Adam m English, French, German, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Malay, Indonesian, Dhivehi, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewThis is the Hebrew word for
"man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew
אדם (ʾaḏam) meaning
"to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian
adamu meaning
"to make".
... [more] Aeron m & f WelshFrom the name of the Welsh river Aeron, itself probably derived from the hypothetical Celtic goddess
Agrona. Alternatively, the name could be taken from Welsh
aeron meaning
"berries".
Ahenobarbus m Ancient RomanFrom a Roman cognomen meaning
"bronze beard" in Latin. This name was borne by a series of consuls of the late Roman Republic.
Ai 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection",
藍 (ai) meaning "indigo", or other kanji with the same pronunciation.
Ailbhe f & m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
Ailbe, possibly derived from the old Celtic root *
albiyo- "world, light, white" or Old Irish
ail "rock". In Irish legend this was the name of a female warrior of the Fianna. It was also the name of a 6th-century masculine saint, the founder of a monastery at Emly.
Airi 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" combined with
莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine" or
梨 (ri) meaning "pear". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Aizere f KazakhMeans
"golden moon" from Kazakh
ай (ay) meaning "moon" and Persian
زر (zar) meaning "gold".
Akane f JapaneseFrom Japanese
茜 (akane) meaning "deep red, dye from the rubia plant". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Akari f JapaneseFrom Japanese
明 (aka) meaning "bright" or
朱 (aka) meaning "vermilion red" combined with
里 (ri) meaning "village" or
莉 (ri) meaning "white jasmine". Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Aki 2 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal",
明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or
秋 (aki) meaning "autumn". It can also come from
亜 (a) meaning "second, Asia" combined with
希 (ki) meaning "hope". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can form this name too.
Akiko f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晶 (aki) meaning "clear, crystal",
明 (aki) meaning "bright, light, clear" or
秋 (aki) meaning "autumn" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are possible.
Akira m & f JapaneseFrom Japanese
昭 (akira) meaning "bright",
明 (akira) meaning "bright" or
亮 (akira) meaning "clear". Other kanji with the same pronunciation can also form this name. A famous bearer was the Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998), given name written
明.
Akli m BerberMeans
"slave, servant, black" in Tamazight.
Alban m German, French, Albanian, English (Rare)From the Roman cognomen
Albanus, which meant
"from Alba". Alba (from Latin
albus "white") was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.
... [more] Alice f English, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Czech, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, DutchFrom the Old French name
Aalis, a short form of
Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name
Adalheidis (see
Adelaide). This name became popular in France and England in the 12th century. It was among the most common names in England until the 16th century, when it began to decline. It was revived in the 19th century.
... [more] Alphius m Late RomanMeaning unknown, possibly a variant of
Alphaeus, or possibly from an Umbrian root meaning
"white". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Sicily.
Alpin m Scottish (Rare)Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name
Ailpean, possibly derived from a Pictish word meaning
"white". This was the name of two kings of Dál Riata and two kings of the Picts in the 8th and 9th centuries.
Amber f English, DutchFrom the English word
amber that denotes either the gemstone, which is formed from fossil resin, or the orange-yellow colour. The word ultimately derives from Arabic
عنبر (ʿanbar) meaning "ambergris". It began to be used as a given name in the late 19th century, but it only became popular after the release of Kathleen Winsor's novel
Forever Amber (1944).
Amethyst f English (Rare)From the name of the purple semi-precious stone, which is derived from the Greek negative prefix
ἀ (a) and
μέθυστος (methystos) meaning "intoxicated, drunk", as it was believed to be a remedy against drunkenness. It is the traditional birthstone of February.
Anara f Kazakh, KyrgyzFrom Kazakh and Kyrgyz
анар (anar) meaning
"pomegranate", a word ultimately derived from Persian.
Anargyros m GreekFrom the Greek term
ἀνάργυρος (anargyros) meaning
"poor, incorruptible", derived from Greek
ἀ (a), a negative prefix, combined with
ἄργυρος (argyros) meaning "silver". This term referred to saints who did not accept payment for their services.
Aoi f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
葵 (aoi) meaning "hollyhock, althea" or an adjectival form of
碧 (ao) meaning "green, blue". Other kanji with the same reading can form this name as well.
Ardit m AlbanianMeans
"golden day" in Albanian, from
ar "gold" and
ditë "day".
Arianrhod f Welsh MythologyProbably means
"silver wheel" from Welsh
arian "silver" and
rhod "wheel". According to the Fourth Branch of the
Mabinogi, Arianrhod was the mother of the twins
Dylan and
Lleu Llaw Gyffes, whom she spontaneously birthed when she stepped over a magical wand. It is speculated that in earlier myths she may have been a goddess of the moon.
Arianwen f WelshDerived from Welsh
arian "silver" and
gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint, one of the supposed daughters of
Brychan Brycheiniog.
Arjuna m HinduismMeans
"white, clear" in Sanskrit. In the Hindu epic the
Mahabharata this is the name of one of the five Pandavas, the sons of
Pandu. He was actually fathered by the god
Indra and Pandu's wife
Kunti. Arjuna was known as a skilled archer.
... [more] Aruna m & f Hinduism, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, HindiMeans
"reddish brown, dawn" in Sanskrit. The Hindu god Aruna (
अरुण) is the charioteer who drives the sun god
Surya across the sky. The modern feminine form
अरुणा (spelled with a final long vowel) is also transcribed as
Aruna, however the modern masculine form is
Arun.
Arushi f Hinduism, HindiFrom Sanskrit
अरुष (aruṣa) meaning
"reddish, dawn", a word used in the
Rigveda to describe the red horses of
Agni. According to some traditions this was the name of the wife of the legendary sage Chyavana.
Asena f TurkishPossibly of Scythian origin meaning
"blue". In Turkic mythology Asena was a grey wolf who gave birth to the ancestor of the Ashina tribe of Turks.
Ash m & f EnglishShort form of
Ashley. It can also come directly from the English word denoting either the tree or the residue of fire.
Aurea f Late RomanLate Latin name that was derived from
aureus "golden". This was the name of a 3rd-century saint from Ostia (near Rome), as well as an 11th-century Spanish saint.
Aurelianus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen that was originally derived from the Roman family name
Aurelius. This was the name of a 3rd-century Roman emperor (Lucius Domitius Aurelianus) who reconquered the breakaway Gallic and Palmyrene Empires.
Aurelius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was derived from Latin
aureus meaning
"golden, gilded". Marcus Aurelius was a 2nd-century Roman emperor and philosophical writer. This was also the name of several early saints.
Aureole f English (Rare)From the English word meaning
"radiant halo", ultimately derived from Latin
aureolus "golden".
Aya 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour",
綾 (aya) meaning "design", or other kanji characters with the same pronunciation.
Ayaka f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour" combined with
花 (ka) or
華 (ka) both meaning "flower". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Ayako f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour",
綾 (aya) meaning "design" or
絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other combinations of kanji characters are also possible.
Ayame f JapaneseFrom Japanese
菖蒲 (ayame) meaning "iris (flower)". Other kanji or combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Ayane f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour",
綾 (aya) meaning "design" or
絢 (aya) meaning "brilliant fabric design, kimono design" combined with
音 (ne) meaning "sound". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Ayano f JapaneseFrom Japanese
彩 (aya) meaning "colour" or
綾 (aya) meaning "design" combined with
乃 (no), a possessive particle. Other combinations of kanji characters can also form this name.
Azahar f Spanish (Rare)Means
"orange blossom" in Spanish, ultimately from Arabic
زهْرة (zahra) meaning "flower". It is taken from the title of the Virgin
Mary,
Nuestra Señora del Azahar, meaning "Our Lady of the Orange Blossom", because of the citrus trees that surround a church devoted to her near Murcia.
Azahara f SpanishVariant of
Azahar. It can also be given in reference to the ruined Moorish city of Medina Azahara in Córdoba, which derives from the related Arabic root
زهر (zahara) meaning "to shine".
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".
Bai m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
白 (bái) meaning "white, pure",
百 (bǎi) meaning "one hundred, many" or
柏 (bǎi) meaning "cypress tree, cedar" (which is usually only masculine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. This name was borne in the 8th century by the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai, whose given was
白.
Baihu m Chinese MythologyFrom Chinese
白 (bái) meaning "white, pure" and
虎 (hǔ) meaning "tiger". This is the Chinese name of the White Tiger, associated with the west and the autumn season.
Bakır m TurkishTurkish form of
Baqir. It coincides with the Turkish word
bakır meaning "copper".
Banquo m LiteratureMeaning uncertain, possibly derived from Scottish Gaelic
bàn "white" and
cù "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.
Bao f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
宝 (bǎo) meaning "treasure, jewel, precious, rare",
褒 (bāo) meaning "praise, honour" or
苞 (bāo) meaning "bud" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters are possible as well.
Bayard m Carolingian CycleDerived from Old French
baiart meaning
"bay coloured". In medieval French poetry Bayard was a bay horse owned by Renaud de Montauban and his brothers. The horse could magically adjust its size to carry multiple riders.
Bébinn f Old Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"white woman", from Old Irish
bé "woman" and
finn "white, blessed". This name was borne by several characters in Irish mythology, including the mother of the hero Fráech.
Béla m HungarianThe 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 CzechDerived from the Old Slavic word *
bělŭ meaning
"white".
Belobog m Slavic MythologyMeans
"the white god" from Old Slavic
bělŭ "white" and
bogŭ "god". This was the name of a poorly attested (possibly spurious) Slavic god of good fortune.
Berwyn m WelshMeans
"white top" from the Welsh elements
barr "top, head" and
gwyn "white, blessed". This is the name of a mountain range in Wales.
Beryl f EnglishFrom 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.
Beylke f Yiddish (Rare)Diminutive of
Beyle. This is the name of a daughter of Tevye in late 19th-century Yiddish stories by Sholem Aleichem, on which the musical
Fiddler on the Roof was based.
Bianca f Italian, RomanianItalian cognate of
Blanche. Shakespeare had characters named Bianca in
The Taming of the Shrew (1593) and
Othello (1603).
Bláán m Old IrishFrom Old Irish
blá meaning
"yellow" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of 6th-century Irish saint, a bishop of Kingarth on the Isle of Bute in Scotland.
Blaine m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Irish given name
Bláán.
Blake m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Old English
blæc "black" or
blac "pale". A famous bearer of the surname was the poet and artist William Blake (1757-1827). It was originally a mainly masculine name but in 2007 actress Blake Lively (1987-) began starring in the television series
Gossip Girl, after which time it increased in popularity for girls.
Blakely f English (Modern)From an English surname that was derived from Old English
blæc "black" and
leah "woodland clearing".
Blanchard m GermanicDerived from the Old German elements
blanc meaning "white" and
hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of an obscure (perhaps legendary) 7th-century French saint.
Blanche f French, EnglishFrom a medieval French nickname meaning
"white, fair-coloured". This word and its cognates in other languages are ultimately derived from the Germanic word *
blankaz. An early bearer was the 12th-century Blanca of Navarre, the wife of Sancho III of Castile. Her granddaughter of the same name married Louis VIII of France, with the result that the name became more common in France.
Blodwen f WelshMeans
"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.
Blue m & f English (Rare)From the English word for the colour, derived via Norman French from a Frankish word (replacing the native Old English cognate
blaw). Despite the fact that this name was used by the American musicians Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2012 for their first daughter, it has not come into general use in the United States.
Boann f Irish MythologyPossibly from Old Irish
bó "cow" and
finn "white, blessed". In Irish mythology this was the name of the goddess of the River Boyne, which is named for her. She was the wife of
Nechtan and the father of
Aonghus (by
Dagda).
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.
Branwen f Welsh, Welsh MythologyMeans
"white raven" from Old Welsh
bran "raven" and
gwen "white, blessed". According to the Second Branch of the
Mabinogi she was the daughter of
Llŷr. After she was mistreated by her husband Matholwch, the king of Ireland, she managed to get a message to her brother
Brân, the king of Britain. Brân launched a costly invasion to rescue her, but she died of grief shortly after her return.
Bronwen f WelshSeemingly derived from Welsh
bron "breast" and
gwen "white, blessed", though it has sometimes occurred as a variant spelling of the legendary name
Branwen. It has been used as a given name in Wales since the 19th century. It is borne by a character in Richard Llewellyn's 1939 novel
How Green Was My Valley, as well as the 1941 movie adaptation.
Bronwyn f EnglishVariant of
Bronwen used in the English-speaking world (especially Australia and New Zealand).
Bruno m German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Croatian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Latvian, GermanicDerived from the Old German element
brunna meaning
"armour, protection" (Proto-Germanic *
brunjǭ) or
brun meaning
"brown" (Proto-Germanic *
brūnaz). Saint Bruno of Cologne was a German monk of the 11th century who founded the Carthusian Order. The surname has belonged to Giordano Bruno, a philosopher burned at the stake by the Inquisition. A modern bearer is the American singer Bruno Mars (1985-), born Peter Gene Hernandez.
Burgundy f English (Rare)This name can refer either to the region in France, the wine (which derives from the name of the region), or the colour (which derives from the name of the wine).
Caeso m Ancient RomanRoman praenomen, or given name, that was probably derived from Latin
caesius meaning
"blue-grey". This praenomen was only used by a few families.
Candida f Late Roman, EnglishLate Latin name derived from
candidus meaning
"white". This was the name of several early saints, including a woman supposedly healed by Saint
Peter. As an English name, it came into use after George Bernard Shaw's play
Candida (1898).
Candide m & f French (Rare), LiteratureFrench form of
Candidus or
Candida. The French philosopher and author Voltaire used this name for the main character (a male) in his satire
Candide (1759). In French
candide also means
"naive", which is descriptive of the book's protagonist.
Caoilfhionn f IrishDerived from the Old Irish elements
cáel "slender" and
finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints.
Capri f English (Modern)From the name of the picturesque Italian island of Capri. It is likely from Greek
κάπρος (kapros) meaning "wild boar", though it could also be of Etruscan origin or from Latin
capri meaning "goats".
Carwyn m WelshDerived from Welsh
caru "to love" and
gwyn "white, blessed". This name was created in the 20th century.
Catahecassa m ShawneeMeans
"black hoof" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee warrior and chief.
Cedar f & m English (Rare)From the English word for the coniferous tree, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
κέδρος (kedros). Besides the true cedars from the genus Cedrus, it is also used to refer to some tree species in the cypress family.
Ceinwen f WelshDerived from Welsh
cain "good, lovely" and
gwen "white, blessed". This was the name of a 5th-century Welsh saint also known as
Cain or
Keyne.
Ceridwen f WelshPossibly from
cyrrid "bent, crooked" (a derivative of Old Welsh
cwrr "corner") combined with
ben "woman" or
gwen "white, blessed". According to the medieval Welsh legend the
Tale of Taliesin (recorded by Elis Gruffyd in the 16th century) this was the name of a sorceress who created a potion that would grant wisdom to her son Morfan. The potion was instead consumed by her servant Gwion Bach, who was subsequently reborn as the renowned bard
Taliesin.
... [more] Chae-Won f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
采 (chae) meaning "collect, gather, pluck" or
彩 (chae) meaning "colour" combined with
原 (won) meaning "source, origin, beginning". Other hanja combinations can also form this name.
Chae-Yeong f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
彩 (chae) meaning "colour" combined with
榮 (yeong) meaning "glory, honour" or
瑛 (yeong) meaning "jade". This name can be formed using other hanja combinations as well.
Channary f KhmerMeans
"moon-faced girl" from Khmer
ចន្ទ (chan) meaning "moon" and
នារី (neari) meaning "woman, girl".
Chernobog m Slavic MythologyMeans
"the black god" from Old Slavic
čĭrnŭ "black" and
bogŭ "god". According to a few late sources, Chernobog was a Slavic god of misfortune.
Cherry f EnglishSimply means "cherry" from the name of the fruit. It can also be a diminutive of
Charity. It has been in use since the late 19th century.
Cheyenne f EnglishDerived from the Lakota word
šahiyena meaning "red speakers". This is the name of a Native American people of the Great Plains. The name was supposedly given to the Cheyenne by the Lakota because their language was unrelated to their own. As a given name, it has been in use since the 1950s.
Chloris f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
χλωρός (chloros) meaning
"pale green". Chloris, in Greek mythology, was a minor goddess of vegetation.
Chrysanta f English (Rare)Shortened form of the word
chrysanthemum, the name of a flowering plant, which means "golden flower" in Greek.
Chrysostomos m GreekMeans
"golden mouth", from Greek
χρυσός (chrysos) meaning "gold" and
στόμα (stoma) meaning "mouth". This was an epithet applied to eloquent orators, notably Saint John Chrysostom, a 4th-century archbishop of Constantinople.
Chun f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
春 (chūn) meaning "spring (season)" or other characters with a similar pronunciation.
Ciar m & f Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishDerived from Irish
ciar meaning
"black". In Irish legend Ciar was a son of
Fergus mac Róich and
Medb, and the ancestor of the tribe of the Ciarraige (after whom County Kerry is named). As a feminine name, it was borne by an Irish nun (also called
Ciara) who established a monastery in Tipperary in the 7th century.
Ciarán m Irish, Old IrishDiminutive of
Ciar. This was the name of two 6th-century Irish saints: Ciarán the Elder, the founder of the monastery at Saighir, and Ciarán the Younger, the founder of the monastery at Clonmacnoise.
Cinderella f LiteratureMeans
"little ashes", in part from the French name
Cendrillon. This is the main character in the folktale
Cinderella about a maltreated young woman who eventually marries a prince. This old story is best known in the English-speaking world from the French author Charles Perrault's 1697 version. She has other names in other languages, usually with the meaning "ashes", such as German
Aschenputtel and Italian
Cenerentola.
Clancy m & f English (Rare)From an Irish surname (Anglicized from
Mac Fhlannchaidh), derived from the given name
Flannchadh meaning "red warrior".
Cledwyn m WelshPossibly derived from Welsh
caled "rough, hard" and
gwyn "white, blessed". This is the name of a small river (Cledwen) in Conwy, Wales.
Cola m Anglo-SaxonOld English byname meaning
"charcoal", originally given to a person with dark features.
Colby m EnglishFrom an English surname, originally from various place names, derived from the Old Norse byname
Koli (meaning "coal, dark") and
býr "farm, settlement". As a given name, its popularity spiked in the United States and Canada in 2001 when Colby Donaldson (1974-) appeared on the reality television show
Survivor.
Coral f English, SpanishFrom the English and Spanish word
coral for the underwater skeletal deposits that can form reefs. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek
κοράλλιον (korallion).
Corbin m EnglishFrom a French surname that was derived from
corbeau "raven", originally denoting a person who had dark hair. The name was probably popularized in America by actor Corbin Bernsen (1954-).
Criseida f LiteratureForm of
Chryseis used by the Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio in his 14th-century poem
Il Filostrato. In the poem she is a woman of Troy, daughter of Calchas, who leaves her Trojan lover
Troilus for the Greek hero
Diomedes. The story was taken up by Chaucer (using the form
Criseyde) and Shakespeare (using the form
Cressida).
Criseyde f LiteratureForm of
Criseida used by the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer in his 14th-century epic poem
Troilus and Criseyde.
Cyan f & m English (Rare)From the English word meaning
"greenish blue, cyan", ultimately derived from Greek
κύανος (kyanos).
Deepak m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, NepaliAlternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi/Nepali
दीपक, Bengali
দীপক, Gujarati
દીપક, Gurmukhi
ਦੀਪਕ, Malayalam
ദീപക്, Kannada
ದೀಪಕ್, Tamil
தீபக் or Telugu
దీపక్ (see
Dipak).
Delwyn m WelshFrom Welsh
del "pretty" combined with
gwyn "white, blessed". It has been used as a given name since the start of the 20th century.
Dilwyn m WelshFrom Welsh
dilys "genuine" and
gwyn "white, blessed". It has been used since the late 19th century.
Dior f & m English (Modern)From a French surname, possibly from
doré meaning
"golden". As a given name it has been inspired by the French luxury fashion house Dior, founded by the designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).
Dipaka m HinduismMeans
"inflaming, exciting" in Sanskrit. This is another name of
Kama, the Hindu god of love.
Doireann f Irish, Irish MythologyPossibly from the Old Irish prefix
der "daughter" and
finn "white, blessed". Alternatively it may be derived from Irish
doireann "sullen, tempestuous". This was the name of several characters in Irish legend, including a daughter of Bodb Derg who poisoned
Fionn mac Cumhaill after he spurned her advances.
Dougal m ScottishAnglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name
Dubhghall meaning
"dark stranger", from Old Irish
dub "dark" and
gall "stranger". This name was borne by a few medieval Scottish chiefs.
Duane m EnglishFrom an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Dubháin, itself derived from the given name
Dubhán. Usage in America began around the start of the 20th century. It last appeared on the top 1000 rankings in 2002, though the variant
Dwayne lingered a few years longer.
Dubhán m Irish (Rare)From Old Irish
Dubán meaning
"little dark one", derived from
dub "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix. This was the name of a few early saints.
Dubhshláine m Old IrishDerived from Old Irish
dub "dark, black" and either
slán "challenge, defiance" or
Sláine, the Irish name of the River Slaney.
Dubthach m Old IrishOld Irish name derived from
dub "dark, black" in combination with a second element of unknown meaning. This was the name of a 6th-century saint, a bishop of Armagh. It also appears in Irish legend as a companion of
Fergus mac Róich.
Duncan m Scottish, EnglishAnglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name
Donnchadh, derived from Old Irish
donn "brown" and
cath "battle". This was the name of two kings of Scotland, including the one who was featured in Shakespeare's play
Macbeth (1606).
Eachann m Scottish GaelicFrom the Old Irish name
Echdonn meaning
"brown horse", from
ech "horse" and
donn "brown". This name was historically common among the chiefs of Clan MacLean. It has sometimes been Anglicized as
Hector.
Ebony f African AmericanFrom the English word
ebony for the black wood that comes from the ebony tree. It is ultimately from the Egyptian word
hbnj. In America this name is most often used in the black community.
Ebru f TurkishMeans
"paper marbling" in Turkish. Paper marbling is the art of creating colourful patterns on paper.
Edom m Biblical, Biblical HebrewFrom Hebrew
אָדֹם (ʾaḏom) meaning
"red". According to the Old Testament,
Esau, who is described as having red skin, was given this name because he traded his birthright for a helping of red broth. The bible goes on to tell that Esau was the founder of the ancient nation of Edom, located to the south of the kingdom of Judah.
Eilwen f WelshPerhaps means
"white brow", derived from Welsh
ael "brow" and
gwen "white, blessed". This is a recently created Welsh name.
Eirwen f WelshMeans
"white snow" from the Welsh elements
eira "snow" and
gwen "white, blessed". This name was created in the early 20th century.
Elanur f TurkishMeans
"hazel light", from Turkish
ela meaning "hazel" combined with Arabic
نور (nūr) meaning "light".
Emerald f English (Modern)From the word for the green precious stone, which is the traditional birthstone of May. The emerald supposedly imparts love to the bearer. The word is ultimately from Greek
σμάραγδος (smaragdos).
Enfys f WelshMeans
"rainbow" in Welsh. This name was first used in the 19th century.
Esmeralda f Spanish, Portuguese, English, Albanian, LiteratureMeans
"emerald" in Spanish and Portuguese. Victor Hugo used this name in his novel
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831), in which Esmeralda is the Romani girl who is loved by Quasimodo. It has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world since that time.
Eun f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
恩 (eun) meaning "kindness, mercy, charity" or
銀 (eun) meaning "silver, money", as well as other hanja characters that are pronounced in the same way. It usually occurs in combination with another character, though it is sometimes used as a stand-alone name.
Eurig m WelshDerived from Welsh
aur meaning
"gold" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Fajr f ArabicMeans
"dawn, beginning" in Arabic. This is the name of a daily prayer that is recited in the morning by observant Muslims.
Fajra f EsperantoMeans
"fiery" in Esperanto, from
fajro meaning "fire".
Fawn f EnglishFrom the English word
fawn for a young deer.
Finbar m IrishAnglicized form of Irish
Fionnbharr, Old Irish
Finnbarr, derived from
finn "white, blessed" and
barr "top, head". Saint Finbar of Cork was a 6th-century bishop who supposedly performed miraculous cures. The Isle of Barra off Scotland was (probably) named for him.
Fingal m LiteratureMeans
"white stranger", derived from the Old Irish elements
finn "white, blessed" and
gall "foreigner, stranger". This was the name of the hero in the Scottish author James Macpherson's 1761 poem
Fingal, which he claimed to have based on early Gaelic legends about
Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Finnegan m English (Modern)From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of
Ó Fionnagáin, itself derived from the given name
Fionnagán, a diminutive of
Fionn. This is the surname of a relatively minor character in James Joyce's novel
Finnegans Wake (1939), the title of which was based on a 19th-century Irish ballad called
Finnegan's Wake.
Finnian m IrishDerived from Old Irish
finn "white, blessed". This was the name of several Irish saints, including the founders of monasteries at Clonard and Movilla (both 6th century).
Fintan m Irish, Irish Mythology, Old IrishPossibly means either
"white fire" or
"white ancient" in Irish. According to legend this was the name of the only Irish person to survive the great flood. This name was also borne by many Irish saints.
Fionn m Irish, Irish MythologyFrom the Old Irish name
Finn, derived from
finn meaning
"white, blessed". It occurs frequently in Irish history and legends, the most noteworthy bearer being Fionn mac Cumhaill, the central character of one of the four main cycles of Irish mythology, the Fenian Cycle. Fionn was born as
Deimne, and acquired his nickname because of his fair hair. He grew all-wise by eating an enchanted salmon, and later became the leader of the Fianna after defeating the fire-breathing demon Áillen. He was the father of
Oisín and grandfather of
Oscar.
Fionnuala f Irish, Irish MythologyMeans
"white shoulder" from Old Irish
finn "white, blessed" and
gúala "shoulder". In Irish legend Fionnuala was one of the four children of
Lir who were transformed into swans for a period of 900 years.
Firouzeh f PersianMeans
"turquoise (gemstone)" in Persian. Alternatively, it may be a feminine form of
Firouz.