Ancient Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Ancient.
gender
usage
origin
Peppe m Italian
Diminutive of Giuseppe.
Peppino m Italian
Diminutive of Giuseppe.
Per m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Breton
Scandinavian and Breton form of Peter.
Perceval m Arthurian Cycle
Old French form of Percival used by Chrétien de Troyes.
Percival m Arthurian Cycle, English
Created by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his poem Perceval, the Story of the Grail. Chrétien may have derived the name from Old French perce val "pierce the valley", or he may have based it loosely on the Welsh name Peredur. In the poem Perceval is a boy from Wales who hopes to become a knight under King Arthur. Setting out to prove himself, he eventually comes to the castle of the Fisher King and is given a glimpse of the Grail.
Percy m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of a Norman town Perci, which was itself perhaps derived from a Gaulish given name that was Latinized as Persius. The surname was borne by a noble English family, and it first used as a given name in their honour. A famous bearer was Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), an English romantic poet whose works include Adonais and Ozymandias. This name can also be used as a short form of Percival.
Pere m Catalan
Catalan form of Peter.
Peredur m Welsh Mythology, Arthurian Cycle
Meaning uncertain. It possibly means "hard spears" from Welsh peri "spears" and dur "hard, steel". In early Welsh poetry and histories, the brothers Peredur and Gwrgi were chieftains in Cumbria who defeated Gwenddoleu at the Battle of Arfderydd. This name was later used by the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth in the Latin form Peredurus for an early (fictitious) king of Britain. Entering into Arthurian romance, Peredur is an aspiring knight in the 14th-century Welsh tale Peredur son of Efrawg (an adaptation or parallel of Chrétien de Troyes' hero Percival).
Peregrine m English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Peregrinus, which meant "traveller". This was the name of several early saints.
Perez m Biblical
Means "breach, burst forth" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the twin brother of Zerah.
Peri f Turkish
Turkish form of Pari.
Periboia f Greek Mythology
From Greek περί (peri) meaning "around, exceedingly" and βοῦς (bous) meaning "ox, cow". This is the name of several minor characters in Greek mythology, including the mother of Ajax Telamonian.
Perica m Croatian, Serbian
Croatian diminutive of Petar.
Pericles m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Περικλῆς (Perikles), which was derived from Greek περί (peri) meaning "around, exceedingly" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Athenian statesman and general. It is also the name of the central character in the play Pericles, Prince of Tyre (1608) written (or co-written) by William Shakespeare.
Perig m Breton
Breton diminutive of Per.
Perikles m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Pericles.
Periklis m Greek
Modern Greek form of Pericles.
Perla f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish cognate of Pearl.
Perle f French, Yiddish
French and Yiddish cognate of Pearl. It is also used as a Yiddish vernacular form of Margalit.
Perlie f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Pearl.
Perlita f Spanish
Diminutive of Perla.
Permelia f English (Archaic)
Meaning unknown, possibly an early American alteration of Pamela.
Pernilla f Swedish
Swedish short form of Petronilla.
Pernille f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian short form of Petronilla.
Peronel f English (Archaic)
Contracted form of Petronel.
Perpétua f Portuguese (Rare)
Portuguese form of Perpetua.
Perpetua f Spanish, Late Roman
Derived from Latin perpetuus meaning "continuous". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint martyred with another woman named Felicity.
Perrine f French
French feminine form of Perrin, a diminutive of Pierre.
Perry m English
From a surname that is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh ap Herry, meaning "son of Herry". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.
Persefoni f Greek
Modern Greek transcription of Persephone.
Persephone f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown, probably of Pre-Greek origin, but perhaps related to Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder". In Greek myth she was the daughter of Demeter and Zeus. She was abducted to the underworld by Hades, but was eventually allowed to return to the surface for part of the year. The result of her comings and goings is the changing of the seasons. With her mother she was worshipped in the Eleusinian Mysteries, which were secret rites practiced at the city of Eleusis near Athens.
Perseus m Greek Mythology
Possibly derived from Greek πέρθω (pertho) meaning "to destroy". In Greek mythology Perseus was a hero who was said to have founded the ancient city of Mycenae. He was the son of Zeus and Danaë. Mother and child were exiled by Danaë's father Acrisius, and Perseus was raised on the island of Seriphos. The king of the island compelled Perseus to kill the Gorgon Medusa, who was so ugly that anyone who gazed upon her was turned to stone. After obtaining winged sandals and other tools from the gods, he succeeded in his task by looking at Medusa in the reflection of his shield and slaying her in her sleep. On his return he defeated a sea monster in order to save Andromeda, who became his wife.
Persis f Biblical, Biblical Greek
Greek name meaning "Persian woman". This is the name of a woman mentioned in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament.
Pertti m Finnish
Short form of Roopertti or Alpertti.
Perttu m Finnish
Finnish form of Bartholomew.
Peru m Basque
Basque form of Peter.
Pervez m Urdu
Urdu form of Parviz.
Pervin f Turkish
Turkish form of Parvin.
Perwîn f Kurdish
Kurdish form of Parvin.
Péťa m & f Czech
Diminutive of Petr or Petra.
Peťa m & f Czech
Diminutive of Petr or Petra.
Peta f English (Australian)
Chiefly Australian feminine form of Peter.
Petar m Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian and Macedonian form of Peter.
Pete m English
Short form of Peter.
Péter m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Peter.
Peter m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Slovene, Slovak, Biblical
Derived from Greek Πέτρος (Petros) meaning "stone". This is a translation used in most versions of the New Testament of the name Cephas, meaning "stone" in Aramaic, which was given to the apostle Simon by Jesus (compare Matthew 16:18 and John 1:42). Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus' ministry and is often considered the first pope.... [more]
Petera m Maori
Maori form of Peter.
Pēteris m Latvian
Latvian form of Peter.
Peti m Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Peter.
Petia m & f Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Петя (see Petya).
Petko m Bulgarian, Macedonian
Derived from Bulgarian Петък (Petak) or Macedonian Петок (Petok) meaning "Friday". This is a vernacular form of Paraskeve.
Petr m Czech
Czech form of Peter.
Petra f German, Dutch, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Swedish, Finnish, English
Feminine form of Peter. This was also the name of an ancient city in the region that is now Jordan.
Petrana f Bulgarian
Diminutive of Petra.
Petras m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Peter.
Petre m Romanian, Macedonian, Georgian
Romanian, Macedonian and Georgian form of Peter.
Petri m Finnish, Basque
Finnish and Basque form of Peter.
Petrică m Romanian
Romanian diminutive of Peter.
Petřík m Czech
Diminutive of Petr.
Petrina f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Petra.
Petro m Ukrainian, Esperanto
Ukrainian and Esperanto form of Peter.
Petrona f Spanish
Possibly a feminine form of Petronius.
Petronel f English (Archaic)
Medieval English form of Petronilla.
Petronela f Romanian, Slovak
Romanian and Slovak form of Petronilla.
Petronella f Dutch, Swedish, Hungarian
Dutch, Swedish and Hungarian form of Petronilla.
Petronia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Petronius.
Petronila f Spanish
Spanish form of Petronilla.
Petronilla f Italian, Late Roman
From a Latin name, a diminutive of Petronia, the feminine form of Petronius. This was the name of an obscure 1st-century Roman saint, later believed to be a daughter of Saint Peter.
Petronius m Ancient Roman
Roman family name that was possibly derived from Latin petro, petronis meaning "yokel".
Petros m Greek, Armenian, Biblical Greek
Greek and Armenian form of Peter.
Petroula f Greek
Greek feminine form of Peter.
Petru m Romanian, Corsican
Romanian and Corsican form of Peter.
Petrŭ m Old Church Slavic
Old Church Slavic form of Peter.
Petruccio m Medieval Italian
Medieval diminutive of Pietro.
Petruchio m Literature
Variant of Petruccio used by Shakespeare in his play The Taming of the Shrew (1593) for the suitor of Katherina.
Petrus m Dutch, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Peter. As a Dutch name, it is used on birth certificates though a vernacular form such as Pieter is typically used in daily life.
Petruška f Czech
Diminutive of Petra.
Petruț m Romanian
Diminutive of Petru.
Petter m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian form of Peter.
Petteri m Finnish
Finnish form of Peter.
Pétur m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Peter.
Petur m Faroese
Faroese form of Peter.
Petya m & f Russian, Bulgarian
Russian masculine diminutive of Pyotr or Bulgarian feminine diminutive of Petar.
Peyton f & m English
From an English surname, originally a place name meaning "Pæga's town". This was a rare masculine name until the 1990s. In 1992 it was used for a female character in the movie The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and, despite the fact that it was borne by the villain, the name began to rise in popularity for girls as well as boys.... [more]
Phaedra f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Φαίδρα (Phaidra), derived from φαιδρός (phaidros) meaning "bright". Phaedra was the daughter of Minos and the wife of Theseus in Greek mythology. Aphrodite caused her to fall in love with her stepson Hippolytos, and after she was rejected by him she killed herself.
Phaedrus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φαῖδρος (Phaidros), which meant "bright". This was the name of a 5th-century BC Greek philosopher, and also of a 1st-century Roman fabulist who was originally a slave from Thrace.
Phaenna f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek φαεινός (phaeinos) meaning "shining". According to some Greek myths this was the name of one of the three Graces or Χάριτες (Charites).
Phanuel m Biblical, Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Form of Penuel used in the New Testament, where it is borne by the father of Anna the prophetess. It also appears in the apocryphal Book of Enoch belonging to an angel.
Phanuhel m Biblical Latin
Form of Penuel in the Latin New Testament.
Pharaildis f Germanic (Latinized)
Derived from the Old German elements fara "journey" and hilt "battle". This was the name of an 8th-century saint from Ghent, Belgium.
Pharamond m History
Variant of Faramund. This form was used by Shakespeare in his historical play Henry V (1599), referring to the Frankish king.
Phares m Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Form of Perez used in the Greek and Latin Bibles, as well as some English translations of the New Testament.
Pharez m Biblical
Form of Perez used in some translations of the Bible.
Phebe f English, Biblical
Variant of Phoebe used in some translations of the New Testament.
Phelan m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Faolán.
Phelim m Irish
Anglicized form of Feidhlim.
Phelix m Biblical Greek
Form of Felix used in the Greek New Testament.
Pheme f Greek Mythology
Means "rumour, reputation" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the personification of fame and rumours.
Pheobe f English
Variant of Phoebe.
Pherenike f Ancient Greek
Attic Greek form of Berenice.
Pherick m Manx
Manx form of Patrick.
Phestos m Biblical Greek
Form of Festus used in the Greek New Testament.
Phil m English
Short form of Philip and various other names beginning with Phil, often a Greek element meaning "friend, dear, beloved".
Philadelphia f English (Rare)
From the name of a city in Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation in the New Testament. The name of the city meant "brotherly love" from Greek φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love" and ἀδελφός (adelphos) meaning "brother". It is also the name of a city in the United States.
Philadelphos m Ancient Greek
From Greek φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love" and ἀδελφός (adelphos) meaning "brother".
Philander m English (Archaic), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Φίλανδρος (Philandros) meaning "friend of man" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). It was the name of a son of Apollo with the nymph Acalle. In the 18th century this was coined as a word meaning "to womanize", and the name subsequently dropped out of use.
Phile f Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Philon (see Philo).
Philémon m French
French form of Philemon.
Philemon m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Ancient Greek
Means "affectionate" in Greek, a derivative of φίλημα (philema) meaning "kiss". Philemon was the recipient of one of Paul's epistles in the New Testament.
Philetus m Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Greek name Φίλητος (Philetos) meaning "beloved". In the New Testament, Philetus is a heretic in the church at Ephesus denounced by Paul.
Philibert m French, Germanic
Early variant of Filibert altered by association with Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover". A famous bearer was Philibert de l'Orme (1510-1570), a French Renaissance architect.
Philip m English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Biblical
From the Greek name Φίλιππος (Philippos) meaning "friend of horses", composed of the elements φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This was the name of five kings of Macedon, including Philip II the father of Alexander the Great. The name appears in the New Testament belonging to two people who are regarded as saints. First, one of the twelve apostles, and second, an early figure in the Christian church known as Philip the Deacon.... [more]
Philipa f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Philip.
Philipp m German
German form of Philip.
Philippa f English (British), German
Latinate feminine form of Philip. As an English name, it is chiefly British.
Philippe m French
French form of Philip.
Philippina f German (Rare)
Elaborated form of Philippa.
Philippine f French
Elaborated feminine form of Philippe.
Phillip m English
Variant of Philip, inspired by the usual spelling of the surname.
Phillipa f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Philip.
Phillis f English
Variant of Phyllis.
Philo m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Φίλων (Philon), which was derived from φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend". This was the name of a 1st-century Hellenistic Jewish philosopher and theologian from Alexandria.
Philoctetes m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Derived from φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and‎ κτάομαι (ktaomai) meaning "to acquire". In Greek legend this was the name of a hero who was stranded on the island of Lemnos on his way to the Trojan War.
Philokrates m Ancient Greek
Means "friend of power" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and κράτος (kratos) meaning "power".
Philomel f Literature
From an English word meaning "nightingale" (ultimately from Philomela). It has been used frequently in poetry to denote the bird.
Philomela f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Φιλομήλη (Philomele), derived from φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and μῆλον (melon) meaning "fruit". The second element has also been interpreted as Greek μέλος (melos) meaning "song". In Greek myth Philomela was the sister-in-law of Tereus, who raped her and cut out her tongue. Prokne avenged her sister by killing her son by Tereus, after which Tereus attempted to kill Philomela. However, the gods intervened and transformed her into a nightingale.
Philomena f English, German, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From Greek Φιλουμένη (Philoumene) meaning "to be loved", an inflection of φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love". This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr. The name came to public attention in 1802 after a tomb seemingly marked with the name Filumena was found in Rome, supposedly belonging to another martyr named Philomena. This may have in fact been a representation of the Greek word φιλουμένη, not a name.
Philomène f French
French form of Philomena.
Philon m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Philo.
Philophrosyne f Greek Mythology
Means "friendliness, kindliness" in Greek, a derivative of φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and φρήν (phren) meaning "mind, heart". In Greek mythology this was the name of the personification of welcome and friendliness.
Philotheos m Ancient Greek
Means "friend of god" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend" and θεός (theos) meaning "god".
Philoumene f Ancient Greek
Original Greek form of Philomena.
Phineas m Biblical
Variant of Phinehas used in some English versions of the Old Testament.
Phinees m Biblical Greek
Form of Phinehas used in the Greek Old Testament.
Phinehas m Biblical
Probably means "Nubian" from the Egyptian name Panhsj, though some believe it means "serpent's mouth" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Phinehas is a grandson of Aaron who kills an Israelite because he is intimate with a Midianite woman, thus stopping a plague sent by God. Also in the Bible this is the son of Eli, killed in battle with the Philistines.
Phineus m Greek Mythology
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Greek φίνις (phinis), a variant of φήνη (phene) meaning "vulture". According to Greek mythology this was the name of a king of Thrace visited by Jason and the Argonauts.
Phobos m Greek Mythology
Means "fear, panic" in Greek. This was one of the sons of Ares in Greek mythology. Also, one of the moons of Mars bears this name.
Phocas m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φωκᾶς (Phokas), which meant "seal (animal)" from Greek φώκη (phoke). This was the name of an early saint and martyr from Asia Minor. Sentenced to death for being a Christian, he is said to have given his killers lodging and then dug his own grave before he was executed.
Phoebe f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.... [more]
Phoebus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοῖβος (Phoibos), which meant "bright, pure". This was an epithet of the Greek god Apollo.
Phokas m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Phocas.
Photine f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)). This is the name traditionally given to the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well (see John 4:7). She is venerated as a saint by the Eastern Church.
Photios m Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek φῶς (phos) meaning "light" (genitive φωτός (photos)).
Phraates m Parthian (Hellenized)
Hellenized form of Frahat (see Farhad).
Phrixus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek Φρίξος (Phrixos) meaning "thrilling, causing shivers", derived from φρίξ (phrix) meaning "ripple, shiver". In Greek myth Phrixus was the son of Athamus and Nephele. He was to be sacrificed to Zeus, but he escaped with his sister Helle on the back of the ram with the Golden Fleece.
Phunihel m Biblical Latin
Form of Penuel used in the Latin Old Testament.
Phyliss f English
Variant of Phyllis.
Phyllida f English (Rare)
From Φυλλίδος (Phyllidos), the genitive form of Phyllis. This form was used in 17th-century pastoral poetry.
Phyllis f Greek Mythology, English
Means "foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with Felicia.
Pía f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Pius.
Piaras m Irish
Irish form of Piers.
Pich f & m Khmer
Means "diamond" in Khmer.
Pien f Dutch
Diminutive of Josephine.
Pier m Italian, Dutch
Italian and Dutch variant form of Peter. In Italian, this form is often used in combination with another name.
Piera f Italian
Italian feminine form of Peter.
Pierce m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Piers. In America this name slowly started to grow in popularity in 1982 when actor Pierce Brosnan (1953-) began starring on the television series Remington Steele.
Pierina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Piero.
Pierino m Italian
Diminutive of Piero.
Pierluigi m Italian
Combination of Piero and Luigi.
Piero m Italian
Italian form of Peter. Piero della Francesca was an Italian Renaissance painter.
Pierpaolo m Italian
Combination of Piero and Paolo.
Pièrre m Norman
Norman form of Peter.
Pierre m French, Swedish
French form of Peter. This name has been consistently popular in France since the 13th century, but fell out of the top 100 names in 2017. It was borne by the philosopher and theologian Pierre Abélard (1079-1142), the scholar Pierre-Simon Laplace (1749-1827), the impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), and Pierre Curie (1859-1906), a physicist who discovered radioactivity with his wife Marie.
Pierrette f French
Feminine diminutive of Pierre.
Pierrick m Breton, French
Breton diminutive of Pierre.
Piers m English (British), Medieval French
Medieval form of Peter. This is the name of the main character in the 14th-century poem Piers Plowman by William Langland.
Piet m Dutch
Short form of Pieter. Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) was a Dutch abstract painter.
Pietari m Finnish
Finnish form of Peter used in the Bible.
Pieter m Dutch
Dutch form of Peter. This name was borne by the Flemish painter Pieter Brueghel the Elder (c. 1525-1569).
Pietra f Italian
Italian feminine form of Peter.
Pietrina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Pietro.
Pietro m Italian
Italian form of Peter. Pietro was the given name of the Renaissance painter known as Perugino.
Piia f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian form of Pia.
Pijus m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Pius.
Pika 1 m Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Peter.
Pilib m Irish
Irish form of Philip.
Pille f Estonian
Possibly an 18th-century Estonian derivative of the German name Sibylle.
Pilypas m Lithuanian
Lithuanian form of Philip.
Pim m Dutch
Diminutive of Willem.
Pina f Italian
Short form of names ending in pina.
Pinelopi f Greek
Modern Greek form of Penelope.
Pinhas m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew פִּיןְחָס (see Pinchas).
Pino m Italian
Short form of names ending in pino.
Pinocchio m Literature
Means "pine eye" from Italian pino and occhio. It was created by the Italian author Carlo Collodi for his novel The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883), about a boy made out of wood whose nose grows longer every time he lies. The story was later adapted into a 1940 Disney movie.
Pío m Spanish
Spanish form of Pius.
Pio m Italian, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian and Portuguese form of Pius.
Piotr m Polish, Belarusian
Polish and Belarusian form of Peter.
Pip m & f English
Diminutive of Philip or Philippa. This is the name of the main character in Great Expectations (1860) by Charles Dickens.
Piper f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute). It was popularized as a given name by a character from the television series Charmed, which debuted in 1998.
Pipin m Germanic
Old German (Frankish) form of Pepin.
Pippa f English
Diminutive of Philippa.
Pippin 1 m Germanic
Old German form of Pepin. The 1972 musical Pippin is loosely based on the life of Charlemagne's eldest son Pepin the Hunchback.
Pippo m Italian
Diminutive of Filippo or Giuseppe.
Piran m Cornish
Possibly derived from Ciarán. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish monk who founded a monastery in Cornwall. He is the patron saint of Cornwall.
Piret f Estonian
Estonian form of Birgitta.
Piri f Hungarian
Diminutive of Piroska.
Piripi m Maori
Maori form of Philip.
Piritta f Finnish
Finnish form of Birgitta.
Pirjo f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Piritta.
Pirkko f Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Piritta.
Pirooz m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian پیروز (see Pirouz).
Piroska f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Prisca, influenced by the Hungarian word piros meaning "red".
Pirouz m Persian
Variant of Firouz.
Piruz m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian پیروز (see Pirouz).
Pista m Hungarian
Diminutive of István.
Pisti m Hungarian
Diminutive of István.
Pistis f Greek Mythology
Means "trust, faith" in Greek. In Greek mythology Pistis was the personification of trust.
Pit m Limburgish
Limburgish short form of Pitter.
Pitambar m Hindi
Modern form of Pitambara.
Pitambara m Hinduism
Derived from Sanskrit पीत (pīta) meaning "yellow" and अम्बर (ambara) meaning "garment". This is another name of the Hindu gods Vishnu or Krishna, given to them because yellow clothing is traditionally worn at religious events.
Pitter m Frisian, Limburgish
Frisian and Limburgish form of Peter.
Pius m Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "pious, dutiful". This was the name of twelve popes.
Pjetër m Albanian
Albanian form of Peter.
Placid m English (Rare)
English form of Placidus (see Placido).
Plácida f Spanish (Rare)
Spanish feminine form of Placidus (see Placido).
Placida f Late Roman, Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Placidus (see Placido).
Placide m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Placidus (see Placido).
Plácido m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Placidus (see Placido).
Placido m Italian
Italian form of the Late Latin name Placidus meaning "quiet, calm". Saint Placidus was a 6th-century Italian saint, a disciple of Saint Benedict.
Placidus m Late Roman
Latin form of Placido.
Plamen m Bulgarian, Serbian
Means "flame, fire" in South Slavic.
Plato m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Πλάτων (Platon), which was derived from Greek πλατύς (platys) meaning "broad-shouldered". Plato was one of the most important of the Greek philosophers. He was a pupil of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. He constructed the theory of Forms and wrote several works, including the Republic.
Pleione f Greek Mythology
Possibly from Greek πλείων (pleion) meaning "more, greater". According to Greek mythology Pleione was an Oceanid nymph who was the husband of Atlas. Together with her seven daughters and Atlas she forms the group of stars called the Pleiades, part of the constellation Taurus.
Pleun m & f Dutch
Diminutive of Apollonius, now commonly used as a feminine name.
Plínio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Plinius (see Pliny).
Plinio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Plinius (see Pliny).
Plinius m Ancient Roman
Original Latin form of Pliny.
Pliny m History
From the Roman family name Plinius, which is of unknown meaning. Two 1st-century Romans are known by this name: Gaius Plinius Secundus (called Pliny the Elder), a scientist and historian who died during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius; and Caius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (called Pliny the Younger), an author and statesman.
Plouton m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Pluto.
Plutarch m History
From the Greek name Πλούταρχος (Ploutarchos), which was derived from πλοῦτος (ploutos) meaning "riches, wealth" and ἀρχός (archos) meaning "master". Plutarch was a 1st-century Greek historian.
Pluto m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Roman Mythology
Latinized form of Greek Πλούτων (Plouton), derived from πλοῦτος (ploutos) meaning "wealth". This was an alternate name of Hades, the god of the underworld. This is also the name of a dwarf planet (formerly designated the ninth planet) in the solar system.
Pnina f Hebrew
Means "pearl" in Hebrew.
Poghos m Armenian
Armenian form of Paul.
Pól m Irish
Irish form of Paul.
Pòl m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Paul.
Pol m Catalan
Catalan form of Paul.
Pola f Polish
Short form of Apolonia.
Polat m Turkish
Turkish form of Bolat.
Poldi m German
German diminutive of Leopold.
Poli f Bulgarian
Short form of Polina.
Polikarp m Russian (Rare), Ukrainian (Rare)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Polycarp.
Polina f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Greek
Either a Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Greek form of Paulina or a short form of Apollinariya.
Pollie f English
Variant of Polly.
Pollux m Roman Mythology
Roman form of Greek Πολυδεύκης (Polydeukes) meaning "very sweet", from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and δευκής (deukes) meaning "sweet". In mythology he was the twin brother of Castor and a son of Zeus. The constellation Gemini, which represents the two brothers, contains a star by this name.
Polly f English
Medieval variant of Molly. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.
Pollyanna f Literature
Combination of Polly and Anna. This was the name of the main character in Eleanor H. Porter's novel Pollyanna (1913).
Polona f Slovene
Short form of Apolonija.
Polonius m Literature
From Latin Polonia meaning "Poland". In Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet (1600) this is the name of the counsellor to Claudius and the father of Laertes and Ophelia. He is accidentally murdered by Hamlet.
Polya f Bulgarian
Diminutive of Polina.
Polycarp m Ancient Greek (Anglicized)
From the Greek name Πολύκαρπος (Polykarpos) meaning "fruitful, rich in fruit", ultimately from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and καρπός (karpos) meaning "fruit". Saint Polycarp was a 2nd-century bishop of Smyrna who was martyred by being burned at the stake and then stabbed.
Polycrates m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From the Greek name Πολυκράτης (Polykrates) meaning "much power", derived from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and κράτος (kratos) meaning "power". This name was borne by a 6th-century BC ruler of the Greek island of Samos.
Polykarpos m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Polycarp.
Polymnia f Greek Mythology
Means "abounding in song", derived from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and ὕμνος (hymnos) meaning "song, hymn". In Greek mythology she was the goddess of dance and sacred songs, one of the nine Muses.
Polyphemos m Greek Mythology
Means "abounding in fame", derived from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and φήμη (pheme) meaning "rumour, fame, reputation". In Greek mythology this was the name of the cyclops who captured Odysseus and his crew, as told in the Odyssey. He ate several of the crew before Odysseus blinded him and orchestrated an escape.
Polyphonte f Greek Mythology
Means "slayer of many", derived from Greek πολύς (polys) meaning "much" and φόνος (phonos) meaning "murder, slaughter". In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who was transformed into a strix (an owl-like bird) after she had sons with a bear.
Polyxena f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Πολυξένη (Polyxene), which was from the word πολύξενος (polyxenos) meaning "entertaining many guests, very hospitable", itself derived from πολύς (polys) meaning "many" and ξένος (xenos) meaning "foreigner, guest". In Greek legend she was a daughter of Priam and Hecuba, beloved by Achilles. After the Trojan War, Achilles' son Neoptolemus sacrificed her.
Polyxene f Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Polyxena.
Polyxeni f Greek
Modern Greek form of Polyxena.
Pomona f Roman Mythology
From Latin pomus "fruit tree". This was the name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees.
Pompeia f Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Pompeius.
Pompeius m Ancient Roman
Latin form of Pompey.
Pompeo m Italian
Italian form of Pompeius (see Pompey).
Pompey m History
Modern form of the Roman family name Pompeius, which was probably derived from a Sabellic word meaning "five". A notable bearer was the 1st-century BC Roman general Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, also known as Pompey the Great. Initially an ally of Julius Caesar, he later fought against him in the Roman civil war of 49-45 BC.
Pompiliu m Romanian
Romanian form of the Roman name Pompilius, which is of unknown meaning, possibly a derivative of Pompeius (see Pompey). Numa Pompilius was the legendary second king of Rome (after Romulus).