Epponina f Gaulish (Latinized)Probably related to the name of the goddess
Epona. Epponina was the virtuous wife of the 1st-century Gallo-Roman rebel Julius Sabinus.
Erika f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, English, ItalianFeminine form of
Erik. It also coincides with the word for
"heather" in some languages.
Euboia f Greek MythologyMeans
"good ox" in Greek, from
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
βοῦς (bous) meaning "ox, cow". This is the name of several minor characters in Greek mythology, including a naiad who is said to have given her name to the island of Euboia.
Eudocia f Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Εὐδοκία (Eudokia), derived from the word
εὐδοκέω (eudokeo) meaning
"to be well pleased, to be satisfied", itself derived from
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
δοκέω (dokeo) meaning "to think, to imagine, to suppose". This name was common among Byzantine royalty. Saint Eudocia was the wife of the 5th-century emperor Theodosius II.
Eulalia f Spanish, Italian, Polish, English, Ancient GreekDerived from Greek
εὔλαλος (eulalos) meaning
"sweetly-speaking", itself from
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
λαλέω (laleo) meaning "to talk". This was the name of an early 4th-century saint and martyr from Mérida in Spain. Another martyr by this name, living at the same time, is a patron saint of Barcelona. These two saints might be the same person.
Eunomia f Greek MythologyMeans
"good order" in Greek, ultimately from
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
νόμος (nomos) meaning "law, custom". Eunomia was a Greek goddess, one of the
Ὥραι (Horai), presiding over law.
Euodia f Ancient Greek, Biblical Greek, BiblicalDerived from Greek
εὐοδία (euodia) meaning
"a good journey", a derivative of
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
ὁδός (hodos) meaning "road, way, journey". This name is mentioned briefly in
Paul's epistle to the Philippians in the New Testament (though some translations assume it belongs to a man named
Euodias).
Euphrasia f Ancient GreekMeans
"good cheer" in Greek, a derivative of
εὐφραίνω (euphraino) meaning
"to delight, to cheer". This name was borne by a 5th-century saint from Constantinople.
Euthalia f Late GreekMeans
"flower, bloom" from the Greek word
εὐθάλεια (euthaleia), itself derived from
εὖ (eu) meaning "good" and
θάλλω (thallo) meaning "to blossom". This name was borne by a 3rd-century saint and martyr from Sicily.
Evangelista m & f Italian, Spanish, PortugueseMeans
"evangelist, preacher" in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, derived from Latin, ultimately from Greek
εὐάγγελος (euangelos) meaning "bringing good news". It is often used in honour of the Four Evangelists (the authors of the gospels in the New Testament:
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke and
John). It is traditionally masculine, though occasionally given to girls. A famous bearer was the Italian physicist and mathematician Evangelista Torricelli (1608-1647), who invented the barometer.
Evanthia f GreekModern Greek feminine form of
Εὐανθία (Euanthia), a variant of
Euanthe. This was the name of a 1st-century martyr from Skepsis who is considered a saint in the Orthodox Church.
Fatiha f Arabic (Maghrebi)Means
"opener" in Arabic, from the root
فتح (fataḥa) meaning "to open, to conquer". This is the name of the first chapter (surah al-Fatiha) of the Quran.
Fátima f Portuguese, SpanishFrom the name of a town in Portugal, which was derived from the Arabic feminine name
Fatima, apparently after a Moorish princess who converted to Christianity during the Reconquista. The town became an important Christian pilgrimage center after 1917 when three local children reported witnessing repeated apparitions of the Virgin
Mary.
Fatima f Arabic, Urdu, BosnianDerived from Arabic
فطم (faṭama) meaning
"to abstain, to wean". Fatima was a daughter of the Prophet
Muhammad and the wife of
Ali, the fourth caliph. She is regarded as the exemplary Muslim woman, especially among Shias.
Febronia f Late RomanPossibly from
Februa, a Roman purification festival that was held during the month of February (and which gave the month its name). The festival was derived from Latin
februum meaning "purging, purification". This name was borne by Saint Febronia of Nisibis, a 4th-century martyr.
Fiachna m Irish Mythology, Old IrishDerived from Irish
fiach meaning
"raven". This is the name of several characters from Irish legend. It was also borne by Fiachna mac Báetáin, a 7th-century king of Dál Araide.
Fiachra m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Fiachrae, possibly from
fiach "raven" or
fích "battle" combined with
rí "king". This was the name of several legendary figures, including one of the four children of
Lir transformed into swans for a period of 900 years. This is also the name of the patron saint of gardeners: a 7th-century Irish abbot who settled in France, usually called Saint Fiacre.
Fiammetta f ItalianDiminutive of
Fiamma. This is the name of a character appearing in several works by the 14th-century Italian author Boccaccio. She was probably based on the Neapolitan noblewoman Maria d'Aquino.
Fina f Italian, SpanishShort form of
Serafina. Saint Fina, also known as Saint Serafina, was a 13th-century girl from the town of San Gimignano in Italy.
Fíona f IrishDerived from Irish
fíon meaning
"wine".
Fiona f Scottish, EnglishFeminine form of
Fionn. This name was (first?) used by the Scottish poet James Macpherson in his poem
Fingal (1761), in which it is spelled as
Fióna.
Fionnuala f Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"white shoulder" from Old Irish
finn "white, blessed" and
gúala "shoulder". In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of
Lir who were transformed into swans for a period of 900 years.
Fiorella f ItalianFrom Italian
fiore "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Florica f RomanianDerived from Romanian
floricea, itself a diminutive of
floare "flower".
Frida 1 f German, GermanicOriginally a short form of names containing the Old German element
fridu meaning
"peace" (Proto-Germanic *
friþuz). A famous bearer was the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).
Furiosa f Popular CultureMeans
"full of rage, furious" in Latin. This is the name of a warrior who turns against the evil Immortan Joe in the movie
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).
Gabija f Lithuanian, Baltic MythologyProbably from Lithuanian
gaubti meaning
"to cover". In Lithuanian mythology this was the name of the goddess of fire and the home.
Gaia f Greek Mythology, ItalianFrom the Greek word
γαῖα (gaia), a parallel form of
γῆ (ge) meaning
"earth". In Greek mythology Gaia was the mother goddess who presided over the earth. She was the mate of
Uranus and the mother of the Titans and the Cyclopes.
Gaiana f Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Γαϊανή (Gaiane), a derivative of
Gaia. This was the name of a (perhaps fictional) martyr who was killed in Armenia during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian in the late 3rd century.
Gaizka m BasqueMeans
"saviour" in Basque. This name was proposed as an equivalent of
Salvador by the Basque writer Sabino Arana in 1910.
Galia f HebrewElaboration of
Gal 1. It could also be considered a compound meaning
"wave from God", using the element
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
Gardenia f English (Rare)From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).
Georgia f English, GreekLatinate feminine form of
George. This is the name of an American state, which was named after the British king George II. The country of Georgia has an unrelated etymology. A famous bearer was the American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).
Gilda f Italian, PortugueseOriginally an Italian short form of
Ermenegilda and other names containing the Old German element
gelt meaning
"payment, tribute, compensation". This is the name of a character in Verdi's opera
Rigoletto (1851). It is also the name of a 1946 American movie, starring Rita Hayworth in the title role.
Ginevra f ItalianItalian form of
Guinevere. This is also the Italian name for the city of Geneva, Switzerland. It is also sometimes associated with the Italian word
ginepro meaning "juniper".
Gioconda f ItalianFrom the Late Latin name
Iucunda, which meant
"pleasant, delightful, happy". Leonardo da Vinci's painting the
Mona Lisa is also known as
La Gioconda because its subject is Lisa del Giocondo.
Girisha m HinduismMeans
"lord of the mountain" in Sanskrit. This is a name of the Hindu god
Shiva, given because of his abode in the Himalayan Mountains.
Glinda f LiteratureCreated by author L. Frank Baum for his character Glinda the Good Witch, a kind sorceress in his
Oz series of books beginning in 1900. It is not known what inspired the name.
Gloria f English, Spanish, Italian, GermanMeans
"glory", from the Portuguese and Spanish titles of the Virgin
Mary Maria da Glória and
María de Gloria. Maria da Glória (1819-1853) was the daughter of the Brazilian emperor Pedro I, eventually becoming queen of Portugal as Maria II.
... [more] Gloriana f English (Rare)Elaborated form of Latin
gloria meaning
"glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem
The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.
Glorinda f EsperantoMeans
"worthy of glory" in Esperanto, ultimately from Latin
gloria.