Browse Names

This is a list of names in which the usage is German or Italian.
gender
usage
Ofelia f Spanish, Italian
Spanish and Italian form of Ophelia.
Olaf m Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Polish
From the Old Norse name Áleifr meaning "ancestor's descendant", derived from the elements anu "ancestor" and leif "inheritance, legacy". This was the name of five kings of Norway, including Saint Olaf (Olaf II).
Olga f Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Slovene, Serbian, Bulgarian, Greek
Russian form of the Old Norse name Helga. The 10th-century Saint Olga was the wife of Igor I, the ruler of Kievan Rus (a state based around the city of Kyiv). Like her husband she was probably a Varangian, who were Norse people who settled in Eastern Europe beginning in the 9th century. Following Igor's death she ruled as regent for her son Svyatoslav for 18 years. After she was baptized in Constantinople she attempted to convert her subjects to Christianity, though this goal was only achieved by her grandson Vladimir.
Olindo m Literature, Italian
Used by the Italian poet Torquato Tasso for the lover of Sophronia in his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580). It might be a variant of Olinto, the Italian form of the ancient Greek city Ὄλυνθος (Olynthos) meaning "wild fig".
Oliva f Late Roman, Spanish, Italian
Late Latin name meaning "olive". This was the name of a 2nd-century saint from Brescia.
Oliver m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Catalan, Serbian, Croatian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Carolingian Cycle
From Old French Olivier, which was possibly derived from Latin oliva "olive tree". Alternatively there could be an underlying Germanic name, such as Old Norse Áleifr (see Olaf) or Frankish Alawar (see Álvaro), with the spelling altered by association with the Latin word. In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic La Chanson de Roland, in which Olivier is a friend and advisor to the hero Roland.... [more]
Olivia f English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
This name was used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy Twelfth Night (1602). This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time that may have been based on Oliva or Oliver, or directly on the Latin word oliva meaning "olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman wooed by Duke Orsino. Instead she falls in love with his messenger Cesario, who is actually Viola in disguise.... [more]
Oliviero m Italian
Italian form of Oliver.
Omar 1 m Arabic, Bosnian, Kazakh, Malay, English, Spanish, Italian
Alternate transcription of Arabic عمر (see Umar). This is the usual English spelling of the name of the 12th-century poet Umar Khayyam. In his honour it has sometimes been used in the English-speaking world, notably for the American general Omar Bradley (1893-1981).
Ondina f Portuguese, Italian
Portuguese and Italian form of Undine.
Onofrio m Italian
Italian form of Onuphrius.
Orazio m Italian
Italian form of Horatius.
Oreste m Italian
Italian form of Orestes.
Orfeo m Italian, Spanish (Rare)
Italian and Spanish form of Orpheus.
Oria f Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Aurea.
Oriana f Italian, Spanish
Possibly derived from Latin aurum "gold" or from its derivatives, Spanish oro or French or. In medieval legend Oriana was the daughter of a king of England who married the knight Amadis.
Orietta f Italian
Diminutive of Oria.
Orlanda f Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Orlando.
Orlando m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Carolingian Cycle
Italian form of Roland, as used in the epic poems Orlando Innamorato (1483) by Matteo Maria Boiardo and the continuation Orlando Furioso (1532) by Ludovico Ariosto. In the poems, Orlando is a knight in Charlemagne's army who battles against the invading Saracens. A character in Shakespeare's play As You Like It (1599) also bears this name, as does a city in Florida.
Ornella f Italian
Created by the Italian author Gabriele d'Annunzio for his novel La Figlia di Jorio (1904). It is derived from Tuscan Italian ornello meaning "flowering ash tree".
Orsina f Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Orsino.
Orsino m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of the Roman name Ursinus, itself derived from Ursus (see Urs). This is the name of a duke in Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night (1602).
Orso m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Ursus (see Urs).
Orsola f Italian
Italian form of Ursula.
Ortrun f German (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements ort "point" and runa "secret lore, rune". In the medieval German epic Kudrun this is the name of Hartmut's sister.
Ortwin m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements ort "point" and wini "friend". This is the name of Gudrun's brother in the medieval German epic Kudrun.
Osanna f Italian
Italian form of Hosanna. This was the name of a 15th-century Italian saint and mystic, as well as a 16th-century Montenegrin saint.
Oscar m English, Irish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, Irish Mythology
Possibly means "deer friend", derived from Old Irish oss "deer" and carae "friend". Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name Osgar or its Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. In Irish legend Oscar was the son of the poet Oisín and the grandson of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.... [more]
Oskar m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Slovene, Basque
Form of Oscar in several languages. A famous bearer was Oskar Schindler (1908-1974), who is credited for saved over 1,000 Polish Jews during World War II.
Osvaldo m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Oswald.
Oswald m English, German
Derived from the Old English elements os "god" and weald "powerful, mighty". Saint Oswald was a king of Northumbria who introduced Christianity to northeastern England in the 7th century before being killed in battle. There was also an Old Norse cognate Ásvaldr in use in England, being borne by the 10th-century Saint Oswald of Worcester, who was of Danish ancestry. Though the name had died out by the end of the Middle Ages, it was revived in the 19th century.
Otello m Italian
Italian form of Othello. This was the name of an 1887 opera by Giuseppe Verdi, based on Shakespeare's play.
Othmar m German, Germanic
Variant of Otmar.
Otmar m German, Czech, Germanic
From the Germanic name Audamar, which was derived from Old Frankish aud or Old High German ot meaning "wealth, fortune" combined with mari meaning "famous". This was the name of an 8th-century Swiss saint, an abbot of Saint Gall.
Ottavia f Italian
Italian form of Octavia.
Ottaviano m Italian
Italian form of Octavianus (see Octavian).
Ottavio m Italian
Italian form of Octavius.
Ottilie f German
German form of Odilia.
Ottmar m German
Variant of Otmar.
Otto m German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Germanic
Later German form of Audo, originally a short form of various names beginning with Old Frankish aud or Old High German ot meaning "wealth, fortune". This was the name of a 9th-century king of the West Franks (name usually spelled as Odo). This was also the name of four kings of Germany, starting in the 10th century with Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor, known as Otto the Great. Saint Otto of Bamberg was a 12th-century missionary to Pomerania. The name was also borne by a 19th-century king of Greece, originally from Bavaria. Another notable bearer was the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898).
Ottokar m German (Rare)
German form of Odoacer.
Ottone m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Otto.
Ottorino m Italian
Originally a variant of Ottolino, a diminutive of Ottone.
Otwin m German (Rare)
German form of Audowin.
Ovidio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Ovidius (see Ovid).
Palmiro m Italian
Means "pilgrim" in Italian. In medieval times it denoted one who had been a pilgrim to Palestine. It is ultimately from the word palma meaning "palm tree", because of the custom of pilgrims to bring palm fronds home with them. The name is sometimes given to a child born on Palm Sunday.
Pancrazio m Italian
Italian form of Pancratius.
Panfilo m Italian
Italian form of Pamphilos. The Italian author Boccaccio used this name in his work The Decameron (1350).
Pantaleone m Italian
Italian form of Pantaleon.
Paola f Italian
Italian feminine form of Paul.
Paolina f Italian
Italian feminine form of Paulinus (see Paulino).
Paolino m Italian
Italian form of Paulinus (see Paulino).
Paolo m Italian
Italian form of Paulus (see Paul). Paolo Uccello and Paolo Veronese were both Italian Renaissance painters.
Paride m Italian
Italian form of Paris 1.
Pascal m French, German, Dutch
From the Late Latin name Paschalis, which meant "relating to Easter" from Latin Pascha "Easter", which was in turn from Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesaḥ) meaning "Passover". Passover is the ancient Hebrew holiday celebrating the liberation from Egypt. Because it coincided closely with the later Christian holiday of Easter, the same Latin word was used for both. The name Pascal can also function as a surname, as in the case of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the French philosopher, mathematician and inventor.
Pasquale m Italian
Italian form of Pascal.
Pasqualina f Italian
Italian feminine form of Pascal.
Pasqualino m Italian
Diminutive of Pasquale.
Patricia f English, Spanish, German, French, Dutch, Late Roman
Feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick). In medieval England this spelling appears in Latin documents, but this form was probably not used as the actual name until the 18th century, in Scotland.
Patrick m Irish, English, French, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
From the Latin name Patricius, which meant "nobleman". This name was adopted in the 5th-century by Saint Patrick, whose birth name was Sucat. He was a Romanized Briton who was captured and enslaved in his youth by Irish raiders. After six years of servitude he escaped home, but he eventually became a bishop and went back to Ireland as a missionary. He is traditionally credited with Christianizing the island, and is regarded as Ireland's patron saint. He is called Pádraig in Irish.... [more]
Patrizia f Italian
Italian feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Patrizio m Italian
Italian form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Paul m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Romanian, Biblical
From the Roman family name Paulus, which meant "small" or "humble" in Latin. Paul was an important leader of the early Christian church. According to Acts in the New Testament, he was a Jewish Roman citizen who converted to Christianity after the resurrected Jesus appeared to him. After this he travelled the eastern Mediterranean as a missionary. His original Hebrew name was Saul. Many of the epistles in the New Testament were authored by him.... [more]
Paula f German, English, Finnish, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Hungarian, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Croatian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Paulus (see Paul). This was the name of a 4th-century Roman saint who was a companion of Saint Jerome.
Pauline f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Paulinus (see Paulino).
Pellegrino m Italian
Italian form of Peregrinus (see Peregrine).
Peppe m Italian
Diminutive of Giuseppe.
Peppino m Italian
Diminutive of Giuseppe.
Perla f Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish cognate of Pearl.
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.
Petronilla f Italian, Late Roman
From a Latin name, a diminutive of Petronia, the feminine form of Petronius. This was the name of an obscure 1st-century Roman saint, later believed to be a daughter of Saint Peter.
Philipp m German
German form of Philip.
Philippa f English (British), German
Latinate feminine form of Philip. As an English name, it is chiefly British.
Philippina f German (Rare)
Elaborated form of Philippa.
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.
Pier m Italian, Dutch
Italian and Dutch variant form of Peter. In Italian, this form is often used in combination with another name.
Piera f Italian
Italian feminine form of Peter.
Pierina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Piero.
Pierino m Italian
Diminutive of Piero.
Pierluigi m Italian
Combination of Piero and Luigi.
Piero m Italian
Italian form of Peter. Piero della Francesca was an Italian Renaissance painter.
Pierpaolo m Italian
Combination of Piero and Paolo.
Pietra f Italian
Italian feminine form of Peter.
Pietrina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Pietro.
Pietro m Italian
Italian form of Peter. Pietro was the given name of the Renaissance painter known as Perugino.
Pina f Italian
Short form of names ending in pina.
Pino m Italian
Short form of names ending in pino.
Pio m Italian, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian and Portuguese form of Pius.
Pippo m Italian
Diminutive of Filippo or Giuseppe.
Placida f Late Roman, Italian (Rare)
Feminine form of Placidus (see Placido).
Placido m Italian
Italian form of the Late Latin name Placidus meaning "quiet, calm". Saint Placidus was a 6th-century Italian saint, a disciple of Saint Benedict.
Plinio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Plinius (see Pliny).
Poldi m German
German diminutive of Leopold.
Pompeo m Italian
Italian form of Pompeius (see Pompey).
Ponzio m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Pontius.
Porfirio m Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Derived from the Greek name Πορφύριος (Porphyrios), which was derived from the word πορφύρα (porphyra) meaning "purple dye". This was the name of several early saints.
Primo m Italian
Italian form of the Late Latin name Primus, which meant "first". This was the name of three early saints, each of whom was martyred.
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".
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.
Priska f German, Biblical Greek
German form of Prisca, as well as the form used in the Greek New Testament.
Prospero m Italian
Italian form of Prosper. This is the name of the main character, a shipwrecked magician, in The Tempest (1611) by William Shakespeare.
Quintino m Italian, Portuguese
Italian and Portuguese form of Quintinus (see Quentin).
Quinto m Italian
Italian form of Quintus.
Quirin m German
German form of Quirinus.
Quirino m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Quirinus.
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]
Rachele f Italian
Italian form of Rachel.
Rafael m Spanish, Portuguese, German, Hungarian, Romanian, Slovene, Hebrew
Form of Raphael in various languages. A famous bearer is the Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal (1986-).
Raffael m German (Rare)
German variant of Raphael.
Raffaela f German (Rare)
German feminine form of Raphael.
Raffaele m Italian
Italian form of Raphael.
Raffaella f Italian
Italian feminine form of Raphael.
Raffaello m Italian
Italian form of Raphael.
Rahel f Biblical Latin, German
Biblical Latin form of Rachel, as well as a German form.
Raimonda f Italian
Italian feminine form of Raymond.
Raimondo m Italian
Italian form of Raymond.
Raimund m German, Germanic
German form of Raymond.
Raimunde f German (Rare)
German feminine form of Raymond.
Rainer m German, Germanic
German form of Rayner.
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.
Raniero m Italian
Italian form of Rayner.
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]
Raphaela f German
Feminine form of Raphael.
Raul m Portuguese, Italian, Romanian, Estonian
Portuguese, Italian, Romanian and Estonian form of Radulf (see Ralph).
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]
Rebekka f German, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Finnish, Dutch (Rare)
Form of Rebecca used in various languages.
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.
Regine f German, Norwegian
German and Norwegian form of Regina.
Regula f German (Swiss), Late Roman
Means "rule" in Latin. This was the name of a 3rd-century Swiss martyr, the patron saint of Zurich.
Reimund m German
German form of Raymond.
Reiner m German, Germanic
German form of Rayner.
Reinhard m German, Germanic
German cognate of Reynard.
Reinhardt m German
German variant form of Reynard.
Reinhild f German
From the Germanic name Raginhild, which was composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and hilt "battle". This was the name of a 7th-century Frankish saint who was martyred by the Huns. It is a cognate of the Norse name Ragnhild.
Reinhold m German, Germanic
German form of Reynold.
Remigio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Remigius (see Rémy).
Remo m Italian
Italian form of Remus.
Renate f German, Dutch, Norwegian
German, Dutch and Norwegian feminine form of Renatus.
Renato m Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Croatian
Italian, Portuguese and Spanish form of Renatus.
René m French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Slovak, Czech
French form of Renatus. Famous bearers include the French mathematician and rationalist philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650) and the Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte (1898-1967).
Renza f Italian
Short form of Lorenza.
Reto m German (Swiss)
Means "of Rhaetia". Rhaetia is a region in eastern Switzerland that got its name from the Rhaeti, a Celtic tribe who originally inhabited the area.
Ria f German, Dutch
Short form of Maria.
Ricarda f German, Spanish, Portuguese
German, Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Richard.
Riccarda f Italian
Italian feminine form of Richard.
Riccardo m Italian
Italian 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]
Rico m Spanish, Italian
Short form of Ricardo, Enrico and other names ending in rico.
Rike f German
German short form of Friederike, Henrike and other names ending in rike.
Rina 1 f Italian, Dutch
Short form of Caterina or Catharina as well as other names ending in rina.
Rinaldo m Italian, Carolingian Cycle
Italian form of Reynold. This is the Italian name of the hero Renaud, appearing as the cousin of Orlando in the Orlando poems (1483 and 1532) by Boiardo and Ariosto. A different version of this character features in the poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580) by Torquato Tasso.
Rino m Italian
Short form of names ending in rino.
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).
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]
Robertina f Spanish, Italian (Rare)
Feminine diminutive of Roberto.
Roberto m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Robert. Saint Roberto Bellarmine was a 16th-century cardinal who is regarded as a Doctor of the Church. Another famous bearer was Roberto de Nobili (1577-1656), a Jesuit missionary to India.
Rocco m Italian, Germanic
Germanic name possibly derived from hruoh meaning "crow, rook". This was the name of a 14th-century French saint who nursed victims of the plague but eventually contracted the disease himself. He is the patron saint of the sick.
Rochus m German (Rare), Dutch (Rare), Germanic (Latinized)
Latinized form of Rocco, used in occasionally German and Dutch.
Rodolfo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Rudolf. This is the name of the hero in Puccini's opera La Bohème (1896).
Rodrigo m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Galician
Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Galician form of Roderick, via the Latinized Gothic form Rudericus. A notable bearer was Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid, an 11th-century Spanish military commander.
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]
Rolando m Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Roland.
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.
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.
Romana f Italian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Late Roman
Feminine form of Romanus (see Roman).
Romano m Italian
Italian form of Romanus (see Roman).
Romeo m Italian, Romanian
Italian form of the Late Latin Romaeus or Late Greek Ρωμαῖος (Romaios), which meant "from Rome" or "Roman". Romeo is best known as the lover of Juliet in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet (1596). Shakespeare based his play on earlier Italian stories by Luigi Da Porto (1524) and Matteo Bandello (1554), which both featured characters named Giulietta and Romeo.
Romilda f Italian, Germanic (Latinized)
Means "famous battle" from the Germanic elements hruom "fame, glory" and hilt "battle".
Romina f Italian
Possibly a variant of Romana.
Romola f Italian (Rare)
Italian feminine form of Romulus.
Romolo m Italian
Italian form of Romulus.
Romualdo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Romuald.
Romy f German, Dutch, French, English
Diminutive of Rosemarie, Rosemary, and names beginning with Rom.
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.
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).
Rosalba f Italian
Italian name meaning "white rose", derived from Latin rosa "rose" and alba "white". A famous bearer was the Venetian painter Rosalba Carriera (1675-1757).
Rosalia f Italian, Late Roman
Late Latin name derived from rosa "rose". This was the name of a 12th-century Sicilian saint.
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.
Rosalinda f Spanish, Italian
Latinate form of Rosalind.
Rosangela f Italian
Combination of Rosa 1 and Angela.
Rosanna f Italian, English
Combination of Rosa 1 and Anna.
Rosaria f Italian
Italian feminine form of Rosario.
Rosario f & m Spanish, Italian
Means "rosary", and is taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary Nuestra Señora del Rosario meaning "Our Lady of the Rosary". This name is feminine in Spanish and masculine in Italian.
Rosella f Italian
Italian diminutive of Rosa 1.
Rosetta f Italian
Italian diminutive of Rosa 1.
Rosina f Italian
Italian diminutive of Rosa 1. This is the name of a character in Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville (1816).
Rosmarie f German
Upper German and Swiss variant of Rosemarie.
Rossa f Italian (Rare)
Means "red" in Italian.
Rossana f Italian
Italian form of Roxana.
Rossella f Italian
Diminutive of Rossa.
Roswitha f German
Derived from the Old German elements hruod "fame" and swind "strong". This was the name of a 10th-century nun from Saxony who wrote several notable poems and dramas.
Ruben m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, Italian, Armenian, Biblical Latin
Form of Reuben in several languages. This was the name of an 11th-century Armenian ruler of Cilicia.
Rubina f Portuguese, Italian (Rare)
Derived from Portuguese rubi or Italian rubino meaning "ruby", ultimately from Latin ruber "red".
Rudi m German, Hungarian
Diminutive of Rudolf.
Rüdiger m German
German form of Roger.
Rudolf m German, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Dutch, Russian, Armenian
From the Germanic name Hrodulf, which was derived from the elements hruod meaning "fame" and wolf meaning "wolf". It was borne by three kings of Burgundy and a king of West Francia, as well as several Habsburg rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria. Anthony Hope used this name for the hero in his popular novel The Prisoner of Zenda (1894).
Ruedi m German (Swiss)
Swiss diminutive of Rudolf.
Rufino m Spanish, Portuguese, Italian (Rare)
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian form of Rufinus.
Ruggero m Italian
Italian form of Roger.
Ruggiero m Italian, Carolingian Cycle
Italian form of Roger. This is the name of a Saracen knight in the epic poems Orlando Innamorato (1483) by Matteo Maria Boiardo and Orlando Furioso (1532) by Ludovico Ariosto, as well as several operas based on the poems. In the tales Ruggiero is a noble opponent of Orlando who falls in love with the female knight Bradamante.
Rupert m German, English
German variant form of Robert, from the Old German variant Hrodperht. It was borne by the 7th century Saint Rupert of Salzburg and the 8th-century Saint Rupert of Bingen. The military commander Prince Rupert of the Rhine, a nephew of Charles I, introduced this name to England in the 17th century. A notable bearer is the Australian-American businessman Rupert Murdoch (1931-).
Ruth 1 f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name רוּת (Ruṯ), probably derived from the word רְעוּת (reʿuṯ) meaning "female friend". This is the name of the central character in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament. She was a Moabite woman who accompanied her mother-in-law Naomi back to Bethlehem after Ruth's husband died. There she met and married Boaz. She was an ancestor of King David.... [more]
Sabina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Swedish, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of Sabinus, a Roman cognomen meaning "a Sabine" in Latin. The Sabines were an ancient people who lived in central Italy, their lands eventually taken over by the Romans after several wars. According to legend, the Romans abducted several Sabine women during a raid, and when the men came to rescue them, the women were able to make peace between the two groups. This name was borne by several early saints.
Sabine f French, German, Dutch, Danish
French, German, Dutch and Danish form of Sabina.
Sabino m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Sabinus (see Sabina).
Sabrina f English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Latinized form of Habren, the original Welsh name of the River Severn. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Sabrina was the name of a princess who was drowned in the Severn. Supposedly the river was named for her, but it is more likely that her name was actually derived from that of the river, which is of unknown meaning. She appears as a water nymph in John Milton's masque Comus (1634).... [more]
Salome f English (Rare), German (Rare), Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From an Aramaic name that was related to the Hebrew word שָׁלוֹם (shalom) meaning "peace". According to the historian Josephus this was the name of the daughter of Herodias (the consort of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee). In the New Testament, though a specific name is not given, it was a daughter of Herodias who danced for Herod and was rewarded with the head of John the Baptist, and thus Salome and the dancer have traditionally been equated.... [more]
Salomè f Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Salome.
Salvatore m Italian
Italian cognate of Salvador.
Salvatrice f Italian
From Salvatrix, the feminine form of Salvator (see Salvador).
Salvio m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Salvius.
Salvo m Italian
Variant of Salvio (see Salvius) or directly from Italian salvo meaning "safe".
Samanta f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Latvian, Polish
Variant of Samantha used in several languages.
Samantha f English, Italian, Dutch
Perhaps intended to be a feminine form of Samuel, using the name suffix antha (possibly inspired by Greek ἄνθος (anthos) meaning "flower"). It originated in America in the 18th century but was fairly uncommon until 1964, when it was popularized by the main character on the television show Bewitched.
Samuel m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemuʾel) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of "God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.... [more]
Samuela 1 f Italian
Italian feminine form of Samuel.
Samuele m Italian
Italian form of Samuel.
Sandra f Italian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Romanian
Short form of Alessandra. It was introduced to the English-speaking world (where it is usually used independently of Alexandra) by author George Meredith, who used it for the heroine in his novel Emilia in England (1864) and the reissued version Sandra Belloni (1887). A famous bearer is the American actress Sandra Bullock (1964-).
Sandro m Italian, Georgian
Short form of Alessandro (Italian) or Aleksandre (Georgian). Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) was an Italian Renaissance artist, the painter of The Birth of Venus and other famous works.
Sansone m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Samson.
Santa 1 f Italian
Feminine form of Santo.
Sante m Italian
Variation of Santo.
Santi m Spanish, Italian
Short form of Santiago or a variant of Santo.
Santina f Italian
Feminine diminutive of Santo.
Santino m Italian
Diminutive of Santo.
Santo m Italian
Means "saint" in Italian, ultimately from Latin sanctus.
Sarah f English, French, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שָׂרָה (Sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament this is the name of Abraham's wife, considered the matriarch of the Jewish people. She was barren until she unexpectedly became pregnant with Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally Sarai, but God changed it at the same time Abraham's name was changed (see Genesis 17:15).... [more]
Sarina f German, Dutch, English (Modern)
Diminutive of Sara, or sometimes a variant of Serena.
Sascha m & f German, Dutch
German and Dutch form of Sasha.
Saskia f Dutch, German
From the Old German element sahso meaning "a Saxon". The Saxons were a Germanic tribe, their name ultimately deriving from the Germanic word *sahsą meaning "knife". Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612-1642) was the wife of the Dutch painter Rembrandt.
Saturnino m Spanish, Italian (Rare), Portuguese (Rare)
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese form of Saturninus.
Saveria f Italian
Italian feminine form of Xavier.
Saverio m Italian
Italian form of Xavier.
Savina f Italian
Italian variant of Sabina.
Savino m Italian
Italian variant form of Sabinus (see Sabina).
Savio m Italian
Means "wise" in Italian.
Scevola m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of the Roman cognomen Scaevola, which was derived from Latin scaevus "left-handed". The first bearer of this name was Gaius Mucius Scaevola, who acquired it, according to legend, after he thrust his right hand into a blazing fire in order to intimidate the Etruscan king Porsenna, who was blockading the city of Rome.
Scilla f Italian
Short form of Priscilla. This is also the Italian word for the squill flower (genus Scilla).
Scipione m Italian (Rare)
Italian form of Scipio.
Sebastian m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Finnish, Romanian, Czech
From the Latin name Sebastianus, which meant "from Sebaste". Sebaste was the name a town in Asia Minor, its name deriving from Greek σεβαστός (sebastos) meaning "venerable" (a translation of Latin Augustus, the title of the Roman emperors). According to Christian tradition, Saint Sebastian was a 3rd-century Roman soldier martyred during the persecutions of the emperor Diocletian. After he was discovered to be a Christian, he was tied to a stake and shot with arrows. This however did not kill him. Saint Irene of Rome healed him and he returned to personally admonish Diocletian, whereupon the emperor had him beaten to death.... [more]
Sebastiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese feminine form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Sebastiano m Italian
Italian form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Selina f English, German
Variant of Celina or Selena. As an English name, it first came into use in the 17th century.
Selma 1 f English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic
Meaning unknown, possibly a short form of Anselma. It could also have been inspired by James Macpherson's 18th-century poems, in which it is the name of Ossian's castle.
Selvaggia f Italian (Rare)
Means "wild" in Italian.
Senta f German
Diminutive of Kreszentia.
Sepp m German
German diminutive of Josef.
Seppel m German (Rare)
German diminutive of Joseph.
Serafina f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Rare)
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Seraphina.
Serafino m Italian
Italian form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina).
Seraphina f English (Rare), German (Rare), Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Seraphinus, derived from the biblical word seraphim, which was Hebrew in origin and meant "fiery ones". The seraphim were an order of angels, described by Isaiah in the Bible as having six wings each.... [more]
Serena f English, Italian, Late Roman
From a Late Latin name that was derived from Latin serenus meaning "clear, tranquil, serene". This name was borne by an obscure early saint. Edmund Spenser also used it in his poem The Faerie Queene (1590). A famous bearer from the modern era is tennis player Serena Williams (1981-).
Sergio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Sergius.
Sesto m Italian
Italian form of Sextus.
Settimio m Italian
Italian form of Septimius.
Settimo m Italian
Italian form of Septimus.
Severino m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Severinus.
Severo m Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian, Spanish and Portuguese form of Severus.
Sibilla f Italian
Italian form of Sibylla.
Sibylla f Late Roman, German
Latinate form of Sibyl.
Sibylle f German, French
German and French form of Sibyl.
Siegbert m German
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and beraht "bright". This was the name of several Frankish kings, including the 7th-century Sigebert III of Austrasia who is regarded as a saint.
Siegfried m German, Germanic Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and fridu "peace". Siegfried was a hero from German legend, the chief character in the Nibelungenlied. He secretly helped the Burgundian king Gunther overcome the challenges set out by the Icelandic queen Brunhild so that Gunther might win her hand. In exchange, Gunther consented to the marriage of Siegfried and his sister Kriemhild. Years later, after a dispute between Brunhild and Kriemhild, Siegfried was murdered by Hagen with Gunther's consent. He was stabbed in his one vulnerable spot on the small of his back, which had been covered by a leaf while he bathed in dragon's blood. He is a parallel to the Norse hero Sigurd. The story was later adapted by Richard Wagner to form part of his opera The Ring of the Nibelung (1876).
Sieghard m German
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Sieghild f German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and hilt "battle".
Sieglinde f German, Germanic Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and lind "soft, flexible, tender". Sieglinde was the mother of Siegfried in the medieval German saga the Nibelungenlied.
Siegmar m German
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and mari "famous".
Siegmund m German
German variant of Sigmund.
Siegward m German (Rare)
German form of Sigiward, the continental Germanic cognate of Sigurd.
Sigfrido m Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare)
Italian and Spanish form of Siegfried.
Sigi m & f German
Diminutive of Siegfried, Sieglinde, and other Old German names beginning with the element sigu meaning "victory".
Sigismund m German (Rare), Germanic
Form of Sigmund in which the first element is sigis, an extended form of sigu. Saint Sigismund was a 6th-century king of the Burgundians. This was also the name of kings of Poland and a ruler of the Holy Roman Empire.
Sigmund m German, Norwegian, English, Norse Mythology
Derived from the Old German elements sigu "victory" and munt "protection" (or in the case of the Scandinavian cognate, from Old Norse sigr and mundr). An early variant of this name was Sigismund, borne by a 6th-century saint and king of the Burgundians. In the Norse Völsungasaga Sigmund is the hero Sigurd's father, the bearer of the powerful sword Gram. A notable bearer was the Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the creator of the revolutionary theory of psychoanalysis.
Sigrid f Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, German, Estonian, Finnish (Archaic)
From the Old Norse name Sigríðr, which was derived from the elements sigr "victory" and fríðr "beautiful, beloved".
Sigrun f Norwegian, German
Norwegian form of Sigrún.
Silas m English, Greek, Danish, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
The name of a companion of Saint Paul in the New Testament. It is probably a short form of Silvanus, a name that Paul calls him by in the epistles. It is possible that Silvanus and Silas were Latin and Greek forms of the Hebrew name Saul (via Aramaic).... [more]