American Names

American names are used in the United States. See also about American names.
gender
usage
Skylar f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Skyler. Originally more common for boys during the 1980s, it was popularized as a name for girls after it was used on the American soap opera The Young and the Restless in 1989 and the movie Good Will Hunting in 1997. Its sharp rise in the United States in 2011 might be attributed to the character Skyler White from the television series Breaking Bad (2008-2013) or the singer Skylar Grey (1986-), who adopted this name in 2010 after previously going by Holly Brook.
Skyler m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Schuyler, based on the pronunciation of the surname but respelled as if it was a blend of the English word sky with names such as Tyler. It was rare before 1980, and first gained popularity as a name for boys. It is now more common for girls, though it is more evenly unisex than the mostly feminine variant Skylar.
Skylynn f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Sky using the popular name suffix lyn.
Slade m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from Old English slæd meaning "valley".
Sloan f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Sloane.
Sloane f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Sluaghadháin, itself derived from the given name Sluaghadhán.
Sly m English
Short form of Sylvester. The actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-) is a well-known bearer of this nickname.
Smith m English
From an English surname meaning "metal worker, blacksmith", derived from Old English smitan "to smite, to hit". It is the most common surname in most of the English-speaking world.
Snow f English (Rare)
From the English word, derived from Old English snāw.
Solomon m Biblical, English, Jewish, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name שְׁלֹמֹה (Shelomo), which was derived from שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". As told in the Old Testament, Solomon was a king of Israel, the son of David and Bathsheba. He was renowned for his wisdom and wealth. Towards the end of his reign he angered God by turning to idolatry. Supposedly, he was the author of the Book of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon.... [more]
Sommer f English (Modern)
Variant of Summer, coinciding with the German word for summer.
Sondra f English
Variant of Sandra. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by a character in Theodore Dreiser's novel An American Tragedy (1925) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1931).
Sonny m English
From a nickname that is commonly used to denote a young boy, derived from the English word son.
Sonya f Russian, English
Russian diminutive of Sophia. This is the name of a character in Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace (1869, English translation 1886).
Sookie f English
Diminutive of Susanna or Susan.
Sophia f English, Greek, German, Ancient Greek
Means "wisdom" in Greek. This was the name of an early, probably mythical, saint who died of grief after her three daughters were martyred during the reign of the emperor Hadrian. Legends about her probably arose as a result of a medieval misunderstanding of the phrase Hagia Sophia "Holy Wisdom", which is the name of a large basilica in Constantinople.... [more]
Sophie f French, English, German, Dutch
French form of Sophia.
Sophy f English (Rare)
Variant of Sophie or a diminutive of Sophia.
Soren m English (Modern)
English form of Søren.
Sorrel f English (Rare)
From the name of the sour tasting plant, derived from Old French sur "sour", a word of Frankish origin.
Sparrow m & f English (Rare)
From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English spearwa.
Spencer m English
From an English surname that meant "dispenser of provisions", derived from Middle English spense "larder, pantry". A famous bearer was American actor Spencer Tracy (1900-1967). It was also the surname of Princess Diana (1961-1997).
Spike m English
From a nickname that may have originally been given to a person with spiky hair.
Spirit f English (Rare)
From the English word spirit, ultimately from Latin spiritus "breath, energy", a derivative of spirare "to blow".
Spring f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English springan "to leap, to burst forth".
Stace m & f Medieval English, English
Medieval short form of Eustace. As a modern name it is typically a short form of Stacy.
Stacee f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Stacy.
Stacey f & m English
Variant of Stacy.
Staci f English
Feminine variant of Stacy.
Stacia f English
Short form of Anastasia or Eustacia.
Stacie f English
Feminine variant of Stacy.
Stacy f & m English
As a feminine name it is commonly considered a diminutive of Anastasia, though it was originally used independently of that name, which was rare in America in the 1950s when Stacy began becoming popular. It had earlier been in use as an uncommon masculine name, borrowed from the surname Stacy or Stacey (derived from Stace, a medieval form of Eustace).
Stafford m English
From a surname that was from a place name meaning "landing-place ford" in Old English.
Stan 1 m English
Short form of Stanley. A famous bearer was British comedian Stan Laurel (1890-1965).
Stanford m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "stone ford" in Old English.
Stanley m English
From an English surname meaning "stone clearing" (Old English stan "stone" and leah "woodland, clearing"). A notable bearer of the surname was the British-American explorer and journalist Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904), the man who found David Livingstone in Africa. As a given name, it was borne by American director Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999), as well as the character Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947).
Star f English
From the English word for the celestial body, ultimately from Old English steorra.
Starla f English
Elaborated form of Star.
Starr f English
Variant of Star.
Ste m English
Short form of Stephen.
Stefani f English, Bulgarian
English variant and Bulgarian form of Stephanie. A notable bearer is Stefani Germanotta (1986-), an American singer better known as Lady Gaga.
Stella 1 f English, Italian, Dutch, German
Means "star" in Latin. This name was created by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney for the subject of his collection of sonnets Astrophel and Stella. It was a nickname of a lover of Jonathan Swift, real name Esther Johnson (1681-1728), though it was not commonly used as a given name until the 19th century. It appears in Tennessee Williams' play A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), belonging to the sister of Blanche DuBois and the wife of Stanley Kowalski.
Steph f & m English
Short form of Stephanie or Stephen.
Stephania f English
Latinate feminine form of Stephen.
Stephanie f English, German
Feminine form of Stephen.
Stephen m English, Biblical
From the Greek name Στέφανος (Stephanos) meaning "crown, wreath", more precisely "that which surrounds". Saint Stephen was a deacon who was stoned to death, as told in Acts in the New Testament. He is regarded as the first Christian martyr. Due to him, the name became common in the Christian world. It was popularized in England by the Normans.... [more]
Sterling m English
From a Scots surname that was derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning. The name can also be given in reference to the English word sterling meaning "excellent". In this case, the word derives from sterling silver, which was so named because of the emblem that some Norman coins bore, from Old English meaning "little star".
Stetson m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from the name of the village of Stidston in Devon, meaning "Stithweard's town". This is a type of wide-brimmed hat, originally made by the John B. Stetson Company.
Steve m English
Short form of Steven. A notable bearer was American technology entrepreneur Steve Jobs (1955-2011).
Steven m English, Dutch
Medieval English variant of Stephen, and a Dutch variant of Stefan. The filmmaker Steven Spielberg (1946-), director of E.T. and Indiana Jones, is a famous bearer of this name.
Stevie m & f English
Diminutive of Stephen or Stephanie. A famous bearer is the American musician Stevie Wonder (1950-).
Stew m English
Short form of Stewart.
Stewart m English, Scottish
From a surname that was a variant Stuart.
Stirling m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant Sterling. This is the name of a city in Scotland.
Stone m English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English stan.
Storm m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern), Danish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern)
From the vocabulary word, ultimately from Old English or Old Dutch storm, or in the case of the Scandinavian name, from Old Norse stormr. It is unisex as an English name, but typically masculine elsewhere.
Stormy f English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "stormy, wild, turbulent", ultimately from Old English stormig.
Stu m English
Short form of Stuart.
Stuart m English, Scottish
From a Scottish occupational surname originally belonging to a person who was a steward. It is ultimately derived from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". As a given name, it arose in 19th-century Scotland in honour of the Stuart royal family, which produced several kings and queens of Scotland and Britain between the 14th and 18th centuries.
Sue f English
Short form of Susanna.
Suellen f English
Contraction of Susan and Ellen 1. Margaret Mitchell used this name in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936), where it belongs to Scarlett's sister.
Suki f English
Diminutive of Susanna or Susan.
Sukie f English
Diminutive of Susanna or Susan.
Sullivan m English, French
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Súileabháin, itself from the given name Súileabhán, which was derived from Irish súil "eye" and dubh "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name has achieved a moderate level of popularity in France since the 1970s. In the United States it was rare before the 1990s, after which it began climbing steadily. A famous fictional bearer of the surname was James P. Sullivan from the animated movie Monsters, Inc. (2001).
Sully m English
Diminutive of Sullivan and other names with a similar sound.
Summer f English
From the name of the season, ultimately from Old English sumor. It has been in use as a given name since the 1970s.
Sunday m & f English
From the name of the day of the week, which ultimately derives from Old English sunnandæg, which was composed of the elements sunne "sun" and dæg "day". This name is most common in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.
Sunny f & m English
From the English word meaning "sunny, cheerful".
Sunshine f English
From the English word, ultimately from Old English sunne "sun" and scinan "shine".
Susan f English
English variant of Susanna. This has been most common spelling since the 18th century. It was especially popular both in the United States and the United Kingdom from the 1940s to the 1960s. A notable bearer was the American feminist Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906).
Susanna f Italian, Catalan, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, English, Armenian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Church Slavic
From Σουσάννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshanna). This was derived from the Hebrew word שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to Jesus.... [more]
Susanne f German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, English
German and Scandinavian form of Susanna.
Susie f English
Diminutive of Susan.
Sutton f & m English (Modern)
From a surname, itself derived from the name of numerous English towns, of Old English origin meaning "south town".
Suz f English
Short form of Susan.
Suzan 1 f English
Variant of Susan.
Suzanna f English
Variant of Susanna.
Suzanne f French, English, Dutch
French form of Susanna.
Suzi f English
Diminutive of Susan.
Suzie f English
Diminutive of Susan.
Suzy f English
Diminutive of Susan.
Sybil f English
Variant of Sibyl. This spelling variation has existed since the Middle Ages.
Syd m & f English
Short form of Sydney.
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.
Sylas m English (Modern), Biblical Polish
Variant of Silas, as well as the form found in the Polish New Testament.
Sylvan m English
Either a variant of Silvanus or directly from the Latin word silva meaning "wood, forest".
Sylvester m English, German, Danish
Medieval variant of Silvester. This is currently the usual English spelling of the name. A famous bearer is the American actor Sylvester Stallone (1946-).
Sylvia f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Variant of Silvia. This has been the most common English spelling since the 19th century.
Symphony f English (Rare)
Simply from the English word, ultimately deriving from Greek σύμφωνος (symphonos) meaning "concordant in sound".
Tabatha f English
Variant of Tabitha.
Tabby f English
Diminutive of Tabitha.
Tabitha f English, Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means "gazelle" in Aramaic. Tabitha in the New Testament was a woman restored to life by Saint Peter. Her name is translated into Greek as Dorcas (see Acts 9:36). As an English name, Tabitha became common after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 1960s by the television show Bewitched, in which Tabitha (sometimes spelled Tabatha) is the daughter of the main character.
Tacey f English (Archaic)
Derived from Latin tace meaning "be silent". It was in use from the 16th century, though it died out two centuries later.
Tad m English
Short form of Thaddeus.
Tajuana f African American
Combination of the prefix ta and the name Juana.
Talbot m English (Rare)
From an English surname, of Norman origin, possibly derived from an unattested Germanic given name composed of the elements dala "to destroy" and bod "message".
Talisha f African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular name prefix ta and Lisha.
Tallulah f English (Rare)
This is the name of waterfalls in Georgia. Popularly claimed to mean "leaping waters" in the Choctaw language, it may actually mean "town" in the Creek language. It was borne by American actress Tallulah Bankhead (1902-1968), who was named after her grandmother, who may have been named after the waterfalls.
Talon m English (Modern)
From the English word meaning "talon, claw", ultimately derived (via Norman French) from Latin talus "anklebone".
Tamara f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Hungarian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Lithuanian, Georgian
Russian form of Tamar. Russian performers such as Tamara Karsavina (1885-1978), Tamara Drasin (1905-1943), Tamara Geva (1907-1997) and Tamara Toumanova (1919-1996) introduced it to the English-speaking world. It rapidly grew in popularity in the United States starting in 1957. Another famous bearer was the Polish cubist painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980).
Tameka f English
Variant of Tamika.
Tamela f English
Probably a blend of Tamara and Pamela. It first arose in the 1950s.
Tamera f English
Variant of Tamara.
Tami f English
Variant of Tammy.
Tamia f African American (Modern)
An invented name, using the initial sound found in names such as Tamika. It was popularized by the Canadian singer Tamia Hill (1975-), who is known simply as Tamia.
Tamika f English
Variant of Tamiko, inspired by the American jazz singer Tamiko Jones (1945-) or the American movie A Girl Named Tamiko (1963).
Tammi f English
Variant of Tammy.
Tammie f English
Variant of Tammy.
Tammy f English
Short form of Tamara and other names beginning with Tam.
Tamra f English
Contracted form of Tamara.
Tanika f African American (Modern)
Invented name, probably modelled on the sounds found in other names like Tamika, Tanisha and Tanya.
Taniqua f African American (Rare)
Combination of the popular phonetic elements ta, nee and qua.
Tanisha f African American
Popularized by the African-American actress Ta-Tanisha (1953-), born Shirley Cummings. The name spiked in popularity in the early 1970s, when she was featured on the television series Room 222. She apparently took her stage name from Swahili tatanisha meaning "puzzle, tangle, confuse". The name probably resonated with parents because of its similarity to other names such as Tamika and Natasha.
Taniya f African American (Modern)
An invented name, based on the sounds of names such as Tanisha and Shania.
Tanner m English
From an English surname meaning "one who tans hides".
Tansy f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, which is derived via Old French from Late Latin tanacita.
Tanya f Russian, Bulgarian, English
Russian diminutive of Tatiana. It began to be used in the English-speaking world during the 1930s.
Tara 1 f English
Anglicized form of the Irish place name Teamhair, which possibly means "elevated place". This was the name of the sacred hill near Dublin where the Irish high kings resided. It was popularized as a given name by the novel Gone with the Wind (1936) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1939), in which it is the name of the O'Hara plantation.
Tarina f English (Rare)
Perhaps an elaborated form of Tara 1.
Taryn f English
Probably a feminine form of Tyrone. Actors Tyrone Power and Linda Christian created it for their daughter Taryn Power (1953-).
Tasha f Russian, English
Short form of Natasha.
Tate m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Tata.
Tatiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, French, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, Georgian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman name Tatianus, a derivative of the Roman name Tatius. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Rome under the emperor Alexander Severus. She was especially venerated in Orthodox Christianity, and the name has been common in Russia (as Татьяна) and Eastern Europe. It was not regularly used in the English-speaking world until the 1980s.
Tatton m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Tata's town" in Old English.
Tatum f & m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "Tata's homestead" in Old English. It was brought to public attention by the child actress Tatum O'Neal (1963-) in the 1970s, though it did not catch on. It attained a modest level of popularity after 1996, when it was borne by a character in the movie Scream.
Tavon m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements ta or tay with von.
Tawny f English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately deriving from Old French tané, which means "light brown".
Tawnya f English
Variant of Tonya.
Tayla f English (Modern)
Probably a feminine form of Taylor influenced by similar-sounding names such as Kayla.
Tayler f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Taylor.
Taylor m & f English
From an English surname that originally denoted someone who was a tailor, from Norman French tailleur, ultimately from Latin taliare "to cut".... [more]
Teagan f English (Modern)
Variant of Tegan. It also coincides with a rare Irish surname Teagan. This name rose on the American popularity charts in the 1990s, probably because of its similarity to names like Megan and Reagan.
Teal f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of duck or the greenish-blue colour.
Ted m English
Short form of Edward or Theodore. A famous bearer was the American baseball player Ted Williams (1918-2002), who was born as Theodore.
Teddie m & f English
Diminutive of Edward or Theodore, sometimes a feminine form.
Teddy m English
Diminutive of Edward or Theodore.
Tegan f Welsh, English (Modern)
Means "darling" in Welsh, derived from a diminutive of Welsh teg "beautiful, pretty". It was somewhat common in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Canada in the 1980s and 90s. It was borne by an Australian character on the television series Doctor Who from 1981 to 1984.
Temperance f English
From the English word meaning "moderation" or "restraint". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century. It experienced a modest revival in the United States during the run of the television series Bones (2005-2017), in which the main character bears this name.
Tempest f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "storm". It appears in the title of William Shakespeare's play The Tempest (1611).
Temple m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who was associated with the Knights Templar, a medieval religious military order.
Tenley f English (Modern)
From an English surname, itself possibly from a place name derived from Old English tind "point" and leah "woodland, clearing". This name was popularized in 2010 by a contestant on the reality television series The Bachelor.
Tennyson m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "son of Tenney", Tenney being a medieval form of Denis. A notable bearer of the surname was the British poet Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892), commonly called Lord Tennyson after he became a baron in 1884.
Tera f English
Variant of Tara 1.
Terance m English
Variant of Terence.
Terence m English
From the Roman family name Terentius, which is of unknown meaning. Famous bearers include Publius Terentius Afer, a Roman playwright, and Marcus Terentius Varro, a Roman scholar. It was also borne by several early saints. The name was used in Ireland as an Anglicized form of Toirdhealbhach, but it was not found as an English name until the late 19th century. It attained only a moderate level of popularity in the 20th century, though it has been common as an African-American name especially since the 1970s.
Teresa f Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Catalan, Polish, Lithuanian, Finnish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
Form of Theresa used in several languages. Saint Teresa of Ávila was a 16th-century Spanish nun who reformed the Carmelite monasteries and wrote several spiritual books. It was also borne by the Albanian missionary Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), better known as Mother Teresa, who worked with the poor in India. She adopted the name in honour of the French saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the patron of missionaries.
Teri f English
Either a feminine variant of Terry 1 or a diminutive of Theresa.
Terra f English
Variant of Tara 1, perhaps influenced by the Latin word terra meaning "land, earth".
Terrance m English
Variant of Terence.
Terrell m English, African American
From an English surname that was probably derived from the Norman French nickname tirel "to pull", referring to a stubborn person. It may sometimes be given in honour of civil rights activist Mary Church Terrell (1863-1954). It was common in the African-American community from the 1970s to the 1990s, typically stressed on the second syllable. A famous bearer is American football player Terrell Owens (1973-).
Terrence m English
Variant of Terence.
Terri f English
Either a feminine variant of Terry 1 or a diminutive of Theresa.
Terrie f English
Either a feminine variant of Terry 1 or a diminutive of Theresa.
Terry 1 m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval name Thierry, a Norman French form of Theodoric.
Terry 2 m & f English
Diminutive of Terence or Theresa. A famous bearer was Terry Fox (1958-1981), a young man with an artificial leg who attempted to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He died of the disease before crossing the country.
Tess f English, Dutch
Short form of Theresa. This is the name of the main character in Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891).
Tessa f English, Dutch
Contracted form of Theresa.
Tessie f English
Diminutive of Theresa.
Tevin m English (Modern)
Invented name, probably inspired by Kevin and Devin. This name was popularized by the American singer Tevin Campbell (1976-).
Tex m English
From a nickname denoting a person who came from the state of Texas. A famous bearer was the American animator Tex Avery (1908-1980), real name Frederick, who was born in Texas.
Thad m English
Short form of Thaddeus.
Thaddeus m English, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name תַדַּי (Ṯaddai). It is possibly derived from Aramaic תַּד (taḏ) meaning "heart, breast", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as Θεόδωρος (see Theodore). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.
Thane m English (Rare)
From the Scottish and English noble title, which was originally from Old English thegn.
Thankful f English (Archaic)
From the English word thankful. This was one of the many virtue names used by the Puritans in the 17th century.
Thatcher m English (Modern)
From an English surname that referred to a person who thatched roofs by attaching straw to them, derived from Old English þæc "thatch". The surname was borne by British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).
Thea f German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English
Short form of Dorothea, Theodora, Theresa and other names with a similar sound.
Thelma f English
Meaning unknown. It was a rare name when British author Marie Corelli used it for the Norwegian heroine of her novel Thelma (1887). The name became popular around the end of the 19th century after the novel was published. It is sometimes claimed to derive from Greek θέλημα (thelema) meaning "will", though this seems unlikely.
Theo m English, German, Dutch
Short form of Theodore, Theobald and other names that begin with Theo.
Theobald m English (Rare), Germanic
Means "bold people", derived from the Old German elements theod meaning "people" (Old High German diota, Old Frankish þeoda) and bald meaning "bold, brave". It was borne by a 6th-century Frankish king of Austrasia. The Normans brought the name to England, where it joined an existing Old English cognate. The medieval forms Tibald and Tebald were commonly Latinized as Theobaldus. It was rare by the 20th century.
Theodora f English, Greek, Ancient Greek
Feminine form of Theodore. This name was common in the Byzantine Empire, being borne by several empresses including the influential wife of Justinian in the 6th century.
Theodore m English
From the Greek name Θεόδωρος (Theodoros), which meant "gift of god" from Greek θεός (theos) meaning "god" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". The name Dorothea is derived from the same roots in reverse order. This was the name of several saints, including Theodore of Amasea, a 4th-century Greek soldier; Theodore of Tarsus, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury; and Theodore the Studite, a 9th-century Byzantine monk. It was also borne by two popes.... [more]
Theresa f English, German
From the Spanish and Portuguese name Teresa. It was first recorded as Therasia, being borne by the Spanish wife of Saint Paulinus of Nola in the 4th century. The meaning is uncertain, but it could be derived from Greek θέρος (theros) meaning "summer", from Greek θερίζω (therizo) meaning "to harvest", or from the name of the Greek island of Therasia (the western island of Santorini).... [more]
Therese f German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
German and Scandinavian variant of Theresa.
Thom m English
Short form of Thomas.
Thomas m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Greek form of the Aramaic name תְּאוֹמָא (Teʾoma) meaning "twin". In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle. When he heard that Jesus had risen from the dead he initially doubted the story, until Jesus appeared before him and he examined his wounds himself. According to tradition he was martyred in India. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world.... [more]
Thomasina f English
Medieval feminine form of Thomas.
Thorburn m English (Rare)
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from the Norse name Þórbjǫrn (see Torbjörn).
Thorley m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "thorn clearing" in Old English.
Thornton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "thorn town" in Old English.
Thurstan m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the Norse name Þórsteinn (see Torsten).
Tia f English
Short form of names ending with tia. It has been suggested that its use since the 1950s is the result of the brand name for the coffee liqueur Tia Maria. In the brand name, Tia is not a given name; rather, it means "aunt" in Spanish or Portuguese.
Tiana f English
Short form of Tatiana or Christiana. It was rare in the United States until it jumped in popularity in 1975, perhaps due to the Vietnamese-American actress Tiana Alexandra (1956-), who had some exposure at that time. It was used as the name of the princess in the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog (2009).
Tiara f English (Modern)
From the English word for a semicircle crown, ultimately of Greek origin.
Tibby f & m English
Diminutive of Tabitha or Theobald.
Tiffani f English
Variant of Tiffany.
Tiffany f English
Medieval form of Theophania. This name was traditionally given to girls born on the Epiphany (January 6), the festival commemorating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. The name died out after the Middle Ages, but it was revived by the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), the title of which refers to the Tiffany's jewelry store in New York.
Tiger m English (Rare)
From the name of the large striped cat, derived (via Old French and Latin) from Greek τίγρις (tigris), ultimately of Iranian origin. A famous bearer is American golfer Tiger Woods (1975-).
Tigerlily f English (Rare)
From tiger lily, a name that has been applied to several orange varieties of lily (such as the species Lilium lancifolium). Tiger Lily is also the name of the Native American princess in J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan (1904).
Tilda f English, Swedish, Finnish
Short form of Matilda.
Tillie f English
Diminutive of Matilda.
Tilly f English
Diminutive of Matilda.
Tim m English, German, Dutch, Slovene, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
Short form of Timothy or (in Germany) Dietmar. It is borne by the fictional character Tiny Tim, the ill son of Bob Cratchit in Charles Dickens' novel A Christmas Carol (1843).
Timmy m English
Diminutive of Timothy.
Timotha f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Timothy.
Timothy m English, Biblical
English form of the Greek name Τιμόθεος (Timotheos) meaning "honouring God", derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour" and θεός (theos) meaning "god". Saint Timothy was a companion of Paul on his missionary journeys and was the recipient of two of Paul's epistles that appear in the New Testament. He was of both Jewish and Greek ancestry. According to tradition, he was martyred at Ephesus after protesting the worship of Artemis. As an English name, Timothy was not used until after the Protestant Reformation.
Tina f English, Italian, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Slovene, Croatian, Macedonian, Georgian
Short form of Christina, Martina and other names ending in tina. In addition to these names, it is also used in Dutch as a short form of Catharina, in Swedish and Croatian as a short form of Katarina, and in Georgian as a short form of Tinatin. A famous bearer is the American musician Tina Turner (1939-2023), born Anna Mae Bullock.
Titty f English
Diminutive of Letitia. This is now a slang word for the female breast, and the name has subsequently dropped out of common use.
Titus m Ancient Roman, English, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin
Roman praenomen, or given name, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to Latin titulus "title of honour". It is more likely of Oscan origin, since it was borne by the legendary Sabine king Titus Tatius.... [more]
Tobias m Biblical, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, English, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Greek form of Tobiah. This is the name of the hero of the apocryphal Book of Tobit, which appears in many English versions of the Old Testament. It relates how Tobit's son Tobias, with the help of the angel Raphael, is able to drive away a demon who has plagued Sarah, who subsequently becomes his wife. This story was popular in the Middle Ages, and the name came into occasional use in parts of Europe at that time. In England it became common after the Protestant Reformation.
Tobin m English
From an English surname that was itself derived from the given name Tobias.
Toby m & f English
Medieval form of Tobias. It was sometimes used as a feminine name in the 1930s and 40s due to the influence of American actress Toby Wing (1915-2001).
Toccara f African American (Modern)
From the name of a 1981 Avon perfume, derived from the Italian verb toccare "to touch".
Tod m English
Variant of Todd.
Todd m English
From an English surname meaning "fox", derived from Middle English todde. As a given name it was rare before 1930. It peaked in popularity in most parts of the English-speaking world in the 1960s or 70s, but it has since declined.
Tom 1 m English, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish
Short form of Thomas. Tom Sawyer is the main character in several of Mark Twain's novels, first appearing in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). Other famous bearers include American actors Tom Hanks (1956-) and Tom Cruise (1962-), as well as American football player Tom Brady (1977-).
Tommie m & f English
Diminutive of Thomas, sometimes used as a feminine form.
Tommy m English
Diminutive of Thomas.
Toni 2 f English
Short form of Antonia and other related names.
Tonia f English
Variant of Tonya.
Tony m English
Short form of Anthony. Famous bearers include singer Tony Bennett (1926-2023) and skateboarder Tony Hawk (1968-). It is also the real name of the comic book superhero Iron Man (Tony Stark), created 1963, and two antihero criminal characters: Tony Montana from the movie Scarface (1983) and Tony Soprano from the television series The Sopranos (1999-2007).
Tonya f English, Russian
English diminutive of Antonia or a Russian diminutive of Antonina. In the English-speaking world its use has likely been positively influenced by the name Tanya.
Topaz f English (Rare)
From the English word for the yellow precious stone, the traditional birthstone of November, ultimately derived from Greek τόπαζος (topazos).
Topher m English
Short form of Christopher.
Topsy f English (Rare)
From a nickname that is of unknown meaning, perhaps deriving from the English word top. This is the name of a young slave in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852).
Tori f English
Diminutive of Victoria.
Toria f English
Short form of Victoria.
Torin m English (Modern)
Meaning unknown. It has been suggested that it is of Irish origin, though no suitable derivation can be found.
Tory m & f English
Diminutive of Salvatore, Victoria, and other names containing the same sound.
Tottie f English
Diminutive of Charlotte.
Totty f English
Diminutive of Charlotte.
Toya f American (Hispanic)
Diminutive of Victoria or Custodia used among Hispanic Americans.
Trace m English
Short form of Tracy.
Tracee f English
Feminine variant of Tracy.
Tracey f & m English
Variant of Tracy.
Traci f English
Feminine variant of Tracy.
Tracie f English
Feminine variant of Tracy.
Tracy f & m English
From an English surname that was taken from a Norman French place name meaning "domain belonging to Thracius". Charles Dickens used it for a male character in his novel The Pickwick Papers (1837). It was later popularized as a feminine name by the main character Tracy Lord in the movie The Philadelphia Story (1940). This name is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Theresa.
Trafford m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "fish-trap ford" in Old English.
Tranter m English (Rare)
From a surname meaning "wagoner" in Old English.
Travers m English (Rare)
From the surname Travers.
Travis m English
From the English surname Travis (a variant of Travers). It was used in America in honour of William Travis (1809-1836), the commander of the Texan forces at the Battle of the Alamo.
Treasure f English (Modern)
From the English word, ultimately from Greek θησαυρός (thesauros) meaning "treasure, collection".
Trent m English
From an English surname that originally denoted someone who lived by the River Trent. A famous bearer is the American musician Trent Reznor (1965-).... [more]
Trenton m English
From the name of a New Jersey city established in the 17th century by William Trent. It means "Trent's town".
Tressa f English (Rare)
Contracted form of Theresa. It may also be associated with the English word tress meaning "long lock of hair".
Trev m Welsh, English
Short form of Trevor.
Trevelyan m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a Cornish place name meaning "homestead on the hill".
Trevon m African American (Modern)
Combination of the phonetic elements tre and von.
Trevor m Welsh, English
From a Welsh surname, originally taken from the name of towns in Wales meaning "big village", derived from Middle Welsh tref "village" and maur "large". As a given name it became popular in the United Kingdom in the middle of the 20th century, then caught on in the United States in the 1960s.
Trey m English
From an English nickname meaning "three".
Tria f English (Rare)
Perhaps a short form of Demetria and other names ending in a similar sound.
Tricia f English
Short form of Patricia.
Trina f English
Short form of Katrina.
Trinity f English
From the English word Trinity, given in honour of the Christian belief that God has one essence, but three distinct expressions of being: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It has only been in use as a given name since the 20th century.
Tripp m English (Modern)
From a surname derived from Middle English trippen "to dance". It could also be inspired by the English word trip "journey, stumble".
Trish f English
Short form of Patricia.
Trisha f English
Short form of Patricia.
Trista f English
Feminine form of Tristan.
Tristan m English, French, Arthurian Cycle
Probably from the Celtic name Drustan, a diminutive of Drust, which occurs as Drystan in a few Welsh sources. As Tristan, it first appears in 12th-century French tales, probably altered by association with Old French triste "sad". According to the tales Tristan was sent to Ireland by his uncle King Mark of Cornwall in order to fetch Iseult, who was to be the king's bride. On the way back, Tristan and Iseult accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Later versions of the tale make Tristan one of King Arthur's knights. His tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since then.
Tristen m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Tristan, sometimes used as a feminine form.
Tristin m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Tristan, sometimes used as a feminine form.
Trix f English
Short form of Beatrix.
Trixie f English
Diminutive of Beatrix.
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.
Trudi f German, English
Diminutive of Gertrude and other Germanic names ending with the element drud "strength".
Trudie f English, Dutch
Diminutive of Gertrude.
Trudy f English, Dutch
Diminutive of Gertrude.
Trueman m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Truman.
Truman m English
From a surname that meant "trusty man" in Middle English. A famous bearer of the surname was American president Harry S. Truman (1884-1972). It was also borne by American writer Truman Capote (1924-1984).
Tucker m English (Modern)
From an occupational surname for a cloth fuller, derived from Old English tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.
Tuesday f English (Rare)
From the English word for the day of the week, which derives from Old English tiwesdæg meaning "Tiw's day".
Turner m English
From an English surname for one who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English turnian "to turn", of Latin origin.
Twila f English
Meaning unknown. Perhaps based on the English word twilight, or maybe from a Cajun pronunciation of French étoile "star". It came into use as an American given name in the late 19th century.
Twyla f English
Variant of Twila.