Names with 2 Syllables

This is a list of names in which the number of syllables is 2.
gender
usage
syllables
Sarai f Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Hebrew, Spanish
Means "my princess" in Hebrew, a possessive form of שָׂרָה (sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament, this was Sarah's name before God changed it (see Genesis 17:15).
Saray f Spanish
Spanish variant of Sarai.
Sardar m Persian, Urdu, Pashto
From a title meaning "chief, leader", derived from Persian سر (sar) meaning "head, authority" and the suffix دار (dār) meaning "possessor".
Sargis m Armenian
Armenian form of Sergius.
Sargon m Akkadian (Anglicized), Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew form סַרְגּוֹן (Sargon) of the Akkadian name Sharru-ukin, from šarru meaning "king" and kīnu meaning "legitimate, true". This was the name of the first king of the Akkadian Empire, beginning in the 24th century BC. It was also borne by the 8th-century BC Assyrian king Sargon II, who appears briefly in the Old Testament. The usual English spelling of the name is based on this biblical mention, applied retroactively to the earlier king.
Sári f Hungarian
Hungarian diminutive of Sarah.
Sari 1 f Finnish
Finnish variant of Saara.
Sari 2 f Indonesian
Means "essence" in Indonesian.
Šárka f Czech
Meaning unknown. In Czech legend Šárka was a maiden who joined other women in declaring war upon men. She tricked the men by having herself tied to a tree, and, after they came to her rescue, offering them mead laced with a sleeping potion. After the men fell asleep the other women slew them.
Sarkis m Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Sargis.
Sarolt f Hungarian (Rare)
From the Old Hungarian name Saroldu, probably of Turkic origin meaning "white weasel, ermine". This was the wife of the 10th-century Hungarian grand prince Géza.
Sascha m & f German, Dutch
German and Dutch form of Sasha.
Sasha m & f Russian, Ukrainian, English, French
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Aleksandr or Aleksandra.
Saskia f Dutch, German
From the Old German element sahso meaning "a Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642) was the wife of the Dutch painter Rembrandt.
Satan m Theology, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Derived from Hebrew שָׂטָן (saṭan) meaning "adversary". This is the Hebrew name of the enemy of the Judeo-Christian god. In the New Testament he is also known by the title Devil (Diabolos in Greek).
Satchel m English (Rare)
From an English surname derived from Old English sacc meaning "sack, bag", referring to a person who was a bag maker. A famous bearer was the American baseball player Satchel Paige (1906-1982). In his case it was a childhood nickname acquired because he sold bags.
Satu f Finnish
Means "fairy tale, fable" in Finnish.
Saturn m Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
From the Latin Saturnus, which is of unknown meaning. In Roman mythology he was the father of Jupiter, Juno and others, and was also the god of agriculture. This is also the name of the ringed sixth planet in the solar system.
Saud m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic سعود (see Su'ud).
Saúl m Spanish
Spanish form of Saul.
Saulė f Lithuanian, Baltic Mythology
Means "sun" in Lithuanian. This was the name of the Lithuanian sun goddess.
Sauli m Finnish
Finnish form of Saul.
Savaş m Turkish
Means "war" in Turkish.
Savio m Italian
Means "wise" in Italian.
Sawda f Arabic
Means "black" in Arabic. This was the name of a wife of the Prophet Muhammad. She was said to have lived for a time in Abyssinia (modern Ethiopia and Eritrea).
Sawsan f Arabic
Arabic form of Susanna.
Sawyer m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "sawer of wood". Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).... [more]
Saxon m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the name of the Germanic tribe the Saxons, ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". This name can also be given in direct reference to the tribe.
Sayed m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic سيّد (see Sayyid).
Saylor f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from Old French sailleor meaning "acrobat, dancer". As a modern English given name it could also come from the homophone vocabulary word sailor.
Sayyid m Arabic
Means "lord, master" in Arabic. A famous bearer was the Egyptian musician Sayyid Darwish (1892-1923).
Scarlet f English (Modern)
Either a variant of Scarlett or else from the English word for the red colour (both of the same origin, a type of cloth).
Scarlett f English
From an English surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelāṭ)). Margaret Mitchell used it for the main character, Scarlett O'Hara, in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936). Her name is explained as having come from her grandmother. Despite the fact that the book was adapted into a popular movie in 1939, the name was not common until the 21st century. It started rising around 2003, about the time that the career of American actress Scarlett Johansson (1984-) started taking off.
Schuyler m & f English
From a Dutch surname meaning "scholar". Dutch settlers brought the surname to America, where it was subsequently adopted as a given name in honour of the American general and senator Philip Schuyler (1733-1804).
Scilla f Italian
Short form of Priscilla. This is also the Italian word for the squill flower (genus Scilla).
Scottie m & f English
Diminutive of Scott, also used as a feminine form.
Scotty m English
Diminutive of Scott.
Seachnall m Irish (Rare)
Possibly an Irish form of Secundinus. This was the name of a 5th-century Irish saint, also known as Secundinus.
Séamas m Irish
Irish form of James.
Séamus m Irish
Irish form of James.
Seanna f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Seán.
Séarlait f Irish
Irish form of Charlotte.
Séarlas m Irish
Irish form of Charles.
Şebnem f Turkish
Turkish form of Shabnam.
Sefton m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "town in the rushes" in Old English.
Seija f Finnish
Derived from Finnish seijas meaning "tranquil, serene".
Seiko f Japanese
From Japanese (sei) meaning "holy, sacred" combined with (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Sekhmet f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian sḫmt, derived from sḫm meaning "powerful" and a feminine t suffix. Sekhmet was an Egyptian warrior goddess, also associated with healing, violence and plague. She was commonly depicted with the head of a lioness, and was sometimes conflated with the cat-headed goddess Bastet.
Sela f English (Rare)
From the name of a city, the capital of Edom, which appears in the Old Testament. It means "rock" in Hebrew.
Selah f Biblical
From a Hebrew musical term that occurs many times in the Old Testament Psalms. It was probably meant to indicate a musical pause.
Selby m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "willow farm" in Old Norse.
Selçuk m Turkish
Possibly derived from a diminutive form of the Turkic root sil meaning "clean, pure". Selçuk was the eponymous leader of the Seljuk Turks, who established the Seljuk Empire in the Middle East in the 11th century.
Selene f Greek Mythology
Means "moon" in Greek. This was the name of a Greek goddess of the moon, a Titan. She was sometimes identified with the goddess Artemis.
Selim m Turkish, Albanian
Turkish and Albanian form of Salim. This was the name of three Ottoman sultans, including the father of Süleyman the Magnificent.
Selma 1 f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic
Meaning unknown, possibly a short form of Anselma. It could also have been inspired by James Macpherson's 18th-century poems, in which it is the name of Ossian's castle.
Selwyn m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from an Old English given name, which was formed of the elements sele "manor" and wine "friend".
Sema f Turkish
Means "sky, heaven" in Turkish.
Semaj m & f African American (Modern)
The name James spelled backwards.
Semen m Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian form of Simon 1, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian Семён (see Semyon).
Semion m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Семён (see Semyon).
Semyon m Russian
Russian form of Simon 1.
Sengphet f & m Lao
From Lao ແສງ (saeng) meaning "light" and ເພັດ (phet) meaning "diamond, gem".
Senja f Finnish
Finnish form of Xenia.
Senna f & m Dutch (Modern)
Meaning uncertain. In some cases it is given in honour of the Brazilian racecar driver Ayrton Senna (1960-1994). It could also be inspired by the senna plant.
Senne m Dutch (Modern)
Possibly a Dutch diminutive of Sebastian or Sander.
Seo-A f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" combined with (a) meaning "elegant, graceful, refined" or (a) meaning "good, beautiful". Other combinations of hanja characters can also form this name.
Seo-Ah f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 서아 (see Seo-A).
Seo-Hyeon f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" combined with (hyeon) meaning "virtuous, worthy, able". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Seo-Hyun f Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 서현 (see Seo-Hyeon).
Seoirse m Irish
Irish form of George.
Seo-Joon m Korean
Alternate transcription of Korean Hangul 서준 (see Seo-Jun).
Seo-Jun m Korean
From Sino-Korean (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" or (seo) meaning "open up, unfold, comfortable, easy" combined with (jun) meaning "talented, handsome". This name can also be formed from other character combinations.
Seok-Jin m Korean
From Sino-Korean (seok) meaning "large, great" and (jin) meaning "precious, rare". Other hanja characters can form this name as well.
Seonag f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Joan 1.
Seònaid f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Janet.
Seong-Ho m Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or (seong) meaning "abundant, flourishing" combined with (ho) meaning "stove, bright" or (ho) meaning "daybreak, bright". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
Seong-Hun m Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" combined with (hun) meaning "meritorious deed, rank". Other hanja character combinations can form this name as well.
Seong-Hyeon m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" combined with (hyeon), which refers to a device used to lift a tripod cauldron. Other hanja character combinations are possible.
Seong-Jin m Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or (seong) meaning "star, planet" combined with (jin) meaning "town, marketplace" or (jin) meaning "shake, tremor, excite". Other hanja character combinations are also possible.
Seong-Min m Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or (seong) meaning "nature, character, sex" combined with (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp" or (min) meaning "quick, clever, sharp". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
Seong-Su m Korean
From Sino-Korean (seong) meaning "completed, finished, succeeded" or (seong) meaning "holy, sacred" combined with (su), which refers to a river in China. Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
Seon-U m & f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seon) meaning "good, virtuous" or (seon) meaning "declare, announce" combined with (u) meaning "house, universe" or (u) meaning "help, protect, bliss". This name can be formed by many other hanja character combinations as well.
Seòras m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of George.
Seosamh m Irish
Irish form of Joseph.
Seo-Yeon f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" combined with (yeon) or (yeon) both meaning "beautiful". Many other combinations of hanja characters can also form this name.
Seo-Yun f Korean
From Sino-Korean (seo) meaning "felicitous omen, auspicious" and (yun) meaning "soft, sleek", as well as other hanja character combinations.
Sepi m Finnish (Rare)
Finnish diminutive of Seppo 1 or Sebastian.
Seppe m Flemish
Flemish diminutive of Sebastian.
Seppo 1 m Finnish, Finnish Mythology
Derived from Finnish seppä meaning "smith". Seppo Ilmarinen ("the smith Ilmarinen") is the name of a master craftsman in the Finnish epic the Kalevala.
Seppo 2 m Finnish
Finnish variant of Sepeteus or Sebastian.
Sera f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Sarah or a short form of Seraphina.
Seren f Welsh
Means "star" in Welsh. This is a recently created Welsh name.
Sergei m Russian, Bulgarian
Alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Сергей (see Sergey).
Sergej m Serbian, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Bulgarian
Serbian, Slovene, Czech and Slovak form of Sergey, as well as an alternate transcription of Russian/Bulgarian Сергей (see Sergey).
Sergey m Russian, Bulgarian
Russian and Bulgarian form of Sergius.
Sergi m Catalan, Georgian
Catalan and Georgian form of Sergius.
Sergine f French
French feminine form of Sergius.
Sérgio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Sergius.
Sergio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Sergius.
Sergiusz m Polish
Polish form of Sergius.
Sergo m Georgian, Armenian
Georgian form of Sergius.
Serhiy m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Sergius.
Şerif m Turkish
Turkish form of Sharif.
Serket f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian srqt, possibly meaning "she who lets throats breathe", from srq meaning "to open the windpipe, to breathe" and a feminine t suffix. In Egyptian mythology she was the goddess of scorpions as well as the healing of poisonous stings and bites. Eventually she came to be identified with Isis, becoming an aspect of her over time.
Servaas m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch form of the Late Latin name Servatius, derived from servatus "saved, redeemed". This was the name of a 4th-century saint who helped spread Christianity to the Low Countries.
Servaos m Limburgish
Limburgish form of Servaas.
Sesto m Italian
Italian form of Sextus.
Seumas m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of James.
Seva m Russian
Diminutive of Vsevolod.
Sevan f & m Armenian
From the name of the largest lake in Armenia, which may be from the Urartian word suinia simply meaning "lake".
Sevda f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "love, infatuation" in Turkish and Azerbaijani, ultimately from Arabic سوداء (sawdāʾ) meaning "black bile, melancholy, sadness".
Seve m Spanish
Spanish diminutive of Severiano or Severino.
Seven m & f English (Modern)
From the English word for the number, derived from Old English seofon (from an Indo-European root shared by Latin septem and Greek ἑπτά (hepta)).
Sévère m French (Rare)
French form of Severus.
Séverin m French
French form of Severinus.
Séverine f French
French feminine form of Severinus.
Sevgi f Turkish
Means "love" in Turkish.
Sevyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Seven.
Seward m English
From an English surname, either Seward 1 or Seward 2.
Sextus m Ancient Roman
Roman praenomen, or given name, meaning "sixth" in Latin. It was traditionally given to the sixth child.
Seyed m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian سیّد (see Seyyed).
Seymour m English
From a Norman surname that originally belonged to a person coming from the French town of Saint Maur (which means "Saint Maurus").
Seyyed m Persian
Persian form of Sayyid.
Shaban m Arabic, Albanian
From the name of the eighth month of the Islamic calendar. It is derived from Arabic شعب (shaʿaba) meaning "scatter".
Shabnam f Persian, Urdu
Means "dew" in Persian and Urdu.
Shadi 1 m Arabic
Means "singer" in Arabic.
Shadrach m Biblical
Means "command of Aku" in Akkadian, Aku being the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Old Testament Shadrach is the Babylonian name of Hananiah, one of the three men cast into a fiery furnace but saved by God.
Shaelyn f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Shae using the popular name suffix lyn.
Shafiq m Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Malay
Means "compassionate" in Arabic, from the root شفق (shafaqa) meaning "to pity, to sympathize".
Shaheen m Persian, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Persian شاهین (see Shahin), as well as the usual Urdu transcription.
Shahid m Arabic, Urdu
Means "witness" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الشاهد (al-Shāhid) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Shahin m Persian, Arabic, Bengali
Means "falcon" in Persian, referring more specifically to the Barbary falcon (species Falco pelegrinoides). The bird's name is a derivative of Persian شاه (shāh) meaning "king".
Shahnaz f & m Persian, Arabic, Urdu
Means "delight of the king" from Persian شاه (shāh) meaning "king" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort, coquetry".
Shahram m Persian
Means "king Ram", from Persian شاه (shāh) meaning "king" combined with the name of the Yazata Ram 3.
Shahrazad f Persian (Rare), Arabic
Possibly means "noble lineage" from Persian چهر (chehr) meaning "lineage, origin" and آزاد (āzād) meaning "free, noble". Alternatively, it might mean "child of the city" from شهر (shahr) meaning "city, land" combined with the suffix زاد (zād) meaning "child of". This is the name of the fictional storyteller in The 1001 Nights. She tells a story to her husband the king every night for 1001 nights in order to delay her execution.
Shahrokh m Persian
Means "royal face" in Persian, from شاه (shāh) meaning "king" and رخ (rokh) meaning "face". This was the name of a 15th-century ruler of the Timurid Empire (a son of Timur).
Shahrzad f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian شهرزاد (see Shahrazad).
Shahzad m Persian, Arabic, Urdu
Means "prince, son of the king" in Persian.
Shaima f Arabic
Possibly means "beauty marks" in Arabic. This was the name of the daughter of Halima, the foster mother of the Prophet Muhammad.
Shaimaa f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شيماء (see Shaima).
Shakeel m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شكيل (see Shakil).
Shakil m Arabic
Means "handsome" in Arabic.
Shakir m Arabic, Urdu
Means "thankful" in Arabic, from the root شكر (shakara) meaning "to thank".
Shakur m Arabic
Means "thankful" in Arabic, from the root شكر (shakara) meaning "to thank". In Islamic tradition الشكور (al-Shakūr) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Shalom m Hebrew
Means "peace" in Hebrew.
Shalva m Georgian
Meaning unknown. This was the name of a 13th-century Georgian hero, considered a saint in the Georgian Church.
Shamgar m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Meaning unknown, possibly of Hittite origin. Shamgar was one of the Old Testament judges.
Shamil m Arabic, Kazakh, Avar, Chechen, Tatar, Azerbaijani
Means "comprehensive, universal" in Arabic, a derivative of شمل (shamila) meaning "to contain".
Shamus m Irish
Anglicized form of Séamus.
Shana 1 f English
Variant of Shanna.
Shanae f English (Modern), African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements sha and nay.
Shanene f English (Rare)
Combination of the phonetic elements sha and neen.
Shanice f African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements sha and nees.
Shanna f English
Possibly a feminine variant of Shannon.
Shannon f & m English
From the name of the River Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, called an tSionainn in Irish. It is associated with the legendary figure Sionann and is sometimes said to be named for her. However it is more likely she was named after the river, which may be related to Old Irish sen "old, ancient". As a given name, it first became common in America after the 1940s.
Shanon f & m English
Variant of Shannon.
Shantel f English
Variant of Chantel.
Shapour m Persian
Modern Persian form of Shapur.
Shapur m History, Persian
From Middle Persian 𐭱𐭧𐭯𐭥𐭧𐭥𐭩 (Shahpuhr) meaning "son of the king". This was the name of three Sasanian emperors.
Shaquan m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements sha and quan.
Shaquille m African American (Modern)
Variant of Shakil. This name is borne by basketball player Shaquille O'Neal (1972-).
Shareef m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شريف (see Sharif).
Shari f English
Diminutive of Sharon or a variant of Sherry.
Sharif m Arabic, Urdu, Pashto, Persian, Tajik, Uzbek, Malay
Means "noble, eminent" in Arabic, a derivative of شرف (sharufa) meaning "to be noble, to be illustrious". This was a title used by the descendants of Muhammad.
Sharla f English
Variant of Charla.
Sharon f & m English, Hebrew
From an Old Testament place name, in Hebrew שָׁרוֹן (Sharon) meaning "plain", referring to a fertile plain on the central west coast of Israel. This is also the name of a flowering plant in the Bible, the rose of Sharon, a term now used to refer to several different species of flowers.... [more]
Sharron f English
Variant of Sharon.
Sharyl f English
Variant of Cheryl.
Sharyn f English
Variant of Sharon.
Shauna f English
Feminine form of Shaun.
Shavonne f English (Modern), African American (Modern)
Anglicized form of Siobhán. In some cases it might be considered a combination of the phonetic element sha and Yvonne.
Shawkat m Arabic, Bengali
Derived from Arabic شوكة (shawka) meaning "bravery, valour, power".
Shawna f English
Feminine form of Shawn.
Shawnda f English
Variant of Shonda.
Shawnee f English (Modern)
Means "southern people" in the Algonquin language. The Shawnee were an Algonquin tribe who originally lived in the Ohio valley.
Shayla f English
Invented name, based on the sounds found in other names such as Sheila and Kayla.
Shaylyn f English (Rare)
Invented name, based on Shayla and using the popular name suffix lyn.
Shayma f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شيماء (see Shaima).
Shazi f Arabic
Means "fragrant" in Arabic.
Sheamus m Irish
Anglicized form of Séamus.
Sheba m Biblical
Probably from the name of the Sabaean people, who had a kingdom in the southern Arabian Peninsula and eastern Ethiopia. Sheba is a place name in the Old Testament, famous as the home of the Queen of Sheba, who visited King Solomon after hearing of his wisdom. This name is also borne by several male characters in the Bible.
Sheena f Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Sìne. This name was popularized outside of Scotland in the 1980s by the singer Sheena Easton (1959-).
Sheenagh f Scottish
Variant of Sheena.
Sheerah f Biblical
Means "kinswoman" in Hebrew. This is the name of a daughter of Ephraim in the Old Testament.
Sheila f Irish, English
Anglicized form of Síle.
Shelby m & f English
From an English surname, which was possibly a variant of Selby. Though previously in use as a rare masculine name, it was popularized as a feminine name by the main character in the movie The Woman in Red (1935). It was later reinforced by the movie Steel Magnolias (1989) in which Julia Roberts played a character by this name.
Sheldon m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "valley with steep sides" in Old English. Sheldon is the name of several locations in England.
Shelley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "clearing on a bank" in Old English. Two famous bearers of the surname were Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), a romantic poet whose works include Adonais and Ozymandias, and Mary Shelley (1797-1851), his wife, the author of the horror story Frankenstein. As a feminine given name, it came into general use after the 1940s.
Shelly f & m English
Variant of Shelley.
Shelton m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "shelf town" in Old English.
Shepherd m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "sheep herder, shepherd".
Sheree f English
Variant of Sherry or Cherie. This particular spelling was popularized by American actress Sheree North (1932-2005), who was born Dawn Shirley Crang.
Shereen f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian شیرین (see Shirin).
Sheri f English
Variant of Sherry.
Sherie f English
Variant of Sherry or Cherie.
Sherif m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شريف (see Sharif).
Sherlock m Literature
Used by Scottish author Arthur Conan Doyle for his character Sherlock Holmes, who was a detective in Doyle's mystery stories beginning in 1887. The character's name was from an English surname meaning "shear lock", originally referring to a person with closely cut hair.
Sherlyn f English (Modern)
Recently created name, probably based on the sounds found in other names like Sharon, Sherry and Charlene.
Sherman m English
From an English surname meaning "shear man", originally denoting a person who cut cloth. Famous bearers of the surname include American politician Roger Sherman (1721-1793) and American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891).
Sherri f English
Variant of Sherry.
Sherrie f English
Variant of Sherry.
Sherry f English
Probably inspired by the French word chérie meaning "darling" or the English word sherry, a type of fortified wine named from the Spanish town of Jerez. This name came into popular use during the 1920s, inspired by other similar-sounding names and by Collette's novels Chéri (1920, English translation 1929) and The Last of Chéri (1926, English translation 1932), in which it is a masculine name.... [more]
Sherwood m English
From an English place name (or from a surname that was derived from it) meaning "bright forest". This was the name of the forest in which the legendary outlaw Robin Hood made his home.
Sheryl f English
Variant of Cheryl.
Sheryll f English
Variant of Cheryl.
Shideh f Persian
Means "bright" in Persian.
Shihab m Arabic
Means "shooting star, meteor" in Arabic.
Shiloh m & f Biblical
From an Old Testament place name possibly meaning "tranquil" in Hebrew. It is also used prophetically in the Old Testament to refer to a person, often understood to be the Messiah (see Genesis 49:10). This may in fact be a mistranslation.... [more]
Shimaa f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شيماء (see Shaima).
Shimei m Biblical
From Hebrew שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear, to listen". This is the name of many characters in the Old Testament.
Shimon m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Simeon (and Simon 1).
Shingo m Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "real, genuine" or (shin) meaning "prudent, careful" combined with (go) meaning "I, me". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Shinji m Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "real, genuine" combined with (ji) meaning "officer, boss" or (ji) meaning "two". Other kanji combinations are possible as well.
Shinju f Japanese
From Japanese 真珠 (shinju) meaning "pearl".
Shinsuke m Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "extend, stretch, open" or (shin) meaning "real, genuine" combined with (suke) meaning "help, assist". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Shin'ya m Japanese
From Japanese (shin) meaning "real, genuine" combined with (ya) meaning "also", as well as other kanji combinations having the same pronunciation.
Shion f & m Japanese
From Japanese 紫苑 (shion) meaning "aster". It can also come from (shi) meaning "poem" and (on) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Shirin f Persian
Means "sweet" in Persian. This was the name of a character in Persian and Turkish legend.
Shirlee f English
Variant of Shirley.
Shirley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "bright clearing" in Old English. This is the name of a main character in Charlotte Brontë's semi-autobiographical novel Shirley (1849). Though the name was already popular in the United States, the child actress Shirley Temple (1928-2014) gave it a further boost. By 1935 it was the second most common name for girls.
Shiro m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 四郎 (see Shirō).
Shirō m Japanese
From Japanese (shi) meaning "four" and () meaning "son". This was traditionally a name for the fourth son. Other kanji combinations are possible.
Shirou m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 四郎 (see Shirō).
Shiva 1 m Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali
Derived from Sanskrit शिव (śiva) meaning "benign, kind, auspicious". Shiva is the Hindu god of destruction and restoration, the husband of the mother goddess Parvati. Though he does not appear in the Vedas, Shiva nevertheless incorporates elements of Vedic deities such as the storm god Rudra. He is often depicted with four arms and a third eye, and has both fierce and gentle aspects.... [more]
Shiva 2 f Persian
Means "charming, eloquent" in Persian.
Shmuel m Hebrew
Modern Hebrew form of Samuel.
Shōhei m Japanese
From Japanese (shō) meaning "soar, glide" and (hei) meaning "level, even, peaceful", in addition to other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Shohre f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian شهره (see Shohreh).
Shohreh f Persian
Means "famous" in Persian.
Shōji m Japanese
From Japanese (shō) meaning "flourish, prosper, good" or (shō) meaning "bright, luminous" combined with (ji) meaning "two". Other combinations of kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name.
Shonda f English
Invented name, probably based on the sounds found in Shawna and Rhonda.
Shōta m Japanese
From Japanese (shō) meaning "soar, glide" and (ta) meaning "thick, big, great". Other combinations of kanji are also possible.
Shota m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 翔太 (see Shōta).
Shouhei m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 翔平 (see Shōhei).
Shouji m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 昌二 or 昭二 (see Shōji).
Shouta m Japanese
Alternate transcription of Japanese Kanji 翔太 (see Shōta).
Shufen f Chinese
From Chinese (shū) meaning "good, pure, virtuous, charming" combined with (fēn) meaning "fragrance, aroma, perfume". Other character combinations are possible as well.
Shukri m Arabic
Means "thanking" in Arabic, derived from شكر (shakara) meaning "to thank".
Shula f Arabic
Means "flame" in Arabic.
Shura f & m Russian
Russian diminutive of Aleksandra or Aleksandr.
Shweta f Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati
From Sanskrit श्वेत (śveta) meaning "white".
Shyla f English (Modern)
Variant of Sheila, or a combination of the popular phonetic elements shy and la.
Shylock m Literature
Used by Shakespeare, possibly from the Hebrew name Shelach, for the primary antagonist in his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). Shylock is a Jewish moneylender who demands a pound of Antonio's flesh when he cannot repay his loan. Subsequent to the play, the name has been used as an ethnic slur for a Jewish person and a slang term for a loan shark.
Siamion m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Simon 1.
Siarhei m Belarusian
Belarusian form of Sergius.
Sibyl f English
From Greek Σίβυλλα (Sibylla), meaning "prophetess, sibyl". In Greek and Roman legend the sibyls were female prophets who practiced at different holy sites in the ancient world. In later Christian theology, the sibyls were thought to have divine knowledge and were revered in much the same way as the Old Testament prophets. Because of this, the name came into general use in the Christian world during the Middle Ages. The Normans imported it to England, where it was spelled both Sibyl and Sybil. It became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century, perhaps helped by Benjamin Disraeli's novel Sybil (1845).
Sibylle f German, French
German and French form of Sibyl.
Siddiq m Arabic, Urdu
Means "honest, truthful" in Arabic, derived from the root صدق (ṣadaqa) meaning "to tell the truth".
Sidney m & f English
From the English surname Sidney. It was first used as a given name in honour of executed politician Algernon Sidney (1622-1683). Another notable bearer of the surname was the poet and statesman Philip Sidney (1554-1586).... [more]
Siegbert m German
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and beraht "bright". This was the name of several Frankish kings, including the 7th-century Sigebert III of Austrasia who is regarded as a saint.
Sieger m Dutch (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and heri "army".
Siegfried m German, Germanic Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and fridu "peace". Siegfried was a hero from German legend, the chief character in the Nibelungenlied. He secretly helped the Burgundian king Gunther overcome the challenges set out by the Icelandic queen Brunhild so that Gunther might win her hand. In exchange, Gunther consented to the marriage of Siegfried and his sister Kriemhild. Years later, after a dispute between Brunhild and Kriemhild, Siegfried was murdered by Hagen with Gunther's consent. He was stabbed in his one vulnerable spot on the small of his back, which had been covered by a leaf while he bathed in dragon's blood. He is a parallel to the Norse hero Sigurd. The story was later adapted by Richard Wagner to form part of his opera The Ring of the Nibelung (1876).
Sieghard m German
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Siegmund m German
German variant of Sigmund.
Siemen m Dutch, Frisian
Dutch and Frisian form of Simon 1.
Sietse m Frisian
Diminutive of Siet.
Sietske f Frisian
Feminine diminutive of Siet.
Sieuwerd m Dutch (Rare)
Dutch form of Sigiward, the Germanic cognate of Sigurd.
Sigfrid 1 m Swedish (Rare)
Swedish form of Siegfried. This was the name of an 11th-century saint from England who did missionary work in Scandinavia.
Sigmund m German, Norwegian, English, Norse Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and munt "protection" (or in the case of the Scandinavian cognate, from Old Norse sigr and mundr). An early variant of this name was Sigismund, borne by a 6th-century saint and king of the Burgundians. In the Norse Völsungasaga Sigmund is the hero Sigurd's father, the bearer of the powerful sword Gram. A notable bearer was the Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the creator of the revolutionary theory of psychoanalysis.
Signe f Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Estonian, Latvian
Modern Scandinavian form of Signý.
Sigrid f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, German, Estonian, Finnish (Archaic)
From the Old Norse name Sigríðr, which was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Sigurd m Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Norse Mythology
From the Old Norse name Sigurðr, which was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and vǫrðr "guard, guardian". Sigurd was the hero of the Norse epic the Völsungasaga, which tells how his foster father Regin sent him to recover a hoard of gold guarded by the dragon Fafnir. After slaying the dragon Sigurd tasted some of its blood, enabling him to understand the language of birds, who told him that Regin was planning to betray him. In a later adventure, Sigurd disguised himself as Gunnar (his wife Gudrun's brother) and rescued the maiden Brynhildr from a ring of fire, with the result that Gunnar and Brynhildr were married. When the truth eventually came out, Brynhildr took revenge upon Sigurd. The stories of the German hero Siegfried were in part based on him.
Siiri f Estonian, Finnish
Estonian and Finnish diminutive of Sigrid.
Sikke m Frisian
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element sigu meaning "victory".
Sıla f Turkish
Means "reunion, arrival" in Turkish.
Silas m English, Greek, Danish, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
The name of a companion of Saint Paul in the New Testament. It is probably a short form of Silvanus, a name that Paul calls him by in the epistles. It is possible that Silvanus and Silas were Latin and Greek forms of the Hebrew name Saul (via Aramaic).... [more]
Síle f Irish
Irish form of Cecilia.
Silja f Finnish, Estonian
Finnish and Estonian diminutive of Cecilia.
Silke f German, Dutch
German and Dutch diminutive of Celia or Cecilia.
Sille f Danish
Danish diminutive of Cecilia.
Silver m & f English (Rare)
From the English word for the precious metal or the colour, ultimately derived from Old English seolfor.
Silvia f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, German, Dutch, English, Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Feminine form of Silvius. Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. This was also the name of a 6th-century saint, the mother of the pope Gregory the Great. It has been a common name in Italy since the Middle Ages. It was introduced to England by Shakespeare, who used it for a character in his play The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594). It is now more commonly spelled Sylvia in the English-speaking world.
Sílvio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Silvius.
Silvio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Silvius.
Silviu m Romanian
Romanian form of Silvius.
Sima 1 f Persian
Means "face, visage" in Persian.
Simão m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Simon 1.
Simen m Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Simon 1.