Names Categorized "footballers"

This is a list of names in which the categories include footballers.
gender
usage
Aaliyah f Arabic, English (Modern), African American (Modern)
Feminine form of Aali. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by the singer Aaliyah Haughton (1979-2001), who was known simply as Aaliyah. This name received a boost in popularity after she released her debut album in 1994, and also in 2001 after her untimely death in an airplane crash.
Adelardo m Spanish (Rare), Italian (Rare)
Spanish and Italian form of Adalhard.
Adrià m Catalan
Catalan form of Adrian.
Aïssatou f Western African
Form of Aisha used in parts of French-influenced West Africa.
Albano m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Rare)
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Albanus (see Alban).
Aleksandr m Russian, Armenian, Ukrainian
Russian and Armenian form of Alexander. This name was borne by the Russian writer Aleksandr Pushkin (1799-1837).
Alessandro m Italian
Italian form of Alexander. A famous bearer was Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), the Italian physicist who invented the battery.
Alexander m English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Ἀλέξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, help" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament. However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.... [more]
Alexis m & f French, English, Greek, Spanish, Ancient Greek
From the Greek name Ἄλεξις (Alexis) meaning "helper" or "defender", derived from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning "to defend, to help". This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek comic poet, and also of several saints. It is used somewhat interchangeably with the related name Ἀλέξιος or Alexius, borne by five Byzantine emperors.... [more]
Alfredo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Alfred.
Ali 1 m Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, Pashto, Indonesian, Malay, Avar, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, Tajik, Dhivehi, Albanian, Bosnian
Means "lofty, sublime" in Arabic, from the root علا (ʿalā) meaning "to be high". Ali ibn Abi Talib was a cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the fourth caliph to rule the Muslim world. His followers were the original Shia Muslims, who regard him as the first rightful caliph.... [more]
Alisson m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian variant of Allison. A notable bearer is the Brazilian soccer goalkeeper Alisson Ramses Becker (1992-), commonly known simply as Alisson.
Alphonsus m Gothic (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Gothic name *Aþalfuns (see Alfonso). This name was borne by Saint Alphonsus Liguori, an 18th-century Italian bishop who is regarded as a Doctor of the Church.
Amandine f French
French diminutive of Amanda.
Amare m African American (Modern)
Variant of Amari. This name is borne by basketball player Amar'e Stoudemire (1982-).
Amari m & f African American (Modern)
Meaning uncertain, perhaps from Arabic Ammar. This name has risen in popularity in America at the same time as similar-sounding names such as Jamari and Kamari.
Amaury m French
French form of Amalric.
Anamarija f Croatian, Slovene
Combination of Ana and Marija.
André m French, Portuguese, Galician, German, Dutch
French, Portuguese and Galician form of Andreas (see Andrew).
Andrea 1 m Italian
Italian form of Andreas (see Andrew). A notable bearer of this name was Andrea Verrocchio, a Renaissance sculptor who taught Leonardo da Vinci and Perugino.
Andréia f Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Andreia.
Andrés m Spanish, Icelandic
Spanish and Icelandic form of Andrew.
Ángel m Spanish
Spanish form of Angelus (see Angel).
Antoine m French, African American
French form of Antonius (see Anthony). A famous bearer was the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944), the author of The Little Prince.
Antwan m African American
Variant of Antoine, in use since the 1960s.
Archie m Scottish, English
Diminutive of Archibald. This name is borne by Archie Andrews, an American comic-book character created in 1941. It was also used by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for the name of their son born 2019.
Arda m Turkish
Possibly means "marker, stake" in Turkish.
Artem m Ukrainian, Russian
Ukrainian form of Artemios. It is also an alternate transcription of Russian Артём (see Artyom).
Arturo m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Arthur.
Ashleigh f English (Modern)
Feminine variant of Ashley.
Ashlie f English (Modern)
Feminine variant of Ashley.
Atilla m Turkish
Turkish variant of Attila.
Aymeric m French
French form of Aimeric.
Bambang m Javanese, Indonesian
Means "knight" in Javanese.
Bastian m German
Short form of Sebastian.
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-).
Bernardina f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish feminine form of Bernardino.
Berny m & f English
Variant of Bernie.
Berry 1 m English
Variant of Barry.
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.
Bobby m English
Diminutive of Bob. Hockey greats Bobby Hull (1939-2023) and Bobby Orr (1948-) have borne this name.
Brandi f English
Variant of Brandy.
Braylon m English (Modern)
An invented name, using the same sounds found in names such as Braden and Jalen.
Carlos m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Charles.
Carlyn f English
Contracted variant of Caroline.
Carolina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, English, Swedish
Latinate feminine form of Carolus. This is the name of two American states: North and South Carolina. They were named for Charles I, king of England.
Cengiz m Turkish
Turkish form of Genghis.
Cesc m Catalan
Short form of Francesc.
Chanté f English (Modern)
Means "sung" in French.
Charlène f French
French form of Charlene.
Charley m & f English
Diminutive or feminine form of Charles.
Cielo f Spanish
Means "sky, heaven" in Spanish. In Mexico this name was popularized by a character named María del Cielo, called Cielo, on the telenovela Por tu amor (1999).
Claudio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Claudius.
Cooper m English
From a surname meaning "barrel maker", from Middle English couper.
Corine f Dutch, French
Dutch form of Corinne, as well as a French variant.
Courteney f English
Variant of Courtney. A famous bearer is actress Courteney Cox (1964-).
Cristiano m Italian, Portuguese
Italian and Portuguese form of Christian. A famous bearer is Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo (1985-).
Dafina f Albanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian
Means "laurel" in Albanian, Bulgarian and Macedonian, of Greek origin.
Dagobert m Germanic, German
Means "bright day", derived from Old Frankish dag or Old High German tag meaning "day" combined with Old Frankish berht or Old High German beraht meaning "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century Merovingian king of the Franks.... [more]
Daichi m Japanese
From Japanese (dai) meaning "big, great" combined with (chi) meaning "earth, land" or (chi) meaning "wisdom, intellect". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Daisuke m Japanese
From Japanese (dai) meaning "big, great" and (suke) meaning "help". Other kanji combinations are possible.
Daley f & m English (Rare), Dutch (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Dálaigh, itself derived from the given name Dálach. Its recent popularity in the Netherlands can be attributed to the Dutch soccer player Daley Blind (1990-).
Damarion m African American
Combination of the popular phonetic prefix da and Marion 2.
Damiana f Italian
Italian feminine form of Damian.
Dani 2 m Hungarian, Spanish, Dutch
Diminutive of Dániel (Hungarian), Daniel (Spanish) or Daniël (Dutch).
Daníel m Icelandic
Icelandic form of Daniel.
Daniel m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning "God is my judge", from the roots דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.... [more]
Daniele m Italian
Italian form of Daniel.
Danijel m Slovene, Croatian, Serbian
Form of Daniel in several languages.
Daphné f French
French form of Daphne.
Daquan m African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements da and quan. It can be spelled Daquan or with a capitalized third letter as DaQuan.
Darian m & f English
Probably an elaborated form of Darren.
Darijo m Croatian
Croatian form of Darius.
Daryl m English
Variant of Darrell.
David m English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name דָּוִד (Dawiḏ), which was derived from דּוֹד (doḏ) meaning "beloved" or "uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament, Jesus was descended from him.... [more]
Davon m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements da and von.
Dayana f Spanish (Latin American)
Spanish variant of Diana, reflecting the English pronunciation.
DeAndre m African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Andre.
DeAngelo m African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Angelo.
Deanne f English
Variant of Deanna.
Dedrick m African American
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Diederik.
Deion m African American (Modern)
Variant of Dion. A notable bearer is retired American football player Deion Sanders (1967-).
Deisy f Spanish (Latin American, Modern)
Spanish form of the English name Daisy.
Delphine f French
French form of Delphina.
DeMario m African American
Combination of the popular name prefix de and Mario.
Demetrio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Demetrius.
Deonte m African American (Modern)
Combination of Deon and the common phonetic suffix tay.
Desiderio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Desiderius.
Deysi f Spanish (Latin American, Modern)
Spanish form of the English name Daisy.
Didier m French
French form of Desiderio.
Diego m Spanish, Italian
Spanish name, possibly a shortened form of Santiago. In medieval records Diego was Latinized as Didacus, and it has been suggested that it in fact derives from Greek διδαχή (didache) meaning "teaching". Saint Didacus (or Diego) was a 15th-century Franciscan brother based in Alcalá, Spain.... [more]
Dilwyn m Welsh
From Welsh dilys "genuine" and gwyn "white, blessed". It has been used since the late 19th century.
Donatello m Italian
Diminutive of Donato. The Renaissance sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Bette Bardi (1386-1466) was better known as Donatello.
Dorine f English
Variant of Doreen.
Dzsenifer f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Jennifer.
Ebbe m Danish, Swedish
Danish short form of Asbjørn.
Edelmiro m Spanish
Spanish form of Adelmar.
Eden f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)
From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew עֵדֶן (ʿeḏen) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian 𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Edmundo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Edmund.
Eduardo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Edward.
Edvaldo m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Possibly a Portuguese form of Eadwald.
Elvina f English
Variant of Alvina.
Emerson m & f English
From an English surname meaning "son of Emery". The surname was borne by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American writer and philosopher who wrote about transcendentalism.
Emmanuel m Biblical, French, English
From the Hebrew name עִמָּנוּאֵל (ʿImmanuʾel) meaning "God is with us", from the roots עִם (ʿim) meaning "with" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings Emmanuel and Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings Manuel and Manoel).
Esmee f English (British), Dutch
Feminine form of Esmé.
Eusébio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Eusebius.
Evaristo m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Evaristus.
Evy f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Diminutive of Eva or Evelina.
Fabián m Spanish
Spanish form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Fabiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Fabianus (see Fabian).
Fabio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Fabius.
Favour m & f English (African)
From the English word favour, ultimately from Latin faveo "to favour". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Félicienne f French
French feminine form of Felicianus (see Feliciano).
Felipe m Spanish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese form of Philip.
Ferdy m English
Diminutive of Ferdinand.
Ferenc m Hungarian
Hungarian form of Francis. This is the Hungarian name of the composer Franz Liszt (1811-1886).
Fernando m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Ferdinand.
Flavien m French
French form of Flavian.
Florencio m Spanish
Spanish form of Florentius (see Florence).
Florimond m Literature, French
Possibly 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.
Francesc m Catalan
Catalan form of Franciscus (see Francis).
Francesco m Italian
Italian form of Franciscus (see Francis). Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374) was an Italian Renaissance poet, usually known in English as Petrarch.
Francisco m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Franciscus (see Francis). This is the Spanish name of Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Other notable bearers include the Spanish painter and engraver Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) and the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (1892-1975).
Franz m German
German form of Franciscus (see Francis). This name was borne by the Austrian composer Franz Schubert (1797-1828), the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and the Austrian-Czech author Franz Kafka (1883-1924), whose works include The Trial and The Castle. It was also the name of rulers of Austria and the Holy Roman Empire.
Friday m English (African)
From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English frigedæg meaning "Frig's day". Daniel Defoe used it for a character in his novel Robinson Crusoe (1719). As a given name, it is most often found in parts of Africa, such as Nigeria and Zambia.
Friedhelm m German
Derived from the Old German elements fridu "peace" and helm "helmet, protection".
Gaëtane f French
French feminine form of Caietanus (see Gaetano).
Ganzorig m Mongolian
Means "steel courage" in Mongolian, from ган (gan) meaning "steel" and зориг (zorig) meaning "courage".
Gareth m Welsh, English (British), Arthurian Cycle
Meaning uncertain. It appears in this form in Thomas Malory's 15th-century compilation of Arthurian legends Le Morte d'Arthur, in which the knight Gareth (also named Beaumains) is a brother of Gawain. He goes with Lynet to rescue her sister Lyonesse from the Red Knight. Malory based the name on Gaheriet or Guerrehet, which was the name of a similar character in French sources. It may ultimately have a Welsh origin, possibly from the name Gwrhyd meaning "valour" (found in the tale Culhwch and Olwen) or Gwairydd meaning "hay lord" (found in the chronicle Brut y Brenhinedd).
Gary m English
From an English surname that was derived from a Norman given name, which was itself originally a short form of names beginning with the Old German element ger meaning "spear". This name was popularized in the late 1920s the American actor Gary Cooper (1901-1961), who took his stage name from the city of Gary in Indiana where his agent was born. It was especially popular in the 1940s and 50s, breaking into the American top ten in 1950, though it has since waned.
Gavin m English, Scottish
Medieval form of Gawain. Though it died out in England, it was reintroduced from Scotland in the 20th century.
Genoveva f Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan
Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan form of Geneviève.
George m English, Romanian, Indian (Christian)
From the Greek name Γεώργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word γεωργός (georgos) meaning "farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements γῆ (ge) meaning "earth" and ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Cappadocia who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.... [more]
Gerard m English, Dutch, Catalan, Polish
Derived from the Old German element ger meaning "spear" combined with hart meaning "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This name was borne by saints from Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy. The Normans introduced it to Britain. It was initially much more common there than the similar name Gerald, with which it was often confused, but it is now less common.
Gerd 1 m German, Dutch
Short form of Gerhard.
Gerri f English
Diminutive of Geraldine.
Gianluigi m Italian
Combination of Gianni and Luigi.
Gift m & f English (African)
From the English word gift, of Old Norse origin. This name is most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.
Gifty f English (African)
From the English word gift. This name is most common in Ghana in Africa.
Gloriana f English (Rare)
Elaborated form of Latin gloria meaning "glory". In Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590) this was the name of the title character, a representation of Queen Elizabeth I.
Glykeria f Greek, Late Greek
From Greek γλυκερός (glykeros) meaning "sweet". This was the name of a 2nd-century saint from Heraclea.
Gwenn f Breton
Breton cognate of Gwen.
Harry m English
Medieval English form of Henry. In modern times it is used as a diminutive of both Henry and names beginning with Har. Famous bearers include the American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972), who was named after his uncle Harrison, and the British royal Prince Harry (1984-), who is actually named Henry. It is also the name of the boy wizard in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of books, first released in 1997.
Heidi f German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, English
German diminutive of Adelheid. This is the name of the title character in the children's novel Heidi (1880) by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri. The name began to be used in the English-speaking world shortly after the 1937 release of the movie adaptation, which starred Shirley Temple.
Hendry m Scots
Scots form of Henry.
Hiroki m Japanese
From Japanese (hiro) meaning "big, great" and (ki) meaning "brightness" or (ki) meaning "tree". Other kanji combinations are also possible.
Hiroshi m Japanese
From Japanese (hiroshi) meaning "tolerant, generous", (hiroshi) meaning "prosperous", or other kanji and kanji combinations that are read the same way.
Hope f English
From the English word hope, ultimately from Old English hopian. This name was first used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Huguette f French
Feminine form of Hugues.
Igor m Russian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Slovak, Czech, Italian, Portuguese, Basque
Russian form of the Old Norse name Yngvarr (see Ingvar). The Varangians brought it with them when they began settling in Eastern Europe in the 9th century. It was borne by two grand princes of Kyiv, notably Igor I the son of Rurik and the husband of Saint Olga. Other famous bearers include Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), a Russian composer known for The Rite of Spring, and Igor Sikorsky (1889-1972), the Russian-American designer of the first successful helicopter.
Iker m Basque
Means "visitation" in Basque. It is an equivalent of the Spanish name Visitación, coined by Sabino Arana in his 1910 list of Basque saints names.
Ismael m Spanish, Portuguese, Biblical Greek
Spanish and Portuguese form of Ishmael. This is also the form used in the Greek Old Testament.
Iván m Spanish, Hungarian
Spanish and Hungarian form of Ivan.
Ivan m Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, English, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Estonian
Newer form of the Old Church Slavic name Іѡаннъ (Ioannŭ), which was derived from Greek Ioannes (see John). This was the name of six Russian rulers, including the 15th-century Ivan III the Great and 16th-century Ivan IV the Terrible, the first tsar of Russia. It was also borne by nine emperors of Bulgaria. Other notable bearers include the Russian author Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883), who wrote Fathers and Sons, and the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), who is best known for his discovery of the conditioned reflex.
Ives m History (Ecclesiastical)
English form of Yves, used to refer to Saint Ives (also called Ivo) of Huntingdonshire, a semi-legendary English bishop.
Jacquette f French (Rare)
Feminine diminutive of Jacques.
Jaiden m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Jaden.
Jalal m Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali
Means "greatness" in Arabic, from the root جلّ (jalla) meaning "to be great".
JaMarcus m African American
Combination of the popular phonetic prefix ja and Marcus.
Jamari m African American (Modern)
Elaborated form of Jamar, sharing a sound with names such as Amari and Kamari.
James m English, Biblical
English form of the Late Latin name Iacomus, a variant of the Biblical Latin form Iacobus, from the Hebrew name Yaʿaqov (see Jacob). This was the name of two apostles in the New Testament. The first was Saint James the Greater, the apostle John's brother, who was beheaded under Herod Agrippa in the Book of Acts. The second was James the Lesser, son of Alphaeus. Another James (known as James the Just) is also mentioned in the Bible as being the brother of Jesus.... [more]
Jamir m African American (Modern)
Variant of Jamar, probably influenced by names such as Jamil.
Jan 1 m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Slovene, German, Catalan, Sorbian
Form of Johannes used in various languages. This name was borne by the Czech church reformer Jan Hus (1370-1415), the Flemish painter Jan van Eyck (1390-1441), and the Dutch painters Jan Steen (1626-1679) and Jan Vermeer (1632-1675).
Javier m Spanish
Spanish form of Xavier.
Javiera f Spanish
Spanish feminine form of Xavier.
Javonte m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements ja, von and tay.
Jayme f & m English
Variant of Jamie.
Jelle m Frisian, Dutch
Originally a Frisian short form of names beginning with the Old German element gelt meaning "payment, tribute, compensation". It can also be a Dutch diminutive of Willem.
Jenae f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Jennifer.
Jerold m English
Variant of Gerald.
Jessie 2 m English
Variant of Jesse.
Jesús m Spanish, Catalan
Spanish and Catalan form of Jesus, used as a personal name.
Jo-Anne f English
Combination of Jo and Anne 1.
João m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Iohannes (see John).
Johan m Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
Scandinavian and Dutch form of Iohannes (see John). A famous bearer was the Dutch soccer player Johan Cruyff (1947-2016).
John m English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Biblical
English form of Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name Ἰωάννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yoḥanan). It means "Yahweh is gracious", from the roots יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious". The Hebrew form occurs in the Old Testament (spelled Johanan or Jehohanan in the English version), but this name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who is considered the forerunner of Jesus. He baptized Jesus and was later executed by Herod Antipas. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth gospel and Revelation. With the apostles Peter and James (John's brother), he was part of the inner circle of Jesus.... [more]
Jonelle f English (Rare)
Feminine form of John.
Jonie f English
Diminutive of Joan 1.
Jordan m & f English, French, Macedonian, Serbian
From the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is יַרְדֵן (Yarḏen), and it is derived from יָרַד (yaraḏ) meaning "descend, flow down". In the New Testament John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.... [more]
Jordi m Catalan
Catalan form of George.
Jorge m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of George. A famous bearer was the Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986).
Juan 1 m Spanish, Manx
Spanish and Manx form of Iohannes (see John). Like other forms of John in Europe, this name has been extremely popular in Spain since the late Middle Ages.... [more]
Julian m English, Polish, German
From the Roman name Iulianus, which was derived from Julius. This was the name of the last pagan Roman emperor, Julian the Apostate (4th century). It was also borne by several early saints, including the legendary Saint Julian the Hospitaller. This name has been used in England since the Middle Ages, at which time it was also a feminine name (from Juliana, eventually becoming Gillian).
July f & m English (Rare)
From the name of the month, which was originally named for Julius Caesar.
Justo m Spanish
Spanish form of Justus.
Kaltrina f Albanian
Possibly from Albanian kaltër meaning "blue, azure".
Kamila f Czech, Slovak, Polish
Czech, Slovak and Polish form of Camilla.
Karim m Arabic, Persian, Tajik, Uzbek, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tatar
Means "generous, noble" in Arabic, from the root كرم (karuma) meaning "to be generous". In Islamic tradition الكريم (al-Karīm) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Kayleigh f English (Modern)
Variant of Kaylee. This particular spelling was popularized by a 1985 song by the British band Marillion.
Kazuo m Japanese
From Japanese (kazu) meaning "one" or (kazu) meaning "harmony, peace" combined with (o) meaning "male, man" or (o) meaning "husband, man". Other kanji combinations can also form this name.
Kealoha f & m Hawaiian
Means "the loved one" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and aloha "love".
Keane m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, a variant of Kane.
Keanu m & f Hawaiian
Means "the cool breeze" from Hawaiian ke, a definite article, and anu "coolness". This name is now associated with Canadian actor Keanu Reeves (1964-).
Ken 2 m Japanese
From Japanese (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" or other kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Kenji m Japanese
From Japanese (ken) meaning "healthy, strong" or (ken) meaning "study, sharpen" combined with (ji) meaning "two". This name can also be formed from other combinations of kanji characters.
Kevin m English, Irish, French (Modern), German (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Caoimhín meaning "beloved birth", derived from Old Irish Cóemgein, composed of cóem "dear, beloved, gentle" and gein "birth". Saint Caoimhín established a monastery in Glendalough, Ireland in the 6th century and is the patron saint of Dublin.... [more]
Khine f & m Burmese
Alternate transcription of Burmese ခိုင် (see Khaing).
Kingsley m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "king's wood" in Old English. This name may have received a minor boost in popularity after the release of the 2007 movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, featuring the character Kingsley Shacklebolt.
Klaas m Dutch, Low German
Dutch and Low German short form of Nicholas.
Leo m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, English, Croatian, Armenian, Late Roman
Derived from Latin leo meaning "lion", a cognate of Leon. It was popular among early Christians and was the name of 13 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), name spelled Лев in Russian, whose works include War and Peace and Anna Karenina. Leo is also a constellation and the fifth sign of the zodiac.
Leonarda f Italian
Feminine form of Leonardo.
Lev 1 m Russian
Means "lion" in Russian, functioning as a vernacular form of Leo. This was the real Russian name of both author Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) and revolutionary Leon Trotsky (1879-1940).
Levar m African American
Popularized by the American actor LeVar Burton (1957-) after he starred in the popular American miniseries Roots (1977). His birth name was Levardis, after his father, of unknown meaning. It can be spelled Levar or with a capitalized third letter as LeVar.
Lewin m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Leofwine.
Lionel m French, English, Arthurian Cycle
French diminutive of Léon. It appears in Arthurian legend in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle, belonging to a knight who was the brother of Sir Bors. A notable modern bearer is the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi (1987-).
Lorinda f English
Elaboration of Lori with the popular name suffix inda.
Lothar m German, Germanic
From the Germanic name Hlothar meaning "famous army", derived from the elements hlut "famous, loud" and heri "army". This was the name of medieval Frankish rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and France. It was also borne by four earlier Merovingian kings of the Franks, though their names are usually spelled as Chlothar.
Lovemore m Southern African
From the English words love and more. This name is most common in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in the south of Africa.
Lucas m English, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Greek Λουκᾶς (see Luke), as well as the form used in several other languages.... [more]
Luis m Spanish
Spanish form of Louis.
Luiz m Portuguese (Brazilian)
Brazilian Portuguese form of Louis.
Luka m Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian, Russian, Georgian, Old Church Slavic
Form of Lucas (see Luke) in several languages.
Madalyn f English
Variant of Madeline.
Madelina f English (Rare)
Latinate form of Madeline.
Manaia f & m Maori
From the name of a stylized design common in Maori carvings. It represents a mythological creature with the head of a bird and the body of a human.
Manuel m Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, French, Romanian, Late Greek (Latinized)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Emmanuel. In the spelling Μανουήλ (Manouel) it was also used in the Byzantine Empire, notably by two emperors. It is possible this form of the name was transmitted to Spain and Portugal from Byzantium, since there were connections between the royal families (king Ferdinand III of Castile married Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen, who had Byzantine roots, and had a son named Manuel). The name has been used in Iberia since at least the 13th century and was borne by two kings of Portugal.
Marc m French, Catalan, Welsh
French, Catalan and Welsh form of Marcus (see Mark). This name was borne by the Russian-French artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985).
Marcelo m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Marcellus.
Marco m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch
Italian form of Marcus (see Mark). During the Middle Ages this name was common in Venice, where Saint Mark was supposedly buried. A famous bearer was the Venetian explorer Marco Polo, who travelled across Asia to China in the 13th century.
Marek m Polish, Czech, Slovak, Estonian
Polish, Czech and Slovak form of Mark.
Marianela f Spanish
Combination of María and Estela.
Mariel f Spanish (Latin American), Spanish (Philippines), English (American)
Diminutive of Maria. In the case of the American actress Mariel Hemingway (1961-), the name was inspired by the Cuban town of Mariel.
Marinella f Italian
Diminutive of Marina.
Marinette f French
French diminutive of Marine.
Mario m Italian, Spanish, German, Croatian
Italian and Spanish form of Marius. Famous bearers include American racecar driver Mario Andretti (1940-) and Canadian hockey player Mario Lemieux (1965-). It is also borne by a Nintendo video game character, a moustached Italian plumber, who debuted as the playable hero of Donkey Kong in 1981. Spelled マリオ (Mario) in Japanese Katakana, he was reportedly named after Mario Segale (1934-2018), an American businessman who rented a warehouse to Nintendo.
Mathieu m French
French variant form of Matthew.
Mats m Swedish, Norwegian
Swedish and Norwegian short form of Matthias.
Maurine f English
Variant of Maureen.
Maximiliane f German
German feminine form of Maximilian.
Mayumi 2 f Tagalog
Means "tender, soft, modest" in Tagalog.
Méline f French
French form of Melina.
Melvyn m English
Variant of Melvin.
Mesut m Turkish
Turkish form of Masud.
Mia f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, Slovene, Croatian, English
Diminutive of Maria. It coincides with the Italian word mia meaning "mine".... [more]
Michel m French, German, Dutch
French form of Michael. Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), also known as Nostradamus, was a French astrologer who made predictions about future world events. Another famous bearer is the retired French soccer player Michel Platini (1955-). This is also the German diminutive form of Michael.
Mikel m Basque
Basque form of Michael.
Milda f Lithuanian, Latvian, Baltic Mythology
Meaning unknown. According to the 19th-century Polish-Lithuanian historian Teodor Narbutt, this was the name of a Lithuanian goddess of love.
Min 2 m & f Burmese
Means "king, ruler" in Burmese.
Modeste m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Modestus.
Monday m & f English (African)
From the English word for the day of the week, which was derived from Old English mona "moon" and dæg "day". This can be given to children born on Monday, especially in Nigeria.
Morgane f French
French, either a form of Morgan 2 or a feminine form of Morgan 1.
Nanda m & f Hinduism, Buddhism, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Nepali, Burmese, Hindi, Marathi
Means "joy" in Sanskrit. This is a transcription of both the masculine form नन्द and the feminine form नन्दा (spelled with a long final vowel).... [more]
Natisha f African American (Modern)
Variant of Natasha, probably modelled on Latisha.
Nemanja m Serbian
Possibly from Slavic ne maniti meaning "not deceiving, not luring, not attracting". Another theory states that it means "without possessions", derived from Serbo-Croatian nemati meaning "have not". This was the name of a 12th-century Serbian king, and the name of the dynasty he began.
Nereo m Italian, Spanish (Latin American)
Italian and Spanish form of Nereus.
Neymar m Portuguese (Brazilian, Rare)
Meaning unknown. A famous bearer is the Brazilian soccer player Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (1992-), who is usually known by just his first name. He was named after his father.
Nichelle f African American
Combination of Nicole and Michelle. This name spiked in popularity in the late 1960s when the actress Nichelle Nichols (1932-2022) portrayed Nyota Uhura on the Star Trek television series. Nichols was given the name Grace at birth but it was changed at a young age.
Nilda f Spanish, Portuguese
Short form of Brunilda.
Oleg m Russian, Georgian
Russian form of the Old Norse name Helgi (see Helge). The Varangians brought this name from Scandinavia to Eastern Europe: it was borne by a 9th-century Varangian ruler who conquered Kyiv and made it the capital of the state of Kievan Rus.
Olivier m French, Dutch, Carolingian Cycle
French and Dutch form of Oliver. This is also a French word meaning "olive tree".
Ophélie f French
French form of Ophelia.
Osborn m English
Derived from the Old English elements os "god" and beorn "warrior, man". During the Anglo-Saxon period there was also a Norse cognate Ásbjǫrn used in England, and after the Norman Conquest the Norman cognate Osbern was introduced. It was occasionally revived in the 19th century, in part from a surname that was derived from the given name.
Oscar m English, Irish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, Irish Mythology
Possibly means "deer friend", derived from Old Irish oss "deer" and carae "friend". Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name Osgar or its Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. In Irish legend Oscar was the son of the poet Oisín and the grandson of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.... [more]
Osvaldo m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Oswald.
Oswin m English (Rare)
From the Old English elements os "god" and wine "friend". Saint Oswin was a 7th-century king of Northumbria. After the Norman Conquest this name was used less, and it died out after the 14th century. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Paul m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Romanian, Biblical
From the Roman family name Paulus, which meant "small" or "humble" in Latin. Paul was an important leader of the early Christian church. According to Acts in the New Testament, he was a Jewish Roman citizen who converted to Christianity after the resurrected Jesus appeared to him. After this he travelled the eastern Mediterranean as a missionary. His original Hebrew name was Saul. Many of the epistles in the New Testament were authored by him.... [more]
Pedro m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese form of Peter. This was the name of the only two emperors of Brazil, reigning between 1822 and 1889.
Pepe m Spanish
Spanish diminutive of José.
Pernille f Danish, Norwegian
Danish and Norwegian short form of Petronilla.
Petr m Czech
Czech form of Peter.