Names with 2 Syllables

This is a list of names in which the number of syllables is 2.
gender
usage
syllables
Lilou f French
Either a diminutive of French names containing the sound lee or a combination of Lili and Louise.
Lily f English
From the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).
Lina 1 f Arabic
Means "soft, tender" in Arabic, derived from لان (lāna) meaning "to be soft". It can also be from Arabic لينة (līna), a type of palm tree, likely derived from the same root.
Lincoln m English
From an English surname that was originally from the name of an English city, called Lindum Colonia by the Romans, derived from Brythonic lindo "lake, pool" and Latin colonia "colony". This name is usually given in honour of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), president of the United States during the American Civil War.
Linda f English, German, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, French, Latvian, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Germanic
Originally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (Proto-Germanic *linþaz). It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word linda meaning "beautiful". In the English-speaking world this name experienced a spike in popularity beginning in the 1930s, peaking in the late 1940s, and declining shortly after that. It was the most popular name for girls in the United States from 1947 to 1952.
Linde f Dutch
Dutch variant of Linda.
Linden m & f English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German linta meaning "linden tree".
Lindon m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lyndon.
Lindsay f & m English
From an English and Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of the eastern English region of Lindsey, which means "Lincoln island" in Old English. As a given name it was typically masculine until the 1960s (in Britain) and 70s (in America) when it became popular for girls, probably due to its similarity to Linda and because of American actress Lindsay Wagner (1949-).
Lindsey f & m English
Variant of Lindsay.
Lindy m & f English
Originally this was a masculine name, coming into use in America in 1927 when the dance called the Lindy Hop became popular. The dance was probably named for aviator Charles Lindbergh. Later this name was used as a diminutive of Linda.
Linford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally taken from place names meaning either "flax ford" or "linden tree ford" in Old English.
Linnet f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Lynette or else from the name of the small bird, a type of finch.
Linnie f English
Diminutive of Linda and other names beginning with Lin.
Lino 1 m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Galician
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Galician form of Linus.
Lino 2 m Italian
Short form of Angelino and other names ending in lino.
Linsey f English
Variant of Lindsay.
Linton m English
From a surname that was originally from place names meaning either "flax town" or "linden tree town" in Old English.
Linus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized), Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German
From the Greek name Λίνος (Linos) meaning "flax". In Greek legend he was the son of the god Apollo, who accidentally killed him in a contest. Another son of Apollo by this name was the music teacher of Herakles. The name was also borne by the second pope, serving after Saint Peter in the 1st century. In modern times this was the name of a character in Charles Schulz's comic strip Peanuts.
Linwood m English
From an English surname that was originally from a place name meaning "stream forest" in Old English.
Lionel m French, English, Arthurian Cycle
French diminutive of Léon. It appears in Arthurian legend in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle, belonging to a knight who was the brother of Sir Bors. A notable modern bearer is the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi (1987-).
Lioubov f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь (see Lyubov).
Lisa f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian
Short form of Elizabeth (though often used independently) and its cognates in other languages. This is the name of the subject of one of the world's most famous paintings, the Mona Lisa, the portrait of Lisa del Giocondo by Leonardo da Vinci.... [more]
Lisbeth f German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian
German and Scandinavian short form of Elisabeth. A notable fictional bearer is Lisbeth Salander from Swedish author Stieg Larsson's novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2005) as well as its sequels and movie adaptations.
Lisette f French, English
Diminutive of Élisabeth.
Lisha f English
Short form of Alicia, Felicia and other names ending with the same sound.
Lison f French
French diminutive of Lise.
Lissa f English
Short form of Melissa.
Liubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Liùsaidh f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Lucia or Louisa.
Livia 1 f Italian, Romanian, German, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Livius. This was the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Augustus, Livia Drusilla.
Livie f French (Rare), Czech (Rare)
French and Czech feminine form of Livius.
Livio m Italian
Italian form of Livius.
Liviu m Romanian
Romanian form of Livius.
Livvy f English
Diminutive of Olivia.
Livy 1 m History
Form of Livius used to refer to the Roman historian Titus Livius.
Livy 2 f English
Diminutive of Olivia.
Liwen m & f Mapuche
Means "morning" in Mapuche.
Liwia f Polish
Polish form of Livia 1.
Liza f English, Russian, Greek, Georgian
Short form of Elizabeth (English), Yelizaveta (Russian), Elisavet (Greek) or Elisabed (Georgian).
Lize f Dutch
Short form of Elisabeth.
Lizzie f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Lizzy f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Ljuba m & f Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Czech
From the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love", or a short form of names beginning with that element. It is typically masculine in Serbia and feminine elsewhere.
Ljuban m Serbian, Croatian
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Ljubo m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Diminutive of Ljubomir and other names beginning with the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love". It is often used independently.
Ljubov f Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь (see Lyubov).
Lleucu f Welsh
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from Lleu. This name appears in the 14th-century poem Marwnad Lleucu Llwyd, written by Llywelyn Goch ap Meurig Hen for his deceased lover Lleucu Llwyd.
Llinos f Welsh
Means "linnet, finch" in Welsh. The linnet (species Linaria cannabina) is a small European bird in the finch family.
Llorenç m Catalan
Catalan form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lluís m Catalan
Catalan form of Louis.
Lluvia f Spanish (Modern)
Means "rain" in Spanish.
Lockie m English
Diminutive of Lachlan.
Logan m & f English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Ayrshire meaning "little hollow" (from Gaelic lag "hollow, pit" combined with a diminutive suffix). This name started slowly rising on the American popularity charts in the mid-1970s, perhaps partly inspired by the movie Logan's Run (1976). The comic book character Wolverine, alias Logan, was also introduced around the same time.... [more]
Loïc m French, Breton
Breton form of Louis.
Loida f Spanish
Spanish form of Lois 1.
Lois 1 f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Possibly derived from Greek λωίων (loion) meaning "more desirable" or "better". Lois is mentioned in the New Testament as the mother of Eunice and the grandmother of Timothy. As an English name, it came into use after the Protestant Reformation. In fiction, this is the name of the girlfriend of the comic book hero Superman.
Loke m Norse Mythology, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Modern Scandinavian form of Loki.
Loki m Norse Mythology
Meaning unknown, possibly derived from the Germanic root *luką meaning "lock". In Norse mythology Loki was a trickster god associated with magic and shape shifting. Loki's children include the wolf Fenrir, the sea serpent Jörmungandr, and the queen of the dead Hel. After he orchestrated the death of Balder, the other gods tied him to a rock below a snake that dripped venom onto his face. It is told that he will break free during Ragnarök, the final battle, and slay and be slain by Heimdall.
Lola f Spanish, English, French
Spanish diminutive of Dolores. A famous bearer was Lola Montez (1821-1861; birth name Eliza Gilbert), an Irish-born dancer, actress and courtesan.
Lonán m Irish, Old Irish
Means "little blackbird", derived from Old Irish lon "blackbird" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by several early saints.
London f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of the United Kingdom, the meaning of which is uncertain. As a surname it was borne by the American author Jack London (1876-1916).
Lone f Danish
Short form of Abelone.
Longin m Polish, French (African)
Polish and French form of Longinus. As a French given name, it is most common in Francophone Africa.
Longwang m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (lóng) meaning "dragon" and (wáng) meaning "king". This is the Chinese name of the Dragon King, a god associated with water and rain.
Lonnie m English
Short form of Alonzo and other names containing the same sound.
Lonny m English
Short form of Alonzo and other names containing the same sound.
Lope m Spanish
Spanish form of Lupus (see Loup).
Lora f English
Variant of Laura.
Loraine f English
Variant of Lorraine.
Loránd m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Roland.
Lóránt m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Roland.
Lorayne f English
Variant of Lorraine.
Lorcán m Irish
Means "little fierce one", derived from Old Irish lorcc "fierce" combined with a diminutive suffix. Saint Lorcán was a 12th-century archbishop of Dublin.
Lore 1 f German
German contracted form of Eleonore.
Lore 2 f Basque
Means "flower" in Basque.
Loreen f English
Variant of Lorene.
Loren m & f English
Either a short form of Laurence 1 (masculine) or a variant of Lauren (feminine).
Lorene f English
Probably a variant of Loren or Lorena 2.
Lorenz m German
German form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lorette f French
Variant of Laurette. This is also the usual French form of Loreto.
Lori f English
Diminutive of Laura, Lorraine and other names beginning with Lor. This name rapidly rose in popularity in the United States in the 1950s and 60s, peaking in the 8th spot for girls in 1963.
Lorie f English
Variant of Lori.
Lorin m & f English
Variant of Loren.
Lőrinc m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Lorine f English
Variant of Lorene.
Lorna f English
Created by the author R. D. Blackmore for the title character in his novel Lorna Doone (1869), set in southern England, which describes the dangerous love between John Ridd and Lorna Doone. Blackmore may have based the name on the Scottish place name Lorne or on the title Marquis of Lorne (see Lorne).
Lorraine f English
From the name of a region in eastern France, originally meaning "kingdom of Lothar". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called Lorraine, or in German Lothringen (from Latin Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.
Lorri f English
Variant of Lori.
Lorrie f English
Variant of Lori.
Lorrin m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Loren.
Lothaire m French
French form of Lothar.
Lothar m German, Germanic
From the Germanic name Hlothar meaning "famous army", derived from the elements hlut "famous, loud" and heri "army". This was the name of medieval Frankish rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and France. It was also borne by four earlier Merovingian kings of the Franks, though their names are usually spelled as Chlothar.
Lotta f Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Charlotta.
Lotus f English (Rare)
From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.
Louane f French
Combination of Lou and Anne 1.
Louhi f Finnish Mythology
Variant of Loviatar. In Finnish mythology Louhi was another name of the death goddess Loviatar. She appears in the Finnish epic the Kalevala as a witch ruling the northern area known as Pohjola. She is the primary antagonist to the hero Väinämöinen.
Louie m English
Diminutive of Louis.
Louis m French, English, Dutch
French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of Charlemagne. Others include Louis IX (Saint Louis) who led two crusades and Louis XIV (called the Sun King) who was the ruler of France during the height of its power, the builder of the Palace of Versailles, and the longest reigning monarch in the history of Europe. It was also borne by kings of Germany (as Ludwig), Hungary (as Lajos), and other places.... [more]
Louise f French, English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Louis.
Louisette f French
Diminutive of Louise.
Lourdes f Spanish, Portuguese
From the name of a French town. It became a popular center of pilgrimage after a young girl from the town had visions of the Virgin Mary in a nearby grotto.
Lourens m Frisian, Dutch
Frisian form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Louwis m Walloon
Walloon form of Louis.
Lova f Swedish
Short form of Lovisa.
Love 1 m Swedish
Swedish form of Louis.
Lovis f Swedish
Variant of Lovisa.
Lowe m Swedish
Variant of Love 1.
Lowell m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman French nickname, from lou "wolf" and a diminutive suffix. The surname was borne by American poet and satirist James Russell Lowell (1819-1891).
Lowie m Dutch
Dutch form of Louis.
Lowri f Welsh
Welsh form of Laura.
Lúa f Galician
Galician form of Luna.
Luana f English, Italian, Portuguese
From the movie Bird of Paradise (1932), in which it was borne by the main character, a Polynesian girl. The movie was based on a 1912 play of the same name set in Hawaii.
Luann f English
Either a combination of Lou and Ann or a variant of Luana. It was popularized in the 1950s by the singer Lu Ann Simms (1933-2003).
Luanne f English
Variant of Luann.
Luba f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Ukrainian Люба (see Lyuba).
Lubbert m Dutch
Dutch form of the Old German name Leutbert, derived from the elements liut "people" and beraht "bright". Liutbert (or Liutpert) was an 8th-century Lombard king.
Lubna f Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Means "storax tree" in Arabic. According to a 7th-century Arabic tale Lubna and Qays were a couple forced to divorce by Qays's father.
Ľubor m Slovak
Slovak form of Lubor.
Lubor m Czech
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Ľuboš m Slovak
Slovak form of Luboš.
Luboš m Czech
Originally a diminutive of names beginning with the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Lubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Alternate transcription of Russian Любовь or Ukrainian Любов (see Lyubov).
Luca 1 m Italian, Romanian
Italian and Romanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This name was borne by Luca della Robbia, a Renaissance sculptor from Florence.
Luca 2 f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Lucia.
Lucas m English, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Greek Λουκᾶς (see Luke), as well as the form used in several other languages.... [more]
Luce f Italian, French
Italian and French variant of Lucia. This also means "light" in Italian.
Lucho m Spanish
Diminutive of Luis.
Lucia f Italian, German, Dutch, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Romanian, Slovak, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Lucius. Saint Lucia was a 4th-century martyr from Syracuse. She was said to have had her eyes gouged out, and thus she is the patron saint of the blind. She was widely revered in the Middle Ages, and her name has been used throughout Christian Europe (in various spellings). It has been used in the England since the 12th century, usually in the spellings Lucy or Luce.
Lucian m Romanian, English
Romanian and English form of Lucianus. Lucian is the usual name of Lucianus of Samosata in English.
Lucie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lucia.
Lucien m French
French form of Lucianus.
Lucienne f French
Feminine form of Lucien.
Lucille f French, English
French form of Lucilla. A famous bearer was American comedienne Lucille Ball (1911-1989).
Lucio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Lucius.
Lucius m Ancient Roman, Biblical, English
Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin lux "light". This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Łucja f Polish
Polish form of Lucia.
Łucjan m Polish (Archaic)
Older Polish form of Lucianus.
Lucjan m Polish
Polish form of Lucianus.
Luĉjo m Esperanto
Esperanto diminutive of Ludwig.
Lucjusz m Polish (Rare)
Polish form of Lucius.
Lucky m & f English, Hindi
From a nickname given to a lucky person. It is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Luke. A famous bearer was the Italian-American gangster "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962).
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Lucy f English
English form of Lucia, in use since the Middle Ages.
Luděk m Czech
Diminutive of Ludvík and other names beginning with Lud.
Ludger m German
From the Old German name Leutgar, which was derived from the elements liut "people" and ger "spear". Saint Ludger was an 8th-century Frisian Benedictine bishop who founded a monastery at Munster.
Ludo m Flemish
Short form of Ludovicus or Ludolf.
Ludolf m German (Rare), Germanic
From the Old German name Hludolf, which was composed of the elements hlut meaning "famous, loud" and wolf meaning "wolf". Saint Ludolf (or Ludolph) was a 13th-century bishop of Ratzeburg.
Ludvig m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Scandinavian form of Ludwig.
Ludvík m Czech
Czech form of Ludwig.
Ludwig m German
From the Germanic name Hludwig meaning "famous in battle", composed of the elements hlut "famous, loud" and wig "war, battle". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks (though their names are usually spelled as Clovis) as well as several Carolingian kings and Holy Roman emperors (names often spelled in the French form Louis). Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951), who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.
Ludwik m Polish
Polish form of Ludwig.
Lughaidh m Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Lugaid, a combination of the name of the mythological figure Lugh and Old Irish dech "honour, better". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including the king Lugaid mac Con.
Luís m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Louis.
Luisa f Spanish, Italian
Feminine form of Luis.
Luján f Spanish (Latin American)
From a Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de Luján, meaning "Our Lady of Luján". This is the name of a city in Argentina near Buenos Aires. Our Lady of Luján is a 17th-century statue of Mary. Supposedly the horses transporting the statue further into Argentina refused to pull the cart past Luján, so a shrine was built at the spot. She is regarded as a patron saint of Argentina.
Lujayn f Arabic
Means "silver" in Arabic.
Lujza f Hungarian, Slovak
Hungarian and Slovak feminine form of Louis.
Luka m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Russian, Georgian, Old Church Slavic
Form of Lucas (see Luke) in several languages.
Lukács m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Lucas (see Luke).
Lukáš m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Lucas (see Luke).
Lukas m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Lithuanian
German, Scandinavian, Dutch and Lithuanian form of Lucas (see Luke). This was the most popular name for boys in Germany, Austria and Lithuania in some years of the 1990s and 2000s.
Łukasz m Polish
Polish form of Lucas (see Luke).
Luken m Basque
Basque form of Lucianus.
Luksa f Esperanto
Means "luxurious" in Esperanto.
Lukyan m Russian (Archaic), Ukrainian (Archaic)
Russian and Ukrainian form of Lucianus.
Lula 1 f English
Diminutive of Louise and names that begin with Lu.
Lulu 1 f English, German
Diminutive of names beginning with Lou or Lu, such as Louise or Lucinda.
Lulu 2 f Arabic
Means "pearls" in Arabic.
Lumi f Finnish
Means "snow" in Finnish.
Lumír m Czech
Meaning unknown, though possibly related to the Slavic element mirŭ meaning "peace, world". In Czech legend this is the name of a bard.
Luna f Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English
Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.
Luned f Welsh, Arthurian Cycle
Form of Lunete used in the Welsh tale Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain (which was based on Chrétien's poem).
Lupe f & m Spanish
Short form of Guadalupe.
Lutfi m Arabic, Indonesian
Means "kind, gentle" in Arabic, a derivative of لطف (laṭafa) meaning "to be kind".
Luther m English
From a German surname, itself derived from the Old German given name Leuthar. The surname was borne by Martin Luther (1483-1546), a monk and theologian who started the Protestant Reformation by nailing his famous 95 theses to a church door. It has since been used as a given name in his honour, especially among Protestants. A notable bearer from the modern era was the American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).
Lúðvík m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Ludwig.
Luukas m Finnish
Finnish form of Lucas (see Luke).
Lydia f English, German, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Means "from Lydia" in Greek. Lydia was a region on the west coast of Asia Minor, said to be named for the legendary king Lydos. In the New Testament this is the name of a woman converted to Christianity by Saint Paul. In the modern era the name has been in use since the Protestant Reformation.
Lydie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lydia.
Lyla f English
Variant of Leila.
Lylou f French
Variant of Lilou.
Lynda f English
Variant of Linda.
Lyndon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "linden tree hill" in Old English. A famous bearer was American president Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973).
Lynette f English, Arthurian Cycle
Form of Lynet used by Alfred Tennyson in his 1872 poem Gareth and Lynette. According to Tennyson, Gareth and Lynette were eventually married. In modern times it is also regarded as a diminutive of Lynn.
Lynna f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Lynn.
Lynnette f English
Variant of Lynette.
Lynwood m English
Variant of Linwood.
Lyosha m Russian
Diminutive of Aleksey.
Lyra f Astronomy
The name of the constellation in the northern sky containing the star Vega. It is said to be shaped after the lyre of Orpheus. This is the name of the main character in the His Dark Materials series of books by Philip Pullman (beginning 1995).
Lyric f & m English (Modern)
Means simply "lyric, songlike" from the English word, ultimately derived from Greek λυρικός (lyrikos).
Lysiane f French
Combination of Lys and Anne 1.
Lyssa 1 f English
Short form of Alyssa.
Lyuba f Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Lyubov, and a Bulgarian form of Ljuba.
Lyubov f Russian, Ukrainian
Derived from the Slavic element ľuby meaning "love".
Lyyti f Finnish (Rare)
Finnish diminutive of Lydia.
Maaike f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Maria.
Maalik m Arabic
Means "owner, possessor, master" in Arabic, a derivative of ملك (malaka) meaning "to acquire, to possess".
Maarit f Finnish
Finnish form of Margaret.
Maarja f Estonian
Estonian form of Maria.
Maarten m Dutch
Dutch form of Martin.
Maartje f Dutch
Dutch feminine form of Martin.
Mabel f English
Medieval feminine form of Amabilis. This spelling and Amabel were common during the Middle Ages, though they became rare after the 15th century. It was revived in the 19th century after the publication of C. M. Yonge's 1854 novel The Heir of Redclyffe, which featured a character named Mabel (as well as one named Amabel).
Mable f English
Variant of Mabel.
Macbeth m History
Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic given name Mac Beatha meaning "son of life", implying holiness. This was the name of an 11th-century Scottish king who came to power after defeating and killing King Duncan in battle. Years later he was himself slain in battle with Duncan's son Malcolm. Shakespeare based his play Macbeth (1606) loosely on this king's life, drawing from the tales related in Holinshed's Chronicles (1587).
Machteld f Dutch
Dutch form of Matilda.
Macie f English
Variant of Macy.
Maciej m Polish
Polish form of Matthias.
Macsen m Welsh Mythology
Welsh form of Maximus. Magnus Maximus (known as Macsen Wledig in Welsh) was a 4th-century co-ruler of the Western Roman Empire. In Wales he was regarded as the founder of several royal lineages. He appears in the medieval Welsh tale The Dream of Macsen.
Macy f English
From an English surname that was from various towns called Massy in France. The towns themselves were originally derived from a Gallo-Roman personal name that was Latinized as Maccius. The name was brought to public attention in 1989 when the character Macy Alexander was introduced to the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. It is also notable as the name of a chain of American department stores founded by Rowland Hussey Macy in 1858.
Maddie f English
Diminutive of Madeline or Madison.
Maddox m English (Modern)
From a Welsh surname meaning "son of Madoc". It was brought to public attention when the actress Angelina Jolie gave this name to her adopted son in 2002.
Maddy f English
Diminutive of Madeline or Madison.
Made m & f Balinese
From Sanskrit मध्य (madhya) meaning "middle". This name is traditionally given to the family's second-born child.
Madeline f English
English form of Madeleine. This is the name of the heroine in a series of children's books by the Austrian-American author Ludwig Bemelmans, first published 1939.
Madi f English
Diminutive of Madeline or Madison.
Madlyn f English
Variant of Madeline.
Mæja f Icelandic
Icelandic diminutive of María.
Maël m French, Breton
French form of Breton Mael meaning "prince, chieftain, lord". Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.
Maëlle f French, Breton
Feminine form of Maël.
Magdi 1 f Hungarian
Diminutive of Magdolna.
Maggie f English
Diminutive of Margaret.
Magnus m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late Roman
Late Latin name meaning "great". It was borne by a 7th-century saint who was a missionary in Germany. It became popular in Scandinavia after the time of the 11th-century Norwegian king Magnus I, who was said to have been named after Charlemagne, or Carolus Magnus in Latin (however there was also a Norse name Magni). The name was borne by six subsequent kings of Norway as well as three kings of Sweden. It was imported to Scotland and Ireland during the Middle Ages.
Magrite f Walloon, Picard
Walloon and Picard form of Margaret.
Maha f Arabic
Means "oryx" in Arabic. The oryx is a variety of antelope that is said to represent beauty.
Mahaut f Medieval French
Medieval French form of Mathilde.
Mahbub m Arabic, Bengali
Means "beloved, dear" in Arabic, from the root حبّ (ḥabba) meaning "to love".
Mahdi m Arabic, Persian
Means "guided one" in Arabic, a derivative of هدى (hadā) meaning "to lead the right way, to guide".
Mahfuz m Arabic
Means "safeguarded, preserved" in Arabic, a derivative of حفظ (ḥafiẓa) meaning "to preserve, to protect".
Mahir m Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian
Means "skilled" in Arabic.
Mahlah f & m Biblical
From the Hebrew name מַחְלָה (Maḥla), derived from חָלָה (ḥala) meaning "weak, sick". This name is used in the Old Testament as both a feminine and masculine name. In some versions of the Bible the masculine name is spelled Mahalah.
Mahli m Biblical
From the Hebrew name מַחְלִי (Maḥli), derived from חָלָה (ḥala) meaning "weak, sick". This is the name of two characters mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Mahmood m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic محمود (see Mahmud), as well as an Urdu transcription.
Mahmoud m Persian, Arabic
Usual Persian form of Mahmud, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.
Mahmud m Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, Bengali, Indonesian, Malay
Means "praised" in Arabic, from the same root as Muhammad. This was the name of the first Muslim ruler of India (11th century). It was also borne by two Ottoman sultans.
Mahnaz f Persian
From Persian مه (mah) meaning "moon" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort".
Mähri f Turkmen
Possibly derived from Persian مه (mah) meaning "moon" or مهر (mehr) meaning "friendship, love, kindness".
Mahsa f Persian
Means "like the moon" in Persian.
Mahtab f Persian
Means "moonlight" in Persian.
Mahvash f Persian
Means "moon-like" in Persian.
Mahzun m Turkish (Rare)
Means "sad" in Turkish.
Mai 2 f Japanese
From Japanese (mai) meaning "dance" or 麻衣 (mai) meaning "linen robe". It can also come from (ma) meaning "real, genuine" combined with (ai) meaning "love, affection". Other kanji or kanji combinations can also form this name.
Maïa f French
French form of Maia 1.
Maia 1 f Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Portuguese, Georgian
From Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning "good mother, dame, foster mother", perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. Her son by Zeus was Hermes.
Maia 2 f Roman Mythology
Probably from Latin maior meaning "greater". This was the name of a Roman goddess of spring, a companion (sometimes wife) of Vulcan. She was later conflated with the Greek goddess Maia. The month of May is named for her.
Maia 3 f Estonian, Basque
Estonian and Basque form of Maria.
Maija f Finnish, Latvian
Finnish and Latvian variant of Maria or Marija. The Latvian playwright Anna Brigadere used this name for the main character in her play Maija un Paija (1922).
Maike f Frisian, German
Frisian diminutive of Maria.
Maikel m Dutch (Modern), Spanish (Modern)
Dutch and Spanish variant of Michael (based on the English pronunciation).
Maile f Hawaiian
From the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.
Mailys f French
Variant of Maylis.
Maimu f Estonian
Means "little" in Estonian. This is the name of a girl in the story Maimu (1889) by the Estonian writer August Kitzberg.
Máire f Irish
Irish form of Maria (see Mary). The form Muire is used to refer to the Virgin Mary.
Maire f Finnish, Estonian
Derived from Finnish mairea meaning "gushing, sugary".
Máiréad f Irish
Irish form of Margaret.
Mairéad f Irish
Irish form of Margaret.
Mairead f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Margaret.
Màiri f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Maria (see Mary). The form Moire is used to refer to the Virgin Mary.
Máirín f Irish
Irish diminutive of Mary.
Maisie f Scottish, English
Scottish diminutive of Mairead. It was long used in the United Kingdom and Australia, becoming popular at the end of the 20th century. In the United States it was brought to public attention by the British actress Maisie Williams (1997-), who played Arya Stark on the television series Game of Thrones beginning 2011. Her birth name is Margaret.
Maite 1 f Spanish
Combination of María and Teresa.
Maite 2 f Basque
Means "beloved" in Basque.
Maitiú m Irish
Irish form of Matthew.
Maïwenn f French, Breton
Form of Maiwenn using French orthography.