Names with 2 Syllables

This is a list of names in which the number of syllables is 2.
gender
usage
syllables
Aydan 1 f Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "from the moon", from Turkish and Azerbaijani ay "moon" combined with an ablative suffix.
Aydın m Turkish
Means "bright, clear" in Turkish.
Aygol f Bashkir, Tatar
Bashkir and Tatar form of Aygül.
Aykut m Turkish
Means "lucky moon" in Turkish.
Ayla 3 f Literature, English (Modern)
Created for the novel Clan of the Cave Bear (1980) by author Jean M. Auel. In the novel Ayla is an orphaned Cro-Magnon girl adopted by Neanderthals. Ayla is the Neanderthal pronunciation of her real name, which is not given.... [more]
Ayman m Arabic
Means "right-handed, blessed, lucky" in Arabic, a derivative of يمين (yamīn) meaning "right hand".
Aymeric m French
French form of Aimeric.
Ayo f & m Yoruba
From Yoruba ayọ̀ meaning "joy", or a short form of other names containing this element.
Ayoub m Persian, Arabic
Persian form of Ayyub, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.
Ayrat m Tatar, Bashkir
Meaning uncertain, possibly from Arabic خيرات (khayrāt) meaning "good deeds". Alternatively it could be from the name of the Oirat people, a western Mongol tribe.
Aytaç m & f Turkish
Derived from Turkish ay meaning "moon" and taç meaning "crown" (of Persian origin).
Ayün f Mapuche
Means "love" in Mapuche.
Ayyub m Arabic
Arabic form of Job.
Azad m Persian, Hindi, Bengali, Azerbaijani, Turkish, Kurdish
Means "free" in Persian. This word has derivatives in several other languages, such as Hindi and Turkish.
Azar f & m Persian
Means "fire" in Persian.
Azat m Tatar, Kazakh, Turkmen, Turkish, Armenian
Form of Azad in several languages.
Azhar m Arabic, Urdu, Malay
Means "shining, brilliant, bright" in Arabic, derived from the root زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".
'Aziz m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic عزيز (see Aziz).
Əziz m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Aziz.
Aziz m Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Tajik
Means "powerful, respected, beloved" in Arabic, derived from the root عزّ (ʿazza) meaning "to be powerful" or "to be cherished". In Islamic tradition العزيز (al-ʿAzīz) is one of the 99 names of Allah. A notable bearer of the name was Al-'Aziz, a 10th-century Fatimid caliph.
Azra f Arabic, Turkish, Bosnian, Persian, Urdu
Means "virgin, maiden" in Arabic.
Azura f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Azure.
Azure f & m English (Rare)
From the English word that means "sky blue". It is ultimately (via Old French, Latin and Arabic) from Persian لاجورد (lājvard) meaning "azure, lapis lazuli".
Ba'al m Semitic Mythology, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Semitic root bʿl meaning "lord, master, possessor". This was the title of various deities, often associated with storms and fertility, who were worshipped by the Canaanites, Phoenicians, and other peoples of the ancient Near East. It was particularly applied to the god Hadad.
Baal m Semitic Mythology, Biblical Greek, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Variant spelling of Ba'al, and the form used in most translations of the Bible.
Baatar m Mongolian
Means "hero" in Mongolian.
Baba m Azerbaijani
From a nickname or honorific meaning "old man" in Azerbaijani.
Babak m Persian
From Middle Persian 𐭯𐭠𐭯𐭪𐭩 (Papak) meaning "little father". This was the name of the father of Ardashir, the founder of the Sasanian Empire in Persia. It was also borne by the 9th-century resistance leader Babak Khorramdin.
Babette f French, German, Dutch, English
French diminutive of Élisabeth or Barbara.
Babis m Greek
Diminutive of Charalampos.
Bacchus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Βάκχος (Bakchos), derived from ἰάχω (iacho) meaning "to shout". This was another name of the Greek god Dionysos, and it was also the name that the Romans commonly used for him.
Bagrat m Armenian, Georgian (Rare)
Armenian and Georgian form of Bagadata. This name was borne by several Georgian kings, though it is now uncommon there.
Bagus m Indonesian
Means "handsome, excellent" in Indonesian.
Baha m Arabic, Turkish
Means "splendour, glory" in Arabic.
Bahar f Persian, Turkish, Azerbaijani
Means "spring" in Persian, Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Bahij m Arabic
Masculine form of Bahija.
Bahman m Persian, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬎 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬵 (Vohu Manah) meaning "good mind". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with domestic animals. The eleventh month of the Iranian calendar was named for him.
Bahram m Persian, Persian Mythology
Modern Persian form of Avestan 𐬬𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬚𐬭𐬀𐬖𐬥𐬀 (Vərəthraghna) meaning "victory over resistance". This was the name of a Zoroastrian god (one of the Amesha Spenta) associated with victory and war. It was also borne by several Sasanian emperors. It is also the Persian name for the planet Mars.
Baihu m Chinese Mythology
From Chinese (bái) meaning "white, pure" and () meaning "tiger". This is the Chinese name of the White Tiger, associated with the west and the autumn season.
Bailey m & f English
From an English surname derived from Middle English baili meaning "bailiff", originally denoting one who was a bailiff.... [more]
Báirbre f Irish
Irish form of Barbara.
Bairrfhionn m Irish (Rare)
Means "fair-haired", derived from Old Irish barr "top, head" and finn "white, blessed".
Bakar m Basque
Masculine form of Bakarne.
Baker m English (Modern)
From an English occupational surname derived from Old English bakere meaning "baker".
Baki m Turkish, Arabic
Turkish form of Baqi, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.
Balázs m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Blaise.
Baldo m Italian, Spanish, Germanic
Originally a short form of names containing the Old German element bald meaning "bold, brave" (Proto-Germanic *balþaz), such as Baldwin and Theobald. In Italian it can also be short for the non-Germanic name Baldassare.
Baldric m English (Archaic)
Derived from the Old German elements bald "bold, brave" and rih "ruler, king". It was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint, the founder of the monastery of Montfaucon. The Normans introduced this name to Britain, and it was common in the Middle Ages.
Baldur m German, Icelandic
German and Icelandic form of Balder.
Baldwin m English, Germanic
Means "bold friend", derived from the Old German elements bald "bold, brave" and wini "friend". In the Middle Ages this was a popular name in Flanders and among the Normans, who brought it to Britain. It was borne by one of the leaders of the First Crusade, an 11th-century nobleman from Flanders. After the crusaders conquered Jerusalem, he was crowned as the king of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Balfour m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname, originally from various place names, themselves derived from Gaelic baile "village" and pòr "pasture, crop, cropland".
Bálint m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Bambang m Javanese, Indonesian
Means "knight" in Javanese.
Bambi f English
Derived from Italian bambina meaning "young girl". The American novelist Marjorie Benton Cooke used it in her novel Bambi (1914). This was also the name of a male deer in a cartoon by Walt Disney, which was based on a 1923 novel by Swiss author Felix Salten.
Bandar m Arabic
Means "harbour, port" in Arabic (of Persian origin).
Bandi m Hungarian
Diminutive of András.
Banquo m Literature
Meaning uncertain, possibly derived from Scottish Gaelic bàn "white" and "dog, hound". This is the name of a character in William Shakespeare's semi-historical tragedy Macbeth (1606). He earlier appears in Holinshed's Chronicles (1587), one of Shakespeare's sources for the play.
Baptist m German
German form of Baptiste. It is often paired with the name Johann, in honour of Saint John the Baptist.
Baptiste m French
Means "baptist" in French, originally deriving from Greek βάπτω (bapto) meaning "to dip". This name is usually given in honour of Saint John the Baptist, and as such it is often paired with the name Jean.
Baqi m Arabic
Means "eternal" in Arabic. This was the pen name of a 16th-century Turkish poet.
Baqir m Arabic
Means "opener, discoverer" in Arabic, from the root بقر (baqara) meaning "to split open". Muhammad al-Baqir was the fifth imam of the Shia Muslims.
Bára f Czech
Czech diminutive of Barbora.
Barack m Various
In the case of the former American president Barack Obama (1961-), he was named after his Kenyan father. His father had Anglicized it from the original spelling Baraka.
Barak 1 m Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew
Means "lightning" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament, Barak was a military commander under the guidance of the prophetess Deborah. They defeated the Canaanite army led by Sisera.
Barak 2 m Arabic
From Arabic بركة (baraka) meaning "blessing".
Baran f & m Persian, Turkish, Kurdish
Means "rain" in Persian. It is typically feminine in Persian and masculine in Turkish and Kurdish.
Barbara f English, Italian, French, German, Polish, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late Roman
Derived from Greek βάρβαρος (barbaros) meaning "foreign, non-Greek". According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning. She is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen. Because of her renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Bärbel f German
German diminutive of Barbara.
Barbie f English
Diminutive of Barbara. This is the name of a doll produced by the Mattel toy company since 1959. It was named after the original designer's daughter.
Barbra f English
Variant of Barbara.
Barbro f Swedish
Swedish form of Barbara.
Barclay m English (Rare)
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from the English place name Berkeley, itself from Old English beorc "birch" and leah "woodland, clearing".
Barend m Dutch
Variant of Bernhard.
Barış m Turkish
Means "peace" in Turkish.
Barna m Hungarian
Hungarian short form of Barnabas.
Barney m English
Diminutive of Barnabas, Bernard or Barnaby.
Baron m English
From the noble title, derived from Latin baro (genitive baronis) meaning "man, freeman", probably ultimately of Frankish origin.
Barret m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Barrett.
Barrett m English
From a surname probably meaning "quarrelsome, deceptive" in Middle English, originally given to a quarrelsome person.
Barrie m English
Variant of Barry.
Barry m Irish, English
Anglicized form of Barra.
Barta m Hungarian (Rare)
Hungarian short form of Bertalan.
Bartal m Hungarian (Rare)
Hungarian short form of Bertalan.
Bartek m Polish
Polish diminutive of Bartłomiej or Bartosz.
Bartel m Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Bartholomeus.
Bartosz m Polish
Polish form of Bartholomew.
Baruch m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name בָּרוּך (Baruḵ) meaning "blessed". In the Old Testament this is the name of a companion of the prophet Jeremiah, acting as his scribe and assistant. The deuterocanonical Book of Baruch was supposedly written by him. A famous bearer was Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), a Dutch-Jewish rationalist philosopher.
Başak f Turkish
Means "ear of wheat" in Turkish. This is also the Turkish name for the constellation Virgo.
Bashar m Arabic
Means "bringing good news" in Arabic, derived from بشّر (bashshara) meaning "to bring good news".
Basheer m Arabic, Urdu
Alternate transcription of Arabic بشير or Urdu بشیر (see Bashir).
Bashir m Arabic, Urdu
Means "bringer of good news, herald" in Arabic, from the root بشّر (bashshara) meaning "to bring good news".
Basia 1 f Polish
Polish diminutive of Barbara.
Basil 1 m English
From the Greek name Βασίλειος (Basileios), which was derived from βασιλεύς (basileus) meaning "king". Saint Basil the Great was a 4th-century bishop of Caesarea and one of the fathers of the early Christian church. Due to him, the name (in various spellings) has come into general use in the Christian world, being especially popular among Eastern Christians. It was also borne by two Byzantine emperors.
Basil 2 m Arabic
Means "brave, valiant" in Arabic.
Basile m French
French form of Basil 1.
Basim m Arabic
Means "smiling" in Arabic, from the root بسم (basama) meaning "to smile".
Basir m Arabic
Means "wise" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition البصير (al-Baṣīr) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Basit m Arabic
Means "one who enlarges" in Arabic.
Basma f Arabic
Means "smile" in Arabic, from the root بسم (basama) meaning "to smile".
Basmath f Biblical, Biblical Latin
Variant of Basemath. This is the name of a daughter of Solomon in the Old Testament.
Bassam m Arabic
Means "smiling" in Arabic, from the root بسم (basama) meaning "to smile".
Bassem m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic باسم (see Basim).
Bastet f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian bꜣstt, which was possibly derived from bꜣs meaning "ointment jar" and a feminine t suffix. In Egyptian mythology Bastet was a goddess of cats, fertility and the sun who was considered a protector of Lower Egypt. In early times she was typically depicted with the head of a lioness. By the New Kingdom period she was more associated with domestic cats, while the similar cat goddess Sekhmet took on the fierce lioness aspect.
Bastien m French
Short form of Sébastien.
Batbayar m Mongolian
Means "strong joy" in Mongolian, from бат (batu) meaning "strong, firm" and баяр (bayar) meaning "joy".
Batel f Hebrew
Means "daughter of God" in Hebrew.
Batul f Arabic
Means "virgin" in Arabic. This is an Arabic epithet of the Virgin Mary.
Baxter m English
From an occupational surname that meant "(female) baker", from Old English bæcere and a feminine agent suffix.
Bayley m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Bailey.
Baylor m & f English (Modern)
From a surname, possibly an Americanized form of the German surname Beiler, derived from Middle High German beile meaning "measuring stick".
Bayram m Turkish
Means "festival" in Turkish.
Bazza m English (British)
Chiefly British diminutive of Barry or Basil 1.
Beathag f Scottish Gaelic
Feminine form of Beathan.
Beathan m Scottish Gaelic
Derived from a diminutive of Scottish Gaelic beatha meaning "life".
Beatrice f Italian, English, Swedish, Romanian
Italian form of Beatrix. Beatrice Portinari (1266-1290) was the woman who was loved by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. She serves as Dante's guide through paradise in his epic poem the Divine Comedy (1321). This is also the name of a character in Shakespeare's comedy Much Ado About Nothing (1599), in which Beatrice and Benedick are fooled into confessing their love for one another.
Beatrix f German, Hungarian, Dutch, English, Late Roman
Probably from Viatrix, a feminine form of the Late Latin name Viator meaning "voyager, traveller". It was a common name amongst early Christians, and the spelling was altered by association with Latin beatus "blessed, happy". Viatrix or Beatrix was a 4th-century saint who was strangled to death during the persecutions of Diocletian.... [more]
Beatriz f Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Beatrix.
Beauden m English (New Zealand, Modern)
Elaboration of French beau "beautiful" using the popular phonetic suffix den, found in such names as Hayden and Aidan. This name has become popular in New Zealand due to rugby player Beauden Barrett (1991-).
Beaumont m English (Rare)
From a French surname meaning "beautiful mountain".
Beavis m Popular Culture
Variant of Bevis. This name was used in the animated television program Beavis and Butthead.
Bébhinn f Irish (Rare)
Modern form of Bébinn.
Bébinn f Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Means "white woman", from Old Irish "woman" and finn "white, blessed". This name was borne by several characters in Irish mythology, including the mother of the hero Fráech.
Becca f English
Short form of Rebecca.
Becka f English
Short form of Rebecca.
Beckah f English
Short form of Rebecca.
Beckett m English (Modern)
From an English surname that could be derived from various sources, including from Middle English bec meaning "beak" or bekke meaning "stream, brook".
Beckham m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "Becca's homestead". The Old English byname Becca meant "pickaxe". A famous bearer of the surname is retired English soccer player David Beckham (1975-).
Becki f English
Diminutive of Rebecca.
Becky f English
Diminutive of Rebecca.
Bedřich m Czech
Czech form of Frederick.
Bedros m Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Petros.
Behdad m Persian
From Persian به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and داد (dād) meaning "justice".
Behnam m Persian
Means "reputable" in Persian, from به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and نام (nām) meaning "name".
Behnaz f Persian
From Persian به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and ناز (nāz) meaning "delight, comfort".
Behnoosh f Persian
From Persian به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and نوش (nūsh) meaning "ambrosia, nectar".
Behnoush f Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian بهنوش (see Behnoosh).
Behrooz m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian بهروز (see Behrouz).
Behrouz m Persian
Means "fortunate, prosperous" in Persian, from به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and روز (rūz) meaning "day".
Behruz m Persian
Alternate transcription of Persian بهروز (see Behrouz).
Behzad m Persian
Means "noble, high-born" in Persian, from به (beh) meaning "good, excellent" and the suffix زاد (zād) meaning "child of".
Bekzat m Kazakh, Kyrgyz
From the Turkic military title beg meaning "chieftain, master" and the Persian suffix زاد (zād) meaning "son of".
Béla m Hungarian
The meaning of this name is not known for certain. It could be derived from Hungarian bél meaning "guts, bowel" or Old Slavic bělŭ meaning "white". This was the name of four Hungarian kings. It was also borne by the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók (1881-1945).
Běla f Czech
Derived from the Old Slavic word *bělŭ meaning "white".
Belén f Spanish
Spanish form of Bethlehem, the name of the town in Judah where King David and Jesus were born. The town's name is from Hebrew בֵּית־לֶחֶם (Beṯ-leḥem) meaning "house of bread".
Bella f English
Short form of Isabella and other names ending in bella. It is also associated with the Italian word bella meaning "beautiful". It was used by the American author Stephenie Meyer for the main character in her popular Twilight series of novels, first released 2005, later adapted into a series of movies beginning 2008.
Beñat m Basque
Basque form of Bernard.
Bence m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Vincent. It is also used as a short form of Benedek.
Benett m Hungarian (Modern)
Hungarian form of Bennett.
Bengta f Swedish (Rare)
Swedish feminine form of Benedict.
Benji m English
Diminutive of Benjamin.
Benjy m English
Diminutive of Benjamin.
Bennett m English
Medieval form of Benedict. This was the more common spelling in England until the 18th century. Modern use of the name is probably also influenced by the common surname Bennett, itself a derivative of the medieval name.
Bennie m English
Diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict.
Benno m German
Short form of German names containing the element bern "bear".
Benny m English
Diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict.
Benoît m French
French form of Benedict.
Benoîte f French
French feminine form of Benedict.
Benson m English
From an English surname that originally meant "son of Benedict".
Bente f Danish, Norwegian, Dutch
Danish feminine form of Benedict.
Benthe f Danish
Variant of Bente.
Bentley m English
From a surname that was from a place name, itself derived from Old English beonet "bent grass" and leah "woodland, clearing". Various towns in England bear this name.
Bento m Portuguese
Portuguese short form of Benedito.
Benton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name, composed of Old English beonet "bent grass" and tun "enclosure".
Beppe m Italian
Diminutive of Giuseppe.
Berend m Dutch
Variant of Bernhard.
Berenice f English, Italian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Βερενίκη (Berenike), the Macedonian form of the Greek name Φερενίκη (Pherenike), which meant "bringing victory" from φέρω (phero) meaning "to bring" and νίκη (nike) meaning "victory". This name was common among the Ptolemy ruling family of Egypt, a dynasty that was originally from Macedon. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament (in most English Bibles it is spelled Bernice) belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II. As an English name, Berenice came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Berith f Swedish
Variant of Berit.
Berkay m Turkish
Derived from Turkish berk meaning "mighty, firm, solid" and ay meaning "moon".
Berlin f & m Various
From the name of the city in Germany, which is of uncertain meaning.
Bermet f Kyrgyz
Means "pearl" in Kyrgyz.
Bernard m English, French, Dutch, Polish, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element bern "bear" combined with hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Beornheard. This was the name of several saints, including Saint Bernard of Menthon who built hospices in the Swiss Alps in the 10th century, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. Other famous bearers include the Irish playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and the British World War II field marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976).
Bernát m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Bernard.
Bernat m Catalan
Catalan form of Bernard.
Bernhard m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
German, Dutch and Scandinavian form of Bernard.
Bernice f English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Contracted form of Berenice. It occurs briefly in Acts in the New Testament belonging to a sister of King Herod Agrippa II.
Bernie m & f English
Diminutive of Bernard, Bernadette, Bernice and other names beginning with Bern.
Berniece f English
Variant of Bernice.
Berny m & f English
Variant of Bernie.
Berry 1 m English
Variant of Barry.
Berry 2 f English (Rare)
From the English word referring to the small fruit. It is ultimately derived from Old English berie. This name has only been in use since the 20th century.
Berta f Polish, Czech, Hungarian, German, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene
Form of Bertha in several languages.
Bertha f German, English, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names beginning with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element berht, Old High German beraht meaning "bright" (Proto-Germanic *berhtaz). This was the name of a few early saints, including a 6th-century Frankish princess who married and eventually converted King Æþelbeorht of Kent. It was also borne by the mother of Charlemagne in the 8th century (also called Bertrada), and it was popularized in England by the Normans. It died out as an English name after the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 19th century.... [more]
Berthold m German
Means "bright power" from the Old German element beraht "bright" combined with walt "power, authority".
Bertie m & f English
Diminutive of Albert, Herbert and other names containing bert (often derived from the Old German element beraht meaning "bright").
Bertil m Swedish, Danish
Scandinavian form of Bertilo or Berthold.
Berto m Italian, Spanish
Short form of Roberto, Alberto and other names containing berto (often derived from the Old German element beraht meaning "bright").
Bertók m Hungarian (Rare)
Hungarian diminutive of Bertalan and other names beginning with Bert.
Bertram m English, German, Germanic
Means "bright raven", derived from the Old German element beraht "bright" combined with hram "raven". This name has long been conflated with Bertrand. The Normans introduced it to England, and Shakespeare used it in his play All's Well That Ends Well (1603).
Bertrand m French, English, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements beraht meaning "bright" and rant meaning "rim (of a shield)". From an early date it has been confused with Bertram and the two names have merged to some degree. Saint Bertrand was an 11th-century bishop of Comminges in France. Another famous bearer was the English philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).
Beryl f English
From the English word for the clear or pale green precious stone, ultimately deriving from Sanskrit. As a given name, it first came into use in the 19th century.
Besim 2 m Albanian
Means "faith, trust" in Albanian.
Bessie f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bethan f Welsh
Welsh diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bethel f English
From an Old Testament place name meaning "house of God" in Hebrew. This was a town north of Jerusalem, where Jacob saw his vision of the stairway. It is occasionally used as a given name.
Betje f Dutch
Dutch diminutive of Elisabeth.
Betony f English (Rare)
From the name of the minty medicinal herb.
Betrys f Welsh
Welsh form of Beatrice.
Betsy f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bette f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth. A famous bearer was American actress Bette Davis (1908-1989).
Bettie f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Betty f English
Diminutive of Elizabeth.
Bettye f English
Variant of Betty.
Beulah f Biblical, English
Means "married" in Hebrew. The name is used in the Old Testament to refer to the land of Israel (Isaiah 62:4). As an English given name, Beulah has been used since the Protestant Reformation.
Bevis m English (Rare)
From an English surname that is possibly derived from the name of the French town Beauvais.
Biagio m Italian
Italian form of Blaise.
Bianca f Italian, Romanian
Italian cognate of Blanche. Shakespeare had characters named Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew (1593) and Othello (1603).
Bianka f German, Hungarian, Polish
German, Hungarian and Polish form of Bianca.
Bice f Italian
Short form of Beatrice.
Biddy f Irish, English
Diminutive of Bridget.
Biel m Catalan
Catalan short form of Gabriel.
Bihotz f Basque
Means "heart" in Basque.
Bilal m Arabic, Turkish, Urdu
Means "wetting, moistening" in Arabic. This was the name of a companion of the Prophet Muhammad.
Bilbo m Literature
This is the name of the hero of The Hobbit (1937) by J. R. R. Tolkien. His real hobbit name is Bilba, which is of unknown meaning, but this was altered by Tolkien in order to use the more masculine o ending. In the novel Bilbo Baggins is recruited by the wizard Gandalf to join the quest to retake Mount Erebor from the dragon Smaug.
Bilge m & f Turkish
Means "wise" in Turkish.
Bilha f Biblical Hebrew, Biblical German, Biblical French, Biblical Spanish, Biblical Dutch
Biblical Hebrew form of Bilhah, as well as the form in several other languages.
Bilhah f Biblical
Means "bashful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the handmaid given to Jacob by his wife Rachel. By him she was the mother of Dan and Naphtali.
Billie m & f English
Diminutive of Bill. It is also used as a feminine form of William.
Billy m English
Diminutive of Bill. A notable bearer was the American outlaw Billy the Kid (1859-1881), whose real name was William H. Bonney. Others include filmmaker Billy Wilder (1906-2002), actor Billy Crystal (1948-), and musician Billy Joel (1949-).
Bima m Indonesian
Indonesian form of Bhima.
Bindy f English
Diminutive of Belinda.
Birdie f English
Diminutive of Bertha, Bernice and other names with a similar sound, or sometimes simply from the English word bird.
Birger m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Old Norse name Birgir, probably derived from bjarga meaning "help, save, rescue".
Birgit f Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian, German
Scandinavian variant of Birgitta.
Birthe f Danish
Danish diminutive of Birgitta.
Bishop m English
Either from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer".
Bittor m Basque
Basque form of Victor.
Bjarki m Icelandic
Masculine form of Björk.
Bjarne m Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
Modern form of Bjarni.
Bjarte m Norwegian
From the Old Norse byname Bjartr, which meant "bright".
Bjørnar m Norwegian
From the Old Norse elements bjǫrn "bear" and herr "army, warrior". This name was coined in the 19th century.
Björne m Swedish
Diminutive of Björn.
Blakely f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from Old English blæc "black" and leah "woodland clearing".
Blanca f Spanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan cognate of Blanche.
Blandine f French
French form of the Roman name Blandina, which was the feminine form of Blandinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Blandus. Saint Blandina was a 2nd-century slave from Lyons who was martyred by being thrown to wild beasts.
Blanka f Czech, Slovak, Polish, Hungarian, Croatian, Slovene
Form of Blanche in several languages.
Bláthnaid f Irish, Irish Mythology
Modern Irish form of Bláthnat.
Błażej m Polish
Polish form of Blaise.
Blažej m Czech, Slovak
Czech and Slovak form of Blaise, also associated with the word blažený meaning "blissful, happy, blessed".
Bleddyn m Welsh
From Welsh blaidd "wolf" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of an 11th-century king of Gwynedd and Powys.
Blejan f Cornish
Means "flower" in Cornish.
Blerta f Albanian
Derived from Albanian blertë meaning "green".
Blessing m & f English (African)
From the English word blessing, of Old English origin. This name is most common in Nigeria, Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa.
Blodwen f Welsh
Means "white flowers" from Welsh blodau "flowers" combined with gwen "white, blessed". This is the name of an 1878 Welsh opera by Joseph Parry.
Blondie f English (Rare)
From a nickname for a person with blond hair. This is the name of the title character in a comic strip by Chic Young.
Blossom f English
From the English word blossom, ultimately from Old English blóstm. It came into use as a rare given name in the 19th century.
Bluma f Yiddish
From Yiddish בלום (blum) meaning "flower".
Boaz m Biblical, Hebrew, Dutch, Biblical Hebrew
Means "swiftness" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the man who marries Ruth. This was also the name of one of the two pillars that stood outside Solomon's Temple (with Jachin).
Bobbi f English
Diminutive of Roberta or Barbara.
Bobbie f & m English
Variant of Bobby. As a feminine name it can be a diminutive of Roberta or Barbara.
Bobby m English
Diminutive of Bob. Hockey greats Bobby Hull (1939-2023) and Bobby Orr (1948-) have borne this name.
Bodhi m English (Modern)
From a term referring to enlightenment in Buddhism, derived from Sanskrit बोधि (bodhi).
Boel f Swedish
From Boeld, a medieval form of the Old Norse name Bóthildr (see Bodil).
Boele m Dutch (Rare)
Possibly a Dutch form of Baldo.
Bogdan m Polish, Russian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Romanian
Means "given by God" from the Slavic elements bogŭ "god" and danŭ "given". This pre-Christian name was later used as a translation of Theodotus.
Boghos m Armenian
Western Armenian transcription of Poghos.
Bogna f Polish
Originally a diminutive of Bogdana and other names beginning with Bog.
Bogusz m Polish
Diminutive of Bogusław.
Bohdan m Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, Polish
Czech, Slovak and Ukrainian form of Bogdan, as well as a Polish variant.
Bojan m Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian
Derived from Old Slavic bojĭ meaning "battle". This was the name of a 9th-century Bulgarian saint and martyr, also called Enravota, a son of the Bulgarian khan Omurtag.
Bolat m Kazakh
From a Turkic word meaning "steel", ultimately from Persian.
Bolek m Polish
Diminutive of Bolesław.
Bonnie f English
Means "pretty" from the Scottish word bonnie, which was itself derived from Middle French bon "good". It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, and it became especially popular after the movie Gone with the Wind (1939), in which it was the nickname of Scarlett's daughter.
Booker m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "maker of books". A famous bearer was Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an African-American leader.
Bopha f Khmer
From Pali puppha meaning "flower", written as បុប្ផ (bop) in Khmer, from Sanskrit पुष्प (puṣpa).
Bora 3 f Korean
Means "purple" in Korean.
Bořek m Czech
Diminutive of Bořivoj, now used independently.
Boris m Bulgarian, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, German, French
From a Bulgar Turkic name, also recorded as Bogoris, perhaps meaning "short" or "wolf" or "snow leopard". It was borne by the 9th-century Boris I of Bulgaria, who converted his realm to Christianity and is thus regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church. To the north in Kievan Rus it was the name of another saint, a son of Vladimir the Great who was murdered with his brother Gleb in the 11th century. His mother may have been Bulgarian.... [more]
Borja m Spanish
From a Spanish surname, used as a given name in honour of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Borja (1510-1572). The surname, also spelled Borgia, is derived from the name of a Spanish town, ultimately from Arabic برْج (burj) meaning "tower".
Börje m Swedish
Variant of Birger.
Borna m Croatian
Derived from the Slavic element borti meaning "fight, battle". This was the name of a 9th-century duke of Croatia.
Borys m Polish, Ukrainian
Polish and Ukrainian form of Boris.
Bose f Yoruba
Short form of Bosede.
Boston m English
From the American city of Boston in Massachusetts, itself named after a town in Lincolnshire, England. The town's name is said to mean "Botwulf's stone".
Botond m Hungarian
Means "stick, mace" in Hungarian.
Botros m Arabic, Coptic
Alternate transcription of Arabic بطرس (see Butrus).
Botum f & m Khmer
From Pali paduma meaning "lotus", from Sanskrit पद्म (padma).
Bouchra f Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic بشرى (see Bushra) chiefly used in North Africa.
Boulos m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic بولس (see Bulus).
Bounmy m & f Lao
Means "happy", from Lao ບຸນ (boun) meaning "happiness, prosperity, goodness" combined with ມີ (mi) meaning "to have".
Boutros m Arabic, Coptic
Alternate transcription of Arabic بطرس (see Butrus).
Bowen m English (Modern)
From a Welsh surname, derived from ap Owain meaning "son of Owain".
Bowie m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
From a Scottish surname, derived from Gaelic buidhe meaning "yellow". It has been used as a given name in honour of the British musician David Bowie (1947-2016), born David Robert Jones, who took his stage name from the American pioneer James Bowie (1796-1836), though with a different pronunciation.
Božo m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene
Diminutive of Božidar, now often used independently.
Brádach m Medieval Irish
Irish byname, possibly derived from bradach meaning "thieving, roguish, spirited".
Bradán m Medieval Irish
Means "salmon" in Irish. It could also be formed from Irish brad "thief" and a diminutive suffix.
Braden m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Bradáin, which was in turn derived from the byname Bradán. Like other similar-sounding names such as Hayden and Aidan, it and its variant Brayden became popular in America at the end of the 20th century.
Bradford m English
From an English surname that originally came from a place name that meant "broad ford" in Old English.
Bradley m English
From an English surname that originally came from a place name meaning "broad clearing" in Old English. A famous bearer of the surname was the World War II American general Omar Bradley (1893-1981).
Brady m English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Brádaigh, itself derived from the byname Brádach. A famous bearer of the surname is the American football quarterback Tom Brady (1977-). It was also borne by a fictional family on the television series The Brady Bunch (1969-1974).