Aaliyah f Arabic, English (Modern), African American (Modern)Feminine form of
Aali. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001), who was known simply as Aaliyah. This name received a boost in popularity after she released her debut album in 1994, and also in 2001 after her untimely death in an airplane crash.
Achlys f Greek MythologyMeans
"mist, darkness" in Greek. According to a poem by Hesiod, she was one of the figures portrayed on the shield of
Herakles. She is described as a wraithlike woman personifying death and sorrow.
Adannaya f IgboMeans
"eldest daughter of her father" in Igbo.
Ælfwynn f Anglo-SaxonDerived from the Old English elements
ælf "elf" and
wynn "joy". This name was borne by a daughter of
Æðelflæd who ruled Mercia briefly in the 10th century.
Aiday f KazakhMeans
"moon-like" in Kazakh, from
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and the suffix
дай (day) meaning "like".
Ainsley f & m Scottish, English (Modern)From an English surname that was from a place name: either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire. The place names themselves derive from Old English
anne "alone, solitary" or
ansetl "hermitage" and
leah "woodland, clearing".
... [more] Akinyi f LuoMeans
"born in the morning" in Luo.
Alaya f English (Modern)Variant of
Alayah. It coincides with a Buddhist term (meaning "dwelling" in Sanskrit), which refers to the eighth level of human consciousness.
Alcyone f Greek Mythology (Latinized)Latinized form of Greek
Ἀλκυόνη (Alkyone), derived from the word
ἀλκυών (alkyon) meaning
"kingfisher". In Greek myth this name belonged to a daughter of Aeolus and the wife of Ceyx. After her husband was killed in a shipwreck she threw herself into the water, but the gods saved her and turned them both into kingfishers. This is also the name of the brightest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, supposedly the daughters of
Atlas and
Pleione.
Aldiyar m KazakhDerived from the archaic Kazakh title
алдияр (aldiyar), which was used to address a ruler (equivalent to English
Your Majesty). The word is ultimately of Persian origin, but of uncertain meaning.
Aleksey m RussianRussian form of
Alexius. This name was borne by a 14th-century Metropolitan of Kiev who is regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church. It was also the name of a 17th-century tsar of Russia.
Aleyna f Turkish (Modern)Possibly from Arabic
علينا (ʿalaynā) meaning
"to us". Alternatively, it could be from Arabic
أليناء (ʾalaynāʾ), a plural form of
ليّن (layyin) meaning
"gentle, soft".
Aliya 2 f HebrewMeans
"ascent" in Hebrew, a derivative of
עָלָה (ʿala) meaning "to ascend, to climb". This is also a Hebrew word referring to immigration to Israel.
Ally 1 f EnglishDiminutive of
Alison 1,
Alexandra and other names beginning with the same sound. This name jumped in popularity in 1997 after the premiere of the American television series
Ally McBeal.
Aloysius m EnglishLatinized form of
Aloys, an old Occitan form of
Louis. This was the name of an Italian saint, Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591). The name has been in occasional use among Catholics since his time.
Alvydas m LithuanianMeans
"all-seeing", from the Lithuanian roots
al- "all, every" and
vyd- "to see".
Alwyn m WelshFrom the name of the River Alwen in northern Wales (a tributary of the River Dee).
Alyssa f EnglishVariant of
Alicia. The spelling has probably been influenced by that of the alyssum flower, the name of which is derived from Greek
ἀ (a), a negative prefix, combined with
λύσσα (lyssa) meaning "madness, rabies", since it was believed to cure madness.
Amaryllis f LiteratureDerived from Greek
ἀμαρύσσω (amarysso) meaning
"to sparkle". This is the name of a character appearing in
Virgil's pastoral poems
Eclogues. The amaryllis flower is named for her.
Amethyst f English (Rare)From the name of the purple semi-precious stone, which is derived from the Greek negative prefix
ἀ (a) and
μέθυστος (methystos) meaning "intoxicated, drunk", as it was believed to be a remedy against drunkenness. It is the traditional birthstone of February.
Amity f English (Rare)From the English word meaning
"friendship", ultimately deriving from Latin
amicitia.
Amy f EnglishEnglish form of the Old French name
Amée meaning
"beloved" (modern French
aimée), a vernacular form of the Latin
Amata. As an English name, it was in use in the Middle Ages (though not common) and was revived in the 19th century.
Amyas m English (Rare)Meaning unknown, perhaps a derivative of
Amis. Alternatively, it may come from a surname that originally indicated that the bearer was from the city of Amiens in France. Edmund Spenser used this name for a minor character in his epic poem
The Faerie Queene (1590).
Anargyros m GreekFrom the Greek term
ἀνάργυρος (anargyros) meaning
"poor, incorruptible", derived from Greek
ἀ (a), a negative prefix, combined with
ἄργυρος (argyros) meaning "silver". This term referred to saints who did not accept payment for their services.
Anaya f English (Modern)Meaning unknown, possibly from the Spanish surname
Anaya (itself from the name of a Spanish town), used because of its similarity to
Amaya.
Andy m & f EnglishDiminutive of
Andrew or sometimes
Andrea 2. American pop artist and filmmaker Andy Warhol (1928-1987) was a famous bearer of this name.
Angra Mainyu m Persian MythologyMeans
"evil spirit", from Avestan
𐬀𐬢𐬭𐬀 (angra) meaning "evil, destructive" and
𐬨𐬀𐬌𐬥𐬌𐬌𐬎 (mainiiu) meaning "spirit, mind". In Zoroastrianism Angra Mainyu was the god of darkness, death and destruction, the enemy of
Ahura Mazda.
Anthony m EnglishEnglish form of the Roman family name
Antonius, which is of unknown Etruscan origin. The most notable member of the Roman family was the general Marcus Antonius (called Mark Antony in English), who for a period in the 1st century BC ruled the Roman Empire jointly with Augustus. When their relationship turned sour, he and his mistress Cleopatra were attacked and forced to commit suicide, as related in Shakespeare's tragedy
Antony and Cleopatra (1606).
... [more] Antony m EnglishVariant of
Anthony. This was formerly the usual English spelling of the name, but during the 17th century the
h began to be added.
Araylym f KazakhMeans
"my beautiful" in Kazakh, from
арайлы (arayly) meaning "beautiful, like the dawn" combined with a possessive suffix.
Arkadiy m RussianRussian form of
Arkadios. This is the name of one of the main characters in Ivan Turgenev's
Fathers and Sons (1862).
Arwyn m WelshFrom the Welsh intensifying prefix
ar- and
gwyn meaning
"white, blessed".
Arya 1 m & f Persian, Hindi, MalayalamFrom an old Indo-Iranian root meaning "Aryan, noble". In India, this is a transcription of both the masculine form
आर्य and the feminine form
आर्या. In Iran it is only a masculine name.
Arya 2 f LiteratureCreated by author George R. R. Martin for a popular character in his series
A Song of Ice and Fire, published beginning 1996, and the television adaptation
Game of Thrones (2011-2019). In the story Arya is the second daughter of Ned Stark, the lord of Winterfell.
Ashley f & m EnglishFrom an English surname that was originally derived from place names meaning
"ash tree clearing", from a combination of Old English
æsc and
leah. Until the 1960s it was more commonly given to boys in the United States, but it is now most often used on girls. It reached its height of popularity in America in 1987, but it did not become the highest ranked name until 1991, being overshadowed by the likewise-popular
Jessica until then. In the United Kingdom it is still more common as a masculine name.
Asiya f Arabic, UrduPossibly from Arabic
أسي (ʾasiya) meaning
"to be distressed, to be grieved". According to Islamic tradition this was the name of the wife of the pharaoh at the time of
Moses. She took care of the infant Moses and later accepted monotheism.
Asylym f KazakhMeans
"my dear" in Kazakh, derived from
асыл (asyl) meaning "precious, noble" and the possessive suffix
ым (ym).
Aubrey m & f EnglishFrom
Auberi, an Old French form of
Alberich brought to England by the Normans. It was common in the Middle Ages, and was revived in the 19th century. Since the mid-1970s it has more frequently been given to girls, due to Bread's 1972 song
Aubrey along with its similarity to the established feminine name
Audrey.
Audley m EnglishFrom a surname that was taken from a place name meaning
"Ealdgyð's clearing" in Old English.
Audrey f English, FrenchMedieval diminutive of
Æðelþryð. This was the name of a 7th-century saint, a princess of East Anglia who founded a monastery at Ely. It was also used by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy
As You Like It (1599). At the end of the Middle Ages the name became rare due to association with the word
tawdry (which was derived from
St. Audrey, the name of a fair where cheap lace was sold), but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).
Aya 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour",
綾 (aya) meaning "design", or other kanji characters with the same pronunciation.
Aya 2 f ArabicMeans
"sign, evidence" or
"verse" in Arabic, as in one of the passages that make up the Quran.
Aya 3 f Semitic MythologyMeans
"dawn" in Akkadian. In Akkadian mythology this was the name of the goddess of the dawn, associated with sexual appeal and beauty. She was the consort of the sun god
Shamash. The Babylonians sometimes called her
kallatum meaning "the bride".
Ayaka f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour" combined with
花 (ka) or
華 (ka) both meaning "flower". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Ayako f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour",
綾 (aya) meaning "design" or
絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are also possible.
Ayame f JapaneseFrom Japanese
菖蒲 (ayame) meaning "iris (flower)". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Ayan 1 m BengaliMeans
"road, path, solar path" in Bengali, from Sanskrit
अयन (ayana) meaning
"path, progress".
Ayan 2 f & m Azerbaijani, KazakhMeans
"clear, obvious, revelation" in Kazakh and Azerbaijani, from Arabic
عيان (ʿiyān) meaning "witnessing, seeing, clear", a derivative of
عاين (ʿāyana) meaning "to see". It is feminine in Azerbaijan and masculine in Kazakhstan.
Ayane f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour",
綾 (aya) meaning "design" or
絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with
音 (ne) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Ayanna f African AmericanMeaning uncertain. In 1970 it was featured in
The Book of African Names by Chief Osuntoki with a listed meaning of
"beautiful flower". American comedian and activist Dick Gregory used it for his daughter in 1971.
Ayano f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour" or
綾 (aya) meaning "design" combined with
乃 (no), a possessive particle. Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Ayaru f KazakhMeans
"beautiful moon", derived from Kazakh
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and
ару (aru) meaning "beauty".
Ayaulym f KazakhMeans
"my beloved, my dear" in Kazakh, derived from
аяулы (ayauly) meaning "beloved, dear" and the possessive suffix
ым (ym).
Ayaz m Turkish, Azerbaijani, UrduFrom Turkish and Azerbaijani
ayaz meaning
"frost" or
"dry and cold air". This was the name of a slave and later companion of the 11th-century sultan Mahmud of Ghazni.
Ayazhan f KazakhFrom an element of uncertain meaning combined with Kazakh
жан (zhan) meaning "soul" (of Persian origin).
Aybars m TurkishPossibly from Turkic
ay meaning "moon" and
bars meaning "leopard". This was the name of an uncle of
Attila. He is also called
Oebarsius, the Latinized form of his name.
Ayda f Arabic, Persian, TurkishMeans
"returning, visitor" in Arabic. In Turkey this is also associated with
ay meaning "moon".
Ayele m AmharicMeans
"become strong, become powerful" in Amharic.
Ayelen f MapucheFrom Mapuche
ayelen "laughing",
ayliñ "clear" or
aylen "ember".
Ayelet f HebrewMeans
"doe, female deer, gazelle". It is taken from the Hebrew phrase
אַיֶלֶת הַשַׁחַר (ʾayeleṯ hashaḥar), literally "gazelle of dawn", which is a name of the morning star.
Ayfer f TurkishDerived from Turkish
ay meaning "moon" and Persian
فر (far) meaning "brilliance, splendour".
Aygül f Turkish, Uyghur, AzerbaijaniDerived from the Turkic element
ay meaning "moon" combined with Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose". In some languages this is also a name for a variety of flowering plant that grows in central Asia (species Fritillaria eduardii).
Ayhan m & f TurkishDerived from Turkish
ay meaning "moon" and
han meaning "khan, ruler, leader".
Ayla 3 f Literature, English (Modern)Created for the novel
Clan of the Cave Bear (1980) by author Jean M. Auel. In the novel Ayla is an orphaned Cro-Magnon girl adopted by Neanderthals.
Ayla is the Neanderthal pronunciation of her real name, which is not given.
... [more] Ayman m ArabicMeans
"right-handed, blessed, lucky" in Arabic, a derivative of
يمين (yamīn) meaning "right hand".
Ayn f Various (Rare)This name was assumed by Ayn Rand (1905-1982), originally named Alice Rosenbaum, a Russian-American writer and philosopher. She apparently based it on a Finnish name she had heard, but never seen written.
Aýna f TurkmenMeans
"mirror" in Turkmen, ultimately from Persian
آینه (āyneh).
Aýnabat f TurkmenDerived from Turkmen
aý "moon" and
nabat, a type of crystallized sugar candy.
Ayo f & m YorubaFrom Yoruba
ayọ̀ meaning
"joy", or a short form of other names containing this element.
Ayrat m Tatar, BashkirMeaning uncertain, possibly from Arabic
خيرات (khayrāt) meaning
"good deeds". Alternatively it could be from the name of the Oirat people, a western Mongol tribe.
Aysel f Turkish, AzerbaijaniMeans
"moon flood" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, derived from
ay "moon" and
sel "flood, stream" (of Arabic origin).
Aysima f TurkishDerived from Turkish
ay meaning "moon" and
sima meaning "face" (of Persian origin).
Aysun f TurkishFrom Turkish
ay meaning "moon" combined with an uncertain element.
Aytaç m & f TurkishDerived from Turkish
ay meaning "moon" and
taç meaning "crown" (of Persian origin).
Ayten f TurkishDerived from Turkish
ay meaning "moon" and
ten meaning "skin" (of Persian origin).
Ayumi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
歩 (ayumi) meaning "walk, step". It can also be from
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with
由 (yu) meaning "reason, cause" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Otherwise it can be written with different combinations of kanji, or with the hiragana writing system.
Ayumu m JapaneseFrom Japanese
歩 (ayu) meaning "walk, step" and
夢 (mu) meaning "dream, vision". It can also be written with
歩 alone, or with other combinations of kanji.
Ayym f KazakhMeans
"my moon" in Kazakh, derived from
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and the possessive suffix
ым (ym).
Babylas m Late Greek, French (Rare)Derived from the name of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon. Saint Babylas was a 3rd-century patriarch of Antioch who was martyred during the reign of the Roman emperor Decius.