Abilene f Various (Rare)From a place name mentioned briefly in the New Testament. It is probably from Hebrew
אָבֵל (ʾavel) meaning "meadow, grassy area". It has occasionally been used as a given name in modern times.
Acacia f English (Rare)From the name of a type of tree, ultimately derived from Greek
ἀκή (ake) meaning "thorn, point".
Adonis m Greek MythologyFrom Phoenician
𐤀𐤃𐤍 (ʾadon) meaning
"lord, master". In Greek myth Adonis was a handsome young shepherd killed while hunting a wild boar. The anemone flower is said to have sprung from his blood. Because he was loved by
Aphrodite,
Zeus allowed him to be restored to life for part of each year. The Greeks borrowed this character from Semitic traditions, originally Sumerian (see
Dumuzi).
Aina 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
愛 (ai) meaning "love, affection" and
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens", as well as other character combinations.
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.
Althea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)From the Greek name
Ἀλθαία (Althaia), perhaps related to Greek
ἄλθος (althos) meaning
"healing". In Greek myth she was the mother of Meleager. Soon after her son was born she was told that he would die as soon as a piece of wood that was burning on her fire was fully consumed. She immediately extinguished the piece of wood and sealed it in a chest, but in a fit of rage many years later she took it out and set it alight, thereby killing her son.
Amaryllis f LiteratureDerived from Greek
ἀμαρύσσω (amarysso) meaning
"to sparkle". This is the name of a character appearing in
Virgil's pastoral poems
Eclogues. The amaryllis flower is named for her.
Ampelio m ItalianItalian form of
Ampelius, the Latin form of the Greek name
Ἀμπέλιος (Ampelios), which was derived from
ἄμπελος (ampelos) meaning
"vine". Saint Ampelius was a 7th-century bishop of Milan.
Anara f Kazakh, KyrgyzFrom Kazakh and Kyrgyz
анар (anar) meaning
"pomegranate", a word ultimately derived from Persian.
Anh m & f VietnameseOften from Sino-Vietnamese
英 (anh) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero". This name is frequently combined with a middle name to create a compound name; the meaning of
Anh can change depending on the Sino-Vietnamese characters underlying the compound.
Artemisia f Ancient GreekFeminine form of
Artemisios. This was the name of the 4th-century BC builder of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. She built it in memory of her husband, the Carian prince Mausolus.
Asami f JapaneseFrom Japanese
麻 (asa) meaning "hemp" and
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
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.
Ask m Norse MythologyDerived from Old Norse
askr "ash tree". In Norse mythology Ask and his wife
Embla were the first humans created by the gods.
Aveline f English (Rare)From the Norman French form of the Germanic name
Avelina, a diminutive of
Avila. The Normans introduced this name to Britain. After the Middle Ages it became rare as an English name, though it persisted in America until the 19th century.
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".
Azalea f English (Modern)From the name of the flower (shrubs of the genus Rhododendron), ultimately derived from Greek
ἀζαλέος (azaleos) meaning "dry".
Bahargül f TurkmenDerived from Turkmen
bahar meaning "spring" and
gül meaning "flower, rose" (both roots ultimately of Persian origin).
Baia f GeorgianFrom the Georgian name for the buttercup flower (or any flowering plant from the genus Ranunculus).
Baktygul f KyrgyzDerived from Persian
بخت (bakht) meaning "fortune, happiness" and
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose".
Basajaun m Basque MythologyMeans
"lord of the woods" from Basque
baso "woods" and
jaun "lord". This is the name of a character in Basque folklore, the Old Man of the Woods.
Basil 1 m EnglishFrom 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.
Bentley m EnglishFrom 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.
Benton m EnglishFrom a surname that was derived from a place name, composed of Old English
beonet "bent grass" and
tun "enclosure".
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.
Bláthnat f Irish MythologyMeans
"little flower" from Irish
bláth "flower" combined with a diminutive suffix. In Irish legend she was a maiden abducted and married by Cú Roí. She was rescued by
Cúchulainn, who killed her husband, but was in turn murdered by one of Cú Roí's loyal servants.
Blossom f EnglishFrom the English word
blossom, ultimately from Old English
blóstm. It came into use as a rare given name in the 19th century.
Boglárka f HungarianMeans
"buttercup (flower)" in Hungarian (genus Ranunculus), derived from the archaic word
boglár meaning "ornament".
Boyce m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Old French
bois "wood".
Brandon m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning
"hill covered with broom" in Old English.
... [more] Buttercup f LiteratureFrom the English word for the yellow flower (genus Ranunculus). Author William Goldman used it for Princess Buttercup in his book
The Princess Bride (1973) and the subsequent film adaptation (1987).
Calla f EnglishFrom the name of two types of plants, the true calla (species Calla palustris) and the calla lily (species Calla aethiopica), both having white flowers and growing in marshy areas. Use of the name may also be inspired by Greek
κάλλος (kallos) meaning
"beauty".
Camellia f English (Rare)From the name of the flowering shrub, which was named for the botanist and missionary Georg Josef Kamel.
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.
Celinda f English (Rare)Probably a blend of
Celia and
Linda. This is also the Spanish name for a variety of shrub with white flowers, known as sweet mock-orange in English (species Philadelphus coronarius).
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.
Cicero m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen derived from Latin
cicer meaning
"chickpea". Marcus Tullius Cicero (now known simply as Cicero) was a statesman, orator and author of the 1st century BC. He was a political enemy of Mark Antony, who eventually had him executed.
Clematis f English (Rare)From the English word for a type of flowering vine, ultimately derived from Greek
κλήμα (klema) meaning "twig, branch".
Clover f English (Modern)From the English word for the wild flower, ultimately deriving from Old English
clafre.
Coriander f English (Rare)From the name of the spice, also called cilantro, which may ultimately be of Phoenician origin (via Latin and Greek).
Cosmo m Italian, EnglishItalian variant of
Cosimo. It was introduced to Britain in the 18th century by the second Scottish Duke of Gordon, who named his son and successor after his friend Cosimo III de' Medici. On the American sitcom
Seinfeld (1989-1998) this was the seldom-used first name of Jerry's neighbour Kramer.
Cyprian m Polish, History (Ecclesiastical)From the Roman family name
Cyprianus, which meant
"from Cyprus". Saint Cyprian was a 3rd-century bishop of Carthage who was martyred under the Roman emperor Valerian.
Dafna f HebrewMeans
"laurel" in Hebrew, of Greek origin.
Daisy f EnglishSimply from the English word for the white flower, ultimately derived from Old English
dægeseage meaning "day eye". It was first used as a given name in the 19th century, at the same time many other plant and flower names were coined.
... [more] Daphne f Greek Mythology, English, DutchMeans
"laurel" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was a nymph turned into a laurel tree by her father in order that she might escape the pursuit of
Apollo. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the end of the 19th century.
Darnell m English, African AmericanFrom an English surname that was derived from Old French
darnel, a type of grass. In some cases the surname may be from a place name, itself derived from Old English
derne "hidden" and
halh "nook".
Dionysos m Greek MythologyFrom Greek
Διός (Dios) meaning "of
Zeus" combined with
Nysa, the name of the region where young Dionysos was said to have been raised. In Greek mythology Dionysos was the god of wine, revelry, fertility and dance. He was the son of
Zeus and
Semele.
Dornröschen f LiteratureFrom German
Dorn "thorn" and
Rose "rose" combined with the diminutive suffix
-chen. This is the name of Sleeping Beauty in the Brothers Grimm telling of the fairy tale.
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.
Eglantine f English (Rare)From the English word for the flower also known as sweetbrier. It is derived via Old French from Vulgar Latin *
aquilentum meaning "prickly". It was early used as a given name (in the form
Eglentyne) in Geoffrey Chaucer's 14th-century story
The Prioress's Tale (one of
The Canterbury Tales).
Elah m BiblicalMeans
"terebinth tree" in Hebrew. This was the name of the fourth king of Israel, as told in the Old Testament. He was murdered by
Zimri, who succeeded him.
Elanor f LiteratureMeans
"star sun" in the fictional language Sindarin. In
The Lord of the Rings (1954) by J. R. R. Tolkien this is Sam's eldest daughter, named after a type of flower.
Ema 2 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
恵 (e) meaning "favour, benefit" or
江 (e) meaning "bay, inlet" combined with
麻 (ma) meaning "flax". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Eustace m EnglishEnglish form of
Eustachius or
Eustathius, two names of Greek origin that have been conflated in the post-classical period. Saint Eustace, who is known under both spellings, was a 2nd-century Roman general who became a Christian after seeing a vision of a cross between the antlers of a stag he was hunting. He was burned to death for refusing to worship the Roman gods and is now regarded as the patron saint of hunters. Due to him, this name was common in England during the Middle Ages, though it is presently rare.
Evanthia f GreekModern Greek feminine form of
Εὐανθία (Euanthia), a variant of
Euanthe. This was the name of a 1st-century martyr from Skepsis who is considered a saint in the Orthodox Church.
Fabius m Ancient RomanRoman family name that was derived from Latin
faba meaning
"bean". Quintus Fabius Maximus was the Roman general who used delaying tactics to halt the invasion of
Hannibal in the 3rd century BC.
Farley m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally from a place name meaning
"fern clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer of this name was Canadian author Farley Mowat (1921-2014).
Fern f EnglishFrom the English word for the plant, ultimately from Old English
fearn. It has been used as a given name since the late 19th century.
Ffion f WelshMeans
"foxglove" in Welsh (species Digitalis purpurea). This is a recently created Welsh name.
Fleur f French, Dutch, English (British)Means
"flower" in French. Saint Fleur of Issendolus (
Flor in Gascon) was a 14th-century nun from Maurs, France. This was also the name of a character in John Galsworthy's novels
The Forsyte Saga (1922).
Flora f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, French, Greek, Albanian, Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
flos meaning
"flower" (genitive case
floris). Flora was the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, the wife of Zephyr the west wind. It has been used as a given name since the Renaissance, starting in France. In Scotland it was sometimes used as an Anglicized form of
Fionnghuala.
Florimond m Literature, FrenchPossibly from Latin
florens meaning "prosperous, flourishing" combined with the Old German element
munt meaning "protection". This is the name of the prince in some versions of the fairy tale
Sleeping Beauty.
Florus m Ancient RomanRoman cognomen that was derived from Latin
flos meaning
"flower" (genitive case
floris). It was borne by a 2nd-century saint who was martyred with Laurus in Illyricum.
Fu m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
富 (fù) meaning "abundant, rich, wealthy",
芙 (fú) meaning "hibiscus, lotus" or
甫 (fǔ) meaning "begin, man, father", in addition to other characters with a similar pronunciation. A famous bearer was the 8th-century Tang dynasty poet Du Fu, whose given name was
甫.
Gardenia f English (Rare)From the name of the tropical flower, which was named for the Scottish naturalist Alexander Garden (1730-1791).
Garland m EnglishFrom a surname meaning
"triangle land" from Old English
gara and
land. The surname originally belonged to a person who owned a triangle-shaped piece of land.
Garrick m EnglishFrom an English surname, of French Huguenot origin, that was derived from Occitan
garric meaning
"oak tree grove".
Gentian m AlbanianFrom the name of the flowering plant called the gentian, the roots of which are used to create a tonic. It is derived from the name of the Illyrian king
Gentius, who supposedly discovered its medicinal properties.
Ginger f EnglishFrom the English word
ginger for the spice or the reddish-brown colour. It can also be a diminutive of
Virginia, as in the case of actress and dancer Ginger Rogers (1911-1995), by whom the name was popularized.
Golnar f PersianMeans
"pomegranate flower", derived from Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower" and
نار (nār) meaning "pomegranate".
Gul m & f Urdu, PashtoMeans
"flower, rose" in Urdu and Pashto, ultimately from Persian.
Gulbadan f Urdu (Rare)Means
"having a body like a rose" in Persian. This was the name of a daughter of the Mughal emperor Babur.
Gülnur f TurkishMeans
"rose light" in Turkish, ultimately from Persian
گل (gol) meaning "flower, rose" and Arabic
نور (nūr) meaning "light".
Hana 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
花 (hana) or
華 (hana) both meaning "flower". Other kanji or kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Haruna 1 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
晴 (haru) meaning "clear weather",
遥 (haru) meaning "distant, remote" or
春 (haru) meaning "spring" combined with
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Hazel f EnglishFrom the English word
hazel for the tree or the light brown colour, derived ultimately from Old English
hæsel. It was coined as a given name in the 19th century and quickly became popular, reaching the 18th place for girls in the United States by 1897. It fell out of fashion in the second half of the 20th century, but has since recovered.
He f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
河 (hé) meaning "river, stream",
和 (hé) meaning "harmony, peace", or
荷 (hé) meaning "lotus, water lily" (which is usually only feminine). Other characters can form this name as well. A famous bearer was the Ming dynasty explorer Zheng He (1371-1433).
Heath m EnglishFrom an English surname that denoted one who lived on a heath. It was popularized as a given name by the character Heath Barkley from the 1960s television series
The Big Valley.
Heather f EnglishFrom the English word
heather for the variety of small shrubs with pink or white flowers, which commonly grow in rocky areas. It is derived from Middle English
hather. It was first used as a given name in the late 19th century, though it did not become popular until the last half of the 20th century.
Heide f GermanGerman diminutive of
Adelheid. It also coincides with the German word meaning "heath".
Hideki m JapaneseFrom Japanese
秀 (hide) meaning "excellent, outstanding" or
英 (hide) meaning "excellent, fine" combined with
樹 (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Hina f JapaneseFrom Japanese
陽 (hi) meaning "light, sun" or
日 (hi) meaning "sun, day" combined with
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Hokolesqua m ShawneeMeans
"cornstalk" in Shawnee. This was the name of an 18th-century Shawnee chief.
Hollis m & f EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from Middle English
holis "holly trees". It was originally given to a person who lived near a group of those trees.
Holly f EnglishFrom the English word for the holly tree, ultimately derived from Old English
holen. Holly Golightly is the main character in the novella
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) by Truman Capote.
Hua f & m ChineseFrom Chinese
华 (huá) meaning "splendid, illustrious, Chinese" or
花 (huā) meaning "flower, blossom" (which is usually only feminine). Other Chinese characters can form this name as well.
Huệ f VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
慧 (huệ) meaning
"bright, intelligent" or
蕙 (huệ) meaning
"tuberose (flower)".
Hyacinthus m Greek Mythology (Latinized), Ancient Greek (Latinized)Latinized form of the Greek name
Ὑάκινθος (Hyakinthos), which was derived from the name of the hyacinth flower. In Greek legend Hyakinthos was accidentally killed by the god
Apollo, who mournfully caused this flower to arise from his blood. The name was also borne by several early saints, notably a 3rd-century martyr who was killed with his brother Protus.
Indigo f & m English (Modern)From the English word
indigo for the purplish-blue dye or the colour. It is ultimately derived from Greek
Ἰνδικόν (Indikon) meaning "Indic, from India".
Iolanthe f Various (Rare)Probably a variant of
Yolanda influenced by the Greek words
ἰόλη (iole) meaning "violet" and
ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower". This name was (first?) used by Gilbert and Sullivan in their comic opera
Iolanthe (1882).
Ione f Greek Mythology, EnglishFrom Ancient Greek
ἴον (ion) meaning
"violet flower". This was the name of a sea nymph in Greek mythology. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, though perhaps based on the Greek place name
Ionia, a region on the west coast of Asia Minor.
Iris f Greek Mythology, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, French, Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, GreekMeans
"rainbow" in Greek. Iris was the name of the Greek goddess of the rainbow, also serving as a messenger to the gods. This name can also be given in reference to the word (which derives from the same Greek source) for the iris flower or the coloured part of the eye.
Ivor m Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English (British)From the Old Norse name
Ívarr, which was probably derived from the elements
ýr "yew tree, bow" and
herr "army, warrior". During the Middle Ages it was brought to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders, and it was adopted in Ireland (Irish
Íomhar), Scotland (Scottish Gaelic
Iomhar) and Wales (Welsh
Ifor).
Ivy f EnglishFrom the English word for the climbing plant that has small yellow flowers. It is ultimately derived from Old English
ifig.
Jade f & m English, FrenchFrom the name of the precious stone that is often used in carvings. It is derived from Spanish
(piedra de la) ijada meaning "(stone of the) flank", relating to the belief that jade could cure renal colic. As a given name, it came into general use during the 1970s. It was initially unisex, though it is now mostly feminine.
Jarah m BiblicalMeans
"honeycomb" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a descendant of
Saul.
Jasmine f English, FrenchFrom the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowers that is used for making perfumes. It is derived via Arabic from Persian
یاسمین (yāsamīn), which is also a Persian name. In the United States this name steadily grew in popularity from the 1970s, especially among African Americans. It reached a peak in the early 1990s shortly after the release of the animated Disney movie
Aladdin (1992), which featured a princess by this name.
Jinan m & f ArabicMeans
"garden" or
"paradise" in Arabic, ultimately from the root
جنّ (janna) meaning "to cover, to hide".
Ji-U f & m KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
芝 (ji) meaning "sesame" or
志 (ji) meaning "will, purpose, ambition" combined with
雨 (u) meaning "rain" or
宇 (u) meaning "house, universe". Other combinations of hanja characters can form this name as well.
Ji-Yeong f KoreanFrom Sino-Korean
智 (ji) meaning "wisdom, intellect" or
知 (ji) meaning "know, perceive, comprehend" combined with
英 (yeong) meaning "flower, petal, brave, hero" or
榮 (yeong) meaning "glory, honour, flourish, prosper". Many other hanja character combinations are possible.
Jonquil f English (Rare)From the English word for the type of flower, derived ultimately from Latin
iuncus "reed".
Kaede f & m JapaneseFrom Japanese
楓 (kaede) meaning "maple" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Kalei m & f HawaiianMeans
"the flowers" or
"the child" from Hawaiian
ka "the" and
lei "flowers, lei, child".
Kamala f & m Hinduism, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, NepaliMeans
"lotus" or
"pale red" in Sanskrit. In Sanskrit this is a transcription of both the feminine form
कमला and the masculine form
कमल, though in modern languages it is only a feminine form. In Tantric Hinduism and Shaktism this is the name of a goddess, also identified with the goddess
Lakshmi.
Kanako f JapaneseFrom Japanese
加 (ka) meaning "increase" or
香 (ka) meaning "fragrance" combined with
奈 (na), a phonetic character, or
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens" and finished with
子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Kanna f JapaneseFrom Japanese
栞 (kan) meaning "bookmark" and
菜 (na) meaning "vegetables, greens". Other kanji combinations can form this name as well.
Kantuta f AymaraMeans
"cantua flower" in Aymara (species Cantua buxifolia).
Kapua f & m HawaiianMeans
"the flower" or
"the child" from Hawaiian
ka, a definite article, and
pua "flower, offspring".
Karen 3 f JapaneseFrom Japanese
華 (ka) meaning "flower" and
蓮 (ren) meaning "lotus, water lily". Other combinations of kanji can also form this name.
Kasumi f JapaneseFrom Japanese
霞 (kasumi) meaning "mist". It can also come from
花 (ka) meaning "flower, blossom" combined with
澄 (sumi) meaning "clear, pure". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Katniss f LiteratureFrom the English word
katniss, the name of a variety of edible aquatic flowering plants (genus Sagittaria). Katniss Everdeen is the protagonist of
The Hunger Games series of novels by Suzanne Collins, released 2008 to 2010, about a young woman forced to participate in a violent televised battle.
Kelila f HebrewFrom Hebrew
ךְּלִיל (kelil) meaning
"crown, wreath, garland" or
"complete, perfect".
Kielo f FinnishMeans
"lily of the valley" in Finnish (species Convallaria majalis).
Klytië f Greek MythologyDerived from Greek
κλυτός (klytos) meaning
"famous, noble". In Greek myth Klytië was an ocean nymph who loved the sun god Helios. Her love was not returned, and she pined away staring at him until she was transformed into a heliotrope flower, whose head moves to follow the sun.
Kulap f & m ThaiMeans
"rose" in Thai (of Persian origin).
Kunala m SanskritMeans
"lotus" in Sanskrit. This was the name of a son of the 3rd-century BC Indian emperor
Ashoka.
Laelia f Ancient RomanFeminine form of
Laelius, a Roman family name of unknown meaning. This is also the name of a type of flower, an orchid found in Mexico and Central America.
Lale f TurkishMeans
"tulip" in Turkish, of Persian origin.
Lalka f BulgarianFrom Bulgarian
лале (lale) meaning
"tulip". It is derived via Turkish from Persian
لاله (lāleh).
Lalla f LiteratureDerived from Persian
لاله (lāleh) meaning
"tulip". This was the name of the heroine of Thomas Moore's poem
Lalla Rookh (1817). In the poem, Lalla, the daughter of the emperor of Delhi, listens to a poet sing four tales.
Lan 1 f & m Chinese, VietnameseFrom Chinese
兰 (lán) meaning "orchid, elegant" (which is usually only feminine) or
岚 (lán) meaning "mountain mist". Other Chinese characters can form this name as well. As a Vietnamese name, it is derived from Sino-Vietnamese
蘭 meaning "orchid".
Laurel f EnglishFrom the name of the laurel tree, ultimately from Latin
laurus.
Lauren f & m EnglishVariant or feminine form of
Laurence 1. Originally a masculine name, it was first popularized as a feminine name by actress Betty Jean Perske (1924-2014), who used Lauren Bacall as her stage name.
Laurence 1 m EnglishFrom the Roman cognomen
Laurentius, which meant
"from Laurentum". Laurentum was a city in ancient Italy, its name probably deriving from Latin
laurus "laurel". Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome. According to tradition he was roasted alive on a gridiron because, when ordered to hand over the church's treasures, he presented the sick and poor. Due to the saint's popularity, the name came into general use in the Christian world (in various spellings).
... [more] Laurianus m Late RomanRoman name that was derived from
Laurus. This was the name of a 6th-century saint, a bishop of Seville, who was martyred by the Arian Ostrogoths.
Laurus m Late RomanOriginal masculine form of
Laura. It was borne by a 2nd-century saint and martyr from Illyricum.
Laverne f & m EnglishFrom a French surname that was derived from a place name, ultimately from the Gaulish word
vern "alder". It is sometimes associated with the Roman goddess
Laverna or the Latin word
vernus "of spring".
Layton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally derived from the name of English towns meaning
"town with a leek garden" in Old English. Like similar-sounding names such as
Peyton and
Dayton, this name began rising in popularity in the 1990s.
Lei 2 m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
磊 (lěi) meaning "pile of stones" (which is typically masculine) or
蕾 (lěi) meaning "bud" (typically feminine). Other characters can also form this name.
Leilani f & m HawaiianMeans
"heavenly flowers" or
"royal child" from Hawaiian
lei "flowers, lei, child" and
lani "heaven, sky, royal, majesty".
Lela 1 f GeorgianMeaning uncertain, possibly from the name of a type of plant.
Leslie f & m EnglishFrom a Scottish surname that was derived from a place in Aberdeenshire, probably from Gaelic
leas celyn meaning
"garden of holly". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In America it was more common as a feminine name after the 1940s.
Lilac f English (Rare)From the English word for the shrub with purple or white flowers (genus Syringa). It is derived via Arabic from Persian.
Lillian f EnglishProbably originally a diminutive of
Elizabeth. It may also be considered an elaborated form of
Lily, from the Latin word for "lily"
lilium. This name has been used in England since the 16th century.
Lily f EnglishFrom the name of the flower, a symbol of purity. The word is ultimately derived from Latin
lilium. This is the name of the main character, Lily Bart, in the novel
The House of Mirth (1905) by Edith Wharton. A famous bearer is the American actress Lily Tomlin (1939-).
Lin m & f ChineseFrom Chinese
林 (lín) meaning "forest" or
琳 (lín) meaning "fine jade, gem". Other characters can also form this name.
Linden m & f EnglishFrom a German and Dutch surname that was derived from Old High German
linta meaning
"linden tree".
Linford m English (Rare)From a surname that was originally taken from place names meaning either "flax ford" or "linden tree ford" in Old English.
Linnéa f SwedishFrom the name of a flower, also known as the twinflower. The Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus named it after himself, it being his favourite flower.
Linton m EnglishFrom a surname that was originally from place names meaning either "flax town" or "linden tree town" in Old English.
Lotus f English (Rare)From the name of the lotus flower (species Nelumbo nucifera) or the mythological lotus tree. They are ultimately derived from Greek
λωτός (lotos). In Greek and Roman mythology the lotus tree was said to produce a fruit causing sleepiness and forgetfulness.
Lucina f Roman MythologyDerived from Latin
lucus meaning
"grove", but later associated with
lux meaning
"light". This was the name of a Roman goddess of childbirth.
Macdara m Irish, Old IrishMeans
"son of oak" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century saint from Connemara.
Magnolia f EnglishFrom the English word
magnolia for the flower, which was named for the French botanist Pierre Magnol.
Mai 1 f VietnameseFrom Sino-Vietnamese
梅 (mai) meaning
"plum, apricot" (refers specifically to the species Prunus mume).
Maile f HawaiianFrom the name of a type of vine that grows in Hawaii and is used in making leis.
Mami f JapaneseFrom Japanese
真 (ma) meaning "real, genuine" or
麻 (ma) meaning "flax" combined with
美 (mi) meaning "beautiful". Other combinations of kanji can form this name as well.
Maple f EnglishFrom the English word for the tree (comprising the genus Acer), derived from Old English
mapul. This is the name of a girl in Robert Frost's poem
Maple (1923) who wonders about the origin of her unusual name.
Marganita f HebrewFrom the name of a type of flowering plant common in Israel, called the scarlet pimpernel in English.
Margaret f EnglishDerived from Latin
Margarita, which was from Greek
μαργαρίτης (margarites) meaning
"pearl", a word that was probably ultimately a borrowing from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret, the patron of expectant mothers, was martyred at Antioch in the 4th century. Later legends told of her escape from a dragon, with which she was often depicted in medieval art. The saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and her name has been widely used in the Christian world.
... [more] Margherita f ItalianItalian form of
Margaret. This is also the Italian word for the daisy flower (species Bellis perennis, Leucanthemum vulgare and others).
Margriet f DutchDutch form of
Margaret. This is also the Dutch word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
Marguerite f FrenchFrench form of
Margaret. This is also the French word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
Marjolaine f FrenchMeans
"marjoram" in French, from Latin
maiorana. Marjoram is a minty herb.
Marwa f ArabicFrom the Arabic name of a fragrant plant. Al-Marwa is the name of one of the two sacred hills near Mecca.
Maryam f Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Indonesian, Bashkir, TatarArabic form of
Miryam (see
Mary) appearing in the Quran. It is also the form used in several other languages. In Iran it is also the name of a flower, the tuberose, which is named after the Virgin Mary.
Maylis f FrenchFrom the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan
mair "mother" and French
lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of
Marie and
lys.
Mei 1 f ChineseFrom Chinese
美 (měi) meaning "beautiful" or
梅 (méi) meaning "Chinese plum" (species Prunus mume), as well as other characters that are pronounced similarly.