Names Containing y

This is a list of names in which a substring is y.
gender
usage
contains
Fereydun m Persian, Persian Mythology
Alternate transcription of Persian فریدون (see Fereydoun).
Fevziye f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of Fawzi.
Feyz m Persian
Means "grace" in Persian, from Arabic فئض (faʾiḍ) meaning "abundance, plenty", a derivative of the root فاض (fāḍa) meaning "to overflow, to flood".
Feyza f Turkish
Turkish form of Faiza.
Fikriye f Turkish
Turkish form of Fikriyya.
Fikriyya f Arabic
Feminine form of Fikri.
Findlay m Scottish
Anglicized form of Fionnlagh.
Finlay m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Fionnlagh. This spelling is more common in Scotland, though in England and Wales the variant Finley has been more popular since 2007.
Finley m & f English
Variant of Finlay. This is by far the preferred spelling in the United States, where it has lately been more common as a feminine name.
Fitzroy m English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "son of the king" in Old French, originally given to illegitimate sons of monarchs.
Flannery f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Flannghaile, derived from the given name Flannghal meaning "red valour". A famous bearer was American author Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964).
Florentyna f Polish
Polish form of Florentina.
Florry f English
Diminutive of Florence or Flora.
Floyd m English
Variant of Lloyd.
Flynn m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Floinn, which was derived from the given name or byname Flann. A famous bearer of the surname was American actor Errol Flynn (1909-1959). As a given name, it grew in popularity after it was featured as a character in the Disney movie Tangled in 2010.
Franny m & f English
Diminutive of Francis or Frances.
Freddy m English, French, Dutch
Diminutive of Frederick and other names containing the same element. A notable fictional bearer is the horror villain Freddy Krueger from the A Nightmare on Elm Street series of movies, beginning 1984.
Freya f Norse Mythology, English (Modern), German
From Old Norse Freyja meaning "lady". This is the name of a goddess associated with love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology. She claims half of the heroes who are slain in battle and brings them to her realm of Fólkvangr. Along with her brother Freyr and father Njord, she is one of the Vanir (as opposed to the Æsir). Some scholars connect her with the goddess Frigg.... [more]
Freyde f Yiddish (Rare)
From Yiddish פֿרייד (freid) meaning "joy".
Freyja f Icelandic, Norse Mythology
Icelandic and Old Norse form of Freya.
Freyr m Norse Mythology, Icelandic
Means "lord" in Old Norse, derived from the Germanic root *fraujô. This is the name of a Norse god. He may have originally been called Yngvi, with the name Freyr being his title. Freyr is associated with fertility, sunlight and rain, and is the husband of the giantess Gerd. With his twin sister Freya and father Njord he is one of the group of deities called the Vanir.
Friday m English (African)
From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English frigedæg meaning "Frig's day". Daniel Defoe used it for a character in his novel Robinson Crusoe (1719). As a given name, it is most often found in parts of Africa, such as Nigeria and Zambia.
Frigyes m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Frederick.
Frøya f Norwegian
Norwegian form of Freya.
Fryderyk m Polish
Polish form of Frederick. A famous bearer was the Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849), also known by the French form of his name Frédéric.
Fryderyka f Polish (Rare)
Polish feminine form of Frederick.
Fumnanya f & m Igbo
Means "love me" in Igbo.
Funmilayo f Yoruba
Means "give me joy" in Yoruba, also a short form of Olufunmilayo or Oluwafunmilayo.
Fuyuko f Japanese
From Japanese (fuyu) meaning "winter" and (ko) meaning "child", as well as other combinations of kanji.
Fynn m German (Modern)
German variant of Finn 1 or Finn 2.
Fyodor m Russian
Russian form of Theodore. It was borne by three tsars of Russia. Another notable bearer was Fyodor Dostoyevsky (or Dostoevsky; 1821-1881), the Russian author of such works as Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov.
Fyokla f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Thekla.
Gabby f English
Diminutive of Gabrielle.
Gaby f & m French, Spanish, English
Diminutive of Gabrielle or Gabriel.
Galya f Russian, Bulgarian
Diminutive of Galina.
Ganymede m Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
From Greek Γανυμήδης (Ganymedes), which was possibly derived from γάνυμαι (ganymai) meaning "to be glad" and μήδεα (medea) meaning "plans, counsel, cunning". In Greek mythology this was the name of a beautiful boy who was abducted by Zeus to become the cupbearer to the gods, the successor of Hebe. A moon of Jupiter is named after him.
Garey m English
Variant of Gary.
Garry m English
Variant of Gary.
Gary m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman given name, which was itself originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element ger meaning "spear". This name was popularized in the late 1920s the American actor Gary Cooper (1901-1961), who took his stage name from the city of Gary in Indiana where his agent was born. It was especially popular in the 1940s and 50s, breaking into the American top ten in 1950, though it has since waned.
Gay f English
From the English word gay meaning "gay, happy". By the mid-20th century the word had acquired the additional meaning of "homosexual", and the name has subsequently dropped out of use.
Gayan m Sinhalese
Possibly from Sinhala ගයනවා (gayanavā) meaning "sing".
Gayane f Armenian
Armenian form of Gaiana.
Gayathri f Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu
South Indian variant of Gayatri.
Gayatri f Hinduism, Marathi, Hindi
From Sanskrit गायत्र (gāyatra), which refers to a type of hymn or song with a particular meter, derived from गै (gai) meaning "to sing". The original hymm, also called the Savitri, is in the Rigveda and is a dedication to the sun god Savitr. As a goddess, Gayatri is a personification of this hymn. She is identified with Saraswati.
Gaye 1 f English
Variant of Gay.
Gaye 2 f Turkish
Means "goal" in Turkish.
Gayla f English
Elaborated form of Gail.
Gayle f & m English
Variant of Gail or Gale 2.
Gaylord m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old French gaillard "high-spirited, boisterous". This name was rarely used after the mid-20th century, when the word gay acquired the slang meaning "homosexual".
Gazbiyya f Arabic (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Arabic جاذبيّة (see Jazibiyya).
Geloyra f Gothic (Latinized)
Latinized (Old Spanish) form of a Gothic name (see Elvira).
Gennadiy m Russian
Russian form of Gennadius.
Gennadiya f Russian (Rare)
Feminine form of Gennadiy.
Gennady m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Геннадий (see Gennadiy).
Genya m & f Russian
Diminutive of Gennadiy, Yevgeniy or Yevgeniya.
Geoffrey m English, French
From a Norman French form of a Frankish name. The second element is Old German fridu "peace", while the first element could be *gautaz "Geat" (a North Germanic tribe), gawi "territory" or walah "foreigner". It is possible that two or more names merged into a single form. In the later Middle Ages Geoffrey was further confused with the distinct name Godfrey.... [more]
Geoffroy m French
French form of Geoffrey.
Georgiy m Russian
Russian form of George.
Georgy m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Георгий (see Georgiy).
Geralyn f English
Variant of Geraldine or Jerry using the popular name suffix lyn.
Gergely m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Gregory.
Gerry m & f English, Dutch
Diminutive of Gerald, Gerard or Geraldine.
Ghaliya f Arabic
Means "precious, valuable" in Arabic.
Ghayth m Arabic
Means "rain" in Arabic.
Gifty f English (African)
From the English word gift. This name is most common in Ghana in Africa.
Gilroy m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, either Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means "son of the red-haired servant", or Mac Giolla Rí, which means "son of the king's servant".
Ginny f English
Diminutive of Virginia.
Giusy f Italian
Variant of Giusi.
Gladys f Welsh, English, French, Spanish
From the Old Welsh name Gwladus, probably derived from gwlad meaning "country". Alternatively, it may have been adopted as a Welsh form of Claudia. Saint Gwladus or Gwladys was the mother of Saint Cadoc. She was one of the daughters of Brychan Brycheiniog. This name became popular outside of Wales after it was used in Ouida's novel Puck (1870).
Glaphyra f Ancient Greek
From Greek γλαφυρός (glaphyros) meaning "polished, subtle".
Glenys f Welsh
Probably an elaboration of the Welsh word glân "pure, clean, holy" or glyn "valley". This name was created in the late 19th century.
Glory f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word glory, ultimately from Latin gloria.
Glykeria f Greek, Late Greek
From Greek γλυκερός (glykeros) meaning "sweet". This was the name of a 2nd-century saint from Heraclea.
Glyn m Welsh
Means "valley" in Welsh.
Glyndwr m Welsh
Given in honour of Owain Glyndwr (or Glyn Dŵr, Anglicized as Glendower), a 14th-century Welsh patriot who led a revolt against England. His byname means "valley water", and was probably inspired by the name of his estate at Glyndyfrdwy (meaning "valley of the River Dee").
Glynis f Welsh
Variant of Glenys.
Glynn m Welsh
Variant of Glyn.
Godefroy m French
French form of Godefrid (see Godfrey).
Godfrey m English
From the Germanic name Godefrid, which meant "peace of god" from the Old German elements got "god" and fridu "peace". The Normans brought this name to England, where it became common during the Middle Ages. A notable bearer was Godfrey of Bouillon, an 11th-century leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Golyat m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Goliath.
Gordy m English
Diminutive of Gordon.
Goronwy m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Variant of Gronw. This form appears in the Book of Taliesin. It was borne by the Welsh poet Goronwy Owen (1723-1769).
Gouyen f Apache
Variant spelling of Góyąń.
Goyaałé m Apache
Means "one who yawns" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the real name of the Apache leader Geronimo (1829-1909), who fought against Mexican and American expansion into his territory.
Góyąń f Apache
Means "wise" in Chiricahua Apache. This was the name of a 19th-century Apache warrior woman.
Goyathlay m Apache
Variant spelling of Goyaałé.
Goyo m Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Gregorio.
Gracelyn f English (Modern)
Elaboration of Grace using the popular name suffix lyn.
Gracelynn f English (Modern)
Elaboration of Grace using the popular name suffix lyn.
Grady m English
From an Irish surname, itself derived from the byname Gráda meaning "noble, illustrious".
Gray m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname meaning "grey", originally given to a person who had grey hair or clothing.
Grayson m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of the steward", derived from Middle English greyve "steward". It became common towards the end of the 20th century because of its similarity to popular names like Jason, Mason and Graham.
Grażyna f Polish
From Lithuanian graži meaning "beautiful". This name was created by Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz for his poem Grażyna (1823).
Grégory m French
French form of Gregory.
Gregory m English
English form of Latin Gregorius, which was from the Late Greek name Γρηγόριος (Gregorios), derived from γρήγορος (gregoros) meaning "watchful, alert". This name was popular among early Christians, being borne by a number of important saints including Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus (3rd century), Saint Gregory the Illuminator (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nyssa (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (4th century), and Saint Gregory of Tours (6th century). It was also borne by the 6th-century pope Saint Gregory I the Great, a reformer and Doctor of the Church, as well as 15 subsequent popes.... [more]
Grey m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Gray.
Grigoriy m Russian
Russian form of Gregory. This name was borne by the Russian mystic Grigoriy Rasputin (1869-1916), more commonly known by only his surname.
Grigory m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Григорий (see Grigoriy).
Gruffydd m Welsh
Variant of Gruffudd.
Gry f Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Means "to dawn" in Norwegian, Danish and Swedish.
Guanyin f Buddhism
Means "one who observes sounds", from Chinese (guān) meaning "to observe, to see" and (yīn) meaning "sound, tone", referring to prayers. This is the Chinese name of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion (who is regarded as female in China). It originated as a calque of Sanskrit अवलोकितस्वर (Avalokitasvara), an earlier form of Avalokiteshvara's name.
Guanyu m & f Chinese
From Chinese (guān) meaning "cap, crown, headgear" combined with () meaning "house, eaves, universe". Other character combinations are possible.
Guiying m & f Chinese
From Chinese (guì) meaning "laurel, cassia, cinnamon" combined with (yīng) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". This name can be formed from other character combinations as well.
Gülay f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "rose moon" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, derived from gül, ultimately Persian گل (gol), meaning "rose" combined with ay meaning "moon".
Günay f & m Turkish, Azerbaijani
Derived from the Turkic elements gün "sun" and ay "moon".
Guy 1 m English, French
Old French form of Wido. The Normans introduced it to England, where it was common until the time of Guy Fawkes (1570-1606), a revolutionary who attempted to blow up the British parliament. The name was revived in the 19th century, due in part to characters in the novels Guy Mannering (1815) by Walter Scott and The Heir of Redclyffe (1854) by C. M. Yonge.
Guy 2 m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew גַּיְא (see Gai). This is the more common transcription.
Gwandoya m Ganda
Means "met with misery" in Luganda.
Gwenddydd f Welsh Mythology
Derived from Welsh gwen meaning "white, blessed" and dydd meaning "day". In medieval Welsh tales this is the name of Myrddin's sister. Geoffrey of Monmouth calls her Ganieda and also makes her the wife of Rhydderch Hael.
Gwendolyn f English
Variant of Gwendolen. This is the usual spelling in the United States.
Gwenyth f Welsh
Variant of Gwyneth.
Gwillym m Welsh
Welsh variant of Gwilym.
Gwilym m Welsh
Welsh form of William.
Gwladys f Welsh
Variant of Gladys.
Gwrtheyrn m Old Welsh (Modernized)
From Old Welsh Guorthigirn meaning "supreme king", from guor meaning "over" and tigirn meaning "king, monarch". It is possible that this is not a name, but a title. According to medieval chroniclers, Gwrtheyrn (also known as Vortigern) was a 5th-century king of the Britons. It was he who invited the brothers Hengist and Horsa to Britain, which eventually led to the Anglo-Saxon conquest of England.
Gwydion m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Probably means "born of trees" from Old Welsh guid "trees" and the suffix gen "born of". In the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, Gwydion is the nephew of King Math of Gwynedd, and like him a powerful magician. In an elaborate plot to give his brother a chance to rape his uncle's footbearer, he arranged a war between Gwynedd and the neighbouring kingdom of Dyfed. Gwydion himself killed King Pryderi of Dyfed at the end of the war. In punishment for the rape, Math transformed Gwydion and his brother into different animals over the course of three years. Gwydion was the uncle of Lleu Llaw Gyffes, whom he fostered. Math and Gwydion fashioned Lleu a wife, Blodeuwedd, out of flowers and they later aided him after her betrayal. Gwydion also appears in older Welsh poetry such as the Book of Taliesin.
Gwyn m Welsh, Welsh Mythology
Means "white, blessed" in Welsh. In Welsh legend Gwyn was a king of the Otherworld and the leader of the Wild Hunt. He appears in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen, where he is one of the many who help Culhwch hunt the monstrous boar Trwyth. The story also tells of his rivalry with Gwythyr for the beautiful Creiddylad.
Gwynedd f & m Welsh
From the name of the kingdom of Gwynedd, which was located in northern Wales from the 5th century. It is now the name of a Welsh county. The name may be related to Old Irish Féni meaning "Irish people", itself possibly related to the Celtic root *wēnā meaning "band of warriors".
Gwyneira f Welsh
Means "white snow" from the Welsh element gwyn meaning "white, blessed" combined with eira meaning "snow". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Gwyneth f Welsh, English
Probably a variant of Gwynedd. It has been common in Wales since the 19th century, perhaps after the Welsh novelist Gwyneth Vaughan (1852-1910), whose real name was Ann Harriet Hughes. A modern famous bearer is the American actress Gwyneth Paltrow (1972-).
Gwynfor m Welsh
Derived from the Welsh element gwyn meaning "white, blessed" combined with maur meaning "great, large". This name was created in the 19th century.
Gwynn m Welsh
Variant of Gwyn.
Gwythyr m Welsh Mythology
Welsh form of Victor. This name appears in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen belonging to the rival of Gwyn for the maiden Creiddylad. Seeking peace between the two, King Arthur declared that Gwyn and Gwythyr shall only fight once each year on May Day.
Gyatso m Tibetan
From Tibetan རྒྱ་མཚོ (rgya-mtsho) meaning "ocean". This is one of the given names of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso (1935-).
Gyda f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian form of Gyða (see Gytha).
Gyeong m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (gyeong) meaning "capital city", (gyeong) meaning "scenery, view", (gyeong) meaning "respect, honour", or other hanja characters with the same pronunciation. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
Gyeong-Hui f Korean
From Sino-Korean (gyeong) meaning "respect, honour" and (hui) meaning "beauty". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Gyeong-Ja f Korean
From Sino-Korean (gyeong) meaning "congratulate, celebrate" or (gyeong) meaning "respect, honour" combined with (ja) meaning "child". This name can be formed of other hanja character combinations as well. Korean feminine names ending with the character (a fashionable name suffix in Japan, read as -ko in Japanese) became less popular after Japanese rule of Korea ended in 1945.
Gyeong-Suk f Korean
From Sino-Korean (gyeong) meaning "capital city" and (suk) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Gyneth f Arthurian Cycle
Perhaps a variant of Gwyneth, used by Walter Scott for the daughter of King Arthur and Guendolen in his poem The Bridal of Triermain (1813).
Gyöngyi f Hungarian
From Hungarian gyöngy meaning "pearl", of Turkic origin.
Gyöngyvér f Hungarian
Means "sister of pearl", from Hungarian gyöngy "pearl" and testvér "sibling". This name was created by the Hungarian poet János Arany for a character in his poem The Death of King Buda (1864).
György m Hungarian
Hungarian form of George.
Györgyi f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of George.
Györgyike f Hungarian
Diminutive of Györgyi.
Győző m Hungarian
Means "victor" in Hungarian.
Gypsy f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word Gypsy for the nomadic people who originated in northern India. The word was originally a corruption of Egyptian. As an ethnic term it is sometimes considered offensive.
Gyða f Old Norse, Icelandic
Old Norse and Icelandic form of Gytha.
Gytha f English (Archaic)
From Gyða, an Old Norse diminutive of Guðríðr. It was borne by a Danish noblewoman who married the English lord Godwin of Wessex in the 11th century. The name was used in England for a short time after that, and was revived in the 19th century.
Gyula m Hungarian
From a Hungarian royal title, which was probably of Turkic origin. This name is also used as a Hungarian form of Julius.
Gyuri m Hungarian
Diminutive of György.
Hadewych f Dutch (Rare)
Dutch variant of Hedwig.
Hadiya f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هديّة (see Hadia 1) or هادية (see Hadia 2).
Hadiye f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of Hadi.
Hadiyya f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هديّة (see Hadia 1).
Hadley f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather field" in Old English.
Hadya f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هديّة (see Hadia 1) or هادية (see Hadia 2).
Hadyn m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Hayden.
Hailey f English (Modern)
Variant of Hayley. This is currently the most common spelling in the United States, surpassing Haley in 2001 and attaining a high rank of 19th in 2010.
Halcyon f Various (Rare)
From the name of a genus of kingfisher birds, derived from Greek ἀλκυών (from the same source as Alcyone).
Halcyone f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Ἀλκυόνη (see Alcyone), via the misspelled variant Ἁλκυόνη (Halkyone). The spelling variation was due to a false association with ἅλς (hals) meaning "salt, sea".
Haley f English (Modern)
Variant of Hayley. This spelling gained some popularity in the United States in 1977, possibly due to the author Alex Haley, whose book Roots was adapted into a popular miniseries that year. This was the most common American spelling from then to 2001, when it was eclipsed by Hailey.
Halkyone f Greek Mythology
Greek variant (or misspelling) of Halcyone.
Halyna f Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Galina.
Haniya f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هنيّة (see Haniyya).
Haniyah f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هنيّة (see Haniyya).
Haniyya f Arabic
From Arabic هنيء (hanīʾ) meaning "pleasant, beneficial", from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Hany m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هانئ (see Hani).
Haoyu m & f Chinese
From Chinese (hào) meaning "great, numerous, vast" and () meaning "house, eaves, universe". Other combinations of similar-sounding characters can also form this name.
Happy f & m English (Rare)
From the English word happy, derived from Middle English hap "chance, luck", of Old Norse origin.
Hardy 1 m English
From a surname that was derived from Middle English hardi "bold, hardy".
Hardy 2 m German
Diminutive of names containing the Old German element hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Harley m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English hara "hare" or hær "rock, heap of stones" and leah "woodland, clearing". An American name for boys since the 19th century, it began to be used for girls after a character with the name began appearing on the soap opera Guiding Light in 1987.
Harmony f English
From the English word harmony, ultimately deriving from Greek ἁρμονία (harmonia).
Harry m English, Dutch, Swedish, German
Medieval English form of Henry. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both Henry and names beginning with Har. Famous bearers include the American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), who was named after his uncle Harrison, and the British royal Prince Harry (1984-), who is actually named Henry. It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Hartley m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English heorot "hart, male deer" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Harutyun m Armenian
Means "resurrection" in Armenian.
Harvey m English
From the Breton given name Haerviu, which meant "battle worthy", from haer "battle" and viu "worthy". This was the name of a 6th-century Breton hermit who is the patron saint of the blind. Settlers from Brittany introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest. During the later Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Hatty f English
Diminutive of Harriet.
Havryil m Ukrainian (Rare)
Ukrainian form of Gabriel.
Haya f Arabic
Means "hurry, come quickly" in Arabic.
Hayat f & m Arabic, Persian, Urdu
Means "life" in Arabic, from حيي (ḥayiya) meaning "to live". In Arabic and Persian it is a feminine name, while in Urdu it is masculine.
Hayate m Japanese
From Japanese (hayate) meaning "sudden, sound of the wind". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name.
Hayati 1 m Turkish
Means "vital" in Turkish, a derivative of Arabic حياة (ḥayāh) meaning "life".
Hayati 2 f Malay, Indonesian
Means "my life" in Malay and Indonesian, from Arabic حياة (ḥayāh) meaning "life".
Hayato m Japanese
From Japanese (haya) meaning "falcon" (using a nanori reading) and (to) meaning "person". Other kanji combinations can also make up this name.
Haydar m Turkish
Turkish form of Haidar.
Haydée f Spanish, French (Rare)
Spanish and French form of Haidee, from Lord Byron's Don Juan (1819). It was later used by Alexander Dumas for a character in The Count of Monte Cristo (1844).
Hayden m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from place names meaning either "hay valley" or "hay hill", derived from Old English heg "hay" and denu "valley" or dun "hill". Its popularity at the end of the 20th century was due to the sound it shared with other trendy names of the time, such as Braden and Aidan.
Hayder m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حيدر (see Haidar).
Haydn m English (British)
From a German surname meaning "heathen". It is used in honour of the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn (1732-1809).
Hayes m English
From a surname, either Hayes 1 or Hayes 2. It was borne by American president Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893).
Hayfa f Arabic
Means "slender" in Arabic.
Hayim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).
Hayk m Armenian
Probably from the Armenian word հայ (hay) meaning "Armenian", although some hold that the ethnic name is in fact derived from the given name. This was the name of the legendary forefather of the Armenian people, supposedly a great-great-grandson of Noah, according to the 5th-century Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi.
Hayley f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town (meaning "hay clearing" from Old English heg "hay" and leah "clearing"). It was brought to public attention as a given name, especially in the United Kingdom, by the British child actress Hayley Mills (1946-).... [more]
Ha-Yoon f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 하윤 (see Ha-Yun).
Hayrettin m Turkish
Turkish form of Khayr ad-Din.
Hayri m Turkish
Means "useful man" in Turkish.
Haytham m Arabic
Means "young eagle" in Arabic.
Ha-Yun f Korean
From Sino-Korean (ha) meaning "summer, name" combined with (yun) meaning "sunlight". Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Haywood m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "fenced wood" in Old English.
Hayyim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).
Heavenly f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "of the heavens, celestial, divine".
Heddwyn m Welsh
Derived from Welsh hedd "peace" and gwyn "white, blessed". This name has been given in honour of the poet Ellis Humphrey Evans (1887-1917), who used Hedd Wyn as his bardic name.
Hediye f Turkish
Turkish form of Hadia 1.
Hedley m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather clearing" in Old English.
Hedy f German, Dutch
Diminutive of Hedwig.
Heilyn m Welsh Mythology
Means "winebearer, dispenser" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi he was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's invasion of Ireland.
Hendry m Scots
Scots form of Henry.
Hennadiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Gennadius.
Henny f & m Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Diminutive of Henriette, Hendrika and other names containing hen. In Dutch it can also be masculine as a diminutive of Hendrik.
Henry m English
From the Germanic name Heimirich meaning "home ruler", composed of the elements heim "home" and rih "ruler". It was later commonly spelled Heinrich, with the spelling altered due to the influence of other Germanic names like Haganrich, in which the first element is hag "enclosure".... [more]
Henryk m Polish
Polish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henryka f Polish
Polish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Henye f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of Hannah.
Heorhiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of George.
Herry m Medieval English
Medieval English form of Henry. Unlike Harry, this form is no longer used.
Hervey m English
Variant of Harvey.
Hesychios m Late Greek
Means "still, quiet, at rest" in Greek. This name was borne by a noted grammarian from Alexandria, who is thought to have lived in the 5th or 6th century. It was also the name of a few early saints.
Heydər m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Haidar.
Heydar m Persian
Persian form of Haidar.
Hiacynta f Polish
Polish feminine form of Hyacinthus.
Hidayət m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Hidayat.
Hidayat m Arabic, Indonesian
Means "guidance" in Arabic, from the root هدى (hadā) meaning "to lead the right way, to guide".
Hideyoshi m Japanese
From Japanese (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" combined with (yoshi) meaning "good, virtuous, respectable" or (yoshi) meaning "good luck". Other kanji combinations are possible. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Hideyoshi being his given name) was a 16th-century daimyo who unified Japan and attempted to conquer Korea. He also banned the ownership of weapons by the peasantry, and banished Christian missionaries.
Hieronym m Slovak
Slovak form of Hieronymos (see Jerome).
Hieronymos m Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Jerome.
Hieronymus m Ancient Greek (Latinized), German (Archaic), Dutch (Archaic)
Latin form of Jerome, formerly common in Germany and the Netherlands. Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516) was a Dutch painter known for his depictions of the torments of hell.
Hilary f & m English
Medieval English form of Hilarius or Hilaria. During the Middle Ages it was primarily a masculine name. It was revived in Britain at the beginning of the 20th century as a predominantly feminine name. In America, this name and the variant Hillary seemed to drop in popularity after Hillary Clinton (1947-) became the first lady in 1993. Famous bearers include American actresses Hilary Swank (1974-) and Hilary Duff (1987-).
Hillary f English
Variant of Hilary. A famous bearer of the surname was Edmund Hillary (1919-2008), the first man to climb Mount Everest. It is borne by the American politician Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947-). The name dropped in popularity in 1993 after she became the first lady as the wife of Bill Clinton.
Hippolyta f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Hippolyte 1. In Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595) she is the queen of the Amazons, due to marry Theseus the Duke of Athens.
Hippolyte 1 f Greek Mythology
Feminine form of Hippolytos. In Greek legend Hippolyte was the daughter of Ares, and the queen of the Amazons. She was killed by Herakles in order to obtain her magic girdle.
Hippolyte 2 m French
French form of Hippolytos.
Hippolytos m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "freer of horses" from Greek ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse" and λύω (luo) meaning "to loosen". In Greek legend he was the son of Theseus who was tragically loved by his stepmother Phaedra. This was also the name of a 3rd-century theologian, saint and martyr.
Hlynur m Icelandic
Means "maple" in Icelandic.
Hodiya f & m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Hodiah.
Holly f English
From the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English holen. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.
Honey f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word honey, ultimately from Old English hunig. This was originally a nickname for a sweet person.
Hopcyn m Medieval Welsh
Medieval Welsh diminutive of Hob.
Horymír m Czech
Possibly from the Slavic elements gora (Czech hora) meaning "mountain" and mirŭ meaning "peace, world". According to a Czech legend, Horymír was a man sentenced to death but saved by his horse.
Hoyt m English
From an English surname that was derived from Middle English hoit "stick", originally a nickname for a thin person.
Hrachya m Armenian
Means "eyes of fire", from Old Armenian հուր (hur) meaning "fire" and աչք (achk) meaning "eyes, sight". This name was mentioned by the 5th-century Armenian historian Movses Khorenatsi as belonging to an early Armenian king.
Hrihoriy m Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Ukrainian Григорій (see Hryhoriy).
Hristiyan m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Christian.
Hryhoriy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Gregory.
Huckleberry m Literature
From the name of the variety of shrubs (genus Vaccinium) or the berries that grow on them. It was used by author Mark Twain for the character of Huckleberry (Huck) Finn in his novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884).
Huey m English
Variant of Hughie.
Hülya f Turkish
Means "daydream" in Turkish.
Humayra f Arabic
Means "red" in Arabic. This was a name given by the Prophet Muhammad to his wife Aisha.
Hümeyra f Turkish
Turkish form of Humayra.
Humphrey m English
From the Old German elements hun "bear cub" and fridu "peace". The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Hunfrith, and it was regularly used through the Middle Ages. A famous bearer was the American actor Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957), who starred in The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca.
Huriya f Arabic (Rare)
Means "nymph, heavenly maiden" in Arabic, referring to the houris, who are beautiful maidens who dwell in the Islamic afterlife.
Huriyyah f Arabic (Rare)
Alternate transcription of Arabic حوريّة (see Huriya).
Husayn m Arabic
Diminutive of Hasan. Husayn ibn Ali (also commonly transliterated Hussein) was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. His older brother was named Hasan. The massacre of Husayn and his family was a major event in the split between Shia and Sunni Muslims, which continues to this day. In more recent times this was the name of a king of Jordan (1935-1999).
Hüseyin m Turkish
Turkish form of Husayn.
Hüseyn m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Husayn.
Husniya f Arabic (Rare)
Feminine form of Husni.
Hüsniye f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of Husni.
Huxley m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from the name of a town in Cheshire. The final element is Old English leah "woodland, clearing", while the first element might be hux "insult, scorn". A famous bearer of the surname was the British author Aldous Huxley (1894-1963).
Huy m Vietnamese
From Sino-Vietnamese (huy) meaning "brightness".
Hyacinth 2 f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower (or the precious stone that also bears this name), ultimately from Greek hyakinthos (see Hyacinthus).
Hyacintha f History (Ecclesiastical)
Latinate feminine form of Hyacinthus, used to refer to the 17th-century Italian saint Hyacintha Mariscotti (real name Giacinta).
Hyacinthe m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Hyacinthus.
Hyacinthus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ὑάκινθος (Hyakinthos), which was derived from the name of the hyacinth flower. In Greek legend Hyakinthos was accidentally killed by the god Apollo, who mournfully caused this flower to arise from his blood. The name was also borne by several early saints, notably a 3rd-century martyr who was killed with his brother Protus.
Hyam m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).
Hyder m Urdu
Alternate transcription of Urdu حیدر (see Haider).
Hydra f Astronomy, Greek Mythology
Means "water serpent" in Greek, related to ὕδωρ (hydor) meaning "water". In Greek myth this was the name of a many-headed Lernaean serpent slain by Herakles. It is also the name of a northern constellation, as well as a moon of Pluto.
Hye m Korean
From Sino-Korean (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent" or other characters that are pronounced in the same way. Although it does appear rarely as a single-character name, it is more often used in combination with another character. A notable bearer was a 6th-century king of Baekje.
Hye-Jin f Korean
From Sino-Korean (hye) meaning "bright, intelligent" or (hye) meaning "favour, benefit" combined with (jin) meaning "precious, rare". This name can be formed by a variety of other hanja character combinations as well.
Hyeon m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or other characters that are pronounced similarly. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
Hyeon-Jeong f Korean
From Sino-Korean (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or (hyeon) meaning "shine, glitter" combined with (jeong) meaning "courtyard" or (jeong) meaning "virtuous, chaste, loyal". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Hyeon-Ju f & m Korean
From Sino-Korean (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" and (ju) meaning "jewel, pearl". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Hyeon-U m Korean
From Sino-Korean (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able" or (hyeon) meaning "manifest, clear" combined with (u) meaning "divine intervention, protection" or (u) meaning "rain". This name can be formed by other hanja character combinations as well.
Hyginos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Hyginus.
Hyginus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Ὑγῖνος (Hyginos), a Greek name derived from ὑγιεινός (hygieinos) meaning "healthy". This was the name of the ninth pope.
Hyman m Jewish
Alteration of Hyam influenced by Yiddish מאַן (man) meaning "man".
Hymie m Jewish
Diminutive of Hyman.
Hynek m Czech
Diminutive of Heinrich.
Hypatia f Ancient Greek
Derived from Greek ὕπατος (hypatos) meaning "highest, supreme". Hypatia of Alexandria was a 5th-century philosopher and mathematician, daughter of the mathematician Theon.