English Names

Perce m English
Short form of Percy.

Percival m Arthurian Cycle, English
Created by the 12th-century French poet Chrétien de Troyes for his poem Perceval, the Story of the Grail. Chrétien may have derived the name from Old French perce val "pierce the valley", or he may have based it loosely on the Welsh name Peredur. In the poem Perceval is a boy from Wales who hopes to become a knight under King Arthur. Setting out to prove himself, he eventually comes to the castle of the Fisher King and is given a glimpse of the Grail.

Percy m English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of a Norman town Perci, which was itself perhaps derived from a Gaulish given name that was Latinized as Persius. The surname was borne by a noble English family, and it first used as a given name in their honour. A famous bearer was Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), an English romantic poet whose works include Adonais and Ozymandias. This name can also be used as a short form of Percival.

Peregrine m English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Peregrinus, which meant "traveller". This was the name of several early saints.

Perlie f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Pearl.

Permelia f English (Archaic)
Meaning unknown, possibly an early American alteration of Pamela.

Pernel f English (Archaic)
Variant of Parnel.

Peronel f English (Archaic)
Contracted form of Petronel.

Perry m English
From a surname that is either English or Welsh in origin. It can be derived from Middle English perrie meaning "pear tree", or else from Welsh ap Herry, meaning "son of Herry". A famous bearer of the surname was Matthew Perry (1794-1858), the American naval officer who opened Japan to the West.

Peta f English (Australian)
Chiefly Australian feminine form of Peter.

Petal f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower part, derived from Greek πέταλον (petalon) meaning "leaf".

Pete m English
Short form of Peter.

Peter m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Slovene, Slovak, Biblical
Derived from Greek Πέτρος (Petros) meaning "stone". This is a translation used in most versions of the New Testament of the name Cephas, meaning "stone" in Aramaic, which was given to the apostle Simon by Jesus (compare Matthew 16:18 and John 1:42). Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus' ministry and is often considered the first pope.... [more]

Petra f German, Dutch, Spanish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Swedish, Finnish, English
Feminine form of Peter. This was also the name of an ancient city in the region that is now Jordan.

Petrina f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Petra.

Petronel f English (Archaic)
Medieval English form of Petronilla.

Petula f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown, created in the 20th century. The name is borne by the British singer Petula Clark (1932-), whose name was invented by her father.

Petunia f English (Rare)
From the name of the flower, derived ultimately from a Tupi (South American) word.

Peyton f & m English
From an English surname, originally a place name meaning "Pæga's town". This was a rare masculine name until the 1990s. In 1992 it was used for a female character in the movie The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, and, despite the fact that it was borne by the villain, the name began to rise in popularity for girls as well as boys.... [more]

Phebe f English, Biblical
Variant of Phoebe used in some translations of the New Testament.

Phemie f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Euphemia.

Pheobe f English
Variant of Phoebe.

Phil m English
Short form of Philip and various other names beginning with Phil, often a Greek element meaning "friend, dear, beloved".

Philadelphia f English (Rare)
From the name of a city in Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation in the New Testament. The name of the city meant "brotherly love" from Greek φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love" and ἀδελφός (adelphos) meaning "brother". It is also the name of a city in the United States.

Philander m English (Archaic), Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Φίλανδρος (Philandros) meaning "friend of man" from Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend" and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man" (genitive ἀνδρός). It was the name of a son of Apollo with the nymph Acalle. In the 18th century this was coined as a word meaning "to womanize", and the name subsequently dropped out of use.

Philip m English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Biblical
From the Greek name Φίλιππος (Philippos) meaning "friend of horses", composed of the elements φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover" and ἵππος (hippos) meaning "horse". This was the name of five kings of Macedon, including Philip II the father of Alexander the Great. The name appears in the New Testament belonging to two people who are regarded as saints. First, one of the twelve apostles, and second, an early figure in the Christian church known as Philip the Deacon.... [more]

Philipa f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Philip.

Philippa f English (British), German
Latinate feminine form of Philip. As an English name, it is chiefly British.

Philis f English (Rare)
Variant of Phyllis.

Phillida f English (Rare)
Variant of Phyllida.

Phillip m English
Variant of Philip, inspired by the usual spelling of the surname.

Phillipa f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Philip.

Phillis f English
Variant of Phyllis.

Philomena f English, German, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
From Greek Φιλουμένη (Philoumene) meaning "to be loved", an inflection of φιλέω (phileo) meaning "to love". This was the name of an obscure early saint and martyr. The name came to public attention in 1802 after a tomb seemingly marked with the name Filumena was found in Rome, supposedly belonging to another martyr named Philomena. This may have in fact been a representation of the Greek word φιλουμένη, not a name.

Phoebe f English, Greek Mythology (Latinized), Biblical, Biblical Latin
Latinized form of the Greek name Φοίβη (Phoibe), which meant "bright, pure" from Greek φοῖβος (phoibos). In Greek mythology Phoibe was a Titan associated with the moon. This was also an epithet of her granddaughter, the moon goddess Artemis. The name appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans in the New Testament, where it belongs to a female minister in the church at Cenchreae.... [more]

Phoenix m & f English (Modern)
From the name of a beautiful immortal bird that appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology. After living for several centuries in the Arabian Desert, it would be consumed by fire and rise from its own ashes, with this cycle repeating every 500 years. The name of the bird was derived from Greek φοῖνιξ (phoinix) meaning "dark red".

Phyliss f English
Variant of Phyllis.

Phyllida f English (Rare)
From Φυλλίδος (Phyllidos), the genitive form of Phyllis. This form was used in 17th-century pastoral poetry.

Phyllis f Greek Mythology, English
Means "foliage" in Greek. In Greek mythology this was the name of a woman who killed herself out of love for Demophon and was subsequently transformed into an almond tree. It began to be used as a given name in England in the 16th century, though it was often confused with Felicia.

Pierce m English
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Piers. In America this name slowly started to grow in popularity in 1982 when actor Pierce Brosnan (1953-) began starring on the television series Remington Steele.

Piers m English (British), Medieval French
Medieval form of Peter. This is the name of the main character in the 14th-century poem Piers Plowman by William Langland.

Piety f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "piety, devoutness". This was a rare virtue name used by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Pip m & f English
Diminutive of Philip or Philippa. This is the name of the main character in Great Expectations (1860) by Charles Dickens.

Piper f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute). It was popularized as a given name by a character from the television series Charmed, which debuted in 1998.

Pippa f English
Diminutive of Philippa.

Placid m English (Rare)
English form of Placidus (see Placido).

Pleasance f English (Archaic)
From the medieval name Plaisance, which meant "pleasant" in Old French.

Pollie f English
Variant of Polly.

Polly f English
Medieval variant of Molly. The reason for the change in the initial consonant is unknown.

Poppy f English
From the word for the red flower, derived from Old English popæg.

Porsche f English (Modern)
From the name of the German car company, which was founded by Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951).

Porter m English
From an occupational English surname meaning "doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French porte "door", from Latin porta.

Portia f English
Variant of Porcia, the feminine form of the Roman family name Porcius, used by William Shakespeare for the heroine of his play The Merchant of Venice (1596). In the play Portia is a woman who disguises herself as a man in order to defend Antonio in court. It is also the name of a moon of Uranus, after the Shakespearean character.

Posie f English
Variant of Posy.

Posy f English
Diminutive of Josephine. It can also be inspired by the English word posy for a bunch of flowers.

Praise f & m English (African)
From the English word praise, which is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Late Latin preciare, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth". This name is most common in English-speaking Africa.

Precious f English (African), African American (Modern)
From the English word precious, ultimately derived from Latin pretiosus, a derivative of Latin pretium "price, worth".

Presley f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest clearing" (Old English preost and leah). This surname was borne by musician Elvis Presley (1935-1977).

Preston m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest town" (Old English preost and tun).

Price m English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from ap Rhys meaning "son of Rhys".

Primrose f English (Rare)
From the English word for the flower, ultimately deriving from Latin prima rosa "first rose".

Primula f English (Rare), Italian (Rare)
From the name of a genus of several species of flowers, including the primrose. It is derived from the Latin word primulus meaning "very first".

Prince m English
From the English word prince, a royal title, which comes ultimately from Latin princeps. This name was borne by the American musician Prince Rogers Nelson (1958-2016), who is known simply as Prince.

Princess f English (Modern)
Feminine equivalent of Prince.

Princeton m English (Modern)
From the name of the town or university in New Jersey. Established in the early 18th century, it is said to have been named for William III, the Prince of Orange.

Pris f English
Short form of Priscilla.

Priscilla f English, Italian, French, Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Roman name, a diminutive of Prisca. In Acts in the New Testament Paul lived with Priscilla (also known as Prisca) and her husband Aquila in Corinth for a while. It has been used as an English given name since the Protestant Reformation, being popular with the Puritans. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used it in his 1858 poem The Courtship of Miles Standish.

Prissy f English
Diminutive of Priscilla.

Promise f & m English (African)
From the English word promise, from Latin promissum. It is currently most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.

Prosper m French, English
From the Latin name Prosperus, which meant "fortunate, successful". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a supporter of Saint Augustine. It has never been common as an English name, though the Puritans used it, partly because it is identical to the English word prosper.

Pru f English
Short form of Prudence.

Prudence f & m English, French
Medieval English form of Prudentia, the feminine form of Prudentius. In France it is both the feminine form and a rare masculine form. In England it was used during the Middle Ages and was revived in the 17th century by the Puritans, in part from the English word prudence, ultimately of the same source.

Prue f English
Short form of Prudence.

Prunella f English (Rare)
From the English word for the type of flower, also called self-heal, ultimately a derivative of the Latin word pruna "plum".

Purdie m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the Norman French expression pur die "by God". It was perhaps originally a nickname for a person who used the oath frequently.

Queen f English
From an old nickname that was derived from the English word queen, ultimately from Old English cwen meaning "woman, wife".

Queenie f English
Diminutive of Queen.

Quentin m French, English
French form of the Roman name Quintinus. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a missionary who was martyred in Gaul. The Normans introduced this name to England. In America it was brought to public attention by president Theodore Roosevelt's son Quentin Roosevelt (1897-1918), who was killed in World War I. A famous bearer is the American movie director Quentin Tarantino (1963-).

Quin m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Quinn.

Quincey m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Quincy.

Quincy m & f English
From an English surname that was derived (via the place name Cuinchy) from the personal name Quintus. A famous bearer was John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), sixth president of the United States, who was born in the town of Quincy, Massachusetts. Both the town and the president were named after his maternal great-grandfather John Quincy (1689-1767). Another notable bearer is the American musician Quincy Jones (1933-).

Quinlan m & f English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Caoindealbháin, itself from the given name Caoindealbhán (Old Irish Caíndelbán).

Quinn m & f English
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Irish Gaelic Ó Cuinn, itself derived from the given name Conn. In the United States it was more common as a name for boys until 2010, the year after the female character Quinn Fabray began appearing on the television series Glee.

Quintella f English (Rare)
Feminine diminutive of Quintus.

Quinten m English, Dutch
Variant and Dutch form of Quentin.

Quintin m English
Variant of Quentin.

Quinton m English
Variant of Quentin, also coinciding with an English surname meaning "queen's town" in Old English.

Rachael f English
Variant of Rachel, the spelling probably influenced by that of Michael.

Racheal f English
Variant of Rachel.

Rachel f English, Hebrew, French, Dutch, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name רָחֵל (Raḥel) meaning "ewe". In the Old Testament this is the name of the favourite wife of Jacob. Her father Laban tricked Jacob into marrying her older sister Leah first, though in exchange for seven years of work Laban allowed Jacob to marry Rachel too. Initially barren and facing her husband's anger, she offered her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob to bear him children. Eventually she was herself able to conceive, becoming the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.... [more]

Rachelle f English, French
Variant of Rachel. In the English-speaking world it has likely been influenced by the spelling of Rochelle.

Rachyl f English (Rare)
Variant of Rachel.

Racquel f English
Variant of Raquel.

Radcliff m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "red cliff" in Old English.

Radclyffe m English (Rare)
From a surname, a variant of Radcliff.

Rae f English
Short form of Rachel. It can also be used as a feminine form of Ray.

Raeburn m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "stream where deer drink" (from Scots rae "roe deer" and burn "stream"). A famous bearer of the surname was Scottish portrait painter Henry Raeburn (1756-1823).

Raegan f English (Modern)
Variant of Reagan.

Raelene f English (Rare)
Combination of Rae and the popular name suffix lene.

Raelyn f English (Modern)
Combination of Rae and the popular name suffix lyn.

Raelynn f English (Modern)
Combination of Rae and the popular name suffix lyn.

Raewyn f English (New Zealand)
Combination of Rae and Wyn (used especially in New Zealand).

Rafe m English
Variant of Ralph. This form became common during the 17th century, reflecting the usual pronunciation.

Rafferty m English
From an Irish surname, itself derived from the given name Rabhartach meaning "flood tide".

Rain 1 f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word rain, derived from Old English regn.

Rainbow f English (Rare)
From the English word for the arc of multicoloured light that can appear in a misty sky.

Raine f & m English (Rare)
From a surname derived from the Old French nickname reine meaning "queen". A famous bearer was the British socialite Raine Spencer (1929-2016), the stepmother of Princess Diana. In modern times it is also considered a variant of Rain 1.

Raleigh m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning either "red clearing" or "roe deer clearing" in Old English. A city in North Carolina bears this name, after the English courtier, poet and explorer Walter Raleigh (1552-1618).

Ralf m German, Swedish, Danish, English (Rare)
Variant of Ralph.

Ralph m English, German, Swedish
Contracted form of the Old Norse name Ráðúlfr (or its Norman form Radulf). Scandinavian settlers introduced it to England before the Norman Conquest, though afterwards it was bolstered by Norman influence. In the Middle Ages it was variously spelled Rauf, Rafe or Ralf reflecting the usual pronunciation. The Ralph spelling became more common in the 18th century. A famous bearer of the name was Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American poet and author who wrote on transcendentalism.

Ralphie m English
Diminutive of Ralph.

Ramona f Spanish, Romanian, English
Feminine form of Ramón. It was popularized in the English-speaking world by Helen Hunt Jackson's novel Ramona (1884), as well as several subsequent movies based on the book.

Ramsey m & f English
From an English and Scottish surname that was derived from a place name meaning "garlic island" in Old English.

Rand m English
Short form of Randolf and other names beginning with Rand. As a surname (also derived from Randolf), it was borne as a pen name by the Russian-American author Ayn Rand (1905-1982).

Randal m English
Variant of Randall.

Randall m English
From an English surname that was derived from the medieval given name Randel.

Randell m English
Variant of Randall.

Randi 1 f English
Diminutive of Miranda.

Randolf m English
From the Old German elements rant meaning "rim (of a shield)" and wolf meaning "wolf". The Normans brought this name to England, where there existed already an Old Norse cognate Randúlfr, which had been introduced by Scandinavian settlers. Randolf became rare after the Middle Ages, though it was revived in the 18th century (usually in the spelling Randolph).

Randolph m English
Variant of Randolf. This spelling was adopted in the 18th century.

Randy m & f English
Diminutive of Randall, Randolf or Miranda.

Ranulph m English (Rare)
Variant of Ranulf.

Raphael m German, English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name רָפָאֵל (Rafaʾel) meaning "God heals", from the roots רָפָא (rafa) meaning "to heal" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In Hebrew tradition Raphael is the name of an archangel. He appears in the Book of Tobit, in which he disguises himself as a man named Azarias and accompanies Tobias on his journey to Media, aiding him along the way. In the end he cures Tobias's father Tobit of his blindness. He is not mentioned in the New Testament, though tradition identifies him with the angel troubling the water in John 5:4.... [more]

Raquel f Spanish, Portuguese, English
Spanish and Portuguese form of Rachel.

Raschelle f English (Rare)
Variant of Rachelle.

Rastus m English (Rare)
Short form of Erastus.

Raven f & m English
From the name of the bird, ultimately from Old English hræfn. The raven is revered by several Native American groups of the west coast. It is also associated with the Norse god Odin.

Ravenna f English (Rare)
Either an elaboration of Raven, or else from the name of the city of Ravenna in Italy.

Ray m English
Short form of Raymond, often used as an independent name. It coincides with an English word meaning "beam of light". Science-fiction author Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) and musician Ray Charles (1930-2004) are two notable bearers of the name.

Raylene f English (Rare)
Combination of Rae and the popular name suffix lene.

Raymond m English, French
From the Germanic name Raginmund, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and munt "protection". The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Reimund. It was borne by several medieval (mostly Spanish) saints, including Saint Raymond Nonnatus, the patron of midwives and expectant mothers, and Saint Raymond of Peñafort, the patron of canonists.

Raymund m English (Rare)
Variant of Raymond.

Raynard m English
Variant of Reynard.

Rayner m English (Archaic)
From the Germanic name Raginheri, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and heri "army". Saint Rainerius was a 12th-century hermit from Pisa. The Normans brought this name to England where it came into general use, though it was rare by the end of the Middle Ages.

Read m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Reed.

Reagan f & m English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Riagáin, derived from the given name Riagán. This surname was borne by American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004).... [more]

Reanna f English (Modern)
Variant of Rhianna.

Reannon f English (Rare)
Variant of Rhiannon.

Rearden m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, a variant of Riordan.

Reba f English
Short form of Rebecca.

Rebecca f English, Italian, Swedish, German, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name רִבְקָה (Rivqa), probably from a Semitic root meaning "join, tie, snare". This is the name of the wife of Isaac and the mother of Esau and Jacob in the Old Testament. It came into use as an English Christian name after the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular with the Puritans in the 17th century. It has been consistently used since then, becoming especially common in the second half of the 20th century.... [more]

Rebeccah f English (Rare)
Variant of Rebecca.

Rebeccanne f English (Rare)
Combination of Rebecca and Anne 1.

Rebeckah f English (Rare)
Variant of Rebecca.

Rebekah f Biblical, English
Form of Rebecca used in some versions of the Bible.

Red m English
From the English word for the colour, ultimately derived from Old English read. This is typically a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion.

Redd m English (Rare)
Variant of Red.

Reece m Welsh, English
Anglicized form of Rhys.

Reed m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English read meaning "red", originally a nickname given to a person with red hair or a ruddy complexion. Unconnected, this is also the English word for tall grass-like plants that grow in marshes.

Reene f English (Rare)
Variant of Renée.

Reenie f English (Rare)
Either a variant of Renée or a diminutive of names ending in reen.

Reese m & f Welsh, English
Anglicized form of Rhys. It is also used as a feminine name, popularized by the American actress Reese Witherspoon (1976-).

Reg m English
Short form of Reginald.

Regan f & m Literature, English
Meaning unknown. In the chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth it is the name of a treacherous daughter of King Leir. Shakespeare adapted the story for his tragedy King Lear (1606). In the modern era it has appeared in the horror movie The Exorcist (1973) belonging to a girl possessed by the devil. This name can also be used as a variant of Reagan.

Regana f English (Rare)
Elaboration of Regan, influenced by Regina.

Regena f English
Variant of Regina.

Reggie m English
Diminutive of Reginald.

Regina f English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Lithuanian, Estonian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Hungarian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Late Roman
Means "queen" in Latin (or Italian). It was in use as a Christian name from early times, and was borne by a 2nd-century saint. In England it was used during the Middle Ages in honour of the Virgin Mary, and it was later revived in the 19th century. A city in Canada bears this name, in honour of Queen Victoria.

Reginald m English
From Reginaldus, a Latinized form of Reynold.

Reid m English
From a surname, a Scots variant of Reed.

Reign f & m English (Modern)
From the English word reign, derived from Latin regnum "royal power".

Reilly m & f English (Modern)
From an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of Ó Raghailligh, derived from the given name Raghailleach, meaning unknown.

Remington m & f English
From an English surname that was derived from the name of the town of Rimington in Lancashire, itself meaning "settlement on the Riming stream". It may be given in honour of the American manufacturer Eliphalet Remington (1793-1861) or his sons, founders of the firearms company that bears their name.

Remy m & f English (Modern)
English form of Rémy, occasionally used as a feminine name.

Rena f English
Latinate feminine form of René.

Renae f English
English variant of Renée.

Rene m & f English
English form of René or Renée.

Renee f English
English form of Renée.

Renie f English (Rare)
Possibly a diminutive of Renee.

Renita f English
Probably a feminine form of Renatus. It came into use during the 1950s.

Retha f Afrikaans, English
Short form of Margaretha.

Reuben m Biblical, Hebrew, English
Means "behold, a son" in Hebrew, derived from רָאָה (raʾa) meaning "to see" and בֵּן (ben) meaning "son". In the Old Testament he is the eldest son of Jacob and Leah and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Reuben was cursed by his father because he slept with Jacob's concubine Bilhah. It has been used as a Christian name in Britain since the Protestant Reformation.

Reverie f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "daydream, fanciful musing", derived from Old French resverie, itself from resver meaning "to dream, to rave".

Rex m English
From Latin rex meaning "king". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century.

Rexana f English (Rare)
Variant of Rexanne.

Rexanne f English (Rare)
Variant of Roxane influenced by Rex.

Reynard m English (Rare)
From the Germanic name Raginhard, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". The Normans brought it to England in the form Reinard, though it never became very common there. In medieval fables the name was borne by the sly hero Reynard the Fox (with the result that renard has become a French word meaning "fox").

Reynold m English
From the Germanic name Raginald, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and walt "power, authority". The Normans (who used forms like Reinald or Reinold) brought the name to Britain, where it reinforced rare Old English and Norse cognates already in existence. It was common during the Middle Ages, but became more rare after the 15th century.

Rheanna f English (Rare)
Variant of Rhianna.

Rhett m English
From a surname, an Anglicized form of the Dutch de Raedt, derived from raet "advice, counsel". Margaret Mitchell used this name for the character Rhett Butler in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936).

Rhetta f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Rhett.

Rhianna f English (Modern)
Probably a variant of Rhiannon.

Rhiannon f Welsh, English, Welsh Mythology
Probably derived from an unattested Celtic name *Rīgantonā meaning "great queen" (Celtic *rīganī "queen" and the divine or augmentative suffix -on). It is speculated that Rigantona was an old Celtic goddess, perhaps associated with fertility and horses like the Gaulish Epona. As Rhiannon, she appears in Welsh legend in the Mabinogi as a beautiful magical woman who rides a white horse. She was betrothed against her will to Gwawl, but cunningly broke off that engagement and married Pwyll instead. Their son was Pryderi.... [more]

Rhoda f Biblical, English
Derived from Greek ῥόδον (rhodon) meaning "rose". In the New Testament this name was borne by a maid in the house of Mary the mother of John Mark. As an English given name, Rhoda came into use in the 17th century.

Rhonda f English
Probably a blend of the sounds of Rhoda and Linda, but maybe also influenced by the name of the Rhondda Valley in South Wales and/or the noted British feminist Margaret Mackworth, Viscountess Rhondda (1883-1956). This name has only been used since the beginning of the 20th century, at first rarely. It started becoming popular in the mid-1940s at the same time as the American actress Rhonda Fleming (1923-2020), born Marilyn Louis. It peaked in the United States in 1965 and thereafter declined.

Rhys m Welsh, English
From Old Welsh Ris, probably meaning "ardour, enthusiasm". Several Welsh rulers have borne this name, including the 12th-century Rhys ap Gruffydd who fought against the invading Normans.

Rian m Irish, Old Irish, English
Irish form of Ryan, as well as an English variant.

Riannon f English (Rare)
Variant of Rhiannon.

Rica f English (Rare)
Short form of Frederica and other names ending in rica.

Rich m English
Short form of Richard.

Richard m English, French, German, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
Means "brave ruler", derived from the Old German elements rih "ruler, king" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of three early dukes of Normandy. The Normans introduced it to England when they invaded in the 11th century, and it has been very common there since that time. It was borne by three kings of England including the 12th-century Richard I the Lionheart, one of the leaders of the Third Crusade.... [more]

Richardine f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Richard.

Richelle f English
Variant of Rachel or Rochelle, probably influenced by Michelle. In some instances it could be viewed as a feminine form of Richard.

Richie m English
Diminutive of Richard.

Richmal f English (Rare)
Meaning uncertain, possibly a combination of Richard and Mary. This name has been used since at least the late 18th century, mainly confined to the town of Bury in Lancashire.

Rick m English
Short form of Richard or names ending in rick. A notable fictional bearer is Rick Blaine, portrayed by Humphrey Bogart, from the movie Casablanca (1942).

Rickey m English
Diminutive of Richard.

Ricki m & f English
Variant and feminine form of Ricky.

Rickie m English
Diminutive of Richard.

Ricky m English
Diminutive of Richard.

Ridge m English (Modern)
From the English vocabulary word denoting a continuous elevated mountain crest, or from the English surname derived from the word.

Ridley m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was originally derived from various place names meaning either "reed clearing" or "stripped clearing" in Old English.

Rigby m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "ridge farm" in Old Norse.

Rikki f & m English (Modern)
Variant and feminine form of Ricky.

Riley m & f English
From a surname that comes from two distinct sources. As an Irish surname it is a variant of Reilly. As an English surname it is derived from a place name meaning "rye clearing" in Old English.... [more]

Rilla f English
Short form of names ending in rilla. It is short for Marilla in L. M. Montgomery's sequels to her 1908 novel Anne of Green Gables, where it belongs to a daughter of Anne.

Riordan m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Ríoghbhárdáin), which was derived from the given name Rígbarddán.

Ripley f & m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of various English towns, from Old English rippel "grove, thicket" and leah "clearing". A famous fictional bearer is the character Ellen Ripley (usually only called by her surname) from the Alien series of movies, beginning 1979.

Rita f Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, English, German, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Hungarian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian
Short form of Margherita and other names ending in rita. Saint Rita (born Margherita Lotti) was a 15th-century nun from Cascia, Italy. Another famous bearer was the American actress Rita Hayworth (1918-1987).

Ritchie m English
Variant of Richie.

River m & f English (Modern)
From the English word that denotes a flowing body of water. The word is ultimately derived (via Old French) from Latin ripa "riverbank".

Rob m English, Dutch
Short form of Robert.

Robbie m & f English
Diminutive of Robert or Roberta.

Robby m English
Diminutive of Robert.

Robena f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Robin.

Robert m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Albanian, Romanian, Catalan, Germanic
From the Germanic name Hrodebert meaning "bright fame", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, where it replaced the rare Old English cognate Hreodbeorht. It has been consistently among the most common English names from the 13th to 20th century. In the United States it was the most popular name for boys between 1924 and 1939 (and again in 1953).... [more]

Roberta f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Feminine form of Robert.

Robin m & f English, French, Dutch, Swedish, Czech
Medieval English diminutive of Robert, now usually regarded as an independent name. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor. In modern times it has also been used as a feminine name, and it may sometimes be given in reference to the red-breasted bird.

Robina f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Robin. It originated in Scotland in the 17th century.

Robinson m English (Rare)
From an English surname that was a patronymic form of the given name Robin. This is the name of the main character in Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe (1719), about a sailor shipwrecked on a remote island.

Robyn f English
Feminine variant of Robin.

Robynne f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Robin.

Rochelle f English
From the name of the French city La Rochelle, meaning "little rock". It first became commonly used as a given name in America in the 1930s, probably due to the fame of actress Rochelle Hudson (1914-1972) and because of the similarity to the name Rachel.

Rocky m English
Diminutive of Rocco and other names beginning with a similar sound, or else a nickname referring to a tough person. This is the name of the boxer Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone) in the movie Rocky (1976) and its sequels.

Rod m English
Short form of Roderick or Rodney.

Roddy m English, Scottish
Diminutive of Roderick or Rodney.

Roderick m English, Scottish, Welsh
Means "famous ruler" from the Old German elements hruod "fame" and rih "ruler, king". This name was in use among the Visigoths; it was borne by their last king (Gothic form *Hroþireiks, also known by the Spanish form Rodrigo), who died fighting the Muslim invaders of Spain in the 8th century. It also had cognates in Old Norse and West Germanic, and Scandinavian settlers and Normans introduced it to England, though it died out after the Middle Ages. It was revived in the English-speaking world by Walter Scott's 1811 poem The Vision of Don Roderick.... [more]

Rodge m English
Short form of Rodger.

Rodger m English
Variant of Roger.

Rodney m English
From an English surname, originally derived from a place name, which meant "Hroda's island" in Old English (where Hroda is an Old English given name meaning "fame"). It was first used as a given name in honour of the British admiral Lord Rodney (1719-1792).

Rodolph m English (Rare), French (Rare)
Variant of Rudolf.

Roger m English, French, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
From the Germanic name Hrodger meaning "famous spear", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and ger "spear". The Normans brought this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Hroðgar (the name of the Danish king in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf). It was a common name in England during the Middle Ages. By the 18th century it was rare, but it was revived in following years. The name was borne by the Norman lords Roger I, who conquered Sicily in the 11th century, and his son Roger II, who ruled Sicily as a king.... [more]

Roland m English, French, German, Swedish, Dutch, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Albanian, Georgian, Carolingian Cycle
From the Old German elements hruod meaning "fame" and lant meaning "land", though some theories hold that the second element was originally nand meaning "brave".... [more]

Rolf m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English
From the Old German name Hrolf (or its Old Norse cognate Hrólfr), a contracted form of Hrodulf (see Rudolf). The Normans introduced this name to England but it soon became rare. In the modern era it has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world as a German import.

Rolland m French, English
Variant of Roland.

Rollie m English
Diminutive of Roland.

Rollo m English
Latinized form of Roul, the Old French form of Rolf. Rollo (or Rolf) the Ganger was an exiled Viking who, in the 10th century, became the first Duke of Normandy. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.

Rolo m English (Rare)
Variant of Rollo.

Rolph m English (Rare)
Variant of Rolf.

Roly m English
Diminutive of Roland.

Romaine f French, English
French feminine form of Romanus (see Roman).

Roman m Russian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Ukrainian, Slovene, Croatian, Estonian, German, English
From the Late Latin name Romanus meaning "Roman". This name was borne by several early saints including a 7th-century bishop of Rouen, as well as medieval rulers of Bulgaria, Kyiv and Moldavia.

Romayne f English (Rare)
Variant of Romaine.

Romey f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Rosemary.

Romilly m & f English (British, Rare)
From an English surname that was derived from the name of various Norman towns, themselves from the given name Romilius.

Romy f German, Dutch, French, English
Diminutive of Rosemarie, Rosemary, and names beginning with Rom.

Ron 1 m English
Short form of Ronald.

Rona 1 f English
Variant of Rhona.

Ronald m Scottish, English, Dutch, German
Scottish form of Ragnvaldr, a name introduced to Britain by Scandinavian settlers and invaders. It became popular outside Scotland during the 20th century. A famous bearer was the American actor and president Ronald Reagan (1911-2004). It is also associated with Ronald McDonald, the clown mascot for the McDonald's chain of restaurants, first appearing in 1963.

Ronan m Breton, Irish, French, English (Modern)
Breton and Anglicized form of Rónán.

Ronda f English
Variant of Rhonda.

Roni 2 f English
Diminutive of Veronica.

Ronin m English (Modern)
Variant of Ronan, also coinciding with the Japanese term 浪人 (ronin) meaning "masterless samurai".

Ronnette f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Ronald.

Ronnie m & f English
Diminutive of Ronald or Veronica.

Ronny m English
Diminutive of Ronald.

Roosevelt m English
From a Dutch surname meaning "rose field". This name is often given in honour of American presidents Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) or Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945).

Rorie f & m English
Variant of Rory.

Rory m & f Irish, Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Ruaidhrí. Typically a masculine name, it gained some popularity for girls in the United States after it was used on the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007), in this case as a nickname for Lorelai. Despite this, the name has grown more common for boys in America, especially after 2011, perhaps due to Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy (1989-).

Ros f English
Short form of Rosalind, Rosamund and other names beginning with Ros.

Rosa 1 f Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, German, English
Generally this can be considered to be from Latin rosa meaning "rose", though originally it may have come from the unrelated Germanic name Roza 2. This was the name of a 13th-century saint from Viterbo in Italy. In the English-speaking world it was first used in the 19th century. Famous bearers include the Polish-German revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg (1871-1919) and the American civil rights activist Rosa Parks (1913-2005).

Rosabel f English (Rare)
Combination of Rosa 1 and the common name suffix bel, inspired by Latin bella "beautiful". This name was created in the 18th century.

Rosabella f English (Rare)
Variant of Rosabel.

Rosalee f English
Variant of Rosalie.

Rosaleen f English (Rare), Irish
Variant of Rosaline. James Clarence Mangan used it as a translation for Róisín in his poem Dark Rosaleen (1846).

Rosalie f French, German, Dutch, English
French, German and Dutch form of Rosalia. In the English-speaking this name received a boost after the release of the movie Rosalie (1938), which was based on an earlier musical.

Rosalin f English (Rare)
Medieval variant of Rosalind.

Rosalind f English
Derived from the Old German elements hros meaning "horse" and lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender". The Normans introduced this name to England, though it was not common. During the Middle Ages its spelling was influenced by the Latin phrase rosa linda "beautiful rose". The name was popularized by Edmund Spencer, who used it in his poetry, and by William Shakespeare, who used it for the heroine in his comedy As You Like It (1599).

Rosaline f English
Medieval variant of Rosalind. This is the name of characters in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost (1594) and Romeo and Juliet (1596).

Rosalyn f English
Variant of Rosaline. It can also be considered an elaboration of Rose with the common name suffix lyn.

Rosalynne f English (Rare)
Variant of Rosalyn.

Rosamond f English
Variant of Rosamund, in use since the Middle Ages.

Rosamund f English (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements hros "horse" and munt "protection". This name was borne by the wife of the Lombard king Alboin in the 6th century. The Normans introduced it to England. It was subsequently interpreted as coming from Latin rosa munda "pure rose" or rosa mundi "rose of the world". This was the name of the mistress of Henry II, the king of England in the 12th century. According to legends she was murdered by his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine.

Rosanna f Italian, English
Combination of Rosa 1 and Anna.

Rosannah f English (Rare)
Variant of Rosanna.

Rosanne f English, Dutch
Combination of Rose and Anne 1.

Roscoe m English
From an English surname, originally derived from a place name, itself derived from Old Norse rá "roebuck" and skógr "wood, forest".

Rose f English, French
Originally a Norman French form of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis meaning "famous type", composed of the elements hruod "fame" and heit "kind, sort, type". The Normans introduced it to England in the forms Roese and Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower rose (derived from Latin rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind.

Roseann f English
Variant of Rosanne.

Roseanne f English
Variant of Rosanne.

Roselyn f English
Variant of Rosalyn.

Rosemarie f English, German, Dutch
Variant of Rosemary.

Rosemary f English
Combination of Rose and Mary. This name can also be given in reference to the herb, which gets its name from Latin ros marinus meaning "dew of the sea". It came into use as a given name in the 19th century.

Rosie f English
Diminutive of Rose.

Roslyn f English
Variant of Rosalyn.

Ross m Scottish, English
From a Scottish and English surname that originally indicated a person from a place called Ross (such as the region of Ross in northern Scotland), derived from Gaelic ros meaning "promontory, headland". A famous bearer of the surname was James Clark Ross (1800-1862), an Antarctic explorer.

Roswell m English
From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "horse spring".

Rosy f English
Diminutive of Rose.

Rowan m & f Irish, English (Modern)
Anglicized form of the Irish name Ruadhán. As an English name, it can also be derived from the surname Rowan, itself derived from the Irish given name. It could also be given in reference to the rowan tree, a word of Old Norse origin (coincidentally sharing the same Indo-European root meaning "red" with the Irish name).

Rowanne f English (Rare)
Feminine variant of Rowan.

Rowen m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Rowan.

Rowena f English
Meaning uncertain. According to the 12th-century chronicler Geoffrey of Monmouth, this was the name of a daughter of the Saxon chief Hengist. It is possible (but unsupported) that Geoffrey based it on the Old English elements hroð "fame" and wynn "joy", or alternatively on the Old Welsh elements ron "spear" and gwen "white". It was popularized by Walter Scott, who used it for a character in his novel Ivanhoe (1819).

Rowina f English (Rare)
Variant of Rowena.

Rowland m English
Medieval variant of Roland.

Rowley m English
Variant of Roly.

Roxana f English, Spanish, Romanian, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latin form of Ῥωξάνη (Rhoxane), the Greek form of an Old Persian or Bactrian name, from Old Iranian *rauxšnā meaning "bright, shining". This was the name of Alexander the Great's first wife, a daughter of the Bactrian nobleman Oxyartes. In the modern era it came into use during the 17th century. In the English-speaking world it was popularized by Daniel Defoe, who used it in his novel Roxana (1724).

Roxane f French, English
French and English form of Roxana. This is the name of Cyrano's love interest in the play Cyrano de Bergerac (1897).

Roxanna f English
Variant of Roxana.

Roxanne f English, French
Variant of Roxane.

Roxie f English
Diminutive of Roxana.