Desiderius m Late RomanDerived from Latin
desiderium meaning
"longing, desire". It was the name of several early saints. It was also borne in the 8th century by the last king of the Lombard Kingdom.
Desiree f EnglishEnglish form of
Désirée. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the movie
Désirée (1954).
Deusdedit m Late RomanLatin name meaning
"God has given". This was the name of two popes (who are also known by the related name
Adeodatus). This is a Latin translation of
Theodore.
Devon m & f EnglishVariant of
Devin. It may also be partly inspired by the name of the county of Devon in England, which got its name from the Dumnonii, a Celtic tribe.
Diamond f English (Rare), African American (Modern)From the English word
diamond for the clear colourless precious stone, the traditional birthstone of April. It is derived from Late Latin
diamas, from Latin
adamas, which is of Greek origin meaning "unconquerable, unbreakable".
Diana f English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Catalan, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Armenian, Georgian, Roman MythologyMeans
"divine, goddesslike", a derivative of Latin
dia or
diva meaning
"goddess". It is ultimately related to the same Indo-European root *
dyew- found in
Zeus. Diana was a Roman goddess of the moon, hunting, forests and childbirth, often identified with the Greek goddess
Artemis.
... [more] Dick 1 m EnglishMedieval diminutive of
Richard. The change in the initial consonant is said to have been caused by the way the trilled Norman
R was pronounced by the English.
Diede m & f DutchShort form of names beginning with the Old High German element
diota (Old Frankish
þeoda) meaning "people".
Diego m Spanish, ItalianSpanish name, possibly a shortened form of
Santiago. In medieval records
Diego was Latinized as
Didacus, and it has been suggested that it in fact derives from Greek
διδαχή (didache) meaning
"teaching". Saint Didacus (or Diego) was a 15th-century Franciscan brother based in Alcalá, Spain.
... [more] Dieter m GermanMeans
"warrior of the people", derived from the Old German elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Frankish
þeoda) and
heri meaning "army". This name is also used as a short form of
Dietrich.
Diethelm m GermanDerived from the Old German elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Frankish
þeoda) and
helm meaning "helmet, protection".
Dietlinde f GermanFrom the Germanic name
Theodelinda, derived from the elements
theod meaning "people" (Old High German
diota, Old Frankish
þeoda) and
lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender". Theodelinda was a 6th-century Bavarian princess who became queen of the Lombards.
Dietrich m GermanGerman form of
Theodoric. The character Dietrich von Bern, loosely based on Theodoric the Great, appears in medieval German literature such as the
Hildebrandslied, the
Nibelungenlied and the
Eckenlied.
Dieudonné m FrenchMeans
"given by God" in French, used as a French form of
Deusdedit. It is currently much more common in French-speaking Africa than it is in France.
Diogo m PortuguesePortuguese form of
Diego. This name was borne by the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão (1452-1486).
Dior f & m English (Modern)From a French surname, possibly from
doré meaning
"golden". As a given name it has been inspired by the French luxury fashion house Dior, founded by the designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).
Dirk m Dutch, Low German, German, EnglishDutch and Low German short form of
Diederik. This name was borne by several counts of Frisia and Holland, beginning in the 10th century. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by actor Dirk Bogarde (1921-1999), who had some Dutch ancestry. This is also the Scots word for a type of dagger.
Discordia f Roman MythologyMeans
"discord, strife" in Latin. This was the name of the Roman goddess of discord, equivalent to the Greek goddess
Eris.
Dolly f EnglishDiminutive of
Dorothy.
Doll and
Dolly were used from the 16th century, and the common English word
doll (for the plaything) is derived from them. In modern times this name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of
Dolores.
Dolores f Spanish, EnglishMeans
"sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin
Mary Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, meaning "Our Lady of Sorrows". It has been used in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in America during the 1920s and 30s.
Domenico m ItalianItalian form of
Dominicus (see
Dominic). Domenico Veneziano was a Renaissance painter who lived in Florence.
Dominic m EnglishFrom the Late Latin name
Dominicus meaning
"of the Lord". This name was traditionally given to a child born on Sunday. Several saints have borne this name, including the 13th-century founder of the Dominican order of friars. It was in this saint's honour that the name was first used in England, starting around the 13th century. It has historically seen more use among Catholics.
Domitian m HistoryFrom the Roman cognomen
Domitianus, itself derived from the family name
Domitius. This was the name of a 1st-century Roman emperor, born as Titus Flavius Domitianus.
Domitilla f Italian, Ancient RomanFeminine diminutive of the Roman family name
Domitius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasian and the mother of emperors Titus and Domitian.
Domitius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was probably derived from Latin
domitus meaning
"having been tamed".
Domna f Late Roman, GreekFeminine form of
Domnus. Saint Domna of Nicomedia was martyred during the persecutions of the early 4th century. However, in the case of Julia Domna, the Syrian wife of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus, it seems her name was actually of Semitic origin.
Domninus m Late RomanLatin name that was a derivative of
Domnus. This name was borne by several early saints, including the 4th-century martyr Domninus of Fidenza.
Domnius m Late RomanLatin name that was a derivative of
Domnus. Saint Domnius was a bishop of Split in Croatia who was martyred during the persecutions of Diocletian in the early 4th century.
Domnus m Late RomanFrom Vulgar Latin
domnus, from Latin
dominus meaning
"lord, master". This name was borne by the 6th-century saint Domnus of Vienne (also called Domninus).
Donatello m ItalianDiminutive of
Donato. The Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Bette Bardi (1386-1466) was better known as Donatello.
Donato m Italian, Spanish, PortugueseFrom the Late Latin name
Donatus meaning
"given". Several early saints had this name. The name was also borne by two Renaissance masters: the sculptor Donato di Niccolo di Bette Bardi (also known as Donatello), and the architect Donato Bramante.
Donna f EnglishFrom Italian
donna meaning
"lady". It is also used as a feminine form of
Donald.
Dornröschen f LiteratureFrom German
Dorn "thorn" and
Rose "rose" combined with the diminutive suffix
-chen. This is the name of Sleeping Beauty in the Brothers Grimm telling of the fairy tale.
Drusus m Ancient RomanRoman family name, also sometimes used as a praenomen, or given name, by the Claudia family. Apparently the name was first assumed by a Roman warrior who killed a Gallic chieftain named Drausus in single combat.
Drausus possibly derives from a Celtic element meaning
"strong".
Duilio m Italian, SpanishFrom the Roman name
Duilius, which is possibly derived from Latin
duellum "war". This was the name of a Roman consul who defeated the Carthaginians in a naval battle.
Duke m EnglishFrom the noble title
duke, which was originally derived from Latin
dux "leader".
Dulcibella f English (Archaic)From Latin
dulcis "sweet" and
bella "beautiful". The usual medieval spelling of this name was
Dowsabel, and the Latinized form
Dulcibella was revived in the 18th century.
Dulcie f EnglishFrom Latin
dulcis meaning
"sweet". It was used in the Middle Ages in the spellings
Dowse and
Duce, and was recoined in the 19th century.
Dulcinea f LiteratureDerived from Spanish
dulce meaning
"sweet". This name was (first?) used by Miguel de Cervantes in his novel
Don Quixote (1605), where it belongs to the love interest of the main character, though she never actually appears in the story.
Durante m ItalianItalian form of the Late Latin name
Durans, which meant
"enduring".
Duuk m Dutch (Modern)Probably a Dutch form of the English word
duke, which was originally derived from Latin
dux "leader". The equivalent Dutch word is
hertog.
Eberhard m German, GermanicOld German name meaning
"brave boar", derived from the elements
ebur "wild boar" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by an influential 9th-century Duke of Friuli. It was also the name of a 12th-century German saint, an archbishop of Salzburg.
Edelgard f GermanFrom an Old German name, which was derived from the elements
adal "noble" and
gart "enclosure, yard".
Eeyore m LiteratureCreated by the children's author A. A. Milne for a pessimistic stuffed donkey in his
Winnie-the-Pooh books (starting 1926). His name is an onomatopoeic representation of the braying sound (hee-haw) made by a donkey.
Efisio m ItalianFrom the Latin byname
Ephesius, which originally belonged to a person who was from the city of Ephesus in Ionia. This was the name of a saint martyred on Sardinia in the 4th century.
Egilhard m GermanicOld German name derived from the elements
agil "edge, blade" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Usually called Eilhart, this was a medieval German poet who wrote an early version of the Tristan and Iseult tale.
Egilmar m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
agil "edge, blade" and
mari "famous". Egilmar (or Elimar) was the name of two counts of Oldenburg in the 12th century.
Eglantine f English (Rare)From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It is derived via Old French from Vulgar Latin *
aquilentum meaning "prickly". It was early used as a given name (in the form
Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story
The Prioress's Tale (one of
The Canterbury Tales).
Eike m & f Low German, GermanOriginally a short form of
Ekkehard and other names beginning with the Old High German element
ekka, Old Saxon
eggia meaning
"edge, blade". This name was borne by Eike of Repgow, who compiled the law book the
Sachsenspiegel in the 13th century.
Eilonwy f LiteratureFrom Welsh
eilon meaning
"deer, stag" or
"song, melody". This name was used by Lloyd Alexander in his book series
The Chronicles of Prydain (1964-1968) as well as the Disney film adaptation
The Black Cauldron (1985).
Einion m WelshFrom the Old Welsh name
Enniaun, probably from the Latin name
Ennianus, a derivative of
Ennius (see
Ennio). It is also a modern Welsh word meaning "anvil". This was the name of a few early Welsh rulers including Einion Frenin (5th century), who is considered a saint in some Christian traditions.
Ekkehard m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
ekka "edge, blade" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". Eckhart von Hochheim was a 13th-century Dominican friar, philosopher and mystic who was accused of heresy during the Inquisition.
Elanor f LiteratureMeans
"star sun" in the fictional language Sindarin. In
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien this is Sam's eldest daughter, named after a type of flower.
Elea f EnglishShort form of
Eleanor. This was also the name of an ancient Italian town (modern Velia) that is well known for being the home of the philosopher Parmenides and his student Zeno of Elea, who was famous for his paradoxes.
Eleanor f EnglishFrom the Old French form of the Occitan name
Alienòr. Among the name's earliest bearers was the influential Eleanor of Aquitaine (12th century), who was the queen of Louis VII, the king of France, and later Henry II, the king of England. She was named
Aenor after her mother, and was called by the Occitan phrase
alia Aenor "the other Aenor" in order to distinguish her from her mother. However, there appear to be examples of bearers prior to Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is not clear whether they were in fact Aenors who were retroactively recorded as having the name Eleanor, or whether there is an alternative explanation for the name's origin.
... [more] Eleonora f Italian, German, Swedish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian, GreekForm of
Eleanor in several languages.
Éliane f FrenchProbably from
Aeliana, the feminine form of the Roman name
Aelianus, which was derived from the Roman family name
Aelius. This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr from Amasea.
Eligius m Late RomanLate Latin name derived from Latin
eligere "to choose". The 7th-century Saint Eligius is the patron saint of metalworkers.
Elissa 1 f Roman MythologyMeaning unknown, possibly Phoenician in origin. This is another name of
Dido, the legendary queen of Carthage.
Ella 1 f EnglishNorman name, originally a short form of Germanic names containing the element
alles meaning
"other" (Proto-Germanic *
aljaz). It was introduced to England by the Normans and used until the 14th century, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the American singer Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996).
Elle f English (Modern)Diminutive of
Eleanor and other names beginning with
El. This name can also be given in reference to the French pronoun
elle meaning "she".
... [more] Ellery m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from the medieval masculine name
Hilary.
Ellie f EnglishDiminutive of
Eleanor,
Ellen 1 and other names beginning with
El. This name became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1990s, being ranked second for girls in 2003.
Elmira 1 f LiteraturePossibly a shortened form of
Edelmira. It appears in the play
Tartuffe (1664) by the French playwright Molière (often spelled in the French style
Elmire).
Elmo m Italian, English, Finnish, EstonianOriginally a short form of names ending with the Old German element
helm meaning
"helmet, protection", such as
Guglielmo or
Anselmo. It is also a derivative of
Erasmus, via the old Italian short form
Ermo. Saint Elmo, also known as Saint Erasmus, was a 4th-century martyr who is the patron of sailors. Saint Elmo's fire is said to be a sign of his protection.
... [more] Eloise f EnglishFrom the Old French name
Héloïse, which was probably from the Germanic name
Helewidis, composed of the elements
heil meaning "healthy, whole" and
wit meaning "wide". It is sometimes associated with the Greek word
ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" or the name
Louise, though there is no etymological connection. This name was borne by the 12th-century French scholar and philosopher Héloïse. Secretly marrying the theologian Peter Abelard at a young age, she became a nun (and eventually an abbess) after Abelard was violently castrated by order of her uncle Fulbert.
... [more] Elrond m LiteratureMeans
"star dome" in the fictional language Sindarin. In
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Elrond was the elven ruler of Rivendell.
Elvis m EnglishMeaning unknown. It could possibly be a derivative of
Alvis or
Elwin. More likely, it is from the rare surname
Elvis, a variant of
Elwes, which is ultimately derived from the given name
Eloise. The name was brought to public attention by the singer Elvis Presley (1935-1977), whose name came from his father's middle name.
... [more] Emerson m & f EnglishFrom an English surname meaning
"son of Emery". The surname was borne by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American writer and philosopher who wrote about transcendentalism.
Emery m & f EnglishNorman French form of
Emmerich. The Normans introduced it to England, and though it was never popular, it survived until the end of the Middle Ages. As a modern given name, now typically feminine, it is likely inspired by the surname
Emery, which was itself derived from the medieval given name. It can also be given in reference to the hard black substance called emery.
Emeterius m Late RomanMeaning uncertain, possibly of Greek origin. Saint Emeterius was a 3rd-century Roman soldier who was martyred with Celedonius.
Emidio m ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Emygdius, which was possibly a Latinized form of a Gaulish name (of unknown meaning). Saint Emygdius was a 3rd-century bishop and martyr, the patron saint against earthquakes.
Emil m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Romanian, Bulgarian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Icelandic, EnglishFrom the Roman family name
Aemilius, which was derived from Latin
aemulus meaning
"rival".
Émile m FrenchFrench form of
Aemilius (see
Emil). This name was borne by the author Émile Zola (1840-1902) and the sociologist Émile Durkheim (1858-1917).
Emilia f Italian, Spanish, Romanian, Finnish, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Greek, BulgarianFeminine form of
Aemilius (see
Emily). In Shakespeare's tragedy
Othello (1603) this is the name of the wife of
Iago.
Emiliano m Spanish, Italian, PortugueseSpanish, Italian and Portuguese form of the Roman cognomen
Aemilianus, which was itself derived from the family name
Aemilius (see
Emil). This was the name of a 6th-century Spanish saint.