Names Categorized "personifications"

Achlys f Greek Mythology
Means "mist, darkness" in Greek. According to a poem by Hesiod, she was one of the figures portrayed on the shield of Herakles. She is described as a wraithlike woman personifying death and sorrow.

África f Spanish
Spanish form of Africa 1. It is usually taken from the title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de África, the patron saint of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa.

Àfrica f Catalan
Catalan form of Africa 1.

Africa 1 f African American (Rare)
From the name of the continent, which is of Latin origin, possibly from the Afri people who lived near Carthage in North Africa. This rare name is used most often by African-American parents.

Africanus m Ancient Roman
Roman cognomen derived from the place name Africa, which in Roman times referred only to North Africa. This was the agnomen of the 3rd-century BC Roman general Scipio Africanus, who was honoured with it after his victory over Carthage in the Second Punic War. His descendants used it as a cognomen.

America f English
In the English-speaking world, this name is usually given in reference to the United States of America (see Amerigo). It came into use as an American name in the 19th century.

Ares m Greek Mythology
Perhaps from either Greek ἀρή (are) meaning "bane, ruin" or ἄρσην (arsen) meaning "male". The name first appears as a-re in Mycenaean Greek writing. Ares was the bloodthirsty god of war in Greek mythology, a son of Zeus and Hera.

Arete f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Means "virtue" in Greek. In Greek mythology Arete was the personification of virtue and excellence.

Asia 1 f English (Modern), Italian (Modern)
From the name of the continent, which is perhaps derived from Akkadian asu, meaning "east".

Athena f Greek Mythology, English
Meaning unknown. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare and the patron goddess of the city of Athens in Greece. It is likely that her name is derived from that of the city, not vice versa. The earliest mention of her seems to be a 15th-century BC Mycenaean Greek inscription from Knossos on Crete.... [more]

Britannia f English (Rare)
From the Latin name of the island of Britain, in occasional use as an English given name since the 18th century. This is also the name of the Roman female personification of Britain pictured on some British coins.

Brittany f English
From the name of the region of Brittany in the northwest of France, called in French Bretagne. It was named for the Britons who settled there after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the invasions of the Anglo-Saxons.... [more]

China f English (Modern)
From the name of the Asian country, ultimately derived from Qin, the name of a dynasty that ruled there in the 3rd century BC.

Chyna f English (Modern)
Variant of China.

Dagr m Old Norse
Old Norse form of Dag.

Dane m English
From an English surname that was either a variant of the surname Dean or else an ethnic name referring to a person from Denmark.

Eartha f English
Combination of the English word earth with the feminine name suffix a. It has been used in honour of African-American philanthropist Eartha M. M. White (1876-1974). Another famous bearer was American singer and actress Eartha Kitt (1927-2008).

Eirene f Greek Mythology, Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek form of Irene.

Elli 3 f Norse Mythology
Means "old age" in Old Norse. In the Prose Edda this is the name of an old woman (old age personified) who wrestles with and defeats the god Thor.

Elpis f Ancient Greek, Greek Mythology
Means "hope" in Greek. In Greek mythology Elpis was the personification of hope. She was the last spirit to remain in the jar after Pandora unleashed the evils that were in it.

Erebus m Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek Ἔρεβος (Erebos), which means "nether darkness". Erebus was the personification of the primordial darkness in Greek mythology.

Ériu f Irish Mythology
From the name of an Irish goddess, who according to legend gave her name to Ireland (which is called Éire in Irish). In reality, the goddess probably got her name from that of the island, which may mean something like "abundant land" in Old Irish.

Europe f Greek Mythology
Greek form of Europa.

Fátima f Portuguese, Spanish
From the name of a town in Portugal, which was derived from the Arabic feminine name Fatima, apparently after a Moorish princess who converted to Christianity during the Reconquista. The town became an important Christian pilgrimage center after 1917 when three local children reported witnessing repeated apparitions of the Virgin Mary.

Felicitas f Late Roman, Roman Mythology, German, Spanish
Latin name meaning "good luck, fortune". In Roman mythology the goddess Felicitas was the personification of good luck. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a slave martyred with her master Perpetua in Carthage.

Finn 2 m Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch, German
From the Old Norse name Finnr, which meant "Sámi, person from Finland".

Fortuna f Roman Mythology
Means "luck" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the personification of luck.

France 1 f French
From the name of the country, sometimes considered a feminine form of Frank or short form of Françoise, both of which are ultimately related to the name of the country.

Gaea f Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Gaia.

Gaia f Greek Mythology, Italian
From the Greek word γαῖα (gaia), a parallel form of γῆ (ge) meaning "earth". In Greek mythology Gaia was the mother goddess who presided over the earth. She was the mate of Uranus and the mother of the Titans and the Cyclopes.

Ganga f & m Hinduism, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Telugu
From Sanskrit गङ्गा (Gaṅgā), the name of the Ganges River, derived from गम् (gam) meaning "to go". In Hindu tradition this is a personification of the river, typically depicted as a fair-skinned goddess riding a sea creature. As a given name, it is used by males as well.

Gayatri f Hinduism, Marathi, Hindi
From Sanskrit गायत्र (gāyatra), which refers to a type of hymn or song with a particular meter, derived from गै (gai) meaning "to sing". The original hymm, also called the Savitri, is in the Rigveda and is a dedication to the sun god Savitr. As a goddess, Gayatri is a personification of this hymn. She is identified with Saraswati.

Hemera f Greek Mythology
Means "day" in Greek. This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified the daytime. According to Hesiod she was the daughter of Nyx, the personification of the night.

Hesperos m Ancient Greek
Means "evening" in Greek. This was the name of the personification of the Evening Star (the planet Venus) in Greek mythology.

Hypnos m Greek Mythology
Means "sleep" in Greek. In Greek myth this was the name of the personification of sleep, twin brother of Thanatos.

India f English, Spanish (Modern)
From the name of the country, which is itself derived from the name of the Indus River. The river's name is ultimately from Sanskrit सिन्धु (Sindhu) meaning "body of trembling water, river". India Wilkes is a character in the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) by Margaret Mitchell.

Irene f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, German, Dutch, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From Greek Εἰρήνη (Eirene), derived from a word meaning "peace". This was the name of the Greek goddess who personified peace, one of the Ὥραι (Horai). It was also borne by several early Christian saints. The name was common in the Byzantine Empire, notably being borne by an 8th-century empress, who was the first woman to lead the empire. She originally served as regent for her son, but later had him killed and ruled alone.... [more]

Israel m Jewish, English, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisraʾel) meaning "God contends", from the roots שָׂרָה (sara) meaning "to contend, to fight" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament, Israel (who was formerly named Jacob; see Genesis 32:28) wrestles with an angel. The ancient and modern states of Israel took their names from him.

Italia f Italian
From the Italian name of the country of Italy, Italia (see Italus).

Italus m Roman Mythology
Means "of Italy" in Latin. In Roman legend Italus was the father of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. He supposedly gave his name to the region known as Italia or Italy (in fact the region may have gotten its name from Oscan Víteliú meaning "land of bulls").

Kobe 2 m Various
From the name of the city in Japan. The parents of basketball player Kobe Bryant (1978-2020) chose this name after seeing Kobe beef (which is from the Japanese city) on a menu.

Kratos m Greek Mythology, Popular Culture
Means "power, strength" in Greek. In Greek mythology this is the name of one of the children of Styx and Pallas.... [more]

Kylie f English
This name arose in Australia, where it is said to mean "boomerang" in the Australian Aboriginal language Nyungar. An early bearer was the author Kylie Tennant (1912-1988). It was among the most popular names in Australia in the 1970s and early 80s. It can also be considered a feminine form of Kyle, or a combination of the popular sounds ky and lee, and it is likely in those capacities that it began to be used in America in the late 1970s. A famous bearer is the Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue (1968-).

Ler m Irish Mythology
Means "the sea" in Old Irish. Ler was probably an Irish god or personification of the sea, best known as the father of Manannán mac Lir.

London f & m English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of the United Kingdom, the meaning of which is uncertain. As a surname it was borne by the American author Jack London (1876-1916).

Lorraine f English
From the name of a region in eastern France, originally meaning "kingdom of Lothar". Lothar was a Frankish king, the great-grandson of Charlemagne, whose realm was in the part of France that is now called Lorraine, or in German Lothringen (from Latin Lothari regnum). As a given name, it has been used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, perhaps due to its similar sound with Laura. It became popular after World War I when the region was in the news, as it was contested between Germany and France.

Maat f Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian mꜣꜥt meaning "truth, virtue, justice". Maat (or Ma'at) was the Egyptian goddess who personified truth and balance. She was the consort of Thoth.

Mars m Roman Mythology
Possibly related to Latin mas meaning "male" (genitive maris). In Roman mythology Mars was the god of war, often equated with the Greek god Ares. This is also the name of the fourth planet in the solar system.

Moira f Irish, Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Máire. It also coincides with Greek Μοῖρα (Moira) meaning "fate, destiny", the singular of Μοῖραι, the Greek name for the Fates. They were the three female personifications of destiny in Greek mythology.

Nemesis f Greek Mythology
Means "distribution of what is due, righteous anger" in Greek. In Greek mythology Nemesis was the personification of vengeance and justice.

Norwood m English
From a surname that was originally taken from a place name meaning "north wood" in Old English.

Nu m Egyptian Mythology
From Egyptian nnw meaning "primeval water". In Egyptian mythology this was the name of the god who personified the primeval waters from which the earth was born.

Okeanos m Greek Mythology
From the name of the river or body of water thought by the ancient Greeks to surround the Earth. In Greek mythology Okeanos was the Titan who personified this body of water.

Paris 2 f Various
From the name of the capital city of France, which got its name from the Gaulish tribe known as the Parisii. In America the popularity of this name spiked up and then down between 2003 and 2006, around the time that the television personality and socialite Paris Hilton (1981-) was at the height of her fame.

Pheme f Greek Mythology
Means "rumour, reputation" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the personification of fame and rumours.

Philippine f French
Elaborated feminine form of Philippe.

Philophrosyne f Greek Mythology
Means "friendliness, kindliness" in Greek, a derivative of φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and φρήν (phren) meaning "mind, heart". In Greek mythology this was the name of the personification of welcome and friendliness.

Pistis f Greek Mythology
Means "trust, faith" in Greek. In Greek mythology Pistis was the personification of trust.

Prithvi m & f Hindi, Nepali, Hinduism
From Sanskrit पृथ्वी (pṛthvī) meaning "earth", derived from पृथु (pṛthu) meaning "wide, vast". This is the name of a Hindu goddess, a personification of the earth in the Rigveda. She is the consort of the sky god Dyaus. When used as a given name in modern times it is typically masculine.

Rhonwen f Welsh
Welsh form of Rowena, appearing in medieval Welsh poems and stories as a personification of the English people.

Rio 1 m & f Various
Means "river" in Spanish or Portuguese. A city in Brazil bears this name. Its full name is Rio de Janeiro, which means "river of January", so named because the first explorers came to the harbour in January and mistakenly thought it was a river mouth.

Roma 2 f Various
From the name of the Italian city, commonly called Rome in English.

Sofia f Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Finnish, Estonian, Slovak, Romanian, English, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian
Form of Sophia used in various languages.

Soma 2 m & f Hinduism, Bengali, Hindi
From Sanskrit सोम (soma), the name of a ritual drink appearing in the Vedas. It is probably derived from an Indo-Iranian root meaning "to press out, to extract". As a Vedic god, Soma is a personification of this drink. He is sometimes equated with the moon god Chandra.... [more]

Spes f Roman Mythology
Means "hope" in Latin. In Roman mythology this was the name of the personification of hope.

Svea f Swedish
From a personification of the country of Sweden, in use since the 17th century. It is a derivative of Svear, the Swedish name for the North Germanic tribe the Swedes. The Swedish name of the country of Sweden is Sverige, a newer form of Svear rike meaning "the realm of the Svear".

Sydney f & m English
From a surname that was a variant of the surname Sidney. This is the name of the largest city in Australia, which was named for Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney in 1788. Formerly used by both genders, since the 1980s this spelling of the name has been mostly feminine.

Tariq m Arabic, Urdu
Means "visitor, knocker at the door" in Arabic, from طرق (ṭaraqa) meaning "to knock". This is the Arabic name of the morning star. Tariq ibn Ziyad was the Islamic general who conquered Spain for the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century.

Terra f English
Variant of Tara 1, perhaps influenced by the Latin word terra meaning "land, earth".

Thalassa f Greek Mythology
Means "sea" in Greek. In Greek mythology she was the personification of the sea. A small moon of Neptune is named for her.

Tiamat f Semitic Mythology
From Akkadian tâmtu meaning "sea". In Babylonian myth Tiamat was the personification of the sea, appearing in the form of a huge dragon. By Apsu she gave birth to the first of the gods. Later, the god Marduk (her great-grandson) defeated her, cut her in half, and used the pieces of her body to make the earth and the sky.

Tierra f Various
Means "earth" in Spanish.

Troy m English
Originally from a surname that denoted a person from the city of Troyes in France. It is now more likely used in reference to the ancient city of Troy that was besieged by the Greeks in Homer's Iliad. The city's name, from Greek Τροία (Troia), is said to derive from its mythical founder Τρώς (Tros), but is more likely of Luwian or Hittite origin. This name was popularized in the 1960s by the actor Troy Donahue (1936-2001), who took his stage name from that of the ancient city.

Ural m Bashkir, Turkish
From the name of the Ural Mountains, of uncertain meaning, possibly from Turkic aral meaning "island, boundary". This is the name of the title character in the Bashkir epic Ural-batyr.

Valencia f Various
From the name of cities in Spain and Venezuela, both derived from Latin valentia meaning "strength, vigour".

Vasant m Marathi, Gujarati
Modern form of Vasanta.

Vasanta m Hinduism
Means "spring" in Sanskrit. This is the name of a Hindu personification of the springtime.

Veritas f Roman Mythology
Means "truth" in Latin, a derivative of verus "true". The Roman goddess Veritas was the personification of truth.

Yamato m Japanese
From Yamato, an ancient name for Japan. It can also refer to the Yamato period in Japanese history, which lasted into the 8th century. The individual kanji are 大 meaning "great" and 和 meaning "harmony".