Bogusław m PolishMeans
"glory of God" from the Slavic elements
bogŭ "god" and
slava "glory". This name was borne by several dukes of Pomerania, beginning in the 12th century.
Bojan m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, MacedonianDerived from Old Slavic
bojĭ meaning
"battle". This was the name of a 9th-century Bulgarian saint and martyr, also called Enravota, a son of the Bulgarian khan Omurtag.
Bolat m KazakhFrom a Turkic word meaning
"steel", ultimately from Persian.
Bolesław m PolishDerived from Slavic
boľe "more, greater" and
slava "glory". This was the name of kings of Poland, starting in the 11th century with the first Polish king Bolesław the Brave.
Bolívar m Spanish (Latin American)From a surname that was taken from the Basque place name
Bolibar, which was derived from
bolu "mill" and
ibar "riverside". A famous bearer of the surname was Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), a South American revolutionary leader, after whom the country of Bolivia is named.
Bomilcar m Phoenician (Latinized)From the Punic name
𐤁𐤃𐤌𐤋𐤒𐤓𐤕 (Bodmilqart), from Phoenician
𐤁𐤃 (bod) meaning "on behalf of" or perhaps from
𐤏𐤁𐤃 (ʿabd) meaning "servant, slave" combined with the name of the god
Melqart. This name was borne by a few figures from Carthaginian history.
Bonaventura m Italian, CatalanMeans
"good fortune" in Italian, from Latin
bonus "good" and
venturas "the things that will come, the future". Saint Bonaventura was a 13th-century Franciscan monk who is considered a Doctor of the Church.
Boniface m French, English (Rare)From the Late Latin name
Bonifatius, which meant
"good fate" from
bonum "good" and
fatum "fate, destiny". This was the name of nine popes and also several saints, including an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (originally named
Winfrið) who is now regarded as the patron saint of that country. It came into use in England during the Middle Ages, but became rare after the Protestant Reformation.
Bonita f EnglishMeans
"pretty" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin
bonus "good". It has been used as a name in the English-speaking world since the beginning of the 20th century.
Bora 1 m TurkishMeans
"storm, squall" in Turkish, ultimately related to Greek
Βορέας (Boreas), the name of the god of the north wind.
Borja m SpanishFrom a Spanish surname, used as a given name in honour of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Borja (1510-1572). The surname, also spelled Borgia, is derived from the name of a Spanish town, ultimately from Arabic
برْج (burj) meaning "tower".
Borna m CroatianDerived from the Slavic element
borti meaning
"fight, battle". This was the name of a 9th-century duke of Croatia.
Boudicca f Brythonic (Latinized)Derived from Brythonic
boud meaning
"victory". This was the name of a 1st-century queen of the Iceni who led the Britons in revolt against the Romans. Eventually her forces were defeated and she committed suicide. Her name is first recorded in Roman histories, as
Boudicca by Tacitus and
Βουδουῖκα (Boudouika) by Cassius Dio.
Božica f CroatianDerived from the Slavic element
božĭjĭ meaning
"divine". It also means
"goddess" in Croatian.
Brad m EnglishShort form of
Bradley,
Bradford and other names beginning with
Brad. A famous bearer is American actor Brad Pitt (1963-).
Brádach m Medieval IrishIrish byname, possibly derived from
bradach meaning
"thieving, roguish, spirited".
Bradamante f Carolingian CycleUsed by Matteo Maria Boiardo for a female knight in his epic poem
Orlando Innamorato (1483). He possibly intended it to derive from Italian
brado "wild, untamed, natural" and
amante "loving" or perhaps Latin
amantis "lover, sweetheart, mistress", referring to her love for the Saracen
Ruggiero. Bradamante also appears in Ludovico Ariosto's poem
Orlando Furioso (1532) and Handel's opera
Alcina (1735).
Bradán m Medieval IrishMeans
"salmon" in Irish. It could also be formed from Irish
brad "thief" and a diminutive suffix.
Braden m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Bradáin, which was in turn derived from the byname
Bradán. Like other similar-sounding names such as
Hayden and
Aidan, it and its variant
Brayden became popular in America at the end of the 20th century.
Bradford m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally came from a place name that meant
"broad ford" in Old English.
Bradley m EnglishFrom an English surname that originally came from a place name meaning
"broad clearing" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the World War II American general Omar Bradley (1893-1981).
Brady m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Brádaigh, itself derived from the byname
Brádach. A famous bearer of the surname is the American football quarterback Tom Brady (1977-). It was also borne by a fictional family on the television series
The Brady Bunch (1969-1974).
Bragi m Norse Mythology, IcelandicDerived from Old Norse
bragr meaning
"first, foremost" or
"poetry". In Norse mythology Bragi is the god of poetry and the husband of
Iðunn.
Brahma m HinduismMeans
"growth, expansion, creation" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Brahma is the creator and director of the universe, the balance between the opposing forces of
Vishnu and
Shiva. After the classical period Brahma was no longer as highly revered as Vishnu and Shiva. He is often depicted with four heads and four arms.
Bram m English, DutchShort form of
Abraham. This name was borne by Bram Stoker (1847-1912), the Irish author who wrote
Dracula.
Brân m Welsh MythologyMeans
"raven" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the
Mabinogi, Brân the Blessed (called
Bendigeidfran) was a giant king of Britain. He was the son of the divine figure
Llŷr. After his sister
Branwen was mistreated by her husband the Irish king Matholwch, Brân led an attack on Ireland (the text says that he was so big he was able to wade there). Although victorious, the British lost all except seven men with Brân being mortally wounded by a poisoned spear. He asked the survivors to cut of his head and return with it to Britain. The head continued to speak for many years until it was buried in London.
Bran 1 m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishMeans
"raven" in Irish. In Irish legend Bran mac Febail was a mariner who was involved in several adventures on his quest to find the Otherworld.
Brandon m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"hill covered with broom" in Old English.
... [more] Brandy f EnglishFrom the English word
brandy for the alcoholic drink. It is ultimately from Dutch
brandewijn "burnt wine". It has been in use as a given name since the 1960s.
Brankica f Croatian, SerbianDerived from the Slavic element
borna (South Slavic
brana) meaning
"protection" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Brant m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name
Brandr. This is also the name for a variety of wild geese.
Brantley m English (Modern)From a surname, an Americanized form of the German surname
Brändle, ultimately from Old High German
brant "fire".
Branwen f Welsh, Welsh MythologyMeans
"white raven" from Old Welsh
bran "raven" and
gwen "white, blessed". According to the Second Branch of the
Mabinogi she was the daughter of
Llŷr. After she was mistreated by her husband Matholwch, the king of Ireland, she managed to get a message to her brother
Brân, the king of Britain. Brân launched a costly invasion to rescue her, but she died of grief shortly after her return.
Braxton m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning
"Bracca's town" in Old English. In some cases it is given in honour of the Confederate general Braxton Bragg (1817-1876).
Breda 2 f SloveneMeaning unknown. It was used by the Slovene author Ivan Pregelj for the title character in his novel
Mlada Breda (1913).
Brenda f EnglishPossibly a feminine form of the Old Norse name
Brandr, meaning
"fire, torch, sword", which was brought to Britain in the Middle Ages. This name is sometimes used as a feminine form of
Brendan.
Brendan m Irish, English, BretonFrom
Brendanus, the Latinized form of the Old Irish name
Bréanainn, which was derived from Old Welsh
breenhin meaning
"king, prince". Saint Brendan was a 6th-century Irish abbot who, according to legend, crossed the Atlantic and reached North America with 17 other monks.
Brennan m EnglishFrom an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic
Ó Braonáin) that was derived from the byname
Braonán, itself from Irish
braon meaning "rain, moisture, drop" combined with a diminutive suffix. As a given name, it has been used since the 1960s as an alternative to
Brendan or
Brandon, though it has not been as popular as them.
Břetislav m CzechPossibly from Slavic
bręcati "to make a sound, to buzz" combined with
slava "glory". This name was borne by three medieval dukes of Bohemia.
Brian m English, Irish, Old IrishMeaning uncertain, possibly related to the old Celtic root *
brixs "hill, high" (Old Irish
brií) or the related *
brigā "might, power" (Old Irish
briíg). It was borne by the Irish king Brian Boru, who thwarted Viking attempts to conquer Ireland in the 11th century. He was slain in the Battle of Clontarf, though his forces were decisively victorious. This name was common in Ireland after his time, and it was introduced to northern England by Norse-Gael settlers. It was also used in Brittany, and was brought to England by Bretons in the wake of the Norman Conquest. Though it eventually became rare in the English-speaking world, it was strongly revived in the 20th century, becoming a top-ten name for boys in most regions.
Briana f EnglishFeminine form of
Brian. It appears in Edmund Spenser's epic poem
The Faerie Queene (1590). The name was not commonly used until the 1970s, when it rapidly became popular in the United States.
Briar Rose f LiteratureEnglish translation of German
Dornröschen. This is the name of the fairy tale character Sleeping Beauty in the Brothers Grimm version of the story.
Brigham m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally derived from place names meaning
"bridge settlement" in Old English.
Brijesha m HinduismMeans
"ruler of Brij" in Sanskrit. This is another name of the Hindu god
Krishna, Brij being a region associated with him.
Britannia f English (Rare)From the Latin name of the island of
Britain, in occasional use as an English given name since the 18th century. This is also the name of the Roman female personification of Britain pictured on some British coins.
Brittany f EnglishFrom the name of the region of
Brittany in the northwest of France, called in French
Bretagne. It was named for the Britons who settled there after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the invasions of the Anglo-Saxons.
... [more] Brochfael m Medieval WelshFrom Old Welsh
Brochmail, from a Brythonic name *
Broccomaglos, derived from Celtic *
brokkos "badger" and *
maglos "chief". This was the name of a 6th-century king of Powys, also known as
Brochwel.
Brogán m Irish (Rare)From the Old Irish name
Broccán, derived from
bróc "shoe, sandal, greave" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of several Irish saints, including Saint
Patrick's scribe.
Brónach f IrishMeans
"sad", derived from Irish
brón meaning "sorrow". Saint Brónach was a 6th-century Irish mystic.
Bronisław m PolishDerived from the Slavic elements
borna "protection" and
slava "glory". A famous Polish anthropologist, Bronisław Malinowski (1884-1942), has borne this name.
Bryan m EnglishVariant of
Brian, based on the usual spelling of the surname that is derived from the name.
Brychan m Old WelshDerived from Welsh
brych meaning
"speckled, freckled" combined with a diminutive suffix. Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary Welsh king, said to be Irish by birth, the founder of the kingdom of Brycheiniog in central Wales. He reputedly fathered dozens of children, many of whom are regarded as saints.
Buddha m BuddhismMeans
"enlightened" in Sanskrit. This is a title applied to
Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, as well as to a handful of other enlightened individuals.
Burak m TurkishFrom Arabic
براق (Burāq), the name of the legendary creature that, according to Islamic tradition, transported the Prophet
Muhammad. Its name is derived from Arabic
برق (barq) meaning "lightning".
Burkhard m German, GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
burg "fortress" and
hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy", or perhaps from the Old English cognate
Burgheard. Saint Burkhard was an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (a companion of
Boniface) who became the first bishop of Würzburg.
Cade m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from a nickname meaning
"round" in Old English.
Cadell m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catell, derived from
cat "battle" and a diminutive suffix. This was the name of two early kings of Powys in Wales.
Caden m English (Modern)Sometimes explained as deriving from the Irish surname
Caden, which is an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic
Mac Cadáin, itself from the given name
Cadán (of unknown meaning). In actuality, the popularity of this name in America beginning in the 1990s is due to its sound — it shares its fashionable
den suffix sound with other trendy names like
Hayden,
Aidan and
Braden.
Cadence f English (Modern)From an English word meaning
"rhythm, flow". It has been in use only since the 20th century.
Cadeyrn m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catigirn meaning
"battle king", derived from
cat "battle" and
tigirn "king, monarch". This was the name of a 5th-century king of Powys in Wales, the son of
Vortigern.
Cadfael m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catmail meaning
"battle prince", from
cat "battle" and
mael "prince". This was apparently the birth name of Saint Cadoc. It was used by the British author Ellis Peters for the main character in her books
The Cadfael Chronicles, first released in 1977.
Cadfan m Old WelshFrom an Old Welsh name, recorded in Latinized forms such as
Catamanus, meaning
"battle peak" from
cat "battle" and
bann "peak". Saint Cadfan, from Brittany, was a 6th-century missionary to Wales.
Cadmus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Κάδμος (Kadmos), of uncertain meaning. In Greek mythology Cadmus was the son of the Phoenician king
Agenor. He was sent by his father to rescue his sister
Europa, who had been abducted by
Zeus, although he did not succeed in retrieving her. According to legend, Cadmus founded the city of Thebes and introduced the alphabet to Greece.
Cadoc m Old WelshFrom an Old Welsh name, recorded in Latinized forms such as
Catocus, derived from
cat meaning
"battle". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who was martyred by the Saxons.
Cadwaladr m WelshFrom Old Welsh
Catgualatr (also recorded in many other spellings) meaning
"leader of the battle", from
cat "battle" and
gwaladr "leader". This was the name of a 7th-century king of Gwynedd. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth he was the last king of all of the Britons. This name was also borne by a 7th-century Welsh saint.
Cadwgan m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catguocaun (and many other spellings) meaning
"glory in battle", from
cat "battle" and
guocaun "glory, honour". It appears briefly in the medieval Welsh tale
The Dream of Rhonabwy.
Caecilius m Ancient RomanOriginal Latin masculine form of
Cecilia. Saint Caecilius was a 1st-century missionary to Granada, Spain. It was also part of the full name of Saint
Cyprian, Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus.
Caedmon m History (Ecclesiastical)Meaning unknown, though the first element is likely connected to Brythonic
kad meaning "battle". Saint Caedmon was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon poet who supposedly received his poetic inspiration from a dream. Our only knowledge of him is through the 8th-century writings of the historian Bede.
Cáel m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
cáel meaning
"slender". In Irish legend Cáel was a warrior of the Fianna and the lover of Créd.
Caelestis m Late RomanLate Latin name meaning
"of the sky, heavenly", a derivative of Latin
caelum "heaven, sky".
Caesar m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman cognomen that possibly meant
"hairy", from Latin
caesaries "hair". Julius Caesar and his adopted son Julius Caesar Octavianus (commonly known as Augustus) were both rulers of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC.
Caesar was used as a title by the emperors that came after them.
Caeso m Ancient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from Latin
caesius meaning
"blue-grey". This praenomen was only used by a few families.
Çağatay m TurkishFrom the Mongolian name
Tsagadai (of unknown meaning), which was borne by the second son of
Genghis Khan, known as
Chagatai in English.
Çağrı m & f TurkishMeans
"invitation" or
"falcon" in Turkish.
Cahir m IrishAnglicized form of Irish
Cathaoir, possibly meaning
"battle man" from Old Irish
cath "battle" and
fer "man".
Cailean m Scottish GaelicMeans
"whelp, young dog" in Scottish Gaelic. This name was borne by Cailean Mór, a 13th-century Scottish lord and ancestor of Clan Campbell.
Cain m Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
קָיִן (Qayin) possibly meaning
"acquired", from the root
קָנָה (qana) meaning "to acquire, to purchase". In Genesis in the Old Testament Cain is the first son of
Adam and
Eve. He killed his brother
Abel after God accepted Abel's offering of meat instead of his offering of plant-based foods. After this Cain was banished to be a wanderer.