Names with 2 Syllables

This is a list of names in which the number of syllables is 2.
gender
usage
syllables
Gunda f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
Short form of names containing the Old German element gunda meaning "war" (Proto-Germanic *gunþī).
Güneş f Turkish
Means "sun" in Turkish.
Gunnar m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Norse Mythology
From the Old Norse name Gunnarr, which was derived from the elements gunnr "war" and herr "army, warrior" (making it a cognate of Gunther). In Norse legend Gunnar was the husband of Brynhildr. He had his brother-in-law Sigurd murdered based on his wife's false accusations that Sigurd had taken her virginity.
Gunnel f Swedish
Swedish variant of Gunhild.
Gunner m English (Modern)
English variant of Gunnar, influenced by the vocabulary word gunner.
Günter m German
Variant of Gunther.
Gunter m German
Variant of Gunther.
Günther m German
Variant of Gunther. It was especially popular in Germany in the 1920s and 30s.
Gunther m German, Germanic Mythology
From the Old German name Gundahar, derived from the elements gunda "war" and heri "army" (making it a cognate of Gunnar). This was the name of a semi-legendary 5th-century Burgundian king. He appears in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied, which has him wooing the Icelandic queen Brunhild. He wins her hand in marriage with the help of the hero Siegfried. He ultimately betrays Siegfried, but Siegfried's widow Kriemhild (Gunther's sister) takes her revenge upon him.... [more]
Guntram m German
Means "war raven" from the Old German elements gunda "war" and hram "raven". This was the name of a 6th-century Frankish king, sometimes called Gontrand, who is considered a saint.
Guntur m Indonesian
Means "thunder" in Indonesian.
Gunvor f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Gunnvǫr meaning "cautious in war", derived from gunnr "war" and vǫr "vigilant, cautious".
Gurban m Turkmen
Turkmen form of Qurban.
Gurgen m Armenian, Georgian
Derived from Middle Persian 𐭢𐭥𐭫𐭢 (gurg) meaning "wolf" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several Georgian kings and princes.
Gurutz m Basque
Means "cross" in Basque.
Gussie f English
Diminutive of Augusta.
Gustaaf m Dutch
Dutch form of Gustav.
Gustaf m Swedish
Swedish variant of Gustav.
Gustas m Lithuanian
Short form of Augustas and other names containing gust.
Gustav m Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German, Czech
Possibly means "staff of the Geats", derived from the Old Norse elements gautr meaning "Geat" and stafr meaning "staff". However, the root name Gautstafr is not well attested in the Old Norse period. Alternatively, it might be derived from the Old Slavic name Gostislav.... [more]
Gustave m French
French form of Gustav. This name was borne by the French artist Gustave Doré (1832-1883).
Gustaw m Polish
Polish form of Gustav.
Gusztáv m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Gustav.
Guto m Welsh
Diminutive of Gruffudd.
Guusje f Dutch
Feminine form of Guus.
Güvenç m Turkish
Means "trust" in Turkish.
Guzal f Tatar, Bashkir
Means "beautiful" in Tatar and Bashkir.
Gwenda f Welsh, English
Derived from the Welsh elements gwen meaning "white, blessed" and da meaning "good". This name was created in the 19th century.
Gweneth f Welsh
Variant of Gwyneth.
Gwenith f Welsh
Variant of Gwyneth, influenced by the Welsh word gwenith meaning "wheat".
Gwenneth f Welsh
Variant of Gwyneth.
Gwenyth f Welsh
Variant of Gwyneth.
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-).
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-).
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.
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).
Györgyi f Hungarian
Hungarian feminine form of George.
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.
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.
Haakon m Norwegian
Variant of Håkon.
Haamid m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حامد (see Hamid 2).
Habib m Arabic, Persian, Urdu
Means "beloved, darling" in Arabic.
Hacı m Turkish
Turkish form of Haji.
Hades m Greek Mythology
From Greek Ἅιδης (Haides), derived from ἀϊδής (aides) meaning "unseen". In Greek mythology Hades was the dark god of the underworld, a place that also came to be called Hades. His brothers were Zeus and Poseidon and his wife was Persephone, whom he had abducted.
Hadi m Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Indonesian
Means "leader, guide" in Arabic, from the root هدى (hadā) meaning "to lead the right way, to guide".
Hadil f Arabic
Means "cooing (of a pigeon)" in Arabic.
Hadley f & m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather field" in Old English.
Hadyn m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Hayden.
Ha-Eun f Korean
From Sino-Korean (ha) meaning "summer, great, grand" combined with (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity". This name can also be formed by other hanja character combinations.
Hafeez m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic حفيظ (see Hafiz), as well as the Urdu form of Hafiz.
Hafez m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حافظ (see Hafiz).
Hafiz m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Malay
Means "preserver, guardian, keeper" in Arabic, a derivative of حفظ (ḥafiẓa) meaning "to preserve, to protect". This transcription represents two related yet distinct Arabic names: حافظ, in which the first vowel is long, and حفيظ, in which the second vowel is long. In Islamic tradition الحفيظ (al-Ḥafīẓ) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Hafsa f Arabic, Urdu, Turkish
Means "gathering" in Arabic. This was the name of the daughter of Umar, the second caliph, and a wife of Muhammad. It was also borne by the influential mother of Süleyman the Magnificent.
Hafsah f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حفصة (see Hafsa).
Hafza f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حفصة (see Hafsa).
Hagar f Biblical, Biblical German, Biblical Hebrew
Possibly means "flight" in Hebrew, though it could also be of unknown Egyptian origin. According to the Old Testament she was the second wife of Abraham and the mother of Ishmael, the founder of the Arab people. After Abraham's first wife Sarah finally gave birth to a child, she had Hagar and Ishmael expelled into the desert. However, God heard their crying and saved them.
Hagen m German, Germanic Mythology
Derived from the Old German element hag meaning "enclosure" (Proto-Germanic *hagô). In the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied he is the cunning half-brother of Gunther. He killed the hero Siegfried by luring him onto a hunting expedition and then stabbing him with a javelin in his one vulnerable spot.
Haggai m Biblical
Means "festive" in Hebrew, from the root חָגַג (ḥaḡaḡ) meaning "to hold a festival, to celebrate". This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. He was the author of the Book of Haggai, which urges the exiles returning from Babylonia to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
Hagop m Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Hakob.
Haidar m Arabic
Means "lion, warrior" in Arabic. This is a title of Ali ibn Abi Talib.
Haidee f Literature
Perhaps intended to derive from Greek αἰδοῖος (aidoios) meaning "modest, reverent". This name was created by Lord Byron for a character (written as Haidée) in his 1819 poem Don Juan.
Haider m Urdu, Arabic
Urdu form of Haidar, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.
Haides m Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Hades. After the classical period, the ι in the sequence αι (often written as a subscript like ) was not pronounced.
Haifa f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هيفاء (see Hayfa).
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.
Haim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim). This seems to be the most common transcription for Israeli Jews.
Hajar f Arabic, Persian
Arabic form of Hagar. According to Islamic tradition she was a daughter of the king of Egypt, who became the second wife of Ibrahim and the mother of Ismail.
Haji m Arabic
Refers to a person who has participated in the حجّ (ḥajj), the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia that Muslims must undertake at least once in their lifetimes.
Hajna f Hungarian
Shortened form of Hajnal. The Hungarian poet Mihály Vörösmarty used it in his epic poem Zalán Futása (1825).
Hajnal f Hungarian
Means "dawn" in Hungarian.
Hajni f Hungarian
Diminutive of Hajnal or Hajnalka.
Ha-Joon m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 하준 (see Ha-Jun).
Ha-Jun m Korean
From Sino-Korean (ha) meaning "summer, great, grand" combined with (jun) meaning "approve, permit". This name can be formed by other hanja characters as well.
Håkan m Swedish
Swedish form of Hákon (see Håkon).
Hakan m Turkish
Means "emperor, ruler" in Turkish.
Hakeem m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حكيم (see Hakim). A famous bearer is Nigerian-born former basketball player Hakeem Olajuwon (1963-).
Hakim m Arabic, Malay, Indonesian
Means "wise" in Arabic, from the root حكم (ḥakama) meaning "to pass judgement, to decide". In Islamic tradition الحكيم (al-Ḥakīm) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Hakob m Armenian
Armenian form of Jacob (or James).
Håkon m Norwegian
Modern Norwegian form of the Old Norse name Hákon, derived from the element hár "high" or hǫð "battle, combat" combined with and konr "son, descendant". This was the name of seven kings of Norway.
Hala f Arabic
Means "halo around the moon" in Arabic. This was the name of a sister-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad.
Hale 1 f Turkish
Turkish form of Hala.
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.
Halim m Arabic, Turkish, Indonesian, Malay
Means "patient, tolerant, mild" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الحليم (al-Ḥalīm) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Halit m Turkish, Albanian
Turkish and Albanian form of Khalid.
Hallam m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning either "at the rocks" or "at the nook" in Old English.
Halldór m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Haldor.
Halle 2 f English (Modern)
In the case of American actress Halle Berry (1966-), it is from the name of a department store in Cleveland where she was born (the store was founded by brothers bearing the German surname Halle, a cognate of Hall).
Hallie f English
Diminutive of Harriet.
Halo f English (Modern)
From the English word halo meaning "luminous disc or ring", derived from Greek ἅλως (halos). Haloes often appear in religious art above the heads of holy people.
Hamed m Arabic, Persian
Alternate transcription of Arabic حامد (see Hamid 2), as well as the usual Persian transcription.
Hameed m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic حميد or Urdu حمید (see Hamid 1).
Hamid 1 m Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Urdu, Uzbek, Malay, Bosnian
Means "praiseworthy" in Arabic, from the root حمد (ḥamida) meaning "to praise". In Islamic tradition الحميد (al-Ḥamīd) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Hamid 2 m Arabic
Means "praiser" in Arabic.
Hamish m Scottish
Anglicized form of a Sheumais, the vocative case of Seumas.
Hamlet m Literature, Armenian
Anglicized form of the Danish name Amleth. Shakespeare used this name for the main character in his tragedy Hamlet (1600), which he based upon earlier Danish tales. In the play, Hamlet is a prince of Denmark seeking to avenge the death of his father (also named Hamlet) at the hands of his uncle Claudius.
Hammond m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from either the Norman given name Hamo or the Old Norse given name Hámundr.
Hampus m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Hans.
Hamza m Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian
Means "lion" in Arabic, a derivative of حمز (ḥamuza) meaning "strong, sturdy". This was the name of an uncle of the Prophet Muhammad who was killed in battle.
Hana 1 f Arabic, Bosnian
Means "bliss, happiness" in Arabic, from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Hana 2 f Hebrew, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Slovene, Sorbian
Form of Hannah in several languages.
Hana 3 f Japanese
From Japanese (hana) or (hana) both meaning "flower". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Hana 4 f Korean
Means "one" in Korean.
Hanaa f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هناء (see Hana 1).
Hanan 1 m Biblical
Means "gracious" in Hebrew. This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.
Hanan 2 f Arabic
Means "mercy, compassion" in Arabic, derived from the root حنّ (ḥanna) meaning "to sympathize, to pity".
Hanane f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic حنان (see Hanan 2) chiefly used in North Africa.
Haneef m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic حنيف or Urdu حنیف (see Hanif).
Haneul m & f Korean
Means "heaven, sky" in Korean.
Hanga f Hungarian
Means "heather" in Hungarian.
Hani m Arabic
Means "happy, delighted" in Arabic, from the root هنأ (hanaʾa) meaning "to gladden, to enjoy".
Hania 1 f Polish
Polish diminutive of Hanna 1.
Hanif m Arabic, Urdu
Means "true, upright" in Arabic.
Hanke f Dutch (Rare)
Dutch diminutive of Johanna.
Hannah f English, Hebrew, German, Dutch, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Ḥanna) meaning "favour, grace", derived from the root חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". In the Old Testament this is the name of the wife of Elkanah. Her rival was Elkanah's other wife Peninnah, who had children while Hannah remained barren. After a blessing from Eli she finally became pregnant with Samuel.... [more]
Hanne 1 f & m Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
Danish and Norwegian short form of Johanne, or a German and Dutch short form of Johanna. This can also be a Dutch short form of Johannes (masculine).
Hannie f Dutch
Diminutive of Johanna.
Hannu m Finnish
Finnish diminutive of Johannes.
Hansel m Literature
Anglicized form of Hänsel. This is the name of a boy in a German fairy tale, recorded in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm with the title Hänsel und Gretel. In the tale Hansel and his sister Gretel are abandoned in the woods by their parents, then taken captive by a witch.
Hanuš m Czech
Czech form of Hannes.
Hany m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هانئ (see Hani).
Hanzō m Japanese
From Japanese (han) meaning "half" and () meaning "to hide". This name was borne by the noted samurai Hattori Hanzou (1542-1596). The name can also be formed from other kanji combinations.
Hanzou m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 半蔵 (see Hanzō).
Happy f & m English (Rare)
From the English word happy, derived from Middle English hap "chance, luck", of Old Norse origin.
Harald m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German
Scandinavian and German cognate of Harold, from the Old Norse elements herr and valdr and the Old German elements heri and walt. This was the name of several kings of Norway and Denmark.
Harding m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Heard. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).
Hardy 1 m English
From a surname that was derived from Middle English hardi "bold, hardy".
Haris 1 m Bosnian, Urdu, Indonesian, Arabic
Bosnian, Urdu and Indonesian form of Harith, as well as an alternate transcription of the Arabic name.
Haris 2 m & f Greek
Alternate transcription of Greek Χάρης or Χάρις (see Charis).
Harith m Arabic, Malay
Means "plowman, cultivator" in Arabic.
Haritz m Basque
Variant of Aritz.
Harkaitz m Basque
Variant of Arkaitz.
Harlan m English
From a surname that was from a place name meaning "hare land" in Old English. In America it has sometimes been given in honour of Supreme Court justice John Marshall Harlan (1833-1911).
Harland m English
From a surname that was a variant of Harlan.
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.
Harlow f & m English
From an English surname derived from a place name, itself derived from Old English hær "rock, heap of stones" or here "army", combined with hlaw "hill". As a name for girls, it received some attention in 2008 when the American celebrity Nicole Richie used it for her daughter.
Harmon m English
From a surname that was derived from the given name Herman.
Harold m English
From the Old English name Hereweald, derived from the elements here "army" and weald "powerful, mighty". The Old Norse cognate Haraldr was also common among Scandinavian settlers in England. This was the name of five kings of Norway and three kings of Denmark. It was also borne by two kings of England, both of whom were from mixed Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon backgrounds, including Harold II who lost the Battle of Hastings (and was killed in it), which led to the Norman Conquest. After the conquest the name died out, but it was eventually revived in the 19th century.
Haroon m Urdu
Urdu form of Harun.
Haroun m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هارون (see Harun).
Harper f & m English
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who played or made harps (Old English hearpe). A notable bearer was the American author Harper Lee (1926-2016), who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. It rapidly gained popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, entering the American top ten for girls in 2015.
Harri m Finnish, Estonian, Welsh
Finnish, Estonian and Welsh form of Harry.
Harris m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Harry.
Harry m English
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.
Harta m Indonesian
Means "wealth, treasure, property" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit अर्थ (artha).
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".
Hartmann m German (Rare)
Means "brave man", derived from the Old German element hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" combined with man.
Hartmut m German, Germanic
Means "brave mind", derived from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and muot "mind, spirit". This is the kidnapper of Gudrun in the medieval German epic Kudrun.
Hartwig m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and wig "battle".
Hartwin m German (Rare), Germanic
Means "brave friend" from the Old German elements hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy" and wini "friend".
Haru m & f Japanese
From Japanese (haru) meaning "light, sun, male", (haru) meaning "spring" or (haru) meaning "clear weather". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Harun m Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian, Indonesian, Malay, Bengali
Arabic form of Aaron. Harun ar-Rashid was a 9th-century Abbasid caliph featured in the stories of The 1001 Nights.
Harut m Armenian
Short form of Harutyun.
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.
Harvie m English
Variant of Harvey.
Hasan m Arabic, Turkish, Persian, Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay, Albanian, Bosnian
Means "handsome" in Arabic, from the root حسن (ḥasuna) meaning "to be beautiful, to be good". Hasan was the son of Ali and the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He was poisoned by one of his wives and is regarded as a martyr by Shia Muslims. This was also the name of two kings of Morocco. It is sometimes transcribed as Hassan, though this is a distinct name in Arabic.
Haseeb m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic حسيب or Urdu حسیب (see Hasib).
Hashem m Persian
Persian form of Hashim.
Hashim m Arabic, Urdu, Malay
Means "crusher, breaker" in Arabic, derived from the root هشم (hashama) meaning "to crush, to destroy". This was the nickname of a great-grandfather of the Prophet Muhammad. He acquired this nickname because of his practice of crumbling bread and giving it to pilgrims.
Hasib m Arabic, Urdu
Means "noble, respected" in Arabic.
Hasim m Arabic
Means "decisive" in Arabic, derived from حسم (ḥasama) meaning "to sever, to finish, to decide".
Hasmik f Armenian
Means "jasmine" in Armenian.
Hasna f Arabic
Means "beauty" in Arabic, a derivative of حسن (ḥasuna) meaning "to be beautiful, to be good".
Hassan m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Malay, Dhivehi
Most commonly this is a variant of the Arabic name حسن, which is typically transcribed Hasan.... [more]
Hasse m Swedish
Swedish diminutive of Hans.
Hathor f Egyptian Mythology (Hellenized)
Greek form of Egyptian ḥwt-ḥrw (reconstructed as Hut-Heru) meaning "the house of Horus", derived from Egyptian ḥwt "house" combined with the god Horus. In Egyptian mythology she was the goddess of love, often depicted with the head of a cow.
Hatim m Arabic
Means "determined, decisive" in Arabic, derived from حتم (ḥatama) meaning "to decree, to decide".
Hattie f English
Diminutive of Harriet.
Hatty f English
Diminutive of Harriet.
Havel m Czech (Rare), Slovak (Rare)
Czech and Slovak form of Gallus.
Haven f & m English
From the English word for a safe place, derived ultimately from Old English hæfen.
Hawa f Arabic, Swahili
Arabic form of Eve.
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.
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).
Hayfa f Arabic
Means "slender" in Arabic.
Hayim m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew חַיִּים (see Chaim).
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).
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).
Hazal f Turkish
Possibly from Kurdish xezal meaning "gazelle, antelope" (of Arabic origin). It is also associated with Turkish hazan meaning "autumn" (of Persian origin).
Hazel f English
From the English word hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.
Hazem m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic حازم (see Hazim).
Hazim m Arabic, Bosnian
Means "firm, resolute" in Arabic.
Heather f English
From the English word heather for the variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers, which commonly grow in rocky areas. It is derived from Middle English hather. It was first used as a given name in the late 19th century, though it did not become popular until the last half of the 20th century.
Heaven f English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word meaning "paradise". It is derived via Middle English hevene from Old English heofon "sky".
Heba f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هبة (see Hiba).
Hebe f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥβη (hebe) meaning "youth". In Greek mythology Hebe was the daughter of Zeus and Hera. She was a goddess of youth who acted as the cupbearer to the gods.
Heber 2 m Biblical
Means "comrade" in Hebrew, derived from the root חָבַר (ḥavar) meaning "to join". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a great-grandson of Jacob and also by the husband of Jael.
Héctor m Spanish
Spanish form of Hector.
Hector m English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Arthurian Cycle
Latinized form of Greek Ἕκτωρ (Hektor), which was derived from ἕκτωρ (hektor) meaning "holding fast", ultimately from ἔχω (echo) meaning "to hold, to possess". In Greek legend Hector was one of the Trojan champions who fought against the Greeks. After he killed Achilles' friend Patroclus in battle, he was himself brutally slain by Achilles, who proceeded to tie his dead body to a chariot and drag it about. This name also appears in Arthurian legends where it belongs to King Arthur's foster father.... [more]
Hedda f Norwegian, Swedish
Diminutive of Hedvig. This is the name of the heroine of the play Hedda Gabler (1890) by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen.
Hédi 1 f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Hedvig.
Hedley m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "heather clearing" in Old English.
Hedvig f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Hungarian
Scandinavian, Finnish and Hungarian form of Hedwig.
Hedwig f German, Dutch
From the Old German name Hadewig, derived from the Old German elements hadu "battle, combat" and wig "war". This was the name of a 13th-century German saint, the wife of the Polish duke Henry the Bearded. It was subsequently borne by a 14th-century Polish queen (usually known by her Polish name Jadwiga) who is now also regarded as a saint.
Hedy f German, Dutch
Diminutive of Hedwig.
Hefin m Welsh
Means "summer" in Welsh, a poetic form of Haf.
Hege f Norwegian
Norwegian diminutive of Helga.
Heida f German
German diminutive of Adelheid.
Heide f German
German diminutive of Adelheid. It also coincides with the German word meaning "heath".
Heidi f German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, English
German diminutive of Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.
Heidrun f Norse Mythology, German
Derived from Old Norse heiðr meaning "bright, clear" and rún meaning "secret lore, rune". In Norse mythology this was the name of a goat that would eat the leaves from the tree of life and produce mead in her udder.
Heike f & m Low German, German
Low German diminutive of Henrike or Henrik.
Heiki m Estonian
Estonian form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Heikki m Finnish
Finnish form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Heiko m Low German, German, Frisian
Low German and Frisian diminutive of Henrik.
Heilwig f German (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements heil "healthy, whole" and wig "war".
Heiner m German
Diminutive of Heinrich.
Heino m German, Finnish, Estonian
German form of Haimo (see Hamo).
Heinrich m German, Germanic
German form of Henry. This was the name of several German kings.
Heintje f & m Dutch
Feminine and masculine diminutive of Hendrik.
Hekla f Icelandic
From the name of an active Icelandic volcano, derived from Old Norse hekla meaning "cloak".
Hektor m Greek Mythology
Greek form of Hector.
Helah f Biblical
Means "rust" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is mentioned as one of the wives of Ashur.
Heledd f Welsh
Meaning unknown. This is the narrator of the medieval poem Canu Heledd, which laments the loss of her family, including her brother Prince Cynddylan, and the destruction of the kingdom of Powys in the 7th century.
Heleen f Dutch
Dutch variant of Helen.
Helen f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Greek Mythology (Anglicized)
English form of the Greek Ἑλένη (Helene), probably from Greek ἑλένη (helene) meaning "torch" or "corposant", or possibly related to σελήνη (selene) meaning "moon". In Greek mythology Helen was the daughter of Zeus and Leda, whose kidnapping by Paris was the cause of the Trojan War. The name was also borne by the 4th-century Saint Helena, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, who supposedly found the True Cross during a trip to Jerusalem.... [more]
Hélène f French
French form of Helen.
Helene f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Ancient Greek form of Helen, as well as the modern Scandinavian and German form.
Helfried m German
Modern German form of Heilfrid, also a variant of Helmfried.
Helge m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German, Finnish
From the Old Norse name Helgi, derived from heilagr meaning "holy, blessed".
Heli 2 f Finnish, Estonian
Diminutive of Helena. In Estonian this coincides with the word heli meaning "sound".
Hélio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Helios.
Helio m Spanish
Spanish form of Helios.
Helka f Finnish
Finnish variant of Helga.
Hella f German, Danish
Diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Hellä f Finnish
Means "gentle, tender" in Finnish.
Helle 1 f Danish, Norwegian, Estonian
Danish diminutive of names beginning with Hel, such as Helga or Helena.
Helle 2 f Greek Mythology
Meaning unknown. In Greek mythology Helle was the daughter of Athamus and Nephele. She and her brother Phrixus escaped sacrifice by fleeing on the back of a golden ram, but during their flight she fell off and drowned in the strait that connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara, which was thereafter called the Hellespont ("the sea of Helle").
Hellen f English
Variant of Helen.
Helma f German, Dutch
Short form of Wilhelmina.
Helmfried m German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements helm "helmet" and fridu "peace".
Helmi f Finnish, Swedish
Diminutive of Vilhelmiina or Vilhelmina. It also means "pearl" in Finnish.
Helmut m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element helm "helmet" (or perhaps heil "healthy, whole") combined with muot "mind, spirit".
Helmuth m German
Variant of Helmut.
Helve f Estonian
Means "flake, snowflake" in Estonian.
Helvi f Finnish
Finnish vernacular form of Hedvig.
Hendrick m Dutch (Archaic)
Dutch variant of Hendrik.
Hendrik m Dutch, German, Estonian
Dutch and Estonian cognate of Heinrich (see Henry).
Hendrix m English (Modern)
From a Dutch surname that was derived from the given name Hendrik. A famous bearer of the surname was the American rock musician Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970).
Henna f Finnish
Finnish feminine form of Heinrich (see Henry).
Hennie m & f Dutch
Dutch diminutive and feminine form of Hendrik.
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.
Henri m French, Finnish
French form of Heinrich (see Henry). A notable bearer was the French artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954).
Henriette f French, German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian
French feminine diminutive of Henri.
Henrik m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Low German, German, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Armenian
Form of Heinrich (see Henry) in several languages. A famous bearer was the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906).
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).
Hera f Greek Mythology
Uncertain meaning, possibly from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior"; ὥρα (hora) meaning "period of time"; or αἱρέω (haireo) meaning "to be chosen". In Greek mythology Hera was the queen of the gods, the sister and wife of Zeus. She presided over marriage and childbirth.
Herbert m English, German, Dutch, Czech, Swedish, French
Derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and beraht "bright". It was borne by two Merovingian Frankish kings, usually called Charibert. The Normans introduced this name to England, where it replaced an Old English cognate Herebeorht. In the course of the Middle Ages it became rare, but it was revived in the 19th century.... [more]
Herbie m English
Diminutive of Herbert.
Hercule m French
French form of Hercules. It was used by the British writer Agatha Christie for the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, the protagonist in many of her mystery novels (debuting 1920).
Heřman m Czech
Czech form of Herman.
Herman m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Slovene, Germanic
Means "army man", derived from the Old German elements heri "army" and man "person, man". It was introduced to England by the Normans, died out, and was revived in the English-speaking world in the 19th century. It was borne by an 18th-century Russian missionary to Alaska who is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, though in his case the name is an alternate transcription of German. Another famous bearer was the American writer Herman Melville (1819-1891), the author of Moby-Dick.
Hermann m German
German form of Herman. A famous bearer was the German author Hermann Hesse (1877-1962).
Hermes m Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek, Spanish
Probably from Greek ἕρμα (herma) meaning "cairn, pile of stones, boundary marker". Hermes was a Greek god associated with speed and good luck, who served as a messenger to Zeus and the other gods. He was also the patron of travellers, writers, athletes, merchants, thieves and orators.... [more]
Hernán m Spanish
Short form of Hernando.
Hero 1 f Greek Mythology
Derived from Greek ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero". In Greek legend she was the lover of Leander, who would swim across the Hellespont each night to meet her. He was killed on one such occasion when he got caught in a storm while in the water, and when Hero saw his dead body she drowned herself. This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing (1599).
Herod m Biblical
From the Greek name Ἡρῴδης (Herodes), which probably means "song of the hero" from ἥρως (heros) meaning "hero, warrior" combined with ᾠδή (ode) meaning "song, ode". This was the name of several rulers of Judea during the period when it was part of the Roman Empire. This includes two who appear in the New Testament: Herod the Great, the king who ordered the slaughter of the children, and his son Herod Antipas, who had John the Baptist beheaded.
Herta f German
Variant of Hertha.
Hertha f German
Form of Nerthus. The spelling change from N to H resulted from a misreading of Tacitus's text.
Hertta f Finnish
Finnish form of Hertha. This is also the Finnish word for the card suit hearts.
Hervé m French
French form of Harvey.
Hesham m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic هشام (see Hisham).
Hester f English, Dutch, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Esther. Like Esther, it has been used in England since the Protestant Reformation. Nathaniel Hawthorne used it for the heroine of his novel The Scarlet Letter (1850), Hester Prynne, a Puritan woman forced to wear a red letter A on her chest after giving birth to a child out of wedlock.
Heta f Finnish
Finnish vernacular form of Hedvig.
Hettie f English
Diminutive of Henrietta or Hester.
Heulwen f Welsh
Means "sunshine" in Welsh (a compound of haul "sun" and gwen "white, blessed").
Hevel m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Abel.
Heydər m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Haidar.
Heydar m Persian
Persian form of Haidar.