy (1817) by Walter Scott.
Nicol 2 f Spanish (Latin American), Czech
Spanish and Czech form of Nicole.
Nicola 1 m Italian
Italian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the 13th-century sculptor Nicola Pisano.
Nicola 2 f German, English
Feminine form of Nicholas. In the English-speaking world this name is more common outside of America, where Nicole is more usual.
Nicolaas m Dutch
Dutch form of Nicholas.
Nicolae m Romanian
Romanian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu (1918-1989).
Nicolai m Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian variant form of Nicholas.
Nicolao m Italian (Rare)
Italian variant form of Nicholas.
Nicolaos m Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Νικόλαος (see Nikolaos).
Nicolás m Spanish
Spanish form of Nicholas.
Nicolas m French
French form of Nicholas.
Nicolasa f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Nicholas.
Nicolau m Portuguese, Galician, Catalan
Portuguese, Galician and Catalan form of Nicholas.
Nicolaus m German, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Nikolaos (see Nicholas). This form is also used in Germany as a variant of Nikolaus. A notable bearer was the German-speaking Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543). This was his Latin name; his German name was recorded in various spellings such as Niklas Koppernigk.
Nicole f French, English, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Nicholas, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).
Nicoleta f Romanian
Romanian feminine form of Nicholas.
Nicoletta f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Nicola 1.
Nicolette f French
Diminutive of Nicole.
Nicolina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Nicola 1.
Nicoline f Dutch, Danish
Diminutive of Nicole.
Nicolino m Italian
Italian diminutive of Nicola 1.
Nicolò m Italian
Italian variant form (particularly Sicilian) of Nicholas.
Nicu m Romanian
Diminutive of Nicolae.
Nicușor m Romanian
Diminutive of Nicolae.
Niek m Dutch
Short form of Nicolaas.
Niels 1 m Danish
Danish form of Nicholas. A famous bearer was Niels Bohr (1885-1962), a Danish physicist who investigated the structure of atoms.
Niels 2 m Dutch
Dutch short form of Cornelius.
Nienke f Frisian
Frisian diminutive of Katherine.
Nieves f Spanish
Means "snows" in Spanish, derived from the title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora de las Nieves meaning "Our Lady of the Snows".
Nigar f Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Negar.
Nigel m English
From Nigellus, a medieval Latinized form of Neil. It was commonly associated with Latin niger "black". It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to Walter Scott's novel The Fortunes of Nigel (1822).
Nigella f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Nigel.
Nigina f Tajik, Uzbek
Tajik and Uzbek form of Negin.
Nigora f Uzbek, Tajik
Uzbek and Tajik form of Negar.
Nigul m Estonian
Estonian form of Nicholas.
Nihad m Bosnian, Azerbaijani
Bosnian and Azerbaijani form of Nihat.
Nihat m Turkish
Possibly from Persian نهاد (nehād) meaning "nature, disposition".
Niillas m Sami
Sami form of Nils.
Niilo m Finnish
Finnish form of Nicholas.
Niina f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish short form of Anniina, or a Finnish and Estonian form of Nina 1.
Nika 1 f & m Russian
Russian short form of Veronika and other names ending in nika. It can also be a short form of Nikita 1 (masculine).
Nika 2 f Slovene, Croatian
Feminine form of Nikola 1.
Nika 3 m Georgian
Diminutive of Nikoloz.
Nikandr m Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Nikandros.
Nikandros m Ancient Greek
Means "victory of a man" from the Greek elements νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). This was the name of a 2nd-century BC Greek poet and grammarian from Colophon.
Nike f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "victory" in Greek. Nike was the Greek goddess of victory.
Nikephoros m & f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "carrying victory" from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory" and φέρω (phero) meaning "to carry, to bear". This name was borne by several Byzantine emperors, including the 10th-century Nikephoros II Phokas. Besides being a masculine personal name, it was also a title borne by the goddess Athena.
Niketas m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νικητής (niketes) meaning "winner, victor". Saint Niketas was a 4th-century bishop of Remesiana in Serbia. He is a patron saint of Romania.
Nikhil m Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Odia, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil
From Sanskrit निखिल (nikhila) meaning "whole, entire".
Nikhila f Telugu, Hindi
Feminine form of Nikhil.
Niki 1 f Greek
Modern Greek form of Nike.
Niki 2 f English
Diminutive of Nicole.
Nikias m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". This was the name of an Athenian general who fought in the Peloponnesian war.
Nikica m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian and Serbian diminutive of Nikola 1.
Nikifor m Russian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Russian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Nikephoros.
Nikita 1 m Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian form of Niketas. This form is also used in Ukrainian and Belarusian alongside the more traditional forms Mykyta and Mikita. A notable bearer was the Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971).
Nikita 2 f Marathi, Hindi
Derived from Sanskrit निकेत (niketa) meaning "house, habitation".
Nikitha f Telugu, Tamil
Southern Indian variant of Nikita 2.
Nikki f English
Diminutive of Nicole.
Niklaus m German (Swiss)
Swiss German form of Nicholas.
Niklāvs m Latvian
Latvian variant form of Nicholas.
Niko m Finnish, Croatian, Slovene, Georgian, German
Finnish form of Nicholas, as well as a Croatian, Slovene, Georgian and German short form.
Nikodem m Polish
Polish form of Nicodemus.
Nikodim m Russian
Russian form of Nicodemus.
Nikol f Czech, Bulgarian, Greek
Czech, Bulgarian and Greek form of Nicole.
Nikola 1 m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Czech, Basque
Form of Nicholas in several languages. Note, in Czech this is also a feminine name (see Nikola 2). A famous bearer was the Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla (1856-1943).
Nikola 2 f German, Polish, Czech, Slovak
German, Polish, Czech and Slovak feminine form of Nicholas. Note, in Czech this is also a masculine name (see Nikola 1).
Nikolaas m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch variant of Nicolaas.
Nikolai m Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Николай (see Nikolay).
Nikolaj m Danish, Slovene
Danish and Slovene form of Nicholas.
Nikolajs m Latvian
Latvian form of Nicholas.
Nikolao m Esperanto
Esperanto form of Nicholas.
Nikolas m Greek, English
Variant of Nikolaos (Greek) or Nicholas (English).
Nikolasz m Hungarian (Modern)
Hungarian form of Nicholas. This form is a modern adaptation (based on the spelling in English or another foreign language), as opposed to the traditional form Miklós.
Nikolaus m German
German form of Nicholas.
Nikolay m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Nicholas. A notable bearer was the Russian-Ukrainian novelist Nikolay Gogol (1809-1852).
Nikolče m Macedonian
Macedonian diminutive of Nicholas.
Nikolche m Macedonian
Alternate transcription of Macedonian Николче (see Nikolče).
Nikole f Basque, English
Basque form of Nicole, as well as an English variant.