English Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is English. English is a West Germanic language spoken in Great Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other places.
gender
usage
origin
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Laquan m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements la and quan. It can be spelled LaQuan or Laquan.
Laquisha f African American
Variant of Lakeisha.
Laraine f English
Variant of Lorraine.
Lark f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of songbird.
LaShawn f & m African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Shawn.
Lashay f African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements la and shay.
Lashonda f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Shonda. It can be spelled LaShonda or Lashonda.
Latanya f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Tanya. It can be spelled LaTanya or Latanya.
Latasha f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Tasha. It can be spelled LaTasha or Latasha.
LaTonya f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Tonya.
LaToya f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Toya.
Lauraine f English (Rare)
Variant of Lorraine influenced by the spelling of Laura.
Laurel f English
From the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin laurus.
Laurelle f English (Rare)
Variant of Laurel.
Laurinda f English (Rare)
Variant of Lorinda.
Lavender f English (Rare)
From the English word for the aromatic flower or the pale purple colour.
Lavern m & f English
Variant of Laverne.
Laverne f & m English
From a French surname that was derived from a place name, ultimately from the Gaulish word vern "alder". It is sometimes associated with the Roman goddess Laverna or the Latin word vernus "of spring".
Lavone f English (Rare)
Variant of Lavonne.
Lavonne f English
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Yvonne.
LaWanda f African American
Combination of the popular prefix la and the name Wanda. This name has been used in America since the 1910s. It peaked in popularity in 1977, the same year that actress LaWanda Page (1920-2002) finished portraying the character Aunt Esther on the television comedy Sanford and Son. It subsequently faded from the charts.
Lawson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Laurence 1".
Layne m & f English
Variant of Lane.
Layton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from the name of English towns meaning "town with a leek garden" in Old English. Like similar-sounding names such as Peyton and Dayton, this name began rising in popularity in the 1990s.
Leann f English
Combination of Lee and Ann.
Leanna f English
Probably this was originally a variant of Liana. It is now often considered a combination of Lee and Anna.
Leanne f English
Combination of Lee and Anne 1.
Lee m & f English
From a surname that was derived from Old English leah meaning "clearing". The surname belonged to Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), commander of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In his honour, it has been used as a given name in the American South. It is common as a middle name.
Leeann f English
Combination of Lee and Ann.
Lefty m English
From a nickname, in most cases given to a left-handed person.
Legacy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word, meaning "something inherited from a predecessor, heritage". It is derived from Old French legacie, itself from Latin legatum "bequest, legacy".
Legend m English (Modern)
From the English word, referring to a story about the past (or by extension, a heroic character in such a story), ultimately from Latin legere "to read".
Leigh f & m English
From a surname that was a variant of Lee.
Leighton f & m English
Variant of Layton. It jumped in popularity as a feminine name after 2007, when actress Leighton Meester (1986-) began appearing on the television series Gossip Girl.
Leith m & f English (Rare)
From a surname, originally from the name of a Scottish town (now a district of Edinburgh), which is derived from Gaelic lìte "wet, damp". It is also the name of the river that flows though Edinburgh.
Leland m English
From a surname, originally from an English place name, which meant "fallow land" in Old English. A famous bearer was the politician, businessman and Stanford University founder Leland Stanford (1824-1893).
Lemoine m English (Rare)
From a French surname meaning "the monk" in French.
Lennon m & f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, derived from the Irish byname Leannán meaning "lover". The surname was borne by musician and Beatle member John Lennon (1940-1980), and it may be used as a given name in his honour. In America it is now more common as a feminine name, possibly inspired in part by the singer Lennon Stella (1999-), who began appearing on the television series Nashville in 2012.
Lennox m & f English (Modern)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the name of a district in Scotland. The district, called Leamhnachd in Gaelic, possibly means "place of elms". This name steadily rose in popularity in the 2000s, at the same time as the similar-sounding (but unrelated) names Lennon and Knox.
Lenox m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lennox.
Leroi m English (Rare)
Variant of Leroy.
Leroy m English
From the French nickname le roi meaning "the king". It has been common as an English given name since the 19th century. Since 1920 in the United States it has been mainly used by African Americans.
Les m English
Short form of Leslie or Lester.
Lesleigh f English (Rare)
Variant of Leslie.
Lesley f & m English
Variant of Leslie.
Leslie f & m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from a place in Aberdeenshire, probably from Gaelic leas celyn meaning "garden of holly". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In America it was more common as a feminine name after the 1940s.
Lesly f English (Modern)
Variant of Leslie.
Lessie f English
Diminutive of names containing the sound les, such as Leslie.
Lester m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of the city of Leicester, originally denoting a person who was from that place. The city's name is derived from the river name Ligore combined with Latin castra "camp".
Leta f English
Possibly derived from Latin laetus meaning "glad". Otherwise, it could be a short form of names ending in leta.
Lewin m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Leofwine.
Leyton m English (Modern)
From a surname that was a variant of Layton.
Lian 3 f Hebrew
Probably a Hebrew form of Leanne.
Liana f Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, English, Georgian
Short form of Juliana, Liliana and other names that end in liana. This is also the word for a type of vine that grows in jungles.
Lianne f English (Rare)
Variant of Leanne.
Liberty f & m English
Simply from the English word liberty, derived from Latin libertas, a derivative of liber "free". Interestingly, since 1880 this name has charted on the American popularity lists in three different periods: in 1918 (at the end of World War I), in 1976 (the American bicentennial), and after 2001 (during the War on Terrorism).
Lilac f English (Rare)
From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers (genus Syringa). It is derived via Arabic from Persian.
Lileas f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic of Lillian.
Lílian f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Portuguese variant of Lillian.
Lilian f & m English, French, Romanian
English variant of Lillian, as well as a French and Romanian masculine form.
Liliána f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Lillian.
Liliana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Polish, Czech, English
Latinate form of Lillian.
Liliane f French
French form of Lillian.
Lilianna f Polish, English (Modern)
Variant of Liliana.
Lilianne f French
Variant of Liliane.
Lilias f Scottish
Form of Lillian found in Scotland from about the 16th century.
Lilien f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Lillian.
Lillia f English
Short form of Lillian or an elaborated form of Lily.
Lillian f English
Probably originally a diminutive of Elizabeth. It may also be considered an elaborated form of Lily, from the Latin word for "lily" lilium. This name has been used in England since the 16th century.
Lilliana f English (Modern)
Variant of Lillian.
Lillias f Scottish
Variant of Lilias.
Lillie f English
Variant of Lily, or a diminutive of Lillian or Elizabeth.
Lilly f English, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
English variant of Lily. It is also used in Scandinavia, as a form of Lily or a diminutive of Elisabeth.
Lily f English
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).
Lily-Rose f English
Combination of Lily and Rose.
Lincoln m English
From an English surname that was originally from the name of an English city, called Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic lindo "lake, pool" and Latin colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.
Linden m & f English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".
Lindon m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lyndon.
Lindsay f & m English
From an English and Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of the eastern English region of Lindsey, which means "Lincoln island" in Old English. As a given name it was typically masculine until the 1960s (in Britain) and 70s (in America) when it became popular for girls, probably due to its similarity to Linda and because of American actress Lindsay Wagner (1949-).
Lindsey f & m English
Variant of Lindsay.
Lindsie f English (Rare)
Variant of Lindsay.
Lindy m & f English
Originally this was a masculine name, coming into use in America in 1927 when the dance called the Lindy Hop became popular. The dance was probably named for aviator Charles Lindbergh. Later this name was used as a diminutive of Linda.
Linette f English, French
Variant of Lynette.
Linford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally taken from place names meaning either "flax ford" or "linden tree ford" in Old English.
Link m English
Short form of Lincoln. This is the name of the hero in the Legend of Zelda video game series (first appearing in 1986), derived from the English word link meaning "link, connection". He is called リンク (Rinku) in Japanese.
Linnaea f English (Rare)
From the word for the type of flower, also called the twinflower (see Linnéa).
Linnet f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Lynette or else from the name of the small bird, a type of finch.
Linnette f English (Rare)
Variant of Lynette.
Linsay f English (Rare)
Variant of Lindsay.
Linsey f English
Variant of Lindsay.
Linton m English
From a surname that was originally from place names meaning either "flax town" or "linden tree town" in Old English.
Linwood m English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.
Linzi f English (Rare)
Variant of Lindsay.
Lita f English
Short form of names ending in lita. This name was brought to the public eye in the 1920s due to Lita Grey (1908-1995), who was the second wife of Charlie Chaplin. Her birth name was Lillita Louise MacMurray.
Lloyd m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from llwyd meaning "grey". The composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (1948-) is a famous bearer of this name.
Logan m & f English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Ayrshire meaning "little hollow" (from Gaelic lag "hollow, pit" combined with a diminutive suffix). This name started slowly rising on the American popularity charts in the mid-1970s, perhaps partly inspired by the movie Logan's Run (1976). The comic book character Wolverine, alias Logan, was also introduced around the same time.... [more]
London f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of the United Kingdom, the meaning of which is uncertain. As a surname it was borne by the American author Jack London (1876-1916).
Londyn f English (Modern)
Variant of London.
Loraine f English
Variant of Lorraine.
Lorainne f English (Rare)
Variant of Lorraine.
Lorayne f English
Variant of Lorraine.
Lorelle f English (Rare)
Variant of Laurel.
Lori f English
Diminutive of Laura, Lorraine and other names beginning with Lor. This name rapidly rose in popularity in the United States in the 1950s and 60s, peaking in the 8th spot for girls in 1963.
Lorie f English
Variant of Lori.
Lorinda f English
Elaboration of Lori with the popular name suffix inda.
Lorn m English (Rare)
Variant of Lorne.
Lorna f English
Created by the author R. D. Blackmore for the title character in his novel Lorna Doone (1869), set in southern England, which describes the dangerous love between John Ridd and Lorna Doone. Blackmore may have based the name on the Scottish place name Lorne or on the title Marquis of Lorne (see Lorne).
Lorne m English
From the title Marquis of Lorne, which was based on the Scottish place name Lorne, itself possibly derived from the name of the legendary king of Dál Riata, Loarn mac Eirc. This was the title of the first Governor General of Canada, where it has since been most frequently used as a given name. A famous bearer was the Canadian actor Lorne Greene (1915-1987).
Lorraine f English
From the name of a region in eastern France, originally meaning "kingdom of Lothar". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called Lorraine, or in German Lothringen (from Latin Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.
Lorri f English
Variant of Lori.
Lorrie f English
Variant of Lori.
Lotus f English (Rare)
From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.
Love 2 f English
Simply from the English word love, derived from Old English lufu.
Lovel m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.
Lovell m English
From a surname that was a variant of Lowell.
Lowell m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman French nickname, from lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).
Loyalty f English (Modern)
From the English word, which was originally borrowed from Old French loiauté, a derivative of loial "loyal", itself derived from Latin legalis "legal".
Loyd m English
Variant of Lloyd.
Luana f English, Italian, Portuguese
From the movie Bird of Paradise (1932), in which it was borne by the main character, a Polynesian girl. The movie was based on a 1912 play of the same name set in Hawaii.
Luann f English
Either a combination of Lou and Ann or a variant of Luana. It was popularized in the 1950s by the singer Lu Ann Simms (1933-2003).
Luanna f English (Rare)
Either a combination of Lou and Anna or a variant of Luana.
Luanne f English
Variant of Luann.
Lucky m & f English, Hindi
From a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).
Luther m English
From a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).
Lyall m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Liulfr (which was derived in part from úlfr "wolf").
Lyle m English
From an English surname that was derived from Norman French l'isle meaning "island".
Lyn f English
Variant of Lynn.
Lyndon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "linden tree hill" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973).
Lyndsay f English (Modern)
Variant of Lindsay.
Lyndsea f English (Rare)
Variant of Lindsay.
Lyndsey f English (Modern)
Variant of Lindsay.
Lynette f English, Arthurian Cycle
Form of Lynet used by Alfred Tennyson in his 1872 poem Gareth and Lynette. According to Tennyson, Gareth and Lynette were eventually married. In modern times it is also regarded as a diminutive of Lynn.
Lynn f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from Welsh llyn meaning "lake". Before the start of the 20th century it was primarily used for boys, but it has since come to be more common for girls. In some cases it may be thought of as a short form of Linda or names that end in lyn or line.
Lynna f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lynn.
Lynne f English
Variant of Lynn.
Lynnette f English
Variant of Lynette.
Lynsay f English (Rare)
Variant of Lindsay.
Lynsey f English (Modern)
Variant of Lindsay.
Lynton m English (Rare)
Variant of Linton.
Lynwood m English
Variant of Linwood.
Lyric f & m English (Modern)
Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).
Mac m English
Variant of Mack 1.
Macaulay m English (British)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Amhalghaidh, itself derived from Amhalghadh, a given name of unknown meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1861), a British Whig politician and noted historian. The given name is borne by the American former child actor Macaulay Culkin (1980-), who was named after the British politician.
Macauley m English (British)
Variant of Macaulay.
Macey f English (Modern)
Variant of Macy.
Maci f English (Modern)
Variant of Macy.
Macie f English
Variant of Macy.
Mack 1 m English
From a surname, originally a shortened form of various Irish and Scottish surnames beginning with Mac or Mc (from Irish mac meaning "son"). It is also used as a generic slang term for a man.
Mackenzie f & m English
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.
Macy f English
From an English surname that was from various towns called Massy in France. The towns themselves were originally derived from a Gallo-Roman personal name that was Latinized as Maccius. The name was brought to public attention in 1989 when the character Macy Alexander was introduced to the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. It is also notable as the name of a chain of American department stores founded by Rowland Hussey Macy in 1858.
Madai m Biblical
Means "Medes" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Japheth said to be the ancestor of the Medes, an ancient people related to the Persians.
Maddie f English
Diminutive of Madeline or Madison.
Maddison f English (Modern)
Variant of Madison.
Maddox m English (Modern)
From a Welsh surname meaning "son of Madoc". It was brought to public attention when the actress Angelina Jolie gave this name to her adopted son in 2002.
Maddy f English
Diminutive of Madeline or Madison.
Madi f English
Diminutive of Madeline or Madison.
Madison f & m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Maud". It was not commonly used as a feminine name until after the movie Splash (1984), in which the main character adopted it as her name after seeing a street sign for Madison Avenue in New York City. It was ranked second for girls in the United States by 2001. This rise from obscurity to prominence in only 18 years represents an unprecedented 550,000 percent increase in usage.... [more]
Madisyn f English (Modern)
Variant of Madison.
Madyson f English (Modern)
Variant of Madison.
Magnolia f English
From the English word magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.
Maitland m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was from a Norman French place name possibly meaning "inhospitable".
Major m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the given name Mauger, a Norman French form of the Germanic name Malger meaning "council spear". The name can also be given in reference to the English word major.
Makenna f English (Modern)
Variant of McKenna.
Makenzie f English (Modern)
Variant of Mackenzie.
Malandra f English (Rare)
Invented name using the popular name suffix andra, from names such as Sandra or Alexandra.
Malaysia f English (Modern)
From the name of the country in southeastern Asia, the home of the Malay people. Their ethnic name is of uncertain origin, though it is possibly from the name of a river, itself derived from Malay melaju or Javanese mlayu meaning "to run, to go fast".
Mallory f English (Modern)
From an English surname was derived from Old French maleüré meaning "unfortunate". It first became common in the 1980s due to the American sitcom Family Ties (1982-1989), which featured a character by this name.
Malone m & f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Maoil Eoin meaning "descendant of a disciple of Saint John".
Manley m English
From an English surname, originally a place name, meaning "common clearing" in Old English.
Mansel m English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally referred to a person who came from the French city of Le Mans.
Maple f English
From the English word for the tree (comprising the genus Acer), derived from Old English mapul. This is the name of a girl in Robert Frost's poem Maple (1923) who wonders about the origin of her unusual name.
Maralyn f English
Variant of Marilyn.
Mariabella f English (Rare)
Combination of Maria and Bella.
Marigold f English (Modern)
From the name of the flower, which comes from a combination of Mary and the English word gold.
Marilyn f English
Combination of Mary and the common name suffix lyn. It was very rare before the start of the 20th century. It was popularized in part by the American stage star Marilyn Miller (1898-1936), who was born Mary Ellen Reynolds and took her stage name from a combination of her birth name and her mother's middle name Lynn. It became popular in the United States during the 1920s, reaching a high point ranked 13th in 1936. Famous bearers include American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962; real name Norma Jeane Mortenson) and American opera singer Marilyn Horne (1934-).
Marilynn f English
Variant of Marilyn.
Marion 2 m English
From a French surname that was derived from Marion 1. This was the real name of American actor John Wayne (1907-1979), who was born Marion Robert Morrison.
Maris 2 f English (Rare)
Means "of the sea", taken from the Latin title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea".
Marla f English
Variant of Marlene using the suffix la.
Marlee f English (Modern)
Variant of Marley.
Marley f & m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was taken from a place name meaning either "pleasant wood", "boundary wood" or "marten wood" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the Jamaican musician Bob Marley (1945-1981).
Marlon m English
Meaning unknown. This name was popularized by the American actor Marlon Brando (1924-2004), who was named after his father.
Marlowe f & m English (Modern)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "remnants of a lake" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the English playwright Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593).
Marly f English (Rare)
Variant of Marley.
Marlyn f & m English
Variant of Marilyn (feminine) or Marlin (masculine).
Marshal m English
Variant of Marshall.
Marshall m English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who was a marshal. The word marshal originally derives from Latin mariscalcus, itself from Germanic roots akin to Old High German marah "horse" and scalc "servant". A famous bearer is the American rapper Marshall Mathers (1972-), who performs under the name Eminem.
Marva f English
Feminine form of Marvin.
Marvel f English
From the English word meaning "a miracle, a wonder", derived from Old French merveille, from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful".
Marvin m English, German, Dutch
From an English surname that was derived from the Welsh given name Merfyn or the Old English name Mærwine. As an American given name, it steadily rose in popularity through the beginnings of the 20th century and peaked in the early 1930s (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated name Melvin). A famous bearer was the American musician Marvin Gaye (1939-1984).
Marvyn m English (Rare)
Variant of Marvin.
Marwin m German (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
German and Dutch variant of Marvin.
Mary Beth f English
Combination of Mary and Beth.
Marybeth f English
Combination of Mary and Beth.
Marylyn f English
Variant of Marilyn.
Mason m English
From an English surname (or vocabulary word) meaning "stoneworker", derived from an Old French word of Frankish origin (akin to Old English macian "to make"). In the United States this name began to increase in popularity in the 1980s, likely because of its fashionable sound. It jumped in popularity after 2009 when Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their son, as featured on their reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2010. It peaked as the second most popular name for boys in 2011.
Masterman m English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who worked as a servant.
Maverick m English
Derived from the English word maverick meaning "independent". The word itself is derived from the surname of a 19th-century Texas rancher who did not brand his calves.
Mavis f English
From the name of the type of bird, also called the song thrush, derived from Old French mauvis, of uncertain origin. It was first used as a given name by the British author Marie Corelli, who used it for a character in her novel The Sorrows of Satan (1895).
Max m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Czech, Russian, French, Catalan
Short form of Maximilian or Maxim. In English it can also be short for Maxwell, and it coincides with the informal word max, short for maximum.... [more]
Maxene f English (Rare)
Variant of Maxine.
Maxie m & f English
Diminutive of Maximilian, Maxwell, Maxine and other names beginning with Max.
Maxine f English
Feminine form of Max. It has been commonly used only since the beginning of the 20th century.
Maxton m English (Modern)
Elaboration of Max using the popular name suffix ton.
Maxwell m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.... [more]
May f English
Derived from the name of the month of May, which derives from Maia, the name of a Roman goddess. May is also another name of the hawthorn flower. It is also used as a diminutive of Mary, Margaret or Mabel.
Maynard m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old German given name Meginhard.
Maynerd m English (Rare)
Variant of Maynard.
Mayson m English (Modern)
Variant of Mason.
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.
McKenzie f & m English (Modern)
Variant of 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]
Meade m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that indicated one who lived on a meadow (from Middle English mede) or one who sold or made mead (an alcoholic drink made from fermented honey; from Old English meodu).
Meadow f English (Modern)
From the English word meadow, ultimately from Old English mædwe. Previously very rare, it rose in popularity after it was used as the name of Tony Soprano's daughter on the television series The Sopranos (1999-2007).
Mel m & f English
Short form of Melvin, Melanie, Melissa and other names beginning with Mel.
Melba f English
From the surname of the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba (1861-1931). This was a stage name that she got from the name of the city Melbourne, where she was born.
Melesina f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown, perhaps a form of Millicent. It was borne by the Irish writer and socialite Melesina Trench (1768-1827).
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".
Melva f English
Perhaps a feminine form of Melvin.
Melville m English
From a Scots surname that was originally from a Norman French place name Malleville meaning "bad town". A famous bearer of the surname was the American author Herman Melville (1819-1891), who wrote several novels including Moby-Dick.
Melvin m English, Swedish
From a Scots surname that was a variant of Melville. This name has been used in America since the 19th century. It became popular in the early 20th century and reached a peak in the late 1920s, but has steadily declined since then (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated names Marvin and Alvin).
Melvyn m English
Variant of Melvin.
Memory f English (African)
From the English word memory, ultimately from Latin memor "mindful, remembering". This name is most common in Malawi, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.
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".
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.
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.
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".
Meriwether m English (Rare)
From a surname meaning "happy weather" in Middle English, originally belonging to a cheery person. A notable bearer of the name was Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809), who, with William Clark, explored the west of North America.
Merla f English (Rare)
Variant of Merle.
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.
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".
Merrilyn f English (Rare)
Variant of Marilyn.
Merritt m & f English
From an English surname, originally from a place name, which meant "boundary gate" in Old English.
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.
Merton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town on a lake" in Old English.
Mervin m English
Variant of Mervyn or Marvin.
Meshach m Biblical
Possibly means "who is what Aku is?" in Akkadian, Aku being the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament this is the Babylonian name of Mishael, one of the three men cast into a blazing furnace but saved from harm by God.
Milani f English (Modern)
From the name of the Italian city of Milan, as in the name of the American cosmetics company founded in 2002. It could also a variant of Melanie.
Milburn m English
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "mill stream" in Old English.
Miley f English (Modern)
In the case of actress and singer Miley Cyrus (1992-), it is a shortened form of the nickname Smiley, given to her by her father because she often smiled. Although it was not at all common before she brought it to public attention, there are some examples of its use before her time, most likely as a diminutive of Miles.
Milford m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from various place names all meaning "ford by a mill" in Old English.
Millard m English
From an occupational English surname meaning "guardian of the mill" in Old English.
Miller m & f English
From an English occupational surname for a miller, derived from Middle English mille "mill".
Mílton m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Milton.
Milton m English, Spanish (Latin American)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "mill town" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was John Milton (1608-1674), the poet who wrote Paradise Lost.
Minta f English
Short form of Araminta.
Minty f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Araminta.
Miracle f English (Modern)
From the English word miracle for an extraordinary event, ultimately deriving from Latin miraculum "wonder, marvel".
Misti f English
Variant of Misty.
Misty f English
From the English word misty, ultimately derived from Old English. The jazz song Misty (1954) by Erroll Garner may have helped popularize the name.
Mitch m English
Short form of Mitchell.
Mitchell m English
From an English surname, itself derived from the given name Michael or in some cases from Middle English michel meaning "big, large".
Modesty f English (Rare)
From the English word modesty, ultimately from Latin modestus "moderate", a derivative of modus "measure".
Monday m & f English (African)
From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English mona "moon" and dæg "day". This can be given to children born on Monday, especially in Nigeria.
Monroe m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". The Roe is a river in Northern Ireland. Two famous bearers of the surname were American president James Monroe (1758-1831) and American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).... [more]
Montague m English (Rare)
From an aristocratic English surname meaning "sharp mountain", from Old French mont agu. In Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596) this is the surname of Romeo and his family.
Montana f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the American state, which is derived from Latin montanus "mountainous".
Monte m English, Armenian
Either a diminutive of Montgomery or from the Spanish or Italian vocabulary word meaning "mountain". Its use as an Armenian name is inspired by the Armenian-American revolutionary Monte Melkonian (1957-1993).
Montgomery m English
From an English surname meaning "Gumarich's mountain" in Norman French. A notable bearer of this surname was Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976), a British army commander during World War II.
Monty m English
Variant of Monte.
Moon 2 f & m English (Rare)
From the English word for Earth's natural satellite, ultimately from Old English mona.
Moriah f English (Modern)
From Hebrew מֹרִיָה (Moriya) possibly meaning "seen by Yahweh". This is a place name in the Old Testament, both the land where Abraham is to sacrifice Isaac and the mountain upon which Solomon builds the temple. They may be the same place. Since the 1980s it has occasionally been used as a feminine given name in America.
Morley m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally from an Old English place name meaning "marsh clearing".
Mort m English
Short form of Morton or Mortimer.
Mortimer m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Normandy, itself meaning "dead water, still water" in Old French.
Morton m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "moor town" in Old English.
Morty m English
Diminutive of Morton or Mortimer.
Munro m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Monroe.
Munroe m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Monroe.
Murphy m & f English
From a common Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Murchadha, itself derived from the given name Murchadh. As a given name, it has been borne by female characters on the American television series Murphy Brown (1988-1998) and the movie Interstellar (2014).
Murray m Scottish, English
From a surname, which is either Scottish or Irish in origin (see Murray 1 and Murray 2).
Myrtie f English
Diminutive of Myrtle.
Myrtle f English
Simply from the English word myrtle for the evergreen shrub, ultimately from Greek μύρτος (myrtos). It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
Nahor m Biblical
Means "snorting" in Hebrew. Nahor is the name of both the grandfather and a brother of Abraham in the Old Testament.
Nairobi f African American (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of Kenya, derived from Maasai enkare nyrobi meaning "cold water".
Nakeisha f African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic prefix na and the name Keisha.
Nakisha f African American (Modern)
Combination of the name prefix na and the name Kisha.
Napier m English (Rare)
From an English and Scots surname meaning "linen keeper" in Middle English, from Old French nappe "table cloth".
Narelle f English (Australian)
Meaning unknown. It was borne by the wife of Umbarra, who was a 19th-century leader of the Yuin, an Australian Aboriginal people.
Nash m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from the Middle English phrase atten ash "at the ash tree". A famous bearer of the surname was the mathematician John Nash (1928-2015).... [more]
Natisha f African American (Modern)
Variant of Natasha, probably modelled on Latisha.
Navy f & m English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "sea force, fleet, armed forces of the sea". It is derived from Old French navie, from Latin navigia, the plural of navigium "boat, vessel". It also refers to a shade of dark blue, a colour traditionally associated with naval uniforms.
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".
Nelda f English
Possibly an elaboration of Nell using the popular phonetic suffix da.
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.
Ness 2 f English
Short form of Vanessa.
Nessa 1 f English
Short form of Vanessa and other names ending in nessa.
Nevada f & m English
From the name of the American state, which means "snow-capped" in Spanish.
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.
Nevil m English (Rare)
Variant of Neville.
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.
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).
Nikeisha f African American (Rare)
Variant of Nakeisha.
Nikisha f African American (Modern)
Variant of Nakisha.
Niles m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Neil.