English Names

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, French
Diminutive of Susan or Suzanne.

Sybella f English (Rare)
Variant of Sibylla.

Sybil f English
Variant of Sibyl. This spelling variation has existed since the Middle Ages.

Syd m & f English
Short form of Sydney.

Sydne f English (Rare)
Variant of Sydney.

Sydnee f English (Modern)
Variant 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.

Sydnie f English (Modern)
Variant of Sydney.

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".

Sylvanus m English (Archaic)
Variant of Silvanus.

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.

Taegan f English (Rare)
Variant of Tegan.

Tahlia f English (Australian)
Variant of Talia 2.

Tahnee f English (Rare)
Variant of Tawny.

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".

Talia 2 f English (Australian)
From the name of a town in South Australia, perhaps meaning "near water" in an Australian Aboriginal language.

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.

Tamika f English
Variant of Tamiko, inspired by the American jazz singer Tamiko Jones (1945-) or the American movie A Girl Named Tamiko (1963).

Tammara f English (Rare)
Variant of Tamara.

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.

Tamsen f English (Rare)
Variant of Tamsin.

Tamsin f English (British)
Contracted form of Thomasina. It was traditionally used in Cornwall.

Tamsyn f English (British)
Variant of Tamsin.

Tamzen f English (Rare)
Variant of Tamsin.

Tania f English, Italian, Spanish
Variant of Tanya.

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.

Tanzi f English (Rare)
Variant of Tansy.

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.

Tarah f English (Modern)
Variant of Tara 1.

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.

Tatianna f English (Modern)
Variant of Tatiana.

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.

Tatyanna f English (Modern)
Variant of Tatiana.

Tawnee f English (Rare)
Variant of Tawny.

Tawnie f English (Rare)
Variant of Tawny.

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.

Teale f English (Rare)
Variant of Teal.

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.

Tel m English (British)
Short form of Terence or Terry 1.

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.

Terell m English (Modern), African American (Modern)
Variant of Terrell.

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.

Tetty f English (Archaic)
Diminutive of Elizabeth.

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).

Tianna f English (Modern)
Variant of Tiana.

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.

Tiffiny f English (Rare)
Variant of Tiffany.

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.

Tisha f English, African American
Short form of Letitia or Latisha.

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).

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.

Tolly m English (Archaic)
Diminutive of Bartholomew.

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.

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".

Trecia f English (Rare)
Variant of Tricia.

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".

Tresha f English (Rare)
Variant of Tricia.

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".

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.

Triston m English (Modern)
Variant of Tristan.

Tristram m English (British)
Medieval English form of Tristan.

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.

Ty m English
Short form of Tyler, Tyson, Tyrone and other names beginning with Ty.

Tye m English
From a surname meaning "pasture" in Middle English.

Tyla f English (Modern)
Feminine form of Tyler, or a combination of the popular phonetic elements ty and la.

Tylar m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Tyler.

Tyler m English
From an English surname meaning "tiler of roofs", derived from Old English tigele "tile". The surname was borne by American president John Tyler (1790-1862).

Tylor m English (Modern)
Variant of Tyler.

Tyra f Swedish, English, African American
From the Old Norse name Þýri, a variant of the Norse names Þórví or Þórveig. Use of the name in the English-speaking world (especially among African Americans) may be in part from the Swedish name, though it is probably also viewed as a feminine form of Tyrone or Tyree. A famous bearer is the American model and actress Tyra Banks (1973-).

Tyrell m English (Modern), African American (Modern)
From a surname that was a variant of Terrell. Influenced by similar-sounding names such as Tyrone and Darrell it has been used by African-American parents, usually stressed on the second syllable.

Tyron m English
Variant of Tyrone.

Tyrone m English, African American
From the name of a county in Northern Ireland, which is derived from Irish Gaelic Tir Eoghain meaning "land of Eoghan". This name was popularized by American actor Tyrone Power (1914-1958), who was named after his great-grandfather, an Irish actor.

Tyrrell m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Terrell.

Tyson m English
From an English surname, originally a nickname for a quarrelsome person, from Old French tison meaning "firebrand". A famous bearer of the surname is boxer Mike Tyson (1966-). This was a rare given name in America before 1960, but it increased in popularity through the 1960s and 70s, maybe because of its similarities with names such as Tyler and Tyrone.

Ulric m English (Rare)
Middle English form of the Old English name Wulfric. When it is used in modern times, it is usually as a variant of Ulrich.

Ulyssa f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Ulysses.

Ulysses m Roman Mythology, English
Latin form of Odysseus. It was borne by Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War, who went on to become an American president. Irish author James Joyce used it as the title of his book Ulysses (1922), which loosely parallels Homer's epic the Odyssey.

Una f English
Anglicized form of Irish Úna or Scottish Ùna. It is also associated with Latin una, feminine form of unus meaning "one". The name features in Edmund Spenser's poem The Faerie Queene (1590).

Unice f English (Rare)
Variant of Eunice.

Unique f English (Modern)
From the English word unique, ultimately derived from Latin unicus.

Unity f English (Rare)
From the English word unity, which is ultimately derived from Latin unitas.

Upton m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "upper town" in Old English. A famous bearer of this name was the American novelist Upton Sinclair (1878-1968).

Ursella f English (Rare)
Variant of Ursula.

Ursula f English, Swedish, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Late Roman
Means "little bear", derived from a diminutive form of the Latin word ursa "she-bear". Saint Ursula was a legendary virgin princess of the 4th century who was martyred by the Huns while returning from a pilgrimage. In England the saint was popular during the Middle Ages, and the name came into general use at that time.

Val m & f English
Short form of Valentine 1, Valerie and other names beginning with Val.

Valarie f English
Variant of Valerie.

Valary f English (Rare)
Variant of Valerie.

Vale f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "wide river valley".

Valentine 1 m English
From the Roman cognomen Valentinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Valens meaning "strong, vigorous, healthy" in Latin. Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century martyr. His feast day was the same as the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which resulted in the association between Valentine's Day and love.... [more]

Valerie f English, German, Czech
English and German form of Valeria, as well as a Czech variant of Valérie.

Valorie f English
Variant of Valerie.

Van m English
Short form of names containing van, such as Vance or Ivan.

Vance m English
From an English surname that was derived from Old English fenn meaning "marsh, fen".

Vanessa f English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Dutch
Invented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem Cadenus and Vanessa. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.

Vaughan m Welsh, English
From a Welsh surname that was derived from bychan (mutated to fychan) meaning "little".

Vaughn m English
From a Welsh surname, a variant of Vaughan.

Velda f English
Meaning unknown, possibly a derivative of the Old German element walt meaning "power, authority".

Velma f English
Probably a variant of Wilma, the spelling with an e perhaps due to the influence of Selma 1. This name has been in use since the 19th century.

Velvet f English
From the English word for the soft fabric. It became used as a given name after the main character in Enid Bagnold's book National Velvet (1935) and the movie (1944) and television (1960) adaptations.

Venetia f English (Rare), Greek
From the Latin name of the Italian region of Veneto and the city of Venice (see the place name Venetia). This name was borne by the celebrated English beauty Venetia Stanley (1600-1633), though in her case the name may have been a Latinized form of the Welsh name Gwynedd. Benjamin Disraeli used it for the heroine of his novel Venetia (1837).

Vera 1 f Russian, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, Slovene, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Belarusian, Georgian
Means "faith" in Russian, though it is sometimes associated with the Latin word verus "true". It has been in general use in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.

Vere m English (Rare)
From a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, which was itself derived from a Gaulish word meaning "alder".

Vergil m English
Variant of Virgil.

Verity f English
From the English word meaning "verity, truth", from Latin verus "true, real". This was one of the virtue names adopted by the Puritans in the 17th century.

Vern m English
Short form of Vernon.

Verna f English
Feminine form of Vernon, sometimes associated with the Latin word vernus "spring". It has been in use since the 19th century.

Vernon m English
From a Norman surname, which was from a French place name, ultimately derived from the Gaulish word vern meaning "alder".

Veronica f English, Italian, Romanian, Late Roman
Latin alteration of Berenice, the spelling influenced by the ecclesiastical Latin phrase vera icon meaning "true image". This was the name of a legendary saint who wiped Jesus' face with a towel and then found his image imprinted upon it. Due to popular stories about her, the name was occasionally used in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. It was borne by the Italian saint and mystic Veronica Giuliani (1660-1727). As an English name, it was not common until the 19th century, when it was imported from France and Scotland.

Vi f English
Short form of Violet.

Vianne f English (Rare)
Meaning unknown, perhaps a combination of Vi and Anne 1 or a short form of Vivianne.

Vic m & f English
Short form of Victor or Victoria.

Vicki f English
Diminutive of Victoria.

Vickie f English
Diminutive of Victoria.

Vicky f English
Diminutive of Victoria.

Victor m English, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late Roman
Roman name meaning "victor, conqueror" in Latin. It was common among early Christians, and was borne by several early saints and three popes. It was rare as an English name during the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the French writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885), who authored The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables.

Victoria f English, Spanish, Romanian, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, French, Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Means "victory" in Latin, being borne by the Roman goddess of victory. It is also a feminine form of Victorius. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from North Africa.... [more]

Vienna f English (Modern)
From the name of the capital city of Austria, Vienna.

Vikki f English
Diminutive of Victoria.

Vin m English
Short form of Vincent.

Vinal m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "vine hall" in Middle English.

Vince m English, Hungarian
English short form and Hungarian normal form of Vincent.

Vincent m English, French, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Slovak
From the Roman name Vincentius, which was derived from Latin vincere meaning "to conquer". This name was popular among early Christians, and it was borne by many saints. As an English name, Vincent has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the 19th century. Famous bearers include the French priest Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) and the Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890).

Vinnie m & f English
Diminutive of Vincent and other names containing vin.

Vinny m English
Diminutive of Vincent.

Viola f English, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak
Means "violet" in Latin. This is the name of the heroine of William Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night (1602). In the play she is the survivor of a shipwreck who disguises herself as a man named Cesario. Working as a messenger for Duke Orsino, she attempts to convince Olivia to marry him. Instead Viola falls in love with the duke.

Violet f English
From the English word violet for the purple flower, ultimately derived from Latin viola. It was common in Scotland from the 16th century, and it came into general use as an English given name during the 19th century.

Viona f English (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Fiona influenced by Viola.

Virgee f English
Diminutive of Virginia.

Virgie f English
Diminutive of Virginia.

Virgil m English, Romanian
From the Roman family name Vergilius, which is of unknown meaning. This name was borne by the 1st-century BC Roman poet Publius Vergilius Maro, commonly called Virgil, who was the writer of the Aeneid. Due to him, Virgil has been in use as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century.

Virginia f English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Greek, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman family name Verginius or Virginius, which is of unknown meaning, but long associated with Latin virgo "maid, virgin". According to a legend, it was the name of a Roman woman killed by her father so as to save her from the clutches of a crooked official.... [more]

Vivian m & f English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the Latin name Vivianus, which was derived from Latin vivus "alive". Saint Vivian was a French bishop who provided protection during the Visigoth invasion of the 5th century. It has been occasionally used as an English (masculine) name since the Middle Ages. In modern times it is also used as a feminine name, in which case it is either an Anglicized form of Bébinn or a variant of Vivien 2.

Viviette f English (Rare)
Diminutive of Vivienne. William John Locke used this name for the title character in his novel Viviette (1910).

Vivyan f English (Rare)
Variant of Vivian.

Vonda f English
Variant of Wanda, reflecting the Polish pronunciation.

Vyvyan m English (British)
Variant of Vivian. This was the name of one of Oscar Wilde's sons.

Wade m English
From an English surname, either Wade 1 or Wade 2.

Waldo 1 m English
From a surname that was derived from the Anglo-Scandinavian given name Waltheof. Its present use in the English-speaking world is usually in honour of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American transcendentalist, poet and author. His name came from a surname from his father's side of the family.

Walker m English
From an English surname that referred to the medieval occupational of a walker, also known as a fuller. Walkers would tread on wet, unprocessed wool in order to clean and thicken it. The word ultimately derives from Old English wealcan "to walk".

Wallace m English, Scottish
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Norman French waleis meaning "foreigner, Celt, Welshman" (of Germanic origin). It was first used as a given name in honour of William Wallace, a Scottish hero who led the fight against the English in the 13th century.

Wallis m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Wallace. Wallis Simpson (1895-1986) was the divorced woman whom Edward VIII married, which forced him to abdicate the British throne.

Wally m English
Diminutive of Walter or Wallace.

Walt m English
Short form of Walter. A famous bearer was the American animator and filmmaker Walt Disney (1901-1966).

Walter m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Italian, Germanic
From the Germanic name Waltheri meaning "power of the army", from the elements walt "power, authority" and heri "army". In medieval German tales (notably Waltharius by Ekkehard of Saint Gall) Walter of Aquitaine is a heroic king of the Visigoths. The name was also borne by an 11th-century French saint, Walter of Pontoise. The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Wealdhere.... [more]

Walton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from various Old English place names meaning "stream town", "wood town", or "wall town".

Wanda f Polish, English, German, French
Possibly from a Germanic name meaning "a Wend", referring to the Slavic people who inhabited eastern Germany. In Polish legends this was the name of the daughter of King Krak, the legendary founder of Krakow. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by the author Ouida, who used it for the heroine in her novel Wanda (1883).